A Tale of Two Wallets
by The Altered Destinies
Summary: Nabiki is often considered no more than a background character, a money grubbing mercenary with no appreciable martial arts ability to compete with her younger sister or keep up with Ranma and the martial artists of Nerima, but what if, through a slight wrinkle in fate, it was *Nabiki* who became engaged to Ranma? What if instead of being shocked by his transformation, she saw a ch
1. Chapter 1

Azusa and Funaho have son Yosho

Asuza and Misaki have daughters Ayeka and Sasami

Yosho and Bha-Alm have Daughter Xan Pu, son Ro Ghan and daughter Ko-Lon

Yosho is the grandfather of Nodoka Masaki

Yosho and ? have daughter Achiko Masaki

Achiko Masaki and Noboyuki have son Tenchi Masaki

Ganglot Morrigar and Ro Ghan have son Razor Hibiki

Razor Hibiki and Cybelle have daughter Atsuko Hibiki

Razor Hibiki and ? have daughter Kennou Hikibi

Razor Hibiki and ? have daughter Jun Hibiki

Razor Hibiki is great grandfather of Naomi Nakamura

Naomi Nakamura and ? have daughter Rachel

Jun Hibiki and ? have daughter Akiko Hibiki

Atsuko Hibiki and ? have daughter Ryomi Hibiki

Atsuko and Genma Saotome have son Ryoga Hibiki

Ko-Lon and ? have daughter Xain Pu

Xain Pu and Chuin have daughter Comb

Comb and Har Bus have daughters Xain Pu, Lin-Lin, and Lung-Lung

Happosai is uncle to Lotion the Elder

Lotion the Elder has grand daughter Silk and grand daughter Balm

Balm and ? have daughter Lotion the Younger

Silk and Soun Tendo nave daughter Kachu

Kachu is married to Dr. Tofu Ono

? and ? have son Soun Tendo and daughter Mariko Tendo

Soun Tendo and Kimiko Tsukino have daughters Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane Tendo

? Tsukino (female) and ? Masaki (male) have daughter Nodoka Masaki and a son

Happosai and Shinko Nanamiya have daughter Junko Nanamiya

Shiryo Saotome and Junko Nanamiya have son Kurima Saotome

Kurima Saotome and ? have sons Genma and Hinoma Saotome

Genma Saotome and Nodoka Masaki have son Ranma Saotome

Happosai currently engaged to Hinako Ninomiya

Ranma Saotome married to Xain Pu and Nabiki Tendo

Hinoma Saotome eloped with Mariko Tendo

Kimiko Tsukino and Nodoka Masaki are distant cousins

Ranma Saotome, Tenchi Masaki and Usagi Tsukino are all cousins

Nauru Tsukino is clan Patriarch


	2. Chapter 2

Nabiki and Ranma (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader Prologue.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" came a familiar cry just seconds before it was followed by a loud splash caused by an equally familiar body hitting the water.

Nabiki Tendo looked up from where she had been lounging by the resort pool reading a book. Without hardly any surprise she saw a shock of red hair bobbing to the surface of the pool a moment after the huge splash as a familiar form in Chinese clothing floated into view, quite evidently unconscious.

Hardly surprising, Nabiki sniffed. A fall like that should have killed any ordinary human mortal, let alone a fall from Kami knew how great a height Ranma had fallen this time. Nabiki had once tried to calculate the amount of kinetic energy involved in such an impact and gave it up after estimating an impossibly high number of foot pounds. She chalked his continued survival up as some kind of Martial Arts trick he knew, or just a latent gift that made him especially hard to kill. Either way Ranma was in no great danger from either the fall or the landing.

Drowning, however, was another matter.

Nabiki sighed as she placed her bookmark and sat upright on her chair. There was no one else around the resort at this time at this day, not even a lifeguard on duty. She was the only one on hand who could pull Ranma to safety before she drowned, not that Nabiki wanted to get her suit wet. She was not happy at the conclusion, but she knew at once that Ranma needed her assistance.

"You're going to owe me big for this, Ranma-kun," she murmured softly to no one in particular. It was precisely this sort of day-to-day event that they were supposed to have gotten away from during this vacation, but wherever Ranma went trouble seemed inevitably to follow, like his cotitiere of violent fianc es. No matter how he played things, Ranma Saotome always seemed to wind up on the losing end of the battle between the sexes.

Diving into the pool and getting her hair wet was a necessary part of the operation, but once she had reached Ranma's side she could confirm that, indeed, he was quite out of it this time, which could only mean that he-or rather she-had done something to upset her younger sister more than usual. It was a simple enough task to drag the redhead to the shallow end of the pool, and from there carry her up to the steps, grateful that Ranma in this form was smaller and lighter than Nabiki herself and thus not so impossible to handle as in his male form.

It took a real effort, however, to get Ranma laid out on the walkway, by which point she became aware of the fact that Ranma was not breathing. The Baka must have swallowed some water, she decided since she could still feel a pulse, so this fact did not alarm Nabiki unduly. All that was needed was to turn Ranma on her side and apply a little pressure until the water flowed out of her mouth, then roll her onto her back and put to use her first aid training.

Nabiki paused in doing so, smiling to herself as she stared at the beautiful face below her, so peaceful in repose, so unsuspecting that another woman was about to give mouth-to-mouth. If anyone had a camera she could have used the photograph for blackmail later, but that would have to wait, she grimly decided. Ranma needed fresh air in her lungs, so Nabiki wasted little more time than necessary doing what any of his fianc es would gladly have paid big bucks to accomplish.

After only the third try Ranma sputtered and coughed then began to breathe on her own, at which point she became very much aware of the identity of her rescuer. Ranma's blue eyes got very round as she gasped, "Nabiki?"

"Hiya, Ranma-kun," Nabiki said cheerfully, "Guess you owe me for another rescue."

"Uh, yeah," Ranma said, coughing a bit before sitting up, "Thanks. How much is it this time?"

Nabiki inclined her head and considered the point, then smirked as she answered, "I'll let you know when I think of something. So...what did you do to upset Akane this time?"

"Ah, it was stupid," Ranma sounded depressed and tired, "Your sister's got no control at all. All I said was that it was a shame about Ukyo and Shampoo. I mean, it's not like I asked those two to fall in love with me! Ukyo's my best friend, and I don't want to hurt her, while Shampoo..." she sighed, "Ever since Mousse read me the riot act about Amazon Law I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. I mean...the poor girl's got no options with that stupid Tribal rules of hers, and what am I supposed to do about it?"

"It's not your problem," Nabiki replied, "Shampoo made her own choice about defying her traditions about killing or marrying you. She has to face the consequences."

Ranma flashed her an angry glance, "How can you be so callous about what they're going to do to her if she doesn't marry or kill me? Haven't you got any feelings?"

Perhaps Nabiki was too obvious in reacting to that accusation because Ranma seemed to regret her words instantly as she spoke in a more conciliatory voice, "I'm sorry, Nabiki...I didn't mean it that way..."

"What's to be sorry about?" Nabiki casually asked the redhead, but inwardly she cringed a little. Everyone always thought that she had no feelings, that she really was the Ice Queen that she normally pretended to be. She never minded the accusation most times, but the way Ranma had said it hurt more than it should have.

Ranma sighed as she sat up, "Look, I don't want Shampoo to suffer on my account, she doesn't deserve that. I don't know how I can make things right for her, but I can't just ignore the mess I've made of her life, anymore than I can ignore the other mess my father made by engaging me to Ucchan."

"Seems to me that latter point is more your father's responsibility than your own," Nabiki said reasonably, "He's the one who should make things right for Ukyo Kuonji."

"But she's the one who's been suffering for years," Ranma persisted, "I've tried talking her out of it, I've even tried finding other guys she could get interested in, but Ucchan just says she won't give up until I see her at my legitimate fianc e. The same is true with Shampoo, only she's got a death sentence hanging over her head if I can't find some honorably way to satisfy that law of hers..." she sighed, "Why can't Akane see that? Shampoo is a friend and friends should stick together."

"Your friend has drugged and tricked you many times, Ranma-kun," Nabiki pointed out, "You can't exactly blame Akane for holding a grudge over that Mind-Wipe incident."

"But that doesn't give her the right to hit me," Ranma felt along her cheek then said, "Ow!"

Nabiki eyed him curiously then asked, "Was that really all you said, Ranma-kun? That you felt sorry for the other rivals?"

"Yeah," Ranma answered, then paused to consider the point before resuming, "Well...maybe I also said something about comparing her cooking to theirs...and I think that's when she hit me."

Nabiki smiled again, suspicions confirmed. The one consistent thing about Saotome Ranma was his inability to speak the truth without putting his foot squarely between his tonsils.

"It's just not fair," Ranma said miserably, "I never asked for any of this! I don't like being so responsible for other people, but here I've got three women after me and I can only marry one of them, so the other two are going to wind up hurt one way or another."

"That's your problem, Saotome," Nabiki said with a knowing smirk, "You're just too irresistible for your own good."

"Laugh all you want," Ranma looked at her with an expression that tried to be scornful but just wound up midway between hurt and forlorn, "It's not your problem after all. I'll bet you'd know what to do if there were all these guys out trying to marry you!"

"Eh?" Nabiki asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"You know what I mean," Ranma turned to glare at her, "You're the smart one, figure it out! I go through all of this hell and you get to sit back and make a profit at my expense! Bet you'd find a way to work everything out if you had a curse like me and the opposite sex was hot to date you!"

Nabiki rocked back from the accusation, for once not prepared with a ready comeback as Ranma turned away, once more sulking in her misery before she slowly got to her feet and said, "Look, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm just so tired of this whole mess...tired of everybody always blaming me for the way things turn out. I don't expect you to understand, why should you? Everybody's afraid of winding up on your bad side, and you never have to raise a finger. I'm the one people want to pound into the floor, especially your sister, and I don't mind telling you that I hate it!"

Ranma started to walk away while Nabiki sat where she was and just stared after her. It took a full three minutes before Nabiki finally managed to stir enough to say, "Well, what brought that up all of a sudden?"

No one was around to answer, of course, so she slowly got up and went back to her homework. Her College admission studies test was next week, and she had to catch up on her reading. No time to ponder the imponderable problem of what to do with Ranma and his pathological problems with too many fianc es and half the population of Nerima out to kill him.

Yet still she could not quite get her mind to focus back on her studies. She kept going back to the look Ranma had given her before leaving, and the accusation she had hurled off-handedly with such a bitterness as Nabiki had never heard before. The charges were hardly new, having been hurled her way before with equal venom, but...never with such a sense of futility about them. Ranma was clearly in low spirits and had expected no sympathy in admitting to Nabiki that the whole thing made him feel lonely.

The irony of that word almost made Nabiki snort in derision. Ranma alone? He had Ukyo for a best buddy and they talked a lot about everything. Well...maybe Kuonji did push the engagement matter from time-to-time, but other than that she was a pretty good listener...

Except, of course, for the fact that Ranma wanted to talk about his engagement problems with somebody who wasn't engaged and therefore had no vested interest. Shampoo was out for similar reasons, and as for Akane...well, the last thing she seemed capable of these days was listen objectively to Ranma.

And who might that be, she idly wondered? His father? Genma Saotome was far from the most objective sort man when it came to the fianc e problem, especially seeing as he was instrumental in causing most of those problems in the first place! Her own father was hardly any better. Both men had insisted on the engagement between Ranma and Akane, which had looked like a disaster from the get-go and hardly seemed to have improved any over the course of the last year. Ranma and Akane were still fighting constantly and getting along less and less often, and to no small degree one source of their continual irritation was both of their meddlesome fathers, who just could not leave these two alone to come to terms in their own way.

And now things had settled down into a pattern where Ranma would insult Akane and she would in turn abuse him. Ranma did not fight back owing to that silly code of Chivalry he adhered to, which infuriated Akane to no end as she thought he was being condescending towards her. Ranma intimidated Akane and berated her as both a woman and a Martial Artist, and in return Akane sought to punish the boy in the only way that she knew how. Neither one would come out and say exactly what they were feeling as it would have been like confessing a weakness, conceding the battle that was constantly being waged between them.

Nabiki sighed, concluding sadly that there was no one to whom Ranma could turn for advise that would listen to him objectively and offer him the counseling that he could use in resolving his unconventional lifestyle problem. Even she never listened to him without charging something in return. Everyone had a stake in whom Ranma would eventually marry, and the betting pool on the three fianc es was currently running at 7:4:2 in favor of Akane.

If anything Ranma had just made things complicated by favoring the other two women (even Nabiki never thought of including the fourth in any serious discussion of engagements, Kodachi being little more than a nuisance), especially in regards to the Shampoo matter. Akane feared Ukyo because the Okonomiyaki chef clearly had the qualities that Akane lacked as a domestic, while Shampoo she tended to regard as a Chinese bimbo. Both girls were better fighters and could cook and had no hesitation in confessing their feelings for Ranma, three strikes in their favor. For some reason, though, Ranma had managed so far to remain faithful to Akane.

But that may have changed if he were starting to actually think of Shampoo as a credible fianc e. Any way you looked at matters Ranma was headed for tragedy with two out of three girls certain to know heartbreak.

Nabiki sat where she was, finding herself growing more depressed the longer she thought about the subject. Ranma could be such an infuriating blockhead, a stubborn, prideful, arrogant, thickheaded male chauvinist-and who the hell did she think she was fooling with this aloof and disinterested act anyway? She cared about him a lot more than she knew she had any business doing, and not just because he was iinazuke to her younger sister!

She heaved the kind of sigh that Nabiki would never have heaved if she thought that anyone else were present. She stared morosely at the ground, wondering how she had ever let matters get so far out of her control in the past year or so of living under the same roof as Ranma Saotome. Every time she looked at him-in either form-she had a sense of something special that she had allowed to escape her grasp all because of one simple error in judgement, one chance-of-a-lifetime that she let slip her by over a year ago. Now matters were impossibly complicated, and she was at a loss to know how she would ever live with the consequences of her decision.

If only...she sighed. What did it matter? Wishes could never unmake the choices that she had settled for, so why bother tormenting herself over what could never be?

The memory of Ranma staring at her with those accusing eyes came back unbidden. That was why she had this regret. Ranma hates me, she thought. He thinks I'm a soulless moneymaking monster...

"There now, dearie," a voice intruded on her consciousness, "No need for a pretty girl like you to be crying."

"Huh?" Nabiki sat bolt upright and turned to see a kindly face staring at her from beneath a hooded robe. Almost by reflex Nabiki dabbed her eyes and tried to pretend they were not wet as she assumed her usual Ice Queen fa ade and said, "Don't be silly...why would I be crying?"

"Hmmm," the hooded figure smiled as it inclined its head to one side, then replied, "Off hand I'd say it was because of somebody you care about who barely knows you exist, or at least that's my impression. Don't worry about me, though, Miss Tendo, I won't spoil your perfect reputation."

"Hah?" Nabiki tried not to show how surprised she was, "What do you mean by that? And how do you know who I am?"

"I know quite a few things about you," the hooded figure smiled more insinuatively, "For one thing you never show your hand in any game of cards, and isn't life the grandest card game of all? For example, see what I hold in my hand here?"

The hooded figure extended a handful of unusually decorated playing cards. Nabiki just looked at them then said, "Fortune telling, huh? Can you predict how the Tokyo market's going to be doing by tomorrow?"

"You don't need me to figure that one out," the hooded figure chuckled, "Go ahead, pick a card. What harm could there be?"

Nabiki continued to look at the cards in suspicion, "I've heard that one a few times too many. What's the scam this time? I don't have much money on me at the moment..."

"Other than the credit card in your name that you carry in your purse next to the roll of fifteen thousand yen?" the hooded figure noted, "This isn't about money, Tendo-san, and picking a card won't cost you anything...or at least not anything that you wouldn't gladly part with of your own free volition. Trust me, I know."

Nabiki continued to hesitate, but now she was staring at the cards in alarm, not skepticism, "You think so? Mind telling me how you figured that out?"

"That's obvious," the hooded figure chuckled, "I'm the real thing as you must obviously know. You've seen far stranger things in your time, have you not? Magic spells, curses, love potions, floating islands, Martial Artists who can destroy whole buildings with their Ki-  
force..."

"All right!" Nabiki said, now visibly sweating, "Good guess about the card and the yen, but why should I trust you by playing along with this scam? You think I don't know that something's going to happen when I pick that stupid card?"

"Obviously you are too clever by half," the figure sighed, "In reply I'll ask you a simple question, what are you afraid of? What do you have to lose by drawing a card from the deck of fate? How happy are you with affairs as they stand, where you are alone and miserable with no one you can call your friend except maybe Kasumi, who isn't exactly the kind of counsel you can feel comfortable about unloading on your darkest secrets."

"Ah," Nabiki winced, "How about if we go back to the part about how you know all this about me?"

"You were asking yourself just now about a certain moment in your life that you now regret and wish that you could alter," the figure persisted, "You met a certain man long ago who had a problem that was very unique. You have watched that man grow as a person over the following year and have come to admire him in spite of his many faults and personal failings. You have exploited this man's trust and abused the privilege of his association in the interest of making money off his problems...a great deal of money, only some of which has gone back into the finances of your House. The money interests you, but you are starting to wonder if the man himself might not be worth a great deal more than what you have taken. You are feeling guilty about the way matters have gone between you and..."

"All right! You've made your point!" Nabiki cried out, staring back at the cards before reaching out to take one at random, murmuring to herself, "I just know I'm going to regret this..."

"Somehow I don't think so," the voice of the hooded figure said as Nabiki stared at the card, which was the Queen of Hearts. Another moment after this Nabiki could have sworn that she saw the face on the card change from the conventional flat style to a face very similar to her own, a face very much like Nabiki's only wearing a crown and a fancy kimono. The face winked at her knowingly, and Nabiki almost dropped the card before looking back up at the face of the hooded stranger.

The stranger was no longer hooded, and now her face was fully revealed, along with the smile that she was wearing. Nabiki Tendo stared up at the face of...herself...only a much older and much more mature Nabiki Tendo, who was winking at her in the same manner as the card. Before she could ask any more questions her vision began to swim and she gasped, "Nani...?"

"Just take a deep breath and let it happen," her older self replied, "There's nothing to be worried about, just let it happen, and believe me...you'll wind up feeling like a whole new person..."

The Revised Tales of Nabiki and Ranma:

A TALE OF TWO WALLETS!

(Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Inspired by the similar series of McKinley Morgan)

Part One.

"Nabiki, come here!" her father cried from somewhere down the hall.

Nabiki glanced up in annoyance from where she was reclined upon her bed doing her homework. She debated just ignoring the summons, especially since she heard the names of her other two sisters being called as well. Whatever her father wanted, she was not interested. Her father could be excited over anything, and at the moment she had a lot of work to get caught up on before she turned her attention to her weekly ledger.

School was a drag but she had to keep her grade point average up if she were to be accepted into the best college of her choice. A business major could not allow herself to slack in other areas, one never knew when a money-making investment option might slip you by due to a lack of basic knowledge...

The door to her room flew open and her father beamed proudly, "Nabiki-chan! Come quickly! Your father has an important announcement that all of you should hear at once."

Nabiki was surprised to see the excited look in her father's face. Maybe it would not be bad news this time...that would be a pleasant switch!

Soun Tendo paused at Akane's room next, only to find his youngest daughter missing. He turned to Nabiki as she stepped out into the hall and asked, "Where is Akane, do you know?"

"I think she's out practicing in the dojo," Nabiki replied, then waved a hand to forestall his next question, "I'll go get her, Daddy."

She sighed, thinking of Akane and what her younger sister might be up to. Akane was difficult to relate to these days, what with her problems with boys and her incredibly short fuse. Nabiki wondered sometimes how the two of them could even be related. It had all started many years ago when their mother...well, that was a painful subject for them both. The problem was that Akane went through building materials like there was no tomorrow, and with their limited means it was no laughing matter.

As expected she found Akane at her usual favorite sport of taking perfectly good cinder blocks and reducing them to rubble. She watched as Akane effortlessly split four blocks down the middle, then leaned against the doorframe as she commented dryly, "Honestly, this is exactly the reason why the boys at school think you're so weird, neechan."

Akane was instantly on guard, "So what? Not everybody thinks the world revolves around boys, Nabiki! Why shouldn't I take pride in my accomplishments as a martial artist?"

In spite of herself Nabiki frowned ever-so-slightly. There was something about Akane's attitude that rubbed her the wrong way, not least because of the way Akane pronounced the word "boys" as though it were an epithet. Her younger sister's attitude was grating for several reasons, not least of which in that it implied that Nabiki were somehow frivolously in pursuit of a relationship. In truth she had not had a date in months, but that was mostly because she had been too busy for romance, not because she rejected the male half of the species.

"Daddy wants us back in the house," Nabiki said as she pushed away from the dojo, "If I were you I'd take a bath first."

"And if I were you, I'd go soak my head in a bucket!" Akane called back in sisterly irritation.

Nabiki just sighed, deciding once and for all that there was no way that she could be related to either Kasumi or Akane. As far as she could tell they both represented polar opposites of the spectrum while Nabiki occupied the comfortable middle ground of normality.

She took the time to go back up into her room so that she could fetch a nice kimono, confident that there would be enough time before Akane was presentable, though why she felt like going to the trouble escaped her. Perhaps, she thought, dressing more formal would give her an edge with her father in negotiation for whatever it was he had in mind. Her father was prone to all sorts of foolish schemes, and it was all that she and Kasumi could do to keep their father in line. She hoped fervently that whatever he had planned this time would not be too outrageous.

By the time she was ready Kasumi and Akane were already waiting. Nabiki frowned marginally as she saw that Akane had not changed out of her gi, nor had she bathed in spite of Nabiki's suggestion. Their father, meanwhile, was beaming grandiosely as if bursting to tell them all the good news that he had in mind. This was definitely alarming, but Nabiki gave no hint of her uneasiness as she took her place between her two sisters and waited patiently for Soun Tendo to get down to business.

"Now that you are all here," he said proudly, "I have good news to relate. A very old and dear friend of mine named Saotome Genma is coming to pay a visit, and he's bringing his son, Ranma with him."

"How long will they be planning on staying, father?" Kasumi at once asked, as usual planning the domestic affairs for the household.

"Indefinitely," their father replied, holding up a postcard that had a picture of a panda eating bamboo on the other side, "Because Genma's son is about to marry one of you to unite our Houses."

"What?" Akane and Nabiki said in chorus, while Kasumi just looked puzzled.

"That's right," Soun replied, "One of you three girls will become Saotome Ranma's wife. It has long been a dream of mine to unite both Tendo and Saotome lines of the Anything Goes school, a matter of honor that was decided between us before any of you were born."

"A fianc e, father?" Kasumi seemed to consider the point, then sighed, "I hope he isn't younger than me. Young men tend to be so...young."

Nabiki's mind was suddenly racing and she found herself smiling, "So one of us gets to marry Ranma and becomes the heir for the Anything Goes school? How about it, Akane? One of us is going to get married."

"Are you kidding, Nabiki?" Akane all but exploded, "What kind of insane arrangement is this anyway? You don't honestly expect us to go along with this, Dad?"

"I most certainly do," Soun grew very serious and sober, "The traditions of our school must be passed down within the family. You, as the only one of my daughters who has seriously studied the art, should take into consideration your obligation to carry on our line..."

"No way!" Akane leaped to her feet, "I can't believe that you would do something like this without consulting with us..."

Nabiki sighed, "Akane-chan, sit down. This is no time to be making a fuss. So...what's this Saotome Ranma like, Daddy? Is he cute?"

Soun slowly got up and went to stand by the porch, looking out onto the garden, then after a suitable pause he said, "I don't really know. I've never actually met him."

"What?" Nabiki once more found herself echoing Akane, but she managed to stop herself before adding anything imprudent.

"That's right," Soun replied, "All I know is that Ranma has been in training almost since the day that he was born. Genma has taken him from one end of Japan to the other studying and perfecting his knowledge of the martial arts, and they have only just recently concluded a visit to the interior of Mainland China."

Nabiki suddenly brightened, "Ooh! China! That sounds exotic..."

"Would you get serious, Nabiki?" Akane continued to growl, "This is like something out of the Feudal era! We're living in modern times, Dad, we have rights, you know! Don't we at least have a choice about who and when we're going to marry?"

"What are you getting so worked up for?" Nabiki asked her sister, "It's not like it's set in stone that you're the one Saotome Ranma is going to marry."

"Fine!" Akane snapped, "Then you marry him! I'm out of this completely!"

Nabiki frowned as she studied her sister's profile. Akane had a stubborn streak a kilometer wide. It would serve her right if she got fixed up in an arranged marriage to a complete stranger, it might even be her best shot at getting married. On the other hand, whoever married her would have to contend with that incredible temper. Perhaps it was just as well that Akane sounded so adamant, it increased Nabiki's own chances immeasurably...

Which prompted Nabiki to suddenly examine herself and wonder why she was getting so excited just at the prospect of meeting this Saotome Ranma. What if the boy were indeed some kind of horrible freak that she could not stand to look at? She had no idea of what his financial prospects were or even if he was of the right social class. Why did just the name of Ranma make her feel so eager to meet him in person? "Wild Horse" hardly sounded like her type of person. Nabiki liked being in control, and she had little enough to do with Martial Arts these days, so what exactly did she have to look forward to?

The answer was surprisingly obvious. She was bored and lonely! She had not dated in a long while because none of the boys at her school were interesting enough to hang around with. What few friends she did have were as much business prospects as confidants, and even with those she never confided in anything more than the strict minimum for a social relationship. Perhaps meeting a new boy was just the thing she needed to put some excitement back into her life, make things less predictable and maybe even open up new business ventures if he had any marketable skills besides fighting.

So she smiled and said, "Fine by me. Your loss is my gain, Sis."

"Won't you reconsider, Akane-chan?" Kasumi attempted to reason, "Father is only thinking of what is best for our family."

"Hah!" Akane said derisively, as rude as she had ever overtly been to their father, which had the inevitable effect of making Soun Tendo weep, which made Nabiki feel even more irritation.

Before matters could deteriorate too far, however, there came a knock at the door, which caused all heads to turn towards the hallway.

"That must be them!" Soun beamed proudly, already moving towards the front, only to find Nabiki a step behind him.

"Great!" she said, "I can't wait to see what this Ranma looks like."

Inwardly she was thinking about her own appearance and wishing fervently that she had taken more time to create the best impression. She had no illusions that she could compete with either Kasumi or Akane in the looks department. She was attractive enough, she knew, but she lacked the honest charm of either of her siblings and felt grossly inferior around them. Akane had an entire school full of boys practically climbing the walls to date her, while Kasumi had been a very popular girl. Nabiki could never understand why her older sibling was still a virgin with her prospects...

Her inward reflection was suddenly knocked completely off track as both she and her father came to an abrupt halt, confronted by a creature that had entered through the front door, practically as wide and tall as the frame itself and very dangerous looking.

The rational part of her mind seized up as she gazed in disbelief. Could that actually be a panda standing on its hind legs with a person slung across its shoulder? The panda growled something at them both, and as one both she and her father spun about and started running back the way they had come.

"Gaah!" her father cried while she called out to her sisters, "Akane! Kasumi! Stand back, it might be dangerous!"

"You hear that, Pop?" another voice responded, "You're scaring them! Put me down so I can explain what's happened!"

Nabiki whirled about once again, staring in even deeper confusion around her father's shoulder as she saw a redheaded figure alight on bare feet before turning around with the bear's paws still firmly gripping the stranger by the shoulders.

Soun stared at the redheaded figure a moment before saying, "Are you...?"

The figure looked sheepishly back and said, "I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry about this."

Nabiki continued to stare, then slowly she began to smile again and replied, "Oohhh...he is cute! And such exotic looks, too..."

"Huh?" the redhead looked back in confusion, and Nabiki found the stranger had very nice blue eyes that added to the effect created by the red hair. Ranma Saotome was not a very tall person, but there was much promise that he would one day grow into a real dreamboat. Nabiki found her enthusiasm increasing by the moment.

"At last!" Soun was all but sobbing again as he moved forward to put his arms around Ranma, "You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment..."

Nabiki suddenly sensed a change in her father's attitude. Soun tensed up as he held Ranma close in his embrace. Soun's hands began to explore the boy's dimensions as if trying to puzzle something out. He then held Ranma out at arms length and stared down at the stranger with a look of utter purplexion.

Nabiki moved closer to discover what had sparked such unusual behavior in her father and at once noticed little things she had not paid attention to at first glance. Almost against her will she looked down and saw a telltale bulge beneath the Chinese shirt Ranma was wearing.

"Huh?" she exclaimed before extending a finger to explore what she found before her. She touched Ranma's chest and found that it did indeed give slightly at her push. She poked the stranger several times before satisfying herself that those were indeed a set of breasts the stranger was wearing.

"Um," Ranma hesitated, "Would you please stop doing that?"

Nabiki suddenly became aware of what she was doing and withdrew the finger. Her surprise gave way to a profound sense of disappointment, and then she glared at her father and said, "Daddy, I thought you said Ranma was a boy!"

"I-I don't understand," Soun stammered, "I was certain Genma's son would be male..."

"I don't believe you two!" said Akane, causing Nabiki and their father to turn and look at her in surprise, "Boy or a girl she's still our guest! Is this any way to treat her?" She stepped forward and at once adopted a friendly greeting, "Konichiwa, my name is Akane. Would you like to go somewhere?"

"Uh...sure," the redhead said hesitantly, "Where would you like to go?"

"How about to the dojo?" Akane smiled, "We can work out together. You studied Kempo, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Ranma replied uneasily, "A little."

"Great!" Akane beamed, "Then we can spar to see how good you are."

"But..." Ranma started to protest when Akane took her by the wrist and hurried her along.

Nabiki stood where she was for only a few seconds before frowning. There was something very odd going on around here and she knew she had to get to the bottom of it. She was missing a significant piece of a puzzle, and the one thing she could not stand was an unsolved mystery. With great resolution she turned to follow this Ranma and her sister. In her haste to get to the bottom of the matter she unwittingly forgot about the panda, who was even then heading towards the nearest bathroom.

She caught up with the other two girls just as Akane was assuming a ready stance, facing Ranma from a distance of only two arms lengths. The other girl just stood where she was and gave no hint at all of taking the challenge seriously. As Nabiki studied them both, however, she took note of how relaxed Ranma's posture was and somehow knew implicitly that the other girl did not find Akane's attitude intimidating.

Almost at once Akane unleashed her opening attack, but though her punch was powerful it missed Ranma, who easily dodged it. Nabiki stared with widening eyes as Akane tried several more punches, then a kick, all of which Ranma avoided with an ease that made Akane look like a statue. In growing frustration Akane threw everything she had into her next punch, but Ranma just leaped over her head and landed on the other side, then tapped Nabiki on the back of the head. Ranma smiled, and after another moment Akane smiled, too, then said, "Friends?"

"Sure," Ranma replied, "Why not?"

"You're pretty good," Akane said as she reached for a towel and glanced over her shoulder, "But just the same, I'm glad you're not a boy."

"You are?" the look on Ranma's face was suddenly very nervous.

"Of course," Akane replied as she passed Nabiki by without glancing, "I'd really hate losing to a boy."

"Oh," Ranma sounded deflated, "That's just terrific."

Nabiki frowned, sensing a deepening mystery. She studied the dejected profile of the girl, unable to fathom what was making her seem so depressed. She was tempted to go in there and confront her directly, but that had never been her way, so she silently withdrew to reflect on the facts as she knew them. No doubt other clues would drop if she were patient and observant, and Nabiki was nothing if not a very careful and thorough observer with patience by the liter. Whatever the truth was she was determined to find it.

With this resolve in mind it was almost a shock when the next big clue fell right into her lap, or rather was sitting there in the living room, conferring with her father. The man was middle-aged, heavy set, wore glasses, wore a white gi and had a bandana wrapped around his head. In all other respects he was a total stranger.

"Nani?" she exclaimed to herself, then sought out Kasumi in the kitchen and asked, "Hey, Sis, who's the man talking to Daddy?"

"I don't know, Nabiki-chan," Kasumi replied in her usual pleasant demeanor, "He only showed up a few moments ago. I didn't even hear him enter."

"Weird," Nabiki said as she returned to the living room and took immediate notice of the fact that her father was crying, "Daddy?"

"Nabiki," her father replied, indicating with a nod the man in front of him, "May I present my dear friend, Saotome Genma. Saotome-kun, my middle daughter, Nabiki."

"I am honored," the other man nodded in a deep, gruff voice, "Although this is the first time that you've actually seen me in my true form."

"True form?" Nabiki blinked.

"I was the Panda you saw earlier," the man remarked, "I was under a curse that prevented me and my son from presenting ourselves in proper form when you sought to greet us into your house."

"Panda," Nabiki eyed the fellow skeptically, but then the other part of his statement sank home and she said, "Your son? You mean that girl...?"

"Ranma is not a girl, Nabiki," Soun replied, "That was part of the curse that they both live under. You see, Genma and his son have just returned from a forbidden place called the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo."

"Cursed Springs?" Nabiki scowled, "Really, Daddy, what's this man trying to sell you? You don't honestly expect us to believe such a far-fetched story?"

"Not without proof, of course," Genma replied, "But if you will abide for a moment..."

A sudden scream rocked the Tendo house, jolting Nabiki out of her normally aloof reserve as she saw Akane come racing into the living room to hoist up the table over her head while her father and the other man snatched their tea implements up in haste.

"Akane?" Soun asked, "What is the meaning of this child?"

"There's a Pervert in the bathroom!" Akane declared while getting ready to hurl the table out of the living room onto the porch, "He saw me naked!"

"So why didn't you clobber him up there?" Nabiki asked in confusion.

"I got scared, that's why!" Akane barked angrily at Nabiki.

"Excuse me," a masculine voice intruded on the scene, and Nabiki turned around to stare at one of the most handsome boys she had ever laid eyes upon. He was not very tall but he had rugged good looks and looked to be about Akane's age with black hair done up in a pony tail.

He was also dressed in exactly the same Chinese clothes as the redheaded girl had been. Nabiki continued to stare as she took note that his eyes were also as blue as the redheads.

"Oh my," Kasumi gasped as she appeared with a tray in both hands, "Another guest? And who might you be?"

"I'm...Ranma Saotome," the boy replied with the same apologetic look as the redhead, "Sorry about this."

Nabiki heard the table fall on Akane's head as her sister took this news as gracelessly as she ever took anything. Nabiki on the other hand just stared in disbelief. This boy was the redhead? If so, then he was a consummate master of disguise, being at least nine centimeters taller and quite a few kilograms more massive. Without a word she sank to her knees and stared in confusion, unable to grasp why nothing made sense any more. Everyone else but her father and the old man reacted similarly to this revelation, and they all sensed a very strange story in the making...

It was some minutes later, after the strangers gave their explanation, complete with graphic illustration, that the three Tendo daughters sat together with equally stunned looks (well, Nabiki felt stunned, while Akane looked angry, and Kasumi...well, how to describe how Kasumi looked when trying to take in such an impossible thing as a Curse that was activated with the touch of cold water?).

"How I feel for you both," their father openly wept, "To bear this burden as you have...well, never mind. This is actually great news! It means that now your son can marry one of my three daughters, just as we planned, Saotome!"

"Huh?" Nabiki gasped, knowing she had missed something significant in all of these exchanges.

"But father," Kasumi said, "He's too young for me."

"You've got to be kidding!" Akane protested, "He turns into a girl! And he's a pervert besides!"

"What?" Ranma suddenly went from looking sullenly at the table to full-fledged anger, "What did you call me?"

"You heard what I said, you Pervert!" Akane spat.

"Just how am I a pervert?" Ranma wanted to know, as did Nabiki.

"You saw me naked!" Akane naturally replied.

"Whoah!" Ranma blinked, "How is that again? Who walked in on me while I was taking a bath?"

"I..." Akane hesitated for only a fraction of a second, "It doesn't matter! You're still a pervert!"

"Because I turn into a girl?" Ranma was rising up in his seat, "That's not my fault! It's because of the curse, I tell you!"

"Please," Soun said, "There is no reason to fight. Now, Ranma...you have a choice of one of my three girls to be your iinazuke. There is Kasumi, aged 19, Nabiki, age 17, and Akane, age 16. Choose one and you will unite our families and make the Anything Goes school the stronger for our union."

"Now just a minute!" Ranma protested, "Don't I have any say in who I'm going to marry? I don't even know these girls and you expect me to pick one to become my wife just because the two of you say so?"

"No way am I marrying you!" Akane spat insistently.

"I can't marry him, father," Kasumi replied, "He's much too young."

"I'll do it."

Everyone turned their attention towards Nabiki, who started as if the words she had just uttered had been spoken by a total stranger. She had been looking at Ranma the whole time that her sisters had been laying out their arguments against the marriage. She had been about to put her own two-yen in when she found herself staring at Saotome Ranma with an eye towards considering him as she would any other prospective business proposition.

Nabiki prided herself on her ability to rapidly assess a given situation and determine on the spot its potential net worth and likely turnover. Those same instincts had been considering Ranma's given assets and came up with the conclusion that he was (ichi) very good looking, (ni) a superb martial artist, (san) under an unusual curse that caused him to switch genders without warning and (shi) honor-bound to marry a Tendo. On the down side was his curse, his attitude and an impression she had that the boy was lacking in basic social skills. The way he and Akane reacted to one another meant that they had a lot in common, but were basically incompatible, having too many of the same basic faults and personal failings.

She was not certain if that were a good or bad thing. Knowing how volatile Akane could be at the best of times, a male version of Akane might not make the best potential mate, but then again that was merely assuming that they were indeed going to be married. Most likely it was an honor thing that her father would insist on, but if the boy were less than agreeable then it might be possible to wiggle out in the end after she had satisfied herself on whether or not he were a good enough investment.

So she smiled after only a brief pause and said, "I'll be his iinazuke since Akane and Kasumi don't want him."

"On my sweet child," Soun beamed proudly, "You make your father so happy!"

"Better you than me, Sis," Akane said with a dismissive snort.

"Hey!" Ranma recovered from his brief surprise and said, "I never agreed to marry anybody! I'm not just going to tie myself to some girl..."

"Well, aren't we a prize?" Nabiki's tone dripped sarcasm, but for some reason she was not really offended by his refusal.

To her surprise the boy looked at her as though he were taken aback by her statement. After a fractional hesitation he said, "No offense...I mean, I'm sure you're a very nice girl, and you're sure pretty enough that I'll be you have a lot of boyfriends..."

"Oh," now Nabiki found that she was indeed being affected by his statement, "Sure...lots of boyfriends..."

"So why would you want to tie yourself down with me?" he asked reasonably, which was a close mirror to Nabiki's own thoughts, though she would not have voiced them aloud as casually as Ranma, "I mean...you might not even like me!"

"Don't you mean that the other way around?" Akane said with a dismissive snort, "Just wait until you do get to know my sister, assuming she'll let you."

"Hey!" Nabiki rounded on Akane's unexpected jibe, "Just what do you mean by that?"

"Only that you can be such a heartless mercenary that you'll probably wind up selling him to a freak show!" Akane turned away, "You don't care at all about the Anything Goes school, you don't even practice the art anymore, remember?"

Nabiki was trying to come up with a retort to that when Ranma beat her to the punch, "So? What's wrong with her having some interests outside the Art? It's not like she has to be an Uncute Tomboy like you!"

"What did you call me?" Akane was suddenly livid with anger.

"You heard me," Ranma turned away with an aloof look of smugness about him, "You fight like a boy but you're about as graceful as a walrus. I'll bet Nabiki here is twice as nimble on her feet without half trying."

"Why you-!" Akane suddenly hefted the table off the floor and brought it down once on Ranma's head, smashing him to the floor and knocking him senseless while everyone else just stared in dismay, including Nabiki.

"Akane?" Soun looked as surprised as Kasumi at the violent behavior of the youngest Tendo daughter while Nabiki was stunned speechless. Only Genma looked down at his son and merely sighed, "Now that he had coming."

"Don't talk to me-any of you!" Akane cried as she stormed away, as angry as anyone could ever remember seeing her behave.

Nabiki turned to study the prone form of her new iinazuke, then sighed in relief to see that the boy was still breathing. With Kasumi's help she extricated Ranma from the table, then their fathers carried him towards the guestroom where they laid him out on a tamati while Kasumi fetched an icepack and Nabiki propped his head up on a pillow.

The two fathers withdrew to begin laying plans for the marriage. Nabiki considered joining them to work out the best deal for herself that she could possibly manage but found herself reluctant to leave the side of Saotome Ranma. She contented herself by shedding the Kimono and changing into a pair of plain shirt and shorts instead, then waited with Kasumi until Ranma began to regain consciousness. The boy groaned profusely then asked, "What happened?"

"Please forgive Akane for her outburst, Ranma-kun," Kasumi urged him in her best motherly fashion, "She's really a very nice girl, she just has these violent impulses."

"Oh yeah, Kasumi," Nabiki said with a bitterness that was unusual for her, "Like that excuses everything! I'm sorry, Ranma...Akane just has a problem controlling her temper. You shouldn't have insulted her like that."

"Me?" Ranma tried to sit up, then immediately regretted it, "What about her calling me a Pervert? And don't tell me you liked it when she called you a heartless mercenary."

"Uh, well..." Nabiki flinched, "That's...kind of a private joke between us. She knows I'm interested in making money and she resents it. She thinks I don't have any emotions because I don't let little things get to me the way she lets them..."

"Nabiki," Kasumi chided, "That's hardly fair of you! Akane has a lot on her mind right now. You shouldn't tease her that way, you only hurts her feelings."

"And what about my feelings?" Nabiki asked, "It may surprise people to know I have them, but I don't like being teased about the way I make my money."

"What are you, a business major or something?" Ranma asked without a trace of malice or sarcasm in his voice.

"Uh-huh," Nabiki smiled, "I hope to one day be a self-made millionaire. I've got the brains and the looks to go far, and I'm the only one here, besides Kasumi, who knows a thing about balancing a check book."

"Sure wish I had that talent," Ranma sat up again, finding it easier now that the room was not spinning, "All I know is Martial Arts, and I've spent nearly all of my life going from one place to another studying with the best. Don't know if I'll ever make any money at it, money's never really been all that important."

"You're kidding, right?" Nabiki looked at the boy beside her in disbelief, "You beat Akane hands down in that match. You could have beaten her even quicker if you'd fought back instead of merely dodging her."

Ranma smiled at that, "I don't hit women. It's just not manly. I respect that she's good enough for an average fighter, but she's not good enough to justify me hitting back. It's against the code of Budo."

"But you were both girls at the time!" Nabiki retorted, surprised at how casually she could say it.

"Doesn't matter," Ranma looked down, "All my life I've tried to live by a code, which hasn't been easy with a father like mine. I don't hit girls and I never hit anyone who can't fight back. The art is for self-defense, and I'm as good as anyone I've ever met, and I don't need to beat people up to prove it."

"Why, how Chivalrous you are," Kasumi said happily, "Not many boys these days have that nice an attitude. You must be very proud of your iinazuke, Nabiki-chan."

"Oh yeah," Nabiki said faintly, "He's a regular saint."

Ranma laughed bitterly, "I'm nothing like that! I just don't think it's right throwing my weight around, unlike some violent Tomboys I could mention," he groaned as he felt the lump on his head.

"Ah..." Nabiki looked down and curled her toes as she thought of something else to say, "So...what kind of girl are you interested in, Ranma? Someone to cook and clean House?"

"Naw," Ranma said, giving Kasumi a pleasant smile, which she returned, "I've got nothing against women who feel like doing that stuff, but it's not that important to me. I've cooked and cleaned enough houses in my time to know I don't want a domestic servant. I'm not out to have a slave, and I sure don't want to have any girl think she has to do stuff to please me or nothing like that."

"Then what kind of a woman would you like to marry?" Kasumi asked in sincere curiosity.

"To tell you both the truth," Ranma said as he got back to his feet, in spite of their protests, "I never really gave it much thought. I wasn't planning to ever get married, and especially not now when I still have so much to learn about the Art."

"I see," Nabiki tried not to look at him, even though she could see him looking at her out of the corner of her eye, "In other words you'd rather wait a few years?"

"If you wouldn't mind," Ranma said, "Look, I don't want you taking this the wrong way or nothing. I mean...you seem like a very nice girl, but I'm not looking for any romance right now. I'd rather have a friend than a fianc e. I was hoping that maybe I could be friends with your sister, but now that she knows about my curse..."

"You...?" Nabiki slowly turned to look at him incredulously, "Want to be my friend?"

"Uh, if you don't mind or nothing," Ranma looked at her as if he feared that he had just made a social blunder.

To his surprise Nabiki just smiled at him and stuck out her hand, "All right, it's a deal. You be my friend and I'll be yours, Saotome, and I won't even charge you for the interest."

"Excuse me?" he blinked.

"I'm just kidding," she chuckled aloud, "I'm the family Mercenary, remember? I don't do anything without charging a price."

"But, I, uh..." Ranma faltered, "I don't have any money."

Nabiki inclined her head to one side, still grinning, "We'll work something out, just as long as we don't tell our fathers about this. Your Dad seems pretty strict, while mine tends to get all weepy and emotional for the slightest reason..."

"Nabiki," Kasumi gently scolded, "That isn't very nice."

Nabiki stuck her tongue out at her sister, then smiled again, "I know, but it's the truth, Sis. Look, why don't you finish making dinner and let me have a private chat with my iinazuke, pretty please?"

Kasumi sighed, "Very well, if you think that's best."

She got up to leave while Ranma watched her go, then turned to Nabiki and said, "Is she always like that?"

"You mean calm, demure and motherly?" Nabiki asked, "As long as I can remember."

"She's...nice," Ranma said without conviction, "But...I hope you won't get mad at me for saying this, but...she makes me feel nervous."

Nabiki found herself nodding in agreement, "You and me both, Saotome-kun. Now, tell me all about your trip to China. Was it expensive?"

"Not exactly," Ranma said with matter-of-fact nonchalance, "Truth is we hardly spent any money at all. Dad and me swam to China..."

"WHAT?" Nabiki stared at him incredulously, "Across the Sea of Japan? You've got to be kidding!"

"I'm not," Ranma looked at her innocently, "Why would I lie about a thing like that?"

"Ah," Nabiki decided to reserve her normal judgement and gave Ranma a closer study, seeing no trace of guile about him, "Never mind. Go on. What did you do when you got to China?"

"Wandered about, mostly," Ranma shrugged, "Dad and me don't exactly speak the language, so we needed to hire a tour guide, which is how we got to Jusenkyo. Then, after we received our curses, we next ran into this village of Chinese Amazons..."

"Amazons," Nabiki said faintly, now certain beyond doubt that the boy was a consummate liar and very good at hiding his emotions, either that or he and his father had indeed experienced some very strange adventures.

"Yeah," Ranma looked sheepish, "But that's something I'd rather not go into, except to say that Pop got us into trouble with the locals and we had to leave in a hurry. You sure you want to hear about all of this? I don't know if my life story would make very interesting telling."

Nabiki simply nodded, already coming to suspect that there was a great deal more than met the eye when it came to Saotome Ranma. She was beginning to have second thoughts about this engagement business, but for some reason she liked hearing the boy speak, so she kept her questions to a minimum beyond that point and merely nodded whenever he paused to encourage him to continue. She absently wondered what Kami had possessed her to go along with this iinazuke business, but now that she was engaged to this strange boy in the Chinese clothing with the dual nature she was beginning to suspect that times were about to become a lot more interesting in the province of Nerima...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Health Inspectors/Lottery Numbers: shadowmane

This was done in the spirit of "What If?" Fanfiction where only one small detail is changed, which affects the larger picture in the life of Saotome Ranma.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	3. Chapter 3

Nabiki and Ranma A TALE OF TWO WALLETS (An Altered Destiny)  
(With respect to James Jones and his excellent series)  
Part Two.  
By Jim Robert Bader

Nabiki awoke to the sound of two people fighting below her window.

The sounds of violence was not an entirely unfamiliar one in her life, but it had been some years since noises with that intensity of feeling had been heard around the Tendo dojo. It was mildly disturbing to Nabiki's well-  
ordered sense of propriety and it made her frown a little, trying to piece together just who could be fighting at this time of the morning.

Certainly not Akane, who rarely had anyone to spar with these days. Their father had given up after Akane had proven too much for him to handle, so these days Akane had to content herself with brawling outside the schoolyard. No, it could not be Akane who was making those particular noises, which had a distinctively male cast, which meant

"Oh," she said aloud to herself as she slowly sat up and glanced at the wall clock. Time to get out of bed and get ready for school, and maybe catch a glimpse of her new Fianc e in action.

Nabiki was not a morning person and found very little reason to be bright and chipper with the dawn. She did not even bother to take off her pajamas as she wandered downstairs to find herself some breakfast. Kasumi always rose first with the sunrise and had the kitchen humming to her tune with sweet efficiency, so there was no reason to doubt that this time would be any exception.

Of course she had failed to take into account their two new guests, whom she discovered outside going at it with full force. Nabiki had stopped by the bathroom long enough to fetch a toothbrush, but now she halted in mid-  
stride as she saw Ranma and Genma Saotome exchanging punches and kicks with a speed that was astounding.

"My," she murmured to no one in particular, "Aren't they chipper."

"They have been doing this for a very long time, Nabiki-chan," her father remarked from where he sat sipping his morning tea at the head of the table, "Genma and Ranma work out like this every morning."

"Every morning?" that woke Nabiki up right away, turning back to look at her iinazuke and prospective father-in-law with frank disbelief.

Akane showed up just them in her jogging shorts, and she too was taking in the fight between their two houseguests with frank dismay. The way the two men fought it was as though they genuinely did not like each other, and Ranma was taunting his father in disrespectful terms quite apart from the nice boy whom Nabiki had enjoyed talking to the previous evening.

"Okay," Akane voiced aloud, "They really are good."

"Good is an understatement," Nabiki softly murmured.

"Breakfast is ready, everyone!" Kasumi brightly called out as she came in bearing a tray of freshly prepared foodstuffs.

"Good," Nabiki said, "I'm starved.

Kasumi called out to their guests but neither one appeared to take notice, so intent they were on beating the stuffings out of one another. The fight nearly ended when Genma knocked his son into the koi pond, and a second later Ranma resurfaced in girl form. Ranma quickly retaliated by returning the favor, and soon a very annoyed panda was rearing up to glare in his son's direction.

Nabiki just stared, now fully awake and realizing that it was not a dream, that everything that happened the night before was not just some wild fantasy and that she really was engaged to this boy who at the moment looked like nothing so much as a really cute redhead. Her first impulse was to be disgusted, but she checked her own reaction when she saw the redhead turn to look her way, her expression almost challenging as if expecting to see rejection.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, and what Nabiki saw in Ranma's face was forlorn disgust at her own altered condition.

"Oh my," Kasumi said, as if not on the same track as anyone else, "I supposed Mister Saotome would like something else for his breakfast."

With that Kasumi produced a second tray that must have been concealed under the table, and upon this tray were freshly cut bamboo shoots. Nabiki just stared at her older sister, as did everyone else, unable to fathom how someone who seemed so out of touch at times could be so insightful.

"I'll have mine in another minute," Ranma said as she turned away, "I need a bath first, if nobody minds very much."

"Ranma," Nabiki started to say when she hesitated, uncertain just what she had been about to add besides his name.

"Look," Ranma said as she turned around in annoyance, "You don't have to say or do anything. I know the sight of me must be pretty revolting at the moment. It's not like you have to feel obligated to make small talk."

"I " Nabiki blinked, then watched the redheaded girl pad away before frowning in confusion, "What brought that on all of a sudden?"

"Just forget him," Akane said in disgust, "You don't need be nice to that pervert."

Nabiki turned an annoyed glance of her own on Akane, "Are you still going on about that? I thought you agreed that it was all just a misunderstanding."

"Why are you taking his side?" Akane asked as she knelt down before her breakfast, "Don't tell me you actually like that freak? He gives me the creeps just living under the same roof!"

Nabiki blinked at that. Since when did Akane get this worked up about a guy? Very cautiously she said, "Excuse me? Weren't you the one who tried being nice to him when he first arrived here?"

"That was before I knew he was a guy," Akane said as she snapped her chopsticks out of their package and prepared to use them, "He wouldn't fight me for real, and then he turns around and insults me in front of everybody. He's mean, arrogant and a prideful jerk, so why shouldn't I hate him?"

"Because you started it," Nabiki replied, just before their father and Kasumi started making noises to mollify their budding altercation.

"Look," Akane tried more reasonably, "I'm just saying that I hope he keeps way clear of me at school today. I don't want him messing up my life if word gets out that he's a guest in this house. You know what Kuno might do to him."

"Oh yeah, Kuno," Nabiki sighed. There was a sore subject to bring up around Akane. Nabiki had never told anyone that she was just a little bit envious of all the attention Akane received from their peers. Kuno was the richest boy in the school, and one of the handsomest by far, but certainly not the brightest, a boy she sometimes hung around with since they shared the same homeroom. Nabiki had long considered Kuno a prize that would have been worth winning if it were possible to gain his attention long enough to notice that she was even a woman. The fool had eyes only for Akane, and other women simply faded from existence around her.

Nabiki had to agree that it was definitely not a good idea to let Kuno know anything about Ranma, if only because of the danger he would pose to her new iinazuke. Better to get the boy to school before the haiku-spouting Samurai wanna-be had a chance to learn about the boy staying under their roof.

When Ranma and his father showed up at the breakfast table they wolfed down their dinner with such a speed that it seemed as if they practically inhaled it. Nabiki looked on aghast, wondering just what manner of barbarian she had gotten herself attached to. Ranma and Genma wound up fighting for the last few morsels of food before Nabiki had finally had enough of it and got up from the table saying, "We better get to school now, Ranma, or we're going to be late."

Ranma suddenly lost the fight for the last few pieces of rice as he looked up at her in astonishment and repeated the word, "School?"

"That's right, boy," Genma said as he set down his chopsticks and straightened up, "It's time you started to work on your other training. After all it wouldn't do for a Martial Artist to slacken in other areas like history and grammar."  
"What are you talking about, Oyaji?" Ranma said as he straightened up, "What do I need that stuff for if I'm going to be the heir to the Saotome School?"

"Oh please," Nabiki growled, "You don't mean to tell me you don't intend to graduate High School? What do you want to do for a living, work fast food?"

"She's right, boy," Genma informed him, "You need to work on your learning skills. A Martial Artist can't afford to slow in other departments "

"Excuse me, old man?" Ranma gave his farther a hard and disrespectful snort, "When have you ever held an honest job or done anything to make a living? Most of the time we barely scrape by as it is!"

"Oh, this is just terrific," Nabiki turned away, "Whether you're coming or not I'm going to school. It makes no difference to me either way."

"But " Ranma said as he saw Nabiki leave, "I don't got any school supplies "

"Here you go, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said brightly as she came in to hand him a satchel, "I went out and bought these for you last night after your father mentioned that you didn't bring anything with you."

Nabiki halted in mid-stride and turned to look at her sister, "Oneechan?"

"I also picked out some new shirts for you that should be just in your size," Kasumi continued in her usually cheerful manner, "You prefer Chinese style clothing, right? I just happen to know of a place in town that sells them for a decent price "

"You spent money on him, Oneechan?" Nabiki asked, only to be treated to one of Kasumi's patented smiles that could have brought peace to a War-zone and made the combatants feel rather foolish about getting worked up over things, with a strong urge to telephone their mothers.

Nabiki sighed in resignation. She would have to have a talk with Kasumi about finances sometime later in the day. For now she just turned and said, "Coming, Saotome?"

"Uh, sure," Ranma replied, then glared at his father and hissed, "Don't push me! I'm going already!"

Akane was already at the door when she turned to see the two of them approaching. She gave Ranma a sour look then turned to Nabiki and asked, "He's coming with us?"

"Go with it, Sis," Nabiki said as nonchalantly as she could manage while sensing the boy walking just behind her, whom she noted, moved as silently as a cat. She was seriously starting to regret this iinazuke business and for the twentieth time in the morning wondered what had possessed her on the night before to accept him in the first place.

A short time later they were walking along the side of one of the city aqueducts or rather Akane and Nabiki were walking alongside it. Ranma was walking along the top of the railing, seemingly not to mind the pace the two girls set as though he were walking a broad platform. Nabiki could not help glancing at him as they went, and neither could Akane.

"Showoff," Akane muttered to herself.

"Mind telling me what you're doing up there, Saotome?" Nabiki asked with studied indifference.

"Huh?" Ranma looked down at her, "What's wrong? What'd I do now?"

"You're being rude," Akane replied, "Think you're too good to walk beside us like a normal person?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "Well, actually I just do this to work on my balance. Never thought much about it. Why, is it bothering you or something?"

"Yes!" Akane snapped.

"Well, that's too bad," Ranma lifted his nose as if mimicking Nabiki, "I guess a clumsy Tomboy like you wouldn't know anything about balance "

"What did you call me?" Akane stopped dead in her tracks and glared at him.

Ranma turned where he was, effortlessly perched upon the railing, and crouched down to give Akane his best condescending stare, "C'mon, you telling me you never did this when you were younger? It's easy!"

"How so, Saotome?" Nabiki asked as she looked right up at him and smirked, "You telling us you never fall down?"

"Well, no," Ranma looked puzzled, "I haven't fallen since I was little "

"Really?" Nabiki grinned and threw her satchel right at him, "Catch!"

"Huh?" Ranma was caught off guard by the gesture and the satchel bounced right off him, knocking him backwards. His arms flailed wildly as he fought to regain his balance, and he nearly would have but for a passing bird that suddenly chose that moment to roost upon his face.

"Hey, get out of-WHOOOAAAH" he cried, right before the splash as he landed in the waterway below him.

Nabiki picked up her satchel, feeling smugly pleased with herself right up until Akane said, "Oh great, Oneechan, now we're going to have to fish him out of there and dry him off!"

Nabiki silently cursed herself, then forlornly said, "I don't suppose we could just leave him there and let him find his way to school?"

"He doesn't know the way," Akane replied, "We were supposed to lead him to Furinkan, remember?"

"Doh!" Nabiki covered her eyes and just groaned. Of course she would have remembered if she had not let herself get excited over the fool's reckless behavior. It was with only mild surprise that she heard a wet form hauling itself over the rail, then land at her side dripping wet and angry.

"What did you go and do that for?" Ranma demanded as she looked down at her wet body, "Just look at me! I can't go to school looking like this!"

Nabiki looked the female Ranma up and down without comment. She was tempted to say something to the effect that she did not see what Ranma found so bad about the way she looked, or that Nabiki herself wished she had half of Ranma's looks and build. The redheaded version was gorgeous! How in the name of the Kami could Nabiki have ever mistaken her for a cute guy?

It was Akane who spoke first, "Come on, I know a place where you can change back before school. It's just a couple blocks away. You go on ahead, Nabiki."

"Ah," Nabiki thought for a second then said, "No thanks I'll tag along for now. Sorry I knocked you into the water, Saotome, but you were being a showoff."

"So who died and made you my trainer?" Ranma shook her soggy head and followed after Akane. Nabiki hesitated only a few seconds then reluctantly followed after.

Doctor Tofu Ono was not in his office at the moment, but the Tendos were always welcome to his clinic and the door was not locked, so Akane let them in and soon Ranma was waiting beside Nabiki while Akane went and heated up a teakettle. Ranma looked around with curious eyes as though she had never seen the inside of a Doctor's room before. There were charts and herbs everywhere, and Nabiki patiently explained to her that Tofu-Sensei was their family's personal physician and was into traditional medicines, as well as holistic therapy and acupuncture.

Ranma started to turn to say something to her when she felt a bony hand fall upon her shoulder. She turned to see a skull-face looking at her and cried out, jumping into Nabiki's arms out of sheer reflex as though she had seen a literal ghost.

"Sorry," Doctor Tofu smiled as he held up the skeleton in his hands, "Betty-chan did not mean to frighten you so. She's my assistant. Wave hello to the new patient, Betty-chan." Tofu then badly mimicked a ventriloquist and said, "Ohiyo!" as he waved the bone-hand that had touched poor Ranma.

Nabiki was surprised at discovering how light Ranma was in her arms, but she was also aware of how wet the girl was as she glared at Ranma and said, "Do you mind, Saotome?"

"Huh? Oh sure, sorry," Ranma got down back onto her own feet, just as Akane showed up with the teakettle in hand and caught sight of Tofu.

"Tofu-Sensei!" Akane suddenly was all smiles and bowed to Doctor Tofu, who returned her smile and asked how she was doing. Ranma sensed the one-sided tone of affairs and glanced back and forth between them before getting the point and smiling to herself as if discovering that Akane had a boyfriend.

Yeah, right, Nabiki thought to herself but nonetheless held her silence until minutes later, after they left the office, having given Tofu a terse explanation about the Curse of Jusenkyo. It turned out Tofu knew something about the place from his studies, but to Ranma's acute disappointment it turned out that what he knew did not include a cure, so Ranma had to content himself with leaving the office in male form.

"What was that all about back there?" Ranma murmured to Nabiki as he noted how pensive Akane was since leaving the office.

"Excuse me?" Nabiki sniffed, "We're not talking to each other, remember? And for your information, Akane-  
chan has a thing for the good doctor. Unfortunately he doesn't know anything about it."

"Shut up, Oneechan!" Akane snapped.

"So you like that guy, huh?" Ranma asked indifferently, "And he's also into Martial Arts?"

"How could you tell?" Nabiki asked with a sidelong glance.

"It just makes sense," Ranma said as he cupped his hands behind his head and watched the sky for a few moments, "No ordinary guy could sneak up on me like that, and I never even heard him move."

"He's more of a man than you could ever be!" Akane snorted back his way.

Ranma studied her backside then smiled and said, "I thought you said you don't like guys."

"That's right," Akane squared her shoulders and suddenly sounded very angry as Ranma saw that they were now approaching what looked like a large school building at the end of the block. Akane's tone grew sharper as she snarled, "I-hate-BOYS!"

And all at once she was running on ahead, which startled Ranma almost as much as when he caught sight of a horde of boys rushing out at them from the school yard. There were close to forty in all and they were garbed in athletic gear of every kind, charging right at Akane.

Ranma started to tense when he felt Nabiki's hand close about his forearm as she murmured, "Let it go, Saotome. This is Akane's fight, she can handle herself just fine."

"But " Ranma started to protest when he saw Akane leap into action.

He halted in mid-stride as Nabiki refused to enter the gates for the next several seconds. Akane flattened the first three guys who came at her with brutal efficiency before laying into another six, taking them down two or three at a time, smashing the athletes with punches and kicks that knocked them flying in all directions. Akane struck savagely with brute force and a speed that none of the boys could match, and in just over a minute she finished them all off, never having wasted a single motion.

"Wow," Ranma heard himself saying, "She's good."

"The best in Furinkan so far," Nabiki replied with neither pride nor disdain, looking at the fools decorating the yard with a mixture of contempt and despair, then added almost as an afterthought, "Until you showed up, that is."

"Honestly," Akane growled between panting and wiping her forebrow, "I just wish sometimes that these guys would give it a rest!"

"What the heck happened here?" Ranma looked at the victims in disbelief, "Why'd they all attack you?"

"Just the usual morning routine," Nabiki replied, then nodded to one side, "And here comes the usual clincher."

Ranma caught a flash of movement and was about to warn Akane when she moved herself to catch the object in one hand, then held it up with a look of disgust. Ranma saw that it was a rose, but before he could ask the significance of this event he heard a voice spouting poetry and turned to see a tall boy wearing a Kendo outfit appear, clutching a bokken in his hands as though he were practicing to join a troop of Kabuki dancers.

Akane turned to exchange angry words with the boy, who just smiled as though challenged and brought up his sword into play, at which point Ranma tensed, his senses suddenly warning him of the presence of danger. The way the other boy was holding his sword, the confidence of his stance and bearing, all but telegraphed in large script that this was a dangerous customer that was not to be taken as lightly as the others.

The boy advanced while Akane held her ground, but suddenly he stopped in mid-step and turned to look curiously at where Ranma was standing next to Nabiki. Suddenly he swiveled around and leveled his bokken in their direction.

"You there!" he cried, "Aren't you being awfully familiar with Tendo Nabiki?"

Ranma pointed to himself and asked, "Who, me?"

"Oh no," Nabiki groaned. This was exactly what she had been afraid of! If only she had dragged Ranma out of there before anyone noticed that they were together

"Who are you, churl?" Kuno asked, then frowned and said, "Wait! Is it not the custom for one to speak his own name before inquiring that of another? Very well, my name is Kuno Tatawaki, Junior Group D, Upperclassman and President of Furinkan High, the rising star of the Kendo world known far and wide as the crashing Blue Thunder!"

Ranma did hear the crash of thunder, which he thought a little ironic, and it made him tense slightly before he replied, "Saotome Ranma, Freshman Class E, heir to the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

"Blue thunder, huh?" Nabiki murmured to herself, "Last week he was calling himself Shooting Star."

"Anything Goes?" Kuno turned to stare at Akane, who just shrugged in reply.

"It's the brother school of the Tendo dojo," she replied simply, "Ranma and his Father are just staying with us for a few days "

"Staying with you?" Kuno repeated while Nabiki groaned softly.

"Way to go, Neechan," she murmured simply.

"Opps," Akane winced, "Sorry about that."

"Hey, what's the big deal?" Ranma asked, only to see Kuno whirl on him with a look of sheer loathing.

"Silence, Peasant! How dare you take such liberties with the Tendos? I, Kuno Tatawaki, will not allow it!"

Ranma frowned, "So why should I care what you have to say about it?"

"Ranma!" Nabiki hissed, "Don't provoke him, he's dangerous "

"Yeah?" Ranma smiled, as he pulled off his backpack and handed it to her, "Well, Danger's my middle name. Here, hold this for me, will you?"

Ranma took a step away from Nabiki and assumed a fighting crouch, "As heir to the Saotome School I accept your challenge."

"Very well," Kuno replied as he raised his sword high then cried, "Have at thee!"

He struck with a speed that did credit to his namesake and his sword came crashing down to strike the wall behind where Ranma had been standing. The strike was magnificent and had the effect of shattering brick and mortar like paste and could hardly be faulted merely because Ranma did not happen to be standing there at the time of impact.

"Kendo, huh?" Ranma said dismissively, just before Kuno made a backward swipe that cut right through a tree in spite of the fact that his weapons was technically a blunt object. Ranma was now standing slightly to one side of Kuno as he continued, "Lot of fancy moves there, guy, but so far I'm not impressed."

"Why you!" Kuno tried to thrust his sword at Ranma, but the boy dodged so quickly it was as if he flowed around the thrusts with the efficiency of smoke.

"I don't know why you're so worked up about Akane," Ranma said, "It's not like I want anything to do with the kawaiikune Tomboy "

"What did you call me?" Akane growled, now more angry than astonished at Ranma's speed and agility.

"Hold still and let me strike you!" Kuno snarled as he kept trying to land a blow on Ranma, who just did not seem to want to cooperate.

"Yeah, like that'll happen anytime soon," Ranma said dismissively, then somersaulted back to a safe distance beyond Kuno's reach, "Look, there's no reason for us to be fighting, and I don't really want to hurt you, so why don't you give this up now and we'll call it even?"

Nabiki was standing as though rooted to the spot, unable to believe what she was seeing happening before her very eyes. Ranma was that good? It certainly put to shame her best estimation and made Kuno appear to be no more than some stumbling amateur!

Of course she knew that to be folly, and that Ranma's overconfidence was about to land him into trouble. Sure enough she saw the dangerous gleam appear in Kuno's eyes as he assumed a serious crouch and summoned up his internal Ki-force. With a snarl he cried, "I would sooner die than yield!"

"Suit yourself," Ranma replied with a leap forward while Kuno moved to attack, and suddenly the thunder crashed as the first drops of water started to fall all around them. Lightning bathed the scene of battle for one poignant instant before Ranma vaulted away and landed on the other side of Kuno. He started to straighten up with a smile when he felt water touch his cheek, and only then did dismay cross his handsome features.

"Saotome!" Nabiki started to cry when a form rushed past her and grabbed Ranma up on the run, a very furry shape that looked surprisingly like a panda running on two legs. The two of them vanished into the building while she and Akane just stood where they were, staring in disbelief.

"Wow," Akane finally said as she ignored the rain that was falling all around them, "Did you see that?"

"I sure did," Nabiki replied, then blinked, "What did I see?"

Akane moved closer to examine Kuno, who was standing in place unmoving. Nabiki followed her example and looked up into the face of the tall boy, seeing a red mark on his forehead.

"Baka?" Akane read the kanji symbols aloud.

"You will address me as Sempai " Kuno said mechanically before falling forward, out like the proverbial lightbulb.

Nabiki stared at Kuno, who lay slumped at her feet, then turned to look towards where Ranma and his panda father had vanished. She then took note of all the students crowded along the window rails staring down at the battlefield and something clicked in the back of her mind. Suddenly she smelled a sure-fire moneymaking investment in the making. For the first time that morning she really began to smile as she and Akane headed for the building.

"I don't see what everybody's so upset about," Ranma said as she pulled her shirt back on, having wrung it once again of moisture, "I won, didn't I? He wasn't that tough."

"Oh no?" Akane replied skeptically, "Take a look at your neck."

"Huh?" Ranma felt herself with probing fingers then looked startled, "There's a bruise? Wow! And he never even landed a blow "

"Be glad of that," Nabiki snorted, "Or you'd be breathing through a straw, Saotome."

"Kuno is dangerous!" Akane insisted, "You should have let me handle him "

"Hey!" Ranma protested, "It wasn't my idea! I was just minding my business when he made that stupid challenge."

Genma appeared with kettle in hand, which he promptly poured over Ranma's head before swatting him in anger.

"Hey!" Ranma protested again, "Quit that!"

"Foolish boy!" Genma growled like his bear form, "How many times have I told you to never underestimate your opponent? Just because the other boy used a weapon is no reason to take him for granted "

"Because he used a weapon ?" Nabiki frowned, "Why would you take him for granted?"

"Because weapons are only as good as the Martial Artist who uses them," Genma informed her, "Relying on one weakens the art. You must study unarmed combat first before developing a weapons skill. Apparently no one ever taught that to the other boy "

"Are you saying that you saw us fighting?" Akane asked.

"No, but I could figure it out," Genma replied, "I just happened to be in the neighborhood applying for a job when I heard the thunder and knew that rain would be falling ."

"Whoah, back up a minute," Ranma urged, "Did you say that you were applying for a JOB?"

"Well, why not?" Genma rounded on him again, "Nabiki-  
san here reminded me that we need to earn some money to maintain our share of the grocery bills, and the Doctor is willing to let me work part time "

"Doctor?" Akane's eyes took on a wary cast, "Doctor Tofu?"

"Why, yes," Genma replied, "From what I understand he comes highly recommended."

"Recommended by whom?" Nabiki asked, then answered her own question, "Kasumi?"

"How did you know?" the older man looked at her in confusion.

"Kasumi and Doctor Tofu " Nabiki sighed, "Never mind."

That was when the bell sounded, causing both Tendo girls to curse their bad luck in unison. Nabiki headed for the door saying, "You owe me for this big time, Saotome! I've just ruined my perfect attendance record for your sake. Better go with Akane to your homeroom, and try to stay out of any more trouble."

"But " Ranma started to say, then sighed in resignation.

Akane grabbed him by the arm and said, "This way, Baka, and thanks a lot for making me stand in the hallway."

As it turned out they both wound up doing so together

Kuno eventually staggered up the hallway, having taken the time to change from his Samurai garb into more conventional shirt and pants. He was rubbing his head and looking very much out of sorts while Nabiki greeted him with a polite nod, maintain her vigil holding a bucket full of water.

Inwardly she was fuming at herself for letting her well-honed sense of priorities get skewed by the morning events. Bad enough to be late and have to suffer the punishment that was normally heaped upon others, but to do so for a boy who acted like such a jerk at times? Worse still, there had been a considerable amount of money passing hands between the students who had witnessed Kuno's fight with Ranma, and for once she was not one of the bet takers! And then there was the gossip that immediately started

"Did you hear about the new boy?"

"The one who beat Kuno? Man, is he for real?"

"Not only that, but he said he was staying over at the Tendos!"

"With Nabiki and Akane? How did he manage to pull that off?"

"Did you see the way she was holding his hand earlier?"

"I wonder what she's charging him?"

"Must be a lot. I've never seen the Ice Queen do that for any boy before."

"That wasn't just any boy! Did you see him?"

"Are you kidding? He's so dreamy!"

"What was his name again?"

"I think he said his name was Ramen or Ranma "

"Wild Horse? I'd like to ride him "

And those were just the comments she had heard when entering the class!

Nabiki cringed a little in reflection of what this whole incident had done to her image. The speculation train was already in full gear with other students wanting to pester her with questions, but fearing to because of her fearsome reputation. Everyone seemed to believe that there was some connection between her and Ranma, but as yet he was a mystery boy that the girls could swoon over and the boys could envy. By clobbering Kuno with such ease he had just shot to the top of everyone's opinion poll, and by association Nabiki was suddenly everyone's favorite topic of interest.

She calmed herself down by remembering that this was just a business opportunity that she was exploring for her own benefit. There was no reason to get upset because everyone in school thought she was getting soft by looking out for some boy who had just taken out the class bully. If anything it gave her certain stock to use to her advantage, and with everyone wanting to know about the new boy she had a golden opportunity to charge for the privilege. She only had to wait until break time to seize hold of the opportunity and play it to her full advantage.

She looked down at the bucket in her hand and saw her crocodile smile return as she considered ways of making a profit off of Ranma. The water reminded her of his "special" curse, how one simple medium could turn the boy that was every girl's dream into a girl that boys could only dream about. She smiled as though she could see the redhead's face reflected in the water and called to memory the softer features of her face, her blue eyes staring curious and guileless at Nabiki, the way she had smiled when she handily defeated Akane

Stop it, she sternly told herself. There was no way she was going to let herself get soft over somebody like Ranma. In the circles she traveled in it was dangerous to betray any type of emotion, let alone give them the impression that you were as human as they were. It just would not do to spoil her image over some guy, else there would be riots and mutiny in the ranks of those who owed her a favor. Work, work, work

She was in for a surprised, though, when she saw Kuno wandering back out of the class with a bucket in hand, and a moment later he returned with it filled and rested his back against the opposite door frame.

"Tendo Nabiki."

She looked up at him curiously and said, "What is it, Kuno-chan?"

He turned to study her, and it was plain that the red marks were still upon his forehead, "What is your connection to this Saotome Ranma? I noticed he was being awfully familiar with you before "

"Oh, it's nothing, really," Nabiki looked away, "Turns out his father is an old friend of my father's and Daddy asked them to stay over. The Saotomes have been traveling to places like China "

"China?" Kuno replied, "I wondered about his strange appearance, but the question I was directing towards you had to do with his relationship with you and Akane."

"Relationship?" Nabiki blinked, "What relationship? He's just a friend staying over, and we were helping him to find his way to school "

"I see," Kuno replied, "Then he does not know of my edict that none shall date the fair Akane or have ought to do with her unless they defeat her in combat "

Nabiki could not help snickering at that, "Well, no problem with that, then, Kuno-chan. Akane and Ranma did spar last night and he beat her rather handily "

"WHAT?" Kuno rounded upon her, "He defeated my precious flower of innocence? How dare he! And I suppose this means that he will expect to have a date with her ?"

"Kuno-chan," Nabiki said levelly, "Ranma is not going to be dating Akane anytime soon, so you can relax "

"You mean the cad has spurned her?" Kuno reacted even more loudly.

"No," Nabiki was surprised to see him worked up this way. Usually Kuno was only mildly insufferable, but this was the first time she had ever seen him express such intense emotion, "Akane doesn't like Ranma, and he doesn't seem to get along with her either, which is all for the better."

"That your sister has some taste I can understand," Kuno replied in a more level tone, which darkened considerably as he added, "That this Ranma would be so callous to her I do not, and what do you mean by saying that it's all for the better?"

Nabiki silently cursed the fates for letting her get talked into a corner-and by Kuno of all people! No way did she mean to let this fool in on the secret of her engagement, but a sudden inspiration did make her see a golden ray of opportunity here. She had long thought Kuno rather handsome and interesting in ways beyond his shallow fa ade, knowing him better than anyone else in their High School. He had always ignored her in favor of Akane, now was a perfect time to pay him back a little for treating her like a stage prop.

She put on her most seductive smile and said, "Because Ranma is someone I am interested for strictly personal reasons, of course. That wouldn't be of any interest to you, would it, Kuno-baby?"

"He " Kuno rocked back on his heels and stared at her in dismay, "You mean you have feelings for this...Ranma person...?"

Nabiki's delight at the thought that he might actually be jealous of her and Ranma turned to dismay when suddenly the window to their room flew open and half the students in her class were crying out a hundred questions at a rate that defied comprehension:

"What? Is it true, Nabiki?"

"You're in love with the new boy?"

"I didn't think it was possible, not you!"

"Are the two of you dating?"

"Are you going steady?"

"Man, who would believe that the Ice Queen's heart melted?"

"Can you blame her? What a hunk!"

"Yeah, and he's way better than Kuno!"

Nabiki turned to look at them, denials already leaping quick to mind as she gazed at them all in horrified realization. They must all have been listening in at the same time, including her teacher! Her big secret was out, and she had practically given it away free of charge!

And then to top it all off Kuno blew his stack and declared, "Never! By all that is holy and of the Heavens! Never will I suffer to allow this! Saotome Ranma must die! He will know the swift vengeance that is Kuno Tatawaki!"

So declared he turned and ran down the corridor with bucket in hand, heading in the general direction of his locker. Nabiki stared at his retreating back and knew instinctively where he would next be headed.

"Mou," she cursed aloud, dropping her bucket and running for the stairs

"I thought I told you that we were going to be strangers today," Akane growled without looking towards Ranma.

"And who says we're not?" Ranma growled while looking in the opposite direction, "It's not my fault if people think we're somehow related."

"They think you rescued me from Kuno!" she growled angrily, "As if I'd ever ask a jerk like you to do something nice for me, like stick your head in that bucket."

"Ohhh, I'm so scared," Ranma said mockingly, "How about next time telling that guy that I'm not interested in an Uncute Tomboy like you. I don't like having to fight with guys who think I'm out to steal their girlfriends."

"I AM NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!" Akane openly shouted, "And I'm not anything of yours either! You're engaged to my sister and that's as much as I want to have to ever do with you, so back off before I show you what I think of perverts!"

"There you go again," Ranma snorted, "Calling me a pervert when you walked in on me in the bathroom! Besides, I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not like your wimpy playmates back out in the schoolyard, and what the heck was that all about anyway? Why were they attacking you?"

"Well " Akane began to say when she suddenly became aware of all their fellow students staring at them with looks of incredulity and dismay.

"What was that, Akane?"

"Did you just say that he's engaged to your sister?"

"Which one?"

"Oh man, are you dense! Who do you think he was with coming to school?

"What, Nabiki? That's impossible!"

"Yeah, there's no way that she could go for a guy who was a year younger."

"What difference does a year make? If they like each other "

"SAOTOME!"

Ranma slowly turned around to find Kuno Tatawaki standing there in his Samurai garb again, clutching a pail of water in both hands as his expression was one of hateful disdain.

"What?" he growled, "Back for more?"

"Try this, you enemy of women!" Kuno hurled the pail at Ranma, but Ranma was presently in the air three feet over Kuno's head and sailing. Kuno reached for his bokken and slashed at Ranma but only managed to slice the pale, which splashed its contents on Kuno while Ranma successfully landed well beyond the reach of the bokken.

Ranma straightened up and said, "This is no place for a fight, Kuno. If you want to do this, then follow me "

"Wait!"

Both men turned to see a slightly winded Nabiki lean against the wall and look at both of them with an almost pleading expression, "This is no place to do this if you want to settle which of you is better "

"Oneechan?" Akane turned to her in concern, "Are you all right?"

"Just fine," Nabiki said, pushing against the wall in order to stand upright, "Just took a few too many stairs to get here but I want you boys to pay attention. If you want to settle this like gentlemen then do it outside preferably in the soccer field "

"And where's that?" Ranma asked.

"It's just outside that way," Akane pointed absently.

"All right," Ranma nodded, "I'll meet you there, Kuno."

He turned and sprinted away, but Kuno only hesitated by a fraction of a second before snarling, "We'll see about that, Saotome!" and he charged right after him, followed by Akane and the rest of their class.

Nabiki winced, "Those idiots," then she turned about and headed for the stairwell.

Ranma wanted to find a quick way downstairs and spotted a window that was open, which caused him to smile as he called over his shoulder, "Let's see you follow me here, Kuno-Sempei."

"We'll see who has the last laugh, Saotome," Kuno snarled as he followed Ranma out the window.

"Wait!" Akane cried too late, "This is the third floor, you Bakas!"

Ranma was about to call back to her not to worry when he made a discovery about what was waiting for him beneath the window. An Olympic-sized pool beckoned towards him, causing Ranma to emit a choice word that was not found in standard dictionaries. Two seconds later he landed with a splash in the center of the pool, followed closely behind by an equally dismayed Kuno.

Water! Ranma thought as though the word were a curse, why did it always have to be water? He felt his body change the instant he was submerged, and then she was swimming in the stuff, having lost her shoes when her feet contracted. The realization that Kuno was about to discover her secret made her swim for dear life right up until rough hands grabbed her and the sounds of bubbling noises in her ear told her that Kuno had caught up with her. The jig was up and then Kuno's hands began to fondle

Ranma gasped in pain as Kuno squeezed her rudely. Of a sudden anger boiled up in her and Ranma reached up to snare the boy by the head, then dragged him with her to the bottom, where she settled her weight and summoned up her Ki-force. With one explosive effort she pushed off and carried them both bodily out of the water, flipping around in mid-air so that she landed on top of Kuno, whose back absorbed the bulk of the impact.

Ranma was fuming in disgust as she got off the boy, then took off running towards the bushes. Meanwhile the students who were crowded up at the window had a curious look at the retreating Ranma, and quite a few took note of the Chinese boy's change in size and haircolor.

Only one of them knew what this meant, and Akane cursed under her breath, then turned around and sought out the Cafeteria, hoping to appropriate the use of a kettle

By the time Nabiki reached the bottom floor she was beginning to get her wind back. Silly, really, to run full-bore like that to try and warn Ranma of an attack, only to find herself nearly late. She had not realized how out of shape she must be to allow Kuno to beat her to Akane's homeroom. Now that she was on the bottom floor and could walk at a more leisurely pace she found it easier to regain her bearings, but still something was nagging in her mind. The direction Ranma and Kuno had been headed did indeed lead towards the track and field, but

She suddenly had a very unpleasant thought, which prompted her to pick up the pace a little. Sure enough she came out at the end that passed right by the swimming pool, and as she had half-suspected would be the case she found Kuno laying on his back on one end of the pool, sopping wet and surrounded by a puddle with his head bent back into the water. His arms were folded over his chest, and he seemed to be making a tremendous effort to do the one thing that he found most difficult, which was to think out a puzzle. Nabiki saw the trail of water leading towards the fence, which ended abruptly. She then turned her head to follow the same direction and caught sight of a flash of red hair heading towards the bushes. Unlike with Kuno it only took an instant to puzzle what had happened, and then Nabiki turned and headed after Ranma, intent on finding him her and giving her a piece of her mind.

Of a certainty the Baka could use it.

She reached the trees and looked around, finding no trace of Ranma until a few drops of water fell on her head, prompting her to look up at one of the branches. Sure enough there she was, perched atop a limb twelve feet off the ground, and Nabiki did not even want to speculate how she had gotten up there.

Ranma was pulling off her pants and squeezing them to get out the moisture, grumbling quite loudly about being squeezed too hard by Kuno. Nabiki watched her dangle her bare legs out over space before deciding to make her own presence known by a question.

"What are you doing up there?" she asked.

Ranma turned to look down and said, "Oh hi, Nabiki. I kinda got wet again "

"So I've noticed," Nabiki said dryly, "You were supposed to go to the Olympic field "

"Uh I kind of got distracted "

"Ranma!" Akane called out as she arrived holding a teakettle, "I brought you something!"

Ranma brightened, "Hey, thanks! I was afraid I'd have to sneak back into the building "

"Saotome!" Kuno's voice informed them all that he had fully recovered and was out to renew their battle.

"Oh great," Ranma groaned, "He's probably figured it out by now "

"Not Kuno," Akane said scornfully, throwing the teakettle up at Ranma, "Here, hold this while I take care of the Baka."

"But " Nabiki started to say as she saw the teakettle arc towards Ranma, too high for the redheaded girl to catch.

"Hey!" Ranma cried out and made a desperate grab for the kettle, grasping the branch with her bare feet as she stretched her body out as far as she could manage and just barely caught the thing before it could fall back earthward. Ranma stretched out at an almost perfectly horizontal attitude, somehow managing not to fall while Nabiki looked on incredulously, unable to believe that was she was seeing was physically possible.

"If I could only get it back up here " Ranma grunted.

"Ranma," Nabiki called out, "What are you doing? You're going to fall like that!"

"I can handle myself, Nabiki," Ranma confidently assured her, "No problem "

That was when Kuno suddenly dropped in literally. Nabiki blinked as she saw the other boy land headfirst upon the kettle, startling Ranma into almost losing her balance.

"We meet again," Kuno said from his inverted position, "Pig-tailed girl."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked intelligently.

"Have you by any chance seen a cur by the name of Saotome Ranma?" Kuno calmly asked, "The boy who ran off and left you in his place?"

"Huh?' repeated Ranma, even less certainly than before.

"That man is not a man! He is no man! He ran off like a dog and "

Ranma let the kettle go, and Nabiki covered her face so that she would not have to see the resulting impact. She winced slightly as Kuno landed, but when she looked back again he was sitting up perfectly fine while the kettle looked mashed in somewhat.

"That hurt you know," Kuno said matter-of-factly.

Ranma alighted on the ground and at once assumed a martial stance, "Listen you, I don't have to take that from the likes of an idiot like you !"

"Ranma, what are you doing?" Akane demanded to know as she came running up holding Kuno's bokken, "Why didn't you change back into a boy?"

"Stay back, fair Akane," Kuno declared as he rose to his feet and snatched the bokken out of her astonished grasp, then faced the redhead before him, "You are fair to behold, and if you defeat me in battle I shall honor you with a date "

Kuno slashed forward, but when he completed his swing he found Ranma perched upon his sword with the same expert balance he had displayed on the fence railing.

"And who'd want to date somebody as stupid as you?" Ranma asked before planting a kick in Kuno's face that knocked the boy sprawling. Ranma leaped into the air and executed a double-side kick as though to work out remaining tension, then alighted lightly between Akane and the equally surprised Nabiki. With a kick of her foot she spun the bokken into her hand then rested it against her shoulder as though it was a trophy.

"I've had enough of this, I'm going home," she declared, "School can wait for another day "

"Uh, Saotome," Nabiki pointed up to the branch, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh?" Ranma looked back up towards the branch she had been perched upon before and saw her trousers dangling there, "Oh yeah. Thanks, I almost forgot."

With a single leap Ranma snatched them out of the tree then slung them over her shoulder with a backward glance to the Tendo sisters, "Well, you guys coming or not?"

"Nabiki will go with you," Akane smiled.

"What?" Nabiki looked at her sister as if told she were sprouting horns and a tail.

"He's your iinazuke," Akane grinned, "I'll stay here and look after Kuno."

"You ?" Nabiki was doubly surprised. Akane normally could not stand being around Kuno, while Nabiki was usually the one who carried him to the nurses office and tended to his injuries not that the Baka had ever bothered to notice.

"He's no problem," Akane sniffed, "And he'll be out for a while after that last kick. So what are you waiting for? You know you want to help out poor Ranma."

"I do not!" Nabiki protested, but then she saw that Ranma was already heading for the building, so she just groaned to herself, feeling the onset of a massive migraine, "Wait up, Saotome! I want to talk with your sorry ass!"

"Oh?" the redhead looked puzzled, "What about?"

Nabiki took a deep breath and by the time she caught up with the other girl she had managed to calm herself down somewhat, then said, "If we're going to be stuck with one another for the time being, I want to lay out some basic ground rules."

"What are you getting so worked up about?" Ranma asked, "Don't tell me you're actually serious about this stupid engagement mess? I thought we agreed it was just some dumb idea of our parents."

"That's what I thought, too, until Kuno blabbed that we must be romantically involved or something in front of the entire school," Nabiki declared, looking away as she said this.

"He did that?" Ranma sounded aghast.

"So now everybody wants to know if we're engaged or not," Nabiki looked angrily back at her, "That's why I need your help to squash that rumor before it gets out of control."

"Oh," Ranma said, "Okay, no problem, you've got it."

"I've got a reputation to think about in this school " Nabiki started to explain when she caught the nonchalance of his tone and said, "Huh?"

Ranma halted in mid-stride, still a good distance away from the building as she squared her shoulders and looked up at Nabiki, "Look, you don't have to explain anything to me. I know the sight of me like this must disgust you, so I don't blame you a bit for wanting people to think you're not weird or something. I mean, it's not like I can blame you for wanting people not to think that you were interested in another girl, right?"

"Nani?" Nabiki replied numbly, then blinked before saying, "Oh yeah sure I guess "

Ranma took a deep breath before continuing, "Ever since the accident that got me stuck with this curse my life has been a real nightmare, and somehow I keep getting splashed with cold water without any kind of warning. What kind of big secret is it that somebody besides Kuno is likely going to see me and what the heck is wrong with the Baka? Why'd he want to date me if he saw me change in the pool?"

"Uh oh," Nabiki said more evenly, "That's just a problem of his he's got this mental problem I think he's borderline Psychotic, makes up fantasies in which he sees himself as the hero "

"Borderline?" Ranma arched a crimson eyebrow, "I'd say he was all the way over the edge."

"Not quite," Nabiki said with a more clinical edge, "It's more like a Dissociative Personality disorder, a form of denial in which he shuts out the reality that you and I take for granted in preference of a version of reality in which he's a noble Samurai from out of the Tokugawa era. He's the hero of his fantasy world, a legend in his own mind, and if it weren't for the fact that he's a superb athlete and above-average Kendo student he'd be perfectly harmless. It's not like he's really as far out as a Sociopath or full-fledged Schizophrenic."

"If you say so," Ranma inclined her head and asked, "I didn't know you majored in Psychology."

"I'm not," Nabiki replied easily, "I've just taken a few classes, and I once used Kuno-chan as one of my case studies "

"Kuno-chan?" the redhead's expression darkened.

"Relax," Nabiki replied, "That's just a nick-name I give him when we hang out together. Actually Kuno's got a few good point in his favor, like the fact that his family is rich "

"Oh," Ranma said, "So that's why you like him."

Now it was Nabiki's turn to frown, "It's not just money, Ranma, I happen to know something about the Kuno family and their history of mental problems. It may interest you to know that Kuno lost his mother when he was roughly the same age as I was when I lost mine "

"Your mother's dead?" Ranma asked as if not having thought of this before now, "Oh I'm sorry."

For some reason Nabiki looked away, feeling emotions tighten in her breast beyond her ability to stamp down, "About nine years ago. Cervical Cancer. Kuno's mother took her own life "

"She did?" Ranma was suddenly very contrite, glancing back towards Kuno, "I had no idea "

"Nobody does," Nabiki fought to keep her voice normal, "Officially she died in an accident, but I heard the real story from one of Kuno's family retainers. She had problems life overwhelmed her, drove her over the edge. Her husband was remote and negligent, and he disappeared a few years ago, leaving Tatawaki and his sister in the care of some trusted advisors. It affected them both pretty badly."

"Kuso," Ranma softly murmured, then looked at the bokken in her hand, "Maybe it's not so surprising he'd rather not deal with that, but why'd he picking on Akane this morning, and what was his beef about me living in the same place as the two of you?"

"Well Kuno " Nabiki sighed, then took Ranma by the arm and drew her along, "I'll tell you when we get to the bathrooms and you change back into a guy. It's almost time for your next class, and you don't want to be late for that or me either."

"Sure," Ranma said as she allowed herself to be guided towards the rear of the building, only now taking note of all the students crowded around the balconies watching them from a distance, "Are they always like that around here?"

"Who, those guys?" Nabiki gave the crowd an absent nod as if ignoring their existence, "You'd better get used to it if you're going to hang around here for a while. You've just taken out the School bully and turned him into the Class Clown. It's bound to make an impression with the local crowd. There's also going to be some speculation about you until people figure out you're girl-  
half and boy-half wound up in the same package."

"Oh," Ranma said as though not yet realizing the significance of what she had accomplished, "Um hey, Nabiki-chan?"

Nabiki almost halted in mid-stride when she heard that and replied without thinking, "Yeah, Ranma-kun?"

"Thanks for helping out," she said, "I know this is a lot of trouble I'm putting you to "

"Uh, no problem," Nabiki replied, "No problem at all," and even as she said the words she knew implicitly that she was lying

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Essay Questions in kanji script: shadowmane

The battle of hearts and wallet has only just begun, kiddies. Stay tuned for next time!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	4. Chapter 4

NabikiRan2 Nabiki &amp; Ranma A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Part Three.  
By Jim Robert Bader (Standard Disclaimer: Don't look at me, I didn't invent these people)

"I don't see what you're so upset about," Akane said as she looked up from her homework to see Nabiki working out on her bed, "At least he was nice to you. I'm the one he kept insulting the whole day we were stuck in class together."

"I'm not upset," Nabiki insisted as she continued to count off her leg-lifts in her mind, stretching and flexing each limb to a pre-set pattern, "I can't imagine what you're talking about, Akane. He's just some guy we have to be nice to for a few days until Daddy gets tired of the freeloaders."

"This guy just happens to be your fianc e," Akane pointed out, then saw the scowl that Nabiki tried to conceal without success and found a perfect opportunity to tease her older sister, "Aren't you the least bit interested him? After all, you're going to be his wife and all "

"I am not going to be his wife!" Nabiki sat up with an angry glare, "Just put that stupid idea out of your head this minute and get serious for once, Sis. The guy's a walking money pit, a bottomless stomach that will eat us out of house and home! He's an indifferent student with about as much ambition as good sense and he's violent besides that. You know I can't stand brutish jocks, so how in the world to you expect me to be interested in that arrogant baka?"

Akane tapped her pencil against her chin and mused, "Is it because of his curse that you don't like him?"

"Huh?" the question seemed to take Nabiki back for a full second before she replied, "No, of course not. It's not like I can hold a thing like that against him, and besides I think it's kind of neat that he can change into a girl. Makes him more sensitive to girl-issues and all that "

"Except that he won't fight me like an equal," Akane glared as though visualizing a punching bag with Ranma's face set upon it.

Nabiki had to blink at that, "Excuse me? Did you just say that you hold it against him because he doesn't want to hit you? I thought you hated the boys at school because they were always hitting on or at you, and so far he's done neither."

"That's because he's an insufferable male egotist," Akane declared flatly, "The other boys just want to take advantage of me, but he won't take me seriously as a person!"

"Oho," Nabiki smiled, "So that's it. The Little Princess has finally met a boy who doesn't bow and scrape at the altar to Akane."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Akane glared.

"Oh, nothing," Nabiki said as she looked away with her most patently false innocent expression.

There came a gentle rapping against the door, then after a pause during which both Nabiki and Akane exchanged looks they heard a voice politely inquire, "Yo Nabiki? Got a moment?"

"Ah " Nabiki slowly got to her feet and padded over to the door, then opened it a crack and said, "What is it, Ranma?"

"Ah " the boy looked at her, then looked down and shuffled his feet as though concealing his discomfort, "I just wanted to say...well...I'm sorry if I did something to upset you before. I mean...I didn't mean to do that or nothing..."

"Ah " Nabiki found herself at a loss for words, but forced herself to say something just for appearances sake, "That's all right, Saotome, and you didn't do anything to upset me. It's just well our school can be a little weird when it comes to newcomers "

"Heh, tell me about it," Ranma gave her a lopsided smile, hands in his pocked as he shrugged his shoulders before adding, "So you want to talk about it or anything? I mean you don't have to if you don't want to "

"Nani?" Nabiki blinked, "Talk about what?"

"I dunno," Ranma shrugged again, "Just talk."

"I " Nabiki tried to come up with a good excuse, only to find herself being nudged from behind, which caused her to turn and glare at Akane, "Don't push me!"

"Go on, Baka," Akane urged her sweetly, "You know you want to."

Nabiki balled her fist, but thought better about it. Akane could lay her out in no time flat if it ever came down to violence, so the most she could do was spare her a withering "I'll get you later for this" glare before stepping out into the hallway to confront the boy who was supposed to be her iinazuke.

A full thirty seconds elapsed before either of them spoke, and then it was Ranma who finally broke the impasse.

"You don't have to pretend around me that this business about us being engaged is all right with you or nothing," he said simply, "I guess the guys at school must have teased you about it."

"Oh nothing I can't handle, Saotome-kun," Nabiki replied, "A lot of girls pestering me to know what you're like, that sort of thing."

"Oh?" Ranma looked wary-but-interested, "And what did you tell them?"

"Only the truth, of course," she smiled, not bothering to add that she had charged the girls for the information, "All except the part about your curse, naturally."

"Oh," Ranma seemed to sigh in relief at that, "Well, I guess there really wasn't that much to tell, then?"

"Not much," Nabiki replied. Only the fact that he was cute, single, incredibly handsome and one of the nicest guys that she had ever had the pleasure of meeting, of course. She had also left out the part about how confused he made her, going one minute from acting super-  
macho and exuding self-confidence to turning on a melancholy streak that made him sound rather lost and extremely lonely. She had also left out her personal estimation that Ranma was without doubt the finest athlete she had ever even heard about, doing feats that seemed to defy all the known rules of physics.

Kasumi was just then coming up the stairs and, of course, greeted them with her usual cheery smile as she said, "Oh, there you are, Nabiki. I was just going over the finances and I wanted to ask if you know of some way that we can squeeze out funds to pay for a plumber. We've been having some troubles with the hot water lately."

"I'll see what I can come up with, Sis," Nabiki replied, only to take notice of the way Ranma was looking from one girl to the other, which prompted her to ask, "What?"

"Ah, nothing," Ranma replied sheepishly, "I was just wondering you girls do the finances around here?"

"Actually that's my area of expertise," Nabiki stated matter-of-factly, "Kasumi takes care of the domestic affairs, I handle the money. Why the interest?"

"It's just well," Ranma shuffled again, "I was wondering how your family supports itself. I mean, I know this is a dojo, but Kasumi was telling me earlier that you haven't had any students for quite a while. Your father doesn't seem to work for a living, so ?"

"Are you offering to get a job, Saotome?" Nabiki could not keep surprise out of her voice.

"Well," Ranma seemed to be reconsidering the offer, but then he squared his shoulders and said, "I heard you complaining about me eating you out of house and home "

Nabiki suddenly felt extremely vulnerable, realizing that the boy must have been eavesdropping on her conversation with Akane. She was not so much offended at the idea as put off her guard at the realization that he could be so sensible and sensitive on the subject of money. It made her feel very funny for some reason, and when she smiled it was not her usual detached cynicism showing on her face, "I'll let you know if I think of anything, Saotome. The school has a policy about working after class hours, so you'll have to talk to the administration, but I think I can square you a deal there. This begs the question, of course what kind of job skills do you have?"

"Ah," Ranma looked down before continuing, "That's just it I was wondering maybe your father might not mind taking in some students for the dojo?"

Nabiki had to mentally lock her knees to keep them steady. Of course! Why had she not thought of such a simple answer? Her father had stopped teaching years ago after the death of their mother, and he only used it now for helping Akane to train, but it was a pity to let a school with such a long and honored tradition go to waste. She looked at Ranma with new respect, wondering if she had misjudged the boy's intelligence for coming up with such a simple, practical solution.

"You want to do this, Ranma-kun?" she asked, unconsciously using the more familiar term instead of the more aloof "Saotome."

"Well," Ranma ran his fingers through his wild, black mane of hair, "I'm still in training myself, and I've never really taught classes, but my Dad's a pretty good teacher and I'm sure your father is as well, so maybe between us and your sister "

Nabiki smiled at him broadly, "Just wait until I tell Akane! Do you realize what kind of students I can round up just on the reputation of you two alone?"

"I think so," Ranma said with such nonchalance that it was clear that he did not, "But I don't think we should just take anybody in. I mean, take those guys harassing Akane, for example. The Anything Goes School should stand for something besides bullying those who can't fight back "

"Are we talking about Akane?" Nabiki asked him dryly.

"You know what I mean," he smiled, "She can handle herself around most ordinary guys, but she's got a long way to go if she's going to improve her technique. Maybe teaching a class will help mature her a little "

"What do you mean by that?" Akane burst out of her door, proving Nabiki's point that eavesdropping was not an exclusively male occupation, "Are you calling me immature?"

"No, of course not," Ranma retreated with a deflecting gesture, "I just thought maybe you could work out that aggression problem of yours more by showing other people how a Martial Artist learns self-control "

"Why you !" Akane took two steps forward with her hand drawn back in a swing, and to escape her Ranma vaulted the railing to the stairs and started plunging several meters, only to land almost on top of Kasumi, who was at the moment descending.

Kasumi gave a little cry of surprise as Ranma reflexively put his arms around her to catch and steady her, unaware of where he put his hands at that particular moment. It took Kasumi a little longer to react to this than might have been the case with anyone else, but then she looked down in some confusion. Ranma himself belatedly realized what he was doing, and then he froze in dismay and quickly removed his hands, jumping back a step with a horrified expression.

"I'm sorry!" he cried, "I didn't meant to I wouldn't !"

"Nice self control there, Saotome," Nabiki said sourly as she looked down from above, "I'm sure Kasumi appreciates that you've got excellent reflexes."

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, then looked up and saw the Panda form of Genma at the foot of the stairs, his head partially soaked by the wash bowl she had been carrying up until a moment before this.

Genma just made a sour noise and looked blandly at Soun beside him. Soun heaved a sigh and said, "Back to the Public Baths, it seems. Oh well "

"Mister Saotome," Kasumi descended a few steps with an apologetic smile, "I'm so sorry that I didn't see you standing there."

"My fault," Ranma said as he carefully moved around her, then looked up at his father and leaned forward to murmur something that Nabiki could not hear, though she suspected it was something like, "Good advise, Pop, she bought it, just like you told me."

Nabiki turned around, her good mood soured as she felt like a first class fool for believing in the line Ranma had fed her. What was happening to her well-refined sense of detachment, her ability to size people up at a glance and know to the yen their net value? Was she letting herself develop feelings for a boy who was just going to wind up hurting her, like everyone else who she ever cared about had hurt her in the past? Akane was so right to call her a Baka, well, she would not make that mistake again anytime soon. Come the morning it would be back to business as usual, and none of this showing weakness in the face of her alleged iinazuke.

She just wondered why she was feeling so uptight in thinking this to herself. "Must be coming down with something," she murmured to no one in particular before seeking out her room, having no interest in anything that would be worth staying awake for the remainder of the evening

The next day she walked ahead of Ranma and Akane, deliberately ignoring the boy doing his walk along the rails. She stared straight ahead and paid him no attention, even when he tried to initiate conversation. Akane was ignoring him for the most part, until Ranma finally asked what was bothering the both of them and then she snapped, "How could you do something like that with our sister?"

To his credit Ranma seemed genuinely contrite, "Hey, I didn't do it deliberately! It just sort of happened "

"Sort of happened, Saotome?" Nabiki found herself voicing aloud, even though she had not meant to say anything at all, "I suppose you just sort-of noticed that she was there and copped a quick feel by lucky chance?"

"Hey, I'm not like that!" Ranma protested, "I don't take advantage of people, it's not manly!"

"Hah!" Nabiki scoffed, "Seemed manly enough that you paid attention to the fact that our sister is a woman."

All of a sudden Ranma was standing directly in her path, quite visibly angry, "Look, I'm telling you that it was an accident! I was trying to keep from knocking her over. Why won't you believe me?"

Nabiki looked up into his face and said, "You almost had me believing that you really cared, but it was all just a big joke to you, wasn't it, Saotome?"

"A joke?" Ranma looked as though she had slapped him.

"You and your father must have had a real laugh at my expense," Nabiki replied, "You know, make Nabiki think you care about the family finances? I saw you talking at the bottom of the stairs, right after you got through with Kasumi "

"You !" Ranma looked away, "You're right, I was wrong about you. I thought you might be different, like maybe you were a real person, like maybe you cared to hear my side of the story, but you're just like all the others."

"All the what?" she looked at him with eyes narrowed.

Ranma took a deep breath and said, "Look, I just mean that people make judgements without knowing all the facts, and a lot of times you get accused of something you know you didn't do, but you can't prove your innocent, so people presume the worst about you and won't hear my side of the story. It seems to happen a lot with me, and I don't know why it happens, but I was hoping maybe there would be one person in this world who might care enough to hear me out before jumping to conclusions. My mistake for thinking you might be different."

"Are you quite finished?" Nabiki said evenly, "You want me to believe you? Fine. Then tell me what you said to your father."

Ranma looked supremely reluctant to reply to that, but after a moment he said, "Well Pop said I should say something nice to you, and I told him I'd try and see if you'd listen. He'd heard that you guys stood up for me when I got into that fight with Kuno, and he thought I should show that I appreciated the effort. The idea about restarting the dojo was mostly from him because he thought maybe your father needed a reason to get interested in something besides Shogi."

"Nice," Nabiki said, "I almost believe you "

The sound of the school bell in the distance interrupted their conversation and Akane growled, "Great now we're late, you two! I hope you're both happy!"

"Huh?" Nabiki turned to look at Akane in surprise.

"Never mind," Akane growled as she moved around Ranma at a dead run, "You're the smart one, you figure it out!"

"Don't tell me she's going to fight those guys again?" Ranma asked in disbelief.

"Oh sure," Nabiki replied, "It happens every morning, ever since Kuno made that stupid proclamation that I told you about."

"Well, I'm not standing around here," Ranma tensed as if about to leave her when Nabiki reached out and grabbed him by the wrist.

"Don't interfere, Saotome," she urged, "Akane will just wind up resenting it. This is how she works off her morning aggression."

Ranma fixed her with an angry stare, "But it's just not right! Nobody should spend their morning trying to beat up girls, even if she is built like a gorilla. Would you like it if people came at you like that?"

"No," Nabiki replied, "But I never have to fight anyway. I solve my problems intelligently."

"Maybe that works for you," Ranma said as he turned and scooped her up into his arms, "But this is how I solve my problems. Let's go!"

"Hey, what are you doOOOIIINNNGGG?" Nabiki cried out as she suddenly found herself airborne with Ranma carrying her in a prodigious leap that carried them both across the street and over the wall to land on the other side in the midst of the carnage that Akane had wrought among the boys with her offensive. Another two leaps later and Ranma had carried Nabiki all the way to the main building and reached the balcony of the second floor, which he gripped with one hand as he slung her around with the other, then deposited her amidst the startled students who were gaping at their arrival.

"There," Ranma said, "I got you here on time, I hope that makes you happy."

"Hah?" Nabiki gasped, feeling her heart to be certain it was still beating a regular rhythm. It was with no great surprise that she found it was beating like a trip-  
hammer.

"Well, if that's all, I'll see you later," Ranma said as he perched upon the rail with a backward glance, "If you want to yell at me some more, do it around lunchtime."

"Hey, wait!" Nabiki turned to look at him, only to become aware of the looks she was receiving from her peers, so she modified what she had been about to say into a simple, "Um thanks for the lift, Saotome."

"Sure," he replied, then looked down curiously and said, "Looks like the fight's done but where's that Kuno guy?"

"Huh?" that got Nabiki's attention as she looked over the rail and saw Akane looking around in evident confusion, "That's weird you could almost set your watch by Kuno."

"Well, that's her problem," Ranma sniffed, "I'm out of here," and with that he swung up to the next level and vanished.

"Wow," one of the girls named Miyuki said, then smiled at Nabiki with a cheerful, "So it's true about you having a new boy friend."

"Boy friend?" another girl named Hitome grinned, "I heard you were engaged to him "

"Get real," Nabiki turned away with studied indifference, "If I were engaged to someone like him wouldn't I know about it? And besides, he's a year younger than I am."

"So what?" a third girl named Naruna cooed, "He's dreamy, what a hunk!"

"You said it," Miyuki enthused, "And what an athlete! You see the way he carried her up here?"

"Kami, I wish somebody would carry me like that," Hitome sighed with the delicate grace of the lovelorn.

"Say, Nabiki-san," Naruna smiled predatorily, "If you don't want him, would you mind very much if one of us grabs him?"

"Hah, in your dreams, girls," Nabiki turned away in disgust, her expression as flat and emotionless as always while she made a point of looking anywhere but where Ranma had been perched only moments before. Her heart was beating normally again and she had class to get to, and no way was she putting another mark on her otherwise perfect attendance record.

As she sat down at her desk, however, she thought about the experience of being held in Ranma's arms oh-so-  
briefly, the rush of adrenaline surging in her veins as she thought wildly about the way he had effortlessly carried her a hundred meters in only a few seconds. There had barely been time to organize her thoughts, yet she had somehow been aware of the feeling of incredible power in his arms, not just physical strength but something more indefinable, and it left her feeling slightly breathless the more she allowed herself to dwell upon the moment.

Stop it, she sternly commanded to both her mind and body. This is not about him, he's just a business investment, try not to think of him as a person!

And then his smile from the night before, and then his angry look when he accused her of being just like the other people in his life. There had been pain in his expression as well as anger, and the way she had spoken to him, accusing him of taking advantage of her, of betraying her trust. In plain truth she knew for a fact that she had believed him, but she had thrown the accusation at him anyway, intending to hurt, trying to make him angry as though she knew implicitly that he could not retaliate.

At least not physically, but verbal had been enough. He had scored home with his accusation while she knew that hers had been false, and that in some way she had conceded to him the moral high ground.

There was some kind of struggle being waged between them both, and at present it appeared as though Saotome Ranma was winning. Nabiki did not know what kind of battle they were engaged in, or what the rules might be, or even what was at stake for the winner, but she knew that she had more than just her reputation on the line. She had given ground and that was never to be allowed in the competitive circles in which she operated. She would have to study matters more carefully, seek out Ranma for some casual chit-chat then do a serious probe to find out what made the boy tick. Until she knew where she stood with Ranma she was not going to know a moments peace, and besides which she had yet to make any real money off of him. Until she satisfied one of these criteria she would have to go slowly and not rush the matter. She would treat Ranma like she would treat any problem and puzzle him out later.

With that matter decided she at least made the pretense at concentrating on her schoolwork. In one corner of her mind, however, she was aware that there was something out of place, something missing from her morning routine, and after a few more moments she finally figured out what it was or rather whom.

Kuno. He arrived late to class and did not mind it when he was sent to stand out in the hallway. There was a strange expression on his face that Nabiki would have sworn she had never seen before, and when she finally placed it she was stunned into a completely ridiculous realization.

That Kuno Tatawaki was thinking

"C'mon, Nabiki," Akane urged late that night when the two of them were alone together, "Why are you being so stubborn about this?"

"Excuse me?" Nabiki asked in her driest reproof, "You're calling me stubborn?"

Akane ignored the implied insult and said, "I can tell how much it's bothering you. You've been feeling this way because of Ranma, so why can't you just admit it?"

"Because the charge is completely ridiculous," Nabiki said scornfully, "What makes you think I'm thinking of him at all? I've just been trying to fathom why Kuno was acting so strange all day, didn't you notice?"

"Yeah, it was kind of weird him not attacking me this morning," Akane conceded, "And he even avoided spouting his poetry at me around lunchtime. If I didn't know any better I'd think he's forgotten all about me."

"I'll bet that will make your day if it's true," Nabiki sniffed in amusement, only to cock her ear to one side at the sounds of altercation.

"What is wrong with that family?" Akane growled, "Can't those two ever stop fighting?"

"Like father, like son," Nabiki sighed, then looked up when the next voice they heard was their father trying to calm everyone down, "Uh oh. I think we'd better check this out."

They both moved to the bathroom where the sounds of altercation had originated, only to find that things had quieted by the time they got there. However, they did find their father standing between both panda and the girl-type Ranma, and from the expression on Soun's face it was plain that he had only just discovered where his left hand was resting at the moment.

"Um, I uh " Soun tried to think up a good explanation when Ranma-chan put her fist into his face.

"Are you done squeezing me yet?" she growled in annoyance.

"Oh my," Kasumi startled Akane and Nabiki, who had not seen her approach.

"I guess maybe stuff like this does happen by accident," Akane softly murmured.

"Yeah, whatever," Nabiki narrowed her eyes, "That still doesn't excuse him beating up on poor Daddy."

"Oh," Kasumi said as though just remembering something, "This is for you, Nabiki-chan. It just arrived a few moments ago by arrow."

Nabiki looked at the folded piece of paper Nabiki was handing her and said, "Don't you mean by postman?"

"Oh no," Kasumi assured her, "It was definitely an arrow. I saw it hit a post while I was out drying the laundry."

"Did it come close to hitting you, Oneechan?" Akane sounded worried.

"Not by much," Kasumi replied as she watched Nabiki unfold the note, then asked, "Do you know who sent it?"

"It's from Kuno," Nabiki sighed as she read the carefully worded script up and down at a glance, "He wants to meet with me at a local caf after school tomorrow."

"A challenge letter?" Akane asked.

"Not exactly," Nabiki looked up before adding, "He wants to talk about the 'Treeborne Kettle Girl with the Pig-tail. I guess maybe he hasn't yet figured out that she and Ranma are one and the same person."

"What's that?" Ranma asked as he broke off from further argument with the two fathers, coming over to look at the note in Nabiki's hand, "Let me see that "

Nabiki moved it away from his grasp, "Certainly not. I won't have you fighting with him until I find out what this is all about. If it's something that should bother you I'll let you know about it later.'

"I wasn't going to fight with him," Ranma insisted, "But if it's about me then maybe I should come along and find out what he's up to."

Nabiki looked at him neutrally then said, "Can I trust you to behave yourself? Do I have your word you won't try and start anything with Kuno, that you'll let me do most of the talking?"

"What, you don't trust me?" Ranma frowned, then took a deep breath before saying, "I promise I'll behave, but if he's the one who starts something all bets are off."

"I suppose that will have to do," Nabiki said, but she was more worried than she let on. Ranma seemed a nice enough boy most times, but he did have a temper, and from the way he behaved around others it was a sure thing that having him tag along was bound to cause trouble. She folded the note up and smiled, so she told him to be at the address on the note at four O'clock rather than the time specified, thinking that an extra hour alone with Kuno would give her some advanced idea of what to expect so that she could prepare the way for the later arrival of Ranma

The next day was pretty much uneventful as far as the morning went. They got to school early, Akane had her morning fight while Ranma and Nabiki looked on, and Kuno made his appearance in the end to renew his usual challenge.

Nabiki saw the look Ranma gave Kuno, which was neither hostile nor friendly, and for a moment she thought that he was going to go back out there to confront the older boy, but in the end he just turned away with a sad shake of his head and headed off to class without comment.

For some reason Nabiki felt oddly disappointed about the whole thing. There was no mad rush to class, no being carried in Ranma's arms at speeds that defied description, nothing but the ordinary pace she usually set for herself when she had to be somewhere in a hurry. She knew that Ranma was deliberately slowing himself down to match her stride and for some very strange reason she found this as irritating as his generally indifferent mannerisms. When the other girls pestered her with questions once again she had no patience at all for their antics and threatened to start raising interest rates on their loans if they did not leave her alone during class time.

During lunch, however, she found Akane pressing the matter from a different angle, not so easily put off as the others since she knew Nabiki better and was not afraid of her threats of financial retaliation. Akane simply would not give the matter a rest as she teased Nabiki mercilessly until Ranma came to sit down with them, then she made a lame excuse and got up, leaving her alone with her unwanted iinazuke.

Ranma was looking at her in a very odd way, as though Nabiki had grown horns or something, and she was about to say something nasty to that effect when he spoke first and surprised her, "What's this about between you and Kuno? Do you like the guy or something?"

"Hah?" Nabiki asked, taken aback for only half a second, "Well he is a client, of sorts, somebody I do favors for at reasonable interest. I've known him longer than Akane, and he isn't all bad when you get to know him."

Ranma looked down the table, only to see Kuno glaring back their way, not wearing his Kendo gear but a mere shirt and trousers like other students.

"I've been thinking about what you said about his mother," Ranma said simply, "You said she committed suicide?"

"Uh-huh," Nabiki said softly so as not to be overheard, "I call it that, but he calls it Seppuku. Kuno really is descended from one of the Daimyo clans of the pre-Tokugawa era. His mother was very big on Bushido, but like I said she had problems. From what I've been able to piece together she wasn't a very nice person. She used to be an Olympic class gymnast, medals and everything, but she was a perfectionist in everything she did, a real control freak, and I think living like a rich housewife drove her slowly crazy. I also think that's why Kuno's sister is even nuttier than he is."

"You said he had a sister," Ranma said as he continued to glance towards Kuno, "Does she go to Furinken?'

"No," Nabiki replied, "She attends a private all-  
girls school on the other end of town, Saint Hebereke, which used to be a Catholic school called Saint Bacchus, after the Roman god of wine and madness. In a way the name fits her, she gives me the creeps."

"You don't like her?" Ranma asked.

"The feeling's mutual," Nabiki nodded, "But we tolerate each other, when she bothers to even acknowledge my existence. She's sort of like a really warped version of her late mother, and I'd say well away from her if I were you, Ranma. She's into chemistry and the use of herbal potions."

"No problem," Ranma said, "I wasn't planning on getting too close to the Kunos. I just wanted to understand what makes him behave like that. I can't understand him going after your sister, especially the way he does it."

"Well, his actions probably make sense to him," Nabiki shrugged, "Kuno's mind is a strange labyrinth, and it does no good to wander around amid the cobwebs. Outside of his fantasy delusions he's really basically quite harmless."

"I wouldn't call him that," Ranma sniffed, "I've seen his moves, and I can tell he's taking it easy with Akane. If he really got serious about it, your sister might be in real trouble. Of course I could take him, no problem."

"You're just full of confidence in yourself, Saotome," Nabiki sniffed.

"Well, like I said," Ranma replied matter-of-factly, "I am the best, and someday I'll be a lot better than my father ever was. When that day happens I'm going to make him understand that he can't push me around or try to make me do stupid things against my will, like marrying you for some dumb idea that he calls honor."

"You really know how to make a girl feel special," Nabiki said dryly.

"I didn't mean anything against you," Ranma insisted, "You're a nice enough girl, but I'm too young to think about this marriage stuff, and you've got plans of your own, right?"

"Uh, right," Nabiki reluctantly nodded.

"Maybe in a few years, who knows?" Ranma shrugged, "Maybe we'll know what we really want, and maybe we'll both meet other people. It's not like we've got to tie ourselves down with something this permanent."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Ranma-kun," Nabiki said, then inwardly winced as she had forgotten to call him Saotome.

Ranma hesitated, looking away for a moment before giving her a side-glance, "I um, well it is possible sometime maybe in a few years if we do, uh kind of like each other "

"We'll see what happens," she promised with a very faint smile.

"So " he paused as if looking for something else to talk about, "You still mean for us to meet with Kuno after class?"

"I'm not afraid of Kuno, Ranma," Nabiki assured him, "And besides it's your girl half that he wants to know about."

"I " he hesitated again, "What are you going to tell him?"

"Well," Nabiki inclined her head speculatively, "That depends. How much do you want him to know about you?"

"Not much," Ranma said grimly, "I wouldn't like it if another guy found out I had this problem. How would you feel about it if you changed sex every time you got wet?"

Nabiki had to laugh at the mental image, "I'd probably feel the same way. All right, so maybe I'll tell him a version of the truth, like maybe your girl-half is another guess at our place. How would you feel about having a sister?"

"Maybe too close to the truth," Ranma frowned, "People are bound to ask questions, like why Pop only enrolled one of us in school."

"Hmm, good point," Nabiki was silently impressed that he had thought of this, "Not like you can be in class at the same time in both forms. All right, let's call her your cousin say, Ranko Saotome?"

"Ranko?" Ranma repeated, the shrugged, "I guess that'll do for now. Maybe if other people think there really are two of us they won't make the connection either."

"Right," Nabiki nodded, "We'll say she's just visiting with you and hasn't transferred her records yet. That ought to at least temporarily defray suspicions. So Saotome Ranko, better get used to that name when you're in your girl form, and try not to react to your real name either. Think you can work on that?"

"I can try," Ranma nodded, "But I hate having to deceive people. It's not very honorable."

"And turning into a girl is?" Nabiki asked.

"It's not something I can control," Ranma replied, "And I'm still the same person in either form. I just don't feel comfortable with it either way."

"There's worse things to be besides a girl, Ranma," Nabiki smiled at him knowingly, "Trust me on that. Maybe one day you'll find a way to break the curse, but for now you've got to learn to make adjustments, and that means no falling out of windows into swimming pools, got it?"

"That wasn't my fault," Ranma winced, but he seemed to be reassured by this, and lunch proceeded normally from that point on, although for some strange reason Nabiki felt better than she had since early morning

Three O'clock sharp found her stepping through the door to the caf in question, where she found Kuno already seated in one of the booths wearing his Kendo outfit and clutching a dolly. It was this latter point that got most of her attention, Kuno hardly seeming the type to her to have any sort of doll fetish, but she decided not to ask any questions until after she was seated.

"All right, Kuno-chan" she began, "You wanted to see me, I'm here, so let's talk."

"Very well," Kuno replied, "The pig-tailed kettle girl ?"

"You mean Ranko?" Nabiki asked matter-of-factly.

"Ranko?" Kuno straightened up in his seat, "The name of my goddess is strangely sweet to my ears "

"Yeah, whatever," Nabiki said, "Saotome Ranko, she's staying with us, along with her cousin, Ranma "

"Saotome Ranko," Kuno said dreamily, then paused as he absorbed the significance, "Her cousin?"

"Actually she's more like a sister," Nabiki continued as if she had not been interrupted, "We talk a lot, and I'm pretty sure I know how she feels about most things. Why are you interested?"

"I wish to know if she might consider dating with me," Kuno replied, then extended the doll out to her as if making an offering.

"What's this?" Nabiki asked him coolly.

"It's a doll," he replied irritably.

"I know what it is," Nabiki said with annoyance, "But what is it for?"

"A present," he answered.

"No thanks," Nabiki said aloud as she thought to herself that she had not had a doll since she was very little (she refused to think of herself as younger, insisting that she had never been THAT young).

"It's not for you," he snapped in increasing temper, "It's for Saotome Ranko."

"It's ?" for a moment Nabiki could not help but stare, and then she broke out laughing, imagining Ranma cradling a dolly.

"What's so funny?" he growled.

"Oh, nothing," Nabiki could not help but smirk, "Tell you what, why don't you buy me something to eat and I'll tell you what I know about Ranko

Ranma stood perched atop a building across the street from the caf where he had followed Nabiki. Sticking to the rooftops had been the perfect way of avoiding her attention, and he had wondered why she had seemed to be in such a great hurry to leave class ahead of time. He was tempted to follow her inside but decided to wait where he was until he could think of a good reason for arriving "earlier" than she had wanted.

He had not wanted to suspect her of deceiving him, but knowing it had seemed very likely that she believed he intended to start trouble, so he could not actually blame her for not trusting in him enough. Still it did bother him that she was probably in there alone with Kuno, saying who knew what about his girl half, and probably keeping the baka on edge about the two great Martial Artists that were visiting with the Tendos

No, that did not sound like her somehow. His impression was that Nabiki was somebody who was difficult to impress, and the fact that he was a great Martial Artist seemed only of slight interest to her. It was Akane who practiced the art, and Akane could barely stand to be around him for some reason, not that he much cared what she thought of him he thought with a sour note.

The Hell with this. Waiting patiently until four was not his style. Ranma wanted to know what Nabiki was up to in there. There was something about the way that she got along with Kuno that grated on his nerves. He could understand feeling sorry for the guy, but was it all about sympathy? She seemed to like him in some way in which Ranma could not relate and it left him feeling oddly excluded.

He leaped down to the street and paused, wondering what he was going to do and how he could explain to Nabiki his desire to check on her this way. She seemed able to handle herself in most respects, but she was not a Martial Artist, and that made her seem vulnerable in ways that could never be true of Akane. She might think Kuno was harmless but Ranma had a pretty good idea of what the boy could do if he ever became truly unstable.

Thus decided he prepared to cross the street when something hit him from above. Ranma winced at the familiar sensation of water triggering his transformation into his girl half, then looked up forlornly at the woman with the wash bucket who had not seen him standing there until the last second.

"Opps, sorry!" she called down.

Ranma mumbled something under his breath about people looking before they leaped, then paused to consider his transformation. She wanted to check up on Nabiki, well why not go in disguise? And besides, it was his girl half that Kuno wanted to know about. Well, Ranma smacked palm to fist as she considered the implications, that was just fine in her book, and what better time to discourage the Baka into finding some other way to amuse himself besides picking on girls.

Her course determined, Ranma crossed the street and entered the caf

Nabiki had Kuno spellbound and eating out of the palm of her hand, which had already resulted in a bowl of Miso soup, some Ramen with fishcakes and a nice, steamy cup of latte, all of which he had paid for. In return she had trickled out information that-while technically true to a point-was liberally spiced with added little tidbits that were entirely of her fabrication.

For example, Nabiki knew that Ranma had traveled through most of Japan and had visited the Manchuria province of China and had seen many strange and exotic sights, but she rather doubted that Ranma would recognize many of the places Nabiki mentioned as stop-over points, which she actually gleaned out of a book about China that she has borrowed from Kasumi

Or rather that Kasumi had borrowed herself from Doctor Tofu.

Secondly, while Nabiki had only known of Ranma's existence for a little under seventy-two hours, she had gleaned enough of his personal likes and dislikes to come up with something comparable for his girl half. Kuno looked utterly amazed that his "Pig-tailed goddess" was actually into sports such as soccer and baseball. That Ranma was a loner who had grown up without a permanent roof over his head was enough to make Kuno weep with sorrow and break out in bursts of poetic insight. That Ranma was a top-notch Martial Artist provoked Kuno to compare her to the Roman goddess Diana, and it was about that point that Nabiki started to seriously suspect that the boy was enamored with the redheaded version of Ranma, while the same details as related to Ranma's male half only provoked derisive scorn. It was really quite amazing.

"So," Nabiki mused, "You like the girl, eh? Too bad about Akane "

"Akane?" Kuno seemed to do a mental shift at the mention of her sister.

"Cast aside like yesterday's laundry," Nabiki shed a crocodile tear at the thought, knowing what Akane would say if she could hear this, "How fickle are the ways of the male heart "

"Who said anything about casting her aside?" Kuno responded, "The heavens do weep at the very injustice of the notion "

In spite of her amusement Nabiki frowned by a fraction, "You mean you intend to date both of them? That's two-timing, Kuno-chan. You don't really want to go there."

"Who's two-timing?" he demanded hotly, "I could never give up on my quest for the hand of the lovely Akane, but my pig-tailed goddess beckons to me with open arms "

"More like a fist to your face," Nabiki murmured under her breath, then said, "I'd call that two-timing."

Kuno paused to consider this, then said almost thoughtfully, "So that's what they call it "

"Yo, Nabiki-chan," a feminine voice called out, which caused Nabiki to almost choke on her latte, "You wanted to see me?"

Kuno whirled in his seat and cried, "Pig-tailed one! You have come to me for a date "

"Stuff it," Ranma said sourly, giving Nabiki an even more sour look, "What have you been telling him about me?"

"Oh, nothing much," Nabiki replied with a hastily covered guilty expression, "Just telling Kuno-chan here about some of your better qualities "

"Oh?" Ranma asked, a sudden spark of mischief causing her to smile as she added, "Did you tell him about us?"

"About you?" Kuno looked puzzled, while Nabiki made faint strangling noises.

"Sure, you know," Ranko shrugged, "She's so shy, almost like a big sister. I know she wants to share some of the good times we've known since we met a couple of days ago, but she doesn't want to create the wrong impression about "

"Our friendship," Nabiki promptly cut in, "Two peas in a pod, like rice and fishcakes, that's us, just a couple of crazy girls out to have fun," her expression, though, conveyed anything but enjoyment.

"I see," Kuno said, plainly not seeing anything at all as he brought up the dolly and extended it towards Ranma, "This is for you."

Ranma's expression mirrored that of Nabiki's from thirty minutes ago, "What's this?"

"It's a dolly," Nabiki said helpfully.

"I know what it is!" Ranma said snappishly, "But why would you think I'd want something like that?"

Kuno seemed at a loss for a full second before he asked, "What do you want, Pig-tailed one?"

Ranma smiled, affecting an innocent expression that almost made Nabiki choke and said, "How about some ice cream ?"

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Book Reviews: shadowmane

Do you think Ranma is out of character here? Remember that many times in the series he has demonstrated a capacity for low animal cunning, if not outright perceptiveness, and at the moment he isn't suffering brain damage from repeated poundings. He is also in competition with the Mistress of Cunning, and Ranma is nothing if not a very competitive person. As for Nabiki, she is still trying to fathom how to make a quick buck on the dear "boy" and finding her first estimate woefully inadequate. See how the battle of the sexes progresses in the next installment when a new boy hits town and shakes things to the rafters

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	5. Chapter 5

NabikiRan3 Nabiki and Ranma A TALE OF TWO WALLETS (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader Part Four (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,  
so I'm not claiming any of this is mine except for the historical revisionism, and credit is due to the inspiration of many other writers)

"You are shameless, Ranma."

"What do you mean?" Ranma asked, "You wanted me to avoid a fight with Kuno, so I kept my word. What's bugging you this time?"

"Nothing bugging me," Nabiki insisted, "But the way you conned him into buying you ice-cream "

The redhead paused in mid-stride and glanced sidelong at Nabiki, "You're a fine one to talk. Weren't you extorting food out of him the same way? Why's it all right for you to take advantage of the Baka and not me?"

"Because I really am a girl," Nabiki pointed out, "While you're just pretending."

"Huh," Ranma looked down at herself in disgust, "Some pretense. Everytime I take a look in the mirror I almost feel like I'm getting a nosebleed."

"You realize, of course, that by playing up to Kuno that way you're just feeding his interest," Nabiki said, trying a slightly different tact to get her point across.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "What interest?"

"Didn't you notice?" Nabiki could not believe he could be so dense, "The Baka's got a crush on your girl form, a first-class case of infatuation."

Ranma looked at her as if trying to detect a joke. When she saw that Nabiki was serious she curled her lip and said, "That's disgusting!"

"You're telling me?" Nabiki asked, "It was all that I could do to keep from busting out laughing. I did laugh before you got there oh, and here's your dolly. I think he meant for you to have it."

Ranma backed away from the proffered object as though suspecting that it was poisoned, "No thanks! Guys don't play with dolls, remember? I'm not going that far out of my way to imitate a girl, no matter what that idiot thinks I am. You keep it."

"And what would I be doing playing with dolls?" Nabiki asked dryly as she turned around and resumed walking, "I'll give it to Akane. Maybe she'll find a use for it in some way "

"Yeah, like target practice," Ranma snorted as she fell in stride beside her.

Nabiki found it disconcerting that Ranma's girl form was a quite a few inches shorter than herself, just as her male form was slightly taller. To all appearances she was a cute little girl with rather large chest endowments in clothing that looked too big for her frame with a pair of leather arm-bracers that were much too slack on her slender wrists. Hard to imagine the raw power that was contained in such a feminine frame, but Nabiki could see that Ranma was wiry and muscular even in girl form. Such a stunning contrast from the manly contours of the male Ranma

Nabiki stopped that line of thought with real effort. The last thing she needed right now was to start thinking of Ranma as if he really were her iinazuke.

"By the way," she said aloud, "How long do you plan on remaining in girl form?"

"Don't see any hot water around, do you?" Ranma asked, "We could stop at the baths along the way, but I don't have any money."

"I could spring for you," Nabiki noted.

"Thanks," Ranma said, "But I think I'll wait until we get back to your place. No sense taking chances between there and here. You won't believe how many ways a guy can get splashed with cold water!"

"I guess you'd notice after all this time, huh?" Nabiki asked dryly.

Ranma just rolled her eyes, "You'd better believe it. There's about a thousand miles between here and Jusenkyo, and in the time it took to cross that distance I think I managed to get splashed just about every other day, and it always takes twice as long to find hot water as cold water. I think this curse must make me a water magnet or something, it's downright uncanny."

"Is that why your father spends so much of his time as a panda?" Nabiki asked.

"Too much trouble for him to change back and forth all the time," Ranma nodded, "Pop's basically a very lazy guy. If he didn't insist on training me all the time I'm pretty sure he'd be happy just to curl up into a ball and sleep all day. I just hope I'm never like that when I get to be his age."

"It is pretty hard to imagine," Nabiki mused, noting how the compact redhead seemed to glow with vitality and energy. Even in repose Ranma looked capable of going one-  
on-one with a tiger, and while he did lounge around about the house a lot it was mostly from boredom than an indifference to action.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Ranma suddenly asked after a pause of only a moment, "Why don't you practice Martial Arts like Akane?"

The question took Nabiki aback somewhat, but she recovered soon enough and replied, "Why should I try to be like Akane? Guys aren't out trying to beat me up every morning."

"Akane tells me you used to train together, but you stopped when you were little," Ranma continued as if ignoring her standard response, "I just figure with your build and reflexes you'd be a pretty good fighter in your own right."

Nabiki looked at her sidelong and said, "I thought you said you didn't like Tomboys."

Ranma sniffed, "There's a difference between a girl who studies Martial Arts and a Tomboy. I don't call Akane that because she's tough, I say it because she's got very little art to her form. She beats people up to prove how strong she is, but she's about as graceful on her feet as a walrus."

The comment surprised Nabiki, who had always thought Akane a superb Martial Artist, "So you think she could do better?"

"Lots," Ranma replied, "With a little training even you could take her on. I tried to explain that when we sparred last night but she just got mad and tried to hit me. Dodging her punches is like moving out of the way of a speeding bus. Sure it hurts if it connects, but it takes too long to get there."

In spite of herself Nabiki found herself laughing at the analogy, "Yeah, I can see how Akane might not like hearing you say that, but now that you mention it she has been a little too predictable in her movements. I've watched her almost every morning and I can almost tell which boys she's going to punch when and in what direction."

"The only one she really needs to be worried about is Kuno," Ranma said, "And if he's going to be chasing after my girl form from now on "

"Oh, he intends to chase Akane too," Nabiki smiled, "Didn't I mention that."

"Huh?" Ranma stopped in her tracks again and stared at Nabiki, "Both of us? Man, is he really that sick or something?"

"Compared to his usual state?" Nabiki smirked, "Who can tell? But just the same I think you'd both better stay away from him until I can think of some way to get his mind off chasing women."

"Good luck," Ranma resumed her forward advance, "From what I can tell he doesn't have enough of a mind to be worth changing. But I'll try and keep away from water whenever I'm near him."

"That may not be enough," Nabiki pointed out, "What will you do if he approaches you as a guy and wants your permission to date your 'cousin Ranko?'"

Ranma winced, "I think I'm going to be sick. Now I really am sorry about that ice cream."

"Don't be," Nabiki said, "You also got one for me too, remember?"

Ranma had to smile at that as she eyed Nabiki sidelong, "Is he always that easy to manipulate? I'm starting to see why you do it."

Nabiki did not smile. In fact Ranma's comment seemed to sober her up and make her look thoughtful as they finally came in sight of the dojo.

Once they were inside Ranma headed for the bathroom as Nabiki headed for the stairs, intending to find her room and get onto doing her homework. It was much to her surprise and annoyance that she found Akane waiting for her at the top step with a smile and an intense look of sisterly curiosity.

"How did your date go with Kuno?" she asked once Nabiki was within earshot.

"Oh please," Nabiki growled, "It wasn't a date, it was business. Kuno just had some questions he wanted to ask, and I charged him for a late lunch."

"Ahuh," Akane smiled knowingly, "And that's why your iinazuke came along in girl-form? Guess he was really looking out for your best interests, huh?"

"Why are you so interested?" Nabiki asked crossly, "I never knew you to take an interest in my love-life before now, Sis."

"I'm interested because Dad made that stupid promise with Mister Saotome," Akane answered frankly, "And if you hadn't volunteered to take him on as your fianc e it probably would have been me that Dad stuck with the burden, and I can't stand the Baka. I really am hoping it does work out for you two so I can get on with my life and not have some stupid boy latched onto me like an anchor."

"Why are you so hostile to men?" Nabiki frowned, "Don't tell me you really mean to carry through on that stupid vow never to let any boy come close to you?"

"Well, maybe not all boys," Akane said sullenly, shifting her feet as she added, "I'm sure there's got to be at least one guy out there who's kind and considerate and won't make me get angry all of the time and everything. I'd love to meet a boy like that and get to know him better, and that sure isn't going to be Ranma."

"Like Tofu Sensei?" Nabiki asked, then sighed when she saw Akane's pained expression, "All right, but do you think you can lay off on upsetting Ranma for a while? It would do a world of good and give the rest of us some peace and quiet."

"Well, why don't you get him to stop calling me an Uncute Tomboy?" Akane growled sourly.

"Only if you agree to stop calling him a Hentai," Nabiki countered, "How would you feel if you were changing sex all the time, and somebody who walked in on you in the bathroom called you a Pervert?"

"I I'll think about it," Akane glowered as she started to turn away, but at the last moment Nabiki stopped her.

"By the way, I almost forgot," she handed her sister the doll, "For you."

"For me?" Akane took the thing and looked at it as if checking for a price-tag, "Where'd you get this?"

"I found it," Nabiki said nonchalantly, "Thought you might like having it, Sis."

Akane broke out in a smile and said, "Thank you, Nabiki, but what is it called?"

"Kawaiikune Tomboy," Nabiki said as she hastily fled down the corridor, laughing as she escaped into her room just one second before the doll hit her door in passing

The next morning Nabiki saw that Ranma was nursing a red mark on his cheek sometime after he finished practice and found out that the boy had accidentally walked in on the bathroom when it was occupied by Akane.

"Ouch," Ranma grumbled as he felt himself on the way to school doing his usual fence-walk, "I said I was sorry! And next time turn the sign around like you're supposed to!"

"He has a point there, Akane," Nabiki noted dryly, "The sign is supposed to be turned around when the bath is in usage."

"I did turn it around!" Akane insisted, "He just wasn't looking!"

"I was looking," Ranma insisted, "You think after the last time I'd want a repeat of that screaming fit you pulled? Besides, I don't see why you're so upset. At the time we were both girls."

"But you're really a boy!" Akane insisted.

"What's that got to do with it?" Ranma asked densely, "Besides, I've seen myself naked lots of times. You think you've got anything that could compare to what I've got?"

"Why you-!"

"Cut it out now!" Nabiki finally snapped, "Or I'm going to go on ahead and leave you both to kill each other. Besides we're almost at the school. Better get ready, Akane, for your usual playmates."

"Not those guys again," Ranma growled, "I've had it with siting on the sidelines. Hey, Nabiki, mind if I clear you a save path through those guys?"

"What are you ?" Nabiki asked when both Ranma and Akane whooshed by so fast that they made her hair fly forward. Like a pair of guided missiles they headed straight into the midst of Akane's hormone-crazed fan club.

"Stay out of my way!" Akane growled as she tackled her first three opponents.

"That should be me saying it to you," Ranma retorted as he took our four burly athletes in less than one second.

"I don't believe those two," Nabiki said in a mixture of wonder and mild disgust, "Who do they think they're kidding with this act?"

Akane saw that Ranma was not going too easy on the guys who came within his reach, so she went all-out herself, and in less than twenty seconds they cleared the entire field of all its combatants. Ranma paused at the last before turning to Nabiki with a wave of his hand and a smug expression of superiority on his face that made Akane's teeth clench.

"Your path has been made clear, my lady," Ranma said in his best imitation of Kuno.

"Fine," Nabiki snorted as she coolly started to cross the now-vacant pathway, "Whatever. Since you seemed to enjoy that so much, Ranma, why don't you help Akane out like this every morning?"

"Huh?" Ranma looked at her in surprise, "What did I do wrong now?"

Nabiki was about to answer when she caught sight of a hurtling rose and decided that she had more than enough of these antics. She brought up her school-bag to intercept it, then picked it up when it hit the ground and snarled, "And that's enough out of you, Kuno! What's with you guys, acting so macho to impress the girls all the time? It just makes me sick!"

She scrunched the rose in her hand to emphasize her displeasure.

"What brings this strange response from you, Tendo Nabiki?" Kuno asked as he stepped into view in his usual Kendo outfit, "Yon rose was aimed for the sweet hand of your fair sister. It ill behooves you to make such a petty display of jealousy for the affections I have bestowed upon her."

"I-what?" Nabiki blinked, "What are you on now, Kuno-chan? I just want you to call off this whole stupid morning ritual of yours, it's ruining our attendance records."

"I see that you mistake my intentions for something less honorable than they were meant," Kuno replied, "This concerns you not at all as it is the hand of your fair sister that I covet. Seek not to interfere in love's sweet labors "

"Listen, Pal," Ranma said as he moved closer to Nabiki, "What you do with the Tomboy is your business, but watch what you say about Nabiki because she's my iinazuke."

Nabiki gasped. Did Ranma just declare that in front of the entire school? She looked up at the balconies with a sense of sinking horror as she saw row upon row of familiar faces. He did, which meant that her reputation was effectively in the toilet.

"Iinazuke?" Kuno asked more alertly than anyone would have thought him capable, "You mean to suggest that she has accepted your proposal, peasant?"

"I'm not saying anything like that," Ranma shrugged indifferently, "It was just some dumb idea of our parents. They want me to marry a Tendo, and Nabiki volunteered to make our fathers happy, but that doesn't mean she's going to marry me or nothing."

Kuno thrust his bokken in Ranma's direction, "Do you mean then to say that you intend to jilt the fair Nabiki at the altar? Why you purveyor of ill intentions enemy of women!"

"What the heck are you talking about?" Ranma asked, "We're both too young to even be talking about marriage. I think Nabiki deserves to marry whoever she likes, and if that isn't me, then it's her choice."

"But if she does intend to marry you?" Kuno asked, "What then?"

"Huh?" Ranma sounded surprised at the question, "Well I don't know I mean, if she wants me, then I suppose I'd say yes."

"What?" Nabiki turned to look at him in astonishment.

"Hey, I'm not saying we should or anything like that!" Ranma protested, looking as though he expected her to start hitting him at any moment, "I just mean you're a nice girl, and maybe it could work out, I mean who knows about these things?"

The detached, rational part of Nabiki's mind was clinically deducing that her iinazuke had a serious problem when it came to making explanations. Put another way, he had just shoved his foot into his mouth and was proceeding to slide it all the way up to the shinbone. All the while he was making a real wreck of the non-  
rational parts of Nabiki's mind while Kuno became unusually thoughtful and silent.

"I see," he said at last, "So you are offering her a choice whether to marry you or not, in spite of having an obligation to marry her as stipulated by your fathers."

"Uh, yeah," Ranma said, "That's about it."

"Who do you think you are fooling here?" Kuno snapped, "This is the great Kuno Tatawaki you are speaking to, the Blue Thunder and rising star of Furinken High! I am not to be taken in by this base deception you are practicing!"

"Now what are you talking about?" Ranma asked in more confusion than anger.

"You seek to charm your way into the Tendo House by pretending to court the fair Nabiki, all the while you secretly lust after her sister, whom any man would know to be the real prize of her family.

"What?" Ranma and Nabiki said together while Akane balled her fists and looked ready to start hitting.

"There's no way I'm ever going to go after that Tomboy!" Ranma protested.

"What do you mean she's the real prize?" Nabiki snarled, "Are you saying I'm not worth going after too?"

"What man would want a Mercenary such as you for his iinazuke?" Kuno sniffed, "You use people to further your own ends then discard them when they are no longer of any use to you. You have beauty but you are cold to the touch, while the fair Akane is fire and spirit "

"Hey!" Akane spoke up, "You can't talk that way about my sister!"

"You're wrong about her," Ranma said, moving from around behind Nabiki to stand only a couple of meters away from Kuno, "Nabiki may not be perfect, but she cares more about people than what you're saying. I don't know what your problem is, or why you're so hung up about Akane, but I have no interest in her at all, while you've just insulted Nabiki. If you care so much about manners, apologize to her this minute."

"And if I do not, churl?" Kuno replied, leveling his bokken.

Ranma ignored the weapon and looked directly at Kuno, "You sure you want to do this? I've beaten you twice before already "

"Liar!" Kuno snarled, "Kuno Tatawaki is invincible !"

"Yeah right," Ranma sniffed, "That's why you wind up laying on your backside every morning."

"Dog!" Kuno raised his bokken, "I will smite thee for your insolence!"

He started to charge forward when he came to an abrupt stop with Ranma's foot in his face. Ranma pried the bokken loose from his fingers then stepped away as he looked at Kuno with the bokken resting against his shoulder.

"Let's talk a minute, guy," Ranma said, "I know you've got problems, but this is no way to go around trying to impress people that you're some kind of a hero. You want to impress somebody, try learning from your mistakes and getting a new act, because without this stick you're a pretty pathetic example of a human being."

Kuno slowly straightened out and looked hard at Ranma, who looked back at him with a neutral expression. Time seemed to stop as the two men continued to stare at one another, then the bell rang in the background breaking the mood as everyone collectively moved to the innate sounds of daily rhythm.

Everyone, that is, but Nabiki, who stood as motionless as a statue staring at Ranma, who was only just starting to stir, then casually tossed the bokken back to Kuno, who just as reflexively caught it. Ranma walked up to her and said, "Let's get out of here. I'm tired of waiting in the hallways," but he had to stop and wave a hand in front of her eyes before Nabiki gave him any acknowledgement or reaction.

Akane had also been slow to stir, but she followed the exchange with some interest, then smiled to herself as she hurried on to class, casting a backward glance at her sister and Ranma before disappearing into the building.

"You gonna be okay, Nabiki?" Ranma asked.

"Um yeah, sure," Nabiki replied, coming out of her daze.

Ranma glanced back at the building and said, "We're gonna both be the last ones in, unless you want to take the express way?"

"Hah?" Nabiki asked, then almost jumped back as the realization of what he was offering took shape in her mind, "Ah, no, that's all right I'll think up some excuse for the teacher. Thanks just the same for offering, Ranma-kun."

"All right," he nodded, "See you at lunch?"

"Yeah whatever," she nodded back.

Kuno just stood where he was, a puzzled expression on his face as he tried to sort out in his mind what had just happened. He could not have lost to Ranma again not without even one blow being exchanged could he? His ego told him it was flat-out impossible, so he dismissed the thought of failure. Ranma must have used trickery of some sort yes, that had to be it. Saotome Ranma was some kind of sorcerer who used trickery to defeat-NO-deflect Kuno's wrath! Surely that had to be the answer

He just wondered why a rebellious part of his mind refused to believe it, and why he felt a curious lack of real passion as he thought about seeking the boy out again to achieve the vengeance of heaven

"I don't know why you keep insisting that you're not interested in him, Nabiki," Akane smiled as she ate the lunch Kasumi had prepared her with great relish, "I think it's kind of sweet that the Baka was willing to go up against Kuno for your sake."

"Like that was some kind of a challenge?" Nabiki replied, finding her own appetite somewhat lacking as she stared at the bento box in front of her, picking through it with her chopsticks without really looking at what she was doing, "Come on, Akane, the guy can walk all over Kuno. Yeah, it's nice that he said those things about me, but "

"And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one," Akane rolled her eyes as she finished off her lunch then leaned her back against the tree trunk, "It doesn't take a genius to see that you care a lot about him, and I think he feels the same way about you. Why, as incredible as it might sound, you may even love "

"No way!" Nabiki turned an angry glare at her sister, "You know what my opinion is on that. Love is just a biochemical reaction that nature uses to trick us into perpetuating the species, and romance is just something they use to sell greeting cards. You don't honestly believe that I could feel that way about a mere guy?"

"Is that denial I hear?" Akane grinned back, enjoying the edge she clearly had over Nabiki in this matter, then she pretended to look off over her sister's shoulder and said, "Oh, hi there, Ranma. Care to sit down and join us?"

As predicted Nabiki's head snapped around as she searched the space behind her, then even went to the trouble of sitting back and looking around the tree before slowly coming to the conclusion that she had been had like a first rate con job. She turned an even more annoyed stare at Akane, who just gave her a sweet-voiced, "Made you look!" to further the taunt.

Nabiki growled something unintelligible and slumped back against the tree with her arms folded over her chest. Her lunch sat to the side completely ignored as she stared out over the campus and pretended to take an interest in the comings and goings of their fellow students.

Akane's tone grew serious as she said, "You really are worked up over the guy. I didn't think it was possible, but now I know, you do love him."

Nabiki's eyes had a wounded, deer-in-the-headlights kind of look before she turned a pained expression at the ground and said, "It's probably just a bug or something. I'll get over it, no problem."

Akane just shook her head sadly, "What a sad way of looking at the world you have, sister. What is it about the idea of being in love that's got you so worried? You're not thinking about your old boyfriend again, are you?"

"Of who?" Nabiki blinked, taken off guard by the question until the memory resurfaced, "Oh you mean Kaneda? Haven't thought of him in months, and it's not like we were ever serious or anything like that. Honestly, what makes you say these crazy things, Akane? You must think I'm like those love-starved boys who attack you every morning."

In truth she had not thought at all about Kaneda in many weeks. He had been a cute guy Nabiki met during her Freshman year and taken a liking to, hanging out with him and even going on a few dates together. On the second date Kaneda had acted impulsively to kiss her, but nothing serious had come of it, and before too long he was transferred to a different school by his parents. It really had not been serious between them, but it still hurt to watch him go, knowing she had lost the only friend she knew who did not owe her any money. It was chief among the incidents in her life that had firmed Nabiki's resolve to avoid romantic entanglements until after her graduation.

Akane finally gave in to Nabiki's hints and got up with her bento box in hand, saying, "I still think you're just being too stubborn for your own good. Just because Ranma hasn't asked you for any favors yet is no reason to think he's setting you up for something."

Nabiki stared up at Akane in surprise as if hearing spoken aloud a suspicion that had been at the basis of her thoughts all morning. It was more than a little alarming to realize that Ranma had not yet asked her for any favors, had not even accepted her offer for compensation the day before at the local bathhouse. Ranma had arrived at their home with little more than the clothing on his back and a few belongs slung across his shoulder and for all intents he was as close to the poverty line as anyone she had ever associated with, but still he had not asked for anything, not even the roof over his head or the food he ate with such abandon at the dinner table.

It had been Kasumi who provided those things, who had bought Ranma a new shirt and was treating the boy as though he were already a member of their household. Nabiki had been meaning to itemize a list of expenses to charge against their two resident freeloaders but it was hard to come up with anything solid since everything so far had been a gift given at the behest of her father. As reluctant as she was to admit it, you could not honorably charge a guest for room and board as you would a paying tenant.

Why then did she find herself resenting Ranma's presence? Was it because he was so nice to her nearly all of the time? That he did not insult her the way he did almost reflexively with Akane? The fact that he seemed all-too-willing to hang out with her as though he sincerely enjoyed her company? Or was it that she had never known of anyone who was that selfless and considerate to others, except for Kasumi, who was very nearly in the category for Sainthood.

Nabiki prided herself for her intimate knowledge of human nature, her ability to read people at a glance, to pick out little details that would tell her right away what they wanted and desired, and how best to make a buck in providing them with what they thought they wanted.

She had very little experience with altruism and generosity that was not tied directly to Kasumi, whom Nabiki had always assumed was just too nice for her own good by nature. Ranma was headstrong, arrogant and prideful, but when it came to putting himself at risk for another's sake he seemed all too ready to do so, which spoke more for heroism than all the posturing of Kuno

She heard a slight scuffing sound from above and tensed, then very tensely asked, "Are you spying on me, Ranma?"

"Who are you calling Ranma?"

Nabiki almost jumped out of her skin as a boy dropped out of the tree looking lost and out of place in his wild mountain-wilderness get up. He looked a little bit like Ranma but had a tiger-striped bandana around his head and he wore a backpack across his shoulder from which protruded a bamboo umbrella.

"Don't be scared!" he at once assured her, "I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Scared?" Nabiki tried and failed to keep her voice flat and even, "Who's scared? And who the hell are you?"

"My name is Hibiki Ryoga," the boy replied, "I wasn't spying on you, I just happened to be in that tree taking a nap when I heard voices."

"You just happened to be in that particular tree?" Nabiki indicated the large-branched tree where she had been sort-of-sharing lunch with Akane.

"I know it sounds strange," Ryoga said with clear reluctance, "But it looked as if it were going to rain earlier this morning, so I took shelter where I could find it. I was about to get up and leave when I heard you two mention the name Ranma. That wouldn't be Saotome Ranma, would it?"

"Um you know Ranma?" Nabiki asked him.

"Yes, I know Ranma," the boy's face clouded with anger, "I've been trying to find him for months now, and I heard he was going to a new high school. Can you tell me if this is Furinken High?"

"Says so on the front gate," Nabiki pointed out.

Relief swept over Ryoga's face as he smiled, "Good then I can finally get even with him for making my life a living nightmare!"

"This is Ranma we're talking about?" Nabiki cautiously asked him.

"Yo, Nabiki!" Ranma himself said as if on cue, "I've been looking all over for hey! Is that you, Ryoga-kun?"

"Saotome!" Ryoga whirled, his umbrella suddenly in hand as he snarled, "DIE!" and threw himself at a much-  
surprised Ranma.

"Hey!" Ranma said as he dodged the boy, "What gives? Are you upset with me or something?"

"Upset?" Ryoga almost barked the word, "I'm going to kill you!" and he made a literal effort to so, stabbing with his umbrella as though it was an epee.

Nabiki stood where she was watching the fight break out without the armor of her usual cynical detachment, only now she had an unfamiliar sense that Ranma might be in serious danger. This new boy, unlike Kuno, appeared to her eyes to be a more credible foe who was holding his own against Ranma and even forcing her iinazuke to fight harder than he had against anyone else so far.

Ryoga was slower than Ranma but seemed to have a lot of strength and stamina to his punches and the way he handled his umbrella demonstrated that he had lots of practice. He not only could use it as a thrusting or blocking weapon, when he unfolded it he could hurl it like a top, and when he did so, missing Ranma by a solid meter, it arced into a tree and sliced right through it at the base as though the edge were razor-sharp, then curved back like a boomerang, just falling short of his grasp by the last dozen meters.

"Wow, did you see that?" one of her fellow students asked, "That thing is deadly!"

"Man, that guys way more dangerous than Kuno!"

"You think that Ranma will be able to handle him?"

"Don't know, but it will sure be fun to find out!"

"What's up here?" Akane asked as she came running up to join Nabiki, "Who's Ranma fighting now?"

"An old friend of his, I think," Nabiki absently replied, "Name's Hibiki Ryoga."

"A friend?" Akane sniffed, "They look more like mortal enemies or something."

"There is something missing here," Nabiki frowned, "The way Ranma greeted him it was as if he wasn't expecting this kind of reaction."

"He just seems to have that effect on some people," Akane shrugged, "I just hope he hasn't bit off more than he can chew with this guy "

"Hey!" one of the students grunted, causing them both to turn and see the fellow laboring to try and pick up the umbrella, "This thing weight a ton! What gives here?"

"Huh?" Nabiki asked as Akane went over to check the student's claims out and found that she could not lift the thing either.

"I don't get it," Akane grunted, "It's like this thing was lined with lead or something "

"Lead?" Nabiki gasped, "But Ryoga was lifting carrying it one-handed!"

"One handed?" Akane stepped away and gave the thing an angry kick, "Not unless he has the strength of an elephant!"

"Kuso," Nabiki hissed, feeling an unfamiliar catch in her throat, "Ranma !"

The fight had carried the two boys further and further away while all of this happened, and now Nabiki could see that Ryoga was making use of a different weapon in the form of his bandana or rather several bandanas he seemed to be hurling as though each one he peeled off his forehead was instantly replaced by another. Ranma was dodging this new attack, but several of the bandanas did connect and sliced through his clothing. Ranma reacted as if in pain and redoubled his effort to avoid the bandanas. This carried the fight even further from the main school building, and when Ranma reached the main wall he vaulted over it with Ryoga close behind him.

"I'll go after then," Akane assured Nabiki, "Somebody's got to keep that Baka out of trouble."

Nabiki felt an urge to say something but had no idea just what she wanted to say. She was not a practicing Martial Artist and could hardly hope to compete in their field. Vaulting over walls in a single bound was not within her list of special talents, let alone going up against umbrella-wielding madmen who attacked people without giving a reason.

She went back to her class before the bell could ring and tried to concentrate on her schoolwork but could not stop worrying over Ranma. The clock ticked by with agonizing slowness until she was finally free to go hunting down Akane. To her surprise her sister was not in her regular class and none of her friends knew where she had been for the last period, or Ranma for that matter.

It was not until after she got home that she finally discovered what had happened to Ranma and Akane. Her sister greeted her at the front door with an angry expression and minus one detail that took only a half-  
second to register before gasping.

"Akane what happened to your hair?"

"What do you think happened?" Akane's tone fairly dripped sarcasm, "I got too close to the fight and that Baka Ranma! The next thing I know I'm feeling a draft along my neck. I mean-look at it! I'm a mess!"

"Uh I take it something pretty sharp gave you a close shave?" Nabiki asked lamely.

"In a word, yes," Akane growled, "I had Oneechan even it out or I'd be a complete mess! If I see that Baka again he's dead meat!"

"Don't tell me you're blaming this on Ranma," Nabiki replied.

"And his so-called friend," Akane said as she turned around, "Who vanished before I could get my hands on him, after he saw Ranma change into his girl-form."

"So he knows the big secret?" Nabiki thought to herself that it would make it harder for Ranma to avoid running into Ryoga in the future. She wondered what the other boy's problem was, and if he was amenable to negotiation. Obviously he constituted a threat to poor Ranma, not to mention anyone else who came anywhere near him.

And that was the strangest irony because Nabiki would have testified that the boy she met just before the fight broke out did not appear at all to be the sort of fellow who would start a fight without good reason. Ranma had been surprised at Ryoga's belligerent attitude, which had to suggest that something had happened between those two that was perceived differently by one from the experiences of the other.

She found Ranma coming out of the bathroom just slipping on his shirt when he saw Nabiki standing there looking at him with arms folded. Realizing he must be in some sort of trouble, he adopted a sheepish pose and said, "I guess you're wondering what that was all about, and I wish I could tell you. Ryoga wasn't very helpful "

"So I see," Nabiki replied evenly, "So he attacked you for no reason, is that what you're saying?'

"Well yeah," Ranma said cautiously, "I mean whatever reason he has, he didn't seem to want to share it with me. I know that sounds strange "

"Coming from you?" Nabiki said facetiously, "Why don't we start with what you do know. Who is this Hibiki Ryoga, and what kind of a relationship did you have when you knew him?"

"Well, I knew him from Middle School," Ranma said, "The last school I attended before Pop and me went on that trip to China. He's my best he was my best friend back in those days, and he lived right next door to where we were staying. I used to help him get to school every day, and sure we've sometimes spar together, but it wasn't serious like that fight we had today."

"Help him get to school?" Nabiki wondered at his particular wording.

"Well," Ranma sighed, "Ryoga's got a few problems, not the least of which is that he has absolutely no sense of direction. He can get lost just looking for the bathroom, which really made it hard for him to attend regular classes. We palled around together a lot after class and I always saw to it that he got home in time for dinner."

"Sounds more like you were a real friend to him," Nabiki frowned, "So what happened?"

"I don't really know," Ranma shook his head, "Except well, it was an all boys school, you know, and places like that can get kind of competitive. We often came late to the Cafeteria, which meant that most of the food was already gone before we got there, so we'd wind up fighting over the scraps. I won most of the time, of course."

"Of course," Nabiki replied, already coming to understand that Ranma was a very competitive person.

"Well, that seemed to irritate Ryoga a lot, and one day he came out and challenged me to a fight," Ranma replied, "It was supposed to be in the lot outside his house, and I waited for him for three days before I gave it up and went back to find my father "

"Three days?" Nabiki blinked, "Isn't that kind of unusual, Ranma-kun?"

"I wouldn't know," Ranma shrugged, "I just felt I owed him the wait since he probably got lost again, even though we were right next to his house. Maybe he got there late and now he's angry because I didn't wait long enough "

"You waited three days," Nabiki pointed out, "That's long enough, but it doesn't really account for what I saw in his eyes. He wants to kill you, Ranma, and I can't believe it's because you missed your challenge match. Are you sure there isn't more to this story?"

"Nothing I can think of," Ranma admitted, "But you're right, it sure is strange. The way Ryoga was fighting I could tell he was serious. I must have done something to upset him, but for the life of me I can't think what."

"All right," Nabiki said, "What else do you know about him? Is he a good martial artist?"

"He's better than average," Ranma said, "Not many can hold their own with me, but he's pretty strong and he's always had a lot more stamina than most kids. He's a bit slow, both between the ears and with his fists, but his punches pack quite a wallop, so I just avoid 'em and wait until he slows down enough for a counter-attack."

"And that umbrella of his?" Nabiki continued.

"Odd choice, huh?" Ranma replied, "Ryoga's had special training I think it was an Uncle who taught him how to use that, and those bandanas of his. His whole family was a little strange, and I think I heard somebody once say that they had Ogre blood or something.'

"Ogre blood?" Nabiki repeated.

"Yeah," Ranma chuckled, "Pretty silly, huh? But I've seen weirder stuff in my travels "

"So," Nabiki stood more erectly and looked Ranma in the eyes, "Any chance this guy will seek you out again and try to cause more trouble?"

"I guess he'll try," Ranma said, "If he can ever manage to find me again. Like I said, he's got no sense of direction, but when he gets an idea into his head he can be pretty stubborn."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Nabiki murmured to herself, "What about the rest of us? Should we be worried?"

"No," Ranma shook his head, "Ryoga's misdirected, but he's not really evil. I don't think he'd ever strike at an innocent person, even if he thought he could get at me indirectly. I'm pretty sure he won't come after you or Akane " he paused and looked harder at Nabiki, "At least he'd better not try anything. I went easy on him today because we were friends once, but if that blockhead starts something around here "

He was silent a moment, then smiled again, "Well, that's assuming a lot that he could ever find this place, but I don't think you're in any danger. I'd stay away from him just the same if I were you. When Ryoga gets mad he gets pretty destructive, and innocent people sometimes get caught in the crossfire."

"Like Akane?" Nabiki asked him.

"Ah " Ranma looked away, "That was an accident, and I told her to stay back, stupid girl "

"I think I'd stay away from her for a while if I were you, Ranma-kun," Nabiki turned to leave, "And try not to call her a Kawaiikune Tomboy at dinner, all right? For once I'd like to enjoy a meal without the sound of you two bickering all night."

"All right, I'll try," Ranma sighed, "I just wish she'd stop calling me a Pervert."

"Then try knocking before you enter the bathroom in the future," Nabiki advised, "Whether or not the sign is turned around. After all, it could just as well be me in the bathroom, and if you ever caught me stark naked like that "

"Ah yeah?" Ranma blinked nervously.

Nabiki found that she could not complete her own sentence, so she left him standing there while she retreated to her room to do some serious thinking

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Software Analysis: shadowmane

Next time out Akane gets a pet and the Tendos get a new Interior Decorator who specializes in Bonbori be there.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	6. Chapter 6

NabikiRan4 Nabiki &amp; Ranma A TALE OF TWO WALLETS (An Altered Destiny)  
Part Five.  
By Jim Robert Bader (Standard disclaimer: I didn t create these guys,  
so please don't sue me)

Nabiki looked down at the booklet in front her a very long time before picking up a pen to begin writing. Aloud to herself she muttered, "How do you begin these things anyway? Might as well just write what comes to mind "

Dear diary sounded too clich . She wanted her first attempt at chronicling her life's adventures to have some pith and originality. Diaries were more Akane's thing than her own, or maybe it was Kasumi's. Should she ask Kasumi for insight on how to compose her thoughts in writing? Probably not. Nabiki was not into anything flowery or poetic. Her writing style had always been crisp and to the point, and what passed for a chronology of her daily events usually consisted of a few notations in her infamous ledger. At the moment that ledger was sitting unopened to one side but she had no desire to set down her present thoughts there, so she looked at the book in front of her-which had been a gift from Kasumi many years back but which had always gone unused-taking up space among her other books, which was a rare thing with Nabiki since she hated to waste space for any reason.

Nabiki just sighed and started to write, "I'm putting my thoughts down into this stupid thing because if I don't tell somebody what's happening to me I'm going to go crazy! Bad enough Daddy got me betrothed to this guy whom I never even knew existed as little as a week ago, but now with all the insane things that keep happening around here I'm looking at several years of therapy just coping with the turns my life has taken.

"My Fianc e is named Saotome Ranma, which is a good name to describe him since he's as wild in his behavior as an untamed stallion. He's into Martial Arts big time, meaning that he eats, sleeps and dreams the stuff full time, and about the only thing he wants to be in his life is the best there is at beating people up for a living.

"He's also a pretty nice guy, though Akane would gag if she saw me write this.

"I honestly don't know what her problem is. I'm the one Daddy expects to marry the jerk. He's arrogant and rude with a stuck-up personality that I'd normally hate in a guy ten times as good as he thinks he is " Nabiki paused a moment before resuming, "Only problem with that last statement is that there's nobody better than him in all of Nerima.

"I know because I've checked.

"Ranma can also be incredibly sweet when he wants to be. I think he just isn't that used to being around other people, which is why he lacks proper manners and says things without thinking them out first. He's what I would normally call an easy mark, a sucker play waiting to happen, a guy who can't stand to see anyone suffer, whether or not they deserve to suffer. Hell, I've even seen him act nice to Kuno, and even I've never had that big of a stomach.

"The reason for our engagement is for our family's pride and honor, or so both of our fathers keep insisting, but I suspect that means about as much to Ranma as it does to me. We agreed to go along with their nonsense just to keep everybody happy, but lately I'm wondering at just how seriously we're both starting to take this whole business. I can't believe that I'm actually starting to have feelings about the guy, or that he can be seriously interested in me the same way.

"I mean that I can understand if some boy wanted to go to bed with me or have me be his steady date. I know I've got better-than-average looks, and guys are hitting on girls way more plain looking, so it's not about my physical appearance. If Ranma wanted me that way, I'd have no problem with it because he's a pretty nice looking guy, and that goes for him in either of his two forms. I've even caught myself admiring him when he shows a bit more skin than is usually revealed by his Chinese-style clothing. If he wanted to take me to bed I'd probably say yes, just so long as we could get away with it without Daddy becoming suspicious.

"The problem is that I think Ranma likes me in a different way than this, and that's the part I'm not too sure about. I'm not into this romantic touchy-feely stuff that other girls go on about all of the time, and when Ranma acts like he just wants me to be his friend I'm at a total loss to figure him out. I know he's lonely, but how desperate can you be to want to strike friendship up with your own fianc e?

"Or maybe I should make that the local Ice Queen. That's what everybody else seems to think I am, including Akane.

"And things are just getting worse between us as I'm starting to like him in a way that just can't be good for my normal business. What really set things over the edge yesterday was that business about Ryoga, and now we've got a shared secret to bind us together in a conspiracy of silence, and how will I ever make it up to Akane?"

Nabiki paused in her writing to think back to the incident in question. It had been raining late when she went downstairs to try and con Kasumi into giving her some late-night sweets, when in through the back porch came a very soggy and female Ranma-chan.

"What happened to you?" she asked Ranma and was rewarded by seeing the redhead wince.

"It was Ryoga again," she sighed, "He must have found his way back here, and what are the odds about that? We started fighting again, and he had that stupid umbrella, only for some reason he kept it open while we fought as though he were afraid of getting wet or something."

"Didn't know he was fussy about things like that," Nabiki folded her arms over her chest, "So what happened?"

"The Baka fell over some bushes a ways away from here and vanished, poof!" Ranma made a hand gesture as though signifying a small explosion, "Left his umbrella behind and everything, not to mention his clothes, his backpack and everything but that bandana he wears. I looked around but I couldn't find him."

"His clothes?" Kasumi asked in surprise, "Oh my I hope he doesn't catch a chill in this weather."

Ranma favored Kasumi with a puzzled glance as if unable to believe that she could not get what she was indicating, but Nabiki did and gasped, "You think he has a Jusenkyo curse?"

"Makes sense," Ranma nodded, "He says he followed me into China, but I'd swear I never saw him while I was there. China's a pretty big place, so he probably got lost trying to find me and wandered up by sheer chance in the Quanjing district."

"What are the odds?" Nabiki asked dryly, "So you think this might possibly be the reason why he thinks you've messed up his life?"

"I can't think of anything else that would do it," Ranma said in disgust, "The way Ryoga thinks he probably stumbled into one of the springs at random and blames it all on me. That would explain the part about me making his life living hell a lot better than the fight over bread would."

"Oh my," Kasumi said again, "What do you suppose he came out as?"

"Hard to say," Ranma shrugged, "The guide told us there were over a hundred springs, each with its own tragic story. The only common link between them is that cold water activates the curse and hot water reverses it. Whatever Ryoga turns into is bound to be something he really hates, so much so that he can't even admit what it is."

"That does make things complicated," Nabiki said as she stroked her chin in consideration, "If he turns into a small animal he could find his way inside the house and we'd never know it. It could be something dangerous, like a rat or a snake."

"That's what I figured," Ranma said, "We'd better tell everybody to be on their guard in case he tries to get revenge in his cursed form. He won't be after the rest of you, but with his sense of direction he could attack the wrong party by mistake "

"Right," Nabiki nodded, "Maybe we ought to call in animal control or "

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Kasumi asked them, "Whatever the poor boy's faults, he is still a human being."

"Well, technically human anyway," Ranma shrugged, "And even though he is a Baka, he used to be my friend. I'd hate to haul his butt down to the local shelter before I've had a chance to pound some sense into his thick skull."

"I'd rather err on the side of caution," Nabiki noted, "Where the safety of my family is involved "

"I know," Ranma said as reassuringly as she could, "I'll do everything to help, I just wish I could talk to Ryoga and get him to listen to my side of things instead of always jumping to conclusions."

It was at this moment that Akane came down into the kitchen clutching a small bundle in her arms. Kasumi took notice of this and said, "Oh my what is that you've got, Akane-chan?"

"Oh this?" Akane smiled as she held out a small black animal that closer inspection showed to be a little piglet, "I found him in my room, isn't he adorable? I wonder how he got there."

"A pig?" Nabiki frowned, then took notice of the tiger-striped bandana it was wearing.

"He probably wandered out of the rain," Kasumi replied, "How cute he is "

"You call that cute?" Ranma snorted, "Looks like pork on four legs if you ask me."

"Ah-Ranma " Nabiki cautioned as the little piglet gave an angry squeal and tried to lunge for Ranma in spite of Akane's efforts to hold him.

"Shut up, Ranma!" Akane snapped, "You're upsetting little P-chan "

"P-chan?' Nabiki and Ranma chorused together while the piglet stopped squirming and looked up in surprise at Akane.

"P for Pig," Akane smiled, holding the piglet close to her bosom, which caused said piglet to become unusually quiet, "I think I'd like to keep him for a pet if Dad will let me."

"I think that's a very nice idea, Akane-chan," Kasumi smiled, "Contrary to what many people may think, pigs actually make very fine pets and are even cleaner than dogs and cats, and I think this one looks intelligent because he seems to like you."

"Huh," Ranma snorted, "You want a pig for a pet, go right ahead. You ask me the two of you deserve each other."

"Uh, Ranma " Nabiki attempted to get his attention.

"Well fine!" Akane snapped, "Who asked for your opinion anyway? Just stay away from us and we'll both be happy. Now if you don't mind I'm taking him to the bathroom to clean him up "

"Uh oh," Nabiki murmured to herself, then aloud she said, "I don't think that would be a very good idea, Sis. We'll clean him up for you, no problem.'

"We?" Ranma repeated.

"The two of us," Nabiki tried to stare at him in a meaningful way, hoping he might get the hint that this was urgent and failing badly due to Ranma's obtuseness.

"Why would I want anything to do with a pig?" Ranma folded her arms over her chest and assumed a stubborn posture.

"Because you need to take a bath too," Nabiki pointed out, trying a different tract, "And this concerns a certain someone we both know who shares a certain problem we were just discussing, remember?"

"What problem?" Ranma-chan asked in confusion, looking at the piglet again as if trying figure out what was so special about the little side of cutlet Akane was clutching in her hands, the he finally took notice of the tiger-striped bandana, "Oh that problem "

"I don t know what the two of you are talking about," Akane snarled, "But I'm not letting him anywhere near P-  
chan."

Nabiki wondered if it was her imagination or was the little pig really developing a nosebleed?

"Now Akane-chan," Kasumi spoke reassuringly, "I'm sure Ranma doesn't mean any harm to your new pet. It's very late, however, and you have school in the morning. I'll see to cleaning him up for you myself "

"Ah!" once again Nabiki and Ranma found themselves in chorus before Nabiki quickly said, "That's all right, Kasumi-chan, we'll take care of it, it won't be any problem."

She moved to take the piglet from Akane, who seemed reluctant to surrender her pet, but when Nabiki assured her that she would see to it that Ranma behaved herself she finally conceded the point and headed for the stairs, asking that P-chan be brought to her when she was ready. No sooner was she out of sight, however, when Nabiki grabbed Ranma by her collar and dragged her with her into the bathroom, making certain to shut the door before handing the piglet over to Ranma.

"Why am I doing this?" Ranma wanted to know as she had to use both hands to keep the struggling pig from biting.

"Because you're the Martial Artist here, not me," Nabiki said levelly, "And you're really a boy, which I'm sure will upset him less than if I do it. Besides, he's supposedly your friend, so I'm expecting you to restrain him."

"All right," Ranma sighed as she took a firm grip on the bandana to hold the piglet with one hand while turning on the hot water with the other. She waited until the furo was filled several inches before dropping the pig into the water, then stepping back as the expected transformation happened.

"Gah!" Ryoga cried as he sprang to naked life, covering himself up when Nabiki eyed him coolly, "That's too hot!"

"Oh?" Nabiki asked sardonically, "Like you're in a position to dictate?"

"Listen you-!" Ryoga started to snarl, then hesitated before looking away sheepishly, "Um would you mind not looking? This is embarrassing enough as it is "

"Hah, as if you're anything special," Ranma sniffed, "So why didn't you tell me you had a Jusenkyo curse in the first place instead of attacking me like you did?"

"Oh, like I'm supposed to trust myself around you!" Ryoga snapped with a vicious grimace that showed his pronounced canines, "It's your fault I've got this terrible curse in the first place, Ranma!"

"And how do you figure that?" Ranma asked, "It's not like I asked you to follow me into China."

"After the cowardly way you ran away from our challenge "

"Ran away?" Ranma said hotly, "I waited three days for you to show up, Baka! Where were you?"

"I got lost," Ryoga hesitated only for a fraction of a second before almost shouting, "But a real Martial Artist would have waited until I showed up on the forth day so we could honorably fight!"

"It was Pop's idea to leave Hokkaido, not mine!" Ranma was almost shouting now, "Why did you have to follow us? It wasn't like the argument we had couldn't wait until I got back from that trip to China."

"I didn't want to take the chance of you running out on me again "

Nabiki put her fingers in her mouth and blew a whistle, then signaled with her hands, "Time out! Enough of this pointless bickering. So you thought your grudge was enough of a reason to follow Ranma over a thousand miles into China, where you got cursed to turn into a pig, so whose fault is that anyway? You ask me you brought this on yourself, Hibiki."

"I wasn't asking you for your opinion," Ryoga sulked, "Besides, it never would have happened if some crazy panda being chased by a red-haired girl hadn't knocked me into that spring in the first place "

"Red-haired girl?" Ranma blinked, "So why aren't you blaming her instead of me, you Jackass?"

"Um, Ranma?" Nabiki looked at her meaningfully.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, then absently played with her Chinese braid as though examining its color.

Just then the door behind Nabiki slid open and a panda standing on its hind legs looked in, then gave an apologetic snuff before sliding the door shut again as Ryoga stared in amazement, then anger.

"It was you all along!" Ryoga lurched to his feet with arms outstretched, only to be met by Ranma's fist as she knocked him back into the bathtub.

"Okay," Ranma said slowly, "So maybe I wasn't looking where I was going at the time. I'd just been knocked into a spring myself and came out looking like this, so the only thing I had on my mind at the time was beating the hell out of my Pop."

"It does sound as though you bear at least partial responsibility, Ranma," Nabiki pointed out.

"Hey, it wasn't my idea to get cursed like this!" Ranma protested, "You think I'd wish the same thing even on him?"

"Curse?" Ryoga said as he recovered, laughing bitterly before snarling, "You call that body a curse? You have no idea what a Curse is! I turn into a PIG! Not only that, but when I first came out of that spring the first thing I ran into was that damned panda, who thought I was something to eat! He took me to the nearest hut and gave me to a local to try and boil alive in a cook-pot!"

"I think I see the problem," Nabiki surmised, "As a pig your fighting abilities are next to nothing. Must've made life pretty hard finding your way back from China."

"Hard doesn't begin to cover it, lady," Ryoga said in disgust, "Everywhere I went I was picked on and nearly grabbed up as a snack, and water seemed to find me every which way I went. Whenever I could find hot water it still took me a day to hunt my belongings down so I could renew my quest, but I had determination on my side, and now I won't rest until I've made you suffer as I have, Ranma!"

"Not in my house you're not," Nabiki said flatly, "I heard about the mess you two caused with your fight and I won't stand for that in here. Besides, you owe me Hibiki, for saving your life."

"What do you mean saving my life?" Ryoga glared, "I don't owe you anything!"

"That's what you think," Nabiki sniffed, "I could have just as easily let Akane find out your little secret, then you really would have been in real trouble."

"Akane?" Ryoga's entire attitude suddenly shifted.

"She's still mad about what you did to her hair," Nabiki replied, "And if you popped up naked in a bath right in front of her she would have called you a Pervert."

"Oh yeah," Ranma rolled her eyes, "No need to have a repeat of that!"

"You mean she'd be angry with me?" Ryoga wilted.

"Quick on the uptake I see," Nabiki said dryly, "More like she'd throttle you where you sit, Hibiki, so behave yourself or I'll let her know where to find you."

"I-I don't want to see her angry at me," Ryoga looked down, "She seems like such a very nice girl "

"Like you'd know about women," Ranma sniffed.

"Shut up, Ranma," Nabiki and Ryoga said together.

"Hey, what did I do?" Ranma looked at Nabiki in confusion.

Nabiki took a deep breath and said, "Look, Ryoga, I know this may be hard for you to believe but Ranma here did not intend you any harm, so why don't you just back off a minute and think of how this must seem from his perspective. Ranma thought you were his friend, but you show up here trying to kill him "

"Friend?" Ryoga growled again, "Is that what he told you?"

"It's the truth, you moron," Ranma insisted, "I wasn't your enemy back in middle school, and I sure as heck didn't mean to knock you into one of those cursed springs. You think I'd wish that on an enemy?"

"I don't know what to think of you anymore," Ryoga glowered, "I thought you were my friend at one point, but you were always teasing me, picking on me, calling me names and stealing bread from me at lunch "

"I also walked you to and from your house, in case you've forgotten," Ranma said, "Look, Ryoga, I don't know what you think about me, but I've never done you any deliberate harm, and I sure didn't mean to see you stuck with this Curse. I've got enough trouble turning into a girl whenever I get wet, and how do you think I feel about looking like this in front of my iinazuke?"

"Iinazuke?" Ryoga repeated.

Nabiki blinked as Ranma nodded to her then she said, "Uh yeah it's something our parents arranged. Ranma and me well "

"You're his iinazuke?" Ryoga looked at her in confusion, "But I thought Akane "

"What?" Ranma frowned, "You think I want anything to do with her? Who told you that?"

"I heard a guy at school say you were after both of the Tendo sisters," Ryoga said simply.

"Both?" Ranma frowned, "This guy wouldn't happen to wear a Kendo practice outfit, would he?"

"As a matter of fact he did," Ryoga replied with a curious look.

Nabiki and Ranma exchanged another look then once more chorused, "Kuno."

"Look " Ryoga began, then hesitated as he glanced down at himself before saying, "I don't suppose you know what happened to my clothes ?"

"I left them on the back porch to dry, along with your backpack," Ranma replied, "By the way, do you know that umbrella you carry weighs a ton? I had to drag it here from where you vanished."

"Oh," Ryoga said, "Well, it's kind of a gift from my father "

"Your father?" Ranma repeated.

"Yes," Ryoga looked embarrassed, "I haven't seen him in a very long time. I never seem to be able to find my way home, and I think it runs in the family. I've got this older sister and "

"Later," Nabiki averred, "Right now we need to discuss a few things about you and this grudge you've got with Ranma. It's bad enough that you attacked him at school, but then you show up here at my house "

"I wasn't after any of you," Ryoga assured, glaring angrily at Ranma, "It was him I was after, and with everything I've suffered "

"You're really hung up about that, are you?" Nabiki replied, "It sounds to me as if Ranma was guilty of negligence, not deliberate intent, and you partly share the blame by following him to those cursed springs in the first place. So how does coming after him now make things better?"

"It doesn't," Ryoga said sullenly, "Nothing can ever make up for the pain and humiliation I've suffered, except maybe seeing you pay for your crimes, Saotome!"

He started to lurch up out of the tub, heedless of his naked condition, when there came a knock on the door as Akane called out, "Are you guys done with P-chan yet? And who's that you're talking with?"

"Gah!" Ryoga gasped and suddenly made a lunge for the faucet, turning on the cold tap before Ranma could think to stop him.

Nabiki had been trying to think of a reason to tell Akane not to come in when she saw the pig hit the floor with all four legs in motion, so that by the time Akane had opened the door he was running at her full tilt. With a surprised exclamation of delight Akane opened her arms and into them jumped Ryoga as she hugged him close to her bosom with obvious approval.

"Oh, you smell so clean but didn't they dry you off at all?" Akane cooed as she straightened up, "Well, no matter, I'll warm you up soon enough, then off to bed we go, P-chan. Thanks Oneechan, I'll catch you later."

As Akane turned and retreated back into the hall with her small black cargo, Ranma and Nabiki stood staring after her, Ranma with her mouth agape. It took a moment before either one could react, and then Nabiki started to softly chuckle.

Ranma looked at her in alarm and said, "What's so funny?"

"Akane," Nabiki replied, and then her laughter became more pronounced, "She's going to take a pig to bed and that pig is Ryoga!" her laughter became so pronounced that she started to double over.

"What's so funny about that?" Ranma wanted to know, then blinked as she belatedly got the joke and gasped, "She's taking a guy into her bed?"

"But she doesn't know it!" Nabiki slapped her knee with one hand while holding her sides with the other, "Akane, who can't even stand to be around other boys her age with that boy!"

"Yeah, it's so ridiculous!" Ranma could not help sharing her laugh, and for the next full minute neither one of them could stop laughing, until finally Ranma gasped, "You know it really isn't that funny "

Nabiki sobered up, "You're right, it's not. I was just struck by the ludicrousness of it all. We have to tell her that isn't really a pig she's thinking about adopting for a pet."

"Ah " Ranma hesitated, "Do we have to? I mean I know it's wrong to let her sleep with him and all that, but well telling her about Ryoga's problem it's just not honorable."

Nabiki frowned, "How do you figure that?"

"Budo teaches us the harmony and discipline that comes with the Art, Nabiki," Ranma replied, "It's not honorable to tell anyone about the weaknesses of one's opponents. I don't like the way the Baka is behaving, but we used to be friends, and to betray his secret like that when I'm kind of responsible for him being like that "

Nabiki looked at him crossly and said, "Explain to me how that's less honorable than letting him take advantage of my sister, Ranma. Akane can be a bit thick herself at times, but she deserves to know the truth "

"And then what?" Ranma asked, "You know how angry she was about what he did to her hair? If she finds out about this she'll probably kill him."

Nabiki inclined her head with a questioning look, "Excuse me? Wasn't he trying to do the same thing to you?"

"I know," the redhead replied with a sad expression, "But in spite of that I don't think it's honorable to betray him. Besides, I know he won't hurt Akane. Ryoga couldn't even stand to look at a girl-let alone talk to one-without passing out. He's got this incredible shyness problem "

"Doesn't seem to have that problem around you," Nabiki pointed out, "But I suppose you're right. Akane would clobber the guy on principles and not think twice about it."

"It wouldn't be a fair fight," Ranma nodded, "Ryoga isn't as fast as me, so he'd just wind up standing there and taking it like an idiot. I want him to stop chasing me, but I need time to convince him that it's pointless taking his frustrations out on me "

"Like you do with your father every morning?" Nabiki asked.

"That's different," Ranma scowled, "I've got a LOT of reasons to pound on my father, and he does fight back, and it's not like I don't have enough reasons to clobber the old panda."

"All right," Nabiki sighed, "You win, we won't tell Akane. Still, you know it's not right for Ryoga to sleep in her bed."

"I know," Ranma replied, "Leave everything to me and I'll fix things "

Of course I should have known better. Ranma's bright idea was to try to sneak into Akane's room late that night to steal Ryoga out of there, but the Baka couldn't even do that right and somehow managed to land on top of Akane in her bed, waking her up and causing her to draw the necessary and logical conclusion.

I was standing on the ladder right below when Akane's angry outcry was followed by the sight of Ranma being ejected forcibly out of her window. I watched in dread as Ranma somehow contrived to land once again in the middle of the Koi pond (and I am seriously tempted to believe that he really is drawn there by some kind of magnetic attraction). I scooted down and hid the ladder before Akane could spot me, then fished a sopping wet Ranma-chan out of the pond, helping him get back to his feet so that he could head straight for the bathroom to change back again. We both concurred that a second attempt would not be prudent, so we each retired to our beds, taking what comfort we could from the thought that it was Akane who was in error.

I decided that maybe I could turn the situation to my advantage and elected to confront Ryoga later in the day with the intent of blackmail. Without Ranma around to complicate things it was much easier to talk to the boy, after I secured the bathroom and dropped him into freshly filled furo. I was oddly thrilled at the sight of a pig turning into a rather good-looking guy but refused to let myself be distracted.

True to Ranma's prediction the boy remained in the tub and refused to come out where I could see him. Even though I was fixing him with my patented icy stare he still felt acutely embarrassed and covered his private parts the whole time, even though they were under the water.

"Now then," I began, "I trust you had a nice nap with my sister?"

"I " Ryoga looked down in some confusion, "I didn't mean to do that, I just didn't want I mean she was so nice to me, I couldn't object when she "

He seemed to be considering what had happened, and I could tell from the way his eyes were starting to roll back that he was on the verge of a fainting spell while his nose started bleeding, but I wouldn't have any of that during negotiations. Very sternly I said, "All right, so you slept with her, but nothing came of that, ne? You were a pig at the time and she was wearing her pajamas."

"H-hai," Ryoga gasped, looking at me with a grateful expression, "I would never do anything to dishonor her. I hope you can believe me "

"What Akane doesn't know won't hurt you," I assured him, watching as he slowly caught the significance of my words, and I judged by his expression of dawning horror that he had, so I continued, "Akane wouldn't like finding out what you did, but I'm willing to overlook the matter if you promise to be a good little boy and hear me out."

"All right," Ryoga sighed, "You win. What do you want?"

"To start with, tell me exactly why you're so angry with Ranma," I said with more sternness in my voice, bearing and posture, "I can't believe this whole thing started over a piece of bread you guys fought over."

"Believe what you want, lady," Ryoga said gruffly, "Your iinazuke did more than steal food from me in the cafeteria, he taunted me almost every day! He was rude, insensitive, wouldn't take me seriously and on top of everything he stuck me with this curse!"

"All right," I said, "He's got his share of faults, but you can't really blame him for all of those things. You act like such a Baka that you probably should expect a little good-natured teasing, and Ranma seems to think that the two of you were friends "

"Would a friend do something like this to me?" he replied hotly, splashing water on the floor in an angry gesture.

I was starting to wonder if being a pig did not somehow suit this poor boy's behavior. The way he was acting made me think his pig form might just be an outward reflection of his inward nature.

"He might if it was an accident," I studiously replied, "The way he tells it he was in shock over the whole thing himself. He'd just found out he turned into a girl and was out to punish his father when you happened to get into their way."

"And that makes what he did right?" Ryoga growled, "Until I can find a way to remove this curse I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life avoiding water! You can't expect me to just ignore that "

"All right," I sighed, seeing how stubborn he was going to be "Then what if we settle this matter honorably? No random attacks, no hiding out in the dark waiting to strike, just a plain, old fashioned out-in-the-open fight, you against Ranma, no quarter asked or given?"

He looked at me with obvious curiosity, "Aren't you afraid I'll hurt your precious fianc e?"

"It looks to me as if you can barely touch him," I said confidently, "But if you two promise to abide by the rules of a fair fight, then we can lay out the stakes in advance. Say if you lose you promise to stop picking fights with Ranma and let bygones be bygones. If you win I'll see to it he makes a public apology, without specifying the details, in front of our whole school so that you can have the satisfaction of his public humiliation. Deal?"

Ryoga thought about it and finally agreed to the match. I had every confidence that I would be able to convince Ranma to go along with the terms, knowing how he seemed to be incapable of refusing any challenge. His ego seemed incapable of accepting the possibility that he could lose, so he let me set everything up, which was great because I could schedule the time and place, then charge admission from the students.

The match took place at our school arena, like the other one was supposed to happen with Kuno before. As I anticipated, most of the school turned out to see first-  
hand Ranma-their newly declared school champion-take on the new kid with the half-ton umbrella, and I stood to make a very tidy profit from the whole encounter.

Of course I wanted the fight to be fair, but on this matter Ranma refused to give in, insisting that he did not need a weapon to counter the advantage Ryoga had with belt, umbrella and bandanas. I tried reasoning with the boy, but he assured me that everything would be all right and expressed supreme confidence that he was still better off without a weapon. I had my doubts, but I finally gave in and let him fight the way he wanted.

I saw Ryoga glare with determination at Ranma while I calmly set about collecting bets and laying odds for the match, all the while wondering if Ranma were not in over his fool head. I may not practice the art like Akane, but I am a pretty good judge of these things, and I would say that Ranma's insistence on fair play and fighting with a handicap gave Ryoga the advantage. Judging by the bets I took I was far from the only one who made this assessment.

I sat down beside Akane, who was staring at Ryoga with a strangely focused expression. I thought maybe she was still angry about her hair (the gossip around school had made it the second-major topic of the day after the fight itself), so I asked her about it.

What she said in reply surprised me.

"I'm not holding him to blame for that," she insisted, "You weren't there, you didn't see the way Ranma antagonized and bullied him. I can't blame Ryoga for being angry, although he was pretty careless about where he was aiming. It's Ranma I hold responsible for the entire mess, which is why I hope Ryoga kicks his smug face in. He deserves it, the Baka."

"I'm surprised to hear you defend him," I replied, "After all, he is a guy "

"He's not like the other guys in our school," Akane snorted, "And he was awfully nice to me this morning. He even insisted the other boys leave me alone and said it wasn't manly for them to attack me."

That was news to me, although I did belatedly recall hearing that Akane had shown up for her morning fight with the new boy in her presence. She had gone on ahead of us since I lagged behind to discuss the details of the fight with Ranma, and by the time we got to school all we could see were the usual litter of bodies, including Kuno's. Neither one of us had thought anything about it at the time and separated to head to our respective home rooms, like always, while my mind was a whirl with the possibility of making a lot of money with bets for and against Ranma.

That Akane would not resent Ryoga for interfering in her fight the way Ranma had the day before was significant. In fact, looking back I wondered if she might not be reconsidering her position against boys based on her favorable perception of this boy. I soon found out that he was the sole exception to her general diatribe against the male of the species-Tofu notwithstanding.

The fight started out with an exchange of words, which quickly escalated to fists as Ryoga attacked first, refusing Ranma's repeated overtures to bury the hatchet. The early exchanges were pretty standard martial arts moves, but it did not take long for those two to get really into it, and then the fight became fast and furious with everybody in the stands rooting for whichever guy they bet money on. It was better than a prizefight.

I'd coached Ryoga to be mindful that his umbrella did not go spinning out of control like the last time, but beyond this everything was open, and so the boy made full use of all his weapons in his attempt to pound Ranma into the dirt. Ranma, for his part, fought with strong defenses and great style, moving so quickly that Ryoga could not lay a hand on him, not even when he started throwing a hail of scarves in Ranma's direction.

Everything was going fine so far, in fact so well that I should have been suspicious. Naturally things started to go wrong when Kuno suddenly made his appearance, declaring that he would fight both Ranma and Ryoga for their respective outrages. That settled the question in my mind about who had sent him to dreamland that very morning.

Of course the haiku-spouting moron never stood a chance in the seventh Hell of standing up to both boys at once, and they jointly set aside their differences to mutually boot him out of the arena, but the interruption opened things up for more things to go wrong. Ranma was a bit slow in turning his mind back towards the fight and seemed to drop his guard for a moment. Ryoga was quick to rush in, but Ranma had been faking inattention and turned to meet his rush, dropping back to catch the other boy with his feet planted firmly in Ryoga's stomach before catapulting him almost entirely out of the stadium.

Ranma was on his feet again and charging at Ryoga while the other boy recovered, and pretty soon their fight carried them both out beyond the limits of the school grounds. I sat where I was in stunned surprise as I realized that the fight was now thoroughly out of control and would likely be settled where others could not see it. That did not sit well by me since the victor had to be determined with witnesses present so that no one could demand a refund on their bet later. That was why, I insisted at the time, I got up to follow them, as did Akane and several other students.

It was not hard to figure out which way those two had passed judging by the signs of destruction that they were leaving in their wake. Their fight raged on for another block or so before it terminated with both arriving at a local fountain, where Ranma proceeded to get himself soaked so that he turned female while hardly seeming to notice.

Ryoga was trying very hard to stay dry as he took in Ranma's transformation, then glared angrily and accused Ranma of trying to cheat with a sex-change. No one else present caught the reference as the appearance of the redheaded Ranko caused a different sort of reaction in the crowd. The guys, of course, started making the usual speculative comments while many of the girls just glared in resentment of the attention their boyfriends paid her. Ranma, for her part, was taunting Ryoga and making full use of his aqueous aversion, even going so far as to splash water at Ryoga to make the other boy back away and keep his distance.

I was silently cursing myself for not having anticipated such an event as it gave the appearance that Ranma had run out on the fight, leaving his cousin in his place to fight his battle. I knew what this would do to the betting odds and I at once started racking my brain to come up with a good explanation that would not wind up costing me money. Of lesser concern to me was the fact that Ranma was deliberately antagonizing Ryoga, which was the opposite effect of what I wanted this fight to produce, and worst still was the real possibility that Ryoga's little secret was about to be exposed before Akane. If she found out that he was her cute pet pig of the night before I had no doubt at all that Akane would go ballistic and attack him.

That was why I chose that moment to call out, "Ranko, what are you doing here? Stop playing with the pig and go find Ranma!"

Both combatants paused in the middle of their exchanges to look at me with puzzled expressions, and I just rolled my eyes in exasperation and said, "The fight's not over yet between him and your cousin! Tell Ranma I want to see him right away, and Ryoga stop picking on Ranko. You want everyone to see what kind of a bore you can be?"

"Now look, lady," Ryoga started to protest, but Ranma caught on quicker than the baka and smiled back, "Hey, sorry, Nabiki! I was just having a little fun with this silly. I think he took a wrong turn or something "

"Why you " Ryoga started to round on him when he saw Ranma scoop up a handful of water in both hands and smile at him meaningfully. In a voice almost too low to be heard I saw her mouth the words, "You want Akane there to see what you're really like? Behave yourself or I'll make a new man out of you."

Slow on the uptake that Ryoga obviously was he got the point this time and immediately desisted. His expression was like the proverbial deer in the headlights as he glanced towards Akane, who was looking back with innocent curiosity written plain in her expression.

Of course Kuno showed up right away and further added to the confusion as he spotted his "Osage no Onna," so while Ranma was fending off his unwanted advances I turned to Ryoga and began rescheduling the match for another day. I promptly cancelled all bets and promised my fellow students that I would give them better odds for the next match, along with a point spread to make it more interesting. Ryoga left at once vowing to go into immediate retraining so that next time he saw Ranma he would be ready to pound him into mush.

The crowds loved it, being good showmanship and all with lots more spectacle promised for the next time but I was somewhat less than happy with these results. I'd made a modest profit on ticket sales but nothing like what I stood to reap had Ranma fought all out and defeated Ryoga in a single round, as I'd originally anticipated. I knew that Ranma had fought with less than his full potential, being far too lenient with Ryoga for some screwed up reason like honor or pity, I never doubted.

Once the crowd had thinned out I grabbed Ranma by her wrist and drew her off to one side so that we could talk in private. I made it plain to Akane that this was exclusively between me and my "iinazuke" as I sought a secluded spot then rounded on her and said, "What's the big idea, Ranma? Are you stupid or something?"

"What's your problem?" she asked in surprise, "You don't like the way I fight my battles?"

"You know I won't second guess you on combat strategy," I said with a derisive snort, "But I thought we agreed you were going to confine this thing to the track so that there wouldn't be any of this collateral damage," I waved in a generalized way at the damaged cars, destroyed fences and foliage that lead in an almost straight line back towards the High School, "Do you have any idea what kinds of lawsuits this could open up? Worse by far you almost destroyed public property by bringing the fight up to that fountain, and what about your vaunted Bushido Code against exposing Ryoga's curse to Akane?"

"All right," she conceded, "I guess we did kind of let things get out of hand, but most of that was done by Ryoga "

"You're still as liable as he is," I snidely pointed out, "And if anyone connects you with my house we're the ones who could be liable. I won't stand for you involving us in your petty brawls "

"Well fine!" she snorted, "Then you don't have to be! It wasn't my idea to stay with your family in the first place. I never asked any of you to be responsible for what happens to me, especially not you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I frowned.

"You don't want to take responsibility for what happens to me, that's just fine by me," she said firmly, "Only it seems to me that you were the one getting pretty involved in my welfare, making bets on the side. How much did you make for yourself anyway?"

"A little," I said somewhat stiffly, "Not as much as I'd like, but "

"So where do you come off as so much more high and mighty than me?" she asked, "I'm the one who could have gotten hurt out there, not that there was a chance in the nine hells of that baka Ryoga laying a finger on me, not that you'd care about it one way or another "

I don't know what happened next, I think I must have snapped or something because the next thing I know my hand is connecting with her face and Ranma's head snaps back-  
more in shock and surprise than actual impact, I imagine-  
and then I turned around and started running. I don't know why I acted that way, I just knew that I felt very hurt and angry at what Ranma had just said about me. He was implying that I was heartless, an opportunistic bookie out to make a yen at his expense, and that came so close to the truth as far as I let other people know about me that I felt exposed and raw. For some reason I found myself hating him and feeling guilty at one and the same time, feelings unlike any other I can ever remember feeling for another human being.

I would have denied it at any other time, but it hurt being called those things by him. I thought he might know me better, but he obviously did not, and what he believed was worse by far than anything I would have wanted him to believe. I only knew that I had to get far away from there or I would lose it on the spot, and so I fled from Ranma, half expecting her to chase me. I did not stop running until long after I felt tired, and when I did I sought a hiding place where no one could see my face as I started crying.

Crying. Me! The girl who never cries, who has never shed a tear about anything since my mother and for that idiot? What kind of spell did he cast on me to make all of my normal defenses just disappear whenever he was around, and why did it matter so much to me just what he thought about my business tactics? Why should I care if he thinks I run the school prostitution rings and print counterfeit money in the school basement?

I must be taking this engagement thing a little too seriously, and that really does have me worried. I never had any interest in marrying while I was young. That's what other girls dream about, empty-headed little kawaii Geisha dolls who think being a housewife is the beginning and end of what it means to be a woman. I have plans, I've got looks and ambition, and there is no way I am tying myself down with some macho creep who thinks I'm nothing but a selfish opportunist out to cheat everyone and rake in all the profits, even if it is technically true.

I mean, it is true that I think a lot about money, but that's not entirely because I'm selfish. I put most of the money to good use, which kind of brings me back around to the final incident of the day that happened a little more than two hours ago and got me sitting here writing all this stuff down for posterity in the first place.

What happened was that I came home late and went straight to my room without joining the others for some communal dinner. No way did I want to see Ranma wolfing down Kasumi's fine cooking while glaring at me and thinking whatever kind of evil I imagined he would be thinking. I locked my door and opened by schoolbooks intending to do some studies so that I could take my mind off this whole iinazuke business. I let Kasumi put my dinner down in front of the door, but I still was not hungry as I stared at my texts finding the words just blurred before my eyes. I could not concentrate, I was still too wound up about what Ranma had said to me, and there was a nagging suspicion that I had forgotten something pretty important to me but could not for the life of me remember what it was.

And then I heard a rapping at my window, turned to look and almost fell off my bed. It was Ranma, of course, hanging upside down like some kind of a bat in male form and looking at me as if he wanted to talk. I recovered from my surprise and was about to tell him to go away when he waved something in front of the window that changed my mind completely.

It was my business ledger, the one I used to record all of my personal transactions.

I stared at it and paled, realizing that I must have dropped it sometime between slapping Ranma's face and arriving home. That he had found it implied that it was dropped while running away from him, which meant that he had seen it fall and recovered it and most probably had glanced through the pages.

I was on my feet at once and opened the window to gasp as he handed it to me then gave me the strangest kind of look and asked politely if I would let him enter. I could hardly think of a reason to refuse since he obviously knew something about my business transactions, so I stepped back and watched as he moved fluidly inside with enough grace to put shame to a monkey.

Then he stood before me with his head bowed and said the words to me, "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry," I replied, neither as a question nor a statement, wondering what he had to be sorry for since I was the one who had slapped him.

He did not long keep me in the dark, "I shouldn't have said those things about you. It was thoughtless of me, I didn't know any better."

I just stared at him wondering what had caused him to adopt such a humble tone with me since my general impression of Ranma was that of a guy too proud to admit to personal failings unless he was backed against the wall with a forced tape confession. He had explained his lack of grace before, true, but never with such firm regret as I saw in his blue eyes when he looked up at me now and for a moment I could do nothing but stare back in confusion, waiting for him to continue.

"I realize that I can be pretty insensitive sometimes," he said simply, "Never have had much reason to think about it until now. Somehow I just keep saying and doing the wrong things, but I never meant to hurt your feelings, Nabiki. I hope you can forgive me."

I was only silent a few more moments before I said, "I forgive you, Ranma. I guess you had a right to chew me out for only thinking about my profit margins. I'm glad you weren't hurt and um sorry about that slap I gave you."

"What?" he softly chuckled, rubbing his cheek with one hand, "That? Don't worry about it, I've been hit a lot harder than that by experts. I was kind of surprised, though nobody ever caught me napping like that before. Maybe it's a good thing for me you don't practice the Art like Akane."

"I guess so," I found myself chuckling back, and for some obscure reason I was feeling a lot better for the gesture.

But then he started looking at me in a very different way and I felt my breath catch. He was silent only a moment before he smiled at me and said, "You know you can awfully cute when you smile. You should smile more often, it makes you look very pretty."

"Hah?" I intelligently replied, or words to that effect.

He started to turn away, then paused as he said, "You know I took a look at that ledger, just out of curiosity, not 'cause I want to pry or nothing."

"You what?" I suddenly felt my good mood evaporate at the thought of someone intruding into my personal secrets.

"Don't worry," he said, "I didn't understand most of it. Like I told you before, I'm not good with business stuff, just basic math. You've organized things pretty good in that thing, as near as I can tell, and even somebody like me can figure out the plus and minus table. I had no idea you were used to handing such large amounts of money."

"Yeah?" I asked almost challengingly as if to defy the implication that a girl like me was not supposed to be that good at business, but it turned out that was not what Ranma had intended.

"Kasumi says you run the family finances," he noted simply, "I saw a lot of entries in there for food, utilities, taxes, rent, basic living costs and stuff like that. I didn't add it all up, but it looked like a lot of money. Kasumi says your father hasn't been teaching classes in quite a while, and nobody here has a job, so I guess all that yen comes from the stuff you collect in the plus table. As near as I can see your figures look pretty even," he glanced around at my room for a moment then smiled at me again and said, "Not much I see here that costs money, and Kasumi says you borrow a lot of your clothes from her and Akane. Way I see it you're not just doing this for the money."

He turned and went back to the window, hoisting himself up onto the sill before he paused to say, "I'll try and keep the fight in one place next time, and I won't let that baka Kuno mess things up either. Go ahead and do whatever you think you have to, whatever you think is best. I know I don't have any right to complain," he turned and gave me a confident look as he added, "But I'm still going to pound him flat, so be sure you bet on me or you'll be throwing away your money."

And then he was gone and I was left there standing in the ruins of my life, wondering why the hell I was feeling so tied up in knots at what he had just said to me. I kept replaying the scene in my mind, and then I got the stupid idea to sit down and write all of this down, which brings me back to where I started over an hour ago.

And now that I've just put all of this down in writing I still don't feel any closer to the answers. I've just had one of the strangest days of my life, either the worst or the best I could not tell you. I'm starting to feel as if I'm losing all control over myself, and it's all because of Ranma! Why does he do this to me? HOW does he do this to me? How the hell did I let things get this messed up and what in the name of the gods do I do now to put things back the way they were before this Fianc e nightmare started in the first place?

I really do not have an answer for any of this. I'm just tired and I hurt all over and I can't even think about eating. I've got homework to do but I'm just too mentally exhausted to even think about that stuff, and I can't get Ranma out of my thoughts. I can still see him perched on my sill, that cocky smile of his telling me that he's on top of everything, that there's nothing he can't accomplish, and I'm going crazy here just thinking that he could do this to me in only one week since our fateful meeting.

Am I in love with the guy? In spite of what I've said to Akane I think love is pretty important, but it's something I'd rather put off until I've gotten my life into the shape I want it to be. What am I going to do if I really do fall in love with somebody like him? He's as wild as his name implies, but when he wants to be nice he can just

I don't think I want to go on about it. This whole diary thing is stupid, and I probably won't try it again since it doesn't seem to be helping. It's too lame a concept and it's not really like me being this introspective. Maybe if I sleep on it I'll feel better in the morning. Yeah, that's probably the best idea I've had all day. Maybe in the morning I'll think of a way to put things right. After all, I'm Tendo Nabiki, there's nothing I can't handle. I don't need fancy moves or Martial Arts to do my fighting, I can always find an angle that can put me atop of any situation.

That's right, Tomorrow. I'll think of what to do tomorrow

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Newsclips: shadowmane

Next time: Nabiki + Camera + Ranma = Trouble!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	7. Chapter 7

NabikiRan5 Nabiki and Ranma A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (An Altered Destiny)  
(Standard Disclaimer: Takahashi did it,  
I just borrowed the characters for a bit,  
So don't sue me)

"I don't know about this, Ranma " Nabiki said nervously as she held his hand and tried to act more calm than she was feeling.

"Trust me, it'll be all right," he said as he guided her out of the window onto the roof of her house, "You won't fall, and if you do you could always sue me."

"Don't give me any ideas," Nabiki said with an even more nervous chuckle as she allowed Ranma to coax her along until they arrived at a spot where he urged her to sit down beside him.

She privately wondered what had possessed her to let herself be talked into coming up here with Ranma, but she looked at him attentively as he seemed to relax then turned his gaze towards the sky and said, "Now lean back and look up and tell me what you see."

Nabiki reluctantly did as he requested, resting on her back as she stared up into the night above them then waited a long moment before admitting, "I see stars. So what's so special about that?"

"Look again," he said as though expecting her to enjoy the view the same way that he did.

After a few moments of struggling against a slight exasperation she sighed, "I don't get it, Ranma. What do you expect me to see here? I'm not an astronomer you know."

"You don't have to be," he said patiently, "Doesn't it mean anything to you? The stars, the sky? I mean I find it overwhelming."

"Stars are just balls of superheated gas, Ranma," Nabiki said practically, "The light we see has taken hundreds of years to get here, and we can't really see all of the stars with the naked eye anyway. Too much atmosphere gets in our way, so the little we do see are really just the brightest and closest stars, which our imagination draws as constellations."

"You get that out of a textbook?" he snorted derisively, "Doesn't it mean anything to you that some of those stars could have worlds just like ours orbiting around them, and maybe there's people on those other worlds looking up even now and asking the same questions about us, whether we exist or not, or maybe how different we might be? I always found that idea pretty overwhelming."

Nabiki silently considered what he was saying then reluctantly admitted, "Well I guess when you put it that way it does seem kind of interesting."

"Kind of makes us feel small, huh?" Ranma asked, "In a good sort of way, like maybe our problems aren't so bad, like the Universe has got a lot more to worry about than just us, like maybe we don't take enough time to think of how petty we can be always thinking we're the center of everything in the universe or something. I like to stare at the stars and think this way, it makes me feel a little less sad when things aren't so terrific."

Nabiki turned her head to look at Ranma with a question in her expression. He was staring at the stars with a boyish expression that implied greater humility than of what she had ever believed him capable. With just a trace of her usual sarcasm she said, "Why Ranma that was almost profound. I didn't know you were such a philosopher."

"I'm not," Ranma shrugged, "But with the kind of life I lead, well "

"Right," Nabiki had to concede that anyone who went through the sort of adventures that he had on a regular basis was bound to become passively philosophical about the matter. She still did not see what it was he wanted to show her by luring her outside, and she had some suspicions that it might be a guy thing, or he might be trying to seduce her, but it seemed very important to him somehow, so she kept to her own council and tried, for his sake at least, to understand what poets found so fascinating about the stars in the heavens.

Ranma, for his part, was trying to hide a mild case of frustration at not being able to convey to her in words what exactly it was about stargazing that always made him feel better about life. He knew that she was a fiercely materialistic person, but he had a sense that there was a deeper part within Nabiki that could understand what he felt if he only knew how to reach her. There was something about having her around that made him feel so much better than he had felt about his life in a very long while. He had never really known how lonely his life was until he had started to connect with her, and whenever she drew back or something came between them it felt so very wrong that he wondered if maybe he really needed her as a friend more than he did as his iinazuke.

Determined fighter that he was, Ranma was not about to relent without making another real effort. The very fact that she had allowed him to bring her out like this, when she professed an acute fear of high places, convinced him that she was at least trying to make the effort at being his friend. It was a rude enough start, but it was something to work with, so he tried a different tact when he next broke the spell of silence that had fallen between them.

"Sometimes I feel so frustrated, you know," he began, "Like I want to lash out at Pop for putting me through all those stupid tests of his, and some of those training methods he's used in trying to make me the best fighter in the world. Every day of my life I've been in training, I can't remember a time when the Art wasn't the centerpiece of my whole being. It's only lately that I've begun to notice how it is with other kids, how easy they have it, the stuff they take for granted that their parents let them get away with, and I think maybe I just don't know what it means to be normal any more. So what if my life isn't normal now? It's not like I have anything else to compare it."

Nabiki turned in surprise at hearing the bitterness in his voice, the sense of frustration and longing that sounded so surprising coming from someone who often professed they did not have any ordinary needs. It provoked Nabiki to voice her own thoughts on the subject of normality.

"Are you kidding me, Ranma?" she asked, "Do you know how limiting it is being normal all of the time? Other guys are petty, weak, cowardly, even sometimes cruel, and they can't even do a tenth of what you can accomplish. I'm not just talking Martial Arts here, there are a lot of other things you do routinely that make you pretty exceptional."

"Oh?" he seemed genuinely surprised by her statement, "Like what?"

Nabiki felt the first twinge of her usual resentments but forced herself to come clean, "Well for one thing you're not a bully. You don't take guff from guys like Kuno and Ryoga, but you don't attack them either. And you're a pretty nice guy most of the time except when you get into an argument with my sister, and then you act like a real jerk, but so does she, so let's not dwell on that. I don't see you throwing your weight around or making the other students in class afraid of you, and you don't shake them down for money "

"Why would I do that?" Ranma sounded genuinely puzzled.

Nabiki had to smile as she replied, "Trust me on this, lots of bullies like throwing their weight around the forcing other students to pay them money "

"Like you?" he had not meant to voice the words aloud, and Ranma winced as he said them, knowing that he had just thoughtlessly insulted Nabiki.

Nabiki managed to maintain her dignity in spite of her pained expression, "Yeah, like me, only I never have to resort to the crude stuff. I know lots of other ways of making people do what I want, and none of it involves beating them up. I refuse to stoop to such petty methods. It's brains that make us better than the lower primates, not brutish strength or guttural instincts."

Ranma sighed as he said, "I think there's something else you're missing."

"Oh?" she wondered, "What's that?"

"Spirit, will, the Ki force that comes from deep inside you," he answered, "Animals just know instinct, they don't have a higher consciousness like we do. They react to circumstances, they don't think them out, like some people I could name," he noted with a bitterness, "They never realize their full potential, they just brute on ahead and do whatever they feel like doing at the moment."

Nabiki was strongly tempted to say that he had just given an apt description of his own behavior, but instead she turned the question over in her mind seriously then replied, "You mean like a soul? I'm not sure I believe in souls, Ranma."

"And what do you think happens when we die?" Ranma asked.

"When the electrochemical processes of the brain shut down, you mean?" Nabiki shrugged, "Then we're dead, end of story."

"So you're not worried about an afterlife?" Ranma asked.

"What's the point?" she asked, "If there is one, then we'll find out about it after we're dead. In the meantime I'm not taking any two-bit huckster's word about the scary stuff they use to frighten us into behaving like good little socially conscious boys and girls. It's a sucker play, and they don't have any more answers about life than we do."

Ranma gave a very soft sigh and said, "Animals don't think about it either, but somebody once told me the point where we really became human was where he learned to care about what happens to people who die, when we really start to miss them."

Nabiki became very quiet as she thought that over. She did not like to contemplate the obvious, but it sounded suspiciously as if Ranma had just cleverly turned the argument around and implied that she was more of an animal than he was.

Then the rest of what he said hit home and she turned to look at him in surprise, "You mean you miss someone you used to know?"

"Don't you?" Ranma asked her back, then before she could reply he sat up and said, "Mind if I show you something, Nabiki? It's something I've been learning to do, and I think it'll make the point even better than I could."

"What could you possibly have to show me that would do that?" Nabiki eyed him cautiously, wondering if the boy were about to play "doctor." She still had not entirely dismissed the notion that he had lured her outside in order to seduce her.

Ranma smiled without a trace of the sort of leer she had half expected to see on his face and just said, "Sit up like this close to me and I'll show you. It's nothing weird or complicated, it's just something I think you should see."

Nabiki reluctantly sat up, then scooted close enough to him that he could have pounced on her had he so wanted. She watched as he extended his hands with the palms facing each other as though holding an invisible ball, then his face relaxed and his breathing became regular. He stared at his hands then murmured, "Put your hands between mine and feel it."

Nabiki reluctantly raised her own hands, almost disappointed that this did not seem to be a play for her after all. She was wondering what he was up to just the same when her hand encountered something and the tiny hairs along her forearms bristled as if with static electricity, causing the hairs along the nape of her neck to stand on end in concert.

"What ?" she gasped.

"Hold still," he murmured tonelessly, "You'll see in another minute.'

Nabiki stared at her own palms, which were growing warm in the space between his hands, and was it her imagination or was that area starting to glow a little around the center? As she continued to stare a ball of energy took form, roughly ten centimeters across but clearly visible for the space of several seconds.

Then the ball disappeared and Ranma gasped, falling back somewhat while sweating profusely from his exertion. He did not bother keeping his voice down as he said, "Man, that always takes a lot out of me Pop said it'd be easier with more practice "

"N-Nani?" Nabiki whispered, still staring at her palms as if they belonged to another.

"It's called Ki," Ranma explained as he slumped back onto the roof, "The energy that's inside all of us, the spirit or soul or whatever it is you say you don't believe in. I've been learning to harness it since I was ten, I just can't project it outward too much without feeling totally exhausted."

"That that was incredible, Ranma," Nabiki looked at him with newer admiration, "I never knew you could even do stuff like that."

Though he seemed tired the boy still managed to smile at her and say, "Well, how do you think I'm able to do the other stuff, like the leaping and kicking? I boost my strength by channeling my Ki into my legs or fists. How do you think Akane can break so many bricks and boards? It's not brute strength alone, it's your Ki that does all the real damage."

In spite of her surprise Nabiki managed to smile before replying, "Well I have had some theories on that, but you're right it makes a kind of sense, but it still sounds too much to me like Magic."

"What's magic but stuff you can do that somebody else can't understand?" Ranma smiled back at her, "When you know how its done it becomes easy. I just wish it were possible for me to control the other magic that's been screwing up my life."

Nabiki sobered as she thought a moment, then said, "Actually that's not such a bad deal, really. I mean, I know you hate turning into a girl, Ranma, but there are some advantages that come with the curse."

"Yeah?" he snorted, "Such as?"

"Well," Nabiki smiled slyly, ticking off on her fingers, "For one you get to know what it's like for those of us who belong to the fair sex, and you can appreciate how we feel about guys who always try to hit us up for dates. Two, you get to pretend to be someone else for a while, which is like having a secret identity and lets you duck out on some problems by pretending to be your own cousin. Three, you're pretty good looking in either one of your two forms. You could market your looks and make a fortune as a model or an action movie star "

"Somehow I just don't see myself doing stuff like that," Ranma slowly seemed to be recovering his strength and managing to sit upright again, "I mean movies it might be fun for a while, but very few of them are about real Martial Arts, they're just cheap excuses for a lot of badly executed violence."

"What about the model part?" Nabiki asked cautiously.

"I don't think so," he snorted, "I know some of the girls have been coming on to me and I guess that's nice and everything but I've already got a girl uh a friend, and I don't want her thinking I'm a pervert or nothing chasing after other women."

"Oh?" Nabiki tried to act casual, "And your friend what if she wouldn't mind other girls just drooling over your picture?"

"Maybe so," Ranma said, "But I'd still feel pretty weird about it."

"Okay," Nabiki said, "What about your girl form?"

"Ugh! No way!" Ranma reacted, "You think I'd like a bunch of hormone-crazed guys sticking me in their lockers? That's worse than having it the other way."

"But they really wouldn't have to know it's you," Nabiki pointed out, "They'll just think it's Ranko and they won't dare hit on you for a date, because of what you'll do to them, with the sole exception of Kuno."

"You think it's funny having other people look at you and get these ideas in their heads about what it's like to date you?" Ranma voiced his disgust, "How would you feel about it if somebody took pictures of you and spread them all over the school grounds?"

"Huh?" Nabiki blinked, never having actually thought about it that way, but now that she did she found herself becoming tremendously disgusted, "Yeah right, as if anybody would tack a picture of me to the inside of their locker! You're the one they want to date here, Ranma."

"Huh?" he replied back as if genuinely not understanding, "I can't believe that! There must be plenty of guys who'd want to be with a cute girl like you. You must be talking to the wrong sort of people if you think you're not pretty enough for dating."

"Is that so?" Nabiki tried to put more force into her tone, though inwardly she felt herself having trouble maintaining her composure, "Well, I know a certain guy who's never bothered to try asking me for a date, not that I'd consider it, of course, since he never seems to have any money."

"Hey," Ranma frowned, "Money's not everything, you know "

"Try living on air, then," Nabiki forced herself to turn away, hiding a look that was at variance with the tone she was adopting.

Ranma just stared at her and wondered what he had said that could upset her like this. Pay somebody a compliment and they go all to pieces

Nabiki made a sound as though clearing her throat, then held up her hand again and extended her fingers, "Four, you seem more than willing to take advantage of your curse when it comes to extorting sweets out of people like Kuno. I saw you come home with ice cream on your mouth today, and I know for a fact that you didn't have enough money to buy any."

"Uh, yeah," Ranma absently felt along the edge of his mouth as if wondering if he had cleaned his face lately, "Well if people are going to buy the cute girl act I don't see nothing wrong with that "

Nabiki eyed him slyly, "And how is that different from using your looks to sell pictures?" then before he could answer her she said, "Reason number five: you get twice as many chances for a date."

She grinned in smug satisfaction at the strangling noise he made over this last suggestion.

Ranma sat up again and was about to say something when they heard sounds from just below as though someone was in the middle of a fight of some sort. A moment later a figure came hurtling out of the night with a maniacal laugh that sounded as if the person making it were mentally unhinged. They saw the figure alight on the roof, revealed in the moonlight as a slender dark-haired girl wearing a leotard. She at once turned to see them then adopted a striking pose and said, "Oh my, a lover's rendezvous? And I had no idea that this roof was taken."

"You?" Ranma said in surprise while Nabiki frowned, "Kodachi."

"Is that you, Tendo Nabiki?" Kodachi smiled in a way that would have done justice to a crocodile, "Then the girl downstairs is indeed your little sister, how quaint."

"Akane?" Nabiki sat upright, "What have you done with my sister, you maniac?"

"Easy, Nabiki," Ranma cautioned as he interposed himself between them, "We don't know what this is all about "

"Sure we do, Ranma," Nabiki growled, "Weren't you paying attention today when you rescued those girls? Kuno Kodachi likes to ambush her opponents before they have a chance to compete so she can win by default at Martial Arts Gymnastics tournaments."

"Oh yeah," Ranma responded, remembering the incident and everything which followed, then he belatedly did a double-take and said, "Kuno?"

"What outrageous slander," Kodachi said archly, "As if I should need to rely on foul means to win my tournaments. But I forget myself who is this charming fellow you are dallying with above your sister's very room?"

"You don't remember?" Ranma frowned, then mentally kicked himself as he recalled again that he had been female at the time, "I'm Saotome Ranma."

"Saotome Ranma," Kodachi smiled prettily, "Such a handsome, manly fellow you are. Whatever are you doing in the company of this cold fish?"

"Hey!" Nabiki reacted.

"Um " Ranma hesitated only a fraction of an instant before he said, "She's my iinazuke "

"Iinazuke?" Kodachi frowned as she said the word with distaste, "A striking vision of masculinity engaged to this heartless mercenary? Surely you must jest! The gods would not allow such an injustice "

"Wait a minute," Nabiki growled, "Ranma, are you going to let her get away with calling me that?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "But I "

"That's right," Kodachi chuckled mirthlessly, "You're just a frail little girl who can't fight her own battles. You content yourself with extorting funds and favors from others, like my idiot brother, but your clever ways do not impress one who is truly steeped in cunning and duplicity. Such a one as you is not worthy of a fine man's affections."

"Hey, wait a minute," Ranma said, "You're the one who attacked those girls, so what gives you the right to come here and say those things about Nabiki?"

"My, how gallantly you defend her," Kodachi smirked, "Are in love with this girl? If so, then how tragic."

She pulled out her ribbon while Ranma and Nabiki reacted to that statement then twirled it around, creating a spiraling wind that Ranma instinctively threw up his arms to ward against. A hail of black rose petals ensued, momentarily blinding them while Kodachi made her strategic exit.

When she had gone Ranma lowered his arms then murmured to himself, "What is she, some kind of a lunatic or something?"

"Or something," Nabiki replied as she emerged from the place she had taken behind him, "I should have expected her to show up, it's a part of her MO. Kodachi is a classic dissociative sociopath who does what she likes and denies responsibility for her actions. I'd stay well away from her if I were you, Ranma."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Ranma snorted, "But she's Akane's problem, not "

They both turned in surprise and exchanged astonished looks at something they had each forgotten or rather somebody.

"Akane!" they mutually chorused.

Some hastily convened moments later found the pair in Akane's room, which was a mess that she had only started to clean up, rose petals and overturned furniture and all. To say that Akane was not happy would have been a gross understatement. She looked ready to spit nails and was looking for a target for her anger.

Naturally she turned it towards Ranma.

"You were supposed to help me train for the Rhythmic Gymnastics match, you baka!" she growled, "If it wasn't for Ryoga volunteering to help I'd never get anywhere, while all you could do was stand there and make insults!"

"What are you getting mad at me for?" Ranma asked defensively, "I'm not the one who tried to ambush you in your own room!"

"At least you're all right, Akane-chan," Nabiki said, trying to head off another shouting match between these two, giving Ranma her patented glare as she added, "That's the important thing, after all, no thanks to Kodachi."

"All right," Ranma shrugged, "So she made an attempt on you and it failed. What happens if she tries again?"

"I'm not going to let her bully me," Akane balled her fists as she stood up and angrily declared, "I'm going to train even harder until I'm good enough to beat her! She can't be allowed to get away with this!"

"Yes, well, your enthusiasm is commendable, Sis," Nabiki turned and gave Ranma another patented look, "But just the same we need to be on guard in case she does try something. Kodachi is clever, manipulative and seductive. She uses drugs and home-brewed potions to paralyze her enemies into helplessness, and she'll take every advantage that you give her to see you get taken out prematurely. The one thing Kodachi does not believe in is a fair fight, so you have better be extra careful, and I think Ranma here should keep an eye out for your backside."

"Him?" Akane said hotly, "No way! I'd rather have Ryoga watching my back any day!"

"Ryoga couldn't watch a stopped clock by himself," Ranma immediately replied, ignoring the angry glare from the pig sitting on the bed beside Akane, "Not that I want the job, mind you, but Nabiki's right. You need somebody to play backup, and I'm the only one who can do it."

"You?" Akane did not bother to conceal her contempt at the suggestion that she needed anything from Ranma, let alone his help.

"He's right and you know it, Akane," Nabiki said firmly, "Like it or not Ranma's the best fighter we have, and we can't afford to take any chances with Kodachi "

"I might have known you two would gang up on me," Akane said stubbornly, "Well, I don't want him anywhere near me and that's final!"

Of course it was not final, and Nabiki was able to talk Akane down into allowing Ranma to hang around the dojo so as to keep an eye out for any unwanted intruders. Ryoga would continue to help train her while Ranma kept himself to a distance and refrained from making his usual sarcastic comments.

Before parting for the night Nabiki turned to Ranma and said, "Ranma, I know you two don't get along very well, but I don't want anything to happen to Akane."

"I know," he replied, "Don't worry about a thing. I'll see to it that she make it to the tournament in one piece, you can trust me on that."

"I do trust you, Ranma," Nabiki informed him, "It's Kodachi I don't trust. Once she sets her mind on something she can be quite a nuisance about it, and I don't like the way she was looking at you earlier."

He smiled at that and said, "Don't worry, I can handle myself. I may not fight with girls, but I won't drop my guard around this one either."

Nabiki let it go at that, but privately worried. Her good mood from before slowly evaporated as she remembered the way Kodachi had been looking at Ranma and the insults that she had hurled Nabiki's way. Something told her deep down that their troubles were only just beginning and that Ranma's supreme naivete around women was bound to land him in trouble. She only hoped it would be worth her time to pick of the pieces should Kodachi prove too much for the both of them to handle

Nabiki stared long and hard at her desk and at the thing that lay upon it. After more than an hour, with many false starts, she finally picked it up and began to write again, picking up several days from the point of her last entry:

"Well, the big event came and went," she began, "After Akane fell and twisted her angle it was natural that Ranma would volunteer to take her place in female form, but before all of that happened there was that nocturnal visit from Kodachi.

I guess my problem with all of that was that I was expecting her to come by a lot sooner than she did. She must have been biding her time for just the right moment, which came just prior to Akane's accident, so I guess it must have been a coincidence and not a deliberate set-up on her part. I was not there when Kodachi happened by but I caught sight of her hovering just behind Ranma's back when he came rushing into the dojo to discover about Akane's condition.

My presence had been mere fortuitous circumstance, although I was less than elated when Kodachi exchanged looks with me, and I could see by her smug expression that she had been intending mischief. Of what kind I had no doubt was directly concerning Ranma, but before I had a chance to discover its nature I had a sister to tend to, and the prognosis was not good by even my inexperienced estimation.

"I'm sorry, Sis," I said as I tried to stave off Ryoga's anxious looks with a firm glare that even he respected, "Looks like you won't be able to use this foot for a while. I'm no Tofu-Sensei but I can tell by the swelling that you sprained it."

"But I need to compete tomorrow," Akane all but wept, "Furinkan High is depending on me "

That was when Kodachi gave her patented trademark laugh and said, "Too bad, and I was so looking forward to the challenge, or rather the amusement you would have provided."

I gave Kodachi a studied glare as I said in a moment of distraction, "Ryoga, go find Kasumi and tell her to call Doctor Tofu. Also fetch some ice to help with the swelling.'

"Right," Ryoga replied and left the dojo before I had time to rethink my instructions.

"Won't see him for a while," Ranma said chidingly, "Maybe I'd better go fetch Kasumi myself," but he hesitated to leave, clearly reluctant to leave us alone with Kodachi.

"Go ahead, Ranma-kun," I replied, my eyes locked on the infamous Black Rose as though I were keeping an eye on a dangerous serpent.

When he had gone Kodachi smiled at us and adopted what she may have thought a vampish pose and said, "Your fianc e is quite a fellow. I have conducted some inquiries concerning his recent activities and I must say that I am surprised to learn that he is the same fellow whom my idiot brother has been castigating night and day as some devious sorcerer that has enchanted you both and some other girl he calls his Osage no Onna."

"A sorcerer?" I replied, wondering where Kuno had gotten that notion, "No, Ranma's no sorcerer, just a very nice guy and a better-than-average Martial Artist."

"I think you are deliberately understating the matter in regard to his prowess," Kodachi noted with a cagey expression, "But I believe that you speak true that he is no enchanter, unless it be of women's hearts," she produced a fan and fluttered it over her face with a mocking expression of allure.

I felt my irritation level growing by the minute but managed to retain my calm with effort, reminding myself that Kodachi was crazy and thus not to be trusted at her word, so I pretended indifference as I replied, "I take it you two were out playing in our gardens?"

I should have chosen my words better because I had just given her the opening she needed, and with a leer that made my bile rise in my throat she said, "You could call it that. Ah, but to recount the words of sweet adoration that passed from his lips just now as I unburdened my soul to his attentive ears such a charmingly attentive fellow he is. Far too good for the likes of either of you two peasants."

That was the final straw as far as I was concerned and I was about to lose my temper big time, but before I could say anything Akane-bless the gods-spoke before I could thoroughly tarnish my reputation as an ice queen.

"You talk like you think you're anything special, but you're not!" Akane quickly defended, "I may not be able to compete with you tomorrow but I know somebody who can and will beat you, so don't go resting on your laurels just yet!"

"And who could you possibly find at this late hour?" Kodachi laughed dismissively, "Your bluster is quite amusing, Tendo Akane, but it takes more than bravado to compete in my theater of expertise. Still and all, your proposal is an intriguing one. Shall we make a slight wager to that effect?"

"What kind of a wager?" I asked before Akane could answer.

Kodachi's smile was confirmation of my worst fears as the Black Rose replied, "Saotome Ranma. If you can produce a competent foe worthy of competing with me then I shall withdraw my declaration of your unworthiness and acknowledge that you may continue to call him your fianc e, otherwise he becomes fair game and I shall aggressively pursue a date with him to consummate our unspoken love. I think that should prove sufficiently interesting, don't you?"

"Fine," Akane smiled, "The Baka's all yours if you win, but I'll hold you to that declaration."

I looked at Akane in dismay as Kodachi laughed haughtily and withdrew, declaring that her date with Ranma was all but sealed. I felt an acute sense of betrayal as I hissed at her, "How could you do that to me, Akane? Do you have any idea what she's going to be like around Ranma?'

"I know she's going to be after him anyway, so what's to lose?" Akane asked, "This way at least we can get her to back off a little. You should thank me for getting her to concede that."

"Concede what?" I all but shouted, "Where are we going to find a replacement for you by tomorrow? Just who did you have in mind ?"

Even as I stopped talking I realized whom she had in mind from the way she smiled at me and said, "Who do you think? We need somebody who's quick and agile and a more-  
than-competent Martial Artist, somebody who look can look good wearing my leotard and who has very good reason to want to beat Kodachi in tomorrow's match "

"I brought the ice," said Ranma as he and Kasumi appeared at the doorway to the dojo, then he stopped in his tracks as we both turned his way, and in a nervous voice he asked, "Why are you guys looking at me that way? What have I done now?"

"I'm back!" gasped Ryoga as he stepped into the dojo and said, "I'm so sorry, Akane-chan, I couldn't find your house. Somebody must have moved it "

"Ryoga-kun," I smiled as I got to my feet and grabbed him before he could wander off somewhere again, "Just the man I was looking for. I need a little favor from you, you big lug."

"You need what from me?" Ryoga gasped in confusion, completely oblivious to the acid look Ranma turned in his direction.

I smiled in satisfaction as I noted his jealousy out of the corner of my eye while I quickly outlined our plan, then hastily headed off Ranma's expected protests by telling him what Kodachi had implied should she claim victory by default. Once he understood the significance of the Black Rose's words he was all ears and agreeable about practicing for the tournament, professing a competent knowledge of the basics from having watched Akane's clumsy efforts.

As I had hoped his words slighting Akane provoked an angry rebuke from Ryoga, who at once agreed to train with him, and then Ranma left to get changed into his girl form while Kasumi gave him a leotard and showed Doctor Tofu to the dojo. Once Akane was taken back to her room I returned to the dojo intent on watching the subsequent training match, my confidence growing by the moment. I actually smiled as the two went at it with great ferocity while I did my best to coach from the sidelines, admiring how the competitive nature of these two premier martial artists made for good training incentive. Kodachi would be in for the match of her life, and I was silently determined to see her eat crow the more I thought of her smug insinuations.

I had let her get to me, and that was a fact that was undeniable. Me, the aloof bet-taker and arch manipulator who some denied even had a heart, jealous of an insanely demented juvenile delinquent who thought herself the gift of the gods when it came to looks and cunning. The more I thought about the tone of her voice as she had looked down on me with contempt the more I wished that it were me going up against her head-to-head to wipe that smug expression off her face for good. Ranma was a good substitute, but he was not of a nature to dish out the sort of vengeance I very much needed. A good thing Rhythmic Gymnastics Martial Arts required no physical contact as it would play against his blind spot and make her work twice as hard at getting through his defenses. Ranma seemed to have a natural gift for picking up on weapons styles and was nearly impossible to hit to judge from the determined effort Ryoga gave to that end, always missing by a good measure.

In the end I had to call a halt to their fun and games, reminding Ranma of his need for rest so that he could be fully alert when he squared off with Kodachi. Ranma professed not to be tired in spite of having gone all-out, but she conceded to my recommendation and retired, being mindful to help Ryoga find the house this time so that the boy could pay a visit to Akane.

Neither one of us bothered to note whether or not he came to her in pig form.

It was almost midnight, however, and I had one thing on my mind as I walked Ranma towards the baths, venturing the subject almost casually by asking him point-blank about his meeting with Kodachi.

She froze in mid-step and turned to me, her expression one of complete nervousness as she said, "You don't actually think I wanted to do anything with that girl? She's completely off her rocker, Nabiki, a total nut case, and she seems to think I'm some kind dating service. No way could I ever go out with a girl like her, no matter what she told you."

"I know that, Ranma," I said as I looked into the pensiveness that was about her clear blue eyes, "But Kodachi obviously doesn't. You didn't, by any chance, say or do anything that might have given her the wrong sort of impression?"

"I don't know," Ranma turned to face me squarely, "Not intentionally, but who knows what goes on inside her head. I wouldn't come anywhere near her if I had a choice about it, and she tried to give me a bunch of those black roses you know the ones? As soon as they hit the ground I heard a hissing sound, and I don't even want to know what was in them."

"My guess is either Paralysis gas or one of her patented Knock out potions," I replied with a look that as much as said that my suspicions were confirmed on that subject, "You were smart not to take a whiff of it or you'd be as motionless as a statue for the next several hours."

"Close call, huh?" Ranma smiled, then her expression became disconcerted as she said, "Geez what would she have done to me while I was helpless like that?"

"You don't want to know," I said with a tone and look that insinuated dark and unwholesome things best not contemplated. As slow as he usually was on the uptake, Ranma caught on with an expression of disgust that as much as told me her reaction.

Still as I watched her head off for her nightly bath I felt deeply troubled over the way I was reacting to the whole affair. I had allowed a certifiable nut case to get past my guard and rattle me in a rather significant way. I was actually feeling emotions that were nearly foreign to my nature such as jealousy and rage, and over a guy whom I had barely known for more than a few weeks at best. Something was definitely wrong with me, and until I had taken back control over my life I would not know a moment's peace. I had to make a decision about Ranma.

I knew that sleep would not come easily as I replayed the events of the past week in my mind, including my conversation with Ranma upon the roof of our house when Kodachi had come upon us. It seemed as if I relived every moment of the time I had shared with Ranma from the day of his arrival to the moment I saw him enter the dojo with Kodachi, and the picture it drew for me was difficult to mistake. The plain conclusion was that I had grown very fond of Ranma and enjoyed the time we spent together. I had never had a friend like him, male or female, and I was finding it incredibly easy to relax my guard around him.

He never made demands, never forced me to open myself up, yet I did in a way that I had never done with anyone before, and every time he paid me the slightest compliment I found my breath catching in my throat. It was the first time anyone had really noticed me before, and it gave me a warm feeling to know that there was someone in this world who did not automatically assume that I was on the make or out to get a quick profit at their expense.

I hated feeling this vulnerable. How could I have allowed this to happen? I only agreed to take him as my iinazuke to please my father and possibly exploit his unusual abilities and curse. I knew how I could still do that, I had even thought of it after the first couple of days of knowing him, but I'd hesitated, had second thoughts, allowed myself to get close to him as a person and started to think of him as someone whom I liked being around. My whole life had changed, and I had changed, and I did not know if this was a good or bad thing, I just knew that I felt as though I were losing control over my own destiny. I did not know how else I could get it back except maybe do something that would put a distance between us and give me a chance to make sense of what had happened.

When I woke up the next morning I still had not made up my mind, but I was very irritable and cranky and far less sociable around the breakfast table even than I usually was. Fortunately for me Ranma was too wound up getting ready for her match to pay much attention. I did, however, take notice of the way Ryoga was being attentive to Akane, which somehow lightened my mood just a little.

Since I was functioning as Ranma's defacto manager I made certain that we both arrived at the Saint Hebereke gymnasium where the match was scheduled to take place. It was Ranma's first time there, while I'd only been there once before during my last semester on an entirely unrelated matter. I knew that it was an all-girl school and that it used to be a convent run by Catholic missionaries during the American occupation. It was originally named for Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, ecstasy and madness, which was the basis for its present name meaning "Falling down drunk," an apt enough title considering the kind of rich clientele that attended.

I explained all of that to Ranma, who gave me the sort of dull response that as much as said it went in one ear and out the other. It was plain that she was already mentally preparing herself for the match, and when we got to the lockers she was more than alert enough to spot the danger from the bouquet or roses sitting on the bench next to his panda father, who was busy reading the paper.

Oh wait, did I forget to mention that Genma's been working with Doctor Tofu as his assistant? As lazy as the old man was at times, I had to admit that he was helping pay at least part of the expense for his room and board with us, while Ranma and I-being students-were not supposed to get outside jobs that might conflict with our school work. Official policy sucks, but I manage to bring some money in by other means while Ranma well, his idea about starting up the dojo makes sense and is worth further exploration.

I don't want to hash out the details of what happened next, aside from the fact that Ranma and I beat a hasty exit from the lockers just before the bouquet exploded and knocked Genma out for the duration. A good thing Ranma was wearing the leotard Akane had given her from the night before-cleaned and readied care of a thoughtful Kasumi-  
so the matter was a slight inconvenience but not a total crisis. I'll also spare you the preliminaries leading up to the match at it was just Kodachi's usual antic behavior coming down in a Wedding dress with fireworks that strangely seemed to go off in our direction.

I will mention that Ranma rescued me from one exploding rocket by picking me up and leaping to safety. My heart was in my mouth when we came down, safe and sound, while Kodachi naturally pretended ignorance of the whole incident and the judges claimed inattention, so the match began with an exchange of names with Ranma using her Ranko alias, which caused a lot of commentary from the bleachers as some of the students from Furinkan recognized her from previous battles.

I'd skip the fight altogether except for the most noteworthy details, such as Kodachi cheating at the outset by slapping a handcuff on Ranma attached by a chain to a cute black pig (three guesses who) that Kodachi had found wandering lost just outside the gym. Akane, who had been sitting close to the arena, at once recognized her pet and wanted to thrash Kodachi on the spot but had to content herself with urging Ranma to stomp my rival flat. Ranma herself looked thoroughly disgusted, while the pig attached to her arm glared with beady little eyes that all but promised mayhem the moment Ryoga found some hot water.

Kodachi was in rare form pulling out all the stops and cheating with a will against the fiery redhead who stubbornly refused to fall for her dishonorable tactics. Ranma was restrained from giving as good as she got but still managed to frustrate Kodachi at every turn, and after five furious moments from which the Gymnastics world may not soon recover he finally got the upper hand on Kodachi and was about to turn the tables by throwing her out of the ring, only the ring itself suddenly moved to keep the Black Rose from exiting over the ropes.

Up until that moment I had suspected the judges of being firmly in Kodachi's pocket, clearly favoring the home team Captain, but this was too much even by my jaded standards. I ducked down under the arena and-sure enough-there was the rest of Kodachi's team helping to move it around whenever Kodachi blew her whistle.

They saw me and I smiled back in reply, seeing a perfect opportunity to get back at Kodachi. As the Black Rose's whistle sounded again I pointed at the floor and cried out, "Hey look, is that a mouse?"

My words had the desired effect of distracting the girls, who reacted like the silly chits I took them to be and failed to cover for their Captain, moving about in agitation with exclamations of fear at the thought of their toes being nibbled at by rodents. As I expected when I emerged from beneath the tarp Kodachi's failure to anticipate this move left her with no cover as she went flying out of the ring at the end of Ranma's ribbon. The match was over by a clear knock out and Ranma emerged the victor, for which fact there was double relief from both of us.

Of course when it came to owning up to her end of the bargain Kodachi proved remarkably fair minded at least for Kodachi. She came limping up with the assistance of her brother, glared at me with clear distaste, then squared her shoulder and attempted to put some weight on both legs, assuming a formal posture before bowing to Ranma, whom she seemed to regard with a new appraisal.

"You are a worthy foe," she said, "Perhaps we shall meet again under more favorable conditions?"

"Whatever," Ranma sniffed as she returned the bow, but-being Ranma-she could not resist twisting the knife by adding, "Whenever you're ready to have your butt handed to you again, lady."

"Hmph," Kodachi sniffed, then looked at me and said, "You have my permission to continue your courtship of Saotome Ranma for now, peasant. I fail to see what he appreciates in you, but there must be some virtue beyond your mercenary ways if you go to such trouble defending him as courting this red headed strumpet."

"My twisted sister does not speak for the both of us," Tatawaki said as he took Ranma by the hand and bent down to kiss it, "Your performance was exceptional, and I am more determined than ever to woo you from the clutches of your foul cousin. Until next we meet, my Osage no onna."

Ranma's expression made it plain that it would be a cold night in a fiery hell before she let Kuno look at him in that expressive manner again. Still we managed to walk away from the whole encounter in better spirits than when we entered. Furinkan had triumphed over Saint Hebereke for the first time that anyone could remember, and I picked up a cool profit from the bet I had laid on the fight with some of the local students and overall I checked the matter up as a plus.

Except for the walk home where I began having my doubts return in full force. Ranma and I were having one of those moments when awkward silence was the only thing between us. Ranma was still in girl form and looked eager to get home so she could change back, but she seemed pensive for other reasons, and after we were nearly halfway home she finally glanced my way and said, "Thanks for helping out back there with the other gymnasts, I mean."

"Oh sure," I said, "No problem, Ranma. I was glad to do it."

After another long pause she said, "I guess Kodachi's still going to be a problem for us. I don't know why but I think she's after me I mean my male form, I mean. You think you can handle that?"

"What makes you think I can't handle her?" I challenged, "I've known her longer than you."

"Yeah but well," Ranma seemed to be looking for the right way to phrase her next words, and having a rather limited imagination she finally just came out and said, "She can't be trusted and she's proven that she's dangerous in a fight. That hoop with the razor edge means she doesn't care whether or not she hurts innocent people, and if you got into a fight with her "

"If I got into a fight with her what?" I asked as Ranma's voice trailed off.

Ranma stopped in mid-stride and just stared at the ground in front of her, then very slowly she turned around and looked at me with the oddest expression. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was in her eyes, but I knew when I stared back at her that Ranma was feeling was a lot more intense than the anger she had shown around Kodachi. I was feeling something very strange as well looking into her blue eyes and finally I knew that it was concern for me that she was trying to convey. It was fear for my welfare, an honest, open concern that lacked the usual reserve Ranma had in expressing her emotions.

"You could get hurt," she said at last, "I wouldn't want that. I don't want you ever to be hurt on my account ever."

"Well," I finally managed to say, "It's not like I've ever really been in danger around Kodachi, any more dangerous than living in Nerima generally is anyway, especially since you showed up in town."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," I said, "Except maybe the way you seem to keep getting into fights, and the weird stuff that's been happening lately. I'm not saying it's your fault, Ranma, but "

"Sounded to me like you think it is my fault," Ranma sighed, "I never asked for any of this, you know, the curse, the engagement, the people who seem to be out to either date or kill me, and I sure never meant to get you involved, you know "

"I know," I said with a certain tightness, hearing the bitter fatigue in her voice and wondering if maybe I were coming down with his tendency towards brutal and spontaneous honesty. If so, then it meant I was even farther lost than what I was afraid of.

I was coming to a point where I realized that the danger to my sanity and well being was coming down to a decision on whether to accept Ranma as my fianc e or to end the engagement now before I got any deeper. I was vexed by the point that Ranma had raised about my safety and well-being from the likes of Kodachi and anyone else who might get it into their head that I was an obstacle to the pursuit of a relationship with Ranma.

I had to get out now while I could. The risk of coming any closer than I was meant that a more painful separation was eminent if I did not either slow or reverse our relationship. I did not want to risk being hurt by another guy, especially someone who could leave me so confused with just a compliment or a careless statement. A relationship such as ours was much too strange to continue. He was a brawler, I was a thinker and beyond that we had so little in common. The fact that we did seem to be bonding on a certain level could not be allowed to interfere with my judgement on this matter.

Of course there would be a problem with convincing Daddy that we were basically incompatible, especially in light of the way everyone was now taking it for granted that Ranma and I were an item. I was certain that Akane would want nothing to do with Ranma at this point, while Kasumi seemed even more wrong than me for Ranma. In point of fact, the more I thought on it the more I wondered why Ranma should be forced to marry anyone he did not choose of his own volition.

After all we both were still quite young, and he had confessed to me that he did not want to be tied down before he had seen more of life and the world. Just as I was not interested in being a housewife I knew that he would never be happy as some nine-to-five guy working in an office. The dojo might be a way for him to earn a living, but it was too much like forming permanent roots and I just could not see him turning into a clone of my father, or his father for that matter.

But if I could arrange matters so that Ranma would have cause to reject me then he might make it easier for others to see that we were not ultimately meant to be together. It would mean risking alienation from the other members of my family, but it would help free Ranma from the commitment he had been forced into by our parents. I had to make an ending now, so I finally resolved to do the thing that I had hesitated to do, relying on my Ice Queen reputation to protect me from the repercussions.

I'm trying to explain in words what motivated me as I returned to my room and sought a certain object among my personal possessions. My reasoning may seem flawed even to me now, but I was determined to push on ahead with my plan, which would incidentally mean raising some extra capital to go with what I had earned from betting on Ranma.

The camera was a prized possession, a Nickon automatic with a shutter speed of 1/350th of a second. I had obtained it for a photography class I had taken in Middle school and had ever since used whenever I needed to obtain photographic evidence for whatever scheme I was involved with at the moment. I was quite good with this camera and had even briefly entertained the notion of making a living on my photography skills. It would serve me well for what I had in mind now as I left my room and sought out Ranma.

As I expected my transformed iinazuke had gone to his room to take a cat nap, having tired himself out during the match. He had been so wound up the night before, and there had been such fatigue about his eyes that I knew he would sleep like the proverbial log, which was perfect for my plans. I made sure to obtain a kettle full of heated water with a glass of cold water as I slipped into his room and put my plan into action.

It was almost too easy applying just enough water to trigger his transformation without disturbing his rest. I positioned myself and began snapping pictures, all the while hearing a little voice in my mind telling me that what I was doing was wrong, that I was betraying his trust and doing something for which I could never hope to be forgiven.

I changed him back with the hot water then withdrew as quietly as I had entered. The whole thing had taken less than a minute, but I could feel my heart hammering in my breast as the realization of what I was doing began to settle about me like a lead weight. I was about to re-  
enter my room when another thought came to me and I sought out Akane in the dojo where I found her working out with the weight set.

I excused myself when she asked what I was doing and took a few quick snapshots to finish off the roll, then I returned to the house and went to work developing the photos in my dark room. I was figuring about that time that if I was going to humiliate Ranma I might as well include Akane and methodically processed the film until I obtained the images that I was after.

When they were done drying I returned to my room and spread the finished product on the floor, kneeling down and examining each one with a critical eye before making my selection. I judged that ten photos of the twelve that I had taken of Ranma were of sufficiently that I could market them at top value. I also decided that five of the seven that I took of Akane were equally good, so with these fifteen bundled up into a package I reached for my phone and placed a call to a certain party.

Two hours later I sat across from Kuno in the very same caf where he had bought me a meal and some ice cream that I wound up sharing with Ranma. I wasted very little time pitching my proposition before Tatawaki then sat back on the bench and studied his face for a reaction.

I was not to be disappointed as he reacted the way I had expected, his eyes going wide as he clutched each picture up to his face in a way I would have found comical under different circumstances. I did my best to control my emotions as I set my price, prepared to haggle him into submission.

To my complete surprise he agreed to take the entire package with very little complaint, other than his usual appeal to the Heavens for mercy. I stared at the twenty thousand in yen which he set down in front of me, ignoring the cash as though it were of very little consequence. I stared at the yen in return, wondering privately to myself at the current market equivalent for twenty-two pieces of silver.

I was about to slip the cash into my purse when a figure plopped down on the bench beside me and almost scared me out of ten years growth. Ranma in girl form smiled cheerfully at me then looked at Kuno and asked what he was holding in his hands like a deck of cards full of aces.

Kuno had the good grace to hide the photographs as he stared back at her in disconcertion. It was almost a repeat of the last time we had been together there, only now I could feel my veins turn to icewater as my thoughts raced ahead of my emotions. HE KNOWS my instincts cried, and the realization of that held me paralyzed while Ranma proceeded to tease Kuno then casually asked if he would like to buy us both some ice cream.

Some crazed animal part of my mind made me want to get up and flee from there, but there was no way that I could do that with Ranma sitting on the outside half of the bench. She fixed me with a look that I could not decipher while Kuno at once signaled a waitress and instructed her to give us chocolate triple fudge sundaes, which oddly made me want to gag in spite of the fact that it was my second favorite desert. I cringed inside at my premature exposure then reluctantly reminded myself that this was what I had intended all along, giving Ranma a reason to resent if not outright hate me.

That had been my intention, but now that it seemed on the verge of being a reality I had all kinds of second thoughts. I was staring at the table in front of me as the sundae was served, feeling like the condemned being given their last meal. Ranma was not betraying any harsh emotions as yet, but the casual way she was acting in front of Kuno was somehow ten times worse than if she had been shouting in my eardrums.

Ranma ate her sundae while I could barely bring myself to touch my own, so at last she asked if she could have mine as well and I gave it to her without comment. At last Ranma got up after cleaning her face off and made an excuse, telling Kuno she would return in another moment. I took the opportunity to slide myself out of the booth at last and told Kuno I had other business to attend to.

Before I made it to the door, however, I saw Ranma again coming out from the kitchen slightly damp but looking at me with that strange gleam again, then he gave a less pleasant look in the direction of Kuno. I could not stand any more at that point and finally fled from the caf , letting the reins on my emotions slide away as I hurried off staring at nothing.

I had violated his trust and gone against his express wishes in taking pictures of his female form. Worse by far was the fact that he now knew it. It was over between us before it had even really started. I could not stomach seeing him look at me with what I imagined would be accusation and betrayal. I had succeeded in my plan to drive a wedge in our relationship, now I thoroughly intended to go home and smash my camera to pieces. It was a prized possession but now it would only serve as a reminder to what I had done and I could not live with myself if I did not make some token sacrifice in homage to my quest for independence.

Only it did not quite happen that way. About two blocks from the caf I found my way was blocked, and with some surprise I looked up to see Ranma standing directly in my path. Without a word he pulled out the very photographs I had just sold to Kuno and held them out to me with neither accusation nor explanation. I stared at them, then at him and said nothing, allowing the silence to speak volume as I waited for him to say the words that I expected.

Instead what he said was, "You know, if you need money that badly you could always come to me and asked. I never knew you were this serious about the photo idea, Nabiki. Of course I never would have believed that baka would shell out twenty thousand yen for pictures of the Tomboy and me. Is he an idiot or what?"

"Yeah," I replied, which was about the only thing I could bring myself to say at that point.

He inclined his head and said, "I'm not mad or nothing, but weren't you the one who warned me against feeding his stupid obsession? I'd give these back to him but I'm not sure I'd even like to think what he might do with them. I don't suppose you were also planning to sell more photos of me to Kodachi?"

I winced at that but forced myself to say, "If necessary."

"Would you mind telling me why?" he asked, "Did I do something really horrible to make you mad at me? Was this your way of getting back at me for something?"

This time I flinched before saying, "It's nothing you did, Ranma. This isn't about you or revenge, and I can't think of anything you've done lately that could make me angry."

"Then why?" he asked, "I'm entitled to know that much at least."

"Yes you are," I said, forcing myself to meet his stare and finding it even harder than before to read him, "It was just a business decision, nothing personal, just business."

"A business decision," he repeated, and somehow I heard the echo of his earlier accusation, "Is Money all you ever think about?" but he did not say that this time. Instead what he said was, "Money for the dojo?"

I looked at him in confusion and did not answer. He took my non-response as a yes reply as his expression softened, then he said, "Twenty thousand yen could buy a lot of things Kasumi needs around the kitchen. It could also pay for repairs for the damage me and Ryoga did last night to the dojo, right?"

I blinked. Was he deliberately putting a good spin on my actions or did he honestly believe that I had done this out of altruism? I had wondered about his obtuseness in the past, but to ignore the baser motives for my deeds this way was a charity I knew that I did not deserve. Yes the money would have been used on the dojo but that was not the real reason for the photographs and he should well have known that.

The problem with Ranma is that he tends to see the good in people, like Kasumi. It's a basic part of his nature, and though I had seen ample evidence of this in the past, until that moment I had failed to believe it. I was guilty of a crime all right, the crime of taking his feelings for granted. Now he was showing me a courtesy such as I rarely extended to others and it made me feel unworthy of him in some fundamental way, as though Kodachi's accusation had been right on target the whole time.

Ranma glanced at the photos in his hand and sighed, "Well, I guess I'd better get these back before Kuno notices they're missing. They're not too bad overall, but I hope you'll ask me next time instead of trying to make me think I've wet my bed or something "

"Ranma " I finally said at last, causing him to look at me in surprise.

For maybe ten seconds I stood there looking into his eyes, then I slowly walked up to him and put my arms around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder and holding him as I could find no other means of expression my emotions. Ranma stood there without responding for another ten seconds before he awkwardly put his arms around to steady me as he felt me trembling slightly. It was a moment for which I almost wished I had a camera, but I was just as glad that the streets were nearly deserted as I clung to him there, feeling tears upon my cheeks for the second time in the week. He must have seen those tears because a moment later he softly asked me not to cry, assuring me that everything was all right and that I should not feel bad about needing to earn money.

And that was when I finally knew that I was lost. I had given it my best shot and it failed to turn out the way I expected. Ranma was too noble, too decent to get angry because of some cheap stunt I pulled in a lame attempt at making him reject me. I now knew beyond question that I did not want to ever feel his rejection, that I could not live with myself if I had driven him away. I had lost the battle and quite possibly the war, yet somehow I was not sorry as I felt something warm inside me as Ranma accepted me as I was without question.

And now I am left with the brutal truth that Kodachi was right all along, I'm not worthy of being Ranma's iinazuke. That being said I am not willing to give him up either, especially not to someone who considers him as little more than a notch in her belt or a trophy. I am ready to concede to the engagement without further protest, even if it means I have to go and marry the baka because I'll never know this kind of happiness again if I ever lose him. We are still two very different people but we share enough in common to make a start at building a relationship, and who is to say if we won't ultimately prove to be good for each other?

If only he still didn't sometimes drive me so crazy

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Overbite: shadowmane

Next time up: Amazon fever!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	8. Chapter 8

NabikiRan6 Nabiki and Ranma;  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Part Seven By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi;  
all rights go to her, the publishers and distributors of the Ranma 1/2 series, this is a work of Fanfiction so please don't sue me)  
(This series has only facile resemblance to McKinley Morgan's Tales of Ranma and Nabiki, which I recommend you read at your leisure)

"All right, Saotome," I smiled at my nervous opponent, "Let's see what you're made of."

"Take your best shot, Nabiki," Ranma responded with typical bravado, "I can handle it."

I grinned at his pretense of a confidence that I well knew he did not have. I had my opponent on the ropes and we both knew it. There was no way for him to back out without losing face at this point, and I knew his stubborn pride would not permit him to concede defeat without at least attempting to make a firm stand in this arena of our engagement. I had the advantage here and I intended to press my claim hard so that he would regret having underestimated me in accepting this challenge.

"Famous last words," I leered as I directed my weapon at the chalk board and pointed at the first problem, "Find the Square Root of thirty-one hundred and thirty six, then divide by half, then multiply by twelve and add five to the total. What do you get?"

I could see the sweat bead upon his brow as he tried to work it out in his head, then finally straightened and said, "Three hundred sixty five?"

"Correct," I nodded, "The number of days in the year, minus the leap year, which is the answer to our first quiz question. Congratulations that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Ah, no," he replied, which was tantamount to lying but I let it go at that and turned my pointer to the next question.

"In what year did the Empress Jingo assume power in Japan."

"Three sixty of the Common Era," he promptly replied, radiating more confidence now as history was one of his few specialties of interest, "More traditionally known as the year 1020 going by the Imperial Calendar, which is supposed to record the advent when Jimmu, the great-great grandson of the Goddess Amatarasu Omikami, founded the Imperial line among the clans of the Omi, although some sources claim Amatarasu was actually from some group called the Jurai. According to one source I know personally the Emperor Jimmu was half Jurai and claimed divinity through his mother "

"That's very interesting, Ranma," I said as I absorbed this semi-mythical version of what I thought was most probably just a bunch of hokum cooked up by the imperial court to justify the Emperor's divine right of authority, which had gone unquestioned throughout the vast majority of our nation's history. I wondered who Ranma's source was and why they filled his head with such patent nonsense, but knowing how he felt about ancient myth I just mildly said, "But a bit much to put on a High School test. I'd stick to the basics with your answers and leave the more scholarly stuff for term papers."

"Okay," he shrugged, "Next question?"

"Politics," I smiled, seeing him groan inwardly as I turned to a subject of far less interest to him personally, "What is the present nature of our government and explain the basic functions for each branch of the political system."

He started racking his brain immediately to come up with the best reply while I stood my ground and waited for the inevitable to happen. It really was not a fair question to ask, requiring more general knowledge than I knew he possessed about the complex parliamentary system that ruled the forty-seven prefectures that constituted the Japanese islands, which was really pretty much a hodge-podge of Western and Eastern systems combined together during the post World War Two era.

He gave it his best shot but it was inevitable that he would slip up somewhere, and when he did I was ready to administer his punishment. I thrust the pointer-which was tipped with a sponge pad dipped in water-soluble yellow ink-at Ranma's face and lightly tapped his nose, leaving a small yellow mark on the tip, which prompted him to screw up his eyes in an attempt to look at it.

I smiled as I withdrew the pointer. Great Martial Artist that he was, Ranma had never seen it coming.

"Next question," I said, "What is the Atomic Weight of Osmium?"

"Huh?" he blinked, "The what of what?"

"AAAK!" I said, making a sound like a buzzer and thrust the pointer again, this time leaving a yellow mark upon his forehead, "That should teach you to study your Periodic Chart before you take your Chemistry exam. Honestly, Saotome, you'll never graduate Freshman year with this level of knowledge."

He made a face at that but said nothing in complaint. It was all part of our agreement that I tutor him for regular school in exchange for which he would help me re-  
learn the Martial Arts. Since I'm an Honor student it was natural that I quiz him first to learn just how much he actually did know so that I would know where to begin with his remedial education.

"Now then," I said, "Recite to me the basic rules for the use of kanji."

I knew that I had him yet again, and he knew that I knew it. He was sweating more profusely than before, but now he was trying to work it out, putting to use mental muscles that he probably had not exercised in many years, and the strain was telling.

In the end he gave me a correct answer and I almost felt disappointed. There were so many areas of his face yet to be touched upon, but the afternoon was young and I had only just started to quiz him.

Given that he could have avoided me altogether I thought he showed remarkably good behavior and took his punishment in good faith. I was inwardly touched by his trust and devotion and wished that I had chosen a less rough way of getting my point across, only I knew that I was doing the right thing. Ranma would only learn something if he felt challenged to know it. His competitive spirit would not allow him to back down once a challenge had been given and it was bound to make him try harder at remembering the things he already knew but had not bothered trying to remember.

It was my intention to make him into a better student, if for no other reason but that I wanted my iinazuke to graduate with a good grade point average. He might not ever really use it, and I didn't think he was the sort who would go on to college, but at least he would not bear the stigma of being a drop out ne'er-do-well. At the very least I would see that he got a diploma by the time he graduated.

So I quizzed him on the subjects that mattered: Grammar, Literature, History, Mathematics, Foreign Language Studies, Sociology and Business, each question asked being of general information level to determine his middle ground, the basis from where he could develop a stronger foundation of knowledge. Each time he gave a wrong answer I put another yellow mark on his person, and each time I did so he worked that much harder to answer the next question, sometimes surprising me with the resourcefulness of his solutions.

Of course some of his answers did not make much sense from what I knew about the subject in question, such as his daunting fascination with the mythological history of Japan, which sometimes conflicted with actual history, until we arrived at a crossroads where my vexation burst into full fledged frustration.

"You have got to be putting me on!" I declared, "The Tokugawa Shoganate was a brutal dynasty that closed Japan off from the rest of the world and locked us into a pattern of feudalism for over two and a half centuries! Ieyasu's so-called reforms were just a fancy way of consolidating his power by making a uniform culture in which all the daimyos had to tow his line. It may have pacified the country as a whole but it left in place a rigid social structure in which the Samurai class continued to lord it over the common people. That's not a very romantic picture overall, Ranma."

"I know," he shrugged, "I'm not saying it was a good or a bad thing, I'm just saying that the Shoganate was an improvement over the centuries of civil wars that came before him. Things weren't perfect, and I know it was pretty hard living if you were on the bottom of society, but you know what things were like in the rest of the world at the time. The Catholic Church was trying to undermine his power, and the European Missionaries "

"All right," I conceded, "So Ieyasu didn't want anyone else calling the shots but him, and the Christians were clearly a nuisance. Maybe they would have subverted power over time, and maybe we would have been colonized like much of the rest of Asia and turned into just one more European franchise. You can't escape the fact that the isolation we suffered made Japan a backwater nation until the time of the Imperial restoration."

"Yeah, but we sure caught up with the rest of the world pretty fast," Ranma said, "And the Industrial Revolution here had a distinctively nationalistic flavor. Mind you I like Western stuff a lot all except maybe their TV shows, which stink. Aside from the militarism that got us into two wars we've done pretty good over all, and we haven't lost our cultural identity with Modernization."

"I suppose that's true as far as it goes," I reluctantly admitted, "But it still seems like we've had to sacrifice a lot to make up for lost time. Who knows where we'd be if we maintained steady contact with the west during the late seventeenth through early nineteenth centuries ?"

"Probably got mixed up in a bunch of their wars and that revolutionary nonsense," Ranma shrugged, "I kind of like the way things turned out. Now we've got more freedom than at any time in our history, and besides that stuff about the Stock Market fluctuating we're still one of the richest countries on the planet. Things aren't perfect, but when have they ever been? I'm not saying all that stuff was right before the brutality and such, but how we got here ain't always as important as appreciating what we got today. I'm sure if I'd lived in those other times I'd probably have felt different."

I found it very difficult to argue with that, almost frustratingly so since it meant he had just effectively out-argued me on a point of practical scholarship. I fumed for a few moments before I finally said, "So you're saying we shouldn't worry that much about our past? We should just be thankful for the present and get on with the business of living?"

"Doesn't seem like much point crying about the bad old days," he shrugged, "We can learn a lot from the past, but it's more important to remember that we're living in the present."

"True," I smiled, and suddenly I stabbed him with the pointer, putting yet another yellow spot on his chin.

"Hey!" he protested, "What'd you do that for?"

"Just because," I smirked, "Do I need a reason?"

"Why you !" he suddenly launched himself at me, which took me completely by surprise as he had failed to react so far to any of my proddings. This time he closed the gap between us in less than a heart-beat, snatching the pointer away from me before he turned it my way and began to stab me with the yellow marker on my chin and forehead before declaring, "Now let's see how you like it!"

I recovered from my surprise with an indignant, "Give me that!" and I launched back towards him, only to have him flow away out of my grasp. I turned to find him right beside me with that insufferably smug expression on his face that as much as declared that I could not touch him if he did not let me.

"I think I've had enough questions for today," he grinned, "Now why don't you show me what you've learned? Fair's fair, after all, we had an agreement."

"True enough," I smiled as I assumed a fighting crouch and raised my arms in a boxer's pose. I had not practiced the arts for many years but I still remembered Daddy's earlier instructions and found the stance came back to me like riding the proverbial bicycle.

He stood and watched as I took my first swing in his direction. Rather than dodge me he put up his hand and absorbed my punch with hardly any effort. He smiled encouragingly as I squared my hips and raised one leg to kick at him, which he also blocked without even flinching. It was just a couple of tentative moves on my part, but I put more force behind my next kick, then the punch I threw afterwards, feeling incredibly awkward to be doing this after such a long time, as though the muscles I was using were protesting against this abuse. Ranma stood his ground and blocked my thrusts, all the time watching me without looking at my hands and feet as I put more and more force behind my kicks and punches. I felt ridiculously outclassed and imagined what sort of a fool I was making myself out to be in his eyes, yet somehow I found that I was enjoying his attention.

"Not too bad," he said after a few minutes, "You've got the basic moves, but you're really stiff and you don't have near enough coordination. You're thinking of your hands and feet as though there were separate parts of you instead of being an extension of you. Try not to think about the motion and just let your body do its stuff by instinct. I'll worry about whether or not you're using the correct form, okay?"

"Sure thing, Sensei," I said with a mocking smile, but I was taking his words to heart and trying to do what he was telling me. It wasn't easy for me to forget about paying attention to what my body was doing, but I knew he was the expert here so I did not question his judgement and simply concentrated on visualizing a target before I threw the next series of punches and kicks, starting to feel more than just a little bit winded.

"Better," he said a little while later as I paused to get my breath back, "You're looking more natural when you move now. Try breathing through your nose and pace yourself a little, don't throw everything into your swings and you won't tire out as quickly. Take a minute to rest then let's go through some basic warming up exercises, then we'll try a few katas."

"Whatever you say," I smiled, but instead of straightening up or sitting down I instead took a step towards him and before he knew what I was about I threw my arms around and drew him into an embrace. As he was just starting to react to that I wrapped one leg around one of his legs and used my momentum to trip him.

We both fell back onto the floor of the dojo with me landing on top of him, exactly as I'd intended. I put a hand to either side of his head and used my position to straddle and hold him down in a pin, knowing full well that he could break loose at any time but relishing my momentary advantage as I looked down at him with a grin that I knew would leave him flustered.

"Got you!" I crowed, enjoying the confusion and panic I saw on his face, which still had the yellow paint marks I had put there, "The great Martial Artist. Honestly, Ranma, you mean to say you never saw this coming?"

"N-nani?" he squirmed, his voice two octaves higher pitched than normal.

All at once there came a thumping noise at the back wall of the dojo, and suddenly a form came crashing through the wood and plaster, causing us both to turn and stare in disbelief as a singular figure stepped into view wielding a pair of weighted metal spheres that I knew to be bonbori maces, a type of weapon once used in China.

This girl was really something to look at, almost five and a half feet tall wearing a Chinese-styled outfit very similar to but much more formal than Ranma's and with a build that put even his female half to shame. She had long purple hair that hung down below waist level with a couple of Odango hairballs held in place by matching white Jade ornaments. The overall effect made her seem very cute, almost like a China doll, except that the expression on her face was anything but doll-like.

Her reddish brown eyes flashed anger as she took the two of us in, then with an angry gesture by one of her bonbori she spoke in a high-pitched, girlish voice, "Where Ranma?"

"Sh-Shampoo?" I heard Ranma gasp as he flipped me off of him and managed to position himself between me and this funky wild woman, "What are you doing here?"

I was surprised at his gesture of gallantry, but more surprised at the note of fear in his voice as he regarded this bimbo as though she were a genuine menace (and judging by the hole she had created I had a sense that this was an understatement). I also saw the girl's eyes narrow as she glared at Ranma, but there was no immediate recognition in her stare as she came to stand a short distance away looking the both of us over as if trying to classify our genus and species.

"Who you?" she asked in heavily accented Japanese, "And how you know Shampoo?"

"Who? Me? I'm nobody!" Ranma hastily declared, "I just um thought I "

The girl waved the bonbori under his nose and said, "Tell Shampoo where find Ranma now or I pound you like ricepaper!"

"Easy," he declared as he edged away from the bonbori, using two fingers to push it to one side as he straightened up, "She's not here right now, but I can tell her you stopped by if you want to leave a message "

"You no try hide her from Shampoo?" she declared with a suspicious glare that as much as accused him of every imaginable crime, "Shampoo find arrogant girl and she kill! You try hiding Ranma from Shampoo and she do bad thing to you. Tell Ranma that when you see!"

With that she turned around and stomped away like a maddened bull elephant, not even bothering to leave the way she came as she just pounded the ricepaper door off its hinges in her passing. It was not until she was finally gone that I heard Ranma sigh in relief, by which time I was starting to form my own suspicions as I glared angrily at his backside.

"Ranma," I growled in low menace, "Who was that?"

"Eep!" I heard him gasp as he started guiltily my way, "Uh just somebody I ran into back in China nobody you need to worry about, Nabiki "

"Excuse me?" I said, reaching out and grabbing him by his collar as I got into a sitting posture so that I could shake him a little to rattle some brains loose, "Try running that by me again, Saotome? This girl wants to kill your female half, puts two big holes in my family dojo and you're telling me it's nothing to worry about?"

"Ah well " he winced, "It's kind of a funny story well not funny really, but "

I drew him close until our noses were almost touching then stared him coolly in the eyes and said, "I'm willing to listen if you come clean now, otherwise "

I let the words dangle to give him a sense of all kinds of things that I could have been implying. He got the point and gave up on trying to be evasive, so he sighed and said, "Well, if you must know, it happened right after me and Pop got cursed at Jusenkyo "

And so he laid it out to me, how he and the old man had stumbled onto a village called Joketsuzoku that was inhabited by the Nyanichiczu Amazons of China, an ancient tribe dominated by women warriors who had lived there since the Bronze Age. I remembered reading about the legends of these people, who were known to be fiercely independent and not too congenial with strangers, possibly descended from the Scythian Amazons who once roamed the plains of Asia Minor.

It seems that their guide-a local man on good terms with these people-had explained that there was a great tournament taking place on that day where the best warriors of the tribe would compete for a prize, which happened to be a great feast that was laid out on a table. Ranma and Genma were hungry after having gone almost an entire day without food and did not wait to hear the rest of the explanation before digging in to fill their faces. The local Champion-who had just finished off the last of her opponents- was naturally outraged and challenged Ranma to a fight in which Ranma naturally came out the victor.

It was very soon after this that he found out why it was a bad idea to challenge and defeat an Amazon as the guide explained to Ranma that a female outsider who defeated an Amazon brought disgrace to the village. Their Champion gave Ranma a kiss that signified that she was now obligated to hunt her down and kill her. Ranma and Genma took their leave of the Amazons very soon after learning this, and Shampoo had been on their trail ever since, chasing them from one end of China to the other.

"But we managed to ditch her before we caught a boat ride back to Japan," Ranma finished explaining, "I never dreamed she'd be able to find me here! Now what am I going to do?"

"That's easy," I said in a neutral voice, "Avoid cold water until she leaves."

"Yeah, right," Ranma snorted, "Like I can do that! Problem is that she won't go away until she's satisfied that I'm dead. The guide said that Amazons like her are relentless, only she doesn't know about me and the curse. That's the only thing that's saving me now "

"Can't you challenge her and make her leave?" I asked, "You beat her one time."

"I beat her as a girl," Ranma said, "Only I didn't have to kick her too hard to do that. She was pretty tired from fighting all day so she wasn't at full fighting potential. I don't like hitting girls, and besides that, beating her up won't work, I'd have to kill her. I won't do that even if she is kind of violent."

"She's also very cute," I coolly noted.

"Yeah?" he blinked, "So what? You think I'm interested in her? No way! She's even crazier than the Tom-I mean, your sister."

"All right, Ranma," I sighed, "I'll go with you on this for now. So this girl thinks she has to kill your female half. Maybe if we convinced her that you were dead then she might leave?"

"Yeah," Ranma considered the point, "That might work, only "

"Only?" I frowned as I regarded his reluctance.

"Well," he looked at me a bit sheepishly before saying, "It's not really very honest, and besides that I don't think she'd buy it. She's not as stupid as she sounds, you know, even if she can't speak Japanese very well."

"Point taken," I mused, realizing that he had a point and that it was always a mistake to judge someone on first impressions and appearance. I considered the point carefully before saying, "Why does she have to kill you? Is that some tribal custom of her people?"

"I think it's some kind of village law," Ranma declared, "She's honor bound to bring my head back, which ain't gonna happen if I have any say in the matter."

"I should hope not," I shuddered, suddenly very fearful for him. Ranma's refusal to fight all-out against women was a definite disadvantage here, nor could I expect him to resort to murdering someone, even if it was technically in self-defense.

Still I could not stand aside and let my iinazuke come to harm, regardless of his personal inclinations. I resolved to find out more about these Amazons and their laws to find out if there were a clause or a loophole that I could use to get this Shampoo person to lay off on her vendetta.

I have to admit looking back on the events of the last few days that my initial feelings towards the Amazon were tinged with more than just a bit of envy on my part, although what exactly it is I'm envious about here is difficult to say because I'm pretty sure that Ranma doesn't favor her over me. For one thing she is stunningly beautiful with a body that you could die for, and she is extremely limber being a martial artist of a caliber rivaling that of Ranma himself. When I've seen her in action I've been enormously impressed, not to mention depressed when I think about the gulf that exists between her in me when it comes to the fighting arts. I'm hobbling on crutches while she runs the Marathon in just under two hours, which means in terms of threat I'm like a candle in the wind if it ever comes to a physical confrontation.

All right, but that's her specialty, my specialty is using my wits to get ahead, and I'm not about to concede a prize like Ranma to some bouncy piece of fluff who either didn't know what a door was or probably didn't much care, so I set to work researching the matter using my personal home computer, an innovation I've only started to make use of since acquiring it a short time ago. With it I found my fact-finding search greatly enabled beyond the bounds of what I could discover through my usual methods of inquiry.

How I got a home computer is quite a story in itself, and you may wonder how I could afford it when it's usually enough of a struggle just to keep food on the table and make repairs for all the stuff that gets damaged in the fights that are always going on around here. Truth is I got a great deal in a trade-off, actually more like the repayment of a favor for somebody who owed me big time. I had taken computer courses in High School, but Furinkan doesn't have that big a budget for its Computer Sciences division so most of my education had been acquired at the homes of friends who were computer literate. Being a quick study I naturally had learned the mysterious joys of the Internet and resolved to become its mistress. Having a system that had the best hardware and software components that could be afforded on my modest means I began my search to determine the roots of the Amazon society that Ranma said existed in the Qing Hi province, beginning my tireless search for this village he called Joketsuzoku.

My search, of course, began with the history of this remote area of Mainland China that is as shrouded in myth and legend as any place in the modern world. It is governed with surprising leniency by the Communist authorities, who are not known for their tolerance of indigenous tribal cultures. The people known as the Nyanichiczu Amazons have lived in that region since before the beginning of historical records. There is some evidence that they are indeed descended from a tribe of Scythian nomads who migrated there near the beginning of the Iron Age. The Amazons reported in Western mythology were thought to be just myth until recent excavations had turned up the burial remains of a matriarchal race of women warriors who lived a largely nomadic existence at about the same time as the Aeolian Greeks who spoke about them in their oral traditions.

According to the legend of Herakles a Greek expedition from Athens was sent to the area near the Black Sea to obtain a magical girdle said to have been a gift of the Earth Mother Ghea. Hippolyta, then Queen of the Amazons, greeted Herakles and the Greeks with open arms and was willing to give up the girdle but for the intervention of the Goddess Hera, who stirred up trouble with the Greeks and allegedly caused Herakles to either kill or take captive the Amazon Queen in order to win safe passage back to Greek held territories. After that the legends get murky, but one point is clear that the Amazons abandoned their capitol city of Themiscrya and fragmented into different tribal groups. The sisters of Hippolyta were said to have each headed a different tribal grouping, which sounds pretty much like any dynastic squabble ever recorded in history but may have resulted in one group finding refuge in the remote vastness of China.

The Chinese Amazons appear pretty early in the first millennium BC and seem to have won the respect of Princes and Emperors in the centuries following. They were mostly ignored or left alone to their own affairs and seldom interfered in politics, which was probably a large part of the secret of their having endured this long, one of the longest surviving cultures in the history of the world as it so happened.

A large part of that history and tradition seemed to revolve around their being in the possession of occult lore and knowledge that predated even the Taoist and Buddhist mystics of later centuries. It was alleged that they were the masters of both armed and unarmed Martial Combat over fifteen centuries before the founding of the Shaolin Temple, and even the great Boddidarma himself respected their prowess. With that sort of mystical and martial arts lore at their disposal it was little wonder that they had maintained their relative independence for so long a time, which meant that anyone who trained there was likely to be very, very good. Yet another incentive to further my researchers.

It took some time but I finally was able to find and download a translated copy of some Missionary reports that predated the Boxer rebellion, along with a annotation by the Cleric who had written it that the Amazons were to be given wide berth and not subject to attempts at conversion. Considering the missionary zeal that predominated at the time this was a rather surprising and ominous notation, and as I read the report itself I came to see why the author had considered them off limits. The Amazons were only mildly tolerant to outsiders and fiercely zealous of their traditions, ruled by a council of Elders who had supreme authority in all local decisions. Their rules were simple and few but had harsh penalties for violations and minor infractions, not the least of which was having an Elder visit you in the privacy of your den. No details were given as to what the consequence of this were exactly save that the author implied rather harshly that it was a fate not to be coveted.

I finally found the list of their rules dealing with Ranma's situation, and that was when I came across a sub-  
clause that made my hair stand on end. It was indeed true that Ranma, in defeating an Amazon-no less than the tribal Champion at that-had gained a powerful enemy for his girl form, but in regards to his male half the issue was another form of danger altogether. That was where I determined to have a long and serious talk with Ranma in which I meant to outline his peril in full graphic detail so that I could get his total cooperation in the counter-  
measures that I was then devising.

Rather than seek him out that night I decided to sleep on it instead, which was a mistake I now know, but at the time I was still recovering from hours of frustrating Net Search and the closing of many dead ends. It was late and I needed rest, and had I been clear minded enough I would have realized the urgency of my warning, but instead I waited to discuss it with Ranma at school the next morning.

Breakfast turned out to be a disaster as I badly overslept and would have been late for school altogether if Ranma himself had not come to get me. A hasty bath and a quick dress later I started to try to explain to him what I had discovered but he was impatient to get moving, and so he picked me up and carried me to school, leaping from roof to roof in that incredible way of his while I held on for dear life and forgot all about everything but the pounding of my heart. By the time we had arrived I was still recovering my breath in amazement of my iinazuke, but we had to part for our separate classes, so I did not see him again until lunchtime.

I made certain to get his attention the moment he showed up at our favorite spot in the cafeteria, and as usual we were given wide berth by the majority of our fellow students. This time I did not mind the isolation as it gave me a chance to confer with him in relative privacy, but just as I started to acquaint him with what I had learned about Amazon tribal law there came a tell-tale pounding at the rear wall, which was heralded a moment later by yet another explosion of bricks as Shampoo appeared again and angrily demanded to know the whereabouts of Ranma.

Naturally our fellow students were only too glad to point in our direction.

Shampoo recognized us with an angry glare and came storming over to our table with her bonbori at the ready. She gave me a look of dismissal before turning her full attention on Ranma as she declared hotly, "You lie to Shampoo and try trick her yesterday! You know where Ranma is, tell Shampoo now or you get hurt!"

"Hey, easy with those things," Ranma said nervously as he edged away on our bench, "If I knew where she was don't you think I'd tell you?"

"You think Shampoo believe stupid boy who try to trick her?" Shampoo glared in a way that would have been cute if she did not look so deadly serious, "Boy outside say you know, say you Cousin's protector, only cousin's name Ranko! Shampoo not know what you try to pull here, but she get truth now or else!"

And to make it crystal clear that she was serious she brought her bonbori down on what she must have supposed would be Ranma's head, only to find that he had moved out of her way as quick as an eyeblink. She seemed surprised at this but came at him again, swinging those heavy maces of hers with great speed that proved far too slow to actually nail him. Ranma glided out of her way with the same ease he used to dodge the most vicious sword attacks by Kuno.

"Look," he said, "I'd like to help, really, but you're going to have to stop attacking me. I mean, I don't want to fight you "

"Stand still and let Shampoo pound you!" the girl angrily demanded, continuing to attack Ranma, who just as persistently avoided her maces.

"Ranma!" I called out, which was a mistake I now know but at the time I was sincerely worried about the Baka's welfare, "You're going to have to fight back! She won't stop coming after you, but whatever you do try not to actually beat her!"

"What?" Ranma blinked and almost let himself be nailed before he recovered, "What do you mean don't beat her? What do you think I'm trying to do?"

"Just trust me on this," I said, "Try to work it so you get a stalemate with no obvious winner, okay? Try taking the bonbori away, that should make her think about it "

"You no interfere!" Shampoo growled at me as she turned from Ranma and started waving her bonbori in my direction.

I at once raised my hands to try and deflect her anger, "Hey, don't look at me, I'm not looking for a fight "

"Then you stay back and let Shampoo punish boy!" Shampoo growled, taking one angry step in my direction.

"Nabiki!" I heard Ranma cry out as I saw Shampoo wave a bonbori in my face, not actually threatening me but trying to make me back off, although to him it must have seemed as if I were in immediate danger. I wasn't watching him so it came as a surprise when Ranma swept me up into his arms and kicked the bonbori out of Shampoo's hand, which caused it to arc upward while my eyes followed it, feeling a certain sense of inevitability when its downward descent brought it hard upon the head of my purple haired assailant.

The next thing I know is that she is flat on the ground, good and stunned by the accidental blow while Ranma is holding me close to his breast and looking towards her in concern. I was aware of his powerful frame holding me close to him like some character out of a Romance Mange but I was also looking towards Shampoo, albeit for very different reasons.

"Uh oh," I heard him exclaim, "I beat her again."

"Uh oh is right," I murmured, "Now we're really in trouble."

"Now she's gonna be after me in both my forms," he groaned.

"Oh yeah," I replied, "Only not the way you're thinking."

"Huh?" he looked down at me in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"You know what happens when an outsider male defeats an Amazon, Ranma-kun?" I asked him simply.

"What do you think?" he snorted, "That's what I've been trying to avoid "

I shook my head, "That only applies to female outsiders. When you beat her as a girl she was obligated to come after you for vengeance, but what happens when a male outsider defeats her like you just did?"

"The same thing?" he asked, and I noticed that his tone was almost hopeful.

"Guess again," I said as I heard Shampoo groan softly, then push herself up to a sitting position.  
She felt her head as though to discover whether or not a goose really had laid an egg there, then slowly looked up towards Ranma without a trace of the hostility that had been there a moment before. I saw her actually smile at him before she got to her feet, leaving her bonbori clubs where she had dropped them.

"Uh, look," Ranma said as he set me down on my feet once again and attempted to shield me by placing himself between me and the approaching Shampoo, "I'm really sorry about that, I didn't mean for you to get hurt-what? OMMMPHHH!?"

The latter was said because Shampoo reached out and drew him into her arms, then before he could even think to react she kissed Ranma full on the mouth, then murmured, "Wode Airen. Wo ai ni."

"Huh?" Ranma replied with a stupefied reaction.

"Beloved husband," I translated into his ear, "You I love."

Ranma looked at Shampoo and uttered a very mild, "Nani ?"

So that was how Ranma gained another suitor, and this time the threat I face is genuine. Shampoo lost to an outsider male and was bound by her laws to marry Ranma, a man skilled enough to beat her in combat. Apparently the law was designed to discourage losing to anyone but the fiercest male fighters, no doubt also intending to recruit new blood into the tribe that was worthy of their long policy of Strength as a virtue. Ranma is now betrothed to Shampoo by the laws of her society, in effect already his wife in all but name regardless of a lack of formal declaration on his part. To say that Ranma objects to being considered this would be a considerable understatement but the law is pretty plain and has almost no loopholes or exceptions to work through. Shampoo must either marry Ranma or return home in disgrace while simultaneously obligated to hunt down and kill his female half. Logically the two laws should contradict in his case, but until it becomes plainer which way Shampoo will go we're going to have to keep Shampoo guessing until the plan that I'm still forming hatches.

Ranma is in a miserable state right now and I'm going to have to go and offer him my comfort at some point if only to reassure him that I'm not blaming him for getting into this crisis. I don't really, but I'm also worried about what Shampoo is going to do to me as soon as she starts to consider me as a rival for Ranma's affections. I'm pretty certain that I wouldn't last two seconds against her, so whatever I do is going to have to be done intellectually, maybe taking advantage of her provincialism and lack of knowledge of our culture. Knowledge is a kind of power and I'm fairly confident that I have the advantage in that field.

Not that I'm saying Shampoo is a fool simply because she speaks very poor Japanese-far from it! In fact I'd say that she has at least as much animal cunning as Kodachi herself, only slightly less psychotic.

What am I going to do about her? Just when things seemed to be settling into a nice and tidy pattern everything suddenly is in a complete shambles, and all because Ranma and his father had to go and pick the wrong village for a food raid. I don't want Shampoo to either kill or marry Ranma, and I certainly don't want to wind up on the receiving end of her jealous anger either. A pretty mess indeed, but there has got to be a way to satisfy her wrath without anybody actually dying.

Tricking her to think that Ranma-chan has either been badly hurt or injured is certainly out while I'm positive that Shampoo is going to court Ranma with even more determination than she used to try and kill him. I'm wondering if maybe there might be a solution in playing one problem against the other? Maybe I'll figure it out by the morning.

I find myself sitting here wondering if Ranma is really worth all this trouble, but then I think back to what it felt like when he was carrying me and I find that question much easier to answer. Ranma is worth the world to me and I won't let anything happen to him, just as I won't let anyone else have him either. I may not have wanted this iinazuke stuff to affect me as badly as it has, but like it or not I care too much about Ranma to let some hair-dyed floozy have him. Tomorrow I'm going to search the Net again and see if I can find what I need, maybe some clause to these Amazon rules that I've yet to consider.

You know writing this stuff down really does help me think things through more clearly, but maybe in the future I'll transfer my thoughts into the computer. There's less danger of somebody reading this without my knowing, like Akane or Kasumi. Not that I don't trust my sisters, of course, but re-reading what I've written down here I could almost get the impression that some lovesick girl was drooling about her stupid boyfriend who can't seem to manage to stay out of trouble for as long as five minutes. Imagine.

On the other hand, whatever else you can say about Ranma and his troubled fortunes, life sure has been anything but dull, and somehow I find myself looking forward to the challenge of tomorrow provided we both somehow by some miracle survive it.

Too tired to write now, maybe I'll just get some rest and start all over in the morning

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Historical Notations Department: shadowmane

My apologies if my attempts at making Ranma sound historically literate worked to create the opposite impression. My knowledge of Japanese history and culture is generalized at best, but I figured he would know enough about history to compete with Nabiki in that department. As for the western parts, I challenge anyone to make a better account for the Historical existence of the Amazon burial mounds found in the lands that once belonged to the Sythians, who-contrary to popular misunderstanding-were never a part of the Greek province though they lived contemporary with the 12th to 2nd century BC horseborne steppe culture. It vanished mysteriously around the 6th century BC, and who is to say if a group might not have wound up in China, where the Martial Arts were known as early as 1000 BC, although not exactly in the form that later came from India to China with the arrival of the Shaolin founder, Boddidharma.

The founding of Japan is a controversial subject hotly debated by archeologists and scholars. The traditional date for the founding of the Imperial line by the first Emperor, Jimmu, is 660 BC, but the actual uniting of the Japanese Isles into a single recognizable national unity did not take place until centuries later. The inhabitants of the main Island of Honshu were at the hunter-gatherer stage with limited agriculture until the year 440 BC when a new culture suddenly and explosively appeared on the southern Island of Kyushu and spread northward, displacing the native Ainu peoples as a new agriculturally based peoples founded what would later become the Japanese civilization. Attempts to link Japanese ancestry with the mainland are frustrated by the fact that the Japanese language is almost unique to the region, having few linguistic connections to Chinese or Korean, almost as though the culture had dropped out of the sky and implanted itself amidst the Japanese people, hence my mention of a Juraian connection.

As for the legends of Herakles and the Amazons, opinions may differ, but the report that the heroic demigod killed Hippolyta out of suspicion that she had betrayed him is contradicted by her later appearance some years later during the Trojan War era where she is alleged to have been killed by her younger sister, Penthesilea, who was herself later killed in battle by Achilles trying to help King Priam. Contrary to what a certain Comic Book company would have you believe, the expeditionary force sent to the Amazon lands and headed by King Theseus could not have been large enough to conquer the Amazons, but it did make them mad enough to attack Athens in a retaliatory war when Theseus made off with Hippolyta's other sister, Anobia, who later bore Theseus a son named Hippolytus. Of a certainty the Amazons vanish like the rest of the world known to the Early Greeks preceding their subsequent conquest by the Dorians who succeeded them. By the time the Greek Myths were written down the Amazons were a fading memory briefly encountered in a much-diminished form by Heroditus in his travels.

The Amazons were never truly Greek, so the name applied to them does not actually apply at all since it was a name the Greeks coined in describing them as "Without Breasts" (A-Mazon), or Unfeminine, a term one could hardly consider when thinking about Shampoo. They were close to modern-day White Russians or their Hittite neighbors and it is not recorded in any known written form just what they called themselves, though Nyanichiczu is probably as good as anything presently known to modern scholarship.

Next time we see just exactly how Nabiki tries to cope with her Shampoo situation. Somebody's memories are about to get scrambled, and will Nabiki lose the thing she most prizes besides money? Be there.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	9. Chapter 9

NabikiRan7 Nabiki and Ranma,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the characters/situations created by Rumiko Takahashi;  
all rights go to her, the publishers and distributors of the Ranma 1/2 Series)  
Chapter Eight.

"More Ramen for Ranma?"

"Uh, no thanks," Ranma replied as he turned his mouth away from the proffered chopsticks laden with spicy noodles, "I'm not hungry anymore, couldn't eat another bite if I had to."

Shampoo looked disappointed as she sat back and studied her husband with an earnestly concerned expression. She looked very cute sitting where she was at Ranma's side, the perfect model of a dutiful wife seeking to please the man to whom she was married. Ranma, on the other hand, looked tense and nervous, unsure of what to do as he sat before the table trying to wage a silent war between wanting not to hurt her feelings and finding a way to make her stop behaving like his Mistress, or something.

Nabiki sat at the other end of the room pretending to ignore the whole exchange, silently fuming as she stared without seeing the homework sheet in front of her, her every nerve and fiber tensing with the desire to do something, to angrily denounce the couple, or at the very least tell the Chinese Amazon to take a hike and leave Ranma alone for the rest of the evening.

"Hmmph," Shampoo sniffed cutely, "Why you so stubborn, Airen? You no like Shampoo's cooking?"

"Oh no," Ranma hastily insisted with a lopsided smile, "It's not that, really you're great cook, maybe even as good as Kasumi."

"Oh?" Shampoo adopted that sly look again as her competitive spirit once more rose to the surface, "You want maybe we find out who cook you food better? Shampoo no mind if nice girl compete, but Shampoo still do better. You judge who cook you better dinner?"

"Ah maybe another time," Ranma said weakly, "I'm just full right now, couldn't eat another bite if I tried."

"Hiyaa," Shampoo said with a thoughtful expression, "Then maybe you need take nap, Airen. Let Shampoo give you rub-down, help with digestion "

The sound of a loud snapping filled the room and caused both heads to turn towards Nabiki, who sat there with the two halves of the pencil she had just broken between her fingers, her expression a mask of intense displeasure that she seemed barely able to contain. It was with some effort that Nabiki mastered her anger then sat upright, saying, "If you two are going to make out, then I'll give you all the room you need."

"Nabiki " Ranma faintly murmured as he watched the middle Tendo daughter get up to leave.

"Short haired girl very strange," Shampoo remarked with an odd expression, then she turned to smile again as she put her arms around Ranma and said, "Still is nice we be alone together, Airen. You want backrub now?"

Ranma barely heard the question as he watched Nabiki's shadow vanish up the stairs. His face was set with a look of abject misery as he murmured very faintly, "Nabiki "

Nabiki stormed up to her room and slammed the door behind her, being careful to lock it, then sought out her desk and sat down, putting her chin on her hands as she glared angrily at nothing. For several long moments she fumed in silence, then-very slowly to be sure-her anger faded, to be replaced by a sense of forlorn longing.

"Ranma " she whispered, the name containing an equal measure of sadness and sweetness.

After a very long pause she sighed, then reached down and unlocked her desk, removing a small black book that once had sat unused in the open but was now among her most prized possessions. She glanced sidelong at her computer, then put the book away again and powered the thing up, waiting several long moments before she could open a Word file after keying in a certain password.

Once the file was called up she leafed down to her last entry, then pointed and clicked with the cursor at the bottom of her last paragraph, spaced down to the next line and began to type in a new entry with careful strokes of her long, tapering fingers

"Well, I'm back again and ready to give my latest update. It's been nearly a full week since the Amazon moved in with us and she shows no signs of getting tired of seeking out Ranma's affections. It's been getting a lot harder for me keeping up the pretense of indifference watching that girl paw my iinazuke, and I'm starting to lose it big time. I don't know how much more of this I can take and if I don't do something fast I am going to go utterly crazy "

A knock on the door brought Nabiki to a halt in her writing. Very cautiously she said, "Who is it?"

"Oneechan?" asked Akane, "Is it all right if I come in?"

Nabiki turned off the monitor screen after saving the file then got up from her desk with another sigh and unlocked the door, meeting her sister's worried gaze with her own best attempt at stoical indifference.

"Sure," she said as she stepped back to allow Akane in, "No problem. What's on your mind, Neechan?"

Akane waited until Nabiki had locked the door again, giving her older sister a worried look that seemed to read her lack of sleep and general misery at a glance, then she said, "How are you holding up? I thought I saw you heading this way and I thought "

"You thought I might be in tears or something," Nabiki said matter-of-factly, "Sorry to disappoint you, Neechan, but I don't do that stuff. Besides, it's not as if it's any of my business what goes on between those two "

"Who are you kidding?" Akane all but exploded, "Ranma takes up with that floozy and you say it's none of your business?"

"Why should it be?" Nabiki asked in a hard tone, "I know Ranma's blameless for bringing that girl into this house. She's not really his type, but he's got to humor her until we can figure out what to do about those stupid laws of hers "

"What do you mean it's not his fault?" Akane demanded, "He challenged her to a fight then humiliated her in front of her entire village, and ran away on top of that, causing her to come chasing him down right to our father's house, then to top it off he goes and beats her a second time, giving her the weird idea that he's her husband? Sounds pretty much to me as if it's all his fault, every bit of it "

"I will remind you that at the time of her second defeat Shampoo was threatening me," Nabiki replied coolly, "Ranma was acting to save my life when he accidentally beat her. Why should I blame him for that, even if it is in her stupid rules to marry the guy who defeats her in battle."

"Come on, Neechan," Akane complained, "You've got to feel something about all of this. I can't believe you'd let that creep walk all over you while he takes up with that over-inflated Bimbo!"

"You think he'd have the guts to try anything with her while I'm watching?" Nabiki stoically remarked with just as much stubborn pride as anything Akane might muster, "You forget what she's like when he's in his girl form, chasing him all over the yard, smashing anything in her way, only to glomp on him as soon as I can pour some hot water on the baka "

"And you're not even charging him for that," Akane said with an almost sisterly smirk, "In szpite of the cost of repairing all the damages. You're either slipping or you're more hung up over the guy than you want to admit."

"Believe whatever you like," Nabiki said as evenly as she could, but the effort was too much for her this time and so she sat down with a low groan and stared at the floor for a full minute before saying, "It's not his fault, he doesn't want to be with her. He's trying to pretend I don't exist so that Shampoo doesn't suspect me of being her rival. You know what she'd do to me if she gets it into her head that I'm in the way of her having a relationship with Ranma."

"I know," Akane's tone softened abruptly, "I really don't see why you'd put up with this over his account, he's such a typical guy! Arrogant, smug, self-centered, thinks he's better than anybody "

"And he could beat you hands down," Nabiki shot back in tired humor, "If he could bring himself to hit a woman. We both know how good he is, and unfortunately so does Shampoo. She considers him a real prize, and I guess I can't really blame her."

"I never thought I'd live to hear you say that about some guy," Akane sniffed, "You always said macho creeps like him were beneath your notice, and it's not exactly like he's a potential Rhodes scholar "

Nabiki snorted at that, "He thinks the Meiji restoration period caused the decline and fall of our civilization."

Akane blinked at that then said, "Uh yeah whatever "

"Look, Sis," Nabiki sighed, "I know being engaged to Ranma has meant a lot of pain and sacrifice, but I've got everything under control, really. Have you ever seen me lose control over my life? Do you think a little setback with some purple haired Chinese tart from the boonies is going to get the better of Tendo Nabiki?" She paused for a moment and then her resolve began to crumble as she softly added, "Maybe."

Akane herself was silent for a few moments, then she managed to smile and say, "Staying up here in your room's no good, Oneechan. Why don't you go downstairs with me and we'll work out together. I know I always feel better after I've had a good workout."

"You think beating the stuffings out of helpless bags and equipment is going to make me feel better?" Nabiki scoffed, then she sighed, "What the hell, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try doing things your way "

Private Journal of Tendo Nabiki:

So okay, maybe Akane had the right idea after all. I mean, punching bags isn't a suitable substitute for hitting the thing I'd really rather try to beat up, but it's a lot less painful in the short run.

Ever since Ranma rekindled my interest in the Anything Goes martial arts system I used to practice when I was a kid I've been taking it out a lot more on the padded dummies and gloves with Akane helping by sparring with me, which is about like going up against a Middle Weight Prize fighter, but my sister is taking it easy on me for the most part. At least she never punches back, which I know would hurt a lot if she were fighting in serious earnest.

I do feel a tiny bit better after a work out, even if this doesn't basically solve my real problem, which is the Purple Haired dynamo whom I have absolutely no chance of beating in a straight fight. I could train for ten years and never be as good as she is. I know this for a fact because I've seen her working out in the morning, and she fights for keeps on a level almost worthy of Ranma. Only a fool would go a single round with her, and she comes from a society where second best is not an option.

I mean that girl is phenomenal! She fights like a tiger with more strength and better control than Akane on her best day. Though she prefers to use those metal bonbori spheres she's just as good without them, and her whole body is as toned and fluid a weapon as any acrobat. Just watching her work out I find it incredible that even Ranma could have beat her.

Okay, so I can't physically match her prowess, no big surprise there seeing what this girl can do to the wall of an average building. I still have an advantage over her in that I'm a native of this country while she's a foreigner and can barely speak the language. I won't claim that this girl is stupid, even if she does act like a clueless bimbo much of the time. She's more than capable of the same low animal cunning as Ranma and can surprise me in little ways, so it would not pay to underestimate her intelligence.

Anyway the basic problem is that she comes from a warrior culture that prizes strength and combat ability over more civilized virtues. She's the best in her age group and she's never known defeat until she met with Ranma in his girl form a few months ago in China. By the laws of her society she has to regain her lost face by killing the red haired, pig-tailed girl who defeated her in battle, but she must also marry the boy who defeated her as well, and the fact that the two are one in the same has so far escaped her notice. What happens when she does find out the truth is anyone's guess, but there's no mystery at all about what she'll do if she find out about me and Ranma.

Warriors in her culture are jealously possessive about their men, and by the rules of her society she is already Ranma's wife, even if there's been no formal ceremony. An outsider female claiming to be engaged to her husband would be a challenge to her status, an obstacle by definition, and according to the rules of her society Obstacles like me are only good for removal.

But I'm the one who is engaged to Ranma by the honor of our families, while Ranma is more afraid of Shampoo than anything else and would rather not have anything to do with her if it were up to him. I can see that in his every look and gesture when that floozy is trying to get his attention or start something up with the boy. Akane may think that Ranma is encouraging Shampoo by not outright refusing her attention, but I still remember the scream he gave out that night when he found her laying in his bed naked.

Nobody's that good an actor, especially Ranma. He's too nice to tell her off, and that one time he did try explaining his feelings to her she just nodded her head and smiled a lot, not understanding a word he was saying. I watched from concealment as Ranma tried and failed to tell her that he could not marry her just because of an accident where she got careless and knocked herself out trying to get at me. I think a brick wall would have been more understanding, or maybe she just did not want to hear the rejection in his voice. I don't think the rules allow her the option of refusal, and even without those stupid rules she seems bound and determined to take Ranma with her back to China.

I'm jealous, okay, and I'll admit it here where nobody can see me say it. I want Ranma all to myself and the thought of him being with Shampoo is enough to make me physically ill. Try as hard as I can I just can't bring myself to ignore what's happening under my father's roof, so if anybody has a right to be angry at Ranma it's me and not Akane.

The only problem is that I'm the one who told Ranma not to upset the Amazon, and we both agreed that it was safer for me if we pretended to be strangers. Ranma won't fight with a woman, and if Shampoo learns that I'm engaged to him she'll probably attack me, just like last time. Since he can't defend me I need to use my wits to get us both out of this situation. I've spent hours on the Net researching the Nyanichiczu Amazons, but all I've been able to discover so far confirms that Shampoo is as trapped as we are, so for now the best thing to do is to keep our cool and try to make Shampoo happy until I can come up with some kind of an answer.

The way I see it the only way out of this mess would be for somebody to defeat Shampoo in battle and take her from Ranma. They haven't consummated their marriage yet so Ranma is only technically Shampoo's husband by the laws of her village. If another man were to claim her, and were able to defeat Ranma, then Shampoo would no longer be bound to my fianc e and would have to call that other man her husband.

My fianc e. Only a few short weeks ago I would have gagged before saying that, now I write it so fluidly you'd think the idea of being somebody's wife was what I lived for. Until I'd met Ranma I had been the Mistress of my own destiny, beholden to none and not in the least bit interested in becoming like millions of other young girls who pine away and dream of a handsome husband.

I guess part of the problem was that the boys that I was used to associating with were callow and crass youths governed by their insecurities and hormones, intimidated by girls and yet wanting to assert their masculinity by displaying their prowess in the pursuit of young women one way or another. I used to think all men were like that until the day I met Ranma, who has so far proved to be the exception to every rule in the book as far as I thought I understood about the male of our species.

Ranma is different from other boys, and by different I don't just mean that he's a superior Martial Artist or anything like that. I mean the guy's trained all his life to be the best there is at beating people up, and it's like a gift with him. He makes it look so easy that it's like he's hardly even trying.

I mean to say that Ranma isn't obsessed with impressing women, or anyone else for that matter, so he basically is pretty na ve when it comes to the way most boys act who are seeking attention. Ranma impresses me by the very fact that he really isn't trying to impress me or any anybody else about his martial arts prowess. He takes a lot of things for granted that quite frankly would scare me silly, both acrobat and daredevil rolled into one, so what's normal to him would be pretty extraordinary to an Olympic level gymnast, and he does things so nonchalantly

Anyway what I meant to say doesn't just cover martial arts because if that were all there was to the guy I'd have written him off as more in Akane's line than mine. No, what makes Ranma special to me is that he really cares deep down about people. The guy's spent most of his life alone living like a wild man but he genuinely does care about the people he interacts with on an almost daily basis. He cares about his father, even though the old panda has been a very poor role model in a lot of areas, and he cares about even a baka like Ryoga on account of the fact that the aptly-named Lost Boy got himself stuck with a Jusenkyo curse trying to hunt Ranma down for a fight over bread, which sounds to me more like a self-  
inflicted injury but makes Ranma feel guilty, as if he deliberately knocked Ryoga into that pool like Hibiki keeps insisting.

And Ranma cares about me as well I know this deep down in my heart and I'm nobody's fool when it comes to men, let me tell you!

Of course he's also a very long way from an ideal human being, more like a real diamond in the ruff, a Wild Horse in need of domestication who's never mastered the people skills that contact with other guys his own age might inspire, except on those occasions when he's managed to attend school those times that he and his father settled in one place long enough to enroll in classes.

Ranma is kind and he can be very thoughtful at times, which is more to say that when he isn't being totally thoughtless he can be the nicest boy in all of Nerima. I think the difference is that he is so good at fighting he rarely needs to prove himself by throwing his weight around with other boys his own age. He lacks some of their insecurities and hasn't been socialized enough in pack logic to think that he has to prove himself in their pecking order. He just walks right through the obstacles in life that obsess some people and other boys get out of his way, sensing that Ranma could walk all over them without breaking stride if he had a mind to. Ranma never has to prove himself around people in order to get their attention, and he never really tries to impress anyone with the fact that he is so good at what he does. This isn't nobility on his part, it's simple nonchalance, the result of a lifetime training to be the best with no thought or regard to how he might compare himself with others.

Ranma is basically a very lonely person, having only had his father for companionship, and thus he isn't used to thinking like a pack animal. Why should he want to impress anybody that he's the best at what he does? He already knows it, and so considers it a waste of time, not to mention a distraction from perfecting his technique. He feels cut off from normal society but tries to cope by letting people accept or reject him as he is. He claims that he doesn't need anybody, but deep down he knows that this is as much a lie as when I say the same thing.

That's why we get along so well at heart we understand each other in a way no one else could. In a lot of ways I'm just like Ranma, only I'm not as secure about my physical abilities. My talents lay in another direction.

I'm not saying that Ranma is perfect, mind you, but for me he is perfect. I can stand his posturing and arrogance, his belief that he can do anything and that nobody is better in the art than he is. I'm not competing with him about this like Akane, I'm more than happy to concede the field in recognition of his superiority. In terms of Brawn there's no question that Ranma is better it's in regard to Brains that I claim my superiority, and I think Ranma respects this about me, or at least he doesn't seem to resent it as much as other boys, such as Kuno.

It's rare enough finding a boy who can respect me for my intelligence, but when Ranma looks at me and says that he finds me pretty, that's when my intelligence takes a backseat to something else that's overwhelming. The way he can smile when he says it, as if he really means it and is not just flattering me or buttering me up

Sheesh! Did I just write all that? I ought to hit the delete key! When did I ever get as long-winded as Kuno? I should stick to the facts here and try not to let my feelings color my perceptions. Besides, it's not like I can put into words the kind of emotions he bring out in me. I only know that when I'm with Ranma I feel less alone somehow. I never really knew I was lonely until the day I met him, and now I can't even imagine what my life would be like if he did go back to China

Okay, stick to the facts! Shampoo is a problem, she's my rival and a threat to my continuing survival. So what to do to make her leave me and Ranma alone? I need to think of something soon before this whole crazy situation really does drive me out of my gourd. I mean just sitting down there pretending to do my homework while spying on the two of them, watching the way she pawed him while trying to feed him by hand it's a good thing Japan has strict gun laws or I'd probably have shot her dead without once thinking of the legal ramifications.

Japan does have a Death Penalty, even for minors my age, which is a shame because there are times when that notion becomes awful tempting! Those times I almost think it might be worth a lengthy stay in jail just to rid myself of that Amazon. I just can't put into words the kind of rage I feel when I think of her trying to seduce my Ranma and turn him into her personal sex slave

Okay, that's enough rambling for now. I'll start this up later when I can think more objectively about the whole matter. Letting my emotions run away with me is a sure recipe for disaster and I won't give that Purple Haired Witch have that kind of satisfaction

"Saotome, prepare to die!"

Ranma barely looked up from where he was going as he listlessly responded, "Oh, high Ryoga. What do you want with me this time?"

The lost boy planted himself firmly in the path of his erstwhile rival and angrily declared, "You have to ask? For what you did to Nabiki, of course, taking up with that Chinese floozy! By hurting her you've hurt Akane, and for that I cannot forgive you!"

"Oh," Ranma said listlessly, "Well, go ahead, then, I won't stop you."

"What?" Ryoga blinked, hesitating for a few seconds as if suspecting a trick, then he reared back with a fist and said, "I'm not falling for that one! Prepare to die, Ranma!"

Ranma just looked at his former friend and did not even sigh, his blue eyes full of misery as he waited for Ryoga to strike. It was that very look of fatalism that made Ryoga hesitate another few seconds, then finally he decided to attack anyway, but at less than full power. No way was he going to commit himself and leave an opening for a counter-offensive!

To his horror and amazement Ranma-who could normally flow around his attacks as though he were made of water-  
did not even try to block the attack as it connected with his jaw and drove him backward into the wall surrounding a neighbor's property. The wall cracked where Ranma impacted and for several minutes he just stood there with his arms braced wide. Then Ranma straightened up again and looked Ryoga in the eyes and sighed.

"Are you done? Do you feel better? Because if that's all you've got, then you're wasting my time."

With that Ranma turned off on his original direction without bothering to glance sideways else he would have seen the stunned expression on the face of Ryoga Hibiki, who just stood where he was, staring at the wall as though he had never even heard Ranma speak.

A few moments later Akane showed up and said, "There you are! Why do you wander off like that, Ryoga-kun? I get so worried about you sometimes Ryoga? Hey, are you all right?"

"Hah?" Ryoga slowly looked down at his balled fist, then stared at the wall again and murmured, "It's like he never even felt it "

"Huh?" Akane finally turned her head to see the cracked portion of the wall, which looked very much as if a human body had impacted there. She turned a surprised look to Ryoga and said, "You don't mean to say you hit Ranma?"

"I hit him," Ryoga turned to look at her incredulously, "And he never even tried to avoid me. I didn't hit him very hard, I thought maybe he was faking or trying to set me up, but it's like he hardly even noticed!"

"So you just let him leave?" Akane asked, and when Ryoga nodded she sighed, "Poor Ranma. I guess this has been pretty hard on him, too. I've never seen him so depressed. He's usually so cocky and arrogant, so full of himself, and to see him like this..."

"I thought he was just being a coward not facing up to Shampoo, for treating Nabiki that way," Ryoga remarked, "I guess I never really saw how this was affecting him, too. It's still not right that he's spending so much time with Shampoo "

"Not like she's been making it easy either," Akane scowled, "It's all her fault, and his too, the coward! Ever since she came to Japan she's been nothing but trouble! We've got to find a way of making her leave. Ryoga, I don't suppose you "

"Fight a woman?" Ryoga almost backed away in horror, "Akane you know I could never do that!"

"I wasn't asking you to," Akane said with a softening expression, "You know I'd never ask you to do that, and besides I don't want that hussy coming after you like she has Ranma," and her expression darkened noticeably at that concept.

"Oh," Ryoga said in relief, then started twiddling his fingers as he tried not to look at her directly while asking, "What is it you want me to do then? You know I'd do anything for you, Akane."

"Really?" Akane's face brightened like the sun, which made Ryoga's own heart soar amid the clouds before she was able to continue, "I was just going to ask if you have any idea what would make that Amazon leave us all alone."

"I I don't really know," Ryoga shrugged, hiding his slight disappointment, "She's got those rules she has to obey about killing or marrying Ranma, and if she catches him in his girl form "

"Right," Akane's expression once more turned serious, "We don't want that., so what we need is some way to discourage her from staying around, like maybe get her hitched to another boyfriend."

"Ah," Ryoga found himself extremely reluctant to voice the next few words aloud, but his honor won out over his pride as he said, "Won't that be kind of difficult? I mean Ranma's pretty good, and so is that Shampoo, and it's not like there are too many other people in our class in Nerima "

Akane felt conflicting emotions as she silently agreed with that assessment, though her own pride would not allow her to concede that Ranma and Shampoo were that much better than she was, "Then we've got to find somebody fast before things get even more out of control than they already are. If I have to see Nabiki looking any more unhappy than she already is "

Ryoga looked at her and then summoned up the courage to say, "If there's anything I can do to help you just have to ask, Akane. I'd even challenge her myself if you want me to I'm sure I could beat her if it came down to a real fight "

"And then she'd be out to marry you," Akane glared unpleasantly away, "Thanks for the offer, though. Let's try and find some way to handle this, like maybe reading that stupid Amazon codebook she left at the house. There's got to be some way of getting Ranma out of this, maybe a loophole we never heard about before "

"Let's got to your place and find it," Ryoga agreed, hoping against hope that she was right while silently cursing Ranma for not having the guts to tell the purple haired girl to get lost once and for all. It was a lot easier to think like that than to admit that he was glad that he wasn't in Ranma's place, thought he had been sincere in making his offer. Mostly

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

She's finally done it! That Amazon bimbo has crossed the line and now I'm going to see she pays, one way or another!

Bad enough she come here trying to steal my Ranma away from me, while trying to kill him in his girl half, and even worse that she's managed to shame and humiliate me in front of the entire school, to say nothing of my father and family! Bad enough that she now lives here as an unwanted tenant and makes a thorough pest out of herself while fawning on Ranma and trying to get him to return her attention, but this day marks the crossing of the Rubicund, and I will never forgive her!

When I wrote my last entry I was depressed and moody because I had to pretend that I was just a casual stranger watching that Bitch make out with my iinazuke! Now I have an even stronger motive to want to deal her dirt, and it all involves what happened today when Ranma and I encountered each other during study period when I was nominally helping him to do his homework.

Being the only time we could truly be alone together without risking Shampoo's discovery of our engagement, we wasted no time moving a lot closer than necessary so that we could talk at a level that would not be overhead by others. Not that anyone was watching us directly, but I could tell by the number of coy glances the other students gave us that they were suspecting us of doing something romantic while sharing Kasumi's delicious box lunches.

Not that I care a whit about what they gossip, I just wanted to be with Ranma, to see his face and be able to talk freely with him once again. He looked at me with such a sad expression as though he expected me to hit him on the nose with a rolled up newspaper or something. I wanted more than anything to reassure him that I wasn't blaming him for recent events, even if a good shout might have improved my mood a little. I had to be strong for the both of us, so I reached out and took him by the hand and said, "Don't worry, Ranma I'm working on a plan to get us out of this. Have a little patience and I think I can get your marriage annulled on a technicality "

"I wish you wouldn't call it a marriage," Ranma winced, "That's just too weird me being engaged to her because I accidentally beat her in that fight. That can't really be the way they do things in her village!"

"I'm afraid it is," I said sadly, "And by the traditions of her people she's bound to follow them to the ends of the earth, if need be. In your girl form she's out to kill you, while as a guy you're her husband and she's not allowed to let any harm come to you, except if you do something that deserves chastisement, like flirt with another woman."

"Would it be possible to get her mad enough to leave me alone?" Ranma asked, sounding desperate.

"I'm afraid not," I responded, "There's no divorce in their society, you two are bound together until death, unless someone else can make a claim on her that's stronger than your own "

"Then that's it!" Ranma cried a little too desperately, "We just have to get her interested in some guy and "

"It's not that simple," I swallowed against a lump in my throat that I tried to ignore as I continued, "Shampoo doesn't get a choice in this at all, it's not up to her who she marries. She's the Champion of her village, so she's bound to marry the strongest male warrior who can defeat her in battle. The fact that you two haven't consummated the matter is the only thing that works in our favor. Until you fully accept her as your wife the matter isn't resolved so long as there is the outside chance that another man can take her away from you."

"So we just gotta find a guy who'd be willing to fight for her?" Ranma asked more reluctantly, "Well how hard can that be? I'm sure there's lots of guys who wouldn't mind falling for a cute girl like her, just as long as they "

"Can defeat her in battle?" I said with just a bit of ire in my voice about that "cute girl" line, "Who do you know who's good enough for that?"

"Well I " he hesitated, then I saw him all but deflate as he responded, "You're right, there's nobody that good, not in Nerima anyway, or maybe even Japan. She's the best I've ever gone up against, and from what I've seen from the way she practices "

I saw him hesitate and I said, "Go on. What about what you've seen? Just how good is she anyway? After all, you did beat her."

"Well yeah, but I was fresh and she'd been fighting all afternoon," Ranma replied, "I'm sure I'd still win if we did the match with both of us well rested and limber, but it wouldn't have been so easy, and she made a stupid mistake underestimating me while I'd seen how she attacked from the sidelines."

"So you had an unfair advantage over her," I considered this point carefully, "I don't suppose she'd accept a rematch to settle the issue of her pride?"

"Yeah, maybe that's the answer!" Ranma sat up again, but almost immediately I saw the light of hope dim in his eyes and he sighed, "But that'd only help my girl form, it wouldn't get me out of this mess, and after the way she ignored everything I said to her last time "

"Yeah, it does sound pretty lame," I rested my own head on my palms as I leaned forward and considered the matter, "Which brings us back to my original point. In order for someone to take her off of your hands they would have to defeat both her and the prior claimant."

"Prior claimant?" he repeated with that delightfully dull witted look he gives me when I say something that goes completely over his head.

I just sniffed at him and said, "You, dummy. You'd have to lose to whoever beats Shampoo, then he could claim her as his prize and everyone would be happy.

"I'd have to lose?" I could see him pale as understanding very slowly washed over him like a sunrise, and I knew by that how hard it was for him to even consider losing a fight, let alone to another guy.

"It's the only answer, Saotome," I said as I sat more upright, commanding his attention with my gaze, "Losing a fight will mean losing Shampoo now and for all time. So the way I see things we need to find someone who's good enough to at least put on a good show, then we have to somehow get him to beat Shampoo, then he challenges you and you throw the fight. Think you can do that?"

I think if I had asked him to grow wings or poke out his own eyes it would have been an easier commandment. Every fiber in Ranma's being clenched up as though the concept of taking a dive were the worst crime imaginable. The boy really is incredible at times, and if matters had been less desperate I would have either applauded him or made some sarcastic commentary on the state of his ego, but from the looks of things I realized he needed better motivation.

"I see," I said in my best pout, "In other words you'd rather let her find out the truth so she can come after me, her primary competition. Winning a fight must be a lot more important to you than my personal welfare "

"That's not true!" Ranma protested, "Your safety is very important to me, Nab-chan! I'd never do anything to endanger you or "

"You'd just stand there like a man and let her kill me, right?" I asked, deliberately pushing the buttons I knew would most upset him, "I know you're reluctant to fight against a woman so you probably won't be able to lift a finger in my defense when she comes at me "

"No!" Ranma insisted, frustration evident in his features as he fought a silent war for several long, tense seconds, then finally said, "If that's what it takes to protect you, then I'll "

That was when we felt the first in a series of tremors. It was like a shaking of the table against my elbows, followed shortly after by a second tremor that was accompanied by an explosion, and then another tremor after that, by which point I'd realized that it wasn't an Earthquake and it was getting much, much closer. The sounds increased in loudness and it seemed as if the explosions were coming ever closer. It took several of them in sequence before I realized what they were, by which point the nearby wall to the study hall up and exploded in an all-too-familiar manner.

Ranma and I jumped back as the dusk cleared to reveal Shampoo, large as life and standing in a cute Chinese dress that barely came down to the top of her thighs. As I was making this assessment on her lack of fashion modesty I took note of the large covered platter in her hands as smiled at Ranma with her typical greeting of, "Nihao, Airen."

"Sh-Shampoo?" my iinazuke gasped intelligently, "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to wait at home "

Shampoo just made a note of amused indulgence as she stepped forward and said, "Shampoo come make lunch for Airen like dutiful wife. You like Shampoo cooking, Shampoo best in village!"

"Could you at least have used the door?" I asked with barely restrained patience, seeing the line of destroyed walls that marked her path of destruction, which I noted had not been made by her Bonbori this time.

"Hmph," Shampoo turned a red-eyed glance in my direction, "What you do with Airen, nosy girl? You very familiar "

"I'm tutoring Ranma in his lessons," I answered as calmly and levelly as a person in my position could manage when facing mortal peril, "This is a school you know, a place for study."

"What's going on here?" I heard Akane demand as she and one of her friends appeared down the hallway, "Our teacher sent us out to investigate and-YOU?"

Shampoo turned the level heat of her stare towards her new quarry and said, "What you want, angry girl? Go away and no bother Shampoo, she here to feed lunch to Airen."

"Akane," Ranma urged my sister to restrain herself as we could both see Akane was bristling at Shampoo's statement, then Ranma gallantly stepped forward and said, "I'd love to see what you made for me, Shampoo. I'll bet it's delicious."

"Aiya!" Shampoo brightened at his show of attention and uncovered her platter as she declared, "Is sweet and sour pork served Canton style with special trimmings. You like?"

I didn't hear much of what the bimbo said beyond that point because I was too busy reacting like all the others to the sight of the tiny black pig laying smothered among the garnishes and trimmings with a layer of sauce atop him. Ryoga.

"Gaaah!" Akane cried out in horror as she dove at the platter and scooped the pig into her arms, crying, "P-  
CHAN! What has she done to you, baby?"

Shampoo was only a fraction of a second slow to react to this, and then she snatched Ryoga out of Akane's arms as though she were stealing a soccer ball and growled, "Is not for you! Is for Airen," the latter part she said with a smile as she extended Ryoga at the end of a pair of chopsticks."

"Ah, just a minute, please?' Ranma pleaded as he took Ryoga into his arms and began to slap the pig in an effort to revive him, murmuring tightly at barely the level of a whisper, "C'mon, Ryoga, snap out of it! You can't be dead, I know you better than that!"

I could not help detecting a note of real concern in Ranma's voice. Apparently whatever rivalry they had was mostly felt on Ryoga's part as Ranma still thought of him as a friend in spite of his recent actions. Sure enough the pig did revive, looking at Ranma with bleary little eyes, and then all at once he snapped at Ranma, biting his arm as though not understanding that he was being rescued.

I'm sure Shampoo was thoroughly confused by all of this, but she noted how swiftly Akane appeared at Ranma's side and I saw her expression darken. The fact that Akane's concern was actually directed at Ryoga was missed entirely in the blaze of her jealous anger. I saw her step forward and I tensed, afraid that Shampoo was about to attack my baby sister.

Instead what she did was reach out to turn Akane's head partway towards her then leaned forward and planted a kiss on her cheek. I stood there in confusion for a moment until I caught Ranma's horrified expression.

Then I remembered: the Kiss of Death! This was what Shampoo had done to him in her village and now she had just given it to Akane as a pledge to hunt her down and kill her!

In confirmation of our worst fear Shampoo withdrew with an evil look and said, "Womans what interfere are obstacles, and obstacles are for killing. You stand in Shampoo's way, you enemy."

Akane recovered from her surprise and angrily declared, "Fine! On behalf of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts I accept you challenge and will meet you in battle!"

"What?" Ranma and I declared together, and then he stepped forward to try and dissuade her with his usual bluntness, "Are you nuts? A slowpoke like you can't go up against her !"

Even I could see that Ranma had pushed her too far, and by stepping in too near to her reach he left himself wide open to a punch that he would normally have dodged with ease as Akane whirled around and struck Ranma a solid blow that sent him flying out the far window.

"Butt out of it!" Akane angrily declared, "No one asked you for your opinion!"

I thought surely Shampoo would punish her on the spot for striking her man but instead she glowered and said, "You want to fight? We go now!"

With that she turned and headed out the way she had come, with Akane swift on her heals, still holding onto a squealing Ryoga. I was left to stand where I was feeling pretty left out of the whole mess until Ranma came vaulting back in through the window to declare, "Stupid Tomboy, you want to get yourself killed? You can't fight against Shampoo, she'll kill-where'd she go?"

Several students, including me, pointed to the opening gap, then I broke free of my befuddlement and said, "Take me with you, Ranma! She's my sister!"

"All right," Ranma nodded to me, "Just hold on and get ready."

I knew what to expect this time, but it still took my breath away when he swept me up into his arms and began to carry me like a suburban Tarzan through the corridors and several walls, then vaulting out with a powerful leap that made my heart jump into my mouth as I saw the ground fall away below us as though he were Superman and my name was Lois. There's something about seeing your life flash before your eyes several times in rapid succession that really gets the pulse pounding.

I'm sure he could have made better time without me, but I doubted if Shampoo would have gone far to carry out her vengeance. Sure enough as we passed by the soccer fields we heard a familiar telltale squeal and recognized the frantic voice as belonging to Ryoga. With yet another physics-defying leap Ranma carried us both over a high fence and onto the field where we found Akane laying peacefully on her back with Ryoga pawing her with a plaintive urgency that was heartfelt.

"Akane!" Ranma cried as he set me down on my less-  
than-steady legs then bent over her to try and gently slap her cheeks to restore consciousness. I joined him as best I was able and almost immediately saw Akane's eyes begin to flutter open. She appeared to be unhurt but I was not ready to write off the possibility of injury just yet as I could hardly believe that Shampoo would merely overpower her without inflicting serious damage.

"Akane, are you all right?" I asked.

"Oneechan?" Akane appeared confused as she slowly sat upright, feeling her head as she said, "I feel strange "

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Ranma asked, "Did Shampoo do anything to hurt you?"

Very slowly Akane turned her head his way and asked, "Do I know you?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, then he frowned and said, "Very funny. I guess you're mad at me for letting Shampoo do this "

"Shampoo," Akane turned away from him and frowned slightly, "We were facing each other that's all I can remember. I attacked, she leaped and then " she frowned more deeply, "I don't remember anything beyond that."

"Could be a mild concussion," I ventured, "We'd better have Doctor Tofu have a look at you, Neechan. You might be injured in a place where only he can find it."

"Doctor Tofu?" Akane frowned, "Why would I need to bother him? I feel just fine, Nabiki. In fact I feel almost refreshed "

"Hah?" Ranma blinked, "You're not eager to see him? Now I know you must be brain damaged!"

"Do I know you?" Akane frowned more intensely, and then her expression grew lighter, "Are you a friend of my sister's? Nabiki doesn't have too many friends, and it'd be nice if she got some attention "

I honestly don't know what was upsetting me more at that point: Akane's friendly tone towards Ranma or her crack about me needing a boyfriend! Ranma also reacted to this statement as if Akane had slapped him.

"Cut it out, you're scaring me!" Ranma protested, "It ain't funny anymore "

"Excuse me, but have we been introduced?" Akane's look was now more that of puzzlement, "You don't look that familiar "

"Don't you remember him at all, Akane?" I asked as I stepped closer to examine her forehead, "Ranma is my iinazuke!"

"You have an iinazuke?" Akane's face brightened, "That's wonderful, Oneechan! Dad will be so happy, and I know Kasumi will be so proud of you "

About that point the other kids from Furinkan showed up with the usual questions about what they had missed, but at the moment Ranma and I were more concerned with the fact that Akane responded to their calls with a perfectly normal return greeting. In fact her behavior and memories seemed just fine in all other respects she just could not remember Ranma!

This fact became apparent to the others when Akane asked who "that guy" was who was standing right next to her, and after some blank looks and puzzled expressions our fellow students tried to tell her what they knew about Ranma, the guy who'd been staying at our place for almost two months now. It was really incredible. Every time she heard his name she immediately forgot him, then she started complaining about headaches for a brief moment, after which she straightened out and seemed to start misremembering his name, confusing him with Ranko, the Ginsue Knife provider and even a song by an American rock band! I think I even heard her use the name Ran for that Kurusawa movie that adapted a Shakespeare play. It was as if her mind were wired to deliberately avoid the name, or anything else to do with Ranma!

That was when Ranma and I exchanged looks, then Ranma looked down at the little pig at his feet and picked Ryoga up into his arms saying, "You're coming with me, Ryoga. We need some answers."

"Hey!" Akane protested, "What are you doing with P-  
chan? Who are you?"

"Don't worry, Akane," I said, "He won't hurt your pet pig, we just want some answers."

"Answers?" Akane looked at me as though I were the one having problems, "P-chan can't talk! What are you "

"No time for explanations," Ranma said and vaulted onto the roof of the nearest building, heading off back towards the main building. I had a pretty good hunch where they would wind up and excused myself from Akane's side then hurried along to stop by the school kitchen to snag a pot of hot water, then I met Ranma in the equipment locker where he held the squirming P-chan by the scarf at arms length..

I smiled as I held up the pot, then Ranma set Ryoga down and I poured the water on him, changing him back to his naked boy form and watched with detached amusement as he covered himself up, all too conscious of my presence.

"All right, Ryoga," Ranma said forcefully, "Talk. What did you see? What did Shampoo do to Akane to make her forget all about me?"

"Nice try, Ranma," Ryoga snorted, "As if I'd help a creep like you by forcing Akane to remember you and the way you've been tormenting her."

"Aren't you just a little bit concerned that Shampoo may have done something more than just make her forget about him?" I asked, "I thought you cared about Akane "

"I do!" Ryoga looked at me resentfully, "But I don't see how forcing her to remember him is in any way helping her. Don't forget I've seen how she frets every time they have an argument, and he's not even her iinazuke! It makes me sick, I tell you "

"Look Ryoga," Ranma said, "I don't care if the Tomboy remembers me or not, but I do care that Shampoo may have hurt her on account of me, so unless you tell us now what you saw "

"You'll what?" Ryoga scoffed, "I'm not afraid of you, Ranma, and your girlfriend doesn't have any leverage over me like she does with you, so you can't force me to cooperate "

"Oh no?" I said in my most ominous tones, "Are you really so sure about that? Think carefully, Pig-boy, before you dismiss the kind of resources that are at my disposal."

Ranma caught my eye and smiled. He, too, had heard the sound of the approaching gym class jogging in our direction and now he turned to slide open the corrugated tin door partway then stepped partway outside and said, "Hey, girls! You wanna see something really funny-  
looking? Check this out!"

I walked up to Ranma side and put on my best promising smile and said, "Yeah, girls, you won't believe this until we show you "

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" Ryoga cried out in a blind panic, so we closed the doors on some very confused looking female athletes then turned with mutual smiles at Ryoga that as much as promised that we would fling the doors wide open should he even think of holding out on us any longer.

Of course then the Pig proceeded to explain to us that the last thing he had seen was the bottom of Shampoo's feet as the girl had vaulted right over Akane's head when my sister had blindly charged her, landing right on Ryoga's head and knocking him cold for several critical instants. We left him in disgust and fetched Akane over to Doctor Tofu's for a quick diagnosis.

It was several moments after this that Tofu-Sensei gave his diagnosis that Akane had been the victim of something called the Xi Fang Gao Shiatsu pressure point memory technique, a legendary system by which a person's mind could be altered by manipulating the nerve centers of the scalp to cause the victim to selectively forget all about whatever the manipulator wishes them to forget. In effect it re-routs the neural passages of the brain around some isolated nerve clusters, and don't even ask me to explain what that means as I'm just repeating what I was told.

It was a fortunate thing that Ranma's father showed up about that time to provide his own eyewitness account, which proved to be more reliable than Ryoga's once we applied hot water to his furry carcass. To hear him tell it Shampoo attacked Akane from behind, only it was more like she gave her a quick salon job, actually washing, combing and drying out her hair in the space of five seconds! I don't know if I can believe that, but what I do know for sure is that the results of this technique are undeniably effective. Akane can't remember a thing about Ranma and ever time she sees him she asks who it is that's staying in our dojo.

Okay, so that's not the worst thing where she's concerned, but this incident firmed in my mind that the situation with Shampoo has just gone beyond intolerable to outrageous, so I convened a party of war with both Ranma and Ryoga to inform them in no uncertain terms that it was my intention to get rid of the annoying nuisance before she does something that I'll really regret. I had already formulated my plan of attack, and when I explained it to them they were understandably appalled. It's desperate and it's dangerous and will require both of their cooperation to carry out. Each boy expressed his doubts and concerns that the plan would even be successful, especially when I told them who I was planning to recruit in order to insure success of its execution.

"Are you sure about this?" Ranma asked me with blunt concern in his voice and expression, "I mean I know it's drastic, but "

"Would you rather I use the backup plan?" I asked, looking directly at Ryoga, "You could let Ryoga beat you once in a fight, then I'm pretty sure I could arrange for her to lose to him and "

"B-but that would mean I'd be her husband," Ryoga quailed, "And Akane "

"Exactly," I told them both in my most no-nonsense tone of voice, "Which is why it has to be done this way if we're going to be successful at all. Now, I'm going alone, so neither one of you try and stop me or follow me because this has to be handled delicately, and I know her better than either of you."

"But Kodachi?" Ranma paled, "You really think she can help us?"

"I know she'll help you when I explain your situation," I replied, "And she's the only other Martial Artist in Nerima who has the necessary skills we need to pull this off, unless either of you has a better suggestion?"

They both hemmed and hawed at that, and for once Ranma and Ryoga exchanged looks that implied they were in total agreement that this was a very bad idea, but neither one of them could think of anything better. Truth to tell I don't blame the boys for being worried as my plan entails no little risk on my part, but I'm ready to do anything it takes to get rid of Shampoo, even up to and including using lethal means to extract her from these premises.

I can take only so much, after all. Stealing my boyfriend, threatening our lives, destroying property, tearing up my house and causing a general disruption of our lives are things I'm growing accustomed to since having Ranma and his father around, but NO ONE messes with my sister! That is one line nobody should ever cross, and now it's war between me and Shampoo. One of us has to go, and it's not going to be me, by the Kami!

This is my house, my family, my Ranma and my baby sister. Shampoo had better watch out, because your days are numbered, you purple-haired strumpet! I'll be rid of you yet or my name isn't Tendo Nabiki!

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Shiatsu Memory Techniques: shadowmane

The lines are drawn and the war of nerves is begun, yet who will be the victor? Tune in next time and see the tangled web that we weave when Nabiki teams up with Kodachi! Be there.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	10. Chapter 10

NabikiRan8 Ranma and Nabiki A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi)  
Chapter Nine.

Nabiki Tendo sat staring out the window of her bedroom at the night sky with a very wistful expression. She had been that way for the past hour, but finally she stirred enough to turn to her computer and open a certain file she normally kept tightly locked with a password.

"A wise poet once said that we can never foresee the outcome of our actions. In my case this has proven true in a very strange sense, now it's finally time to put my experiences down where I can think of them in detail..."

From the Journal of Nabiki Tendo:

Going to face Kodachi was not just risky on my part but a calculated maneuver similar to using fire to fight fire, or-in this case-one nuisance to combat another. Another old saying is that it's better to deal with the Oni you know than the Oni you don't, but in this case I wasn't just bartering my soul to achieve release from my nightmare, I was bartering with the happiness of both my family and Ranma.

Sasuke naturally admitted me into Kodachi's presence, and while I'd been to the Kuno residence before the analogy to a Lioness's den might aptly describe the sort of cool reception I got from Kodachi. She was sitting by an ornately carved wooden table playing with a folding fan in a manner very much like a Geisha girl, though there was little else about her that was Geisha. She sized me up then told me to take a seat on the floor opposite to her while Sasuke poured hot tea for the both of us. These domestic concerns did little to reassure me, of course, but it was interesting to see that Kodachi was intent on keeping things civil...if only for the moment.

Apparently she was still smarting over her defeat at the hands of Ranma's female half and was covertly blaming me as the convenient target for her first recorded defeat at Martial Arts Rhythmic gymnastics. The only reason she even bothered to see me, she explained ominously, was that she was intrigued that I would even think of going to her for help in the first place. She was curious to learn what sort of problem would cause me to turn for aid to a rival for Ranma's affections.

I let her have her delusion that Ranma somehow belonged to her this time, knowing better than to make a fuss over technicalities such as the fact that Ranma was afraid of her, remembering to keep my cool as I calmly tried to explain to her the current situation, hoping she would volunteer her aid when she knew that her "Darling Ranma" was in danger.

My terse explanation had the desired effect of piquing her interest, but-mad though she is, Kodachi was not so stupid as to go rushing off on the presumption that I was somehow telling her all of the facts as I knew them. She had a few questions she wanted answered, such as why I came to her in the first place, and what was I really after.

This was the part I was carefully working up to. Telling Kodachi point blank what I intended to do would only earn me a rude rebuff. I had to explain what led to my decision that she was the best ally for this situation, and I had to coach my words just right or I would give too much away and wind up turning her actively against me. I began by asking her what she knew about the Amazons of China.

"Not a whole lot," Kodachi admitted, "There was a report on the news about them the other day, some cultural piece of filler material about a three thousand year old culture that preserves its traditional ways against the conformity that is typical in so-called Communist China. They are supposed to be a society of women warriors who compete every year in a big tournament to decide which of them is to be the reigning Champion of the younger generation. This friend of yours who hails from there is the current Champion, am I right, and that unspeakable tramp who lives at your place dared to best her before her own people?"

"Ranko and Ranma were touring through China at the time," I explained, "They stopped off in her village, ate the prize meal and ticked Shampoo off, so she challenged Ranko and the two of them fought with Ranko turning out the victor. Shampoo then chased them all the way to Japan, but when Ranma fought with her he seems to have automatically become her husband."

I heard the fan in Kodachi's hand snap as I said this but that was Kodachi's only display of irritation. With more calmness than I'm sure she felt she said, "Go on. He was protecting his cousin at the time, wasn't he? Very foolish, and now he is trapped up in the laws of her culture."

"He doesn't want to be," I said, "Shampoo can be pretty overpowering, and for her to go from being homicidally inclined towards Ranko to becoming all affectionate around him..."

"Yes," Kodachi said airily, "I suppose that would disconcert some people. So Ranma has not actually consummated this...marriage?"

"He's not likely to, either," I said with a firm conviction, "And as long as he doesn't sleep with her or acknowledge her as his wife there's still a chance of preventing him being permanently attached to her."

I saw her interest increase though she tried to conceal it as she said, "You have a plan to send this girl packing?"

I nodded very slowly, "The only way to prevent an Amazon marriage from being formalized is for Ranma to be defeated by another man laying claim to Shampoo's hand, someone who's also good enough to defeat Shampoo and claim her."

"I see," Kodachi said just as slowly, "And you have such a person in mind?"

I took a deep breath and sighed, "Unfortunately there's nobody that good in Nerima. Ranma is the best, except maybe his father," or mine I silently added, though I was not about to entertain that thought on the conscious level. Daddy was not only past his prime but had not studied the art as intensely as he had in his younger days, so I doubt he even has the stamina to go one-on-one with Ranma.

"Yes," Kodachi allowed, "I do see the problem. My darling Ranma is a man among men, and he makes challengers like even my brother seem weak by comparison."

"Not if Kuno had a little help from the sidelines," I said, carefully noting her reactions as I let my words settle in for her perusal.

Kodachi gave me a very odd look, "You intend for my brother to take this girl off of Ranma's hands? That is a bold maneuver, and why on Earth would you come to me to propose this?"

"Because you could deal with Shampoo on your own terms better without Ranma being in the picture," I replied, "And...to be quite blunt about it...your brother hasn't exactly been having too much luck with women lately, has he?"

"Indeed," she mused in a low voice as she studied me with the expression a cat might give a mouse, "And you think he might be desperate enough to earn a bride this way? I don't think I would approve of this, but I do admit that concept has it's...entertainment value."

"I'm not saying Tatawaki should marry the Bimbo," I growled, "I just think she'd be more inclined to go back to China where she belongs if she saw what the alternative is like. You have to admit your brother does have that affect on some people."

"True," I saw Kodachi's eyes twinkle with amusement, but she still was not sold on my notion, "So how would you have Tachi deal with Ranma? He has tried almost every day to defeat him with his Kendo, and so far all he has done is make himself the laughing stock of his High School."

"But Kuno could do better on the short term with a little assistance," I said simply, "While Ranma might be off his feed during their fight and do a little less well than normal."

"And what is to keep my brother from doing Ranma-sama serious injury?" Kodachi asked in what almost sounded like genuine concern for her part, "He has threatened to-as Tachi puts it-send him to Hell on more than one occasion."

"Your brother does have a sense of honor, right?" I asked, "Would he strike a foe who was on the ground, already defeated?"

"There would be little honor and not much point in...ah!" understanding lit up Kodachi's eyes as she gave me a look almost of respect, "You think Ranma should be drugged to appear to be in a state of less than perfect health. If this Shampoo person believes he is no longer worthy of her affections..."

I nodded, "Of course we first have to convince her that Tachi's good enough to defeat Ranma, which means we hope she hasn't heard the stories about them. I think, for the sake of creating the right atmosphere, we should have your brother fight and defeat Shampoo first, then she'll believe he's good enough to deal with Ranma."

"Clever," Kodachi said with what looked like sincerity, "For a peasant you show potential. Very well, I will consider your proposal, but on two conditions."

I was prepared to negotiate anything, even my Immortal Soul, if it would rid me of Shampoo, so I said, "Such as?"

"One," Kodachi smiled, "You arrange a date for me and my darling Ranma."

I paled a bit, but refused to offer comment other than to tighten my voice as I forced myself to say, "And the other is?"

Kodachi started to rise from her seat, "I want to see this girl with my own eyes to determine if she is as much of a threat at you seem to think she is. After all, we do have different standards for out threat levels."

That one made me smile very faintly, "No problem. I'll take you right to her."

Of course by the time we got to my place it was almost dinnertime, and Shampoo was once again trying to hand-feed Ranma. No sooner did I admit Kodachi through the front door then we were greeted by the words, "No, dammit! I told you I've had enough! Why can't you listen to me for once, you crazy Amazon?"

"Airen no like Shampoo cooking?" I heard Shampoo pout, "Shampoo work hard to make Airen good meal to make up for other meal stupid girl spoil. What Shampoo do wrong?"

"Nothing," I could hear Ranma's exasperation war with helplessness in the face of his one weakness as Kodachi and I made out way to the living room and could witness first hand the way she was leaning up against him with proffered chopsticks at the ready, "And about Akane...you shouldn't have done what you did to her..."

"But Airen, she cause trouble," Shampoo said with a sniff in Akane's direction, "Now stupid girl leave us alone, we happy."

Akane was presently feeding Ryoga in her lap and turned an angry glare towards Shampoo before frowning at Ranma and saying, "Who is that? Would somebody please tell me who that is eating at our table?"

I could feel Kodachi's confusion at my side as we both took this peculiar scene in with silent attention to the details. Daddy and Ranma's father were off on the porch playing their near-endless game of Shogi and took little notice of us as if ignoring the whole bizarre exchange. I could still remember how Dad reacted the night before when Shampoo had torn up the yard chasing Ranma's female form, and now that Akane was suffering memory problems he seemed to have gone into full denial, shutting out the details that probably most upset him as if by pretending that they never happened was the same thing as willing them out of existence.

Kasumi wandered in with a tea tray at the moment where Ranma was reaching the limits of his exasperation and she said, "Nabiki-chan, you're home at last, and you've brought a guest over for dinner?"

I barely acknowledged the question while Ranma turned a desperate look of appeal towards me, only to have that look freeze in horror when he saw who was beside me. Akane also looked out way then glared before saying, "What is SHE doing here?"

"Ah," I managed to finally get out, "Kodachi was just...helping me out with my homework, isn't that right?"

"Homework?" Akane frowned skeptically, "You need help with that?"

"Gym practice," Kodachi managed to say as she recovered her own bearings, "Your sister decided that she is in need of improving her grace and bearing, so came to an expert for advice," and she punctuated this remark by giving us a sample of her trademark laugh, which had the singular positive effect of causing Shampoo to glance her way in some annoyance.

I bristled somewhat at the sly way Kodachi had inferred that I was a clumsy wallflower, but before I could say anything to qualify her remark Shampoo resumed her assault on Ranma's dignity by glomming onto him, causing him to topple over onto the floor while she happily cried, "Ranma no need help with exercises. Shampoo here to help Airen!"

"Hey, get off!" Ranma protested as he wiggled out from underneath her then got to his feet and started running. Shampoo at once got up and gave chase, laughing girlishly as she went about resuming the game of tag that had gotten to be very old around our place in the week since her arrival.

Kodachi and I watched as the two raced from one end of the house to the next before Ranma managed to slip past her and attain the gardens, after which the chase became a free-for-all with Shampoo in hot pursuit while Ranma tried desperately to stay far as away from the koi pond as he could manage.

"Who was that?" Akane asked in the ensuing silence that was occasionally broken by the desperate cries of Ranma while Shampoo carried their chase beyond the walls of our garden.

Kodachi and I stood silently where we were for maybe two full minutes before she finally came out of her daze and growled, "Why that...that...Trollop!"

"My sentiments exactly," I responded as the both of us continued to stare at the retreating silhouettes visible against the sunset.

"The nerve of that hussy!" Kodachi declared, "Who does she think she is anyway?"

"Ranma's wife," I replied in deepening depression.

"Who does she think she's fooling?" I glanced to see Kodachi's eyes narrow, "That baby-doll voice, those clinging mannerisms, that cutesy pose she was assuming..."

"Disgusting," I consented.

"And did you see what she was wearing? It was practically nothing!"

I remembered very well indeed. Shampoo had been wearing a very short, short mini-dress that exposed a lot of leg and quite a generous amount of cleavage. It made her look, in my eyes, not unlike a hooker, both brazen and daring.

"Yeah," I said with a faintly wistful edge coloring my depression a deeper shade of gloom, "Almost less than nothing..."

"That ridiculous hairstyle and that awful color...and those...implants she must obviously be carrying," Kodachi said in growing disgust, "Those cannot be natural! She must be incredibly top-heavy!"

"Definitely have back problems when she's older," I agreed, then the two of us said almost in tandem, "I hate her!"

Kasumi looked from one of us to the other then tried to put on her best smile as she asked, "Will you be staying for dinner? I'm sure there's time to make extra proportions."

"Thank you, no," Kodachi said as she turned around, "I've quite lost my appetite."

She was heading for the door, so I hurried to catch up with her, and once we had put our shoes back on and had stepped outside we got only partway to the gates before Kodachi froze in mid-stride and said, "Your plan is a good one. We shall put it into effect immediately tomorrow."

I looked at her profile and carefully noted, "You realize, of course, that in effect you will be setting up your own brother."

"That hardly matters anymore," Kodachi turned as we both heard Ranma vaulting by along the edge of the fence with Shampoo still in hot pursuit and I could hear the acid in the Black Rose's tone as she added, "My brother is a small sacrifice to rid us both of...that sort of competition."

I was in total agreement, so the two of us conspired right then and there to arrange everything the next day to suit out little plan of deception...

Nabiki paused at the computer, re-reading the last paragraph that she had written, then she glanced up at a faded photograph that showed her family at a different time when she and her sisters were much younger and a beautiful woman stood beside their proud father, the only legacy she had to show for the pain of a lifelong absence.

"Mother," Nabiki murmured faintly, wondering in silence if she would approve of what her middle daughter had done these last few days in order to secure the family. She turned back to her monitor screen then heaved a sigh and resumed working at her keyboard.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

All right, so the planning phase looked good, and the execution of the first two phases was nearly flawless. All I had to do was wait until I was in class the next day then I sought Kuno's attention and made some oblique hints to pique his interest. I managed to wrangle about two thousand yen out of the guy before I "volunteered" the information that his "beloved Ranko" had been threatened by a dangerous outsider who had even frightened the great Saotome Ranma.

Naturally Kuno was alarmed at hearing that this stranger was out to kill "Ranko," and his foolish ego would not let him admit that anyone who frightened Ranma was someone of whom to be wary. I could see by the glaze in his eyes that Kodachi had made good on her promise to pack his lunch with those extracts that she had claimed would bolster his confidence and fighting ability for several hours, so I arranged a place and time after class where I had told Ranma to be in his female form. Ranma had also told Shampoo to be there at the same time, so come three that afternoon everything was set and in motion. I'd even managed to wrangle some tickets from our fellow students as they heard that Kuno was finally going to best "that insolent Saotome!"

Actually defeating Ranma was not on the immediate itinerary. Kuno was too impatient to wait that long and at the first sight of his "Osage no Onna" he went into a mad spiel about his undying devotion, a spiel that was thankfully cut short by Shampoo's arrival.

One glance at Ranko and Shampoo drew a tulwar-sized scimitar from somewhere on her person and began to flash it at Ranma while simultaneously holding one of her bonbori in the other hand as she came rushing up to attack him. Kuno-true to my predictions-immediately drew his bokkem and thrust himself in Shampoo's way, and I could see that he was not hesitating this time but fighting with a reckless energy that no doubt would burn him out in a matter of minutes.

I doubt he would have lasted ten seconds if Shampoo had not paused to size up her new opponent, only to swat herself as she felt something like a mosquito bite on the back of her neck right before Kuno attacked her. Now ordinarily Shampoo would have rolled to the side and brought her mace up to the side of his head while her sword could have cut the bokkem in half, but to everyone's surprise Shampoo moved slower than usual and so got clipped on one arm and was forced to drop her bonbori. Kuno rushed before she could recover and with a series of lightning attacks drove Shampoo on the defensive, disarming her with one casual maneuver before his wooden blade thrust home and tapped her on the breastbone as Shampoo tried desperately to avoid him. While she was sucking air that sword came in and rapped against her jaw, and that finally sent the Amazon to dreamland.

Everyone was stunned. They had heard that Shampoo had bested Akane the day before, yet here was Kuno fighting like a man possessed while Ranma-chan looked on in wide-eyed amazement. Kuno flashed his sword triumphantly then declared to everyone that he was the victor. I turned in time to see Kodachi casually stepping out from the bushes to congratulate her brother on his "brilliant" victory. We exchanged knowing looks and a faint nod of satisfaction before turning to the heartwarming sight of a defeated Shampoo. Our plan had worked brilliantly and now all that was needed was to revive her and watch her acknowledge Tatawaki the victor.

That was when I got my first surprise...before either of us could get to Shampoo somebody had already knelt down and was attending to the Amazon, and to my complete amazement I found it was Kasumi!

"Oneechan," I gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"Shampoo was with me on a shopping trip," Kasumi replied as she gently felt along the girl's neck and came away holding a tiny dart between her fingers. I thought she was going to say something at that point but instead what she said was, "Imotochan, help me carry her to Doctor Tofu's. She needs attention for these bruises and the mild concussion Kuno-san gave her."

"Ah...sure," I said, "Ranko...would you mind helping?"

"Why do I have to do it?" Ranma-chan asked as she started to step forward when Tatawaki accosted her with open arms thrown around her from behind.

"Fear not, fair maiden! I have rescued you from this..."

"Ranko" did not even wait to hear the last part of his declaration before she caught him in the jaw with a back-over-head palm strike that picked the taller boy up and knocked him sprawling as she angrily declared, "Back off, you jerk! I ain't in the mood for you to go pawing me..."

I felt instant irritation for Ranma's actions. Didn't the Baka realize by now that the idea was to make Kuno look good so that Shampoo would see him as a viable husband? Displaying her superiority like that would only enflame Shampoo's already jealous obsession and return us back to where we started in the first place with her trying to kill him...or so I firmly believed anyway. In any event, Ranma helped us by picking up Shampoo and carrying her with great ease over to Tofu's clinic, even in spite of the fact that the Amazon was larger and heavier than herself, leaving me to wonder once again at the curious power of my sex-changed iinazuke, finding it hard to credit that a simple thing like Martial Arts could turn someone so young almost superhuman.

I had Kodachi remain behind to tend to her brother and prepare him for what we knew he would have to face once Shampoo revived and acknowledged him her Airen. I promised her that Ranma would hear about what she had done on his behalf and that seemed to inspire a schoolgirl glee in her eyes and dissuade her from realizing that I didn't want her along to see Ranko transform back into Ranma. I'm not exactly sure why I don't share that little secret with her as I'm pretty sure it would turn her off to him completely, but I needed her help for later on when it came time for her brother to challenge Ranma.

That was the part of my plan that I knew I would have trouble with because Ranma's obsessive pride made him balk at the idea of letting anyone think that Kuno was his better. Even to rid himself of Shampoo he tended to think the price was too high so I figured a bit more persuasion was in order.

In any event we convened at Tofu-Sensei's place while Ranma used the hot water to become himself while Tofu examined Shampoo's wounds then touched a few nerve centers and promptly revived her. To insure that she did recover in good order I made certain that Kasumi waited with me in the sitting room, out of sight and mind of the good Doctor, and that she did not do anything to make her presence known, though I think she was a little vexed with me for not explaining to her my reasons.

That was when I got my second surprise of the afternoon...finding that Tofu and Shampoo not only knew one another but that she was his assistant, having taken a job as a nurse, a fact I had somehow failed to obtain from his other assistant, Genma.

"I told her that it would be a good way of helping us out," Kasumi murmured to me as we waited until Ranma came out in male form to assure us that Shampoo was regaining her senses, "She was eager to bring in more money once I explained our situation, and since she knows a lot Chinese Herbal medicine I thought Ono-san could use another assistant."

I turned a wide-eyed look towards Kasumi, hearing a faint note of what sounded like disapproval in her voice and I said, "Oneechan? You helped get her a job here?"

"Yes," Kasumi returned my look with an expression I found almost unreadable, "After all I've spent a great deal of time talking to Shampoo the past week while she's been helping me tend to the house chores. She really is a nice girl, once you get past those tribal laws that have caused so much trouble between her and Ranma. She has a lot of energy and many talents and she was eager to use them on behalf of Ranma, and while I don't approve of what she did to Akane, it really was preferable to what those laws of hers would have had her do. I asked her as a personal favor not to hurt either one of you, and she agreed with me. I think blanking Akane's memory was her idea of being merciful."

Then she held out the dart that she had found in Shampoo's collar. I stared at the thing as if it were a smoking gun, and I think I swallowed a little.

You have to understand something about Kasumi. Between the two of us we've been keeping the dojo solvent and have been doing everything that we can to make up for our father's near-retirement from active pursuit of the art. Mother's death really hit all of us pretty bad, and for the last nine years I think we've all been pretty much running in place just trying to keep up with the bills while providing food on our table. I'd discovered that Kasumi was the one who talked Genma into getting a job with Tofu to earn some outside income, having convinced the basically job-phobic man that it was either that or starvation. It was also her idea that got Ranma thinking about helping to restart the dojo.

Most people think Kasumi is an airhead because she seems to vacuous and nice all of the time. That's just her way, though, and I really get annoyed that people think it's all just an act somehow, that nobody could be as nice as she is all of the time, or that she must be mentally defective. It's true Kasumi doesn't strike me as Rocket Scientist material, but she has her own list of talents, just like I have mine, and what other full-time domestic do you know who keeps a current stock on ancient Chinese literature on her book-shelf. She's always borrowing medical texts from Tofu, along with classics of Chinese literature, and it never occurred to even me until that moment that most of the books I'd seen her reading in her spare time did not have Japanese translations.

I guess that's why it shocked me even more when Kasumi went into Tofu's office and to Shampoo's side and began to speak to her in Mandarin, a language I barely even recognized since I studied Cantonese in my foreign Language classes, alongside English. Tofu went into his babbling act, of course, and had to be led out of the room by Ranma before he hurt himself, but as usual Kasumi did not seem to notice how different he was when she was around him. She really is funny in that way, observant of small details, but totally missing the big picture.

Shampoo and Kasumi spoke in low-voiced tones, then to my great surprise I saw tears forming in the Amazon's eyes as comprehension of her situation dawned there, which she then tried to hide by turning away from us before sitting up on her pallet. I stood to one side feeling very odd about that moment, as if there were some critical element of the picture that I was missing, and I never like being left out on the gag. I asked aloud what was bothering her, or if being defeated by Kuno was that humiliating.

Kasumi gave me a very mild reproving stare while Shampoo went into a brave act that was so astonishingly like the way Ranma tries to hide his own feelings, then she said, "Shampoo know she beaten by boy. Shampoo very sorry she so weak she lose again to outsider. Great Grandmother very angry that Shampoo no live up to training...but Shampoo also very happy."

"Happy," I repeated, wondering why I sensed that I was not going to like hearing the rest of this explanation.

"Yes," Shampoo turned a smile our way that made the room seem a little brighter, "Boy who defeat Shampoo very handsome. Is great warrior, yes? Shampoo hear him speak, think him full of bluster, but no expect him to be so good. Great Grandmother approve of second Airen, almost as much as she approve of first one."

"Second Airen," I numbly repeated, realizing then and there that I was definitely not going to like hearing what followed.

"You mean you plan to keep both of them?" Kasumi asked with that charmingly na ve tone of hers, which really was no act on her part but simply her way of stating aloud her grasp of the situation.

The Amazon nodded her purple head then said, "Shampoo is tribal Champion, best warrior in village. Strong male fighters very hard to come by in tribe, is usually only one for two womans in tribe, but Champion allowed to have two husbands, or more if they very good. Only best warrior defeat Champion of Nyanichiczu, strong man make good babies for tribe, so Shampoo very lucky, have two strong men, both make good fathers for Shampoo children."

I kept a stoical face but inwardly I was groaning. I had assumed it was just a matter of deciding which male candidate was the better one for her to take home to her village and it never even occurred to me that Bigamy-or to be more precise: Polyandry-might be a factor in the Amazon culture. Fortunately Kasumi's next question helped to further clarify the matter.

"But what if the two boys you're now compelled to marry don't like each other?" my Oneechan asked with greater perception than even I would have allowed her, "I understand that Ranma and Tatawaki Kuno fight a lot between classes and they've been rivals since the day that they met."

"Shampoo put end to that," Shampoo said very forcefully, "No have husbands fight each other. Understand if they have much warrior pride, but is good if family stand united, like nice girl's family. Shampoo wish she get along with own family as well as you and sisters."

I thought a moment about that, how Akane and I used to tease each other mercilessly, how Kasumi had virtually been like a mother to the both of us and always tried to keep down the fighting, especially after it became plain that Akane could have pounded me into the dirt on one of those more recent occasions. I wondered just what sort of impression we had been giving this foreign girl since she had stared living with us, or whether Shampoo got along at all with her own sisters...assuming she has any.

"But," I began in a desperate attempt at salvaging my plan, "Isn't there a rule about two boys fighting each other if they don't want to share in a marriage?"

"That very true," Shampoo looked thoughtful, then glanced at me and said, "You know law of Amazons? Shampoo not know you Loremaster. Shampoo would have been nicer to you if she had known this."

"Loremaster," I repeated again, finding that I liked the sound of that for some obscure reason, then I assumed my gravest tones and said, "I don't think Ranma and Kuno could put aside their differences enough to share you. I think that they'll insist on settling the matter with a challenge match. If they choose to fight will you accept the outcome?"

"Yes," Shampoo lowered her eyes and nodded, "Shampoo no like husbands choosing to fight, but Shampoo obey law. Law is all Shampoo have. Shampoo no want to go home to face Elders and family if she no bring honor to name with strong husband."

"Don't you want to go home eventually, Shampoo-chan?" Kasumi asked in an entirely too friendly manner.

The Amazon heaved a very deep sigh before she said, "Shampoo miss village, miss China. Japan very strange place, all full of rules very different from ways of Amazons, but...outside world also very nice. Much bigger place than Shampoo ever imagine. Shampoo...she feel like very small child with so much to learn. Shampoo want to please Airen, be good wife, learn to be like womans he used to. Shampoo not know what she do wrong to make husband run away from her. He very strange boy...you think maybe he no like women?"

"Ranma?" I chuckled a bit too nervously, but the question did strike home to my own concerns. Was that the reason Ranma was so nice and shy around women? I didn't think he was that way, but if he liked boys more than girls then it could explain why we get along so well together...

"I'm sure Ranma likes you very much," Kasumi reassured her, "He's just not used to having a girl who comes onto him the way you do. I think he would prefer a girl who had more modesty and knew how to behave in public, not that there is anything wrong with the way you behave, of course."

Shampoo turned and looked at my sister, "You mean Shampoo act more like you, maybe Ranma like her?"

"I wasn't thinking about me," Kasumi smiled, "I was thinking that you should try to be more like Nabiki. In fact if the two of you spent time together and got to know each other properly I think you'll even become good friends. At the very least you will learn how to make Ranma pay you more attention."

I stood there with my mouth hanging open. What in the Kami's name was Kasumi thinking? But I closed my mouth again as I saw Shampoo's crimson eyes turn towards me with interest, then Shampoo stood up and said, "Shampoo like that. Maybe shorthaired girl know things besides Lore of Amazons? Shampoo like to learn new things, you teach Shampoo how to make Airen like her?"

And that's how I got roped into becoming Shampoo's special tutor. Don't ask me why I didn't say something right then to try and get out of this mess, or what exactly Kasumi had on her mind in making me spend more time with the purple-haired Bimbo, but now I'm stuck with a major revision to my plans and I can't shake this awful feeling that I'm missing something very significant here. I know Shampoo was making me very angry yesterday where I made my bloody vow to seek vengeance for what she had done to my sister, but...

Nabiki paused at her keyboard, hearing a light tapping on her window. She looked up fully expecting to see Ranma's face hanging upside down like a bat, as was his usual ways of announcing his presence, but instead she saw Shampoo hanging there with her purple hair dangling below the window sill. Without missing a beat Nabiki quickly saved her document and then exited from the program before getting up out of her chair and going to said window.

"What do you want?" she asked, "It's very late..."

"Shampoo knows," the girl replied with a particularly cute expression, "Kasumi ask Shampoo to tell you that she plans to go on shopping trip and invited you along because you good with money. Also she think we need more time for you to teach Shampoo what she need to know to make Ranma like Shampoo. After you go school Shampoo be ready meet with you and Kasumi."

"Ah, sure," Nabiki said reluctantly, "No problem."

"Good," Shampoo said brightly, "Because Shampoo want nice things to make Airen like Shampoo so he no avoid Shampoo. Shampoo also need make good impression on second Airen when she tell him good news that he got Amazon bride. Will he be at school tomorrow you think?"

"Uh, yeah, I'd pretty much count on that," Nabiki said, cheering up only slightly as she considered the kind of reaction that would probably manifest with the usually clueless Kuno when Shampoo declared both him and Ranma as her "husbands." With great hesitation on her part she said, "See you tomorrow, then?"

Shampoo made a cute girlish sound and replied, "Tomorrow is good. You nicer person than Shampoo thought you were. Is good to find people in strange Airen land who help Shampoo find two strong husbands."

With that the Amazon flipped away into the night, leaving Nabiki to stand where she was feeling both confused and helpless, as though events were spiraling way beyond her ability to control. She closed the window at last and leaned her head against the frame as she murmured, "Kasumi...what were you thinking?"

A gentle rapping on her door caused Nabiki to whirl around in surprise, but she managed to hold her voice steady as she said, "Yes, who is it?"

"Nabchan, are you all right?" said a familiar voice with an edge of desperate worry.

Nabiki crossed the room in three heartbeats and opened the door partway, "Ranma!"

It was very odd seeing him standing there outside her room like a normal person instead of his usual means of nocturnal visitation, especially in light of the way Shampoo had just copied his movements. It was also very reassuring to see the look of relief in his expression as he said, "Are you...all right? I thought I saw Shampoo outside your window and I..." he hesitated, "I was kind of...well..."

"Worried?" Nabiki smiled, "Thanks, Ranchan, but I wasn't in any danger this time...at least not yet. Are you still ready for your fight tomorrow?"

"Ah, yeah..." Ranma glanced to the side before he continued, "About that...are you sure this is the only way? I mean...losing to Kuno is bad enough, but from the way I heard things back at Tofu's office, it sounds to me as if she wants to keep both of us. Is that crazy or what?"

"Which part do you mean?" Nabiki said drolly, "The whole thing sounds crazy, but as near as I can tell this is our only way to kill two birds with one stone. Kodachi's promised to help out again, and so far she's been as good as her word, but I'd still be on my guard around her if I were you."

He gave a very nervous chuckle at that, "You don't have to tell me twice. Well...I guess you'll be all right for tonight then?"

"Sure," Nabiki replied with a shadow of her normally crooked smile, "You know me, I always manage to avoid danger. You should worry about yourself...Shampoo's still out to get you in your girl form."

"I think I can avoid getting wet for at least one night," Ranma gave her a faint smile as he added, "Unless somebody wants to take some illicit pictures when I'm not looking."

Nabiki could not help wincing at that. Was she ever going to be able to make him forget about that incident? He said he had forgiven her, but he could still tease her about it whenever the mood was on him.

Ranma made as if to go, but rather than turn away he stood where he was staring at her in silence while Nabiki held her ground, still not closing the door on him as that silence hung in the air between them. He shuffled his feet slightly then looked up at her as Nabiki felt her breath catch, wondering if he was going to come in or...something...and wondering what kind of reaction she might have if he gave into the impulse. Nothing happened for the longest while, so at last Nabiki said, "We...um...can't do this all night. If you've got something more to say, Ranma..."

"Ah..." Ranma hesitated when of a sudden Akane opened the door to her room and said, "Hey, who are you, and how did you get into our house, and what are you doing talking to my sister at this time of night? Some of us are trying to sleep, you know!"

"Huh?" Ranma said, then reflexively his eyes went to the pig cradled in her arms and he thought he could almost see Ryoga look back and forth between them and Nabiki in dull confusion.

Nabiki smiled, "Sorry if we woke you up, Sis. We'll talk more at school tomorrow, Ranchan."

"Ranchan?" Akane blinked, giving Ranma a puzzled look, "Are you her new boyfriend? You look just like that other fellow who was with her..."

Nabiki closed the door and sighed, then glanced at her computer again and murmured very faintly, "It's going to be a very strange day tomorrow morning..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cantonese Recipes for Broiled Pig: shadowmane

Everything you thought you knew about Shampoo but were afraid to ask...next time!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	11. Chapter 11

Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi)  
Part Ten.

"Wode Airen!"

"Unhand me, woman! The great Tatawaki Kuno "

"Wo ai ni!"

"I said let go! This is undignified! I stop that!"

"Why you so stubborn like other Airen?" Shampoo complained, "You no like Shampoo? Why you challenge if you no like her?"

"But I didn't-help!" Tatawaki cried as he broke free of Shampoo's grasp and started running. After only a very brief pause Shampoo took off after him and the race was on from one end of the schoolyard to the other and back again.

I stood by the wall of the front gate watching the entire exchange with a sense of growing ennui, seeing yet another key element of my great master plan come unraveled before my eyes. I only faintly took note of the approach of my partner in crime, Kodachi, who showed up right on schedule, in time to see her brother go rushing past the gate with Shampoo following very close behind him.

"What in the world ?" the self-styled Black Rose remarked, "Is that what I think it is?"

"You got it," I said dryly, "Amazon courtship rituals in motion."

"Stay away from me!" we heard Tatawaki cry as he went rushing by in the opposite direction from last time.

"But Airen, you no give Shampoo chance !" said a purple-haired blur that streaked by a half second later.

Kodachi stopped full in her tracks and watched the whole affair and I took note of her non-plussed expression before remarking very softly, "I don't think your brother is very happy for some reason."

Kodachi recovered from her surprise and said, "I believe that you are right. This is something I would normally pay money to see: Tachi running from the affections of a woman! If it wasn't so pathetic, I would almost feel like laughing."

I was just as glad not to hear her trademark laughter, so I sighed and added, "I'm beginning to wonder if this plan of mine was such a great concept "

"My brother is an idiot," Kodachi snorted then added, "I wonder if he would flee this hard if he were being pursued by his Osage no Onna."

This time I did laugh, but it wasn't from humor and came out pretty bitter, "I doubt if Ranko would demean herself this way. In point of fact she is laying low for the time being since Shampoo over there has repeatedly expressed a desire to kill her."

"Help!" Kuno cried as he rushed past us again, kicking up a breeze that stirred both our hair as we watched Shampoo closing the distance between them.

"A good enough reason," Kodachi remarked as we both turned out heads to watch Kuno stumble and fall into some bushes where Shampoo was able to pounce on him once again for a clincher, "And my darling Ranma-sama?"

I kept my tone as even as I could manage as I replied, "The minute Shampoo showed up he cleared out. You don't think Ranma-kun would be foolish enough to stick around and watch this?"

"I might," said a voice from directly over our heads.

We both craned our necks to look directly up where we found Ranma reclining on the wall overlooking the schoolyard. He had evidently been watching Kuno's discomfiture, but rather than gloat over the plight of his sometime rival, the expression he wore was unusually thoughtful.

"Ranma-sama," Kodachi said brightly, "Are you enjoying the show? Does not my brother put on a remarkable performance? You would almost think he doesn't appreciate the attention."

"Yeah," Ranma said, "I've noticed that. Hey, Nabiki why do you think that is? I mean, he chases me-my cousin and your sister all the time, but I think Shampoo actually scares him."

"Hard to say, Ranma-kun," I sighed, "I'm not a clinical psychologist, but if I had to guess I think I'd say that Kuno there likes to be the aggressor in a relationship either that or he's actually very shy and only chases after women he knows will refuse him."

"That sounds like Tatawaki," Kodachi sighed in sisterly exasperation, "He finally finds a woman who willingly throws herself at his feet and what does he do? Turns tail and runs like a scared little rabbit. Of course that Chinese whore's technique does seem to overwhelm his normal composure."

"At least he's not composing anything poetical about this," I remarked, looking for the silver lining in this cloud bank.

"There is that, true," Kodachi noted with conspiratorial amusement.

"Hello," hailed Kasumi in her usual pleasant dulcet tones as we turned to regard her approach, "Are you and Shampoo ready to go shopping, Nabiki-chan? Oh my, is that your friend from the other night?"

"Kuno Kodachi," Kodachi said as she turned to favor my sister with cunning appraisal, "Captain of the Saint Hebereke women's team of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, called the Black Rose by some and a rising star of athletics."

"Oh my," said Kasumi pleasantly, "That is an impressive title. I remember seeing you compete with Ranma "

"Ranko," I hastily corrected, giving Kodachi an apologetic look, "She sometimes gets the names confused. Kodachi, this is my older sister, Kasumi."

"Charmed," Kodachi said in a sultry voice, "I can see where all the grace has rested in your family. Tendo Kasumi, 'Hazy mist of the way to Heaven,' a very poetical name. It is a pleasure to greet you with more propriety than I was sadly able to convey upon our previous encounter."

"Then perhaps you might like to pay us another visit," Kasumi replied with genuine warmth, leaving me to wonder just what the heck the two of them were saying as my attention focused back towards Shampoo at that very moment.

It seemed that Kuno had passed out after tripping and being glommed, but once he had revived he had made another break for it, and this time managed to get clean away before Shampoo could tighten her grasp. Rather than pursue again I saw her heave a very weary sigh and look dejectedly at the ground as though it had finally sunk in with her that her attentions were not wanted.

She brightened up at once when Kasumi called out to her, and I saw her smile with genuine enthusiasm as she called out, "Nihao! We go shopping now for nice things?"

I reflexively looked up and found-to no surprise-  
that Ranma had taken a powder before she could mark his presence. Shampoo came trotting up to join us with her usual perky enthusiasm, showing no trace of that momentary look of bereavement I thought I had observed in her eyes, then the three of us left together with Kodachi tagging along on a whim, no doubt as curious as I was at observing our unsuspecting rival from close quarters.

I was finding it more than a little disconcerting to be sandwiched between a certifiable sociopath and an obsessive-compulsive and wondered what in the Kami's name Kasumi was thinking to have arranged this whole bizarre engagement. I decided to play along and soon we three found ourselves in-of all things-a lingerie shop, the very last place I would have imagined Kasumi going. My confusion was only added to when my Oneechan contrived to get Kodachi's attention focused on a question of propriety concerning an item that made my sister blush just to handle. That left me alone with Shampoo in what had to be one of the most awkward moments of my life, answering questions from the Amazon concerning some frilly unmentionables that she was thinking to purchase.

Some of her questions were astonishingly na ve and I got the impression that she had never seen anything like it in her home village. I asked her about that point blank and she informed me that in China they use silks rather than nylons and that the elastic feel of this modern fabric was far superior to anything that the government supplied, or was found on the black market. It was with some astonishment that I learned that she had no idea about the proper use of a bra, considering how generously endowed she is and what that will probably mean further down the line when her boobs start sagging.

I explained the concept as carefully as I could and found-to my astonishment-that Shampoo readily absorbed my explanations and asked more intelligent questions once I had established the basic principle behind a halter. I had already discovered that she had very little modesty regarding her body but I had assumed until then that this was all part of her generally arrogant personality. It was quite a jolt to discover that she was entirely unselfconscious about her own beauty, reckoning that she must not be all that attractive if she failed to gain the interest of either of her two husbands.

I began to realize at long last that the girl beside me was not as stupid as I had supposed, only culturally ignorant and lacking in many basic social skills to an extent very much like Ranma. She informed me that she had been in training for most of her young life and had never really been given much time to learn how to behave around other people. Where she grew up the only thing that mattered was being the best warrior of her generation which meant regarding other children her own age with suspicion if not outright hostility. She had grown up knowing few friends, only rivals, and that had given her little incentive to learn self-restraint and modesty in her behavior.

"But," I reasoned as I watched her examine some very scandalous items that I knew Kasumi herself would never think of wearing, "Surely you must have had some friends, even sisters you got along with."

"No have friends when very little," Shampoo replied, "Had friends a few years back, one girl who no good as fighter, other girl who become adopted cousin and train to be village Enforcer. Other girl she make Shampoo think she friend, but she betrayer who want only get close to Shampoo to learn how Shampoo fight. No see her for two year. After that Shampoo decide no have friends in village."

"And the girl who was a poor fighter?" I asked and saw her tense slightly without looking my way.

"She gone," Shampoo replied with a hint of great sadness, "Shampoo miss her very much. She only one who ever true friend to Shampoo. Cousin try be friend, but we train often, no have time be friends. Other girls in village Shampoo fight all time, very hard to be friends when you beat up other girls you age. No have any real friends till Shampoo come here and meet you sister."

"You mean Kasumi is your friend?" I asked, glancing covertly at Kasumi and finding to my surprise that she and Kodachi were getting along like a couple of old school chums despite the difference in their ages.

"Yes," Shampoo smiled, turning a look towards me that compelled me to look back in her direction, "Not know anyone like Kasumi in village, except maybe father. You very lucky girl have sister who so nice. Shampoo never have time be close to family like you, Shampoo only train," she sighed with a sad expression, "Kasumi only girl speak Shampoo in own language, make Shampoo feel less like outsider. Shampoo try to be nice to repay kindness by help out. She help Shampoo get job with nice Healer who act funny when she around. She also help Shampoo try learn better Japanese. No like feel stupid, no can speak language of Airen."

"You mean Ranma?" I asked, hearing the way she pronounced the word "beloved husband" with a magical quality that lifted her sadness and made her face light up from within.

"Ranma," Shampoo nodded, then frowned, "Odd he named like Shampoo enemy, sound good on him, no good on her."

"We call her Ranko," I carefully explained, wondering if she was going to catch on prematurely to Ranma's little secret.

"Ranko," Shampoo frowned, "Is good she name different, but she call Ranma in village. Very arrogant girl, eat Shampoo prize. Shampoo decide teach lesson, but Ranko defeat Shampoo easy. No good lose face in front of village, but Shampoo very glad it happen."

"Huh?" I blinked, "What do you mean by that? I thought you hated her for stealing your title."

Shampoo smiled and shook her head negatively, "No hate girl Ranko, she very good fighter. Shampoo very foolish underestimate her, and Shampoo tired from fight all day, not know better. Shampoo very surprised she kicked off log so easy, but when Shampoo recover she think this good thing because it mean she get to chase girl out of village. Shampoo give Ranko kiss of death but allow time to escape so she hunt her out into country. Shampoo chase all way from China, always come close to girl to make her run faster, no try actually kill her."

"What?" I gasped in astonishment, "You mean all this time you've let her lead you on?"

Shampoo nodded her head and I asked her why, so she smiled and replied, "No want have kill girl, even though law say kill girl. Shampoo never leave village before, except train in country. First time Shampoo ever long away from home, and Shampoo get to see world for first time. Very big outside, much more big than Shampoo ever realize, and more she chase girl more she see of world. Shampoo never have chance to see so many people, only hear stories of outside world. Shampoo father come from outside, so Shampoo very curious, want know if everything she hear true or just stories."

"And you never thought about seeing it for yourself without having to chase somebody like a rabbit?" I asked, discovering with great reluctance that I was finding it easy to identify with this girl's hunger for knowledge and experience.

Shampoo heaved a great sigh, "Shampoo no have permission of Elders. Shampoo Great grandmother no allow Shampoo to leave village. Shampoo is warrior, must obey Elders, train hard to keep traditions in family. No have reason to go outside until she chase girl, now even Great Grandmother no object if Shampoo remain outside while hunt Ranko."

"But sooner or later won't you have to catch up with her and finish this?" I asked, wondering just what kind of evil old crone held such a tight tether around this girl's slender neck.

The sadness filled Shampoo's eyes again, "That true and then Shampoo must take Airen and go home to village to resume training. Good thing she find two strong husband, it much please Great Grandmother and bring honor to family and village."

"That's assuming you can convince them to come with you," I noted very slowly and saw the sadness deepen.

"Why Shampoo no like by Airen? Shampoo try hard be nice girl for handsome, strong Ranma but he no want Shampoo with him. Now new Airen even worse, no let Shampoo hug is Shampoo so repulsive?"

"Ah it's not your looks," I said carefully, "It's how you act. Some guys don't like it when you jump all over them. You've got to learn to show your affections in a different way, not be so overwhelming "

I saw puzzlement in her eyes and belatedly realized that I was probably using words that she did not understand, so I tried again and said, "Some men are shy do you know about shyness?"

"No," Shampoo replied, and I for some reason that response did not surprise me.

I struggled to find the words, then at last I said, "Warriors like Kuno and Ranma are used to being alone. They're not accustomed to having people jump all over them. They like to feel as if they're in charge. You go jumping all over them and threatening to kill Ranko and it won't make a very good impression."

She seemed to be having some trouble interpreting my words, but after a moment I saw comprehension in her crimson eyes, "Oh, you mean they not like be grabbed in open? Why they no like? If warrior show she like boy, it sign he have high status in tribe."

I was about to give up at that point when curiosity prompted me to ask, "You show affection like that to the boys back home?"

She nodded, this time understanding the question, "Hiyaa, but it make boys at home feel good to be acknowledged by strong warrior. Shampoo see many boy act like he walk on cloud when warrior hug him."

"And have you ever hugged a boy like that yourself?" I asked, playing on a hunch that I saw immediately confirmed by her change of expression.

"Shampoo no find boy worthy of her notice," she said in slightly deflated tones, "There one boy who say he like her, but he blind idiot, no listen to Shampoo when she say no touch her."

"So you don't like to be touched?" I asked, hoping to find an angle I could use to gain her understanding.

She shook her head and replied, "It no that. Shampoo very much want somebody who hug her same way she like to hug back. If girl no refuse be hugged, it mean she like one who hugging her. Shampoo always defend when stupid boy try to grab her. If Shampoo want him to grab she let him, but boy no take hint, so Shampoo beat him senseless, tell him leave her alone " she sighed, "He never listen."

I had a sudden flash of comprehension and I said, "You mean when Ranma doesn't fight back with you and lets you grab him ?"

"Ranma," I saw the light come back on in her eyes as she smiled in a way that made the room grow noticeably warmer, "He no like any boy Shampoo ever see, and he no refuse be hugged, so he must like Shampoo deep down. Shampoo no understand why he no say words Shampoo long to hear. Maybe he what word you use? Shy? Is very strange Japanese custom?"

"Ah something like that," I said, now at last cottoning onto Shampoo's odd behavior, and why she never seemed to notice that Ranma was avoiding her rather than accepting her advances. In her culture when a boy accepted a glom he was tacitly accepting her proposition, so Ranma disinclination to fight and hit Shampoo was taken for a sign that he actually liked her! I was beginning to see just how big a hurdle I was going to have to overcome if I was to make her leave him completely, and-more to the point-Ranma had undermined my position while unwittingly encouraging Shampoo's interest.

I decided to deflect Shampoo's attention from noticing how depressed I was by showing her several more displays of the type of lingerie she had never before encountered. For a complete novice at the very idea of frilly things used to attract the interest of a man, I must say she wasted little time in grasping the basic concept.

"Shampoo," I began after a pause of several minutes, "What do you really think about Ranma?"

I saw her smile that way again and she replied, "Him very strong, very powerful fighter. No see anyone fight like him. He very brave, very confident, no hesitate in fight against other boy but him seem very shy about fighting Shampoo, even when we sparring."

"Ranma doesn't like to fight with girls," I explained, "He thinks its unmanly."

"Unmanly?" Shampoo blinked, then sweet laughter like that of a nightingale rang out as she replied, "Him most man Shampoo ever meet! Why he think woman no worth fighting? Him think he so much better than us?"

"Actually he doesn't think it's right because most women can't fight back like an Amazon," I explained, then tried to sound idle as I added, "Ranma would never fight with me because he knows I'd get hurt "

"Shampoo know that too," the Amazon chuckled, to which I instinctively bristled, but then her next words flattened me, "Shampoo see you practice. You have talent, but you no have training. Kasumi-friend say you no practice after death of mother. Shampoo understand you no have training, no have reason to train, so you no great fighter like you mother."

"Like my mother?" I repeated in a daze, wondering what else Kasumi had told her.

"Kasumi say she learn many basic things when little," Shampoo replied, "Only practice little of what she know, but it very powerful what is word for method?"

"Ryu Technique?" I replied, then watched her repeat the word several times in a low voice as if to memorize it.

"Yes, technique," she finally nodded, "Ryu practiced by mother what we call Lore Mastery in village. You apprentice Lore Master, no have full training, or even half training like Kasumi. Shampoo respect Lore Masters of village, think maybe they teach you as mother should teach daughter, is way to preserve traditions."

"Ah," I said intelligently as I digested this, "These Lore Masters, are they anything like Wizards or special kinds of Martial Arts teachers ?"

"No," Shampoo shook her purple haired head and said, "Shampoo learn from War Master, greatest Elder of village, three hundred year old and very powerful fighter. Lore Masters practice different art, know ways of power even greater than great fighter. It hard explain, much better you meet Elder and see for self. You be powerful Lore Master if you raised in village, that why Shampoo respect you, even if you no powerful fighter."

I was becoming more confused by the moment as I talked with this girl. She was so totally unlike my initial impression of her that I was having to drastically rethink everything I had thought I knew just trying to keep up with her explanations. More alarming to me was the fact that the more time I spent listening to her the harder it was to actively dislike her. She was a very lonely, sheltered person, raised to believe that her entire well being was dependent on being a great fighter, and totally dedicated to the art, exactly like Ranma.

I got angry at myself just then for starting to warm up to the Amazon and forcibly reminded myself that this was the monster who had manipulated my sister's memories as a direct consequence of her pursuit of my boyfriend. Steeling my self not to be swayed by her obvious charms I tried to say, as levelly as I could, "This Lore Mastery of yours is it like that stuff you used on my sister?"

Perhaps my tone betrayed my anger because Shampoo turned a look that was almost apologetic my way, "You no like I make her forget Ranma? Shampoo no hurt angry girl. It was best way make her forget Airen. Shampoo promise Kasumi she no hurt anyone, so Shampoo no hurt sister, even though she deserve it for challenging Shampoo in front of Airen."

"You mean you used that Xi Fang whatever technique because you were honoring a promise made to our sister?" I asked incredulously.

"Shampoo know many thing," Shampoo replied, "Angry girl very clumsy fighter, very slow, no very good fighter. She have strength but nobody teach good form, so fight with her no even challenge. Shampoo know she better fighter, girl know too, have too much pride admit this. Shampoo decide it better use Xi Fang Giao Shiatsu technique so no cause injury to angry girl. It how you say Ranma call it? No worthy of great Warrior status."

I had to admit at that point that what she said made a lot of sense. I mean, from a practical standpoint it was probably better to give Akane selective amnesia than, say, to break both of her arms and legs, which I fully believe Shampoo could have done to her without breaking a sweat. My sister really had gotten off lucky in that fight, and all because of a promise made to Kasumi!

Of course I know Akane would bristle at the suggestion that her technique was flawed, but even I could see that she was barely at novice level next to the Amazon and her training. I began to lose more and more of the edge of my anger the longer I thought about it, so I tried one last desperate tact by reverting the conversation back towards Ranma.

"Shampoo," I said, voicing aloud a question even I had trouble contemplating, "What happens to you if you don't get Ranma?"

"What you mean?" I could hear the edge in her voice as she looked at me in confusion, "No get Ranma? Ranma first Airen, he boy Shampoo promised to. She no weak girl who no can get husband "

"Nonetheless," I said with gentle insistence, "If it were possible that Ranma chose not to go back to China with you, would you try and force him to come with you?"

Confusion ruled in her eyes for another few seconds before she suddenly smiled and said, "You no have fun with Shampoo this way. Shampoo no in hurry go back to China. Want time to get to know Airen, see more of Japan. Shampoo never have people she just talk to before, even if in other language. Shampoo also u7nderstand if Airen need time before leave family. Shampoo no cruel that way, she see boy honored member of Home and need time before go back with Shampoo to other home in China."

"I see," I said, "But if you went home without him there'd be no problem right? You don't really want to kill Ranko, so you can just tell them she's dead and they'll believe you, right?"

Shampoo looked away, "Elder want proof Shampoo avenge herself. In old days it mean take head of enemy home to show Elders. Shampoo no think that needed these day, but Shampoo no want to go home without Airen, or other Airen. Shampoo no same if return alone, be worthless girl, only shame to family if she no can win her Airen."

It was then that I began to understand that there would be consequences for her if she could not return home under the conditions that she favored. Failing to kill the red-haired girl who had disgraced her was one thing but failing to bring home a man who had defeated her in battle was probably like the final straw as far as it went with her Tribespeople. I wondered if Shampoo might make up some kind of story to cover for her disgrace, but I doubted if she had that much dissembly in her since the impression I got was that she was totally devoted to returning home with honor. Rather like the ancient Spartan Warriors, now I think on it, sworn to return with their shield raised high in victory, or to return home on them.

I decided not to push my luck any father at the point out of concern that she might then question my curiosity and interest in these matters, but I had just gotten enough from my discussion with her to realize that there were more serious flaws in my plan than I ever would have imagined. As soon as I was able to I sought Kodachi and had to work to get her to part company with my sister. I was really quite amazed to see that the two of them had hit things off but was too distracted by the Shampoo question to pay this more serious notice.

Instead I got Kodachi by myself while Kasumi rejoined Shampoo and started making selections for purchase, and once I was sure we were out of earshot I whispered to the Black Rose, "We have a problem."

Kodachi raised an eyebrow at that but otherwise gave no hint of sharing my alarm as she replied, "What sort of problem? Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about avenging your sister?"

"It's not that," I replied, "It's Shampoo. I think she may not be as easy to dupe with the next phase as I'd been expecting."

"I see," Kodachi purred in a thoughtful tone, "So the little tramp isn't totally without a brain. That does complicate things considerably. I still think we should go ahead anyway, but perhaps I might suggest a few additional guarantees to aid in the outcome?"

"You're not planning on drugging Ranma, are you?" I asked her with suspicion.

To my surprise she appeared genuinely horrified at the suggestion, "Drug my darling Ranma-sama? Why, the very suggestion is offensive! You must have a very low opinion of me if you think I would stoop so low as that "

"Good," I said, "Because the idea is to make Ranma lose to your brother in a convincing way, and if he fights at less than his full edge Shampoo is going to notice."

"Then I trust you will help Ranma give a convincing performance," Kodachi smiled at me sidelong, "Leave my brother to me. His performance will be flawless."

I had my doubts right then and there, and if I were laying the odds on our chances of success I would probably have given three to one against our pulling this off, but we were committed so there was no question of pulling out, regardless of the danger. Kodachi seemed to radiate confidence of our success, but I now had a sense that Shampoo was more on the ball that either of us had imagined, and if this plan fell through it was very likely that the two of us were in for some Amazon retribution. I couldn't make Kodachi see just how dangerous Shampoo could be if fully aroused, but I had a pretty good grasp of the sort of damage she could inflict, and I'm rather fond of my memories, thank you very much. The risk factor was just too great to leave anything to chance, so after we got home from our shopping I immediately went in search of Ranma.

I didn't think I'd find him in the dojo or the main house, but there was one place he was almost guaranteed to turn up sooner or later, so I headed for my room intending to go through the window out onto the roof when I heard a shushing noise and turned around to find Ranma poised on top of my dresser. He peered past my shoulder as if to make certain that I was alone, then hopped down onto the floor and looked me over as if expecting me to be covered in cuts and bruises.

"Are you all right?" he asked, "You still remember who I am, don't you?"

In spite of my sour mood I had to smile at that and said, "Know you, kind stranger? Afraid not, but if a handsome boy turns up in my room, who am I to object."

"What?" he said in surprise as I shut my door behind me, then proceeded to come onto him as though the last few days of holding back had never existed. The poor boy had that "caught in the headlights" look again as I threw my arms around him to reassure myself of his existence, but I did not keep him in the dark for very long as the warmth of my embrace must have betrayed my full remembrance of his identity. He seemed to relax slightly as he sighed, "So I guess you do remember me after all, huh?"

"What do you think, dummy?" I smiled as I stood back to look up into his blue eyes and suddenly felt all my doubts about tricking Shampoo disappear like magic, "Nice of you to check up on me, Ranma-kun, but Shampoo and I are getting along a lot better at the moment. She doesn't yet know about us, so you can relax and just tell me that you're ready to go through with the plan."

"Uh, yeah about that," Ranma began when he suddenly tensed, and then we both heard the pounding of feet heading up the stairs and down the hallway. Ranma moved like a shot back to his place atop the dresser then vaulted up to the ceiling, which he clung to like a spider as my door was flung open, admitting Shampoo in all her bright and bouncy glory.

"Hiyaa!" she cried happily, "You help Shampoo try on nice things so she look good for Ranma?"

"Uh, sure thing, Shampoo-san," I replied, hoping my extreme nervousness of the moment wasn't about to set off any alarm bells with her, or that her warrior senses would not make her look up to see Ranma clinging there above our heads with a look of sudden panic, "Did Kasumi send you here? You are supposed to knock first before entering a lady's chambers."

Shampoo clutched her hands together and nodded with a big smile as she said, "Shampoo do what Kasumi-san tell her to do, but no knock this time as she say repair of doors and walls cost money."

I mentally kicked myself as I remembered that this girl's idea of making an entrance was literally just that. I'm rather fond of my privacy, so having an open frame where my door used to be was not my idea of home improvement. Very foresightful of Kasumi, even if sending her to my room to change was pushing it a bit. Once again I was amazed at how easily Kasumi could work her miraculously moderating influence over this human wrecking ball, and now I had the little problem of keeping her distracted while Ranma made a very strategic exit.

How we both managed to pull that off is a wonder even to me because Shampoo obviously had ears like a cat and could pick up the tiny tell-tail sounds Ranma made when moving as she turned around barely in time to see the blur that marked his passing. I thought we were both as good as dead when I heard a startled cry from Kasumi as Ranma appeared to surprise her on the stairway. As Shampoo turned with a puzzled expression and said, "What that?" I had a sudden hunch who would be found in a very awkward tangle with my sister. History does sometimes repeat itself you know

"Oh, that was Ranko," I replied, "She wanted to talk with me, you know? Girl stuff "

"Ranko?" I saw a very feral expression cross Shampoo's cute face as she smiled with anticipation, "That very good. Need to work off some energy before dinner. I go make like I kill her, you explain later I only have fun pretending."

"Oh sure," I said with more relief than I felt, "I'm sure she'll be happy to know it's not all that serious. You two kids have fun now, and don't play too rough."

I had sudden mental image of the way I sounded right then, picturing me turning into Kasumi! Shampoo just smiled, and suddenly those bonbori were in her hands again as she grinned, "Play rough half of fun. Good thing she fast or this be too easy. Shampoo come by try on nice things with you later."

She said the latter part over her shoulder as she went stalking out the door, then gave a shrill cry of, "Ranko-I KILL!" which was punctuated by a high pitched scream as Ranma started running.

I really think I would have burst out laughing right there and then as Kasumi came by my room, slightly wet, and glancing back over her shoulder with her usual idle comment, "Those two do have so much fun together, it's almost a shame she doesn't know about the curse."

"Oh yeah, like that would improve things, Sis," I snorted, "She's pledged to kill Ranko and marry Ranma. What happens when she finds out the two halves are one in the same guy?"

"I don't know," Kasumi seemed to think about that for a moment, "I guess it would all be up to her Great Grandmother, the Matriarch. It's usually the Elders in her village who decide the fine points about their tribal rules."

"Sis," I looked at Kasumi with a very puzzled expression, "Just how much do you understand about what's going on around here?"

"Not enough to help you, I'm afraid," Kasumi gave me a sad little smile, "I don't know everything about what you're planning to do, but I wanted you to have a chance to get to know each other better. I thought if you could both sit down and talk things over you might find out that she's not such a terrible person, and was I wrong about that?"

"No," I sighed, "She's not quite what I imagined her to be. I've got a lot to think about now, and we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow "

Kasumi came into my room and stood before me with that gentle smile of hers and I tried thinking of her the way Shampoo described her, as a Lore Master. It almost fit, considering how much this household revolves around her and how everything would long ago have fallen apart if not for her calming presence. She looked at me with those large sandalwood eyes of hers and said, "I know how hard it is for you to admit your feelings sometimes, Imotochan, but you know I'm always here if you need me."

"I know," I replied and I think my eyes must have got something in them because they got awful misty at that point. I thought of what Shampoo had also said and had to agree, my sister was sometimes like a hazy mist that covered the gateway to heaven

Okay, skip ahead to the next day. I know I could cover all the little stuff that happened later that night, how Shampoo stopped by my room after we ate supper and tried on all the frilly stuff she and Kasumi had purchased, how I showed some of it off on myself and demonstrated the kind of sultry poses I thought most guys would go for, and how she picked up on the basics as fast as she seemed to learn everything else. Yeah, it was just like having a girlfriend over for a slumber party, and I actually had a good time as we talked about all kinds of silly things, which is one of several reasons why I didn't make an entry last night and only now am catching up on all that happened.

Kami, I feel like such a heel going on that way, pretending to be her friend and actually starting to like her a little while knowing that the next day I was setting her up big time. I look back on last night and I have to say that Shampoo was behaving like a nicer person than I was. I haven't felt so guilty since that Camera incident a few weeks ago, or the way I conned poor Tofu-Sensei when I offered to help him out in getting his mother off his back but I'm digressing.

The point is that today started off with everybody from our schools gathered about to watch the big fight between Ranma and Kuno. By now most people expected an early victory with Saotome walking all over the poor sap, who never learned that Ranma was the better fighter. Kodachi was there as well, assuring me that she had taken all the "necessary preparations," and Shampoo was there with Kasumi. It was a Sunday so there was no school to distract us. Simple word of mouth had gotten the message to all the usual interested betting parties and I had one of my girls, Ryonami, taking bets and keeping a record on her account book.

In case I haven't mentioned it before, Ryonami is the closest thing I've got to a friend among those students I usually hang around with when trying to con our fellow alumni out of money. Ryonami's in the Freshman class, about Ranma's age and very nice looking with long brown hair and a friendly personality. She's also a pathological gambler, willing to bet on just about anything, and a wiz with mathematics and accounting, which is how she got to be my assistant. She handles my Bookie accounts while Suzuki is in charge of loans and debts. The both of them were out circulating among the crowd giving them odds and spreading all the rumors I told them to seed. If nothing else we looked to clean up on the point spread.

The only thing that held my enthusiasm for my usual business in check was that I was concerned about Ranma. He had the most peculiar expression as he was looking at Kuno, and I remembered how he had wanted to talk with me beforehand on that subject but for the interruption of the 6:15 Shampoo Express.

I had feared he would back out of his part in the fight, knowing he both had to make it look good and somehow contrive to lose to Kuno. Either aspect held no great appeal for either one of us, and not just because I made a point of betting on him for appearances sake, expecting the loss I would take would help me feel some of his wounded pride later. Out of the corner of my eye I kept glancing at Shampoo, seeing more obvious anxiety there. I then sought Ryoga's eyes and saw him covertly nod while he hovered protectively between Shampoo and Akane. If all else failed I had my own backup plans to set in motion.

"Airen," Shampoo said with clear regret, "Why you must fight over Shampoo? Is not Shampoo enough for both of you?"

"Fear not, gentle maiden!" we heard Tatawaki call out to her, "I will free you of this enchantment that foul Saotome has put upon you, then you will be able to return home to your people."

I wondered at this sudden change in Kuno's tone and glanced towards Kodachi before murmuring at the level of a stage whisper, "What's he going on about now?"

"It took some doing on my part," Kodachi replied, "But I was able to convince brother dear that the girl's obviously eccentric behavior was caused by an enchantment she was under. He doesn't really know or understand about Amazon laws, I'm afraid, or I doubt very much that he would have even had the courage to show up here. Tachi is very shy about some things, I have discovered."

I sniffed at that, then turned my attention back towards Ranma. He had not moved when Kuno went into a samurai posture and prepared to attack but I saw him clench his fists, which was more of a display of emotion than he usually showed in these situations.

"Kuno," he finally said aloud, "I'm I'm sorry."

The gasp that was heard through the yard was like the tearing of rice paper. No one, especially not me, had ever heard Ranma apologize to Tatawaki before, and that was when I was afraid he was about to throw the fight, but it turns out that I had greatly underestimated my iinazuke.

Kuno himself looked surprised as he raised his gaze and frowned mightily, "You acknowledge at last your base sins against the whole of womankind, Saotome?"

"No," Ranma looked down, "I mean about us having to fight all the time and everything. I know I started this when I came between you and the tomboy, but you shouldn't have also said those things about Nabiki."

"What are you going on about?" Kuno frowned, "You think this is some kind of a game, Saotome? You toy with the affections of these women, cast your evil magics upon them to enchant them, then you expect to be forgiven?"

"I'm just saying there's no real reason why we should fight or be enemies," Ranma said, "I kind of know what you've been going through all these years. It's not easy being by yourself, having just the art and your teacher-  
which in my case is my Pop-and no real friends or anybody who can understand you or nothing."

I was no less stunned speechless than the rest of the crowd at this point, and I caught a puzzled look in Shampoo's eyes while Kodachi stared with wide-eyed astonishment at the calm and level tone Ranma was using. Was he trying to defuse the fight before it got started? And that's when Ranma really surprised me and everyone else who was present.

"You think I want your understanding, Saotome?" Kuno seemed ready to attack but hesitated for some reason as though anticipating some ploy to lure him off his guard.

Then Ranma said the words, which were almost a sigh yet carried very far in the sudden silence that surrounded him, "I also lost my mother when I was very little. I never even knew her, so I can only guess what it feels like to lose your mother the way you did."

Total dead silence. I heard Kodachi's sharp intake of breath as she clutched a hand to her breast with a pained expression that showed more torment and anguish that I could ever imagine her experiencing, while Shampoo blinked her eyes and seemed to only vaguely understand what was going on all around us. I knew and I was holding my breath like every other Furinkan student, even the ones who did not hear the rumors about Kuno's mother. Ranma had just spoken the unthinkable, and in doing so he was offering the olive branch to an enemy, telling Kuno that he felt sympathy for a fellow traveler who had experienced loss. I found I couldn't breathe for another moment myself after this as I looked at him and finally understood the weight of tragedy that had hung around him these last few days. I thought of my own mother, and then the tears started to form as I realized that Ranma had not even known his long enough to remember what she looked like!

But the effect his words had on Kuno was unlike what anyone had anticipated. Tatawaki went pale, and then he became incredibly angry, unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Suddenly all trace of humanity was gone from Kuno's face as he cried, "DIE!" and rushed headlong at Ranma.

Right then my worry was compounded by the fact that Kuno was going all-out this time, holding nothing back in his first thrust, which seemed to be backed by all the fury of a beserker. It missed Ranma cleanly, but the slash cut through the air with a sound that's indescribable, and I had no doubt at all that if it had even come close to connecting it would have left Ranma on the ground in two very large pieces. Instead Ranma took to the air and performed a classic Saotome maneuver that carried him beyond Kuno's reach and far behind his back as Kuno recovered from his lunge and spun around to reorient in his direction.

This was not like any of their earlier fights as Kuno fought like a literal madman, attacking with more speed and power than I had even suspected him of possessing. Ranma still managed to avoid each and every thrust of his bokken but by a much shorter margin than was normal, and the speed of both their movements was so far beyond inhuman that the rest of us had trouble even keeping up on the fundamentals of their mutual techniques.

It was plain enough before too long, however, that Ranma had to take the fight more seriously, so he got aggressive and counter-attacked, briefly putting Kuno on the ropes while holding back enough to still make Kuno look better than he was. Tatawaki was beginning to tire, however, and fighting all out in a beserker rage was bound to burn him out that much more quickly, so Ranma began to edge back and encouraged him to attack. It seemed that Ranma was finally prepared to lose the fight when Tatawaki suddenly stumbled, then fell over on his face. It was so sudden and unexpected that for a second nobody, not even Ranma, appeared to know what had happened.

Then Shampoo calmly stepped out into the open and approached the two boys, glancing down at Tatawaki with a look of open contempt before turning a very strange and more difficult look over to Ranma. She glanced down at the bokken still gripped in Kuno's hand then kicked it loose as it flipped up into her own. She extended the sword towards Ranma and said pointedly, "Why you no show stupid boy you much better fighter? You think Shampoo no see through you action?"

"Uh Shampoo," Ranma said with raised hands held out deflectingly, but to his surprise she tossed the bokken at him and he reflexively caught it.

"She's onto us," I heard Kodachi murmured, "That witch did something to my brother. Time for my backup plan," and with that I saw her raise a blowgun to her lips with a very terse "Thwip" noise signaling a dart being ejected.

To our mutual astonishment Shampoo's hand came up and she plucked the dart out of the air with great ease then held it up to her nose and sniffed the point before her expression grew hard and she slowly turned to look in our direction.

"Ryoga," I said in a harsh, low voice, "Take Akane and get out of here, now!"

"But you " Ryoga started to protest, seeing Shampoo was focusing in our direction.

"I suggest we leave," I said to Kodachi as I turned to follow my own advice, but the Black Rose instead drew out her trademark ribbon and looked on with defiance.

"I'm not afraid of her," the Black Rose growled, "She may intimidate you, but I'm the Champion of Saint Hebereke."

Normally I would have said "Fine" and let her try to take on the Amazon by herself, knowing that Kodachi wold buy me a few moments, but for some reason I just could not do that this time, so instead I grabbed her by the wrist and said, "Run!" I must have been pretty convincing because Kodachi decided not to argue with me as we cleared the way through the rows of students and made a dash for the open.

My fellow students were looking at us with evident confusion, but they scattered like rice chaff in the wind once Shampoo started after us. It was not a very long chase, we barely got maybe a block before she caught up with us, at which point Kodachi made her stand and tried to use her ribbon against our pursuer. Shampoo merely plucked it out of the air, as Ranma had during their tournament, and used it to yank Kodachi off her feet so that she could dispatch her with a backhand blow. She barely broke stride in doing this as she caught up to me with four quick strides, and about that point I decided that running away was no longer an option.

I'm not a very brave or heroic person, so putting up a defense held very little appeal to me at that moment. It would have only served to aggravate Shampoo beyond where she was, so I stood my ground as a powerful hand closed about my wind-pipe and then I felt myself slammed up against the nearest wall with my head bouncing roughly off the stones there. My ears were ringing as I gaped like a fish at the Amazon, unable to breathe as I dangled there at arms-length, totally helpless.

I could feel her anger and the power of that hand and knew I was as good as dead, expecting at any moment that she would snap my neck like a chicken's. Instead I heard her ask a single complex question, "Why? Why you do this to Shampoo? Why you betray her to stupid girl with ribbon?"

I gasped, not able to answer her for the moment, so she continued on, fighting against her own rage as she bore into me with her eyes, even shaking me for emphasize as she said, "You rig fight, you make Shampoo think she lose to boy, but Shampoo see boy fight, know he never beat Shampoo unless you cheat! You get stupid girl to use dart to drug Shampoo so she lose to boy with stick! Why you hate Shampoo so much you do this thing? He like Mousse in village, no worthy of Shampoo's interest!"

I found the tension on my throat east by a fraction, permitting me to finally gasp, "For Ranma."

Her grip slackened even more as her eyes grew wide, "Ranma? You want Ranma Airen?"

"He's not your Airen," I managed to choke out, figuring that if I was about to die I would at least tell her the truth this one time rather than die with her ignorant of the fact, "He's my iinazuke!"

"Iinazuke?" Shampoo repeated slowly, then leaned even closer to me as she added, "You claim him for self? Why you think you right more than Shampoo?"

I couldn't think of any way to explain it to her just then except to say the words I would never have said under any other set of circumstances, "I love him!"

"You love?" that caused Shampoo's grip to slacken even more as she stared at me with a mixture of confusion, dismay and horror.

Then Ranma's voice cut in, "Let her go, Shampoo. I won't let you hurt Nabiki."

Shampoo slowly turned to look at him with the same expression she had given me, "Airen? You mean you ?"

"I'm sorry, Shampoo," Ranma said in all the sincerity he could manifest, "I never meant to hurt you or deceive you or nothing. None of this was ever meant to happen, you just got sucked into everything, but I can't let you hurt Nabiki. I I care what happens to her."

Shampoo had already let me go by this point, so I stood there nursing my bruised throat as she stared at Ranma with the strangest expression. I saw the pain that was there warring with pride as she softly murmured, "Tell Shampoo why why you reject her."

"It's got nothing to do with you," Ranma insisted, "Our parents arranged our engagement, and when we started out Nabiki and I were just a couple of strangers, but then we got to know each other and and now I think I want to be with her as a friend or whatever. Then you showed and attacked her and I I was trying to defend her, not beat you up or nothing. It was an accident, it just happened."

Shampoo continued to look at him in confusion, then very softly said, "Is law, Ranma. It no matter if you defeat Shampoo by accident, you better fighter, you natural Airen, unlike stupid boy you fight who no listen when you try make peace. Shampoo only lose to him because girl and stupid girl cheat "

"Shampoo," Ranma sighed, then held up a canteen flask as he said softly, "You don't really want to marry me. I'm not the guy you think I am. You've lived in China you must know about Jusenkyo."

I saw recognition and a return of horror in Shampoo's eyes at the mention of that name, but for my own part I tried to call out to Ranma not to do this, fearing that the results would be far worse than he imagined. I could barely get my vocal chords to work right at that moment, though, so I watched in fatalistic dismay as Ranma poured the water over his head then almost instantly began to change, growing noticeably smaller as his hair changed to a crimson color.

"Now do you see?" he said with tired disgust, "This is what Jusenkyo did to me. Some guy, huh? Not exactly the kind to turn heads at your village."

Shampoo stood rock still for several moments, and then she suddenly came alive with an explosion of rage and attacked Ranma, who barely had time to defend himself before she was all over him, going all-out this time in a more controlled form of beserker rage than the animalistic pattern that had been adopted by Kuno. The results here were instantly more telling as Shampoo had Ranma on the ropes and pressed her advantage. I saw Ranma stumble and fall as Shampoo produced her broad sword and prepared to deliver a fatal blow that could not be avoided. Ranma stared up at Shampoo in the nearest thing I had ever seen on her to a blind panic, but rather than receive the fatal blow the Amazon hesitated.

"Shampoo!" I at once recognized the voice of Kasumi and looked up to see that my Oneechan had finally caught up to us, as had the rest of the student body. These late arrivals did not fully comprehend what was going on just then, but I knew that Kasumi did, and then I heard her say something very terse in Mandarin Chinese that I later interpreted to mean, "You promised!"

Shampoo stepped back, lowering her sword, and slowly her eyes lost their glint of rage and madness. She looked from the terrified Ranma to the gentle concern in the face of my sister, then slowly turned to regard me with a look not of hate or anger but of overwhelming sadness.

The sword disappeared, and Shampoo turned fully towards me, attempting a slight smile as she bowed, then turned and left us at a dead run. She vanished in several powerful leaps that carried her well beyond my line of sight, and somehow I knew she would not be returning.

And she did not return afterward, not since the fight, not even around dinner. Ranma and I sat around half expecting to hear her come crashing through the walls, but there was no sign of Shampoo or that she had even been there in the first place (unless you count the damage done to walls and structures, all of which are in desperate need of some repair work). Even those items that Shampoo had bought for herself had vanished with the rest of her belongings, and by that I guess she means to take a long trip to try and get her head back on straight. I wish her luck, and I mean that sincerely.

The resolution of this whole matter has left a sour taste in my mouth, it's bitter sweet, not a true victory at all. I cheated an innocent girl of her one true chance at love and happiness for the most selfish and basic of reasons. What kind of a person does that make me, I wonder? At least Shampoo had the decency to leave something in token lieu of repayment

Nabiki paused in her writing, hearing a gentle tap at her window and turning half fearful, half hopeful eyes in that direction. To both her relief and disappointment she saw Ranma's face hanging upside down there, a very familiar and welcome sight, all other things being considered.

She got up without turning off the monitor this time and allowed Ranma to enter. Once the boy was standing in her room once again she said, "What's on your mind, Ranma-  
kun? No trace of Shampoo?"

"Nope, no sign of her," Ranma replied, "Even Tofu-  
Sensei hasn't seen her all evening. I guess she's really gone after all. Seeing me change must have freaked her out something awful "

"It wasn't that, Ranma," Nabiki said with some hesitancy, "Seeing you change was just the clincher. I think what really made her leave was the way you looked at her when you were on the ground and she was about to kill you "

"I wasn't helpless!" Ranma immediately insisted, "I was just, uh catching my breath. I could have gotten out of the way in time, it wasn't like I was really in any danger."

Nabiki had to smile, even though she was tempted to slap him for his silly macho pride, "Whatever. The point is you were rejecting her pretty obviously about then, and that's when I guess she realized that she had lost you. You were her main excuse for remaining on the outside, and finding out that she could neither kill nor marry you must have left her without an honorable way of saving face. My guess is she's halfway on her way back to China and won't stop until she's back in the Qing Hi province."

"Oh," Ranma said, "You think she'll be in any kind of trouble? Those Amazons and their rules "

"She's a bright girl with good survival instincts," Nabiki reasoned, "She could probably think up a good excuse that she knows they'll buy. In any event I think it's safe to say that you're in the clear at least for the moment."

"I sure hope you're right," Ranma seemed to relax slightly, "Y'know in a funny way I think I'm gonna miss her being around. I don't wanna marry her or nothing, but she sure made things exciting."

Nabiki had to smile at that, "She did at that. What's the matter, you miss all the attention?"

"No way!" Ranma protested, "I think I aged five years when she was around! I just mean well, she could be awfully cute, and she wasn't really a bad person, unless you count what she did to Akane, and I have to say it's sure been a lot easier to live around here without her always calling me a Pervert."

"True," Nabiki admitted, "But I still think we should give her those memories back. Doctor Tofu had a good idea, but "

"Yeah," Ranma said, and they both let it go unspoken about the incident with the scroll. Tofu had found an ancient Shiatsu chart that he said showed the exact pressure points that were used in the Xi Fang Gaio, along with a recipe for making the various Shampoo formulae needed for each of the various attack styles, but when he came by the house intending to show it Kasumi had greeted him and instant confetti!

Nabiki looked at her iinazuke for several brief seconds then smiled at him shyly, "Ranma when you and your father traveled to places like China did you have many encounters like the one at that Amazon village?"

"Uh some," Ranma replied after thinking about it for a long moment, "Nothing that bad, though. Why?"

"I'm just hoping we don't have to go through this too many times during our engagement," Nabiki replied, and then with both hands she grabbed Ranma by his shirt and drew him close enough to eye him with a particularly feral stare, "And if I have to go through another day like this you can bet that I'll make you regret it for the rest of your days. You may be a great fighter, but if you provoke me the results for you will be most unpleasant. I trust I don't have to elaborate on the details?"

"Uh, no," Ranma said nervously, "I pretty much get the message."

Nabiki looked into his blue eyes and very slowly the smile returned to her face as she contemplated the look of helplessness in his expression. She had Ranma completely at her mercy and for a moment she wondered if she would have the courage to take advantage of the situation. Eventually she let him go, though, then turned away as she said, "Just as long as we understand each other, Saotome. Put me through that again and you will regret it. Now you'd better leave and let me get back to my homework. We'll talk again early tomorrow in the dojo. That is, if you still feel like training me in the martial arts."

"Huh?" he blinked intelligently, then said, "Oh, yeah sure, It'd be an honor."

"Good," Nabiki smiled as she turned back to face him, backing him up towards the window as she added, "I've lost a week of practice with you, and we still need to develop a special tutoring system to help you with your school work. I also think I ought to have a few words with Kasumi about your diet, I don t think you've been eating properly with that Amazon trying to force-feed you her cooking. We ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow, so I'll see you when I see you, Ranma?"

"Uh, yeah, I " he suddenly fell back through the window as she pushed him outside, then close it on him with a smile as she watched him scramble to avoid falling off the roof, inevitably to land again in the koi pond. Nabiki then turned back to her computer and resumed where she had left off in her writing:

I wonder at myself sometimes, what it is that makes me hesitate to show people how I really feel about them, like Kasumi or Ranma. Shampoo had no problem expressing herself, so what makes her so at ease and me tense up at the mere thought of acting like I feel?

I admit that Shampoo intimidated me with her looks and body, and the easy going way in which she could come onto Ranma, hugging him and telling him that she loved him. Why can't I be that free? Why do I balk at telling Ranma what I feel? Why is it the only time I can admit to having feelings is when I'm afraid of dying? It's all so very confusing

Like Ranma himself, always so full of surprises, so unpredictable. I think I feel like crying when I remember how he confessed to Kuno that he knew what it was like to lose a mother. Funny that his father never mentioned that his wife was dead, but I did kind of assume it. I guess the absence of a parent is just one more thing I share in common with Ranma.

Funny when I think of Shampoo now all I can remember was that haunted look she had given us before leaving. In spite of what I said to Ranma, I worry that her village might exact some kind of harsh penalty for coming home empty handed. The oddest thing is that I don't want anything bad to happen to her I almost feel a kind of kinship with the Amazon, and I'll bet if we'd had more time to spend together we'd almost become as close as sisters.

Well, regardless of the melancholy resolution, the good news is that I've got my fianc e back. Ranma and I can hang out together and be like the friends we were becoming before this whole Shampoo mess happened. I can hold his hand or be carried in his arms and not have to worry about having my skull crushed by a bonbori. I can even go back to flirting with him to see if he really does like girls, and maybe someday test out the equipment...

Well, anyway it sounds like I'm getting tired and losing my focus, so it'd probably be a good idea to wind this up and start again later. There's no telling what tomorrow holds so long as Ranma is living under my roof. In a way I'm actually looking forward to some new excitement, and I even get to check out the quality of a number of the stones that Shampoo left behind to repay our hospitality.

If they turn out to be worth as much as I think they are, then that wacky Amazon actually overpaid us. There should be enough to not only effect repair but also to salt away for future concerns. In a way we've actually returned a huge profit from this mess, which does not take back all the pain and hassle but sure makes it easier to endure the memories of my week of constant torment.

Wherever Shampoo is now I hope that she's all right. Kodachi might be a little less forgiving after that headache she gave her, but all things considered, at least we have our heads attached in the right places. She may have been our rival, but in the end she was a woman in love, trapped up by circumstances and doing things the only way she knew how. I may never see her again, but I'll never forget that haunting smile of hers, and somehow I think I don't think I'll ever want to

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Contemplation of the Navel: shadowmane

How does Nabiki handle take out? Tune in and see what happens when somebody calls out for an order on Ranma, and then a special delivery arrives via Air Mail be there.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	12. Chapter 12

NabikiRan10 Ranma and Nabiki:  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Work of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Eleven.

"But Nabiki "

"Go away, Saotome," Nabiki growled as she removed her shoes and entered her house, "I don't want to talk about it any more. If that take-out lady wants to claim you for her fianc e, then who am I to stop you?"

"But that's not fair!" Ranma protested as he removed his own shoes and persisted in following her into the house, "You know I didn't ask to have that Kaori get affianced to me! That was my stupid father's doing, trading me for a bowl of rice and some fishcakes! You can't hold that against me ?"

"Can't I?' Nabiki whirled about, her expression causing Ranma to halt in his tracks and even take a half-  
step backwards, "I warned you about dragging me through the mud like that again! After the fuss we had with Shampoo, the last thing I need is for you to humiliate me in front of everyone again by getting yourself engaged to yet another woman!"

"But-but I never agreed to the whole deal " Ranma sputtered.

"Of course not," Nabiki snorted, "You were just a baby, but your father was your legal guardian then, which obligates you to fulfill his agreements. You raced against Kaori in that competition and won, which means you're now effectively engaged to yourself, only Kaori and her big-eared father don't know that. What happens if they find out and try to press their suit on you again?"

"I'd think of something," Ranma said defensively, "You know I wouldn't deliberately do anything to embarrass you, Nabiki. I I wouldn't betray you that way, I "

"Give it up, Ranma," Nabiki said as she started to turn away, "Save it for somebody who likes being your patsy."

"Wait!" Ranma called out with an edge of desperation in his voice, "Don't go away mad, Nabiki-chan! I mean, I I don't want you to go. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, but it wasn't deliberate. Please let me make it up to you. I I'll do whatever you ask."

Nabiki hid a smile as she kept her face averted for several seconds, but by the time she had turned around she was entirely sober again, "You mean that, Ranma-kun? You'd do anything I ask of you? Anything within reason?"

"Uh, yeah," Ranma squared his shoulders a little, "I'm a guy, and guys are supposed to keep their word. Just tell me what to do and I'll "

"Take me on a date."

It took several seconds for Ranma to show a reaction, and then he gasped, "Nani?"

"I said a date," Nabiki replied with a totally serious expression, "You know? The kind of thing boys do with girls they like, that sort of thing?"

"But I um that is " Ranma hesitated, then swallowed, "I don't have any money "

Nabiki smiled, "No problem, Ranma-kun. I'll loan you something, you can pay me back as soon as you do have money."

"Loan?" he blinked twice.

"At five percent interest," she smiled, "After all you do want to take me somewhere nice, and you'd rather pay for everything yourself rather than have me pay for it, right?"

"Uh yeah," Ranma swallowed, "Right."

"Then it's settled," she eyed him coyly, "I'll even pay for the rental of a tux so you can look nice for our date. Of course I do expect you to treat the material right so that it can be returned for a full deposit, which means no fighting. Think you can do that for a single night, Saotome?"

"A tux?" Ranma wondered if he had heard right, but from the look in his iinazuke's eyes he decided not to ask any more questions and just nodded, "Uh, sure at least I can try "

"Then be ready at seven sharp," Nabiki smiled as she turned around with a sultry look before heading back up the stairs, "And ask Daddy to help you pick out the restaurant so it can be a surprise and we can call for reservations. Then maybe we'll go for a movie after it's all over."

"Oh sure," Ranma swallowed, "That'd be swell " he waited until she was out of sight before turning to lean against the nearest wall with a sigh, which then turned into a gasp, "A Date? Oh boy "

An image filled his vision of Nabiki when she had given him that look before turning away. He knew that he had been out-maneuvered by her again, but for some reason he did not resent her manipulations. If anything he actually found that he was looking forward to their date if only she had not mentioned the tuxedo. That made it sound so formal

"Nabiki," he sighed once again, "I'm never gonna understanding women "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

My fianc e can be so charmingly self-centered, right up to the moment when I ask him to try and do something that any normal person might take for granted, like relax and have a good time in a reasonably formal setting.

My date looked so handsome in that tux I rented for him, though I could tell the collar made Ranma very uncomfortable. He seemed as out of place in it as if I'd asked his other self to wear a formal ball gown, yet I could tell he was struggling to keep up appearances, putting on a good show for what he thought was my amusement.

And he was right, but not for the reasons he probably imagined.

I'd expected Ranma to tear into his food like the barbarian he usually was at our dinner table, fighting over every little scrap and morsel with this father, which the old Panda insists is all a part of his training. Instead I saw Ranma struggle to restrain his appetite by eating at a more leisurely pace, eyeing me covertly and sometimes even copying my moves in the best (and to date the only) attempt he could muster towards behaving like a civilized person. I was privately amused by the whole thing but tested my theory that he was mimicking me by dipping a hot peppers into some horseradish that I'd poured onto my dish and pretending to eat, then seeing him actually do the same with the result of his eyes bulging out as he at once tried to put out the fire with several glasses full of water.

I was genuinely touched that Ranma was making such an effort to behave himself on our date, knowing how he usually likes to have his own way in everything, which is why I often have to resort to trickery and manipulation. I think it's a sign of the maturing of our relationship that I do that less and less often now, having found the right buttons to push, and Ranma actively trying to stay on my good side for whatever imagined reprisals I threaten him with whenever our ways do cross.

After the restaurant we took in an American made movie, and that's where we had some difficulty agreeing on what to see. I expected Ranma to go for something with action and adventure, and I was pretty sure he would fall asleep in anything less than action oriented. To my surprise Ranma offered to watch a lengthy character drama that he knew I'd expressed an interest in seeing, and I don't get out to see many movies as a point of note. I'm pretty frugal when it comes to spending money, and extravagances like entertainment are something I put a premium on.

Still I thought he deserved to watch something he would like since, in effect, he was actually the one paying for the whole evening. I had neglected to inform Ranma that the very money I had loaned him for our date came from earnings on the bets I'd taken on that Takeout race, and from selling about a crate worth of the Ramen that had been the first prize to a local restaurant that was opening up in the neighborhood, which still left more than enough Ramen for us to keep Kasumi happy in the kitchen until we're all old enough to have grandkids.

Turns out we settled on a compromise and watched that American movie about a famous ship disaster. Turns out the movie had a lot of action, a nice plot and some reasonably good performances from a young bunch of actors who did not look that much older than ourselves, though I could have spent the rest of the evening critiquing the flaws. I can see why it made a lot of money, but from where I sit the initial investment was far too risky for them to think about making a sequel.

Anyway, it was getting late when the movie was over, but we didn't feel like ending it on time, so we wandered over toward the fairgrounds and toured the carnival sector, where Ranma had to go and show off for me by winning me a stuffed animal

All right, a bunch of stuffed animals, and they're now all gathered about my room looking at me with these goofy expressions. I don't know why I took the bloody things, they were a real armful to handle on the way home, even with Ranma helping out. Guess maybe I'm just making up for never having stuffed dolls like this when I was a kid, or something and anyway it's not like I asked Ranma to prove me wrong when I said those contest things were rigged. You should have seen the expression of the Carny barkers, though, they were priceless! I don't think they'll ever let us back in there if they see Ranma's face again or even anytime soon.

Well, to put it simply, the evening was a blast and I had a marvelous time right up until we got home and the two of us seemed to realize that there was something we were forgetting about. Took me a few moments to realize what it was, and then I turned to see Ranma's face in the moonlight with our gate framing his handsome profile and I suddenly knew what it was. I think he knew it too, because he looked at me as if dumbstruck and the two of us just stood there maybe five or ten minutes without saying a word. We both knew what was needed to make the evening perfect, and neither one of us was ready to make the first move giving a goodnight kiss to each other.

I stood there wondering what the hell was wrong with me just then. I was feeling happier than I can remember feeling in a very long time, and here was a man I honestly cared about returning my anxious look with a nervousness that I was sure we both felt. I was scared, and here in the privacy of my own room I feel free to admit it, but right then I was just struck numb by the sight of him, of Ranma, a guy I had known only a few months but who had come to mean a great deal with me. So why was I hesitating at the simple idea of us kissing?

I thought of Shampoo instantly, of how she had easily kissed Ranma, and told him that she loved him, even though I'm sure the first time she said that it was merely pro forma, the reciting of a few ceremonial words that were expected of an Amazon who had been beaten by an outside man in battle. It was not until later that she could say the words with any real conviction, but say them she did, over and over again until I'm sure she believed them sincerely. Why did she, a Wild Woman from the remote Chinese Provinces, find those words so much easier, or a kiss so much more simple than I did, who has an even firmer grasp of my feelings towards Ranma?

Hah, might as well ask why the Baka's so nervous about kissing me back. I know he thinks I'm pretty, but compared to Shampoo I might as well be dishwater. I could never have hoped to compete with her in the looks department, and there's no sense fooling myself about it either, but when Shampoo kissed him I'm sure his head swam and his pulse pounded quicker. So why would he, a guy who regularly exchanges blows with a (nominally) human wrecking machine like Ryoga, be afraid of a pale little slip of a girl like me who couldn't land a blow on him if he were bound and gagged and dangling by his ankles from a tree? I kept hoping he'd take the initiative, but instead he stood there staring at me as if he were rooted to the spot and thoroughly tongue-tied.

And that's when-after maybe ten minutes of us doing nothing more than standing in the moonlight like a couple of lawn statues-we heard a noise that caused us to turn our heads to see a group gathered on the porch in relative darkness and trying not to disturb us. When they see that we see them my father goes and spoils the mood by saying, "Well, son? Are you going to kiss her or not?"

To which his father added, "Well, boy? Are you going to be a man about it and kiss your iinazuke? We haven't got all night, and we want to preserve this moment for posterity, so Akane, take that picture."

I do a slight double-take as I realize that Akane is kneeling there holding my camera with Ryoga helping to steady her arm, and I'm about to protest this intrusion in not only my privacy but my property rights when the flash goes off in our faces and blinds Ranma and me for the next several minutes.

"Oh my," I hear Kasumi remark, and I remember thinking privately that I was going to kill my younger sister as soon as I could see straight. There was another flash as Akane took another picture of us before asking who the guy was standing next to me, and that pretty thoroughly wrecked the mood for us both, so without further preamble me and Ranma headed into the house to change out of our clothes and get ready for bed

Hmmm, maybe I should change the phrasing on that last paragraph. When I say "change and get ready for bed" I'm not implying it to mean what it sound like. I mean it ought to be obvious that if Ranma and I can't even manage a simple goodnight kiss we're sure as the Kami not about to go that far at this point in our relationship!

Anyway, it's late and I need to get ready to bed. It's nice my first date with Ranma turned out so well now all I need to do is think up a good angle for getting him to take me out again. Maybe this time I won't charge him for the pleasure of my company since I'm the one who'd be willing to pay just as long as his male pride lets him accept the idea that I'm the one with all the money.

Not that Ranma needs money to gain my interest. He has something else I value quite a lot and it's worth more to me than all the Yen in the Treasury. His smile can make me feel like a billion or so, I just hope that when we do kiss it that won't be a disappointment

"Package for the Tendo residence," said a man bearing the logo on his shirt of some delivery service that called itself the "Coal Black Cat Shipping and Receiving" outlet.

"Oh my," Kasumi said as she accepted the small box that was handed to her by a postal worker, "Do I have to sign for this? Is there any postage due?"

"No, ma'am," the Postal worker replied as he bowed to the nice, well-mannered lady who reminded him a lot of his older sister, "Postage has all been taken care of. Have a nice day and enjoy your package."

"I wonder who it could be for?" Kasumi murmured aloud as she saw that the label for the address only read "Tendo Residence," with their street number and Nerima Province. As she walked back into the house she had the strangest feeling that something very odd was about to happen, and then she saw the name on the return address and almost faltered.

"Oh my!"

"Who is it, Kasumi?" she heard her father call out from the dinner area.

Kasumi entered with the package and said, "It's from Shampoo, father, mailed all the way from China."

Instantly there was a flash of exchanged glanced all around the table. Nabiki paused with her chopsticks poised before her mouth while Akane gave an angry look and said, "From Shampoo? What is it, a bomb or something?"

"That isn't very nice, Akane-chan," Kasumi chided, when she started as the package in her hands began to vibrate, "Oh-it's moving!"

All at once the package seemed to explode out of her hands, and then a figure blurred, bouncing from one wall to another before coming to rest atop the China Cabinet. Everyone turned to look and saw the pink furred animal looking down at them with a curious expression.

"Mew?"

"It's a cat," Akane said with some surprise.

"Oh, how cute!" Kasumi smiled, "It has little ornaments, like the ones Shampoo wears in her hair "

"Let me see," Nabiki got up, eyeing the cat with a dubious expression. "Why would Shampoo mail us a cat? I don't remember reading anything in Amazon culture about the Cat meaning anything symbolic "

"Oh?" Kasumi eyed Nabiki curiously, "You mean during the research you did when Shampoo was visiting with us?"

"Well," Nabiki shrugged, "I've kind of kept up that research on the side, you know I mean, Amazon culture's pretty fascinating stuff after all, and when Shampoo left in such a hurry you know "

"I see," Kasumi said brightly, "You've been worried about her, so you continued your research to see if there is anything more that could help if she shows up again?"

"Ah, well " Nabiki replied, shuffling a bare foot on the floor, unaware that the cat was eyeing her with a peculiar interest.

"Here, kitty, kitty!" Akane said as she stepped closer to the cabinet and held out a hand for the animal to sniff.

To their amazement the cat hissed at Akane, then it launched itself at her face. A brief tussle ensued, and then the cat leaped away, landing on the floor several meters behind her.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "It doesn't seem to like you very much, Akane-chan."

"Stupid animal!" Akane growled, "I was trying to be nice!"

"It definitely must be from Shampoo," Nabiki said in her usual droll voice, "It doesn't seem to like you very much, little sister."

"We're home!" the voice of Genma called out from the front of the house.

"That sounds like Ranma and his father are back," Kasumi said brightly, "And just in time to have dinner. Now aren't you glad we saved those extra portions for the two of them?"

"Who?" asked Akane.

At the mention of Ranma's name and the sound of his voice in the hallway Nabiki brightened up, as did the cat, which turned around with an expression almost of anticipation.

"Stupid old man!" Ranma was calling out over his shoulder, "You don't got nothing to teach me! I'm not listening to another one of your dumb ideas for-!"

All at once the cat leaped up to pounce on him with a cry that almost sounded happy, "Mew!"

"Wha-?" Ranma started, then suddenly found a cat clinging to his shift, almost in his face, and his reaction was a very surprising one. Ranma backed away and started screaming!

"Calm down, whoever you are!" Akane urged, "There's no reason to panic, it's just a harmless kitten."

"Gah!" Ranma cried, lurching back to the wall with a look of terror as the cat stared at him with wide-eyed confusion.

"Ranma?" Nabiki blinked, amazed at seeing her iinazuke in such an obvious state of distress. Ranma was normally so indomitable and fearless, but to be frightened this severely by so harmless a creature?

"What is wrong, son?" Soun asked, "Why are you behaving this way? Speak up! Has the cat got your tongue?"

A sudden growlfing noise drew their attention towards the panda form of Genma Saotome. Kasumi at once went into action fetching the ever-ready teakettle and passed it along to Ranma's father, who changed back to his human self, complete with martial arts gi, bandana and glasses.

"I'm afraid the cat literally has got Ranma's tongue," the older man replied, adjusting his glasses, "He has a rare condition called alurophobia "

"Alurophobia?" Nabiki repeated, "What's that?"

"It means fear of cats," Kasumi answered brightly, then blinked before remarking, "Oh my !"

"What's he afraid of cats for?" Akane asked, glancing with disgust at the cowering Ranma, "Whoever he is."

Genma sat down with a heavy sigh then said, "It shames me to admit it, but the boy has had a deep fear of cats since the age of eight. The mere sight of such an animal triggers a basic, deep and instinctive terror over which he has no control or resistance."

The cat made what sounded like an inquisitive noise, then turned to look quizzically at a Ranma who was cowering before her.

"Oh my," Kasumi said for the third time in as many minutes, "So Ranma really does have a weakness after all. Who would have imagined?"

"But that's such a dumb thing to get upset about!" Akane protested, "Whoever heard of a fear of cats?"

"See for yourself," Nabiki turned a worried glance in Ranma's direction, then something clicked and she turned back to Genma, "Since the age of eight, you said?"

Genma nodded the sighed, "It was all a part of his training, but who would have believed that my son would turn out to be such a coward ?"

"What are you talking about?" Ranma protested, rallying his courage the minute he heard his father call him a coward, "It's your fault I have this stupid problem! You and your training exercises-yah!"

The cat had eased up closer to him and was looking at him curiously, seeing the fear in his eyes, and if anyone had looked closely they might have seen something like pain pass through its expression.

"Saotome-san," Nabiki said evenly, "Do you know what caused Ranma to have this fear of cats?"

Genma hesitated for a moment before replying with a sigh, "It was the training the Nekoken."

"The Nekoken?" Nabiki whirled to look at her prospective father-in-law with confusion.

"Yes," Genma sighed, "Sometimes called Cat-Fu, or free style Cat Fist training. The technique was deceptively simple first wrap the initiate in Jikua fish sausages and throw him into a pit full of hungry cats "

"WHAT?" Nabiki was suddenly very angry, "You did that to Ranma?"

Genma nodded his eyes, missing the lethal look his prospective daughter-in-law gave him, then reached calmly into his Gi and pulled out a booklet, which same he handed over to Soun, "It's all in there, the ancient Saotome secrets of Anything Goes Martial Arts Ryu. Look on page thirty-seven."

Soun flipped the pamphlet until he came upon the page indicated then read off the title, "The Nekoken an ancient method for perfecting the invincible freestyle Catfist, mastery of which will make one the greatest of all fighters. First wrap the candidate in Jikua fish sausages and toss into a pit of hungry cats .amazing!"

"Amazing?" Nabiki all but exploded, "In some places they call that Criminal child abuse! How could you put your own son in that kind of danger?"

Genma sighed, "I didn't know that there would be negative side effects as a result of the training. Turn to the next page, Tendo-kun, and see why the technique was discontinued."

"Ah?" Soun replied, flipping the page from left to right and reading what was hand written on the back, "I see! The use of this technique has been banned for causing severe psychological damage to the initiate. Apparently the experience has been known to cause an acute fear of exposure to cats "

"Well, what did you think was going to happen?" Nabiki all but shouted at her father before whirling back to Genma, "Mister Saotome, did you even think about what you were doing? What possible benefits could this training bestow that would make up for what Ranma must have suffered in that pit! I don't believe you two! Is all you ever think about the dumb training?"

"N-Nabiki," Ranma's voice trembled, and when she turned back to him she saw him trying to rise up from where he had been cowering, "It's not all about the training a guy's got to do certain things if he's to be any good to himself and "

"Meow?" the cat seemed to be inquiring, and Ranma jumped back in dismay with a new cry of utter panic.

"Oh really, Saotome?" Nabiki asked with narrowed eyes, "Tell me that again sometime when you can look her in the eyes without flinching "

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Ranma's father is such an idiot, I can't even believe the two of them are related! Not that Ranma doesn't act stupidly himself from time to time, but at least he tries to behave like a civilized human being from time to time. Imagine throwing your son into a pit of hungry cats not once but several times! Small wonder Ranma panics at the sight of a cat I'm surprised he isn't traumatized by the smell of fish sausage!

I got the full story from Mister Saotome, though it was like pulling teeth out of a Panda and I was tempted to do just that, let me tell you! The old man's been such a poor role model for Ranma that it's amazing my iinazuke can even function as a human being and isn't locked up somewhere in a Psyche ward.

Another full day and night at the Tendo household, and what great fun it is learning more new stuff about Ranma's past and his training mission. I've almost gotten used to the weird stuff that gets dragged onto our doorstep as a consequence of the innumerable follies of Saotome Genma. First this whole engagement business, then that clueless Pig winds up being adopted like a pet by my equally clueless sister, then that thing with Kodachi and the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics tourney, and that's not even counting that business about Shampoo and her dumb Amazon curses!

I wonder why Shampoo mailed us that cat? The fluffy beast is kind of cute for a little furball, and it behaves like it was trained or something. Maybe it's some kind of intelligent pet that the Amazon sent as her way of making an apology for almost killing me, Ranma and my sister. I don't know what her motives are, and that's got me slightly more than worried just to think about it. I mean, suppose Shampoo's vengeful streak includes sending a booby-trapped pet? Not that I really think she'd stoop that low, but after the way Ranma and I tricked her I can only imagine that she's annoyed with us on some level.

Anyway I wound up adopting the cat for the night, and now it's sitting there curled up on my bed eyeing me like I was fish sausage or something. It won't go near Akane at all, but it seems to adore my older sister, Kasumi (which isn't all that surprising), while with me it behaves fairly indifferent. Akane suggested naming it C-  
chan, like that dumb name she gave to Ryoga, but I about barfed when I heard her say that. I decided to call her Sham-chan, after her probable owner, and yes we have determined she's female. At least she doesn't have fleas, and she seems to be house trained.

Yeah, I do think the little ragamuffin is sort of cute, a lot like Shampoo when you come down to it. I used to hate and resent the Amazon, now I feel like I did that girl dirty and it kind of depresses me to think of what sort of trouble she got into on our account. Not that I thought I had any choice at the time, but in retrospect it was thoughtless cruelty hooking her up with Tatawaki Kuno.

The amazing thing that came out of that whole mess was that it pretty much confirmed in my mind that I'm serious about Ranma. I've gone from just liking the guy to feeling seriously jealous when any other girl even looks in his direction, and that business with Kaori the other day just proves my point that any woman coming between us is-as Shampoo would say-an obstacle for removal."

There I go about Shampoo again! I mean, so she's built like a brick house with a body most men would kill to possess. She's stronger than an elephant, as cunning as a Tiger and as dangerous as a shark, but when she wants to be cute she can turn on the charm like a Neon banner. Compared to her I'm just a limp dishrag, so is it any wonder if I felt a bit threatened around her when she set her sights upon Ranma?

Well, now I've got her cat, and I suppose that means she'll be turning up one of these days to reclaim it. I guess that business between us isn't really done yet, and I can't say I find that surprising. Those Amazon rules don't exactly give her a lot of options about what she should do concerning either Ranma or me. So maybe mailing me her cat was a kind of peace token to show that she wanted to resolve our differences without violence. Now that she knows the truth about me and Ranma there won't be any fooling her again, so if she wants to talk that sure beats having her bust in here to do that Xi Fang Giao Shiatsu mind-wipe thing. I think the concept scares me even more than the thought she might try to kill me!

Hey, my memories are my life, and I don't want anybody messing with what's in my head. I've always relied on my brain to get me out of the kind of trouble that Ranma blunders into without using his (beyond modest limits). If Shampoo made me forget some significant part of my existence, like him, it'd be a form of living death and I'd always know in my heart that something very important was missing. I'm well beyond the stage where I ever want to go back to the way I was before I knew Ranma.

Maybe the cat is a good faith gesture on her part. I sure hope so, because the alternatives are even less pleasant. The one bad thing about having the cat sleep in my room is that it pretty much eliminates the chance of Ranma paying one of his nocturnal visits. I've come to enjoy seeing him hang upside down outside my window wanting to talk or ask me a question, or just see if maybe I want to do something fun the next day. Maybe one of these days I'll even be able to talk him in for something fun we can do at night, if I can only figure a way to sneak that one by Kasumi.

Hah! Listen to me talk like a flirt! The idea that I can talk Ranma into doing something that brazen and naughty seems ludicrous in the face of his extreme shyness. The boy will open up with me just so far before he put on this "manly" act of his and tries to be stoical, like it's really going to help him by keeping things bottled inside rather than share them. Some day he's going to have to learn that we have emotions for a reason, and it's not like he's got anything to be nervous about around me.

At least not yet

Well, time for bed. I'll check back here same time and station tomorrow

Nabiki powered down her computer, then turned her head in surprise to find the cat standing there looking at her or was it looking at the monitor to her computer? Of course that implied that it could read the Japanese symbols, which was patently ridiculous, so she chalked it up to proverbial curiosity and smiled as she looked down at the fluffy creature.

"Well, time for bed, Sham-chan. You don't mind if I call you that, do you? That's a girl just remain still and calm and I'll see about talking Kasumi into giving you a special treat with your breakfast tomorrow."

"Mew?" The creature asked with renewed interest, as though it somehow got the gist of that statement. The idea made Nabiki laugh as she wondered at how easy it would be to bribe a cat into good behavior. She picked up the animal and held it close to her bosom, and after a moment the cat began to settle in and made a throaty noise of approval.

"You like me?" Nabiki asked in puzzlement, "Can't imagine why, but if it makes you happy, feel free to tell me all about it, that's what I'm here for."

"Mew?" the cat said inquiringly, then suffered to allow itself to be carried off to bed as Nabiki petted its fur, trying to find that special place that would please the cat and allow her to hold it in her lap as she sat down with a sigh, finding it oddly comforting to hold the animal so closely.

"You sure are a pretty little thing," Nabiki said, then laughed softly to herself as the cat turned to look at her inquiringly, "You look a little like your owner. It's those ornaments in your fur, I guess, but Shampoo is also kind of cute in her own way when she isn't trying to kill you."

The animal looked away, and if Nabiki had been paying enough attention she might have caught what sounded like a sigh as it assumed an almost thoughtful, cat-like expression. At the moment, though, Nabiki was looking off into space and recalling a memory, then she flopped back onto her bed, swinging her feet off the floor as she positioned the cat to rest atop and between her bosoms.

"Yeah Shampoo sure was something. When I first saw her I thought I was looking at some kind of circus act, and the way she talked with that baby-doll voice, and then she asked about Ranma, after putting a big hole in my father's dojo. I mean, can you blame me for thinking she was some kind of a nut who got loose from a mental ward? Only I found out later that she was actually kind of a nice person, just a little barbaric in the way she goes about things."

The cat looked down at her with the oddest expression, and for a moment Nabiki felt it flex its claws, barely felt through the thin fabric of her nightie.

"You don't like it when I talk about your Mistress with less than full respect, do you?" Nabiki chuckled, "What a smart animal you are. Okay, then maybe I should also say that the more I got to know Shampoo the more I found that I liked her. I mean, she really did have a sensitive side that it took me a while to appreciate, though Kasumi-chan seemed to pick up on it right away. I was so angry at her for using that memory blocking technique on Akane, but when I heard the full story it just took away some of my anger and made me appreciate her side of things. I mean, blocking memories isn't as bad as killing her after all, and Akane is a lot easier to live with when she's not beating up my Ranma for all the rude things he says about her."

The cat seemed to accept this and submitted itself to being further petted. It even started to purr for the first time since its arrival and seemed to close its eyes to savor the moment.

"Poor little thing," Nabiki smiled, "How did you manage to cope with being cooped up in that tiny little box all the way from China? Sure, it's a great way to save on air fair, and it beats swimming, like Ranma and his father did when they went to China."

The cat made a small noise that sounded like curiosity, and Nabiki was so much enjoying the experience of having a pet that she decided to play along as if the cat had asked a question, "Oh, you didn't know that? Well, Genma's probably too cheap to afford plane tickets, and he never seemed to have that much money before he started to work for Tofu-Sensei. He calls it training, I call it unbelievable, like sticking his own son in a pit full of hungry cats while wrapped in fish sausages."

The cat lowered its head and seemed to agree with that assessment.

"You know, Ranma is pretty unbelievable himself at times," Nabiki gazed up at the ceiling, finding it easy to unburden herself to a furry animal in ways she never had to another living person, "I sometimes wonder how somebody like me could ever have gotten mixed up with him, let alone engaged by our fathers. But now I can't imagine what life would be like without him and I don't want to either. He's become the most important thing in my life and I never want to see him hurt or lonely, like he was when Shampoo was around, feeling so guilty about everything, like it was all his fault for incurring her wrath in his girl form."

The cat made another inquiring noise, and once again Nabiki absently responded, "Yeah, he's a guy all right a real man among men, just like his father says he always wanted him to be. Then they go to those stupid training grounds of Jusenkyo, and the next thing you know his father is a Panda and Ranma gets in touch with his feminine side everytime he gets wet. They're both cursed in a lot of ways, but you want to know a secret, you promise not to tell anyone if I tell you?"

The cat made a noise as if nodding in assent.

Nabiki smiled then said, "I like him in his other form just as much as I do his male version. I mean he is so cute either way, and when he's a girl well it's like we can do girl stuff together, only he's more like a tomboy so dressing up and using make-up are out. I mean we can hang out at the mall and he can use his looks to con people into giving us both extra portions on our Ice Cream. At first I thought he was demeaning himself, but now I can see the advantage. I just wish I had half his charm when he's pretending to be so feminine it's like he's a whole different person that way! He'd never act like that when he's in guy form."

The cat seemed fascinated as it listened to her continue on this way, well into the night before both drifted of to sleep together. Unbeknownst to either one, however, the topic of their conversation was sitting outside Nabiki's window staring up at the stars with his own thoughtful expression.

"Oh man," he murmured softly, "Why'd they have to let her keep the cat up in her room?"

He wanted very much to talk with her, and in spite of the lateness of the hour he knew Nabiki would let him in to talk. They both felt comfortable that way around one another, and it wasn't like he was going to do anything improper with her or nothing. Not that she'd let him, of course, it's just well

He thought to himself about it and wondered just what the heck it was he did mean. He knew that she was a very pretty girl, and he liked being with her a lot, but what exactly was it that people were afraid he was going to do with her when they were alone anyway? That was a part of his education he had never quite gotten abreast of.

Were they afraid he'd catch her off-guard while she was dressing? He never would do that to her! He respected Nabiki, and the last thing he wanted to do was earn one of her patented icy stares, the kind that always made him feel small and insignificant. He wanted her to like him, to enjoy being with him, and maybe someday when they did feel comfortable enough they might

Ranma felt a cold sweat break out on his forebrow. What the heck was he thinking about anyway? Was he actually looking forward to seeing her naked? Not that it would be a bad thing, he felt certain, since she did have a great body, and he had started to notice little things about her that well weren't all that proper for a guy to notice. For one thing she tended to show off a lot of leg, and he appreciated how fit and trim they were with just the right muscle tone for

He swallowed. Maybe it was not such a great idea to catch her in the buff that way. He had seen Akane naked that one time and he still smarted from the way she slapped him down for that. He absolutely did not want to earn that kind of slap from Nabiki, and she had a much better body, he was certain, maybe not as well developed in the chest as his female side, but

"Oh man," Ranma groaned softly to himself. Maybe Akane had been right about him after all, maybe he was some kind of a pervert if he could start to feel this way about his own iinazuke. He knew that staying where he was outside her room was asking for all sorts of trouble, and maybe it would be better if he returned to the dojo and the tatami mat waiting for him there, right beside the sleeping panda, who tended to snore a lot in both his forms, and sometimes even roll over

As soon as Ranma thought this he realized that he had absolutely no desire to move from where he was at the present. He decided that keeping vigil outside Nabiki's window was an all right thing since he had no desire to intrude on her, and would not dare while she had that animal with her. There was no danger, therefore it could not be improper. Nabiki would sleep peacefully with Ranma standing by to watch the night like a protective kami. Nothing would disturb her rest so long as he was around, and he was pretty comfortable reclined where he was at the moment. It was a warm enough night so he did not need a blanket, and being this close to Nabiki made him feel better somehow. It was a good kind of feeling that made him feel all warm and protective.

Almost unbidden the image came to mind of Shampoo, and of his last impressions of her as she had threatened both of them in a fit of anger and betrayal. He had come so close to seeing Shampoo kill Nabiki, and now the Amazon was sending her a pet that Ranma could not stand to be around. Maybe it was some kind of a trick or something, but in any case it would not matter. No one would get close enough to Nabiki to harm her. Ranma silently swore this in the name of his long lost mother just instants before sleep finally took him

In the Kuno mansion a lone voice was laughing in hysterics worthy of his younger sister. He had just heard a striking bit of news that made him feel much lighter in mood as he contemplated his revenge.

"Saotome, your reckoning is at hand!" he cried with giddy glee, considering what he would do the next morning as he had his faithful Sasuke dial up the number for the local Pound, to be followed shortly thereafter with a second call to the zoo to request a little "favor "

To be continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cat-Fu techniques: shadowmane

The other half of the Nekoken adventure, then Nabiki decides to take Ranma on ice for a little skating lesson be there.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	13. Chapter 13

NabikiRan11 Ranma and Nabiki:  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi)  
Chapter Twelve.

Kasumi was on her way to the laundry room when she discovered, to her considerable surprise, that the door to her bedroom had somehow been pried open. Wondering how she had let a thing like that happen, she naturally felt inclined to investigate, only to discover with considerable surprise that the door had not so much been left open as forced off its hinges!

Kasumi was just about to go ask her father if they had been experiencing any sort of burglar activity in the neighborhood of late when she caught the sight of something laid out on the floor, and with a mild start of surprise she discovered that it was the cat Nabiki had named Sham-chan hunched down on the floor staring at one of several books that lay open as though thoroughly engrossed in a study of the contents.

"Oh my," Kasumi said as she approached, startling the cat, who gave her the most "deer-caught-in- the headlights (or maybe that should be Cat-with-paw-caught-in-the-  
fishbowl) expression, "What are you doing there, little one? What's that you're looking at?" She knelt down beside the cat and read with some surprise, "A Chinese-  
Japanese dictionary? Now why would you need that?"

The cat eyed her in a most peculiar, speculative kind of way, but as it seemed to be considering its options Kasumi reached down and began stroking her fur, smiling fondly.

"My, what a clever animal you are," Kasumi mused, "But I've never heard of a cat understanding how to read, so I guess you just found these lying there, which is odd as I'm sure I put everything away the last time I did any reading."

The cat was just beginning to react to this when the elder Tendo daughter picked her up and drew her into her lap, petting her fur despite the cat's slight mews of protest. Kasumi's other free hand picked up the books and carefully folded them before setting them back on the nearby bookshelf, then she stood up with the cat in her hands and said, "Well, you're probably hungry, so why don't I get you some of that cream I bought from the market this morning? Nabiki won't be back from school for another hour so why don't you keep me company until she gets home?"

The cat ceased offering resistance but the slight mew it gave could have easily been translated to mean, "And Great Grandmother calls me non-observant "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I've just had a really weird experience so where do I begin to describe it?

Class was finally done for the day so I headed off towards Ranma's locker and found my iinazuke standing there reading a note that he must have found in his locker. I was about to ask him what it said when he looked at me peculiarly and said, "You're name's Nabiki, right?"

"Huh?" I stopped dead in my tracks, wondering what he was on about this time.

He handed me the note and I read it, to my complete surprise and disgust, learning that it was a badly forged copy of my own handwriting saying that I had been kidnapped by villains and that Ranma had to come rescue me in the school theater.

I looked up at him and said, "Is this a joke?"

"You tell me," he shrugged, "Doesn't look neat like the stuff you write. Wanna check it out?"

Well, he couldn't have kept me away if he had locked me in the broom closet , so a few moments later we stepped into the theater, which also doubled as a secondary Gym for the Kendo club, and there was somebody I should have expected I would see dressed up in a school uniform with a blond wig, of all things. Sasuke, Kuno's manservant and a Ninja wannabe, pretending to be me, the moron!

When we approached him he went into his act, but just as soon as I got close enough to grab him by the collar I gave him a good shake and said, "Listen up, you baka, just what the heck was your idea in drawing us out here? What has Kuno got you doing now?"

"Mistress Nabiki?" Sasuke looked surprised that it was me and not Ranma who had grabbed him. Faster than a shot he slipped out of his borrowed uniform and leaped up to grab a rope dangling from the ceiling. I was still holding the dress when I turned to face him, only to find the floor drop out from underneath me as I fell into a stage trap, landing on my butt as some fool forgot to leave the padding that's always supposed to be underneath it!

I heard Ranma demand to know why Sasuke had done that while I was rubbing my sore bottom, only I stopped as I heard a noise and looked around, sensing movement all around me. I was just starting to orient on what was making those sounds when Sasuke dropped himself in with a stage prop landing atop him. A moment later Ranma leaped down to join us, giving Sasuke a disgusted look before offering me a hand as he asked how I was feeling?

"Like I want to deal with a certain pain in my rump," I growled, only to hear that sound again, and this time so did Ranma.

"W-what?" Ranma gasped as we found Sasuke had fully recovered and was not chortling with glee like some vaudeville low-rent villain.

"Welcome, Ranma Saotome, to cat hell," Sasuke announced, and we found to our dismay that it was wall-to-  
wall cats in that dread-fall. There must have been a hundred of the ruddy beasts down there surrounding us on all sides. I felt suddenly very nervous, but when I turned to Ranma his expression was one of abject terror.

To make things worse Sasuke tossed fish sausages into Ranma's hands, which immediately drew the interest of the hungry-eyed creatures. Sasuke taunted us some more while I ignored him, staring in dismay at my Ranma. He was starting to look a bit wild in my vision, and then a manic gleam entered his eyes as he rounded on Sasuke and cried, "You idiot! You have any idea what you think you're doing?"

"Well, actually yes," Sasuke replied in some surprise to see Ranma holding up under what had to amount to being one of his ultimate nightmares, "Aren't you scared by all these cats?"

"N-no!" Ranma shook his head in what had to be an incredible display of either bravado or foolishness on his part. I could see that he was shaking from head to foot, but his stupid pride wouldn't let him admit it. He grabbed for my wrist and said, "C'mon, Nabiki we're leaving!"

Unfortunately he had missed my wrist entirely, so the one who wound up following him partway to the stairs was Sasuke, who protested at once and said, "Master Ranma do not go that way!"

"Shut up!" Ranma snarled, "And why the hell should I listen to anything you say?"

"But " Sasuke started to say when Ranma turned the handle of the door and swung it wide open, "Oh well you'll be sorry."

I could see that something was blocking the entrance just an instant before Ranma ran face-to-muzzle into a full sized Bengal tiger. Ranma recoiled as if he had been burned by the contact and looked up with a totally wild expression of abject terror, backing away slowly as he gasped, "N-nice kitty you don't really wanna eat me do you ?"

"Ranma?" I asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

His reply was astonishing. At first he began to laugh, then gibber like a maniac, then a few seconds later he haunched down and his voice took on a decidedly feral sound, and before my shell like ears I heard the sound of a Cat coming from Ranma.

Even the Tiger seemed taken aback by the sudden transformation. I saw Ranma's shoulders and head bow as he slowly stood up on one leg, then his arms began to move in what I at first thought was a basic crane posture, but from the position of his wrists I recognized the motions are resembling those of a cat. Adding to this effect was the snarl I heard as Ranma got down on all fours, facing the now thoroughly confused Tiger with a fearlessness that was utterly surprising.

And that was when I at long last understood the full, terrible truth about the Nekoken: that when Ranma was pushed beyond the limits of his terror the only way that he could cope was to become the very thing that scared him. In effect he reverted to being a Cat before my eyes. His body may have been human, but there was very little that was human in what I saw happen next as Ranma and the Tiger came at each other, and then the world around us literally exploded!

I don't think I can quite put into words the next few seconds when all hell broke loose and the cats around us started panicking in all directions. What I do know is that a column of energy burst through the ceiling, and suddenly I found myself airborne, along with Sasuke and the cats. A hurricane was erupting to one side but all I could see was the wooden floor rushing up at me with bone-  
jarring speed. Then suddenly Akane was right there underneath me, breaking my fall as the two of us went down together in a heap, badly jolted and bruised but otherwise unbroken.

"What the heck is going on here?" I heard my sister gasped, "I came in here following this weird noise and now I find out you and Ranma are in the middle of it?"

"It's kind of hard to explain," I said when I did a double-take and gasped, "What did you call him?"

"Ah," Akane suddenly looked nervous, but she pointed away from herself and said, "Hey! Looks what he's doing to Kuno!"

I turned to see Ranma mauling our resident Kendo blowhard while the Tiger was beating a hasty exit with its tail between its legs. I had about a half-second to react before I realized that this time Kuno was in serious trouble, and if I didn't act quickly he'd most probably be injured.

Normally I'd have let nature take its course, after all the baka was behind the whole mess and had driven Ranma into his peculiar beserker state, so it would have been simple justice. I couldn't have that be on Ranma's conscience, though, so I spotted a piece of Fish sausage on the floor and grabbed it, then stood up and called out, "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

Ranma desisted in mangling Kuno's face with his "claws" and spotted the fish sausage as I threw it with all my strength towards the nearest window. With a single flying leap he caught it in his mouth and was out said window without missing a cue as I heaved a sigh of relief, then had a sudden jolt as I hear cries from outside and wondered what Ranma had gotten himself into this time.

Akane was only a few steps behind me out the door as we headed out into the school yard where we found Ranma atop a high branch in one of our resident trees, clawing away the bark and making contented noises like a cat. As we got near to the base we were surprised to find Genma Saotome and our father had beaten us there. Ranma's father was putting on a dress and a wig before slinging a bag over his shoulder, which prompted me to ask what he was doing.

"Saving the boy's life," Genma replied with a sober a tone as I'd ever heard the man use, "When Ranma gets like this the only way to calm him back down is to make him feel safe and well loved. Back in our old neighborhood a kindly old woman used to do that for him when he was very little. Unfortunately she died a few years back, but I'm ready to take her place now. A man will do anything to save the life of his only son, no matter the sacrifice he must make."

Somehow from the way he said that I honestly believe that he honestly believed that, but as he was about to leap I pointed out the obvious flaw in his reasoning here, "Doesn't Ranma have to, you know, like the person who ?"

I found that I was talking to air. Genma had leaped into the tree before I could finish my sentence. I sighed and counted the seconds until the inevitable happened, then saw Ranma launch an attack on his transvestite father, and a moment later Genma went sailing off towards some nearby bushes. I privately hoped the sprinklers were running as I turned my attention back towards Ranma.

Akane, on the other hand, caught sight of the bag that Genma had been handling, picking it up from where it fell as she deduced at once, "It's catnip. It's supposed to calm cats down, but will it work on Ranma?"

"Might be," I said, giving my little sister a glance out of the corner of my eye, "The only question is how do we get it up there to him?"

Akane looked around then spotted a student from the archery class, then promptly walked up to him and asked if she could borrow his bow and arrow, not waiting to hear a reply before she turned and had the arrow knocked and ready.

My sister is a wonder when it comes to using her Martial Arts skills, and if it weren't for the fact that some people like Ranma make her look like a stumbling amateur I would have really been impressed by the perfect shot she made, firing that bag of catnip just a meter away from Ranma. The bag burst open when it hit, spilling its contents all over as Ranma got a good whiff, then I saw him leap from the branch making a happy sound, and with a sudden start I realize that he is coming right at me. At once I fell back, reacting on instinct as though he were about to attack me.

I shut my eyes tightly as I landed on my already bruised rump again, and then I felt something fall into my lap and I opened my eyes again, finding Ranma there, curled up like a very large cat. I stared at him in shock as a wave of warmth and contentment washed over me and I heard him start to purr. I was stunned beyond words yet realized that I had never really been in any danger, that even possessed by this madness Ranma would never have hurt me. The idea that he was now submerged into a form of madness unlike anything I had ever heard before just made me feel oddly protective, though at the moment all I could do was stare in shock at his transformation.

I heard another mew and turned to see Sham-chan approaching us with curiosity. I wondered how she had gotten outside of my room, let alone found me here at the school grounds, but before I can even frame the question in my head I suddenly become aware that Ranma is moving, and as I turn to see what he is doing I find his face has moved to within centimeters of mine, and before I know it our lips touch and he kissed me.

Well, not really a kiss, more like we brushed lips and then he nuzzled me with his nose, the it was the same basic idea, and I froze in shock at what he had done. He went back to purring in my lap while I sat there hearing whispers all around, unable to move a muscle, let alone think clearly. You could have knocked me over with a feather and I'd never have even noticed. All I could think in my mind was that Ranma had kissed me, or tried to kiss me, or had nuzzled me like a cat, which was the same thing as kissing, or in any event he had just done it in front of the entire Furinkan High School!

I don't know if I was upset or anything like that, but later on, when Ranma woke up and began acting normally, he didn't seem to remember the incident, or anything beyond the point where we had fallen into that cat pit. I tried to quiz him about little things but he simply didn't remember. He didn't even notice that I had Sham-chan in my arms, or that my cat was looking at him with what might have been a forlorn expression had she been a human.

"So " I said after several fruitless moments of trying to initiate conversation, "How are you feeling right now, Ranma? You don't remember anything at all?"

"Well, no," he said somewhat awkwardly, "That's the funny thing about the Neko I don't remember stuff at all, but when I wake up I feel all right, like I heal back faster if I've taken any kind of injury when I'm like that. Nabiki?"

"Yeah Ranma?" I replied.

"Did I do anything weird, or you know stuff?" he asked nervously, "People were looking at me pretty funny back there, and well when I found myself in your lap and all that " he looked away and I thought I saw him swallow.

"What sort of stuff do you mean, Ranma?" I asked tentatively, wondering if perhaps he did know more, or at least suspected more than he was telling.

"The last time I became like that," he began after several false tries, "I did a lot of damage tore up some stuff, I might have even hurt some people, I don't know. Pop never told me the details, but after that I tried hard to stay away from cats and until an hour ago I'd almost forgot what could happen. I'm I'm sorry you had to see me that way. I never wanted to put you or anybody else in any danger, Nabiki."

He was concerned about what he might have done to people while in his beserker state, but I had a different kind of question in my mind as I voice my doubts aloud, "I see so it could have been anyone, not just me."

"What?" he blinked, turning to look my way when the sight of Sham-chan caused him to turn forward again, "Gah I mean what did you say? Could have been anyone what?"

"Oh, never mind," I sighed, feeling slightly exhausted. I thought a moment and realized that it was a silly paranoia on my part, that Ranma had picked me out of a crowd, and it was very doubtful that anyone else would have been able to have calmed him. I had to smile though as I added, "I guess you really didn't mean to do that to me, then, did you?"

"Do what?" he blinked again, still unable to look my way because of Sham-chan.

"You really don't remember?" this time I was smiling and enjoying the sight of him squirming in confusion, "What to cats usually do when they're with somebody they like, Sham-chan?"

"Mreow?" my pet replied, sounding as puzzled as Ranma.

"A-a-what ?" Ranma was now visibly sweating, "What do I mean what do they do? What am I supposed to have done?"

I was feeling better by the moment seeing him squirm in very real confusion, so I arched my tone and said, "Something I never in a million years would have thought you'd have the guts to try. You really are a he-Tom, aren't you, Ranma? A regular two legged Tomcat. I'd better keep Sham-chan away from you or you might get funny ideas about her."

I'd swear my pet made a noise that sounded even more puzzled than Ranma by that statement.

"You what I mean ?" Ranma blinked, then stopped in his tracks and said, "What did I do to you? Could you at least tell me?"

"Why bother?" I asked, continuing on without breaking stride, "It obviously wasn't important enough to you to remember, and if it wasn't that significant, then obviously you don't need me to tell you."

"I hey, quit it! Don't joke about things like that!" he started to catch up to me when I turned and held Sham-  
chan out before his face, causing him to back away with a sharp exclamation.

I cradled my cat in my arms again as I smiled at him and said, "I'm going to start calling you Neko-Tom. That's my new nickname for you, Ranma-kun, a regular Tomcat, a man among men indeed. Just be sure the next time you wait until we're actually married."

"M-m-m-m-m-married?" I heard him sputter as I turned back and continued on my way, and I could swear I heard the sound of Kuno approaching with vengeance in mind. I decided Ranma could handle himself from there and went on about my own business.

The whole incident was weird in more than one sense of the world, but I'm most surprised about my own reaction, considering how much I wanted to kiss Ranma the other night. Teasing him like that was mean, and I guess I was taking advantage of his naivete and inexperience with girls, but I wanted him to think long and hard about what he had done so that the next time he tried it he did it with more conviction.

How will I make it up to him, I wonder? I ask myself that, feeling lighter in spirit than I have for quite a while, and I think maybe I need to reassure Ranma that my feelings for him are as strong as ever maybe even a lot stronger. I know he cares about me now on a purely instinctual, animalistic level, and that's more than enough to build up a more civilized relationship. Maybe I should try taking him someplace where normal couples go, do something where we're both be on equal footing.

I wonder what could that possibly be? Ranma is only good at physical stuff, while I'm more the cerebral type, so what sort of middle-ground could we find that's normal ?

Nabiki looked away from her computer screen, seeing Sham-chan once more sitting in her usual spot looking at the monitor as though fascinated with the Japanese kanji script of katakana. Nabiki decided to put the question to the only advisor who she really trusted in such situations and said, "What do you think, Sham-chan? Got any ideas where we should go for Ranma and me to be together, like on a date?"

"Mreow?" the cat replied as if puzzled by the question.

"That's what I thought," Nabiki smiled, reaching down to pick up the cat and hold her in her arms as she murmured, "You know, you little furball, I should be thinking of ways of getting you out of my life. Ranma won't come anywhere near me when you're around, which is going to play hell with my love life "

For a moment Nabiki thought she saw a look of smug self-satisfaction appear on the feline's face, but decided that was just Anthropomorphizing on her part and shook her head to dispel the image. It had been a long day and she was starting to think the Nekoken was contagious

"Oddest thing is I can't get rid of you," she sighed, "It would be like doing dirt to your Mistress all over again, and I have enough already against my Karma. Besides you're so cute the way you look at me like that you really do remind me a lot of Shampoo. She could be so cute sometimes so it looks like I'm stuck with you for the duration."

"Meow," said Sham-chan approvingly, and rubbed her chin against Nabiki's hand, prompting Nabiki to begin petting her behind her ears, just where the cat liked it.

"Maybe when I find out why Shampoo sent you here I can find a way to make it up to her for what happened," Nabiki sighed, "Which brings me back to the question of what Ranma and I can do to top the fun we had this day? Fun now there's a word I haven't used a lot lately. I can't remember when I last had fun for the sake of having fun certainly not recently or even before I got engaged to Ranma."

Her hands absently began to play with the sides of the cat's cheeks, then slowly slid down to caress Sham-  
chan's chin, eliciting a most approved response that encouraged Nabiki to rub her neck and move slowly downward.

"I used to have a lot of fun when I was a kid and sometimes I've done things with Daddy and my sisters just not too often in the last year. In fact, the last time we had that kind of fun as a family was when we went ice-  
skating at the Athletic center.."

The cat's eyes widened for Nabiki's hands were now stroking her in a VERY sensitive area around the rough about her chest. She started to flex her claws when she thought better of the matter, actually finding it fascinating to note how the girl had such an instinctive good sense of where to rub to elicit just the right sort of reaction

"I've got it!" Nabiki smiled, and then swept the startled cat up to where she could look her in the face with a wide grin, "It's perfect, and I can even swing it so Akane and Ryoga come along! That ought to be enough to spur Ranma's interest. Sham-chan how would you feel about ice skating?"

"Mreow?" the cat replied, feeling a mixture of confusion and acute disappointment

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Okay, so in retrospect bringing a cat to an Ice Rink wasn't such a great idea, but I brought along some friends to look after her, so there shouldn't have been any problem. I mean, who could have expected her to have an encounter with a nutcase like that Shiratori Azusa!

If I'm jumping ahead it's because I'm still boiling mad about the incident. How dare she try and take my pet then call it hers? Who did she think she was dealing with here, a complete idiot? And then that macho-smug-ass partner of hers good thing my reactions are improving or I'd probably have to get shots for rabies!

Okay, I'll back up and explain. I'd taken Sham-chan and Ranma to the sports center like I'd decided to last night and we enjoyed our day off from school by hanging around the snack area until the time came for Akane and me to go out skating. Naturally the boys just hung back and watched us from the sidelines, even though I'd offered to pay for the rental of two pairs of skates in their size, but they both insisted that we should have fun and that they would be more than happy with watching us skate, the bakas. I'd left Sham-chan with my two assistants, Ryonami and Suzuki, and everything should have been just fine then.

I wish!

We come back after about half an hour of just goofing off like a couple of sisters, Akane seeming to enjoy flexing her skates as much as me, but once we got back Sham-chan was no where to be seen. Ryonami was full of apologies on that, saying that my cat somehow got away from her and tried to follow me out on the side, so I went back into the ring and skated from one end to the other, but there was no trace of her anywhere. My Sham-chan just vanished!

I was more upset about this than I wanted to let on, even though it's not the first time Shampoo's cat has gotten loose by herself. Somehow she always manages to find me later on, so I knew I shouldn't worry, but I had the strangest sense that something was wrong, that Sham-  
chan was in danger. I think Ranma sensed it too and he tried to help out, even though I knew his help would be more like an early warning device. Still Sham-chan seems to like him, so I thought that maybe his scent combined with mine would attract her.

Imagine my surprise when we stop by snack bar to get something to eat that I finally spotted Sham-chan being held in the arms of a complete and utter stranger. I at once demanded to know what the girl was doing with my pet when she turns this "cute Kawaii" charm in my direction and pretends to know nothing about it. I was starting to get angry when this blond guy walks up and took Sham-chan away from the girl, who was most upset with him for that, let me tell you!

Turns out this was far from the first time the little twerp tried something like this with somebody else's pet or property, and I was pretty ticked off to find that Sham-chan was acting like she was drugged or something. Once she revived and is aware of her situation she looked at the girl and almost clawed me trying to get at her. There was no doubt from her behavior that she sensed that this girl was her mortal enemy and wanted to leave no question of that by carving her initials in her face. Fortunately the boy seemed to have a soothing touch with animals, too, because the next thing I know both Sham-chan and me are looking up at his handsome face and bright blue eyes, and the next thing we know he's leaning forward to kiss me!

He didn't get very far in the attempt, though, before a bit of sushi struck his cheek and diverted his attention. I turn in the direction the fish slice came from and find Ranma glaring at the other boy with a look you could have used to scrape paint.

"I see," the other boy remarks, "An interesting way to issue a challenge. Very well, I accept."

That's when I finally recognized who the boy was, and his kawaii partner with him: the infamous Gold Pair, internationally famous skating champions from Kolholtz High School. Before I know it he and Ranma are agreeing to a match on the following Saturday, which sounded pretty much like my baka fianc e getting in over his head, as usual and I'm about to upbraid him when the other girl: Shiratori Azusa by name, comes at me trying to pry Sham-  
chan out of my hands why screaming something about 'Charlotte.' Several insults and exchanges later I find myself agreeing to share in Ranma's grudge match by pairing off against Sanzenin Mikado and his partner, Azusa!

And the stakes in this little grudge match? Sham-  
chan herself! Stupid, stupid! If I lose now, Shampoo's going to kill me!

I immediately insisted on finding out just how good Ranma was on skates and-surprise, surprise-I find out pretty quickly! The first time he tries to take a step he winds up flat on his back! I could see this was going to take a lot of work, so we immediately got down to some basic training, only Ranma insisted on switching genders because falling on his face as a guy is supposed to somehow be "unmanly."

I don't know how I ever let things get out of hand this way, and with less than a week to train we're going up against the best Martial Arts skaters in the business! If I had to lay odds right now I'd bet twenty to one against us, and never mind that promise I made to never bet against Ranma! Still, I can't fault him for not trying. Ranma seems ready to do anything once he's been challenged, and with that kind of an incentive he's bound to pick up a few basics by Saturday I hope.

If not well, let's just leave it at saying that the results for me will be less than fully pleasant

Nabiki turned off her computer after closing the files, then smiled as she saw Sham-chan sitting in her usual spot studying the screen with an intensity that was unusual for her species. When she saw Nabiki looking up at her she made a meowing sound that earned a smile in response from her nominal owner. Nabiki reached to scoop the animal up into her arms again and began rubbing her fur, earning a very approving response from the cat as she headed off to bed for the evening.

Setting the cat down she removed her shirt, shorts and underwear then went to get her pajamas out of the dresser when she heard a noise outside and turned in time to catch a fleeting glance of someone falling over.

"Ranma!" she cried and rushed up to the window without a thought of putting anything on, opening her window and looking out to see Ranma laying flat on his back on the roof with a remarkably stunned expression.

For a moment Nabiki was at a loss on how to take this, realizing he had just caught a glimpse of her in the raw and had reacted as though someone had struck him with a hammer. Concern overrode any thoughts of modesty on her part, or even outrage at being spied upon as she called out, "Are you okay, Saotome? It looks like your nose is bleeding "

"What-ah!" Ranma reacted as his eyes swiveled towards her, and then seemed to bug out twice their normal size before he hastily threw his arms over his face and said, "Ididn'tseenothinghonest!"

"What are you going on about, Saotome?" Nabiki asked, even though she knew perfectly well what Ranma meant and could not keep from smiling as she added, "You aren't turning into a Peeping Tom-Cat are you, Ranma-kun? If you wanted a good look, you only had to ask me "

"N-No! That's just fine! I mean-everything's fine! I just wanted to ask you something uh could you put something on first?"

"Oh?" Nabiki asked with an exaggerated pout, "And I that ugly to look at? Does the sight of me offend you so much? I didn't know you felt that way, Saotome sorry if I made you go blind there."

"What are you ?" Ranma started to sit upright to protest this statement when he saw that Nabiki had deliberately leaned forward out the window with her chest thrust forward and a pleasant smile on her face, and for a second there it looked as if he was about to fall right off the roof, but he grabbed it from instinct with one hand while covering his eyes with the other.

"I knew it," Nabiki made her voice sound disappointed, which was only half artifice on her part, "You think I'm repulsive, don't you?"

"N-No!" Ranma assured her, "You look nice! I mean you're a very pretty girl, and you're a lot cuter than your sister, so...wouldyoupleaseputsomethingon, prettyplease?"

Nabiki decided she had taken her fun to the limits of the situation and said, "What did you want to ask me, Ranma-kun? It couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"Ah, well " Ranma kept his face averted, but this time Nabiki saw him sneak a look from behind his fingers, no longer mortally afraid that she was going to throw things at him or hit him, "That's just it tomorrow when we go down to the rink to skate you think maybe it'd be all right if I stay in girl form at least until I get good enough to stand up without falling down. I'll practice as a guy once I'm sure I'm good enough it's less embarrassing that way."

"No problem, Ranma-kun," Nabiki replied, then dropped her voice an octave and added, "Was that all you wanted to ask me?"

"Uh no," Ranma replied, "I'd heard these guys we're going up against are pretty good. I'm going to knock that Mikado's block off, of course, but it might help to find out more about his technique. I'd never even heard of Martial Arts Figure Skating before today "

"And that worries you?" Nabiki asked him coyly.

"No," he at once protested, "I know I can beat him! I can do anything if it's got Martial Arts in it! I just think maybe we ought to work out a strategy for you so you don't get hurt out there. It wasn't very smart for you to go challenging that nutcase Azusa."

"Don't worry about me, Ranma," Nabiki assured him, "I can take care of myself out there. Let's just work on you learning the basics, then we can attach some Martial Arts routines and you can do your stuff against Mikado. As for me " her tone deepened, "There's no way I'm letting that twerp lay her hands on Sham-chan."

"Uh " Ranma took a great risk and made a partial glance towards Nabiki, then hesitated before looking again, seeing that his iinazuke did not get angry or move away from the window, "You uh really don't mind if I if I ?"

"Have a look?" Nabiki asked, "And why should I hide from my own iinazuke? You planning to come in here and do something naughty with me tonight? I could put Sham-chan outside if you'd really rather sleep in here with me "

"S-sleep?" Ranma's eyes got wide again and he started to edge away, "Uh sleep yeah, right, on the floor no problem just like Pop and me " he slapped himself as if unable to believe what he had just been saying.

Nabiki tried mightily not to laugh at that and said, "I guess maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea, would it? It might give people the wrong idea about us."

"Wrong idea?" Ranma asked, looking and sounding sincerely puzzled.

"Yeah," Nabiki could not keep the tone of mischief out of her voice as she added, "They might think you were going to ravish me before we're married. You're such a guy, Saotome a real he-man Tom-cat. I guess Sham-chan really isn't safe around you after all, and neither am I for that matter."

She closed the window while he sat there sputtering in the dark, wondering what the heck she was talking about when comprehension slowly dawned on him, and then he paled and got very quiet, not moving a muscle as he sat there like a stone for the next several hours.

Nabiki turned away from the window with a huge grin on her face, only to catch a slightly disapproving stare from the cat, to which she sighed and said, "Yeah, I know, I shouldn't tease him like that. He's really such a very sweet guy, it's just that sometimes I have to convince myself he's really interested in girls. I mean, we've been seeing each other for several months now and I'm still a virgin "

"Meow?" the cat asked curiously.

"Oops," Nabiki winced, "Don't tell anybody at school I said that! Daddy's the only one who's supposed to think I'm a virgin and Kasumi. I don't let people thing they can approach me all that much, but I'd hate to admit that I was inexperienced. Lots of girls think you're still a kid until you've had your first sexual encounter, like there's any big deal about making out with guys our own age. Most of 'em wouldn't know what to do with a woman, and the other half are your typical two-minute wonders. Believe me, Sham-chan, I've heard all of the stories."

"Meow?" the cat asked again, somehow making it sound like a very different question.

Nabiki was fetching her pajamas from the dresser, "Yeah, they pop a girl's cork then hump her silly, sometimes not even waiting until she's lubricated enough so it doesn't pain her, and then they go and blow their wad just as soon as they hit their stride, and meanwhile the girl's left feeling disappointed that it's all over so quickly. I don't want that to be my first time I want the first guy I sleep with to mean something. I just hope Ranma's got some martial arts training that'll help him keep my attention, like maybe he could last five minutes or so. I won't know until he's ready, and how is he ever going to get ready if I don't work hard at building up his interest?"

"Meow," Sham-chan said again, and this time she sounded thoughtful.

"Well, it's not like it's something you need to worry yourself about," Nabiki said as she turned out the light then slipped under her covers then picked Sham-chan up to place her on her chest so she could rub her from close quarters, "Cats only do it when they're in heat, and it's supposed to be pretty painful, what with the way the male's genitals have those spiky things to hold him in while he blows his wad, and no foreplay either. Some day you'll find this out the hard way."

"Meeow?" the can sounded non-plussed as if actually thinking over the implications of that statement.

Nabiki concentrated on pleasuring the areas that she knew had the greatest positive response from the cat, and Sham-chan endured it all with happy contentment before they both drifted off to sleep together.

Sometime during the night, however, the cat awoke, looked around in the dark, took notice of the sleeping Nabiki and studied her face in the dark for the next several minutes. Luminous eyes finally turned away to glance towards the window, which was mostly closed for the night but had been kept partway open to allow a cooling breeze to filter in. She got up off the bed, giving Nabiki a last glance to one side, then headed for the window and proceeded to force it open much wider.

She thrust her nose into the night air and took notice of Ranma sleeping on the roof facing the night stars, and once again the cat's expression seemed to soften. It silently fought the urge to go to the boy and curl up on his chest, but the knowledge of what kind of response that would elicit put a damper on her temptation. She heaved a feline sigh and slipped out into the night for a pre-arranged rendezvous. It had business to conduct, so it wasted little time seeking out a certain alleyway, where it paused to look around, then made a soft mew on inquiry.

A figure detached itself from the shadows and said, "Took you long enough. I trust you had a very good reason for keeping me waiting, young lady?"

"Mew," the cat said, lowering its head demurely.

"Never mind," the figure said dismissively, "You can make your report once we are alone. Come this way, I found a place to stay, one that will serve our needs more than adequately "

"Mew?" the cat inquired.

"Yes, that is correct, young one, we are staying here for the moment," the figure replied, "I've had time to study the situation, based on what you told me before, and I have confirmed that the matter is even more complicated than I previously imagined. We will discuss the particulars once you have changed, and then I will tell you of my decision concerning both of your dearly intendeds."

If it were possible for a cat to look worried, Sham-  
chan made a reasonably good attempt, but she knew better than to argue with her Great Grandmother, so she obediently followed her off into the night towards the Furinkan financial district, all the while wondering if they had all bitten off much worse than they could collectively chew.

One way or another things were moving more quickly than anticipated, and very soon the moment of truth would be upon her: to kill or marry. It was looking as if the question was not as easy as previously imagined, but she was beginning to suspect that she already knew which way she would go in the end. So, apparently, did her Great Grandmother, but nothing less was to be expected of an Elder of Joketsuzoku

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cat Scratch Fever: shadowmane

A skating match proves to be the least of their problems as Ranma and Nabiki gear up to face their greatest challenge be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	14. Chapter 14

NabikiRan12 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 13.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Just when I thought that life could not get any weirder it goes and surprises me in all kinds of unexpected ways. How do I summarize the way this day has turned out? I never thought creative writing was my forte, or flowery, descriptive narrative, which is more Kuno's idiom than mine.

What the hell, just go for the basics.

Needless to say it was after school today that Ranma and me hit the sporting arena together to try and polish up his technique some more, which is a fancy way of saying that he was trying to learn not to hit the rink with his-  
or should I say her-rump half as often. I still could not believe that a guy who routinely walks along a narrow fence on our way to school could find standing up on a pair of skates so intimidating, but there you have it. Different muscle groupings and forms of balance, I suppose, whereas I have been skating since I was very little and can do figure eights with my eyes closed.

I suppose I should take some comfort in being better at something physical than Ranma. There she was clinging to me for support, acting like a little girl while I try to give her confidence in her movements so that we can progress to something a little more complicated, like solo skating. Maybe.

To be completely honest, I thought Ranma looked cute huddling like that, totally afraid of making a complete fool out of herself, and drawing all the wrong sorts of attention towards herself for just that reason. If I were a more self-conscious sort, like Akane, I'd probably have been embarrassed, too, but as I'm well above worrying about what other people may or may not think of me I just took pleasure in her company and the very rare pleasure of having Ranma completely at my mercy.

Of course I had to twist the knife a little with occasional comments like, "Honestly, Ranma, I'd think you'd be less worried about getting hurt after all the fights you've been in. It's only a little ice, for the sake of the Kami!"

"Hey, this isn't as easy as it looks, you know!" Ranma of course would protest, then try and act macho again by trying to straighten up and maintain her balance, which would last maybe all of five seconds before her arms would start to windmill as she fought again for balance.

I'd heave a sigh and pretend to be offended by her behavior, but inwardly I was smiling as I would begin to skate circles around her, ready to catch her if she started to fall but taunting her just the same with my perfect sense of balance.

Finally the inevitable happened and I caught her before she could go down again. Being a girl helped him cope with the embarrassment all the more because instead of acting offended he would turn to me and say, "Thanks, Nabiki that's another one I owe you."

"I'll put it on your tab," I'd smile like I was tabulating the numbers while in fact I was relishing having an excuse to hold her while she tried desperately to get her legs back under her. It took supreme control on my part just to hold and not take advantage of where I was holding, or Ranma would have given me a very shocked expression. Unlike me he's not all that comfortable with his girl form, whereas I'm all envious about what a great figure she has and how light to the touch. Ranma has a wiry frame but she's got padding in the right places. A girl like her is the envy of our Class, and she can be a handful in more than one sense, not least of all because I'd discovered how much I enjoy her girlish body.

It's a little difficult to explain in words, and no doubt people would think I was weird or a Lesbian, or at the very least a little Hentai, but I've got no problem admitting it to myself, unlike some people I could name off the top of my head. I don't think Ranma would understand any more than Akane or Kasumi-and I don't even want to imagine what my dad would think if he knew that I like girls as well as guys-but there you have it. Having a boyfriend who changes into a girl is what clued me in on my dual nature, but I don't feel all that weird knowing I like him either way. The chances of me getting him into bed in either form are about the same at present, unless I can think of a way to overcome his extreme shyness.

At least he's not totally useless like Doctor Tofu around Kasumi, but I digress too far off the point. I helped Ranma get steady once again, then she managed to stand on her own for about a minute before we tried to skate side-by-side with similar results to all of the previous attempts up to that date. This time I did't even bother controlling my laughter, which I'm sure hurt her pride but was only being honest for my part.

I finally sobered up and apologized, but the damage was done as Ranma crawled back to her feet and declared angrily that she was going to give up learning how to skate altogether. I reminded her of our having accepted the Golden Pair's challenge and that balked her outright since-as Ranma repeatedly has told me-he/she has never run from a fight in her life and is not about to start doing so over a little thing like looking foolish.

She calmed down somewhat, but then she surprised me by looking up at me with a question in her blue eyes, and then she comes right out and flattens me with that question, "Nabiki aren't you ever embarrassed about anything?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, although I had a very good idea what she meant but waited to see if she would have the guts to come out and admit that she thought I was shameless because of the way I had acted the night before.

"You know," she fumbled for the words, then in typical Ranma fashion just blurted her thoughts out, "Showing your tits off like that to me. I mean I'd be embarrassed silly if I did that to you! All you seemed to want to do is ask me if I liked how you looked "

"Well" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, "Do you?"

"Uh-yeah," Ranma gulped, looking at me with a guilty start, "Y-you really didn't mind me looking at you like that? I mean I don't want you to think I'm perverted or nothing "

"Perverted because you like seeing me naked?" I pretended to consider the point, then smiled slyly and said, "Gee I guess that means you'll want to have the lights off on our wedding night if seeing me naked makes you get these strange ideas about me."

"Huh?" my aqua-transsexual iinazuke blinked, "Ideas? What ideas? I just don't want you getting mad or throwing stuff at me or nothing "

"And who do you think you're dealing with here?" I asked drolly, "I'm not Akane, you know "

"Oh, I know that," Ranma lightly chuckled, "You're much better built, and a lot better looking."

I immediately sobered at the compliment, then after a brief pause decided to return one of my own, "Coming from you, I take that as a high compliment, Saotome."

"You do?" he blinked, now thoroughly confused by my reaction.

"Sure," I looked her over and said simply, "Have you ever really taken a good look at yourself lately? I'm dying of envy here, and I'm a year older," I indicated her bust size with the tip of my finger.

"Oh," Ranma blinked again as he considered that, then replied, "But you're all right in fact, they're just the right size, kind of nice and everything ah " it seemed to belatedly occur to her what she was saying and she immediately colored.

I decided I'd had enough of playing cat-and-mouse with her and so I heaved a sigh of my own and said, "Saotome regardless of what you may think of me, I do have feelings, and I am sometimes embarrassed, but not over things over which I have no control. I don't pretend to have a lot of virtue, feminine modesty or whatever it is that girls like me are supposed to have in abundance. I just know that I feel comfortable doing what I do, being myself around you and not pretending to be something I can't be. So maybe I...take things a little farther than I should, I don't mean to be offensive or to shock you or anything like that. I just wanted to know if you liked me."

"Of course I like you," Ranma said, "Why wouldn't you think I like you?"

"I mean do you like me, Ranma," I pointed out more bluntly, "Really, seriously, as in 'Am I attractive to you or not?' I'd understand if I'm not after all, I'm not as beautiful as Kasumi, or even as cute as Akane or "

"Hey, wait a minute!" Ranma protested, "You're way cuter than that Tomboy sister of yours, and as for Kasumi, you've got way lots more character, and you're a lot more interesting to be with, so why would I want to be with anyone else? I uh haven't got a lot of uh experience around girls, and maybe I don't know what you expect me to say to you or nothing, but "

That was the point when I should have warned her about what I saw coming, but hearing her just on the verge of telling me what she thought of me I hesitated by a critical fraction of a second and so failed to give her adequate warning before Akane crashed into her and sent Ranma sprawling in the ice.

"Oh, excuse me, kind stranger," Akane said with exaggerated politeness, "I don't know what came into me. You know how uncoordinated we Uncute Tomboys can be at times, you know."

"Akane?" I blinked, then looked up in time to see Ryoga spinning out of control on the ice, calling out Akane's name as he frantically tried to avert plowing into a wall without course or direction, which was pretty much a metaphor for his whole life, when you come right down to it.

"Ryoga!" Akane realized her mistake and started skating frantically to intercept him. I glanced down at Ranma, seeing my own conclusions reflected in her expression as she lay prone on the ice, then casually remarked, "Yep, she's sure uncute all right. Hey, Nabiki?"

"Yes, Ranma-kun?" I responded.

"I thought she didn't remember who I was or nothing, but the way she blind-sided me right now "

"My thoughts exactly," I replied, "She's either starting to remember you or "

That was when we had our second interruption as we heard Ryoga angrily cry out, "How dare you attempt such a thing with Akane!" before the sound of fist hitting flesh was followed by the sight of Sanzenin Mikado travelling backwards at great velocity with unerring accuracy before he found and tripped over Ranma.

Of course nobody ever explained to Ryoga the old Newtonian rule about equal and opposite reaction, because his punch not only sent Sanzenin flying, it also propelled him backwards into the very wall he had avoided before. I turned to see Akane calling out to him in distress before I looked down at the mess that was Sanzenin crumpled over a pained Ranma.

"Oboy," I sighed, "Let me hazard a wild guess. He tried to kiss Akane."

"Ahhh " Sanzenin replied intelligently, only to recover immediately with a speed that rivaled Kuno, "The lady is spirited, and she has a fierce protector who no doubt misinterpreted my humble desire to show my appreciation."

I covered my eyes and counted to ten in Cantonese. Why was it that every other guy on the planet but Ranma was this obsessed with women? No sooner did I have my eyes closed, though, when I felt a hand on my hand uncovering my face, and there was Mikado on his feet looking at me with his schoolboy charm and smile that implied that he was the Kami's gift to all women.

"Such loveliness to behold on my recovery," he said as he moved in closer to me like the Don Juan he was said to be by reputation, "Allow me to show you a token of my admiration by bestowing upon you the honor of a kiss. You will be the nine hundred and ninety-ninth girl that I have so blessed "

"Excuse me?" I said as coolly as I can manage, which is pretty frosty by any standard, but from where I stood I could not avoid him leaning forward to me as his lips came close to mine before I could stop him.

"HEY!" I heard Ranma cry as she lurched to her feet with little thought for her balance, "What the heck do you think you're doing, you big jerk? Let Nabiki go this minute or I'll I'll hurt you!"

I think the threat would have been more effective if Ranma had been a bit steadier on her feet, but where was no mistaking her anger as her blue eyes were blazing in furious revulsion at Mikado. I barely dared to imagine that it was jealousy over me that she was feeling, but the intensity left no mistake that she wanted nothing so much at that instant than to grind Mikado's bones into a very find paste.

She did succeed in distracting Mikado, who looked at her in wonder and said, "Do I know you, Miss? You sound almost as if you were envious of the kiss I was about to bestow. Have no fear, you can be my one thousandth girl as soon as I am finished with this beauty."

"Oh please," I growled, then used what leverage I had to try and work one hand free. I was about to slap him when something else collided with Mikado's face, sending him sprawling.

I turned to see the blur resolve itself into Shiratori Azusa, who turned primly around and said, "Do your girl chasing on your own time, Mikado. It's time for us to practice the Dance of a Hundred Foes."

"The Dance of a Hundred Foes?" I heard Ranma gasp as she somehow managed to finally regain her full balance, "Hey Nabiki, you got any idea what that is?"

"Now why would I know anything about that?" I asked rhetorically, but I could see figures pouring out onto the ice, causing the regular patrons to file away as though sensing danger. To my dismay a group of young men dressed up like Hockey players with Goalie masks and padded gear began to form a ring about us. I started to count and-  
sure enough-it was a hundred hockey players in all, armed with sticks and looking very determined.

Mikado had once more recovered by this point and stood up to join Azusa at the center of this circle. He glanced at us before taking his partner's hand and said, "You two had better leave before this gets ugly. I wouldn't want two such visions of loveliness to be hurt in the crossfire."

One of the Goalies pulled out a stopwatch and said, "Whenever you're ready, Sanzenin."

"Begin," he said, and then all hell broke loose while Ranma and me stood back and watched from close ringside. About ten seconds later it was all over and the hockey players were scattered everywhere. The one with the stopwatch groaned as he pulled it out and stopped the time, then said, "Nine seconds a new record "

"That long?" Sanzenin sniffed as he combed his hair back into place, "We could do better than that."

"Whoah," I heard Ranma said appreciatively, then to my surprise she began to straighten out as she said, "I can do that! Now I see how he does it, we can't lose, Nabiki!"

I was about to voice my dubious opinion about that when I heard a number of voices calling out, and then Ranma tensed as the sound of a cat's frantic cry drew our attention. I turned to see Sham-chan running across ice as fast as her paws would carry her, being chased by a number of people who wanted to catch my pet as she was making a beeline towards me.

I called out to her as I abandoned Ranma where she stood, skating out to try and catch up with Sham-chan, but Azusa turned out to be much faster and scooped up my cat when she tried to leap into my arms. I immediately voiced my displeasure at Azusa, but the little twit was happily attaching something to the neck of the struggling animal, so that by the time I caught up with them and was able to snatch her back into my arms I found that Sham-chan was now wearing a pink collar with a gold heart emblem. I turned about to curse the little klepto out only to see her slip the key to the collar down her bodice.

Bad move as far as I was concerned. Unlike Ranma I don't have any problem going after another girl, even if it means ripping her clothes off in front of others. I was about to do just that when Azusa pointed her hand and said, "Oh, isn't she funny? She's going to hit the wall!"

I turned in dismay to see Ranma frantically windmilling her arms while skating backwards with the wall coming up at her abruptly. Then I see Sanzenin arcing around the prone bodies of his recovering victims in time to intercept Ranma and scoop her up into his arms, which earned an immediate protest from my transgender iinazuke rather than the heartfelt thanks he was expecting. Not that Mikado needs encouragement anyway as he then proceeded to take advantage of Ranma's helpless state, leaning forward to kiss her on the mouth while I stood there looking on in horror.

If I didn't know better I'd have sworn that Sham-chan tensed in my arms as well, but I can't say that I was really paying that much attention as my total concentration was on Ranma. Sanzenin set him down after the kiss was broken, and for once Ranma managed to remain on her feet without effort. A good thing too as her expression was dumbstruck. I think it could easily be said that she could have been knocked over with the touch of a feather.

Then slowly Ranma recovered from her shock, and then she broke into tears and started running from the ice, again amazing me as she did not slip or fall even once as she left the rink making sounds just like a girl whose heart had been broken. Sanzenin, the fool, of course did not know the implications of his deed and merely praised himself as a heartless cad toying with a lady's feelings. I was half tempted to let him know just what it was he had done but held my peace, counting the seconds as they went by until Ranma showed up again, and right on cue he appeared in male form, angry as a nest of hornets.

"MIKADO!" I heard him cry as he took a position only a dozen meters away, and had it not been for the angry look in his eyes I would have applauded him for suddenly gaining such perfect balance. Of course that look read murder, so I was not as happy to see him this way as I might have been under different circumstances. Ranma declared that Mikado had done the impossible, and for the first time in his life he was really and truly angry. To punctuate this point Ranma slammed his fist down hard on the ice and a large crack appeared that extended all the way from himself to Mikado.

"I don't know what you're so upset about," Mikado said with that same nonchalant bravado that was his trademark, "But damaging this rink is a serious offense, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish you."

"Poor Ranma," I heard a voice say at my side, and I turn with astonishment to see Akane standing next to me with Ryoga, "He really brought this on himself, you know."

Before I could ask the obvious question about how she seemed to remember him so clearly, I saw Ranma launch himself in a forward attack towards Sanzenin that the other boy effortlessly sidestepped. Ranma landed in a heap, breaking into the ice with a massive head-but that made me wince in sympathetic reaction.

"Idiot," I heard Sanzenin coolly remark, "Only a fool launches a suicide attack early in the match."

I think he was about as surprised as anybody present when Ranma loomed up from the ice, recovering with a speed that would have done credit to Kuno. For a certainty Mikado had a very brief flash of dismay that could have been laced with fear if I read him right as Ranma attacked again, missing entirely and this time he and went sliding right into the nearest sidewall, smashing right through it in a hail of broken concrete and plaster. Once again he rose up like a Phoenix from the ashes ready to renew his assault, so Mikado declared that he would now take the threat seriously and went into a different maneuver that one of the recovered Hockey Players called "The Dance of Death," pronouncing it reverently as though Mikado were doing some great honor to his opponent.

Said "Dance" consisted of Mikado spinning like a top on one leg at great speed while Ranma attacked, and to my amazement Sanzenin kicked up a whirlwind on the ice that picked Ranma up off his feet and spun him around in the air above Mikado for several minutes. Then Ranma fell from the cyclone and landed with a loud thud on the ice, cracking it with his head as Mikado slowly pirouetted to a standing crouch.

"Well, that's it," I heard Akane said casually, much to my amazement as she turned around, "Better gather up your iinazuke, Sis. He looks completely out of it for the moment or would your rather have Ryoga-kun do it?"

"How long have you had your memory back, Akane-chan?" I asked sourly while going to check on poor Ranma, having the deep suspicion that I had somehow been conned by my little sister.

"I'll tell you all about it when we get back home," Akane smiled, "Now that Ranma's worked off the edge of his anger, I think it's time to let him in on the truth."

I looked down at Ranma where I knelt and said, "Are you all right, Ranma-kun?"

To my amazement Ranma tried to pry himself off the ice using just his arms, but the effort taxed him of what little strength he had left and instead he slumped down onto the ice, out cold, if you can excuse the expression.

"Baka," I murmured softly, then added, "Ryoga, could you please be gentle and help me pick him up?"

"Oh, I'll pick him up all right," Ryoga said with a nasty smirk, "But I can't promise I'll be too gentle "

I clenched my teeth and said, "Would you like Akane to know what kind of a Pig you are underneath? I'm pretty sure I can find some cold water in this place."

That sobered Ryoga up and he winced nervously, picking Ranma up as gentle as a baby.

Suddenly Azusa was in my path again with a smirk, "Guess Mikey won that fight, huh? Just a little taste of what you'll get if you go up against him and Azusa."

"Sorry to disillusion you," Akane replied, "But Ranma won hands down. Have a look at your boyfriend if you've got any doubts about that."

"Huh?" Azusa turned to see, as I did, that Mikado had not moved a muscle from the time he had finished spinning. He was frozen in place like a statue, and as Azusa came close enough to inspect him she announced, "Oh he's out cold! That's never happened before."

"You'd be out cold too if you'd been hit five hundred and one times," Akane said as she turned away and said, "And Ryoga-kun, you don't have to be too gentle helping Ranma."

"You just said the word, Akane," the lost boy grinned, showing off his wicked canines, and suddenly I had an urge to splash him with cold water. Instead I took what satisfaction I could in noticing that Azusa and the Hockey players were taking advantage of Mikado's paralyzed state to take out marker pens and doodle all over him. I was tempted to join in, but at the moment my concerns were all directed towards Ranma.

As soon we had moved Ranma back to the dojo I proceeded to dress his wounds and bandage the little cuts and bruises he had taken in his fight with Mikado. Naturally I covered for my extreme concern over his welfare by falling back on sarcasm, the tool I have for so long used to keep people at a distance, though in this case I just wanted to hold him and assure myself that he really would be all right.

"Honestly, Saotome," I clearly remember saying as Ranma sulked while I applied the bandages, "Five hundred and one times? Did you really hit him that often?"

"Hey, he started it!" Ranma angrily protested, "What did he expect to have happen when he he did that to me! And in front of you of all people "

"In front of me?" I asked suspiciously, "Why would you be more upset about "

And then it hit me as I saw his hurt and guilty expression. Ranma had just lost face in public and had been humiliated in his girl half with me in front-row attendance, his own iinazuke. That was a hell of a body blow to his pride, and his male ego could not stand the thought that I had seen him get kissed by another guy, the baka! I knew instinctively that it had to have hurt, but at the time what I remember was getting angry.

"Listen, Saotome," I said, "It wasn't your fault and I certainly would never hold a thing like that against you "

"Leave me alone!" he said as he got to his feet, clearly intending to leave the dojo, but I reached out and gripped him by the arm to prevent his leaving.

"Don't you dare walk away from me like that, Ranma!" I said as I got to my own feet to confront him, and then I felt my anger fade as my courage started to leave me. The pain in his eyes and his voice were telling, and I started to feel very small for getting worked up about his being hurt over something that had to be traumatic.

"Ranma," I tried a more diplomatic tone, "I you mean a lot to me I don't want you to think this affects how I feel about you, or anything else between us. Please don't go away angry, not like this, and not over Mikado. He's not worth it, trust me. Besides it was just a kiss, him kissing you, right? Not the other way around? You didn't start it, so it's not like you've got anything to feel ashamed about."

"A lot you know," he said without turning back to look at me, "What do you know about getting kissed by another guy who thinks you're feminine. Or maybe in your case unfeminine's the term I should be using."

"Unfeminine?" I repeated, "Are you calling me un-  
feminine, Saotome?"

He blinked and then growled, "No!" as he turned around to face me, "You're the most feminine person I've ever known, Nabiki. It's not like that at all! I mean what if somebody thought you were a guy because of the way you looked? How would you like it if another girl kissed you thinking you were some cute stud or something?"

"I'd, uh feel pretty awkward," I said lamely which was half a lie as I really didn't find the idea of being kissed by another woman all that offensive. Him in his girl form, for example.

Ranma took a deep breath to calm himself, then said, "You can't really know what it feels like, Nabiki. I feel bad because you had to see me like that. I always hate it when I'm not myself around you. I want to be a guy with you, Nab-chan honestly, but after today "

"What about today?" I asked, "Forget about it, it's in the past and forgotten. Besides, I'd only be worried about you kissing somebody else if you really meant it. Not that I'd expect you to ever work up the courage about that."

"And what do you mean by that?" he demanded with a narrowing of his eyes.

"I mean to say you wouldn't have the guts to kiss a woman because you sure haven't tried it with me, not since that last time on our first date."

"Ah " Ranma reacted to that, then I saw his expression harden, his resolve grow firm and the anger began to swell once again, "You're such a flirt!"

"I'm a what?" I asked, feeling my own temper rise of a sudden.

"You don't have any more feminine modesty than I do when I'm a girl," he said, then calmed slightly as he added, "And here I was afraid you were going to pound me like your Tomboy sister and call me a pervert. Hah!"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I bridled, "You think I'd give myself to just anybody, Saotome? Don't flatter yourself! I only take real men at their word, and I still say you don't have the guts to kiss me!"

"Oh yeah?" he said, and then reached out with the tip of his finger and pushed against my breastbone. His other hand caught me as I started to tip over, and suddenly I was in a swoon in his arms looking up into his blue eyes and feeling the world melt away as the pounding of my heart starting banging away and I felt suddenly very warm and utterly helpless.

I thought for sure right then he was going to do it, that I'd finally pushed him too far and now he was going to pay me back for all my taunts and insults. I couldn't have done a thing to prevent him if he wanted to go through with the act, and I sure as hell would not have put up a fight if he had tried it. Instead we both just hung there looking into each other's eyes, and then suddenly we broke the clench and found ourselves at opposite ends of the room, staring at each other wide-eyed as if we thought we'd both gone utterly crazy.

"Ah " I managed to say after a moment, "That was pretty good you almost had me going, Saotome."

"Hah?" he asked intelligently, then blinked, "Oh, uh you mean? Well I "

"I don't believe you two," Akane declared as she came into the room in a huff, "We finally thought you were going do it and instead you chicken out like a couple of bakas!"

"Hah?" Ranma turned his full attention her way, "You mean you remember me? You know who I am?'

"As if I'd want to remember a pervert like you!" Akane snapped, "Yes, I got over the Xi Fang Giao Shiatsu attack several weeks ago thanks to Doctor Tofu and Ryoga, and no thanks to either of you, especially my so-called sister!"

I felt a stab of guilt over that but managed to say, "So what was the trigger? Did Tofu find another booklet explaining the attack and how to reverse it?"

"It wasn't easy!" Akane snorted, "Ryoga gathered up all the pieces and then took them to Tofu's place where he proceeded to spend the next several days putting the thing together "

"Uh, actually, Akane-chan," said Ryoga as he surfaced from hiding, "I just took them to his office, it was Tofu-  
Sensei who put it all together, with a little help from Kasumi."

I tried not to think about what sort of help Tofu would be in Kasumi's presence then gave it up as something I was better off not knowing. More likely Kasumi herself put the booklet together from the pieces it was just like her to be that meticulous while Tofu made a typical fool of himself off in the corner with his skeleton, Betty. Instead I asked my next obvious question, "Why the deception, Sis? Why have you been pretending for the last few weeks that you didn't know Ranma?"

"Because I wanted to see if he would try anything with you when he thought I wasn't looking," Akane glowered, "And because I wanted to get back at you both for leaving me like that once your little Amazon buddy packed up her bags and left town in such a hurry."

I heard a hiss and turned to see that Sham-chan was also in the room, only she was glaring at Akane as though she understood both her tone and meaning. Sham-chan still had that ridiculous collar that Azusa had placed around her neck. I calmed her down, seeing how Ranma reacted to her presence, then turned and said, "So you had a good joke at my expense. Ha, ha, very funny."

"Too bad you did get your memory back," Ranma sniffed at Akane, "It's been a lot quieter around here without you always calling me a pervert."

"Shut up, Ranma!" Ryoga snarled, "You don't know how hard it was for me to decide to help her regain her memories. Akane was complaining of headaches and memory flashes and I couldn't bear to see her suffering on account of you, so I asked Doctor Tofu for his help, and with the right combination of Shiatsu points and counseling we were able to restore her memories and reverse the effects of what that Amazon did to her memories!"

"Counseling," Akane huffed, "More like you filled in for Ranma and repeated word-for-word the various insults he's been saying behind my back, when you thought I couldn't hear you. That was the trigger that finally let me put it all together, after weeks of constantly having to be reminded of who this guy is who's been seeing my sister, and stumbling over you every where I turn, and not being able to remember "

"We get the point, Sis," I said with a sigh, "So you played dumb and waited for the right time to let us in on your little joke. Nicely played, only what made you decide to break character all of a sudden?"

"Watching you two fall all over each other on the ice," Akane replied, "It's the straw that broke the camel's back, now the honor of the Tendo dojo is at stake. The golden pair have an unbroken record of straight victories, and you honestly expect to compete with HIM as your partner?" she rolled her eyes, then added, "And to top this off the match is supposed to be about Martial Arts, which you're barely able to compete in as it is! What made you honestly believe that you could go up against someone like Shiratori Azusa?"

I admit I had to wince at that question, "I don't know just something about her, and the way she tried to steal my Sham-chan "

"Well," Akane said, "There's nothing to do for it now, but if you want to continue training with this Moron, then you'd better train with me and Ryoga."

"Hah?" Ryoga blinked, going very pale as though the thought of skating again held him in abject terror.

"What's the matter, P-chan?" Ranma grinned, "Afraid of a little ice?"

"Shut up!" Ryoga snapped, "And who are you calling 'P-chan,' you pervert!"

"Ah struck a nerve have we?" Ranma sniffed, "And for your information I am not a pervert."

"Oh really?" Ryoga smiled, "Then why did you let that Sanzenin guy kiss you?"

"Oh my," said Kasumi as she happened to be walking by the room at that moment, "Is that true, Ranma? Were you kissed by someone other than Nabiki?"

Ranma made a noise like a small animal being cornered by a tom-cat, which naturally gave Akane the urge to twist the knife a little by saying, "He was a girl at the time, so I guess that makes it all right."

"Oh," Kasumi seemed to accept that explanation, "Well, then it really wasn't so bad, then. I mean, it's not like it was your first kiss, was it Ranma-kun? Now that would have been tragic."

"Gah " Ranma visibly wilted this time, and I realized with a start that it really had been his first kiss ever, which made me suddenly very angry. The thing I had longed for so fervently Mikado had taken with ease and turned into a traumatic experience. Now how in the name of the Kami was I ever going to get him to kiss me?

I think it was desperation on my part that made me elbow past Ryoga to confront my iinazuke, "Listen, Ranma, you don't have to feel bad because that louse took advantage of you. Maybe it is your fault in a way for leaving yourself wide open, but this doesn't mean he had the right to do that."

"Leave me alone," Ranma said with tired weariness and a sadness in his eyes that spoke volumes more than words about his feelings.

I think right then that leaving him alone was the very last thing I wanted to do, so I seized hold of his shirt and drew myself closer to him. Ranma lifted his eyes in surprise, seeing that I had brought my face up to within a few inches of his before I hesitated, wondering if I was doing the right thing or just blindly following my instincts. I wanted to kiss him, but I wanted him to know how much it meant to me, and simply forcing my way here was definitely not what either of us wanted. What I wanted was to reassure him that everything was all right with me, that I did not think less of him because of what had happened. He was staring at me with a question and I tried to put into my expression all the warmth of feeling that was within me at that moment.

I think I was starting to get through because his expression softened, and then I felt his resistance crumbling and moved in closer, wondering now if I would finally have the courage to go ahead and do it. It would be his first time, and the first time it really meant something to me, so I wanted us both to savor the moment. I think we would have succeeded in the end, but all of a sudden I felt Ranma tense and glance down at his feet, seeing Sham-chan rubbing against his legs in the best kittenish manner of assuring a human he was loved and cared for.

That was a little too much for him, I'm afraid, because all at once his extreme Cat-phobia kicked in, and without a single word Ranma cried out and fled the dojo, leaving me frustrated and Sham-chan wearing what-on a cat-must have been a very confused and dejected expression.

Sigh!

So here I am now sitting in my room before my computer in my underwear worrying myself sick about poor Ranma. He didn't turn up for dinner, so I guess he needed to be alone for a while, and who can blame him? This day sure hasn't gone according to anyone's plans and I'm starting to get really worried about the upcoming match this Saturday. We only have a few days to prepare and Ranma's only marginally better than yesterday, while my skills in the Martial Arts look weak in comparison to what I saw displayed by Azusa and Mikado.

I'll admit the idea of being dumped on my head the way I saw Ranma taking his punishment holds no real appeal for me, nor do I entertain the fantasy that I could return the favor on those two. I'm over my head and I freely admit it with circumstances spiraling out of my control and no clear way to get things back into a semblance of order. Normally I can usually find some clever angle to use to my advantage, but we're talking about a match in front of hundreds of witnesses, so how the heck do I turn a looming disaster into a market potential?

If I had any sense I'd back out now and admit defeat, but that would be a betrayal of my family and dojo, to say nothing of letting down both Ranma and Sham-chan. No way am I giving up my cat to that Kawaii little loon and her menagerie of knick-knacks. I've got to find an angle and quick, some intelligent way that I can climb back on top of things and surprise Azusa and Mikado. After all I can at least skate decently, which is the only real advantage I have over Ranma, who outclasses me in every other sense.

Let's face it, Ranma deserves to marry somebody who can keep up with him. Too bad he and Akane don't get along, or if only I had kept up my training. If I'd been sparring with Akane all of these years I know I'd be in good enough shape to take Azusa on, and possibly Mikado. I don't want to go out there and possibly get hurt or make a fool out of myself, and I sure as the Kami don't want to be a burden for Ranma.

I'm tired, my thinking is growing fuzzy and I'm beginning to nod. It's been a pretty stressful day, so maybe I should just sleep on it and let my brain come up with something that can turn everything back to my advantage. Mornings are really where I get my best inspiration and I won't be in any good shape to help train with Ranma if I don't get to sleep right now, so I'm shutting down for the evening.

Yeah, right sleep. As if I can sleep feeling this wound up and all. Well, until I make my next entry, sayonara.

Nabiki closed the file, shut down the computer and headed for bed, convinced that sleep would elude her for hours. She barely noticed that the cat was watching her the whole time, and once Nabiki's head hit the pillow the cat walked up to the bed and jumped atop it to surprise Nabiki by placing its paws on certain nerve centers that instantly rendered her unconscious.

Satisfied that Nabiki would sleep well for the next few hours, the cat headed for the window, pried it open then slipped out into the night.

Less than fifteen minutes later a very different Sham-chan emerged from a tub of warm water and met the even gaze of her elder, then dutifully waited for the command to speak. It took a few minutes to relate everything in as much detail as seemed pertinent, then the Elder looked thoughtful as she mulled it over.

At last the elder looked down at her Great Granddaughter and said, "Matters are indeed progressing very swiftly. Have you arrived at a decision, my child?"

She nodded affirmative then said, "I have, Great Grandmother."

The elder smiled as if reading her thoughts, "You have chosen the more difficult path, I see. I should be disappointed in you, but I am not. Very well, then I will support your decision. You know what is required of you here."

Shampoo nodded that she did indeed understand what was being asked of her. Surprisingly enough she found it easy to say, "It is my life to decide, Great Grandmother. I must do what my heart tells me is the best for everyone, including my Husband."

Elder Cologne smiled in reply, "Then we will begin immediately. I expect you to obey my instructions to the letter, and add whatever creative touches you feel are most appropriate. It will be a challenge to rope this one in, but with the right incentive I think she can be made to see reason."

"That is my hope as well, Great Grandmother," Shampoo replied with a smile, "I've gotten to know her pretty well and I think I understand how she thinks this time. So far she doesn't suspect me but she is a very clever person."

"So I have gathered," Cologne replied, "Return at once and be ready come the morning. You will know what needs to be done when it is time to make this Nabiki Tendo see things our way. By the way about the collar "

Shampoo felt her neck and was acutely embarrassed, "It won't come off no matter what I've tried. You think it might be magical in nature?"

"More like the magic of Jusenkyo at work," Cologne explained, "If the thing had not expanded with you the simple act of transformation would have strangled you to death. We will have to see about removing it later, but for now I suggest you take appropriate measures to conceal it when next you face your intended."

"Yes, Great Grandmother," Shampoo replied, reaching for the cold water hand-nozzle, and moments later she padded back out into the night, still wearing the annoying collar but with a lighter heart as she made plans for the following morning.

Cologne watched her go then smiled to herself and said, "You are clever, little one, but I can see right through you. A difficult path you have chosen indeed, but I would expect no less from my Great Granddaughter " she sighed as she added, "I just hope you haven't met your match with this Tendo Nabiki "

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Complete Figure Eights of Logic: shadowmane

Shampoo confronts Nabiki, and then on to Ice-Skating! Be there.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	15. Chapter 15

NabikiRan13 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fourteen.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I should have known that everything was a little too quiet today when I got off from school early and decided to head home without waiting for Ranma to escort me. Apparently somebody was waiting for just such an opportunity because when I was almost halfway to home I had an experience that I'm likely to always remember.

It was amazing, really. One minute everything is peaceful and quiet in the suburbs I know like the back of my hand, and all of a sudden a wall explodes to my left side, and as I feel my heart jumping into my mouth as I leap back and see a familiar form take shape from the dust and rubble. I all but swallowed my own tongue as I stepped back in dismay, her name on my lips as I wordlessly voiced it, thinking I'm about to die at any given moment.

"Nihao," Shampoo said softly as she eyed me levelly, smiling like her cat cornering a mouse.

I finally managed to stammer out, "Sh-Shampoo? What are you ?"

"Shampoo back in Japan," the Amazon said as she casually stepped beyond the rubble that she had created. There was no sign of her bonbouri, but I had a hunch that they could appear in her hands at any second. Instead she just purred the words, "Sneaky girl miss Shampoo? She no miss Sneaky Girl much."

A glance to either side showed me that there was not a soul within a hundred meters, and crying out would do no good, nor would attempting to make a run for it. Shampoo was two paces from me and would need even less than that to finish me in a half second. Instead I grasped for the straw of hope in that she did not immediately attack, so I tried the diplomatic tact, "What do you want?"

"Many things Shampoo think of," she said, and suddenly she was right in front of me, meeting my gaze levelly as I tried to put on my best poker face, an effect no doubt spoiled by my profuse sweating, "Like maybe Sneaky Girl's head on pike? Shampoo no decided yet, maybe you convince her?"

I took a deep breath to calm myself down. This girl was pure dynamite and if I set her off she could hurt me in ways I'd rather not imagine. Instead I said as calmly as I could manage, "It's nice to see you again really."

"Shampoo might say same," the purple haired Amazon inclined her head, "But she lie if she say this. You look pale for Japanese woman. You getting enough sleep at night?"

I debated the wisdom of just coming out and asking what she wanted, but since she was intent on playing cat-  
and-mouse I decided to play along and said, "I'm managing to get by. Thank you for asking."

"You welcome," she smiled, "You take good care of Shampoo cat? Is very rare species. Shampoo be very upset if she no find cat well cared for."

I felt some confidence returning at this point and said, "I've treated her just fine. She's a very nice animal, very intelligent, and I'd say she's had pretty good training."

"She Siberian Mountain Cat," Shampoo replied, "Very rare, almost last of kind. In days of great Emperor such cats were kept as pets to royalty, bred for intelligence, can be trained to perform tricks. You no have trouble keeping her in you House?"

"Daddy's let me keep her in my room" I replied, "But Ranma well "

Shampoo inclined her head, "What about Shampoo Ailen? You keep him in room with you?"

"No, I " I suddenly gulped, wanting to laugh out loud at the image but for the mental image of a crushed windpipe if I gave her the impression that I was laughing at her, "Ranma has an acute fear of cats he can't stand the sight of them, and it's all the fault of his father."

"He no like Shampoo cat?" she seemed much less surprised at this news that I would have imagined, but there was no mistaking her concern as well, "Why that?"

I could not keep the exasperation from my tone as I replied, "One of his father's stupid training exercises. He tossed Ranma into a pit of starving cats when wrapped in fish sausages "

"Oh," Shampoo nodded, then spoke a few words in Mandarin Chinese, which I obviously could not interpret, "What you call Nekoken is very powerful Amazon secret, no teach in many generations. How you know about this? Japanese no Amazons."

"It was in this book of Saotome Ryu training exercises," I explained, "I don't know who wrote it, I just know that Ranma freaks out at the mere sight of Sham-  
chan "

"Sham-chan?" she inclined her head with a curious expression.

I carefully explained to her the meaning of the words, and why I'd chosen to name her pet that way, then I asked her what name the cat really bore, to which Shampoo just smiled and said, "Sham-chan good name. You use for now, but Shampoo name in Chinese translate as 'Princess.' Oujo-sama "

"Princess," I replied, and somehow the word fit my pet very well. I resolved to learn the Chinese word to see if Sham-chan responded to it better than the name I had given.

"Now," Shampoo's tone became more firm, "You tell Shampoo where you go in such hurry, and why you no with Ailen?"

"Ranma?" I swallowed, "He'll be along in a few minutes. Ah I guess you'll want to see him "

"Very much," Shampoo replied, "But in own good time. Now Shampoo in town she have place she stay, she come visit you home when she ready. You take care of Shampoo cat Sham-chan you call her until she come to reclaim her."

"Ah where are you staying, by the way?" I asked nervously and she favored me with a lazy smile that made me worry that I might have pushed things too far there.

"Shampoo have restaurant she work at," Shampoo replied, "You find in day helping Great Grandmother, the Elder."

"An Elder?" now I really did feel my fear factor climbing exponentially. Elders were said to be very powerful and well trained in the Amazonian arts. If one of them had come with Shampoo, even a senior citizen well past ready to retire, it meant that there was someone in Nerima whose absolute authority Shampoo would obey without question.

Shampoo smiled and started to walk past me when, on impulse, I said, "Shampoo about what happened when you were here last."

She turned her head slightly to look at me out of the corner of her eye as though contemplating a bug she could splatter in one second. She did not say anything right then but her whole attitude was an invitation for me to continue.

"I'm sorry," I replied awkwardly, finding the words difficult as I bowed to her and said, "Gomen nasai. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, it was thoughtless and cruel of me "

"Yes," Shampoo replied without tone or emotion, "You and stupid rose girl trick Shampoo, she very angry. Shampoo decide you maybe be punished, then decide maybe you no worth punishing. Shampoo decide maybe you need lesson not repeat mistake again."

"Lesson?" I swallowed, afraid to ask for an elaboration.

To my growing unease Shampoo turned to me, and now her expression was very cat-like as she regarded me with a hungry expression in her reddish-brown eyes, "You learn respect Shampoo. Sneaky girl think she very clever, she make Shampoo very foolish. Much anger Shampoo feel, so she tell Elder all about you everything. Elder very interested in meeting Sneaky Girl, will meet when ready, decide if you worthy."

"Worthy?" I now felt thoroughly confused, "Of what?"

"Of whether you worth training in potential," Shampoo replied, "You best Amazon, you outsider, should die for crime. Shampoo decide no be merciful like this, she think you need learn lesson hard way, so she tell Elder you Lore Master."

"Lore Master?" I blinked, remembering our discussion from over a month ago when I'd first heard Shampoo speaking about this.

My discomfort was complete as I saw Shampoo smile in a calculated manner that was in no way lightened when she said, "You learn. Then Shampoo satisfied. If Elder like you, then that all revenge Shampoo ever need."

"Revenge?" I gulped then dared to ask, "How so?"

"You learn," Shampoo chuckled in a really nasty way that left me shaking from within, "You impress Elder, then Shampoo make peace with Sneaky Girl. You no like if Elder no like you," she added with a truly evil hint in her tone before turning and walking away from me, leaving me confused and trembling in my sandals.

I took a second glance at the hole that was where a wall had been standing a moment ago. It was over a foot thick yet somehow Shampoo had shattered the thing bare-  
handed. I didn't think even Ranma could accomplish this on his own, so I got out of there as fast as I could run. I decided against heading for the dojo, though, as another destination occurred to me, one that was even closer than home, and there was someone I needed to contact in a hurry.

A few minutes after announcing myself I was sitting across from Kuno Kodachi in her main living room. The Black rose had only just gotten home herself and had not yet had time to change out of her school uniform as she received the news with great concern on her part.

"Shampoo is back in town you say?" Kodachi responded with a pretense of disinterest, "And she has brought one of her village elders with her?"

I nodded, "She told me herself not five minutes ago, after she created a new gate for one of the neighbors."

"And of course you thought of informing me at once," Kodachi looked at me with an odd expression, and I think she was genuinely touched by the gesture, "I thank you. Such a warning is not only timely but prudent. There is no telling what that hussy might be up to, and if memory serves right she was not very happy with either one of us, and rather intent on claiming my Ranma-sama."

It's strange to admit that I didn't resent her trying to once more lay claim upon Ranma. One of the really odd results of us having to work together before against Shampoo was that Kodachi and I had emerged good friends from the experience. She knew that I had, in effect, saved her life, and that if Ranma and I had not convinced Shampoo to desist she might well have killed us both with very little effort. Kodachi had not been able to express her gratitude in words when she recovered, but I noticed a lightening of tension between us, and from that moment onward we had found it very easy to behave in a civil manner around one another.

Ranma still did not want anything to do with her, of course, but that made it easier for me to accept Kodachi's occasional attempts at courtship as the efforts of a lonely girl with a crush rather than a serious challenge to my claims upon Ranma. Kodachi had visited our house a number of times and was usually greeted warmly by my sister, Kasumi. Kodachi and Kasumi had hit it off from the moment they first met and had ever since spent a lot of time together going shopping. I suspect Kodachi finds Kasumi's motherly ways appealing, having lost her mother when she was very young, and not having had much parental love to begin with.

At any rate I told Kodachi about everything that had happened since the arrival of Sham-chan. She was most interested in my having accepted a challenge from the Golden Pair of Kolhotz High school, but understanding my desire to defend the honor of my House she adapted quickly to this news, then surprised me with an insightful comment, "And you expect to compete with them knowing as little as you do about fighting?"

I had to look down at my feet over that before I could reply, "I guess when you put it like that it does sound a little insane "

"Not at all," Kodachi replied, "But I am surprised that a clever girl like you would let herself be cornered so easily by a certified loon like Shiratori Azusa."

I looked up at that with some surprise. If Kodachi thought Azusa was over the top, then that really was a statement!

Kodachi fanned herself with a thoughtful expression, then looked at me and said, "Do you at least have some notion of what you are getting yourself into?"

I nodded, so Kodachi smiled as she continued, "And if you lose the match then Azusa will claim the cat as her prize, and that will make Shampoo most angry. I take it you do not wish to be on the receiving end of her displeasure?"

"Was that a trick question?" I asked, "Kodachi we're talking about a girl who doesn't even grasp the concept of a door handle! If she wants to get somewhere, and there's a brick wall in her way, then she'll make an exit. How long do you think I'd stand up against that?"

"Somewhat less than the duration that I would endure, I suspect," Kodachi said with surprising honesty, "So for the moment I suppose the safest course would be not to upset her. That means you are going to have to learn to fight on skates and somehow keep up with my Ranma-sama. You say the poor boy is not a very good skater?"

I sighed, "To put it mildly, it's the first thing I've ever seen that he wasn't automatically good at."

"Everyone has a weakness," Kodachi sighed, "I understand my idiot brother tried exploiting what he thought was a weak area for sweet Ranma and the results were not what he intended."

I nodded and explained to her about the Nekoken. I was oddly gratified to note that Kodachi shared my opinion on the paternal qualities of Saotome Genma.

"The very idea!" she snarled, "Tossing my Ranma into a pit of hungry animals no wonder he is so traumatized, and yet when he gets angry enough he reverts to becoming a cat himself? How very interesting I wonder if that applies to the full range of his instincts?"

I did feel a bit of annoyance at her line of reasoning there, but then I remembered him nuzzling me and I immediately colored.

"Well then," she sighed, "To return to the subject, what do you intend to do about this challenge you face from the Gold Pair over your Sham-chan?"

I looked at her with a nervous smile and said, "I don't suppose you could recommend the services of a good lawyer?"

"I could at that," Kodachi replied, "But I think the problem is more fundamental. Ranma-sama is a superb fighter on level ground, but he needs to master skating. You, on the other hand, are pathetic in a fight but at least know how to skate. Perhaps we should find a suitable middle ground between your skill levels. How adequate are your reflexes?"

I did not understand the question, so I asked her for a clarification. She smiled at me and said, "Perhaps I should rephrase the question: How far are you willing to go to not embarrass yourself and Ranma?"

At this I had to acknowledge that I was prepared to go as far as necessary, so Kodachi grinned at me and said, "I'd like to test that theory."

Don't ask me how I got talked into it, but several minutes later we stood inside the Kuno family gym-which was much larger than the entire Furinkan gymnasium-and I was wearing one of Kodachi's leotards. I have to admit I felt very uncomfortable at that point, and not just because the material felt tighter on me than I'm sure it was on her body. I'm a year older and a bit taller than Kodachi, but we're close to the same bust size and width about the hips so I could make the adjustment. I felt very awkward and foolish in standing around the center of the gym in my bare feet while Kodachi took her place across from me and smiled in a way that said that she was going to enjoy this.

"The trick in any Martial Art is to never be where your opponent expects you," Kodachi explained as she produced her trademark ribbon, "You must learn to sense and bend with an attack so that it does not strike you. As we lack the time for less desperate measures, we are going to have to teach you the hard way, which is exactly how I learned from my mother."

That was the point where I really started to worry. Kodachi's mother had been a certified nut case who took her own life at the end after abusive mistreatment of both of her children. Kodachi very rarely even mentioned her, which was a warning to me of how serious she was at that precise moment. I might have backed out there and then but the thought of Shampoo pounding me flat was enough to hold me silent. So I stood watching Kodachi expecting to hear her ramble on about the purposes of good balance instead that damned ribbon came whipping out at me, and the next thing I know I'm rubbing my arm and dancing on one leg using language that would have definitely earned me a stern look from Kasumi.

To put it mildly I learned very quickly to keep out of reach of that ribbon. Kodachi was only toying with me, thank the Kami, or could have very easily sliced me in half with zero effort. Instead I began to listen to the hiss the thing made before it could reach me, then I bent my body and pivoted along my center of balance, rotating my hips and gyrating in such a manner that I could twist out of the way just a half second before it would strike me.

One hour later I'm feeling welts all over my skin and the leotard is sliced in several places. I was bleeding from a few cuts but for the most part I was in one piece and feeling enormously exhausted. Kodachi-not so surprisingly-seemed enormously pleased with herself and complimented me on my quick learning of the basics of dodging. She even said that I did have some raw talent for Rhythmic Gymnastics, but I chalk that up to my early education in Kempo. I'd always been in pretty good shape, just not as over developed as Akane.

"Now then," she smiled at me, "Do you think you can move like that while wearing ice skates?"

"I think I could give it a try," I said, ready to keel over with exhaustion, too numb to remain upright, let alone walk home, so Kodachi graciously called me a cab and paid the fair, saying we would resume training the next day. As I came home contemplating this horrible impending fate I found out that Ranma was at the Sporting Arena with Ryoga and Akane. Kasumi told me that they were training and wanted to know if I would be joining them, to which I had to decline as a hot bath and my bed held much greater appeal than any further humiliation.

Thank the Kami my sister did not check up on me or ask any questions about the cuts and bruises I was sporting, which were more visible in the tub as I soaked naked, wincing slightly at the heat that soaked my numerous injuries. I was beginning to believe I had made an enormous mistake in coming to Kodachi, but now that I was committed I resolved to see it through, even knowing the pleasure she is going to take in humiliating me like this on a regular basis.

So now here I am looking at impending disaster that is looming in another three days, and with Ranma having to train without me I feel more than slightly depressed. We managed to talk a little around dinner where I explained that I was getting balance lessons from a friend, and he responded that he would be glad to teach me about balance, but I had to counter with the remark that his own balance needed work if he were going to learn to stand up better on ice skates.

Baka! The minute I said that I saw his hurt, so it looks like I really have picked up his bad habit of saying what is on his mind without thinking. Or maybe I was just too tired to come up with a less sarcastic retort, either way I feel like

"Meow!"

Nabiki glanced down from her monitor screed to see the cat staring at her with what could almost be termed as an expression of concern. Her tail twitched slightly, but it conveyed more of a mood of worry and agitation, and Nabiki had no trouble at all interpreting that to mean concern for its mistress.

"Oh, you think maybe I'm being too hard on myself?" Nabiki asked rhetorically, though in truth she did not expect a reply.

To her surprise the cat attempted to get up on its hind legs and laid its forward paws on the chair, looking up at Nabiki with a soulful expression, like a friend wanting to offer her consolation.

Nabiki could not resist reaching down to pick the animal up into her lap and began to immediately rub and scratch in all of the cat's favorite places. The purr of contentment that Sham-chan radiated was like a motor that had been started on a happiness machine, and Nabiki felt herself reaching out to the animal with all of her heart, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to bond with this cat and return in kind her affection.

"You really are something, you know that," Nabiki smiled, finding her fatigue and depression lightening as Sham-chan rubbed her head against Nabiki's chest and abdomen, "I guess you're right, the only thing to do is shut everything down and get a good nights rest. I'll probably be able to think with a clearer head in the morning anyway."

She saved the document without finishing her remark, then powered down one-handed while Sham-chan watched everything she did with a very attentive expression at least for a cat that is. Then Nabiki stood up and took a step towards the bed, only to hesitate as a new thought occurred to her.

A lazy smile crossed her lips as she looked down at the animal in her arms, stroked Sham-chan under the chin and said, "I wonder do you think Ranma-kun might be close by taking his usual vigil? What say we find out."

So saying Nabiki turned and walked up to the window then pried it open with one hand, tucking Shan-chan under her arm as she poked her head outside and said, "Nihao!"

"Gah!" Ranma gasped as he stood up and whirled around, having been in full lotus about two meters away from her window, "Nabiki, don't do that! You sca-  
surprised me "

"Sorry, Ranma," Nabiki put on her best cute-girl expression and said, "I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier about your balance, I mean. It was thoughtless on my part, and I hope you can forgive me?"

"Oh " Ranma said, seeming to relax a little, though for some reason he was staring at Nabiki as though her face were something he could not look away from, "Uh no problem and you were right. I guess I just never got the hang of skating before. I'm used to the ground remaining still when I stand up on it "

"Ranma," Nabiki mused, "You can walk along a fence, stand motionless on a bamboo pole and even hold yourself up on one hand how can a little thing like skating give you such a problem? Isn't there some kind of training thingie you can do, some kata your father knows or something "

"Ah y'know, I never thought of that," Ranma smiled, "Pop may have more than his share of faults, but he usually knows how to improve weak areas in my training. I'll go ask him in the morning."

"You do that," Nabiki smiled, "I'll be a little late getting home from school, but I'll meet you at the sporting arena later and we can work out on our practice as a mixed couple."

Ranma nodded, then blinked, "Couple uh I, ah "

"Never mind," Nabiki grinned, "Want to give me a good night kiss for luck, that is?"

The sound of Ranma's gulping could have been heard throughout the house, "K-Kiss ?"

"Of course," Nabiki's smile grew more sultry, "Unless you still lack the guts, that is."

"Hey!" Ranma protested, "I've got the guts! It's just well your father might be watching "

"So?" Nabiki asked, "I'd rather be kissing you anytime, no offense to Daddy."

Ranma clearly hesitated, thinking it over, so Nabiki made a pout and said, "Just like I thought, no guts. I guess you really don't like me very much if you can't even kiss your own iinazuke "

"Why you " Ranma took a step forward, hesitated, then forced himself to move forward again, "All right, I'll do it but only because you challenged me. I mean Not that I don't want to kiss you, I just uh " he got down on his knees, facing her as whatever he was about to say drifted out of his mind as she looked up at him with a hopeful expression.

For a moment nothing happened and Nabiki started to worry that he might chicken out once again, but then Ranma moved forward, bringing his face closer to hers, only to hesitate again. Nabiki held her breath and thought, "He's really doing to do it this time!" and waited to see if her fondest wish were about to happen.

And then a furry head poked up between them and Sham-  
chan said, "Meow?"

"GAAAHH!" Ranma cried as he leaped back, having been nose-to-muzzle with the animal for all of one tenth of a second.

"Honestly," Nabiki sighed with disappointment, "You've really got to get over this phobia of yours, Ranma. Afraid of a little kitty like Sham-chan."

"Meow?" the Cat said, looking almost sad as it saw the fear in Ranma's expression.

"Ah never mind," Ranma looked away, making a supreme effort to steady himself against the urge to run in a blind panic, "I'll look we'll talk about this another time, I "

Nabiki picked up Sham-chan and placed her inside her room, reached down with a smile then pulled upward and said, "Ranma it's all right, you can look now. She's gone, there's only me, so you don't have to be afraid. Look at me, Saotome."

Ranma managed to calm himself then slowly turned to look, seeing Nabiki's smiling face, which started to relax him until his eyes drifted downward. His expression became one of abject astonishment as he stared at her now-  
naked chest as had Nabiki bared her upper body to full view, breasts fully displayed in all their naked glory. Ranma's mouth fell open and he stared to take a step forward, only with less than his usual preternatural catlike balance.

"WHHOOOAAAH!" he cried as his arms windmilled and then he staggered back, falling off the roof, and a moment later there came a loud splash as he managed somehow to once again fall into the koi pond.

Nabiki could not stop laughing as she closed her window and turned to pick up Sham-chan, not even bothering to put her top back on as she fell back on her bed, rubbing the cat's fur with enthusiasm as she remarked, "I've still got it!"

"Meow?" the cat inquired as she nestled between the soft valley of her Mistress's bosoms, a sensation Nabiki was coming to enjoy as the soft car-fur made her naked skin feel taunt with electricity.

"You think that was cruel?" Nabiki asked, "It probably was but it serves that Baka right for not kissing me when I want him to. Besides, if I can't have him in my bed, I can at least have the pleasure of knowing he'll be thinking of me for the remainder of the night assuming he gets any sleep at all, that is."

Nabiki wondered if it were her imagination or was it possible for a cat to snicker? Sham-chan did give a very convincing impression of just that sort of behavior

A stunned Ranma-chan was staring up from the koi pond, waist-deep in her hated enemy and drawing the curious attention of the carp, who were by now quite use to these nocturnal visitations. Meanwhile from the shadows of the house two men detached themselves and exchanged worried looks or rather make that one man and a very large panda.

"They do seem to be getting along," Soun remarked, "And there is no question that they are becoming quite fond of each other, but your son is starting to worry me."

Genma nodded his head in assent.

"I don't mind him taking the initiative," Soun remarked, "In fact I'd be ecstatic if they decide to give us both grandchildren this early on in our lives. But still don't you think he should have done something with her by now? It's not like my Nabiki to have any doubts about what she desires but your son would appear to be another matter."

The panda lowered its head in shame. There was no hiding his disappointment. The boy was just too shy around girls, and Nabiki was proving a lot more woman than he could handle.

"If something doesn't happen with those two soon we may need to take drastic action," Soun remarked, then eyed the panda suspiciously, "Or is there something else about the boy you haven't been telling me? He wouldn't be you don't think ?"

The panda looked up in confusion, then its eyes widened and it vigorously shook its head in denial.

"That's good," Soun said, relaxing somewhat, "Then as long as he has an interest in women, there should be little problem. Nabiki is clever enough that she should have Ranma committed to her by the end of the week, and then we can both relax easy in the knowledge that our children will carry on the Anything Goes tradition."

The panda growled his assent, especially to the unspoken implications of that statement.

"At least he had better," Soun's expression darkened, "Or drastic measures will need to be taken."

To that the panda agreed completely. His son would behave like a man or else it was up to the fathers to see that their children understood their duties to perpetuate the family lines of Saotome and Tendo. It was a sacred trust, and no deviations would be permitted.

Unbeknownst to both men a pair of wizened eyes narrowed and another shadowy figure smiled. Her Great Granddaughter was correct in saying that matters were more complicated then imagined. Steps would indeed need to be taken to see that everything proceeded according to her plans, and if these two men tried to interfere well, that was unfortunate for them.

But they were only men, after all, and one could hardly blame them for having such a limited grasp of what was truly a bizarre situation. Fortunately for them an Elder was on hand to correct their meddlesome intentions. Nothing could be allowed to stand in the way of Amazon destiny, and the fate awaiting Nabiki Tendo was of such importance that Elder Cologne was prepared to go to extraordinary measures

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Kolhotz Ticketmaster Hotline: shadowmane

The Match is on and with victory goes the Pussy-ah! Cat! Be there (Sweat Bullets nice Sham-chan-OUCH!)

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	16. Chapter 16

NabikiRan14 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi)  
Chapter Fifteen.

Nabiki came into the living room tired and sleepy and hoping that she could come up with a good excuse to duck one of Genma's practice sessions, even if it meant avoiding a chance to spend more time with Ranma. She was brushing her teeth when she noticed something very odd going on outside in the yard concerning her iinazuke and prospective father-in-law.

"That's it, boy, keep it up, you're doing just fine."

"So you say, Oyaji!" Ranma snapped as he wobbled atop a pair of stilts that had been tied to his legs while he balanced with small fishbowls tied at the end of chords attached to his arms and legs, causing each movement to be wildly exaggerated.

"Oh my," remarked Kasumi as she sat on the porch doing her macram while watching Ranma fight to maintain his balance.

"What gives?" Nabiki asked as she removed her toothbrush from her mouth, "Ranma-kun trying out for the circus?"

"His father thought he needed more work on his balance," Kasumi replied, "After this he says he'll have Ranma wear a pair of in-line roller skates while performing katas in the dojo, which he says will improve his foot traction."

"Whoaah!" came a yell from outside, followed by a splash and several fish bowls shattering upon various objects.

Nabiki winced sympathetically, then turned as she heard Ranma's voice pitched several octaves higher than before, "Sheesh, Oyaji you sure this is going to help me work on my balance?"

"Ranma, you complain like a girl "

"I should be surprised," Nabiki sighed, shaking her head, "I'm not, but I should be "

"Will you have some breakfast, Nabiki-chan?" Kasumi asked in her usual pleasant manner, ignoring the harsh language that Ranma was using to describe his father.

"In a minute," Nabiki smiled, "I've got to run back up to my room to get something, but I'll be back in a jiffy."

So saying she headed for the stairs, thinking to herself that Genma really did have a clever strategy, getting his son mad enough to try chasing him all around the yard in stilts like that. If Ranma actually did manage to catch up to the old Panda it would be a sure sign that his balance was improving.

Of course, knowing where Ranma was likely to park those stilts might make sitting down more difficult for Genma

She entered her room and at once noticed something very odd was happening which defied even her strained capacity for rational explanation. There was Sham-chan sitting on the chair in front of her computer desk leaning forward with front paws on the keyboard while studying the monitor, which was opened to the latest files concerning her journal entries.

"Hey!" Nabiki called out, getting a surprised and guilty look from the cat as she walked up to her with a scolding expression, "Bad! Very Bad! Do not get up on my computer, cat, you got that?"

Sham-chan gave her a very perplexed look at that, then lowered her head as if hurt by the scolding. Nabiki picked her up and tapped her on the nose with a finger saying, "Cats should not play with computers, do you understand me? I don't want you messing something up by accident, or getting fur in the vent, or something like that "

Now the cat was looking truly miserable, and that made Nabiki feel bad, so she stopped scolding her and instead took her into her arms and began rubbing her as she sat on the chair, and a moment later Sham-chan relaxed and started purring.

"There now, girl, I'm not really mad at you," Nabiki said, nuzzling the cat's fur with her nose while murmuring into her ears, "I'm sure you were just curious about what it is I find so fascinating about staring at a flat light bulb with kanji on it oh, what am I saying? Like you really could understand me "

"Mreow?" Sham-chan said with a note of inquiry.

Nabiki frowned as she studied the computer screen, "Really weird, though I'm sure I turned this thing off. This files's got a triple encryption on it, so there's no way it could just randomly pop on like that. I wonder you think somebody else has been trying to read my Journal?"

"Meow?" Sham-chan said as innocently as a cat could manage.

Nabiki frowned, "You're right, doesn't sound too likely. I mean, who here knows their way around this computer like me? Ranma sure couldn't do it, and I doubt Akane has either the time or the patience. Kasumi might know how, but I don't see her doing something as rude as coming into my room to read my private, personal thoughts, and as for Daddy I don't think he even knows what a Personal Home Computer is, other than a way for me to save on phone bills. As for Genma, well " she laughed, implying evil intentions, "He wouldn't have the guts even if he had enough wits to know how to turn on a light switch."

"Meow," Sham-chan seemed to agree with that statement, then made a point to look elsewhere as if hoping her Mistress would quietly drop the subject.

"Well," Nabiki said as she closed down the file and powered down her computer, "I guess maybe I am to blame after all. My mind's been really messed up by this business with the Skating tournament day after tomorrow, and then there are those awful practice sessions with Kodachi. I wonder if she's deliberately trying to make me all black and blue teaching me those special maneuvers? What do you think, Sham-chan? Is she some kind of kinky sadist who gets a kick out of whipping me with her ribbon?"

"Mreow," Sham-chan replied, and if it were possible for a cat to frown with disapproval, she managed it very convincingly.

"You don't trust her, huh?" Nabiki smiled, "Neither do I beyond a certain point but she has been on her best behavior lately. I wonder if that's Kasumi's influence rubbing off? Those two do seem to get along pretty well, don't you think?"

Sham-chan made a curious sound like a grumble, but that might have been here agitation as Nabiki had stopped petting her and was removing the cat-fur from her blouse as she got ready to don her school dress

Nabiki's Journal Continues

Well, the big day arrived with all of the pomp and fanfare I should have expected. Let me tell you, once again I have had one of the strangest days of my life, in some ways one of the most humiliating, but the points that stand out the most were the ones that concerned Ranma

"Hey!" Ranma called out as he entered the dressing room to find Sanzenin hastily rubbing some junk off of his face, "Mikado the Molester! How's it going?"

Mikado whirled around and glared, "That's Sanzenin, you idiot!" he calmed down enough that he was able to say, "You got lucky on the rink the other day, but there will be no holds barred on this match."

"Yeah, right," Ranma said as he went to his half of the dressing room to put on the special shirt Nabiki had helped him pick out for the match, a very nice Chinese shirt with an embroidered dragon emblem.

Sanzenin eyed the other youth with narrowed eyes then smiled, "By the way I understand your partner has been getting special training to compete. I do hope she is good enough not to get hurt out there that would be such a pity."

Ranma tensed slightly as he replied, "She'll do all right, and I won't let anything happen to Nabiki."

"You sound very fond of the lady," Sanzenin's smile deepened, and then he added, "I have yet to give her my special form of greeting "

Ranma froze where he stood and said, "What?"

"You heard me," Mikado leaned back in his chair and stared off with a very contented expression, "Nine hundred and ninety-nine girls have I kissed one more and I'll have made a perfect thousand and I've decided to bestow that honor on your friend, Tendo Nabiki."

The sound of Ranma's sharp intake of breath was matched and exceeded by the even more harsh sound of his voice as he said, "You leave her alone, Sanzenin "

"Oh my," Mikado smiled, rising up from his chair, "Do I detect a note of jealousy? How about we make this contest interesting by making it a challenge?"

"What?" Ranma said, looking almost as surprised as he was clearly angry.

"Hear me out!" Sanzenin thrust out his finger, "Somewhere during the match I will kiss your Nabiki, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Consider that extra incentive to make a better performance than during out last duel on ice. Agreed?"

Ranma stood where he was for several seconds in speechless amazement. All the times he had tried to bring himself to kiss Nabiki and each time he had frozen up, lost in the power of her soft brown eyes, which made him feel both warm and helpless in a way that utterly confused him. He wanted more than anything in the world to reach out and kiss her, and he was pretty sure she wanted it too but could he really do it right? What if he kissed her and they both felt disappointed. How could he deal with the hurt in her eyes. And besides he was not really a man after all he was part girl, which made him feel less than a man in his own eyes. He knew it was ridiculous, but somehow he felt unworthy deep down of Nabiki's affections.

And this boy talked about kissing Nabiki as if there were nothing special to it?

Ranma balled his fists and growled, "Man don't you ever think of anything besides kissing girls and stuff?"

Sanzenin seemed genuinely surprised by the question, "Well, what else is there to think about?"

Mikado would never realize just how close he came to receiving compound fractures to all his major bones, not to mention torn cartilage and muscle. He was not on ice, he was on solid ground, which was Ranma's natural element, so the advantage was not with him. Fortunately the very honesty of his reply saved him from a great deal of pain as Ranma looked at him less in anger than dismay and apprehension.

Man, Ranma thought to himself, this guy was scary

Nabiki's Journal resumes:

I found that little twerp Azusa primping herself before a mirror as if to add more Kawaii-ness to her already cute girl pose. She saw me as soon as I entered the dressing room and said, "This is for skaters the servant entrance is around in the back."

"Excuse me?" I asked, wondering if it was worth the lawsuit to push that cutesy face into the mirror.

Azusa smiled prettily at me and said, "You look like such an old frump, no where near as Kawaii as little Azusa-chan. All the boys want to see me out there, they won't even notice you, so you could put on a burlap bag and no one will pay any attention.

Yes, it was definitely worth the lawsuit. Don't ask me why I held back as I just glared at her and said, "Do you mind not hogging the mirror? Some of us also like to look at ourselves on occasion."

"In your case, why bother?" Azusa smiled as she got up out of her chair and patted her curly hair down, "I'll just go out there and greet my adoring public."

A wicked thought crossed my mind as I said, "What, looking like that?"

"Huh?" the cherubic love doll asked me with confusion.

"Oh?" I pronounced the word with all the droll disinterest of which I am capable, "You didn't notice? Well, never mind, forget I said anything about it. What would an old frump like me know about standards of beauty, after all? Besides, what's one little blemish to mar perfect beauty like yours? I'm sure nobody will pay it the least little attention."

I took the chair next to her as Azusa sat back down and turned to look at the mirror while I got myself into my skaters outfit. I pretended to ignore her as she gave herself a thorough examination, looking the that alleged "flaw" I had spotted until finally despair took over and she wailed, "Where? Azusa doesn't see it!"

"Why bother to ask me?" I replied with a bored tone of indifference, "I'm sure it's nothing special."

"Tell me!" Azusa demanded, pleading with her eyes and batting her eyelashes in a really cute-girl manner.

"You sure you want to know?" I asked as I made a few brief touch-up marks to the bare minimal makeup that I was wearing.

"Tell me!" Azusa wailed, and for a moment I vividly recalled how she pounded on Mikado whenever he preferred to ignore her. No sense provoking her to hit me with a chair or something, so I turned and smiled at her, having already finished.

"It's right there in the middle of your face, can't you see it?" I asked with my nose only inches from her own.

"Huh?" she said and turned back to lean closer to the mirror, "Where? I don't see it?"

I got up out of my chair and called out over my shoulder, "It's your nose. Right smack in the middle of your face and totally ruining the effect you're trying to create."

I managed to step outside of the room before she finally figured out what I had been implying, and that's when the volcanic eruption hit like Mount Fuji going Nova. I had to smile as I headed for the ice rink, my mood lightening substantially as I sought out Ranma, who was already waiting for me.

"Good, you're ready," Ranma started to turn away when he did a sudden double-take and gasped, "Nabiki?"

"What?" I asked, wondering if maybe I was the one who missed something about my appearance.

"Ah " Ranma fumbled, then managed to get out, "You look different ah I can't say why ?"

He was not looking at my skaters leotard so I was pretty sure it wasn't my body that was affecting him so much. His eyes were riveted to my face, so it took a moment before I realized why he was looking at me that way and smiled before explaining, "I just added a little makeup, Ranma-kun. There's no reason to make a big production about it."

"Ah makeup?" he asked in even more confusion.

"I do know how to improve my appearance," I said somewhat defensively, "I usually don't make much use of the stuff never saw much point, but with so many people watching me I decided a few embellishments were in order. It's not overdone, is it?"

"Hah?" he blinked, then said, "Ah no no, not at all " he swallowed then added, "You look nice "

I think my face flushed warm enough at that point that I wouldn't have noticed the cold of the arena if I buried my face in it as he had on a couple of occasions. Instead I smiled and said, "We'd better get ready. Looks like Shiratori and Sanzenin are about to go out there."

"Right," Ranma said, turning away from me with clear reluctance as I felt my heart soar in my chest and could have composed poetry on the spot like Tatawaki Kuno had I been so inclined to sound foolish. Instead we both concentrated on our two opponents as they skated out from a separate entrance into the arena, hamming it up to their adoring public, of which I noticed there was no shortage in the bleachers. I felt Ranma tense as he heard Mikado's name being called out, mostly by female Kolhotz students and when I asked him why he just said something about guys like Sanzenin making him sick. I wondered from that if the two of them had exchanged pro-forma insults in their dressing room the way I had with Azusa.

Of course I wasn't too thrilled to hear the boys calling out their love for Azusa, as if the Kawaii little klepto were some harmless fan idol and not the certifiable nutcase who wanted by Sham-chan. I was really beginning to regret not putting her face in that mirror when I heard Ranma say, "C'mon, Nabiki let's go out there and show these people some skating."

I found myself lifted up to his shoulder as Ranma began to glide out onto the ice with perfect poise and balance, as if we really had rehearsed such a maneuver for days rather than it being something he came up with on the spot to copy Mikado. It started out well enough and I'm sure we would have completed a full half circle but somebody forgot to clue Ranma in about potential hazards of skating, such as having your blades cut across someone else's ruts, in this case the ones left by Mikado a few seconds before this. The slight unevenness of pressure was enough to throw out Ranma finely honed sense of balance, and with me balanced on one shoulder the results were an immediate tumble.

I think I might have been seriously hurt if Ranma had not twisted his body to compensate for the fall and managed to land with me on top of him, still supported in a semi-upright position. Of course that still left him with his face buried in the ice with me sitting on top of him in an undignified state, so you can imagine the picture we presented as we slid to the center of the ice rink. Naturally enough Azusa was quick to laugh her fool head off at the sort of picture we presented.

I used what dignity I had left to step off of Ranma, then asked if he were all right, which of course Ranma assured me was the case as he straightened out, his face only slightly abraded and crimson from where it had made contact with the ice. His glare at Mikado's smirk was enough to fire him up to full adrenaline levels, so we skated off to our corner and squared off against Mikado and Azusa.

Our first exchanges pretty much tell the story of what followed. We were coming at our opponents when Ranma took me by the hand and told me to trust him, then proceeded to spin me forward as my feet left the ice altogether and I was suddenly airborne. He spun me around a few times then gave me a heave that sent me flying higher up above the ground than I was used to maintaining without support, and all too soon gravity asserted itself again as I felt myself heading for a very rude fall, only to find Ranma was there to catch me.

As we spun around to face our foes I saw that Mikado was feeling along one side of his ribs as though he had a stitch or something. Azusa was none-too-helpfully poking him in that spot until he yelled at her to stop. I saw the smirk on Ranma's face and realized that he had given Mikado a passing shot that nearly doubled him over.

Mikado straightened up and gave Ranma what almost passed for a look of respect and said, "It's rare that I'm brought low, but this match is only just begun and I will claim my prize as I intended."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," I heard Ranma reply with a heat in his tone that was so unlike him that I turned to look at his profile, seeing his blue eyes flash with genuine anger, "You stay away from Nabiki or what I just gave you will feel like a love tap!"

"Meaning what?" Mikado sniffed with all the condescension of someone who sincerely believed that he was the Kami's gift to all women.

"Meaning that I'll put your lady-killing put on ice if you so much as touch her, you got that?" Ranma declared hotly, "Nabiki is MY fianc e, and if you try anything with her I'll kill you!"

I think I need to pause at this point to say that I have never in my life heard anyone say anything like that about me, and the fact that Ranma had just said it before a couple thousand students and onlookers from both of our High Schools just means that he said it without any of his usual shyness or hesitation. I've had a lot of boys declare that I'm some kind of heartless money machine, that I'm a real Icewoman who doesn't show a lot of feelings around other people, and there have even been a few of the more rash students who have threatened to retaliate against me, as if any of them ever had the guts to try it even before my engagement to Ranma but I had never had any boy declare that much of an interest in me that he would want to kill somebody else on my behalf, even metaphorically. Usually it was Akane who the boys would line up for, declaring their willingness to kill or die on her behalf, but not me.

I think I would have broken down into tears at that point, but Mikado was saying, "So you want to raise the stakes a little, is that it? Fine, I like a challenge as much as the next player.

I blinked at that, looked at him, then at Ranma and I suddenly understood what kind of "stakes" he was talking about. Given Mikado's reputation it wasn't hard to figure out that he had boasted about intending to kiss me before Ranma, which was why my iinazuke was displaying such possessive anger. I was being fought over by two handsome guys like the prize in some back-alley cat fight, only in Ranma's case he was defending his territory..

Me.

Yeah, I knew what that meant deep down about his feelings in towards me, but the fight had gotten terribly personal all of a sudden and that explained the escalation of testosterone in the air. It looked to me like someone was going to get seriously hurt here, that these two boys would not abide to be good sportsmen about the matter, and for once Ranma was fighting all out against an opponent he really disliked, unlike his usual sparring matches with Ryoga.

Then I noticed that Azusa was looking at Mikado with a very odd expression, somewhere between puzzled and exasperated. She must have seen the boy flirt countless times, but had he ever flirted with her? Considering Azusa's ego I doubt very much that she likes being ignored, so maybe she had her own personal stakes in this match, something I realized that I might be able to exploit if I kept my eyes open.

Still Mikado's arrogance was even greater than I had imagined because as I was still recovering from the shock of Ranma's declaration I heard Sanzenin's scornful laugh before he remarked, "So you declare this woman to be yours exclusively. I will admit that the two of you do make an interesting couple, but that is such a pity as you are destined to suffer the fate that has befallen all the couples who have previously come before you."

"What are you going on about now?" Ranma asked in the light of that ominous declaration.

"Only that you are doomed to experience the agony of separation," Mikado said as he stretched a hand out and Azusa vaulted up from this thigh onto his shoulders, "For we are the Golden Pair, the Couple Cleavers of the Ice!"

"Couple cleavers?" I repeated, wondering if Mikado actually paid someone to come up with his corny dialog, or if it was purely ad-libbed.

"Nabiki," Ranma called tensely at my side, "When I give the word go low and I'll strike from above, you got that?"

I nodded, "Your call, Ranma-kun. What have you got in mind?"

Ranma and I started forward as he murmured under his breath, "Mikado's gonna try something. I want you down under his guard, if he makes a play for you it'll leave him wide open."

I smiled at that, realizing that I was the bait in a mousetrap, which is really kind of sweet since Cheese has such a wholesome flavor and it implied that I was a prize worth fighting over. Besides, it sounded like a good enough plan, and Ranma's an excellent strategist when it comes to basic brawling. So it was that I fell low and used my talents on ice skates to slide low while Ranma vaulted high into the air and came at Mikado with skates extended outward. Unfortunately Azusa was also airborne and intercepted him before he could connect. They landed on the ice together, and Azusa straddled Ranma, looking as pleased as the cat who bagged the mouse.

I, on the other hand, was less than thrilled as I righted myself and came about to voice my outrage. I wondered if a declaration of my own to put Azusa into a cute little coffin would have sounded as convincing. Coming from me, probably not. Then I saw Azusa step back as Ranma regained his footing, then slip down under his feet grabbing him by the ankles as she went flat with legs extended outward. I rushed forward intending to pry her out from under him when Ranma fell forward, and out of sheer reflex I grabbed his hands to catch and help try to restore his balance.

That was when Azusa and Sanzenin sprang their trap together as Mikado reached down and caught her by the ankles, then heaved us upward in an incredible display of raw physical strength. I found myself being lifted up along with Ranma and Azusa until we were suspended above the floor, then Mikado began to spin us like a top, causing me to be flung outward with my legs extended from the centrifugal force, stretching out the rest of my body.

The Cyclone of Death, I think they call it, although someone later told me it was also known as the Goodbye Whirl in English. It was their special maneuver, also known as the Couple Cleaver as Mikado himself boasted that numerous couples had been parted by means of this little technique that he and Azusa had come up with. All I know is that we were soon spinning at incredible speed as I felt my blood dribble down into my feet with nothing save Ranma keeping me from flying rudely into space and a very messy landing.

I heard Mikado urging Ranma to let go, but of course Ranma is too stubborn to admit to any kind of weakness not related to cats. Though it was hard to see his face with the tug of gravity moving me in the wrong direction, I could see the anger and determination there, that he would not let go in spite of the strain that he was obviously under from holding onto me. I'm perfectly sure his arms could have been yanked out of their sockets and he would still have refused to release me, even when I told him to do so.

Hey, I'm basically a selfish person, and I wouldn't want to go flying into a wall like a bug going splat against a radiator on a mach truck, but the pain in Ranma's face was like a stab to my heart, so I got all uncharacteristically noble of a sudden and told him to let me go, that it was all right, that somehow I'd manage to survive it. That was the first time I saw Ranma display genuine anger in my direction, as if I were showing a lack of faith in him, and he angrily informed me he would not and could not let me go. He knew perfectly well what would happen to me, and he called me a Baka-ME-for even suggesting such a thing! Any other time I might have gotten angry myself, but at the time he said it I almost felt like crying.

And then the whole argument was rendered moot as Azusa got dizzy and let Ranma go, so the both of us were sent flying at great speed to certain doom, only Ranma reacted instinctively to twist his body around so that he was the one who struck the wall, while I felt my body impact against him and almost had my breath knocked out. We slumped to the ice and I was stunned, barely conscious.

I immediately took inventory to make certain all my parts were attached and working. I was amazed to still be alive, not to mention only a little shook up and not black and blue all over. Hitting that wall was like falling on my back from a three story building, yet somehow Ranma had managed to take the brunt of it all on himself, as I discovered when I had time enough to remember him, and scrambled up into a sitting position.

I kid you not, my heart almost stopped when I saw him lying there looking like a broken child's toy, and my blood felt like the ice beneath my hands and legs as I forced myself to examine him, dreading that I might not find a pulse, or-worse still-he had been seriously injured and would never walk again. I could not stand the thought that he had been hurt on my behalf, and looking up to see the impression we had made against the wall I was amazed that I was not in even worse condition.

"Baka," I found myself murmuring in dismay, "Baka, you didn't have to do that, Ranma "

"Too bad," I heard Mikado say, "He put up a small challenge, but the end was inevitable, and with that kind of impact he's probably broken every bone in his body."

That was a defining moment for me, a moment when I really and truly learned what it meant to feel anger swell up in me into all-out hatred. Ranma had spared me by taking the punishment onto himself, but it was Mikado who had done this to him. I got back on my feet literally seething in outrage, ready to smash that fool's too-  
handsome face or find some way of making him feel some of the pain that I was feeling at that moment.

"Mikado!" I growled, "You want a challenge? Then come get me! I dare you."

I had unconsciously assumed a fighting posture that I remembered from my younger days when I used to train in the Anything Goes system. My recent renewal of interest in my family's art has awoken lots of deep-buried memories in me of when I used to take this stuff seriously, and right now I was ready to use everything I knew if it meant just one chance of decking Mikado. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes, but to his partner I must have seemed preposterous because Azusa took one look at me and started laughing.

"Oh, she's so cute!" the little curly haired twit said as she pointed at me while covering her mouth with a dainty little hand, "Azusa thinks you're so funny. You think you can take us both on all by yourself? Your partner's had it and soon you won't be in any better condition."

"Now, now," Mikado laid a hand on Azusa's shoulder and smiled that smug-self assured smile of his that I now thoroughly detested, "The lady is in mourning, it would be rude to insult her while she is grieving for her loss. The boy did hold out to the very end, after all, and that warrants him some small token of respect "

"That's where you're wrong," I heard the dead speak at my side, and I gasped, turning away from my anger as I saw Ranma open his eyes and glare at the ceiling, "I'm not the one who's gonna need sympathy in another moment, you lecher!"

"Ranma!" I gasped, "Are you all right?"

"Sure," he said with that confident smile of his that was the opposite of everything Mikado's smile now represented to me, "Sorry if you were worried or something I was just getting my wind back, now I'm gonna show you all a thing or two about skating."

To my amazement Ranma arched his back and flipped over to land perfectly on his feet, even catching himself on his skates without losing his balance, and the effect might have been totally convincing if he had not stiffened the next instant as his face took on a pasty white complexion as though his body had protested against this sudden movement.

"Well," Mikado seemed hardly affected by Ranma's attempted resurrection, "It seems there is still some life in you yet, Saotome. But you hardly need to go to the bother of putting on that act for your girlfriend. I'm willing to postpone this until another day unless you care to concede, that is ?"

I saw Ranma ball his fists as his jaw set with concentration, then his blue eyes flashed dangerously as he replied, "Not a chance, Sanzenin. We finish this now, man to man, and only one of us leaves this skating rink standing."

"Excuse me?" I said and poked Ranma lightly on the side, which made him double up with pain as I narrowed my eyes and said, "Until only who is left standing? Get a grip, Saotome, even I can see that you're in no condition to continue this match."

"What did you do that for?" Ranma hissed my way, but whatever angry retort he meant to add died as he caught the look in my eyes, which were all but openly pleading for his understanding.

"Please," I said, "You've already gotten hurt on my behalf once already. I couldn't stand it if you really got injured "

"Better listen to your friend," Azusa taunted, "You're just an amateur in this sport. Even Azusa could take you with her little finger."

"Assuming you can still bend it," I snapped as I whirled at her with my most contemptful expression, "But then I suppose little girls like you shouldn't be allowed to play with us big girls. You might get hurt, and that would ruin your already faded complexion."

"Huh?" I saw the twit register my insult very slowly, and you know something? She really does get cute in an angry sort of way as she glared at me and said, "You you take that back! Azusa doesn't have a faded complexion!"

"Oh no?" I said, "I guess you wouldn't notice with all the shadow created by those wrinkles "

"Wrinkles?" now she really was steaming mad, "Azusa doesn't have wrinkles! I have dimples!"

"Oh my," I remarked, "Have you been to a dermatologist to get that cleared up? It does clear up when you get a bit older though not much older, judging by those liver spots and bags under your eyes "

"You mean old lady!" she declared in strident tones that she normally reserved for beating up on her partner. Before Mikado could restrain her she came skating right at me, ignoring Ranma completely as she launched an aerial attack that might have caught me flat footed if I had not somewhat expected it in the few seconds before she was airborne.

It's funny you know how time can seem to slow down to a crawl when you get into a crisis? Well, I remember hearing Ranma call out my name as Azusa came hurtling towards me like a guided missile, only at the last second I twist my body to the side and pivot my hips, swinging around my center of balance as I shifted my skates to allow for my change in posture. The upshot of all this is that Azusa went right by me, missing in her attack completely. Considering how close we were to the wall this turned out to be a very bad idea on her part as she had no time to recover before plowing into it in a way that was almost as cute as her dimples or should I say Acne?

I recovered and assumed an innocent posture as I said, "Oh dear did that hurt? I guess little girls really should get permission notes from their parents before they go skating."

"You !" Azusa pried herself away from the wall and glared at me, showing a remarkable recovery rate as she assumed a new attack posture, then came at me with skates flying while Ranma gripped his side and fought for balance.

All right, I guess I should give Azusa some credit here. She is good, and not just as a skater because her martial arts ability made her a formidable opponent, and by rights she should have nailed me on that second attack, or the third and forth kicks and punches she threw at me. Somehow I managed to side step all of her attacks and the follow-throughs as though I could somehow perceive before they were executed. I moved instinctively to avoid every one of her attacks, and only belatedly did I realize why. This was, after all, what Kodachi had been training me in on for four straight days, so naturally I avoided Azusa the way I avoided her ribbon, flowing with each attack to move out of the way before it was fully committed.

I think Ranma managed to recover some of his energy because I caught the sight of him and Mikado duking it out in their corner of the arena. That glance out of the side of my eyes nearly cost me as Azusa came close to nailing me. I was just managing to stay out of her reach but I wasn't about to even attempt a counter-attack. I was slowly wearing her down but there was no way I trusted myself to take an offensive shot in her direction.

Azusa was really getting steamed about the same point that she was started to get exhausted, but as she prepared to launch another attack my way something fell from the ceiling and landed on the ice between us. I stopped in my tracks as Azusa took a step back, surprised out of her beserker fury to find a Purple Haired Amazon standing athwart our path with no adequate warning.

"Nihao," she said with a curious smile as she looked me over, then turned a much darker look towards Azusa.

"Who are you?" Azusa demanded, only to see Shampoo flash angry red eyes her way that as much as told me that she knew about Sham-chan being the stakes in this competition. To say the least she did not look happy with Azusa.

"You try take cat what do not belong to you," Shampoo said darkly, "Stupid girl with pretty ribbons no want Amazon girl pet. You leave now or stupid girl get what coming to you."

"Huh?" Azusa asked, looking at Shampoo in a very odd way, then eased closer as if to get a better look at her as though seeking recognition.

"Stupid girl deaf?" Shampoo growled as she balled up a fist and looked ready to use it, "You no take Shampoo cat for self or you learn Shampoo no like stupid girls who no respect Amazon way."

I flinched somewhat at the way she had phrased those words, but Azusa just kept looking at her with those big brown eyes of hers as if her rather messy and painful death were not facing her from mere centimeters distance. Then all at once Azusa straightened, smiled and pointed before crying out, "Charlotte!"

I heard Shampoo give out a gasp of surprise at that as one hand went to her throat for some reason, glancing at me in a very odd way before she said, "What stupid girl mean? Why you call Shampoo funny name?"

"Because you're Charlotte!" Azusa said happily, flashing a key in her hand as she said, "Charlotte lock that with special key that I had made for-Hey!"

I had not even seen Shampoo's hand move as she snatched the key out of the little Klepto's hand then said, "Give Shampoo that! You lock collar on Shampoo cat's neck, you very un-nice girl! Now Shampoo pay back for stupid trick you play earlier!"

"Give that back!" Azusa cried as she made a lunge for Shampoo, only to encounter a fist that sent her sliding backwards until she ran into Mikado, who had been approaching from the other direction.

"Whoa!" Mikado said as he caught Azusa, finding her barely conscious on her feet, to which he smiled and said, "My compliments to you, lady. I've wanted to see somebody do that to the little idiot for years, and may I say what a fine vision of loveliness you are? I don't believe I've seen you around here before "

Ranma's reaction upon seeing Shampoo were somewhat more non-plussed, "Sh-Shampoo? What are you doing back from China?"

"Ranma," Shampoo's smile softened, "You miss Shampoo? She miss you, Ailen."

"Ailen?" I gasped, then I looked down and realized something. Shampoo wasn't wearing skates but rather some form of sandals that had spikes on the bottom, which was helping her maintain her traction. I doubt very much that skating is a common practice in her part of China, so I doubt she can skate any better than Ranma. It also meant that she was a lot smarter than I'd realized to think of something like this in advance. It also explained why she did not just immediately glomp onto Ranma the minute she caught sight of him. No doubt maintaining her balance on the ice was a large element in discouraging her lunging for him.

"How now, miss?" Mikado asked as he casually skated up to Shampoo, "Do you mean to take part in our challenge match?"

"No," Shampoo replied, "Shampoo come to end match before Nabiki and Ranma too bad hurt. You no want be hurt bad, you stay out of way of Shampoo."

"I would love to accommodate you, lovely one," Mikado said with no hint that he realized how deadly serious Shampoo was being, "But I have yet to obtain my promised kiss from the lips of the lovely miss Tendo."

"Then you have problem," Shampoo said darkly, "Amazon no like arrogant boy who try steal what not his. You leave now, you no get hurt."

"What are you going to do?" Azusa asked rather smugly, clearly recovered from the blow she had taken, "You're not even wearing skates, how do you expect to defeat the Golden Pair by your lonesome?"

Shampoo did not turn around as she said, "Ranma get Nabiki and go. You no want be here when Shampoo answer question."

"Just a moment," Mikado said as she skated around the Amazon and oriented on me, sweeping me up into his arms before I even sensed his attack, "I can't let you leave without showing my respect for a worthy opponent "

"Nabiki!" Ranma snarled, skating towards us, only to have Azusa blindside him when he forgot to turn his attention towards her.

"And now," Mikado said as he leaned over to bring his lips within reach of my face, "My thousandth kiss from your sweet lips."

"Guess again," I said, for Mikado had made a serious error in thinking the position he held me gave me no purchase for refusing his advances. Unfortunately for him this was exactly the sort of thing I had been trained against by Daddy from an early age, so rather than resist his attempt to bend me back for a kiss, I bent with his motion and drew him with me off balance.

I could see by the surprised expression in his eyes that Mikado had not anticipated my maneuver, and before he had time to cope I brought my knee up in a very vital place, grabbed him by the shoulders and hit the ice with my back as my momentum picked him up and threw him over. Mikado would probably have righted himself with the phenomenal agility he had been displaying all night, but no matter how tough a guy is, it's hard for them to maintain their focus when they're looking cross-eyed and doubled over in pain, so he landed inelegantly on the ice and went skidding for a bit while I straightened out and looked smugly at Ranma.

I think the whole audience or at least the male half winced in sympathy of Mikado's plight. Even Ranma was looking pityingly at the guy he had fully intended to pound flat. I just gave him a knowing wink and said, "Well, hey he left himself wide open."

Azusa skated up alongside Mikado and said, "Is Mikey hurt? Do you hurt down there?" she bent over his doubled form and poked him in the side, to which Mikado grunted something very unpleasant about the Shiratori and their probable ancestry, which earned him a very dark look from Azusa, so she poked him again, aiming her hand just above the place his own hands had covered.

This gave me an idea as I turned to Ranma and said, "What do you think, Ranma-kun do they make a lovely couple or what?"

"A lovely couple of whats more like it," Ranma snorted, "Hey, Sanzenin, you ready to concede the match yet?"

"N-No," Mikado replied as he fought back his tears and tried to turn himself face-down into the ice so as to provide his crotch with some solace before pushing himself up into a sitting position, "I will not concede! This match has only just started."

"Wrong!" Shampoo declared, drawing our attention back towards her as she glanced down at the ice and then stabbed her finger down at the hard surface. She jumped back almost immediately as the point where she touched began to crack and them explode, sending shock waves throughout the ice in all directions. Within the space of a few seconds the entire rink shattered as Shampoo leaped to safety. I was just reacting to this myself when I felt Ranma gather me up into his arms and then call out, "Hold on!" and the next second the two of us were airborne.

Sanzenin and Azusa were left to experience a truly horrifying discovery as the ice rink became a scene out of some movie where horrid glaciers replaced smooth, featureless surfaces, and then they splashed around on broken chunks of ice as the pumps underground churned up and created geysers that froze immediately into pillars of ice. Turns out the arena was actually a reconverted swimming pool and as I looked down from a truly impressive height I saw the chaos going on beneath us before Ranma set me down on a metal rafter, seeing Mikado and Azusa struggle to keep from taking a very cold bath together.

We turned to see Shampoo standing a little ways away from us. Ranma hesitantly called her name with a note of inquiry, to which she just smiled and said she would see us both later. She vanished after that and was not to be found anywhere in the vicinity of the Kolhotz gymnasium, but I suspect her little stunt was meant to send a message to the both of us that she was watching our every movement and has her own peculiar agenda that she will probably get around to explaining for us in her own good time, mostly likely when we least expect it.

The story doesn't end here, though, for right after we climbed down from the rafters Ryonami called out to me as she and Sayuki came running up with gleeful expressions and pressed a wad of money into my hands, which prompted me to ask where it came from?

"Haven't you heard, Sempai?" my delighted assistants informed me, "They took Mikado off on a stretcher, he and Azusa are complaining about possible frostbite and pneumonia. You two have officially been acknowledged the victors of the match, so here are your winnings, plus our usual ten percent deducted, of course."

I was stunned as I said, "You bet on me to win?"

"Not just win, Boss," Sayuki informed me, "You two beat the point spread, which means our winnings were doubled! Nobody put much faith in you and Ranma-kun to last five minutes out there, so you can imagine that there are a lot of unhappy marks, most of them Kolhotz students," she added with a smirk that had School pride written all over it, which for her probably made the winnings all the more enjoyable as the students from Kolhotz had naturally bet on their hometown heroes.

"I'm glad things turned out this way," I said after I somehow found the capacity for rational speech return to me, "But those were very long odds, you know, and I can't really approve of you taking a risk like that. You know we were at a huge disadvantage."

"Maybe so, Sempai," Ryonami chuckled, "But we've learned never to bet against either you or Ranma-kun. You both have a knack for beating the odds, so I'll bet my money on a winner every time. Besides, I would have paid flat-out to see you pull that on Mikado!"

I turned to see Ranma looking at us with a nonplussed expression, to which I smiled and peeled off about half of the yen my two aids had collected and handed them to him, "This is your share, so take it, Ranma. You can use it to take me out to buy dinner."

"Huh?" Ranma looked down at the wad of bills he was holding, then slowly looked up at me and-to my delight-  
started smiling, "Well I guess we're entitled to celebrate, not that there was any chance I was gonna lose to that Sanzenin "

My enjoyment of the moment was tempered as I saw someone else approaching us, so I hastily amended, "On second though, Ranma-kun, I'm gonna have to bow out on this date. I kind of promised something to Kodachi for helping me to train "

"Hah?" Ranma looked at me blankly when all of a sudden Kodachi all but materialized on his arm, leaning against his shoulder with a delighted grin and purred very sensually, "Ranma-sama my hero!"

"Wh-what?" Ranma slowly turned to look at her with an expression of dawning horror.

"You were magnificent, my darling!" Kodachi cooed, "Such a manly performance, you showed up that base pretender, Sanzenin, and struck a blow for every boy or girl he has ever offended. And you, Tendo-san your performance was adequate. I trust you now appreciate my skills as a teacher?"

"Oh yeah," I replied, "It sure came in handy. And for a while there I thought you were just having fun turning me black and blue with that ribbon."

"It was a basic strategy," Kodachi replied, "Since teaching you any advanced moves to counter Sanzenin and his partner's accomplished form would have taken more time than we were allowed, I reasoned that teaching you one simple maneuver that you could perform in your sleep would be enough to keep you from being hurt, and was I wrong about that?"

"No," I conceded, "You definitely were on the mark with that line. Now I'll honor our agreement and let you have Ranma-chan for the evening with my blessings. Ranma-  
kun, do show Kodachi a good time but not TOO good, if you take my meaning."

"Nani?" Ranma gasped as Kodachi all but dragged him away to the dressing room and I presume she let him get dressed before dragging him off to enjoy dinner.

"Sempai?" I heard Ryonami asked, "I'd never think of questioning your judgement, but was that wise letting Kuno Kodachi spirit your iinazuke off like that?"

"I'm not worried," I replied, "Kodachi promised me she wouldn't use any of her potions on Ranma, and I do sort-of owe her for helping me save my own neck out there. It's not like I expect Ranma to suddenly take up a interest in her or at least he'd better not if he knows what's good for him," I added with a dire note to reassure my friends that I wasn't going completely senile in the head.

They gave me dubious looks but I meant what I told them. Kodachi isn't my real competition for Ranma's affections, Shampoo is, and she is one threat both me and Kodachi have in common. I figured letting her have Ranma for the evening was more or less of a harmless indulgence.

In point of fact Ranma tried to duck out on his date, but I cornered him and explained for his benefit how I thought Kodachi would need watching and possibly even protection now that Shampoo is back in town, so would he kindly consider looking out for her for this one night, and while at it would he please be nice to her for a change, if only for the sake of being polite? He finally relented after some heavy persuasion on my part, and he did go off with Kodachi on their promised date at long last while I went home to add my winnings to the rest of my personal assets.

Strange to say, though, the day was not completely done. On the way home I had a sudden sense of immanent danger and reacted just the same way I had when ducking the attacks of Azusa. I found myself backing away from a wooden staff that was aimed at me by a figure who looked no taller than my waist level. I fended off a number of thrusts when my attacker stood back and examined me wit a very odd look. I looked down at her in return and saw a gnome-like old woman with long silver hair and ancient eyes that were calculating and all-knowing.

"Well now," she said with an enigmatic smile as she looked me over, "You do possess some skill and talent, Tendo Nabiki."

"Who are you?" I demanded, assuming a fighting crouch that I'd only recently learned from studying with Ranma.

In response the old woman's staff arced in a circle and caught my outstretched leg, tumbling me flat on my back as I instinctively ducked my head and absorbed the impact on my shoulders. The next second the old woman was standing on top of me looking down and I marveled how light her body felt on my chest.

"My name is Kho-Lon," she replied, "Though you may call me Cologne, the Elder."

"Elder?" I gasped, the hesitated before asking, "You're from "

"Joketsuzoku," she replied, "I am the Matriarch of the Nyanichiczu, whom you call the Amazons of China, and I have been looking forward to meeting you. You are everything my great granddaughter said you were, and I caught your little performance on the ice, which duly confirms it."

"You were the one who sent Shampoo in to help us?" I asked.

"No," the old woman replied, "Shampoo elected to do that of her own volition, though I salute her initiative. We will talk more when you are ready, but for now it will suffice that you are aware that my Great Granddaughter and I are watching you and that boy you call your iinazuke."

"Ranma?" I asked when the old woman hopped off my chest and began to pogo on that gnarled stick of hers as she hopped over a fence, calling back to me the promise that we would talk again real soon, which you can imagine did not exactly make my day, but it at least seems certain that she does not mean to kill me. She had the chance, after all, and instead chose to let me go. I remembered Shampoo's earlier words concerning the Amazon Elders and could not help swallowing. Old woman or not, that lady is dangerous and I can't escape the feeling that if she had meant to do something nasty to me there is absolutely nothing I would have been able to do about it

"Meow!" Sham-chan called out, distracting Nabiki from her typing.

"Think that was a little too much?" Nabiki asked her cat as she saved her file and shut down her computer, "Maybe so, but setting things down in words like this has certainly made me feel better about everything. It's been one heck of a day, and now that Ranma's back from his date I guess I can rest easy as it's finally over."

She scooped up the cat into her arms and went to sit down on her bed, flopping back as she gave Sham-chan her accustomed rubdown.

"I mean, who would have thought of something like this happening to me of all people?" Nabiki mused aloud, "And Ranma's the most surprising thing about it all threatening Mikado like that over me. Honestly, guys just can't seem to help trying to impress us with their antics but it sure was nice of him to feel that way, though. I mean, the way he said it it was like he wanted to protect me "

"Meow," Sham-chan replied very softly as Nabiki's hands found her favorite scratching places.

"Guys like him are so macho," Nabiki continued, "Always trying to impress us with how tough they are, but deep down they're like little boys with fragile egos, so I guess that means Ranma thinks of me like I'm part of his territory. I should be grateful he doesn't put his scent on me or something, though I guess that's more your speed than mine, eh Kiddo?"

Sham-chan just purred throatily and said something soft and very heartfelt.

"But it sure was sweet of him," Nabiki felt herself flush crimson, but it was such a warm and cozy feeling that for once she did not mind acting like a schoolgirl, "And how did I repay him, of all things? By sticking him with Kodachi for the rest of the day. Now that is cruel, even by my standards."

"Mreow?" Sham-chan replied, sounding more than slightly distracted.

Nabiki was silent for a moment, then her expression became a frown, "One thing bothers me, though I keep going over it in my mind, the way Azusa kept calling Shampoo 'Charlotte,' which is her special pet name for you. What do you think about it, kitty? You like the name Charlotte?"

The cat made a very unpleasant sound, just short of a hiss, and Nabiki idly noted that she was no longer wearing that annoying collar.

"I guess Shampoo used that key to take it off, huh?" Nabiki remarked, "Good, because if anybody's going to put a collar around you it's going to be me. Still it is funny when you think about it Azusa calling Shampoo by that name. I have to admit that you do look a little like Shampoo, even more than that Master-Pet resemblance thing I'm always hearing about, not that I can picture you following anybody around on a leash. You're much too independent."

Nabiki paused, hearing a complaint from down the hallway in which a female Ranma was saying nasty things about "That Pig" that he had almost tripped over heading for the bathroom. Another moment later came a knocking on her door, and when Nabiki asked who it was it opened slightly to admit Akane to look in as she asked, "Oneechan, have you seen P-chan anywhere about? He hasn't turned up the last couple of days and I'm starting to worry."

"I think Ranma stumbled on him just about a minute ago, Sis," Nabiki called out, "And you shouldn't worry about P-chan. He can take care of himself he just has a problem with directions."

"What are you talking about?" Akane sounded irritable, like always, "Who do you think he is, Ryoga-  
kun?"

Nabiki felt a terrible urge to say something but instead held her peace until Akane had closed the door behind her, then she smiled to herself and said, "Baka. She's got it bad for the pig, and he's already sleeping in her bed. She just doesn't know it. I really ought to say something about it, no matter what I promised Ranma. It isn't right, after all, even if he is a Jusenkyo victim ."

Nabiki stiffened, looking straight up at her ceiling. Jusenkyo? Something clicked in her mind, and she remembered seeing the look in Shampoo's eyes when Azusa had accused her of being "Charlotte." That reflexive glance Nabiki's way as she absently covered her throat with a hand and looked almost guilty about something. The pieces of a very nasty puzzled were slowly starting to fit together.

She looked down at the cat laying on her chest, seeing it open its reddish-brown eyes as it looked at her, sensing a change in her mood with uncanny perceptiveness far beyond that of any animal Nabiki had ever heard of.

Reddish brown eyes? A cat-face that looked something like Shampoo? The curious way Shampoo had been acting around her of late?

"Oboy," Nabiki said as she looked into the eyes of the cat, suddenly sweating

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Confessions of Nabiki Tendo: shadowmane

The jig is up, now what have Shampoo and Cologne been planning? Tune in for the next big clue as the plot thickens like Miso Soup when prepared by Akane be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	17. Chapter 17

NabikiRan15 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Sixteen.

"Shampoo?"

It has often been said that Cats are expressive animals, that they have a way of conveying their moods without the need for human facial gestures, and in the case of the animal sitting on Nabiki chest this was most certainly a very expressive creature.

The cat regarded Nabiki with a lazy expression, almost like a smile at being discovered in the midst of a jest. Nabiki looked hard at the one she had called "Sham-  
chan" and knew beyond question that this was not a cat at all but some entirely different manner of beast.

Before she had a chance to further pose a question, however, the cat made a sudden move and vaulted out of her embrace, onto the flood, heading towards the door and making a flying leap as its paws caught the handle and turned the knob, then braced its feet against the wall and somehow managed to pull the thing open. Once the gap was created it was out into the hallway in a shot as Nabiki rose from her bed, a sudden urge to pursue overcoming every other impulse.

"Oh Kami," Nabiki swallowed as she headed out into the corridor, only to hear a startled cry from the bathroom that she knew all too well and had no difficulty interpreting, "Ranma ?"

Ranma was soaking in the furo, enjoying the luxury of a nice hot bath alone while thinking about the strange time he had spent with Kuno Kodachi, a date of all things with a lady he tended to regard as only a few points more deranged than her idiot brother.

Still Kodachi had tried to make the evening a pleasant one, and she did look nice all dressed up and ready to go out someplace formal, which turned out to be an Opera, of all things, and not even a No play. It was one of those European productions in which everybody sang in a foreign language. It had been composed by some German guy and was based on an old Norse legend with the impressive sounding title of Gotendammurung.

Ranma was not familiar with the legend in question but he did see a lot of enjoyable stuff in the play, if only he could have figured out what everybody was saying to one another. It had something to do with a noble Viking hero defeating a dragon and finding a sword and freeing a girl from a magical curse, only to lose her when somebody slipped him a potion to make him forget all about his real girlfriend and marry somebody else by mistake. It all ended badly when the girl he was really supposed to have married jumped into the fire after almost everybody else had died just as badly. It was sad in a way, but somehow Ranma found it enjoyable in spite of the language problem, and for once he got the meaning of the old saying, "It ain't over until the fat lady sings."

After the opera Kodachi took him to a fancy restaurant and insisted on paying for everything. Ranma had worked up quite an appetite staying awake during the opera but he was mindful of his manners and tried to repeat the performance he put on for Nabiki on their date. After that they took a leisurely ride in a carriage Kodachi had rented and finally they wound up back at the dojo. It was all so very weird, and Ranma kept thinking the other shoe was going to drop at any time, but to his amazement Kodachi was on her best behavior.

Well, right up until the last, that is. As Ranma started to go Kodachi had impulsively reached out to him and kissed him on the cheek. Ranma was so surprised he turned around to find Kodachi lips brushing against his and then she was kissing him on the mouth this time, a very passionate kiss that left him flailing for air before she finally released him. It even had a tongue-thrust past his lips for good measure, and when Kodachi let him go Ranma did not exit the carriage so much as fall out flat on his back onto the cement curb. His last sight of Kodachi she was blowing him a kiss and laughing in delight over their evening, and not the scary laugh she often used that made her sound so demented.

Ranma was quick to wipe his mouth and off in case there was any lipstick showing as the last thing that he wanted to do was have to explain such it to Nabiki. She was probably worried enough over that date, even if she had been the one to set it up in the first place, and why the heck did she do that? It was so puzzling and unlike her that it made him wonder how she really felt about him.

Well, he reflected somewhat sourly, at least Kodachi's kiss had been a lot more pleasant than Mikado's!

It was really very odd never once before this had he ever really considered Kodachi as either a woman or a person. Seeing her act so charmingly feminine and un-  
crazy all night long made him wonder about a lot of things he had formerly taken so much for granted. And then there was that other strange encounter of the day when Shampoo had turned up out of no where in the middle of their skating match. Shampoo was back in Nerima a scary thought for several reasons, not least of which was what Ranma was afraid she would do Nabiki. He could remember a little too well the Amazon having her hand around Nabiki's throat and half-lifting her off her feet with a look of murderous anger

The door to the bathroom slid open and Ranma glanced up wondering if his father, Soun Tendo or Ryoga wanted to use the bath. He had been in the bath for quite a while now and was starting to wrinkle a little. He was about to call out that he was almost done when he froze.

There was no one standing in the doorway at least no one who stood on two legs, but when he panned his vision down he really, truly regretted doing so. The face that looked up at him brightly was the one he had been seeing lately in his darkest nightmares.

"Mreow?"

"Gahhh!" Ranma exclaimed as he sat upright in the furro, his face set in a mask of terror as the thing stood between him and the only exit! Then-to his mounting horror-the cat leaped up and landed in the bathtub beside him.

Ranma held his breath, his fear nearly driving him full Neko, when all of a sudden a form emerged from the tub, bursting up in triumphal delight in all her full, naked glory. Long purple hair and a supple, entirely feminine body, and before Ranma could gasp out her name she threw her arms around him and pressed herself up against him in the hot water.

"Nihao, Ailen!" she cried with delight, "Oh, Ranma! Shampoo is so happy! You really man, she no have worried so much about you "

"Sh-Sh-Sh-Sh-Shampoo?" Ranma finally managed to stutter out, "What are you ?"

His brain finally caught up with the rest of his perceptions and he suddenly became aware of WHAT was pressing so firmly against him. He seized up in full terror, the realization that Shampoo was every bit as naked as himself, adding to her happy enthusiasm as she held him so tightly against her made him realize that the situation was bad very, very bad, so bad in fact that it was almost impossible for him to think of any way to top it

"Ranma?" another voice other than Shampoo inquired.

Well, Ranma numbly reflected, that would do for a start

"N-Nabiki?" Ranma turned his head with the kind of slow, mounting horror people have when they wish against hope that they could wake up and find that the whole situation was merely a nightmare. No such luck, it was indeed his iinazuke staring at him and Shampoo with a look of blank shock, making Ranma wish he could melt into the floor to get away, or something, rather than face the blow up that he feared was inevitable, given the appearance of the situation.

"It's not what you think!" Ranma cried out, finally finding his voice as a greater terror overrode his habitual shyness in the presence of a naked woman.

If he had been expecting her to get angry or rail at he was in for a disappointment. Nabiki was not looking at him but at the Amazon herself, and her expression was one of numb realization bordering on terror as the full implications sank in at discovering that her greatest rival had been right under her nose watching her all the while with catlike patience, and now would come the reckoning that she had so long dreaded

Nabiki's Journal resumes:

Poor Ranma, looking at me like he thought I was going to burst out in a screaming fit at finding him in the embrace of another woman and not just any woman but the one we had both wronged. If I'd thought in any way that it was really his fault, maybe, but as we were both more-  
or-less in the same boat my feelings were more akin to his at seeing Shampoo turn and smile in my direction, then slowly rise up out of the tub, revealing herself in all her unclothed glory and glory she was, all woman and every inch an exotic beauty. I stood where I was riveted to the spot afraid of what she might do, and unable to take my eyes away

She stepped out of the tub dripping wet but smiling like a cat that has just cornered a canary. No question here which role I played, but the thought of fleeing from her never crossed my mind, mainly because I knew I'd never get three steps before she caught me. I was only two meters away and I knew how fast she could move when she wanted to. At the moment she chose to take her time to savor the sense of absolute power she had over me with the helplessness I was feeling, and then she was right in front of me, smiling like the cat she had been only a few brief moments before my arrival.

I think Ranma managed about that point to overcome his own hesitation as he got up out of the furro and cried, "Don't hurt Nabiki! Shampoo, I !"

Then, to our mutual surprise, Shampoo reached out to me and cupped my face in her hands, drew me into her embrace and kissed me full on the mouth. My first impulse was that she was giving me the Kiss of death, but a few seconds later I realized that death was not her intention.

I was stunned to discover the kiss she gave was full of promise and passion, the kiss one makes to someone they really, really like, and there was even a tongue in it-to my absolute amazement. I was stupefied beyond words when she broke the kiss and murmured, "Wo ai ni."

"Wo ai ni?" I gasped, looking into her crimson brown eyes and seeing something akin to the look she gave me when she was in cat form.

"Wo ai ni?" I heard Ranma echo, "But what ? I don't understand "

"Silly Ranma," Shampoo purred with a coy glance over her shoulder as she let me go, still smiling, "You think Shampoo only pretend like Nabiki when in cursed form? Shampoo come all way from China to get close to Sneaky Girl, but no to kill her."

I was only just beginning to register those words when a soft chuckle intruded into our fun little threesome. I looked up to see the gnome-like figure perched upon the windowsill looking down at us with ancient eyes and a much-amused expression.

"So, Shampoo, you've made your choice after all."

"Yes, Great Grandmother," Shampoo replied as she turned around and looked up at the ancient crone, "Shampoo make choice. Nabiki now part of Amazon tradition. She and Ailen bound by law to Shampoo. Now tribe no say she weak girl cannot hold groom."

"Indeed," the Elder replied, "With this one added to the other no one will call you weak again, child. Our family's honor is satisfied, and we can begin the immediate training."

"Hey you!" Ranma suddenly got angry, "What's this about? What are you talking about, training? What's the big idea of "

"My," the Elder smiled as her eyes roved down Ranma's naked form appreciatively, "Son-in-law, you do present a striking profile of manhood. Shampoo's got quite a bargain in you, and there's no doubting that, judging by your equipment."

"Huh?" Ranma suddenly became very conscious of the fact that Shampoo and I were both looking at him, our eyes roving down to the same spot that the old woman had been eyeing. He gave out a yelp of embarrassment and sank back down into the water covering his privates and thus blocking a very nice view that I'd been in the process of enjoying.

The old woman's laughter was in her voice as she said, "I take it you're glad to see me by appearances, my boy, but it really is Shampoo you should be thinking about when you get like that. My Great Granddaughter tells me you fancy the Tendo girl's admittedly interesting figure, and to judge by the way they both are looking at you I'd say the sentiments are reciprocated."

"Ah," I managed to get out, "Pardon me for changing the subject here, but what is all this about? I mean, I'm glad you're not here to kill me and all that, Shampoo, but what was with that kiss, and why the imposture pretending you were just a harmless animal ?"

"Hmph," Shampoo sniffed, "Shampoo no harmless. You fault she have curse of Maoniichuan "

"Maoniichuan?" Ranma asked.

"The Spring of Drowned Cat," the elder replied, "It happened while we were training together after Shampoo came home without either the head of the girl she was chasing or the husband he turned out to be. You have no idea the stir that created in our village! Our family was the laughing stock of all Nyanichiczu, and the only way to calm everyone down was to prove her merit by facing the ancient trial at our sacred training grounds "

"You mean somebody knocked you into the pool of the drowned cat?" I asked, and Shampoo nodded.

"Great Grandmother knock Shampoo down off pole," the purple haired Amazon (and I do mean that fully as a single glance told me that her hair color was natural, unless she's kinky enough to dye her own pussy purple) explained matter-of-factly.

"What?" Ranma gasped, looking up at the Elder, "You did this to her? Then what are you blaming us for?!"

In response the old woman hopped down from the windowsill to the edge of the furrow and bopped Ranma on the head before she said, "You were the one who forced me to do it! I hold you both responsible for Shampoo's condition! You are going to make it up to her by redeeming her honor before the tribe, which means the both of you have an obligation to marry..."

"MARRY?" both Ranma and I said in chorus.

"As I was saying," the Elder winced, "You both shall marry her, you to be her husband, boy, and your friend here to be her co-wife."

"N-Nani?" Ranma blinked as he rubbed his head where the staff had once more hit him.

"What?" I gasped, looking at Shampoo, "Marry her? You? I mean that's bigamy!"

"What bigamy?" Shampoo asked with a completely open look of non-comprehension.

"It's perfectly legal among the Amazons for two women to share a man together, provided they both can abide to live side-by-side as co-wives of their husband," the ancient woman said solemnly, "We're not bound by your quaint Western notions regarding monogamy, and since Shampoo acknowledges you as her wife there is no problem in consummating such a union, as long as children that are shared by both of you and this man are the result of such a three-way union."

"Are you nuts!" Ranma declared, "Nabiki is my fianc e! Shampoo's a really nice girl, but there's no way I'm marrying anybody else but my iinazuke!"

"Ranma," I gasped, for this was the first time he had openly declared any actual intent to see our engagement through to marriage.

"The alternative," the old woman stressed the word as she eyed us gravely before resuming, "Is a far less pleasant situation. In your case there is no recourse, Son-in-law. You caused Shampoo to lose face before our people. Since the day she was conceived it has been decided that she be raised to become the future leader of our people, so having a black stain on her name is utterly unacceptable, and I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to insure that she brings home a husband, meaning you of course. It is in Nabiki Tendo's case that there are more flexible options."

I definitely did not like the way she stressed those words, or the way she was eyeing me like a lab specimen. Either way I tried to act firm as I replied, "What options are those?"

The old woman smiled as if she had been waiting for that question, "Since Shampoo has elected not to seek your life, in spite of the way you deceived her and tried to take her husband away while saddling her with another boy that I understand to be the village idiot "

"You got that right," Ranma grumbled under his breath.

"Her second option, besides accepting you as her co-  
wife, would be to make you her personal slave, which would be a most unpleasant fate I assure you. You will suffer at her hands as she would have the absolute right to do with you whatever she pleases," the Elder replied in such deadly serious tones that I had no doubt that she was being truthful, "I think we can all agree that being her wife would be far more acceptable than to suffer such an existence. Her third choice really isn't an option at all as it would be to challenge you for possession of this man, and we can all concede here that you really do not compete with Shampoo on a physical level. Of course if you could make a counter-challenge structuring a contest where you feel that you would have the advantage then the option of making sole exclusive claim over this boy would be accepted by my fellow Elders. Shampoo would suffer some disgrace but be able to recover, which is far better than what the law would demand if she relinquish her claims upon you both without such a challenge. Tell me truthfully, Shampoo, would you concede this man to this woman or surrender your hold on both of them altogether?"

"No, Great Grandmother," Shampoo replied, "Shampoo no do that."

"As I knew would be your answer before I asked," the old woman remarked before pulling something out of her sleeve that turned out to be a silken pink Chinese outfit much like what Shampoo wore when in casual mode, "Now put this on, child, before you catch a chill. It is time that we leave this house, now that your identity has been discovered, but we will be back later this morning. Of that I most sincerely assure you."

"Yes, Great Grandmother," Shampoo acknowledged as she slipped on the outfit, snuggling her large breasts into the gauze like material so that they bunched together in a rather eye-watering manner.

"Hey," Ranma recovered his wits as the view of Shampoo's assets no longer distracted him, "What do you mean barging in here making threats like that? What are you trying to pull here?"

"That, Son-in-law, is what we will be discussing on the morrow," the elder replied, "Good evening to you both."

That having been said the old woman hopped from the windowsill, landing on her staff before hobbling out the door with Shampoo following dutifully behind her. I stood there stunned for several moments after watching them leave, then in a rather numb voice I said, "She's learned to use a doorknob?"

"What the heck was that all about?" Ranma asked as he turned to look at me, then colored abruptly and said, "Ah Nabiki? Would you mind ?"

I thought he looked so cute that way, but I was going to respect his privacy and all when a wicked impulse took hold of me, so I just smiled at him and said, "Oh sure, no problem Ranma-kun," and I began to reach down to pull up my night shift.

I saw panic in his eyes as he cried out, "What are you doing?"

"I thought you were asking me to get into the tub with you," I replied with as much feigned innocence as I am capable of projecting, "You do believe in communal baths, don't you?"

"Are you crazy?" Ranma's voice was just a tad shrill, then he glanced in worry at the open door and said, "What if somebody sees us like this ?"

"What?" I said in mock hurt, "Is there something wrong with me taking a bath with my iinazuke?"

"Hun?" he replied, giving me his best deer-in-the-  
headlights impression, "Uh nani?"

"You were just taking one with Shampoo," I pointed out, "Is there some reason you'd do that with her and not me?"

"Hah? But "

"Or is there another reason?" I leaned over closer to the tub, making sure he got a good look at my cleavage, which distracted him enough that I could look down myself to confirm a growing suspicion, "Do you like her better than me? I'd understand after all, she has a terrific body "

"Wha-? Wait a minute!" Ranma protested, now totally flustered, "I like your body just fine! I-uh-I mean "

I looked him in the eyes from only a few inches away and said, "Really? Do you mean that, Ranma-kun? I could give you another look if there's any doubt "

"Ah " his mouth hung open as if he were suffering a total short circuit, and I could literally see the conflict in his eyes as he warred with two different impulses, the male hormones now raging against his conscious mind and the almost overwhelming shyness he seems to display around me for some peculiar reason.

"You do like me, don't you Ranma-kun?" I asked, deliberately rasping my voice to give it that extra sultry edge that I hoped would finally push him over his limits and provoke him to make the move that I'd been waiting for during our weeks of cat-and mousing. I even remembered to flutter my eyelashes to give him that special vampy treatment you read about in magazine articles that recommend a heavy-lidded approach to gain a man's full interest. I saw him swallow a thick lump in his throat and maybe he would have done something after all, but I noticed his eyes were sliding away from me, which was definitely not the response I was after. Instead his gaze focused somewhat beyond me, which was all the warning I needed before realizing that we were no longer alone. I turned around and saw the whole household gathered in the doorway watching us with a very interesting array of differing expression.

"Well, son?" my father asked, "Are you going to sit there all night? My daughter is expecting you to say something."

"Be a man, boy, and show some initiative," his father growled in irritation, "You think she's going to wait for you all night?"

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "I don't think this is very proper behavior at their age. They really should wait until after they are married."

"Oh, I don't know," Akane sniffed dismissively, "I'd say the Baka got himself into this, now Oneechan has him right where he wants her."

Even the pig was voicing its non-verbal comments on our behavior, but by that time I'd had more than enough and slammed the door on them, then turned with a sigh to Ranma and said, "Guess we'll have to try this again another time, Ranma-kun, preferably when the peanut gallery isn't feeling quite so nosy.

"I guess," Ranma replied, looking even more shy and flustered than before, but somehow he managed to get out, "Nabiki about Shampoo ?"

"Not much we can do until the morning, Ranma," I sighed, "The next move is up to her and the old woman. But I think it's safe to say that they don't mean to do us any physical harm. They had the chance several times and they passed on it, so whatever they're planning is going to be more subtle than a direct challenge."

"Subtle," I heard Ranma's weary reluctance as he voiced the word, "Somehow I never pictured Shampoo as being subtle. But all this time she was Sham-chan?"

"I'm afraid so," I replied, and suddenly I felt terribly depressed. I had gotten used to having a pet, and now it turns out that she's my rival or was, only now she wants to share Ranma with me, and I'm totally at a loss to explain it.

I sit here now typing these thoughts and remembering all the little clues that had been there, which I'd been missing, the hints I would normally pick up on that would tell me about Sham-chan's real identity, and yet I'd consistently missed every sign that would have pointed me in the right direction. Even worse, I'd literally opened my heart and shared my private thoughts with Shampoo, always comfortable in the assumption that she would not be able to pass my secrets on to anybody, let alone understand what I was saying. Now that I look back on it that cat had shown far too much intelligence for me to consider her a dumb animal to be dismissed out of hand. I'd fallen for her deception like any other easy mark, and now I have to face the consequences of knowing that Shampoo had been privy to my every thought for well over a week now.

I feel like such a sucker, and yet somehow I can't bring myself to blame it on Sham-chan I mean Shampoo! Now I have to change the encryption codes on my files since Shampoo obviously knows all about them. She's been watching everything I do and has probably learned about computers from careful study of my motions. Good thing my computer uses kanji symbols, which I doubt she can read, or I really would be nervous.

It's late now, and I feel tired, but I suppose I should close this off by repeating something that Ranma said before I left him. At the last second he seemed to overcome his reluctance to the point that he could to call out to me before I laid hand on the door to the bathroom.

"Nabiki," I remember him saying at last, "I I wouldn't mind having that bath sometime you know?"

I paused by the door, smiling to himself because it seemed that I was making some progress after all, so I replied, "I know, Ranma-kun and I promise you it's one date you will remember."

After all I'd gotten a good look at what I was after. It might be difficult to say with absolute certainty, light being refracted by the water and all, but from what I could see his flag was definitely standing to full attention in my presence. A good thing, too, since it confirms that he's interested, now all I've got to do is make him relax a little around me. It's not like going to rape him or something, after all, even though I won't dismiss the concept out of hand since I d be willing to do even that if it meant getting to home plate, if you'll excuse the sports metaphor.

That's it for now, I'll return to this tomorrow after I've rested myself. I'm feeling way too tired to continue at this point and I'd rather be coherent when trying to describe my live life, such as is. I'll pick this up tomorrow and let you know if anything happens

Ranma lay back staring at the night sky and wondered what in the name of all the Kami was wrong with him, and why wouldn't IT go down after every time he thought about Nabiki.

Considering that he was all of sixteen, Ranma was not quite so familiar with the experiences that most other young boys his age were acquainted with regarding the physical MALE reaction to an attractive female with the same qualifications as Nabiki. Having spent nearly all of his life on the road he had never really taken the time to think about having a girlfriend, let alone someone whom he was supposed to marry and take for a wife, but now that he had somebody who was interesting enough to think about that way well, nobody had ever explained to him the principle behind having an erection.

Well he had experienced the sensation before, but never under these circumstances or for the reason that just being around Nabiki sometimes made him feel dizzy

Damn, he thought as he looked down at the bulge in his pants, squirming a little to adjust to the uncomfortable pressure there, and wishing he was bold enough to take them off altogether. He had never been so conscious about his own body before now, and the idea that someone as mischievous as Nabiki could affect him like that, put him totally off his guard and make him feel vulnerable in ways that he lacked the words to describe it was like his male member had a mind of its own, and it wanted to be let out in the worst way possible. He was half tempted to change genders to make this problem go away, but all that would do would be to alter the type of sensations he would experience, and it was really weird how his female body reacted when aroused. It threatened his very concept of his own manhood!

But try as he might not to think about her, he kept coming back to that moment only a few hours ago when Nabiki had offered to climb into the furro with him, and his mind had seized up as he stammered out some lame excuse about how it was not proper or something as if Nabiki cared at all if it was proper!

Damn, she confused him in ways that he had never imagined were possible, but when he thought of her it was not the playful teasing that frightened him, it was the way he felt towards her, like he wanted more than anything to do exactly what she was asking, but he was frightened that she might be put off by him becoming so aggressive, or maybe she was only teasing him. What if she really did not want him to hold her like that? Or the other stuff guys were supposed to do with girls they liked he swallowed.

Once again the image appeared unbidden of Nabiki reaching to remove her shift, and his memory of what her body had looked like when she had flashed him the other night. Would she really have gone ahead and entered the tub to bathe with him? Or was bathing just another way of saying that she wanted to well do it?

Ranma was not entirely sheltered about the ways of men and women, but having a father who could not even articulate the proper terminology, and very little exposure to the kind of schoolyard gossip that might have better explained the mechanics, he was left without a real imagination to depict what would have followed had Nabiki come into that tub, sat down with him in the water, reached out with those soft hands of hers that lacked a martial artist's true calluses, and well, more than just kiss him!

"Oh man!" Ranma groaned, wishing fervently that he had not just thought that image. The resulting pressure of his groin redoubled with an intensity that threatened to burst out. Try as he might he could not reassert his self-control, though the idea briefly flirted through his mind that Nabiki was only a few meters away from him, and she had given him an open invitation

Stop that! He angrily commanded himself. She's not like that, even if she gives you that impression! She really is a sweet girl, like Kasumi says, and she deserves a proper marriage before we do anything that crazy

It did not help. He was considering following his father's advice and taking a cold shower, even though he was tired of spending his nights in his female form of late, when a voice intruded upon his privacy and brought him to full alertness.

"She is beautiful, and I can see that you are very taken."

Ranma sat up, but before he could assume a martial crouch the old woman spoke again, "Relax, Son-in-law, I am not here to cause trouble, I only want to talk for a few minutes, if you would care to listen."

Ranma regarded the old woman warily, remembering their first encounter earlier in the day when he had been running home from the ice rink, only to sense an attack that came at him while he was running along a wall, and for a few brief seconds all he could do was dodge and weave around the thrusts of a staff before his attacker had backed off and commented that he did have some potential, before turning and leaving again with no further explanation.

"What do you want, you old Ghoul?" Ranma growled, trying to sound more irritated than disturbed that she had snuck up on him without his suspecting.

"Let's put aside the question of what I want for now," the elder said dismissively, "The question is what do you want, Son-in-law? What is it you desire truly most in this life?"

"Son-in-law?" Ranma frowned, "Why do you keep calling me that? I never agreed to marry Shampoo "

"By our laws you are already married," Cologne replied, "Although a more formal ceremony would cement matters properly, all that is required among Amazons is the token acknowledgement that you are Shampoo's husband. My Great Granddaughter has given her assent to the law, which really doesn't require your also having to agree, though it would make things easier for everybody if you decide to cooperate and acknowledge Shampoo as your wife."

"No way," Ranma snorted, "I ain't interested! Shampoo's a nice girl, but she's not the one I want to marry "

"I see," the elder replied shrewdly, "You prefer, then, the Tendo girl, and I can certainly appreciate why. She is very attractive and quite obviously returns your fascination. You two do make an interesting combination, as was demonstrated by your performance on the ice."

"Ah " Ranma felt his confusion grow as he remembered the rage that he had felt towards Mikado, and how satisfying it had been to see Nabiki give him a definite rejection, even if her method of expressing herself had left him wincing.

"Tell me, Son-in-law," the elder continued, "When you declared that you were prepared to kill that other boy for trying to kiss your fianc e, did you actually mean it?"

Ranma did not even have to think very hard. The anger welled up in him once more as he replied, "Maybe but he'd have been sorry one way or the other."

"My, what a fierce fighting spirit you possess," the elder smiled faintly, "You will make a formidable Amazon in both of your two genders. But it need not come to a choice between the two girls, you know. Amazons have been known to share a man between them on a permanent arrangement. If they abide with sharing him, then it is believed a strong man will father strong daughters on both women "

"Nani?" Ranma blinked, "Both of them? What are you talking about? I can't marry both of them! It's it's not right!"

"And how do you define it so?" the elder asked with amusement in her wrinkled face, "Is Shampoo so objectionable as a mate by your standards?"

"Hah?" Ranma blinked, "No, I hey! Stop putting words in my mouth! I just can't marry two women and that's final. It's not my doing, it's the law "

"The Law of Japan," the old woman replied, "But not of the Amazons of China. I'd give it time if I were you. Most men would find the concept of two pretty women willing to share him highly stimulating if not outright desirable. Tell me if what you see in your mind of the two of them together that is so abhorrent to your moral standards?"

"The two of them together?" Ranma frowned, "What are you talking about ?"

"Foolish boy," the elder sounded mildly exasperated, "Have you never heard of a Manage a Toi, or Threesome?"

"Threesome?" Ranma continued to stare blankly.

The elder took a deep breath and said, "You in the middle, one woman on either side, both of your arms around their waists as their hands play idly with your manly body or even your female one, if you're into same-sex pairings."

Ranma continued to stare blankly, but now the image started to form of himself with Shampoo on one side and Nabiki on the other, both staring at him with adoring expressions and suddenly he felt the urge to take a flying leap into the koi pond!

"I thought as much," the old woman chuckled, "You are a typical male after all, and here I was almost worried for a few seconds there. When Shampoo told me that you and the Tendo girl were both still virgins at your advanced ages I almost did not believe her. Well then, I've said my piece and determined what I needed to know, so I'll leave you to your nocturnal musings as you stand watch over your ladylove. We will talk again in the morning after you are more fully rested."

Ranma watched the old woman as she turned away to leave, then he frowned and called out, "I'm still not marrying Shampoo? Have you got that!"

"We'll see about that," the ancient crone replied as she vanished, chuckling in amusement long after he had lot sight of her diminutive form.

Ranma shook his head to clear it of the lingering confusion he still felt then softly murmured under his breath, "I wonder if her and Kodachi are related ?"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/French Ticklers/How do you spell Three in French?: shadowmane

The training begins, but will Ranma and Nabiki survive it? Be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	18. Chapter 18

NabikiRan16 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 17.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

It's been two days since my last entry, mainly because it rained the night before and I wanted to avoid lightning strikes that might have damaged my valuable computer. Hey, blame me for being cautious, it'd be a while before I could afford to replace it with another.

The events of the last two days have really been something, starting off with the morning following that dramatic revelation about Shampoo and the old woman's delivered ultimatum.

I hadn't really slept too well the night before, and thank god the next day wasn't a school day because I lacked my usual pep and energy, so I was only half asleep when I drifted downstairs looking to enjoy a simple breakfast made by the loving hands of my older sister, Kasumi.

Imagine my surprise when I arrive and find Shampoo was there laying out a carefully prepared gourmet Chinese meal fit to feed several families our size, even taking into account the appetites of our two star resident guests. Kasumi was helping sort everything out when she smiled at me and said, "Hello, Neechan, look what Shampoo brought for us. Isn't it nice of her Great Grandmother to give us this complimentary free meal courtesy of their new restaurant?"

Now several things clicked in my head when I heard Kasumi say that, not least of which was the word "free," which never fails to arouse my suspicions. Contrary to popular belief I don't look forward to everything that has the word "free" attached to it. In my experience no one gives anything away for free, there's always something they want in return, or a hidden price tag to balance out the transaction.

The second major thing that registered were the words "new restaurant." I had no idea that Shampoo and her great grandmother were even going into business, let alone that they were already delivering "free samples." I looked at the feast laid out for us and mentally tabulated the price, then figured it to be one heck of a sample. If that was a sample then I'd like to see what their idea of catering is like!

The third major thing that clicked with me was Shampoo's expression. She looked up at me and smiled, then stood fluidly up and gave me the warmest greeting I had ever seen on this girl who-up until the night before-  
-I had considered my worst rival for the attention of Ranma.

"Nihao," she purred, and with a look that would have looked nice on "Sham-chan" if she were sizing up a canary. She gave me a thorough lookover before adding, "You sleep well, Nabiki?"

"Ah," I believe I might have said, although my thoughts were far from that coherent as I tried to formulate a neutral reply, "Shampoo what are you doing here?"

"Where else Shampoo be?" the Amazon replied, "I spend time with family of Airen, is good practice for bride, yes?"

"Bride?" I may be mistaken but I think my tone was a bit off key and higher pitched than usual.

"Shampoo and her Great Grandmother have moved all the way from China to live in Japan," my sister said with a kind of oblivious pleasantness that may have been even more without a clue than usual, "Isn't that nice?"

"Nice?" I replied, but before I could obtain a more thorough explanation Ranma came wandering in from the garden soaking wet in her girl-type form, muttering something about stuffed Pandas when she saw me.

"Nabiki," she smiled, a smile that broadened when she took in the table full of food but became strained around the edges as she belatedly took in the sight of our guest, "Sh-Shampoo ?"

"Nihao," she replied even more brightly than before, and for some reason I felt a slight irritation at that but couldn't for the life of me explain what it was about her regard of my iinazuke that made me feel so uneasy. She reached for a bowl of steaming hot Ramen with vegetables and held it up for her saying, "Shampoo bring you family breakfast, you like? Is good!"

"Ah " Ranma backed away before giving me a wary glance as if to try and read my expression, then she arched her voice to a low whisper and said, "Nabiki?"

"Apparently," I began to explain for her benefit, "Shampoo and her Great Grandmother have moved from China and set up their own restaurant in Nerima isn't that nice?"

I think that latter part was a bit exaggerated on my part, mocking Kasumi's pleasant tones, which in my voice probably came across as sarcastic.

"Nice?" Ranma repeated, and I'd swear it was an accident on her part that her tone resembled mine as she mimicked my reaction to a T.

"What's this?" I heard Akane say before I turned around to see her shocked and inevitable reaction to the sight of our purple haired wonder, "What is SHE doing here?"

"Nihao," Shampoo said with what must have been her first attempt at irony from the way she smiled without smiling at Akane, "Short tempered girl want special bowl of Ramen? It no too spicy, might even improve disposition."

"Why you " Akane started to move forward when I saw the need for a tactical intervention.

"Shampoo and her Great Grandmother have moved all the way from China to set up a restaurant in town where did you say it was again, Shampoo-san?"

Shampoo gave us the address and my eyebrows climbed a bit closer to my hairline. They were only a few blocks away, practically no time at all for regular commuting, which meant we were probably going to see Shampoo dropping by on a regular basis. Considering how long it usually takes just to get the permits to open an average business establishment, not just an eatery serving Chinese food under foreign ownership, I consider it pretty phenomenal. I decided I would check into the matter as soon as I was able, but at the moment another important point registered on the subliminal level.

I turned my head and caught sight of a by-now familiar walking stick, then heard a slurping sound and looked down to see that there was an extra body sitting-  
or was that standing?-by the table.

The old woman smiled as she looked up at Akane and said, "Sure you won't be having some, dearie? It's very good."

"How did you get in here?" Ranma asked, diverted from her momentary dismay at Shampoo's presence.

"Who are you, Ma'am," I heard my father ask as he came into the room to no doubt determine the cause of the commotion disrupting the morning routine of our household, then he took in our other guest at a glance and said, "Shampoo-san? When did you get back from China?"

I explained to Daddy, feeling like a recording device that was repeating the same lines with only minor variations. He looked at the old woman and said, "Your name is Cologne? As in Cologne the Elder, the Matriarch of the Amazons?"

"The same," the old woman replied, "And you are Tendo Soun, I've heard a great deal about you, and not just from my Great Granddaughter. And I take it this other one is my son-in-law's father, the infamous Saotome Genma?"

"Son in law?" I heard Daddy's tone climb up a notch as his expression grew disapproving, turning to the panda at his side and asking, "Do you know what she means, Saotome?" to which said panda naturally shook his furry head in denial.

"Your Japanese is excellent for someone who just moved to Japan," I heard Kasumi say as though she were trying to tactfully steer the subject away from yet another potential blowup.

"Well," the old woman chuckled, "You don't get to be three hundred years old without learning a few things. And you must be Tendo Kasumi, the one who befriended Shampoo during her last visit."

"Why yes," Kasumi smiled, looking quite pleased at the attention.

"Three hundred years?" I repeated, trying not to sound too ironic as I added, "Gee, and I wouldn't have guessed you were a day over two hundred."

My attempt at humor actually seemed to amuse the ancient looking woman but inwardly I registered her claims at great age to be somewhat dubious at best. True she looked like something left out in the sun to dry for way too much time, but there was something spry and lively about her that seemed to defy the reach of time. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew this old woman was dangerous, maybe a lot more dangerous than Shampoo herself. Of course at the time that I was contemplating this I had no way of conveying my impressions to Ranma.

"What exactly are you doing here?" Ranma asked in suspicion.

"Isn't it obvious, Sonny boy?" the old woman smiled, ignoring the fact that Ranma was currently in female form, "I'm here to begin your training since you don't have your regular school to worry about today. It seems only fair not to waste a perfectly good day, and this is a training dojo, after all "

"Training?" Akane spoke up, "Why do you want to train him?"

"Because the boy is Shampoo's husband," she said with matter-of-fact logic, "That makes him my son-in-law and as much an heir to the Amazon traditions as Shampoo herself. You show great potential as a fighter, but there's plenty of room for improvement and I've been training the warriors of the Nyanichiczu for the past ten generations."

"Excuse me?" Daddy asked in that mildly understated way of his that heralded a major flare up of his emotional side, "I thought we had settled that Ranma doesn't have to marry your great granddaughter. Your laws say she must marry him as a boy but kill him as a girl. Quite obviously this is a mutual contradiction "

"Don't argue semantics with me, boy," Cologne gave my father a withering stare as though sizing him up in a glance, "Ranma is Shampoo's husband, and she's already acknowledged his superiority as a fighter "

"So how does that make him into her husband?" Akane wanted to know, "Just because the jerk knows some fancy moves doesn't mean those two deserve each other. Besides, the Baka's already engaged to my sister, Nabiki."

"That's right!" Daddy declared, reassured that at least someone else was taking his position, "Ranma will marry my daughter, Nabiki, and carry on the Anything Goes tradition. It's already been decided and you'll just have to get used to the idea."

"Three thousand years of Chinese Amazon tradition are on the line here," Cologne said with clear irritation in her voice, "You're going to have to make the concessions here as there is no way I will allow my great granddaughter to be passed over because of a foolish promise you two gentlemen made to one another."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma sniffed, "But there's no way I'm marrying Shampoo, you got that? This ain't China, it's Japan, and the law here says I can marry whoever I want!"

"I thought we already had established that you can marry the Tendo girl and still be acknowledged as Shampoo's husband," the old woman shot back, "Shampoo explained everything to me about your devotion to Nabiki, but there's no reason for you to choose one above the other, so why are you being so stubborn about accepting the marriage?"

"Excuse me," Kasumi said politely, "But isn't having two wives considered bigamy? I've read up about the laws in China, and you must admit that Ranma does have a point. If he married both of them it wouldn't be legal."

"You're talking about the laws of Japan and China," Cologne replied with surprising gentleness in her tone, "But Amazon law goes beyond traditional boundaries and the petty laws erected by shortsighted men. It applies to Amazons wherever they go. If it were otherwise then they could escape the law by simply moving to a different province. Shampoo is the current reigning Champion of our village, and as such she is expected to set an example for the other girls in her age class. As Matriarch of the tribe I am expected to uphold that example. To defy tradition would bring dishonor to our house and family, something I know Shampoo does not want and I will not permit, so I'm afraid that I will have to insist on declaring the marriage legal. Ranma is Shampoo's husband and Nabiki Tendo is their acknowledged consort."

"What?" I declared, feeling suddenly as though I had been devalued.

"That is how the laws of the Joketsuzoku will view you," Cologne replied gravely, "So go ahead and marry the boy in Japan. Let the law here consider your marriage legitimate, you are effectively already married to both Shampoo and Ranma by my great granddaughter's decision."

"You can't make my Nabiki accept such an arrangement!" Daddy declared hotly, glaring hard at the old woman as he continued, "She will marry Ranma and no other! That is my decision as head of this household "

"Silk was right about you, you are cute when you get angry," Cologne smiled at my father in a way that caused him to abruptly fall silent, and I wondered what unspoken message was being conveyed here. Who was Silk, and why did Daddy looked so pale all of a sudden.

"Silk?" Akane frowned, "What are you talking about? What's she talking about, Dad?"

"Ah " our father stammered, and I saw Genma glanced skyward as though to avoid looking in our direction, "Nothing nothing to be concerned about here. Would you mind explaining to me how it is that your laws permit a man to have more than one wife?"

"It's rare but it has sometimes been known to happen," Cologne replied gravely, "When two warriors of equal or similar rank share a common interest in the same man it is permitted for them to agree to share joint status as co-wives. This was done to insure domestic harmony as only women who have explored the unique problems faced by such an arrangement are likely to agree to co-marriage. It was also done to insure the continuance of family lines, which are always countered as descending from the mother's family side of the union. Also too the modern age too often tempts our younger men to leave the village in favor of the big cities so that there are fewer boys of marriageable age than young women. Sharing a man is preferable to having two warriors fight with only the winner taking him for a husband. Far better to share than for entire families to die out without issue."

"I see," Kasumi remarked, "When put that way it does sound like a sensible arrangement."

I was flabbergasted to see my older sister was conceding to such a thing, but before I could say anything Ranma beat me to the punch.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she said, "You not only want me to marry both women but start a family together with 'em both?"

"If you don't think you're man enough to satisfy to women simultaneously then I could suggest some techniques to build up your stamina," the old woman said with a totally straight expression.

"Forget it!" Ranma declared flatly, "I'm not marrying nobody just because some dried up old ghoul says I've got to! You think I'm some kind of a prize trophy you can carry off back to China or something?"

"Ranma," Shampoo suddenly shot to her feet, "You no want Amazon Bride? That fine with Shampoo! Who want pervert boy who turn into girl but think he man enough for Amazon? You no that special," and with a huff she folded her arms under her ample chest and turned her back on him as though to ignore her.

Ranma stood where she was looking flabbergasted at the sudden change in tone, and with her pride being so obviously rebuffed she naturally fell into a trap that I could see coming from a mile away, "Wha-? Wait a minute here, Shampoo! I'm not saying that you're not attractive or nothin', and you are a pretty nice girl when you wanna be, but you can't expect me to just go along with this I mean, it ain't right! One guy with two girls "

"So you say," Shampoo snorted, "Sound like cheap excuse, you no want to be man enough for both Shampoo and Nabiki."

"Huh?" now I really could see Ranma's pride was being dented as she took another step into the relentless trap Shampoo was building, "I'm man enough! I'm not rejecting you because of that, and if there's anybody besides Nabiki I wouldn't mind spending some time with well you'd be at the top of the list, but "

"Then why you so reluctant say so?" Shampoo gave her a haughty glance over her shoulder, and it suddenly occurred to me just whose style she was copying by these coy little gestures, "You think Shampoo some worthless cow no can date because she no worthy you notice?"

"Hey, that's not it at all!" Ranma protested for the third time, taking a step forward, "I think you're great! I mean, not just as a martial artist, but you're a well you're just nice and-HEY!"

The latter part was said in protest of the hot water that was being rudely poured over her head by Ranma's father, who had already converted back from panda form.

"Tell her, boy," Genma advised, "Be a man about it. Show her why you can only marry Nabiki and no other."

"I " Ranma looked at his now-male body then unconsciously straightened out as he turned to regard Shampoo with an earnest expression, "Shampoo it's not like I wanted it to be this way, and I guess I do owe you something for putting you on the spot like this I I don't want to see you hurt or dishonored or nothing like that I "

"You no have to say anything, Ranma," Shampoo fully turned her back on him, though I had seen the coy study she had given him once he had completed his transformation and knew her tone to be patently false as she said, "You no want to be man, you only want to have way with Amazon girl then no marry because you think you too good for her. Shampoo no want boy who think she worthless pig dung "

Ranma made a strangled sound of frustration and took a step forward before he managed to get out, "You're not worthless! I think you well you're special. It's just I mean I want I "

"Yes?" Shampoo halfway turned towards him with a questioning look in her eyes, "What you want, Ranma?"

I saw him hesitating as if he were only just beginning to suspect how far he was sticking his neck out, and with everybody watching him intently his innate shyness came into play, "Uh well, you're special, that's just it. You know what I mean?"

"No," she smiled, "But maybe you tell sometime, if you think Shampoo important."

Ranma looked stymied, but his expression darkened when the old woman began to laugh softly at his discomfort. He glared at her and said, "What's so funny?"

"You, Sonny Boy," Cologne replied, "Here you are a great fighter, able to defeat my great granddaughter and win the heart of the Tendo girl, but given a simple task like telling either girl how you really feel about them you just go all to pieces."

"Hey!" Ranma protested, "You think it's easy? What would you know about it, you dried up old OW!"

Quicker than a striking cobra the old woman's staff struck out and hit Ranma hard enough to drive him to his knees. Cologne perched atop her staff and said, "You left yourself wide open there, Sonny Boy, and who are you calling dried up? I'll have you know when I was Shampoo's age I was considered quite a beauty."

"I've had just about enough out of you!" Ranma snarled as he struck out with one hand, only to once again receive a rap on the head as the old woman evaded him with ease. Ranma straightened up and tried to find the old woman but was a little too slow in getting his guard up and got clobbered again, only this time he was braced to receive the impact.

"Too slow, Son-In-Law," the old woman taunted, "You've got to be faster than that if you want to stand up to an Amazon, let alone the supreme elder of the Joketsuzoku."

"Why you " Ranma cried as the old woman vaulted out the door into the back garden area, and then the fight began in earnest, raging from one end of the yard to the other and back into the house again with a rapid exchange of punches and kicks that literally defied the eye to follow. Ranma fought with a ferocity I'd not seen since the skating match, only here he was faced by an opponent who actually surpassed him in ability as was plain even to me from the onset.

"Looks like Ranma's in way over his head," I heard Akane note as she idly sipped from her bowl of rapidly cooling Ramen. I noticed that everyone else was digging in, ignoring the fight as though it were taking part in some other province. I might well have joined them myself but for some reason I did not feel all that hungry at the moment.

Shampoo joined me on the porch as we watched the exchange between Ranma and her Grandmother, but seeing how the old woman was playing with our mutual love interest I turned my attention to her and said, "Shampoo what's this all about? What are you and the old woman up to setting up that restaurant so close to our house?"

She glanced briefly at me and made a tiny smirk, then said, "We already tell you, sneaky girl. Shampoo come for husband and co-wife and Great Grandmother here to see that bride not go home empty handed."

"It's that simple for you, is it?" I asked, pausing to turn to the side as Cologne and Ranma rushed past us without seeming to notice us in the passing, "You press your suit and you expect the both of us to go along with you?"

Shampoo turned fully to me and said, "You angry because Shampoo deceive you, pretend to be harmless Sham-  
chan to get close to Sneaky Girl. You wonder why Shampoo do this thing?"

"No," I replied with a sigh, "You had your reasons, what with the trick I pulled on you, and your Great Grandmother knocking you into that cursed spring "

"Hmph," Shampoo sniffed, but I saw her reddish brown eyes turn down in reflective thought, "You not know what it like to be cursed, to feel body change, to lose part of you self when you become something different. It no like any experience you know, so Shampoo very unhappy, even more unhappy learn that cursed form is thing most feared by Ranma."

I looked into her expression and read the pain that was there and I wondered how it was that I could feel empathy for someone who had violated my trust so thoroughly and invaded my privacy on a level that no one else ever had. By all rights I should have been angry with her, or furious, or called her names and told her to leave, but instead I just looked at her and regretted my part in ever causing her to suffer.

"Shampoo," I said, Ignoring the close duel taking place between Ranma and Cologne only a few meters away from us, "When when you were a cat and pretending to be my pet "

"Yes?" she asked, meeting my gaze with her own neutral expression.

"Were you really just pretending with me?" I asked, knowing as I said this that it was the question I had most wanted to ask her since the night before. In many ways I was still in shock about the revelation of her cat curse, but I've had a lot of practice in controlling my emotions and not allowing them to overrule my judgement.

"How you mean?" she asked, looking confused although I suspect she already knew what I was asking.

"I " I started to say when instinct cause both of us to step away from one another as the space between us was suddenly filled with the hurtling shape of Ranma, arcing like a guided missile on an unerring course towards the koi pond.

"Three thousand years of Chinese Amazon history can't be defeated that easily, Boy," Cologne said, "Now come on! Put some back into it! Show me what you're really got and don't hold back just because I'm a frail and helpless old woman."

"Frail?" we heard Ranma sputter as she climbed out of the koi pond, looking like an indignant wet hen but in no way diminishing her fighting spirit.

"Ranma!" both Shampoo and I said in unison, but as we each turned towards the kitchen we found Kasumi standing there with two outstretched kettles as if she had expected this long in advance of anyone else. We both thanked her and were rewarded by her gentle smile as we then turned and rushed into the garden as though in a race to see which one of us would get there first to offer a kettle to Ranma.

By all rights Shampoo should have beaten me by a country mile, but I suspect that she was holding back a little on my account, so it really wasn't that much of a race as I was breathing hard and she was not. Ranma looked at both of us questioningly, then rather than favor one over the other she took both kettles and upended them over her head, changing back to male form as he filled out before our eyes, and I'm pretty sure both Shampoo and me enjoyed a similar thrill in witnessing this by-now familiar transformation.

"All right," Ranma said as he assumed a fighting crouch, "Where were we?"

"Right about here," the old woman chuckled, and suddenly she headed for the wall, vaulting it easily.

"Hey, come back here! I'm not done with you yet!" Ranma cried and promptly followed Cologne over the wall in a single bound.

"Haiya," Shampoo remarked at my side, "Ranma still want challenge Elder? He very determined fighter."

"More like too stubborn to admit he's outclassed," I replied with a sigh, "A regular glutton for punishment."

"We go see how fight turns out, yes?" Shampoo asked me in an almost comradely fashion.

"Why not?" I shrugged, "I'm a glutton for punishment too. Must be in both our natures."

Almost the entire household joined us as we followed the chase for a couple of blocks until we arrived at a crossroads between alleys where the fight had taken on a really bizarre dimension as we found Ranma faced by not one Cologne but no less than eighteen separate versions surrounding him in a circle. I was wondering what the heck was going on there when my father clarified everything for me.

"It's the legendary Amazon Splitting Cat Hairs!" he declared in that emotional way of his that showed me he still had great passion for the art, "Oh, that I should live to see it!" to which Genma, at his side, nodded in agreement.

It occurred to me just then that Daddy was displaying more familiarity with Amazon lore and culture than I would have thought likely under the circumstances and I remembered the brief mention of someone named Silk who was apparently a mutual acquaintance between himself and Cologne, and with a name like that it was not hard to draw the association. There was a lot more to the story here than I had even suspected, but at the moment it was Ranma's dilemma that held my primary interest.

I had not until that moment suspected that the old woman was some sort of magician, or a very skilled illusionist, but it was plain enough to me that Ranma could not tell one image from another, and as a consequence was being clobbered at random. I analyzed the attack pattern Cologne was using and saw at once how difficult it would be to sort between the images to find the real Elder, but it dawned on me one way that Ranma could overcome the distracting barrage that surrounded him from all sides.

"Ranma!" I called out as I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, "Don't look at the images! That's just how she's trying to confuse you! Use your other senses!"

Ranma apparently heard me or had been working it out for himself along parallel channels because I saw him close his eyes and relax his posture, and after a moment he suddenly turned and pointed. To my surprise it wasn't Cologne's images that caught his interest as he vaulted over them to where a kid was chewing on a piece of fried chicken. Snatching the drumstick out of the kids hand he lobbed it high into the air and suddenly the images faded as the real Cologne snatched the drumstick out of mid air and began eating.

"Hah!" Ranma declared while the kid he robbed was giving him a blank-eyed expression, "I got you!"

"I knew I shouldn't have started this fight on an empty stomach," Cologne remarked as she spat out the chicken bone, then smiled at Ranma and said, "You're not half bad, Son-In-Law. That was an excellent strategy, even if the Tendo girl did kibitz on the side. You show great potential we'll pick this up again another time."

And with that she vaulted away again as Ranma declared hotly, "Hey! Come back here!" and went after her again.

"Hiyaa," Shampoo turned away from the battlefield to look at me in mild surprise, "You see right through Great Grandmother's attack? You are potent Lore Master "

"Shampoo," I said, "What is a Lore Master? You keep calling me that, but I don't know what it is!"

"No can say much," Shampoo replied evasively, "Great Grandmother say it not Shampoo place to tell you. You find out when Lore Master come to Nerima to teach you "

"What?" I said, "You mean your Great Grandmother isn't going to do the job herself?" I inwardly shuddered, having just witnessed the old woman's notion of training.

The purple haired wonder before me shook her head sadly and replied, "Great Grandmother War Master, no Lore Master. She teach Ailen because he great War Master potential, but Lore Master very different kind of discipline. Among Amazons the Lore Master command much respect, very powerful, no like other kinds of Amazons, like Warriors, Mages and Healers."

"Wait a second," I said, "You mean not everybody in Joketsuzoku is a Warrior?"

"Trained for war, but no everyone become warrior," Shampoo replied, "Amazons have different casts workers and laborers on bottom; merchants, craftsman and artisans above, then come Warriors and Healers with Mages and Lore Masters above that. Tribe reflect all disciplines, all casts represented by Elders. Great Grandmother senior Elder of tribe, oldest woman of Amazons, but even she respect Lore Master Lo Xion, who is greatest of village."

"Lotion?" I replied with a very odd sense of ennui at hearing the name being spoken, "She's the one coming here to train me?"

Shampoo nodded, "Amazon warrior arts three thousand year history, but Lore Masters much, much more ancient than Amazons themselves. Lore Masters are preservers of tribal history and culture, know many things, are keepers of Knowledge. You know when Elder Lo Xion arrive, that when you training begin, and Shampoo no say anything more about it."

"Right," I said, "But suppose I don't want this Lore Master training? I'm perfectly content the way I am, thank you. I don't suppose she'd turn around and leave if I said this?"

The Amazon looked at me as if I had suddenly grown horns and a tail and was sporting a pair of fangs like an Oni. She blinked once then in a voice that held the tremble of honest fear replied, "No one refuse Lo Xion the Elder. Even Great Grandmother no challenge her when she make declaration. They no get along very much, but Great Grandmother much respect Lo Xion and take counsel she advise. No one else Great Grandmother give way to but Lo Xion. You no want refuse her if she decide you be Lore Master."

I had to take that one in slowly. The idea that there was somebody the old woman was afraid of was scary, to say the least. I decided not to press the issue any farther until this mysterious Lotion showed up and explains things herself in terms that I can understand and relate to. If there is one thing living with Ranma has taught me it's that future can't always be anticipated, and that whatever is going to happen will happen whether or not we have anything to say about the matter.

We returned home and it was not long before Ranma showed up again looking slightly flustered but no worse for wear, for which I was very grateful. Shampoo excused herself and hopped onto a bike she had left in our yard, so things began to slowly return to normal as the afternoon turned into evening. Everything seemed a bit too routine up to that point until we heard Ranma cry something out just as sunset was upon us.

"IT'S TOO HOT!"

I was sitting in the den doing some figures in my ledger when I heard Ranma's feminine cry of pain and dismay, so naturally I was on my feet and headed towards the bathroom a bit ahead of all the others. In fact Kasumi was the only one who came close to matching my time as we found Ranma sitting naked on the floor looking as though her left arm and right leg had been badly scalded. I was about to ask her what was the matter when she looked at me and declared, "The water is boiling!"

"Oh?" Kasumi asked with surprise as she knelt down to the tub and tested the water with her fingers, "Did you leave it running too high? Oh my it feels perfectly normal, barely even tepid."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ranma flared, "I can barely touch it!"

"Calm down, Ranma," I assured, then went to confirm Kasumi's conclusion as I added, "You're right, Oneechan. There's nothing hot about this water are you sure you tested it, Ranma-chan?"

"Yes! She declared flatly, holding up a reddened hand before adding, "I tried washing myself down before entering the furro but even the bucket water was scalding hot! You think I'd make something like this up, Nabiki? I'm telling you that water is boiling!"

Before I could ask what he meant I heard a tell tale chuckle and looked up to once again find the old woman perched atop the window sill. She smiled sardonically down at al of us then asked, "Having a little trouble with the hot water, Son-In-Law? What you're feeling is the Full-Body Cat tongue Pressure Point, which I touched on you during our little conversation along the Torii in the park."

"The Full-Body Cat Tongue pressure point?" I said, wondering if Elder Cologne was deliberately going for every reference to cats that she could possibly come up with.

"Yes," the Elder explained, "Now your whole body is as sensitive as a Cat's tongue, and we all know how sensitive that is! Even the slightest variation in heat above normal temperatures will feel like scalding hot water, and your reactions will be exactly as if the water is burning hot, too hot for you to touch "

"But," Kasumi interjected, "If Ranma can't touch even moderately warm water "

"Then that means Ranma can't change back into a guy!" I concluded for her in horror.

"Can't change back into a guy?" I heard Ranma whisper and saw the dawning horror on her expression as she thought that one over.

"Now maybe you'll show some respect to your Elders in the future," Cologne noted, "Only I can reverse the Cat Tongue, and I won't do that unless you convince me that you're worthy of my respect, Son-In-Law, like maybe if you agree to marry Shampoo or accept the group marriage."

"Why you-!" Ranma snarled and launched herself at the Elder, who naturally vanished before he could get to her, which left her hanging in mid-air right over the bathwater that she now regarded as being too hot to touch.

"Ranma!" I cried as I saw the baka fall into the water, scrambling to get her out again, and with Kasumi's help we did manage to get her out again before she could suffer too much psychosomatic damage.

"Let me know when you're ready to act like a man!" I heard Cologne call from outside before her laughter faded into the distance, leaving us with a struggling Ranma who felt hot to the touch and was muttering to herself about never being a guy again, which for her must have been her near-ultimate nightmare.

We managed to lay Ranma out on the Tatami mats in his room, which admittedly she has not made much use of lately since he seems to prefer to sleep outside my window. Kasumi put an ice pack over her head while I watched Ranma until her eyelashes fluttered and she regained consciousness again. Once she had Ranma sat upright and discovered-to her considerable chagrin-that she was wearing one of my old neglig es, which I'd snatched up from my room on the fly without really thinking too much about it. The moment she looked down at herself I regretted my impulsive action the negligee hardly concealed her feminine figure and I know pretty well how she feels when he looks down at her own body.

"Ranma," I said quickly to head off a certain blowup, "You know why she did this to you, don't you? She's trying to force your hand. You don't have to give into her. Don't let this affect you, put up with it for now until we can think of some way to get her to change you back."

"Put up with it?" Ranma turned to me in outrage, "Look at me! I'm a guy, dammit! How am I supposed to go through life looking like this?"

"It's not so bad being a girl, Ranma," Kasumi gently pointed out, "And you do seem to be enjoying it more often lately, especially when it comes to getting free food and favors."

"Yeah," I winced a little, wishing Kasumi had not put it like that, "But what matters is what you are inside, Ranma, not the outside packaging. Try and keep in mind who and what you are "

"How can you say that?" Ranma turned towards me and I suddenly saw the pain in his expression, "You of all people! Don't you care at all that I that I can't that I I may never " she turned away and I could tell she was on the verge of crying.

"I care, Ranma," I whispered, wondering if I should say any more, not wanting to add to her turmoil or to confuse her by admitting to too much considering what conventional views he had in regards to sexual behavior for both genders, but I knew he had to hear something or he would break inside, "I care about you! You the person inside that's what matters to me most. The rest well I like you as a guy quite a lot, and I'll be sorry if you never are that way again, but I refuse to believe that this is a permanent problem. Cologne said it was reversible which means she knows a way to undo it "

"And all I gotta do is give in and do what she says," I heard the depression in her sigh, then Ranma added, "Nabiki thank you. Thank for saying that, but you deserve better than being engaged to some pervert freak like me! I've got to get back to my real self or or I'll go crazy!"

"Then perhaps you should both consider doing what she says in this matter," Kasumi surprised us both by suggesting. "The old woman seems convinced that you can work things out with her great granddaughter, and Shampoo is willing to have the both of you in a three-way marriage."

If anyone else but my gentle, compassionate, saintly older sister had said those words I think Ranma would have exploded in their face. As it was I was looking at her as if I'd never really seen her before, for her thoughts had mirrored mine on this matter, but she was the last person on Earth that I would have considered likely to come up with such a suggestion.

"You mean give into her?" Ranma flared, "No way! I can't I mean Kasumi, you've got to be kidding me! Marry both girls at the same time? That's "

"I know," Kasumi replied, "But it is at least one possible solution to your problem. You do like Shampoo, don't you? And she is a very nice girl who deserves as much happiness as she can find in life, which isn't easy considering her situation. If group marriage is legal in their society, and Elder Cologne agrees that you can marry Nabiki under formal Japanese law, then a marriage with Shampoo won't really be bigamy. Legally here you would only have one wife and a mistress. I know Nabiki wouldn't mind such an arrangement, so perhaps you ought to consider this as one way to resolve your current problem."

I colored somewhat as Ranma looked at me and asked, "You wouldn't mind having Shampoo and me both?"

"Ranma," I said, "It's all right with me. I'd want to have you under any kind of circumstances, and I don't really mind Shampoo as much as maybe somebody else who'd be a lot harder to get along with. I won't put any kind of pressure on you, and it's your decision, but I'll support you all the way no matter what you decide. If regaining your manhood means accepting Shampoo as a co-  
wife, or a Mistress, then I guess it wouldn't be so bad. We could work something out, just as long as we at least get to share you."

Ranma had an unusually thoughtful expression as she mulled that over in her head, then she shook her head, "No, even if you are willing to sacrifice like that for me, I can't allow it. You deserve a real marriage to a real guy, Nabiki, and if I'm gonna be that guy I can't give into that old witch. Besides, if I do what she says now she'll know she can have her way with me any time in the future! I've gotta draw the line somewhere, and this might as well be it! I swear I'm gonna be a guy again if it kills me! If I have to beat it out of the old ghoul I will, but no way am I gonna give in and let her push me into marriage!"

I felt conflicting emotions of pride and dismay at his words. Did he really think that marrying Shampoo would be that big a sacrifice? I'd share him with Kodachi if it meant giving him back the manhood he so prized and that I wanted almost as badly! Of course I wasn't being completely honest with her in not admitting my real feelings concerning her female side. I could even live with her being like that for the rest of our lives and not complain about any "sacrifice" just as long as it was him inside. Still the fact that he believed I deserved something better made me want him more than ever-or her as the case might be and Kami above does it ever get confusing keeping up with these switching genders!

Anyway that all took place yesterday, but the events of the next morning were almost as surprising. I guess for economy's sake and the lateness of the hour I should encapsulate those events. Put simply Ranma called in sick and did not go to school, but he had an encounter with Shampoo just as I got out of school and caught up with them both. Shampoo had just clobbered Kuno, which confirmed in my mind that she no longer considered him even remotely attached to her, when she called us both aside to a local playground and explained to us that she knew of a solution to Ranma's problem.

"The Phoenix Pill?" Ranma repeated the words Shampoo had just spoken to us, referring to the legendary bird that is consumed by fire to be reborn into a new life.

"Yes," Shampoo smiled brightly, "It convey great resistance to heat to whoever consume it. You want be man again you just need pill to counter Full Body Cat Tongue."

"All right!" Ranma declared like a drowning man-uh, girl?-being handed a life preserver, "Where can I find it? Tell me already!"

"Great Grandmother have it," Shampoo replied as Ranma leaped to her feet and gave a whooping shout of delight as she ran off vowing to get the pill from the old woman or die in the effort.

I watched her go then turned back with suspicion and eyed Shampoo closely before saying, "Shampoo what are you up to?"

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, but I wasn't buying her cute act this time.

"I think you know pretty well what I mean," I replied, "Why are you coming forward with a solution now when you might have told us the night before?"

"I only learn about Great Grandmother deed this morning," Shampoo replied as she rose to her feet and cupped her hands together with a look of devotion, "I want Ranma boy-type back. You want her remain girl pervert girl?"

"Huh?" I frowned, "Who are you calling a Hentai?"

"Who you think?" Shampoo turned a coy look my way, "Think Shampoo not know you like girls as well as boys? You no protest when Shampoo propose co-marriage you think that only mean we share Ranma boy-type together?"

"Ah " I felt myself flushing crimson once again.

Shampoo turned and her smile deepened, "Beside this, Shampoo remember pretty well what pervert girl do with Shampoo while in cursed form. You pretty free with use of hands, you no know what that feel like to have body stroked that way? Maybe I give pervert girl taste of own medicine maybe even you like that?"

I took a step away, knowing full well what the girl in front of me was capable of doing, "Ah I don't think that will be necessary and shouldn't we follow Ranma to see she doesn't get into trouble trying to take that pill from your Great Grandmother?"

"You right about that," Shampoo replied, "But you think change subject get you off hook you very mistaken."

I was extremely nervous and conscious of Shampoo's presence as she led the way to the Nekohanten restaurant that she and the Elder had just opened. As we approached, however, we heard the sounds of a commotion within, and one second later Ranma herself came projectiling out the door to land with a crash amid some bags of garbage. Even as my companion and I took this in we saw Ranma get unsteadily back to her feet before staggering back into the restaurant, only to have the process repeated with her being ejected much more forcefully into the wall behind the garbage.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo explained, "He cannot beat Great Grandmother. Ranma only get hurt if he keep trying."

This time Ranma left a visible dent in the wall as she once again collided with it, but to our complete amazement she staggered back to her feet once again and forced her way into the doors of the establishment. When she came sailing out a forth time I'd decided I'd had enough and stepped forward to put a stop to the matter.

"Ranma, give it up!" I said, "You can't beat her directly, she's way too good for you. You'll just get seriously hurt if you keep trying."

"I'm not gonna give up," Ranma growled as she forced herself into a crawling position, "I'm gonna get that pill no matter what it takes "

"Baka!" I all but shouted in her ears, "Do you think I want to see you get beat up like this? You can't do this by the direct approach. You've got to think, plan, try to come up with another way of beating her. Stop playing the game by her rules "

All of a sudden Ranma snatched a leaflet up that had been lying on the ground in her path and cried out, "This is it! This is the answer!"

I was too floored by the sudden change in his mood to more than register his rapid recovery from the pummeling she had been taking. Ranma rushed into the Nekohanten-or "Cat Caf " (another coy reference to Cats again?)-and cried, "Hey, Old Woman! Is this offer of a job for real?"

"Job?" I repeated, wondering why I somehow knew that I was not going to like hearing about this one bit, and of course I hate being right so blasted often

Yes a Job. Ranma is now a waitress working for Shampoo's Great Grandmother, a convenient position to give her plenty of opportunities to take the pill away from the Elder, who is just as conveniently wearing a necklace with the words "Phoenix Pill" written on the pendant in plain kanji. The set up was perfect, if maybe a little too obvious, but Ranma's determined to play this game through and try to corner Cologne into giving him the antidote to the Cat Tongue.

You've got to admire such persistence, or the kind of stupidity and stubborn pride that won't let Ranma admit when he's outclassed, no matter how skilled the opponent. Cologne has-by her claim-three hundred years more experience in the art than Ranma herself but still Ranma won't back down in the face of a challenge. She's convinced that the only way to get her manhood back is to get that pill, and she's so focused on that idea that she won't even recognize what kind of a fool she's making of herself by putting on that cute little dress and apron and dancing to Cologne's tune as the old woman juggles bowls of hot Ramen off Ranma's head and body.

At first I wondered what the old woman was up to, but then it became plain to me that she was baiting Ranma to move faster and with greater agility than he has ever had to do before. In effect she is training him to build up his speed and coordination and the baka doesn't even suspect that he's merely a puppet dancing to the tune of an expert piper.

All that happened today, and now I'm reflecting that events are taking a decidedly weird turn what with the way Cologne keeps playing with my poor Ranma, who came home too exhausted to do any roof climbing. For the first time in several weeks my iinazuke isn't perched outside my window watching the stars as he drifts to sleep at night, and I find myself missing his comforting and protecting presence immensely...

"Shampoo was right about you."

"What?" Nabiki suddenly stopped writing at her terminal, looking up in shock to find the Elder was perched on her desk peering at her from over the computer console.

"You are a very shrewd and perceptive customer," Cologne replied, "I think we may actually get along in the future, after everything quiets down and you and Son-In-  
Law have finally come to accept your place at the side of my Great Granddaughter.

Nabiki stifled the impulse to ask how the old woman had gotten into her room and instead put on her neutral act, "You're presuming a lot with that statement. Why exactly are you here, Elder?"

"Very good," Cologne said perceptively, "You marshal your feelings and hide them very well. More and more I see that Shampoo was correct in believing that you have the qualities of a Lore Master."

"Are we back to that again?" Nabiki frowned, "You didn't come here to tell me that. Mind telling me what you're really up to, and why are you tormenting poor Ranma?"

"The boy is growing stronger even if he may appear to do otherwise," Cologne replied, "And as for what I am doing here, I have a question of my own to ask. Earlier yesterday when Shampoo came close to gaining an admission of affection from Son-In-Law that was your influence showing through her, was it not?"

"Eh?" Nabiki blinked, remembering the coy, vampish way Shampoo had teased Ranma, "Um I guess maybe she did learn a little bit of that from me "

"She watched you play with the boy for several days," Cologne remarked, "She said that you can make him dance to your tune with very little effort, and I can see that you do know how to use your charms to gain an advantage. She seems to admire you a great deal for that, and it shows in her behavior since she was never so coy with the boys of our village growing up. You have taught her to be subtle, for which I owe you great thanks as that is one lesson I have never been too successful in teaching "

"You don't seem to suffer much from it yourself," Nabiki replied, "Look I know you're only doing what you think is best for Shampoo, but you've got to know that playing with Ranma like that could turn him into a lifelong enemy. He's a very proud guy and he doesn't like being pushed into anything. If you really want him to accept Shampoo you're going to have to back off a little and let him think it's his decision."

"Perhaps you are correct," Cologne conceded, "We will see. If he can gain the Phoenix Pill then he will have the right to choose his destiny. I have waited a very long time to meet a student with as much potential as he displays. Perhaps at long last I have met the worthy heir I have been seeking to pass my knowledge down to as Shampoo has proven to be somewhat more limited than I was hoping in my own Great Granddaughter."

Nabiki frowned, "You're disappointed in her? Why? She seems like the perfect Amazon "

"Not so perfect," Cologne sighed, "She reminds me a little too much of myself at her age, and I would spare her much of the heartache that I had to suffer. At any rate she is learning more by being around the pair of you than she ever did growing up in our village. Perhaps we shall prolong our stay in Japan for a while and treat it as a special form of training. With Son-In-Law to keep us both amused we may even achieve the breakthrough results that I have long wanted in my granddaughters child. Time will tell, but at any rate your own development will be something to watch, albeit from the sidelines."

"You mean my Lore Master training?" Nabiki frowned, "I hope you don't expect me to jump through hoops like poor Ranma."

"That is not for me to say," Cologne turned away with a sad expression, "I will not be the one to supervise your training, as you have already been informed. In point of fact I am meeting my fellow Elder in a few hours and she will be the one who makes the final determination over your case. I merely wished to have the opportunity to share a few words with you in passing. For what it's worth I do admire you, you have a ready mind and an able set of quick responses to a crisis situation. It takes rare moxie to pull off what you almost did with my Great Granddaughter, nearly engaging her to the village idiot of your High School. That was a clever diagnosis of my technique, by the way the Splitting Hairs maneuver could only be beaten by one who looks beyond their physical senses. You and Son-In-Law share a great deal in common. It is a very sincere pleasure to know the both of you, and we will talk more about this in the future."

The old woman's voice drifted off into the night as Nabiki sat where she was, then got to her feet and called out, "Oh yeah? Well next time try choosing better hours!"

She sat back down, staring at the console screen before her, then slowly rested her head in on her palms and sighed, "Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?"

She silently and fervently hoped that no higher power was listening. The last thing she wanted was to know the answer of her softly voiced question

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cat-Tastrophes in the making: shadowmane

The Lore Master arrives, and Ranma learns how to pluck Chestnuts be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	19. Chapter 19

NabikiRan17 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Eighteen.

The crowded terminal of Tokyo International Airport was busy with the hubbub of daily human traffic going to and fro to their appointed flights, so no one took much notice of the old woman standing by herself in the midst of all the casual confusion. Had any cared to pay much attention they might have mistaken her for a child's plaything as her diminutive stature gave little indication of the gravity and command of her station.

Cologne was quietly contemplating the modern marvels of the outside world, and by that she did not mean the sleek modern jets, which were noisy and excessive in their use of fossil fuel power. Nor was the presence of so many times more people than were known to live in and around the area of Joketsuzoku itself of much interest. Instead what held her fascination were the dispensary machines that offered every kind of useless good, from the pre-  
packaged foods and carbonated beverages to the tobacco products that were ten times more lethal than anything else associated with air travel. The one that caught her eye, of course, was the dispensary that offered life insurance in case of an accidental crash on board an airplane. That was truly curious to her since the statistics clearly demonstrated that travel by air was far safer than the risks involved in ground travel.

She chalked it up to the anxiety that modern people felt when placing their lives and welfare in the hand of the flight crew and a machine designed to fly the length of an ocean. It only took reports of one crash to make some people dread the possibility that they would be next, even if logic said otherwise. That people traveled by plane every day with relatively little mishap was a fact that failed to reassure them, so they put their trust in a policy all but anonymously co-written by the logic of a computer. She supposed the gesture was meant to appeal to their basic superstition but she wondered how they intended to collect on their policy should their Karma be against them.

All at once she put aside foolish considerations of such mundane matters, straightening self-consciously as a prickling down her spine informed her that she was no longer alone. She turned her head slightly as she sensed a figure as it stepping out from between the folds of time and space, translating itself to her chosen destination. One moment later a second elderly woman joined the first as Kho Lon, the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, regarded Lo Xion, her fellow Elder and one-time friend, now bitter rival and a force to be respected.

"So," the newly arrived Elder remarked in their native language, "Where is this supposed Lore Master apprentice you wished for me to see, Matriarch?"

"I will take you to see her," Cologne replied, "I trust your trip was uneventful?"

"Folding myself into the timespace gap of the cargo bay was hardly a relaxing flight," the other old woman said with slightly ruffled dignity, "But I can't complain about the accommodations, and not all of us can ride a carriage borne by four trained birds, now can we?"

"I see your sense of humor is the same as always," Cologne snorted, "This way, I have rendered the services of a cab, it will take us to Nerima where you may judge for yourself the quality of your new apprentice."

"I trust you haven't briefed her too much on what is to be expected upon my arrival," Lotion asked as she and Cologne fell into step together as they departed the crossroads terminal, "It would be a shame to build up her expectations should it prove that she is not as worthy of my interest as you suggested in our communion."

"I think you will be far from disappointed in this one," Cologne assured her fellow elder, "I have observed her myself and believe her potential is exceptional. She knows nothing about her new destiny and has only been informed that you will be paying her a visit."

"And when did I last allow myself to rely upon your judgement?" Lotion sniffed snappishly, then her tone grew level, "I sense that there is more to your story than you wish to share at present. The boy whom your great granddaughter claims for her Airen intrigues you, and you find his other potential wife almost as intriguing a challenge. You believe that you could do as well in teaching her if she had your inclinations."

"I will confess that I believe that she would make an impressive warrior," Cologne admitted, "She has ignored her earlier training in the warrior arts for almost ten years, but at the rate with which she seems able to learn and adapt to new techniques I believe that it would only require that she hone her reflexes and build up her stamina to where she could fight at her full potential. However I also believe that her way is not that of a fighter. She is of the opinion that she can get by perfectly well on her wits rather than use force to directly obtain her objectives."

"Good for her," Lotion sniffed, "There are more than enough muscle-headed fighters in our village, but just because she is sensible does not mean she has the potential to master my teachings."

"I may lack your expertise but I think that you will find Tendo Nabiki has the potential " when she noticed that her companion had ceased forward motion and was looking at her in surprise.

"TENDO Nabiki?" Lotion asked, "As in Tendo Soun, the foreign man who once tempted the heart of my granddaughter?"

"The very same," Cologne's eyes twinkled with mischief but in most other ways she kept her regal bearing and did not betray her amusement, "I thought the coincidence was interesting and I was going to get around to mentioning it to you once we were on our way to Nerima."

"Interesting," Lotion's eyes narrowed in reflection, "So it is Kimiko's child who is the cause of my summons. Very interesting indeed. Silk would be most fascinated to learn how the father is getting along and I sense that he is now available as well. Most interesting and worth further contemplation."

"So you see," Cologne resumed, "I do believe that this matter requires your delicate approach as I will confess that my preference is the more direct approach. Once you meet the daughter of Tendo Soun you will know that she indeed has her mother's potential."

"That has yet to be determined," Lotion said gravely, turning to her fellow elder, "Your interest in her is curious. Is it possible that she reminds you of someone else from very long ago?"

"Perhaps," Cologne said just as gravely, "And perhaps I wish to avoid repeating a mistake made in my youth and inexperience. Even we Elders can know regret for past misjudgment."

"Only some have more to regret than others," Lotion said with faint derision in her tone, as though she were not addressing her nominal superior on the ruling counsel, "You may do with the boy whatever you like, but you will cease all activities in regard to the Tendo girl, at least until I have made my determination."

"Agreed," Cologne replied, "She is yours for the duration."

"Then let us be on our journey," Lotion replied, starting forward again, "I am curious to meet this girl who so impresses you. Perhaps my journey will not be wasted after all."

"That is my hope as well," Cologne agreed as they fell in step together and she guided her one-time friend towards the parking area and a very nervous taxi driver

The Journal of Nabiki Tendo Resumes:

"I'm off," called Ranma as she exited from our house in her waitress uniform. I watched her go feeling wrought with anxiety and helplessness over her exhausted condition.

"Poor Ranma," said Kasumi at my side, "He's working so hard at his new job, and I don't think he's getting enough sleep to make up for it either."

"I'll say," agreed Akane, "The way that old woman pushes him around, making him act like a circus performer to amuse the customers .it's so disgusting! Why don't you put a stop to it, Nabiki? He listens to you at least sometimes."

"What can I tell her?" I asked as I stared at the gate forlornly, "Ranma thinks she has to do this to get her manhood back, and the old woman just dangles that locket in front of her eyes tempting Ranma to go all out to take it from her. I've tried making her see that she's being played with like a puppet on a string but she's still convinced she can take it from her."

"Maybe in a million years," Akane scoffed, "I hate to admit it but that Old Woman is good, a lot better than our fathers or Ranma or even "

"Nihao!" hailed a familiar voice as Shampoo came into our yard with the same bright, chipper attitude that she displayed every morning, "Is Ranma ready for ride to restaurant?"

"You just missed her, Shampoo," Kasumi said in pleasant greeting, "She got an early start, she must be a very hard worker, and I understand that she's very popular with your customers."

I stifled a bitter laugh at my older sister's na ve summary of Ranma's job at the Nekohanten. Since she started working for Shampoo's great grandmother their establishment had been tremendously popular, especially with the schoolboy crowd as both High Schoolers and College students crowded in to watch the acrobatic antics Ranma performed like a trained pet at Cologne's masterful direction.

"Ranma no think he still can beat great grandmother?" Shampoo asked, seeming to echo my mental sigh with her own wistful insight, "He very stubborn, very determined fighter. Great grandmother keep him very busy, he no quit. Great Grandmother very impressed with Ranma he no give up. He keep trying to gain Phoenix pill until maybe he actually beat Great Grandmother."

"Yeah," Akane snorted, "If she lets him. That old lady is fast, and she's a lot better than Ranma ever was."

"Three hundred year make Great Grandmother most powerful fighter among Elders," Shampoo noted, "He getting better, much faster every day. Is good training for fighter. Very soon Great Grandmother maybe teach him new technique to make him even faster."

I turned to look at the purple haired Amazon with incredulity, "Training? You mean this is all about training? Giving him the Full Body Cat Tongue, making him work it off while trying to get that pill away from your Great Grandmother that's training?"

Shampoo nodded affirmatively, "Is Amazon way to challenge warrior to become even better fighter. Ranma go all out to take pill from Great Grandmother, not work so hard if it only exercise. All he need is good motivation "

"What?" Akane reacted with a half-laugh of dismay, "You mean she's got the baka jumping through hoops because that's your idea of training? And poor Ranma is utterly clueless, like a puppet on her string," then she did laugh as if finding the idea of Ranma as a marionette was utterly amusing.

I wasn't quite as amused as I said, "Shampoo Ranma's close to the point of collapse! You don't mean to say you approve of this?"

"Shampoo learn same way," the Amazon said with a wistful sigh, "Great Grandmother teach many difficult thing, only later Shampoo know why she make Shampoo upset first before teaching. Great warrior conquer anger, learn go all out, no hold back in training. Shampoo learn very hard, always train, Great Grandmother expect only best. Want Shampoo become Matriarch of tribe some day, so she teach Shampoo to be best warrior of generation."

"And what do you want, Shampoo?" Kasumi asked her, "Do you want to be Matriarch?"

Shampoo looked at my sister as if no one had ever asked her such a thing, then she shook her head from side to side and said wearily, "No want be Matriarch, but no matter what Shampoo want. Tribe need strong leader and Great Grandmother think Shampoo be worthy someday. Shampoo content if live to be Elder. Much rather spend time with family, learn many things no learn as child of village."

"So why don't you just tell the old prune to back off if you don't want the job?" Akane asked practically.

Shampoo eyed Akane as if she were from some other planet. I decided to intervene at that point and said, "I understand that it must be hard to refuse someone as important as your Great Grandmother, but she ought to know that you have rights of your own, Shampoo. What kind of a leader would you be if you let her decide everything for you? Your life belongs to you, after all, not her."

"Great Grandmother " Shampoo hesitated, "She raise Shampoo, teach her much that she know, always there for Shampoo, always help when Shampoo sick or lonely. No sick very often, but Great Grandmother tell many stories and sing songs to Shampoo at night. No want Great Grandmother be angry, no disappointed "

"What about your mother and father?" Kasumi asked, sounding a bit hesitant as she broached a subject that neither Akane nor I would be willing to bring up on our own for obvious reasons, "Aren't they proud of you and what you've accomplished?"

"Hai," Shampoo brightened a little, "Father very proud have strong daughter. He outsider, learn ways of Amazons, sometime spend time with Shampoo. Mother also say she very proud but no spend as much time with Shampoo. She healer, always busy nursing sick people in other villages, only see Shampoo once in a while. Sometime Shampoo miss her very much "

"Wait a minute," Akane said before I could, "Your mother's alive but it's your Great Grandmother who raised you? How the heck did that happen?"

"Shampoo not know," Shampoo shrugged, "Parents make arrangement when Shampoo very little, come live with Great Grandmother, only visit sometime with parents. It decided Shampoo become Matriarch same way, maybe parents want see daughter become strong leader of tribe. Mother no seem interested, much too young become Elder "

"Hold on a moment," I finally managed to frame my thoughts, "Your mother made a deal with your Great Grandmother to train you to become the Matriarch, and your father went along with this?"

"Why father say no?" Shampoo asked simply, "It no his decision."

"Right," Akane snorted once again, "Men don't count for a whole lot in your village, do they?"

"On contrary," Shampoo sounded surprised, "Men very valuable in village. Many young men leave for big city when Shampoo age, men who stay behind much valued "

"She means you don't take their opinions into consideration," I said, "I take it there are no men on the ruling Council?"

"Man be Elder?" Shampoo looked puzzled, then seemed to finally grasp what we were saying as she added, "Oh you mean men no make decisions in Council. That always way of Amazons, is believed men no have right what is word for " Shampoo then used a word in Mandarin as she looked at Kasumi.

"Temperament," Kasumi replied, "Or attitude, depending on your meaning."

"Temperament," Shampoo repeated the word several times as if to commit it to memory, then nodded towards Akane, "What angry girl lack, unless mean attitude, which she have a lot of."

"Hey!" Akane protested.

"You no worry," Shampoo taunted, "No one mistake you for elder in training. You no control anger, it control you."

"Why you-!" Akane did what came as natural to her as breathing and took a swing in the Amazon's direction, but Shampoo seemed to have anticipated it in advance because she was already vaulting into the air over her head, and when she landed behind Akane she thrust a finger out to tap her in a spot between her shoulderblades.

"Hey!" Akane cried as suddenly her legs gave out underneath her.

"You slow and clumsy girl," Shampoo tched, "How you defeat opponent if you think with fists and no head? Need work on balance too, maybe you think about this while you sit down?"

"Shampoo," Kasumi said in a chiding tone of voice.

"No worry," Shampoo said brightly, "Feeling come back in few minutes. Maybe angry girl think about strategy. Next time you make it much more interesting, no give away attack."

Akane fumed with a few choice words that made Kasumi blush, then punctuated her speech with a surly, "I'm going to get you for this !"

Shampoo ignored the threat and smiled at me, "You come with Shampoo, Nabiki? We go check on Airen see he all right?"

I heaved a sigh, "All right. You gonna be all right, Sis?"

I should have known better than to ask. If there is one thing my baby sister cannot stand it is being made to look like a fool, and I knew from the determined look in her eyes that she would be in training until she could put the Amazon in a hospital, which I judged to be a long ways in the future.

Shampoo decided to walk her bike when I declined to make a suicide run on the handlebars, as she had suggested. I'd already seen what her idea of commuting was like and I'd swear that Evel Kenieval had better watch his Guinness book records. Since it was not a very long walk to her place the conversation between us was muted for a block or so. Finally I spoke up and suggested that maybe she should not try to provoke Akane in quite so blatant a fashion.

She just smiled at me and said, "Angry girl now family to Shampoo, Shampoo look out for family. Akane no bad as ordinary fighter go, but no good enough to belong to Shampoo clan. She need learn control temper, so Shampoo help her learn control, then maybe work on build up speed and balance. No need work on strength, she plenty good at that."

"Yeah," I couldn't help smiling, in spite of a twinge of feeling disloyal to my little sister, "So getting her mad is just training."

"Is way of Amazons," Shampoo replied, "Warrior need learn concentrate power, focus anger like weapon. Akane learn because she hate be weakling. Shampoo make amends for bad memory technique, mistake she make last time she think Akane maybe rival for Ranma."

"You thought ?" I was incredulous. The very idea that Akane would have any romantic inclinations towards my iinazuke was just ludicrous! The two can barely stand to be in the same room together! I wondered how Shampoo could have gotten such a completely wrong impression.

Apparently she did too, but she explained herself before I could ask her, "Girl seem protective of home, resent Shampoo presence, make challenge as maybe warrior would who want take boy from Shampoo. How I know you really one who want take Ranma from Shampoo? You no warrior " she made a heartfelt sigh, "Sometime Shampoo no very observant, or maybe sneaky girl good at hiding real feelings."

I found that difficult to credit considering what my mental state had been at the time of her first "visit," but what I said in reply was, "You know I wasn't trying to hurt you at the time, Shampoo. I was angry because you came between me and Ranma for a while, but I really didn't understand you at the time "

"Shampoo know this now," the Amazon reply, hesitating a little before adding, "Maybe she do same thing in you place. Not know I no Lore Master."

"Shampoo," I hesitated, deciding to by-pass the now familiar reference to my alleged potential in an art that I utterly did not comprehend at this time, instead asking another question that had been much in my mind of late, "What did you think Ranma was doing in our house? You never suspected he might be engaged to me or one of my sisters?"

"Never cross mind," Shampoo replied with a wistful expression, "Ranma great warrior, thought maybe it honor you have living in House of Anything Goes school. Any family back home very proud to have warrior with his stature, even if he male half of time. Many Amazons very jealous Shampoo have such powerful husband. Shampoo fend off many challengers for right to husband, never think Sneaky girl be one who get him."

I had to look away as I thought about that one. How did Shampoo feel about losing Ranma to someone like me? It had to be a pretty big blow to her ego, and yet here we were talking like old friends with a mutual problem.

"Shampoo " I hesitated before opening up to her more sincerely, "When you first showed up I may have gotten the wrong idea about you, but to be fair you did create a pretty negative impression. I mean, the first time I saw you was right after you put a big hole in the side of my dojo and how the heck did you do that anyway? I thought it was those maces of yours, but I've seen you put big holes in walls with your bare hands! I can't believe you're really that strong "

I saw Shampoo give me a smug look as she eyed me sidelong, "There trick to it it called Breaking Point Technique Bakusai Tenketsu."

"Bakusai Tenketsu?" I repeated, thinking a more accurate translation would call it "Exploding Point" technique.

Shampoo paused in mid motion and turned to regard the wall that we were walking by. She set her bike down on its side then casually walked up to the wall and thrust a finger at its surface.

Almost immediately there was a shattering explosion, and then when the dust and rubble settled Shampoo withdrew her hand and there was a hole in the wall large enough to walk through, beyond which I could see an old gentleman sitting in a lawn chair reading a newspaper looking up at us with a very curious expression.

"All things in universe have Breaking Point," Shampoo explained as she picked up her bike and started walking again as I numbly followed, "Trees, rocks, ground, everything! Is ancient Technique used by Amazons for three thousand year, even feared by Yellow Emperor. Great Grandmother teach Shampoo when she very little "

"How?" my voice was decidedly unsteady and I tried to firm it up as I asked again, "How did she teach you to do that?"

"When Shampoo maybe eleven," Shampoo replied, "Great Grandmother tie up with rope and suspend from tree with only one finger of hand exposed, then have Shampoo crash into large boulder tied by other rope over and over until she learn use breaking point. Is very effective teaching."

"She WHAT?" I blurted, thinking this girl was either putting me on or that Cologne and Genma had similar training methods.

"Technique also teach Shampoo toughen up body," Shampoo added, "No be injured very bad. It only one of many techniques Great Grandmother teach Shampoo, and one of easiest to learn. Shampoo have adopted Cousin also learn technique at same time, only she learn much, much faster "

"That's inhuman!" I finally blurted out.

"No," Shampoo sighed, "Very human way to learn method. Shampoo never forget, make it easy go where Shampoo want to go "

"Easier than using a doorknob?" I asked, still in shock at the casual brutality of these training methods.

Shampoo seemed to be searching for words as we came in sight of her restaurant, then finally she blurted out, "You think Shampoo stupid girl she no make use of door knob when she enter building. Shampoo not know what things for, never have in village "

"What?" I asked, "Knobs or doors?"

"Both," Shampoo replied, "What point having door? Amazon never have trouble going where want to go, so what point? Flap over entrance always good enough for privacy, and Amazons no mind weather."

I really had to think about that one, then came to the conclusion that it made a kind of warped sense, after a fashion. If there were Amazons who could shatter barriers with a touch then a locked door was hardly going to provide much deterrent, and as for burglary or theft well, any thief fool enough to raid the house of such an Amazon was likely to have an extremely short career. I began to get a true appreciation for just how rough and basic life had been for this girl, which explained her blunt mannerisms and lack of social grace. Who needed to learn manners when you knew you could beat up anyone else your age? Yet I was coming to appreciate that there was a lot more about this Amazon than the simple mountain peasant I had mistaken her to be during her previous visit.

As we entered the Nekohanten Shampoo began to call out that she was back when we both paused, seeing Ranma dangling several bowls of hot Ramen on her outstretched arms and head, using a pair of chopsticks gripped in her teeth to dangle a plate of steaming hot noodles in the same precarious fashion. She somehow managed to get the whole order delivered to the proper tables, then staggered away with bleary eyes, looking ready to drop in her tracks at any second.

"Ranma," I stepped around Shampoo to get a better look at my poor iinazuke, "Are you all right?"

"Oh yeah," Ranma faintly murmured, trying to put on a smile, though the effort was too much and finally caused her eyelids to slide shut like a pair of shutters. I moved to intercept her and by sheer luck caught her up in my arms, but Ranma was so nerveless to the touch that I found her face landed on my chest in just such a suggestive way as I might have enjoyed had she been even slightly conscious.

"Ranma!" I cried, clutching her to my bosom before staring up at Shampoo, wondering what kind of impression we were creating.

To my relief Shampoo did not seem overly concerned by the intimacy of our embrace and instead asked, "Is Ranma okay? Shampoo not know she this much exhausted!"

"So," a voice cut in before I could formulate a reply, "The both of you are here. Very well, revive Son-  
In-Law then bring him around in back. I have something I wish to show him "

"You-Old woman!" I snapped as I glared viscously at the Elder, "How dare you do this to her? Can't you see you've worked her half to death?"

"If you are so concerned about her then follow me," Cologne replied without apparent concern for my anger, "I trust the both of you know how to get your husband's attention, even when he is in this state."

My desire to say something nasty at the Elder's back was cut short when I heard Ranma murmur faintly, "Just another five minute I'll get up honest, Oyaji "

I turned to look down at the redheaded girl nestled between my bosoms and found an incredible surge of protectiveness welling up in me. I didn't really want to wake her while she was like that, but I knew that we were creating a scene as people began to whisper throughout the restaurant, pointing in our direction. A wicked impulse took over, then, and I smiled as I said, "Wake up, Saotome," and I began to rub my chest against her cheek. Even through the material of the thin shirt I was wearing I was pretty sure that Ranma could feel their firmness.

"That good idea," Shampoo said brightly, stepping forward to take Ranma out of my embrace and plant her face against her own chest, being even more expressive in rubbing herself against the redhead until I could almost swear that Ranma's pig tail stood on end.

"Gah!" Ranma exclaimed as she pushed away from Shampoo, flushing as crimson as her hair as she looked from one of us to the other and back again, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Great Grandmother say follow her out back," Shampoo replied without answering the question, "Think maybe she have something important tell Ranma."

Deciding by mutual consent that keeping the old woman waiting was a bad idea, we followed Shampoo around back behind the Nekohanten where we found Cologne tending a small fire in the alley. Once she was certain that she had our undivided attention she produced a bag of chestnuts and tossed them into the fire, then paused as her ancient eyes studied the flame then in a burst of incredible speed, she reached in and plucked out the chestnuts, her hands moving so fast that they were not burned at all by the flames.

She explained that this was called the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, or "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" technique, a legendary Amazon training method passed down throughout their history that produced phenomenal speeds beyond what human beings were supposedly capable. I was flabbergasted, of course, while Shampoo was delighted, thinking this meant her Great Grandmother approved of Ranma and thought him worthy of this advanced technique. Ranma, on the other hand, was inspired to at once go home and train in this new method, so Cologne gave her the rest of the day off and we all wound up back at the dojo where Akane greeted Shampoo with a surly glare but wisely did not renew her earlier assault.

Instead she noted with curiosity how Ranma made a fire in the yard and then attempted to duplicate the old woman's performance. Naturally she forgot one simple significant detail in that she could not stand to get close enough to the fire to practice the Amaguriken, or "Chestnut Fist" technique. Her hypersensitivity to heat prevented her from mastering this system, which pretty much rendered the whole exercise self-defeating.

Cologne then showed up to ask what progress was being made, and when Ranma admitted her failure the old woman demonstrated the technique once again, only this time with Akane present. I noticed that my sister seemed unusually intrigued as she watched this performance, then when Ranma left she asked for an explanation and actually held her temper in check when Shampoo explained it to her, then added the sweet barb, "Of course clumsy, slow girl like you no master Amaguriken. Think too much with fists, no enough with head. You try use brute force you only get singed fingers."

"Oh yeah?" Akane flared, "Well, we'll see about that!"

I had to stifle an amused smile, privately conceding that Shampoo's teaching methods were indeed highly effective.

Ranma was in a low funk, however, until Daddy showed up and offered to help by suggesting that we needed to unwind for a bit and forget about our recent troubles. He reminded us that there was a fair in town and then he offered Ranma some money so that she could have a good time and treat me like a proper fianc e. Once again I kept the smile I felt sternly from my features, realizing that the money Dad gave Ranma was actually his tobacco money. Apparently Daddy was prepared to make a sacrifice for everyone's benefit, which brightened my mood considerably and gave me hope that we might actually make it through the evening.

Shampoo decided to tag along, and neither of us could think of a good reason not to have her with us. Akane, on the other hand, begged off going to the Fair and instead decided to stay home and practice the Amaguriken. I had a feeling that she would keep at it until she had third degree burns or had mastered the technique, either way she had that determined look in her eyes that said no one could talk her out of it. I privately hoped that she picked up on the hints Shampoo had been dropping her coyly and let it go at that. I was determined that Ranma and I would have a good time no matter what, even it if killed us.

Ranma was behaving like she did not much expect to enjoy herself at the fair, but no sooner had we arrived then she threw herself into it with real determination, spotting every booth as a challenge to her abilities. Shampoo seemed as bemused as I was in following Ranma everywhere, watching her win prize after prize until both of us were weighted down with stuffed animals and the fruits of her labors. Ranma's spirits seemed to brighten, just as my spirit soared to see her smile once again and even laugh with enthusiasm.

Before too long, however, I heard something out of place for the environment of fun, a child crying because the contest he was playing was decidedly rigged against him. It was one of those goldfish tank deals where the idea is to use a paper net in a wire loop to scoop up goldfish and deposit them in a bowl. The paper used, however, was as flimsy as toilet tissue and could never support much weight, more like fall apart on the slightest contact with the water.

Shampoo seemed as much concerned about the crying child as I was, while I was strongly tempted to cite the guy running this cheap scam to the better business bureau. Shampoo wanted to help, but seeing that this was cold water we were dealing with she naturally shied away. Ranma, on the other hand, was already in her cursed form and so had less to worry about. Like me she regarded the creep running this deal with contempt, but unlike me she was unfazed by the challenge of the paper netting.

Both Shampoo and I stood back and watched the cool way Ranma set about posing in front of the tank with her scoop in one hand and a fish bowl in the other. Then with an incredible burst of speed she began to scoop up gold fish after gold fish, depositing them in each and every one of the tiny bowls provided. Her speed and accuracy were phenomenal, and in seconds she had emptied the tank of every one of the goldfish.

The Barker was horrified, seeing his livelihood threatened by a pale slip of a girl in Chinese dress. To prove what a lousy sport he was he pulled out a new tank that was filled with live piranha and challenged Ranma to fish them as well or forfeit the goldfish she had won. Over my fierce objections and Shampoo's voiced concern Ranma calmly insisted that she could do it, explaining that it was just a matter of speed and that's when both of us came to the same realization.

Speed! Exactly like the Amaguriken! I suddenly realized the whole purpose for Cologne making Ranma wait hand and foot at the Nekohanten, slaving like a dog catching bowls of hot Ramen while dueling over the pendant. The whole thing was a ruse to get Ranma to gradually build up her speed as a subtle form of training! Ranma had unknowingly mastered the Amaguriken and had just displayed it with water while fire had been a deliberate misdirection!

With a cry of "Special Training!" Ranma dove into the task of separating the piranha into separate containers with the same smooth efficiency she had displayed with the goldfish. Once this was done she gave a hoot of joy and hightailed it out of there before either Shampoo or I could react. We turned a look at one another and knew at precisely the same instant where Ranma was going, so we dropped our prizes at a booth and followed after her.

Shampoo did not leave me behind as she well could have done as she instead lead me to a special rear entrance to the restaurant. To my considerable surprise she showed me a hidden stairway that took us underground to a cavernous chamber where we just caught the tail end of a fight between Cologne and Ranma.

We saw Ranma arching towards Cologne, who was afloat in a large bucket, and while in the air she launched her Amaguriken assault, then vaulted away while the water around Cologne erupted from the air pressure of a thousand blows launched in a matter of seconds. Ranma then perched above the water on Cologne's own stick and brazenly displayed the pendant she had taken in all the confusion. She popped it open and produced a pill that she proceeded to swallow before I had time to warn her against it.

Turns out the pill was a mere lemon drop as the old woman had cheated, hiding the real pendant while flashing a phony copy. Ranma was horrified to discover that her aversion to heat was still very pronounced as she proceeded to fall into the pool of heated water that Cologne was floating in, which naturally turned him back to male but caused a massive wave of scalding hot pain that-combined with his exhaustion-caused him to black out and need a prompt rescue from me and Shampoo.

We fished him to the side then laid him out on the floor while Cologne hovered a short distance away. Shampoo began applying the healing skills that had made her services valuable to Doctor Tofu while I rounded on the old woman, prepared to unleash a royal tongue lashing over the way the dried up old prune had been abusing my Ranma!

Instead Cologne looked back at me with supreme indifference to my wrath and said, "The boy was not badly harmed, and I would not risk such a specimen in a casual display such as this. He will recover under my Great Granddaughter's gentle ministrations and be fit enough to train in a new system when he is fully recovered.'

"Why you " I searched for a word that might be effective in getting her goat and could not think of anything sufficiently improper, "How can you be so heartless? Making Ranma jump through your hoops like that! Don't you know how much he's going to hate you for this when he recovers?"

"Heartless?" Cologne raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps to you I may seem that way, but I am doing this for the boy's benefit as much as to provide Shampoo with a worthy husband. I will say this once to you both: Saotome Ranma is the finest student that I have ever so far encountered. No one his age has ever come as close to besting me with the Amaguriken, not that the boy was ever really all that close to begin with."

"Is being the best all that means anything to you?" I argued, "Doesn't it bother you at all that there might be other things that Ranma can learn besides fighting? What good does it do him to be the best if all he is ever really good at is being a fighter? There are lots of other things he can do, you know !"

"Oh?" Cologne asked, "Can you name one other thing he is as good at besides fighting?"

I fell silent and cursed myself for not thinking that far ahead in my tirade. I tried wracking my brain for something besides Martial Arts that I knew Ranma to be good at and could not think of any practical thing that would satisfy the old woman. Instead I said, "He just is! After all, he's Ranma!"

Then behind me I heard a very low groan, "Would it have killed you to think of at least one thing, Nab-chan?"

"Ranma?" I whirled about, concern for his welfare suddenly crushed by the sight of Shampoo embracing him happily. The jealousy I had not been feeling all day suddenly asserted itself full power now that he was in male form, however temporary.

"Cut it out, Shampoo," Ranma shook off the Amazon's embrace as gently as he could, only now Shampoo took it in better grace than anyone might have expected. Ranma looked himself over then said, "I guess the pill worked after all, huh?"

"Oh, it will," Cologne suddenly held out a locket identical to the one Ranma had grabbed, "Just as soon as you ingest the real Phoenix pill and not another placebo."

"What?" Ranma was outraged as he good to his feet, "You cheated, Old Woman! Not fair!"

"Sticks and stones, Sonny boy!" Cologne chuckled before turning and hopping away, "I'll let you know when I'm ready to renew our little game. For now I suggest you remain as far away from cold water as you can manage, because the moment you change it will be permanent! Only the Phoenix Pill or my touch can cure you, and I'll never do that until you agree to marry my Granddaughter. You can even have the Tendo girl as a consolation prize "

"Hey!" I protested, discovering that I like the idea of being someone's "consolation prize" about as much as I welcome an audit!

"Ranma," Shampoo said simply, "I no know Great Grandmother use deception to cheat you. In Shampoo eye you deserve Phoenix Pill. No want you forced to marry her if you no want Shampoo "

"It ain't like that, Shampoo," Ranma informed her, "And I'm not blaming you about it or nothing. That Old Ghoul just gives me the creeps! C'mon, Nabiki, let's blow this joint. I've had enough of these games for one night."

I heartily agreed with him there, but I was feeling a tad bit of irritation with him over the friendly way he and Shampoo had exchanged words just now. It still amazes me even now to realize how angry I was, and after I thought I'd come to accept the fact that Shampoo is probably now a part of our lives that we'll have to get used to

Nekohanten Restaurant, same time:

A figure looked away from the bowl of steaming hot noodles, set before her and smiled to herself before murmuring softly, "So, you've come this far on your own, have you Child? How very like your mother. This most definitely promises to be an interesting experience for the both of us. Your training will begin very shortly, my new apprentice, and once we set you on the true and proper path your destiny will be glorious. A pity your mother is not now with us to watch events unfold as they must, though in her honor I will pray in hopes she may watch with approval from the Heavens."

Lotion paused as if to listen to voices that only she could hear, then she spoke levelly again, "Ah yes, the blind one has also followed Shampoo to Japan. Curious this does complicate matters somewhat. On the other hand what a perfect opportunity to test my apprentice against an unknown element that threatens her iinazuke. Yes indeed, things are definitely about to get interesting here in Nerima "

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Clamdip with a side-order of Peking Duck: shadowmane

Ranma makes yet another new "friend," and Nabiki meets Lotion be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	20. Chapter 20

NabikiRan18 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 19.

Nabiki paused in mid-stride and cocked her ear as if listening to a slight noise upon the breeze, but no sound had in fact reached her ears, which puzzled her greatly. She scanned the way behind and in front of her before reflexively looking up in the hopes that her iinazuke was about to make an appearance.

"Ranma?" she asked, more than a bit hopeful.

No reply, and no sound either, which only increased her nervousness as she was certain that someone was nearby watching her from concealment. She quickened her pace and started off on the course she had originally been heading, intending to meet up with Ranma at Doctor Tofu's clinic now that her classes were over. She fervently wished that she had insisted on Ranma waiting up for her to get done with her special projects, she would have felt a lot better in his company as lately she was becoming familiar with an undesirable sensation: being out of control of her situation.

She forced herself to calm down by taking some deep breaths to steady her nerves, then tried to relax and act as casually as she could, measuring the distance to the clinic, the number of steps that she would have to take and the number of eyewitnesses she might have to rely upon in case of an emergency. She wasn't totally without resources of her own, of course, having at least passable skills as a martial artist, so there was no reason to be nervous, nothing to be scared about, not like she was in any real danger and

Abruptly she came to a halt finding a man standing in her path, a very tall man in flowing white robes that ended about knee level where a pair of black pants could be seen from beneath this. Nabiki raised the level of her gaze and saw a fairly handsome Chinese boy with long black hair, sporting very thick bottleneck glasses on his nose and looking at her in a way that made it obvious that she was the focus of his attention.

"You said the name Ranma," he said in perfect Japanese that was only mildly accented, "Do you know where I can find him?"

Nabiki checked the impulse to take a half step back from him and tried to get her heartbeat back under control as she gasped, "Ah I might. Depends on whose asking."

"My name is Mou-Tsu," he replied, "And your name is Tendo Nabiki?"

"How do you know?" she gasped before she could think better about it.

The strange boy laughed, "I know many things, such as your use to me in obtaining what I am really after."

The boy unfolded his sleeves then made a quick gesture. Out of sheer instinct Nabiki turned her body sideways and so avoided a pair of looping chains that sought to ensnare her. She dropped to her knees and rolled to the side as the boy tracked her movements and prepared another attack. Nabiki rose back to her feet thinking quickly on how she could escape her attacker, who quite plainly was a martial artist and so by definition beyond her ability to cope with.

However she discovered, to her surprise, that the boy was not attacking. Instead he staggered as if struck a blow from an invisible opponent, followed by two others, and then he keeled over onto his face very slowly, quite evidently unconscious.

Nabiki stared at her downed assailant, wondering what had overcome him so abruptly when she heard a faint clicking noise. Very slowly she turned to glance back down the lane the way she had come but saw nothing, even as the clicking noise persisted.

And then she just appeared from no where, an old woman with a walking staff resembling Cologne, only not the same Elder of Joketsuzoku. She was slightly taller, possibly just under four feet, but very thin and frail looking, and she wore a flowing robe identical to what Cologne wore, save for coloring and identifying markings. Her hair was also more grey than flowing silver and she walked with a pronounced limp, favoring her cane far more than Cologne ever did. Her eyes, when Nabiki met them, were clear and sharp, almost silver in coloration.

She came to a halt only a short distance from Nabiki then bowed with gravity, which Nabiki felt obligated her to return in the same gesture. Once this was out of the way the old woman nodded gravely and said, "You favor your mother much more than your father. I can see in your face the very image of Tsukino Kimiko or should I make that Tendo?"

"You you knew my mother?" Nabiki gasped, taking in the old woman as several clues fit together forming a puzzle piece that she instantly placed, "You're that Elder I've been told to expect Lotion "

"I have that honor," the old woman said simply, "To both of your questions. I knew your mother but briefly during my last visit to Japan, and the striking resemblance between her and my granddaughter, Silk."

"Silk?" Nabiki frowned, "I don't suppose you'd mind telling me who she is?"

"All things in their proper place," the old woman replied, "I am Lo Xion, an Elder of Joketsuzoku, and I am here at the request of the matriarch of my tribe who believes that you have some hidden potential worthy of exploration. As for my granddaughter well that we will explore at another time. No doubt your father would prefer to be the one who explained these matters to you, and it would be rude not to offer him the chance, much though I believe that you are entitled to have your answers."

"Okay," Nabiki replied slowly, "So you're here to test me, right? See if I'm some kind of Lore Master or something, whatever the heck that is."

"You have already been tested," Lotion replied, "That is why we are having this conversation and why that," she sniffed in the direction of the downed Chinese boy, "Is presently taking a nap on the concrete. Pathetic what some people will stoop to in order to gain an advantage over their rivals. I would have thought such a thing beneath him, but evidently his desires have truly overruled his reasoning faculties."

"Who is he?" Nabiki asked, "He called himself Mousse, or something like that "

"Mou-Tsu is the great grandson of a very dear friend of mine," the Elder explained, "I've watched the boy for many years, only the last two he has spent abroad traveling from one country to the next in search of the Lore he believes will gain him his beloved Shampoo."

"Shampoo?" Nabiki gasped, "What has he got to do with her?"

"Far less than he desires," the old woman replied, then nodded forward, "Come, let us continue this way. I believe that your dearly intended is waiting for you at the office of the Good Doctor. I will try and explain everything to your satisfaction, then perhaps you will answer a question or two that I have regarding you. Fair exchange, after all isn't that how you like to put it?"

Nabiki swallowed, "Uh, yeah I guess so," she turned and started forward, moderating her stride to make it easier on the old woman beside her, who lacked Cologne's tendency to Pogo Stick her way from one place to the other

Nabiki Journal Continues:

Well, I finally met the Lore Master, and she's nothing like what I expected. Oh sure she's old and looks like she's dried out in the sun slightly less than Cologne herself, and she's not as spry for some reason either. What she is, in words, is impressive. I can't really put the feeling into words that I got when I was in her presence. There's just something about her that commands your respect, and not just because she somehow saved me from that Mousse character either.

Winding up in the presence of Elder Lotion like that made me wonder if the whole thing had been staged or something. After all the boy was obviously from the same tribe as Shampoo, and she had explained that there were male Amazons who held a station that-while hardly equal to female warriors-was commanding of respect, but the boy was about the same age as Ranma, and Lotion claimed that he had an interest in Shampoo, so I guess the whole thing really was a matter of happenstance. Shampoo later confirmed that Mousse was a problem for her, that they had known each other growing up and Mousse had formed an obsessive attachment that made him believe that he and he alone had a right to be "her one true beloved."

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself here, so let's just cut to Doctor Tofu's office. He was examining Ranma when the Elder and I entered, trying to determine the nature of his problem, I suppose. Of course Tofu-Sensei had heard all about the Full Body Cat Tongue in his researches but beyond basic, general knowledge it was a technique that he himself had never directly mastered. He said that he did know of a pressure point called the Trueborn Tokyo Grandfather spot, so named because it could temporarily block the Cat Tongue, but that it could only be used once and would lose effectiveness thereafter.

To my surprise the old woman chuckled in obvious amusement, then explained herself by saying that it was very rare for her to meet a young man with as much clear knowledge of true medicine as Tofu was displaying. She introduced herself then asked a few questions that seemed rather pointless at the time, having to do with medical diagnosis. Tofu answered her forthrightly and she nodded in apparent satisfaction. He then asked about her limp and she said something dismissive about it, then turned her focus towards Ranma, who was looking at her as if expecting her to sprout bat wings and a tail.

The old woman read his expression at a glance and said, "You hardly need to give me the evil eye, child. It should be plain enough to look on me that I am nothing like Cologne, though I can hardly blame you for judging all Elders by her example."

"So, you're that Lore Master that Shampoo's been telling us about, huh?" Ranma asked, relaxing only by a fraction as it was plain that the old woman was not about to attack him.

"I am THE Lore Master of the Joketsuzoku," the Elder said with great dignity and bearing, then more casually she added, "I've taught more young apprentices than you have years to your credit, your fianc e being only the latest in a very long line."

Of course Ranma got very protective at that point, saying, "Nabiki don't need to have nothing to do with you if she don't want you, you got that? Don't try forcing her to do any stupid tricks "

"Why would I want to do that?" Lotion asked reasonably, as if she found the question absurd, "You think I want an apprentice who is unwilling? With the knowledge that I have to share, that would be a very dangerous thing, not to mention utterly reckless. As I have said, I am not our current Matriarch, her ways are not my own, which should be obvious once you get to know me better. It is up to Tendo Nabiki to decide whether or not she will accept me for her teacher."

"What?" I said incredulously, "You're giving me a choice?"

"Choice is a rare enough thing in our existence," the woman replied with an enigmatic expression, "Often the choice is made for us by circumstances. You already know everything that you will ever need to know in order to be a Lore Master, you simply don't know that you know it. It is my role to show you what you need to understand in order to make use of your innate potential."

"Huh?" I replied, trying to sort out from that explanation just what the heck she was saying.

Of course that was the point when Shampoo showed up wanting to see how Ranma was doing, but the minute she laid eyes upon Lotion it was as if she had momentarily forgotten about me and Ranma being in the same room with her. She looked down at Lotion and said a very faint, "Elder?"

"Hello, Xian Pu," Lotion pronounced the name as if bestowing respect on someone who deserved it, "It has been a while you grow more into the image of your mother every day. Perhaps one day you may even surpass your Great Grandmother in beauty "

"What?" Ranma reacted, "The dried up old toadstool?"

"Do not judge by appearances, boy," Lotion chided, though I could not tell if she were approving or disapproving of Ranma's obvious disrespect of a fellow Elder, "In her day Kho Lon was considered the most beautiful woman in Joketsuzoku, and legend says that she had a very gentle disposition. Life may have embittered her and driven her to cynicism and hardship but her path has made her one of the greatest Warriors of Amazon history. You can learn a lot from that one if you have the time and patience."

"Elder," Shampoo began, then seemed to hesitate before mustering the courage to say, "You know how defeat Full Body Cat Tongue pressure point?"

I saw Lotion give Shampoo a very sharp appraisal while both Ranma and me looked at our purple haired companion in surprise, hearing her openly take a position directly contrary to her Great Grandmother. Lotion finally answered the question after a suitable pause and said, "I do, child, but I have an arrangement with your Great Grandmother that I will not interfere with her instruction of the boy. You'll simply have to find another way of helping your husband with his problem, though for my part your intentions do you credit."

"Then there is a way to beat the Cat Tongue?" Ranma asked hopefully, then balled a fist and said, "I'm gonna find it no matter what it takes! No way am I gonna let that old ghoul bully me into doing what she says! I'll make her give me that Phoenix pill, or find the pressure point that can let me change back to a guy whenever I want!"

"Good luck to you, and I mean that sincerely," Lotion replied as she turned away, giving me a coy look that as much as said that Ranma had impressed her for his stubborn dedication to principles, if not necessarily for his wits in ushering this challenge.

We left the clinic together and Lotion set a pace beside me that kept me from walking up front alongside Ranma. Shampoo happily took his arm and leaned against him as they walked side by side while I felt a stab of the same jealousy I'd felt the night before, as if I was afraid that she might try and take Ranma away from me again like before. I don't mind saying that Shampoo still scares me sometimes, and makes me feel like inferior goods that have been thrust unwillingly upon Ranma.

"So," I began, as much to divert my attention from the spectacle in front of me as to satisfy my curiosity, "What exactly is a Lore Master? How does it differ from a War Master, for example ?"

"Like night is to day," Lotion replied, "I used to be a warrior in training before the Lore Master before me took me under her wing and showed me a vision of the life that I was destined to live. I have followed her teachings ever since and have never regretted it. Being a Lore Master is the closest any of us ever come to becoming masters of our destiny, yet to serve the power is to become as much its servant as its wielder."

"Power?" Ranma asked, separating himself enough from Shampoo to glance in our direction.

"As in its most basic definition, boy," Lotion replied, "The ability to achieve an objective. Energy is nothing beyond the potential that exists in all of nature. Moving it around is a matter of changing its status from inactive to full active, from passive to aggressive."

"You mean like a battle aura?" Ranma asked, "One minute you're calm, the next you go into action?"

Lotion smiled as she glanced up at me, "I like him. Your fianc e has a very good grasp of the basics. I wonder if Cologne knows what sort of a Tiger she has taken on for her apprentice?"

Ranma seemed to swell up with pride at this compliment, and I decided for once not to deflate him as I saw the mischievous gleam in the old woman's eyes that as much as said that her comment had been calculated for just that reason.

"Lore Masters," Lotion began again, "Are preservers of the Lore of the Amazons. We safeguard a vast treasury of knowledge that has been gleamed throughout the ages. What we know has been sought by our enemies, feared and respected by our neighbors and a good deal of the reason why the government officials have never seen fit to impose their will upon our province."

"You mean stuff like the Bakusai Tenketsu and the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken?" I asked and watched Shampoo glance nervously off into the distance as I said this.

Lotion just smiled and said, "Mere tricks that any halfway competent warrior could perform. Our ways are vast and mysterious, defying the understanding of any mere outsider, but it is my belief that you could come to one day understand if you choose to accept my teaching."

"Let's assume for the moment that I do," I said speculatively, "What's in it for me? I gain the power to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and hear the lamentations of their security exchange brokers?"

"Something like that," the old woman smiled, then quoted something back at me, "You are familiar with the saying: 'That which does not kill us makes us stronger?'"

"Uh yeah," I said noncommittally, "What about it?"

"Sheer poppycock," the Elder said dismissively, "You don't need the experience to make you strong, what you need to learn to harness the strength that is already inside you. The ability to endure hardship comes from knowing who and what you are, in believing that you can triumph over any adversity with the means at your disposal. A Lore Master is one who understands that this strength is always there to call upon in times of need. A War Master merely believes that strength needs to be tempered like the edge of a good sword, often by hard experience that forces us to dig down deep and draw upon our hidden potential. The difference is like Water to Fire, the passive to active, accepting what you already know or needing to have that knowledge confirmed by an experience that brings it out of us, as in a crisis."

"So that which does not kill us ?" Nabiki began, recalling the quote from Nietzsche.

"Makes us hungry," the old woman replied, "So why don't we drop by the Nekohanten for a bite to eat, and later you can introduce me to the rest of your family. I'm sure your fathers will each be thrilled to know that I am back in Nerima."

"Huh?" Ranma reacted, "Back in Nerima? You've been here before?"

"Several times," Lotion said, "It is quite an interesting story, for another time I am afraid. I'm sure when the time is right you will understand."

"Understand what?" Ranma asked, as thoroughly bewildered as I was at that point by the Elder's notions of a clear explanation.

Now that I think about it I can remember pretty clearly what she said as if I had a tape recorder playing back in my head. I've always had a pretty good memory, but the old woman's words are clear as a bell, as though my mind was somehow compelled to remember. I think it was the way she spoke with clarity, saying things that didn't make a lot of sense to me at the time, but which have that annoying tendency to lodge in the brain and repeat themselves over and over until I can make them fit into some kind of a pattern.

Well, at any rate, we wound up at Shampoo's restaurant where we were served a "complimentary free meal" of steaming hot Ramen prepared to our preferences. Confidentially I suspect the real reason that it was free was because Cologne did not think it proper to charge Shampoo's "Airen" for the privilege of dining with her great granddaughter. I wasn't one to argue the point, and the meal was good, almost up to Kasumi's standard of perfection.

As I ate, however, I reflected on the things that Lotion had been telling me over the past hour, things that needed further reflection, such as the revelation that my father had a past history with the Amazons that he had not seen fit to share with me or my sisters. I intended to pursue the question of Silk with him at my earliest convenience.

Another thought of a more immediate nature, however, concerned Cologne herself. I saw at once the look that she and Lotion exchanged when we arrived at the Nekohanten, and afterwards how they acted around one another. It was polite but strained, a feeling of uneasiness and a sense that each one barely tolerated the others presence but were making the effort at getting along in spite of their personal feelings, which definitely were somewhere between hostility and outright loathing. I thought on what the old woman had said about her Matriarch and decided that the past history she had referred to was anything but pleasant. Considering that Cologne regards Ranma as her defacto Pupil, and Lotion has just claimed me for her student, I can't see that anything but trouble will result if they choose to use the both of us as pawns for their own personal antagonism.

Still and all the two did seem to share a mutual concern once it was revealed that the fellow with the glasses was in the neighborhood. Shampoo had explained that Mousse was a childhood friend who had taken a possessive interest in her very early and refused her later rejection, and while she had not seen him in two years she still remembered fighting with him constantly just to get him to leave her alone. Cologne seemed especially grave and let slip the fact that Mousse was from a family that she personally considered to be in bitter rivalry with her own, though she would not go into the details. I caught from Lotion a glance that as much as said that she was privy to the details of that story, but neither Elder would answer a direct question on the subject, so I decided at last to quietly drop the matter at least for the present.

Fat chance of it remaining dropped, however, seeing as how Mousse turned up about that time and declared in loud terms how glad he was to see Shampoo once again. The cad actually tried to glomp onto her, but Shampoo sent him into a wall for his efforts. This did not seem to discourage the boy for very long, however, as he recovered in next to no time then stated his intent to have her for his wife, once he had dealt with the little matter of a rivalry that had been the talk of their village when he went looking for her a few weeks back.

I'd seen Ranma tense up when Mousse had first appeared at the restaurant, having already gleaned from my terse explanation that he had tried to hassle me before, but now I saw him get up and say, "What's the matter with you, Jerk? Can't you take a hint? The lady said she didn't want anything to do with you and what the heck was the idea with you bothering Nabiki?"

"Ah," the tall boy adjusted his glasses, "And you must be Saotome Ranma. In the village they had called you the Outsider Girl who had bested Xian Pu, but when she returned in disgrace many weeks later it was revealed of your deception! You only pretended to be female in order to challenge my beloved by use of a disguise!"

"Hey!" Ranma protested, "I never tried to fool nobody! It wasn't my fault what happened "

"So you say," Mousse said before assuming a particularly menacing pose worthy of a villain in some melodrama, "But now you seek to claim my future wife while courting another woman! Such disgraceful behavior! How immortal and uncommon! To dishonor Xian Pu like that "

I decided to get involved here before the shouting match turned into an inevitable brawl and said, "If you think I'm being put upon, then why did you try to attack me earlier?"

"Nothing personal," the boy replied, "I simply thought that you could prove useful in forcing Ranma's hand and making him renounce his hold over my beloved "

"What?" Ranma cried, and I could almost swear that he started to glow blue at that moment, but it was Shampoo who confronted Mousse first, slapping him in the face before the boy had time to erect his defenses.

"Stupid Mou Tse!" she angrily declared, "Who ask you to interfere in Xian Pu's business? You no threaten Nabiki or Ranma! You stay away or this time you really get hurt!"

Mousse was feeling the side of his cheek as he looked at Shampoo with the sort of expression a puppy gives its owner when hit with a rolled up newspaper. Into this silence Ranma broke in, "You tried to kidnap Nabiki to use her against me? I'll kill you if you lay one hand on her, you got that?"

Mousse found it much easier dealing with Ranma instead of the angry Amazon in front of him, "So, that's how it is with you? One woman is not enough for you, Saotome? Perhaps there is man enough in you, then to risk a small wager?"

"Wager?" Ranma asked in surprise.

Mousse thrust a finger at him and declared, "A man-  
to-man fight to prove which one of us is the better man! The winner will have "

"Not Shampoo," Cologne hastily interjected, "You know the law as well as any Amazon, Mou Tse, To become her husband you would have to defeat Xian Pu directly, and you have consistently failed to do this from the time of your first battle."

"I was only three when that happened!" Mousse protested.

"Three or three hundred, the law is the law," Cologne said gravely, "Your performance just now does not inspire any confidence that your skills have sufficiently improved to make you Xian Pu's husband, and besides, you have yet to see my true Son-In-Law in action."

"My skills have improved far more than you imagine, Old Woman," Mousse declared with fists clenched, and then he thrust a finger in my direction, "Very well, then we will duel for that woman instead! If I win she becomes mine, and you will have to negotiate for her hand if you wish me to restore her to you!"

"What?" I blurted when Ranma cried, "Nothing doing! You ain't touching her, you got that? Or Shampoo for that matter! Besides, Nabiki is my iinazuke !"

"Besides which," Lotion spoke up as I found her suddenly at my side, "I have a personal interest in this one, and it simply wouldn't do to have you raising a hand against her."

"Who said anything about threatening the girl?" Mousse shot back, "I wasn't going to hurt her the first time when you interfered, you dried up old monkey!"

I must have blinked my eyes or something because I could swear the old woman never left my side, but with a gesture using her stick Mousse suddenly doubled over, then fell forward onto his knees before his head snapped back as though someone had sucker-punched him. As he was doubled over more than ten feet away I had to think that the old woman had either thrown something or had a lot more reach with that thing than seemed probable because she leaned on her staff once again and eyed Mousse with a very cross expression.

"That wasn't very intelligent, or respectful," she said simply, "And as you well know I am your Oath Mother from the time that I helped deliver you into this wretched life you now lead. You know full well what I am capable of doing to you should you cross me in this matter, and I am telling you that this girl is no concern of yours. If you have a quarrel over Xian Pu and the male then I expect you to confine your activities to them and put aside any foolish notions about using her for your catspawn. Now, may I trust that you understand and agree to behave and abide by my decision in this matter, on the spirit of your mother?"

Mousse nodded his head weakly then said, "Y-yes, Granny "

"Good," Lotion said simply, "A wise decision on your part. Perhaps there is hope for you yet."

I caught the look Ranma had turned towards Lotion and he was clearly as impressed as I was at her little display of prowess. As fast as he had become since learning the Amaguriken he seemed as much in the dark as I was on how she had managed to strike Mousse without seeming to come anywhere near him. I remembered my rescue earlier and realized that it had to be some kind of long-range attack, like maybe she had used magic or something. One thing we definitely both agreed on, though: this Lotion character was someone you wouldn't want to cross in a dark alley!

Mousse seemed to recover himself again, though not with as much speed as before, and he glared again at Ranma before saying, "This matter is far from concluded between us, Saotome. We will speak again when we are not in the presence of these Elders."

"You want me, you just name the time and place," Ranma said, "But leave the girls out of it. If this is a man-to-man thing, then it just concerns the two of us, you got it?"

"As you say," Mousse gave a haughty snort, then turned to leave, only to run into a side-post. I suddenly remembered that his glasses had been knocked off his head when the old woman attacked him and went in search of the things, finding them on the floor in a matter of seconds.

"Ow!" Mousse rubbed his nose, "Who put that thing in my way? Oh thank you!" he said as I handed his glasses to him. He put them on, saw the pole he had all but been hugging and looked a little sheepish, then flashed an angry glare at Ranma and cried, "You will pay for that humiliation as well, Saotome! Mark my words, I will win Shampoo away from you, enemy of all women!"

Having made his suitably melodramatic exit, we all turned and exchanged looks, then Ranma said, "That guy must be related to Kuno "

I was unable to help chuckling at that point, but Shampoo did not smile as she approached Ranma and said, "Ranma, you be very careful around Mousse. He dangerous fighter, practice Dark Magic."

"Dark Magic?" Ranma repeated, blinking.

"A practitioner of Hidden Weapons combat," Cologne replied, "He studied with a Master of our village. The art bestows upon the expert the ability to draw weapons from seemingly no where, and to use them with skill against an opponent. You would be very well advised not to take that boy too lightly, Son-In-Law. He may be half-  
blind and a fool, but he is a very determined young man, and even a total incompetent can be dangerous when crossed."

"Him think Shampoo no have say in who she marry," Shampoo sniffed, but then her mood turned to ecstasy as she turned adoring eyes towards Ranma, "You stand up for Shampoo! You tell Mouse no bother her, and he almost listen!"

"Ah " Ranma was plainly embarrassed and tried to organize his thoughts around that point, "I just didn't like the way he was coming onto you. I don't want anybody forcing you to do nothing against your will, Shampoo. It's not like I was doing this to impress you I just don't like his tone. I mean guys like that give me the creeps!"

"Oh, Ailen!" Shampoo cried, glomming onto him as if unable to restrain herself any further. I saw Ranma get very round-eyed and he looked in my direction as if fearing immediate reprisals. Instead I looked back with sympathy before turning away.

I couldn't totally let the matter slip, though, so I said, "If you two are going to carry on like that, then I guess you don't need me around to make things crowded. I'll see you back at the dojo, Saotome."

"Nabiki-wait!" Ranma protested, "Let me go, Shampoo! Nabiki!"

To our mutual surprise Shampoo did let him go this time, in total contrast to the way she used to act when she would hug him in a virtual death-grip. Her eyes still shone with happiness, though, as she said, "You take care, Ailen, and watch after Nabiki. Mousse say he no bother her, but I no trust him. He very sneaky."

"Ah " Ranma turned from her to look at me, and I could see the worry in his expression slowly darken into anger, "He better not try it or else!"

I waited for him to come up alongside me, then we said our good-byes and took our leave of the Nekohanten. It was with very little surprise that we found the old woman tagging along beside us, making us both feel somewhat awkward as I knew Ranma wanted to speak with me alone. Instead he cast furtive glances my way then said, "So how'd you do it? Take him out like that, I mean "

"Shadow Boxing," the old woman replied.

"Come again?" Ranma and I both blinked and looked at her sidelong.

"A wise philosopher once said that reality is merely a shadow of things that occur on a more fundamental level of existence," the old woman said in that enigmatic way of hers, "We see the symptoms, not the cause of reality itself, so what we perceive as real is merely a reflection of the true reality that underlies everything. Work with the archetypes of that fundamental reality and you can effect a change regardless of the illusion of distance."

"Huh?" Ranma said, which pretty much summarized my own thoughts at that point.

Rather than give us a more detailed explanation the old woman got a wistful look in her eyes and smiled, then said, "I could be bound inside of a Nutshell and count myself a King of Infinite Space were it not that I have bad dreams. There is nothing either good nor bad but that thinking makes it so, therefore I declare it is a prison," she smiled at our bewildered expressions and laid off the bad Shakespeare quotes to more helpfully add, "It's thought that is the answer here. The reality that you perceive is but an illusion of the senses. What you see is not 'real' in the sense that it is the true and final picture of what is there."

"And you know what's real and what isn't?" I asked.

"What do you think a Lore Master is?" she smiled at me sidelong, then uttered another quotation, "What a piece of work is a man in form and faculty how express and admirable. In aspect how like an angel, in apprehension how like a God. The pinnacle of the world, the paragon of Animals, but what to me is this quintessence of dust? Man delights me not, nor woman though by your smiling I would see you think otherwise."

"What?" Ranma blinked at the rudely translated quotation given in Japanese that was originally written and spoken in English.

"Not bad," I said, I think more astutely, "You got some of the wording wrong, and the sentence structure isn't quite a match for the original "

"Perhaps so," she smiled wistfully, "It has been many years since I read the classics. A man I once cared very much about originally taught that to me. You might almost say he was my first husband, but unlike with you and Shampoo the law was never truly invoked in our case. Cologne nullified any claim he might have had on me she never really approved of the union, even when we had a child together."

"Wait," Ranma frowned, "She nullified a marriage? I thought you guys didn't have divorce or something like that!"

"We don't," Lotion replied, "But as I say, these were special circumstances."

"But if he was a man you were in love with " I started to say when I got a very strange look from the woman beside me, which stopped me in mid-sentence.

"He was not a man," she said as she looked away with what I thought was a sorrowful expression, "At least not by the normal definition. He was actually more like several men put together, but not born of a woman "

"Say what?" Ranma asked, now as thoroughly confused by the old woman's words as I was.

"Never mind," she said, "Suffice that it is partially the cause for why Cologne and I do not get along too well, or see eye-to-eye on many matters. I've never really forgiven her for coming between us yet I suppose in her own way she was only doing what she thought was best for all parties."

"You said he fathered a kid?" Ranma asked with a disquieted expression.

"Yes," she sighed, "And it surprised us as much as anyone that he was even capable of such a thing. I guess you could chalk it up to his excellent construction. He wasn't much to look at back then, in fact you could almost call him hideous, though he has since taken steps to correct that problem. His child, however, was beautiful beyond imagination "

"Wait, wait," I stopped in my tracks and made a Time Out sigh with my hands, "How long ago was this?"

The old woman cocked her head and seemed to think a moment, then replied, "1817, I believe, give or take a few seasons "

"1817?" Ranma repeated with rounded eyes.

"Granted that's going by the Western Calendar, not the Chinese," Lotion replied, seeming to sigh, "One hundred and eighty-plus years where does the time fly ?"

"And at the time you were ?" I noted.

"Seventeen," Lotion replied with that same enigmatic smile, "Give or take a season."

"You're saying that you're almost two hundred years old?" Ranma asked a bit numbly.

"I like to think that I'm still young for my age," the woman said with as much dignity as she could, which was considerable, but she seemed almost to be smiling, "I don't eat fried foods, I watch my intake of saturated fats, and I never count calories. It's all a matter of looking as young as you feel, and as I've just finished explaining to you, it is never good to judge by appearances."

"Your ex-husband " I began.

"We weren't married," the old woman said, albeit a bit sadly.

"Okay," I began again, "The guy you were in love with is he still around?"

"Oh yes," Lotion replied, "Very much so. In fact he's rather hard to put down that way, being something of an Immortal."

"Okay," I decided my credulity circuits were just about taxed to their limits right then, "So he fathered a child on you, and I take it he or she had a child, and now there's a woman named Silk who's his direct descendant?"

"Not exactly," Lotion said, starting forward again, "Silk's mother came much later, and with my second husband. She was born during the war between our countries, and Silk was born during the Mao era, and by now she has a child of her own, even though she chosen to marry the man that she loved. Of course Silk's mother did marry a man who was descended from my previous grandchild, so in a way she is related to my first love, however tenuous the bloodline."

I was just making sense of that when we came up to the gates of my house, then we entered while Lotion seemed to act as if she had been here before. I was just putting that together when we were met at the door by Kasumi.

"Nabiki, Ranma-kun," she said, "We have a guest who says oh my! Who is this?"

The old woman was looking up at Kasumi with an expression that was unreadable, then to our great amazement she bowed down to my older sister and said, "Honor be to you and your house. You surpass in loveliness and grace she who was lady of this house before you. I am honored to lay eyes upon you at last, Mistress of House Tendo."

Kasumi seemed as surprised by this as we were, but she bowed in reply to the old woman and said, "What a lovely thing to say, but of course it's not true. My mother was very beautiful, and I'm hardly anyone's Mistress."

"That may be as you say," Lotion said non-  
committally, "Is your father in residence, child? You may tell him that Lo Xion the Elder wishes the grace of his company and humbly asks him for admittance."

"I'll tell father that you want to see him," Kasumi agreed, stepping back as she said, "By all means come inside and I'll show you where he and Uncle Saotome are playing Shogi."

"Some things never change," the old woman murmured with a weary sigh that sounded wistful with nostalgia as she hobbled after my sister, "I'll bet they still try and cheat each other the same way too "

Ranma hung back to look at me with a very shocked expression, then he whispered, "What's going on here? She's knows Mister Tendo?"

"Apparently, Ranma-kun," then I urged him to follow as we both hurried to catch up with the old woman.

We entered the living room and indeed found our fathers cheating at Shogi, like always, but the minute Kasumi spoke up to introduce Lotion they both reacted as if someone had just threatened them with a handgun. Ranma's father jumped back in alarm while Daddy grabbed the Shogi board as if to use it as a ward-sign. Their expressions would have been comical if I hadn't had this sinking sensation that I was about to learn more about their past than I wanted.

"You?" Daddy cried, "But how did you get in here?"

"I let her in the door, Father," Kasumi seemed puzzled by his reaction, "Is something wrong?"

"Tendo Soun," Lotion hobbled a few steps closer and gave my father a hard lookover, "I must say you look fine, all other things being considered equal. And how is your lovely wife?"

"Kimiko?" my father cringed, and I tensed up fully expecting the usual floodgates to open, but instead he looked down and said, "She "

"I know," the old woman's voice was surprisingly gentle, "I wouldn't have mentioned it but for the fact that my granddaughter still thinks of you with kindness."

"She ?" Daddy had the strangest look in his eyes, and now I'd swear he was crying, but not his usual uncontrollable torrents.

"I feel for your loss," Lotion suddenly sounded as if the gravity of her own words weighted her down, "She was an excellent woman, if perhaps a mirror reflection of my own granddaughter. I am sorry to have troubled you on that, it will not be repeated. Let the past be buried for now, we will make amends in good time, and I am not here to disturb the ghosts of this household."

I saw Genma peer up from the concealment of the patio before he said, "You mean let bygones be bygones?"

"I wasn't talking to you, lout," Lotion snapped in his direction, "And as far as I'm concerned, if Cologne can tolerate your continued existence, then so will I. Just don't push the matter."

"Right," Ranma's father said meekly, averting his eyes as he added, "Forget I'm here."

"With pleasure," Lotion replied, then gave Daddy her full attention, "The issue that has brought me here is your middle daughter, Nabiki. I have determined that she has her mother's potential, and some of yours besides. This potential is sorely in need of my guidance, so I have chosen to instruct her, assuming I have your complete cooperation?"

Daddy can be a real puzzle at times, sometimes behaving like a total wimp, and sometimes showing considerable backbone. This time he seemed to be caught in the middle of a dilemma but rallied to say, "You're not going to take it out on my poor Nabiki?"

"No harm will come to her from me," Lotion replied, "It is to keep her from harming herself that I am here. Now, once again I will ask do I have your approval?"

"I " the backbone Daddy had been displaying seemed to bend at that point as he looked down, "I guess it will be all right. I know you mean well enough "

"Good," Lotion replied, "Then it is settled. I must say, Soun, you did choose well in betrothing her to Genma's son over there. A very interesting match, War Master to Lore Master. I should very much hope that I live to meet their offspring what in the world?"

I turned my attention to follow her sudden shift of gaze, as did Ranma, which was plainly evidenced when he growled, "What is he doing here?"

"Training your future sister-in-law, it would seem," Lotion replied as we all stared at Mousse, standing in the middle of our yard and addressing himself towards Akane, who was in her yellow gi and putting on a display of one of her katas.

"Very good," we heard the tall boy say as we listened, "You have an excellent control over your power, but you need to use less of it in your movements. Forceful swings only matter when they connect with an opponent, you should let your form govern your actions and only release your power when it comes times for an attack "

"Like this?" Akane asked as she went into another series of motions, demolishing a series of imaginary opponents.

"He said he was a friend of yours," Kasumi informed us without needing to be prompted, "He saw Akane working out and offered to give her a few pointers. Isn't he nice?"

Both Ranma and I looked at her, then Ranma hopped outside and went right up to Mousse with a challenging, "What the hell kind of stunt are you trying to pull here?"

"Saotome," Mousse turned to regard him, only his glasses were on his head so he was actually facing a tree instead, "I thought if I waited here long enough that I might find you "

Ranma didn't give him time enough to finish, he just walked right up to the taller boy and hit him, knocking him down.

"What did you do that for?" Akane suddenly protested.

"Keep out of this," Ranma said, "This guy is dangerous, and he threatened Nabiki!"

"He did?" Akane blinked her eyes, then looked down, "Is this true?"

"I never threatened her," Mousse felt along the edge of his lip as he started to get back up again, "But you are right that I am dangerous, Saotome. You are so blindly obsessed with having two women that you think me incapable of fighting back against your insolence?"

"Talk is cheap," Ranma sniffed, "You want to fight, let's go at it, only Shampoo warned me about you being some kind of hidden weapons user."

"Indeed I am," Mousse replied, rising on one leg, "But you will find that I am far from reliant on my weapons! Behold, the Chinese Amazon technique known as the White Crane Style, feared by martial artists since the dawn of time!"

"What?" Ranma scoffed, "You gonna peck me to death?"

All at once the other boy launched his assault, and while Ranma was braced to defend himself the attack seemed to come almost out of no where. Mousse's hands became a blur, and while Ranma staggered back at having absorbed these attacks Mousse brought his knee up and connected soundly with his jaw, knocking Ranma back against the wall that had been several meters behind him.

I was frankly quite stunned at seeing Ranma overwhelmed with such ease, and he was clearly even more surprised than I was, but being as tough as he is he shrugged off the attack, even though the wall was cracked where he connected. Ranma assumed a defensive crouch and said, "Let's see you try that again, buddy. I'm ready for you this time?"

"Are you?" Mousse smiled as he lowered his glasses to adjust the focus of his vision, then once again assuming that crane-stance he had used before, "As the Crane conceals its talons from under the water, so do I keep a number of surprises hidden for use against certain opponents. Behold-the attack of Egg Fu!"

So saying he produced a chicken with one hand and suddenly produced a set of eggs that he lobbed at Ranma. My iinazuke dodged the attack, but when the eggs his the ground they exploded, producing a cloud of smoke that left Ranma coughing.

"As you can see," Mousse said as he made the chicken vanish, "My Dark Arts can be very effective."

"So what?" Ranma coughed again, "It's just a bunch of dumb Magic Tricks! You're nothing more than a Circus Carny trickster! No way can you take me with a bunch of stupid eggs."

"Just tricks?" Mousse sounded outraged, "I'll show you what 'tricks' I have, Saotome! Take this!"

The reached into his sleeve and thrust something forward at Ranma, who moved to brace himself between the wall and the tree while catching the object with his feet, only to gape in dismay at finding the object was a duck-  
shaped kids potty trainer.

"Oh," Ranma scoffed, "I am soooo impressed."

Mousse looked puzzled as he looked at the potty trainer, then he sniffed, "Hmm That wasn't what I was after. I wonder how that happened? Oh well " he tossed the duck aside and whipped out a Chinese sword, which same he tried to thrust at Ranma, only to imbed it in the tree trunk as Ranma vaulted over his head then proceeded to kick Mousse in the back several times, causing the taller boy to stagger.

"That was uncalled for!" Mousse declared as he recovered and assumed a fighting crouch.

"You're a fine one to talk," Ranma hooked a thumb at the sword still vibrating in the tree, "You call using that fair? No way!"

"Boys!" I spoke up at last, stepping between the two fighters, "Why don't you both back off for now and save this for another time, like, say tomorrow afternoon, the main park? That way you can go all out without destroying the dojo."

I also was thinking of my own finances and the kind of bets that I could line up for tomorrow, so my motives weren't entirely pure at that point, but I did want Ranma to have time to get ready against this Mousse guy. There was a lot of bluster on both sides, but they agreed readily enough, calling it a "Man-to-man" deal, and I almost gagged at the testosterone that was on the breeze when they said that.

After Mousse departed vowing to crush Ranma utterly we both started to breathe a sigh of relief, only it didn't last long. Akane came right up to Ranma as mad as a wet hornet.

"Did you have to interrupt us when you did, baka?" she yelled at my iinazuke, "He was helping to teach me a new way to do my katas, something you've never even tried to do!"

"Yeah?" Ranma snorted, "Then I'll have to wish the guy my condolences next time we meet. He's in for a lot of backbreaking labor."

"Why you!" Akane snarled, and before I could think to warn her against it she slammed a fist into Ranma's gut, hard enough to double him over and knock him right into the koi pond!

"Akane!" I snapped, "What the hell were you thinking?"

She blinked at me and said, "What's the matter with you? I didn't hurt him too much with that!"

Before I could reply I heard Ranma sputter, then cry out in dismay as she yelled, "I'm a girl again you stupid Tomboy!"

"So?" she asked, "Just get some hot water and change oh that's right, I forgot."

The latter part she said a bit sheepishly, but the damage was done, and now we have a serious problem. Ranma has to fight tomorrow and he's a girl, and with the Cat Tongue in place he can't stand the heat enough to resume his male status. Now we have to find a way to get him ready for tomorrows fight, and that's going to be some doing as we'll have to get Cologne to consent to letting him off this one time. That's one negotiation I'm not looking forward to, I assure you.

I asked Lotion to help but she declined and excused herself, saying that she had seen enough at the present. I caught Daddy watching her go with a particularly troubled expression, reminding me of the mystery there that needs solving.

I'm tired, I need sleep, and telling all of this into my computer is starting to wear me down. I've got a problem to solve and a mystery worth exploring and I can do all that better after I've had rest and gotten through yet another school day.

At least that Mousse didn't get away with making me the stakes in tomorrow's fight. I don't think I'd like the idea very much of being an object of contention between two charged male egos, and not just because it's a little unnerving. I wonder if Mousse will accept Ranma in female form, or if he'll declare the match a forfeit. I'll have to have Ryonami calculate the odds for betting since she's even better at it than me, surprising as that is from my standpoint. I'll sleep on it and maybe feel better in the morning.

I just wish I could get this looming feeling of total disaster out of my head. Somehow I just know my Ranma-  
chan is headed towards serious trouble

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/No Dose for the Writer: HYPERLINK mailto:shadowmane shadowmane

Ranma faces a challenge and Nabiki meets a new business partner be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	21. Chapter 21

NabikiRan19 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 20.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Sometimes I swear that we ought to just sell Uncle Genma to a Zoo and be done with it! That old Panda's caused more trouble than he's worth in his weight of fish sausages, which come to think of it is another way we could get even

Ah well, might as well start this entry at the beginning.

Ranma was not happy about being stuck back in female form again, to say the least, and with his "Man-to-Man" fight against Mousse looming we could all sense a disaster in the making, but Ranma assured us that she would find a way to defeat Mousse while preserving her secret, a scheme that sounded a little cracked when he pitched it to me, but what the hell, we were desperate! I couldn't see how anything could get worse at this point.

Naturally I was wrong, as usual. Things were about to get a lot worse, only from a completely unexpected direction.

The fight had been scheduled for this afternoon a couple of hours after classes, so I had time enough to run a few chores before meeting Ranma at the designated time and place in the park. One of those errands called for me to make a brief stopover at a new restaurant that was setting up shop a few blocks from the Nekohanten. It was dealing with Okonomiyaki, not Ramen, but I thought I could sell a few boxes to the proprietor from our Year-long stock that Ranma had won during the Take-Out race against Kaori.

I got there a few minutes ahead of the time that I'd called ahead for, but when I was met at the door by the proprietor I thought that there must be some mistake. Instead of some middle-aged guy, like I'd expected, the kid who let me into the place looked to be even younger than I am!

Of course my first reaction on meeting him was to gape in amazement, for here was a handsome boy I had never seen around Furinkan before, and a pretty sharp dresser, all in black with a loose-fitting robe that sported a bandoleer of miniature spatulas. I could not help gaping at his face, which was so good looking you could almost call him pretty.

He explained to me that his name was Kuonji Ukyo, that he's sixteen and "unattached," and that he was setting up his business in the Nerima district as an outlet for his father, who owned a chain of such restaurants. We talked a bit of business and I found this Ukyo character to be a pretty fair business man for his tender years, almost as astute on the subject of business as me, a natural talent that opened up an instant rapport between us. He even flirted with me a little, though I'm sure he wasn't being serious, just polite as a guy like him must be a real popular attraction with the ladies.

I'd noticed that he has a very provincial accent, falsetto toned and salty besides as he referred to me more than once as "Sugar." I smiled back and felt myself warm a couple of times at the flattery, even though I had to eventually let him know that I was engaged to a boy at my High School.

Kuonji seemed to express interest at that point and informed me that he was considering enrolling at Furinkan and wanted to know what kind of a school it was like, and whether it would accept him as a Business Major. I replied as truthfully as I could that our school was unique, and that we had a kind of reputation among the Tokyo districts as a rough spot due to the number of martial arts students who study in and around our dojo. That, too, seemed to inspire a smile from Kuonji as he expressed an interest in the Martial arts himself, then gave me a quick demonstration of his family's unique form of Okonomiyaki cooking, whipping me up a Japanese Pizza in the space of what seemed like only a few seconds!

I kid you not, when I bit into the thing I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Even Kasumi doesn't make Okonomiyaki that good, so light and crisp around the edges, just tender and juicy enough in the center that it almost melts in your mouth like butter! I knew at once a good thing when I saw it and asked Kuonji if she was interested in having a business partner.

He replied non-committally that he would think about it, and we got along pretty well from that point, right up until he said something flattering about my iinazuke, saying he must be a great guy to have someone like me devoted to him. That was when I let slip the name of my betrothed, and it was as if I had just threatened to bomb the place! Kuonji's attitude changed completely and the spatula in his hand hit the floor like the proverbial pin-  
drop.

"Saotome Ranma?" he repeated, turning to look at me with an intense scrutiny that was totally unlike the friendly, outgoing boy I thought I'd been bantering around with, "Did you say his name is Saotome Ranma?"

I answered affirmative, surprised at this change in his attitude as I could almost swear I saw Kuonji surrounded by a battle aura. It did not take too many more clues for me to have a gnawing sense that I was about to experience a repeat of the Ryoga situation.

"Tell me," he said in level heat as if barely controlling his anger, "Does he have a father named Genma? Saotome Genma?"

"Ah that depends," I replied, "You got a problem with them?"

"You could put it that way, Sugar," he growled, then reached up over the counter and pulled down from the wall a huge iron Bakers Peel that was displayed there like a family heirloom. He hefted it and slung it over his back then said, "Would you mind very much showing me to your boyfriend and his father. I've got some unfinished business I'd like to settle, if you don't mind."

"As a matter of fact I do mind," I replied, "What's your beef with Ranma? You don't plan on doing anything nasty to him, do you?"

"That all depends," Kuonji said darkly, "I'd like to see him first before I decide one way or another. Ranma and me go way back, and that Jackass father of his."

"Oh," I replied, "So you do know Uncle Genma."

He studied me with a peculiar intensity then frowned before saying, "You're his iinazuke, huh? About how far back does this go?"

"I've only known Ranma a couple of months," I replied, "But the engagement was agreed to by our fathers before we were even born. It's a matter of family honor."

"Family honor?" Kuonji grated out the words, "I'm surprised they even know what the words mean! If you had any idea what kind of hell those two have put me through "

"Try me," I stated flatly.

He seemed to consider the point for a moment then shook his head, "No deal. I'll only explain my side of the story after I see Ranma. I want to know why he and Genma abandoned me along the road when I was little. You have any idea what that's like to a six year old?"

"Abandoned you?" I said in total bewilderment, wondering if what he was saying meant that Ranma had a brother that had been given up by Genma! You read about these things all the time, but to meet someone who was living proof of the total irresponsibility of Ranma's father was as shocking as if Kuonji had just slapped me.

"Look," he tried more reasonably, "I give you my word of honor that I won't try anything with your boyfriend until after I've had my say. I'm entitled to some answers for all the things I've suffered over these last ten years! You can't deny me that! If you don't want to help, I'll understand, but one way or another I'm going to find Ranma and his father and have my satisfaction."

I had a sense that Ukyo is a very dangerous customer, and being a devout pacifist at heart I decided not to put on any brave show in standing up to him, so I agreed to at least show him to Ranma's father, sensing that this was where his anger was strongest, and the old man certainly deserved a good bashing!

Kuonji closed up his shop and followed me to the park where we both discovered (to his amazement and my dismay) that Cologne had turned the whole thing into a carnival like atmosphere complete with already assembled arena and a concession stand from which she and Shampoo were hawking bowls of hot Ramen. A part of me was appalled at this exploitation of the fight between Mousse and Ranma, but another part of me-the part that is all business-was secretly admiring them both for having such good business moxie.

Okay, maybe I was also a bit envious that I hadn't gotten my hand into their deal before it happened, but at least Ryonami and my other friends where there working the crowd, placing bets and salting rumors that helped tilt the odds in our favor.

Ryonami-bless her soul-had generated a lot of interest among our fellow students by passing along the word that the stranger had at least connected with a kick and punch to Ranma. That was a lot more than Ryoga or Kuno had ever managed, so there was muted hope among some students that our school's undefeated champion had finally met his match against the newcomer. Even though the odds of an upset were remote I found more than a few students eager to bet against those odds for a chance at seeing Ranma upstaged. It was enlightening to discover that not everyone at our school thought very highly of my iinazuke, and that more than a few found him arrogant and abrasive.

Kuonji seemed to take the whole thing in with surprise before murmuring to me, "Just how well known is Ranma in this district?"

I just smiled and said, "Opinions are divided, you either like him or hate him, but I'm obviously prejudiced in his favor.

"And whose the chick with the weird hair?" he nodded towards Shampoo, who only just then took notice that I was standing alongside a complete stranger.

"Xian Pu," I made a point to pronounce her name correctly, then made introductions when the Amazon approached us, adding, "Kuonji is setting up his own restaurant a few blocks from the Nekohanten. He's selling Okonomiyaki "

"The best Okonomiyaki in Japan," Kuonji himself supplied, "Maybe even the world."

Shampoo was studying Ukyo's face very curiously before turning to me and saying, "Where Ranma at? He late for fight! Mousse already here, and he very angry."

"Mousse?" Kuonji asked and I pointed to the tall boy who was at that moment accosting innocent bystanders demanding to know if any of them were Ranma. When he got up to Kuonji himself the boy didn't hesitate or bat an eyelash, just laid Mousse out with a single punch to the solar plexus. I mentally checked the feat, seeing that Mousse wasn't wearing his glasses over his eyes and so could not have seen the blow coming, but that it was smooth, fast and easily delivered, almost the kind of blow Ranma himself could land without telegraphing the movement.

"Hands off, Jackass," Kuonji snorted, "Do I look to you anything like Saotome Ranma?"

Mousse finally adjusted his glasses as he sucked wind back into his sails, then got slowly back to his feet with a very aloof stare directed at Kuonji. In a feral growl he said, "I'll deal with you later," before he turned to me and gave an even darker look before adding, "Your iinazuke is late. How dare he keep me waiting in a man-  
to-man fight? He is showing very poor manners, to say nothing of his unsportsmanlike "

"I'm here!" cried Ranma, only I knew at once that it was Ranma-chan, not his male aspect, and looking towards the stage I felt like groaning. Ranma had put on some kind of flowing Chinese robe that was obviously too big for her frame, and wearing dark sunglasses as if to make fun of Mousse, as lame a display of psyching out your opponent as I've ever been forced to witness.

"What are you waiting for?" Ranma asked, "Aren't you interested in a Man-to-Man challenge?"

Mousse was incensed with rage and vaulted into the arena, but Kuonji just sounded puzzled as he asked, "Who is that? Is that Ranma?"

"That's Ranko," I corrected before I had time to really think about it, "Ranma's cousin. People sometimes get the two of them confused."

"I wonder why?" Kuonji frowned, "Sure doesn't look like the Ranma I knew. For one thing he never had bright red hair like this girl."

I just smiled and winced inwardly then settled down to watch the fight unfold. Ranma opened the match by putting on a display of stage illusion, producing all kinds of objects from his sleeves, which just added to the rage Mousse was building like a battle aura.

"How dare you make a mockery of my Dark Arts?" Mouse shouted, "You will pay for this insolence, as you will also pay for daring to enslave Shampoo to your clutches!"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked from our side, "Mousse really angry. Shampoo never see him this much upset at fight."

"Sounds like this Ranko character is trying to make him reckless," Kuonji noted, "A pretty dangerous strategy, but I've got to admire her tactics."

"A pity Son-In-Law is underestimating his opponent," Cologne remarked as she was suddenly at our side, balancing on that stick of hers again as she watched the fight intensely, "He cannot defeat Mousse by employing such a strategy."

"He?" Kuonji asked with an arched eyebrow, but we ignored the question as right then Ranma vaulted into the air and caused an explosion to surround her with smoke for several seconds. When she emerged from the smoke to land on the stage again I almost fell over with surprise. Ranma was now dressed up like a Playboy bunny in a really skimpy costume, the kind which I'd never have imagined seeing him wear to a fight, let alone before a crowd full of our fellow students.

To top things off Ranma pretended as if his change of appearance, revealing himself as a girl, were just a part of the "magic act" he was putting on. I thought it was one of the lamest stunts he had ever pulled, but to my dismay I saw that people were actually buying it! There was all kinds of murmuring about how Ranma had managed to make the switch between himself and the redhead.

"What the ?" I heard Kuonji murmur, echoing my thoughts exactly.

"Well now," a familiar voice remarked as I turned to see Lotion standing beside me, "I see we have arrived in time, and your amorata is putting on quite a show for the crowd. A pity Mousse will only grow more focused in his anger."

"I knew I should have gotten here earlier," said another familiar voice as Doctor Tofu was standing on the opposite side of her, as though they both had arrived together, "I need to speak with Ranma before this fight goes any farther."

"Nihao, Tofu-Sensei," Shampoo greeted her former employer, "What you mean you need talk with Ailen? Him busy at moment "

"That's what I need to explain to him," Tofu replied, "He can't win this fight as a girl, he's got to change back to his male form before he gets seriously injured."

"Change back to his what ?" Kuonji sounded even more confused than ever.

"What is it, Sensei?" I asked my family physician, "Is Ranma in serious trouble?"

In answer to my question I heard an exchange of blows and turned to see at once what Tofu had been saying was true. Ranma was in the air exchanging blows and kicks with Mousse, but none of his blows connected as Mousse's Crane-picks and punches had greater reach and were backed by masculine power.

"Oh," I said, comprehending the problem.

"The boy has greater reach as a male," Cologne replied, "As a girl his arms and legs are shorter, giving Mousse the advantage. I should have warned him of this myself but I thought my Son-In-Law's skills might compensate for this disadvantage."

I think about that point Kuonji was deciding that the lot of us were escaped mental patients, but we had no time to explain things for his benefit as Doctor Tofu pushed forward, being aided by Cologne in clearing a way towards the arena. At the rate that Ranma was sustaining a pounding, however, it was looking very much like they would not get to her in time.

That is until the timely intervention of Kuno.

"Osage no Onna!" he cried as he glomped onto Ranma without warning, causing Mousse to hesitate in surprise at this interruption, "Fear not! The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High is here to defend you!"

"Lemme go, you jerk!" Ranma cried out, unable to get enough leverage to dislodge Kuno's embrace of her body.

The pause only held Mousse in check for a moment, however, and he launched himself into the air once again, alighting on a nearby telephone pole where he summoned up his power, then vaulted back into the arena, diving with clawed hooks on his feet. Ranma saw the danger barely in time to get out of the way, but she was a bit slow due to the drag weight of Kuno and one of those claws ripped her bodice open. She threw Kuno into Mouse and stepped back to safety, but in doing so was unaware that the upper half of her body was now exposed to full public examination.

The result on our hormone-crazed student body was predictable and boys started to climb into the arena to surround and attempt to grope Ranma. She started to fend them off, but it was plain to me that sheer weight of numbers was telling and we were about to witness an all out gang-bang!

"I've seen enough of this!" cried Kuonji, and before I had time to ask what he was talking about he vaulted over the heads of the crowd, unslung his Bakers Peel and began to lay out into the students with powerful blows that batted them away like bowling pins, scattering them in all directions.

"Back off, you sleezoids!" he angrily declared, "Don't even try to put your clammy paws on her or you'll answer to me, you got that?"

"Thanks," Ranma gasped as she held her top with both hands, "You're a real life saver, whoever you are."

"Don't mention it, Sugar," Kuonji replied, giving her a sidelong glance before saying, "You're name's Saotome Ranko, right? Maybe you might tell your cousin about me, I'm Kuonji Ukyo, an old friend of his from long ago."

"Kuonji Ukyo ?" I saw comprehension dawn on the face of an astonished Ranma.

Just then Tofu reached the stage and climbed up on it, telling Ranma to hold still. Ranma looked surprised when Tofu touched a spot on her back, and then Cologne appeared with a kettle of water, which same she poured over Ranma's head, instantly triggering his by-now familiar transformation.

Well, familiar by me. For Kuonji, on the other hand, it was a bit of a surprise seeing the redhead suddenly change into a handsome guy who stood even taller than he was.

"Hey, thanks!" Ranma grinned, flexing his now-  
masculine bare chest, "It's good to be back!"

"Ranma ?" Kuonji said in a hollow voice that sounded higher pitched than normal.

"Ucchan!" Ranma grinned as he slapped Kuonji on the shoulder, "Man, it's good to see you again! What's it been? Like ten years or something? You sure grew up to be a pretty handsome guy, bet you're a real lady-killer "

"Guy?" I heard Kuonji say the word even more faintly.

That was when Mousse extricated himself from Kuno and rose to his feet even more incensed than ever, "Saotome Ranma! How dare you make a mockery out of this fight! You will pay for this with your life!'

"Uh, guys?" Ranma motioned Kuonji and Tofu back, "Mind if we pick this up later? I've got a little unfinished business to settle."

Kuonji and the others cleared the way as Ranma assumed a fighting crouch and prepared to meet Mousse's renewed onslaught. I looked around at our fellow students and saw considerable confusion and dismay in their expressions, not to mention a good deal of murmuring on "How did he do that?" which meant the student body had seen the change happen but could not make sense of it. More than a few seemed to be concluding that the whole thing was an illusion staged for their benefit which gave me an idea on how we could work some damage control after this was all over.

This time Ranma was prepared for Mousse and sized up his attacks with plenty of time to meet and counter them. The Chinese Boy still had a formidable technique and kept Ranma from pressing his advantage in strength, but the fight was much more even now, until Mousse began producing a series of weapons from concealment. That started to level the playing field again when Cologne suddenly called out for Ranma to use his special technique, the Chestnut Fist. Ranma understood and complied with the suggestion immediately, and within seconds he had laid Mousse out into dreamland, having pummeled him with countless blows that the other boy could neither see nor counter.

"That oughta show you!" Ranma declared haughtily while half the student body cheered him and the other half tore up their betting stubs as if that would spare them from later collection.

"Ranma!" Shampoo cried out enthusiastically as she vaulted from my side, only to get beaten by the punch by Kodachi, who glommed onto Ranma without warning, declaring, "Ranma-Sama" had proven himself a superior man before all who might doubt him.

I saw Kuonji frame the words, "What the Heck?" before his handsome face darkened and he suddenly brought the Bakers Peel down on Kodachi's head, knocking her out as she fell at the feet of Ranma.

"Thanks, Ucchan " Ranma started to say in relief when he suddenly found the edge of the giant spatula thrust up under his chin as Kuonji leaned closer toward him and glared with his hazel eyes before saying, "Don't thank me just yet. I haven't forgotten what you and your father pulled on me all those years ago, you know!"

"What we what?" Ranma blinked, "Ucchan, you're not making sense! What we pulled on you? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember?" Kuonji looked surprised and not a little bit hurt, "Ten years ago when we parted ways, or rather when you dumped me along the side of the road and made off with my father's Yatai?"

"When we what ?" I saw Ranma's face go pale, then his eyes lost focus as he blinked and said, "Hey I do remember something you running after us, me waving to you on the top of the Yatai "

The blank look in his eyes persisted several second before becoming a look of utter horror, "I I don't what were we doing with your Yatai? That doesn't make any sense "

"Sounds to me like you and your father stole it," I said as I approached this merry little get together.

"Wrong!" I heard Genma cry as he suddenly surfaced from the crowd, "Her father gave it to me! It was a fair exchange uh "

"Go on," I said, turning a suspicious look his way, seeing all the tell-tale signs of another Genma scam in motion, "In exchange for what?"

"Uh nothing " Genma said, easing back into the crowd, "I just didn't steal it "

"Pop " Ranma growled, "What the Hell did you do to Ucchan? You left him along the side of the road?"

"Hey, you were there too, Boy," Genma replied as he called over his shoulder, "Don't try to act innocent. You're as much a part of this as I am!"

"I'm what?" Ranma cried in outrage, but before he could chase after his Dad I heard Kuonji speak up again.

"Saotome Genma," he purred, flexing his Bakers Peel again in both hands, "Do you have any idea how long I've been searching for you, old man? Ten years I've been in training for this day, and now I've finally caught up with you! You know what they say about Payback? Well, it goes double for me!"

Genma gave the kind of strangled cry a guilty man gives his accusers before turning tail and running full out. Kuonji was already in the air and sailing over the heads of the other students chasing after him threatening vile retribution. Of course Ranma and Shampoo gave chase, but as I was about to do the same I found a staff restraining me. I looked down to see Lotion smiling my way with a knowing expression.

"He's quite a man, your iinazuke. He attracts followers the way some men attract hornets."

"What the heck is going on here?" I asked, "Why was Kuonji so upset with Ranma? And why did Genma steal that Yatai cart then claim it was given to him by his father?"

"His father," Lotion replied, "You already have all the clues that you need to solve this puzzle in that one expression. Think well on it and you will know without needing me to tell you."

"Can't you just for once come out and tell me?" I asked in frustration.

"Think of it as a part of your training," the old woman said as she began to hobble away, only to pause and call back, "The true secret of being a Lore Master is to accept what you know and to allow yourself to know that you know it. I have told you that it is dangerous to be fooled by mere illusions, and appearances are the most deceptive kind of illusion. Think well on the crowd and how easily they were beguiled by the feminine charms of your fianc e. Do you think them totally oblivious to what they have just seen? Yet how many of them will remember things accurately and later tell themselves that something other than what they saw is what in fact happened?"

I had to concede that she was right on that. It's amazing what denial people will mount to preserve their conceptions of what is real and what is false. I've used that trick many times to my advantage, and yet even I'm surprised at how far people like Kuno will go to confuse what they see and hear with what they want to have happen.

"I hate this," I sighed, "Why do you always have to answer every question with a riddle?"

"Why do you question every answer?" she replied, then smiled as she started on her away again, calling back, "One is taught in accordance to one's ability to learn. You are a clever enough girl, you will figure it all out on your own eventually."

Well, I managed to catch up with Ranma and Shampoo a short time later, finding them standing over Genma, who was laying on his back in a ditch with a look on his face that showed absolute terror. At first I thought maybe Kuonji had done this to him, but Ranma said the old man had collapsed on his own, and the sight of him like that had so disgusted Kuonji that he had turned around and left him like that.

"Very strange boy," Shampoo reflected, "Him very handsome, but he no like Ranma's father."

"I got a sneaking hunch the old man deserves whatever's coming to him," Ranma growled as he gave his father a contemptful sweep with his eyes, "C'mon, Pop, I ain't buying this act! Get up and tell us what you did to make Ucchan so angry!"

He aimed a kick at the old panda, but Genma caught the foot before it connected, then calmly sat up and adjusted his glasses, folding his arms and legs into a position worthy of the Buddha.

"I can't tell you, boy, and it's for your own good."

"What?" Ranma was even more incensed than before.

"Listen, Ranma," he directed his gaze at his son in a way that was almost frighteningly intense, "You have to believe me, I did not steal that Yatai. I had my reasons for what I did, but it's a matter of honor that I not reveal them. You future safety and happiness depends upon my silence."

Shampoo made a dismissive noise and said, "Shampoo think old panda no tell truth about Spatula Boy, maybe have something to hide that very bad? Shampoo think maybe Bonbori loosen tongue."

"You can threaten me all you want," Genma replied, "But I'm not talking."

"Oh no?" Shampoo made a sly smile and suddenly her maces were in either hand. She held them up in a threatening manner and Genma blanched at once, then got to his feet and started running again. Shampoo gave chase for a block or so, then let him get away before circling back to rejoin us.

"So," I said while Shampoo was off giving the terror of the gods to the old panda, "What do you think of your old friend, Ranma? Think maybe this Ukyo character is going to come after you like Ryoga?"

"I sure hope not," Ranma said with a tired kind of sadness, "We used to be close friends. I'm so tired of everybody always blaming me for stuff, chasing after me and threatening to kill me. I mean, when is it gonna stop already? Why do I always have to pay for my father's crimes when he's the one who made off with the Yatai?"

"You don't remember anything else that might be helpful?" I asked him, "I can't believe your friend was this upset over just the theft of a cart."

"Why not?" Ranma asked with a snort, "Ryoga wanted to kill me over bread, that that was even before he got his Jusenkyo curse," he look thoughtful for a moment then said, "All I remember is the games me and Ucchan used to play. I'd come running up to steal Okonomiyaki from his cart, and she'd try to prevent me "

"Steal?" I replied with lifted eyebrows.

"Uh " he thought about it, then said, "Yeah, I guess it was kinda like stealing, only his old man never seemed to mind much. In fact, the old guy acted like he wanted to encourage us being playmates. He'd give Pop and me free Okonomiyaki and the two of them would talk for hours."

"About what?" I asked, not able to imagine Genma as a great conversationalist.

"I dunno," Ranma frowned more intensely, "About Martial Arts and stuff, I think. Ucchan's dad was really into his family's special system I think they developed it to fight off bandits or something. I know he was training Ucchan how to fight with spatulas, only much smaller ones than that big thing he was waving about."

"So obviously," I surprised, "There was some kind of an arrangement made between your father and his father, and it involved the exchange of the Yatai " I stopped and looked at Ranma with dismay, "I think I know what it is, Ranma-kun! It makes a kind of sense your father was supposed to adopt Ukyo and train him like your foster brother!"

"He what?" Ranma blinked, "Why that do you know how much I've always wanted somebody to talk to and play with when I was a kid? You know what I would have given to have a brother!? That I'll kill him with my own two hands when I get home!"

"At least we know why Ukyo's so upset about being abandoned," I surmised, "Think what it must have been like for him to be left at the side of the road at the age of six while your father made off with the family business."

I saw Ranma's anger deflate into depression as he growled, "How could he? Me'n Ucchan could have been brothers growing up and helping each other train in the art! Why would he do such a thing?"

"Because he's an amoral, self-centered, egotistical opportunist who thinks only of his stomach and would sell his only son for a bowl of rice and a fish wafer?" I posed my statement as gently as I could and tried to arch it to sound more humorous, but it sounded lame even in my hearing. Ranma looked at me and smiled without really smiling, but I could see in his eyes how much this was hurting him.

When Shampoo came back she saw the same look too but was quick to take Ranma's mind off the problem of his father's irresponsible behavior, complimenting him on his devastating victory over Mousse. Ranma did perk up a little under her cheerful praise, but we both knew the problem with Ukyo was far from over and we'd no doubt be hearing from him again. If there's one thing I know about Ranma, he always tries to do what he believes is right, and somehow he has to find Kuonji and make peace between them.

Now that I'm sitting here in my room reflecting on the events of the day I'm forced to wonder if maybe my conclusion about Kuonji was entirely accurate. Granted I'd made a deduction based on the available data that was at hand, but some nagging sense tells me that I've missed something pretty significant, and that always bothers me. If there's one thing I pride myself on it's the thoroughness of my research.

I'm going to get on the Net after I'm done here and do a search into the personal history of one Kuonji Ukyo. I know there are laws against invading someone's privacy, but there are ways around that, just like there are loopholes with everything in the legal books. Too bad Amazon rules don't have these kinds of legal loopholes, but then again I guess the one that allows me and Ranma to both be considered potential mates by Shampoo counts as a kind of a loophole. I'm not complaining that she wants to be a lot closer to the both of us in total honesty that's one loophole that I can live with.

I'm not going to let myself be distracted by another aimless ramble about Shampoo. That issue still has me tied up in knots as I want to do the right thing by her, only what she's proposing for us well in a way it kind of scares me. A one-on-one marriage with Ranma is difficult enough to contemplate, but all this business with the Amazons, and that Lotion who keeps referring to me as a Lore Master

Lotion. What did she mean that I already had all the clues I needed? What clues do I really have that could make me arrive at any other conclusion than that Genma sold out on Kuonji by reneging on a pact he made with his father

His father. There was something about that which Lotion thought was significant. Something to do with what she was saying about illusions and the way people perceive reality, not seeing things accurately but making stuff up in their minds based on prior preconceptions. What preconceptions do I have about Kuonji? I only just met him today! Sure, he's a cute boy, and if I weren't totally committed to Ranma I d be tempted to flirt with him in earnest. He's sharp, has good business sense, clearly knows what he wants in life and has a practical edge to his manners that makes me believe he'll go far. In many respects he's a more desirable prospect than Ranma, who still hasn't committed himself to anything besides perfecting his martial arts and teaching students in my father's dojo.

Kuonji Ukyo a pretty strange name for a guy. Bet he got teased a lot growing up! "Right of the Eternal Temple of Kyoto." No wonder he's such a superb martial artist

He's a martial artist. He. It just occurred to me, scrolling back over what I've just written, when Genma was first protesting that he had not stolen the Yatai that HER father gave it to him. HER, not Him! At first I thought it was a typo, but now now that I think about it

Nabiki looked up from her console with a blank-faced astonishment that held her rooted in her chair for several minutes, then she looked out the window, knowing Ranma was perched outside, and debated whether or not she should tell him of her suspicions. The more she thought on it the more right she felt in her suspicions, and that feeling grew strong until it was almost a certainty. It all added up, all the little hints and clues that she had been ignoring throughout her whole time around Kuonji Ukyo. Her first conclusion had indeed been in error, and now she was faced with an even greater problem than before, and how was she going to explain this to Ranma?

"Kuso " she very faintly whispered.

Outside in the night Ranma was himself undergoing a kind of torment as he thought about the events of the day, and how badly it reflected on both him and his Father. In spite of everything, Ranma had always deep down believed that his father was a basically good man, and they both adhered to the Warriors code which upheld that a Martial Artist should always use their skills in defense of the weak. Yet here his father had betrayed the code, betrayed himself and betrayed Ranma, and-worst of all-betrayed Ucchan, his only childhood friend from long ago, now a bitter enemy who no doubt hated his guts with a passion.

"Ucchan," he sighed, feeling the depression settle in as he wondered what Nabiki was thinking about him at the moment. How could she stand to look at him, knowing how he and his father had abandoned someone who could have been like a brother growing up? The more he thought about it, the more he felt like jumping into the koi pond and not emerging until he had purged himself-or herself-of all sins.

"Meow?"

Ranma tensed, every muscle locking into a rigid frame as that sound invaded his thoughts and drove all thoughts of Ukyo away. Without turning his head to look he sensed something small, warm and furry approach him, sniffing his hand and making an inquiring noise as if asking a question.

"G-G-gah " Ranma managed to stutter, "Get outta here, Shampoo! G'wan, beat it!"

"Meow?" the feline voice inquired, sounding bot hurt and defensive.

"You heard me?" Ranma fought down the edge of panic in his voice, "Scat! Haven't you already caused enough problems?"

"Meow," this time the cat-voice sounded sad, depressed and very isolated.

"Wait!" Ranma called out, sensing that the animal was about to withdraw, "I didn't mean that, Shampoo! I mean you're not at fault here I'm sorry I yelled at you, I mean I oh hell "

"Meow?" the tone was soft, low and gently inquiring.

Ranma could not repress a feverish shiver that traveled up and down the length of his body as he fought to remain where we was, fought against the cloying panic that gnawed around the edges of his mind, threatening to burst out, to turn him into the Neko, to drive him beyond the threshold of sanity to drive him into full-blown madness.

He could smell the fish sausages, hear the hungry growls in the dark of the pit, could almost smell the overpowering scent of their bodies pressed together all around him

Stop it! he told himself fiercely as he shut his eyes tightly. You have to get over this! It's just Shampoo, it's not a real cat at all, it's just her and nothing else

"Meow?"

Shampoo-Neko's face appeared before his eyes when he screwed them up to look at her, the face of a cat with odd ornaments in its fur, looking at him with Shampoo's eyes her reddish brown eyes, still faintly discernable as human in spite of the curse that locked her body up in a shape that he found terrifying.

"Sh-Shampoo?" he asked, forcing himself to reach out with a hand that she gently sniffed before licking. He started to smile very slightly, then reached out to pet her

"Ranma-Sama! There you are! At last I have found you!"

"GAAAAAHHHHH!" Ranma cried as he bolted erect and started moving before his mind had formed a coherent thought. Kodachi took off after him, laughing her trademark laugh as the chase was on while Shampoo remained where she was, looking enormously puzzled.

"Mreow?"

"You and me both," she heard a voice say and turned to look up at Nabiki, who was staring out at her from her window.

"Meow?"

"I know, Sham-chan," Nabiki replied, finding it easy to address the Amazon this way while she was in her cursed form, "Men can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em."

"Mew," Shampoo lowered her gaze. How well she knew this!

"We have to talk," Nabiki said, and when the cat looked inquiringly up at her she waved a finger and said, "But if I let you in, do you promise to behave yourself and not cause any trouble? I'm still not sure if I forgive you for deceiving me earlier."

"Meow!" Shampoo raised her right paw as if making a salutation or a promise.

"All right," Nabiki sighed, "Then come on in and let's get you a hot bath, then we need to talk about Kuonji Ukyo. There's a little something that I need to tell you about her "

"MEOW?" the cat exclaimed as she was halfway through the window.

"That's right, I said her," Nabiki nodded, "Your Japanese must be improving, either that or I'm learning to speak Cat. Either way, we have a serious problem."

"Meow," Shampoo murmured faintly, considering that an understatement

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cat-Lingo for Japanese Tourists: shadowmane

Now that Ukyo is finally in the picture things will really start to warm up on the griddle be there when Ryoga makes his fateful return to Nerima...will Akane be ready?

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	22. Chapter 22

NabikiRan20 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-One.

Shampoo had returned late after having her strategy-  
session with Nabiki over the Kuonji Ukyo matter, slipping into the Nekohanten and curling up on her bed in her cursed form to grab a few winks of shut-eye. It was truly fortunate that she had discovered how much easier it was to refresh herself taking shot Cat-Naps when there was not sufficient time for her human form to recover with a single long sleep, and her Great Grandmother indulged her the privilege so long as she was careful to clean up her cat-hairs off of the bedroll the next morning.

So it was that she was able to rise up and change back to her human form early the next morning with plenty of time to make it to her promised meeting with her beloved co-wife. The situation around Ranma was growing more complicated by the minute and they both had to head this problem with Ukyo off fast before it became a full-  
blown crisis.

So it was that she was rushing out the door when her Great Grandmother appeared clutching a small black pig in one hand and looking very pleased with her find, saying what a delicious meal he would make once he was boiled and prepared Cantonese-style. Shampoo agreed that he would be too-too delicious and headed out the door with an apology, only to halt in her tracks as a belated memory nagged at the fringes of her consciousness.

Now where had she seen that cute little black pig before ?

All at once her eyes got very wide, and she rushed back into the kitchen and cried, "No, Great-Grandmother, this one is not to be eaten!"

She was just a few seconds too late to prevent Cologne from dropping the pig into a wok of already boiling water, the predictable result being that a very angry boy emerged screaming in pain and outrage. He at once tried to attack the Elder but got flattened for his troubles, then Cologne calmly looked down and asked for his name, as if this sort of thing were a common enough experience with her, talking to just-discovered victims of Jusenkyo.

Shampoo was still catching her breath at the brief scene of a naked male form that looked surprisingly a lot like that of Ranma when she caught the name Hibiki Ryoga. She closed her mouth, knowing very well from her experiences at the Tendo Dojo just who this Ryoga was, and his relationship with a certain Tendo sister whom Shampoo had recently begun training.

She already knew the story of how he got his curse, but she listened in and caught from his side of the matter how he had been surprised at Jusenkyo and knocked into Heituenniichuan, the Spring of Drowned Piglet. Shampoo thought it could just as well have been the Spring of The Drowned Stubborn Fool, for he had an obsessive rage complex directed at her beloved Ranma over the incident in question, and some prior misunderstandings involving bread, or so she had gathered from various hints and suggestions in the notes of her other beloved.

Cologne seemed quite fascinated with the boy, who was in many ways a superb Martial Artist and would have no doubt have easily captured himself a wife back at Joketsuzoku if his endless wanderings were ever to take him in that direction. Shampoo was not as interested in the particulars and excused herself to rush to her delayed appointment with Nabiki, thinking to herself that the Lost Boy would probably still be there when she got back, what with his problem finding a door that lead to something other than a closet.

Nabiki was waiting outside the new establishment that had not yet opened, this place called "Ucchan's," after its primary patron and the object of their mutual interest. As she half dreaded her beloved flashed an annoyed look her way and said, "You're late."

"Very sorry," Shampoo said in Japanese, "Small matter turn into big problem at restaurant, but Great Grandmother taking care of it. Shampoo here now to help Nabiki with other problem. This place belong to new rival?"

"Uhuh," Nabiki nodded, dismissing the issue of Shampoo's tardiness, "And now that you're here we can see if she's home. If we present a united front we may be able to straighten matters out, otherwise "

"Shampoo understand," she nodded, turning to face the building while Nabiki rang the front door buzzer. They both waited for a few moments until they saw a figure move from behind the window, and a few seconds later Kuonji Ukyo appeared at the door already dressed and ready for travel, judging by the Bakers Peel she had strapped with her bandoleer of miniature spatulas.

"What do you two want?" she asked gruffly, still pretending to be male, which Shampoo had to concede was a pretty effective disguise and she chided herself for not seeing through it earlier.

"Kuonji-san," Nabiki began, "We need to have a few words with you concerning Ranma "

Ukyo stood back from the door and waved them in, "Make it snappy. I've got someplace to be in a hurry."

"Kuonji-san," Nabiki paused before saying, "May I call you Ukyo? We know why you're here and what your beef is about Ranma."

Kuonji's eyes narrowed as she locked the front door, then in neutral tones replied, "Go on."

Nabiki sat down on a chair while Shampoo took a position to her left, like a faithful guardian, letting Nabiki do the talking as her wife's negotiation skills were admittedly much better refined, not to mention her command of the language gave her a very strong advantage. Shampoo had opted to play the defender role, knowing her strength could back up her Airen's words should this Kuonji person prove to be less cooperative than desired.

"About ten years ago Saotome Genma and his son were traveling through the same province as you and your father," Nabiki began with her usual brevity in cutting to the chase, "Being a couple of vagabonds with no stable source of income, it was quite natural that they were starving when they caught the smell of your Yatai cart and decided to investigate. Since Genma had no money he sent his six year old son on a raid, telling him it was a game and all part of his training. Ranma stole some okonomiyaki in spite of your efforts to fend him off, and the next day he did the same thing to you again, over and over. You'd try to prevent him from taking your food and he'd laugh as he easily bested you and made off with the okonomiyaki."

Kuonji's eyes narrowed dangerously as she said, "Go on."

"Your father, rather than be outraged at this continual theft, was actually quite amused and finally invited Ranma and his father to come out of hiding, sharing some okonomiyaki with them while he and the father chatted away, and you got to know Ranma on a more personal level. Six years old and a young girl in training to be a great martial artist "

"Hold on, Sugar," Ukyo interrupted, "What makes you think I'm a girl?"

"No Adam's Apple," Nabiki replied matter-of-factly.

Ukyo's hand went up to her throat, where the collar was tightly buttoned, "How did ?"

"I'm a pretty good observer, Ukyo-chan," Nabiki pronounced the name with careful emphasis, "It is a little surprising that Ranma still thinks that you're a guy, but he was six when you two met, and thanks to the influence of his father he probably didn't think girls practiced the martial arts like you do. I have to admit that you are pretty good at playing a guy I didn't spot you at all yesterday, and it was only after I had time to put two and two together that I figured out why you were really angry with Ranma."

"Ranchan," Ukyo murmured, her eyes now haunted by a memory, which same caused her to harden a moment later, "So, you figured out my secret, big deal! It still doesn't change the fact that he and his father owe me for ten years of my life! Ten years I've trained for this day! Do you have any idea the suffering I've had to endure because of that Jackass?"

"Why you blame him?" Shampoo sniffed, "It Panda father who steal cart and abandon girl, no Ranma."

"And what is it to you?" Ukyo's brown eyes flashed in the Amazon's direction.

"Ranma is Shampoo Ailen," Shampoo replied with a narrowing of her own reddish-brown eyes and a smile that was almost predatory as she laid a hand on Nabiki's shoulder and said, "Nabiki also Ranma Ailen, no think Spatula Girl threaten one and no make Shampoo very angry."

Ukyo frowned, "Whoah let me get this straight you're both engaged to Ranchan? How did that happen?"

"Ah " Nabiki colored slightly, "It just sort-of happened, you know? Ranma's father and my Dad made an arrangement for our two houses to be united before any of us were born, and a few months ago they came back from China and formally engaged us. Shampoo here is a Chinese Amazon who Ranma defeated in combat, which-by the laws of her tribe-means she was obligated to marry him. We're still working out the details, but for the moment I guess you could say that we're both engaged to Ranma."

"Whoah!" Ukyo waved a hand to call a pause, "Did you say he beat you in a fight so now you've got to marry him?"

"Is Amazon way," Shampoo replied, "Ranma strong fighter, bested Shampoo, who is best of her generation. Law say Amazon marry outsider male who defeat her, and Shampoo very happy to obey law and marry Ranma-Ailen."

"And you two don't mind sharing him?" Ukyo shook her head, "Weird. Okay, so that's your decision, but where does that leave me?"

"That's pretty much what we're here to determine," Nabiki replied, "I take it the arrangement was that in exchange for the Yatai, Genma would take you with him as Ranma's iinazuke?"

"You got it, Sugar," Ukyo said flatly, "Only the Jackass dumped me along the side of the road just a few kilometers out of town. I had to walk back to my father and admit my humiliation at being rejected! My Dad never said a word about the matter, but he didn't have to! His eyes spoke volumes at how disappointed he was with me. He always wanted a son, you know, and here I was, a girl who couldn't even hold onto her fianc e!"

"That hardly sounds fair," Nabiki reacted to this news with dismay, "Didn't he know what kind of an irresponsible person Genma was when he made that stupid agreement? And why the heck did he want you taken off his hands anyway? Didn't he care about his own daughter?"

"Not as much as he'd care if I'd been born the right gender," Ukyo sounded disgusted, "Why do you think I started dressing up and pretending to be a boy? I wanted to gain my father's approval, so I tried to be the son he always wanted, and it was the only way I could escape the humiliation of other kids taunting me because I'd been rejected by my betrothed! Ten years I've been a guy, going from one school to the next, registering as a boy, getting special dispensation from PE coaches because of some weird medical condition my father invented. I think he even convinced himself that I was his son after a while, only a few years ago he seemed to change his mind about it. I think it was on the anniversary of Mom's death that he started looking at me funny, and then he went and did the damnedest thing and put it into his will that I'll only inherit his restaurant chain if I find and punish-or marry-my iinazuke!

Shampoo frowned, wanting to ask the first question that popped into her mind, which was why anyone would prefer to have a boy over a strong girl child like Ukyo. Before the opportunity presented itself, however, she heard Nabiki voice her own question, "Chain?"

"That's right, Sugar," Ukyo sniffed, "Dad had salted away enough hard cash to open his own restaurant, which he planned to do when he gave his old Yatai cart to Genma. I went to work for him, of course, in-between attending classes at a local school, and training for my revenge against the Saotomes. The business took off when we drew a lot of customers to the Tomobiki district, and that eventually gave Dad enough hard currency to open a second restaurant, then a third and a forth, and so on, and now he's rolling in the money. We're not indigents any more, which is why he's giving me this restaurant for my own to run, and if I manage to turn a profit in the next five years it's mine on a permanent basis."

Nabiki whistled, doing some quick mental calculations, and recalling vividly the taste of the free sample she had eaten the previous day, and the close proximity to Furinkan High School. Very slowly she noted, "So your Dad decided the engagement was valid anyway? Even after Genma had reneged on the agreement?"

"Dad's a great businessman, but when it comes to some things, he's a real Jackass," Ukyo snorted, "I guess he thought I was becoming too much like a guy and wanted me to carry on the family line, which can only happen if I get myself a husband. Since no guy will look at me the way I am without feeling like a Hentai, he figured that Ranma would be a pretty good fighter by now and might make a decent husband. I was planning to beat his head flat when I saw him again, only he's not quite what I expected."

Both of the other women in the room noted the sudden change in her tone. Shampoo and Nabiki exchanged looks, then Nabiki said, "Yeah, well, regardless of that, you ought to know that Ranma's not up for grabs to just anybody who makes a claim on him. We've already gone through that with two other claimants that Genma cheated in his travels. I don't want to make light of your position, but you have to know that Shampoo and I are having enough trouble sorting things out as it is. We don't need a third party to make things even more complicated."

"So you say," Ukyo studied their faces then said, "Do you both love Ranma?"

The question took both Nabiki and Shampoo by surprise, but their reactions were slightly different as Nabiki looked away, feeling her face burn with embarrassment, though she could not keep a smile from her features, while Shampoo got a dreamy look in her eyes as she imagined her beloved's handsome face in vivid detail.

"That's what I thought," Ukyo sniffed, "And what does Ranchan think of the pair of you? Does he feel the same way?"

"Ah " now Nabiki's face was almost as crimson as a sunburn, while Shampoo gained a sad, wistful expression as she privately admitted her uncertainty on that question.

"So," Ukyo folded her arms over her chest, "You're telling me you both want him, but he hasn't made a formal declaration towards either of you. That's quite a guy you got there, a real Casanova."

Shampoo frowned, "What is ?" but before she could finish the question Nabiki reacted more vocally declaring, "He's not like that! Ranma's the nicest guy you could ever hope to know! Oh, sure he's a bit arrogant and he says things without thinking it out, but he cares about people, and I know he cares about me! I'm pretty sure he cares a lot about Shampoo here " she stopped herself, realizing what she had just said and what she was giving away to both women. Shampoo was eyeing her with a wondering expression.

"Okay," Ukyo frowned, "So what do you two think about each other? Are you really going to share him, or is this a contest you haven't resolved, and you'd like to cut down on the number of outside players?"

Now Nabiki really was fidgeting in her chair, but Shampoo came to her rescue with a heartfelt smile and said, "Shampoo decide she like share Ailen with Nabiki. When Shampoo first come to Nerima she meet husband and fall for him big time no know that him already have Sneaky Girl for Ailen. Shampoo make Nabiki very angry and jealous for a time, but we work out in end, make agreement, no be enemies over Ranma. Is Amazon Way, two Warriors share strong husband."

"Weird," Ukyo shook her head as if to clear it, then her gaze narrowed again as she said, "One more question what was with that trick he pulled last night with the hot water?"

"Ah " now both Shampoo and Nabiki looked momentarily stumped by that question before Nabiki managed to say, "That's right, you saw that, huh? Would it help to say it was done with mirrors?"

"Don't try to con me, Sugar," Ukyo sniffed, "I was standing right next to him when it happened. One minute I was defending a half-naked girl, the next I see a really cute guy with a strong, bare MASCULINE chest, and you can't tell me that was done with mirrors!"

"Is curse of Jusenkyo," Shampoo quietly answered.

"Come again?" Ukyo arched brown eyebrows.

"Ranma under powerful curse of Shampoo homeland," Shampoo replied, "Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo, one hundred pools, each one with tragic story of thing or person who drown there. It used for centuries as training grown for Amazons, but it banned for generations because whatever fall in pool become thing that last drown there."

"Cold water turns you into your cursed shape," Nabiki said, "Hot water changes you back to normal. Ranma fell into the pool of the Drowned Girl "

"Nyanniichuan," Shampoo said for clarification.

"Right," Nabiki resumed, "It was Genma's fault, of course. He took Ranma there to train even though neither one of them spoke a word of Chinese and each one fell into a different spring. Now whenever he gets wet Ranma becomes a girl "

"And hot water changes him back," Ukyo said thoughtfully, "I hope you don't mind me saying that this story is a little hard to swallow."

Shampoo sighed and left Nabiki's side, walked over to the counter of Ucchan's and turned on the tap, filling a glass with water. She then turned the warm-water tap on and left it running.

Holding up the cold water glass she looked at Ukyo, then poured the contents over her head. Almost instantly she began to collapse inwardly as her Chinese dress billowed out until it was a pile of silk on the floor with a fluffy pink kitten forcing its way out from beneath her garments.

Ukyo just stared as Nabiki said, "Maonniichuan, the Spring of the Drowned Cat. In case we forgot to mention it, Shampoo here is also a Jusenkyo victim."

The cat sprang up onto the counter and went at once to the sink, and a moment later a naked Shampoo emerged, stepping onto the floor as unselfconsciously as though she were dressed in a ballroom gown. Ukyo's eyes went wide while Nabiki took a moment to enjoy the view the Amazon was presenting.

"Curse make life very difficult for Shampoo," she said as she reached down for her clothes and started to dress herself once again, "But sometime it come in handy, such as when Shampoo want to go somewhere and learn something. Ranma curse at least leave him with hands to turn on tap to water."

"So " Ukyo began very slowly, "Ranma turns into that cute girl I thought I was rescuing, then changes back to a boy when he gets splashed with hot water? Is there also another spring that does the same thing in reverse?"

"Nannichuan," Shampoo replied as she finished buttoning her shirt again, "Spring of Drowned Man. Why you ask? You think of going there?"

"Ah," now it was Ukyo's turn to blush, "Well, the thought does have it's appeal, and it would have gotten my father off my ass more than a few times if I really could be a boy, at least some of the time. But I guess a curse like that is a lot of trouble "

"Exactly," Nabiki said, "Just the kind of trouble I'm sure you don't want to get mixed up in."

Ukyo narrowed her brown eyes, "Now just a minute, Sugar, don't go making assumptions that I'm some kind of provincial hick just because some of this stuff is new to me. I've seen a lot of stranger stuff going on in Tomobiki, believe me! After a while nothing really much phases you."

"You mean you no mind that Ranma have curse?" Shampoo asked in surprise.

"You don't seem to mind," Ukyo's eyes flicked from one girl to the other, then she said, "Tell you what, I'll reserve judgement about that. I know you guys are only doing what you think it best in your own interest, but I've got a lot riding on this too, you know, so I just can't let this thing slide because you find it inconvenient."

"You mean your father putting that provision in his will?" Nabiki asked, "How much do you stand to inherit?"

"It's not the money I worry about," Ukyo sniffed, "But Dad and me worked real hard to build up his restaurant empire, and I won't see it get broken up by the banks because I forfeit my right to inherit! I earned more than my share of Dad's business, I have every right to see it's properly managed, and besides it is a lot of money, about seven billion yen of it at last estimate "

"Seven billion-?" Nabiki's voice squeaked as she took this in with dismay at the implications.

"Right," Ukyo replied, "So before you ask me to put that all aside in favor of your individual claims, allow me the courtesy of sounding things out a bit so I can make my own determination."

Shampoo looked sidelong at Nabiki, "She have more in common with you than just pretty Japanese girl. Shampoo think maybe we need make better offer she no refuse?"

"Such as?" Ukyo eyed her warily.

Shampoo smile, "Maybe Shampoo test you, see if you worthy of spending time with Ranma. Amazon no let strange girl have husband without challenge, especially pervert girl who dress like man and probably have same preference."

"Now just a minute here!" Ukyo was outraged, "Are you calling me a pervert? I'll have you know that I'm just like either of you, even if I do dress up like a guy "

"And flirt with other girls?" I noted softly.

Ukyo colored, "That's just something I got in the habit of doing to keep people from getting suspicious. Girls come onto me all the time, and I just fend them off by pretending to be like other guys, only I never let things get too far. Flirting's a game and you learn the rules pretty quickly at Tomobiki, but I did kind of start early when I was enrolled at Jubei Crossroads Middle School."

"You see?" Shampoo sniffed at Nabiki, "She real pervert girl. Maybe she try make on Ranma when he girl, you think?"

Ukyo unslung her Peel and snarled, "I don't have to take that from you, especially not in my restaurant!"

Shampoo flexed her arms and suddenly was holding a Bonbouri mace in either hand, "We fight? Maybe Shampoo take it easy on Pervert Girl. You think you maybe win and become third Ailen?"

"Ladies!" Nabiki got up out of her chair and interposed herself between the would-be combatants, even as Ukyo looked ready to lunge forward in spite of the obstacle, "Back off, this is no time or place for this sort of thing, okay? Ukyo you don't want to fight with an Amazon, especially, if it means wrecking this place. Shampoo, behave! I told you I was the one who was going to do all the talking, all right?"

The Amazon sniffed but said, "Ailen speak for Shampoo, and you right. This no time for contest, we settle maybe later." So saying she flexed her arms and her maces vanished.

"Fine with me," Ukyo retorted, "Just name the time and place."

Nabiki made a point of sniffing the air, "What's this I smell? Testosterone? You two are acting like a couple of guys here! Lighten up, will you already? We were supposed to keep this brief and social."

"All right," Ukyo replied, still holding onto her huge iron spatula, "You two have said your peace, you both want me to back down about Ranma. I've said I'll think about it, now you'd better leave because I've got some arrangements of my own to take care of, and your classes begin in less than a half hour, am I right?"

"More or less," Nabiki relaxed as the Okonomiyaki chef slung her weapon back into its usual place across her back, "Can we continue this later when you've had time to come to a decision?"

"Sure thing," Ukyo replied, "I'll let you both know what I decide as soon as I know for myself, but first I'm going to settle accounts with Saotome. Once I do that, then I can get on with the rest of my life and you can both pick up the pieces."

She showed the two of them to the door, then locked it behind herself before starting out on her own in the general direction of Furinkan while Shampoo and Nabiki hung back to confer with one another.

"What do you think?" Nabiki asked softly.

"She very determined," Shampoo replied, "No think she give up on Ranma-Airen so easy."

"That's what I was afraid of," Nabiki said grimly, "If she presses the issue it could me trouble for both of us and Ranma. Genma made an agreement with her father and reneged on it, but the contract is still valid, especially in light of the fact that he accepted the Yatai."

"You think maybe she need persuading?" Shampoo glanced back at the building they had just exited, "Restaurant no open yet, is only brick and mortar, no?"

"Shampoo " Nabiki growled in low warning.

"What?" the Amazon said defiantly, "You mean you no think of it youself? Maybe she need example that Amazon law no worth ignoring."

"I'd rather avoid doing anything that drastic, thank you," Nabiki said levelly, then sighed, "But maybe we could consider it as a last resort. For now I think it'd be better if we tried to keep on her good side, leave the rough stuff for when it's necessary."

"You probably right," Shampoo sighed, "So what we tell Ranma?"

"I don't know just yet," Nabiki considered, "He deserves to know the truth about his old friend, but if he finds out about the engagement "

"You think maybe he feel responsible for mistake made by father?" Shampoo wondered.

"Anything is possible at this point," Nabiki heaved a weary sigh, "You know Ranma and that macho code of his. He'd never deliberately hurt a friend, and if he hears about the kind of sacrifices Ukyo has gone through over their engagement "

"You right," Shampoo nodded, "Maybe better we wait and see what Spatula Girl do before we tell Ranma."

"Which means I'd better head onto class and see if I can catch up with him," Nabiki said, "And you probably should be heading back to your restaurant "

"No need," Shampoo said, "Great Grandmother decide take day off, so no open for business. Strange boy you know show up and talk to Great Grandmother. You remember stupid Pig boy?"

"Ryoga?" Nabiki started, "We haven't seen him around lately, now that you mention it. I suppose he got lost again and you say he went to talk to your great grandmother?"

"More like he almost wind up in sweet and sour sauce again," Shampoo smirked, "Only this time I no be one who do that to him. Great Grandmother recognize he Jusenkyo victim when he pop up naked in wok. He no very happy about that."

"I can imagine," Nabiki could not help smiling, "Well, I don't suppose you'd mind walking me to school, then? It's not very far."

"Can no think of anything Shampoo more want do," the Amazon smiled, "Except maybe if do with both Nabiki and Ranma."

"Uh right," Nabiki said uneasily, then started off on her way with Shampoo pacing easily at her side. On the whole, she reflected, it was turning out to be yet another strange morning in Nerima

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Sometimes I wonder exactly at what point my life entered the Twilight Zone. Sometimes I think it started on the day a cute boy named Ranma entered my life, but then I remember that weird stuff pretty much happened long before he showed up in Nerima.

Case in point: Kuonji Ukyo. Sure it's weird to find out that the hunky guy you started drooling over one morning turns out to be a really cute girl who's out to steal your boyfriend, but that's almost average compared to the fact that the boyfriend in question is also sometimes my equally cute girlfriend, or the fact that we both have a girl with naturally Purple hair in our lives who wants to engage the both of us in a permanent threesome.

Okay, chalk that up to the general run of weirdness that's become fairly typical around here. Add the fact that we have a couple of old witches who've taken a personal interest in our mutual development, and add in one perpetually lost boy who has a chip on his shoulder the size of Mount Fuji. That the boy is also a pig who happens to be interested in my baby sister is just sauce on the fishcakes, and that doesn't even begin to deal with the loon who seems to have taken an interest in my other sister

But who am I to complain about new business opportunities? I just wish the people who showed up on our doorstep were not falling into one of two categories: 1.) Out to Date my iinazuke or; 2.) Out to kill him. In some cased both, which brings me back to our dear Ucchan.

I arrived at Furinkan with Shampoo just in time to find a commotion going on, then Ryonami shows up to inform me that the "cute guy" from the day before had challenged Ranma to a fight out by the gym and that everybody was gathered there to watch the morning duel before classes started. Of course we hurried up to find out what was going on when we discovered Ukyo standing in an already assembled arena that looked somewhat different from the one that was used in the fight against Mousse. For one thing the edges were curved suspiciously upward.

I'd like to take a moment to comment on our schools lamentable policy concerning fighting on campus. Considering the amount of mayhem wrought by the morning attacks that Akane used to have to wade through you'd think the administration would clamp down on such delinquency. Instead they all but encourage it with their silence, shrugging their collective shoulders as if there were nothing to be done about it. Kids will be kids, they say, as testified by the number of students who wind up in the infirmary on a regular daily basis.

You would also thing that there would be some pressure from the parents of those kids who get beat up a lot to do something to protect their children from bullies. Unfortunately for the last two years, things have been steadily going downhill ever since the former Principal went on a long sabbatical and left the Assistant Principal nominally in charge of things. Mister Omi-san is a good man, and he does try his best to keep on top of things, but with the lack of support he gets from the local school board it's a wonder he can even keep the budget balanced, let alone put a stop to the rampages of delinquents like Kuno.

So it was that I was hardly surprised to find a noted absence of teacher authority in this situation. Here was a non-student showing up to challenge the local Champion of our school with the PE Coach and Home Economics teacher standing to one side watching the whole affair as though it were an athletic event and not a fight between teenagers.

It seems that "pressing business" that Ukyo had been talking about was setting up for her challenge match against Ranma, something she obviously had been planning to do the whole time we talked in her restaurant. Shampoo looked about as unhappy about that as me and no doubt regretted heeding my advice not to wreck Kuonji's restaurant, but she was in agreement that we had to sit on the sidelines this time and watch what happened, hoping the opportunity would arrive to warn Ranma about his "old buddy."

Ranma showed up, of course, never having been one to refuse a challenge, but he tried to dissuade Ukyo against fighting. He tried to apologize for his father's behavior, to promise that he would somehow seek to make amends for any inconvenience caused by their abandoning Ukyo instead of taking "him" along with them as promised. Ranma even called Ukyo his brother and swore he would treat him like family from now on. All of that just served to enflame Kuonji's anger, which surprised Ranma very much though Shampoo and me had no trouble figuring out her motivation.

I caught sight of Genma slinking around in the crowd and apologized to Shampoo as I went to seek him out. The fight was just getting underway with the opening volley being Ukyo taking a few swings with her Bakers Peel, which at first glance seemed random until I realized that she was trying to direct Ranma towards the edge of the arena. Ranma, on the other hand, was giving the edge a wide berth and wouldn't let himself be steered like that for some reason, and it wasn't until a few moments later that I found out why: His hypersensitivity to heat was telling him to avoid it.

"Ojisan," I said rather than the more formal Ojisama, "What a coincidence you being here of all places. How did you know that Ukyo was going to be seeking Ranma out with a challenge?"

Uncle Genma gave me one of the guiltiest looks he has ever manifested and tried to act innocent, telling me he was just looking out for the boy and trying to see that two old friends did not wind up mortal enemies, and who knew that Ukyo would carry things this far? I listened with one ear while watching the fight take a really bizarre turn with Ranma suddenly perched on top of Ukyo's outstretched spatula trying once again to talk peace. I noticed with some dismay that Kuonji's arms never even wavered at supporting Ranma's weight on the Peel in spite of the awkward way she had to shift her balance. The girl was a lot stronger than I'd imagined, possibly even in Shampoo's class, no doubt the result of some mighty intensive training.

Ukyo was only incensed that Ranma did not seem to be taking their fight very seriously and flipped Ranma off a few moments later. She tried again to corner Ranma against the edge of the arena, but I saw him shy away as if magnetically repelled, which tipped me off that there was a very good reason for confining himself to a much smaller area of combat.

Then Ranma fell into one of the large bowls that Kuonji had set about the arena like obstacles, and suddenly he could not remove his legs as if he were glued to the pot. Ukyo wasted no time taking advantage of his immobility and tangled him up with what looked like ramen noodles, then used them to tip Ranma over. She then grabbed up a barrel of what she declared to be tempura flakes mixed with gunpowder and chucked the contents onto Ranma. I watched in dismay as I saw some flakes touch the edge of the arena and suddenly ignite, creating a cloud of smoke that momentarily obscured one part of the arena.

I felt my heart in my hands, realizing what the heat of those sparks might be doing to poor Ranma, but if Ukyo thought that would conclude the fight she was corrected in her assumption moments later when Ranma emerged from the smoke, having freed his legs from entanglement. He promptly turned the tables by snaring Ukyo with her own noodles, then used them to spin her about before tossing her out of the arena.

I followed a hunch as I kept one hand firmly gripped on Genma's collar while approaching the arena to satisfy my suspicions. Sure enough it turned out that it was indeed the very same arena that Mousse had used the day before, only the outer edge had been lined with interlinking metal plates that were connected to an electrical heating system that turned them into very large hot plates. The surfaces were non-stick coated, which meant that effectively the outer part of the arena had been turned into one very large skittle.

I can't imagine what agony that heat caused Ranma just being near to them, but he had braved the barrier in order to try and make peace with a girl whom he thought was a boy from his childhood. Knowing how Ranma felt intense isolation from his years of travel, I could understand him wanting to go to any lengths to repair such a friendship, only now he seemed to have reached the breaking point of his temper. He vaulted out of the arena in pursuit of Kuonji while Shampoo turned to me and said, "Airen very angry! He no think she girl, so he no hold back from fight."

"Ranma," I said, then together we dragged Genma along as we made haste to follow the ongoing fight as it carried to the fringes of the schoolyard. We paused when we found Kuonji's Peal bent in half, another sign that our mutual betrothed was mad as hell and fighting more intensely than usual.

It was with some amazement that we found Kuonji was holding her own in avoiding Ranma's furious attacks, but she was clutching at the front of her shirt as if afraid it was about to come loose at the seams, which hampered her defenses. She was very fast and could probably have held out a lot longer had she been fighting at full strength, but without her Bakers Peel she was at a decided disadvantage. She finally stumbled under Ranma's onslaught and was suddenly at his mercy. We all (by which I mean Shampoo, me, Genma and the flock of students following after us) all held our collective breath and waited for Ranma to deliver the finishing blow.

Instead Ranma checked himself, holding back as Ukyo studied him from her prone position. Ranma was breathing hard, but not from his exertions. I could see from the strain on his face that he was trying to rein in his emotions, to get his anger back under control, and then he finally began to calm a little, then to relax and stand more at ease than in a martial arts posture.

He lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have lost my temper. You don't deserve that."

"Huh?" Kuonji gasped as she looked up at him, no doubt surprised by his tone more than his show of mercy.

"I meant what I said before back there," Ranma replied, "I don't want to fight you in fact, you had every right to be mad at me. What my father did was unforgivable, and even if I was just a little kid I owe you better than to get all worked up about you coming looking for revenge on me, Ucchan."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Ukyo asked as she got into a sitting position, "Aren't you mad that I just tried to hurt you?"

"What about it?" Ranma shrugged, "Lots of people are always trying to hurt me for one stupid reason or another. You're just the first one in a long while who had a good reason. It's not like I can blame you or nothing."

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked at him in confusion.

"Ucchan," Ranma got down on his knees and assumed a traditional position for meditation, but instead he bowed down to Ukyo and said, "Please forgive me for what my father did. I never personally meant to hurt you, and I'd like to make it up in any way that I can."

"You mean that?" Ukyo asked, sounding hopeful as she also sat in the same posture without bowing.

"I sure do," Ranma straightened out again, then said, "Pop made a deal with your father to take you with us. I'm not sure I know why your Pop wanted to make a stupid deal like that, but it sure would have been nice having you with us, especially since you knew how to cook and all. I mean, what'd the stupid old man want with your Yatai since he doesn't even know how to cook Okonomiyaki?"

The latter part he delivered with a glare towards his father, who raised both hands and clapped them together in the sign of petition for forgiveness.

"What what became of the Yatai, do you know?" Ukyo asked softly.

Ranma lowered his eyes, "I guess we just left it somewhere, or the old man sold it, or something. I don't remember too much about it, I just know it was a stupid thing for us to do. I can't excuse it, and I can't ask you to overlook it. All I can ask is that maybe you find it in your heart to put it aside and let bygones be bygones. I want us to be friends again, just like we used to be, remember?"

"I remember a lot of things," Ukyo said evenly, "I don't know, Ranchan after everything I've been through, all the things I've suffered because of you two, you're asking me to forgive a lot."

"I know," he replied, "And I don't have a lot I can give you to make up for it, but I've been thinking about it since yesterday, and well I've always wanted a brother "

"A brother?" Ukyo asked in evident confusion.

"That is what the deal was between our folks, right?" Ranma asked, "We were supposed to take you along with us, which means you could have been like my little brother, or something. I'd like it if you'd be my brother now, if you'd let me call you that, for old times sake?"

"I see," Ukyo's tone suddenly seemed poignant with unvoiced emotions as she stared down for several seconds, "So that's the way it's going to be for now, huh? I I guess that's more than I deserved for blaming you and all "

"It's not much, but it's all I can do at the moment," Ranma replied, "Maybe we can even trace the Yatai down and get it back for you. Would you like that?"

"You'd do that for me?" Ukyo's eyes were suddenly very moist, and I can only guess what kind of turmoil she was in, but Ranma was getting through to her and working his usual charm on the opposite sex, as usual without even being aware that he was making another conquest.

"I'd do that for my brother," Ranma smiled, "C'mon, let's shake and be buddies, okay?'

Kuonji's mouth quirked along the edges and she smiled, "Okay, I guess we can be buddies. At least for now, Ranchan. However there is one thing I'd like to do first."

"Name it," Ranma asked her.

Ukyo's gaze slid by him and focused squarely on Genma, "I'd like to beat up on the real culprit here, the guy who betrayed me and left me on the road, who made every day of my life a living hell!"

She reared to her feet as Genma reacted in panic, making a warding gesture. Ranma got up as well and said, "Ukyo regardless of what he's done, he's still my father."

"Yeah?" Ukyo's tone was hard, "So what?"

"So," Ranma said as he smoothly turned around, "If anybody's gonna beat the stuffings out of him it's gonna be me!"

I let go of Genma's collar, not because I wanted him to get a head start or anything like that but simply because I knew better than to let myself be dragged around as he made a hasty exit, followed closely by an irate Ukyo and Ranma, who seemed to have agreed that venting their anger on the old panda was a good way to forge togetherness and repair their ruptured friendship.

Of course later on Ranma returned and straightened out the Baker's Peel, giving it back to Ukyo as good as new, which brightened her mood almost as much as the vengeance she apparently had visited on Uncle Saotome. She later sought me and Shampoo out and got us to agree not to reveal her secret to anybody since she was going to enroll in Furinkan as a boy. Both me and Shampoo had our suspicions about that, but Ukyo said she had decided to take Ranma up on his offer to become his official "brother," that she was reserving her judgement about the engagement thing and giving herself more time to get to know him "as a buddy." We decided to let it go like that, knowing full well that her agreement to rescind the engagement would be to our advantage. Maybe she really will become little more than a buddy to Ranchan, and he certainly could use another guy around to unload his problems.

I mean, I'd be jealous as hell about him unburdening his heart with anyone besides me, but let's be realistic about this. There's no way Ranma is going to confess things to me that he'd be willing to tell another guy. So what if the "guy" he trusts with his secrets just happens to be a woman in disguise?

Yeah, that's what I tell myself, but who exactly am I kidding ?

Nabiki paused in her typing to look up at Shampoo, who was leaning over at the side of her desk as if reading what Nabiki had just printed.

"That's a very good question," she said aloud, looking at the Amazon, "Who the hell am I kidding?"

Shampoo shrugged in reply. Both knew that the matter regarding Ukyo Kuonji was anything but resolved, and what happened next was up to the gods, if even they were privy

Earlier in the day:

Akane had been on her way home from the market when she came upon the by-now-familiar sight of Ranma and Ryoga fighting. She hurried her pace to catch up to them in time to see the fight carry them over to a public fountain. Her trained eye could tell that poor Ryoga was at a definite disadvantage, throwing punch after punch without coming anywhere near to connecting, his kicks being even less effective. Ranma was like smoke floating away and around his attacks, then counter-attacking with a devastating offensive that Ryoga had no hope of avoiding. It was like watching a grown up beat up on a child, and it outraged her into redoubling her momentum.

Ranma knocked Ryoga flying, only to catch him at the last instant before he could land in the fountain and trigger his transformation. Ryoga made a furious attempt at recovery in spite of his position but it was to no avail as Ranma easily deflected his assaults, catching Ryoga again before he could hit the water.

The sound of someone growling caused Ranma to turn, seeing Akane bearing down on him, and he tried to make light of the situation, only to see her furious expression. At the last instant he recognized his peril and tried to talk her out of it, but that half-second delay cost him dearly as Akane's hand flew with greater speed than he had anticipated, and this time her punch connected as Ranma could only have avoided her if he had released his hold on Ryoga.

As if everything were in slow motion Ranma's head jerked back and he let go of Ryoga. The lost boy went flying straight upward on an unavoidable trajectory that would carry him back down into the water below him while Ranma preceded him in a splash that caused him to transform instantly to his cursed form. Ryoga was only seconds away from impact when he was suddenly snatched out of the air and deposited safely on dry concrete.

Ryoga's head spun a little with dismay as he turned to see Akane looking up at him, asking if he were all right while ignoring the angry high-pitched protests from Ranma, who was cursing out Akane for trapping her in female form again after she had gone a full day avoiding contact with any water!

"Be quite, Ranma," Akane snapped, "You were beginning to stink anyway! Now at least you can take a cold bath!" Akane turned to Ryoga and said, "Don't let him bully you. He's been working out with Shampoo's Great Grandmother, which is why he gave you such a hard time, Ryo-chan. I want you to forget all about him. Besides it'll be a while before he can get back his male form, thanks to what that old lady did to him."

"What she did to me?" Ranma sputtered like a wet hen, "You stupid Tomboy! Look what you did to me! How could you?"

Akane turned with a sniff and led Ryoga away from the fountain, dragging the unresisting lost boy with her until she had calmed down enough to speak with him again, and then she had looked at him with soulful eyes and begged him not to fight with Ranma again, protesting that she could not stand to see Ryoga hurt, that it would hurt her worse than he could imagine.

That was several hours ago, and now Ryoga found himself underneath a bridge punching at the concrete wall, heedless of the deep holes his fists made as he vented his anger and frustration. Ryoga felt worse than any pain that such blows would have caused to an ordinary young man, which he hardly felt at all, in spite of the wall looking like it had been used for target practice by a sledgehammer.

"Curse you, Ranma!" he cried out, and after wandering lost for two weeks, practicing hard and training himself for their rematch. How in the name of all that was holy had Ranma improved so much in the same amount of time? In spite of Ryoga's strength and skill he might as well have been fighting with a ghost! Ranma's speed had simply not been human!

"He's been working out with Shampoo's Great Grandmother," he seemed to hear the words echoing in his mind in response to his unvoiced question. "That old woman," Akane had called her old woman! Ryoga thought back to earlier in the day, to the lady who had almost cooked him, who had casually displayed an amazing skill being able to chop wood with her bare hands, hands that moved with a speed that defied description, hands that moved

Just like Ranma's.

Ryoga stared at the wall, revelation gnawing at his consciousness as he remember the old woman's words from earlier in the day: "So, you're a friend of my Son-in-law, eh? Want to team up for a little training? I think I can help you give Ranma a little run for his yen "

As if in reply to his thoughts he heard that same voice say behind him, "What about it, Sonny-boy? Have you changed your mind yet about accepting my help in training?"

"You?" Ryoga turned around to see the old woman smiling up at him, leaning on her staff as if reading his thoughts. Ryoga actually smiled and began to relax a little, "I was hoping you'd turn up. Maybe you really do know something that could help me "

Not far away, perched atop a building, another old woman stared down at the exchange between the boy and her fellow elder and sighed a little. How predictably like Cologne, using a catspawn to obtain her objectives. She would teach the boy all right, just enough to give Ranma a challenge, not necessarily to win. All part of the Matriarch's grand scheme to hone Shampoo's husband into the great fighter that they both knew was his potential destiny. In all likelihood that boy-now trapped once again in female form-was in for a match that would test and refine his mettle.

Lotion smiled inwardly, knowing that Cologne had made one error in regards to Saotome Ranma. The boy's fighting spirit was unlike anything either one of them had seen in a very long while, and once again she was reminded of her Almost-husband, the one who had gotten away from her thanks to Cologne's meddling where she was not wanted. As with the man she had first loved and bore a child to there was a determination not to be forced into a pattern that was not of his choosing. Ranma would fight tenaciously for his freedom, and Shampoo was very likely to be the loser of such an encounter.

She had no intention of making the same mistake with Nabiki. The girl showed tremendous promise, and having once again untangled a nasty web of conflicting destiny was proof that she would one day become a formidable Lore Master. True the matter was hardly resolved, but with the lines of destiny now open to subtle manipulation there were many things now possible that would have been closed off had the Kuonji woman determined early on to affirm her engagement to Saotome.

Now all that was needed was for Ranma to regain his manhood, and for that he would either need the Phoenix pill or a certain counterpoint to the Full Body Cat Tongue that both Elders well knew, but which Lotion was promised not to share, much though she might want to. She had to admit that Ranma was a capable enough fighter to find his own way to a cure, provided Nabiki continued to help him with her perceptions. With Shampoo on their side the three of them might even thwart the ambitions of an elder, which would greatly please Lotion.

Ah well, she reflected, resolving to return to the restaurant for a good nights rest and meditation. The next few days were bound to have many surprises, and she wanted to be fully alert and at her best to offer the advice she meant to share. Lore Masters were pledged to putting right the tangled skein of destiny, the gods being somewhat negligent in their duties. Come the morning a brand new day would be looming, and with it many interesting surprises

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Current Events in Joketsuzoku: shadowmane

The Tendo family goes on a little ski trip, and Ryoga begins his training with Cologne be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	23. Chapter 23

NabikiRan21 Ranma &amp; Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-Two.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"Way to go, Sis," I said sourly as I contemplated my now-female iinazuke before giving Akane a very cross expression.

"I know I kind of overreacted " Akane said somewhat defensively.

"Overreacted?" Ranma sputtered, "Look at me! I'm stuck as a girl again! And Doctor Tofu says the Grandfather spot works only ONCE! How am I supposed to go to school the day after tomorrow looking like this? All because of your stupid temper "

"It's your fault!" Akane snapped, "You were picking on poor Ryoga "

"He attacked me for no reason!" Ranma snarled, "When are you gonna get it into your stupid head that I don't pick fights with people who don't do something to deserve it! Ryoga thought he was good enough to take me, so he started things like usual, and I was just having some fun with the poor baka."

"That's enough, Ranma," I said, "You're made your point. Now I trust Akane will apologize and promise next time to hear you out before attacking?"

"Apologize?" Akane said indignantly, "To him?"

"Her," I corrected, "Thanks to you my iinazuke isn't quite himself at the moment."

"Akane-chan," Kasumi spoke up, "You really shouldn't get into these fights with Nabiki's future husband. It isn't right, and attacking him won't help your friend, Ryoga."

"Aw, she's just nuts over the baka," Ranma snorted, folding her arms under her now-bulging chest, "Guess maybe I was being a little hard on Ryoga, but he had it coming."

"That's enough, son," Daddy spoke up, "You've each said your piece. Now the question is: how do we get Ranma back to normal?"

"Obviously the answer lies with the old woman," replied Uncle Genma, "Only Cologne doesn't seem like the sort who would be charitable enough to reverse the Cat-  
Tongue without expecting something in return."

"Or give me the stupid Phoenix pill," Ranma sulked, "Unless I agree to marry Shampoo, and no way am I giving in to her stupid pressure tactics."

"That's the spirit, son, cheer up, something is bound to turn up in your corner," Daddy remarked with his usual cheerful bravado, "What this family needs is a vacation, and tomorrow being a Sunday I thought maybe we could all take a little trip into the mountains."

"A Vacation, father?" my big Sis asked, but I had one little question.

"How are we going to afford it, Daddy?" I wondered, knowing the family personal finances were not that generous at the moment, even with the earnings I've been accumulating betting on Ranma in his continuos string of fights, not to mention the modest profits we've made since reopening the dojo to a few select students.

"It just so happens that I've been invited by a friend to bring you all along to a chateau that's near to a Ski resort that's currently doing fabulous business," Daddy revealed to our considerable surprise and my near-  
total amazement, "He's arranged transportation and everything, it's all paid for in advance. We can get an early start tomorrow morning and be back in plenty of time for school the next day. So, what do you say to that, Saotome?"

"Sounds like an excellent idea, Tendo-kun," Uncle Genma agreed, "How about it, Boy? You've got a problem with heat, so why not go somewhere that's cold enough not to give you any problems?"

"A Ski resort?" Ranma blinked, then thought a moment before adding, "Is that anything like skating ?"

"Interesting," murmured Lotion as she stared into her tea, "What kind of possibilities does this open up, I wonder? Perhaps a trip to the mountains would do an old girl some good, except for my rheumatism."

"How is that again?" asked Cologne as she paused at the table of her fellow Elder, "What about the mountains?"

"Nothing that need concern you, Matriarch," Lotion said a bit curtly, "The Tendo family is simply planning a trip on the morrow to get away from it all, and it involves that quaint Outsider custom of strapping wooden slats to one's feet to better enable one to slide down the face of a perfectly good mountain."

Cologne's eyes narrowed, "I know what skiing is, and I could do without your sarcasm," she mellowed a bit as she thought a moment before smiling, "Did you know that the restaurant chain which this place used to belong has a franchise located very near a popular ski resort? And the lease I picked up on this place includes other properties, of which that is included. And interesting coincidence, no?"

"Indeed?" Lotion replied, "Who would have figured. And how are you progressing with your newly gained apprentice?"

"The boy is as thick as a boulder, which makes him perfect for what I intend," Cologne said craftily, "He also has superb learning skills and picks things up surprisingly well. He is currently burning his fingers trying to master the Amaguriken, having seen its effectiveness displayed upon his person."

"If you can't fight them, then join them," Lotion noted philosophically.

Cologne gave the Lore Master a harder study before remarking, "I've also taken notice that his family name is Hibiki. That stirs more than a few memories from a couple of decades ago. You wouldn't happen to know if there is any relation "

"Between the boy and the creature who gave your granddaughter some trouble a generation ago?" Lotion finished for her, "I'm afraid that I can neither confirm nor deny this, but the boy is innocent of the sins of his parents. Let it go at that."

"As you say," Cologne shrugged, "And it has no bearing on the present matter in any event, it was simply curiosity on my part. Not as if I'm going to tell Shampoo's mother that her former rival had issue."

"The sins of the fathers and mothers do sometimes visit themselves in strange ways," Lotion said philosophically, then waited until she was alone before murmuring in Chinese, "That was too easy."

In the next room she heard her Matriarch reply, "I heard that "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Bless me, Toshiba, for I have sinned, it has been two days since my last confession

Okay, that's a bit much, but the point is I wasn't able to make a journal entry yesterday due to our little family visit to the ski resort, and what an interesting series of episodes that was! Too bad I don't have one of those little portable lap-top jobs that I could carry with me to places like this the thoughts I could have captured for posterity then

Well, rather than meander on without purpose, let's just cut to the chase and deal with what happened between me and Ranma.

I was enjoying the outing, skiing with my sisters and Ukyo Kuonji, enjoying the mountain air, as free as a kite. It had been so long since I'd last strapped a pair of skis on my feet, but the old reflexes came back to me like the proverbial bicycle.

What's that you say? Why was I skiing alongside Ukyo and not Ranma? The answer is simple, mister "I'm a guy, and don't forget it!" refused to join us on skis and stayed safely at the lodge while we were having fun. In the meantime Miss "I'm a girl no matter what I look like in drag" offered to keep me company after Ranma had invited his new "little brother" to come with us.

Perhaps I've getting a bit ahead of myself by not mentioning how that happened. Turns out Ukyo came around early that morning to deliver free Okonomiyaki samples, although I'm pretty sure it was more of an excuse to try and get to know Ranma better with her boy disguise in place. She found us loading up our father's friend's van with enough equipment to outfit an expedition to one of the poles and naturally asked what was up, which prompted Ranma to explain everything before the doofus remembered that she was still locked in her girl form. She probably should have reacted to the casual way Ukyo accepted her invitation to come join us.

Ukyo did remember to call her Ranko, which I have to give her points on as it showed that she has a certain shrewdness worthy of a young entrepreneur such as herself, and she was pleasant enough company on the way to the mountains, even if Akane kept smiling and coming onto her in a way that made Kuonji look uneasy.

Yeah, after the stunt Akane pulled the day before, I wasn't about to let her in on the gag concerning Ukyo's gender bending, and in all honesty I was pretty amused at seeing her react to this "cute guy" in our midst as though she were no stranger to the same charms that had appealed to me on our first meeting. Ranma even teased them both about it, then mentioned Ryoga, which of course produced a question from Ukyo about who Ryoga was, and before Ranma could answer Akane belted her one and told her to keep quiet. It seems she still blamed Ranma for Ryoga's disappearance after that fight they'd had, and her irritation was no doubt compounded by the fact that she had not seen her little "P-chan" either for about as long as Ryoga.

Daddy and Uncle Saotome were pretty much quiet about Kuonji's presence on the trip, but I think they both know what her silence means, and what could happen if she reveals the full truth to Ranma. My iinazuke was mad enough at his father thinking Ukyo was a guy they'd both abandoned on the road, if he knew Ukyo's true status I think he'd blow a fuse, and by "he" I do mean Ranma in his true gender.

We arrived at the lodge and were greeted by Dad's old friend, Masaki Noboyuki. Turns out both of our fathers knew mister Masaki from way back during their early training mission, and Ranma called him "Uncle Masaki" before I forcibly reminded her that he'd never met them in his female form. It seems that Masaki-san is a professional architect who designed the chalet we were visiting, which is how he was able to wrangle up some hard-to-come-by tickets to the lodge, and it had been a long time since he had spent time with an old pair of drinking buddies.

Since the adults soon got wrapped up in old times, we instead we directed our attention to Masaki-san's cute teenaged son, whom-I took note-already seems to have a couple of girlfriends who opt for weird haircolors almost as usual as Shampoo's. I privately wondered if they were related to the Amazons, but since they tended to hang out with themselves we just briefly socialized before splitting off into our separate groups to tend to private business.

I was amused to see that the Masaki kid, whose name was Tenchi, seemed to have relationship problems between the two main girls that made the very strange arrangement that exists between me and Shampoo look like a love-fest. Ranma knew Tenchi from way back, and it plainly hurt that she couldn't reveal who she was to him, especially with those two wildcats eyeing her like she was some sort of communicable disease that they weren't letting come anywhere near their boyfriend.

I was far more impressed on meeting Tenchi's grandfather, a very distinguished gentleman of great gravity named Katsuhito, who appears to be the source of many of those fantastic legends that Ranma sometimes quotes as history. Katsuhito-sama appeared to be somewhere in his sixties, if not older, but I had a sense of great age and deep wisdom from just being in his presence, almost the same feeling I get whenever I'm around Cologne or Lotion. He feels like some character out of a great romantic ballad set in the Tokugawa era, if not several centuries earlier.

I had the oddest feeling when he was talking with Ranma that he could see right through her female disguise and even treated her like he knew her from before. In any event we wasted little time getting ready for the slopes, changing into our gear which we had brought along with us all except Ranma who stubbornly refused to wear one of my extra ski outfits that I brought along for her benefit. As for Kuonji, well, she bought hers on the spot with a credit card, a fact I took note of as it implied a line of credit more substantial than my family's yearly budget.

Which brings me back to what happened on the slopes where I found myself enjoying the outing as much as anyone, racing against Akane and Kasumi while Ukyo treated the whole thing like it was a day at the beach, displaying a formidable talent on the slopes that matched the skill she displayed in her fight against Ranma.

Eventually we wound up back where be began at the lodge, and there we found Ranma just lounging around looking bored and staring off at nothing. I was having so much fun that seeing her like that just did not suit me, even though I was reminded of her problem. I decided to leave off my skis and join her for a bit while Akane and Kasumi tracked the antics of our fathers, which would have been fit subject matter for a "Best Comedy Videos" short piece.

Much to my annoyance, Ukyo tagged along, having been briefed by me about Ranma's problems with heat. She was still posing as a guy, of course, but I found it hard to believe that I could ever have been taken in by her role as I was all too aware of just how feminine she looked now that I knew what to look for.

Ranma was not in a particularly cheerful mood, but she did her best to smile for us as we sat down beside him. I tried to share some of my enjoyment on the slopes to encourage Ranma to change her mind about sitting on the sidelines, but when my petition was met with refusal, Ukyo spoke up and said, "That doesn't sound very much like you, Ranchan. I never knew you to back off from a challenge."

"Who's backing off?" Ranma snorted, "I'm just trying to figure out how I'm gonna get the ol' ghoul to restore me back to normal."

"Normal?" Ukyo almost seemed to laugh at that, but only I knew why as Ranma just looked annoyed in her direction, then her tone softened and she said, "Ranchan what's it like having this curse, I mean? Nabiki told me how you got it, but the idea of changing genders because of water "

"Freaks you out?" Ranma asked as she tensed a little.

"As a matter of fact, no," Ukyo said as though surprised at her own reaction, "If anything I think it's kind of neat, in a weird sort of way. I'm sorry if the question makes you uncomfortable, but I've got to know if turning into a girl well gives you any kind of unique perspective "

"That's one way of putting it," Ranma sniffed, but then she sighed and said, "To be honest it took me a long time just getting used to this body. I mean, not just the fact that it's smaller and lighter and has these bumps on my chest that sometimes get in the way and can be so damned sensitive and all that, I mean the other stuff that a guy can't ever know, shouldn't have to ever know first hand, that I can't even begin to describe because it's too embarrassing and stuff. You got no idea just what kind of a nightmare it is working with the plumbing being internal and not external! You can't even aim without sitting down! And then there's other stuff, people looking at you funny and getting all these weird ideas 'cause they don't know that I'm a guy, even when I tell them!"

"Well, you can't exactly blame them for not catching on, Ranchan," I said, deliberately co-opting the cute nick-name for her that Ukyo was using, "After all, you do look kind of cute this way, and since you won't wear a bra "

"Nothing doing!" Ranma protested, looking at me with an almost hurt expression, "I'm a guy, Nabiki you know I'd never do weird stuff like that! I don't care if other guys think I'm cute or not, there's no way I'm lowering myself to putting on woman's underwear! I do that and I can kiss good-bye to my manhood."

"Surely it can't be that serious, Ranchan," Ukyo said, "You'll get your manhood back, I'm sure of it! So you've got a problem convincing the old lady who did this to reverse what she did, you at least know that there's a cure for it, so you've just gotta keep trying."

"Don't worry," Ranma said, "I'll beat that old ghoul if it's the last thing I do! No way am I letting her force me into marrying anybody! She's gonna learn not to mess with me or my name's not Saotome Ranma!"

"Calm down, Ranma," I said, "I believe in you, and I know you'll find a way, especially with me to help you."

Ranma gave me a nervous study and asked, "You really mean that, Nabiki?"

"Of course I mean it," I smiled for her benefit, "I'm supposed to be some kind of Lore Master, right? I'll just see what I can learn from that Lotion character and maybe she'll let slip the secret to beating the Cat-Tongue."

Ranma gave me the strangest look, almost frighteningly haunted, then glanced away, "I know you wanna help, Nabiki, and it means a lot to me, really. I you know how I feel about you, right?"

That question took be aback for a moment, but I managed to reply, "I've got a pretty good idea, Ranchan and you know it's returned."

Ukyo was looking at the both of us as she said, "Wow, you two really do have the hots for each other. I never imagined "

Ranma shut her eyes and said, "Just stop it, will ya?"

"Huh?" Ukyo asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

Ranma turned and looked at her with a suddenly fierce glare and said, "I can't love anybody while I'm like this! I'm not a guy at the moment, and Nabiki deserves a guy's love, not some sex-changing freak like me "

"Stop that, Ranma!" I protested, "You're not a freak! You're the nicest guy I've ever known, and I don't care what you look like just so long as it's you I'm dealing with "

"Really?" Ranma looked at me half-defensive, half hopeful, "Do you really mean that, Nabiki? 'Cause I don't blame you at all if you don't, even if you're just saying that to make me feel better and stuff "

"I'd never lie to you, Ranma," which I think maybe counts as a sort-of-lie since I was withholding important information from her regarding Kuonji, "And you know I'd never hurt you, never abandon you, never shut you out or treat you like dirt or any different than I'd treat you in your guy-form "

"Nabiki " Ranma looked up at me, and I could see the tears fighting for control in her blue eyes that seemed to mirror my own soul as I looked into their depths, but before things got any further along we suddenly heard a laugh and turned to glare in astonishment and annoyance at Cologne, who was standing a short ways off on the patio regarding us with her most inscrutable expression.

"Hey," Ukyo sat upright, "How did you sneak up on "

"That is of little concern, Kuonji-san," the old woman replied, and I noted that she seemed to keep Ukyo's name gender neutral, "What matters is that my future Son-  
In-Law and his other fianc e seem to be getting along splendidly. You're already halfway there, my boy, now all you have to do is accept Shampoo for your wife and I'll reverse the Cat-Tongue and give you back your manhood."

"Nothing doing, you old dried up-!" Ranma said as she rose to her feet, only to halt in her tracks as Cologne held something up for her inspection, the medallion containing the Phoenix pill! Ranma screwed her eyes up looking at it, then she backed away slowly to get a better look at the heart-shaped locket.

"Looking for this?" Cologne asked her, "It's just what you need to make the ladies happy again, right boy? All you've got to do is show me you've improved enough to warrant my attention."

"Ah," Ranma hesitated, "It's probably just another stupid gum drop, like the one you used to trick me last time!"

"Nope," Cologne smiled, "This time it's the real thing, the Phoenix pill, and it's yours to have if you just agree to marry my Shampoo and accept the arrangement she made for you "

"Gimme that!" Ranma suddenly lunged forward, moving like she was on fire, only the old woman was much too fast for her to nab and flowed out of her grasp, suddenly winding up on the ceiling, then inside the lodge, then behind the counter, on the counter, around on top of one of the tables, all the while leading Ranma along by the nose without her coming close to gaining her objective.

Ukyo and I followed Ranma into the nearly abandoned lobby area as Cologne continued to taunt her, leading her on as Ranma became more and more frustrated, and consequently more angry. She suddenly halted in the middle of the room looking intensely focused, a look I'd seen on other occasions, but never this intense. It was like the scene with the Splitting Cat Hairs trick that Cologne had pulled not very long ago, only now Ranma was using that same focus to track the movements of the fast-  
moving old woman.

All at once Ranma lunged and almost caught Cologne, which must have surprised the old woman even more than it did us because she backed right up to within easy reach of Ukyo, who had unslung her ever-present spatula and took a swing at the old woman's unprotected backside.

Well, I have to amend that by saying it looked unprotected, but the old woman must have sensed the attack in time because she vaulted right over our heads and made it to the door before turning around, giving us all a cagey look before saying, "I see you have some formidable allies batting in your corner, Son-In-Law. We'll continue this outside, if you're man enough to follow me to the slalom."

"I'm man enough for anything you throw at me, you old prune!" Ranma cried and was out the door before we could stop her.

Ukyo still had her bakers peel in hand and was about to charge out after her when I put a restraining hand on her arm and said, "You don't want to get mixed up in this one, Kuonji. That old lady's more dangerous than you can imagine, and if you beat her you've made an enemy for life "

"Or earned a name among our legends," said a by-now familiar voice from directly behind me as we both turned to see a second old woman standing there looking shrewdly at the both of us, "Might I ask why you felt tempted to risk life and limb just now by challenging the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku?"

Ukyo was looking in puzzlement at my self-appointed Sensei then demanded to know who she was, so I quickly made introductions before turning to regard Lotion as I said, "What are the two of you trying to pull here? And what are you doing following us all the way into the mountains?"

Lotion just gave me that annoying smile of hers and said, "And who says we are following you? Seems to me more like it is your mutual fianc e who is doing the following in this matter."

"You know?" Ukyo was taken aback for a moment before getting angry again and saying, "What kind of sick game are you guys playing here? What's the big idea of making Ranma chase over all creation trying to get back his manhood?"

"You will have to ask the Matriarch about her motives," Lotion replied, "But for my part I merely seek to spend time with my apprentice, if that is all right with you, Daughter."

"That depends," I said levelly, "On whether or not you can help me out with Ranma, and don't give me that bunk about you having an agreement with Cologne to leave me alone while you supposedly train me! I'm tired of the both of you manipulating us, playing with our lives like we're puppets on a string "

"I am very sorry you feel that way, or believe that to be the case with me," Lotion replied, "I had no idea that my services were so resented. Perhaps I should leave you now to reflect on your decision. A pity about you and Ranma you had such promise as a couple, but clearly I was mistaken."

"What?" I blinked, "What the hell are you saying to me here? What about me and Ranma?"

Lotion started forward, "Only that it was Shampoo's declaration that you were worthy to be a Lore Master that brought me all this way from China. The Matriarch agreed with her estimation, and so she was willing to relent and permit you to remain affianced to your darling Ranma. This was done out of respect for your potential as a worthy daughter of Tsukino Kimiko. How long do you think you can remain his iinazuke without the teaching I was willing to share with you? Warrior marriages involving more than two parties are supposed to be a partnership between equals. You refuse my teaching, you are no longer held as an equal, and the Matriarch has the right to deny your engagement."

"What the hell kind of Jackass law is that?" Ukyo demanded, "And look at us when you talk to us, old woman-  
OW!"

Ukyo was struck once in the stomach by Lotion's staff before the old woman leaned upon it once again and said simply, "I understand your feelings in the matter, Miss Kuonji. You were not raised as an Amazon, though you are certainly worthy of being granted full Warrior status. Because of your youth and inexperience I will overlook your disrespectful tone and leave you with this simple warning: Do not challenge Cologne. The Matriarch was clearly impressed with your silent approach and the way you struck at her seeming blind side, but respect from her can only mean trouble for you. If you provoke her interest she may decide to test your worth in earnest, and that could mean a series of trials the like of which even Saotome Ranma would balk. If she comes to like you that could mean even worse trouble in your very near future."

Ukyo glared from where she was holding her guts and snarled, "I'm not afraid of either one of you !"

"Then you are either a great fool or very brave," Lotion replied, "Either way it makes no difference. Good day to you both "

"Wait!"

I was rather surprised to find that this word had come from my throat, but I had spoken it before thinking things out, so when she turned a questioning look at me I had to think fast before saying, "Just what do you want from me anyway? You know playing games like this isn't the best way to get on my good side."

To my surprise the old woman smiled, "Then I will speak honestly with you. I find you fascinating for several reasons, not the least of which is how one with so little training has managed thus far to master the fundamental basics of what it means to be a Lore Master. True you have inherited potential, but most who have talent never discover its usage. You have the innate gift of seeing opportunity in every problem, and the clarity of thought to exploit an opportunity when it is provided."

"So," I said noncommittally, "That's part of being a Lore Master?"

"An essential part, to be certain," she replied, "But there is far more to it than that. Observe."

Suddenly the old woman who stood three meters away from me was suddenly thrusting her staff at my face, and without thinking about it I raised my hand and caught it between my fingers. I stared in amazement as the thing hovered mere centimeters from my nose, then the Elder freed her stick from my grasp and leaned against it once more, smiling without surprise at the speed of my reactions.

"Do you know how many warriors of our village could do what you have just done?" she asked casually, "Only one, and she is our present Matriarch. You reacted from instinct to defend yourself, but if you had a moment to think about it would you have been as able to rally your defenses?'

"I don't no," I admitted, then blinked, wondering aloud, "How did I do that?"

Suddenly the staff came at me once again, this time aimed at my knee, but I raised my leg and it missed me. I suddenly rocked back without thinking as the air swished where my head had been, and then I jumped back just in time to miss being impaled on the sharper end of the stick. Without needing to think about it I fell into a martial crouch, but once more the woman was merely leaning on her staff looking at me in satisfaction.

"You see?" she smiled, "Your reactions are instinctive. How long do you think you would have needed to train to become good enough at dodging and avoiding attacks of this nature?"

"Uh " I hesitated then replied honestly, "Nearly all of my life?"

"And how long did you train with the Kodachi woman as your instructor?" Lotion asked with that smile of hers that as much as said she already knew all of the details.

"Um maybe five days," I said very softly.

"You adapt quickly to new conditions, discovering new ways to move your body that insure a minimum of pain and gain reflexes virtually overnight after only a little exposure to a consummate master of Rhythmic Gymnastics. Now do you see one of the facets of being what you are? Your mind and body interact with a speed like mercury to process new experience and convert it into wisdom."

"So " Ukyo said as she slowly rose to her feet, "You're saying Nab-chan here picks things up really fast? So do I, I'll have you know "

"But you are not on her level as a problem solver," Lotion replied without looking directly at her, then inclined her head as she smiled and added, "I believe you two should go outside and put on your skis. Matters are progressing much quicker than even I anticipated."

"What's going on outside?" Ukyo asked, then when Lotion just smiled at us we both took the hint and made a rush for the door, not bothering to think about the details as we both knew implicitly that it somehow involved Ranma.

Or, to be more precise, it involved Cologne's plans for Ranma to participate in a contest that was being held on behalf of the Nekohanten, which just happened to mysteriously have a branch division located a short distance from the lodge. The contest was a downhill, cross-country Martial Arts race where the participants had to carry a small snowman on a two mile run across the finish line, the prize being a kiss by a pretty girl with a medallion of victory to be placed around their head.

Three guesses who the girl was or the medallion she would be presenting!

"Shampoo?" I heard Ukyo gasp, though I was not as surprised, having deduced from Cologne's presence that this would mean that her great granddaughter would be with her.

The purple-haired Amazon was wearing a tight fitting ski outfit that amply displayed her excellent figure, and she was smiling as she waved to the crowds, though her eyes sought me out and her smile deepened when she saw me. I managed to glance to the side on instinct as I found Ranma also standing a short distance away, staring at the pendant, then I saw her clench her fists in determination, which I knew meant that she had implicitly accepted Cologne's new challenge.

How do I summarize the contest that followed? I, of course, also joined the race, even though playing along with the Old Woman's scheme was not something I felt good about doing. Ukyo followed my example and also joined the race, as did Akane-much to my astonishment! I wasn't sure if she meant to receive a kiss from Shampoo, but it was a safe bet that she did not trust the Amazon enough to let me be the one to uphold the family honor.

Well, I will say that the race was interesting, especially after Lotion somehow contrived to walk right up along side me and murmur in my ear, "Remember, if you allow the Snowman to get smashed you lose. It's up to you or Ranma to win victory in this race."

"Uh, yeah," I said, and then I snapped as I heard the starter pistol go off, and the race was on with over a hundred participants eager to snatch a kiss from the pretty purple-haired "prize." I suddenly was just as determined to see to it that it was either Ranma or me who crossed that finish line with an intact snowman.

And that's what I proceeded to do, racing downhill, using my skill on skis to keep up with Ranma, who opted for a pair of snowshoes, which Akane-surprisingly enough-  
-suggested. Running downhill in the clumsy things didn't seem to slow her as she kept up with the pack, dodging attacks from fellow skiers who tried to knock the snowman out of her hand. Ranma easily avoided them before returning the favor, sending snowman after snowman to oblivion without hardly breaking stride, especially when Cologne appeared to give her further incentive.

I myself was doing pretty much the same thing, and doing it pretty well considering I'd never tried anything like this before. Let me tell you, that snowman was cold! I could feel it right through my snow mitten, but somehow I managed to shift my balance while holding it steady. Ukyo was fighting to keep on top of things while I just danced around the thrust of ski poles that were jabbed almost in my face, and I retaliated in kind without losing my focus upon Ranma. It was like that thing I did back in the lodge when I dodged the old woman's attacks, operating on pure instinct as the fight became a slow process of elimination, which intensified significantly when I found a purple haired wonder at my side protecting my flanks.

"Shampoo?" I gasped in surprise, "I thought you were the prize in all this! Are you allowed to compete?"

"Shampoo no want give kiss to anyone but Ailen," Shampoo replied, "So Shampoo make sure only Ailen win. Either Ranma or Nabiki, Shampoo give prize very gladly."

"I don't suppose you have any idea what your great grandmother is really up to in doing this?" I asked her and took note of the guilty pause that followed as Shampoo seemed to be considering the question carefully before offering an answer.

"Hibiichan no tell Shampoo everything," she said at last, "But Shampoo think she do this to test Ranma and Ranma Ailen. She see you work together, it much please her, think Shampoo have strong what is word for join together?"

"Union?" I asked, and saw her nod enthusiastically.

"Hai, that!" she replied, then we both took note of the fact that we were almost alone but for the presence of Ukyo and Akane. Most of the other challengers were either defeated or too far from us to very much matter. We were coming closer to the finish line, only Ranma had halted from her lead and was in the process of fighting it out with Cologne, using her single ski-pole to fend off the staff of the Elder.

"Give it up, Sonny Boy!" we heard Cologne's dry, withered voice taunt Ranma as they dueled like master fencers at a speed that would have given pause to Basil Rathbone, "You're about a hundred years too soon to have a chance at beating me!"

"Nothing doing, old ghoul!" Ranma taunted back, "I'm getting that pill, and nothing you can do is going to stop me!"

"Is that so?" Cologne smiled and suddenly vaulted into the air, prompting Ranma to jump high as well, only to discover that Cologne directed her next attack not at her but at her snow shoes and shattered them to bits with a single passage.

Ranma landed and her feet sank up to her knees in the snow while Cologne poised expertly on her staff and smiled at her in triumph.

"Now do you give up, sonny boy?" Cologne asked coyly.

"No way!" Ranma cried as she held out the snowman, "I still have this !"

Had became the proper term as suddenly Cologne struck the snowman out of her hand and shattered it on the ground, then again poised on her staff and remarked, "You were saying?"

"Ranma can't win without a Snowman, can he?" I heard Ukyo ask, which I had to confess was the upshot of the baka making that grand gesture against the old lady.

Shampoo, however, got an idea and probably smiled at me in a way that would have telegraphed her intent had my attention not been focused elsewhere. All I know is that I felt a sudden slap on my rump and sent me moving forward uncontrollably, and as I gasped and bent my knees to maintain my balance, holding onto my snowman for dear life, I saw the finish line rushing up at me in a hurry and realized belatedly just why the Amazon had sent me careening forward.

"Oh no you don't!" I heard a voice cry out, and I twisted my body once again from instinct as I sensed the attack coming at me from behind. Unfortunately the attack on me was a feint and the real thrust was aimed at my poor snowman, which shattered while I was only a meter from victory. I managed to eventually stop myself a few meters later and turned about to confront Cologne, flashing her with my most annoyed of expressions.

"What's the big idea?" I demanded, "I thought Lotion said "

"Just because I've surrendered you into her care is no reason why I should permit you to interfere with my plans for you and the boy," she replied as she perched upon her staff, "Shampoo thought to help you, and I give her points for loyalty to both of her chosen mates, but there's no way that I'll permit your Ranma to get off the hook so lightly, which is why I've also shattered Shampoo's snowman on the off-chance that she might try to claim the prize for herself "

"You needn't have bothered."

Cologne turned a surprised look to one side as I glanced in equal amazement at seeing Ukyo standing there with her snowman, giving us a smug look as she added, "The prize belongs to me now, so you can hand over that pill to Ranchan."

"Oh my," Cologne said mildly, "Did I forget all about you? Silly me it never occurred to me that you might interfere on the boy's behalf "

"Ranma's my friend," Ukyo declared with just the slightest hesitation, "I'd do anything to help him get his manhood back, so you just live up to your half of the bargain and "

"Hold on," Cologne replied, "I said that the winner would win a kiss from my Great Granddaughter and be entitled to the locket, I never said anything about including the contents "

"Why you old ghoul!" Ranma herself cried as she came staggering up, forcing her way through the snow from sheer effort, though her pace was much slower than a fast walk rather than her gliding stride, "How dare you try and renege on an affair of honor!"

"Calm down, Son-In-Law," Cologne replied, "You'll still get your chance to win my Great Granddaughter's hand. The pill will be safe with me until I think you're deserving enough to have it."

"Why you!" Ranma tried to lunge forward, but instead wound up nearly landing on her face save that Shampoo came rushing up to catch her at the last second. With Shampoo's assistance she was able to catch up with Cologne, and then Shampoo freed herself from her skis and made a grand gesture of offering them to Ranma.

"Great Grandmother," Shampoo said as she sank down into the snow, "Give Ranma pill and restore him! He prove worthy to Shampoo, no need force Ranma accept Shampoo, much rather have Ranma and Nabiki see Shampoo as deserving."

"I know it's hard on you, child, but bear with me on this," Cologne replied, "Trust your old granny to know what's best for your future "

"Great Grandmother," Shampoo seemed to be struggling with herself for a moment before she said, "No want you interfere in Shampoo marriage. Shampoo know you mean best, but you only make Ranma angry. He no choose Shampoo if he forced! Shampoo no want to force him "

"You care for him that much?" Cologne sounded surprised, "Would you stand up to me for his sake, as well as Tendo Nabiki?"

"I " Shampoo looked down, her resolve obviously faltering, "No want to fight you, Great Grandmother. You Matriarch of tribe, Shampoo look up to you, no challenge Elder "

"Shampoo," Ranma said softly at the level of a murmur, obviously never having expected to hear the Amazon stand up on her behalf against the very woman who had trained her.

I'd seen her inward struggle too and cried, "That's enough! You stop brow beating her down, you dried up old fossil! It's not fair to her to force her to choose between us like that!"

"Well, well," Cologne mused, "It seems your protective instincts are returned in kind by at least one of your Airen. You have impressed me, Shampoo I had no idea that you could inspire such loyalty in those who care for you, but it's not enough to satisfy the conditions of Amazon honor."

"And what would?" Ukyo demanded crossly, fingering her bakers peel with one hand until she caught my warning glance as I tried to get her to keep from deepening her involvement.

"I ask only one of two conditions," Cologne replied as she fixed her stare upon Ranma, "Either you accept Shampoo as your wife or you face me now and prove yourself worthy to be her husband."

"What the heck kind of choice is that?" Ranma demanded, only to be surprised as our fathers joined in at that moment, my Daddy in particular grabbing Ranma by the shoulders as he looked at her and said, "Son, you're not planning on abandoning my little girl for this Shampoo, are you?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, then protested, "Hey, that's not it at all-!"

"What about it, Boy?" uncle Genma emphasized the word, "Are you going to choose the Amazon over your own iinazuke? Speak up! Be a man and take a stand, for once!"

"And who are you to talk?" Ranma snarled at her father, only to have mine in her face again as Daddy gave her his scariest look and growled, "You will not dishonor me and my house! Choose Nabiki now and put an end to this talk about other women!"

"Daddy " I growled, wanting to hit him with my ski pole in frustration.

"Good grief," I heard Akane join in as she and Kasumi finally caught up with the rest of us as hundreds of onlookers gaped in amazement at what had to be one very strange spectacle, only made worse by the intervention of our parents.

Daddy steered Ranma around until she was facing towards both me and Shampoo then said, "Which is it going to be, Son? Tell me which girl it is you choose to marry!"

"Make a decision and bring honor to your family name, Boy!" his father also chimed in as he took a position behind both me and Shampoo, laying a hand on either shoulder as it to bring us closer together, "Which girl do you intend to marry?"

"Hah?" Ranma blinked, looking from me to Shampoo and back again as if she were really under the spotlight, which is apt enough as suddenly I was very interested in seeing which way she would turn to get out of this one.

"Hey!" Ukyo interjected once again, "What's the idea of forcing her to choose like that? Isn't it obvious enough that the issue is Ranma having BOTH girls for his fianc es?'

"But that's utterly immoral!" my father protested, "He can't have it both ways "

"And why not?" Ukyo asked, "What's so immoral about trying to please both of them? At least he isn't trying to cheat one of them behind the back of the other!"

"Ucchan," Ranma looked up at her, then casually brushed my father off and said, "You don't have to worry about a thing, Tendo-san, I'm not gonna let that old mummy bully me into doing what she wants."

"So you say, my boy," the old woman cackled, "But let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is."

She suddenly spun her staff in the air, then thrust the tip down into the snow, and for a moment nothing seemed to happen, though I could sense some tension in the air that made my skin crawl and caused my nape hairs to stand on end. Only a few seconds later the snow began to shake under our feet, then explode into columns like blasts from a geyser.

Daddy was knocked off his feet as one such eruption caught Ranma by surprise and sent her flying up into the air while the old woman spun her staff and took off like a helicopter. I covered my eyes to shade them as the two soared really high into what looked like a snowy tornado spinning far over our heads, and then they vanished over the tops of the nearest tree line.

"Wow," Ukyo said as she recovered her balance, "What the heck was that? How did that old lady do it?"

"Quite simple really," replied Lotion, who had joined us without any warning, "Cologne is a master of the Five-  
Elements school of martial arts discipline. She can shift between schools as easily as you might change your kata, and at present she has adapted the Water and Air Schools into their combined form, which is known as the Winter Wonderland Attack."

"Winter Wonderland Attack?" I repeated, wondering what Bing Crosby had to do with this.

"You think we never get slow up in the Qing Hai region?" Lotion asked reasonably, "We're just north of the Himalayas by a few hundred kilometers, and Shampoo here is our reigning ski champion in Nyanichiczu-controlled territory "

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo exclaimed, "Ranma can no beat Great Grandmother if she use Five Elements fighting Ryu! We must go find Ranma and warn him it no pay to get Great Grandmother really angry "

"Here Shampoo," said Kasumi as she knelt down and removed her skis before handing them over, "You need to get there in a hurry, so take my skis. I'll borrow someone else's."

"Kasumi always nice to Shampoo," the Amazon said as she happily accepted Kasumi's offer, dropping the skis before setting her booted feet down and locking them in place before picking up her ski poles, "Shampoo someday do very nice thing for Kasumi. You come with Shampoo, Nabiki?"

"Sure," I said, "Wouldn't miss this for the world."

We followed her lead as she set off on a certain course that took us down by the frozen stream to a wooded area isolated from the view of all others but our happy little group. We arrived just in time to see Ranma on the losing end of a barrage of ice that the old woman was somehow hurling towards him as if by magic. Cologne was on the back of a Polar Bear composed out of ice as could be denoted by its slight transparency. Ranma had all but been knocked back to the edge of the ice pond and was clearly on the ropes, which was hardly surprising given the furious way that the old lady was beating her senseless.

"Ranma!" Shampoo cried, then kicked out of her borrowed skis and began running over the snow, moving so fast that her feet did not have time to sink into the white stuff before she could reach Ranma's side. Cologne relented in her attack and simply sat on her bear waiting to see what would happen.

I was a little curious at what Ranma must have done to tick the old woman off that badly, but knowing that one of Ranma's standard tactics in a fight is to taunt her enemies, it was probably something that made the old woman act so peevish. At the time I idly took note of the borrowed skis Shampoo had given Ranma sticking out of the snow to one side and looked around at the signs that a battle royal had just taken place here. Then my attention was riveted back towards Shampoo, who had finally gained Ranma's undivided attention.

"Ranma," Shampoo said as she clutched our redheaded betrothed's hands in her own and looked at him with a pleading expression, "Shampoo no want you hurt! You give up now, we train you to give Great Grandmother better fight next time."

"That's right, boy," Genma called out from where the rest of us hung back to watch these exchanges, "You've given it your best try, and admitting when you're outclassed is all part of being a great Martial Artist! We'll train for the rematch, and then you can get back at the old lady!'

"Nothing doing, you guys!" Ranma snapped back, "I'm not beaten yet! I " she suddenly turned to look at Shampoo and said, "Shampoo? That's it! I've got it!"

"Got what, Ranma?" Shampoo asked, clearly confused by her sudden change of mood from one of defiance to outright jubilation.

"Shampoo," Ranma sat up and grabbed the Amazon's hands in a way that made he clench hard on my ski poles, "You're the answer! I can beat her with your help!"

"Ranma ?" Shampoo sounded breathless, while I just felt something knot up inside my belly as I watched her suddenly glow with happiness, "You mean that? Shampoo do anything to help you!"

"I'm nothing without you," Ranma declared, and that must have been the point when I took one of my aluminum ski poles and bent it double, only then Ranma surprised us further by jumping to her feet and saying, "C'mon, let's do it!"

Dragging a much-surprised Shampoo with him, Ranma leaped up and deliberately threw the both of them into a big hole created in the ice by her fight with the old woman. There wasn't time for Shampoo to give a yelp before they vanished from our view, only to emerge a few second later as Ranma jumped up out of the water screaming about the cat that was suddenly digging its claws into her shoulder.

"Interesting," I heard Lotion murmur in obvious amusement, "The boy's a strategist after all. Who would have thought it?"

"That's it!" I heard his father say, "The boy's going to use the Nekoken!"

"The Cat Fist?" Akane gasped, "After what happened the last time? Is he crazy?"

"Desperately crazy, I would say," our Daddy remarked, while Ukyo just stood where she was beside me and said, "What's Ranchan up to, turning her into a cat like that?"

"Just watch," I said slowly, finally realizing what Ranma had been planning all along.

Sure enough Ranma began to run around in a blind panic until his father caught him and put Shampoo up directly in his face, urging him to feel the burn as his panic gave way to his alternate persona. Ranma fell down on all fours and began to tremble, then meow. It was at that point that I knew that the fight was virtually over and that Cologne would not stand a chance. Ranma was all but invincible in this beserker state, and with the added training of the Amaguriken well, you get the picture.

So did Cologne as Ranma laid into her with a bloody vengeance, tearing through every block of ice the old woman hurled his way, even shattering the ice bear as the two soared high in a whirlwind of destruction. The fight ended when Cologne hit the snow bank and did not move for the next several minutes. Ranma landed not far from her and looked ready to finish the job, but that's when I intervened and called out to her, moving away from the others as I knelt down and said, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!"

Ranma came bounding over to me and landed on top of my lap, bowling us both over into the ice before she curled up between my legs and started purring with contentment. I stroked her reddish hair after only a minute of hesitation, then pulled off my mittens so that I could feel her wet locks as something warmed up inside of me and I began to feel a whole lot better about the situation.

I can only imagine what Ukyo was thinking, but I took notice of the fact that she was holding the wet cat that was Shampoo in both hands while they stood watching us with curious expressions. I gave Shampoo a lopsided smile, knowing we were going to have to fish her clothing out of the drink so that we could take her back with us to our lodgings. It had been a pretty strange day, but some inward part of me knew that it was hardly all over.

Cologne recovered before Ranma did and I gave her a warning glare as something protective inside me rose up to take charge over my feelings. Cologne then surprised us by being conciliatory, even smiling as she said that it had been at least a hundred and fifty years since anyone had given her a good workout like that. Lotion then sniffed and said, "One hundred and Eighty. You forgot about him."

"How could I forget about the Golem?" Cologne retorted, "As if you'd ever let me "

That enigmatic comment out of the way, Cologne then handed the broach to Ukyo, telling her that Shampoo was indisposed and could not present it herself, but that she was certain her great granddaughter would honor her pledge to kiss the victor of the snow match. I had the considerable amusement of watching both Ukyo and the cat give non-plussed expressions at the way the old woman had said that, not to mention when Ukyo revealed that a free all-expenses paid dinner date was a part of the grand prize, and that she was certain Kuonji would be a "gentleman" and look after her great granddaughter.

"Nani?" as the only thing Kuonji would say on our way back while Shampoo perched atop her shoulders looking strangely thoughtful for some reason.

I took charge of Shampoo once we got back to the lodge then headed at once for the bathroom, warning Ranma not to follow since it was his intent to try out the Phoenix Pill once Lotion confirmed its authenticity. I slid open the doors to the bath and that's when the strangest thing of the entire day happened! In stead of a small cubical, like an average Japanese furo, I found myself in some kind of huge dome-like chamber occupied by a lake-sized bathing pool complete with indoor aquifer and tasteful decor with plants forming a kind of make-believe grotto. Both Shampoo and me must have batted our eyes for a full minute because we got hailed by the present occupants of the baths who asked us to close the door rather than let a draft into the chamber.

I'd already changed out of my ski outfit, and Kasumi was drying Shampoo's, so I cleaned off my body then stepped into the pool, and once in the water Shampoo changed back to herself, much to the amazement of the others. The Masaki house guests were indeed surprised at seeing the Amazon replace the cat that had been there moments earlier, but they took things in stride once we had explained about Jusenkyo curses. These girls seemed to take weirdness as a perfectly ordinary thing, but they did warn me about letting someone named Washu find out about this or we'd never hear the end of it. Washu, I think, was that cute girl with spiky red hair who hardly ever showed her face around the house and was always muttering something or other about the experiments she had going. A mad scientist type we've got more than our share of those at Furinkan!

Of course the next surprise was something neither me nor Shampoo were prepared for as Ukyo appeared at the baths, having made the obligatory inquiry to how something this big could be fit inside of such sparse lodgings. Ukyo was wearing a towel around her body and not much else, but once invited into the tub she made a big production of taking the towel off to clean and scrub her body, trying hard not to show too much flesh to our view, which prompted some wry comments from our direction.

"What Spatula Girl hiding?" Shampoo asked, "You no want see disfiguring scars or something?"

"Yeah," I said, "What's the big deal, Kuonji? If you really are a girl, then it's not like you've got anything we haven't already seen before."

"Uh all right," Ukyo said as she sat on the bench with her hands still wrapped around herself, "It's just really hard, y'know? I mean I haven't done this in quite a while I mean, let other people see me naked."

Shampoo and I were both surprised at hearing that, but our surprise turned to dismay when Ukyo did finally turn around and show off a body that was anything but disfigured! The marks of some kind of restraining harness were visible on her upper shoulders, but otherwise she had a pair of large, firm breasts and a figure like a supermodel. She was lean and muscular, but somehow all the more feminine and sexy for her athletic appearance. She had long, shapely legs and-guy-appearance or not-  
they looked smooth and clean-shaven!

As she eased herself into the warm water Shampoo and I tracked her sinuous movements, which had the kind of unselfconscious grace that Ranma displayed in his female body. Once Ukyo was sitting down beside us in the water I could see the tension start to melt out of her face and body as she began to relax, then nodded to us and said, "Just us girls here, I guess," with a kind of nervous bravado.

"But of course," said the girl with dark purple hair done up in a very unusual hairstyle, whose name I believe was Ayeka, "This is the girl's side of the bathroom. The boys aren't permitted in here, don't you know? It's not proper.'

"Yeah," the cyan blue-haired Ryoko snorted, "No guys, and that's the trouble! I wouldn't mind having Tenchi in here to wash my back " and that idle comment seemed to spark off a jealous retort that led to a small altercation between these two very strange ladies.

We ignored the altercation as something that was fairly common enough back home while Shampoo finally overcame her surprise as she looked at Ukyo in a very strange way then said, "How you manage to look like guy? Those things no look like they easy to hide."

"Oh, these?" Ukyo glanced down at her breasts with a nervous chuckle, "Well, it used to be a lot easier, but lately well they keep filling out, and pretty soon I may have to use a bigger restraining harness."

"Harness?" I asked, looking down at the grapefruit-  
sized globes bobbing just above the level of the water, "How the heck do you tape those things down anyway? It must be awfully restrictive "

"Oh, it is," Ukyo rolled her eyes, "But I'm more-or-  
less used to it by now, and I have a lot of practice working out with them, believe me! Besides, it's not like I'm anything special next to the pair of you. I mean, you've both got great bodies, and you're look a lot bigger," she gave Shampoo an appreciative glance before hastily looking elsewhere.

I wasn't sure how to take that compliment, and neither was Shampoo, so instead I said, "So what made you decide to join us? You could have waited until we were finished."

"I wanted a chance to talk where Ranma couldn't overhear us," Ukyo replied, "And well to be honest, it's nice to loosen up around people who already know my secret. Taping my breasts down with a wrap was never any fun most mornings, and lately it's become just impossible! The harness is hardly any better, so I kinda welcome a chance not to wear it for a while, y'know? Just be myself for a while, not try and hide who I am or deny my femininity, and you guys have been awfully nice to me since you learned the truth about me."

"Spatula Girl " Shampoo began, then hesitated.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that all of the time," Ukyo said in mild irritation, then sighed and said, "Just call me Ukyo, okay? I mean, with a name like Shampoo you must have got really tired at having all sorts of stupid nick names where you came from "

"Aiyaa," Shampoo softly agreed, then made an effort and said, "U-ky-o strange Japanese name. Well Shampoo just want know why is you father wanted you to be boy child? Is not girl child much better honor? You very strong warrior, and you even impress Great Grandmother, though you probably no should do this "

"That old lady doesn't scare me," Ukyo snorted, then replied, "I guess it must seem weird to an Amazon, but here in Japan they think boys are superior to girls. Having been a boy in everything but the most important details I can tell you a lot about the different way men and women get treated! Adults think we're just good for sex, so they imagine we're some kind of predatory mutant species out to steal their sons and suck their souls, or something like that. Dad wanted a boy who could inherit his business, not be looked down on by a protective superior, and there were other family obligations he had to think about. My being a girl just went against his plans, so he probably would have kept trying until he had a son to look after, only Mom died before that could happen. I was his only child, and not a son, and so he thought maybe he could fix me up with Genma's son when Ranchan and I first became friends, only things didn't quite work out like he'd imagined. Me either.." she added with a somewhat wistful expression.

"Is you being a guy that important to him?" I asked as I studied her attractive profile and silently resolved never to let Ranma see her in this state.

"You have no idea," Ukyo sighed, "Or maybe you do. You only have sisters, I've noticed. How does your father treat you?"

I had to think on that, of course, recalling the way Daddy treated me and my sisters like we were fragile porcelain dolls all except for Akane, and even with her he was unintentionally patronizing. Would Dad have treated a boy the same way as Akane? What if Kasumi and me were born male. Would that have affected the way he fawned on me and heaped devotion (plus a ton of housework) on Kasumi?

"Okay," I said, deciding to change the subject, "So, how are you coping with being best friends to Ranma?"

He gave a wary smile and said, "Just great, except for the fact that he doesn't seem to know I'm a girl when I'm standing a half meter away!" she looked slightly depressed as she said that.

"You no want be treated as a man, why you dress like one?" Shampoo reasonably asked her.

"She's got a point, Kuonji-san," I noted, "Sooner or later you're going to have to come clean with Ranma."

"And tell him about the engagement?" Ukyo asked, "How the blazes do I explain that? And what good does it to me when it should be obvious to anyone that he's more interested in the both of you? I'd just be getting in the way even if he is a great guy and a better catch than I'd imagined he'd be."

Shampoo and I exchanged looks, then I cautiously said, "In other words you do like Ranma?"

Ukyo looked uncomfortable as she glanced at the both of us then said, "Yeah I think I do like him. He's the first guy who's treated me decently, even if he does think that we're just best buddies. I haven't known many guys who were that nice, and no one that I'd feel that good about being with."

"Then you no decide you drop engagement?" Shampoo asked, which elicited another sigh from our reluctant companion.

"I can't drop it like that, Sugar, not without convincing my Dad to change his will, or to get him to think I've avenged the family honor, or some combination of the two," she stared down into the water and her tone dropped a little as she added, "Besides I'm not sure I'd want to, at least not yet. I'm not trying to take him away from you or anything, but there's just something about Ranchan that makes me think maybe it could work out between us. I won't press the issue for now, but I have to reserve my options just to be sure. I mean you understand, don't you?"

I think I can skip the rest of what follows, mainly the fact that Shampoo started glowing as she glared at Ukyo while I felt conflicting knots tie up in my belly as I compared myself to Kuonji. It all became moot anyway since the altercation between the two Tenchi girls got really violent about that point and we were forced to vacate the bathing pool in a hurry. I'd swear that Ayeka was some kind of a wizard or just had great illusion powers, because it looked like she was surrounding herself with logs while that Ryoko was crackling with electricity. We didn't stay around long enough to witness too many of the details.

Anyway I wound up back in the lodge with Ukyo and Shampoo as we helped Kasumi and Sasami prepare our dinner, or at least they helped while I confined my efforts to chopping vegetables, which is about the limit of my skills in the kitchen. The rest of the night was pretty uneventful as Kuonji-dressed again as a guy-sought out a now-male Ranma for some "buddy-buddy" talk, which made me feel exclusive until Ranma sought me out a few minutes later me to ask to follow him out of the kitchen.

It was not surprising that we went up onto the roof of the chateau to seek out some privacy as Ranma got very serious and made me think he had something important he wanted to discuss. I honestly had no idea what he wanted to do at that point, but looking at his male face again made me glad we had come through everything with little more than a few odd scrapes and bruises.

"Nabiki," he said to me, looking at me with those blue eyes that seemed to melt away all my earlier doubts and jealousies as I knew I had his full attention, "I wanna thank you for helping me out, for standing by me earlier. I know I've put you through a lot of stuff, and I wish I could make it up to you "

"You don t have to, Ranchan," I said, adopting the nick name that was so popular with Kuonji, "I'm just glad it's over."

"That's just it," Ranma said, "It ain't over, not as long as that old ghoul thinks she can force me into doing what she wants. I beat her this time, but it took everything I had. Next time I maybe not be so lucky. I wouldn't mind for my sake, but when it involves you well I just don't trust that old mummy."

"So, what are you saying, Ranma?" I asked, sensing his uneasiness as he seemed to be working at some difficult decision.

"I've been thinking and don't say it must hurt," he glared at me as if expecting that I would say that, but I just gave him an innocent look and he continued, "Your dad made a good point when he asked me to choose between you and Shampoo. Of course, so did Ucchan. I would have told your old man off, that it was none of his business, that I'd already decided on you, but when I stopped and thought about it, and the way Shampoo stood up to the old ghoul "

"Yes?" I blinked, having a very strange sense that he was about to drop an A-bomb on my lap.

Instead he looked at me intensely and asked, "What do you think about Shampoo?"

"Hah?" I asked, not understanding.

"I mean what do you make of her?" he asked again, "You're better at this stuff than me, and I trust your judgement. Is she something else or what? Telling off her own great grandmother that had to take guts, and she was trying to give us both a way out there. I never would have expected her to do that after seeing the way she lets that old mummy push her around in their restaurant."

"You think she might be a good match for you after all?" I asked.

"I dunno, and that's why I'm asking," Ranma said, "This three-way marriage deal it sounds like a lot of hard work. How could we get along together if we didn't trust each other, and I sure didn't trust Shampoo until today. I've never told you this before, but I've always been worried when she hangs around with you that she might get tempted and do what she did with Akane. I don't think I could ever forgive that."

"Oh," I started to relax fractionally, realizing he wasn't outright dumping me in favor of the bimbo I mean, Shampoo. I tried to concentrate and finally said what was on my thoughts, "She's a mass of contradictions, Ranma, but I've gotten to like her, and I think I understand her a lot better than I used to. I know she's sincere in wanting to make it work with both of us, I'm just not sure if what she wants can happen. I guess I just need more time myself to think about it."

"That's what I think exactly," he nodded simply, "So maybe we should give her more time as well. I think she deserves it, and maybe maybe it's what I want as well. I just had to know how you felt I um you know I'd never want to do anything to hurt you "

Conversation just sort of stalled about that point until we heard a meow, and Ranma stiffened a little. We both turned our heads to see Sham-chan sitting there on the roof looking at the both of us with what-on a cat-  
looked like a very happy expression. It was obvious enough to me that she had overheard the whole deal and was unable to contain her joy that Ranma was finally starting to think about her in a way that approached her own intense ardor.

I turned to see the look on Ranma's face, it was tense with worry but not the kind of horrified dread I had come to expect whenever he set eyes on Shampoo's Neko-  
cursed body. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow in spite of the intense cold of our surroundings but somehow he seemed to be controlling his fear. He stared at Shampoo and took several deep breaths, then managed to calm himself down a little before saying, "It ain't polite to eavesdrop but I'll let it go this time."

In response Shampoo bounded into his lap, and this time Ranma looked like he was about to freak, only again he managed to halt himself from his usual blind Neko-  
panic. I was amazed to even see him reach down to tentatively pet Shampoo behind her ear, which caused her to purr up a storm while Ranma continued to sweat for another full minute. A minute later he calmed down even more, then looked up at me and said, "Wow."

"Wow," I said back, and for the two of us that single word spoke volumes

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Compulsive Marriage Vows: shadowmane

A trip to the great outdoors is usually considered healthy, but not when it means a training mission against Cologne's designated champion, a newly reborn Ryoga who will do anything to gain his vengeance upon Ranma be there! 


	24. Chapter 24

NabikiRan22 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-Three.

Cologne arrived back at the Nekohanten in a somewhat thoughtful mood, and neither Shampoo nor even Lotion felt inclined towards disturbing the Matriarch as it was plain that her thoughts were still directed towards the question of Saotome Ranma.

The boy was showing tremendous potential, after all, but to have actually defeated her by use of a forbidden technique that was certainly remarkable. A good thing Elders were exempt from the normal rules regarding Warriors and Outsiders, the last thing she needed in her life was to go through the considerable trouble of breaking in a new husband, especially one who reminded her a little too much of her first husband. Besides, Shampoo had already claimed him, which was all to the better. The purpose for marriage between strong warriors was, after all, the begetting of children, and though Cologne considered herself well preserved for her age, she did not delude herself into believing she was capable of going through that again, not after the troubles she'd had with Shampoo's grandmother.

Of greater concern was the puzzling behavior of Shampoo, who had actually stood up to Cologne at one point and defended the right of her Airen to choose to accept her or not. That was certainly atypical behavior in the girl, who had not refused a single command Cologne had given her since that incident involving Lotion's great granddaughter. It had taken drastic actions to separate the pair of them, and the incident had definitely left emotional scars on both children, though she suspected that Shampoo had felt the worst of it, believing a lie that Cologne had conveniently fed her.

If Shampoo were developing more independence then it was a basically good thing, a sure sign that the leadership qualities Cologne had always hoped she might possess were finally emerging, but it seemed more to her way of thinking as if Shampoo were actually bowing to her Airen and giving them a choice when by rights she should have been asserting herself more forcefully to gain their compliance. Either Shampoo was displaying a remarkable degree of cunning in playing to the desire of these Japanese for self-determination or that worrisome submissive streak in her nature was cropping up once again. It would have to be dealt with eventually, as soon as Cologne could determine the best remedy for a submissive nature.

Mid-way to the kitchen she paused in her advances, sensing something in the breeze that made her mind snap back to the present. She began hopping more furiously as she headed towards the kitchen and out the back exit. Behind her Lotion and Shampoo exchanged looks, then silently resolved to follow.

Behind the Nekohanten they found the strange boy known as Hibiki Ryoga staring into a fire, his hands covered in bandages though he was gazing intently at the flames, seeing the roasted chestnuts within them. Of a sudden his hands became a blur, then he stepped back in triumph holding the chestnuts that he had just plucked out of the fire. With an exultant cry of, "I did it! Now just you wait, Saotome Ranma !" he waved his hands triumphant expectation.

"So," Cologne said, announcing her presence, "You finally mastered the technique, and after only a few days of practice. I take it you've been hard at it since I left you here yesterday morning?"

"I've been thinking of nothing else but what you showed me," Ryoga replied, "The way Ranma moved during our last fight, there was no way I was going to let him keep that kind of an advantage to himself!"

"Excellent," Cologne remarked, "Then you are ready for the next technique I have to teach you?"

"The next technique?" Ryoga asked with a dumbstruck expression.

"You want an advantage over your opponent in your next meeting, am I right?" Cologne said with a cagey expression, "The trick I've just taught you is as nothing compared to the one I'm going to teach you, just so long as you promise to use it to defeat Son-In-Law on your next meeting."

Ryoga suddenly smiled and gave the old woman a confident look, "You can bet I will use it to defeat him, and send him to hell for what he's done to me! How soon can we start?"

"I admire your enthusiasm, Boy," Cologne said approvingly, "What say we begin training in a few days, after I put a few matters in order. I understand that school will soon be out for a one-week vacation "

"I don't go to school around here," Ryoga said with some embarrassment, "The truth is I can't really find my way too good it's hard to keep up my attendance."

"Yet you managed to find your way back here, did you not?" Cologne asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well the truth is, I haven't really moved from this spot," Ryoga said with a sheepish expression, "I was afraid of getting lost, and I wanted to show you that I'd mastered this, so I kind of kept within a few feet of the fire," he flexed his bandaged hands for emphasis, "I needed to keep practicing until my speed was just right "

"You certainly are a dedicated young man," Cologne remarked, impressed as she said this, though just as heartily glad to be upwind of the boy rather than smell him, "Perhaps you should come inside and have a meal before you think about further training. A hot bath wouldn't hurt you either," she added the latter point with a wrinkling of her nostrils.

"A meal ?" Ryoga suddenly looked both hungry and thirsty, then straightened himself again and said, "Thanks for your teaching, Granny. I promise I'll devote myself to mastering whatever technique you show me. I'll empty my mind of all other thoughts but one: defeating Ranma!"

Back at the entrance to the kitchen, Shampoo wrinkled her own highly sensitive nose and narrowed her gaze as she softly remarked, "No hard to empty that one's mind. It no filled to begin with."

"Patience, child," Lotion advised, "The boy does have a few good qualities, and you know what a prize he would be back in our village."

"Shampoo know," she frowned, "Him very much have want for girl of Tendo Dojo, Shampoo student, Akane. No sure Shampoo think him worthy of her, but Akane like boy. She nicer to him than to anybody else Shampoo know."

"Love works in strange and mysterious ways," Lotion said philosophically, "Which is why I think you should spend as much time as you can around your loved ones just to insure that they are well guarded against any surprises the Matriarch may choose to visit upon the boy who defeated her using the Neko."

"You no think she challenge him again?" Shampoo replied, then reverted to Chinese, "Honored great grandmother of one who was once dear to me, I hope for our sakes that great grandmother isn't holding a grudge against my husband and co-wife. "

"That would not be her way," Lotion replied, "Vengeance is for lesser mortals, not Matriarchs. I would say that she was a bit hacked off with the boy's smug arrogance, though, so it would be within her nature to knock him down a peg and teach him some humility. I suggest you counsel him not to slacken in his training. "

"Hai," Shampoo said as she reverted to Japanese, "Shampoo know what she must do, Elder. Shampoo protect Airen and teach him what she know that maybe help him against great grandmother."

"Then there's nothing to be afraid of, is there?" Lotion smiled, "I'll make you a deal, child look after the boy and I will see to Nabiki's training for the same purpose. The three of you do make a remarkable team, if I dare say so."

Shampoo allowed herself the indulgence of a beautiful smile as she thought of the two people to whom she had given her heart, then snapped back to reality as she heard Cologne issue orders to tend to chores around the restaurant. Ryoga offered to help with these as partial payment for his training, but Cologne declined and said that rest was more important.

After all it would hardly suit her plans to leave the boy anywhere near her great granddaughter, if she judged Shampoo's mood correctly. Amazon training was very demanding, after all, and it would be hard enough to teach Ryoga the Breaking Point technique without having him in crutches, or a full body cast, depending on just how much hostility Shampoo was projecting towards this boy who had repeatedly threatened her Ranma

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I had a dream

Well something like a dream, mid-way between a heavenly vision and a nightmare. It began with my feeling as though I were falling naked into a body of water, and as I sank into the foaming pool I had a vision of myself changing into something other than myself, as though a masculine side of my personality that I had never before encountered were rising up to the surface, pushing aside my feminine qualities and leaving me a changed woman if that were the right term to use here.

I remember staring at the bubbles, each of which contained a face of someone I knew, including myself, and then I turned to see Ranma in female form looking up at me with bright admiration. I remember her coming forward and embracing me, and then a kiss that made my hair stand on end, including an odd pig-tailed braid that I was wearing for some reason

That dream ended and another one began almost immediately as my feminine side reasserted itself, and then I separated into two images, the male aspect drifting away, leaving me standing by the bank of a stream that I remember playing around with Akane when we were both so much younger. For some reason I was wearing a hat with a pink bow ribbon tied around it as I knelt to look at my reflection in the water, seeing a male face looking back at me, and then the redhead standing just off from my shoulder.

I turned to look up, only it was a male Ranma gazing down at me with that soft, blue-eyed stare of his that always made me feel weak inside, and then he smiled at me, which lightened up my whole world. I stood up to face him on a more level basis and he surprised me by handing me a flower that I recognized as an iris, purple around the edges but white in the center, a traditional flower meant to signify something although just what I could not remember at the moment. I took the flower and I remember smiling, and there was music in the background...I think it was "Love Panic," a song I'd heard on the radio when riding the bus the other day, and somehow it seemed right to the moment.

And then we both sensed that we were not alone, and we turned to see a group of people standing on the rise over the bank looking at us with hostile glances. Chief among them were Shampoo, Ukyo and Kodachi, but there was also Kuno, Mousse and our fathers present, and the old women, Cologne and Lotion. The focus of their gaze was directed at Ranma, who tried to deflect their anger with a hasty explanation, only to receive a barrage of attacks that left him falling back into the water with Shampoo's bonbori bouncing off his face.

I turned to see a sopping wet Ranma-chan looking up in disconcertment, and for some reason I laughed to see her like this, feeling all warm inside...and that's when I woke up, swearing to myself that I was going to cut off late night snacks in the future.

I'm sitting here chronicling it down in my notebook, to be transcribed later into my computer. The reason why I'm practicing my calligraphy skills is simple: no electrical outlets here in this beautiful wilderness setting that I happen to find myself surrounded by at the moment.

The reason for this? Well, today is the start of a one-week school vacation, and no sooner had it been declared then Ranma's father insisted that they both head off to the mountains on the outskirts of Furinkan for an intensive training session to further hone their skills. Uncle Genma declared that Ranma's barely-adequate performance against Cologne was a sign that they needed to refine his technique, and no sooner was this declared then my Daddy insisted that I come along with them.

Of course I protested half-heartedly that I wasn't into this kind of intense back-to-nature stuff that Ranma and Genma take for granted, but Kasumi thought it was a wonderful idea and told me I could practice my Bridal skills by cooking meals for the Saotomes. ME! Cook somebody else's dinner? I knew she had to be kidding, and said as much on the spot.

Naturally Akane saw a chance to dig in her ten yens worth, "That's right, Nabiki's idea of cooking is take-  
out. Can't get special delivery service in the middle of a forest."

To be fair, sisterly digs like that are usually beneath me, but considering the source I just had to rebut the charge by saying, "At least I know how to boil water without setting the house on fire," in a perfectly reasonable tone for addressing a sister.

Akane glared at me and said, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Only that when it comes to the kitchen you're even more out of your element than me," I stated matter-of-  
factly, "We've both depended on Kasumi to do all the domestic stuff, so I don't see why I should start learning now "

"Because some day you may have to cook a meal for Ranma," Akane said with that nasty edge she sometimes uses when she feels like being petty, "And you wouldn't want to poison him, now would you?"

"Moi?" I asked nonchalantly while giving my most indignant glare at my little sister, "And who's calling the wok black here? Are you saying you don't intend on poisoning Ryoga when he samples that sorry excuse you call cooking?"

That was when Kasumi intervened, handily heading off an altercation that could have gotten really personal if not for her long experience in handling Akane, "Why don't you both try learning how to cook for the men in your lives? It would be good Bride Training for you both, and I'm sure Ranma and his father would appreciate having the both of you around to look after them."

"Huh?" both Akane and me said in chorus before turning dumbstruck looks in our older sister's direction. "You've gotta be kidding, Sis," I said, "Ranma and his father have been living on the road for over ten years. What could they possibly need us for?"

"Nihao!" said a bright and cheerful Shampoo as she appeared on our back porch looking as happy as a kitten, "Nabiki want go to market with Shampoo? Could use Ailen help in getting special bargains "

"Hello, Shampoo," Kasumi called out while Akane just glared in the Amazon's direction, "I'm afraid Nabiki won't be able to come with you today. She's going on a special training mission with Ranma and his father."

"What?" I sputtered, "I haven't agreed to go on this trip !"

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo said in surprise, then recovered promptly and flashed a smile at me, "You go on training mission with Ailen? Shampoo come with you! Shampoo cook meal for both her Ailen, help Ailen train is very good thing too since Great Grandmother spending time with new apprentice."

"Huh?" I asked, "What new apprentice?"

"Stupid Pig-Boy, of course," Shampoo said simply, "She training him to have big fight with Ranma Ailen. Ranma need special training if he keep ahead of new technique Great Grandmother teach boy who get lost looking for door and find only closet "

"Ryoga?" Akane quickly drew her own conclusions based on the clues Shampoo had fed her, "She's training Ryoga? But why?"

"Great Grandmother very impressed with Ailen," Shampoo sighed, "Also very annoyed he good enough to best Elder. Think maybe he need learn respect for Amazon teaching, use stupid Pig-Boy for that. Lost boy have much anger at Ranma Ailen, say he kill Ranma if he can. Shampoo no like this, but no can go against wishes of Great Grandmother."

Well, that pretty much clinched it for me, and I know Akane was sold the moment Ryoga's name was mentioned, which is why I'm now sitting on a log in the middle of our base camp, surrounded by kilometers of open, hilly country without so much as a pay phone within easy walking distance. I'm hungry and miserable and the insects are annoying me to no end, while Shampoo's tending the fire and Akane's busy chopping up firewood with her bare hands and Ranma is pounding on his father somewhere just beyond where we can see them

"What are you doing, Daughter?"

"Gah!" Nabiki almost jumped up out of her skin in fright before she realized that it was Lotion who had addressed her, "Don't ever do that!"

"Do what?" Lotion asked innocently.

"Sneak up on me without warning!" Nabiki declared, more angry at losing her cool than at being surprised by the Elder as she fought to get her pulse under control so that she could assume her usual nonchalant manner.

"I thought I gave you plenty of warning, as if you needed any such thing," Lotion said simply, "It's not my fault that you were ignoring your senses and concentrating on writing things down in that booklet. Why ever would you want to do such a thing anyway?"

"Uh just taking a few notes is all," Nabiki said evasively, trying to make the journal in her hand even less conspicuous by holding it at a low angle, "Kind of as a reminder "

"Indeed?" Lotion asked, "And what is wrong with simply enjoying the moment and accepting it for what it is? You can't hold onto the present, no matter how hard you try. Time is like water between your fingers, it never flows twice in the same pattern."

"Look," Nabiki said more calmly, "It's just something personal I do, you got that? Now, mind telling me what you're doing here in our camp?"

"Where else should I be?" Lotion asked, "It's time for your next lesson."

"Oh," Nabiki said sourly, wondering if there were some way to cop an excuse that would be accepted by the old woman, but doubting it from the tone the Elder was using, "All right, Sensei, but your timing really sucks."

"That is a matter of opinion that is hardly shared by both of us," Lotion sniffed as she watched Nabiki carefully lock her notebook with a tiny key and put it away in her knapsack, then she was about to sling it over her shoulders when the old woman said, "Leave it here. We won't be gone that long, and you need hardly bear the weight at this time."

Nabiki let the pack fall on the side of the log that was nearest to the fireplace. She made a point to fix the key to a thin neck-chain that she was wearing, then let it hang down in the cleft between her bosoms. The light tank top she was wearing on account of the heat hardly made that formidable an obstacle had someone wanted to take the key from her, but she dared Shampoo to even attempt such a thing not that she was entirely assured that the Amazon would feel less tempted to make the effort.

"So," Nabiki said nonchalantly, "What did you want to show me?"

"Just follow me and it will all be made plain to you," Lotion replied as she started forward again, compelling Nabiki to follow as they walked right past the fire and by Akane, who was even then delivering another killer smash at the offending log stretched out in front of her, shattering it in twain while several messy pieces went flying.

One large splinter came flying at Nabiki, who plucked it out of the air before it could glance against her skin and said, "Hey, wait it, Sis! Be careful where you aim next time."

"Huh?" Akane blinked as Nabiki tossed the chip back at her feet and continue on after the old woman.

It was about a dozen strides later that it occurred to Nabiki what she had just done. She halted in her tracks to look back towards the still stunned Akane, but Lotion would have none of it and said, "What are you lollygaging around for? You'll have plenty of time to chatter with your sister after your lesson is completed."

Nabiki had to hurry her pace to catch up with the limping old woman, then aloud she said, "How did I do that?"

"Do what?" Lotion asked as if it were a pointless question, "Your mind is reacting with greater speed than usual, that's all, and your body is slowly catching up with it. Such a trivial feat will soon be far beneath your notice. We have matters of much greater consequence to discuss, and I want your full, undivided attention."

"O-kay," Nabiki said slowly, glancing at her fingers before shrugging and murmuring to herself, "I just wish you'd give me some warning that I'm going to be doing stuff like that from now on. Time was I used to secretly envy Akane for being the tough one in our household."

"You think your sister is the strong one?" Lotion sniffed, "Her power is as nothing. It takes more than muscle and the ability to concentrate chi-force into your hands to make a great martial artist. So what if she can break wood and brick with those small hands, when was the last time she got attacked by a tree or a brick wall? Besides, the boy who turns into a Jusenkyo pig is learning the Bakusai Tenketsu. That will put to shame her best efforts "

"WHAT?" Nabiki was stunned for a half-step, then rushed up to throw herself directly in the path of the old woman, "Cologne is teaching Ryoga the Breaking Point technique? She means to have him use THAT against Ranma?"

"Why so concerned?" Lotion asked her with mild scrutiny, "You don't really imagine that she intends to see the boy harmed, do you? She is merely using the other boy's mindless rage as a means to punish your beloved."

"Punish him?" Nabiki repeated.

"For making her look bad," Lotion leaned on her staff and said simply, "Ranma defeated a tribal elder of the Joketsuzoku, and not just any elder but the Matriarch herself. In a way Cologne is actually quite proud of his accomplishment she still considers herself the boy's teacher. On the other hand her pride will hardly permit the defeat to go down unchallenged, and since Amazon law forbids her from issuing that challenge for another year, she had chosen a surrogate to fight in her place and humble your defiant iinazuke."

"Humble him?" Nabiki had a mental image of Shampoo destroying a brick wall with the touch of one finger, "Ryoga will try and kill him !"

"Do you really have so little faith in the man that you love so deeply?" Lotion asked, which stunned Nabiki even more than if she had been accused of practicing altruism, "I will see to it that your Ranma learns a way of defending himself, but I cannot do so directly and must work through the boy's father. Have no concern that this Ryoga will hurt your precious Ranma. After all, the Bakusai Tenketsu was designed for work in the quarries it has no effect on the human body."

"It doesn t?" Nabiki blinked, "But Shampoo "

"Told you that all things have a breaking point, yes," Lotion affirmed, "But the technique that works against stone works differently upon living flesh because human beings are surrounded by a bio-electric energy field that interferes with the sense that makes the stone technique happen. The Bakusai Tenketsu can be used against wood because the substance is technically inanimate, but it will not affect a living tree for the same reason. So, you see, there really is no direct immediate physical danger, just so long as Ranma receives additional training."

She used her staff to gently move Nabiki out of her path then continued forward again while her charge stood a moment to think about this revelation, then Nabiki fell back into pace and asked, "Why is she teaching Ryoga the technique if it really can't hurt Ranma?"

"Ryoga is a beserker," Lotion revealed, "It's in his blood, which is not entirely human. He is a force to be reckoned with and a very good student of the martial arts. He mastered the Amaguriken in just over one day while your Ranma took a week to gain his speed technique, albeit of the two of them, Ranma is much faster."

"Ryoga also knows the Amaguriken?" Nabiki said in surprise, "That old woman has been busy "

"She sees the boy as the perfect foil for honing her Son-In-Law's potential," Lotion remarked, "And as it is the way of the Warrior to master new techniques as a challenge this is the best way for your beloved to learn. He will only put himself out if he feels the threat of not being the best in the craft of War Master."

Nabiki had to look down as she replied, "Yeah Ranma's only at his best when you make him think it's a challenge. I've never known anybody so competitive "

"It's an obsession that runs in his blood," Lotion remarked, "Whereas with us the compulsion is knowledge and its practical applications. What is a Martial Artist besides someone who understands the correct way to move one's body in order to remain alive? We are concerned with things much greater than our own personal survival. Look around you, what do you see?"

"Rocks and trees," Nabiki sniffed, then slapped her arm and grimaced, "And Bugs "

"You talk of things," Lotion replied, "I am speaking of Nature."

"What about nature?" Nabiki asked, "It's just there "

"Exactly."

Nabiki narrowed her eyes, "So it exists, and we're here, and if a tree falls it makes a sound, right?"

"And why wouldn't it make a sound?" Lotion replied, "What difference does it make to the tree if there is anyone to listen, just so long as it is falling? Sound and fury signifying lumber."

Despite herself Nabiki could not keep from a soft chuckle, "Okay, so there's a lot more to the big picture than just a lot of flora and fauna, right?"

"Much more," Lotion replied, "Can you not feel it? The harmony and balance of all elements in their proper place, working together in a great interlocking dynamic? Nature is powerful because it contains within it all the potential of life itself as all things are connected by the great equation of the spirit."

"So you're saying that as long as everything's in its place it all works out somehow," Nabiki said with a slightly thoughtful expression, "And if any element is out of place ?"

"You have imbalance, a disturbance of the great equation," Lotion sounded genuinely pleased by that answer, "You will learn to feel the difference in time. Unconsciously you are already linked to the spiritual center of these woods and you could, if you allowed yourself, become its healer if you open up to the silent voice of Nature."

"Sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo to me," Nabiki admitted, "Not that I'm doubting you, of course, I just don't see the relevance "

"Tell something about love," Lotion asked as they set out on a new path slightly tangent to the last one, "What is it you feel when you are in the presence of your Ranma."

"Ah " Nabiki felt as if she were suddenly under a heat lamp and was profusely nervous, "I uh well he kind of makes me feel y'know "

"Warm inside?" Lotion asked, "Fuzzy, confused, all tied up in knots, unable to think and speak normally, afraid of saying or doing something that would convey the wrong impression?"

"Uh yeah," Nabiki said with a blush, "That's about it."

"And, of course, you know that Ranma feels the exact same way about you?" Lotion asked with a cagey expression.

"He does?" Nabiki blinked, then became aware that her voice was cracking a little and tried to sound more even as she tried again, "Oh he does, does he? And how can you be so certain?"

"I'm over two hundred years old, child," Lotion said with a knowing smirk, "But I still remember what love feels like. I went through much the same experience the first time when I met a man well, I've already bothered you enough with my personal history. The point it, you ought to be aware of how he feels about you without needing him to tell you. It's in his eyes the one place where a man cannot lie to a woman. It's also in his body language, the one place that a War Master can never lie to anyone. He desires you with an intensity that consumes him, but he will not act on his desire out of fear of what he might do, of what you might do, of what might come of it, and I dare say you have some of the same fear yourself at heart."

"I do?" Nabiki asked in disbelief, "You've got to be kidding! Why, if it were up to me, I'd "

"Take him like a bitch in heat and make him howl until the sun sets?" Lotion finished for her.

"Ah " Nabiki found she could not top that one and was frankly surprised at the explicit tone used by the old woman.

"And what then?" Lotion asked, "Once you've both had your way with one another will you then go on to marriage?"

"Of course!" Nabiki said without thinking, "I "

"And what of your career as a young and upcoming business woman?" Lotion asked, "Will you set aside your ambition, and your education, for the sake of becoming a mother before your eighteenth birthday?"

That stumped Nabiki, and with some effort she managed to say, "Nani?"

"I know what is in your heart, child," Lotion replied, "It was plain enough at our first meeting. I've known other women with your hunger, your desire to take the world and bend it to you will, to become its Mistress by playing with the rules and breaking them to fit your needs. You have always known that it is within you to make the world into your plaything, to suck the marrow out of life and enjoy the fruits of such luxuries as you presently can only dream about. Would you give all of that up to pursue an entirely different dream beside Ranma?"

"Uh " Nabiki hesitated, "Why can't I have it both ways?"

"That is up to you, of course," Lotion said, "If you find a way to balance romance against your business interests then you are certainly a career woman of the modern era. Warriors of Joketsuzoku do not have to surrender their status because they take a husband and create a family together, and there is certainly nothing to prevent a Lore Master from progressing, as I did while taking care of an infant."

"W-W-Who says I'd get pregnant on the first try?" Nabiki asked, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous.

"Who said it would be your first try?" Lotion gave her a wry expression, "If I judge you rightly, one time will never be enough, and you will have to repeat the performance every day to satisfy your lust for your new husband. Such intense ardor is to be admired and even envied, but you play great odds each time you choose to heed the call of your inner nature, and you must be enough of a gambler to know what the odds are like if you make love to your husband as frequently as I dare say you are like to."

Nabiki swallowed a dry lump in her throat as she thought about pregnancy and the possible implications. She was silent for a long time before she said, "Well okay, there is that risk, but what if we, like, use a condom ?"

"Do you think you could convince him to wear one every night?" Lotion sniffed, "If so, then I'd begin stocking up right now. I understand the success rate for those is around 85% with modern latex "

"What about the pill?" Nabiki suggested.

"Ninety-five percent effective," Lotion replied, "And there are various abortaficants that are reasonably safe to use if you prefer them. We have a great success rate in China which unfortunately does not account for the rate at which our population continues to expand, nearly doubling with each generation "

"So you're saying we should wait?" Nabiki asked slowly, "Is that it?"

"Not too long," Lotion said, "Or I judge that you will go mad with frustration, and there are also Ranma's male urges to consider. If you think you are suffering badly, can you imagine what he must be going through right now just thinking about you and not even knowing what it is that he wants? At some point the boy will need a proper education."

"Okay," Nabiki said slowly, "So what's the alternative?"

"You are most fortunate that the alternative is close at hand and all together very willing," Lotion smiled, "In fact she has accepted you both into her heart and will gladly bear any burden you may ask of her. She would even tend to your child while you go off to college, confident in the knowledge that your son or daughter will be in safe and loving hands "

"Shampoo?" Nabiki gasped, "You're saying we should accept the threesome?"

"I'm saying you should consider it," Lotion replied, "A concubine such as her, willing to please you both when you have needs that overwhelm you, and who can fill the void in your domestic talents, is an asset beyond price. Indeed, the three of you would be much stronger than a single unity, so you may indeed consider her as an effective means of fulfilling your desires and your ambitions."

Nabiki thought a moment before replying, "Okay, I'm considering it, and I do see a lot of positives here, but what about the negatives?"

"That you would have to share him with her at least some of the time," Lotion replied, "And accept that she will seek to give Ranma offspring at her earliest opportunity. You will also be the focus of her intense ardor and must be prepared to satisfy her urges, as I am certain she will do with you in ways beyond the limits of your imagination. You may even have to accept some of the duties of maintaining the household if she were to become sick or disabled, and none of this-I believe-you would call a burden. The real test for you is to admit that your feelings for her are as intense as I perceive them."

Nabiki was silent for a long time as she followed the lead of the old woman, then said, "I dunno what you're saying makes sense, but it's gonna take a lot of hard work, and I've gotta think about it some more. Daddy won't be as easy to convince, and getting Ranma to go along with it "

"Will be like climbing a mountain?" Lotion asked, suddenly coming to a halt as they reached a small rocky area, then turning a casual glance to one side as she said, "Have a look that way. What do you see?"

Nabiki turned with a puzzled expression, only to blanch as she looked down and saw that they were atop a rocky mountain spire overlooking the very forest that they had just been traveling through. The way down the hill looked steep and unmanageable from this vantage, yet somehow the old woman had found an easy path to climb, and Nabiki had not even paid much notice to the slight upward incline that they had taken. From where they stood she could see their base camp nestled in a small clearing half a kilometer down the side of the mountain.

"The journey of a thousand leagues takes but a single footstep, followed by another," Lotion replied to her silent query, "Looking back the way seems hard, but if you take it in stages the climb is not so insurmountable. Think well on that before you close off possibilities towards the future."

Nabiki glanced up, seeing the sun was beginning to set on the horizon, and for some reason she felt like smiling and weeping at the same time, though just why that should be was beyond her understanding

"So," Akane sniffed, "She caught the wood chip, big deal. The old woman must've been teaching her something to allow her to do that."

Shampoo had been tending the fire and stirring the pot of cooked vegetables when she glanced up on hearing that, then frowned slightly, "Elder teach Nabiki to catch wood chips?"

"I wasn't talking to you," Akane sniffed, "I'm just wondering what that old woman wants with my sister? What's the big deal about this Lore Master stuff anyway? And why are you smiling at me like that?"

The latter question was growled at Shampoo, who just kept stirring the pot before she replied, "You sound like Shampoo Cousin when she learn Breaking Point technique. She always angry at no being told why Elder do this or do that. Still, Perfume learn, become great warrior, tribal Enforcer, do bidding of Elders and no question them after she learn Steel Storm Technique. Shampoo sometime miss having cousin to talk to. Is very hard speaking Japanese, though Shampoo try learn language of her Airen."

"If you miss your homeland so much, why don't you go back where you came from," Akane threw a stone off into the bushes as if imagining striking a target.

"Shampoo is home," Shampoo replied, "This where I live when I marry Airen. If Shampoo go back home she visit family, but no stay, no even if Elder say so."

"You don't intend to go back?" Akane sounded surprised, "I thought you hated it here in Japan "

"Why you think that?" Shampoo glanced her way, "Qing Hi very beautiful country, and White Rock hills where Shampoo grow up like no other you imagine, but Shampoo like being in outside world. Is very hard here sometime, no understand backwards culture and barbarian laws that say man is better than womans. Still never know world so full of people, or nice things no have back home. Shampoo like maybe stay a while and learn more about Japanese, then maybe go back home when she and Ailen ready."

"There's just no getting rid of you, is there," Akane sniffed as she picked up a bigger rock and threw it farther into the bushes. "You move in, take over my sister's life, force her to share that idiot Ranma with the both of you "

"Ailen no mind," Shampoo said as she casually removed the pot from the fire, covered it and set it to one side, then placed the containers of rice in their stead, "She no tell Shampoo to go, and neither will Ranma. Shampoo know how Ailen think now, can understand what need to make happy."

"What they need is to be left alone," Akane picked up a larger stone and weighed it in her hand, "They don't need you and that old lady twisting their arms to make them into Bigamists."

Shampoo dusted off her hands as she rose to her feet, "Shampoo no agree with Great Grandmother methods, but Shampoo know Ailen. They no be forced if Shampoo have say in this, but that enough talk. You in nasty mood, what say we fight, work off you bad temper."

"All right with me," Akane rose to her feet, chucking the stone absently to one side before assuming a fighting stance, "I've gotten a lot better since the last time, so I'm warning you not to take me for granted."

"Talk cheap," Shampoo smiled fiercely as she sized up her unwitting student, "You show what you got "

That was when they both heard a yelp from the bushes where the rock had just landed, and then a body hitting the ground with a thud. They both turned their heads to see Ryoga slumped on the ground a short distance away, knocked completely unconscious.

"Ryoga!" Akane cried, horrified at what she had done as she rushed up to the side of the lost boy and felt the lump that was on the side of his head, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I never meant to do that!"

"Hmph," Shampoo said as she walked up, "Good thing you throw rock at head, less chance you break something, except maybe rock "

"Shut up!" Akane snarled, "Don't you talk that way about him!"

Shampoo made warding motions with her hands, then said, "No mean make pork of lost boy. Shampoo help take him to campfire, check him for bruises."

"You know what to do?" Akane's tone lost some of its edge of anger.

"Shampoo mother great Healer of village," Shampoo replied, "Teach Shampoo many things about healing. Why you think nice Doctor Tofu take Shampoo on as nurse? You go get water from river to make compress, Shampoo carry lost boy to camp, see he no have permanent damage."

"Thank you," Akane whispered before getting up and rushing off into the dark. Shampoo watched her go for a moment then shook her head in disbelief.

"Angry girl got it bad," Shampoo decided as she easily hefted Ryoga into her arms and carried him with greater caution than she might otherwise have displayed when handling one who was basically so annoying, "Hope stupid Pig-Boy worth all that trouble. Shampoo no tell what she know, but she think maybe Pig-Boy got better than he deserve."

Of course she could have merely doused the Pig with water and let his curse speed up his healing, but Shampoo felt a latent sympathy for a fellow curse victim, and somehow she could not bring herself to hate Ryoga as she thought would have been proper. She still did not approve of the union between him and her apprentice, but for the moment she would let bygones be bygones. Besides, wasn't her mother always saying that it was wrong to take advantage of a helpless opponent?

As she had expected it was only a mild concussion. The boy's head really was harder than a rock, but she gave no indication of this when Akane returned, having torn off a part of her own gi to form the compress. Shampoo took one of Ryoga's bandanas and used it to tie the compress in place, then stood back and let Akane fawn over him while she returned to the fire to tend to the rest of their dinner.

She was dimly aware of a pair of eyes studying them the whole time, but she gave no indication that she knew that her great grandmother was watching. Let Cologne make what she would of the whole affair, Shampoo had dinner to tend to and would deal with the situation another time, when her Elder felt like raising the point in private conversation

"Oh man," Ranma said as he stared at the darkening sky, perched as he was on a tree branch and thinking about the questions that had come to dominate his existence, "Where'd the old man run off to? Just like Pop to skip out on a workout "

"For your information, Boy," he heard his father say from directly below, "I've been doing something very important, almost as important as your training. Did you know that Cologne has joined forces with Ryoga?"

"Yeah?" Ryoga asked, "What about it? You think she's gonna help him out the way she's been helping me? Maybe she's got another great granddaughter she trying to fix him up with."

"Foolish boy!" Genma called out, "This is serious! What I've been doing is for your own survival! It is a fundamental technique of the Anything Goes school to practice the arts of subtlety, stealth and concentration "

"In other words you've been spying on Ryoga and the old woman," Ranma snorted, "So what did you find out?"

"Only that we're going to have to intensify your training," Genma said, "It's a good thing we brought along the girls because you're going to need to eat regularly and build up your strength "

Ranma turned his body slightly to the side then fell backwards, catching the branch with his legs before flipping over into a tumble, landing perfectly on the ground beside his father.

"Yeah, about that," Ranma said, "Why'd you insist on bringing them along? You know Akane and me can barely stand being around each other, while having Shampoo here with Nabiki "

"It just so happens that Shampoo is an excellent cook," Genma noted, "Which is more than I can say about you. As for Nabiki, she's your fianc e and it's good for you both to spend more time around one another "

"But I can't concentrate on anything while they're here!" Ranma waved his arms in frustration, "I'm still trying to make my mind up about what I'm gonna do about having both of them for fianc es and you think it's just swell to bring them together?"

"They do seem to get along very well," Genma said a bit thoughtfully, "But I was referring to your training "

"Ah, forget it," Ranma turned away, "Nothing that old lady teaches him is gonna make Ryoga into a fighter of my class. Next time he comes at me I'm gonna knock him into next week, then tell him what I think about his hanging around with Akane."

"If that's the way you feel, boy," Genma said, turning around and starting back for the trail.

Ranma was surprised at the old man giving up an argument so quickly, "Where you going?"

"To get a shovel," Genma called out.

"A shovel?"

"To dig your grave, boy," Genma replied as he came to a halt, "If you refuse to heed my warning, then there's nothing I can do for you but say a prayer and ask the forgiveness of your mother."

"Hey!" Ranma protested, "That's bad luck! What the heck are you thinking ?"

"Listen, Boy," Genma turned an angry glare in his direction, "Even as we speak your rival is mastering the Bakusai Tenketsu."

"The Bakusai ?" Ranma blinked, "You mean that stone-  
breaking technique Shampoo uses?"

"The same," Genma replied, "All things in the universe have their breaking point trees, plants, rocks, anything including the human body."

"The human body?" Ranma asked, "So where's that located?"

"Foolish boy!" Genma spat, "If we knew that then the technique would be ours!"

"Yeah, well whatever," Ranma tried to sound nonchalant, "But what if he never touches me? What then?"

"You think you can dodge that fast?" Genma smiled, then with one bare foot kicked a stone into his hand, "Let's test that theory, shall we?"

He threw the stone up high at a tree other than the one Ranma had been perched in, then turned about and started running. Ranma wondered what his father was so scared about when he turned to see a hive of wasps tumbling down in his direction.

"Oh sh-!" was as far as he got before it burst on the ground, spilling out a stream of very angry insects

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Lightning Strikes in the Area: shadowmane

Some visitors drop by the dojo while Ranma and Nabiki train in preparation of the confrontation with Ryoga be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	25. Chapter 25

NabikiRan23 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-Four.

Kasumi had finished her daily round of chores and was looking for something else to do to keep herself busy. Having everyone but Father away on a training mission left her with much less to do what was usually the case around the Dojo. Without the usual hubbub and mayhem that seemed to go on around her family on a daily basis, it was relatively easy to keep the place spotless with all the laundry washed and put away, all the beds made (for once) and the kitchen looking as spotless as the rest of the house. In fact it was uncommonly clean, and moreso since her father had just stepped out to get a pack of cigarettes from the local market.

Usually about this time of day Kasumi would curl up with a good book and catch up on her reading, but that, too, held none of the usual interest as she had already gone through every book that she had either borrowed or gotten as a gift from Doctor Tofu. She really meant to return the one about Chinese Law and Policy regarding Indigenous regions, but she was still trying to find out if there were any clauses that might be useful for Shampoo, Ranma and Nabiki, and besides that Tofu was always acting so silly every time she paid him a visit.

Instead she decided to go to the dojo itself and work out, seeing as there was no one around to bother her or disturb her meditations. It felt good to finally have the time to just relax and practice the movements her mother had taught her so very long ago, the tension-draining exercises known as Tai Chi, which were the one and only Martial Art that she practiced these days, being the non-  
violent sort that she was. The slow and graceful movements always helped her to relax and concentrate her mind on matters of the present, to say nothing of keeping her fit and trim so that she could maintain her exhausting regimen of House Chores.

Unlike Nabiki she had not all but completely halted her martial arts training while still in her childhood, and Tai Chi was such a wonderful way to stretch out the body so that she did not pull a muscle or strain her back bending down or reaching up for high places. She took Doctor Tofu's early advice to heart when she was still a mere child and he would talk to her like a normal person, knowing how important it was to take care of her body since everyone around her depended so much upon her efforts.

Of a sudden she heard a bell ring from the front gate, which caused her to pause in mid-salute to the Kami spirits that looked over the Dojo. Kasumi blinked her eyes, coming out of her trance-like state of intense focus and wondered who might be calling. A part of her deep down hoped that it was Tofu, but he rarely made House Calls unless summoned, so she decided to investigate, which-after all-was the role of a good hostess

"This is a mistake," grumbled one of two women standing outside the gates to the Tendo property, "We never should have come here "

"Oh hush," said her companion, "It's not like we've are completely uninvited. My Grandmother sent word to me that there were interesting events happening here in Nerima, and you know that you're as much dying of curiosity to learn the details as I am."

"I thought you Lore Masters knew everything," the first speaker said with a huff, glaring sourly at the gates as if expecting to find nothing but trouble beyond the wooden partition that she had once sworn to never again lay eyes upon.

"We learn things by listening," the other woman replied, her attitude quite relaxed as she was actually looking forward to this kind-of-a-reunion, "You should try it once in a while, it couldn't hurt you."

"Ha, ha," the first speaker said, "Just because you still carry a torch for the male is no reason I should be dragged all the way from China with you. It's not like I've got any interest in seeing how these two have been faring. Besides, I'm happily married."

"Are you still complaining because I made us travel Coach?" the second woman said with a gentle smile that denoted a kindly nature, "You know we don't have the unlimited resources of the entire village at our disposal, like your Grandmother."

"It wasn't the travel accommodations," the first speaker said irritably, "It was having to sit near to that noisy American who was going on and on about his backwards political system, as if I cared one whit what male they elect to be their leaders. What do they expect when they let men run their country, honest behavior?"

"Is that why you hit his 'Silent Monkey' pressure point?" the second woman asked with a knowing smirk.

"No," the first woman sniffed, "I could tolerate the fool feeling betrayed because a middle aged male took an interest in a younger woman, it was when he made those insulting remarks about his wife that I drew the line. I met her once when she visited Beijing, you know, and if anyone was fit to punish her husband for errant behavior, it would be her. I just would not expect her to do it in public, she has far too much respect for her ancestors."

The door to the dojo swung inward and a beautiful young woman in a modest yellow dress stood back to bow to them respectfully as she said, "Good day to you, I am Tendo Kasumi. How may I ?"

Her expression went from pleasant to astonished. That astonishment was reflected in the expressions of the other two women, one of them being the focus of the girl's attention. For several seconds nothing was spoken, and then the lovely young girl gasped, "M-Mother?"

"Ama-" the first woman started to say when a sharp elbow from the second silenced her. Recovering her wits, the second woman replied, "I'm afraid not, Tendo Kasumi? My name is Silk, and I'm an old friend of your father's."

Kasumi stood where she was a few three seconds later, and then she fainted. Fortunately for her the first woman had noticed the signs and rushed forward in time to catch her.

"Good one," the first woman noted sourly as she gave her companion a sour look, cradling the child in her arms that so greatly resembled another.

Silk heaved a sigh, "Well I should have expected that. Now at least I know why I've always had the sense that my daughter had a twin somewhere. Let's bring her inside, Comb, then we can explain ourselves and wait for the boys to return home. I'm sure we'll see a lot more such reactions before this day is out," she said with that curious note of certainty that was so typical of a Lore Master

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

It was a weird kind of feeling sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking a sheer drop of at least a couple hundred meters. I dangled my bare legs out into space and wondered why I wasn't feeling my usual sense of vertigo being up in such high places. It was like I knew that wouldn't fall, and somehow everything was connected to me, and that somehow I was in my right and proper place in the Universe. Watching the sun set over the horizon, I had a sense of peace that I don't think I've felt in as long as I can remember.

"So," the old woman beside me began after a silence that must have lasted a quarter of an hour, "What do you expect to achieve when you are successful in the business world? Fame and fortune, a sense of limitless wealth, the ability to do anything that your heart desires?"

"Ah, pretty much, yeah," I replied, "I guess maybe it's just that I've never had that much wealth in my life, and I like the challenge of building up a financial empire, of writing my name across the sky. It's like climbing a mountain, you know? Because it's there "

"I see," Lotion said softly, only there was something about the way she said it that made me feel more than a bit uneasy.

"You don't approve?" I asked.

"It's not for me to approve or disapprove," Lotion replied, "This is your life we are discussing, your plans for the future. It is good that you have dreams and goals that are attainable, and with your skills I have no doubt that you will go far. Only "

"Only?" I asked nervously.

"It seems like such a simple goal, hardly worthy of your real talents," Lotion remarked, "We are far above the mere accumulation of material wealth, even if there are advantages to gaining what you desire. It's not that I disparage having a good business sense, or wanting to accumulate material resources if you plan on using them to advance a cause or contribute your ideas to the world, but well, as I say, it is your life we are discussing."

"Right," I said uneasily, "My life, and that's how I mean to spend it."

"And where does Ranma fit into this equation?" Lotion then off-handedly asked me.

"Excuse me?" I asked, feeling more and more confused by the minute.

"You intend for him to be a part of your future, do you not?" she old woman asked, "How does your future husband feel about private ambition? Does he share your basic vision?"

"I " I had to think on that, recalling how unimportant Ranma treated the basic subject of money, except when he was being nice to me and trying to help me with the family finances, "I guess it's not all that important with him, but "

"Do you share his goal of becoming one with the art?" she asked me again, as if she were deliberately keeping me off balance.

"Uh ?" I blinked, "Excuse me?"

"Your future husband has a destiny," she said as if making a casual comment on the weather, "He will become one of the greatest War Masters of his generation, if not the greatest ever. You intend to support him in this endeavor, do you not?"

"Of course," I said, "I know Ranma's really into the arts "

"Or the arts are into him," Lotion replied, "There is a difference."

I got a bit exasperated at that point and said, "Look, I know Ranma and me are two very different people, and we have radically different approaches to life, but we understand that and we care for each other "

"I knew that from the beginning," Lotion said, "But it takes more than a willingness to share a life when there are such fundamental issues at stake. I just wondered if you were prepared to make as many concessions for him as he will make on your behalf. As you say it could work, but you will change if you follow him into this destiny you will share together. That is what I wanted to learn, whether you are as willing to face the challenges fate will impose upon you as the price for loving Ranma."

I took my time before answering that, then said, "Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this kind of an arrangement? These things I can do, the way I pick things up, and this Lore Master stuff you keep going on about. Was all this just because I met and I fell for a guy named Ranma?"

Lotion gazed out over the expanse around us for a long moment before replying, "Who can say why the fates have chosen you, my child? For a certainty you have always had the ability you now have, it just never surfaced until this moment when you were faced with the challenges that attend being emotionally bonded to a Nexus."

"A what?" I asked, giving the old woman a sharp glance as I felt something tingle along my spine at the mention of the word Nexus.

"A focal point of reality," she smiled sidelong in my direction, "That's what he is, or didn't you know that? They come along every now and again, each generation producing them in whatever abundance fits the Universe's needs. I was in love with a Nexus, too, you know and I could tell you some stories of the adventures we had, the trials we overcame, even if we parted ways prematurely."

I thought a moment before I responded to that, "You're saying that Ranma ?"

"Is a Nexus of Realities," Lotion replied, "A Champion, if you will, who can decide the balance between light and darkness by his actions. He is special in ways you can scarcely imagine, and in bonding yourself to him you have become a part of his adventure. He affects the very nature of reality by his touch and presence, and now you have gained some of that through the awakening of your own latent talent. It is much as it was for me a new generation takes up the challenge. Now, the question is what will you do with this knowledge? Will it affect the way you feel about your Ranma?"

"I-I don't know," I admitted, "I'll have to think about it "

"A sensible reply," Lotion said, "There is risk in all things, and some risks are greater than others. You must be strong in order to gain the power you seek, the ability to control-or at the very least-influence your destiny, otherwise it will consume you."

I had a pretty good idea that this old lady was a kick at telling stories around campfires, because right there and then she was scaring the hell out of me, and I don't scare easy! Just the same I think I also felt a little irritated by her tone, which was presuming a lot from me. In some annoyance I said, "I can take whatever comes my way. I'll go the distance if that's what it means to be with Ranma."

She actually smiled at that in a way that thoroughly confused me, both knowing and smug, yet somehow pleased and impressed at the same time. I was just beginning to understand how complex this old woman was, how subtle her thinking, and the way she could weave from one point to the next without losing me entirely in the subtext.

"Good for you," she replied, "Now, let's get back to the focus of your lesson."

"What is this?" I gave a nervous sniff, "A pop quiz or a lecture?"

"Both," she said, suddenly sharpening her look as she asked, "What is the most fundamental force in all of nature?"

"Huh?" I blinked, now more thoroughly confused than ever.

"It's not a physics question," she said, "Just a simple dynamic. What is the fundamental force in all of nature?"

"Gravity?" I asked hesitantly.

"Falling down is your idea of an elemental force?" she asked with a lifting of grey eyebrows, "Why don't we test that theory."

All of a sudden I felt her hand touch my back and I was suddenly tumbling forward out into empty space, heading for a long fall with a sudden stop at the end only something went wrong with that scenario. My scream was cut short as I found myself windmilling my arms and legs over emptiness, turning helplessly in the air but no closer to the ground than when I had started.

"Something doesn't quite seem to be working out here," I heard her say as I found myself upside down over the sheer drop looking back at her leaning on her staff as she stood atop the cliff face, "Shouldn't you be falling?"

My feet were kicking at darkening sky while I tried frantically to reach for the safety of the cliff face two meters farther than my grasp. In desperation I said, "All right, you've made your point, now get me back up there now!"

"You're assuming that I have something to do with this?" she smiled, "And you are right."

A wave of her staff and I found myself tumbling back onto hard rock, instinctively rolling with my landing while simultaneously feeling the urge to kiss terra firma.

"My apologies," she said, "I do so hate resorting to such methods, but you are only going to learn if I gain your full, undivided attention."

I bit off something very curt I felt like saying about her probable ancestors and settled for a very sharp, "Next time give me a warning when you do that!"

"Do what?" she asked.

"Don't play stupid!" I said as I got into a kneeling position to give her my most withering glare, "That Levitation thing, whatever it was "

"Ah," she smiled, "You mean the force that was keeping you from striking the ground."

"Yes!" I snapped in anger.

"A force stronger than gravity?" she asked, then waited for me to answer.

I was just starting to stand up when it hit me what she was saying. Very slowly I said, "Okay so there is something stronger than Gravity. Now what is it?"

"The fundamental force that I spoke of," she replied, "What you call gravity is merely the attraction of mass, which is created by folding time and space around that phenomenon we call solid matter. Objects feel a natural attraction by their very weight and substance, yet they are also held apart by an opposing force that has many different expressions. It is all the same thing, just different forms of the same causal nature."

I thought about that before saying, "Equal and opposite forces?"

She shook her head, "There is balance, but the forces are not equal. Gravity is strong, but not as strong as Electromagnetism. The strong and weak forces of atomic and molecular interaction are more basic, yet limited elements of matter, which is itself a form of energy held in relative stasis. Physicists of the West have sought for years to find the equation that brings them all together, yet they consistently fail because of one elemental flaw in their equations."

"Which is?" I asked.

The tapped me with her staff and said, "They are all just phenomena of Nature, mere shadows on the wall of the cave, not the cause of manifest existence, merely a symptom of the real causes."

She turned around and started back along the trail we had originally followed. I reached for my shoes and slipped them on before hurrying up to catch up with her, trying my best to keep up in more than one sense of the word.

"So what you're saying is that the Four elemental forces of nature defined by modern science all have a more basic force that creates them?" I guessed.

"That is one way of expressing it," she said, "Another is to say that they are all essentially limited versions of energy that can be observed with modern instruments, but compared to the real thing they are like cheap imitation watches. Gravity applies to large, massive bodies yet can hold even the most elemental particle within its thrall. Strong and Weak interactions are what govern matter on the atomic level, while Electromagnetism is the release of energy in the form of photons. What a very dull place the Universe would be if that were all that could be found in nature."

"Okay," I said, "So what else is there, Sensei?"

"You already know," she said, "You don't need me to tell you."

I think I made a sound like a half-strangled cry before saying, "You know, talking with you is like talking to a wall!"

"Buddha once talked to a wall," she replied, "And when he arose he was enlightened."

"You're comparing yourself to Buddha?" I scoffed.

"No," she smiled, "Merely the wall."

I had to count backwards in English before I got my temper back under control, then took a deep breath and said, "Fine! Be inscrutable! See if I care!"

"When I say you know something," she said, "I am not merely being rhetorical. You know, yet you refuse to let yourself know, clinging instead to the outworn concept that all you see and here is all that there is in existence. You already know better than this, else why do you fear so much for what Cologne might be teaching Ryoga?"

I had to concede the point at that, then I took another deep breath and said, "How can she teach Ryoga to break objects with the touch of a finger? How can Shampoo do it, for that matter? And Ranma "

I stopped dead in my tracks, a memory surfacing unbidden of a time that seemed like ages ago when me and Ranma were sitting on the roof of my house talking together and he made a demonstration that left me utterly breathless.

"Go on?" Lotion asked as she paused to look at me as if she knew what I was thinking.

"Ki?" I gasped, having the sudden sense that I had hit the nail with the hammer.

She beamed brightly, "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? You didn't need me to point it out, you just needed a little prodding."

"Ki," I repeated thoughtfully, "You mean Spirit is the answer?"

"What is Spirit?" she asked, turning to look at me fully, "What is the Soul? What is the essence of the Mind, of the human heart? Our capacity to know, grow and understand the nature of the Universe? What is love? What is this gift we call life? Surely you must sense that they are all intimately related, for all of them spring from the same source, the fundamental force behind Everything!"

"The spirit," I said simply.

"A century ago Western Science made a tragic error," she said with a wistful sigh, "It tried to define reality in terms of sensory experience and set down flawed definitions that inevitably pointed research in the wrong directions. Two fellows named Albert Michelson and Edward Morley observed that the velocity of light was a constant, but they started with the mistaken assumption that the Earth was moving through a sea of liquid Ether, which of course proved not to be the case, and from that they drew their hideous mistake of a conclusion: the Non-Existence of Ether."

"You're talking about one of the fundamental theories of the late 19th century," I said, "The discovery that the speed of light is the same in all directions "

"Not the same," she replied, "It bends with gravity, such as the fold in space created by the mass of the Earth itself but what is space itself? That was their fundamental error."

I was thinking hard about this. My Physics teacher, Mister Hiroshi, had just gotten done explaining the Michelson-Morley experiment only a few weeks ago, and at the time I'd had a nagging doubt that there was something basically wrong with what he was saying. It did not ring true, but rather than make a fool of myself by saying so in class I just jotted the notes down so I could memorize what he was telling us and repeat it at test time. Now I had a sense that Hiroshi was a pre-schooler next to the woman before me.

"Space," I said, "Is a result of basic geometry "

"Length, width, depth and time," she replied, "The four basic dimensions of observable reality. And what are the limits to Space itself?"

"None," I said, "It just goes on forever, or so the latest NASA photos tell us."

"Yet our Universe is merely twelve billion years old," she noted with a smile, "How do you explain this?"

"I can't," I admitted, "That's one of the big mysteries of Astrophysics. Some stars are believed to be a lot older than twelve billion years "

"A paradox," she smiled, "The Universe was created in a burst of cosmic fire known as the Big Bang, and yet it has always existed in one form or another."

"What are you saying?" I asked, "That Space has always been there?"

"What has no beginning can never end," she replied, "Imagine, if you will, a pool of water that stretches on into infinity, then throw a stone into that pool, it creates a ripple. Throw several stones and you create other ripples, and the sine waves interact with one another, sometimes canceling out, yet still conveying their energy on forever."

"So the Big Bang was just a small stone thrown in a lake?" I guessed.

"Creating a cosmic ripple in one ten-billionth of a second," she smiled, "One that expanded and will keep on expanding forever, but do you imagine for a moment that it was the first Universe ever created, or the last? You are merely describing matter in particle form, after all, taking shape from raw energy and combining together to form larger and more complex arrangements. Sometimes a lot of mass gathers together and forms what we call a Black Hole, and this energy becomes a large dent in the fabric of our reality, drawing everything into its reach. Where does the energy go? To create more ripples in some other level of the Timespace."

I shook my head to clear it of the image of explosive ripples that looked like fireworks going off in the sky and said, "Hoookay! This is where I tell the conductor to let me off! If I wanted a physics lesson I could have waited until I got into college "

"Let me simplify things for you," she smiled, "What is space?"

"In three or more dimensions?" I joked.

She inclined her head, "If you will, but what is it? What is it made of? Can you describe its essential substance?"

"Describe it?" I repeated, "No. It's just Ether?"

She smiled deepened, "And what makes you say that?"

I looked at her sharply before I said, "That's what you wanted me to say, isn't it? That Michelson and Morley got it wrong because they mis-defined the nature of the Ether. They thought it was like some big cosmic wind that they could measure, but instead it's more like a fixed substance through which light travels only doesn't that contradict what Einstein said about energy being self-  
maintaining?"

"Albert once asked me the same thing," Lotion replied, "1948, back when they were still working the bugs out of the Hydrogen Bomb. He was working on his grand unified field theory, you know, and I thought he was so adorable trying to piece the fragments of his theory together that way. He never could bring himself to accept Quantum Mechanics, you know. So I gave him some help in finding the answers he was seeking."

"And?" I blinked.

"He decided not to publish," she replied, "After seeing how his great theories had been used in the past, and given the escalating Cold War, he realized that mankind was not ready for the Pandora's box that would have opened. Instead he confused his notes, repressed his research and played dumb for the remainder of his days, always promising to put it all together, always making certain to keep from giving out the correct answer to his colleagues, though I could tell from a distance how much he longed to enlighten them in the same manner as I had done for him."

I wasn't sure if I wanted to question her any more on that point, such as how she could have gotten so close to the father of Relativity, or was this just an example of her pulling my leg to make me ask the right questions? Instead I tried to focus on what she was telling me, then said, "So the Ether is Space "

"No," she replied, "The Ether is what Space and Time are made from and energy itself. When we talk of the Time and Space field we are describing the Ether. It not only exists, it is the fundamental element of all Nature."

"And Ki?" I asked.

"A higher expression of energy than any of the others," she replied, "Space and Time are limited in that no object bound to them can travel faster than light. You must move beyond them to cross great distances, or else go the opposite direction, inwardly, to cross the threshold on the boundary of the Ether. Another word for this is Hyperspace, or Super Reality, from which we gain the term Supernature."

"The Supernatural?" I think I blinked.

"That which operates on the fundamental level of true reality can be termed as Supernatural," she replied, "We draw on this energy, a universal Harmonic known to the Hindu as Manna, which is the fuel of life itself. What we project outwardly is Prana, the raw essence of thought. The ability to tap into the force lines of Elemental substance comes from our ability to shape the currents that flow through the body. You will learn in time how to draw upon this power and shape it to your will, at which point you will discover what true power is like, and that will be the point where you experience the true danger."

"True danger?" I repeated.

"When you the gain power of a true Lore Master you will find it tempting you, urging you to use it to gain your desires," she replied, "You must not allow it to master you, you must master yourself and become as one with the power, and then you will gain vision and knowledge beyond your imagination. It is in the realm of this knowledge that you will learn what it means to be a Lore Master."

"You make it sound like I'll become some kind of a magician," I said uneasily.

"Not a magician," she shook her head and looked sternly at me, "Mages are concerned with power, while we are concerned primarily with knowledge."

"How does being a Lore Master differ from being a Mage?" I asked, seeking greater clarification.

"You will learn in time," the Elder noted, "For now accept this crude definition, that a Mage can draw and shape the power to their will while we must refrain from doing so save at the time of greatest need, for we understand how Power shapes us and affects the destiny of the people around us. Mages are a different discipline entirely from ours, and they suffer less penalty than we do for the casual misuse of their potential."

"I don't understand," I admitted at last, "I don't understand anything!"

"Admitting this is so is the fundamental basis of wisdom," she said, then started forward again while I tried to make sense of everything she had just told me.

We made it back to camp just in time for me to smell something delicious cooking over the fire as Shampoo tended it with the kind of happy devotion I was used to seeing around Kasumi. Ranma was also there, but I was more than a little shocked to discover his condition.

"What happened?" I asked, seeing Ranma's face was puffy and swollen.

"Vaphts," I heard him say with an irritable glance towards his father.

"The boy just had a run in with some wasps," Uncle Genma replied, "He'll be fine, once he learns to tighten up his defenses."

"Interesting training method," I heard Lotion say, "A bit harsh, but effective."

"Training method?" I asked, then saw the confirmation in Ranma's down-turned expression and growled, "Uncle Genma "

"It's for the boy's own good," he told me firmly, "With Ryoga studying the Breaking Point, Ranma has to learn to keep himself from being touched. There's no telling what else that old woman has taught him."

"Only the Amaguriken," Lotion replied, which startled us all, but she sniffed and said, "Relax. At his best the boy is only half as fast as Ranma. His great strength impedes him. Still, you are right that your son needs to tighten up his defenses, which is why I would like to give you and my apprentice a few pointers."

"You will?" I asked, "But I thought "

"I won't interfere in the fight," Lotion replied, "But there's no reason why the boy can't listen in on tomorrow's lecture. I'm going to touch on a few facts concerning Martial Arts strategy and why it is best to fight with one's head as well as one's heart and fists. Some of it you already know, but the way I shall tell it to you will help clarify your knowledge."

"Then Ranma no have anything to fear," Shampoo said brightly as she uncovered one of the pots and began ladling the contents out into several rice bowls, which same she passed along to each of us in turn, "You eat, try Shampoo's cooking."

I noticed that someone was missing from the moment as I accepted my bowl and said, "Where's Akane?"

"She go take lost boy back to camp of Great Grandmother," Shampoo replied, "Make sure he no get lost and wind up somewhere on other side of Japanese Islands."

"Ryoga is here?" I asked, seeing a nod of confirmation from Genma.

"It seems the old woman chose to train in a spot very close to where we are," Genma replied as he prepared to dig down into his noodles, "Amazing coincidence that."

"Yes, isn't it?" Lotion asked serenely as she accepted her own rice bowl, "So the girl decided to spend time with her boyfriend. I suppose this means she's changed sides and won't be with us during the battle."

"You think she'd pick Ryoga over Ranma?" I asked, then wondered why I had even bothered to ask the question.

"Dun't madder," Ranma said in spite of his swollen lips and puffy face, "Ah still godda bea him "

I looked at him sidelong and said, "Does it hurt?" then when he glanced at me I smiled and added, "Only when you laugh, right? Sorry I'm just glad you're not allergic to wasp stings, like I am."

"Shampoo give Ranma special poultice that make swelling go down," Shampoo said as she blew on her own noodles and prepared to eat them, "You train real hard and impress Great Grandmother."

"Actually," I said, "You don't need to train that hard-" but before I could finish the sentence I felt Lotion poke me in the ribs with her staff then shake her head by a fraction, which prompted me to glare at her and say, "Why not?"

"I will explain in due course," she replied, "But for now Ranma does need to continue his training. It is very essential that he not underestimate Ryoga or the Bakusai Tenketsu."

I settled back down, wondering why I had this sense that the old woman was pulling another fast one

"Well?" Akane asked nervously, "Will you try it?"

Ryoga looked as though he had died and gone to the Mountain of the Gods as he accepted the plate from Akane and all but drooled in ecstasy, thinking to himself that life was good and that he was about to eat a home cooked meal prepared by her loving hands. How could life get any better?

He bit into the first bits he scooped up with his chopsticks and suddenly knew the answer.

"Well?" Akane asked anxiously, "Is it good? I tried to do it like my big sister, Kasumi, but I've never really had much practice in the kitchen, as she has. Actually I haven't tried cooking in quite a while not since that little accident in Home Economics "

Ryoga fought against his gagging reflex, seeing the earnestness in her eyes, the nervous anticipation of her stare. With an effort that would have taxed a lesser man he managed to swallow the first bite, then broke his chop-  
sticks between his finger as he declared, "I've never tasted anything this good in my life! Thank you, Akane, and I mean that!"

Cologne, who stood off a ways studying the lost boy, and careful to remain upwind of Akane's cooking, merely widened her eyes a little at witnessing a truly astonishing display of mind over matter. It amazed and appalled her to see Ryoga forcing a smile to his lips and thought tersely to herself that the power of love was appalling in the way it made one behave with such reckless foolishness.

"Oh," Akane said in realization, "You broke your chop sticks. Well, here, have mine!" she said brightly as she handed hers over, not noticing the way Ryoga's eyes widened in panic.

"Just a moment," Cologne said, hopping forward, "Allow me to take a sample. I've forgotten more about cooking than you young people could ever hope to learn in one lifetime."

Ryoga shot an incredibly grateful look towards the Elder as Cologne brought the chopsticks up to her mouth and pretended to put it into her lips when actually disguising her moves with a simple illusion. She pretended to chew the food a little then spat and said, "Much too rich in the ingredients, you might give the boy indigestion feeding him this during his training. Next time go a bit easy on the seasonings and vinegar "

"Vinegar?" Akane looked puzzled, then reached for a bottle, "I thought I used white wine oh! Now how did that happen?"

Cologne just gave Akane a look that would have said a lot to anyone who knew the Elder. It was not often that the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku could be surprised these days, but discovering just how badly the Tendo girl could cook was more than adequate inspiration.

"You do know that you are supposed to read the labels before you use those bottles?" she asked.

"Well duh!" Akane snorted, "You think I'm stupid or something?"

Cologne very wisely chose not to answer that directly, "There is more to you than I suspected, child. Perhaps you might also be worthy of training."

"You think so?" Akane brightened, "Your great granddaughter's always putting me down and making me feel so clumsy "

"Child," Cologne replied, "The entire Chinese Athletic and Ballet teams would look like epileptic patients next to Shampoo. You should not berate yourself by comparison, you have more than adequate talents of your own worth exploring."

"Really?" Akane brightened, "You think so?"

"I know so," Cologne replied, thinking privately to herself that it would be better to have the girl on the side of the Amazons rather than allow her cooking skills to fall into the wrong hands. If the Chinese authorities ever had a mind to have this girl brew up a lethal nerve gas, then the days of the Joketsuzoku would be numbered!

"It's great to have you here, Akane," Ryoga said, "But I suppose you'll have to head back now that you helped me find my way back to camp "

"I'm not going back," Akane said with a growl as she stared into the fire.

"You're not?" Ryoga looked like he wanted to weep from joy at the thought of having her near him.

"No," Akane said, "They don't appreciate me, and Ranma just makes fun of me, while my own sister thinks I'm a joke, and as for Shampoo " she growled something unflattering that made Cologne's eyebrows climb a bit closer to her hairline, then the Tendo girl calmed down and said, "Besides, you always appreciate me and never put me down or anything, and I'd like the chance to practice getting my cooking skills down, so what do you say about me making you a homecooked meal every night from now on until you finish your training?"

The heavenly smile Ryoga was wearing became a frozen mask of dismay. Cologne just shook her head and decided that she would have to watch the Tendo girl closely to see that she did not poison her new protege. Of a suddenly she began to wonder if this trip really was worth the effort and knew implicitly that Ryoga's training was turning out to be even more of a challenge than even she had anticipated

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Call 911 Food Hotline: shadowmane

Assuming Ryoga survives the next chapter, training for the big fight goes into high gear, and what about those two visitors to the Tendo dojo? Soun asks that very same thing once he gets home from the market, and who says it's d j vu all over again? Be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	26. Chapter 26

NabikiRan24 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 25.

"Mister Tendo?" Ukyo said in surprise as she met Soun on the way to the dojo, "What are you doing here?"

"Just returning from the market," Soun said cheerfully, as always in his brown Gi, which appeared to be his only garment, as far as Ukyo could determine without asking into personal details, "Out enjoying a stroll in the bright sun, the fresh air. It's good to be alive on a day like this, don't you agree?"

"Uh, sure," Ukyo said non-committally as she fell into stride with the taller man, "I guess so "

"Come now," Soun said cheerfully, "A good looking young man such as yourself should view a day like this as a promising adventure. Just look at that sunset! There must be a thousand reasons for enjoying a moment such as this."

"Maybe I would," Ukyo sighed, "If I was with the right person "

Soun eyed what he took to be a long-haired boy with sympathy before responding, "Haven't found the right girl for you yet, I take it? Well, don't worry, there's lots of time to find that certain someone who will give your life whatever meaning you may think it lacks, just be patient."

"Whatever," Ukyo said, "Uh you wouldn't happen to know if Ranma's at your place right now, would you, Tendo-  
san?"

"I'm afraid Ranma is off on a training mission with his father," Soun said, "But he'll be back in a few days and I'm sure you two will have lots to talk about when he gets back."

"Oh," Ukyo replied, "Would you happen to know where they went to get their training?"

"A little spot in the woods beyond the limits of town," Soun replied, "It's right in the foothills over that way, a place that has lots of happy memories for when Genma and I used to go for our own training missions together."

"Really?" Ukyo said with interest, "Then um what about Nabiki? Is your daughter around? I wanted to ask her something it s kind of personal "

Soun gave the boy a wary glance, "You're not thinking of trying anything with her while Ranma is away?"

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, "What makes you say that?"

"I don't mind if Nabiki has other friends," Soun said a bit sternly, "But I would take it very unkindly if anyone else besides Ranma were to make improper advances. You will forgive my saying so, but a good looking boy like you "

"Oh " Ukyo said nervously, "Well you don't need to worry about that, Sir. I've no designs on Nabiki we're just friends is all, besides I wouldn't do something like that to Ranma."

The latter was said with a slightly depressed note, but Soun took it positively and beamed, "That's good to hear, but I'm afraid Nabiki is with Ranma right now helping maintain camp for Ranma and his father."

"She is?" Ukyo said in some surprise, "I didn t know she was an outdoor person. Forgive me for saying so, but she didn't strike me as the type."

"All the better for her to learn then," Soun smiled as they came up to the gates of his home, eyes misting a little as he said, "My daughter's been too much into herself since her mother died. It's good to get out in the world and have adventures while you're still young. Why, when I was a young man the world seemed like my oyster! I had lots of women courting me back then, almost literally throwing themselves at my feet "

"Funny," a voice called out from above their heads, "That's not how I remember it."

Soun and Ukyo looked up to see a figure perched atop the gate with her legs dangling into space. At first glance Ukyo thought the woman was Shampoo, but when the stranger leaped down to alight beside them she knew at once that this was an entirely different person.

"C-C-Comb?" Soun took a step backwards as he stared at the tall woman with purple colored hair that had been done up in a very different style than the warrior Odangos that were always present with Shampoo. She was also about nine centimeters taller and had more mature, hardened features that-while youthful in appearance-conveyed that her age was well beyond her twenties.

She smiled at Soun and said, "Nihao, Tendo-san. Long time no see and who is your friend here?"

"Ah " Ukyo recovered herself and bowed slightly, "Kuonji Ukyo I'm a friend of Saotome Ranma."

"A friend of Saotome's boy?" the woman replied with a curious examination of Ukyo that dressed her up and down before nodding faintly, "What kind of friend is that?"

"Comb," Soun said more forcefully, "It is good to see you again it has been so long. Your daughter much resembles you at her age "

"So I've been told," the purple haired woman with crimson eyes replied, then bowed to Ukyo and said, "I am Ko-Hom of the Joketsuzoku, tribal healer and mother to one whom I believe you already have met, Xian-Pu "

"I've met Shampoo," Ukyo said, "You look very much like her, but I was wondering you don't share the same family name?"

"Amazons don't follow the usual Chinese tradition of passing along family names," Comb replied, "It's one of our quaint customs. Are you one of those who claims friendship with my daughter?"

"Uh not exactly, no," Ukyo said honestly, "But we're not enemies either "

"Indeed, that is good," Comb replied, "You seem a nice enough young man the sort who would raise a lot of eyebrows back in our village."

"You said you were a healer," Soun said in puzzlement, not catching Ukyo's uneasy wince at that last statement, "Have you given up your warrior status?"

"A long time ago, I'm afraid," Comb replied, "Not long after I returned to China. It's quite a long story, and I'm sure you'd much rather hear it in the security of your own household."

"Just so," Soun turned and opened the gates wide, then indicated the other two should follow, "I must say that your Japanese is excellent, much improved from when we were last together."

"I've made a point to broaden my education," Comb replied as she followed the man in, giving a sidelong glance towards Ukyo before smiling, "No sense repeating the mistakes of the past by being less than fully observant. I must say that you have grown more handsome with the years, Tendo-san "

"Not at all," Soun smiled, "You flatter me "

His tone suddenly drifted off as the sounds of a flute being played caught his attention. Ukyo heard the strangely melancholy-sweet trill emanating from the House and wondered who was playing with such surpassing skill, but when she turned to ask Soun she was shocked to see him grow pale as if seeing a ghost, or something even more disturbing.

"Did I forget to mention that I didn't come alone to Japan?" Comb remarked with a knowing smirk, "There is someone else here who is very anxious to see you again."

"It can't be " Soun whispered before picking up the pace again, almost running into his house as Ukyo looked on in surprise, then reluctantly followed.

Inside she found Soun standing stock still at the sliding partition leading to the family dining area. There were two women sitting on the back porch, framed against the garden, one being Kasumi, who sat politely with her legs folded under her listening to the other woman's playing. The woman holding the long flute in both hands was deeply into the harmony of the beautiful song that she was playing and did not seem to notice that she had a new audience in attendance, but when she finished her song she turned at last with a smile and looked right in Soun's direction.

"Nihao," she purred in a friendly voice, but her eyes were bright with emotion.

"Father?" Kasumi looked up at him with a puzzled expression of her own, "These two women say that they know you. Father why does she look so much like our late mother?"

"Silk?" Soun gasped, and then did what any ordinary man might do in his place and fainted, giving Ukyo barely sufficient time to catch him

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Bight and early the next morning (and by that I mean so damned early that I needed toothpicks to pry my eyes open) Lotion had us lined up in a row sitting down in a clearing while she started up her lecture on military strategy, which had Ranma more alert than either me or Shampoo.

"Consider the basics behind any martial art," she said gravely, "The goal is to stay alive by use of any and all means at your disposal. Your school is titled 'Anything Goes,' or 'Indiscriminate Grappling,' a fair description of an art where victory is sought by stressing ends before means, rather than vice versa."

"Yeah, so?" Ranma asked, "I know it don't sound very honorable, but Pop always said that staying alive's the most important part of any martial art "

"Indeed," Lotion replied, "And I do not dispute this, but for the purposes of this lecture we will concentrate on methods and let the goals take care of themselves. Shampoo, you will demonstrate for me."

"Hai," Shampoo stood up and took a spot in the clearing a couple meters from us, turning to face us in an easy stance that conveyed that she was ready.

"Observe the following combat styles and tell me what you make of them," Lotion said, "Beginning with the basic Horse stance common to all martial arts."

She nodded and Shampoo at once fell into a "Riding Horse" crouch with hands tucked up at her sides in the "inverted-fist" position that I had learned when I was still a child. Somehow the Amazon seemed to become completely motionless and projected a solid air as if becoming a statue.

"Now," Lotion resumed, "From this position perform the 'Claws of the Dragon.'"

Shampoo went into motion forming her hands into raking talons as she swept the air with several swift motions while retaining her perfect broad-hipped crouch, continuing to stare straight ahead with an intensely focused expression.

"Now," Lotion said, "Shift from Dragon to Tiger."

Shampoo broke her stance and began to move with cat-  
like grace and perfect precision, raking the air with her fingers as though savaging an invisible opponent.

"From Tiger to Leopard," Lotion ordered.

Now Shampoo's motions became incredibly graceful, and she moved from one foot to the other as if gliding through tall grace with a svelte ease that was superhuman. Her hands were now more tightly closed with the palms used instead of the fingers to demolish the foes that were only there in principle, and her speed was incredible as she reverted from one kata to the other.

"Leopard to Snake," Lotion hissed, and this time Shampoo shifted with even greater speed and suppleness, flowing almost bonelessly from stance and attack to counter-offensive with an ease that left me utterly breathless.

"Snake to Crane!" Lotion barked, and now the shift in styles was more complete as Shampoo began a series of bird-like motions that involved a lot of complicated stances, moving even faster than before while remaining in perfect harmony and balance.

"Crane to Ascending Eagle!" Lotion snapped, and for the first time I saw Shampoo hesitate and look towards the Elder uncertainly before attempting a high jump with arms extended like the wings of an Eagle.

"Hold it!" Ranma jumped to his feet, "That isn't how you do it!"

"You wish to demonstrate for yourself, boy?" Lotion smiled at him while Shampoo alighted, looking somewhat curious and only slightly out of breath as she turned to regard Ranma.

Ranma met the old woman's stare and said, "Ascending Eagle's part of the Saotome School Shampoo doesn't know that one because she's only seem me do it once."

"Then perhaps you might care to give us a correct demonstration of the technique?" Lotion smiled, inclining with her staff that Shampoo sit down and Ranma take her place in the clearing.

I glanced to see that Shampoo was hardly winded at all by her frantic display of technique, but that she was covered in a light sheen of perspiration that was like the morning dew at this early (and quite chilly) hour of the morning. She flashed a smile at me then turned her full attention towards Ranma, who dominated the scene by his very presence and made us both feel the tension that was created by his slow, even breaths and intense focus. I think we both regretted that he was not bare-chested so that we could enjoy the full sight of his powerful frame, but I know we must have shared a moment of admiration that somehow the three of us were in some fundamental sense connected.

Without warning Ranma launched into a series of hand-  
motions that were followed by the rapid movement of his arms, then he stood on one leg and performed a kata, more like a stretching-out exercise, limbering his joints as he rocked from one heal to the other, then all at once he exploded into motion.

I heard Shampoo's gasp and I must have done likewise, for Ranma was suddenly airborne, soaring high to near tree-top level, his arms at his sides in the same fashion Shampoo had attempted, and with a fluidity that I simply cannot put into words he came down again with hands extended like the claws of a bird of prey. He struck the ground and flowed instantly into motion, going from one form of attack to the other, flawlessly executing a spin that picked him off the ground once more, then landing again with the grace of a falcon.

"Well done," Lotion said as if she, too, had appreciated his performance, "The Ascending Eagle, foremost battle technique of the Saotome Ryu. A sincere pleasure to see it performed again, and far more expertly than when I saw it executed by your father."

"You know Pop that well?" Ranma sounded surprised.

"We touched briefly in the same circles," Lotion said somewhat evasively, "I thought, at the time, that he was an exceptional fighter, whatever other qualities he may have lacked. I won't bore you with the details, but I will say that you have improved upon your father and will no doubt surpass him one day."

"Well yeah, I sure hope so," Ranma said modestly, though I could tell that this praise had inflated his already considerable ego regarding his talents by about two sizes.

"Perhaps you might also care to share the spotlight with Shampoo here," Lotion turned to me and said, "Your turn will come in another minute, dear, so be patient."

"Uh, yeah," I murmured, wondering what I was even doing here next to a pair of fighters with this level of prowess.

"Shampoo," Lotion nodded, then waved her staff and said, "Give her a little room there, boy. No reason you can't both share the spotlight."

Ranma followed her advise, then stood next to Shampoo at about two or three meters distance, looking awkward and nervous when she smiled his way before turning her attention forward at the old woman's direction.

"Combat is more than about fighting," Lotion said, "It is a way of life, a means of survival. The body moves in accordance to the natural hum and flow of battle. Two opponents engage in a fierce competition to see which of them will be the victor. Sometimes the price of being second best is humility, and sometimes it is death, but in all situations and circumstances there is a fundamental way of viewing the matter in which victory goes not to the stronger but the more clever fighter. Observe and understand."

I had the oddest feeling she was directing her speech not just at me but at Ranma and Shampoo themselves, even if she was looking in my direction to make it seem like I was the one being coached here.

"Since time immemorial people have fought each other over one silly thing or the other," Lotion began, "Over time some people learned that there was an art to combat, a way of harmonizing with the spirit of battle to gain invincibility through movement or rhythm. That is the essential of the Martial Arts. However, when it comes to war itself there is strength and there is strategy. Some favor one over the other, but in combination they weave into a tapestry. Observe as these two perform together in ritual combat." She pitched her voice as she said, "Face each other, salute and fight!"

Ranma looked surprised, but Shampoo was quick to take advantage of his surprise, turning and making an arm motion like a salutation, then launching her attack before Ranma had completely recovered. Shampoo nearly clipped him with a series of punch-kick combinations that were delivered with devastating efficiency and would have probably knocked an ordinary fighter senseless within seconds.

Even though he was initially on the defensive, however, Ranma did recover from the initial onslaught of Shampoo's attack. Having neatly dodged her punches and kicks, he began to weave in and out of the way of her assault, always just centimeters away from her connecting with his chin or chest as he kept an even distance between them. He did not counter-attack, even though I'm sure he had plenty of openings that he could have taken. Some might have been false lures left by Shampoo in order to trick him, but Ranma had already shown that he was the superior fighter, so if he had fought aggressively he no doubt could have beaten her in the space of one minute.

Lotion called a halt after two or three minutes of Shampoo chasing Ranma all around the clearing and told them to take their place near the center again before turning to me and saying, "What do you make of that performance?"

I was surprised to be asked, but I've always been good at pop quizzes, so I said, "Shampoo was the attacker, Ranma was on the defensive. It's pretty much the same as every fight I've seen them get into, except maybe that one time " I softly amended, thinking of the occasion when Shampoo had been attacking me and Ranma defended by knocking the bonbori out of her hand, effectively sealing their engagement.

"And was this the same strategy that you used when you faced Shampoo in Joketsuzoku, boy?" Lotion asked.

"Well no," Ranma rubbed the back of his head with his fingers, "But that was different "

"How so?" Lotion asked, "Shampoo described the occasion to me. She attacked, you ducked under her assault then kicked her off of the log with the same spinning motion."

"Ah well, that log didn't give me much room to fight on," Ranma shrugged, "And I thought you know that I could knock her off without hurting her. I don't like to fight girls it's just not manly."

"Hmph," Shampoo gave him a sour look, "You think you is better than when is girl? You no treat Amazon as equal. You no fight like that with Ryoga."

"Well, no," Ranma said, "But Ryoga's tough, he can take a punch and dish it out "

"You think Shampoo fragile like China?" Shampoo turned to him with an indignant look, then stomped her foot and marched off from the center of the clearing. We watched her go a few meters, then reach down and pick up a rock the size of a bowling ball, returning a moment later, standing right before Ranma and locked her gaze with him. She hefted up the rock in both hands then-to our horror-  
smashed it against her forehead. It broke into several pieces, falling at her feet as Shampoo never batted an eyelash, then said simply, "You understand now? Shampoo no weak girl. You no treat like she bruise easy."

"You've made your point, child," Lotion said while Ranma stood there with his mouth hanging open, "Go sit next to your other Airen while I talk to the boy concerning this attitude of his regarding us 'weak' women."

Shampoo came and sat down next to me while Lotion began to speak to Ranma in a low tone of voice that did not carry all the way to us. I looked in concern as Shampoo winced a little, then said, "Ow," as she felt her forehead.

"Are you all right?" I asked as I leaned closer, afraid that she had split her skull with that fool stunt of hers.

"Shampoo no try that in a year," Shampoo winced, then smiled at me, "Is no serious, Nabiki. Bakusai Tenketsu teach more than how to break stone, it also teach how to harden body so no take injury. I see attack coming I know to harden area of head so rock break but no Shampoo. Still hurt a little," she winced, "Need more practice."

I'd heard of martial artists who could break bricks with the forehead so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, but it still appalled me that this girl would risk herself like that just to make a point with Ranma.

"Your turn," Lotion's voice called out, startling me as I had been about to ask Shampoo another question, only to see the old woman looking at me as if expecting my compliance, so naturally I got up off the log and came over to join her and Ranma.

"We'll keep this simple as you are a relative beginner," she said matter-of-factly, "Ranma will help out, so I expect you both to go slowly and listen carefully to my instructions. First stand and salute each other, then Nabiki take a step forward and try to punch your iinazuke."

"Oh yeah," I laughed, knowing full well that Ranma could break my arms off if he were the sort of guy who was into beating up on women. Ranma nodded to me to attack him, so I moved forward, throwing the sort of punch that I had barely mastered only days before beginning this training mission. I expected him to counter it easy, or to flow out of the way like he always had in the past.

To my astonishment Ranma blocked my punch and counter-attacked, moving slowly to give me plenty of time to see it coming. I know he meant to pull it short of connecting, but I was so surprised at seeing his fist coming right at me that I reacted without thinking.

The arm I had extended in a right-fist punch suddenly twisted as if it had a life of it's own and wound up around his blocking arm, and then my other hand shot ought and caught his arm by the wrist as I took a step backwards and to the side. It was Ranma's turn to be surprised as I yanked him off-balance, throwing him over onto his back while I moved in for a kick aimed at his chest a motion I barely halted in time to avoid connecting!

I was just flat-out stunned at what I had just done. I know that Ranma wasn't expecting me to take his punch too seriously, and he couldn't have meant it in earnest or I'd never have seen it coming, but to throw him like I had done was just impossible! I'd never done anything like that in any of our practice sessions!

Ranma, of course, was not hurt by his fall, and he had no trouble getting back to his feet, but he was looking at me as if I had just grown five inches or something. I was simply unable to comprehend what I had done, and the only one who did not seem surprised was Lotion herself who was smiling and nodding as sagely as the Buddha.

Shampoo had come to investigate, and it was plain that she had not expected me to throw the great and powerful Saotome Ranma. She looked me up and down before turning a questioning look towards Lotion, who finally relented in letting us absorb the bloody obvious and said, "Now you understand the most powerful fighter in the world can be felled by an amateur if he allows it to happen. Underestimating a foe can be fatal in a real battle. I trust you will remember that in the future?"

Ranma blew a faint laugh and said, "Yeah you can count on it."

"How did I do that?" I asked very softly, turning a hard look at Lotion that warned her against giving me an evasive answer.

"You did it because your mind processed the data, analyzed how he moves and calculated a response based on your relative positions and body motions," Lotion replied, "You will never surpass him as a fighter, child, but you can match him and beat him by using his own strength against him. That, too, is all part of being a Lore Master. Remember this well, it could save your life in the future."

I stood there staring at the old woman, and then I think that was the point where I my knees turned to jelly and Shampoo caught me as I fainted

"Hello, Ryoga? Where are you?" Akane called out as she searched around the area of their camp for the perpetually lost boy. She was afraid that he might have gone too far beyond the radius of any identifying markers. She knew by now what that could mean in terms of how long until she next saw him again and it was frightening her as she knew he was heartset on winning his promised battle against Ryoga.

She found Ryoga after only a moment of searching, but she was shocked to discover that he was presently tied about in a rope dangling from a high branch in a tree, and facing him was a huge boulder tied up with another rope dangling from the same branch. Ryoga was bound up in the ropes with only one arm extended, and his hand wound up in cloth so that a single index finger projected forward. Ryoga was staring at the rock intently while Cologne gave it a push with her staff, then stood back to watch as it came speeding towards Ryoga.

Akane was about to cry out when she saw that it would do nothing, and Ryoga smashed into the rock full-bodied and bounced off of it, looking stunned. Cologne just shook her head and said, "Ryoga, if you cannot master this, the simplest of Amazon techniques, then you can never hope to defeat Ranma!"

Ryoga shook his head an seemed to slough off his momentary daze, then growled, "I'll get it, old lady! Just give me a moment and we'll try it again."

"You have to concentrate, child," Cologne said with emphasis, "Feel the point with your mind, not with your eyes! Feel it and you can strike the Breaking Point to shatter the boulder! The power is within you, but you have to let go of everything else and let your instincts guide your finger!"

"I'm trying, old woman!" Ryoga growled, "But this isn't exactly easy "

"It would help if you freed your mind of everything but the goal itself," Cologne said in a voice that strained at patience, "Holding on to other things is only going to confuse your senses and make it difficult to feel your way to the breaking point "

"I am concentrating!" Ryoga said, "My mind is only filled with one thing-getting my revenge upon Ranma!"

"Is that so?" Cologne asked, turning the boulder around with its staff so that Akane could plainly view the punched-in letters written in kanji: "A-K-A-N-E."

Akane could not suppress a gasp, which same she was certain the old woman must have heard, but Ryoga was too embarrassed to pay attention and just laughed nervously before saying, "Ah maybe I could work a little harder on it "

"Don't work at all, it defeats the purpose," Cologne said, "Try and relax and allow your mind to empty. It should be simple enough for you to manifest without effort."

"Har-har," Ryoga snarled, then sighed, "Let's try it again, and this time I'll feel that breaking point if it kills me."

"Let's not go that far at this time, shall we?" Cologne asked while pretending not to notice Akane sneaking away back to camp. She pushed the boulder back and said, "Remember to allow the feeling to come to you on its own, and this time empty your thoughts completely."

Ryoga prepared himself as the boulder rushed up at him. Cologne winced at the inevitable collision, knowing full well that with each new strike the boy was growing stronger and developing the toughness he would require to use the Breaking Point effectively.

"Young love," she sighed wearily, "You can have it "

"Father, are you all right?" asked Kasumi, the first thing Soun was conscious of as he regained consciousness, aware that he was laying on his futon with a cold compress over his head.

"Kasumi," he murmured aloud, "What a relief! It was only just a nightmare "

"You should be so lucky."

Soun sat bolt upright, then wished he had not. He turned to see Comb standing to one side of his bed looking down at him with some concern evident in her crimson eyes. He looked around reflexively but the other woman was no where to be seen.

"Where ?" he started to say when Comb answered for him, "She's in the kitchen making herbal tea. She thought it might help you get over the shock of your reunion."

Soun felt slightly miserable for his behavior, but he sighed and said, "How why have the two of you returned to Nerima? I thought you swore you were never coming back here "

"Well, I say a lot of things," Comb shrugged, "Sometimes I even live to regret them. My daughter takes after me like that, and in a lot of ways, or so I'm often told not that I've had much chance to discover this first hand," she grumbled in under tone.

"Why is that?" he asked, "Shampoo seems like a perfectly fine young girl. I thought you'd be proud of the way that she's turned out. If anything she has reminded me of you every day since her first arrival."

"Is that why you never mentioned me to any of your children?" Comb asked, "Or Silk either for that matter?"

"Ah well " Soun shrugged helplessly and did not meet the Amazon's hard stare.

"Same old Soun," Comb remarked, "You never could face your problems directly, you always have to hide behind the fact that you're more a man than a warrior. I should have expected no better, but I had hoped that age had matured you."

"Why do you address my father like that?" Kasumi asked curiously, "If you are old friends "

"In a manner of speaking," Soun replied, turning to look at his oldest child with an almost pleading expression, "Please understand, Kasumi, this all happened long before you were born. Some of it even happened before I first met your mother. You wonder why the other woman resembles her so much well, the truth is, I don't have an answer for that either."

"A jest of the Gods, no doubt," Comb remarked, "We used to kid each other about how Kimiko and Silk were twin sisters separated at birth, even thought there's zero chance that such a thing could have happened."

"Then you knew my mother?" Kasumi asked with an almost hopeful look.

"Yes," Comb smiled, "I knew her even liked her a little. She had very good manners, and what a temper when you got on her bad side," she shook her head, "She could fight adequately, but her real strengths lay elsewhere. In a way I learned a lot from her, and when I gave up my warrior status and began my training as a Healer I sometimes thought of her and what she taught me about life "

"My, such flowery praise for my former rival," said Silk as she came into the room with a tray in her hands, "And here I'd never guess you for such a sentimentalist."

"Oh shut up," Comb growled back, "The child deserves to know what sort of woman her mother was. Even you liked Kimiko sometimes, though your pride won't let you admit it."

"Just as you tolerated Nodoka?" Silk smiled as she sat down and set the tray before Soun, which contained more than just tea as she had somehow managed to cook up a good meal including ramen and ricecakes.

Comb's lovely face twitched a little before she replied, "Let's not include her in this talk about old times, shall we? I'd rather keep this meeting civil "

"Excuse me," Kasumi said politely, "My father can't speak Mandarin, so I think it would be more polite if you spoke in Japanese since you both seem very fluent in our language."

Both Amazons turned to look at her with mutually non-  
plussed expressions, but Silk recovered first and said, "Of course you are right. We were just discussing a personal jest between old companions. You understand, of course?"

"Of course," Kasumi smiled, "My sisters make jokes like that all the time between themselves. I know it's only natural between good friends."

Comb shook her head and murmured, "If I hadn't heard it with my own ears "

Silk nudged her with her elbow and gave Comb a cross look, then smiled and said, "I'm sorry if our return has caused you any distress, Soun-chan, it was not our intent to disturb the harmony of your house."

"Quite all right," Soun said somewhat uneasily, looking the other woman over with uneasy familiarity, "It is good to see you again after all of these years. I hoped you were doing well back in your homeland, that is."

"Of course," Silk said with a somewhat awkward pause before adding, "And I have wished the same. Your wife I'm sorry. I know it doesn't make any difference now, but I never really disliked her " she glanced sourly at her companion, who had snorted derisively at that, so she shifted to Chinese again and said, "And like you were any great fan of Nodoka?"

"So," Soun said as the purple haired woman fumed a little, "Where are you two staying presently, and how long have you been back in Nerima?"

"We just arrived," Comb replied, "We'd heard rumors about my daughter, and then Silk's grandmother disappeared, and there were more rumors about a Lore Master "

"Curious stories that we felt needed investigating," Silk elaborated, "And with the Matriarch also said to be involved well, we thought if anyone might have a clue about what was going on around here it would be you and that fat-headed fool you used to hang around with "

"Hey!" Comb reacted in protest.

"You mean Uncle Saotome?" Kasumi asked innocently, "He's off training Ranma and my sister, Nabiki, and Shampoo is with them, along with my other sister, Akane."

"Is he now?" Comb frowned, "His son Ranma? The son of Nodoka?"

"And with your younger sisters no less," Silk remarked with a thoughtful expression, "Are they both warriors in training?"

"Akane is perhaps," Kasumi lamely amended, "I'm not sure about Nabiki, but Elder Lotion seems to think my sister is something called a Lore Master, and she's engaged to Saotome Ranma, only I think Shampoo is also engaged to them both it really is all quite confusing," she added with a pleasant little smile that suggested that she found it more of a source of amusement than confounding.

Silk and Comb exchanged glances, then the latter said, "A Lore Master? You're sure of this?"

"Elder Lotion seems to be," Kasumi replied, "I'm not so certain about Nabiki. She's doing the best she can to adjust but I can tell she's having a hard time coming to terms with all of these changes in her life..."

"If what the child says is true " Comb began, but Silk made a motion that bid her to silence.

"It would explain a great deal," Silk agreed tersely, then smiled at Kasumi and said, "This is all very interesting, child. Perhaps we'll wait around for the others to return so that we can question them directly."

"Then you have some place in mind to stay?" Soun asked with an odd reluctance in his expression.

"Father," Kasumi said brightly, "Why don't we let them stay here a few days? With everyone else gone off on training it would be nice to have someone to talk to in the afternoon, and your friends obviously would like to catch up on old times with you. I would very much enjoy hearing about the days when you and Uncle were in training together."

Soun had a look almost of panic while Comb looked pale. The only one who seemed perfectly calm about the idea was Silk, who smiled and said, "We wouldn't want to be a burden, child "

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Kasumi replied, "I know if Elder Cologne were here she would put you up in her restaurant, but since she also seems to be on a holiday "

"Grandmother in a restaurant?" Comb said in plain disbelief.

"This gets better and better, doesn't it?" Silk replied, then smiled, "Soun-san, it has been many years, and I know it must be awkward having people drop in on you like this "

"Oh, not at all," Soun replied, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt, "If anything I'm used to it by now "

"Then it's settled," Kasumi beamed happily, rising to her feet before adding, "I'm glad your friends will be staying over, father. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to straighten out the kitchen."

"I didn't make a mess," Silk assured her.

"She's very tidy," Comb agreed, "Keeping house is something she's good at."

Silk gave her companion another sour look before murmuring, "Says the one who couldn't keep house if her life depended on it. If it weren't for your husband you'd have drowned in your own "

"Ladies, please," Soun tried to stave off what he could sense from sheer tone to be a nasty altercation.

"I'm sure you've a very good housekeeper," Kasumi said as she left the room, "But the kitchen is my responsibility, and I do like to see to all the details myself."

Once she was safely out of earshot Comb shook her head and said, "Definitely nothing like Amaguriken. They may look and sound a lot alike but she's nothing like your daughter."

"But they are sisters nonetheless," Silk said with a soft sigh, "If only my Ama were half as polite as that one "

Unable to follow their exchanges, Soun's mind instead registered a nagging sensation that something was missing, which prompted him to ask, "Where is Kuonji Ukyo? Did he go home while I was out?"

"Your little friend with the chestnut hair?" Comb asked, "She left some time ago saying something about looking for this Ranma "

"She?" Soun blinked.

"Did I say 'She?'" Comb amended with a faint smile, ignoring the hard look Silk paid her, "Silly me, I must have made an error. My Japanese has improved somewhat from the old days, but I do make mistakes from time to time "

"If that statement isn't loaded " Silk rolled her eyes without finishing the sentence.

"Kuonji went looking for Ranma?" Soun frowned, "Doesn't that boy know that it's impolite to interrupt someone during a training mission? Kids these days, no respect for tradition."

"Right," Silk said primly, "Not like us, of course. We always behaved perfectly, with decorum."

"Decorum?" Comb raised both eyebrows, then heaved a sigh as she glanced towards the ceiling, thinking that either her Japanese really was badly impaired or that word meant something akin to Panic, Fear, utter Madness and Confusion all typical elements of a day in Nerima

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Communication in Braille: shadowmane

Training shifts into high gear while Ukyo gets involved while Silk and Comb relive "old times" with Soun Tendo and how soon until Genma gets the word and heads for the high country? Be there

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	27. Chapter 27

NabikiRan25 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi)  
Chapter Twenty-Six.

"Hey Dad, it's me again," said Ukyo over the phone, "I got another lead on finding Ranma and his father. I'm checking it out now, and no, I don't need any help. This is my problem to deal with. I'll call you again as soon as I've got something definite to report. Bye now."

Akira Kuonji stared at the answering machine on his desk before heaving a tired sigh. Just like Ukyo to leave a terse message like that without including any details that he could use to track her movements. He knew she was somewhere in the area around the Furinkan Financial district, checking out the restaurant that he was giving her to run on her own, but other than that he had not a clue to where she was going or what she was doing one moment to another.

He supposed it was his fault, forcing her to grow up as she had, learning to be independent at an early age, developing boy skills to a point where she was almost like the boy she only pretended to be, and all because of a mistake he made ten years ago in trying to foist her off on a worthless hunk of slime like Saotome.

Well, what else did he expect but that his daughter would give him these abbreviated status reports after finally-or so she claimed-discovering the whereabouts of the boy and father who had abandoned her along the side of the road ten years ago, effectively ending her childhood as a woman. The only change he had been able to note in her tone was that the edge of raw anger was missing, replaced by a cooler, almost thoughtful tone that suggested to him that she was having second thoughts about seeking her vengeance, although that might just have been a product of his wishful thinking.

He heaved a heartfelt sigh, looking out the window of his office to see the business district of Kyoto in all its prosperous, thriving glory (well, prosperous but for that damned economic crisis that was sweeping throughout all of Asia like the latest outbreak of the Bubonic Plague). He had worked hard to get where he was through lots of sweat and effort, a long way from selling okomoniyaki from a yatai cart! And now that he had finally realized his dream he wanted to pass some of it along to his little Ukyo, who had proven many times that she was more than deserving of inheriting his fortune.

He turned back to his desk and saw the picture that occupied an area like a shine to Ukyo's late mother. All he had wanted in life was to have a son to carry on the family traditions, and instead he had a daughter that was more than a son to him now, and what had he done to her life but to warp her so that she denied her own womanhood in pursuit of a dream that had long since turned to ashes?

He had to make it right for her somehow he had to make Ukyo understand that he was sorry for the wrong that he had done in trying to foist her off for another man to raise and care for her when he had found the pain and responsibility of raising her himself too great to bear. It was why he had altered his will to make it a condition that she either avenge herself or marry. One way or another there had to be a closure on this chapter of her life so that she could go on living for its own sake. Either she would marry her precious Ranma or forget about him forever.

Kuonji paused to feel the stabbing pain in his side, a familiar sense of his own mortality that he knew would only get worse with times passage. The doctors had assured him that he had a few good years left (he had heard that one before), so he was determined to live long enough to see his daughter married. Ukyo could not know the full story, it would affect her decision and she was already under enough pressure without adding a father's burden. He would have retired to that Monastery that he often considered his second home but for the need to put all of his affairs in order. He would not betray his little girl a second time by leaving her a tangled mess to sort through. He may have failed her as a parent, but at least he could succeed as an employer.

He touched the intercom on his desk and said, "Midori-chan, have there been any messages from that Detective Agency I hired a while back?"

"Not today, Kuonji-sama," his secretary replied, "But they did report in yesterday that they had made new inquiries and were following a promising lead. The trail has led them to the Nerima province, and I believe they will have a full report for you by this time tomorrow."

"Have it on my desk first thing," he replied, thinking to himself that it was too great a coincidence that the very place where his daughter was opening her restaurant would be so close to the area of his latest investigation. Perhaps Ukyo had indeed found a warm trail, in which case he might hope for a prompt resolution to the matter. For their sakes he hoped that Saotome and his son would see fit to do the right thing, or else

He sighed. It was not a pleasant thing to consider, but if it meant the difference between his daughter's happiness or her continuing to spend the rest of her life hiding her true sex from the world, then he was prepared to do whatever was necessary, so he turned to his desk again and said, "Midori-chan notify my lawyers "

Ukyo paused, hearing a sound coming from somewhere just ahead of the trail. It sounded like something hitting a rock with a particularly meaty sound, but when she quickened up her pace to investigate she found her way was blocked by a branch that thrust itself in her path and would not budge a centimeter when she pushed against it.

To her considerable surprise she discovered that the alleged "branch" was actually a staff, and that the other end of it was connected to the old gnome-like woman she had encountered before, the one named Cologne, who was looking at her with a peculiar expression.

"Do not interfere, Kuonji-san," the old woman insisted, "My student is learning a difficult maneuver and does not need to have his concentration disturbed."

"Excuse me?" Ukyo said as she turned a questioning look at the wizened Elder, "Your student wouldn't happen to be my friend, Ranchan, would he?"

"As a matter of fact, no," Cologne replied, leaning on her staff as she gave Ukyo a faint smile and said, "My son-in-law is presently elsewhere in training for a match. You may seek him out if you like, but do not interfere in any of these proceedings."

"Interfere?" Ukyo sniffed, "I wasn't planning to. I just want to find him and talk with him for a bit, if it's all the same to you, lady."

"You like my son-in-law, don't you?" Cologne said shrewdly, "And yet you are reluctant to make him aware that you are a woman. Most curious indeed."

"Huh?" Ukyo started, "Wha-how I don t know what you're talking about you're crazy!"

"Please, Miss Kuonji," Cologne said with a faint smile and a knowing expression, "I am a far cry from having been born only yesterday. Do you think me incapable of knowing your sex at a glance? You cut a dashing figure at the mountain resort, but your posture and balance is nothing like a man's, and your center of gravity is also different. I don't know all of the details behind your little deception, but I can guess that it has something to do with my son-in-law, and that makes it my business."

"He's not your son-in-law!" Ukyo said a bit defensively, "At least not yet, and I don't care what kind of stupid laws you've got, you can't make Ranma agree to marry someone just because he defeated her once "

"Twice," Cologne corrected, "And it was on two separate occasions, once as a man, the other time in his girl form. Either occasion would be sufficient, but to defeat my great granddaughter twice is proof that he is a great warrior with a destiny, and this is why the Amazons must ultimately claim him."

"And what does Shampoo think about that?" Ukyo frowned, "Or is she just being a dutiful great granddaughter and following your will? I don't know what all has been going on here, but my impression of Shampoo is that she doesn't want to be forced into this any more than Ranma. What gives you the right to play Kami-sama ?"

"And what gives you the right to question the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku?" Cologne shot back, "I do not know what claim you have on my son-in-law, but it is obvious enough that you, too, have the potential to be a great fighter, so perhaps Shampoo may claim you as well as she has Tendo Nabiki. If not her, I know several other likely candidates who would be interested "

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, "What are you talking about? Who are you ?"

"Who are you talking to, Cologne-san?" Akane asked as she approached them from a side path, "I was just making Ryoga some lunch and-Kuonji Ukyo? What are you doing here?"

Ukyo blinked as she saw the shorthaired younger sister to Nabiki and said, "Akane? I was just about to ask you the same question."

Akane blushed slightly as she looked at the handsome young "man" before her, then sternly told herself to think of Ryoga and no other before she replied, "I'm helping Ryoga with his training "

"Indeed," Cologne remarked in perfect dead-pan, "And so far you have been most helpful."

Akane smiled at that, not picking up on the faint sarcasm in the ancient Amazon's tone. Instead she turned back to Ukyo and said, "He's been training awfully hard for a big fight he's going to have with Ranma in a few days "

"Ranchan?" Ukyo arched her eyebrows, "What's his beef with Ranma?"

"I don't really know," Akane said, looking and sounding puzzled, "He won't talk to me about, at least no more than Ranma when I ask him the same question. I think it started with a fight over bread when they were a lot younger. Ryoga's a powerful fighter, almost as good at that stupid Ranma," she said the latter name like a epitaph.

"So Ranchan has enemies? I guess that isn't too surprising," Ukyo sighed before adding, "Any idea where he's training at the moment?"

"Over that way I think," Akane said hesitantly, "It's a little hard to tell direction at the moment, but I'm pretty sure the camp where he and Nabiki are in training is over that way."

"Nabiki's training with Ranchan?" Ukyo looked surprise, "Is she in on this too?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Akane said in a huff, "My sister gets her nose into everything, always making bets and conning people out of their hard earned Yen. You ought to be on your guard around her, Ukyo-san, she'll take you for every yen that you're worth and make you feel like an idiot. She does that with everybody "

"I can handle myself around loan sharks," Ukyo smiled, "And your sister didn't strike me as being that bad about money."

"Shows how well you know her," Akane scoffed, "They call her the Tendo Mercenary at our school, and everybody knows better than to get on her bad side, like they do for me, but for different reasons."

Ukyo smiled at that, "I've heard you tend to hit people who get you angry. Ranchan says you beat up the entire school athletic team every morning just to get to class "

"Just their captains and designated champions," Akane looked away, feeling embarrassed, "And it's all that stupid Kuno's fault, declaring the only way he'd allow anyone to date me was if they could defeat me in combat "

"Like with those Amazons," Ukyo deduced, seeing Akane suddenly flash an angry expression.

"I don't even want to talk about her," Akane growled, "Imagine wanting to date somebody just because they could beat you up, let alone marry them! Thank the Kami Ryoga showed up when he did or I know I would have gone crazy!"

"So, Ryoga is the one you want to date, huh?" Ukyo smiled, and was rewarded by seeing the girl blush and look away in silent confirmation.

"Yeah, well Ryoga's at least a gentlemen around me. He never gets me angry, never insults me or tries to get me upset, he never lies to me and he's always very nice, not like some people I could name, including my own sister."

"By that I take it you don't mean Kasumi," Ukyo 's mouth quirked as she thought of the contrast between this short girl with the violent temper and her taller older sister, who always struck Ukyo as being the embodiment of self-possessed calm.

"No," Akane sniffed, "I don't mean Kasumi. I just wanted to warn you about Nabiki, she gets her hooks into everything sooner or later, and I wouldn't want you to get caught up in one of her schemes."

"I'll can handle myself," Ukyo assured the other girl, then winced as she heard another meaty collision, wondering what kind of a rock-head would be working out that hard, and was he really doing what it sounded like? In puzzlement she asked, "If this Ryoga is such a great guy, why is he mad at Ranchan?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that," Akane sighed, "Maybe one day he'll tell me, but I think you already know what it is, old woman," she directed her glare at Cologne's direction.

Cologne had been standing back to study the exchange between the Tendo girl and the cross-dresser, but now that she was included in their conversation once again she looked off into the distance and replied, "I know what fuels Ryoga's anger, and I would tell you but that he has made me promise silence. It is not my place to say in any event, his love life having little to do with his training, suffice to say that when the time is right and he finds the courage he will at long last make his confession."

"Confession?" Akane looked stunned, "What does he need to make a confession to me for? Can you at least give me a hint?"

"Sorry," Cologne smiled, "We Elders of the Joketsuzoku have a reputation for being inscrutable. You wouldn't want me to go against tradition, now would you?"

"I think that's my cue to leave," Ukyo said as she sensed an impending argument, waving her hands to signify dismissal, "Nice seeing you again and you say it's this way to Ranchan's camp?"

"That way," the Elder signified a different direction with her staff, "It's not very far, just follow your nose and you can't miss it."

Ukyo hesitated, then glanced at Akane with an apologetic smile before heading off in the direction that the old woman had indicated. She could hear Akane begin to berate the Elder with questions almost immediately and smiled slightly in passing. She did not go far before her path took her near to where the sounds she had heard originated, and then she stopped in her tracks, staring in disbelief as an unfamiliar boy hung from a tree with his face all but imbedded in a huge boulder. As she looked on in horror, however, she saw him push against the rock with his free hand, then swing back for a moment before thrusting out his index finger, aiming it for the boulder, only to crash into it again with bone-jarring impact.

She was strongly tempted to whisk out a pair of her mini-spatulas to cut the boy loose, but she checked that impulse, remembering the old woman's words and her own promise of non-interference. Instead she contented herself by noticing that the boy did not look too badly hurt, even if there was a kind of crazed look in his eyes as he prepared himself for another impact. It looked awfully rough for a training session, but she had endured similar tests with her father growing up, so she decided that it really was not her place to interrupt this boy, whom she now took to be Ryoga.

"Weird," she muttered softly before starting on her path once again, wondering what sort of training Ranma must be engaged in to meet the challenge of a boy who was so determined to make a lasting impression

Chronicles of Xian-Pu:

After many false starts I have finally decided to keep a detailed account of my adventures in Japan. I am writing in my native Mandarin because Japanese is still too hard for me to master, even if there are a few basic similarities in their pictograms of hiragana and katakana. Chinese has over two thousand characters, and I think it is much more descriptive, but that could just be my prejudice showing, as the Elder has reminded.

One thing that still bothers me about Japanese is the use of personal pronouns. It's much easier to use my own name when describing myself, even if it does make me sound like I'm speaking in the third person. Xian-Pu is my name, after all, and I'm very proud of it, so why shouldn't I speak it with authority? It leaves no doubt in anyone's mind to whom I'm referring, and it's enough trouble for me to concentrate on using the right words when forming a sentence.

Suffice it to say that there is no exact equivalent in Japanese for the term "This One," which is considered the proper form of self-address when speaking to strangers or Elders. I use Xian-Pu or This One instead of the words for "I" and "me", which is how you will see me write it when I speak my own lines, much as I have seen Nabiki describe herself by using the word for "me" in her journal.

My Great Grandmother has told me many times that I must think and speak in Japanese if I am to master their language. I will probably attempt to write in Japanese once I get a better hang on their pictograms. I wonder if I should try practicing in that other foreign language my mother once showed me called English? Not that I have any intent of traveling to the other side of the world anytime soon, but she has said that it was much more linguistically simple.

Okay, down to the basic facts. I've accompanied my husband and co-wife on their training session in the mountains outside Nerima although to call these piddling foothills "Mountains" would be like calling an anthill a mountain. There's really nothing in Japan to compare with the mountains that we have back home, not even their sacred Mount Fuji. Still, Japan is fairly mountainous country, I am told, so I suppose the people here just make up with abundance what they lack in stature, but again this is taking me way off the subject. I'd really rather talk about our training.

This morning's practice session was certainly a surprise when Nabiki toppled our husband unexpectedly. I think the shock was nearly as great for her as me since she locked up her knees, which caused her to momentarily pass out. Fortunately Mother taught me to recognize the signs in advance, so I caught her before she hit the ground and eased her over to a log where she could rest and recover from her surprise. I think our husband was almost as badly stunned, because the last thing any of us expected was for Nabiki-who admittedly is the weakest of the three of us-to take him down, and with such ease that it almost seemed to lack effort.

The only one who was not surprised, of course, was our Elder, Lo Xion. The Esteemed Lore Master was merely insistent that we wait for Nabiki to revive before continuing with our lessons. She is very strange, like most of the younger Lore Masters that I have known-which admittedly are few at that since they are very rare and mysterious, seldom flaunting their talents. I think Aunt Silk might have understood her motivations, but not one as ignorant in their arts as this one. All I care is that Nabiki did revive very shortly, then permitted me to assist her in sitting up so that Lore Master Lo Xion could continue with her lecture.

"As I was saying," the esteemed Elder continued, "Never underestimate your opponent. Just because Tendo-  
san here lacks your strength and training is no reason to believe that she could not pose a danger in a match. There is more to fighting than mere strength, and both of you young War Masters had well better learn this if you wish to survive to achieve your full potential."

Incidentally, I am translating this from Japanese, and I may from time-to-time make mistakes in translation. When the esteemed Elder speaks her words find a way of lodging in the brain, so one does not forget what she says so much as that I may have difficulty following all of the words that she uses. In a few places I am guessing what the Japanese word means based on the clues within the sentence. If I guess wrongly, then it is this one's humble error and not the fault of the Elder.

Anyway, to return to the lecture, Elder Lo Xion asked me to demonstrate the use of tactics in overcoming a superior opponent. As I recall her saying, "From the dawn of civilization men and women have fought in wars to determine which of a people have the right to survival and land use. Always in the past victory went to the stronger side, the one that had the fiercest warriors with the best training. Sometimes it goes to the side with superior technology or firepower, but just as often it goes to the side that is the better prepared to achieve victory, and in the beginning that meant the side with the superior numbers.

"However, long ago in our past, the Amazons arose to take their place in the world. In the beginning of all things men and women were regarded as equals, but there came a day when horse-borne nomads called Aryans swept out of the east to threaten our ancestors, and because they had number and horses on their sides, along with curved bows made partially from the bones of animals, we had little chance of resisting. The men of one tribe chose to make a stand, however, gathering up all of their women and children and hiding them in caves until the crisis was over. They went out to face the enemy and were slaughtered to the youngest man-child old enough to carry a weapon. The enemy then mounted their heads on pikes and continued on in their rampages, laying waste to everything in their path on the way to the Mediterranean Ocean.

"The women of the village emerged from their caves and saw the carnage of this slaughter. Then there was great weeping among the survivors as sons and daughters lamented their loss. All seemed bleak for the tribe, for the crops in their fields had been laid waste so that even a crow could find no sustenance, and it looked as though starvation would be their lot, a horror that would finish the work begun by the barbarian invaders.

"Then She came in answer to our prayers, the Shining One known as Hippolyta, the daughter of the Gods of War and Love, Ares and Aphrodite, who was drawn to our plight from her home on Mount Olympus. She and her six warrior sisters gathered up the tribe and taught them how to survive, organized and led them into battle against their neighbors as they united other tribes to their banner, then founded the Matriarchy with Hippolyta as our leader "

While the Elder was saying all of this I was assisting her by making the gestures and dance-like steps that were often used in teaching lessons for the very young. It had been years since I had been called upon to perform these arts of ritualized storytelling, but as I recognized the legend that the esteemed Elder was describing I thought it best to help out by offering a visual accompaniment, taking on first the part of our ancient ancestors, then the murderous outlanders, and finally assuming the role of the sacred Mother of all Amazons herself while my husband and wife looked on in amazement. That encouraged me as I knew that they were mostly ignorant of our legends, and it was my duty as their wife to explain these things so that they would at least know as much as any infant of the Joketsuzoku.

"Hippolyta was a just and wise ruler, entrusting the care of the people and the preservation of our arts to the Lore Masters of their day. This was about four thousand years ago, by current reckoning, and being an Immortal, Hippolyta lived a long and prosperous life. She made the first deal with neighboring tribes so that our women could have husbands to lay with and beget children. Women assumed the positions of dominance over all aspects of our society while men were taught to respect their wives and mind their place, securing the household and helping to care for the children. This is still done today, centuries after our last Great Queen fell in battle fighting the Mongols, who had allied with our enemies of the Musk Dynasty. No Queen has ruled in Joketsuzoku for many generations, and the reasons for this are both political and complex and thus do not concern matters at hand and so will be saved for another lecture.

"Suffice to say that the Amazon nation grew strong and dominated the region north of Anatolia between the Caspian and Black Seas, keeping our borders strong with horse-borne archers who could shoot arrows through the eyes of a bird at over a hundred paces. No enemy could resist us, no force on land could oppose our armies. The Amazons perfected many of their greatest techniques in those days as we worshipped the Mother Goddess in her many aspects and came to believe that our way was the best of any civilized peoples on the Earth.

"But then came the Greeks, those arrogant, preening descendants of the barbarians who had first ravaged our homeland. They disputed the borders of Amazon territories, threatened out trade routes to the Hittite realms with their piracy and then began sending their so-  
called Heroes to trouble us over successive generations. The first was Bellerophon, the mortal who mastered the great winged horse, Pegasus, and who allied with the Bird People to harry us from the land now known as Thebes in imitation of a great Egyptian city by the same name. Following him was the god Dionyseus, who it was said wanted Amazon held lands to grow his sacred vineyards-as much for the wine as for a place to have his followers, the Maenads (who were themselves renegade Amazons) roam freely within. So it was that the Amazons were forced once again to yield land that they had held for generations. This was far from the last indignity, of course, for when a Theban prince named Herakles appeared on the scene it became clear that the Greeks were a threat that we would have to deal with through other means than force of arms.

"So it was that the Lore Master of this time advised Queen Hippolyta not to war with the boatload of strangers who appeared upon their shores one day as Herakles was fulfilling his Ninth Labor of atonement and would not be balked in his destiny. Hippolyta recognized Herakles for an honored kinsman and welcomed him into the holy city of Themiscrya. She intended to give him the sacred Girdle of Ghea that he had come for, but her real interest in the man-god hardly needs anyone's tongue for elaboration.

"A union between them, however, was not to be as the jealous goddess known as Hera stirred up trouble between the Greeks and the Amazons. The Athenian Prince Theseus convinced one of Hippolyta's sisters to elope with him, which added further fuel to the fire, the upshot being that many Amazons overruled Hippolyta and declared war upon the Athenians. That war ended very badly as the few who left for war returned in defeat with the news that Princess Antiope had been killed fighting on the Greek side and that her son was now the heir to the throne of Athens.

"The final straw came with the fall of the Hittite city of Troy, which opened the way for the Greek raiders to ravage the coastline and disrupt trade entirely throughout the Anatolian region. The Hittite Empire began a slow and steady collapse, weakening our borders even further to new threats from all sides. It was plain that the Amazons could no longer hold onto their Empire, and at a great enclave it was decided that they should seek a new home for refuge.

"The problem was that different camps had their own notions of where to go, and no one side had the unanimous backing of the full council. It was decided that the nation would be divided with different groups following their own leader. Hippolyta led her followers into the mists of time and vanished from the pages of history. Those who traveled east became the Nyanichiczu and founded a smaller empire, of which Joketsuzoku is one of the last remaining outposts. We have preserved the history of our culture for the past three thousand years, and in no small part the Lore Masters have been the cause of our culture's continuing survival.

"Now you three are a part of that history, one by birth and the other two by adoption. It is best that you learn our ways, whether or not your path leads back to my homeland. There is much that you should know, and what Elder Cologne and I have to teach you will be of great benefit to your future. It may seem strange to you now, and you will likely feel imposed upon and pressured to conform to our ways, but in the end I think you will agree that the results are worth the sacrifices demanded of you."

So said the Elder Lore Master of the Joketsuzoku.

My husband was, of course, not content to sit still and reflect on that as he arched an eyebrow and said, "Sacrifices?"

"Nothing you need be concerned about just yet, boy," the esteemed Elder smiled at him, "At present you are technically not even my student. You are the Matriarch's disciple, and it will be for her to decide the nature of your training."

"Nothing doing!" my husband rose to his feet with an angry glare, "No offense, lady, but I'll decide my own way! I'm not letting anybody push me into becoming whatever it is they think I ought to be! If I wanted to put up with that I'd just stick with my old man "

"As you say," the elder continued to smile as if unconcerned by his protests, "But humor me for a bit, dear boy. I think there is one lesson that I can give to you that will help you defeat this Ryoga and thwart the attempts by the Matriarch to impose her will upon you."

"Yeah?" my husband asked as if unconcerned by the offer, but I could tell from the glance in his beautiful blue eyes that he was considering it just the same.

"Xian Pu will demonstrate," Elder Lo Xion informed us, which I knew perfectly well meant that I should get ready and perform exactly as she instructed me next as she said, "Though we Amazons believe that we have been the source of much of the teaching now known as the Warrior Arts, we have studied the advances of great military minds, be they Chinese or Outlander. Take, for example, the Macedonian known as Phillip, who pioneered a technique on the battlefield that was further refined by his son, the Great Alexander. As I said before, strength is not always the key to victory in battle. Two centuries before Philip, the Greeks discovered that they could use a tactic known as the square to overcome an opponent."

The elder nodded toward me and I at once assumed a crouch known as "The Square" in Amazon teaching. It consists of spreading the legs wide apart like in the classic Horse Stance, only with the feet pointed forward in parallel lines with the hands bent at regular angles with palms extended out to the sides as though one were pushing against a box-like enclosure.

"The Square consisted of a row of ten men in ten rows, forming a hundred warriors who were each armed with very long spears that would be extended like the quills of a hedgehog. In their language this square was known as the Phalanx. By directing their spears in a given direction, the front four rows would form a solid line of lethal thrusts that could be marched in a single direction against an enemy. The other six rows would be held in reserve with their spears raised skyward. If the man before them fell the next in line would take his place and bring his spear into position, thus ensuring their offensive would be firm in spite of losses. If necessary, the front lines of spears would be raised and the whole column could be turned about through precision formation and constant drill, allowing them to turn and threaten an opponent to the side in a matter of mere seconds."

As the Elder described this I brought my hands into the position of the Snake-fist while still pointed away from my body. I made simultaneous side-thrusts with the tips of my fingers, then curled them down to my sides and thrust out forward again as if striking an opponent before me. I then pivoted on one heel and turned my body about to confront a foe to one side, then did a one-legged pivot and struck at imagined foes to the opposite side, then to the rear of my original position.

"The Athenian Greeks used this phalanx to overcome an invasion by the numerically superior forces of the Persian King, Darius, using a force of only twenty thousand highly trained infantry to destroy an army many times their number. The Persians had lighter arms, were far less organized and did not expect to be met by a foe with better armor and superior tactics, and so they fell due as much to their own lack of preparation as the strength of Athenian tactics. It was Philip who later refined the use of the phalanx and discovered an even more powerful use for the chariot, combined it with the use of cavalry, then developed a use for the Shield Wall that became known as "The Arrow." It consists of warriors forming a suicidal wedge to thrust into the ranks of an enemy phalanx, cutting through the middle of an opposing line to divide and conquer."

As the Elder said this I was busy following her clues to perform a simple series of katas that illustrated the points that she was raising. By advancing forward while keeping my feet moving in the fashion of a square I thrust at and pecked at the defenses of an imaginary foe, then used the flats of my palms to push them away from me until they would have-in principle-been off balance and at my mercy. At the mention of The Arrow, however, I brought my hands to my sides once again then pushed them forward as if reaching out to tear through an imaginary silk barrier, bringing my hands up in a parting motion as though I were separating rice paper. I caught a glance of my husband watching me with an intense focus and felt enormously pleased to be performing for him, though I suspect that my lesson was as much aimed towards Nabiki.

"The Arrow proved to be the dominant offensive style for many years," the Elder continued, "But in time a way was found to counter it by those garlic-eating sandal jockeys known to history as the Romans. They discovered that the way to overpower the Arrow was to absorb it into their ranks then flank the edges and wear it down to almost nothing. To do this they developed their own unique version of the Square, which consisted of box-like rows where a group of one hundred men was separated from the next group by a space as on a Checkerboard, which is something like the basis for the game of Shogi that your fathers practice."

I at once assumed the form of the Open Square, which to some might seem like the basic square revised, only this time I moved my hands to part the way for an imagined thrust, then brought them together as if containing the arm aimed at my head. I rolled back and threw my imagined foe then regained my footing once again and assumed a crouch of readiness, as if to perform the maneuver all over.

"The Romans went on to dominate their portion of the world after that," the Elder said, "And so it went for many successive generations until they met an enemy that was far more skilled on horse who could move swiftly to outflank them. They met their match in the form of the Huns, who were masters of the bow and virtually lived on horseback like our Amazon ancestors. The name for this attack is therefore known as The Bow, which depends on swiftness and surprise to thrust around and behind an enemy's advances."

I made a motion with my body as if dancing around outside the reach of an attacker, then I made a false-  
thrust offensive, only to leap high and come down with a Dragon Stamp kick that would have gone over and around an imaginary opponent's defenses.

"Sometimes it is better to chip away at a foe rather than attempt to overwhelm them in one great offensive," the Elder continued, "Staying clear of an enemy's attacks, you can strike at him repeatedly and goad him to making a mistake that will hand you the advantage. It is not always necessary that you be stronger or tougher than your foe as speed grants you some measure of invulnerability. An enemy who cannot touch you can do you no damage, just so long as you are careful and do not stumble at an awkward moment."

I made the dancing-weaving motions once again of dodging an invisible foe, then all at once launched into an Amaguriken strike with a hundred blows being delivered to empty air, only to pull back again and resume my weaving defenses all over. When I attacked again I used lightning kicks to disable the opponent that should have been there, then stepped back again and once more resumed weaving.

"Lastly there is the Circle," Lo Xion resumed, "A technique developed by the Turks when facing the Crusaders in the great battle that won back their 'Holy land' from invading Europeans. The Turks recognized that the German and Frankish knights who opposed them were stronger warriors in their heavy armor and piercing weapons, so rather than meet them head-on they used cunning to lure the enemy into committing themselves too far beyond their own defenses. By falling back in seeming retreat they lured the enemy Cavalry into a reckless charge that took it well beyond the reach of their infantry support, only the Arabs wheeled about and surprised their pursuers, flanking the cavalry and overwhelming them from all sides, making use of their shorter curved swords to cut the horses of the Knights out from underneath them while finding each and every chink in their armor. Thus was a mighty foe rendered helpless as the bear might fall prey to the sparrow guarding its nest."

The Wheel was a bit more complex than the other techniques, but I had little difficulty demonstrating for my beloveds how to lure an opponent into an assault, only to turn my body about like a wheel so that a punch would glide past me while I got inside the enemy's defenses and took full advantage of my closer reach. I punched and kicked savagely before spinning away again, dancing about then coming in again with my body sliding around and behind an opponent to attack them from the rear. I did this several times before the Elder called a halt to the lesson then informed us casually that it was time for the making of breakfast.

I could tell that my husband was greatly impressed with the lecture and was thinking about it while Nabiki and I went about readying some steamed rice and hot ramen. I was coaching my wife in the arts of dinner preparation as it has never been her great interest to learn about such things before her engagement to our husband. She listened carefully to my instructions and did very well for a relative novice while I stole glances at Ranma and smiled, seeing him stand off from us a ways while making all sorts of motions as if to incorporate the lecture to his own formidable war craft.

When breakfast was ready we all shared the feast, being certain that Ranma and the Elder were served first before dishing up for ourselves, and I could tell with amusement that both of my airen were heartily famished. Ranma ate three times as much as an average male of our village while Nabiki took her time eating twice her normal ration, resisting the temptation to wolf her food down like our husband while I enjoyed several compliments from them on the quality of my cooking.

"This is great," my husband said between mouthfuls, "You sure are a good chef, Xian Pu."

"A lot better than me," our wife said modestly, "I least I know how to boil noodles without frying the edges."

"You are not so bad," I remarked, "You should take lessons from your nice sister. She cooks almost as good as this one's father."

"Your father?" my husband blinked, "Don't you mean my mother?"

I had to laugh at that before I said, "The one's mother could not cook a meal to save a village of starving infants. Cooking is considered man's work in Joketsuzoku, and this one's father is very skilled. This one learned most of what she knows from her father, and from my great grandmother, who also knows something about cooking."

"Your father is a chef?" my wife smiled while our husband looked puzzled, then she gave him a wry look and added, "Well, why not? They say the best Chefs of Europe are men, not that I can believe that there's anybody who cooks as good as Kasumi."

"So your dad cooks for your mom?" our husband asked and I nodded.

"The one's father cooks and cleans house," I replied, "This one used to help him when she was little, then when she went to live with her Great Grandmother this one practiced every day doing the work that would normally belong to a man. Great Grandmother insisted that this one learn to keep house, even though it seems very strange to this one that we never had a man come to live with us who could have performed such menial service."

"And your mother can't cook?" our husband said before shaking his head and murmuring, "Weird."

"Not so weird, Ranma-kun," Nabiki smiled at him before adding, "Akane can't cook either. She's a real menace inside the kitchen, which is one reason why Dad and me won't let her anywhere near it. Good thing she's such a Tomboy that she probably thinks that cooking is beneath her."

"I suppose," Ranma shrugged, "But I wonder if she plans to have Ryoga cook for her? Just how bad is she?"

"Bad enough to burn water," Nabiki replied, "I won't even describe what she can do an innocent pot of rice."

"Oh come on," Ranma chuckled, "She can't be that bad, can she?"

Our wife just shook her head and said, "Ranma Akane confuses salt with sugar, thinks vinegar is white wine and mixes up baking soda with ordinary flour. I call her condition Kitchen Dyslexia, the inability to read simple instructions and confuse labels. She also has this annoying tendency to add ingredients that aren't needed, and she experiments around when she can't even do the simple stuff without creating a lethal combination. The last time she tried to bake something for a home economics class it exploded!"

"You're kidding, right?" our husband asked with a note that I think sounded hopeful.

"I'm not kidding," Nabiki shook her head, "If she were cooking something now we'd all need to into detox rehab, but for some reason the only one who hasn't given up on her is Kasumi. She thinks Akane should learn to cook as part of her bridal training," my wife rolled her eyes before adding, "As if my little sister could do anything Domestic without creating a total disaster!"

"Xian Pu," Elder Lotion spoke up, "I know that you mean well, but you must admit that your mother is at least skilled in the brewing of medicines. She is a fine apothecary when Ha-Brus manages to convince her not to use a Bunsen burner to brew tea "

"Ha-Brus?" my husband inquired, looking very odd as he pronounced my father's name with an odd accent, "Your Pop's name is Hairbrush?"

I nodded and said, "Ha Brus was outsider who came to village many year ago, trained in Beijing. He came to the Amazons to help them during one of the periodic so-called economic reforms the Chinese Government goes through every so often. He was assigned to fix our water pump, and somehow he gained the interest of this one's mother, even though he was not a very good martial artist at the time "

"What?" Nabiki said with a start, "Your father was only average?"

"Barely adequate for an Amazon male," I replied, "He fights much better these days and works out with this one's mother whenever she is back from her travels. This one's mother is tribal Healer, you see, and she is always in demand with other villages surrounding us "

"How did your Pop beat your mom?" my husband asked in obvious surprise, "Wasn't she, like, a better fighter?"

"Oh yes," I nodded affirmative, "This one's mother was very good, as good as Shampoo at her age, trained by Great Grandmother herself. There is no way this one's father could have physically defeated her mother, but there are other ways to lose to outsiders," I added with a smile in Nabiki's direction.

"Uh how is that?" my wife hesitated, and I think I caught her blushing.

"Very simple," I replied, "They played a game of chess and this one's father defeated her mother."

"CHESS?" both of my Airen replied in the same astonished tone of voice as I smiled before continuing.

"It's a very good game to help a warrior develop strategy. Chinese version has different rules from Western Chess, but this one's father taught her to play both kinds, and he was much better than this one's mother. She lost to him maybe twenty or thirty times straight before Great Grandmother declared that this one's father was indeed the victor. That is how this one's parents got married. Odd thing, though, is that this one's mother seems very happy about her marriage. This one never heard her complain about it, even when her parents fight, which is sometimes, or make up, which is loud and often. This one hears more about it than sees them fight, though, and this one has never really spent that much time with her parents in any event, but they always seem to be very happy."

"Why didn't you spend time with your folks if they live with you in the same village?" Ranma asked.

"Because this one lives with her Great Grandmother," I sighed, contemplating one of the great mysteries of my life, and I could hardly blame my Airen for his confusion, "This one does not know why, only that she train with Great Grandmother from the time she was little. This one only sees her parents around the village, and she has two sisters now, both twins, whom this one would like to know much better," I sighed, feeling slightly depressed as I thought about my sisters.

My wife is a very clever person, not to mention very beautiful, and she has a way of looking at things that made me know almost from the beginning that she was a potential Lore Master. She eyed me as I began to feel sad and asked, "Is there a reason why your parents let you be trained by your Great Grandmother?"

I nodded, "Because this one is being groomed to become a Tribal Leader, possibly the next matriarch of our village."

I heard the Elder laugh for some reason and we all turned to her as she remarked, "Cologne just wants to find somebody who can fill her shoes, as it were. I think she wants to retire while she's still young, or something like that."

"I don't get it," Ranma said as he looked at me in a very curious way, "Is this what you want, Xian Pu? To become a leader of your people?"

I was little off-balance at that question and I looked away before I answer, "This one does not wish to become leader. It was never my choice, I never had any say in it. This one only wants to become a strong warrior and a good wife to her Airen that and have lots of babies," I smiled warmly at the thought of children, then I continued, "Being leader mean this one becomes responsible for everyone in our village. This one I don't like the idea of everyone being that dependent on me, as they are for my Great Grandmother. She's given her whole life to the village, but I don't think I could follow her example. This one only wants to have a family, not become supreme Elder of the Joketsuzoku."

"And there is no reason why should be burdened by such a choice at such a tender young age," the Elder remarked, "It is cruelty that Cologne expects to mold you in her likeness, as if that were such a great thing by itself," she snorted, "Besides, there's a much better candidate who actually wants the job who is the same exact age as yourself "

"You mean Puke?" I asked, adding a tone of venom as I said this.

"Puke?" my husband and wife said together, and I smiled a bit before the Elder gently reprimanded me.

"I wouldn't use that disrespectful nick-name for one who may become the future leader of our tribe," the esteemed Elder reminded me, "Ambergris can hardly be blamed for her mother's error, so you should at least practice calling her Am Bur. You wouldn't like it if people made fun of your name, as some have done behind your back, or said that disrespectful jest at my great granddaughter, Ka-Chu."

"Ka-Chu?" my husband asked.

"Geisunteit," Nabiki replied, or something that sounded like that, some Japanese word I have never been able to look up, I suppose.

"How does a name like Ambergris get turned into Puke?" my husband tried again.

"Ambergris is Whale Puke, Ranma-chan," Nabiki smiled sweetly, and I felt warm inside knowing that she got the joke I had told about she who was my greatest betrayer.

"Oh," Ranma replied, then changed the subject back to his original question, "Why don't you just refuse to go along with this, Xian Pu? The old mummy can't force you to become a leader if you don't want to."

"Ranma," I sighed, "Nobody refuses my great grandmother. You've already seen a little bit of what she can do if you cross her. This one has no desire to remain stuck in cat form for the rest of her days, so if Elder says this one is to become leader " I sighed before finishing, "Then I have no choice but to accept the fact that I will be leader."

"That's ridiculous!" Nabiki protested.

"It is the Amazon way," I replied, "Traditions are very important in our culture. They have kept us together for many generations. This one has no right to go against tradition even if she wants to."

"We'll see about that," the Elder smiled before turning to Ranma and adding, "I think it's time you wake up your father and resume your training. It is only a few days away until your contest with Ryoga."

My husband heaved a sigh then said, "Man, this sucks! I'd swear those wasps are beginning to like my flavor or something "

"Hello!" a voice called out, surprising me and everyone else as we turned to see a figure stumbling through the clearing making hardly any more noise than a pregnant yak, "Is anybody here? Ranchan!"

"Ucchan?" my husband asked as he returned the call of the cross-dresser. I felt my spine arch a little and I noticed that Nabiki's face stiffened. My wife is very good at hiding her emotions, but I could tell by looking that she was just as displeased as I was at the sudden appearance of the one named Ukyo Kuonji.

"Ranchan," the cross-dressing pervert girl said as she came closer to where we could see her in the morning light, "That old woman was right I just had to follow my nose and it lead me right to you. Smells like somebody's been cooking rice and noodles."

"Xian Pu was just fixing us some breakfast," Ranma said, sounding entirely too pleased at meeting the girl he was somehow mistaking for a boy, which did nothing to improve my feelings on the matter, "Nabiki helped out. There's a little bit left if you want it."

"No thanks," she smiled, "I'll stick to Okonomiyaki. In fact, I brought some of my own ingredients with me in my backpack. I'll whip you guys up some lunch so you don't have to live entirely on a diet of rice and ramen."

"That'd be great!" Ranma cheered while I suddenly felt like breaking something in my frustration, and I'm pretty sure Nabiki was also eyeing the pervert chef like the only thing we wanted to see roasting over an open fire wasn't Okonomiyaki

Shampoo looked up, seeing Nabiki at her shoulder glancing curiously at her writing. Shampoo had the sudden urge to close the book shut, but since the ink on the page had not yet dried she knew that would only serve to smudge it, so instead she said, "Ah Nabiki? You want something, Shampoo Airen?"

"I was just surprised is all," she replied, "Well, curious, really. I didn't know you kept a journal."

Shampoo felt herself blush then said, "Just start. Shampoo get idea from somebody very close who seem like writing in book when no sit in front of computer. It very good way to get mind in focus."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Nabiki sat down beside the Amazon and said, "Want to read some of it to me? I noticed that it's all in Chinese "

Shampoo resistant an urge to throw the thing into their campfire then said, "Ah, it no very interesting, just thing Shampoo think about "

Nabiki chuckled then said, "Okay, I get the point! I just wanted you to know what it feels like. I mean, it's hardly fair, you prying into my secrets while not giving me the same chance."

"Ah " Shampoo glanced off into the distance and did not elaborate.

"That's something I've been meaning to ask," Nabiki frowned, "How did you learn to read kanji anyway? I didn't think that they taught Hiragana in Joketsuzoku."

"Oh," Shampoo shifted slightly, "Learn that from Kasumi. Nabiki sister very helpful, show Shampoo books she have for Japanese to Chinese translation. Also she read to cat on lap when think it just harmless "

"What?" Nabiki laughed, then sobered and said, "Sounds just like Kasumi. Sometimes I wonder if she's really as spaced out as she acts most of the time "

"She very nice girl," Shampoo remarked, eyeing Nabiki coyly, "Remind Shampoo of other girl in village, only she no very much like her."

"Huh?" Nabiki blinked, "She reminds you of Kasumi but she's not very much like her?"

Shampoo nodded, "Ka-Chu, she Elder Lotion great granddaughter. Same age as Kasumi, but very different. She behave like warrior, only she train in different manner "

"Is she also a Lore Master, like me?" Nabiki asked.

"No," Shampoo replied, "Ka-Chu mother Lore Master, Ka-Chu is trained Spiritualist, study technique of fighting Devils, very powerful Devil Hunter."

"Devil Hunter Ka-Chu, huh?" Nabiki smiled, "She must get teased an awful lot with a name like that."

Shampoo nodded, "That why everybody but Shampoo call her Amaguriken, like Japanese words for Chestnut Fist."

"Amaguriken?" Nabiki raised her eyebrows, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's got way too many syllables for an Amazon name, right?"

"Hai," Shampoo nodded, "But it good nick name. Lore Master Silk once go to Japan, come back with child, never say much to Shampoo about father "

Nabiki suddenly stiffened, "She's half Japanese? And the same age as Kasumi?"

"Yes," Shampoo blinked, "Why you so upset, Nabiki? Did Shampoo say wrong thing?"

"Oboy," Nabiki murmured, "I just got the strangest feeling Daddy is going to have to do some explaining when we get back home, after this business with Ryoga is over."

"Oh," Shampoo replied, then her eyebrows climbed and she really started to think about that

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Chestnut Haired Amazons with a Mad-On: shadowmane

More background on Soun Tendo's misspent youth, and Ryoga make a little revelation to Akane be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	28. Chapter 28

NabikiRan26 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-Seven.

Silk found herself awakening to a pleasant sense of warm and familiar environs, and it took a few moments after beginning to regain consciousness for her to recall exactly why that was. She was in Japan, not China, and the floor she was sleeping upon was the wooden paneling of the dojo, and the padding was a tami mat on top of a futon, a manner of bedroll that she had not used in a great many years. There was nothing like it in China, therefore

She rolled over slightly, seeing the familiar walls of a Japanese dojo, and not just any dojo HIS! It was not a dream or a flashback, and that shrine at one end, the sacred words of the Musabetsu-kakuto, or Anything Goes school all of it meant one thing she was back in Nerima!

"Took you long enough to wake up," a familiar voice spoke to her in Japanese.

Silk turned to see the profile of her longtime friend and companion. Comb sat by the door to the dojo looking thoughtful as she stared out into the garden of the Tendo estate. Comb was dressed in her silk pajamas and was barefoot, and the expression that she wore was not a warrior's stern visage. If anything she looked unusually pensive.

"How long have you been awake?" Silk asked, choosing Japanese as Comb had clearly decided to speak in the language of the country.

"A few hours," Comb sighed, "In truth I barely slept at all. It's hard to get past the fact that my daughter could be arriving home at any time "

"There's also Genma," Silk noted, and took small pleasure in the fact that she saw her friend's face twitch slightly.

"What about him?" Comb asked, "You think I'm that sentimental? I'm more concerned to find out about this son of his who has the Jusenkyo curse and has seduced my daughter."

"Well," Silk sat upright, "That's a first. Taking an interest in what Shampoo does, and after all this time of allowing your grandmother to make all the important decisions "

Comb shot her a savage look and said, "Don t. Don't you dare try and upbraid me about my daughter! You know the bargain I made with the Matriarch, the only terms she would accept to release me from my Warrior vows. You think it was easy for me to do what you did when you took up the teachings of your grandmother? I had to fight for every inch of the freedom I now enjoy, and if it were possible I would fight for Shampoo's freedom too. Besides you're hardly in a position to talk, considering how your daughter turned out."

"My," Silk remarked, "Aren't we touchy this morning? Get up on the wrong side of the futon?"

Comb was about to shoot an angry retort her way when they were surprised by a pleasant voice hailing them gently. They turned to see Kasumi approaching with a tray in hand and a beatific smile upon her lovely features.

"Good morning," she said to them as she set the tray down and then bowed to them in polite greeting, "I trust you both slept well last night? Father was concerned that you might be having trouble because of the time difference "

"A bit of jet-lag, yes," Silk smiled, "Thank you very much for asking, dear. What a polite young lady you are, and so thoughtful."

"Thoughtful but scary, " Comb murmured in Chinese, forgetting that the girl before her understood the language.

"Why is that, honored mother of my friend? " Kasumi asked.

"Ah never mind," Comb said, reverting back to Japanese, "It's just that you remind us so much of your late mother, isn't that right, Silk?"

"More in manners than in looks," Silk replied, "You are a girl she could be very proud of were she here to say so herself. Indeed any mother would be proud to claim you for her child," her tone sounded a bit wistful.

"Oh my, that's very nice of you to say, but it could not possibly be true," Kasumi said with an honestly modest expression, "Your own daughter must be someone you're very proud of, or else why did you come all this way looking for her?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Comb remarked, but Silk ignored her.

"We were wondering, child," Silk murmured softly, giving Comb a sly smile before continuing, "Would you happen to know if Saotome Nodoka is still around? We'd like to look her up, just for old time's sake, isn't that right, Comb-chan?"

Comb looked ready to say something nasty but held her peace as Kasumi said, "Oh my, I don't believe I even know. It has been so many years since I last saw Auntie Nodoka I'm certain that Uncle Genma has yet to even mention her since his return from China."

"Really?" Silk replied with an arched eyebrow, "Isn't that interesting "

Comb looked at her sharply, "You don't think ?"

"I would try not to, if I could help it," Silk replied, "But thoughts fly easily to conclusions that may as yet prove unfounded. My senses caution me that Nodoka is not yet with her ancestors, but neither is she present in Nerima. I'm very sure that I would sense her nearness."

Kasumi hesitated a moment while Comb pondered this message before voicing her next thought as she said softly, "Forgive me for asking this but your daughter what is she like?"

Both of the older women turned questioning looks her way before Silk finally managed to say, "Ah she's very much like you, child, at least there is a strong resemblance between you, just as I seem to have resembled your mother somewhat "

"I wonder why?" Comb sniffed, but Silk chose to ignore the interruption.

"Is she a great warrior, like Shampoo?" Kasumi asked in honest curiosity.

"My daughter is formidable fighter, yes," Silk replied, "But she follows a different path from the Warrior Arts. She was found, at an early age, to contain great spiritual power and was trained to be a hunter of all things dark and forbidden. She is a Devil Hunter, you see, a protector of humanity who combats supernatural threats that sometimes threaten our village. At least that has been her duty for the past several seasons, only a few weeks ago she disappeared without warning."

"Why do you suppose she did that?" Kasumi asked, "Didn't she leave you a message to tell you where she was going?"

"She did," Comb replied, "Which is why we're here."

"It was only a terse message," Silk replied, "Didn't really make much sense at the time, something about seeking her own shadow, although she used a word that in our language means a 'fetch" or Doppelganger. She also said something about seeking out the source of her origins, and it was only later that we deduced that she meant to come here to Nerima."

"We?" Comb sniffed, "You were the one who had that hunch a few days ago, and then you got me all worked up by mentioning my daughter."

"It's wasn't precisely a hunch, per se," Silk waved a hand in a vague gesture, "More like a feeling that came along with a dream that predicted that Ka-Chu would appear near this dojo, and that Shampoo was somehow involved. As soon as we knew that we figured that it had to do something with the business that has drawn our Matriarch and my grandmother to this place, a converging of destinies, if you will, which is why we boarded the first vehicle passing near to our village and then caught a flight from China to here. I only hope that we have arrived in time before Ka-Chu herself reaches Nerima."

"Why is that?" Kasumi asked.

Comb snorted before answering, "Because Amaguriken tends to make a loud and splashy entrance everywhere she goes, not unlike Shampoo. If she was in Nerima, you can bet you'd hear about it."

"Well, there hasn't been any word about anyone who resembles me," Kasumi smiled, "But it would be nice to meet her. I'm not sure why, but I have the oddest feeling that we should know each other on sight."

"That's putting it mildly," Comb blew on a strand of purple hair that fell across her face.

"I'm certain that she is coming this way," Silk mused, "If anything I believe that this dojo is serving like a magnet, figuring prominently in her dreams and visions."

"Oh my," Kasumi blinked, "And why is that?"

"Ah " Silk said evasively, "It's where I knew your-  
ah-her father "

"Good one," Comb snorted, "Real subtle, like in the Missionary Biblical sense."

"Be quiet," Silk said tiredly, "I met her father some time before I knew him, but this is almost the very spot where Ka-Chu was conceived," she patted the mat beside her, "I loved her father very much, but we chose not to marry, and I wanted to have some part of him to bring home with me, you see "

"Like a souvenir of your adventures?" Kasumi asked innocently, causing both women to stare at her in stark disbelief.

"She can't be serious," Comb murmured.

"I sense that she is," Silk replied, "No one is that good an actress."

"Oh my," Kasumi said as if a new thought had occurred to her, "If your daughter may be coming to this dojo, then I suppose I should make preparations for another guest. We do have spare futons, and I assume that she won't mind sleeping with you in the dojo, and this will give me the chance to try out some new recipes for Chinese dishes that I've been reading up on "

"What a sweet child you are," Silk smiled, "So kind and thoughtful "

"It's scary," Comb remarked in undertone, earning a dour look from her childhood companion.

"By the way," Kasumi indicated the tray she had brought with her, "I thought I'd try one of those recipes out. I hope you like it, it's Shampoo's favorite breakfast."

"My daughter told you what she likes?" Comb replied as she accepted one of the two bowls of steaming hot noodles that had a pleasing aroma of fish broth that made her almost feel like weeping like a man.

"Oh my," Silk said in genuine pleasure as she used her chopsticks to sample a bite-full, "This does taste like one of Shampoo's recipes, one she must have learned from your grandmother."

"Very scary, Comb whispered to herself as she finished chewing and swallowing her noodles, then in a tone of wonder she said, "It's delicious."

"Thank you," Kasumi said brightly before standing up again, "I'll come back for the bowls later. I've got to tend to the laundry and finish breakfast for father. I'd love to talk with you some more about your daughters. Shampoo is a wonderful person, and I'd really like to meet this Ka-Chu. Maybe after I get through straightening up inside you can tell me more about her."

As the chestnut haired girl left them to themselves, humming a happy tune that seemed to make everything look brighter in the day, she was unaware of the stares she was receiving from the two Amazons. Comb was the first to snap out of her daze and stare at the food she was holding, then murmur faintly, "And it's not even toxic!"

"Maybe you were right about them being exchanged in their cradles," Silk remarked, "No way can that be the daughter of Tsukino Kimiko!"

"I don't mind telling you this is freaking me out," Comb replied, "She's so nice and polite, it's almost inhuman!"

"Perhaps there is more here than meets the eye," Silk smiled, "This trip was definitely not so wasted as you feared. I must say that things are occurring all around us, and I for one am eager to see what happens next in this unfolding drama. "

"You may want to see it," Comb snorted, "But if more surprises like this are in store for us, then I, for one, think we ought to be on the next flight back to China, at least while my nerves are still steady."

"Suit yourself," Silk replied, shifting back to Japanese, "But if you leave before the fun really starts you'll never get the chance to tell Genma of your undying affection, and without Nodoka around to distract him well " she grinned, "You get the picture."

Comb glared at her companion and silently reminded herself that it was bad Jos to kill her best friend over such a trivial matter as Saotome Genma. Still her thoughts returned once more to Shampoo and what she must be going through at that moment courting the son of Genma and wondered why, all those years ago, she had ever given custody of her firstborn child to Cologne. As parental moves went it looked as sound to her as throwing her daughter into the springs of Jusenkyo. With her family's kind of luck it could just have well been Nannichuan, although the idea of Shampoo turning into a man was patently silly.

"And what do you plan to do?" she asked in low-voiced reply, "Seduce Soun under the same roof as Kimiko's daughters?"

"I'm sure that she never intended for him to live alone for the rest of his years," Silk replied pleasantly, "He's still young, and I'm sure her spirit will understand if I take up her burden."

Comb spared a moment of pity for Soun Tendo. Silk may have been as smooth as her name, but when it came to predatory instincts she was as tenacious as a ferret. She only wished that she were as certain about her own desires in these matters, or that she could have spoken with her husband once again to reassure him of her devotion. She wasn't sure how she would react to the sight of Genma after all these years, but knowing the way he behaved he was probably still bald, a lot fatter and just as stupid.

For the life of her she could not understand why merely thinking that was making her feel like butterflies were crawling in her belly. Probably nausea, she decided, and resolved to brew a stomach remedy for it after breakfast

"Oh man," Ranma groaned, feeling the ache of the numerous wasp stingers still embedded in his skin, which thankfully were not as many as there had been the day before, "I'm gonna kill Pop one of these days, him and his stupid ideas for training "

Ranma fell silent as a sound suddenly caught his attention, the sound of metal clanking against metal in a staccato rhythm that unmistakably signified combat. He quickened his pace and hurried back to camp as best he was able for all his soreness, only to find a battle royal had indeed broken out in his absence.

To his considerable amazement he saw Ukyo and Shampoo go at it, spatula to bonbori, clashing in a duel that looked more savage than any mere practice session. To one side was his father and the old woman, each sizing the two combatants up with professional scrutiny, while Nabiki sat on a log and watched the whole thing with wide-eyed attentiveness.

Ranma stood where he was and watched the exchanges between his childhood friend and the Amazon for several minutes, seeing the two fight to a virtual standoff before separating to size each other up from a distance of a few meters. As they slowly started to circle, looking for fresh openings in their respective defenses, Shampoo said in casual appraisal, "You fight well for outsider. You think you good enough for Airen?"

"Well enough," Ukyo replied while casually twirling her bakers peel as though it were a more conventional staff or broad-ax, "I've been training all my life, sugar, in my family's combat style, and a little I've picked here and there in my travels."

"So you say, Spatula " Shampoo caught herself, suddenly spotting Ranma as he came into her line of sight while they circled, and she hastily amended her next words, "Boy but you no good enough to take Shampoo if you no fight with weapons."

"Boy?" Ukyo hesitated for a fraction of an instant as the Amazon suddenly darted in for an attack, catching Ukyo by surprise as she had not been prepared for the furious onslaught of those metal spheres attacking at near-  
Amaguriken speed, and within two seconds she disarmed Ukyo, sending her spatula tumbling out of her hands. As chance would have it the thing flew by Ranma, who snatched it out of the air one-handed.

"Hey, be careful with this thing," Ranma said, "You might have hurt somebody."

"Ranchan?" Ukyo whirled around, momentarily forgetting about her opponent.

"Shampoo's right," Ranma said as he approached his old friend, "Fighting with a weapon ain't necessarily the best way to train. I hope you also trained in unarmed combat or somebody like her could demolish you and what's the idea anyway, picking a fight with one of my girlfriends?"

"One of your ?" Ukyo blinked while Nabiki looked non-  
plussed and Shampoo started to glow a little.

"I'm just kidding," Ranma clapped Ukyo on the arm and gave her a comradely smile, "But Shampoo's an Amazon and she's got these rules you ought to know about. If she beats you, she may wind up being your fianc e."

"My fianc e?" Ukyo repeated blankly.

"Hey, it's better than when I first met her," Ranma continued, oblivious to the various looks he was getting from everyone present, "I wasn't even a guy at the time and I thought she was going to kill me. That's how it is, you know if you re a girl she has to kill you, if you're a guy you have to get married."

"Oh," Shampoo suddenly spoke up, "But this only practice! No count if outsider girl or boy spar with Shampoo. It same as when fight other Amazon, no count like official challenge by outsider."

"This is true, you know," Lotion said casually, "The rule only does apply in matters of challenge. It would be very hard to train warriors if they were always taking it so serious all of the time, and at Festivals we'd wind up losing more than half of them! This was just a friendly match and does not count as an actual challenge."

"The boy does have a point, though, Ukyo," Genma remarked, "I hope you've trained as hard in unarmed combat styles as you have with kitchen utensils."

"Shut up, old man," Ukyo snarled, "The last thing I need is to hear from you."

"Ah, you can beat up on him later," Ranma said dismissively, "Tell you what, why don't you spar with me for a bit without the weapons. I'll go easy on you so you won't get injured."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ukyo frowned, "You think I'm weak?"

"No, I never said that," Ranma fell into a fighting crouch, having tossed the bakers peel to one side as he forgot about his wasp stings, feeling the excitement of a challenge, "But suppose we find out? We never did finish that match we had in the schoolyard."

"Shampoo recall you winning," the Amazon sniffed, but turned her back on the pair and marched over to sit down next to Nabiki, her bonbori mysteriously vanishing mid-way to her second Airen.

Ranma wondered what was eating her, then decided that the last thing he needed was to distract himself trying to figure out women. Instead he concentrated his focus upon Ukyo, who was also assuming a fighting crouch, and the two of them began to circle as they looked for an opening. Ranma studied his opponent's posture and the shifting glide of the Okonomiyaki chef's steps, then made a casual remark, "Shotokan Karate, am I right?"

"Yeah," Ukyo replied, "And a little bit of Kempo, which I started studying after the way you used to humiliate me in our fights."

"You're not going to let me up on that, are you?" Ranma smiled, feeling the old spark of childhood mischief take over as he felt nostalgia for those carefree, happy days.

"Not on your life!" Ukyo grinned before launching into an all-out offensive of punches and kicks that showed a masterful ability to blend the styles they had mentioned.

While they fought Nabiki gave Ukyo a studied look, then glanced at her companion and said, "You did know that there was never any danger of you fighting her and gaining a new Airen or was it the kiss of death you were thinking about?"

"Shampoo no know what you talking about," Shampoo replied in a totally unconvincing tone of voice, but then she smiled and said, "Thought did cross Shampoo's mind that maybe she tease Spatula Girl if Shampoo lose, not that she think it likely."

"She is good," Nabiki said, watching Ranma spar with the disguised girl-chef, "But you're obviously better."

"Obvious," Shampoo sniffed, "Shampoo know some Amazons no mind she girl, they fight just to date her."

"I guess she would be quite a catch," Nabiki sniffed, remembering vividly how she had been taken in by Ukyo's androgynous good looks.

"Shampoo think she have more than enough Airen," Shampoo said after another long moment of mutual silence, "No need one more to make family, and Spatula Girl seem like Airen more than she like Shampoo or Nabiki."

"I think you're right about that," Nabiki agreed, "Three's enough of a crowd, but what do we do if Ukyo decides she likes Ranma enough to press her claim on him?"

Shampoo was unusually thoughtful as she chewed that one over, then softly said, "Then maybe she need find somebody else she like more."

"You have anyone in mind?" Nabiki asked.

"No," Shampoo replied, "But maybe we find somebody who like girl who dress like boy and fight like Amazon. Is much like you find boy you think good enough to maybe take Shampoo away from Airen."

Nabiki made a point to look up at the treetops and quietly sweat that part in silence, thinking privately to herself that she would probably never hear the end of that little escapade from her companion.

"Far be it from me to advise you two on your business," said Lotion as she appeared at their side and gently inserted herself into their conversation, "I would not be so quick to dismiss Kuonji-san as you two seem to be doing. Look again at what you see before you. Is there something of importance in this fight that the two of you may be missing?"

Both girls did as the Elder suggested and truly watched the match going on between Ranma and Ukyo. After a few moments Shampoo said, "Airen play with Spatula Girl, he no press her to win fight."

"Yeah," Nabiki agreed, "I've been wondering about that. Ranma isn't going all out, or he could have taken her by now, but it's not because of his usual reluctance about hitting women, either."

"So much for stating the obvious," Lotion sighed, "Now do you notice anything else that might be worthy of your mutual attention?"

"How you mean, Elder?" Shampoo frowned in puzzlement, the looked to Nabiki to see if she had a clue, only to catch the studied glance in her companion as Nabiki truly began to pay attention to the way Ranma was behaving around his former childhood companion.

"He looks happy," she said in quiet dismay, now at last seeing what the old woman had wanted them both to see, as Ranma was all but chasing Ukyo around in an elaborate game of tag, keeping just a step behind her while avoiding closing the distance. The punches and kicks they did exchange, while powerful and precisely aimed, did not really connect with any genuine force as Ukyo was allowed to dart away in the end, clearly enjoying herself no less than was Ranma.

"You are witnessing a friendship rekindled," Lotion said, "This is a side of your fianc e that neither one of you has ever seen before. This is something that has been missing from his life, something he has not even known that he was missing, and can either of you hazard a guess what that is?"

Shampoo swallowed, not wanting to say aloud the thought that was crossing her mind unbidden, that Ranma looked happy because he had found a companion he could treat almost as an equal, someone who was not competing against him like herself or Ryoga but who was matching him for style and giving him the companionship he desperately longed for. Thinking this her hands reached down to grip the bark of the log that they were sitting upon and tear loose huge handfuls without even noticing that she had done so.

Nabiki was startled by the sound this made, but she, too, was noticing the way Ranma was carrying on with his former "best-buddy," and it was causing her to feel a surge of intense jealousy that he could open up with the chef as he would not open up around her, for all the quiet, understated feelings they had sometimes shared between them. Lotion was right, Ranma was playing with Ukyo as if the two were a couple of children rough housing like old times. Ukyo was just skilled enough to give Ranma a good chase but not fast enough to trigger his strong competitive streak and it was close to being torture just watching them get along like that. She felt an irrational desire to shout out the truth, to expose Ukyo for what she was, to lash out at them both in her feelings of betrayal and exclusion

She stopped herself with considerable effort, taking a deep breath and saying, "Kuonji is a dead woman if she tries to take advantage of him like this "

"Xi Fang Gao?" Shampoo asked softly.

"Not yet," Nabiki replied, but with less insistence than before, taking another deep breath before saying, "Ranma doesn't know she's a girl, he doesn't realize what he's doing, thinks he's just playing with a friend and can't be blamed for the fact that she's really his fianc e, like us."

"Nonetheless," Lotion said softly, "You both still want to punish him. And yet ask yourselves who is truly at fault here? Who chose not to tell Ranma the truth about Kuonji? You both have your reasons, but was it fair to exclude him from your initial decision?"

That made Nabiki quiet for several seconds, then she replied, "It wouldn't have been fair to Ranma making him know the real reason why Ukyo was after him. He'd feel responsible for her, and he might even want to do something about it."

"Yet it is his choice to make, you must admit," Lotion murmured, "How do you suppose he will feel when he finds out that you two have been keeping this secret from him? He might be angry with Kuonji-san, but he trusts the both of you, to a certain mixed degree. Who then is the real betrayer?"

Nabiki was sweating that one out as Shampoo turned to the old woman and said, "Elder, what about Shampoo right to keep Airen from other woman? Amazon no let outsider girl have way with husband "

"And yet you made this exception with Nabiki," Lotion nodded to the Tendo girl, "Is it so far-fetched that you might at least consider making another?"

"What are you saying, Lotion-san?" Nabiki asked, "You think we ought to include Ukyo into our marriage? It's going to be a hard enough time selling the idea of Shampoo and me to my father, but adding one more without consulting Ranma "

"Yes," Lotion sighed, "As you say it would take some effort. I would not advise you here to go one way or the other on this matter, simply to think carefully about your options. At present you hold one advantage over your prospective rival: she fears the boy's reaction to the truth, fears that he will consider her silence betrayal. As incredible as it might seem to you, he is being faithful in his heart to you both and would not understand your sudden resentment of his friend. He does not think himself to be the one in error, and from his perspective he is entirely correct. Therefore Kuonji might be amenable to persuasion should you suggest an alternative to pursuing her engagement."

"But sooner or later he's got to know the truth," Nabiki said, "I mean how can he not know if he can pick up her fighting style at a glance? Can't he see from the way she moves that she's different?"

"To see is one thing," Lotion replied, "But to accept what you see without bias that takes some effort. No doubt on some level the boy is troubled by nagging doubt and uncertainty caused by those little things he cannot help but notice, but he will continue to ignore these discrepancies and put them out of his mind as of no consequence since they would get in the way of his simple enjoyment of friendship. He wants desperately to know at least one warrior who thinks well of him and is not out to punish him for the sins of his father."

Nabiki subsided as she continued to think that one over, then said, "I guess I should have given him more of the benefit of the doubt. I know Ranma cares for me for us and he wouldn't be cheating in front of our faces like that unless he had some kind of a death wish."

"Or he just very stupid," Shampoo added.

"That too," Nabiki nodded.

"You both are still quite young," Lotion remarked, "And the young tend to be somewhat obsessive. It is natural to feel encroached by an attractive woman courting the affections of your man, however indirectly. As for being less than fully observant, well you are still in training as a Lore Master. It will be some time before you learn to accept the hidden messages your mind is telling you on a subconscious level, before you learn to trust your intuition and accept the truth when you see it. You must learn to think with your heart as well as hour head. That, too, is one of the valuable lessons I would share with you at such time as I judge that you are ready."

"Shampoo still think she pound Spatula Girl who take advantage of Airen," Shampoo sighed, "But no think it make any difference. Ranma like pervert girl because he treat like friend. Shampoo no have friend who play with her like that, no even Cousin or girl who betray her."

"And who is that?" Nabiki asked, wondering if they were even discussing someone who was still among the living, "This Ambergris you mentioned ?"

"Ambergris very powerful fighter," Shampoo said, "Use Naginata as weapon, approach Shampoo one year ago when she still grieving for somebody she know who important."

Nabiki sensed that the one not being named had deep significance for her companion, which both intrigued and piqued her interest, but rather than pry she merely urged her to continue.

Shampoo took a deep sigh before resuming, "Ambergris girl who very smart, learn much from other girls by challenging them to combat. She study girl's technique before learn how to master it, so when they fight she already have advantage. She try same thing with Shampoo, only she no attack right away. Shampoo strongest girl in age group, already good reputation as fighter, she think she need more time to learn, so she pretend to be friend and make Shampoo relax a little. We train together, do things we no do with other girls, no even cousin. Cousin Perfume she no trust other girl, think she try get Shampoo off guard, warn Shampoo, but she no listen. Then Ambergris challenge Shampoo and she see at last that Ambergris only become friend to betray her."

"So what happened?" Nabiki asked, sensing a pensive sadness from the Amazon's expression.

Shampoo looked away as she answered, "Shampoo decide teach Ambergris lesson. We fight, but she no say anything, just stare hard at girl who betray trust, make her very nervous, start to lose edge as Ambergris see Shampoo control her anger. She become very careless, leave opening, and Shampoo take advantage with sword " she paused, taking a deep breath while closing her eyes as the memory resurfaced with full potency in spite of a year having elapsed.

"Did you " Nabiki hesitated before completing her question, "Kill her?"

Shampoo looked at her in surprise, then glanced away and said, "No kill girl who betray her. Shampoo no kill no take easy way to punish girl. Shampoo instead give Ambergris cut along side of face right here," she indicated her right cheek, "Deep enough to leave scar, then walk away and leave her. Ambergris leave village shortly after this and no hear from again. Shampoo sometime wonder what happen to her, if she still alive or maybe come looking for revenge against Shampoo."

"You scarred her," Nabiki said, "But you didn't kill her in spite of the fact you know that she'll probably want to come after you again?"

Shampoo looked at Nabiki, then shot a nervous glance towards Lotion before looking out at the continuing battle between Ranma and Ukyo and sighed, "Perfume ask Shampoo same question, want to go after Amber and make certain she no return, but Shampoo forbid it, make cousin promise she no hunt down girl who betray trust. Perfume no like Ambergris, they always rivals. Shampoo no want to be excuse for one killing the other, no sure it no be cousin."

"There's no shame in admitted to the truth, child," Lotion gently murmured, "Tell her the rest of the matter. Your Great Grandmother may not know, but your wife deserves to know the truth that you have been hiding."

"What truth?" Nabiki looked from the old woman to Shampoo in confusion, "What have you been hiding?"

The Amazon heaved a sigh once again then said, "Shampoo no kill never kill before, no find she want kill even when she angry. Shampoo try to kill Ranma when he girl no find it easy, and no just because he very good fighter. Shampoo was faster than Ranma, much faster before he learn Amaguriken, and she many times come close to killing Ranma, always stop at last instant, or miss Ranma when she have easy target. Sometime miss by very small margin, other time miss by mile, and Shampoo never miss. You remember moment when Shampoo learn truth about Ranma?"

Nabiki slowly nodded, recalling vividly the look in Ranma's eyes when he had stumbled in girl form with Shampoo hovering over him about to deliver a crushing bonbori blow, only to hesitate at the last instant.

"Shampoo know she no can kill Ranma," Shampoo reply, "Same as when she think you betray trust and she mad enough to kill you. Shampoo so close, have no trouble breaking neck of Sneaky Girl but Shampoo no can kill, even if she hurt from being deceived like she was in village."

"So " Nabiki felt her mouth suddenly go dry, but she swallowed the dry lump forming there and said, "It wasn't just because you found out that you were in love with Ranma?"

The Amazon shook her head affirmatively, "Shampoo know she truly care for Ranma, no can hurt Ranma, even if she girl that law say she must kill. Why you think Great Grandmother so angry that she curse Shampoo at Jusenkyo? Think maybe have animal nature make Shampoo more aggressive, gain instinct for killing. It no work like that, of course, Shampoo still no want kill even Stupid Rose Girl for bothering Ranma. Maybe only kill if forced to, but no by choice " she sighed, "This very bad for warrior of Joketsuzoku. Many enemies no stop unless kill. Shampoo think maybe she get angry enough she hurt enemy very bad, but no can kill them."

"You have too much of your mother in you, child," Lotion averred, "She made the same discovery long ago, before she even met your father. That's why she decided to give up her warrior vows and devote herself to her talent as a healer "

"And why she promised Cologne her first born child as a substitute?" Nabiki said as she turned a hard stare at the older woman.

Shampoo looked at her sharply, "What you say, Nabiki?"

"That's it, isn't it?" Nabiki asked the Elder, ignoring her Amazon wife's puzzled expression, "Cologne was training Shampoo's mother to become her successor, only Comb decided she didn't want any part of it, so she made a deal with her grandmother to allow Cologne to have custody over her daughter. In other words, Shampoo's obligation to the Matriarch was the price her mother paid to retire from warrior service."

"Very good," Lotion remarked as Shampoo sat where she was with a dumbstruck expression, "You pieced that together from some rather broad clues, I'll admit, and it was no real challenge for one of your talents, but you are starting to develop one of the skills essential to being a Lore Master: the ability to divine secrets."

"Save it," Nabiki said, "You're essentially telling me that Shampoo was traded on a promise like a character out of Rumplestilskin, and she never really had any say in the matter because the deal was done before she was even a gleam in the eyes of her mother. Is that how you Amazons routinely do your business?"

"No," Lotion replied, "Shampoo's situation was exceptional. Cologne had such great hopes for Comb, as she had for Soap before her. She wanted a daughter of her family line to carry on the tradition of being the leader of the Joketsuzoku, so she has been training Shampoo every day of her life to make her the finest warrior of our tribe. Unfortunately Cologne, in spite of being very wise in other matters, has always had a problem with her interpersonal skills, so while she always acts with the best of intentions, the net results of her actions are often quite different from what she has expected."

"Meaning that she feels free to mess around in people's lives without consideration for their feelings?" Nabiki asked, "What does Shampoo get out of the deal? Has anyone ever asked how she feels about being treated like a bargaining chip between her elders? Hey, Sham-chan, has anyone even asked you if you want to be the leader of the Joketsuzoku?"

Shampoo had been staring off into space with a shocked expression, but now she snapped back to reality as she turned a confused look towards Nabiki, then looked away again and whispered, "No nobody ever ask Shampoo that question "

"So there you have it," Nabiki turned back to Lotion, "And what are you going to do if she decides she doesn't even want to go back to Joketsuzoku? Force her to become leader anyway? That makes a lot of sense make her loathe the job and detest her duties, then expect her to feel well motivated."

"I'm not the one doing this to her," Lotion gently reminded, "If it were up to me she would be free of all such obligations, and I quite agree that she can never become leader unless her motives for doing so came from the heart. Only Shampoo can determine if she is ready or not for such an awesome responsibility, to say nothing of the sacrifices she would be forced to suffer."

"Consequences?" Nabiki asked, looking and sounding somewhat puzzled.

"Think about it, child," Lotion replied, "You know how powerful even an average warrior of our village can be? Imagine entrusting a whole village of such warriors into the hands of someone not fit to lead our people. Would you trust someone who wanted this job or one who has the ability of a great leader? Well, the Matriarch wishes to personally shape the one who will come after her, only her mistake is in thinking the authority for that was ever in her hands to begin with."

"So, you know somebody else better suited for the job?" Nabiki asked before looking up to take notice of the fact that Ranma and Ukyo had stopped playing their game of Martial Arts Tag and were now headed in their direction.

"As a matter of fact I do have a very good idea of who will be our next Matriarch," Lotion replied, "And it is not Shampoo, even though I think that she would make a fine leader for our village."

"Then who?" Shampoo asked before turning to smile towards Ranma.

"You two have fun?" Nabiki asked casually, giving no indication of the serious conversation that had just been abbreviated.

"Oh yeah, lots of fun," Ranma grinned, "It's been a while since I could cut loose like that without all the stress and hassle that's been bugging me lately. You gave me a good run out there, Ukyo "

"Liar," Ukyo grinned back, obviously enjoying herself in spite of a slightly guilty look that remained in her eyes when Ranma was not looking, "You were holding back, and I could tell. Now I'm gonna have to train real hard so that next time I can give you a legitimate challenge."

"Ah, forget about it," Ranma clapped her on the shoulder, "But you see what I was trying to tell you? You gotta work out more often without that huge spatula of yours. You may be pretty tough with it, but I could still beat you, and without it you're almost as pathetic as Ryoga."

"Ryoga," Ukyo paused, "He's that boy you're training to fight against, right? The one who's practicing breaking his head against a rock?"

Shampoo could not help snorting a laugh, "More like other way. He no need Breaking Point technique with head that hard!"

"So," Nabiki said with deceptive casualness, "You two enjoy sparring together like a couple of old school chums. Must be pretty exciting for you, having a friend who's that good who isn't out to either kill or marry you, right?"

Ukyo lost her smile while Ranma just kept on grinning, "Hey, it's just like old times when we used to play together as kids. Remember that guy who tried to rip you off once, Ucchan? What'd he call himself? The Poker King, something like that?"

"The Gambler King?" Ukyo replied, "Oh sure, how could I forget? He tried to cheat us at cards, even got the marker for my father's Yatai uh " she lost her smile again as the rest of her memories resurfaced.

"Yeah, but we sure fixed him," Ranma turned back, "I feel pretty good after that last work out, but I hope you girls can get lunch started soon because I'm staring to get hungry."

"You're always hungry, boy," Genma clapped his son on the shoulder, only to elicit a wince that made the older man's eyes widen, "Opps sorry about that, forgot about the Wasps "

"Shampoo," Lotion said, "Why don't you help your Airen by applying more of that healing solve that we brewed for his stings. You can do it over there where we girls won't be too badly affected by the sight of his manly frame uncovered."

"Hiyaa, Elder," Shampoo said happily as she got to her feet with her usual bouncy enthusiasm, "Ranma, you come right now and let Shampoo look at you for herself "

"Ahem," Nabiki said but remained sitting, fixing Ukyo with her gaze, silently conveying her desire for a private talk, which the Okonomiyaki chef understood implicitly. She waited until Ranma was led away a short distance before sitting down on the log beside Nabiki.

"Okay, say it," Ukyo growled in a somewhat gruff tone, "You two were looking daggers at me the whole time I was sparring with Ranchan. You think I'm trying to hit on him, is that it?"

"Not at all," Nabiki said smoothly, "It's just that Ranma seemed to be enjoying his time with you an awful lot, and it's obvious he's opening up to you like he never does with us. So what is there for us to be jealous about, I ask you? Just because you can rub our noses with the fact that Ranma treats you more like an equal "

"Hey, I get the point!" Ukyo snarled, "I don't need the sarcasm, all right? It's just there's nothing for you to feel jealous about. Ranma thinks I'm a guy, so he's treating me like a guy, and that's how guys like to act together. Believe me, I've watched enough guys horse around to know how they act together."

"And you've never behaved like that yourself?" Nabiki asked with suspicion.

"Not totally," Ukyo said uneasily, "I've had friends before, you know, but well, most of them are real jerks, when you come down to it. Ranma's different he acts different around me because we kind of get along like old buddies are supposed to, you know what I mean?"

"Not exactly," Nabiki replied, "But I'm getting a good impression of what you're trying to say. Mind you, I don't mind the idea of Ranma having other friends, or even good ones he can let loose and pal around with, but you're not really a guy. That kind of makes it special, and with you being engaged to him and all "

"I know," Ukyo sighed, looking away, "And you know what the worst part of it is? When he finds out the truth he's gonna wind up hating my guts for not telling him sooner."

"Not if you come clean now," Nabiki said, "While there's still time to head off disaster."

"You think I don't know that?" Ukyo said as she shifted uneasily on the log, "It's just hard to let it go to let him in on my big secret. In a way it is his fault I started dressing up as a boy all those years ago, only it was also Dad's fault for treating me so different. I don't want Ranma to suffer because of some stupid decision made by our fathers even if I was the one who asked Dad to engage me to Ranchan in the first place."

Nabiki's eyebrows arched, "You wanted to get engaged with him, even knowing he already was promised to either me or one of my sisters?"

"No!" Ukyo replied, "It wasn't like that! I didn't know he already had a fianc e, I just thought it'd be nice to have Ranma around all the time, like maybe we could play house together. You know what little girls are like, didn't you ever imagine playing housewife to some boy you liked?"

Nabiki did not immediately answer, but then she said very softly, "No actually the games I played I was sort of a Banker never really imagined myself as any sort of housewife "

"Good for you," Ukyo sniffed, "But for me it was my last fantasy of becoming like my mother. I was barely even able to remember her, and with Dad taking me from place to place I never got to set in any roots, but I'd see other young girls with their mothers and I started to fanaticize a little. Then Genma ran off with both Ranchan and my father's Yatai," she gave the older Saotome a very sour look, " and those fantasies died in me, like I was never going to find another guy who made me feel that way, like I was glad to be a woman."

"But in the final analysis it was still your decision to turn your back on being a woman," Nabiki pointed out, "You can't blame Ranma for thinking you're such a really cool guy now. Even I was fooled for a while there. Your act was nearly perfect."

"But you can't hide the basic construction that makes all the difference," Ukyo sighed, then thought a moment before adding, "Well maybe Ranma can, but he uses magic."

"So what are you going to do?" Nabiki asked, "He deserves to hear the truth one of these days."

"I know," Ukyo stared wistfully to where Shampoo and Ranma were crouched together, Ranma having taken off his shirt while the Amazon slowly rubbed lotion onto his skin, and for a moment it was her turn to look jealous, "I can't just drop this on him, though, not until I'm certain about my own feelings. I mean, Dad made that stupid provision in his will and " she sighed, "I don't know what to do! I feel so trapped here, like I want to tell him, but I'm afraid Ranchan will start to treat me different "

"You can't put this thing off forever," Nabiki warned her, "Shampoo and I can't keep covering for you either. Sooner or later Ranma's going to find out and then we'll all be in a lot of trouble."

Both girls gave depressed-sounding sighs and stared at the smoking embers of the fire, neither saying another word for the next several minutes. Lotion was studying them from a discrete distance when her focus shifted and her face grew slightly tense with concentration. Genma, who was standing beside her, chanced to notice this and said, "What's wrong? Indigestion?"

"No," Lotion stared off into space, "Something more ominous like a gathering of forces. A storm is brewing on the horizon and I think it may break soon, like a summer squall, or perhaps even a royal tempest."

"That sounds bad," Genma replied, "Anything we can do to prepare?"

"No, nothing," Lotion replied, "Events are already in motion. Best to continue the training everything will sort itself out in the end, just as it usually does. You should know how it is from your own experiences from long ago, when you were your son's age."

"I wonder," Genma had a look that was very unusual for him: thoughtful, "Was I ever really that young? Sometimes I think those days are a part of the reason my hair fell out so early. I guess it was just inevitable that I'd have to grow up eventually "

"Yes," Lotion smiled, "And when you finally do, be sure to notify the rest of us," but while she took pleasure in the man's indignant reply she was inwardly worried. The sensations she was feeling were very familiar and very intense, and if she guessed correctly at whom it was that approached Nerima like a tidal storm then her warning to Genma was a mild understatement. The fight between the boys would only be a prelude to the real challenge that would confront them all like the judgement of heaven

"Are we finally there?" Captain D'Amour demanded of his first officer, "I swear if we have to go one more league with that woman aboard "

"We're there, sir," Kawada replied in his most reassuring tones, "That's Tokyo harbor dead ahead. We're pulling up towards your favorite spot, the pier that leads to the warf with all the loose women and the best underground gambling dives in the province "

"That's fine, just as long as we get her off my ship!" D'Amour swore, "Have somebody inform her that we'll be in port within the next twenty minutes. I don't want her staying here another second longer than absolutely "

There was an explosive sound coming from somewhere down below on the main deck, and followed closely by a second, similar explosion, which prompted Kawada to say, "Something tells me she already knows, capt'n. Sounds like she's in just as much of a hurry to get off as you are."

"Doesn't she know that cabin doors cost money?" D'Amour growled, "What is it with these Amazons anyway? First that one with the Pink hair insults me and refused my advances what was her name again? Some kind of aftershave product "

"Perfume, sir," Kawada replied.

"Don't be ridiculous," the Captain snorted, "I'd never use something like that after shaving."

"No wait!" Kawada suddenly corrected himself, "My mistake, that was Ambergris. Perfume was the one with the axes! Remember her, sir, the one who gave you a close shave "

"Oh yes," the Captain rubbed his chin, "Closest shave I've ever imagined. Any lower and I'd be using my head for a paperweight "

"More use than it usually gets," said the crewmember known as Frog, who promptly got clobbered for his sober appraisal.

"Want me to make sure she gets off without incident, sir?" said a huge, burly black man named Brunt, "Just to make sure there are no further incidents with the crew?"

"Good thinking," D'Amour replied, "We don't need any more of them being rendered unfit for duty. We're undermanned as it is, which reminds me be sure to recruit some more volunteers when we pick up the rest of the supplies."

"It'll be a pleasure like always, sir," Kawada said as he hefted a billy club he carried for such "special occasions."

"Why doesn't anything like this ever happen to that accursed Lao?" D'Amour said as he rubbed his temples, "Violent women ought to be her problem. Just once I wish I were the one who had all the luck with the submissives "

"Hey!" said Chief Navigator Aki, "Wait up! Aren't you going to let me get a chance to say good-bye after I finally got you to where you wanted to go?"

"You got me there all right," snapped the chestnut haired Amazon to the Japanese crewmember who was approaching, "Over a week late, and with only a hundred miles of ocean to cross! Whoever's piloting this ship is a bloody idiot, and that goes double for your Captain!"

"Uh, yeah, well I agree with the Captain part," Aki said evasively, "So you're finally here, so what do you intend to do when you're in my home country?"

"I intend to find the evil demon ghost that has been haunting my nights and kill it," replied the Chinese girl, "I cannot permit a fiend who bears my likeness to go on existing, drawing bit by bit upon my soul, gradually absorbing every vital thing about me until there is nothing left but the bare frame of my identity! Doppelgangers do that to a person, you know, that's why you can never trust them!"

"Right," Aki replied, not certain that she understood a word of what the other girl was saying, even if she did share an understanding of Mandarin thanks to her long travels, "Before you go, though, I want to thank you again. What you did for me when I "

"Don't mention it," the other woman said dismissively, "Stand Users are a breed apart, and what was done to you was evil. It cannot fully be reversed, but altering its nature was a service I could not help but render. It was my duty as a Hunter of the Dark to see that you gained some control over your existence, especially after I unintentionally triggered your beserker mechanism."

"Ah one other thing," Aki said somewhat reluctantly, "You told me you didn't speak much Japanese "

"I learned a little from my mother," the other woman replied, "Not enough to carry on a decent conversation, but I know of a way to strengthen my command of your language. Don't worry about me, I'll get by on my own. I'm used to it anyway."

"I'm not worried," Aki smiled, "You can handle yourself almost as good as me, and you don't have my little problem with directions."

"No," sniffed Ka-Chu, "Small thanks for that. You also don't have my problem," she looked away before adding, "I always know where I'm going before I arrive. It's just the where, how and under what conditions that give me a problem "

"Respects from the captain," said Brunt, "He's asked me to see that you get safely on shore "

"Your captain is a worthless piece of floating human garbage!" Ka-Chu snapped, "This ship is a monstrous pile of festering energy and it makes my teeth rattle on edge just to suffer being here for over a week! The sooner I am on dry land the better, seasickness would be preferable to festering another moment on this garbage scow of an aptly-named vessel!"

"What did she say?" Brunt asked uncertainly.

"The usual kind sentiments we get for passengers who had to pay money," Aki replied.

"Oh," Brunt nodded, "That's what it sounded like. This way, lady, we'll lower the gang plank for you "

"Keep your filthy hands off me, Male!" Ka-Chu snapped as she walked right by the burly man, who made a point to get as far out of his way as was permitted by the narrow walkway.

Aki followed after the Amazon girl until they reached the bow of the ship, which was only just coming up alongside the nearest pier, and she was about to ask what Ka-Chu was doing there when the place to debark was along the portside of the vessel. Before she could say a word, however, she saw the Amazon raise her hands then make a series of complex finger gestures, and a moment later a wind was kicked up that blew her long brown hair about and caused her Amazon clothing to rustle. Another moment later the strange woman began to rise off the deck, lifting into the air as though invisible hands were gently carrying her from the Gods-forsaken vessel.

Aki shielded her face against the wind as she continued to watch the other girl drift slowly landward, then continue on beyond the shore and the rows of buildings that lined the docks and lower portion of town. She vanished a few moments later as the wind returned to normal, then subsided altogether.

"What do you think that was all about?" asked Brunt as he came to stand alongside the Navigator.

"I don't know," Aki replied, "But I've got a feeling things are about to get interesting wherever it is that she's going "

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Crosstime Parallel Association Bridge Parties: shadowmane

The battle between Ranma and Ryoga is only a prelude, it's coming up very soon, I promise! Be there

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	29. Chapter 29

NabikiRan27 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-Eight.

Cologne winced as she sampled the latest attempt by the Tendo girl at preparing a meal. It turned out that appearances were indeed far less grotesque than the resulting flavor, being somewhat between horrible and utterly toxic. It was a very good thing that she had trained early in her life to resist poisons of every known kind because the aftertaste of that very mild sample made her suspect that a new kind had just been brewed from a seemingly harmless recipe for Tapura.

"Well?" Akane asked nervously, "How is it? Is it any good?"

Cologne forced her eyes to open and refocus on the shorthaired girl. She was not at all surprised to find her vision doubled, but it cleared itself up after a moment of concentration

"No child," Cologne said as gently as she could manage, "I'm afraid you do need more practice."

She could see how deflated the Japanese girl before her was at the kindly attempt at being honest and for some reason she felt bad about causing her to suffer such humiliation. How odd that she, an Elder with a reputation for ruthlessness, should be affected by the girl's innocent charm. Akane Tendo was the type of person who could seem so sweet and harmless on most occasions, yet revert to utter savagery on a moment's notice. In spite of this child's temper rivaling a certain Demon Hunter Cologne knew all too well, she really did project an air of earnestness that made you want to shelter her from the brutal truth of her utter incapacity for domestic service.

And it was really quite amazing or appalling when she thought about it. She had stood there watching the girl prepare her ingredients and mix them in the pot, studied her motions carefully and was quite certain this time that she had preempted several attempts at adding the wrong materials, as she had during her previous attempts. This time Akane's well-meaning attempts at "improving" on the recipe had not done more harm than if she had intended to deliberately spoil the mixture. How then could Cologne account for the results turning out to be just as awful?

Still some maternal quirk in her nature prompted Cologne to try to sound encouraging, "Don't let it depress you, child, many of the finest chefs started out barely able to boil water, and there is no shame in admitting that your talents may lay elsewhere. Many of our finest warriors have no skills around the house whatsoever. Why, Shampoo's mother can barely cook rice without setting her own house on fire. It is the men in our village who are expected to carry the burdens of preparing our dinner."

"Maybe so, Elder," Akane replied, "But I want so much for Ryoga to like something I make for him, and not just pretend to like it. I feel so bad about him getting sick like that I guess I added a little too much paprika to those lentils "

"That wasn't paprika, child," Cologne said as gently as she could manage, "That was basil, and you mixed the cinnamon up with the garlic. You really must make a point of reading the labels on ingredient containers before you use them."

"Oh," Akane looked crestfallen, "I guess maybe I ought to be more careful "

Cologne gave the shorthaired girl a kindly smile and said, "You'll learn in time, child. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. Why, when I was your age there were a great many things that seemed utterly beyond my wildest hopes of achievement, and now I can do them in my sleep "

"Like the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken?" Akane asked with a slight smile, then held up a bag of chestnuts that she had pulled out of her pack and casually tore the bag open.

Cologne's eyebrows raised by a fraction as she watched the Tendo girl empty the bag into their campfire, then compose herself before taking a deep breath and uttering a kii.

Akane's hands moved like a blur into the fire, and moments later she held up both fists, which were full of partially roasted chestnuts. She smiled triumphantly, then her expression took on a strange cast before she dropped the nuts and began to blow upon her fingers.

"You have been practicing the Amaguriken?" Cologne asked in no little surprise.

"Yeah," Akane said as she shook her hands before blowing on them again, "On my own for the past week, ever since you showed it off in front of Ranma."

Cologne found that she was actually impressed on hearing this, not so much with the girl's achievement as the initiative that she displayed in seeking to master the technique on her own without supervision. She estimated that-at present level-she had achieved a rate of over sixty punches in one second, far slower even than Ryoga's eighty punch record, which was still pretty formidable for a relative novice but a far cry from Shampoo's average of one hundred and twenty punches, or even of Ranma's record one hundred fifty blows that could be achieved in his female form. She understood why the girl before her was far slower than Cologne sensed was her full potential and decided, on a whim, to explain it for her benefit.

"Child," the Elder began, "The Amaguriken is a formidable technique that nearly all Amazons master when they are very young, but it also takes time to gain fully perfect its usage. One of the secrets to speed is not to put too much force into any single blow. You must learn to allocate less force to your punches and gradually increase your speed, and only when you have gained sufficient speed then you can slowly learn to increase your power levels. Merely throwing a lot of punches at your opponent will not win the fight if you tire yourself out too soon in the process. Speed first, power second, that is the key to achieving the Amaguriken's full potential."

"I see," Akane said earnestly, "I understand now. I've got to work my way up to it, just like breaking bricks and boards "

"Is that what you practice to build up your power, child?" Cologne smiled indulgently, "I've seen you chopping logs for firewood and I was wondering why you were doing it the hard way."

"The hard way?" Akane asked.

Cologne continued smiling as she used her staff to reach out to one of the logs piled up as spare firewood and leveraged it into the air, then released her staff and sent her own hands flying. In the blink of an eye she reduced the five-inch-wide log to bits of kindling, then plucked a single toothpick sized sliver from its core and used it like a Q-Tip to remove some of the wax that had been annoying her ear canal.

"Wow," Akane said in amazement, "How did you do that?"

"Practice, child, the same as any technique is mastered," Cologne replied, "So far you have trained to build up your raw physical power and have even managed to achieve a level of Chi-Force manipulation. Your hands are indeed formidable weapons, but they need tempering and refinement or else they are little better than blunt objects. Think of your hands as tools, my dear, and work upon your craft. Your power is devastating should it connect with a target, but if the target is not there to connect with "

"I see," Akane replied, "So speed before power also means getting my punches to connect before making them hit with full force. I never thought of it that way before. Thank you."

"My pleasure," Cologne replied, thinking to herself that this Akane Tendo was indeed a very apt and attentive child. She wondered why Shampoo complained so often of her being a slow learner.

Ryoga staggered back into camp at that precise moment, looking as though he had fallen out of a tree, which Cologne took to mean that the rope had broken once again from his repeated collisions. Cologne sighed inwardly and reminded herself that the boy's persistence was gradually paying off, that he already hardly felt the result of his many impacts, so she merely turned to Akane and said, "Better see to it that my student is properly fed and rested before he resumes his lessons. Don't try to feed him your attempt this time keep practicing on that and I will inform you when it is fit for human consumption."

"Old woman," Ryoga's voice sounded hoarse, but his gaze was as firm as his resolve as he looked at Cologne and said, "Don't insult Akane's cooking."

"But she's right, Ryoga," Akane looked down in misery and resignation, "I'm not very good. You'd be better off eating something she prepared "

"I'd sooner eat pig slop," Ryoga's voice grated, "Than refuse anything that was prepared by your sweet hands, Akane. I'll eat whatever you made and it'll taste like the food of the gods because you made it."

"Ryoga," Akane's voice trembled with emotion while Cologne just looked at the boy as if hitting his head against a rock had caused him to take leave of his senses. Such a noble display of self-sacrifice was both heart-  
wrenching and appalling, but she had the welfare of both young people to think about, so she turned about with her staff "just happening" to knock the pot of Akane-made stew over, spilling it on the ground and partially smothering the fire or perhaps the right term was dissolve it.

"Oh, clumsy me," Cologne said, "Such a careless old woman I can be sometimes. Now I've gone and ruined your lovely dinner. Can you young people ever forgive me for such ineptitude?"

"That's all right," Akane smiled, "It was an accident, it could happen to anyone. Don't worry about it."

"Some accident," Ryoga snorted, but there was a hint in his eyes that he was far from upset by this "unexpected" turn of events, so instead he smiled and said, "On second thought, anything you serve with your hands is good enough for me, Akane."

"It'll be my pleasure, Ryoga," Akane beamed happily as Cologne turned away, murmuring something under her breath in Chinese to the effect of complaining about a stomach ache that she would likely be developing before this training session was concluded

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I have to confess that I'm starting to like that old woman. Lotion can be a real pain in the ass at times, but she's teaching me a lot of really neat stuff, and it helps pass the time talking to her while Ukyo helps Shampoo keep the camp in order and Ranma is off in training with his father.

She takes me on long walks while pointing stuff out to me that I might otherwise miss, like my own personal Nature Scout Park Ranger, and her knowledge of Japanese flora and fauna is pretty extensive for somebody who says that she's spent most of her life in China.

A lot of the stuff she's been teaching me has practical usage, such as knowing which plants are poisonous and which have medicinal value. I now know how to douse for water using a stick, how to judge the patterns of the weather just by tasting the air and glancing at the sky, how to call a woodchuck down from a tree so that it will accept a nut from my hand, and how to judge when a trail is safe or not and I've got the bruises to show how many times I fell down before learning that trick!

Of course there's the Philosophical stuff that sometimes stumps me, such as today when we were sitting by a pond and she casually mentioned that I should study the ripples in the water to discover a hidden pattern. I asked her what possible use that was and she just smiled, then thrust her staff into the water and pulled it back with a fish flying over our heads, landing on the bank where it flopped around for several moments before she casually picked it up and gave it a shake, after which it stopped moving.

"A fish saved my life once," she said matter of factly.

"I'll bite," I said in what I knew to be a loaded metaphor, "How?"

"I ate it," she replied before doing something with the fish that made it disappear out of her hands. Her smile was like any stage illusionist, but this time I wasn't biting.

Instead what I said was, "What about this 'Harmony with Nature' stuff you're always going on about? Isn't killing a fish a disharmonious action?"

"Not at all," she replied, "Killing for food is as natural as giving birth. Life is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, and everything is a part of the greater pattern. The Wa of nature accepts the necessity of death in the appropriate time and cycle. It's when death comes before its proper time that the act is disharmonious. Always remember that in situations of life and death it is sometimes necessary to kill in the preservation of life. Killing when there is no need is a disharmonious action and should be avoided at all costs."

"Sounds like hair splitting to me," I said, "Even if you are killing in self-defense it's technically murder "

"So says the prosecution, who believes that killing is an exclusive right of the Police, the Military and no other," the old woman replied with that annoying tone of reasonableness that she uses when rubbing my nose in a point, "But can you honestly believe that you have less of a right to live than one who would take your life in vicious caprice? What separates the Defender from the Killer is need. A murderer kills from premeditation and intent, but a Warrior kills to defend herself and her property, or to prevent the death of a loved one. What law is there that denies you the right to continued existence? What harmony can there be when Death itself is looked upon as the enemy rather than a somewhat indifferent ally or a cancer that eats away at otherwise healthy tissues?"

I involuntarily flinched from that point, regretting the old woman's choice of words as I fought a thick lump in my throat while memories resurfaced of a time that I would much rather have left buried when I lost my mother to just such a progressive illness.

"Forgive me," Lotion said soothingly as if she had read my very thoughts, "I did not mean to draw an analogy that was so painfully personal. I simply meant to point out that there are those in this world who are life-takers by nature. There is a disease within their souls that corrupts their very fiber, making them into the enemies of life itself and thus the enemy of all who cherish living. Sometimes this disease is treatable by gentler methods, but in times of crisis one can hardly afford the luxury of being gentle. Sometimes the only cure for the disease is to remove the infection from that which is healthy."

"Okay," I said rather tightly, "I go along with that. But what makes you better than the killer if you're willing to kill them, even in self-defense?"

"What makes an ordinary woman different from a mass murderer?" Lotion asked as though amused by the very concept, "Would you go around indiscriminately slaughtering innocent people because you thought it was fun or that they had done something to deserve punishment? Would you casually plan the death of a man or woman who merely offended you or made you feel unhappy?"

"No," I said, "Of course not. What would be the point?"

"The point is that you do not have the disease of which I speak lodged within your bosom," she tapped me with her staff on the chest, which caused me to flinch slightly as I remembered that this was how Cologne had applied the cat-tongue, "If you killed to defend yourself it would not imply that you were intending to kill again under less stressful circumstances. If you killed out of anger, or jealousy, or hate, it would likely be a spontaneous thing, not premeditated at all. You lack the cold and cunning malice that would goad you to plan the murder of a casual stranger, or to go into their house with the intent of slaughtering them in their sleep merely for being in your way, or belonging to a class or group that you considered sub-human."

Something about the way she said that latter part worried me, so I asked her in kind, "You've seen people do that, haven't you?"

"Too many times," she said gravely, leaning on her staff, "The Chinese government, for example, has sometimes resorted to brutal means in the enforcement of its policy. I remember the horrors of the so-called 'Cultural Revolution '" she shuddered, then seemed to willfully change the subject, "Anyway, let it just be said that I know the difference between killing and murder. A Soldier kills because he is ordered to, but he commits murder when he kills for his own purposes, or his inner malice."

"All right," I said, "Suppose I do accept that some deaths are justifiable. Doesn't every life taken still amount to having consequences of one kind or another?"

"Indeed," she said, "And that is the other side of the equation. Knowing that life is sacred and taking it with the greatest reluctance distinguishes one from the casual murderer, who never thinks at all about the negative consequences of his actions. Let us make a small example here what if you were to become suddenly enraged with jealousy against Kuonji Ukyo and decided to murder her since she is a potential rival for your Ranma's affections."

"Hey!" I protested, "I'd never !"

"You'd never defeat her in a fair fight," Lotion said before I could finish my protest, "And you know that you are no real threat to her physically, so there is little likelihood that she would attack you. Therefore the question of self-defense is eliminated, leaving only premeditation as you could conceivably come up with a plan to lead her into a lethal ambush. That, of course, would be murder, however justified you might feel, from simple territorial inclination."

"But I " I stopped in mid-sentence, recalling the waves of jealousy I had sometimes felt towards both Ukyo and Shampoo. The emotion is very strange for me, like a total overwhelming of my self-control and self-mastery, and the intensity of these feelings often frightens me. Thankfully I don't feel that way very often towards Shampoo now, but those times that I do feel it towards Ukyo I feel like grabbing a rock and bashing her head in.

"You must be very clear about your feelings," Lotion said with unusual intensity, "We Lore Masters have the ability to influence our surroundings. Our understanding of a situation gives us insight and grants us a wisdom to see the possibilities not visible to others. If you had lethal intentions towards Kuonji you could quite easily affect her undoing and not even be aware that you are doing it. I suggest you examine those feelings more closely. Far better to master them than to allow them to become your master."

I swallowed on a dry mouth and thought about it, once again feeling as if the old woman had cleverly manipulated me into thinking about my problems from an entirely fresh perspective. I had to ask myself just why it was that I did have such strong feelings towards Kuonji. I know that she intimidates me the way Shampoo used to, being a powerful martial artist with clear designs upon Ranma. I feel cramped and helpless around the both of them, but Kuonji shares a special closeness with my iinazuke that I can't even begin to approach. Her guy disguise was giving her special in-roads that I could not match, and it was killing me inside as I foamed with resentment.

"All right," I said after taking a deep breath, "I guess I am acting like a fool over Kuonji. I mean, Ranma thinks she's a guy so it's not like he's cheating on me, and she's just as scared about him figuring out her deception ."

"Not just any kind of fool," Lotion smiled, "You are a woman in love who cares very deeply about the man in your life. You don't want anyone to take him away from you, so you erect barriers in your mind to defend yourself against the awful consequences you dread experiencing should Ranma turn to her instead of either you or Shampoo."

I fought hard against the sudden quickening of my pulse as my blood turned to ice with a chill of apprehension, "He wouldn't do that to me not Ranma "

"Perhaps so," she replied, "But you wouldn't be the first woman who let her fears run away with her as you imagine an infidelity that is not even intended. Think well about how that Tempest Storm of emotion that you have kept hidden down deep inside you will one day burst to full life. I would that you not poison your soul with fear and petty hatred but rather see the unique potential of a situation that can help you finally bridge the gap between you and Ranma."

"What gap?" I asked, but I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath after saying this, hoping she'd give me the answer.

"You already know what I am talking about, dear," Lotion said with an indulgent smile that made me want to hit her, "You want to remove all barriers or reserve that keeps you from enjoying full intimacy with your Ranma. You are both afraid to let go of the shell that you each have enclosed yourselves within, the web of lies and self-  
deceit that you know would crumble to dust if you gave yourself fully to him and knew him fully in the way that any woman can know her man."

I felt myself flushing scarlet from head to toe at the way she said this. Somehow Lotion can make a simple statement like that sound like the opening passage to some torrid Shouja Manga. I didn't have to even try to imagine what it would be like to hold Ranma in my arms while he took me like a man takes a woman and Kami-Sama! Did I just write that? Excuse me while I rip out the last few pages

Just kidding. I'm still here, and I'm still feeling the heady effects of that brief sensation that came over me like a summer breeze blowing with the scent of autumn flowers, foretelling the month when the Cherry Blossoms would be in full bloom. Being intimate with Ranma is my most fervent desire, a dream that is no doubt going to keep me awake until late into the morning as just writing the words here makes me tingle all over. Sometimes my feelings for Ranma really frighten me, the way it shatters my resolve and totally trashes my hard-won reputation as an Ice Queen. It's like looking at his naked body in either of his two forms, an incredible inducement to forgetting everything else but the utter beauty of my iinazuke

Okay. Take a deep breath and let's return to the other significant thing I learned from the old woman.

Lotion was using her staff to draw a spiraling line on the ground, then she drew another one beside it that spiraled in the opposite direction. She then tapped her staff on the ground and asked me what this signified to me. For once I was prepared and replied that she had just drawn the symbols for Positrons and Electrons being created in a cyclotron. She smiled at me for picking up on the difference between Matter and Anti-Matter, then asked me if they were both a part of the natural order.

"Of course," I replied, knowing by now that this was leading to something other than a science lecture, "For every positive there is a negative of equal but opposite charge. The two balance out mathematically "

"And yet there is an abundance of matter and a near absence of anti-matter in our Universe," she pointed out, "Why do you suppose that is?"

"Because Anti-matter has a very short life-cycle," I replied, "The latest theory that I heard is that Anti-  
Matter doesn't hang around for billions of years like matter itself. Protons and electrons are both relatively stable, but Anti-Protons and Positrons change vibrational constancy and fade out of synch with our universe "

"Going somewhere that is more in accordance with their nature," Lotion replied, "An Anti-Universe of equal but opposite charge that co-exists with this one on a different quantum vibrational level. The same is true for time "

"Ah!" I all but pounced on her, feeling that I had finally got one up on the bat, "But according to Einstein and current understanding of Quantum Mechanics time cannot flow backward, so there really can't be such a thing as anti-Chronons "

"Do tell," she smiled, "Then it is your contention that timetravel is impossible?"

"Not at all," I replied, "It's theoretically possible to travel back in time using a Black Hole or Worm Hole in time and space. If you stepped out of synch with normal time it might flow around you at a faster rate, so when you emerge back into normal time less of it has passed for you than for the rest of the Universe."

"Thank you for that display of textbook physics," she said in the way that you compliment a small child who has just said the alphabet with all one hundred and seven characters of hiragana, "But what if I were to tell you that it is not only possible for people to travel forward and backward in time but that there are those of us who actually do it?"

I felt like laughing on the spot, but the way she said this was so serious that I knew better than to try. Instead what I said was, "I'd tell you that it was ridiculous, that the amount of energy it would take "

"Is as nothing more than thought itself," she replied, "As I explained to you before, there are other forces in the Universe besides those known to conventional science."

All of a sudden she was no longer standing in front of me, and as I started to ask where she was I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around, then before my very eyes Lotion split herself into two parts, then four, just as Cologne had in that fight against Ranma.

"Observe, daughter," said one of the four images.

" The power of the mind " continued a second.

" Is greater than the limits " added a third.

" Of your imagination," concluded the forth image, and then the four combined together into a single Lotion.

"H-How ?" I started top ask her.

"Fugue," she replied, using a word I knew to be foreign, "Temporal displacement through non-linear projection. I send an image of myself forward or backward in time then project myself into that image. This power enables me to be in more than one place at the same time, for Time itself bends to accommodate my wishes."

"You're talking about magic!" I replied.

"Yes I am," she smiled, "What's your point?"

I shook my head and said, "This is way too much for me! You're asking me to believe that you can control the rate of time using just your mind?"

"More portable than any device you could imagine," she smiled, "For there is no power in the Universe that is greater than the will, no device more accommodating than the imagination. Give me a lever large enough "

She rapped her staff against the ground and it cracked beneath our feet. The shockwave swept out over the area and seemed to make reality itself ripple, and then everything was perfectly normal again as she calmly finished her quotation, " And I will move the Earth."

I was just starting to grasp the idea that the woman before me was much more powerful than I had even suspected when she turned from me and continued on with her lecture.

"Positive and Negative are natural aspects of reality, as are equal and opposite forces of every kind and nature. The same is true of Spirituality and Magic however, there is one fundamental error that many people make when they invoke this analysis."

"Which is?" I asked.

"Positive and negative energy are complimentary," she replied, "They do not work in opposition to one another. They balance in harmony with the nature of all things. The mistake people often make is to assume that the Negative is Evil, which most definitely is not the case."

"And that is because ?" I let the question dangle.

"Evil is imbalance," she replied, "It is inherently destructive, disharmonious and hostile to all life. When the Positive and Negative sides of reality are out of balance and turned inwardly in a destructive way the result is a cancer that attacks the very nature of harmony itself. Like a cancer it erodes the form and structure of its surroundings, tearing apart the unity of forces to create anarchy and opposition. Evil is not a part of nature, it is a violation of nature itself, and so it must always be regarded as the enemy of all life. That is why I draw the distinction I made earlier between Killing and Murder."

"Because one is a necessary action and the other is unnecessary and creates imbalance?" I guessed, piecing together the clues to formulate a conclusion.

"Exactly," Lotion replied, "You know in your heart what the nature of evil truly is it is excessive, compulsive, destructive and violates the Wa of nature. We in China preach the Tao de Ching as the Way of Nature, but there is a force that we call The Opposition, or Adversary, that stands against the Tao. You will learn to feel this nature in time, to know why it is The Adversary, where it comes from, what its reason is for existence, and how it can be fought and defeated."

"Defeated," I frowned, "Isn't that a contradiction? If this thing is the Opposition to Life, or the Pattern, or the Tao, or whatever you call it, then doesn't it thrive on opposition?"

"Exactly!" the old woman declared with a smile that looked as broad as if I had just passed a doctoral dissertation, "It IS opposition, so the way to defeat it is not to oppose, but to balance. Evil thrives because men believe in its power, accede to its lure, its temptation, the belief that it is powerful when it is not. The only way to truly oppose evil is not to give into disharmony, to find the way of balancing opposites and reconciling extreme positions with temperance and moderation."

I tried to make sense of that for a moment before I said, "Balance Positive against Negative? How?"

"Imagine a thought exercise," she replied, staring off at the vast array of nature surrounding us, "You are surrounded by positive and negative ions particles with an electron-to-proton balance that causes them to be charged positive or negative. Those with a Positive Charge are attracted to the Negative, and when the two combine they form an electrical balance. Are you so far with me?"

"Okay," I said, hoping this wasn't the last time that I could reasonably say this.

"Now," she continued, "Imagine that you can project positive or negative ions with your mind. Naturally these ions come from within you, so when you cast out the positive ions you are left with the negative. Also keep in mind that for every positive ion you cast out it combines with a negative to form a balance. The more positive energy you put out, the less negative surrounds you, while the negative inside you becomes polarized by the surrounding positive energy so that you soon become attuned to your surroundings. Eventually you will achieve a state in which all the Positive Energy outside will achieve a balance with the negative energy inside you and you will be in harmony with the universe. Practice this for every day of your life and very soon you will become a magnet for stability, and no evil will be able to touch you."

"Because the balance repels the imbalance or destroys it?" I ventured, "So you're saying that the power of positive thinking can overcome evil?"

"As imbalance poisons its surroundings, so too does harmony restore the balance," Lotion replied, "And this is why your sister is such a powerful Lore Master, even if the art she practices is very different from your own."

"My sister?" I blurted, "You mean Kasumi ?"

"She is a rare and gentle creature who brings harmony and stability out of the anarchy of her surroundings," Lotion replied, "I dare say without her your house would have long ago succumbed to the forces that are tearing it apart. You, too, have helped her hold the center by taking upon yourself the negative tasks that she can never permit to poison her own soul. You two are quite a formidable team, but the time has come to expand your horizons and become more formidable through a new and more harmonious balance."

"Wait a second," I urged, "We're talking about Kasumi here? If what you say is true about her projecting a positive influence-and I can accept that-then that means that she contains a lot of negative energy inside herself. What's negative about her life? She's always so happy "

"Indeed," Lotion replied, "And such happiness has a price. Your sister sees the good in everyone, she looks beyond the chaos and opposition to see the harmony that underlies your existence. The negative polarity is balanced in her environment through the things she does as a daily routine. The housework, the cooking and cleaning, the thousand little chores that the rest of you depend on her to perform would you not call these essentially negative actions?"

"Uh for me they would be," I said, "But Kasumi seems to like doing them "

"At the cost of her own personal life?" Lotion looked at me meaningfully, "Indeed she is happy, and yet do any of you truly appreciate the coast of that happiness? How often do you show your gratitude for her restoring order to your well being? Do you know what your life would be like if she were not at the center keeping everything else in balance?"

I felt my mouth go dry as I tried to imagine what life would be like without my older sister. I have to admit that the idea just leaves me cold, like I can't even bring myself to think of a world without Kasumi. She's more than my big sister, she's like the mother I've needed growing up, the confidant who knows without needing to be told things. I always thought she was a little spacey, not altogether with it, oblivious to significant things, and it never once occurred to me that she might actually be willing herself not to see them.

"We all have the power to project positive thoughts upon our environs," Lotion said softly, "But in your sister's case she puts out enough positive energy to dampen a Nuclear reactor. Think well of the price that is paid for always being pleasant and happy, and think well of her for choosing to use her natural talents in such a way that it creates the eye of the hurricane that is your general existence."

I was still mulling that one over when Ukyo came and found us with the disturbing news that Cologne had told her to relay. It seemed that Ryoga had finally mastered the Breaking Point technique and was challenging Ranma to fight him tomorrow morning

One Hour Earlier:

Akane was eyeing Ryoga covertly, smiling to herself as she watched the boy eat and trying to work up the courage to say the thing that was foremost in her mind and heart. She was not as equally aware that she was also the focus of similar thoughts in Ryoga, and just like her those thoughts where charged with hidden desires mixed by deep-rooted insecurities. It took quite some time before either one of them worked up the courage to break their mutual silence.

"So," Akane licked her lips before continuing, almost as shocked by the sound of her own voice, as was Ryoga at hearing her speak at last, "How are you coming with the technique, Ryoga-kun? Are you any closer to making a breakthrough?"

She winced as she thought of how lame that sounded, while Ryoga was in shock, thinking to himself with wonder, (She called me Ryoga-kun. Does that mean she likes me?).

"Ah " his mouth was suddenly dry in spite of the fact he had been stuffing his face for the past several minutes, "I'm sort of getting it or maybe I'm getting closer to mastering it. I almost feel the point reaching out to me but when I try to reach back it I just lose the focus."

"That's too bad," Akane said, then tried to think of something else to say, "So when you get your focus what are you going do with it? You're not really going to kill Ranma?"

"Maybe," Ryoga said uneasily, "I'm not really sure I want to go that far just punish him and make him pay for making me suffer the way he has "

"How has he made you suffer?" Akane set down her bowl of noodles, "Ryoga why won't you tell me what he's done to make you so unhappy?"

"I I " Ryoga looked down, "I can't, Akane. Believe me, I want to tell you, with all my heart I want to tell you, but I I just can't!"

"Why not?" Akane almost shouted in her frustration, "If what he's done to you is really so awful then I'm sure he deserves to be punished, but I just wish I knew why you hate him so much."

"I " Ryoga closed her eyes and looked thoroughly miserable.

"Please!" Akane urged, "Just tell me for once and I promise I'll understand. Was there something terrible you two did to each other that started this rivalry? I can't believe it started over bread, but that can't really be the reason why you're so angry now! Ryoga I care what happens to you "

Ryoga's expression tightened with misery as he whispered, "You can't you don't know what you couldn't possibly say that if you knew " his breath became ragged before he cried, "I don't deserve your good feelings, Akane! I'm not worthy of you! I-I've done a terrible thing, and I can never forgive myself! I'm so sorry "

He started to get up as Akane blinked her eyes then cried, "What are you talking about? How can you possibly you can't mean that?"

"Yes I can!" He snarled as he turned away from her, "You're the nicest person I've ever known, the only one who's ever treated me like a real person in spite of my problems but you you'll hate me when you find out! I can't stand the thought that I've betrayed you betrayed your trust in me. I I I can't forgive myself for not telling you!"

"What are you talking about!" Akane swore in frustration as she saw the boy turn and flee into the forest. Her breath caught in her throat and then she cried out in agony, "RYOOOOGAAA!"

"He won't come back, child," Cologne replied, "At least not right away. He needs time to work this out for himself, and when he has he will return, then perhaps he will find the courage to finally tell you the truth."

"You know, don't you!" Akane rounded on the old woman, "You know what he isn't telling me! Tell me now, please! I have a right to know if he if he doesn't really like me "

"It is not you that is at fault here, child," Cologne replied with an oddly compelling tone of voice, "And in all truth it is not really his fault either. Circumstances sometimes conspire to create situations that are not entirely of our choosing, and such a caprice of fate has claimed your dear Ryoga, which is why he is so ashamed and believe that he has taken advantage of your trusting nature."

"Taken advantage?" Akane blinked, "You must be mistaken! He could never do something like that to me!"

"Oh no?" Cologne replied, "Say that when he finally shares the truth with you, and before you ask me again I will not tell you. It is not my place to unburden the darkness that clings to his soul. Hibiki Ryoga must come to terms with the bed that he has chosen to lay down in, and so must you one day, if you really and truly care at all about him."

"Is it really so bad?" Akane asked, "This whatever it is he thinks he's done to betray me?"

"You are the only one who can be the judge of this," Cologne replied, "But once you do understand it will bring everything else into focus, and then a time of decision will be upon you."

"Why are you talking in riddles when Ryoga is probably lost somewhere in " Akane began.

"Hold!" Cologne raised a hand in surprise, turning her gaze to the side as she stared off the way that Ryoga had vanished. Very softly she murmured, "Can it be? Has he finally mastered the secret? Come, child, let us investigate at once!"

"What the ?" Akane started to ask when the old woman vaulted out of their campsite. Akane got to her feet, now more thoroughly confused than ever, and followed the Amazon Matriarch to the place where Ryoga had spent the last several days bashing himself against a boulder.

Ryoga had indeed feared getting lost, but for once in his life he did not care if he wound up many kilometers away from the spot he had intended. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, which is why it was such a surprise when he found himself in the place where he had been training. The boulder was still hanging from a rope while the rope that he had been tied up in hung limply in the spot where it had broken.

Ryoga had gone from his usual depressed state of mind to a level of depression that went beyond caring about the misery of his existence. In this state of mind he had practically nothing left but his ego, and at the moment it felt like a small and pathetic thing, hardly worthy of much notice. As he stared at the rock he found himself slipping into a consciousness that was not unlike the mindless daze he felt shortly after his face had made a connection. He lost focus on the present as his mind became adrift in a sea of sensations beyond his feeble powers of description. He opened up to a state of reality formerly invisible to his consciousness, a reality in which everything looked blue and he could see the swirling lines of odd patterns surrounding the boulder and flowing all around the clearing.

It was fascinating to Ryoga, he could feel the patterns as well as see them. It was so easy to go with the flow, to see the way these patterns shaped around the boulder, and then he saw the way it was structurally put together. He could feel the pattern shape itself around a single point near its very center, and then that point beckoned to him, and Ryoga felt the pull and heeded it on impulse.

Ryoga took a step forward, followed by another, and then reflex took over as he stretched out a finger and aimed it for the spot until he was barely touching it, feeling the lines flow around the tip of his finger. In slow fascination he drew back his hand, and then he suddenly cried out , "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" and thrust his finger at the spot with all of the power in his body.

He was almost beyond surprise when the boulder suddenly exploded in his face, shattering along the lines of his outstretched finger as bits and pieces flew in every direction. Ryoga stared in amazement at the empty space that had been occupied by the boulder, then with a start he heard a voice call out, "Well done, Ryoga! You have finally mastered the technique!"

"I have?" Ryoga turned around in amazement, then stared at this finger as though he had never seen it before, and a slow smile formed upon his face. He closed his hand into a fist and shook it at the sky calling out, "I've done it! Just you wait now, Saotome! Your hour of reckoning is finally at hand!"

Akane stared at the triumphant lost boy and felt a chill go down her spine. He was so happy and triumphant about his learning the technique, and of a sudden-quite unexpectedly-she became to feel very sorry for Ranma

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Can-do school of Exorcism: shadowmane

The Breaking Point concludes next episode, I promise! See how Ranma and Ryoga settle their differences like men, and Akane make a startling discovery that may change her life forever be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	30. Chapter 30

NabikiRan28 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Twenty-Nine.

Kodachi waited politely at the door until Kasumi arrived to greet her. They exchanged their usual pleasantries, then Kodachi casually asked if Kasumi might like to go shopping with her. In reality she was entertaining more mischievous inclinations.

To her surprise Kasumi said, "I would like that, but perhaps later. We have guests right now and I was preparing breakfast with them. Would you care to come in and join us?"

"Guests?" Kodachi asked, more than slightly surprised to find that the dojo was once again living up to its reputation as a magnet for interesting developments.

"Yes," Kodachi said, "Old friends of my father's. They're Amazons from Shampoo's village, one of them is her mother. Come with me and I'll introduce you."

Kodachi only reluctantly gave in to the older girl's gentle persuasion. There was something about Kasumi that appealed to Kodachi on a maternal level, a sense of her motherliness that touched a void in her soul, and so she found herself agreeing sometimes to the most ridiculous things, yet never regretting an instant that she spent in Kasumi's presence.

So it was that she found herself entering a kitchen that was occupied by two older women, both of whom appeared to be somewhere in their late twenties. The one who wore her purple hair up in a kind of pony tail was clearly Shampoo's mother, a much taller and mature version of the annoying Amazon who was pursuing a relationship with Saotome Ranma. The other was more of a mystery, a polite seeming lady with brown hair worn in a kind of bun that kept it swept out of the way but gave her the appearance of being somewhat older than was implied by her face. The purple haired one was Comb, the brown haired one was Silk, and the two of them seemed very busy in the kitchen, though as far as Kodachi could tell all Comb did was chop vegetables while Silk did the actual cooking in a wok.

Kasumi introduced Kodachi to them, but once her family name was mentioned both older woman turned and gaped at her with mutually astonished expressions.

"Kuno Kodachi?" the one named Comb remarked with a peculiar hint of distaste, "As in Kuno Godai? Are you any relation of his?"

"My father," Kodachi replied, surprised to hear her father's name being mentioned by these strangers, "No one has seen him in several years. He went missing during a sabbatical and vanished without a trace."

"Then what of your mother, child?" Silk asked, "Who was the woman who gave you birth?"

"My mother?" Kodachi slowly repeated, then her expression darkened and she said, "I'd rather not talk about her if it's just the same. She died some years ago. Loyal servants of my family raised me and my brother."

"You have a brother then?" Comb remarked with raised eyebrows.

"Tatawaki," Kodachi replied, "One year my senior."

"An older brother, then," Silk smiled, "You must be very proud of him "

"Not really," Kodachi snorted, "My brother is a fool who wastes his time chasing after two women who equally despise him. He has also picked a pointless quarrel with my beloved Saotome Ranma, who is in every way his better. No matter how many times he loses to my Ranma-sama he never learns and always blames his loss on magic "

"Ranma-sama?" Comb replied archly, "You also have designs on Saotome Ranma?"

"Please," Silk urged her companion, then said, "Let's not go into such things before breakfast. I'm sure Kodachi-san will be happy to tell us all about her experiences with the son of Genma. Isn't it interesting, though, how history seems to be repeating itself in the current generation?"

"Disturbing more like," Comb replied, shaking her head, "I thought Genma was a magnet for these things, but his son apparently exceeds him."

Kodachi was a bit puzzled by these exchanges, but being a clever sort she managed to piece together one significant fact and said, "You knew my father and Saotome Genma when they were younger?"

"Yes, child," Silk replied, "More than twenty years ago we came to Nerima on a personal quest, and we had encounters with both men, and probably your mother as well. Forgive my mentioning her name, but was she, by any chance, one Gosunkugi Hitome?"

Kodachi's eyes widened, then narrowed with speculation, "So you did indeed encounter both of my parents. How very interesting. Tell me more about this you must have some very interesting stories to share concerning the past of my Ranma-sama's father."

"Stories?" Silk smiled, "More like continuous sagas, but Comb would know more of Genma's travails than me. My interests ran somewhat different from her own "

"Fry in a deep corner of the Ninth Hell, Silk," Comb grumbled in Chinese, sounding close to total exasperation.

Kodachi's smile deepened as she understood the words, having taken Mandarin during a semester at Saint Hebereke. Putting on her most sultry airs she moved up alongside the one named Silk and said, "Tell me more about the past, I would be ever-so-delighted to hear anything you might care to share about the old days "

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"Are we clear about what is at stake here?" Cologne asked Ranma and Ryoga as the two boys squared off to face one another in combat, "If Ranma loses, then he will agree to submit to me for training in the Amazon ways. Such training will necessitate you coming back with me to China, boy, but I'll include your iinazuke in the package, so you need not fear for an untimely separation. You will also formally apologize to Ryoga for any and all crimes you may have committed against him."

"And if I win?" Ranma asked.

"Then Ryoga will swear to forgo any and all hostilities against you," Cologne replied, "The rivalry between you will cease and both of you boys will shake on that and part this grove as enemies no more. You may train for a rematch but there will be no more of this incessant hostility and unresolved conflict between you. Agreed?"

Ranma smiled at that, "Sounds fair enough. How about you, Ryoga? Do you agree to all that? I want to hear it from your own mouth."

Ryoga ran his tongue over suddenly dry lips. The old woman had mentioned none of this to him before and the pledge took him somewhat by surprise, but after only a moment hesitation he nodded and said, "Sure, why not? You won't win anyway, and you'll be lucky if I even let you surrender!"

"Your word as a Martial Artist?" Ranma demanded, "I wouldn't want you thinking you can back out or nothing, 'cause if I win this is it between us. Got that?"

Ryoga looked somewhat more alarmed as he turned to Cologne and said, "What's the idea with the oath? You think I can forgive and forget what he did to me just like that?"

"He needs a reason to fight at his utmost," Cologne replied, "Just as do you. I expect a good match out of this one boy, and as long as he keeps his word then he will come back to China with me and you need never see him again and can live happily with your beloved girl-friend."

"To put an end to my torment," Ryoga said slowly, "To finally avenge myself and see Ranma humiliated! You've got yourself a deal, Saotome! Prepare to die, I'm sending you to Hell by express train!"

I just stood there listening to the old woman coach that stupid boy and almost shook my head in admiration for her clever manipulation of events. Of course I should have suspected Cologne of just such a hidden motive in training Ryoga. She could hardly want Ranma dead, and if Ryoga came near to achieving his goal she could always step in at the last second to spare his life, and meantime I'd get sucked into the package! I could almost have hit Ranma over the head for agreeing in my place to have me come with him to China, but considering that this was the alternative to his death I'd of course have agreed to it as I'd follow him to the gates of the real Hell in a second.

Shampoo, standing nervously at my side with Ukyo, looked as if she wanted to jump into the match on the side of our mutual beloved. I spared her only a glance to confirm that she would act in case the old woman chose to stand back and let Ranma take a pounding. The mere assurance that the Breaking Point did not work on human flesh did not by itself lend much comfort as we knew that Ryoga was intending to demolish his longtime rival and wouldn't stop short of leaving him broken and senseless. Considering the boy's raw physical strength alone I was pretty sure he had the capability to do it, and with Amaguriken speeds it was bound to get messy.

The two boys squared off and prepared for their match while I spared a glance to try and study the expression of my sister. Akane was keeping her gazed fixed upon Ryoga, but she was giving Ranma suspicious glares as if suspecting that he held the missing piece to the puzzle about which she alone was in the dark. I then turned a questioning look towards Lotion but the Amazon Lore Master just gave me a look that was-for lack of a better word, inscrutable.

The fight began with a charge by Ryoga, immediately lunging forward with one finger extended. As quick as he moved, Ranma was much faster in blocking his thrusts, dodging and avoiding them before twisting his body around and propelling Ryoga with a spinning kick to his backside.

Ryoga recovered almost immediately, performing a one-  
handed arm spring, then renewed his attack as soon as his feet touched the ground. Once more Ranma's speed proved superior as he avoided this lunge, and being Ranma he naturally had to verbally taunt his opponent before catching the next lunge and using it to throw Ryoga over so that his finger-first hit the ground a couple paces beyond where Ranma had been standing.

And all at once the ground he touched exploded!

I gave an involuntary gasp at the violence of that explosion, and was immediately relieved to see Ranma land well clear of the blast, his hands moving like a blur to catch the tiny fragments of shrapnel-like rock that might have otherwise cut him. He turned to face the crater that had been formed by the blast, but before he could relax his guard a figure rose up from that crater and attacked him Ryoga!

Again Ranma avoided the blast that resulted when Ryoga's lunge went beyond him to the ground, and once again his hands blurred to catch the rocks that flew in his direction. Once again, however, Ryoga rose like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes, laughing almost insanely as he came at Ranma again to renew his onslaught.

This time, however, Ranma did more than avoid the blast, he deflected Ryoga's entire arm then went on the counter-offensive, punching and kicking him several times in the space of one second before leaping clear to appraise his handiwork. To his surprise and my amazement Ryoga casually shrugged off the punches and smiled, then lunged forward again. This time Ranma avoided the attack and kicked Ryoga much harder, knocking the boy completely off his feet so that he tumbled into a nearby outcropping of stone with force enough that part of the granite face collapsed in an avalanche and partially buried Ryoga.

"That wasn't so tough," said Ranma as Akane called out the boy's name, but before the words had fully left her mouth there was a sudden trembling in the ground that we could all feel through the soles of our feet. The next thing we see is a large crack opening up in the ground, extending from the rock to where Ranma was standing before exploding upward while Ranma again vaulted to safety.

Once again Ryoga emerged from the ground, looking no worse for the wear while Ranma grabbed a tree branch and clung to it with a look of amazement. It was Ryoga's turn to taunt Ranma, laughing like a man possessed as he cried out, "That didn't hurt at all! In fact it felt like a Baby's kick!"

"What did you say?" Ranma said in disbelief, "I kicked you hard enough to bust that stupid head of yours open!"

"How did he do that?" I heard Ukyo gasp, mirroring my own thoughts.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo exclaimed, "Shampoo forget to tell Airen other part of Bakusai Tenketsu technique! Hitting self against boulder cause body to adapt, become much stronger, can even move through rock like it water!"

"Say what?" I gasped, "He can swim through rock?"

"That's a hell of a memory lapse," Ukyo growled, "Don't you think Ranchan could have used that bit of info before he started this fight?"

"Shampoo know," the Amazon said with a sheepish expression, then she cupped her hands and called out, "Shampoo sorry she no tell you, Ranma! You no trade punches with stupid pig-boy, he not feel pain when you hit him!"

"Now you tell me that!" Ranma called back, only to discover that Cologne was now perched in the tree above the branch he clung from, smiling down at him.

"Enough hanging around, Son-In-Law, Ryoga is waiting," and with that she touched the branch with her staff and it shattered, tumbling him down towards the waiting Ryoga.

"Ranma, now you pay!" Ryoga cried as he thrust his finger towards Ranma, who twisted in mid-fall and managed to get his own hand out in time to intercept the thrust, creating a "V" between his fingers that caught that finger squarely.

"Bakusai Tenketsu Block!" Ranma cried out, then when Ryoga thrust his other hand forward he caught it the same way, immobilizing his opponent's fingers and clearing the way to land a solid kick that once more picked Ryoga up and doubled him over.

"Excellent," I heard Lotion murmur, "The boy is a genius at strategy. He improvised that counter on his own. Too bad it's not enough to protect him."

"Huh?" I gasped, then to my amazement Ryoga started to chuckle as he straightened out and smiled.

"You just don't get it, Ranma," he said and suddenly brought his head forward to connect against Ranma's skull, breaking his hold on Ryoga's hands as my iinazuke tumbled backwards, "You can't hurt me!"

"His punches and kicks don't affect that guy," Ukyo murmured, "That's a hell of a technique! No wonder he suffered so much to master it. Poor Ranma."

Ranma got to his feet and squared off with Ryoga once again, and now it was clear to everyone who was at a disadvantage. Ryoga prepared to make another attack when Ranma cried out, "Saotome School Special Technique Final Attack!"

"Son," I heard Genma cry out, "Don't mean to ?"

Before his father could even complete the sentence Ryoga lunged forward again, but this time instead of block or land a blow Ranma twisted his body and went under the attack, then came up from behind Ryoga and kept right on going.

"He ran away," I heard Shampoo gasp as we watched Ranma vanish into the woods and keep right on going.

"An interesting technique," Lotion remarked while the rest of us stood around gaping, including Cologne and Ryoga.

"Yes," Genma folded his arms and nodded solemnly, "The Saotome School Special Technique is founded on three principles: Speed, strategy and separation."

"In other words run away until you can think of something better?" Ukyo asked.

"You got it," he nodded.

Akane stamped her foot and cried, "And you call yourself a martial artist, teaching him to run away like that in the middle of a fight?"

"Hey, it's harder than it looks," Genma replied, "You've got to execute it just right to catch your opponent completely by surprise, like with Ryoga here."

Ryoga straightened out and growled, "He ran away the coward! He can't escape me that easy, come back here, Saotome Ranma!" and with that he charged off in the direction that Ranma had taken.

"Okay," I said, "So Ranma buys himself a little time to think up a more effective means of countering Ryoga's technique. How long can he keep going before he catches up and finishes him off?"

"Who, Ryoga or Ranma?" Lotion smiled, "This battle is far from over."

"You are mistaken," Cologne replied to her fellow Elder, "This fight is all but done with. There is no way for Ranma to defeat Ryoga at his present level of skill. I saw to it that Ryoga hardened himself to the point where a hundred blows could not deter him."

"True," Lotion replied, "But you are forgetting, Matriarch, that we are dealing with a Nexus. Ranma is not just an average War Master in training, you see, but a special one who learns and adapts quickly to even the most complex offensive styles. I think you will find that it is Ryoga who is at a significant disadvantage."

Cologne frowned, "You did something to tilt the odds in his favor, didn't you? I warned you against interfering in the training of my apprentice."

"What interference, Matriarch?" Lotion smiled, "I only told the boy a little something about military history. Whatever he does next he will figure out on his own. That's what you want him to do, isn't it? Master new levels of skill so that you can go on to train him on a more advanced level."

Cologne's eyes narrowed by a fraction, and then she was suddenly off in pursuit of the two combatants. The rest of us exchanged looks then by mutual consent we hurried after her and soon caught up with the second stage of the battle.

I was, of course, the last one to arrive, being the slowest of our group as I lacked everyone else's considerable stamina and speed. All I caught was the sight of Ryoga staggering backwards as if a single blow had hurt him. As I came to a halt I saw Ryoga straighten up and prepare to come at Ranma again, only this time Ranma held his ground, and when Ryoga attacked he blocked the thrust with one arm and threw a solid punch that actually blurred into what I recognized was the Chestnut fist. This time Ryoga was thrown back all the way up against the bark of a tree where he did not move for the next several seconds.

"Wow!" I heard Ukyo exclaim, "That was some punch!"

"More like five hundred punches delivered in the space of three-point-four seconds," Lotion remarked, "Impressive. He almost rivals your speed at his age, Matriarch."

"It doesn't matter," Cologne replied solemnly, "There is no way for Ranma to win this match. Ryoga! He is using his special technique, now you must use the defense, as I have trained you!"

"Don't worry, old woman," Ryoga said as he slowly got to his feet, rubbing his chin with the back of his hand while smiling, "That was a pretty slick move, Ranma, striking me repeatedly in the same place, but it won't happen again. I'm ready for you this time!"

"I get it," I said in sudden revelation, "A single punch won't do the job "

"But a hundred can chip away even an obstinate boulder like Ryoga," Lotion smiled, "Now watch what happens."

Ryoga came at Ranma again, but this time instead of simply making a single thrust he began to throw rapid thrusts that blurred like the Amaguriken, forcing Ranma to devote his energies to defending against these thrusts while keeping out of range of Ryoga's finger. When he saw an opening Ranma tried to take advantage of it by throwing another series of punches, but Ryoga reacted with matching speed and caught his arm, then tried to thrust with his other hand, forcing Ranma to twist his body out of the way at the last second. Ranma was held fast by Ryoga's superior strength, which made it impossible to break loose without diverting more effort from his defense than could be reasonably afforded.

Then Ranma suddenly moved his body in a certain way that I had trouble following, and just as suddenly he stepped back, breaking Ryoga's hold. As Ryoga started to lunge forward again Ranma suddenly spun upward and lashed out with a kick before flipping over once more and counter-attacking.

Ryoga was not prepared to receive the sudden onslaught of punches and kicks that seemed to slip right by his guard as though he were moving in slow motion. Ranma finished his attack with a solid kick that picked him up and threw him the length of the clearing, and this time when Ryoga struck the first tree to block his path it was much higher up and the impact seemed to definitely affect him.

"What?" Cologne whirled on Lotion and said, "Those are Amazon techniques, not part of the Saotome School! Where could Ranma have learned them?"

"He might have seen Shampoo work out and discovered the techniques on his own," Lotion replied airily, "Is that what you think happened, Shampoo? Did you, by chance, pass these techniques on to your Airen?"

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo cried happily, "That is right! Shampoo show Ranma just other day how Amazons fight while he train with wasps to avoid Bakusai Tenketsu!"

"Gee, I wonder how that could have happened?" Ukyo grinned, "Looks like this fight isn't so one-sided after all, eh Grandma?"

"We'll see," Cologne said with a narrowing of her eyes, giving a sour glance towards Lotion before turning back to see Ryoga get up again, now as mad as a charging rhino.

"You'll pay for that, Ranma!" Ryoga snarled before crying, "Bakusai Tenketsu!" and thrust his finger at the ground before his feet.

The explosion he kicked up this time was larger and more violent than any of the others, and the cloud it kicked up was so huge it obscured everything for several minutes. All that we could do was listen to the sound of punches being blocked at incredible speeds while two boys grunted like sweating hogs trying to wear each other out. All at once a red-shirted body went flying out of the dust to collide with stunning force against another tree. Ranma was just starting to recover from this impact when Ryoga came barreling out after him with blood in his eyes, clearly intending to finish their duel with a single thrust.

Ranma had enough left in him to move out of the way in time, but when Ryoga's fingers connected with the tree nothing happened. Even Ryoga looked surprised by this as Ranma slipped away unnoticed, but Ryoga was not long in recovering from his surprise. He turned to confront Ranma even as the dust began to clear a little on the field of battle.

"I don't get it," Akane murmured, "Why didn't the technique work this time?"

"Tree is living thing," Shampoo replied, "Have different pattern from stone, stronger aura "

"And an entirely different elemental resonance," Lotion added.

"But the old woman shattered that branch with her staff," Ukyo pointed out.

"Obviously she knows a different variation on the technique," I said, "The Bakusai Tenketsu only works on stone that's why Ranma was never in any real danger!"

"True," Cologne replied, "But he is far from out of the woods as Ryoga still retains the advantage. Both boys are winded by the blows they have exchanged, but of the two of them Ranma is the nearest to exhaustion."

I knew she was right but something nagged at me as I turned to see Ranma avoid another attack as Ryoga thrust deliberately at the ground to create another explosion. Ranma blocked the fragments, but this time I could see his movements were slowing down, and even worse was that I could tell he obviously knew it."

"Ranma!" I cried, "Stand your ground! You can still beat him!"

"No problem!" Ranma called back as he landed at the edge of the clearing, "I intend to!"

To my horror he did exactly as I told him, giving Ryoga a perfect target for another charge, but rather than block the attack Ranma allowed himself to be carried backward so that he landed with Ryoga crouched over him with a finger poised to strike.

"This is it!" Ryoga cried, "Bakusai Tenketsu!"

At the last second I saw Ranma turn his head aside as the finger thrust at the ground beneath where his head had lain, and the rest was obscured for several seconds by the explosion this kicked up. Shampoo and Ukyo gasped while I held my breath and felt my heart miss a beat, but when the dust cloud cleared Ranma and Ryoga were no longer on the ground. I looked up to see them both in the air, only now Ranma was taking advantage of his superior abilities in airborne defense and had immobilized both of Ryoga's arms with one hand and both legs.

"You were right," Ranma cried, then used his free hand to begin an incredibly flurry of punches all the way down to the earth as Ryoga took their fall on his own back while Ranma kept on hammering his ribs until a final blow brought a significant end to the encounter.

Ranma was breathing hard as Ryoga lay still, poised to renew his assault if his opponent so much as twitched or moved a muscle. For several heartbeats nobody said anything, then Akane cried out, "Ryoga" and impulsively rushed forward to see if the other boy was all right.

I would have told her that I could see that Ryoga was still breathing, but before anyone could say or even move I heard Cologne cry out, "No, child! Stay back! The ground is not stable !"

Even as she spoke we could see the area around Ranma and Ryoga was starting to fracture and splinter. I belatedly realized just why there were no trees around that end of the clearing and reacted with alarm as Akane tried to reach the side of the two boys, only to get caught up in the tumble as the entire cliff face collapsed underneath them.

"Akane!" I cried out in horror.

Lotion's staff was suddenly in our way as Ukyo, Shampoo and I were about to rush to offer our aid, and her very calm annoyed me before her words penetrated through my sudden panic, "There is no immediate danger, the lake below will break their fall, and we can better serve them by taking the path leading that way."

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo cried, and with no further adieu led the way as we rushed down the trail, arriving a minute later to find Ranma in girl form holding Akane in one hand and Ryoga in the other. My sister looked no worse for wear, other than a little coughing, and I belatedly remembered that Akane could not swim. At the moment it looked like the same was true about Ryoga.

"Ranma!" I cried out, but Ukyo and Shampoo beat me to his side, so instead I checked my sister and said, "You all right, Neechan?"

"What-(cough)-happened ?" Akane grasped.

"Ranma won," Lotion answered, turning to Cologne for confirmation, "Would you not agree to that, Matriarch?"

"Hmph," Cologne sniffed, "Perhaps you were right about his cleverness. I never expected him to put up such a formidable defense. It seems that I can still be mistaken sometimes after all."

"And to think that I lived long enough to hear you say that," Lotion sniffed before turning back to level eyes on Ryoga, "Your apprentice was a formidable weapon to use in your designs, but his flaw is that he has not yet learned to deal with his pain more constructively than merely venting it as anger. Once he learns to see beyond himself he will become the warrior he was born to become, but until then he is but a child stumbling in the darkness. I trust you will not abandon him now merely because he has failed you."

"Amazons to not abandon their charges," Cologne replied, "I will see to it that the fool learns never to repeat his error."

"And in the meantime?" Lotion asked.

"I have given my word," Cologne replied, "And so has he. I will see to it we both honor our pledge, but if the boy should choose to train himself against Ranma, it will be in accordance to traditions."

"What?" Akane asked as she finally stopped coughing, "Ryoga? Where is ?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Ranma said in disgust as she tossed the pig into my sister's lap, "You both deserve each other, have a nice life together."

"Huh?" Akane gasped, "P-chan? But ?"

"Where is Ryoga?" Ukyo said as she glanced around, only to receive a light rap from Shampoo's elbow before she nodded to the little black pig with the tiger striped bandana, "Huh you mean?"

Akane held the pig up in her hands and stared blankly into his face while Ranma got to her feet in disgust and said, "I'm not done with you, old woman! What's the big idea about teaching somebody as unstable as Ryoga a dangerous technique like that?"

"Ranma," I said, "It's all right, it doesn't work on people, just stone."

"Or other inanimate objects," Cologne corrected, "Anything that generates a living aura tends to confuse the technique. You don't think I'd teach Ryoga the more advanced method at his level of understanding?'

"It doesn't matter if it's harmless or not!" Ranma growled, pointing at the pig, "Ryoga thought it was effective enough that he tried to kill me with it! You set him up just so you could make me train harder to defeat him, and he sure did give it his best shot! What if it had been effective on me? He would have been a murderer, not that I'd ever give him a prayer of beating me like that!"

"Your confidence is commendable," Cologne replied, "But the boy's intentions towards you were his even before I agreed to assist in his training. He had to prove himself against you because you made him look small in the eyes of someone who cares a great deal about him. Did you ever think of his feelings when you taunted him in front of Akane?"

"Hey, he was trying to kill me!" Ranma defended, "What do you expect me to do? Cheer him on for his persistence?"

"She's right, boy," Genma said, "You're as much to blame for provoking him as he is to come after you to prove his worth as a fighter."

"Shut up, old man!" Ranma snapped, "Why are you on his side all of a sudden?"

"Yes," Lotion mused, "Why is that? Do you have any special interest in the other boy that you might like to share with your son?"

"Uh " Genma blinked, "No, I mean it isn't that at all! I just mean the boy went a little too far. A Martial Artist should always be concerned with justice "

"And mercy for the weak," Lotion replied, turning to look at Akane and her "pet" before adding, "You both did that to him, you and Jusenkyo. It may be so that the boy pursued a blind path towards vengeance and put himself in a place for which he had not a clue, but he was following the trail of two who were just as clueless and misdirected. Jusenkyo brings out something deep inside you that causes you to become the thing you hide from others. His shame is deep, but his guilt is lessened by his innocence. If others put him up to his endless quest for vengeance, it was because of unresolved matters still kept hidden from the light of day. Think well on that, Saotome-san, before you or your son hold him accountable for his actions."

"Pop," Ranma turned a suspicious eye towards his father, "You got any idea what she's talking about?"

"Why, uh, no son," the man said defensively, "Why should I?"

"Because," Ranma reached out and seized him by his gi, then fell back and threw him over into the lake before concluding, "You're always to blame for everything that happens to me one way or another!"

"Sins of the fathers," Lotion sighed, "And sometimes of the mothers as well "

"So," I said as I folded my arms and gave the old woman a studied gaze, "What is the connection? Are you telling us that Uncle Genma is somehow responsible for the rivalry between him and Ranma?"

"Wouldn't surprise me a bit," Ukyo huffed, "Stupid old man. He probably did something to cause it and poor Ryoga probably doesn't even know what it is. If he did then he'd be after Genma."

"That is good reasoning," Lotion replied, then gestured with her staff as the panda resurfaced from the water, "One day you will make a proper accounting for your actions, Saotome Genma. For now wallow in your guilt and think well on how it reflects upon you as a parent."

I saw Genma sit there in the pond looking owlishly at us like a deer caught in the headlights.

I noticed that Akane had not moved from the spot where she sat, still looking at her precious "P-chan" with the same stunned reaction. Ryoga, for his part, looked even smaller and more miserable than ever as if the weight of her silence were crushing him. I almost felt pity for the boy, feeling confident that in another minute we were going to see the manifestation of the old saying about pigs flying. I would have laid good odds that Akane would punt him to the moon once she had fully recovered.

"The poor guy," Ukyo said, "Lost without a clue or a friend."

"It worse than you think," Shampoo said, touching her arm before adding, "Maybe you know what it like when friend pretend to be something other than is. Maybe you both have something in common?"

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, "What are you ?"

"Ryoga?" Akane's voice surprised us all as it was soft, not harsh, and as questioning as her expression.

"Yes, dear child," Lotion replied, "The time for deception is at an end. Let him stand revealed before your eyes and the truth shall heal you."

So saying she pointed her staff again, but this time at the water instead of Genma. With a slight motion she caused a jet of water to fly upwards, arcing towards her as she caught it in one outstretched hand, holding it like a fishbowl without the glass, then with another wave of her staff she caused the water to be surrounded in a brief glow like fire, then gently lobbed it at the pig and triggered the transformation to a wet-but-naked Ryoga.

I saw Ukyo divert her eyes while Shampoo sniffed indifferently and I just shook my head as Akane stared in amazement at the boy hunched down in front of her. Ryoga covered his privates and flushed crimson, then reacted in mild surprise as Lotion tossed dry clothing at him. She turned about and began limping away without another word, and by mutual consent the rest of us followed her example. Ranma looked hesitant about leaving those two alone, but I touched her arm and motioned that she should come with us so that he could have his bruises tended to. Even Genma got the hint about leaving them alone, though Cologne seemed willing to remain and play chaperone. I fully expected to hear Akane's outraged cry at any second as we made our way back to our base camp.

How on earth was I supposed to expect what was shortly to happen..?

Devil Hunter Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken stared down from the clock tower that she had chosen for her refuge. The city below her was noisy and huge, full of many times more people than she was used to associating with, and with a state of technology unlike the simple village life that she had known throughout her youth.

A strange land, this Japan, with even stranger people, nominally Asians but having unique qualities very different from Chinese or Koreans. Their language was a babble that she barely understood, being spoken more fluidly than those simple lessons she had enjoyed many years ago while still living with her mother. A strange people, yes, and with customs that she found altogether quite confusing.

Well enough, she decided. She would learn what she needed to know by communing with the spirits of the land and opening herself to their wisdom. Though Shinto was the dominant faith here, it had deep roots in Buddhism as well, which she understood enough to find a resonance that would serve as the causeway. The Tao would guide her steps and she would soon know enough to seek out the Doppelganger who haunted her visions and tormented her mind like a dark mirror image.

She was dimly aware that a familiar presence was also quite nearby and was surprised to discover that it matched the resonance of her mother. What was she doing in this place, this Nerima? Like so many other mysteries it did not lend itself to easy resolution.

She sat down upon the floor in the tower and folded her legs into the Lotus posture, having already drawn the protective magic circle about herself that would safeguard her body and reinforce the shields that secured the integrity of her soul. She would sit like this for the next several days, if need be, until she had absorbed all the knowledge that she would require, and only after consulting with the spirits of the land would she emerge again to pursue the quest that had drawn her.

She was a Hunter of the Dark, and a darkness was consuming her vision. She would find that darkness and make resolution of her conflict, and only when this was done would she feel whole once again. She performed the rituals, chanted the prayers and felt herself slipping into the meditative state that she required, already knowing the pull of the lei lines surrounding her as she opened herself to the cosmos and began her search, waiting and knowing that soon she would have all that she required

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Corollary Logic: shadowmane

Akane's resolution, Ukyo's doubts and the return home to find more surprises all around be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	31. Chapter 31

NabikiRan29 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty.

"Ryoga?"

The eternally lost boy folded over in front of Akane and pounded the ground in frustration, weeping like a child as his powerful frame was shaken by sobs of remorse, guilt and self-loathing. He would not raise himself to look up at her puzzled expression, could do nothing but stay where he was, a pathetic failure as a human being now exposed for a fraud in her eyes. He would sooner have died than to have lived to see this moment.

"Ryoga " Akane said very slowly, "You were P-chan?"

"All this time," Cologne answered for him, "Cursed by Jusenkyo after he was accidentally knocked into one of the springs by a red-headed girl chasing after a panda."

"A panda?" Akane reacted, her brown eyes wide with sudden realization.

"It happened just shortly after Son-In-Law and his father knocked each other into their respective cursed springs," Cologne revealed, nodding to Ryoga, "He told me the full story just over a week ago, before I offered to help train him. Ranma was upset with his father and was chasing him hither and yon while Ryoga just happened to wander into that part of China and was knocked off a cliff in the haste of a son seeking to pound some sense into his father, or her father as the case might be."

"But " Akane hesitated to frame her next question, but as it turned out she did not have to.

"He says it was an accident, him coming to you in the night, winding up in your room by mistake and attacking you in his blind rage, seeking vengeance upon Ranma," Cologne snorted, "As if Vengeance really solved anything, especially when it comes to Jusenkyo curses. He told me you knocked him to the floor, then mistook him for somebody's lost pet and adopted him as your own. He fell in love with you not long after this and has since lacked the courage to tell you the true story for fear of how you would believe he had deliberately sought to deceive you."

"It's true," Ryoga groaned, his face all but planted in the dirt, "Every bit of it, Akane I was a fool not to tell you right away but I couldn't do it and now you hate me!"

"Huh?" Akane had not yet gotten around to framing an emotional reaction. Her usual response to situations such as this was indeed to go on the offensive, but somehow she just could not work up the rage to strike the unresisting boy bowing so prostrate before her. Instead she framed the next thought that came into her mind, "You've seen me naked?"

"No!" Ryoga protested, surprising her with the violence of that statement, "I couldn't I wouldn't do that to you! I care too much about you! I never look, I always closed my eyes "

"A good thing, too," Cologne snorted, "Or your nose would probably have bled all over the bedsheets. Such a typical male, and yet with a good heart and good intentions. He is telling the truth, he never had the guts to look at you when you were unclothed. I know his kind too well almost the opposite of some people I could tell you all about "

Akane looked down at Ryoga and wondered how to handle this. All her life she had reacted to perceived threats or slights against her sexuality by hitting people, or when boys came onto her, but never had she dealt with a boy who was this pathetic, helpless and unyielding. She realized that she could have pounded him into the dirt and he would not even voice a protest, in spite of the fact that he was so much better than her as a fighter. In almost any other situation she would have been tempted, but

"Ranma did this to you?" Akane asked and saw the boy's head bob in response, and then something else occurred to her, "Ranma knew all along about your curse, didn't he? And he never told me "

"It is Bushido," Cologne replied, "The Warrior's Code of Budo, to never reveal an opponents weakness to another ."

"Don't give me that!" Akane snapped, "Ranma knew all along, and you've known for over a week! Couldn't you, of all people, have told me?"

"I was pledged to silence as part of my agreement with Ryoga," Cologne replied, "It is none of my affair what sort of a personal life you two may share, or not, so long as it does not impact on your training. I would have told you before, and I certainly respect that you have the right to be angry, but it was Ryoga's choice to remain silent rather than confess his weakness to you. You are the only one who has shown him any real kindness in all his years as a wanderer, the one he looked up to and admired, and I dare say he would gladly throw himself into the path of mortal danger to protect you, but he lacked the simple courage to tell the woman he loves about his curse. Love blinds us in many ways " Cologne signed, "I of all people show know this."

"And now it's over," Ryoga pushed himself upright and looked away, "You're completely right about me, old woman I'm a coward! I don't deserve to be in the same presence as either you or Akane "

"Uh " Akane's eyes drifted down to what Ryoga had forgotten to cover, "Ryoga?"

"Eeep!" the lost boy promptly placed his hands over his genitals and flushed crimson all over.

Something in the gesture firmed Akane's resolve as she looked at Ryoga's face, then her own expression hardened, "Who else has known about this but wasn't telling me? Does my sister ?"

"She was there when my curse was first revealed to Ranma," Ryoga replied, "She's used that knowledge to make me back down from pursuing my vengeance against Ranma inside your house. I also found that I couldn't bring myself to fight in the only home I've known in ages. But that's over now you'll want me to leave, I know, and you'll never want to see me again either "

"Is that what you think?" Akane asked, and something in her voice compelled both lost boy and Elder to turn and look at her very strange expression

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

It's one very strange day, even by the standards of this province known as Nerima. We were all sitting around camp mulling over the recently concluded fight between my husband and the pig boy, Ranma heating up some water in the pot so that she could turn back to her male form. Nabiki was looking thoughtful, which is normal for her, while Ukyo was asking us questions about Ryoga, trying to fill in the gaps in her experience so that she would know as much as the rest of us. I could almost sympathize with her as it is never fun to be the only one who doesn't get the punchline to the joke everyone else finds so funny.

Well, nobody really did find it very funny right then, and even I had to admit that the Pig was probably in for a lot of pain once Akane got past being surprised over the revelation of his curse. I almost felt sorry for him, as much as he deserved anything she might have done in retaliation. Had an Amazon been betrayed like that it would have been a matter for a Blood Oath vendetta with the boy's blood spilled to atone for the dishonor to our household.

Naturally the Spatula cross-dresser took that weirdly moralistic tone of many Japanese when regarding what we had told her of the situation between Akane and Ryoga. It did not seem to be his Jusenkyo curse that upset her so much as the thought that we had kept silent in front of Akane.

"So let me see if I've got this right," she was saying, "Ranma knocked Ryoga into one of these cursed pools, so now he turns into a pig whenever he gets wet, and you let Akane think he was just a harmless pet pig because you didn't want to betray his secret?"

"It's the Warriors Code," my husband replied, "I couldn't reveal his secret weakness in front of others "

"Really?" Ukyo replied in a tone that I think implied doubt, "I must have missed that lecture at one of our union meetings. You have to admit that from Akane's point of view this looks very bad, you letting her sleep with a pig and all when it turns out to be the thing she hates most: a boyfriend."

"She doesn't hate Ryoga," my wife replied, then amended, "He's about the only boy who I've ever seen her be nice to. Up until now it's only been Doctor Tofu that seems to have caught her interest, and if it wasn't for him I'd suspect she didn't even like men. That kind of narrows the options down, if you get my drift."

"Oh," Ukyo replied, and then her eyebrows twitched in a funny was as if she were thinking about that.

My husband, kind of heart that he is, showed sympathy for a defeated enemy by saying, "I just hope the doesn't kill him too badly. I feel sorry for the baka, even if he did bring it on himself. When she gets done with him he probably won't be able to stand upright for a week."

"I still don't think it was such a good idea to keep it from her all this time," Ukyo remarked, "Didn't you even try to give her a hint? I mean, you are her sister "

"That's right," my wife replied, "And believe me, I've thought about it almost every night for the last couple of months. Akane can be thick-witted and clueless at times, but she does deserve to know the truth, and if it were any other boy but Ryoga I would have done it the first night, promise or no promise. Good thing he's like Ranma here and doesn't think fighting with girls is all that manly "

"Manly," my husband said, looking down at herself with a snort, "Excuse me, but I'm not feeling all that manly at the moment."

"Oh, I don't know," Ukyo smiled at her, "You're a pretty tough cookie when you look like that, Ranchan. If I didn t know any better I'd even make a pass at you "

"Hey, that's not funny," Ranma said in a nervous kind of way, eyeing Ukyo as if she thought the cross-dressing girl was making obvious he real intentions, "Just because I'm stuck with this curse doesn't mean I really have turned into a girl, you know. I couldn't do it with another guy that's just too gross! I mean, no offense, you're a great looking guy and all, but you'd be better off going out with Shampoo here, or even Akane."

"Huh?" I believe I said, looking in surprise at my husband to determine whether or not she truly meant that.

Ranma smiled as she looked at me then said, "Well, after all Ucchan did win that Snowman contest a couple weeks ago, and the first prize was a date with the pretty girl who was supposed to kiss her. It just occurred to me a little while ago that you two never did go on that date, and you never even kissed your prize, old buddy. I'm surprised at you, passing up on a chance like that, and here she is all by herself with you acting like she's just part of the scenery."

"Hah?" Ukyo blinked while I just sat there feeling stunned, while Nabiki was eyeing us both like an owl sitting in a tree.

"Ranma?" I asked, hoping against hope that she was-  
as the Japanese say-pulling my leg with that line, otherwise I think I might have felt compelled to express myself on the subject.

"Uh but Ranchan," I heard Ukyo nervously point out, "Isn't Shampoo, like, your wife? You really wouldn't want to make her go out with another guy would you?"

"Not just anybody," Ranma smirked at us both before fixing her attention on the cross-dressing Tomboy, "But I'm sure I can trust you around her, right old buddy? It's not like you'd want to take advantage of her or try nothing, because I know Shampoo'd deck you, but since all you'd be doing is going on a date and maybe exchanging one kiss there's really no harm in that is there, Ucchan?"

"Ah " I heard Ukyo gulp, "Right no problem "

A soft chuckling noise drew our attention towards Elder Lotion, who said, "You young people with your ways. You two do remind me a lot of my first boyfriend what a catch he would have been, if only I had been able to convince my elder."

"You keep talking about him," Ranma said, "But I'm starting to think he's some kind of myth or something."

"Oh, he was very real," Elder Lotion replied, "Bigger life might be more accurate, and more than just the sum of his parts, no matter what other kinds of stories you might have heard about him."

"Hung like a horse?" Nabiki asked with a smile that was more than just a little suggestive.

Elder Lotion looked thoughtful before she replied, "As a matter of fact, I think they might have used one, but what matters is that it worked miraculously well better than advertised," and she gave us a grin that hinted at what kind of woman she might have been in much younger days.

"It's not the size, it's what you do with it that counts, huh?" asked Ukyo, who alone seemed unaffected by that suggestion.

"Exactly," Elder Lotion nodded, then suddenly glanced back towards the trail and said, "And speaking of not judging things by their relative sizes, here comes someone now who it would not do well to underestimate."

"Akane?" my wife gasped as her angry sister came storming up the trail, making more noise than a charging herd of pregnant Yak, which had warned me of her coming long before her stormy arrival.

"I thought I'd find you all gathered here," she glowered at us, "Had a good laugh at my expense? I hope you're all satisfied, because I'm never going to forgive you!"

"What are you so mad at us for?" my husband asked, "You're the one who wanted to sleep with the pig."

"And you never told me who he was!" Akane all but exploded, "How could you? I'd expect something like that from you, Ranma, or even Shampoo here, but you, Nabiki? How could you?"

"Akane," my wife gasped, "It wasn't because we wanted to deceive you about Ryoga "

"Yeah," Ranma said, "We just thought you were gonna kill him when you found out and where is Ryoga? You send him into orbit?"

"Ryoga's just fine," Akane snorted, "I told him to get dressed and wait for me to get back to him so I can spell a few things out. I just wanted to have the chance to confront the lot of you for letting me go on believing he was P-chan, which is all your fault by the way, which is something else I'm not forgiving!"

"Huh?" Ranma reacted to that with surprise, "You mean you're not angry at him at all?"

"That isn't what I said!" Akane snarled as she reached out and grabbed my husband by her shirt. I was on my feet at once but she glared at me and said, "Stay out of this, Shampoo, this is between me and your baka boyfriend!"

"Um excuse me?" Ukyo asked, "I'm not involved in this, but isn't it possible that Ranma already feels sorry about what happened to Ryoga and that's the real reason he didn't tell you anything about his curse?"

"What if he does feel guilty?" Akane said, giving Ranma a good shake, "The fact is that Ryoga's cursed for life because of you, and you of all people should know what it feels like to turn into something you hate! I'm mad at him for deceiving me, but I'm not turning him away. The poor boy has NOTHING, and if I sent him packing he'd be totally lost and alone out there without anyone to look after him. No matter what else you think of me I could never do something like that to someone who needs me!"

"Gee," Ranma said in what even I could see was a tactless statement, "You really must have it bad for the pig. I'd never have guessed."

I should have covered my ears as I could see what was coming, but as it was I was almost blown over by force of her swing as Akane yelled, "RANMA NO BAKA!" and sent my husband flying.

My ears were still ringing when I straightened out, balled my fists and said, "You do not have the right to take such action with this one's husband, Akane "

"Stay out of it, kitty cat," she snarled as her hand whipped to her side and pulled out her canteen, which she doused in my face before I had time to react. The next thing I know I'm suffering that all-too-familiar shrinking sensation. My clothes billow around me as I struggle to get free when I feel myself being picked up and hurled into the air with Akane yelling, "You two deserve each other!"

At times like these I really regret that I adopted the entire Tendo family into my House when I chose to take Nabiki for my wife. I also regret that I have such a strong aversion to killing an enemy, because in that girl's case I am sometimes strongly tempted to make an exception.

Needless to say I felt my small body impact on something that was hard but slightly yielding, then I began to sag into my clothes, feeling the pull of gravity as I sought to free myself by finding the nearest opening. Little did I guess that the floor would suddenly fall out from underneath me, leaving me to claw the nearest fabric as my hind legs dangled over empty space. My clothes had become tangled in the branches of one of the tall trees and I was in a precarious situation, forced to fight with all my strength as I sought a means for getting down that would not prove to be unusually painful.

It is good that my cursed body retains the lithe qualities of the animal I resemble because swinging from silken robes by my front paws is not as easy as it sounds. My joints are very different from my human form, so climbing up proved a more difficult option. Instead I tried and succeeded in flipped myself over to catch the bark of the tree, and from there I proceeded to work my way down until I heard a low groan and turned to see Ranma.

She was dangling from a lower branch than the one I had occupied and was only semi-lucid. I decided to risk going out on that limb in order to determine if she was all right, and in my great concern that she might fall I momentarily forgot all about the Nekoken. That was why I pawed up to her face and said, "Are you all right Ranma," which only sounded like "Mew" to normal human hearing.

Of course her beautiful blue eyes flew open and she saw me at once. I suddenly recalled my error and held my breath for fear that the Nekoken was about to take her. Ranma's mouth opened to shape the word "Neko" on her lips, but she started breathing in and down through her nostrils, taking deep lungfulls of breath as if to steady her nerves, then I heard her murmur, "Not it, not cat, only Shampoo, only Shampoo "

I backed away and uttered an apologetic sound, which only made her breath more heavily as she fought for control, then squeezed her eyes shut and said, "Onlyshampooonlyshampooonlylyshampoo "

I felt like such an idiot right then, forcing myself upon her, even knowing how she would react to the very sight of me, but it made me feel sad beyond words, so I started to turn away to ease back from the branch to the main tree trunk when I heard her grunt harshly, "Where do you think you're going? We gotta get down from here, don't we?"

I turned and made an inquiring sound, which caused Ranma to shudder though she kept her eyes tightly shut and replied, "Just follow my lead, okay? And don't try and say nothing. Let's take this one step at a time and we can get through this together, okay Sham-chan?"

I was about to say a heartfelt "Aiyaa" in Cat but stopped myself in time to remember. Instead I nodded my head, even knowing that she could not see the gesture, and carefully climbed over to find a purchase on her shoulder, even more carefully sinking my claws into her shirt without touching the skin underneath. Ranma shuddered again and managed to bravely control her fear as she began climbing down, her eyes looking at the branches and not at me with a good distance down to the ground, all the while I could not keep myself from purring

Ukyo blinked her eyes at the rapid exchange that had just taken place with Ranma and Shampoo both being sent airborne by an enraged Akane, who then rounded on Nabiki and said, "And you I'm not done with you yet, Nee-san! Ryoga told me you coerced him into doing whatever you said, that you threatened to reveal his secret to me if he didn't go along with your schemes. What other things did you force him to do that he hasn't told me about?"

"Nothing!" Nabiki protested, "I wasn't trying to turn him into my personal slave, Akane. You've got to believe me "

"Believe you?" Akane got very close to Nabiki's face, "Why should I believe you? You've lied to me before, you've used and manipulated me to get whatever you want, first with Kuno and now with Ryoga. Why should I believe you? I know I sure can't trust you any farther than I could throw you, which is pretty far as you'll find out if you ever try something like this on me again!"

"Calm down, Akane!" Nabiki tried to placate her, "You have a right to be upset, but aren't you taking things a little too far here? It wasn't my idea to keep the facts about Ryoga from you "

SLAP! Nabiki recoiled from the impact of Akane's hand against her cheek, and with no further adieu her younger sister pivoted on one foot and stormed away in a furious rage. Ukyo was still trying to make sense of everything that she had seen when she saw Nabiki straighten herself and feel along the side of her face, and she could only imagine how badly the middle Tendo daughter's head was ringing from that blow.

"You all right?" Ukyo asked her tentatively, only to hear a heartfelt sigh from her companion.

"No, I'm not all right," Nabiki replied, "I had that coming, I deceived my little sister. I failed her when she needed me, and now she'll probably never be able to forgive me for it."

"Perhaps," Lotion remarked, breaking her own silence, "Or perhaps she is just as angry with herself as with you and chose to deal with her emotions in the only manner she truly understands. Give her time, child, and she may find it in herself to overlook your slight transgression."

"Slight?" Nabiki asked in clear disbelief, "You call letting her think the guy she cares about is too shy and noble to pull something like he did as P-chan is just a slight transgression? The only thing I don't get here was I was sure she was going to grind him into pork sausage."

"You underestimate the power of love, child," Lotion replied, "It can make even the hardened heart of a young girl determined to live alone feel the pull to life in all its rich boundaries. I thought you might understand this if you but take a moment to truly think about it."

"Yeah, whatever," groaned a figure over their heads as they looked up to see Ranma clinging from a branch with Shampoo perched upon her shoulders. Swinging down to a one-point dismount, Ranma straightened out again and said, "I still say the two of them deserve each other, the bakas."

"Wow," Ukyo remarked, "Don't tell me you've gotten over your cat-phobia already, Ranchan?"

"She's not a cat!" Ranma said insistently, "That's Shampoo, okay? As long as I think of her like that I think I can beat the Neko otherwise "

"It's still a breakthrough," Nabiki said quietly, then smiled, "I really am glad to see the two of you getting along together."

"Me-!" Shampoo began to say before her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with a paw, looking sheepishly at a shuddering Ranma.

"Just Shampoo, justshampoojustshampoojustshampoo " Ranma murmured to herself like a Mantra, and after another moment she managed to get herself calmed down to where she was almost breathing easy.

"Good work, son," Genma finally spoke up, "I knew one day you'd become a real man and get over your weakness "

"Shut up, Old Man!" chorused Ranma, Ukyo and Nabiki while Shampoo just glared at the source of a great many of her husband's problems.

"Uh," the elder Saotome said somewhat sheepishly, "I was just going to say that it's time we got everything packed and returned home. Now that this training mission has worked out as planned "

"You think so?" Lotion remarked, "Then you are either a greater fool or a more devious one than I ever imagined and I prefer to think the former rather than the latter."

"I'm just saying that everyone seems to have learned something valuable from this trip," Genma sounded almost hurt, "Why is everyone so mad at me for?"

"Gee, I wonder?" Ranma's voice dripped sarcasm, then she added, "You better use the hot water first, Sham-chan. I'll go next and we'll "

"Ah, Ranma?" Nabiki asked, pointing up at something she saw dangling from the tall trees up above.

Ranma looked up to where Shampoo's silken pink Chinese clothes were waving down at them like a flag flying at half-mast. Ranma sighed, "Okay, so I'll go first, then I'll climb up there and fetch your clothes down for you. That sound like a deal, Sham-chan?"

The cat nodded vigorously, this time remembering in time to avoid speaking.

"Ukyo," Nabiki said to Ukyo, "Akane's not mad at you so would you go find Akane and tell her we're leaving. She doesn't have to travel with us if she doesn't want to "

"Right," Ukyo nodded, "No problem. I found my way here, so I'll have no problem escorting them back into town. I'll see if I can calm her down a little by playing the objective, disinterested observer."

"You do that, Ucchan," Ranma said tiredly, "Of course I guess I really don't blame her for being so mad at us. I can understand what it's like feeling betrayed by someone you trust. I really hate it when people aren't open and honest with me or try to pretend to be something that they're not."

No one said anything to that for at that precise moment everyone seemed to find something else that attracted their interest: the forest, trees, rocks and wildlife. It really was amazing what one could notice when trying to look everywhere but into the face of the person they were standing next to

Ryoga had finished dressing and was staring at the dying embers of the campfire. He felt as if his life had been shattered, yet in some way it was a clean and liberating feeling. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders and yet he was sad that this chapter of his tormented life was finally over. He had betrayed the woman that he loved, and yet at least now she knew the truth and could either accept or reject him for being what he was, not some impossible standard of virtue to which he could never truly aspire.

"So what will you do?" asked Cologne as she regarded her erstwhile pupil.

"I don't really know," he replied, "I guess I'll take up wandering again. I have to keep training to get better. This fight showed me that I'm not as good as I thought I was or Ranma would never have beaten me like that."

"You have the heart of a true warrior, boy," Cologne appraised, "Don't get yourself killed over nothing. You promised to abide by a truce if Ranma won, now you must hold yourself to that promise, as hard as it will be."

"I know," Ranma sighed, "But I'll keep my word. I won't come after Ranma for revenge again. It tears me up to admit it, but he's better than I thought he was, and I'm I'm just a failure who can't even look Akane in the eye and tell her how truly sorry I am for everything "

All of a sudden he was hit in the face by his own back-pack. Ryoga staggered a little then looked up to find Akane glaring at him with arms akimbo at her side. He flinched from the heat of her gaze and bent down in miserable resignation, picking up his pack as he slid it into place over his shoulders.

"I understand," he replied as he started to turn around, "And I don't blame you. For what I did I deserve to be whipped. I can't even find it in myself to beg for your forgiveness "

"What are you doing?" Akane asked, the level tone of her question catching him off guard and forcing Ryoga to half amid steps.

"I'm going away," he replied, half-turning to regard her, feeling her beauty seer his soul with the image of her proud, fierce countenance, "Isn't that what you want me to do? I thought "

"That would be a surprise," Akane snorted, "You thinking. Stop trying to guess my intentions, Ryoga, and look at me! Look me in the face when you address me, you got that?"

Ryoga turned around and stared in utter confusion, and suddenly Akane marched right up to him, grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him in to plant a kiss on his mouth, which sent a shockwave all throughout his body. She released him again and he almost lost his balance, his expression now full of unvoiceable amazement.

"You are not going away again, you got me?" she said fiercely, "I am not letting you get lost on one of your stupid wandering quests where I won't know if I'll even see you again in a week, a month or whenever! You owe me for your deception, mister, but you won't be able to pay me back by getting yourself lost in the hindlands."

"You you're not mad a me?" Ryoga faintly whispered.

"Mad at you?" Akane snorted, "I'm furious! How could you lie to me by keeping silent about your problem? Don't you care for me at all or trust me enough to share your problems with me like a real friend should?"

"Friend?" Ryoga asked in a tiny whisper, then he gasped, "Of course I care about you! I'd do anything to win your approval, Akane. I know I I failed you badly, but "

"Exactly," Akane said, "You're on probation with me, mister, but I'm not taking it out of your hide. I've already given a piece of my mind to Nabiki and the others, now I'm telling you about the ground rules. If we're going to share anything between us in the future, then I want your promise that you'll never lie or deceive me again. No more hiding secrets from me, you got that? From now on you have a problem, you come to me and you tell me all about it!"

Ryoga swallowed in spite of a dry mouth, then nodded his head and whispered tightly, "I promise."

"Good," she replied, "Because I'm holding you to it from now on and what do you want-oh!"

"Uh, sorry," said Ukyo as she stood at the edge of their camp, "Didn't mean to interrupt you. I just came here because um, your sister wanted me to tell you that they're pulling up camp and returning to Nerima."

"Thanks," Akane smiled, "Didn't mean to shout at you back there, I was just so mad "

"I could tell," Ukyo replied, "And don't worry, I'm not passing any judgements. I can see how things looked from your side, and after Nab-chan explained to me about Ryoga's problem "

"Too bad she never felt like doing that with me," Akane snorted.

"Uh, yeah," Ukyo replied, "Whatever."

"It would seem that everyone has decided that they have had enough of training for the present," mused Cologne, "It would be a very good idea for us to return home as well, seeing how there is no longer any reason for us to remain here."

"You're right," Ryoga sighed, "All that hard work for nothing "

"Oh I would hardly say that," Cologne noted with a crafty smile, "The Bakusai Tenketsu is far from the only trick I have to teach you young people. We Amazons have over 4000 years of advanced discipline in the Martial Arts, and there are literally hundreds of more complex maneuvers that I have personally mastered and would be glad to show to my chosen apprentices. You, in turn, can teach them to Ranma the hard way."

Ryoga blinked, "But I thought you said I wasn't supposed to go after him anymore "

"For vengeance, no," Cologne replied, "But recall that I did stipulate that training was still a valid reason for continuing your rivalry. You can call it training instead of revenge the point is that I still expect you to keep Son-In-Law on his toes so that he doesn't become complacent. A good warrior needs sparring partners after all, and so long as you do not kill him or render a permanent injury anything else is solely at your own discretion."

For the first time since the fight ended Ryoga smiled in obvious anticipation, "Training, huh? Yeah I can go along with that," he smacked one fist to palm and growled, "All right, Ranma, get ready for some serious training!"

Cologne turned to Akane and said, "And may I trust that you will similarly train to keep my great granddaughter in shape? Shampoo needs someone of your talents who can motivate her to continue her own training."

"Motivate her?" Akane arched her eyebrows.

"Shampoo is basically as lazy as her namesake cursed form," Cologne replied, "She does what I tell her, but in order to achieve her full potential she must have adversaries who can test her to her limits. You are improving at a speed that gives me hope that you may one day offer her a real challenge, so what do you say to that offer, Daughter?"

Akane grinned, "You've got yourself a deal! I'll do anything it takes to knock that smug expression of superiority off Shampoo's face!"

"I was counting on that," Cologne replied, "Now, why don't you two get our things in order so that we may be off? Time is money, and I do have a restaurant that needs tending."

"No problem, Grandmother," Ryoga said with more respect than was usual in his tone, and with Akane's help he began to pack everything together.

Cologne leaned on her staff and murmured at a volume to where only Ukyo could hear her, "Mark me well, Kuonji-  
san, those two will make formidable Amazons, even if it kills them in the process."

"Kills them?" Ukyo raised an eyebrow, "Don't you mean if it kills you first?"

"What do you take me for, suicidal?" the old woman snorted, and then resumed an inscrutable expression before adding, "Akane seems to have developed something of a partial interest in you. I must say that you do have a way of attracting the attention of the ladies."

"Ah " Ukyo winced before saying, "About that I'm really "

"I know," Cologne replied, "And it really is none of my concern, but you do realize that you cannot keep my Son-In-Law in the dark about your nature forever? When do you plan to reveal to him that you are secretly his other iinazuke?"

"Soon," Ukyo said nervously, "Just as soon as I find the right moment "

"Good," Cologne remarked, "Because you have already seen what prolonged deception can do to a friendship. I trust you will keep that in mind when it comes time to do the right thing. Son-In-Law needs friends as understanding as you far more than he needs another woman to chase him."

Ukyo swallowed at that and silently nodded. The time was approaching soon when she would have to share the truth with Ranma

Kachu sneezed, breaking her meditative state with a suddenness that was jarring. She had managed to scry as much as she needed to know from the land, but there were still a lot of areas she had yet to cover. Her premature emergence from her trance of Geomancy yet left many questions unresolved, and such blank areas in her knowledge base was always an annoyance.

Nevermind, she told herself, she had seen and heard enough to know what she must do to restore herself to a state of balance. Her Doppelganger was out there, a shadow in her mind, mocking her by its very existence. The feeling was strong now, very strong, and she felt certain that she could find the one she sought and rid herself of this wellspring of her confusion.

Rising up fluidly to her feet she left the circle of protection, speaking a few soft words in a low chant while making the appropriate ward-signs. She thrust one hand forward with thumb and pinky extended in the sign of the Moon crescent, and then she reached out to grasp the shaft of her sacred weapon.

It was called a C'hi chi, a form of Chinese Naginata, sacred and blessed by the gods for the purpose of combating evil spirits. She held this magical weapon up in a form of salute then cried out in Japanese, "Beware foul spirit, you who wears my face and hides behind a mask of pleasant demeanor! I know you for what you are, Demon, and I vow to rid myself of you, and you of this world, for am I not known as the Devil Hunter Kachu, sworn enemy of all that is evil!"

Her pro-forma declaration made, Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken Tendo vaulted off from the clock tower and swooped down upon Nerima like a bird of pray, or an angry Angel of vengeance

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/C'hi Chi Maru foundation: shadowmane

The gang comes back home in time to discover that their Amazon problems are only just beginning, and what will happen when Kachu Tendo finally meets up with Kasumi? Be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	32. Chapter 32

NabikiRan31 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim R. Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-One.

The Shinto temple of the Purple Chrysanthemum was an ancient structure dedicated to the peaceful establishment of harmony between man and his spiritual nature. It was also the repository of many an ancient and powerful legacy from the feudal past of Japan itself, not least of which was a certain box said to contain a malevolent Oni who had been held prisoner for a thousand years by a holy seal. It had been entrusted to the shrine for eternal wardship, only lately the seal had been showing signs of advanced degradation.

So it was that the resident priest sent the word out for an Exorcist to come and help him renew that seal. Of late the Oni had been struggling to break free of his containment and it was becoming more urgent that the wards be renewed to prevent this.

So, said the Exorcist in question, whose given name was Cherry, Am I in time or not?

Your timing could not be more perfect, said the resident priest, whose name was Nihana, The seal is just beginning to weaken. You must renew it now or we risk catastrophe.

Patience, my brother, Cherry urged his fellow Priest, Take me to the box and I will seal the Oni away for another thousand years. There is no reason for you to panic.

Oh no? asked Nihana as they entered the shrine and the priest indicated to the little Exorcist, You tell me that after you ve seen that ward s condition.

Hmmm Cherry replied as he noted the faded ink upon the ward, which looked very brittle as even ricepaper was wont to do after a thousand years in service, I see what you mean. Well, never fear, I will put matters to right. First I must pray to the spirits of this holy place.

Cherry clapped his hands together and began to mumble prayers while Nihana noticed that the box itself was starting to vibrate, which prompted him to say, Um could you hurry it up a bit? I think the Oni is restless.

At ease, brother, Cherry said before continuing in his ritual chanting, rubbing prayer beads between the palms of his hands while the box began to smoke along the edges, and them it started to glow slightly.

Ah Nihana s voice climbed up another notch, Maybe this time you should make an exception

Hmm? Cheery opened his eyes just as the box suddenly exploded into light as the ward strip upon it burned up like a strip of magnesium paper. With the ward seal gone the Oni emerged, billowing out like a cloud of smoke that filled the rafters as a dark shape materialized within it.

FREE! a guttural voice cried in triumphant glee, AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS I AM AT LAST FREE TO WRECK MY VENGENCE! NO ONE WILL EVER HOLD ME PRISONER LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN!

Ah Nihana said even more faintly, It s free.

So I see, said Cherry, whose hand suddenly filled with a prayer-strip, Then we must do this the hard way!

He hurled the strip but the Oni was no longer where he aimed. Cherry was just starting to wonder where it had gotten off to when he was clobbered from behind with his own wooden staff, the iron rings rattling at both ends as Nihana swung it intending to cripple.

Unfortunately for that plan the little priest proved resilient enough to pop back up again, whirling about as he cried, So you re able to take possession of innocent people. The legends did not exaggerate your evil.

Innocent? asked Nihana, who was not normally prone to sporting a pair of horns on his forehead. He cackled a hearty laugh and said, I wouldn t go so far as that. In fact, I

He stopped, looked down at himself, then with a free hand began exploring his crotch area, looking horrified as he cried, Oh no! I m a Eunuch!

Too bad you didn t know brother Nihana s tragic childhood secret, Cherry smiled as he whipped out another prayer strip and sent it hurtling at the possessed Shinto priest, striking him on the forehead and causing the Oni to immediately vacate.

Nihana gasped, dropping Cherry s staff as he cried, Thank you! Oh, that was terrible! You have no idea what sorts of perversions were floating through my head just now

Save it for later, brother, Cherry said, glancing around, The demon was expelled from you, but it is still close nearby. It will be looking for a new host body and anyone on hand will be sufficient for its evil needs.

We must stop him before it is too late, Nihana declared, If the Oni is allowed to absorb the repressed needs and desires of too many host victims

I know, Cherry replied, It will grow out to become a truly terrifying menace, and as priests it is our sacred duty to prevent this. Perhaps I should have asked my niece, Sakura, to join me in this endeavor. It is not too late, I have her cell phone number

A wicked cry from outside the shrine caused both men to turn around and gape at a passing little old lady, who suddenly was sprouting horns and grinning at them both while making an obscene finger gesture.

You priests cannot stop me! she cried, I will soon become too powerful for the both of you to face!

And with that she turned around, hiked up her skirts and flashed her underwear in their directions, then kicked up her heels and began running down the walkway heading for the public road and the main heart of town.

Ah maybe we should have placed wards around the shrine, said Nihana in a sheepishly voice.

Okay, replied Cherry, Now we should panic

Kodachi was in rare good spirits as she went shopping with Kasumi. As much as she might not care to dwell upon the subject of her mother, the two older guests of the Tendo house have proven a veritable fountain of useful tid-bits concerning Ranma's father. It seemed that the older Saotome had lived quite an interesting and event-filled life, one worthy of a heroic Samurai ballad.

It only made sense that Ranma would have gained his formidable prowess from an accomplished Martial Artist, though Kodachi had to concede that Genma Saotome well lived up to his name as the "Dark Horse" of his family lineage. Kodachi had judged the older man to be quite a bit of a useless layabout, and it seemed to her that this impression was shared by the Amazon named Silk, though the one named Comb always had dark looks of a different nature whenever his name was being mentioned.

By contrast with her, Kasumi was behaving in a most unusually pensive way, which Kodachi picked up before too long, aware that their pleasant chitchat was being mostly conducted on her end. It belatedly occurred to her that the eldest Tendo daughter was acting almost morose for some strange reason, and after a few tentative probing questions hinting about that subject she finally determined what was bothering her friend.

"She reminds you of your mother?" Kodachi asked, surprised to see the wistful smile that crossed the older girl's lovely features.

"Not exactly," Kasumi replied, "Although she does look a great deal like my mother, there is something very different about her. I lost my mother when I was very young, like you, but I do seem to recall that my mother was...oh my. I'm not really sure what I mean, I just know that there was a difference."

Kodachi was surprised to note the way Kasumi spoke when she mentioned a difference between this Silk and her mother. From everything that she had heard from various sources, the late Kimiko Tendo had been regarded as a virtual saint, and if Kasumi were any reflection of her mother then it would certainly set a very high watermark, almost an unattainable goal to live up to. Still, this Silk had been so calm and well-mannered for a person of Chinese descent, certainly nothing like the wild ways of that Amazon Hussy, Shampoo, or even her dour-eyed mother.

"Still and all, it must be very strange for you," Kodachi noted, expecting to hear tacit agreement with this simple appraisal, but once again Kasumi surprised her with a gentle smile as if to suggest the opposite were true.

"I suppose it is a bit unusual," the older girl said with typical understatement, "But it is nice just the same to have people of such exotic temperament around our home. Things have been so exciting since Ranma and his father came to Nerima and he became engaged to my little sister. I never know what to expect from one day to the next, I just know that it will be interesting, and the chance to learn more about the world is certainly something that I would welcome. It's just well there seems to be a lot more to Silk's story than she has been telling us. For one thing she seems to get along very well with father."

"You noticed that, did you?" Kodachi found herself both surprised and intrigued, never having suspected that the overly emotional Soun Tendo might have his own little secrets of such a juicy and titillating nature. She might have pointed this out to her companion just to get a rise out of her, but for some reason she was hesitant to do anything that might hurt Kasumi's feelings. There was just something about the girl that made Kodachi feel perversely close and yet somehow protective. This was not typical behavior for her, and it made Kodachi wonder about that.

But not being overly introspective by inclination, Kodachi just smiled and said, "It would be only natural that your father be pleased at seeing an old friend. From what those two Amazons told us I would think they had some glorious adventures, and no doubt they are reacquainting themselves with the particulars, wandering through memory lane, as it were "

"Oh, I'm sure they are, and father must enjoy the company as he has few friends to talk to besides Mister Saotome," Kasumi smiled, but then that pensive look came back and she said, "I just wonder about something they're not telling us. I don't know why, but it troubles me whenever Silk mentions her daughter, or she is mentioned by Comb. The way they look at me, as if I resembled her the way Silk resembles my mother. I suppose I'm just being silly, but still "

Kodachi hid her face by pretending to be interested in a piece of fruit on display in the open-air market, but for once her expression was troubled. The wry and cynical side of her personality was thinking very nasty thoughts that-she had no doubt-were unquestionably close to the truth in that matter, but she was wondering at the same time if Kasumi also suspected the same things. It was hard to believe that the older girl could nurse an unpleasant thought towards anyone, but if she discovered that her father had once been unfaithful to her mother what would it do to her peace of mind? Would it shatter her faith in humankind and shake her most fundamental beliefs to their root foundations?

Kodachi already knew what lay in wait for her friend should Kasumi go down that same path that Kodachi had experienced in her lost days of innocence when she had lost her own childhood forever. The memory was stark and deep of a time when her whole world had had been upturned, and even now she could not think back on that affair without feeling a twisting in her gut that made her instantly want to change to a different subject.

She took a deep breath and composed herself while rubbing an apple off of her dress to polish it for closer inspection. When she had judged it worthy of consumption she graced the merchant with the required coinage and moved on to the next stall, using the time to compose her thoughts while allowing Kasumi her peace of mind. Only when Kodachi was ready to talk again did she say, "By the way, I was hoping that you might like to stop off by my family mansion on the way home. There is something that I would very much like to show you."

"I'd love to come by your place, Kodachi-chan," Kasumi said with that musical lilt in her voice that conveyed such rich warm and sincerity that it made Kodachi feel her heart begin to flutter, "Is it very far from here?"

"No, not at all," Kodachi had to still her pulse before turning around, not daring to hope that her luck might hold long enough that she could lure this fascinating creature into her lair, where they could explore more fascinating new aspects to their friendship. Her violet eyes were shining with admiration, though, as she looked up into Kasumi's guileless brown eyes and almost had a moment of indecision. She opened her mouth, preparing to say something casual that had just occurred to her at that moment when-all of a sudden-a crashing sound diverted both of their attention.

"Hey!" a Merchant was yelling, "What's the big idea of tipping over my cart?!"

The old woman standing beside the overturned cart and spilled fruit was cackling like some character out of a children's fairy tail about stereotypical Wicked Old Witches as her voice grated out in a sarcastic wheeze, "I'm just disposing of some rubbish, you overpricing cheat! I've been buying your rotten fruit for years but I've always dreamed about telling you to your face what I think of your second-rate produce!"

She laughed at the merchant's stunned expression then merrily skipped off as two men-both obvious Shinto priests by their fancy style of dress, appeared mere moments later with one calling aloud to the other, "This way, my friend! She mustn't escape us this time!"

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "You do meet the strangest people in this district."

Kodachi was going to agree with that statement in the affirmative when both women were startled for a second time by another occurrence, this one much closer than the last. The two looked up simultaneously as a figure dropped from rooftop level to land on top of a merchant stall and from there vault to the sidewalk directly in their path, flashing a golden polearm that in some part resembled a Japanese Naginata.

"At last I've found you, Demon!" the new arrival snarled, "I caught scent of your evil presence from above. Now taste the bite of my holy weapon!"

With that she leveled the pole-arm towards Kasumi, who looked back at the new arrival with much surprise and incomprehension. Kodachi glanced from one woman to the other and back again, unable to help gasping with alarm at the realization that one very closely resembled the other.

She was as tall as Kasumi and had her features and hair color, but the style of her dress marked her for a Chinese Amazon, albeit one who looked very different from Shampoo by an entire order of being. What was notably different was that the glint in her eyes betrayed none of the serenity and benevolence of the gentle Tendo sister but more closely resembled the angry glares often worn by Akane.

"Who are you?" Kodachi asked as another analogy belatedly occurred to her as she mentally compared this stranger to her brother. Her manner of speech surely was worthy of Tatawaki!

"I am Kachu!" the stranger snarled, "A daughter of the Nyanchiczu, and here to rid myself of you, foul Doppelganger!"

"Gesundhiet, " Kasumi said politely, then blinked her eyes as she asked, "What is a Doppelganger?"

"DIE!" Kachu snarled and started to lunge forward, only to be intercepted by a ribbon that wrapped around the shaft of her weapon and quite easily deflected it away from Kasumi.

"I beg to differ," Kodachi said with polite deference that belied the angry glint of her stare, "I cannot permit you to do this to my companion. She has done nothing to deserve your wrath, but if you persist in this then you will feel mine, which is considerable I assure you."

Kachu easily freed her pole arm from the ribbon as she took in the dark haired Kodachi coolly while Kasumi remained where she was looking at them both with a much-  
surprised expression. With a contemptuous sniff the Amazon growled, "What, has she enchanted you to be her protector?"

"Something like that," Kodachi's eyes twinkled with faint amusement before she assumed a combat stance and added, "I am Kuno Kodachi, the Black Rose of Saint Hebereke, a rising star of Women's Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, and if you would come at my friend them you must first go through me."

"Whatever," Kachu replied, and attacked again, this time directing her assault in the direction of Kodachi

"So," Comb remarked as she studied the Shogi board that Soun was presently sitting before, across from Silk, who was playing a game with him in earnest, "You and Genma sit and play all day by yourselves, do you? Interesting way to pass the time "

"And is that so different from the games of Chess that you indulge in with your husband?" Silk pleasantly replied without taking her eyes off the board, or the man playing against her.

"Chess is different," Comb bristled slightly, "It's a warrior's game fought with strategy and honor. You can see the value of certain pieces as they weigh against each other for position and advantage. The pieces of this game are all the same worth and all you do is move them around trying to trump each other, like playing a child's game of leap-frog!"

"You play your game the way you want, I'll play it the way I like," Silk replied with perfect calm, smiling all the while as she saw how Soun was fretting over his position, which prompted her to say, "Your move, Soun dear."

"Ah " Soun winced as if visibly made nervous by the Amazon's smile, then he suddenly glanced up and pointed, "Look, over there! What in the world is that?"

"Nice try," Silk's smile deepened as she sensed victory within her grasp, "But I'm not Genma. I won't fall for any minor distractions?" she blinked before her eyes abruptly lost focus.

"Hah," Comb snorted, "It's like I thought. You and Genma just play to cheat, like always. It's not a Warrior's game when all you do is sneak around trying to "

"No, I mean it seriously!" Soun pointed, "There's something going on that way."

"Are you still on that?" Comb said in exasperation, "Honestly, I thought you Japanese at least held to some concept of honor "

"No, he's right," Silk turned around and glanced in the direction that Soun had pointed, just off to the left of her shoulder, "I sense it too."

"Eh?" Comb followed the line of their gazes and saw what had drawn their attention, a plume of light and smoke that was trailing up from the Furinkan district, nearly two kilometers from their current location, "What in the name of our ancestors is that?"

"Kachu," Silk rose smoothly to her feet, retrieving her silver flute in one fluid motion, her whole attitude reflecting a sudden sobriety that had not been there in prior moments.

"Kachu?" Soun remarked curiously.

"KACHU?" Comb's tone-in contrast to that of her companions-was borderline to panic, "She's doing this? Oh my "

"Oh my indeed," Silk remarked, "We had best hurry and find my wayward daughter while the town is still standing."

"Surely any daughter of yours couldn't be all that bad," Soun said with a hopeful note in his voice, only to see the looks the two Amazons gave him, which prompted him to say, "That bad, eh? Well, she certainly will find herself with odd company in our fair city."

"I think someone is in for a very rude shock," Comb remarked with a none-too-subtle undertone in her voice.

"Ah yes," Silk winced, "Time is rapidly approaching when I will have to tell him about Kachu."

"Before or after he sees her for himself?" Comb asked rhetorically, to which Silk chose not to answer as the three of them filed out through the gates together

The walk back home was quiet and uneventful for Akane, which suited her just fine as she was in no real mood for conversation. Her companions had maintained a respectful silence after she had made it abundantly clear that she did not welcome any chatter. Ryoga was too mindful of his tenuous position with her to risk venturing any questions, while Ukyo was simply wondering why she had chosen to accompany this pair rather than go with Ranma, Shampoo and Nabiki.

Cologne held to her own counsel and seemed far too preoccupied by her thoughts to bother her newly chosen apprentice, not that she had any cause for fear as in the case of Ryoga. She had judged the Tendo girl as one who was full of unexpected surprises, and as such she was appraising the ways in which she might use her fierce battle spirit to advantage, not only to train her in ways befitting an adopted warrior of the Nyanchiczu but also to employ her constructively towards the ends of motivating her great granddaughter and chosen Airen to do likewise.

They were just passing through the Furinkan financial district, still a fair ways from that part of the suburbs where the Tendo home was located, when Akane chose to break her own silence and said in a low voice, "Kuonji-san, why did you choose to forgive Ranma and his father for abandoning you all those years ago?"

"Eh?' Ukyo reacted in surprise before recovering to reply, "What makes you think I've forgiven him anything?'

"Well, not his father, I can understand that," Akane said with a slight shrug to her shoulders, "But you still consider Ranma your friend, don't you?"

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, then after a moment of pause she said, "Well yeah, Ranchan and I are friends. At least I think I understand him a lot better now than when I was carrying on a grudge for ten years. I don't blame him any more for being a party to his father's crimes. Kami knows my own father made more than his share of mistakes."

Ryoga glanced at Ukyo and frowned, not liking the tone of this conversation. Deciding to take a chance that he might be forgiven a small caveat of his own, he ventured to say, "Well I don't blame his father for Ranma's crimes against me. Stealing bread when we were kids was one thing, skipping out on a man-to-man promise was another "

"Are you still onto that?" Ukyo growled, "Why not take some responsibility of your own for getting lost those four days it took you to find an open lot behind your own house? Even you've got to admit that it's a little odd being that directionless, Sugar."

Ryoga bristled slightly, but when he caught a warning glance from Akane he checked himself, then heaved a sigh as he thought it over (or at least made a good attempt at it) then said, "Well, even if it were true that Ranma wasn't to blame for missing out on our fight, he still owes me for knocking me into that curses spring and trapping me with this body! I can never forgive him for that, never! I'm cursed to turn into a pig for the rest of my life, and some day I'll have my vengeance "

"Aren't you forgetting something, sonny boy?" Cologne suddenly joined into their conversation, "You promised to desist from any thought of revenge as condition of your defeat. You are to train to test yourself against his skills, not for personal vengeance. But, if you should happen to defeat him as a consequence of improving much faster than he does "

"Yes, exactly!" Ryoga declared, "I'll train hard and become good enough to finally beat him, then he can beg me for his pathetic life! I'll make him rue the day he ever heard the name of Hibiki Ryoga!"

"Somehow I don't think that will be a problem," Ukyo said with a dry note of sarcasm in her tone, rolling her eyes and wondering how anyone could be so clueless.

Akane sighed, looking away from Ryoga to Ukyo with an unreadable expression. A smile began to form upon her face and she deliberately moved closer to Ukyo, creating a distance with Ryoga that the lost boy was not slow to notice. In what for her was a too-casual tone of voice, Akane said, "Well, I think it shows great maturity that you're able to overlook the fact that you were abandoned and neglected so long ago. Another boy might have taken it out on everyone and become as much a stranger to himself and everyone around him."

"Huh?" Ukyo responded, an exclamation that was echoed by Ryoga, who wore a non-plussed expression that was equal parts incomprehension.

"Interesting," Cologne mused to herself in a soft voice, "You are just full of surprises today, Tendo-san."

"Eh?" Akane glanced towards the old woman as if just recognizing her for the first time, "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing," Cologne said innocently as she faced straight ahead, "It's just that I find you young people an infinite source of amusement what with the way you twist and turn in your relationships."

"Huh?" all three of her companions said together.

Cologne was about to pointedly ignore their shared remarks when a sudden foreboding gripped her heart. She halted in the middle of the walkway and stared straight ahead as a most peculiar thing occurred. An outdoor cart and several window displays all toppled over together, and then an old woman went crashing through a window clutching a dress in her arms while cackling merrily something to the effect that the store prices were outrageous. The next instant she tripped over the hem of her dress and staggered forward, about to hit her head upon the sidewalk when Ryoga instinctively went into action.

Slipping the straps of his backpack off his shoulders, Ryoga allowed his burden to fall as he rushed forward with arms outstretched to catch the old woman before she could hurt herself. Unfortunately his attempt was ill timed and instead of providing the lady a safe cushion his head wound up butting against hers. He fell flat on his face, the old woman looking stunned as she landed on top of his body. A moment later she blinked her eyes, looked around and said, "Oh my where am I?"

"Are you all right?" Ukyo asked as she started to move forward, only to find Cologne's staff was thrust into her path.

"Ryoga, are you hurt?" Akane was equally concerned, only to find her ability to move forward was being deterred by the Amazon Elder, who was looking towards Ryoga with a particularly disturbed expression.

"Hey you!" a high-toned nasal voice called out, "Don't go near them!"

"Stay back!" a deeper mail voice called in warning, "You don't want to come any closer!"

"Huh?" Ukyo and Akane turned their heads to see an odd pair of priests approaching them at a dead run. Cologne, on the other hand, kept her eyes focused on the prone Ryoga. As the lost boy started to groan it caused the pair to reorient their attention his way, then Ryoga began to pry himself off of the sidewalk, turning towards them with a very odd expression.

"Ryoga-kun?" asked Akane hesitantly.

"Hey, what's with the horns?" Ukyo asked, just noticing what looked different about their companion, other than the fact that Ryoga was wearing a most uncharacteristic expression.

Ryoga smiled in a lopsided manner and began to cackle to himself, then crouched like a predatory animal as he unceremoniously dumped the old woman to the side. As he rose to his full height the malevolent gleam in his eyes became apparent to everyone who could see it, as did the calculated tone of his voice as he purred in a low growl, "Akane-chan how nice it is to finally see you this way. I feel like a new man altogether!"

"R-Ryoga-kun?" Akane asked in confusion when Ukyo stepped into her path with her bakers peel raised in warning.

"Hold up, Sugar," Ukyo said, "That's not really you talking, is it, Ryoga?"

"Good guess," Ryoga glared at her while still smiling, then suddenly he lunged forward as he cried, "You stay away from my Akane, you hear me?"

Ukyo side-stepped the lost boy's powerful lunge and brought her spatula down upon his head with a loud "CLANG" sound as she knocked him sprawling once again. Ryoga lay still for half a moment as Akane called out his name, then all at once they shared a gasp as something rose up from Ryoga's prone body, a nebulous form like a diminutive imp, or a balloon with horns.

"What is that?" Akane gasped.

"I think it's some kind of Youma," Ukyo hesitated.

"No," said the shorter of the two priests very solemnly, "It is an Oni, a dark and terrible creature that feeds off the repressed desires and hidden needs concealed by most people. It escaped from a local shrine, now I and my esteemed colleague are attempting to recapture the foul creature. Be careful that it does not attempt to possess you."

Cologne turned to the short little man and said, "Cherry? Is that you?"

"Eh?" the little priest suddenly all but jumped out of his skin as he took notice of the tribal Elder, "Cologne? What are you doing back here in Japan?"

"Personal business," Cologne said dryly, "But it is so nice to run into old acquaintances, yes?"

"Old girlfriend, eh?" the taller priest murmured to the side.

"Don't be ridiculous," Cherry said with great solemnity, "And besides, this isn't the time or place to be talking about that."

"Speaking of which," Ukyo said as she started to turn back to where the Oni had been, only to freeze where she was as her face clouded over with a most peculiar expression.

"Hey, where did it go?" Akane gasped, seeing no trace of the creature.

"Heheh," Ukyo murmured softly under her breath, a lascivious smile suddenly crossing her Bishonen features, "That would be telling."

"Ukyo?" Akane started, seeing the horns that were suddenly sprouting from the okinomiyaki chef's forehead, "Not you too?"

Cologne attempted to strike Ukyo with her staff but the chef was too fast, bunching her legs before springing backwards out of the Elder's reach. With another powerful leap she was suddenly astride the roof to a nearby apartment, then looked down at them with a contemptuous gleam in her chestnut brown eyes before she called out, "I've no time to deal with you, losers! I've got an old score to settle with my 'good buddy' Ranma!"

"C-come back!" Ryoga's shaky voice called out, "I'm not finished with you! Just let me get my hands on that horrible creature!"

"Ryoga-kun?" Akane knelt over him with concern in her expression, "Are you all right?"

"No," Ryoga said without meeting her gaze, "I'm not all right! That thing got into my head there were so many dark and terrible thoughts it unleashed in me you have no idea of the kind of ugliness it's capable of unleashing "

"Well, you know," Cologne said philosophically, "They do tend to be like that, these demons of the mind. It's their specialty to prey on human suffering and weakness."

"Then we have to stop that thing!" Akane cried out, "It's got Ukyo, and who knows what it's doing to his mind?"

"That's right," Ryoga said as he got to his feet, "No one deserves to go through what I just went through, not even Ranma!"

"Ranma?" Akane's eyes narrowed, "I'll bet he's going after him and if it gets possession of Ranma, then Nabiki "

"There's not a moment to lose!" cried Nihana, the taller of the two priests, "We must be after that Oni!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ryoga asked when a sudden explosion was heard to erupt from another part of the city.

"Huh?" Akane gasped, "What now?"

"Oh my," Cologne blinked, "There seems to be no end of troubles today. Follow me, there is not a moment to waste!"

With that the Amazon Elder began to vault away on her staff, causing Akane and Ryoga to quicken their own pace, grabbing up their backpacks on the run so as not to lose them. Nihana and Cherry held back for a few moments to exchange a few private words between them.

"You felt that, brother?" Nihana asked.

"I did indeed," Cherry replied, "And I don't think it was the Oni."

"There's no telling what else is waiting for us up ahead," Nihana said with grim fatalism, then paused to add on the sly, "So, what is the story between you and that old woman?"

"Nothing you want to be troubled with, brother," Cherry's expression was grim, "There are some things other men were not meant to know. I just wish I were numbered among them "

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

Although my husband had triumphed against his enemy and proven himself truly a man much to be prized there seemed little celebration for us as we sought to return to the Tendo estate after a long, reflective march down the trail leading from the forest to Nerima. I was somewhat perplexed as I tried to think of some way to cheer my wife and husband up since they were obviously still very much upset over the matter of that fool, Ryoga.

To be perfectly honest I did not then see what was consuming them with such anxiety. Ranma was not truly to blame for the other boy's misfortune, even if he did knock Ryoga into the Spring of Itoniichuan. As I understand the circumstances it was an accident caused when Ranma was seeking to chastise his father for bringing them both to Jusenkyo. Ryoga was fool enough to be in their path and so received the curse on account of his own clumsiness. To hold Ranma responsible is merely to avoid the harsh reality of the curse itself by deflecting his anger at another party.

It would be much the same if I blamed great-  
grandmother for giving me my curse. I know as well as anyone the hardships bestowed upon one who is forced to become small and helpless against their will, and under different circumstances I most certainly would feel pity for Ryoga, but blaming his troubles upon Ranma is quite simply pointless.

I suppose what really bothered my Airen was the deception practiced by not informing Akane of her mistake in assuming a small black pig would be a harmless pet that she could take into her bed. As if! I do not fully understand myself why my wife and husband did not share their knowledge of Ryoga's dual nature, I only know that it involves what the Japanese call Bushido, or the Warrior's Code as it is understood within their homeland.

I am prepared to accept my husband's explanation that he was behaving with honor by not revealing Ryoga's weakness to another. To my way of thinking it is most curious that Ranma would be so concerned about protecting the honor of an enemy who hated him with such intensity and publicly vowed to destroy him in battle. To an Amazon it would be unthinkable to owe any regard to an enemy who challenged you constantly and sought your life over a trifle. Mousse would never do that to anyone he hated so intensely, but then again perhaps that is why I love Ranma instead of Mousse. My husband is strong enough not to fear his enemies and so could afford the luxury of being generous towards those who hate him.

Like Akane, if you wish another example. I simply do not understand the younger sister to my wife, even though I have taken it upon myself to see that she become a more capable fighter. That girl spends much too much of her time quarreling with my husband (on those occasions when she cannot outright avoid him) and I cannot for the life of me understand why she holds such intense dislike of him. If it were merely the fact that he is a better fighter but chooses not to challenge her, then it would be a sensible reason for resentment, but it is as if she holds some secret quarrel that I know nothing about, quite beyond the circumstances (as they were explained to me) of their first meeting.

It is not as if Akane spends all her time being angry at the world that she was born into, and those times when she is behaving more rationally I actually find myself liking her, for some strange, unaccountable reason. Since we are not rivals there is little reason for hostility between us, but she seems to resent me for any number of issues, not least of which was my use of the Xi Fang Giao upon her.

If anything though, it was my wife who was giving me the greatest amount of concern on that long walk back to her home. Nabiki was being silent and saying little beyond what was necessary to maintain light conversation. I could see that she felt tormented by some issue but was at a loss to understand how she was allowing events to affect her in such a manner. Nabiki always seemed to me the very picture of self-possessed calm very different in manner and temperament from her gentler older sister, perhaps, but certainly not one to allow herself to be become distraught over something as minor as holding back information from her sister.

As I think back on it now I seem to perceive that I may be doing my Airen a great injustice by not understanding the seriousness of the breach of ethics that they may have committed. Japanese are very concerned about the Wa (a word that Elder Lotion has been explaining to me at great length this very evening) or "Harmony" of one's own household (and does this ever conjure up thoughts of home and the many families to whom the concept of harmony would be entirely foreign).

Perhaps my Airen believes that she has disturbed the Wa of her household by not informing her sister that the harmless pig she was clutching to her bosom late at night was not entirely so harmless. If so, then I think she is worrying over nothing, for Akane's state of mind has hardly been a state of Wa for as long as I have known her!

Still, it is this dutiful bride's responsibility to look after her Airen in good times as well as bad, and while I may not share their feelings towards the volatile Akane, I must respect that they feel some measure of regret for having deceived her or allowed her to deceive herself by withholding information. Perhaps in time I may even help them to see that it will all work out for the better.

Of course this is not to say that I am overlooking the strange events that were about to take place, but I am putting my thoughts into perspective here, as Elder Lotion would say, dealing with one issue at a time in proper order. It helps when you have a cursed form such as mine that forces one to play passive observer.

This point is relevant because at the time I was riding upon the shoulders of my wife, holding on without use of my claws through a careful balancing of posture. She was generously giving me a ride while I dried off after that unexpected rainshower had inadvertently rendered me in cursed form. There is not a lot that I could verbally say to convey my meaning so I sought to be reassuring and supporting in other ways. I was hoping to find some hot water as soon as we came within sight of the Tendo home when all of a sudden Elder Lotion tensed up, the first indication that something was very wrong in Nerima

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I betrayed my sister. I know this both objectively and factually that I deliberately withheld information from Akane for what I thought was her own best interest, but try as I might I can't get over the angry, hurt way that she was looking at me when she hurled her accusations. Regardless of the fact that I thought that I was doing the right thing at the time, it was my duty as her sister to inform her about Ryoga and I didn't. I can't even claim my usual self-interested motivation, I just had a dirty little secret that I kept to myself and in the end I hurt my sister's feelings and endangered her relationship with the man she was interested in, all against my better judgement.

I know this wasn't Ranma's fault, but a part of me was blaming him for talking me into it. So what if it was against the code of Budo to reveal the weaknesses of an enemy? I wasn't raised to be a warrior like him, and I certainly don't feel obligated to protect Ryoga from his own foolishness. Why protect someone who is out to kill you, as Ryoga most certainly was? It's noble and honorable and all that, but it isn't smart and it set Akane up to be taken advantage of by that clueless pig-  
boy.

Okay, I wasn't exactly being fair at that point, and I was more than a little hurt, and maybe stung in my pride, because I can't account for why it was bothering me so much on this one occasion. I mean I've done plenty of less-than-honorable things to Akane in the past and never felt this bad about it. She might be overreacting this time, but the plain fact is that I was not behaving like a sister by letting things get as much out of control as they had. If Ryoga hadn't exposed himself at the last who knows how long she would have been in the dark about her precious pet "P-chan?"

I glance over at my sex-changing "fiancee" and I started to wonder how I let myself get talked into this whole engagement mess. I mean sure I'm attracted to him-  
-her-whatever, but surely that's just a sexual chemistry thing, right? I mean, I'm Tendo Nabiki, I don't get all mushy about romance. I'm in perfect control of my emotions and I'm not going to let a trick of biology get my better judgement.

Okay, like I said, I was in a pretty crappy mood trudging home from those hills, getting caught out in the open by a brief shower that left me feeling wet and miserable while Shampoo turned into a cat and my boyfriend turned into my girlfriend. (I won't even go into what I thought about the Panda walking on two legs beside us!) When you've had the sort of day I've had you tend to start thinking off-color stuff that normally you'd keep locked up in your subconscious. Looking back on my attitude during that part of the day I kind of wonder how I could stand being around myself, and it was almost a relief that the typical insanity of Nerima came to my rescue and prevented me from doing or saying something that was really quite foolish.

We were still a mile from home when all of a sudden Lotion halted rather suddenly and turned as if hearing or sensing something that was oblivious to the rest of us. I had been wondering why she was being so quiet on the way back down the trail after proving to be such a stirring conversationalist during training, but I guess in retrospect that she was respecting my privacy (for once!) and leaving me to my mood-swings, or maybe she was just distracted by her own thoughts. Whatever the case her staff was suddenly in my path, blocking further advance as the rest of us turned towards her with curious expressions. It didn't take me very long to see that she was pretty agitated about something.

"What's up?" Ranma asked her, beating me to the punch by at least a dozen heartbeats.

"Something very troubling is in the air," the old woman turned towards us very slowly, her eyes roving over my face before she answered my iinazuke's question, "It comes sooner than expected, the test that I've been dreading."

"Test?" I blinked, "What is this, a pop quiz or something?"

"Something, yes," Lotion nodded with a distracted air, then her gaze focused sharply on me and she said, "Your older sister is in grave danger. Due to the folly of your father-and my granddaughter-there is a threat to her safety that you and your loved ones must deal with very swiftly. If you go that way for a few blocks you will see what the danger is. Beyond this I cannot say, save that it is a test of the solidarity of your union with those you care for and who care most about you. How you handle this will determine the sort of Lore Master you will become when you further your training."

"Never mind about my training!" I suddenly blurted with real urgency, "What's this about Kasumi being in danger? From what? From whom?"

"Whom indeed," Lotion replied for us, "Time is wasting, I will explain when there is more of it to dispense, but at the moment you need to travel like the wind if you are to arrive in time to be of use to your sister."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Ranma-chan turned to me and said, "Need a lift, Nabiki?"

The question was, I assume, rhetorical, because the next thing I know my redheaded Baka of a fianc e has scooped me up into her arms once again and-in total disregard for my normal digestive processes-begun to spirit me away with prodigious leaps worthy of a human-  
sized grasshopper.

I felt Shampoo dig her claws into my shoulder in her attempt to maintain a perch as we were suddenly on top of the nearest building with Ranma racing along at a good clip, carrying me along as if I were a sack of groceries he-I mean she-was bringing home to make supper.

Before this training mission had started I would probably have wondered how Ranma-chan-who was currently a good deal smaller than me-could not only handle my weight but managed to set such a breakneck pace that I could never achieve through normal jogging. Something about this Ki-force manipulation that makes Martial Artists like him so much tougher than the rest of us mere mortals.

Shampoo managed to scramble around to climb onto my lap midway to our goal or else I think we'd probably have lost her along the way. (A good thing Ranma has also been making progress in overcoming his phobia of Shampoo's cursed form or the mere fact of having her tail wave under Ranma's nose might have caused us all some very bad moments.) My shoulders bore claw marks from her efforts at holding on and were hurting like hell, but that was the least of my immediate worries as thoughts of my older sister were running through my head.

A threat against Kasumi? Inconceivable! Who would want to harm my sister? Kasumi is the gentlest soul that I have ever known, and she's always been there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry upon. I could not think of anyone who would want to see her hurt, so I was glad that the race to the scene of the crime in Ranma's arms was a brief one for more reasons than just my usual crazed sense of panic.

We arrived, like I just said, within moments of our departure, yet to my great surprise we found Lotion waiting for us with no sign of any pandas. What we did find, however, was trouble in spades! There was Kodachi on the ropes getting thrashed by an opponent wearing fancy Chinese dress and wielding some kind of fancy Naginata.

The scary thing is that she looked exactly like Kasumi!

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/About Bloody Time: shadowmane

Sorry for the massive delay, other projects have stalled me from getting back onto the project, but I plan to get back on a productive schedule soon, College Courses and work schedule permitting. Next up: Kachu versus everyone with the fate of Kasumi riding in the balance, and what about that Oni? Will Ukyo at long last have her revenge, and what will Soun say when he gets a look at the new arrival? The fun's only just getting started with even more twists upon the way, so hang onto your Okinomiyaki carts as we get down to the business of witnessing the Devil in Miss Kasumi! Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	33. Chapter 33

NabikiRan32 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets ByJim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-Two.

From the moment Kodachi and the Amazon, Kachu, first traded blows, the self-styled Black Rose of Saint Hebereke realized that she was in a great deal of trouble. A normal martial arts challenge she could handle, even one fought with her usual arsenal of Rhythmic Gymnastics weapons against the curious Naginata-  
like halberd being wielded by her opponent, but this Amazon was fighting with magic to back her efforts, which made her attacks even more difficult to handle.

Kasumi, standing on the sidelines with an expression of intense concern, could see how plainly outmatched Kodachi was against the vigorous thrusts of the Amazon, who fought with the fury of a demon as if her pole arm were attached to her like a fifth limb. Kodachi's ribbons and pins were of no avail against it, nor were her batons, hoops and other tools of her trade as one by one they were met and deflected by the relentless Kachu. In fact it was only Kodachi's superlative speed and agility that was keeping her from being skewered within the first minute of their exchanges, for the power of the taller girl's movements coupled with the added reach of her weapon made her a formidable antagonist, one against whom Kodachi's best tricks could not avail her.

There was a strange kind of furious control in the Amazon's motions, and looking upon her gave Kasumi an odd sort of chill as if looking upon a dark reflection seen in a mirror. There was something about this Kachu-quite apart from any superficial resemblance to herself-that made Kasumi uneasy in a way with which she was unfamiliar.

The fact that Kodachi seemed to be rapidly running out of tricks was unmistakable, and this, too, concerned Kasumi greatly, fearing for the welfare of her friend more than the perceived threat to her own personal safety. The single weapon in Kachu's hands-which Kasumi offhandedly identified as a C'hi Chi without quite knowing exactly how it was that she knew what a C'hi Chi was on sight-was proving more formidable than all the tools in Kodachi's arsenal. Kachu fought as if the weapon were an extension of her being, and avoiding its thrust was becoming and more problematic.

Kodachi's agility was her only real advantage in this fight, for she could not get past the C'hi to close in to fight with her opponent and could only hope to keep out of reach of its lethal thrusting. It was good that her forte was in fighting at a distance as she proved too elusive a target for Kachu to nail, though the Amazon kept up the pressure, forcing Kodachi to remain on the defensive.

At last the Black Rose managed to get some distance from her opponent by executing several backward hand-  
flips, followed by a vault onto the low awning over the entrance to a shop that sold produce out in the open. In spite of being nearly winded, Kodachi maintained a pretense at her usual cool demeanor as she and Kachu exchanged silent glares while being prepared to renew their battle.

"You fight well for an outsider," Kachu said first between slow, deep breaths.

"I do well enough," Kodachi said with a jaunty tone that belied her actual feelings of near-exhaustion, "And for an Amazon you have some small talent."

Kachu's eyes narrowed, "Why do you fight so hard to defend this one? Are you blind to her true nature?"

"On the contrary," Kodachi said with no small amusement, "I see very well to her true nature. Why do you believe that she is anything other than as she appears?"

"Because she is my personal Demon!" Kachu snarled, "And those who stand between me and her risk incurring my wrath as a Hunter of Devils."

"Indeed?" Kodachi produced a Japanese fan in one hand and began to fan herself off, "And what happens if I should manage to defeat you? Do I become your enemy as well?"

Kachu snorted, "You may be fast and agile, but you're not in my league. But because you are such an annoyance, I think I'll end this now!"

The Amazon Devil Hunter raised her C'hi Chi high over her head and began to spin it around rapidly until it became a blur to the eye. As she did this she invoked the words to a summoning spell, and almost immediately her pole arm began to glow until it became golden-bright with radiance. Kodachi and Kasumi were held speechless as they felt the Ki-force build up, becoming a fierce battle aura that surrounded both the weapon and its Mistress.

That was the point where other concerned parties started to arrive on the scene, beginning with Ranma, Nabiki and Shampoo, who landed in a clear space upon the sidewalk not too far removed from the side of Kasumi.

And, of course, Lotion the Lore Master was already there observing matters with a supremely grave expression.

"This is not good," she said with preternatural calm, "Your friend seems to have provoked her, and now she is in a great deal of trouble."

"Yeah, well, Kodachi does have that effect on people," Nabiki replied as she turned a glance towards Kasumi, unable to help double-taking at her close resemblance to Kodachi's opponent.

Kodachi sensed that the build-up of power surrounding her opponent was reaching its peak, and while she did not understand the nature of Kachu's summons she was reasonably certain that she did not want to see it continue. So it was that she decided to strike first, leaping into the air as she divided the single fan into two and hurled them both in Kachu's direction.

Unfortunately Kachu easily deflected this two-  
pronged assault, then she raised her voice and spoke a single word that unleashed her power in Kodachi's direction. The Black Rose was still in the air and thus unable to dodge as Kachu's spell unerringly found its mark and struck her full in the face and chest. Kodachi tensed up then plummeted to earth like a bird with her wings clipped, landing like a sack of potatoes rather than the graceful descent that was her usual trademark.

"Kodachi!" both Nabiki and Kasumi cried together, then the latter rushed forward, only to have Kachu orient towards her with her weapon at the ready.

Unfortunately for Kachu's interests a redheaded figure suddenly came up inside her guard and laid firm grip upon the shaft of her weapon.

"Why you!" Ranma-chan snarled.

"Who are you?" Kachu demanded, trying in vain to free her weapon from the smaller girl's grasp, "Why do you interfere in my business?"

"Business?" Ranma snorted, fist at the ready though she hesitated to throw the first punch, "What are you talking about? You're the one who's attacking my friends!"

"Friends?" Kachu seemed surprised at the word, then her eyes narrowed as her anger resurfaced, "You claim friendship with my enemies? Then you must be my enemy as well! Tell me why you defend this demoness!"

"Who?" Ranma asked in confusion, "Kodachi?"

"Not that one," Kachu snorted, "She merely got in the way! I refer to my Doppelganger, who stands behind you like the cowardly reflection that she is. The demoness who haunts my nightmares, who has tormented me through all my nights and days like a phantom who mocks my likeness!"

"You're crazy!" Ranma declared as if making a startling revelation, only he paused as he heard Shampoo meow something unintelligible in a tone of urgent warning, "Huh?"

Kachu ignored the plaintive cries of what she took to be a mere animal and sneered at her new foe, then closed her eyes as she took one hand off of her C'hi Chi and made a warding gesture. In low tones she spoke the words of another ritual invocation, and all at once her power rose up in her again as she brought her hand forward in a slow, inevitable gesture.

"Ranma-watch out!" Nabiki cried suddenly, just before a massive discharge lanced out and electrified the air surrounding her iinazuke.

Ranma had no way to dodge this attack, which was non-specific but still powerful as the force picked her up and knocked the redhead sprawling.

"Fool," Kachu sneered, "You're no match for a Hunter of the Dark like me! Stand aside and let me do what I came to do, all this way from China!"

"Ranma!" Nabiki found herself rushing forward to assist her stunned fianc e, only to find herself now standing alone against this strange embodiment of everything that was so utterly the opposite of her beloved older sister

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

It's strange to think of how much my life has taken these odd turns away from the old, familiar world that I thought I had grown up with. Even given what I had personally witnessed this very morning in the countryside I was unprepared to accept the reality of that encounter with the Amazon named Kachu.

Being in her presence sent a chill down my spine, and even how-hours after these events-I still feel a kind of numb disbelief at having come face-to-face with an angry, violent and out-of-control version of Kasumi. I could literally feel the tingling sensation along the back of my arms and down my legs to the soles of my feet while the nape hairs stood on end on the back of my neck. It was the weirdest feeling, and I know I can't adequately described it, except to say that it felt like there was an electrostatic charge in the air producing these odd feelings. I also felt a twisting in my guts and a cold stab near my heart as if something about this stranger felt all wrong inside. It wasn't like an evil feeling exactly, more like the sense of something twisted up against its own nature. I'm sure the old woman knows what these feelings mean, but I'm only her clueless apprentice, drafted against my will into the study of such weirdness.

At the time I was conscious of her malevolent rage directed against Kasumi, and from those brief words that she had spoken to Ranma I gathered that she had somehow mistaken my Oneechan for some kind of copycat demon. I would have labeled her ranting as the lunatic ravings of an obvious madwoman except that her eyes held too sharp a focus to be described as anything as simple as madness.

"Who are you?" she asked while her eyes seemed to peel me like a grape to examine my soft, gooey center.

"I'm Tendo Nabiki!" I declared with more bravado than I felt, "And that's my sister you're pointing sharp objects at! Take a hike while you still can!"

I saw her brown eyes narrow a bit, then she seemed to find something terribly amusing about the situation for she lifted her nose with a sniff, then smiled in a way that I found very irritating. "Your sister? Come now, you think I can't tell that you're yet another one of those helpless innocents whom my enemy has seduced into her cause? What a cruel jest you play, but I will not be deterred by these useless delaying tactics!"

I saw her body tense even before she finished speaking, and I knew at once that she was about to attack me again with her fancy pig-sticker. Ordinarily about this point my mind would have gone blank and I probably would have just stood there helpless while she turned me into a human shish kabob, but just as it had back in the mountains my body took over and from sheer reflex I pivoted on one heel and turned my body sideways and slightly to the left. That was just enough of a dodge for her pole arm to pass right past me without so much as nicking my hide, and then my hands took over and grabbed the shaft as I took a step further over to the left, dragging her along as I further twisted, using her mass and momentum to turn her lunge into a body throw with my hip providing the fulcrum.

If I'd had sense enough to act surprised at that point I would have wondered how I had known how to do that and could perform it with perfect timing. I know it was a variation on a basic Judo-throw that Daddy had taught me a long time ago as part of my Kempo training, but to be able to perform it so well on the first try after so many years of allowing my combat skills to atrophy is certainly a testament to how much I've changed over the course of Lotion's training. Of course it might have worked better on somebody who was a lot less experienced than Kachu because she wasted no time recovering from my throw, tucking herself into a ball and rolling in mid-air so that it was her feet and not her back that hit the pavement. The next thing I know is that I see the butt end of her shaft coming up full in my vision, and then all I see is stars as I'm suddenly airborne and feeling a great deal of pain, most of it a delayed reaction.

Good thing I broke my fall the way I'd been taught by Daddy, letting my shoulders and back take the worst of it, although in retrospect that might be where I dislocated one of my shoulders. Sure preferable to breaking my skull on hard concrete, but judging by the way my head was already wobbling about that point I'd say that it was the difference between a broken jaw and a concussion.

My head was sure ringing like a gong while I lay there all properly stunned and wondering if I had taken all leave of my senses going up against an Amazon like that, but I'm pretty sure that I heard Ranma-chan calling out my name, and so the next thing I see when my vision clears is the sight of Kachu rocketing backward from my redheaded iinazuke, by which I deduced that Ranma had finally overcome his reluctance to hit a woman.

I felt my jaw with my good hand and was numbly pleased to find that it wasn't actually broken. My right arm felt numb from the shoulder down, which is where I determined the dislocated part I just mentioned. Not being accustomed to such unpleasant sensations I was naturally taken with the desire to remain right where I was and properly whimper, but then I remembered that Ranma was fighting to defend me against an Amazon and that forced me to sit upright and pay more serious attention.

To put it mildly, Ranma-chan was fighting like an enraged madwoman, using the moves I'd seen her earlier use on Ryoga while in male form to keep her taller opponent at a distance. In spite of the advantage of reach afforded by her weapon, Kachu could not penetrate Ranma's defenses and was too hard pressed to call upon any of her fancy spells, or so I had imagined.

I spared a moment from the fight to look around at where Kasumi was tending to a somewhat dazed Kodachi, then I saw a few familiar faces gathered closer than the main crowd of anxious onlookers. One of them was, of course, Uncle Genma, unmistakable as you don't find too many Pandas standing on two legs even in our weird district, and another was, of course, my father, who had had just arrived in the company of two strangers dressed like Amazons. At first glance I thought the taller of the pair was Shampoo, but it took only a second to discern that she was a lot older than my Amazon rival (or what else should I call her? Fianc e? Oh my this is so confusing!) and she wore her hair in a much different hairstyle. The purple hair was a dead giveaway that she and Shampoo were related, so on the spot I formed a hunch about that, but was prevented from mentally pursuing the issue when yet another surprising arrival on the scene made me forget everything else in an instant.

Ranma was making headway against Kachu, using her speed to hold the Kasumi lookalike at bay when suddenly Kachu began to glow again, and the next thing I know her pole arm is radiating power. I think Ranma sensed it as well since she took evasive action, leaping backwards in a somersault just as the spot she had been standing at got fried by yet another Chi-blast.

"You are skilled," Kachu said without hardly sounding like someone who was on the ropes (not even breathing hard by the look of it!) as she brought her weapon back into position for a renewed assault, "For a warrior you fight like an Amazon, outlander, but I will prevail against you and all who defend my doppelganger!"

Kachu made a powerful thrust and Ranma tensed herself to either defend or avoid it, but neither option became necessary as somebody else caught the shaft of the pole-arm against the flat-metal edge of a certain bakers peel. The clang of metal was loud enough to give me a splitting headache!

I heard Ranma's surprised gasp as she said, "Ucchan?"

"Heheh," came the low, throaty chuckle of the cross-dressing okinomiyaki chef, and something about the sound of her roughened voice gave me the willies. An entirely different feeling than the one I'd had before around Kachu made me look more closely at our dear Kuonji-san, and what I saw scared me more than I'd ever have imagined!

"Hi there," Ukyo leered into the face of the astonished Kachu, "Or should I say, Nihao?"

"You?" Kachu reacted as if something genuinely terrified her about Ukyo, "What is this evil I sense? It is the same evil that I detected before!"

"Much as I'd love to watch you pound on my Ranchan, Sugar," Ukyo purred, "I've got dibs on him first, so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait in line for the privilege!"

With that Ukyo broke their stalemate, pushing back against Kachu with a burst of massive strength, then she lashed out with a kick that got in under the taller girl's guard and connected solidly with Kachu's stomach. I watched in disbelief as that kick picked Kachu up and hurled her hard up against the brick wall directly behind her. Kachu went down to her knees as if stunned by the blow, and I could see that she was just barely conscious, obviously winded by the double impact. Ukyo proceeded to ignore her as Ranma started to approach with the intent of complimenting her performance, and before I could call out a warning I saw Kuonji smile and whirl about, bakers peel gripped in both hands as she caught Ranma totally unguarded and swatted him away like she was batting a softball.

"Like that?" Ukyo called out as my iinazuke went tumbling up against the hood of a car some thirty meters farther down the block, "Well, that's just a taste of what you have coming, Sugar! I'm gonna make you pay for all the humiliation I've ever had to put up with, and I'm going to enjoy it!"

I think it's redundant at this point to mention the fact that this was obviously not the Kuonji we know speaking. I was just putting that together when somebody else entered the scene without an announcement. Kuonji started to turn as if she sensed the attack, but the impact of the bonbori on her skull was as sudden and unexpected as her treacherous attack on our Ranma.

"You sneaky girl think she can do that to Shampoo Airen?" my other fianc e remarked as Kuonji went down to her knees like a tent peg. I was gratified to see that she had somehow managed to regain her human form, but my elation was as short lived as whatever else Shampoo had on her mind as we both saw something rising up out of Ukyo to hover in the air like a child's balloon wearing tiger-stripped boxer briefs and a slightly crazed expression drawn on the side with markers.

"Oh my," I heard Lotion say from just over to my right, "So that's the demon that I sensed was near."

"You know what that thing is?" I started to turn to her when I felt her tiny hands lay hold to my arm.

"Hold still," she urged, and the next instant I felt a wrenching pain jolt me to full awareness, and then she added, "This might hurt a little."

"NOW you tell me?" I scoffed when I remembered the demon and was lurching to my feet, just in time to see it drifting over towards Kasumi. I called out to her but it was too late as the thing vanished into my sister.

The next thing I see is Kasumi dumping Kodachi onto the sidewalk, straightening up and slowly smiling our way. She ignored me completely and turned her focus in Shampoo's direction, and for no reason I could name I felt a chill run down my spine once again, only this time lodging in the pit of my stomach.

"Ukyo!" a voice called out, and I recognized it as belonging to Akane.

"Hey!" another voice I recognized as belonging to Ryoga followed her up, "What happened here? Was there a fight or something?"

"Oh no!" a high pitched, nasal voice that I did not recognize called out, "It must have gotten into a new host body!"

"Do not panic, brother," a deeper, calmer voice followed the other one up, "I'm sure it hasn't gotten far. If we just remain calm I'm sure we'll be able to sort this out."

"What happened here?" said a voice that I definitely recognized as belonging to Cologne.

"Two words should explain it all," Lotion replied, "Kachu and Oni."

"Oh," Cologne said as if to convey grim realization.

Of course I only registered these things in a peripheral sense as my eyes were riveted upon my sister, who just kept smiling in a way that was too much like her to belong to someone possessed by a major demon. Of course I had yet to learn the true terrifying power of this particular Oni, but I was about to get a crash-  
course wakeup call the hard way!

"Oh my," smiled my older sister-whom I just noticed at that moment was sporting a pair of horns atop her head like a traditional depiction of a Devil Oni, "You all are here. Oh, where to begin? There are so many delightful new impulses and ideas to explore. So many fascinating ideas kept tightly suppressed by this one you call Kasumi, I just know that I will have a delightful time exploring her Id."

"Oneechan?" I gasped, feeling none-too-stable on my feet at the time but not caring a whit as my concerns were entirely rooted on my beloved older sister.

"Nabiki," I heard the possessed Kasumi purr, "Have I ever told you that it's not proper to behave in the manner that you have become accustomed? I really should have disciplined you a long time ago, just as Mother would have wanted."

All at once Shampoo positioned herself between us, "Stay behind me, Nabiki. Shampoo protect you from evil spirit in body of nice Kasumi."

"What is that thing anyway?" Ranma-chan wanted to know with no little amount of disquiet evident in her voice, "And what's it doing to Kasumi?"

"Keep back!" the high-pitched voice of the tall Shinto priest warned us, "It's the Evil Oni of the Purple Chrysanthemum Shrine! Don't let it take you over! We have to trap it before it can do any more damage!"

"Trap it?" asked Akane, who obviously was sharing my concern and confusion, "How do we do that?"

The diminutive holy man-whom I later learned was named Cherry-held up a wooden box that looked like the kind that you might keep cigarettes in and said, "We perform the ritual to draw the demon back into its prison, where we shall seal it up for another thousand years. Of course the host body will unfortunately be trapped too, but these things can't be helped "

"WHAT?" Akane rounded on the little man, "Trap Kasumi with that thing? Are you crazy!"

"We can't let that happen," Ryoga said, "We have to drive it out of her first only how do we do that?"

"As you may have already noticed," the taller priest-whose name I also learned was Nihana-remarked, "A blow to the head delivered with sufficient force can drive the evil spirit out from its host body. Otherwise Onis tend to remain where they are until they've used their host up."

"A blow to the head?" I felt myself growing faint, then I started to get angry, only I saw Daddy beat me to the punch as he seized hold of Nihana and shook the man like the proverbial rag doll.

"HIT MY KASUMI? NEVER! THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE!"

"Father," Kasumi turned his way, "How nice of you to stand up for me. After all, if anything happened to me you wouldn't have anyone to cook, clean or take care of you and the rest of the house Freeloaders."

In spite of the fact that I knew it was the Oni talking I felt myself wince involuntarily, while Daddy got very pale and turned a guilty face towards Kasumi, swallowing thickly as he let go of the priest, who promptly collapsed with his eyes spinning like tops.

"Ryoga," Akane turned to her male companion, "Don't stand there, do something!"

Ryoga balled his fist and looked grimly determined, but what he said was, "Your father's right, Akane I can't bring myself to hit anyone as nice as Kasumi, she doesn't deserve that!"

"Isn't that nice?" said Kasumi in the same chillingly pleasant tone of voice that she had been using all along, "The Pig doesn't want to hit me. He really is very sweet on you, even watches you take baths and sleeps in your bed, Akane. He really is quite naughty."

"Urk!" Ryoga winced with eyes as wide as saucers, while Akane seemed to ignore the implication that the lost boy had been spying on her and focused instead on what-to her no doubt-was the more disturbing implication to that statement.

"You knew about his curse?" Akane remarked blandly.

"Well, how could I help knowing?" Kasumi asked, "It really is such a small house, and with the way the poor lovesick fool gets lost just looking for the privy, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. There aren't that many beds that need changing in the morning, and he always smells so clean in spite of having only one change of clothing, which he always keeps close to the furo. You really have been the clueless one all along, my poor, foolish little sister."

"Now look, you!" Ranma-chan growled, "We've had about enough of this junk! Clear out of Kasumi's head right now or you're gonna be sorry!"

"And what are you going to do, Cross Dresser?" Kasumi smiled, "Are you going to hit me?"

"I " Ranma started to hesitate when a voice very much like-yet unlike-Kasumi's called out, "She won't, but I will!"

I turned, along with the others, to see the Devil Hunter who looked so much like Kasumi pushing herself erect again, clutching her halberd-or C'hi Chi as I later learned it is called-as if leaning on it for further support while glaring hatefully in Kasumi's direction. In a low growl that I would never have mistaken as coming from my older sister in a million years she said, "Your days are numbered fiend! You see before you now a Hunter of the Dark who has sent many Hellspawn such as you back to the Abyss from which you were ushered!"

"Oh yes," Kasumi smiled, "I haven't forgotten about you, 'Sister.' Do try and keep this interesting as you are already starting to bore me."

Kachu summoned up her power when suddenly another woman thrust an arm in front of her and said, "Hold up a minute, Dear. There's something that you really ought to know before you take things any further."

That was the point where I almost suffered from sensory overload, the cumulative effect of taking one too many shocks all at the same time because that voice triggered memories, coupled with her face and a sudden realization that I was about to learn something very weird about my family and father. I had been too caught up in worrying about Kasumi to take much notice in the brown haired Amazon who had been standing beside my father, but now that I had a really good look at her I started to put things together, and I did not like the direction that this would take me.

Akane was the first of us to voice the same thought aloud, "M-Mother?"

"Momma?" I gasped at almost the same exact instant.

"Not quite," our possessed older sister replied, "But you are close, my dear sisters."

"Mother?" Kachu stared at the woman who looked so much like the old photos of our dear, late mother, "What are you doing here? Let me finish what I came to do "

"I can't," this newcomer said, glancing down before looking up into the eyes of the Devil Hunter, "Because I can't allow you to take the life of your half-sister."

"WHAT?!" was our collective exclamation, and Kachu herself looked momentarily stunned by this new revelation.

"Sister?" Daddy himself gasped, looking at the woman who was the spitting image of our mother, right down to my earliest memories of a woman who once made me feel so loved and cared for, like with Kasumi, "But I didn't know I mean but she she looks like Kasumi but that can't be but how?"

"Honestly," growled the purple haired woman standing close nearby to this scene, "Does she have to draw you a graphic illustration?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Genma's panda eyes go wide as he turned to glance in the purple haired woman's direction, but before I could begin to explore the implications to that I heard Shampoo gasp and leave my side as she cried, "Aiyaa! What you do here, Mother?"

"Mother?" I heard Ranma echo my own gasp as if we'd timed our voices to work in chorus.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo turned to us with a look of pure delight, "Shampoo mother come all the way from China to wish Shampoo on happy marriage!"

"I wish it was that simple, little one," the older version of Shampoo smiled indulgently, "And as much as I'd like to spend time getting to know your Airen there is something a bit more urgent that we need to deal with first."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured softly, "Shampoo almost forgot! We need get evil spirit out of nice Kasumi!"

"Hey," Ranma blinked as she turned around to look, "What gives? Where is Kasumi? Where did she go?"

"How should I know?" groaned Ukyo, who chose that moment to regain consciousness, "What happened? I feel like I was gonged or something "

"A long story, I fear," replied Kodachi, who was just then making her own recovery, "I caught enough of it to fill in a few details "

"There is not a moment to waste in idle chatter!" cried Cherry, "The victim must be tracked down at once before the Oni has a chance to leap into a new body!"

"We could lose it in the general population!" Nihana cried as if fearing that he was about to lose his pension from his order, "We'll never be able to track it down if that should happen!"

"And, worse by far, brother," Cherry's voice took on an ominous cast that made his shrunken, gnome-like features seem all the more melodramatic, "Should the Oni obtain what it needs in order to reach full strength, then it will be able to manifest in all its terrible glory and then! Then we will all suffer the wrath of its terrible retribution!"

"So what are you two clowns waiting around for?" asked Cologne, who was already vaulting forward by means of her staff, "Follow me this way. I have a hunch where we can find it."

"You think it's a good idea to follow her?" Akane asked.

"I don't see why not," I said, turning to look at the woman standing beside Daddy saying, "I really meant to tell you about her, dear, but you see I was just looking for the right opportunity "

"Come on!" the older purple haired woman growled, grabbing her fellow Amazon by her shirt-sleeve, "You can make proper introductions along the way. By the way, has anyone seen Saotome Genma about? He's usually tangled up in this sort of mischief."

Both Ranma and I turned out heads to catch sight of the old panda trying to sneak off in the crowd and Ranma growled, "Pop get over here now!"

"Genma?" Comb seemed to really take notice of the Panda in question, and from the way she immediately paled I had a hunch that she was suitably dismayed with belated recognition.

"Somebody fill me in on what's going on here?" Ukyo pleaded, leaning on her bakers peel until Akane helpfully showed up and offered her a shoulder.

"Sure thing, just as long as you're willing to help us out with Kasumi."

Ryoga looked at them both with a blank expression, and I found that I could not help but feel slightly sorry for the clueless moron. The thought did briefly float through my head that I ought not repeat the mistake I had made with him regarding Akane, but at the moment I had too much else to worry about besides clueing Akane in about Ukyo's true gender. Besides, it seemed petty and cruel for her to be flirting like that just to provoke poor Ryoga.

Kodachi was already moving forward, so I hurried to catch up with her and said, "You were protecting Oneechan from that Kachu person "

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," Kodachi responded, but from the offhanded way she said this I caught a hint of genuine concern in her voice, and a quick glance confirmed for me that she was genuinely worried, "Your sister cannot very well defend herself against attack, so what else was I to do when that lunatic made threatening motions?"

I spared a moment to wonder about the implications of Kuno Kodachi referring to anyone else as mentally unstable but decided not to get into the issue at the moment. Ranma caught up with us and took the lead of our little party, and to my considerable surprise I found that Kodachi never even turned a glance in her direction. Apparently her concern was much greater than the antipathy that she normally directed at the female version of her "Ranma-sama."

One thing belatedly occurred to me as we took off after my vanished sister, something that I should have realized before but for the powerful distractions dividing my attention. Where was Lotion during all of this, and why hadn't she taken a hand or counseled me on how to deal with the Oni who was possessing Kasumi? At this time-of all moment-she had pulled a vanishing act and could not be found among our little impromptu war party. I began to wonder if this was what she meant when she referred to me facing a test, and if so why hadn't she given me some warning regarding this Devil Hunter Kachu who-it was claimed-was my long-lost Chinese-born older half-sister?

I was starting to become enormously irritated about these meddlesome Amazon elders and their patronizing notions about what constituted our "best interests" when I caught a snatch of conversation issuing from the rear of our procession. Or rather I should say that I could hardly miss catching the loud exclamation of Kachu as she declared out loud, "Half-Sister? Are you telling me that she-demoness is really flesh and blood of our family?"

"I'm afraid so," the woman who kept reminding me of Momma replied in a sheepish tone of voice, "I only found out about it a few days ago, only she's nor normally such an unpleasant sort to be around. It's the Oni who was saying those nasty things about everyone. The Kasumi that Comb and I met is a kind and gentle person who is much-beloved among those who know her."

"Unlike some people I could name," I heard Shampoo's mother grumble, though not really low enough that it could be missed by the people who were most concerned here.

"But I don't understand," Daddy was saying again, looking at Kachu as if unable to look away from the face that so closely resembled Kasumi's, "How can you be my daughter? You left for China a year before Kasumi was even born "

"Yes," I could hear the wince in that voice that was so much like Momma's, "And Kachu was born about eight months after Comb and I returned to our village, almost exactly nine months after you and I said our final fare-  
wells."

"That must've been some farewell," remarked Nihana, who looked increasingly nervous when he saw the glares that were turned in his direction.

"Dad?" Akane looked up from where she was helping Ukyo to walk, then let go, which caused the cross-  
dressing chef to wobble a bit without support while Akane moved closer to Daddy and this strange other woman, "I don't get it who is she? How do you two know each other ?"

"Ah, yes, formal introductions," the brown-haired woman replied with some dignity, "My name is Silk, a Lore Master of the Nyanchiczu, and this surly companion of mine is Comb, our tribal Healer."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked, "Aunt Silk no tell Shampoo that you and Mother know Airen family."

"With good reason, little one," Comb replied, "Some things in life are best forgotten," she glared at the panda walking a few steps behind them and grumbled, "Case in point. I might've known this would happen if you went anywhere near Jusenkyo, Saotome Genma."

"Whoah!" Ranma exclaimed, "You mean you two know each other, Pop? When did this happen?"

"About twenty or so years ago," the one whom I now knew was named Silk explained, "Before Comb here met Shampoo's real father."

I caught a startled wuff from the panda and saw the non-plussed look in Uncle Genma's expression. Comb turned to glare at him and said, "Well, what did you expect, that I was going to wait for you forever?"

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo exclaimed again, only this time I think I joined her.

"So what's your father's name then?" Ranma asked as tactfully as it was possible for him to get.

"Hairbrush," Shampoo smiled pleasantly, and somehow I had a feeling that her reply would be something of that nature.

"But I still don't understand," Kachu was starting to sound as plaintive as a spoiled child who had just learned that her parents were impersonating Santa Clause, "How can he be my father? You told me that my father was dead!"

"Ah, well not exactly, dear," Silk said with some reluctance, "I didn't lie to you directly by telling you that your father was dead, I just well more-or-less inferred that he was no longer with me, which is technically the truth when you think about it since I had parted ways with him some time ago, after he decided to marry Kimiko "

"Who looked enough like you that the two of you could have been sisters," Comb added nonchalantly.

"Then why did you let me believe that he was dead all of these years?" Kachu turned a disbelieving look at Daddy, as if still trying hard to grasp that this man was, in fact, her long-lost father.

"To soften up the blow, no doubt," Comb answered before Silk could reply, "Just in case you ever actually met him."

Silk turned a cross look towards Comb and said, "I'd rather be the one to tell them, if you don't mind very much. Your not exactly helping with these side-  
comments."

"Hey, if I left it up to you we'd be at it all day," Comb shrugged, turning to smile at Daddy as she said, "Congratulations, Tendo Soun, you've just become the proud poppa to a bouncing baby twenty-year-old Devil Hunter. I hope the two of you are very happy together."

"Mother," Shampoo sounded vaguely disapproving.

"But I still don't understand," Daddy exclaimed with even less comprehension than he usually displayed, "Why didn't you ever tell me? After all these years of wondering what had become of you "

"I thought it was for the best that we both go our separate ways, Soun-chan," the Amazon hussy ah, I mean Silk, replied with an apologetic look towards Daddy, "After all, you were going to marry Kimiko, and I would have just been an obstacle to your continued happiness. There was never any formal declaration between us, so I thought to end our relationship on a positive note. It was only after I got back to China that I discovered that I was pregnant, and that simply wasn't something I could write to you about on a post card."

Shampoo's mother said something in Chinese that sounded sarcastic, to which Silk's reply was far less pleasant than her regular speaking voice. In fact I'd say it sounded somewhat acid, leading me to suspect that these two have a long-term relationship of friendly banter, similar to what sometimes goes down between me and Akane.

"But " Kachu seemed to hesitate before she looked at Daddy and said, "He is my father?"

"Try not to sound too disappointed, dear," Comb remarked in an offhanded manner.

"I see," Daddy said, ignoring the obvious slight, then he paused a moment before adding, "No, actually I don't. But if you really are my little girl and you look so much like Kasumi "

I could see it coming from long experience around Daddy, but our newfound sister can be excused for being surprised when our father impulsively reached out and hugged her there on the street. I turned around to better gauge Kachu's reaction, and to judge by her rather stunned expression I came to the conclusion that she wasn't all that used to being manhandled in quite so emotional a manner.

"Uh oh," I heard Comb murmur, and I saw Shampoo mirror her mother's worried expression.

It took a moment to happen, but as inevitable as the eruption of a geyser her face took on a look of slow anger, which in turn gave way to rage, and then her whole body tensed as she started to glow bright red, which I took to be her battle aura.

"You !" her voice was trembling with rage, and I heard none of Kasumi's gentle chiding tones as she broke Daddy's hold on her and delivered a stunning uppercut that sent our mutual father flying.

"Hey!" Akane protested, "You can't do that to my Dad!"

"Offhand I'd say she just did," Comb remarked, "And before you get any ideas, it would be a very bad move on your part to challenge your older half-sister."

"My granddaughter is correct, Apprentice," Cologne remarked, "You are not yet ready to take on one of her caliber, for though Kachu is not of the true Warrior path, her skills as a Demon Hunter make her formidable in ways that you can hardly imagine."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ranma asked.

"Kachu very powerful fighter," Shampoo explained for our benefit, "No fight just with strength, she have powerful spirit that make her able to battle demons. No ordinary Warrior take her on, even Shampoo no sure she beat Kachu if come to real fight."

"Say that again?" I reacted in frank amazement.

"I thought you were supposed to be your Tribe's best warrior or something," Ryoga asked as if sharing my confusion.

"Shampoo Tribal Champion," my prospective Chinese bride replied, "Best warrior of Shampoo's generation, but Kachu here no compete in tribal contests. She no of Warrior Cast, so her skills something that Shampoo never see before. Kachu know battle techniques that Shampoo never learn from Great Grandmother."

"Don't feel bad about it, dear," Comb informed her daughter, "I was the tribe's best warrior in my day, and I never had to test myself against our resident Devil Hunter of my generation. I understand, though, that young Kachu here is quite talented and shows much promise."

"I thank you for the compliment, Healer," Kachu said in a calmer, more rational voice, "But my skills are nothing that needs be spoken about, and anyway there is the matter of that Demon possessing the one you claim to be my sister."

"Claim?" Ukyo asked, "Are you nuts? Just look in a mirror sometime! You could have had the same mother!"

"They practically did," remarked Kodachi with a curious expression, "How odd that you wear the same face and form of dear, sweet Kasumi, yet are so unlike her in personality and spirit."

"Yeah, what was that all about back there?" Ranma said in a voice of clear challenge, "Why'd you want to attack Kasumi anyway? You acted like she was evil even before she got possessed by that Oni!"

"Because I sensed evil when I was approaching her before," Kachu growled, "I thought it was her, I didn't know about the Oni."

"Oh yes?" Kodachi asked archly, "And that make it all right for you to attack her?"

"It's my job to destroy evil Demons when I encounter them!" Kachu snarled, "I am sworn to protect the innocent from their rampaging presence, and besides that I thought she was an evil spirit who had assumed my likeness with evil intentions! I've encountered many foul spirits in my time who delight in twisting reality to suit their unholy designs, and I thought one of them had assumed the form of my Doppelganger in order to deceive and bewitch me!"

"You came all the way from China for that?" Akane asked.

"It was in China that I first became aware of her existence!" Kachu replied, and then her voice became low and somber, "During my meditations when I was attempting to find my Center and at last still the raging fires that burn within my spirit, I discovered a void, a darkness in my being that is neither form nor light but draws upon my essence the way a root draws nourishment and vitality from the soil. I studied that void and found that it was actually a tunnel leading me to someplace elsewhere, and by following that path I came upon my mirror opposite, a vision that was exactly like me, only Yin to my Yang, Positive to my Negative "

"You mean that there's some kind of connection between you and Kasumi?" Ukyo asked.

"Is that possible?" I asked with a sudden chilling clarity as my mind formed an image that was like a Wormhole in one of those American-made Science Fiction TV shows, the one that has a bunch of people jumping from different parallel worlds, one to the other.

"More than possible," Silk said softly, "Something I never anticipated, but it makes so much sense now that I think upon it. Kimiko and I were like twin souls born apart, very different in temperament but in so many other ways alike, so in a way it makes a kind of sense that our daughters should be born with a similar makeup. After all, they both had the same father, who is the connecting link between them."

"You mean it's my doing after all?" Daddy asked (oh yeah, before I forget to mention it, by this point he had made a full recovery from Kachu's weird form of paternal greeting).

"Surprise, surprise," Comb sniffed, "Who would have imagined?"

"I had wondered about why the two were so far apart in manners," Silk continued without acknowledging that Shampoo's Mom had even spoken, "Yin to the other's Yang perhaps they share a link to one another, an exchange of spiritual essence in which one gains a complimentary share of the other's Chi. So that was what you mistook for an attack on your very being, Child. You thought your sister was stealing a part of your very nature."

"More than likely it went both ways," Cologne observed, "Kachu has always been tormented by strange and inexplicable rages, while Kasumi is the very embodiment of absolute calm and stillness "

"I get it," Ukyo said, "They're like twins, only Kasumi is the good twin while Hormonal Imbalance here is the defective model."

"Hey!" Kachu bristled.

"This is way too weird even for me," Ranma grumbled when she turned a glance my way and said, "Nabiki?"

"Hmm?" I frowned as I returned his glance, then I looked away and said, "We'd better get going. That Oni has a head start on us and I don't think that we ought to lose her."

Oh yes, I guess I should also mention that I wasn't exactly in a very good mood at this point. After all, I'd just learned that my father had had relations with a woman who only looks like my late mother, and the result was a Chinese Amazon who was like a walking PMS case ready to explode on anyone who even slightly irritated her. She looks like Kasumi but she's the exact opposite of my beloved Oneechan, so naturally I'm a little upset about this. I was frankly learning more about Dad's sordid past than I'd even wanted to know, and I guess it was chewing me up in side, kind of, a little.

Of course as mixed up as I was feeling about this point, I was not so far gone into my own hardening shell to miss the next point when Akane said, "I second that, but where do we look? She could be anywhere in the district!"

"That is a good question," Kodachi observed, "I don't suppose you know where we should be heading to, honored Elder?"

"Ah " Cologne glanced around, then bowed her head and said, "I'm afraid not. I lost the trail while we were busy arguing about family matters."

"Then I guess we're gonna have to rely on the old stand-bye," Ranma-chan turned to Ryoga and asked, "Which way do you think we ought to go, old buddy?"

"Huh?" Ryoga blinked, "What are you asking me for?"

"Shut up and just pick a direction!" Ranma sniffed, "If you think you can, Pig-boy!"

"You leave him alone!" Akane bristled, balling her fists as if preparing to fight.

"Why you !" Ryoga began to say, but Ukyo took a step closer to him and said, "Uh-uh, you don't pick a fight with Ranchan without going through me first, Sugar."

"I'm not afraid of you!" Ryoga snorted, but then he subsided a little and said, "All right then I think we should go this way!" he pointed to his left down the street at the intersection that we had come upon.

"Great," Ranma-chan smiled, turning about, "Then we'll go this way," and she proceeded to head down the opposite direction.

"Huh?" Ryoga said in surprise, "What are you doing? I said go that way!"

"I heard you the first time," Ranma smiled, "But with your sense of directions, I figured you had to choose wrong, which is why this must be the right way to turn. Thanks again, old buddy!"

"Why you !" Ryoga snarled, and this time it appeared as if he really was about to lunge forward, only I'd had enough about this point and decided that asserting myself would be all to the better.

"Enough!" I growled angrily, "Give it a rest, why don't you? I'm siding with Ranma and following her this way."

"Ranma?" Kodachi blinked, "I thought her name was Ranko?"

"Ah, long story," Ranma said as she smiled up at me with her usual cocky, cheerful expression.

"Enough already!" Akane declared with a huff, "Let's just keep moving! We've got to find Kasumi!"

I was a little surprised to hear my little sister speaking up like that but was grateful to her for the change of subject. I was still smarting from the rebuke she had given me earlier in the day and wanted a chance to speak alone with her in private, but I knew the time for that wasn't right there and then so I turned my attention straight ahead and tried to look for clues that might tell us where we could find our wayward older sibling.

"Be careful everyone," I heard Ukyo speak up, "Don't let that thing get inside you the way it got inside of me. You've got no idea what it feels like having that thing crawling around in your head."

"You remember the experience?" Kodachi asked with no small interest.

"It all came back to me just a few minutes ago," Ukyo winced with a sour glance at Shampoo, "Somebody sure scrambled my circuits with that sneak attack, but it's all coming back to me in vivid detail, a lot more than I'd care to remember."

"No doubt the experience was singularly unpleasant," Kodachi murmured in a sympathetic voice.

Ukyo gave a short, bitter laugh and replied, "You could say that, Sugar, if you'd like having somebody go through your brain picking through your personal memories, digging up all your darkest secrets. The ones it seemed the most interested in, though, are the ones that you'd really rather not have to think about "

"Of course," a familiar voice intruded upon our conversation, "The Oni feeds upon repressed desires, hidden wants and needs, not to mention the darker emotions that provoke us to anger."

"You again?" I turned around and found Lotion standing to one side of the path we were taking, "Where the hell did you vanish off to all of a sudden? Why weren't you helping us out back there? Don't you know that thing has possessed Kasumi?"

"I know all of that," Lotion said patiently, "In fact I have been following her for the past several minutes. Took the rest of you long enough to catch up."

"You mean you went on ahead?" Ranma asked with remarkable comprehension.

"It seemed the logical thing to do at the time," Lotion replied, "After all someone had to see to it that Kasumi Tendo did not harm herself or others while the Oni is within her. The rest of you seemed to have issues that needed resolving among yourselves, so I left you to tend to the matter. I take it that you have briefed your child as to the nature of her error, Granddaughter?"

"Yes, Grandmother," Silk replied, glancing at Kachu, who eyed her mother with an uncertain expression, "She now knows that the one she seeks is her half-sister and not an evil doppelganger."

"Good," Lotion then shifted her focus back my way, "Then you must accompany me inside this establishment, my Apprentice. You alone possess the skills to defeat the Oni."

"Me?" I gasped aloud, then I got a hold of my nerves and said, "What am I supposed to do?"

"You will know in time," Lotion replied, "The rest of you remain here. If you try to confront the Oni it will only seek to possess you, and I judge that it would have quite a field day exploring your hidden wants and desires. The last thing any of us want to do is make it grow stronger."

"One moment," said the tall priest, Nihana, turning to his companion, Cherry, "You'll need the box to seal it up again once it leaves its current host."

"Ah " I noticed that the little man named Cherry was looking singularly sheepish at Lotion as he held the box out that he had been carrying with him.

"Thank you, but it won't be needed right away," Lotion smiled as she added the word, "Cherry."

"Gah!" the little priest cried and promptly hid behind the robes of his taller companion.

"I sense a story in the works," I murmured aloud, making sure to include the grown-ups in my glance as I swept their ranks with one of my patented icy stares, determined that I would find a way to pry those details loose from them somehow. I was certainly learning a lot more than I liked to know about the misspent youth of my darling Daddy."

"Hey!" Akane suddenly spoke up, "You mean Kasumi went in THERE?"

"Huh?" I looked up, as did the others, and I admit to doing a double-take as the realization hit me just where we had arrived. Looking back I don't know why I didn't think of this place sooner. After all, this thing fed upon deeply suppressed human wants and desires right? So where else would I expect to find Kasumi then at the clinic of a certain doctor? All at once I was developing a quite unhealthy dread for the fate of our dear Tofu Sensei

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cliffhanger Clip Notes: shadowmane

New E-Mail address, new chapters, same old story! Tune in next time for the terrifying power of Kasumi unleashed, and I'll try not to take as long to get this next installment over and done with! Many apologies for the numerous readers whom I've kept waiting for this one, but real-life business has made it difficult to maintain a regular writing schedule. I'll try in the future not to disappoint you.

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	34. Chapter 34

NabikiRan33 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 33.

Kasumi smiled in relish as she saw the familiar sign of Doctor Tofu's clinic. The Oni within her was smiling, and since smiling came so naturally to her it just felt natural to smile as well, even though she was deeply worried that the thing within her was making her behave in a way that was simply not proper for a lady. She wanted to protest but found the Demon quite insistent, and since she had always been a very polite hostess-even in the privacy of her own thoughts-it seemed very rude to raise any sort of objections.

Besides, all it had done so far was make her say aloud some things that sounded naughty but did seem rather accurate on points. After all, her father did rely upon her a little too much to take care of the house, and neither of her younger sisters was all that willing to contribute their fair share to the workload. She had long been aware of Nabiki's tendency towards underhanded behavior, and now with this potential three-  
way marriage that she had lined up why, that was also rather improper, even though Kasumi rather liked her prospective Sister-in-law, Shampoo. She had also chided Ranma for his sex-changing habits, but that was hardly fair since the boy's gender switching was not exactly voluntary. If anything she rather liked the feisty Redhead that Ranma turned into. Such and free and lively spirit was just the thing that Nabiki needed in her life to draw her out of her emotional shell. Kasumi had long wanted to do that herself, but could never quite find the proper way to reach the inner self of Nabiki, much though they shared a deep affection for one another as sisters.

If anything she was much closer to Nabiki than Akane, who was forever causing Kasumi to fret and worry with her Tomboyish antics. Kasumi often prayed to their late mother that Akane be forgiven for her "high spiritedness," her tendency to use violence to solve almost any situation, and her stunning lack of competence at all things domestic. Kasumi felt it reflected badly on herself as a homemaker that she had not been able to fully replace their mother, and had it not been for her outside interests she might have found the chore of being at the calm center of all activity rather more than she could handle.

One of those outside interests was Doctor Tofu.

In truth she had always looked up to the Doctor as a kind and caring family physician, one who always had a gentle word to share, a kind thought and an understanding phrase. In recent years he had begun to manifest more and more eccentric behavior, but she simply found his antics amusing and thought her visits with him were so refreshing, just the thing she needed to lighten her mood on an average day. Tofu was always so considerate with her, and he helped encourage her interests in studying about medicine, Chinese poetry and literature, and other calming subjects.

Lately she had begun to wonder if she might be interested in him in a different sense than simple friendship. She was never quite able to tell what was on his mind, mainly because he could turn into such a clown without proper warning. As delighted as she always was with his attempts to cheer her up, she was starting to develop interests that were more proper to a young woman of her age. After all, she was almost twenty years old and had yet to find a boyfriend. There was never anyone interesting enough to date in High School, and all the boys had seemed too shy to ask her.

Now was her chance to find out just how serious she could be in her efforts to find herself a husband.

Of course that was simply what was going through the back part of her mind, the part that was not currently in control of the driving. The Oni had much darker intentions than herself, and Kasumi fairly blushed upon discovering the rather graphic nature of its interest. Such a thing was hardly proper in any sense for a young girl who respected her family and the institution of marriage (and besides, some of the mental pictures the Oni was forming looked awfully uncomfortable, and quite a few Kasumi thought were not within the realm of human ability).

This gave her a vaguely disturbed feeling of uncertainty as she approached Tofu's clinic. She wasn't certain what she was going to do or say, but the Oni suffered no such hesitation and was quite eager to get stared!

Just as she was about to open the door, though, it suddenly opened outward right into her face! It had been pushed outward by a large oak cabinet that was currently strapped to the back of a very old woman (who was still a budding teenager when compared to the likes of Cologne or Lotion).

"A fine son you've turned out to be!" that old woman called out over her shoulder, "No respect for your poor old mother, who is only trying to find a good match for her only offspring!"

"But mother!" Tofu called out as he followed in the old woman's wake, "I'm still not ready to get married. Besides I Uh kind of sort of have someone already in mind "

"Oh yeah?" the old woman executed the difficult feat of turning around with the cabinet still strapped to her back, and in doing so allowed the clinic doors to swing closed, exposing a very stunned looking Kasumi, "Well, what's her name? Does she really exist, or is she just a figment of your imagination?"

"She exists," Tofu insisted, "In fact she comes to visit me quite often ?" he did a very slow double-take as he caught movement from his peripheral vision and belatedly recognized the woman standing off to his left within easy arm's length, "K-K-K-Kasumi?"

"Ow," Kasumi felt along the bridge of her nose, grateful that she was not the type to bruise easy, then she suddenly realized that she was thinking clearly again and said, "Oh my! It must have left me!"

"Hmmm?" the old woman immediately took notice of the way her son's glasses were starting to fog up and smiled. As quick as a shake of a cat's tail she shucked off her heavy burden and was immediately behind Kasumi before the young girl even knew what she was about. Kasumi's eyes widened a bit as she felt the old woman's hands about her hips, then a second later the old woman announced, "Excellent hip development, my dear! You can be Bridal Candidate Number Two! I should have known that my son could find a good match even in this city!"

"Mother " Tofu was starting to protest when something floated down over him, and the next thing he knew he was smiling with a very wolfish expression as his voice deepened to a sensual growl, "I couldn t agree with you more! Would you excuse me? I need to speak with her alone."

Kasumi was just about to ask what the old woman had meant by calling her a Bridal Candidate, and why was she considered number two in that respect? She was just starting to wonder whom number one might be when Tofu reached out a hand and roughly grabbed her by the wrist. The next thing she knew she was being whisked away into the clinic with the doors slamming loudly behind them.

"Oh my!" his mother said with instant delight, "My son is so forward and manly! Father would be so proud if he could see this! Go to it son! Give me lots and lots of grandkids!"

"Is that how it usually gets done in Japan these days?" another voice remarked, "I've been away longer than I thought if that is the case."

"Oh?" Tofu's mother turned around, noticing the much older looking woman beside her, "Pardon me, are you one of my son's patients?"

"Not exactly," Lotion replied, "But you may consider me an outside consultant, just paying my respects to Tofu-Sensei. Do you think that they might be in there for a while?"

"I sure hope so!" Tofu's mother grinned broadly.

"I see," Lotion nodded, "Well, I do hope the girl can keep him occupied long enough. I have some friends who are also coming to visit, and the last thing that we would need to have happen is for these two to leave this establishment."

"Good thinking," Tofu's mother began to strap the cabinet onto her back again and hefted the heavy burden as she staggered off to one side, "I'll go make sure to block the side exist. I don't want Tofu going anywhere until he's gone and done his duty!"

Lotion patiently watched the younger "old woman" hobble off then shook her head and sighed, "You meet the strangest people in this district "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Shampoo and Ranma offered to come with me, but Lotion was insistent that they remain behind, saying that I was the only one who could safely accompany her as we went to confront the demon that I thought was possessing my sister.

Of course once we got through the clinic doors and followed the trail of overturned furniture we found Tofu and Kasumi inside the main clinic, only things were not exactly the way I had imagined that they would be. Kasumi was backed up into a corner holding an IV-stand like it was a staff and using it to hold Tofu at a distance. One look at the Doctor's crazed expression was enough to tell the story that the Oni had left my sister's body and found a new host. I have to admit this idea gave me the chills, as I'd long known how much repressed desire for my sister Tofu-Sensei had, the kind of unvoiced obsession that quite frequently drove him to mad, eccentric behavior.

Hey, it's almost a legend in Nerima. Everyone knows that the one time you don't want to visit Doctor Tofu is ten seconds after he's caught sight of Kasumi. The man is absolutely nuts about her, and because he never could work up the courage to say or do anything my clueless sister remains utterly clueless. Of course on this occasion his normal reservations were not an issue, and that was deeply troubling as the man is an accomplished martial artist who knows more about pressure techniques than anyone not born an Amazon. I knew in an instant that we were in for a great deal of trouble !

"I don't like this."

"There is nothing novel in that," Cologne remarked to the anxious Kachu, "But an Elder has given you a direct command and you will not violate your instructions."

"But I am a Hunter of the Dark," Kachu insisted, "I should be the one to confront the demon and bring it to bay. Who is this frail person whom Loremaster Lotion wanted at her side in my place? Her fighting skills were too pitiful to be those of a Warrior "

"Hey!" Ranma protested, "Don't talk that way about Nabiki!"

"For your information, that was your younger half-  
sister," Cologne replied, "Tendo Nabiki, and she is presently Elder Lotion's new apprentice, in addition to being Shampoo's Consort."

"She is what?" Kachu reacted, "She is Shampoo's Airen?"

"Don't act to surprised, Kachu," Shampoo replied in their native tongue, "Much has changed since our paths have last crossed. I have not had time to properly introduce you to both of my Airen."

"Just remember to include me in those formal introductions, little one," Comb reminded.

"Much as I hate to agree with the walking bad attitude," Ukyo said, "Are you sure Nabiki is up to handling this Oni? I had that thing inside me a few minutes ago, and let me tell you, it's not a picnic!"

"You're right," Akane said, "I don't care if Nabiki has picked up some fancy Amazon tricks, I don't see how she can help rescue Kasumi from that Oni!"

"I'm more worried about this Doctor friend of hers," Silk remarked, "What do you suppose she might be doing with him all alone inside that clinic?"

Akane and Kodachi both got singularly round-eyed at that simple question, but it was Soun himself who nearly hit the panic button, "I've got to get in there my little baby!"

Kachu blinked her eyes then murmured, "Are you certain that he is truly my father?"

"Beyond question, child," Silk replied, "But I suggest we keep to Japanese for the present. It is very rude to exclude these people from our conversation."

"What did they say?" Akane looked from one Amazon to the other.

"Her mother was just telling her it's not polite to talk behind our backs," Ryoga shrugged, "I was going to say that myself if she hadn't."

Ryoga was not immediately conscious of the fact that all eyes were slowly turning in his direction until Ranma said aloud, "You mean you understood her?"

Ryoga looked puzzled at that, but shrugged again and said, "I know a little Chinese. You can't help but pick up stuff like that when you spend as much time on the road as I do."

"Well then," Cologne said as if to change the subject, "I understand that you all are concerned, but we must trust Elder Lotion to do her part to successfully concluded " she paused and her ancient eyes narrowed in their focus towards Akane, "Where is Kuno-san? I thought she was standing right beside you."

"Huh?" Ranma asked started to glance around, "Hey, that's right she was standing right here with us a moment ago "

"You don't suppose she went in there, do you?" Ukyo asked.

"What would she do that for?" Akane asked, then frowned as she added, "Unless "

"Maybe she likes your sister," Silk suggested, "They did seem to be good friends when Comb and I were talking to her earlier."

"Does she think she can help?" Ryoga shook his head, "That girl is crazy!"

"Maybe so," Comb replied, "But you've got to admire her courage, risking her life and sanity for a friend like that."

"You don't know Kodachi very well, lady," Ranma replied, "She's not got that much sanity to risk, and if anything does happen I'll feel sorrier for that demon "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Our appearance in his office did not go unnoticed by Tofu, who turned a gleeful smile our way and said, "More people who want to play? This is going to be fun! And here I thought I was just going to entertain Kasumi, but I get to play with you as we, Nabiki. How nice "

"Stand ready," Lotion warned me, "Don't let him come too close. The Oni is powerful, and it has much repressed emotion to feed upon within the doctor."

"What do you want me to do?" I asked nervously, knowing for a fact that I definitely did not like the way Tofu was undressing me with his eyes, and in front of my sister!

"I will tell you when the time is right," Lotion informed me, "Just stand ready to assist your sister."

"Nabiki, don't come any closer!" I heard Kasumi warn me in very stressed out tones that were unlike her usual calm, relaxed self, "He's not right in the head in fact, I don't think that he's really Tofu Sensei."

"Oh, I am real enough," the horny (and I mean that in more than one sense) Tofu leered, "In fact, I'm feeling better than I have in a long time! Oh yeah! Come to Poppa, baby!"

Tofu started to rear up as if he were about to rush in and overpower Kasumi, which was something I simply could not allow, no matter what instructions I'd been given. I knew without having to glance to the side that there was a basin on my left, so I quickly snatched it up and in one quick motion sent it flying at Doctor Tofu. My aim was pretty good and I caught him good along the side of his head, just over his right ear, not hard enough to seriously hurt him but hard enough to hurt a little.

He staggered and went down, causing Kasumi to gasp as she watched him collapse, but much to my surprise Lotion turned and snapped at me, "Didn't I tell you not to act until I told you to? Now you've gone and released the Oni to seek out yet another host, and guess who is available for that task this time?"

I was just beginning to register what the old woman was saying when I saw the Oni rise up from the dazed Tofu and begin to float in my general direction.

There was no room to duck or avoid the thing as it passed on into me, and then I felt a tingling as it must have entered my body, like a chill that caused me to shiver uncontrollably. I felt the wrongness of the thing immediately overwhelm my senses and cause me to want to gag in reflex even as I felt my limbs begin to move on their own, and the muscles of my face contorted with a smile that was especially feral.

My thoughts were even more immediately affected as I felt the Oni's malevolent intelligence start to comb through my mind, seeking to pry out all my hidden thoughts and secrets. That was the point where I began to recoil from the shock of possession and try to fight back, resisting the urge to turn over to the demon those parts of myself that I'd never shared with anyone. It was not an even struggle by any means, and I could feel myself lose ground like I was locked in a judo match with an imperfect grasp of my opponent.

That was when the memories started to flood into my head, old and deeply buried thoughts of times long ago that I'd tried my best to keep inside me. I remembered Momma's voice, her scent, her touch, the way she would pick me up and hold me. I remembered fights with Akane in which we'd both wind up with bruises until Momma came to break things up. I remembered schemes and scams that I'd play on both of my sisters, taking advantage of their gullibility to gain an edge in family negotiations. I also remembered hearing the doctors talk about my mother's condition when they did not know I was still awake, and the trips to the hospital where Momma seemed to worsen daily. I remembered Daddy telling us that our mother had gone away and that we should be brave for her, and the tears that were flowing from his eyes in an endless torrent. I remember crying myself to sleep that night until Kasumi came into my room and offered me her comfort (I think we both needed it very badly then, but even this early on Kasumi had taken up the role of maternal caregiver, so it really was my benefit that she was thinking of at the time). It was easy to love Kasumi then because in many respects she was exactly like our mother.

I remember growing up and priding myself on my cleverness and ability to manipulate others. I remembered the schemes, the scams, the plots and clever maneuvers that I used to take advantage of those less savvy or ruthless than myself, all the while shielding my emotions from the harsh glare of public disclosure while telling myself that I was doing it for the good of my family. In actuality all that I was doing was building a wall between myself and everyone else around me...

And then I remembered the day when I first met Ranma when I knew in an instant that nothing would ever be the same for me again, that something that had been missing from my life was found and would make me feel whole again the closer I came to understanding my iinazuke. The loneliness that I had not even been aware that I was feeling became transformed into something more like a need or co-dependence as I found my life being turned upside down and inside out by the sense of novelty that Ranma brought with him. In next to no time at all he had become a part of my life, a part I did not want to have to do without, as much as my involvement with him compromised my former sense of independence.

But the Oni glossed over these more pleasant reflections and sought out the darker side of my relationship with Ranma. I saw it starkly there reflected in my memories, how I resented him for taking away from me all semblance of order and structure in my thoughts. I was curbing my natural inclinations to exploit our relationship to my best advantage in order to fashion myself more into the image of the type of girl that I thought he would find easier to cope with. The embarrassment that I had felt at his initial disapproval of my money-making schemes came back to me full force, as did a rebellious impulse that questioned why I should give up such lucrative practices as selling photos and planting rumors to further the interest of my fellow students in my fianc e in both of his alternate identities. I had been behaving more responsibly around him, and that just was not like the real me. I wasn't born to be a "nice" girl like Kasumi. I like being at ease with those practices that I had built up over time to earn myself a little well-deserved "seed-money," to treat myself to nice things for a change instead of devoting almost everything to supporting my family and keeping our house financially solvent.

But then that thought kicked in a different impulse and I recalled exactly why Kasumi had entrusted me to take care of the family finances. She had taken up the running of our house in all the important ways when our mother no longer was able, and once Momma was gone she was all there was to hold the family together. It was not long after this happened that I came upon Kasumi struggling to work out a budget for our meager resources, and I felt sorry for her because I knew there wasn't much money left for us after making the payments for the hospital bills that didn't ultimately save Momma. I told her that Daddy needed her for something then waited until she was out of the room before I went up and started to look at all the notes and bills that she had left spread out on the table. I was pretty good at math, so I decided to see if I could help her out a little.

To my surprise, as much as anybody's, I found the numbers easy to work with, and I already knew some handy tricks that I could use to squeeze out a little more loose cash from our budget. Kasumi came back and found me sitting in her place with a pencil in my hand and all the bills stacked up in neat order as I was working out the balance from the plus and minus table in her ledger. Instead of scolding me, Kasumi looked my figures over and was so impressed that she asked me to help her out like that in the future, and from that day onto the present I was the one who always took care of money. I plan out our budgets and set limits on how much we can afford to spend on food, rent, utilities and repair bills. In recent times the costs of at least three of those four categories has gone up staggeringly, forcing me to become even more creative!

And that was another sore spot that the Oni could exploit. I was plainly resentful about being relied upon like a bank to finance the other members of our voracious household. First it was Akane with her overwhelming need to smash things on a daily basis, not to mention the cost of all her visits to Doctor Tofu! Considering that Daddy stopped teaching in the dojo after Momma died, it's amazing that I could afford to supply Akane with so much wood and masonry for her to demolish, even considering what a good deal I worked out with a local construction supplier to sell his excess materials at discount rates. Then there was all the finagling I've had to do over the years to make sure that nobody comes after us financially for my sister's destructive rampages. A good thing most of the boys who used to attack her every morning were too macho to admit that they had been beaten up by a "mere" slip of a girl, otherwise we'd have been hip-deep in liability claims and legal troubles!

And that's not even counting how much our cost of living has escalated since Ranma moved in with his human vacuum cleaner of a father! If it wasn't for Uncle Saotome's job with Tofu-Sensei or the fact that Ranma volunteered to take up Daddy's old profession of taking in students for our dojo I'd really have resented him and his father as a couple of freeloaders! Because they are earning outside income, I've been willing to overlook a lot. Cutting back on the number of scams and betting pools I usually run has dried up the flow of finances from my old avenues of income, but I've managed to help out in the dojo and that's served to keep us out of the poorhouse.

Only why was I being forced to sacrifice so much? I'd given everything I had to this family, and what did it get me? A sister who resented me because she was too stupid to figure out that her pet pig was really her boyfriend! I very rarely had enough money set aside to treat myself to anything nice, and many of the clothes that I own are hand-me-downs from Kasumi! I'm entitled to have nice things, too, like she had when she was my age! So what if most of those knick-knacks were gifts from admiring friends? So what if I wasn't as popular growing up as she is, or even Akane for that matter!

I was starting to lose myself into this thought when I heard a voice cut through my haze and ask, "Nabiki can you hear me?"

I opened my eyes, not even aware that I had closed them until that second. How much time had passed while all these thoughts were floating through my head? I thought the Oni would have taken over me by now and started to make me behave like it wanted me to. Instead I felt as if my mind were bifurcated into two distinctly separate halves with one part trying to impose itself upon the rest of me. I could feel the ugliness of what this half represented, and it started to disgust me more than I can put into words.

"Nabiki," it was Kasumi speaking to me in as calm and level a voice as I had ever heard her use, "You must resist whatever that thing is that's trying to affect you. You can't let it take you over, like it tried to do with me."

"No," Lotion said firmly, "Do not fight it, simply do not yield yourself up to it. Fighting the Oni only makes it stronger, but it you do not give it a purchase it cannot touch your being. Become one like water and allow it to flow out of you instead."

"Shut up, old woman!" I heard my own lips snarl without my having willed them into motion, "You won't thwart me this time! I have this one in my grasp, and such an evil heart she has, so full of easy temptations and repressed desires "

"Shut up!" this time I knew it was me who snarled those words back at the demon inside me, "I'm not your slave, you can't tell me what to do!"

"But who else can free your evil essence to let it come out and play for a little while?" I heard myself say back, only now I also heard it in my mind like an echo of the Oni's thoughts, so dark and twisted with a hunger to explore the limits of the darkness that existed within me, "Don't tell me that you would rather be this Amazon's obedient servant?"

"That's got nothing to do with it!" I shouted back, mentally feeling the presence in my mind as I discovered reflexively that it had soft, squishy edges that I could mentally grapple with, "I don't want you in my mind, I don't need you in my thoughts, and I won't do anything you say, so get out of me right now before I get really nasty!"

"What can you do, fool?" the Oni taunted back, "I'm now a part of you, and you can never hope to beat me. I thrive on the desire for that which you so richly yearn! Give up to me and I will teach you how to obtain them! I can even help you have your way with both the girl and your Ranma!"

"I don't want your help!" I shouted, only now I thought I had a purchase on the thing, but it was like mentally trying to grapple with a squid. It was all over me with so many writhing limbs trying to force me into submission. I wasn't about to back down to the thing right then, so I dug in my metaphorical heels and fought back with even greater effort.

As absorbed as I was into this fray, I did not miss Lotion's sigh, or her exasperated voice as she said, "Why do they never listen? I said don't fight it, child! He is using your own desires against you. Become like water and allow those desires to flow out of you. That is how you can defeat this Oni!"

I blinked my eyes. Become like water? That sounded like one of Daddy's old lessons, only somebody else had told it to me once a long time ago, a woman's voice, so calm and gentle. Almost without thinking about it I slipped back into those memories and found myself relaxing, growing calm as my desires seemed to melt away and be replaced by a warm haze that felt like inner sunshine. I remembered a day that was so perfect long ago, when my family had been together and my sisters and I were just ordinary children. I felt the warmth of the sun on my face as I looked up into the face of my mother and felt the love wash over me as if that timeless moment could go on forever

And then a curious thing happened, the Oni seemed to flail away at me and grow small before my senses. I felt it slip out of me like smoke from a chimney and opened my eyes to see the little blob drifting out towards the hallway as if fleeing in terror from something against which it had no purchase.

I felt a kind of elation at discovering that I had somehow forced the Oni to leave me, and I was just coming to grips with that when somebody came rushing up the hallway from the opposite direction, and before I had a chance to call out a warning I saw Kodachi encounter the Oni, which flowed into her at once as if seeking a refuge.

Kodachi's eyes went very wide, becoming blank for a half-second before a pair of horns began to appear upon her forehead, and then she began to smile as it regarded us with malevolent intentions.

"Oh my!" I heard Kasumi gasp, "What do we do now? It has poor Kodachi!"

"Pray for the Oni, I suspect," Lotion replied with perfect calm, and sure enough the next few seconds were to prove her prescient.

Kodachi's expression went from leering to cross-  
eyed, and then all at once she doubled over and clutched at her head as an unearthly noise escaped from her lips. Kodachi huddled down onto the floor in a fetal position and began to moan, rocking back and forth like a little girl while the Oni wailed again, then shot up out of her as if repelled by a magnet.

"Some things are not wholesome to look upon, even for an Oni," Lotion remarked as the creature drifted down the corridor, "It thought to gain strength from the Kuno woman's repressed desires, and instead it encountered her own inner demons."

"You knew that would happen?" I asked, then I blinked my own eyes as Kasumi was on the floor at Kodachi's side trying to offer her some solace. I heard Tofu moan as he made his own recovery about that point and probably the first thing he saw was Kasumi with Kodachi, because I heard him asking in a plaintive tone of voice, "Did I miss something?"

"We must follow the creature," Lotion said to me, "While it is still weakened it can be captured."

"Right," I said, having no great desire to corner the thing again after my own experience, yet strangely less afraid of it than I was before since I'd already discovered that there was something in me that gave me power over that Oni.

We hurried down the corridor and I flung the door open in my haste as the thought belatedly occurred to me that the Oni might try to possess someone else before we could catch it. The list of possible candidates was not good, and I wasn't eager to find out what sort of repressed desires it could find in any one of them, especially Akane, my father, or even Ranma!

As it turns out we came outside just in time to see the thing hovering over their heads as everyone regarded the thing with wary expressions. I saw Kachu raise her pole arm and start to make a warding motion, while the two priests were holding up prayer strips and looking ready to use them. Cologne was hovering back a bit while Akane and Ryoga remained close at her side while the other two Amazons were positioned at the side of Daddy and Uncle Saotome. I saw Ranma tense with her hands raised as if to strike out at the Oni with Ukyo covering her, which basically left all sides covered and all avenues of escape closed off, unless the thing were to venture skyward.

Of course there was one figure who wasn't standing quite as much at alert, and the Oni spotted her at once and made a beeline in her direction. I started to call out a warning-too late once again-only to see it vanish into Shampoo's purple brow, and all at once the Chinese girl was sporting a set of horns, which somehow looked cute on her even as her expression went from nervous to sultry.

"Get back!" Lotion called out, "The Oni is inside her!"

Shampoo leered as she slyly glanced to one side, seeing the expressions of Cologne, Akane, Ryoga and her mother on her right flank. She turned another sly look towards Ukyo and Ranma, then all at once she leaped into the air as Kachu lunged towards her, using the blunt end of her pole arm to try and club her fellow Amazon. Shampoo tumbled in mid-air and somehow contrived to land with both feet to the back of Kachu's skull, tumbling her forward and adding to her upward momentum. It was plain that she meant to escape, but as fast as she was Cologne proved to be a whole lot faster!

"Oh no you don't!" the Elder declared as she met Shampoo in mid-flight and exchanged a series of rapid blows with her that ended-almost inevitably-with Shampoo tumbling back down to the ground for a very rude landing. Fortunately for her Ranma was fast enough to catch her before she struck the ground, breaking Shampoo's fall but almost inevitably providing the Oni with a fresh new host to leap into.

"Aiyaa," I heard Shampoo exclaim in a daze, only to yelp in dismay as Ranma let her fall back onto her fanny. Ranma turned to the others with a huge grin, cracking her knuckles with a hearty exclamation of, "Now this is more LIKE it!"

"Son!" I heard Daddy say as he tried to confront Ranma, while Uncle Genma started to maneuver around behind Ranma for an obvious sneak attack, "Don't let it do to you what it did to my little girl "

"Shut up, old man!" Ranma snarled, and before I could see her move she sent Daddy flying backwards, then vaulted into a backward kick that knocked the panda that was her father sprawling, "You guys are way too slow to cut into my action!"

"We've got to do something!" Akane cried, "We can't let her escape!"

"Leave it to me!" Ryoga actually smiled as he cracked his knuckles, advancing on Ranma as he remarked, "This is for your own good, Ranma, even if you do have a lot worse coming!"

"Yeah right," Ranma smirked at him, "Like I'm scared of the poor widdle piggy! You're never gonna get the better of me, blockhead!"

"Oh yeah?" Ryoga replied, coming to stand only a short distance away as he held up one hand and watched Ranma fall back into a defensive crouch, "Well, that's what you think! BAKUSEI TENKETSU!"

Ryoga said this as he fell down to his knees and thrust one finger at the asphalt directly ahead of him. Apparently the Oni inside Ranma had not been swift enough to access his memories of the recent training mission because it was slow to react and thus Ranma was knocked flying by the explosion.

"Not too shabby, Boy," Cologne observed as Ranma fell back stunned some ten meters away.

"Thanks," Ryoga grinned, "Only he never even saw it coming!"

"Heheheh," I heard Akane say, and with a sense of growing dread I turned to see her face suddenly bearing the telltale horns and leer of the ravenous Oni, "Care to try that with me, Ryoga-kun?"

"Hah?" Ryoga's triumphant smirk became horrified dismay, which matched the cumulative reactions of the others.

"What's going on out here?" I heard Doctor Tofu say as he appeared at my side, "What happened to the street? Did a gas main burst or something?"

"Doctor Tofu," Akane turned her leer in his direction, "This is great!" and with that she made a powerful leap worthy of Ranma herself and was suddenly in front of me, shoving me to one side as if I wasn't worthy of consideration, "Hi there, can we talk?"

I landed in a heap to one side of the clinic but fortunately that landing was padded by some grass, so I was conscious enough to look up in time to see Kachu pushing herself off the ground, a snarl on her face as she fixed a hostile glare in Akane's direction. The next thing I see she's got her pole arm in her hands again and is rushing forward as if to impale my little sister.

Whether she actually meant harm to Akane or not is difficult to tell, but Tofu saw the charge and reacted before anyone else. I'd always known that he practiced martial arts, albeit to a less intense level than Ranma, and so it should not have surprised me when he swept Akane out of the way and stepped forward to meet the charging Kachu. He easily deflected Kachu's weapon with one hand then stepped around her and in one fluid motion allowed her to pass him by. I saw his hand shoot out and almost caress her backside, and then Kachu went limp and fell face-first into the double-doors of the clinic. I saw her slide down it in slow motion like some exaggerated cartoon character, yet all I could think of at the time was how well it suited her to get taken down in such an off-handed manner.

Of course my attention was riveted upon Akane, who was looking up at her rescuer and murmuring in a dazed voice, "Doctor Tofu you saved me "

That was all she had time to say before a silver flute rapped her between the shoulder blades, causing her to stiffen. The Oni rose up from Akane as my sister remained standing where she was, drifted through the air for a bit, only to be sliced in mid-air by a flashing sword blade.

"Now!" I heard Shampoo's mother call out, "What are you priests waiting for? I've weakened it, now you can capture it, you Bakas!"

"Oh, right," Cherry said, making a ward gesture while clutching at some prayer beads. The other priest complied with the same gesture and the two began to chant in chorus, causing the demon to emit an inhuman noise as an invisible cage sprang up around it.

Something landed on my lap and I looked up to see Lotion smiling down at me as she said, "Here, you may do the honors."

I looked down at the plain wooden box in my lap and said, "Okay but what do I do?"

"Just repeat the words as I say them to you," Lotion urged while I got to my feet and held the box out towards the Oni, "In the name of Kami, I command you to return!"

Not bothering to question the fact that I was hardly the most likely person for any Kami to listen to, I held out the box and said, "In the name of the Kami, I command you to return!"

That was all it took before a tremendous rush kicked up in my hands, and then it was all that I could do to hold the box steady as I felt a sucking sensation vibrate my arms. Before I could question what was happening it was over and done with and the box was sealed, entrapping the demon. I felt my knees begin to buckle but was steadied a second later from both sides, and it was only after another moment of consideration that I realized that I was being flanked by both Shampoo and Ranma.

I had hoped that the matter was concluded at that point, but one more act was yet to be played in our little drama in that a voice drew our attention to the side of the clinic, and there was a little old lady whom I happened to recognize from a previous encounter as Doctor Tofu's mother. She was wanting to know what all the racket we were making was about, but once she saw Tofu she demanded to know why he wasn't back inside the clinic working hard on giving her the grandchildren that she had been praying for to the spirit of his late father. She saw Kachu begin to recover about that point and naturally mistook her for Kasumi, which is probably why the next thing out of her mouth flattened the rest of us so dramatically, "Oh, you wore her out already? Well then, maybe we ought to work on building up her stamina a little."

"Excuse me?" Silk regarded the older woman with obvious confusion, which was shared by the rest of us about that point.

"I'm talking about my son's bridal candidate," Mrs. Tofu said with a nod towards a bewildered Kachu, "You don't expect him to marry just any ordinary girl, do you? The woman he weds must have good character and be able to provide him with many strong and healthy babies."

"Babies?" Kachu blinked her eyes and shook her head, "Marry? What are you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lotion asked her in a sly tone of amusement, "She's referring to your new Airen, the kindly Doctor Tofu."

"WHAT?" Akane, Kachu, Tofu and our Father chorused together while I tried my best to assume what I think was a fairly neutral expression.

"Hey, that's right!" Ranma grinned at my side, "You beat her pretty easily, Doctor Tofu. She never even saw it coming!"

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo agreed, "Look very much to Shampoo that you lose out to nice doctor."

"But that can't be!" Kachu cried out, "I've not lost to anyone, let alone an Outsider male. And besides I'm not of Warrior status! The law doesn't apply to me "

"But you are an Amazon," Cologne replied, "And the law still holds that you must marry the unwed male who is clearly a superior fighter."

"But !" Kachu started to sputter.

"Uh, uh, dear," Silk smiled, "No use trying to worm your way out of it. We all witnessed the Doctor's stunning victory over you. Will you at least concede that he has proved himself your better?"

"Never!" Kachu cried, snatching up her discarded weapon and declaring, "I challenge you to prove to me that you are as good as they say! I won't be taken by surprise like that again!"

"Huh?" Tofu backed away with his hands raised in warding, "Now wait a minute can't we talk this over?"

Kachu lunged for Doctor Tofu, who naturally twisted his body and side-stepped the attack, then as if he were repeating a kata in slow motion I saw his hand reach out and seemingly slide against her back as Kachu's lunge carried her beyond him. Once again I saw her knees give out as she staggered to the sidewalk and collapsed like a nerveless puppet.

"Well," I mused, "I guess that makes it official."

"How soon do we hold the wedding?" Comb asked with a smirk.

"Wedding?" I heard Daddy's telltale tone go up an octave, and sure enough the waterworks started up at once as he bawled out, "My little girl is getting married!"

"Good grief," I heard Akane exclaim, sentiments I pretty much shared, though in all honesty I was not as put out about Tofu's prospective engagement as she was. There was something almost inevitable about the way this event brought a close to the whole business with the Oni.

Well, to make a long story short those priests took the box off to return to its place at the shrine that had originally housed it. Everyone made a full recovery from our mutual ordeal, only some of us seem to have come out of the experience with more questions than answers. I, for one, felt pretty chagrined about the things that Oni had exposed when it ransacked my memories, and I'm betting the others have similar issues about their encounters with their dark sides.

In looking back it now seems pretty obvious to me that Lotion set me up to have my own encounter with the demon. No doubt she meant it to be under more controlled circumstances than actually happened because of my reckless impulse to rescue my sister. This must have been the test that she was referring to earlier in the day, a point when I confronted my own inner demons, or something. I can't say I'm not resentful about being used like that to convey whatever sort of message she was trying to send me, but I guess deep down that I'm glad that I took that Oni away from Kasumi. I can't imagine what sort of things a creature like that must have been uncovering in her memories. I guess every one of us really does have their own dark side.

Of course the issues raised by that Oni are still troubling to me, such as the realization of just how much I've come out of my shell since first meeting Ranma. I had a look at what I was before and well it wasn't all that pretty. I've used people in the past and discarded them when their usefulness to me was ended, exploited and manipulated people while preying on their weaknesses for my own selfish gain. I'm not saying everything I did was wrong or that I regret the necessity of having to use foul means to earn a fair living, but I don't think I really want to go back to being like that even if Ranma somehow mysteriously vanished out of my life and took Shampoo with him.

Speaking of Shampoo, it was something else when we all gathered back at the house and Ranma was able to resume his proper gender to make formal introductions. Kasumi decided to remain with Kodachi and walked the Black Rose home, obviously sharing issues between them that still make me feel uneasy. Silk offered to play hostess in Kasumi's absence another something that makes me feel distinctly uneasy. It takes no special gift in being able to read people to see that she and Daddy were getting along a little too well for my liking, and I'm wondering what that portends for the future?

Shampoo's mother looked Ranma and me over like we were a pair of thoroughbred horses before deciding that we might-MIGHT, mind you-be worthy of her daughter. She and Shampoo seemed to be awkwardly feeling their way around one another, but then I'm given to understand that they've never been exactly that close as mother and daughter. They're polite enough to each other, and Shampoo did give her mother an affectionate hug when Comb gave her blessings to her intentions to marry, but there seems to be a distance between the two purple haired Amazons, and a kind of sadness in the way that Comb regards her daughter.

Of course Shampoo's Mom seems to have a different set of priorities when it comes to Daddy and Uncle Genma. She's pretty downright sarcastic at times, but I noticed that she was studying Uncle Genma for a long time once he was back in human form before she finally pronounced, "Still bald as ever and twice as nearsighted." Somehow coming from her it did not sound all that particularly nasty.

Akane went to her room after eating a quick dinner, and my impression is that she is no more comfortable with having the Amazons here than I am. Silk looks a lot too much like our Momma to get the open arms greeting, and the idea that she may be pursuing a relationship with Daddy is enough to put pale to any normal considerations of playing the polite hostess. Still and all, I have to admit that Silk plays a pretty mean flute when she gave us a performance right after serving us dinner.

As for Kachu, well our newfound sister is looking like she's still coming out of her daze at discovering that she is now engaged to Doctor Tofu. (Strangely enough the news of this did not seem to bother Kasumi as much as it obviously did Akane) She sat around looking at nothing while Elder Cologne gave her a few terse instructions in Chinese on how to properly greet her "husband" when next she sees him. I can only imagine what Tofu is going through himself at this moment, considering the giddy glee of his mother at the prospect of her son finally getting married!

I don't know where Ukyo or Ryoga vanished off to once we got back to our house. I think she might have said something about checking out that restaurant of hers, but just as likely she's going to call her Dad and give him a progress report on her "Search" for her missing iinazuke, Ranma.

And Ranma? Well he's currently sitting outside looking up at the moon, and in another moment I'm going out there to join him. I think I caught sight of Shampoo cuddled up on his lap in her Neko form, and for once I'm not feeling the least bit jealous. We have to have a serious talk about the events of this day, but I'm no longer running away from my feelings towards him. That's the one good thing that came out of my encounter with the Oni I now have a pretty good grasp of the inner demons that are lurking inside me, and it's long since time that I make peace with a few of them.

The only question I have about this point is what exactly I'm going to say to him under the moonlight? This romance stuff is such hard work, and I never know exactly what to say to convey the right impression. There are so many differences between me and Ranma, stuff we still have to work out, a whole lot of unsettled issues, and I really need to know from him if he's as committed as I am to making this all work out right.

I guess I'm just delaying here while I write all of this out. I'd better go see him now before he decides to return to his room or something. I'm not so sure that I'm ready to trust Shampoo around him that much as I'm pretty sure that she'd like nothing better than to join him in the bedsheets, and no way am I letting her do that without me being present to chaperone them.

Assuming, of course, that Shampoo can trust me getting that close along with Ranma-oh my! And I thought I'd only have these kind of thoughts when I was being inspired by the Oni! Guess there are more dangerous things in this world than lecherous demons, horny teenaged girls like me being somewhere near the top of the short list.

I just hope tomorrow is a lot quieter than this day has turned out to be. I'd like a few days to sort everything out before we have another attack of weirdness

Somewhere in the Hills of Japan a bolt of lightning fell, splitting a boulder in twain and shattering a protective line of ward-seals. As the rumble died away a pair of glowing eyes appeared, followed by a soft chuckle as a diminutive shape tasted freedom for the first time in a decade.

As the denizens of Nerima were about to discover, there were indeed things in the world far worse than a humble Oni lurking in the background and about to enter the lives of Ranma and Nabiki

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Japanese equivalent of 911: shadowmane

Next up: the Demon Master returns to wreck his awful vengeance against the wayward disciples who once betrayed them, which Ranma and Nabiki have a serious discussion about their future, and what part Shampoo will play in that arrangement. Meanwhile Tofu and Kachu get to know about one another, while the heroes of a previous generation compare notes and reminisce about old times, while Kodachi and Kasumi ah well, that would be telling! ^_^

Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	35. Chapter 35

NabikiRan34 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets!  
By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-Four.  
(Down and Dirty!)

Ranma heard Nabiki open up her window to step out onto the roof behind him. He well knew the sounds that she made by heart, from her breathing to the slight tense gasp that came when her bare foot made contact with the first of the roof tiles. She was not as hardened as he was to ignore minor physical discomforts, so in a way it amused and fascinated him to see her brave the elements just for a chance to join him in a little nocturnal conversation.

In all truth there was nothing about her that did not fascinate and intrigue him on some level. From the slightest movement of her body to the soft noises made by the fabric of her clothing he was deeply aware of her approach, and her presence caused him to tense slightly while also relaxing in some oddly perverse manner. He would have liked to turn around and watch her as she made to sit down, but his own feelings were deeply confused and troubled at the moment, so the best he could do was to look straight ahead and try to compose his thoughts into some sort of coherent arrangement.

He felt Shampoo stir on his lap and reflexively caressed her fur to reassure the sleeping "pet" that it was all right, just Nabiki taking her place at their side, and in response he felt her purr and curl up more comfortably on top of the gap created by his folded legs. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully and he had no wish to intrude upon her blissful state of rest.

"Hi," he heard Nabiki say to him, almost shyly.

"Hey," he replied in lieu of any more formal greeting, acknowledging her existence with that single worded expression.

"Nice night out," she began as if to merely make conversation, but her eyes were traveling to Shampoo in her Neko form as she added, "Looks like you two are getting along pretty well now."

"Yeah," Ranma grunted, "It's weird but kinda nice. I mean just a little while ago I would have been having screaming fits letting her get this close to me, but lately well as long as I think of her as just Shampoo and not something else then it's not so bad, you know what I'm saying?"

"So," Nabiki said, "Does this mean you're getting over your Neko-phobia, or does it just apply to her?"

"I dunno," Ranma said, "It's not like I've gone out of my way to test this thing on other uh well, you know but like I said, Shampoo's different easier to get along with, especially if she doesn't Meow."

"I guess we should just wait and see if you'll make a full recovery then before we break out in celebration," Nabiki conceded, "Still it's nice to see you make an exception in her case. I'd think she'd need some reassurance after the way her mother was acting."

"Yeah," Ranma agreed with a very soft snort, recalling his prospective mother-in-law's angry denunciation of Cologne for having allowed her daughter to suffer such a horrible fate. It had hardly mattered that Cologne had argued, calmly and reasonably, that the decision to train Shampoo at Jusenkyo had been made by the full Council of tribal Elders and was certainly preferable to other forms of punishment that might have been visited upon a warrior who had abandoned a blood quest and returned home without either head or husband. Comb had simply flown into an angry diatribe that fell just short of actually threatening the High Council.

"You've got to admit," Nabiki said, "Sham-chan's Mom really has a way of getting her point across."

"Yeah," Ranma admitted, adding almost off-handedly, "I almost expected that she was going to attack the old ghoul. I'm surprised she didn't when uh the old woman said that stuff about her and Pop."

It was Nabiki's turn to look nervously away, and it took a full moment before she spoke again, "About that um, Ranma-kun I know it must be really strange finding out that your Dad knew Shampoo's Mom before he ever met your mother "

"Like it's not for you, finding out you've got an Amazon half-sister?" Ranma agreed, "Yeah, I guess weird doesn't even begin to cover it. As much as I've always known Pop was capable of stuff, I never thought he'd ever go that far. I mean if he already knew about the Amazons, then why the heck did he drag me all the way to that part of China?"

Nabiki could not answer that one right away, so another silent pause resulted between them, broken only when Ranma added, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to "

"I know, Ranma-kun," Nabiki said, choosing to answer the second part of Ranma's statement rather than dwell upon the first, "I guess the simple truth is your father is basically quite stupid. In fact, sometimes it's hard to believe the two of you are even related."

Ranma could not help chuckling over that, "Yeah, me too. I mean sure Pop's not what you'd call a rocket scientist, and sometimes he can be pretty thoughtless "

"And selfish," Nabiki added, "And basically self-  
centered.'

"Yeah, that too," Ranma agreed, "But you'd think he'd know better than to take us both to Jusenkyo if he'd learned about the place from Shampoo's mother."

"According to him all she told him about the place was that it was cursed," Nabiki reasoned, "I guess she never told him what the curse was about, or else he probably didn't believe her."

"Guess that makes sense," Ranma conceded, "I'm not sure I'd have believe it before I went there."

Once again there was a pause before conversation resumed, and in that time the two of them exchanged half a dozen furtive looks, as if each wanted to say something but was afraid of being the first to openly voice his or her thoughts. At last Ranma managed to say, "Nabiki "

"Yes, Ranma-kun?"

"When that Oni got inside you," Ranma hesitated, then resumed, "Did it make you see and feel stuff that felt kinda weird?"

Nabiki almost laughed at the question, but something in the way Ranma had asked it caused her to hesitate before replying with a question of her own, "Define weird."

Ranma started to say something but this time fell mute as the things that he wanted to ask her were not easily voiced by someone with as little experience as he had in expressing certain emotions. The things that he had briefly felt and thought while the Oni was in his mind did not particularly please him. It was as if the Oni took some perverse delight in dredging up sensations that were altogether pleasant yet intensely disturbing for a young man who had as little experience as he did around women.

After a side-long glance her way he forced himself to look back down at the roof tiles, then felt his eyes being drawn again towards Nabiki as if pulled against his own volition. His gaze took in Nabiki's folded legs and bare feet, then roved up her curvy thighs to take notice of her wasp-thin waist and washboard stomach, which same had been bared by her halter-top (thus exposing her bared midriff). His eyes continued to take inventory, slowly roving up from Nabiki's belly button to the exposed cleft of her V-neck halter. It was impossible for him to look away from that for another full minute, but when he did it was with an audible swallow.

"Ah " Ranma forced himself to stare straight ahead out into the night, therefore missing the puzzled expression on Nabiki's face as she slowly began to register that Ranma had been "checking her out," something so normally uncharacteristic of him that it actually brought a slight blush to her pale features.

"Ranma-kun " Nabiki said, feeling an odd thrill at being so noticed by her iinazuke.

"I'm sorry," Ranma replied.

"Huh?" Nabiki blinked her eyes at this.

"I didn't mean to look!" he said, "It was wrong! I didn't mean anything by it don't be angry!"

"Angry?" Nabiki's confusion lasted for several seconds before she finally realized what was happening, at which point she faintly smiled and said, "What have I got to be angry about? You like the way I look, don't you?"

"Oh, sure," Ranma said, continuing to turn his face away as though taking interest in the moon, which was barely visible through the mild overcast, "You look great. In fact I I think you're very pretty. I just don't want you to get any ideas I'm not a pervert or nothing like that "

"And why would I think that you, of all people, are a pervert?" Nabiki wondered, then she leaned closer and said, "I know what your problem is, Ranma-kun you're shy."

"I am not!" Ranma instantly defended himself, ignoring the burning sensation that was coloring his face.

"You are too," Nabiki's smile became her old, familiar sly look, "In fact I bet you've never really looked at a girl this way before, am I right? Not even Shampoo when she hopped into the furo "

"Of course not!" Ranma protested, "I ain't like that!"

"And why not?" Nabiki asked, "You think she's beautiful too, right?"

"Huh?" Ranma sounded as wary as a trapped animal, but before he could say anything more he heard a sound from his lap that caused him to momentarily forget about the question. Both he and Nabiki turned their eyes towards Shampoo, who was at that moment meowling and hissing, baring her claws and struggling against some invisible antagonist in spite of the fact that her eyes were closed and she was quite obviously not conscious.

"What the heck's wrong with her?" Ranma asked, evidencing a slight queasiness in his voice.

"Sounds like she's having a nightmare," Nabiki answered.

"Do Cats um dream?" Ranma asked with ever increasing nervousness.

"This one obviously can," Nabiki replied again, then added softly, "I wonder what's bothering her, poor kitty ?"

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

"So, daughter," I heard my mother tell me while the two of us are washing dishes together, "You and Genma's son are getting along quite well these days?"

"Yes, Mother," I heard myself replying, "This one's husband and wife are very good to this one. We will have a good home with strong warriors and have lots of children together "

"Xian Pu," I hear my mother's voice take on a deep note of regret and sadness, "I'm sorry to have to inform you of this, but it can never be as you say."

"Huh?" I reply, "Why not?"

"Because I have something that I must tell you about Saotome Genma," my mother says with clear reluctance, "You see I knew him before I knew the man whom you have believed was your father, and the plain truth is Saotome Genma is your father. That means that Saotome Ranma is your half-brother."

"No!" I immediately protest, "This cannot be, Mother! This one must marry Saotome Ranma "

"I'm afraid that we cannot allow that, Xian Pu," I hear Great Grandmother say, and I look to my other side to find her perched upon her staff drying the dishes as I hand them to her, "You cannot marry into your own family, at least not unless they are a cousin or more distantly removed from our house. To marry a brother, even a half-  
brother born to a different mother, would bring great disgrace upon our heads and risk that any children you may have will be deformed or cursed by the gods "

"No!" I cry out in dismay, "This cannot be true! I must marry Ranma! It is the law!"

"The law does not apply here," Great Grandmother says firmly, "He is part Amazon and a member of our clan, therefore he is exempt from any penalty for defeating you. You must leave him at once and travel back with me to China "

"But !" I hesitate before I say, "What about Nabiki?"

"Ah yes," Great Grandmother says in a way that I do not like, "The law, for her, is different. She is also part Amazon because Silk is really her mother, so she will have to be trained in Amazon ways before she can become one of us. In the meantime any pledge to marry her would not be valid."

"NO!" I scream out, "You cannot do this to this one! You cannot ask for me to become alone again! Not like it was when this one lost her Lo Xion!"

"Are you disobeying me, child?" Great Grandmother looks at me in disapproval, "Then perhaps you should be disciplined for your insolence in speaking out against an Elder!"

All at once she hops off her staff, grasps firm hold of it and swings it at me. I try to dodge but I am too slow, so I am sent hurtling backwards, arcing my back as I try to roll with the blow and find the safety of new purchase. To my dismay I discover that I am very high up, falling rapidly at an expanse of ground that I know all too well as the Springs of Jusenkyo, and though I try to prevent it I find myself falling into one of the pools, which immediately triggers my transformation.

All at once my body grows small and I sprout fur all over my flesh. There is a curious tingling along my rump that I know to be the sprouting of my tail and suddenly I am pawing at the water, trying to use my claws as I right myself and seek to break back to the surface to breathe the air that I so desperately need.

I succeed, gasping for breath as I feel helplessness overwhelm me, a sensation that I have never liked and that I fight against lest my own fears lead to my undoing.

All at once a hand reaches down to grab me by the scruff of my neck and I feel myself being lifted by Nabiki, who eyes me in such a way that you would almost think that I was a fish that she had caught for her supper.

"What's this?" my wife asks, "Somebody tried to drown this poor animal. What do you think about that, Ranma?"

"I guess," my husband shrugs his shoulders (only I remember belatedly that Great Grandmother says that he is no longer my husband), "Sure is funny looking, though."

"You think so?" Nabiki smiles, then tosses me at Ranma, "Here, catch!"

I find myself being caught up into Ranma's huge arms, and all at once he cries, "GAAAHHH! A C-C-C-C-  
CAT!"

"Here, Ranma-kun," Nabiki calls out as I see her snatch up a pail of water, "I'll help fix that!"

All at once we are both doused and I feel my body transforming once again, resuming a human shape. I start to breathe a sigh of relief when I notice that Ranma has also been changed into his female warrior form, and that she seems even shorter in my arms than usual. I see her looking up at me with her beautiful blue eyes then in an almost fearful voice she asks, "Hey, who are you?"

"Who is this one?" I blink down at her, "I am Xian Pu, your wife, husband."

"Wife?" she gasps, looking me over, "You don't look like you could be anybody's wife, fella, and I'm not into perverts!"

"Huh?" I ask, looking down at myself, only to discover in dismay that my breasts have flattened and that my chest is much hardened and more muscular. I look further down and discover an impossibility, something that should not be there, but is! I realize that I have been cursed to turn into a man, and that is the point where I wake up screaming, hissing and clawing as I imagine myself being attacked by Great Grandmother and all the other Amazons, who want to kill me because I violated one of our laws about Jusenkyo.

"Xian Pu?" I hear Nabiki ask in concern, and with a start I look up and find myself back in Neko form sitting in Ranma's lap while he and my wife study me with concerned expressions. I feel relief flooding through me at once, discovering that all those horrible visions had not actually happened and that my Airen still care about me, and that they are still my Airen. I felt such joy in the thought of this that I immediately sprang up out of Ranma's lap and tried to throw my arms around Nabiki, instead planting my Neko body in her face as I knock her over.

Aiyaa! I never had dreams like that when I was still a young girl, not even when Lo Xion died! At least no dreams that I can so vividly remember! Perhaps the most vexing thing about such dreams is that-while they are taking place-you don't actually realize that you are, in fact, dreaming! It is such a terrible thing to see your worst fears being played out and be unable to control the flow of events as things you have come to take for granted are suddenly uprooted. To think that I have come so far in so short a time to finding the happiness that has long eluded me only to have it snatched away by a trick of the fates is cruelty beyond imagining, so I think I can be forgiven for wanting to be comforted in the arms of a loved one, even if in doing so I did somewhat disconcert my wife, Nabiki

"Gah!" Nabiki cried in dismay as she tasted fur in her mouth, "Get off of my face, you walking fur-ball!"

"I guess she's happy to see you," Ranma said with a nervous chuckle as he got up and came over to help his iinazuke, being careful to pry Shampoo-Neko loose without leaving or receiving any scratches.

"No fooling," Nabiki sputtered as she sat upright again, "You think? Wonder what set her off like that?"

"Who knows?" Ranma asked as he began to rub Shampoo's fur in an attempt to calm her down, "I guess she really did have some kind of a nightmare."

"About us?" Nabiki wondered, then amended herself and said, "Or about me?"

"Guess we'll have to ask her when she's back in human form," Ranma smirked, "I'm glad you two get along so well or she'd really be more of a handful."

"Meow!" Shampoo sought to protest, which caused Ranma to suffer an involuntary reaction.

"Ah !" Ranma took a deep, ragged breath, gasped, then said, "Ah don't do that! Remember? Aw heck we'd better go inside and get you warmed up in a hot bath. I think I've had enough therapy to last me for tonight."

"No argument there," Nabiki said as she stood up beside him, reaching out to pet Shampoo as she smiled, "No hard feelings, Sham-chan, but next time give me a little warning before you do that, okay?"

Shampoo nodded her cat-head rather than verbally reply and risk further alienating Ranma. She could not help but purr once again as she was carried while Ranma went back in through the window, followed by Nabiki, content with being held in his arms as it reassured her of their continuing commitment.

It was only after they had gone back inside that a pair of slitted eyes looked out from the shadows. A withered voice conveying great age cackled softly before saying aloud, "Interesting there have been a few changes around here. Wonder what else my boys have been up to lately ?"

Genma was not a very bright or brave man, and certainly not one well known for his powers of perception and observation, but at the moment he could recognize the cross look he was being given as one that hinted of the dangerous ground that he was standing upon, and that he would have to choose his words carefully if he was to survive to see the morning.

"So," Comb said after a very long, tense moment, "You took your son to Jusenkyo because you heard me describe it as a training ground for powerful warriors, and it just slipped your notice that I had also warned you of the danger it might pose to outsiders?"

"Well " Genma said reluctantly, "You never actually said that those springs could turn a man into something else. You just said they were forbidden to the unwary. I just thought it was some place where I could test the boy to see if he measured up enough for me to bring back home to present to his iinazuke."

"Who hadn't even been selected just yet," Comb scowled darkly, but then relented by a fraction, "Still, I suppose you and Soun did well to engage him to that Loremaster Apprentice. Nabiki seems like a very fine girl, if a bit soft for my tastes. She should make an adequate wife for both your son and my daughter, which is more sense than I'd usually credit you as having. And here I would have thought, if it had been left up to the pair of you, that you'd have engaged him to the angry one who's about his age. I'm glad to see you two were not that foolish."

"Ah, well " Genma smiled nervously, "It was the boy's choice, after all, and Nabiki agreed to it, so we've been satisfied that they'll both inherit the dojo and maintain the Anything Goes tradition."

"Of course," Comb said, noticeably pausing before adding, "But this also applies to their sharing themselves with my daughter, Shampoo."

Genma swallowed on a suddenly dry mouth, "Of course I wouldn't think of it any other way."

"Good," Comb relaxed visibly, "Then as long as you don't have any objections to a three-way arrangement, then I don't have any reason to complain either. Just see to it that you continue not having objections and we'll all be happy. Won't that be nice?" she added with a hint of dangerous sarcasm.

"Of course," Genma agreed, wondering to himself how he was going to explain this one to Soun in private.

"Then it is settled," Comb smiled, "My daughter will marry your son and Soun's daughter, and we will all live to see the birth of our first grandchildren. Now the question is when do you plan on having the ceremony?"

"Uh " Genma looked stupidly at her, "I beg your pardon?"

"I know how you Japanese think," Comb said crossly, "Just because we Amazons don't require a formal marriage ceremony to recognize a union doesn't mean that you can dismiss our practices so lightly. It just so happens that we have adapted with the times and created our own more elaborate rituals so that those idiots in the government back home can be satisfied on the legality of Amazon unions. I intend to see to it that my daughter is properly wed to your son and their wife before Silk and I return to our homes back in China."

"Ah well " Genma's brain refused to turn over, leaving his mouth stuck in neutral.

"Then all we need to do is to discuss this with Soun," Comb said with a satisfied expression, "I would, of course, prefer that the wedding take place sometime in the near future, but the particulars are not all that important. We can even have it here in this honored Dojo to respect the ancestral spirits that watch over and guide the place. We can even make out a guest list to invite as many witnesses as we need to formalize the union of our three houses."

"Um yes, I see " Genma finally got his mental motor running once again, "Well, if Soun has no objections, then I suppose I could talk the boy into going along with everything. At least he doesn't seem to have any objections to getting married now that he's had time to get to know his iinazuke better."

"By better do I take it to mean that they've been intimate together?" Comb smiled.

"Huh?" Genma blinked his eyes and looked owlish.

Comb lost her smile and said, "Don't tell me that they haven't tested each other in bed yet? How can then even know if they are compatible or not? Oh well children these days have such romantic notions about marriage, not at all like we where when we were their age."

"Um, yeah right," Genma swallowed.

"Which reminds me," the scowl was back in Comb's reddish-brown eyes, "That other boy the one who is interested in Soun's youngest daughter. I noticed that his last name was Hibiki "

"Um so?" Genma asked with a suddenly neutral expression.

"Don't ask me why," Comb proceeded with a dangerous hint in her voice, "But for some reason he reminds me of someone else whom we once knew who also went by the name of Hibiki. Whatever became of her after I went back home to China? I haven't bothered to ask Soun just yet as he hardly seems the type who would confide in such things, if he even knows about it."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean " Genma started to say, only to fall silent as he read the deadly look in Comb's expression.

"I have often wondered whatever became of Hibiki Atsuko," Comb remarked, "And I couldn't help noticing that the boy does resemble your son by more than a little."

"Coincidence," Genma hastily said, "They're mortal enemies, have been since childhood!"

"And why is that, do you think?" Comb mused, "In truth I do see a lot of Atsuko in the boy, and she was very determined to court you, as I remember events in the past. She even had the silly notion that you and me " she paused, taking a moment before continuing again, "Well, that hardly matters now, does it?"

"You said you have a husband," Genma mentioned in a desperate bid to change the subject.

"I do," Comb replied softly, "Ha Brus, a fine man who takes good care of my house. I care for him a great deal, but that has nothing to do with this. I am thinking about old times as we both remember the occasion."

Genma looked down a moment before replying, "I try not to dwell on the past, Comb-san. We did a lot of things back then that we'd probably do different if we could do them all over."

"I know," there was an uncomfortable hesitation in Comb's voice before she continued, "I'm not judging or condemning you, Genma. The Gods and my Ancestors know that I would never want to even pretend to be your conscience! I'm willing to abide by your wishes if you don't want to answer my questions concerning this Hibiki Ryoga. I could find out for myself through other means but I suppose there is nothing to be gained in this. Besides, he seems rather happily content to pursue a relationship with Soun's other child, and she is almost worthy herself to be an Amazon, so beyond this I have no objections. I was simply wondering aloud if we should invite Atsuko to attend the wedding."

"Atsuko?" Genma blinked, "Um I wouldn't even know where to find her."

"You're probably right," Comb conceded with a sniff, "And I doubt she could even find this place with her bad sense of direction. That just leaves the question of inviting your wife to attend her son's wedding "

"My wife?" now Genma's face betrayed a look of near panic.

"Yes," Comb studied his expression, "Nodoka. I suppose I should pay her my respects, seeing as we haven't looked upon one another in close to twenty years "

"Ah !" Genma visibly sweated, "We can't-I mean, we won't be able to! She died some time ago, very tragic "

"Oh?" Comb asked in surprise, "She's dead?"

"Yes," Genma swallowed, "It happened while the boy was with me on our training mission. It was so sad, I don't want to discuss it "

Comb continued to look at him, then after a moment she asked, "What did she die from?"

"Ah " Genma winced, but before he could respond Comb got up and said, "Never mind, I can see how painful it is for you. We won't discuss it further."

She turned away to leave the dojo, not seeing the relieved expression that crossed Genma's features just as he did not see her scowl as she crossed the garden and sought out Silk, whom she found working in the kitchen.

"So," Silk greeted her cheerily, "How goes the reconciliation?"

"About what you'd expect," Comb replied as she shifted to Chinese, "Oh, by the way, did you hear that Nodoka is dead?"

"Indeed I did," Silk turned with a curious expression, "Soun-chan told me. That ought to clear the way for you but I wasn't expecting that you would take the news so lightly."

"I don't take it lightly at all," Comb scowled, "Because I know that she's not dead."

"You do?" Silk blinked her eyes then eyed her longtime friend rather coyly, "And here I thought that I was the Lore Master. How can you be so certain?"

"Because I know Genma," Comb replied, "He never could lie to me effectively. He was incredibly nervous when his wife's name was mentioned, which means that he's avoiding her for some reason."

"Indeed," Silk mused, staring off in the distance, "Grandmother was correct, I should learn to trust my instincts, but I didn't want to upset Soun-chan by questioning his account of the story. I sense that there is truth in this, but for what reason would he avoid her?"

"Because she's Nodoka," Comb snorted, "That ought to be reason enough for anyone. Only in this case I think Genma has a special motive for avoiding her."

"I see," Silk regarded her friend sardonically, "And in this case I take it you have formed a hypothesis to that end?"

"Not really," Comb replied, "But think about it for ten years Genma has taken his son on the open road training him to be a great fighter one who was capable of defeating my Shampoo with great ease and now that he is back in Japan he winds up here in the house of the Tendos without stopping back home to inform his wife that the training mission is over. Moreover he invents a clumsy lie about her death to prevent anyone from seeking to contact her. That has got to mean that he's afraid of seeing her or allowing his son to be reunited with his mother."

"Hmmmm," Silk mused, "Your reasoning is impeccable, and knowing Genma as we do he must have made some arrangement that prevents him from rejoining her. I think it might be interesting to seek Nodoka out and ascertain her side of the story."

"Are you sure of that?" Comb asked, "If Genma's afraid of her, he might have valid reasons."

"You know that I can be very discrete about such things," Silk smiled, "And I have a better chance of finding her than anyone else, with the exception of grandmother."

"All right," Comb said, "But don't tell her you know where he is. Genma might be an idiot, but he has good survival instincts."

"Obviously," Silk replied, "After all, he managed to avoid marrying you."

Comb's next response was very colorful, and it was fortuitous that Kasumi was not present to hear it, though Soun in the next room felt his mustache curl from just the volume. He tried to ignore the angry exchange and return his focus back toward the pair who were sitting across from him at the opposite end of the table. His visage was stern but conveyed his concerns and deep reservations as he said aloud, "So, Akane you want my permission to allow this boy to stay with us in the dojo, even though he has been informally living under this roof for quite some time now."

"He hasn't got anywhere else to stay, Dad," Akane replied, "His home's many days away from here on foot, and he hasn't been back there for a long time a couple of years at least."

"Please, sir," Ryoga said, bowing from his sitting position, "I know that it's a lot to ask of you, but I'll do whatever you ask and try not to be a burden. I'll even help out in teaching classes, anything to pay my way so I won't be just another freeloader."

"That's very good of you to offer this, son," Soun continued to look stern, "But I have to know what are your intentions regarding my little girl?"

"Ah " Ryoga winced, stealing a furtive glance in Akane's direction.

"We're still working that out, Dad," Akane replied for them both, "But Ryoga and I we're um, good friends. Besides this, he's helping me to train "

"I see," Soun said with great formality, then his tone grew stern again as he resumed, "Before we make any decisions regarding that, there is something you ought to know about this boy. You see the other day as I was taking a bath that little black pig that you call your pet came in and "

"WHAT?" Akane sat upright, "You mean you already knew about his curse?"

Soun blinked, "A curse? Oh yes you mean Jusenkyo. Well a boy who turns into a pig isn't exactly the sort of young man I would wish to spend time around one of my daughters, but "

"DID EVERYBODY IN THIS HOUSE BESIDES ME KNOW ABOUT P-CHAN?" Akane screamed in loud vexation, spreading her arms out as if to make an appeal towards the heavens.

"Um, sir?" Ryoga said timidly, "If you've known all this time about me why didn't you say something about it before?"

"Well, it didn't seem all that important at the time," Soun replied with a shrug, then all but jumped as Akane lurched halfway across the table to yell at him, "NOT IMPORTANT? You thought it wasn't important that I was sleeping with Ryoga in my bed?"

Soun blinked, "Um well, it wasn't really any of my business, you see, and I thought if you wanted to have your own private fling before the two of you got married "

Akane sat back on her heels, momentarily stumped by this revelation. An uneasy silence fell over the room for several moments, then Ryoga hesitantly said, "A-  
Akane-chan?"

"Huh?" she turned to look towards him.

"If I've been imposing myself all this time perhaps it would be best if I did leave, find somewhere else to stay until you're ready to forgive me "

Akane's expression turned cross, "No way! I'm not letting you out of my sight until this thing is finished, Ryoga. We still have a lot of training to do, and I won't have you getting lost and leaving me without a morning sparring partner."

"Sparring partner?" Soun asked as Ryoga looked down at the table and flushed as red as a radish.

"Well, who else is going to train with me?" Akane asked, "Ranma's too chicken to fight with girls and Nabiki's not good enough, while that Bimbo, Shampoo " her expression darkened, "Let's just say I want to wait until I'm ready before I let her see me train. At least with Ryoga I can get a pretty good workout."

"I see," Soun said, "Well if you're this determined, I suppose that I don't have any other objections provided you continue to act like a gentleman while under my roof, young man."

"I will, sir," Ryoga assured, bowing profusely , "I promise you that no harm will come to Akane while I'm around. I won't do anything to dishonor her or violate your trust while I'm staying in this household."

"At least nothing I don't ask you to do first," Akane said with a mild snort, then got up from the table and said, "Like you said before, Dad, that part's none of your business."

As Akane walked away, the eyes of the two men following her passage, Soun heaved a sigh that was plainly directed at himself and said, "She becomes more like her mother every day "

"Sir?" Ryoga looked at the man in confusion.

"Never mind, Son," Soun replied, "I'll tell you all about it when-and IF-you get any older "

"Now dear," said Mrs. Tofu in her kindly manner, "I'll just leave you two alone to get better acquainted. Don't mind me, I'll just check up on you both in the morning."

"But mother," Doctor Ono Tofu said, "You don't have to rent a hotel room for the night. You can stay here in the guest bedroom "

"Nonsense," his mother replied with an impish grin, "You and your new fiancee will want to spend time together without an old woman like me to get under foot. Just remember to give me the date for the wedding, and I want lots and lots of grandchildren!"

"Grand-children?" Kachu blanched, uncertain if her grasp of the Japanese language-which had been imparted to her by means of a spell-had fully registered the correct definition of that term.

Of course," Mrs. Tofu replied, "Not that I mean to put any pressure on you both and I'm willing to wait for a bit say, sometime before next spring. Anyway, see you both around, and don't keep each other up too late. You'll need your strength come morning!"

As the kindly little old lady took her leave of Tofu's office she failed to note the stony silence that followed in her wake as Tofu and Kachu remained motionless where they had been sitting. For three solid minutes not a word or gesture was exchanged between them, then a furtive glance to the side from each end was exchanged, followed by another awkward silence. The moment hung long and poignant until Tofu finally managed to summon up the courage to say, "Well she means well."

"Your mother?" Kachu asked uncertainly, remaining seated before the Japanese tea table with the same dumbstruck expression that she had worn since earlier in the day, when she awoke to discover her engagement.

Tofu heaved a long, heavy breath and looked down, "I'm sorry it really shouldn't be your problem. She's been after me for years to get married, and every time she goes through the same routine. I know this must be embarrassing to you, but please try not to judge her too harshly."

Kachu turned a puzzled look his way and said, "But she is an Elder. I would never think to criticize one who has earned her place in society by her labors."

This surprised tofu, who asked, "You don't mind the fact that she's pushing the engagement angle?"

"She is an elder," Kachu shrugged, "They all tend to be like that."

"I guess so," Tofu managed a little smile, then looked down again and said, "Look, you don't have to pretend with me. I know this wasn't any more your idea than it was mine, and in spite of those Amazon laws of yours I don't think you should be forced into marriage against your will. It was wrong and I apologize. I only wish that there was some way that I could make it up for you for the inconvenience."

"Inconvenience?" Kachu considered the word and frowned, "Is that what I am to you, a burden?"

"What?" Tofu blinked, "No, I didn t mean that "

"Then do you think yourself too good for me?" Kachu's nostrils flared, "You outsider males are all alike! You think we Amazons are a backwater and barbaric people "

"No, no!" Tofu insisted, "I don't think that of you at all! In fact, your countrywoman, Shampoo, has sometimes filled in for me as a Nursing assistant, and I think very highly of her skills "

"As well you should," Kachu said, "Her mother is our tribal healer and very skilled, as much so as her predecessor, Lilac."

"Really?" Tofu asked, "Well, I haven't really had the pleasure of getting to know Shampoo's mother all that well, let alone see her practice her craft as a Healer "

"Then you may take my word on it that she is a credit to her profession," Kachu frowned, "Elder Cologne has assured me that you possess some passing skill as a Healer, and I must admit that you are knowledgeable enough to have taken me down the way you did. I have never before encountered a male with your particular talent, so I must concede-however reluctantly-that you proved yourself my better in combat."

"You're too kind," Tofu said, "I understand that you were skilled enough to give Ranma and the others a good workout, so I guess I was just lucky to catch you by surprise "

"Luck had little to do with it," Kachu said, "And though I dispute what Elder Cologne has said of my obligations towards you, the fact remains that she is an Elder and I must needs obey her wishes and call you however reluctantly my husband."

"H-Husband?" Tofu gasped.

"Airen would be the proper term," Kachu studied his face then looked away, "And by the laws of my people that means that I must become your wife only this is not a fate I saw befalling myself when I came to your country. If anything this entire journey has been one unending disaster after another " she sighed at last and said, "I should have heeded my better judgement and stayed in China."

"Look," Tofu kneeled down before her and composed himself as best he was able, struck once again by the incredible resemblance that this woman bore to Kasumi, which almost side-tracked his train of thought before he shook himself and said, "If this whole marriage thing is so objectionable to you, then you don't have to go through with it. I won't force you and I can speak on your behalf to Elder Cologne "

"That would avail you nothing," Kachu frowned, "But if you wish yourself well rid of me, then you can forget about me giving you any marital duties," she frowned in distaste.

Indeed, Tofu reflected with a sigh, there was very little beyond a superficial resemblance to link the two women together, but seeing her was very much like being in the presence of Kasumi's dark reflection, so for her sake he tried to explain himself as best he was able, oddly comforted by the thought that he found it easier to talk to this woman than he ever did with Kasumi, in a strangely perverse and wholly ironic manner.

"But you don't understand," he pleaded, "It has nothing to do with you. I mean, I think you must be a fine young woman, and I think you're very attractive, and you're brave, and certainly a good fighter. In fact I'm sure you'll make somebody an excellent wife "

"But you are not claiming me for yourself?" Kachu frowned.

"Look, I'm just trying to make it easier for us both," Tofu reasoned, "And the truth is there is someone else I'm interested in but "

"But I'm in the way, is that it?" Kachu countered.

"Why are you doing this?" Tofu asked in frustration, "I'm trying to make this easier on both of us, but you're turning everything I say around to make it sound like an insult! Can't you just accept that I'd rather be your friend instead of your enemy or your husband?" Tofu swallowed.

"Friend?" it was Kachu's turn to blink her eyes, "An Amazon Devil Hunter be friends with a man?"

"Well, is there some tribal law against it?" Tofu countered.

"No," Kachu said in a low voice, looking down, then after a moment she relented, "I too am sorry. I do not mean to be rough with you. This has all been a very trying day, and I know not what to make of your offer. No one has ever offered to be friends with me before."

"No one?" Tofu asked, "You mean no man has ever been friends with you?"

"No one," Kachu said, "I seem to chase everyone away, whether I want to or not. Other Amazons fear me and what I represent and the men lack the courage to challenge me for the right to court my interest."

"Well," Tofu sat back on his heels and looked non-  
plussed, "I guess maybe they don't know the real you."

"Eh?" Kachu eyed him in confusion.

"You can't be all that bad a person if you came all this way to deal with what you thought was a demonic menace," Tofu smiled at her non-plussed expression, "I'll bet you're really much nicer than you let on when you're around people you can trust. Give me the chance to show you that we men aren't all that bad and perhaps we could wind up being friends after all. Wouldn't you like that?"

Kachu took a moment to reply, then she said softly, "I I don't know. I suppose I could try "

"Well, why don't you sleep on it and tell me your decision in the morning," Tofu nodded to the bedroom, "You can have my bed for tonight "

"What?" Kachu looked at him in alarm.

"Huh-uh-no!" Tofu hastily amended, "I didn't mean that the way it sounds. I mean you can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep out here on one of the couches "

"Your bed?" Kachu's eyes narrowed, "And why would you insist on sleeping out here. Is there something wrong with me?"

Tofu had to blink his eyes twice before he said, "N-No that isn't it at all !"

"Then why do you want me to sleep in your bed if you do not mean to share it?" Kachu demanded to know in rising temper, "I will not take charity from you! I will sleep out here and you can have your own damned bedroom."

"But what ?" Tofu asked in confusion.

"In fact," Kachu rose to her feet, her temper rising with her, "I will not abide to sleep under your roof since you obviously want nothing to do with me! The stars are the only friends I have ever known, so I will sleep under them and be done with your hospitality-  
Husband!"

Tofu started to get up to protest that she was being unfair, but Kachu kicked the table into his legs, tripping him up as she stormed around him, snatching up her C'hi Chi as she headed for the exit. As the door slammed behind her, Tofu groaned from underneath his own tea table, "This is never going to work never, never, ever not in a million years " He sighed then added, "I think I need an aspirin "

"Thank you for walking me home, my friend," Kodachi said shyly to her companion, "It was very kind of you, but not really necessary."

"Oh, but I had to see that you made it home all right," Kasumi assured the Black Rose, "You were injured while trying to protect me. That obligated me to see to it that you don t suffer a relapse until I knew that you were home safely."

"So," Kodachi said with a coy look in her violet eyes, "You do this from a sense of obligation, and here I merely thought that you enjoyed my company."

"But I do," Kasumi said sincerely, "In fact it's no trouble at all. I'd glad that you are feeling well enough walk home by yourself, but I couldn't take the chance of you suffering another relapse."

Kodachi gave the older girl the most dazzling smile and said, "Well, now that you have seen me home, it has gotten to be quite late, and I don t think it would be proper for you to wander off to your own home by yourself this late at night. Why don't you come inside with me and you can spend the night here. I'm sure Tachi will be glad to see you safely home in the morning."

"Oh, but I wouldn't want to be a bother," Kasumi assured.

"No bother at all," Kodachi said, taking the other woman's hand in her own and gently pulling it forward, "In fact I've wanted to invite you over to my house for some time so that I may show it off to you. It is such a lonely house without company to spend time with me "

"You're too kind, Kodachi-chan," Kasumi remained where she was, her eyes full of warmth for her friend, "But my family will be worried about me, and I have to tend to the chores "

"Nonsense," Kodachi insisted, "Those two Amazons can look after everything for one night. They seemed to be quite a home in your kitchen, and I think that Silk person actually enjoys the domestic labor."

"But it isn't right to make guests do the housework," Kasumi insisted, "And Father will be so worried "

"Your father is in good hands," Kodachi assured her, "In fact I'd say that Silk appears to enjoy lavishing her attentions upon him. Unless you don't trust her around your father, which I most certainly could understand if that is the cause of your reluctance."

"Well " Kasumi said with notable hesitation.

"You deserve a night away from your home," Kodachi insisted, "You do everything for your family, isn't it time that someone did something nice for you for a change? Please allow me to play the hostess. I would very much enjoy having you in my home, if only for one evening."

Kasumi was uncertain, but after another moment of holding out she finally relented and allowed herself to be drawn forward. In a hesitant voice she said, "I suppose I could call father to let him know where I'll be for the night "

"Feel free to use our phone," Kodachi hid the grin that she felt rising up from the dark well of her soul, "I'll have Sasuke fetch it for you, then I want to take you on a little tour of our mansion. It is such a large and spacious place, so many rooms to get lost in, and so many interesting sights that I wish to show you."

"That does sound nice," Kasumi smiled, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to spend one night at your place. I haven't done something like this since I was a very little girl. You're right, my family has needed me for so long that I've almost forgotten what it means to have fun."

"Then allow me to reacquaint you with the concept," Kodachi purred in a sensual undertone, feeling an eagerness take charge of her emotions. A fly walking into the lair of a spider could not have been more obliging, and Kodachi could hardly wait to get started showing her companion another more interesting side to the meaning of "friendship."

Of course there are times when even Spiders should be wary, and the developments hardly passed unobserved by a pair of slitted eyes that were accompanied by a low, dry cackle of amusement

Shadowmane

Happy Hour has come to town, so why is the party coming at the expense of our Happy clan from Nerima? Will Kasumi survive a night in the Kuno Household, and will Tofu ever survive the Honeymoon with Kachu? Soon will come the epic battle of wills as things really start to happen! Will it be the Accountant versus the Pervert as Ranma and Nabiki learn yet another sordid secret from the misbegotten past of their elders? More clues to that next time so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	36. Chapter 36

NabikiRan35 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
by Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-Five.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

All right, so I admit it, I'm not the most virtuous person in the world (that title is clearly held by Kasumi, and she's more than welcome to it!), but I'm hardly a prude either. Compared to some people I may be a bit loose on the morals side, but there are limits to how far I will go, especially in my own house under the same roof as my father and both of my two sisters!

Okay, take a minute, calm down and relax. Time to explain this rationally, calmly and logically so that it makes sense down on paper electronic paper, that is. I mean, I'm Tendo Nabiki, I never lose my cool, I don't phase easy and I sure as Hell don't let myself get backed into any corners, not even when something really strange and unusual happens, like I run headlong into something that's totally unbelievable and

Oboy, I'm rambling, aren't I? Well, I guess it's just a slight case of my nerves. After all, it's not exactly like I grew up expecting to wind up in this whole crazy situation. And now my pulse is racing and my head is spinning and sheesh! Gotta get a grip on myself here! Take a deep breath and compose this sucker from where I left off last time

So anyway, after me and Ranma brought Shampoo inside we sought out the downstairs furo, where of course Mister Macho turned things over to me, seeing as I'm a girl and therefore supposed to know how to handle someone like Shampoo, all right? So anyway I drop her into the water and-bingo! From cat to human in one easy step, and I'm standing there marveling at the change, like you'd think I've never seen another girl naked before. I mean, you'd think that I'd be used to it by now, only Shampoo is looking up at me with this big smile on her face, and before you know it she's jumped out of the tub and wrapped her arms around me in a big hug, naked as a jay and bubbling with enthusiasm.

"Oh, Nabiki!" she coos into my ear while I'm struggling for breath, "Shampoo so glad you is you! Shampoo have dream that we no can be married, and Ranma "

"Okay, okay, I get the point!" I plead while trying to pry her arms loose from around my neck. That girl's got some serious strength! Solid steel biceps wrapped in some pretty interesting packaging I doubt a grizzly bear could have hugged me any tighter!

Shampoo eased up a little but didn't let me go as she looked up at me with shining eyes and said, "Ailen, you is very special to Shampoo. Shampoo want you know that. Is no just law that make Shampoo want spend time with you and Ranma. Shampoo glad she choose you both to be her Ailen."

"Hey," I asked, "What brought this on? Did we say anything to upset you?"

"No," Shampoo heaved a sigh and moved away from me a little more, "But Shampoo think maybe she no be fated to have happy marriage. Shampoo mother say thing that make Shampoo worry. She say Saotome male no be reliable mates, have too much Manhood, attract other women like bees to flowers "

"Animal Magnetism," I supplied, "Yeah, I guess that does pretty much sum up Ranma but his father?"

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo exclaimed in total agreement, "Shampoo mother say she know Ranma's father when they very young, and Loremaster Silk say Shampoo-mother no tell everything about what happen between them. She say Shampoo-mother and Ranma-father "

"Yeah, I know," I replied, "The idea freaks me too, and just imagine how Ranma feels about it. If I understand things right, Comb and Uncle Genma were almost one step away from being married."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo turned away and started to pace, oblivious to her sopping-wet, naked condition, "What become of Shampoo if they marry? Would Shampoo even be Shampoo? Would Ranma be Ranma? Is very confusing!"

"Think how I feel," I sympathize, reluctantly adding, "Your Loremaster Silk could have wound up being my mother."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo turned back to me and said, "Then what become of Kasumi? Would she take place of Kachu? Would Nabiki-Airen and angry-girl Akane be Amazon sisters?"

"All right," I sighed, "You've got a very good point, but the thing to keep in mind here is that it didn't happen like that, Sham-chan. Ranma isn't your brother and Silk is not my mother."

Shampoo heaved a very heavy sigh (which, naturally, did something rather eye-catching with her chest) and said, "Yes, Shampoo very glad to hear this. No can marry Ranma if he brother, and Shampoo claim to Nabiki-Airen " she suddenly brightened with a smile and looked at me with her crimson eyes full of warm emotions that I think bordered on real idolization, "You very smart girl, always know what to say to please Shampoo. Shampoo very proud of her Ailen, very good fortune to have such good Ailen "

"Um, yeah," I stammer like an idiot, finding myself being backed up against the sink without even realizing that had been moving away from the amorous Amazon before me. Shampoo was stalking towards me with a hungry, predatory look in those eyes that promised something a little more aggressive than a handshake, and the next thing I know those arms are curving around me again as Shampoo tilts her face up and moves in for a kiss that takes me completely by surprise, even though I should have naturally seen it coming! I mean, all the signs were there but I still find myself wholly unprepared for the moment when our mouths are pressed together and she's kissing me like there's no tomorrow! I think I only gave a little token resistance at this point before I started kissing her back, overcome by this other girl's passionate ardor. I'm a little confused at this point but I think I remember being surprised about the tongue thing.

Okay, take a moment to reflect here. I've pretty much admitted in the past that I'm Bi, that I have tendencies towards both genders, something I've been aware of for some time, although I've never actually kissed another girl before Sham-chan. Growing up with two sisters and an unwed father has pretty much given me a chance to discover which way my feelings run in that sense, and all through Middle and High School I've found myself developing a tendency to "check" other girls out discretely. I've never let on to anybody how my feelings run both way because I don't want anyone to know that I actually have feelings. I've known some guys who could turn my head (before Ranma that is) but on the whole where my feelings are concerned I've discovered that gender issues really don't matter.

Hey, I'm comfortable with who I am and all that, and like most everyone else I've grown up with the basic assumption that I would eventually find some guy that I could marry and have kids with, so I never really saw any harm in looking at other girls. After all, looking isn't touching, right? There's no harm in admitting that I find some of my fellow classmates quite attractive, and this doesn't mean I'm gay or anything. Besides, it's perfectly natural for a girl to have these feelings while I'm young enough to experiment, and I've read plenty of books on the subject that have helped me to understand that there is nothing abnormal at all about having feelings for other women.

I don't even need to go into the fact that the first time I saw Ranma I was attracted to his girl form, of course I thought he was a cute guy who just looked a little effeminate. The same holds true for Kuonji, only in her case she really is a woman who can pose as a boy. Discovering that she's a cross-gender Hentai doesn't really phase me all that much, and I could even see myself falling for her if it weren't for the fact that she's technically my rival.

But I'm most attracted to Ranma, the first boy who's ever taken me seriously and treated me like I was actually a person. I want Ranma, and I don't care which body he's in. If anything his ability to switch genders is a plus for me as it gives me the chance to indulge in both of my preferences. I don't think Ranma would be too comfortable with me coming onto him as a girl, though, but it's enough for me that I don't feel any disgust about his female side. If anything I'm really kind of curious about this aspect to his nature, and I wonder on some level what it would be like if I, too, could switch genders.

But given all that, I'm not about to go flaunting myself around other girls to let them know that my feelings can run that way. I'd feel too awkward, too exposed and-in a real sense-too vulnerable to the sorts of labels that often get put upon a girl who confesses to having a liking of her own gender. I haven't built my cast-iron Bitch reputation from scrap just to toss it away like that and risk being labeled a Hentai, so the whole thing about letting my guard down with Shampoo is more than a little disconcerting. In point of fact, I think it was my loss of self-control about this point that caused me to react the way I did a few moments later.

After all I've never encountered anyone before who can let down her guard as freely and enthusiastically as Shampoo was doing. That girl just totally amazes me how she opens up to you and draws you into this intense feeling of intimacy and self-abandonment without the least hesitation and an almost total lack of self-  
conscious reflection. Even Kasumi isn't this free with her emotions, and Shampoo wasn't even taking into account that the two of us are both girls, as if kissing me was the most natural thing in the world for her! She did it so naturally and with so much passion and intensity that it frightened me on a deep psychological level. My head was spinning and my heart was pounding within seconds of that kiss, and as it went on and on I felt Shampoo press her body up against mine while one hand caressed my left buttox and began to squeeze me there while another hand slid around to my front and began to glide under the top half of my halter. My eyes flew open and got very wide when I felt that hand go around my right breast, gently fondling me there as if I were a grapefruit being checked out for possible bruises!

I don't really know what happened next except that I was being pressed up on top of the sink and that I automatically moved a hand out to steady myself, which is where I must have knocked over Daddy's shaving cream and aftershave bottles, which must have made quite a noise because the next thing I know the door to the furo flew open and Ranma came charging in with some kind of exclamation that must have been a demand to know what was going on with us and if we were both all right, or something of that nature. All I know is that his interruption caused us to break off our kiss and turn with startled looks in his direction. I don't know why but I began to feel pretty bad about myself when I caught his blank "deer-caught-in-the-headlight" expression, and I can't even begin to imagine what he was thinking about me at that precise moment.

Shampoo-true to character-never even batted an eyelash as she smiled broadly at him and said, "Ailen you come join Shampoo and Nabiki?"

No response, just the same shocked expression. Ranma kept looking at us both before turning a helpless glance towards me, which is why I found myself sputtering out some lame excuse like, "It's not what it looks like!" or something of that nature.

Then Ranma seemed to finally register the fact that Shampoo was completely naked, and when she turned towards him to expose more of his body his eyes went down to the level of her breasts and just locked on them for a moment, then he put a hand up to cover his nose and turned around to make a fast exit.

"Ailen?" I could hear the surprise, confusion and general disappointment in Shampoo's tone as she stared at the space where Ranma had been a moment before, then back to me with a puzzled, "Why Ranma nose bleed like that? Is he injured?"

I'm going to have to have a serious, long talk with that girl sometime to explain for her benefit that things are done a little differently here in Japan from whatever the hell she's used to in China. I don't mind the fact that she doesn't seem to have any modesty (and with her assets why should she be modest?), but coming on like that around the both of us is a little too well brash might be a gross understatement. I have to remember to tell her the next time I see her that she shouldn't come on so strong and should take things slow and gentle. Neither Ranma nor me are used to dealing with these sorts of emotions, and as much as I hate to confess it, such forward behavior is a lot more affection than I know how to deal with.

As I say that's what I should tell Shampoo at greater length when there's time, after I've had more time to get a grip on my own feelings. I would have told her that on the spot, except that I got chicken hearted and made some lame excuse before fleeing myself from the furo. I left poor Sham-chan there probably feeling all confused and rejected, but what else was I going to do? If I'd stayed with her another moment then I definitely know that I would not have remained a virgin!

I wonder is that such a bad thing? Would it have killed me to let Shampoo have her way with me back there? It wasn't like I found the whole thing all that unpleasant far to the contrary! In anything that encounter confirmed in my mind that I really am attracted to Shampoo. I am starting to return a little of the feeling that she's been demonstrating towards me, and that's much to be preferred to when before she might have resented me as a rival for Ranma's affections.

But what exactly do I feel towards her? Simple lust or animal attraction? She does something to me that totally short-circuits my usual powers of reason, and the only other person who's ever done that is Ranma. I think she is unquestionably more beautiful than me with exotic looks that fascinate me, as much as it hints to some unusual quirk in her genetics. Just seeing how her mother turned out gives me a pretty strong idea on what Shampoo will look like in another twenty years, and I certainly could get used to having someone like her around, even if she is pretty intimidating. There doesn't seem to be any real conflict between us on the issue of Ranma (in spite of my slight twinges of jealousy now and again) so what is there really to impede us including her in our relationship? I can't think if a single damned thing about her that disqualifies Shampoo from future consideration.

Still I am pretty much blown away by the emotions she torched off with that kiss of hers, and until I can get a grip on myself I'm not sure that I can trust myself around her. This whole relationship thing has gotten so confusing that I don't know up from down anymore, and with the added unresolved element of our parents

Actually, now that I really take a moment to think on it, I guess the thing that most confuses me is really the response we got from Ranma. That look he was giving us confuses me, like he really had no idea at all what the two of us were doing, and not any sense that he was repelled or disgusted. He obviously was intimidated by Shampoo's state of underdress, but what made him run away like that? He was looking on what is alleged to be "every man's secret fantasy" and all he could do was turn around to hide his nosebleed.

I really don't understand him at all, but then again I'm no expert on men either. I was put off and scared by Shampoo's aggressive seduction techniques, but if I had to do it all again I don't think I would have turned away from the offer she was making. I'm pretty confident that Shampoo would have given me a great deal of pleasure and that it could have been mutually exchanged if things had been allowed to progress without interruption. Instead I staggered up here and locked the door to my room so that I could get back onto the Computer to write out this long essay about the state of my feelings. I'm feeling calmer now that I've gotten it all out where I can read it, but I'm still left to ponder the question of what Ranma must be feeling at the moment. For that matter what must Shampoo be thinking about the two of us, and how am I going to make it up to them both the next time that I see them ?

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

I am never going to understand these Japanese! Why did they both behave in such a confusing way? I was trying to show Nabiki how much I care about her when Ranma happened upon us, but instead of welcoming my advances the two of them behaved as if I had broken one of their stupid barbarian social customs. Bad enough that Ranma ran off as if I were threatening him with violence instead of sex, but to see Nabiki reject my affections is more than I can tolerate! After all, I needed their assurance that everything was still all right with us in spite of the revelations about our parents.

And here I thought that I was truly connecting with my wife. Nabiki gave every indication that she was enjoying my technique, and I hardly even had time enough to begin to stroke the proper nerve endings! A few moments more and I know that I would have secured our first night of true passion and taught to her the true depths of my love, but instead I find myself locked out in the cold, and this is more than I can stomach!

How could she be so selfish to deny me the right to act as a proper wife should? I did not think Nabiki could be so cruel and thoughtless, and on top of being rejected by my husband

No, perhaps I am not being fair, but this is my life I am talking about here! I want to be with them so much that it hurts to experience this separation. There is so much that I want to give to them both, and so much of the language of love that I wish to share I do not know what I will do with myself if I cannot convince them both to let me into their hearts as a proper wife to my Airen.

I must speak with my mother on this. She is wise and experienced and perhaps can tell me why I am having so much difficulty bringing my two loves around to understanding that my feelings are genuine. I very much want to know the kind of fulfillment that mother feels around my father when the two of them are alone and not aware that I am watching in secret.

I cannot help but feel a strange sense of rightness when I am with Nabiki. In some odd way she does remind me of my lost love, Lo Xion. Even now I can remember those nights we spent only two seasons back when we'd lay naked together under the stars, her blue hair as dark as the sky above us and nothing else in the world but we two. Not warriors, not merely friends, but two parts of a greater whole I want to know that feeling again, and I will do anything in my power to ensure that my Ranma and Nabiki accept me as a part of their existence.

Lo Xion I swore to myself that I would not think of her again, and even now the thought brings pain. I know Great Grandmother never approved of my feelings for the "weak girl" whom my cousin and I trained with, but Lo Xion was special to me. She was my world during those tumultuous months that we were together. Even now I cannot regret what we did, no matter how much pain I have felt since she left me.

I think she would be very pleased with Ranma and Nabiki. I hope and pray that her spirit will not feel angry and restless that I have broken my vow never to risk feeling that pain again. In a way I think I was all too glad about losing to Ranma as the law gave me a perfect reason to break my vow to the past. Perhaps it is true that some rules were meant to be broken, just as Lo Xion broke it with me when she introduced me to the pleasures of the body. I feel that I am a better person for having known her, and I certainly feel more than equipped to service the needs of my Airen should they ever accept the benefits of my teaching.

Lo Xion, my friend, pray for me as I do for you. I feel a happiness that I thought I had lost when you died, and it is a happiness that I would do anything to preserve. I must somehow find a way to win my Airen over, to impress on them that I am a fit wife, that a life with me can be wonderful and fulfilling. Mother must know of some way that I can make my Airen love me, after all she is our tribal healer.

And if she does not, well, there is always Great Grandmother's recipe book to consider surely somewhere in the pages of our lore I can find whatever is needed to convince my wife and husband that I am worthy of their affections

Ranma stood atop the highest point over the Tendo home looking out into the night again with an urgent need to flee still foremost on his agenda. His nose had ceased bleeding but the feelings remained of his inexplicable moment of absolute terror, and he wondered at what could have caused him to feel this way as the mere sight of Shampoo pressing her body up against Nabiki.

"Damn," he swore aloud, "What's wrong with me? Why did I run like that? She wasn't even in cat form!"

Still the image continued to press into his mind of the inexplicable sight he had witnessed without truly understanding. Shampoo leaning up against Nabiki as the two of them kissed, her left hand gripping Nabiki's right breast in a way that Ranma thought looked pretty uncomfortable and for a few brief seconds he had thought that maybe the Amazon was attacking his iinazuke. At the least Shampoo's hand seemed to have been probing some sensitive nerve-endings around Nabiki's exposed bosom, but when Ranma had tried to discern which nerve this was his eyes had instead been magnetized to the tip of the nipple at the center of that breast, giving it the appearance of an eye that was gawking right at him.

Ranma swallowed thickly on a dry throat and tried to banish the image from his mind, but time and again it would come back to haunt him. It was like having that Oni in his mind all over again, hearing the insinuating thoughts pervade his consciousness and bring him into contact with feelings and emotions that had been so deeply buried down beneath his consciousness. It was like that other occasion that had taken place a couple weeks back, right before their training mission in the mountains, right about the time Ranma had started to notice that there was, in fact, a difference between the sexes quite beyond his feeble notions of what separated him from his female half, not to mention Shampoo and Nabiki.

The Old man had eyed Ranma in a very odd way, then surprised Ranma by confessing that he had been sadly negligent in preparing Ranma for his coming engagement. His father had never been all that keen to explain the mysteries of sex with Ranma, but until then the deficiency had never seemed all that important. Of course his father had been all pompous and self-important as he looked Ranma in the eyes and told him to come with him, saying that he knew of a special technique by which he could explain the facts of life to Ranma.

Several hours later Ranma came staggering out of the theater, trailing after his father, who turned to Ranma and said, "Now do you understand, boy? Now you know as much about women as I did when I was your age."

Ranma had glanced up over his shoulder to see the double marquee of the twin Anime releases that his father had insisted they both sit through. The titles read, "Revenge of the Demon Beast Invasion-Part XXVII" and "Urotsukidoji IX: The Overfiend Triumphant!" two of the most twisted, evil titles that he had ever had the misfortune of encountering. Try as he might he could not get those two titles out of his head, and so he had fled into relative seclusion of the rooftops to try and clear his mind for a few hours. He had only come back in time for a late dinner, and to assume his usual nocturnal post outside Nabiki's window.

Why the heck had his father insisted on dragging him to those things if he really didn't know all that much about women? Try as he might Ranma could not get the image totally banished from his mind, but after a week he had managed to keep a lid on the flow of images so he could once more talk to Nabiki in a calm and rational manner. It had almost escaped his notice-until it was pointed out to him-that around this time he started to behave with more rational calm in the presence of Shampoo's Neko body.

Unfortunately the Oni had managed to awaken his memories of those two Hentai films, and that was causing him to feel enormously flustered with his own lack of self control around Nabiki. Until this night he had never actually imagined doing the kind of things that he had seen those demons doing to women in those movies (for one thing he lacked the right number of flexible appendages and wasn't built like an Octopus!), and the last thing he wanted to hear from Nabiki were screams of pain and outrage. That was not the kind of relationship that he wanted with her, and it was much easier to put himself into the role of the hero making gentler moves upon the heroine of his preference.

Or the heroine who was being molested!

Of course it would probably have done him more good if he had actually watched the whole thing through and not spent half of the movie with his hands over his eyes, or passed out mid-way through the first hour of the first movie (he told himself later that he was just catching up on some sleep, having exhausted himself the night before staring up at the moon outside Nabiki's window, and not-  
DEFINITELY NOT-because he had fainted! He was a guy, and guys didn't faint because of stuff like that he sincerely hoped.).

But as much as he might protest that he wanted to protect Nabiki and not hurt her, the Oni had shown him a side of his own subconscious that was much more coarse and animal like, a side he would rather not know about and would much rather not have discovered. It had been far easier to ignore those impulses while he was training to fight Ryoga. Having the challenge of a fight to focus his concentration brought him back into the familiar mode of training, where all else got tuned out but the need to pound somebody's face in !

"Young man."

Ranma blinked. That voice had come from directly behind him, but he hadn't even heard anyone approach. He turned around and stared at a shadowy figure positioned only ten paces away, tall and feminine looking when framed in the dull light of a distant clash of lightning.

"Young master," she self-corrected, "Or should I refer to you as 'Son-in-law,' like my Grandmother?"

A second flash lit up a portion of her face and highlighted her lavender hair to full view. For a fraction of an instant Ranma thought it was Shampoo who had followed him out into the night, but the sound of this woman's voice was deeper and more mature, and her form of address left only one possibility as to her identity and nature.

"Comb-san?" he asked hesitantly, seeing her approach with slow, supple movements.

She came to within three paces of his position and halted, then with a slight incline of her head she murmured softly, "We need to talk, young Master, just you and I, Mother-in-law to Son, if you have no objections."

Ranma tried to keep his voice level and not betray his uneasiness as he replied, "Uh sure, what about?"

"I think you already know," she replied with a hint of wry amusement, "After all, you are Genma's son, and my daughter is engaged to you. That makes it my business to see to it that you are properly trained to be her husband."

"Training?" Ranma could not avert the slight shift in his tone, which had nothing to do with when the sky opened up a few moments later and started to rain, causing the inevitable shift in his gender

Kachu glanced resentfully up at the sky as she felt the first drops of rain begin to pelt her. She huddled much closer in to herself and sulked at the empty space before her. The roof she was sitting upon offered very little in the way of shelter, but considering her mood she did not much care about a little drenching.

What had come over her only a short while ago? Why had she said those things to her prospective husband or rejected his offer of his own room for a bedchamber? Surely that was what a wife was required to do by the law that had entrapped her to him but somehow she could not bring herself to trust this strange man that far. There was something about his behavior that troubled her deeply, some element in the way he spoke and acted that puzzled her so, even if she could not identify its actual nature.

After all, a man was supposed to be thoughtful and deferential to a woman, not sullen and coarse like some outsiders that she had the misfortune of encountering in her travels. This man this Doctor Tofu Ono, had been soft spoken and polite, but how was she to know that this wasn't some sort of ruse on his part to lure her into lowering her guard? For all that she knew he could turn into a raving sex-fiend at any moment!

Men were not to be trusted, that was the foundation of her beliefs concerning the male gender. All men were good for was procreation. They were weak, selfish and vain, hardly worthy of any regard beyond the simple recognition of their existence. The men in the village back home had been trained to behave according to the standards of their mothers, and this Tofu certainly seemed well behaved by that yardstick. If anything his mother had been a very impressive figure indeed, worthy of the title of Elder, if maybe overqualified in the eccentric department.

Kachu glowered into the night and tried not to think about the surprise she had felt when finding the Elder Tofu patting her hips from behind, then explaining that this was her standard by which she would measure the worth of her daughter-in-law. Big hips meant easy childbirth, she had stated, which did make a kind of sense to Kachu, but then provoked the unconscious realization that she was being rated for her own childbearing potential.

To say that you could have knocked her over with a feather at that point would have been a poor understatement of the degree to which Kachu had been both flabbergasted and flattered. She had never seriously thought of herself as the motherly type, and the realization that she was now obligated to give her new husband healthy offspring was something else that nearly sent her to reside in the dreamland of her ancestors

Kachu shook herself to rid her mind of these bothersome notions. How could she even think of taking that stupid rule regarding losing to Outsiders seriously? It should not even apply to her in the first place! She was not a warrior by training but a Hunter of the Dark, dedicated to fighting the forces of evil wherever they were encountered! She could not burden herself with the twin onus of having a husband and children chasing wildly about her feet! This situation was against the whole of her training, and yet Elder Cologne and even her own Mother had stated categorically that Kachu was now effectively married!

"Stupid male," Kachu huffed sullenly, lifting the hood of her traveling cloak to keep the rain out of her eyes. She shifted uncomfortably, realizing that a puddle was forming near to the spot where she was sitting. She reached out with a hand to grasp at the hilt of her C'hi Chi but her mind was obviously not in focus with her actions for she only brushed her fingers against the weapon and clumsily knocked it over with a loud clatter.

Kachu turned startled eyes towards where her weapon now lay, mentally chiding herself for being so inexplicably clumsy. She was still glancing that way when of a sudden a voice called out to her in the night, "Kachu?"

She froze instinctively, feeling oddly like a cornered animal as Doctor Tofu Ono climbed up onto the roof from the opened skylighting, and Kachu belatedly chided herself for not having a better place to spend the night brooding than the roof of his clinic. Tofu searched for and found her in the dim light then asked, "What are you doing out here? You'll catch your death of pneumonia."

"I am not bothered by a little rain," Kachu snorted, but there was a slight shiver in her voice that belied her attempted protest.

Tofu approached her with an umbrella in one hand and asked, "Are you sure about that? This doesn't look like a very comfortable place for you to stay. If you want I can help you find a hotel room "

"I said I am well!" Kachu growled at the annoying male, but then a twitch in her nose caused her to sneeze, spoiling the effect of her defiance.

"I won't try to tell you what to do," Tofu assured her, then to her surprise he extended the umbrella and said, "Here, you might as well have this. You need it more than I do."

Kachu stared at the hand that was clutching the umbrella, then at the arm that the hand was attached to, and by extension she saw the kindly face looking down at her through rain-streamed glasses. Silence hung in the air for a long moment then she asked a single question, "Why?"

That made him look somewhat uncomfortable, and he glanced away before answering, "Because I feel responsible to you, because it's my fault you're in this mess with your Elders, and because I think you do want to get out of the rain. Please, I'm not going to try anything, and I'm not going to tell you that it's for your own good or that I'm a doctor and you should pay attention to my advice. I just don't want us to be enemies can you understand that? It doesn't have to be that way between us. Please?"

It was the please that got to her in the end. Kachu might have stubbornly refused any assistance, but there was something about the way this man said please that caused her to question her own resolve in the matter. He was not trying to make her angry, she realized, in fact he seemed to-if anything-be making the gesture out of a sincere concern for her welfare. The only other person who had ever done that for her was her mother. For a man to make such a gesture

Kachu tried to remind herself that men were not to be trusted, and that this one might simply be a very good actor pretending false concerns before luring her into his power. She had seen many men do that to unsuspecting women and had long ago vowed never to be taken in by such duplicity. After all, had she not had the example of her own mother that men could use and abandon a woman with very little thought to their welfare ?

No wait, that wasn't right. Her mother had confessed to her that the man who was her father had truly been ignorant and blameless of her conception. He had not even known of her existence before today, and when he had discovered the truth his first thought was to embrace her as a daughter

And her first response to that was to strike at her own father.

Kachu looked down, suddenly feeling very small and unworthy of anyone's kindness. Her angry resentment began to drain away, replaced by a different feeling that she could not understand, let alone identify as it was wholly unfamiliar and outside of her experience. Without further protest she reached out her hand, but instead of taking the umbrella she closed it on the man's hand, gripping it tightly.

With effort she drew herself to her feet as he went from surprise to a shift in his posture that would better allow him to accommodate her efforts. Once Kachu was standing beside him she became aware of the fact that they were very near in height to one another. He might have a few centimeters over her, she reckoned, but because of his lithe frame he actually had seemed to her to be a lot taller.

"I'm sleeping in your guest room," she said simply, only willing to give in by that that small token amount.

"All right," he agreed, holding the umbrella over her head, "If that's the way you want it, but I'm staying with the couch. I've already made myself comfortable there."

"And what is wrong with your normal bed?" she asked him in an awkward moment of confusion that caused her face to flush unusually warm, as if she were running a slight fever.

"Nothing," he replied, "It just doesn't seem right sleeping in there for some reason."

She decided not to further explore the issue, instead worrying about the sneeze that escaped from her lips as she huddled over slightly. She could not-she told herself sternly-be coming down with anything. She had never been sick a day in her life! So why was she trembling so much inside? Had she encountered a Japanese virus that was tough enough to tame even an Amazon?

She hoped that it was not so, yet no alternative presented itself as she climbed down the ladder for the comforting shelter of the dimly lit clinic, Tofu following her and closing the skylighting in their passage

" And this is where the proud lineage of the Kuno family may be traced, back to distant Samurai times when we were minor nobility during the reign of the Ashikaga Shoguns."

"Oh my," Kasumi sounded much impressed, "Such a long and distinguished lineage. My own family can only trace our ancestor back about two centuries or so, certainly nothing this impressive."

"Ah, but you have had noble ancestors of your own," Kodachi reasoned, "Your grandfather served honorably with the Home Defense force, and before him your great-  
grandfather was a distinguished veteran in the Great War. In fact the Military history of the Tendo line should be a source of great pride for you. Of course I am given to understand that your great-grandmother on your grandmother's mother's line is said to have had an encounter with an Oni "

"Probably just a harmless rumor," Kasumi said simply, "There's a similar legend in the Saotome family history, or so I've heard father say once while he and Uncle Genma were playing Shogi."

"Ah yes," Kodachi mused, "But legends and rumors often have a kernel of fact behind them, or so I have long believed. The world is a very strange and mysterious place, my friend, and full of all sorts of interesting surprises."

"Oh yes," Kasumi nodded, "I quite agree with you there. In fact just that encounter today with the Oni "

Kodachi looked away with an uncomfortable expression, and Kasumi saw her flinch and at once became contrite, "Oh, I'm sorry I mentioned that. I know it must still be a very uncomfortable subject "

"Indeed," Kodachi said tightly, then forcibly changed the subject, "I think a better example of strange and unfathomable might be the curious resemblance that you seem to bear with your half-sister."

"Oh yes," Kasumi nodded, "That is very peculiar. I wish I could explain why we look so much alike, but I guess it's due to a coincidental resemblance between both of our mothers."

"Um " Kodachi felt awkward as she glanced at Kasumi sidelong, "You don't seem to be all that upset at discovering that your father had a child by a different woman..."

"Should I be?" Kasumi asked with a complete lack of guile in her eyes, "It was before he married my mother, so I don't think it cheating. At least I don't think that's what you could call it. Still Silk is very nice, and it's obvious that father likes her, so it may be that she'll be visiting us for a while, and father has so few friends to talk with him about the old days it wouldn't be right to object to that, would it?"

Kodachi thought she detected something odd in Kasumi's tone, as if the older girl held a wistful hint of the sort of feelings that Kodachi would herself have embraced in her situation, but before she could pursue the matter her brother hailed them both, then came to an abrupt halt as he said, "We have a guest in our humble abode, dear sister?"

"Brother," Kodachi turned to acknowledge Tatawaki with a glance, "You know Tendo Kasumi, the older sister to Akane and Nabiki?"

"I have not had that honor," Tatawaki took a moment to study the older girl in a way that brought a slight frown of irritation to Kodachi, "Such wondrous beauty can only belong to one affiliated by blood to my beloved Akane. You grace us with your presence, dear lady."

Kasumi seemed much amused at watching the tall boy bow to her with manners that belonged to a different era, so she bowed back and said, "I thank you for your kind words. I know of you from hearing your name being mentioned around my house, Kuno-san. The honor is mutual "

"Indeed?" Kuno said a bit abruptly, "You have heard my name on the sweet lips of your sister?"

Kasumi thought a moment before replying, "Well, she has said your name often enough, but "

"Then it is as I have always believed that it must be!" Tatawaki cried in triumph, "I must go to my shrine and pray to my goddesses of love that they one day be delivered from the clutches of the foul Saotome! Good evening to you, my lady, my sister."

And with that the tall boy picked up his heals and all but jumped for joy as he rushed down the hallway with great enthusiasm.

"What a curious fellow," Kasumi remarked as she glanced down the corridor to where Tatawaki had vanished.

"You could say that," Kodachi agreed with heartfelt conviction, but then she turned around as she sensed another presence and her tone became more imperious, "What is it, Sasuke?"

Kasumi was surprised to see a small man detach himself from the shadows dressed in the classic attire that was traditional for Ninja. He bowed from the waist to Kodachi then extended an envelope as if proffering an offering at a temple, "This letter came in the mail for you, Mistress. It has a foreign return address, which I think should give it some importance."

"You interrupt me for this?" Kodachi snorted, but nonetheless she accepted the envelope, slicing it open with a fingernail before reading it's contents to herself.

Kasumi heard a slight gasp escape from Kodachi's lips and asked, "Is it good news or bad?"

"That would depend on how you define it," Kodachi seemed unusually pale and her hand was trembling slightly, "It says here that my father is alive and he was found on an uncharted desert Island somewhere out in the Pacific. He has been spending the past two years on the Islands of Hawaii enjoying the native culture but is preparing to return and resume his responsibilities as principal of Furinkan High School."

"You father is the Principal?" Kasumi remarked, "How wonderful, you must be very glad to hear this."

"It says here that he was found two years ago and he only now writes to me to inform us of this?" Kodachi exclaimed, "How am I to take pleasure in that? He would have written sooner " she broke off as she realized that she was showing her temper. Mindful not to upset her guest too soon she said, "Forgive me, this is such a sudden shock it has been years since Tachi and I set eyes upon our father "

"I understand," Kasumi nodded, "Perhaps we should go sit down and you can talk about it, if you want to, that is."

Kodachi seemingly made a full recovery of her composure, smiling obliquely at her charming companion before replying, "An excellent idea. I suggest we should enjoy what it left of the evening while dining on a late fare of tea and ricecakes. Sasuke, see to it at once."

"Yes, Mistress," the little man bowed profusely, then retreated backwards. He stumbled over a chair that he did not see in the hallway and tumbled onto the floor, but managed to right himself before bowing several times and crawling back down the side passage.

"What an interesting fellow," Kasumi remarked in passing.

"He is a clumsy wretch at times, but he is loyal to my family, as his father was before him," Kodachi sighed, "Once the Kuno family commanded an army of retainers, now we can barely afford more than a handful. Times have been somewhat strained since Father left us, but we manage as best we are able "

Sarugakure Sasuke had a long experience around his Mistress and was used to thinking of her little eccentricities as the quirks that came by second nature to rich people and nobles. It did trouble him that the latest object of her periodic obsessions was the eldest daughter to the house of Tendo, but it was far from his place to raise objections or to offer some kind of warning to the older girl. She would have to learn about the curious hobbies and fascinations of the Mistress through her own means, if ever.

Still he did feel a twinge of regret as he made his way back to the servants kitchen, intending to prepare the small feast that he knew his Mistress would have demanded had she spoken of it aloud. It was Kodachi's way to charm her infrequent guests into submission, after which she would delight herself in all manner of ways that Sasuke did not think it proper to dwell upon.

At least that was the gist of the thoughts that were passing through his mind when he came into the kitchen and abruptly halted in his tracks, finding a most unexpected and unwelcome sight greeting him in the form of a little man even smaller than he was, yet similarly dressed like a Ninja!

If anything this diminutive fellow looked like a wrinkled old prune, or at least that was the general impression Sasuke formed since the man was wearing something over his head that closely resembled a halter from the personal stocks of the Mistress. Moreover, this stranger was eating like a pig from the larder of the Kuno family refrigerator, and Sasuke saw the bowls and plates scattered loose all around to testify that several meals had already been ingested.

"Hey!" Sasuke immediately replied, taking a step forward, "Who are you? You can't do that!"

"Never mind what I can and can't do, Sonny-boy," the stranger cackled between mouthfuls, "Get me some more Sake to wash down this rice! You can't have an old man like me choking to death on your cooking."

Sasuke took another step forward, intending to put a stop to this pillaging of his hard efforts at preparing a meal for his two charges. He might not be the best and bravest son his father ever sired, but it was his duty to look after the Kuno family, as he had been doing for many years since the death of the Mistress and disappearance of the Master.

Of course the minute he got within range of the other little man was the moment when Sasuke discovered the power of temporary flight temporary, that is, until his body made acquaintance with the wall on the opposite end of the kitchen.

"Pathetic," the old man chided, "Your father up in Heaven must be rolling in his grave to have a son who telegraphs like that. Now stop lollygaging around and fetch me my sake!"

Sasuke slowly peeled himself off the wall and landed awkwardly on the one part of his body that wasn't hurting so much: his head. After landing in a heap and somehow managing to sit upright he looked at the curious old man and said, "You knew my father?"

"Indeed I did, my boy," the old man chuckled, "What's the matter? It's been so long that you've forgotten all about me? This is the house of Kuno Godai, is it not? You are the son of Sarugakure Harkon?"

Sasuke continued to stare at the old man in bewilderment until a connection was formed within the labyrinth of his childhood memories, then all at once he sat up with panic clear in his expression, "You! But I thought you were !"

"So what?" the old man grinned broadly, "Lots of people've thought me dead over the years, and not a few have tried to help me out there. The good news is I'm back now, so I'm looking up my old haunts for the sake of past acquaintances. Now about that Sake "

"But " Sasuke swallowed thickly, "I have to give it to the Mistress! She will be most cross with me if I don't prepare the special batch of sleeping potion that she routinely gives to those few unfortunates who become her house guests."

"Oh, is that so?" the old man said with a crafty expression, "Now isn't that amusing? Looks like she turned out to be a chip off the old block after all. Well then, we won't keep Godai's child waiting, there's just one little detail that I'm going to have to insist on, however "

"Oh?" Sasuke asked numbly, already past suspecting that he was not going to like this

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Kuno Family Genealogy Outlines: shadowmane

Things are not going according to someone's plans, and wait until you see the hangover in the morning! As Comb prepares to give Ranma a much-needed lesson about women, a certain old codger prepares to make his presence known to a pair of wayward students. What fate lies in store for Kasumi as she spends a night in the Kuno household, and how does Kachu accommodate herself to the unexpected niceness of her new husband? Are things going to be all hearts and flowers for our denizens of Nerima, or have matters only just begun to become complicated? Hey, don't look at me, I'm only the author! But if you really want to know, tune in again next chapter and be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	37. Chapter 37

NabikiRan36 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter 36.

Lotion sat in silent contemplation as she regarded the tealeaves in her cup. So thoughtful was her repose that she barely acknowledged Cologne's polite inquiry, "See anything of interest?"

"Indeed," Lotion replied in a distant tone of voice that the Matriarch well knew meant that the Lore Master was receiving an important vision, "My granddaughter is about to make inquiries that will have dire consequences for your apprentice as well as mine. Old specters from the past shall emerge, and promises made will be regretted."

"Interesting," Cologne replied, long ago having resigned herself to never receiving a straight answer to such a direct question from her old rival, yet for the sake of formalities she asked it anyway, "And what does all that mean?"

"Pretty much what you would expect where it involves the son of Saotome Genma," Lotion said as she shook of her mood and turned away with great fatigue evident in her motions.

"That bad," Cologne murmured, churning over a mental list of possible calamities in the offing.

"The boy is a puzzle, isn't he?" Lotion mused as she tested her legs on the floor as if to assure herself that they were steady, "Combining many of the best and worst aspects of the father, and yet also containing the seeds of much greatness. He should go far under your tutelage, with a little bit of training."

"This I already know," Cologne replied, "But you hinted just now that there is a possible threat to him."

"More like a promise unanswered," Lotion sighed as she leaned upon her staff, "These Japanese do have many quaint customs and traditions to amaze and confound a pair of old fuddy-duddies such as us. Thankfully my new apprentice is blessedly lacking in sentimental attachment to the worst of those traditions. Unfortunately there is one who makes up for this absence in abundance, and her claim upon young Saotome goes deeper than any bond to a fiancee."

Cologne's owlish eyes grew notably wider as she hissed the word, "Nodoka!"

"Indeed," Lotion acknowledged with a tired nod of her head, "Your granddaughter's rival will soon reenter the picture in Nerima, and when this occurs there will be a crisis that will test the resolve of both of our young wards. If the wrong choices are made the consequences could be dreadful."

"And what do you plan to do about this?" Cologne asked tensely.

Lotion glanced away and there was a long pause before she said, "I have spent half the night sitting here trying to decide that one for myself, but in the end I have decided to take no action in the immediate present. I would counsel you to do the same, Matriarch, or at least until such time as a way for us to make ourselves useful is presented. At the appropriate hour the timely intervention of an Elder will be most welcome for our young students, and it should avert one or both of our grandchildren taking hasty and drastic measures of their own to resolve the crisis."

"I see," Cologne replied, "That would be very likely where Comb is concerned, but I thought you had a higher degree of trust in Silk, your senior apprentice?"

"My granddaughter does as she sees fit, which more often than not is in accordance with her desires rather than any objective insight as a Lore Master," Lotion replied as she began to hobble towards the stairs, "Now, if you will excuse me, Matriarch, I must retire to my bed. These long sessions of probing the alternate passages of Destiny can be most exhausting. I will emerge when I am ready to once again resume the education of my apprentice."

"I'll try and see to it nothing major happens while you are away," Comb said with low sarcasm.

Lotion paused at the first step, turned around with a coy smile and said, "Oh by the way there is one other bit of news that should interest you. An old acquaintance has returned from a long slumber. I think you may be hearing about him rather shortly." And with that the old woman pulled herself up the first of the stairs, humming a tune to herself that Cologne only belatedly recognized as being an old song from the Americas, circa the late 50's, "My Boyfriend's Back and there's gonna be trouble "

Cologne stood stock still, barely noticing when Lotion made her way up the stairs, her eyes very wide indeed with shock and apprehension, but when she recovered her expression turned to one of deep resentment and annoyance.

"HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" she shouted to the silence of the empty Nekohaten

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I woke up to the peculiar sound of metal clanging against metal and wondered if the trash people were picking up on the wrong day, then I saw the time on my clock and realized that it was long past sunrise. I must have overslept or something, but usually about this time I'm woken up by Uncle Genma telling me that it's time to join Ranma in morning practice.

I yawned hugely, stretching and feeling tired in every bone and joint, thinking maybe I should just give it a rest and tell Ranma's father to go stuff it. Still that insistent ring of metal on metal draws me to wonder who is outside giving who else such a workout. I've pretty much determined at this point that somebody is taking turns sparring in the garden, but since Ranma and his father tend to fight without weapons that left me to wonder who else might be sparring with metal.

Shampoo? Possible, but lately she and Ranma have been working on unarmed combat styles, and it wasn't too likely they'd break from that pattern. Ukyo? Another definite possibility, given Kuonji's penchant for whacking people over the head with that oversized spatula she uses.

And then my tired brain wakes up and I remember that we have other guests staying with us. All at once I throw off the covers and jump out of bed, awake and alert with a desire to see what my prospective Mother-In-Law is like when she goes into action.

I pull on a pair of shorts and a tank top, which is as much in the way of practice gear as I feel up to at the present, then I take the stairs two or three at a time, vaulting the last five steps to save time, which may be nothing when compared with Ranma's ability to leap over houses but certainly is as far as I'll go before risking a broken ankle. In just under a minute from coming awake I made it to the patio and found-much as I'd expected-our two guests were working out while Ranma and his father stood on the sideline along with Shampoo, Ryoga, Akane and my father.

There was Comb working out with a Chinese straight sword flashing in her hand while Silk deflected her thrusts with that silver flute that she uses like a short staff. (At least I think it's silver, but from the way she was using the thing it must be lined with some other tough metal) The pinging sound of steel against silver was ringing loudly in my ears as I approached this scene, barely able to follow the rapid exchange of movements as it seemed to me like the two Amazon ladies are intent on killing one another. Given the way they bicker now and then I wouldn't be half surprised if that was what they were trying to do, but then I realized after another moment that what looked like a life-and-death fight was really just a controlled set of motions with each woman pulling just short of doing the other actual physical damage.

To be frank I was amazed by both of their techniques. I may not be as expert as Ranma at detecting the nuances of various martial-arts styles, but I could tell that these two were pros, deadly fighters who had honed their craft before any of us were at the age of conception. The way they fought was almost like a coordinated routine that you'd expect to find in a top-  
notch Chop-Sockie Hong Kong action movie, only there was no one on the set telling them to break for lunch or exchange places with a stunt double. I could well believe Comb's claim to being a former tribal champion, and from where I sit she's never really lost it.

I approached Shampoo and was hailed by her usual warm greeting, which of course earned Ranma's attention for long enough for him to nod in my direction while the Amazon looked ready to throw her arms around me but was-  
for some odd reason-unusually restrained this morning. I felt a little tense considering how things had gone last night and was half-afraid that she'd be angry at me for locking her out of my room. I don't know where she slept the night before (I doubt it was with Ranma, considering his shyness problem) but she seemed her usual cheerful self, so I silently hoped that I was still on her good list.

Yeah, I should mention here that I'd had a lot of thought about Shampoo the night before, one reason why I didn't get to bed real soon. I'd started to seriously consider her proposal of a three-way engagement between us and Ranma, and it wasn't really with any surprise that I decided in favor of accepting that arrangement.

I wasn't sure how Ranma was feeling about us at the moment, and there was something disturbing about the way he seemed to be ignoring us and concentrating all his energies towards studying the fight between the two Amazon parents. I was half afraid that he had gotten the wrong idea from what he had seen when he surprised me and Shampoo at the furo (and to tell the complete unvarnished truth, I could hardly blame him if he was thinking that about us!) so his silence was alarming, but I didn't know what to do or say to press him on the issue.

But then the sparring match between Comb and Silk came to an end with both ladies separating into metaphorical corners, then saluting one another and assuming mutual postures of respect and non-aggression. I was fairly amazed to see that they weren't even breathing very hard, given the furious way that they had appeared to be going at it before. I guess after over thirty-plus years of practice the two of them had worked this thing out to where it was hardly a strain on their bodies.

As I was registering this I managed to overhear my father say, "They are very skilled, and much more capable fighters than what I remember."

"Oh, we could still take them if we wanted, Tendo-  
kun," Uncle Genma assured back, "Not that either of us would want to try, right?"

"Indeed, Saotome," Daddy replied with a bit too much nervousness in his tone, which did not lighten my mood any as I was still trying to make my mind up about this Silk who used to be a part of his life before Momma, "Best not say that too loud, we don't want to court any more bad omens."

"Oh come now, Tendo-kun," Genma chided, "You don't seriously think that was an omen, do you? It was a weak shelf and it's been there for a long time. It probably fell down on its own, no need for you to worry."

"You're probably right," Daddy replied, but the tone of his voice was not very convincing.

Just then Comb turned to regard us, giving me a brief glance that I took to be neutral, then smiled and said, "Your turn, little one! Come show your mother how much you have improved since the last time."

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo said brightly and leaped out into the garden while Silk retired to the sidelines. I saw great eagerness in Shampoo's eyes as she called up her bonbori from wherever-the-hell it is that she normally keeps them then assumed a fighting crouch as she squared off against her mother.

"They sure are something," Ranma said as we watched mother and daughter lay into one another in what I took to be the Amazon equivalent of parent-child bonding. His voice startled me as I hadn't expected him to address me during this particular match, but then I saw him turn his head my way and he faintly smiled before adding, "About last night...sorry if I interrupted something."

"Huh?" I said intelligently, wondering to myself if he really had gotten the wrong impression.

"Shampoo's mother explained it to me," Ranma replied, "And I guess it kinda makes sense. She said a lot of things I really never thought about before. Guess I acted like a jerk, but it kinda confused me, but now I guess it's all right."

"What are you talking about, Ranma-kun?" I asked nervously, "What did Shampoo's mother explain?"

"Oh stuff," Ranma said tersely without looking in my direction, and not for the first time in my life I wished that I could read his mind and figure out what he was thinking. It really annoyed me at that point that he seemed to know something that I did not, which is hardly what I've come to believe is the natural way of things between us.

"Ranma-kun," I growled in warning.

He turned a smile my way that was confident and knowing, then went back to studying the quite amazing sight of two purple-haired ladies going at it Sword to Bonbori, and like hell was I going to fall into the trap buying into his act of pretending to know something that I didn't.

I sniffed and turned to watch the fight, impressed at how Shampoo was able to fend off an attack from her mother. Her bonbori are heavier and clumsier to work with than a sword, yet somehow Shampoo made it look easy as she and her mother chased one another back and forth across the yard, all of the time smiling like a pair giddy teenagers. In the back of my mind I was wondering what I might possibly have missed before dragging myself out of bed, and only belatedly did I start to notice that someone was missing from our assemblage. In fact it would not be until five more minutes had passed that I would ask myself the question aloud: "Where is Kasumi ?"

Kodachi groaned and covered her eyes against the light, wondering why her head felt as big as a drum this morning, and who the hell was beating on it with a pair of Jo-sticks?

She pried one eye open, then risked opening the other, discovering that she was laying between the silken sheets of her own bed under a gauze-like canopy that was seldom drawn without her asking.

Very slowly she took deep breaths, then yawned, coming back to herself with a slightly confused sense of time loss. That it was morning was obvious from the sunlight streaming through her window, yet she could not remember anything happening the night before beyond sharing a dinner with Kasumi

That brought her bolt upright with a sharp exclamation. What had happened the night before, and why was she in her bed alone, wearing her favorite nightgown? Who had bothered to undress her, and why couldn't she remember? The last thing that she could remember was Sasuke brining her the "special" Sake that was supposed to have two different flavoring extracts, the more important kind always to be served to her guest and

"Sasuke !" Kodachi began to growl in a low and menacing tone of voice.

Her hand snatched out to grab the bell-rope that was always near to hand and she yanked hard upon it twice, intending to give her hapless manservant a royal chewing out as soon as he came groveling into her presence, but much to her surprise the summons was answered by another who appeared only moments later with a tray in hand and a very welcoming expression.

"Good morning," said Kasumi herself, startling Kodachi beyond the point of a reply as the oldest Tendo daughter set down the tray next to Kodachi on the bed, "I hope you slept well. You passed out so suddenly that I was afraid that we'd have to call a doctor. Sasuke-san assured me that you were doing well, though, so I helped bring you to your bed and got you ready to sleep. I hope I wasn't being too forward, but since you let me stay the night I thought that I'd at least repay you by making you some breakfast."

"Ah " was the most intelligent thing on Kodachi's mind at that moment as her eyes roved down to see the appetizing fare that had been laid out for her, far more delicious in aroma than what was usually the case when Sasuke himself was doing the cooking. There was tea and grapefruit juice, and all manner of wonderful things that made Kodachi's mouth water.

Of course the one thing that she had wanted the night before was standing directly before her wearing the most beatific smile, all innocent of any conniving intentions. Kodachi closed her mouth after several tries and said, "Ah forgive me it might have been the strain of fighting with the Oni "

"Of course," Kasumi said brightly before sitting down on the bed with perfect decorum. Kodachi could not help but notice that the dress that the Tendo girl was wearing did something very flattering to her figure, to which Kodachi could not help but quietly swallow.

"Um forgive me for asking," Kodachi looked away, trying to compose her thoughts and wondering why she was feeling this burning sensation all over her body, "But as I had not yet prepared a room for the night I was wondering where you slept ?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Kasumi replied, "Sasuke-  
san showed me to a room that wasn't occupied. I'm not used to sleeping in such comfortable surroundings, but I must say that I did sleep very soundly. It's just a few doors down the hall, and the bed doesn't appear to have been slept in much lately "

Kodachi felt a chill run down her spine. Kasumi had slept THERE? Who knew what manner of awful spirits would hang about such a place, but somehow Kasumi appeared to be unaffected by any trace of lingering evil

"That nightgown " Kodachi murmured but could not continue.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kasumi glanced down, "It was a perfect fit, and Sasuke-san said that it would be all right for me to wear while my own things are being washed and dried. I hope I haven't offended you. I could wear something else if you like "

"No ah that is all right," Kodachi said with unusual hesitation, trying to steady her nerves though the clawing fingers of old nightmares were seeking to breach the barricades of her subconscious, "It looks very nice on you, my friend "

"You think so?" Kasumi asked, looking genuinely flattered, "It's such nice material, it must have cost someone a fortune."

"It did," Kodachi said tightly, "It belonged to my mother," the last word was barely uttered at the level of a whisper.

"Oh my," Kasumi put a hand to her mouth, "I had no idea! I'm so sorry this must bring back memories for you "

Kodachi was finding it hard to breathe. She could feel the walls closing in around her, her tiny fists banging against the locked door of the small closet. She shut her eyes and remembered the sting of the welts along her arms and legs as she begged her mother to forgive her, that she would try harder and not make any mistakes in practice

"Kodachi-chan?" Kasumi's gentle voice was full of concern, momentarily chasing away the nightmares, "Are you all right, Kodachi-chan?"

All at once Kodachi leaned forward and threw her arms around the other girl, hugging Kasumi tightly as the shuddering started again. It felt good to hold someone who was holding her back, calmly stroking her hair and murmuring into her ear that everything would be all right, that she didn't have to fear the darkness

Just as suddenly as she had made the gesture Kodachi broke her hug and pushed away from Kasumi, ignoring the confused expression of the other girl as she dabbed at her eyes and tried to make light of the whole situation.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't know where that came from. I must have had a very bad dream " Kodachi forced herself to assume a calm and pleasant smile as she looked back at her new friend and said, "I must seem like a silly minx to fret so over nothing "

Kasumi seemed confused by her friend's change of demeanor, but then her natural cheerfulness came to the fore and she said, "I understand. I used to have nightmares myself when I was a little girl, but my father would always come and chase the nightmares away, and after I started praying to the spirit of my mother I felt better about myself each morning."

"You did?" Kodachi momentarily let slip the mask of her confusion, wondering how their parental experiences could be so radically different, but then she adopted her familiar mask again and said, "You will, of course, join me in this excellent repast that you have labored so nobly to prepare. I could use the company, and it will make the food taste more pleasant."

"After you, Kodachi-chan," Kasumi smiled happily, picking up the tea-pot and pouring into a small cup of excellent china before handing this to Kodachi, who accepted the proffered drink with much gratitude and not a little desperation

Tofu Ono awoke to a very disturbing awareness that something was burning in the air, and an angry voice was sputtering Chinese in the kitchen. It ook him only a few heartbeats to add these elements together, then he heaved a heartfelt sigh and forced himself off of the couch, intending to stage a rescue before his whole clinic was burned to a cinder.

"Stupid Japanese Cooking Implement!" Kachu was snarling in Mandarin, "How do you use these clumsy things anyway? Give me an honest fire and a wok to this electricity !"

"Excuse me," Tofu said as he approached her, trying to keep his tone level in spite of the alarming amount of smoke pouring out of the skillet, "But what are you doing, Kachu-san?"

For a moment Kachu appeared more startled that he was addressing her in her native language than at the poor success she was having in dousing the flames in the skink, "You speak Chinese?"

"I've studied the language," he replied, "I'm more fluent in Cantonese, though. You have to know both languages if you've researched as many texts as I have."

Kachu recalled what she had been upset about and turned her wrath back towards the offending skillet, "Then explain to me what I am doing wrong! I was trying to make breakfast, but this damned thing would not heat properly!"

"Of course not," Tofu replied, "That's an electric skillet, and I think you just killed it. It isn't supposed to be held over a fire, it generates is own heat when you plug it into a wall outlet."

"It does?" she blinked at him as if he were describing some new form of magic.

With a sigh he took the pan from her unresisting fingers, ran it under the faucet in his sink until it was sufficiently cooled down then casually tossed it into a waste basket before activated the fan to deal with the smoke problem. He then turned to her and said, "I don't mind you wanting to cook yourself a meal, but next time ask me if you have any questions about things. I've been preparing my own meals for quite some time now and it may be that I'll be able to give you a few pointers."

She noted that he was speaking Japanese again, so when she turned away from him with a flustered look in her eyes she did him the courtesy of doing likewise, "I wasn't making it just for myself. I thought I thought maybe "

"Huh?" Tofu blinked his eyes, "You thought maybe what?"

"It's nothing!" she growled, moving to the nearest window and forcing it open, "Nothing at all that should be of any interest to you "

Tofu blinked his eyes from more than just the sting of the smoke fumes that were remaining and said, "You were going to prepare breakfast for me? But why?"

"Because it's required of me," Kachu said without turning around, "And because because you were nice to me last night. I wanted Oh, never mind! I need some fresh air! You can stay here and choke on the smoke for all I care!"

Tofu remained where he was as he watched his alleged "wife" go storming towards the front door to his clinic, then after a very slight pause he picked up his heels and decided to hurry after.

"Wait up!" he cried, "At least wait until you've had time to take a shower or a bath "

That stopped Kachu dead in her tracks. She half turned to him with an astonished look and said, "Bath?"

"Um yes," he replied, deciding that it would not be diplomatic to mention that she looked very much like she could use one, although he had too much smoke in his nostrils to confirm the state of her body odor, "It's kind of a tradition we have here we Japanese are famous for bathing at least twice, sometimes three times a day "

"I'm used to taking baths," Kachu remarked neutrally, "I had one last night as a matter of fact, but I usually don't take them that often."

"Well, go ahead," he waved towards his clinic wash room, "You can bathe first, then maybe we can go out shopping together and I can get you some nice clothing."

"You want to buy me new clothes?" Kachu frowned, "Why?"

"Uh no reason," he said sheepishly, "But you must have been on the road an awful long time, and if that's all you normally wear, plus the fact that it's can't be too dry after last night "

"What I'm wearing is perfectly dry," Kachu responded, but there was a different kind of hesitation in her voice, "I wouldn't want to put you to any more trouble on my behalf "

"I don't see how you could call it trouble," Tofu shrugged, "After all you're uh my guest, and it's the least that I can do to help you feel more comfortable. I even know a good place in town where they sell Chinese-  
style clothing. If you want, I can even buy you some breakfast."

Kachu turned towards him with a look of suspicion, "And in exchange for these favors, what do you want from me?"

"Huh?" Tofu asked in confusion.

"No one is as thoughtful as you are being without having a hidden reason," Kachu said with a slight edge to her voice.

Tofu shook his head and said, "Where did you ever learn that? I don't want anything from you, really, except maybe that you could smile a little and we could at least try to be friends."

"Friends?" Kachu said the word as if she had never heard of it before, "But you are lawfully my husband "

"Husbands and wives can't be friends in your culture?" he asked simply.

Kachu turned away and for a moment was silent, then at last she turned around and headed for the bathroom saying, "All right, but wait your turn! I'll let you know when I'm finished."

"No problem there," Tofu sighed, relaxing a little, "If you need anything, I'll be sure to tie a sack over my head and wear a blindfold before I fetch it."

"But what good would that do ?" Kachu started to ask, then she frowned the more deeply and turned away with an angry, "Never mind. I'll be certain that I won't need anything from you while I am bathing."

Tofu remained where he was for a moment after she had vanished into the washroom then sadly shook his head and sighed, "I wonder if other married couples have honeymoons like this ?"

Ranma glanced at his iinazuke and felt a twinge of guilt for teasing her the way he had. He could tell that Nabiki was irritated by his attitude this morning, but that was certainly better than what she might have felt if she had been aware of his thoughts of the night before, when he had seen her in a clench with Shampoo and appearing to enjoy it.

His thoughts turned back to the prervious night, when Comb and drawn him inside to the dojo so that they might have a private conversation beyond the hearing of others. Comb had sat across from him with only a few meters separation, not saying anything at first but waiting until she was certain that she had Ranma-chan's undivided attention.

"So," Comb had said to Ranma there in the dead of night, "You want to know what it is that men are supposed to do with women."

"Ah " Ranma had started to say, about to protest that he had not actually asked that.

"How long have you had your curse?" Comb inquired without waiting, breaking into his train of thought, though Ranma was certain that she must already know the answer.

"A few months," he said, "Just a day before I got to your village and met Shampoo."

"And in the time since you acquired your curse, exactly how much time have you spent in your girl form?" she asked him.

"Ah " Ranma was about to say "more than I like" but something about the purple haired woman facing him stopped him from blurting that out. Instead what he said was, "I change a lot of times whether I want to or not it's pretty darned annoying "

"I can well imagine," replied the Amazon Healer, "Perhaps I should have asked how much time do you usually spend in girl form, or do you always rush to change back into a man as soon as circumstances allow it?"

"I guess it doesn't really matter," Ranma replied with a hint of exasperation, "As soon as I'm a guy again it starts to rain or I run into a sprinkler or somebody dumps a pail on my head "

"And what is the longest length of time that you have spent in your female form?" Comb asked insistently, then gave a slight smirk as she added, "Or has Grandmother used the Cat Tongue on you already?"

"Uh she used that on me about a month ago," Ranma replied, "I spent a couple of weeks being unable to change, and that ain't no picnic."

Comb nodded to herself, "Grandmother is a creature of habits. I'm sorry for you, Young Master, it was cruel and thoughtless of her to try and coerce you into marrying my daughter. She should have used less drastic means to convince you that it was all to the better, but you seem to have decided this on your own, so I'm satisfied that you require no such persuasion."

Ranma held himself silent as he studied the other woman, wondering at the drift of this whole conversation when Comb spoke up again and answered his unvoiced question, "The reason that I ask you this is because I wanted to gauge just how much experience you have had as a woman. Obviously not enough to get a proper grasp on how things are for those of us who were born of this gender."

Again Ranma did not reply, though his confusion level was growing exponential to the amount of his silence. Deciding to allow the purple haired lady conduct this stage of their discussion he waited for her to continue, and when she did it had the suspicious sound of a classroom lecture, but one that did not threaten to put him to sleep within five minutes.

"Shampoo tells me that you have only spent time around your father," Comb resumed, "And I do not need to ask any questions concerning what he might have or not have informed you about what it means to be a woman. You cannot be expected to know, having only a limited familiarity with a body that is so very different from what you call normal."

Ranma-chan gave a bitter laugh at that and said, "You got that right, lady!"

"And yet you are in an enviable position to know things from a perspective most men would never dream of experiencing," Comb noted in passing, "And because you have this curse it is very important that you listen to what I say, and that you believe me. After all, I have a medical degree, and I am learned in Amazon lore stretching back countless millennia, so if anyone is in a position to know what it means to be a woman, you are looking right at her."

"No argument there," Ranma-chan sniffed, then paused before saying, "Does Shampoo ?"

"My daughter has had the benefit of such teaching as I have been permitted to share," Comb said with a note of sadness in her tone, "She could have been a healer, like me, if not for Grandmother's insistence that she be trained to be her heir "

"Why did you leave her with that old ghoul?" Ranma-  
chan wanted to know, "It almost sounds like you abandoned her-URK!"

Without having seen the other woman move, Ranma-  
chan suddenly found the edge of a sword pressed up against her neck with the other end being tightly gripped by the purple haired woman, who had halfway closed the space between them.

"For your sake, Son-in-Law, I will pretend that you did not actually mean that," Comb said softly, then the sword was withdrawn and she resumed her place at the far end of the dojo, the sword vanishing to wherever it had been drawn from as she said with complete calm, "But in a way you have a good point. I did, technically, surrender my daughter to the old woman. I have certainly regretted it often enough over the past decade. I can only wonder what Shampoo must think of me "

"Why'd you do it?" Ranma-chan asked as she felt along the side of her neck, "What kind of leverage did the old ghoul use to get you to turn over your daughter to her for training?"

"What leverage did your father use to convince your mother to surrender you to his training?" the Amazon countered, but then relented, "Once, long ago, I was being groomed by my grandmother to become her duly appointed heir, to become a Warrior every bit as powerful as she was and to one day take her place as Matriarch of the Council. Then one day I met a man your father and the events that followed from that began to open my eyes to other possibilities that I had never before considered. I returned home and renounced my Warrior status, telling Cologne that I would henceforth train myself to become a healer of bodies rather than someone who would destroy them."

"Pop made you change your mind?" Ranma asked in stark disbelief.

"Do not be so shocked, young Warrior," Comb mused, "There was more to your father in those days than the person you see now. After all, despite his many faults, he managed somehow to raise you to be a warrior fit enough to defeat an Amazon champion and earn your groom status."

"Ah " Ranma winced, "Nobody bothered explaining the rules to me "

"Indeed," Comb interrupted, "But to resume my explanation Grandmother was very disappointed in me and did not, at first, accept my refusal. She would not let me train to become a healer until I promised that one of my line would take my place, and by those carelessly misspoken words was the fate of my daughter decided. Shampoo would become the designated heir, and when she was six years of age that old woman came to collect on my promise."

"So you gave her over to the old crone," Ranma concluded.

"Indeed," Comb sighed, "To my everlasting shame and regret. I have been forced, because of that promise, to sit back and watch as my grandmother took my place in raising Shampoo to be a warrior of some measure. If it were not for my other two daughters my life would have been empty because of this, but as a consequence of my choices my eldest child has been made to suffer."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" Ranma-chan asked in a neutral tone, "I've already agreed that I ain't gonna fight about the marriage."

"That is very good," Comb nodded, "So when may I expect that your union will be consummated?"

"Consummated?" Ranma's eyes got as wide as saucers.

"Surely you must know that I'm expecting grandchildren," Comb said in amusement, "I'm surprised that my daughter has waited as long as she has to take you and your iinazuke to bed. She has a very passionate nature, or hadn't you noticed?"

"Ah " Ranma-chan broke out in a cold sweat and said, "I-uh-um-ah "

"How eloquently put," Comb chuckled softly, "Your father could not have put it any better."

Ranma-chan had a sudden flash of memory, seeing Shampoo bent over Nabiki, one breast exposed and in the grip of the Amazon's powerful fingers. Nabiki's flustered look as Shampoo broke their kiss to look in his direction, then the offer that he join them in whatever it was that they were doing she swallowed on a dry mouth and felt an incredible sensation in her chest as both of her breasts stood erect beneath her silken Chinese outfit.

"I will ask you a simple question," Comb said, stressing the words, "Son-in-Law," before moving on to add, "What do you suppose happens when a man lies with a woman, or a woman lies with another woman? Did you think the mysteries of the genders is confined merely to the types of equipment each is assigned by nature? More to the point, where do you suppose babies come from? Indeed, everyone on the planet has had a mother and a father. You had one of each, so you should have little difficulty grasping the concept that Nature has a purpose in our construction."

"Babies?" Ranma-chan asked, her voice an octave higher than normal.

"Not to confuse the point," Comb said, "But Babies are the natural consequence of sexual intercourse between opposing genders. Same-sex coupling doesn't have that risk and so is somewhat safer to indulge in, which is why many Amazons experiment with other warriors before moving on to acquiring husbands. I had a few flings myself when I was younger, before I met Shampoo's father, that is so I well understand the passions that have motivated Shampoo throughout most of her life. She has been very lonely the last two years and has been seeking happiness with someone who is able to care for her in the manner for which she longs. Once she had such closeness in her life and she very much wants to know it again, which is why she was willing to accept your Nabiki as her second Airen."

"S-Same sex?" Ranma-chan was having difficult understanding what that was, in spite of the recent example that was all-too-fresh in her memories, "How how the heck can that happen? Doesn't one of them need a you know?"

"This may come as quite a shock to you, Son-in-  
law," Comb's mouth quirked with amusement, "But there is more to the sharing of pleasures than merely having a penis. Most sex is really all in the mind, and without the pleasurable concepts that cause arousal we would be very drab and dreary people indeed. It takes more than the physical act to bring pleasure to a woman, or didn't you know this? Being part woman yourself, you should understand that the body responds to stimulation in direct proportion to the mind's ability to sense and experience pleasure. Woman sex can be very versatile, all it takes is the instinct and the willingness to give and receive pleasure."

Ranma-chan's mouth hung open and her eyes looked blank, so Comb decided to continue while giving her "Son-  
in-Law" time enough to grasp these new concepts, "It's an amazing thing to be a woman. I say this not just as an Amazon but as a doctor who has studied both Western and Eastern medicine and many times helped women bring new life into the world. Truly we are blessed by the Gods with many gifts denied to men that more than amply make up for your own advantages, which is in accordance with the balance of nature."

"Advantages?" Ranma-chan sounded skeptical but maintained a neutral expression.

"Don't act so surprised," Comb replied with a smug look, "In spite of what Genma may have told you, we're not that substantially different in abilities. Oh, it's true that you men look imposing, and on average you're about 10% taller, 20% heavier and about 30% stronger, especially in the upper body, but we are more resistant to fatigue, disease and old age. Our brains are smaller yet more densely packed with neurons, and we have more Immunoglobulins in our system. We both have Testosterone and Estrogen in our systems, but all that means is that our metabolisms are very complex with a chemistry that affects us both in different ways, most notably centered around the ability to make babies."

"Ah yeah," Ranma-chan winced, "That."

"Whether they know it or not," Comb continued, "Most young girls are thinking about becoming a mother on some level of their consciousness, even the ones who steadfastly deny it. When they meet a man they like they are unconsciously sizing him up for his potential as the donor of his sperm. Women rate men on various qualifications that have actually very little to do with the qualities that many people would expect them to go by. Strength and health are obvious qualifications, but there is also the comfort level that comes with meeting someone with whom you feel at least a measure of computability. Many women judge a man on his ability to provide a safe environment and a good house, while others like a man who has an air of danger and menace. Some like mystery, others like a man who is confident and forceful, while still more prefer a man who is not so certain or assertive of his own nature and then there are men who defy rational description, such as your father."

"Yeah," Ranma-chan frowned, "What's up with that? Don't tell me you actually thought the old man was handsome?"

"Handsome?" Comb seemed to consider the question, "Not particularly, but there was something about your father that did appeal to me at one time. Silk likes to taunt me about that first time we met when I almost lost to Genma in a fight, but then again she's always had her eye on Soun, so there's no accounting for standards."

"Uh, yeah," Ranma-chan said in her most non-  
committal fashion.

"In a lot of ways it is easier for you to state what attracts you to us," Comb continued, "Men have always prized a woman who combines the aspects of a child with the strength of a wild huntress. I dare say that you could probably list the things you like about Nabiki and my daughter with very little difficulty, beginning with the two items that most men seem to first notice "

"Uh their eyes?" Ranma-chan hazarded, then blinked when she saw the other woman facefault.

"You have got to be kidding me," Comb straightened up with a smile, "Son-in-Law, you either have the lowest sex drive of any man that I have ever met or else you are not really that interested in women."

"Hey, I'm interested!" Ranma-chan protested, then blinked her eyes and said, "I mean I'm not into any of that weird stuff, I just "

"You just want to know what it is that Shampoo and Nabiki want from you," Comb replied, "Am I close?" When Ranma did not immediately reply she continued, "I am probably going to regret asking this, but do you know what a period is?"

"Uh it follows after a sentence?" Ranma-chan answered lamely, then blinked as she saw the older woman double over with laughter, "What?"

"I'm sorry," Comb replied after a full three minutes of non-stopped laughter, at which point Ranma-  
chan was close to boiling over in unvented anger, "It really isn't your fault, but the idea of you learning all you know from Genma the dense leading the blind !" she broke out in another solid minute of near-hysterics.

"Okay, so I don't know everything," Ranma growled, "So what's the big deal about a period? I mean, I'm trying to make up for all the schoolin' I missed out on because of the old man "

"This has nothing to do with a conventional education," Comb forced herself to grow sober, "A period, young Master, is the term employed when a woman goes through her monthly menstrual cycle. How you could reach the ripe age of sixteen without knowing that "

"Menstrual cycle?" Ranma-chan blinked.

"The cycle in time when a woman releases an egg from one of her ovaries," Comb explained, "Where she is fertile and ready to conceive a child, right up to the point where the egg fails to be fertilized and must be discharged, which causes an average girl to feel somewhat bloated. It's also accompanied by some harmless bleeding."

"Bleeding?" Ranma-chan asked, and then she almost fainted when Comb spelled it out in terms even more graphic, "Say what?"

"Shampoo has bled every monthly cycle since she was eleven," Comb explained, "In some girls the time begins even later, at which point they are officially designated a woman. Two or three days out of every month a woman is ready to conceive a child, and if she has sex with a man in that time there is a very good chance that they both will become parents."

"Urk!" Ranma-chan squeaked as she finally put all of the pieces together.

"Of course the process isn't always so automatic," Comb continued, "Only one out of three fertilized eggs ever goes on to produce a baby, and many eggs are spontaneously aborted because the body has determined that they fail the viability standard. Some women never conceive at all, while others are blessed-or cursed-  
with incredible fertility. In the old days it was common to hear of families where there were as many as a dozen children, sometimes even more. Of course in the old days many young boys and girls tended to die young due to all manner of childhood diseases, or the occasional disaster. These days, with China boasting a population of nearly one and a half billion people, the government has decided that children are too much of a good thing and has imposed strict limits of one child per couple. This is, of course, largely ignored in the countryside where couples traditionally want sons who can grow up to honor their fathers whereas we Amazons, of course, prize our daughters for much the same reason."

"Are you saying " Ranma-chan hesitated, "That those girls want to have sex with me to make babies?"

"As they say in Canton," Comb replied, "Bingo!"

"But that's that's crazy!" Ranma-chan protested, "We're not old enough to have kids! We're still in high school !"

"In my village you would not only be considered old enough," Comb replied, "There would be all sorts of questions about you if you hadn't got Shampoo pregnant with her second daughter. Of course I'm a fine one to boast, seeing as I waited until I was almost twenty before I had Shampoo that's considered over the hill in some parts of China."

"I'm not ready to have a kid!" Ranma-chan cried out, "What would I do with one? I mean I'm still learning about martial arts! I haven't even graduated !"

"Well then," Comb replied calmly, "There's no real rush into things, and if you use protection then you can put it off until you are properly ready."

"Protection?" Ranma-chan blinked, now seeming utterly bewildered.

Comb shook her purple head and sighed, then murmured to herself, "This is going to take a lot of work, young Master, but somehow I am going to try and help you to understand why it is important for you to take these issues seriously."

"Hey, I'm serious!" Ranma-chan insisted, thinking to herself, "serious as a heart attack!"

"We'll see about that, Son-in-law," Comb replied ominously, and from there the conversation had progressed to other things, and by the time it was over Ranma had QUITE an education in the purposes and definitions of what it meant to be a woman

"Hey!" a voice intruded upon his thoughts, "Earth to Ranma! Are you there?"

"Ah," Ranma turned a sheepish look towards Nabiki, suddenly remember a bit too much about what Comb had informed him regarding women. He somehow did not think that she was the type who looked forward to getting pregnant at the first opportunity, but he was now fully able to imagine what it might be like to be intimate with her, enough so that he had to fight to keep his expression neutral.

"Our 'Mother-in-Law' just invited you to spar against her," Nabiki informed him, "Take it easy, though, she's already had quite a workout."

"Oh, I ain't worried about her," Ranma assured, then before Nabiki to ask any further question (or possibly notice him blushing as he forced his eyes away from her) he began to charge forward and cried, "I'm ready for you, 'Mother-in-Law'!'"

Then-to nearly everyone's astonishment- Ranma headed straight for the koi pond and jumped in without hesitation. She leaped out onto the opposite bank and assumed a fighting crouch as she declared, "All right, lady, let's see what you've got!"

"Did he just call her 'Mother-in-Law?'" Soun began with a hint of towering range in his voice that usually heralded the appearance of the demon-head.

"Calm down, Soun-chan," Silk replied, "Can't you see he meant it as a jest?" She turned away and headed for the gate exit, "Well, I'd love to stay and watch but I have an important errand to run, so I'm trusting Shampoo to insure that you don't all die from food poisoning on account of Comb's cooking."

"I heard that!" Comb called out without pausing in her sparring match against Ranma.

"Oh?" Soun glanced at Silk in concern, "Where are you going?"

"Best not to say just yet," Silk assured him with a glance over her shoulder, then a wink that caused Nabiki to frown slightly, "But I should be back by nightfall, so you won't have that much time to miss me."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured to Nabiki as she leaned a lot closer, "Nabiki think Ranma behave very odd this morning?"

"There's definitely something funny about the way he's acting," Nabiki replied, then she and Shampoo blanched as they saw Ranma score a point past Comb's guard, actually going all out instead of holding back as she normally did when facing off with a woman.

"So she's good," Akane tried to sound disinterested, "Big deal. She's a lot older and more experienced than Ranma, so she ought to know a few more tricks."

"She's certainly every bit as good as her daughter," Ryoga agreed, "But if I didn't know better I'd think Ranma was actually trying to hit her."

"Impress her is more like it," Nabiki narrowed her eyes, "Didn't know Ranma-kun wanted so much to get into her good graces."

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo brightened, "You think Ranma want to prove to Shampoo mother that he worthy to be Amazon husband? Shampoo so happy! It mean Ranma ready to marry us and become proper Ailen!"

Before Nabiki could finish chewing that one over another voice called out a pleasant, "Ohiyo!" in a distinctly Kansai accent.

"Ukyo!" Akane greeted the Okinomiyaki chef warmly, much to the intense displeasure of Ryoga, "We're back here watching a practice session!"

"No fooling," Ukyo said as she rounded the corner, "I never would have hey! What's with Ranchan and Shampoo's Momma?"

"Nothing much," Nabiki eyed the cross-dressing girl warily, "Just some Mother-in-Law-to-Son-in-Law bonding."

"I guess," Ukyo said as she came to stand beside them, "Hey, your mom's pretty good, Shampoo."

"Is former Tribal Champion," Shampoo replied with a less distant tone than Nabiki had employed, "Shampoo Mother stay in shape even though she now Tribal Healer. Should be good after more than thirty years hard training."

"I guess you've got a point at that," Ukyo conceded when she heard a voice chuckle softly, "Good, you're all here. Makes things easy."

"Easy?" Nabiki started to turn around to see who had spoken, but all at once she found a little old gnome spring up virtually in her face and the next thing she knew the tiny figure had attached itself to her bosoms.

"Honey-chan!" the little dwarf cried as he started to enthusiastically squeeze her breasts as if testing fruit for bruises.

Nabiki was not one given to impulsive actions like screaming, but under the circumstances she decided to make the exception. That brought Ranma-chan and Comb to an abrupt halt in their sparring, each turning with equal alarm to see the bizarre tableau of a frantic Nabiki trying to pry something loose from her chest. Shampoo automatically attempted to assist her only to have the old man switch from Nabiki to her, crying out in delight, "Yippee! Mounts Fuji and Kilamajaro!"

"It can't be!" Soun cried.

"We're doomed!" Genma seconded, then as one they fell to her knees and started groveling as if pleading for mercy.

"Oh no," Comb said faintly, "Not him !"

"Who?" Ranma-chan asked, adding under her breath, "Weird looking fellow "

"What the heck is that-GAK!" Akane cried out as she suddenly found the old gnome was coming for her, but unlike the others she had time to react and took a swing at the old man, which missed him completely. Ryoga made a lunge while Ukyo whipped out her baker's peel and sought to clobber the old man, only to get Ryoga by mistake (though Nabiki had her suspicions about that).

"I thought you'd show up here and now," Cologne's dry voice interrupted a near riot as all the girls-  
including Ranma-chan, started to chase the old man in earnest while he nimbly managed to avoid them.

"Eh?" the gnome halted in his tracks, which caused the youths chasing after him to suddenly dog-pile into one another as the first one (Ranma) tripped over the fleet-footed pervert.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it " Cologne paused before pronouncing the word, "Happy?"

"Do I know you old woman?" the aged dwarf inquired, only to go owl-eyed as he felt the point of a sword rest upon his shoulder.

"Don't move," Comb said tensely, "Or I may forget that I'm a Doctor."

"Doctor?" the old man started to say, only to freeze again as he felt the sword knick the side of his neck ever-so-slightly.

"That's right," Comb replied, "Graduate from the University of Beijing, which is how I know precisely which vein to open up if I am forced to. Say the word, Grandmother, and his life is yours to have forfeit."

Cologne signed, "No need to stain your blade with his blood, Granddaughter, and I doubt even that would kill him in any event."

"Granddaughter?" the little man suddenly hopped away and turned around to study the purple haired woman in more detail, "Well, well if it isn't you, the Amazon cutie who was after my lad, Genma "

Comb curled a lip and tensed to strike, but Genma leaped to his feet and cried, "Don't! You'll be throwing your life away if you try and threaten the Master!"

"MASTER?" came the automatic chorus from just about everyone who was not adult status.

"That's right," Soun said gravely, lowering his head, "To our intense shame, he is our Master."

"The founder of the Anything Goes school," the old man said as he puffed up his chest with pride, which did nothing to improve his stature, "Master Happosai, that's me!"

There was dead silence for one long, drawn-out moment, and then Ranma murmured faintly, "Somehow it figures "

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Invitations to Trouble: shadowmane

The so-called "Most Evil Martial Arts Master in the World" has entered the picture, now how will Ranma and Nabiki cope with this dark aspect to the jaded past of their parents? And what will become of this star-crossed duo and their companion, Shampoo, when Nodoka finally enters the picture? Stay tuned as their rendezvous with fate draws near and a promise once made is sincerely regretted, and whatever else threatens their happiness on the near horizon be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	38. Chapter 38

NabikiRan37 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-Seven.

Silk wondered at the faint sounds of a disturbance that she heard and felt back in the Tendo garden but decided that whatever it was did not require much of her attention. Comb was more than able to deal with anything unusual that might happen during her absence, and Silk needed to devote her concentration to the task already at hand, the location and current whereabouts of a woman whom she had not seen in nearly a generation.

Indeed, her memories of Nodoka Tsukino were colored by time and experience, but she could still picture in her mind a young girl with reddish-brown hair dressed in a traditional-style kimono, soft spoken and very demure, yet possessing hidden steel beneath her silken exterior. Nodoka could seem the worldly innocent to some, but Silk had seen the young Tsukino in a wide range of emotional extremes, and when pushed with her back to the edge she could transform before your eyes into a raging tiger. Although very traditional minded with a nominally sweet disposition she could at times be as stubborn and willful as Comb herself (though the latter would gag rather than admit it!), and on the subject of Genma she could be as fiercely possessive as any Amazon. A quite formidable presence, this Nodoka, and one not so easily forgotten.

Such a contrast to her older brother, whom Silk could remember well as very amicable and pleasing to be with. Silk briefly wondered if he ever married his girlfriend, Imaho, and settled down in the big city like they'd always planned to? So many old acquaintances to look up, she smiled, and pleasant memories to relive now that she was back in Japan. It almost made the idea of extending her stay indefinitely all the more appealing...

Ah well, she mused, no sense dwelling too long in the past. She had pressing business in the present, so she began to concentrate on those memories dealing specifically with Nodoka and allowed all other thoughts to gently slide away from her consciousness. Already in her mind she was crafting the Location spell, and with her spirit charged with light she sent her thoughts out into the ether, feeling her call reach out to touch the farthest corners of Japan...and after a pause of no more than several heartbeats she found that call had been answered.

A pinprick of light only distantly perceived responded to her probing thoughts, and with the fluid ease of long practice Silk centered her mind upon that point and strengthened the link until she confirmed that it was the correct correspondence. Satisfied that she had found her quarry at last, Silk opened the portals of her mind and willed the unfolding of localized space, then stepped through the answering void and was transported elsewhere in the space of mere instants. A moment later she stepped out from another fold in the fabric of space and time and found herself in an altogether different location.

It was an open market square somewhere in Japan, though she perceived that she was still on the outskirts of Tokyo itself, perhaps in another district. She was surrounded by people, of course-this being the early part of the morning business rush-but they did not notice her appearance in their midst as she had easily glided past their perceptual awareness. Few people were sensitive enough to perceive a Lore Master when they were on a Questing, and fewer still would accept the casual display of her abilities to Windwalk the corridors of space and time, just as her grandmother could before her.

Silk continued to extend her own awareness beyond the shallow mass of mundane thoughts that surrounded her like a herd of sleepwalking zombies and centered her vision on the one bright spot that stood out above the crowd. It was like seeing her memories replayed in life, and a curious overlap momentarily obscured her vision as past and present collided, then separated again, resolving into the woman who was approaching her with a downcast expression. At first Silk wondered if she had misaligned her aim and wound up in the past rather than the present, but as the woman drew nearer she saw the slight tell-tale signs of age and maturity, of great dignity and bearing that could only come in the fullness of life's experiences.

Silk waited until the woman was only a few paces away then willed herself back into the flow of time, emerging fully with material consciousness as if awakening from a dream, and then she softly murmured the word, "Nodoka."

The other woman halted in mid-step, raising her eyes to meet the gaze of the Lore Master, then in a soft voice of surprise she gasped, "Kimiko-chan?" But almost instantly the hope in her eyes died, to be replaced by recognition that was neither hostile nor entirely friendly, "You?"

"It's me, Nodoka-san," Silk allowed herself to smile warmly at the other girl, reassuring her with a gesture of her non-threatening status, "I'm back visiting old acquaintances, hold haunts, and I chanced to find you. What a surprise this is after so many years of separation."

Nodoka relaxed into a smile as she replied, "It is good to see you again, Silk-  
san. I must say you are looking well."

"As are you," Silk inclined her head and added coyly, "I'm envious of your beauty! You have weathered the passage of the years with your good looks remarkably well preserved. You simply must tell me your secrets."

"You flatter me," Nodoka said, coloring slightly, "I really don't do anything special to myself, other than work to keep myself active and in shape. If anything it is you who look unchanged from the girl I once knew when we both were still teenagers."

"Keeping yourself active, eh?" Silk winked as her smile became more suggestive, "That's very commendable. I'll bet that stud of a husband you were going to marry has helped you out there. What was his name again? Gumbo? Golem?"

"Genma," Nodoka replied with a faint smile, but that smile turned into a wistful sigh that radiated deep longing and unhappiness. Silk began to feel genuine sympathy for the other girl as she heard Nodoka reply, "I haven't seen him for some time. In fact...I was hoping that I might find him, but the trail here in Jubai is as cold as many of the others..."

"Jubai?" Silk privately filed away the name of her present location and instead approached the other girl with unfeigned solicitation in her speech and manners, "Why don't you tell me all about it, dear? You look to me like you could use a friend, and I've always been one willing to lend an ear to anyone who would like to share their story."

"I wouldn't want to be a bother," Nodoka replied, "I was just on my way to my home, and I'm sure you have more interesting concerns elsewhere..."

"None that are more pressing than helping out an old friend," Silk smiled, allowing herself to at least imply that in the past they had shared a kind of friendship, "At the least let me walk you back to your home. Do you live close nearby?"

"No," Nodoka said, "My home is in the X district. I was only visiting with my brother in hopes of finding leads to where my son and husband have gone off to."

"Oh, you have a son now?" Silk replied, "No daughter? Well, then at the least I can walk you to the subway station. It's such a long ways and a woman can't be too careful these days, now can she?"

"Oh, I'm not afraid of any trouble," Nodoka smiled sadly, "I can take care of myself...I have been for quite a while now."

"Indeed," Silk replied, unable to help noticing the cloth-wrapped bundle that was slung across Nodoka's back, which she knew without needing the Sight to confirm contained a special Katana, the family sword that had once belonged to her mother. Nodoka had been raised in the Samurai tradition and was quite good at Kenjitsu twenty years ago. If anything she appeared to have only increased in style, if Silk's instincts were to be trusted (and being a Lore Master, they naturally could be).

Nodoka raised no protests as Silk slipped her hand into the crook of the other woman's arm and clasped palms with the other girl, lending a friendly smile that did seem to reassure Nodoka that she could, at the very least, relieve some of her burden. Silk accompanied Nodoka for the nearest subway depot, intending to worm the details out of her companion by every subtle trick of persuasion that she knew. She'd had long practice worming secrets out of Comb in such a manner, and she reckoned that could be no worse than using her charms on the Japanese girl to make her divulge her most cherished secrets.

One way or another she intended to find out why Genma had spent so many years away from his wife while denying her the simple pleasure of the company of their son while offering such support as she could for the grieving Nodoka, who by rights should have been informed at once that both son and father were staying in the house of the Tendos. Silk felt a tinge of regret that she did not tell her right away, but some instinct cautioned her to pretend disinterest rather than drop everything on this woman's lap. Best to take things slow and follow her intuition, just like her grandmother had trained her. Nothing rushed into quickly could have a good outcome, or so Lo Xion would have warned her.

Of course this did not prevent her from entertaining private fantasies about a certain stuffed panda whom she might cheerfully turn into a bearskin rug after this was all over...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"Master?" I repeated with dull incomprehension, taking in the little run dressed up like a pre-shrunk Ninja that somebody had left too long out in the elements and trying to sort out the nagging sensation that I had seen this dirty old man somewhere beforehand.

"That's right, Toots," he winked at me in a way that made me feel genuinely disgusted, "I'm your father's master, and his father before him. Happosai's the name, Anything Goes style is my game!"

"You mean when your game isn't stealing women's underwear and fondling them without their permission," Cologne remarked with a sharpness to her tone that made me glance at her in growing confusion.

"Hiyaa!" Shampoo chose that moment to exclaim, "Great Grandmother, is he truly legendary Demon master who once cause trouble to our people?"

"The very same, child," Cologne said crossly, "The legendary lecher and reputedly Most Evil Old Martial Arts master in the history of the Universe. He's the thief who stole precious heirlooms from our tribe when I was but a mere girl, for which reason I originally dispatched Silk and Comb to retrieve those items twenty years ago..."

"I know, Grandmother," Comb said stiffly, "And we failed in that quest, though there were extenuating circumstances..."

Cologne waved a dismissive hand, "You don't need to justify yourself with me, child, in all truth I should never have entrusted you with such a dangerous assignment in the first place. It was the Council who wanted those items recovered, and they demanded that someone from our house be charged with the recovery, but they refused to allow me to go-even though I argued that I alone had the best chance of defeating Happy-because of my position..."

"Wait a minute here," Master Happosai narrowed his eyes as he studied the old lady, "When you were a young girl you say? I haven't been to the Amazon lands in quite some time...which means that you must be..." he brightened and threw his arms wide, "Cologne, baby! Long-time no see!"

"Would that it could have been longer," Cologne said in a particularly unpleasant manner, and then I felt the hackles along the nape of my neck go stiff, as did the hairs along my arms as I felt a chill run up and down my spine, then saw a wind kick up the old woman's silver hair so that it almost looked like it was standing on end from a static discharge. She raised her staff and I swear that I must have been seeing something because there was an honest-to-Kami-sama glow surrounding her that took the shape of what I thought was a dragon, and one moment later she brought that staff down and struck the place where the old man had been standing,

The wave of force was incredible! I saw Ranma and Shampoo jump in front of me to take the brunt of it on themselves as I raised my arms to shield my face against the flying bits of stone and mud that went whizzing past my head without touching. I refocused my eyes in time to see that their hands were moving like a blur to pluck each bit of shrapnel out of the air before it could get near me, which was a pretty good display of coordinated thinking on both of their parts. To put it mildly, I really appreciated the gesture!

When the dustcloud settled a moment later there was a gaping hole in the ground where there had been a boulder. Cologne's staff hovered above the smoldering crater, still being clutched by her in two tiny, withered hands, while upon that staff stood the perverted old master.

"Cologne-chan," Happosai said slowly, "I get the feeling that you're not happy to see me for some reason."

"Hey you!" Daddy immediately protested, "What is the big idea of demolishing my garden? Can't you take your private quarrels somewhere else rather than destroy other people's personal property?"

I saw Genma's father had reverted to panda form again, which meant that he must have been splashed by water displaced from the koi pond. As it was he was holding up that sign he seems to carry everywhere, and on the side of it read the words, "Can't we all just get along?"

The old man hopped off of Cologne's staff and came to stand on another rock that afforded him a closer scrutiny of Daddy. He looked my father over critically and said, "What was that about, Soun my boy?"

"Ah," Daddy suddenly was down on the grown bowing profusely, while I saw Uncle Genma rolling on his back and playing with a tire like he was just an innocent panda. In tones that absolutely shook with dread Daddy cried, "Master! How we prayed...I mean-we're glad to see you once again, it has been many years..."

"Daddy?" Akane asked, echoing my confusion on the matter.

"Hmm," the old man said narrowly, "The mustache does do something to your appearance, my boy. Kind of makes you look more..."

"Stupid?" Comb suggested, and I shot a wary glare in her direction.

"I was going to say it added some distinction to your looks," the old man broke out in a wide smile, "But I'm afraid I have to agree with the cutie, it looks more like a woolly caterpillar crawled out on your upper lip. Now then...Genma, your old fox!"

The panda stopped playing as Happosai hopped over to examine him more closely, and I saw something that looked like fear in his eyes...but since Uncle Genma tends to be afraid of his own shadow I just took this to be a perfectly normal reaction on his part.

"You recognize him even though he's not human?" Akane asked, thought I might have quibbled a bit with her exact phrasing.

"Of course, I'd know him anywhere," Happosai said cheerfully, "Those drooping eyes, that sad-sack expression, the utter air of cluelessness about him..."

"Makes sense," noted Ukyo, confirming my own appraisal.

"Wow," Ranma-chan said, "You really do know Pop!"

That got the old man's attention and he turned back towards Ranma with a peculiar look, then before either of us could see him move he flew through the air and planted himself on Ranma-chan's chest with a delighted, "Yippee! Genma, my boy, you've gone and hit the motherload!"

Something sure enough hit the old man in the next second, Cologne's staff beating out Shampoo's fist and Ukyo's Bakers Peel by only a fraction of a second, which still gave Ranma-chan plenty of time to stomp him good enough to sink the old geezer's face two inches into the ground. I caught the disgusted look in Ranma's face and wished I could have got my own licks in. Imagine...somebody doing that to her long before I could!

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Ranma-chan yelled at the perverted Gnome, "I'm a guy, you got that? And what's wrong with the pair of you? You gonna grovel in the dirt while this old guy attacks both of your daughters?"

That latter part was yelled in the direction of our fathers, but rather than react to the barb, Daddy and Uncle Genma were eyeing Ranma-chan as if they had never set eyes on her until that moment.

"You...you struck the Master!" Daddy all but whimpered in terror.

Uncle Genma was holding up his sign once more, which now read, "You fool! You don't know what you've done!"

"Huh?" Ranma-chan asked, when all of a sudden the old man pushed himself off the ground, resisting Ranma's efforts at holding him in place.

"I like a girl with spunk," the old geezer growled, "But you just pushed the wrong buttons."

Ranma-chan suddenly went tumbling backwards, but she recovered in mid-tumble and landed in a fighting crouch several meters away, while the old Gnome took a stance of his own and cried, "You're pretty nimble for a girl. Tell me your name, cutie, before we get to it."

"Saotome Ranma," my iinazuke declared with a defiant tone to her voice, "Of the Anything Goes school!"

"R-Ranma?" the old man blinked, "Your name is Ranma?"

"That's what he said," Cologne replied with a guarded expression of her own.

"But that's odd," the old man considered, "Genma used to have a son by that name. I always knew he lacked imagination, but you think he could have given another name besides that to his daughter."

"That is his son," Comb replied, "Meet my future Son-in-law and Shampoo's husband, Saotome Ranma."

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo cried, vaulting to Ranma-chan's side and taking her by the arm to rest her head on the smaller girl's shoulder, "Ranma is big strong man! Shampoo go fix so dirty, evil old Demon laundry stealer see for self that only Ranma is fit to call self Anything Goes Master!"

With that she vaulted from his side and headed into the house, emerging what seemed to me to be only seconds later with an already heated tea-pot.

"You tell Shampoo if is too warm, Ailen," Shampoo said as she tipped the pot over Ranma-chan's head and started pouring. One second later, instant Ranma-  
kun!

"Well, well," the old man remarked, "So he really is a boy. Genma, you old fool, did you go and take this handsome lad to Jusenkyo?"

"What if he did?" Ranma growled, pocking the knuckles on both of his hands, "I'm still gonna flatten you for what you just did to me!"

"You're welcome to try, my boy," the old geezer smiled, assuming a fighting crouch, "Let's see what you got!"

Ranma charged the old man with a frontal assault that looked pretty devastating, or would have been if he hadn't hit the far wall of the garden instead of the old freak! I barely even saw the creep move and Ranma was sent flying across the yard as if sent that way by a slingshot. Where he hit the wall was physically cracked, which caused me to cry out his name in horrified outrage.

"Too slow by a half-step," the old man declared, then suddenly his hand shot up and he caught the edge of Ukyo's spatula as it came descending down towards him.

"Excuse me," the old guy looked up at her, effortlessly holding the bakers peel in place in spite of Kuonji's best efforts, "But you're interrupting a private chat between master and student."

"I don't care!" Ukyo growled, "You can't do that to my friend, Ranchan!"

Happosai narrowed his gaze and said, "Do I know you? You look kind of familiar..."

"Huh?" Ukyo asked, momentarily stunned out of her efforts at pounding him.

"Well, it's all the same, I guess," the old guy said philosophically, and the next thing you know he's sent Ukyo flying backwards with as much apparent effort as I'd have unrolling a futon!

"Ukyo!" Akane cried, and I heard a squeal that drew my attention to the pig at her feet. It figured Ryoga had also fallen victim to his curse or he would have been right there beside Akane making his opinions known during all of this.

"Now then," Happosai turned back towards where Ranma had fallen, only to blink his eyes as he said, "Now where did he go?"

A cry drew all out attention skyward where we saw Ranma in the act of descending towards the old man with a flying kick that was classical Saotome style. I think the old man looked impressed right up until he casually stepped to one side and let Ranma strike the ground where he had been standing, then with equal calm he tapped some spot behind Ranma's neck and stood back as Ranma tumbled backwards, landing almost at my feet as a matter of course.

"Not too shabby, boy," the old man said with a gleam in his eyes and a look of speculation, "You do have some potential, and the way you recovered just now proves that you've got what it takes to one day be a Master of the Anything Goes school."

"Yes, that's it, of course!" Daddy declared as he lifted his face from where he had been groveling the whole time, "Ranma is the heir to the Anything Goes school, and he's engaged to my daughter, Nabiki, to inherit both the Tendo and Saotome branches, along with my family dojo!"

"Nabiki?" the old guy glanced at all of us until I hesitantly raised my hand and said, "Over here, Gramps."

"Well, well," the old man smirked, glancing down at Ranma again, "You do have taste, boy, only I thought you were supposed to be engaged to Comb's child over there."

"Shampoo engaged to both Ailen," Shampoo announced proudly, kneeling down to examine poor Ranma and finding a spot she could touch that caused him to unlock his muscles, "Nabiki is promised to Ranma, and Ranma is Shampoo husband..."

"A three-way, huh?" the old man mused, "Didn't think they still went in for those, not that I've got anything against it, of course..."

"You..." Ranma started to growl, only to find Cologne's staff was in his path preventing him from lurching forward from where he crouched.

"No more for you today, Son-in-law," the old woman remarked, giving the old man an icy glare, "At least not until you've had enough training to wipe that smirk off his face. Are you proud of yourself, Happy, beating up your own great grandson?"

"Say what?" both Ranma and I said together in chorus, and the old man heaved a sigh of regret and sadly nodded.

"Yes, it's true, much to my sorrow and neglect," Happosai turned a frown at both of our fathers, and together they groveled in the dirt as if seeking permission to get back upright, "Your father carries my genes, much though the apple seems to have fallen a ways off of the ol' apple cart. Glad to see you've got more fire and spunk in you than these two disappointments put together."

"Um, excuse me?" Akane said with some hesitation, "But what's all this about? And where have you been all these years if you really are Ranma's grandfather?"

"Why," the old freak replied, "I've been trapped in a cave for the last ten years since your fathers got me drunk one night and tried to blow me up with some explosives."

"Say what?" I gasped, and I think Ranma must have been sharing my thoughts because we said that at the exact same instant with perfect synchronization.

"That's right," the old man leered as he glanced back in the direction of our fathers, "Bet you two were hoping I'd forgotten about all of that. Well, surprise, I'm back! And I'm here to make up for lost time, so you'd better get used to the idea 'cause I'm moving in and bringing my beauties with me."

"Beauties?" I repeated, wondering if this old guy had enough of the stud in him to still attract some ladies. I figured if he did they were probably living in a retirement home!

"You'll see," he cackled, turning back towards Ranma, "Good to meet you again, boy. It's been a long while since I saw any of you tad poles. We'll have to do this again sometime, but for now I've got some catching up to do with the ladies!"

And with that he vaulted away, just as Kuonji was coming to from where she had landed on the other side of the garden.

"Oh!" she groaned, "What hit me?"

"A freak of nature," Ranma turned to her and asked, "You okay there, Ucchan?"

"Fine," Ukyo groaned, "Never better." She gave a start as she found Akane was at her side with a hand outstretched, offering to help her regain her footing.

"That was pretty brave of you," she said, "Attacking that old man like that after you'd seen what he did to Ranma."

"Um...thanks," Ukyo replied, accepting the offer while apparently wondering why Akane was treating her so nicely.

"It's good that you say that, 'boy,'" Cologne gave special emphasis to the word, "Because I didn't come here just to warn you about Happy. I was here to see that you live up to your side of the bargain that we made a couple of weeks ago."

"Bargain?" the expression on Ukyo's face showed that she was fully alert now and giving the old woman her undivided attention, "What bargain?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten," Cologne smiled up at her, "After all, you were the one who emerged triumphant at the Snowman downhill competition. If you will recall, the prize was a date with my great-granddaughter, now I'm going to see that you carry through on your part pf the matter."

"SAY WHAT?" we all cried at once, including Comb, Shampoo, myself and even Ranma while Ukyo looked stunned and Akane was suddenly quite angry.

"Hey!" she cried, "You can't force him to go ahead with that! Besides, Shampoo's already engaged to my sister and Ranma!"

I was wondering about the way Akane had said that when Ranma himself spoke up and said, "Yeah, but a deal's a deal, after all, and I can't exactly pretend it never happened. Ucchan won the Phoenix pill for me after all, so I guess I owe him a favor."

Now Shampoo was looking in disbelief at Ranma, and so was I, wondering what the heck was going on in his mind that he could say such a thing about Shampoo. I know he thinks Ukyo's a boy, so why would he be in favor of her dating our mutual girlfriend?

The offer seemed to take even Cologne by surprise, and I suddenly had a gleam of her motivation in all of this. She must have been trying to smoke out Ranma by making him jealous over Shampoo, and Ranma had just turned things around to make it sound like he was trading Shampoo's favors for favors!

"You've got to be kidding!" Akane growled, "You want Shampoo to date him?"

"This ain't about what I want," Ranma replied, "It's about what's right for Ucchan. I ain't forcing Shampoo to do nothing that she don't want, but she did agree to go out with the winner, and that wasn't me, thanks to you, old woman. Hey, if I'd won I'd be glad to go out with her and show you a good time, Sham-  
chan, but since it didn't work out that way..." he let the point drop, nodding towards Kuonji.

"Hey," Ukyo said nervously, "I don't want to get involved here, or get in the way between you guys..."

"Oh, you won't," Ranma came up to stand beside her and clapped him on the shoulder, "This ain't got nothing to do with what's between Shampoo, Nabiki and me, not unless you two hit it off for some reason..." he let his tone become a growl as he added, "Just make sure you do show Shampoo a good time. She's a great girl and she deserves to be treated like a lady, old buddy."

Kuonji swallowed, and for a half-second I wondered if Ranma had somehow penetrated her disguise, which no doubt was running through Ukyo's mind at that same instant.

Shampoo recovered from her own shock and surprise to look at Ranma curiously, then she asked, "Ailen...is this what you want of Shampoo?"

"It's entirely up to you, Sham-chan," Ranma told her, "I won't blame you if you want to back out, but as that wouldn't be fair to ol' Ucchan..."

I saw a tell-tale crafty look come into Shampoo's lovely features, and then she smiled and walked right up to Ukyo and said, "Then you take Shampoo on date, and it better be nice one, or I tell Ailen."

"But...what?" Ukyo blinked her eyes with a particularly trapped expression.

"Unless you have reason you no want to date Shampoo?" our Amazon bride-to-be asked coyly, giving Ukyo a particularly sultry expression that was guaranteed to expose anyone who didn't find girls attractive.

I caught on about that point and smiled myself, saying, "Well then, you two have a good time, and don't stay out too late, you hear?"

"Hey!" Akane protested, "Oneechan, don't you force him into it too!"

I heard Ryoga make an inquiring noise and looked down to see a very piggish expression of confusion and outrage.

"A date?" Ukyo gasped, "Um...well..."

"You may pick her up at eight sharp," Cologne said as she began to hop away, "She will be at the Nekohanten making her self ready. Don't be late, and be sure to have her back home by eleven."

"Meanwhile," Ranma said with a glare at our two fathers, "Nabiki and me have a few things we'd like to have settled with the old guys."

Both Daddy and Uncle Genma did not seem too happy at the looks that Ranma, Akane and me were giving them, in fact I'd say they looked like they wanted to go hide somewhere in a corner.

Before we pursued the matter, however, I heard Cologne pause beside Comb and asked in a puzzled voice, "Granddaughter? Why are you shedding those tears?"

"I'm sorry, Grandmother," Comb said as she dabbed at her eyes with a silk kerchief, "It's just my little baby is growing up so fast..."

"They tend to do that at her age," Comb replied, then continued on her way out beyond the holes put in the walls of our garden...

"Are you certain that I cannot convince you to stay a while longer?"

"Thank you, but I must be going home," Kasumi replied, "My family will be worried about me, and father will be most anxious if he doesn't hear from me in person."

"I am certain he will do fine," Kodachi observed, "He's probably basking in the attention that Amazon has been lavishing on him since they both got back together."

"Do you think so?" for a moment Kasumi's seamless brow was furrowed with the faintest look of concern, "I suppose you may be right...they were awfully close at one time..."

"They have a daughter only slightly older than you to testify to that," Kodachi said as gently as she could, mindful not to say too much to upset her companion.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "I guess you're right, that mean's I'm not the oldest anymore. Kachu really is my Oneesan."

"And she seems to have found herself a husband, no less," Kodachi studied the other girl's expression carefully as she added, "And a Doctor at that, this Tofu Ono, whom I believe is a friend of yours?"

"Yes," Kasumi replied with a faint sigh, "A friend. He's always been there for me and my family whenever we've needed him, so in a way I am happy for him, but..."

"But?" Kodachi hung on the word with more anxiety than she would have imagined.

"Well..." Kasumi sighed at last, "It is silly, but I have at times wondered why he hasn't married before. He's such a kind and considerate man, and very handsome. I'm sure any woman would count themselves fortunate to have him for a husband...still...there have been times..."

She let the sentence hand there unfinished, but after a slight pause she smiled again and said, "Oh, I'm probably just being silly. I'm sure he'll make Kachu-  
san a very happy woman. It's just that...well, it reminds me so much that I've never really found anyone who could make me feel as happy. I've always wondered if Tofu-Sensei might find a girl like me attractive, but I've never been able to sound him out on that. He always behaves so oddly whenever I am around him..."

"Some men do have their problems," Kodachi continued to study Kasumi, memorizing each trace and detail of her sad expression.

"Perhaps so," Kasumi said, "But I had begun to think that maybe the reason Tofu behaves the way he does around me is that he's always trying to cheer me up. I'd like a man who could be so thoughtful about my needs. I guess now that he has my sister he won't have time to even look in my direction, which is a shame because I've never found anyone else who was half as interesting to be around. Did you know that he's the one who encouraged me to learn Chinese so I could read the books he always lends me?"

"Indeed," Kodachi's tone was just a bit icy, "A man of many talents."

Kasumi brightened once again as she turned fully towards Kodachi and said, "Oh, but you've made me feel so much better by letting me spend the night in your mansion. I haven't done anything like this in ages, and it was so nice to have a girlfriend once again. I hope I won't be too forward if I ask to do this with you again. I never realized that it could be so much fun to spend a night away from my family. I haven't even thought about taking a vacation to be by myself like this in ages."

Kodachi felt something warm fill her chest and she almost glowed as she replied, "By all means come whenever you like. It was such a pleasure having you here...you really must extend your visit with me sometime. They put far too many obligations on you in your house, you are the one who deserves to feel pampered."

"Oh, but it's never been any real burden for me," Kasumi reassured her, "If anything it's always felt good to be needed and have someone I can care for. I may do a lot of things to maintain the Wa of our house but it's a joy that I have always been good at it because it makes me feel so much closer to my dear, departed mother."

Kodachi felt a brief shudder as she thought about what it would have been like to feel closer to her own mother. Aloud what she said was, "I would dearly love to have you serve me sometime with even half as much devotion. I thank you for putting me to bed when I was...indisposed..."

"I was only too happy to help you out," Kasumi replied, "It was nothing less than what I would have done for any of my sisters, and you were so kind in letting me stay here."

Kodachi felt an overwhelming urge to reach out to this other girl, to embrace her, to fall to her knees, to worship and adore her like a saint. Instead she exchanged parting pleasantries and watched Kasumi go down the walkway to where the driver was holding open the door to the limousine that would take Kasumi home (but only temporarily out of Kodachi's life, she solemnly vowed to herself with a wistful sigh of longing). Feeling rather like the fisherman who had allowed "the Big One" to get away, she closed the front door and leaned against it, feeling momentarily weak in the knees as she filled her mind with thoughts of the beauteous Kasumi.

But there was no gentleness in her tone when she pushed away a moment later and cried out, "SASUKE!"

Almost instantly the little Ninja peeled himself out from the shadows and at once threw himself to the floor and bowed profusely to Kodachi saying, "Forgive me, Mistress! It wasn't my fault! He made me do it!"

"He?" Kodachi pronounced the word as if not liking the taste or the sound of it.

"The ancient Evil old master who has returned to haunt our nightmares!" Sasuke proclaimed in a quivering voice, "I remember him when I was still a small boy, and if anything he's just as terrifying as he was in the days when my father still served your father! He is evil, Mistress, unstoppable in his lusts..."

"What are you babbling about?" Kodachi asked in confusion, then a sudden flash of insight hit her, "You mean another devil, like that Oni?"

"No, Mistress," Sasuke replied, "Worse than any Oni! He is Happosai, the Grand Master of the Anything Goes school, back from the dead to torment the living!"

"Anything Goes, you say?" Kodachi frowned, "Could this have anything to do with my beloved?"

"With young Master Saotome?" Sasuke considered, "It might...if you consider that his father was a student of Happosai..."

"Saotome?" Kodachi was momentarily confused, "Oh...you mean Ranma's father. Oh well...I was really more concerned about the Tendos..."

"Oh, didn't I tell you that?" Sasuke risked looking up at his employer, "Soun Tendo is also a former star pupil of Master Happosai. Their families belong to the same school and..."

"You mean he is the Master to the father of Kasumi?" Kodachi said with mile surprise, "And he was here last night you say?"

"Indeed, Mistress," Sasuke was pleased at the calmer tone of the Black Rose this morning and hastily explained, "He must have followed her here, and he surprised me when I went to fulfill your commands regarding the drinks. He...made me switch the potions..." Sasuke glanced down timidly, expecting to be chastised.

"So the Master of Kasumi's father is the one I have to thank for my sudden nap last evening," she mused in thoughtful tones, "Well, in a way I suppose he was just looking out for her interests. After all, there are a lot of dangerously unstable people in the world who would delight in taking advantage of such a delicate flower of innocent ripe maidenhood."

"Indeed Mistress," Sasuke agreed, hoping that he did not let even a trace of irony slip into his tone as he said this.

"Still it does not excuse you for allowing an intruder onto the premises," Kodachi said with a note of caution, "I should be very displeased if anything like this should happen again in the near future."

"I understand, Mistress," Sasuke almost had his face in the carpet as he groveled at her feet, "You are the soul of kindness, generosity and mercy..."

"Actually she just walked out the door," Kodachi said with offhanded casualness, "I expect you to report to the Punishment Room, where I will discipline you for your lax behavior."

Sasuke froze like a lawn ornament, and for a moment the only sound was a very audible swallow, then a very mild, "Yes, Mistress."

"Oh," Kodachi said as she was about to turn away, "You may also feed Mister Green Turtle. I'll be far too preoccupied to attend to that myself this morning."

Sasuke's face became a mask that you could have used in a Kabuki play, and his voice was barely audible as he said, "yes mistress..."

"Oh, and if you find any time between this and your regular duties, please look up for me the word Jusenkyo," Kodachi added, "My beloved mentioned something about that last night, though she wouldn't share with me any details. I think it may be of some importance."

"As you wish it, Mistress," Sasuke replied, wondering if it was a good time to update his last will and testament. The day was already looking to be a long one!

"Now, if that's done," Kodachi said as she headed for the stairs, "I would like to be alone in my room for a while. I'll call you when I need you."

She didn't even bother to wait for his reply, so Sasuke decided to hold his peace until she was well out of earshot, then he sighed to himself and said, "And I thought they were such a handful when they were only children..."

Silk sipped her tea and found herself enjoying the conversation with Nodoka far more than she would have believed if judged merely by the old days. Nodoka had grown up to be a fine and regal lady who kept an excellent house and was the perfect hostess in every sense of the term. If anything she was a startling contrast to Comb, who could have been at home in a pig-sty if not for the valiant cleaning efforts of her husband.

"So you've been seeking the whereabouts of your husband for some time now?" Silk asked.

"Hai," Nodoka agreed as she offered another riceball to her companion, "I haven't seen either him or my son in over ten long years, and lately I've been growing more and more troubled about that. Genma promised he would return about this time and bring our son to show me what kind of a man he had grown up to be. It's very important that I know if Genma has kept up on his promise that Ranma would be a man among men, the pride of any mother."

"Indeed," Silk mused, thinking to herself that Ranma definitely fulfilled the "Manly" part, at least when he was able to stay away from cold water. She could see how much it was tearing at Nodoka not to know the whereabouts of her loved ones and she regretted once again her deception in not immediately confessing her knowledge regarding their present whereabouts.

(Damn you, Saotome Genma,) she thought to herself in a rather acid contemplation, (You have no right to come between a mother and her child! You are not Cologne, an Elder who has earned the respect of her peers, to deny your wife the simple satisfaction of knowing that your son is still alive! How dare you!)

Aloud what she said was, "I'm certain that your son is alive and thinks only the best of you, in fact I'm sure that he would be delighted to know that you are well and that you think of him so kindly."

"But if only I could certain," Nodoka allowed her mask of calm to slip away, betraying the anxieties she had shared with no one until this moment, "I am certain that Genma will bring Ranma home when he is ready, but if I could only have some assurance that they are even still alive..."

Silk felt her own motherly instincts rising to the fore. She had not succeeded in raising Kachu to be the sort of daughter that she would have wanted, but there had been many moments when being a mother had brought her the greatest happiness in her life, and there was no way that she could tolerate seeing someone else in this position. Even when Kachu was away training with others there had been the comforting knowledge that her daughter was alive, hale and hearty and terrorizing her instructors. The very least that she could do for this particular mother was to offer her some hope that he son was still among the living.

"Nodoka-chan," she said softly, "I don't know what you remember about us Amazons and our ways, or if you've heard about the rumors concerning us, but...it may be of interest to you that we are not entirely a race of woman warriors. In fact some of us specialize in other fields of endeavor, and when I last left Japan it was in pursuit of this alternate way of living."

"Are you saying that you're no longer a warrior?" Nodoka asked curiously.

"That's right," Silk smiled, "I am what they call a Lore Master, much as my grandmother, whom I believe you will remember?"

"Vaguely," Nodoka said, "The one you claimed was almost two hundred years old?"

"The same," Silk confirmed, "And as a Lore Master I have certain...abilities that help me to find things out when I need to. I may be able to locate your husband and son for you..."

"Can you?" Nodoka asked with sudden excitement, "Oh, Silk-chan...if you can do this for me, then I will be eternally grateful!"

"I can't make you any guarantees," Silk replied in what was commonly a disclaimer in her profession, and thus came to her by long habit, "But I think I can promise you results, if you would care to accompany me on a little journey."

"How soon can we leave?" Nodoka asked, almost girlishly excited.

"I think it would be best if we wait until morning," Silk replied, trying not to seem too confident of her own abilities, but when Nodoka shook her head she replied, "Now? But we only just got back to your place..."

"I couldn't possibly spend a whole day waiting to know the truth!" Nodoka urged her, "The day is still so young, and I have been waiting for such a very long time..."

Silk heaved a sigh and relented, "Today it is, then...and if fortune smiles upon us it is entirely possible that you will be reunited with your loved ones before nightfall."

Nodoka had the most yearning, eager expression that Silk could ever remember seeing, and it reminded her of her own long-suppressed desire to be reunited with her "Soun-chan." There was a nagging sense of doubt in her, though...a warning instinct that she knew-as a Lore Master-meant something was badly out of kilter with the picture that she was seeing, but for the life of her she could not determine what could possibly be wrong with helping a mother to find her son and wayward husband. Genma was obviously a deadbeat father who had abandoned his wife and callously refused to make contact with her in spite of an evident promise he had made on that subject. Try as she might she could see no evil in helping to rectify such an injustice.

Of course the fact that she knew where Genma and Ranma were staying meant that she could give results with perfect certitude. No need to inform Nodoka of this, however, better to let her believe that Silk was merely acting the part of a clever psychic. She could easily whisk them both away in mere seconds had she a mind to, but doing things the slow and gradual way would give her a chance to socialize some more and determine just why Nodoka had been willing to trust Genma. Nodoka was many things, but Silk could not believe that she was ever so foolish.

Again that warning instinct touched her mind, cautioning her of potential danger, but she thought nothing of the fact that Nodoka insisted on bringing her katana. It was a perfectly logical move for an Amazon, so Silk decided that whatever was bothering her could be dealt with in all good time, assuming that it was really that important...

Comments/Criticism/Bushido Contracts: shadowmane

Guess who's coming to dinner in Nerima? Can anybody describe the proper recipe for sliced Panda? And what about that date everyone keeps mentioning between Shampoo and Ucchan? Find out about all this and more as Tofu takes Kachu shopping, and other potential natural disasters! Be there!

Jim.

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	39. Chapter 39

NabikiRan38 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets!  
By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-Eight.

Tofu Ono was a bit concerned about the state of his wallet. It was not that he didn't make a very good living as a Doctor and Acupuncture Specialist living in Nerima, Japan, with a steady clientele and much favorable word-of-mouth that kept his business healthy. It was not that he did not have a good nest egg salted away, or that he was normally all that preoccupied with petty concerns such as money.

No, the reason he was concerned was rather the rate at which he had been spending since early that morning, beginning with breakfast in which he treated Kachu to the best Chinese restaurant that he could find in town and wound up making the mistake of telling his new "bride" that she could eat as much as she liked from what was on the menu.

In retrospect that was a tactical mistake, he knew, but how could he have anticipated that she would have such an appetite? Kasumi normally ate very moderately and kept a healthy balance of nutrition in her diet. Kachu-by contrast-ate like a horse and all but inhaled in the calories (though he noted with approval that she avoided meat items and preferred the complex carbohydrate dishes that were full of vitamins in the vegetable category). He reasoned as an afterthought that she probably needed more to eat due to her very energetic lifestyle. Demon hunters, he decided, had to work out a lot to keep in shape for when practicing her profession.

Next he took her to a little shop he knew of that sold Chinese-style dresses. Kachu had sized up the merchandise with a professional eye and got to haggling with the owner over price, then wound up buying one of the more expensive dresses in the place, saying that it was just like the kind of festival dresses she had always dreamed of wearing when she had been much younger. Tofu was now standing outside of the dressing room waiting for her to come out as the attendant herself was helping to dress the Amazon and make her look more "attractive."

Tofu doubted that it was possible to make Kachu any more attractive. After all, she looked just like K-K-K-Kasumi! As he thought this Tofu silently cursed himself for the ten thousandth time his inability to remain focused whenever his thoughts turned towards Kasumi. This was hardly the thing to be thinking when spending time with her aggressive twin sister!

Where to next, Tofu wondered? What do you get for the lady who has next to nothing and only wears what she can carry? He thought of candy and flowers but rejected those at once since he wasn't trying to romance her and still entertained the hope that he might be able to free her and himself from this "marriage" business. He considered novelty shops and merchant stores that he knew but wondered just which of these might be acceptable stops to acquire things that were needed by Kachu. He certainly didn't think it appropriate to consider jewelry or other romantic presents that might interest a lady. Already his wallet was feeling about one third lighter than it had been this morning and there was no telling how long it would be before he would have to stop in at an ATM to replenish his resources...

"I am ready."

Tofu was brought back from the privacy of his thoughts with those simple words. He started to turn around to see how Kachu was doing...and froze where he stood, looking upon the very image of Kasumi!

"Well?" she asked, glancing self-consciously down at herself, "Do you like it?"

Tofu had trouble breathing. His breath caught in his throat as he just gazed at the vision before his eyes and he felt his head swim as he slowly looked her over. Kachu was wearing a tasteful silk dress that was powder blue with pink trim and very flattering for her willowy figure. A pale pink sash around her waist was tired by a simple, functional knot that make it seem like the belt to a Karate gi, yet the lines of her dress played fetchingly down to her ankles, revealing well-shaped feet adorned by simple slippers while her upper dress was cut with a neck line that was held in place by hooks but showed just enough of the cleft between her breasts to evoke an air of mystery for what lay in the gulf between them. Over all the effect made Kachu seem like a fairy-tail princess, yet it wasn't her name that was on his lips as Tofu gasped, "Ka-Ka-Ka-  
-!"

"Eh?" Kachu broke the illusion to look at him with open concern on her features, yet a very different sort of concern than he would experience from Kasumi.

"Ah..." Tofu forced himself to look away and said, "It's nice...it looks very good on you...very good, in fact..."

"It does?" Kachu sounded puzzled, "Then why won't you look at me when you talk? Am I really that offensive to look at?"

"N-No!" Tofu protested, "You don't look offensive at all...I mean-you look very nice," with some effort he swallowed, then forced himself to look back at her, unable to help feeling a surge of giddiness overtaking him at the sight of this near-parallel to Kasumi. Kachu was looking at him with a puzzled expression, so for her sake he said, "Ah...how much?"

Kachu told him and he almost fainted. That the proprietor had been talked down from the original sum left him gasping at the thought of what it must have cost wholesale, but when Kachu-correctly for once-read his disbelieving expression and said, "As I thought, it is much too expensive. You could feed an entire village for a year at these prices," something in him rallied and he immediately voice his protest as she reached for her collar as if she were about to remove it.

"We'll take it!" he said, glad for the fact that he at least had good credit. His words startled Kachu once again, so she made no further protest of her own as he closed the deal with the shop owner.

As they left the store Tofu was glad that the owner had been pleased enough with the deal that she was willing to sell several other more practical items at reduced cost so that Kachu would have more than one change of clothing to wear without driving him into the poor house. At his insistence she wore the dress he had just bought for her as they resumed walking the streets of the Furinkan Financial district with Kachu eyeing him every step of the way until she could bear the suspense no longer.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, "Even for a husband such generosity is not required."

Tofu had to concede that it was a very good question and wondered at his own actions, but aloud what he said was, "I just thought you deserved to own something nice, and it does look good on you. I wanted you to be able to wear nice things whenever you go out...ah...as something other than a Devil Hunter, that is."

"You disapprove of my lifestyle?" Kachu wanted to know.

"Oh no!" Tofu said, "Not at all! Watching you in action yesterday, I...I suppose you're a very good Devil Hunter. I mean, it's not like I know all that much about your line of work, but I'm sure it's very important to you and..."

Kachu halted in her tracks and said, "All right, that is enough!"

"Uh?" Tofu turned around to look at her in confusion.

"No one is as nice to a total stranger as you have been with me," Kachu said, "Not even one compelled by the law to be my Airen. Just what is it you want from me and why are you being so generous with me this morning? Is there something that you want from me? Is it my body you desire, because if it is..."

"Ah, please, no!" Tofu pleaded, unable to help feeling uncomfortable at having this sort of exchange in a public place, "I don't want anything like that from you! I mean...I think you're very beautiful, and any man would be pleased to have a woman like you standing beside him. In fact..." he swallowed again, realizing that he was on the verge of one of his fits of hysteria. She looked sooooo much like Kasumi at that moment that even the contrast in attitudes could not detract from the impression.

"In fact...what?" Kachu asked him.

Tofu shut his eyes and let his head slump forward, momentarily stumped for an answer. It helped not looking directly at her to get his thoughts back into some semblance of order. Recalling a similar conversation that they had shared the night before he managed to blurt out, "I don't want to take anything from you or make you do anything that you don't want to do of your own accord, Kachu-  
chan. I don't know why you believe that I would ever take advantage of you in that way, but I'm not like that! I respect you too much to ever want to hurt you."

"But...why?" Kachu replied in utter confusion.

Tofu was still struggling to find the right words to explain to the Amazon the concept of altruism for its own sake when he heard a cheerful voice call out to them and say, "Oh my! What a pleasant surprise this is running into the both of you like this, Tofu-Sensei, Oneechan."

"Oneechan?" Kachu turned to regard the unexpected appearance of her half-sister, Kasumi.

Oh no! thought Tofu to himself in helpless realization. Not now! I'm doomed...!

Aloud what he said as he turned around was, "K-K-K-Kasumi? F-Fancy meeting you here of all places! I was just...ah...thinking what a nice day it is and..."

"Hah?" Kachu said, almost immediately recognizing that there was something different in the mannerisms of her new husband.

"Kachu and I were just...um...doing some shopping," Tofu said in a high-pitched voice that squeaked with the tension he was feeling upon seeing the real her again, as always struck by her radiant beauty in a way that left him utterly tongue-tied.

"Shopping?" Kasumi said when she took in the sight of Kachu's dress and remarked, "Oh my! What a beautiful dress! It looks so nice on you, older sister. Did Tofu-Sensei buy it for you?"

"He did," Kachu said levelly, still not certain what to make of this girl whom she had so recently mistaken for a Doppelganger, and with whom she still felt an odd kind of connection.

"Isn't that just like you, Doctor?" Kasumi smiled at Tofu, who could not help basking in the glow of her warm expression, then Kasumi looked back at Kachu and said, "How very lucky you are to be able to claim him, sister. He really is a very nice man, and he can be such a great comedian whenever he thinks you need cheering up. I just know he'll make you a very fine husband."

"Ah-hah-ah-hah-ah-hah...!" Tofu babbled like an idiot, inwardly cringing at his inability to master himself in these situations.

"Comedian?" Kachu repeated, uncertain about the word though very certain that she did not like the sound of it, or the context.

"Well, I really must be hurrying home now," Kasumi said cheerfully, "Father will be wondering what I've been doing all night, even after I called him to let him know that I would be spending the night at a friend's. Father worries so much over little things, but you'll get used to him in good time, sister," Kasumi said pleasantly before bowing and wishing them both a good morning and afternoon to follow. As she began moving forward again Tofu's eyes remained locked upon her, even after his glasses became much too steamy to see with.

Kachu was studying her husband carefully and missed no trace nor nuance of his enraptured expression. It was only after Kasumi was no longer within his direct field of vision that Tofu finally snapped out of his daze, then he looked around himself in confusion before turning his bewildered gaze in the Amazon's direction.

"Ah..." Tofu said as he sensed her rising displeasure, "I suppose you must be wondering why I behaved like that I front of your sister..."

"Don't bother," Kachu snarled, "I couldn't care less about it!"

Tofu had some cause to doubt the accuracy of that statement as-mere instants later-he found himself buried face-first in a pile of apples that were being hawked by a local merchant. Feeling battered and bruised and not a little bit crestfallen, Tofu managed to groan, "I think the lady is upset with me for some reason...Ow...!"

Kodachi lay back upon the silken sheets of her bed and fanaticized about Kasumi. The sheets that had been graced by the older girl's bottom still felt warm to her touch, and she could remember every line feature of her perfect face. The warmth of brown eyes gazing fondly on Kodachi made her feel so warm inside that Kodachi hugged herself just from the memory of that intimate moment. The warmth of Kasumi's arms around her, holding her close made Kodachi shudder with longing. She wanted to be held like that again, to be comforted forever by Kasumi's wonderful presence. Just thinking about it made her shudder as though she were suffering from a fever and what had been a mere fancy before was slowly growing with intensity like a raging inferno which threatened to consume her.

"Kasumi...sama!" Kodachi breathed, pronouncing the words as if savoring their flavor.

If she were the sort of person who could experience introverted moments of self-  
reflection it might have struck Kodachi as odd how she had so completely transferred her affections towards Kasumi and away from Ranma. In all truth it had been a gradual evolution that had begun from the moment that she ceased feeling such a rivalry with Nabiki over young Saotome's affections. It had been a whim, to be certain, that she had fixated upon the handsome young boy in the first place, but the novelty had long ago worn off when Ranma had not returned her attempted affections. When Kodachi had agreed to help train Nabiki for the martial arts Ice Skating match it had diluted her desire to rub the Tendo girl's nose in the dirt and even brought them closer to the point of actual friendship.

The turning point, oddly enough, was her date with Ranma, which had gone off without a hitch and provided them both with a pleasant enough evening that Kodachi briefly thought things could be brought closer between them. But then Shampoo had returned to Nerima and nothing was the same. Nabiki had been quick to warn her of the potential threat, hardly the act of someone whom you could treat like an enemy. If anything Kodachi had been touched by such an act of compassion.

In all truth, she reasoned, someone like Nabiki was truly beneath her in terms of social grace and standing, so competing against her was in effect to lower Kodachi to the mercenary girl's standards. Her older sister-by contrast-was a different story altogether! Kasumi had grace and charm in ample abundance, and she carried herself with such dignity that she could have been born to a much nobler house and superior social standing. Kasumi had immediately become more than a friend to Kodachi and filled a void in Kodachi's soul that the Black Rose had not even been aware of.

Let Nabiki and the Amazon fight over their bone, Kodachi had decided. Ranma was an attractive enough youth, but Kasumi was all woman and had no reservations about showing how much she cared about you. Now the only difficult task that Kodachi foresaw was somehow moving their relationship beyond the point of simple friendship. How exactly this was to be accomplished she was not certain, but Kodachi wanted them to be closer, and hence her abortive scheme to keep Kodachi with her for more than a single evening.

She smiled as she savored the finer details of her plans, having long rehearsed them in detail. The scenario was simple enough, to catch Kasumi unawares with a harmless drug that would give her a peaceful rest so that Kodachi could carry her off to a pre-arranged assignation. Kasumi would wake up to find her loving Kodachi in her arms and before she could voice serious protest she would find the amorous Black Rose already hard at work in winning her over. Kodachi had a vivid imagination of the sorts of things that she would do to arouse the dormant passions of the other girl, then it would be the Black Rose giving Kasumi comfort, and from there...oh yes! Such wonderful things were bound to happen!

The fact that things had not gone according to plan was-in her eyes-a mere a setback, nothing to seriously deter her from attempting it again. She would strive to win Kodachi into her embrace and then...oh yes...and then she would have that perfect body at her tender mercies...to do with Kasumi all the wonderful things that her heart so fervently desired.

She smiled briefly and considered the other alternative, then dismissed the idea at once as going too far and too fast. There was time enough to initiate Kasumi into THAT sort of by-play, not that she had any great desire to inflict pain or discomfort to the other girl, as she had done to other girls whom she had lured into her place for "experimental purposes." Several members of her gymnastics team had, on prior occasions, been the recipients of Kodachi's dark amusements. They had kept the whole affair hush-hush, of course, sometimes with threats and/or bribery, sometimes outright coercive reinforcement. Only a few girls had been the objects of Kodachi's perverse whims, members of her Gymnastics club who each had evidenced signs of a submissive nature, thus assuring Kodachi that they could be easily dominated. If anything the games they had played had helped them become more accomplished gymnasts, and once who were that much more adverse to earning the displeasure of their domineering Captain.

No, that sort of thing could wait before she drew Kasumi into that level of amusement. For now she wanted Kasumi exactly the way she was, and only after she was assured of the other girl's affections would she risk alienating her by subjecting Kasumi to the sorts of things that she had done to her fellow Saint Hebereke students.

Kodachi gave a mirthful chuckle when she thought of her loyal manservant, Sasuke, who was no doubt even then enjoying the services of the "Punishment Room." The little Ninja tried to hard to stay on her good side, and it really wasn't his fault that he could be so clumsy and incompetent sometimes. Still and all it was a good thing to remind Sasuke what the cost would be of running afoul of his Mistress. Because of his carelessness and cowardliness he had cost Kodachi a chance at happiness, though as matters turned out it had been for the better as it allowed her to grow even closer with Kasumi.

Still it was the principle of the thing that had to be kept in mind. There was no sense in allowing Sasuke to become complacent, what with her father coming back to Japan after a protracted absence. Keeping him on his toes was all for the better, so by rights he ought to be grateful, Kodachi reasoned.

She just hoped that the punishment that she had inflicted upon him was not too severe, and that Sasuke would somehow find it in his heart to forgive her...

Sasuke staggered out of the room, having completed the six-hour ordeal that had been commanded by his Mistress. The sheer horror of what he saw would give him nightmares for days, but it was no less than he deserved for having failed to defend his household, so in a way he had to concede that his Mistress had shown him at least a token of mercy.

But still...he shuddered at the memory! To think that rational human beings could subject one another to this sort of torture! What were these Americans thinking when they took a perfectly good series like Dynaman and transformed it into such awful dreck as "Mighty Morphing Power Rangers...!"

He glanced back at the VCR machine, which had already rewound the tape after a six-hour marathon of "Power Ranger" episodes, and he shuddered once again. Locking himself into the same room as the cursed machine while it spewed its filth in badly dubbed Japanese was a lot closer to Hell than he hoped he would ever come in real life. He hoped he never had to go through such a thing again but held his dread to himself, knowing that the Mistress had tapes from the rest of the first season of the show that she was ready to subject him to should Sasuke ever again wind up on her dark side...

"SASUKE!" a familiar voice called out, drawing his mind back to the present.

Sasuke heaved a sigh and resigned himself to having yet another long day. No sooner was the Mistress done with him then he had to rush off to placate the Master. No rest for the wicked indeed, he reasoned. Still, without his efforts the whole of the Kuno mansion would probably collapse, which meant that he needed to see to it that it did not for at least one more evening...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"Just what the hell are you up to, old woman?" I growled as I stood inside the Nekoken with Ranma, awaiting Ukyo's arrival while Shampoo was upstairs dressing.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Daughter-in-law?" Cologne asked as she went about her business hopping from one end of the establishment to the other.

"You know perfectly well what she's talking about," Ranma said gruffly, "Setting Shampoo up on a date with Ucchan's just your idea of making us both jealous, right? Well, it ain't gonna happen!"

"So you say, Son-in-Law," Cologne replied in what sounded like a crafty tone of amusement.

"You think this is funny?" I asked, "You like jerking our chains to get a reaction?"

"I think that the both of you are much too clever for that," Cologne replied, continuing to hop from one end of the closed restaurant to the other as she moved things around with ridiculous ease for a little old lady like furniture and table settings.

"Yeah, right," I growled, "So what are you up to...and would you stand still when we talk to you already?"

"I'm sorry," Cologne replied, putting chairs on top of tables, "I'm a busy woman and a bit short handed at the moment. With Shampoo making herself ready for her date I have only myself to rely upon for closing up...unless you'd like your old job back, Son-in-Law."

"Not a chance," Ranma growled, "I've got enough to do to keep myself busy."

"Ah yes," Cologne remarked, "You two are teaching at your father's dojo, Daughter-in-Law. How are things going with you there? I'd been meaning to sit in on one of your classes."

"Well enough," I said evenly, "We've got about a dozen regular students, a few who attend whenever they can make it. Ranma teaches mostly, and our fathers sit in on the lectures."

"Yeah," Ranma scoffed, "Like the old man knows that much more than me. It's Nabiki's Pop who really runs the show in some places."

Ranma was, of course, exaggerating the role of my Father, but I felt gratitude towards him for trying to put the best spin on our fathers' involvement. Uncle Genma, for all that he's a fat, lazy slob who doesn't do a lick of work around the house, can be a real task-master when it comes to working the best out of our students while the most my Daddy can do is encourage people to do their best by offering encouragement here or there while offering the odd pointer.

It's only been a couple of months that we've been running the dojo, but in all truth it does feel good to give the place some life again after so many years where it's just been Akane's personal work-out chamber. I can remember when Daddy used to run regular classes, before Momma got sick and he lost his fighting spirit. Now it's just a few nights a week that we let outsiders train in the family tradition, but with Ranma's reputation drawing in students we've managed to coral some regulars who pay about five thousand yen a month each for the privilege, which is-on the whole-pretty good and helps keep the family solvent. Akane helps out too (whenever she and Ranma can stand to be around each other) and so does Ryoga, if only to help pay for the room-and-board he's secretly been earning as our unofficial houseguest.

Shampoo, of course, has started to make herself useful, and it hardly hurts our business to have somebody as nice-looking as she is around to draw extra male attention. High School students on the whole don't make a lot of money, but their parents are willing to fork over their fees to give their kids a fighting edge in a place as prone to violence as Furinkan High School.

Of course Shampoo's presence has tended to drive Akane that much more over the edge, and training side-by-side with her is bound to make a difference with my little sister. I know Shampoo fancies herself Akane's unofficial tutor, but things are still too new for us all there, and what with the stuff that happened while we were off training in the mountains...well, only time would tell if this was a stable arrangement.

Okay, back to the circumstances surrounding Shampoo's date. The old woman had set the place and time, so I was surreptitiously eyeing the clock to note that Ukyo was due to show up in another five minutes. I don't know why but I felt vaguely uneasy about this whole date thing. Kuonji may have been passing herself off as a guy but she professed that she wasn't trying to be one in just that manner. I had my doubts about the accuracy of her claims there as a lot of girls I know profess to harbor no Lesbian or Bisexual inclinations whatsoever. Since I admit I'm Bi I tend to be skeptical about such claims, and having seen too many borderline cases I just think it's a matter of meeting the right people. If you like somebody it doesn't matter if they're a guy or a girl, you go for it, end of story. That may not be the popular view, but just because other people are into heavy denial doesn't mean I'd turn a blind eye to the possibility with Kuonji.

Still I was reluctant to expose her on general principles, even granted that it was tearing me up a little to keep a thing like this from Ranma. Both Shampoo and me had an agreement to keep the truth close to the vest until we knew for certain whether or not Ukyo was planning to press her claims as another of Ranma's fianc es. The two of us alone was a crowd, but with three women going after the same guy? Who knew what that could lead to! Then there was the curious involvement of my little sister, and the fact that I'd been deceiving Akane there with my silence that was gnawing on my conscience in lieu of the fiasco regarding "P-chan" Ryoga. On the whole I figured I was keeping way too many secrets.

I caught myself glancing towards the stairs for more than just the matter of what Shampoo might be thinking at that moment. Lotion was somewhere up there in her room, sleeping according to Cologne, and I caught myself wanting to seek her out for some odd reason. I was starting to get used to having the old woman give me advice even when it wasn't wanted, and for a fact I knew that I could benefit from somebody's counseling at that moment.

Cologne was still moving around a lot when Kuonji finally made her appearance, and only then did the old ghoul halt in her tracks and turn into the perfect hostess, smiling with insinuating charms as Ukyo stepped through the door wearing what looked like a rented tux, for once minus that giant spatula that she seems to carry everywhere she goes.

"Good day to you, Kuonji-san," Cologne said pleasantly, "I must say you look remarkably handsome."

I had to hold my breath and silently agree with that. Ukyo's Bishonen good looks certainly played off her immaculate appearance, and if I didn't know any better I'd have sworn that she was the most handsome guy I'd ever laid eyes on...Ranma notwithstanding. She moved with supple grace that easily betrayed her martial arts training to even a less experienced eye like mine as she returned Cologne's nod then casually greeted me and Ranma.

"Wow," I heard Ranma exclaim, and I turned to look at him, catching a very odd expression in his face as he studied our dear Ms. Kuonji, "Ucchan...you look great."

"Thanks, Ranchan," she said in that roughened voice she used to mimic a boy's deeper tones, her distinctly Kansai accent adding a charming country quality to her speech, "To be honest I feel pretty silly doing this. I mean...she's your fianc e..."

"Hey, I'm not gonna get into that now, okay?" Ranma tried to sound reassuring, "You just show her a good time and we'll call it even. Just don't go trying to use that charm of yours on her or nothing, you got that?"

"Hey, no problem," Ukyo made a pacifying gesture, sounding and looking a lot more nervous than even I would have expected, "I've got a place picked out that should fill the bill, and you know I can afford to take her out in style. I give you my word I won't put the moves on her or anything like that."

"Good," Ranma snorted, "Not that Shampoo would let you do anything with her, of course. She's got me and Nabiki, so that squares it."

I wasn't sure if he was boasting or warning Ukyo off with that remark, but I felt oddly warmed by the fact that he included me in that statement. I have to admit the possibility of sharing Ranma with Shampoo (or is that the other way around) is becoming less and less of a sore point in my mind. I mean, it could work out between us, right? I sure hope so, because something about that purple haired dynamo has been getting under my skin lately, and I mean that in a good sense.

"Shampoo will be right down shortly, Kuonji-san," Cologne remarked matter-of-  
factly, "Make yourself at home until that happens. Meanwhile...Son-in-law? I wonder if I might have your assistance in the kitchen. I have something heavy that needs moving, and though I may not look it I must confess that I'm not getting any younger."

"Huh," Ranma snorted, "You got that right. Show me what you got and I'll handle things."

"I knew that I could rely on you," Cologne said, already moving towards the kitchen, "This will require your services for only a few moments."

We watched Ranma as he followed the old woman into the kitchen, then I took advantage of his absence to hiss, "You better mean that about not trying anything, Kuonji!"

"Hey, what do you think I'm going to do with her?" Ukyo protested, "You know I'm not into that scene like you are!"

"Like I am...what?" I drawled in a meaningful sense.

"Uh..." Ukyo felt along the edge of her collar with a finger, "Well, I'm not criticizing you or anything, but if you want her that way, I won't object. It's just that's not for me..."

"Oh really?" I put the full weight of my skepticism into my response.

"Hey," Ukyo began to get cross, "You don't think I'm really enjoying this, do you?"

"Let's see," I replied sardonically, "You dress like a guy, you talk and act like a guy, you're registered in our school as a man and you've got killer looks that make even my sister swoon and want to date you. Gee, wherever could I have gotten the idea that you might be 'like that?'"

I saw her flash an annoyed look my way, but she calmed down almost immediately and sighed, "I guess you wouldn't be the first one to think that. I don't know about your sister, but I have...known other girls who got that kind of impression."

"You've been on dates before?" I asked with lifted eyebrows.

She looked at me with a helpless expression, then sighed and said, "Yeah...I've dated girls before. Can't exactly pass myself off as a guy if I don't at least pretend to like it."

"And just what did these dates consist of?" I asked with more curiosity than I'd intended.

"Oh, just the usual stuff," she shrugged, "I take them someplace nice, treat them with respect and get them home on time. Some girls aren't happy with just that, but I've learned how to let them down gently."

"And none of them have ever suspected you are a woman?" I asked with some disbelief, though I had to admit to myself that I'd have been perfectly willing to date her if I didn't already have Ranma.

There was a guilty flash in her eyes and then she said, "Uh...well, one did...a couple years back. We were seeing each other for a few weeks and...I sort of noticed she was getting serious, so I knew I had to tell her and..." she paused and I thought I caught a look of strain in her expression.

"And?" I asked, prompting her to finish the sentence.

"She...took it bad at first, but we made up and stayed friends," Ukyo glanced away, "She used to call me her Sempai, and I still think about her that way. It's funny, y'know, because in a lot of ways she was even more of a Tomboy than me, but in a very feminine sense, which is why I think we got along so well. She was also into the martial arts, but these days I think she's hanging around with a different crowd of people. I hope she's happy."

I felt a twinge of sympathy for her about then and almost felt guilty about voicing my next thoughts, "You're a real heart-breaker, you know that, Kuonji-  
san? I'll be you cared a lot more for her than you'd like to admit."

"Hey, it was wrong for me to deceive her like that," Ukyo protested, "I didn't know how much the truth was going to hurt her! I feel bad enough about, I don't need you to sit in judgement. I just hope Mako-chan found herself a real guy who can take care of her like she deserves, because with me it just wasn't gonna happen."

"So sure of that are you?" I sniffed, which earned another annoyed look from her and probably would have been followed by a retort on her part, but at that moment Ranma and the old woman returned, so by mutual consent we elected to drop the subject.

"Now, isn't this pleasant?" Cologne said with a cunning insinuation in her undertone, "I just know Shampoo is going to be thrilled to be seen in the company of such a handsome young boy. Be sure to have her back by eleven, but feel free to enjoy yourselves. Youth is such a fleeting condition..." she sighed in a wistful tone that seemed to imply that she ware reminiscing about her own youth...back during the stone age!

"So..." Ranma tried and failed to sound casual, "Where's this place you're gonna take her?"

Ukyo was about to tell us that when a musical voice from up the stairs called down, "Nihao! Shampoo is ready for date."

We all turned to look, and about this point is where I nearly keeled over in a fainting spell. There at the top of the stairs was Shampoo in a coral-red silk dress, sleeveless and slit up along the sides with heavy embroidery that made the material glisten with gold and silver threads. The emblem of a peacock was displayed across her generous bosoms, seeming to move with each breath she drew while Shampoo half-hid her face with a white-feathered fan and gave us all a very coy expression.

I heard a deep gulping noise that I think either came from me or Ranma, because I'm positive that we were both thinking along similar lines as Shampoo slowly glided down the stairs with supple, sensuous movements. She had done something with her hair that I couldn't quite identify, though it looked like the same style with two odangas held in place by ivory ornaments, and maybe it was my imagination but I could have sworn that girl was wearing make-up! Whatever she did to enhance her natural beauty it sure had the right effect as even I was feeling my pulse quicken, and if Ranma wasn't feeling it then his veins must be filled with icewater!

"Oh my..." I heard Ukyo breathe, which caused me to turn and look at her and-  
sure enough-even she was being affected. Protests to Heterosexuality notwithstanding, I don't think a eunuch could have looked on Shampoo at that moment without feeling something. My mind flashed back to the previous night when Shampoo had all but attacked me and I suddenly felt my breasts grow firm and my nipples harden!

"Sh-Sh-Shampoo?" Ranma's voice quavered, and when she passed right on by him I thought he looked disappointed.

Shampoo walked up alongside Ukyo and linked her arm with the other girl, still fanning herself as she smiled at Kuonji, then purred, "We go on date now? Shampoo eager to get started."

Something made me cast a glance towards Ranma and I saw him ball his fists and scowl in Ukyo's direction. To be quite frank I was surprised to see him act so territorial, but given how I was reacting just then I guess I couldn't really blame him.

"Ah...ahm...uh...sure," Ukyo said, reluctantly turning around and leading Shampoo towards the exit.

"You two young people have fun," Cologne called out, "Don't do anything that I wouldn't do!"

To which Ranma and me turned to look at the old woman with mutually disbelieving expression...

"I wonder where Silk is at?" Soun remarked as he glanced towards the horizon, "It's almost sunset."

"Meaning what?" asked Comb from where she sat reading one of Kasumi's books on herbal healing.

"Don't worry, Tendo," Genma assured his friend, "Wherever she is I'm sure she's just fine. Besides, now that we have Kasumi back we don't need to worry about who's doing the cooking."

"Oh?" Comb looked up with a dangerous scowl, "Meaning you don't want to sample any of MY cooking? I have improved somewhat from the old days, you know."

Both men looked up from their Shogi game with equally nervous expressions. They were saved when Kasumi entered the room with a tray and said, "Oh, how nice, then you won't mind helping me tomorrow when I prepare some sukiyaki. It really would help out to have someone else chop the vegetables..."

"That I can do," Comb volunteered with a relieved expression, having briefly tensed when Kasumi had implied that she might take part in the actual cooking, "As long as it involves sharp objects I'm a natural wizard."

Soun and Genma ceased having a mutual fit of terror and calmed down with remarkable haste. Soun hid his sigh as he said, "You know, it's funny but I almost expect to hear her say something when you said that. She does tend to join in with you whenever you're in a conversation."

Comb scowled a bit, but reluctantly conceded, "Well...Silk and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but I think I've gotten used to having her around. As soon as she gets back from her errand I'm sure she'll go back to needling me with her sarcasm."

"Errand?" Genma asked, "What errand?"

Comb set down the book, having confirmed that it was already one in her own personal collection. Being quite bored at the moment she naturally decided some pleasant conversation might lighten her mood a little, especially if it meant prying more details out of Genma.

"Call it a fact-finding mission," she said with calm matter-of-factness, "We wanted to satisfy ourselves about an issue, and we agreed that Silk was the better one to play detective."

"Detective?" Soun asked.

"Fact-finding?" Genma's face held a sudden dubious quality that belied the fact that he was currently moving a piece across the board with his toes while Soun wasn't looking.

"More like confirming a suspicion," Comb continued, "A little mystery that we agreed needed solving."

"Mystery?" Soun remarked, "Sounds intriguing."

"Um...what's this about?" Genma asked, already suspecting that he was not going to enjoy the answer.

"As it turns out," Comb said with a cross expression as she directed the heat of her gaze towards him, "It's to find out why you lied to us about Nodoka being deceased."

"What?" Soun glanced at Genma in dismay, "She's not?"

"Uh...ah..." Genma swallowed, "Well...it may be that I somewhat exaggerated about that..."

"Indeed," Comb purred sensuously, "Then perhaps you might care to enlighten us before your wife joins us for dinner?"

Genma's eyes went wide with panic, "Nodoka's coming here?"

"Perhaps," Comb replied, "Silk sent me a mental note to that effect-she can do that, you know, being a lore master-and they should be arriving here at almost any minute."

"No!" Genma was on his feet, looking like a cornered animal about to bolt, "She mustn't find me here! The boy! Where's the boy?"

"Ranma left with Nabiki some time ago," Soun replied, "Why, is it important?"

"I've got to find Ranma and warn him!" Genma started pumping his legs as he ran in place, only to find he was making no progress due to the fact that Comb had grabbed him by the collar.

"What," she hissed dangerously, "Do you have to warn your son about?"

"There's no time!" Genma wailed, "You've got to let me go! I must warn Ranma before it's too late!"

"Warn him about what?" Comb growled, then a sudden realization hit her, "There's something about Nodoka...you don't want her to find out about the curse?"

"Yes!" Genma cried, "That's it exactly!"

"You think she'll be upset with you?" Soun asked with concern.

"Extremely!" Genma protested.

"Oh, come now, Saotome," Soun said with an affable chuckle, "Just because you turn into a panda shouldn't up set Nodoka too much once we explain the curse..."

"It's not about my curse!" Genma cried, "It's about Ranma! If she finds out he turns into a girl she'll kill us both!"

"Surely that's an exaggeration," Soun replied, though it was plain by his expression that even he was dubious about his own statement.

"Tendo-san," Comb replied quietly.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Shut up," Comb growled as she grabbed Genma by the collar and held him up to where their noses were just barely touching, "What did you promise her, Genma? I know you, you can't help but put that big foot of yours squarely between your tonsils, ESPECIALLY if it involves Nodoka!"

"I promised that I would make Ranma a Man among Men!" Genma cried nervously, "Only the boy got careless and..."

"Nihao!" called a pleasant voice from around one corner of the yard.

Comb wasted no time. Displaying an incredible amount of strength for a woman nearing her fortieth birthday she picked up the larger Genma and hurled him with unerring aim directly for the Koi pond. As he landed with a splash Silk and Nodoka appeared, having been admitted into the house by Kasumi.

"That's odd," Kasumi was remarking, "Uncle Saotome was just here a moment ago..."

"My husband is here?" Nodoka pushed forward, glancing around until she noticed a figure rising up from the koi pond, "Oh my...that looks like a panda!"

"He's a pet," Comb spoke up abruptly, shooting a warning look in Silk's direction, "A real nuisance who's always getting his nose into places he isn't meant to be." She turned around and put on a manifestly false smile as she bowed, "Nodoka-san...long time no see."

"Comb?" Nodoka could not hide her astonishment, but then she turned with warmth and said, "Soun-san...it's been a long time."

"Nodoka?" Soun rose to his full height and smiled warmly as they exchanged bows, "It has been a long time indeed...ever since..." he did not continue.

"I'm so sorry," Nodoka was at once contrite, "I didn't mean to conjure up unpleasant memories, Soun-san, I was only here to ask if you have recently seen my husband?"

"Well, as a matter of fact..." Soun began, but before he could continue Comb spoke up again.

"He left a few moments ago," she said, "With his son on a training mission. We can tell him that you stopped by when they get back."

"They left?" Nodoka's expression was crestfallen while Silk's was puzzled, "And I was so hoping to finally see him again, and Ranma..."

"I'm sure you were," Comb's tone contained a growl that belied her patently false smile, "Too bad you won't be able to stay long..."

"Nonsense," Soun said with an annoyed glare in Comb's direction, "My home is your home. Stay as long as you like, we have more than enough room for additional house guests."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly impose," Nodoka began to say, but Silk rallied to her side and said, "Are you sure of that, Nodoka-chan? After all, it's so late, and we came all this way just to find your wayward husband."

"That's true," Nodoka said with a reluctant smile, "And if Genma and Ranma have been staying here with you, then it would make sense to wait for them until they show up. Will they be gone for very long, do you think?"

"You never know," Silk mused, "They could turn up at any moment."

"No!" Comb protested, then when everyone looked at her she sheepishly said, "I mean...no, I'm sure that they'll be gone for days. In fact when we last saw Genma he looked pretty determined to get going."

"Oh, Mister Saotome," Kasumi remarked as she appeared holding a towel out to the figure that was hiding around the corner of the house, "Would you like to dry yourself off before you come inside?"

"Saotome?" Nodoka brightened as she hurried forward, stopping when she saw the owl-eyed panda, "Where is he? I don't see my husband..."

"Oh?" Kasumi turned to her and said, "Well, actually I was referring to..."

"The panda," Silk finished for her.

"Ah..." Comb thought fast, "That's right, the Panda's name is Mister Saotome! It's a nickname, really. Genma and Ranma adopted him for their pet while they were visiting my part of China. In actuality his name is..." and she said a word in Mandarin that caused Silk to blink and Kasumi to blush.

"Ah..." it was beginning to sink in with Soun that Comb was frantically trying to conceal the truth from Nodoka, and he exchanged looks with Silk to confirm her agreement on this matter.

"Mister Saotome," Nodoka mused pleasantly as she stared up into the face of the upright giant panda, "You know, that is oddly fitting. He does look a little like my husband, only I didn't know he liked pets."

"He got it for his son," Comb explained tersely, "You know, a large pet for a growing boy, a real Man among Men..."

Nodoka turned to look at Comb and said, "Did you journey all the way from China with my husband?"

"Ah...no," Comb replied, "I'm here on other business..."

"That's right," Kasumi said brightly, "She came to find her daughter."

"Daughter?" Nodoka brightened, "You have a daughter, Comb? How wonderful."

"Er...Shampoo," Comb replied, "Her name's Shampoo, and she's my oldest of three beautiful daughters by my darling husband, Ha-Brus."

"Why were you looking for her?" Nodoka asked, "Did she run away from home?"

"Oh no," Kasumi replied, "Shampoo's engaged to marry Ranma."

"My son has a fianc e?" Nodoka said with surprise and delight, but then she turned with a questioning look towards Soun, "But I thought...?"

"Oh," Kasumi said brightly, "Ranma's also engaged to marry my sister. Ah...I know that sounds a bit odd, but they all seem very happy about the matter..."

"My son has two fianc es?" Nodoka said with rounded eyes, turning to look at Soun again, "And you're all right with this, Soun-san?"

"Well, uh...actually..." Soun temporized.

Nodoka clasped her hands together and cried in delight, "My son is so manly!"

She wondered why, a moment later, everyone else in the room but Kasumi face-  
faulted...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Shotgun-Katana Weddings: shadowmane

Ukyo and Shampoo's date continues, Genma fesses up about his agreement with Nodoka and Tofu has a heart-to-heart confession with Kachu...all this and Happosai...be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	40. Chapter 40

NabikiRan39 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets.  
By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Thirty-Nine.

Ryoga shifted uncomfortably and looked across at Akane, feeling uneasy about what they were doing but not wanting to risk deepening the rift between them by telling her so directly. In point of fact he barely recognized her (well, actually he was pretty sure he would recognize her in the middle of a fogbank, but the dark sun glasses and coat didn't exactly seem like her usual choice in fashions) and it disturbed him that he was being dragged around by her to help out on such a dubious assignment.

Not that he wouldn't help her, of course. It was just the idea of what they were doing that felt so wrong, and not just because of what it implied (he fervently insisted to himself that he was NOT jealous) about the possibility of her feelings going out towards someone other than him.

"Akane..." he tried to say only to see her hand move to warn him not to say anything at all. The silence hung in the air between them for several moments after that, but at length she finally replied, "I know what you're going to say Ryoga, so don't waste your time. I'm doing this no matter what you or anyone else says, so don't try to stop me."

Like he could if he wanted to, Ryoga thought to himself, but aloud what he said was, "But why are we doing this? You surely don't think that Kuonji is going to try something on this date?"

"Of course not," Akane replied, "Ukyo's a perfect gentleman and would never try anything like that with a woman. Shampoo's the one I don't trust...that Amazon is capable of anything, and I won't have her taking advantage of his trusting nature."

"Shampoo?" Ryoga responded in surprise, but after a moment of hesitation he added, "Well...I suppose with her it's possible, but..."

"Shhh!" Akane hissed as she peered around the corner, "They're coming out now...Kami-sama! What's that hussy wearing? She looks like she's some kind of painted Chinese harlot!"

Ryoga looked askance at his companion, never imagining in his wildest dreams that Akane could even use such language to describe another girl, even one she might view as a potential rival. He was more concerned about the way that Kuonji had fancied himself up to impress the ladies, as if the smooth talking devil needed any help in that department! He suddenly had a glimmering of what Akane might feel towards someone who might be encroaching on territory that she was considering for herself, only the thought of what that implied about the state of their relationship made him feel both sad and angry in alternate waves of remorse and anger.

"Come on!" Akane urged once Shampoo and Ukyo were far enough down the block not to notice a pair of tag-alongs keeping pace behind them, only at this point Ryoga needed no further prompting, feeling an urge to catch up with Kuonji for his own dark reasons...and besides, without Akane he'd just get lost again and probably wind up somewhere on the outskirts of Yokohama...

Of course neither one took notice of the two figures who were already on the roof following the Amazon and her date from a higher vantage.

"I don't know about this, Ranma-kun," Nabiki murmured, "You think we really should be following them? It's not exactly like Kuonji could take advantage of Shampoo if...he wanted to," she added the latter part lamely.

"Yeah," Ranma said gruffly, "You got that right. No way would Shampoo let another guy touch her. That's what the old woman said, and for once I believe her."

"Then why are we doing this?" Nabiki asked him.

"You don't have to come along," Ranma replied, "But I wanna find out what the old ghoul wants setting this thing up like she did. I can't believe she was just trying to make us jealous."

"And why not?" Nabiki asked, adding to herself that the strategy sure seemed effective.

"Just a hunch I got," Ranma turned to her, "You coming or not?"

Nabiki heaved a sigh as she walked up to join him, taking his hand and murmuring, "Somehow I just know we're going to regret this."

"Naw," he said as he took her hand and smiled confidently, "Nothing'll go wrong...you're with me. You'll see that everything will work out just right."

Nabiki considered chiding her iinazuke for his boastful nature, but there was something altogether charming about his smile, so much so that she almost forgot to brace herself as he gathered her up into his arms, and then the next thing she knew gravity and the world below her took a sudden raincheck as Ranma launched himself out into the night, cradling a half-terrified Nabiki, who clung to him in such a way that he was almost distracted from bracing himself for his landing on the next rooftop.

After all, having her feminine body in his arms was pleasurable enough without the further enhancement of having her pull his face that much closer to her chest. He decided then and there that he rather liked the sensation of carrying her this way and hoped she wouldn't mind if he did not set her down again until they caught up with the dating couple, at which thought he firmed his resolve and increased his pace to further close the distance...

"Ah, to be young like that again," Cologne mused to herself as she watched everything from the shadow of the doorway, then added a playful, "Not! I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be that foolish. How na ve they all are, how easy to manipulate, and yet...for my part I do hope that the night turns out well..." she paused before turning to note the figure in the shadows, "Do you not agree, Happy?"

The figure detached himself from the shadows and said, "How did you know I was there, old woman?"

"Instinct," Cologne replied, "Not that I have anything to fear from you these days. The times when you could sneak up on me have long since passed, and I am wise to your many tricks, Panty-thief..."

"Ah, who'd want to steal anything from you?" Happosai snorted, "Your better days are long behind you."

"So," Cologne narrowed her gaze as she took in the lecherous old Master, "To what do I owe the dubious honor of your presence? Do you seek to taunt me, or are you ready to tell what you did with the Amazon treasures you stole from our village?"

"Stole them?" Happosai was indignant, "That mirror was supposed to be a gift from you! I've still got it well hidden, so it's safe for the moment. But I didn't come here to reminisce about the good old days. I just wanted some advice from you is all..."

"Y-You?" it was not often that Cologne could be startled, but that simple declaration was enough to make her eyes look as round as saucers, "You want my advice...?"

"Well, actually, more like a consultation," Happosai explained, "You see, I've been trapped in a cave for the past ten years, and in that time a lotto things have happened. I've already seen at least a few of those changes for myself, but it's gotten me to wonder about the rest. I'm thinking maybe I should look up some of my old haunts and find out what's become of the rest of my former associates."

"I see," Cologne mused, "So you want to look them up and harass them..."

"I do not!" Happosai cried in outrage, "But when you get to be my age you start to wonder about things like family and what they may be doing for themselves. I had more than just Soun and Genma to take care of in the days before my long slumber, and I'm hoping to catch up with them, find out what they're doing, and see how the Anything Goes school is prospering in their care."

"And what do you get out of these exchanges?" Cologne asked, then eyed the old man shrewdly, "Or are you hoping to find more daughters as capable as the ones sired by at least one of your two foolish disciples?"

"Hey, it couldn't hurt to check up," Happosai shrugged, "But I got serious issues to work out, so don't be such a stick-in-the-mud. Tell me what you know and I'll get out of your hair for the rest of the evening."

"As tempting as the idea may be," Cologne replied, "I am not the one you should be asking. However you are in luck as the one whom you should ask is sleeping peacefully upstairs, and if you are willing to wait I can inform her of your presence."

"Her?" Happosai gained a very worried expression, "You don't mean...?"

"Your grand niece," Cologne replied, "After a fashion. She knew that you were coming almost from the instant of your arrival and predicted the complications that would follow with surprising accuracy. I'm certain that she will be most eager to see you again after so long an interval..."

"If she's here, then I'm leaving," Happosai declared and was about to turn around and leave when a new figure appeared in the doorway to the Nekohanten.

"Excuse me," he said, "Elder Cologne...may I speak with you a moment?"

Cologne blinked her eyes once and stared owlishly at the figure of Doctor Tofu, who was looking somewhat wan and pale in the dim light of her restaurant. The distraught expression on his face was very much unlike the normally poised and well-mannered healer that she had so recently come to know and respect, so without preamble she said, "Sacred Ancestors, child, what happened to you?"

"Ah...nothing happened, really," Tofu said with a sheepish look as he ran fingers through his unkempt brown hair, looking more boyish than adult at that precise moment, "I was just wondering...have you seen or heard from Kachu? I've been trying to find her for the last few hours..."

"Kachu?" Cologne asked in surprise, "Why? What happened between you two?"

"It was a misunderstanding," Tofu replied, "My fault, really...I upset her and I wanted to apologize. I...well...she saw a side of me that I'm not proud of, and I...I want a chance to explain myself to her..."

"You don't say?" Cologne mused, wondering if what she had been afraid of had indeed happened and Kachu had witnessed for herself the notorious behavior of the good doctor in the presence of her half sister.

"Yes, I...well..." Tofu stumbled in his speech, then said, "Have you seen her? I've been searching all over..."

"Have you tried looking for her back at your Clinic?" Cologne asked him.

"Three times," Tofu said, then hesitated again before adding, "Do you think she'd actually go back there?"

"She has no choice but return to you, no matter difficulties you might have," Cologne replied, "If you have a fight or a disagreement, still she must return home and cannot abandon you. She is Amazon and the law still applies to her, regardless of your personal feelings in the matter."

"But that's just it," Tofu protested, "I don't want her to be forced into a marriage with me just because of a misunderstanding. I only defeated her to protect Akane from harm, I didn't do it to make her be obligated to me or to gain a wife..."

"So that's what this is about," Happosai mused, coming to stand beside Tofu with a calculating expression, "You protected Akane from her half-sister and thus defeated an Amazon...and a Demon Hunter at that. Quite the accomplishment, my boy, you should be very proud of yourself."

"Proud?" Tofu replied with a very puzzled expression.

"Of course!" Happosai proclaimed in delight, "It means you can have all the sex you want anytime you want it, day or night-Urk!"

"Would you be serious for once?" Cologne growled as she removed her staff from the head of her fellow ancient, "Now then, as I was saying, the best place for you to look for your new bride is at your home residence. Give her time to cool down and she will eventually return to you of her own volition."

"But isn't there something I can do?" Tofu asked, "Some way of nullifying this business about the two of us being married?"

"But do you really wish to dissolve the marriage?" Cologne eyed him shrewdly, "After all, you've only known each other for a single day and a night. That's hardly sufficient time to make a lifelong decision of such great consequence for you both."

"But..." Tofu hesitated, then said, "You think a single instant when I defeated her is a good enough determination of our fitness to marry?"

"Believe it or not, yes," Cologne answered, "For a man's character is judged by his actions, and you acted from the purest of motives with the surest of instincts when you took down a Devil Hunter as formidable as Kachu. If she searched all of Japan and China I don't think she could find a more fitting or deserving husband. It is the will of the Kami, so why do you fight it?"

"Because...because she ought to have a choice about who she marries," Tofu replied, "I wasn't looking to get married this soon..."

"Oh no?" Cologne asked, "Not even to Tendo Kasumi?"

"Ah..." Tofu winced, "But that's different..."

"How so?" Cologne wondered, "They are both equally beautiful, even if their beauty is tempered by radically different aspects that seem to represent two sides to one character. You may think you know Kasumi because you have watched her grow from child to adult, but do you really know that much about her? After all, you've never been able to even hold an intelligent conversation in her presence."

"Ah..." Tofu could not think of anything to say in response to that, so he heaved a defeated sigh and said, "So you're not going to help me...is that it?"

"I believe that I already did," Cologne remarked as she turned away, "But since you're the Doctor, it's up to you to make your own diagnosis."

Tofu stared down at the floor with a dejected expression, yet in his eyes there was also a thoughtful gleam as if he were slowly putting the pieces together of a massive jigsaw puzzle.

"You Japanese are such a strange lot," Cologne remarked when he did not reply for a long, drawn out instant, "You always make things more complicated than they have to be, and you refuse to accept what you know is in your heart. If you can't see that the two of you are in this together, then no words of mine are going to persuade you."

"Elder..." Tofu said, not quite smiling but no longer looking as sad either, "Arigato. If you'll excuse me, I have to go find a certain lady."

Cologne waited until the man left the premises, then turned to look back at a shadow hiding in the corridor leading to the kitchen, "That means you should be leaving too. No more of this childish nonsense, you're grown enough to face the consequences of your actions."

"Yes Elder," replied Kachu, and without a sound she too withdrew from the Nekohanten.

"Not too shabby," Happosai said, having fully recovered, "If I didn't know you so well I'd think that you were the Lore Master around here."

"I haven't lived this long without learning something about manipulating people," Cologne said with a sniff, "And some young people just need a good whack in the head to motivate them into seeing what's right there in front of them."

Happosai breathed a very soft sniff and said, "That sounds a little too much like the old days. You're living too much in the past, old woman. Try living in the here and now, you'll be a lot more like me."

"Now if that isn't a comforting thought," mused Cologne, but she realized that she was merely talking to herself, for the dirty old master had already taken his leave of the restaurant. Cologne merely sighed and resolved to check to see if all of the good silverware was right where she left it...

Ukyo chided herself for the old habit of glancing over her shoulder, even though she was aware of being followed by more than one group of interested parties. Instead she turned her attention to the lovely girl clinging to her arm, feeling both awkward and confused at the Amazon's curious behavior. Though female herself, Ukyo reluctantly conceded, there were still aspects of femininity that were as puzzling for her as any true guy in her position.

"We're being followed," Ukyo said at last, though to her the statement was so obvious that she wondered if Shampoo needed to be informed of this directly.

"Shampoo know this," she replied, confirming Ukyo's suspicions, "Stupid lost boy and Akane make more noise than pregnant warthog. Even littlest child of village have more sense than wear bright colors in snowbank."

"I know what you mean," Ukyo said with a lopsided smile, "That yellow coat is definitely not flattering to her figure, and who in their right mind wears sunglasses at night? Still, I am a little surprised that those two are going to all the trouble."

"Shampoo think Akane no trust Shampoo around cute boy," the Amazon said coyly, leaning her head against Ukyo's shoulder as she added, "Spatula girl have follower who no like other boys, except stupid Ryoga. What you think that mean?"

"Ah?" Ukyo felt incredibly nervous at the reminded of just how friendly the youngest Tendo sister had become around her, especially in light of the revelation about Ryoga. With increasing uneasiness she said, "I'm sure she's just using me to make her boyfriend jealous..."

"Think so?" Shampoo asked, smiling at Ukyo in a way that made the other girl wince all the more, and if the Amazon had not been gripping her arm so tightly she would have fled into the night to avoid this whole crazy situation.

"Ah...look," Ukyo said, "I don't particularly like being used to get at somebody else, so could you sort of knock it off for a while? At least until we get to the restaurant?"

"Hmph," Shampoo stood upright once again and continued walking normally, though she kept a firm grip on Ukyo's arm as she added, "Spatula girl no fun date. You too much like Ranma, afraid let go and show true feelings."

"Hah?" Ukyo turned to gaze at Shampoo's profile, "What do you mean by that?"

"Is nothing," Shampoo said simply, "We wait talk till get to restaurant."

"Uh...okay," Ukyo replied, wondering just what was going on in the mind of the Chinese girl. Her nominal rival was such a confusing blend of contradictory impulses and it was proving impossible to anticipate what she would do or say next. On the surface she could seem so simple, yet like a Chinese doll there were layers within layers hidden beneath her attractive packaging, and it was small wonder that Ranma and Nabiki had been enthralled to the mystery that Shampoo represented.

She caught herself thinking like this and harshly chided herself over the way her mind had been drifting in and out of focus since her arrival at the Nekohanten. If it had not been for her intensive childhood training she might have missed catching a glimpse of something in motion far overhead. As it was she hardly needed to look up to confirm her suspicions and once again she felt a confusion of her inward perceptions. Her Ranchan had certainly grown up to be quite the swashbuckling romantic, and she briefly wondered what it would feel like to be carried in the same manner as Nabiki?

Yeah, right, like that was ever going to happen! Ukyo knew that she was a late arrival on the scene and that the field had become too crowded of late. There was more than one claim being directed against Ranma, and the last thing she needed in her life was to be counted as only one among many! She wanted more in life than just someone else's leftovers, so in spite of rekindling her old affection for Ranma she saw no benefits to be gained in pressing ahead with the stipulations of her father's will.

Only that created a dilemma of a different sort, not least of which was her inheritance when her father was no longer physically able to run the family business. Ukyo had spent years of her life preparing and training for taking over the responsibilities of the family corporation, but there were more than an ample supply of salary men and executives who would be happy to take that responsibility away from her if the company had to go into trust without a designated family member at its head. No way was Ukyo letting that happen, but this returned her to her original dilemma of what to do to satisfy her father.

Ukyo grimaced at that thought. Ranchan wasn't the only one who had problems with his old man! Ukyo still resented Genma for his betrayal of an agreement, but it was her father who was really at fault for making the deal in the first place, even knowing how untrustworthy Genma was when he had made it. Even if Genma had kept his part of the bargain it would still boil down to Ukyo being abandoned by her old man, which still galled her almost as much as Kuonji Akira's obvious preference for a son over a daughter.

"You very quiet for date," Shampoo observed, startling Ukyo out of her private reverie, "Shampoo think she walk with ghost, you move so silent. You no Amazon, but you have good training."

"Ah," Ukyo said lopsidedly, "My father...wasn't my only teacher. When I was training myself to get revenge...I had a few family friends who taught me the basics so I would be at my fighting best when I...got revenge on the two men who wronged me."

"Only you know Ranma no be part of betrayal," Shampoo said, "So you just beat up Ranma father and that satisfy revenge?"

Ukyo did not even have to think about her answer, "Oh yeah...I got plenty of satisfaction out of beating up Genma. But Ranchan...well...you're right, he's not to blame for his father's crimes. Thank the Kami he didn't turn out to be exactly like his old man or he wouldn't be..."

She paused, feeling a tightness in her chest that prevented her from continuing. To her surprise she felt the Amazon squeeze her arm before finishing her sentence as though able to read her thoughts, "Only he no be Ranma. Shampoo understand you."

Ukyo was more than a little surprised at hearing the sympathy in the other girl's voice, but then again-she reminded herself-there was a lot that she did not know about the Amazon, her people and her culture. On the surface Shampoo seemed like a fairly simple girl, but she could surprise you with odd displays of great depth and perception that were quite at odds with her "Barbarian Chinese" reputation. That left a lot of questions open to exploration, but Ukyo had no idea where the answers would lead. At the very least she felt no antagonism towards Shampoo, so she resolved that their date should at least be a civil affair, if incredibly awkward in a way that left Ukyo feeling as directionless as any lost boy.

So she tightened her own grip on Shampoo's hand in response to the other girl's gesture and said, "What do we do about our tag-alongs?"

"What you mean we do?" Shampoo replied with a coy look, "You want be alone with Shampoo?"

"Ah..." Ukyo found herself increasingly nervous at the prospects of this date, now more than ever confused at where they were doing and what this might lead to. At the very least she knew that Ranma and the others were going to be dogging them every step of the way, and that was bound to lead to trouble should Nabiki decide to blow her cover from simple spite. The middle Tendo girl was a clever one, but she was obviously very much in love with Ranma and considered Ukyo a threat to her relationship. About this other thing regarding Shampoo...well, that was her business, and something else that Ukyo had no intentions of placing herself in the middle of if she had any choice in the matter.

So she decided to ignore her warning instincts telling her of her pursuit, assured at least that none of her followers was planning her any real mischief. And so it was that Kuonji Ukyo, heir to a long and noble line of warriors, failed to perceive a third party that was trailing behind the others, one far more skilled at the arts of subtlety and tracking than any mere martial artist. The gleam of light played off of a pair of glasses as the figure paused to mark his bearings, confirmed that he was on the right trail then started off again, covering ground with an ease that was almost as graceful as a bird in full motion...

"I want to thank you for all your kindness," Nodoka said as she was shown to Kasumi's bedroom by the elder Tendo daughter, "I do hope this won't be a bother for you putting me up for the night."

"Nonsense," Kasumi said with a pleasant smile, "You are a guest, and your son will be marrying my little sister. That almost makes you family."

"Oh my," Nodoka said brightly, "I guess you're right. That means I should look forward to calling you my niece. I think that I will enjoy that."

"So will I," Kasumi replied, "Then you can come over and visit us as often as you like. We would very much enjoy having you over."

"Such a good girl you are," Nodoka said with genuine warmth, "Your mother would be so proud to see the young woman you've grown up to be. Such a pity that my son didn't choose you to be his wife, then I could call you my daughter.'

"You're much too kind," Kasumi replied, "But I'm content to let Nabiki marry him. Your son is a very strong and handsome young man, but...I prefer someone a bit...older..."

"Oh," Nodoka's expression fell, "I see...in other words my son isn't mature enough by your standards."

"Don't be silly," Kasumi gently chided, "I'm much too old for him. Ranma has so much energy that I think I'd be exhausted trying to keep up with him. Nabiki has helped Ranma to adjust to life in our house and I know that she's satisfied that he's maturing in stages. In fact, I've never known her to be so happy."

"My son makes her happy?" Nodoka brightened considerably.

"Oh yes," Kasumi gave the other woman an even brighter smile than before, "In fact I don't think Nabiki herself knows how much she's come to depend upon Ranma to make her days fulfilling. She's usually so distant and alone, she's not used to having someone depend on her the way she depends on him for warmth and happiness. You should have seen her before Ranma and his father came to live with us and you'd would know how much she's changed for the better."

"I'm glad to hear you say this," Nodoka said, tears welling up in her eyes though pride kept her from allowing them to be shed, "For many years I've worried that he wouldn't grow up to be a man at all, and now to think that he has two young ladies vying for his attention...it makes him sound so much more like the Genma I knew before our marriage..."

"Ahem," Comb spoke up as she appeared at the door to Kasumi's room, "Now that's a frightening thought if ever I heard one. I see you two are getting along splendidly, but I was wondering if I might borrow Kasumi from you for a bit, Nodoka-san. There's something I wish to discuss with her in private."

"I would be only too happy to do so, Comb-san," Kasumi said brightly, "If you don't mind setting up here by yourself, Auntie. I took the liberty of unrolling your tamati, so you shouldn't have any trouble."

"Of course," Nodoka said as she unslung the cloth-wrapped item that she had been carrying across her back much of the night, "You really are such a considerate young girl. More young ladies should be as polite and considerate as you, Kasumi-chan."

Comb said nothing, but there was a tightness about her eyes and mouth that suggested that she was less than sanguine about that prospect. In the privacy of her thoughts she considered a world where everyone was as cordial and deferential as these two and almost gagged at the concept. The insulin shock alone would have numbed her whole nervous system!

She led the way as the oldest Tendo daughter (of those present anyway) followed her at a demure pace. Kasumi did not ask what Comb wished to speak about even when the Healer led the way downstairs and headed for the back porch. Kasumi did raise her eyebrows in confusion as Comb headed straight for the dojo, pausing at the door for a moment before glancing over her shoulder and looking straight at Kasumi.

"Did you tell her anything?" Comb asked.

Kasumi blinked her eyes, looked puzzled, then tentatively replied, "About what?"

"About the curse her son and husband live under," Comb said with frail patience, "Did you tell her anything about Jusenkyo?"

"No," Kasumi replied, "You asked me not to when we were in the kitchen. You said that it would be too much to tell Auntie Nodoka about the curses all at once..."

"And of course you're too dutiful a child to even think about disobeying," Comb relaxed noticeably with a sigh before adding, "I can't believe that you and Kachu really are half-sisters."

Kasumi blinked at this again, then relaxed herself and said, "Well...it is rather unusual, but I'm starting to get used to the idea of having another sister who looks a bit like me..."

"Which is about as far as the resemblance between the two of you goes," Comb turned back to the dojo, "I'm glad you honored my request. I have a very bad feeling about how Nodoka will react when she does find out. Come with me, I have to confirm this for myself with a certain party."

Kasumi felt more and more confused as she followed the Amazon into the dojo, discovering that her father and Silk were already present confronting a nervous Genma, who was in human form again instead of panda.

"Thank you for keeping him here," Comb began with a nod towards her fellow Amazon.

"It was no trouble at all," Silk replied with a faint half-smile that made Genma look-as if it were possible-even more nervous than before, "He's been on his best behavior since you asked him to sit still and wait for you so nicely."

"Mainly because he knows what I will do to him if I have to hunt him down and drag him back," Comb growled menacingly with a studied glance towards a discarded back-pack laying in one corner.

"I don't understand," Soun was looking at his old friend, "Why don't you want Nodoka to know that you're here?"

"Because of a promise he made long ago," Comb replied, not giving Genma a chance to respond for himself as she continued to walk right up to him until she could tower over the cowering man, who remained seated as if awaiting his execution. "Isn't that right, Genma-san?"

"Promise?" Silk was surprised as this was the first she had heard mention about any promise, "What promise?"

"The promise to make his son a 'Man-among-men,'" Comb glared down at Genma with an imperious expression, "You know what she was like in the old days. Nodoka had all sorts of fancy notions about how men and women should behave. She wanted you to be more manly, but instead you turned into a pitiful, sniveling coward who runs in terror of his own shadow. Look at you now...you're shaking like an old man from our village!"

"You don't understand," Genma's voice quavered, "If she finds out that our son turns into a girl..."

"And that it's your fault?" Silk added sweetly, enjoying the chance to twist the knife even a little.

"What did you promise her, Saotome?" Soun asked, "I could understand her being upset with you, but she's a very understanding lady and I'm sure she will grow accustomed to your unusual condition."

"You don't know her like I do, Tendo-kun!" Genma's voice quavered, "Believe me, if she finds out she won't be understanding!"

"Then why don't you enlighten us?" Comb asked, reaching down with casual ease, then grabbed Genma by his gi and quite easily lifted him to his feet as she growled, "Or would you rather explain yourself before Nodoka, who is just a short distance away from here and would probably hear me if I called to her here and now?"

"No...!" Genma wilted, "You can't do that?"

"This is not just about you anymore," Comb said with her nose only inches from his own, "This is about your son, who is the lawful husband to my daughter, and thus the future of my family and Shampoo's future happiness. If you do not tell me what I want to know here and now-and in detail, mind you-then I cannot promise to protect you from your wife's wrath. If anything, I'll gladly turn you over to her and leave you to face the consequences of your own actions."

"Perhaps it is not as bad as either of you think?" Silk asked with a hopeful note to her voice, "There could be some degree of moderation to satisfactorily resolve this situation?"

"Saotome," Soun frowned, "I trust there is a reasonable explanation of what you promised to your wife, and how it affects the future happiness of my Nabiki?"

Genma looked trapped and helpless, unable to find any avenue of flight that was not covered. He considered using his skills to escape from Comb's grasp but did not rate his chances quite so good as when they both were much younger, and any way there was that annoying Silk looking ready to back up her friend, while the glare he was receiving from Soun did not promise any assistance from that corner. Even Kasumi appeared to be less than fully supportive as she sat quietly beside her father and looked at Genma as if hoping that matters would be resolved in the next five minutes. It finally occurred to him that his options were bleak and he really did not have any choice in the matter, so at last he sighed and his shoulders slumped in resignation.

"All right," he began, "It all started when Ranma was born, when I knew that my son was destined to become a great martial artist..."

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Although I was surprised to find myself enjoying the company of my rival, I thought matters were going quite well on our date, at least in regards to stirring up the interest of my sneaky wife and husband. If anything matters appeared to be going very well indeed, which I realize now, with the benefit of hindsight, was simply the calm before the storm that preceded the arrival of a real disaster for this one..

Kuonji Ukyo is a very puzzling person, born a woman yet wishing she were a man, as if there were anything to be faulted in being born of the Noble gender. These Japanese with their male-dominant culture seem so primitive and backwards in a lot of ways, for all their technological advances. I am both amazed and appalled at what I have discovered in my time in the outside world, and I think in a great many ways this society could only benefit from more exposure to the Amazon lifestyle.

Ukyo...I call her that here instead of "Spatula Girl," an affectionate nickname that I have adopted to describe this one who is almost a rival for my husband. I am very much of the opinion that she would be a prized catch for some of my people, perhaps even my cousin, Perfume. Of course Ukyo insists that she does not have an interesting in sharing pleasures with another female, but given the confused nature of her self-identity I am not much inclined to take her word at face value. Perhaps under different circumstances I might even be willing to make a play for her myself, but I am more than content to devote myself to my true wife and husband.

The restaurant that Ukyo chose for our date was, by standards, of more expensive tastes and appealed to a higher class of clientele than what we service in the Cat Caf . I am not accustomed to dining in such accommodations, mainly because we have no such equivalent back home in China, so I was faintly impressed that Ukyo would treat me out in such style, though I pretended not to notice how much the place resembled a small palace. The waiters there were like courtiers and acted with perfect decorum and even spoke the language of the Coastal towns without noticeable accents, and even the food had the proper flavor of the mainland, so in a very odd way I felt like a princess from one of Great Grandmother's bedtime stories. Cross-dresser or no, Ukyo was at least honoring me in a manner most unusual for a rival.

Perhaps I should say here that the concept of great wealth was not entirely new to me, though in fact we have no real equivalent of this in Joketsuzoku. Great Grandmother is the bearer of many treasures that have been a part of our family for many generations, some of them gifts from Emperors and nobles from many past dynasties that once ruled China. In spite of our reputation as a poor village my family is considered well off when compared to others, and though we do not publicly flaunt our wealth in our nominally "Socialist" society, we have never really done without or known true hardship, at least within my generation.

Still it was something of a revelation to me when I first traveled beyond the boundaries of Amazon lands to discover what life was like in other parts of China. It shocked me to discover just how poor some of our neighbors were in comparison to us, just as I was surprised to discover wealthy landlords living on private estates and factories where the division between the haves and have-  
nots is starkly defined even to one bred as I was to the simple life of the country.

Of course I did not let on, at first, that I was aware of the expense of our date, or that I felt like a party aparatchik (whom I'm given to understand behave more like the Mandarins than lowly servants of the people) but instead opted to behave as if Ukyo were treating me in a manner worthy of an Amazon Champion. I was more concerned with wondering what Ranma and Nabiki would do while we were dining in such luxury. I very much doubted that my wife would be able to afford to pay the prices I saw written on the menu, and I was equally convinced that the same would hold true for Akane and the stupid Pig-boy.

Of course what I failed to anticipate was the ingenious nature of our stalking partners, just as I failed to perceive the looming disaster that was about to befall us...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"The Jade Pagoda?" I remarked aloud, seeing the place that Kuonji had selected for her date.

"Pretty swank," Ranma observed as he leaned over the rail of the building we were on top of, "Looks like Ucchan's sparing no expense. Think he's trying to impress her?"

"I don't think that's what he plans," I said rather lamely, finding it hard not to stumble on my choice of gender reference, "Sure isn't sparing any expense, though. I guess Kuonji's just trying to fulfill his obligations like we said he should, treating Shampoo out in style."

"Smooth devil," Ranma snorted, "Guess we'd better go in there and find out what they're up to."

"Are you kidding me?" I gasped, "Do you know just how expensive that place is? I couldn't even afford to park there!"

"It's all right," Ranma said, "I've got some cash on me, we should be able to make out."

"You have money?" I goggled my eyes at my normally destitute iinazuke.

"Your Dad loaned me some," Ranma replied, "And I was saving a little from this week's dojo profits in case I needed it. Should be enough to get us a seat as long as we don't order anything too expensive."

I had to blink at that before I said, "You were planning on doing this?"

He favored me with a lopsided smile as if daring me to outright admit that I didn't think he was that intelligent, "What's the matter, you think I'm totally useless? I've been hanging around with you long enough to get the idea that it's always good to carry around a little pocket cash."

I choked down several favorite retorts that I might have used in this situation and gave my fianc e a grudging nod of respect, then said, "All right, but you'd better not blow too much on this date, Saotome. I wouldn't be happy if Kasumi doesn't have enough left to buy us some food to last the week."

"Well, I guess maybe we'll just have to work something out if that happens, won't we?" he smiled, then took me by the hand and said, "You ready?"

"What? Now?" I gasped, belatedly realizing that neither one of us was dressed up appropriately for a high-class establishment, but I had little time to mull over that as Ranma scooped me up into his arms once again, and then launched us out into the night while I wished fervently for a parachute as my ideal dress for the evening...

"Wow," Ryoga said, "I didn't know there was any place this fancy in Nerima."

"I guess Ukyo's able to afford it," Akane grudgingly admitted, "Sure a lot better than that hussy deserves, taking advantage of him like that."

"Are you sure it's her and not him?" Ryoga frowned, "It looks more like he's trying to impress her..."

"I don't believe it!" Akane suddenly grated.

"What?" Ryoga asked in confusion, "You don't think he could be flaunting the fact that he has money?"

"Not that, baka," Akane growled as she pointed, "Over there! That Ranma with my sister! They're going into that place."

"Huh?" Ryoga was slow to make the shift in mental gears, but he caught sight of the familiar pair stepping out from the alley heading for the front door, and then he said, "What are they doing?"

"Sneaking into that place," Akane said in low tones, "They must have been following poor Ukyo once he and that floozy left the Nekohanten.'

"You think they want to keep their eyes on Kuonji-san?" Ryoga asked.

"Why else would they be here?" Akane replied, "Some people have no trust in others."

Like us? Ryoga mentally asked the question but wisely did not say it aloud as Akane grabbed him by the hand and drew him forward, prompting him to say, "Hey! Where are we going?"

"If they can go in there then so can we," Akane resolved firmly.

"But we don't have any money!" Ryoga protested.

"We'll improvise!" Akane replied, "That's what martial artists do when we're faced with a challenge!"

"I got a bad feeling about this..." Ryoga murmured faintly, unable to help himself as he was drawn along to the alley behind the restaurant...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

I was rather surprised that Ukyo did not bat an eyelash when I ordered something very pricey off the menu, something that made me feel a twinge of guilt as it was contrary to all of Great Grandmother's lectures on frugality. Back home such a sum could have supplied enough food for a feast during one of our tournaments. I began to wonder just how well off this Ukyo was that she could be treating me in such a generous manner.

Of course Great Grandmother has often cautioned me that the best way to find something out is not to be too direct in asking a question. I've never had much patience for subterfuge, but as my intention was to learn as much as I could about my rival I decided that the use of clever words would serve me as well as any weapons. I wanted to know as much as I could find out about this she-male who dared set eyes upon my husband, so I chose to play my part as carefully as if I were conducting one of Great Grandmother's military strategy games. I was uncertain of the conditions and terrain of my battlefield and so I proceeded with caution, pretending to be indifferent to the odd glances I was receiving from my designated opponent.

It was, of course, up to Ukyo that I allowed her to make the first move, and it came in the form of a question quite unrelated to our date. I could hear the nervous strain of her voice as she hesitantly asked me, "So...Shampoo, how does it feel to have your mother coming to pay a visit?"

I think I failed to conceal my surprise at the question, but I managed to say something like, "This one is glad that her mother approves of her choice in Wife and Husband, but it does seem odd that she knew Ranma's father before any of us were born."

"Yeah," she seemed to be both amused and unhappy with my answer, "I know what you mean there, Sugar. Can't say I'd know what to say if I saw my mom alive again after how-many-years and learned that she knew Saotome Genma."

I looked at her and felt a twinge of sympathy again, but as the key to any successful campaign is knowing where and when to strike at a vital area, I chose this avenue to begin my probe and said, "How did you lose your mother? Did she die in battle?"

"Who, Mom?" Ukyo blinked and looked at me in a very odd way, "Ah...I don't know, really. Dad never told me about that. I'm pretty sure it wasn't in battle, though. I think maybe...she might have died having me."

Again I felt both surprise and pity but I covered it up as I asked, "Why do you think this?"

Ukyo shifted nervously before she said, "Because of the way Dad's always looked at me, like it was my fault Mom died or something. I think he raised me to be a boy because I kind-of remind him of her, or something like that. I don't really know why he does anything anymore, like writing his will to force me to either punish or marry Ranchan. I mean...he knows I'm good at business, so why doesn't he let me take some of the responsibility away from him so he can rest and get better? I've been training all my life to run the family business, and I thought I'd finally won his trust so that he'd give me more to do than just sit on the sidelines and worry."

I looked at her with increasing surprise. I had hoped that she would open up to me but I had not expected her to open up this wide or this soon. I began to suspect that she had issues she wanted to vent out in the open, and that I had just provided her with the perfect venue for expressing emotions that she had been keeping to herself for a very long time.

"What is wrong with your father?" I asked, making sure to pose the question as if my only interest was her personal welfare.

I saw her look away before she replied, "I don't know...he won't tell me. He says it's overwork, but he's been taking more and more time away from the office. I'm beginning to think it's more than just stress, but the doctors won't tell me either. He's letting his trustees and lawyers make a lot of his decisions these days, but all he'll let me do is run my own restaurant. I guess he's waiting to see if I can turn a profit before he gives me more responsibilities."

I nodded my head to that and said, "Elders always keep the important things to themselves. This one understands you. This one has the same problem with her Great Grandmother."

"At least your old lady looks pretty spry for a gal her age," Ukyo said in what I took to be her crude idea of humor, "I guess maybe we're not all that different after all. I've been fighting all my life to prove myself to my elders, and it's about damned time they give me a chance to do it. I'm sixteen years old now, I ought to be able to run my life on my own birthday."

"This is your day of birth?" I asked with no little surprise.

"Yeah," she laughed gruffly, taking a sip of water from her glass, "And I wind up sharing it on a date with you of all people, go figure."

"This one is sorry," I replied, "You would much rather spend the day with my husband?"

I saw her wince at that and belatedly realized that my tone must have betrayed some of my resentment, but she was civil as she replied, "Look, I know you think I want him for myself, but I already know that's not gonna happen, Sugar. I respect Ranchan too much to want to come between you guys, and that includes Nabiki."

"Then you have abandoned your quest to make Ranma your husband?" I asked narrowly, studying her face for any possible reaction.

I saw the hesitation and reluctance in her expression, but then she heaved a sigh that seemed to come straight from the bottom of her soul as she replied, "Yeah, I guess maybe I have. I don't go looking for fights if I can avoid them, especially ones I may not be able to win. I mean...you and Nabiki are pretty tough competition, and you've already got a pretty good head start winning him over, and Ranchan..." she glanced away and there was obvious pain in her voice as she said, "I guess maybe I'm fooling myself if I think I've got any chance there. Once he finds out that I'm really a girl and that I've been fooling him all along...lying to him by letting him think I'm just his old pal, Ucchan..." she turned and gave me a frank look as she concluded, "I guess what happened between Akane and Ryoga will look like a picnic. I wouldn't even blame Ranchan for hating me in the end. This is all such a mess, and it's my fault. If I hadn't let Dad engage us in the first place..."

"But you still love him?" I asked, feeling oddly conflicted. Normally my first impulse with any rival is to rub their nose in the dirt and try to impress them with my natural superiority, but somehow I just could not bring myself to do that to Kuonji. Perhaps in a way I even identified with her as echoes of my own lost love could be heard in the misery that she was displaying.

To her credit she did not flinch at my question, but rather seemed to be carefully thinking it over before formulating her reply, "I guess in a way I do, not that it makes any damned difference. This is all the old man's fault for taking him away from me when we might have had more time..." she glanced down and said, "Well...that's in the past, I guess, and it's time I got on with my own life. Ten long years this thing has been chewing me up inside..." she shook her head very sadly, "I wanted revenge, but I guess the old saying is true that when you seek vengeance you should be prepared to dig two graves."

I looked at her very curiously and asked, "Who told you this? It is not an Amazon concept."

"I suppose not," Kuonji gave me a very lopsided kind of smile and said, "I don't remember if it was a Chinese guy or one of our people who first came up with the line, but I learned it from my Great Uncle, who used to be my Sensei."

Now we were moving closer to the heart of another question that had been on my mind for some time now, so I decided the moment was right to confront her on this directly by asking, "What discipline did you master? This one is not familiar with the Japanese fighting style you use. You say you learned it from your father, or that you taught yourself learning to cook near the ocean? Very unusual training methods, this fighting with cooking utensils. If this one did not know better she would think you had an Amazon Warmaster for teacher."

"Just about," Ukyo replied, and then her tone became very serious and I knew that she was speaking of very grave matters of an entirely personal nature, "Kuonji style Okinomiyaki fighting is a variation of what is known as Shotokan-  
Ryu Karate, but it's actually based on a much older style that was pioneered over a thousand years ago in the Kogo mountains that we originally hail from."

"Koga mountains?" I asked, feeling a prickling down my spine as a legend once told to me by my Great Grandmother came back to me just then, of warring clans declared outlaw by the main Japanese government, forcing their Samurai to go underground and practice methods that were said to be Amazon in their original nature.

"Yeah," she said with a softened expression that made me think she was actually feeling relieved to be able to tell this with someone else who understood the art with as much passion as she has, "About two hundred and sixty-odd years ago my family was part of a larger clan of Ninja who served the Tokugawa Shogunate, and in those days most Ninja families weren't operating that much in the open. We didn't have Television and the media to glamorize the art, and we kept a pretty low profile, only donning the traditional black outfit on those rare occasions then it was practical to use. Most of the time real-life Ninjas had nine-to-five jobs as farmers, traders, herdsmen and whatever, roles that were more than disguises in some cases and actually supported our families between jobs. In the case of my ancestors that was an early form of food delivery service, so for most of the last three hundred years there have been Kuonjis using pizza making as a disguise that allows us to travel undercover on long assignments and get pretty familiar with the vast terrain of Japan. When the Shogun had need of us he'd send a message and we'd more-or-less come running, only one day the Shogunate fell and a new government took control over Japan, banning the class of Samurai and pretty much running most Ninja clans out of business. We still train in the old ways, of course, but there aren't too many Kuonjis left who practice the it as a pure and absolute art. My grand uncle was one of them, and I think maybe my father was too, though he never told me much about that part of his life...or anything else pretty much for that matter."

That latter part had been spoken with obvious resentment and more than ever I began to suspect that there were deep shadows in Ukyo's past that no one else had ever been privileged to witness. I was wondering about that myself when I asked, "So why do you tell this one about this? Is it not a treasured family secret?"

"I dunno why I just told you," she said with what I took to be complete candor, "I guess maybe you're just a good listener, Sugar. I don't make much about my family's history, but there's a lot of traditional stuff that I've never taken all that much to heart, like the idea of absolute and total commitment. If I was that much of a traditionalist I don't think I would have been able to so easily forgive Ranma, even if he is blameless for what happened."

"So, you were trained to be a Ninja?" I asked.

"Was trained," Ukyo corrected, "I stopped formal training a few years ago when my grand uncle died. I never made full belt in the family system, but belt's are just something you use to hold your pants up as far as it goes with me. I will say this much, though...I had to work out a deal to be released from my obligations to the clan so I could continue my quest to find Ranchan. I...fulfilled my part of that deal some time ago, so I don't consider myself obligated any more. It's not something I want to explain...I just felt like telling somebody and you happened to be available, so go figure."

In a very odd way I felt strangely honored that she had been willing to confide this to me. More than ever I was confused about this Kuonji person who was such a study in contrasts. I found myself wishing that she had been raised as an Amazon where she could have been open about her gender, even if that likely would mean that we'd have wound up as rivals at tournament. An opponent as skilled as she would certainly have provided rare sport, and I have always dearly prized a worthy challenger to test my skills to their fullest.

But then she looked at me in a manner that was almost sly and said, "Your turn, Sugar. Mind telling me something personal about yourself?"

I looked at her in confusion and said, "What would you ask of this one?"

"Something that's been bugging me ever since we met," she explained, "You were really ready to just up and marry Ranchan, a total stranger, because he happened to defeat you in a fight?"

"It is the Amazon way," I replied, "When this one mistook Ranma for an outsider woman she was obligated to give her the kiss of death, then hunt her down for killing..."

"Only you decided not to go through with it, huh?" she asked shrewdly, "Even before you found out that he was really a guy you'd pretty much let her lead you on a merry chase across China and into Japan when you could probably have caught him at any time and saved yourself the trouble. Am I right?"

"Who told you this?" I asked, wondering if my wife had confided things to Ukyo without my knowing.

"I asked Kasumi," she said, thereby nullifying my complaints, "She said you really didn't have the stomach for killing Ranma and wanted to leave her alone instead. She said you were just going through the motions to satisfy your Amazon traditions..."

It was my turn to look away, hiding my shame from view as much as I was able.

"So," Kuonji continued, "When you found out he was really a guy who changes into a girl...you just jumped right into the chance to satisfy both of your obligations?"

"It...was not that simple," I admitted, remembering with a crushing sense of misery the anguish I had felt upon discovering the truth behind Ranma's condition. At first I thought he really was a girl, and that I would be forced to kill my beloved husband, but then I also felt joy at the thought that he really was a woman, and horror at the thought of what Great Grandmother would say and do when she learned of these...complications.

"I'm not saying that it was," Ukyo continued, "But I am pretty surprised at how fast you just up and embraced the idea of marrying a complete stranger just because he defeated you in battle. Somehow you just don't seem the type to go with just anybody on that basis, and you must have known that Ranchan already had a girlfriend..."

"Why must I have known this?" I asked her sharply, allowing some of my old bitterness to penetrate the mask that I normally wear, but my anger died out as soon as these words were uttered and I relented enough to say, "This one is sorry, she did not mean to attack you, even if you are being a nosy outsider girl."

"One of my many faults, Sugar," Ukyo said with that lopsided smile of hers again, "Curiosity killed the...uh...feline, y'know?" she added with an awkward pause and a wince as she glanced in my direction.

I belatedly realized that she had been making an unintentional reference to my curse and considered making a retort of my own about cross-dressers, but then I oddly relented once again and said, "Is it so strange that this one could love a man who is strong, handsome and brave upon first encounter? Ranma issued challenge to me, formal or not, and defeated me through honorable means, so I gladly conceded his victory and was ready to reward him with this one's undying affections. This one had no notion that he had another promised wife before her. That came out later when...Sneaky Nabiki tried to trick Shampoo into marrying another."

"Okay," Ukyo glanced down and seemed to take her time before continuing once again, "I guess the part that really confuses me is where you decided to take her on as a second fianc e. I guess maybe I can go with the fact that you and Nabiki are...flexible about such things, but why agree to share him? Aren't you just the least little bit jealous?"

"Of my wife and husband?" I looked at her oddly, "Is it so strange that this one can love two people equally in different ways? I have no regrets about sharing my love with the both of them, so why should this one object if they share this one's love between each other?"

"O-kay..." Ukyo fidgeted and looked away from me, seeming quite uncomfortable in the formal men's attire that she was wearing for a disguise, "Well, if you think you can make it work out, then who am I to make a fuss? It's your lives, you can live it however you want. I guess Ranchan's a lucky guy to have the two of you willing to share him..."

"But you do not wish to be a part of this?" I asked, feeling a perverse desire to needle her again, "You don't think we could manage to squeeze you in between the both of us, or that Ranma isn't manly enough to take on three women?"

"Hah?" I saw her eyes go very round as she looked at me, which caused me to smile as I gave her my best coy/seductive look and purred softly while deliberately slipping one of my feet out from the slippers I was wearing to rub up against the inside part of one of her shins.

She reacted to that as if the gesture had burned her and backed away as far as she could while still remaining seated in her chair, fleshing a very bright red as she looked at me in confusion. I laughed at her reaction and saw her face momentarily cloud up with anger before she sighed again and threw her napkin down on the table.

"If you're not going to be serious then we might as well end this whole date thing here and now..." she started to declare angrily, but I raised a hand to discourage her from continuing further.

"This one is sorry if she has embarrassed you," I lied, keeping my face as sincere as I could manage, "But perhaps you should consider this before you decide to reject your engagement to Ranma."

"Ah..." she sat down again and tried to recompose herself before saying, "Look, it's nothing against you, and I don't mean you any offense or nothing like that, but...that's just not my thing, okay?"

I allowed my skepticism to show as I regarded her with a smile, and she obviously read my challenge to her protests and scowled at me, firming up her expression as she said, "I mean that, really."

I waved my hands to express my innocence and said, "This one is not calling you a liar, but how can you know until you have at least tried yourself with another woman?"

"And how can you be so sure it would work out?" she shot back in anger, but then I saw a light go on behind her eyes as she at last put things together. Her expression became one of surprise again as she said, "You've...been with a girl before?"

Now it was my turn to flinch. I silently cursed her for cleverly turning my taunts back upon me.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she said with growing realization, "You...already know what it's like..." she did not go on, allowing these simple words to summarize the truth she now was comprehending.

I would have struck down another girl on the spot for daring to raise the memories that surfaced in my mind just then. Even my cousin knows better than to taunt me on the subject of my past relationship, but then she had feelings in that regard as well. Knowing how painful the subject is for us both it simply remains on the list of forbidden subjects that are never to be brought up by one or the other of us in polite conversation.

"So..." Kuonji paused before asking the next question very softly, "Who was she?"

"You mean like girl you date?" I shot back at her with an angry scowl, revealing the fact that I had been eavesdropping on her earlier conversation with Nabiki.

"Uh..." she said with a wounded expression, "You heard that, huh?"

"Ears like a cat," I smiled, but then I found it impossible to sustain my anger and resentment. I think we had already become so intimate in our exchanges that I had nothing left to lose by saying, "Her name...was Lo Xion..."

Kuonji blinked and double-took at me, "You mean the old woman?" she asked with incredulity in her tone and expression.

I glared at her and said, "Not Lotion the Elder, my love was the great-  
granddaughter of the Elder, Lotion the Younger. She was my age..." and that was the part when I found it difficult to continue.

"Oh," I heard Kuonji say after the longest of pauses between us, "I'm sorry. What happened?"

"She died," I said, finding my eyes were suddenly stained with tears, forcing me to dab them with my fingers as I adopted a challenging tone and replied, "What do you want to know about her?"

"I...I..." Ukyo fell silent for another long pause before she was able to say, "I'm worry. I should never have brought it up. I didn't realize it would be so painful..."

I don't know exactly why but her words made me feel oddly comforted, and if anything I actually felt some kind of gratitude that she was apologizing for making me feel these ancient hurts once again. Ordinarily I would have flown into a rage had anyone dared to suppose that I was a weak girl who could be made to suffer for remorse over what I had lost with my Lotion. Great Grandmother had been so very disappointed in Perfume and me for actually coming to blows when jealousy and resentment had gotten the better of my cousin's nature, and how could I express such personal matters as this to Kuonji? We had already broached subjects that I had never discussed with anyone before, and I had a horrifying realization that this was what outsiders called Bonding.

But then the inevitable happened, virtually the story of my life wrapped up into one name, one word that I sometimes use as an adjective to express my exasperation and contempt for the guardian ancestors who have failed me so badly time and again for not sparing me this continual harassment.

Mousse happened, and he announced himself-as is typically his wont-by the enraged declaration of, "Saotome, you swine!"

I turned to look, and I'm sure Kuonji did likewise, because the next thing upon both of our lips was upon seeing Mousse standing there at our table in place of our waiter was one single word of disbelief.

"Saotome?"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Revisionist Historical Department of Nerima: shadowmane

The return of Joketsuzoku's greatest nuisance is at hand, but where is everyone else while this happens? The answer in part two of this Date, coming to you next chapter...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	41. Chapter 41

NabikiRan40 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fourty.

Everyone looked at Genma in frank disbelief and amazement. Soun looked shocked, Silk seemed horrified, and even Kasumi appeared to be less than her usual sanguine self as she gaped upon hearing the stupidity of her "Uncle Saotome." All three had a sense of the utter unreality of the man's confession, but their reactions paled before that of Comb, who let go of the heavyset man and barely registered the fact that she had done so.

"No..." she gasped as if to will away the words that had just been spoken.

Genma stumbled backwards and landed on his plump bottom, feeling about as abused as a rag doll for all that the beating had not even commenced yet. He tried to vainly reestablish some semblance of his dignity by adjusting his glasses, then rumbling to himself, "Yes, well...who knew that things would turn out like this?"

"Saotome," his old friend Soun said harshly, "How could you?"

"Rather easily from where I sit," Silk replied almost reflexively, though still too stunned to work up to her usual level of biting sarcasm.

"Uncle Saotome," Kasumi said with clear disapproval as she echoed her father, "How could you? Promising that Ranma would do that?"

Comb stared at her empty hands as if she had momentarily forgotten what she had been doing in the prior minutes, but then her anger welled up again like a black thing crawling up from the pit of her despair and outrage, "Genmaaaaaa...!"

The man stared up at her in terrified realization that the towering Amazon was only moments away from venting her wrath. In a plaintive voice he cried, "You don't understand! She'd never have let us out of the house if I hadn't made that promise..."

"I wonder why," Silk asked with more emphasis in her sarcasm.

Kasumi's normally tranquil brows furrowed ever so slightly. Even by her standards what Genma had promised for himself and his son was beyond the pale of what could be tolerated.

"Do you have any idea of what you set in motion?" Comb demanded, "When Nodoka finds out...you have doomed your son and condemned yourself! There is no way that she would be as understanding and forgiving as me if faced with the same situation regarding Shampoo's welfare!"

"Now that is a scary concept," Silk averred, though everyone ignored her.

"I know what Nodoka will do when she finds out," Genma replied, not bothering to hide his panic, "That's why I have to find the boy and leave at once! He doesn't know his mother like I do, he won't be able to defend himself, and once Nodoka sees him change..."

"He doesn't know?" Soun replied, "Ranma doesn't know that he signed a suicide pact when you took him on that training mission?"

"I never actually told him what it was," Genma explained, "I just had him put his handprint on the contract before I gave it to Nodoka. Why do you think that I've allowed him to believe that his mother is dead all of these years? If he knew he would have sought her out, and then..."

"But," Kasumi found a dim ray of hope as she said, "If Ranma wasn't aware of what he was doing, then the pact wouldn't be binding on him, right?"

"I'm afraid that it would, Kasumi," Soun said gravely, "Ranma may not have known what he was signing, but the contract had the authority of his father, which makes it binding, just like the agreement we made to unite our families through marriage."

"Japanese legalisms," Silk averred softly, "And because of this you condemn two people to death."

"Silk," Comb turned to her friend, "Can you locate young Master Saotome and warn my Son-in-law not to return home until we can get this matter straight with Nodoka?"

Silk closed her eyes and relaxed, opening her mind to her other perceptions. It took only a moment before she opened them again and replied, "No good...there is some kind of interference surrounding him. I can't locate him directly, not even to fix his location."

"Then we'll just have to resort to other means to achieve the same purpose," Nodoka said with a thoughtful expression.

"What do you have in mind, Auntie?" Kasumi asked with concern in her voice and expression.

Comb fixed the older Tendo girl with a surprised look at being so addressed in the familiar, but she answered simply, "I don't know just yet. We'll have to improvise something. We must convince Nodoka that her son is manly while keeping the two of them apart. Jusenkyo curses are impossible to predict, and all we would need is one exposure to cold water and it would betray his secret. No matter what I will not allow Shampoo to be made a widow! One such tragedy was enough in her life, I won't have her face another."

"Another?" Soun said with growing confusion.

"It's not important now, Soun-chan," Silk replied, "But I agree with your assessment, Comb. It would be a great tragedy if a Combat Genius of young Saotome's potential were to be lost due to the errant stupidity of his father, to say nothing of the effect it would have upon a promising Lore Master."

"I can't believe that Aunt Nodoka would be capable of such a thing," Kasumi in plaintive tones of softly voiced disbelief and amazement.

"You are not the only one who has trouble believing it," Silk replied with much sympathy in her own voice, "But the Nodoka I knew of long ago was capable of a great many things that belied her gentle appearance, and I think it would be best to minimize the risk at the present."

"Then if it's all the same to you, I'd better be going," Genma started to get up when he felt a hand grip his shoulder.

"You," Comb said simply, "Won't be going anywhere, except into the Koi pond!"

Genma started to make protest when he found himself rocketing out of the doors from the dojo to land with unerring aim in the closest sizeable body of water, once again disturbing the sleep of the fish.

"Feel better?" Silk asked her friend.

"Not by much," Comb replied, "But it's a start."

Silk turned back towards Kasumi and said, "You'd better go back into the house in case Nodoka has need of anything. Comb and I will keep watch for the return of young Saotome."

"And what about my little girl?" Soun asked with growing concern.

"She will have to be informed of the danger as well," Comb paused and said, "What do you normally do when someone asks about the redheaded girl you have living in your house?"

"We tell them that she is named Ranko," Soun replied, "And that she is the cousin of Ranma."

"Won't do," Silk said, "Nodoka already knows all of her immediate relations by name, and Genma's especially. Perhaps if we pretend that she's your cousin she won't ask too many questions. Tell me, Soun-chan, didn't you once have a younger sister who vanished some years ago?"

"Yes I did," Soun looked both surprised and saddened at the memory, "Mariko..."

"Mariko?" Kasumi looked at her father in confusion, "I have an Aunt named Mariko, father?"

Silk nodded, "Then that will be the name of Ranko's mother. For the sake of all concerned I suggest we rehearse this in our minds so as not to trip ourselves up by casual confusion. Can we count upon you, child, to help keep the true identity of your brother-in-law secret?"

Kasumi did not look happy. In effect she was being asked to lie, and to someone whom she respected, but she had heard enough to understand the gravity of the situation, so she nodded her head and said, "I understand, Auntie. I do whatever it takes to protect my little sister and Ranma."

"You are such a good child," Silk said with clear admiration, as well as a twinge of regret of her own as she once again contrasted this girl with the one she called her daughter, "Now all that remains is telling the others the same story, and to hope that Nodoka buys it."

A soggy Panda climbed out of the koi pond and shook his fur off, then held up a sign that seemed to appear in his paw from seeming nowhere, "This is all the fault of the boy...if only he had been more careful..."

"If only he...?" Comb snarled, then turned and stalked angrily over to where the practice weapons rack was stored and snatched up a quarterstaff, turning to glare before she rushed out of the dojo to attack an astonished panda, who dropped his sign and started running.

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "I hope she doesn't hurt him...too much."

"If she does then it will be well deserved," Soun said darkly.

"Never fear," Silk said, "I know Comb and her mood swings quite well, and you will note that she chose a blunt object. Of course where she stick the end of that thing..." she did not continue, and even Kasumi nodded to this with grim satisfaction...

"Kachu!" Tofu cried as she thrust open the sliding too do his clinic, finding it dark inside, which greeted him with a sense of dashed hopes and unexpected desolation. "Kachu..."

"Inside," he heard her say, and when he managed to focus his eyes in the darkness he just barely made out a darker form sitting in the middle of the room with her legs folded.

Tofu came into his clinic, closing the door behind him and went to turn on the light, but before he could she said, "Don't bother."

Light came on with a surprising soft glow from her hands, and then Tofu saw the match Kachu held as she began lighting candles that had been set near to her position. One by one these candles were lit until four cardinal points were illuminated, casting her in an unearthly glow that barely allowed him to make out the details of her lovely features.

"Sit down," she indicated a spot that had been prepared across from her, no more than a meter distant, "We must talk."

"Ah...sure," Tofu said with growing concern as he sat down on the spot indicated, crossing his legs as he tried to regard her with an anxious expression.

"Husband," she began, and from the way she said the word he could tell it was not with favor, "You have been searching for me for some time."

He nodded, "I wanted to explain myself to you. I...I didn't mean for you to see that..."

"To see what?" she sniffed, "You acting like a total fool in front of my sister?"

He flinched at the heavy accusation in her voice but recovered almost at once and said, "Um...yeah, that's...what I wanted to explain..."

"Then go ahead," Kachu said, "By all means do so."

He felt his courage falter for a moment, but when he squared his shoulders again the resignation was obvious in his voice, even though he was convinced that she would despise him if she knew his darkest secret.

"I-I can't really explain it," he confessed, "I wish I could, Kami, do I wish it! It's just this...thing comes over me whenever I'm near...whenever I look at or hear your sister. It's been like that for years, and lately...it's been getting worse by the month..."

"What is it?" Kachu asked, "Do you become possessed, like with that Oni?"

He shook his head, "I wish it was that simple. Actually I guess maybe it's just shyness screwing me over..."

"Shyness?" she repeated the word, frowning in confusion.

"Sure...you know what shy means?" he asked.

"No," she replied, then frowned, "I think the word you are intending to use implies a kind of fear and avoidance, but I do not see how you can be afraid of someone who is not a warrior, like my sister."

Tofu allowed himself a moment to absorb the implications of her words-that the word shy was not in her vocabulary-then he belatedly said, "Oh?"

Kachu misunderstood his reply and said, "Is thee some other kind of menace that she possesses, the kind that would make you cringe like a weak male in front of his mother?"

"Uh, no," Tofu said, "Kasumi's...not a menace to me. That isn't the reason I behave like I do around her."

"Then enlighten me," Kachu requested.

Tofu released a sigh that contained more of the weight that lay across his shoulders than he had imagined. This was not going to be easy...

"All right," he said, "I guess you deserve to know the full story. You see...I learned my basic craft of medicine from my father, and he learned the basics of his craft from his father. In fact there have been Tofus practicing medicine back for many generations, so even when I was a little boy I knew that I would grow up to be a doctor."

Kachu nodded, "It is good to be part of such an illustrious ancestry, but what does this...?"

"I'm getting to that part," he pleased her to patience, "Twelve years ago I first hung out my shingle in this very office and it looked to me like I would be enjoying a nice, quiet time as a family physician taking care of the needs of ordinary people living in this prefecture. I was twenty six years old, a young man with bright prospects, and first among my many regular clients were the Tendos, beginning with their father, Soun, and his lovely wife, Kimiko."

Kachu lifted an eyebrow as she heard the name of her father and the woman who was said to resemble her mother. She said nothing but her curiosity began to increase as she sensed a possible revelation to the other-until now unknown-  
half of her bloodline.

Tofu smiled as his own memories began to surface, "You should have seen them back then. Soun Tendo was a pleasant sort of man who seemed to enjoy his life so very much, and the center of his world was his wife and their three children. Kimiko...now there was a rare flower of womanhood who could change her moods with the time of day, one minute all smiles and compliments, the next a real hellcat with a temper you wouldn't want to run afoul of. It could seem at first like Soun was a hen-pecked husband who did everything he could to stay on his wife's good side, but then you could see that the love went both ways in their household and that he was as much the center of her world as she was the sun about which he would orbit..." There was a long pause before he began again, and when he did his tone was heavy with remorse, "That made it one of the hardest days for me when I first diagnosed that there was something wrong with her. I had to refer her to a friend I knew to confirm my diagnosis, and then they ran the tests at the hospital and came back with a positive on her biopsy. Cervical Cancer. Soun was crushed, and his family...his family started to fall apart even before Kimiko was admitted on an emergency basis."

Tofu removed his glasses, nominally to wipe them with a silken kerchief, but then he dabbed at his own eyes, which were full of tears, and it took some effort for him to continue, "I keep asking myself if I could have made that diagnosis just a couple years sooner. I'd been treating Kimiko-san for three years before I noticed anything wrong with her. At first she simply complained about little things that no one took to be the early symptoms, but I should have known at once, and if she had confided in me sooner... I was trained to detect those signs..." he paused again before he said, "In the back of my mind I've always somehow believed that I had failed her."

"But..." Kachu said with surprising softness, "You didn't know...how could you? Even the Elders cannot cure every affliction."

"You never know unless you try," Tofu said quietly, then forced himself to continue, "But you know what the really sad thing is? Kimiko-san spoke to me before she passed away, while she was still lucid enough to speak. She asked me to look after her family for her, to do all that I could to see that they were cared for and had competent medical attention. I promised her that I would always be there to take care of her husband and children...and then she was gone. But what could I do to make up for her loss? Very little as it turned out. I could offer a sympathetic voice to her husband, but I was so much younger than him that I almost felt like I was trying to offer advice to my own father. No, it fell upon someone else to pull the family back together, someone who turned out to be a lot more suited to the task than me. Kasumi, all of ten years of age yet somehow so much older and wiser in spirit. Even before her mother began therapy it was Kasumi who took up the burden of cooking and cleaning around the house and doing all the little tasks that she had originally learned from her mother."

"My sister did this?" Kachu asked, never having actually heard this story in the limited time that she had been in Nerima, and thus surprised beyond her powers of expression to think that one young girl would take on the responsibilities of an elder.

Tofu nodded his head, "Your sister is quite a remarkable young girl, and it was about this time that I first began to take notice of her as something other than a patient. She had such a pleasant smile, and she was so kind towards everyone, and so patient even when dealing with her sisters, who were always getting into fights...especially Akane," he softly chuckled, "I thought she was pretty remarkable, but over time I started to more and more see how remarkable she truly is. Her father...he had all but gone to pieces when his wife died. He stopped taking in students for the dojo, stopped training mostly, except for Akane. She became his only student after a while when Nabiki stopped training with her. Kasumi had already given up practicing the martial arts to devote her time completely to housework. If not for her I'm pretty certain that the family would not have survived the death of Kimiko."

Kachu sat silent as she reflected on this, wondering how she would have coped if she had a father and two younger sisters to care for. Her mother had only been a sporadic part of her life in between their different training cycles, when Kachu had gone on to live with her mentor in Devil Hunting, so it was not that hard to imagine living her life without her. Of course that was always with the knowledge that her mother was alive somewhere, even when they were living apart and would sometimes not even see each other for many weeks. To go on knowing her mother was no more...that would have been much harder! Kachu realized that she would have felt the absence on a much more fundamental level. To go on in the light of that...and with her pathetic skills as a housekeeper...she simply could not imagine!

"Anyway," Tofu resumed, "I got to watch Kasumi and the others grow from little girls to young women over the next nine years time, and it was always a fascinating experience. Nabiki barely ever came around, didn't get into that many accidents or fights and actually seems to have been avoiding my clinic because of what it represents. She's always friendly towards me, but I don't think she's all that comfortable around doctors. Neither is Akane, for the most part, though she seems to turn up on my doorstep about ten times more frequently than both of her two sisters put together. In Akane I see a lot of her mother, and she's actually quite cute when she smiles at you and apologizes for getting into yet another brawl. She's quite the Tomboy, you know, and while I don't think she'd care to admit it, I think she's actually flattered that so many boys in the past have wanted to date her."

"She is a strong fighter?" Kachu asked him, understanding on that level while her youngest sister would be popular with the males of this large village.

"Pretty strong," Tofu acknowledged with a smile, "But I guess she's got some competition in that department now that Shampoo is here, to say nothing of a certain redhead who involuntarily switches genders."

Kachu nodded to that, "Shampoo is very formidable, so I can see that my sister would find her an interesting challenge."

"More than challenging," Tofu said, "The Xi Fang Giao incident pretty much cinched the fact that Shampoo is the more formidable fighter."

"What?" Kachu's eyes widened, "Shampoo used the Xi Fang Giao on my sister?"

"Akane challenged her to a fight and lost," Tofu waved his hands, "I don't think she intended any harm, she just selectively blocked Akane's memories regarding Ranma, when she mistook her for a rival, which seems odd in a way since those two never really seem to get along all that well. Too much alike, I guess, but there was a lot of fuss about getting her to remember. Eventually Akane broke the Xi Fang Giao with the help of her boyfriend, Ryoga."

"She...broke the Xi Fang Giao?" Kachu was stunned. Only one other person in Amazon legend was said to have overcome the technique, and for an outsider female to accomplish this...she mentally made a note to study her younger sister in more detail!

"Anyway," Tofu resumed again with a sigh, "While Akane seems to be most recurring patient, and Nabiki hardly ever visits me at all, Kasumi is someone who has come by my clinic quite frequently, usually to offer me something she's baked with her own hands, or to talk with me about things she's interested in. In between going to school she's stopped by most often to borrow books from me or just to...talk a little."

"You talked?" Kachu eyed him skeptically, remembering his earlier performance.

"Well...I could talk to her in those days...sort of," he amended lamely, "In fact I was able to help her learn Chinese so that she could read some of my books, which are printed in your language. But as she got older...well...I started to more than notice that she was...kind of cute. In fact, it was about the time when she...when she...ah...when she..."

"When she what?" Kachu's eyes narrowed.

"Um..." Tofu glanced down and forced the words out of his mouth, "She...started to physically go through those changes that mark the transition point between pre-and-post adolescence..."

"You mean when she became a woman," Kachu summarized, only to have her eyes go very round as she started to add things up, "Oh?"

Tofu nodded his head emphatically and said, "I...I don't know what started to come over me...but when she...started to bleed...down there...it wasn't like she was a little girl any more. In fact...she wasn't so little after a while...and...and I started to notice that she wasn't just cute...she was beautiful..."

"You were interested," Kachu said in a level tone of voice, uncertain how to take this.

Tofu glanced up at the darkened ceiling, "I don't know why, but I found it harder and harder to concentrate in her presence, and every time she would show up I'd get this overwhelming urge to dance with Betty-chan..."

"Betty-chan?" Kachu blinked.

"My skeleton," Tofu nodded to his office, "It's...kind of a personal thing. Don't ask."

"A skeleton," Kachu recalled the bony corpse that was hanging from a wire and felt a desire to shudder at the morbidity of it all. Were these Japanese such barbarians that they would hang their ancestors' bones out for all to see? She never realized before that doctors could be so...perverted...

"It originally belonged to my father," Tofu hastily added, "I used to play with her when I was a kid. I studied anatomy by memorizing the names of all the bones that she was composed of and comparing it with my father's charts on Shiatsu Nerve points. She's kind of like an old family friend, or a pet, or something..." he cleared his throat and continued, "Well, anyway, it seemed a lot better to dance with her than to dance with...Kasumi."

"A skeleton is better than a live woman?" Kachu asked him.

"Of course not!" he protested, "It's just...I'm so much older than she is. I mean, once she turned eighteen and was a woman, then it would be all right, but not when she was...thirteen, fourteen, fifteen...well, at sixteen I could have married her, but..."

"But what?" Kachu asked.

Tofu swallowed, "I could never get the words out right, and her family needed her. I couldn't exactly take her away from her home until her sisters were old enough to look after themselves, and her father...I couldn't deprive him of the best part of his wife, not to marry an old guy who was more than twice her age..."

"You're twice her age now," Kachu noted, then blinked when she realized that the exact same logic applied to her as she was only a few months older than Kasumi.

"I know, and you'd think I could act like it," Tofu sighed, "But no matter how hard I try I can never get control over myself, and just the mention of her name sometimes sends me off into fits and shivers. I don't know why she affects me like that...I mean, what kind of a relationship can two people have if one of us is always acting like a love-sick puppy...?"

"But the fact is that you do love her," Kachu frowned, then after a few seconds added, "But not me."

"Ah...um," Tofu hesitated, "I...I think you're pretty special, Kachu. I...I don't know you that well but...I think that we could be friends...

"Don't bother to sweet-talk me," Kachu said in a low growl, "The truth is that you did not seek to marry me, just as I did not seek to have you for a husband. It's my sister you were interested in all along, and I just happen to look like her. I'm surprised you can even talk to me in a level voice without stammering all the time..."

"Ah..." Tofu looked down, "Well...you are different from Kasumi..."

"Oh yes," Kachu said, "Everyone seems to admire her. She can cook and clean as well as any man in my village, am I right? I'm the one who's considered too dangerous to even let loose near a stake-knife, let alone a pair of chopsticks! I'm no one's ideal of a bride, but at least I'm competent at something other than insults!"

"Ah...excuse me?" he blinked, wondering what he had done to insult her this time.

"I never expected you to want or even care for me," Kachu continued, only now Tofu sensed that her anger was not being directed at him so much as another, "No one else ever did in my village! Even my mother considers me an embarrassment, but a Hunter of the Dark is used to being an outsider. I don't need anyone to look after me, and I certain don't need a man to worship and adore me!"

"Um...Kachu-chan?" Tofu felt more and more confused, seeing her get up and stand almost at rigid battle readiness.

"You want my sister, you can have her!" Kachu growled, "I don't need you, I don't need anybody! I think this whole idea of a marriage between us is insane! The Elders can't possibly believe that two people as completely different as us could ever hope to live together, let alone make a family..."

"Kachu-chan?" Tofu tried again, sensing the conflict building up like a storm in his companion.

"The whole idea is so ridiculous!" she turned away, "You're a healer, someone who takes care of broken bodies, I'm a Devil Hunter who fights those things that prey upon the mind and spirit and I...and I like being alone! I'm used to it, I don't need anyone else needing me...like that..."

"Kachu-chan," Tofu tried again, sensing her momentary tirade was at last spending its wrath.

"What?" she replied miserably, not even looking in his direction.

Tofu rose to his feet fluidly and replied, "I don't need an ideal wife. I could have that if I married Kasumi, but...I think you're special too. Please don't say these things since they obviously hurt you."

"W-what?" she asked, half-turning back to regard him.

Tofu reached out a hand and touched her arm, carefully in case she took the gesture badly, and gently turned her around to face him.

"You're as beautiful as Kasumi," Tofu said, glancing down and realizing for the first time that she was still wearing the dress he'd bought her, "And you look good just like you are. You may be different in a lot of other ways, but you share something basic, something special that's unique only to you both."

"Which is?' she asked him tensely.

"You have the same heart," he smiled, "The same father, just different mothers, but in a lot of ways you remind me of Kimiko-san. In fact you're a lot more like she was than Kasumi has ever been. I'm sorry if we got off on the wrong foot, but...I think we could be friends, if you want."

"Friends?" she asked softly.

"Or...whatever," Tofu wondered what he had been about to say. He was losing himself in the softly reflected light in her brown eyes. It belatedly occurred to him that he had never been this close to Kasumi herself, let alone been able to touch her without turning into a mindless, quivering mound of babbling Jell-  
O...

"Ah..." he said after a full minute in which nothing particularly significant was said or happened.

Kachu was very still, unable to do or say anything, possessed by a feeling unlike anything that she had ever experienced before. She was looking up into the eyes of a man who was, in so many senses of the word, her near-total opposite, and yet she felt conflicting emotions of happiness and torment.

Tofu knew he should say something or do something at that moment, but he was held in place by his own strange feelings of peace and uncertainty, not knowing which way to turn in order to make the moment more right than it already was. They had crossed some kind of a threshold together, and where this could lead neither of them had any idea, only that they were not in any great hurry...

The night was still young, after all, and each had so many questions that needed answering, only to find the right words were impossible. The moment was left to simple feelings, and in that they found their answers without hardly any effort...

Nabiki had been surprised when Ranma brought them to an alley behind the restaurant rather than to the front door, as she had more-or-less anticipated. She was even more surprised when he dug around behind a pile of trash and produced a knapsack similar to the one he had used while on the road for so many seasons.

"Here we are," he said with a haughty display of the proffered item, as if expecting his iinazuke to be impressed with his accomplishment.

"Here we are...what?" Nabiki asked, looking at her fianc e as though trying to classify him by genus and species.

In answer Ranma opened the pack and pulled out several items of apparel, passing a few over to Nabiki, who held them up to the light and discovered-to her amazement-that she was holding a silken kimono!

"N-Nani?" she gasped, seeing that Ranma was fishing out other robes that seemed more suited to the male gender.

"Didn't think I could plan this far ahead, huh?" he grinned, "I know these places got a fancy dress code, and they won't let us in if we look like a couple of High Schoolers. With these on we can at least pass ourselves off as the swanky types they'd only let into this kind of restaurant."

"But..." Nabiki finally managed to say after several long seconds of utter confusion, "How did you know that Ukyo would be taking Shampoo here or all places?"

"Easy," Ranma replied with a smug look, "I asked him and he told me."

There was another long, drawn-out pause, then Nabiki smiled at him and said, "So, when did you get to be so smart and sneaky?"

"Since I've been hanging with you," he answered with good-natured teasing, "C'mon, put yours on. I'll help you with the tough bits. Kasumi showed me how to do it."

"Ah..." Nabiki glanced around, "Change where?"

"Uh..." Ranma blinked. He hadn't really thought of that part, but now that he did he felt...more than a little awkward, "Um...maybe in that corner where it's dry? I'll...um...make sure nobody sees you."

Nabiki flashed him a wry look and said, "Not even you, Ranma-kun?"

"Hah?" Ranma blinked his eyes, then swallowed the lump and replied, "Uh...maybe later? After all, if I look...um...who'll be paying any attention if there's trouble?"

He fervently hoped that the light was not good enough that she could make out the way his cheeks were flushing. The way Nabiki sauntered by him with an exaggerated wiggle to her hips hardly helped him maintain his composure, and without willing himself to he found his eyes tracked her movements. Nabiki saw him looking at her as she began to undress, then appeared to ignore him altogether while Ranma forgot his own words and momentarily forgot to pay attention to his surroundings.

He did not see the figure overhead that leaped on top of the restaurant for it was just outside of the range of his normal perceptions of danger. He could only see Nabiki's body vaguely outlined half in shadow, too indistinct to make out in full detail, but vivid enough through his memories that he felt a lump form in his throat as a bulge in his trousers made him want to double over.

"Aren't you getting dressed, Ranma-kun?" she asked after she was most of the way towards completing her outfit.

"Ah..." Ranma finally broke out of his daze, recalling himself to his original plan, and without wasting any more time he began changing out of his Chinese clothes and into his new outfit, tying on his robes and hastily fixing the belt in place while exchanging his slippers for a pair of wooden sandals.

Five minutes later they emerged together from the alley way with disguises complete. Ranma had adopted a pair of tinted sunglasses and began swaggering and carrying himself in an entirely different way. Nabiki eyed him with clear puzzlement as he took her by the arm and walked up into the restaurant, confronting the head waiter at once with a bellicose attitude that suggested a man who had drunk a little too much but was still fit to party.

"Yoi!" he hailed the well-dressed man, "Table for two, my good man! And bring us your best!"

"Sir?" the headwaiter asked the word as if it were a question, only to see the three-thousand yen note that Ranma waved under his nose with almost hypnotic fascination. It disappeared so fast that Nabiki almost suspected the man of practicing his own form of martial arts maneuvering, and his entire attitude at once became polite, eager and deferential, "Right this way, sir, a table is already prepared for you and your lovely companion."

Nabiki controlled her urge to blink, then caught a wink from out of the corner of her eye and realized that Ranma had indeed been preparing himself for this evening. She went along with his lead, all the while wondering if her iinazuke had been replaced by one of the pod people...

Meanwhile two figures crept along the edge of the alley that had been vacated by Nabiki and Ranma. Passing by the folded up nap-sack that now contained discarded clothing, Akane wrinkled her nose in disgust and grumbled, "That Ranma is such a pervert! Imagine, dressing himself in front of my sister, and making her undress in front of him!"

"That's a bad thing?" Ryoga asked in some confusion.

"Never mind!" Akane said in a huff as she turned resolutely towards the end of the alley way, and from there turned the corner and found the back exit, "Now all we've got to do is get inside there and find a way to mingle with the crowd, then we can find out what that Shampoo is up to!"

"You think going in through the back door is such a good idea?" Ryoga asked, "Someone's bound to see us."

"Oh?" she sniffed, "And you have a better idea?"

Ryoga did not like the way she had phrased that, almost like it was a challenge. He forced himself to turn away and walked calmly up to the nearest section of wall some ten feet from the back door. Staring at it he allowed all his pent-up feelings of hurt, anger and frustration to be vented all at once as he stabbed a finger forward and cried, "Bakusai Tenketsu!"

Akane jumped back in alarm as the wall in front of Ryoga exploded, leaving a hole big enough for a panda to walk through. She overcame her surprise and cried out, "Baka! And you think they won't notice that?"

"I don't know," Ryoga said as he walked in through the hole he had just created, "It's kind of dark in here...I think we found a closet."

"Huh?" Akane responded, following him through the gap and finding that they were, indeed, inside a small enclosed place. She pushed her way past Ryoga and found a wall switch, flicking it on and discovered at once what was contained within the closet.

"All right!" she cried in delight, "Wait to go, Ryoga-kun!"

"Huh?" Ryoga was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he was surprised at how quickly Akane had shifted from anger to gratitude, then he turned and saw the uniforms hanging from one wall and began to follow her reason.

"With this we can pass ourselves off as employees!" she declared, then whirled about as the door to the closet flew open and someone dressed in a chef's hat was staring at them, then past them in growing confusion.

"What in the name of all my ancestors?" he declared in Cantonese.

"Huh" Akane asked in non-comprehension.

"We're sorry," Ryoga replied, "Please don't be upset with our appearance."

"You understood him?" Akane blinked, then mentally kicked herself at forgetting that Ryoga knew Chinese, so she hastily said, "Don't tell him how it happened, say it was an accident!"

"Accident?" the chef declared in disbelief, "What accident? How did that wall get busted!"

"It was easy," Ryoga said, "And please forgive me."

"Forgive...?" the man started to say when he found the lost boy's fist making a very accurate trajectory to his face, and then all he saw was a lot of stars and pinwheels, as if he were experiencing an early Chinese New Year.

"Well," Akane said as she caught the unconscious man before he could hit the floor, "That wasn't subtle, but I guess beggars can't be choosers."

"I hated to do that," Ryoga said with obvious distaste, "A Martial Artist should never lower herself to picking on those who are weaker than he is."

"Look, you already apologized," Akane reassured her companion, "So we'd better hurry before any of his friends come looking for him."

"Right," Ryoga said as he picked up the body, "I'll put him next to the other guy and we can get started."

"Right," Akane said as she started to slip on one of the bus-boy outfits (the waitress costumes were much too skimpy for her liking) only to halt in her tracks once again as she did a double-take, "What other guy?"

"Uh..." Ryoga pointed to one corner, "The one who's all tied up in his underwear."

Akane stood quite motionless as she saw the second unconscious body, then she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, we didn't do that, so let's hurry up and get out of here!"

Two minutes later they emerged from the closet in their disguises, only to be confronted by another of the cooks who said, "There you are, Wang. Did you find out what made that awful-hey, you're not Wang!"

"Uh, no," Akane gave a feeble smile, "He's not. He just started today, and so did I."

"Huh?" he blinked as he looked the both of them over, then shrugged his shoulders, "I guess that Wang just wanted an excuse to take some time off to hit the sake. Lazy bastard."

"I'm sure he's not doing anything that dishonorable," Ryoga replied.

"Oh no?" the chef eyed Ryoga with surprise, then dismissed the irregularity of seeing a bus boy wearing a tiger-striped bandana, "Shows how well you know him. Believe me, when you're parents are a couple of comedians who give you a name like Long Wang, you're capable of anything. I'm Hung Wel, by the way, so don't go making any smart-ass jokes about it, you got that?"

"Uh...right," Akane said, wincing.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Ryoga began to say when Akane took him by the arm and all but dragged him off towards the kitchen.

Hung Wel watched the two of them go then shook his head and said, "They're hiring them younger every year, but at least the girl was hired to bus tables. She just doesn't have the figure to be a proper waitress..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

All right, so maybe it's not fair to compare Ranma to a pod person, but the guy I was with today sure looked, talked and acted a lot like my iinazuke, only a whole lot smarter than I'd ever given him credit. I watched him go into his act flashing money to the Maitr'd, acting like he had money to burn, and all the while I'm wincing at the amount of cash he's throwing around. To top it off he was openly flirting with the waitresses and I had to seriously curb my natural impulse to give him a sharp kick under the table for acting like such a baka.

But once we were along to ourselves once again he just flashed that cocky smile at me and said, "Relax, Nabiki, it's all part of my plan. Ya gotta act the part if you wanna be a player."

"Part?" I asked him, "Are you auditioning for a school play something?"

"Naw," he waved a dismissive hand, "But there was this guy I once knew...a real cool, swank dude who could really talk his way places like this and everybody treated him like he was royalty 'cause he was into making movies..."

"Uhuh," I replied skeptically, "And where was this?"

"Hong Kong," he replied, "Pop and I were touring through there on our way back from the mainland, keeping one step ahead of Shampoo, trying to scrape enough cash together to guy a ticket back to Japan so's we wouldn't have to swim back the same way we'd come in the first place."

I briefly reflected on that. Even after all I'd been through with Ranma I still found it hard to accept that he and his father could have swum across the Sea of Japan! I tried not to sound sarcastic as I replied, "Well, if you were being chased by an angry Amazon, I think I might have chanced it in your place."

He sniffed at that and said, "Yeah, just about. Sure would have been a lot less embarrassing that what did happen."

"Which was?" I asked casually and saw him tense by a fraction.

"Ah...well," he winced, "Like I said, I met this guy while I was in China and..."

"And you were in your cursed half?" I asked him, then saw the telltale signs that I'd just scored a bullseye.

"Yeah," he sighed, "Look, I was hungry and lost and the old man had run off, as usual, rather than face up to something that he did, so I wound up sitting on a curb feeling miserable when this car pulls up and I think maybe it's a cop and I'm in trouble..."

"Go on," I urged, sensing yet another one of "Ranma's Most Embarrassing Moments" in the works.

"Okay," he sighed, "So this guy pulls up and it's not a cop, only he ain't driving the car neither. Turns out it's this movie star guy I told you about, and he's mistaken me for a...um..."

"A cute chick?" I offered for him.

"Yeah," he winced again, "That's what he thought. Okay, I looked like a girl but I wasn't about to be mistaken for one, so I was gonna refuse him, only he offered to buy me dinner..."

"And you were absolutely starving," I resumed.

"Yeah, that's about it," he looked at me over the rim of his sun glasses and for a moment I couldn't tell if he were being serious or facetious as he asked me if he'd already told me this one before. When I said no he resumed, "Okay, I tell him I'm not hungry, only my stomach goes and calls me a liar, so I give in and let him buy me dinner, but I tell him, 'No way' to any funny stuff he might try later. I didn't really know what he'd try and do, but I'd had some funny encounters with guys before this, so I wanted to set him straight about that before things got too far. So I'm watching him carefully as he tells the driver to take us to this swank place near the warfs, and he goes into this Money-Man act like he's trying to impress me or something...pretty much word-for-word what I just did to get us into this place."

"You mean you studied his moves and copied them like any other kind of technique?" I asked him dryly, realizing that this made sense in a way, though I had to admit that I'd thought he'd exaggerated his behavior a little.

"Yeah, that's it all right," he sighed, "At the time I thought he was some kind of a creep, but I figured I could take him if he tried anything sudden with me. I mean, girls don't really get impressed by guys who behave like that, do they?"

"Some girls do," I admitted, confiding to myself that seeing a man flash money in my presence would have been a pretty powerful inducement to go along with his ploy, even if I'm not as good at fending off a potential 'date rape' as Ranma. I usually get my way around guys without having to resort to any of the rough stuff.

"So, how'd your date end?" I asked and was rewarded by seeing him flash a really annoyed look in my direction.

"It wasn't a date, all right?" he growled, "I just had a meal that he paid for, and when he tried to get something started I made sure he knew it wasn't gonna happen. Funny thing is he actually seemed to be a pretty good sport about the whole thing, didn't get angry with me or nothing. He asked if I knew some martial arts and I admitted that I had and he gave me this card and said if I wanted to earn some honest money I could show up at the lot to his latest movie."

"And did you?" I asked with surprise, wondering just who this was who had paid for a meal and not gotten upset at having his advances rebuffed. After all, Ranma is pretty "hot" in his female form, and I'm sure the vast majority of guys would never think twice about an offer to screw her.

"I thought about it," Ranma said, "Then decided I pretty much didn't have anything else lined up for the next day, so I showed up in my guy form and said I was there to check out the place. Turns out the guy I ate dinner with was a pretty cool dude once you sobered him up and gave him a not bath. Once I figured the place was on the level I hid out back behind the studio and changed into my cursed self, then I tested for the part as Stunt Double for the heroine, and got a few quick pointers about movie combat, which I'd always thought was fake and never took serious as an art form."

"You were a stunt-woman?" I think I blinked at that.

"Yep," he smiled, "Made some pretty good money for one day's light work. The hardest part was trying not to hurt any of the other guys as I did what the director told me. They gave me a check and I asked 'em where to cash it, and no sooner were the words out of my mouth than the Old Man showed up to claim the money I'd earned! I had to ride herd on him to see that he didn't spend it on something useless. I insisted we needed boat tickets and that was it, and that's how we avoided having to fight off the sharks on our way back home to Japan. Neat, huh?"

I think I was honestly impressed with his resourcefulness because I let that smug crack of his slip by without one of my usual sarcastic rejoinders. Instead I smiled then looked past him towards the table where Ukyo and Shampoo were sitting and said, "Well, I just hope your clever little ploy works out, because we need to get closer if we're going to overhear what those two are talking about."

"I don't see how we can," Ranma said without glancing over his shoulder, using the menu to partially conceal his face as he eyed them sideling, "Ucchan might spot us, and I don't want Shampoo to think that we don't trust her or nothing."

I began to smile as a plan started to form in my own mind, and I really must have been patting myself on the back over how clever I was being or else I would have noticed the waiter come up to our table and ask for our orders. I was kind of startled to find him there, then I looked up at this Mandarin in a red coat glaring down his nose at us as though he were deciding if he should call a bus boy to clean us up off our table.

"Your orders, Sir and Ma'am?" he asked in precisely worded Japanese, the kind that's so perfectly pronounced that you know he has to be a foreigner instead of a native.

"Sure thing," Ranma said, going back into his foppish mode of behavior, making a show of looking over his menu, "I'll have whatever's good tonight, and so will the lady."

I had to smile at his act, because it was perfect blend of his usual laid-back style and that of a guy who didn't really care that much about how expensive everything was. I'd already taken a good hard look at the prices and nearly had a coronary. I didn't want to undermine his efforts by ordering something cheap, so I selected an item at random and tried to sound like a much older woman might do in the company of a rich teen idol.

If I'd really been paying attention, though, I would have noticed other people circulating around us, most especially a certain pair who stood out like sore thumbs in that place, or the other clown who was hanging in the background about to make trouble for all concerned parties...

Akane glanced around at the kitchen staff, amazed to see the speed with which the chefs were preparing all the food, the skills with which they chopped things, stuffed things, added other stuff to things she could hardly even identify and generally milled about as if they were preparing for a battle as well as a meal. She'd never realized before that cooking could look so energetic!

Of course in the few seconds that it had taken her to realize that she had inadvertently let Ryoga wander off by himself, a fact brought home to her when she heard a loud clattering and crash come tumbling down from a nearby storage locker.

"Ryoga!" she growled as she caught up with the aptly named lost boy, who smiled sheepishly up at her from beneath a pile of pots, pans, crockery and other sorts of dishware, "What are you doing?"

"Uh...I was trying to find the way to the lobby?" he responded lamely.

"Let me do that!" she declared when a sudden combat reflex informed her of the shadow that was looming up behind her, "Oh crap..."

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded yet another white-suited individual in a large chef's hat, his mustache giving him a very Fu Manchu-like appearance.

"Ah...sorry about that," Akane winced as she looked up at the taller man, feeling almost like she was encountering the Chinese equivalent of her own father, only much, much sterner looking, "My friend had a little accident, but he's all right and there doesn't seem to be anything broken..."

"There had better not be," the man growled, "Or it's coming out of your salary, and the two of you will be doing dishes until you chap the hands of your ancestors!"

"Eep," Akane winced and added a very mild, "Yessir."

The man frowned even more and took a harder look at her, "You seem a little young to be working in my restaurant. Who hired you anyway?"

"Ah," Akane glanced at Ryoga, who had managed to free himself from the pile of dishware but looked even more unsure of himself than she was, "He...ah...said his name was Hung Wel..."

"Oh," the tall man snorted, "I might have known. My brother never did have much of an eye for good, talented employees."

"Your brother?" Ryoga asked him.

"Little brother, actually," the tall man folded his arms and added, "I'm Hung Lo, the Head Chef of this restaurant, and the one guy you don't want to get on his bad side."

"Hung...Lo?" Akane wondered if she should wait until later or save time and start screaming.

"Uh, excuse me for asking," Ryoga said, "But who exactly owns this place?'

"Enormous Genitals," Hung Lo shrugged, "He's my cousin."

"O-kay," Akane was certain the man was pulling their legs, but just in case decided it was a good time to take a powder, "I guess, if it's all right with you, that we'll get right back to work..."

"Damn right you will, kid," Hung Lo replied, "There are tables out there to bus, so the two of you had better start bussing...NOW!"

Both Akane and Ryoga jumped at that, and were all but chased out of the kitchen. Once they had vanished from his sight Hung Lo gave a snort and said, "Kids these days...no respect for traditions."

He failed to notice the gleam that was reflected off the glasses of the man standing behind him in a borrowed waiters uniform, a tall fellow who was pushing a seemingly innocent cart to the dining area, and whose ideas of ancient traditions was of a very different order than the Head Chef would have recognized or approved of...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

It seemed to me that sneaking up on Ukyo and Shampoo was out of the question, and as long as we remained where we were there was less chance of being spotted. We were too far to be within earshot, and if we continued staring at them we were bound to draw unwanted attention. It seemed to me that all the conventional routes towards spying on the odd "couple" were dead ends and bound to defeat our whole purpose for being in that restaurant. However I had begun to develop a heightened sensitivity for alternate ways of perceiving things, so I decided that it was a good enough time to put my limited training into some kind of practice.

"Ranma-kun," I smiled, "What do you think Ukyo and Shampoo are discussing?"

"I dunno," he shrugged, giving a side-glance out of the corner of his eye before looking away again, "It looks like they're discussing some personal stuff. I sure hope Shampoo isn't falling for any fancy lines or bull-crap."

"I thought you said you trusted Ukyo," I pointed out.

"I do trust him," Ranma said defensively, then wavered a bit as he added, "Sort of..."

I smiled and said, "Give me a moment, I want to try something."

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax a little, feeling my surroundings as the hubbub of sound from dozens of voices murmuring softly in low conversation rolled over my consciousness. I did as the old woman had directed me in the mountains and allowed most of those voices to wash over me, then cease to be of any real importance. There was only one set of voices that I was interested in, and with surprising ease I found my ears perking up as I started to take in the sounds of Ukyo and Shampoo, so very distinguishable when contrasted with the other voices all around us.

And then I heard the words being uttered by Kuonji, "So...who was she?"

"You mean like girl you date?" came Shampoo's sharp reply, directed with more force and anger than I would have expected from the Chinese Amazon. I belatedly realized that Shampoo was referring to the girl briefly mentioned in my conversation with Ukyo back in the Nekohanten.

"Uh...you heard about that, huh?" Ukyo asked with evident reluctance.

"Ears like cat," I heard Shampoo say by way of explanation, but then her tone changed completely to one of sadness and she added softly, "Her name...was Lo Xion."

"What, you mean the old woman?" Ukyo's stunned disbelief mirrored my own surprised reaction.

"Not Elder Lotion," Shampoo growled back, "Shampoo love was great-granddaughter of Elder, Lotion the Younger. She was...same age as Shampoo..." and then her voice caught and I felt my heart clench suddenly at the note of grief and longing.

"Nabiki?" I heard Ranma say.

My eyes flew open and I looked at him in astonishment, then I turned to look directly at the table where Ukyo and Shampoo were actually seated. I had just caught a snatch of something intimate that I had not previously been aware of regarding our Chinese fiancee, but more to the point I had detected something else, something even more alarming.

A sense of immanent danger!

It took only seconds to pick out the hauntingly familiar profile of a Chinese boy I had met before, but by that time he had already advanced upon their table and was holding up a weapon that he was poised to unleash upon them. It took only an instant to perceive what the object was, and then for a moment more I was caught by surprise at discovering that it was nothing less than...

A common pail of water?

"Saotome, you swine!" Mousse cried as he drew back with the bucket, then started to bring it forward.

"Saotome?" I gasped, as I'm pretty sure my reply was echoed by Ukyo, Shampoo and even Ranma...

To be Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Critical Junctures in the Plot: shadowmane

What is in that "seemingly harmless bucket of water" you ask? Well, if you've seen the original Anime and/or the Vid you've got a pretty good idea what Mousse intends to do here, but will he succeed in his dastardly plan? And if he does, will it mean "Duck Flamb " when he's the target of the mutual wrath of several other people who get caught in the crossfire? Stay tuned for part three of The Date where the unexpected is bound to happen and you don't wanna miss it, so...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	42. Chapter 42

NabikiRan41 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-One.

"Saotome, you swine!"

Lotion's eyes flew open as she perceived the angry declaration that was accompanied by a response that contained much stress and confusion. She went from a state of full meditative rest to complete alertness, and then she rose up from her bedding, stretching out her hand as her staff flew into her grasp, then at once she shifted through the boundaries of space and time to appear again on the floor downstairs, where she found Cologne smoking her pipe and looking thoughtful.

"Matriarch," Lotion called out with no further preamble, "There is an emergency that demands our immediate attention! Our wards are in danger and I must ask that you come with me without hesitation."

Cologne was sufficiently alarmed to be addressed this way by her old rival so that she did not even question the accuracy of that statement. She grasped her own staff and all but flew to the side of the ancient Lore Master, and then they both vanished from the Nekohanten, the urgency of thought itself lending speed to their travel...

Akane had never before considered how much food people left behind on their plates, coming as she did from a family that was frugal with its portions and rarely left anything behind (especially with Ranma and his father for semi-  
permanent houseguests). But now for the first time that she had to clear off the plates left on the tables by the people who dined in this restaurant she had a pretty vivid conception of just how wasteful they could be. Considering that many of the portions in a Chinese-style meal were small to begin with that had to say something!

She filled the bus tray, scraping off food to one side and making space for the glasses. As she did this she stole sideling glances at the table where Ukyo and Shampoo were seated, having some kind of personal conversation, the like of which she could hardly guess, other than a general feeling that she did not like it. Akane glowered as she finished stacking her tray then picked up the tub, preparing to head off towards the kitchen when she heard a yelp of surprise from far ahead of her and she groaned, "Not again!"

She set her bus tray back down and hurried to the side of a beleaguered Ryoga, who was backing out and away from the Ladies side of the Restrooms, profusely apologizing while covering his eyes with one hand. Akane caught up to him as someone bounced a roll of toilet paper off his head, followed by a hairbrush and a compact, and several other items from the sound of it as they bounced off the door once it had slammed shut.

"Ryoga!" she growled angrily and pointed, "The kitchen is over that way!"

"Uh...I...ah..." Ryoga said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one hand., then glancing over his shoulder as he added, "I think I left my bus tray in there."

"I'll get it," Akane sighed, "You keep an eye on Ukyo and Shampoo...and for heaven's sakes, stay out of trouble!"

"Um...okay," he replied, but once she was into the bathroom he concluded by adding lamely, "But...how?"

Ryoga heaved a sigh. At this rate he was never going to get back into her good graces! All he ever did anymore was screw things up even worse between them, looking more and more like a fool every time he tried to please her. It was bad enough that his stupid lack of direction sense kept turning him around whenever he tried to get anywhere, but lately he'd wind up in the weirdest places without even knowing how he got to such odd locations, and without hardly any effort.

In all truth he did not deserve such a girl as Akane, with her warmth and her kindness, her very trust, which he had abused so very callously. He had hurt her deeply, for which he could not forgive himself, and he was bound to hurt her even more if he stayed around to continually remind her of his betrayal with his very presence. He would leave her, but somehow every attempt he had made so far had only brought him back, like a curse. He would bewail his lack of good fortune but for the fact that without her his life would seem so empty.

Only now she had started to show an interest in someone else who had the potential of making her happy. This new guy, Kuonji Ukyo, with his good looks and smooth-talking glib style, which Ryoga knew he could not compete against. The new kid on the block had money and influence, was a good cook and could really charm the ladies. Next to him Ryoga felt like...well...like a mendicant. Guys like that just used women and then discarded them when they no longer served a purpose. Ryoga could never be like that with any girl, least of all Akane, and yet for all he tried to impress her he just kept coming up a distant second!

Ryoga glared back towards the main dining area and felt his anger build up within him like an old, familiar friend. Kuonji was Ranma's friend, and like Ranma he had a way of coming between Ryoga and whatever he desired. Ryoga had recently agreed to call off his vendetta against Ranma, but the same did not hold true for anyone else connected with him. Kuonji had better be on his guard, because all it would take was one misstep to give Ryoga an excuse and-  
POW! Instant satisfaction!

"What are you doing standing around here?" demanded an angry voice from behind him.

"Gah!" Ryoga almost jumped as he whirled around and assumed a fighting crouch, then belatedly saw that the man was wearing the uniform of one of the Head Waiters, "Er, ah..."

"Get back to work!" the man snapped as he pointed towards the dining area, "What do we pay you for? You're not supposed to stand around like an extra in a Chop-  
sockeye movie! Go out there and clean tables!"

"H-Hai!" Ryoga cried as he hustled off in search of tables to clean and dishes to bus, thinking to himself that the guy was as scary as any Oni and it was best not to inform him of the fact that Ryoga was technically not on the payroll.

Akane emerged from the ladies room with bus tray in hand a few seconds later, looked around and saw no Ryoga, then muttered under her voice, "That baka...now where did he wander off to?"

Though Akane did not want to admit it to herself she was very worried about the whereabouts of her friend and fellow martial artist. Ryoga could be such a stupid jerk at times, but he was basically good-natured and had a good heart, even if he was at times totally clueless.

She sighed and headed off to where she had left her other bus tray, intending to stack both together and take them in one trip to the kitchen. It was just starting to dawn upon her that she was having man-troubles like never before. In the past boys just wanted to beat her in combat to prove their worth and to force her to date them, but now that this was but a less-than-happy memory in the past she was discovering how complicated courtships really could be. She liked Ryoga and had basically gotten over the discovery that he was also her beloved pet, P-chan, but still he could drive her up the wall at times with his idiotic behavior. And now she was discovering a different kind of man who might appeal to her on a fundamental level, and the guy goes out on a date with Shampoo of all people! It just wasn't fair, and Akane was starting to feel just a little bit on edge about it.

After all, could she really be thinking about courting a guy who had those kinds of looks, that kind of charm and such a kind, generous, winning manner? Every time she looked upon Kuonji Ukyo she felt her heart begin to flutter like a butterfly, or some small cornered beast. Kuonji seemed too good to be real, and Akane kept thinking it would all turn out to be a joke somehow, or that the guy would have some dark and terrible secret that he was keeping well hidden. Surely he must already have a girlfriend somewhere, or maybe he wasn't interested in girls like her at all. She hadn't known him for all that many days since he turned up from out of no where and interfered in that fight on behalf of Ranma, and wasn't that a kick in the head! To think that somebody so cool could be a childhood friend of a perverted creep like Ranma!

As Akane came back within sight of her quarry her focus was not on her immediate surroundings. She was seeing the looks passing between Ukyo and Shampoo and thought she saw something like shared sympathy, or perhaps some other type of emotional bonding. It was clear enough to Akane's eyes that Kuonji felt on edge about something, while the look Shampoo was giving him was almost an accusation. It made Akane grit her teeth and fight the urge to go over there to break things up, but instead she stalked angrily back to the table where her other bus tray was still waiting. She deposited the tray she was carrying on top of it and started to lift them both off the table when something jarred against her leg, almost causing her to drop the whole load. It was an absolute miracle that she managed to avert a calamity of busted dishes that would surely have blown her cover!

She turned an angry glare at the guy who was wheeling the cart that had collided with her and snapped, "Watch where you're going! Are you blind or something?"

"I'm sorry," the tall man with the long black hair replied, and Akane belatedly chided herself as she saw that the fellow did, indeed, have on a pair of thick coke-bottle glasses, "I didn't see you standing there. It won't happen again."

"Uh...sure," Akane felt her anger drain away, to be replaced by a wholly different sensation. There was something about the guy...he seemed somehow familiar. She felt a prickling sensation down her spine and wondered why this fellow radiated a kind of danger by his very presence. She stood by and watched as he wheeled past her, his manner controlled and as precise as a martial artist. It took a moment for her to finally place his profile as he continued on his way, and then she gasped in realization, turning to track his motion as he was headed for the table shared by Ukyo and Shampoo.

"No!" she gasped. It all made sense to her now! Ukyo was the one who had interfered in a fight between Ranma and this guy from Shampoo's village, and now he was back to seek revenge for spoiling his chances of winning the Amazon for his bride. As Akane made this connection she saw the fellow park his cart then remove the covering to reveal a water bucket. The way he picked it up with great care and deliberation implied that it contained something dangerous, like it was some kind of a weapon. She saw him draw back with the obvious intent to splashing those contents upon Kuonji, and that was where she shook off her momentary daze and started running!

Mousse had entered the room with his quarry within sight. He had followed at a discrete distance as he had watched the others leave the Nekohanten in groups of two, one group trailing behind the other, which puzzled him briefly until he decided that they were all seeking the same goal, wherever it was that the lead boy-whom he took to be Ranma-was taking Shampoo on this occasion. He almost had not recognized the boy who had interrupted his fight with the redheaded girl who had substituted herself for the hated Saotome. Some details of that encounter were still fuzzy in his mind, but he recalled vividly the beating he had received on account of that interruption, and so it was that he concluded that the boy with Shampoo had to be the real and original Ranma!

He had only just returned to find the treacherous Saotome was making his move to seduce his Shampoo for his evil lusts, and Mousse thanked his ancestors that he had arrived in Japan at such a time. He still had a chance of winning Shampoo for himself, but first he had to eliminate a certain irritant, and without the interference of the redhead who had fought him...or anyone else for that matter, including an Elder!

So he infiltrated the restaurant, impersonating one of its employees while borrowing his jacket, then acquired what he needed and made his play to track down and deal with his hated rival. Sure enough he had located Shampoo on the first sweep of the premises sitting across from Saotome, so he went to fetch his cart and now was prepared to strike, feeling the thrill of the hunt as it finally neared its inevitable conclusion.

And then he saw what he had dreaded seeing...Shampoo was in tears! He saw the trail of water glisten from her eyes from across the length of the room, and for the first time in his short, unhappy life he was grateful at being farsighted or he might not have seen the trail of water until he was up close, which would have unmanned him completely. He headed at once towards their table like a shark smelling blood in the water, his anger boiling over within him so that he barely acknowledged the girl he had bumped into, mumbling an apology in passing while his goal remained the villainous Saotome!

He moved with almost mechanical precision as he came to a halt, then fetched the bucket that he had paid such a terrible price to obtain. He knew that Saotome was said to have a Jusenkyo curse already, but Mousse had heard the legends about the curses blending or even canceling each other out, and so had selected his revenge with great deliberation, a fitting punishment for someone who had dared to try and come between himself and the object of his desires. As the moment of delivery arrived he felt his rage boil up from within him, and he could not help himself as he declared his intent like a call to battle.

"Saotome, you swine!" he cried, and started to toss the contents of the pail towards his intended victim, only to feel something colliding against him from behind, spoiling his aim completely.

"Akane?" someone had cried from another table, even as the pair directly before him chorused the word, "Saotome?"

"No!" Mousse cried as he lost his grip upon the pail. It wasn't fair, he had almost won against Saotome! With horror he felt his glasses get knocked from his face to go flying somewhere while his weapon of choice arced up over their heads and came down in a slow trajectory, as if everything were moving at once in slow motion.

Ryoga had heard what sounded like Nabiki call out Akane's name and turned in time to see the youngest Tendo girl tackling some guy dressed up like a waiter. He saw a bucket soar up to nearly brush the ceiling, and then come down again with the slow pull of inevitability towards its new unintended victim.

Nabiki got up from her chair with a horrified expression as Ranma just began to turn around and see the bucket falling towards Akane. They all witnesses as it upended itself and spilled its contents over the short-haired girl's head, and for one single moment Akane had a look of surprise in her expression...and then she disappeared from sight, collapsing into her borrowed clothing.

"Akane!" Ryoga launched himself across the room, praying like never before that the bucket had not contained what he knew in his heart must have been Jusenkyo water.

"Akane!" Nabiki all but echoed his tone of distress, seeing her sister disappear to be replaced by a struggling lump inside what had been the uniform of a bus boy.

"Akane?" Ranma gasped, slow to realize what had just occurred, only to be equally appalled as he groaned, "Oh no...not her too?"

"Akane?" Shampoo stared in disbelief at what had just happened, and so did Ukyo, who was the last to understand what she had just witnessed.

"No!" Mousse cried, startling them all from where he lay sprawled upon the floor next to the cart, "I was so close!"

"Mousse?" Ranma had started to cry, then they all turned to see the form that shook itself free from the discarded clothing.

Akane was wondering what it was that had just happened to her. One minute she was defending Ukyo, the next something had landed on her and gotten her wet, and then something truly strange had occurred as a chill went through her soul, and she felt her body begin to experience its first transformation.

All at once her world had collapsed inward as though she were Alice in Wonderland falling down through the rabbit hole. All at once she found herself covered over in a net of some kind and it was dark all around her. She couldn't move her arms or legs and had to fight her way out, but a source of light offered to her as one end of the tarp gave her some hope of struggling free from her prison. The moment she managed to slip through the hole she found herself looking up from floor level at many astonished faces all around her, including that of her sister. Akane tried waving her hands to assure everyone that she was feeling all right, but they seemed strange and unwieldy for some reason. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong and why did she suddenly feel this way, but the only sound that escaped from her was something utterly unexpected.

"Quack?"

"Akane?" Nabiki was looking down at her with an expression of abject horror.

"Aw geez!" Ranma exclaimed, his own expression one of contrite sympathy and regret.

"Akane!" all at once Ryoga was down on his hands and knees before her, staring at her with dismay written clear in his expression. He gathered her up into his arms, and she was horrified upon discovering how huge he appeared to her now. She turned and looked up at him, her nose...no! Her beak all but touching his nose!

"No!" she turned at the sound of the one who had splashed her with the bucket, seeing him get up off the floor with an angry declaration, "I won't be stopped now! Not after what I went through to achieve my vengeance!"

Vengeance? Akane glanced down at herself and saw feathers where she should have been skin. Her neck was incredibly flexible now and she could turn to look all the way around to see the wings that were now enclosed by Ryoga's powerful arms. It was slowly starting to dawn on her that she wasn't a human being any more, and there was only one thing that she knew of which could change a person to a thing with the splash of cold water.

Jusenkyo Water! The guy had been intending to splash Ukyo but he had gotten her instead! All at once she felt like fainting, laughing and crying at one and the same instant. The creep had actually cursed her, like Ryoga and Shampoo! It was almost too much for her to take in all at once, and the sensory overload left her momentarily stunned and utterly helpless.

She did not see when Mousse went to the cart and pulled out yet another bucket that was full of ice and contained a unopened bottle of wine. He tossed the bottle aside and held up the bucket with the declaration, "I'm not beaten yet! I prepared for just such a contingency with a second bucket of water! Stay back or I'll use it!"

"Not if Shampoo pound you first, Mousse!" Shampoo angrily declared, "How dare you do this to Akane!"

"You...unbelievable creep!" Ukyo snarled, her hand suddenly full of her trademark throwing spatulas.

"Bastard!" Ranma snarled, "I'm gonna pound you into next week for this, you Baka!"

Mousse merely sneered in contempt and kicked the cart directly into Ranma's path as he started to charge forward, then whirled about and aimed his second bucket in the direction of the blurry shape he felt certain was Saotome. As it so happened he did indeed have Ukyo dead in his sights, but before the water could strike at her Shampoo threw herself at Kuonji and knocked her to the floor. Unfortunately in doing so she fell victim to the water, which splashed against her backside.

"Aiyeee!" Shampoo started to cry out, falling to the floor as she began her transformation.

All at once a tablecloth was thrown over her body, catching her before she could complete her fall, and then Lotion the Elder eased her light burden gently to the floor and said, "I have you, Warrior! Never fear, I will assist you!"

Mousse was staring stupidly at the blobs that he could not quite make out directly before him when he felt the wrath of Cologne's staff against the back of his thick head, knocking him momentarily senseless, though the aged Matriarch had fought the temptation to instantly kill the boy on the spot. Instead she turned to regard Akane and sighed, seeing a waterfowl in Ryoga's grasp such as would normally grace a dinner plate special.

"Alas," she said, "We've come too late. My sincerest apologies for my failure, my apprentice."

"Quack?" Akane asked, then glanced towards the bundle in the arms of the ancient Lore Master.

"Shampoo?" Nabiki broke free from her own dismay to rush up alongside her mentor as she said, "Shampoo...what happened?"

"A very good question," Cologne replied, hearing Lotion begin to croon strange words in their native language, "Apparently young Mousse has recently been to Jusenkyo."

"Well duh!" Ranma said as he joined Nabiki and Ukyo in anxious witness to the actions of the Lore Master, "Is Shampoo gonna be all right?"

Cologne heaved a sigh and said gravely, "I don't know. She has been struck by a second Jusenkyo curse. This is a very rare event, and extremely dangerous to her mental state and welfare. You see, the curses all draw from the same source, and so they sometimes can blend together, or even cancel each other out. In this case I think the blending has created a very unstable situation in which Shampoo's cursed form is now in a state of semi-temporal flux."

"What does that mean?" Ukyo demanded.

"It means that her cursed form is now subject to alteration," Cologne explained, "Only what will be the ultimate outcome I dare not say. It is up to Lotion now to stabilize her new pattern."

"The curses blend?" Ranma gasped, "Did you just say they can be used to cancel each other out?"

"I did," Cologne replied, then waved her staff as if to emphasize the point, "But before you ask, it is not so easy to achieve as you might think. There is a strange quality about Jusenkyo that confounds the attempts of a cursed victim to find the place for a second time. If it was so easy to cure yourself by dousing yourself in the opposite kind of water it would have been used more often to mitigate the more extreme cases. If you tried to find the pool of Nanniichuan to counteract the affects of Nyaniichuan it might take you several years before you actually get there."

"Why is that?" Nabiki asked.

"I don't really know," Cologne sighed, "My guess is that whatever charges Jusenkyo has a purpose for selectively cursing certain people. Hundreds of visitors over the centuries have been drawn to the place for one reason or another, and many of them have received a variety of curses that have actually in some strange way helped intensify their martial arts training. This was why the springs were often used by Amazons of old as a special training ground, or a place of punishment for severe transgressions. Of late it has been used less and less often for that purpose after the High Council declared that it was to be avoided for all but the most extreme of instances."

"But you can use Jusenkyo water to cure a curse, right?" Nabiki asked with an anxious note of hope in her voice.

"I believe that I have just said so," Cologne replied shortly.

"Matriarch," Lotion spoke up as she ended her sing-song, "I have stabilized your great granddaughter, but we need to find secure quarters for the second part of my counter-spell."

"I have just the place in mind," Cologne hobbled over to the side of her fellow Elder, pausing to glance back at the sprawled form of Mousse with contempt plain in her expression, "Consider yourself fortunate, boy, that I owe a favor to your great grandmother, else you would not live to see another sunrise."

And with that angry declaration she turned back towards Lotion, who used her free hand to wave her staff, and all at once the air around them swirled and congealed, and then they vanished from the restaurant.

"Kami-sama," Ukyo's shoulders sagged, "This is all my fault..."

"Huh?" Ranma glanced at her, "What makes you say that?"

"It was me he was aiming for!" Ukyo declared, "First Akane, then Shampoo...they both got cursed trying to save me!"

"It wasn't your fault, Ucchan," Ranma tried to reassure her, only to start at the cry of outrage that came from Ryoga.

"The hell it wasn't his fault!" the lost boy snarled, still clutching Akane in his arms, "They were trying to save you, only they're the ones who wound up having to pay for it! I'm gonna kill this creep for doing this to Akane, and then I'm gonna come after you and make you pay, I swear it!"

Ukyo actually backed up a half-step as she recoiled from the accusation, but Ranma put himself between her and Ryoga and growled, "Look, this ain't Ucchan's fault! It was that Mousse who did this to Akane and Shampoo! If you're gonna blame anyone, blame him, but leave Ukyo out of this!"

"Why?" Nabiki turned to glare towards Kuonji, "Ryoga has a valid point. My sister and Shampoo both got cursed because of Kuonji, and I think it's about time that somebody came clean on a little matter that you've been withholding, Ukyo."

"Huh?" Ranma said with a narrowing of eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Ryoga demanded.

"Quack?" inquired Akane.

"She's right," Ukyo sighed, "I haven't been honest with you, Ranchan. I've had my reasons...but that's just not a good enough excuse anymore. You see...the truth is that..."

"HEY, you there!" cried the Head Waiter as he stormed angrily into the room, "What the hell is going on here? Are you trying to wreck my business?"

"Uh oh," Ranma said, "I think we're gonna have to do some explaining."

"It's not our fault, sir," Ryoga started to say, "This man attacked one of the guests and..."

"Man?" Hung Lo growled, "What man are you talking about, boy?"

"He...?" Ryoga started to indicate the recumbent Mousse, only the Chinese boy was no longer on the floor.

"Hey," Ranma cried, "Where did he...?"

"Right here!" announced Mousse from the opposite end of the room.

"Wha-?" Nabiki started to gasp when she was suddenly wrapped up in chains and being hauled through the air like a yo-yo. She suddenly found herself being dangled by Mousse, who was backing up towards the exit.

"Nobody move!" Mousse cried, "I'm taking Shampoo and leaving here right now!"

"What?" Ryoga gasped.

"Quack!" Akane protested.

"You Jackass...!" Ukyo exclaimed in disbelief.

"But that's not...!" Ranma started to say, only to halt in his tracks as he saw Nabiki wince as the chains about her tightened.

"Not another move, any of you!" Mousse cried, holding up a ball in his free hand as he declared, "We're leaving!"

He brought the globe down and it produced a cloud of smoke that engulfed the Chinese boy and the middle Tendo daughter.

"Oh no you don't!" Ukyo cried as she and Ranma both jumped into the smoke together, only to have it dissipate with no sign of their missing quarry.

"Nabiki!" Ranma cried in anger and dismay, "Nabiki!"

"What's this?" Ukyo asked as she caught a slip of paper that drifted down into her hand. She held it up for Ranma to see, and together as one they chorused, "I don't believe it!"

"What?" Ryoga asked as he came up to join them.

Ukyo turned it for him to see, and now all three of them read the paper that advertised a Chinese traveling circus that was in town for a three day performance. It boasted the usual array of carnival attractions, but the one that caught everyone's attention was the large-captioned announcement of "One of The Eight Wonders of the World," a trained animal performance in which a duck was displayed with a lady in the picture strapped to a wheel as the duck hurled knives at her...a duck that looked suspiciously a lot like the one in Ryoga's arms, only he wore a pair of form-fitting glasses.

"A challenge letter?" Ukyo hazarded.

"With Nabiki as his hostage," Ranma growled menacingly.

"It sounds almost like a trap," Ryoga said, "It's like he's daring us to go get her."

\"Quack!" cried the duck in Ryoga's arms.

"If you're going to be acting this way, boy," said the headwaiter, "Then the least you could do is to take that thing back to the kitchen for plucking. We have an order at table three and..."

Ryoga did not reply verbally to the suggestion, but Hung Lo fast discovered the meaning of the phrase, "Low Earth Orbit."

As the three martial artists (and duck) took their leave of the restaurant one of the patrons timidly poked up his head from behind a table and asked, "Is it all right to clap now? They never told me this place had live entertainment..."

"There you are, child," Nodoka said pleasantly, "I was hoping I might be able to trouble you for some extra pillows. I'm not used to sleeping on such a comfortable bed and..."

"Of course, Auntie," Kasumi replied with unusual haste to her tone and a nervousness that had not been there before, "I'll get you anything you like. Our home is your home, and anything I can do to make you feel at ease...ah...at home here..."

"Is something wrong, child?" Nodoka asked, "You seem a little tense all of a sudden."

"Oh no, nothing's wrong," Kasumi assured her, "Don't be silly, what could possibly be wrong?"

"I suppose you're right," Nodoka smiled at her, "To tell you the truth I'm a bit excited myself at the thought that I'm finally about to be reunited with my son and husband. I do hope Ranma has been taking care of himself and eating the right foods. I want so much to believe that he has grown into the kind of man my husband promised me he would be..."

"Oh, he is," Kasumi hastily replied, "He has...oh dear! What I mean to say is that Ranma is very manly...very, very manly, a real man among men, and so very manly about his...ah...manliness..."

"You think so?" Nodoka replied with lifted eyebrows, "Oh, I do hope you're right, Kasumi-chan. You see...it's very important to me to know that my son has grown to be a man...and to think that he has two women for fianc es! What a man he must be to attract and hold their interest!"

"You think so?" Kasumi asked in surprise, "Ah...I mean...you don't think it makes him less manly that he has my sister and Shampoo at the same time?"

"Well," Nodoka said pleasantly, "Tell me this, do the two girls get along, or are they terribly jealous of one another, always getting into fights?"

"Ah..." Kasumi thought about it and replied, "Actually I don't think I've ever really seen them fight. Nabiki was jealous of Shampoo for a while, but nowadays they do seem to be getting along a lot better..."

"That's good," Nodoka smiled, "Because my son will need to prove himself if he's to be a fit husband to an Amazon, and with two women to pick from he's bound to have lots of children. I do so want to be a grandmother while I'm still young enough to enjoy it."

"Ah..." Kasumi replied carefully, "Okay..."

"I can't wait to meet your sister," Nodoka continued on with pleasant enthusiasm, "Can you tell me what she's like? Is she a martial artist, or has she taken on other aspects of my dear, departed friend, Kimiko?"

"Er..." Kasumi thought about it with unusual deliberation before she answered, "I'm not sure in what sense she might be like our mother, but Nabiki is very smart, very frugal, very good with money, in fact...very good at acquiring it, and without her...well, it would have been a lot harder to manage after Father stopped taking in students."

"Ah," Nodoka said fondly, "Kimiko-chan was good with money. Of course she loved to spend it when she had it, but she never bought frivolous things. She could be quite sensible in some matters and in others...well...she had quite a temper, but she dearly loved your father..." she sighed, "I do miss her, even if we didn't speak that often over the years. There was a time when we were very close as young girls, back when your father and my Genma were a couple of handsome rogues being pursued by all the ladies..."

"You mean by Silk?" Kasumi asked, fascinated in spite of her modest desire not to probe too intimately into her father's personal life.

"Well, Silk was among the primary candidates," Nodoka said, "Of course there was also that Ninja woman, and the sorceress, but they never really held a candle next to your mother. In a way I suppose Silk was her primary rival because she knew Soun before your mother. It was an arranged marriage between your parents, you see, just as mine was with Genma, and if family honor had not been involved...well...I at least try to think well of Atsuko and Comb. As a matter of fact I'm just as eager to meet her daughter as I am to become acquainted with your younger sister. Just think, two daughters-in-law! If Ranma chooses to wed both of them, well...I'd hardly raise objections."

"But...is that legal?" Kasumi wondered.

"Perhaps not technically," Nodoka admitted, "But in the days of the Samurai it was quite common for a man to have more than one woman living in his house. Ranma could marry your sister and still have Comb's daughter for a consort, and according to Amazon traditions she would be technically married to them both, so I don't see how there could be any legal problems if they cohabitate together. I'll still wind up with grandchildren, and the union of our families will be complete with a strong heir for the Anything Goes school."

"Ah..." Kasumi said carefully, "I guess when you put it that way, Auntie..."

"I wonder how much this Shampoo takes after her mother?" Nodoka mused, "Comb was quite the spitfire in her day, and while she often denied being in love with Genma, I could tell she held him close to her heart. I was very jealous of her beauty, but now I'm glad to see that she has kept her good looks over these many years. That only leaves the question of what happened to our other rivals, particularly Hibiki Atsuko..."

"Hibiki Atsuko?" now Kasumi was having greater difficulty concealing her growing surprise over these disturbing revelations.

"Ah yes," Nodoka smiled, "Now there was a problem child, and yet I know she had no hesitation about expressing her desire for my husband. She took the news pretty hard when he left her to marry me...oh my...it must be very close to nineteen years now. You don't forget a person who makes that much of an impression in our lives all that easily, I'm afraid. But now I suppose it's all just ancient history, and I'm probably boring you with all my stories. Now, about that tea..."

"Oh, ah, yes...oh my," Kasumi shook herself out of the curious daze that she had fallen into and started to turn towards the kitchen when a bright flash drew their attention to another part of the living room where two gnarled old figures appeared, one clutching a cloth-wrapped bundle in her arms as they hopped off the tea table and headed for the hallway.

"Pardon us for dropping by so suddenly," Lotion said briskly without more than a glance towards Kasumi, "We need to borrow your furo to take care of something important."

"Nodoka," Cologne turned to look at the gentle-mannered woman with no real surprise in her expression and voice, "It has been a while."

"Matriarch Cologne?" Nodoka blinked, then glanced at the other moving figure, "Was that Elder Lotion with you?"

"Excuse us," Cologne called out over her shoulder, "I do not mean to be abrupt, but we have a crisis on our hands and must attend to important business."

"Oh," Kasumi said, "Well, of course, if you need anything..."

"We will not hesitate to call upon for your services, Tendo Kasumi," Lotion's voice called back before the two old women vanished into the bathroom down the hallway.

"Oh my," Nodoka said with no little amusement, "Does that ever bring back memories. They're just like I remember."

Kasumi only blinked her eyes at that, then decided it was a very good idea to turn right around and head to the kitchen for some serious tea making...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

All right, I'll admit this wasn't one of my better days. Bad enough to see my sister get cursed before my eyes defending my nominal rival under the mistaken impression that it was a "pretty boy" whom she was protecting, and almost equally bad was watching Shampoo sacrifice herself for that selfsame "boy" while I stood by helpless, but to be grabbed up in chains and kidnapped by that half-  
blind Chinese lunatic was almost the perfect capper for the day. This is well before the other trouble started, of course, but at the time that it was going on I was beginning to feel a bit more than a little put upon by the Kami.

So there I was dangling high above the floor with a cage looming just below me, suspended by that chain that encircled my arms from a canvas ceiling in a darkened tent that had only one old-fashioned oil lamp providing illumination. As if being hung up like a piece of meat to bait the trap that was being set wasn't bad enough it was the idea that it was nothing more than a case of mistaken identity that got me into this mess that was helping me to feel more than a little bit devalued. I mean, at least when the bad guys kidnap you they should have the decency to get your name right, right?

Okay, so I wasn't in the best of moods, and that idiot Mousse was rambling on about how sorry he was and that I would eventually forgive him once he'd taken Ranma out of the picture. He kept calling me Shampoo, a fact I tried to disabuse him of to no avail, at which point I concluded that the boy wasn't dealing with a full deck and was referring to me as Shampoo because his mind could not cope with the knowledge that he had accidentally splashed the target of his obsession with Jusenkyo water.

Personally I was ready to kill the idiot on the spot, but being the helpless victim type meant that I had to suffer through his monologue until he finally wound down like a watch spring, at which point he went from vehement rambling to soulful self-pity. I decided to play along with his psychosis in the hopes of finding a useful chink that I could use to my advantage, as much as it was to give Ranma and the others time enough to find me, at which point I hoped that I would be able to formulate a plan to help us win without anyone else-meaning me-winding up as a further casualty of Mousse's rampage.

What I managed to learn in the next few minutes was...to be fair...quite telling. It seems that Mousse grew up a lonely child with a defect that made him a source of shame and pity even to his parents. His bad eyesight had required the prescription of heavy glasses to correct at a tender age, and like children the world over he was marked for name-calling and cruel pranks. "Four-  
Eyes" would have been a kinder insult than what many children did call him, but it seemed he gained a defender when Shampoo happened along one day and witnesses one such incident of humiliation. An infant Shampoo, perhaps no more than three or four years old, had driven off the bullies then helped the boy to his feet, telling him he should not feel so bad about himself and that she thought he had very lovely eyes, words of kindness that affected the lonely Mousse far more than Shampoo had intended. The two became friends for a time, but Mousse became possessive and tried to challenge Shampoo for her hand in marriage. She defeated him quite easily, but seemed to take it in stride that he would keep trying as they got older. Unfortunately on one such incident he had made the mistake of trying to accost her without his glasses and wound up embracing a pig by mistake, declaring his love for Shampoo in such a way that the girl had been humiliated and insulted.

That began the rift that grew over the years where Mousse would continue to launch sneak attacks against Shampoo, all of them rebuffed with increasing levels of violence. Mousse had, by this time, gained a mentor who instructed him in the art of Blind Fighting and "Dark Magic." Since Mousse is virtually blind and cannot discern objects ten feet away from him with any clarity he had to learn how to sense an opponent who came within striking range, hence his mastery of the White Swan "Crane" technique that he had used so effectively against Ranma. For primary defensive purposes, however, he had been taught to turn his liability into his greatest strength, for Mousse could make out objects with far greater detail if they stood fifteen to fifty feet away from him, and so he mastered the ability to hurl weapons with stunning accuracy while other boys his age were still learning their alphabet. Mousse also mastered the incredible ability to "conceal" objects upon his person without normal regards to time, space and mass conservation. He was literally a walking hardware store, and I was very much surprised that he did not clank when he moved but was very light on his feet and as graceful as a dancer.

All of this made him very formidable in the Amazon village, but though he became the strongest male fighter among the Nyanchiczu, still it did not win him the affections of the woman he most desired. Try as he might he just could not improve his techniques to achieve the same level that she did under the influence of her great grandmother. Worse still Cologne disapproved of any possible union between their houses, holding to a rivalry that was old when she and Mousse's great grandmother were young children. In Mousse's mind the old woman "poisoned" Shampoo's mind against him and made it all but impossible for him to gain her love, which he convinced himself would come in time once he had forced her into marriage.

Mousse was contrite enough to concede that he probably had never gone all out to win Shampoo, that the idea of hurting her to win her love bothered him as an obvious self-contradiction, but still he was certain that it was the only way to happiness, and so he intended to win her love in the traditional manner. He would show everyone that he was not a weakling, an ugly duckling, but rather a swan whom they should all acknowledge for what he was, a Prince who would wed his childhood sweetheart and live blissfully content in the house of his parents. That would prove to everyone that he was a man worthy of respect rather than ridicule and insults. They would come to regret his former humiliation, and he could live on with Shampoo into their twilight years as Shampoo replaced Cologne as the Matriarch and took him on as her advisor, guiding the destiny of Joketsuzoku as they sailed on to a bright and happy future.

It was about the time when he was fanaticizing about children when I was getting desperate for some means of escape. The boy was slowly losing it before my eyes and I did not want to be present when he finally figured out that I wasn't his dream girl but Ranma's other girlfriend. From the way he had been savaging Ranma with words before I wasn't exactly keen to know what he would make of a girl whom Shampoo had the cute habit of referring to as her other "Ailen."

Of course I couldn't help but be touched in a way by the boy's plight. I mean, I've known what loneliness is like, and what other kids can do to you when they perceive you as being "different." I may have had Kasumi for a mother-figure and Akane for a childhood playmate, but over time the differences between us had grown so severe that I'd begun to wonder if we truly were related. The things I've done over the years to put food on our table and pay the bills haven't exactly made me popular among my school-aged peers, and it was very hard to find anyone whom I could relate to on an intellectual level. In spite of my having grown close to Ranma there still remains that gap between our fundamental outlooks on life, like the fact that I'm an "A" student while he barely passes most of his courses. I have one or two friends in school, but that's it as far as it comes to social contacts.

Yet given all of that I've had it easy when compared to the kind of loneliness Mousse has always suffered. I wasn't at all surprised that he ran away from home at the age of fourteen in order to train himself to be a better martial artist, to try in vain to impress the one person he thought would make the difference in his lonely existence. Small wonder the guy has such ego problems! Next to him Ranma is a pillar of stability, while Mousse feels like he has to prove himself to everyone and only winds up alienating the very people he is trying to impress. No wonder the guy has such a large chip on his shoulder, the only person I know who's nearly as isolated as him is Ryoga!

Okay, enough with the Stockholm Syndrome, the plain fact was that I was feeling pretty scared because Mousse started lowering me into the cage as soon as he'd finished up with his monologue. He locked me into the glass-covered casing while he assured me not to worry, that everything would work out and that I would thank him in the long run. I was still wearing the kimono Ranma had given me but I'd long ago lost my footwear, so I was beginning to feel just a little bit like a Magician's assistant as he wheeled me out into the main tent, where I'd been hearing cheers and applause from what sounded like many hundreds of people.

I've never been one to admire being in the spotlight, so I guess you can suspect how exposed I was feeling when I found myself at the center of a three-ring circus being positioned underneath some kind of arrangement of tubing that looked ominous and promised rather starkly that I would not like hearing the attached explanation. I began to wonder if maybe Mousse had a hidden supply of Jusenkyo water because there was a large vat of the stuff at the top end of the doohickey, and I had a very nasty suspicion of where it was shortly to be directed.

Okay, that's the part where I started to thrash around and act the part of the helpless damsel. I mean, it's one thing to witness other people being cursed or living with their curses, it's quite another thing when you're the one being threatened with a curse. After all, I think I'd look positively silly with feathers, and who wants a beak for a mouth, or webbed feet for that matter? It was obvious that-mistaken identity or no-Mousse was fully prepared to curse me like Akane had been cursed just to lure Ranma out into the open. I can't tell you exactly what thoughts ran through my mind as I sat there looking up at the water spout over my head, but you can take my word for it that those thoughts were anything but pretty!

Thank the Kami Ranma and the other did arrive when they could, just barely in the nick of time, and Akane was with them, restored to human shape and as mad as I've ever seen her!

I won't go into a blow-by-blow of the fight that followed, except to say that it turned out that Mousse was bluffing about cursing me. He'd kept his supply of real Jusenkyo water in reserve and tried to use it once again on Ukyo, who managed to block with her spatula (where she had managed to acquire it on the run I'm not asking), while Akane intercepted another shot aimed at Ranma. Being already cursed she just suffered turning back into a duck again, only now she attacked Mousse in that form, and the boy had to make a hasty retreat before getting splashed himself and joining her in duck form.

Oh yeah, I guess I should explain that I'd already figured out that Mousse had previously acquired his own Jusenkyo curse. His talk about us being "mated to one form" was a dead giveaway. Duck or no, however, he managed to find some hot water pretty quick before trapping Akane with a net, then cornering Ukyo by releasing a Tiger from its cage. Ryoga went over to assist him and the two of them combined efforts to try and keep the giant "kitty" from running amok in a room full of people.

That just left him and Ranma, who had wasted no time freeing me from glass prison. I was so grateful and relieved at seeing him again that you'd think I would have thanked him properly instead of venting my fury and frustration with a cry like, "What took you so long!"

"Sorry," he said, "We were scanning the whole circus before we got somebody to tell us where you were. This place ain't exactly friendly to locals."

Well, I was ready to forgive him then and there, but Mousse had to cut into our action by proclaiming his intent to finally rid himself of all obstacles between him and me...I mean, Shampoo, of course.

Ranma imposed himself between us and growled, "You idiot! You cursed Shampoo when you attacked her in the restaurant!"

"Lies!" Mouse angrily declared, unleashing another onslaught of heavy weaponry from those limitless pockets he keeps hidden somewhere up his sleeves.

Ranma shoved me rudely to the ground as he dodged and deflected this attack, but Mousse did not let up and kept on attacking. At this point I had taken more than I could stand from the both of them and got to my feet with my body literally trembling with anger. I don't know exactly what it was I felt right then, but it was like something opened up within my mind, letting out a kind of demon rage I had never felt or experienced before, and while Mousse was distracted trying to take out Ranma he was momentarily exposed to me, so when I struck it was without either effort or warning.

I'm not sure exactly what I did, only that I acted without thinking from either instinct or pure reflex. I wasn't physically close enough to do anything, but I felt as if a part of my self coiled up like a serpent and unleashed itself like a spring, striking Mousse from behind and staggering him into Ranma, who took advantage of the moment to deliver an upper-cut that knocked Mousse flying backwards.

As quickly as the anger flared up in me it faded out like a spent matchstick, and all at once I started to feel weak as the proverbial kitten. I sagged to the floor and heard Ranma calling out to me by name, and the next thing I know he's bent over me asking if I'm feeling all right and did something hit me.

"I...don't know," I murmured weakly, "I just feel...a little tired..."

That was the moment that I saw something I never would have believed that I would see in this life. Ranma's blue eyes suddenly welled up with tears as if an emotional gate had been let loose inside him. I think I might have been imagining things but he started to glow in my vision, taking on a bluish cast as if an overwhelming sorrow were manifesting within him.

Then he looked up as Mousse staggered back into my peripheral view, muttering something like, "I'm not beaten yet! Shampoo will be mine!" which is about the point that my iinazuke must have lost it.

I remember Ranma gently setting me down then standing to his full height and gazing at Mousse with what has to have been the scariest expression I've ever seen him wear. It was more than anger, it was righteous fury, and as I stared in disbelief the glow about him shifted from blue to bright red, having only briefly cruised through the purple shades so that he was now radiating heat and light like a neon sign had lit up behind him. He advanced two steps and his hand rocketed forward as if it were jet propelled, and when his fist collided with Mousse there was a bright spark that almost blinded me. I winced internally as the force recoiled within my mind, flaring briefly with the sense of much pain that was shortly smothered by blissful non-awareness.

Then Ranma slowly returned to normal, and my vision cleared. I felt my strength begin to return to me almost at once, and so when he offered me a hand I didn't hesitate to accept it. I of course turned to see where Mousse had been standing a moment before but all I could see was what looked like a large hole that had been torn in the tent canvas. Judging by the angle I estimated that the Chinese Boy had just taken a one-way aerial trip back to his native homeland.

By this point Ukyo and Ryoga had managed to re-cage the tiger, so that was another problem area that had been effectively put to rest. Ryoga freed Akane from the net then made a point of finding her clothing so that he had both in hand while the rest of us began to come down from the high tension that had dominated the moment. The audience, of course, applauded, thinking that we were all part of the circus act while the Ringmaster politely came up and asked us to leave before he called security. We all, by mutual consent, decided that this was a good point to take our leave of the place, so in good order we found ourselves walking back from the outskirts of Nerima, in my case barefoot.

Just as we were within a few blocks of home, however, Ranma stopped us and asked if Ryoga would run on ahead and see that Akane got a bath to restore her to full human. He wanted to talk to Ukyo and me alone, then waited until the lost boy was out of earshot (I won't even speculate on where Ryoga and Akane did wind up since I didn't see either of them until much later) he turned to us and said, "Okay, now maybe we can have that explanation."

"Explanation?" I replied rather weakly.

"Don't play dumb, Nabiki," Ranma said with a cross expression, "I told you before I ain't stupid. I wasn't sure until now if you knew the truth and was hiding it from me or if you'd been fooled just like I was for a while there." He turned a cross expression and glared at Ukyo before adding, "Right, ol' Buddy?"

Ukyo-who was dressed in her warrior gear instead of the suit she had been wearing at dinner-seemed to deflate immediately as she looked sheepishly at Ranma and asked, "How long have you known?"

"I started to suspect something back in the hills," Ranma replied, "But I figured it out just yesterday. I didn't say nothing 'cause I figured you wanted to tell me yourself but was holding back for some reason. What I didn't know was that you knew about it, Nabiki."

"Ah..." I replied, or something to that effect.

"Ranchan..." Ukyo began to say, and I could feel the tension and sorrow in her voice.

"Y'know," Ranma said simply, "With my problem you'd think I'd have picked up it a lot sooner, but it all made sense after Shampoo's mother explained stuff to me, about the differences between guys and girls. I dunno why any girl would want to dress herself up and pretend to be a guy, but I'll bet a year's worth of Ramen it's got something to do with the old man."

"You know?" I gasped, which was really very insightful for my part.

"What else could it be," Ranma heaved a sigh, no longer sounding as upset as before as he looked at Ukyo, "Almost everything that's ever gone wrong in my life has had Pop at the center. That deal he made with your father...it wasn't just a simple case of adoption, was it?"

"No," Ukyo swallowed, "The deal was that, in exchange for my father's yatai, your dad was supposed to take me with you as your iinazuke."

I saw Ranma's mouth fall open, and then he softly murmured, "Ucchan...?"

"But it's all right," Ukyo raised her hands to deflect whatever else he might have said next, "I've already decided to call it off. I mean...I was angry with you for abandoning me, and for ten years I nursed such a grudge, but when I finally met you and got the real story...I felt so incredibly stupid. I never should have let my Dad do that to you, Ranchan...Ranma. It was all a big mistake and I'm so very, very sorry..."

"But...why?" Ranma asked, turning a look at me as he added, "You knew about this?"

"It's not her fault," Ukyo said, "I asked her not to tell you. There's this complication involving my father's will...he wanted me to either marry you or avenge myself for being abandoned, but I'm not gonna make you marry me that way, Ranchan. I won't have you on those terms. You're such a nice guy...you deserve a lot better."

"Ucchan?" he asked in a softer tone of voice that echoed the tones of my own thoughts about that moment.

"I mean...look at you two," Ukyo indicated us both with a single gesture, "Anybody with eyes can tell you two were meant to be together. I can't compete with that, and I'm not even gonna try. I made my mind up about that a couple days ago coming down from the hills, and I guess...but I guess I just couldn't bring myself to totally let you go. I was afraid you were going to hate me when you learned the truth, Ranma, and I couldn't stand that!"

"You shoulda told me," Ranma said, turning a look my way that was almost an accusation, "Didn't I have a right to know about this?"

I flinched. This was the moment that I had been dreading for weeks, and now that it was upon us all I could say was, "I...I thought...I..."

"She thought she was protecting you, Ranchan," Ukyo said, "She thought it would hurt your honor if you knew that you had an obligation towards me, that it might...put extra stress on you, and even I could see you were under a lot of strain what with being forced to marry Shampoo, and that old woman locking you in your girl form."

"Protecting me?" Ranma whispered, only this time when he looked my way I didn't flinch, I stood my ground and tried to muster some semblance of my old defiance.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I thought it was for the best. I was trying to figure a way of getting you off the hook while we tried to think of how to explain things..."

"You were protecting my honor?" Ranma asked, then his tone hardened as he added, "What makes you think I would have gone through with this?"

"Past experience," Ukyo and I chorused together.

"Who else was in on this?" he asked narrowly, "Did Shampoo know about it?"

"Almost from the start," Ukyo admitted, "She's a sharp one, that girl, and I hope she'll be all right. It was all my fault that things happened the way they did back there..."

"Really?" Ranma asked, "Funny thing, I thought it was Mousse who attacked you."

"And Shampoo paid the price for defending me," Ukyo squared her shoulder and said, "I owe her for that. Whatever you guys may think about me, Ranchan, I never betray a friend or let a debt go unpaid. If it wasn't for her...I'd be the one sprouting feathers."

"So," Ranma turned back to look at me and said, "You guys have both been keeping secrets from me, huh? Thought we agreed we were gonna do that anymore after Ryoga..."

"This predates that agreement," I at once said, but almost immediately I dropped that objection, "You're right, it was stupid and thoughtless. I should never have kept the truth from you, Ranma..."

"That's right," he said, "You shouldn't."

I felt a slight bristling of temper at the presumption in his tone, but before I could say something that might probably have resulted in an argument Ukyo came to my rescue once again and said, "I was going to tell you, but I wanted Nabiki to give me the chance to say it first, so don't take it out on her, okay? It's my fault, my screw up, my screwed up life, not hers..."

"I know," Ranma said, then shrugged, "Ah, forget about it! I'm too tired to get worked up about this business. You'd think after living so long with the Old Man I'd be used to bein' lied to, I just didn't expect it to come from you guys."

I winced at that, and I'm pretty sure Kuonji did too, because the next words out of her mouth were a pledge, "It won't happen again, Ranma. I swear I'll never lie to you for as long as I live. You're off the hook with me for marriage, and I'll try and square things out with my father."

"Your old man giving you grief?" he asked, and was rewarded by seeing Ukyo roll her eyes towards the heavens.

"He always wanted a son," Ukyo replied, "He figured I should be married off to you because you and me hit off so well when we were kids...as if that was a good indication that we should be married. I...kind of liked to fanaticize, but now I know that's not gonna happen."

"You sure about that?" he asked, and from his tone and expression I think he was joking (at least he had better have been kidding!), especially when he added, "Maybe I might be able to squeeze you in after all."

"Why you...!" Ukyo made a mock-punch at his arm, which was easily deflected as Ranma threw an identical punch that was blocked in an identical manner. The two of them smiled then and embraced like old friends, then Ukyo let go of Ranma and said, "You take care of yourself, Ranchan. I'll be back in a few days, after I take care of some business."

"Where are you going?" I asked as she started to take her leave from us.

"I gotta talk to some people," Ukyo replied, "I'm gonna try and make things right for everyone, Ranchan. You just watch me. A Kuonji always pays her debts, to both you, Shampoo and Akane. Don't tell her the truth about me just yet, I'll want to say something to her when I get back to you later."

And so she walked off into the night, leaving the two of us to our thoughts. She had winked at me in the end, which I wasn't sure how to take, but for some peculiar reason I had a feeling she meant every word of her declaration. It rang with sincerity, which was why I found myself worrying at her intentions.

Ranma heaved a sigh and said, "Man, I can't believe it. She's so much like a guy, but in a way she's also kinda pretty."

I looked at him with a puzzled expression, which he at once caught as he waved his hands at me in a disarming manner and said, "I mean, pretty for a girl, that is. I mean...I can't see why anyone would think she was a guy, even if she does dress up like that."

"Meaning what?" I asked, crossing my arms under my chest and adopting my best neutral expression.

"Ah..." Ranma started to say, when all at once something came hurtling out of the night, startling us both out of our reverie, though in my case it was the alarm brought about by an oncoming collision.

I started to turn from reflex when all at once my face was filled with the sight of Shampoo-Neko coming right for me, and then she hit and I went down in a heap. I found myself clutching at her furry face as she started to lick me and meow for me while Ranma stood off to one side, no doubt having a brief attack of his Alurophobia before making the identification.

"Sh-Shampoo?" he asked, his voice openly a question.

"Gah!" I said as I forced Shampoo to back off so I could look at her and confirm that she was all right in spite of her ordeal, and that was when I got my first hint that something was very different about my "pet kitty." From the front Shampoo seemed perfectly the same as always...it was just that there was something added to her strikingly feline profile. As if in response to my silent query she stretched out her newly added features to a full expanse of just under a meter.

In other words, my pussy now had wings!

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/What do you get when you cross a Cat with a Duck/Viaduct?

Shadowmane

I just know I'm going to get some flames over this, but the situation demanded a little stretch from the original mold of Takahashi. If you have any disagreements for what I had happen to Shampoo here, feel free to voice your opinions. If you're one of those who think I've been unfair to Akane...get counseling at once, you poor devils. In any event, next time Ranma and Nabiki confront...the terrors of Motherhood! Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	43. Chapter 43

NabikiRan42 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Forty-Two.

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

For as long as I shall live I may never truly understand why I acted the way I did to protect Kuonji Ukyo, I can only attribute my behavior as a matter of pure reflex. I had just seen Mousse accidentally curse Tendo Akane and was appropriately outraged...how dare he do this to one whom I had designated as my chosen student?

I could not allow him to do so to another, and so I tried to shove Ukyo to safety, only I took a passing hit as the water splashed against my backside. I suddenly felt great pain as my curse came into conflict with the cursed water, and then my body began to change, only now the two curses were blending together. I felt a fear unlike anything that I have ever felt before and wondered what would be the result of this, only Great Grandmother and Elder Lotion arrived just then and spirit me away to the Tendo household, which has become my home away from China.

I am aware of soothing words being spoken to heal my fragmented spirit as I feel my mind drift momentarily in a void. Like a dream I see myself as I am being confronted by a duck that is attacking my cat-totem, and the two are starting to writhe around and struggle until my cat catches the duck and begins to devour it...not like an ordinary cat would do but rather more like a snake devouring its prey. A moment later all that remained was the cat, only there is something very different about my Neko form, and all at once the cats cried out in a yowl and its sides split open, a pair of wings appearing on its backside.

And in this dream I am screaming too, only my scream ends abruptly as I land in a body of warm water, which changes me back to my human self. I look up in gratitude to see that I am in the comfortable surroundings of the downstairs Japanese furo belonging to my wife, and there is Great Grandmother looking at me with Lore Master Lotion beside her.

"Shampoo," I see what I think is almost relief in my Great Grandmother's eyes, which she hides a moment later behind the stern mask of an Elder as her tone becomes reprimanding, "What have you to say for yourself, becoming doubly-cursed on behalf of a rival?"

"This one is sorry, Great Grandmother," I reply in Japanese, "This one did not mean to let Mousse curse me."

She waves the point away at once and I can see that she is not really angry, "What's done is done, now you will have to live with the consequences of your actions. I trust that you did not make a mistake, but I did not raise you to make errors. Come, dress yourself and make your hair presentable, there is someone here whom I wish for you to meet."

"At once, Great Grandmother," I replied as I see her present the dress I had been wearing before, along with my slippers, which must have wound up in that table cloth they used to wrap me.

"One moment, child." Lotion said as she glanced at Great Grandmother, "Wait here, I must investigate something for myself. I am sensing a great disturbance in the Wa of this household."

Great Grandmother nodded and Elder Lotion took her leave of us, seeming to step through empty air, though I recognized the mode of travel as "Windwalking," which is one of the many talents of a Lore Master. No doubt she reappeared in another part of the household, because she returned only a few minutes later, by which time I had dressed and made myself presentable once again. I could recognize by the frown in Lotion's expression that there was something of dire significance that needed to be related.

"It is as I feared, Matriarch," Lotion explained, "My granddaughter informs me that Genma made a foolish promise to Nodoka concerning the welfare of her son. It seems the father promised that he would make young Master Ranma into a 'Man among Men,' else he would commit Japanese seppuku, and so would Ranma."

I whirled around from examining myself in the mirror with shock and dread clutching at my breast. I did not then know what Japanese Seppuku meant, I only knew that I did not like the sound of it one bit.

"What did you say about Ranma?" I gasp, so startled that I forgot to speak Japanese for a moment.

Great Grandmother did not chide me as I thought she would have but instead sighed and replied, "Somehow I had a feeling it would come to this. This is very grave news indeed, and most unfortunate for my Son-in-law should he encounter his mother."

"But why?" I asked, recalling this time to speak in my husband's language, "Ranma is very manly, the most manly this one has ever met!"

"Are you forgetting, child, about the curse of Nyaniichuan?" Great Grandmother asked with the patience of a teaching lesson.

I start to open my mouth, and then I close it. Now I began to understand what was meant here by danger. Ranma turning into a girl would be considered by some to be very "unmanly." In my view, of course, it only improved him by giving him a side that was the Noble Gender of a proper Amazon, but these Japanese had very strange notions about the relative value of men and women. Kuonji had shown me that by her own peculiar example.

"We cannot let Nodoka know of the curses," Cologne said, "Not until we have had a chance to explain them in such a way that she will not think her own son to be a monster. You must not mention it to her by word, deed or reference, Shampoo."

"This one understands, Great Grandmother," I nodded, "What must this one do to uphold the good name of her husband?"

"Simply be yourself...with that one notable exception," Great Grandmother replied, already heading for the door, "And for pity's sake, stay away from any cold water that might touch you!"

I felt my cheeks burn with shame at that last remark, but as I started to follow Great Grandmother I heard Elder Lotion say, "Courage, young warrior. You must be strong for the sake of your wife and husband."

"This one will be strong, Elder," I vowed with absolute conviction, then I followed Great Grandmother out into the living area, whereupon I encountered a woman who looked very much like a grown up version of Ranma's female half standing next to Kasumi.

"Saotome Nodoka," Great Grandmother said by way of formal introductions, "It give me great pleasure to introduce you to my great granddaughter, who is engaged to your son by the laws of our people. Shampoo, this is your future mother-in-law, Saotome Nodoka."

I see a woman smiling at me with such pleasantness that I almost think she is the true mother of Kasumi, and I remembered to bow back in Japanese fashion when she nodded towards me, and with great care I said, "How do you do. This one greets you humbly, mother of he who is my lawful husband."

"Well," I hear this stranger say with unusual warmth, "You do look like your mother...almost exactly like Comb was when she was your age! My son is so very fortunate to have you for a fianc e...Shampoo, did you say?"

"Xian Pu," Great Grandmother corrected for my benefit, "It means a young girl of the mountains, or Coral, if you prefer to think of it in Japanese."

"Coral," my mother-in-law smiled, "Yes, that would suit you very well. Your hair is like bluish coral, Xian Pu. You are such a lovely and polite young lady. I just know my son will be happy to have you for a bride."

I feel incredible warmth and happiness fill my bosom just then, and I almost forget Elder Lotion's admonition concerning some possible threat that this woman might represent to my darling husband. After all, she is an Elder, and they are dangerous by nature, so why should I think this one any different from the mother of, say, some boy I met back in my homeland?

But I saw something in Kasumi's expression that startled me, in spite of my feeling gratitude that this woman was welcoming me into her household. Kasumi appeared worried, and that was simply not like the tall Japanese girl of whom I had become so fond and begun to think of as an older sister. Obviously there is a lot more going on here than meets with appearance, and it tells me that I should be on my guard, in spite of finding nothing unsettling about the behavior of this Nodoka.

Then my mother and Lore Master Silk appeared, all pleasant smiles in their greetings, and that's when I definitely know that something is amiss. There is nothing unusual about Silk being friendly, she is like that back home where she is regarded as a favorite teacher of young children, but my mother wearing a smile like that? It looked so false and unlike her that I was truly alarmed and wanted to blurt out my confusion to the others.

Instead Mother and Silk began engaging Nodoka in pleasant conversation while Great Grandmother and Lotion stood to one side and looked inscrutable, like Elders. I see the perfect opportunity to approach Kasumi and ask that she accompany me to the kitchen. Kasumi then apologizes and asks to be excused, making up something so lame that I am totally startled and embarrassed at her awkwardness. Kasumi was attempting to tell a lie? And a very bad one at that? Now more than ever I knew that there had to be something very wrong about this Nodoka!

"Kasumi," I asked once I felt that we were out of hearing of the others, "What means Japanese Seppuku?"

I saw the terrified look in her eyes as she gasped, "How did you...? Oh, never mind! I'm so sorry, this just has me so terribly upset! I never would have imagined his father would do anything so...not nice! And to poor Ranma..."

"What?" I gripped the girl's arm much harder than I meant to do and saw her slightly pained expression. I let go at once, ashamed that I had handled her so rudely. She is not a Warrior, after all, and she is so delicate that my harsh grip was bound to leave bruises.

"This one is very sorry," I apologized, then looking her in the eyes I asked, "What is Seppuku?"

"Seppuku..." I saw her lick her lips before she continued, "It's a very old word dating back to Samurai times. It means 'ritual suicide,' usually performed with a short sword that a person uses to slice open their own..." she swallowed and could not continue.

I think I stood there a full minute before I could speak again, and then I cried, "This one must find Ranma and warn him!"

"I agree," Kasumi said with unusual resolve in her voice, "Ranma must not come home until we can make Auntie Nodoka understand that he is manly. If he does and she finds out about the curse..."

I looked away, suddenly remembering something that I had somehow forgotten in the whole rush of affairs. Being cursed by Mousse does that to you, I think, but I make no excuses that it took me so long to recall this.

"Ranma," I said, "My husband believes that his mother is dead..."

"Uncle Genma lied to him about that," Kasumi said, then with a more contrite expression she added, "But I think he was trying to protect Ranma...or maybe himself."

I almost missed the odd way she had spoken those last words, but I reckoned that only Kasumi would feel any sympathy at all for the useless old Panda. I was furious beyond words to think that Ranma's father could make such an idiotic agreement. What was the man thinking, if thinking he was at all? As so many times before, as with the curse and Ukyo, his thoughtless behavior had caused complications for my beloved husband!

I decided that I would have to leave at once, and yet where to go to find my wife and husband? If they had remained at the restaurant to finish off Mousse there would be no problem in hunting them down, but Mousse was unlikely to remain in one place. I needed speed to get to them in a hurry, and while I can run like the wind when I have to there is a lot of area to cover in Nerima, and who knew which way Mousse would have taken?

I turned to look at Kasumi, whom I trust absolutely, and then with firm resolve I said, "There is something this one must show you."

"Show me what?" she asked with a look of trust that I had learned to treasure.

"There has been a change in this one's life, brought about by a stupid boy from her village who will not leave her alone and constantly threatens everyone who comes near her," I said the latter part with a growl that conveyed my anger.

"Oh, you mean like Kuno?" she asked me.

I had to pause a moment before I saw the similarity, then nodded, "Yes, exactly." Then I went over to the sink and filled a glass with cold water, remembering to tell her as I did so, "Please heat up some water and have it ready for this one when I return."

"Of course I will," Kasumi replied, then as I tipped the water over my head I could hear her gasp of surprise as my new curse took hold of me and reshaped my body, "Oh my!"

I fought my way out of my dress even as the glass hit the floor and partially cracked. I would have to buy her a new one afterward as I flexed my new shoulder muscles and felt my wings unfold. I can't quite describe how it was that I knew that I would have wings in my new form, or that they would be functional, I only knew that it would be so. Perhaps the magic of Jusenkyo had affected me in other ways, but as I bounded out of the room I intended to test my new abilities and see if they would give me an extra edge in hunting down my wife and husband...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I stared at the cat with wings that was sitting on my chest. Sham-chan had always been a very light burden to me before, but now she felt as light as a feather for all that she seemed to have put on a bit more um...wingspan? She looked down on me with the same kittenish expression that I had gotten so used to, then turned to regard Ranma and gave me a better look at the rest of her striking profile.

"Shampoo?" our iinazuke inquired in surprise.

I saw Shampoo lift her tail, which seemed longer, thicker and flatter than I remember from before, and there was something about her fur back there that seemed softer yet more bristly than was previously the case. Her winds were definitely covered in white features with pink-purple tips, yet when she spread them wide it was for more of a low glide than actual flight as she vaulted off of me and up onto Ranma's shoulders.

"N-Nani?" Ranma said with just a touch of his usual Neko-phobia, then he reflexively rubbed Shampoo along the side of her neck as she purred up a storm, obviously very happy to see him. I got up and dusted myself off, amused at seeing the two of them getting along this way, but then to our mutual surprise Shampoo hopped off Ranma's shoulders, sliding down to touch the asphalt before turning and looking at us both with an earnest expression.

"Meow!" she cried earnestly, obviously trying to tell us something despite the problems we shared in a lack of a mutual language.

"What is it, girl?" Ranma asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen back at the house?"

"Meow!" Shampoo cried as she shook her head negatory.

"Can you give us a hint?" I asked, then endured a look from Ranma that as much as asked if I were feeling all right, or if I was implying that we play twenty questions.

"I think we'd better hurry up and get back home," Ranma started to take a step forward when Shampoo spread her wings side and interposed herself in his path.

"Meow!" she cried insistently, obviously telling us that was definitely not what she intended.

"You don't want us to go back home?" I asked, and was rewarded by the sight of Shampoo bobbing her head in an affirmative manner, "But why?"

"Meow!" Shampoo replied, clearly as frustrated as we were by an inability to communicate clearly. This was way worse than her Japanese by a very long stretch, because at least she knew enough of our language to get her point across, usually. What we needed at this point was some kind of universal translator.

One came in a form that rather surprised us both as a bucket of water was dumped over Ranma's head, transforming him to his girl-type persona. As my iinazuke sputtered an indignant response I saw Lotion set the bucket down and lean on her staff as she looked at me and said, "Forgive your wife, she means well but did not foresee this limitation of her new body."

"Can you tell us what's going on?" I asked the old woman, "Why doesn't Shampoo want us going back to my place?"

"Not you, dear," Lotion replied, "She meant your husband, at least not in the form of a man, that is. Something very urgent has come up and it is important for the both of you that you do exactly as I say and not ask too many pertinent questions."

"What gives?" Ranma-chan demanded, clearly ignoring the admonition, "Why are you guys acting like this all of a sudden?"

"Young Master," Lotion directed herself towards Ranma, "You are, of course, aware that your father is a dishonest, disreputable, self-centered lout with no more principles than intelligence and prone to making deals that he has no intentions of following through with?"

"Well duh," Ranma-chan snorted, "That's not telling me anything I don't already know, lady."

"Then I want you to be prepared for a revelation that is going to shock you even more than your discovery concerning Kuonji," the old woman told him.

I blinked at that and asked, "How did you know about..."

"It's what we do, child," Lotion replied, "When you advance further in the arts you will discover that very little is beyond our ability to grasp if we set our minds upon discovering the truth."

"The truth?" Ranma-chan repeated, then frowned, "What has the old man done this time?"

"The very worst thing that a father can do to his son short of murder," Lotion replied, "Set the terms to separate a son from his mother, which is why you cannot go back to the Tendo place as yourself. From now on until further notice you are Tendo Ranko, the daughter of Mariko, your Uncle Soun's long-lost missing younger sister."

"Younger sister?" I frowned, "Who's Mariko?"

"Your Aunt," Lotion said, "So try and think of him as your cousin, Ranko, and don't be too obvious about your feelings. You must both be prepared to deal with harsh surprises and revelations that will come to you this night. You must both be strong if you are to have any future together."

"Wait..." Ranma-chan...I mean Ranko...said faintly, "What's this about Pop separating me from...my mother?"

"You will see," Lotion replied, then she glanced down and said, "Keep them out of trouble little one."

With that the old woman held up a teapot that I recognized as being from our kitchen and poured the contents over Shampoo's head. We watched in amazement as Shampoo transformed back to full womanly glory before our eyes, then all at once she threw her arms around a stunned Ranko and cried, "Ranma! Shampoo so worried about you! You no want to go there, is very bad because you father is so stupid!"

"Ah...ah...ah...huh?" Ranko replied with her face pressed down between some interesting cleavage. I'm not sure if it was a trick of the light or what but I could almost swear her pigtail stood on end, for which I could hardly blame her!

"Shampoo," I asked, "What's up?"

"Oh, Nabiki!" Shampoo turned her eyes my way while maintaining her grip on Ranko, "We no let bad thing happen to Ranma, yes? No way we let Ranma commit Seppuku?"

"Seppuku?" I couldn't have been more startled if somebody had hit me over the head with a hammer, "Who the hell is talking about Seppuku?"

"Obviously Saotome Genma wasn't," Lotion replied, "Until Comb dragged it out of him by threatening bodily mayhem."

"Huh?" I turned to look at my redheaded iinazuke, "Are you following any of this, Ranma?"

"Ranko," Lotion corrected.

"Ranma?" Shampoo glanced down, then pushed her away from her to examine "Ranko" more closely, "Aiyaa...he pass out?"

"Perhaps you'd better put this on," Lotion replied, handing Shampoo the discarded dress from her date.

The dazed expression in Ranko's face showed plainly that she had just suffered sensory overload, for (as I said before) which I could hardly blame her, but this was not the time for her to go comatose. I shook her arm and said, "Snap out of it, something weird is going on here. Why are you two beating around the bush? Why don't you just come out and tell us what the big deal is?"

"You will find out soon enough," Lotion replied as Shampoo finished slipping into her clothing, "In the meantime I suggest you straighten yourself out and try to be presentable. You are about to meet someone very important to the future welfare of both you and your husband."

I glanced down at myself and realized that I was looking pretty rumpled, as if I'd been sleeping in the clothes that Ranma had provided back at the restaurant.

Once Shampoo was properly fitted, and I'd gotten myself looking less like something you'd find in a rummage sale, we headed on back to my house, but before we set foot on the premises Lotion stopped us with the words, "Beyond this point I cannot interfere. You will have to handle this one on your own, my Apprentice, but if you have need of someone to talk to later on..."

"Ah...sure," I murmured, "I think."

I was really starting to worry about this point as Shampoo lead the way into our house, being quick to take us both by the arms once we were in the door so as to walk in the middle between us as she took on her usually cheerful outer persona, calling out, "We home!" as if to announce this fact for the sake of me and Ranko.

"Ah, there you are!" said Comb, my prospective mother-in-law, as she appeared to greet us, "Nabiki-san, you're just in time to meet someone very important. Ranko-san, come join your cousin as we make formal introductions."

Another silent exchange of looks between me and "Ranko" followed that comment, but we went along with the gag as we were led into the living room where we found our fathers already present, along with a stranger who looked incredibly a lot like Ranma's female half. I gaped in surprise as the pleasant-seeming woman got up and smiled in my direction, then with more warmth in her tone than I was prepared for she said, "Is this Nabiki? Oh my, how lovely you look...but whatever happened to you and your dress? You look positively frightful."

"Ah..." I started to say, when Daddy got to his feet and assumed his usual hyper-protective self.

"Yes, that is a very good question," he gave a meaningful glance towards "Ranko," "What did happen to you, Nabiki? I thought you and Ranma were out on a date, but that isn't what you were wearing when you left here."

"Now Soun-chan," said Silk pleasantly, "There's no reason to be upset. I'm certain that Ranma was the perfect gentleman with his iinazuke and he would never do anything to dishonor her. He respects her too much to behave in a way that would be anything less than manly."

I saw the panda start to raise his sign, only Uncle Genma gave a sharp glance towards the stranger and thought better of it. I would not learn until a few minutes later just why he was being so coy and pretending a studied disinterest in the whole confusing affair that was unfolding before us.

"Ranma...ah..." I saw my sister wince and correct herself, "I mean Ranko...did you follow Nabiki and Ranma on their date again? I thought you knew better than to interfere in their personal business."

"Huh?" my fianc e asked with understandable incomprehension.

"Ranko-san," Comb announced, "I want you and Nabiki to say hello to your Uncle Genma's wife, Saotome Nodoka, the mother to Shampoo's future husband."

"Mo-!" Ranko started to blurt out when Shampoo clamped a hand over her mouth, still smiling in her usual cheerful way as she murrmured in her ear, "Shampoo explain later."

"S-S-Saotome Nodoka?" I gasped, looking at the pleasantly smiling woman and understanding now why she so much resembled "Ranko."

"How do you do?" she said to me again, still looking me over, "Oh my...you were on a date with my son? Did he do this to you?"

"No!" Silk spoke up a little too hastily, "I'm sure that isn't it. Ranma would never attack you in such an unmanly manner, correct?"

"Ah..." I was starting to feel like I had just walked in the door to the wrong house when I found Nodoka standing directly in front of me, and then all at once she threw her arms around me and hugged me with more affection that I was prepared for.

"Oh, my son is so manly!" she declared as she did this, "He wanted to have his way with you, didn't he, and who could blame him? You're so much like your mother..."

"M-M-My...?" I gasped.

I saw the dumbstruck expressions of everyone else in the room, including a wide-  
eyed panda, who did not appear to have expected this strange woman to make that weird pronouncement.

"You no mind if Ranma be much forward with Nabiki?" Shampoo asked in a mirror of my own dismay and confusion, and I can only guess what Ranma was thinking as I saw her eyes bulge out, though Shampoo maintained her grasp over our iinazuke's mouth, preventing her from saying or doing anything that would betray her.

"Goodness, no," Nodoka smiled as she released me, "My son should be a man among men if he is to carry on the family traditions. Being a man means that he should be willing to assert himself with the woman he loves...or women as may be the case," she turned to me and her smile grew in fondness, "Tell me, child, do you love my son?"

"Uh...huh?" I blinked my eyes, "Do I...?" I swallowed.

"Of course you do, Nabiki," Kasumi came to my rescue, turning to Nodoka to add, "She's just shy about admitting it. You really do care about your iinazuke, don't you Imotochan?"

"Ah...sure," I replied, feeling my head spin over the way Kasumi was acting, "Ranma's the best, no doubt about that..."

"I'm so glad to hear you say that," Saotome Nodoka smiled, pressing her hands against my palm in an almost possessive manner, "You've made me so happy this night. Now I know my son has grown to become a man among men. Where is he, by the way?"

I started to open my mouth when Comb jumped in again and replied, "I'm sure he'll be around eventually. My Son-in-law is a very active sort, so hard to nail down, just ask Shampoo here."

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo at once chimed in, "Him take off after Mousse, stupid boy from village, very annoying. Him bother Shampoo and attack Akane, so Ranma chase him off and save Shampoo from bother."

"Akane?" Daddy was suddenly all nerves again, "What happened to my little girl? Is she all right?"

"Akane have...problem," Shampoo replied, "She forget to duck, but stupid pig-boy Ryoga with her, so Shampoo think she all right."

Under any other circumstances I would have groaned at hearing the pun Shampoo had just cracked here at the expense of my little sister, but by this point I was starting to catch on to the fact that everyone was deliberately making an effort not to refer to Ranma as anything other than "Ranko." It suddenly occurred to me that they were trying to keep his mother from finding out about the curse he was under. I was naturally curious to know why, but as even the Amazons were joining in it seemed important enough that I would have to play along with the deception.

A good thing I made this connection when I did because Ranko fought free of Shampoo's hold just then and angrily cried out, "Waitaminute! What's going on here? Are really my...?"

"Aunt?" I hastily interjected, "That's right, Ranko, this must be our Auntie Nodoka...only that seems very strange as I wasn't ware that you were in Nerima, Auntie. In fact, the last I heard Uncle Genma mention you I was given to understand that you weren't feeling all that well."

"Oh?" Nodoka looked at me with a curious expression, "Why, however would he have gotten that impression? I haven't seen my husband in over ten long years. Oh, I do hope he is taking care of himself. I haven't heard from him at all in such a long while, and it's been so long since I've held my son in my arms..." she suddenly looked disconsolate, and I noticed Uncle Genma was eyeing her with what almost looked like a contrite panda expression.

"But I'm..." Ranma started to say, but before he could get any farther I saw Cologne appear as she addressed us all with a grave and serious expression.

"Why don't we all sit down and become better acquainted," she suggested with a hint in her regard towards us that it was more like a commandment, "We are all very surprised to find you are doing so well, Nodoka-san. Tell us more about this promise your husband made before he took his son with him for that ten year training mission?"

That caused Ranma to hesitate for a few seconds before she replied, "Promise? What promise?"

"The one which your Uncle Genma swore that he would make his son a Man among Men," Silk replied, "Or else he and his son would commit seppuku."

I don't think I need to elaborate on what sort of silence fell over us as we digested that word, then as one Ranko and me said, "Seppuku?"

Okay, flash forward about five minutes later as we sit together beside Shampoo listening to Aunt Nodoka detail the ten years of misery she had endured while waiting alone for some word that her husband would be returning with their son, as promised. She explained the terms of the agreement they had made, how Ranma was to become a "Man among Men" or else Genma and he would be forced to commit ritual suicide in the traditional Samurai manner. I don't think either one of us was capable of saying aloud the kinds of thoughts we were sharing about that moment, but leave it to good old Oneechan that she was able to frame the question that neither one of us could voice on this occasion.

"But Auntie," Kasumi asked, "Why is it so important that your son be manly? Isn't it a little extreme to ask that he commit...suicide?"

Nodoka just smiled a sad little smile and replied, "You're still young, child. To you the world must seem a wonderful place full of all sorts of potential, but where I come from there are strict traditions to be maintained, and men of the Saotome clan have always been expected to act in a way that epitomizes the perfect warrior and gentleman. I may only be Saotome by marriage, but I have always respected my husband's filial obligations to his family traditions.

"Oh yeah?" Ranko glanced towards the not-so-innocent panda, who looked away in a significant manner, "First time I ever heard about that..."

"But," Kasumi persisted, "Why would you expect them to kill themselves if Ranma doesn't turn out to be all that manly?"

In response to this I saw Aunt Nodoka unwrap the silk-wrapped object that she had laid out on the table, exposing a Samurai sword that appeared to be very old, possibly from the actual Samurai era.

"This sword," she began, "Embodies the honor and tradition of the Saotome clan. It has been in my husband's family for countless generations. It was given to me after our marriage, and I hope one day to give it to the woman who will become my son's wife. I have carried it with me for so many years that it is now almost a part of me, and I have trained myself in its use to prepare for the day when I may one day be forced to use it to ensure the family honor is maintained. It is my sad obligation to fulfill this duty, regardless of what I may say or feel about the matter. If my son is not as manly as I deem proper...then I will do what must be done to insure that the name of Saotome does not become dishonored."

"Dishonored?" Ranko asked, and I felt a chill at the way she said that.

"If a Saotome male behaves in a way that would bring shame and disgrace upon his ancestors," continued the crazy woman who was Ranko's mother, "Then it is the duty of the Saotome women to redeem this shame in the way of Bushido. To do otherwise could bring great harm upon our Clan and to all who are bound to us by obligation and commitment. The Saotome's have great power to affect the lives of others, and that power must never be abused or the consequences could bring disaster."

"Oh really?" Silk mused aloud, eyeing a certain panda in a significant manner, "That could explain a great deal..."

All at once a certain diminutive figure came bounding into the room with a large sack slung over one shoulder, crying out, "Tadaima! I'm back everyone! Did you miss me?"

Quicker than I could have believed possible, Nodoka snatched her sword off of the table and with one fluid motion sliced the air just as the old pervert, Happosai, came within her reach. I saw the old man alight on the table with a very astonished expression, and then I saw the panties he had pulled over his head split in half, even as the sack he no longer carried landed with a thump in one corner. Nodoka was poised in a posture that looked as if it had come from a Samurai textbook, then with deceptive calm she sheathed her sword, stood erect and smiled as she turned to regard the lecherous old Hentai.

"Master Happosai," she smiled and bowed slightly, "It has been a while, has it not?"

Happosai looked at his now-empty hands, screwed his eyes up to where he was no longer wearing his mask, then calmly straightened himself up and with great dignity pulled his pipe out from his vest.

"Nodoka," he said matter-of-factly, "When did you get into town?"

"Just today," she replied, "I am so glad to see you are doing well. My husband said you weren't feeling very well when I last saw him."

"Do tell?" Happosai mused as he started to light his pipe, only to have half it fall to the floor as it broke off around the stem, causing him to look down with a conspicuously blank expression.

I saw Aunt Nodoka's smile deepen, then she sat back down again as if nothing unusual had just transpired in the past few seconds.

"Now then," she said with perfect pleasantness, "How soon do you think it will be before Ranma gets back home? I want so very much to see my son and discover for myself how manly he's become."

I can't describe what I must have looked like about that point, but I think my eyes were about double their normal size, because that would best describe the looks I saw on the other faces around that table.

"Ah..." I heard Kasumi say, breaking the mood as she looked up and said, "Does anyone need anything? I can get more tea if you would like..."

"Ah...yes, that might be a good idea," Daddy remarked rather humbly, "Tea is good...tea is safe...on second thought, make mine sake."

"I'll have a double," read the sign that was now in the hand of the panda, but when Aunt Nodoka noticed we were all looking his way and turned around that sign disappeared as if it had never been there in the first place...

"Quack!" complained Akane in frustration.

"Okay, okay!" Ryoga winced, "So maybe I did go the wrong way. I'm sorry, but I'm doing the best I know how, Akane..."

"Quack!" the duck turned her head to stare pleadingly at the heavens.

"I'll get you home," Ryoga said, "You have my word. I'll get you back to your old self and then you can do whatever you like to me, hit me, punch me, call me names, anything if it will make you feel better."

"Quack?" Akane inquired in a softer tone, then lowered her head dejectedly, appearing as depressed as a duck could get under the circumstances.

"Don't be like that," Ryoga said, "I'm sure we're getting closer and...what in the world?"

"Quack?" Akane lifted her head in a soft note of inquiry.

"Who the hell put this wall here?" Ryoga demanded, facing against a red brick surface that had appeared at the end of the alley they were somehow now lost within, "Well, I don't have time to go back around, so just leave everything to me. Bakusai Tenketsu!"

"QUACK!" Akane called out too late as the exploding point technique caused the barricade before them to shatter like glass, creating a sizeable passage that Ryoga began to step through.

"Just hold on a little while, Akane, and I'll make everything right again," Ryoga promised, when he suddenly halted.

The room that they had just so blithely walked into was full of strange men, some in three-piece business suits, some bare-chested with large tattoos all over their upper body. Four men were gathered around a table with cards in their hands, all turning to look towards the boy and with the duck as some of their goons began drawing a variety of lethal-looking weaponry.

"Ah..." Ryoga said, "Hi...did I come at a bad time?"

Several handguns and a pair of katanas flashed in response to this. Akane was sufficiently alarmed that she was already beginning to feel like someone's dinner plate special.

"Um...okay," Ryoga said, noticing the hostile glares before he assumed a sheepish smile and said, "You people need another player...?"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Five Card Stud: shadowmane

The cat is out of the bag, and now Ranma knows about Nodoka! Can Nabiki overcome the resolve of the formidable head of Clan Saotome, and will she manage to keep Ranma alive long enough to prove that he has become "manly?" Stay tuned for more revelations as they are revealed to one and all, gentle readers, beginning next chapter...be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	44. Chapter 44

NabikiRan43 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-Three.

Cologne returned to the Nekohanten late that night feeling weary of the lengthy business that had kept her so long at the Saotome house. It had taken considerable skill on her part to convince Nodoka that everything was well and that she need not fret about her son being out late at night, while ensuring that her good-natured Son-in-law did not blow his cover and reveal his true nature. Once satisfied that affairs would remain at least nominally secure until the morning, she decided that a good rest was something her weary old bones could use for her own sake, so she entered the darkened restaurant with no more thought than the warmth of her bed, yet almost immediately her senses alerted her to a presence that had been waiting for her in the darkness.

She stood tense and alert until she made out whose presence it was that she had detected. The very silence of the figure who moved from the shadows was testimony enough to the identity of her nocturnal visitor. Once satisfied that it was, indeed, Kuonji and not Mousse she had to contend with she decided to relax by a fraction and waited for the cross-dressing okinomiyaki chef to announce herself in proper order.

"About time you showed up, old woman."

Cologne smiled, sensing no hostility in the young warrior's attitude, and even a sense of somber contrition that she decided might be useful to her ends. In a deceptively mild tone of voice Cologne replied, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Kuonji-san? Was your date with Shampoo not to your proper satisfaction?"

A slight sniff in reply told her what Ukyo thought about the resolution to her "date," but rather than address the point directly what she said was, "We need to talk."

Cologne nodded fractionally, already suspecting that the young girl before her was about to propose a very interesting transaction...

"Hello, is anyone there?"

Kasumi studied the door to Doctor Tofu's clinic and wondered that he was not open to business. It was a bright and cheerful morning, not at all like the unpleasantness that had tainted the evening (in her judgement) and she had baked for Tofu one of his favorite dishes, hoping to use the excuse to seek him out as she felt a need to find someone with whom she could consult. It wasn't as if he was a stirring conversationalist most times, but at least Tofu could be a good listener, and he would always cheer her up with his clownish antics.

Only the clinic was dark inside, and there was no sign that Tofu was even home though it was an hour past his usual opening hour of business. It was all very strange and she felt concerned that something might not be right with him. If he came down with a chill then he would need someone who could help nurse him back to good health. Kasumi would gladly volunteer for that assignment, if only in repayment for the years of kindness that he had showed to her family, most especially Akane.

"Oh my," she said in disappointment, looking down to the covered dish that she was holding, "I suppose I could leave this for him on his doorstep..."

"Really?" a voice at her side remarked, "Such a shame, and it smells so delicious."

Kasumi turned to see the figure standing next to her and was pleasantly surprised at discovering that it was Doctor Tofu's mother. Tofu Ana was smiling up at her with her usual kindly grace, so Kasumi returned her smile and said, "Konichiwa...I didn't hear you approaching, Tofu-san."

"That's all right, dear," Mrs. Tofu replied, "I could see that you had other things on your mind, my son being one of them, of course."

"Oh," Kasumi said softly, "Well, I was worried about him...he's never failed to answer me when I've visited before. In fact, this is the first time that his door wasn't open at this time of the morning."

"Really?" Mrs. Tofu looked excitedly at the door itself, "Is it locked?"

"Well, I didn't really try to test it," Kasumi started to explain when the older woman pushed past and slid the door open without effort, which prompted Kasumi to remark, "Oh my...are you sure it's proper for us to do this?"

"That food will get cold and go to waste if it's not brought inside, dear," Mrs. Tofu explained, "And besides, I'm his mother. You don't honestly think he would object to me paying him a visit?"

"Well..." Kasumi said reluctantly as she followed the senior Tofu into the reception area, where they found a curious sigh awaiting them as melted candles were set upon the floor, having dripped down to the level of the carpet.

"Now that's interesting," the older Tofu remarked, noticing the trail of discarded clothing that lead back towards the bedroom area. On impulse she darted forward and threw the door back to peer inside the private chamber, then she stood where she was and gave a pleasant cry of, "Oh my! How delightful!"

Kasumi edged forward in growing confusion until she was able to look past the shoulders of the diminutive old woman, and then what she saw in that chamber caused her to gasp aloud in both surprise and dismay. There indeed was Doctor Tofu Ono stretched out on his bed, his chest bare but for the woman who was half-draped over him, a woman who looked so incredibly much like Kasumi that even she had to check herself to make certain that it wasn't.

"Uh...?" Tofu stirred to slow consciousness, fumbling for his glasses before he was able to look up and see that he and his companion had company, and then he started to upright sitting position with a look of total dismay and blank incomprehension, "M-M-Mother? K-K-K-Kasumi?"

"Well done my boy!" Tofu Ana cried, almost jumping for joy as she gave a whoop of triumph that startled the other girl into semi-awareness, "You've made your mother so very proud, and you didn't even have to wait until the official ceremony, you sly boy! If only your father could have lived to see what a man his son has become..."

"Elder Tofu?" Kachu rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat upright, but unlike Tofu she did not reach for a bedsheet to cover her naked bosoms.

Kasumi gaped at her older twin sister, unable to help seeing herself in the place of the Amazon Demon Huntress as Tofu looked at her and felt his glasses fog, but for other reasons than his usual degree of shyness. In desperation to regain some control over the matter he cried, "Mother, couldn't you at least have waited for us to get up first before disturbing us?"

"What's the matter, son," his mother grinned lasciviously, "Your blushing bride doesn't seem to mind one bit. You two young rascals still have enough energy left to go at it some more? If that's the case then I'll go make some tea and wait until you're both ready."

"That...may not be necessary, but I thank you," Kachu said as she got up out of the bed, wholly oblivious to her totally nude status, "I should get up and begin my meditations...but it was such a pleasant feeling to just lie here...I could indulge myself that luxury a little longer."

"That's my Daughter-in-law," Tofu Ana enthused, "I want at least three kids from you, you here? Maybe a couple of sons and a daughter...or as many as you like."

Kachu did blush at that as she said, "Well...if it is in my power to try, I will certainly give it my best effort, honored Elder."

"Urk?" Tofu stared up at his recent bed companion of the night then hastily jumped to his feet and threw a bedsheet around her, surprising Kachu who did not seem to understand the reason for his odd behavior.

The sound of the dish that had been in Kasumi's hand hit the floor before anyone noticed that the other girl had just dropped it, then Kasumi turned around and began to take her leave...at first slowly but then picking up speed until she was actually running.

"Sister?" Kachu gasped, only now realizing that her twin had been staring at her in an almost unreadable manner.

"K-Kasumi?" Tofu asked, then his shoulders sagged a little and he turned to look into the eyes of his Amazon wife and shared a sad note or reflection between them. Without either of them having intended to do so, they both knew that they had caused distress by their actions to the gentlest of all the sisters of the House of Tendo...

"I can't believe you pulled that off, Ryoga," Akane shook her head in disbelief, glad to be back in human form and in some decent clothes, though hardly the ones she had started out with the night before.

"Well," the boy at her side replied sheepishly, "It seemed like a better idea to join in than to risk a fight where you might get hurt, Akane-chan, and it's not like this was the first time I've had to play cards with some members of the Yakuza."

"Huh?" Akane looked at him in askance, "You mean you've done this sort of thing before?"

"Frequently," Ryoga sighed, "When you're on the road as much as me you tend to meet all sorts of interesting people, and Obuyan Tomari isn't really all that bad a sort. He's a pretty good loser at cards, not like that underling of his, Largo."

"So they just let you play in on their game," Akane said, "And they didn't mind that you won three our of four hands?"

"It's all in the way you play," Ryoga shrugged, "As long as nobody loses face everybody gets up from the table and we shake hands and everybody's happy."

"So they don't mind that you walked out of there with fifty thousand yen in your pocket?" Akane persisted, still unable to reconcile this new revelation about the perpetually lost boy.

"Like I said to you before," Ryoga shrugged, "Playing cards is just like martial arts. You take a few hits, trade a few blows, and wait for the right moment then you strike to disable your opponent. I was taught to play by my mother, and she used to be a pretty good card player."

"Used to be?" Akane asked with raised eyebrows.

"I...um...haven't seen her for a while," Ryoga said sheepishly, "Since I was thirteen, I think, and started out on my quest to avenge myself on Ranma."

"And she's never tried to look for you at all?" Akane found her eyebrows were climbing almost to her hairline.

"I...don't really know," Ryoga said, "I guess she is...but like me she's got this horrible direction sense...in fact my whole family has it, including my cousin, Akiko..."

"Akiko?" Akane asked, wondering why she was hearing about this for what seemed like only the first time ever.

"Well, Aki and I only met by accident that one time," Ryoga shrugged, "She was piloting a ship that I took a cruise on, and it was the first time I'd met a girl who was as strong as me and with just as bad a sense of directions. Took a lot longer for us to get to our destination than it should have, but I was grateful for the chance to spend time with a family member. She's older than me by a couple of years, but until we met I'd only a couple of times heard my Mom even mention she had a sister..."

"Wait a second," Akane looked at Ryoga sidelong, "Your cousin is the ship's Navigator? How in the name of the Kami did that happen?"

"I don't really know," Ryoga replied, "But considering how sensitive she was on the subject I decided I was better off not asking."

Akane shook her head then they resumed making their way back to her home, being careful to lead the way this time now that she was back to being a human. Having a Jusenkyo curse was going to make a lot of changes in her life, she reasoned, and she had no idea how she was going to explain this one to her father. She did not look forward to the display of waterworks that she had no doubt would be commencing, to say nothing of what Kasumi might say about her being out late at night with Ryoga, as if she weren't safe enough with a boy who got a bloody nose just at the slightest hint of doing anything perverted!

"Tadaima," she called out with some relief when she was at last set foot on the threshold of her house, taking a moment to remove her borrowed footwear before looking around and wondering where everyone else was at the moment.

"Ah, Akane-chan," came the pleasant voice of Silk as she rounded the corner, "Good to have you back, your father has been very worried about you. I trust you have a good reason for keeping Ryoga out so late at night?"

Akane opened her mouth with the intent of asking what business it was of the Amazon to ask her such personal questions, but she saw the pleasant smile in the older woman's eyes and what anger there was in her died, to be replaced by a sense of confusion as it almost seemed to her that she really was being addressed by the ghost of her late mother. Instead she focused on the one part of Silk's address that did not jibe well with her sense of proportion and she replied, "Wait a minute...what do you mean I kept him out so late?"

"Oh, silly me," Silk smiled in mild contrition, "I forgot the way things are done in this land. Ryoga, dear boy, what have you been doing all night with Akane?"

"Uh...playing cards, Ma'am," Ryoga rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Um...it's kind of a long story..."

"Never mind that," Akane frowned, "Where is everybody? Were's Dad and Kasumi?"

"You sister left early to take some food she baked for that nice Doctor Tofu," Silk replied, "Your father is back in the dojo with your Uncle Genma getting a lecture from Comb, who is quite beside herself over all that excitement we had last night."

"Excitement?" Akane asked, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing much," Silk replied, "Your Aunt Nodoka came by and spent the night. She was looking to get reacquainted with her son, Ranma, and her clueless husband, that lout, Genma."

"Oh," Akane replied, then blinked her eyes and cried, "WHAT?"

"Oh, and I haven't told you the worst part of it," Silk leaned forward and said, "We're going to have to pretend for a while that Ranma is really your cousin Ranko, at least whenever Nodoka pays us a visit. You see, her husband-foolish male-made this little agreement that complicates things for poor Ranma..." and she began to explain the story in detail. It only took a minute for Akane to recover, and then she reacted in her usual calm manner.

"BUT THAT'S CRAZY!" she cried, appalled that any mother would even agree to such a hideous contract.

"Ranma would have to commit seppuku if his mother finds out he turns into a girl?" even Ryoga was dismayed at the idea. No fan of Ranma that he was, he at least had enough respect for a fellow martial artist to find such a thing as a suicide pact beyond the pale of what was right and proper.

"So you see," Silk finished explaining, "We must keep up the charade for a time until we can make Nodoka understand that Ranma is quite manly, in spite of the curse. Once she agrees to call of the pact we can then tell her the truth and Ranma can be reconciled with his mother. With any luck Nodoka will be satisfied just offing the panda. I always though Genma would make a nice fur rug..."

"But..." Akane glanced around, "Where is Ranma now...and his mother?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Silk replied, "Goodness me, your sister and Shampoo went with Ranma and his mother back to her place. Ranma may be disguised in his girl form but at least by pretending to be your cousin he can get to know something about her. Nabiki and Shampoo insisted on coming along to see to it that he doesn't blow his cover."

"That makes sense," Ryoga frowned darkly, "Even Ranma doesn't deserve such a fate. I can't understand how his father could make such a deal, even if he isn't all that manly."

"You're twice the man he is, Ryoga-kun," Akane replied absently, glaring off into the distance, and thus not seeing the ecstatic look that crossed the face of her companion, "If anything happens to him it would devastate Nabiki. For the sake of my sister he'd better not blow it, the baka."

Silk nodded her agreement then smiled, "Now, maybe you might be willing to clear up a few points that I have for the both of you. Shampoo mentioned that Mousse attacked you, and that Jusenkyo water was involved in the attack. Would you care to elaborate on this before you explain things to your father?"

"What's there to explain?" Akane asked almost defensively, "He never told me he knew about Ryoga."

"Akane-chan?" Ryoga blinked.

"Never mind," Akane smiled, already thinking up a delicious way that she could turn the curse to her advantage regarding her easily upset and quite negligent father...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

The trip back to the Saotome place was a very odd one for the three of us as we escorted Ranma's mother on the bus back to her part of the Tokyo suburbs. Ranma didn't say a whole lot but you could tell from the way she was looking at her mother that the rude discovery that Nodoka was not only alive but certifiable was having an effect on my normally cocksure iinazuke.

And how could I possibly blame Ranma for feeling upset at discovering his father's deception, to say nothing of his gross negligence and stupidity in even agreeing to such a travesty as this suicide pact we'd all learned about the night before? I doubt Ranma got very much sleep the previous night, because I sure did my share of tossing and turning in bed. If it wasn't for the fact that Sham-chan-in her Neko form-had kept me company last night I doubt I'd have slept even a wink, and I needed my wits if I was going to keep from making a gaff around Nodoka.

Funny, I thought Comb was a real character, but my Amazon mother-in-law seems to be is a pillar of stability next to a woman who could actually offer to be a Second for her own son's ritual suicide. The very idea makes me nauseous even now, hours after this all happened!

By mutual consent Shampoo and I were determined that Ranma would not face this thing alone, nor were either of us willing to leave him alone for five seconds in the company of his mother...or should I say her mother about here since we were keeping Ranma strictly female? Nodoka had chatted pleasantly enough with the both of us while managing to coax a few words out of "Ranko," and if it hadn't been for the continuous presence of that...THING she keeps wrapped up in cloth over her back...you never would suspect her of being a dangerous nut case! If anything her manners were so polite and impeccable that I could almost have believed that I was on a harmless trip with Kasumi!

Anyway, we saw Ranma's mother off to her place, politely declined her offer of hospitality when she asked if we might stay a while and enjoy some snacks she could whip up on the spot, even when she pleaded that she did not have company all that often. I was feeling a bit like those kids from the old fairy tale who meet the old witch in the forest and are invited in for some gingerbread cookies. Thank the Kami for Shampoo being so levelheaded and polite in backing me up because I really don't think I could have handled it all alone without flying into a rage at the idea that anyone would threaten the life of our mutual iinazuke!

Once we left Nodoka at her place, Ranma wasted no time finding some hot water and changing himself back to his regular male form. The change in body, however, did not produce an improvement in his state of mind because the guy looked so incredibly depressed that he could have reached up to touch bottom. It was all Shampoo and I could do to flank him in the hopes that he wouldn't try and do anything crazy.

"Ranma?" Shampoo finally ventured when neither one of us could take his silence any longer.

"Anything we can do to help?" I blurted out, feeling no less anxious than Sham-  
chan at the mood of our iinazuke

"Yeah," Ranma said gruffly, "Tell me I'm adopted."

I had to wince a little there before I was able to reply, "I'm afraid we're both out of luck on that score, Ranma-kun. Your Dad and mine...well...I just hope it's not genetic..."

"Ranma nothing like idiot panda father," Shampoo insisted stiffly, "And mother craziest one of all. No can understand she make promise like that. Even Shampoo mother no abandon her like that when Shampoo go to live with Elder..."

Ranma made a short, rude noise at that and said, "Wanna trade? I'll take yours over mine any day, Sham-chan."

"Ranma-kun?" I asked, beginning to truly worry about his mood swings.

"How could he?" Ranma finally blurted out, "How could he do that to her? My own father...!"

"Do to her?" I blinked, wondering how he could be thinking this way about his crazy mother.

"Pop had no right taking me away from her for all these years!" Ranma all but exploded, "He lied to me, like he's always lied to me before, but this...!" I could hear the rage in his voice slowly change to sorrow, "It was bad enough what he did with Ucchan..."

Shampoo abruptly halted in mid-stride and took on the look of someone who had just heard something completely off-script being recited in a play. With rounded eyes she said, "Aiyaa...Ranma know?"

"Yeah?" Ranma turned to frown at her, "I know about Ucchan, so don't bother pretending like you didn't know. You can both drop the act about my 'old buddy' and that engagement Pop set up between us when he stole her Pop's yatai."

"Shampoo sorry," Shampoo looked as contrite as she could, "No mean lie to Ranma..."

"Forget it," Ranma started forward again, "I ain't got time to worry about that. I'm just so bloody tired of always having to clean up Pop's messes! Everything that's gone wrong in my life is because of him, only that ain't the half of it! Not only did he curse me to turn into a girl, not only did he make that promise that I'd marry a Tendo, or the food he ate off that table that was supposed to be your prize..."

"What...you saying, Ranma?" Shampoo looked stricken, "You regret you marry Shampoo?

"Ah...yeah, Ranchan," I said, borrowing Ukyo's favorite line because it suited my mood more than my usual "Ranma-kun," "What's the deal? You're not saying you're sorry to be engaged to the both of us, are you?"

"It ain't you, Nabiki," Ranma turned around and looked at us, "And it ain't you either, Shampoo. You ain't my problem, either of you. You're both great girls, and it's been the one good thing in my life that I met the both of you, only how can I ask you to get hooked up with the likes of me? I'm nothing but trouble, a real jinx, and I cause problems to everybody who gets near me. Last night Akane got cursed because that idiot thought Ucchan was me, and then you got double-  
cursed for the same reason..."

"Shampoo no blame you for this, Ranma," Shampoo insisted, "It Shampoo choice to save Ukyo from curse. Spatula-girl no deserve fate, no even violent Akane."

"But don't you see?" Ranma said hotly, "It's my fault! I'm the one who Mousse was after! He was trying to douse me with that stupid bucket, only he got you guys instead! It's like this curse makes me hurt the ones I care about! I can't go back to face my mother like I am, I can't ever let her see me like a girl, and instead I gotta lie to her, and all because my Pop was idiot enough to make a Kami-damned promise!"

"A promise he obviously never had any intention of keeping," I reasoned, "Just like he never intended on honoring his deal with Kuonji."

"But that's just the whole damned point!" Ranma declared in clear frustration, "He makes the deals, I have to live with them! He never even consults with me when he does this stuff, he just huffs and insists that it's my duty to do whatever he damn well tells me to do, and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of the whole stupid mess, and I'm sick of the fact that a lot of it is my damned fault! I mean, neither of you would be here if I'd thought before I did stuff, and maybe I'm just damned tired of having you guys pay for my mistakes, and not just the stuff that's clearly the old man's doing!"

"Maybe that just way is, Ailen," Shampoo said, "Elder make rules, we follow them. Maybe when we Elders we make rules that no as crazy."

"But that's assuming we've got a future," Ranma said tiredly, "In my case I wouldn't lay good odds, not if Mom finds out I ain't all that 'Manly.'"

"You is manly man, Ranma!" Shampoo insisted fiercely, "We make you mother see that, and even as womans you very manly woman!"

"What Shampoo's trying to say is that we're there for you if you need us Ranchan," I seconded, "You don't have to do this thing all by yourself..."

"Says who?" Ranma said as he looked at us with sad resolution, "I wouldn't ask that of either of you no matter what happens. You don't deserve to get dragged around in any more of my garbage. I gotta handle this in my own way, and until it's settled there's no way I let either of you guys be responsible for any more bad stuff that might happen."

"What are you going to do?" I asked, fearing the reply meant that he was about to leave us.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo cried, "You no to blame, Ailen! Is stupid old man fault, no you, Ranma!"

Ranma heaved a sigh and said, "You guys are the best, I want you to know that I mean that. You've stuck with me through some pretty rough times, but it's about time I stop dragging you along through the mud with me. I need to put this all behind me before somebody really gets hurt, and the next time it might not just be some half-blind maniac with a pale full of cursed water."

He started to turn around and I felt like something was being pulled out of my chest. I opened my mouth intending to protest, but no sooner did Ranma take a step forward then something hit him right in the face and knocked him back on his kiester.

Both Shampoo and me stared down in mutual disbelief as the object that had taken down the great and powerful Saotome Ranma bounced back up into view, revealed for one and all to see as nothing more than a harmless plastic throwing disk...a Frisbee! Ranma wasn't really hurt so much as surprised at being so assaulted, for which I can probably attribute his being distracted with us as the best excuse for his uncanny reflexes having deserted him at that moment.

And then a pleasant feminine voice called out, "Oh, sorry about that! Are you hurt?"

Both Shampoo and me turned to see a pretty girl about our age approach, one who had long blonde hair done up in a pair of odangas, just like Shampoo save that the two curling lengths of her hair gave her the appearance of a large human rabbit. Sure enough, I was quick to discover, her name suited her looks, but what really caught my attention was the fact that Ranma sat up and exclaimed in surprise, "Usagi?"

The girl halted where she was and looked down, then said, "Ranma? Is that you?"

"Well, I'll be," Ranma got back to his feet, picking up the Frisbee and handing it to this newcomer, "What are you doing in these parts, Usagi? I thought you lived in the Jubaan district?

"And why shouldn't I be here, Cousin?" she grinned as she twirled the Frisbee on the tip of one finger, "After all, my friends and I love to come to this park whenever we want to have some fun together."

"Cousin?" Shampoo reacted.

"Friends?" I turned to see a group of four girls approaching us from a park we had been straying close to, four very unusual looking girls, one of whom was almost as tall as Tatawaki Kuno!

"Ah..." Ranma said sheepishly, as if just then remembering that we were present, "Cousin Usagi, I'd like you to meet Shampoo and Nabiki here. They're...ah...well...they're kinda like my...girlfriends..."

"Girlfriends?" the blonde named Usagi asked as she eyed us both, "Well, well! Don't tell me you've finally overcome your shyness around girls, eh Cousin? Way to go! Only which one is your steady?"

There was a simultaneous reply of "I am" coupled with "Shampoo is" from my companion, and then the two of us exchanged knowing looks and smiled together.

"Whoah...two girlfriends?" asked a girl with long dark hair, who was also looking us over, "In some parts I don't think that's even legal!"

"Oh my," said a girl who looked incredibly a lot like Akane in all but the calm and refined manner of her speech, "Your hair is very beautiful. Do you dye it?"

"Shampoo no dye hair," Shampoo said with a mild huff, then looked back at Usagi and frowned slightly, "You never been to China?"

"China?" Usagi asked with evident surprise, "Can't say that I have, but why do you ask?"

"You look like girl from Shampoo village," Shampoo explained, "Girl name Sash who warrior of Nyanchiczu...well, sort of."

"Someone else who looks just like Usagi?" asked another blonde who was so beautiful that she almost rivaled Shampoo for general cuteness.

"Now there's a thought to give Rei nightmares," said the tall girl whose brown hair was done up in a ponytail. The dark hair girl just stuck her tongue out at the tall girl in what I took to be a friendly manner.

"You guys," Usagi gave a chiding glance their way, then turned back to study us in more detail, "You said her name is Sash? I've got a cousin by that name, only I haven't seen her in years. Pardon me for asking, but did Ranma say your name is Shampoo?"

"That right," Shampoo nodded and looked firm, as if daring Usagi to make something about it.

"Xian Pu," I hastily corrected, hoping to avert a potential catfight (I'll get to them in another minute), "It means Mountain Girl in Chinese..."

"Mandarin to be precise," said the girl who did look surprisingly a lot like Akane, "As opposed to Cantonese. You're an Amazon of the Nyanchiczu? I've read about you in books, but this is the first time I've actually had the privilege of meeting one of your people."

I saw Shampoo brighten up at the compliment, while Usagi made the introductions. Turned out the short-haired doppelganger for Akane was named Ami, while the girl with the long raven-dark hair was named Rei, while the cute blonde was Minako and the tall girl with brown hair was Makoto.

Makoto caught my attention because she was studying Ranma's profile for a moment before she declared, "Oh wow...you remind me a lot..."

Before she could finish her friends all chimed in, "...Of your old Sempai, we know!"

The one called Rei made a rude noise and growled, "You say that about every guy we meet, Mako-chan, but I'm starting to wonder if this guy you claim you dated in Middle School ever existed! He sounds way too cool that you could have just let him slip out of your grasp like that."

"Hey, I'm not making him up," Makoto said defensively, "And...uh...he was, is the coolest guy I ever hung out with, so stop picking on me about it already!"

"Yeah guys," Usagi chided her friends, "Besides, if you want proof that cool guys are around then check out my Cousin here. Ranma's about the coolest guy I've ever known, except, of course, for..."

"Mamo-chan," the other four girls sprang in like a well-rehearsed chorus.

"Huh?" Ranma looked at the blonde with the rabbit-ear hairstyle, "You got a guy of your own, Usagi?'

"Sure do!" Usagi grinned hugely and flashed an engagement ring that she was wearing on her left hand, "He's off studying in America right now, but one day before too long he's going to come back into my life and then we're going to get married and have a wonderful life together!" That latter part was voiced with almost musical tonality.

"You don't say, huh?" Ranma said, "America, huh?"

"Count on it," the one named Minako replied with a boisterous grin that highlighted her already beautiful features, "It's virtually a done deal."

"Well, he'd better treat you right, Usagi," Ranma made a point of cracking his knuckles, "Or I may have to 'explain' a few things about how you treat my favorite cousins."

"Oh, you don't have to be protective of me anymore, Ranma," Usagi patted him on the hand, "It's sweet of you that you still think of me that way, but these days I can handle my own problems..."

"Oh yeah?" asked Rei, "Since when was that?"

"And besides," said Ami, "She has us to look after her. It's almost like a full time career..."

"Yeah," said Minako, "Only without the paid vacations."

"Oh yeah," Usagi slapped herself, "I'm such a ditz! I almost forgot, your mother came to stay with us for a couple of days, and she said she was looking for you..."

"My...mother?" Ranma suddenly lost his pleasant humor.

"Yeah," Usagi continued as if oblivious to his change in moods, "She said she had something important that she wanted to share with you, and she wanted to know if you were all right. I told her I hadn't seen you in at least three years but that I'd be more than happy to pass along the message. Are you still training with Uncle Genma?"

"Ah..." Ranma hesitated before waving to me, "Actually, we're staying with the Tendos these days, and Nabiki..."

"Yeah, what's the deal here with you anyway?" Makoto wanted to know, "One girlfriend isn't enough for you or something?"

"Hey!" Ranma said defensively, "It's not like that!"

"Ranma and I have an arranged engagement," I explained, "He's my iinazuke."

"Oh yeah?" Rei asked, nodding towards Shampoo, "Then what about her?"

"Ranma is Shampoo Ailen," Shampoo said proudly, glompinmg onto his arm to emphasize the point, much to Ranma's awkward embarrassment, though he smiled at her and made no attempt to pull away.

"Promised husband?" Ami interpreted, giving Ranma a curious look, "Did you, by any chance, defeat her in battle or a formal challenge?"

"Huh?' Minako looked at her, "What's that got to do with it?"

"When an Amazon is defeated by an outsider male, she is obligated to make that man her husband," Ami replied succinctly, "Or so I've read about the legends of China. I think the rules are different if they are beaten by an outsider woman..."

"They are," I replied, but before I could elaborate, Shampoo detached herself from Ranma's arm and glommed onto me with obvious affection.

"But Shampoo decide she like Sneaky Nabiki Ailen, so she keep her and Ranma," Shampoo happily announced, "No care about stupid Japanese custom say only have one Ailen."

"Wow," Usagi said as she and her friends looked at us with rounded eyes, "I guess that means you're a lucky guy, Ranma. Never knew you'd grow up to be such a he-Tom cat!"

There was a noise that almost sounded like a snort of dismissal, drawing my attention toward a black cat that had an odd moon-like crest on its forehead standing beside a white cat that had a similar marking. Maybe I've been hanging around with Shampoo for too long but I'd almost think that pussy was showing an almost human-like temper. Ranma jumped back a bit nervously upon catching sight of them, but Shampoo left my side and planted herself by his arm in a clear attempt to try and reassure him.

"Don't be like that, Luna," Usagi chided the cat, "I think it's sweet that you get along so well with each other, Cousin. A lot of guys would be envious about being in your position."

"Uh...well..." Ranma rubbed the back of his head with his fingers, keeping a nervous look out for the two odd cats, "It wasn't like I planned it or nothing..."

"Yeah, right," Rei sniffed, "I can just see how much you're suffering."

"Wow, this really takes me back a few years," the tall Makoto sighed, "I wonder what my Sempai would say about this?"

Something was nagging me as I looked up at this girl, and then I started to slowly make a connection. Very slowly I said, "Your Sempai...he...wouldn't happen to be named Kuonji Ukyo, would...he?"

That brought a surprised gasp out of the taller girl, "You know Ukyo-sama?"

"Ucchan?" Ranma blurted, "I don't believe it!"

"Ah...he's mentioned you by name," I hastily put in, "He and Ranma are childhood friends...you might even say they're bosom buddies."

"Oh yeah?" Makoto turned and gave Ranma a more neutral study, "You're the guy he was always looking for? I thought you were enemies or something..."

"It was a misunderstanding," I hastily put in for Ranma's benefit, "We got it all straightened up, and now Kuonji's...well, he...was well that last I saw...him."

I saw Makoto give me a slow and studied look before she softened and replied, "I'm glad to hear that. I've been wondering what happened to...him since we broke up. I hope...he's happy..."

"What's with all the hesitation?" Minako asked and glanced at her friends, who just shrugged in reply as it was obvious to me that they-unlike Makoto-were not privy to the secret concerning Kuonji's actual gender. I decided not to risk embarrassing the tall girl from that point on and quietly dropped the subject.

"So, Cousin," Usagi turned back to Ranma, "When's the wedding day? Have you already set the date?"

"Huh?" Ranma looked confused, then swallowed, "Well...ah...actually..."

"We were thinking about the end of the semester," I casually put in as if I had not just thought that one up on the spur of the moment, earning a dismayed look from Ranma and a curious glance from Shampoo, who was still holding his arm in a possessive manner, "Of course I'm not sure if I want to wait that long, so we could have it a lot sooner."

"Cool!" Usagi said brightly, nudging Ranma with an elbow, "Be sure and send me an invitation, I wouldn't miss this for the world! My girl-shy cousin growing up and getting married...how about that?"

"Ah...shouldn't that be my line?" Ranma asked, feeling along the edge of his collar, "When are you getting married..."

"Not soon enough," Usagi sighed, cupping her hands and acquiring a moon-lost look in her eyes as she said, "But one day my Mamo-chan will sweep me off my feet and carry me down the aisle and then we'll live happily ever after in our shining palace of Crystal..."

"Wake me up when this stops being nauseating," Rei complained, but I could see from the way she was looking at Usagi that there was a kind of sad fondness towards the other girl, and that the glow of happiness Usagi radiated was affecting even her abrasive nature.

"I'm glad to see you're so happy, Usagi," Ranma said, "If anybody deserves it, it's you."

"Now, don't be a wet blanket," Usagi teased Ranma with a lilt in her voice that was infectious, "Life is far too short to waste it being moody and sullen, Cousin. You should be like me, taking one day at a time whatever life throws your way. There's a kind of magic about destiny that gives you hope for the future, so no matter what you always remember to look on the bright side to everything. There's no point to be gained brooding around a lot and worrying about becoming a great martial arts master."

"You think so, huh?" Ranma said with a soft smile.

"I know so!" Usagi proclaimed almost imperiously, stepping back to grab the sullen Rei and intellectual Ami in her arms as she continued to chime with good humor, "And you know why I know each day will only get better than the last one? Because I have my friends to stand with me, and it's because of them that I can count myself a very lucky girl. Friends are a treasure beyond any price, and life would sure be a whole lot duller without them."

I saw the looks on the faces of the other girls and was amazed at the impression that I had of a very tight unity between them. I'd been vaguely aware that there was something special about these relative stranger, but now I could see that they shared a bond that went well beyond friendship and made them seem almost like a family unit, with Usagi at its center.

"And you're a lucky guy too for the same reason," she continued as she let go of her friends and came to stand before me and Shampoo, "You've got these two, and it looks to me like they're pretty special. I'm gonna have to hook up with you guys one of these days and get to know you both better, especially you, Shampoo...I wanna know everything you can tell me about my cousin, Sash."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo returned the other girl's smile, "Shampoo much like that."

"And you," Usagi turned to me, "Nabiki is it? Sounds to me like Ranma's hooked himself a pretty sweet deal here. I definitely have to learn more about you one of these days, if only to find out what kind of a girl it takes to draw out my shy cousin, Ranma."

The cat made another rude noise, and Usagi turned to look over her shoulder before she groused, "I'm coming, Luna...sheesh! You don't think I've forgotten already? Looks like we'll have to cut this reunion short here, Ranma, duty calls and all of that."

"Oh uh..." Ranma began to say when he glanced down at the two animals that had been prowling just on the periphery of his awareness. I could see the signs of his cat phobia begin to assert itself over his self-control again, but he managed to keep it down until we parted company with the five girls, and only after they waved their good-byes from a distance did he finally let it out with a stuttering, "C-C-C-C-CAT!"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo mused, "Shampoo notice was handsome male beside bad-tempered womans," she glanced sidelong at me and added, "Shampoo no very good Japanese, but she think she hear what dark Neko say, and it no very polite."

I decided not to speculate on that and instead turned my attention back towards my other companion, "How are you doing over there, Ranma?"

"Oh man," he was visibly sweating, "And just when I'd hoped I was staring to get over it..."

"These things do take time, Ranma-kun," I reasoned, "Don't try to rush things. So...how are you feeling?"

"Ah...other than this?" Ranma looked at us with a sheepish expression, "Not so bad...I guess that's 'cause I always feel better after spending time with cousin Usagi."

"What deal that?" Shampoo huffed, putting hands to her hips and scowling.

"Hey!" Ranma nervously chuckled, "I ain't into stuff like that! We're just friends, that's all. Back when we were little, when Pop and me used to come by to visit with the Tsukinos, Usagi and me used to play together, just like kids do, and stuff."

"And stuff?" I asked, hoping he would elaborate.

"Well..." Ranma added with a sheepish grin, "Back when we were little I used to have to protect Usagi on account of the fact that she was kinda refined and delicate, and other kids were always picking on her, so in a way I was kinda like her protector."

"That better be all is, Ailen," Shampoo continued to mock-pout, then smiled and added, "Shampoo like Rabbit-ears cousin. Hard believe she and Sash cousins...Sash trip over own two feet, is very dangerous be around her. She good in fight, but no let cook you meal, almost as bad as Akane!"

"Surely not that bad?" I smiled, feeling my own mood lighten considerably.

"So," Shampoo turned back in amusement, "What else you do with cousin, Ranma?"

"Other than behave like her fancy knight in armor," I added, feeling envious that any girl but me could enjoy that privilege.

"Yeah, well, I did kinda teach her some moves so Usagi could stay out of trouble when I wasn't around to protect her. She wasn't al that coordinated, but she had a kind of grace about her that made her almost seem like a princess. I decided I'd help out by pretending I was teaching her how to play a game while I was actually using what Pop had taught me about manipulating pressure points, helping teach her body how to move in a certain way whenever she got attacked. It's called 'Drunken Fist' style Karate..."

"Shampoo know this style!" our purple-haired dynamo said brightly, "Is like Shaolin Wu Shu, only make it seem you no have sense of balance."

"That's it all right," Ranma nodded, "It mostly consists of learning to bob and weave like a guy who's had too much Sake. Pop says it was pioneered by sailors who had too much to drink and wanted to avoid falling off their ships in a storm. It makes it almost impossible for an enemy to predict your moves, let alone to nail you, so I figured Usagi could avoid getting hurt because the dodge-and-weave pattern is almost an instinct."

"But wouldn't that also have the effect of screwing up her normal sense of coordination and balance?" I asked, seeing what I thought was the flaw in his system.

"Naw," Ranma said dismissively, "You saw the way she handled that Frisbee. You think any ordinary piece of plastic could have nailed me like that? She's gotta have real talent."

Shampoo and I exchanged a knowing look between us and by mutual consent decided to drop the subject.

"So," Shampoo mused, "You no feel like running away now, Ranma?"

Ranma heaved a sigh as if recalling his previous worries, but when he looked at us it was plain that he was no longer so depressed, "I guess not, at least for now. Running away is the Old Man's solution to everything. If I wanna be a 'Man among Men' I might as well try acting the part. I just don't like the idea that I'm gonna have to lie from now on whenever I see my Mother. Now that I know that she's alive..."

I saw the longing in his expression and felt a twinge of sympathy. After all, what would I have given if I could spend time with my Mother, even if I had to disguise myself to do so?

"Running's all we ever did on the road," Ranma resumed with a kind of tired sadness in his voice, followed by a harsh snort of laughter, "Y'wanna hear a really sick thing? The Old Man's been telling me since I was just a little kid that there was this nasty old lady who was following us around and wanted to chop us up for her dinner. With all the folks that Pop's rubbed the wrong way over the years I figured there had to be some truth to it, so whenever he'd tell me this old lady was closing in on us it was his way of saying we had to move on and find a new place to hide. Over the years it got to be a habit, only now I know what he was really afraid of...all this time he's had been running away from my own mother!

It sounded as if he was about to sink back into a blue funk, which was something that neither Shampoo nor me were willing to allow after seeing him smile upon being reunited with his cousin. Instead we moved to flank Ranma as I took him by one arm and Shampoo claimed the other, then between us we started to steer our man towards the nearest bus stop, intending to trace our way back to Nerima, and not once on the whole trip did Ranma voice a single protest or claim to be embarrassed at our public display of mutual affection...

"Sasuke?" Kodachi demanded, glancing around in vexation as she heard the door ring once again without the little Ninja moving to answer. It was just like the wretch to take off on one of her brother's errands at a time such as this. What did he want to do, make Kodachi answer her own door like a common peasant?

Kodachi grumbled to herself as it became plain that whoever was at the door had no intention of leaving discouraged. She stalked up to the thing and yanked it open, prepared to give a piece of her mind to whomever was vile enough to disturb her during her researches...

Only the tart words died upon her tongue, to be replaced by surprise and overwhelming relief as she discovered who it was standing at the door looking distraught and quite unusually unhappy.

"Kasumi-chan?" she gasped, correcting herself in her mind that it should have more properly been "Kasumi-sama!"

"Kodachi-chan," Kasumi began hesitantly, "Would it be all right if I came in...just for a little while. I...need to talk to somebody...and I thought maybe you might...be willing to listen?"

Kodachi opened the door without a single word and watched as the taller girl came inside, hugging herself and looking miserable for no reason that Kodachi could determine (save that it caused her heart to lurch in her breast at the thought that someone might have brought tears to the older Tendo sister). With almost breathless anticipation she said, "My home is your home, Kasumi-chan. How can I be of service?"

Kasumi tentatively smiled, tears threatening to be shed at the corners of her eyes, yet somehow the warmth that Kodachi extended was making her feel so much better already...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Can this be love?: shadowmane

Kasumi may have walked into Kodachi's lair, but who is the fly and who is the spider? For this and other questions please stay tune to our continuing Nabiki and Ranma saga as the gang tries to sort out the recent changes in their lives, while Akane muses, "If I had a Hammer...!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	45. Chapter 45

NabikiRan44 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-Four.

"I don't get it, boss," Otomu said to his employer, the Obuyan known as Tomoku, "Why'd you let that runt make off with fifty thousand yen like that?"

"Simple," Tomoku replied, "He's a Hibiki. They're always good for a few laughs, but it's dangerous when you cross one."

"Huh," said the tough-looking Largo, "Dangerous like any clueless, directionless moron who's as strong as an ox with the brains to match. You should have let me plug him."

"Now what would be the fun in that?" asked rival Yakuza gang-boss Nakusai, "You shouldn't be so impatient to use force, young man. How often do you get to see a boy holding a duck break through a brick wall just to get to deal himself in on one of our Sunday poker matches?"

Tomoku chuckled as he looked at his fellow Obuyan and smiled, "The poor boy's missing a few more wits than the last time I saw him...oh, must've been a month or so back. Imagine calling the duck his girlfriend?"

There were generally amused chuckles all around as the subject of the Hibiki clan was always a favorite one to tell at Clan meetings.

"I once heard that boy was found coming out of a bath house stark naked," mused Iatsu Jingori, a minor boss who handled shipping and transport for the other clan lords, "Caught him on the monitors, we did, over at Boss Karuba's castle."

"No way!" Nakusai responded, "How'd he get past the security there? The place is tighter than a fortress!"

"It is a fortress," he was gently reminded by Iatsu, "And I'm damned if I know. All we caught going into the thing was a little black pig with a bandana like his, probably his pet or something since he seems to have lost that dog who used to follow him around everywhere."

"More like he was following it," replied Tomoku, "The black and white dog was like a seeing eye for him, really very devoted to his master. Wonder what happened to it?"

"Hell if I know," Iatsu shook his head, "Never did find the pig...or the dog either."

"But I don't get it," Otomu said stubbornly, "Why's this clown able to just walk around and bust up our games and stuff? Aren't you ever tempted to just, y'know, pop him one, like Largo here suggested?"

"You're joking, aren't you," Nakusai said blandly, "Do you know what happened to the last guy who tried to interfere with a Hibiki?"

"Yeah," Iatsu replied, "Shame about poor Yuba. They ever take him off life support?"

"Last I heard he was showing some brain function," Tomoku replied, "Which is a good thing, isn't it? And then of course there's the example set by Kingo when he tried to take the Hibiki boy for a ride. Never could figure out how he wound up in that part of Jersey."

"Coming out of a Gay bar no less!" Nakusai chuckled, and the other men around the table joined in at the good humor, only they abruptly stopped laughing as the wall-which had just been recently bricked back up by their underlings-  
exploded inward, having been broken down once again by yet another intruder.

Largo and Otomu drew guns while the lesser Yakuza bodyguards produced more traditional weaponry and turned to confront the new intruder. They all stood around with stupid expressions on their face when they got a good look at who it was that stood amid the rubble where the wall had been. The three bosses sitting around the table sat upright and grew collectively as pale as ghosts as they took in the sight of this stranger.

She stood very tall for a woman in Japan, just under six feet in height, and though she was very good to look at there was a rugged wildness about her lovely features. Long brown hair fell loosely around her shoulders as she scanned the occupants of the room with crimson eyes, then in a sultry voice she asked a single name, "Ryoga?"

"Uh..." Otomu looked to his boss for guidance here. The woman was dressed casually in a pair of worn jeans and tank top, and she had a large backpack draped across her shoulders with a folded umbrella on top, just like a certain other fellow known to these gangsters.

"He's not here!" Tomoko hastily declared, "He visited last night but left early in the morning!"

"Oh," she replied, then held up a curious pendant in one hand and glared at the thing in resentment, "Stupid pendulum! You're supposed to lead me to where he is now, not take me on some merry goose chase! I ought to take you back to Momma and have her get a refund!"

The woman turned around and took her leave without a backward glance, but only after she was completely out of their sight did the three Obuyan heave a sigh of relief, then Iatsu, the oldest present, whispered in tones of dread, "That was her! What's SHE doing back in Nerima?"

"Hell if I know!" Nakusai declared, "Last I'd heard she was boarding a boat headed for China!"

"Better get the word out to our people," Tomoku said with total seriousness, "The Fox is definitely back in the henhouse now! As of this moment everybody is to steer as far away clear as they can from that woman!"

"How come?" Otomu asked, surprised to see his boss get so worked up about a woman...even if the woman in question was built like a brick house and could break bricks down with one fist.

"She's a Hibiki, boy," Iatsu responded, "That's reason enough, and the boy who played last night is her son!"

"You mean...?" Largo gasped.

Tomoku nodded, "That's right...she's none other than the legendary Hibiki Atsuko!"

At the pronouncement of that name all the Yakuza within earshot experienced a collective shudder...

"Okay," Ranma said, "Let me get this straight, Old Man...you made a deal with Mom that you'd make me into a 'Man among Men' or we'd both commit Seppuku?"

"It was necessary, Boy," Genma replied sternly, "Without signing our names to that contract she never would have let us go on that training mission, especially considering how long we were gone on the last one."

"Only you signed for me," Ranma growled, "You put my hand-print on the damned paper because I was too small to know what this was all about! And then after taking me away from my home for ten long years, telling me that she was dead, making me think that the lady who sometimes showed up to follow us all around Japan was some kind of crazy stalker, and dumping me in that cursed spring so I turn into a girl when I get wet, you suddenly decide that I ain't manly enough for her and that she's gonna kill both of us because of your error!"

"Don't pretend you had nothing to do with it, Boy," Genma folded his arms and sat like a statue of the Buddha, "Things don't just happen, you have to be a part of them, which means some of the responsibility is on your head..."

"Oh yeah?" Ranma growled, "Then explain about Ucchan!"

"Ah...well...that is..." Genma began to show signs of nervousness.

"You engaged me to her without telling me about it!" Ranma was practically shouting now, "Ten years later I find out I've got YET ANOTHER FIANCEE besides the ones I'm still trying to deal with!"

"Now Ranma," Genma said patiently, "I've explained to you before how it really was your decision to leave her behind and take the yatai..."

"You say it was my choice because you asked if I liked okinomiyaki better than Ucchan and you call that making a decision?" Ranma started to get up with a menacing look on his face.

"Ah...well..." Genma glanced to the side, "You sure you really want to discuss this in front of them?"

"And why not discuss it around us?" Nabiki asked.

"Stupid panda think he exclude Shampoo from talk about Ailen?" the Amazon at her side seconded.

"Yeah, Pop," Ranma growled, "They're as involved in this as Ucchan, only we've got a deal going that really is our choice and not something you came up with Tendo-san over a jug of Sake! If it was just me you were screwing with I'd probably just deal with it, but you insult them and that really makes me mad!"

Genma blinked his eyes and said, "Son...don't tell me you really are planning to marry both of them, are you? What would your mother say about having two daughter-in-law instead of only one?"

"You heard what she said last night," Nabiki growled, "Go for it."

"Aiyaa..." Shampoo's eyes narrowed, "Is Ranma father try to weasel out of agreement with Shampoo mother?"

"Uh, I mean...I didn't mean it like that..." Genma hastily amended.

"Oh no?" Ranma grabbed his father by one arm then wrapped his legs around his neck and started squeezing, "That's it, you pompous windbag! I'm not taking any more of this out of you! Now apologize at once to Nabiki and Shampoo?"

"Gah!" Genma tried to wrestled free from the grip his son had on him and failed, "Apologize? What for? I didn't do anything!"

"Try pretending you gotta clue," Ranma growled as he redoubled his efforts.

"Help!" Genma wheezed, "You don't really want to fight like this in front of your two brides, do you?"

"Why not?" Nabiki challenged.

"Is good entertainment," Shampoo seconded, "Ranma mind if Shampoo help?"

"Wait your turn," Ranma growled, "I'm gonna bend you in half until you apologize for putting us all through hell, Old Man! Don't bother trying to get free, I know all the counters!"

"Ah," another voice said, "Did I come just in time to watch the floorshow? This looks like it could be most entertaining."

"Oh," Nabiki turned to glance at the new arrival, "It's you."

"Indeed," Lotion smiled, "I trust you've had time to complete your business for the day, because it's time for another lesson, Apprentice."

"Now?" Nabiki responded with surprise in her voice.

"No better time for it," Lotion tapped Nabiki on the shoulder with her staff, "I let you have time off to deal with personal matters, but there's no sense in allowing you to become complacent. How do you expect to become a decent Lore Master if you neglect your studies?"

Nabiki sighed, glancing apologetically to her two respective mates, "I'll check back later on you guys. Oh, and Ranma-kun?"

"Yeah, Nabiki?" Ranma asked from where he still maintained his lock-grip on his father.

"Please let Uncle know that I am very cross with him, and if he wants to continue living in this house he had better learn to behave...or else," Nabiki growled with no uncertainty in her tone to imply that compromise was an option.

"Sure thing," Ranma smiled grimly, "I'll 'explain' it so he gets the point even through that thick skull of his, right Oyagi?"

"And if Ranma get tired, Shampoo take over for husband," Shampoo added with enthusiasm.

"Help!" Genma softly pleaded.

"I knew I could count on you two," Nabiki said with real affection before turning to follow the old woman as they left the dojo and headed out towards the garden...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I had been wondering when the old woman would come to fetch me back to her training program. That business with the date, Akane getting cursed and the shock of Ranma's mother showing up alive and crazy had distracted me from thoughts about this Lore Master business, but once reminded I found myself oddly enough actually looking forward to getting back to my lessons. It was like that whole training business in the hills that took us away from our normal lives and showed me a world of possibilities that I'd never even suspected existed was a kind of magic that I found much more appealing than the harsh realities that had been faced with lately, the conflicting loyalties and misguided attempts at deceiving people who were close to me. There was something appealingly honest about the ancient Lore Master and what she had to offer that actually made me look forward to one of her lectures.

Of course this one stared out unexpectedly with Lotion calling over her shoulder, "So tell me, child, what do you think of your future father-in-law?"

"Are you kidding?" I snorted, "He's as bad as that old lecher who taught him and Daddy. He's like the complete opposite of Ranma! He's a coward and a liar and so incredibly stupid and treacherous..."

"Yes, he is all of that and more," Lotion replied, "And yet there was a time when he held such promise. I knew him twenty years ago, and while I had a sense even then of what he would turn out like, I also knew of the path that he would not take, the one that could have made him into a better man if only he had heeded the Angels of his better nature, his conscience."

"Conscience?" I snorted, "I'd be surprised if he even has one!"

The old woman gave me the oddest smile and said, "Really? And would it surprise you to hear that there are people in this town who say the same thing about you? I understand that, before you became Ranma's iinazuke, you had a reputation for ruthless profiteering, bribery, blackmail and extortion. Pray tell what changed you into a person who feels fit to cast aspersions on another?"

I couldn't answer that right away because what the old woman said hit a little too close to home for my liking. It was true that I was a pretty ruthless type before Ranma came into my life. What changed me was the thought that Ranma would not approve of my more extreme ventures, and without really meaning to I had begun to curb my extortion activities almost from the beginning. I had to wonder about this because I couldn't believe I would alter long-established patterns of behavior so easily without considerably more prompting than knowing some guy would frown because I happened to exploit human weakness to make a living.

As I was pondering this I could hear the sounds of mayhem increasing in pitch and volume back in the dojo and decided that there were some things much worse than being the family mercenary. Being a shiftless old braggart who used people justify his own worthless hide was a step I'd never taken, and one I sincerely hope I never have to.

The old woman looked away from me and gazed off into the distance while I in turn studied her profile. We both were about fifteen meters away from the dojo and the house in a part of the yard that afforded us some privacy-especially given the racket we could hear behind us-so I knew that it was just the two of us when she began speaking again on matters of a highly personal nature.

"You have spent your life living behind a wall of denial," she said softly, "You erected this barrier around your heart to shut out the pain of a loss so great that you did not want to feel close to anyone like that again. You thought you could live your life safe and secure away from emotions that would distract you from basic survival. Perhaps it was a necessary phase that you had to go through in order to be where you are now, but for the longest part of your life you have been living a lie based entirely on self-deception."

She turned to study me and said, "But that wall, hard as you formed it, is as nothing when compared to the wall that Genma has erected around his very soul to shield himself from the grief he feels towards his own honorless behavior. He is in a denial so deep that it is difficult to reach him, let alone make him accept what he knows to be the truth in regards to his own conduct. He is far worse than you at hiding from himself the truth that he dares not face for fear that self-loathing will utterly consume him. He is not truly a stupid man...he is a desperate one who clings to the facile illusions that give him comfort against a reality he will not allow himself to accept. He knows better than you, better than anyone else that he is to blame for making a mess of his son's life, but he feels helpless to alter those circumstances that were brought about by his own actions, and so he lies to himself and pretends that he is an innocent victim of another's evil...Happosai."

"Happosai?" I said, "You mean the old leach is his excuse for all the horrible things he's done to poor Ranma?"

"Consider the story of his life, which I know in far greater detail than even he suspects that I know," Lotion replied, "It begins even before my time back in the village of Joketsuzoku when a young man happened upon us...a wandering student of the martial arts by the name of Happosai.

"Young Happosai was a very small man of slight build, quite unpromising for a candidate who would go on to become the greatest martial arts master of our age, Cologne notwithstanding. He had been picked on mercilessly by the people of the village of his birth, so as a youth he fled his homeland to wander the world in search of knowledge. He thought if he could master the arts taught to him by his father in Okinawa he could return home one day in triumph. So it was he found himself in the lands of the Nyanchiczu, tired, hungry and exhausted, to collapse almost literally at the feet of a young warrior named Kho Lon, our current Matriarch."

"What's the deal there?" I asked, "How can she still be alive after three hundred years, or Happosai for that matter?" Or you, I silently added, though I wasn't about to venture that thought aloud as I listened to her explanation.

"Cologne," Lotion began, "Is the daughter of a very unusual mating between an outsider male known to us simply as Yo Sho, and a woman of our village named Bha-Alm. He came to us a generation before Happosai, defeated our best warrior in combat and stayed with her for a season before vanishing abruptly one day with no word or explanation. Cologne was the result of their brief union, and her twin-brother, Ro Ghan. When Balm died in battle they became the wards of our then-Matriarch, who taught Cologne the lore of the Amazon War Masters. Cologne had a gift that even then was not well understood, one that marked her for greatness, and so it was almost fated from the time of her birth that she would one day become our Matriarch. Of course circumstances would cause great pain and tragedy in her life, and in time make her once-gentle heart bitter, beginning with the day when she lost her brother to a Demoness and culminated in her doomed romance with Happosai."

"Wait, wait a second here," I urged, "What was that about her having a brother who was killed by a Demoness?"

"Not killed by her," Lotion corrected, "The demoness loved Rogaine and had a child by him, a son named Ra Zor, who bore an incredibly mixed nature. Rogaine went to live with the demoness over Cologne's fervent opposition, so she blamed the demoness for coming between them, and when he died in battle against an enemy she held that as well against the demon, known to us as Ganglot. Cologne was actually being quite unfair to the demoness, but that's another story entirely and only peripheral to what I wish to explain here..."

At that moment a crash resounded from the dojo, and I glanced back to see Uncle Genma rising up into the air like a human blimp, only to end his trajectory shortly as he came crashing back down, creating a second hole in the roof of the dojo. I sighed inwardly, already adding up the expense for making yet more repairs to the place, not that I didn't rate the cause as justifying the expense, of course.

"You see," Lotion continued as if never having been interrupted, "When Happosai came to live with Cologne she saw a side to him that few others even knew existed, the part that he keeps hidden in his own heart, the part of him that identifies with small and helpless things that need a protector. Cologne saw kindness and generosity where others saw only a warped little man with a twisted nature. It soon came to light that Happosai had a dark secret in that he had a strong love for...shall we say...improperly fondling and ogling at women? Being shunned by the women in his village, he compensated for the absence of feminine interest in his person by stealing trinkets and copping a feel towards any woman who came within grope range. Cologne was the only one he did not molest in such an improper manner, and I suspect it was because she loved and did not reject him, whereas it was the rejection of others that fueled his perverted obsessions."

"Oh, I get it," I said, "You mean if a woman rejects him he treats her like an object..."

"Whereas a woman who accepts him and shows kindness is treated like a princess," Lotion replied with a firm nod, "Transference, the tendency to respond in kind to perceived rejection, to make small those who make him feel bad, and to laud on a pedestal anyone who treats him like a person. It's how he copes with the knowledge that he is smaller than other men and not very attractive, though in denial of the obvious he pretends that he was a true ladies man in his heyday. It is like the rest of his reprehensible conduct and generally selfish behavior, something to be justified on the grounds of his insecurity. In his mind he is neither a villain nor a victim but simply a man who does what he needs to do in order to satisfy his baser appetites. Of course this sort of self-justification and indulgence is the reasons why the Council of Elders banished him to the peripheral territory outside our village."

"I'm surprised they were so mild about him," I said with some surprise, "If the guy was anything like he is today I'd have thought you guys would have killed him."

"Do you think we are such barbarians?" Lotion replied, "Granted we do have harsh penalties for serious transgressions, and I would be the first to point out that the ones applying to outsiders are among our most ancient and barbaric, but Cologne spoke out on his behalf and her word carried weight even in those days. She was a young girl in love, and Happosai was kind to her as he was to no one else, just as she was the only one who showed him any kindness. What a pity he could not control his wicked compulsion to bother and molest the rest of our village or he might have been redeemed by that love. Such a waste of such a one with so much vast potential," she shook her head sadly.

"Yeah, well," I said, "Not to be insensitive or anything like that, but it sounds to me like the old fart made his bed and slept in it. I take it he didn't remain very long in the old ghoul's good graces?"

"Indeed," Lotion replied, "And once he lost the good graces of his only protector it was the loss of his one chance to be redeemed. After that he went on to a life of perversity far greater than merely stealing the treasures of the Amazons and leaving Cologne embittered and heartbroken..."

"Treasures of the Amazons?" I asked, seeking greater clarification.

"Indeed," Lotion replied, "At first he was content to steal the undergarments of the women he coveted, if only to smell the scent of their bodies and thus feel closer to them than he could get in real life, but then he began to gain a lust for more personal objects of adornment. Like a magpie he started to covet the artifacts and objects of power that were created by the Lore Masters and Mages of many previous generations. Every house had its own object of power that was venerated by the daughters of the most prominent families of Amazon society. In Cologne's case it was a mirror that can be used to transverse the boundaries of time, one she prized very much but was willing to sell to pay for the food Happosai stole from other members of the village. It had been the legacy of her mother, and when Happosai stole it from her, it was like stealing a piece of her heart...which, come to think of it, is probably why he took it."

"Why that...PERVERT!" I exclaimed, horrified that any man could do something so callously cruel to a woman who so adored him.

"Ah yes," Lotion sighed, "Truly perverted, the taking of something that should have been beautiful and twisting it around against its very nature. Such a tragic loss that one so young should become so embittered, and thus was lost a promising Lore Master..."

"A what?" I blinked, "Are you saying that dried up old blemish is a...?"

"Lore Master?" Lotion replied, "He could have been the greatest of us all, but he failed the test of character and his gift was wasted. Before you judge him, though, consider yourself to be in his place while young Ranma could well have been in the place of Cologne..."

"No way!" I insisted, "I could never do anything like that to my Ranma!"

"Perhaps not now," Lotion smiled at me in a peculiar way, "But consider what you might have been like if you hadn't become involved with him and only considered the boy as your personal play thing to toy with and abuse for your own profit."

"Eh?" I gasped, "What are you saying?"

"Just consider the possibility," Lotion turned away with an enigmatic expression, "If Ranma had been engaged to...say, one of your sisters, and you were the one left out to continue to practice those things that you used to do for money. You once tried to sell pictures of his girl half to that Kuno boy, am I right?"

"Uh...yeah..." I reluctantly admitted, "But I was just..."

"Trying to distance yourself from Ranma," she finished for me, "To break off your engagement before you got too deeply involved with him. And then there were the betting pools you established at first to wager on your sister's ability to defeat the horde of admirers who used to fight for her attention. I believe you had something to do with young Lord Kuno's declaration that only a strong man could date her."

I was forced to look down rather than answer. The old woman clearly knew a lot more about me than I'd ever thought possible, but then I'm prepared to believe that she really does know everything. I tried to imagine what things would have been like if I hadn't started to have genuine feelings for Ranma and found that I couldn't bear to be parted from him. All I could do was recall that at one time I had been pretty bored and isolated, a pariah at our school on account of the way I used and discarded people. I told myself it was for a good cause, that I was only providing a service that others paid for, that I didn't need to worry about minor things like principles and ethics, even as I insisted that I wasn't cheating anyone but dealing in good faith, and was it my fault if other people suffered on account of their own folly?

I could not imagine Ranma getting engaged to Kasumi, and I absolutely refused to think of what a disaster it would have been for him to get mixed up with Akane considering how the two of them were like oil and water, possessing many of the same faults without enough of the same strengths to make each other happy. What if it had gone that way, though, and I was the one to sit on the sidelines and watch the whole affair happen to somebody else besides me? Would I still have stood back and let Akane sleep with her pet pig, or sold photos of Ranma-chan to Kuno, or politely yawned when Shampoo showed up and made hash out of my sister? If I had been the sort of uncaring bitch everyone always assumed me to be I'd probably have found the whole thing amusing and merely viewed it for the profit potential. The fact that nothing like that did happen did not relieve from me the nagging sense that I was living in a fool's paradise to think that I would be all that much better than Genma or Happosai!

"Okay," I sighed, "So the old fart had the potential to be a Lore Master. What went wrong?"

"Beyond the fact that he stopped caring about anyone but himself and allowed the dark side of his nature to emerge triumphant?" Lotion said dramatically, then in a milder tone replied, "Not much. But as I say, he left the lands of the Amazons with our artifacts in tow and began to wander the world in search of other young ladies that he could bother. In time he returned to Japan, already quite old yet greatly changed in essence, made almost immortal by his quest for personal power and glory. He was rather set in his ways and by then used to being misunderstood by others, but a curious thing happened one day some seventy or eighty years back when he was on one of his usual panty raids, cruising through the suburbs of then-modern Tokyo in search of new women to harass...he met and fell in love with a woman who would become his one and only wife, a lady named Nanamiya Shinko. She bore him a daughter who went on to become your husband's great grandmother..."

"Whoah, back up a minute!" I pleaded, "You're telling me that old fart actually found a woman who was willing to go to bed with him?"

"Shocking isn't it?" Lotion mused, "But then Shinko was a very unusual woman, a widow to be precise. Her husband was a soldier who took part in one of Japan's early military forays onto the mainland, years before hostilities broke out in Manchuria and the Empire began its aggressive expansion. Shinko was a young and lovely thing who felt incredibly lonely and had a widow's pension as her staple source of income. She was bored and in search of diversion when Happosai came into her life and gave her all the excitement that she was craving."

"I'll bet!" I snorted, but more seriously I said, "He must've been, what? Two hundred and twenty years old at least! You're saying she could actually love that guy in spite of his perversity?"

"Dear child," Lotion smiled, "It was because his perversity appealed to her that Shinko became interested in him in the first place. He brought excitement into her life, and she-in turn-gave him something new in his experience...a woman who did not run away from him, who accepted him for what he was and wasn't out to change or remake him for the better. It wasn't an easy courtship by any measure...at first Happosai could not accept her love as genuine, even after she began joining him in his nocturnal raids, defying conventions for a woman of her station by acting like a sorority prankster. In time she finally won the old Master over and Happosai did come to accept her. It was the one time in his life when I think he was really and truly happy..." she sighed, "But such happiness does not last forever, and when the war came Shinko became a casualty in an allied bombing raid. Happosai was devastated and found himself alone once again with a teenaged daughter to care for, which was more responsibility than he was prepared to handle."

"And that daughter was Ranma's great grandmother?" I asked, by now drawn into fascination at learning so much about the family history of Ranma.

"Nanamiya Junko," she said, "A precocious sprite who took a lot after her father. She was the apple of the Master's eye, and against his wishes she learned the martial arts that she would pass along to her son after she met her husband, Saotome Shiryo, a man of ancient Samurai stock and a firm believer in the old traditions of Bushido. Talk about mixed marriages," she softly chuckled, "He was the very opposite of Happosai, a man of strong principles and upright moral character. In a lot of ways I see young Ranma taking after him. They had several children, among whom was Saotome Kurima, who in turn was the father to Genma and his older brother, Honima."

"Honima?" I asked, surprised to learn that Uncle Genma even had an older brother.

"Yes," the old woman replied, "The rightful heir to the Anything Goes school until he brought shame upon the family honor by eloping with your Aunt Mariko..."

"What, what, what?" I shook my head in disbelief, "He did what with who?"

"Forgive me for dropping that one out of the blue," Lotion eyed me sympathetically, "As I said, it was a family scandal. Honima was supposed to take over the Anything Goes school, but instead that dubious honor fell upon Genma's shoulders by default, so when Happosai went looking for an heir he selected Genma and your father to be his apprentices to pass along the family legacy. In a curious way your father and Genma did not immediately hit it off, even though they had known each other since childhood, but in the end they became as close as any two brothers, which is why they proposed uniting the families to honorably to heal the breach created by the elopement..."

"I don't understand," I admitted, "Are you saying that Ranma and me...?"

"Are already related?" Lotion smiled, "In point of fact you are second cousins."

I think I needed to sit down about that point, mainly because I was taking one too many revelations in a massive download and it was threatening to fry my mental circuits. Ranma was my cousin? And we both were descended from Happosai? I felt a little ill about that last point, but given everything that I had heard so far I was starting to suspect that a great deal had been kept from me my entire life, which meant that both Ranma and me shared something else in common. I began to suspect that my Dad had more than his share of ulterior motives for insisting upon our engagement, and I wasn't really sure if I needed to know anything more about it.

Of course I had to say aloud, "I don't believe Daddy would keep something like this from me! Doesn't he think I have a right to know about my own iinazuke?"

"Well, he didn't want you to worry about such things," Lotion replied, "And besides, he wanted a son who could carry on the art, and by passing along the dojo as your dowry helps to keep the house in the family for another generation..."

"To say nothing about skirting the tax and inheritance laws," I added darkly, feeling a little bit like a commodity that my father had chosen to use for barter.

"At any rate," Lotion continued, "Your father, when training alongside Genma, shared the unique distinction of being a somewhat ethical man trapped in an apprenticeship that was designed to wear down and slowly eliminate any sense of propriety that he might at one time have possessed. Happosai's idea of motivating his students was to conduct raids and then be chased out of town by angry mobs of furious women. He would go to restaurants and eat like an elephant, then skip out and force his boys to pay the tab with physical labor. In time they learned the martial arts as a simple means of defending themselves against the righteous anger of the people Happosai went out of his way to offend. Their fathers weren't much help to either one of them and in fact egged Happosai on in so abusing their children..."

"And why was that?" I asked.

"Because Happy did the same thing to them when they were young, and the only way they could escape his wrath was to pass him along to their children," she replied matter-of-factly, "Then one day two Amazons appeared in Japan, sent by Cologne and the Council of Elders on a rumor that the thief who had stolen their treasure could be found in the area of Nerima. Comb and Silk were very promising young warriors in those days, but when they confronted Happosai they found to their chagrin that they would have to wade through his apprentices in order to get to him. To their surprise both warriors were fought to a standstill with no clear resolution"

"And that's how they met, huh?" I asked, amazed to learn that Daddy had been such a stud in his youth.

"Indeed," Lotion smiled, "And if circumstances had been a little different it may well be that Ranma and Shampoo would have been born siblings. At the very least you and your sisters would have been born Amazons, albeit to a different house altogether."

I found that notion not only improbable but difficult to imagine, but I listened as the old woman continued, "The fact that there was no clear victor daunted the two young warriors enough that they decided to try a less direct tactic in order to achieve the fulfillment of their instructions. Instead of fighting with Genma and your father they wound up befriending them and began learning about the world outside the lands of the Nyanchiczu. In those days Comb was particularly provincial in her outlook and wanted very little to do with the world outside, and the last thing she needed was to get a husband like Genma...or so she insisted. Silk, on the other hand, was very much intrigued with your father. This was before either of the two men had even met their future brides, so you need not imagine that your father was cheating on your mother, or Genma on his wife. It was all part of the strange mixture of circumstances that colored events in those frantic times. I was a bit of a late arrival on the scene, and I only caught the tail end of their adventures, but from what I've been able to piece together since, your father and Uncle had some pretty wild escapades and broke more than a few hearts before they at long last settled down to start families with Nodoka and Kimiko, the woman who became your mother."

"Okay," I said, "That's the part I want to hear more about. Who besides Comb and Silk were after Uncle and Daddy?"

"Dear me, how much time do you think I want to spend dwelling on the past, child?" Lotion sniffed, "I can't give you the full list, but I can mention the more significant contenders. Of course it would be best if your father were willing to own up to this himself, but I somehow doubt that he would want to have to explain the sort of problems he got into between the Sorceress and the Ninja."

"So Daddy was playing the fiend in those days, huh?" I sniffed, "So what's the story with Uncle Genma?"

"No difference," Lotion replied, "Save for the identity of the players."

I could sense she was only taunting me with hints at that point, and I'm pretty sure that she was daring me to come out and overtly ask for the names and descriptions of the women who had once been after Daddy. I was having a hard enough time accepting the notion that anyone would have taken that serious an interest in Uncle Genma, but I guess it requires all types to make your average real-life soap opera.

"Care to drop any names?" I asked, doing my best to hide my slight exasperation.

"One name stands out above all others," she replied, looking away, "Atsuko. At one time she was even more of a potential rival for Nodoka than Comb herself. Ah, the clashes those two had fighting over a man..." she shook her head in what sounded like amusement, "Of course the difference being that Comb denied that she was interested, while Atsuko made no secret about her interest."

"Atsuko," I murmured, feeling oddly that I had heard that name before, though from just where I wasn't able to say then and there. It took a few more minutes before she really landed the bombshell.

"Of course neither one had Genma in the end," Lotion continued, "He was already pledged by an arranged marriage to Nodoka, and once the two of them met he was overwhelmed by her charm and poise, her excellent cooking talents, and the fact that she came from a moderately wealthy family, which he thought would insure a handsome source of income. It was only after he married her that Genma learned that Nodoka's inheritance would fall upon his son and heir when he reached his eighteenth year of maturity..."

"Huh?" I blinked my eyes, "What was that? Did you just say that Ranma...?"

"Is due to come into a lot of money when he gets older," Lotion smiled at me and added, "And Genma will not see a single yen-piece unless Ranma himself decides to share the wealth of this trust fund set up for him by a prosperous Great Uncle."

I took a moment before I finally asked, "How much money are we talking about here?"

"Surely you don't expect me to know the actual amount of his inheritance?" the old woman gave me a coy expression, "But I can tell you that the Tsukino fortune is most substantial, including a large number of shares in such corporate holdings as Mishima Heavy Industries."

I actually blinked as I slowly took this in. All along I've operated under the assumption that my iinazuke has no fortune of his own, that all he brings to the table is himself and his martial arts training. I was the one who was supposedly supplying the big dowry by Daddy's gift to him of the dojo. I was well aware that it was a convenient tax dodge to avoid the confiscatory inheritance laws of Japan that are a legacy of the days when the Shoguns had sought to keep Samurai families from accumulating too much wealth and property. In principle I have nothing against such an arrangement, but I have at times chaffed a little over the thought that I was being used by my father like a barter chip in a business transaction.

The idea that Ranma might actually be worth something monetarily has simply never occurred to me before this. I literally did not know how to take this revelation since all along I've believed that I was marrying for emotional and not material reasons.

"So," I said at last, "Uncle Genma wants a piece of that pie, but he can't get it unless Ranma lives to see his eighteenth birthday?"

"Yes," Lotion replied, "But that is not the entire reason for why he has invested so much of his energy to seeing that Ranma achieves his full potential. If it were just a matter of letting him live to reach full adulthood then he would never have risked his son through so much intensive training. The real reason for why he has done everything that he has done to Ranma isn't just his selfish desire to make Ranma into a man that other men may envy. In his eyes and mind his son is the ticket to personal redemption, a way of proving to himself and to all others that the sacrifices he has made were ultimately worth something."

"I don't get it," I said, frankly having difficulty attributing anything to Uncle Genma but selfish motivations.

"Recall what I said before about Genma once having principles and a rudimentary sense of honor?" the old woman asked pointedly, "His father was the same way when he was a young man, but both of their lives were badly affected because of Happosai and his training. Genma's father became a selfish, compulsive, dishonorable wretch, and for a time Genma swore he would never be like him, only to find himself becoming EXACTLY like his father over time when he took up the mantle of the Saotome school from his older brother. He was forced down the same path of shame and degradation from which only the hard lessons of expediency and opportunism would emerge, along with a deep sense of guilt that would harden into self-denial and myopia until he became the compulsive, stupid, self-centered wretch that you see today. The one good thing he has had going for him in this life is Ranma."

"He sure has a funny way of showing it," I groused.

"Indeed," Lotion agreed, "But in his mind he has used Ranma to deflect his guilt by telling himself that his motives are actually altruistic. He became obsessed with raising a son who would become the very model of a martial artist, a warrior without peer who could be everything that Genma felt that he could never become. As long as Ranma is fated for greatness he feels his own life has been justified and rendered some meaning. To that end he has worked and slaved, suffered hunger and privation, even pledged his life and honor to see that Ranma would have the chance of one day surpassing Happosai. To ensure this happened he did the one thing that his own father never had the courage to do and joined with Soun to lock Happosai away for ten long years, thus preventing the ancient Master from interfering in Ranma's earlier training."

"What's the deal there?" I asked, "How can that old fart still be alive after being locked in a cave for years without food or water? It's just not human!"

"Human limits do not apply to us, my dear," Lotion explained, "A Lore Master sets his or her own limitations. Besides which, Happosai is not-as I've already implied for you-strictly within the definition of entirely human. His quest for power and greatness extended his life far beyond all so-called 'natural' limits, and it is not for nothing that he is referred to as the 'Demon' Master."

I shivered without knowing precisely why. That old fart had given me the creeps since he first showed up on our doorstep, and now I had an even better reason not to trust the old fossil. Learning about his origins and past gave me a pretty good idea of why Daddy would want to try and kill him, but it seemed that Gramps is harder to rub out than a cockroach, and ten times as annoying!

"You see," Lotion continued, "Happosai believes that adversity challenges one to tap into their latent potential. The more harsh the adversity the greater the effort that is made by a martial artist trying to stay alive and conquer the odds. That is why he forced your father and Genma to suffer those trials that broke down their wills and badly tarnished their honor. It doesn't matter if this training makes one a social pariah, all that matters is the training itself and the will to fight. In that respect he has already set his sights upon young Master Ranma."

"No way!" I said as I felt a real anger well up from within me at the thought that Ranma could ever wind up the mirror image of his father.

"It is a serious concern," she replied, "And one to be steadfastly guarded against with forethought and eternal vigilance...wouldn't you agree, young Master?"

I followed the line of her gaze and whirled about to find Ranma and Shampoo peering at us from the entrance to the dojo where they had clearly been eavesdropping. I looked back at them and said, "How long have you guys been there?"

"Ah..." Ranma felt the back of his head and said, "Long enough. You really meant what you just said...about Pop and the old fart?"

"A Lore Master does not lie about such things, young War Master," Lotion replied, "Your father views you as his redemption, the proof that everything he has endured has been for a worthwhile cause. Happosai, on the other hand, would like nothing less than to groom you as his heir, to make you into his likeness. You must resist his attempts to pull you down and break your spirit as he did to your father and his father before him. The Saotome line was once as proud and honorable as your mother claims it was, and more, which means that you are the promise of redemption to your family. This is the cause that prompted your mother to take her rather eccentric and extreme views that you be manly."

Ranma seemed to be absorbing that when Shampoo piped up and said, "Evil Demon Happosai was once in love with Hibi-chan? Aiyaa...Shampoo no hear that from Great Grandmother."

"Hardly surprising," Lotion mused, "It's not one of her favorite old memories. She'd much rather dwell upon her relationship with your great grandfather. Now there was a match that made for some interesting times," the old woman chuckled, obviously thinking about that other metaphorical "Chinese Curse."

"And what about that stuff about my Pop having lots of other girlfriends?" Ranma asked, "I heard him mention that lady you said before...Atsuko...what was her family name anyway?"

"Oh, didn't I mention that part?" the old woman smiled in a calculating manner, "I believe you already know her son, who shares many of her more-shall we say-  
quixotic features?"

"What?" Ranma blanched.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo seconded in equal dismay.

"Are you serious?" I gasped, though I had already suspected the connection.

"Completely serious," Lotion replied, "And her full name is Hibiki Atsuko, the child of Razor, son of Ganglot and Rogaine. In other words, young War Master, the lost boy is, indeed, your estranged half brother."

I don't think anyone said a word for at least two full minutes, but then Ranma growled out the word, "OYAJIIIIII!"

With that he stalked back into the dojo, and in another moment the beating resumed, punctuated infrequently with a father's heartfelt pleas for understanding and mercy...

Kachu glanced down at the snacks that were set upon the table, then in a voice that was wholly uncharacteristic for the contriteness it contained she said, "It's good."

"I know it's good," Tofu replied, "It was made by Kasumi."

Kachu looked at her new husband, hearing the wistfulness in his tone, to which she replied, "I had no idea that my sister could cook like this. Even my own mother does not craft confections with such loving skill and perfection."

"I think it's because she takes a kind of joy in the act of cooking for her loved ones," Tofu replied, "I can't explain it, I just know that she has a talent for making other people feel better."

Kachu continued to eye the man sitting across from her before she finally sighed, "You would rather be married to her instead of me, is that it?"

He returned her stare, hearing not accusation in her voice this time but a sad kind of acceptance, as if she had expected nothing less.

"Is that what you really think of me?" he asked, "Maybe at one time, but that was before I knew you..."

She heaved a sigh and glanced away, "You don't have to pretend with me...I understand. I think I've known it from the beginning when you said that there was someone else that you wanted. I know I am not the prize that she must be, my sister, even if she cannot fight or perform the tasks that I was trained to do, just as I cannot cook or clean house or do anything else that a wife is supposed to be able to do for her husband..."

"Hey," Tofu reached across the table to take her hand in his own, "That's all right, I don't expect you to take care of me. I can do that for the both of us...heck, I've been taking care of myself for so long, I guess it really won't be any burden to take care of somebody else for a change...and aren't the men supposed to be the ones who do that sort of thing where you come from?"

"Y-Yes," Kachu reluctantly conceded, her brown eyes seeking his out once again as she formed a hesitant question, "You don't mind doing that? I mean...you are Japanese, not Nyanchiczu..."

"I don't mind," Tofu smiled a gentle smile that warmed her heart immeasurably, "And as long as you don't mind that I intend to keep my practice here, I don't see why I should object to you having me take care of you like a domestic. Or are you telling me that you're having second thoughts about this again?"

Kachu felt herself smile, an act that was so rare for her that it almost made the muscles of her face ache in protest, and with equally uncharacteristic gentleness she replied, "No...I'm not having any more doubts...my husband."

The word gave her unexpected pleasure and conjured up memories of their first night of love, when the both of them had been incredibly awkward and hesitant about the whole affair. It had been pure reflex when he drew her close to him, and she had begun trembling in such a way that she almost feared that she had caught a fever from the previous evening. When he took her into his arms it was like no experience that she had ever felt before, as if the strength she so depended upon had deserted her in that moment, to be replaced by a different sort of intense need, one equally a stranger.

Their first kiss had been magic, and when he had drawn her with him to his bedchamber she had gone unresisting, entranced as if under the compulsion of a spell. She had no memory of shedding the clothing that he had purchased for her, only of her own frantic need to tear the clothing from his body so that she could experience full contact of flesh to skin as the heat he radiated warmed her like no fire she had ever coaxed to life. From there it had been a somewhat awkward affair as both novices tentatively felt their way into a different sort of personal arrangement than when two combatants faced each other in the arena of challenge.

Still and all, his knowledge of anatomy and pressure-point techniques came to his assistance when it came time to stimulate Kachu in the ways of wanton physical pleasure, and she in turn discovered new ways of using her own complex school of spiritual training to return the favor with interest. It had been a learning experience for them both, but in the end they had achieved a kind of spiritual, physical, mental and emotional gestalt that wound up transporting them both to the realm of Nirvana. Kachu felt her cheeks flush just from the memory of that moment of intensity, and she yearned to experience again in the intimate embrace of her now-beloved husband.

"I'm glad," he said, and his hand closed on hers to squeeze with gentle passion, "I know the last couple of days have been hard on the both of us, but I don't think I would have wanted it any other way."

"Truly?" Kachu marveled, then hesitated again before she added, "But...what of my sister?"

"Kasumi," Tofu sighed, "I don't know what to do about that. I had no idea that seeing the two of us together...was going to upset her. I didn't even know if she was as interested in me as...I've been about her."

"Obviously she is," Kachu sighed, "Only I'm the one who wound up with you...not her."

"Maybe it's for the best," Tofu sighed, drawing a puzzled look from his companion until he looked her in the eyes and said, "I feel a lot more relaxed around you, and I can hold a normal conversation, and I don't shy away from your touch," he added the latter part with another gentle hand-squeeze.

Kachu found smiling was growing much easier with practice, but still there was a sadness in her heart as she replied, "But my...happiness...comes at her expense, and I don't know if I can live with that guilt. I've only known that I had sisters for the last two days, and so far I have given them little cause to cherish our kinship. I feel as if I have taken you from her, and...I find myself wanting to do something to make it up to her, to prove to my family that I am not a bad person."

"What do you have in mind?" Tofu asked.

"I don't know just yet," Kachu glanced down, unconsciously running a bare toe over the floor as she became unusually thoughtful, "But perhaps I will find a way. It...it is possible...I don't know if you would consider it or not...but under Amazon laws there is a custom that permits two warriors to share a man between them..."

"You mean..." Tofu hesitated before continuing, "Like Shampoo and Nabiki share Ranma?"

Kachu glanced up at him before she said, "Is that how it is? I thought Shampoo was unusually close with my sister. In a way I'm glad...it must be very good for her to find someone to care about that way again, after the sad loss of Lotion..."

"The Lore Master?" Tofu asked with lifted eyebrows.

"Her great granddaughter," Kachu corrected, "Another Lo Xion, the younger."

"So, Shampoo had a girlfriend back in China?" Tofu asked, then blinked his eyes before adding, "And...you think that maybe...you, me and...K-K-Kasumi...?"

"It is one possible option," Kachu sighed, not bothering to comment on his tendency to stutter her sister's name on occasion, "I have no qualms about sharing you with her if it will restore peace between us. I might be less inclined to share if it were anyone but her...but if it allows me to come to know my sister-twin all the better...then I think it would be to our mutual advantage."

"Oh?" Tofu said blandly, then with wider eyes he repeated, "Oh...!"

"As I say it is one possible option," Kachu added by way of elaboration.

"Well," Tofu sighed, "I don't know about that one. I mean...I think I'd count myself a lucky man if I could have both of you, but I'm more than happy with...ah...our current arrangement. As for Kasumi... well, I don't think she'd go along with that. She's a very traditional girl, and most people in Japan tend to have only one mate, and besides...I don't think she could quite go along with what you're suggesting."

"Oh?" Kachu arched an eyebrow, "And what do you think I am suggesting...husband?"

"Ah..." Tofu gave a sheepish little smile as he said, "Never mind...forget I said anything about it. I think what I really mean to say is that I've made my bed, and I'm prepared to sleep in it."

Kachu gave him a smile and glanced back to the room, "The bed wasn't made the last I checked."

"It's just a figure of speech, Kachu-chan," Tofu smiled, drawing her by the hand as he stood up and making motions back to the bedchamber, and without hesitation she got up to follow...

Kasumi felt emotionally drained as she finished relating her full story to Kodachi, this time having left nothing out of her narrative as her friend had patiently sat with her and listened to the whole perplexing story. It had been a near endless torrent of words that had poured out from her, things she had kept inside for so long that it felt odd to share with someone else, but in the end she felt washed clean by the experience as Kodachi had not drawn away and had only asked an occasional question for clarifications sake but had not otherwise interrupted.

If anything Kodachi was actually stunned at the sheer volume of material that Kasumi had volunteered to share, things that she had until now only suspected but never actually had known for certain, while other revelations were a shock altogether. Not least of the surprises were the discovery of Ranma's curse and the connection between him and the impudent redhead who had thwarted her on occasion. She felt like laughing out loud when she at last realized that it was this same Redhead for whom her brother had such a powerful crush, yet this Ranko was the same as Ranma, even given the gender reversal.

"Oh my," she mused at last when Kasumi had gotten to that part, "Poor Ranma, having to cope with a curse like that. How he must have suffered."

Kasumi nodded agreement, not having picked up on the wry grin and subtle hint of malicious amusement in Kodachi's tone. She had then gone on to explain about the other curse victims, including her Uncle Genma and Shampoo, then added as if in afterthought about Ryoga's curse, and she was mildly surprised to see Kodachi break out at that point into a near-hysterical peal of laughter, which the Black Rose hastily stifled before pleading that Kasumi continue.

"Oh my," Kodachi had stated again after another minute, "Your sister must have been very cross at discovering how she had been misled about her 'P-chan.'"

Kasumi had agreed with this and continued on until at last she ran out of material to divulge. She at last came to the subject that had caused her to seek out Kodachi's council, and it was only at this point where the Black Rose began to frown and look much less pleased, though it was clear from her manner that she was sympathizing with Kasumi.

"So," she said at last, "Tofu has proven himself to be a man after all. I cannot say that I am too surprised by this, but you would think he would at least wait until after they had a more formal declaration of marriage."

"Hai," Kasumi sighed, feeling at last as if she had just discarded ten kilograms off of her shoulders, "I only found them together a little while ago...and I can't explain why I reacted that way. I should be happy for my sister that she and Tofu are getting along...but instead..."

"Instead?" Kodachi hung breathless on the word, studying the face of her friend for the slightest nuance or hesitation.

Kasumi looked away before she could collect her thoughts again, "Oh...I don't really know. I guess maybe I felt as if...as if he thought my sister were really me...or perhaps that he was with her because..." she paused, "I've never really known if he...if I...oh my..."

She was silent for a time, then she dabbed her eyes with her fingers and said, "I...I'm just being silly. I don't know why I behaved the way I did..."

"Because you wanted him for yourself?" Kodachi asked into the gap provided by that latest hesitation.

Kasumi looked up with a startled expression in her eyes as Kodachi continued, "You found your sister sleeping with a man whom you have known for many years, and who you thought might potentially one day be your husband, and it hurt you."

Kasumi continued to stare, but there was a flash of recognition in her eyes, and then she glanced down once again and did not contradict this assertion.

"You knew that it could happen," Kodachi pointed out as gently as she was able, "A woman as beautiful as you, trapped up by those Amazon laws of hers to marry a man that you wanted for yourself. I'm sorry it had to be this way, Kasumi-chan, but you must have known that it could happen."

Very softly, almost as a whisper, Kasumi responded, "Hai."

Kodachi felt a strange mixture of feelings as she heard the unvoiced pain in the voice of her lovely companion. On the one hand it infuriated her that Tofu Sensei could behave with such little restraint and thus cause harm to Kasumi, but on the other hand this created an incredible opportunity for her to rush into the gap and console her...but still she found herself, for some odd reason, reluctant to do so.

After all, this was her friend...perhaps the first real friend she had ever had in her life. Kodachi could not recall ever feeling so close to another living person as she did to Kasumi, not even her brother, and certainly never her mother or her father! It was a friendship that she was still discovering, still feeling her way about through the confusion of emotions that were aroused whenever she was in the presence of the older Tendo sister. Kasumi made her feel so warm inside, so utterly close and yet so relaxed and unintimidated. Could she dare to risk this closeness on the possibility that they might become yet closer? For the first time in her life Kodachi felt doubt and uncertainty cloud her thoughts and inhibit her actions.

Whatever plans she had entertained in her thoughts for this moment were forgotten as she gently reached out to caress Kasumi's hand with her own. With more boldness than she had thought possible, Kodachi gently turned the older girl's chin until their eyes could meet, and then she softly said, "You deserve better than him, my friend. You deserve more than to be treated like yesterday's laundry."

Kasumi gazed back at Kodachi with no little surprised, hearing a quiet intensity in those words that she had never expected to find there. She watched with growing surprise as Kodachi leaned forward until their faces were almost touching, and then Kodachi breached what little space there was between them and brought her mouth up to cover Kasumi's unresisting lips, even as her body pressed up against the taller girl and her arms held Kasumi firmly by her shoulders.

It was perhaps the first kiss of her life that was passionate in any sense of the world, and it was with no little surprise that Kasumi found herself returning that kiss, though for what reason her mind simply could not fathom. She began to fall back as Kodachi leaned forward, and then she lost her balance altogether as Kodachi fell atop her, pressing Kasumi back upon the couch as their kiss persisted for several heartbeats longer.

Out of sheer reflex Kasumi put out and arm to catch herself, only to brush up against a table lamp, which she inadvertently knocked to the floor, startling her out of her moment of intense confusion.

"Oh...I'm so sorry," she gasped as Kodachi's kisses began to rove down her cheek towards her neckline, "I didn't meant to do that..."

"S'no problem," Kodachi replied in a slightly slurred voice as she refused to break contact with the unresisting Tendo girl, considering the lamp as barely worthy of attention.

"No really, it was clumsy of me," Kasumi pleaded, gasping slightly as Kodachi flicked her tongue under one earlobe.

"Forget about it," Kodachi said in a muffled growl as she continued down the length of Kasumi's bared throat in search of the hollow spot between the neck and shoulder, flicking her tongue against skin to an effect that met with a soft moan of approval.

"Oh my!" Kasumi gasped aloud, then resumed, "I'm sorry about the lamp, I'll pay for it if you like..."

"Would you forget about the Kami-blasted lamp!" Kodachi groaned fiercely as she was too much far gone in her desire to let a petty thing like a lamp continue to distract the object of her intense ardor.

"Oh...!" Kasumi gasped as she felt Kodachi's mouth begin to roam even lower than before, "O...oh my...oh my...OH MY...!"

"Mistress!" Sasuke called from a far off place that neither one of them was connected to at the moment, "Mistress! Where are you! I must warn you-OH MY!"

Kodachi lifted her face from where it had been nestled to turn the scariest look she had ever turned his way upon the hapless manservant, who cringed in dismay as if confronted by a demon.

"What," she asked with deceptive calm, "Is it?"

Sasuke swallowed thickly and fervently thought a silent prayer to the Kami, {Not the Teletubbies tapes...for the love of Humanity, NOT THE TELETUBBIES!}

Aloud what he managed to squeak out was, "Ah-uh-Mistress...he is here! The Master has returned! I spotted the limo pulling up in the driveway, and lo, he revealed himself to me, your humble family servant!"

"What, Tachi?" Kodachi asked, amazed that her idiot brother was returning for once in the limousine instead of the ambulance in which he so often wound up riding.

"No, Mistress," Sasuke replied, "Not the young Master...the old one! After all these many years the Lord of the Manor has returned to the House of Kuno!"

Kodachi turned pale and slowly pushed herself off of the much-confused Kasumi, whispering a soft, "No...not now of all times...!"

"Who?" Kasumi asked, remaining where she was, still too disoriented from the way her head was spinning to trust the effort of sitting upright.

"Who else," Kodachi said melodramatically, "But my father?"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Bad Haircuts for Men &amp; Women: shadowmane

Out of the frying pan, onto the grill as Kasumi meets the terror of Furinkan high when Principal Kuno arrives back in Nerima. And what of Ukyo and her plans to "make things right" between her and Ranma? And what of Atsuko Hibiki, who is on her own quest to be reunited with a clueless Ryoga? The answer to this and more when next we meet in Nerima...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	46. Chapter 46

NabikiRan45 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-Five.

Ukyo was tending to the small fire that she had made for their base camp when the old woman had excused herself, saying she had to depart for a time to tend to personal business. Ukyo watched Cologne pogo off into the woods, amazed as always at the spryness of the Amazon Elder who had been her guide since their arrival from the nearest strip of land that served laughingly as a makeshift "airport." She was also amazed at how easily the Matriarch of the Nyanchiczu had obtained permission from the government of Beijing to bring the Japanese girl (officially registered as a boy) into their country, but considering how remote the area was it did not seem like a priority, high security region that might upset even the local officials.

Ukyo pondered what little she knew about these Amazons from her brief association with Shampoo. It seemed to her that a society of women warriors existing for millennia in the south-west region of China was an unlikely enough scenario that it could well have been something dreamed up by a pulp novelist, yet here she was about to enter the forbidden region where Ranma had obtained both a bride and his curse (assuming one was not tantamount to the other) and on a mission so harebrained and crazy that even she had doubts about its successful resolution.

She stabbed at the fire with restless energy, feeling the confused wellspring of conflicting emotions rise up in her where before there had only been solidarity and purpose. Her Grandfather had long cautioned her that going into battle with an impure heart was like conceding half the advantage to the enemy, yet who exactly was her enemy here? Her idiot father for the way he had forced this choice upon her, or her own pride and jealous obsessions that had so badly failed her when she most needed to be strong and resolute? For a certainly she did not blame either Ranma or Shampoo, nor even the old man (though it was very tempting to blame it all on Genma since he had brought Ranma here in the first place). Who or what then was she going up against, aside from her own self-  
doubt and residual fears? She had no one else to blame but herself for making this decision, and Cologne had even tried to talk her out of it, warning her that such a choice was bound to have its own brand of unforeseen complications.

Ukyo got up from the fire, deciding it would sustain itself long enough for her to get in a brief workout. She had much too much anxiety to just sit by and meditate while waiting for the return of the old woman. She started to reach up for her baker's peel and froze, her warrior senses spring to full alert as her Ninja intuition warned her of the presence of another somewhere close by. Almost without conscious effort she slowly drew her peel and stood at the ready.

No sooner had she done so then the whizzing sound came hurtling at her from just beyond the periphery of the nearby forest. Ukyo whirled in time to deflect an object that had been about to pass dangerously close to her head, only to turn in time to intercept another such object that had come so close to her backside that it might well have given her a breeze at the back of her trousers.

The two objects continued on their twin arcs in spite of the deflection, whirling like a pair of living Frisbees until they converged upon a single point. A plain of slender hands reached out and caught them expertly, and then lowered the objects-which were revealed as a matching pair of double-bladed axes-to cross them as if in the manner of a salute before holding them out as if extending to Ukyo a formal challenge.

"Nihao," smiled the new arrival in the same singsong, chirpy tonality that Shampoo employed on a regular basis.

Ukyo could not help staring at this stranger, whom she recognized for an Amazon due to her style of dress and matching hair odangas. At a glance she estimated that the girl-who appeared to be about the same age as Shampoo and Ukyo herself-stood barely over a hundred and sixty centimeters (5'4), just a couple of inches shorter than Ukyo's 170 cm. height, and at a glance she estimated that the girl's lithe frame was incredibly compact and agile, just like Shampoo herself. She had brown hair and blue eyes-quite unusual for this part of China-and stood poised like a cat about to pounce upon its dinner. Her red-  
and-black silk Mao outfit had an embroidered pair of golden axes emblazoned across her chest, and to judge by the way she had made her entrance it was an easy guess that she was an expert in their usage.

"What do you want?" Ukyo asked, assuming a defensive posture.

The girl spoke several words in Mandarin, which Ukyo could barely make out since she was more fluent in Cantonese, but which sounded like, "What are you doing in this part of China, Outlander?"

"Who want know?" Ukyo attempted in a hesitant attempt to speak the girl's own language.

In response the Amazon just struck a pose and smiled, then replied, "I am Pur-  
Fum of the Nyanchiczu...outlander!"

Without waiting for a similar response she launched her attack on Ukyo, who-  
though having anticipated it-was unprepared for the savagery and speed of the assault as those double-bladed axes came crashing in to almost penetrate her guard while Ukyo back-pedaled and barely managed to get her spatula up in time to deflect them. She attempted to rally herself for a counter-thrust but found her weapon merely passed through empty air as the girl unexpectedly vaulted over her head and landed behind her.

The Amazon pivoted and slashed at Ukyo's unprotected back, and had Ukyo not instinctively ducked she was certain they would have scored fatally for her opponent was fast and could strike at her like greased lightning. Again Ukyo whirled and vaulted away, doing a backward somersault before landing on a high-  
set tree branch with both feet braced as she scanned the area below her in search of her opponent.

"Not too bad," the Amazon appraised, only to do so at the end of the branch that was connected to the tree, and even as Ukyo turned to catch her kittenish smile the Amazon was slicing through said branch, leaving Ukyo without a purchase to stand upon.

"Oh-KUSO!" Ukyo swore in profane distress as she began to plummet back the way she came, but before she was able to touch down again the Amazon was on her, and with three quick motions quite easily disarmed her.

Ukyo landed on her feet, her bakers peal landing a good distance away beyond her reach while she found herself face-to-face against the Amazon, who stood boldly as a cat who had just cornered herself a canary. Ukyo started to reach for her bandoleer of throwing spatulas only to find-much to her dismay-that the belt had been sliced cleanly through, and so had the sash to her outfit, which fell away to expose her unguarded chest, followed in short order by the wrap which she used to fasten down her bosoms.

"Nice," the Amazon mused as Ukyo hastily covered herself up with both hands, "Such a pretty girl you are...why were you hiding such generous assets?"

Before Ukyo could frame a tart reply to this she heard Cologne call out, "Perfume, stand down this instant!"

"Great Grandmother?" the warrior turned to see the scowling elder, then to Ukyo's complete astonishment she flexed her arms and caused her broad axes to vanish. She made a saluting gesture with both arms and nodded her head before relaxing entirely, and only then did the ancient Matriarch incline her head by a fraction in approval.

"Very good," she said sternly, "You have not entirely forgotten your good manners."

"I'm sorry," the one named Perfume said, "I didn't know she was with you, I thought she was some tourist who wandered onto our lands by mistake..."

"And that is supposed to excuse your rude behavior?" Cologne turned away from the brown haired girl and said, "My apologies, Kuonji-san. Perfume is our tribal Enforcer, and she tends to take her duties rather seriously. She meant you no harm, I assure you, or you would not now be standing here with merely your dignity in tatters."

Ukyo regarded the girl who had assaulted her crossly, but seeing only a sheepish expression in reply she decided not to make an issue of the matter.

"[I'm sorry as well, Elder,]" Ukyo tried in Cantonese, "[I didn't mean to intrude, but she gave me no chance to explain my being here on Amazon land.]"

Perfume looked up at her in surprise, then smiled and said, "[You speak the language of the coastal towns. That is good, because I know very little of your language. Japanese, isn't it?]"

"[Well then,]" Cologne said with a fractional nod, "[Now that we have that settled, what exactly are you doing here, Perfume? I do not recall summoning you to my presence.]"

"[It was the Council who asked me to come looking for you, Great Grandmother,]" Perfume explained, "[Elder Be Dea was concerned that you have been away from us for a month now and was wondering what has detained your return for such a long spell.]"

"[Is she now?]" Cologne mused with a slight smile on her wizened visage.

The brown haired girl returned that smile and said, "[Actually I think she suspects that you've got something planned concerning Shampoo that she and the other Elders know nothing about. At least...that is her personal reason for asking me to see you. The official one is more grave news than this and does require your attendance.]"

"[Then I shall return to the village in short order,]" Cologne replied, "[After I help Kuonji Ukyo here attend to a far more important task that also demands my presence.]"

"[Oho?]" Perfume lazily smiled as she regarded Ukyo with a sidelong glance, "[So that's your name, Outlander? I am Perfume of the Nyanchiczu.]" she bowed to Ukyo by a fraction.

"Kuonji Ukyo," Ukyo replied, holding her shirt closed a bit tighter as she was starting to get seriously worried about the way the Amazon girl was regarding her like prey to a hungry cougar.

"[Now that we have that out of the way,]" Cologne said with gruff humor, "[Perhaps we can dispense with the true purpose for our being here. Perfume, I must ask that you not reveal what we are about to do to the other Elders, not even if asked by the full council.]"

"[You know that you may count on me, Great Grandmother,]" Perfume acknowledged with a smile of confidence that matched her bearing.

"[Wait a minute,]" Ukyo turned to her, "[She's your great-grandmother?]"

"Aiyaa," Perfume nodded in reply, "[By adoption. I take it you have already met Shampoo, my cousin?]"

Ukyo just nodded her head, thinking to herself, "It figures!" There was a lot about this girl that did remind her of Shampoo, only the easy-going way this girl was flirting with her made it seem as if she was actively stalking Ukyo, and that whole business with the axes had just been her idea of Amazon courtship. Ukyo was briefly glad that she had not put up more of a showing against this other girl or she might well be faced with the same prospects as Nabiki, as galling as it was to her pride to admit that this Amazon was obviously a better fighter.

"[Then come along, children,]" Cologne remarked as she hid her own smile and started to march away from the smoldering embers of the campfire.

"You mean...now?" Ukyo asked, forgetting herself and asking in Japanese.

"Can you think of a better time?" Cologne replied, "Council business does not wait around for our convenience. We will wrap up your business in good order then make our way to the village, where I will have someone make the needed repairs to your outfit."

"Where we go, Great Grandmother?" Perfume asked in hesitant Japanese.

"To a place that you may not want to follow child," Cologne replied dramatically, "Jusenkyo."

Ukyo heard the gasp and slight shudder from the other girl, but Perfume squared up her shoulders when she saw Ukyo glancing her way and marched resolutely forward, clearly unwilling to show her fear before a stranger. Ukyo shook her head in mild dismay and wondered what she was getting herself into, but it was too late to turn back now, so she went to fetch her bakers peel and stamped out on her dying fire before hurrying to catch up with the old woman...

"Father," Kodachi said in melodic greeting, "What a surprise this is to see you again after so long...and without a word of what you've been doing with yourself for the past four years."

"Wa-Hey, no sweat it, little Wahini," replied the man who was alleged to be her father in oddly phrased Japanese, "Your old man he hang tight out the loop, no wipe out on the curls, I guarantee it."

"Eh?" Kodachi exchanged puzzled looks with Kasumi, who stood off to one side looking more than a little out of it herself as she glanced from the Black Rose to the strange man who stood at the foyer to the Kuno mansion.

Indeed, Kasumi was finding it difficult to even notice a resemblance between her friend and the odd looking man, who was dressed in a Hawaiian tropical shirt with Bermuda shorts and a straw hat over his head. He was also wearing dark sunglasses, even though they were indoors, and his complexion was unusually well tanned while he kept on smiling in a way that was...vaguely disturbing.

"Well, never you worry your pretty lil' head," Kodachi's father hooked a thumb towards himself, "The big Kahuna's back in da burg, so you all sit back an' watch your old man hang ten, no worries!"

"Er...quite," Kodachi said, then with some reluctance added by way of polite introduction, "Father dearest, this is my good friend, Tendo Kasumi, who has been visiting with me today and..."

"Tendo, huh?" the big man turned his focus towards Kasumi, "Knew a Tendo Soun way back in da big Seven-Eight..."

"Oh, that would be my father," Kasumi replied politely, glad to find a topic that was at least semi-normal, "You went to school together?"

"Sure did, little Wahini," the senior Kuno replied with that same cocksure grin, "Ol' Skinny as a rail Soun, we useta call him. How is the crybaby these days? His old man still ridin' on him to carry on the Dojo?"

"Well," Kasumi replied, "As a matter of fact that honor has gone on to one of my two sisters. She's engaged to marry the son of Saotome Genma..."

"Not ol' Rolly Polly Saotome?" the big man grinned in what sounded like a mixture of Japanese and English, "That boy was trouble from day one in Middle School! So his boy's gonna wed Soun's girl, huh, just like they always promised? If that don't beat the Big Wipe Out, I dunno what hangs. Well then, pull up a board an' let me introduce you to your new Principal at Furinkan High, Koucho Kuno Godai, esquire, at your service. And to see you off proper-like..."

Suddenly the man flashed a pair of sheers in one hand and a comb in the other, and without warning he launched himself at Kasumi, only Kodachi interposed herself in the way and cried, "No father! She's not a student! She graduated almost two years ago! You don't have to do this!"

"Is that a fact?" Koucho Kuno said as he looked past Kodachi towards Kasumi with a puzzled expression, "Then ya oughta be College age these days. What you doing hanging around with my little girl?"

"I...?" Kasumi started to say when she froze in mid-reply, reluctantly conceding that it was a very interesting question.

"Father, she is my guest," Kodachi tried to sound entreating, but her voice was laced with just a touch of panic, "It would be inhospitable to treat her as you would one of your students."

"Hmmm...a good point, dat," the big man subsided, "So then, where lil' Tachi at these days? Why he no come see his ol' man now he home at the ol' Cabana?"

"A very good question, Father," Kodachi almost sounded relieved at the change of subject, "Sasuke, do you know where my brother is about?"

"Not a clue, Mistress!" Sasuke replied from where he was laboring to hold five pieces of luggage and a surfboard that was strapped behind his back, "But I'm sure he's about some-WHA-?"

Without warning he was knocked sprawling as Tatawaki came storming in through the front door, oblivious to everything as he cried out, "I must set my words down to paper for my thoughts run like wildfire in my brain! My quest for the eternal beauty of my two true loves will not permit me to rest while these words course through my veins like fire and...oh, hello, Father...as I was saying..."

"Tachi!" cried Principal Kuno with a broad expanse of his arms, "Come give your old man a big hug!"

Tatawaki did a sudden double-take and cried, "You? You're alive? But I thought..."

"What?" the senior Kuno grinned as he produced his comb and sheers once again, "You think the big wave sent yo' ol' pop to that big Cabana in the sky? Here, son, let's see if you gotten any better!"

"No, wait!" Tatawaki cried, but it was too late as his father launched himself at his son, and with incredible speed his sheers blazed a trail as hair went flying everywhere, and within a matter of seconds Tatawaki Kuno was shaved as bald as a plucked turkey.

"Still too slow, boy," Principal Kuno grinned as he stepped away, leaving Tatawaki to feel the smooth texture upon the top of his head, "Gotta practice some more if yo' gonna outfox da Big Kahuna!"

"Oh my," Kasumi said with a hand over her mouth, thinking to herself that the contrast between her own family and this was but a degree of magnitude in the direction of madness.

Koucho Kuno suddenly pulled out a Ukulele from seeming no where and began to play while he sang a Don Ho number. Tatawaki slowly turned to glare in his father's direction and growled, "Must you, old man? Have the years taught you nothing that you still indulge in this insane nonsense?"

"What nonsense, boy?" Koucho Kuno replied, pausing to grin his insane smile as he added, "Spent the last two years gettin' coached in all kindsa stuff a Principal's gotta know, like drinking and partying and playing the Ukulele until dawn!"

"You could have done that staying home," Tatawaki said, "And what were you doing with yourself for the two years prior to that?"

"Nothing much," the older Kuno replied, "Just hangin' around on that Island I washed up on when I fell off the yacht..."

"Island, Father?" Kodachi inquired.

"Yeah, just some uncharted desert Island inna middle of the Pacific," the Koucho replied in his weirdly accented mixture of Japanese and English, "Five passengers'n crew signed on for a three hour cruise, wound up stayin' for three seasons and a whole lotta reruns..."

"Er...right," Kodachi said with obvious confusion.

"Father," Tatawaki said darkly, "Have you been associating with commoners for all this time? Do you know what sort of bad habits might be acquired in such a base manner?"

"What commoner, lil' Kahuna?" the Koucho replied, "One'vum's a Millionaire and his wife, then there was the Professor...he was sure a smart cookie, an' then there's Ginger, she's an actress..."

"Father," Kodachi said soothingly, "You must be tired from your long trip. Why don't you got upstairs and let Sasuke help you to unpack?"

"Very good, Mistress," Sasuke groaned from underneath the surfboard.

"Can't rest now," Koucho Kuno shrugged, "Gotta go see the ol' place, see how you two been keepin' house while I was away. Th' ol' Cabana's due for a few changes now that the Big Kahuna's back in the hood!"

With that he turned to leave his two gaping children and confused houseguest. After several long seconds of mutual dismay Tatawaki closed his mouth and said, "He's even worse than I remember!"

"Oh my," Kasumi said in mild dismay, "Was that really your father?"

"I fear that this is the case," Kodachi turned and looked apologetically at Kasumi, "I'm so sorry you had to see him like this. He wasn't like this...when we were a lot younger."

"No," Tatawaki said sadly, "He wasn't, not that the old him was any improvement."

"Ah..." Kasumi considered whether or not she should ask for further details but finally decided that it would be impolite for her to do so. Instead she glanced at Tatawaki's bald head and considered asking him what he would do about that, but again the question seemed rude, so she was at a loss of what to say to make for polite conversation.

Fortunately for her, Kodachi smiled at her brother and said slyly, "Cheer up, Tachi-chan...you can still wear a wig to class so no one will know any the wiser."

"Eh?" Tatawaki felt his bald head again, and suddenly he experienced a belated panic, "My hair! I must not be seen like this! Sasuke, get me a mirror!"

"I would like to, Master," Sasuke said, "But I can't stand up with this board on my back..."

"I'm not interested in your pathetic excuses!" Tatawaki snarled, already running for the stairs, "My hair! My hair! What has that madman done to my hair? I cannot be seen like this by my two beloveds...!"

As he vanished up the stars Kodachi sighed and said, "My brother is such an idiot..."

"Really?" Kasumi asked, "I thought he seemed like a very nice young man."

"You are much too kind," Kodachi said, then she turned to Kasumi and added, "Timing never was a strong suit in my family, but perhaps we could go somewhere to be more private to resume our own little chat without these constant distractions..."

She started to approach Kasumi, only to find the taller girl shied away a half step. Kodachi looked up at Kasumi with puzzlement in her expression and said, "What is wrong?"

"N-Nothing is wrong," Kasumi said with nervousness expressed in her tone, "I just need to go home...I've been away all morning long, and it's well past time that I should be getting lunch ready..."

"But..." Kodachi started to protest, only to see Kasumi flinch away again when she tried to approach her.

"I'm sorry," Kasumi said, bowing hastily to Kodachi as she slowly backed up towards the door, "You've been so kind to have me over and to listen to my problems, but I do need to be going now. Say my apologies to your father and brother that I did not pay my respects in a proper manner."

"But..." Kodachi hesitated, then asked, "You will be coming back again...won't you?"

"Ah...maybe," Kasumi was suddenly blushing as she looked away, "Some other time. Bye now."

And with that she took her leave of the Kuno household, leaving Kodachi standing with a blank expression that slowly fell into a sad look of quiet longing. Without a word she turned around and headed for the stairs, and then to her room, to lock the door and commence to quietly crying where no one else could hear or see her.

"Hello?" Sasuke asked from beneath the surfboard when the room was finally emptied, "Is anybody there? Could someone please help me out from under this thing? It would be very much appreciated...oh my..."

"What's this?" cried Hibiki Atsuko as she read the sign for the third straight time, finding tears in her eyes as she saw the familiar lettering engraved over the gates of the Tendo dojo, "Have I found it at last? Oh Kami above and below! Now at last I can find my son to warn him about...!"

The latter words of joy were spoiled when the wheels of a fancy sports car came splashing across the puddle in the street just behind her. Atsuko had not even seen the driver pull up when she felt the familiar change come over her, and then she was lost for a moment in her own clothing as it obscured her vision while the straps of her backpack presented an obstacle that she needed to work through.

Atsuko could not express herself well in her other form, thought if one could have heard her next words and understood them they would have blushed with shame for her language was quite colorful. As it was the handsome man in the three-  
piece suit who stepped out from the sports vehicle did not even pay her the slightest attention. He merely adjusted his tie, hefted his brief case, then stepped in through the gates, heading straight for the front door with clear purpose in mind while Atsuko struggled clear of her encumbrances and debated the wisdom of biting this man on the ankles.

The fellow rang the front doorbell and waited patiently until the door at last swung open and a shorthaired girl poked her head out to ask, "Yes, can I help you?"

"Good day to you," the man bowed, obligating the shorthaired girl to bow back, "Is this the Tendo residence that I have the honor of visiting?"

"Yes it is," the young girl replied, "I'm Tendo Akane."

The man produced his card and showed it to her, "My name is Su Yu, and I'm here representing the firm of Mun Jun Lun. Is your father in residence?"

"Ah..." Akane hesitated before replying with caution, "Can you tell me what this is about before I go ask?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss it except in the presence of your father or one Saotome Genma," the man answered with impeccable manners.

"Uncle Saotome?" Akane's expression darkened, "One moment, I'll go get him."

Atsuko popped her furry head from around the post of the gate and her ears perked up. Genma was here, as well as her Ryo-chan? That was most unexpected! She had no idea that her mother's little trinket would bring her around to find the two most important men in her life (not counting her father). She had to fight the urge to go in immediate search of some hot water, remembering that she was supposed to be keeping a low profile so as not to attract unwanted attention. She resolved to sneak onto the premises and do some subtle snooping before revealing her presence to others. First she had to secure her belongings, of course, but after that was done...her time of reunion would be fast approaching!

If only she didn't have these damned butterflies churning in her stomach! She was still trying to think of what she would say when she finally did find her son and his father together, and how was she to account for her activities for the last few years? Merely attributing it to the family curse would not be altogether satisfying, but she supposed that she would cross that bridge when she came to it. For now she would work on being subtle, a trait that was not famous in the line of the Hibikis...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Lotion called it "The Dance of Life," which is as good as any title I might give to if it I tried, a kind of Tai Chi Chuan exercise that involves slow and even motions of the body while you breathe in slow and regularly, only this version had an Amazon spin that made it unusually intensive. It's supposed to help you focus the mind and harmonize the body, like a meditation in motion, and I have to give it points as a nicer way to stretch and limber yourself up from some of the more vigorous stretching exercises that Uncle Genma usually insists upon.

Of course while I was going through the dance-like steps the old woman was standing to one side and making corrections with helpful comments. Naturally she added in a lecture with these movements, but I don't suppose I could expect to get away from that for one whole day, even after her morning session of unveiling the family history in all its glorious and complicated splendor.

Ranma and Shampoo were working out together to one side, trading martial arts attacks with nearly equal skill (as best as I can determine anyway), keeping each other busy while working off some of their excess energy, the sport of beating up Genma finally losing its attraction. There was sufficient distance between us that their vigorous sparring did not interfere with my kata, but from time-to-time I would pause to notice their back-and-forth exchanges, only to be called back to the present by the old woman, who insisted I stay focused on what I was doing and not permit myself to become distracted.

"It is very important that you develop a sense of the Here and Now in your conscious awareness," Lotion informed me in her patient coaching tone of voice, "Let your intuition warn you when there is cause to focus elsewhere. Memories are for a time of reflection, and thoughts directed towards the future should only be attempted when you have reconciled yourself with the present."

I was breathing deeply, trying to maintain my Oxygen levels as these motions took more energy than you would think, even at the slow pace that I was encouraged to move at, but still I managed to say in reply, "How do you accomplish that? Screwy things are always happening around here."

"It is an art, I will concede that," Lotion replied, "But one cannot count on the Universe standing still to permit you the chance to catch your breath, and should you be faced by an enemy any break in your concentration could give them a most unfortunate advantage."

"Who says I want enemies?" I asked, even though my mind immediately shifted to Mousse, whose surprise attack the previous night had been a source of great vexation to me, and not just because of what had happened to my sister.

"Be assured," the old woman replied, "If you live long enough you will have enemies, and they will find you whether you will or no. It is best to be prepared for any eventuality if you are to be married to two such superlative War Masters in training as your wife and iinazuke."

I think I almost lost my balance as my concentration slipped for a fraction of a second, but then I recovered and with a dry mouth said, "Okay, point taken...so, enemies are part of the bargain, eh?"

"Count on it," Lotion replied, "The Universe often displays great perversity in the way events shape our destiny. I myself did not anticipate anything like the wild ride that my life has been for nearly two centuries, and you may rest assured that I never planned for any of it to occur, not least of which was falling in love at a young age, though I never took the logical step of marrying the man whom I loved. I sometimes think about him, though, and what he must be doing with himself these days."

"What?" I almost tripped at that moment, wondering how it was that the old lady kept discovering new ways of shocking me like that, "You mean he's still around?"

"Oh, he was made to last," Lotion replied, "His nominal father made him better than he knew, and so far the warranty is still running. Granted he isn't what you might call a normal human being, but then neither was Cologne's father. Nothing wrong with still being alive after all of these years, and life has had its good moments to go with the bad ones."

"O-kay," I said, conceding the point, continuing on with my exercise, though it was getting repetitive after the seventh straight time of performing the same motions, "So, you've got to watch your grandkids grow up and get married..."

"Some of them anyway," Lotion replied, "Silk...well, I wouldn't call her a disappointment, but she let the man in her life slip away, not that their relationship did not bear interesting fruit in the form of Kachu."

Damn, she did it to me again! I almost lost my footing that time and when I recovered I was about ready to give up, but one sharp bark from my trainer and I was back to resuming my motions.

"Kachu," I said in a sour grumble, then added, "Gesundheit. What's the deal with her? Why is she always so angry?"

"Why is Kasumi always so calm?" she countered sagely, "There is a link between them, in case you have wondered about that. Your sister chooses to be positive, to always surround herself with a blanket of warm and caring thoughts that cancel out the negativity that often confronts her, yet where does the negativity within her wind up? The positive blanket she creates by her presence absorbs much of it out of her..."

"But some of it winds up going into Kachu?" I said with sudden realization.

"Enough that it affects the core of Kachu's being," my mentor explained, "Kachu has always had great anger within her, much of it with no clear source or focus. My granddaughter has always been a loving and devoted mother, and those times when she has been able to spare with her only child she has lavished great affection on Kachu and tried to encourage the girl to be more positive in her outlook. The problem is the competitive society in which Kachu was raised. Amazons, I must reluctantly concede, do not encourage their daughters to be as caring and compassionate towards others as one might prefer..."

"And she's had a lot of problems growing up, huh?" I said, thinking about Kasumi and what she must have gone through being the oldest of us, and taking over after Mom died couldn't have helped much.

"To put it charitably," Lotion replied, "Kachu's experiences with other young girls were mostly centered around fights and periodic challenges that they would hurl at one another. She learned very quickly that the best way not to be teased was to inspire a healthy fear of her wrath in the other children of her age group, and as she grew older it became easier to use anger as a focus. That is why her first response towards everything is to question the actions and intentions of the persons around her for hidden goals and ulterior motives. The act of blind trust that is so natural with Kasumi is almost totally foreign to Kachu's nature. Of course now that they have actually met one another it is very likely that there will be a few changes in this overall dynamic."

"So how does somebody like that rate as a fighter?" I wondered, remembering the show she had put on when she had easily bested Ranma and the others.

"Unfortunately, anger is not the best motivation for a warrior," Lotion replied, "She had to learn self-control and restraint to keep from injuring other girls during practice. A Warrior must always be in command of their emotions, never the slave to her passions, for thought and action must flow together in a single direction. That is one of several reasons why I recommended she be trained into the field of a Devil Hunter. What is a detriment in other fields became a positive boon in her chosen profession."

"Why's that?" I wondered as I began my ninth consecutive set of katas, strangely much less tired now than when I had started.

"It is the nature of the work," Lotion replied, "Demons and Devils are spiritual entities who dwell upon an alternate plane of being where emotion is paramount and thoughts are intimately tied in with emotion. As Kachu has a natural affinity with that plane, she can compete on the same level as these creatures and tap into the same elemental forces to defeat them, using their strengths against them, as it were. Her training as a Devil Hunter allowed her to become at one with her passions, and by developing a clear focus from not competing against her own baser reflexes..."

"I get it," I said, "She scares them off worse than they can scare her, right?"

I think I could almost feel the smile of my mentor as the old woman replied, "Let us just say, for the sake of argument, that there are few Demons and Devils who are not intimidated by a human who works upon that level. Understand that her training was vary rigorous and meticulous, involving arts and disciplines the likes of which I rather think you would be better off not knowing, but the results are unmistakable as you have seen by watching her in action. The irony, however, is that the very thing that makes her so formidable was the very thing that permitted your Doctor Tofu to ultimately defeat her."

"And that is?" I asked.

"His relentless niceness," Lotion said with a sweet undertone to her voice, "He doesn't put out an aggressive battle aura like a Warrior or a Demon, and so there was nothing for her anger to latch onto, he was all but invisible to her senses. She might as well have been attacking a deva for all the good her reflexes would do her for she was facing a man who is almost her opposite in nature, and in this case the meeting of opposites is more than a little attractive."

"Huh!" I said derisively, "Somehow I just don't think it could ever work out for those two."

"Indeed?" I could all but feel her amusement, "So certain of that, are you? Perhaps you might care to stake terms for a little wager?"

"Wager?" I stopped to look at her, only to see her wave her staff as she bade me to continue, "You gamble?"

"Life is a gamble, child," she replied, "But what do your instincts tell you?"

"That gambling is for suckers," I said, "Even when you win you lose a little..."

"And yet you have earned a fair sum over the years by profiting off the wagers of others," she point out, neatly nailing and hoisting me upon my own petard, to my extreme annoyance.

"Yeah, but that's different" I said, and before she could question that I continued, "I don't place bets where I know I won't win anything. Depends on the stakes and the terms, not to mention having some inside knowledge of the principles involved."

"Indeed," she actually sounded approving, "Nonetheless, if-as you say-it does not work out between Kachu and the good doctor, perhaps you might care to state some terms, just to make it more interesting than the mere fact that this involves your oldest sister."

"Okay, maybe...I'll bite," I said, "What do you have in mind?"

"I haven't decided just yet," she said vexingly, "I just didn't want the opportunity to slip by that you might owe me a favor. To be fair, should you prove to be right, I will grant you a favor, so long as it is of a reasonable nature."

"Done," I said, "Then how about you let me take a break here?"

"Why?" she asked, "Are you tired?"

"I...no," I said in some surprise, "I don't know why, but I'm not..."

"You body is adapting to the rhythm," she explained, "You are learning to draw upon the flow of Chi energy that is in the very air around you, and the in the earth under your feet. The Dance of Life is so named because it helps to attune the spirit with the source of all creation, to move in harmony with the elements while limbering your body so that every cell is energized and you are revitalized in spirit. Nonetheless, it is possible to overdo things, so you may relax now and allow yourself to return to normal."

"Thank you," I said, in spite of knowing that you were never supposed to thank your Sensei during training. I just wasn't used to moving around this much and I wanted to take a moment to go back to watching Shampoo and Ranma.

"Rest," she said, tapping me on the chest with her staff, "Breathe from here to fill your lungs and hold the air inside you. Draw the ions of Oxygen into your bloodstream and allow it to revitalize the cells of your body. Then you can worry about how good your fianc e looks while sparring with your wife."

"Right, breathe," I said, calming myself as I turned to see that Shampoo was now standing around talking quietly with Ranma, which made me blink a little.

"Ah," Lotion took notice of my stare and turned to smile in their direction, "It would appear they have found something else in common besides combat. All well and good, I should think."

"Uh...what are they talking about?" I asked, wishing I was standing closer so I could hear what those two were saying.

"Very likely they are discussing Shampoo's mother, who has taken a positive interest in your iinazuke," Lotion added coyly, "Also much to the better as it means that Comb is not holding the sins of the father against Shampoo's husband."

I found it odd to hear Ranma referred to in that manner where it regarded another woman but decided to let the point pass, just as I had the reference to Shampoo as my "wife." Instead I said, "What did she say to Ranma last night? He's been acting...really odd for some reason."

"No doubt she was probing his knowledge base on the subject of women," Lotion replied, "Considering his own source until now has been his father, that can't have been a very long determination."

"I'll bet," I snorted, figuring thirty seconds tops would about cover the extent of Ranma's training on this subject, "So...what else did they talk about for the rest of the night?"

The old woman seemed to appreciate my joke, but then she surprised me again by saying, "Do not underestimate your iinazuke...he is a quick study, and far more intelligent than one might judge by appearance. It may be some that one day very soon he will surprise you, and when you least expect it."

I made a derisive snort at her double entendre and said, "Yeah, right...if I live to be as old as you."

"Perhaps," she said coyly, then changed the subject again, "We mentioned enemies before...one of the chief enemies of a Lore Master is that we see more than other people, we know and experience events sometimes before they can happen. Before too long it is possible to fall into the trap of believing that we are omniscient and beyond normal human error. That just means, of course, that when we make a mistake we don't kid around about it, and some of our errors can be most catastrophic."

"You mean...you...?" I was about to phrase the word indelicately, but she beat me to the punch.

"Have been known to, as you say, screw up?" she smiled in a way that was actually chilling, "Far more often than I like to admit, but I have worked hard to make up for some of those errors. So long as you are prepared to face the consequences of your actions it is possible to redeem those mistakes, though some are of an irretrievable nature. I want you to be prepared for the possibility that some choices you will make will be unfortunate ones, but you must never lose hope that things can work out for the better."

"Ah, okay," I said dubiously, not liking the way she had phrased that, "So...what else should I be on guard about?"

"The enemy that you have never yet truly defeated," the looked at me with an intense gaze that chilled me down to the bone, "Fear, the first and foremost enemy of all living things, the one that most often betrays us, but that can also be a powerful ally if we allow it to serve us."

"Fear," I repeated the word, "Like...what have I got to be afraid of?" I half-  
joked.

"Rejection," she said directly, "And pain. You fear to commit yourself, you fear to risk losing control over your destiny, and most of all you fear losing your heart to another, which involves great risk of it being broken. Your fears are great and your primary means of coping is avoidance. You prefer to keep others at a distance rather than surrender to them a potential advantage..."

"Okay, I get the point!" I think I was actually sweating over the accuracy of her statements, and it quite unnerved me that she could score so directly and read me with such telling accuracy that I felt like a small child being probed by a psychoanalyst.

"This is very important, child," she stressed the term gently, "Fear is the Warrior's enemy and ally. Fear gives you your edge, makes you feel the sharp sting of menace, the tempting thrill of immanent danger. Human fears of a more mundane nature are much more difficult to defeat than the fear of death or injury, and so they are more perverse in nature. If you allow your fears to control and inhibit you, then you will never advance beyond the simple child phase that you are still enmeshed in..."

"Hey!" I protested at once, but she casually brushed off my protest.

"Fear was never meant to be the master of our fate," she continued, "It is the servant, nothing more, nothing less, and when you discover that most of your fears are tissue-thin deceits that you use to cloud your mind from realizing the truth you will discover that fear is only an illusion, a trick of the mind and the body, a feeling like being too warm or too cold, which can be overcome by learning to focus your mind accurately upon your spiritual nature. Once fear is overcome you will discover that much of your life has been held in check by nebulous feelings of an insubstantial nature."

"Uh...you mean, like, nothing to fear but fear itself?" I asked lamely.

"Exactly," she continued, "Once fear is overcome you will be possessed by an enormous feeling of empowerment, as the real you will finally be able to emerge into the light of day, to do the things you have secretly longed to achieve and be the person you were meant to be, the person whom you are within,. This will carry its own brand of risks, of course, for when Fear is overcome, the next enemy of a Lore Master is Power."

"Power?" I asked.

"Power," she replied in tone of quiet insistence, "The ability to achieve a goal or end through the means at one's disposal. It is very hard sometimes to resist the urge to use the powers that we gain through our training, the power that can be used to hurt or heal, and having such power as we possess makes us potentially quite dangerous to others. That is why we must train to master the Power without becoming the slave to it, as once happened with a man of my acquaintance."

"A former enemy?" I guessed, sensing that I was about to learn something else very interesting about the old woman.

"In a manner of speaking," she replied, "His name is of no great importance, but he once styled himself as the Shogun of the Dark, a very powerful and ancient master of the mystical arts, a Necromancer who made a deadly pact with a dangerous force of great malevolence and terror. He commanded his servants, the Eight Devils of Kimon, to attempt a takeover of your country many centuries ago, which effort was thwarted by a man who was very much like your Ranma, a heroic sort with an unassuming nature who was master of his own fate and a servant to no one."

"A Ronin," I replied, gathering from her that this must have taken place during the Feudal period of Japan, possibly during the Tokugawa Shogunate and at least prior to the Meiji restoration.

"Indeed," she smiled, "And a direct ancestor to the line of Saotome, but that is of no consequence here. Suffice to say the Shogun was the most malevolent force that I ever faced in battle, and he tested me to my full measure when it all seemed hopeless and I deemed myself outmatched by a superior opponent. At that time I learned the true extent of my own capabilities and had to overcome my perception of my enemy as someone who could not be defeated."

"But you beat him in the end," I guessed, hypothesizing on the basis that she was still around to tell about it.

"Evidently so," she smiled in reply, "But the effort was costly and I would not wish to repeat it in the same lifetime. In actuality the Shogun defeated himself in the end, for he was very great fool who had never truly overcome the third enemy of a Lore Master, the clarity of our perceptions."

"Clarity?" I asked, blinking my eyes at the term she was using.

"The ability to perceive more than the ordinary tends to sometimes blind us into believing that we see more than we actually do see," she explained, "It isn't Knowledge itself that is the problem, it is having the wisdom to understand what you perceive that makes all the difference. To organize your perceptions and frame them in a context to which we can mentally and emotionally relate takes time and patience and can only be done through careful analysis and discipline of our perceptions. We must learn not to impose our beliefs upon reality but rather to see events as they happen and THEN to convert the knowledge into a framework from which we may draw inferences and make logical observations."

"And how do I learn to do that?" I asked, only to receive a tap from her staff on my chest once again.

"You already know how," she insisted, "What you lack is the patience! Time for reflection must be reserved out of every day so that you can organize the thoughts in your head and intuitively sort through them to formulate a picture that is a genuine reflection of external events. When you learn to wait for something it will come to you in the order with which you are ready...otherwise the perceptions will be disjointed, a confusing kaleidoscope of meaningless and seemingly random data. Worse still, the mere fact that you can see a fragment of some greater picture will mean you could jump to a premature conclusion as to its significance or meaning. You could also find your most fundamental beliefs being challenged, your core philosophy and values overturned and your fundamental understanding of the way the Universe itself behaves come under attack. There are so many emotions within you that could be easily upset by certain realizations..."

"Such as?" I asked.

"Do you remember when you were a mere child?" she asked, "When your mother was still alive and your parents were very much in love with one another? Think back to when you were six years of age, when you got up to get yourself a drink of water and heard strange noises coming out of their bedroom..."

"Okay, I get the point!" I cried a little to hastily, not wanting to relive the first moment when I had discovered directly that my parents did more together than occasionally fight or teach martial arts to us kids. It's not exactly something you can take training in, and when I had asked Kasumi about it later my big sister had shown more wisdom than I had by saying that what had sounded painful to my ears must have been very pleasant for Mom and Daddy since they did it so often and were always so nice to each other after it was over.

In truth I kinda wish I'd caught them doing it a lot more often than I had, because it wasn't too long after this that Momma got sick and Daddy stopped doing it with her because it no longer gave her any pleasure. I swallowed as the memories washed over me, and then they were gone one again, leaving only the sense in passage that I had been more deeply affected by the incident than I had known until that moment. Perhaps in the back of my mind I was even substituting myself for Momma, which naturally would mean I was thinking of Daddy's role being taken over by Ranma!

"Knowledge and perception are two of the tools of our trade," Lotion said as her words drew me back to the present, "Another is Belief, the core of assumption theory that we form based upon our prior perceptions. Belief must be flexible, open to change and revision with new discoveries and awareness. You must learn to open up your beliefs to new realities, a new understanding of what makes the Universe worth living within, and to let go of old ideas and assumptions that do not serve you but that force you to live in servitude to them."

Those words made a kind of sense to me, but I couldn't let it go by entirely without speaking of one of the fears in my mind as I said, "So...what do you see about Kachu and Tofu? Do you already know what the future holds there?"

"Perhaps," she smiled, "But that would be telling."

"Uh...okay," I said, not quite so comfortable with the sense that she knew something that I clearly did not about Tofu and my newfound sibling, so I turned back to her lesson and said, "Fear, Power and Clarity...and what else?"

"Time," the old woman said sadly, "It is the enemy of those who live in this world of flesh that everyone and everything must grow old and die in its appropriate time and season. Very few can transcend the limitations of their body to live as long as I have, or Cologne for that matter, and even we must surrender to the pull of time, which is why we lavish so much of our remaining energies on you young people. You, our students, are the legacy we leave behind, the immortality we seek is through you and your offspring. That is why-  
and you must forgive me for being a meddlesome old woman here-I am encouraging you in the pursuit of your relationship with your wife and future husband."

Suddenly my cheeks grew flush and I must have come across like a little girl blushing, because that's what it felt like for me and I could not meet the old woman's stare for a full five seconds, though I did turn a hesitant glance in the direction of Shampoo and Ranma.

"Think well on this," Lotion said soberly, "You can study all you want in life, achieve great things and accomplish what others deem as miracles, but in the end what truly matters is in your heart and destiny. Ask yourself if the risk of being hurt is worth losing out on the potential for happiness that success might bring you. In the end it will be your bed to make and lie within, I can only offer you my counsel and the benefits of my experience. The rest is for you to decide, but time is not infinite and the clock may well be ticking. She who hesitates may be lost if you do not act in the here and now and let your heart and spirit guide you."

"Okay," I said in very faint tones, feeling the butterflies in my stomach doing their fair share of free sparring, "But...when?"

"You will know the time," Lotion said, "You alone will know when you are ready. In the meantime..."

"I know," I sighed, "Back to more training, right?"

"Until you can perform the Dance in your sleep and it becomes second nature," she said with quiet insistence, adding on the sly, "Time enough to let the future take care of itself, when we live those moments that are to come, and not a second before then."

"Yes, Obi-Wan," I sighed, resuming the kata from the beginning, yet strangely finding it easier to do this time while my thoughts floated like water and filled with warm and inviting images of a potential future for me and Ranma...with Shampoo somehow figuring into the mixture...

"What do you think they're talking about?" Ranma asked as he glanced over at Nabiki and Lotion.

"Shampoo no know," his companion replied, "They talking too soft for Shampoo hear them."

"Do you...think it's about us?" Ranma asked with a curious reluctance.

"Shampoo hope so," Shampoo smiled beatifically, "But maybe it more to do with training.

"You mean Lore Master Stuff?" Ranma said, then glanced at his purple haired companion, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Look, about what your Mom was tellin' me last night..."

"Shampoo mother tell you about what like to be Woman?" Shampoo smiled at him, "How you have curse for so long and no have period, Ranma? Being womans is no so bad thing like you think, but it no easy as being man, Shampoo think..."

Ranma gave a short, bitter laugh and said, "Yeah...only I never had any idea there was so much stuff to know about it. Your Mom's a pretty cool teacher...she managed to tell me all that embarassin' stuff and still make me feel less stupid than when I asked Pop about it..."

"That no hard," it was Shampoo's turn to snort, "Still, Shampoo envy you, Ranma..."

"Wha-?" Ranma blinked.

"You spend time with Shampoo mother," Shampoo sighed, "Shampoo no do that in long time. Shampoo mother no have time to talk with Shampoo since she train with Great Grandmother, and when we do talk Shampoo no easy time explain what happen. Shampoo mother very angry at Great Grandmother for curse, but Shampoo glad that mother approve of husband and wife, so maybe it no be so bad now."

"Yeah...I could see she and the old woman don't get along too well," Ranma said, "Look...for what it's worth, Shampoo, I'm gonna try and make things work out for us. Your Mom's gonna be helping me to work out some stuff I need to get straight before I can even think about marryin' you or even Nabiki..." he paused to swallow thickly, "I mean...this stuff about what you both want me to do as a...ah...you know..."

"Groom?" Shampoo smiled with a hint of mischief in her eyes, "You want know that you no need go to Shampoo Mother...Shampoo more than willing to help husband learn everything Ranma need know about that..."

"Ah..." Ranma's throat was suddenly very dry, and the look the Amazon was giving him made the young martial artist feel like a beast of prey who was about to be stalked by a hungry predator. The analogy to Shampoo's neko form was much too close to home for his liking and he found himself feeling the urge to take a step backward, but he steeled himself to remain where he was, remembering something else Comb had told him about women.

"Son-in-law," she had said the previous night, "Do not leave my daughter or Nabiki in any doubt about your feelings. A woman needs to know that she is in the thoughts of the man whom she desires, and even if you don't give into their desires for you right away you must try not to give them the idea that you are avoiding them and do not have positive feelings towards them. Let them have hope that there is a possible future between you and all will be well, I promise.

Yeah, right, Ranma thought to himself with a hopeless, sinking sensation, and yet somehow he was finding it difficult to look away from the ardor that he saw in the eyes of the purple haired Amazon before him. He thought of Nabiki in the same light and found an uncomfortable stiffness forming in his loins, which was why he half-turned away from her and said, "Maybe...ah...I'll get back to you on that, okay? I just need a little time to get through this, and I'll try to somehow make it up to you, okay?"

"Shampoo hold you to that promise," Shampoo emphasized the word with delicious sweetness, "Ailen."

Ranma swallowed once again and said, "Okay...I gotta go now, but we'll talk about this some more later on, okay? Seeya!"

And with that he vaulted out of the yard, clearing the wall in a single bound, leaving behind a very confused and frustrated Amazon, who sighed and tried to content herself with the knowledge that her husband's resistance was slowly crumbling. Now if she could only work the same effect on her wife then she was confident of her eventual triumph, and once she had them both responding to her favors...

She sighed and glanced skyward, thinking silently to herself, [Lo Xion, my once-  
love, you will always be in my heart, pray for me in my success and I will honor you forever.]

She glanced over to see her wife performing the Dance of Life and she smiled inwardly. Success was near to hand, all she needed to do was exercise a little more patience and her reward would make up for the delay in the sweet savor of the future that she hoped to enjoy from both of her Airen...

"This is it?" Ukyo asked as she stared uncertainly at the many pools that she saw before her.

"Yes, honored customer," replied the too-enthusiastic young girl named Plum, who had introduced herself as the daughter of the regular Jusenkyo guide, who was himself away on other business at the moment, "These Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo, and spring that Honored Amazon Elder ask about right this way under pole over that way."

"Nanniichuan," Ukyo murmured faintly, "And Nyaniichuan?"

"That way two pools over," Plum replied, a puzzled look upon her face as she regarded what appeared to her eyes to be a handsome young boy (and the best thing she had set eyes upon since coming home to visit with her father), "Why you interested?"

"I...have a friend who has a curse," Ukyo explained, "I was told that the waters might be able to help him...""

"Oh," Plum replied, then blinked her eyes and said, "Must be some friend you want risk going near cursed springs. You no want fall in, is very bad thing, many tragic stories..."

"I know," Ukyo replied as she started forward, "I had it all explained to me by the Elder."

"Oh?" Plum turned a look back towards the two people who hung back at the edge of the clearing, amazed that the handsome foreigner would warrant the attentions of both the Amazon Elder and Chief enforcer of the Nyanchiczu.

"Elder," Perfume said nervously as she hung back well away from the pools, "Is this such a good idea, letting her go out there like that? The stories about the springs luring the unwary into their midst..."

"It is a risk that must be taken, Great Granddaughter," Cologne said with a nod of resignation in her voice, "Young Kuonji has had the risks explained to her in detail, but she is determined to go through with this, and for the sake of your cousin I have chosen to honor her wishes."

"Forgive me, Great Grandmother," Perfume bowed her head, "I would never question your wisdom, but are you certain that this warrior wishes to avoid getting a curse of her own? There's something about the way she spoke before that worries me greatly...something in her tone..."

"I know exactly what you mean," Cologne replied, "And in all truth I don't know whether she intends to go through with this or not. It is her destiny to decide, I can do nothing more than I have to bring her here with a warning. The rest is up to Kuonji...and Jusenkyo."

"But...why would she risk this for Shampoo?" the brown haired Enforcer asked, "From what you were telling me before she should logically be a rival for Shampoo's husband..."

"There is a word in their language that would describe her actions," Cologne explained, "Giri, an honor commitment that cannot be broken or avoided. Kuonji feels that she owes Shampoo a favor, so she is determined to make this gesture as restitution for inconveniencing your cousin."

"Giri," Perfume shook her head, "It is not an Amazon custom, but if it means she will risk this to help Shampoo...then it is not my place to object. What I truly don't understand, though, is why Shampoo risked herself for her sake. They are not friends or blood kin..."

"In all truth I very much doubt Shampoo herself knows her reasons," Cologne replied, "But that is another reason why I agreed to young Kuonji's proposal, because Shampoo obviously saw something in her that was worth risking a double-  
curse."

Perfume said nothing for several seconds, watching the woman named Kuonji Ukyo kneeling down before one of the pools before carefully undoing the straps to the backpack that she had been carrying, then knelt down to begin pulling out a number of transparent plastic containers. At the enforcer spoke again, "Too bad if something does happen. She is...very attractive, for an outsider girl."

"You need not conceal from me that you have an interest, child," Cologne said in mild amusement, "In truth I do see much promise in young Kuonji, and if she were agreeable to training she might well make a worthy addition to our tribe. Still..."

"Elder!" Perfume suddenly cried out, taking a half-step forward before her instinctive fear of the place checked her forward momentum.

Cologne's eyes narrowed by a fraction as she saw what had caused the sudden alarm in her adopted great granddaughter, then with a tired sigh of resignation that betrayed her many years she said, "It is fate..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Beginning of Summer at Last: shadowmane

Sorry for the long delay, but I'm baaaaack! What has happened to Ukyo at Jusenkyo, and what is to become of the rest of the cast? Tune in next time for further plot complications as Kasumi returns home to discover that there have been a few changes in her absence...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	47. Chapter 47

NabikiRan46 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-Six.

"Hello, Uncle Saotome?" Akane asked as she entered the dojo and found Ranma's father lying on the floor looking badly bruised and battered, which prompted her to say with more alarm, "Uncle Saotome!"

Unnoticed by the youngest Tendo daughter, a furry head poked up from underneath the floorboards of the dojo to look with more than casual concern at the motionless form in the weathered martial arts gi, making a slight noise of inquiry and concern as beady eyes dilated slightly.

Akane was bending over the recumbent form of Saotome Genma calling him by name while trying to determine if he was still conscious.

To her amazement the burly fat man murmured in a dull tone of voice, "Are they gone yet?"

"Huh?" Akane blinked her eyes, "Who...?"

"My son, the ingrate," Genma risked opening one eyelid, then swiveled his gaze around until he was confident enough to open the other eye, then calmly he sat up and adjusted his glasses.

Akane was amazed to see that the man's bruises had already started to heal as the elder Saotome male folded his legs and assumed a full lotus posture. As in answer to her unspoken inquiry he said, "The boy got a bit enthusiastic during training. Nothing that you should worry about, Akane-chan, I've taken much worse in free sparring, though I have to admit that Amazon has a pretty good uppercut."

"You mean Shampoo and Ranma did this to you?" Akane said in mild outrage of the thought that those two had been picking on one during practice.

Akane did not see the furry head swivel about to look from Genma to the yard where it could make out the figures practicing there. Its eyes narrowed slightly as it caught sight of a purple haired shape standing next to a dark haired boy who looked oddly a lot like someone else with whom it was most familiar. There were two other shapes in the yard, but the creature chose to ignore them, and when the boy figure vaulted away over the nearest wall it decided the issue in the creature's tiny mind. Without hardly making any sound it slipped back again and vanished back beneath the floorboards.

"It's nothing to worry about," Genma replied, showing an almost fatalistic humor as he added, "And at least they're learning to coordinate their attacks. Did you have something you wanted to say to me, Akane?"

"Uh...yeah," Akane had almost forgotten her reason for seeking her adoptive uncle out, "There's a man at the door who wants to see you...I think he said he was a lawyer..."

Akane was amazed at how fast the fat man moved suddenly, going from a lotus position to a full run in under two full seconds. She would not have believed such a thing was physically possible before that moment, but at the mere mention of the word "lawyer," Genma was moving like a shot, heading out of the dojo.

"Wow," she marveled, "And I thought Shampoo was fast..."

Choosing to exit by the opposite side of the dojo than the one that opened out on the garden, Genma reached the nearest section of wall at a dead run and vaulted over it with a single bound of his powerful legs. He cleared the top effortlessly and came down on the other side, landing on the sidewalk with perfect timing and coordination.

"Saotome-san?" a voice asked, causing Genma to whirl around in amazement as he found a young man in a three piece business suit holding a briefcase standing next to him holding out a card, "My name is Su-Yu, and I've been retained by Kuonji Industries to serve you with some papers..."

Genma did not wait for the other man to complete his sentence before he attacked the lawyer, only to his surprise the man hefted his briefcase and intercepted the fist, casually deflecting it to one side before the man came whirling about to strike with an elbow inside the elder Saotome's guard, catching Genma just right so that he was unprepared to block the follow-up swipe as one end of the briefcase was suddenly shoved up into his face, smashing Genma backward into the nearby wall with enough force to momentarily stun him.

Genma started to shake off the force of the blow when something came hurtling towards him, and like a flash Genma's hand moved to intercept the attack, instead finding it was a rolled up scroll that he caught so effortlessly, which same he stared at in complete non-comprehension as the suited figure began to turn away, calling back in a casual tone of voice, "We'll be seeing you at the date and time mentioned on that scroll. Don't be late or we'll be forced to take action against you and the Tendo household."

Genma continued to stare at the man's retreating backside until a grunt brought his focus back to the top of the wall, where Akane was climbing over the rim, looking down at him with a puzzled expression.

"Hey, where's that guy going? And what's that he gave you?" she asked as she dropped down lightly beside him.

"I...don't know," Genma unwound the scroll and looked at it, then blanched. Akane peered around his shoulder and saw the words at the top heading and started to ask, "Is that a challenge letter...?"

"Uh, exactly!" Genma declared as he hastily rolled up the scroll and concealed it within his gi, "A challenge letter...you know the Saotome school never refuses a challenge..."

"So who was he really?" Akane asked, then frowned with suspicion, "You didn't get into trouble again, did you?"

"Uh, no?" Genma responded a bit too hastily, "Why do you say that?"

"Past history, for one thing," Akane narrowed her eyes and growled, "Don't tell me you went and made another engagement for Ranma? Don't you have any regard for my sister's feelings? It's bad enough that she has to accept that Amazon floozy as a rival suitor..."

"It's-uh-nothing like that, nothing at all!" Genma lied freely, sweating so profusely that even Akane wasn't fooled by his attempted evasion, "Ah...is your father anywhere around? I need to talk to him on a personal matter..."

"Dad's in the furo taking a bath," Akane said, "I'm sure he'll be out in a few minutes, if you want to wait."

"Uh...fine," Genma swallowed, glancing back to where the lawyer had vanished before asking in a too-casual voice, "By the way...how are you at playing Shogi?"

Akane actually brightened as she replied, "Really? You want to play with me, Uncle Saotome?"

"Sure," Genma said, "It helps to pass the time and all that. It's a man's game, really, but I figure you could learn a lot from playing it..."

"I'll get the board," Akane said eagerly, her irritation with the man forgotten in her delight at being included by one of the adults into a sport that they normally claimed for themselves like it was a test of their manhood.

Genma eyed the girl as she headed off, then mused, "I wonder if she and the boy..." he shook his head in dismissal of the idea, for once realizing that it was this very impulse to play matchmaker that was in large part the source of his troubles...

Soun was enjoying a good soak, at last able to get away from the bustle and confusion that had become a daily ritual at his home, especially since the added houseguests had taken residence and were causing him no end of confusing troubles.

It was not that he minded having things become more interesting, but he was a quiet man of modest habits who preferred the calm and peaceful life to one of endless bickering and adventure. Life had been routinely dull before his old friend had arrived to betroth his only son to Soun's clever middle daughter, and in some ways he actually missed the peace and quiet of those days and wondered if it would ever settle down like that again? Probably not, not with Amazons dwelling under his roof, not to mention a particularly irksome young boy who had begun seeing his youngest daughter on the side, in spite of the fact that the boy tended to get lost just looking for the exit.

How much like another the boy reminded Soun, grateful that it was only the son and not the mother that he would have to deal with. The idea of having such a boy for a potential son-in-law was troubling, to say the least, but he could handle that since Ryoga was moderately well behaved (at least in comparison to some people he could name), not at all like the woman he once knew so long ago as a source of endless vexation.

"Soun dear!" a voice called from just outside the furo, causing Soun to start slightly as he saw a slender hand appear through the door holding out a towel, "Are you well in there? Would you like me to join you, possibly even to scrub your back?"

"Gah...!" Soun suddenly felt his mouth go dry and his mind go blank, his eyes very wide as his voice almost squeaked, "Ahhh! No, that's quite all right, Silk! I'm just fine as I am..."

To his consternation she poked her head in through the gap and smiled at him, so heartrendingly like his beloved Kimiko that for a moment he felt his resistance give ground to a certain desire such as he had not felt in ages. She quirked her eyebrows in a fetching way and said in a sultry purr," Are you sure you want to be in there all by yourself? I wouldn't mind joining you, not one bit..."

"Ah, no, no-I'm just fine, really!" Soun swallowed in spite of the fact that his mouth felt as parched as a desert, "But-ah-I was wondering...could you fetch me my cigarettes? I could use a good smoke right now..."

"Really, Soun-chan?" she pouted, "Cigarettes? I thought you knew better than that. Those things could kill you."

"I'll be fine, Silk-chan, really," Soun assured her, then mentally kicked himself for using the endearing honorific.

"Suit yourself," she shrugged, batting her eyelashes prettily before closing the door again as she murmured, "But I can think of a lot nicer things that you could have in your mouth. If you change your mind do be considerate enough to inform me of this, would you please?"

It was with supreme effort that Soun resisted the urge to swallow his own tongue as the tone of her retreating voice caused certain parts of him to stir to life against his will. Soun lay back against the furo and murmured softly to himself, "Women..."

And yet, still, he could not in all honesty, say that the prospect of what Silk was offering him was an entirely unpleasant notion. They had been so very close at one time, and had Soun not been engaged to Kimiko in an arranged marriage...who knew what might have resulted? For a certainty Kachu was a good look at what his life might have been like had he chosen Silk over Kimiko, and he wasn't entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing, only that he had of late been tormented by the question of the different road not taken...

The door to the furo slid open again, and Soun groaned inwardly as he half-  
expected to see Silk return with his cigarettes, thinking to himself how very badly he needed a smoke at the moment...but when he turned his eyes towards the door there was no sign at all of the sultry Amazon Lore Master.

Instead a movement along the floor caught his eye, and then Soun gave an involuntary start, for a quick reddish form was trotting along toward the furo, not even breaking stride as it hopped up over the rim and landed in the water without ceremony or warning. In a dull sense of dismay and deja-vu, Soun thought to himself, "A Fox-Spirit?"

One second later a form lurched up out of the water, startling him as much for its expected appearance as it did the fact that it was naked and unmistakably female!

"At last!" she cried in outrage and relief, "I will have my revenge!"

"A-Atsuko?" Soun gasped aloud, recognizing that angry tone as he did her striking profile.

"Oh, I didn't mean against you, Soun-chan," she amended in a distracted tone of voice, only to blink her eyes and look at him as he was gazing up at her nude form, and suddenly Soun felt very small in side as he hastily covered his eyes and cried, "I didn't see anything! Honest!"

"You-PERVERT!" she snarled, lashing out at him without even half thinking.

Silk was almost to the door with Soun's pack of cigarettes when she heard the loud crash from inside, and then she rushed into the furo, concern for the man of her lost youth replacing any thoughts of propriety and privacy that she might have learned from his people, only to stop in her tracks as she found Soun's stunned form lying half-prone outside of the furo while a huge hole had been torn through one wall of the chamber.

"Soun-chan!" she cried, hastening to his side to check on him for possible injuries, only to discover in relief that he was only mildly battered and bruised with no serious bones broken.

"Gah..." he started to sit upright, regaining consciousness with a speed that almost rivaled Genma's phenomenal recovery time, and he looked around wildly as he cried, "She's here! I have to warn Saotome!"

"Warn him of what?" Silk asked, when her Lore Master senses whispered tellingly in her ear and she turned a distracted gaze off to the side and said, "Oh no...you don't mean SHE is back in Nerima?"

"It seems like old times, doesn't it," he said almost sorrowfully as he started to try and regain his footing, only to wince when he saw where her focus was centered now, and he hastily put both hands over his manhood to hide it, "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," she leered sweetly, "But I think we should postpone this until after we deal with this latest crisis."

"Quite right," Soun agreed, only to realize that she was not averting her gaze from him, which caused him to flush red for more than just the heat he had been experiencing in the furo, "Do you mind?" he repeated with special emphasis.

"Oh, if you insist," she turned her back to him and stood fluidly up to her full height, stretching out a hand that was suddenly filled by the silver flute that she used as a weapon, "Besides which I have to warn Comb about Atsuko."

Soun was reaching for a towel as he looked at her in surprise, "Don't you mean Saotome?"

"He can handle his own messes," Silk replied as she strode out of the room, "But he's not a primary target for the Oni, Comb is. You know what they were like twenty years ago."

"Oh," Soun replied in a very small voice, his memories all too vivid of the fierce rivalry that once existed between the Amazon and the woman named Hibiki Atsuko...and inwardly he shuddered...

"Problems dear?" Comb asked as she came out onto the porch and found Shampoo staring off in the direction which her Airen had vanished.

Shampoo permitted herself a sigh, "Depends on what you call a problem, Mother. I can't seem to get my husband to respond to me like a proper husband."

"You should be patient, little one," Comb replied, "I didn't instantly land your father either when I was only a few years older than you are today. If your husband is truly the man that I judged him to be last night, then you must be patient and wait until he is ready."

"But when will that be?" Shampoo complained, then in a more thoughtful voice she said, "Do you suppose Great Grandmother's recipe book..."

"No," Comb said sternly.

"Mother?" Shampoo was surprised at the harshness in the other woman's tone.

"Trust me on this, Shampoo," her mother replied, "You don't want to go there. Using magic to secure a husband brings more complications than it is worth. Take it from my experience, you don't want to compel your husband's love, you want him to come to you willingly and without compulsion."

"I don't understand," Shampoo said in confusion, "What is wrong with using magic?"

"I'm no expert, child, and I'm certainly not a Mage or a Lore Master," Comb replied, "But I understand enough that magic works upon natural principles, the same principles that govern the cosmos, and to tamper with the flow of nature is to risk the law of unintended consequences, such as I did when I dabbled in things for which I had only a limited understanding."

"You, mother?" Shampoo's eyes got wide with amazement.

"I was young and foolish once," Comb smiled back at her oldest daughter, "And I tried to use short cuts to obtain what I wanted, instead of working with what I had to increase my chances with the man whom I...ah...in whom was interested."

"You mean father?" Shampoo asked, then saw the hesitation in her mother's eyes, which prompted her to blink and say, "You don't mean...?"

"COMB OF THE JOKETSUZOKU, PREPARE TO DIE!" a voice cried out from directly above their heads, causing both mother and daughter to look up in dismay as a figure came hurtling towards them like a bolt from the heavens.

Without needing to say a word between them both purple haired woman scattered, just one instant before the falling object collided with the ground in an explosive hail of dirt and rubble. When the dust began to settle a figure emerged from the resulting crater, and at first glance Shampoo thought from the way it was dressed that it might have been Ryoga, only this figure was much taller and had waist-length brown hair, and with only a moment of scrutiny could be unmistakably identified as female.

"You?" Comb gasped, producing her sword on the instant.

The figure smiled fiercely, exposing her pronounced canines like a predator baring its fangs, then she hefted a massive umbrella in one hand and pointed it at Comb as she said, "Nihao...we meet again, Comb. Long time no see...too bad for you it couldn't be longer!"

"What do you want, Oni?" Comb asked as she assumed a fighting crouch, her Chinese straight-sword raised above her head in guard fashion.

"Your head for starts!" the brown haired woman declared, bringing the umbrella back with a sweep before launching it at comb with such force that it kicked up a windstorm.

Comb naturally dodged the thing as the umbrella opened and sliced through the ground where she had been standing, launching herself into the air in an attack that Atsuko was more than ready to counter. The female who looked so much like Ryoga easily avoided Comb's sword thrusts and got within the Amazon's guard, only to miss delivering a solid punch as Comb rolled away and managed to avoid her on the follow up. The woman then took a step back, stretched out a hand and effortlessly caught the umbrella as it arched back towards her.

The woman stabbed forward with her curious weapon, only to have the thrust blocked by Comb's sword as the two began an odd fencing match that raged back and forth across that portion of the yard with all the intensity of a literal death match.

Nabiki had, by then, broken off of performing her katas, Lotion having turned to watch even before the fight was in earnest.

"Who the heck is that?" Nabiki wanted to know.

"Someone I have been expecting for quite some time now," Lotion replied matter-  
of-factly, "Her name is Hibiki Atsuko, the mother of young warrior Ryoga."

Nabiki's eyes got very round, and she started to watch the fight with increasing interest...

Ryoga stood very still where he was, mindful of his fragile relationship with Akane, which was why he was being so literal in interpreting her instructions not to wander off or get lost, which he tended to do under even the most innocent of pretexts.

The fact that he was in Akane's room and sitting on her bed in human form made him all the more mindful of the rare privilege and trust that she was placing upon him, leaving him in this sanctum sanctorum to the one woman he cared most about (with the sole exception of his mother, whom he had not seen in ages). Though Ryoga was intimately familiar with every piece of furniture, every odd adornment and personal article in Akane's bedroom, he was not used to seeing it in quite this way, or at the present angle of his vision, so the newness of the experience was altogether strange and thrilling for him. Even the smell of the place felt different, though it was unmistakably laced with the scent of Akane, the perfume she radiated, which he could detect like some rare and wondrous aroma. It was like being there for the very first time, and he fervently hoped that this was a sign that Akane was at last beginning to forgive him for the deception of "P-chan."

Of course as deliriously happy as he was at the thought that Akane had allowed him into her bedroom, he rather hoped that she would not leave him waiting for too much longer, especially in light of the fact that he needed to go very badly, and his full bladder was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and he would soon need to relieve himself in the worst way possible, and by no means did he want it to be where he was sitting!

"What's taking her so long?" Ryoga asked with uncharacteristic impatience, jiggling his legs to try and keep control of his plumbing, knowing that soon he would have to risk getting lost in the hopes that he would somehow make it to the bathroom on time. He fervently hoped that Akane had not forgotten all about him and would be up very soon to help guide him to the nearest lavatory.

This sort of thing never used to happen when he had Shirokuro to guide his way. The dog had been a gift from his mother and had been his faithful companion for many years. Unfortunately he and his faithful pet had been separated since the time when he had first set out on his crusade to punish Ranma for his dishonor. Two years of wandering blindly without his pet made him appreciate Shirokuro all that much more intensely, and what he would not give to have his faithful dog with him right then and now! He never seemed to go astray when Shirokuro was leading him, in fact...

A massive explosion that occurred right outside Akane's window shook the room and almost threw Ryoga off the bed. It was only by some miracle that he did not lose his self-control right there and then but was able to pick himself up and hop over to the window, trying to see what was causing all the noise he heard outside. He knew that there was practice going on out in the yard, but he would have expected Ranma to have more sense than to destroy the home of the Tendos. In fact he...

Ryoga blinked his eyes, discovering to his surprise that it was not Ranma who was fighting this time, but some lady with long brown hair who was fighting with an umbrella against one of the Amazons...Comb he judged after discovering that Shampoo was standing to one side looking on, as was Nabiki and that old woman, Lotion. Shampoo's mother was wielding her Chinese straight-sword and fending off the attacks of the new arrival, though she was clearly being hard pressed for the brown haired lady was a formidable fighter. In fact Ryoga knew the style of fighting she employed, for she had taught it to him herself since he was barely old enough to crawl, small wonder that she looked so much like him but for the length of her hair and her obvious feminine status.

Ryoga uttered what for him was something on the level of an oath as he turned away from the window and began hobbling towards the door, desperate to get down there so he could put a stop to things before they went too far, but also in great haste to find the Kami-loving bathroom before his kidneys exploded! He could risk losing his way and annoying Akane, making it up to her on another day, but that was preferable to the fury she would turn on him if he wet himself in the middle of her room!

It was an even tossup which was more alarming to him: the fact he might not be in time to put a stop to the fight, or he might now make it to a urinal before the dam burst, either way he would be some minutes before getting downstairs and intervening. He just hoped a delay like that would not prove fatal to one or both of the contending parties...

"Gaaah!" Ranma declared as he ran his fingers through his hair and voiced his exasperation to the cosmos. The fact that he was perched atop a telephone pole fifty feet above the ground, and thus less likely to be overheard by people at ground level was merely incidental to his state of mind at that precise moment.

"Why does this happen to me?" he asked of no one in particular, "Why do I always freak out whenever they do that? Why am I such a wimp that I can't look them in the eyes like a normal guy would and tell them how I feel about them?"

"I don't know, Ranma my boy," a voice replied to his dismay, "Why is that?"

"You?" Ranma snarled as he saw Happosai perched upon one of the telephone wires, "How did you get up here? And I wasn't talking to you, you old pervert!"

"Oh please," Happosai sniffed, "You think you're the only one who can climb a tree? Don't forget, my boy, I've been doing this for three hundred years, and I taught your father everything he knows, with maybe one or two exceptions."

"Why you...!" Ranma started to lurch at the ancient master, only to find Happosai quite easily side-stepped him, leaving Ranma suddenly in a precarious situation of having fifty feet of ground below him and nothing to cling on to.

With desperate tenacity the young martial artist was able to snag his feet around one of the wires to break his momentum. Unfortunately this had the effect of leaving him dangling upside down with a slight tingle of electrical current felt through the thin material of his slippers. Ranma started counting his blessings that the wires had at least partial insulation, and without a grounding wire to complete the circuit he was spared the full shocking effect of more than fifty thousand volts of current using his body for a connector.

"Tch, tch," Happosai said from above him with obvious disapproval, "You're much too slow, my boy, and your reflexes are pathetic. I suppose you might be considered adequate for your young age, but I expect a lot more from my apprentice..."

"Shut up!" Ranma growled, "I ain't your apprentice or your anything! And I didn't ask you to butt into my personal life...!"

"But it looks to me as if you don't have any choice but to sit there and listen," Happosai said with matter-of-fact aplomb, "Or maybe I should say 'hang-  
out,' like you young people call it these days..."

"Don't you got nothing better to do than bug me?" Ranma said with growing annoyance, "I wanna be alone right now, don't you get it?"

"Of course not," Happosai replied, "Because it's a crock of nonsense. You don't want to be alone, Ranma...and take it from me, being alone is pretty overrated. You were just now fretting because you've got two hot babes who want to nail you in the worst way possible and all you can do is run away every time they try to get intimate with you. I call that pretty pathetic."

Ranma started to say something acid about that, stopped himself then looked off into the distance, his face sullen and forlorn, an effect not at all spoiled by the fact that he was vertically inverted.

"I suppose the blame really falls on Genma, though," Happosai sighed, "Your father was the same way you are when he was your age, always scared of the ladies, afraid of telling them how he felt, having pretty women literally fighting over him for the honor of dating him, even though he chose in the end to accept an arranged marriage to one of them, go figure!"

"What do you know about it, Gramps?" Ranma asked as he glanced up at the ancient pervert.

Happosai smiled a bit coyly, "So, you've finally accepted the fact that you're my flesh and blood, have you boy? Well, don't let it go to your head. You're a long ways from filling my shoes. But back to the point I was making...your father could really line them up around the block in his day, but he never could figure out what to do with them when he had them eating out of his hand. It's the curse of his line that makes him that way, I suppose...the Saotome men have always been courted by strong and aggressive women, it's the curse you must bear to be the latest in the line to be confronted by the Combat Fianc es."

"The what?" Ranma blinked his eyes, "Just what are you saying?"

"Ranma my boy," Happosai began, "You ever hear of a little thing called animal magnetism? Well, you've got it in spades and you don't even realize it. Women are attracted to you because they sense that Saotome men are strong and aggressive fighters, the real alphas of the pack, and not to be outdone by any lesser imitators."

"Imitators?" Ranma asked.

"Of course," Happosai began, "You know...Don Juan, Casanova, Marc Anthony, Jack Nicolson..."

"Who?" Ranma asked in confusion.

"Never mind, just believe me when I say they're all rank amateurs next to the Saotomes," Happosai assured him, "Only the kind of women you tend to attract are the ones who not only can fight their way out of a paper bag but can fold, spindle and mutilate with the best of them. The combat fianc es fight for the honor of deciding which of them will be your wife, and when that's decided they just pound each other for the principle of the thing. You should have seen some of the cat-fights the girls used to get into over Genma before they were willing to admit that they had lost the fight and only one had been the victor, your mother."

"Uh...really?" Ranma asked, "What do you know about my mother?"

"Nodoka?" Happosai sounded unusually thoughtful, "Sweet...a real lady, that one is...calm and sophisticated, nothing at all like Soun's late wife, poor thing. She could come across as the nicest, most easy going cutie around, and then turn on you without warning and show the steel she keeps beneath the silk wrapping. It's a mistake to underestimate her, as I found out on more than one occasion..."

"You tried something with my mother?" Ranma suddenly felt the urge to spout vengeful phrases like Kuno, but he checked himself after belatedly remembering his precarious situation, so he held himself to a low growl and silently vowed to seek revenge on the ancient pervert just as soon as he was able.

"Tried, yes," Happosai smiled fondly, "Succeed, no...which sorta makes her the cute one that got away. Of course Comb was a lot easier to play with in those days...can't imagine how she's managed to keep those great looks of hers after all of these years. Most women with assets like that tend to sag sometime after they have babies..." he sighed, "You're a lucky boy if that Shampoo turns out to be anything like her. Which brings me back to my original point, you being such a pathetic coward when it comes to the ladies."

"Hey, I don't need to take that from you!" Ranma protested.

"Oh no?" Happosai eyed him coyly, "I'm the one who doesn't have a problem admitting how I feel around the ladies, Ranma. You get to be my age, you appreciate them a lot more for the rare, exquisite flowers that they are, so gentle when in bloom, so much to be treasured long after their looks have faded. The problem for me is that most women won't give me the time of day, while you just have to sit there and look smug and you draw them in like flies to honey!"

"Hey, it's not like I asked for this!" Ranma said, "I never even wanted to get married before..." he faltered.

"Before what?" Happosai made a point of cocking one ear, "Go ahead, say it...you don't have to be shy around me. I know you want to say it, but Genma probably told you it wasn't very manly, or some such nonsense like that."

Ranma said something incoherent and glanced off in the distance.

"It's Soun's little girl you're thinking about, isn't it?" Happosai said with a knowing expression, "That short-haired girl they're teaching to be a Lore Master, Nabiki. Tell me I'm not right...tell me she isn't the one who got you seriously thinking about your eventual marriage."

Ranma was silent a moment longer, but then he whispered the word, "Nabiki..."

"Thought as much," Happosai grinned, then hopped up and down on the wire, causing it to vibrate alarmingly.

"HEY!" Ranma cried, "Cut that out!"

He lost his perch and started falling, but with the agility of the very animal whose mere mention could send chills down his spine he tumbled in mid-air and landed perfectly on his feet, absorbing the fall on legs that could perform superhuman feats beyond that of a normal athlete. He straightened up and found Happosai had alighted next to him and was looking up with a curious intensity in his expression.

"Listen to me, Ranma," the old pervert said in the most sober voice that Ranma had ever heard him use, "You're letting a great thing slip through your fingers because you're afraid of making a permanent commitment! You've got two women all but begging you to show them the sun, moon and stars, and all you can do is mope around and feel sorry for yourself. What a waste! Take it from me, don't squander the time you've got! Even if you live to be as old as me, you've got to take a stand somehow or you'll always be looking back and wishing you had taken the initiative...or at the very least stopped running away from those girls every time they try and bed you!"

"I...I..." Ranma hesitated, unable to meet the gaze of level gaze of the man who barely came up to his waist level, "I want...I want..."

"Yes?" Happosai smiled patiently, watching the longing and fear war on the young boy's expression and sensing a turn-about was immanent if Ranma was only pushed a little farther...

Unfortunately that was the moment when they both heard the explosion that echoed out from the direction of the Tendo dojo. Ranma instantly knew that the dojo had to be involved because past experience had made it plain how much the place was a virtual magnet for trouble!

"Nabiki," Ranma whispered, then cried out, "Shampoo!" and launched himself back towards the place that was now so much like home for him now that his mother's place seemed more like the abode of a stranger.

"Uh oh," Happosai murmured to himself, "Something about that noise sounds awfully familiar. I've got a bad feeling about this, or maybe things are about to get really interesting," the latter part he said with a smile before hurrying to catch up with Ranma...

Kasumi approached her house in a slight daze as she tried to think over what exactly had happened to her that day, but her mind was in a perpetual state of confusion, replaying images over and over again as her body moved as if on automatic pilot.

It was all so strange to her, as if it had happened to someone else and not her. One moment she was speaking casually with her best friend on a personal matter...and the next...that was the point where Kasumi's mind faltered.

What has happened to me? She asked herself in wonder. The last thing she could remember clearly was leaving the house with the intent of taking some sweets she had prepared over to Doctor Tofu and then...and then...

A vision filled her mind, causing her to inwardly wince, though a part of her would not look away or deny what had happened. There he was, Tofu, in bed with...Kasumi? How had she gotten over there, she wondered in amazement, and what was she doing in bed with Doctor Tofu? No wait...that isn't quite right...it was Kachu who was in bed with Tofu...or was it?

And then a second image, Kodachi's face looming large in her vision, and their lips pressed together as all sense of reality went awry and her head swooned as her vision blurred and her memories became hazed again...or was that really Kodachi's tongue she had felt in her mouth? The idea of it made her feel very strange yet not altogether unpleasant, but the shock of the experience made her feel a wrenching confusion that washed the experience away and left her back where she had begun, unable to clearly remember what had happened.

She was almost to the door of her house when she heard the explosion and felt the ground shake under her feet, a clear sign that something was happening during her absence, no doubt another fight breaking out, most probably between Ryoga and Ranma.

Kasumi hurried in through the door and removed her shoes before tucking them under her arm so that she could use them again when she got to the other side, where found the two combatants locked in mortal combat together. Akane was standing next to Ranma's father looking on with concern, but when Kasumi followed their gazes she was surprised to find it was the Amazon named Comb who was fencing against a tall woman who looked something like Ryoga.

"Oh my," she said, "What's happening, and who is that?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Oneechan," Akane replied, not seeing the way Genma had blanched as white as a sheet, though Kasumi did see this and wondered to herself what new secret from the past had followed the elder Saotome on his quest to teach his son the ways of Martial Arts glory. Ordinarily she would have let the matter go as clearly none of her business, but with two of those aspects from his past currently making a mess in the yard her normal sensibility about such things became frayed to the point of exasperation.

"Uncle," she said in a way that most people would have taken for calm, yet coming from her had the effect of raising her voice in a tirade, "Who is that fighting with your old girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?" Genma swallowed, his face belying any pretense of disinterest as he tried to act nonchalant, and failed badly, "What do you mean? I don't even know the lady...now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Hold it!" Akane growled, taking firm grip over the larger man's gi, so that Genma's feet began to pump yet he made no progress forward, "Oneechan just asked you a question, Saotome-san. Now what do you know about that woman, and why does she remind me so much of Ryoga?"

"I don't know," Genma all but wailed, "I never saw her before in my life!"

That was when Soun entered the room, hastily pulling on his brown gi and looking like he had just stepped out of the tub and slipped on a bar of soap in the process. His tone-while arguably never all that calm and focused at the best of times-sounded deeply distressed with worry as he cried, "Saotome, she's back! I saw Atsuko rising out of the water and...!"

"Atsuko?" Akane blinked, "Atsuko...as in Hibiki? As in Ryoga-kun's...?"

"MOTHER!" a desperate cry caused Akane's head to whip around with a speed that might have given a less well trained person a case of whiplash. Ryoga was stumbling down the stairs with such haste that he actually tripped and fell part of the way in a tumble, only to get to his feet once again as he cried once more, "MOTHER!" right before he ran into a wall, turning the wrong way from what he had intended.

"Oh," Akane turned back to stare at the fight raging in the garden, belatedly realizing that it was potentially her mother-in-law who was currently pressing her attack against Shampoo's mother.

Kasumi followed all of this with all the understanding of someone who had just walked into the middle of a soap opera. She briefly wondered if Ryoga would be all right before turning her own worried gaze towards the continuing battle, thinking to herself that this was the sort of thing that could drive a normally patient person to distraction...

"Unhand me, you...you lunatic! How dare you do this to me, your son of all people!"

"Hey, can't take the heat, stay outta th' sun, lil' Kahuna! Ya gotta move fast if ya wanna beat yer old man..."

Kodachi tried to block out the noises that she heard raging in the hallway, wishing her bedroom was as sound-proofed as the special "play room" that she used to...entertain some house guests. It did little good to pretend disinterest over these affairs. It was quite obvious that their father had gone mad during his years of isolation, to say nothing of those follow-up years when he had learned to "party hardy" with the native peasants.

Kodachi stared out the window to her room and felt a chill run down her spine, causing her to hug herself as she felt emotions creeping over her that she had managed to block out for years, yet which were threatening to drown her in the angry voices that too often echoed about her mind. Ordinarily she would try to drown out those voices with one of her concocted potions that used an extract of the juice that she derived from the Black Roses of her garden, but of late she had stopped taking her self-prescribed medication. She had found she no longer needed to be drugged when she was in the presence of Tendo Kasumi, for the voices never intruded on her when the calming presence of the older girl was upon her.

Her mind flashed back to the moment when she had finally worked up the courage to make her move on her beloved, only to be thwarted by her father's most untimely arrival. If Sasuke had not interrupted them when he did she was confident that she would have made Kasumi her latest conquest, only she perversely found that she was glad for the interruption. It had been premature, too sudden, not at all what the other girl had been prepared to experience. Kodachi realized this when she saw the terrified look in her friend's eyes, which as much as accused Kodachi of rushing into things before she was ready.

"Kasumi-sama," Kodachi whispered, the fear growing within her that she had misjudged her timing and possibly poisoned any chance that she might have in creating the desired effect with Kasumi, which meant that the other girl might well avoid her in the future. She had flinched from Kodachi's touch for the first time since their initial meeting, and that was simply intolerable! Kodachi felt...very bad at the notion that Kasumi might start to think ill towards her. If that happened, then the only real friend she had in the whole world might be lost to her forever, and Kodachi felt a wretched fear grip her heart at the prospect.

"Give that back! You have no right to take it from me!"

"Really, Tachi? You gonna use a stick t'prove that you a big bad hombre? Get yourself a comb an' scissors and ya ol'man show you how t'be da boss around this spread!"

"I have no intention of turning out like you, now give me back my bokken!"

Kodachi's mind resolved not to wait around any more with regret or indecision. She had to talk to Kasumi, to try and convince the other girl that it was all right, that she didn't need to be afraid, that Kodachi would never hurt her (at least, not in a permanent way) and only wanted to deepen their friendship by carrying it to the next highest level. She who hesitates would be lost, or so Tatawake might say under similar circumstances, and besides, if she stood around listening to any more of that commotion in the halls then she really would go crazy!

Her path decided, Kodachi shed her regular clothing and donned the green leotard she wore as Captain of the Saint Hebereke team of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. She had already gathered her standard tools and equipment, but she knew she would not be needing any of them for what she had in mind. Satisfied that she was well-equipped, she pushed her window open and vaulted out from the second floor, bounding and leaping away from her family estate as the call of her heart drew her like a magnet towards the home of her beloved, and woe betide anyone who came between Kuno Kodachi and the object of her desires...

"[I said I was all right,]" Ukyo complained for the fifth straight time, beginning to feel mildly exasperated with the way this Perfume character was expressing such open concern for her welfare.

"[You sure about that?]" the Amazon Enforcer asked in nervous Cantonese, "[That was some stunt you pulled back at Jusenkyo, and I hope you have some idea of the trouble you've just let yourself in for.]"

"[I knew what I was doing, Perfume-san,]" Ukyo said with more patience, "[I've had a lot of time to think about this, after all, and while the idea may not exactly be my greatest turn-on, it will help me cope with a certain problem that's waiting for me back in Japan.]"

"[Because of this arrangement you've got with your father?]" Perfume asked, then tried to sound more at ease as she shrugged her shoulders and said, "[Weird. I can't believe you went to all this trouble on account of a male. You know that there are going to be a lot of drawbacks to your condition...]"

"[I know,]" Ukyo said sadly, "[But this is something I have to do. All my life I've resented the way people always treat me when they find out my true sex, and this is my best chance to take charge over my life. I don't expect you to understand this, but it's something I have to do to restore my honor.]"

Perfume murmured something so low that Ukyo could not catch it, though it sounded both concerned and disapproving. Ukyo smiled as she regarded the brown haired Enforcer's comely profile, feeling an odd liking for the adopted cousin of Shampoo for no particular reason that she could list. Perhaps it was the honesty Perfume displayed in expressing her thoughts, or perhaps it was the sense that Perfume did not take everything so seriously and had even demonstrated a wicked sense of humor in the manner of making her introduction. Whatever the case, she was glad for the Enforcer's company as the two of them trudged through the forest heading for the Amazon village as Cologne heeded the summons of her fellow Elders, who wanted to consult with their Matriarch on some sort of personal business.

When they arrived at the village Ukyo had a chance to size up what made the place so different from other rural peasant villages that she had seen during her brief stay in China. For one thing the place had a wall around it, suggesting that the Amazons were no strangers to conflict with other neighboring villages, which prompted the question of why the central government had so far granted them even nominal independence.

The village was also a lot bigger than she had expected, being home to a couple thousand Amazons who lived there and tilled the fields in relative peace, but obviously trained for battle with an intensity that was simply phenomenal. Ukyo briefly wondered what it would have been like to be raised in a village where women were regarded more highly than men, then dismissed the idea as of no practical value.

After all, Cologne had warned her that she was an Outsider girl, and as such regarded with suspicion by the Amazons, who might feel inclined to test her mettle but for the Matriarch's granting her a temporary exemption from such customary treatment. Instead her mind flashed back to the moment she had been at Jusenkyo gathering the bottles of cursed water she now carried in her backpack. She remembered looking down at one of the pools, being careful not to get her own hand wet, and the idea had just dawned on her that it was difficult to believe in the power of the curses that were said to be contained within. Even granted her experiences with Ranma and the others in Nerima had convinced her of their reality, it was still difficult to trust that such water might hold the cure for Ranma's condition, to say nothing of the others she was hoping to help.

Instinct had warred briefly with curiosity and logic, and she thought again of the perverse idea that had been in her mind from the moment she had first learned of Jusenkyo. Even granted that it might be possible to reverse a curse with one of the bottles she now carried, Cologne had stressed that it was no light matter to take a curse upon one's self, and that in the whole history of the Amazons there had never truly been such a thing as a complete reversal of a curse once it had been adopted.

What had decided the issue for her was a kind of logic she had grown up with, one that had been with her all during training when she had been on her misguided quest for revenge upon Ranma, the idea that a Martial Artist had to adapt with change and take advantage of every opportunity that they were offered. Jusenkyo provided one such tempting offer, but was it worth sacrificing her very womanhood in order to make a point with her father? She had only recently begun to discover that being a woman might not be such a curse after all, and yet the only boy she had truly been interested in was promised to another. Being a woman was a painful reminder that she had failed in so many things that she had been hoping to achieve, and yet was she truly willing to sacrifice the one link that she shared in common with her late mother?

In the end it was Jusenkyo itself that decided for her, for she had been bending down over the pool of the drowned man when a face startled her, looking back at her like a reflection as she had carefully been filling one of the bottles, trying to avoid getting her hand wet by accident. The face had looked up at her and smiled, and for a moment Ukyo had wondered why the face seemed so familiar until she belatedly realized that it was her own face in male aspect. It was only later that she would discover that the pool itself had somehow been calling out to her, having read what was in her heart, so that when she had slipped from her perch along the bank and tumbled into the water it could not truly be called an accident, and feeling its cold embrace grip her flesh, her body began to change and mold with the power of its magic.

She sighed, realizing that in a way it was probably inevitable that this was happened. She had a curse now, the opposite to Ranma's, yet in a way it provided an opportunity that she could explore to see if it could work to her advantage...and if it did not...well, she had extra bottles of Nyanchiichuan water, and that was supposed to be the cure for her condition...

They stopped outside of a large building, little more than a fancy hut made with stone walls but with pretensions to being something grander. There Cologne brought them to a halt then turned to Ukyo and said, "Wait here, I will be but a moment. The business of the council is not for the ears of an outsider, but you will be all right so long as Perfume is with you to discourage the others from...testing you. I will be but a..."

"About time you got here, Matriarch," a feminine voice interrupted the old woman, causing Cologne to turn back and look at the doorway to the hut with dismay clearly written on her visage.

Ukyo saw a woman about her own age but with long pink hair that was combed over the right portion of her face, a tall Amazon whose single visible eye swept over Ukyo in return with only casual interest before centering on her companion, at which point Perfume bridled and suddenly had both of her axes at the ready.

"YOU?" she hissed wish such unbelievable hostility that Ukyo felt certain a fight was about to break out between them.

"Stay your hand, young Warrior," an old woman who looked even more shriveled up than Cologne said, stepping past the pink-haired girl to regard Cologne with somber appraisal, "Matriarch."

"Be Dea," Cologne acknowledged with no clear hostility in her tone, only a tight, wary appraisal, "Is this why you have summoned me? To invite this...creature back into our midst?"

"Ambergris is here at the invitation of the Council," the other old woman replied, "She has important information to relate, some of which is most interesting to all concerned parties. If you would care to step in, and by all means invite your young companion to join us."

Cologne glanced briefly at Ukyo before turning a stern gaze at Perfume, who wavered but did not put down her axes. With a weary sigh the ancient Matriarch said, "Truce must abide for now, child, so it is best not to carry naked steel into the council chamber. I know not what mischief is afoot, but we will deal with it in as civilized a manner as tradition mandates."

Perfume wavered a moment, then sighed and her axes vanished as mysteriously as they had appeared. She stood erect and said, "Yes, Great Grandmother," before glaring at the pink haired girl and growling out the word, "Whale Puke."

"Nice to see you, too, Pur-Fum," the other girl responded, "And who is your friend? Your latest conquest."

Ukyo did not understand the words but the tone left no doubt as to their meaning. In as calm a voice as she could manage she said, "[Don't let her get to you. I take it you guys aren't exactly the best of buddies?]"

"[You could say that,]" Perfume's glare at the other girl was little short of lethal.

"[I'm sorry you feel that way about me, Pur-Fum,]" the pink haired girl replied with no discernable menace or sarcasm in her voice, "[It has been two years, I had hoped we could put all of that in the past. I've learned to forgive Shampoo for what she did to me, so you should be willing to allow that we both came out with scars from that encounter.]"

"[You're lucky all she cut was your face,]" Perfume said without wavering her tone by a fraction, "[If it had been me you would not have been so lucky.]"

"[Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind about me,]" Ambergris replied as she stepped back into the building, allowing Cologne and the others to follow after the aged Be Dea, "[After all, there is someone who is with me whom I thought you might like to see again.]"

"Pur-Fum?" a gentle voice inquired, causing Perfume and Cologne to both stiffen and turn as one in time to see a blue haired girl approach, one dressed not in warrior garb but in the manner of Comb the Healer, "Pur-Fum, it's so good to see you again, it's been ages!"

Ukyo could not miss seeing the way her new friend stiffened with shock, and it was more than from the darker illumination in the hut that caused her face to grow paler than usual, even as she noted that Cologne's face had suddenly turned ashen.

"Lo Xion?" the brown haired Enforcer all but whispered, "It can't be...!"

"Lotion?" Ukyo said with a start, recognizing the name at once from her conversation with Shampoo, and all at once she realized that things had just gotten extremely complicated for all concerned parties...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Complaints/Collective Gasps of Amazement: shadowmane

Some readers have been complaining in advance about Ukyo getting a Jusenkyo curse, and I sympathize, believe me. The problem is that from where I've taken things it only made sense to me that she would do this thing, and I couldn't think of any reason that she would not (though there are plenty of reasons why she shouldn't, of course). I had to stay true to the character I had envisioned, but I didn't want to be so obvious or un-subtle in my choice for her curse. My friend Nicole (Dreiser) has already done a series where Ukyo becomes the sex-changing heir to the Anything Goes school ("Switching Heirs," to be found on the Animation Website of Wade Tritscher's Altered Destinies pages, and another site I can't remember quite at the moment), and I didn't want to cut into her action, but as this Ukyo is not the heir to the Saotome/Tendo traditions I think I can take things in another direction.

As for the long build up to the reappearance of Lotion the Younger, that, too, was inevitable, and I'm sure more than a few readers were expecting it to happen. As you might expect, this is going to create problems for Cologne as some of the sins of her past come back to haunt her with a vengeance.

Next time up: Atsuko versus everybody with the truth about Ryoga revealed, and Kodachi confronts Kasumi while Cologne has to answer for a lie of omission. All this and Nabiki confronting Ranma about his true feelings on their engagement, next time...so be there, you don't want to miss this!

Jim.

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	48. Chapter 48

NabikiRan47 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-Seven.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

On top of all the surprising revelations I'd had concerning the misspent past of my Dad and Uncle (or is that Cousin?) Genma, the discovery that Ryoga's mother was here in Nerima and picking a fight with Shampoo's mother should not have ranked anywhere near the top ten, but I have to confess that meeting her for the first time was an event I'm not likely to forget about. The lady makes that kind of lasting impression.

Okay, so she's like a larger, older, more experienced female version of Ryoga, minus the headband that's almost his trademark, and granted she's a Martial Artist who taught Ryoga most of what he knows about fighting, but it was a little surprising to recognize Saotome School in at least some of her techniques. It turned out that there was a very good reason for this, but let's not get ahead of the fight itself, all right? I mean, Comb is pretty good, almost up to Ranma's level as a fighter, but this Hibiki Atsuko character was, if anything, much better!

That was made plain enough three minutes into their fight when Comb began to noticeably tire while the lady she was fighting (if lady is the right term to use here) was just getting her second wind and going at it like there was no tomorrow. If anything it was almost a replay of Ranma's first fight with my sister's boyfriend, only Comb was getting the worst of it because that Atsuko was a strong, tough fighter! By the end of five minutes she was all but chasing Comb around the yard while the Amazon fought defensively, barely holding her at bay as that umbrella-wielding maniac just kept on coming!

Long before it got to that point, however, Silk came out onto the patio to join us, took one look at the combatants and said, "Oh dear...I guess it's too late to warn Comb about her. This is not a good thing, Grandmother."

"Indeed so," Lotion replied, "Comb has not been keeping up with her more aggressive styles since she renounced the Warrior's path and took up the mantle of a healer, while Hibiki has clearly been refining her technique while on the road. It's just a matter of time now before the Oni overwhelms her defenses."

"Oni?" I gasped, remembering our talk of before, as well as the encounter with the creature who had briefly tried to possess me and my sisters.

"Isn't there anything we can do, Grandmother?" Silk asked with concern plainly written in her features.

"Not at this point," Lotion replied, giving Silk a dry, sardonic look worthy of me as she added, "Would you want to get into the middle of their reunion?"

"Certainly not," Silk agreed, "I'm not that suicidal."

"What's up?" I asked, "What's the lady's beef with Comb anyway?"

"It's a long story," Silk explained, "Let's just say they never hit it off too well on their first meeting and leave it at that. All I suppose I really would need to tell you is that it revolves around Genma."

"Oh," I said, understanding implicitly what that could mean. Uncle Genma has a way of stirring up trouble just by his very presence, one of the more lamentable traits that he's passed down to Ranma.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo announced herself as she came up to join us, dismay and worry for her mother plain enough that I read her emotions at a glance, "Who that attack Shampoo mother, and why she look so much like stupid pig-boy, Ryoga?"

"Her name is Hibiki Atsuko," Lotion explained with a tired sigh, "The mother to young Ryoga as I explained to you before, Shampoo. She's attacking your mother because of an old grudge that goes way back before any of you young cubs were a gleam in your parents' eyes, unfinished business, really, that seems to have carried over itself into the next generation."

Shampoo gasped as she saw her mother stagger back from a powerful blow that had gotten past her guard, then Comb hastily backed away just in time as Atsuko's fist rocketed towards her, missed, and collapsed a section of the wall in our garden. From the look of determination in the face of Ryoga's mother I could tell was attacking just shy of full berserker rage, and that Comb was badly overmatched in this fray so long as the other woman gave her no openings worth exploiting.

"She's gonna kill her!" I gasped, realizing that I was stating the bloody obvious as I said this.

"Perhaps," Lotion mused softly.

"That certainly would seem to be her intent," Silk added with noticeably more distress in her tones as she watched the fight with more pensiveness than I'd ever seen in her expression.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo declared, "Shampoo go help mother deal with crazy woman..." but before she could take one step forward she found the Elder's staff intersecting her path.

"Not so hasty, little one...I sense that matters are about to take a dramatic change in another moment."

"But she's gonna kill her!" I argued, sharing my Amazon girlfriend's concerns in this matter.

"Sure of that are you?" Lotion asked, sounding a whole lot more like that Yoda guy than I felt comfortable in recognizing, "Never be too certain about anything...it's a sign of weakness."

"Hey, what gives?" I heard Ranma call out as he joined us in the courtyard, "Who the heck is that..."

"Hibiki Atsuko," I informed him, "Ryoga's mother."

"Ryoga's...?" I saw Ranma blink his eyes, and then he turned and said, "Sonuva gun, I didn't even think he had a mother. Looks like him, fights like him, too, only your Mom doesn't look like she's doing so good, Shampoo. You want I should go in there and stop this?"

"It would be a very bad idea if you, of all persons, were to interfere at this point, young War Master," Lotion replied before Shampoo could give her approval, "Atsuko had three rivals whom she loathed equally, though with Comb that rivalry was of a more...physical nature. Your mother and she did not exactly get along too well either, and then there was Gosunkugi Hitome...well, that's not important or germane to the subject in hand, but suffice it to say she would not welcome you, the son of Nodoka, with any great favor."

"Maybe," Ranma replied, "But..."

"So I was right," another voice intervened, "Then again...I should have expected this when I knew that Comb and Silk were back in town. This reminds me so much of the old days..."

I spared Happosai a look and said, "How's that, Gramps?"

"Never you mind," the old fart smiled as he continued to watch the battle royal, though I suspect with him it was something more like a glorified cat fight.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo cried in evident frustration, "Shampoo mother get hurt if no act now! Shampoo no care if mother of stupid pig-boy good fighter or no, fight end now!"

She started to tense and was obviously about to leap into the fray when the Elder patiently said, "No need for that, Shampoo...someone else is about to beat you to the punch."

"Mother!" Ryoga's startled cry could be heard all the way across the yard as he suddenly appeared in between the two combatants, halting the forward thrust of Atsuko's umbrella with the flat of his hand while he tried to meet her on a level footing, "Mother stop! You don't have to do this! There's no reason for you to fight...mother! Snap out of it please, it's me...Ryoga!"

For a moment the taller woman's face was transfixed with a terrible snarl of bestial rage, but as Ryoga continued to hold his ground that expression gradually softened, became less focused and intense, more human for all that she was baring a pair of pronounced canine's that were even more bestial than Ryoga's most dainty tusks. It took almost half a minute for her to come down off her homicidal rage, time in which Comb fell back into a defensive crouch and drew deep breaths over the desperately needed respite, and then slowly the brown haired lady's gaze fell upon Ryoga and we all saw a flash or recognition.

"Ryo-chan?" she asked, slowly coming out of it as she stood more relaxed and lowered her umbrella.

"It's me, Mother," Ryoga assured her in a calmer tone of voice, "Nice to see you again...it's been like ages."

"Ryo-chan," Atsuko cooed in motherly affection, then all at once she drew the perpetually lost boy into her embrace and hugged him tightly, "Oh, my dear, sweet little boy! Mommy's been so worried about you! You've grown so much, what have you been eating?"

"Urk!" I heard Ryoga gasp weakly, "Mother...not so tight!"

"Oops, sorry about that, Ryo-chan," Atsuko let him go then beamed with a bright, guileless expression, "Travel's done you good, you've put on a lot of muscle, but you're still so thin! Haven't you been eating regular meals lately? And you're teeth...I've told you to brush between your fangs at least three times a day, or after every meal..."

"Mother," Ryoga blushed, running a hand through the hair on the back of his head before taking notice of someone's approach, "Akane...ah...I'd like to introduce you to my mother..."

"Akane?" Atsuko suddenly took a very maternal interest in my younger sister, eyeing Akane like she was something found under a stone, a clear example of motherly concern in action.

"Hello there," Akane bowed in her most polite manner, "I'm Tendo Akane, you must be Hibiki Atsuko. Ryoga's told me a lot about you."

"Tendo?" Atsuko repeated, "You're Tendo Soun's little girl?" she quirked a pair of bushy eyebrows.

"Ah...yes," Akane gave the older woman a curious regard before she added, "You know my father?"

"We've met," Atsuko said, "On more than one occasion. So...you're the little girl who went and made a pet out of my Ryo-chan, eh?"

"Mother..." Ryoga winced, then added in an afterthought, "How did you know about...?"

"I have my ways," Atsuko waved a hand dismissingly, then turned her focus back on my little sister.

"Ah...well..." Akane blushed, "I didn't know at the time that he had a Jusenkyo curse..."

"Oh well," Atsuko said, "No harm done, and it's obvious enough that Ryo-chan likes you, so..." all at once Akane found herself being lifted up into a hug by the larger woman, "Oh, you are adorable! You must be Kimiko's little baby! You're so cute and cuddly I could make you into a doll and dress you up for Ryo-  
chan to play with..."

"Mother!" this time Ryoga sounded shocked, while Akane was more than a little embarrassed at being handled in such a manner, though Atsuko put her down after ruffling her hair and dress like she was, indeed, a mere plaything.

"Yes?" Ryoga's mother smiled at her son with a face that was so pleasantly sweet that you could almost forget the way she had been snarling like a demoness only a few minutes before this.

Comb had, by this point, recovered her breath, but rather than press the attack she just held her ground and looked on in concern while her erstwhile opponent reminisced with her son and the youngest of the Tendo daughters. It was almost as if she had been completely forgotten, and I could see by her expression that she was not sure whether to be annoyed by this or grateful.

Lotion relented in her efforts at restraining us, so Ranma, Shampoo and me all walked up to flank the Amazon healer and lend her our support should the mercurial Atsuko suddenly change her mood again into an attitude more hostile. Silk joined her long time friend and murmured, "I take it you feel warmed up now?"

Comb made a rude noise and glanced down at her outfit, which was torn and dirty in place, making her look like she had just come through a major battle.

Atsuko came back to the realization that she and Ryoga were not alone, so she turned a questioning look out way, only to hear Ryoga say, "Uh...Mother...these are my...ah...friends..." he said the word with obvious distaste, "Ranma, Shampoo, and there's Akane's older sister, Nabiki..."

"Silk," Atsuko snorted through her nostrils, her attitude towards the younger Lore Master neither hostile nor friendly, but then she turned to Lotion and actually smiled as she said the word, "Elder."

"Now that you have gotten that out of your system," Lotion began without preamble, "I trust that you will be willing to account for your whereabouts these last few years, Atsuko. Your son has been missing you for a long while, and I think it is long since time that you share with him the secret you have been harboring for all these many years."

"Secret?" Ryoga asked, "What's she talking about, Mother?"

"Ah..." Atsuko actually seemed to hesitate and look sheepish about then, casting her gaze around the yard as she sought out one other who was missing.

"If you're wondering about Genma, I'll go fetch him if you like, cutie," volunteered Master Happosai, surprising all of us as the old fart had never probably volunteered for anything in his life, though I suspect he was motivated by something more than altruism at that moment.

"Would you please, Happy-chan?" Atsuko asked with a pleasant expression that was startling as I could not imagine any woman to so much as look at the old fossil, let alone smile at him with such a beatific expression (ignoring the fangs she was sporting, of course).

"It'll be my pleasure," Happosai declared as he bounded away, calling back over his shoulder, "Anything for the ladies!"

"What a sweet guy," Atsuko beamed, then turned to look at the rest of us, beginning with Ranma, "So...you're Nodoka's kid, huh?" her tone and manner anything but beatific.

"Yeah, what about it?" Ranma sniffed in challenge.

"Shut up, Ranma!" Ryoga snarled, "Don't talk like that to my mother!"

"It's okay, Ryo-chan," Atsuko said as she tapped her son on the shoulder, "He gets that from his mother." She next turned to Shampoo and said, "No question whose brat you are. Just stay out of my way and you won't get hurt, Bimbo."

Shampoo bridled and balled her fists as she snarled, "You pick fight with Shampoo-mother and we see who is Bimbo!" She paused for a moment, looked at me and Ranma, then asked, "What mean Bimbo?"

"Huh," I found those disconcerting red eyes turned my way as I became the next object of her scrutiny as the brown haired woman sized me up then said, "So you're Akane's older Sis, huh? Well, you look enough like Kimi-chan that I'll let it go at that. That just leaves...Genma-kun!" she cried in sudden delight, turning to see both Ranma's father and my Daddy fall prostrate on the ground with Happosai standing over them glaring disgustedly in their direction.

"Say hello to the girls, boys," the ancient pervert declared, not bothering to hide his disappointment, "The very idea of trying to sneak off after the lady's come so far to see you again. Genma my boy, you break an old man's heart. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"Mercy," Genma whimpered, when all of a sudden Atsuko knelt down to him and pulled him up into a sitting position before throwing her arms around and hugging him more tightly than she had to either Akane or Ryoga.

"Genma-kun! It's been so long! You look good enough to eat, you silly boy you! Why have you been avoiding me all of these years? Didn't I tell you that you'd be better off married to me than that nasty old she-tramp? It's so nice to have you back again, and I'm not letting go this time no matter if you beg me!"

"H-Help!" Genma wheezed, his face turning an interesting shade of purple.

"Huh?" Ryoga blinked, even as the rest of us looked on in dismay, especially Ranma, "Mother...what are you doing?"

"Saying hello to the man I wanted to marry when I was so much younger, Ryo-  
chan," Atsuko cried happily as Genma's efforts to free himself grew more feeble.

"WHAT?" Ryoga reacted as if someone had punched him in the stomach, "But...what about Dad? How can you do this to him...?"

"Ah...well," Atsuko glanced sheepishly over her shoulder as she straightened up, dragging Genma to his feet with her, "It's a...kinda like...ah...um..."

"Saotome," Daddy looked at his old friend with growing confusion, "I thought you said that you ended your relationship with this creature when you decided to marry Nodoka. Don't tell me you've been seeing her on the sly? I could never imagine you cheating upon your wife like that..."

Genma tried to utter a protest, but all that came out from his lips was a weak, "It's...not...like...that...!"

"Mother?" Ryoga asked, causing Atsuko to release her death-grip on Uncle Genma as she turned around and put one hand behind her head, making a funny laugh that sounded so much like his that even Ryoga could not miss the significance.

"Ah...well...you see..." she began, "It's not exactly like I was cheating on your father, Ryo-chan...you see...he IS your father. Sorry about this."

"My..." Ryoga's tone fell several octaves as he murmured out the word, "Nani?"

All at once we got splashed with a wave of cold water, striking all of us at once like a bolt from the blue, which caused me to sputter as I turned to see Kasumi standing there holding the hose on us, which same she shut off a few seconds later.

The results were predictable in that Ranma turned female, Shampoo became a winged cat, Akane turned into a duck and Genma reverted to the shape of a giant panda. Ryoga's pig-squeal of dismay echoed my own consternation at seeing the disapproving glare come over the face of my normally mild-mannered older sibling, but shocking as that was came the discovery that Atsuko also had a curse, which prevented me from saying anything at the moment, for she had turned into a cute red-furred fox and was looking around at the others as if wondering if she had just been attending a Jusenkyo-cursed animals support group.

"Oneechan?" I gasped, even as Akane quacked what sounded like a echo of my own thoughts in the matter.

"Kasumi" Daddy asked in dismay.

Kasumi threw down the hose and looked crossly towards him, then without a word my normally kind-hearted older sister turned and stormed into the House. I stood there dripping wet and blinking my eyes as I heard Silk voice the words in my head, "What's gotten into her all of a sudden?"

"Too much too soon," Lotion said tiredly, "Even the best of us is not infallible. I believe the convergence has already begun and she is taking on some of the aspects of her twin."

"You mean she's turning into another Kachu?" Ranma-chan asked, looking as horrified as me at that prospect.

"Shampoo?" Comb suddenly interrupted us, seeing her daughter shake her wings to rid them of moisture, "What...what has become of my little girl?"

"In a word," Ranma said, "Mousse. He tried to splash Ukyo last night with Duck water, only he got Akane and Shampoo be mistake..."

"He...WHAT?" my prospective mother-in-law asked, suddenly quite livid, "I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL STRANGLE THAT HALF-BLIND BASTARD WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS FOR THIS, I'LL..."

Shampoo made a kittenish noise, which caused Ranma's hackles to rise up but I think was meant to be reassuring to her mother. In any event I could not exactly blame Comb for reacting in this way because I'd felt pretty much the same myself the other night, so I stood there and sympathized as Shampoo's mother went on in graphic and lurid detail outlining what she intended to do the next time she saw old Duck Boy.

Daddy was continuing to stare at where Kasumi had been standing when he started to take a step forward, saying, "Id better see what's wrong with my little girl..."

"I'll do it for you, Soun-chan," Silk spoke up, motioning him to stay where he was as she headed towards the house, "I think she'll respond better to a woman's voice just now as I sense that something very personal is disturbing her, and I don't think she'd want to admit to her real feelings, especially to her father."

"Ah...?" Daddy's face looked blank, but Silk had just gone up a notch in my estimation. I silently wished her well in determining what was bothering Kasumi so much that she would turn on us like that, preferring instead to lift Shampoo up into my arms as I rubbed her fur and feathers down and murmured soothing words in her ears, promising another trip to the furo if she promised to behave herself this time.

Of course the cat gave a reassuring rumble that I suppose was meant in lieu of a promise, and of course I wasn't about to let my guard down like the last time, knowing just how far my Amazon girlfriend could be trusted, but this time Ranma elected to play chaperone, for once not voicing any complaint as she picked up Shampoo's clothing and dutifully came along with me...I'd like to think with the intent of seeing that nothing happened that did not involve her directly...

Of course this was the start of something else that was long in coming, but how was I to know what was about to happen, not that I would have prevented it if I had known in advance what Sham-chan was plotting in that crafty cat-brain of hers, bless her furry hide and feathers...

"Well, Kho-Lon?" Be Dea asked, "No words to explain yourself? The Council is eager to hear your reasons for keeping the continued existence of Lo Xion the Younger a secret for the past two years. I do hope it was something substantial."

Cologne glared at her longtime rival and one time friend, hating the unfavorable light into which she had just been cast, yet unable to avoid taking the heat from her fellow Elders as they eyed their leader intently, some with expressions worthy of a pack of hungry predators, their ambition showing past the aloof regard that distinguished them as Elders of the Joketsuzoku.

"What is there to tell?" Cologne asked with pretended indifference, "I sent young Lo Xion away to one of our villages on the far end of the province so that she might be trained as a healer. Along the way she was attacked by a group of warriors who sought to inconvenience her, as a consequence of which she fell from a bridge overlooking a waterfall and was presumed killed by the fall..."

"Only she wasn't killed, was she?" Be Dea persisted with calculated insistence, "She survived the falls and made it to the next village, where she was given proper medical attention and eventually did become an apprenticed healer."

"Indeed," Cologne said serenely, "Reports of her premature demise were somewhat exaggerated, and I am pleased to see that the Amazons have not been deprived of a promising healer."

"And yet this is not so great a surprise for you, is it, Matriarch?" Be Dea said in tones calculated to gauge their effect upon the ancient leader of their people, "You knew beforehand that Lo Xion had survived...indeed it was her great grandmother, the Lore Master, who informed you of same, but you ordered her to silence, preferring to keep the knowledge of her continued existence a closely guarded secret, even from the child's own mother."

Ukyo heard the sharp intake of breath from her companion and glanced at Perfume, who seemed utterly rigid with shock and amazement. She glanced at the pink haired Ambergris, who was watching everything with a look of grim satisfaction plain in her one visible eye, the other half of her face obscured by her long hair, giving her a rough-yet-mysterious appearance. Then there was the gentle-  
voiced Lo Xion, who seemed almost too delicate to be an Amazon and who was watching everything with deep concern plain in her features. Clearly the apprenticed healer was not comfortable with being in the spotlight, let alone the obvious center of a debate that was raging on the floor with Cologne clearly taking the heat from the many hostile glares her peers were turning in her direction.

She could not, of course, understand what they were saying, but she could pick up a word or two in Mandarin that she knew and from that obtain the gist of the general meaning of the debate that was raging. What she did not understand, and was reluctant to inquire about, was why Perfume seemed to be taking it all so badly, going from one emotional extreme to the next and obviously having a difficult time maintaining her place at the back rows of the council chamber. As Amazon Enforcer she were honor-bound to respect the will of the Elders and carry out their instructions like a one-woman cop with broad axes as her shield of authority. Yet there was obviously something very personal to her in all of this, and Ukyo was dying to know what that might be.

She returned to her study of the Council members themselves, nearly forty of them in all and raging in ages from the merely mature to those of extremely advanced years, a few appearing even more wizened than Cologne herself. The youngest of those present could not have been a day less than forty by her reckoning, but with the Amazon ability to resist the pull of years it was difficult to be sure who was old or young by their standards. All that seemed to be in common for this group was that they carried themselves in a manner that implied great confidence of their own authority, a confidence no doubt backed by knowledge and skill in some of the more advanced of the Amazon systems.

Something else belatedly occurred to Ukyo as she studied their faces in greater detail...quite a few of them were regarding Cologne with varying shades of hostility or disapproval. There did not seem to be that many who seemed disposed to be friendly towards their nominal leader, and Ukyo suspected a power struggle was in the works with the fate of Amazon society certain to be affected by whichever side prevailed in the long run.

Cologne was careful in her reply, measuring her words as she addressed herself at her rival Elder, "There were extenuating reasons for keeping the truth regarding young Lo Xion's survival to a select few, not least of which was the considerable disdain that some in this tribe-those three warriors in particular- held towards her, which was indicative of the degree to resentment the child was facing. I sought to protect her from future such reprisals..."

"You...KNEW?" Perfume was suddenly on her feet, her emotions finally winning out over her lifelong discipline and subservience to the authority of an Elder, "You KNEW she was alive...and you let me think she was dead? Great-  
Grandmother...how could you!"

Ukyo was surprised to hear the heat in the girl's voice, and to see Cologne flinch at the accusation in the tone of her adopted great grandchild's voice. Without needing a translation she began to suspect that she had just walked into the middle of a very tense situation without a program guide to inform her of the principle players.

Nor was the reaction to Perfume's outburst confined merely to the elders, for the blue haired Lotion looked equally surprised as she spoke towards the Enforcer, "Perfume? You didn't know? Amber saved me from the falls, she pulled me from the water and got me to the Sleeping Woman's village. She's been my friend these last two years, but I thought you knew that I was in training...?"

"What?" Perfume turned shocked blue eyes towards the girl named Ambergris, who regarded her levelly with her one visible eye, her expression cryptic, as if challenging the Enforcer to dispute the claims of the young apprenticed Healer.

"How did you learn of this, Be Dea?" Cologne asked in weary tones as she turned back towards the accusing stares of her fellow Elders, "Lo Xion the Elder would not confide in you, and I swore her to secrecy for the sake of the child's protection..."

"Was it her protection or that of your two charges that you were thinking about?" Be Dea retorted, "I'm given to understand that they involved themselves in a brawl over this young one and that you judged this sufficient justification to send the child outside our village to be apprenticed as a healer. In any event it does not matter how I learned the truth, or how these events became known to the full Council, what matters is that your action in this matter leave open the question regarding your leadership and judgement. You originally had the child removed from the custody of her mother when Balm proved temperamentally unsuited to the task of raising her only daughter. You permitted her to live with her aunt for a time while she trained with your granddaughter, our tribal healer, but when you became aware that the child had started up a relationship with your great granddaughter you disapproved and took steps to see that she was removed from Xian Pu's presence..."

"I acted as I deemed was in the best interest of all concerned parties," Cologne said flatly, "It is not for you to question my actions as they are personal matters not fit for mention before the Council..."

"Ah, but now that the issue has been brought to our attention, you cannot simply sweep it under the rug so casually, Matriarch," Be Dea persisted, "You do not deny that you have acted in a typically high-handed manner to toy with the lives and loves of your charges, which indeed is a metaphor for the sort of leadership you have been providing for all of us of late. After all, you have been away from us for more than a month attending to what you claim are personal concerns regarding your great granddaughter and an outside male who defeated her in battle."

"That is, as you say, the personal business of my family," Cologne replied, addressing herself to the full council, "Xian Pu was honorable defeated by a superior fighter, whom I personally have vouched is worthy of being her husband. I needed to be present to insure that the Male complied with his obligations towards my great granddaughter, but having obtained his honorable commitment to be her husband, I am now satisfied that matters are nearing the point of resolution."

"Yet we do not see Xian Pu present with you at this time," Be Dea noted sagely, "Instead you return with this...outsider in your company who seems possessed of aspects of both male and female...I don't mean to be rude, but what is his...her name?"

"Kuonji Ukyo of the Koga tribes of Japan, late of Kyoto and a woman whom I deem of honorable character and good intentions," Cologne answered, which brought a murmuring rumble from several of the elders.

"You brought a Ninja into our village?" one old woman named Spa-Ng said in disgust.

"And what of it?" Cologne asked, "The hostilities between us and the Japanese were put to rest a half a century ago. The clans who fought us then are mostly no more. I judge young Kuonji by the character she has demonstrated in coming here on behalf of my great granddaughter. Her reasons are as personal as the business between us, so unless the Council means to compel all of my family secrets into the light of day, I ask that you respect that privacy and not intrude in business that I would prefer not be of a public nature."

"And yet she is here with us," Be Dea said, "And I for one would like to hear her speak for herself before the Council." She shifted her gaze towards Ukyo, and then spoke in fluent Japanese for the first time, "So, Outlander, Kho-Lon tells us that you are here out of courtesy to our Tribal Champion. What is Xian Pu to you that you come now to the Nyanchiczu."

Ukyo was surprised at finding herself being included in these discussions, but she rallied her nerves to say, "I owe Shampoo...a favor. It's private business, really, but I'm not here to cause trouble for anyone. I intend to return home in peace once that business is concluded."

"Private business, you say?" Be Dea inclined her head, "This wouldn't, by any chance, have something to do with a certain restaurant that the Elder has opened up in a district that I think is called Nerima?"

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, "You know about that?"

"Know about it?" Be Dea sniffed, "I've seen the sales receipts and understand that the restaurant was purchased using personal funds from the Matriarch's own assets. Nothing inappropriate in that, of course, but I was wondering if you were in some manner of business arrangement with the Elder..."

"Uh...no," Ukyo said, "Fact is I'm planning to open my own restaurant pretty soon, not too many blocks away from the Nekohanten as a matter of fact..."

"You mean the two of you are competitors?" another of the Elders asked, her incredulous tones being shared with the matching looks of several more members of the council.

"Ah...?" Ukyo blinked, "Um...I wouldn't say we were competitors, in fact my shop will specialized in okonomiyaki..."

"Okonomiyaki?" yet another of the Elders asked before another Elder whispered into her earn, causing her to nod in understanding.

"Uh...yeah, it's kind of a Japanese delicacy," Ukyo replied, "Like pizza, only my brand has been passed down in the Kuonji family for generations..."

"Interesting," Ambergris suddenly spoke up, "And how good are you at making this...Japanese Pizza?"

"I'm the best in all Japan," Ukyo said with matter-of-fact candor, "Learned most of the trade from my father, and some of it from my Aunt in Kyoto..."

"Then I might like to try a sample," Ambergris said with a smile that seemed more than casually forward, and for some strange reason that smile made Ukyo feel distinctly uneasy.

"This is all very interesting," yet another Elder said with mild irritation, "But can we get back to the issue at hand, the unexpected survival of Balm's daughter, who has come back to us an accomplished apprentice?"

"Just so," Be Dea nodded sagely, "But for the sake of our guests let us continue to speak in her language. After all, it would be rude to leave her out of matters that may or may not have a bearing on her mission among us."

"Hey, don't go to any trouble on my account..." Ukyo started to protest...

"It's only proper," Be Dea insisted, "I could see you were puzzled regarding these exchanges. Let me bring you up to date so that you can understand why our Matriarch had yet to fully explain her actions in concealing the truth about Lo Xion the younger from the rest of her fellow Elders, not to mention both of her great granddaughters."

"I know that Shampoo thinks she's dead," Ukyo said as she turned her regard to the pretty blue haired charmer, frowning slightly when she was a faint look pass between Lotion and Ambergris that seemed more than overly friendly, "How come nobody told her you were alive? I mean...I saw how broken up she was at the memory of hearing you were dead..."

Lo Xion gave a puzzled look at Ukyo before Ambergris leaned forward and murmured something in her ear that caused the young girl to look startled. Before anything more could be said on that end of the council chamber, Perfume suddenly got up and spoke in angry tones that belied her halting Japanese, "Elders...may Perfume address Council?"

There were surprised looks given towards her and Be Dea arched an eyebrow before saying, "It is...unusual for the Tribal Enforcer to speak her mind, but not without precedence. Go ahead, Pur-Fum, what do you wish to add here?"

"Perfume have reason," Perfume stated, her sapphire eyes briefly turned into a glare in Cologne's direction before regaining their composure as she regarded Be Dea and said, "Perfume find trail of fight from falls and hunt down those who try hurt Lotion. Perfume bring to Council for judgement, but no find trail of Lotion. You save Lotion from falls, you now companion, but why you no come back and tell Perfume and Shampoo that you find her?"

"My apologies, Perfume," Ambergris said in fluent Japanese, "I've been traveling and studying on the road for the past two years since Elder Cologne effectively banished me from our village. I have spent that time training myself so that I might one day challenge Shampoo and become the Tribal Champion in my own right. It never occurred to me that you might be in the dark about Lotion's survival, but then I underestimated the duplicity of your Great Grandmother, the Matriarch, who poisoned Shampoo's mind against me," she added the last part with a flare in Cologne's direction.

"You were a false betrayer," Cologne said, "You befriended my great granddaughter with nothing more than the intent of learning all that you could about her style before meeting her on the challenge log and proving yourself her better."

"All true, Matriarch," Ambergris replied, "At first I did befriend Shampoo with that end in mind...but over time our friendship became genuine as I learned the kind of person that she was and how very much alike we are in certain ways. I never intended to harm her or betray her trust, but the fact is that I behaved in less than an admirable way, and for that Shampoo punished me with this," she said as she swept her hair away, revealing the right half of her face, which bore a distinctive while line that extended from above one eyelid to the side of her cheek, almost six inches long and visible even from the other side of the chamber.

Ukyo gasped at the sight of this scar, though it was clearly long since healed and did not appear to have been too deep when it was made. She understood at once why Shampoo regretted having given her this mark, for clearly it was excessive punishment for the sense of betrayal that she had been feeling at the time of their battle.

Of course who was she to speak of a sense of betrayal and excessive reaction? The grim irony of that thought touched her briefly as she wondered what sort of revenge this Ambergris must have been contemplating in course of the last two years? The memory would be sharp and the sense of outrage must surely have no limit, yet when she looked into the level gaze of the pink-haired warrior she saw not bitterness or anger but something deeper and more incomprehensible.

"But that is all in the past," Ambergris said as she turned her attention back towards Cologne and the other members of the Council, "I have officially set aside all thoughts of revenge against Shampoo for what she did to me, or what I did to her in issuing my challenge. I have learned a great deal in the past two years that has convinced me that I was as much at fault in this matter, but that life is hardly done with me yet, and so I elected to end my self-imposed exile and return to our people. I, of course, first paid my respects to my friend and was asked by her to serve as her escort back to this village, whereupon we were confronted by the unexpected revelation that Lo Xion was believed to be dead and long since mourned by her family. I of course made inquiries with Elder Be Dea and pieced together what must have happened, and why Elder Cologne chose to withhold this critical information."

"You?" Cologne shot her gaze at Ambergris like a laser sighting, both amazed and disconcerted that she could have been put in such an uncomfortable light by a mere child whose intelligence and cunning she had clearly underestimated.

"But be that as it may," Ambergris said dismissingly, "I can understand, even sympathize with the Matriarch's reasoning, and her actions have indeed given Lotion some much needed protection against those who might think ill of her and intend her further mischief. Now that she is well on her way to becoming a promising Healer she is ready to resume her place within the tribe and can rely upon the protection of her Elder when she returns from own business in foreign lands. What I do nut fully understand or approve of, however, is that she kept the truth from Lo Xion's two closest friends, her great granddaughters, who have no doubt been greatly distressed at the belief that their childhood companion was no more. It is, of course, not my place to criticize her for this, but..."

Perfume made a disgusted noise and turned to leave, not even bothering to look back when Cologne hailed her. Ukyo glanced from the ancient Matriarch to the doorway, then to ambergris and Lotion, then she got to her feet and said, "I'll go talk to her, if it pleases you, Elders," and left without bothering to wait for their tacit permission.

Had she a moment to consider that her actions might have been lacking in diplomatic grace, Ukyo would have been chagrined to think about her lack of proper manners as a guest of their village, but she had always been one to act on her gut level instincts, and something within her told her that Perfume needed a friend very badly at the moment. She saw the brown haired Enforcer standing just a few paces from the doorway, literally trembling with suppressed rage, and knew instinctively that she had been correct in her instinctive appraisal.

"[Sugar?]" Ukyo asked softly, hoping her words would not be taken for an intrusion, "[You gonna be all right?]"

"[No!]" Perfume stated flatly, turning around to expose the anger and hurt in her expression, which bordered on shedding actual tears, "[How could she do this to me? I trusted her...I would have defended her with my life...and yet she lied to me...she LIED to me!]"

"[Hey, I'm not defending her,]" Ukyo made a dismissing gesture with her hands, "[In fact I'm wondering just the same thing. Why wouldn't she tell you about it? I don't understand any of this. I'm just the outsider here, but I was...ah...hoping maybe I could help you out...]"

"[How do you mean to do that?]" Perfume asked her, dabbing her fingers at her eyes when Ukyo waved her hands in a helpless manner.

"[I...don't know,]" she admitted, "[I thought maybe you could tell me...]"

"[You are not Amazon,]" Perfume turned away, "[You could not possibly understand...]"

Suddenly the girl whirled around and her face was filled with rage that stabbed not at Ukyo but to her side, causing Ukyo to take notice of the Matriarch's presence.

"[The council is in recess,]" Cologne said evenly, "[Partially brought about by your outburst. Perfume...]"

"[How could you do this to me, Great Grandmother?]" Perfume spat, "[HOW!?]"

"[It was necessary,]" Cologne sighed, betraying her weariness as she added, "[Your obsession with the girl had begun to interfere with your training, forcing me to take drastic steps to remove her as an object of contention between you and your Cousin...]"

"[You lied to Shampoo!]" Perfume hissed the words, '[You knew how much Lotion meant to her, to us both, and yet you let us believe that she was dead! Worse than that, you let us believe that Ambergris was the one who KILLED her! Only now we discover that she is not only alive but that 'Whale Puke' has actually been her PROTECTOR?]"

"[Control yourself, and do not speak to me in those tones again,]" Cologne said sternly, "[I admit that I concealed the truth from you, but I never lied to you, Perfume. I told Lotion the Elder to withhold the truth and cautioned Silk not to inquire into the matter, but as for actually telling you that her great granddaughter was dead, that I most certainly did not do. I knew that there would come a time when I would have to reveal the truth to you both, but...]"

"[But when, Great Grandmother?]" Perfume asked, "[When were you going to share this with us? What does Shampoo know now that she is off in foreign lands pursing a relationship with a man you say defeated her and is now her husband? Do you intend to tell her the truth about Lotion?]"

Cologne did not visibly budge, but there was something in her attitude that showed sincere regret as she lowered her gaze and seemed unusually subdued for a long moment, then softly she murmured, "[I don't know...I suppose there is no longer any reason to keep the truth from her, but...it would complicate matters for her just as she is settling in with her new wife and husband.]"

Perfume faltered a moment and said, "[Wife...and a husband? She now has both?]"

"[It's a long story, Sugar,]" Ukyo sighed, "[Maybe I should tell you the rest of it. Maybe it won't seem so bad coming from me.]"

Perfume's gaze as hooded and brooding for a moment, then she looked towards Ukyo and said, "I would like to hear your full story, but at another time. May I be dismissed, Elder?]"

"[You may go, child,]" Cologne replied in obvious resignation, then watched as the Amazon Enforcer squared her shoulders and began storming off. Ukyo could not help noticing how the other Amazons shied away from her presence, clearly reading in the girl's expression a very good reason to leave her alone in her brooding.

Ukyo turned towards Cologne and was trying to make up her own mind about what she had just learned in the past several minutes, but the Matriarch beat her to the punch by saying, "I suppose you're going to yell at me also for my behavior. Don't bother. Anything you say to me now could not possibly make me feel worse than I do at the moment."

"Maybe," Ukyo said neutrally, "But if I was in her shoes I'd be pretty pissed off myself. Excuse me for being the late arrival to the show here, but...what's her beef here anyway? She and that other girl must have been really good friends..."

"More than that," Cologne said softly, "Perfume...had strong feelings for Lotion, apparently she still does, and she has been in mourning since her loss, though she hides it well behind the mask of an Enforcer."

Ukyo's eyebrows climbed visibly as she hooked a thumb at where the brown haired girl had vanished, "You mean she...?"

"She is not a Lesbian, per se," Cologne replied, "But she is...how shall I put this? Not gender specific in her preferences, and she has strong reason to avoid the company of men. She has a rare condition that makes pregnancy...unduly risky, and as you have seen Lotion the Younger is a very attractive young girl whose appeal to both of my great granddaughters was equally felt when they were all just beginning to discover the nature of womanly affection."

"Oh," Ukyo blinked her eyes, remembering something else Shampoo had said, "The two of them fought over her a lot?"

"Only once," Cologne replied, "But it was enough to convince me that separating Lotion from them was in everyone's best interests. I had thought that if they had known that she had survived the falls they would seek her out and become inseparable, and at the time I judged that would impose an undue interference upon their training." Her voice became a mere whisper as she added, "It would seem her great grandmother was correct after all...my judgement in this matter was truly in error."

"No fooling," Ukyo frowned, "So now what do you intend to do about it?"

Cologne lifted her eyes and stared off towards the horizon, which Ukyo took to be the direction East where Japan was located, "I will conclude my business here with the Council then return with you to Japan and...do as my adoptive great granddaughter suggested. Shampoo deserves to know the truth about her former lover...I only hope that it will not interfere in the happiness that she has begun to know in her new life. I cannot imagine what she will think of me to know that I withheld this knowledge from her. At the very least it will make her very angry and confused at a time when her heart should not be so burdened.

"Then you'd better hurry and catch up with her," a voice said from behind them, as Ukyo turned to see Ambergris standing in the door way with arms folded over her chest, her single eye once again visible as she regarded them both with a neutral expression, "Because I think Perfume is already on her way to Japan to tell Shampoo for herself. It's what I'd do if I were in her position."

"You..." Cologne's gaze became as hard as flint as she stared up at the pink haired warrior, "I suppose this is your idea of revenge on Shampoo, ruining her happiness with this burden?"

"How little you know me, Matriarch," Ambergris's tone had the lace of steel underneath it as she met the challenging gaze of the Elder without flinching, "I spoke the truth back in the Council chamber, I have no thought of revenge against Shampoo. I will face her again in battle one day to prove which of us is the better fighter, but until such time I wish her no ill will, not even on you, whom I have better reason to dislike since you poisoned her mind and turned her against our friendship."

"Only because Shampoo was too trusting and na ve to see you for what you are," Cologne said flatly, "You used your knowledge of her combat style to seek unfair advantage, just as you had done with other girls who had formerly been superior fighters..."

"And I paid for my arrogance," Ambergris replied, "But I should have to be a lot more arrogant before I can match your performance over the last three centuries, Matriarch. I am not particularly happy to realize what you did to Shampoo and Perfume that they should hate me with such passion, but I will not let petty concerns such as these interfere in what must be an orderly session of the Council. There is too much at stake, more even than you know, and a time for change is rapidly approaching us, so my advise to you would be to heed the Council's wishes and accept their rendering on this matter. To do anything less would not work to your advantage and only add further strain to your already tarnished reputation."

"And who are you to be giving advice to an Elder?" Cologne replied stiffly.

"Ask Elder Lotion," Ambergris replied simply, "According to her, I am the future of the Nyanchiczu."

With that she turned and re-entered the Council chamber, leaving the Matriarch to absorb that revelation before Cologne's eyes narrowed by a fraction and she said in a dark undertone, "Are you now? We will see about that...young upstart..."

Kasumi could not have explained to herself why she had grabbed the hose and turned it upon both family and friends the way she had, but the desire to put an end to their constant bickering and overridden her normal acceptance of their quarrelsome, contentious ways. Perhaps the final straw for her was the realization that her Uncle Genma had betrayed his marriage vows to Aunt Nodoka by taking up with another woman, very much-in fact-as her own father must have done with Silk before marrying her mother. Even by her lights that was carrying things a bit too far.

She had come home to find the house and kitchen were both neatly arranged and as clean as she had ever managed to make things, and there was food being prepared, leaving her very little to do in her normal tasks as a housekeeper. Obviously this Silk had replaced her mother in other ways besides the matter of domestic bliss, and she was not at all certain what her feelings were in that regard either, though she suspected that the Amazon intended her stay to be a longer one than previously imagined.

Then came the discovery of a pool of urine near the base of the stairs. That had been...most unpleasant, and it had taken her a moment to clean that up as soon at things had quieted down a bit, though she had wondered which of their various house guests had been so careless in controlling their bladder. It was simply...not a nice thing to have done, and not just for the literal bad stink this left in Kasumi's already strained emotions.

The final culmination of that fight in her yard that had made such a mess of things, destroying more than the usual amount of property, which meant that she would have to put in another call to that nice man who did most of their repairwork, Mister Terry Boggart. It also meant a further strain on their already stressed out budget (although to be fair, the company Terry worked for was charging them special reduced rates for frequent service, thanks to that arrangement Nabiki had worked out in their favor). Kasumi would not mind this so much if it was not forcing them to make sacrifices in other areas where the money might be better spent, and with so many areas being neglected around their House...

She sighed and decided that she was better off retreating to the sanctity of her room, feeling that the days events had exhausted her in ways that she would never have previously imagined. That business with Tofu, the kiss from Kodachi, the overwhelming sense that she was being displaced by both Silk and Kachu from her normal routine of existence, all of it was threatening to give her the first migraine of her entire life, and all she wanted was to collapse onto her bed and get a few hours of sleep that she hoped would restore her to her normally cheerful outlook.

She closed the door behind herself, moved with mechanical effort and fell upon her bed, laying face-down as her emotional weariness at last caught up with her, leaving her feeling drained in mind and body. She was too numb to be as confused as before, but still her thoughts kept coming back to Kodachi and the way her friend had surprised her, coming onto Kasumi in a manner that was wholly unexpected.

Had she done something to cause this, she asked herself in a tired voice. Could she be the reason that Kodachi had behaved with such uncharacteristic intensity, behaving in a manner that was so...unusual for the aristocratic gymnast? If so, then Kasumi could not think of what it might be that would give the other girl such improper ideas, that she should act in such a less-than-proper manner. Kasumi could not honestly say that she was free from any guilt in the matter since she had obviously done something to set Kodachi off that way, and while the act of being kissed had not in itself been invited by Kasumi, she could not truthfully say that it was entirely unpleasant...

Her lovely face tensed slightly as her eyelids fluttered open. Where had that thought come from, she wondered with dull interest. Could it be that she had somehow encouraged the other girl to give her that kiss? Was it possible that in some way her going to Kodachi to confess her distress on seeing Tofu with Kachu had been partially motivated by a desire to find companionship with someone whom she believed honestly cared about Kasumi's feelings? For the first time Kasumi wondered at her basic attraction to the younger girl, whom she had bonded with upon their first meeting. Kodachi was easy to talk to, pleasant to be with, and seemed to actually care what Kasumi felt...or so she had believed until today. It began to dawn on Kasumi that no one had ever tried to get to know the real her before, the person she was inside, who was trying so earnestly to fill the place in their family that had once been her mother's. Kasumi's life had assumed an almost ritual-like routine before Kodachi had arrived and made comments that seemed to imply that she believed that there was more to the oldest Tendo daughter than a mere domestic.

That was it! Kodachi had given Kasumi the sense that she actually cared about her like a person and not an object that everyone else took mostly for granted. Tofu behaved like a clown when he was around her, her father had treated her like a beloved servant, while Akane and Nabiki tended to regard her as if she were a substitute mother, while Ranma and his Father just seemed to appreciate her for her cooking and cleaning skills. Shampoo had become her friend and shared some of the duties in the kitchen, yet there was an awful lot that separated the two of them such as the Amazons devotion to her martial arts and obsession with both Ranma and her sister.

Actually, Shampoo was a very nice sort, and Kasumi wished her every happiness with Nabiki, but they were friends, nothing more or less. Kasumi had a liking for the Amazon named Comb, who in some respects seemed like a blend of Shampoo and Akane...whereas she did not know so much of how she felt about that Silk woman, who so obviously had designs upon her father...

And then there was Kachu, who-upon their first meeting-had physically attacked her.

Kasumi made a soft noise and turned to lay on her back, turning her face to look towards the ceiling. So many confusing thoughts were circulating in her mind that it took a moment for her to take notice that there was somebody poised directly over her, braced between the rafters above her bed and clutching a black rose between her teeth. Kasumi's eyes got very wide as she looked up at Kuno Kodachi, then one moment later the Black Rose dropped down upon her like leotard-clad spider...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Surprises galore: shadowmane

What fiendish plan has Kodachi for our gentle domestic, and does Kasumi want to escape this diabolical fate? The question of Ryoga's parentage is resolved as matters grow even more tense and complicated in the Tendo household, and what about the power struggle that seems to be raging within the Amazon High Council? Tune in for more revelations to this and other questions yet to be resolved as Ukyo confronts Ambergris and learns why things go better with a little dab of Lotion. Be there...!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	49. Chapter 49

NabikiRan48 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty-Eight.

Silk had been only a few seconds behind Kasumi when the older Tendo daughter went into the house, but to her surprise she found the girl's presence elusive and so she had wasted a full minute searching the downstairs area before deciding to check upstairs to see if Kasumi had gone back to her own room. The Tendo house was so much larger than an Amazon building, and while the Japanese tended to construct things with an economical eye to maximizing the use of space, the general layout was mildly confusing to Silk, who preferred simplicity in her own choice of structures.

Nonetheless, as she approached Kasumi's room she could feel the girl's life-  
essence calling towards her, strangely disturbed and not as comforting or pleasant as was normally the case. She was a far cry from being at Kachu's level of disturbance, but it was plain enough that the young girl's emotions were in turmoil, and something very serious was upsetting her. Silk resolved to do whatever she could to help out, but as she approached the door she sensed the presence of...another!

Silk halted in her tracks only inches from the door, hearing sounds from the other side that were too faint for normal human hearing, but which carried with them an emotional charge that made them easy to perceive for the senses of a Lore Master...

When Kodachi dropped upon her without warning Kasumi had been too surprised to even think of moving out of her way, and so she was pinned to her bedding as Kodachi pressed her advantages to immobilize the older girl, using a judo hold to keep her pinned down. Kasumi did briefly attempt to free herself, but for all her limited knowledge of moves that could earn her release it became obvious that Kodachi knew all of the counters.

So she stopped resisting and instead looked up into Kodachi's face, and at the black rose clutched between the younger girl's teeth as Kodachi gazed down at her with her lavender eyes, her face only a foot above Kasumi's as she sought to make eye contact.

Once Kodachi was certain that she had Kasumi's attention she opened her mouth and allowed the rose to fall lightly upon her, bouncing off Kasumi's lips before falling to one side and causing a slight powdery substances to cover her face, which same Kasumi breathed in, smelling the perfume-like scent that clung about it.

"Don't worry," Kodachi sought to reassure her, "It won't harm you, I wouldn't think of using one of my stronger powders to affect you. It's just a mild sedative derived from the essence of the Black Rose, one of many discoveries that my father pioneered back in the days when he was still stable..."

"Get off me," Kasumi said, not forcefully or in anger but with a clear and precise intensity that was not unduly affected by the strange sense of languor that began to sweep through her body. Much to her surprise Kodachi did just that, sitting up alongside Kasumi while looking down at her with great intensity of emotion.

"I'm sorry to have ambushed you this way," Kodachi said contritely, "But I needed to talk with you, and I need for you to listen to me."

"And what does this accomplish?" Kasumi asked, wondering why it was that her thoughts were suddenly growing more sharply focused, "Drugging me this way..."

"A necessary evil," Kodachi replied, "I've experimented with rose extractions for years, building on my father's earlier research while seeking to avoid falling into the trap that afflicted him when his mind was lost to the pure extract of the black powder. I know just how much to use to have the desired effect...I've...conducted experiments to assure myself of its efficaciousness and safety..."

"You mean you've experimented on yourself?" Kasumi asked, "Kodachi, that's dangerous! Do you know what kind of side effects such a substance might have...?"

"I know very well indeed," Kodachi's eyes became hooded, and she took a moment before she continued, "When...my mother died..." she swallowed, "It drove father mad, and the only way he could cope was to drug himself into oblivion...only he used too much of the powder and for a time he became addicted to it. I think he's cured of that addiction now, but the long-term damage to his mind..."

She got up off the bed and began pacing, while Kasumi found herself oddly content to remain where she was, following the Black Rose with her eyes as the rest of her remained immobile.

"I know what you must think of us...think of him from the way he was behaving a little while ago, and you'd be right to say that we are not normal people, not even for nobility descended from our Samurai ancestors. The truth is...you do not even know the half of it, for which I envy you as you did not have the kind of experiences with your mother that I had with mine growing up as her victim..."

"Victim?" Kasumi replied with an arching of eyebrows.

Kodachi hesitated, then looked away, "My mother...was a perfectionist, of sorts, and fate was cruel to her when she was denied her life's dream of becoming a great gymnast. She wanted to participate in the Olympics, to win the honor and glory that was her due, but for a cruel accident that caused her an injury that ended her dreams forever."

"I'm...very sorry to hear that, but..." Kasumi began, but Kodachi continued on before she could complete the question.

"I think she wanted to live her dreams through me, which is why she drove me so hard to be as good as she ever was, even better," Kodachi said with an odd, mirthless humor, "But normal gymnastics were not good enough for her...oh no! She enrolled me into the combat version of the art that combined martial arts with full body agility and the use of weapons to avoid body-contact with an opponent. I never did learn why she was so driven to make me learn how to fight when gymnastics should be a dance of precision and beauty...but then there were a lot of things I never fully understood about my mother."

"Kodachi..." Kasumi said carefully, "Why can't I move?"

"Oh, it's only a temporary condition," Kodachi reassured, "Your muscles are relaxed while your mind is now free to concentrate on what I am saying. It will only be for a few minutes, then you will begin to feel mobility return, after which I will have finished with what I have to say to you and you can tell me to leave...and I will not hold it against you."

"You wanted me to sit here and listen?" Kasumi replied, "You could have tried asking..."

"I know," Kodachi said with a wretched twining of her fingers, "But I couldn't take the chance that you might...be angry with me for some reason. I know I went too fast before, but I could not help myself...and you looked like you needed kissing..."

"I did?" Kasumi asked in wonder, forgetting in which tense she was speaking, past or present.

'Or perhaps I needed to kiss you," Kodachi continued with a heartfelt expression, "You see...until I met you I believed that there was only ugliness in the world, only selfishness and cruelty, and anyone who did not feel the same was either a fool or avoiding the truth that I thought was my existence. It is only since meeting you...that I've come to understand that the sickness was...with my mother..." she swallowed tensely, "Your mother was nothing like her, I think, for you grew to become a person who is without fault or dark shading. There is no selfishness in you, no cruelty, only infinite kindness. You have made me feel...warm inside, the way no one else ever has, and...I cannot bear that you might think ill of me for what I have done in imposing my desires upon you..."

"What are you saying, Kodachi?" Kasumi asked her friend, "Did I somehow make you...?"

"You have done nothing but offer me the kindness of your presence," Kodachi bent down over the bed and touched Kasumi's hair, brushing it back from her face, "You have been a friend to me when I never knew real friendship. It seems strange now that there was ever a time when I did not have one such as you in my life...but all I've had is my brother, who in some ways was even more affected by the family tragedy than I was..."

"What happened?" Kasumi asked, "What...tragedy do you mean?"

Kodachi glanced down, and then she spoke at barely the level of a whisper, "Mother...killed herself...because she saw her life as a failure..."

"No..." Kasumi whispered, horrified at the thought of this, and seeing in Kodachi a wealth of tears never shed, which further confused her.

"She was a Samurai to the end," Kodachi murmured faintly, "Or so I think she believed, though the medical term would be something more like clinical depression. She...did things to us that made life hard on everybody. Our father was a businessman and seldom home to spend time with us as a family. Mother tried to occupy herself as best she could...but she started to believe that Father was carrying on an affair, and she took it out on me and Tachi."

Kodachi stared down for a long moment while Kasumi read the pain and guilt that tormented the lovely features of the aristocratic girl, and without thought she began to shed tears of her own, feeling her heart reach out in spite of her...displeasure at Kodachi's actions.

"What did she do to you?" Kasumi whispered.

"Oh...nothing much," Kodachi swallowed, "It's just...that mother had a way of expressing her displeasure...with the both of us. Tachi she wanted to be a man, and in some ways she drove him into his fantasy world where he is a noble Samurai from a previous generation. With me...she would use whatever it took to motivate me to try harder, to master the more intricate techniques of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. Sometimes it was by use of her cane...and other times...she would lock me into the cupboard and not let me out until she was certain I had learned my lesson..."

"That's...horrible..." Kasumi whispered, now forgetting all about her displeasure at being ambushed.

"I learned my lesson," Kodachi said with an attempt at bravery that was betrayed by the trembling of her lower lip, "I studied harder and became as good as she wanted...and then one day I completed a particularly difficult and complex maneuver and I was so overcome with joy that I went in search of mother to tell her of my success. I...found her...on the floor of one of the studies. She...used a tanto, a traditional weapon for ritual Seppuku...I remember looking into her eyes...how pale she was, yet how peaceful..."

Kasumi did not want to hear any more, could not bring herself to imagine such a tragedy, could not bear the thought that Kodachi had been the one to discover her mother's suicide. It was so alien to her conscious way of thinking, and yet in a way she understood as only one born Japanese could the depth of commitment that would drive a true Samurai to such an extreme act of atonement.

"I can still remember the death poem she wrote before taking her own life," Kodachi closed her eyes and said in a voice that trembled with emotion, "The sky yearns, the flowers weep, no more the feeling..." she turned an expression that was wrought with unshed tears towards Kasumi and said, "I think it was her way of making an apology to us. She could not stop herself in life, so in death she spared us the further madness of her unhappy existence."

Kasumi felt one hand twitch as feeling began to return along her nerve endings, yet she continued to lay still as she looked towards Kodachi, the pain all but radiating from the other girl as Kodachi took a moment to regain mastery over her emotions.

"It wasn't your fault," Kasumi said softly, "She had no right to do this to you..."

"But don't you see?" Kodachi tried to smile and failed miserably, "She had the right, she was my mother."

Kasumi did not answer that, so Kodachi got up off the bed and resumed her pacing.

"Tachi also found her that way...and it drove him over the edge, I think, so that he needed to be sedated. I...don't remember much that happened, save that father came home early when the servants informed him of what had occurred, and there were...policemen I think...asking so many questions, and then that nice doctor who said that we needed to talk to someone...as if talking was going to make everything better..."

"Kodachi," Kasumi murmured gently.

"I kept up my studies in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics," Kodachi resumed at a more level tone of voice, "Why? Because I had nothing else to connect me with my mother after that dark day. Father went all to pieces...he started turning the operations of his business over to trustees, who have made the important decisions ever since. Father went and took on a teaching position at Furinkan high school, even contrived to become the Principle, where he took to administering a harsh form of discipline that revolved around his obsession with haircuts. Tachi...I tried to help him out, but I think I only made things worse for him. Father went insane, and then he vanished for a time, and now he's back in our lives seeking to drive us as insane as he is. I...had to get away from there...the thought of living in the same house as him, under the same roof, with all he did to drive our mother to what she did..."

"Kodachi," Kasumi said with more firmness than before.

"Understand...I love my father very much," Kodachi resumed, "There was a time when I doted upon him, when he was like the sun and the moon to me, and yet now...now that I see him for what he is...for what he has become..."

"Kodachi," Kasumi murmured as she sat up in the bed.

"...I cannot help but see a part of myself reflected in his madness," Kodachi looked at the floor, at her bare feet, curing her toes in the carpet as she stood pensively where she was, adding softly, "...And I cannot blame you if you do not want to be associated with me on account of that madness..."

A hand gently laid upon her shoulder startled Kodachi, causing her to turn around to see Kasumi standing behind her, looking none-too-steady but smiling in spite of everything. The smile caused the Black Rose to raise her eyes and look up into the gentle brown eyes of the taller girl, who was looking back at her with the same warm embrace that Kodachi had come to fervently savor...only now there was something more added...something more than her normal sympathy and compassion

Without a word Kasumi drew Kodachi into her arms and hugged the other girl to her bosom, and for a moment Kodachi was so stunned by this gesture that she did not know how to react. The she closed her eyes and found the simple act of resting her head on the older girl's bosom gave her a sense of warmth and peace that banished the shadows to obscurity. Somehow she knew Kasumi had forgiven her, that she had her friend back, that everything was right with the world once again, and that there was no place she would rather be but in the arms of her much-beloved girlfriend...

Silk withdrew her mind from the intense wave of emotions she felt radiating out from the bedchamber, coming back to herself with a start as she had quite lost track of the time while experiencing the exchanges of the two young women.

How very...odd...and yet her senses reassured her that everything Kodachi had spoken had been the truth without embellishment or denial. It did indeed sound a lot like the Gosunkugi Hitome that Silk had once known, and yet the thought that Kuno Godai could have driven his wife to such distraction by neglecting her in favor of his business...

Silk felt tormented by the desire to go in there and offer her own sage council to the two young women, and yet knowing her presence would be an unwarranted intrusion. This was something the two of them would have to work out between them with only minimal interference. If she were to intrude now she might spoil what obviously was something intensely personal that was blossoming between the two young women.

Deciding that she could have her little talk with Kasumi at a later time, she resolved to turn around and head back to the kitchen to make some tea, which always seemed like a good idea in these types of situations...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

"So, Atsuko-chan," Elder Lotion began once everyone was restored to their proper shapes and gathered about inside the dojo, "What brings you back to Nerima after all of these years?"

"I was looking for Ryo-chan," replied the strange madwoman for whose claim to being the lost pig-boy's mother was without challenge, "I've spent the last two years trying to catch up with my little boy once he wandered off and got lost...uh...which sorta is what happened with me, I guess..."

"You followed me, Mother?" the lost pig-boy in question asked the obvious, compounding same by adding, "Even to Jusenkyo?"

"Uh...in a word, yes," the brown-haired Oni-woman replied sheepishly, "Got knocked into one of those springs when some crazy half-naked boy started chasing after a Panda saying something about it trying to eat him...it was the panda who almost ran me down, I think, but the boy looked a little like you, Ryo-chan."

"Ah...?" Ryoga looked at his mother blankly, slow to pick up on the hints, like always.

"Never mind all that," my husband growled, "What's all this stuff about Pop being Ryoga's Dad? You telling me you went and had an affair behind Mom's back, old man?"

"Now wait one minute boy," the stupid panda-man...I mean, my Honored Father-in-  
Law-waved his hands in front of himself as if trying to cast a spell that would ward off another beating, "I don't know what she's talking about! I never was that intimate with Atsuko when we were together, and besides, I'd never cheat on your mother..."

"Probably because you wouldn't have the guts," my wife countered tartly.

"Exactly!" our father-in-law agreed, then blinked his eyes as the full import of what he was agreeing to was slowly revealed to him, "Uh...I wouldn't put it exactly like that..."

"Saotome," my other esteemed father-in-law glared crossly at his old friend and fellow student of the Perverted Demon, Happosai, "You know I want to believe you, but given everything that I remember occurring in those years before the birth of your son..."

"Oh, pipe down, Soun my boy," the perverted Demon Master in question turned to the Oni-woman and said, "There's a perfectly good explanation, I'm sure of it. You used magic to fool Genma into thinking you were Nodoka, right?"

"Ah-hah," the woman calling herself Hibiki Atsuko replied, "It was a simple illusion, like this..." and to our amazement she changed before our eyes, going from a long-haired womanly version of Ryoga to a perfect likeness of my husband's crazy mother, only much younger looking and appearing to be very like a brown haired version of my husband's cursed form.

Even Ryoga gasped with disbelief as he asked the question, "Mother?"

"This is how I looked when I came to your father," the demoness replied, then at once she reverted back to her true (or one would assume so) form, which had fangs much more pronounced than are his, and I noticed now that her hair had a somewhat greenish tint, and her skin was of a more tan color, "And this is what I actually look like when I'm not casting any illusions. As you can see, I somewhat resemble my mother, who looks a lot more like this."

And now I had to stifle the impulse to reach for a weapon, because the appearance of the woman who sat before us now was even less like a normal human woman than before, having dark green hair and skin that was almost reddish-pink in color. Her fangs were now more like tusks and there were a large pair of reddish bat-like wings covering her backside.

"You see?" she asked as she looked around at the astonished faces in the dojo, (which included mine with no doubt to be intended) "It's just an illusion, though, which is why I prefer to look like this, the way your father first knew me," and with that she reverted to the woman we had seen before, very pretty in a wild, unmanageable sort of way but nonetheless more alarming to us now than when she was simply trying to kill my mother.

"What...but...?" Ryoga blinked his eyes, clearly not mentally prepared for the revelation that he was not entirely human.

"Of course you tend to look a lot more like your grandfather," Atsuko resumed with a happy smile, "My father was a strong, handsome fighter named Hibiki Razor, who was son of my great grandmother, the Demoness Ganglot, who married a man of the Amazon village that stupid Purple-haired Comb hails from..."

"Hey!" protested my mother just a few instants before I could.

"His name wouldn't happen to be Rogaine, would it?" my wife asked as if it were not really a question.

"Why yes," Atsuko brightened, "You know the story of Atsuko's life?"

"Not...exactly," my wife conceded, "But I got the gist of it."

"Makes sense in a way," our husband conceded, "I always thought there was something inhuman about you, Ryoga, with that monstrous strength of yours and your total lack of directions..."

Ryoga was just about to make his customary declaration against our husband when my apprentice spoke up in his defense, crying, "Hey, you leave Ryoga alone! It's not like any of this is his fault, especially who his parents are..."

"A-Akane?" Ryoga actually sounded surprised that my wife's younger sister would defend him, while I just rolled my eyes and wondered which of them was the more clueless.

"It's all right, Ryoga-kun," she said as she patted him on the knee, then turned a puzzled look towards the brown haired demoness, "But I still don't understand...how can Ranma's father be your father? How did all of this start out anyway?"

"A good question, child," replied Elder Lotion, "We have rather started this story in the middle, haven't we? Perhaps we should go back a bit...say about twenty or so years, when Atsuko first met Genma at the insistence of her mother?"

"Ah..." Atsuko glanced down and said, "My mother...well, it's kind of...complicated, but I guess the simple way of putting it is to say that I was really sent to Nerima to find and bed Genma-chan so I could have his firstborn son. You see...Mom told me the boy was going to be special, a new Nexus, or something like that, which she wanted for our side. Of course she lied to me about a lot of that, but that's sort-of expected with some demons..."

"A Nexus?" Ranma asked.

"A conjuncture of probability lines, my boy," the Demon Happosai explained, "Either a person or an object who, by the nature of his very existence, becomes the focal point for all realities, past, present and future. It happens from time to time that some one individual gets born who is fated to shape the destiny of worlds, and for your generation that just happens to be you."

"ME?" my husband gasped, "No way!"

"It is the destiny you were born to," Elder Lotion revealed, "I sensed it from the moment I was first in your presence, but this is once more taking us away from the main subject. You were explaining how you were given the task of seducing Genma by your mother...what actually did happen?"

"Ah...I...uh...well, that is..." Atsuko began to run a hand to the back of her head and laugh nervously, a gesture all so typical of Ryoga that it had to be genetic.

"You fell in love with the big jerk," my mother snorted, earning a glare from her formal rival.

"Shut up, Comb!" she snapped, "I don't have to take that coming from you!"

"Ah, such a sad, sweet story," the Demon Happosai pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed his eyes, "The half-human cutie with the blood of an Oni meets the handsome warrior-prince and falls in love with him, thus spoiling the dastardly plans of her full Demon mother." He blew his nose for further emphasis.

"You got any idea what he's talking about, Pop?" Ranma asked of his father, to which my father-in-law just shook his head in a negative manner.

"What I remember from those days was that Atsuko was one of the chief contenders for your hand, Saotome," my other father-in-law revealed, "For a while there you were very close, so close, in fact, that it almost interfered with your engagement to Nodoka."

"Except Comb here kept getting in my way!" Atsuko glared once more at my mother, "And you never even had the guts to come out and tell him how you felt about him either!"

"Ah...?" I saw my mother's face grow slightly paler, and from the way she swallowed I had the sinking sense that the accusation contained more truth than falsehood.

"Mother?" I gasped, unable to believe that she had once been pursuing Ranma's father, as I now pursued Ranma.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," my mother said, glancing away for a moment before suddenly turning on my father-in-law and declaring, "Who'd want to be married to YOU? You're stupid, fat, lazy, opinionated, selfish..."

"Who are you trying to convince of this, Healer?" Elder Lotion asked, "Yourself or the rest of us?"

"Yeah, like you really didn't care about him!" the demoness snarled, "You were always there trying to block me off or keep me away from Genma-chan, and you always got mad whenever me or Hitome tried to show him our affections!"

"Who's Hitome?" my wife asked in surprise.

"Gosunkugi Hitome?" the Demon Happosai smiled, "You've met her little girl, that cute gymnast who likes to hang around with your sister."

"KODACHI?" my wife and husband said together, joining in with me, my apprentice and Ryoga.

"Is that her name?" Atsuko blinked her eyes, "Too bad about Hitome...I kinda liked her."

"Pop, you didn't!" my husband blanched as he whirled about on his father.

"Calm down, boy," my father-in-law tried to reassure him, "I never did anything with Hitome...she was just this girl who liked to hang around on us and...ah...well...she was kind of affectionate, but she married Kuno Godai and that was pretty much the end of the matter."

"You're telling me..." I saw my husband's eyebrow twitch, "That you used to be chased by the mother of Kodachi and Tatewaki Kuno?"

"All part of the curse, Ranma my boy," the Demon Happosai said, "Like I told you earlier, the Saotome males have a way of attracting violent, passionate women, lucky devils."

"Oh yeah?" my husband snarled back, "Well, what about Nabiki? She's nothing like that!"

I saw our wife blink her eyes as if it was beginning to register on her the significance of our husband's statement.

"Ah...well..." the Demon Happosai scratched behind his head and looked unusually thoughtful, "There's always the exception to every rule, I guess..."

"Can we get this back to the subject of Uncle Genma being Ryoga's father?" my wife nervously asked, and I took notice of how unusually crimson her cheeks were as she said this, "Now, let me see if I get this right...you were sent to seduce Uncle Genma but instead you fell in love with him..."

"Ahuh," the demoness shook her head, "I wanted to marry him, only he chose Nodoka instead of me for some strange reason."

"It...was an arranged marriage," my father-in-law said as he felt along his collar with one finger, and I wondered if he were feeling unusually hot for some reason, "I tried to break it to you as gently as I could..."

"Oh yeah?" Atsuko asked, and then she cupped one hand in her lap and somehow caused an image to appear before her, of my father-in-law when he must have been much younger (and thinner looking), sitting on a bench in the middle of a park with Atsuko sitting next to him wearing a dress and seeming more lady-like in a distinctly Japanese manner.

The image of the young man was saying, "Atsuko-chan...I have something important I should tell you."

"Yes?" asked the woman-image eagerly.

"We...can't be seeing each other any more," the man said sadly.

"What?" the woman-form appeared stunned by this declaration, "But...why?"

"I've decided that I'm going to marry someone else," the man glanced up at a passing cloud instead of at his distraught companion, "Nodoka."

"HER?" anger briefly touched the woman's beautiful face, but then the sadness won out once again and she almost pleaded, "But why? Why her and not me?"

"It wasn't an easy decision," the man said, "But when I added everything up it all made sense that I should accept the arrangement my father made with her father. For one thing...she prettier than you."

"WHAT?" the woman said in shock and amazement.

"And a much better dresser," he continued.

"Wha...?" the woman glanced down at herself as if wondering why she would not be found suitable in the dress that she was wearing.

"For another thing, her family is rich," the man continued on heartlessly, "And she comes from a good background with deep Samurai traditions, plus she has the approval of her grandfather, Katsuhitsu, who oversees that shrine in the mountains."

"But...the one that entombs the demoness, Ryoko?" the woman murmured faintly.

"Plus there is the fact that a marriage with you would mean...involvement with your mother," the man glanced down, then to the side as he added, "And you know how I feel about her. It's nothing against you personally, but I just don't think I'm ready to have those sorts of in-laws."

It was the woman's turn to look down, only her expression was slowly shifting from shock to anger.

"Anyway, I've made up my mind that the one I marry should be Nodoka," the man started to turn around, "I won't have any trouble out of you over this, will I Atsuko-chan? I don't want you taking it out on her..."

To his surprise the woman was on her feet holding what looked like a giant mallet and screaming out the word, "DIIIEEEE!" one second before she hit him and knocked the man soaring.

The image was banished as easily as it was called, leaving us back in the present as the current version of Atsuko (who hardly appeared a day older than the woman in the image), was smiling without humor at my father-in-law before saying, "Of course you knew it wouldn't be over as easy as that. I still had my mother on my back about the mission she originally gave me, and the only way I was ever going to get any peace and quiet would be to have your son, one way or another!"

"So," the Demon Happosai said, "You snuck into his bedroom shortly after he married Nodoka, put a spell on her to make her sleep more deeply, then assumed her form and woke Genma up so you could have your way with him?"

"Well hey," Atsuko shrugged, "If it could work for Merlin, I figured my son deserved an equal chance. Of course I didn't realize that he'd had Nodoka first, which meant that my son was the second one to be conceived that night, but the spell mother cast on me worked, and a few months later I had my little Ryoga."

"But...but...but...!" Ryoga sputtered, "What about Dad? My real Dad? I mean...the man who raised me, who I always looked up to when I was growing up..."

"Oh, that was me," Atsuko replied, "I played both your mother and your father growing up, Ryo-chan. The man you thought was your father was just an illusion I cast so you'd grow up feeling more like other boys your own age."

"That can't be!" Ryoga all but whispered, "My house...our family..."

"Glamour and illusion," the demoness replied sadly, "The house itself was real, but everything else was just spells I cast to make you feel like you were living a normal life. I did what I could to raise you to be a normal little boy, Ryo-  
chan. It was the least I could do...after I found out exactly why my mother was so insistent that I give birth to a Nexus."

"She kind of left out something important, huh?" my wife asked in that same way she had used before that suggested that she already knew the answer to her own question.

"You could say that again," Atsuko made a disparaging noise, "All that time I was chasing Genma trying to win him for myself and it never dawned on me to ask why an Demon like Mom would want a Nexus in the first place. Of course my skill is mainly with illusions while she's a full fledged demon Sorceress, the kind who makes pacts with other demons that often get sealed by blood and...well..." she winced, "She wanted my son for a reason. If he had been born a Nexus she could have used him to control the flow of time and fate, or something like that, but when she found out he wasn't the Nexus..."

"And Ranma is?" my wife asked.

Atsuko beamed at my wife and said, "You are a smart one, just like Kimiko-  
chan...and yeah, she wasn't too happy with me for having the second born, but she figured she could salvage the situation by...ah...blood sacrifice...that would have helped her get control over his half-brother."

"WHAT?" came the matching chorus of both Ryoga and my husband.

"So you decided to take a little powder, huh?" the Demon Happosai asked, "Snatched your boy back from your mother's clutches and took to the open road to raise him for yourself."

"That's right, Happy," Atsuko smiled in a way that looked both happy and sad, "Better to starve on the open road than to lose my son to my mother's ambitions. I found a house, made it into a home, cast spells to hide us from Mother, did what I could to inhibit our mutual curse and tried to raise him as much like a normal boy as I knew how. I even taught him the martial arts that I learned when I was hanging around with his father, which is why I created an illusion to make Ryo-chan think he had his father with him. It was the least I could do to give him a normal life...and I even had Shirokuro, my familiar, watch over him to see to it he never got lost or got discovered by my mother."

"I..." Ryoga sat like a stone, his expression even more blank than usual.

"Ryoga-kun?" my apprentice asked with obvious concern in her expression.

"Shirokuro?" my husband asked, turning to Ryoga, "You mean that dog you always had around with you, showing you around places? Whatever happened to her anyway?"

"A good question," Elder Lotion remarked, "Only she wasn't truly a normal dog at all, but an Oni spirit-familiar who was merely cast into the likeness of a harmless animal. In reality she was the boy's protector, his guardian companion, charged with keeping him safe from harm, only the boy made one near-  
fatal mistake on the day he sought out his revenge against you...a revenge engendered in him by your misguided attempt at vengeance," she glanced back in the demoness's direction.

"Ah..." Atsuko looked down, while Genma looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"Time to 'fess up, cutie," the Demon Happosai insisted, "You found out your son was attending the same school as the son of Nodoka, and it got on your nerves to realize that the boy was the real Nexus."

Atsuko's chin almost touched her chest as she looked down, "Yeah...it kinda got to me, especially when I heard Ryo-chan tell me about how Nodoka's brat was always stealing food from him in the cafeteria. I didn't like hearing about how he kept beating Ryoga up in fights, so I decided to train my son to get revenge for both of us..."

"On his half-brother, no less," Comb snorted, "That's low, even for you, Oni!"

Atsuko took in a sharp breath and reached for her umbrella, snarling, "You wanna see how low I can get? I'll pound you back all the way to China...!"

"Ah-uh!" my wife pointed out as her own hand lifted the pail of water that she had placed at her side as a precaution. I recalled her earlier threat to sell Ryoga' mother to a zoo if she did not agree to abide by a truce, and obviously so did Atsuko, who sat back down with a huff and folded her arms over her chest. As one who also shared a Jusenkyo curse I could sympathize with her feelings, but I was gratified at the ingenuity of my wife in curbing the demoness's temper.

"Okay," she said as she looked away, "So maybe I got carried away encouraging Ryoga to pound some revenge into his brother..."

"You encouraged their rivalry," Elder Lotion said, "Even after you learned that Nodoka's son had attempted to make friends with your son, even walking him home a time or two so that he did not become lost when Shirokuro was not around. And then came the day when Ryoga felt himself sufficiently trained to the point where he could match Genma's other son in battle, and the boy impetuously stormed off to the back lot where the challenge was to be held...and he forgot to obtain the services of Shirokuro."

"So that's what happened," Ranma said in dull amazement, "I waited three days for you, jerk, but it took four days for you go get there, right behind your own house!"

"Shut up, Ranma!" the lost boy snarled in a way that was sounding a little too familiar, but again my wife lifted up her bucket and obtained his immediate compliance.

"Okay," Nabiki said as I watched her with deep appreciation, "So this whole mess between Ryoga and Ranma-kun was just a carry over of a beef you had with his mother for winning out with Uncle Genma?"

"But...if Ryoga and Ranma are brothers...?" Akane asked as she looked from one boy to the other, seeing-as I did just then-how much the two of them resembled one another.

"That means that Ryoga is also a Saotome," my other father-in-law glanced at his friend for confirmation.

Ranma's father heaved a sigh, then glanced at the demoness and said, "Why didn't you ever tell me this before, At-chan?"

"What was I to tell you?" Atsuko asked in a distraught manner, "That I tricked you into having a kid with me? You were stuck on marrying Nodoka, and I didn't think I had any chance prying the two of you away, and besides...I've been on the run from my mother ever since. The only reason I've been able to find Ryo-chan at all is because of this amulet Mom gave me when I was still in her good graces," she held up what looked like a pendulum of some sort that dangled on a golden chain.

"Let me see that, child," Elder Lotion said as the demoness handed the object to her, and after a moment of scrutiny the Lore Master handed it back and said, "Clearly of Oni manufacture, and attuned to the life-essence of your son, which means you've had the power to locate him for the last two years. Why did it take you so long to arrive here?"

"Are you kidding, Lo-chan?" the demoness asked, "After that bath I took in China I've had to keep looking for hot water every time it rains or I get splashed, and then I have to hunt down my belongings, which takes a lot more time than you'd think with my problem with directions! Every time I'd think I'd get close there's be another rainstorm, or some idiot splashes me, or some old lady..."

"I think we get the picture," my wife said, "Is that why you and Ryoga use umbrellas as weapons?"

"Actually, I was taught to use mine by my father, who had a curse of his own from when he lived in China," the demoness responded, "So naturally I taught Ryoga the same thing, and a good thing too! I mean...you know how often it rains around here? Good thing as a Fox I can smell things pretty good and find my way back to my belongings...after everything dries up a bit. Of course by then the scent gets lost so I have to use some tell-tale markers..."

"Right," my wife nodded, "So now you've finally managed to wind up in the same place as Ryoga, by some amazing coincidence. So...what do you want to do now?"

I saw the demoness open her mouth to speak, but then she closed it again as her eyes blinked and she said, "That's a...very good question. I was following Ryo-  
chan because I thought he was old enough to know the reason why I've hid him all these years, and that he needs to stay as far away as he can from my Mom, only...there was something else I was going to tell him. Now what was it again?"

"You don't remember?" my mother asked with an incredulous expression.

"Ah...no," the demoness said sheepishly, running a hand through her hair again as she made that funny laugh of hers, then added, "I'm sure it'll come back to me...sooner or later..."

"Well," my other father-in-law said, "I suppose now that you're here you'll want to be taking your son back with you to your house," and I wondered if I was correct in noticing a certain hopefulness in his expression.

"Wouldn't be too much point to that," Atsuko said, "Mom now knows where I used to live, so it isn't safe to be there any more...and besides...the government kinda repossessed it on account of the fact that I haven't made any payments for a while now..."

"How have you managed to live so long without a house?" Akane asked in a way that caused me to look oddly at my apprentice.

"Oh, it's not so bad, except that it's sometimes hard to get along without any money," the demoness shrugged, "I can always merge with a tree and live there for a while. I grew up inside a tree, you know, where my mother raised me while Dad wandered about the countryside. It's not like I can't rough it when I have to."

"You can live inside a tree?" Ranma shook his head, then glanced at Ryoga, "Did you know that?"

"No," Ryoga shook his head, then blinked his eyes and said, "But wait...don't I also have a sister and a cousin? You don't mean they're also...?"

"Part Oni?" Atsuko looked at him and smiled a bit sadly, "Well...Ryomi's the other reason I've been traveling so much...only we lost her when you both were very little..."

"Ryomi?" my apprentice asked, voicing the thoughts of the rest of us.

"Oh, didn't I mention her before?" the demoness said with a sheepish expression, "She's Ryo-chan's twin sister..."

"His...sister?" my father-in-law gulped.

"I've also got a sister?" Ranma looked at her blankly.

"As for little Aki-chan, she's my niece," Atsuko continued, "I've got a half-  
sister somewhere that I introduced you to when you were both very little. She takes a lot after Dad, even stronger because her Oni-parts come straight from my grandmother."

"Okay," my wife said, "So there's a whole clan of Hibikis wandering around lost somewhere..."

"Oh, we're never lost," the demoness replied, "We always know perfectly well where we are. It's the rest of the world that just keeps rearranging itself to frustrate us."

"Right," I saw my wife roll her eyes and sigh before turning towards her father and saying, "Like it or not, Daddy, it looks like we've got one more unwanted house guest."

"So it would seem," my other father-in-law replied, and like a man he started weeping.

I just exchanged looks with my husband and wife, then turned another look towards my mother, who looked back at me in a less-than-pleased matter that as much as promised that there would be trouble for us in the very near future. I saw Ryoga exchanging worried looks with Akane, while the Elder and the Demon held their own peace, and all the while I wondered what to make of all of this as I finally sought out my other Father-in-law, who was looking even more stunned than Ryoga.

In a way this only helped to clarify suspicions that I have held for a very long while now, but it also disturbs me to think that the stupid lost pig-boy could share in any part the same traits as my virtuous warrior husband. The knowledge that they are, in fact, brothers by different mothers only makes things even more complicated than before (though I suspect that it will help Ryoga in his suit to win Akane).

Where to go from here, I wonder? Well, I see no difficulty for me in my own suit to win the affections of my wife and husband, but it is becoming increasingly clear to me that drastic measures will need to be taken. My mother has warned me against the use of magic, and I suppose that I must respect her counsel as wise since I want to know that my loved ones do indeed return my affections.

Fortunately there is another way that I can press my suit to achieve the satisfaction that I have so far been lacking. My wife does owe me a favor, by her own admission, and she claims that she always repays her debts. If I could persuade her to allowing me to take the initiative, I feel confident that I can finally consummate my marriage to her, which should lead to success in consummating with our husband.

I must choose my timing well, strike when the moment is ripe, and then I will know the happiness that had eluded me for so long. Again my thoughts turn to my beloved Lo Xion, and wherever she is now, I turn thoughts of gratitude her way, thanking her for teaching me so much about the arts of pleasure that I now know what to do to find marital satisfaction...

"You sure this is the way, Sugar?" Ukyo asked as she followed the two Amazons out beyond the fringes of their village.

"Positive," Ambergris replied, leading the way with unerring determination, "When we were younger and I was still on friendly terms with both Shampoo and Perfume we had a secret place that we liked to sometimes visit whenever we wanted to get away from the pressures of training. It was out special practice area where we would sometimes spar and do other things out of the eyes of the Elders in our village."

"It's not like there are a lot of places where you can do that," added the blue haired Lotion, "The Elders are an omnipresent part of our lives in our village, but sometimes a girl has to be alone with her thoughts, or with someone else whom she cares about," and as she said this her hand sought out the palm of her tall companion, who smiled sideways at her as if warm thoughts and memories were flowing between them.

"There is a very old saying among us," Ambergris noted as she kissed the back of Lotion's hand, then the two continued on side-by-side with hands clasped together, "Three things in life are inevitable...Death, tribute and Elders."

"Uh...okay," Ukyo said, not entirely comfortable with his open display of affection, "But am I right in assuming that Perfume...also has feelings towards you?"

"Yes," Lotion lowered her gaze and walked in silence for a moment while Ambergris turned an unreadable look over one shoulder in Ukyo's direction, "Perfume...was my friend for as long as I knew both her and Shampoo. She was the one who discovered how much I was suffering at the hands of my mother, and she made the Matriarch take notice, which was why I came to live with my Aunt Silk and train with Shampoo's mother. I never knew how deeply Perfume cared about me until I heard that she had gotten into a fight with Shampoo that was prompted by jealousy..." she paused again before finishing, "Which was why the Matriarch decided that I was better off training in another village..."

Ambergris made a rude noise then said, "More like it gave her the excuse she needed to break up your relationship with Shampoo. Kho-Lon thought it was inappropriate that her prized warrior should associate with such a 'weak' girl...as if what existed between you and Shampoo could be so easily dismissed," the latter part was said with a great deal of choked off anger.

"You don't like her very much, do you?" Ukyo guessed, "Cologne, that is."

"Should I have good feelings to one who has caused me so much grief?" Ambergris turned a flashing gaze from her single visible eye before turning forward again, "Understand, I am willing to forgive and forget a lot of what has been, but the Elder has always been a bit too high handed in her dealings, such as when she sought to turn Shampoo against me. Admittedly I did give her the opening she needed by challenging Shampoo to officially determine our warrior status."

"Shampoo seemed to think you were betraying your friendship," Ukyo pointed out, adding with a rueful expression, "I can't say that I'd feel all that much differently in her place if I thought somebody was befriending me just to get something for himself..."

"I never betrayed her in my own mind," Ambergris said, "But I suppose you are right and that Shampoo had every reason to believe that our friendship was based on nothing more than getting close enough to learn her combat secrets. I had done it before with other warriors, after all, and it was the way in which I was seeking to advance myself within the tribe...one of several reasons why I am widely regarded as 'Whale Puke.'"

"Sounds like you've got a lot to answer for," Ukyo noted with more sympathy than she would have expected to find within herself.

"Time will tell," Ambergris said sadly, "I have a lot to answer for from the old days, and a lot of fences that will need to be mended. I only hope that I have changed enough from the person I was to the person that I must become if I am to fulfill my destiny."

Ukyo was about to question the pink haired warrior on that subject when a loud explosive sound rocked the ground beneath their feet, and a bright flash appeared from beyond the nearest ridge. The trio caught their collective balance before Ukyo straightened out and said, "What the heck was that? Is somebody bombing the place?"

"No," Ambergris said, "Unless I miss my guess, that is Perfume's way of venting her anger."

"Aiyaa," exclaimed Lotion, "She must be very upset with me. If only I'd written her more frequently to tell her of my progress..."

"You did write her almost every week," Ambergris said, "But unless I miss my guess, none of your correspondences reached her, thanks in no small part to the Matriarch's interference."

The trio hurried up to the next ridge and came to a halt as they saw the area of near total devastation. Ukyo gasped as she saw the fallen trees and exploded ground that made it look indeed as if someone had carpet-bombed in a very enclosed place. At the center of it all, however, stood Perfume, poised and unsullied, her axes extended with her back turned towards them. At the sound of their approach, however, she straightened up and turned around in their direction.

"[Feeling any better?]" Ambergris asked as she shifted from Japanese to the Cantonese language.

"[You...!]" the Enforcer's voice shook, but with masterful self control she managed to get a grip on her temper, especially when her eyes fell upon Lotion. With a flexing of her arms she caused her axes to disappear with a slight mechanical sound as if they were being sheathed in some invisible holders.

Ambergris came to a halt some distance away as she exchanged looks with the other girl, then in a very soft voice said, "[You're welcome.]"

Perfume blinked her eyes then said, "[For what?]"

"[You were about to thank me,]" Ambergris nodded to her companion, "[For saving her life, but I didn't want you to hurt yourself in the effort.]"

Perfume turned away for a moment, then as if compelled against her will her eyes sought out Lotion, who glanced back at her almost shyly.

"Perfume," the blue haired girl said in Mandarin, "I really didn't know that you didn't know about my survival. I did write to you, but I guess you never received my letters..."

"Of course," Perfume said with unusual stiffness in her voice, "Great grandmother saw to that...she couldn't have thought of you interfering in my training."

"Perfume..." Lotion made an almost helpless gesture, "I don't know how I could ever make it up to you, but I've never stopped thinking about you and what your friendship meant to me. I...didn't know how much you cared...if only you had said something to me when we were younger..."

"And what would that have achieved?" Perfume looked away, then sighed, "You and Shampoo had each other, and I...I was the weak one who needed extra training. You had something special with my cousin...I couldn't interfere in that..."

"But you wanted to...and I came between you and Shampoo," Lotion made another helpless gesture then gave up on it and said, "You were never the weak one...I was weak, and very foolish. I should have chosen you first instead of Shampoo. You were both very special to me, and I valued your companionship more than anything else in the world. Please forgive me for neglecting you, I never meant to cause you any unhappiness. Can we be friends again, like before?"

"Friends?" Perfume turned to the other girl, studying her face as it committing it to memory before her own expression softened, "Yes...I would like that very much..."

"What are they saying?" Ukyo asked Ambergris as Lotion moved close to Perfume, leaving the two of them on the sidelines.

"They're each apologizing and calling themselves the weaker girl," Ambergris replied in a low murmur.

"Weak?" Ukyo glanced around at the scene of total devastation with a disbelieving expression.

Ambergris sniffed in amusement and said, "Hard to believe, isn't it? But there was a time when Perfume was regarded the weakest of all Amazons, before Lotion bowed out of warrior training. What you see is the result of very intensive training supervised by the Matriarch herself, fueled in part by a rage that is understandable. It's not for nothing that Perfume is the tribal Enforcer, and well respected in the village."

"More like feared," Ukyo murmured back, "So...what was her problem originally anyway?"

"It's...not my place to say," Ambergris looked almost apologetically at Ukyo, "Especially with an outlander female...no offense intended."

"None taken," Ukyo replied, adding in grim humor, "I sure never would have mistaken her for a weakling."

"[Thank you for saying this, Outlander,]" Perfume spoke and addressed herself in their direction, "[But Whale Puke is right, I am too weak to be a true Warrior of the Joketsuzoku.]"

"[At least you admit it,]" Ambergris replied, then added, "[For what little it is worth, I am sorry that I never came back to tell you what had happened, but I didn't think I'd receive a very warm reception, given the way Shampoo and I parted company.]"

"[Are you truly past your anger towards her?]" Perfume asked, "[Or do you harbor thoughts if revenge that you are masking, as you hid your true intentions in the past?]"

"[I spoke truly,]" Ambergris replied, "[I am done with thoughts of revenge, or even anger. I will face Shampoo one day and defeat her in combat to prove myself the better warrior, but I will not seek her life, nor will I seek to return injury for injury. I must look beyond any petty thoughts of the past if I am to become the warrior that I know that I must be if I am to live up to the words of Lotion the Elder.]"

"[And what words are these?]" Perfume asked with a raising of eyebrows.

"[I was cautioned by her not to tell anyone unless I was certain of their motives,]" Ambergris replied, "[But I will tell you, because I owe you this, that I am fated to one day be the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku. I should hope, if that day should ever arise, that I could count on the support of the tribal Enforcer, unless you think I am unsuited to fill the ranks of an elder.]"

"[The Matriarch?]" Perfume said in surprise, "[You?]"

"[Have stranger things not been known to happen?]" Perfume inclined her head and eyed the other girl sidelong with her good profile.

Perfume seemed to contemplate this for a moment, then nodded, "[You would have to work hard at it to become as crafty, underhanded and manipulative as great grandmother, but if you can achieve this, then I will back you.]"

"[Good,]" Ambergris nodded, then sighed, "[I know you distrusted me in the past, and we were never as good friends as I was with Shampoo, but I want you to know that I have always respected you, Perfume, and do not count you as one of my enemies. I hope that by delivering Lotion to your care that I have proven that I am not your enemy, certainly not in the sense that the Matriarch has encouraged you to believe.]"

Ukyo glanced at Lotion, then at Ambergris and said, "One question I want answered...have you two been handfasted, or is it only pleasures that you have exchanged together?"

The blue haired girl colored a bright shade of pink and glanced down modestly, while Ambergris hesitated by a fraction before replying, "There is...no formal agreement between us. We are friends now, nothing more or less."

"Good," Perfume faintly smiled, then added grimly, "Because Shampoo will need to be told of this, and it would be better for all of us if she had less reason to attack you before hearing the full story."

"Agreed," Ambergris said, then turned to look at Ukyo and shifted back to Cantonese, "[You know where Shampoo is presently, don't you, Warrior?]"

"[I sure do, Sugar,]" Ukyo replied, "[Why?]"

"Because we are going to Japan," the pink haired girl said as she shifted back to Japanese, "And we could use a guide and an intermediary to help avert hostilities that might break out at our appearance."

Ukyo nodded and said, "When do we leave?"

"As soon as we obtain permission from the Council," Ambergris replied, glancing back at Perfume before adding, "[I know you are resourceful enough that you could make your way there on your own, but it would be best if we traveled in a group...provided you can abide being with the Matriarch for this journey.]"

Perfume's expression darkened for a moment, but then she shrugged and said, "[Why not? I've seen great grandmother do distasteful things before, why should this mission be any different?]"

"[Good,]" Ambergris nodded before turning back to Ukyo again and adding with a smile, "Besides, I rather like the company we'll be having on the way. Tell me, is it the custom for people in Japan to dress the way you are, because I must say that outfit makes you look...what is that word in your language? Bishonen? Yes, very Bishonen indeed."

"Ah...thanks...I think," Ukyo swallowed, wondering belatedly if this was such a good idea after all. At the very least it was promising to be anything but a dull flight back to Japan with these three in tow. She only hoped that she wasn't bringing in more trouble for Shampoo than the purple haired girl could handle...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Air Joketsuzoku reservations: shadowmane

Confused enough already? Don't worry, it will get more confusing before things settle down in Nerima as Shampoo finally has a long delayed "talk" with both of her Airen...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	50. Chapter 50

NabikiRan49 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Forty Nine.  
(LIME ALERT: Contains Sexual Situations and Gratuitous Descriptions Deemed unsuitable for anyone by the PTA standards of your county Or district. In other words: Fuck Them!)

It felt wonderful to be held within the arms of Kasumi, surpassing the joy Kodachi had yearned to experience in her dreams and idle fancies. The warmth of the other girl'' body pressed up against her own made her wish for the experience to continue indefinitely, the simple joy of contact spreading a different kind of warmth throughout Kodachi's being. She leaned her head against Kasumi's chest and listened to the beating of the other girl's heart, whose rhythm became her own pulsebeat the longer they continued to hold each other in this manner.

So, the Black Rose thought to herself with unusual lucidity, this is what happiness feels like. It was a sensation she could grow accustomed to with very little difficulty. In Kasumi's arms the voices in her mind had fallen silent and all the pain and fears of a lifetime were banished, leaving in their place a sense of belonging...of rightness!

How...very odd, thought Kasumi to herself as she held onto the other girl, feeling the strength in Kodachi's lithe frame matched by the fragility of her soul and fighting spirit. Holding Kodachi made her feel oddly protective, yet not in the same way that she had always felt around her sisters. She had held Nabiki like this many times when they were very little, and still would do this with Akane as her youngest sister's pretence of strength would give way in uncertain moments to the little girl she was behind the fa ade of the tomboy. Those had been maternal moments when Kasumi had been assuming the role of their late, beloved mother. In some ways Kasumi had been forced to be strong in the place of their father as well, but this felt nothing like that. Kodachi needed her, needed her strength in a way that was very different, yet oddly no less satisfying.

It was more than a sense of need, though...it was a wholly different experience from anything that Kasumi could even relate to. Standing there embracing the other girl was calling up feelings into her awareness that she had never felt before, nor could they be easily identified. Kodachi's presence was like a tingling on the edge of her awareness, as if something instinctual within them was slowly coming to life, and for the first time ever Kasumi felt a very odd thrill pass down her spine, bringing with it a strange tingling sensation in her nether regions.

All of her life Kasumi had devoted herself to being a good girl, the kind her mother would approve of. It came so naturally to her, the cooking and cleaning, the keeping of house for a wild and rambunctious family that did not always seem to appreciate the effort it took to keep a place such as this neat and orderly. Yet Kasumi had never deemed it as a sacrifice on her part for she sincerely loved to cook, clean and keep house. It felt right to her, and she did it out of love for her family without thought of compensation. It was a role she was well suited for, and she did it so well that she knew her mother would smile down on her from heaven.

But for the first time in her memory Kasumi felt as if it were not enough to simply be a make-believe housewife. There was something new in her life, something that she wanted for herself, something she now had that had not been there before, and for the first time ever she felt a strong desire that was highly personal in nature. Kodachi had given her the answer, the only question was...did she lack the courage to take it?

On sudden impulse she gently pushed Kodachi away, still holding the confused younger girl in her arms as she tilted the Black Rose's chin so that Kodachi would meet her gaze, then Kasumi softly said, "Kodachi...?"

"Yes?" the Black Rose whispered, not daring to hope that the rest of her wishes were about to find fulfillment.

Kasumi could not put what she wanted into words, so instead she acted, still purely on gut-level instinct, and drew her mouth to Kodachi's. The kiss was very different from the first time, and it was Kodachi's turn to be surprised as the gentle press of lips commenced, then grew hungry and insistent. She hardly dared believe that Kasumi was actually compelling the kiss this time, yet she had no trouble at all in responding, once her initial surprise was done with.

Without words, and by mutual consent, they fell back upon the bed together, still embracing one another as instinct took over and reason was banished. Though Kasumi could not say from where the desire within her had originated, once it held her in its embrace it banished to the nether regions all the carnality and baseness of her brief possession by the Oni, and yet in its place grew a different kind of hunger no less physical, yet oddly spiritual in an intense, raw animalistic exchange between two fully consenting women...

"Kachu-chan?" Tofu glanced at his companion, seeing his new wife (or was that Fianc e?) grow strangely silent with a hand to her breast and a most peculiar expression.

"I am...all right, husband," Kachu said as she recovered her bearings, "I just had the oddest sense of peace come over me just now...as if the raging fires that have tormented me since childhood have grown silent. I've never felt such...contentment as now...I do not understand the feeling...but I like it."

Seeing her smile gave Tofu a very odd sense of contentment, and he smiled as well as he replied, "There's nothing for you to be upset about, and everything is right with the world. Once we talk to you father and mother we can set the date and be properly married, and then...we can talk with Kasumi..." he coughed nervously and felt along the collar of the suit he was wearing in the place of his normal martial arts gi, "At least...I hope you can help me talk to her. You know I've...never been too comfortable with this, but she deserves to hear the truth from both of us."

"You are right, of course," Kachu still smiled, but her smile was tinged with knowing sadness, "I took you from her without even knowing she was my sister, and without knowing that she had desire for you as well. It is the least that I can do to try and make peace between us. I owe my sister that much."

"That makes two of us," Tofu nodded as he glanced back up the walkway to the Tendo house, his arm linked with Kachu's as they made their approach to the front porch in no great hurry.

Kachu's smile deepened as Tofu's hand squeeze hers gently, and in a voice heavy with emotion she said aloud, "I wonder...is this what it feels like to be happy?"

"I sure hope so," Tofu chuckled softly, "Or the real thing will probably kill me."

He was about to knock on the door when it opened of its own accord, and there smiling at him was the very image of Tendo Kimiko-no! Tofu mentally corrected himself-her name was Silk and she was Kachu's mother.

"Son-in-law," she smiled at him warmly, a smile that both deepened and became intensely quizzical as she looked upon her daughter, "Kachu-chan...oh my! Are you blushing, child? You look so radiant!"

Kachu steeled herself to endure the inevitable probing she knew that she was about to receive from the woman who had given her life, thinking to herself that there were some disadvantages that came with having a Lore Master for a parent. Still, in spite of this, she could not stop smiling, a feat that she half-feared would hurt her if she carried it on for too long, the muscles in her face not being quite so accustomed to the exercise. She would have to practice smiling more to train herself in the art, yet somehow that did not seem quite as daunting a challenge as it once might have been. Nonetheless she attempted to sober herself and gave her mother a very polite, "Nihao Mother. My husband and I would like to come in and speak with father, if that is met with your approval."

"Goodness sakes, child, why would I object?" Silk asked rhetorically as she stepped back to admit them, giving Tofu a rakish and approving glance as she thought of what a handsome couple they made, and what lovely grandchildren they were about to give her.

Kachu and Tofu shed their footwear, as was the custom in this land, which the Amazon Devil Hunter thought peculiar in an oddly civilized fashion. She was accustomed to going barefoot over rough terrain and so did not mind at all the feel of the smooth tile floor whose cool embrace felt good after the experiencing warmth of the sidewalk through the thin soles of her slippers.

"Your father is out in the dojo speaking with some guests," Silk revealed, "I suppose you could call it an informal family get-together. I'll go summon him if you wish to wait here."

"Thank you, but no, Mother," Silk replied, "I can find my way to this...dojo?"

"It means school," Tofu explained to his wife's questioning expression, "It's where they teach Martial arts to the students of the Anything Goes tradition."

"Ah, a warrior's hall!" Kachu said brightly, "Then I must see this sacred place at once. You do know the way there, husband?"

"Of course," Tofu said with no small irony, "I've been there many times to treat injuries for the students, particularly your youngest sister, who used to be one of my most frequent patients."

"Well met indeed," Kachu said with eagerness, allowing Tofu to lead the way as he steered the two of them out to the back patio and towards the walk leading to the dojo...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Strange as it is to think of this very strange day, the meeting with Ryoga's mother was far from the capper to events that were to happen. Looking back I should have seen all of the signs pointing to what was about to occur, but I was more than a little confused at all the information that I was still trying to process in my mind, so I suppose I might be excused if I missed the tell-tale clues of Shampoo's growing excitement.

To be fair, I knew she was growing impatient with me, as we both were with Ranma's flagrant inability to express himself in a sexual manner. So pardon me if I didn't have a clue as to what was in Shampoo's devious mind. She normally acts so kittenish that you can almost forget she has a very passionate and aggressive nature.

Okay, so winding up the business about Atsuko being Ryoga's mother, Uncle Genma was trying to piece it all together in his mind, and I could tell he was having difficulty getting the gears of his mind in working order, so I decided a little helpful observation on my part would help grease things nicely.

"You know," I said, "When Aunt Nodoka hears about this she's going to kill you."

"Urk!" my prospective father-in-law blanched, and I could see that he had finally worked it out for himself, which made me smile, though I wasn't really feeling all that humorous at the prospect.

"She won't have to," Ranma growled, "'Cause I'll do it for her!"

"Now calm down, boy!" Uncle Genma pleaded, "I didn't really know about Ryoga being your half brother...I uh...oh my..." he blanched when he realized to what he had just admitted.

"He's my father?" Ryoga asked dubiously, proving that Genma wasn't the only one whose gears were stuck in Neutral.

"That's right," Atsuko said brightly, "I would have told you before, but there was always a danger you'd go looking for him and attract the wrong sort of attention. That's why I wanted Shirokuro to always be with you to steer you out of danger, only when you got lost she got lost looking for you, and I think she wound up getting spotted by my mother."

"A Demoness," Akane said flatly, looking very dubious at the thought that Atsuko might one day be her mother-in-law, though even I have to admit that there was something charming about the scatter-brained half-Oni.

"That's right," Atsuko replied, "Hey, don't look at me like it's my fault! Not all Demons are big and nasty creatures who want to hurt little girls like you. I like to think I'm one of the nice ones, while Mom...ah...let's just say she can a real Witch and leave it at that."

"Saotome?" Daddy asked of his old friend, "Are you acknowledging that Ryoga is your son?"

"Uh...do I have a choice, Tendo?" Uncle Genma swallowed, then added, "Nabiki's right...if Nodoka hears about this, I'm a dead man!"

"You are so right about that, Pop," Ranma glowered.

"Shut up Ranma," Ryoga snapped, "Don't talk like that about our Father!"

"Huh?" my iinazuke blinked, "Excuse me? Since when are you defending him?"

"Since right now," Ryoga challenged, reaching for his umbrella until I cleared my throat and laid a meaningful hand on my nearby water bucket.

"Oh yeah, Porky?" Ranma challenged, "In case you've forgotten, I happen to be your older brother..."

"Actually," Atsuko said, "Ryoga's a few months older than you."

"What?" Ranma blinked again, "But you said...?"

"You may have been conceived first, but I had Ryo-chan first," Atsuko replied, "Time speeds up a bit in Mother's tree, and I spent the first three months there before I found out what she was planning to do with my kid. So in actual terms I had Ryo-chan in about five months, which means he was born first, which makes him your big brother."

"O-kay," I said dubiously, "So Ryoga's a Saotome, and in fact he's the eldest."

"That's right!" Daddy brightened, "Then if he marries my little girl, that will fulfill the vow we made to unite our families, Saotome!"

"You're right, Tendo-kun!" Uncle Genma beamed, "And if it doesn't work out between Ranma and Nabiki..."

"HEY!" I immediately protested, as did Ranma and Akane.

"Wait a second," Akane declared, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"You're right, of course," Daddy replied, "It's not obligatory that you marry Ryoga, but since you both seem to like each other I see nothing wrong with arranging a secondary engagement."

"Just one rice-plucking second here!" Ranma spoke up in outrage, "What do you mean if it doesn't work out between me and Nabiki? Who says it won't?"

"You're joking, right?" snorted Master Happosai, "You can't even look at one of these cuties without fainting. A fine job you did raising him to be like you, Genma, couldn't even instill in your own son a healthy appreciation of women!"

"So speaks the expert on the subject," Lotion pronounced gravely.

"I wasn't talking to you," Happosai turned a level stare at the old woman before adding, "Grand-niece."

"Nonetheless, not-so-revered ancestor," Lotion replied as I arched both of my eyebrows, "You have no right to challenge the boy on his inability to properly articulate his feelings. It is not his fault that Ranma has never learned proper social behavior between the genders. If anything I find him a bit too... provincial for his own good, though Comb here has generously volunteered to bring him up to date on the mysteries of female anatomy."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo smiled brightly, "If Ranma want explore female anatomy, Shampoo volunteer to help. Is okay with you, Ailen?" she coyly added with a sultry look in my direction.

"Ahhh...hah?" I replied, or words to that effect, feeling suddenly very uncomfortable as if the air had gotten warm inside the dojo.

"Learning the mechanics is one thing," the diminutive pervert that was my father's teacher (though how Daddy avoided turning out anything like him is something I ascribe to an act of the Kami), "But from what I've learned in the last two days the boy can't even bring himself to hold hands with one of these cuties. I'll bet he's never even kissed them!"

"Shampoo give Ranma kiss of life," our Amazon girlfriend spoke up, only to arch her tone as she added, "But Ranma never kiss Shampoo back. Perverted Demon Master have point, is big step no yet take with Ailen."

"Then shall we make it into a challenge, then?" Comb brightened up, "If Ranma kisses one of these girls, either my daughter or Kimiko's child, then that will settle the matter and they can proceed without the burden of doubt haunting their marriage."

"Kiss...?" Ranma got very round-eyed and pale as both me and Shampoo turned quizzical looks in his direction. I met his blue-eyed gaze and saw him swallow in a pronounced manner. My own mouth suddenly felt quite dry and I wondered privately if he would have the guts to take up that challenge...and which of us he would kiss first...me or Sham-chan?

Of course, as has become the routine drill around here, just as we were about to put that challenge to the test, fate intervened once again as Doctor Tofu called out from the doorway, "Hello? Mind if we join you people?"

"Doctor Tofu?" Akane's happy expression faded when she saw the woman who was holding arms with Tofu was none other than our long-lost sister, Kachu.

"Come in by all means!" Daddy brightened as he stood up to greet them, "So good to see you again, Doctor...and Kachu...you are looking very well."

"Thank you...father," I noticed a slight hesitation in her voice, and for a moment I wondered if somebody were playing a joke on us and had dressed Kasumi up with Amazon odangos. She was actually smiling and acting extremely shy as she greeted our father, and I could almost swear that she was blushing! No way did she in any part resemble the whirling dervish who had attacked me and Ranma!

But then her expression changed as she glanced at the rest of us, and the face of the madwoman whom I remembered returned with full vengeance. Without warning she stretched out a hand and called her pole arm into existence, crying out, "DEMON!"

"Oh bloody hell," I heard Atsuko grumble as she snatched up her umbrella and prepared to defend herself as my angry big sister came charging in her direction.

Both Ranma and Ryoga leaped to their feet, as did Shampoo while Atsuko began fending off the Devil Hunter's C'hi-Chi as the two began a furious exchange that lasted several seconds and instantly proved the reverse of her fight with Comb. As before, Kachu fought like a possessed madwoman and had the half-Oni on the ropes within three passes. I could hear my Amazon sister begin to chant one of her spells when Ranma, Ryoga and Shampoo finally chose to intervene, throwing themselves into the space between combatants, joined in short order by Akane.

Of course I wanted to contribute my part, but since the only weapon I had on hand was a bucket of cold water I made a snap decision as I scooped it up and ready to use it. After all, I knew how dangerous Kachu was, and I wasn't about to see either Ranma or Shampoo hurt defending either Ryoga or his mother.

In retrospect I know it wasn't such a very good idea, but I was aiming at Atsuko, honestly! I thought if I splashed some cold water on her it would give her the chance to slip away in Fox form, or if I doused cold water on my crazy half-sister it would achieve the same effect, only I wasn't that precise in my aim and I got all six of them in one shot, which isn't as easy to do as you'd think if I had been intending to do that deliberately, and as a consequence five of the six combatants all did their usual shapeshift.

Hey, it did the trick as far as bringing things to a halt, because Kachu stood there half-dripping wet looking down in confusion at four animals and a redhead who stood where people had been a few seconds before this.

"Hold it!" a voice cried with such authority that it took me a moment to realize that the one calling out was Daddy, "Kachu, put down your weapon this instant!"

Kachu wavered, uncertain of herself as she stood her ground with her weapon past the line of animals towards the Fox that she recognized as her quarry, "But...she's a Demon...a Fox-spirit...!"

"Well, yes...technically," Daddy said, "But be that as it may, she is a guest within this house and is entitled to fair treatment..."

"Besides which," Uncle Genma stood up and approached Kachu, doing something so widely out of character that even Ranma blinked his eyes as he gripped the shaft of the C'hi-Chi with one hand and pressed the tip up to his breastbone, "If you want to get to her, you're going to have to go through me. This isn't your usual half-breed Oni we're dealing with her...she's a...friend of mine, and I won't let you hurt her."

The fox uttered a noise that sounded amazed at this totally unexpected gesture, which was joined by a quack, a squeal and a "Mew?" from the rest of the Jusenkyo barnyard critters.

"Genma?" I heard Comb gasp as Kachu wavered even more than before, and when Tofu laid a hand to her shoulder she finally lowered the tip to the floor, glancing at the Doctor before bowing her head in resignation.

"I...apologize," she said, sounding as if the word was not one with which she was too familiar, "I did not know that she was a guest. My senses perceived the presence of a Demon and I...reacted according to my training."

"Understandable," Elder Lotion replied, "Don't let it happen again."

"Yes, Elder," Kachu replied, and somehow banished her C'hi-Chi.

"Pop?" Ranma-chan was looking at her father as if suspecting that Genma was the one who had just been taken over by an Oni.

The pig made a sound that shared unusual the same tone that Ranma used and no doubt was the porcine equivalent to "Father?"

"It's all right, Boy..." Genma paused a moment then added, "Boys. I knew what I was doing, and I wasn't going to let her hurt your mother...Ryoga."

The pig just squealed softly while I caught Akane giving him a duck-like expression.

"That was a very brave thing you did, Saotome," Daddy said almost proudly, "And also extremely foolish."

"I know, Tendo-kun," Genma nodded, "And if I ever do anything like this again...talk me out of it!"

I saw his knees sag as the old Genma that we were all familiar with resumed his place and the one who had stood there briefly took a powder. I had mixed feelings about that, but in a way it was almost comforting to have the old Genma back. That new one had been like a stranger, and while he was more appealing as a prospective father-in-law, it would have taken some getting used to.

"Now that we have that settled," Happosai sniffed, "How about asking the happy couple if they're going to make a big announcement."

"Uncle," Lotion said in a chiding tone of voice.

"As a matter of fact," Tofu spoke up, "That's exactly why we came looking for you, sir. I know Amazon rules make this somewhat academic, but I wondered if I could...ah...have the...uh...that is," he coughed and then blurted out, "Iwantyourpermissiontomarryyourdaughter."

"What?" Soun asked when Silk walked up and whispered something in his ear that was probably a slowed-down translation, for Daddy's eyes got wide and the tears started forming in his eyes, threatening another dam-burst, "Why...that's wonderful news! Of course I accept...if this is what you want for yourself...daughter?"

"Father," Kachu spoke the word more easily this time, clutching Tofu's arm as if seeking his support to find strength to say, "It would give me the greatest happiness to call this man my husband in your language. He already is my husband in all the other ways that matter, but I want this to be respected in your country as well as my homeland."

"Then you have my blessings," Daddy said as he took both Tofu and Kachu into his arms and hugged them tightly, causing them to look awkward as I saw their faces over Daddy's shoulders.

"Looks like three out of four of your daughters are getting married, Tendo," Uncle Genma said, "I almost envy you, though both of my boys are now engaged to two of your daughters."

Akane made a quacking noise that I suspect meant something like, "I didn't agree that I was going to go along with this! Ryoga hasn't even proposed yet!" because it earned a puzzled look from the pig that bordered on shock and amazement.

"Ah..." Kachu seemed to take notice of the animals again and seemed to be asking the question with her eyes, to which I helpfully supplied the name of Jusenkyo, which caused her to say, "Oh," as if that was all the required explanation that would be needed.

"Well, now that that's settled," Silk remarked, "I've got some boiled water in the house that I can fetch for those of you who need it. Have you two decided on a date yet?"

"Not yet," Tofu admitted, "We were also hoping, maybe, that we could talk with Kasumi. We'd like her to know about our decision."

"Kasumi?" Daddy looked puzzled.

"A long story, Daddy," I said, taking pity on my father, "Kasumi's in the house...at least I think she was..."

"I...ah...checked in on her a few moments ago," Silk informed us in what I thought was a suspiciously hasty manner, "She's all right, but she doesn't want to be disturbed right now. If you two wouldn't mind waiting for a bit I can go inform her that you'd like to talk with her..."

"Maybe I should do that," Daddy said, taking a step forward, only to find Silk had somehow contrived to be in his path no matter which way he turned.

"That...wouldn't be too good an idea just now," Silk replied, "She's feeling...not altogether like herself at the moment. In fact, she may be experiencing...ah...well, how should I put this...?"

"Silk?" Comb frowned, giving her friend a suspicious look that was the equal to my own thoughts.

"Of course," Lotion surprised us all by saying, "It must be her time. It would not be prudent to disturb her just yet, Tendo-san. You daughter is all right...and she will be feeling even better in a bit. Give her time and she will be down of her own accord...eventually."

"Huh?" I asked, wondering what I was missing here, and why this had the suspicious appearance of a conspiracy of silence.

"You see?" Silk replied, "Grandmother agrees with me. Now, if you'd be so kind as to come with me, Soun-chan, I could use your help in the kitchen..."

"But I..." Daddy weakly protested as he was led by the arm out of the dojo.

"Mother seems to be getting along well with father," I heard Kachu say before turning a questioning look at me, "Does this not meet with your approval, sister?"

"Who...me?" I asked, "Well..."

"You ask me, it's about bloody time!" Happosai snorted, "If it were left to him that Soun would be in mourning forever, and that's no way to honor Kimiko's memory! If she were here she'd kick him right into the koi pond and tell him to get on with his life."

"For once we are in complete agreement on that score," Lotion remarked, adding the word, "Uncle."

I leaned closer to her and said, "He's not really your Uncle, is he?"

"In a manner of speaking," the old woman replied, turning to me as she said, "But you should learn not to let yourself be so easily distracted. You had an important issue to resolve, and there's been enough fateful interruptions for one day. Pray continue where you left off..." she waved her staff in the air and called forth a kettle of tea, which she passed along to Ranma, who wasted no time dousing himself with the contents.

"Mew?" Shampoo asked, but when Ranma tried to share some of the water he found the pot was empty, which produced sullen glares for three other Jusenkyo-cursed creatures.

"Ah...sorry guys" Ranma said, running his fingers through the hairs at his name in a way that unconsciously mimicked Ryoga, "Guess you'll have to depend on the hot water in the kitchen."

"I meant the pot specifically for you for a reason," Lotion informed us, "You have a decision to make, young man, and if you want to continue to court my apprentice you must put aside your fears and doubt and do that which is manly."

"Manly?" Ranma blinked, "Hey, I'm man enough!"

"Oh?" the old woman scoffed, "Prove it. Come along, everyone...and that includes you, too, Uncle."

"Ah, but I want to watch this!" Happosai protested, only to shy away from the glare he next received from the old woman.

"You too, great granddaughter," Lotion said as she herded the Jusenkyo beasts out of the dojo.

"Yes Elder," Kachu agreed, taking Tofu in hand and steering him back out into the yard.

Ranma and I suddenly found ourselves standing alone in the now-empty dojo, with clothing and discarded umbrellas littered about the floor in such a way that I could almost anticipate Kasumi's quiet disapproval. We stood facing each other that way for another full minute before Ranma swallowed and said, "Ah...I guess they want me to...um...ah..."

"Yeah," I felt myself suddenly grow unexpectedly shy and hesitant as we both looked at the floor for another full moment, then I looked up again and said, "Well? Are you gonna do it?"

"Do...what?" He asked, and I'd swear his voice squeaked a full two octaves above his normal pitch, making him almost sound like his female aspect.

"You know..." I hesitated again then forced the word out of my mouth, "Kiss me."

"Huh?" he squeaked again, now even tighter than ever.

"What's the matter," I asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as we both struggled to reach a mutual accommodation, "You too scared to kiss me? I am your iinazuke..."

"I know that!" Ranma almost snapped, then in gentler tones he added, "I just...I...I wanna...I mean...I do want to..."

"You do want to what?" I challenged, then added with more force, "I knew you didn't have the guts for it, Saotome."

"What?" he said in outrage, "Why you...now you've gone and done it! I'll show you!"

"Talk is cheap," I said, hoping I was pushing the right buttons with his fiercely competitive nature. He took two steps forward to close the distance between us, then reached out with a finger and touched me on my breastbone.

All at once I started tumbling backward, but he caught me in a swoon and held me above the floor while he leaned over me and said, "Okay...now I'm gonna do it, you hear...and it's not just because you challenge me...all right?"

"All right," I murmured, looking at him with very round eyes and wondering if I had pushed him too far, but once again I saw the old hesitation.

"Okay," he said again, "This time I mean it, so don't go acting surprised or nothin', and don't complain because you told me to do it..."

"So...what's holding you back?" I asked, finding my position in his arms to be both alarming and exciting, the sense of his raw animal magnetism easily making me forget that he was sopping wet from his double-dousing.

"Don't rush me," he sounded just a tad shy of a panic attack, "I'm...I'm just getting myself ready, okay..." and suddenly he leaned in, bringing his face to within a few centimeters of my own, his eyes suddenly filling the whole of my world as everything else faded into the background, leaving only the two of us at the center of all existence.

We held that pose for the longest time, but in the end I thought he was going to chicken out on me at the last, when all at once he gave a start and his face moved forward. Out mouths made contact almost by accident, and then we held that pose through mutual shock and utter amazement. For one brief instant nothing moved, and even our hearts seemed to have stopped beating.

Then they started beating again, only stronger and louder than before, and with out lips still pressed together as Ranma's tension melted away, as did mine, and we started kissing in genuine earnest. It was our first real kiss, and just thinking about it now makes my head swoon (though more was to follow...a lot more than I'm going to say right here! Any Hentais wanting the details had better be willing to pay up front because I'm locking my notes with a triple-  
guarded password!

All I will say is that Ranma is a very nice kisser, once you get him started, and he definitely improved his technique with further practice! We probably stayed in the dojo for a good solid hour just holding each other and carrying on that way, two crazy kids who were discovering what love can really be all about, even if we chose by mutual consent to save the best parts for when we were in my room much later...for which we both have a certain winged pussy to thank, bless her furry hide for intervening...

Shampoo smiled a cat-grin in satisfaction as she watched her Airen exchanging kisses with such wild abandon. It has not been easy sneaking up on her husband in this way, but as a cat she had certain advantages, and he was distracted by their wife's beauty, giving her the chance to intervene when she had seized the right moment.

Seeing the two of them embrace while yet holding back from commitment had been the last straw in her mind's eye, but she knew all that her husband needed was a little incentive to break the deadlock, which she had been all too happy to apply, she thought smugly while examining her cat-claws. One swipe at her husband's rear had been all that was needed to provide sufficient motivation, and then the kiss had been automatic, meaning the first hurdle between them had finally be surmounted.

But it was not enough in her opinion. Now that she had gotten them to open up about their feelings, she would have to steer them to the next level of mutual fulfillment, a moment she had long anticipated with the eagerness of any self-  
respecting predatory creature. It would not be easy to take them both to the next level, but a plan was already hatching in her crafty mind to get he wife alone so that she could start the ball rolling in the right direction. Once she had obtained Nabiki's full consent, she had no doubt at all that their husband would soon follow.

Swishing her tail as she folded her wings and giving her two beloveds a satisfied cat-smirk, she sauntered out of the dojo in search of some hot water, her thoughts already aflame with anticipation of her forthcoming conquest. The future was looking bright for her already, and when the last impediment to her marriage was removed then true happiness would finally be hers for the taking...

"So, how'd it go?" Ukyo asked as she saw Cologne's grim-faced expression. The Matriarch had just left the council chamber and was looking none-too-happy, though she tried to conceal it with her usual air of aloofness.

"It went...about as I'd expected," the old woman replied, "Be Dea was unusually generous in her recommendations. It makes me wonder what she is up to. At the very least she has taken advantage of circumstances to increase her influence over the rest of the council."

"And that's bad?" Ukyo surprised.

"One of many old sayings we have," Cologne explained, "Is that when your enemy is gracious, then you should be very worried. At any rate it has no bearing on our own business. I take it you are ready to return to Japan?"

"Ah...yeah," Ukyo glanced to one side, "And so are they."

Cologne seemed to acknowledge the presence of the others for the first time and said, "Indeed? All three of you? This is not entirely unexpected, but...do you realize what your presence might mean to Shampoo and her marriage?"

"I know it will be awkward, Elder," Lo Xion the younger replied, "But I have to see Shampoo to reassure her that I'm all right. I can't bear the thought that she thinks I'm dead, and besides...I have a right to be there, to wish her well in her marriage."

"And what is your part in this?" Cologne's gaze was almost a challenge at the pink haired warrior beside the blue-haired healer.

"Where she goes, I will follow and be her protector," Ambergris replied, indicating the brown haired Enforcer as she added, "And I think that holds true for Perfume here."

"Great granddaughter?" Cologne's tone was more like a hesitant question.

Perfume's expression gave nothing back, but there was clear anger and disapproval in her gaze as she replied, "I will go with you, Elder. Shampoo is my cousin."

Cologne heaved a great sigh and said, "Let it be as you wish it. The bus arrives in another hour. I trust you all have packed such things as you will need on our way to the airport?"

"I got what we came here for," Ukyo fingered her backpack.

"Then it is settled," Cologne glared back over her shoulder at the large stone house that served as a Council chamber, "Let us be away from this place. It feels less like home these days, and I feel almost a stranger among my own people."

"Don't be too hard on them, Matriarch," Ambergris noted, "They are living in the past. You and I have seen the real world as it is beyond our borders. Be Dea will make such plans as she thinks are best, but in the end it will not change the future."

"And you are that future?" Cologne asked with deep suspicion.

"In a manner of speaking," Ambergris replied, "For better or worse, with our without your approval, and as the fates rule, I will be the future for our people."

"So you say," Cologne sniffed, then picked up her pace and grumbled sourly, "Let us be on our way, then. The future notwithstanding, I'm not getting any younger..."

Comments/Criticism/Consummation of the act: shadowmane

For those of you who want to see the Hentai version, be at peace, I will make it available in short order. Meanwhile (in the PG-rated rated half of this adventure) it's another bright school day dawning for the kids of Nerima, and what will life be like for Nabiki and Ranma now that they're carried their relationship a step beyond mere kissing? Next time we see Ukyo's fateful return to Japan, coupled with more Amazon troubles, and Akane makes a discovery that leaves her feeling...less than Ducky. Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	51. Chapter 51

NabRanSham: A Tale of Two Pussies (give or take a Tom-cat)

(A Hentai Fanfic)

Based on the events chronicled in:

A TALE OF TWO WALLETS!

(Taking place between the events of Chapter 49 &amp; 50)

By

Jim Robert Bader

(Characters by Rumiko Takahashi, the rest is pure Invention)

(LEMON ALERT: Contains Sexual Situations and Gratuitous Descriptions deemed unsuitable for anyone by the PTA or Community Standards of your county or district. In other words: Fuck Them!)

From the Private Journal of Tendo Nabiki:

"Can't we talk this over?" I asked nervously as I eyed my predatory companion.

"What need talk?" replied Shampoo as she finished securing the leather strap that held my left leg firmly secured to one of my bedposts. My right leg was similarly restrained, keeping both of my legs firmly stretched wide apart, which was similar to the condition of my arms as I struggled in futility against my bonds, knowing full well that Shampoo had me at a definitely disadvantage.

My Amazon iinazuke had surprised me only a few minutes ago by waiting in ambush in my room, so that when I went upstairs to change out of my sweaty clothes and into something more suitable for enjoying dinner with my family, I instead found strong arms wrapping around me and hauling me over to the bed, as Shampoo kicked the door closed and proceeded to strip me of my practice gi and undergarments.

In case you are wondering if I put up a struggle at being manhandled...uh...woman handled? Let me put it to you this way: the chances of me standing up to Shampoo with my meager combat skills is about the same chance of a bicycle standing in the path of a speeding bullet train. In other words, are you kidding?

Submitting to Shampoo's rude treatment was one thing, but I was feeling enormously awkward at being held spread eagle on my own bed due to my Amazon bride's odd notions about courtship. To say the least I did make verbal protest as I demanded to know what she was doing, only to be informed by her that she was doing exactly what she believed was necessary to help me overcome what she deemed as a formidable obstacle to consummating our marriage.

In other words, she was about to help me get past my mental hurdle, and hence the reason for these rude ministrations.

"Ah..." I tried to think of something to say to stave off what I knew to be inevitable, using the one lever I thought I still had in this odd situation, "Because Ranma wouldn't like it you do this?"

"He get next crack after Shampoo get finished," Shampoo said as she straightened up, grinning like a Cheshire Cat as she added, "But Shampoo get first crack at crack of Sneaky Girl. You no complain when Shampoo get finished, Airen!

"..." I said, and not just because I was stunned at Shampoo's crude pun. For once my mind was locked in neutral, leaving me utterly unable to conceive of a suitable rejoinder.

"Sneaky Girl no worm way out of this with tongue," Shampoo remarked as she brought something up to my mouth, prying my lips apart in order to fill it. I can't tell you how much of a shock it was to discover that Shampoo had somehow obtained the possession of a cock-shaped ball-gag. The Amazon tied it firmly in place, leaving me with no means to utter further protest as Shampoo drew back with a smile and said, "Now you just right for Shampoo fun. You have it coming after stunt you pull, Nabiki, and even you say you owe Shampoo return favor."

I think I rather visibly winced at that. Surely Shampoo wasn't still holding me responsible for the way things had turned out in the dojo? It had been a crazy day overall, but I thought it was perfectly understandable how I had splashed Shampoo and triggered her cat-curse under the circumstances! I had been surprised to hear Shampoo later accusing me of doing it deliberately in order to get myself alone with Ranma...as if I'd really been planning to make out with our iinazuke behind her back! These Amazons took everything so personal-like, but it wasn't like I was planning to exclude her from the action, and nobody had gotten hurt as a consequence of my actions...

Well...nobody important...but that's Uncle Genma's business what he does with his collection of girlfriends.

As for me owing Shampoo a favor...well, the Amazon did have me dead to rights there, what with that business in the restaurant turning out the way it had, but there was a difference between owing one's "wife" a debt of honor...and Shampoo collecting on the marker in just this sort of manner...

"And now, Airen," Shampoo said dramatically as she unbuttoned her Chinese shirt and let it fall to the floor, then slid her silk pants off of her hips and kicked them both to the side, standing revealed before me in all her naked glory.

I think my eyes got very wide as I took in the sight of my tormentor. Shampoo has an absolutely perfect body, well formed and extremely well-toned with just the right proportion of muscle to body fat, and generous breasts that would make any man drool with desire or any woman do so with envy...or-in my case-both.

Not that I have much to complain about, of course, having an excellent body myself that I'm fairly proud of and have worked hard to keep fairly trim and limber through training, exercise and diet. My breasts aren't as large as Shampoo's, but they are excellently well formed and very firm with the benefits of youth. My narrow waist and long legs are two of my best features by my own reckoning, which I think makes me an extremely attractive prize that any man might covet (or at least any guy who doesn't know me by reputation).

The fact that it was another girl who was eyeing me covetously at that moment did not unduly upset me, but in my vulnerable state left it left me wincing and struggling against my bonds all the more, hoping against hope to find some slack with which to escape my present situation.

"Perhaps, Ailen, you want know why Shampoo make you do this?" she asked with a leer, "Shampoo very patient, she give Nabiki time, as Ailen ask her to wait, but Shampoo tired of waiting for Nabiki to make up mind about accepting marriage. You very stubborn girl, make Shampoo wait, and now you think you keep Ranma to self by make out behind back of Ailen?"

Make out? I looked at Shampoo as if I thought she was crazy. All I did with Ranma in the dojo was just kiss, a very nice kiss that had a little fondling and groping on the side, but it wasn't like we screwed each others brains out! Granted a kiss for us is a big step in the right direction, but I still though it would be a long time before I could persuade him to go the next step of the way in a more sexually explicit direction.

Silly me, underestimating the persuasive powers of my Amazon bride like that, but how was I to know that what she was about to do to me was only the first step in her diabolical plan of seduction? Shampoo had plotted the whole thing out in that crafty cat-brain of hers while Ranma and me were still working up the nerve for the kiss, and she was about to hatch things out with me being the appetizer for the main course, which of course at the time I was not yet suspecting.

I could not help glancing down at the mound that covered the loins of this girl who was about to have her way with me, confirming for once again in my mind that Shampoo's odd hair color was indeed natural there as well. There was something disturbing about the way that the pink slit was showing from beneath this silken bush, matching the flush state of her regal complexion as Shampoo seemed to be savoring the moment, drinking in the helplessness of me, her intended victim.

Hey, I've known for some time now that I'm bisexual, that I'm attracted to both genders and have been known to occasionally "look" at another girl in a way that was more than casual. Most girls tend to compare their looks against other girls as if we're all competing on the same cattle call with the boys as our interested "buyers." I never did much get into the cattiness that some girls think is typical behavior for our gender...I never saw much point in considering other girls as my rivals, always figuring that a boy would either notice me or I could very well do without him.

But this was very different, and not just because Shampoo had at one time been my primary rival for Ranma. The fact that she had resolved to adopt me as her wife as means of resolving our conflicting obligations towards Ranma meant that she had started to eye me as a prospective bed-mate, and she had made no secret at all of her interest with repeated attempts to seduce me. I didn't mind that she was interested-heck, what self-honest person would refuse the attentions of a girl like her?-but the way she could come on strong sometimes could be pretty daunting. I wasn't used to someone being so forward with me, and with the "Take Prisoners" look the Amazon was giving me right then I was suddenly feeling very much like a potential rape victim.

In retrospect I can appreciate the dramatic pause as she waited to confirm that she had my full, undivided attention. Then Shampoo raised the glass of water that she had set down upon a chair, continuing to smile as her crimson eyes made contact with my own before she upending the glass over her head triggering her Cat-curse.

One moment later her beautiful form collapsed into that of her winged neko body, giving one brief flap of her wings as she slinked forward on all fours until she was below an angle at where I could actually see her from my position. I grunted into my gag, her panic rising in me when I realized that I no longer knew where Shampoo was, but my confusion was only momentary as suddenly the cat pounced onto the bed in the space formed by the "V" of my legs and made a noise that sounded eager and quite famished. My eyes were as round as silver dollars as I saw the cat pad up to my loins, then without warning she pounced onto my chest, landing with all fours on my poor, smooth, silky-yet-unprotected tummy.

I gasped through my nose and stared in alarm as Shampoo flexed her claws once against my skin, lightly pricking me without actually penetrating my thin hide. The reddish-brown eyes of the cursed beast were glittering with amusement at my reaction, and with hunger as she contemplated my anguished expression, then very lightly she cat moved over my chest to snuggle up and rub herself against my right breast, circling it once before playfully batting the nipple with one of her paws. This had the effect of causing my tit to stiffen to full erection, and I gasped again, feeling a sudden heat rise up from my loins, which is exactly what Shampoo had no doubt anticipated!

I continued to watch and groan Shampoo slid her muzzle up across my skin until she could flick the tip of that tongue out and scrape against that nipple, which sent a shock down my spine that felt like electricity, jolting me with unexpected pleasure! Emboldened at receiving such a welcome response, Shampoo brought her teeth up and lightly nipped the nipple, feeling it harden beneath her teeth before she release it and brought her tongue into play again. I writhed on the bed and felt my skin grow flushed while my body spasmed with the intense eroticism that Shampoo was causing. She nipped me again, this time employing more force as if to tug on my nipple with her teeth, causing my whole breast to turn rock hard with erection while I squirmed and moaned into the ball-gag.

Shampoo repeated the process across my other breast and nipple until both were like hard water balloons, swelling to full size at this erotic use of Sham-  
chan's Neko assets. Shampoo clearly delighted in using her tiny body to elicit more grunts and groans of pain, reveling in my helplessness as I struggled to no avail against this treatment.

Finally the Amazon cat grew emboldened by her sport to leave off tormenting my breasts-and with me almost feeling as if I were on the verge of lactation! Instead Sham-chan slid down the length of my body, being sure to maximize every inch of fur-to-flesh contact as she moved down south to my nether regions, no doubt drawn instinctively by the scent of cream to the very place she had wanted to be from the beginning of my seduction.

I lay back and gasped with renewed alarm as the Amazon bent her tiny head down and used it to explore along the outer ridge of my labia, first using her nose to explore around the edges, then employing her tongue to add further incentive. I think she grew even more excited and delighted when she caused my pink petals to slowly unfolded, affording her even greater access to my most sensitive nerve endings. In next to no time at all Shampoo discovered my clitoris and began to lightly rasp it with her tongue, which had the result of making me buck, moan and clench with unexpected intensity, my mind suddenly filled with unbelievable anticipation!

Using that uncanny tongue of hers Shampoo brought her muzzle over the moist wet opening of my love tunnel and stuck her tongue in all the way, sliding it against the inner wall, which finally put me so far over the edge that I must have surprised Shampoo with a royal Cum Gusher!

"Meow!" Shampoo reacted in surprise as a clear milky substance shot out from me and splashed over her face, spurting with the force of an erupting geyser, but in no time at all she recovered from her surprise and began to rasp her tongue over the opening as she hungrily drank this love-juice down, probing me until I had spent myself in the intense orgasm, which was followed by an after-shock induced in no small part by her continued tongue-lashing.

I gasped and lay back in shock at how good it had felt to experience climax, the first one I had ever had that did not require self-stimulation. I was simply amazed at how good it had felt to have Shampoo lick me to orgasm, a feeling actually intensified by my state of helplessness as it had allowed me to let go while my body did all the work and let my mind reap the benefits of one mother of an earth-shaking climax.

Shampoo began to clean off her face as if not wanting to miss a single drop of the highly erotic substance, taking her sweet time while I slowly descended from the high point of arousal. It was just a brief respite, however, as Shampoo resolved to renew her assault on me now that my guard was down and I was nearly asleep with exhaustion. The day's events had been pretty draining on me so far, but I perked up soon enough as Shampoo began to stimulate me into renewed awareness as I began to experience my second climax, which this time felt more like the crashing of an ocean!

We might have continued like that for a while, but Shampoo was not done having her way with me just yet-not by a long shot! having merely gotten me warmed up, she began giving me her very special treatment. Using her paws to press against the sensitive nerves along my inner thighs, she flexed her claws and ever-so-  
lightly scraped them across the skin, causing me to lurch to full alertness. Then Shampoo desisted and instead began to rub her furry body up and down my trembling thighs, moving back and forth in growing excitement as the sheer delight of what she was doing drove her to greater heights of arousal.

At last she could put it off no longer and leaped off of the bed, heading for a bucket that she had made ready for this occasion. She jumped into the hot water without hesitation and a moment later burst forth in all her full glory, turning around and giving me a look that clearly showed just who was planning to eat the canary, and three guesses at who's the canary?

Shampoo sauntered towards the bed with easy, confident strides, a great cat in human shape who was stalking her prey (meaning me), who was watching her moves with the aspect very much like a fawn in the headlights. There was no question here that I was the prey being stalked here, and as in any situation where the hunter is at a clear advantage over his prize I had a clear sense that I was about to be devoured like a blue plate special!

"Sneaky girl very tasty," Shampoo purred as she bent down and straddled me on the bed, positioning her body so that she hovered just over my body with her pendulous breasts hanging down, the nipples pointing at my chest one moment before she slowly bent down and pressed her body against me.

I groaned and closed her eyes as I felt the warmth of Shampoo's stiffening nipples slowly rasp against my own already sensitive tits, igniting a fire in my bosoms that turned them hard and firm again, my loins reacting as electricity went up and down my spine. Shampoo nuzzled my cheek as I smelled the arousing perfume of her body fill my nostrils, and then she kissed me with great ardor, She bent down to kiss the hollow of my shoulder, and from there on it was an easy, lazy glide down to my right breast, which Shampoo cupped and fondled with great affection before placing her now-human lips around the edges of the nipple and lightly flicking her tongue against the nub. This earned another groan from me, her nominal victim, which further emboldened Shampoo to take things on to the level.

This time she more than kissed the nipple, she formed suction around the pink areolas then suckled on the tender meat, causing even more tremulous sensations in me, her helpless love-mate. I could only groan and tense on my bonds as Shampoo cupped and sucked on my nipple, playing with it as if trying to draw sustenance in the form of mother's milk. I would gladly have complied at that point if I was able, but instead I felt another kind of milking was needed farther below as my abused loins were starting to lubricate once again. I twisted and writhed under the torment of my Amazon bed-partner then gasped as Shampoo's hand slid across my tummy and found its way between my loins, stroking and fondling me there without bringing me all the way over the edge from arousal to full climax.

Shampoo did not desist in her assault upon my mammary glands, instead she turned that assault over to my left bosom and began the process all over. Somehow by clever manipulation of nerve endings she was able to finger-  
stimulate my loins in such a way as to increase pleasurable sensations without permitting me the release I so desperately wanted. Shampoo was relentless in driving me to greater and greater levels of torment. At the point where I thought that I could endure no more Shampoo desisted in her efforts at milking me and instead began to slide down my sweat-slicked body like a slippery wet seal, her own body slick with perspiration and arousal as she found her way down between the my thighs, her mouth never missing an inch of the terrain before she finally arrived at the point of determination.

By this point I could do no more than gasp, could only breath deep breathes through my nostrils and was not even permitted the luxury of begging for mercy. Instead I waited with inevitable fatality before Shampoo at last could grace me with tiny kisses around the area of my loins, deliberately avoiding the pelvis until the last conceivable moment, then moving in for the kill, bringing her mouth up to the top of the slit and moving down along the edges. My pink petals-already spread wide with full blown arousal-felt the tip of that tongue slide in and spear me, pushing into my moist depths with far greater depth and efficiency than any cat's tongue. She probed as deep as she could go and swirled the tongue inside my labia, then found the nerves she craved that caused me to shudder like I was experiencing an earthquake!

My release was explosive and in a moment Shampoo had another mouthful of sweet, syrupy cum to drink down, and drink she did like the hungry beast of prey that she was. She must have lapped up every drop of juice that I could offer, because when she was done I felt wrenched like a sponge, and only then did she finally desist.

Withdrawing the tongue from my now hypersensitive skin with an effect not unlike sandpaper, Shampoo sat up while I gasped a final time, then fall back with a shudder of relief, sensing that this point of my torment was-at least for the moment-finally over.

But for Shampoo this was just the beginning. The drink of the cum she had tasted must have had an effect like the most powerful aphrodisiac ever conceived. She had to experience more, had to find release of her own, but there was no way to do it so long as I was gagged, so she moved up my body and undid the fasteners to the ball-gag.

I coughed at my release and had to swallow to clear my mouth, then I took several deep breaths to fill my lungs with air while Shampoo used the respite to say, "You return favor now, give Shampoo what she want or you get worse next time. You understand Shampoo, Nabiki-chan?"

"H-h-hai," I gasped in a ragged voice, then my gasp was redoubled as Shampoo bent down and once again kissed me on the mouth, a kiss that once more carried the flavor of cum juices. My eyes widened for a moment, but once you've had that taste on your tongue there is no going back, and I realized that I loved my own flavor. More to the point, I wanted to taste Shampoo's cum, to taste Shampoo herself, to know what she tasted like and to no longer just as a helpless participant, a writhing victim of another girl's lust but rather be a full blown partner in this mutual seduction.

So it was that I watched with anticipation as Shampoo moved her naked body around until her purple loins were positioned directly over my mouth, then she slowly lowered her pelvis down to where I could reach her. I understood the principle of what she was asking me to do, so without further need of explanation I stuck out my tongue to lick Sham-chan's already widening labia. Using that tongue like a finger to probe her I separated the lips of her pussy and sought out Shampoo's clitoris, flicking my tongue against it in an attempt at imitating what she had done to my own sensitive nub.

The Amazon sighed, finally obtaining the release that she had been no doubt been seeking, though I was in no hurry to make quick work of my tormentor. Instead I took my sweet time giving tongue to moist depths that were lubricating with a delightful flavor and encouraging me to go deeper and deeper in this erotic exercise, fulfilling my own long-suppressed desires by giving free vent to this most amorous exploration...

Unbeknownst to them both Ranma was just then passing by Nabiki's room, heading for his own after taking a good hot bath to restore his manhood. His mind was still on the kiss that he and Nabiki had shared, and the mild groping that they'd both indulged in, which had felt good in a way that had utterly surprised him. It might have gone further if he had not called a halt to things about the phase when Nabiki had attempted to undress him.

It wasn't that he minded it, per se, it was just that everything had happened so fast from the moment that she had kissed him. That kiss had been the sweetest thing that Ranma had ever known until now, and he wanted to savor it a bit, maybe get in more practice with her on other occasions, before trying his luck with anything that should have more properly been saved for after they were married.

Married. The thought alone stunned him into a daze, wondering just how he had gone from enjoying the single life to actually contemplating having a wife who was a year older than himself, yet who had become very much the center of his whole existence. From the moment they had first met he had been unable to stop thinking about her, that quirky smile of hers, the elfin features that gave her such a look of mischief, and the way she could continually off-balance him with a word or gesture. She could intimidate him so easily with her subtle humor and cool sophistication that the thought of actually approaching her in a sexual way was actually more terrifying than any fight he had ever been in, and yet Oh-So-  
appealing!

Oh sure, there was also Shampoo to consider, and that was an entirely different kettle of potential problems as the Amazon was sexually more aggressive than both Ranma and Nabiki combined, but Shampoo seemed accommodating enough and was actually pretty easy to talk to, if you overlooked her lack of fluency in the Japanese language (and Ranma had to privately admit that there was something almost appealing in Shampoo's kawaii manner of speaking). The problem for Ranma was figuring out exactly how he was supposed to balance himself between the two women, and this was even taking into consideration that many guys would kill to be faced with such choices.

Yeah, right! Ranma sniffed to himself, thinking of his friends at school, Hiroshi and Daisuke, who had trouble even lining up dates and voice the frequent complaint that Ranma did not know how good he had it. Like either one of them would be any better at handling this problem than he was, but at least Ranma could console himself with the fact that he only had two girls that he was committed too. That engagement to Ukyo had been...weird, to say the least, but she seemed willing enough to call the whole thing off, so at least he was spared having a third such girlfriend to complicate his existence.

That, of course, still left that unresolved matter of Kuno Kodachi, but she had been strangely less of a concern for him of late, leaving Ranma to dare the hope that the Black Rose was looking elsewhere for a suitor. At least she had seemed reasonable enough on that date they had shared a month ago, not half so wild and demented as when he had sparred against her in that gymnastics competition. In fact, she had looked very attractive during their date itself, which almost made it a pity...

Stop that, he severely chided himself. You don't need that kinda trouble, man! Just stick to the two girls you have and try to forget all about Kuno...

"Oh...Kodachi!"

Ranma stopped in his tracks, blinked his eyes twice and thought for a minute that he must be hallucinating. The business with the kiss and the discovery that he and Ryoga were brothers must have unsettled him worse than he thought, because he almost would have sworn that voice sounded just like...

"Kasumi-sama..."

Very slowly Ranma turned around and glanced at the door that bore Kasumi's name in carved letters on a wood placard. He listened faintly and could just barely hear the soft noises emanating from within that bedroom, giving him the distinct impression of two people doing something that sounded rather intense and physical, though his mind utterly balked at formulating a mental picture to go with the gasps, grunts and groaning.

He shook his head, not wanting to pry and even less to know about what was going on in there. He would have said it was none of his business, but he did wonder if Nabiki had any idea that Kodachi was in there with her sister. He resolved to talk with her about it, not wanting to be guilty of withholding any information from her as she had withheld the truth about Ukyo from him, and they both had hid the truth about Ryoga from Akane. Too much withholding was only causing needless trouble, and there was one thing they did not need around the Tendo house it was more trouble!

Nabiki's room was right next to Kasumi's, so it wasn't a hard task to approach her, and since his mind was on the very vigorous sounds coming from Kasumi's room, he might be forgiven for not immediately hearing the equally strange sounds coming from Nabiki's room until he lightly tapped on the door and had a sense that something was wrong...or at the very least very strange going on in there as well. The sounds halted abruptly, then a few seconds later the door swung open and there was Shampoo standing before him with a very curious expression.

"Ailen?" she beamed brightly, grinning like a cat and as naked as the proverbial blue jay.

"What the heck?" he reacted with a start, looking past the Amazon to see an equally naked Nabiki laying face up on her bed. He was so shocked by this that he did not even react in time as Shampoo's hand reached out to grip him by his shirt, and then before he knew it she was hauling him into the room while Ranma flailed his arms and sought to maintain his balance.

"Ailen, you come join Shampoo and Nabiki?" the Amazon cried in delight as she hugged Ranma to her breasts, his face buried in between the soft cushion of her natural pillows, all but smothering him as he filled his nostrils with the powerful aroma of the Amazon's sex-slicked body.

Ranma would have denied later on that he had fainted dead away at the point, but Shampoo had noticed when he went limp in her arms, which prompted her to lift his face up to hers as she asked, "Ailen?"

"I think he passed out," Nabiki suggested from where she still lay bound to her bedposts, "No offense, Sham-chan, but I think you could suffocate the guy doing that."

"Aiyaa...too much happiness for Ailen," Shampoo concluded, then her kittenish smile return and she gave Nabiki a wicked glance, adding in a sultry purr, "We help Ranma get over shyness like Shampoo help Nabiki?"

"What have you got in mind?" Nabiki asked, suspecting already that she was about to be made a participant in something very naughty, which is probably why her own smile deepened...

Some minutes later Ranma began to regain awareness of himself, only there was something that was jolting him back to consciousness, a sense of being back in the pit with hungry cats all around him, only one cat was bolder than the rest and was actually tugging on his pant legs, stripping him bare and exposing his private regions, which it proceeded to play with, stroking it with its paws before licking it with its tongue and...doing other stuff his mind balked at.

Ranma awoke with a start, discovering that it was not a hallucination after all, only instead of a cat he found a purple head nestled between his thighs as he sat upon a chair facing towards the bed, and compounding his alarm Ranma discovered that he was tied to that chair by heavy ropes, and other than this he was totally naked! As if this were not sufficiently alarming, the sight of Shampoo bobbing up and down on his stiff, erect manhood was enough to make him gasp with terrified amazement.

"Sh-Shampoo...wh-what are you doing...?" he blurted out in his dismay.

"What does it look like she's doing, Ranma-kun?" asked Nabiki from where she still lay tied down to her bed, watching it all with evident fascination.

"N-Nabiki?" Ranma gasped again, "Wh-What are you doing over there?"

"At the moment?" she replied sardonically, "Not a damn thing. It's Sham-chan's call, she's in the catbird seat, so you'd better sit back and enjoy the ride, Ranma-kun, just like I did."

"But...what...why...?" Ranma tried to formulate the words, only his expression screwed up as the sensation of Shampoo's mouth engorging his hardened member threatened to overwhelm his sense of his immediate surroundings. He screwed up his eyes to stare down in disbelief as the Amazon took him into her velvety throat, swallowing him with increasingly larger gulps before releasing him again, increasing her tempo slightly with she played with his testicles and did other things that were calculated to drive any man crazy!

"At a guess, and this is just a theory, mind you," Nabiki replied, "I think she's tired of waiting for us to make up our minds about having sex, so she's elected to take matters into her own hands...in a manner of speaking."

Ranma did not immediately reply, his mind too stunned by the sudden rush of feelings that threatened to overwhelm his consciousness. What Shampoo was doing to him was...odd, certainly nothing like anything he had ever experienced, but he would have been hard pressed not to admit that it was an altogether pleasant experience, even if he could have done without being tied to a chair when she did it!

"Airen talk too much," Shampoo said between noisy slurps, "Shampoo teach groom there better way use mouth," and with that she left off giving him fellatio and instead sat down on Ranma's lap, carefully aiming the tip of his cock with one hand towards the mouth of her vulva. With an ease that surprised Ranma she slid him inside her body, then brought her hips up to his as his manhood swelled to new life within her.

"You see?" she purred as she made eye-contact with Ranma, "Is perfect fit. Now you give Shampoo ride while Shampoo give you something nice to play with."

So saying, Shampoo brought her hands around Ranma's head and forced him to bend forward, as far as he could go in his position, leaning her chest forward so that one of her enormous bosoms made contact with his face. Ranma's eyes go wide as he instinctively reacted by taking the rock-hard nipple there between his lips, reflexively suckling on it as if the gesture were second nature. To his surprise it felt good to have Shampoo's tit in his mouth, as the Amazon leaned back her head and gave a soft moaning sigh of approval.

She rocked her hips and brought her body up a few centimeters, then lowered herself down again, bounding up and down on Ranma's manhood as he impaled her over and over. At first she went very slow and gentle, but she increased her tempo after the initial first minute and began to ride him in earnest while Ranma sucked on one breast, followed by another.

Nabiki arched her back and felt a strange thrill pass through her as she watched the two go at it, feeling jealousy and hunger war with fascination as her own excitement slowly built by the second. Shampoo obviously knew what she was doing, because she was giving Ranma the ride of his life, and there was no doubt in her mind that their enjoyment was mutual as Ranma slowly lost his inhibitions. Shampoo kept on working him until his manhood took on a steel-hard contour, and it appeared as if the geyser was about to blow at any second.

But Shampoo surprised them both by desisting about this point, slowing down her tempo until she eased off all together. Smiling fondly at Ranma's amazed expression, she cooed in her sexiest tone of voice, "No cum yet, Ranma. First you give wife what she need, then Shampoo take what belong to her. You see Nabiki's face? She want you as much as Shampoo."

"Huh?" Nabiki asked, too stunned to form a more coherent reaction.

Shampoo turned a sultry look her way and said, "You is thinking Shampoo is selfish? Shampoo want Nabiki enjoy Ailen as much as Shampoo. Is you turn to make pleasures with husband. Shampoo help Airen come closer together."

"Wh-huh-what do you mean?" Ranma asked as Shampoo climbed off of him then picked him up out of the chair, sliding his arms from where they were cuffed in back as she helped Ranma regain his footing, then she walked him to the bed and positioned him at the end facing towards Nabiki.

"You no worry, Ranma," Shampoo assured him, "Shampoo teach Airen what to do...is only right to share with wife. You give pleasures to Nabiki, you cum inside her, make Nabiki very happy womans."

"Sh-Shampoo?" Nabiki asked, both touched and amazed by the Amazon's statement.

"Hush, Ailen," Shampoo said fondly as she guided the unresisting Ranma onto the bed, taking him firmly by the cock as she directed him to bring his hips closer into reach of Nabiki's exposed pelvis.

Ranma stared in amazement down at Nabiki, who was looking up at him with equal amazement. He could not exactly say that he had been dreaming of this moment, because until then he had not the faintest idea about what a guy was supposed to do with a woman, but now that he had been led to this point he had a sudden clear sense of what was about to happen, and it so unnerved him that he might have lost his firmness but for Shampoo touching several nerves that caused him to grow even harder than ever. All at once his dick was a horn that he could have used to break boards with, and as Shampoo pressed the tip up to the middle Tendo daughter's moistened love box he felt a strange thrill pass down his spine. This was the moment of truth for both of them, and all of a sudden he wanted her more than anything he had ever wanted in his whole existence!

Shampoo brought her warm body up to him from behind and positioned herself behind his buttox, which caressed the washboard smooth muscles of her stomach. With Shampoo providing the support he needed, Ranma found himself pushing into Nabiki's moist cleft, going in with such ease that it was almost a glide, only to encounter some resistance mid-way, which puzzled him greatly.

Nabiki gasped, sensing that Ranma was near to the point of full penetration as his manhood encountered her hymen. For a moment the three of them paused, then Shampoo rocked her hips forward, forcing Ranma to go deeper into Nabiki. There was a slight tearing sensation, a bit of blood spurting out from her loins, and then he was in all the way and the brief pain was replaced by a sense of incredible pleasure.

"Now Ailen join as one," Shampoo murmured softly, "We marry, is Amazon custom."

Married...the word sent a shock through both Ranma and Nabiki as their eyes snapped open and they locked into a gaze that held the depth of their souls in each other's expression. Ranma had gone the distance, all the way up into the Middle Tendo girl and Nabiki had taken him in a perfect fitting. Their pelvises were touching as a feeling like the merging of their spirits connected their minds to their nervous systems, then Shampoo applied slight pressure with her own hips, then eased back a bit as she drew Ranma slightly back, only to push him forward again, which caused Nabiki to arch her shoulder blades and throw back her head with a cry of amazement!

Shampoo helped Ranma to slowly establish a slight rhythm as he pushed gently in and out of his iinazuke, slowly driving Nabiki to ever-greater heights of distraction. In an amazingly brief time Ranma felt himself at the precipice of a male orgasm, which Shampoo appeared to sense as she picked up the pace a little, giving Ranma even more reason to thank the Kami that he had finally claimed Nabiki!

And then the dam burst in earnestness and Ranma felt himself exploding outward from the tip of his manhood. Nabiki gasped as she felt a warm fluid fill her, rammed in to the hilt by her boyfriend as Shampoo thrust him into her a final time before succumbing to her own climax. The double-joined explosion was enough to give Nabiki the sense of a raging time crashing down on her as her own orgasm kicked full into gear. She spasmed around Ranma's manhood, her loins sucking him down like a hungry predator while Shampoo hung onto Ranma and helped keep him from falling atop Nabiki.

Ranma gasped as he felt himself come down from that moment of sweet ecstasy, but little did he suspect how Shampoo was only getting started driving both he and Nabiki to a newer sense of mutual closeness!

Shampoo made certain he stayed inside Nabiki until she was satisfied that he had expended his measure, then she helped to ease him onto the side of the bed, where Ranma felt a mild exhaustion claim a part of his senses, leaving him momentarily too weak to renew his struggle against his bonds. Satisfied that her husband would soon recover in full measure, Shampoo turned her attention back upon Nabiki herself, straddling the other girl as she gave the middle Tendo daughter a kiss that was full of ardor.

"You like have Ranma come inside you, Nabiki?" the Amazon purred when their lips again parted.

"Oh...yeah," Nabiki found herself unable to help but laugh at the understatement, "That was great...only why did you have to tie him up to get him inside me?"

"Because husband very strong," Shampoo replied, "And no have experience holding back strength when with womans. Shampoo make sure he no hurt wife when he do Nabiki, as first time he no know you limits. Besides this, Shampoo no let husband worm out of fulfilling duty to wives with silly talk about wait until marriage."

"You don't think that would be a good thing, huh?" Nabiki asked wryly.

"On contrary," Shampoo beamed, "Shampoo already married to Nabiki and Ranma, only want make marriage full so no have great grandmother saying it no yet real marriage. Shampoo prove to her Ailen that she married to them...many times before night over." She grinned, and then proceeded to renew her kiss of Nabiki, sliding down to plant little kisses on cheek-to-chin-to-neck to collar-bone as the Tendo girl moaned slightly, encouraging the Amazon with heartfelt groans of approval.

Almost inevitably Shampoo glided back down to the space between Nabiki's legs, taking her time before arriving there to hit all the interesting tourist stops along the way. By the time she actually got down to planting her kisses over the middle Tendo girl's sopping wet loins she had Nabiki literally begging her for mercy. When at last the Amazon graced Nabiki's clitoris with her tongue Nabiki was ready to cum again, her first couple orgasms merely the prelude to one mother-shuddering Tsunami that erupted inside her and sent her nerve endings into spiraling pinwheels of intense ecstasy. The moment she came this time Nabiki was numb to all other sense of time and reason.

It was with only mild surprise, however, that she felt Shampoo move around upon the bed, and when Nabiki could at last regain enough sense of herself to look upward she found Shampoo's own purple bush poised above her face, slowly lowering down as the pink petals of the Amazon's moist labia began unfolding. Nabiki had a strong sense of what was expected of her at this point, had a foreknowledge that it would be coming, and found to her amazement that she was more than ready to reciprocate the action.

Shampoo's moist mound smelled potently of honeysuckle and lilac mixed with something salty, like fish, an altogether pleasant combination, which was why she lifted her face and stuck out her tongue to begin the task of returning pleasures. Shampoo gave a groan of approval then brought her own face down again and began to work at Nabiki in a sixty-nine position. Though Nabiki was a newcomer at this form of erotic foreplay, she proved an apt enough student and before too long was earning high marks of praise as Shampoo continued to lick her measure for measure.

Ranma was just beginning to regain the full use of his faculties, his strength returning along with an awareness of what was happening around him. He opened his eyes and was immediately greeted with the amazing sight of his two bedmates locked in a passionate "yin-yang" position, the two noisily slurping away with obvious great delight while ignoring him completely.

Ignoring him? That irked Ranma slightly, even as the sight of the two women pleasuring each other began to arouse his manhood with unexpected renewal of vigor. He was the guy here, not some pampered pet to be tied up and left to stew while those two were busying themselves in their mutual hunger. No way was he going to take this insult lying down, for the pride of his manhood he would prevail to make his presence known by both of these women!

His earlier efforts at freeing himself had been daunted by the cunning way in which the ropes binding him were looped to defeat his best efforts, turning his own strength against him. Fortunately Ranma was somewhat familiar with the tying of knots himself and so was able to fathom the pattern that Shampoo had employed here. It took a moment to reason out where the weakest point was, and then he bunched his muscles together and began to concentrate his strength on breaking free. When his first efforts met with constricting resistance he did not back down but redoubled his efforts, glowing slightly as his pride rose to the surface and his warrior's spirits conjured up a potent battle aura.

Shampoo distantly perceived what Ranma was attempting and looked up from where she had been busy sucking down Nabiki's love juice, which was heavily mixed with semen. She was on the verge of another climax but still managed to gasp out the words, "Silly Ranma...you no can break free of Amazon rope tying. You sit back and enjoy show, and maybe Shampoo untie you later."

"Oh yeah?" Ranma felt his pride flare to renewed life, and now he glowed so visibly that even Nabiki started to take notice. The ropes began to fray as he parted them with one huge flexing of his arm muscles. In a second he had freed himself completely of the bonds, sitting up on the bed with warrior's pride in his every line and feature.

"Ah..." Shampoo reluctantly conceded, "Maybe Shampoo make error...?"

Ranma took advantage of her prone position to get a firm grip on the purple haired girl as he flipped her off of Nabiki and onto the bed. He straddled her as if she were a wrestling partner, and while she made a token effort at freeing herself it was clear enough that he now had her at a disadvantage.

Shampoo realized this and ceased struggling, looking calmly up into Ranma's face as she said, "You defeat Shampoo again, Ailen. Now what you do?"

Ranma almost balked at that as he had not thought ahead of the mere act of getting the upper hand on his tormentor. His body weighed down upon the Amazon, making him all too aware of how soft her skin felt as his stomach muscles pressed down on the smooth padding of her flat tummy. Her luscious mounds were directly beneath the flatter muscles of his chest and her nipples felt rock-hard as they poked him. Looking down into her utterly adorable and desirable face, he felt something else grow rock hard again, and at the position it was poised he needed very little guidance to slide it down until it touched the mouth of her opening, then he positioned his hips to properly guide its entrance.

Shampoo looked up into her husband's eyes with sheer amazement written only lovely features. Surprise soon gave way to approval, and she closed her crimson eyes, leaning back her head to moan a little as she felt him go ever deeper, pushing in all the way until his testicles made contact with her labia. It was a perfect fit, his loins inside her vulva, and by moving it around slightly he found he could get better positioning, while Shampoo's groans became more heartfelt.

Nabiki watched all of this happen with her own look of amazement, yet being still bound to the bed prevented her from doing anything but look as with increasing confidence and pressure Ranma began to claim Shampoo, pushing in and out of her with more purpose as the Amazon responded by wrapping her legs around his hips.

Ranma could not believe how good it felt to be inside Shampoo, as it had been when he was inside Nabiki! Instead of the sense of being manipulated, as with the first time, he now felt totally in control of the situation, and yet somehow not fully in control as his body behaved in a way that was instinctive. It was like learning a whole new martial art, only instead of beating another opponent into submission he was instead joining with Shampoo, engaging her in a dance that could only be performed by two partners seeking to be joined at the hip in mutual fulfillment.

As surprising as it was to be enjoying what he and Shampoo were doing together, he was even more amazed to feel the climax building up within him once again, and this time it was directed at the Amazon herself. Shampoo was more than willing to encourage him in this endeavor, and after only a few more minutes of increased pumping action he felt his release finally come as his loins exploded with fire at the point where he was deepest inside her!

Ranma gasped, feeling a weakness overtake him once again as he braced himself from falling on top of Shampoo, who had given a kittenish cry of delight as she reached out to him, drawing his face down and planting a kiss that was full of hungry affection.

Nabiki was feeling a mixture of thrill and frustration lying where she was as those two completed their pillow gymnastics in the space between her spread legs, so tantalizingly near yet so dauntingly distant. Her own bonds were holding her helpless at a moment when she very much wanted her freedom, yet when Shampoo gently rolled Ranma off of her and climbed out from underneath him it was with such a happy grin that Nabiki suspected that her bedtime antics were only just beginning!

"Nabiki," Shampoo purred with such a happy cat-like expression that the analogy between her and her Neko form was unavoidable, and like a hungry predatory she slowly moved on hands and knees to slide herself up the length of her wife's supple body until their nipples could make contact once again, and Shampoo could freely straddle her by lowering her loins until the tip of her clitoris could gently touch against Nabiki's own love-button. Shampoo arched her hips and ground their pelvises together, causing Nabiki to gasp and arch her own back again as the contact sent sparks shooting up and down her spine with renewed vigor, as if pure electricity were being generated.

Ranma lay where he was watching as the Amazon began to slowly hump Nabiki with gentle intensity, pushing their loins together as if they were kissing with their labia, which caused his iinazuke such obvious pleasurable sensations that he was almost envious, and wondered how Shampoo could achieve this without having her own thing between her legs. In a way he was grateful that the two of them were spending time with each other, allowing him to regain his strength once again, but in a different sense he felt more than a bit frustrated, his own stamina less up to the task than he would have imagined under these circumstances.

Nabiki gazed up into the lust-filled, ecstatic vision of Shampoo hovering above her and felt an incredible closeness building between the two of them while Shampoo seemed on the verge of melding their nervous systems together. Nabiki could hardly believe how good it felt to have Shampoo straddling her this way, but her desire to reciprocate was being held in check by the bonds upon her wrists. It caused a portion of her mind to refocus on the nature of the loops that held her arms above her head, mere windings of chord that were somehow tied in such a way as to not cut off the circulation of her wrists. In her minds eye she could almost see the loops of chord and could fathom their construction, and it was as if a diagram suddenly popped into her head and she knew instantly how to free herself from these chords. It was a surprisingly simple technique that even a novice such as her could perform without effort, and by allowing her body to relax she flexed the muscles in her shoulders while twisting her wrists with a single supple motion, and all at once her hands slipped through the loops and she was free once more and could use her fingers.

Naturally in her hyper-aroused state of mind the first thing she sought to use them on was Shampoo, only not to discourage the Amazon from continuing with what she was doing-oh no! Shampoo wanted her to continue, and to that end she reached out and cupped the Amazon's full bosoms, giving them a squeeze and fondle that she had been yearning to perform for the better part of the past hour!

Shampoo opened her eyes wide with surprise but did not otherwise react as she felt Nabiki begin to massage her sensitive nipples, pressing the flesh of her huge mammaries while flicking the nipples between thumb and forefinger. Instead she closed her eyes and made a faint groaning noise of encouragement as her Japanese wife played with her breasts in a hungry, possessive manner, like turning a set of "nobs" on a radio for some extra "fine tuning." Their loins were still pressed firmly against each other with the tiniest movement between them causing both women to arch and moan together. All that was missing between them was a dildo to make the moment more perfect, but they would improvise until Ranma finally recovered, so Shampoo was more than willing to go along with Nabiki's urging when the middle Tendo daughter drew Shampoo close enough to bring one breast up to her mouth for a little "creative payback."

Ranma watched with rounded eyes as Nabiki began to press the nipple of Shampoo's right breast between her lips and began to suckle her, much to the Amazon's obvious encouragement. He felt his own mouth watering a bit as he contemplated this suckling action, and at last his manhood began to rally once again with a renewal of his own appetite, mingled with masculine pride and a desire for both women.

He eyed Shampoo's rear and had a sudden sense of what he should do, operating on instinct. With the horn of his manhood stiffening with renewed erection he rolled back into a sitting crouch, positioned himself behind Shampoo and slowly eased up to where his pelvis could lightly play with the cleft between her ass-  
cheeks. Shampoo clearly knew that he was there, for a hand reached back to him and gently took firm hold of his love-organ, then guided it into the space that Ranma wanted to enter and urged him to press forward, encountering slight resistance this time as he had to drive his way in, causing a slight gasp from Shampoo that she otherwise did not protest.

Instead she resumed her grinding pelvic-motion with Nabiki, encouraging Ranma to pressed in and out of her with gentle insistence, his every thrust forcing her that much more onto Nabiki, who made muffled approving noises while burying her fast in Shampoo's other breast, continuing to suckle as the three of them began a long, slow humping together.

This time it took a while before Ranma felt himself coming off for the third straight time since being roped into this situation, and yet when he came it was almost as powerful as the first two times, causing him to nearly black out since he was not used to expending this sort of energy in a clench. Shampoo made faint noises that sounded like either a sigh or a whimper then collapsed atop Nabiki, pressing her body down onto the Tendo girl as Nabiki reached up to draw the Amazon's face up to her own for a kiss of intense passionate wonder.

"That was...incredible!" Nabiki sighed, giving both of her bedmates her full and hearty approval.

"Shampoo glad Ailen think it so," Shampoo replied, "But we no done yet. Shampoo untie Nabiki, then show Ailen what else womans can do for each other."

"Show me everything you've got, Sham-chan," Nabiki smiled with delight, then glanced over at the semi-conscious Ranma, "You gonna be okay, Ranma-kun?"

"Oh sure..." he tried to sit upright and failed, rolled over onto one of her legs and gasped, "In another minute..."

"Husband can do whatever he like," Shampoo remarked as she got up and moved to the foot of the bed to begin untying Nabiki's right ankle, "But mens no have stamina like womans. Husband great warrior, but only human, no can expect keep up with everything Shampoo know, or even Nabiki."

"Says you," Ranma sighed, "Anything you girls can do, I can do better."

"Oh yeah, Ranma-kun?" Nabiki smiled at him before blinking her eyes, for Shampoo had freed one leg and brought the foot up to her mouth and had begun to lick on it and suck on her big toe before sliding her tongue down the base of one ankle before running the tip up along the arch, which caused Nabiki no end of enjoyment.

"Is true," Shampoo replied between licks, kisses and foot-fondling with her fingers, "Husband very strong, very good fighter, but no make love like womans when in boy form. Men good for making babies, need help if they do anything else for Ailen."

"I don't need no help," Ranma said in a tired voice, "I just need to get my second wind back...then I'll show you guys just how passionate I can be!"

"Shampoo no doubt that husband try," Shampoo remarked as she went about liberating Nabiki's other leg, then repeated the kissing, fondling and licking she had done on the first occasion, "But Ailen try practice in wrong form, never be as womans is together...unless Bride give husband her assistance."

"Assistance?" Nabiki asked, wondering what else Shampoo had in mind to add to the already eventful love-play.

To the surprise of both Nabiki and Ranma, Shampoo reached under the bed and pulled out a glass of water, which she proceeded to pour over Ranma, triggering his Jusenkyo curse so that the strong young man was replaced an equally strong and beautiful redhead. Ranma-chan blinked her eyes and easily sat upright, demanding, "What did you do that for?"

In reply Shampoo just smiled, then drew Ranma-chan forward as she straddled the astonished Redhead, pressing the advantage that she had as in this form she had the clear advantage, being larger and stronger than Ranma! Nabiki scooted over to the side and leaned over their mutual iinazuke, suddenly sharing with Shampoo a hungry gleam in her eyes that eyed Ranma-chan's nude body like a map on the way to ecstasy and nirvana.

"I agree with you, Sham-chan," Nabiki said with a leer, "This is much better! In this form you're stamina's almost as good as ours, Ran-chan, and the games can go on as long as we like," she paused before mimicking Shampoo's lilting tones as she added the word, "Ailen."

"Hah?" Ranma-chan was slow to react to the realization of what these two intended, "Hey, wait a minute...you don't plan to do no weird stuff with me, are you?"

"What weird stuff, Ranma?" Shampoo cooed fondly as she loomed over the redhead.

"Yeah," Nabiki's leer was equally predatory, "We're just going to make love to you like this until the wee hours of the morning!"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Ranma-chan protested as both women took position on opposite sides of her body, "I'm a guy! Can't we talk about-don't-ah-ahh-don't do-oh!" her blue eyes got very wide with surprise as Shampoo and Nabiki went at it, competing with each other to see which of them could elicit the most favorable responses. The smaller redhead ceased making efforts to free herself from their attentions and began to lay passive in their embrace as a new form of love-play slowly overcame his initial reluctance.

A few moments later Ranma was heard to voice the comment, "Well...okay...this ain't so bad, but...you guys better not tell nobody nothing about this, okay?"

"You trust Shampoo, Ranma," the Amazon cooed between passionate licks and kisses, sharing turns with Nabiki in playing with the inner thigh region of the leggy redhead.

"Yeah, Ranma-kun," Nabiki grinned as her fingers played with Ranma-chan's loins, "Our lips are sealed..."

And with that both women set about sealing their lips with fresh kisses...

Continued.

Round One is concluded, stay tuned for Round Two as soon as it is ready!

Comments/Criticism/Can you say "Threesomes?": shadowmane

The events recorded here are the author's own indulgence and may or may not reflect the actual characters involved, though you can expect more of the same sort of fun and mischief will be in the offing for part two of this Hentai adventure!

Be there! ^_^

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.


	52. Chapter 52

KasKodachi

Kasumi and Kodachi,

Black and White in Color

By Jim Robert Bader

(Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi and my own series, "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
set within the time of their first few nights together)

"Would you help me set the table, Kodachi-chan?" Kasumi asked to her partner in housecleaning.

"I would indeed, Kasumi-sama," Kodachi replied as the self-named Black Rose moved to take the other end of the table and help her gracious hostess to square the ends with the room before they set about arranging the flower vase and unloaded the dishes of food that they had carried from the kitchen.

"A good meal should always be prepared with loving care and affection," Kasumi revealed, "When you cook for your loved ones the food will reflect your love and be all the more delicious."

"You make it sound so delightful, Kasumi-sama," Kodachi smiled across the table at her friend, "Everything you do contains the love of your family, and I am warmed to bask in your presence."

"There will be time after we put the dishes away," Kasumi smiled knowingly, "And then I will show you another kind of love that the two of us might share."

"I yearn for that love already," Kodachi sighed, "But I will abide myself until we are alone, my darling."

The two young girls shared a sweet, affectionate exchange of glances, then Kasumi called their family to dinner. Yet as they prepared to satisfy the needs of their bodies in one sense, their thoughts traveled back to the day when they had first become intimate together, and some of those times of exploration which were to shortly follow...

FLASHBACK-THE NIGHT OF THE CONFESSION!

There are some who would claim that Kasumi was incapable of doing anything so "naughty" as to lie with another girl, especially outside the bonds of a proper marriage. To others she was aloof and serene, a figure of utter contentment and domestic bliss. The mere thought that she might have any desires to share her body with another girl would have been unthinkable to those who claimed they knew her, and yet on that night of nights she had surrendered without protest, having had time enough to adjust to the thought that Kodachi cared for her in "that manner," but that moreover Kasumi found that she felt much the same, in spite of her lifelong inhibitions.

Similarly there were those who regarded Kodachi as a dangerously psychotic individual, one as unpredictable and potentially as menacing as a Bush Cobra, and twice as venomous due to her reliance on narcotic potions derived in part from her pharmacological name sake. It was true that Kodachi had learned to expand on her father's research into Black Rose derivative agents, creating such agents as the drugs she and her brother had consumed for the better part of ten years to block out their memories of their unhappy childhood, as well as the paralysis powder that Kodachi had used to make Kasumi listen to her story when Kodachi explained why she had stopped taking the drugs and had ceased feeding them to her brother.

No one who claimed to have known her would have imagined that Kodachi was even capable of feeling contrition, let alone reform her ways over a simple infatuation for another girl, especially a girl who had singularly transformed Kodachi's notions of what was "right" and "proper." Kasumi was the first person to actually define for Kodachi the nature of ethics, and the more she had become drawn to the other girl the more she had internalized these lessons...to the point where now she had actually detoxified herself and no longer had the drugs to shelter her against self-recrimination. She was still an addict, of course, and would doubtlessly be one for life, but somehow Kasumi had filled the void within her heart and gotten her away from her poisons so that she turned from one addiction to another.

Namely the addiction that was Kasumi!

Kasumi had overcome the effects of Kodachi's paralyzing agent because she had only caught a faint whiff of it while pinned to the bed by the slinky gymnast. With strength and freedom of movement returning to her limbs she had a new, fresh sense of clarity about those emotions that she herself had been feeling without knowing their true nature. With perfect clarity of vision she looked into Kodachi's violet eyes and saw the love reflected there, then wondered how she could not have seen it all before? Of course the girl in her arms was in love with her, and who could not love Kodachi back, having heard the grim details of the Kuno tragedy as experienced from Kodachi's perspective.

Of course the nature of that love was the thing that had troubled Kasumi until now, but with the interaction of Kodachi's potions in her bloodstream her normal inhibitions were relaxed, allowing her to act on impulse as she yielded to temptation and responded in kind to the advances of her girlfriend.

Kodachi allowed herself to be drawn into the warm embrace of the older girl, her hand sliding across the silky material of what Kasumi was wearing to caress the flesh that was hidden underneath. The warm and vibrant girl whose perfume filled Kodachi's nostrils begged for the Black Rose's attentions, and in next to no time she had slipped off part of Kasumi's wardrobe to expose that flesh to her soft caresses. In likewise form her own leotard joined the taller girl's articles upon the floor, while Kodachi and Kasumi shared the futon and their bodies, their lips pressed together as their flesh all but melded into one.

Kodachi was by far the more experienced in affairs of this nature, but she found an able student in Kasumi, who responded in kind as if a fire had been kindled in her spirit. As Kodachi allowed her hands to rove over forbidden areas of the flesh of the other girl she was keenly aware of hands that explored her own tender skin, her senses aroused to the feel of gentle probing as Kasumi began to allow her budding appetite be whetted as hands accustomed to polishing floors and dusting furniture now smoothed the ruffles of Kodachi's taunt body. Muscle and sinew yielded to these caresses as tension flowed out from the gymnast and the housewifely Tendo sister, replacing this with a more relaxed intensity as passions were inflamed and sparks flew from awakened nerves long accustomed to the dormancy of a dull and routine existence.

Kodachi seized the initiative by rolling Kasumi back onto the bed and using the leverage this afforded her to gain a purchase over the other girl, employing her lips to plant gentle kisses over a face that she held so endearing. Kasumi responded to these kisses with appreciative little gasps as her hands sought to find a comfortable niche and almost of their own volition they found their way to cupping the soft firmness of Kodachi's lush bosoms. The Black Rose's own response left no doubt of her approval of this happy turn of events as she took the invitation to place her own hands on the tender mounds of the other girl, gently squeezing them as if to test these too-soft melons for their hidden firmness. She took the hardening little nubs that were Kasumi's nipples and gave them a tweak, which same caused Kasumi to gasp and feel a warm flow down her spine to nestle between her thighs, even as Kodachi rubbed her own leg in the space between most sensitive nerve endings.

Kasumi's feet curled at the unexpected pleasure of it all. In her most quiet hours or fervent dreams she could never have anticipated enjoying such exquisite sensations as her beloved friend was visiting upon her body. A lifetime of denial and obliviousness to the cares and trials of life had never prepared her for such a moment, for never had she taken such a care for herself and her own welfare. Her thoughts had always been directed towards helping others, to taking care of the family that she loved so dearly, even when no one bothered to help her out or even look after themselves, and what would anyone do if she didn't keep order around the house? And wasn't it so nice to have someone like Kodachi who actually wanted to help out? Yes...very nice to have Kodachi around...very nice indeed...in fact it was so nice that Kasumi...Kasumi...Kasumi felt something happening...happening deep within her body...

"Oh my," she gasped, "Oh my...oh my...OH MY-!"

"Not yet, my sweet," Kodachi urged as she eased off on the pressure that her hands were having on areas of Kasumi's body that had never been explored outside of a bath house, "You must abide until I am ready, and then...oh yes...and then I will make the moment between us last until the morning rises...and rise you shall, my beautiful Kasumi-sama..."

Tears formed in her eyes, beautiful, loving tears at the thought that there was someone who cared, who really cared about HER, about Kasumi as a person and not just someone to do the washing, cleaning and sewing about the house. There was actually someone paying attention to her needs, her wants, her desires and yes, her secret little pleasures that she had shared with no one since losing her mother so very long ago. It was a revelation for Kasumi to find her own beauty reflected in the violet eyes of the passionate Kuno sister, whose need for Kasumi was as palpable as her need for Kodachi...Kodachi who had the beauty and grace of a Princess trapped beneath the walls of a dementia that few had dared to penetrate, let alone look beyond.

Kodachi was a little girl beneath her aura of sophistication and worldly knowledge that she projected, and she had been secretly yearning for someone to give her the care and support that she had never obtained from either of her parents. When Kasumi had come into her world it was as if a prayer to the Kami had been answered and something wonderful and caring had filled the void within her soul, causing Kodachi for the first time in many years to give up on her artificial crutches and pretensions, the drugs that she had used to hold her grief at bay. Her loneliness and isolation was at an end and had been replaced by the need to find approval in Kasumi's eyes, for the older girl had a way of making her moods known to Kodachi without the expression of mere words. Almost overnight a rapport had formed between them, gradually easing wounds so deep that they had seldom even been noticed and bringing light into Kodachi's dark world. It was like a candle that grew to a flame, and a flame that caused her dependency on artificial stimulants and depressants to lose all meaning as the healing glow of love had flared between them. For a time she had feared that love would never be returned, but now that it had Kodachi was prepared to dedicate herself to seeing that it was never lost, that she was nevermore abandoned to the desolation of the monsters that had so long possessed her.

Kodachi paused to gaze down into the face that was now so dear to her, to see the love within those brownish depths that banished all doubts and held the nightmares in abeyance. The face and body of perfection was to be found in Kasumi, who was manifestly an angel in Kodachi's eyes, perfect in every way without a single flaw or blemish. As she felt the warmth of the sun in Kasumi's smile, so too did she feel the rushing of her pulse quicken with the thought of what was to be shared between them. Kodachi would not rush this affair as she had so many others, this was a conquest to be made in stages, and trust had to be forged before she could take her beloved even deeper into her world. Kodachi was resolved to possess her, yet not to take by force that which she wanted to be given freely. As Kasumi seemed willing to accommodate their further deepening of ties, so Kodachi would take a little at a time until she had it all, and then her life would finally know completion.

So resolved Kodachi bent to the task once again of employing her lips and tongue to stimulate the other woman with gentle kisses, licks and nuzzling, drifting down from that beautiful face to the perfect neck that pulsed with steady rhythms, gentle and inviting. Kodachi lingered around the throat of the other girl before pressing her lips to the hollows of collar and breastbone, and from there she proceeded down to the wonderful expanses of a chest area that had rolling dunes that flanked a most inviting valley. Her tongue traveled down the canyon to curve slightly with the ribs so that Kodachi could utterly encircle one breast before returning to her starting point and narrowing the spiral, at length arriving at the base of one curve before tightening the curl and coming round again, closer and closer to the middle. When at last the center had been reached Kodachi brought her whole mouth into play and all but devoured that nipple, sucking it into her mouth while kneading the breast with her fingers.

As she suckled Kasumi's breast she heard the gasps and moans come quicker and louder, for Kodachi seemed intent on drinking in as much breast meat as she could fit between her lips, and it made Kasumi's pulse quicken as she sensed the hunger Kodachi manifested, all too willing to feed and sustain her love with the fruits of her own body. It was with a gasp of disappointment that Kasumi felt Kodachi move away from her engorged bosom and the areola, only to encircle the other breast and take sweet time in bringing the other nipple full into her mouth.

And this was far from the extent of what she was doing to drive the Tendo girl to utter distraction. Hands explored Kasumi's body while Kodachi's mouth was busy enjoying that breast and a wonderful sensation passed between them as she moved from suckling Kasumi to exploring the way down to the other girl's smooth pelvis, at which point Kasumi's gasps and cries were all but impossible to muffle. As Kodachi neared the goal of her inspirations she paid special attention to reading Kasumi for any signs of either approval or discomfort, and when she saw it she moved to adjust her approach accordingly, adding a subtle hint of pleasure to the trail as she progressed downward until her mouth was in range to strike at the heart of all Kasumi's earthly pleasures.

Her course set and decided, Kodachi spared one last look up the length of Kasumi's writing body before plunging with her mouth over the velvety loins that had beckoned to her from the moment of their first meeting. Kasumi's cries became so loud that Kodachi was afraid of drawing attention, but when no one acted to intervene she took it as a sign of encouragement and thrust her tongue over the mere slit of flesh that opened like the petals of a flower. At once she tasted the delightful juices of a woman in a state of total arousal, and without a single moment's hesitation Kodachi thrust deeper, moving her tongue up and down and wiggling it around within the membranous walls of the other girl's love passage.

For Kasumi it was like the explosion of sparks and pin-wheels in her mind, startling her at the sheer intensity of her body's reaction to such treatment. Kodachi ravaged her loins even as hot juices started pouring through the gaps, becoming a virtual flood as Kasumi's body clenched and she experienced the unmistakable joys of her first full-flung orgasm, a sensation made more deep by the hungry slurping noises of a contented Kodachi, who in turn relished this nectar as though it were ambrosia from the Gods. She drank this mouth full of juice until she had licked the surface moist-but-dry, and then she teased and nibbled about Kasumi's labia until the other's mind was reduced to quivering jelly. Only the knowledge that she needed to pace things a bit more slowly held Kodachi back from exploring the matter further.

So it was with an aching need to match her hungry heart that Kodachi set about to give her beloved friend the benefits of her long hours of careful study and practice. In the past it had been members of her elite gymnastics squadron that had formed the ranks from which the Black Rose had selected her previous victims. Kodachi had made a trusty sport out of seducing her teammates and compelling their submission so that she could enjoy the moment of their helplessness, when-looking into their eyes-she could see the thought pass through their minds that they were helpless before Kodachi and totally at her mercy!

Yet here it was almost as if the opposite held true, that the one who was at the mercy of the other was Kodachi, for Kasumi would pass judgement on her performance like a judge at a gymnastics competition. Kodachi hated to lose and had often in the past gone to such great lengths to avoid even the possibility of failure, never actually calling what she would do by the name of "cheating," thought surely there was no other word in the human dialect that came closer in description to her dishonorable behavior.

With Kasumi there was also the fervent desire not to take such short-cuts and easy cheats as she had used in the past, for this time she wanted her beloved friend to enjoy the full benefits of Kodachi's discoveries in the art of seduction and pleasure. She had never truly had a friend before, let alone one this close to her in physical and emotional aspect. Kasumi was like her opposite number in a great many respects, and yet they held so much else in common as they were both lonely and in great need of being loved and appreciated by others. Kasumi had earned the love of her family by her devotion to their welfare, but Kodachi? When had she ever earned anything for herself that was as praiseworthy? And as for ties to her family, she would just as soon do without them altogether...

Excluding only on the subject of money, of course, but that was a more practical consideration.

Kasumi was as much a part of her now as her own reflection, and every inch of her body was sacred to the touch. Kodachi yearned to set Kasumi afire with the ardor of her love, but she would have to proceed slowly and methodically, dishing out a little at a time until she had earned the normally conservative girl's trust and could take her to another level. So it was that she began her odyssey at the root to every girl's garden of pleasure and proceeded out from there, moving from the groin to the legs past the valley of the thighs, paying close attention to the inner nerves lining those meaty hams that swelled with unexpected strength for one nominally so gentle, and then oriented back in the pursuit of Kasumi's elusive clitoris.

Kasumi was utterly amazed as her mind went white for a few brief seconds, her pleasure exploding out from her loins in waves of sheer bliss when Kodachi returned back to her groin area once again and actually lifted her by the hips off of her futon. Kodachi sat upright holding Kasumi's crotch up at the level of her mouth, hungrily slurping and probing there with that super-sensitive tongue of hers, drawing out from Kasumi gasps of renewed pleasure whose intensity transcended her first such mini-explosions. Kasumi could not help but make noises that expressed in an appreciative manner how much the other girl was affecting her by such treatment, her bare feet brushing with toes against the matting, legs spread wide and dangling to either side as Kodachi made noises like a person dining from a clam shell, each slurp and sucking noise being accompanied by another more intense spark as Kasumi's nerves transmitted the signals of her ravishment to every delighted centimeter of her body. In practically no time she felt her body clench once again, and then shoot liquid love down into the throat of the ever-hungry Kuno.

It was all so very strange...so wonderfully strange, yet so improper and shockingly shameful, yet Kasumi had lost all will to protest, delighted beyond words to experience new sensations that had heretofore been beyond her comprehension. She had never even imagined that it could be like this with another girl...and small wonder that Shampoo was as hot to experience this pleasure with Nabiki! It was with amazing delight that Kasumi surrendered herself to Kodachi's ministrations as Kodachi gently chewed the sensitive nub of her flesh that was her now much-aroused clitoris, which did its own wonderful dance of electrifying stimulation, giving Kasumi a fourth, yet no less intense orgasm, for which Kasumi cried out as if being stabbed by her lover.

Had Kasumi been thinking normally she would have been concerned about such noise attracting the notice of every other member of their house, but she was too far gone into the excitement of this novel situation, finding her physical relations with the other girl so incredibly fulfilling that to stop now would have caused her intense disappointment. Nor was Kodachi about to relent in her amorous onslaught as her early victories emboldened her to try new things, to go further in satisfying her own hunger.

She moved away from Kasumi's now-aching loins and sought the gradual slope down both of her thighs to Kasumi's knees, lifting the long legs of her beloved friend so that Kodachi could lick and plant kisses under the hallow area of both joints, causing a tingle to pass down Kasumi's spine as she felt the delight of nerve endings being played with in such an unexpectedly delightful (if no less wicked) a manner. From there Kodachi took her time sliding down the length of Kasumi's right leg, planting kisses and employing both lips and tongue to great effect as she explored around the area of the calve to the ankle, and from there made a scenic tour around the heel to the curving arch, where Kodachi rubbed her whole face within that curve, giving Kasumi no end of delight before Kodachi found the ball of that foot and circled around it to find the big toe, which same she plopped into her mouth and began gently masticating. Kasumi's gasp became a groan as Kodachi went from employing teeth to licking with her tongue and then sucking that toe, which gave off the most peculiar and arousing of sensations. Kasumi arched her back as Kodachi traveled the space between the big and second toe and gave it much the same attention, turning at length to the other three until she had the littlest toe between her teeth, at which point Kasumi could endure no more without giving off a light scream, not in pain but in unendurable contentment.

Kodachi managed to get a surprising amount of foot into her mouth before turning her attention to the other leg and repeating the same process in detail. At last, having pleasured both of Kasumi's feet, Kodachi found she could wait no longer and brought the big toe of one foot down to plant against her own breast. Kasumi's eyes went wide as she felt the softness of mammary flesh against the now-wet surface of her foot and she watched as Kodachi guiding that foot around to the other breast, then drew the flat of it slowly down her own tummy until she had that foot planted against the smoothness of Kodachi's belly. At this point Kodachi rose to her knees and positioned the foot so that the ball could just touch the soft mound that was the Kuno girl's own bald crotch area. To Kasumi's amazement she felt her toe being employed to probe the outer folds of pink moistness that had unfolded to her touch, and then that toe came away glistening with the sticky coating of the other girl's cum, and with wordless astonishment saw Kodachi raise that foot up to her mouth as she began to lick and suckle on it once again, tasting the nectar of her own juices!

"Mmmm..." Kodachi purred contentedly, "Delicious...you simply must try this."

Thus spoken, Kodachi released Kasumi's foot and got up off of the futon, coming around until she was standing over Kasumi's head looking down with great fondness as Kasumi gazed up between the pillars that were the other girl's legs, wondering what she was about here, not that Kodachi kept her long in doubt of her intentions! Kasumi's eyes widened once again as Kodachi sat down over her face, filling the Tendo girl's vision with the smoothly shaven surface of another woman's loins, loins that were moist with lubrication and partially unfolded to her inspection. Kasumi had read medical texts that had identified each part of what she saw displayed here, and yet it was no dry thought of any student of healing that made her pay such close attention as a different pair of lips beckoned to her for a kiss. With great skill borne of total mastery of her body, Kodachi lowered her loins until they were just touching the mouth of the astonished Kasumi, and then with surprising facility she contrived to "kiss" the other girl, a kiss which Kasumi instinctively responded to in kind, though never in her wildest dreams had the older girl even considered doing this with another woman.

Before this occasion, that is...

Much to Kasumi's incredulous delight, she found this kiss no less appealing than the other kind, and from instinct more than an urge to copy Kodachi's treatment of her, she thrust her tongue up into those soft folds and was rewarded by the taste of a curious nectar, somewhat sour like lemons yet more salty, like a thinly made form of saltwater taffy.

Kodachi rolled her eyes up in her head and moaned softly as Kasumi fulfilled her desires and began to "eat her out." Though timid at first, Kasumi was encouraged to express more appetite as she let hunger overrule propriety, flicking her tongue deep over the surface of that accommodating pink flesh as she probed ever more deeper for more of the delightful ambrosia that was most pleasing to her palate. Kasumi found (more by accident than intent) the nub that was Kodachi's clitoris and flicked her tongue around this, treating the other girl to the same fireworks spectacular that she had so recently visited upon Kasumi and making the moment of surrender all that much more intense. In next to no time Kodachi gave way to an orgasm that rewarded Kasumi with more cum than even she would have anticipated, juices that only partially landed in her mouth but also splattered against her face and nose, making her slick with the colorless fluids that were her reward for such diligent service. Kodachi's groan of approval further heightened Kasumi's sense of accomplishment as it meant that she had just given back a small measure of the enjoyment that Kodachi had so generously given to her, and it made Kasumi want to go farther in pleasing her lover. She did not let up on Kodachi as her tongue went at it with more fervor, bringing the Kuno girl off a second time in very efficient order, not that Kodachi had any cause to complain of her double-orgasm.

Kodachi leaned forward, lowering the rest of herself onto Kasumi's body and contrived to move into a classic "69" position, even if her own body was not as long as Kasumi's which forced her to have to get creative in drawing the other girl's hips back to where Kodachi's mouth could reach Kasumi's vulva. From there the two friends went at it happily like a pair of hungry cats, occasionally pausing to emit a gasp or moan that soon became so tightly merged together that one lost all awareness of where her own body began and the other's ended as they merged into one flesh, one spark, one spirit. It was the beginning of a long and productive session in which Kodachi taught Kasumi the joys of the female body, while Kasumi in turn taught Kodachi the meaning of caring and compassion as the two became lovers beyond the boundaries of conventional understanding.

Of course understanding was not what they met with the following day when the rest of Kasumi's family reacted to the news that Kodachi would be staying with them "for the duration." Kodachi had effectively severed her ties with the Kuno manor, having become far too alienated with her father and brother to want to go back for anything longer than a simple visit. Kasumi's father had raised no protest, of course, but neither did he offer his approval. Nabiki and Akane were actively opposed to Kodachi's association with their older sister, yet the Lore Master, Silk, had spoken reassuringly and quelled the scene that might otherwise have occurred there.

And all the while Kodachi had endured their hostility and suspicion, vowing silently to change their opinions of her over time by displaying the kind of asset that she could be for their household. She had already offered to pay for room and board, far more generously so than what Kasumi had thought proper, but more than enough to stabilize the family's bleak financial picture. Kasumi had watched proudly as the other girl vowed to prove her worth to the family she now wanted to be a part of, and she loved Kodachi all the more for the effort.

In their next nocturnal bedroom romps she would go all out in expressing how much she now appreciated having Kodachi in her life, and Kodachi would in kind teach Kasumi much more about the giving and sharing of pleasures, even introducing Kasumi to the heretofore unknown pleasure games of light bondage, which same she would teach Kasumi using simple ropes to confine or restrain her. Kasumi found being tied up by the other girl a curious means of expressing affection, and yet somehow she found the act of being bound up by Kodachi enormously pleasurable, especially when Kodachi started "taking advantage" of her relatively helpless state by coming on more aggressively, stimulating Kasumi with the help of artificial aids, like vibrators and dildos.

Of course Kasumi found these games so much arousing that she had to explore the option of doing the same with to Kodachi!

Kodachi, for her part, was amazed that the other girl could be such a quick study and would grasp the concept of using ropes to bind the feet and legs in a manner not so constricting as to prevent being able to place a hand, tongue or dildo in the right spaces. Kasumi did ably to her what Kodachi had so freely done to Kasumi, and there was an unexpected delight to be found in the act of submission. The taller girl was much better suited to play the maternal role anyway, and by giving herself over to Kasumi she could shed all pretensions to aloofness and adulthood, becoming effectively like a child for the other girl's womanly ministrations!

Of course before things got to this stage there was a little matter that needed to be reconciled concerning Nabiki. One night, not long after their first, the Tendo girl had come bursting into Kasumi's room and found Kodachi tied on the futon spread-eagled with a couple of wooden bars while Kasumi was busy probing her orifices with a pair of dildos. Kodachi was gagged by a rubber ball and could not voice protest at the untimely interruption. Nabiki just stood there frozen in the act of pointing a finger in Kodachi's direction, having fully intended to accuse the girl of taking liberties with her sister, only to find the opposite greeting her instead. It was rather like intending to read from a script, only to find that someone had reversed the roles at the last second.

Kasumi, for her part, evidenced no shame as she rose to her feet and asked Nabiki what she was doing out of her own bed, clearly having left Ranma and Shampoo in order to interrupt her sister's pleasures. Nabiki was only momentarily at a loss for words before she started venting off some nonsense about Kodachi having "corrupted" her sister, saying some very rude things about Kodachi in the process that earned the noblewoman's arched eyebrows. Had Kodachi not been all tied up at the time she would most probably have expressed her displeasure at these insults, and yet as it turned out she need not have bothered.

Kasumi had been prepared to deal with Nabiki lecturing her about the impropriety of her behavior, but not for the venom that her younger sister had expressed towards Kodachi. It made Kasumi momentarily feel quite vexed by Nabiki's attitude, so much so that she did something that she had only rarely even considered doing in her role as "surrogate parent," and she stepped forward, reaching out with a hand and taking Nabiki by the wrist, drawing her forward as the middle Tendo sister had not been prepared to anticipate such an aggressive maneuver.

Without a word Kasumi went to the chair beside her desk and turned it around, then sat down on it, pulling Nabiki across her lap before the other girl had a thought to utter protest. Nabiki was about to ask what Kasumi was doing when she felt her panties being pulled down to expose her fanny. Disbelief and incredulity held Nabiki paralyzed in the instant before the flat of Kasumi's hand came flashing down to swat her sister's pert little bottom. Nabiki gave a yelp that was more in astonishment than actual pain, only to cry in genuine pain as Kasumi spanked her again, this time a bit harder. Ten more times Kasumi's struck her sister on the bottom as Nabiki began to wriggle and protest, trying to force herself off of Kasumi's lap but to no real avail as the leverage was not with her.

Kasumi ended the brief spanking session by resting a hand over Nabiki's now-  
reddened bottom, then she slowly slid that hand down between Nabiki's ass-cheeks and drew a gasp from the other girl as the fingers of that hand went down between her thighs to find the soft brown pelvis of her sister.

At this point a very curious gleam came over Kasumi's eyes and a smile far less innocent than was her usual wont caused her to glance down at her sister with a look of mischievous inspiration.

"Are you going to apologize for what you have just said?" Kasumi asked as her fingers played with Nabiki's mound, eliciting a startled gasp and the automatic response of those loins unfolding to her gentle pressure.

"What are you-Kasumi!" Nabiki immediately protested.

"I want you to apologize, Nabiki," Kasumi said as evenly as if she were not inserting fingers up the slit of her younger sister, "Apologize now...or I will be most disappointed."

Nabiki's gasp was even louder as now-moistened fingers played about the area of her clitoris. Somehow Kasumi had triggered a reaction nearly the equal to one of Shampoo's "special attacks," and Nabiki found herself helplessly paralyzed at the too-sweet sensation that was causing her to shiver. Complicating matters enormously, she saw Ranma and Shampoo standing by the door with incredulous expressions, yet neither one seemed prepared to intervene on her behalf, leaving her to the tender mercies of her older sister. It was either submit one way or another, and Nabiki knew which way her body would prefer if she gave into the pleasure. Instead she shivered and gasped, 'ALL RIGHT! I APOLOGIZE ALREADY!"

"Not to me," Kasumi gently insisted as she played with three fingers delving into the intimacy of her sister's vulva, "Apologize to Kodachi. She is the one whom you have offended."

Nabiki grit her teeth and seemed for a moment as if she would resist and suffer the consequences, but at last she gasped and said, "All right, all right! I APOLOGIZE TO KODACHI! I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THOSE THINGS, NOW ARE YOU HAPPY?"

"What's going on here?" they heard their father ask as Soun stopped by the door, took one look inside, got the most peculiar of expressions, then turned around without a sound and retreated the way he had just come.

Rather significantly, Silk appeared at the door next, only she was smirking at what she saw there. Giving Kodachi only a passing nod of unqualified approval, she turned to Kasumi and Nabiki and said, "Play nice girls, and try not to make too much noise. You know your father is a very light sleeper."

With that she turned about and headed off in the same direction as their father.

"K-K-Kasumi?" Ranma finally gasped, breaking out of his own paralysis.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured softly, as if that said it all from her perspective.

Kasumi felt that she had adequately made her point by now and relented, helping Nabiki off of her lap before standing up as well and giving the other girl her most stern-if-aloof expression, "I trust you are sufficiently chastised, sister?"

Nabiki swallowed and nodded, rubbing her bottom with both hands as if she was having trouble recognizing the girl before her as her older sister.

"Good," Kasumi replied, "Now I think you should go back to your room with Ranma and Shampoo. Kodachi and I have our own affairs to get back to, so if you will excuse us."

With that Kasumi had ushered her sister out very gently but insistently, and she made a point of locking the door once she was alone again with Kodachi, who continued to eye the older girl with a questioning expression.

Out in the corridor Nabiki was unusually silent, then she turned a hard look towards both of her lovers and said, "THAT never happened!"

With that Nabiki stormed off towards her bedroom, and after a moment of exchanged looks and mutual bewilderment Shampoo and Ranma elected to do likewise. It would take much mollifying on their part before they could get their beloved to let go of the uneven encounter between Nabiki and her older sibling.

"Oh my," Kasumi smiled as she turned around from the door, holding up the hand that had just probed Nabiki, "That was rather fun. I've been wanting to do that with Itoumochan for years," and without a thought she began to lick the juices on her finger, murmuring, "Well now...she's very tasty. No wonder Shampoo and Ranma look so happy. Would you like to try a sample?"

Kodachi did her best to convey that she would, all the while beaming with pride at how Kasumi had come such a long way to mastering the basics. She also had to agree with her beloved, Nabiki's juices were unusually quite tasty!

Of course this was still in the early phases of their relationship, and still ahead was that even more significant moment when Kodachi had finally succeeded in luring Kasumi to her mansion, this time exposing the girl to her "private pleasure chamber," which same was in a hidden room unknown even to her brother.

Kasumi's first reaction to saying this "playroom" was a round-eyed, "Oh my!" as she took in the number of objects that decorated the room, most designed with the clear intent of inflicting torture.

"You like?" Kodachi smiled slyly at her beloved, "I believe that it once belonged to an ancestor of mine dating back to the Second World War. He was an officer in the Kempeitai, the Imperial Secret Service, and I believe he had quite a hobby bringing young girls to this place for some private interrogations...and entertainments...

"Oh my!" Kasumi said once again, her eyes darting from one torture device to another as if to privately wonder on the nature of such "entertainments."

"I discovered this room a number of years ago while exploring the mansion," Kodachi continued, "You can hardly imagine my excitement when I learned how exactly these objects may be used in the stimulation of the pleasure centers of a girl, and of course I had to...experiment on the sly...in order to perfect my technique with certain...volunteers from my high school. I've gotten quite good with most of these devices, but until now I've never really had a partner with whom to explore these things on an even more personal level..."

"Oh?" Kasumi asked as if only faintly suspecting what was to follow. She idly examined a rack full of whips, chains and various devices, some quite nasty in appearance, a few even more sinister looking in their apparent usage.

"Of course," Kodachi drawled, "I would never even think of taking an unwilling victim-ah-partner here, but as I've learned to vary the level and intensity of the more painful devices, and I've gotten quite good at learning how to turn pain into pleasure..."

"So you can teach me," Kasumi smiled.

"Eh?" Kodachi was momentarily surprised out of her well-rehearsed script.

"I'd like to learn," Kasumi smiled as she picked up a Cat-O-Nine-Tails and experimentally shook it to produce a "slapping" noise of the leather strips on a nearby bench, then she eyed Kodachi rather slyly and added, "Will you teach me?"

"Ah..." Kodachi wondered why the very ease with which the gentle girl had said this was causing her to shiver slightly. Had Kasumi experienced a relapse of being possessed by that evil Oni?

"I can only guess what types of games you must have played with those other girls," Kasumi continued in the same easy tone of voice, "But I would like to learn now with you, if you don't mind showing me the ropes."

Had Kasumi just deliberately used a double-entendre? They normally came from her lips without the least sense of irony, and this seemed no exception. Recovering her bearings, Kodachi tried to relax as she smiled back and said, "I would be delighted to show you how to experience the most exquisite of pleasures, Kasumi-sama. If you'll just strip down and stand right here..."

"I think not," Kasumi said slyly, coming up before Kodachi with the handle of the cat in one hand as she ran her fingers through the leather strips with the other, "I think you should go first and tell me what you want me to do to you, and then I'll make certain you feel this pleasure that I so long to give you, Kodachi-chan."

The Black Rose gasped, then swallowed. Surely the Oni might have done something to upset the delicate make-up in Kasumi's otherwise gentle nature, or she was being possessed right now by the spirit of Sadism that Kodachi had long suspected hung around this chamber. Whatever the case, it was plain from the other girl's eyes that Kasumi was entirely serious about this and wanted Kodachi to "go first," and even more astonishing to realize that Kodachi found herself powerless to refuse this suggestion.

With only a slight hesitation on her part, Kodachi reached down and began to strip off her school uniform, casting it aside, along with her panties and bra, removing shoes and socks without bothering to be formal about it. Once fully naked she shivered slightly, not so much from the dank air but the way Kasumi was looking her over, as though inspecting her, even doing a slow walk-around to determine the quality of the "merchandise." At last Kasumi seemed satisfied, so she purred, "Now...where do we begin? Where was it you first wanted me to be tortured?"

Without pausing to question her curiously submissive attitude, Kodachi directed herself to the overhead bar that dangled from a winch in the ceiling, and in short order she found her wrists cuffed to this device as Kasumi worked the winch to slowly draw Kodachi up off of the floor, pausing only when her toes barely brushed the cold stone surface beneath her.

"V-Very good," Kodachi noted as she hung there like the proverbial piece of meat, "N-Now...come over here and examine me."

"Very well," Kasumi smiled, still holding the ominous Cat-O-Nine-Tails in one hand as the other caressed and fondled the smooth, exposed flesh of Kodachi, "Very nice...and what's next?"

"Now...flog me," Kodachi urged, "Not too hard, but hard enough that I can feel it."

"I would be only too glad to," Kasumi smiled, and complied with the Cat, giving an experimental flick that brought the leather strips up against Kodachi's exposed fanny.

Kodachi gave a slight gasp but that was all the protest she had to offer. She had begun this session with the intent of securing Kasumi's affections for her own only to wind up becoming the object of Kasumi's affection in almost a reverse sense of what Kodachi had intended.

"Hmmm..." Kasumi leaned closer and allowed her hand to rove over the spot that she had just flicked, "Seeing you this way...you look so tender and inviting...I wonder what else I could do besides this...perhaps I might do this instead?"

And with that Kasumi's soft hands began playing over Kodachi's taunt body, at first stimulating her sexually, but then becoming gentle and teasing, and then deliberately eliciting gasps, laughs, groans and chuckles from her helpless beloved. Kodachi wiggled and tensed as Kasumi's hands became even more teasing, actively tickling the other girl until the Black Rose was reduced to helpless peals of laughter.

At last Kodachi began pleading-albeit incoherently-for Kasumi to desist, which Kasumi finally relented to do, having established a point with her beloved, and she let Kodachi down, unfastening her buckles.

"There," she said as Kodachi all but collapsed into her arms, "I much prefer doing that with you than using rougher methods...but if you want to do the same with me, then I won't mind at all."

Kodachi rallied herself after allowing herself a moment within the comforting arms of the taller girl, but at last her strength returned and she smiled sly, "If you promise to do that to me again, I'll let you play with me more often. But for now...I would like to be the one doing all the pleasing."

"But you always please me, Kodachi-chan," Kasumi sighed, then without the least hesitation she slipped out of her clothing, went to the overhead bar and lifted her arms to present her wrists for cuffing.

Kodachi did not hesitate to notch the winch until Kasumi was barely dangling above the floor, and then with the elder Tendo sister rendered helplessly at her mercy she proceeded to take full advantage of the situation. Kasumi did not protest even once the whole time, and she even encouraged Kodachi to go as far as she could go, reveling in the act of submission even as much as she had a moment before the act of dominating Kodachi.

To Kodachi the other girl's body was sacred territory to be loved and cared for with nothing short of full adoration. This fact did not deter her, of course, from employing a number of devices to probe, stimulate and caress Kasumi's tender skin, dildos and vibrators gently plunging in and out of the taller girl and clips being affixed to her nipples so as to render Kasumi even more sensitive to anything else that Kodachi wished to do with her lovely person. It was all such an enlightening affair and mutually satisfying, and Kasumi learned a great deal about the art of mixing discipline with pleasure, a fact she demonstrated to Kodachi when the other girl exchanged places and surrendered herself once more to Kasumi's tender mercies.

This session lasted for several hours before the two sought a bed and made love in tender earnest. Kasumi had been so aroused by Kodachi's methods that she gave the Black Rose a more energetic tumble in the bed, trading measure for measure with the other girl until they both lay spent and exhausted upon the disarrayed covers.

(Still a work in progress, more to be added later!)

Continued.

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.  



	53. Chapter 53

NabRan50 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty.

(Note: If you missed the Hentai action that took place between this chapter and the last one, keep an eye out for the Hentai attachment ATOTW Side Story #1 on my webpage list below) so that you can keep up with what is going on the morning after. This has been a Fanfic Public Service Announcement)

The following is a teaser excerpt from the above mentioned Hentai Section.

Ranma had just come fresh from the furo to restore his manhood and was on his way to Nabiki's room, intending to talk with her about the state of their relationship. His mind was still on the kiss that he and Nabiki had shared, and the mild groping that they'd both indulged in, which had felt good in a way that had utterly surprised him. It might have gone further if he had not called a halt to things about the phase when Nabiki had attempted to undress him.

It wasn't that he minded it, per se, it was just that everything had happened so fast from the moment that she had kissed him. That kiss had been the sweetest thing that Ranma had ever known until now, and he wanted to savor it a bit, maybe get in more practice with her on other occasions, before trying his luck with anything that should have more properly been saved for after they were married.

Married. The thought alone stunned him into a daze, wondering just how he had gone from enjoying the single life to actually contemplating having a wife who was a year older than himself, yet who had become very much the center of his whole existence. From the moment they had first met he had been unable to stop thinking about her, that quirky smile of hers, the elfin features that gave her such a look of mischief, and the way she could continually off-balance him with a word or gesture. She could intimidate him so easily with her subtle humor and cool sophistication that the thought of actually approaching her in a sexual way was actually more terrifying than any fight he had ever been in, and yet Oh-So-  
appealing!

Oh sure, there was also Shampoo to consider, and that was an entirely different kettle of potential problems as the Amazon was sexually more aggressive than both Ranma and Nabiki combined, but Shampoo seemed accommodating enough and was actually pretty easy to talk to, if you overlooked her lack of fluency in the Japanese language (and Ranma had to privately admit that there was something almost appealing in Shampoo's kawaii manner of speaking). The problem for Ranma was figuring out exactly how he was supposed to balance himself between the two women, and this was even taking into consideration that many guys would kill to be faced with such choices.

Yeah, right! Ranma sniffed to himself, thinking of his friends at school, Hiroshi and Daisuke, who had trouble even lining up dates and voice the frequent complaint that Ranma did not know how good he had it. Like either one of them would be any better at handling this problem than he was, but at least Ranma could console himself with the fact that he only had two girls that he was committed too. That engagement to Ukyo had been...weird, to say the least, but she seemed willing enough to call the whole thing off, so at least he was spared having a third such girlfriend to complicate his existence.

That, of course, still left that unresolved matter of Kuno Kodachi, but she had been strangely less of a concern for him of late, leaving Ranma to dare the hope that the Black Rose was looking elsewhere for a suitor. At least she had seemed reasonable enough on that date they had shared a month ago, not half so wild and demented as when he had sparred against her in that gymnastics competition. In fact, she had looked very attractive during their date itself, which almost made it a pity...

Stop that, he severely chided himself. You don't need that kinda trouble, man! Just stick to the two girls you have and try to forget all about Kuno...

"Oh...Kodachi!"

Ranma stopped in his tracks, blinked his eyes twice and thought for a minute that he must be hallucinating. The business with the kiss and the discovery that he and Ryoga were brothers must have unsettled him worse than he thought, because he almost would have sworn that voice sounded just like...

"Kasumi-sama..."

Very slowly Ranma turned around and glanced at the door that bore Kasumi's name in carved letters on a wood placard. He listened faintly and could just barely hear the soft noises emanating from within that bedroom, giving him the distinct impression of two people doing something that sounded rather intense and physical, though his mind utterly balked at formulating a mental picture to go with the gasps, grunts and groaning.

He shook his head, not wanting to pry and even less to know about what was going on in there. He would have said it was none of his business, but he did wonder if Nabiki had any idea that Kodachi was in there with her sister. He resolved to talk with her about it, not wanting to be guilty of withholding any information from her as she had withheld the truth about Ukyo from him, and they both had hid the truth about Ryoga from Akane. Too much withholding was only causing needless trouble, and there was one thing they did not need around the Tendo house it was more trouble!

Nabiki's room was right next to Kasumi's, so it wasn't a hard task to approach her, and since his mind was on the very vigorous sounds coming from Kasumi's room, he might be forgiven for not immediately hearing the equally strange sounds coming from Nabiki's room until he lightly tapped on the door and had a sense that something was wrong...or at the very least very strange going on in there as well. The sounds halted abruptly, then a few seconds later the door swung open and there was Shampoo standing before him with a very curious expression.

"Ailen?" she beamed brightly, grinning like a cat and as naked as the proverbial blue jay.

"What the heck?" he reacted with a start, looking past the Amazon to see an equally naked Nabiki laying face up on her bed. He was so shocked by this that he did not even react in time as Shampoo's hand reached out to grip him by his shirt, and then before he knew it she was hauling him into the room while Ranma flailed his arms and sought to maintain his balance.

"Ailen, you come join Shampoo and Nabiki?" the Amazon cried in delight as she hugged Ranma to her breasts, his face buried in between the soft cushion of her natural pillows, all but smothering him as he filled his nostrils with the powerful aroma of the Amazon's sex-slicked body.

Ranma would have denied later on that he had fainted dead away at the point, but Shampoo had noticed when he went limp in her arms, which prompted her to lift his face up to hers as she asked, "Ailen?"

"I think he passed out," Nabiki suggested from where she still lay bound to her bedposts, "No offense, Sham-chan, but I think you could suffocate the guy doing that."

"Aiyaa...too much happiness for Ailen," Shampoo concluded, then her kittenish smile return and she gave Nabiki a wicked glance, adding in a sultry purr, "We help Ranma get over shyness like Shampoo help Nabiki?"

"What have you got in mind?" Nabiki asked, suspecting already that she was about to be made a participant in something very naughty, which is probably why her own smile deepened...

The called it "Sie Yu airlines," which-as Ambergris wittily explained, when you get on the plane, the people on the ground would wave at you and say, "See You!"

Somehow that joke sounded funnier when contemplating it on the ground and not while the (for lack of a better synonym) plane was up off the ground and coasting along at treetop level, avoiding Chinese air defenses while aiming in a general sense towards the coastline, where their party intended to board a more respectable airline. The name of the plane itself roughly translated as "The Crimson Pig," which in no way encouraged her to want to use the service for frequent flyer mileage.

Which would not be hard, by Ukyo's estimation, seeing as it would be a minor miracle if they got to the coast in relatively intact condition. As it was she sympathized with Perfume's wane expression. The Amazon Enforcer seemed to be concentrating intensely on just remaining still where she sat by herself on one of the two benches that served as interior seating. Ukyo had wondered if the pale-faced girl was going to be sick all over herself at any minute but refrained from asking, respecting Perfume's dignity for more than just fear of what the girl would do to her when no longer airsick.

Ambergris, by contrast, was calm and collected throughout the whole trip, accepting the hardships of the journey as if it were all just an expected part of life. Lotion beside her was unusually quiet and demure, but she kept fetching glances at Perfume, which the other girl was returning so often that Ambergris finally insisted she go over and keep the enforcer company for the remainder of the trip. Ukyo could not help noticing that Perfume did seem to settle down and focus on the blue haired girl from the moment she sat down beside her.

That left Ukyo uncomfortably close and alone with the pink haired Amazon, wondering just what it was about this other girl that was disturbing her so much. Ambergris was polite and cordial throughout the whole trip, yet she seemed unusually interested in Ukyo for some reason, which no doubt was why she struck up a somewhat awkward conversation mid-flight.

Awkward, that is, as the planes engines made it difficult to hear what the person next to you was saying, yet somehow Ambergris seemed to annunciate herself clearly and pick up enough of what Ukyo was saying that they did not have to raise their voices too loud in order to hear the other person.

"So," the pink haired girl was saying, "What did you think of your visit to our quaint little village?"

Ukyo glanced at the other occupants of the plane sitting across from them and wondered how best to answer. Cologne was being even more inscrutable than usual, but Ukyo doubted the old woman would be shocked or offended by an honest appraisal. The man sitting next to her, however, was something of an enigma because he was very quiet and dignified in his bearing, and much of his attention seemed to be directed towards holding the last two occupants of the plane in check, a pair of rambunctious teenaged girls with the curious names of Ling Ling and Lung Lung.

The man in question was none other than the father of Shampoo, the often-alluded to Ha Brus, whom Ukyo found easy to refer to as Hairbrush. He was around forty-  
or so and somewhat heavyset, but very physical in appearance with an easy-going manner that all but screamed the words "laid-back!"

He and the twins (both girls having unusual hair color, one green, the other almost cherry-pink) had approached Ukyo's group sometime before their departure by bus for the open field that had served as a landing strip for the plane itself. He had spoken softly with Cologne, endured some harsh comments and one obvious reprimand but quietly insisted that he and his daughters come along for the ride, and somehow he had prevailed in the end to have his way with the Matriarch. Ukyo had wondered about that, but there did seem to be something irresistibly firm about the man, as if his easygoing mannerisms were but a silken cover for a character of great strength and resolution.

"Well..." Ukyo began cautiously, "It is a nice place, pretty rustic and all that, but I'm surprised the Chinese government lets you people run things by yourselves. They're not too well known for respecting indigenous cultures."

"Indeed, and they have tried to impose their ways on us from time to time," Ambergris explained, "But we are too remote and far out in the hinterlands for the government to pay us all that much attention. Besides which the Matriarch and the High Council have cleverly managed to keep us on a low profile with the Beijing government, only occasionally flexing our muscles when we need to remind them of how dangerous we can be when aroused. We may not have their sophisticated, ultra-modern inventions on our side, but the wisdom and fighting skills of our people make us formidable even by the standards of a more conventional army. The one time they tried to impose on us as they did to Tibet they got their heads collectively handed back to them on a platter, after which the Great Helmsman was more than willing to cut a deal as a face-saving gesture on his part."

"So why haven't they tried bombing you guys back tot he stone age?" Ukyo wondered aloud.

"Oh, they tried that...once," Perfume leveled her single visible eye with a cunning smile and repeated the word, "Once," as if hinting at something ominous, "On the whole it was a most unpleasant chapter of recent Chinese history that the people in Beijing had been trying to live down ever since. Needless to say they have never been foolish enough to attempt pointing their missiles at us with a repeat of their former intentions."

"Oh," Ukyo decided she was better off not knowing the details, so she switched to what she hoped would be a safer topic, "Your Japanese is pretty good...a lot better than my Chinese, anyway..."

"Did you think we all speak with the accent of the country?" Ambergris asked her, "I've done some traveling in my day, and I pick up languages fairly easily...a knack of sorts, but then I do have a pretty good memory and an eye for detail. They say travel broadens the mind and sharpens the perspective, and I've been to a lot of places during the past two years that have helped me to overcome some of the more provincial notions that are common for our people."

"Such as?" Ukyo found herself growing more and more curious.

"Well, take our basic attitude regarding Outlanders, for example," Ambergris smiled that smile that once again was making Ukyo feel nervous, "That was begun as a consequence to our Scythian ancestors having to fight their way into the Bayankala mountain range before finding our hidden valley at the base of our sacred White Rock mountain. Back then we were not even properly Chinese and had not yet begin to intermarry with the men of the local villages, which started when our ancestors forged alliances with the elders of those villages. This was about three thousand years ago, of course, but even back then we had a policy about marrying any man who could defeat one of us in battle. We like to think of ourselves as a strong race of warriors who breed the best qualities of other people into our own hereditary bloodlines, but I personally think the practice got started when the Elders of long ago realized the dangers inherent in excessive inbreeding. New blood from outside is often needed to prevent genetic defects from occurring, such as the rare condition that afflicts Perfume."

"Condition?" Ukyo arched an eyebrow and shot a glance towards the brown haired Enforcer.

Ambergris sighed, "I really shouldn't have mentioned that, and Perfume will kill me if I told you, but I will say that she has worked very hard to overcome her limitations, and I think she has proven herself admirably competent in that way. It is not for me to tell you specifically what is wrong with her, that is her decision to make, but as her friend I thought that I should warn you, just in case you find out the hard way."

"Her...friend?" Ukyo wondered about that, "I only just met her today. I mean...she seems a nice enough girl..."

"Oh, she is," Ambergris nodded, "Perfume is as loyal and devoted a friend as you could ever ask for, and I while we were not so close to one another as children as we each were to Shampoo, I can personally vouch for her character as she is one of the most honest people with whom I have ever had the privilege of associating. Indeed, I think a large part of the reason that she was always so suspicious of me was her loyalty to Shampoo, whom I think she was trying to protect against my perceived attempt at betrayal."

Ukyo noted that Perfume was almost smiling at the blue-haired girl at her side, shyly lowering her eyes when the other girl took her by the hand in what seemed like an impulsive gesture. There was obvious closeness being built there, and she wondered if she were not, in fact, seeing the early stages of two people in a budding girl-girl romance.

The idea made her feel somewhat uncomfortable, so she looked down at her hands, which were folded on her lap, then almost by reflex at the backpack that contained the precious cargo they were transporting back to Nerima. She could not help but reflect on how her recently acquired condition gave her a peculiar status in this group as the nominally "Heterosexual-Transsexual" in residence, quite a step removed from her usual label as a cross-dresser.

"Okay," she said, "So she and Shampoo grew up together...and so did you and Lotion over there?"

"Perfume and Shampoo were sparring partners who trained together under the Matriarch," Ambergris replied, "Lotion was their friend, and later on became an object of brief rivalry when she and Shampoo became bed-mates. I, on the other hand, was the odd one out in our little group. As with Perfume I had...difficulties with my mother, and I was not at first rated as a very good prospect for a warrior since I was more of an intellectual than a fighter. The main distinction between us, other than Perfume's handicap, was that she was adopted into the Elder's house and given special training, whereas I am self-  
trained and disciplined, having learned most of my techniques from watching and copying others. What I lack in natural talent I try to make up for with devotion to my training."

Ukyo had to privately wonder about that "lack of natural talent" remark, because in her own estimation the pink-haired girl was very good indeed, as judged by their practice sparring match, which they had held while waiting to board the plane at the airstrip.

At first Ukyo had not wanted to accept the offer from the other girl to test their respective fighting skills, but Cologne had reassured her that the "Outsider Rule" did not apply to free-sparring and practice, only formal challenge matches. It turned out that Ambergris's preferred weapon was a Japanese Naginata, a weapon she claimed she had adapted to her longer reach, and the tall girl employed it fluidly enough that Ukyo was certain her grandfather would have approved of her technique. The match had been indecisive, neither one gaining the clear advantage, but Ukyo suspected that the other girl had been holding back a lot during their encounter, whereas she had been fighting all-out with her Bakers Peel and mini-spatulas, so she wondered how they would truly fare if the two of them ever fought in earnest.

"Lotion," the pink haired girl continued as if oblivious to Ukyo's wary appraisal, "On the other hand, has no real talent as a fighter. She was very clumsy and awkward growing up, and her mother had little patience for training her. Indeed, Lotion had to be removed the custody of her mother at one point when it was found that Balm had become abusive in her training. It was Perfume who found this out and alerted the Elders in time to spare her the worst of it, and she came to live with her aunt, the Lore Master Silk, where it was found that she had a natural talent for healing."

As if to emphasize her point, Ambergris brushed back the hair covering the scarred side of her face and showed once more to Ukyo's scrutiny the white line that marred an almost perfect profile, adding as she did so, "Right after I saved her from the falls, she rewarded me by easing the suffering of my face, though her skills were not great enough to affect a total healing. I might well have caught an infection if she had not thoughtfully done that, but that is one of her great charms, that Lotion thinks first about others before her own welfare."

Ukyo turned a glance towards the blue haired girl, whom even she thought of as an appealing sort with a very friendly, outgoing nature that seemed to be having an amazing effect in charming Perfume out of her airsickness.

"You obviously care a lot about her," Ukyo wondered, "Aren't you jealous?"

"Of Perfume?" Ambergris seemed to consider the point as she let her hair fall back down over her face, "I suppose I should be, but I do think I owe them both a chance for happiness together. I never really looked upon myself as the type who could go for other women, before that first time when she seduced me. But then I suppose I've always been a little odd when it comes to gender issues, and I've memories of how happy Shampoo used to be during that year when she and Lotion were actual lovers. These days I see myself as more...flexible on the subject of relationships, though my greatest turn-on remains a curious attraction I have for cross-dressers."

"W-W-What?" Ukyo almost jumped out of her seat as she spun a look back towards her companion.

Ambergris softly laughed and said, "Don't worry, I wasn't making a play for you...yet, although I do have to wonder about a girl who dresses like a man and carries a large cooking implement around on her back. I was thinking more along the lines of how cute guys look when they dress up and pretend to be us, something I found out when I briefly lived in the Lugu Lake region with our ancestral cousins to the Amazons, the Mosuo of Yunnan province, and later had confirmed when I saw a Zeigfield-style performance of 'La Cage Au Follies' in Thailand."

"Oh," Ukyo said, wondering if it might be a good idea to hook the pink haired girl up with a certain boy she knew by the name of Tsubasa.

"Anyway," Ambergris resumed, "The reason why our attitude regarding Outlanders has grown so intense over the years has more to do with a sense of our own isolation, which breeds a perception of cultural superiority over the people of other societies. That 'must-kill' rule for outlander women who defeat us, for example, grew up no doubt because we hate to admit that anyone else could be as good as we are as fighters. Amazon Warriors have a lot of pride, and War Masters are by far the proudest of all our elites. I understand that Shampoo got into trouble on account of that old law, which is how she wound up chasing some redheaded girl named Ranma all the way to your country."

"Ah...yeah, Ranchan told me about that," Ukyo admitted, only to be surprised at the look her companion gave her.

"You are friends with this Saotome Ranma?" Ambergris noted.

"Oh, ah...yeah," Ukyo replied somewhat awkwardly, "We met when we were kids, when...ah...Ranchan tried to steal some okonomiyaki from my Dad's cart. Well...more like succeeded in taking it, and left me feeling like a Jackass."

"Ah, so even then she must have been a great fighter," Ambergris nodded, then inclined her head and said, "You seem to have a lot of mixed emotions when you say her name. Just how close are the both of you anyway?"

"Ah...huh?" Ukyo had a brief sense of what a deer must feel in the headlights, "Oh, Ranchan and I...we're sort-of like best buddies. We played and fought together a lot ten years ago, and now that we're sort-of grown up it's like no time has passed for us...well, a lot of time has passed, and we've both changed so much, but our friendship is as strong as ever."

"But would you prefer it to be more than friendship?" Ambergris persisted, then smiled when she saw Ukyo's guilty reaction, "Never mind, forgive me for prying, but I was curious to know about your feelings. You seem uncomfortable with the whole subject of woman-sex, and I was wondering if you were one of those sexually repressed girls who have deep-rooted urges that conflict with your cultural upbringing. I don't mean to insult you by that, but I think you'd be a lot happier if you didn't fight so hard to deny that you have feelings."

"Who's denying anything?" Ukyo asked somewhat defensively, though she was unnerved at just how accurate the other girl was being in her perceptions.

"I'm sorry again for asking this," Ambergris said in a lower voice that almost did not carry above the hum of the engines, "I just wondered if this might have some bearing on your traveling to China. The Matriarch was unusually mysterious, even for her, in avoiding answering the Council on what you were doing, but from the way Perfume has been acting towards you I've started to wonder if it might have something to do with a certain mineral spring that is notorious in our region."

Ukyo almost gasped at that, but managed to regain control over her reactions as she tried to minimize the significance of what the other girl was saying, "What makes you say a thing like that, and what about the way Perfume's been acting?"

"Haven't you noticed?" Ambergris smiled, "I think she's taken a liking towards you, which is certainly nothing I can hold against her as you are a very attractive Japanese outlander. You're almost good enough a fighter to defeat one of us in battle, and as you probably no doubt have heard there is an alternative for us that negates the 'Must Kill' rule for victorious outlander women. But I've noticed that Perfume also shies away from you whenever you're carrying your backpack, almost as if you were transporting Nitroglycerine in those bottles it contains. Since there is only one place I know about that Perfume fears worse than death itself, the water you are carrying must originate with Jusenkyo."

"Really?" Ukyo swallowed, remembering the way Perfume had hung back at the edge of the springs, unwilling to accompany Ukyo beyond the point where her loyalty to Cologne had mandated her presence, "And why is she so scared of the place?"

"It has to do with a traumatic dream she had when we were children," Ambergris explained, "One night, around about the age of eight, Perfume woke up screaming in terror and needed to be consoled by Shampoo and the Matriarch. It seems that she experienced a dream about falling into the spring known as Maoniichuan and emerging with the curse of the drowned cat...a very tragic story," the pink haired girl arched the latter part to sound like a good mimicking of the Jusenkyo Guide's voice, "Ever since then she's been haunted by the fear of turning into a cat, even though Cologne has reassured her many times that it was probably nothing more than anxiety brought about by the trauma of leaving the house of her mother."

"Oh," Ukyo replied, wondering at how Perfume seemed to have anticipated Shampoo's encounter with her Neko-curse.

"So," Ambergris continued, "Why would you want to collect bottles of Jusenkyo water to transport back to your homeland, and why is the Matriarch helping you, without the direct knowledge of the rest of the Council?"

"And if she answers you," Cologne suddenly spoke up, "Do you intend to inform them, like your backer, Be Dea?"

"That would all depend, Matriarch," Ambergris replied, "On whether it is business of the Council, or just a personal matter, as you keep insisting."

"Then, since you seem clever enough to have worked everything out in your own head," Cologne said sourly, "You might as well know the rest. The water is for Shampoo and several others who have recently acquired Jusenkyo curses. It is our hope that this water will negate the effects of those curses and restored the cursed parties to normalcy. Young Kuonji volunteered to come because she did not possess a curse prior to visiting China, and since there is a theory we on the Council have formulated regarding the place that the spirit of Jusenkyo somehow prevents cursed victims from finding they way back to cure themselves..."

"You thought an outsider would fare better," Ambergris nodded, "Very clever. Do I take it, then, that Kuonji-san now has a Jusenkyo curse?"

Ukyo looked uncomfortable over that, but before she could answer a figure came out from the area of the cockpit to join them in the back of the plane, shouting over her shoulder, "{You're the Navigator, you should know where the (BLEEP) we are!}" in English.

"{Is there some problem?}" Cologne asked as she turned to regard the planes Pilot, who was an old woman who looked older than the planes own linear ancestors and went by the curious name of "Cody."

"No problem, Elder," the old woman in the battered leather flight gear replied, giving them a toothy grin in passing, "Just a few problems checking out the map. My co-pilot's a bit rusty with her geography, and from the way she's navigates you'd almost think her last name was Hibiki. Anyway, the PA system is out, so I thought I'd come back myself to tell you to strap in since we should be near enough to the Thai airport to make your next connected flight back to Tokyo. There might, ah...be a little turbulence on the way...we're just now cresting the Himalayas..."

"The Himalayas?" Ukyo latched onto the one word that she understood in the sentence, "But...aren't those further to the west near to India?"

"What can I say?' the old woman shrugged as she shifted to Japanese, "Like I said, she's a trainee."

"Nine will get you ten her last name is Hibiki," Ambergris murmured in fatalistic resignation.

"What was that?" Cody asked, "I didn't catch that...the engine's was too loud...oh wait! It stopped, now you can repeat that."

There was a very brief pause before Cody turned back and shouted over her shoulder, "Ryomi-chan...the number two choked out again! Hit the throttle and restart it, will you?"

"What do you want me to do next?" called a young girl's voice called back, "Get outside and push it?"

"Hey, if it works," Cody shrugged, then smiled as the engine restarted, "Now, you were saying?"

"Never mind," Ambergris said faintly, "I retract my statement."

"Hey, you can trust me to get you where you need to go, people," Cody grinned at them again, "I've been flying most of my life, learned it from my Dad, who used to be called the Air Wolf. Elder Cologne will vouch for me, she's flown with me before and survived it."

"Indeed," Cologne remarked, "But I won't hold that against you."

"You do know how to find your way to Thailand?" asked the man named Hairbrush in surprisingly good Japanese.

"Of course," the old woman paused, then added, "It's kind of liver-shaped, right? Never mind, just kidding! Anyway, we should be there in about ten minutes, give-or-take, and once I convince those idiots in the control tower that we're not flying in drugs or North Korean agents. We ought to arrive in one piece with just enough fuel to spare, so strap yourselves in because this 'ol girl is going for the glory..."

As she turned to head back towards the cockpit, the man sitting next to the two girls spoke up for the first time in an hour and said, "Are you certain this was such a good idea, Grandmother?"

"Never you mind, Son-in-law," Cologne softly chided, "We need to avoid having to go through regular customs on this trip, else it might be awkward to explain our transporting Jusenkyo water out of the country. Besides which, I knew both of her parents and rate her as trustworthy since she never asks too many questions of paying customs."

"Why not just bribe the local officials?" the man whom Ukyo found easier to think of as Hairbrush reasonably pointed out, "That's the way you usually avoid these sorts of problems?"

"There are limits to how far you can buy the silence of certain people," Cologne noted, "You, of all people, should know this."

The man nodded and seemed to accept this as sufficient answer, but the two girls next to him just gave quizzical stares at both him and their great-grandmother.

Ambergris leaned closer to Ukyo and murmured in her ear, "Which reminds me...why exactly are you doing this for Shampoo anyway? Risking your life and a Jusenkyo curse..."

"I'm not sure I can say exactly," Ukyo admitted, "But the simple answer is...I think I owe her."

Ambergris's single visible purple eyebrow arched a bit as she replied, "That's some favor! What did she do, push you out of the path of a speeding locomotive?"

"More like she pushed me out of the way of a guy named Mousse," Ukyo replied, then took notice of the way the other girl's face went from surprise to anger.

"Him again?" she said with clear disdain, "That fool never could learn to mind his place! And to think I once thought he was rather cute...in a blind, totally obsessive kind of way..."

"Well," shrugged uncomfortably, "He mistook me for another guy who's engaged to Shampoo, but that's just one reason why I'm doing this. The other reason...is complicated."

"Really?" Ambergris eyed her with renewed interest, "Then perhaps you might like to share the details with me? I happen to think that I am a reasonably good listener."

"Well..." Ukyo hesitated, thinking it over. On the one hand the Amazon was a good conversationalist, and very quick on the uptake, but just how far could she be trusted with the secret fears and longings of Ukyo's lifetime? She was trying to gauge how much to share with the other girl when the plane began to tilt forward, and the pitch of the engines noticeably increased in volume, which prompted her to hang on for dear life as she called out, "I'll tell you later, if we survive this!"

"I'm holding you to that!" Ambergris agreed as they both braced themselves for a bumpy ride, hoping against hope that they were not about to have a first-hand encounter with their ancestors...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

In retrospect I suppose it was foolish for us to have the best sex of our lives (indeed, in both my case and Ranma's, our first and only encounter that involved another person) on the night before a school day, but things were pretty much unplanned and spontaneous for us, so I guess we can both be forgiven for sleeping in a bit late and waking up feeling like the cat had dragged us both into her bed. I just remember how good it felt to find myself sandwiched by the two people I most loved, and how much I wanted to sleep in that way for just a few more hours. I don't even remember what time we fell asleep, only that it could not have been more than a few hours before sunrise!

By mutual consent we decided to skip our normal practice sessions, and for once the grownups let us get away with it. I would have dearly loved to share a bath with my two amorous companions, but since we each had to get ready for classes we took turns using the furo and joined the rest of the family at the table for breakfast. I personally felt drained, like death warmed over, while Ranma hardly looked any better with bags under his eyes, but it was a good kind of exhaustion, the kind that made us both exchange smiles that were less awkward than usual. I felt enormous closeness to my iinazuke, and I was glad that I could finally call him mine, even though I technically did share him the night before with an Amazonian freight train who tired the both of us out in very short order.

Of course our mutual fatigue did not seem to affect our tormentor in the slightest as she appeared at our sides bright and chipper as always. She helped Silk and Kasumi out in the kitchen and made certain to heap portions of rice out for the both of us, even insisted on alternately feeding Ranma and me bits of cooked fish with her chop sticks. I was flabbergasted at how much energy she seemed to have left over, and I remember exchanging looks with Ranma one time when she left the room as the both of us seemed to form the single idea that our Amazon lover was something other than human!

Given all that, I had no trouble forgiving Shampoo for literally roping the both of us into our three-way orgy, and now that we had finally consummated our affections for one another I felt very good about the world at large. I was in such a good mood that it took a while for me to realize just how many people were sharing breakfast with us that morning. I'd casually taken notice of Atsuko sitting next to Uncle Genma and Ryoga, with Comb hovering close near by looking ready to start a food fight, and of course Akane sat close by to play tacit mediator between these two (never mind the irony of Akane being the one to play "peacekeeper") while Daddy looked on as if trying to figure out how we were going to afford to feed so many people.

It was only when a familiar voice was asking Kasumi for more rice that I took notice of Kuno Kodachi sitting at my side opposite to Shampoo. I had a delayed effect in registering her presence, but then I sat up with a start and said, "Kodachi?"

"Hmmm?" she asked, pausing with chopsticks raised to her mouth as she gave me a politely inquiring expression.

"What are you doing here?" Ranma started to life, no less alarmed than I was, and for what I thought was even better reason!

"Oh, I asked Kodachi to stay and have breakfast with us," my Oneechan replied as she came into the room bearing yet more food on a platter, "She's been having some problems at home and wanted to avoid having to share breakfast with her father."

"Indeed?" Daddy spoke up in surprise, "Is Godai back in Nerima? I hadn't heard about that."

"Godai?" I repeated, taking a moment to register that name with the family name of Kuno, and then my chopsticks fell from my limp fingers, "Koucho Kuno is back in Nerima?"

"Why yes," Kodachi said pleasantly, "My father used to be the Principal of your High School, but he's been away for a few years. He arrived back just last night and...well...it's complicated. Let's just say I'd rather not...associate with him at the present. He's gotten...quite eccentric during his absence..."

"I said that she could stay with us for a few days," Kasumi looked at Daddy and added, "That is all right with you, is it not, Father?"

"Stay with us?" Daddy seemed torn between dismay at the idea of another border with surprise that somebody had actually bothered to ask him this time. Of course he never could say no to Kasumi, so he reluctantly said, "I...suppose it might be all right, if it's just for a few days. But...where will you sleep? We're running out of bedrooms..."

"Oh, there's no problem, Father," Kasumi smiled, "She can sleep in my room. I would very much enjoy that."

"Huh?" Ranma looked from one girl to the other with a peculiar expression, one I barely took notice of as my own reaction to this news was anything but sanguine.

"Excuse me," I said mildly, "But is that such a good idea? I mean...we can barely afford to feed everybody..."

"Oh, that's not a problem," Kodachi said brightly, "I would be more than happy to compensate you for the trouble of having me around. I will do anything that I can to help out and contribute my fair share, just as I helped buy the food you're all enjoying for breakfast, prepared with loving skill and devotion by darling Kasumi-sama."

I saw the exchange of fond looks pass between the Black Rose and my older sister and suddenly I had a sense that something was going on here that I didn't know about and certainly did not approve in advance. I'd known the two of them had been getting awfully close and affectionate lately...but this? Hey, I'm a reasonable person, but there are limits!

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked, "Black Rose girl seem very happy this morning."

"Because I am happy," Kodachi smiled back at Shampoo with none of her usual glowering resentment, "As are you, I see...from which I take it you had an eventful evening?"

Shampoo just gave a grin that definitely reminded me of that saying about the Neko and the Canary. I think I blushed a bit at the reference.

"Ah..." Ranma said, "So...your Dad's back in town, huh?"

"Oh yes," Kodachi nodded without seeming to regard him in any significant manner, "As large as life and twice as unnerving."

"Don't tell me Godai still has that stupid obsession about haircuts?" Comb said with clear disdain.

"Yikes!" Atsuko winced, "I like my hair just the way it is! Better stay clear of him, kids, if you don't want to have yours as short as Ak-chan here."

"Ak-chan?" Akane gave the senior Hibiki a puzzled look.

"Sure," our resident half-Oni smiled back, "You're Ryo-chan's main squeeze, so I thought I'd call you that and..."

"Mom...!" Ryoga winced, flushing a deep shade of crimson.

"Now, don't be shy like that, Ryo-chan," Atsuko pinched her son's cheek and grinned in a winning manner, "You can tell her how you feel about her, I'm sure Akane wouldn't mind it a bit, right Ak-chan?"

"Ah..." now it was my sister's turn to blush like a ripened tomato, glancing down at the table with hands folded upon her lap.

Ranma suddenly gave me a peculiar look and said, "What's up? The way you said the name of Kodachi's father just now, sounds almost like you know him."

"Uh, I don't," I admitted, swallowing past a peculiar thickness in my suddenly dry mouth, "He's from before my time at Furinkan...but they tell stories about Koucho Kuno and what he used to be like in the old days..."

"Oh, he's much worse these days," Kodachi assured me, which in no way did I find reassuring, "If anything, I think my father is more insane than even I remember."

I'm sure I must have blanched, and not just at prospect of imagining what sort of behavior would make Kodachi call him "crazy." I fervently hoped that her father was not going to resume his place as Principal at our high school. If he had gotten worse than what I had heard about in stories, then a short haircut would be the least of all our troubles!

"Aiyaa," Shampoo said with surprising sympathy in her voice, "So sorry to hear you father no so nice man. Shampoo father very nice man, wish sometime could talk with more often."

"I'm sure your father thinks highly of you as well, Shampoo," Comb said softly, then her smile deepened, "Well then, you three had better get going if you want to make it to school on time. Akane, do be careful with Ryoga. You wouldn't want him to get lost on the way to school, like his mother always used to."

"School?" Ryoga blinked, "But...I'm not enrolled in Furinkan..."

"We talked it over last time, your father, Atsuko and me," Comb eyed the other girl with no small measure of suppressed hostility in their exchange of glances, "And we agreed that you should resume your education, even if you have been out of class for the past two years. Knowledge is very important to the making of a good husband, and you wouldn't want Akane to be associated with a drop out?"

"Hah?" both Akane and Ryoga exchanged astonished looks on that remark.

"Stupid pig boy should be happy," Shampoo said with a particularly catty expression, "Spend more time now with Akane."

"You're being enrolled too, daughter," Comb announced as she directed her gaze towards her daughter.

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo blinked her eyes while Ranma and me looked at her, then back at her mother, seeing by the serious look on Comb's face that she was not joking.

"I know grandmother insists that formal education isn't relevant to a good fighter," Comb stated flatly, "But I learned the hard way that this is not necessarily the case, which is why no daughter of mine will grow up as ignorant as I was when I was your age. I've already purchased school materials for you and made arrangements with the Vice Principal at Furinkan to see that you get to share homeroom with your Airen. I understand that the Japanese educational system is very good and detail oriented, so I expect you to do well as you have at least another two years before graduation."

"Hah, nailed you!" Akane naturally could not resist turning the knife on our stunned Sham-chan.

"Oboy," Ranma winced, "Life's gonna be a lot more interesting with Shampoo and Ryoga in my class."

"To say nothing about what the other boys are gonna think when they get a look at her," I pointed out to him casually, watching as he slowly put two and two together.

"Huh?" he blinked, and then his expression darkened and he sounded definitely a lot more possessive than usual, "They'd better not say it where I can hear 'em..."

"Enough chatter everyone," Silk said pleasantly enough, "You've barely got enough time as it is to make it to class, so you'd better put a move on it."

"Father," Kasumi said, "If it's all right with you, I'd like to walk Kodachi to her school, if you wouldn't mind too much."

"Why should your father mind?" Silk asked as Daddy slowly started to process the request with a confused expression, "I'm sure he'd be very happy that you want to spend time with your little friend, right Soun-chan?"

I think I was about to say something very rude and nasty about Silk presuming to make a decision like that for my father, especially the familiar way that she said "Soun-chan," almost purring his name, which was getting a little too familiar for my tastes, only Daddy himself surprised me by saying, "Well...I don't see why not, but it's a long way to Saint Hebereke..."

"Oh, not long at all, Tendo-sama," Kodachi informed us with a strange emphasis on referring to Daddy, also in the familiar, "In fact I've already called for the limousine to take us there, and it will bring Kasumi-sama back the same way, so she won't be gone too long from home today."

"Well then," Daddy said after a moment of reluctance, "I don't see that it will be any problem..."

"Then it's settled," Silk concluded for him, "You all have a nice time at school, and don't worry about the dishes, Comb and I will clean everything up by the time you get back here."

"Comb clean house?" Atsuko eyed her nominal rival in disbelief, "I thought you usually wrecked home, not made them!"

Comb glared at the Oni-woman, almost reaching for a weapon, "I may just decide to start by removing the trash first..."

Sensing that a major blow-up was in the works, we each decided to leave about that point, so in short order the five of us (meaning me, Ranma-kun, Shampoo, Akane and Ryoga) were on our way out from the combat zone while I saw Kasumi get into a stretched limo with Kodachi. I resolved that I was going to have to have a serious (and long delayed) talk with my older sister on the matter of Miss Kuno, but that would be for later, and presently I had my own relationship to set in order, not that I felt that anything was wrong about the state we were in as we started off together.

It was strange to think that I was starting out that morning no longer the virgin that I have been every morning since the day I first attended classes. Strange because something had fundamentally changed between me, Ranma and Shampoo, and yet also very much the same as always as we had the drill of classes to go through, and our peers to interact with, which would seem especially odd as I was filled with the knowledge of something wonderful that few of them could have experienced. I'm almost certain that I had a glow about me that would inform anyone who noticed that I had taken a big step beyond adolescence into adulthood. Even those girls whom I knew were no longer virgins themselves would probably have been shocked to see me-the resident ice Queen-the night before, locked into a passionate threesome with both Shampoo and Ranma.

In a way I was almost disappointed that Kasumi had refrained from giving me one of her standard lectures about the impropriety of having sex before marriage...but then again, if what I suspect is true between her and Kodachi, she'd be in no position to go pointing any fingers.

As it was, however, the memory of Kodachi at our breakfast table smiling as she received food from Kasumi was just one of the dark clouds that loomed on my horizon. I was in too good a mood to spoil it by dwelling on the infamous black Rose of Saint Hebereke possibly despoiling my sister, but the news that her father was back in town worried me almost as much. I was not kidding around about there being horror stories over the guy, so I was on my guard when we reached the school grounds, seeing the other students hurrying onto class with nervous expressions rather than milling around and socializing as was the standard custom.

"What's with everybody?" Akane asked as she also took notice of the strange behavior of our fellow students.

"They seem to be in a hurry to get to class," Ryoga observed.

"I don't like this," Ranma's tone matched my own hesitation.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured softly, glancing around with a narrowing of her reddish eyes, "Shampoo think Japanese students look worried, like maybe Elder no in good mood today."

"Hey, Sayuri!" Akane hailed one of her friends, who did not stop as she glanced back at Akane and replied, "Haven't you heard? We got to get to class on time! If we're late he's going to shave us bald!"

"He?" Ranma glanced at me as if expecting me to know the answer.

"Akane friend very rude," Shampoo said softly, "Maybe Elder is in bad mood. Shampoo no like way they acting."

I was about to voice my observations on the subject when some warning sense of danger caused all five of us to move away from a certain spot that we intuitively sensed was about to be ground zero. Sure enough, a heavy figure suddenly burst from the bushes and attacked us with a comb and a pair of scissors. I bent backwards and did a flip out of the way of the buzz while Shampoo and Ranma darted to one side, leaving only Ryoga a bit too slow to react to an attack by what looked like a walking snow man. He just barely got his guard up in time before a "WIZZ" sound blurred right by him. A second later some of his hair started to fall away, leaving him with a virtual buzz cut worthy of an Army recruiter.

While our assailant was in the process of trimming that tangled mop of hair that Ryoga is always sporting, Ranma chose to attack with a flying kick aimed at the snowman's head. Shampoo kicked sideways at the chest region while Akane darted in low to plant a solid punch in the gut of our attacker. The combined effort of this almost-coordinated counter-attack caused the Snowman costume to fall away in pieces, leaving in its place a heavy set, paunchy, barrel-chested man with buzz-cut dark brown hair and a pair of heavy sunglasses. He was wearing a Hawaiian style shirt with Bermuda shorts and thong sandals on his feet, his hairy legs in serious need of a good trimming!

Of course the most disturbing thing of all to see was something looked like a miniature pine tree growing up from the top of his head. In most other respects, however, he resembled the figure out of darkest Furinkan legend come to haunt us again like Grampa Happosai's worst nightmare!

"Hey der!" I heard him say in badly mangled Japanese, laced liberally with smatterings of English, "Is dat anyway ta greet your principal, students? Da big Kahuna's here to whip you all in line, so ya better learn some respect fo yo betters!"

I, of course, already knew who he was, but the others joined in a chorus to repeat the title, "PRINCIPAL?"

"Oh boy," winced, knowing for a certainty that there was going to be trouble...!

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Kahuna no Baka: shadowmane

The terror of Furinkan High has arrived, now will the gang from Nerima be able to cope? Are buzz cuts about to become the style for their class, or can they unite to bring an end Koucho Kuno's reign of Error? And meanwhile, how long will it take for Ukyo and her group to make it back into town so the fun can really get started? How about next chapter where things get shifted back into high gear...and of course you'll all be there, right? ^_^

Jim.

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	54. Chapter 54

NabikiRan51 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-One.

Ukyo wondered which of the Kami to thank for their safe arrival, but decided that she would make a stop at every shrine on the way back to Nerima to thank them all, just in case they all played a part in their deliverance. Cologne got the precious cargo through customs by explaining that it was mineral water being carried for legitimate scientific purposes, and informed the dubious customs agents that they should refer to the Chinese consul if they had any questions on this topic.

Ukyo found herself sitting in the terminal with the others while Cologne went about the task of arranging to buy bus fare back to Nerima. She was finding herself oddly relaxed in the company of the Amazons from Shampoo's village as Perfume and Lotion seemed content to continue their quiet discussion between themselves while Ambergris continued to keep Ukyo company, sharing wry observations that the cross-dressing okonomiyaki chef found more than a little amusing.

"Tell me, Sugar," she asked after a time of searching for the right moment to broach the subject, "How did you wind up with a name like Ambergris? That must have caused you some fights when you were a kid..."

"Oh, more than a few," Ambergris sounded almost amused at the recollection, "I'm reminded of that Gaijin song about a Boy named Sue, but in my case it just added another factor for other children to pick on me. As you may well understand, we have a ferocious pecking order among warriors of the younger generation, and for a time I was near to the bottom before I made a thorough study of the arts and mastered the techniques that allowed me to defeat my nominal betters."

"Still, it seems kinda cruel that your mother would set you up like that," Ukyo noted.

"Oh, it was not intentional, I'm positive of that. It is just that I was born on almost the exact same night as Perfume...perhaps an hour or two after her, and my mother wanted to name me Perfume in honor of the Elder in our family who bears this name. When it was pointed out to her that there were two Perfumes being born at the same time, she decided to change my name to Ambergris, mainly because she liked the sound of it, and nobody had the heart to tell her that it was another name for Whale Puke."

"Oh," Ukyo said as she thought that over, "Maybe she thought of it because it's used in making Perfume, right?"

"That is what I surmise," Ambergris sniffed, "How typically shortsighted of my mother, though I love and respect her memory and wish no ill will between us. At least my father was more understanding when he counseled me to always be true to myself and never let what other say depress me. A wise man, my father..." she sighed, "Of all my family, I most miss him."

"Fathers can be a pain and a blessing," Ukyo agreed, then the two of them fell silent for a time as each thought about their own respective male parents. She wondered what her own old man was doing at the moment, and if the doctors were helping him to get any better. He could be a real jackass at times, but in the end he was still her father.

After a few moments Ukyo found herself giving questioning looks towards Hairbrush, who was performing the admirable task of keeping his two teenaged daughters from running loose at the airport. He consented to accompany them as they checked out the local merchant shops, asking endless questions that he quite patiently answered while doing his level best to restrain the two from causing serious problems with the locals.

"He's quite a guy," Ukyo finally noted, "I think I can see why Comb married him."

"Indeed," Ambergris replied, "In some respects he is almost her exact opposite, a man from the capitol city who had a bit of trouble with the authorities and was sent out to the country for cultural rehabilitation. Did you know that he is a very fine engineer? Oh yes...he worked on the local water pump and maintains what little machinery we have in our village. He is well liked and respected for a male, and not a half-bad fighter, though his skills are nothing to equal that of a War Master."

"Did he really win Comb's hand by playing a game of chess?" Ukyo still found it hard to believe that particular story, which had been related from Shampoo's own lips during a prior conversation.

"Oh yes," Ambergris chuckled, "There was a bit of a scandal over that, or so I'm told. Comb was a former Tribal Champion turned Healer, and I think the general consensus was that she threw the match in order to let him best her. It is not uncommon for a warrior to deliberately lose to a man she likes, though it is technically a scandal if she's too obvious about it. It would be hard enough to bring in new blood to our community if our best fighters never lost to an outsider, since few foreign men are our equals. Within the village a warrior does not need to lose to a Nyanichiczu male in order to marry him, the simple declaration of intent to marry is all that tradition requires. Pride is the only reason the old traditions are kept at all these days since most of our best men tend to leave for the big city as soon as they come of age, which makes most warriors of our age a little desperate."

"Including you?" Ukyo asked, wondering why she was daring to broach such an uncomfortable subject.

Ambergris smiled at Ukyo and said, "I'm not in any great hurry to marry, though I suppose one day I will meet someone who I care enough about to want to keep for a bedmate. We Amazons are a bit more casual about sex than most people, and lots of warriors experiment on the sly with same-sex pairing, though very few of those result in permanent bonding. The desire to have children is very strong with us, far too strong even for the dictates of Beijing to enforce on us that one-child policy that is so widely hated. I tend to favor the attitude of the Mosuo women, who are an offshoot of the Amazons but do not believe in any formalized marriage."

"They don't?" Ukyo wondered, recalling vaguely something she had once heard about the people of the Lugu Lake region.

"They have a tradition they refer to as 'Walking Marriage,'" Ambergris explained, "The women choose the men whom they will sleep with, and any resultant children are their own, though boys are sent to live with their fathers. Perhaps this represents in pure form what our Scythian ancestors were like before the great Exodus from the Caspian region. Women control the household, make all the decisions, and men grow up in the houses of their mothers or fathers as useless homemakers and layabouts. It's quite interesting to see how relaxed everyone is with this arrangement, though Mosuo women are also known as great Wrestlers and fighters. It's almost the reverse of what is taken to be the natural state of affairs in most other regions, the Taliban of Afghanistan being the worst of all extremes in their suppression of the natural rights of all women."

"So you want to pick and choose who you sleep with," Ukyo surmised, "And if you have a kid as a result of this...?"

"Then I will raise her...or him...as I see best," Ambergris noted, "The only obligation the father would have towards me or our child would be in the fathering stages. I have no great interest in starting a family just yet, though, as I am still in training to become what my destiny demands I be for the sake of our people."

"The next Matriarch," Ukyo said softly, then added, "Don't take this wrong, but aren't you a bit young to be an Elder?"

"The Matriarch does not have to be an Elder to rule our people," Ambergris replied, "Though Elders are the respected authorities of our village. At one time we had a Warrior Queen of a hereditary line tracing back to the great Queen Hippolyta of ancient legend, said to be the first of all Amazons before her fateful meeting with Herakles. Our last Queen died over six hundred years ago, leaving no direct successor, so the Council chose to rule in her place by electing the Matriarch to serve as her nominal regent. Warriors as young as myself have held that office on occasion, though the Council must elect even a designated successor, and quite naturally they prefer to choose one of their own instead of a youth barely old enough to be out of her diapers, as they reckon such matters."

"The Elders sure seem to dominate over everything you do," Ukyo remarked, "I'm not sure I'd like living that way, it'd be awfully stifling for one thing..."

"There is a legend," Ambergris began with a smile as she gazed off into the distance, "That holds to the wisdom that the Elders are the guardians of a tradition that predates human civilization. Lore Masters are the guardian of that tradition and know the most regarding it, but some say the wisdom is even older than their order. I once heard a story that my mother told me that was supposedly dating from the time that our ancestors were nomadic steppe-clans, herdsmen and hunter-gatherers. The story goes that a warrior named Batu was once hunting a great elk when she was surprised by a wild pig that sought to gore her with its tusks. Batu had only her bow in hand and had no time to reach for a stone ax, so in a moment of desperation she raised her hand like this..." Ambergris lifted her hand as if making a salute, then brought it down as she added, "And by sheer reflex she did this, which struck the boar exactly dead-  
center on the top of its skull, shattering it in twain and killing the animal within seconds."

"Wow," Ukyo recognized the palm strike and noted, "You mean she discovered the Martial Arts by accident?"

"So it might seem," Ambergris smiled enigmatically, "But when she returned to the village and related what had happened, giving a demonstration of what she had done to her fellow astonished villagers, one old, wizened, toothless hag stepped forward and said to her, 'No-no-no! Not like that! You're bending your elbow to much, and you should do it more like this..." she repeated the gesture, smiling in such a way that Ukyo could not suppress a small chuckle.

"Moral of the story," Ambergris concluded wryly, "Elders are eternal and will always be there offering us the benefit of their wisdom."

"You told it wrong," said Cologne, who chose that moment to make her presence known, "But that is hardly surprising as your mother hardly told any better. I wanted to inform you both that the bus leaving for Nerima departs in half an hour, so we had best be on it as the next one is not due for many hours. I will inform my son-in-law and great-granddaughters of this fact. Of course Perfume can hear me, even with her present state of distraction, so do be certain that she and her friend to not tarry."

"Of course, Matriarch," Ambergris replied with perfect formality, "We exist only to serve your whims."

"Sarcasm is not appreciated, Warrior," Cologne replied as she turned away, only to pause as she glanced sharply to one side, then murmured, "Well...I'll be. One moment, I must attend to other business."

With that she began hopping away on her staff while Ukyo and Ambergris followed her progress to the far end of the terminal station. In a mild hint of resentment, Ukyo remarked, "She's not exactly too warmed up about your being here, is she?"

"I can endure her disdain and distrust," Ambergris replied, "It's nothing less than what I would expect from her, given the Matriarch's suspicions that I intend to supplant Shampoo's position as tribal Champion."

"And are you?" Ukyo asked without hint of any malice.

"I intend to challenge her and prove which of us is the best," Ambergris replied, "But I will do so honorably, because I happen to know that Shampoo never wanted her title in the first place. It was only to please Cologne, and for the sake of her warriors pride, that she fought her way to the top, being the best and brightest of our generation...with one exception," she smiled as she gave Ukyo a wry look from her single visible eye.

Ukyo was deciding whether to accept this at face value when she saw where Cologne came to a stop beside a row of benches that presently were occupied by only two people, and old man and a fellow with dark hair that from a distance made him seem like a more mature version of Ranma...

Remo Williams was bored as he sat lazily in his chair beside Chiun, who was composed as usual with an inscrutable expression. To keep his mind alert, and to amuse himself, Remo was balancing on his finger a stack of boxes that contained Anime tapes from Chiun's latest personal obsession, a soap-opera like series titled Marmalade Boy.

"{I dunno about this, Little Father,}" he remarked as he effortlessly held a stack of fifteen tapes aloft, thinking of adding a few others to provide further challenge, "{Last time we were in Japan you were really fixated on those Magical Girl episodes of Sailor V. I mean...not to criticize, but I just couldn't take serious the whole idea about a bunch of adolescent girls running around in sailor fuku fighting evil. From what I hear about this new series the plot's not all that much better, just some guy who has trouble confessing how he feels to a girl he's nuts about.}"

"{That is because you are an ignorant, pale pigs ear and a complete disappointment to Sinanju,}" Chiun retorted with his usual jibing tone of superior condescension, "{These sacred stories tell the tale of pride, nobility, love and honor, elements so totally lacking within you and yet so surprising to find in a place as backward and barbaric as the Japanese Islands. You judge by your own lack of success in holding to a relationship with a woman...}"

"{Hey!}" Remo spoke up, "{Look whose talking? And aren't you the one who always gets in the way whenever I start to have anything meaningful with a woman? You keep harping on about training and how marriage would interfere with me becoming the next Master of Sinanju!}"

"{My son,}" Chiun said with a hint of fatherly compassion, "{Despite the great handicap that befell you by not having been born Korean, you have shown some slight progress towards one day fulfilling your potential. When you have at last proven yourself worthy of succeeding me, then perhaps you may consider settling down and having sons who will carry on your traditions...}"

"{Hello,}" a voice pleasantly chimed into the old man's ear, "{Son-in-law.}"

Remo was totally shocked and amazed at the speed with which Chiun bounded up out of his seat and began running out from the terminal as fast as his legs could carry him. He was even more stunned when he turned to see the wizened old troll who stood perched upon a stick chuckling to herself in a manner that was almost bone-chilling."

"My," the old woman chuckled to herself in Mandarin, "That was certainly fun, and it's good to see he hasn't lost a bit of his speed and reflexes. I must remember to tell Shampoo that I ran into her grandfather."

So saying she pogo-sticked away, leaving Remo behind more bewildered than ever...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Of the many strange and unaccountable things that I have encountered in my travels to foreign parts, I had only briefly made acquaintance with the formal school system of Japan, to which both of my Airen are in regular attendance. In my Neko form I have observed my wife and husband in their separate classes learning from what my mother calls the Rote method of repetition where the teacher lectures the students on dry subject matters in the aimless hope that at least some of what is spoken will be retained for later recall. It is much as what the Communists once sought to impose on us before the Elders put a stop to such nonsense. The Amazon way is to coach the student into learning, to discipline us into wanting to learn and showing us how to study on our own time. It is the method by which my Great Grandmother has taught me, one of several reasons that she has long discouraged me from seeking a more formal education.

That my mother now wished for me to learn by the Japanese method was most strange in itself, but I could not fault her reasoning that attending classes would allow me to spend more time with my husband. I have a fairly good grasp of subjects such as mathematics and the sciences thanks to private coaching by both my mother and great grandmother, but my knowledge of the history beyond the borders of China is...less than satisfactory. My command of the Japanese language is poor, which even I must admit as I still have trouble using personal pronouns. I can read a little better of the Kanji than before my arrival thanks to the loan of some of my sister-in-law's books, Kasumi being a very helpful sort who seems to understand that I am at least making the effort to sound less like a country bumpkin. I am encouraged by the fact that many symbols in Katakana and Hiragana are at least based on root Chinese characters, but I am a long way from being fluent in either written or spoken language.

Of course that is merely the academic side of education. I had almost forgotten that there were less formal traditions in Furinkan High that in some ways remind me a bit of a Nyanichiczu village. A case in point would be my first meeting with the Elder who runs the institution, who is coincidentally also the father of Stupid Rose Girl Kodachi. He surprised us-much as an Elder would-by attacking us without warning, and while he may seem to have a peculiar obsession with short hair on his students, being an Elder means taking such things in stride as most Elders that I have known tend to be a little eccentric.

We confronted him just after he had trimmed Stupid Pig-Boy Ryoga's hair to so short a length that it was almost well groomed for a change, though I personally think it made him look more stupid than usual. That the weapon of his attacker had not snagged upon his endless supply of bandanas was the only thing of any substance that surprised me. The Principal seemed to be ignoring my wife and her younger sister and focusing on both me and my husband, no doubt because our hair was much longer. I caught the way his attention seemed to be drawn to Ranma's warrior braid, then shifted to my own long-flowing hair, and the scissors in his hands seemed to twitch meaningfully, which caused me to tighten my fists in the resolve that he would not get near enough to us to use them.

"What's the big idea of attacking us?" my husband demanded, "You ain't really the principal, are you?"

"That I be," the man thumped himself on his barrel chest, "And shame on yo for dissin' on your principal. You young punks need t'learn some resect for your 4elders, an' first up y'gotta get'n line with the school dress code, which means no hair longer'n th' collar, an' I means t' enforce it!"

If I am using undue contractions and poor grammatical speech patterns I should like to apologize in advance, for this is what the man sounded like in my ears. It is difficult to say for certain if I am relating his speech accurately because his command of Japanese was even poorer than mine is, but I think I've come close enough to approximating his most unusual accent.

"No way," my husband said firmly, "You ain't doin' to me what you just did to Ryoga."

Stupid Pig Boy was just beginning to recover from his shock at being attacked and was just beginning to work on being angry. My apprentice was already well on the way there to full blown outrage. My wife appeared worried for some reason, no doubt concern for this new challenge to our husband while I simply tried to gauge the strange man's fighting potential, which seemed very high by even Amazon standards. I reasoned that he had been a contemporary of our parents and so no doubt had sparred with them on prior occasions. The mere fact that he is still able to walk upright was an indication that he was not someone who should be taken for granted.

Ranma, being the superb warrior that he is, naturally seemed to share my appraisal of the Principal, but being the proud man that he is he would not back down or surrender his warrior's pride in the face of such a challenge. Instead he stood ready to defend himself as the Principal made clipping sounds with his scissors. I readied to summon my bonbori to hand should I need to employ a weapon to keep my own hair at the appropriate length. It seemed a moment pregnant with danger as both sides waited for the other to make the first move, only the sound of the school bell distracted us all at this point of heightened tension.

"Oh great," Akane complained, "Now we're late for class and we're going to have to wait out in the hallway with buckets of water!"

"Eh?" the oddly dressed Principal seemed to take notice of the time himself and relaxed his posture, "So it is. Looks like you kids is tardy today. Don' have no permission t'be out loiterin' the hallways. I'll be seein' you all after class for special study courses'n detention. Don' be late or the Big Kahuna's gonna come lookin' for you!"

With that the odd man put away his weapons and pulled out what appeared to be a musical instrument that I later looked up and discovered is called a Ukulele. He began to play (although I think I am being unusually generous in inferring that the sounds that he was making were supposed to be music) and sang off-key tunes about desert beaches and waves of surf and other such things that made little sense to me at the moment. He turned and left us alone, however, which was a good thing to my reckoning, so I guess the encounter could best be rated a draw with the real match to be held between us at a much later juncture.

What did surprise me-and I think everyone else was with me on this-was when Kuno Tatewaki walked into view from behind the bushes and said, "That man is totally deranged. If I were you, Saotome, I would think it best to avoid him."

I started to notice that there was something unusual about the poetry-spouting fool, something odd about his hair that did not seem to be quite in place, though as the moment I was reckoning on what extremes of lunacy he might judge as madness in another. My husband was also taking notice of the odd behavior of this youth whom I had once made the extreme misjudgment of mistaking for Ranma's rival. In truth there is no comparison to be made between the two as Ranma is so much more superior to him as a fighter. Indeed, the only positive thing that I can say in Kuno's behalf is that he is not Mousse, and that also is being generous in my not linking the two on the same wavelength.

"What gives, Kuno?" my husband asked, "Is that clown really your Dad?"

I saw the extreme distaste on Tatewaki's expression as if the mere act of agreeing with Ranma was physically painful, "Alas, it is true...he is my father returned to us, although far worse for wear than even I remember. Isolation and withdrawal have sapped the limits of his once-great mind and left in its place this hollow travesty masquerading as a Beach Bum. Were it not that Kuno Pharmaceuticals has been a heavy contributor to this learning institute I doubt not that the Board of Regents would have long ago replaced him instead of delegating authority to Assistant Principal Hiro. Unfortunately, so great is his reputation and such influence carries the Kuno name that none will challenge him for supremacy, and so we must all endure his rampages as he enforces a strict dress code by his military standards."

"Something wrong with your hair, Kuno-chan?" my wife inquired after a moment of silent appraisal, "It looks a little out of place."

I saw the foolish boy's eyes widen with a note of panic, and then he produced a mirror-compact and made several adjustments to his hair, by which point we all had come to realize that he was wearing a wig in place of his normal hair. I found the idea so amusing that I had to suppress the urge to laugh, which of course Akane did not do as she has even greater reason to hold a grudge against this obsessive lout. Once she started to laugh, I felt less constrained about joining her, and Nabiki giving in and joining us mere moments later.

I caught the savage glare that Kuno turned our way, but he directed his gaze principally at my husband and growled, "Not a word on this if you value your life, Saotome! If you so much as crack a smile..."

"Yeah, yeah, right," Ranma scoffed, giving us all a big grin as he turned to Nabiki and said, "Need a lift?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Ranma-baby," our wife said between stifled guffaws, stepping up to the embrace of Ranma's arms as our husband swept her off her feet then looked at me and said, "You coming, Sham-chan?"

I smiled at his endearment and nodded my own head in affirmation, then with one powerful leap we vaulted from the space where we were standing to the third story balcony, which we found was crowded by curious and anxious students. I chose a clear space to sit down while Ranma restored Nabiki to her feet, then the three of us walked into her first class as if the stunned looks being turned our way was of no great concern to us, including the even more flabbergasted appraisal of Nabiki's homeroom teacher.

I could almost feel their curious comments being directed my way, but since few of them had ever been in the presence of a Nyanichiczu warrior from Joketsuzoku, I decided to make no issue about their whispers. Ranma and I departed the class in search of his own homeroom, where we were excuse from the normal routines of early lecture to practice the curious training exercise of holding a bucket filled with water at arms length, which certainly proved a lot more interesting than what my acute hearing could discern was the droning voice dominating our first classroom.

Of course, how was I to know that things would soon become so much more exciting and eventful...?

"Well...we're here, I guess," Kasumi turned towards Kodachi, smiling shyly as she said, "Do you want me to walk you to your first class? I wouldn't mind it, really..."

"I would love nothing less than to have you with me, darling," Kodachi cooed back, glancing down almost in imitation of her companion's modest gesture, "But I think it would be best if Sasuke took you home until later. I've so much enjoyed spending this time with you, but for the sake of discretion..."

"Yes," Kasumi glanced away, "I suppose you are right. It...does seem a bit forward of me to want to spend more time with you, but my high school days are long behind me..."

"There is still college, if you intend to pursue a Medical career, darling," Kodachi suggested, "I would be only too glad to help support you, if you would let me be your sponsor."

"Thank you again, but that would be imposing," Kasumi demurred.

"Not at all," Kodachi said with a heartfelt expression, "You could never impose on me, my darling. I would give you all that I have, and more if it would make you happy."

"I'm happy right now," Kasumi lifted her eyes and took Kodachi's hand, again shyly lowering her lashes as she added, "Just being with you makes me feel happy. I am happy..." she lifted her eyes, looking deep into Kodachi's eyes and seeing the other girl's clear ardor reflected there, "So happy...and for the first time for myself, and not just because of my family or obligations."

"I live to see you happy," Kodachi said, kissing Kasumi's hand with cherished fondness, "Your happiness gives me joy beyond measure, for you have let me into your life, and brought me the light of your smile, which has banished all my darkness."

Kasumi felt the warmth rise to her cheeks, but a troubled thought caused her to glance to the side as she murmured softly, "Kodachi...is it right to feel such happiness...because of what we did? Somehow...it just doesn't seem entirely proper..."

"I could never imagine you doing anything that was not proper," Kodachi said with gentle firmness, squeezing the delicate hand between her own to emphasize her point, "You are propriety itself, I set my very definition of the word by the standard you set. Never doubt what is in our hearts is proper, Kasumi-  
sama...I yearn to spend time in your presence. School will be an eternity for me for it denies me half of my waking day that could be spent sharing my ardor."

Kasumi returned her gaze and for a moment nothing mattered, then Sasuke softly murmured, "Ah...Mistress? You're going to be late for class...the bell is ringing..."

"You'd better go," Kasumi said with sad reluctance, still not relishing letting go of Kodachi.

"I know," Kodachi replied, still not willing to release Kasumi's hand until reminded by Sasuke again, who dared much to remind her of her duty to maintain a good attendance.

She exited the car, giving a last fond smile at Kasumi before the car drove away, and then she slowly turned and dragged her feet as the loneliness came over her once more, only lighted briefly as the memory of a smile once again banished away the darkness and silenced the voices that had been silent far more often of late while she barely acknowledged the hails and hellos of her fellow classmates.

Kasumi also felt the emptiness of Kodachi's absence, leaning her head against the window as Sasuke glanced at her in the rear-view mirror. The little Ninja was concerned about what he was seeing in both women, recognizing a difference from all of Kodachi's other flings and obsessions as there was something fundamentally appealing in the Tendo girl. Kasumi had the luster of an Angel in her smile, and to see her sad was to become sadness incarnate. In an attempt to provide a ray of cheer he said, "The Mistress cares for you very much, Mistress Kasumi. I've never seen her be affected by anyone the way she behaves with you."

Kasumi lifted her head from the window and gave the little driver a puzzled look, "What did you call me, Sasuke-san?"

"Mistress," Sasuke replied with a shrug, "I call everyone that, or didn't you notice? Since it's my humble lot in life to serve the noble family of Kuno, I call everyone connected to them in any way either Master or Mistress, and I don't mind calling you that since I happen to think you deserve the title, and so does my real Mistress."

"Oh," Kasumi seemed to puzzle that one over before asking, "Do you like working for the Kuno family, Sasuke-san?"

"Eh?" Sasuke nearly swerved into traffic before recovering from his surprise, so only after bringing the limousine back into the proper lane did he managed to stammered, "O-Of course, it's a great honor to follow in the footsteps of my father, and his father before him! The Kuno family has a long and illustrious history dating back to the times of the Shogunate..."

"Oh," Kasumi said, surprised at seeing how wildly the little man could drive, when he seemed so nice and normal to her most times, "Then you must love working for Kodachi very much. She seems to think very highly of you..."

"She does?" Sasuke would never have guessed it, and in fact he came very near to having another accident before getting his mind back on traffic.

"Ah..." Kasumi hesitated before saying, "I don't mean to criticize, but I think you ought to be more careful driving, you wouldn't want to get a ticket."

"Yes Mistress," Sasuke swallowed, "I'll be very careful from now on, thank you so much for noticing. You really are a kind-hearted person, Mistress."

"What a nice thing to say," Kasumi smiled, "And you can call me Kasumi if you like. Mistress makes me sound so...so formal."

"Oh, I would never dream of calling you less!" Sasuke assured her, "You are the very soul of kindness, a veritable angel, Mistress Kasumi."

"Uh...well...that is a nice thing to say," Kasumi felt both flattered and puzzled at the odd man's behavior, but his kind regard was certainly good for cheering her up, and while she still missed being with Kodachi, she supposed a few hours of waiting would only make the time they spent together that much more enjoyable and well cherished.

If only she could figure out why it felt so...nice to be referred to as Mistress...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

First period was a bit more of a trial than I'd been expecting, mainly because my fellow classmates were all abuzz with questions concerning my eventful arrival in the company of my iinazuke and Amazon girlfriend. I tried at first to play the coy, aloof, unconcerned ice queen, but I don't think my act was as convincing as usual because I'm positive that I was absolutely glowing with the radiance of someone who had just had sex until the wee hours of the morning. To say the girls in my class tried to pester me with questions to confirm or deny various rumors would be too mild an understatement, and while I considered making a profit out of selling the information at premium rates, there are some topics that even I consider off-limits, and this was a bit too personal for me to handle.

Fortunately Ryonami and Yuriko were on hand, having snuck into my class under the very nose of the teacher, mainly to have their own curiosity sated, but once they took stock of the situation Ryonami-bless her gambler's heart-decided to go take the heat off of me and began to at once play the role of my agent, smoothly fielding questions, taking promises for cash and pledging to supply the requested information at the time and place of my earliest convenience. I smiled slyly as my two assistants handled the crowd with professionalism and flourish. I knew that they were dying to ask the same questions of me, but out of loyalty they were willing to wait in the hopes that I would confide with them first in private, which I think I do owe them.

Two questions dominated over all the others that were being asked my way, the first, of course, concerning whether Ranma had been successful in courting me or not, there being a large betting pool on the subject and a lot of money riding on the outcome, pro or con. I was not directly involved with that bet for the obvious reason that I had a vested interest in the outcome, but I knew fortunes were to be made or lost depending on how I answered. Had I truly been a disinterested party I would have bet on the wide spread with Ranma not getting enough courage together to so much as hold my hand in a public place, if not for Shampoo's involvement.

Which brought up the second point of contention, naturally enough, namely what Shampoo was doing escorting Ranma and me to my homeroom. Knowledge concerning our mutual engagement to the Amazon had been kept strictly in-house with only a few parties entrusted with the knowledge of our dual engagements, and the more conventional-minded of the students were of the opinion that her presence signified something very untoward was taking place between her and Ranma. That I did not seem to mind this alleged fact was surprising to more than a few interested parties, and only a few of the more liberal minded seemed ready to accept the notion that I might be interested in our Purple Haired wonder no less than Ranma. To say the least, her presence alone was enough to cause a scandal!

At any rate, I was glad when first period ended and I was able to step outside for a breath of fresh air. Playing aloof and mysterious is fun, but it can also get kind of smothering when you have the sort of inquiring minds demanding to know that predominate our classroom. I told Ryonami and Yuriko that I'd meet with them later to give them the juicy lowdown, and that they were to make what arrangements they could short of a full revelation just as long as they kept everyone guessing, then snuck out the back way and sought the privacy of a field behind our school that I some times used when I wanted to be alone and do some thinking.

Of course no sooner had I started to breathe the fresh air then a familiar voice asked, "How are you feeling, child?"

I whirled around, finding the old woman standing there as if she had been waiting there for hours. Without thinking I asked, "What are you doing here?"

"This is a school, is it not?" Lotion asked with a quizzical lifting of eyebrows, "And you are my student, so what better place to meet is there?"

"I mean..." I started to say, then thought better of it and just sighed, "What did you want to talk about this time, Elder?"

"Exactly what I just said," she repeated as if I were a small child, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I said, "Why shouldn't I be?"

"No reason," she replied smoothly, "I was merely wondering if you felt in any way different now from the way you felt before last night. You know...do you feel the same as you did yesterday, or is today in any way different from what you remember?"

I stopped in my tracks and seriously wondered about that, really thinking about the question and realizing at once what my mentor was asking me. It only took a moment for me to reply, "Ah...well...I do feel a little better...a little sore, though..."

"It will pass," her eyes seemed to twinkle with amusement, "You just need more practice to build up your stamina and fortitude. Repeated encounters will help you master the fundamentals, and then you can work on the more advanced techniques in which Shampoo is already knowledgeable."

I think this was the point when I realized that I was a long way from beyond the point of feeling embarrassed, because I must have flushed crimson from head to foot as I smiled foolishly and looked down at the bushes. More practice with Shampoo and Ranma? Try and stop me! I am seriously intending to try out the Kama Sutra with my two amorous bed partners and go a bit beyond that before the semester is over!

"Ah..." I managed to stammer out, "Well...I guess maybe I do kind of...tingle all over...is that also natural?"

"For you, yes," the old woman replied, "You have taken a larger step into a greater world than you know, Apprentice. You have crossed the threshold of innocence and have entered the scary, wondrous world of adulthood, and at your advanced age, no less."

"Advanced age?" I sputtered before I caught the mirthful gleam in her eyes and realized that she had been joking. I chuckled as I realized that I had been had by an expert, so to save face I replied, "Yeah, well...us old ladies have to stick together, right? And anyway, you kind of helped to set that whole thing up..."

"I am flattered that you think so highly of my abilities, but I am by no means the cause of everything that happens in your life," Lotion replied, "You did this for yourself with little aid from me, I fear. Indeed, this began with the point where you accepted Shampoo into your life and ceased to treat her as a stranger. Once that was done you knew that it was only a matter of time and opportunity when she would force your hand, and that of your iinazuke."

"I guess I kind of underestimated her a bit," I replied with a reluctant nod of my head, "But how was I to know that she was into bondage?"

"She learns by observing others, as well as from the experiences of her own young life," Lotion replied, "She has had several teachers in the pleasurable arts, but only one who was her lover back in China. The memory of that lost love has haunted her life and caused her to seek the affections of one such as you. Do not be surprised if my great granddaughter's name is mentioned in passing by Shampoo, for there are some ghosts in our past that will be with us forever."

"Great Granddaughter?" I asked in confusion, "Kachu?"

"No," the old woman said patiently, "The one who bears my name, who was so named in my honor by my granddaughter, Balm, Silk's sister. Lotion the Younger, who is a bright flower burning bright in Shampoo's memories, something you should be aware of as the pain of losing her still drives your wife in moments of distraction."

"Pain of loss?" I blinked, feeling a certain dread come over me, "What happened to her? Is she dead?"

"Shampoo most certainly believes that she is," the old woman said evasively, "My great granddaughter was beloved of Shampoo, and admired in secret by Shampoo's adopted cousin, Perfume the Enforcer. It caused dissention between the two girls, and in a moment of supreme misjudgment the Matriarch decided to intervene to separate the girls, all of fourteen years of age, by sending Lotion to another village for training as a Healer. Along the way she was confronted by several girls who were rivals of Shampoo and resented her status as the strongest of their generation. They sought to take advantage of one whom they deemed a weaker girl, intending to harm her, but in the confusion that followed the child fell into a water fall and was presumed lost. Perfume punished the girls by bringing them to the Elders for judgement, but Shampoo...did not recover her smile for many months afterward. That is the state of affairs that exists with her today, the smile of happiness returned to her only by the bloom of love that she now feels towards both you and Ranma."

"Kami..." I whispered faintly, having heard some truncated version of this story before, but never guessing until that moment just how much pain Shampoo must have been carrying within her for the past two years. No wonder she was so willing to seek a relationship with me and Ranma! She must have been incredibly lonely growing up with almost no friends, training to be the best fighter of her village, and feeling only emptiness at winning her title.

"Do not bring it up right away with her," Lotion counseled, "But wait for her to bring the subject up for you to discuss. Feel free to tell her that your knowledge comes from me, for very soon you will need to console each other for the tragedies of your past, as well as the discoveries of the present, which will both shock and amaze you."

"Okay," I sighed, then glanced away as I felt the touch of sadness darken my otherwise bright morning. I'm not sure what motivated me to say the words next, "You know...I thought losing my virginity was a big thing...but I never guessed how different I'd feel about...Shampoo and Ranma."

"Oh?" she inquired with a sly look, "How so?"

"It's like..." I grasped for the words, "Like a barrier that's been between us is gone, and I'm suddenly a part of something bigger than the three of us put together. It's like...the end of History as we've known it..."

"That's the funny thing about History," she said enigmatically, "Just as soon as you think you've run out of it, it just keeps happening somewhere."

I sighed, "Why do I bother telling you this? You already know how I'm feeling! You know everything..."

"Everything that I know is internal," she countered, "It is understanding what I know that is the hard part. Besides, each morning I cleanse my mind of all past experience to create a perfect slate upon which to write the new days events. It is easier to go through life without expectations blinding you to what can happen. You should come to expect that the unexpected will arrive in its own good time, and that the best any of us can do is to roll with the fates and cope with the challenges that life presents us."

"Okay," I said, "So what does that mean? What I blank out my mind and then have to learn everything all over again? Kind of a time waster, don't you think?"

"That all depends," she looked at me approvingly, "When you get to be my age you begin to detect certain patterns. It comes from knowing what to look for, as you will learn in time for yourself."

"All right," I conceded, "So...where do we go from here? Now that Ranma, Shampoo and me have done the big dance together, I guess the next step is marriage..."

"Oh, there are quite a few steps to go before you reach that point," she smiled, "I will try to guide you in my own way, but I cannot fight all of your battles. You must learn to anticipate the eventful ride that is ahead of you and live in the moment so that you can devote your energies to solving each and every riddle. Some of the things that you will encounter will test you to the marrow of your being, but do not flinch from this challenge. You have only begin to grow out of the shell that you surrounded yourself with many years ago, and a time has come when the sleeping child within you must awaken!"

"Awaken?" I asked, wondering why she was starting to sound like a Frank Herbert novel.

"Most people act as though they are asleep most of their waking hours of life," Lotion explained for my benefit, "That is because they only use a small portion of their brains to process the data-flow that bombards them constantly. To see as a Lore Master is to open your mind to the greater part of this data, to train yourself to see that which to others remains hidden. It also means learning to channel this flow in whatever direction your spirit has focus, as you did the other night when dealing with Mousse after your kidnapping."

I suddenly looked at her in a whole new light, having almost blotted the incident out of my mind, save for the vague recollection that I recorded here in a previous entry. In a flash I remembered getting angry, at being shut out of the altercation between Mousse and Ranma, of feeling small, helpless and insignificant, and in my anger lashing out at my tormentor without physically touching him, a blow that had staggered Mousse and all but handed the fight over to Ranma.

"You know about that?" I gasped.

"Know it?" she replied, "I felt you when it happened. At the time I was concentrating on aiding Shampoo, in stabilizing her cursed form, and it left me vulnerable to sense what you did when you struck Mu Tsu in your anger. It was the moment when I knew you were coming of age and making rapid progress in harnessing your expanded potential. What you did you did blindly, without knowing you had done it, and yet it was an advanced technique, and it left you momentarily drained, did it not?"

I nodded mutely, recalling the weakness that came over me, as if I'd drained myself in the act of striking at Mousse. I was surprised to discover that Lotion had been aware of that, but then again, I really was starting to believe that the old woman was omniscient, at least so far as it concerns me, maybe a student-teacher thing, or something of that nature.

"I taught you to do the dance of life because you will need to learn to harness your energy better should this ever happen again," Lotion explained to me, "You will need to remain more...competitive, should another crisis arise in which you are confronted by such a challenge. After all, we are Lore Masters...we cannot let War Masters come to take us for granted or view us as merely objects to be shunted aside when we become...inconvenient."

That old woman really does know how to push all the right buttons, because that was exactly the thing to say to get me fired up, as I'm sure she intended. I hate being taken for granted or ignored by the people I care about. I don't mind being ignored by complete strangers, but never my iinazuke, and especially not some punk who thinks he can kidnap Tendo Nabiki and use me as bait to trap Ranma!

Of course before I could voice my budding outrage, Ryonami appeared, frantically telling me that the Principal had summoned all of the students to the school gymnasium, where he intended to give us a mandatory lecture, one that we were warned against skipping. Something about this troubled me, as it obviously did my faithful assistant, who has very good instincts of her own and a knack for sensing trouble.

Almost as sharp as mine, as a matter of fact, since my previous encounter with Principal Kuno had left me with a sense that Tatewaki and Kodachi were only the tip of the iceberg when it came to family madness.

Boy was that ever an understatement!

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/College Interruptions: shadowmane

Summer classes just began, so my time is being infringed upon, but I should still be able to keep up a good pace for turning out new chapters, especially as the gang is about to have a tropical nightmare, courtesy of Principal Kuno, and what is Tatewaki's involvement in the schemes of his mad father? How will Ranma, Nabiki, Shampoo and the others cope with the challenge of the Coconuts with a free haircut in the offing if the gang doesn't somehow pull together? More fun next time...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	55. Chapter 55

NabikiRan52 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Two.

"C'mon, Ranma, we're your friends, you can tell us!" insisted Daisuke in pleading tones to the unbending Saotome.

"Uh-uh," Ranma said as he continued to slouch back in his chair with feet atop the desk, ignoring the dirty looks the teacher was sending in his direction, "No way, you guys, I'm not tellin'."

"Some friend you are!" Hiroshi complained, glancing at Shampoo, who sat at her desk with her chin on her hands, elbows on her own desk, before whispering at a conspiratorial level, "At least tell us why this babe was with you and Nabiki when you got to class. She is such a hot number..."

Ranma glared at the other boy in clear annoyance but only said, "Ya wanna know about Shampoo, go ahead and ask her, but I warn ya, you'd better be polite."

"Hey," Daisuke winced, "We don't mean any harm, there's no reason for you to threaten us..."

"Who's threatenin' you guys?" Ranma huffed, "I'm just tellin' ya that it'd be a bad idea if you upset Shampoo, 'cause she's an Amazon from China, and if you look at her funny she'll rip your arms out of their sockets."

That threat gave pause to both of the hormonally overendowed youths, but only for a second before they turned their glances away from the purple haired lovely back to their nominal "buddy" as Hiroshi asked, "So...what's the deal between you two? Don't tell me you're planning to have both her and Nabiki?"

"Man, this sucks!" Daisuke complained, "It's not fair that you've got two such hot babes all to yourself, Ranma! It's not fair to the rest of us..."

"Hey, it ain't my fault if you guys can't find dates on your own," Ranma snorted, "And it ain't that big a deal neither..."

"Maybe not for you," Hiroshi said, "You have to beat them off with a stick, Saotome..."

"Try something larger," Ranma sniffed, "A stick definitely won't cut it."

"So, what is the deal?" Hiroshi persisted, "Are you dating this Amazon cutie, and what does Nabiki have to say about it?"

"Probably charges him for it," Daisuke sniffed, "Knowing her, she probably rents you out by the hour, Saotome."

Ranma was about to say something angry about the implied slight against Nabiki when he took note of several interested looks being turned his way by the female half of the classroom. Much to his horror, so did Shampoo, and he inwardly winced inside, grateful that Nabiki was not the sort of girl who would rent him by the hour! As it was, he knew he had to say something fast or risk getting beaned on the head by a bonbori.

"Look guys," Ranma said as he sat up and turned to glare at them directly, "You wanna know what it takes to get women interested? Don't try so hard, it turns 'em off. Find a girl who likes you, and if she wants you to hang around with her, that's cool, otherwise don't bother them 'cause you're just wastin' their time and your own, okay?"

Hiroshi and Daisuke gave Ranma the sort of quizzical looks you might give someone who had just grown a second head, then they exchanged equally puzzled looks before turning back as Daisuke asked, "Since when did you become such an expert about women?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "I'm not no expert! I just know what girls like, and it ain't a guy who tries to force himself on her or draw attention to himself doing weird stuff. Girls like it better if you let 'em be themselves and don't try to smother 'em with affection. Ya wanna get anywhere with girls, you gotta treat 'em nice, like they really matter to you as people."

"He's so right," murmured Sayuri, who was near enough to overhear this.

"He's so sensitive," Yuka agreed, "And handsome. I wish that he could be my boyfriend!"

"Give me a break," Akane grumbled, "Him? You have got to be kidding!"

"It's just like Ranma to brag about himself like that," grumbled Ryoga, only to react in surprise as he found himself the sudden focus of attention.

"Brag?" Sayuri asked, "What about?"

"You don't suppose..." Yuka turned with a stricken expression, her eyes full upon the purple-haired girl sitting near to Ranma.

A student next to her gave a quizzical look Ranma's way and said, "You know...now that you mention it, Ranma does seem a lot more relaxed than usual, and he's not even shy about having that new girl give him those lovey-dovey glances."

"Yeah," another student said in disgust, "It's almost like she's worshipping the ground he walk on, and the way he's been strutting like a tom-cat...you don't think he and that other girl...?"

"Hey, could you blame him?" a male student asked, "Did you get a load of those hooters?"

"Saotome, you cad!" another boy growled, "How could you do that to your iinazuke, Nabiki?"

"Maybe one girl isn't enough for him," a third complained in jealous spite, "Maybe he wants to play the field, try other girls out until he finds one he really likes..."

This brought on a renewed exchange of acid commentary, but instead of leading to more sour looks directed at Ranma, it caused many of the girls in their class to eye him with increasing interest.

Shampoo could not help noticing this, of course, and inwardly sighed, not blaming Ranma as she knew what a prize her husband was. If anything it was only to be expected that other women would take an interest, and before too long Shampoo would have to defend her territorial rights to her husband against any or all challenges, should any warrior present be bold enough to test her!

"So, what about it, Saotome?" Daisuke asked, "Did you and this other girl...you know?"

"Huh?" Ranma flushed crimson and growled, "That ain't none of your business!"

"That wasn't a denial, Ranma," Hiroshi said, "You did it with her, admit it!"

"I don't gotta admit nothin' to you guys!" Ranma said in a fluster, "An' where do you get off askin' embarrassin' stuff like that in front of Shampoo...?"

"Saotome-san!" the Teacher had finally had enough, "If you are going to announce to the whole class what you did on your own time..."

"It ain't like that, Sensei!" Ranma sputtered, glaring at his companions, "And I ain't no pervert neither!"

"So you say," Hiroshi snorted.

"Can you believe the nerve of this guy," Sayuri turned to Akane, "Cheating with that Bimbo on your sister!"

"Would you cut it out," Akane winced, "He wasn't cheating on her...at least I don't think..."

"You mean you know something?" Yuka all but pounded on his fact, "Tell us, Akane, is it true about Ranma and that Shampoo?"

"Shampoo?" another girl snorted, "What kind of a name is that?"

"I think it means Coral, doesn't it?" asked another girl beside the speaker.

Gosunkugi Hikaru glowered at his desk as he kept his own private counsel, but aloud he murmured, "Curse you, Saotome...first Akane, then Nabiki, and now this Shampoo...?"

Just as it seemed as if the whole classroom was about to erupt into a riot, the speakers announced that Principal Kuno was calling a mandatory meeting in the gymnasium, with all faculty and students required to be in attendance. Where he stood their teacher winced to himself as he knew that something sinister was in the works, thanks to the private lecture the Principal had given them all bright and early that morning. The idea was ludicrous and it made him wish that he'd retired before it came to this, but he was years away from receiving his pension, and Kyoko would be very angry with Godai if he quit his job after only teaching for one whole semester!

Ranma had mixed feelings himself as he rose to his feet in one fluid motion, thinking the term "saved by the bell" did not begin to cover his situation. He was concerned that the new Principal was going to force them all to sit through a boring pep rally, one that no doubt would be as insane and pointless as his attack early that morning, but he wasn't about to quibble over anything that would allow him to change the subject.

But the other students just would not let the matter be, and Hiroshi even got bold enough to step into Ranma's path as he demanded, "Just a second, Ranma...you're not leaving here until you answer the question, did you and this girl have sex together?"

Ranma was fed up with being pestered, but he could not bring himself to strike the other boy, who was so weak and pathetic that a single punch might actually hurt him. Instead Ranma glared at Hiroshi and growled in a low voice of menace, "I'm only gonna say this once, so everybody listen to me nice and good, see?"

Convinced that everyone around and behind him was paying full attention, Ranma shot his fist out to the side and struck the nearest section of wall, shattering the bricks there with enough force to gouge out a small fruit-bowl-sized crater. Convinced this would be sufficient to impress his point on the others, he pushed on by the speechless Hiroshi. All the other students turned to study the big hole he had created, then they eyes collectively followed him as he and Shampoo made their exit together.

After thirty seconds had elapsed, though, Daisuke lightened the mood by saying, "Guess that confirms it."

"Yep," another boy said, "Those two are definitely sleeping together."

"Kami-sama, that guy is so lucky!"

"HE's lucky?" a girl beside him asked, "I wish I was in her place!"

"Me too!" the one next to her sighed, as did most of the other girls present, excluding several, most notably Akane.

"I don't believe this," Akane glowered as she pushed on by her friends and fellow classmates.

"Ranma," Ryoga snorted as he dutifully followed her out into the hallway, the two of them quite unaware of a third set of eyes that was tracking their movement...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Great Grandmother has often said that public school is a waste of time and effort, merely an attempt at warehousing students line on one of those factory assembly lines that you find in some of the larger cities in China. She believes that the only valid education is a one-on-one tutoring of the teacher working with student in order to personally shape them individually through the apprenticeship system that has prevailed with the Amazons since our earliest recollection. Great Grandmother believes that no real trials or challenges can be obtained at state-sponsored schools since the people teaching the students are nor elders but themselves barely educated children. Much of life, she insists, is wasted having to un-learn most of the nonsense that is learned in a classroom and that a warrior is better off not burdening themselves with such shoddy and inaccurate teachings in the first place.

Of course my experiences of this day have led me to believe that what Great Grandmother has been telling me is not entirely accurate. Public school can provide many formidable challenges, some of which can test even a seasoned warrior in ways that are most surprising.

So it was that I followed my husband and the rest of the students into the large building with a wooden floor and seats that were elevated in rows that I heard were called "bleachers," (for what reason I cannot fathom since my sensitive nose could only detect the faintest whiff of bleach, mainly coming from the floor itself) and we found the Principal waiting there on a raised stand that I heard is called a podium. We found Nabiki and sat with her, while two of my wife's loyal retainers sat dutifully behind her in the matter of watchful guardians (even though I rate them very poorly as fighters). I heard my wife and husband exchange quizzical remarks but neither one knew what this was all about, so I held my counsel and decided to study the peculiar man who had attacked us earlier with barber shears, hoping to obtain some clue as to his motives and intentions.

As we sat together I heard the murmured commentary concerning us increase in volume, which puzzled me no less than if the people of my village were gossiping about my choice of life-mates. That these people regarded me as the outsider was not so strange as their whispered comments regarding my looks, the color of my hair and the size of my breasts, which some of these students mentioned by a variety of odd names, most of which I had never heard before and could only guess at by the direction of their glances.

I am not unduly surprised to learn that some people believe my hair has been artificially dyed when in fact it is natural for me. Since following Ranma into the outside world I have learned that the vast majority of people have dark or black hair, with a few odd shades of brown or yellow making up the rest. I have even heard one shade described as red that look more to me like a variety of orange shades that range from dark gold to burnt sienna. Only a few come close to the bright cherry red hair of at least one of my natural sisters, and far too many of those are the result of hair dyes. I have only encountered one or two persons in my travels who have hair that is near to mine in color and shading, one of them being that nice Juraian princess that we met during our skiing adventure.

I think these people fail to understand that the culture of China does not encourage one to stand out in a crowd, so that dying one's hair would be scandalous under most circumstances. I am told that there was a time when those Amazons who have unusual haircolor, such as my late Grandmother, did choose to dye their hair black so as not to attract notice during the horror that was once called the "Cultural Revolution," but this is an exception to the general rule, and I have never had to dye my hair that way, any more than my mother.

We Amazons are accepting of unusual hair coloring, believing it signifies the favor of the gods, and my family line has far more exotic colorings than almost any other family of the Nyanichiczu. I am proud of my hair's coloration and believe it grants me an air of distinction, as if has for my mother. That I would ever be forced to cut or dye it is anathema to me, so I found these comments mildly irritating. But of course, compared with the comments leveled at my breasts these are merely light jibes, where the other kind borders on angry resentment or outright drooling. I am puzzled on that score, but the Japanese do seem to have all sorts of odd standards.

I am aware that my breasts are of unusual size and firmness, but while I feel justified in my pride at my good looks I feel that I can take very little credit for this fact and must pass it off to the good fortune that I have had in my ancestors. My mother, for example, has much larger breasts than I have, no doubt the result of childbirthing, which gives me hope that my own will attain a similar size when I have daughters of my own to look after. To be certain, I have needed special training from Great Grandmother in how to keep my breasts firm through the proper exercise and diet so they do not wind up sagging like those of an old woman, to say nothing of avoiding back problems from the way my enlarged breasts have forced me to adjust my posture. I am as surprised as any at the way they have ripened and matured during the past year or so, but they say that large breasts is a sign of a big heart, so I am happy that mine reflect the great love I have to bear for my two Airen. Certainly Nabiki's are of a size just right for me to play with, and that goes doubly for Ranma in his cursed form! I am so fortunate indeed to know the love of such beautiful and well endowed Airen.

I suppose I will have to accommodate myself to the fact that other women cannot complete with me on an even plateau, but life is not always fair to others, as I well know from the experiences of my childhood. A pity, though, that the women at Furinkan High School do not seem to boast fighting spirits to match their angry resentments because I was expecting at least one or to of them to issue challenge at some time during the day. I am not certain I like some of the comments I heard directed towards me and would have welcomed the excuse to teach them the folly of insulting an Amazon. Of course I had to promise my Airen that I would be well behaved on my first day of class, so I will have to bide my time and seek an appropriate way of getting even.

If only I understood more Japanese terms, like that word I hear so often directed at me, Bimbo. I am similarly confused at the reference term for "Hooters," and why did one student compare me to some place called "Silicone Valley?"

Ah well, this is quite off the subject of today's exciting events. As I said, we were all sitting down in the bleachers as the Principal gave a speech, using his appallingly bad accent to announce to us that he was establishing a new school dress policy regarding the length of hair for all students. He had his angry and resentful son there, glaring at his father as though he wanted to take his head and use it for that game that I've heard about called Soccer. He refused to honor his father's request to join him on the stage and instead glared more hatefully than ever, though I was not to fully understand why he felt this way until much later.

The Principal kept using terms like "Keiki" to describe all students while the girls were called Wahine and the boys were referred to as "Brudda." He then had the stage lights dimmed as some teachers assistants wheeled in a pair of figures that were mounted upon wooden stands. When the light came on again we all experienced a collective gasp, me no less than anyone, for the two being displayed tied to poles were none other than Akane and stupid-pig-boy Ryoga!

The Principal then waved a hand indicating the semi-conscious Ryoga, whose absence I had not really taken note of until then as I had assumed that he and Akane were following us out into the hallway. They must have been ambushed along the way and roped into being used as examples of the new hair style, for Akane's hair had been cut much shorter than even her usual short length with her hair trimmed around the level of her ears, making her look much worse than ever I remember!

I heard Ranma and Nabiki both gasp, and then all three of us were on our feet, along with the rest of the student body. The general consensus was that the new hair standard was unacceptable to everyone, and the demand that the Principal rescind his new policy was nearly universal. Some students were even throwing food at the stage, though very few had the strength of arm or the accuracy to reach Kuno's father. The noise did, however, appear to revive his two nominal victims, for Akane cried in outrage as she found herself mounted like a scarecrow, while Ryoga took his situation no better, and by mutual consent they proceeded to tear loose from their bonds, which were far too weak to hold either one of them captive.

The Principal seemed to recognize that he was in imminent danger of a riot, to say nothing of a severe beating from the two whom he had grossly offended, but rather than show concern he pressed a hidden section of the podium that caused the bleachers to suddenly fold inward beneath our feet. I reacted with no less surprise than my Airen or the rest of the student body as we found ourselves sliding forward without purchase to afford us traction. Not only were we moving downward, but the entire section of floor at the base of the bleachers opened up to reveal a trapdoor, so as a single wave all the students joined us in a massive tumble as we slid into the dark cavity and traveled for what must have been three floors, only to find ourselves in a large chamber located directly beneath the gymnasium. It was with no small effort that we fought to extricate ourselves from what my wife later termed a "Dog Pile" as we landed in a heap on a sandy surface that provided some cushioning from our otherwise rude landing.

After we shook the sand out of our hair and persons we glanced around in mutual surprise and found ourselves inside a lighted chamber that appeared to have been designed to resemble an outdoor setting. The sand we stood upon was formed like a beach surrounded by a huge body of water that must have consisted of millions of gallons of water. There were palm trees and tropical bushes forming an artificial landscape that added to the effect of this strange setting, whereas the walls and ceiling had been painted blue to resemble sky with a single overhead lighting source almost as bright as the sun. There was even a passable wind that must have been generated by hidden means to give added effect to the illusion, so that if one did not know the difference they could easily imagine themselves as being inside what I heard described as "a picture postcard setting."

Of course it was plainly artificial and false even to my reckoning, but the heat was convincing enough that we were no longer experiencing conditions of late winter. Many students loosened the buttons on their shirts or blouses, and a few even removed unnecessary clothing in order to establish a level of some comfort. I merely adjusted my breathing and assumed a meditative state of mind that would allow me to slow my pulse and better regulate temperature throughout my body. I was glad for several reasons not to have landed in the water as my cursed form's fur coat would have made the heat more unbearable. As it was I was seriously considering going naked but for the modesty these Japanese seem to think of as "moral" standards.

"I don't believe this!" I heard my husband state aloud as we sought to make sense of our surroundings, "What the heck does that jerk think he's doing?"

"I'm more worried about who paid to build this place," my wife noted practically, "Can you imagine how many million-strike that-billion yen it would cost to build something like this directly under our high school?"

"Yeah, well, when you're a crazy millionaire who makes his money on drugs I guess you can do anything," my husband reasoned, "I just wonder what he's up to...seems like a lotta trouble to go to just to try and impress us."

All at once we heard two voices raised in matching yells and glanced up in time to see Akane and Ryoga falling from the same gap in the ceiling through which we had tumbled. From the angle of their fall I have expected them to land in the water, but they just missed the edge of the artificial shore line, which is a good thing since their curses would have thus been revealed to their mutual shame before the rest of these students. Once they got to their feet and joined the rest of us the gap sealed itself behind them, leaving very little trace of the aperture to spoil the effect of our tropic island setting.

"Akane?" my wife asked once she had joined us, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine!" she declared with a typical display of her temper, which reassured us that she was, indeed, feeling perfectly normal, "It's that jerk you should be worried about! Just look at my hair! When I get my hands on him...!"

"You and me both, Akane," Ryoga averred with his fists clenched in anger.

"Swell," my husband looked around, "Only how do we get our hands on that jerk? This place looks huge, and I don't see a way off of this island."

"I can tell you the way off of here," a voice surprised us as we all turned to find the sullen Kuno Tatewaki standing there in his usual robing, only absent his wooden weapon, which I reasoned he had concealed upon his person.

"Kuno-chan?" my wife asked in what was usually a teasing reference to the dark haired boy, but this time sounded like a sincere entreaty.

"I know how to get off of here," he said in tones of studied indifference, "But I warn you, it won't be that easy."

"Spill it, Kuno," my husband demanded, "What's your crazy old man hoping to achieve by doing all this? Kidnapping the entire student body..."

"He is not my 'Old Man,' Saotome," Kuno glared back at my husband, "I want nothing to do with that madman! Kindly refrain from sullying the noble House of Kuno by associating us with that...lunatic with the barber's sheers!"

The other students standing around with us all turned immediate questioning commentary towards the Poetry spouting fool, (whom, I will admit, was spouting no poetry at the moment and if anything seemed unusually lucid...for a Kuno, that is) petitioning him to know if he was in truth the son of the Principal, to which he steadfastly denied this very fact that he had confessed to us not one hour before this!

"I said away!" he made a dramatic gesture with his arms, storming off a short distance to remove himself from the hundreds of fellow students that were with us, "Kuno Tatewaki does not know or acknowledge the one who claims to be a Kuno! Whoever that is, he darkens my father's memory by his very existence, but he shall soon know the righteous wrath of the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High for daring such an imposture! I shall smite him back to the oblivion from whence he first came and..."

"Yo there, Bruddas and Wahine!" a voice called out to us, "Welcome ta Kuno Island where da big Kahuna is gonna give you Keiki a taste O' discipline fo dis Cabana, Yeah!"

"Where the hell is he?" demanded Ranma.

"Somewhere close by, I think," Nabiki glanced around, "He's using a PA system, but I think I hear a slight echo effect, so he can't be addressing us from a separate chamber."

I was about to voice my own observation over the likely whereabouts of the missing Principal when all at once forms came rushing out from the bushes, animals by the impression one got at first glance until you realized that they were actually people dressed up in animal costumes attacking us with barber sheers. Some students cried out in panic, a few fought back to ward off this attempt on their hair follicles. I noted that one attacker was bearing down on one of my wife's retainers, the one whose long brown hair I had always thought very attractive...Ryonami, I think her name is...and I reacted by producing one of my Bonbori and using it to dispatch her would-be assailant.

Ranma and his brother tore into two of the attackers who had strayed too near our position. Akane did likewise, taking on a fellow who wore a suit that I think was supposed to make him look like an oversized monkey. Nabiki held back and allowed me to protect her as I like her hair the way it is and do not desire to see it any shorter. In short order we and the rest of the students overcame out attackers and ripped away their costumes to reveal that they were in fact Furinkan teachers, many of whom appeared as chagrined by what they were doing as the students themselves. Once our collective surprise was over and we had subdued the last of the teachers my apprentice stepped forward and confronted our own homeroom teacher, demanding what he and the others were doing there, to which they all looked down in contrition and reluctantly admitted that they had been forced to participate by Principal Kuno.

"So, where is he?" Ryoga asked.

"Good question," Ranma turned to glare in a certain direction, which I had already marked through my own means of detection.

"We need to force him into the open so we can find out what he's really up to," Nabiki surmised, to which I merely smiled and threw my bonbori, aiming at a certain dark point that I had spotted in one of the palm trees. I am pleased to say that my aim was as flawless as Great Grandmother always insisted I be, for what fell from the palm tree next was not a coconut but Principal Kuno!

Needless for me to say this, but the students were not particularly happy with their Coconut tree-headed Principal, and they proceeded to gang up on him in order to voice their displeasure, which was nothing less than he deserved but was not enabling us to escape from his bizarre notions of discipline, so my husband most reluctantly intervened before serious injury could be inflicted, and with my assistance and the threat of a renewed beating we induced him to explain for us the true purpose behind his actions.

I won't abuse the term by calling him crazy, but even for an Elder his notions were quite...eccentric. It seems that the Principal had set things up for this day some four years in advance. Before his disappearance he had commissioned the construction of this underground facility, reconverting it from a shelter that had been originally been built during the cold war with the Russians, expanding upon it to create what had been intended to be an underground Coconut farm into some sort of mock-up of the island that he had been trapped upon for two years before being rescued back to civilization. As I understand the matter, that means he must have been planning for this day as much as four years ago, only to have modified it a bit in light of the experiences that no doubt have contributed to his madness.

The odd things is that he is so obsessed with cutting hair to a most unusually short length, something called a "bowl cut," that he even made it into a challenge for us that if any student could find the "Free Pass" he had hidden on this island it would mean that he would rescind his severe order for the entire student body. Naturally everyone wanted to find this pass, my husband no less than anyone else, but it was concealed inside of a coconut, and with hundreds of coconuts to choose from on the island we would only find it if we followed the directions given on a map that he had tattooed to his son's head before leaving. That son, naturally enough, was Kuno Tatewaki, but when everyone turned to the poetry spouting fool he denied the very association that he had been claiming before and refused to cooperate, insisting he would keep his hair where it was rather than go along with his father's insane antics.

Naturally some, such as my husband, attempted to persuade him to help us out, but the sword-stick boy became stubborn and instead challenged his father to a one-on-one match to preserve their family honor (which is odd as I was not aware their family had any honor to speak of). Kuno drew his wooden sword and his father pulled out another pair of those sheers he had used to all but scalp Ryoga and Akane and the two went at it in a single pass, the result being that Kuno's sword was destroyed by the sheers due to a secret family technique that was peculiar to the Kuno line, proof indeed that they were of one blood and family line.

Of course the revelation that the Principal was indeed his father had the most surprising effect upon Tatewaki, for he angrily declared that his father had disgraced himself, ruined the lives of his children and driven their mother to her death, so even without weapon he attempted to take the head off his father (arguably not the man's most vital organ). For his trouble his father knocked Kuno senseless, at which point several students pounced on Tatewaki and attempted to pry off that ridiculous wig he was wearing before my husband and wife could think to stop them.

Surprisingly enough it was Akane who came to Kuno's defense, declaring that the boy was obviously not in his right wits due to the abuse he had suffered from his parents. My apprentice surprises me at times, so quick to anger at most times, yet capable of surprising compassion for the oddest sorts of people. Nonetheless, in spite of her efforts, some of the students did manage to pry away the hairpiece to expose Kuno's bald head, only to discover that Tatewaki had attempted to use an industrial solvent to glue the thing to his scalp, a solvent that had so badly discolored the tattoo underneath as to make it virtually unreadable, so their efforts were for nothing.

That left us back where we started with no clue as to where the to find the coconut with the hair pass. Akane elected to organize a search and enlisted the female students to round up each coconut they could find so that she could break them open and see if one of them was the right one. My husband was disdainful of this approach, commenting to us that she was-as is her usual wont-  
doing it the hard way. He elected to force the Principal to rescind the order directly or-failing that-to charm it out of him with his other form. Necessarily this option was decided when the Principal elected to attack him directly, prompting Ranma to knock the fool senseless with a single blow rather than sacrifice his warrior's braid to the sheers. I noticed that he was very insistent that no one touch his braid, even declaring it as "his seal," no doubt for some honorable pledge he has made that forbids him to cut it.

It occurs to me that I have never seen Ranma without his braid, in either of his forms, even to undo it when taking a bath, so whatever that pledge is he must feel bound to it by oaths most potent!

In any event, Nabiki seemed to have a peculiar look about her once the Principal was overcome, and I recognized that look at the inquiring expression of a Lore Master sensing what others do not see by means that only another Lore Master might interpret. Not for the first time I wondered what was actually passing through her clever mind as she turned to regard the treacherous Principal, who was regaining consciousness with a speed to rival that of Tatewaki himself. I do not always follow the fluid direction of her mind, but I so love her that I am willing to follow her lead most anywhere, for she is the woman who has won my heart in ways that even Ranma cannot approach, though my love for him is as unequaled.

Such cleverness as she demonstrated there and then would serve us well in the coming moments when our confrontation with the Principal would be elevated to the next level, but it is Tatewaki himself who proved the most surprising as events were to reveal themselves, proof positive that you can misjudge someone even as you correctly define him as the sort of person you don't wish on your worst enemies, be they Amazon, Musk or something other... 


	56. Chapter 56

NabikiRan53 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Three.

"Well now," Silk smiled pleasantly at the couple sitting across from her at the table, "I must say you do look to be a most appropriate couple. Your father and I are very proud of you, Kachu dear, you've made a good catch, and he's a doctor no less."

"Mother," Kachu colored appropriately and stared down at the table, unable to keep from smiling while she felt Tofu squeeze her hand in a reassuring manner.

"Soun-chan," Silk turned to the man sitting at her side, "Would you care to say something to the nice daughter, now that our little girl is getting married?"

"Well," Soun began, surprised that his opinion was actually being solicited for once, "I've known you for many years, Tofu-Sensei. I would be proud to call you son-in-law. I know that you will do your best to make my little girl happy."

"Thank you, sir," Tofu replied, drawing a deep breath before exhaling, "I must confess that I'm as surprised about all of this as anyone, but I've taken some time to get to know Kachu-chan...your daughter, and I think it could work between us. I know I want to make it happen, so-Amazon laws or no-I intend to go through with this, and I certainly will try to make Kachu happy."

"You already have, Airen," Kachu smiled, squeezing his hand back with more gentleness than she might have done prior to their night of passion-for which Tofu was enormously grateful!

Silk exchanged a knowing look with Soun, who looked mildly uncomfortable but found himself smiling in return, only to have him look up in another moment with surprise as he said, "Kasumi, are you back already? I didn't hear you enter..."

"Ka-Ka-Kasumi?" Tofu gasped, squeezing Kachu's hand as he fought for self-  
control, praying fervently to the Kami that he would not disgrace himself or embarrass his wife at that moment.

"Oh, hello Father," Kasumi said from the doorway, "I'm sorry, I had my mind on other things. Tadaima," she concluded in the traditional manner, though it sounded more spoken for ceremony than for need.

"Come join us, Kasumi," Soun urged, "We were discussing your sister's marriage to Doctor Tofu. I thought you might like to help us plan for the event since we intend to perform the ceremony in the dojo."

"Oh?' Kasumi glanced at Tofu, who was not looking in her direction but straight ahead with a most peculiar expression. She saw a look of annoyance pass over Kachu's features before turning her gaze towards Kasumi with a most unreadable expression, and it prompted Kasumi to say, "Ah...well..." in a most hesitant manner.

"She means to say that she would love to be a part of this in any way she can, Soun-chan," Silk smoothly spoke up, "But Kasumi promised to help me out in the kitchen when she was done seeing her friend off. You understand, don't you?"

"I suppose I do," Soun said with a slight wistfulness in his expression, "It's odd to think of Hitome's child living under this roof, but at least she's a paying houseguest, unlike some others I could mention..."

As if on cue two angry voices were raised in mutual shouts of annoyance, coming from the backyard area, "Watch where you're going, clumsy!"

"Watch out for yourself, Egg-sucker!" came the automatic retort.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "Are those two fighting again?"

"Just like old times," Silk sighed.

"It has been unusually quiet between those two," Soun remarked, "For a while there I'd almost hope-I mean-I feared they might have done permanent harm to one another..."

"Actually, I convinced those two to put their energies into something constructive for a change," Silk remarked, "A little project I came up with to pay you back for all the trouble we've caused by imposing on you, Soun-chan..."

"A project?" he looked at his Amazon companion with a puzzled expression, "What sort of project?"

"You'll see when they've finished," Silk winked, "After all, now that Atsuko is here we can put her powers to good use, which is why I gave Genma the task of playing overseer while they worked. Since he's usually the cause of most of their squabbles I thought fighting fire with fire might for once work to our advantage."

Soun did not seem particularly reassured by this statement, but he seemed willing to let it go for the moment as the Amazon rose up from his side and said, "Now, Kasumi-chan, if you would be so kind as to follow me..."

"Ah...of course," Kasumi dubiously responded, but nonetheless obeyed the request as she followed the Lore Master into the next room, where everything appeared to be neat and orderly to her standards, which oddly did not make her feel all that much better.

"Kasumi-chan," Silk began gently, causing her to look up into the knowing eyes that reflected infinite depths of wisdom and understanding, "I know you think I've intruded upon you and your territory, but please understand that I am not trying to make you feel obsolete and unwanted."

"What are you talking about, Auntie?" Kasumi asked her, though she had a strong sense that she already knew the answer to her own question.

"It's only natural that you should resent me," Silk continued, "After all, I'm not your mother, I just resemble her somewhat. I know and accept this as the truth, so please don't think that I am trying to usurp the place of your mother."

"Then what are you doing with father?" Kasumi asked, more pointedly than intended.

"That is a good question," Silk lowered her eyes and her expression seemed sad for a moment, "He's changed so little since I first met him...a bit older, possibly more foolish, but with such an air of deep sorrow and remorse. I never thought he and Kimiko would become so close, especially not in the old days when she could almost terrify him with her quick bursts of temper and mercurial nature..."

Kasumi blinked, "My mother was like that?"

"She was when I knew her," Silk's smile became wistful, "Such a firebrand she could be on occasion, yet so calm and gentle most times, with such a polite disposition when there was nothing bad to arouse her. She was very popular in the old days, you know, with lots of suitors of her own. She resented the arranged marriage that her father insisted upon, but in the end she agreed to go through with it and marry Soun. She put him on notice early that she would not put up with any nonsense such as they'd gone through during their courtship, but she was very supportive of your father, and I think she made him a good wife to judge by the way he misses her and seems to see her in my reflection."

"I had no idea," Kasumi replied, "I thought my mother never lost her temper and was always the perfect lady."

"Actually that would be more true of Nodoka than Kimiko," Silk remarked casually, "I have very rarely seen Nodoka lose her calm and serene poise, while your mother could give lessons to a volcano. Of course Nodoka was a very calming influence for her, no doubt why they both became such close friends before their marriages were formalized. She taught your mother how to cook, clean and do other things that you Japanese seem to think is appropriate for a proper housewife..."

"She taught my mother?" Kasumi's surprise intensified, though her expression was only slightly puzzled.

"Oh yes," Silk nodded, "Your mother came from a military background, the child of an officer in the Home Defense Army, and she was a very accomplished fighter in her day. If she hadn't married your father I don't doubt she would have followed her private ambitions and become a pilot, like her cousin, Sakura."

"Ah...excuse me," Kasumi hesitated, "But exactly what sort of person was my mother?"

"Outside of being my primary rival for your father's affections?" Silk smiled and composed herself with a thoughtful expression, "She was very brave, very strong and extremely loyal to her friends and those she cared about. She was very kind-hearted to anyone who needed a protector, someone you could trust enough to turn your back upon her in a fight, and generally very honest. She at least tried to be polite to others, like Nodoka, but she never quite managed the same serene temperament, but I suppose that just goes to show that nobody is perfect."

"She was a good person then?" Kasumi asked.

"Oh yes," Silk admitted, "In some ways an even better person than me, though she could be very rash at time and leap to all sorts of faulty conclusions. I like to think that I was her opposite in a lot of ways, but in many important senses we were exactly alike, as if we had been born as sisters of one mind and body. I think the resemblance between you and Kachu would be a more extreme example of opposites and complimentary aspects, but we got along well enough, in spite of being bitter rivals."

"But father chose her instead of you?" Kasumi asked in mild wonder.

"In a way he did," Silk replied, "But if you want the completely honest truth on the matter, the fact is that I gave her to him when I could have had him for myself very easily. Your father did not cheat on your mother when he lay with me to beget Kachu, he was honestly expressing the deep emotional bonds that we had formed together. In a way I think it almost scared me how close we became that night, because I broke up with him shortly after this, thereby guaranteeing that he would marry Kimiko."

"But why?" Kasumi asked, "If you loved father..."

"Love is not a simple emotion, Kasumi-chan," Silk heaved a great sigh, "I've had time to reflect on what I did then and what I regret now, but in a way I suppose it was all for the better. I didn't want to be tied down with a husband, and shortly after returning to China I renounced my warrior oaths and became the apprentice to my grandmother, a fate I should have chosen from the beginning, but the young are often given to making rash decisions. Among my people the gifts that make a Lore Master are rare and much honored, but it is more glamorous to be a War Master, not to mention less stressful, so I choose the simple path when I was a child and only later discovered my error. It was your mother who convinced me to take up my family obligations, just as Comb renounced her place as the Matriarch's heir and elected to become a Healer. We had both been changed so much by our adventures in the outside world that life no longer seemed as simple a place, and the world needs Lore Masters and Healers far more than it needs warriors and destroyers."

"I see," Kasumi replied, "Then you still love my father."

"As you love your friend, the child of Hitome?" Silk inclined her head with a knowing expression.

Kasumi's eyes got very wide and she gasped, "You know...?"

"That is what a Lore Master is good at doing, child," Silk replied, "Knowing that which is hidden from others. Besides, you two were being rather obvious about the way you felt for each other during breakfast, and you both had about you the sort of glow that can only exist between two people who have shared the most intimate part of themselves. Others may not see it as clearly, but I can tell that Kodachi is someone who makes you feel in a way that is altogether new and different...'

"Please don't tell father," Kasumi pleaded, "I...I don't think he would understand..."

"Heavens, child, do I look like the local village gossip?" Silk smiled, "What you do is your own business, I only mentioned it because I thought you would understand me better by relating to your own experiences this strange phenomenon that we call love, a force before which logic and reason have no power, and the gods themselves do tremble."

"But..." it was Kasumi's turn to look away as she allowed all of her uncertainty and confusion to rise to the surface, "Was I...wrong to do what we did? It wasn't...proper behavior..."

"What was so improper about it?" Silk asked, "You've approved of your sister being engaged to Shampoo, you're even partially responsible for bringing them both together."

"I know, but...I never really...saw it as...well..." Kasumi blushed a deep crimson.

"You truly are a good person, child," Silk said with approval, "You always try to see the best in others. There should be more people like you in this world, so don't fret over nothing. You did what your heart told you was right, and that is all the confirmation you will ever need on the merits of your actions."

"I...I suppose so," Kasumi reluctantly, "I don't know why I did that with Kodachi...even though she seemed to want it as much as I did. It was...very nice...I've never felt so alive before, as if doing something that I've always thought was improper somehow...made me feel more like a whole person."

"I fully understand your confusion, child," Silk replied, "But I'm the last one who would ever accuse you of acting impulsively, even granted that I see some difficulty for you in your relationship for the near future. Kuno Kodachi shares many of the best and worst traits of her mother, and for that reason I would ask you to be careful. Your friend will need your strength and support as she goes through some very trying times of her own, so don't be too alarmed if she becomes more...dependent on your affections. Just be mindful that there is a time and place for everything, and it is up to you to decide when to slow things down or intensify the moment. Kodachi knows that you are the stronger one of the two of you, but if you come through this with patience and fortitude, then the rewards will exceed your wildest fantasies. I only ask that you consider coming to me if you should ever need a friend. We Lore Masters make good listeners, and sometimes we even give advice that can be very helpful."

"Thank you, Auntie," Kasumi sighed, "I do feel better about knowing that someone else is...aware of my feelings. I just wonder how you can be so understanding..."

"Lady of the Stars, child," Silk rolled her eyes, "You don't think I've had other affairs over the years since parting with your father? Did you think Comb and I have done nothing but fight and name-call one another in all our long friendship? We've all had our times to experiment and indulge our passions, and while we are best friends and nothing more at the present, we do care for each other far more than we let show around others."

"You...and Shampoo's mother?" Kasumi was surprised.

"Indeed," Silk returned the look with a knowing smile, "Opposites attract and all that, though it's more a matter now of my knowing what is in her heart and Comb knowing the truth of my affections. She has a husband she cares deeply for these days, and beautiful daughters to look after, so we tend to err on the side of discretion.

"THAT'S IT!" a loud voice proclaimed from the back yard, "I've been warning you, but now you've gone and done it...!"

"Take your best shot, Purple-hair!" Atsuko snarled back, "I'll even go easy on you and use one hand to break that stupid face in!"

"Ah," Silk shook her head with a sigh, "Those two are such good friends..."

"Girls, please!" Genma sounded on the verge of desperation, "There's no reason for you two to be fighting!"

"Oh my," Kasumi glanced towards the back yard, "I hope they don't do too much damage. Mister Bogart has been working so hard to fix the walls after the last time..."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Child," Silk assured her, "Comb's bark is worse than her bite, while Atsuko...well...in spite of being part Oni, she is basically a very nice person. Besides, I know exactly how to keep them in line should things get too frantic."

"Oh?" Kasumi turned a quizzical look her way, "And how do you do that?"

"I remind them what a poor example they set for their children by behaving like teenagers," Silk answered, "And then I threaten to tell the Matriarch. Even Atsuko doesn't want to risk Cologne's wrath since the Elder was a key player in helping her achieve nominal independence from her Sorceress mother."

"Oh," Kasumi replied dubiously, thinking that one over.

"Back off, Panda-boy!" Comb suddenly cried, followed promptly by the sound of a body splashing in the koi pond.

"Of course," Silk noted as if on cue, "I can sometimes be mistaken..."

Kasumi decided to have a look for herself at what was going on out in the back, and sure enough she saw a panda half-submerged within the pond while Atsuko stood to one side, having avoided being splashed herself in the process.

"Genma-kun?" she asked, looking in confusion at the panda.

"Still want him now?" Comb snorted, "That's the same fool who bumped into you and knocked you into that cursed spring! You wanted to know what happened to that giant panda? Now you know!"

"Gen-chan?" Atsuko asked of the panda, "Is it true? Did you knock me into the Fox spring?"

The panda slowly held up a sign that read, "It was an accident, I swear! I never even saw you, At-chan! Honest!"

Absolute silence reigned for the next several seconds, but then Atsuko started to grin hugely, then reached out and snagged Genma by the fur and lifted him out of the pond with as much ease as someone might have picking up a rag doll. She deposited Genma on dry ground then threw her arms around him in a hug that caused the panda's eyes to go bug-eye.

"Genma-honey!" she cried happily, "You're like a big stuffed teddy bear! I can squeeze you and hug you and play with you like this all night...!"

Comb's expression went from dumbfounded to outraged in a very short interval, then all at once she drew her sword and snarled, "Get your hands off him you...pervert!"

"Make me!" Atsuko sniffed, ignoring the threat of the sword as she continued to hug Genma.

The panda appeared to be contemplating the wisdom of passing out right there and then when a voice intruded onto the scene and asked, "Have we come at a good time? I do hope there's still some front row seats available, because I want to watch this!"

"Grandmother?" Comb glanced up to see several figures perched upon the wall.

"Matriarch?" Silk all but whispered, "But...who is that beside young Kuonji-san? She seems somehow familiar...could it be?"

"Well, well," Cologne remarked as she vaulted off the wall and landed upon her staff, smiling owlishly at the hapless Panda being gripped by the half-Oni, "Hibiki Atsuko, as I live and breathe. It has been some time now, hasn't it, child?"

"Elder Cologne?" Atsuko let go of the panda, allowing Genma to collapse in a heap as he started to pant furiously to get his breath back.

"Who's this?" asked one of the figures who followed the Matriarch in vaulting into the garden, "She looks a little like...Ryoga..."

"I was going to say that she reminded me of Akiko," Ambergris remarked, "Or perhaps that co-pilot, Ryomi..."

"What did you say?" Atsuko turned to the newcomer, "Did you say Ryomi?"

"Allow me to make proper introductions," Cologne noted suavely, "Hibiki Atsuko, mother to young War Master Ryoga, this is...a friend of your son, Kuonji Ukyo, and these two are Ambergris and Perfume, the latter a tribal Enforcer."

"So, she's the new Enforcer, huh?" Atsuko gave the brown haired girl a lookover, then nodded approvingly, "Hope you're as good as the last one I faced. She was something special...Mace her name was, I think..."

"And these," Cologne turned to note the approach of another group of individuals wearing Chinese clothing, three of them young girls with varying hues of exotic hair color, "Are the rest of the group that has followed me from China. I don't suppose I need to make introductions for you, Granddaughter, as three of them are very familiar to you..."

"Momma!" cried two of the girls, the ones with green and cherry-pink hair, rushing forward while the man who had stood behind them watched in silence.

Comb dropped her sword and whispered, "Husband?" only to stagger under the combined impact of her teenaged twin daughters.

The panda revived enough to lift up a sign that read, "Husband?"

"Comb," the man said simply, nodding his head in tacit recognition.

"Oh my," Kasumi turned to regard the blue haired girl left standing beside the man, "And who are you?"

"Lotion," the girl replied with an almost shy smile.

"Lotion?" Silk's head all but whiplashed back from the girl to the Matriarch as she asked the word, "Elder?"

Cologne sighed, "It is a long story, child, suffice to say that the truth will come out in the end."

"Aunt Silk," the blue haired girl smiled, then more respectfully towards Comb she added, "Teacher."

"Apprentice?" Comb managed to gasp in spite of having her ribs compressed by her daughters.

"Oh my," said Soun, "This is starting to sound complicated."

"Really, father?" Kachu asked, "Seems to me more like a normal day at our village."

"Oh?" Tofu asked, sounding more than a bit worried.

"Pardon me," Ukyo spoke up, "I don't mean to sound rude, but I was hoping I could find Ranchan, Akane or Shampoo. Do you know where I can find them?"

"They're at school, Kuonji-san," Kasumi said politely, "They'll be home in a few hours if you'd care to wait."

"Oh yes," Silk smiled, "Kasumi and I were just about to make lunch for everybody. I take it you don't have any more people you plan to have drop by?"

"Hello?" a pleasant voice asked, causing the panda to blanch so hard that even his black areas looked paler than normal, "Excuse me for letting myself in, but I was hoping...oh my! So many people, are you having a party, and is that...Atsuko?"

"Nodoka?" Atsuko responded, seeing the kimono-dressed beauty with the cloth-  
wrapped bundle across her shoulders.

Soun crept closer to the panda and said, "Do you want a head start, old friend? I could run interference while you escape..."

The panda held up his sign again, which read, "Not a bad suggestion..."

"Nodoka," Comb said softly as she pried herself loose from the arms of her daughters, "Have you met my husband, Hairbrush?"

"Your husband?" Nodoka smiled at the man, who returned her smile, "Oh my, such a handsome young man, and are all of these your daughters?"

"Just the ones who look like bookends," the man replied back politely, "So you're Saotome Nodoka? My wife has spoken often of you..."

"Some of it even printable," Comb murmured in a deathly low voice that barely carried as a whisper.

The panda turned the sign around, which now read, "Okay, now we panic..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

A giant mechanical crab monster? Someone had to be pulling our legs, collectively speaking. It wasn't until later that I found out where Principal Kuno had managed to lay his grubby mitts on such elaborate hardware, Kuno Industries having major investment in the larger conglomerate known as Mishima Heavy Industries. At the time all I had in mind was getting the hell away from those things as they started to swarm over us, but while I was rooted to the spot and petrified with terror, like any normal, sensible person, I was fortunate in that Shampoo was standing right beside me, and while my Amazon iinazuke is many things, nobody ever accused her of being normal.

So it was that I felt myself being grabbed up right before those crab-like mechanical terriers could indeed do some heavy pulling on my legs, (not to mention other body parts I won't mention), and suddenly I felt myself being rocket-propelled into the nearest of the coconut trees as Shampoo carried us both to safety, while Ranma stayed behind and provided us with cover. By the time I'd recovered my wits I looked down and saw a dozen of the things being smashed to pieces with Amaguriken-speed by well-placed blows at the hands of Ranma.

Kuno proved less than idle himself, drawing another bokken from somewhere to join Ranma in fending off the attack of the smaller crab monsters. Meanwhile the large deluxe model being piloted by Kuno's maniacal Dad was steadily advancing onto the beach while our fellow students scattered in terror. I caught a glimpse of Akane and Ryoga fighting side-by-side, but other than those two the rest of the student body seemed hopelessly at the mercy of their attackers.

"Heyaa!" that lunatic in the crab-mobile called out, "Youse Keiki gonna play rough, da Big Kahuna gonna play dat much rougher. Yo git demerits fo not upholdin' da school code, Bruddas an' Wahine! It's Bowl cuts'n buzz cuts fo' th' lotta youse!"

Indeed I could see that the miniature crab-monsters were not just attacking the students but immobilizing them while their claws went to work cutting the hair of any student too slow to avoid them. we realized that if something wasn t done soon to stop them our entire student body would have the uniform cuts of raw military recruits, and who knew where it would go from that point onward?

Of course because Akane and Ryoga had already suffered the worst of the shears they felt less hindered about smashing every one of the things that got within arms reach. They had to stay clear of those crab monsters that were partially submerged in the water, though, so they couldn't reach every student in time and many of our peers started to fall to the relentless tide of the crabbies.

"Ranma!" I called down from where Shampoo and I were perched above the fray, "Those things have got to be directed by the Principal! If you take him out...!"

"Right," our iinazuke replied, already launching his assault on the large mechanical monstrosity while Kuno ran interference by slashing away at the lesser crabs with his bokken.

Of course the Principal not only saw Ranma coming but had time enough to get his defenses into play, so with extra-large claws and turret-like hands he tried to smash away at Ranma, only he was much too quick for the thing to nail and managed to reach the outer shell of it s cabin within a matter of seconds. Ranma reared back as if intending to punch his way through the canopy when all of a sudden he spasmed and jerked, for the Principal had just electrified the hull where he was standing. Ranma was forced to withdraw a few meters to recover from that when I saw a panel on the crab's hide open up to reveal a gattling-gun like projection.

"Ranma!" I called down to him, "Watch out!"

Again Ranma was a step ahead of me, dodging the place where the weapons array opened up and would have cut a normal man in half had it found its target. The Principal was playing a lot rougher now than I thought even he would stoop to, but as Ranma kept dodging the volley attacks it left an opening to Tatewaki, who smashed the thing with a single swipe of his Bokken.

"IDIOT!" Kuno-chan snarled, "Have you completely lost what few wits you have? How dare you degrade our noble house by such foul tactics?"

"Don' talk back to yo ol' man, Tachi-chan," the Principal rebuffed, and with a swipe of one of his crab's arms he knocked Kuno sprawling and momentarily took him out of the fight.

This time it was Ranma who pounced on the Principal as the lunatic left him an opening, and with powerful blows of his hands he started to crack open the canopy before receiving another jolt that caused him to break off the attack.

"Ranma!" I shouted, "Try and lure him into the water so he can't keep using that tactic!"

"That enuff outta yo, Wahine!" the Principal retorted, extending one of his claws to the base of our tree as a buzz-saw projected out and sliced through it in one clean swipe.

All of a sudden Shampoo and I lost our precious perch and started to tumble in the direction of the beach. Shampoo scrambled and with incredible reflexes got me onto her back as she literally ran around to the top part of our pole while it was still falling. She was attempting to race down the length of the trunk when gravity beat us out by mere seconds, and only a few meters from where the log connected with the shore at that. The resultant splash knocked us both into the water, and within a second Shampoo reverted to her Neko form while I was left holding onto her sopping wet Chinese clothing.

"Nabiki-Shampoo!" I heard Ranma shout out to us as I fought to get back clear onto the shore, dragging my helpless bundle with me as Shampoo fought her way clear of the silk that had suddenly become her prison. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if we had landed at the deeper end, because Shampoo is almost helpless in the water and might have drowned from the weight of her own clothing, but instead she pulled her way clear and shook her wet fur and feathers dry while I fell to my knees, more from shock and relief than from surprise at our close encounter.

I took a moment to glance around, grateful that none of the crab-beasts was near enough to be a threat, but as I looked up and saw Ranma fighting with the crab-  
beast I forgot all about my wet condition and thought only of him and his impending danger. Ranma seemed to be holding his own but he couldn't get near enough to do the thing any serious damage.

"Mew!" I heard Shampoo cry as she flapped her wings and began to charge forward.

"Sham-chan, no!" I cried, suddenly terrified that the pussycat would be at an even greater disadvantage than Ranma.

I should learn to stop underestimating her, though, because Shampoo took off into the air at a dead run, spreading her wings to enable her to glide as she gained rapid altitude, then banked about and came down at the crab-beast from what might have been a "Sun-blind" position, judging by the shadow that fell over the Principle's head. I wondered what in the world she was up to when it suddenly occurred to me that she was aiming herself like a guided missile, and-  
sure enough-she struck the canopy with just enough force and at just the right angle to finish the job Ranma had started, mewing a cry that must have been the feline equivalent of "Bakusai Tenketsu!"

The Canopy exploded outward as Shampoo glided to safety, creating the opening that Ranma needed. In a flash our iinazuke was in the cockpit hauling the Principal out of his seat, and with the flick of one hand he tossed the big man clear of the crab-beast, leaping free as the thing suddenly halted in mid-  
motion.

"Now, you bastard!" Ranma started to step forward when Kuno-chan thrust his bokken into his path and said, "No, Saotome...despite his many crimes, he is still my father."

"But Kuno...!" Ranma started to protest.

"Let me finish," Tatewaki said, turning to the coconut-tree-headed man with his face clouding up in dark anger, "He is my father...SO I WILL BE THE ONE TO KILL HIM!"

He charged with his bokken, but the Principal managed to get to his feet in time to fend off the attack with yet another pair of barber sheers. Meanwhile I noticed that the Crab-monster was no longer standing idle, moving on its own volition despite the absence of a driver.

"Nabiki!" I heard Akane call out, turning to see her and Ryoga approach with several other students, only a few of whom seemed to have suffered bad hair cuts.

"What's going on?" Ryoga asked, "Are we winning or not?"

"We got most of the crab-beasts," Akane said, "But the big one looks like it's not out of commission!"

Sure enough the thing aimed a claw at Ranma's backside, and before any of us could warn him it shot out a cable that wrapped itself around my iinazuke. Ranma started to struggle as Ryoga surged forward to help him, only to fall prey to another cable that shot out of its other clawed hand, paralyzing the both of them as the crab-beast continued to orient on the rest of us with red-eyed stalks facing in our direction.

"Ryoga!" Akane cried, "Nabiki, we've got to do something to help him!"

I knew that as well, and more to the point I also knew what had to be done to turn things around back in our favor. It was not something that I wanted to do, but the moment was desperate and we had only one card left to play if we were to beat that lunatic principal.

So I reached into the pocket I keep concealed on my dress with my hidden money-  
pouch and pulled out my compact mirror. I opened it up and held it out towards Akane and said, "See this, Sis?"

Akane's eyes latched onto her own reflection, a hand moving up to feel along the bare area at the base of her neck, and the realization suddenly came over her just what she now looked like on account of Principal Kuno. It was far worse than the haircut she had received accidentally from Ryoga, and the sheer horror of it struck Akane like a five kilo rise on a bathroom scale. Her eyes went from horrified shock to outrage and straight down the pipeline to the kind of berserker mad-on that I have only twice witnessed before, and hope never again to see within this incarnation!

In other words she charged headlong at the crab-beast, the nearest available target for venting her anger. I won't go into the details of what followed, suffice to say the monster was soon reduced to a pile of smoldering pieces, which only just barely put a dent in Akane's righteous wrath. With more control to her fury she stomped a path towards the sole remaining fighters on the beach, shoved her way past Tatewaki and grabbed the Principal by his collar, proceeding to vent upon him an editorialized version of her opinion of what it felt like to be so humiliated.

Nobody tried to stop her as she pounded the man senseless, but at last Kuno-chan put a halt to things by insisting that he would take full responsibility for his father.

Ranma and Ryoga were both standing to one side looking at Akane as she fought to rein in her anger. They had taken the time to free themselves of the cables while Shampoo had sought out my shoulder for a purchase and watched the whole thing with a very round-eyed, cat-like expression. I think we were all pretty well impressed by my little sister's performance, but it was only when Ryoga got up the courage to approach her that she finally did calm down and let the Principal live, no doubts remaining about who was the clear victor.

Needless to say we fetched the coconut from the hut and forced the Principal to rescind his orders. Tatewaki showed us the way to the exit while some of us students cornered the teachers who had taken part in the whole affair and demanded an accounting. Those students who had suffered bad hair cuts were the most incensed, and therefore provided the loudest argument for cooperation as Godai Sensei confessed that they had all been coerced into going along with the Principal's schemes, something that had been set up long before he had started teaching at the school. It seems the teachers had all been threatened with bad performance reviews and potential cuts in salary, which was why they half-  
heartedly had participated in the whole mess. We got back to the surface and sorted everything out while I fetched Shampoo some hot water, excusing the presence of my winged pussy to inquiring minds with a few glib comments about an experimental genetics lab animal that had escaped into my custody with Ranma and my assistance.

Of course I knew that explanation would not hold water with everybody, but there were only a few whom I trusted enough to tell the full story, Ryonami being one of them since she helped me out while I carried Shampoo and her clothes into one of the bathrooms. Ryonami's eyes were as wide as some Manga drawing when she saw Shampoo change back to human form, so naturally she wanted to hear all of the details, for which I only had time enough to give her the edited version.

"So you mean to say she's your wife?" Ryonami found that part the hardest to understand, though she seemed to take it in stride that Shampoo and me were recent bedmates, "And you both want to marry Ranma?"

"Is married to Ranma already," Shampoo insisted, smiling as she added, "Several times over all night long, and very happy so."

I colored at the lascivious look she gave me, then noticed that Ryonami was eyeing me with a mildly dubious expression. I started to open my mouth when she replied, "Never mind...I guess it's your business, Sempai. I'm just wondering how you plan on pulling off this scam since it's not exactly legal until at least one of you ties the knot with Ranma."

"That would be me," I said, glancing at Shampoo for confirmation, "Shampoo doesn't need the formal vows to declare us married in her culture, though we're probably gonna have to do some fancy Amazon ceremony sooner or later. All the authorities here need to know is that I marry Ranma and we live together with another woman, end of story."

"Is good plan," Shampoo nodded, "Even Great Grandmother approve."

"Well, I guess that makes sense," Ryonami turned to look at me quizzically, "But what are we going to tell the rest of our class, Sempai? It's not exactly like we can tell them the truth this time, right?"

"Good question," I admitted, stroking my chin as I contemplated Shampoo, "Everybody thinks you're having sex with Ranma, but they don't know about me being in the same picture. Maybe we should go with that for now, like pretend I don't know what you two are doing, or maybe I've got a private arrangement to look the other way, or something."

"It might not be a good idea to let people think they can buy your iinazuke's favor, Sempai," Ryo-chan cautioned, "I've already received about a dozen petitions from girls in our class who want to know if they can pay to spend time with your Ranma. That is...unless you want to, because they're offering a lot of money..."

Dear Ryonami, so sweet and considerate, and always looking for the best scam angles. I wonder why I've never thought about making a play for her as my first conquest since I suspect she wouldn't raise too many objections if I had, but I guess I'll just chalk that up to lost opportunities since if I tried that now Shampoo would probably kill her.

"Point taken," I said, "Better let them know now that Ranma's not for sale, not unless they can meet Shampoo's price of admission, right Sham-chan?"

My Amazon girlfriend smiled in a way that did not promise anything healthy for any girl who tried to petition her for Ranma. I think Ryo-chan got the hint and made some suggestions about the sorts of rumors we could circulate while selling off partial bits of information to potential buyers. We concluded business within a few minutes while Shampoo got dressed again, then we left the bathroom and sought out Ranma.

School was pretty much called off for the remainder of the day, so we went home early, Ranma and Shampoo electing to walk along the fence beside me as I preferred the comfort of the sidewalk. Akane and Ryoga were walking in a very subdued manner, my little sister having come down off the high of her berserker state with some gentle coaching by Ryoga.

"Hmph," I heard Ranma snort after a few moments of mutual silence, "This sure has been a day for the records. I wonder if they're gonna lock that jerk up in the nuthouse like he deserves?"

"Hard to say, Ranma-kun," I admitted, "Principal Kuno has a lot of money and influence, and the school board's never had the nerve to stand up to him in the past."

"I can't believe that he could get away with this," Ryoga stroked the nearly bare nape of his head and sighed, "I don't mind what he did to me as much as I do what he did to Akane."

My sister sulked over that point, but to our surprise we heard Shampoo call out, "Akane?"

"Yeah?" Akane glared at the Amazon walking along on the fence above her.

"You fight very good today," Shampoo said almost respectfully, "Shampoo very impressed. You get angry like that, even Shampoo no want to fight you."

"Oh..." Akane almost seemed to blush at the compliment, and it was with some difficulty that she managed to reply, "Thanks..."

"No mention if Akane no want to," Shampoo winked at my sister, which seemed to cheer Akane up even more than the compliment since it hinted that their rivalry was back in place, though more respectful than ever.

"Y'know," Ranma began again, "It's funny...I almost feel sorry for Kuno, having to put up with a guy like that for a father. Even my old man never put me through the kind of hell he must have lived with when he was younger."

"Everything is relative, Ranma-kun," I replied, "Your father also doesn't have a tree growing out of his head, which just means he has even less excuse for his behavior."

"I still can't believe that he's also my father," Ryoga shook his head slowly, "Mom can't be serious about that! It means Ranma and me are..." he and Ranma exchanged worried looks, then neither one of them looked willing to follow up that statement.

"Surely you're not calling your own mother a liar," I pointed out, "Unless you think she's got ulterior motives."

"I'm not saying that at all!" Ryoga protested, "I'm just saying..."

"Saotome Ranma," a voice intruded into our private conversation.

We all halted in our tracks, seeing a man in a three piece suit standing directly in our way holding a briefcase...a seemingly young man who looked very handsome and distinguished. We sized him up immediately and like a well-oiled machine realized that he represented a kind of imminent danger.

Ranma and Shampoo vaulted off the wall to take defensive positions between the rest of us and the strange man, Ranma raising his fists as he growled, "Yeah, whadya want?"

"You are Saotome Ranma I take it?" the man inclined his head in Ranma's direction.

"Hey, I know you!" Akane spoke up, "You came to our house yesterday asking for Uncle Saotome!"

"You're after Pop?" Ranma asked, if anything even more defensive in his posture.

"You have me mistaken for my brother, Miss Tendo," the man replied, "Su Yu. I am Su Mei, another member of the same firm, here to represent Kuonji Industries in a petition of grievances against the Saotomes for breach of contract and theft of property. This is the summons my firm is issuing to both you and your father."

He handed a scroll over to Ranma, who took and unrolled it, scanning it briefly with a glance as I approached closer to read past his shoulder.

"A challenge letter?" Ranma looked up at the man in astonishment, while I noted the formal language and asked that Ranma pass the scroll over to me for a closer examination.

"Be at the place and time specified tomorrow," the man said before crisply turning around and walking away, "Don't be late or it will go badly against both you and the Tendos."

We watched the man until he turned a corner a half a block away, then Ryoga asked, "What was that all about?"

"Ukyo," Ranma breathed, and I could almost feel the chill down his spine when he said that.

"Ukyo?" Akane shouldered her way up to our front ranks, "What about Ukyo? What's this got to do with you and him? And why'd he issue that challenge to both you and your father?"

"Pop got one of these things?" Ranma snapped out of his daze with a startled expression.

"He didn't tell you already?" Akane asked in surprise, then frowned as she added, "It figures! Only what's so bad between you guys that Ukyo would send a lawyer out to get you?"

Shampoo and I glanced at Ranma, who curled a lip before replying, "Ukyo...ah...it's about Pop stealing that Yatai from her old man. Y'see...it was supposed to be a dowry, and I just found out about it the other day..."

"Dowry?" Akane stared at us blankly as if her mind was refusing to make the connection.

I sighed, realizing that the moment of truth was literally upon us as I answered, "I should have told you immediately, Sis, but...you see...Ukyo isn't a guy..."

"He's not?" Ryoga blurted.

"Is no man," Shampoo confirmed for us, "Spatula-girl is very much womans..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Defcom Four alerts: shadowmane

So now Akane knows the truth, huh? What does this mean for the future, and can everyone get to safety before she comes down from yet another mad-on? Next time when the fur really starts flying as Ukyo makes her stand and tries to settle old debts and scores with all the fuss and feathers...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	57. Chapter 57

NabikiRan54 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Four.

Soun was beginning to have a sense of what a negotiating diplomat might feel trying to arbitrate a peace settlement between three very divergent warring factions. To be fair only two of them seemed inclined towards hostilities, Nodoka being her usual calm and congenial self made it hard to get a reading on her feelings. Atsuko was a bit more complex in that Soun could not tell if the half-Oni was directing her hostility at Nodoka, Comb, or the both of them together. Comb was much easier to make out, but even there the effort at trying to remain calm was making her seem both too pleasant to be normal and too much on edge to truly relax, mainly due to the presence of the man she called her husband.

Hairbrush was his name, a broad-shouldered, pleasant-seeming man who was about Soun's age (or thereabouts) boasting the faint wisps of a mustache on otherwise immaculately groomed features. He was not overly handsome, more pleasant in an ordinary sense, bearing a very faint resemblance (if at all) to Genma in his younger days, and obviously in very good shape from the way he carried himself with quiet poise and dignity. He was not an overly talkative sort but he seemed to have a way of causing his wife to curb her natural inclination to be hot tempered.

Atsuko was studying the man in a way that Comb found irritating, but Nodoka was truly getting on the Amazon's nerves, striking up a conversation with Hairbrush that was mostly consisting of an exchange of pleasantries and some wry observations of life in the Chinese provinces surrounding the village of Joketsuzoku. Soun was still trying to make up his mind about the fellow Comb had chosen to marry instead of Genma, seeing in the father of Shampoo the sort of man one would not mind bringing home to meet the family, though he suspected that there was a lot more to Hairbrush than he let show upon the surface.

"So you're a Mechanic?" Nodoka was asking right then.

"A machinist, yes," Hairbrush replied in perfect Japanese, "Actually I have a degree in Engineering, but I'm more like the village handyman, a sort-of jack-  
of-all trades who tends to the equipment and property of other villagers so that things work smoothly enough, from the plumbing to the water filtration systems."

"What a talented guy you are," Atsuko said with a flirtatious smile that earned a murderous glare from Comb beside her, "I'll bet you're very...handy."

"I try to be of assistance to anyone who needs me," Hairbrush shrugged, "Not a lot of heavy machinery in the village, just simple equipment like the well pump that tends to break down every now and then. Most Amazon homes are self-  
sufficient, but it helps to have a broad range of skills that others value. We mostly trade by barter, favor for favor, since there's not too much free-flowing cash in our village."

"My, you must be very proud of your husband, Comb-san," Nodoka said, as if completely innocent of the rising tension levels about the Amazon healer as she kept a wary eye on both her husband and rivals.

"Oh, I am," Comb said as evenly as she could manage, "As Atsuko-san noted my husband can be very...handy."

Soun wondered if his proximity to the tea table was a little too close to being at ground zero. Even granted that it was his duty as a host to tend to the needs of his guests, self-preservation would have mandated that he put some distance between himself and the potential war-zone, like maybe as far away as Alaska! Instead his eyes roved to the true source of conflict that was presently playing with a tire in an innocent-seeming panda-like manner. Genma was trying very hard not to draw any attention his way, but every now and again Soun caught his Jusenkyo-cursed friend pausing to watch these proceedings with a most unreadable expression.

If anything Genma's behavior was the most curious thing about the entire affair. On the one hand Genma was terrified of Nodoka finding out about his curse, but also curiously reluctant to leave her alone with both Comb and Atsuko present. Moreover he kept steeling looks towards Comb's husband that were studied and unfriendly. Soun was hardly aware of the exact nature of the thoughts presently flowing through his best friend's head, but it did seem like more than curiosity was causing him to focus attention on the man whom Comb had chosen to marry instead of him. In fact, if Soun didn't know any better, he would have sworn that his old friend was showing signs of acute jealousy, not that Soun could seriously entertain that any such motive was impairing Genma's judgement.

He turned a glance towards the rest of his houseguests, finding there a tense situation going on between Silk and Cologne with the Amazon girls and Ukyo standing to one side observing the tense confrontation. Soun felt strongly tempted to get up and join them, but dreaded to leave the spot where he was since his presence was serving like a dampening rod on a Nuclear reactor. He suspected the old woman was not faring well under the scrutiny of the gentle-  
voiced Lore Master. Even Tofu and Kachu to one side seemed to be regarding the Amazon matriarch in a less-than-sympathetic manner having been appraised to the continuing existence of the blue haired girl whom Soun had heard named as Lotion the Younger.

"So...after all this time," Silk's voice was deceptively calm yet lacked the usual gentle quality that befit her namesake, "My niece is restored to me...alive and well, as it turns out, for which I am most grateful."

Cologne did not meet the younger woman's harsh glare, instead holding her gaze directly down as if she were a child being lectured to by an adult. At a much subdued tone from her usual matronly manner she replied, "Scold me all you want, child, but I did what I did because I judged it needful."

"Oh, isn't that special," Silk's tone was laced with more sarcasm than she ever directed towards Comb, "You might have bothered to inform me that she was coming back from nominal exile. After all, I am only her legal guardian, not to mention her nearest blood-kin. I am a little surprised to learn that you and Grandmother could withhold a thing like this from me. Grandmother was right about my not listening enough to my feelings. They would have told me my niece was alive if only I had listened."

"Cousin," Kachu spoke up, turning to regard the blue haired girl beside her, "It is good to see you well...much has happened in the two years since our parting."

"I know," Lotion smiled in a sad kind of way, "Too much has changed. I've been finding that out the hard way."

"I am with Kachu here," Ambergris said simply, "It is good to see you restored to your proper position, my friend. In spite of the Matriarch's having sent the both of us away for a time, our place is with our people, no matter where they are or what they may be doing."

Ukyo, who stood on the periphery of the conversation talking with Perfume and the twins, Ling Ling and Lung Lung, leaned closer to the Amazon Enforcer and said, "Wow, Kachu's mom's sure raking the old woman over the coals."

"Good," Perfume sniffed, "Great-grandmother deserve it."

"Fishcakes anyone?" asked Kasumi pleasantly as she circulated among their midst holding a tray full of snack-foods she was serving with their lunch.

"From you, pretty sister to Cousin-Ailen?" Perfume smiled flirtatiously as she accepted one of the proffered fish cakes, "Perfume much glad, accept anything nice Japanese girl offer."

Kasumi actually blushed as if she understood the compliment and smiled pleasantly at the Enforcer before turning to offer the tray to Tofu and Kachu. Ukyo leaned close to Perfume again and said, "Better watch the flirting, Kasumi's father would definitely go ballistic."

"Who care what dumb male say?" Perfume hummed musically, "She very cute girl, have very nice manners."

"I thought you had your eye set on the blue haired honey?" Ukyo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Perfume know what Perfume like," the Enforcer murmured back, glancing at Lotion, who caught her smile and returned it with deep affection, "No mean Perfume no have eyes in head, see plenty around her."

"You've become an even worse flirt than I'd heard about in rumors," Ambergris smiled her own way at the Enforcer, "They say in the village that within the last year you have propositioned many and caught the eye of a few, and you number your fair share of conquests among our younger warriors, the ones who are not afraid of you outright."

"It pay have reputation," Perfume said proudly, "Maybe you turn head, make own conquest," she added the latter part with a flirtatious smile in Ukyo's direction.

Much to Ukyo intense discomfort, the pink haired Ambergris turned a sly expression her way and said, "Maybe I will at that. You never know what the future may hold there."

Ukyo suddenly felt the heat of both Amazon warriors and tried to focus her attention away from them to the twins that she had been conversing with, whose command of Japanese was even less developed than that of the Enforcer, "Uh...so...you two always fight side-by-side?"

"Oh yes," replied Ling-Ling, the Cherry-pink haired cherub-faced girl who was especially cute for her high-pitched pigeon voice, "We masters Chinese Dragon attack."

"Only work if both fight together," added Lung Lung, the girl-haired sister who always seemed to finish Ling Ling's sentences for her, "Dragon attack is two-  
warrior, and we train together since very little."

Ukyo had noted that both girls were of small stature, standing a good ten centimeters shorter than Shampoo herself, and from the way they moved there was almost perfect coordination between them. She wondered how these two would stand up in a fight, so she commented, "Maybe sometime you girls might care to show me this technique of yours?"

The twins exchanged happy grins and tittered like young girls who had just been paid a compliment by a handsome boy. Ukyo inwardly cringed, wondering why she was also so irresistible to the ladies yet had no luck at all with guys her own age, though reluctantly she conceded that it might have something to do with her always pretending to be a guy herself, and long before her trip to Jusenkyo.

A movement caught her eye and Ukyo turned her head to see Comb approaching Cologne, her face dark with emotions that did not bode well for the Matriarch, who seemed to regard her granddaughter with a look of resignation.

"Grandmother..." Comb paused, seemed to consider something in her own mind, then began in a more formal tone of voice, "Matriarch...we need to talk. Shampoo will be home from school very shortly, and when she comes through that gate and learns the truth about Lotion..."

"What do you want me to say, child?" Cologne said tiredly, "That I made a mistake? I thought what I was doing was for the best..."

"Well you were wrong!" Comb all but exploded, only to catch a glance from Silk that seemed to calm her down a bit, "You made an error in judgement, Grandmother, and my daughter paid for it with tears of grief that were shed in error! Do you have any idea what she is going to do and say when she discovers that you have been lying to her these last two years?"

"I know," Cologne all but whispered, her eyes downcast again as she asked, "What do you propose?"

"That you let me talk to Shampoo," Comb said, "Prepare her for the news, try to ease the shock that she is bound to experience. You will let me talk to her because I am her mother, a role you have sought to deny me for most of her life, and once I have calmed her down and helped her to adjust to the discovery that you have been manipulating her all of this time, then I will resume my role as her mother and guardian. She won't want anything more to do with you, not after she hears the full story about why she was sent to you in the first place!"

"And you intend to tell her everything?" Cologne asked, "She may not like learning that you made the bargain with me in the first place."

"I will tell her everything and let her decide for herself," Comb said in brittle anger, "And if she chooses to reject us both, then it will be her right, but you know that her respect for you will never be what it once was. You will have no one to blame for that but yourself...grandmother."

Cologne was silent for a long moment, then slowly she raised her ancient eyes to meet the glare of her former heir and sighed, "Do what you must. It is time that Shampoo knew the full story...everything, in all its full detail. She is a child no longer and deserves to know the truth. In fact..."

A loud slamming noise brought everyone's attention around, including Kasumi, who was startled to see an enraged Akane standing in the doorframe with hair cut unnaturally short and school uniform rent in numerous places.

"Akane-chan?" Kasumi asked of her youngest sister.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Akane snarled, "It's only been two days, but when I see her again...when I get my hands on that lying tramp...!"

"Akane?" Soun was shocked, "What is the meaning of this? Who are you talking about? Who...?"

"Not now, Dad," Akane growled as she stormed past the table, followed by the surprised stares of both Atsuko and Nodoka, "Looks like somebody's thrown a party, so many people here, which means..."

All at once her eyes fell on Ukyo and she snarled again, rushing forward past a much-surprised Tofu and Kachu.

"Akane?" Ukyo blinked in surprise, "What happened to your hair? What...?"

Akane's only reply was a bellicose cry of rage as she seized hold of the Bishonen girl with both hands, bearing Ukyo up off her feet with surprising strength before the okonomiyaki girl could react in self-defense, and suddenly Ukyo found herself splashing feet-first into the Koi pond, still gripped by Akane who avoided getting splashed herself as she ripped open Ukyo's shirt as though her uniform cloth were held together by thumbtacks.

"HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME...?" Akane began to say when her gaze fell down and she froze where she was standing.

"Lied to you?" Ambergris asked, glancing from the newly arrived short-haired girl to the now-bare-chested Ukyo before her single visible eye went wide and she exclaimed, "Oh my...!"

Ukyo was staring up at the smaller girl hovering over her, face held in shock at her sudden exposure. She-He glanced down at himself, seeing his muscular, bared chest that lay flat beneath the wrap that was normally worn to flatten Ukyo's bosoms. Ukyo lifted his eyes again, met Akane's shocked expression and said, "Do you mind?"

Akane suddenly let her go, backing away with a face that was full of shock and mortification. She started to stammer out an incoherent apology when her foot slipped on the discarded plate of fish-cakes that Ukyo had been holding, and all at once she lost her balance and went splashing into the koi pond.

"Akane!" Soun rushed up just in time to see the duck fight its way out of a dress that had seen better days itself, and for a moment all he could do was stand there and gape in horrified amazement. Ukyo calmly reached down and helped Akane-duck free from her dress, then set her down on the ground before climbing back out of the koi pond, saying in soft undertone, "Well, you've got no one to blame but yourself for this one, Akane."

"Akane?" Nodoka asked as she came up to join them, seeing the empty dress but no Akane, "That's odd...where did she go?"

"A duck?" Atsuko remarked from beside her, "She turns into a duck?"

"Who does what?" Nodoka asked in confusion.

"Oh, you know," the half-Oni replied, "A duck, like in Jusen-MMMPPPPHHH!" she broke off as a large furry paw was suddenly clamped over her mouth.

"Pay her no mind," Comb said as she smoothly came to flank Atsuko, laying a firm grip on the half-Oni's wrist before murmuring in Chinese, "I'll explain later, just keep your mouth shut for once and let me do the talking."

Atsuko turned a glare in her direction, but between Amazon and panda she was at a slight disadvantage and could not bring her monstrous strength to bear to free herself from their double-team action.

"[The girl,]" Perfume said in Cantonese as she leaned close to Ukyo, "[She's one of the ones you brought the Jusenkyo water for?]"

"[It's a long story,]" the now-male Ukyo replied, "[I'll tell it to you later.]"

"I don't understand," Nodoka asked in puzzlement, "Where did Akane go to?"

"Oh, you know young girls these days," Silk replied smoothly, "Here today, flown the nest before you know it..."

"But..." Kachu was looking down at the duck as if to ask if this was indeed her transformed little sister.

Ukyo bent down and fished Akane's dress out of the water, then tossed it to one side as she reached for Akane herself, who shied away from him until Ukyo murmured, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I'm not mad or anything like that, really. Let me help you find some hot water..."

"Oh my," Kasumi asked as she came smoothly up to join them, "Did Miss P get loose again? You silly dear. Let me take care of this, Father, I'll see to it she's put back in her room safe and sound."

"But...but...I...I..." Soun appeared to be on the verge of one of his crying jags as Kasumi knelt down and picked up her feathered little sister, who did not avoid her contact..

"There now," Kasumi cooed in Akane's avian ears, "Let me take care of everything, I'll have you right again in no time, imoutochan."

Akane made no protests as she was carried off, but she turned a sheepish glance towards Ukyo before her long neck sagged and she seemed to manifest quite human depression.

"What was that all about?" Ambergris asked Ukyo as the okonomiyaki chef refastened his shirt and tried to ignore his sopping wet condition.

"Like I said," a more masculine-toned Ukyo replied before turning to follow, "It's a long story."

Ling-Ling turned to Lung-Lung and murmured softly, "You see what I saw?"

"How could I not?" Lung-Lung replied, "It must be Yaazuniichuan."

"The Spring of Drowned Duck?" stated Ling-Ling, "A very tragic story."

"Only why is everyone pretending it didn't happen?" Lung-Lung wondered aloud.

"Who knows?" Ling-Ling asked, then as one the two of them rolled their eyes and exclaimed, "Elders..."

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Akane did not take the news too well about Kuonji, but given everything that she has been through today I suppose that should not seem too surprising. She got angry of course, but she does that a lot anyway so it was also to be expected, but I was surprised to hear her calling her sister rude names over once again withholding information to which Akane felt entitled, as if it were Nabiki's fault that she can be so non-observant and impulsive. She then ran off before we could offer further explanations about why we had been holding back the full story about Kuonji, and after a moment of pause Ryoga started to chase after her, naturally becoming lost the minute she was out of his direct line of vision.

Naturally we had to chase the fool down, but my wife suggested that we should split up and that I be the one elected to track down Akane, which is sensible since I am the best huntress of the three of us. Ranma is the one best able to find Ryoga and bring him back before he winds up in Mongolia or parts even more distant, and of course Nabiki insisted on accompanying him to make certain that the two brothers do not wind up in another of their pointless brawls, as Ranma is not exactly the most tactful person around, which even I must concede on occasions.

Finding Akane was easy enough since I reasoned that she would head for home rather than wander aimlessly about town, and once I confirmed this by tracking her movements from the rooftop I considered seeking my Airen to inform them of this fact, but decided instead that I would pause and wait for them at the front gates to the yard. I did not want to confront Akane by myself until she had time to calm down, nor did I wish to get involved in my mother's evident feud with Ryoga's mother over Ranma's worthless father. Instead I elected to sit here and compose my diary, recording the events of this day while they are still fresh in my mind so that I can make proper sense of it all. I have no doubt that my Airen will be returning at any moment, with or without the stupid Pig-  
boy, so we can confront Akane as a group and hope for once to make her see reason.

Reason...I am beginning to wonder what that word means anymore. The madness of Principal Kuno aside, I am surprised to learn that I actually enjoyed my first day of classes, even though some of the subject matter is quite boring. The people there are very...colorful, and seeing Nabiki engage in her business like a young Elder in training gives me hope that I may find a place yet in this place that is her homeland. I wonder if there will be many days that offer as many challenges to my warriors mettle, but I suppose in time I will be better able to judge if the experience with worthwhile or not.

I am also wondering about the recent revelations concerning Ryoga's mother and my own, both of them at one time being rivals for a man whom I would not even rate a man but for the fact that he is the father to my beloved husband. True, my father-in-law is a skilled warrior who taught Ranma well, but he is a lying, honorless thief who takes without giving or asking and can abandon a promising young warrior like Kuonji in favor of exclusively training his son. What could mother possibly see in such a man that she bristles at the mere suggestion of another warrior claiming him for her own? And that promise he made to Ranma's mother...I do not understand how any man could to that to a child's mother. Perhaps a wild beast like this half-devil woman might find something appealing in the Shaoniichuan-cursed great-grandson of a Demon, but I would think a woman as proud as my mother..."

"Hey!" Nabiki called up to where she saw Shampoo perched atop the Torii gates to her family's yard, "What are you doing up there, Sham-chan?"

"Ailen?" Shampoo smiled brightly, pocketing her diary and slipping it into the folds of her Chinese style clothing before vaulting off the wall to land beside Nabiki.

"Ranma and Ryoga are right behind me," Nabiki revealed, "But I thought I'd run on ahead of those two clowns so I wouldn't have to listen to their bickering for the last several blocks. I was wondering what you were writing in that book I saw you with. I didn't think it could be homework because Sensei didn't assign any..."

"Eh?" Shampoo froze with a "caught in the headlight" expression, then gave Nabiki a blank look.

"Don't tell me you've been keeping a diary, Sham-chan," Nabiki inclined her head with a pleasant smile, "I didn't think you were the type for that."

"Ah...what Nabiki talk about?" Shampoo asked innocently, "Shampoo...Shampoo take notes...about new things she learn today in school. Is no problem, ne?"

"No problem, huh?" Nabiki continued smiling, "Then you wouldn't mind showing me what you were writing. It's not like you have anything to hide from me, right?"

"Hide?" Shampoo blinked, then adopted a sexy smile and leaned forward, "Shampoo no hide from Nabiki. Is Ailen who hide from Shampoo when Shampoo want to share time with Ailen..."

"I'm not hiding from you now, Kitty-cat," Nabiki said, not backing down this time or flinching from Shampoo's overt display of affection, "I was just wondering why you won't show me what's in your little red book there. Somehow I don't think it's the collected works of Chairman Mao. C'mon, Sham-chan, let me look, you owe me."

"Shampoo...owe Nabiki?" Shampoo blinked her eyes in a pretty fashion.

"Sure," Nabiki replied coyly, "From that time when you rifled through my computer files pretending to be a harmless kitten. Did that give you any ideas about me and the sort of person I am? I remember shortly after that was when you first declared that you loved me."

"Ah...aiyaa," Shampoo murmured, the pulled out the booklet and handed it to Nabiki, who opened it and gave a wide-eyed expression, to which Shampoo grinned and said, "Is in Mandarin Chinese. You no can read, yes?"

"Obviously not," Nabiki eyed her purple haired companion before smiling, "But I have been doing a bit of research, and I could always ask Oneechan to translate for me."

"Eh...?" Shampoo said with a dumbfounded expression.

"Never mind," Nabiki said as she handed the diary back, "Keep your secrets for now, Sham-chan. I need to keep my focus for now on Akane. I take it she's in there?"

Shampoo nodded as she pocketed her booklet, "Shampoo see go in, no come out. Much shouting a while ago, but Shampoo no want to go in and see who fight because it sound like Ryoga and Shampoo mother."

"Can't be them," Nabiki sniffed, "The roof is intact and the walls are still standing. Tell you what, let's give the boys a minute to catch up with us, then we'll go in together and confront Akane. How's that sound?"

Shampoo smiled brightly and nodded, then impulsively threw her arms around Nabiki, who was only mildly braced for the impact, "Ailen, you make Shampoo so very happy. We make Ailen sister see truth about Ukyo, then maybe we fix things between her and stupid Ryoga, hai?"

"Playing matchmaker, kitty cat?" Nabiki smiled, "Okay, sounds like a plan to me. I just hope Ryoga-kun can stand the nosebleed Akane's gonna give him..."

"There you are, Imoutochan," Kasumi said as she handed Akane a bathrobe after her little sister stepped out of the furo, "I'll wash your school clothes and repair the rents. You really should be more careful around water now that you have a Jusenkyo curse like Ryoga."

"Oneechan?" Akane studied her sister's face with surprise, "You knew about my having a curse?"

"I didn't until a while ago," Kasumi replied, "But when I saw you change...well, that was pretty obvious. I think you surprised father more than you did me, and it is going to take some doing to convince him that having a curse isn't a terminal condition."

"Yeah, I guess he'll take it pretty bad, won't he?" Akane replied with a sheepish expression, "That was pretty clever of you coming up with that story about me being a family pet..."

"Well, it seemed to make more sense than to have to explain to Ranma's mother about curses," Kasumi replied, "After all, we don't want Ranma and his father to have to commit Seppuku because of their curses."

"Uh...yeah, I guess that would be pretty bad," Akane shook her head, "Kami-sama, I feel like such an idiot! What I did back there to Ukyo...I'll bet he really does hate me, even though he was being nice enough to say he wasn't..."

"Ukyo is a very nice...boy," Kasumi paused as she said that, "Whatever made you think that he wasn't what he seemed to be, Akane? The way you went after him...even for you that was not typical behavior."

"Ah..." Akane flushed crimson, "No, I guess it wasn't..."

"And whatever happened to your hair?" Kasumi lightly ran fingers through Akane's super-short nape hairs, "Have you been in another fight again, like that time with Ryoga?"

"Uh...well," Akane said with a sheepish expression, "It's...kind of a long story that..."

A light rapping at the door was followed by the sound of Ukyo's masculine voice asking, "Um...hi in there. Is it all right for me to come inside? I'll wait out here if it isn't..."

"Ukyo..." Akane gulped.

"It's all right, Ukyo-san," Kasumi replied, "You can come in here. Akane is wearing some cover."

"Oneechan," Akane winced in embarrassment.

The door slid open and Ukyo-kun stepped into the bath area. He held a backpack in one hand and paused to set it down on the counter by the sink, smiled ruefully at Akane and said, "I owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe me anything," Akane said with her face to the floor, "I'm the one who owes you an apology..."

"He told you, didn't he?" Ukyo gently cut her off.

"Told me?" Akane lifted her gaze, taking in the handsome continence of the young man before her, who looked so Bishonen in his simple dark clothing, long hair done up in a ponytail, but tall and slender as a wand with such graceful poise and dignity in his bearing that it was almost painful for her to look upon him.

"About me not really being a man," Ukyo replied, "At least I wasn't born one anyway. Let me show you."

He turned to the sink and started running the water over his hand, waiting until it seemed sufficiently warm before filling a drinking glass and upending the contents over his head, triggering the startling transformation that reduced his stature by a good four inches. Ukyo turned around to regard the two Tendo sisters, her features now clearly restored to their natural androgynous state as she sighed, "Now do you see?"

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "You have a Jusenkyo curse, Ukyo-san?"

"I do," Ukyo replied, "Nanniichuan, the curse of the Drowned Boy, which I got recently during my trip to China..."

"You had this curse all along?" Akane blurted, hope and dismay warring within her as she tried to grasp this startling revelation.

"No," Ukyo said sadly, "It's complicated, but I guess the easy version is that my Pop always wanted a son, and I tried to please him. Actually, that's not the real reason I've been passing myself off as a guy all these years. It has to do with Ranchan and a little promise that was made between our fathers..."

"You mean...that part is true?" Akane gasped, "You're Ranma's..."

"Iinazuke," Ukyo replied, "Past tense. Obviously I don't want to marry him now that he's got two other girls hot to marry him, one of them your sister. Ranchan didn't know about me until the other day, when he must have figured it out for himself, just before you got cursed trying to save me."

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "You're engaged to marry Ranma, but you don't want to marry him? That sounds...complicated..."

"You don't know the half of it," Ukyo sniffed, "Anyway, the reason I went to China was because I convinced the Old Woman to help me find a cure for you being cursed, the only cure that anybody thinks might work on Jusenkyo curses, only while I was at Jusenkyo I...kind of slipped into one of the pools, which is how I wound up with my guy curse."

"You went there...for me?" Akane asked in amazement.

"For you and for Shampoo," Ukyo said, "And for Ranchan. You guys got cursed saving my butt, which means I'm honor bound to give you this..." she opened her knapsack and removed one of several plastic bottles of water.

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "Is that...?"

"Jusenkyo water," Ukyo held the bottle out, which had a taped-on label with the Kanji symbol for "Girl" clearly marked in felt-tip pen, "This should be just enough to cure you of turning into a Duck, so there won't be any need for you to have to explain yourself to your father. I've also got a bottle for Shampoo and another for Ranma, and even one for Ryoga so you won't have to worry about him making a pig of himself. It's the least I can do to try and make things right for everybody."

"But...why?" Akane asked.

"Like I said, I owe you," Ukyo replied, leaving the bottle on the table before closing up the knapsack, "If it wasn't for you and Shampoo I'd be the one with the webbed feet, not you, and a Kuonji always repays her debts. It's giri, my commitment to you, and I won't accept anything less than a 'yes' for an answer."

"Ukyo..." Akane breathed the word, moved beyond words at both the thought and the sacrifice implied in the gesture.

"Oh my," Kasumi spoke up as if just realizing something, "How many bottles of Jusenkyo water did you bring back with you from China?"

"About Eight total," Ukyo said, indicating the knapsack, "Six of them are in here, the other two I left at the Old woman's restaurant."

"And did you mean to use one of those bottles on yourself?" Kasumi wondered.

Ukyo looked rather uncomfortable as she replied, "Yeah...I'm keeping one for myself...just in case I change my mind about my cursed form."

"Change your mind?" Akane looked at her questioningly.

"Yeah," Ukyo nodded, "I didn't deliberately mean to curse myself, but now that I have it, I thought maybe I'd see if I could use it to force my old man to alter the conditions of his will and maybe let me out of this engagement mess I got myself into with Ranchan..."

"Then...you didn't send that challenge letter yourself?" Akane asked.

"Challenge letter?" Ukyo said in confusion, "What challenge letter?"

"The one that was given to Ranma by that lawyer," Akane replied, "Su Mie, or Su Yu...one of those names anyway..."

"Waitaminute," Ukyo's expression darkened, "You mean from Pop's law firm, Jun Mun Lun? That Jackass! I told him to stay out of this and let me handle things for myself!"

"Never mind that now," Kasumi said, "Oh dear...I just realized something...Ranma's mother is here, and Ranma may return home at any moment."

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked, "Ranchan's...mother?"

"That's right!" Akane exclaimed, "We can't let her see him before he gets himself cured or she might demand he commit seppuku!"

"She might WHAT?" Ukyo reacted in dismay.

"No time to explain," Akane looked at the bottle sitting on the counter, then snatched it up and said, "I hope this works...if it does, then it'll probably work for Ranma."

She took a moment to uncap the bottle, licking her lips as she considered what she was doing. In the two days since she had acquired her curse she had gained a healthy appreciation for what Ryoga and Shampoo went through on a regular basis, but sympathy did not mean she intended to live out her life with the curse of a duck hovering over her shoulders. She was half-tempted to drink the stuff to see if it worked internally, but the thought of putting waters like that into her body made her quail a little, so she did what seemed natural and upended the bottle over herself, praying to the Kami that this would be the answer to at least half of her problems.

She felt a tingling that went down from her scalp to the rest of her body, and a momentary disorientation, but then these sensations passed and Akane straightened up again, looking down at herself with relief as her body was still quite obviously human.

"It works!" she cried in delight, "I'm cured!"

"Oh my," remarked Kasumi, looking at Akane with a most surprised expression.

"Uh...Akane?" Ukyo pointed at the youngest Tendo sister's backside, "I don't think that was quite what we had in mind..."

"Huh?" Akane caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and the towel fell from her hands, exposing the rest of her to view, but for once modesty was not an issue. She slowly turned her head, not quite ready to accept what she now knew she would find there, and only by untensing muscles that were not formerly there was she able to convince herself of the reality of the pair of wings that were now sported upon her backside. She unfolded them as far as she could, silently reckoning to herself that she now had a twelve foot wingspan, not counting the feathers that formed a tail sprouting from her hindquarters.

"Oh my..." she exclaimed, wondering just how she was going to explain this one to her father...

"All right, you can let me go now!" Atsuko growled as Genma-panda had finished hauling her around in back of the dojo, "Now what's the big deal that you don't want Nodoka to find out about?"

"The curse," Comb explained in a low voice, glancing over her shoulder to be certain that the three of them were not within earshot of Nodoka, "If she finds out about Genma and his son...there could be trouble."

"Trouble?" Atsuko repeated, "I thought 'Doca's middle name was Trouble. What do you think she'd gonna do if she finds out about the curses?"

Genma-panda started to growl sounds that were indistinguishable to the normal human ear, causing Comb to growl back at him, "Use your signs, fool! You know we can't...

"Seppuku?" Atsuko shot an astonished gaze at Genma, "You mean she what?"

Genma blinked his panda eyes, then spoke to her again. Atsuko waved a hand dismissively and said, "Of course I can understand you, Gemi-chan. What kind of an Oni would I be if I couldn't talk to animals and woodland creatures? You think Fox is my only other language?"

"You talk to the animals," Comb murmured faintly.

"And they can talk to me," Atsuko glared back, "You got a problem with that?"

Genma started to make sounds again, and Atsuko nodded her head encouragingly until she suddenly blanched and said, "You what? Why would you go and make a fool promise like that?"

The panda seemed to shrug helplessly and made a low gruff, causing Atsuko to roll her eyes and say, "Right, sorry I asked! I forgot we were walking about Nodoka. 'Man among Men' indeed!"

Genma made another low wuff, and Atsuko looked at him sourly and said, "Don't lecture me about honor, Gemi-chan! You had your chance to marry one of us, but you had to go and pick her, so don't give me this sob-story about your arranged marriage having the force of law because I happen to know that Happy was against it because he knew you'd let 'Doca lead you by the nose like the old ball and chain she is! I don't need to hear any excuses about why you felt you had to go and dump me, and don't pull the one about you trying to do right by all of us because if you'd had the guts to seriously challenge Comb here I doubt she'd have put up that much of a fight..."

"Hey!" Comb reacted.

"Of course marriage to her would have been a different rung of the lower hells, but let's not get into that right now," Atsuko continued as if oblivious to the slow burn and murderous glare she was receiving from her former rival, "Actually I kind of liked 'Doca in the old days, which is why I never ripped her fool head off or stuffed that Katana of hers where the sun don't shine, but I just knew you were headed for trouble the minute you picked her over me..."

"And just who says he would have picked you?" Comb interrupted, then shot a nervous glance in the direction of her husband, who was presently chatting with Nodoka by the Koi pond, which earned from her an even more acid expression.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Atsuko smiled, "I was the only one of us with the guts to admit how I felt back then, and I got along with Happy, whose sort-of like a friend to my family, and I wouldn't have imposed on Genma's training trips with the Master, and I sure as hell wouldn't have forced him to swear to any oaths not of his choosing, and I certainly wouldn't have tried to rope him with those Amazon rules you swear by..."

"Oh really?" Comb eyed her former rival darkly, "What about all those charms, spells and potions you tried to use to win him over? The way that I remembered things you had no scruples at all about using whatever means you could to have your way with him. You even cast an illusion to make yourself look like Nodoka so you could sleep with him and have your Ryoga!"

"And what did any of that get me?" Atsuko snorted, "A cold bed with an illusion for a companion. Besides, I was trying to please my mother back then, remember? If I hadn't had the old witch breathing over my neck..."

"Tadaima!" a voice called out from the house.

Comb shot an alarmed look and said, "Son-in-law! He must be back, only he doesn't know about his mother..."

Genma started making frantic noises that Atsuko interpreted by saying, "Oh, that bad huh? Well, what are we waiting for? No way am I letting Nodoka do that to my Gemi-chan!"

Comb refrained from making further comments, but her private view was that things seemed to shaping up to be a near-repeat of the old days, which was truly a most alarming prospect...

"What the heck is wrong with you, Baka?" Ranma growled at Ryoga as the two of them came within sight of Shampoo and Nabiki, "Running off by yourself like that's no way to find Akane, and if you ve gone off on one of your week-long trips to who-knows-where, that'd leave me to have to explain things to Pop and your mother!"

"I don't need a lecture from you, Ranma," Ryoga growled back, but with less than his usual enthusiasm, "I was just worried about Akane. You sure she'd head back for her place?"

"Where else she gonna go?" Ranma asked, "Besides, there's Shampoo, and you know she's good at this tracking stuff, my bet's on her waiting for us to show up before she'n Nabiki talk to Akane. I'd think you'd want to be there, too, 'cause she's gonna need cheering up, and for some reason she thinks you're the one who can do it."

"R-Really?" Ryoga swallowed, "Ah, I mean...sure, anyway I could help out...for Akane, that is..."

Ranma just rolled his eyes before smiling and waving at Nabiki, who smiled back as Shampoo gave a perky little smile his way. Once the four of them were together again, Ranma said, "So...how we gonna do this?"

"How do we approach Akane?" Nabiki sighed, "Leave that to me. She's my sister..."

"Shampoo apprentice," Shampoo reminded, "Maybe Shampoo be there talk sense to Akane."

"Talk sense?' Ryoga asked the Amazon, "How?"

Shampoo held up one of her bonbori and smiled, "Is moral encouragement, help convince Akane that we talk and she listen."

"I'd rather we not resort to physical violence if it can be avoided, Sham-chan," Nabiki replied, but added on the sly, "However...just in case she's being difficult, that might not be a bad idea to keep in backup."

"Oh yeah," Ranma chuckled in rueful irony, "A real effective deterrent, I know that by heart!"

Shampoo playfully stuck her tongue out at him, but her grin was an open promise of mischief to come, to which both Ranma and Nabiki swallowed.

"I'll talk to her," Ryoga said, "I think I'm in a good position to explain why some people need to keep secrets, and if she gets mad...she can hit me all she likes and I won't complain."

"You'd stand there and take it while she pounded you into pork-chops?" Ranma made a disgusted noise, "You're either in love or more stupid than I thought, Ryoga."

"Shut up, Ranma," Ryoga growled, "Some way to talk to your older brother."

"Hey, knock it off with this 'brother' stuff already!" Ranma growled, "Just 'cause Pop admitted to something for once doesn't mean I automatically believe him!"

Nabiki turned to Shampoo with a smirk, "Sound like brothers to me. What do you think, Sham-chan?"

"Is like listening to Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, Shampoo sisters," Shampoo smiled brightly, "Is like what Shampoo father call Stereo, only Shampoo sisters no argue near this much."

"Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung?" Ranma looked at his purple haired iinazuke, "Sounds like a couple of circus clowns."

"You is half right, Ailen," Shampoo said without taking offense at the statement, "Shampoo sisters train like Beijing acrobats, perform like circus, only they study dangerous art of Chinese Dragon."

"Sounds interesting," Nabiki smiled, "I think we're gonna have to meet the rest of your family one of these days. Well...enough dawdling around. We might as well get this over with..."

And so, without any clue as to what was about to occur, the four of them advanced into the lions den, like innocents lurking in the lair of a sleeping dragon...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Celestial Emissaries with Mallets: shadowmane

The preliminaries are over, now we get to the real fun as Nodoka finally meets her long-lost son...or is that daughter? Be there...!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	58. Chapter 58

NabikiRan55 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Five.

Yamashina Kenji could not believe his eyes as he saw the girl with purple hair approaching the place where he and his gang were currently standing. The girl was not looking at them and seemed to be moving as if she had no particular destination in mind. If anything she appeared to have been running quite recently, though the listlessness of her gaze suggested some emotionally draining experience, quite possibly of a romantic nature.

By itself that did not seem so strange, but the girl was dressed in Chinese style clothing and had a peculiar hairstyle that suggested that she either worked as a waitress somewhere and/or was most probably a foreigner. To be certain she was an attractive thing with kawaii looks and a fairly good bustline. What such a rare orchid was doing in such a rough neighborhood frequented by hard cases and riff raff was a question by itself, but one did not at look such opportunities too lightly as Kenji himself would reasonably argue. The old line about gift horses certainly did seem to apply here, so he smiled like any good predator and sized up his potential meal, then nodded to his companions and said, "Check this out. What do we have here?"

The other members of his gang all smiled, the scent of blood in the water affecting them like sharks who had not had a meal in many a long quarter. As one they left their motorcycles and fanned out to confront the purple haired girl, cutting off any direction of escape that she might choose as their leader choose the direct approach, confronting the girl with a cocky, condescending approval.

"Hey there, sweet thing," he said, "Did you get yourself lost? If so, then maybe we could help you."

Shampoo looked up to regard the man, having already taken note of the other members of the pack, sizing them up at a glance without even thinking about it. She had not, in all truth, been paying much attention to where she had been going, only that she had finally run out of steam after blindly charging off at full tilt to escape from the turmoil that was in her heart. The sight of these obvious criminals brought more a sense of relief than alarm to her, so she offered their leader a wan smile, looking him up and down as though trying to classify his genus and sub-species.

"Nihao," she said simply, "You is in Shampoo way. Please to step aside, Shampoo no want to hurt you."

"Hurt us?" Kenji could not believe his ears, or the calm manner in which this threat was delivered. His men seemed to think it was some kind of a joke, even the ones who were not carrying weapons of one form or another. The girl was hardly more than a hundred sixty centimeters tall and could not weigh much more than fifty kilos. Every man in his gang stood half a head taller than this foreigner with the odd accent and the cutesy voice. Did she think they would be impressed by a show of bravado? Kenji's smile deepened as he anticipated giving the girl a much-needed life lesson.

Not eleven seconds later Kenji was thinking very different thoughts indeed as the girl press hard on his wrist, threatening to compress the bones to the consistency of goo if he offered her the slightest resistance. His fellow gang members were in no condition to offer him any assistance, not even having had time to flee as this girl had proven to be a truly formidable terror who struck like a hurricane with the force of a Tsunami.

Looking up into her smiling face, which showed little mercy, he had a sudden epiphany, the realization that he had been totally mistaken about which of them was the predator and who was indeed the prey to be feasted upon. The way her scarlet eyes lit up as if with sudden inspiration made him silently take a vow to the Buddha that if he survived the next ten seconds he would be a much changed man and take up a religious order.

"Shampoo have question," she said with an odd lilt to her voice, "You want answer?"

"Anything!" Kenji whimpered, not needing to hold back for the sake of his men, who were hardly awake and so could not see him lose face before this purple-  
haired terror.

"You want make trade?" she asked, "You life for favor?"

Kenji blinked, looking up from where he had been forced to his knees with a distinctive quiver in his voice as she asked, "Favor?"

Shampoo smiled then glanced to the row of motorcycles and said, "Which one is you own? Shampoo always want own Japanese Kawasaki."

"Nani?" Kenji asked, his voice hardly louder than whisper...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

This certainly was a day for the books, not just for what happened at school with Principal Kuno but the even more insane mess that we walked into the minute we entered the house, and not just because of the party atmosphere that greeted us with more people present than were here when we left early this morning.

Looking back on that moment I wonder why I never saw it coming, but nobody thought to warn us in advance that Ranma's mother was present, so the four of us walked into the living area with no expectations at all of what we would be getting into. My mind was still on my little sister, whom-I later found out-was with Kuonji and Kasumi in the furo. I was trying to prepare in my mind the words that I would use to make her understand my position in the Kuonji matter, and who would have expected us to see so many strangers chatting on the back porch, that is right up until I heard Shampoo gasp aloud a Chinese word that I later would learn meant "Father."

I had a brief flash of a man of moderate height and build, not too bad looking but hardly what you would call classically handsome, dressed in Chinese-style clothing, and looking no older than about forty with the faint wisps of a mustache on otherwise clean-cut features.

Of course my attention was more directed by the alarm I felt at discovering Saotome Nodoka was standing right beside him chatting pleasantly as if they were the best of friends. My focus was greatly aided by Ranma's astonished gasp as he exclaimed without really thinking about it, "Mom?"

Okay, I might have done something to stop him from saying that word, or made up some clever lie on the spot that would have excused Ranma's presence under some alias I could have whipped up for his cover. Ranma's statement nullified any chance of that happening though as Nodoka's attention focused fully upon him and she gasped, "Ranma? Is that you? My son!"

Ranma stood like a statue as his mother came up to him and took him into her embrace while I stood with Shampoo blinking my eyes in disbelief, wondering why nobody had the presence of mind to warn us coming through the door that she was visiting us so soon after her last visitation, but now we were stuck for it and could not deny the fact that it really was Ranma that time. All I could think about at that moment, which I knew had to mean a lot for Ranma, was that nobody had better come near him with a glass of water or else we were all going to be in deep sushi!

"M-Mom?" Ranma gasped, "W-what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here, Ranma," Nodoka said with delight as she stood back and looked Ranma in the eyes, "I'm here to be reunited with my son. Let me look at you...how you've grown! My, and so handsome, you've become a young man, just like your father promised! But you're so thin...haven't you been eating enough lately?"

I caught sight of movement out of the corner of my eye and saw three owl-eyed figures gaping at us with varying expressions of shock and dismay: Comb, Atsuko and Genma the Panda! Daddy and Silk also appeared with curious expressions, and so did a bunch of Amazon girls I'd never met before, but who were later introduced to me with names like Perfume, Ambergris and Lotion.

More about them in a minute. At that precise instant all I could think about was that blasted Katana that "Auntie" Nodoka was carrying wrapped in cloth behind her back. It was a reminder of the extreme peril that Ranma was in with his crazy mother if she should learn about his curse, and so I was trying to devote the full of my attention to thinking of ways by which I could prevent this.

"Mother?" Ryoga gasped, "This is your mother?"

"Ah...yeah," Ranma said awkwardly, "Mom...this is Ryoga...he's...kinda like a friend, and this is Shampoo, and of course you know Nabiki..."

"Oh yes," Nodoka said pleasantly with a smile in our direction, "We've met. They're your iinazuke. I must say, Ranma, you certainly are a Man among Men to have two such beautiful girls who seem so willing to share you."

"Uh...yeah," Ranma swallowed, "They're the best. Sham-chan and Nab-chan've stood with me through some pretty hairy stuff. You, um...don't mind that I've got two fianc es?"

"I would mind a lot more if you didn't have any," Auntie Nodoka replied brightly, "I just hope you won't keep me waiting too long before you make me a grandmother. Where is your father, by the way? I want to congratulate Genma for keeping his promise to raise you to be so manly."

"Pop?" Ranma blinked, and I saw him start to glance towards Uncle Genma, but this time I did manage to react in time to say, "He's out doing some shopping, Auntie Nodoka. Kasumi sent him to the store a while ago, and he should be back in a couple of hours."

I saw the panda's eyes grow even wider and he frantically shook his head in a negatory manner, but at the moment I could care less about him as we had to keep Nodoka from suspecting that her husband was very near at hand. I looked for an ally who could back me up just then and found one instantly as Comb stepped forward to say, "It could be that he'll be away even longer than that. If I know Genma he's probably stopped by the first bar he comes across, so he'll probably be stinking drunk by the time you see him."

"Gemi-chan doesn't drink that much!" Atsuko immediately protested, but then she saw the look we all gave her and hastily amended, "But I guess maybe a few drinks won't hurt much, right?"

"Mom," Ryoga said, whether in vexation or surprise I could hardly say with any certainty as I wasn't sure exactly how far he would go to protect his half brother or father.

"Oh my," Nodoka seemed to just-then notice Ryoga, and she turned to Atsuko and asked, "Is this your son, At-chan? My, he looks so much like Ranma, they could almost be brothers!"

I don't think Nodoka had any idea just how close to the truth she was right then and there because she seemed to miss the stunned looks that crossed everyone's features while turning back to give Ranma a warm look as she said, "What a shame your father isn't here with us. I've waited such a long time for us all to be united as a family again. You must tell me all about your adventures, what you've both been doing for the past ten years. Was the training very hard? Did you face many challenges along the way to becoming so manly?"

Both Ranma and the panda in question blinked their eyes, neither one having an adequate reply ready for that. It was about this time when I felt Shampoo start to move forward to offer her enthusiastically ringing endorsement of Ranma's manly qualities, only a sudden mood-shift occurred with a quite audible snapping of her teeth as her attention swiveled away from our iinazuke to one of the multi-hued girls staring at us, and the hostility she radiated made me recoil in shock, as if somebody had ratcheted the thermometer up from normal temperature to just short of blast furnace.

"WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?" I heard her snarl in tones that would have struck terror into an elephant had one been present. All at once she had her large curved sword in hand and was pointing it at the tall pink-haired chick whose face was only half-visible beneath her non-regulation Amazon hairstyle.

I saw Comb's head swerve from the pink haired girl to her daughter, and then she began to say, "Shampoo...before you jump to any conclusions..."

"Shampoo ask what SHE is doing here in house of Ailen?" Shampoo demanded as she readied herself in a posture that I knew heralded one of her super attack-leaps, and with her sword ready to draw blood all over the furnishings if something didn't prevent her in the next instant as the rest of us looked on in mingled fascination and horror.

Oddly enough the object of her wrath just stood her ground calmly and replied, "Hello, Shampoo...nice to see you too, my old friend."

I heard Shampoo's sharp intake of breath and I could feel her start to tense when another voice cut into the budding war-zone like the gentlest breeze of warm summer and said, "Shampoo...please don't do this...not for me."

The silence that fell upon the room was like the absence of sound that follows a thunderclap, punctuated with the clatter of Shampoo's sword falling from her hand as my Amazon iinazuke's rage drained away, to be replaced instantly with a different kind of emotion.

"Shampoo," the girl with blue hair pushed her way forward from the back rows to confront Shampoo with a gentle entreaty in her lovely face as she said again, "Please don't blame Amber for what happened. It wasn't her fault, none of it was. I want you to believe me, she had nothing to do with what happened to me at the falls..."

"You..." Shampoo barely uttered the word as her face drained of all color, "Lotion?" and then she said some words in Mandarin, to which the other girl responded in kind, only Shampoo backed away from her, fear replacing other emotions as she shook her head and made a warding motion.

"It's true, Shampoo," Comb spoke up again, "Lotion did not die at the falls but was saved by Ambergris. Grandmother lied to us all to hide the fact of her survival..."

"Lied?" Shampoo repeated the word as if it held no immediate meaning, but then her tone rose an octave and she cried, "She LIED? Great Grandmother lie to Shampoo? She tell Shampoo you dead..."

"No, Shampoo," Lotion smiled gently, "I didn't die, not then and not now. I'm very much alive, thanks to Amber rescuing me. I've spent the last two years in the village of the Sleeping Woman, studying to be a Healer, but when I found out that you thought I was dead...I had to come and see you, to tell you the truth..."

"Lotion..." Shampoo took a hesitant step forward, and then her hands reached out to caress the blue haired girl with a tenderness normally reserved only for Ranma or me, and she murmured softly, "Wo ai ni..."

Lotion covered Shampoo's hand with her own and replied, "Wo ai ni, my dearest friend. It's so very good to see you again, and I hear you have two Airen..."

"Ailen?" Shampoo came back to the moment with a start and her eyes shot towards me, then towards Ranma.

"Shampoo," I said in what I hoped was a reasonable tone of voice on my part, "Who is this?"

I already knew the answer, of course, but something in me reacted very badly to the sight of her caressing this blue haired girl, and I'm pretty sure it was the green-eyed Oni that I'd normally swear that I was aloof to. Ranma moved a little apart from his mother and said, "Lotion? You mean like the old woman who's been teaching Nabiki?"

"Oh?" Lotion turned around to give a friendly look towards Ranma, "You've met my great grandmother? Is she around somewhere? I've wanted to say hello to her to let her know that I've been doing all right..."

"I'm sure Grandmother already knows this, Niece," Silk said by way of making her own presence felt in the conversation before turning a glare down at her side as she growled, "But she's not the one who needs to make a proper accounting for her actions, is she, Matriarch?"

I saw Cologne standing there with her eyes downcast as Shampoo turned her focus towards the old woman and gasped, "Great grandmother...is this true? You lie to Shampoo? You tell her that Lotion is dead, when she no dead?"

"Forgive me, child," Cologne said as if she had rehearsed the speech she was about to deliver, "I did what I thought was for your best interest, but I was wrong, I see that now-"

"SHAMPOO NO CARE!" Shampoo all but exploded, "You lied to Shampoo, Great Grandmother! You LIE to Shampoo about Lotion! How you do this to Shampoo? What did Shampoo ever do that you hate her so much? You make Shampoo think Lotion dead, and now you ask Shampoo to forgive you?"

"Shampoo..." Comb started to say, followed by a brown haired girl who stepped out into the open, resembling Shampoo by a fair amount save for her almost normal haircoloring and red Chinese jacket that bore the symbol of a double set of axes as she said, "Cousin..."

"No talk, Perfume," Shampoo said with a sharp hand gesture, "Want answer from Great Grandmother! Why you lie to Shampoo, tell her Lotion dead? SHAMPOO WANT ANSWER!"

I had never heard such intense rage in Shampoo's voice, and for a moment I thought she was going to attack the old woman. Cologne kept her eyes averted, but in a soft, almost reasonable voice she replied, "I believed that your affair with the girl was impeding your progress, and I wanted you to focus upon your training, not your budding rivalry with Perfume over her affections..."

"Perfume no want fight Shampoo over Lotion," the brown haired girl retorted, "Perfume tell Shampoo we no fight again, and Shampoo know Perfume feelings for Lotion..."

Shampoo said something in Mandarin to which the brown haired girl responded in a sadder tone of voice, then Cologne looked up at both girls and said, "Perfume is right, Shampoo, I make a judgement call as your elder, and whether you agree with it or not, you must recall that I am your Elder..."

"Shampoo no care!" Shampoo hissed in a deadly tone of voice, "Great Grandmother go too far! TOO FAR! Shampoo no listen to Great Grandmother EVER AGAIN!"

And with that outburst she turned right around and stormed out the front door to our house, and I do mean OUT the front doors, as it is, she did not bother opening them but created her own exit, heedless to anything that got in her way. I winced at the sounds of destruction that echoed from the foyer as my Amazon iinazuke fled out house like a force of nature exploding outward, and given the level of her rage I did not think it prudent to go after her right away as anyone who confronted her right then was bound to be taking more than their lives in their hands. Even Ranma did not look too eager about heading out of where the door used to be as silence fell upon the whole room.

Silk did make a valiant attempt to lighten the mood when at last she said, "She took that better than I thought she would."

Of course the joke fell flat, not that I necessarily blame her for making the effort...

"Oh my," Kasumi gazed at her little sister with rounded eyes before asking, "What exactly was in that water, Kuonji-san?"

"I don't know," Ukyo replied, "It was supposed to be the pool of the drowned girl, not the drowned Angel!"

Akane experimentally flapped her wings, confirming in her mind that they were indeed functional, then turned around as if to confirm with her own eyes what she was seeing in the mirror, heedless of her nude state as she moved around to examine the feathers that were now sporting from her back with a pair of extra limbs that had not been there even on her duck form.

"Interesting," remarked Elder Lotion, "As I suspected, the curses do merge into a hybrid form, just as they did for Shampoo. Rather than cancel out her curse, the Nyanniichuan water has magnified the Yaazuniichuan to create the winged form of a bird-woman, not altogether unlike the inhabitants of Mount Phoenix..."

"Where did you come from?" Ukyo gasped as she whirled to confront the ancient Elder.

"Where we all came from," Lotion replied, "And where we all are eventually going when our life cycle is completed. But that is not relevant to subject at hand. Tell me, Tendo-san, how are you feeling about your new cursed form?"

"Ah...I'm fine, I think," Akane replied, folding her wings over her back so that the tips of her longest feathers just barely touched the floor of the bathroom, "But what happened? I thought Nyanniichuan was supposed to be a cure for a Jusenkyo curse..."

"That was a theory that has been in much debate for some time, even among us Lore Masters," Lotion replied, "At a guess I would say that the amount of Nyanniichuan water you used was not sufficient to cancel out the curse but only modify it in a beneficial manner. Perhaps a larger quantity might be more effective in nullifying a previously established curse, or perhaps the effect would be no different. A pity you did not approach me beforehand, Kuonji-san, or I might have advised you to bring more bottles in your pilgrimage to Jusenkyo."

"More bottles?" Ukyo blanched, "But I only brought enough to cure the people who most needed curing. Are you saying I only brought half as much as is needed? That sucks!"

"I quite agree with you there," Lotion replied, "But I'm not the one who sets the rules over these things. Complaining to me about the essential unfairness of it all avails you nothing, but perhaps the sacrifice of your womanhood was not entirely for nothing."

"What do you mean?" Kasumi asked her.

"Some curses carry more than a physical change with them, dear child," Lotion replied, "Some can affect a degree of change in personality or attitude. For example, your sister is evidencing little of her normal self-consciousness regarding her present state of undress..."

"My...what?" Akane looked down at herself, then yelped, reaching for her bath towel before covering herself over.

"On the other hand," Lotion sighed, "Change is relative, sometimes progressive..."

"Are you telling me I'm going to have to give two bottles to both Ranma and Shampoo in order to cure them?" Ukyo returned to the main point, "That won't leave anything left for curing Ryoga..." she hesitated before adding, "Or me...if I decide I want curing..."

"If you want curing?" Kasumi asked, "Do you mean to say you intend to keep your curse, Kuonji-san?"

"I don't know just yet," Ukyo replied, "It's too soon for me to know if I can live with this thing or not. I'd like to at least have the option of switching back if I do decide to regain my womanhood full time, like...if I want to have kids or something."

"Have kids?" Akane asked blankly.

"A Jusenkyo curse that involves changing one's sex has a negative side effect in that it prevents pregnancy from being carried full term," Lotion replied, "Unless one is locked into female form, the act of turning male would cause an incompatible element such as a fetus to be...eliminated. And, of course, with Jusenkyo curses it is nearly impossible to avoid contact with cold water for a full nine months. This is why Amazons are forbidden to use Nanniichuan water for themselves with harsh penalties meant to discourage one of us from doing as Kuonji-san did, not that the deterrence factor makes the least little impact on the spirit of Jusenkyo."

"But why would anyone want to become male if they were born female?" Kasumi asked.

"To correct a perceived deficiency of nature," Lotion explained, "Some men are born with the feeling that they are more Yin than Yang, and some women have the opposite problem, perceiving qualities of masculinity that are at variance with their expectations of what it means to be female. Many centuries ago a group of Amazons, led by the then-current Matriarch, opted to curse themselves with Nanniichuan waters in order to gain the strength and physical capabilities of men, which of course includes the ability to procreate with other women. This practice was outlawed when it became apparent that too many of our best warriors were being lost to us that way, and since linear descent has always traditionally been through the female side of the equation, many great families were being lost to us. The Matriarch herself saw this and made the decree as her last request before committing ritual suicide, that no Amazon should deliberately or by accident allow themselves to be male-cursed on pain of death or exile. This does not apply to women with the curse being adopted into the tribe, of course, but the taboo is so strong with us that it has not been violated in many, many generations."

"Then Kuonji-san can't get pregnant, she can only...Oh my!" Kasumi blushed at the realization.

"Ukyo..." Akane looked at the Bishonen-girl with troubled eyes, forming her own silent conclusions about the curse that Ukyo was under being more terrible than her own.

"It's just as well," Ukyo shrugged with a sad-eyed expression, "Whatever hopes I ever had of being a normal girl like others died a long time ago. I'm not saying I like being cursed, but there are advantages to being a boy, and I'd like to test this out before I know for a fact that it's a really bad or good arrangement."

"Test it out?" Kasumi asked blank-eyed.

"You mean..." Akane abruptly colored.

"Huh?" Ukyo seemed to only just then catch what they were saying, and she frantically waved her hands as she cried, "Hey, no, I didn't mean that way...!"

"So you say, child," Lotion replied, "But just the same I believe that we should shelve the rest of this conversation for later. I am needed elsewhere, and Tendo-san cannot appear before her father looking like that. Either you give her a second dose of the Jusenkyo water or her sister here should go heat some water, or perhaps take a second bath in the furo."

"A second dose," Ukyo asked, "Will that take Akane's wings away?"

"It might," Lotion replied, "We are delving into the great unknown here, but I dare say that I do not think it would be that easy to cure her completely of her curse. Jusenkyo is more than a place of sorrows, it appears to have a living spirit that works through these curses to some greater end the like of which I can scarcely imagine. I suspect the only way to truly be un-cursed is to fulfill whatever purpose was behind your cursing. Only when Jusenkyo is done with you will you be freed from its influence altogether."

"You mean...there might be a reason why we have these curses?" Akane asked.

"Could be," Ukyo shrugged, "I know I'm gonna use mine to straighten my old man out about a few things, this engagement between me and Ranchan being top of the list."

"Elder," Kasumi turned around to face the diminutive Lore Master, "Is there any possibility at all of a curse being broken by means other than Jusenkyo water?"

"Perhaps," Lotion said enigmatically, "A man whom I loved once had a curse, but he was not a normal human being, and it seemed to wear off after no more than a century, or perhaps he found his own way to break it. To the best of my knowledge it is the only clear example of a Jusenkyo curse being broken."

"A century?" Ukyo gasped, "Who has time to wait around for that to happen?" Lotion just smiled at her, and Ukyo grimaced, looking away as she concluded, "Forget I asked. I just hope the warranty angle isn't the only way to do it."

Akane glanced at the furo, then said to her companions, "Mind turning around? I'll just be a minute."

She did not even wait for them to comply before setting her towel to one side then stepping into the water. Lotion smiled as she eyed the girl obliquely and sly murmured, "You are just full of surprises, Tendo-san. No wonder our dear miss Kuonji likes you."

Of the three other people present only Kasumi caught the reference, and she turned a puzzled look towards Akane, then to Ukyo, who was blushing and looking away from the furo, and very softly she murmured her own heartfelt, "Oh my..."

Perfume studied the scene of violence with a detached, almost clinical eye, reading everything that she needed to know with a glance before tracking her gaze to where a group of overturned motorcycles lay, just outside of a bar where alcohol was consumed in great amounts. Such places were common enough, but this one caught her interest as she knew beyond certainty what must have transpired here, and without intending to imitate a certain a certain Tendo sister she gave the Chinese equivalent to the exclamation, "Oh my!"

It was nearly impossible to track the scent of one gasoline-powered vehicle among a city of so many, especially if her adopted cousin was running true to form, following the pattern set nearly two years ago during her last period of mourning, when even their great grandmother could say little that would give Shampoo any consolation. Perfume could not imagine what emotions were churning up within her cousin at this moment, but she knew for a fact that she did not want to be present when Shampoo's true rage manifested. Even an Elder would not wish to face the Tribal Champion at this moment, and Perfume was merely the Enforcer of tribal law.

There were something that it just was not healthy to stand in the way of, and Perfume was overly mindful of her limits.

She decided that the best course of action would be to return to the Tendo estate and wait for Shampoo to work past whatever demons she was facing. Better to give her that much dignity than to make herself an object of wrath for her cousin. Perfume would be there to offer what support she could for Shampoo, and to try and smooth things over with Ambergris should a mediator be required. She also wanted to spend more time with Lotion, to deepen their already re-forged bonds of friendship, and she also wanted to learn more about these Japanese outsiders who had so obviously won Shampoo's affections. The boy looked interesting enough, but there was something about that apprentice Lore Master that caught Perfume's eyes and gave her fresh insight into Shampoo's thinking on the matter. At the very least they would bear closer study as anyone who could make Shampoo smile like that had to be an exceptional type of person.

Perfume also knew that her services would be required should matters continue to deteriorate between Shampoo and their great grandmother, although it was difficult to say whose side she would take if it came down to violence, her own issues with the Matriarch a very sore point that would need much time and thought before forming a resolution. There was also something about Ambergris that was troubling to Perfume...not a sense of impending betrayal, but rather some secret the former exile was carrying within her that had yet to be shared with any other. Ambergris would bear continued watching, even though Perfume now felt gratitude towards the scar-faced warrior where before there had only been loathing. People did not change so much as Ambergris had without good reason, and whatever reasons she had could spell trouble for the Nyanichiczu. Her claims to becoming the Matriarch of the future were but the merest hint of troubles that were certain to follow.

The future was, as the Lore Masters were wont to say, an uncertain playground of possibilities and alternate probabilities beyond the reckoning of any warrior. Of only one thing was Perfume certain at that moment...that she did not want to be in the Matriarch's slippers when Shampoo returned to the Tendo place, for whatever Shampoo might do next, it was very likely that Cologne would not enjoy it...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"Any luck, Ranma-kun?" I asked as I saw my male iinazuke came vaulting back down from the nearest tall building, only a few blocks away from my house.

"No luck," Ranma confessed as he looked at me and heaved a sigh, "I lost the trail a couple of kilometers from here. She took to the rooftops and must have been running flat-out. I don't think she even knew where she was going, she just kept running like she was blowin' off steam or something."

I glanced at the nearest wall, which bore a large hole in its side big enough that even Genma in panda form could have walked through it without ducking. There was another hole in the wall beyond that, and through it I could see yet another hole, this time through the side of a building, and beyond that...well, pretty much the same line of destruction that we had followed from my house.

"No question about it," said Atsuko at my side, "She's pissed. This looks like something I'd do if I got upset about something."

"Only you never could keep to a straight line," Comb commented at her side.

"What do I look like, a comedienne?" Atsuko snorted, "I gotta hand it to you, Comb...your kid sure would make one hell of an Oni."

"I take it that was supposed to be a compliment," Silk sighed, "Oh dear...I do hope Shampoo is careful about what she does while she's like this. There's no telling what might happen if she were to run into the wrong type of people..."

"Yeah," I grimaced, "The funeral expenses could get wicked, not to mention paying off their next of kin..."

"But why was your daughter so upset about learning that her friend here was still alive?" asked Nodoka.

"My fault, I'm afraid," said Cologne sadly, "I kept Shampoo in the dark about Lotion's survival. They used to be...very close when they were younger."

"Oh yeah?" I heard Ranma say, and I followed his frown as we both took in the nervous-looking Amazon girl, whose blue hair gave her an exotic kind of beauty.

"This is my fault, Elder," Lotion sighed, "I should have come back to Joketsuzoku sooner and explained things to Shampoo directly. I've been caught up so much in my training lately..."

"Don't blame yourself," Ambergris gently chided, giving a hard one-eyed flare towards Cologne, "The Matriarch withheld your letters to Shampoo, which is why she never received them. The Elder knows who is to blame for all of this, and the rest of us need hardly voice our accusations."

"Speak for yourself, Warrior," Comb growled, "I know who's to blame...for all of this, Grandmother."

Cologne turned away sadly and began to hobble along like an old woman, leaning on her staff, "I know what you all must think of me, but I a firmly believed that it was the right thing to do at the time. Shampoo had come to rely so much upon young Lotion for her emotional needs that it was becoming almost a scandal in our village. Shampoo had many enemies and rivals who would have seen the girl as an Achilles heal and sought to exploit her perceived weakness. I wanted Shampoo to be strong, to be a warrior who would rely upon no one, and so I acted to separate them in what I felt would be the most effective manner. The quarrel between Shampoo and Perfume just gave me the excuse I needed to separate them, and it had the added benefit of bringing my two wards closer together."

"My daughter has had few friends growing up," Comb said softly, "Perfume, Ambergris and Lotion. Perfume was trained as our Enforcer, and she is more sparring partner than companion to Shampoo. With Ambergris you planted the seeds of doubt and suspicion, leading Shampoo to suspect betrayal before Amber's challenge was even issued. With Lotion...Shampoo found someone whom she cared more about than either of us. Were you jealous, Grandmother? Did it affect your judgement to think that Shampoo might grow closer to a girl her own age and cease to listen to her Elders?"

"There...is some slight truth in that, child," Cologne replied, "We all make mistakes in judgement, some of a more serious nature than others, and often with the best of intentions. Given all of that, can you blame me for acting in what I thought was Shampoo's best interests?"

I saw the panda lift a sign that read, "Well, when you put it that way..." It might have said more, but that moment Ranma snatched it out of his hands and began to beat Uncle Genma over the head, to which the rest of us just looked on with faint nods of approval, all except Nodoka.

"Mother," the cherry-red girl named Ling-Ling spoke up, "Shampoo be all right?"

"Shampoo no be this upset before," the green haired Lung-Lung added, "No even when she smash up Father's bike on hillside."

"It's much worse than that, little ones," their father rumbled somberly, "Then Shampoo was grieving for a friend whom she believed had been murdered, but now that she knows the truth about Lotion..."

His words were suddenly drowned out as a loud machine-noise intruded on our conversation. We all turned our heads to see a large motorcycle approaching us, driven by a leather-clad Shampoo, who was handling the thing like a toy, even popping a wheelie!

She brought the Kawasaki to a halt only a few meters away, smiled at us and killed the engine. When the noise level had died off to the level of crickets chirruping she flashed a grin and said, "Nihao, Ailen."

"W-what?" Ranma gasped.

"Sh-Shampoo?" I started to say in stunned disbelief, wondering where in the hell she had acquired a motorcycle.

"Where did you get that, child?" asked Cologne at the level of a harsh whisper.

Shampoo did not even turn her head to look towards her great grandmother but said, "Shampoo no hear words of betrayer who once she call her Elder. If Former Great Grandmother want address Shampoo, she ask Shampoo father, otherwise Shampoo no hear her."

I was later to learn from Silk that Shampoo had just delivered the worst insult one Amazon could visit upon another, asking a male to interpret her messages. It was the kind of thing that could start clan wars, an outrage that could only be atoned for by mortal combat, and delivered in such a casual way that it sounded as if Shampoo was merely informing the old woman that she had decided to get a tattoo or a noise ring.

"Shampoo," Comb managed to say after recovering from the shock of that insult, which even she had never delivered to her grandmother, "Where did you get the motorcycle?"

"Man give to Shampoo," Shampoo replied, reaching into her leather jacket and holding out the ownership papers, "Him sign over. That is handwriting on bottom."

I took the paper and sure enough there was awkwardly scripted kanji spelling out the name, "Yamashina Kenji." It looked like he had been shaking like a leaf when he wrote it, though, so I looked up at Shampoo and said, "You forced him to write this?"

"Him write so Shampoo no do bad things like rest of men," Shampoo said simply, "Apologize if hard to read since he normally right handed."

"You mean this guy threatened you?" Ranma latched onto the part that most upset him.

"Bad move on his part," Atsuko snorted, "Sounds like you were nicer about it than I'da been."

"But..." I tried to form the question coherently, "Where did you learn to drive a motorcycle, Sham-chan?"

"Father teach Shampoo," Shampoo nodded, "Former Great Grandmother tell Shampoo give it up, but Shampoo no listen anymore." She turned a firm look towards her mother and said, "Shampoo keeping bike. Any questions?"

Comb heaved a sigh and said, "Just don't wreck it like the last one..."

"Shampoo take care," she nodded, "Shampoo learn from Father. You no mind, Father?"

"You've always known what you wanted, daughter," Hairbrush nodded in faint resignation.

"Then it decided," I noticed that Shampoo did not even glance at the old woman to seek her approval, "You want ride, Ailen? Is room in back."

"Ah..." I shared a look with Ranma, who looked back at me with the same dubious expression then said, "Not this time, okay? Maybe later?"

"Suit self," Shampoo replied, "Meet back at House. Shampoo apologize to father-  
in-law for rude way she exit."

With that she started up the motorcycle again and was out of sight within the next five seconds. We stood where we were a good deal longer than that before I heard one of Shampoo's sisters say to her twin, "Why this no sound like good thing?"

To which her near-identical twin replied, "This much worse than last time."

I heard Ambergris heave a sigh before she said, "You really have done it this time, Matriarch. I hope you are satisfied, Shampoo is everything you worked towards."

The old woman just stared at the ground when another voice joined our conversation, "Perfume see Shampoo drive off. It bad as Perfume fear it would be."

"You caught up with Shampoo then?" Silk asked her.

"Perfume see handiwork," the brown haired girl nodded, "Find eight men taking nap five kilometers that way. Shampoo take eleven seconds. Perfume think she go easy, maybe play with men, why no finish sooner..."

"Eleven seconds?" Atsuko asked the girl, "You timed her?"

"No see fight," Perfume shrugged, "No have to. It written on ground way bodies fall, how much force apply, position of limbs..."

"Perfume is our best tracker as well as the village Enforcer," Comb explained, "She once tracked a Yeti to its lair in a snowstorm just to steal a lock of its fur for one of Grandmother's potions. She s the exact opposite of a Hibiki, someone who can find her way out of a maze without even looking."

"And I suppose then that you even know what those guys had for breakfast?" I asked half-jokingly, only to see her nod in affirmation.

"Perfume know, they drink heavy, also eat octopus and Ramen before drinking," she informed us.

"Oh come on," Ranma exclaimed, "You can't possibly know what they eat by looking at 'em! You're guessing!"

"No half to guess," Perfume countered, "Is all over sidewalk. Them lose lunch after Shampoo hit them."

"No question about it," Ambergris sighed, "She is pissed."

"I hope she didn't hurt any of them permanently," Lotion seemed to fret a bit on that point, making me realize just how sensitive and soft-hearted she was as that was a statement worthy of Kasumi.

"No enough blood," Perfume shrugged, "Them recover, maybe eight week. No lose sleep over men, them no kind who should make fight with Amazon womans."

"I think it is safe to say that the fellow who signed over the motorcycle isn't likely to press charges," Silk remarked with a sigh, "But I suspect this only signifies the beginning of her rebellion against your authority, Matriarch. Your withholding the truth from her has hurt Shampoo very deeply, and I do not judge that it will be any time soon that she forgives you."

I saw Genma-the-panda raise his sign from where he was laying, which read, "Well, if it's all the same, why don't we go back to Tendo-kun's house?" He turned the sign around and it read, "I'm hungry."

"Would you stop thinking of your stomach for once?" Ranma growled in disgust, only to be prevented from forward movement as Atsuko thrust her arm in his past and said, "Let me handle him, Ranma-san. I know how to talk sense into your father."

"Into what?" Nodoka looked at her curiously, glancing around as she asked, "Did you see Genma? Is he here?"

"In a manner of speaking," Comb glared at Atsuko as if to say, "Nice going!" but somehow she managed to put on a pleasant act as she said, "Let's all go back to Tendo-san's place and try to straighten things out, shall we? We can even start work to repair his doors if Silk doesn't mind helping me out on that."

"What else are Lore Masters good for but to heal the rifts caused by others?" Silk asked philosophically.

"In your case it's usually the opposite," Comb snorted, earning a sour look from Silk's direction, which seemed to greatly please Shampoo's mother.

I saw Atsuko lift uncle Saotome onto her back as if he were no more than a fur rug, easily carrying a mass that greatly exceeded her own, which was further confirmation that she was definitely Ryoga's mother. She hardly even seemed much taxed by the strain as she said, "All right, Mister Panda, I'll get you home in one piece, no problem."

"I thought he was called Mister Saotome," Nodoka asked with a puzzled expression.

"Whatever," Comb growled softly, "And the house is this way, Baka."

"Oh, right," Atsuko turned around, "Follow the rubble, huh?"

With that our merry little group headed back the way we had come, moving onto the next phase of this day full of adventure and dramatic revelations. I was more than a little worried about Shampoo myself at the moment, especially the discovery that she had a Leather Clad side to her past that I'd never even suspected. Just when I think I have her pegged I keep finding out new things about her, but then I guess that's half the charm Shampoo has for me, the way she is constantly and almost casually going well beyond my wildest expectations...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cyclone Powered Chopper Chicks of Joketsuzoku: shadowmane

And what other dramatic revelations are we about to see on the Amazon front? Stay tuned, the next installment is a doozy! Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	59. Chapter 59

NabikiRan56 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi)  
Chapter Fifty-Five.

Happosai came bounding home with his latest bag of treasures in hand, hoping that he would make it in time before a house full of chowhounds ate all the consumables at the Tendo dojo. It was not that he minded the crowd (after all, it consisted of some of the cutest lovelies in all of Nerima), but they ate like a horde of famished Mongol warriors, and it was all a poor old man could do to get in his share of the wonderful grub prepared by the loving arts of such master connoisseur's as Silk and Kasumi.

Imagine his surprise when he arrived in the yard finding no horde of hot-blooded pulchritude, and no dinner either, just a forlorn-looking Soun sitting at his Shogi board looking morosely at the spot normally occupied by his amoral cousin, Genma. The sight was so wretched and pathetic that Happosai alighted down beside him and asked, "What's the matter, Soun old boy? You look like your best friend was ordered to commit seppuku."

Happosai had meant the line to cheer up his wayward student, (after all it wowed them during the Tokugawa era) but instead Soun turned a miserable gaze towards Happosai, then wordlessly directed his gaze towards the front foyer of the house...or rather at the space that used to be occupied by a door at the front of the building.

"Oh," Happosai said, not without a tinge of sympathy, "One of the girls got a bit high-spirited, eh? Which was it this time? At-chan? Comb? The old woman? Can't have been Silk, the house is still standing..."

"It was Shampoo," Soun said almost numbly, "Comb's daughter, the one who claims to have an interest in my daughter, Nabiki."

"Oh, that cutie?" Happosai was surprised at hearing it was one of the younger generation, no doubt following in the traditions of their elders, "Did Genma's boy say something to upset her?"

"It was the old woman," Soun murmured softly, "Cologne."

Happosai's eyes narrowed, "I might've guessed that. That old bag of bones hasn't learned a thing since the old days. She used to be such a cutie herself...who'd guess she'd turn into such a handful," he sighed, "Guess I'd better have a talk with old prune. I'm about the only one here who can get her to see reason."

Soun came out of his daze with a sudden sharp look of genuine alarm, "Please don't start trouble, Master! If you two get into another fight, I don't think my house could withstand it!"

"Calm down, Soun old boy," Happosai patted his student on the shoulder, "I didn't say I was going to fight her...what, do you think I want to marry the old bag? I just meant that I can talk some sense into her, maybe find out what caused the cutie to go off like that. Just leave everything to me and I'll fix things up real fine, you'll see."

Somehow Tendo Soun did not seem ready or willing to accept that assurance at face value, but so great was his fear of the old man s terror that he wisely kept his silence. Soun wanted to weep at the injustice of it all, that he, a man in his declining years, with three beautiful (but as yet unwed) daughters, should be tested by the Kami with trials that would break the resolve of a Buddhist saint. How could anything be worse than this, he wondered, not wanting the fates to provide him with an answer.

Unfortunately one came walking by in the form of Kodachi, who strode through the front doors, taking stock of their non-existence condition, and said, "Oh dear...have I come back home at a bad time? I take it I missed something interesting while I was away at classes?"

"Kodachi-chan," Kasumi said brightly as she came out from the kitchen, and the two girls began to chat brightly as if nothing at all were out of the ordinary. Soun did react in surprise, though, when he saw Kodachi stand on tip-toes and plant a kiss on the mouth to Kasumi, who returned the kiss with equal affection.

"Well, well," Happosai said brightly, "Things are looking up already. You know Soun, seeing young people behave like that gives me a real hope to humanity. Oh well, better put my beauties away so I can freshen up and hunt down the old woman."

And with that he vaulted away, leaving Soun to whimper silently at the injustice...

"I wonder where everybody is," Akane stared at the trail of destruction leading from their yard to parts unknown in a nearly straight line, "You think whatever did this will be back to cause more trouble?"

"I don't know," Ukyo stared at the hole in the wall, followed by another and another, "Looks almost like an elephant got loose and went charging through here."

"An elephant, in Nerima?" Akane snorted, "Yeah...right."

"Well hey," Ukyo smiled at her, "Why not an elephant? I mean, stranger things have happened in this district, right?"

"Right," Akane nodded, "Just another typical day in the neighborhood for the Tendo Dojo."

"Akane?"

Both girls turned around to see Ryoga standing there in her yard looking dazed and bewildered in their direction.

"Ryoga-kun?" Akane asked, "What happened? Where are all the others?"

"I don't know," Ryoga replied, "Shampoo went crazy and stormed off, then everybody started chasing after her, only I-uh-must have gone the wrong way..."

"You mean you got lost again, Sugar," Ukyo smirked, "That figures."

Ryoga frowned in the other girl's direction, but Akane disrupted his ugly line of thought as she growled, "Shampoo again? What's her problem? If she did this then she can go jump into a storm drain for all I care!"

"She...had a pretty good reason for getting angry," Ryoga ran a hand through where he used to have nape hairs, only to encounter the peach-smooth space there, which caused him to frown all the more, "The old woman got her upset, and it had to do with telling her a lie about a friend who Shampoo thought was dead, but..."

Just then a sound distracted all of them, and seconds later a figure came hurtling towards the dojo at break-neck speeds. The motorcyclist popped another wheelie, then brought her machine around to a skidding stop and killed the engine, flipping her purple locks out of her eyes as she smiled at Ukyo and Akane, a leather-jacketed Shampoo who resembled the one they knew about as much as a stranger.

"Nihao," she said, not cheerfully as she normally would but rather with a matter-of-fact acceptance of their presence, "You like Shampoo bike? Is almost new, just needs new paint job."

"Huh?" Ukyo reacted, "You feeling all right, Sugar?"

"Shampoo?" Akane blinked her eyes twice.

"Shampoo is fine," the Amazon said, then she amazed everyone by hopping off the bike, bending down and lifting it to the level of one shoulder. She carried it upside down in the manner by which one might carry a normal bike, heading through the gates and past the hole she had earlier created, moving around to the side of the house where the garage stood standing, little used and almost forgotten.

"Bike need fixing," Shampoo said matter-of-factly, "You no mind Shampoo work on it. Sorry about wall, Shampoo fix that later."

"Huh?" Akane said as she watched the Amazon set the bike back down on a patch of gravel, then go into the garage itself and come out moments later with her father's rusted tool kit, "H-Hey...!"

"Is okay," Shampoo said as she sat down and began to systematically lay out the contents of the tool kit, "Shampoo know what doing. Engine sound funny, think maybe it have dirty carburetor, also maybe need clean rings in gasket..."

"All right," Ukyo said, "Who are you and what had you done with the real Shampoo?"

The Amazon just made a rude noise and set about systematically taking apart the motorcycle engine. Within a matter of minutes she had the whole thing laid out upon a cloth she had produced somewhere and was busy working with a set of brushes, having fetched a solution of some sort from the kitchen. Even Kasumi had been sufficiently roused with curiosity to come out to investigate, finding Shampoo hard at work on the motorcycle as though she knew every part by name and was familiar with their functions.

"Oh my," Kasumi said brightly, "I didn't know you were into motorcycles, Shampoo-san."

"Indeed," Kodachi agreed, "One would never have mistaken you for a Motorhead."

"Funny Rose girl think Shampoo no have brain?" Shampoo asked without looking up, "There lot you not know about Shampoo. Now please no distract, Shampoo very busy..."

"Tadaima," a voice called out from the house.

"Oh my," Kasumi turned around to see the large group entering the yard, "Everyone is back, and just in time for dinner. Nabiki-imoutochan, Shampoo's working on a motorcycle. Isn't she talented?"

"She ought to be," remarked Hairbrush, "I taught her everything grandmother would let me."

Ranma and Shampoo came up to find a dirty-faced Shampoo, her hands covered in grease, working over the parts of the motorcycle as though she were a qualified Bike mechanic. The sight alone was so incongruous that they both blinked their eyes with almost synchronized timing.

"Oh my," said Nodoka at their side, "Does that ever take me back to the old days. I remember when Kimiko-san and I took shop together. We never did become all that proficient with the machines, but I do remember making a lovely tea-cup for my father. Your daughter is so very talented, Comb-san, I just know that she'll make Ranma a wonderful Mistress..."

"Mistress?" Comb lifted her eyebrows.

"Or a second wife," Nodoka amended, "You know I would never slight your little girl, especially someone who will make me a proud grandmother some day, and hopefully very soon."

Hairbrush knelt down a short distance away from Shampoo and said, "How goes it, little Orchid? It looks as if you've found yourself a new hobby."

"It's just like it used to be, Father," Shampoo said pleasantly enough, "My hands remember everything you taught me, so much so I wonder why I ever stopped doing this, even to please she who was once my great-grandmother."

"About that," Hairbrush said delicately, "Are you planning to hold a grudge forever against the old woman? Granted she deserves to be punished for causing you tears..."

"I would rather not talk about it just now, father," Shampoo replied, "But I would value your opinion as this one believes that she has heard a rattling noise in the muffler, and a slight alternation in the piston action of the main rotor."

"You caught that, eh?" Hairbrush nodded with approval, "I was going to mention it myself, but it's plain to me that you've forgotten none of my lessons. Always know your machines, whether they are carbon-fuel based or the simpler tools of a martial artist."

"I remember everything, father," Shampoo replied, "But I value your expertise, and you can help me out by checking the alternator to see that it isn't shorted. That fool whom I liberated this from obviously did not know the first thing about proper maintenance and probably never even used the right octane for the engine. I want this thing to carry me where I wish to go without blowing up or losing torque power."

"Hopefully this one will last longer than your last bike," Hairbrush said with approval, "Well, I'll see what I can do to help, but it looks to me as if you're already tending to the basics..."

"Father is at it again," said Ling-Ling to her twin sister.

"Those two will be at it until it gets dark," Lung-Lung agreed with a mildly disgusted expression.

"Ah...Shampoo?" Ukyo spoke up, gaining the Amazon's somewhat annoyed attention, "I was hoping to share something with you and Ryoga that I brought with me from China."

"What?" Nabiki turned around to stare at the Bishonen girl.

"You went to China, Ucchan?" Ranma asked in some amazement.

"Yeah," Ukyo said quietly, "I went to Jusenkyo. I brought back something I wanted to share with you guys."

Shampoo turned a sharper look her way, "Jusenkyo?"

"Jusenkyo?" Nodoka blinked, turning to glance at Silk with a questioning expression.

"Ah, yes," Silk hastily turned and said, "Kasumi, is dinner almost ready?"

"Yes Auntie," Kasumi replied with a puzzled expression, "I just need to boil some more Ramen..."

"Nodoka-chan," Silk smiled as smoothly as her name, "Would you care to help us prepare to serve dinner? These young people must be starving what with all the excitement that they've been through today."

"If you only knew the half of it," grumbled Akane, taking Ryoga by the hand as she said, "Why don't we do this in the dojo? Ukyo-san's got something important to tell you."

"That's good," Ranma said, "I got something to tell you, Ucchan," he pulled out a scroll that he's been carrying with him.

"Father," Shampoo turned back to the man next to her, "You maybe help in kitchen? Shampoo want see what Ukyo brought from China."

"We'll do this later," the man smiled with approval

"Oh my," Nodoka turned back to the men, "Don't tell me you also cook, Hairbrush-  
san?"

"Well, someone in our family has to," he turned a wicked grin at Comb, who seemed mildly vexed at his teasing expression.

Comb leaned over to Shampoo and said, "Whatever Kuonji-san has planned, be quick about it, little one. I'm not sure how much longer we can delay her finding out the truth about the curses."

"Curses?" Atsuko looked up, as did Genma, who had been resting across her shoulders.

"We'll explain in a few moments," Ambergris averred, giving Shampoo a wry look as she said, "You look like you've been using machine oil for body lotion."

"Is fine one talk," Shampoo half-smiled, "Whale Puke."

Perfume also moved closer to Shampoo, wrinkling her nose as she said, "No tell Perfume you really mean keep stinky, oily, bad-smell contraption, Cousin?"

"Mind own business, Cousin," Shampoo smiled back, "You is just jealous."

"Of that thing?" Perfume scoffed, "Perfume rather run than ride two-wheel death trap."

Ukyo glanced around and said, "Hey, where's the old woman? I thought she was going to be with us when I did this."

"The Matriarch appears to have retired for the day," said the elder Lotion, who handed Ukyo her all-important knapsack, "Which is not to say that we won't see her again before we know it. Here, you will need this for what you seek to accomplish."

"Thanks," Ukyo turned a glance towards Akane and asked, "You up to this?"

"Sure," Akane nodded, "Why not? In for a centimeter, in for a kilometer."

Ryoga looked at the shorthaired girl at his side, then at the Bishonen girl, and his expression started to darken...

Cologne moved without her usual energy, walking slow and listless in the direction of the Nekohanten, her mind on both Shampoo and her recent confrontation with the High Council, of having to listen to the galling sound of Be Dea seeking to be conciliatory while actually giving Cologne a tacit ultimatum.

"You have been high handed in managing the affairs of your charges," her long time rival had said, "Ordinarily this would be your own affair, but as it affects both our Champion and the Tribal Enforcer this matter cannot be treated as a light one. You must work to mend fences with your great granddaughters, Matriarch, or declare yourself unworthy to be our leader. If you fail to make peace with the past and cause these two to become alienated to our society and culture, then you will have lost two promising warriors, and the tribe will have lost the potential that they represent..."

Be Dea had exploited the opportunity that Lotion's return had afforded her and turned many ordinarily sympathetic ears against their Matriarch, leaving Cologne with no option but to play out the hand that she had dealt herself by her actions. It was not a happy situation that she found herself in, for Shampoo's love for her had turned to bitter hatred at the discovery of what she perceived as a betrayal. Cologne could not even hold it against Shampoo that she was being judged so harshly. In her place she might feel the same, had felt the same in the days when she was a young girl and suffering under the tutorage of her Elder.

Cologne sniffed as she thought back to those ancient days, to her own grandmother, a towering giant in her eyes for all that Cologne had grown taller in her thirteenth year, and would grow taller still before the day when she won the rank of tribal Champion. What a pity her grandmother had died before she could see that happen, leaving Cologne all alone without an Elder for guidance. When her twin brother, Rogaine, had courted that demoness, Ganglot, and later went into battle to meet his death, it had left Cologne very much alone and vulnerable. She might have status in the village, but she was without family, having only a nephew who was raised by the Demoness, Razor, the father to Atsuko and their line of the Hibikis.

Cologne had suffered in silence, training methodically to retain her station year after year as the Matriarchy went to another House and rivals came along to make the struggle interesting but not very fulfilling. There had been such a void within her heart that Cologne had thought it might never be filled, only one day a strange man had come into her life and turned it upside down, an annoying, vexing dwarf of a man whose selfish opinion of his own greatness was only exceeded by the kindness that he could display to those weaker and more than himself, an outsider male by the name of...

Cologne blinked. Was that a pebble that had just careened off of her head? Impossible! She would have sensed the slightest particle that was coming in her direction. She whirled about to discover who had launched the impudent projectile, staff in hand against the foe who would dare to assault and Amazon Elder...

"Up here you old bag!" a voice taunted her from the ledge of a wall she had been walking past.

Cologne blinked her eyes and said, "Happy?"

The little man alighted on the sidewalk a short distance from her position and said, "What a sorry sight you are, drooping your head like a feeble old lady! Where do you come off feeling self-pity, huh? You think you're the only one around who ever screwed up in raising their granddaughter?"

Cologne reared back in a challenging stance, "And who are YOU to criticize? You've been an absolute terror to every male member of your line, and a source of humiliation to every girl-child who could claim you for their Elder!"

"I may have been a bit strict in teaching my boys how to behave," Happosai inclined his head with a taunting expression, "But I never had to lie to them to get them to do whatever I wanted. Terrorized, intimidated them, bullied and humiliated them, humbled and starved them, but I never had to lie to them, and you know why? Because in spite of it all, I still respected them enough to tell them exactly what they were in for!"

"Are you saying that my lie of omission was more terrible than all the awful deeds you subjected your son, grandsons and great grandsons to in order to make them heirs to your school of martial arts?" Cologne demanded hotly.

"Ask yourself that," Happosai retorted, "You think Shampoo's ever going to want to even look at you again? A fine Matriarch you are, taking a thing like that lying down. You're too soft to be the leader of the Joketsuzoku. You ought to hang out with the Zen Nuns or join a Shaolin Temple for the old and decrepit..."

"I'll show you who's old and decrepit!" Cologne cried as she unleashed a Chi-  
bolt at where the little man had been standing, only Happosai was not there but back on the ledge where he had been standing a moment before hand.

"Your aim's as bad as your eyesight, you old bat!" Happosai taunted, "Come get me if you still think you can hobble fast enough!"

"Fast?" Cologne's hair began to curl around her head as her rage created a Chi-  
force wave around her, "You don't know the meaning of the word, Happy!"

"Talk's cheap!" Happosai called out to her from halfway down the block, but Cologne was already moving like the wind, hurtling after him like an avenging banshee...

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

Of the many shocks that I have endured this day the strangest yet was to befall me, for though I had long thought Lotion dead her return had brought joy mingled with sorrow and anger, much of it directed against my own Elder. I think I was still very much in shock when Kuonji called us into the dojo to make the announcement that she had gathered Jusenkyo water in order to attempt to cure us.

I cannot place in proper terms the feelings that possessed me upon seeing Lotion alive and well, and in the company of one whom I had mistakenly believed was my enemy for the past two years since our parting. Sitting down under the same roof as Ambergris-a name that it still seems odd to write about without the trembling rage I have felt for so long-as though we were merely long-parted friends and not bitter rivals. My cousin was sitting between us as if she expected that she would have to play mediator, a role quite odd considering how she never got along with Amber in the old days. I think the real buffering force, though, was Lotion.

She was sitting beside Perfume while casting fond looks towards me, yet I could tell from the way she smiled at my cousin that it was her company that she was mostly enjoying. I think with me there were memories that got in the way of our enjoyment of our reunion. We had very happy times together, yet it was all in the past now, and we both sensed this to be the truth, just as I could sense that there was a close bond between her and Ambergris without feeling the tell tale signs of resentment on my part.

I had yet to hear the full story, of how a group of resentful warriors had confronted Lotion upon a bridge leading to the Sleeping Woman's village, how they had intended mischief at her expense as a crude means of striking back at me, only Ambergris interfered with their schemes and jumped into the waterfall to save Lotion after she had accidentally lost her footing. Lotion had rewarded Ambergris by partially healing her face, but there is still a faint wisp of a scar to make out the cut that I placed there with my own hand. Somehow Lotion had worked her magic on both Amber's mind and body, because she professed to forgive me for marking her face, and she had even demonstrated a fair amount of pride in her scar, saying something about it making her look like some person named Emeraldis.

Two years apart...more than that now that I think upon it. Lotion had become even more beautiful than I remembered, and her spirit was so much stronger. I saw great confidence in her now, a sense of purpose and self-worth that had been absent in all the previous years when I had known her, both as friend and later as lover. I knew Lotion had a somewhat playful side, a tendency to enjoy games, and she is clever and insightful, which makes her a more well-rounded person. I knew she could make Perfume very happy, and my cousin deserves someone with a sensitive nature, who can understand her peculiar condition and not look down upon her or call her weak. I was happy to see Perfume smile as she talked with Lotion, smiling in a way that I have never seen my cousin smile, though Perfume has tended to be something of a flirt around our village, hiding her pain behind the fierce mask of an Enforcer.

Of course I had a very different reason for not wanting to continue my affair with Lotion now that we had been reunited. My husband and wife were watching me with hooded expressions, occasionally glancing towards Lotion before darting glances back at me, a question plainly unspoken in their eyes as they wondered about the part of my life that had come long before them.

In truth I was not certain how to handle this odd situation, so I elected to play coy, seeking to assure my loves of my loyalty and devotion while not acting as though I had a reason to feel nervous. I knew that I would have to explain myself there before too long, but I was still caught up in the confusion of conflicting emotions, my anger at she who was my Great Grandmother still burning bright among feelings of a less volatile nature.

Ah, but to return to Kuonji, my confusion there was almost as great as the sense of betrayal that I felt towards great grandmother. Kuonji had gone to Jusenkyo, met Amber and Perfume, and had brought Lotion back to me, her nominal rival. She had done this for me because of that incident from several nights ago where I had protected her from Mousse. Simple gratitude could not explain why she had risked herself this way, or why great grandmother had gone along with it and allowed her to bring back the Jusenkyo water that she presented to us in the dojo.

I saw Perfume's eyes dart to the first bottle that Kuonji removed from her knapsack, recalled her dread of Jusenkyo and wondered what force could have brought her all this way from China in the company of someone who carried a knapsack full of Jusenkyo water.

I saw Nabiki's eyes go wide as she looked upon the forbidden elixir that had cursed our beloved and myself, complicating both of our lives in ways too painful to mention. She revealed that she had already tested the water out upon Akane with the results not quite one hundred percent effective. Akane demonstrated this for us, removing the her shirt but not the bra beneath it, showing less of that strange modesty she has so annoyingly demonstrated in the past, as if finally overcoming her sense of inferiority regarding her body. Having already obtained a pot of hot water from the kitchen, she used it to reverse the effects that she revealed to us with a mere glass of water. I confess to being no less surprised than anyone present, for she had become like the people of Mount Phoenix, a winged woman whose extra limbs sprouted out from her backside.

Once Akane had returned herself to normal she sat down beside a most astonished Ryoga, looking sheepishly from him to Kuonji as if to explain the complicated state of affairs that had become her existence. I actually found myself both pitying and envious towards her for my own recently gained ability to glide was not actual flight itself, merely the ability ride air currents in my cursed form. I was brought back to myself when Kuonji addressed both me and Ryoga in one breath.

"So, you see guys," Ukyo was saying, "I thought I was bringing you the full cure, but it seems one dose of the Jusenkyo water only make a partial cure. I got three more bottles of Nyanniichuan water to go with the four bottles of Nanniichuan, so the way I figure that is one and a half cures of girl water, only two cures of the guy kind."

"Actually not even that," Lotion noted, "You left two of the bottles with the Matriarch, so what you have there are five bottles of Jusenkyo water, one full cure for either Akane or Shampoo, or perhaps even yourself should you want to go that route. Only one full cure for the boys as well, and half a cure beyond that."

"I don't care," Ranma said impulsively, "Half a cure, all the way a cure, it still means a cure, and I won't have to be a girl anymore, ever!"

"But if you cure yourself you leave your brother still cursed," the elder pointed out, "Unless you choose to share the water and each go for a half cure, I'm afraid only one of you will be completely cured without the Matriarch's cooperation."

My husband and his witless half-brother exchanged looks, and I saw recognition of this fact war upon both of their features. It was Ryoga who said, "We could fight for it...the one who wins gets the cure..."

"Is your rivalry all you two ever think about?" Akane said in disgust, a feeling I oddly shared after so often watching these two be at odds over trivial issues.

"I'm with Akane," Kuonji stated firmly, "I didn't go through all of this just to watch you two Jackasses beat yourself up like a couple of kids. Either we settle this like civilized people or I'm letting Cologne keep all of the Jusenkyo water. Let her decide how to parcel it out, I just want to get this over with so I can go settle accounts with my Dad, the other Jackass."

"But what about Genma?" Atsuko spoke up from where she sat alongside Ranma's father, "You could also cure him of turning into a Panda."

"Or cure you of being a real vixen," Lotion pointed out, adding as warning when she saw the gleam in the eyes of my Panda father-in-law, "Don't even think about trying to steal from Kuonji-san, Saotome. I am wise to your tricks, and believe me, you will never complete the motion."

"This is just for the guys," Kuonji said, "You two can find your own cures, this is between Ranchan, Shampoo and Ryoga."

"I don't quite understand this," my wife spoke up, "If a bucket of water could turn Akane into a duck, and only a little bit of it was needed to affect Shampoo's curse, then why shouldn't a full liter be enough to cure someone? There's got to be another factor involved, something that must be modifying the curses."

"I don't know," Ukyo sighed, "I went to a lot of trouble to obtain this stuff, and I thought it would be enough to cure everybody. Obviously I was mistaken, but if you still want to risk it, I'm game to offer this first bottle of Nanniichuan water to the first guy who wants it."

I saw eagerness and hesitation war on the faces of the two brothers, but then a thought crept into Ranma's face and he asked, "What happens if I'm just half-  
cured and not all the way cured?"

"You could turn into a Hermaphrodite," Lotion suggested, "A person who manifests the traits of both genders, male and female, in one body."

"Ah..." Ranma's eyes got very round, "On second thought, maybe you should try it, Ryoga."

"I'm willing to take a chance, do anything to be cured," Ryoga said as he stood up to receive the bottle from Kuonji, "If it means I no longer have to be a pig, then I'll do anything."

He upended the bottle over his head, splashing himself with the contents as we all sat still and watched with anticipation. We only had to wait for a moment before the change came over the lost boy, and suddenly his face transformed, became beastial and brutish, his lower tusks growing to a size much greater than his upper teeth and his nose became a snout while his face was covered in black fur/ He turned to us and asked, "Well, how do I look?"

"Hah?" Akane asked as Nabiki's eyes went wide and I just stared at his stupid expression, torn between pity and want to laugh my head off on account of what he looked like.

"Ah...Ryoga," Atsuko looked on her son and said, "That's...an interesting look for you..."

"Half a cure indeed," Lotion sighed, "I had hoped the first time was merely an aberration."

"Huh?" Ryoga raised his hands to touch his face, only they had been transformed into a pair of clawed hooves. He stared down at the horror of it and for a moment I thought he was going to faint where he was standing.

"Ryoga," my husband said, eyes wide as if comprehending how he might have been affected by only a half-dose of the cure.

"Oh boy," Kuonji said, "Ryoga...I didn't expect that! Maybe you need the other bottle."

"Give him the cure, Ucchan," Ranma suddenly snapped, "Nobody deserves to go through life looking like that!"

"Ranma?" Ryoga looked at his half-brother with surprise, as if not expecting my husband to make such a generous offer.

"Right," Kuonji said, fishing through her knapsack as she removed another bottle and red the label, "No, this is Nyanniichuan water. You need the other kind..."

That was when fate intervened in the form of a pair of battling Elders. Without warning the Demon Happosai appeared, hotly pursued by an angry Great Grandmother, the two hurling taunts at each other while a wave of hot Chi sizzled the air with the Matriarch unleashing a devastating blast his way that only serve to put yet another hole into the walls of the dojo.

"You're getting weak, old woman!" the Demon Happosai called back in a rush, snatching the bottle out of Kuonji's hand and squeezing the contents full in the face of my great grandmother, "You need to cool off, you old Hot Head!"

Great Grandmother gasped, unprepared for what next occurred, which is no less than the rest of us were when we saw her grow to a stature that rivaled that of my mother. White hair became blue-black and wrinkles vanished from her features. Within seconds a complete stranger the place of my great grandmother, staggering backwards as she looked down at herself in obvious dismay.

"N-No...!" she cried as she turned to read her transformation in our expressions, "You idiot! Look what you've done! You've cursed me!"

"N-Nani?" Happosai stared up at the ravishing beauty who stood revealed before us, only she wasn't even wearing the same gown as before. Instead of the purple outfit great grandmother traditionally wore, this stranger was wearing a dress that was made from gold silk with purple trimmings.

"That's...the old ghoul?" Ranma said in a disbelief that was rival to my own intense confusion.

"Doesn't look old any more," Nabiki said in an attempt to make light of the matter, yet even for her the jest did not sound convincing.

"Elder?" Perfume gasped.

"Matriarch?" Ambergris said likewise.

Then, topping off this moment of strangeness came the strangest sound of all, the sound of Elder Lotion's laughter, which took us all by surprise as I do not recall the last time that I even heard an Elder of her station laughing. Great Gr-ah, she who was my Great Grandmother glared her way and said in a low growl, "I fail to see what is so funny."

"The jest of the fates," Lotion gasped as she wiped a tear from her eye, "Oh, ironies of the Gods, how mysterious and perverse are the twisting patterns that Destiny can take with we mere mortals."

"You did this to me!" Elder Kho-Lon hissed, "You arranged for all of this to happen!"

Lotion sobered and glared back towards my Elder then said simply, "Don't flatter yourself, Matriarch. I would hardly bend the laws of time and space to your benefit. This was done by a Lore Master who might at one time have surpassed me had he so chosen. Blame it on yourself for not finishing your business from long ago. Now you pay the price for hubris, and be assured it will be a steep one. Try asserting your illusion and see if you can restore your former image."

"What?" my wife gasped.

"Former image?" I asked with my confusion growing more intense by the second.

"Just try it," Lotion smiled, "You can't do it any more...can you?"

I saw my former great-grandmother frown then close her eyes and concentrate, but nothing appeared to happen. She opened her eyes again and stared down at her hands, then fear came over her expression as she turned back to Elder Lotion and gasped, "I can't do it! How...?"

"It is as I feared, or rather anticipated," Lotion said with a nod, "The magic of Jusenkyo is so intense it cancels out your ability to disguise your appearance. You can no longer manifest the illusion of the troll to hide your true age from those who might misunderstand you."

"Huh?" Atsuko sat upright, "Did you say Illusion?"

"You never suspected?" Lotion asked without turning around, "I should think you, of all people, could have sensed the truth, that the Cologne that you saw before was a false image projected by the power of her mind. Cologne was never the old hag that you saw but rather the beautiful lady you see now. The Jusenkyo water merely dispelled the illusion and has prevented her from reestablishing her true age. What you see now is a Juraian princess revealed in her true form, the daughter of Yosho, three hundred years old yet preserved in state by the magic of her bloodline."

"No way!" Ranma protested, "That old freak was just an illusion?"

"You have noticed her tendency to perch upon her staff," Lotion smiled, "This was to conceal the fact that she was standing normally at eye-level. Her tendency to 'pogo-stick' is just another cute manifestation of the power of her former illusions. This is the true form of the Amazon Matriarch, Cologne revealed in all her glory."

"Great grandmother," I gasped, "Is this true?"

"I thought you weren't going to acknowledge her as your grandmother," Ambergris reminded me.

My anger returned full force as suddenly I knew the depth of the Matriarch's deception, that she had even been lying to me about THIS, and so I turned my nose away and said, "I do not care any more what she looks like, she is not my great grandmother!"

"Oh, but she is," Elder Lotion insisted, "But she had your grandmother at the age of two hundred and twenty. Even using Amazon age preserving techniques, it is not such an easy thing to stave off menopause for that great an amount of time."

"Cologne-baby?" I heard the demon Happosai finally gasp, then stare at the bottle in his hand that had the Japanese kanji symbol for woman. All at once realization seemed to come over him as he cried, "You have JUSENKYO WATER? Then that means...!"

All at once he shoved Kuonji to one side, went fishing through her knapsack, pulling out a bottle that had the make Kanji symbol taped upon it, and before anyone could stop him he uncapped the bottle and began drinking of the contents.

A moment later he gasped, staggering as he held a hand to his throat, his eyes wide with shock as he dropped the empty bottle.

"You fool," Elder Lotion declared, "You already bear a curse inside you, do you think another is going to go down as smooth as malt liqueur?"

"I feel...kinda woozy," the demon said, falling face down, and for a moment I almost dared hope that the Jusenkyo power was doing something terrible to his insides. Instead he began to change, his small frame growing larger, and in less than a moment he was like a very different person laying there, blinking his eyes and gasping, "Am I dead?"

I saw my father-in-law hold up a sign that read, "You wish!" but when Happosai sat upright he no longer looked the same, he was-if the truth must be told-quite passingly handsome.

"It worked!" he cried, feeling his face as he declared with joy, "I need a mirror, somebody! I'm finally good looking! Now the ladies won't run away from me any more! I've gotta see what I look like!"

"You want to see your reflection?" Great-ah-The Matriarch declared, and with a swipe from her staff she sent the transformed perverted man out the door and into the koi pond.

"Hey!" Ranma said, "How come he got a full cure instead of a half-one like Ryoga?"

"Maybe it's because he drank the water instead of spilling it over his head," Ambergris spoke up.

"So it would seem," agreed Elder Lotion.

"So he's cured of being short and ugly," my wife huffed, "Terrific."

"But...I don't understand something, Grandmother," young Lotion asked, "Why has the Matriarch been concealing her true age if this is what she truly looks like?"

"Because among Amazons age defines a person," Elder Lotion replied, "It is easy to command respect from your peers when you have the wrinkles to show for it, but not so easy to hold their respect when you look no older than a youth, and the Matriarch has never wanted to stand out that much from her peers. You have long suspected that they would treat you differently if they saw a young face staring at them in council, have you not...Elder?"

"You were the only one who knew the truth," Elder Cologne replied with a most sour expression, "Now everyone will know this, including Be Dea. I can't even show my face around council without admitting that I've been concealing my true appearance all along. Admit that this is what you wanted for me all along, student."

"I admit no such thing," Elder Lotion replied, "And it has been a long time since you had any right to call me your student."

"But...great grandmother?" my Lotion said to her Elder, "Does this mean you also are hiding your true age from us by illusion."

"No child," the old woman said gently, "What you see is the truth for me, and unlike some persons I don't have any need to resort to such illusions."

"Can we get back to the subject, please?" Kuonji asked as she rubbed her nose as if upset about the interruption, "Now...if I understand this right, drinking from the bottle will be twice as effective as pouring it on the outside? Terrific! Then that means the bottle I've got left can go to Ranchan! Here, take it and cure yourself, then we can give the last bottle to Shampoo, and the one I've got back at the Nekohanten can go to Akane."

Ranma accepted the bottle, looked at it, then looked up at Ryoga and said, "What about him?"

"Well," Kuonji said, "We still have one more bottle of Nanniichuan water back at the Nekohanten..."

"I guess I can wait for that," Ryoga said resignedly, staring at his hooved hands and feet, looking something like that cartoon beast that I've heard about who courted a beauty.

"Fine," Ranma said as he unstopped his bottle, then he surprised all of us by pouring the contents over Ryoga, "Then you can have this one, buddy."

Ryoga looked astonished, blinked his eyes, then transformed once again, this time resuming his human form completely. He gazed down at his hands, then felt his face and cried, "I'm cured? For real this time?"

"It would seem to be so," Elder Lotion said with clear approval, "You can test the theory and see if it is valid."

Ryoga saw the glass of water sitting by Kuonji, fetched and upended it over his head, and nothing happened. Ryoga's face lit up like a cliff that is kissed by sunlight and he yelped for joy, finding his cure was for real. His joy only lasted a few seconds though before he turned and stared wide-eyed at Ranma, "Why?"

"Hey, it ain't like I'm fond or you or nothing," Ranma folded his arms, "And it's not like I did this because we're supposedly brothers and all that. I just couldn't stand seeing you look like some kind of a freak, not when we can see for a fact that two dozes of water's what it takes to cure you on the outside. Far as I'm concerned you're still a pig inside, but Akane seems to like you."

Ryoga just stood there weathering the insults as if the only thing that mattered was the fact that Ranma had just done him a favor. It was as if he had never suspected that my husband was capable of acting in a selfless manner, and while I've been taught to believe that such mercy to an enemy is the height of foolish behavior, I was moved no less than Ryoga to witness how brave and considerate my husband truly could be. More than ever I knew that I love him, but for Ryoga it was plainly something of a revelation.

"Son in law," the woman who had been my Elder said simply, "You are always full of surprises."

"Ranchan," Kuonji breathed in an astonished manner.

"He did that for my Ryoga-chan?" Atsuko turned a questioning look towards Genma, who stared back stupidly her way as if he was having trouble recognizing this side of Ranma.

"Way to go, Ranchan," I heard Nabiki say with a cunning smile in his direction.

"That boy does bear watching," Ambergris murmured at the level of a low whisper.

"Either that or he very stupid," Perfume agreed, mirroring my own darker thoughts.

"A very noble and selfless deed, young War Master," I heard Elder Lotion say evenly, "But I think you forgot one very important thing."

"Yeah?" Ranma asked, "Like what?"

"Your mother is only seventy meters away from this position," Lotion explained, "And you still have your curse. Pray that she does not learn the truth before you obtain that last bottle."

There was a very long pause before Ranma glanced back at the Elder Lore Master and asked, the words, "Nani...?"

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cures by the bottle: shadowmane

The fit's really hit the shan for our gang from Nerima, and will Ranma get the cure in time to avoid Seppuku, or will yet more unexpected things creep up on him and the others, making their once-simple lives into a veritable soap opera? Will this become "Marmalade Boy in Nerima?" The truth may shock you, just as soon as I figure out my own answers to these questions.

Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	60. Chapter 60

NabikiRan57 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Seven.

Comb worried about what might be going on inside the dojo, wishing desperately that she could excuse herself from helping out in the kitchen, but for the desperate need to keep Nodoka away from whatever was going on in there until it was actually over and done with. Comb hated to sit on the sidelines, relegated to background status while the real action was taking place elsewhere, but without knowing for certain if anything was being positively resolved she had only to trust that her grandmother and the Lore Master could manage without Comb's direct involvement.

It was not a very reassuring concept.

She trusted the Elder Lotion well enough, but her grandmother was a different matter altogether. True Cologne was the most formidable of all the War Masters who presently sat on the Council, and her experience in dealing with difficult matters was impressive, but Comb knew from first hand experience that the old biddy was anything but infallible and that the mistakes she had made in her life were of such an extreme character that they almost rivaled her accomplishments, such as the events that had convinced Comb to renounce her status as both Warrior and heir to Cologne's position. Pride in family had little to do with her current opposition to the Matriarch, for-rightly or wrongly-Cologne had a tendency to believe that she had a right to meddle in other peoples' affairs where it concerned the business of the Amazons, and her high-handed behavior had definitely shown itself in her handling of the matter regarding the younger ex-  
warrior, Lotion.

Comb personally liked the girl for the child was quick and adept in her lessons, and as an apprenticed Healer she had shown much promise. Comb fully expected the child to one day become an even better Healer than herself, for she had a winning charm and a sensitive nature that exceeded Comb's somewhat awkward bedside manner. Any Healer worth her salt knew that the best medicine of all was the positive outlook of her patient, and she had seen Lotion demonstrate that ability time after time during her apprenticeship as Comb's assistant.

Comb could hardly have missed the budding attraction between Lotion and her daughter, which reminded Comb in a way of her own on-and-off affairs with Silk, though the two girls did not spend half their time sniping at one another. Unlike her grandmother, Comb had never entertained any fears that it would prove to be a permanent attachment such as might preclude marrying a worthy male since Cologne fretted about have great-grandchildren someday. Why that onus would have to fall upon Shampoo alone was not a subject that Comb wanted to think about, but that was entirely the problem with the Matriarch in that she would go too far beyond her proper role as concerned Elder of their household.

When word of Lotion's death had reached Comb's ears she was no less devastated than Silk, the child's aunt and legal guardian, though Comb's first concern was how Shampoo would react to the loss of her first love. Comb had fretted that it would destroy Shampoo's peace of mind, reducing her happy-go-lucky child into a bitter reclusive who would avoid similar hurts by eschewing relationships all together. Comb had watched with anxiety as Shampoo went through various stages or remorse, from blaming herself to self-destructive behavior, but in the end Shampoo had pulled through and rallied herself back into a semblance of the person she was before the tragedy had happened. Comb had wanted to be there for her daughter, to provide what support a mother could for her oldest offspring, but she was forced to hold back due to her promise to Cologne. In the end it had been the old woman who gave Shampoo's life purpose and direction, to become champion of the tribe, the very ideal to which Comb herself had once been taught to aspire.

But no more! Comb was through sitting on the sidelines watching another raise her warrior daughter. It was time Comb told Shampoo the truth, the full and unvarnished story of why Comb did not get along so well with their family Elder. It was nothing less than Shampoo deserved, and out of token respect for the pride Comb felt towards her eldest she would endure whatever reaction Shampoo would have in learning how she had wound up in the care of the old hag. If she believed that Comb, too, had betrayed her, then it was nothing less than Comb deserved, for Shampoo had proven herself worthy of that truth several times over.

Comb turned her mind back to the conversation being held between herself and the other current denizens of the kitchen, having heard her name being mentioned, "Excuse me? I'm sorry...what did you ask, Nodoka-san?"

"I was just complimenting your husband for being such a talented chef," Nodoka replied, "The selection of herbs and seasonings that he has added to the Ramen has created a most savory and delicate flavor. You must share the recipe with me, sometime, Hairbrush-san. I would consider it a great privilege and an honor."

"Oh, no trouble at all, Nodoka-san," Comb husband smiled back, "Cooking is more of an art for me, something I do intuitively, feeling my way to achieving the right balance of ingredients. It's much like working with machines, you have to understand and respect the equipment in order to obtain the best results. Many people just dismiss objects as an inorganic means to an end, but a true Mechanic knows that the means are as important as the ends. I think of it as 'Zen Cooking,' but in truth there is no formal structure to what I practice..."

"Hairbrush is one of the most talented chefs in our village," Silk remarked, "A real prize among men, and you can see where Shampoo takes a lot after him, unlike Comb-san here, who couldn't bake a loaf of bread without setting fire to the kitchen..."

"At least I put out my own fires," Comb growled back, restraining herself from a more acid remark aimed at her best friend and longtime companion.

"It's true that my wife has only moderate talents in the kitchen," Hairbrush flashed a smile her way, "But then her strongest arts are to be found in other arenas, and no one holds a candle to her in those arts in which she flourishes, eh Airen?"

Comb felt an irrational flush of emotions color her handsome features as she looked away, trying to avoid the smile that she felt like showing for some damnable reason. He always did know just what to say to her to get that sort of reaction, and the very fact that he was taking her defense while putting down her meager cooking skills was enough to make her want to drop everything and do something inappropriate for the time of day, given that there was no where private to act upon such impulses.

"Well now," Kasumi announced as she surveyed their handiwork laid out on the kitchen table, "This should cheer up father greatly. A feast like this is more food than we usually consume in a week. It almost feels like we're having a party."

"It does at that," Kodachi said brightly, "But then the accumulated skills arrayed here have combined to work true magic. I am pleased that my contribution in purchasing and having all this food delivered will insure this feast does not put an added strain upon your family's modest budget."

"You're so thoughtful, Kodachi-chan," Kasumi complimented, "I must remember to thank Sasuke again for remembering to add the tube roots to the list of items I gave him..."

"Don't mention it, Mistress," the little man groaned from where he had collapsed in one corner by the rear exit, having played the pack mule for the wealth of food he had purchased at Kasumi's bidding.

Comb had to shake her head as she looked away from Kuno Kodachi. There was just something about that child that reminded her a little too much of the girl's mother, Hitome.

"Well then," said Nodoka, "Now that everything is almost ready, perhaps I should go tell everyone in the dojo to wash up for dinner..."

"No, I'll do that!" Comb spoke up before she had a chance to think on what she was saying. Once the words were past her lips, however, she saw an opportunity in volunteering and added, "I'm sure whatever it is that they're doing in there must be nearly concluded. I'll just be a moment, the rest of you can lay out the dishes."

"Good," Silk smiled, "And once that's finished we can all test out that surprise you and Atsuko were working on together."

"Oh?" Nodoka asked with curiosity, "You two were both working on a project?"

"Ah...yes," Comb replied, turning around and heading out the exit as she said, "A little favor we arranged for Soun-san as token repayment for all the trouble we have caused him."

"Indeed," she heard Silk call back, "And what a rare thing for you two to work on something constructive together for a change."

Comb winced, counted to ten and stormed angrily out the back porch, her expression causing Soun to not even ask if dinner was ready as he did not think it prudent to risk his health over such a trivial subject.

Comb was half way across the yard when she met a figure coming the opposite way, dressed in Amazon clothing with long blue-black hair and a scowl that belied her otherwise handsome features. Comb was about to question the stranger for her identity, not recognizing her from any of the Amazon villages that she knew of in her travels, but as soon as she parted her lips to speak the other woman growled back, "Not now, granddaughter, I have other, pressing business."

Comb froze to the spot where she was and blinked her eyes several times, then after half a minute to process the data she asked, "Granddaughter?"

She turned to look but the stranger had vanished. Comb wondered where she had met the stranger before, for there was something...impressive about the younger girl's bearing, almost familiar in a haunting sort of way, and that golden gown that she was wearing looked as though it could have adorned a village Elder, being both old and incredibly expensive looking. She briefly thought about chasing after the stranger, then decided against this course of action. She shrugged her shoulders instead, thinking to herself that there sure were a lot of strange people hanging out these days at the Tendo dojo...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

How to describe that dinner? Well...there was a lot of food to eat, and all of it pretty good tasting, and there sure were a lot of hungry mouths around to make most of it disappear into a very warm place, and I'll even admit I had more than my share of the caloric intake.

But it was also quite strange, and not just because of the odd company we were keeping. Aside from Uncle Genma's wife and ex-girlfriends there was Kodachi sitting with Kasumi-a little too close for my liking-and Shampoo's former playmates from China. Kuonji was sitting beside Akane with Ryoga next to my sister, and Ranma sitting beside me sharing my concerns about the lack of elbow room around the table.

Oh yes, and there was my new older sister, Kachu, sitting beside her husband, Tofu-Sensei, chatting pleasantly with Shampoo's father, a fact which had me groaning inwardly as it meant that I had lot my bet with Lotion, and now I owed the old woman a favor. Kami knows when she's going to collect on that marker! I couldn't quite bring myself to believe that this was the same girl who had fought like a real terror outside of his office, but I guess Tofu really can charm the socks off of anybody. I had to silently compliment my sister on making such a good catch, but I also prayed his insurance premiums were paid in full because that girl reminds me a little too much of Akane!

But most of all there was Nodoka, being pleasant and chatting with Ranma and me while alternating questions with Shampoo. The incident in the dojo was a subject we avoided by mutual consent, having only partially resolved the matter of Jusenkyo as Cologne was away fetching the last bottle of Nanniichuan water for Ranma.

I was more than a little surprised that Shampoo had decided against immediately drinking the Nyaniichuan water that alone remained of Kuonji's personal supply. Her stated reasoning that it was not fair to take the bottle when Akane had refused it for herself had to be a cover for her understandable nervousness at what the waters might do to her, given the complex nature of her cat-form. Ryoga's example proved the folly of tampering with forces that we barely understood, and I could not really blame her for not wanting to find out the hard way just what the water might do to her, or Akane for that matter. Besides, I think Shampoo was secretly hoping Kuonji would keep the water for herself, though I'm a little unsure about whether or not Kuonji wants to do away with her own curse.

After all, she had briefly demonstrated for us what she looked like in her other form, and I had caught Akane sighing in a way that was most disturbing, a feeling I could hardly blame my sister for since my own reactions (involuntary, I assure you) was altogether favorable. I'd suspected it before, of course, but as a real guy, Ukyo's Bishonen looks are magnified to heart-stopping levels. Even Shampoo was visibly affected, while Ranma...I guess maybe the idea of his friend turning out to be "more guy" than himself was enough to put an added strain upon their friendship.

Ukyo, of course, protests that she has no interest in women, even though her new "killer" looks are bound to make her an object of lust with the female half of the population at our school. Personally I think Kuonji is kidding herself if she thinks she can escape falling prey to the female counterparts of the drooling legions who once flocked to Akane's doorstep. If there is even the least degree of Bisexuality in her (and I suspect that there is more than a fair amount) then it would be a minor miracle for her to survive the semester and still remain a virgin!

Of course that doesn't equate a ringing endorsement from me that she should be dating my sister anytime soon. I might have made an issue out of it, but I was already walking on eggshells with my little sister, so I'd have to let Akane settle her own life issues. Kuonji better not play with her feelings, though, or I'll...hmmm...I'll sic Shampoo on her! That ought to put the fear of the Kami into anyone! I don't even think Sham-chan would need much coaching to avenge Akane's honor.

Of course some portion of my attention was directed away from the table discussions to the unvoiced issue that had been raised about Sham-chan, or-to be more accurate-that girl who was also named Lotion the Younger, the very girl that her great grandmother had described to me as reportedly deceased, yet who appeared very much hale and hearty and as lovely as a spring flower that blooms on an April morning.

I can't quite describe my reactions to meeting this girl for the first time in the flesh. The blue-haired Lotion was a rather shy and self-effacing thing who smiled a lot and often demurely. She was charming, polite, very cordial without seeming formal, evidencing a sensitive and compassionate nature worthy of Kasumi. The brown-haired Perfume hovered at her side with doting affection, but there was also an easy familiarity that I could read between her and the pink-  
haired Ambergris, signifying that she had a charming effect with both girls but was not the last bit self-conscious about it. Shampoo kept staring at her too from time to time, and in her expression I read a great deal of affection, even longing and some regret. It was obvious from all of this that the girl was the sort of person who connects with other people and forges strong bonds of emotion based on trust and mutual respect, a person for whom you'd gladly jump off a cliff into a raging waterfall in order to save, as Ambergris is alleged to have done, and without hesitation.

I hated her on sight!

I know I'm not being fair to the girl since she is obviously a very sweet person, but she symbolizes a part of Shampoo's past that I've only just started to become conscious of, and it's galling me to know that she was first in my Amazon girlfriend's affections. When she was a memory, a mere ghost, she was just a haunting shadow of something sweet and innocent who taught Shampoo a lot about life and made it possible for her to turn her affections towards me, an outsider female. Alive and well she represents a potential threat, a past come back to haunt us all and maybe even create conflict with Shampoo over past and present loyalties and affections.

Okay, so I'm not being fair, but how else can I describe these weird feelings that were aroused in me as I stared at the blue haired girl and felt a sudden urge to declare, "Back off, she's mine!" about Sham-chan?

Back to Nodoka. She was very much doting on Ranma, displaying a degree of loneliness and longing for her son that almost made me forget that she had sworn out that awful promise that he commit seppuku if he did not prove to be sufficiently "manly." I just smiled and answered her questions while silently praying that Cologne would hurry back with the Nanniichuan water. I was determined to personally force-feed the bottle to him if he gave me any argument about it, anything to keep his mother from finding out about his curse. As it was, every time someone lifted a glass of water I was on edge, ready to throw myself into the path of potential danger. I kept expecting the roof to cave in and a miniature storm cloud to appear over Ranma's head, or any of a thousand different ways that he could get wet all of a sudden. I think it would have embarrassed Ranma to know the lengths that I was prepared to go in order to protect him, and I'm certain Shampoo felt the same way because we were both hovering near his elbows looking tense enough to string a bow with our combined nerve endings.

For the most part Nodoka was pleasant company, but I kept noticing how Genma-  
the-panda was hovering back on the porch stealing glances her way while pretending to be interested in the bamboo shoots that had been provided by Kasumi. He was also glancing periodically at Atsuko and Comb, but I think his concern there was the obvious fear that the two of them might be planning violence against his wife should it come down to the matter. I almost-ALMOST, mind you!-felt a tinge of sympathy for the blockheaded Baka, for even though these events were largely of his making I don't think any halfway sane individual would have intended to put his son's life (and not inconsequentially his own) in peril, and with so many things that could go wrong I don't think he could have enjoyed his dinner, any more than the rest of us who were in the know did, of course.

Of course the fact that I had one ear on conversation, the other ear cocked for any sign of Cologne's return, didn't prevent me from catching one word in passing that almost made me forget about everything else as I swiveled back to her with full focus.

"Say...what?" I gasped, wondering if I had heard her rightly.

"I was asking when you would want to start having children, dear," Nodoka repeated with that same pleasant smile that she might wear when asking about the weather, "Your sister tells me that you're planning to be a business woman when you get older, and that you hope to go on to college after you graduate High School. I think it's a wonderful idea that you want to work towards a career, but I was wondering if you mean to put off having children for a few years? I'm asking because I would love to know how soon I can count on having grandchildren."

I almost choked on the food that was in my mouth and had to swallow some tea while Shampoo thumped me on the back. Ranma covered for me with a blush as he gave a typically male remark, "Mom...do you have to ask that stuff now? It's embarrasin' to Nabiki..."

"Oh?" Nodoka inquired with an innocent expression that I don't think was coached as it reminded me a little too much of Kasumi, "How is that, Ranma? I was just wondering what Nabiki's plans are. She seems like a very nice, intelligent girl, and I'm sure she's given some very serious thought on what she wants to do after you marry."

Shampoo-bless her cuddly hide-came to my rescue once again by saying, "Ranma mother no have to worry about having grandchildren...Shampoo more than happy give Ranma strong daughters who be good heirs to clan Saotome. Ranma much-much man, he make Shampoo much-much woman, and Shampoo give him lots of children to train to be strong warriors. No try to keep Shampoo mother waiting long, start right away making babies for Ailen."

"My, you certainly are full of enthusiasm," Nodoka said with approval while the rest of the dinner conversation remained noticeably silent, "I wish you well in your efforts, Shampoo. What a lucky man my son is to have someone like you for an iinazuke. You remind me so very much of your mother when she was nearly your age."

"Oh?" Silk spoke up idly, "What part is that?"

I saw Comb glare at her friend from across the dinner table and grip her chopsticks as if they were a much sharper object.

"Heh," I heard Akane comment from her side of the table, "Don't worry about Shampoo, Auntie Saotome. If I know her she'll have her kids in litters."

"Tell Shampoo when you want hatch yours," Shampoo sweetly commented back, adding the particularly barbed comment, "Nestling."

"Ch-children?" I heard Ranma gasp at our side, "Ah, Mom? Doncha think it's kinda soon to be talkin' about that stuff? We haven't even graduated High School..."

"Now Ranma," Nodoka said in a manner that sounded like a more pleasant version of one of Uncle Genma's favorite pitch lines, "I know you feel it's too soon to worry about these things, but it's important to be prepared than you can possibly know. I had to learn a lot about having you on my own, and it can be pretty overwhelming the first time, but there's no reason why it should be as hard for you as it was for me. You have a great wealth of adult experience to draw upon that wasn't available to me when I was, ah...a few years older than you are now. I think it's very important to plan out everything that you can prepare for, so that when one of your wives does become pregnant you won't be caught off guard like your father. Don't you agree with me, Comb-san?"

"Oh...absolutely," my other prospective mother-in-law agreed, "Having a baby is a large commitment, and you can never have too much preparation to make it easier..."

"I'm sure Shampoo will manage well enough," Hairbrush gently insinuated, earning a grateful look from Shampoo, who obviously appreciated her father's vote of confidence, even as Comb turned a questioning look towards her husband.

I turned to look at Ranma, who still seemed fairly stunned at the prospect that he might one day wind up a father. I fully sympathized with that feeling, having pretty much the same reaction when the subject had been raised, but now that I started to think on it...I began to wonder what it would be like to have a child with him...a little baby that had bits of him mixed with bits of me. I caught myself wondering what our son or daughter would look like, and then I suddenly had an urge for something a lot stronger than tea. Too bad Dad's collection of Sake was being saved until well after dinner.

A baby...the idea still makes me gasp I mean, think about it...having a miniature person grow inside your body, sacrificing months of your life where you have to watch what you eat and drink, and then you put on weight and your (in my case) perfect figure goes zip while you balloon like a beached whale, and after nine months of puking your guts out when not having peculiar cravings they wheel you into the hospital, either to sweat in labor while passing a four-kilo bowling ball out of your hips, or they cut you open and pull the kid out to whack it, which I guess is supposed to let the poor baby know what it's in for during the rest of its life. Not a very romantic picture...

So why does the whole idea make me tingle all over? To hold something in my arms that will call me its mother, something that belongs to both me and Ranma...it's a little more than I can imagine! And yet Shampoo seems willing to go through the whole process without hesitation, and now I'm starting to wonder what her baby will look like? I mean...what do I call her kid? Or what does the kid call me? Am I it's Aunt or its other mother?

Like I said before, I could use a good shot of sake!

Okay, so Ranma was sitting there wondering how the subject of his life had come to be planned out in detail by his mother and Shampoo's, and then Daddy has to go and join in by insisting that I'll be the one who provides Ranma with the heir to the Anything Goes school! I think it was about the time that they were debating what sex my first kid would be that I finally slammed my hand on the table, getting their attention. I very coolly looked them all in the eyes and then announced without hesitation that they were to back off immediately and stop trying to tell me how I was going to live my life with Ranma!

"First off," I growled, "Shampoo can have Ranma's first child because she deserves the honor, and she wants it so badly that I wouldn't think of saying no to her," I turned to see Shampoo's astonished expression, so I smiled at her before I continued, "Shampoo's already legally married to Ranma according to Amazon law, so as far as I'm concerned she has first call in making a baby."

"Nabiki?" it was Ranma's turn to look dumbfounded.

"I'm marrying Ranma to unite our families and fulfill a pledge made by our fathers, right?" I continued, "The fact that I also WANT to marry Ranma just makes the whole thing more convenient. Ranma's started teaching classes in our dojo and Shampoo's been helping him out, and they will continue doing so while I'm taking courses at whatever college will accept me. As much as it would flatter me to have Ranma's first kid, the truth is that I'm not quite ready to give up on my education until I at least get my first degree in accounting, but after that's done I'll be Ranma's happy little brood mare and give Shampoo a run for who has the most number of babies. Until then, BACK OFF! You're all starting to sound like bunch of middle-aged parents!"

That comment from me earned some mighty strange looks from around the table, but I was adamant in my disposition. It was when Lotion the Elder spoke up in my support that the tableau began to relax, "Well said, apprentice. I was half afraid, for a moment there, that you were going to allow them to micromanage the rest of your existence."

It was Kodachi who added in one of her disturbing laughs while made the others glance at one another, and then a few joined in, finding humor in the moment.

"I'm with you, Sugar," Ukyo nodded to me, saluting with her tea-cup, which same gesture I returned with my own.

"I guess it is premature to be deciding these things," Daddy reluctantly conceded.

"As long as Shampoo's claim is recognized, I have no problems," Comb nodded in approval.

"How nice to see that your iinazuke has a good head on her shoulders, Ranma," Nodoka commented to her son, "I only wish that I had as firm a grasp on what I wanted to do with my life when I was her age."

"You ask me, she's a fool to let Comb's kid have the first crack," Atsuko grumbled, then winced as if somebody had pinched her under the table. I saw her glare murderously in Comb's direction.

I was just starting to relax from my tense posture when I saw Kasumi entering the room with a fresh pitcher of tea set on a tray, and while I was not immediately alarmed by this I did react when I saw a figure appear from behind her to grope Kasumi without proper warning.

"Gotcha!" cried the now-young seeming Happosai, "Just feel them firm hooters!"

Kasumi gave a startled cry and threw the pitcher into the air as involuntary reaction. I stared in horror as it went sailing directly towards Ranma, who sat staring just as stupidly as me as the thing was about to nail him. I caught Shampoo moving out of the corner of my eye but knew she'd never have time to throw herself in the path of the pitcher or its contents, but just as it was a meter away from our iinazuke a hand snatched out to grasp the pitcher by the handle, right it and cause all of its contents to flow back into the container.

"Dear me," said Aunt Silk, "It would be a shame to waste perfectly fine tea," and she set it down upon the table while the rest of us sat stunned and speechless.

Kasumi turned to glance over her shoulder at the man still fondling her chest, and in a politely inquiring voice asked, "Excuse me...but have we met?"

"Eh?" the formerly old man blinked, seeing the opposite reaction from the one he would have reasonably expected in my older sister.

All at once a ribbon snaked out and found Happosai by the throat, and with a single yank he was made to let go of my sister and go sailing across the room, to be caught up by Kodachi, who rose to her full height manifesting a pretty impressive battle aura.

"YOU...DARE...TO LAY A HAND ON HER?" the black rose cried as if pronouncing a death sentence.

"Ah..." Happosai gasped, choking as he was with the ribbon around his neck, but rather than attempt to free himself the conventional way he took advantage of being within arms reach to grasp at Kodachi's "hooters," which caused her to start back with a yelp as she released her grip upon the ribbon.

Like a shot he spun about, cackling as he did, "Two for the price of one! Seeya-OOFF!"

The latter part was voiced as he ran smack dab into a wall of fur that was suddenly in his way, causing the no-longer little man to back up a half step and turned a surprised look up into the face of an angry panda.

"Ah...Genma, old buddy?" Happosai squeaked in surprise.

In response the panda held up a sign that read, "Even I have my limits."

And with that he backhanded Happosai, knocking him across the room to hit the far wall and land in a heap as if he had been struck by a literal sledge hammer.

"Whoah!" Ranma exclaimed in surprise, "Way to go, Pop!"

"Pop?" Nodoka asked in some confusion.

"I-I don't believe it, Saotome!" my Dad also said without thinking, "You actually hit the master!"

The panda blinked his eyes, then reversed his sign, which now read, "I did, didn't I?"

"Interesting," Lotion the Elder mused, "This confirms something that I have suspected."

"Suspected?" I asked.

"It would appear that the cursed water he drank has had an unforeseen side effect upon Happosai," she revealed, "You see...there is another curse already at work upon him, one that bolsters his formidable fighting talents to make him the reputedly Most Evil Martial Arts Master in the world, as he is so often proclaimed."

"A curse, Elder?" asked the blue-haired Lotion.

"Interesting," the one-eyed Ambergris mused, "So the legends are true...Happosai did gain his abilities from a contract he once made with the Demoness, Ganglot."

"Oh sure," Atsuko confirmed, "Grandmother made a deal with Happy to make him the most powerful fighter of his generation. That's why even Cologne can't beat him. Plus the fact he's sorta possessed by this spirit that helps keep him around a lot longer than most mortals."

"A contract?" asked Kodachi.

"Demon Master make pact with Demon?" Shampoo further added.

"You mean the old freak got his stuff from magic?" I heard Ranma growl in obvious resentment.

"Indeed," Lotion hopped over to where Happosai was just starting to regain consciousness and eyeing him as though he were some new species of pond life, "It would seem your edge is gone while you wear your cursed form, Uncle. Your skills remain formidable, but you are no longer invincible as long as you are like this."

"You mean..." Daddy's voice began to rise in volume as he lurched to his feet with an almost demonic expression of his own, "He can be beaten as long as he is in a young body?"

I saw the kanji symbols for "Opportunity Knocks," appear on Genma's sign as my father joined him in looking appropriately vengeful.

"Uh oh," Happosai said, "This could be a problem..."

"You bet your ass it is, old freak!" Ranma cried as he lurched to his feet and made the appropriate clenching motions with his fists, "This is where payback starts, especially after the way you must molested Kasumi!"

"Oh, but I didn't mind that much..." my sister started to say, only to see the looks everyone turned on her, which prompted her to amend, "Ah...that is...it was a rude thing to do without asking...and not at all proper..."

"She can't be Kimiko's daughter," I heard Comb say to Silk, "Your kids must've been switched at birth or something..."

"Ano?" I heard Kachu ask them blankly.

Happosai, being less of a fool than I would have rated, saw the peril he was in and took advantage of the momentary distraction to lash out at the nearest available target, Ranma. Before my iinazuke had time to react he was shoved by the fast-moving pervert so hard that he went flying out the door while Happosai made a dive for the dinner table.

The young-seeming man grabbed up the pitcher and upended it over himself, reverting at once to the old wrinkled fart we all knew and loathed for the family embarrassment that he is. He then turned an appropriately evil stare at our fathers and said, "Well boys? Wanna try your luck with me now?"

"Ah..." both Genma and Daddy only stood firm for a moment, and then they were groveling on the floor at once as Daddy wailed, "Forgive us, Master! We meant no harm! We were only joking!"

"I thought as much," Happosai cackled, only to look up as he saw another figure enter the room, dripping wet and mad as a hatter, "Ah, Ranma my boy, back for more?"

"Ranma?" Aunt Nodoka tore her eyes away from the old man and turned an astonished look towards the main door, only to gasp, "Oh...Ranko? When did you get back? I was wondering what became of you..."

"Not now, Mom," Ranma-chan growled as she assumed a fighting crouch.

"Mom?" Nodoka blinked her eyes again, looking more confused than ever.

"Uh..." Ranma-chan shot her a glance, then saw the reproving glare that I was fixing upon her, and the more nervous regard of Shampoo, and hastily she said, "Auntie Nodoka! I'm sorry, can't talk now, I gotta deal with this freak of nature!"

"Look whose talking," the old man cackled, "You want to tell her or should I? You know, it's not really a nice thing to play games with your mother."

"What's going on?" Nodoka asked, looking from one party to the next with a particularly blank expression, "Would somebody please explain..."

"Sure thing, cutie," Happosai grinned as he leaped to the opposite end of the table and picked up a bowl of hot miso, "This should do rather nicely!"

Before anyone there could stop the old pervert he launched the Miso right at Ranma-chan, who looked ready to dodge as fear cross her expression. Before it could hit, though, a blur brought Genma's panda form into the way, catching the Miso full in the face and triggering his transformation back into human form, much to our mutual astonishment.

"Oh gee," said Atsuko from behind where Genma had been standing, "How did that happen? Oh well, guess some things can't be helped. Look, Nodoka-chan, Gemi-  
chan back, and there's your son with him, perfectly normal."

I blinked my eyes and had to do a double take, for Ranma was back to being male again while Genma rose to his feet with a bowl of miso half-poured over his face. He turned a fearful look towards Nodoka, who had risen from her table at the sight of him.

"Genma?" she gasped.

"N-Nodoka-chan," the fat man gasped, making warding motions with his hands, "Now I can explain everything...!"

She moved around the table with as much haste as the kimono she was wearing would afford and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly to her chest as she cried, "My husband! It's so good to have you back! Where have you been all of this time? Do you know how long I've been waiting to hold you in my arms like this...?"

Genma stood rigidly where he was until he almost reflexively brought his meaty hands around to return her hug. Ranma stood where he was blinking his eyes while feeling himself over with a very confused expression. I saw Ryoga approach his mother and murmur very softly, "Mom...what did you do?"

"Posh, it's just a simple illusion," I heard her say back at the same low level, "People never suspect what they expect to see anyway, and you think I'm going to let anything bad happen to your father?"

"Pretty neat trick," I heard Happosai say as he nodded with approval, "Even I'm having trouble seeing through the boy's disguise. Of course just clouding Nodoka's senses like that won't totally throw her off since you seem to be trying to keep her in the dark about the curses."

I turned a glare that I'm sure would have frosted a dinner mug his way, as did Shampoo, who reached out a hand and gripped the little man by his weathered Gi as she declared, "This all you doing! You try to kill Shampoo's husband?"

"Kill him?" the old man blinked his eyes, "What are you talking about? I'd never do anything to permanently harm the lad. He's my heir after all..."

"He's also dead meat if you don't lay off with the hot water," Comb murmured in his ear, "Genma swore his son would be manly...or else."

"What?" the old man scoffed, "The boy's as manly as they come, thanks to that little talk we had that prompted him to bed your little cutie. I know Genma's done some stupid things in his time and all that, but if he promised he'd raise the boy to be manly, then he'd-Oh my!" comprehension suddenly dawned in his eyes, and he turned towards Ranma with a particularly owl-like expression.

Nodoka had finished hugging her husband and was looking at him with an endearing fondness that made her radiate her happiness while Uncle Genma continued to stare at her with Miso soup dripping over his face. She clasped his hands and said, "You did well, Genma-chan, raising our boy to be as Manly as it's possible for him to be. How could I ever have doubted you?"

"Ah...well...Nodoka-chan..." the man gasped as if completely befuddled.

"Oh, Ranma," Nodoka turned from him and threw her arms around her son once again, "My boy, my..."

Her voice trailed off suddenly, and she began to pat her hands down through the illusion, seeming to feel up an object that was not visible from beneath it. Her hands vanished into Ranma's manly outline and seemed to be describing a different shape that was somewhat smaller. All at once she took a step back and gasped, "Who are you?"

"Mom..." Ranma's voice did not even sound masculine, and I realized that the jig was up big time.

"Uh oh," Atsuko murmured, putting a hand behind her head as some of us glared in her direction, "I...ah...didn't expect her to do that..."

The illusion faded and Ranma-chan stood revealed, prompting Nodoka to ask, "Ranko?"

"Not quite," Ranma-chan seemed to sag as she replied, then resignedly she headed towards the table where we had kept a kettle of hot water on hand should it be needed, and before I could think to stop him she poured it over her head then turned around and said, "Now do you see the full story, Mom?"

"R-Ranma?" Aunt Nodoka gasped, and then Genma caught her as she fainted.

"Oh my," averred Kasumi, and for once I couldn't think of anything to add to that statement.

It looked to me like we were all suddenly in very hot water...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Moments of Revelation: shadowmane

The cat is out of the Neko-bag and suddenly Ranma is faced with his greatest crisis ever. Will honor demand he sacrifice himself, and any future happiness for Shampoo and Nabiki, or can Nodoka be persuaded to see reason? Do pigs fly without curses? Find out next time when it's everybody versus Nodoka-be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	61. Chapter 61

NabikiRan58 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Eight.

Cologne was not having a good day and would be the first to admit it if anyone had dared to ask. Being exposed as both a liar and in her true form to her disciple had been...very annoying, to put it mildly, but to be trapped in this form by that miserable runt was more than she could stomach.

Walking the path from the Tendo estate to the Furinkan Financial District did not particularly lighten her mood any as it only gave her more time to reflect upon the sorry state that she was in, due in no small part to her own past actions. She would normally take to rooftop and go leaping and striding between buildings, reveling in the relative freedom she felt from the boundaries of the Earth, though to outside appearances it would have appeared as if she were pogo-  
stick riding on her staff, a fairly ludicrous concept, but she always liked the effect it had upon those who saw her in motion. Being taken for granted by others was something she had generally relied upon to give her the edge in most encounters, only now the term, "What you see is what you get" had come to replace the old adage, "Big things come in small packages" when it came to describe her.

For Cologne it was doubly embarrassing to be seen as she truly was by those whom she passed by in the street, most of whom no doubt took her to be a fairly attractive young woman of modest height and slender build wearing a gold ceremonial robe that had been in her family for countless generations. The shapeless shift she had worn previously with the Earth symbol upon it had been as much a disguise as her appearance, but as Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku she had tended to view herself as above petty concerns such as appearance. Her seeming age had given her a dignity that her youthful bearing lacked, so now what people tended to see was not an ancient and mysterious hag but a girl barely old enough to be that long out of High School. Embarrassing did not begin to cover her status.

Soon she would have all the classic problems of her youth, such as being "hit upon" by countless male suitors who thought a "young beauty" such as herself was a prized possession to be coveted and collected. Cologne had little fear of meeting a man who could physically best her, for her skills were unaffected by the Jusenkyo water, and there were very few males on the planet who were her equal, let alone her superior, as a War Master. Still the mere fact that she would even have to fend off male attention (with a "stick' no less) was such a galling notion that it made her want to retch just to think of it. Cologne preferred to be the one who chose the time and place when she would seek male assignations, and always with the anonymity her youth would afford her, when she let down her disguise and appeared as her true self around the male whom she had chosen for her "entertainment."

No longer...now she had to cope with the fact that whatever she was seen doing from this point onward, it would be her true self that they were seeing. She could not erect her disguise no matter how hard she tried. Jusenkyo was obviously blocking her ability to focus the image of the "Hag" that she had so painstakingly erected over the centuries of her existence, not that Cologne truly desired to appear like that, but it saved her all kinds of trouble, such as having to explain her unusual longevity to others. There was dignity in looking to "look" her true age, and very little of that commodity in being old in a young body. If the other members of the Council could see her now they would laugh themselves sick, that the great and powerful Matriarch of their tribe should be trapped in the body of a...

"Halt, Delinquent!"

It took a moment for Cologne to react to the challenge, at first wondering if she had stumbled onto something that she was better off ignoring, but the challenge was repeated, and when Cologne turned in reply to confront the one who was addressing her so impudently, coming face-to-face with...

A child?

"Yes, I mean you!" declared a girl who appeared to be between nine and eleven years old, but around whom Cologne sensed a powerful negative aura, "Delinquent!"

"Delinquent?" Cologne could never even recall being addressed that way, not even in childhood. What was next? Was she going to be carded every time she entered a tavern? And yet this insolent girl-child was upbraiding her as if she were a rebellious teenager?

"Why weren't you in school today?" she demanded, "I've studied the faces of the profiles on all the kids attending all the local high schools and your face wasn't on any one of them, and that's not a regulation uniform either, so you must be a Delinquent!"

Cologne was almost amused as she regarded the child and said, "It's five Oh Eight, child, school is out for the day, and besides which I'm not from around here."

She was rather proud that she did not need to use a watch to tell the time. As Cologne had once told one of her Son-In-Laws, timepieces were a confidence game of the Swiss, and a true adept never needed a watch to tell time, being closely attuned to the flow by the internal rhythms of the cosmos.

"Child?" she declared, "How dare you! I'm an adult!"

"Oh really?" Cologne smirked, "Care to match pedigrees?"

The girl's hand suddenly flashed, and between her fingers she held up a five-yen coin, which she extended as if it were a weapon, "I am Hinako Ninomiya, and I don't stand for disobedient kids who talk back to their elders! Happo Five-Yen Satsu-!"

She started to invoke the names for pain and terror when Cologne felt the girl's power-level begin to rise dramatically. Too late she recognized the nature of the spell, realizing that it was a variation on an Amazon special attack form that could only be performed by specially conditioned adepts. The fact that the girl was using Japanese invocations was more than slightly alarming, and by the time the spell was completed Cologne could feel her aura start to drain away, which led her to one inescapable conclusion.

Happosai was involved. Only he would know the spell and be able to pass on the knowledge to this child, whom Cologne now realized was no child at all but an adult trapped in a child's body, much like herself only very, very different.

Had she recognized the attack form sooner she could have countered it or attacked the child directly and used the counter. Approaching her now, however, was out of the question, for the closer she came to her opponent the faster the drain would be completed, and already Cologne could see the child's body begin to grow and fill out in interesting places. She had to escape while there was still time, and so she turned and fled as fast as she leap, putting distance between herself and the woman-child before the spell had sufficiently drained her.

"Drat!" a gorgeous woman wearing the exact same dress as the child before with a sultry voice declared, "She got away, but I'll recognize her the next time. She's fast that one, so I'll have to use a bigger coin to catch her."

Oh well, Hinako Ninamiya reasoned, at least the added life energy caused by the aura drain would give her more status for her interview with Vice Principal X about that new opening at Furinkan High School. Hinako had heard stories about the quarrelsome youths who ran rampant and disrupted the proper conduct of Class order with their fighting and delinquency. Hinako relished the challenge this would afford her, the chance to put these hooligans in their place, as she had done for other High Schools. And one student whose name kept coming up in school reports appeared to be particularly naughty, a fellow who deserved her "special" treatment as his example would be a deterrent upon others.

"Saotome Ranma," she declared in a haughty voice not at all diminished by the throaty purr in which her words were uttered, "Your days are numbered. Prepare to meet your destiny when at last I have you in my classroom..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

After Nodoka was revived we all convened an emergency meeting in the dojo proper, where Ranma and his father sat side-by-side facing a less-than-pleased looking Nodoka. Hasty explanations had been made, and now she was sitting in state like an old Feudal lord about to pronounce her judgement against a pair of errant Samurai who could expect to find no mercy.

The sword that she had laid upon the space between herself and her family was proof of her seriousness. I know Ranma and Genma were both looking at the thing in between glances at Nodoka, because their heads kept bobbing up and down ever few moments, indicating that their line of sight was constantly shifting.

I could only judge this from where I saw with Shampoo behind the two Saotome men, as anxious about the outcome as I knew they were, and wondering if at any moment their deaths would be pronounced, and what in the name of the Kami was I going to do to prevent this? As the two most concerned parties we were expected to plead our case before Ranma's mother, but one glance at her stony continence was enough to discourage even me from making some clever remark that I hoped might positively affect the outcome.

To both sides sat my father and sisters, Kuonji, Kodachi, the Amazon brigade, Ryoga and his mother, and of course a subdued-looking Happosai. As we were all, in a sense, part of an extended family here they had a right to be present, but if this was anything like one of those old movies from the days of the Shogun I knew that they would have a lesser influence in Nodoka's decision. She alone held the power of the moment, and we were all tensely waiting for her to say the words that would doom or liberate both Ranma and his worthless Panda of a father!

"So," she began to speak after a very long silence during which the only things I could hear were the creaking of the floor panels and the beating of my heart, "You are telling me that you both bear these curses due to the conclusion of your training mission. You turn into a girl and your father turns into a panda."

"Mother," Ranma hesitated, "It's not something we want..."

"I didn't finish speaking, Ranma," Nodoka said in polite tones that did little to hide their steel, "It's not polite to speak out of turn, especially with your mother. I will ignore it this time, but do be mindful not to speak out of turn unless I give you permission."

That silenced even Ranma, whose shoulders slumped as he said, "Yes mother."

"Now then," she continued, "Knowing that these curses could not be easily reversed, you chose to come to the Tendo house instead of returning home to me to explain about your condition. You, in fact, chose to lie to me rather than reveal this fact and instead have imposed upon Tendo-san's hospitality in order to avoid your duty to include me in your decisions. This was done because of the pact you signed, is this not correct, husband?"

Uncle Genma lowered his head and said, "Nodoka..."

"Answer me truthfully," Nodoka said firmly, softening her tone as she added, "For once."

I saw the fat man's shoulders sag as he lowered his head and said, "I was ashamed, Nodoka. I thought if you'd seen the boy you would have said he...wasn't manly."

"Now, that didn't hurt much, did it?" she did not smile as she said this, but I could see her incline her head by a fraction.

The silence was enough that I'd swear I could hear Uncle Genma swallow before answering, "Hai."

"So," Nodoka continued, "You ordered Ranma to conceal his condition when Silk found me and sought to reunite us. You then tried to pass him off as the daughter of Tendo-san's late sister, calling Ranma Ranko, and added to this deception by encouraging your iinazuke to play along in order to convince me that you have been behaving in a manly fashion, which I must say does not sound very...manly."

At the mention of the words, "Not Manly," I felt my heart lurch up into my throat and was about to voice my protest when Shampoo beat me to the punch and declared, "No one make Shampoo say Ranma is manly! Shampoo know him manly, and no need anyone to say it for her!"

"It is well that you like my son enough to say this, Shampoo-san," Nodoka replied with a level, disapproving glance in her direction, "But how manly can it be for him to hide behind you rather than to tell me the truth outright? Would a man of your village expect a woman to hide behind him in defense of her own actions?"

I saw Shampoo hesitate as her face registered surprise at being asked such an insightful question. I was beginning to appreciate myself that Saotome Nodoka had a lot more on the ball than I had previously expected, which put me even more on edge as this would tend to complicate any defense strategy that I might erect. I continued to sit stunned, wondering how circumstances could have gotten so wildly out of my control that we could even find ourselves in this situation.

"Shampoo...Shampoo no think warrior would do this," Shampoo finally concluded, "Amazon womans have much pride, no hide behind men, but Ranma no hide behind Shampoo! Shampoo gladly help Ailen. Shampoo love Ranma very much, do anything protect him."

"So," Nodoka remarked, "You love my son?"

"Wo ai ni," Shampoo replied, giving Ranma one of her most adoring expressions.

"But is this genuine?" Nodoka asked her, "I know enough about your people to realize that it is expected for you to love the man who has defeated you in battle. By implication that would mean that you would have to declare your love for him no matter what sort of man he was, whether brave or cowardly..."

"Coward never defeat Shampoo," Shampoo said haughtily, "No as easy as Ranma defeat Shampoo."

"But I was given to understand that your losing to him was partly due to being careless," Nodoka continued, "You underestimated my son and so were defeated by your own lack of preparation."

I saw Comb half-lurch out of a sitting posture and glare hatefully at Nodoka, "You dare call my daughter clumsy? You haven't changed at all, you selfish-!"

"Comb!" Silk spoke up, her tone hold unusual authority, so unlike the casual ease with which she normally spoke, this sounding more like the tone of a Lore Master, "You are out of place. There will be a time for angry recriminations, but wait until the floor is open to such declarations."

Comb checked herself, glancing at her friend as if surprised to be addressed in such a way, then without further argument resumed sitting.

"I did not say that you were clumsy, Shampoo," Nodoka resumed as if not interrupted, "I merely pointed out that your first loss to my son was as much serendipity as any skill on his part. I ask again, what if he had not been the man you say you know him to be? What if he were a coward, or dishonorable, or a man other women would shun, would you still declare love for him without condition?"

Again Shampoo hesitated, but finally she lowered her head and said, "Law say Shampoo marry man who beat her, must say she love man and marry him...but Ranma prove himself to Shampoo, prove he man she no mind losing to. Shampoo no hesitate say how she feel, because she love Ranma complete, no mind even he proud guy think he better than womans."

"I see," Nodoka said neutrally, and then her gaze fell upon me and she asked, "What of you, Nabiki? Do you also love my son in the same manner?"

"Excuse me?" I think I could feel myself blanching.

"You were promised to him by an oath sworn by both of your fathers," she continued unflinchingly, "You obviously do get along fairly well, and I can see that Ranma is fond of you, as you are of him...but I wanted to know if you truly love my son. It's not so much for a mother to ask if the women who wants to marry him can say that she does so without hesitation."

"I...?" my mind went totally blank for an instant, and I felt more on the spot than I ever could remember. I had to say something now that would convince this woman that I was sincerely committed to making Ranma my husband, but how could I just come out and say the words the way Shampoo does, without hesitation? It goes against the grain of everything that I am or even thought I was to expose so much of myself before others, but to hold back and say nothing would be the death knell for Ranma. I was certain of this, and so I felt torn inside as the force of long habit warred against my conscience.

In the end it really was too much for me to say the words directly, so I said the first thing else that came into my mind, blurting it out without even thinking.

"I don't know if I love him!" I declared, "I don't even know what love is! I just know that I feel special when I'm around him...and I'd miss him..." my voice caught and I had to struggle to say the next words, "...if he wasn't with me..."

"Nabiki," I heard Daddy say, then he turned and said, "Nodoka-san, please reconsider for my daughter's sake, if not for the honor of both our families!"

"Honor?" I heard Nodoka say with a hint of challenge in her voice, "I know where honor lies, Tendo-san, that is why we are here, to hear my decision regarding the manly status of Ranma. I wanted to hear with my own ears that these two girls weren't coerced into participating in the lie that was orchestrated by Ranma's father..."

"He didn't come up with this!" Comb spoke up again, ignoring Silk's admonition this time as she cried, "I did! I'm the one who came up with the idea of having your son call himself Ranko!"

"You, Comb-san?" Nodoka's eyes registered surprise as she glanced at her former rival.

"You didn't really think Genma could come up with a plan like that, did you?' Comb declared haughtily, "As sneaky as he can be at times, he really isn't that clever! His idea was to take to the hills in hopes of avoiding you altogether, but I'm the one who chose to cover for him, to save Shampoo's husband from the oath you forced him to sign with a handprint!"

"Was it for my son that you did this?" Nodoka's eyes narrowed noticeably, "Or did you do it to protect Genma?"

"Protect...?" Comb's own eyes widened considerably as she reacted to the accusation, and then her face flushed as she angrily declared, "Don't be stupid! Why would I stick my neck out to help the old fool anyway?"

"That should be obvious," Atsuko snorted, "Even for you."

"Quiet, oni!" Comb snapped, "You're not helping!"

"Oh no?" Ryoga's mother cocked her head as if about to issue her own challenge, "At least I don't have any hesitation about telling people how I feel. I used to stammer and get all tongue-tied, but nowadays I know that I'm the one who should have married Gemi-chan, because I'd never have tried to bind him with any stupid oaths! I'd have gone with him on his training missions, fought by his side night and day, raised our son to be a man just like his father, and never let a conceited witch like either of you lay a hand on him! He's mine-or he should have been! You just want to chop him up because you don't think he's manly enough for your standards!"

"So," Nodoka said coolly, "Nothing has changed for us since the old days, has it? Even though I'm the one he married, you two still covet my husband."

"Who's coveting him?" Comb declared with a wild expression, glancing to the side where her husband and daughters were watching her with real concern in their expressions as she pointed at Genma and cried, "He's weak, conniving, untrustworthy, a coward who abandons children along the side of the road, selfishly obsessed with both is appetite and raising his son to be a 'Man-Among-  
Men...!'"

"Aiyaa," I heard Shampoo remark, "Shampoo never know Shampoo mother so much love Ranma father. Why you leave him to marry Shampoo father?"

"Eh?" Comb glanced at Shampoo, then she shot another guilty look towards her husband and her other two daughters.

"Yeah, whatever," Atsuko snorted, "But from your description Gemi-chan would make a pretty good oni. I think that's partly why I was attracted to him in the first place...that deep down we're a lot more alike than he thinks, which is why he should have married me in the first place."

"Mom?" Ryoga looked at his mother with a scandalized expression.

"Well," Atsuko shrugged, "Can you blame me for being attracted by his good qualities? Sure he has his faults, but down deep he's still your father..."

"He what?" Nodoka asked archly, "Genma...?"

"I can explain, honest!" Genma immediately protested, then paused a moment before saying, "Well...actually, I can't..."

"He thought he was bedding you, Doka," Atsuko explained matter-of-factly, "I disguised myself with one of my illusions and crept into your bed during your wedding night, so if you're gonna be mad about it, at least be mad at me, because that's how we had our darling son, Ryo-chan!"

"Your...son?" Nodoka stared at Ryoga, then back at Ranma, then back to Ryoga again before she declared aloud, "Ranma...has a half-brother?"

"He is so dead," I heard Akane murmur from her side of the room, earning her a reproving glance from Kasumi.

"Ma'am," Ryoga spoke up, "I don't know if what my mother says is true, and I'd never question her for saying this, but if it's true and Saotome-san really is my father..." I saw Ryoga hesitate, glance at both Genma and Ranma, then swallow a lot more of his pride as he added, "Then I have as much of a right to object as she does! I've never gotten along with Ranma, it's no secret that we've been enemies almost as long as I've known him, but he...did something for me just now...something that I never would have expected him to do...and...and I owe him for that favor, so please don't kill him, or my father."

"Besides which you want to have that option, right sugar?" Ukyo noted dryly.

"Ah...well..." Ryoga colored with some obvious reluctance.

"Now that you mention it..." Nodoka said slowly, "I do see the resemblance..."

"I didn't know, I swear it!" Genma pleaded, "I never deliberately cheated on you, Nodoka-san! You have to believe me..."

"Why should I believe you?" Nodoka asked him coolly, "And what's this about you abandoning a child along the side of a road?"

"That would be me, said Ukyo, sitting upright.

"Kuonji-san?" Nodoka raised her eyebrows, "My husband abandoned you?"

"When I was six," Ukyo said, "After he made an agreement with my father that I was to marry Ranma he stole our family yatai and left me stranded."

"Ucchan?" Ranma looked at his childhood friend as if trying to rate what she had turned into besides a Jusenkyo-cursed cross-dresser.

"It's all right, Ranchan," she smiled a little in what I think was supposed to be a reassuring manner, "Like I said, I was six, but I made my father promise to engage me to Ranma, and his father went along with the deal which involved my family yatai as dowry."

"Then...you really are a girl and not a boy?" Nodoka asked, "And you're also my son's...?"

"Iinazuke," Ukyo replied, "But not anymore. I release Ranma from any commitment he made to me then or now, knowing or unknowing, because he really didn't know I was a girl and just thought I was his little buddy, Ucchan. It's my fault, really, for never straightening him out about that, but I guess I did look kinda like a boy back then on account of the way I dressed. All I know is that Ranchan is my friend and he'd never deliberately do anything to hurt me. It was his father who made the deal, a deal he obviously never intended to keep, so why should I blame Ranma for that? It's not like he can be held responsible for every little mistake that's ever been made by Saotome Genma."

"Ucchan," Ranma murmured, obviously moved by the kind words Kuonji had just said towards him.

I began to see the glimmerings of her plan, and I silently thanked Ukyo for trying to undermine what I saw as the central weak point of the contract Ranma had been forced to sign without his knowledge or full consent. If we could make Nodoka see reason on that point then full responsibility would fall upon Genma's shoulders, and he deserved whatever fate Nodoka gave him. Just so long as Ranma would be spared we could at lease salvage a partial victory out of the ashes.

But then Nodoka asked a question that threw everything into a cocked hat, "You say my son is your friend, but why did you want to be engaged to him in the first place?"

"Huh?" Ukyo seemed to have been caught totally off-guard by the question, because instead of a clever reply she said, "Ah...well...I guess I kinda liked him..."

"And do you 'kind of' like him now?" Nodoka asked her.

"Ah...?" it was the kind of question that a prosecuting attorney might ask a witness for the defense, in a court trial, and it plainly exposed the meaningful hesitation in Kuonji's bearing as she store a glance towards Ranma and swallowed, "Well...sure, I guess I do. I mean...look at him! He's kind, handsome, considerate, got a great body, tries to do the right thing. Okay...so he can be a real Baka at times, but so what? We all make mistakes, and I've made more than my share of them...including Jusenkyo."

I saw Akane look at her with a puzzled expression, and then she shot an angry glare towards Ranma. One of these days I have got to uncover the root cause for why my little sister feels such unremitting hatred towards my iinazuke. I mean, what did he ever do to get so much on her bad side? You'd think she would have gotten over the thing in the Dojo and the Furo months ago, but no, she keeps dragging them out like they were her favorite toy bludgeons!

"So," Nodoka said, "In other words you like my son, but you're willing to give him up so that he can marry another woman, correct?"

"Uh..." Ukyo glanced down and said, "Hey, it's not my thing, okay? He's got two great girls who love him, and it's obvious to me he cares a lot about them, so why should I get in the way and make his life more complicated?"

"But you wouldn't mind still being engaged to him?" Nodoka persisted.

Ukyo lifted her eyes again and looked directly at Ranma, then swallowed visibly before looking down again and saying, "Doesn't matter...he doesn't love me...not the same way."

I caught Ranma continuing to stare in Ukyo's direction, but then he glanced over his shoulder to see the looks both me and Shampoo were giving him and he blinked his eyes then said, "Hey...what did I do?"

"Ranma do nothing," Shampoo said very evenly, "If Ailen want remain healthy."

"I think we can leave the question of a third engagement for now," Nodoka said, "But I would say that you certainly are a very respectful child, and you might even make a good wife for my son, so please don't make any rash decisions." She turned back and leveled an icy stare at Genma, "I will, however, agree that my husband is to blame for inconveniencing you, and he obviously had no thought at all what rejecting you as an iinazuke might do you and your reputation. Even as a child it must not have been easy to live with this stain to your honor."

"Yeah," I heard Kuonji say at barely the level of a whisper, "You could say that it wasn't like making okonomiyaki."

"Well, Genma," Nodoka addressed her husband, "What have you to say for yourself? It seems that you have inconvenienced a lot of people and served as a very poor role model for our son. That Ranma is manly at all is something to be remarked upon, but it seems that you did a less than stellar role as his father."

Though I couldn't see his face I'm certain that Uncle Saotome was all but literally dripping with fear, his body-posture so rigid that you could have struck his back with a two-by-four and hardly budge him. I was half-tempted to try and I had to keep to my place and look for some angle that might help us to salvage the situation. I might not like Uncle Genma very much, but I knew without asking that his death would not have a very positive effect on Ranma's prospects. Besides, much though Ranma would howl in protest if he saw me writing this, I think deep down he does still love the old panda, for all his many faults and failings.

"Nodoka..." Uncle Genma pronounced the word, but then surprised us all by lowering his head and saying, "You're right. I failed the boy. I didn't teach him to be as manly as I thought I could. He's disappointed me in so many ways, but the fault must lie with the teacher, and not the student," he looked up and turned his head to one side as he added, "Don't you agree...Master?"

"Eh?" Happosai blinked his eyes the seemed to notice the eyes that had fallen upon him, "What's everyone looking at me for?"

"Saotome-san," Daddy said with more formality than before, "I know your husband well, we trained together, fought together, stood side by side and groveled at the feet of the same Master, and I'd be the first to admit that he isn't always the most perfect friend that a man could ask for, but...Nabiki is my little girl, and if you condemn him and his son, then she will be a widow before she's even married!"

"I am far from unmoved by your daughter's plight, Tendo-san," Nodoka replied, "But there is a stain to the Saotome family honor, and it must fall upon the women of our clan to uphold that honor, regardless of the cost. I must decide if this merits the terms of the contract Genma signed with me long ago, or if he is in violation of his promises to me, for which his life will be forfeit..."

"NO!" Comb was on her feet in an instant, sword in hand as she cried, "That's not going to happen!"

"Excuse me?" Nodoka eyed her erstwhile rival with cool detachment.

"I can't let you do this!" Comb was literally shaking as her family stared at her, no less taken aback by her actions, "No matter what he's done, he doesn't deserve to die for it! I won't let you do this, Nodoka! Release them now from that promise of Seppuku or...or I will challenge you on behalf of my daughter!"

"Mother?' Shampoo blinked her eyes, no less astonished by this turn of events than I was.

"You challenge me?" Nodoka said with no trace of emotion, "On what basis? You already have a husband."

Comb grimaced before she replied, "I don't need another husband, but if that's what it takes to spare his life, then I'll gladly take him away from you and have him for my second husband. I have the right as a senior representative of my tribe. Silk, back me up on this!"

"Actually," Silk began, "The law is pretty vague about having a second husband. Two warriors sharing the same husband is the usual accepted..." she stopped talking as she saw the look Comb turned on her, and hastily amended, "Well...obviously there are exceptions to every rule..."

"Interesting," Nodoka mused, "And what do you make of his, Hairbrush-san?"

"I think my wife is prone to making rash decisions on impulse," the man replied, "But in this case I must accept that she is acting from her heart, not her head, not that I think this Saotome Genma is worthy of her attentions."

Genma shot an evil look at the other man, which was returned calmly with an implacable glare from Hairbrush.

Atsuko sighed as she rose to her feet and said, "Typical of you to go and hog the limelight, Comb, but you always were one for the melodramatics."

"I see," Nodoka said as she eyed her second rival, "And are you also challenging me on behalf of my husband?"

"If someone's gotta do it, it sure as hell will be me," Atsuko declared with a snort in Comb's direction, "I'm the better warrior of the two of us, and I could take either of you any day you like, and if I win you can bet like hell that I'm keeping Gemi-chan for myself!"

"Is this so?" Nodoka asked mildly.

"Yeah," Atsuko extended her umbrella and assumed a fighting crouch, "So who's gonna stop me?"

I barely even saw Nodoka move as she leaned forward into a roll and came up with her sword in hand. As quick as an eyeblink she drew the thing and moved like lighting. Not even a half second later she stood her ground with her back turned to both of her nominal rivals, sword pointed at the ground while the other two women remained where they had been standing. For a full three seconds nothing moved and we all collectively held our breath, uncertain of what had just happened since Ranma's mother had hardly seemed to have moved at all while covering the four meters from where she had been sitting to where she now was posing.

And then we all collectively gasped as Comb massaged her wrist, her sword having been struck from her hand, and we all could see it protruding from the ceiling, wobbling slightly. Atsuko's umbrella very slowly dipped to the floor as the first seventeen centimeters were cleanly sheered through, metal lining and bamboo, leaving her holding a stump that was only half the length that it had begun with. Then the front wooden pegs holding Comb's tunic in place popped loose, causing her shirt to open in the middle while she stared down at herself in dismay. With a hasty help she covered herself up, losing what dignity she had left while Atsuko did likewise, having the front part of her tank-top be cleanly sliced through.

Nodoka smiled as she reached down and retrieved the sheath to her sword, then closed it up as she regarded her rivals with a small smile of satisfaction.

"Forgive me," she said in the same matter-of-fact tone of voice, "I couldn't resist doing that. I trust my point is made. If I had wanted to I could have cut more deeply, but there is no reason to shed either of your blood since neither of your offspring is at fault for the sins of their elders."

"Nodoka," the voice of Genma suddenly brought attention his way, and to our surprise he bowed to her and said, "I know I've failed you, and I haven't been much of a husband, but please...I only did what I had to for the sake of the boy. Don't blame him for having a foolish father, and please don't take it out on Comb or Atsuko."

"You are asking me to forgive our son," Nodoka replied, "But I have already done this. Ranma is not at fault for your crimes. You alone should pay for the sins you have visited upon us."

"No!" Ranma lurched to his feet, "Mom, don't do it! I know he's a Baka and a thief, but...but you can't kill Dad just because he's stupid! Like he said, blame the old man, he's the one who taught him!"

"Why is everybody making me out to be the bad guy?" Happosai frowned in obvious disapproval.

"Gee, I wonder," Akane growled, her glare almost matching that of our father.

"You ask to speak in your father's defense, Ranma?" Nodoka eyed her son levelly, "Are you prepared to answer for the promise he made on both of your behalf?"

"I...uh..." Ranma faltered.

"No!" Shampoo was on her feet, throwing herself into the space between Ranma and his mother, "You make Ranma kill self, Shampoo beg you no do this! Kill Shampoo first, no want to live without Ailen!"

"Excuse me," I said as I was already on my feet and walking up to join my Amazon iinazuke, "But that should be my line. If you're gonna take him, then the promise to unite our houses is null and void, and that means I don't need to be around to serve as a reminder to my family. So if you're going to order his death, you might as well take us with him."

"Nabiki?" Ranma gasped, "Shampoo?"

"So," Nodoka looked from one of us to the other and said, "You'd both be willing to give your lives for him, even to share him as your husband?"

I made a point of taking Shampoo's hand in my own and meeting her stare with my own best effort at intimidation, "Just try us, lady. You want Ranma, you'll have to go through us to get him."

Then Ranma's hand fell on my shoulder, and his other hand was on Shampoo's and very gently he parted us to step between the gap as he said, "Nobody's gonna die today, not unless it's me. I won't let you hurt anybody else, so if you're gonna do this, Mom, then start with me and that's it."

Nodoka inclined her head to one side, then I saw her smile deepen, "And why would I ask anyone to die today, Ranma? It's such a lovely day, and I just can't see turning either of these beautiful young girls into widows grieving for you. I think you've demonstrated to me that you're manly enough to carry on the Saotome traditions."

"HUH?" we all gasped in one voice.

"Of course," Nodoka flashed her smile at the rest of those present, "I'd already decided to rescind the honor pledge even before I heard these explanations. I just wanted to make certain for my own peace of mind that it was the right decision, but since everybody was willing to sacrifice themselves for one another, I don't think there needs to be any doubt at all that Ranma is manly."

"You...you mean that, Nodoka-chan?" Genma gasped.

"In spite of everything, husband, you did teach our son to be manly," Nodoka informed him, "No one who was less than a man could have so many people willing to fight on his behalf, or so ready to forgive him for the wrongs that were done to them," she glanced towards Kuonji, who blinked back in owlish surprise, "Atsuko-chan and Comb-san were a surprise, though...but I guess that's only to be suspected since, as Comb herself admits, for all his flaws, Genma is still manly."

"Ah..." I never saw an Amazon blush like that before, but Shampoo's mother nearly went as pink as Ambergris's haircolor.

"Boy, do I feel stupid," Atsuko said as she glanced at the ruins of her umbrella.

"Must be your natural state of mind," Silk mused coyly as she came up to offer a hug to Nodoka, "Beautifully well played, even I was fooled! I never guessed under that sweet exterior that you could be such a cunning actress."

"I do have my talents," Nodoka smiled, "Only I haven't been able to practice them since my own High School days. I'm sorry if I put you all through a rough moment there, but as I said I had to be certain for the sake of family honor."

"Oh, think nothing of it, Nodoka-san," Daddy said with clear relief, "We weren't fooled a bit, were we girls?"

I saw Kasumi, Akane and even Kodachi eye our father with dubious expressions. I had to repress my own urge to kick him in the shins for acting like such a Baka.

"Well then," Nodoka said pleasantly, "Now that all that's settled, I suppose we should start planning on a wedding date."

"Wedding date?' I saw Ranma's eyes go as round as marbles.

"Of course," Nodoka smiled at him, "After all, if you're going to be sleeping with these two girls on a regular basis, then sooner or later one or both of them is going to wind up pregnant, and it just would not be proper to have a child out of wedlock."

"Oh my," Kasumi covered her mouth, "That's right! If Ranma keeps on with Shampoo and Nabiki..."

"What?" Daddy blinked his eyes, "What do you mean? Who did what with Nabiki?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked his eyes, "But...how did you know...?"

"I'm your mother," Nodoka smiled as she hugged Ranma to her bosom, "I just know these things. It's sort of like a talent, and it makes you look so manly."

About this point is where Shampoo and I collectively face-faulted...

Cologne's mood did not improve when she finally reached the Nekohanten and was able to catch her breath, muttering something dark and terrible about "miserable dwarfs" and the fate that awaited one in particular the next time they had an encounter. She had recovered from the drain to her battle aura but was in no great hurry to suffer a rematch with this Hinako Ninomiya. She was definitely taking to the rooftops on the return trip to the Tendo place, just as soon as she fetched the last remaining bottle of Nanniichuan water from the place where she had secured it. With luck she could be back in time to provide Ranma with the cure, and then convince Saotome Nodoka that the boy was manly.

Manly, Cologne snorted. The first time she had laid eyes on him she had briefly considered revealing herself and claiming Ranma for her own sake, but that would have deprived Shampoo of her lawful husband, and Cologne had a duty to look out for every member of her household, especially her designated successor. It had been a genuine thrill when she and Ranma had fought, enough so that she had opted to prolong the encounter rather than go for a quick knockout, and thus had given the boy the chance at defeating her, which he had come close to doing during the incident of the cat-fist.

Fortunately for young Saotome, Cologne had learned restraint over her years, or else he would have found himself saddled with a very different kind of Ailen, one who was not as accommodating and submissive as Shampoo, nor as easy to satisfy. The boy had no idea how lucky he was that Cologne had thrown that match rather than be genuinely defeated, or that Elders were generally exempt from the usual rule regarding defeat by outsiders. It might have been fun whipping the boy into shape on a regular basis, or more fun than she had experienced in quite a while anyway. Cologne's loss was Shampoo's gain just the same, so in a way Cologne could be satisfied vicariously, and with any luck soon find a new generation of heirs to play with, ones with far fewer prejudices against Cologne and her methods.

Ah well, she thought as she removed the hidden floor paneling to expose her cache of special belongings, time enough to waste on idle speculation over what might have been, she had to rescue Ranma from his current fate first before she could deal with the issue of potential offspring...

Cologne's youthful hands halted as she exposed the cache to view, her senses alerting her to possible trouble as she saw an empty space among the wealth of jewelry that had been stored in her private family treasury. There was no sign of either of the two bottles of Jusenkyo water, but there was one thing she did find which raised the hackles on her nape fairs.

A single white feather, the kind that a duck might shed if he was molting.

Quite suddenly the world had turned a good deal more interesting than even she was prepared to deal with, and with that thought the young-seeming Matriarch gave an audible shudder...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cologne's "Baby" pictures: shadowmane

Out of the frying pan, into the wok as Genma faces legal troubles while Shampoo and her Airen have a heart-to-heart chat about Lotion. Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	62. Chapter 62

NabikiRan59 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Fifty-Nine.

The members of the Board of Directors for Kuno Industries all stared in dismay at the gap created in one wall to their meeting chamber, through one of their number had so recently made a hasty exit. They turned to regard the young man standing near the Chairman's seat giving them all a haughty regard as he said in low tones, "Are there any more questions?"

No one dared speak up in response to that inquiry, for none there were so suicidal as to brook the wrath of the young man who had demonstrated such a masterful command of the art of Kendo. He waved his bokken like it was a pointer and indicated one of the various chairmen, saying, "You there...you are regional director of our Pharmaceuticals division. Pray explain to me what you know of the various toxins that I have given you for examination. Are they, or are they not, derivatives extracted from the those horticultural nightmares that my father once did nurture with loving care in our family greenhouse, Phylum Nostrum Notcturnum, am I not correct?"

The Board Member so indicated cleared his throat and said, "Young sir...your father specialized in research to the possible medicinal uses of such rose pollen extractions, and a good deal of our research funds were invested into exploring such uses, but funding was eventually cut off when your father vanished on his sabbatical..."

"Answer my question," Tatewaki demanded with level-toned intensity, "Is the powder not such an extraction?"

The man sighed, then bowed his head, "I recognized the distinctive chemistry the moment it was under a microscope. The extraction juices were distilled from the petals of the black rose itself, mixed with extract from the pollen juice. It's a very refined mixture, obviously brewed with a great deal of care, but the proportions make no sense to me. It's as if someone was trying to create a resin-based narcotic similar to artificial compounds that can be brewed with more common ingredients..."

"And would you say that the person who created this mixture had an adequate knowledge of Chemistry and Botany?" Tatewaki asked.

"I would say they had knowledge of those fields, even a high degree of skill, but not up to the standards that any competent professional would approve of," the man concluded simply.

"I see," Tatewaki's gaze narrowed, "In other words it was created by my sister."

"Sir?" the Pharmaceuticals Head blinked once, "You can't possibly mean..."

"I can and I do," Tatewaki turned away, "It is as I suspected, or should have known had I been thinking more rationally about the matter. Kodachi must have borrowed our father's notes and refined his techniques on her own, creating a more specific version of the narcotic that he ingested, which drove him over the edge so long before. I am both appalled and impressed at the genius of my sister, but I cannot approve of the uses to which she has devoted her knowledge."

"Sir," the Head of Securities Management spoke up, "If your sister has been engaged in the illicit manufacture and usage of unprescribed medications, should we not report this to the proper authorities?"

"No," Tatewaki said with even temper, "I will not have my family name dragged down into the gutter by exposing our shame before others. I will deal with Kodachi in my own time and fashion. For now I have another matter that concerns me greatly, namely the question of where my father procured the mechanical contrivances that he used to assault both my fellow students and myself. I believe you are the one in charge of that division, correct?"

He pointed with his bokken at yet another Executive, and the division head of Kuno Munitions Manufacturing and Export cleared his throat and replied, "Ah...well...you see, young sir, your father gave his authorized approval to a number of rather exotic weapons systems that we are currently testing in our laboratories..."

"My father is no longer of concern to you or anyone else present in this chamber," Tatewaki informed him coldly, "He has been...how shall I put this? Relieved of his duties for the foreseeable future. I am now assuming full control as his son and designated heir as I am officially eighteen years of age and of sound mind and body, which same cannot be said of my father, who will be...convalescing in a special facility that will tend to his every need for the duration. I have already been in contact with the family attorneys and they have given their tentative consent to allow me to be named as acting Head of Kuno Industries, pending official confirmation of the terms his will, which was in force before his return from self-imposed exile. In effect I am now in charge of all my family's holdings...are there any here who would dispute this?"

The board members all exchanged nervous looks, then as one glanced at the new exit that had been created in the board room. They were not brave men as a given rule, being mostly either senior or middle aged, and some with company pensions that they were hoping to collect, assuming they lived long enough to retire in good graces.

For many present this was a most unsettling turn of events, for as Trustees for the Kuno holdings they had long been assured that the son of Kuno Godai would never be ruled fit to govern a corporation as large and influential as what they had built through their (in a manner of speaking) sweat and labor. All the accounts that they had heard regarding Kuno Tatewaki was that the boy was a fool and class clown who indulged in romantic fantasies best relegated to Samurai movies. He was an indifferent student with a poor academic record and a history of disruptive behavior that had all but insured that he would never amount to anything of real significance. They had been confident that the boy would be easily manipulated into turning control over into their hands when he came of age, having shown no real interest in the affairs of his family's business. Indeed, had any present seriously believed that the boy might attempt to assert himself one day there were more than a few present would have gladly arranged to see that this never happened.

Unfortunately it had happened, and now there stood before them a very serious and somber-eyed young man who was taking more than a little interest in the manner with which they had run this company. There was an intensity about this boy that almost suggested long-repressed intelligence, and it was an eerie feeling just being in the same room with him, the way he could rake you with his eyes and brow-beat you with his very manner. This was nothing like the boy that they had heard about in the reports, and if a word could be used to describe him many would have tentatively brandished the word, "Scary!"

Of course the alternative to accepting him in their midst would be to demand the return of his father, a man whose obsessive and compulsive habits were well known to everyone present. Not a head in the room had escaped the touch of Godai's razor, and while many were wearing hair pieces that came close to resembling their natural hair, there was no one who wanted to go through such a thing on a regular repeat basis.

Ah well, the men around the table collectively sighed, hoping that the boy's newfound intelligence would at least allow him to accept their expertise in the affairs or funning a major business. If they could persuade him to let them manage things under his oversight they could at least hope to salvage something from the situation, unlike their poor chairman, who would likely be leaving the office next door on a stretcher.

"I see," the boy said without smiling, nodding his head to acknowledge their silent acquiescence, "Then I take it you will not mind if I make a formal review of your various departments so that I may familiarize myself with all aspects of our company, including the products we manufacture and export. I should also like to see the stock portfolio pertaining to our investments in Mishima Heavy Industries. I am curious to know what other projects we are co-developing together. I want a detailed analysis of your departments, their operating budgets, present research projects underway, and anything else of relevance that I might have missed. From this point on I am not signing off on anything without first knowing before hand what wears the Kuno label."

Total dead silence followed this latest announcement as several swallowing noises could be heard, and more than a few began to wonder if maybe this really was such a good idea after all. More than a few would welcome the return of a firm hand to the affairs of their corporation while other would, in times to come, look back with regret that they let this young tiger into their midst without opposition, while several others would work to curry his favor, not wanting to taste the lash of what they would refer to in time as "The Iron Bokken."

"Ah..." one hesitant executive spoke up, an early candidate for the foot groveling that was soon to follow, "Is there anything else you wish, Master Kuno?"

"Yes," Tatewaki replied as he scanned the room for signs of opposition, "I would also like to engage in a research project of my own, based on a rumor that I have heard which has captured my interest. I want you, the Department head of our Chinese investments, to make discrete inquiries about a place called Jusenkyo. I want everything you can find out on my desk by noon tomorrow. Oh, and I did mean discrete, by the way, and I had better not hear any rumors flying about that might attract the wrong sort of attention from the Chinese officials. Are we clear on this?"

"Yes sir," the Foreign Affairs executive acknowledge, wondering privately why their new boss would concern himself with old myths and legends from superstitious peasants.

Oh well, he and a few others would sigh, every boss had his share of eccentricities, and who were they to complain as long as he continued to pay them...?

Kachu paused to turn a glance over her shoulder, looking towards the Tendo Training hall, before murmuring softly to herself, "My family...is very strange."

"I've noticed," Tofu said dryly, "But you get used to it in time."

"Not too soon, I hope," Kachu allowed herself a faint smile as she added, "I think I'm going to like it here in my new village, Husband."

Tofu smiled back at her and added to that, "At least it won't be dull, especially with you around to keep things lively."

Kachu half-snorted at this but hid her smile as she turned back towards the gates, her husband falling into stride with her as they headed back towards his clinic-her home, she thought with a certain eager anticipation...

Perfume watched the Devil Hunter and Tai Chi Healer leave before shaking her head in faint disbelief and wonder. The notorious Kachu, whom even Demons feared with cause, smiling and acting like a recently web bride? It was just one more incredible occurrence to mark a day that had already been chock full of surprises. And here she had been half-afraid that this trip to a foreign land was going to prove boring!

She flashed a fond smile at her companion as Lotion squeezed her hand very gently, then turned back to regard Kuonji Ukyo and their fellow Amazons, who stood as a group apart from the others who would soon be departing the premises, some to go to the Nekohanten, others to head off on their own personal business.

"You ask me, you've definitely proven that you are either clinically insane or a person of rare virtues," Ambergris was remarking towards Kuonji in a light, bantering tone of voice, "I'll be charitable and pick the latter, though I dare say that I doubt that you are completely off the hook in your engagement to Shampoo's husband if his mother's favorable reaction is to be judged rightly."

"Ah..." Ukyo appeared uneasy, "I don't think I'd go along with it now after everything else that's happened. I'm just sorry I didn't get to totally cure anybody but Ryoga, but if the old woman-ah-I mean your Matriarch hurries back we can get at least Ranchan back to normal and maybe call that even."

"But if you help cure him you still have own curse," Lotion pointed out, "Is not very different you give him to Shampoo."

"And Shampoo other Airen," Perfume noted, "Lore Master Apprentice Nabiki."

"I know it doesn't make much sense to you guys," Ukyo shrugged, "But I wouldn't want Ranchan on those terms. Maybe Shampoo and Nabiki can get along sharing the same guy between them, but that's just not for me..."

"Who are you trying to convince of that?" Ambergris pointedly asked her, "Are you saying that three is a crowd and four is above your limit?"

"It's nothing like that," Ukyo shrugged, "I just can't see myself in a four-way deal with two other women."

"No understand boy-girl Spatula lover," Ling-Ling spoke up in obvious confusion, "If you no want marry to girl, why you get Nanniichuan curse in first place?"

"Is funny way no attract attention of womans," Lung-Lung agreed with an equally dubious expression.

"I'm with the Bobsy twins," Ambergris remarked, "If you've got a hang-up about same-sex relationships, falling into a spring that turns you into a gorgeous hunk isn't exactly the best way to go about it."

"What is Bobsy-twin?" Ling-Ling asked her sister.

"Donno," Lung-Lung shrugged, "Is maybe way say 'cute girl" in Japanese?"

"Look, it was an accident, I slipped and fell in!" Ukyo insisted, "I didn't deliberately curse myself, it just happened!"

Lotion turned to Perfume and asked, "Is how happen?"

"Perfume watch," Perfume shrugged, "See it happen, no say if accident or no. Maybe see own reflection and get careless?"

Ukyo rolled her eyes and shifted to Cantonese, "[Why doesn't anybody ever believe me when I tell them this?]"

"[Maybe because you've got a watchful admirer over there who doesn't seem to mind so much finding out about your true status,]" Ambergris responded in the same language, nodding over in the direction of Akane.

Akane saw Amazon heads turning to glance her way and hastily averted her own gaze. What could they be talking about anyway, and why did they have to pester poor Ukyo like that? It wasn't as if it was her fault she had that guy curse...it was all the fault of that stupid Shampoo and Ranma!

She turned back to regard what the Elder Lotion was doing, humming a weird tune to herself while directing her staff at the broken halves of Atsuko's umbrella. For a moment nothing had appeared to be happening, but Akane could almost swear that she was seeing things, or else the two pieces really were coming together!

Ryoga exclaimed his surprise upon seeing the finished product of the Lore Master's spell, for less than a minute later the umbrella was whole again with no sign at all that it had ever been sliced cleanly through the middle. He picked it up, handling the heavy metal-lined object with ease as he tested its balance, finding it almost as good as the umbrella he often carried with him in his travels. He then turned and handed it to his mother, who took it in hand and examined it critically before smiling and bowing to Lotion as she said, "Thank you, Elder, it's good as new. I knew that you could do it."

Lotion sighed as she leaned on her staff, then regarded the half-Oni woman with amusement and replied, "It's nothing, really...metal is harder to bond together than wood, but with a simple restorative spell the effects of molecular bonding can be simulated. You'll find it is now even stronger than you remember since I reinforced the bamboo fibers."

"Incredible," Nabiki remarked, "So you can repair objects like metal and wood...bet that comes in handy on occasion."

"On occasion, yes," the Elder smiled as she regarded her young apprentice, Objects formed from natural substances have their own spiritual essence, which you must learn to attune yourself to if you are ever to perform similar feats with your abilities. It is not unlike affecting the flow of time itself to create an anti-entropic process that has many other interesting uses. For example, reversing the timeflow can allow you to undo a situation if you act promptly to separate the event from normal continuity. Things can assume a fluid state if you separate them momentarily from the normal binding forces that keeps matter in a solid state. The Dissolver spell is one of the more advanced techniques that I hope I may be able to share with you one day, for it has the effect of eliminating the normal limitations that physical objects exist within...but you need not worry yourself on that today. Today you no doubt feel like celebrating because your iinazuke no longer lives under the cloud that threatened to shadow his existence."

Nabiki and Shampoo exchanged looks, then both turned to regard Ranma, who was quietly chatting with his mother in the dojo at her request while the rest of them formed smaller groups to engage in private conversations.

One such conversation was taking place right then with Comb and her husband, while Genma stood nearby watching the married couple converse in low tones while trying not to be too obvious about his own interests in their affairs. He could not help but stare at the man called Hairbrush and frown by a noticeable fraction, thinking silently to himself, "So...this is the guy she chose to marry instead of me..."

Oddly enough Hairbrush was thinking similar thoughts whenever he glanced back at Genma, once or twice meeting the panda-man's level stare with his own level gaze as he thought to himself, "So...that's the man whom Comb almost married..."

And then, as if both shared their thoughts by some synchronous art that both were unaware of, the words filled both their minds at the exact same instant, "He doesn't look like much! I wonder what she sees in him?"

"I know you think that I'm a bloody fool, husband," Comb was saying a moment later, unaware of his husband's wavering attention, "Making a protestation like that, threatening to take Saotome Genma on as your co-husband without consulting you, but I hope you do understand that I was only thinking of Shampoo and her husband."

"Of course," Hairbrush said pleasantly, giving no hint that his other thoughts had ever been directed towards Genma, "Why would I ever believe otherwise?"

"I know I...shared a history once with Saotome Genma," Comb looked away and not at the man eyeing her obliquely with pretended disinterest, "But I had thought I'd put all that in my past and committed myself to the family you and I have made together..."

"Comb," Hairbrush spoke up, "We've been married nineteen years, and I'd like to think we have a good working relationship. I've known you long enough to understand that you sometimes do things on impulse, but you always try to do what you believe is right for everyone. At the very least I can say that life hasn't always been dull around you, so I don't see that I have much to complain about. However...this Saotome Genma fellow worries me..."

"Oh?" Comb turned to look at her husband, preferring not to glance at Genma.

"Yes," Hairbrush replied, not bothering to conceal his glance towards Genma, "Your summation of his character has been borne out by the behavior I have observed in both his natural and cursed form. He is a man who avoids responsibility, who is obsessed with creating the perfect warrior, is short-  
sighted and myopic with a poor ability to express himself in all but the most melodramatic fashion. I am no doctor, but I do believe that there is a condition described by Psychotherapists that covers these symptoms..."

"Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder," Comb said almost mechanically, then blinked her eyes and seemed to think a moment before she said, "And...you find that remarkable? Recall that he had Happosai for a mentor."

"Ah yes," Hairbrush nodded, "I suppose that does explain it...somewhat."

There was a long pause before Comb spoke again, "And you're wondering why I would even care what happens to such a person?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," Hairbrush shrugged, "But I suppose that is your business."

Comb blinked her eyes then said, "But..."

"I believe it's time that we return to Grandmother's place at the Nekohanten," Hairbrush remarked as he rose to his feet with the same casual ease that he might display in discussing the weather, "I'll gather the children and we'll meet back there soon enough. You should clear up some unfinished business here before we continue this discussion. I know you will do what you believe is right, like always, and you can count on my full support, as long as it doesn't mean a permanent move to this lovely suburb of Nerima."

"Ah..." Comb said, faltering as she seemed to be wracked with conflicting impulses, so that all she managed to murmur aloud was, "If you think that's best...husband."

He smiled at her fleetingly and murmured softly, "Wo ai ni."

"Wo ai ni," she said at the same low whisper.

Observing this from across the yard, Kodachi remarked aloud, "Well, it is easy to see who wears the pants in that family."

"Really?" Kasumi asked, "I thought they were both wearing pants."

Kodachi turned a fond smile towards the older girl and mused, "Your charm never ceases to amaze me, my darling."

Kasumi returned her smile with a fond expression of her own, "I do my best, and I'm happy if that pleases you, Kodachi-chan."

Kasumi picked up a tray that had many empty sake cups upon it and headed back towards the kitchen, not noticing the way Kodachi's eyes traced her movements with a certain hunger as she murmured, "Oh yes...you never fail to do that for me, Kasumi-sama..."

"My, those two certainly do seem to get along very well," Nodoka remarked from where she was chatting pleasantly with Silk and Soun, "Hitome's child is an even more radiant flower than she was at her age. Such a helpful young girl, and very well mannered."

"Kasumi seems to like her most of all," Silk agreed, "And her offer to help out financially will certainly be of benefit to you, Soun-chan. We must find some way to thank her for hosting the delicious supper we all enjoyed, don't you think?"

"Eh?" Soun said, clearly distracted as his own regard of the two young girls was anything but sanguine, and a sudden thirst for more sake was coming over him, though it was not quite as late as sunset.

Silk saw an opening and grinned like a mischievous young girl, causing Nodoka to smile as that expression reminded her so much of someone else she once had known. As smoothly as her name might imply, the young Lore Master said, "Don't be like that, Soun-chan. You should be happy, your daughter will soon be married to young Master Saotome, thus continuing the traditions of the Musubetsu Kakuto Ryu."

"Yes," Soun agreed, "It's good to have our dreams realized. At least one of my daughters will be able to carry on the tradition..."

"Speaking of which," Silk noted slyly, "Have you noticed how much Akane-san seems to favor young Kuonji-san? I think she is making her boyfriend, Ryoga-  
san, quite jealous."

"Eh?" Soun glanced dubiously in his youngest daughter's direction, just in time to catch Akane's smile at Ukyo, which earned a frown from Ryoga's direction.

"Yes," Nodoka smiled, "Now that you mention it, Ukyo-san does seem to be attracting a lot of attention by her presence. I wonder what this portends for the future?"

"I don't really know," Silk smiled, "I'm not half the precognitive that grandmother is, but I think that's what makes life so exciting."

Soun's frown deepened noticeably, but he continued to maintain his distance as if uncertain what, if anything, to do about the situation. He was so distracted that he almost missed Silk's next question, blinking his eyes as he asked, "Eh?"

"I asked if you would like to free-spar for a bit, Soun-chan," Silk repeated with the same pleasant humor in her expression, "Now that the girls have finished cleaning up and we've all had time to digest our dinner, I feel the urge to work off some of those calories with a friendly match, and since Comb seems to be otherwise occupied I thought maybe you might do me the great honor."

"Nani?" Soun blinked, not having expected such a request from the comely Amazon Lore Master.

"Oh my," Nodoka remarked, "Are you sure that's wise? Suppose you were to lose to Soun-san. He was very good in the old days, and if he beat you..."

"Your point being?" Silk's smile deepened, then she chuckled softly and playfully caressed Soun's arm, "Relax, it's just practice sparring. The normal rules about losing to outsiders only apply to formal challenges. Did you think we were such bad sports that we would always feel hurt, angry and resentful at meeting a better fighter? Practice doesn't count, not that I believe that I will lose, of course. I've kept myself in fairly good shape working out with Comb, so the risk for you is almost non-existent, Soun-san," she gave him a particularly sultry look and added, "Unless you are afraid that I will beat you."

"Afraid?" something sparked in Soun's eyes, an unknown touch of pride long buried by other emotions. He unconsciously puffed out his chest and squared his shoulders before saying, "Nonsense. I simply wouldn't want to make you look bad. It would not be...very manly."

"Oh, is that so?" Silk grinned impishly, but in her eyes could be seen the hint of her own pride being pricked by his statement.

Nabiki turned with a smile as she saw Ranma approaching and said, "What's up, Ranchan? What did your mother want to talk about with you anyway?"

"Ah, just stuff," Ranma shrugged his shoulders, glancing at Atsuko and Elder Lotion with the clear meaning that he wasn't about to discuss such personal topics before them.

The ancient Lore Master smiled and said, "I think I'll go see what's taking the Matriarch so long to complete her errand. You need to have a few words with your son, At-chan, in regards to a certain lady friend with whom he seems overly concerned at the moment."

"Oh?" Atsuko looked inquiringly at the Amazon Elder, then at Ryoga, who was glaring daggers at Ukyo, then towards Akane before saying, "Oh. Oh...I get it. Yeah, I think I'd better straighten Ryo-chan about some things like making good impressions on the ladies."

As the half-Oni wandered off in search of her son, Lotion paused to say, "Talk about the blonde leading the blind. It should be interesting to listen in on THAT particular conversation."

So saying she began to hobble off, leaving Shampoo, Nabiki and Ranma by themselves, sitting on the steps of the dojo and well out of earshot of any potentially interested parties. Once Nabiki was reasonably certain of this she turned back to Ranma and said, "Spit it out, Saotome, and don't hand us that line of bull about you not having anything much to discuss with your mother."

"What is stuff Ailen talk about?" Shampoo asked alertly, "And Shampoo no want double talk, only straight answer."

"Ah," Ranma met the probing eyes of his two ladies with a sense that it would be a tactically bad move to refuse them. Placing a hand to the back of his head to rifle through his hair he replied, "If ya wanna know, it's about the wedding. Mom want's us to set a date for next month, only I kinda wonder if that's maybe a little too soon, it ya know what I'm saying."

"Too soon?" Shampoo asked, "Ranma no want marry Nabiki?"

"Hey, I didn't mean that!" Ranma hastily assured, seeing the slightly stunned expression on Nabiki's face as he amended, "I just mean...it's kinda like we're bein' rushed into things. I thought maybe a little more time to get used to the idea..."

"Why Ranma need more time?" Shampoo persisted, "Is Ranma saying he no want sleep with Nabiki and Shampoo for whole month?"

"What?" Ranma's expression became as blank as Nabiki's, "Uh...sleep? Y'mean like...together?"

"Like this morning, yes?" Shampoo eyed Ranma coyly, "Maybe you no enjoy as much as Shampoo thought Ranma enjoy self. Maybe you no think you perform good and want more time to practice?"

"Practice?" both Ranma and Nabiki asked in chorus.

Shampoo just smiled as she opened two buttons on her shirt, then reached in and pulled something out from her cleavage that she handed over to Ranma, saying, "Is present Shampoo-Mother want give to Ranma, ask Shampoo give Ailen, maybe study if Ranma like?"

Ranma looked at the cover of the book with dumbfounded expression while Nabiki read the title aloud, "The Kama Sutra?"

"Is ancient Amazon techniques that Hindu steal from Amazons," Shampoo explained, "Warrior use techniques to help limber bodies through fun play, keep husband and wife busy making babies while still train together."

"Your mother has a very interesting sense of humor," Nabiki noted as Ranma opened the book and began to flip through the illustrated pages. Nabiki's eyes got almost as wide as his as Ranma examined page after page of body positions, some of which did not seem anatomically possible for a contortionist, a few of which made her feel weak in the knees on further consideration.

"Geez!" Ranma exclaimed after a few minutes of studying these pages, holding them up at different angles to get a better idea of what the people in those pictures were trying to accomplish, "Can you believe some of this stuff? It'd take us maybe a full month to try all of these out, doncha think?"

"A...month?" Nabiki blanched, and even Shampoo eyed their man as if suspecting his sanity, or maybe hoping he was only jesting.

"Ah..." Ranma suddenly became conscious of what he was holding in his hands and hastily closed the book up, crossing his legs and hoping neither of the two girls would notice a certain bulge just below his waist level, "Be sure and thank your Mom for this. She's a pretty cool lady."

"Ah..." Shampoo accepted the book back from Ranma, making it vanish into the same deep gulf it had come from, "Shampoo know this...is good that Shampoo mother think so much of Ranma that she share family Bible..."

"Bible?" Nabiki looked at the Amazon with an odd expression.

"Shampoo father call it that," Shampoo shrugged, "Is some sort of joke he share with Shampoo-mother. Shampoo no try and understand, parents very odd sometime..."

"You don't know the half of it."

The three teenagers looked up in surprise to find Comb standing beside them, looking down at Shampoo with a hesitant, almost contrite expression.

"Mother?" Shampoo asked, surprised at both the expression and comment.

"Shampoo," Comb began softly, "There is something that I have been meaning to tell you for...some time now, and it's something I might as well tell you in front of your wife and husband. It concerns your Grandmother...and the reason why you were raised in her house instead of with me and your father."

"Aiya?" Shampoo remarked, giving her mother a somewhat uncertain expression.

"Shampoo..." Comb glanced away and seemed to have some difficulty continuing, but then at last she said, "As you know by now...twenty years ago I was tribal Champion, and Grandmother's chosen heir. I trained under the old woman almost as long as I've been alive...just before my mother died in battle. I was devoted to her, trusted her, worked hard to become the warrior she wanted me to be, and in some respects I was almost as good as you are now, but I...lacked a degree of self-control that Grandmother believed that I would need as her successor. She claimed that my temper sometimes gets the best of me...and I won't argue with that as I do sometimes show less restraint than I would like."

The three teenagers said nothing in response to that, but all were reflecting on numerous instances and occasions when they had witnessed the Amazon Healer displaying flashes of temper almost worthy of Akane or Kachu.

"In my youth I had but one trusted friend who would stand by me through any hardship," Comb resumed, "Silk...for lack of any better term, is my best friend and often my companion in my travels. We have an understanding that goes well beyond our having trained together as warriors, as you trained against Perfume, so naturally we were both called upon to perform the same mission twenty years ago, when last we set foot in Japan and made the acquaintance of Tendo Soun and Saotome Genma.

"I won't bother to describe all of the adventures that we shared during the months that we were on that fruitless quest, but I will say that many changes came over us during that time, and it convinced the both of us that we were not suited to be Warriors. I heeded my calling and became a Healer, and she became a Lore master, and I went on to meet and marry your father while Silk had her baby. Of course it was not that easy for either of us to give up our Warrior status, as each of us had to first contend with the expectations of our Elders..." she paused then smiled lopsidedly, "Well, Silk had the support of Elder Lotion, but there were others of her clan who were less than happy at her choice. I was the one who had the more difficult task of convincing Grandmother that I would not be continuing as her successor. I'm sure you all can understand the resistance she showed to my decision."

There were slow nods from all around, though Shampoo continued to look up at her mother, evidencing little emotion other than surprise at these revelations.

"Grandmother did not want me to cease being her heir and tried to convince me that I could be Matriarch while still studying as a Healer. She was against my going to the capital to train in Western style medicine, maintaining that traditional Amazon Healing techniques were more than sufficient, but I won out in the end and earned my degree after many years of study. Your father helped me to get admitted to a qualified university after I demonstrated my academic talents in a proficiency test. None of this would have been possible, though, if I had not made a deal with your grandmother...an agreement I later came to regret since it meant transferring the responsibility as heir from me to your shoulders..."

"You mean you agreed that your firstborn daughter would become the heir," Nabiki supplied for her, then blinked, "And that's why Shampoo trained with Cologne? Because you agreed to allow it?"

"Agreed because Grandmother demanded it," Comb said, "Without my submitting to her terms she would never have given her support to my becoming a Doctor. You were six years old when she came to call and demanded that I fulfill my part in our bargain. She judged that sufficient time for you to be weaned, and your sisters were old enough for your father to take care of them on his own while I was away in Beijing, so she told me that you would be living with her from now on as I wouldn't have time to care for you or train you by myself. It was...a very hard choice to make...and one I've cursed myself for making, but you know what Grandmother can be like. When that evil old woman makes up her mind about something then the gods themselves had better not stand in the way of her ambitions!"

"Old?" Ranma replied dubiously, recalling the youthful version of the formerly "withered old prune" that had been revealed by the Jusenkyo water.

Shampoo lowered her gaze and her face became momentarily clouded. Comb allowed her dread to come to the surface as she blurted out, "Shampoo, I'm sorry! I never meant for you to go through all the things that I went through when I was living with Grandmother! I should have fought harder, insisted on my rights as your mother, spent more time with you, even took you with me to Beijing, anything to keep that hag's talons from digging into you the way she used to dig into me! I was selfish and shortsighted, and I used you to buy my own freedom. I'm sorry if I hurt you...I don't have any right to ask that you forgive me, but this thing with Grandmother holding back the truth about Lotion...I swear to you that I knew nothing about this..."

"And what if had known?" Shampoo asked quietly, lifting her gaze to regard her mother with quiet intensity, "You no defy great grandmother when she demand Shampoo go live with her. You no tell Shampoo truth if you know it, hai?"

Comb's chin fell forward as she stared at the ground for a very long moment, then softly she said, "I don't know what I would have done. If Grandmother had ordered me to silence, as she had Elder Lotion...I'm not sure if I would have had the courage to defy her. But...but maybe I would have, if only to help you recover from your grief. I watched how you suffered in silence Shampoo...how could I not weep for you? You are my oldest, my daughter, I would have died to spare you the pain you went through, the months when you seemed to give up on life and seemed ready to hurt yourself. Even Grandmother's wrath could not be more terrible than what I felt watching you suffer!"

"Shampoo..." Shampoo paused, then she looked up at her mother again and said, "Shampoo no see how blame you, Mother. Shampoo maybe do same thing if she in you place. Maybe no you fault, maybe we both blame great grandmother. She lie to both Shampoo and you, Mother. Maybe you tell Shampoo truth if you know, but Shampoo only know she miss having you around, Mother."

Comb looked up to see the tiny, hesitant smile on Shampoo's lips, and after a moment of hesitation she fell to her knees and put her arms around Shampoo, hugging her daughter tightly as she cried, "Shampoo...how I've missed having you around, my baby..."

"Maybe we start over," Shampoo murmured as she returned the hug, "It nice have mother again, and Shampoo no want go back to great grandmother. Shampoo no ready forgive, even though Shampoo think great grandmother maybe have justice already serve her."

"Eh?" Comb blinked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Ah," Ranma grinned as he spoke up, "You shoulda seen it! The old pervert got her good back in the dojo..."

"Let's just say she's not feeling quite herself at the moment," Nabiki hastily interjected with her own sardonic smile, "But when you see her again you won't believe how much she's changed! I think it's safe to say that Cologne is going to be having her fair share of problems in the immediate future and leave it at that, okay?"

"What are you three going on about?" Comb looked at their expressions with open confusion, "What happened to Grandmother and...what the devil?" She glanced over her shoulder, then rose to her feet as she saw Silk and Soun squaring off to face one another in the yard.

"Hey, what's up?" Ranma asked as he noticed the same thing, "What's your Dad up to, Nabiki?"

"I have no idea, Ranchan," Nabiki freely admitted, "Is he gonna fight with her? Daddy! Have you lost your mind? That's an Amazon!"

"Mind your place, Nabiki," Soun called back without taking his eyes off his prospective opponent, "This is between Silk and me. Trust your father to know what he's doing."

"Trust...?" Nabiki was doubly surprised, both at her father's level tone and his serious expression, which prompted her to murmur softly, "That's supposed to reassure me?"

"What is she up to?" Comb remarked as she regarded her old friend suspiciously, "You kids wait here, I'm getting to the bottom of this right now."

So saying the Amazon healer stalked purposefully forward, intent on her goal when she suddenly encountered Lotion's staff in her path, which balked her forward movement.

"Let her be, Healer," the old woman said calmly, "I sense no wrongful motive in my grand daughter's actions, and you know that practice sparring without formal challenge is not binding."

"But..." Comb started to say when she caught a glance from Silk that appeared to her eyes to be smugly confident, and she growled softly, "She's up to something...I know that look!"

"But what?" Nabiki asked as she came to stand beside her mentor, "What's she doing with Daddy if this won't lead to formal marriage?"

"Watch and learn, Apprentice," the Elder replied, "Sense with your heart and not just your head, learn to feel the flow and gain understanding of the greater purpose of what it means to be a Lore Master..."

"You ask Shampoo," Shampoo noted, "She want get Nabiki father interest in something else beside sparring."

"That too," Lotion nodded, "But who says that Silk can't have ulterior motives."

"Whoah," Ranma exclaimed as he studied the two prospective combatants critically, "Check it out! Looks pretty formal to me. You sure this ain't the real thing?"

"We shall see," the old woman smiled, silently complimenting her granddaughter for at long last following both her heart and head towards the same objective, thus finally fulfilling a destiny she had long ago forsaken...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Anime Expo 99 Convention News: shadowmane

Well, I'm back from the Anaheim convention after my one-day sojourn into the land of the Otaka, and I had quite a few stories to relate, but mostly anecdotes since it was my first convention in almost seven years. I finally picked up the Doo Ling-Ling, Lung-Lung episode where Shampoo's Amazon "sisters" made their first appearance. In my version of events they are her real biological sisters, and Takahashi never said directly otherwise, so yes, expect these precocious teens to be making more of an impact in upcoming chapters. In the meantime Silk and Soun have a "friendly" bout while forces continue to gather on the horizon that will make life interesting for all concerned parties. Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	63. Chapter 63

NabikiRan60 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty.

Vice Principal Hiro stared across his desk at the stupefying beauty that had sauntered lazily into his office. He was too stunned to think coherently for several seconds, and only after she had prompted him to acknowledge her voice did he bid her to sit down, mesmerized by her every movement, the way her chest expanded when she took a deep breath, the way her tight-fitting skirt hugged around her curvaceous hips, and the sensualistic purr of her voice when she was speaking.

"You wished to see me, Hiro-san?" she asked, "Your phone call made it seem somewhat urgent."

"Ah..." with great effort Hiro forced his mind back onto the original purpose of this interview, and after swallowing hard he managed to stammer out, "Um...well...yes, Miss Hinako-san. Your name came up when I was going through Principal Kuno's notes, and I did some reference-checking and found that you came highly recommended..."

"I do good work," she said with matter-of-fact calm, "As both a teacher and disciplinarian."

"Um...yes," Hiro fought down the mental image this conjured up of leather boots and a bull whip and tried to steer his mind back to the subject at hand, "According to these references on my desk, you have a reputation for quelling disorderly classroom situations and bringing order to at least two other High Schools, Kolhotz being one of those two campuses in question. That is truly impressive, a most remarkable achievement for one who has only recently become a teacher."

"I am proud of my reputation, sir," the woman's eyes gleamed with amusement, "Bringing order out of chaos is what I do best, and where it concerns the delinquent activities of quarrelsome students, I have own edge that I bring into play with great effectiveness."

"Er...of course," Hiro paused to give another swallow, his eyes drifting down against his will to take full stock of her visible "inventory," giving him an uncomfortable swelling in his pants that he tried to ignore before he continued, "Well, I see no problems with your...academic background, and your qualifications appear to be in order. We're desperately in need of someone with your charms-AH-I mean your skills. You see...there is this situation in our school that is quite out of control and beyond our normal means of coping, and you might just be what I-ER-what we need to help us get a grip on your thighs-  
AIII-Uh-on the situation! That's why I was searching through Principal Kuno's notes when your name came up..."

"Speaking of which," Hinako asked with a lilt to her voice, "Where is Principal Kuno himself? He was the one who first made the inquiries about me, was he not? I was expecting him to meet with me today..."

"Oh, ah...he took ill, rather suddenly," Hiro replied, mentally amending that the illness went a lot farther back than anyone could remember, "He's convalescing. I've assumed all of his responsibilities in his absence and have the authority to make hiring decisions, pending confirmation by the school board." He silently amended that he wished the senior Kuno a very LONG convalescence at the institution that his son had him committed.7

"That's good," Hinako leaned forward, showing off a better angle of her cleavage, "Then you're the man I should be coming to from now on, right?"

"Hah?" Hiro asked blankly.

"For any difficulties that I might encounter," she amended, as if that had been her first intention, though her smile suggested otherwise.

"Uh...yes, of course," Hiro sobered himself up by thoughts of what his wife might do to him should she discover that he was taking such an interest in a younger woman.

"Good," she sat back in her chair and gave him a rueful smirk, "But before you do hire me, I'm afraid that I must come clean about something. It's what I have to explain to all of my prospective employers about my peculiar...condition."

"Er...nani?" Hiro had only been able to stay focused on part of what she had been saying. It was the seriousness of her tone that made his mind snap back to the present.

"You see..." she started to say when Hiro thought his eyes were suddenly playing tricks on him, because it appeared as if she were suddenly...shrinking? "...Though I am an adult and legally of age to teach, I do not always look my age..." her voice went up in pitch, and suddenly she appeared quite childish, "In fact, this is what I normally look like. Surprised?"

"H-Huh?" Hiro adjusted his glasses, trying to make sense of Hinako's sudden de-  
aging! A sudden sense that he had been lusting over a cute adolescent nearly sent him into a panic, for one thing Hiro was not was a pedophile!

"I'm not really a little kid," she smiled up at him with a very kawaii expression that belied her statement, "It's just that the technique I practice stunts my normal growth so that I only look like an adult after I've drained battle auras. The Happo Five-Yen Satsu has had that effect on me, but because of my technique I can put down even the worst juvenile delinquents and..."

A knocking on the door to his office caused Hiro to jolt back in his chair and say, "Yes?"

"Sir," one of the teaching assistants who had stayed after hours to help clean up poked her head in through the door, "We've got a problem in the corridors! That old man who was raiding the girl's locker rooms this morning is back, only I think he brought a younger cousin or something..."

Hiro heaved a sigh. Why him? Being in charge meant having to deal with these peculiar situations, but it was easy to see how Kuno Godai had been driven mad in the first place!

"A delinquent is in the hallways?" Hinako pushed out of her chair and turned to look at the teachers aid, "Show me where he is!"

The aide blinked her eyes upon being so curtly addressed by a girl who did not appear old enough to even be in High School. Seeing her blank stare caused Hinako to huff and push past her, storming out of the office before Vice Principal Hiro could say anything about the matter.

"Wait!" he cried, thinking of his own encounter with the wizened old pervert on the previous day, "It's too dangerous! You might be hurt!"

He rushed out of his office, followed closely by the teacher's aide, only to find Hinako taking a firm stance as she glared in the direction of a fast-moving figure that had a sack of lingerie slung over his shoulder.

"What a haul, what a haul!" the old man was saying.

"Halt delinquent!" Hinako said dramatically, and began to perform the Happo Five Yen Satsu.

Happosai was just complimenting himself of deciding to use his natural form instead of his new cursed identity in order to raid this "treasury" after hours. The laundry room that was used to wash the sweaty outfits of the women had been ripe for the plucking, and now that he had molested several of the lady teachers he had encountered he felt charged up and ready to return to the dojo and have a serious chat with the "Old Woman."

The thought of the word "Old" brought a chuckle to his face. She was exactly the same as he remembered her so very, very long ago! She had fooled him with her disguise, but Happosai had revealed her secret and now knew that Cologne was as beautiful and ageless as any Cherry tree in full bloom. She would pay for deceiving him, he vowed, by rewarding him with what he most desired of her-a hug! The thought of glomping onto her chest brought a secret pleasure to his expression, and he almost did not look where he was going until he was almost upon the little girl performing the coin-trick. A flash of recognition came too late as he suddenly felt the spell take effect as hie aura drained away, leaving him weaker than a kitten.

"H-H-Hinako...chan...?" he managed to gasp, too faint for her ears to pick up over the roar of his draining.

Vice Principal Hiro and his companion gave a sharp intake of breath as Hinako filled out once more, resuming her full voluptuous height and dimensions before she placed a slippered foot on the shriveled up old man and declared, "Behold the terrifying power of the Anything Goes Happo Five-Yen Satsu! You were a fool to think that you could challenge me, delinquent, but now you know better."

Vice Principal Hiro gasped as he suddenly comprehended that this was the technique that Hinako had been referring to before...a truly awesome and terrifying power that gave her an incredible edge against even so dangerous a character as the Old Pervert. Draining their Battle Auras caused her to change into this vision of the Heavenly Kami before him, and with the number of dangerous martial artists in Furinkan, it meant that she would probably be changing often, which meant...

He managed to maintain his dignity and composure, adjusted his tie to relieve the tightness there and asked, "How soon can you begin teaching?"

"As soon as you like," Hinako smiled coyly over her shoulder, "I rather thought that little demonstration would convince you."

"Oh yes...it was...most convincing," Hiro swallowed once again, oblivious to the glare that the teacher's aide was giving him upon recognizing his behavior.

"Tomorrow then," Hinako said as she turned to saunter away, "No sense wasting precious time that could be better spent getting to know my students."

"Oh, quite," Hiro smiled, anticipating the day that was to come as he mentally ran down the list of Hinako's potential victims.

Hinako turned to leave, as did the others, forgetting all about the withered old man lying prone upon the floor, which allowed him to crawl off by himself until he found a source of cold water and could splash himself, changing forms to that of his youthful self, which partially restored him.

"Hinako-chan..." he whispered, then with a look of determination he declared, "I must warn the boy, otherwise Ranma-san will never know what hit him..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I stood there feeling the effects of one too many surprises in a single day. My father had a spine? That was almost as shocking as seeing Akane sprout wings and turn into an Angel!

Seeing him square off in preparation to battle with that Amazon was an experience that I don't quite know how to classify, because the most I had ever seen Daddy do was work out with Akane, and that only sporadically when he thought that she needed a few pointers. I had seen Silk working out with Comb and I knew that she was very good, even without that silvery flute she carries around as her primary weapon. Here she was preparing to fight with my father without it, bare-handed, which I guess was kind of like handicapping herself for his sake, but I could tell from the way she posed herself that she was very, very good, and quite knowledgeable about the part since she combined aspects of both a warrior and a Lore Master together. I could tell just by looking at her that she already had Daddy's number and would likely be playing with him from the moment hostilities were commenced.

Of course I was also concerned about the motives of my nominal Sensei for allowing this to happen. Lotion clearly knew something that I didn't know about the situation, but there being no chance to ask her what she knew I had no choice but to stand on the sidelines and watch as Daddy and the Amazon went through the motions of exchanging salutes. Daddy's bow was traditionally short and formal, but Silk's was a more elaborate affair worthy of a ballet dancer, rising up to stand on one-leg while slowly moving her arms so that one was pointed straight up at the sky, the other directed at daddy before she brought her leg down, slow and sensual-like, to stand in a fighting crouch, as nimble as a panther.

Her smile was predatory, but then again I've noticed that Silk likes to smile a lot, so you have to read by shades and degrees the type of smile she adopts to get a glimpse of her true motives.

Like that the fight began with Silk moving smoothly from one leg to the next, her slippered feet making light contact with the ground as she made a slow circular motion, as if trying to come around at Daddy from an angular direction. My father countered by making less graceful motions of turning to meet her face-  
forward, and he did not rush to attack right away but seemed to be studying her for openings. He clearly had respect for Silk's fighting potential and was not about to take her for granted.

I noticed Akane coming up to join me out of the corner of my eye, and Ukyo moving up beside her with the Amazons following suit. I didn't turn around when my younger sister asked, "What is Daddy doing sparring with her? Doesn't he know what could happen?"

"He knows, child," Elder Lotion replied in a tone that almost sounded like it implied a "Wait until you're older" hidden context.

"Sure hope you're right," I heard Ukyo exclaim sympathetically, "Sure taking their time getting to it, though..."

"You think so?" the Pink-haired warrior who had the curious name of Ambergris replied, "Look closer. From where I stand they're sizing each other up and will make probing thrusts at any moment."

Sure enough, Silk broke the impasse by launching an aggressive attack that looked to me like an acrobatic forward-roll that culminated with a solid kick to Daddy's chest. My father almost managed to brace himself as he was knocked backwards several meters, but to my surprise he rolled with the impact and came back to his feet with a handspring, then resumed his guard with a look of determination that I can't even remember ever seeing in his eyes until then. When Silk tried to press her advantage he laid into her with a series of punches and kicks that drove her back and temporarily put her on the defensive. Silk avoided his thrusts but was unable to penetrate his guard when she tried darting around to flank him. Daddy's longer reach and superior strength held the Lore Master at bay while the two of them darted about the yard exchanging blows, very few of them connecting.

"Wow," I heard Ranma exclaim, "Your Pop's not holding anything back! It's like he's trying to hit her or something, but I didn't think he was the type."

"Oh my," Kasumi added her own observation, "Father hasn't fought like this in ages! The only time I ever saw him look like that was when he was sparring with Mother."

"Indeed," Kodachi noted as I was just starting to react to that last statement, "A true warrior, your father, and here I had thought him merely retired. I never suspected he was this good..."

"Neither did I," noted Comb at our sides, "He wasn't even like this back in the days when I knew him. He was always too scared to fight with Silk, like he could seriously hurt her."

"Maybe he's just grown up and faced the facts," Atsuko chimed in, "Women are the superior breed, after all, or isn't that what you Amazons are always saying?"

I was spared the need to make a sardonic comment when I saw Daddy rush in and surprise Silk with an attack that was as sudden as it was explosive. She raised her arms and blocked the kick, but enough force penetrated to throw her half the length of the yard before she landed on both feet, barely hurt but looking more than a bit shaken. Yet for some damned reason when she straightened up all I could see that she was still smiling.

"Very good," she complimented, raising one leg as she assumed what I thought was a classic crane stance, "You've improved a lot, Soun-chan."

"Thank you," Daddy said as he raised her fists in preparation of launching another attack, "So have you."

That was the only intermission or exchange of words they gave during the whole fight, and in the next instant Silk launched her own impressive onslaught, the wind picking up around her and spinning her like a top as she seemed to actually fly across the distance separating her and Daddy, spinning her body as she launched a kick that knocked him sideways, which she followed up with a backward-reverse dragon stamp that doubled Daddy over.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt," I heard Atsuko comment, "Another few inches lower and Soun-san would be singing soprano."

"Don't worry," I heard Comb grunted, "Knowing Silk, that's the LAST place she's going to hit him. After all, she wants him fully operational for later."

I scowled as I considered the implications of this while Daddy was busy fending off a flurry of kicks that were coming at him so fast that they almost sounded like a drum-roll. Silk was driving him to the edge of the yard and had only a few inches to go before he would go bouncing off the nearest section of wall there, but to my surprise he absorbed the punishment and managed to catch one of Silk's ankles when she was a bit too slow in retracting her leg. Like a flash he spun her around and drove her into the wall, but Silk caught her momentum with two fingers and rebounded backwards, delivering an upward-reverse razor kick that forced Daddy to release her.

The minute Daddy staggered back the Amazon was ready to rush him, but the moment she came within arms reach he reacted with a speed that was quite surprising, given that I'd never have suspected him of having such low animal cunning. It turned out the supposed opening he gave her was merely a feint, and the moment Silk got within arms-reach he fell backwards and gripped her by the forearms, planting a foot in her chest as he rocked onto his shoulders, propelling the Amazon into an airborne tumble whose trajectory seemed inevitably the Koi pond.

To our collective surprise, Silk managed an incredible acrobatic twist of her body and came down with her feet barely poised upon the edge of the pond, her posture as poised as if she were choreographing her own dance steps. Daddy took advantage of the fact that she had no where to retreat and sought to rush her again, but Silk moved without seeming to and Daddy went right by her and into the pond, splashing with the fishes.

"Heh," we heard her say, "Don't tell me you never saw that coming?"

To our surprise (especially Silk's) Daddy's hand emerged from the pond and grasped Silk by one ankle, causing her to gasp in surprise before she was rudely yanked off-balance to land on top of him, where he proceeded to wrap his arms around in a hug. Silk fought to free herself but his size and strength gave him the advantage in the water, so she desisted at length and said, "Not bad...that was sneaky."

"Thank you," Daddy replied, letting her go, "It would seem that we're both wet. I suggest we postpone the rest of this until we change into dry clothes."

I saw her smile turn impish as she suggestively leered, "I'd be willing to continue without clothes if you wouldn't mind it, Soun-chan?"

"Hah?" Daddy's face took on a stunned expression, giving her the opening to turn and kiss him, which further left him dumbstruck.

"Don't worry," she said when their lips parted, "That wasn't the Kiss of death or marriage, that was just practice."

"Hah?" Daddy replied, even less coherent than ever.

Comb left our side and stalked over to the Koi pond, placed her hands on her hips and scowled down at Silk as if she were an angry older sister, declaring, "I hope you're satisfied! Just what the hell was the point of all of that? Supposing grandmother had seen the two of you carrying on like a pair of overaged adolescents?"

"We meant no harm," Daddy replied with a sheepish expression, coming out of his daze to give Shampoo's mother a look worthy of a schoolboy.

"Come on, where's your sense of fun?" Silk teased her fellow Amazon, "There was no harm done, and it was only practice."

"Practice?" Comb snorted, "Practicing for what? That looked serious enough to me, and even though there wasn't a clear victor here, you can just imagine what grandmother would say..."

"And what would I say?" asked a certain young-seeming Matriarch, who just happened to put in an appearance at that moment.

"Huh?" Comb whirled to stare at the blue-black haired woman at her side, "Who are you?"

"You don't recognize me?" Cologne said with obvious amusement, "I'm disappointed...granddaughter."

"Granddaughter?" Shampoo's mother scowled, "Where do you get off calling me that? Are you a member of our clan? I don't recognize you from any of our neighboring villages..."

"Comb," Silk said softly, "That's the Matriarch, your grandmother."

"Huh?" Comb glanced back down at Silk, who was just then climbing out of the Koi pond, "What are you talking about? She doesn't look a thing like grandmother!"

"Nevertheless I am," Cologne said with a dignity that implied her many years, an impression totally undermined by her youthful voice and appearance.

There was a slight pause before Comb said again, "Oh wait...is this some joke you're playing on me? Another one of your damned illusions, Atsuko?"

"Hardly," Atsuko chimed, "It's got nothing to do with me whatsoever."

"Pull the other one," Comb clearly scoffed, "I'm not taking your word at face value, Oni!"

"You should try it for once, granddaughter," Cologne said with a hint of impatience in her voice, "In spite of appearances I am indeed Cologne, your Matriarch and Clan Elder."

"No really," Comb gave a smug look at Cologne and said, "Who are you really?"

Cologne heaved a sigh and said, "I was hoping you wouldn't force me to do this, but..."

Cologne stepped forward, moving so fast that even I could barely register the movement. In her natural form she stands about as tall as Shampoo, which means that Comb dwarfs her grandmother by a good twenty centimeters, and I'd guess maybe ten-to-fifteen kilos, all of which proved academic as the tall warrior-  
turned-healer suddenly went flying backwards into the very section of wall that Daddy had nearly planted Silk, and the impact was so great that it looked like a spider-web had radiated behind her. Comb merely appeared stunned for a moment, but she pushed herself away from the wall, staggered forward for two steps, then fell to her knees but managed to retain consciousness in spite of what must have been one very massive headache!

"G-Grandmother?" she gasped, clearly rattled.

"Mother!" cried both of Shampoo's younger sisters as they rushed up to join their mother while their father looked on with a hint of displeasure.

"A bit excessive, wasn't that, Grandmother?" he asked in a calmer tone of voice than I would have expected.

"Your wife is a strong woman," Cologne said somberly, "I know her limits even better than she knows herself, and that little love-tap wouldn't even rattle her teeth. It's just that she occasionally needs to be reminded to keep a civil tongue in her head when addressing her elders."

"You no call do that!" Shampoo declared angrily, "You no touch Shampoo mother again or answer to Shampoo!"

"Oh really?" Cologne asked as she eyed my Purple-haired iinazuke, "I thought we were no longer on speaking terms. Does this mean you intend to challenge me for the title of Matriarch, Shampoo?"

"..." was all Shampoo would say for several seconds, but then her lovely face clouded up in a scowl and she turned her back on the formerly old woman, declaring, "Hmph! Shampoo no care about titles! Former great-grandmother do as like, it mean nothing to Shampoo. Shampoo no longer hear you."

I thought I caught a look of pain crossing Cologne's own expression, and her shoulders sagged considerably before she partially turned away, "I see...so that means you don't want to hear the news regarding those bottles of Jusenkyo water I went to fetch."

In spite of her angry expression, Shampoo did half turn at that and eyed her nominal "Elder" with a curious expression.

"What do you mean?" Ukyo spoke up, "What about the water? Do you have it?"

"I'm sorry," Cologne's expression fell even further, "I went to fetch it but was...briefly distracted. By the time I arrived at the Nekohanten and could check on the hiding place where I secured the last two bottles I found that they were gone and this...was in their place."

We all craned our necks to see the single white feather that she clutched by the stem between her fingers. None of us needed to go rush for a handbook on bird watching to recognize it as a duck feather. A duck feather, of course, meaning Mousse!

"Oh my," I heard Aunt Nodoka speak up, breaking the sudden silence, "Does this mean Ranma won't be able to be cured of his Jusenkyo curse?"

I saw surprise flash into Cologne's eyes as she studied the concerned expression on Nodoka's face, then softly she said, "I'm afraid there is little hope of it at this point. Without the water your son cannot change back into a full man, and if Mousse has the bottle he has undoubtedly already used it upon himself, assuming the half-blind fool could read the labels and select the right bottle..."

"WHAT?" Ranma blurted out, his expression as stunned as if a cat had just walked over his grave, "He did what?"

"He stole my Jusenkyo bottles?" Ukyo suddenly had her spatula in hand and seemed prepared to flatten somebody on general principals, "That-JACKASS! Doesn't he have any idea what I had to go through to get those bottles?"

"Worse still," Ambergris added, "What anybody might have to go through to obtain another."

Without me knowing quite why, I could not help but notice that the Amazon named Perfume was grimacing as her compatriot said this.

"Mousse thinks only of one thing, when he thinks at all," noted Silk as she accepted a towel handed her by Kasumi, "Obtaining Shampoo's hand in marriage. Anything that can be used towards that end..."

"Is automatically seen as justified," Elder Lotion finished for her, "Regardless of whom it might inconvenience."

"Then we have no choice," Uncle Genma spoke up, "We have to find that boy and rescue those bottles!"

"You wouldn't happen to be thinking about using one of them on yourself?" I asked suspiciously, distrusting this sudden burst of altruism on his part.

"Ah, well..." Ranma's father began when he saw the looks that Ranma, Shampoo and I was giving him, not to mention the rest of those present.

"This is my fault," Ryoga suddenly spoke up, turning to Ranma, "If you hadn't given me that last bottle..."

"Hey, you needed it more than I did," Ranma replied, then amended, "Sort-of."

"Is this true?" Aunt Nodoka asked, "Ranma...did you give the bottle meant for you to your half brother?"

"Ah..." Ranma blinked, "Well...he-uh-sorta looked funny with a half-cure he got from using only one bottle, Mom, and if I'd taken one it might have only half-  
cured me instead of all the way..."

He got no further than this before his mother threw her arms around him and hugged Ranma to her chest, proclaiming, "My son is so MANLY!"

"Hey, what about my son?" Atsuko said stoutly, "Ryo-chan's manly enough to admit he owes your son a favor."

"Er, actually, I'd say we were about even," Ranma amended as he stepped back from his mother looking acutely embarrassed, flushing like a beet while running a hand across the back of his head, "Since I'm sorta the one who kinda accidentally got him cursed in the first place..."

"But you did what was right," Nodoka could not stop beaming, making Silk almost look taciturn, "And with no thought for yourself! I'm so proud of you, Ranma, you make your mother so happy!"

"Good grief," I heard Akane murmur faintly, and for once she and I were in total agreement.

I saw Comb approach and the rest of our merry group all turned heads to see what she would be doing next as she eyed Cologne up and down carefully before saying, "Grandmother? No offense, but...I don't remember you being quite like this..."

"Blame it on Happosai," Cologne said with ruffled dignity, "On account of him I'm stuck looking like this."

Comb blinked her eyes, shook her head and said, "I'm not even going to ask. Of course you know what the other Council members will think if they see you like this."

Cologne's eyes narrowed sharply with suspicion, "And that is?"

"That you look young enough to be my daughter," Comb replied, "And that you're hardly in keeping with the reputation of an Elder."

"Do you wish another trip to the wall?" Cologne asked in a dangerously even tone of voice.

"I'm not challenging you, Grandmother," Comb made a gesture to show her hands were empty, "I'm just wondering how you intend to explain this one to the Council."

That deflated the old-um-formerly older woman, who leaned on her staff and replied, "Obviously that could be a problem."

"Cheer up," Comb grinned in a way that was hardly sympathetic, "Tell you what, let's go find and tavern and I'll buy you a drink. Oh wait...you'll be carded, won't you? Well then, we'll just have to make up some fake ID and explain that you're a cousin. You're good at faking things, deception comes second nature. Of course there is a bright side to this..."

"Which is?" Cologne replied in a tone that as much as said, "I'm not going to enjoy this."

"Maybe they'll give you discount rates at theaters," Comb started laughing at her own joke but was careful to put distance between herself and Cologne as she took her husband by the arms and waved for the Olsen Twins to come join her.

Rather than retaliate directly against the purple haired healer, Cologne leaned on her staff and said, "I'm never going to hear the end of this, will I?"

"Do you truly wish a prediction on that subject?" Elder Lotion asked with matter-of-fact humor.

"Some things are too predictable," Cologne replied as she started to turn away.

"Hey wait!" Ukyo spoke up, "What about Mousse and my Jusenkyo water? Are we gonna let him get away with it?"

"Not at all," Cologne replied as she eyed Kuonji, "But first we must track him down before we can mete justice for his...numerous indiscretions. I wish to see him brought to heel as much as any of you, but he is too elusive to make for an easy hunt, unless some clue turns up that Perfume may uncover."

"Perfume understand," the brown haired Amazon nodded, "Perfume find stupid Mousse, then him be duck flamb !" she flexed her arms and I almost jumped, for suddenly she was sporting a pair of whopping big axes.

"It is good for you to volunteer, child," Cologne acknowledged, which really sounded odd coming from her, "But will you be as eager to follow his trail knowing that he has Jusenkyo water?"

I saw the brown haired girl's eyes go wide, and I started to wonder what her big hang up was about Jusenkyo. I wanted to ask Shampoo, but when I turned to look for her she was no longer at my side. I looked around and saw her sitting down on the steps of the dojo some fifteen meters away from where we were standing. I touched Ranma's arm and nodded in her direction. Without needing any more than this between us we slipped away from the crowd and sought out our Sham-  
chan, finding her unusually subdued as she barely lifted her gaze to acknowledge our approach.

"Hey, Shampoo," Ranma said with his typical, "Let's blurt everything out" approach to opening conversations, "What's up? Why the long face?"

"Ailen," her mouth barely quipped a smile before turning melancholy, "Is Mousse...he go too far this time. Him take Jusenkyo water that no belong to him, use Nanniichuan on self, but why Nyaniichuan? Only thing Shampoo think he need cursed girl water for is to bribe Shampoo, offer water for marriage."

"What?" I could feel Ranma's temper flare, as the implications struck home for the both of us, "No way. That ain't gonna happen!"

"Shampoo know this," she replied sadly, "Amazon law say Mousse challenge Ailen when marriage no be full marriage, can no challenge Ailen when marriage is full marriage...no when Ailen is still alive."

"Huh?" I replied intelligently, translating what she had just said into proper Japanese, "Full marriage? You mean when...oh!"

"Oh?" Ranma looked at me, then at Shampoo, then back again, "Oh what?"

"Silly Ranma," there was that fleeting smile on Shampoo's lips again, "What you think we do last night? Is part of marriage that make marriage..." she paused, "How you say?"

"Official?" I suggested, turning to Ranma and explaining, "She's means Consummated, Ranma-kun, as in you, me, her in bed, doing it together."

"Huh?" he blinked his eyes in a really cute way, then comprehension dawned like the sun over his face (even though it was more properly a sunset) and he said, "Oh...!"

"And once a marriage is consummated," I turned back to Shampoo to continue, "It's not possible for it to be dissolved unless one or both of us is dead...right?"

"Is true," Shampoo lowered her eyes, "That mean Mousse no longer just try defeat Ailen but now he have to try..." she did not continue, nor did she have to.

"So," I replied, "Instead of a myopic, violent tempered and obsessive duck-boy who wants to beat us up and take you for himself, we've got a crazed homicidal nut-case who may or may not be cured of his Jusenkyo curse, and who wants to force you to marry him by holding the Nyaniichuan water hostage, and he wants me and Ranma out of the picture."

"Him no need Nabiki gone," Shampoo replied without looking him, "Him only need Ranma. Can marry more than one wife, and if he beat Nabiki he force Shampoo do bidding. Shampoo no want Nabiki hurt, and him know that."

"Hah, over my dead body!" Ranma declared in such an emphatic way that it caused the both of us to look at him with matching dubious expressions, to which he replied, "What?" clearly missing the irony of his statement.

"You no take Mousse for granted, Ranma," Shampoo said with a touch of real anger, "Mousse very dangerous, no have Japanese sense of honor. Him want prove better man in fight, but just as happy if he no have to risk being made look bad. If Mousse want win bad enough, he no give warning..."

"You mean he'd try to ambush Ranma-kun?" I felt myself blanching, "No way! That's not going to happen!"

"Shampoo wish she as certain," Shampoo hugged her knees and rested her chin atop them, "Ranma strongest male fighter Shampoo ever see, defeat Mousse as both girl and boy, Mousse no like that. Him have pride, not take defeat like good sport. Law no say he need to, but he like Amazon that lose to outsider woman, give Kiss of Death if need to."

"What, you mean kiss Ranma?" I blurted, then our man and me exchanged looks and by mutual agreement said, EWWWWWW!"

"Shampoo never be rid of stupid Mousse," our Amazon bride said miserably, "Shampoo no want doom Ailen, but either Mousse keep coming back or he be made to stop, and Shampoo no think she can do this."

"What?" Ranma asked, "You mean...?"

Shampoo looked at him and said, "Ranma, you kill before?"

I saw Ranma blink, and then he said, "Uh...no, but what's that got...?"

"Shampoo no kill either," Shampoo replied, "Train kill all life, but when Shampoo told to kill outsider girl, she no kill her. Shampoo chase Ranma all over China, no want kill girl, no even when come to Japan and try kill her. Then Shampoo find out Ranma really man, is good no kill, Shampoo very happy, but then Ranma try trick Shampoo, make her think he really girl, and Shampoo very angry, angry enough maybe finally kill...but Shampoo no kill. Shampoo see fear in Ranma eyes no want kill, no can make self kill, better return to China and face punishment of Elders."

Ranma stood very still and absorbed this for maybe fifteen seconds before he said, "You mean...all that time you were chasing me around threatening to kill me...and you didn't really want to do it?"

"Shampoo never want kill in first place," Shampoo got to her feet but kept her head downcast, "Is law of Amazons, Shampoo try obey. Is many time Shampoo think she kill Ranma in sleep, or when he no see her, or when is closing in, but Ranma very fast, very skilled, and Shampoo hesitate, give Ranma chance to get away. Shampoo think maybe she no can kill, no even in anger. Shampoo ask self if can kill now, but Shampoo no want kill Mousse either. Mousse is very annoying, threaten Ailen, make Shampoo angry. He never leave Shampoo alone, no let Shampoo near other boy her age, make Shampoo feel like cow is branded, but Mousse no strong enough to beat her. Make Shampoo look bad in front of other warriors, they laugh behind Shampoo back, say Shampoo hide behind sleeve of man. Mousse make Shampoo very angry, angry enough to beat up Mousse for making Shampoo life so hard! Shampoo try no be nice to stupid Mousse, try drive him away, but he no listen! He no ever listen!"

"And you don't feel like you can do anything about it?" I surmised, grasping the cause of her inner sense of conflict.

"No," Shampoo hugged herself and her eyes became shadowed, "When Shampoo young girl she first see Mousse pick on by other boys, she stop them, tell them leave Mousse alone, Mousse hug Shampoo and say she hero. Shampoo feel nice and say Mousse is friend. But then stupid Mousse hug pig because Shampoo say he have nice eyes, and him no wear glasses he think it make him look handsome. Him hug pig and say, 'Love Shampoo,' but Shampoo stand to one side and see this, get very angry he think pig is Shampoo. Shampoo beat up Mousse and leave him in road, but next day he come running after Shampoo, hug tree and call Shampoo. Shampoo get very tired this, tell Mousse leave her alone, but he no listen! He never listen!"

"You mean all this time he's been chasing after you because you once did something nice for him?" Ranma shook his head and growled, "He really is an idiot!"

"Obsessive and compulsive," I said, "And Anti-social. I take it his following you around is not a typical part of Amazon culture?"

"No," Shampoo shook her head slowly, "In Amazon village everyone fight, even men learn to fight, is good for when they challenge warrior and try become husband. Some no good fighting, find other thing they is good at. Mousse very good fighter, learn secret Amazon technique of black magic, hidden weapons fight, turn weakness to advantage..."

"Weakness?" Ranma asked, "You mean his eyesight?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo nodded, "Mousse no see good when close to object, see very good he stand away many paces. Shampoo hear mother use word for far-sighted...A stick-astig..."

"Astigma," I supplied, thinking a moment before I added, "So, he's not really blind, he just has his eyes out of focus for anything up close to him. If he can see things perfectly clearly when he's over ten meters away then distance fighting is the perfect form to use..."

"That Crane stance of his is pretty good too," I heard Ranma comment, "He's got a lot of reach, and Crane's perfect for striking at somebody who isn't standing too close to you. He probably knows a few other tricks that work around his near-blindness, only I wonder why he never took Blind Fighting? You'd think that would be perfect for him."

"Mousse vain," Shampoo explained, "Think he no have problem as bad as is. Is like telling Ryoga he need map find way, he no believe he wrong go other way. Very stubborn, is pride like other warrior we know."

"Yeah?" Ranma asked, "Who's that?" once again demonstrating just how blind he can be to irony, though I think he took the hint when he saw the both of us smile in his direction.

"Mousse is problem," Shampoo resumed, looking down, "Him no give up and Shampoo no want hurt him. Mousse no evil, just stupid, but him dangerous man, and because he no give up, and Shampoo no want him dead..."

"Then your problem is solved," a voice cut into our private conversation, "I'll take care of him for you."

The three of us turned to see the pink-haired warrior named Ambergris standing close to our position, only now she had a naginata in one hand and was leaning on it, her one visible eye regarding us neutrally in the gathering twilight.

"Amber?" Shampoo asked softly, "Why you say this?"

"Because Mousse is obviously a problem to you," the pink haired girl replied, "A problem you want eliminated, though you won't come right out and say it. I can fix your problem for you, if you'll let me."

"How?" Shampoo asked, narrowing her eyes as I saw her eye the other girl with clear suspicion.

"As I see it, you have one of three choices," the girl named Ambergris replied, "Either kill Mousse to remove him as a problem, or you could defeat him and force him to renounce all claims on you now and forever. You could, of course, cripple him for good measure, thus insuring he never recovers to be a problem, but somehow I don't see you going for that option. You always were a soft one, Shampoo, just one of many things I've always liked about you."

"You're offering to kill Mousse?" I asked, "And what do you get out of it?"

"The satisfaction that I've removed an obstacle to Shampoo's happiness," Ambergris informed us, giving me a slight smirk as she looked me over, then continued, "Only I don't think killing Mousse is quite what Shampoo has in mind. If she had the will to kill she would have done it already. The Gods know you've had enough opportunities over the years, but that just isn't your way, so that leaves one other option."

"And that is?" Ranma asked.

"The Xi Fang Gaio," she replied as if it were a perfectly obvious solution, "You don't kill Mousse, you kill his memories of you, or make it hard for him to remember you. I know that would be a strain for his little pea brain, but somehow I'm sure the neurons would re-rout and adjust themselves to having to spend more than five minutes thinking all about you..."

"Is good suggestion," Shampoo frowned, "Why Shampoo never think use this before?"

"Maybe because deep down it flatters you to think that there is this guy who'd do anything to please you," Ambergris inclined her head as she continued to smile, "Only now it's gone beyond funny to super-annoying. Of course I don't know the Xi Fang Giao myself, but if you're willing to teach me, I can learn the basics."

"Is no easy thing learn," Shampoo frowned more deeply, "You want learn technique? Is why you ask, be so helpful?"

"That's partly the reason," Ambergris replied, "The Technique is sacred to the Amazons, and you're one of only a very few people who know how to perform it correctly. The Matriarch is one of the others, only she won't be returning soon to Joketsuzoku, not while she's trapped looking like one of her own descendents. You, on the other hand, have already established roots here, so there is a very good chance that the Technique could fall out of our possession, which would be a problem. Of course if you don't really want to entrust me with the technique, then I could immobilize Mousse for you while you apply the Xi Fang Giao on him."

"Is good plan," Shampoo said, "But as Shampoo Ailen say, what in it for you?"

"Not bad," I saw a look not of displeasure but approval in the other girl's single eye, "You're starting to learn. I think this junior Lore Master must be a good influence on you, the old Shampoo was much too trusting. In answer to your question, though, there is one thing I want from you, Shampoo...satisfaction."

"Satisfaction?" Ranma asked blankly, which pretty much mirrored my own thought on the subject as I was certain she wasn't thinking of the Gaijin song by that title.

"Two years ago we fought a battle," Ambergris replied, flipping back her hair to expose the right half of her face (which didn't look too bad as the scar was less visible in the dim lighting, "I lost, you won, and as a consequence I've carried this reminder. I'm no longer angry at you for scarring me, and I was clearly in the wrong, having violated your trust in spirit if not by intention, so I'm not asking this out of anger or a need for personal vengeance. I just want to test how good we've both gotten in the last two years, to prove to myself that I've become better than you are, that I'm the better warrior who should be the new Tribal Champion."

"You want title?" Shampoo sniffed, "Go home, fight for it. Shampoo no longer care about titles, except she wife of Ailen."

"It's not that simple," Ambergris said soberly, "I need to know for a fact that I am the best, and you're the best there is, short of your husband here. I need to test myself against the Amazon whom other Amazons measure themselves against and determine if, in fact, I am as good as I believe myself to be. I ask this in the name of our former friendship, and because I've missed sparring against you. No one ever pushed me to my limits the way you could, Shampoo, and I can't go back to China until I know for a fact that you have given me a shot for your title."

"You want this so much?" Shampoo asked in clear surprise.

"Enough that I'm willing to resort to any means to encourage you to say yes," Ambergris replied, "Things I'd rather not say as I don't want to risk hurting your feelings."

"What you say that upset Shampoo?" our Amazon love said in a huff, folding her arms as she declared, "Shampoo no want stand in way if Amber think she good enough become Tribal Champion. Is no Shampoo business after find out truth about great grandmother."

"Then you don't mind that I've been sleeping with Lotion?" the pink-haired girl asked coyly.

For a moment I thought Shampoo was ignoring the question, but then she turned a suspicious glance towards Ambergris and ask, "How often?"

"Oh, about half a year, before I decided I needed to travel," the pink-haired girl remarked as if speaking on a purely neutral topic, "We were pretty close after I saved her life and she repaired the damage to my face. She was grateful to me, of course...very grateful...but after a while I came to think it was more than gratitude that she was feeling."

I shot a glance at Shampoo, seeing her scowl again though she was not looking towards Ambergris. When she didn't say anything the pink-haired warrior continued, "Of course when I was first giving into her charms I had a thought that I was really doing it to get even with you, thinking how jealous you would be, but after a while I started to feel bad about that, like I was betraying you again. Of course Lotion convinced me to let go of my anger and hate, convinced me of a lot of things in point of fact and..."

"You want fight," Shampoo gave Ambergris a hard stare, "Name time and place, Shampoo be there."

"Thank you," the other girl nodded once, "And I'm sorry I mentioned it. Please disregard what I said. Lotion thought constantly of you the first few months that we were in the village of the Sleeping Woman, and if she had known how much you were fretting about her she would have been at your side in a second..."

"Shampoo think Amber full of it," Shampoo snorted, "But Shampoo accept challenge any way. We fight and prove which of us better warrior, then you make Lotion very happy, unless Shampoo cousin steal her from you?"

"You think I'm afraid of having competition?" Ambergris's grin was infectious, "I think Perfume's already made her play, and I wish them both the best of happiness, but I'm still going to kick your ass right after you finish with your classes tomorrow afternoon."

"We see about that," Shampoo sniffed, but for some reason she did not seem displeased at the prospect of an impending fight between the two of them. Ambergris nodded to both of us and took her leave just then, catching up with Comb and her family as she and the rest of the Amazon troop headed for our family gates, to later congregate in the Nekohanten. Silk was the only one who languished behind, and I caught a glimpse of her chatting with my father.

"Well," Ranma said after a full minute had elapsed, "That was really something."

"It was at that," I said in agreement, then turned and eyed Shampoo coyly as I said, "Shampoo...just when were you planning to tell us all about your 'friend,' Lotion?"

"Ah...?" I saw Shampoo's expression go blank, and then for the first time ever she demonstrated signs of actual embarrassment. As Ranma and I continued to look towards her she gave a short, nervous laugh and replied, "Is good question...and Shampoo mean tell Ailen about lost Shampoo love...is just...very long story..."

"So?" I asked, "We're not going anywhere at the moment, so tell us."

"Yeah," Ranma said somberly, "What's the deal with you and the blue haired chick anyway? Are you still interested, and if not, then why were you acting like that a minute ago, huh?"

"Ah...aiyaa," Shampoo murmured faintly, and we knew for a fact that she was a very nervous kitty...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Summer Classes are ending: shadowmane

The full, unfettered story of Shampoo and Lotion told from Shampoo's perspective, next time out...so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	64. Chapter 64

NabikiRan61 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; others)  
Chapter Sixty-One.

It was all so much clearer now, as if a fog had lifted from his brain permitting him to see to vast new horizons to which he had previously been blind. His mind was moving at lightning speeds to process information lodged deep within his brain, portions of which had been flaring to life with incredible vigor, considering that they had never previously seen usage.

Kuno practiced his sword strokes, just as he had done every day of his life since he had been old enough to hold a wooden bokken, five hundred perfect strokes at each of the cardinal points before working on his sword-katas until the motions were flawless and perfectly coordinated. He had performed this routine so long and well that it now went beyond effortless to that place where motions required no thought and little effort, which was a good thing in a way as before the current situation had arisen he had little thought to spare beyond the kind that he needed to keep a vegetable above the evolutionary level of common plankton.

But no more...his mind was clear for the first time that he could remember, and suddenly he knew that the last eight years of his life had been wasted upon a hellish fog that had dulled his wits while causing him to fanaticize about a world made purely of his own warped perceptions. In his dream he had been a powerful warrior, invincible and without peer, like the Samurai of old who fought for noble purposes of chivalry, Bushido and honor. It was only to the rest of the world that Kuno Tatewaki had been seen as a buffoon and an annoyance, a fact that he now knew with a clarity that was utterly galling.

His ideals had been warped and perverted, his self-concept itself a hideous funhouse mirror that had concealed the pain that underlay his existence. The suicide death of his mother had been partially responsible for driving him over the edge, but the rest of it had been the work of his meddlesome sister, Kodachi, whose own warped views of the world had caused her to believe that she was ably suited to see to her brother's medication.

That was being charitable on his part, of course, for Kuno knew well that others would claim that Kodachi was, in reality, trying to poison her brother to render him unfit for inheriting the family fortune. As if a certifiable loon such as she had been manifesting was a fit candidate to represent the Kuno name before the shareholders. They both were the real trustees of their father's wealth, and that council of fools that had been appointed to run the business during his absence had taken full advantage of the Kuno siblings' drug-induced mental distraction.

But something had changed in Kodachi, causing her to cut back on feeding her brother his ration of rose-derived "medication," and this had caused Tatewaki to experience the pangs of withdrawal until his body was cleansed of the toxins, leaving him to wonder about his life and the inconsistencies of his existence.

For one thing, why was he worshipping the photographs of one Tendo Nabiki, a young lady who clearly despised him and wanted nothing to do with his affections? His old claim that she had been under the influence of another fell flat even on his ears when he tried to make sense of his obsession. The only other man who professed an interest in Akane (if one were to discard as irrelevant the legion of so-called "admirers" who had flocked to her banner for the better part of a full semester) was that clueless idiot, Hibiki Ryoga, who while arguably a great fighter was such a lowly peasant that Kuno felt him well beneath his notice.

It was true that Tendo Akane manifested grace and charm worthy of Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt, but she was also ill-tempered and high spirited like a wild and untamed creature. Kuno could admire these qualities, but he could not miss a certain erraticness in her temper that reminded him a little too much of his late mother. Akane had noble ancestry, true, but she seemed ill-used to permit any man to shower her with the lavish display of affection that Kuno had attempted. That she would walk on his pride and snub him so callously was something not to be endured, but Kuno knew himself to be at fault for he had done naught but give her a wrongful impression of his character, such as could not help but spur her against him.

And then there was the other object of his misguided devotions, his "Pig Tailed Goddess," who bore the name of Saotome Ranko. Curiously enough there was a Saotome Ranma living at the Tendo house and engaged to the middle sister, the mercenary Tendo Nabiki., but no Ranko on any of the immediate family ledgers. Add to this something Kuno had witnessed himself on several occasions but had attempted to dismiss as a drug-induced hallucination, but which subsequent research had confirmed beyond denial. Now Kuno was faced with the raw facts that would have shattered his ego entirely had he not already endured far worse hardships. His hated enemy, his redheaded goddess...what would such a thing speak of a man who had behaved in a manner so unworthy of his standing?

Kuno completed his sword-strokes and turned to execute a perfect slice that sheered through two wooden posts upon which were adorned poster-sized photographs that he had paid a small fortune to have rendered. They were his twin idol-photos of Akane and Ranko, now casualties of a rage that all but consumed him in one catharitic burst of pure temper. Kuno completed his thrust and then assumed a stance from which to salute his fallen idols. As quickly as he had summoned his anger he banished it once again, allowing the emotion to flow out of him like water, savoring the emptiness within him.

Very slowly he lowered his wooden sword, then stared down at the soil without truly seeing it. In a manner of speaking he was saying good bye to a part of himself, a self who was more shadow than substance, who had never truly been at all the man he thought himself to be. It was his childhood he was surrendering forever, a childhood torn with memories of pain and loss, yet somehow flecked with pleasant images that came unbidden, of moments when his family had been happy and together. Far too few moments since that time flowed by, were gone and discarded, leaving in their place a man who was now more truly a man than he who had stood before this. Very slowly he raised his eyes and gazed upon the coming dusk with a sense of finality, knowing that he could no longer live in the past but had to square his shoulders and life to face an uncertain future.

Then-as he had done for every night of the past week since his memories started returning-he slowly raised his sword and once again began the kata that flowed through him like a pouring river. The motions were gradually setting into his every nerve and fiber, teaching him to fight in a way that was more truly Samurai than his prior efforts, a complex weave of dynamic motions that were becoming second nature, as if a voice were speaking into his mind and filling his heart with the need for proper retribution.

Where the voice emanated from and whose motions he was copying he did not know, for he was truly beyond caring. He only knew that he felt stronger and more alive when he performed the kata, more the warrior that he had only imagined himself to be. He knew a voice was laughing somewhere in the distance, but whose voice was a mystery that would go-for the moment-unanswered. He only knew that he would become a greater man the more that he listened to the voices, for already they had awaken in him a proper understanding of the workings of the world, and had shown him what those fools in the corporation had been doing to his father's legacy, transforming him into an instrument of righteous vengeance!

The voice was wise, the voice was good, and in time Kuno would heed the voice when it demanded its fair payment. He had a score to settle, a debt of honor to fulfill, and until the day of restitution was at hand he would bide his time and grow ever stronger. One day soon they would know the man he truly was rather than the man they thought him to be, and on that day the Blue Thunder would at last know triumph.

Saotome Ranma beware...and Hibiki Ryoga...!

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

I felt trapped and cornered as I stood there trying to muster my thoughts into some form of coherent pattern, for what my wife had just asked me was an entirely fair question, but how to answer her and be entirely truthful? After all, I had just gotten done pouring out my heart confessing to my husband and wife my dark secret that mars me as a less than perfect warrior, my unwillingness to kill.

Killing is a part of what it means to be a warrior, the purpose for which we train so intensely. Great Grandmother's teachings had given me the knowledge of how to kill in a thousand different ways, and I could perform them with artistry and grace against, say, a tiger or a buffalo, a charging boar or any beast of prey...but against a human being? There I was at a loss, and I'm not truly certain why. Perhaps I lack a certain motivation, but I've known rage before, anger sufficient to motivate killing...why then did the act itself repel me? As I'd just told Ranma, the whole notion of killing his girl-half had been so odious that it had caused me to fail repeatedly in my efforts.

At first I had dismissed my false attempts as the work of fortune, for Ranma was certainly blessed by the gods to be able to elude me, and luck was certainly with him that great grandmother herself had resolved to leave matters in my hands rather than come along to supervise me then, as she did later. That month-long chase across the length and breadth of China would certainly have puzzled her as I was wasting too much time and drawing farther beyond the reach of our village.

Of course I had wanted to be free from the life I had been living, the constant training that had led up to the moment of formal challenge, when I proved myself superior to all the weaklings of our village. It was a moment of triumph to stand atop the challenge log and defeat Cabinet in so decisive a manner, yet flush as I was with victory there had been an emptiness there as well. After all, what do you do when you have at last achieved your life's goal?

And then I had seen her, so proud and arrogant as she ate my victory banquet. Had she waited until I had won my match I would have graciously extended the feast to all the villagers and accorded her full hospitality as a guest of my people. Instead she came in filthy, ragged, looking as if she had barely slept the night before and had not the courtesy to wait before she and her "pet" panda had dug in and started consuming the food that my people had labored for much of the year to put together.

Of course I challenged her, feeling deeply insulted, but to my surprise she challenged me back and assumed a tone that implied that I was already as good as defeated! Such arrogance, such insolence! I had to put her down for such an insult to me and all of my hard training!

More fool me, underestimating a foreign girl who was so much smaller than me that she could almost be one of my sisters! I cannot put into words the shame I felt at being so easily defeated, and yet something else awoke in me in the time it took for me to recover, a discovery that there was someone in this world who was good enough to provide me a real challenge! I also saw the perfect avenue for getting away from my village and seeing the world as my mother had, as I would never have been allowed by my great grandmother, who had always insisted I stay within the boundaries of Amazon territory, all save for that one visit we paid to the Musk Dynasty when I was much smaller than Ranma!  
Giving Ranma the kiss of Death was not absolutely mandatory, no matter what else one might believe about our people. It had seldom been done in recent times, mainly because very few outsiders are good enough to have defeated an Amazon, and very few of them female. I was invoking a rule that had fallen into disuse because of my pride, but also because it gave me the excuse to chase after her, and once the kiss had been given I was of course obligated to follow her. Great Grandmother could not forbid it, and so I was free to chase her and avenge my pride, a warrior's pride as much as that of my people.

How many times did I spot Ranma's trail and give chase, only to pull back when I was within reach of my quarry? How many times did I sneak up on her when she was asleep or merely resting, sword poised in my hand yet my hand trembling with hesitation. Perhaps Ranma was only sleeping lightly, and perhaps she would spring to life and defend herself in an instant, but I did not know for certain whether this was fact or just the fears within my heart that were decrying me for a coward. I knew that I had to kill her, but I did not want to kill. Instead I would watch over her while she slept and find myself studying her profile, wondering what manner of person she truly was when she was not running or arguing with the panda.

At times I would lose her trail and feel a stab of panic touch my heart that had no reason that I could fathom. She would elude me for days before I would pick up her scent once again and then be off once more on my chase of 'holy vengeance.' I did not know at the time that she could change into a handsome man those times that she did elude me for the thought of Jusenkyo never even entered my mind while I sought her. Those times I would catch up with her I would chide myself for growing careless and nearly failing in my mission. I would spring out and attack her just to prove to myself that I had the determination, but she would escape from me with uncanny regularity. I began to truly admire her fighting skills, wondering how I had fallen so short of her superb standards.

After all I had trained all of my life to be the best warrior of the Nyanchiczu, and no one in my age group stood against me in battle. Great Grandmother is the greatest of all the Elders in all the tribes that call themselves Amazons and she had personally supervised every stage of my training. Had I failed her and myself so completely? How could Ranma be move so fast and be so agile? The way her body flowed around my most formidable attacks was like magic, or some ancient technique that I had never studied, and this was long before great grandmother had even shown Ranma the Chestnut Fist!

So my pride was doubly hurt because I knew that Ranma was better. Maybe not as knowledgeable in ancient Chinese lore as I was, but possessed of knowledge of fighting techniques that were different from anything I had even heard about! How can I convey what this made me feel like, being less than a girl my own age who was pretty and foreign and...so exciting to be around? Even while I chased her I was admiring her beauty, and it was like falling down a deep well, knowing that I was becoming infatuated with my prey. Something about her reminded me of Lotion, and that was my ultimate downfall. I knew before too long that I was falling in love with her, but I refused to listen to my heart, letting my pride rule my head. By the time I thought I knew the full story about Ranma's curse it was too late for me...too late! I had fallen into a trap of my own making with no hope of escape, a trap set by her lovely blue eyes when she looked on me that day perched atop my bonbori mace in the center of my village.

I turned to look back at my Airen, my thoughts having flowed in the space of no more than a few heartbeats. They deserved to know, and know they would hear the truth. I owed them this much and more for involving them in the personal affairs of my life, and for making them love me, as I knew they did beyond question.

I turned slowly and regarded them with what I'm sure was a most uncertain expression, for though I am certain of their love I was not so confident that they would enjoy hearing the full details of my relationship with a past lover. This was going to be hard, but so many things in life are hard, and why should I turn coward now when I at last knew true happiness, even if I had confessed to them that I could not defend them as a proper wife should defend her Airen.

"Aiyaa," I said, which for opening words was as best as I could manage with my stumbling, limited command of Japanese, "There is much to say on the subject of Lotion. This one does not know where she should begin, so this one will attempt to begin where it seems proper."

"We're listening," my wife replied with that studious, skeptical expression she uses when dissecting a problem.

"You don't have to say anything if it's too embarrassing for you," Ranma added, which shows just how clumsy and charitable he can be when trying to deny that he has a fierce interest in knowing.

"It is all right," I resumed, "This one will tell you about Lotion. Perhaps you know already that she is a friend whom this one grew up with in China. What you may not know, Airen, is that Lotion is one of only three friends that this one had in all her life growing up in China."

"Wait," Ranma spoke up, "Only three friends?"

I half-smiled at his statement, because I knew that was more friends than he had growing up, and Lotion meant a lot more to me than either Ryoga or Kuonji had to him at a comparable age. I decided to make it easy for him and replied, "This one has only known three friends before coming to Japan...one of them is Perfume, her adopted cousin, the second is Ambergris, who had a bad falling out with her two years ago. The third is Lotion the Younger, a girl our age who was not a true warrior, who was too clumsy and incapable of mastering any advanced techniques as a fighter, but who had a gift of healing with her mind that made her suitable for training with this one's mother. Only these three out of all the warriors in our age group has this one trusted enough to call friends, and Perfume does not really count since she is more like a training partner than a bosom companion. We know each other well, but we have never truly been as close as this one was with Ambergris, whom she truly trusted."

"Why just these three?" my wife asked in curiosity, "Nobody else you feel that close to?"

"No," I admitted, "This one never close to other girls in village. Always challenging them to fights or being challenged to test our prowess, prove which of us is the strongest. It is very hard to make friends with people you beat up all of the time, and only Ambergris or Lotion come close to being this one's equals."

"Okay," Ranma said, "So you three trained together. What about this blue haired chick?"

I decided that I would extract some satisfaction from him later for that "Blue-  
haired Chick" crack, but for now I merely said, "Lotion is a weak girl, not a strong fighter like Perfume and Amber. Many other girls pick on her because she is weak, and for that reason this one became her protector. This one did not like it when other warriors pick on weaker girls, and this one made certain they understood that there would be consequences for taking such liberties. Lotion was very grateful that this one took an interest in her welfare and would follow this one when she trained with the other girls. Perfume and this one train every day and Lotion watch us and make many comments on our training. Great Grandmother was not very pleased to have her with us all the time, but she tolerated Lotion after she was removed from the house of her mother and sent to live with her Aunt Silk..."

"Why did she do that?" Ranma asked, "I thought she was training with your mother."

"Ah..." I mentally kicked myself for skipping over a significant part of the story, and quickly sought to amend for my omission by saying, "Lotion's mother...she was not a happy woman when her daughter was declared unfit for warrior training. She took it on herself that Lotion's weakness reflected badly on her and she...expressed herself very poorly..."

"What?' I saw Ranma blink without truly understanding, but Nabiki understood at once, for her eyes narrowed to that angry gleam that I recognize as her sharp disapproval.

"You mean she beat her," she said in a very level tone of voice, "She beat her own daughter."

"WHAT?" Ranma got it that time, and I was gratified to see the outrage in his eyes matched my own feelings on the subject. It is so like him to despise seeing anyone weaker than himself be made to suffer, something we else share in common, along with our desire to be the best in our War Craft.

"Lotion's mother was judged to be suffering from what this one's mother politely termed as 'stress' and she was ordered removed from her mother's house and placed in the house of her mother's sister, who became her legal guardian. Silk was patient where Balm was not and discovered Lotion's hidden talents, bringing it to the attention of Shampoo's mother, who obtained permission to train her as a Healer."

"Okay," I saw Nabiki nod with her neutral expression back in place, "So she became friends with you after apprenticing with your Mom..."

I should my head negatively and said, "We were already friends before this happened. In fact it was Perfume who discovered Lotion's injuries and brought it to the attention of our Elders. Perfume has very sharp senses, she can detect the slightest irregularity, such as when a person moved with a slight hesitation due to pain. Perfume understands pain very well, so she became Lotion's other protector and the three of us were close as sisters. Or maybe I should say that this one was close to Lotion and Perfume was close to Lotion, but Lotion favored this one, which is where we ran into a problem."

"A problem?" Ranma asked.

I nodded, "Perfume became very jealous of how close we were. It did not happen right away, but two years ago she got into a quarrel with this one, picking a fight because she was hurt and angry. We almost came to blows, but instead we became closer, like cousins. This was after Lotion had been intimate with this one for a year..."

"A year?" Nabiki arched her eyebrows, "You had an affair with her when you were both thirteen?"

I nodded, "It is an important time when a woman's body begins to mature, and many Amazons experiment to learn the ways of pleasure. Lotion was this one's teacher, for she opened to this one a full understanding of the joys of what it means to be a woman."

"She did?" Ranma blinked, "At thirteen?"

I had to look away as the smile came to my lips when I thought back to that day long ago, and again I tried to explain for them what it was like when I had finished practicing for the day and Perfume had gone into the woods to fetch our lunch, leaving Lotion and me to bathe in a river, then stretch out on one of the banks sunning ourselves in the nude since it was too warm to put our clothes back on and they were still drying on some bushes. I remember feeling as lazy as a cat when Lotion moved closer to me and asked if I enjoyed having her around, even though she was not a warrior. I thought she was being silly and told her that of course we enjoyed having her around, but then she got very serious and asked if I truly liked her, if we were that close as friends. I was wondering what she was going on about as I answered her positively, and the next thing I know she is leaning over me with the most peculiar expression, and before I know what she is about she gives me a kiss...a kiss like that Kiss of Life, only I was confused because we had not even been sparring!

Thinking back on that day I must have seemed as na ve to her as Ranma often is to me, but that was the start of our wonderful affair, the first time we kissed and held each other closely. We didn't do much more than roll around on the bank rubbing our bodies together, but Perfume came upon us shortly after we had begun this and I think she was actually shocked at finding us that way. I was embarrassed at the discovery, of course, but after we swore Perfume to secrecy we began to make time in each day to be alone together like that, going further and further into exploring each other's bodies until we both became adept at our love-play. Then Lotion snuck that book out of her Aunt's private collection and showed it to me...and yes, that definitely did start the ideas to rolling...

I think my Airen were shocked at the frankness of my admissions, so I eased back a bit and said rather lamely, "This one learned much from Lotion, and we were very happy for a year together. Then this one had that awful fight with Perfume, and great grandmother got angry, told us we could not spend time together any more, that she was sending Lotion onto another village and that the two of us would have to get along without her..."

I paused because my throat became too tight to speak. I felt the wretchedness of that day come over me once again as I struggled to regain some nominal control over my voice box, wanting very much for my loved ones to understand why my feelings for Lotion were so intense, yet why they should have no cause to fear her in the present. I knew in my heart that Lotion would be a part of me forever, but they were now the center of my world and any thought on what was past should have no bearing on our future.

"One year in our lives Lotion and this one were very happy together, but then came the separation, brought on in part by jealousy and misunderstanding between this one and her cousin, for Perfume wanted Lotion for herself but felt constrained because of her affliction..."

"Affliction?" Nabiki asked, and I nodded sadly.

"Perfume is a great warrior," I explained, "But...there is one flaw to her very nature that caused her to renounce her Warrior Status. She has trained to become our village Enforcer precisely because of this singular defect, which this one does not feel at liberty to share with you at this time, Airen. This one respects Perfume too much to betray her confidence, and it will be up to her to share with you the nature of her affliction."

"I don't get it," my husband frowned, "If she's got something wrong with her, then why's she your Enforcer? Doesn't that mean she's competent enough to fight?"

"Perfume is very competent," I explained, "Even good enough to give you a hard time, husband. Of course you would eventually defeat her."

"Of course," he shrugged in that way that made him seem offended that anyone would even doubt such an outcome.

I smiled at his bravado, almost wishing him to try, but the thought of Perfume's axes coming anywhere near my husband is enough to quash that idea entirely. Yes, he could defeat Perfume, but not unless he knew how to fight her, and without knowledge of her weakness she can seem pretty formidable and might even do him injury. The slightest knick to his perfect body is more than I can bear to think about, for the only time I wish to see him hurt is when he makes me angry enough to do the job myself. Of course I would be careful not to do anything permanent, and certain nothing that would render him incapable of performing his duties to me as a husband.

"Perfume had every right to feel jealous of this one's relationship with Lotion," I resumed, "This one had no thought of her feelings, which was selfish and very thoughtless of this one, who took her cousin's for granted when her heart was with the object of our mutual affection. We three were inseparable for a time, but when Perfume could stand being excluded from our world no more she exploded in anger and nearly provoked a fight with this one that had nothing to do with training. That we were able to come to terms with our feelings and become closer friends is a testament to our long friendship, which was never as close as this one would have wanted. Had this one known at all or given thought to Perfume's feelings, then we could have worked things out and shared Lotion between us, just as this one shares her heart with Nabiki and Ranma. It would have been beautiful, except for great grandmother."

As I spoke those words I felt my rage return with full force, realizing for the first time just how much my Elder had interfered in my personal life and prevented me from enjoying the full depths of what the three of us might have been able to establish between ourselves if left to our own devices. True we were young and ignorant of so much of life, but at fourteen you tend to see the world as infinite and the possibilities are as far as the world's edge. Who knew whether it would work out or not, or if it would have interfered in our training the way great grandmother had thought or would have made us stronger fighters with loyalties forged by our deep, mutual affection.

Of course Nabiki saw the other side of the coin and looked at me in that shrewd manner she has as she asked, "You mean a threesome between you, this Lotion character and Perfume?"

I nodded affirmatively, then flashed a knowing smile that I hoped would not unduly alarm them. After all, I am not blind to my cousin's considerable charm and beauty, and the thought of sharing pleasures with her might even have been very fulfilling. I do not know, of course, because we have never explored that option, but perhaps it would have changed the nature of our friendship too much. Perfume and I have always maintained a certain distance between us at great grandmother's insistence. Would I have been as able to go all-out with her in practice, my bonbori against her axes, if deep down I was concerned that I might inadvertently do her injury? I guess that is, in a sense, why we have been more rivals than friends, but our respect for one another is unquestioned, our trust is absolute. I would fight against the legions of the night with Perfume at my back and never doubt her for an instant, and I know beyond question that she feels the same way. Our bonds are closer than blood-cousins, having mingled our blood in far too many battles.

"It hardly matters now," I sighed aloud, voicing my thoughts as I spoke this, "When great grandmother heard about our almost-fight she became very angry and sent Lotion away, nominally to be trained by a Healer in the village of the Sleeping Woman, several days travel over many hills from Joketsuzoku..."

"What's the old woman's beef with her anyway?" my husband scowled, then as he caught my amused glance he hesitated, then spoke again, "Ah...well, I mean...she used to look old...I mean, she's old deep down, right?"

"Keep trying, Ranma-kun," Nabiki quipped for us both, "You're bound to get it right sooner or later."

"Great Grandmother has always insisted that one day this one would become her heir and successor on the Council of Elders," I explained, "She has never permitted anything to interfere in that dream, and in her eyes a fight between this one and a future Enforcer was not acceptable. This one believes that she was determined that this one become used to being alone and not relying upon anyone for support, except for her. This one was taught to think for herself, but never question her orders, to be able to make difficult choices and decisions like an Elder, just so long as those decisions agreed with great grandmother's own choices. She has prevented this one from knowing close friendship with any other but Lotion, Perfume and Ambergris, and she even managed to spoil what was between us in the latter case, playing on this one's pride to make this one believe that Ambergris had betrayed our friendship!"

My tone was growing angrier the more I spoke, my emotions slipping loose from my control like a wild team of oxen with a shoddy yoke. I was almost shouting my words near the end of my brief tirade, balling my hands into fists as I thought of all the other times that great grandmother had sought to turn me against those who might have offered me their friendship. I could now see so clearly what she had done to keep me isolated and alone, and it was filling me with a desire to lash out at her physically for all these little betrayals, and the much larger deceptions that she had all this time practiced!

"Easy, Sham-chan!" I heard Nabiki's calming voice cut through the growing red haze of my anger, reminding me that I had another purpose for speaking calmly with her now, and that it would be better to save my anger for later, preferably for a time when I would have a chance of evening the score between myself and my false-Elder.

"You are right, Airen," I sighed, finding it difficult to yoke in my rage, but I did so with the skill born of long practice, "This one is sorry that she shouted."

"Whoah," Ranma said, "You were starting to glow with a battle aura for a minute there. I can't say I can blame you, though. From the sound of things your great grandmother messed with your life almost as much as Pop did with mine."

I blinked my eyes and looked at him, suddenly sensing the glimmering of something in what my husband had just said that might give me a chance of striking back at my false Elder. Great Grandmother is always very proud of her teaching methods...how much so would she be if I were to compare her to Saotome Genma and imply that his methods were obviously superior since he had produced the better fighter?

I smiled at the thought of what great grandmother would say, the expression she would wear. It was perfect!

I forced myself to become serious again, then sought to remember what was the last thought in my mind so that I could continue as though not interrupted, "Ambergris...is someone very different from Perfume, yet they are much the same because they were considered disappointments by their Elders. Perfume was born with her weakness, but Ambergris had two strikes against her, the first being the name her mother gave her. It was...a very awkward name for a child to have, and if you thought this one has had to endure jokes about hair lather, you cannot begin to comprehend what names Amber has suffered, the mildest being 'Whale Puke.'"

"I had wondered about that," Nabiki eyed me sardonically, "Also whether or not you knew what people think when they hear your name."

"This one has very good ears, Airen," I smiled, "I figured it out some time ago, I just never considered it all that important."

"Good thing," my husband sniffed, "You might've had to knock a few heads around yesterday in class. Kami-sama knows I was tempted."

I allowed my pride for him to show as I nodded, then resumed my narration, "The other problem Ambergris has always had is that she is too smart for her own good. She is...what would you call it? A worm who eats through books?"

"A Bookworm," Nabiki noted, then blinked, "You mean she's a Nerd?"

"This one does not know what a Nerd is," I frowned, "Is it some form of caterpillar?"

"Never mind," my wife said a bit too hastily, "So her problem was that, in a village full of female jocks, she was the one who liked to read more than fight?"

I nodded, pleased that she understood with her usual insightfulness, "Amber had serious problems with her mother, who was not pleased that she would spend more time reading books than in training. She would train Amber mercilessly until she was ready to drop and never be satisfied with the results. In a way she trained her too hard, and it actually hindered her early development, so that many of the rest of us warriors came to think of her as clumsy and uncoordinated. We were also put off by the fact that she was plainly so much smarter than the rest of us, and she would pester the Elders mercilessly with questions. The only ones who seemed to encourage her in this were the Elders Lotion and Be Dea. Oh yes...and this one's mother also seemed delighted to share her collection of books with Amber, and Silk, who is like everyone's favorite Aunt, always encouraging us to learn things besides fighting."

"So how did you two wind up being buddies?" Ranma asked.

"This one is coming to that, husband," I urged him to patience, "Ambergris is, as this one has said, very intelligent, and one day she realized what she was doing wrong in her training. She was trying too hard to impress her mother by doing what she wanted instead of working to perfect her own talents. She began to study the training methods that other parents used with their children, concentrating on the ones who clearly performed the best because their methods were better. Once she knew what to do she went off by herself and copied their moves, then she would approach a girl whom she admired and initiate a friendship between them. She would get close enough to learn everything she could about her then issue a challenge and use that knowledge to defeat her, thus advancing up in rank as her skills would improve with each challenge. Some felt betrayed by her for doing this, a few understood and accepted their loss, others merely envied her for thinking of this first and attempted to copy her, but they lacked Amber's unique social abilities and the way she could strike up an instant friendship with any superior fighter. The one day she set her sights on learning from this one, though I'd prefer to believe that our friendship was genuine since it began when she came to this one's rescue."

"You got into something you couldn't handle?" Ranma asked with unusual perception.

I nodded, "This one did not learn Amber's way of approaching others with the intent of making friends and alliances among our peers. If you must know the truth, this one was very prideful and often made enemies by challenging other girls to fight in tournaments and beating them easily, then rubbing their noses in the dirt." I shook my head as I thought back on the foolishness of my childhood, then continued, "One day several girls whom this one had treated contemptuously after their defeats decided to gang up on this one and teach her a lesson. Alone any one or two of them would not have been a problem, but four of them at the same time? Even this one had doubt of her ability to triumph.

"Then Amber showed up and interfered in our fight, just as this one was finding herself hard pressed..." I did not bother to add that I was seriously being pummeled by one of the girls while the other was holding my arms behind my back, the other two just beginning to regain their own footing, "She had been following me and studying my moves for several days before approaching, and I think she was no more pleased at my being outnumbered than I was, because she helped me to defeat those four, displaying skills that were unlike any other warrior of our village."

"And naturally you were grateful?" Nabiki asked.

I shook my head negatively, "No, because I knew of Ambergris only by reputation and thought here simply an overly-eager fighter who had interfered in my battle because she thought me too weak to handle those others. This one was filled with anger and resentment at needing to be rescued, but somehow she calmed me down with words and instead of fighting with her we became friends. She asked if this one could train with her, but of course great-grandmother would have refused to allow another to spar with Perfume and me. She then convinced me that it would be all right to spar by ourselves away from the notice of our Elders, and so this one fought with her in private and found myself being tested in a way that no one else but Perfume had ever managed.

"This one was impressed, so even though this one defeated her it was unlike other defeats and this one felt no desire to humiliate her further. She accepted her defeat with unusual humility, and this, too, impressed me, for it was rare to meet an opponent who respected another warrior with so little pride or ego. We began to talk on many things and before too long this one found herself enjoying Amber's company in a way very different from the time this one spent with Lotion. This was before this one became intimate with Lotion, so this one introduced Lotion to Amber and felt satisfaction at befriending both another warrior and an apprenticed healer. For some reason Perfume did not share my appreciation of Ambergris and refused to spar with her in private, and great grandmother seemed to take an instant dislike to her, but this one insisted that she was her friend and refused to be discouraged by their warnings.

"Then one day great grandmother came to this one and informed her that Ambergris was going to issue formal challenge. At first this one refused to believe her, not wanting to accept that she would take what she knew of my combat skills and use that knowledge to defeat me. This one felt as though my trust had been betrayed and that Ambergris had never truly been my friend but had been using me all along to advance her own interests. This one was rated the top warrior of our class, so defeating me was the only way that she could claim the title as top candidate for Champion of our village. Of course Amber did not believe that she was betrayed me herself, or so this one now understand that she believes that she was not intending betrayal. This one thing that Amber is sometimes too smart for her own good, but in any event great grandmother's words encouraged me to believe that she had betrayed me, so I sought her out on the Challenge log and fought against her Naginata with my sword instead of my bonbori, knowing that the change of weapons would unsettle her. This one also kept her anger barely in check and did not speak a word, letting my silence speak as accusation. This one was using what Amber termed 'Psychological intimidation' to...how should this one say...rattle the Tiger's cage? Amber did not fight at her best and this one defeated her handily, then gave her the cut across her cheek as insult for betrayal. This one might well have killed her, but this one does not like to kill, and she was-or had been-her friend, so instead she turned her back on Amber and left her where she was, hiding her own shame with anger..."

I closed my eyes and let the weight of my own words bear down on me. How could I have been so stupidly blinded by my pride not to see what great grandmother was doing? Of course Amber was going to challenge me to an official match...it was accepted among warriors as the way of proving who was the better fighter! In two years time we would be doing it for real when I won my title as Champion of our village, but I behaved as if the very act of being challenged was instead a repudiation of our friendship. I cannot explain myself even in my heart why I did what I did with such arrogant anger, and the sudden shame of what I had done caused me to shed tears like a man, not even caring that my Airen could see this.

"This one...this one is sorry she did this," I began again, my voice shaking somewhat as I tried to regain control over my emotions, "To mark her face because this one felt hurt...how stupid, how shallow! I was a fool to let my pride blind me to the truth of what great grandmother had done, and this only a few days before this one had her argument with Perfume that ended her relationship with Lotion. Then...then the terrible news that came in the night when Lotion's Elder and Aunt both sensed great peril against her life. It was only later that this one would hear the full story, after she and Perfume had been aroused to join in the search for Lotion's body..."

The tears came back to me again and would not be as easily dismissed. My Airen were thoughtful to allow me a moment to regather my emotions so that I could continue once again, "Perfume had awoken herself with a vision of Lotion falling from a bridge, so she was first to arrive at waterfall bridge that Lotion had to take in order to find the village of the Sleeping Woman. The story became plain that warriors bearing a grudge against Shampoo sought to ambush Lotion in order to seek retribution for prior defeats and humiliations. At least two of the girls were ones who had been a part of the group that had attacked this one on her first meeting with Amber. Worse still, we found Amber's Naginata imbedded in stone just below the bridge as if hurled there with great force. It was plain enough that Ambergris had been involved in whatever mischief had taken place, and naturally the conclusion was that she had sought revenge on this one by attacking Lotion!"

I began to pace again, feeling a wealth of emotions that I did not know how to cope with welling up inside me, feeling a desire to lash out again or run away. Instead I let the words pour out from me as I told my Ailen of the hideous sense of betrayal that had overcome me at that moment, the sense of guilt and grief that overwhelmed me, causing me to hold myself to blame for all that had happened. It took a full minute before I was able to say, "But Lotion was not dead, and Amber did not betray this one! She did not harm this one's beloved as she thought but instead accompanied her to the village of the Sleeping Woman. This one has hated her ever since without reason! This one was the real betrayer of our friendship. How can this one ever make right what has gone before? This one has been such an idiot, so blind by anger that she never once considered any other possibilities but revenge against Amber!"

"What happened to the girls who tried to hurt her?" Ranma asked, "Did you go after them?"

I shook my head negatively and replied, "No. This one grieved, but it was Perfume who hunted them down and brought them back to our village, stripped naked and in humiliation, their hair sliced short to signify their loss of warrior status. She brought them before the Elders for judgement and they were sentenced to work as common laborers in the field, their status lower than any man's, to be hated and despised by any who might once have called them friend or kinswoman."

"I'm surprise she let them live," my wife noted, "If this Perfume character was as hung up on Lotion as you say she was..."

"Why did she not kill them and leave their carcasses to rot in the forest?" I smiled without humor, "Too merciful. Perfume was too well trained by great grandmother to let her feelings get the better of her. She wanted to make them small in their own eyes, then parade their shame before others. Much worse than killing by the standards of our people. Killing might have caused a rift between families, but letting them live humiliated their Elders and forced them to agree with the decision of our Matriarch. It was Perfume's first task as Enforcer of our village, and it proved to everyone that she was worthy of her office."

"I'll bet," Ranma sounded impressed, "Nothing worse for a Macho chick than get treated like a guy, right?"

"You're catching on, Ranma-kun," Nabiki nodded, then turned back to me with a probing look and asked, "So...what are your feelings for her now that you know that Lotion is still among the living?"

I had been expecting that question but it still left me feeling awkward. I was beginning to reel from so many conflicting emotions waging their own tournament within my heart. I allowed a tired sigh to express my weariness on the subject, "What is there to say? This one is glad she is alive, but two years have passed and now we are both very different people. Lotion has blossomed like a flower into a young woman with such confidence in her bearing, but she is no longer this one's beloved, for she has been with another, and she has clearly caught the eyes of this one's cousin."

"Yeah," Ranma smirked, "I kinda noticed that myself. She sticking to that blue haired chick like they were attached or something."

"So," Nabiki sounded less convinced, "You're saying it's all in the past and you don't have any lingering feelings, no secret urges to do it again for old time's sake?"

I smiled at her and said, "What do you think, Airen? Does this one have to work to convince you? This one will be happy to demonstrate her loyalty, if you wish it."

"Ah..." I saw Nabiki hesitate and was gratified to know that I could still do that to her and get away with it, meaning she was not entirely adjusted to my flirting.

"Airen," I turned around and looked at them with my most serious expression, "This one is sorry that she has never told you about her lost love, but the subject has always been very painful. This one went through very hard times recovering from her loss, and for a year this one was not herself, behaving like some other person that you would not even recognize. For a time she even behaved as if she wanted to join Lotion in her imagined sojourn with our sacred ancestors, but eventually this one came to her senses and regained her sense of purpose. She trained hard, fought and became the village Champion, then she met and married a strong man and a beautiful woman who make this one very happy. What else is there to say about what is past?"

"Just one thing," Nabiki said, nodding towards the garage area of the garden, "Would you mind explaining what the deal is with the motorcycle? Where the heck did you learn to ride that?"

"Oh," I shrugged, "This one thought she had explained that. This one learned to ride from her father."

"Your dad taught you how to ride a motorcycle?" Ranma asked, "When?"

"After Lotion..." I began, then corrected myself, "After this one believed that Lotion had been killed by warriors seeking revenge against her, she stopped training to be a warrior and went back to the home of her father. This one stopped paying attention to her great grandmother and instead tried to become familiar with the family that she had been ignoring, her mother and father and both of her younger sisters. It was like returning to the house of a stranger, so little time had this one spent around them. This one's mother was always busy going from house to house and from village to village delivering babies, applying poultices, tending wounds to warriors who were careless, and generally doing what a Healer does in a small country area without hospitals and clinics. Shampoo decide to help, go with mother and assist her, learn much about healing from mother, but this one decided it was not something she wanted to do on a full time basis. This one spent some time teaching her sisters what she knew about fighting, but fighting was not what this one wanted to do, so at least she turned to her father and sought his council. This one's father is a very wise man, and he helped this one to cope with her loss, for he was more patient with this one than her mother."

"Your father being the village handyman and mechanic," my wife pointed out, and I nodded.

"This one enjoyed spending time with her father, learned a great deal from him about fixing things and repairwork. This one did not have his patience for the limits of devices, but she did find her father's particular hobby to be of great interest, for her father had a Motorcycle that had been manufactured in Shanghai. Such a thing was very rare in the country, very hard to afford, but he had come to the village with this motorcycle and had kept it in good condition. He taught this one much about the workings of the engine and how it could be repaired and made to work proper. This one fell in love with the machine, treating it as one might a pet, and learned to ride it for herself, even though her mother did not approve and great grandmother was especially unhappy. At the time this one could care less what they thought and insisted on going everywhere with her father's motorcycle, attempting to cross difficult country, even taking risks that she should not have taken. One day she went too far, tried a difficult stunt and nearly hurt herself, but the motorcycle was all but destroyed. This one was devastated, having cost her father the thing he prized more than any other, and-worse still-had come very close to dying, closer than in any fight she had ever attempted.

"But then this one's father came looking for her and told her it was all right, that he did not mind losing the motorcycle as long as this one was not hurt. This one cried in his arms and felt all the grief that this one had been carrying inside her come out at last, and when it was done the pain within her was banished. Suddenly this one understood that she had been a fool and had been avoiding her destiny because of her sorrow. This one returned to house of great grandmother and resumed her training, trained for a whole year to ready herself for the challenge of the Tournament, then easily defeated her rivals, becoming Champion so that she could make Lotion proud of her, proud that this one would dedicate the feast in her honor."

"Only I showed up and spoiled things," my husband concluded, and I smiled at him a bit sadly.

"It no longer matters, husband," I replied, "You know everything now, all the secrets of this one's life. This one has taken many journeys to get to where she is today, but she does not regret the journey undertaken. This one only wants to know if you will allow her to continue the journey with you."

"Well," Nabiki smiled, "When you put it like that..."

"Try and stop us," Ranma smirked, giving me a thumb's up sign that let me know that all was forgiven.

I was so delighted with the both of them that I threw my arms around Ranma, then reached out and took Nabiki by the wrist to bring us all three into the same embrace. I felt incredibly clean, the emotions I had poured out literally washing me from within of all the darkness and shadows that I had carried with me for so long. I knew that my heart was filled only with a love for them that was pure and well tempered, and I silently bid farewell to my memories of the past. They would always be a part of me, but what concerned me most of all was ensuring that there would be a future.

If only I was as certain about Mousse, but whenever it came to him the future was less certain. I never truly hated him before, not even when he drove other people away who tried to come near me. It was not just great grandmother who had sought to control my destiny but his looming shadow that kept any boy my age from even glancing in my direction. Is it any wonder that the company of another girl had been much easier to accomplish? Mouse had been away from the village at the time, undertaking his own strange quest in a misguided attempt to force me to become his Airen.

His journey is clearly not done, and I am not certain where he is headed, but if he tried to harm either one of my beloveds, then I would see to it that his journey comes to an end...one way or another...!

"So," Comb eyed her nominal rivals with uncertainty, "You'll be staying the night here with your husband?"

"It seems a bit too late at night to travel home," Nodoka replied, "But Soun-san has kindly allowed us to use his guest room, since I rather suspect that Ranma won't be sleeping with his father tonight," she gave an affectionate glance in the direction of her son and his two iinazuke.

"You might be right about that," Atsuko replied, "Wonder what those three are talking about? They've been at it a long while."

"And what about you, Comb-san?" Kasumi asked, "Are you going to the Nekohanten with the others?"

"I've got a husband to get back to, dear," Comb gave a slight wince that might resemble a smile, "And maybe some more explaining to do..."

"Don't grovel too much," Silk replied with her usual charming sense of humor, "I'm sure he's willing to overlook the fact that you were ready to take another woman's husband for a consort."

"And what about you, Silk-san?" Nodoka asked, "Are you staying or leaving?"

"I believe that I will stay the night, I just haven't worked out yet the accommodations," Silk mused, giving Soun a pleasant expression that made him appear more than a little dumbstruck.

"Methinks the problem will work itself out in a creative manner," Kodachi mused, "I, of course, will be staying with Kasumi-chan, but if it were a question of sharing a room...?"

"Oh no," Silk replied, "I wouldn't think of intruding on the both of you. I'll manage well enough somehow, I just don't think I'd want to spend much time around the Nekohanten, though. It's bound to feel a bit...crowded with so many of our people dwelling under one roof."

"Tell me about it," Comb frowned, "It'll be crowded enough just staying under the same roof as grandmother."

"And what are your plans, Atsuko?" Silk asked of the half-Oni, "Are you staying or leaving?"

"Staying," Atsuko smiled back, "I've done enough wandering around, I want some time with my son to be better acquainted."

"How interesting," Nodoka noted, "I was planning on spending all night getting reacquainted with my husband."

Genma-now in human form again-looked nearly as stunned as Soun, only his glasses began to fog up like Doctor Tofu's.

"Then where will you be sleeping, Atsuko-san?" Kasumi asked the Oni, "The only other room available is Akane's."

"Well, where does Ryoga usually sleep?" Atsuko asked.

"In Akane's bed," Kasumi replied, then blinked her eyes and corrected herself, "Oh my! Now that he no longer turns into P-chan that wouldn't be proper, would it? I suppose you both could share the Dojo, if Silk-san wouldn't mind."

"In...Akane's...BED?" Soun slowly began to rumble like an active volcano.

"Oh Father," Kasumi chided, "Akane's perfectly able to conduct herself like a lady, and she's probably on her way back home right now with Ryoga...

"The dojo would be fine," Atsuko hastily interjected before the eldest Tendo could go into full eruption, "Plenty of room there for Ryo-chan and me to set up temporary house, and tomorrow night why don't we all meet here again so we can show off what Comb and me did this afternoon at Silk's suggestion."

"Oh?" Soun forgot his anger and looked nervously from the Amazon to the Oni, "And that is?"

"It'll be our surprise," Silk patted his arm, "I know you're going to love it."

"I've already checked it out," Kodachi grinned, exchanging affectionate glances with Kasumi, "Kasumi-chan and I were planning on using it as soon as the house is cleaned and all the dishes are put away."

"Using it?" Soun repeated blankly.

"Sure," Atsuko patted Genma on the arm, "Maybe when Nodoka-chan gets done with you I could take you out back and give you the grand tour, Gen-chan."

Genma was starting to feel more than a little crowded with three aggressive women flanking him on every side, two of whom could barely stand to be in the other's presence, but as he was thinking this, Comb's hand snagged out to give Atsuko a helpful push that proved to be just sufficient to overbalance the half-  
Oni and send her tumbling into the Koi pond.

"Opps," Comb said as an angry wet fox-head poked out of the water and began to make unpleasant noises, "Well, I'd better be on my way. Be seeing you all tomorrow."

"Have a nice night," Silk said pleasantly enough, "And give my regards to grandmother."

"Will do," Comb replied, whistling a cheerful tune as she headed out towards the gateway...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cologne's High School Pictures: shadowmane

And so another night closes on the Tendo Dojo, but if you think this is the end of the singular events you haven't reckoned with a horny Amazon and two novice teenaged apprentices who are just now awakening to their nascent sexuality. Be sure to await for the Hentai chapter, "Round Two," which I hope to be working on very shortly. Meanwhile wait for the fun to begin when the crew arrives at school the next day to have their fateful encounter with Miss Hinako...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	65. Chapter 65

ATOTWH02

Nabiki/Ranma/Shampoo

A Tale of Two Wallets

Hentai Version

(Round Two!)

by Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the Works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)

The Second Night!

1.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

It was late at night and I had just made my last entry before powering down my computer, having taken note of the time and wanting to be ready. I had made arrangements with Shampoo and Ranma-kun to stop by around ten O'clock and with that deadline fast approaching I knew that I would have little more time at all to prepare myself before their arrival.

Getting up from my chair I briefly considered what would be needed, having already taken a trip to the lavatory to freshen myself a bit so I wouldn't seem so hot and gamy after all the day's long list of excitements. On impulse I went to my wall-length mirror and studied my reflection, looking myself over with a critical eye as if I were about to be under military inspection. Staring back at me was a girl whom I thought I knew, whose profile was at least nominally familiar, yet who seemed almost a total stranger now, certainly not the person that I had thought she was on previous evenings. I could not define what was different about her, only that she was fundamentally a very different person.

Some impulse-call it vanity if you must-prompted me to decide that a better look was in order, so I reached down and pulled off my halter top, then my bra with it, then I hooked my shorts and discarded them into the pile with the others, and lastly my panties, which constituted the whole of my current wardrobe. Stripped naked in both the physical and metaphorical sense, I re-presented myself before the mirror and gave myself a thorough lookover. I wanted to familiarize myself with certain details I had long been taking for granted just in case the changes within me were starting to be reflected on the outside. I was finding it increasingly difficult to believe that I was still essentially the same girl I had been before a certain martial artist had entered my life and turned it upside down completely.

Staring back at me from the mirror was indeed a lanky Japanese girl with short brown hair kept stylishly trimmed to my usual helmet length. A slightly angular face that still resembled the more conventional beauty of my sisters' faces framed a pair of brown eyes that seemed slightly hooded, like a predatory beast sizing up her potential prospects. I've been called a Mercenary and a heartless girl on occasion simply because I let to little emotion show on my face, and because of my on-and-off obsession with making a living through various get-  
rich-quick schemes that mostly pan out in my favor, but that only touches on the surface that I let show around others. Behind the mask I wear is a girl who has known hard times and good times, and who has recently learned to care more for others than I do for my own welfare.

The rest of me made for a pretty good inventory, long, thin build, athletically muscled without being hard and rangy like either Ranma or Shampoo. I pride myself on having kept in pretty good shape throughout my life, even during the long spell when I'd allowed my martial arts training to elapse, though I must confess that I've never seen much point in going all-out like Akane. Too much sweaty hard work if you ask me. Of course now that I'm studying to be a Lore Master I'm starting to change there, developing a taste for grueling exercises under the influence of the Old Woman. The results are pretty self-evident as I rate myself as in pretty good shape, lean and round in all the right places with just enough body fat to be aesthetically pleasing.

Long neck, lean shoulders with an hourglass curve to my general figure. I have nicely shaped breasts that are not too large but definitely make for more than handful, with nicely shaped nipples that come with hundred-yen sized areolas. No sagging whatsoever...I stretch my arms over my head and I'm satisfied to note that my breasts rise appropriately, I let my arms fall and my breasts come down like a pair of tear-drop-shaped cones, and not even the trace of tan lines to mar my otherwise perfect complexion.

Thin waist, washboard smooth stomach, check. Smooth thighs, long, tapering legs that extend to narrow ankles and long, tapering feet, double check. Everything checks out, just the way that I remember, every inch of my form is perfectly feminine with not a crotch hair out of place. I don't see myself as a raging beauty, like Kasumi, but I'm definitely well ensconced in the attractive female zone. I know my looks are better than average if not quite as heart-stopping as Shampoo or Ranma's female half, so it's not like I have anything to complain about. In fact I'm proud of my looks, and I certainly have attracted of late more than my own fair share of interest.

So why did I feel that the girl before me was such an alien thing that I had never set eyes on before now? Surely as little as a day that had elapsed since I'd had my first bisexual encounter could not have changed me so much that I would see myself as an entirely different person? If anything I felt exactly the same as I had before the fun had gotten started, when Shampoo ambushed me and tied me naked to my bed to initiate the best sex of my life...but the plain fact was that I had changed. I had known what carnal delight was and what it meant to be fulfilled in bed. It was no longer just an abstract concept with me anymore but a real, manifest part of my existence...and an experience I fully intended to repeat, no matter the consequences.

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit overly dramatic here, but that about summarizes my thoughts while I stood there with my arms folded beneath my chest, showcasing my bosoms to full view and feeling more than mildly self-conscious of the way I was standing-posing more like-in front of my reflection like some really vain, self-  
interested creature. Nothing had changed about me externally but everything had changed where it truly mattered, and now I was trying to get a handle on what it signified, these changes that were happening in my life as I went from the girl nobody wanted to becoming a sex idol to a pair of randy iinazuke. And looming in our future was an impending marriage that the ADULTS had decided upon without truly consulting us...a single month to prepare myself for the journey from single bachelorettehood to fully married status, coinciding with the occasion of my eighteenth birthday. Talk about economically harvesting two birds with a single hatchet!

Oh sure, the legal age for marriage in Japan is fifteen, and both of my beloveds are well above that marker. Only a year separates us in our mutual ages, not a while lot of time chronologically, but it also meant that I was about to enter my Senior year and take my formal admittance tests for college while they were both a year-plus until graduation. It made me feel like the older woman, or something of that nature. I was marrying for love, but also to fulfill a vow made between our fathers, and I was already technically married to Shampoo by the laws of her culture, which only needed her assent and-not obligatory by any extent-my tacit acceptance, which was preferable to the alternatives left open by her customs.

"Ailen?"

I whirled about, feeling more than slightly off-balance at discovering that Shampoo was standing there in my room with the window left open to mark her point of entrance. I was not precisely surprised to see her in my room of course, having more-or-less invited her to stay the night with me, but in my underdressed state I was completely off my guard and totally exposed to her close examination. I saw her looking me over-"checking me out," if you want the proper terminology-and clearly approving of what she saw, which made me feel a blush come over my whole body as Shampoo is not exactly subtle in making her opinions known, especially when it concerned physical arousal. I was both open and vulnerable to her scrutiny, knowing full well that she was here to do the nasty with yours truly, but I was equally unprepared for the sudden warmth I felt spread through my body in reaction to her presence. The sensual smile she was wearing caused my heart to skip and my breasts to harden as I hesitantly smiled back at her, thinking to myself that this was going to be and even more interesting encounter than the last one...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

I found her standing there gazing her herself in the mirror as if she were trying to decide how best to array herself for my arrival, as if any embellishments were needed to rekindle my desire for her. She truly is a most remarkable person, my beloved Nabiki, and standing there in her natural glory was enough to make me salivate, as if I were in my Neko form and she was some tasty mouse for me to pounce upon. Needless to say, I left her in no doubt whatsoever of my amorous attentions as I entered the room, my hunger aroused by the very fact of her mere presence.

I slipped in through the open window and removed my slippers before setting my bare feet upon her carpet. I smiled at her as I drank in the sight of my wife's perfect body, so beautiful and elegant with just the right muscle tone to feel firm to caresses. I enjoyed the look she gave me, feeling immense satisfaction at the sense of power I felt over her, the certainty that she was mine to possess causing me to savor the moment when I might have simply rushed to embrace her. Not this time, this time I meant to be gentle.

Slow and steady was my intention, drawing out the moment before my hands reached up to undo the wooden pegs that hold my shirt in place. I made a slow production of unbuttoning myself, exposing more and more cleavage while posing myself against the lighting so as to deepen the mystery and prolong the suspense. Mood was what I was seeking to achieve this time as I slipped my shirt from my shoulders and allowed to fall to the floor, giving my wife a good look at my upper body, which is taunt and lean with firm breasts and nipples that obligingly now stood to attention. I let the moment linger before undoing the cords that kept my pants up around my hips, doing a slow and gentle wiggle as I ease myself from this last remaining constriction, finally permitting my pants to fall about my ankles as I stepped clear from my clothing and inevitably approached her.

I saw her shiver slightly though there was no breeze in the air and the room was quite warm. My smile intensified as I reached out to her and saw her open her arms to me, accepting me this time without her usual hesitation.

She smelled so clean as I drew her into my arms, embracing her eyes with my stare as I brought my face nearer to her own until we were close enough for a kiss to be initiated. Nabiki melted into my embrace as I held her body up to mine, our skin making full contact as I felt her arms tighten around me and the kiss continued. Nabiki always had such a wonderful scent when she is aroused, a perfume I will never grow too accustomed to for enjoying as it is so distinctly her, and I love every part of her being, both body and spirit. Claiming her for my own was the happiest decision of my life, and each time I renew that claim it is like the first time all over, only this time without resorting to tricks such as I discovered long ago in some manuals belonging to my parents.

Our hands began to roam over each other as I brought one leg up and rubbed it against the space between my wife's thighs, gently forcing her knees apart so that I could glide my well-muscled thigh into the gulf until it finally made contact with her already-moistened pelvis. One hand glided down her back to caress her hip and buttox, and then I applied gentle pressure there and softly ground Nabiki's pelvis against my thigh to elicit a gasp of surprise and approval.

My other hand steadied her shoulder, but once I felt her give into my leg-  
contact I moved that hand to drift around her shoulder to under her arm and then down to cup and fondle one breast. Nabiki looked at me with a curious expression as I fondled her there and played with her nipple, but after a moment she smiled and moved her own hand down to cup one of my breasts while her other hand took firm hold of my hip and encouraged me to continue my soft thigh-  
grinding motion. I reacted favorably to her handling of my breast as it signified that she was reciprocating my desire for her, my need to possess her body and make it sing to my caresses.

When I felt that she was sufficiently aroused I desisted in my thigh-rubbing exercise and withdrew my leg, much to her evident disappointment. I surprised her then by scooping her up into my arms the way I had seen Ranma do on many an occasion, and before she could voice protest of this handling I carried her over to her bed and deposited her there unceremoniously, then climbed on top of her and straddled her so that she was forced to look up at me with anxious anticipation.

"You are mine, Airen," I whispered as I began to rub my pelvis against her soft belly, enjoying the look she gave me as I lubricated her with my moistening juices. I moved slowly down until we were almost making contact between our loins, only to move to one side while she studied me with confusion in her eyes. I did not let her wonder for too long what I was up to as I reached down and lifted one of her legs, setting the ankle over my shoulder while I tilted her body to allow me easy access. Again I brought my loins up to hers and brushed them gently together, eliciting a delightful jolt of pleasure that made her gasp in both delight and amazement, and from there I proceeded to work her over pelvis-to-pelvis, using my clit to stimulate her clit, my labia to exchange kisses with her soft pink petals, and finally a gradually intensifying grinding motion that caused her moisture to mingle with my own juices as Nabiki threw her head back onto a pillow and started to make passionate cries, sounds she attempted to muffle so as not to wake the whole house, though her efforts were quite useless as she soon was so enthralled by the sensations I was giving her that she forgot all about the propriety of our surroundings.

It was the opening maneuver to a long and passionate night that lay ahead of us, and I had only just begun to spark my wife into submission. I was going to make love to her in ways that she would never anticipate or imagine being done by another woman, and I was going to teach her every way that she could return the favor upon me, for this was a love with both shared without hesitation or abandon. There were so very many things I wanted to do to please her greatly, but there remained one singular question in our minds that would not be answered too promptly, that question being the present whereabouts of Ranma. As delightful as I knew it would be to make love to my wife, my pleasure would only intensify with our husband in the picture, so as I flipped Nabiki over and forced her face-down into her bed, preparing to mount her from the rear with tongue and fingers, I kept thinking in the back of my mind...where was Ranma...?

2.

Kama Sutra: The Book of Love, an ancient Hindu text said to be part of the Tantric Yoga system developed by sages and used by Maharajas and Princes throughout the ages, and generally used in the modern age as a handbook of techniques for adventuresome couples.

Ranma stared at the book in front of him, trying to make sense of the images as he worked out the likely body positions and angles that would be needed to effect these maneuvers. Having a basic familiarity with both male and female anatomy, he doubted that some of these techniques were even possible even for a Martial Artist of his stature, not that he would balk at the attempt of achieving those positions. The only question for him was whether Nabiki or Shampoo would enjoy doing things the way the book recommended. The language within the book was very explicit, but that only helped to sharpen his mental conception as he tried to figure out variations he might attempt once the basic moves themselves had been fully mastered.

The pictures, on the other hand, were more than merely explicit, and with such graphic illustrations to serve as his guide, Ranma had only to try and work out exactly how one was supposed to arrange things in order to achieve so many difficult...positions. He tilted the book at various angles, trying to get a handle on what the final product was supposed to look like and finally gave it up as exceeding his limited grasp of the situation. Why would anyone need to use so many complicated techniques to satisfy their sexual partners anyway? One or two of the basic moves ought to be enough to satisfy any woman.

No sooner was that thought racing through Ranma's head when another part of his mind responded, "Oh yeah? That's what you think!" That part of his brain conjured up images from the previous evening, which in turn caused Ranma to flush a deep shade of crimson as he had a very good idea of what some of these maneuvers would be like from the angle of both genders. After, Shampoo had demonstrated a few of them on the previous nightfall. Ranma had wondered where she had gotten such a colorful grasp of such concepts, having repeatedly assured him that he was the first guy she had ever slept with, and now he knew! Indeed, Shampoo had not been kidding about treating this Kama Sutra like the family bible as she clearly understood the significance of every technique and maneuver.

Ranma grew even more crimson as he thought of the graphic sexual lecture that he had received from his prospective Mother-in-law, Comb the Healer, which had included a detailed medical description of some very particular aspects to sexuality for which he had previously been quite ignorant (even blessedly so, he privately gauged). Such knowledge had ironically served him well when it came time to actually have sex with both of his iinazuke as it allowed Ranma to adapt his considerable knowledge of pressure-point techniques to aims other than martial competition. Treating sex as a form of discipline had helped him keep his calm when otherwise his mind might have gone into short-circuit mode from simply having to perform in such an adult manner around two very eager and demanding young women. That he would emerge triumphant was (of course) only to be expected, but victory in this arena proved to have consequences far more pleasant than the normal satisfaction he might feel upon beating up a new opponent!

His mind naturally drifted back towards Shampoo and Nabiki, easily conjuring up a mental image of the two women side-by-side and naked in bed, going at it with a gentle frenzy while he watched and recovered his strength for another go-ahead at both of his women. He then had a flash of himself in female form being pleasured at both ends by these selfsame lovelies and felt a shivery run up and down his spine his arousal so intense that he suddenly found sitting down a very uncomfortable situation. He got to his feet, wondering if a cold shower might be just the thing he needed to regain his composure, or-failing that-whether Shampoo and Nabiki had already started things without him. He was just about to leave the corner of the dojo where he had been reading by flashlight when a sound caught his ears, a faint whispering murmur that at once drew his attention.

He turned to see a pair of shadowy shapes moving past the garden entrance to the dojo and wondered fleetingly if it was Ryoga and his mother returning to use it as a resting place for the evening. (No, that can't be right! Those two would be halfway to Yokohama before they could figure out their way on their own!) But then he heard one of the two voices saying, "Are you sure this will be all right?" and the other one responding, "I'm quite certain. I asked Silk-san and your father for permission a little while ago, and no one will miss us while we are away. We have both worked so hard to clean everything us that I think we are entitled to a little self-indulgence."

"Well," the other voice said, "If you're sure that it will be all right..."

Ranma suppressed a certain shudder that past through him, for one of those voices belonged to none other than Kuno Kodachi, and the other was unmistakably Kasumi, but where were they going all alone in the dark and in this part of the yard? It wasn't exactly late in the evening, but at this time of night there were still people around who might notice them in the garden.

Curiosity got the better of his judgement, for even though Ranma was not particularly comfortable around the infamous Black Rose, he was more than a little concerned about his future sister-in-law and what Kodachi might be intending. He decided to slip out the side exit and see what those two were about, which he proceeded to do, making hardly any sound as he caught up with the both of them without revealing himself, watching from concealment as they approached the hot springs Jacuzzi that was located in the corner behind the dojo farthest from the house.

Wait a second! Ranma blinked his eyes and looked again in disbelief. A Jacuzzi? When had Mister Tendo installed one of those? Ranma was so surprised at finding an entire area of the yard that seemed impossibly huge for the actual space it occupied that he failed to notice that the two girls were in the process of removing their silk kimonos until they had already undone the sash and slipped their garments clear from their shoulders. Ranma's eyes goggled as he got more of an eyeful of the two ladies than he had bargained on, and he hastily turned away, hands over his nose to forestall any premature bleeding!

"Oh my, it's so lovely!" he heard Kasumi say in appreciation, "How did Comb-san and Auntie Atsuko create this in only a day?"

"Odd thing that," Kodachi replied, "I didn't really ask. I think it's at least partially done with holographs or something of that nature."

"It looks real," there was a slight pause before Kasumi added, "It feels real. Oh my, the water is so warm and tingly! It must feel wonderful to soak in that."

"Why don't we find out?" Kodachi cooed in a sensual purr, "I'll wash your back first if you'll do me second, Kasumi-chan."

"I'd love that very much," Kasumi warmly replied, "But I'd like to wash you first, if you'll allow me."

Ranma decided about then and there that this was as much of an intrusion into the personal affairs of those two as he could stand on a full stomach and hastily got out of there, hoping he wouldn't ever have to contemplate the details of what was surely to follow. He had wondered why Kodachi had been so indifferent towards him of late, and finding out that the Black Rose had turned her affections in that direction was...disturbing in itself, but he strangely did not begrudge her having an outside influence. It was the very idea that it would be Kasumi that she coveted in that way that was giving him the cold shivers, for in almost every important sense Kuno Kodachi was the older Tendo sister's opposite in nature. Next to Kodachi even Kasumi's Amazon sister, Kachu, looked relatively stable!

He decided he'd had enough waiting around on his own. Time to go find the persons he wanted to spend time with, and hopefully drive from his mind all thought of Kodachi and what she might be intending with Nabiki's beloved older sister!

He was only mildly surprised to find the window was wide open at Nabiki's room, and when he crouched close to the opening he found his expectations more than amply fulfilled as Shampoo was going at her with a hungry eagerness that once again cause Ranma's loins to stiffen. The slurping noises and the faint groaning sounds Nabiki made while the Amazon all but devoured her sex was enough to make Ranma all but swallow his Adam's apple, for the sight alone would cause serious problems for a Eunuch!

There was Shampoo's purple head bobbling slightly as she worked Nabiki over with her tongue, going in and around the tender meat of Nabiki's vulva before plunging in full bore, that tongue vanishing into the gulf of the middle Tendo sister's loins, swirling around inside as Shampoo sought out the fabled "G" spot while finding and caressing every nerve that was in her path, driving Nabiki to distraction as her groans became more intense and far more difficult to hold down from shrieking. The Amazon was relentless as her mouth worked Nabiki over, causing the Tendo girl to arch her back and dig her nails into her bed sheets while her feet curled sensuously and her legs spread wide in a "V" for Victory in advance of her impending climax!

Ranma watched this and felt a part of himself harden like a rock, forcing him to loosen the cord around his pants in order to relieve the pressure caused by the swelling. He was grateful that he used boxer shorts instead of more conventional cotton underwear as there was no way for him to hold in the raging monster that threatened to burst out of its confining shackles. His eyes roved over the two naked girls, traveling the length of their smooth bodies and noting the thin layer of perspiration that signified that they had been at it for some minutes.

Even as he watched he noticed how Nabiki's skin glistened in the light provided by her table lamp, even as he saw how Shampoo's sleek form had a glistening sheen that made her well-toned body seem like a bronzed statue in full motion. Nabiki's skin began to dimple and pucker in the way he now knew foreshadowed an impending climax, and sure enough Nabiki threw her head back and stared in shock up at her ceiling. She hastily grabbed up one of her pillows and pressed it up against her face before finally giving utterance of the climax that was shaking her mind and body to the rafters! The sound did not travel far, but Ranma clearly heard it, and it caused his body to spasm slightly in sympathetic response to her pleasuring. All at once he could constrain himself no more and all but through himself through the window, coming up behind Shampoo almost before the Amazon was even aware of his presence.

Almost!

"Airen?" she gasped as she briefly removed her lips from Nabiki's shuddering vulva, but as she felt Ranma's hands caress her buttox the Amazon smiled and resolved to do nothing to deter him. Instead she placed her mouth back over Nabiki's groin and resumed her hungry devouring of her wife's sex while Ranma positioned himself with a weapon between his legs that was set to go off like a rocket!

Shampoo's muffled gasp of pleasure encouraged Ranma to slide in all the way, encountering no resistance whatsoever as he mounted Shampoo's vulva and prepared to give her a taste of manly sausage. Ranma had never wasted a moment of his life fretting about the adequacy of his endowments, nor had he cause to envy another guy in that regard as his manhood presently was swollen to a size that Shampoo found most pleasing. He began to slide it in and out of her gently, trying to remember how the technique was done in the book as he rotated his hips a little and sought to position himself at the best angle for maximum thrusting potential. Once he was satisfied by the noises that Shampoo made into believing he had a good access root down, he proceeded to hump her with slowly increasing momentum, building up a steady rhythm until he had Shampoo grunting and groaning into Nabiki's sex, which provided her with an added extra level of enjoyment as her eyes half-lidded themselves to watch as Ranma did to Shampoo what the Amazon was doing in turn to Nabiki!

The Amazon was like a raging lioness as she devoured every inch of skin that she could lick and suckle, using her tongue like it was a male organ until Nabiki could no longer quite tell the difference, then withdrawing from one hole as she kissed and licked her way down to the other. Meanwhile Ranma was exploring the Amazon's moist depths with a relentless energy that was driving Shampoo to distraction. At one point the Amazon was so overcome with delight that she briefly withdrew from Nabiki, leaving the Tendo girl to make a plaintive noise of disappointment as she had been close to yet another orgasm. Shampoo suddenly plunged ahead, sliding her body up the length of Nabiki and drawing Ranma along with her until she was sandwiched between them and could bring her fulsome breasts into play, rubbing her nipples against Nabiki's. They mouths finally came together even as Ranma mounted both girls, still plunging deep into Shampoo as the point of his release grew nearer. Nabiki tasted saliva mixed with her own juices and once more enjoyed the salty-sweet flavor as Shampoo's tongue worked its will into her mouth, prompting Nabiki's tongue to respond in kind as if it wanted to wrestle with some Amazon tongue and lap up that full-bodied flavor.

Nabiki's hands began to come into play as she used her experience from the night before to guide her in fondling Shampoo, caressing her skin as her hands explored the muscles of Shampoo's back, then gradually worked down to cup both breasts and mash against their firm, full, soft texture. A bit of exploratory work was needed before they could blindly find Shampoo's nipples, at which point Shampoo decided to reciprocate the attention, taking Nabiki's nipples between thumb and forefinger to tweak and caress those hard, knobby tips as both women felt their bosoms swell to full erection. It was about this point where Ranma finally had his release and Shampoo gasped with pleasant surprise, feeling the warm gush fill her from within, setting off a nice chain reaction as she brought her pelvis down on the final stroke, masterfully aiming her clitoris to brush contact with Nabiki's, which triggered a simultaneous orgasm in both of her lovers.

Nabiki shuddered as she felt her body responding to Shampoo's attentions, looking past Shampoo's shoulder to see the flushed face of Ranma pumping the Amazon with wild abandon. Unlike on the previous evening, Ranma did not appear to be faltering in his strength even though he had evidently just achieved a male orgasm, which left her hopeful that he would be able to service her with the same intensity that he was presently visiting upon their mutual Mistress of the Moistness. Shampoo obviously did not seem to mind Ranma's continuing stamina as she enjoyed his vigorous pumping with much enthusiasm evidenced in her own expression. She in turn transferred much of her zeal onto Nabiki, planting kisses all over the middle Tendo girl's chest and upper body before bending down and going to work on Nabiki's nipples. Shampoo displayed great skill and versatility in finding and stimulating every pleasurable nerve center that those strong hands and sensitive lips could encounter, driving Nabiki to ever-increasing levels of intense positive reaction, which only fired the Tendo girl's desire to reciprocate with interest. She made a point to commit to memory all the things that Shampoo was doing to her with the intent of returning the favor in very short order when the opportunity would be afforded.

Ranma was being careful this time not to expend too much energy into pleasing his women, mindful of how easily exhaustion had overtaken him the night before when he went too much all out in one mind-blowing effort at claiming them for his own. He had committed to memory the instructional material that went along with the pictures in the Kama Sutra and was not about to show himself up by underestimating a woman's staying power in this form of arena. Granted a woman had the obvious advantage in their capability for multiple orgasms, but the book had given him a few helpful suggestions on how to get around that minor defect of male anatomy, and so he had allowed himself to rush through the initial phase in order to spare his reserves for those maneuvers where his stamina would truly be needed.

So it was that he began to use his hands for other reasons than to guide the Amazon onto his manhood and back again, seeking out those special nerve-clusters located around the pelvic area and hips before moving down to caress the softer, smoother region of her buttox, tracing the lines of force he discovered there as he felt the energy pulse through her nerves, translating stimulus into sexual arousal, and making sure to double the efficiency of those signals. Shampoo's gasps and groans of pleasure noticeably intensified as he worked her nerve endings in this manner, which encouraged him to try even more daring techniques that the book had guaranteed would have results with even the most reserved and frigid of partners...which Shampoo most obviously was not by a long stretch!

The Amazon was delighted upon discovering that Ranma had studied her mother's gift with such fine attention to detail, and being the beneficiary of his new form of Love Kata, she decided to reciprocate the same by angling her body onto his manhood so that each stroke would both caress her pelvic nerves and the clusters that surrounded the shaft of his male organ, ensuring that he would regain both his hardness and vigor in a very short order when his first gush might well have caused him to soften. This was the sort of arena that she excelled in, and she well intended to prove that to both of her beloveds. Nabiki was responding with great enthusiasm to her own stimulation, which insured that her interest would not prematurely wane when Shampoo attempted other things that would have a longer-term effect of pleasuring both of her lovers. As it was the delight in being in the middle of their sandwich far exceeded her best hopes for this second night of ardor. If the rest of their marriage proceeded this way it would indeed portend a very happy and industrious future for all three concerned parties...

Nabiki did not mind at all that she was presently on the bottom layer of this delightful three-way encounter, nor had she any complaint about the lavish attention that was being showered upon her by Shampoo, but she was starting to develop a hunger for some of what Shampoo was having on the other end from Ranma, so as soon as the opportunity arose she signaled to her Amazon helpmate that she wanted to switch places. Shampoo was more than agreeable to this, gently rolling off of Nabiki as she disengaged herself from Ranma, who was only momentarily confused about what his two ladies were presently up to, but on hands and knees Nabiki confronted him with a smile like that of a cat, then brought her face up to his still-hard manhood and proceeded to rub her cheeks against it, coating her face with the mingle juices of both Shampoo and Ranma. With no further adieu she opened wide and took him in, surprising Ranma for a half-second before the first sensations quelled any desire on his part to utter a protest. Nabiki licked him like a Popsicle, so Ranma reached down and guided her head so that he could slowly encourage her to go all the way down his shaft, which she proceeded to do with hungry enthusiasm.

Shampoo, meanwhile, resumed her place at Nabiki's rear entrance and proceeded to use her hands to pry open those moistened loins that had yet to achieve true fulfillment. Her mouth once more began to vigorously tongue the wet depths of the Tendo girl's loins, earning another pre-orgasmal release as Nabiki responded to the encouragement, sucking in more of Ranma before releasing him again, only to resume her "sword-swallowing" maneuver again and again while Ranma closed his eyes and settled in for the action. Nabiki was enjoying being at the center of attention one again and was delighted on finding Ranma was so hard even after several long minutes of vigorous "pole riding." As soon as she felt ready she signaled to Shampoo once again her intention of switching places, which Shampoo was only too eager to encourage, even helping to guide Nabiki about so that her well-lubricated love canal could be easily mounted from behind by an all-too-  
eager Ranma. Nabiki sighed as she felt her man go into her all the way, then wiggle his hips to angle himself in just the right manner before resuming the same pumping action that he had used upon Shampoo near the beginning.

Shampoo positioned herself to provide Nabiki a needed buffer, planting the Tendo girl's face between her generous bosoms so that when Ranma pushed forward he drove Nabiki into Shampoo's "padding." The Amazon made sure to hold her wife's face firmly between those soft mounds so as to encourage Nabiki to begin loving her with more tongue action. Nabiki was only too happy to comply with this unspoken request, but before long she deliberately sought out a nipple to encircle between her lips, then with one hand to guide that breast and steady it in place she began to suckle the Amazon with hungry devotion, as though she were still a mere infant and Shampoo was her wet-nurse! The sensation of being drawn into her wife's eager mouth gave Shampoo all the encouragement she needed to cling to Nabiki and encourage her to do the same with each breast, while Ranma worked over nerves with cock and fingers until Nabiki was amply satisfied, being finally in the middle of this amorous "sandwich."

Nabiki knew that she had what some referred to as an Oral Fixation, a near-  
constant need to always have something in her mouth that was good and tasty. She had endured the teasing of several classmates on this subject, but now she was grateful for her fetish, being able to more fully enjoy the taste of Shampoo's bosoms as she licked around the areolas and took each nipple between her teeth for gentle mastication. It was almost like having her own bottle to nurse from, only such firm and full packaging, so ripe to the touch yet so soft and smooth for caressing. She had always envied Shampoo for having such nice tits, but at the same time she was grateful that came with the rest of the packaging that the Amazon presented. There was not an inch of the purple haired wonder that Nabiki did not secretly covet, and now that she had permission to indulge her long suppressed appetites she was not about to waste a single moment! Shampoo belonged to her every bit as much as Ranma, and as she was more than capable of enjoying both genders she did not want to putz around in expressing the full measure of her lust. She would leave Shampoo in no doubt of her longing to join with her in the bonds of passion and matrimony, for in this one very special arena she was no longer intimidated. Formidable as Shampoo was in other forums, here they could express themselves as equals, and Nabiki fully intended to wind up dominating this girl and claiming her like a prized possession.

Of course having Ranma as part of the bargain only sweetened the honeypot, for he also belonged to her, even though they had not yet undergone the technicality of a formal marriage ceremony.

Ranma was enjoying the moment as he built his way up to a second explosive climax. There was an odd feeling warming up within him as he humped Nabiki from the rear, drawing closer to the point where he would fill her cavity with his seed and realizing-as if for the first time-that this was a woman he cared for very deeply that he was finally claiming for his own. All the struggles, all the doubt, hesitation and uncertainty that had confused him in the past was now banished, leaving him with the unmistakable realization that he wanted her...wanted her with an intensity that almost frightened him, for she was not as sturdy as Shampoo and the fear in the back of his mind was that he might cause her unintentional injury. It was an oddly protective feeling, a warmth that filled his breast and belly and made him gaze down at her slender backside, amazed at the discovery of how blade thin she was, how narrow in the waist with a taunt musculature that lay beneath her delicate padding. It was startling to notice the contrast between her body and that of Shampoo, who was all strength and suppleness to the touch. Nabiki felt almost fragile in his hands, and yet he knew she had her own formidable strength and was certainly not someone to be underestimated! Her strength was very different from the Amazons, and yet Ranma felt as if he had to lend her some strength of his own to give her completeness. Every inch of her was somehow sacred to him, an object to be venerated and worshipped as he now had the power to make her fully a woman!

He desired Shampoo no less than Nabiki, but the difference between the two girls allowed him to care for each in a very different sense, no less intense and personal, but surprisingly forceful. Shampoo was almost physically his equal, a dynamic force of nature that could excite and arouse him like nothing else in his experience, and he knew that his desire for her was growing more intense the longer he spent time with her, in and out of coitus. Nabiki, on the other hand, was mentally his superior but physically more dependent upon him, and thus he could feel protective and nurturing and not in the least feel as if he were being condescending. Her beauty was almost a match for Shampoo's, but he desired her no less intensely and wanted to build a life around both women. It was also frightening in a way to discover just how deep he felt bound to the two women, needing them no less than they yearned for his caresses. It was like the death of his independence, this knowing that he would never again feel complete without them, for they were now the center of his existence, his entire reason for continued living, and with a jolt that made him wonder why such things would even cross his mind he discovered that he would mount any obstacle to be with them and protect them. It was his duty to pledge his honor towards their continued happiness, and that such a duty would never feel to him like much of a burden.

Another random thought occurred to him in the moment before he felt himself jism deep into Nabiki, that this must have been like what his father felt when first he had been married to his mother, which then prompted the inevitable question of how and while his father had ever chosen to live apart from her in the first place? Ten years without his mother must have been a sacrifice unlike anything Ranma could even imagine, but then further thought along that line of logic was quelled as he felt himself buck and release his payload inside of his iinazuke, almost giving too much of himself to her this time before remembering to hold a little back in reserve as he was by no means finished in expressing his desire to further claim Shampoo and Nabiki...

3.

Nabiki Journal Resumes:

It was an electrifying and exhilarating moment with Ranma tilting my body at an angle so that he could lift one of my legs and do something nasty that felt a little like electrifying spiders crawling up and down my nerves, only in a good sense as it jolted me almost to another orgasm!

We'd gone beyond the initial foreplay, which was basically an improved rehash of everything we had done the night before, only now Ranma was getting inventive in finding new ways of driving me out of my skull with sheer ecstasy! He was kissing my leg while stroking it with his fingers, working all the way down to my feet and causing every inch of the way to tingle with massive waves of unbelievable delight! I swear he was setting me on fire even without touching my pussy, and this would be far from the only original thing he would do this night to make me crazy with arousal.

And what was I doing while he was turning my legs into a pair of drumsticks for devouring? I had my face buried deep into Shampoo's pussy, giving my kitty-cat sex kitten her own form of heady distraction, which was just my way of returning the favor after she all but turned my brain into a quivering mount of tofu from sheer excitement! I don't know at what point in all of this that I turned into a raging wildwoman and attacked them both sexually, but I was having the best sex of my life and doing things I doubt they even include in a porn movie! Everything we did was good and inspirational, and I lost count of all the times I climaxed having my way with both of my partners.

How long was it before we decided to take a break and fell on top of one another in a limp, quivering heap of well-contented flesh, too numb to move even a finger as we waited for our bodies to recover so that we could go at it again, and never mind doing any sleeping! I had a realization as I lay there flanked on either side by a loved one that my bed was just too small for the purpose. I need a larger place to sleep if I'm going to be hosting those two in my room from now on, and larger blankets so they don't keep stealing from me, not that I had anything to complain about as it was a warm night and none of us needed to hog the covers.

As I drifted in and out of wakeful consciousness, though, a thought occurred to me that had been bothering me since the previous day. Shampoo had told us all about her past relationship with a fellow Amazon girl named Lotion, and meeting the blue-haired apprenticed Healer in the flesh had been something of a revelation, for it explained to me why Shampoo was such an accomplished bed partner, having already mastered the trade from considerable practice. That left open only one question, though, which I decided on asking.

"Sham-chan?" I said as I felt Shampoo play with my hair with sensitive fingers.

"Yes Airen?" she replied in that adorable baby-doll voice that I found so sexy.

"Last night when you tied me to my bed with those ropes," I began, "You seemed to know what you were doing.

Shampoo's fingers paused in the act of toying with my hair, then with a faintly nervous hint in her tone she replied, "Shampoo know how to keep Sneaky Nabiki in one place so she convince to do wifely duties."

I smiled at that and said, "I'm flattered that you felt like going to so much trouble, but...I was wondering...did you ever do this before...with her?"

I didn't need to mention Lotion by name, Shampoo knew who I meant, and so I felt the soft caress of her sigh before she answered, "Shampoo learn from books found in house of Shampoo mother. Show books to Lotion...only it no Shampoo to tie her to Shampoo bed."

I blinked my eyes at that and it was a moment before I could say, "You're kidding?"

"Nabiki wish," Shampoo's tone sounded amused, "Recall that Shampoo very strong girl, much stronger than Lotion. Shampoo always have to hold back and be gentle so no hurt Lotion when we sharing pleasures. Lotion say tying Shampoo down give her advantage, dare Shampoo to let her. Shampoo take dare, Lotion tie her, then have way with Shampoo, and Shampoo find she like it..."

"WHAT?" I gasped, almost waking up our slumbering Ranma.

"Shampoo never let go so much in whole life," Shampoo replied, "First time Shampoo ever relax and let go when having pleasures. Lotion get to try things we no attempt before, and very satisfying. Shampoo let her tie Shampoo up on other occasions, only sometime Shampoo break ropes, so have to learn how to tie them tighter."

This was a lot more than I had been expecting to hear, and I don't need to say how dubious I was at this particular revelation. I resolved that I was going to have to keep a closer eye on the blue haired girl just in case she did have any lingering designs on "renewing" her past relationship with my Sham-chan!

Another thought occurred to me just then, and I asked, "You like being tied up?"

I was rewarded by her soft chuckle, "Is old Amazon saying, No knock it until you try it."

"Okay," I said, "So I tried it...and it wasn't all that bad. But does this mean that I might get to tie you up some day?"

I could all but feel her sensual purr as she replied, "Nabiki welcome to try. Maybe Shampoo let you tie up, maybe you get to do things with Shampoo that make her go really crazy. Is safer for Nabiki, yes?"

"Uh...sure," I swallowed, just wondering what the hell it took to make Shampoo go really crazy, and if I could possibly survive it! I'd thought she was pretty expressive herself that last time and I wasn't about to formally press the issue.

"You guys wanna keep it down?" Ranma murmured faintly at my side, "In case you forgot we got school in the morning."

Shampoo and I were of like mind as we turned a look on him of our renewed lust, then I took the first move by asking, "Oh...so you're tired of us already, is that it Ranma-kun?"

"Huh?" I saw him open one eye to regard us, and then the closed eye followed suit and both took on an appearance of someone who was suddenly very nervous.

"Shampoo think Ranma recover enough for talking, him strong enough to do other thing for Ailen."

"I couldn't agree more, Sham-chan," I cooed, reaching out with a hand and stroking Ranma's manhood, which stirred back to life with only a little persuasion. Ranma's nervousness intensified, but it was already too late for him to make his escape as Shampoo got up and glided over me, positioning herself behind Ranma so that the both of us could flank him.

"Shampoo think it time make Ranma sandwich," Shampoo cooed as she began to rub her body against his strong backside.

"Ah..." Ranma swallowed, "Help?"

"Not a chance," I leered, moving in for the kill as we proceeded to work him over, seeing just how far he had progressed in mastering his new "love katas..."

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Despite my husband's protests to the contrary he was demonstrating a remarkable facility for learning the techniques in my mother's book and applying them to our bedroom situation. With only a little encouragement on our part, Nabiki and I were able to coax him along into demonstrating all that he knew and then some, and near the end I even think he was starting to improvise new methods for continuing our game of pleasures. The sport would continue well into the night without ever becoming either tedious or repetitious. I believe my wife was no less satisfied by his performance than I was, and that's even allowing for the fact that he managed to go the distance while still retaining his male status.

Of course I was also experimenting throughout the whole encounter, seeing as Ranma is the only man whom I have ever been close enough to perform with, my previous partners being, of course, other women. The time I had spent with Lotion learning about my sexuality had been a most enlightening part of my life and it taught me much about what my needs are and what it takes to satisfy me and, of course, how to please my partners. I had also done further research into the basic anatomical differences between women and men in order to transfer my knowledge to the time when I would have a husband to look after. Having both a husband and a wife, of course, means that I get to enjoy the best of both realities, and I am satisfied that I accomplished my goal of pleasing them both if I may judge from their positive responses.

Our brief rest period allowed me time to think on what I wanted to do next that would continue the game further on into the morning, and with Nabiki the choices were fairly simple as my wife had demonstrated to me a hearty appetite for everything we had so far done together. With Ranma the choices are somewhat more complex due to his having a somewhat more reserved and competitive nature, less willing to concede a point and not entirely comfortable with being expressive of his real emotions. I have a somewhat more difficult time reading him than I do Nabiki, who may think she is clever and wise in concealing her emotions, but whom I have learned to read like a scroll as there are all these tell-tale signs and giveaways that can betray her inner workings and let me know when she is feeling aroused, moody or angry.

Of course Nabiki wisely followed my lead as the two of us turned our attentions towards Ranma with the intent of stimulating him once again into full-fledged arousal. Our husband's hard body was like a map that we could trace with our hands, exploring territory we each coveted for ourselves, though we were willing to share in the spirit of communal bliss and matrimonial cooperation. Our husband benefited greatly from our mutual desire to please him, and I was even generous enough to allow our wife to have the first licks upon his manhood.

Unlike with the previous night, where Ranma had tired himself prematurely in male aspect, there was no water on hand to trigger his transformation to his female half, which has more staying power in these games of pleasure, so he had to put everything within the limitations of his masculine body. Fortunately this time Ranma was not so rash as to rush to fulfillment and was able to pace himself better, devoting his energies to longer lasting endeavors. When Nabiki was through employing her mouth to achieve his firmness (and I helped her to mount him from the top position), Ranma was careful to ride her gently up the slope from a mere trotting motion to the more vigorous up-and-down pole-sliding gyrations of a full-blown gallop. I helped to steady Nabiki from behind while playing with her breasts and clitoris so that she would achieve a more satisfying level of heightened stimulation that required very little effort on her part to sustain, leaving Ranma to do all of the real work while we, his wives, took pleasure from seeing his look of serious determination. It was as if he was resolved to make certain that this would be as enjoyable for the both of us as it clearly was for him, and it was such a turn-on for the both of us to know that Nabiki would achieve a full and satisfying ride on the glory path to heavenly virtue.

Of course neither one of us was expecting our husband to turn the tables on us by rolling us both over so that he could assert a more dominant position. I was almost thrown off the narrow bed by the suddenness of his reactions as he towered over Nabiki, still firmly planted inside her with an almost-crazed look that as much as said that he was going to climax as memorable as it was aggressive. I decided that I would sit on Nabiki's face so that she would be busy at both ends while I leaned forward and brought my lips up against our husband's hardened chest, and I'm fairly certain that Ranma was surprised when I started to lick his sweat-slick body, but I think the Cat within me was taking over about that point and I was ready to follow my instincts while Nabiki began to eat at my crotch with the hunger of a madwoman. I almost gushed into her face when I felt Ranma caress my breasts with his firm hands, cupping and fondling them before stimulating my nipples and making them once more as rock-  
hard as a pair of tiny marbles!

Sweet ancestors, what we did during this second night of wonders truly surpassed the near miraculous pleasuring that had gone on the first night of our consummation. When Ranma was done making Nabiki a happy wife, he turned his energies fully onto me, rolling me onto my back before bringing his mouth down onto my loins, surprising me as he demonstrated great facility for cunnalingus, clearly having studied how Nabiki and I did this, or perhaps carrying over from his own experience in female form when we taught him the previous evening. To be certain my husband's tongue probed my moist depths with great art and cunning, pleasuring me in a way that even his cock never could, for a man can only thrust at so many angles while a tongue his more dexterous and sensitive, able to find the more abundant nerve clusters located within three centimeters of the mouth of my vagina. I was especially pleased that he remembered to pay extra attention to my clitoris...I'm given to understand that some men cannot even locate one on their partners, let alone pay it as much attention as they do to their phalluses, reminding me once again of why Ranma is such a special person.

It was obvious enough that he had been paying attention to the book illustrations when I felt him lift my hips up and rotate my body so that most of my weight rested upon my shoulders. With my legs spread out above my head, almost toughing the bed with my toes, he brought my loins up at a better angle from which to pleasure me, making hungry slurping sounds that almost convinced me that he had shifted to his Neko persona. I was transported with sheer delight that he was showing me such rapt consideration, putting my needs before his own, that I almost did not notice when Nabiki entered the game once again, having recovered her own strength as she made a close examination of my legs, then decided to do unto me what I had been doing unto her little more than an our before hand.

It is often said that the way to a woman's heart is through her loins, but there is another way to make a woman's heart sing, and that was what Nabiki was doing as he played her soft hands against the flesh of my inner thighs, moving down to my knee on my right side, then my left, before traveling down the length of my leg, where she began to kiss me and lick behind my ankles. I arched my toes with delight and approval as her brought tongue and fingers down to my arch and then the balls to my feet, working over each toe as if they were miniature cocks for her to suckle. I cannot describe the sensations that went shooting up and down my spine when she began to rub the bottom of my feet against both of her breasts, allowing me to ply my toes against her hardened nipples as I enjoyed the softness of her skin and yearned for the chance to once more suckle the rest of her with undiminished ardor.

We tried many things together over the course of the night, all good and pleasuring, even those parts that were experimental. I was tingling all over with satiation when finally our energy was spent once again, and this time we knew that we would have to rest and renew ourselves as it was getting far too late in the evening, and we had another day of school looming before us.

Once again I must wonder at why my mother felt schooling was necessary, when all I truly need to know can be learned at home in the arms of my dearly beloveds. Such lessons as I am learning in pleasure cannot be taught within a classroom, nor do I think these prudish Japanese would understand the full depths of Amazon ardor unleashed. I only know that we are in the beginning stages of our romantic story, and I wish it to continue forever, for I can never foresee a time when my desire for them both will be diminished.

Perhaps I shock whoever might be reading this, in which case you may please accept that this was never my intention. I live only to love and to serve those who have given me a new life within their hearts. My old life with my people apparently is ending, but I have no complaints for this, for change is inevitable and growth is the goal of living. So long as one is true to their own desires and does not set artificial restrictions on whom they may love, then life itself can hold eternal promise of a brighter new tomorrow. My future is looking very bright indeed, and who knows what else may come of this as I build my new life with my wife and husband, secure in their love and the knowledge that they are my destiny's fulfillment.

Be well, whomever you may be, and rejoice in the simple act of living...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Kumma Sutra: shadowmane

The battle of the bedroom is joined again, but what does this portend for the morning? Tune into the accompanying Hentai piece that will shortly follow these antics when the focus turns to Kodachi and Kasumi, while we discover just how much progress Silk has been making with Soun Tendo. Be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.


	66. Chapter 66

NabikiRan62 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Two.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

The wind whipped past us at more than ninety kilometers per hour as Shampoo gunned the engine and briefly popped a wheelie before stabilizing this monstrosity that she called a bike, which I had been ever so foolish enough to climb onto the back of, and now was holding onto Shampoo for dear life! This wasn't my usual means of getting to class on time in the morning, and it was beginning to appear to me that hitching a ride via Ranma Express was a definitely safer and less life-threatening way to travel! It's not that I'm saying that Shampoo is a bad motorcyclist, of course, it's just that she seems to be under the distinct impression that traffic laws are something that happens to other people!

Oh, granted we made excellent time, and we were running a bit late, what with oversleeping and all the assorted problems you usually wake up with after spending half the night in orgiastic lovemaking. Of course it wasn't just having sex with my two iinazuke that had been giving me fits all night, it was that less-than-fortunate encounter that I had in the middle of the night with Kasumi over the issue of Kodachi!

(Editor's note, wait for the details on the above referenced comments in the accompanying Hentai work-in-progress, "Round Two," followed in turn by my secondary piece, "Kodachi and Kasumi, a match made in...?" Warning note: the latter piece may not be suitable to readers with weak constitutions!-Jim)

But as for arriving at Furinkan High School with my sense of dignity intact, that truly was a lost cause. Those were two of the longest minutes of my life that I suffered through on account of my poor judgement, witnessing first hand how Shampoo could literally turn the laws of physics upside down and ride that scary thing right up the side of a building, along fences and vaulting over drainage ditches like a purpled haired daredevil, her cat-like reflexes and sense of balance allowing her to compensate for the shift in my balance that came whenever she made a sharp turn at corners (mercifully few of those since Shampoo prefer to go THROUGH obstacles rather than around them!). I mean, viewed objectively it was a pretty amazing display of two-wheeled prowess, and had I been a less interested observer I'm sure I would have appreciated it more. As it was the only positive thing that the experience gave me was healthy appreciation for the virtues of walking-that and the chance to put my hands on that part of Shampoo's anatomy to which anyone other than her Airen were totally forbidden! Shampoo didn't even seem to mind my holding her there, and if anything it encouraged her to do things even more daring just to trigger in me an instinctive squeezing reaction!

Heh! Re-reading that section I'm struck at how much like a guy I must sound like making sexist comments like that about Shampoo. I mean, just because I sleep with her in my bed (if "sleep" is the right word to apply here) does that give me the right to make rude comments about parts of her anatomy that are my business (and Ranma's) but nobody else's? I just know I'd have had a field day making wry, sarcastic comments about anyone else besides me who talked that way about Sham-chan. On the other hand this is a private diary that I'm encrypting on my computer, so who's going to know what I said, other than Sham-chan?

Anyway, we got to school in one piece, which was no minor miracle from where I'm sitting! My heart was beating like a staccato trip hammer and I felt too weak in the knees to trust putting weight on my feet when at last Shampoo pulled into a screeching halt in the school parking area. My Amazon bride (if I may be indulged in calling her that) was her usual perky self as she flashed a smile at various onlooking students, whose expression of amazement showed that they weren't completely inured to surprise, even given that astonishing sights are an almost daily occurrence on our campus. It was only after Shampoo turned to me and urged me to remove my helmet that the other kids got a good look at her kamikaze passenger, namely yours truly, and I'm almost swear that my hair was standing on end, even though I was the one who had worn the helmet!

I must have seemed like one of those shell-shocked war refugees that you see in school films about stress who need to be led by the hand and taken care of when they're minds are in full shut-down mode and they barely operate on an autonomic level. Shampoo waved a hand over my face several times before urging me to get off of her bike, then she fetched my school supplies from the holding compartment and handed them to me with a cheerful smile, as if nothing were the matter. Taking me by the hand she encouraged me to start moving forward, and it was the act of moving my legs that started to shake me out of my daze as the realization that I was not facing an eminent threat to my personal welfare and existence any more, and it was about this point when I began to acknowledge the voice of Ryonami.

My trusted aide and specialist in the field of bet-taking came rushing up waving her hand and crying out to me, "Sempai! Sempai!"

"Eh?" I replied as my thoughts regained at least a tentative normality as my mental hardware finished doing their version of a self-diagnostic routine and finished completing the restart, "Ryo-chan? What's up?"

"Sempai," Ryonami was faintly out of breath as she caught up with us, taking a moment to rest with hands on her knees before she looked up at us with distress written plainly on her features, "Come quickly! Something's happened that you've got to see, and bring Shampoo with you!"

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo replied, surprised to be included in the summons.

My curiosity was naturally piqued, and we had a few minutes before classes would begin, so we followed Ryonami as she led the way around the building out to the front entrance, where we came upon a scene that was altogether a familiar only a few months prior to this, before Ranma had come to Nerima as a matter of fact, but which I would have given odds had become a thing of the past since Ryoga had first expressed an interest in Akane. Bodies were lying on the ground in all sorts of prone positions, the bodies of male students representing the various athletic clubs of our school, out cold and looking like a hurricane had worked them over.

To my considerable surprise-and the dismay of Shampoo, who gave a hearty, "Hiyaa!" beside me-said hurricane turned out to be a pair of underaged girls who by rights should have been in middle school but were instead confronting a group of female students with weapons drawn in full combat threat mode.

"They just showed up out of no where and started challenging all the guys to a fight, the way they used to do with Akane every morning," Ryonami said by way of hasty explanation, "I thought they might be Amazons from the way they dressed like you, Shampoo-san, but they laid all the guys out like they meant serious business!"

"Is serious all right," Shampoo affirmed, "Those Shampoo's sisters, Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, but what they do with funny dressed Japanese girls?"

"Oh, you mean the Combat Cheerleader Squad," I remarked, not taking my eyes of the tableau as she addressed Ryonami, "That's a good question, Ryo-chan, what are they doing?"

"Oh," I noticed a slight hesitation in my subordinate's voice and risked glancing to see her staring nervously at the ground with an odd blush on her face as she said, "Well...that's because Captain Ai got mad at seeing the boys get humiliated that way. She ordered Mariko-san and the others to join her in making their own challenge against those girls. You know how she gets about school pride and all of that..."

I nodded understanding. That did sound in-character for Konjo Ai, blonde dynamo and one of the worst female rakes in all of the Furinkan student body. Ai had dated many of the top-notch jocks (of either gender) in our school and no doubt considered it within her proprietary interest to look out for their welfare (if only to insure that a few would remain serviceable for the purposes she wanted). She was a skilled and capable fighter who had somehow found a way to turn Cheerleading into a full contact sport (rather like Kodachi and Gymnastics when you think about it) and not someone to be crossed lightly. By herself she was easily as formidable as Akane, but when backed by her full team they were an almost unstoppable force, and currently they were grouped into one of their fancy combination-posed stances that hid their martial readiness behind the artful grace of motions normally thought to be exclusively associated with a Pep rally.

"This no good," Shampoo said aloud as she studied the potential combatants, "If sisters win they maybe hurt Japanese students, but if funny dressed girls win fight..."

"Right," I said, deciding that it was worth the risk to intervene, so I clapped my hands while we approached this group and called out, "Ladies! Your attention please! This is no way to go about making formal introductions!"

Both sets of combatants swiveled their eyes to look in our direction, and then the Cherry Pink-haired Ling-Ling and green haired Lung-Lung lost their hostile demeanor and cracked broad smiles as their focus went to Shampoo, all thoughts of their impending brawl forgotten.

"Big Sister Shampoo!" the each cried out as she rushed up to embrace her.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked as she returned their embraces, "What you do here at Shampoo school, Ling-Ling, Lung-Lung?"

"We come to test out boys to see if strong fighters like Shampoo Airen," replied Ling-Ling.

"We see fight with Shampoo father-in-law and Aunt Silk," Lung-Lung added, "Think maybe there other strong fighter in Japan who no married!"

"But these no better than boys we fight back in China," the pink-haired girl said with obvious disgust, glancing at their handiwork as if accusing them of being lazy.

"Wait a minutes," I said, "You mean you two showed up here looking for dates?"

"Is Amazon way," Shampoo said to me off-handedly, as if that was sufficient explanation. But then her tone grew sterner as she said, "This Japan, no China. No can say hello this way. Shampoo sisters need study prey better before issue challenge."

"We're sorry," both girls said together, lowering their expressions and looking altogether contrite.

The stern act didn't last long as my purple haired companion smiled and hugged her sisters, saying, "Next time ask Shampoo advice. Shampoo spend much time in Japan, know where to go to fight strong fighters."

Both of the twins made delighted sounds and hugged their Big Sister with even more enthusiasm than before. I caught a look of genuine pleasure in Shampoo's eyes as she returned their hugs, and I suddenly flashed on the fact that she had not spent that much time around her own family and must have missed a sense of intimacy with her own blood kin that I took for granted around Kasumi and Akane. Of course the momentary reflection only lasted for an instant before the sound of someone clearing their throat intruded on our private conversation.

"Excuse me?" as Konjo Ai from where she was standing, only a few paces from our position, "Not that I want to break up this happy family scene and all, but we do have some unfinished business here, in case you all have forgotten."

"Shampoo no know what yellow hair mean," Shampoo growled in clear irritation, "Shampoo sisters visiting Japan, no know how is done here. If you have quarrel, then you take it up with Shampoo, hai?"

The twins gasped in surprise at hearing their older sister defend them in this manner, but Ai was less than suitably impressed and said, "You think I'm afraid of you Amazons and your reputation? This is our school and your hooligans just ruffed up a number of our classmates. If you think we girls are going to take that lying down then you are most sadly mistaken!"

"Knock it off, Ai," I said as I moved around to interpose myself between Shampoo and the prospective cat-fight, "They do things differently in their part of China, so take it as a compliment that they thought maybe at least one guy here could stand up to their challenge," I gave a contemptuous toss of my head to indicate my sister's former playmates, "You've no quarrel with my Sister-in-  
laws, okay? So back off before you wind up getting over your pretty head or something. Believe me, you don't take an Amazon challenge all that lightly."

"Sisters-in-law?" Ai asked with obvious confusion.

"Ah," I belatedly kicked myself in my metaphorical hinny for the verbal gaff, realizing that an explanation here would make hash of what was left of my "Ice Queen" reputation. I lamely cooked up a half-baked excuse by saying, "Oh, that's right...I haven't had time to tell anybody, but one of my sisters from China showed up the other day and got married. Nobody you'd know, of course, since she's too old to be in High School, but that's really not important. Let's just say these two are family and leave it at that, all right?"

Ai blinked her eyes and for a moment lost some of her aggressive stance before shrugging her shoulders and saying, "Whatever...that's your business, not mine, Tendo-san, but I'll be willing to overlook this whole incident if these two offer an immediate apology for their rude conduct..."

"Apology?" both Shampoo and her two sisters said in unison, but I raised a hand to stifle further protest from her corner.

"I don't see why any apology is necessary," I replied, "Those boys were offered a fair challenge and failed to measure up, correct?"

"Well, yes..." Ai reluctantly conceded.

"So they took their lumps like young men who haven't trained as hard as they should have for such an encounter," I continued, "So now they have to live with the humiliation of losing to a pair of little girls, which ought to serve as a strong motivator to redouble their training, so in a way these two have actually done Furinkan a service, correct?"

"Well..." I could see Ai struggling to find a flaw in my reasoning, but I wasn't about to afford her the opportunity.

"It's all well and good that you care enough about our menfolk to look after their welfare, Ai," I gave her my most sardonic smile as I added, "But taking the responsibility of defending all of Furinkan on your shoulders and that of your team is a bit much, don't you think? Besides, it's not like you have any proprietary investment in all of these boys, right? I mean, even you couldn't date that many."

She scowled at me for my playful little dig, but I let her know I was only being half-facetious by my expression as the last thing I'd want to do is have someone like her for a mortal enemy. Hey, I personally like Ai, whatever her eccentricities and personal foibles. I've made a lot of money betting on her squad to triumph over other schools in the past, and I'd have to be blind not to notice that Ai has a great body, if not quite as luscious as Shampoo herself. In spite of her reputation as the campus "slut," she's really not all that bad a person, and she's very loyal to the other members of her team. I know this from long and careful observation not to let her "butch" side be taken at face value, and I'd much rather have someone like her remain a potential ally than to underrate her intelligence or truly alienate her.

"Very well," she said, "We'll let this go for now, but I'm warning you, if they show up again looking to cause trouble they're going to find us standing ready to issue challenge."

"You funeral if you think Shampoo sisters weaklings," Shampoo gave Ai a cat-like smile and added, "Is very big mistake underestimate womans from Amazon tribe."

"We'll see about that," Ai replied, pivoting on one heal and signaling to her team to fall in step as they headed for the athletic side of the main building.

"Wow," I heard Ryonami exclaim, "You sure handled her like a pro, Sempai."

"Good," I said, then added at the level of a low whisper, "Then maybe my knees will stop knocking and we can get on with classes..."

"Yo!" Ranma called out to us as he approached at a loping stride, instantly banishing all of my cares and worries as I turned to greet him with a genuine smile of pleasure.

"About time Ranma catch up with Shampoo," our Amazon wife greeted him with a teasing expression, "Is sorry now you say bike no way to travel?"

"Hey, I never said it wasn't fast or nothing," Ranma waved his hands in an appeasing manner, "I just think traveling by rooftops is better for training."

"Oh, you've no idea what training's like on the back of a bike, Ranma-kun," I chuckled nervously, trying not to think about the rush of images that were still fresh within my brain, "It's definitely an experience you should try, at least once."

"I guess," Ranma shrugged, "Well, did I miss anything? What's with all the guys taking naps? Did somebody insult Akane's weight again?"

"Well," I drawled, "Actually..."

"Hey, what are you two doing here?" he asked of Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, "Shouldn't you guys be in Middle school or something?"

"Is Big Brother Ranma try to be funny?" Ling-Ling responded.

"No go to Japanese school like Big Sister," Lung-Lung added, "Spend whole time training to be as good as Big Sister Shampoo."

"That way we find husband like Big Brother Ranma," Ling-Ling continued with a smile that made Ranma instantly look nervous.

"Ah...what?" he blinked his eyes and looked from Shampoo to me for explanation.

"One side," a voice urged calmly as yet another male figure advanced upon us, none other than Kuno! "So, someone has impudently issued challenge to the men of our school without considering me in the bargain. I should feel insulted, but as you are guests from out of town I will forgive your oversight."

"What do you want, Kuno?" Ranma asked in a tired tone of voice that as much as conveyed a "Let's get this over with" subtext.

"Obviously not to banter words with you, Saotome," Kuno replied without his usual wrathful malevolence or exaggerated flourish, "But I would offer you a formal apology that time does not permit me to explain myself in detail."

Alarms went off in my head as Shampoo and Ranma exchanged looks with me before turning to stare in disbelief at Kuno, wondering if we had actually heard the word "apology" cross his lips for even an instant!

Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung stepped forward and held their weapons at the ready, one holding a short quarter staff, the other a trident, as Ling-Ling began, "Is you strong fighter what goes to school with other boys like Shampoo Airen?"

"I am a student of this school," Kuno replied, "Kuno Tatewaki, Captain of the Kendo League and your humble servant."

"Is good tall boy have such nice manners," Lung-Lung noted, "We fight?"

"Alas no," Kuno replied with a slow shake of his head, "It would not be manly."

I think about that point all three of us regulars who knew about Kuno from prior experience were about ready to fall flat on our faces or suspect that this Kuno was one of the Pod People, because the Kuno we knew would never have refused a challenge from two pretty girls, regardless of their ages. I could all but feel the confusion in the twins as they looked up at him, then Ling-Ling gasped, "No manly? What is stupid talk? We Amazon warriors, no weak Japanese girls you take for granted!"

"This may be so," Kuno said calmly, "And I doubt not that you have the fierceness of the Goddess Artemu, but to accept challenge from you would humble me, for I am most unworthy of your attention."

"You is saying you no good enough to fight with Amazon?" Lung-Lung asked, sharing but not matching our astonishment at such a concession.

"I would not know how I might fare against you," Kuno said with another slow shake of his head, "It might prove a worthy challenge to both of our prowess, but alas, I must decline for to accept would be a grave insult to the both of you as guests within our country."

"Is no insult to fight with womans of Amazon village," Ling-Ling argued, arching her tones as she added, "Unless you think we too weak to beat you."

"I assure you maidens that such was the furthest idea from my thoughts," Kuno replied with continuing humility, "Indeed, proud warriors the both of you must be to humble so many of our bravest fighters by yourselves, and I confess to being in awe at the efficiency of your dispatch. Alas, the honor you would bestow me is too great for me accept as I would risk shaming myself before my peers and fellow classmates. They would think me a cad for even attempt to mar the beauty of two such ravishing flowers are yourselves, so please, pray forgive my cravenness that I stand humbled before you, half blinded by your radiance and unable to stand within such sight as it would be like gazing upon the sun for too long a time. You master me by merely allowing me to bask within your presence."

I could swear that there was an almost audible sound of two sets of eyes blinking in unison, and I saw Shampoo's sisters lower their weapons by a noticeable fraction as if they did not know what to make of Kuno and his lyrical flourish. I had always known that he was gifted with a sense of the poetic, but I'd never seen him banter with such art and daring, verbally running rings around the less sophisticated Amazons, who-like Shampoo-are simple hicks from the country.

"You...you think we is pretty?" Ling-Ling finally translated.

"Pretty is to pale a word to describe your beauty," Kuno replied, "To call you less than ravishing would do a grave injustice to my country's language."

"You think we strong warriors," Lung-Lung added, "Better than tall boy?"

"Indeed, I would not dare to come against you for it would unman me," Kuno bowed his head, "Forgive me, I am not worthy to fight with you. You must allow that I am a weak, humble man who must abide himself with women who are not as formidable as the pair of you are together. Now please pardon and excuse that I must be away to my classes for I have an important meeting today with my teacher."

"Is Elder business?" Ling-Ling asked.

"Is very important?" Lung-Lung seconded.

"Far too important to be ignored," Kuno replied, "Perhaps we shall meet again, gentle maidens, when I am a better man who can abide to be in your most worthy presence."

So saying the boy who looked remarkably like Kuno Tatewaki walked on back and into the main building while the rest of us stood where we were trying to make sense of the incomprehensible. It was a full two minutes at least before Ranma was able to turn to me and voice the question we were all asking, "Okay, who was that and what has he done with the real Kuno?"

"Is nice boy," Ling-Ling smiled foolishly.

"Is true," Lung-Lung nodded, then a half second later reality came dawning on both twins and they exchanged dismayed looks before crying, "We let him get away?"

"Obviously the pair of you need a serious education in the male sex."

"Nani?" I said, taking a moment to try and recognize the person who had just spoken those words. The haircolor and style should have been dead giveaways, but the fact that this person in question was wearing a school uniform like a regular teenaged girl threw me for about fifteen seconds.

Not so Shampoo, who stared at the newcomer and said, "Great Grandmother?"

"Old ghoul?" Ranma said the words pro-forma, but from the way his eyes were roving up and down it was plain enough his heart was not into the insult. In fact, if he had been any more reactive I would have decked him on the spot.

"Don't laugh," Cologne eyed us all with a glare that would have wilted the paint off of a building, "This wasn't my idea, I assure you."

"Um...excuse me," Ryonami spoke up, seeing only a girl our age who slightly resembled Shampoo but for her dark blue haircolor, "Did you just call her your...grandmother?"

"Long story," I told my assistant before turning a suspicious glance in Cologne's direction, "If you don't mind my asking, Matriarch..."

"Blame it on my granddaughter and her alleged sense of irony," Cologne growled as if every word had a peculiar distaste, "Or her warped sense of humor by suggesting to me that I should visit with you young people today after she enrolled me in classes without my knowledge."

"Kind of a fast enrollment don't you think?" said Ranma as he once again anticipated my next question.

"What can I say?" Cologne shrugged, "I taught my granddaughter well to use what connections she has, and I have a special purpose for being with you here today. You see...there is someone else about whom you should be warned, Son-in-law, and you as well, great granddaughter."

"Shampoo no interested," Shampoo said as she turned her nose up and away from her nominal elder.

"Not even if I tell you that it is one of Happosai's proteges who will be coming for the both of you very shortly?" Cologne asked with a shrewd expression.

"The old freak?" Ranma growled, "What's he got to do with anything, and what's his about a prot g ? What the heck is that?"

"She means a student, like our fathers," I explained, frowning, "Maybe you'd better tell us all about it, from the top, starting with why you're so worried about Shampoo and Ranma?"

"My concern for them, apart from my standing as both Elder and their teacher-  
former or otherwise-is based on the likelihood that they will be targeted by the one who learned a forbidden Amazon technique from Happosai," Cologne responded, "You see, Happosai learned much during his time with us, far more than ever I suspected, and among those secrets that he took with him in his travels was one that I saw displayed yesterday evening while on my way back to the Nekohanten..."

"Come back here you thief!" a shrill voice cried out, followed by dozens more angry voices raised in protest as a virtual stampede of female students came running around the corner, Konjo Ai and her band of Cheerleading misfits chief among them. Ahead of the pact by at least a half dozen paces was a familiar blonde figure running fleet-footed with an incriminating sack slung over one shoulder. Where he got the school uniform from I don't even want to speculate, save that it was not a very good fitting and he tended to wear it with the tail out in Chinese fashion.

"Oh great." Ranma growled, "What's he doing here?"

"Shampoo think him up to old tricks in new disguise," Shampoo supplied helpfully, "Maybe him think we stupid enough think he student so he get closer to objects for groping."

"Yeah, but in that form he's more vulnerable than as an old guy," I surmised, wondering as I said this about the irony of that statement.

"Indeed," Cologne mused, "Then perhaps I should take a hand in this. After all, if I'm stuck playing the part of an adolescent, then it's only fair that he does likewise."

She vaulted away, moving as swiftly as she ever did doing "pogo-stick" maneuvers, and I sudden gleaned on how foolish we'd all been to take appearances at face value around the Matriarch. In two quick strides she was in his path, and before Happosai could register this fact-let alone veer away from the impending collision, Cologne was in his face, striking hard and fast to sent the de-aged pervert sprawling.

"Wow!" the girls cried as they all flocked to a halt to admire the "new student," one girl stating the facts for everyone, "You sure took that creep out like he was yesterday's news!"

"Oh, it was nothing, really," Cologne replied with false modesty, "I just get a charge out of messing up his schemes, fair payback for all the problems he's given me in the past..."

"Oh," one of the other girls said, "Ex-Boyfriend, huh?"

I saw Cologne stiffen, and with great deliberation she said, "He is NOT my boyfriend!"

"Uh-huh," the rest of the girls replied, as if buying that line as much as I did.

"Say," Ai noted as she pushed her way to the front ranks, "You're new around here, aren't you? Just transfer here from your old school?"

"Ah...something like that," Cologne said evasively, which is about the point where she had a timely rescue in the form of what I took to be a nine-year old kid who angrily declared, "Ahah! I've found you at last, Delinquent!"

"Oh bugger," Cologne said as she turned slowly around to confront a little brown haired girl in a yellow dress who was scowling up at her with a look of accusation.

"You've been causing trouble again, haven't you?" the little girl said, pulling out a small object that she held between her fingers, which I would later determine was a five-yen coin, as if the thing were some kind of deadly weapon, "You won't escape me again! Anything Goes Happo Five-Yen Satsu!" and then she called out a bunch of words that sounded like "Pain" and "Madness," and all at once the hairs on my head start to stand on end as I feel a wave of cold pass over me, and some kind of negative glow surrounded the little girl, who started to transform into a full grown woman!

Of course by this point Cologne had taken a powder, but the unfortunately mob of still-angry girls was caught in the wave of absorption that overtook their ranks as the spell leached energy from them and caused the brown haired girl to grow noticeably taller.

"Whoah!" Ranma exclaimed as he and Shampoo took defensive stances, "Did you see that?"

"She suck battle energy from students," Shampoo agreed, "She now look tall like Shampoo mother!"

"That was what I was trying to warn you about," Cologne said as she suddenly appeared beside us, "The technique she uses drains battle aura, so whatever you do you must not allow yourselves to get angry."

"Happosai taught her to do that?" I asked, noticing that the pervert in question had also removed himself from the area of absorption. Unfortunately our fellow students did not fare as well as they fell to the ground like dried up wheat-  
chaff, including Ai and her group, who did not appear to be as chipper as I could ever remember.

"Hey, it wasn't like I ever thought she'd use the coin trick on me," Happosai said as he took flanking position on our left, "I guess Hinako-chan's forgotten all about me over the years. She was only a little thing when last I saw her."

"When was that?" Ranma asked, "In an incubator?"

"Smart aleck," Happosai retorted, "In point of fact I was going to look you up to give you fair warning about the technique, but I...kinda got distracted..."

"Uh huh," I mused, "My guess is a bath house," and I was rewarded by seeing the formerly old man shoot a look of surprise in my direction.

"How did you...?" he began, when the now-adult Hinako whirled about and cried, "You there! Who are you and why are you standing with these delinquents?"

"Who...me?" Ranma asked as he discovered that he was the focus of Hinako's glare, "Uh...I'm Saotome Ranma. Why do you want to know?"

"Hmph," Hinako smiled in a way that I most certainly did not like, eyeing our iinazuke with a coy look that made even Shampoo bristle as this woman was radiating sensuality like red light district, "So you're the famous Delinquent that I've been hearing so much about. I understand you and your companions were responsible for humiliating the teaching staff yesterday, including Principal Kuno."

"Yeah? What of it?" Ranma asked, "And who the heck are you, lady?"

The woman raised a hand and flashed the yen coin as she replied, "The name is Ninomiya Hinako, and I happen to be your new Homeroom teacher, so be respectful of my authority or you'll suffer the fate of these others."

"You're...a teacher?" I gasped, wondering when the teaching staff had started hiring people who looked like THAT and could behave so scary!

"A Discipline specialist," she replied, "Hired to bring you Delinquents in line after you so recklessly humiliated your last homeroom teacher, Godai-Sensei."

"But we were attacked first!" Ranma protested, "We weren't the ones who started it! The Principal was trying to force us to get back haircuts!"

"It is the duty of the school administration to set policy for dress code, of which you kids are in violation," Hinako-sensei responded, "Those aren't school uniforms you two are wearing and your hair is most definitely not regulation! Pigtailed braids and dying one's hair that odd purple color..."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo protested, "For last time, Shampoo no dye hair! Is natural color!"

"Whatever," Hinako-sensei said, already beginning her coin maneuver, "You need to be made into an example for the benefit of the other students!"

"Hinako-chan!" Happosai suddenly moved forward, "Don't misuse your talents like this! I didn't teach you the Good Girl maneuver so you could abuse it on people who never did anything to hurt you!"

"W-What?' Hinako froze in the act of completing her pentagon-like arm motion, "What are you saying, who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me, Hinako-chan?" Happosai asked, "I'm your Master, Happy!"

"Happy?" Hinako frowned, "Too happy from the looks of things, and don't you know it's bad to steal underwear from your fellow students?"

"Ah, you never used to mind that," Happosai drawled, "In fact in the old days you even helped me out on occasion."

"I...did...?" Hinako blinked in growing confusion.

"My," Happosai allowed himself to leer as he looked the well-stacked teacher over, "You sure grew up to become a fine figure of womanhood. Glad to see that coin trick I taught you was good for something."

"You...?" Hinako frowned, "I don't know what you're talking about! Who are you, Delinquent?"

"Delinquent?" Happosai snorted, "I like that!"

"Haven't you forgotten something yourself, Happy-san?" Cologne remarked in what sounded like a frosty tone of voice.

"Like what, old woman?" Happosai responded.

"You don't quite look like yourself these days," she pointed out with a patently false smile on her expression.

"Huh?" the blonde pervert blinked as if just realizing the truth behind that statement, "I-uh oh..."

"Happo Five Yen Satsu!" Hinako cried, once again, and with Happosai standing at point-blank range there was no way that he could avoid taking the brunt of the spell's impact. Of course the rest of us were also in the line of fire this time, and I could feel the energy leaching from me as I raised my hands in a feeble attempt to block it.

"Don't manifest a battle aura!" Cologne called out, "Remain calm and you will not be affected!"

"Easy for you to say!" Ranma cried as he, too, made a warding motion while backing away as if some part of him was being sucked into the vortex.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo also cried, "Is very strong pull! Very hard to resist it!"

"That's because I'm using a larger coin this time," Hinako-sensei smiled, "I anticipated you figuring out the counter-maneuver...eh?"

All at once the stream of energy pouring out of us was cut off by a staff and a trident being crossed together to form some sort of energy barrier with Shampoo's sisters maintaining it between them.

"Don't worry Big Sister Shampoo!" Ling-Ling called out, "We protect you!"

"Is basic defense taught by Mother to counter strong energy attacks," Lung-Lung added, "Form Barrier Satsu, is used to protect warrior against attack by demons!"

"Very good, children," Cologne remarked, "You are holding her at bay, but might I suggest a strategic withdrawal might be in order?"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Ranma said, and suddenly he had me in his arms before I could even blink and we were vaulting to the safety of the nearby school building, where we found Akane and Ryoga already waiting to greet us.

"Hey," Akane said, "What was that all about? Who was that lady?"

"She said she was our new homeroom teacher," Ranma turned to my sister and asked, "You guys know anything about that?"

"No," Ryoga replied, "All we know is that Godai-sensei called in sick...something about a domestic situation that needed clearing up..."

"You ask me," said a familiar-sounding male voice, "It sounds like the guy is really hen-pecked."

I did a double-take as I belatedly recognized Kuonji Ukyo in her new male form, and let me tell you standing up close to her when she's male that is like getting hit in the chest with about a thousand volts of pure hormonal reaction, especially when you are as unprepared for it as I was.

"Aiyaa..." I heard Shampoo beside me express in obvious appreciation, "What you doing here in same High School as Ailen?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "Ucchan?"

"Ah...well," Ukyo said, "I thought I'd check the place out since I've already enrolled, though I won't official begin here for a couple more days..."

All of a sudden Shampoo's sisters were there acting like giddy teenaged idol-  
otaku, clutching hands together as they gushed their eager appreciation of Kuonji's Bishonen good looks while conveniently forgetting the fact that they supposedly knew her real gender.

"Aiyaa, this boy in Big Sister Shampoo's class who no have girlfriend?" asked Ling-Ling.

"You strong fighter, yes?" added Lung-Lung, "Maybe we fight and get to know one another?"

"Back off girls," Akane growled, "This is no time for this nonsense!'

"Is nonsense for you," Ling-Ling said eagerly as she took Kuonji by one arm.

"Is Amazon way for us," added Lung-Lung, who took Kuonji's other arm, much to her obvious discomfort.

"Ah...Ranchan," Kuonji smiled weakly, "Shampoo-san...could you kind of like call them off...?"

"It ain't that easy," Ranma noted.

"Shampoo think Spatula girl look good flank by Amazons who want strong Ailen," Shampoo added with straight-faced sarcasm.

"But if you've got a moment," Ranma pulled something out form his sash that I recognized as the challenge scroll from the day before, "I got something I wanted to talk with you last night, only I kinda forgot about it in all the excitement. You know anything about this?"

Ranma unrolled the scroll and held it up where Ukyo could see it. She-I mean HE paled and said, "Say what? That's Pop's law firm! What does he want...?" He blinked his eyes then growled, "That JACKASS! I told him that I was going to settle this thing by myself!"

"It seems your father did not quite get the message," I said drolly, "I think we need to talk some more about this, don't you?"

Ukyo started to nod when Hinako-sensei appeared and said, "No loitering in the hallways. Either you students find your way to class or I'll perform another Satsu."

Ranma and Shampoo immediately flanked me while Cologne assumed a neutral stance, while behind us the others looked on in confusion. Hinako did not make an overt move to raise her coin, but instead she lifted something that looked a little like a blond haired kid who had been left out in the sun for too long. Even Gosunkugi has looked better than that on his off-days!

"This is what will become of anyone who doubts my authority as a teacher," she said simply, "I trust that I will not have to repeat myself on this?"

There was a mutual exchange of glances, and then Cologne signed and turned around, which prompted the rest of us to do likewise as none of us felt much like making it into an issue. It would not be until much later that I would hear the full story of Ninomiya Hinako, renegade prot g of Happosai turned self-anointed enemy of juvenile delinquents (meaning us). All I knew at the time that-for the first time that I can remember-I felt very glad not to have to share my homeroom class with Ranma and the others...

"Ah, now this is the life!" Atsuko sighed as she eased into the steaming waters of the outdoor bathing pool that had been unveiled to the others, "Our very own personal hotsprings!"

"Oh my," mused Nodoka, sharing a space near to the half-Oni, and likewise naked, "You say you and Comb built all of this by yourselves? It's quite a remarkable building project."

"Well, Silk helped a little," Comb shrugged, "Atsuko's illusion power coupled with Silk's Lore Mastery created the right environment for me to cast the spell we needed to summon the fire Elementals that actually heat the water."

"I see," Soun remarked from where he sat at the far end of the pool, trying not to glance towards the other women as his central focus was on the lady beside him, "So you're saying that this is actually in part some kind of illusion?"

"More or less," Silk mused, clearly delighted at the proximity between her and the only man present, "Only it's not an illusion in the sense of something that isn't really there. It's more like a bending of the laws of time and space over this localized area. We noticed that there was a part of your yard that wasn't being used for anything important and I thought it would make a great place to add a recreational facility. After all, your students and family work very hard, and they can't all make use of the furo to refresh themselves."

"Oh my," mused Kasumi, glancing around at the ambiance of the place, "It looks so much larger than our yard itself. How much of it is real?"

"Might be worth exploring that question sometime," Silk said indulgently at the younger girl, "Too bad your friend Kodachi had to hurry on to class, I'm sure she'd be happy to do some exploring with you."

"Oh, that's all right," Kasumi replied, "We did that last night after we finished cleaning up the house..."

"You what?" Soun sat more upright.

"Oh relax," Silk chided him, "They're young, they deserve to have fun. Speaking of which, you two did a pretty nice job laying out the basic construction. I'm sure Nabiki and her Airen will be happy to try this out themselves when they get home from classes."

"That was the idea," Comb noted before turning a grudging look towards Atsuko, "Odd the two of us working on anything constructive..."

"Let's just not make it a habit, okay?" Atsuko sniffed, "I don't think my stomach could take it."

"I think the two of you should be congratulated," Nodoka said, glancing around before adding, "By the way, where is Genma and your husband, Comb-san? I would have thought my husband would enjoy this sort of thing, what with the problem his curse brings him."

"I don't know about Genma," Comb replied, "But my husband elected to stay at the Nekohanten and prepare it for business. He's decided to help Grandmother out by running the place when she's...not available," her smile had an impish quality as if she were savoring some private humor.

"Oh, Gemi-chan said he had to go to the store to get something," Atsuko spoke up, "It's his day off from working at the clinic for that nice Doctor Tofu, and I was kind of hoping he'd hang around so we could...ah...talk and get better acquainted."

"Just talk huh?" Comb growled suspiciously, "Nothing else? I'm surprised you didn't volunteer to go with him..."

"Oh, I wanted to," Atsuko glanced down and reluctantly added, "But he was so insistent that he had to go alone, and I didn't think it would be a good idea to try and follow him...ah...because..."

"Because you might wind up in Hokkaido?" Silk asked, "Correct me if I'm wrong but that is your home island, correct?"

"Not that I ever go back there these days," Atsuko sighed, almost barely murmuring the words, "On account of Momma..."

"Your mother?" Kasumi asked, "Oh my...is there some problem between you?"

"You could say that," Atsuko said weakly, running a hand to the back of her head before adopting a goofy smile and saying, "But it's nothing I wanna talk about right now, okay? This is our time to just soak and relax while the kids are away and it's just us grown ups."

"I agree," Nodoka nodded, "It's a wonderful feeling to let all your cares and troubles melt away while you soak in such luxurious mineral water. I haven't felt this alive and at peace for over ten years, though I'm happy to say that my husband has lost none of his vigor during his long absence."

She seemed to take no notice of the fact that Atsuko and Comb were giving her dagger-eyed glares, and a less serene woman might have noticed a pair of battle auras briefly flare to life, to be replaced mere moments later by equally chagrined expressions as the Oni and Healer looked away with matching crestfallen expressions.

They also failed to notice a pair of eyes gazing down at them from a shadowy place nestled between the branches of a nearby tree. Those slitted eyes regarded the reality-warped folding of space and detected a familiar pattern to the illusion, and then a soft voice chuckle as a woman's voice said, "At last I have found you, daughter, and this time you won't escape me..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Rival Relief Agency Hotline: shadowmane

What business has Genma to keep him away from the affections of the ladies...and does he really need a reason? Ranma and the gang find out next time when they go to meet the terrifying power of the Law Firm known simply as Jun Mun Lun and associates...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	67. Chapter 67

NabikiRan63 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Three

"Hello, is anyone home? It's me, your repair guy come to service your house."

Terry (Lone Wolf) Bogart glanced around at the front area of the Tendo house, which looked to his practiced eye as though it had seen some recent and considerable action. Aside from the large hole in the wall near the main gate and the visible damage to the landscape there was a line of destruction that proceeded with almost machine-like precision from where he stood to a point about a mile or so distant. It looked as if some titanic force had punched its way through walls and buildings before vanishing into the city, leading him to wonder what might have made this as nothing either artificial or in nature could account for the great consistency in all the structural damage.

Nothing, that is, save a renegade martial artist, of which Terry had more than his fair share of past acquaintance, but as far as he knew all of his old sparring partners had been accounted for, and none of his friends would have reason to even want to attack the Tendos. That the house itself was still standing, coupled with the fact that the initial damage had exploded outward rather than inward, it was logical to suppose that whatever had done this had escaped rather than come towards the household. Only that begged the question once again of who or what could account for so much localized damage?

A hand touched his shoulders, causing Terry to gasp and belated combat reflexes to come into play as he whirled about into a fighting crouch, aware that he had momentarily allowed himself to be distracted, and thus vulnerable, and against an enemy would potentially prove fatal.

"Oh my," said Kasumi as she regarded Terry's hostile stance, "I'm so sorry, did I startle you, Bogart-san? I heard you calling out and I came to investigate. Please forgive my rudeness."

Terry blinked his eyes. Tendo Kasumi had been the one to sneak up on him without once betraying her presence? That was...a disturbing concept! Either he had been more distracted than he had imagined or his survival reflexes were getting dull. A good thing he had sensed no hostility from her presence or he might have taken more aggressive action. As it was he forced himself to relax and bow to her as befit a guest of the Tendos.

"No, please forgive me, Kasumi-san," he replied, "I didn't mean to react like that, it was careless of me, and it won't be repeated."

"You're so silly," Kasumi smiled, a smile that could make flowers bloom and birds feel inspired to spontaneously start singing. It was an eerie effect she had, one that never ceased to surprise Terri no matter how many times he stood within Kasumi's presence. That fact that she in some ways reminded him of a certain deceased lover hardly detracted from her charms by one iota, though Terry sternly reminded himself that he was no longer interested in such things and had no wish to go through such agony as his last relationship had brought him.

Still Kasumi was someone who could brighten up anyone's day just being in her presence, and she had a freshness about her that suggested that she had recently been bathing. The kimono she was wearing seemed almost to double as a bathrobe, and though outdoors he could not help noticing that she was barefoot. Terry decided not to burden her with his thoughts, of loves lost and his long isolation. Instead he returned her smile and adjusted the ball-cap that he wore constantly in his travels, his blond hair adding to his rakish charms as he assumed a casual, non-assuming pose and said, "I'm sorry I'm late showing up, but I had to request new construction materials, judging by the size of the repair job you indicated over the phone."

"How very thoughtful of you," Kasumi said brightly, "I know it's a lot to ask on such short notice, but we had something of a busy day yesterday and it left something of a mess behind. Comb-san and Atsuko-san have kindly pitched in to make what repairs they could, but I'm afraid they're not as familiar with the construction of our yard as you are."

"Oh?" Terry noted in surprise, "You have more guests than yesterday then? That is surprising. I don't suppose that they're more old friends of the family?"

"Apparently yes," Kasumi answered, "Father seems to have known a lot of people in his younger days, but Atsuko-san is one of Uncle Saotome's old friends. Oh yes, and Aunt Nodoka was staying with us last night, she's Uncle's wife come to be with her family. Isn't that nice?"

"His wife?" Terry was no expert about relationships, but even he knew that women friends and a wife in the same yard made for a bad mixture when it concerned a husband. No wonder they needed the extra materials! It was a good thing that Tendo Nabiki always ordered these things in bulk or the repair bill would be horrendous!

"You say that like it's a bad thing," an unfamiliar voice called out, and around the corner appeared several grown-up women, only two of whom Terry had met before. Comb and Silk he knew from the previous few days, but the other two were strangers, not as tall as Comb but noticeably taller than Silk-san.

"Well hey," said a brown haired woman in a yellow silk kimono, "Who is your friend, Kasumi-chan? Didn't know you were seeing someone else on the sly..."

"Oh, that's silly," Kasumi chided, "Bogart-san is our family's repair man. He's here to fix the holes in the wall and ceiling that were made last night."

"Oh my," said another brown haired woman whose hair was done up in a bun, "That must make for a full time job around here. Do they give you steady employment, Mister Bogart?"

"Terry," he bowed to the ladies, letting them know by his manner of speech that his Japanese was flawless and they need not bother to address him in English, just because he had been born an American, "I keep up as best I can. There's never any shortage of work around Nerima, and it could always be worse."

"How so?" asked the Chinese woman named Silk.

"I used to make repairs in the Tomobiki area," Terry failed to suppress a slight shudder, "Now that place can be a real nightmare!"

"Bogart-san," Kasumi indicated the newcomers, "This is Hibiki Atsuko, the mother of Akane's friend, Ryoga, and this is Saotome Nodoka, the mother of my sister's iinazuke, Ranma."

"Terry Bogart," he bowed to them, belatedly recognizing the resemblance between the two women and their respective sons, and wondering if some of their rivalry carried over from the previous generation.

"You speak excellent Japanese, Bogart-san," the woman named Nodoka remarked pleasantly, "Were you originally from the United States?"

"I was born in America," Bogart replied, "But I spent most of my youth here and about. I grew up in the Hong Kong region before the takeover by the Mainland, but I've lived off and on in Japan since my brother lives here with his wife and kid. I'm really something of a wanderer, though, so I've never spent enough time in any one place to call it a home. I just go where there's work that can pay the bills while I continue my training."

"Training?" Atsuko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Bogart-san is a Martial Artist, in case you couldn't tell," Comb explained, "And a very good one from what I've been able to determine."

"He once sparred with your son, Ranma," Silk informed Nodoka, "And it was a pretty fair fight at that. The two of you were almost even."

"You're too kind, Silk-san," Terry replied, "It was just light sparring in the dojo, nothing too serious, no special maneuvers or anything like that."

"A good thing too," Comb remarked shrewdly, "Or I doubt the dojo would still be standing."

"Well, it's nice to meet you all," Terry said as if just remembering the point, "But I'm on a deadline for the boss, so I might as well get to work making repairs. I assume you want me to start with that one?" He indicated the hole near the gate with a hand gesture.

"My daughter did that," Comb said, almost by way of apology, "I'm sorry that you're the one that has to be troubled to fix that..."

"Oh," Terry said, understanding at once the source of the massive destruction, having seen the purple haired girl's handiwork so often that he belatedly chided himself for not recognizing it like a signature beforehand.

"Actually most of the real damage is in back," Kasumi replied, "Comb and Silk have offered to help, and Atsuko-san says she can make your work move easier if you'll let her."

"I don't suppose it would hurt to have a little assistance," Terry replied, "It might even save you money, though I'd rather you not tell the boss about it."

"Don't worry," Comb replied, "It will be our little secret."

"Besides," Atsuko grinned in a manner that showed off her fangs, clinching in Terry's mind that she and Ryoga were definitely related, "I think you'll get a kick out of seeing what I can do when it comes to building and repairing things. I've got a few dandy tricks that should make this place look even better and stronger than ever."

"Uh...sure," Terry replied dubiously, wondering about that wink she gave him, and why he had this disturbing sense that there was a lot more to Hibiki Atsuko than met with mere appearance.

"Kasumi-chan!" a voice called out, disturbing Terry's thought as he knew of only one person who had that distinctive manner of speaking. He turned his head by a fraction as a blur of dark hair whipped past his head and a vaulting figure landed in the space between him and Kasumi, to confront the taller girl with a bright and cheerful, "Tadaima!"

"Kodachi-chan," Kasumi said brightly, "You're back early from classes today, aren't you?"

"I asked to be excused so that I could hurry home and help you out," the Black Rose said brightly, "There was no practice today for our gymnastics squad, and I knew that there would be a lot of cleaning up to do after all of the excitement last night..."

"How thoughtful of you," Kasumi said brightly, "Everything is fine right now, but in a little bit I will need your assistance after Bogart-san helps make the repairs to our back yard..."

"Eh?" Kodachi spun around as if only belatedly realizing that Terry was even present, and the moment her violet eyes were set upon him Terry had the distinctive impression of rising hostility and resentment of his presence, if not his very existence, that caused him to take a half step backwards in his surprise and confusion.

"Ah..." he tried to think of something polite to say to the younger girl, but all he could manage was a somewhat awkward, "Nice to see you again, Kuno-san..."

"What are you doing in this place?" Kodachi asked as if he had given some incredible offense to her of which he was not personally aware. Kasumi's hand upon her shoulder caused her to glance away in surprise, but in that brief instant Terry had the odd sense that he had just been marked out for a rival.

"Bogart-san is our repair man," Kasumi chided, "You don't need to be protective about him being here, Kodachi-chan. Bogart-san is a gentleman and would never think to impose upon us ladies."

"Uh...yeah, sure," Terry replied, fervently praying to the Buddha that the girl before him wasn't about to utter one of her scary laughs, the kind that could give a guy like him waking nightmares! His one trip to the Kuno estate to effect repairs there had been more than enough for him to want to shift the next such assignment onto somebody else's shoulders. Much to his relief Kodachi merely shrugged her shoulders and turned away as if to wordlessly dismiss him.

"Very well," she said, "If the purpose for his being here is as honorable as you say, then I shall personally vouch for the bill of repairs. There is no need that you should be troubled over such trifling matters. Now, if you will excuse me I should like to change into something more appropriate for the climate."

"Oh my," Nodoka noted once the younger girl had entered the household, "She really does remind me of her mother. Hitome-san should have been so proud to see her little girl grow up into such an imperiously regal young woman."

"You say that like it's a good thing," Comb remarked with a more dubious expression.

"Yeah," Atsuko added, "With a tone like that she could even scare my mother!"

"Uh...what was that all about?" Terry glanced at the faces of the women, "Did I do anything to offend her?"

"Oh no," Kasumi replied, "Kodachi-chan just is like that sometimes. It takes a while for her to warm up to some people."

"She'll be all right," Silk smiled, giving Terry a wink as she added, "But just the same, I would stay out of her way if I were you, Bogart-san. Kodachi is Kasumi's...special friend, and it would not do well to give her any misleading impressions about you."

"Impressions?" Terry felt his confusion grow, then he heaved a sigh of resignation as he turned away and headed out for the backyard, thinking to himself that he never was very good at figuring out women.

"By the way," Nodoka asked Comb as if a thought had just occurred to her, "Where is your grandmother right now? I thought Cologne-san would have concluded her business at Furinkan school much earlier than this..."

"Oh, she'll be around...eventually," Comb grinned, "But I saw to it that she'd be in class full time as it is her first day in a formal High School environment."

"That's something I've been wanting to ask," Atsuko noted, "How the heck did you convince the Matriarch to go along with this deal. I just can't picture her meekly agreeing to wear a school uniform..."

"Oh, it was easy, really," Comb's grin intensified, "You just have to know how grandmother's mind works and how to get her to agree to some things..."

"It also doesn't hurt that you had her over a barrel," Silk noted, "As her only adult heir present, you could play up on the fact that she no longer looks her age to assume title over the Nekohanten."

"That's right," Comb nodded, "And since we entered the country legally-which she did not-it wasn't hard for me to convince the right people that I should be the one to handle grandmother's affairs while she's-how should I put this?-  
indisposed for the duration? It's not exactly like she can go to the landlords and assert that she is the same woman who originally signed the deeds to the property and arranged for all those bogus permits."

"So, if she wants to remain here and get anything done, she has to make a compromise with you," Silk noted, "And since the alternative of returning home is no longer available for her..."

"I get it," Atsuko leered, "You screwed her into playing student! That's mean! I never knew you could be so sneaky."

"You say that like it's a good thing," Nodoka chided, but even she had to smile as the conjured up the mental image that they all were sharing of the ancient Matriarch being forced to pass herself off as a High School student...

Cologne was not having a good day by any stretch of the imagination. The indignity of being forced to sit inside of a classroom with children the same age as her great granddaughter was galling, while the uniform itself-being a dress-showed up much too much of her legs for her liking. Worse still were the rows of drooling idiots who were eyeing her like apprenticed Happosais, being the "New Girl" in class and thus considered "fresh meat" for these hyenas. Coupled to that was Shampoo's insistence on sitting as far away from her as politeness dictated while her nominal Son-in-law kept glancing her way as if to confirm for himself that she was not attempting any mischief.

The only ones who seemed to be treating her with any degree or civility or respect were Akane, Ryoga and Ukyo-kun, who agreed to sit near her as though to lend her some small measure of protection. As if she needed protection! Still it was a considerate gesture, and for that Cologne was marginally grateful. She only hoped that classes would end very soon because she did not like at all the way the teacher kept on eyeing her, with hand often playing with coin as though seeking any excuse to drain her.

How interminable this was, hearing a boring, pointless lecture upon subjects that she was well versed in, such as art, mathematics, literature and grammar. The history curriculum proved flawed in several areas, but Cologne wisely chose not to point this out as there was no profit to be gained in challenging the teacher. It was the teacher herself who made the experience the most galling, because she was presently in the form of a young child, having lost her adult status somewhere during first period (though several times she had renewed it since them).

It was really odd how different she acted in each of her two forms, the adult Hinako being suave, sensual, sophisticated and vampish. The child Hinako-by stunning contrast-was anything BUT suave and sophisticated, manifesting a quite immature and energetic bravado that suited her physical development but was not at all in keeping with one's expectations of appropriate conduct for a teacher. She veered off the subject frequently, often got into anecdotal reflections that seemed odd for her seeming age, then would ask some pointless question of a random student to test their knowledge of the subject and give them a "Big-Eyed" congratulatory stare if they said anything that might earn her strong approval.

Cologne silently reflected that this was a logical side-effect of the terrifying power manifested in Hinako's "coin trick" Satsu, an art forbidden to Amazons for nearly three thousand years for precisely this very reason. The technique gave one the ability absorb battle auras, but at the cost of deterring one's physical growth and potential. Hinako looked roughly a third of her actual age because of the alterations made to her unique constitution by a combination of pressure points and exercises that gave her absorption abilities worthy of a minor Demon. Chronologically she was an adult, but when in normal mode her physiology lacked the development of her adult form. Hinako would eventually grow to be the woman she appeared when absorbing battle auras full time, but not for many, many years, which meant that most of the time she had to cope with a child's raging biochemistry, which included a metabolism that burned sugar like nitro.

How odd to think that she and this child could share a similar problem about aging. It was one of the ironies that almost made Cologne feel pity for the other girl, though not enough to lower her guard around her. Hinako had a taste of what the Matriarch's fierce battle aura was like and no doubt wanted more to sustain her, something Cologne had no intention of giving, so she treated the young girl with the regard that a certain fellow named Hook once bestowed upon a crocodile in a place called Neverland. It was an appropriate analogy, and the thought of this gave Cologne a grim sense of amusement.

[This is Happosai's doing,] she thought to herself with a trace of real annoyance to her once-fellow elder, [Bad enough to trap me with this appearance of youth, but to do what he did to a mere child...I will have to have words with him when this day of drudgery is over...]

She resisted the impulse to glance over her shoulder at where Happosai was sitting, two desks behind and to the right, where he could see a majority of women in the classroom. The cursed pervert had conned his way into her homeroom by pretending to be a 'Foreign Exchange Student from China,' professing a concern for Cologne's welfare by referring to himself as her 'cousin,' as if he had anything else on his mind than his usual mischief. True he had been unusually subdued in class and spent much of his time studying his handiwork as Hinako gave one boring lecture right after another, often getting her facts wrong or confusing the particulars of a given subject, such as of historical or cultural relevance. Cologne had despaired of even once raising her hand to correct her nominal "teacher," knowing that to do so was to risk another brush with the coin-toss...

[I should be teaching these youngsters, not her,] Cologne decided privately, [I'm much better qualified, even if I lack the proper credentials...]

At long (agonizingly) last the period ended and the students were allowed to break for lunch, at which point Cologne sought the solitude of a high clock tower in order to regather her thoughts and try to make sense of her new situation. Being trapped into a situation clearly not of her choosing, she was forced to take stock of her somewhat limited options and try to seek a solution for the potential threat that Hinako represented. She was just starting to work on the case of Ramen noodles that she had brought for her lunch when a voice assaulted her ears, one pleasantly toned but nonetheless grating.

"Old woman."

Cologne did not bother to turn around and acknowledge the speaker's presence. There was only one being in all of Japan who would have the nerve to address her in such a disrespectful manner, so with tired resignation she responded, "What do you want, Happy?"

"Well, it's not to apologize if that's what you're expecting," the young-seeming man responded, "You ask me you should have come clean about your real age a long time ago, specially since you're such a cutie that it's an absolute crime to disguise your looks with a crone's body."

"Not half the crime it is to use a young man's face to hide the heart of an old pervert," Cologne snappishly responded, "Or to use a child to further your own perverse pleasures..."

"That's a dirty lie!" Happosai all but exploded, surprising Cologne with the vehemence of his protest, "I never intended to use Hinako-chan that way! My intentions were entirely honorable! When I found her in that hospital ward twenty years ago she was in frail health and on the verge of dying prematurely! I taught her the technique and made those alterations to her metabolism so that she would be able to gain strength and grow to adulthood..."

"How?" Cologne did turn around this time and glare at him, "By leaching off the life energies of others? You turned her into a psychic vampire, one all too eager to use the technique on anyone who gives her the slightest provocation!"

Much to her surprise Happosai flinched at this (surprising because Cologne had long believed him to be bereft of a conscience). In more defensive tones than he might ordinarily have used he responded, "That's not true, she only drains Battle Auras. The technique is very specific on the nature of the energy that she can absorb...though it is true that she seems to have improvised the trick in order to drain from people who aren't manifesting battle auras..."

"She's obviously a specialist who has refined your teaching beyond your original conception," Cologne noted with almost clinical detachment, "She has but one unique talent that she has turned into the central hub of a more complex system, something I could almost admire were she not so eager to use the technique, or with so little discretion."

"You're just sore because you can't get near enough to her to use the counter," Happosai noted, "Same problem I have, only in my case...well...I just don't know if I could do that to Hinako-chan..."

"Say what?" Cologne asked skeptically, "Are you saying you wouldn't use the counter as an excuse to cop a quick feel over her adult form?"

"Hinako is like a daughter to me," Happosai glared back, "No matter what you think of me, Old Woman, "I do have standards. Of course the problem may be academic if we could convince someone else to do the dirty deed in our place."

"And who would you have in mind?" Cologne's eyes narrowed, then she answered her own question, "Shampoo or Ranma?"

"Who else besides Ranma do we know who would be fast enough and have sufficient skill to apply the correct pressure-points in the second or two that it would take to get within reach of Hinako-chan?" Happosai replied, "He's not yet as great a walking reserve of energy as the two of us are, so the drain will have less effect on him so long as he moves quickly. Shampoo is another possible candidate should Ranma be unable to overcome his own reluctance on attacking a woman, and she won't lack for motivation should she feel compelled to avenge her husband's losses in vitality..."

"True," Cologne conceded, trying to find the flaw in the reasoning of her fellow Elder and finding very little of real substance, "Then the question should be with one of us approaches him with the knowledge of the counter?"

"Leave that up to me," Happosai's eyes gleamed, "All Ranma has to do is feel the threat being leveled towards him or a loved one and he will be more than sufficiently motivated to overcome his reluctance. He will all but beg me to reveal the counter."

"Very true," Cologne nodded, "I might have difficulty convincing Shampoo of the same thing, but her wife is a different matter. I believe Tendo Nabiki is sufficiently intelligent to feel concerned about a possible threat to her loved ones, and she, in turn, will confide in Shampoo, which will serve as sufficient backup should Son-in-law prove inadequate to the challenge."

"Then we have a plan to put into motion," Happosai nodded, "I'll wait for just the right opportunity and give this to the boy," he held up a scroll in one hand, "And once Hinako-chan has been subdued she ought to be in a more agreeable state of mind to talk to her old master. It seems twenty years had dimmed her memory of me, and she needs a gentle reminder..."

"Really?" Cologne remarked, withholding her suspicions on just where Happosai had obtained the scroll in question, "I would have thought you were unforgettable myself, much though I've tried to blot the memory out of my head. I doubt even the Xi Fang Giao would ever prove sufficient."

"Cologne-chan," Happosai beamed, "What a sweet thing to say. Maybe when this whole thing is over we could get together again, try to work things out for old time's sake..."

"Don't push it," Cologne turned away, "It's because of you that I have to go around in my true shape and be the object of scorn and ridicule by my granddaughter and great granddaughter..."

"Don't try to put the blame on me for your domestic problems, Old Woman," Happosai snorted, "You made your own bed in your own house, so it's up to you to clean up after your own messes."

"As you're doing with Hinako?" Cologne inquired.

"Once I calm her down and I can convince her to undertake a new healing therapy that will cure her of having to spend most of her time in a child's body," Happosai responded, "She can finally achieve adult status full time, for which I am sure she will be quite grateful to her old master."

"At which point you'll cop a feel as payment," Cologne noted.

"So glad we understand each other," Happosai chuckled as he turned away, "Too bad you have to be such an evil old crone in your heart. It really would be nice to pick things up again where we left off three hundred years ago, now that we're finally both in the right bodies to enjoy a good romance, but of course an old biddy like you would never understand the needs of young people."

"Why you...!" Cologne was halfway to her feet when she discovered that Happosai had already taken a powder. She clenched her fists and hissed in anger, "One of these days he'll go too far with me, and then...I'll show him just what an 'evil old witch' I can be!"

Unbeknownst to her or Happosai, a certain old woman leaning on her staff heaved a sigh from where she was perched over a window sill, just under the building awning, "Those two truly do deserve one another..."

That being stated, she vaulted from her perch, intent on seeking out her true objective, Tendo Nabiki...

Genma glanced to the right and the left before easing himself out of the concealment of an alley, having double-checked the address to make certain of his location, then glanced at the scroll in his hand, assured that he was at the required place that the challenge specified, and even early by a full hour, which he hoped would provide him with a much-needed tactical advantage.

The place did not look like much from the outside, just an ordinary office building in which a Law Firm might be found in any good-sized city. It had the usual number of entrances and back exits for a building that looked like it had been built at least three architectural styles ago, maybe no more than a decade or two on the face of it. That meant it should be easy to break into and snoop around should he have to come back there later.

He eased his way out of the alley and took a moment to adjust his glasses before squaring his shoulders and moving forward. Time to see what these people wanted from him, seeing as how he had already scoped out the available exits should things prove to get nasty.

Walking in through the front door was hardly his style, but the challenge scroll had been quite specific about the consequences of Genma's failing to appear on time, both to him and to the Tendos. Genma was no great paragon of virtue, nor did he make much pretense to being brave, though he talked more about honor than he usually demonstrated, but there were just some risks that he was not prepared to face, such a legal action that might jeopardize any chance of having a dry roof over his head (to say nothing of what Nodoka might do to him afterwards), so he did the conventional thing and presented himself at the receptionist desk, announcing both himself and that he was early.

"Ah yes," the pretty secretary noted in her appointment book, "You are expected, Saotome-san. You may go on in ahead of your appointed time. My employers have expressed an interest in meeting with you just as soon as you arrive."

That did not bode well with Genma's mood, and he began to reconsider the point of confronting these lawyer fellows directly, when his preference would have been to wait until it was dark so that he could break into their offices and steal whatever incriminating material they might have, assuming they left it laying out in a place where he could find it. Nonetheless he proceeded on down a corridor and up a flight of stairs, to be met at the top of them by what appeared to be the very same fellow who had confronted him before. The well-  
dressed young man indicated that he should follow him, and by turns Genma arrived at last in the well-furnished office of the firm's senior legal partner.

"Saotome-san," the man rose from his desk and bowed, giving his name as "Yu Omi," then indicated the man who had been sitting next to him, who rose from his own chair with much greater effort, giving Genma only the barest of formal acknowledgements. The man needed no introduction, but the fellow behind the mahogany desk gave his name anyway as Kuonji Akira.

Genma realized too late what a mistake he had made walking in through the door, but like any cornered animal that knew it had been trapped he remained perfectly motionless, just barely returning the nod as he was confronted by a man whom he had not seen in ten years, yet whose eyes were like onyx stones boring down on the nominal head of the Saotome home, seeming to beg the question if Genma would look better dipped in boiling oil or kerosene. It was easy to predict that this would not be a friendly reunion.

"Saotome-san," Yu Omi began, "We have asked you here to bring to closure a matter that has lain uncomfortably with our client regarding a certain agreement you made regarding the matrimonial arrangements of your son to his only daughter. I trust we do not need to rehash the sordid details regarding the particulars of this case, but our client wishes to know if you are prepared to make restitution or else honor your agreement, in which case we will be serving to arbitrate agreeable terms for a satisfactory resolution."

"Excuse me," Genma said as cautiously as a man feeling for an exit, "But I'm not certain if I remember the agreement that you refer to. It has been so long, and I remember some words spoken after the consumption of a fair amount of Sake, but surely nothing so definite as to be called an agreement."

"Then you deny that you bargained with me on your honor?" Kuonji's voice was hard enough to slice bread with, and his eyes were looking more flinty than usual.

"I deny nothing," Genma replied, "But show me proof of this agreement and maybe I'll be willing to talk details..."

Before Genma even had the chance to conclude his statement Kuonji calmly produced a small card-board box, such as might be used to make deliveries, and opened it to reveal its contents, which he held up at an angle so that Genma could more properly see it.

Genma blanched, for there written on a dried out okonomiyaki were kanji letters that spelled out the words, "I, Saotome Genma, pledge my son, Ranma, to marry Kuonji Ukyo," and below this was a singular palm-print shaped roughly like Genma's right hand, pressed and preserved in okonomiyaki sauce for posterity's sake.

"Our client preserved this letter as proof of your agreement," Yu Omi resumed, "It is a solemn pledge of honor between gentlemen, but it seems that you were less than truly honorable in your dealings, for while the agreement included our client's Yatai stand as dowry for the hand of his daughter, you clearly preferred the Yatai over honoring your commitment. You abandoned his daughter along the side of the road without thought that you were dishonoring her. These are grave and serious charges, Saotome-san, and if brought to the attention of the police it would go very bad for you. I trust you will not force us to go public with our client's grievances as he is willing to be generous in his terms of settlement. If you do not agree to his terms, however, then my client is prepared to pursue redress through other means, such as to put pressure on your friend, Tendo Soun, to convince him to concede his own claims in the matter...or else."

"Or else...what?" Genma asked nervously.

"Saotome-san," Yu Omi's eyes gleamed from behind his glasses, "Your friend is not a financially secure individual, having no stable source of income other than the dojo that he is intending to use for dowry in his claims upon your son. Should you both be difficult in not cooperating in this matter, then our client will bring to bear all the resources at his disposal and he will break both of your families like rotten bamboo. You have no idea of the list of potential avenues for reprisal that are legally open to us. Your friend will be rendered destitute and his daughters will be denied a bright and promising future..."

Genma suddenly lunged forward before anyone could stop him, using speed and surprise to snatch the cardboard container from where it lay upon the desk and in one quick motion stuffed the dehydrated okonomiyaki in his mouth. He gagged instinctively as he tried to force it down his throat, realizing that it would have been far more appetizing to have attempted to eat the cardboard, but he made a manly attempt of it anyway, regretting only that he lacked anything with which to wash it down. He almost succeeded in the attempt when something hard and flat came down upon his head, causing him to gag and spit out the whole mouthful.

"I told you he'd make a try for it, brother," a woman's voice confidently sounded above the ringing in Genma's ears, "This fool always was so predictably gullible."

"Indeed, Oneesan," Kuonji Akira remarked, unruffled as he brushed bits of dried okonomiyaki off his shirt, "It was all too predictable, as if I'd show him the real pledge instead of the copy I made for just such a purpose."

Genma coughed loose the obstruction in his throat and whirled about, knowing with a certain horror whose voice it was that he had recognized over his choking. Sure enough the woman's face confronted him with a confident smile, and then she hefted a bakers peel in both hands and brought it down once more upon his head, flattening him like a swatted mosquito. Genma did not immediately lose consciousness but managed to get partly up before a third blow penetrated even his thick skull with the information that remaining conscious was not a good option. Satisfied that he had finally gotten the point the woman slung her huge spatula over her back and looked down smugly at her handiwork.

"Now that he had coming," Akira noted before nodding to his older sister, "Good work, Yumi-chan. Now that we have the father the son should be more cooperative I should think."

"Don't mention it, brother," smiled the broad-faced older woman in the Okonomiyaki chef's outfit, "I've been waiting twenty years to do that to the Baka, and on behalf of my little niece I'll do the same thing to his boy, if only to drive some sense into another generation of Saotome."

"And we got everything on tape," Akira smiled, "All the proof we would need of Saotome-san's duplicity. The police should be satisfied if we must involve them in this business. At the very least the tape is further incentive for Tendo Soun to be made to see reason."

"Soun," Yumi's expression darkened, though she remained smiling all the same, "There's another bit of unfinished business I personally want to handle. I'm so glad that you thought to contact me, brother dear. This will almost feel like a high school reunion..."

"More than that, I suspect, if what I hear is true regarding the comings and goings surrounding the Tendo dojo," Akira mused, turning to regard the man behind the desk, "Have your people ready to receive more such guests."

"Yes, Kuonji-sama," Yu Omi bowed as if to a feudal lord, "The arrangements have already been made. It should make for quite a party."

"I was counting on that," Akira smiled, little aware that a pair of eyes watched everything from afar, or that a woman's laughter could be heard far in the distance...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Contract Okonomiyaki: shadowmane

Events take a turn for the ominous when Ranma and company get word of what has happened to his father. Can Nabiki help negotiate a settlement that will save both her engagement and her family's honor, and what part with Ukyo play in these legal wrangles? Tune in next time for more about the Saotome legal troubles, and more about what that sinister figure in the background planning for our heroes...be there!

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	68. Chapter 68

NabikiRan64 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Four.

Miss Hinako could not believe what she was reading in the notes left to her by the previous homeroom teacher whom she was replacing, thinking that this either had to be some sick kind of a joke or else the central school administration for the Province was even more screwed up than she had imagined. In her few years of teaching she had encountered many as puzzling and perplexing enigma, but the thinking behind the drafting of document in her hands sounded almost like a teenaged prank rather than something that serious adults would have come up with.

In plain language the heading of said document was "Absentee Form," but the reasons given for excusable absences were the thing was giving her the most trouble:

"I was late/absent from class for the (fill in length of time absent) because:

1\. I was kidnapped by Enemies/Aliens/A Rival Clan and held for ransom/as a hostage.  
2\. I was sucked into a parallel dimension and forced to take part in a galactic revolution.  
3\. An Alien Empire abducted me for study/matrimonial purposes.  
4\. I was challenged to defend the honor of my Clan/School/Nation/Planet/Home Dimension.  
5\. An old Enemy/Past Acquaintance revealed that I am the heir to a Galactic Dynasty.  
6\. It was revealed that I have inherited unusual abilities and must defend the Earth.  
7\. I am involved in an unusual Love Triangle/Quadrangle that monopolizes my personal life...

And so it went down a list of ridiculous and implausible reasons for being absent from class, sounding like a recitation of imaginatively far-fetched excuses that students might dream up for themselves instead of a serious form meant to be used by middle-level administrators. Hinako wondered if this was something cooked up as a form of "hazing" ritual for new teachers, the decided that she would disregard the offending form for now and take it up later with Hiro-sama at her earliest convenience.

It was as she was shuffling through the papers on her desk to sort out homework assignments that she heard a light knocking at the door to her classroom. Hinako looked up to find a very tall and pretty girl standing in the doorway looking apologetically at her before saying, "Excuse me, little girl, but I was wondering if you could help me..."

Hinako frowned in mild irritation, though she was used to people making such mistakes about her age, "I'm not a little girl, I'm an adult. My name is Hinako Ninomiya, and how may I be of service Miss...?"

"Kino," the girl said politely, if with a slightly dubious expression, "Kino Makoto, though everybody calls me Mako, Miss...ah...Hinako-san..."

"Sensei," Hinako turned to study the girl, who was nearly six feet in height and built rather sturdy for all that she had a slender frame and elegant features, "Well, Kino-san, how may I be of assistance to you? You don't look like a student of this High School, and that's not a Furinkan school uniform that you are wearing."

"I have permission to be here...Sensei," Makoto replied with only the slightest hesitation, holding up a permission slip that she showed to Hinako, bearing the official stamp of Jubbei High School on its letterhead, "I was sent here to deliver supplies that were requisitioned from my school by your school, and I thought while I was here..." she paused, "Um, you see...there's someone who goes to Furinkan, and I learned that they were enrolled in your class and..."

"I see," Hinako nodded, "Socializing is for after hours. I cannot approve of you disrupting class time for such obviously personal reasons. However...since it is the school lunch break, I suppose there would be no harm in my helping to steer you towards the party you seek. What is their name?"

"Kuonji," Makoto sighed in relief, relieved that the little girl was not about to chase her off campus, "Kuonji Ukyo. Do you know...him?"

Hinako did not notice the slight hesitation in the taller girl's voice, but she did recognize the rather well-behaved boy who had sat near to Tendo Akane and that other new boy, Hibiki Ryoga, so she nodded and said, "I think I know where to locate him. If you will follow me I'll be happy to point him out..."

"Thank you, Sensei," Makoto had less hesitation in her voice when addressing Hinako this time, but there was a faintly far-away look in her eyes as she added, "But you won't have to point Ukyo out to me...I'd know...him on sight anywhere."

Hinako nodded to herself, smiling in a way that made her look even younger than her regular appearance. High School romances were such difficult things to suffer through, as she well knew from her own flirtatious youth. No doubt the boy had transferred away from his previous school and left his sweetheart behind to pine for his absence...not at all surprising considering what a Hunk he was to look at! Without needing any further prompting she led the way into the corridor and towards the nearest flight of stairs, unaware of the shadowy figure watching over everything with grim satisfaction as yet another key player was added to the mix of the ensuing drama...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"Let me get this straight," I said to the Elder Lotion, "You say you've been detecting some kind of a malevolent presence, and since yesterday night you've been having visions that the lot of us are in some kind of imminent danger?"

"That is more or less the case," my Sensei informed us gravely, "While the rest of you have been indulging in personal pursuits, a hostile presence has crept up among us and is working to shape events towards some unknown purpose for which I feel only grave misgivings."

"But it shouldn't be too hard for you to track down whatever's causing this, right?" Ukyo-kun asked her, "That's what you Lore Masters do, right? Serve like an Amazon warning system?"

"I am by no means infallible, Kuonji-san," Lotion informed her, "Nor am I omniscient, but I do sense that I have encountered this presence before on a prior occasion. It has the familiar stench of something foul that the rest of you should not take very lightly."

"Ah, it's probably just another one of Pop's old messes that I'm gonna have to clean up," Ranma huffed, "Whenever something goes bad he's usually in the middle of it..."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo chided him, "No make light of warning, Ailen, Elder Lotion no mention this if no think it very bad thing that could cause Ailen problems."

"That is quite true, young warrior," Lotion replied, "This could prove troublesome for the lot of you, but it does not just involve Saotome Genma, but I sense it has a direct bearing for both of his sons, especially you, Hibiki Ryoga."

"Huh?" Ryoga blinked, "Why me?"

"Yeah," Akane seconded, "Even if Ryoga-kun is Genma's illegitimate son, I don't see why that should make him a target."

"Because the one I suspect of being behind this is none other than his maternal grandmother, Cybelle," Lotion said melodramatically, "The Demon Enchantress."

"Cybelle?" Ryoga repeated with a blank expression-or blanker than usual anyway, "My grandmother?"

"Who the heck is that?" Ranma asked, voicing my own next question.

"Cybelle is the reason why Atsuko first sought after Saotome Genma in the first place," Lotion replied, "And the reason why she raised you apart from your true past, and the true reason why your mother followed you to Jusenkyo. She is a half-human sorceress whose power should not be underestimated, for she is centuries older than Cologne and has the resources and knowledge to be truly dangerous to all of you. She mostly works from the shadows and through proxies, but if confronted directly she is a force to be feared. She seeks to increase her power by obtaining the current Nexus of realities, but to be truly effective she would need both brothers to achieve her wicked ambitions."

"Both brothers?" I said, "You mean both Ryoga and Ranma-kun?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked, "What she do if she have Pig-boy and Shampoo Ailen?"

"I can't really say for certain," Lotion replied, "But it would not be anything too pleasant, I imagine. Cybelle might choose to sacrifice one brother to increase the power of the other then claim both for herself. There is really no reckoning what her ambitions might lead her to do. It has nearly been twenty years since I faced her, and I can tell you that I do not relish doing so again, which ought to give you some idea of just how dangerous she can bee if you cross her. If she is indeed the presence that I sense at work behind the scenes than it can only mean that she has tracked you and Atsuko down and is prepared to exact her terrible vengeance for the wounding of her pride when Atsuko chose to leave her."

"You said she works through proxies," I noted, "You mean she uses agents to do her dirty work?"

"Despite her formidable power she has limits," Lotion explained, "Mobility is one of them, for her physical form is trapped somewhere inside a prison whose nature I have not yet been able to fathom. She must watch events take place from a distance and select her tools to be manipulated like chess pieces, often without their knowing and always towards some grander purpose."

"So," Ukyo-kun murmured, "What you're saying is she might be influencing people to do things that they think they're doing for themselves, but it's really her will that they're obeying."

"More or less," the old woman nodded gravely, "Her influence is greatest over suggestible minds and receptive personalities who have less resistance to her whims than most ordinary people. If a mind is distracted, not at peace or in some way imbalanced, then that person will be vulnerable to a psychic attack and/or manipulation by her. The main way of telling when she is at work is when people begin to behave in a way that is not at all like their regular behavior..."

"Not regular behavior?" Ranma repeated, then looked at me as we both said at once, "Kuno!"

"Huh?" Akane looked at us in puzzlement, "What about Kuno?"

"You didn't see the way he was acting a while ago, Sis," I answered, "You wouldn't have recognized him at all. For one thing he was acting sane and rational, and he talked Shampoo's sisters out of fighting them in a way that left me dizzy!"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo agreed, "Shampoo there and Shampoo no believe how he talk Amazon Womans into backing down from fight. Kuno act like changed man, and maybe he be under influence of demon. Is one possible explanation make sense of way he be acting."

"But why would she be making him act sane and rational?" Akane wondered.

"Yeah," Ukyo-kun remarked, "I thought demons like to...y'know...sow seeds of anger and confusion?"

"Don't rate all demons in the same light," Lotion cautioned, "They are no more like one another than most people, although for the most part demons do tend towards darker emotions. In Cybelle's case, however, I suspect she has plans for the Kuno boy, plans that require him to take charge over his life and stop squandering his youthful potential."

"Great," Ranma growled, "That's all we need...a sane and rational Kuno."

"Sane and rational also means more dangerous," I noted, "We'll have to keep tabs on him to see he doesn't cause any trouble for us in the near future."

"I can't believe my own grandmother wants to do something bad to me," Ryoga shook his head in slow dismay.

"Ryoga mother tell stupid pig boy she no good," Shampoo sniffed, "Maybe you listen to mother now, she know her mother better than Ryoga."

"Stop calling him stupid, you bimbo," Akane glared in my wife's direction.

"Children!" I raised my voice, "Sham-chan, hold it with the name calling, all right? Akane, let it slide for now. We've got bigger issues to worry about at the moment..."

"Now doesn't this sound familiar?" a vaguely familiar voice said, one I had difficulty placing until I turned to see Miss Hinako standing there with a willowy tall girl wearing a different school uniform. It took a few seconds to place her as one of the five girls me and Ranma had encountered when visiting with his mother. I wondered what she could be doing here when in a hesitant tone she said, "Hello Ucchan."

"Makoto?" Ukyo straightened up with an astonished expression, "Mako-chan? How...?"

"Mako-chan?" Akane reacted with a less than pleasant start, I noted.

"What is this all about?" Miss Hinako demanded, looking straight towards Lotion, "Who are you and what are you doing on these school grounds?"

"Oh, do you not know me?" Lotion smiled in a peculiarly insinuating manner, "I'm not surprised, your being new here and all of that. I am Professor Lo Xion, a Doctor of Antiquities from China, and these students are members of a special Club that I am instructing on Martial Lore and Philosophy of Ancient China. I was just giving my students some special instruction for an extra-curricular project we are working on together...is there a problem?"

"You're a teacher?" Hinako's attitude improved considerably, "Very well, I see no problem, even if one of your students is Saotome Ranma," she glared at my iinazuke then indicated the tall girl at her side, "I was merely conducting this guest student to meet with Kuonji-san, but now that I have done this, I must return to grading papers, so I will trust you to manage things on this hand. The rest of you...do try and be on time when class break is over."

So saying she pivoted on one tiny little heel and returned the way she had come, leaving us to turn as a group and stare at my mentor for her brazen audacity, to which I simply voiced the word, "Professor?"

"You didn't know I had a degree?" she smiled knowingly back at me like a pint-  
sized Mona Lisa, "It's all true, of course, except that mine was earned in the 1920s, long before the revolution."

"And what about the rest of that stuff?" Ranma asked, "About us all being in the same club..."

"Well, don't you young people all consider yourselves member of the same fraternity of powerful fighters?" Lotion asked, turning to Makoto as she added, "Which brings us to you, young lady...I sense a powerful aura in you. You definitely look as if you could hold your own in a fight."

"Ah...well, I've...been in a few," Makoto turned to look at Ukyo and said, "You've changed..."

"So have you," Ukyo said with what was clearly an uncomfortable expression, "So...how have you been doing?"

"Oh...I'm fine," Makoto cocked her head at an odd angle and said, "You're taller than I thought you'd be..."

Ukyo softly chuckled at that, "Like you're one to talk?"

"True," the nearly six-foot Makoto smiled as if this were a private joke between them, and I had the uncomfortable feeling that for these two the rest of the world had just stopped having any significance. I could see that this did not in the least bit please Akane, who was scowling at the new girl as though sizing her up like a target.

"Ucchan," Ranma spoke up for the rest of us, and Ukyo seemed to recall his manners as he reacted with a, "Oh, right...sorry about that, Ranchan. Guys, this is my friend from my days at Crossroads Middle School, Kino Makoto. Mako-  
chan, this my...friend, Saotome Ranma..."

"We've met," Makoto nodded to Ranma, then paused before adding, "You're the guy Ucchan was always looking for, the one who...uh..." she paused without adding that she clearly knew that Ukyo had been Ranma's iinazuke.

"Heh," Ranma smiled back, "So you're a martial artist, too, huh? I kinda suspected that on account of the way that you move."

"Well," Makoto nodded, "You're Usagi-chan's cousin, so I guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, especially since Ucchan seems to like you."

"And this is Ranma's...iinazuke," Ukyo indicated me, "Tendo Nabiki...and that's Shampoo over there..."

"Oh, we met too," Makoto nodded to me and Sham-chan, "Way I hear tell you're both engaged to marry Ranma. That must be...kinda awkward."

"Only when bed no big enough for Shampoo and both of her Ailen," Shampoo replied, causing winces all around and a VERY dubious look on the face of Makoto.

"Uh...right," Makoto gingerly decided to leave that point unexplored.

"And, um..." Ukyo turned to the last two members of our age group, "This is Tendo Akane...a...good friend of mine...and that's her friend, Hibiki Ryoga."

"Charmed," Akane said in a way that in no way sounded friendly.

"Hi," Ryoga waved a hand, looking like he didn't know what to make of all of this either.

"Hi yourselves," Makoto smiled at them as if not perceiving any negative feelings, "Uh, look, Ucchan, I only have a few minutes before my ride takes me back to Tokyo, so do you think maybe we could maybe talk a minute in private...if it's not too much trouble?"

"Sure," Ukyo said, "I'd like that very much."

"Unfortunately," Lotion's voice cut in, as the two were about to move off by themselves, and I noticed a shift in her manner, tone and behavior, "This may not be a very good time for the two of you to reminisce about times past. However, you might ask your friend...the one who is driving you back, if they might be willing to wait for a bit more and give these others a lift to their next designation."

"Excuse me?" Makoto looked at her in confusion.

"I've been waiting for the right moment to reveal this part with you," Lotion explained for us, "The other half of what I wanted to share with you."

"You're picking now as a time to bring this up?" I asked in growing suspicion.

"Of course," Lotion agreed, "It is a somewhat urgent matter of which you young warriors ought to be aware regarding those challenge letters issued to Ranma and his father..."

"Challenge letters?" Makoto repeated.

"Oh yeah," Ukyo-kun sniffed, "That. Well, that's just something I gotta square out with my old man when I go to see him today. He's meeting me after school at the law office of those Chinese weirdoes, Jun Mun Lun &amp; Associates..."

"Indeed, just my point," Lotion looked at her for emphasis, "Isn't it interesting that the timing of those challenge letters should occur on the very day that you first enroll for classes?"

"Well," Ukyo began, "I've been kept kinda busy so I haven't really had time to check in with my Dad and..." she suddenly stopped talking, noting the odd look Lotion gave her, and in a toneless whisper she said, "No...you've gotta be kidding...!"

"I have been noticing an unusual fluctuation in the probability lines surrounding this part of Nerima," the old woman explained, "And I sense that in some ways it relates to you and your unfinished business with Saotome Genma."

"Are you saying Cybelle is also behind the issuing of those challenge letters?" I asked, feeling an odd sense of certainty in my breast as I said this.

"Cybelle?" Makoto repeated, belatedly reminding me that we had a civilian in attendance.

"It is a definite possibility," the old woman said grimly, "Kuonji-san's father has not been in the best of health of late, and it is possible that he is also as susceptible to Cybelle's manipulation as your young Lord Kuno. At the very least it would pay to be cautious."

"Where is this place where they got their offices?" Ranma asked, "Might be a good idea to check it out before the time when the match is supposed to get started."

"Is good idea, Ailen," Shampoo nodded, "Smart warrior check out lay of land before fight there. That way there fewer surprised."

"Makes sense to me," Ukyo shrugged, "Grandpa would have called that good tactical logic, Ranchan."

"Indeed," Lotion's voice and expression took on that distant quality that I've come to respect as one of her visions, "It is such straightforward logic that even as great a fool as your father might think of it, and...I sense that Saotome Genma has indeed been one step ahead of us on that, for once...only...I do not sense the fool himself at the moment. How odd...perhaps he is taking a nap...or perhaps he has gotten a bit too cocky."

"Who are you people?" I heard Makoto asking from the sidelines.

"What?" Ranma leaped to his feet, "Pop went there without me? What happened to him?"

"That is just it, young warrior," Lotion replied with a puzzled expression, "I cannot say. There is some sort of interference in that area, though I think it likely he is still breathing. Harder to kill than a cockroach, that father of yours..."

"I gotta get over there!" Ranma turned to Ukyo, "You gotta show me where this place is, Ucchan! Something might've happened to the old fool, and I gotta know what!"

"But what about classes?" Akane asked, "School isn't out yet..."

"Who cares about classes?" Ryoga asked, "If...If Genma really is my father, then I'm with Ranma on this!"

"Oh you need not worry about Hinako-san finding you absent," Lotion assured us, "I'll make certain that you're excused from your classes for the rest of the day so that you may tend to what can obviously be termed as a family crisis."

"Then I might as well lead the way," Ukyo-kun sighed, "After all, I don't want anybody pounding your Old Man flat unless it's me doing the pounding. Mako-  
chan, I know this is a lot to ask, and after all the time since we last saw each other..."

"Oh, I think I understand something about emergencies, Ucchan," the tall girl said with a knowing expression, "And if this is as serious as the old lady seems to think it is, then it's the least I could do to help out. I'll tell Haruka-  
chan to expect a few more passengers, but don't expect the ride to be too comfortable, her driving leaves something to be desired."

"Shampoo go with Ailen and help save father-in-law," Shampoo turned a look towards me, "Need lift Ailen?"

"Ah..." I hesitated, "Actually, it's Ranma's turn, I think. You go with her, Ranma-kun, I insist."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "But..."

"You're in a hurry, right?" I tried to smile with deceptive reassurance, "Well, Shampoo's bike is the fastest way to get there, I guarantee it."

"Well..." Ranma said with clear reluctance, but I knew the baka would never refuse a challenge, just as I knew he was going to pay me back for this later on, something I'd be counting on at the appropriate time and place of my choosing...

Silk's fingers played across the length of her silver flute creating an unearthly charm that helped Atsuko in the focus of her power. With Comb adding her own spells to the mixture the three of them set to work firming up the holes in the wall while Terry Bogart looked on in frank amazement.

"Wow," he commented to Nodoka, who stood at his side watching the repair work happen, "If you guys can do this, then what do you need me for?"

"Some repairs are more easily affected than others by the use of magic," Nodoka noted with a pleasant smile, "Or so I'm told. In any event these three have their special uses, but in the end nothing is a substitute for a good man who is skilled in the use of his hands."

"I guess," Terry replied, totally missing the subtext to her statement, "How exactly are they doing this anyway?"

"Well, I don't fully understand it myself," Nodoka replied, "But I do know that it involves the manipulation of some time of elemental energies. Astuko's powers are in illusion, Comb is a Healer and Silk says that she is something called a Lore Master. I'm not entirely certain how their powers are being combined here, but I must say it is proving quite effective."

"No great mystery about it," Silk remarked as she stopped playing for the moment, "It's really all just a matter of understanding the principles of the Universe and how they operate. My power is mainly that of knowledge, while At-  
chan channels the power of form and mind to cause what others term as illusion. Comb's healing ability is just another form of energy manipulation, working on healing and mending of forms, so if you combine the three together, instead of healing a human body, what you get is a reweaving of pattern and form, coaxing the objects that are broken to repair themselves, using the archetype of what was to reverse the effects of entropy and disruption."

"I get it," Terry smiled, "The three of you are combining the compatible aspects of your different types of power to achieve the same goal. I didn't know that was possible. Usually when two Chi-masters try to work together..."

"You get a clash of egos, which undermines the ability to work together," Comb noted, "But Silk here is able to stabilize and reconcile the dissonance between me and Miss-Clueless here, so we can actually combine our powers in a way that wouldn't normally be possible."

"Only because you're too much of a block head to appreciate Form Magic," Atsuko replied, "Besides, what is life but an Illusion, or so Momma always used to say. What you call reality is just a more complex kind of illusion, and when you can see behind the illusion to the Form that's underneath it..."

"This is how we fashioned the Jacuzzi that you saw out in back," Silk explained, "It's both an illusion and very real, so real that it will hold together permanently...or long enough that the difference hardly matters."

"And isn't it so nice that you three can achieve so much by working together?" Kasumi noted as she brought another pitcher of iced tea to refill their glasses, "It just goes to prove that studying the arts isn't all about destroying things, don't you agree, Father?"

"Hmm?" Soun seemed to be distracted as he accepted a refill to his glass, "I'm sorry, Kasumi-chan...did you say something?"

"Oh father," Kasumi chided, "You're still worried about Uncle Saotome. I'm sure he'll be back to play Shogi with you as soon as he gets done with his errand."

"Methinks your honored father is concerned that his friend might meet with misfortune during his recent challenge match," Kodachi remarked as she carried the rest of the luncheable snacks and orderves, which she passed along to the rest of the house guests, "Not that you need fear for the sake of Saotome-san's warrior prowess, Father."

"Father?" Soun blinked, "And since when have I become your father...?"

"Now Soun-chan," Silk mused, "You know Kodachi-chan is right. You're worrying over your friend is a needless waste of energy, especially where it concerns Saotome Genma..."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth she suddenly noticed that Atsuko and Comb were looking at her with extremely anxious expressions.

"What do you mean Saotome's gone off to face a challenge match without telling us?" Comb demanded, "Has that fat fool taken leave of what few senses he has left?"

"Yeah!" Atsuko seconded, "Gemi-chan should have told us he was going to face a challenge match today! At the very least we could have come along to root for him!"

"Oh dear," Nodoka remarked, "Dearest never said that there might be any danger when he left this morning. I do hope my husband took the necessary precautions before going into a hostile environment."

"Since when has Genma ever done anything cautious?" Comb remarked, "Who was he going to fight with anyway?"

"He didn't say," Soun replied, "Only that it had something to do with an old debt to be settled."

"That covers a lot of territory," Atsuko noted, "Considering the way Gemi-chan could make enemies when we were a team, I can't picture him as getting any more tactful."

"Kuonji," Silk suddenly spoke with an air of noticeable distraction.

"Say what?" Terry blinked.

"A friend of Saotome Ranma's," Comb explained.

"What about her?" Atsuko wondered.

"Not her," Silk slowly turned to gaze at her companions, "Not her her, but rather the her we once knew, the Kuonji we all remember."

"WHAT?" Comb all but exploded.

"You don't mean...?" Atsuko blanched, "No way!"

"Another Kuonji...?" Soun looked puzzled, then his eyes got wide, "You don't mean...?"

"What?" Kasumi asked, "Father...is there something wrong?"

"Something wrong concerning our fair Bishonen friend, Kuonji?" Kodachi added.

"I just had a flash of the name, and her image," Silk said with an air of distance to her voice, "She's changed much since we last saw her...much harder than I remember...so distant, cold and determined..."

"Who cares if she's changed or not?" Comb snorted, "That Ninja bitch was a real pain in the neck."

"You said it," Atsuko snorted, "That's one bit of old news I was hoping never to have to run into!"

"You say she issued a challenge note to Saotome?" Soun asked, "But why? Why would she be interested in him?"

"She's a Kuonji," Silk's expression darkened, "And her niece had issues with Saotome and his son. She may not know that Ukyo has changed her mind about seeking vengeance...Grandmother?" she whirled about.

"Granddaughter," the image of the ancient Lore Master appeared before her vision, though only she had eyes to see her, "Your instincts serve you well, but your vision comes late in this drama. I sense that Genma has gone into the lair of the dragon and has not yet reemerged. I suspect foul play, but we shouldn't try and get our hopes up. I've asked the young warriors to look in on it, but sending children in to do a warriors task seems hardly sporting...and the one they may be facing is anything but sporting."

"Understood, Grandmother," Silk turned to the others, "We have a problem...Grandmother thinks we should go after Saotome and get to the bottom of this challenge match with the Kuonjis."

"I'm game," Atsuko said, "So where do we start?"

"Ah..." Silk paused, glanced over her shoulder and said, "Grandmother?" There was another long pause, then she shook her head and sighed, "I think she broke the connection, which means I'll have to rely on my own intuition to guide us."

"Typical Elder," Comb huffed, "Never there when you need them, but in your face when you least expect them. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's find the fool and see what the Ninja is up to."

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "Does this mean you're going too, Father?"

"Uh...well..." Soun hesitated.

"I'd rather you didn't," Silk said tightly, "It may have been close to twenty years, but considering the way you both parted ways..."

"Besides which she's jealous," Comb smirked, then when Silk turned a sour look her way she replied, "Hey, if you can do it to me, then it's my turn!"

"Uh...should I come along?" Terry asked, "I'm pretty good in a fight, and I have some experience dealing with...unusual happenings..."

"Thank you, but no," Silk replied, "No offense to you or your abilities, but this is a private family matter, and we've only contracted you to make repairs to the walls and the roof. Now that we've finished with the really hard task, I expect what's left won't be too much of a problem, and at the usual rates your employer charges..."

"Can we get going already?" Atsuko impatiently demanded, "Who knows that that cast iron witch is doing to my poor Gemi-chan!"

"Nothing too painful or permanent, I hope," Comb said darkly, "I want enough of him left over that I can kick around for running off like this without us!"

"I'm sure Dearest will be all right," Nodoka said firmly, "But just in case," she slung her cloth-wrapped katana over her back and said simply, "Shall we be going?"

"By all means," Kodachi said, "Lets."

"You're going to help out too, 'Dachi-chan?" Kasumi asked brightly.

"Lady Silk has said that this is a family matter, and I consider you to be family," Kodachi affirmed, "So I may, in some small part, be able to help out, such as to have Sasuke bring around the rolls to take us there in style and in a timely manner."

"You're so thoughtful like that," Kasumi smiled in an endearing way.

"Since when are you family?" Soun murmured to himself, but of course everyone ignored him.

"Ah..." Terry said as he looked around at the yard, then at the group of women heading for the front gate, and then at Soun before asking, "Are they always like that?"

The Tendo patriarch nodded simply, then followed after the women without further comment.

Terry shook his head with a sigh, "Maybe being a bachelor isn't all that bad after all..."

Lotion sighed and shook her head, knowing that everything was now in motion as her forces rallied to the point where she sensed the greatest discord of the region. As formidable as the fighting talent being assembled was, however, she knew it would prove painfully inadequate should her dark suspicions prove to be correct and Cybelle truly was behind the tide of recent events that had been perplexing her so greatly. It would take more than the children and parents combined to make a difference in this matter, especially with her apprentice still so inadequately prepared to deal with the likely challenge. They would need more allies to help even things out in a more favorable direction, and fortunately she knew where to find such allies, with just time enough to get them all to the same place so that they could be of use to one another and whatever nasty surprises they were likely to encounter.

"Like lambs to the slaughter," she murmured grimly. Cybelle was no fool and might even be in some part responsible for the string of recent coincidences that had caused the old gang of Nerima to reassemble, no doubt to have all her likely challengers assemble in one place where they could be dealt with in a more orderly fashion. Lotion did not like being in the dark when it came to the list of variables that would likely complicate even her best calculations. Nor was she in any position to challenge the power of the demon Sorceress directly...that task would fall to another who had the experience and power to balance things effectively.

Lotion smiled, reckoning that the young-seeming Matriarch would not mind any excuse to get away from Ninomiya Hinako by even a matter of a few hours. Cologne knew Cybelle from the old days and would be the one best able to deal with her, especially if she worked things so that Happosai would be able to back her. War Master and Lore Master united would make a formidable combination, if only they could stop bickering and set aside their differences for the sake of their heirs. No mean task playing peacemaker between those two, but it was certainly preferable to sitting back and doing nothing while disaster unfolded before them all.

Oh well, she mused, not like I'm getting any younger. Time to play my part in this little melodrama and see what the old Witch is up to. With that thought in mind she set about her self-appointed tasks, knowing time was running against her if she was to be of assistance to her Apprentice and her loved ones with the future itself hanging in the balance...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cybelle's Favorite Dishes served Cold: shadowmane

Matters come to a head at the offices of Jun Mun Lun &amp; Associates with the cavalry to the rescue, but can even this motley crew be in time to prevent Genma from eating Crow? Well, he's eaten a lot worse in his time, true...so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	69. Chapter 69

NabikiRan65 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Five.

"Shampoo!" Mousse announced himself as he stepped into the Nekohanten, "Shampoo! I'm here and I have wonderful news for you! Shampoo? Are you home?"

Silence greeted him in the all-but abandoned restaurant, prompting Mousse to feel a tinge of concern since it was mid-day and she was certain that the old woman would have opened by now. His concern over this was so great that his combat reflexes almost did not come into play until he felt the light press of the Naginata on his shoulder, and then a voice that was almost familiar said, "Thought you might be showing up sometime. Glad to see that waiting around wasn't altogether a waste of time here."

The voice was somewhat deeper than he remembered, but age would account for that, so Mousse was not overly surprised that he recognized the speaker long before he turned around and saw the shock of pink hair covering half a face that was distinctly familiar to him. Nonetheless he did allow some of his surprise and alarm to show forth as he said the name, "Am-Bur?"

"Hello, Cousin," Ambergris replied, "So glad you remember the nickname I adopted when trying to live down mother's error. Everyone else back home just called me Whale Puke."

"I'd never call you that," Mousse replied as he started to edge away from the point of her weapon, only to hear another voice say, "No, but probably think it."

Now Mousse was alarmed enough to show his dismay as he turned his head in the opposite direction, not quite making out more than an indistinct shape beyond the rim of his glasses, though he would know that stealthy tread anywhere-to say nothing of the double-bladed axes that she was sporting, "Perfume? W-What...?"

"Ah, he remembers us both," Ambergris mockingly cooed, "I suppose we should feel flattered seeing as it has been three years, plus change, since we last set eyes on one another...three of the happiest years in our village I might add as we have learned to get along without the village idiot always stumbling into posts."

"What are the two of you doing here...working together?" Mousse had a sudden dark suspicion and cried, "If you mean to do harm to Shampoo...!"

"Stupid Mousse," Perfume growled in low singsong, "Get it wrong like always. We no after Shampoo..."

"You, on the other hand," Ambergris finished for her, "Are top of the Most Wanted list, go figure. The Matriarch charged that we should be on the lookout for you if you happened to show up while she was away tending to other business..."

"Just give back what you take and you no get hurt...much!" Perfume added, the sound of her axes grinding together providing the edge that her high-pitched voice normally lacked.

"What I...what?" Mousse said in confusion, looking from one determined face to the other in growing uneasiness and confusion.

"They mean the Jusenkyo water that you took the other day from a place of concealment," a gentle voice said in the Mandarin language of their native country, "Surely you haven't forgotten about that?"

"You?" Mousse turned with a start to see the slender, wand-like shape of the blue-haired girl named Lotion and stammered, "I-I heard that you were supposedly dead...?"

"Yes, I get a lot of that," Lotion said tiredly, "Just tell them what they want to know, Mousse, and they won't hurt you. I promise I won't let them, if only because I would hate to have to expend the energy it would take to heal your wounds when they are finished."

"Plus it would probably upset the Matriarch if we got blood all over the floor and furniture," Perfume noted, "So, will you make this easy on yourself or would you rather face my wrath, backed by the fury of the Tribal Enforcer?"

"I'm not afraid of you," Mousse sneered, "Of either one of you..."

"That just goes to show how stupid you can be," Perfume noted with unconcealed contempt and loathing in her voice, "You may be ranked high among the top male fighters of the village, but even your skills in dark magic cannot stave the both of us off if Amber and I work together."

"I'll admit you would probably make a pretty good team," Mousse noted, "If I gave you the option."

A pair of chains suddenly shot from the folds of his sleeves, forcing Ambergris to block with the shaft of her Naginata while Perfume's axes batted the other chain aside, then both plunged to attack the man in the middle space between them, only to see his robes fold inward as said man himself was no longer to be found there.

"What?" Ambergris managed to gasp out before instinctively turning her head upward to see Mousse hovering close to the ceiling with a perfect vantage point from which to strike, suddenly unleashing a volley of tiny metal pellets from his hands that pelted both warriors and forced Perfume to cry out as some of the pellets penetrated the furious guard provided by her fast-moving axes. She collapsed to the floor, dropping her axes and writhing as the pain messages flooded her hypersensitive nervous system. Ambergris managed to shrug this annoyance off her own body, only to take a step forward as Mousse alighted on the floor a short distance away, and in that mad rush forgetting about the pellets, some of which her foot made acquaintance with, thus costing her a critical moment of much-needed traction.

She fell heavily onto her back and found Mousse quick to set his foot upon her before disarming her of her weapon, and then it was her turn to feel the tip of a blade resting lightly upon her throat as Mousse held a sword in his hand that looked something like a Medieval rapier.

"You should have remembered something about me," Mousse said noted idly, ignoring Lotion as she went immediately to check on Perfume's condition, "I don't have any qualms about fighting dirty. Don't worry, though, this won t count as a marriage proposal. I just want to know where Shampoo is...and for you to explain to me what you meant about Jusenkyo water?"

Ambergris checked the movement of her left hand, which she had been carefully angling so as to bring her own hidden weapon into play, instead looking up at the now-bare-chested Chinese male standing over her and asking with a hint of suspicion, "You deny knowing anything about it?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes?" Mousse asked, "The only Jusenkyo water I know about is what I brought with me from China, Yaazuniichuan, which I used up during my fight with Saotome. Are you saying that there's another supply of cursed water somewhere in Japan that I don't know about?"

"And why should I believe that you don't know about it already?" Ambergris countered, only to note the way the sword tip moved from her chin to gently pry her pink hair from the right half of her face, thus exposing the scar underneath.

"Maybe the question should be why I should believe that you don't intend mischief against Shampoo. She's the one who gave that to you, correct?"

"Old news," Ambergris said scornfully, "And it's between Shampoo and me. It doesn't have anything to do with your theft of the Jusenkyo water."

"So...the old woman went to China and fetched the water to cure Shampoo," Mousse said with a thoughtful expression, then he frowned and added, "And you think I took it from the Mackerel Jerky?"

"I wouldn't put it beyond you," Ambergris replied, "And there was that incriminating feather the Matriarch found at the crime scene..."

"I don't molt feathers unless I'm in my cursed form," Mousse replied, "And it's not my problem if the withered up old prune can't keep her things locked up. I've got better things to do with my time than paw through her family trinkets..."

"No," Ambergris smiled, "You'd rather play with your own family jewels. Interesting that you deny responsibility, though, since possession of stolen goods taken from a Matriarch carries with it an automatic death sentence."

"Only if you get caught," Mousse replied, "And how do I know you didn't take this water if it's the kind that could potential cure Shampoo?"

"Because I don't have a Jusenkyo curse," Ambergris countered, "And I prefer to fight my battles fairly rather than try and hold something over Shampoo's head in order to get her to agree to marry you."

"Marry...Shampoo?" Mousse's expression took on a slightly dreamy air and he grinned, "That means if I get the water back for her she might..."

He didn't get the chance to finish his statement before he was splashed from behind by a bucket full of ordinary water. This naturally caused him to squawk a bit as he reverted to his cursed shape, the sword dropping harmlessly to the floor as Lotion lowered her bucket and asked, "You all right, Amber?"

"I'm fine," Ambergris smiled as she sat up and grabbed Mousse by the neck before he could think to escape her, "Not that I needed the assistance, but I do thank you just the same."

"Lotion pleased to help," Lotion nodded before giving Mousse a cross expression, "That he have coming for hurting Perfume. She be all right, I use healing power to numb pain, recover in a few minutes."

"Good," Ambergris said as she wrapped her other arm around Mousse's wings in order to further restrain him, "Then I'm counting on you to calm her down before she decides to add duck to tonight's menu...and would you please be a dear about fetching that cage out in back? I'd like to see that Mousse here isn't going anywhere until the Matriarch has a chance to interview him."

"It be as you say, Amber," Lotion nodded, and headed back towards the rear end of the restaurant.

"That was a very interesting performance you just gave," Ambergris noted as she raised the duck to eye-level and saw him attempt to swallow in spite of her grip upon his neck, "And strangely enough, I'm inclined to believe you. If you had taken the water you'd probably have dashed some of it on yourself by now, and knowing you, you'd probably apply the wrong one," she turned him over slightly and stared at his tail end, "No, I think you're still in male form, so that rules the other possibility out, so I guess for now we're going to have to trust you...up to a point."

Perfume began to stir on the floor as Lotion came in carrying the wire cage in question. As the blue haired girl set the cage down and Ambergris deposited their prisoner, she paused to look at her pink-haired friend and ask, "You think Mousse no have Jusenkyo water?"

"Possibly," Ambergris replied as she checked to make certain that the cage was secured, "It would seem the likely scenario to believe in his innocence since he was never that good a liar."

"But..." Perfume began to say as she got shakily to her feet and recovered her axes, "If no him, then who take Jusenkyo water?"

"That's a very good question, my friend," Ambergris said in somber reflection, "Whoever it was had to be clever enough to break in and steal the water from a place of concealment, bypassing the traps set by the Matriarch herself, and I'm afraid Mousse was on a very short list of candidates who had the potential to achieve this."

"Another enemy?" Lotion suggested.

"Perhaps," Ambergris nodded grimly, then chewed one thumb in a gesture that unwittingly reminded her companions of the young girl she once had been-perhaps in a former lifetime-as she mused in thoughtful reflection, "I wonder..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Her name was Teneo Haruka and she drove that sporty roadster like a bat out of hell, causing me to briefly regret a back-seat position here to riding shotgun with Sham-chan! I was crowded in the back with Ukyo, Akane and Ryoga as we braced ourselves against each other while watching the road fly by at hairpin curves with a speed that left me reciting prayers to ancestors I'd not even remembered in a decade.

I noticed that Kuno Makoto was calm the whole time that we raced to our destination on the other side of town, but I caught her turning looks that seemed almost regretful towards Ukyo, as if she would rather be riding with the sex-changed Chef, or possibly exchanged places with any one of us in order to have an excuse to scrunch back there with us as Ukyo shouted directions that got us to our timely destination.

My first impression on seeing Haruka was to think of her as a very tall, really cute guy with short blonde hair and an ultra-cool demeanor. It took more than a few seconds to notice the absence of an Adam's apple, which was the way I could usually tell Kuonji from her male half, and then I realized that we were in the presence of another cross dresser, one even more relaxed and at ease about herself than Kuonji. Haruka had exchanged brief looks with Ukyo before we climbed into expensive-looking foreign car as if sizing her up for some reason. I recalled that Ukyo and Makoto were supposed to have been something of an item once, and that made me speculate that maybe Haruka was Makoto's current flame, only I had that annoying sense that this was not the case, and then my mind filled unbidden with an image of an elegantly refined young lady with green hair playing a violin, whom I took to be this girl's true significant other.

Oh yeah, I had a pretty good hunch that this Haruka chick was a full-blown skirt-chaser from the way she ignored the boys and seemed to be sizing up us girls as if rating us on a one-to-ten scale. It's pretty hard for me to miss when somebody else checks Shampoo out and pays extra attention to her generous bust size, and that's not counting the way she checked me out like I was on inventory before turning a really puzzled glance in Akane's direction. She might have her guy act down to a fine art but there's no way she could really hide the fact that she was interested, and that's even counting the fact that there was no tell-tale bulge in her pants to betray her.

Funny thing was that I had the same odd sense of enormous latent potential in her that I sensed around Makoto. It was like something lying dormant within both girls that I can't really put words to, just know intuitively that there was a lot more to their story than could be rated by a surface impression.

Anyway, this Haruka proved to be a lady of few words, and once we explained the urgency of what we wanted to do she consented to be our driver, whizzing us to the address Kuonji gave us for the office building housing her father's law firm. We pried ourselves out of that car and Kuonji fetched her bakers peel from the trunk while Haruka and Makoto eyed curiously and asked if we might need any help. We were about to decline when Sham-chan made her arrival in a typically dramatic fashion, soaring over our heads as she came down to a one-  
point landing, Ranma clutching to her like a man in fear of his life, then casually wheeled around and came to a stop a short distance from us.

"Nihao!" Shampoo said brightly as she killed the engine of her new toy, "We go in now and find stupid Panda?"

I caught the double-eye blink of our two new acquaintances, who were not as accustomed as the rest of us to dealing with Shampoo's boundless air of enthusiasm, especially when there was a fight in the offing. I noticed that Ranma hardly said a word as Shampoo started to get off the bike, only to find Ranma was still clinging to her back with his hands unconsciously covering her breasts in a way that did not seem to unduly displease her. Nonetheless she still glanced with concern over her shoulder and said, "Aiyaa...are you all right, Ailen?'

Ranma's face was set in a mask of shock and dismay, and I swear to you his pig-  
tail was curling up like a tail in the back of his head, a reaction I fully sympathized with, having first-hand experience with Shampoo's notions about driving. I knew something would be needed to shock him out of his state, so I walked up alongside the two of them, smiled then gently blew into his ear. That got him to twitch, and from there he slowly came out of his state of shock and became aware once more of his surroundings."

"Gah!" He exclaimed when he finally realized where his hands were situated and released our wife, much to Shampoo's amusement and disappointment. He put a hand to the back of his head and glanced around nervously then tried to go into his usual macho act by saying, "Uh...so...we're here already? So...uh...when do we get to kick some bad guys?"

"This may not be that kind of fight, Ranchan," Ukyo-kun said matter-of-factly, "These aren't your normal nine-to-five, twenty-thousand yen an hour type lawyers. These guys are vicious professionals who operate something more like a branch of the Yakuza, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out they've got connections."

"Hey, they're lawyers," Haruka said with a sniff, "That makes 'em worth kicking around in my book."

"Thanks," I said, "But I'd rather we got through this without any needless hassles. The last thing we need to do is give anyone an excuse to check into the family's dirty laundry..."

"Yeah," Akane agreed, "Kasumi wouldn't like that..." she paused, blinked, then said, "Why the heck did I just say that?"

"Can we get going?" Ryoga asked, "Lunch period's almost over, and despite what Elder Lotion said I don't like the idea that we could wind up on the bad side of Hinako-Sensei."

"We're already on her bad side, block-head," Ranma sniffed, "But I'm with you on this. Standing around here wasting time isn't getting us any closer to finding out what happened to Pop."

"Is true," Shampoo bobbed her head in agreement, "Shampoo no finished helping Ranma kick stupid panda around, and no want tell mother anything bad happen to guy she once dated."

"Wouldja kinda not bring that up, Sham-chan?" Ranma replied with a wince as Ukyo led the way towards the building while Makoto and Haruka stayed by the car and watched us. Of course none of us knew what we were getting into at this point, but chalk it up to our usual sense of fatalistic masochism that we plunged on anyway into the den of the Lawyers...

"What do you make of all that?" Haruka murmured to Makoto, "You think those kids are headed into any danger?"

"I don't know," Makoto replied, "I've got a pretty strong sense that something's very wrong about that place...like maybe there's a Youma hanging about, ready to cause trouble."

"That confirms my feeling," Haruka nodded, "Think maybe we should call the others and get some back up?"

"It's too far from Tokyo for them to get here by normal means," Makoto replied, "They'd have to teleport, and I'm not sure how accurate they could be at this distance."

"Good point," Haruka nodded, "Then we might be on our own here, which is a good enough reason to lay low for now until something more definite...hello? What's this?"

Makoto turned around, following the tall blonde's gaze as they both saw a dark limousine approaching their position, moving into a double-row parking space just barely adequate to fit it, then coming to a stop as the little man they saw in the drivers seat park the thing in neutral.

"Here we are, Mistress," Sasuke announced as the limousine pulled up alongside of a curb a short distance away from a car and motorcycle being tended by the pair of very tall women.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked as she glanced out the side window, "Is that Shampoo's new bike? I wonder if the others got here before we did?"

"Impossible," her father said dismissively, "School won't be finished for hours and your sisters would never duck classes without strong reasons."

"Something bad maybe happening to Gemi-chan doesn't count?" Atsuko wondered.

"If you have to ask, then you probably wouldn't understand the answer to that question," Silk remarked, "But I sense that the children have been here, so they must have gotten word about Ranma's father."

"Ranma has gone to rescue his father?" Nodoka smiled happily, "He's just so...so manly!"

"So what are we waiting around for?" Comb demanded impatiently, "You want those kids to have to face Yumi by themselves? Let's get in there and kick some butt already!"

"I share your enthusiasm for staging a timely rescue," Kodachi agreed, turning to Kasumi, "Do wait here for us, Kasumi-chan. This may only take a minute."

"All right," Kasumi smiled, "But do be careful, Kodachi-chan. I understand that Ninjas can be very difficult to reason with."

"That's true enough in most cases, Mistress," Sasuke agreed, "But if there's no reason for trouble then perhaps Mistress Kuonji will be in a more agreeable disposition, especially if you make a good argument in your favor."

Soun frowned as he and the others started to exit the vehicle, and half to himself he wondered, "Since when is Kasumi HIS mistress?"

The plan had originally been for his eldest daughter to remain behind, but Kasumi's obvious concern for Kodachi's welfare made her quietly insist that she wanted to come along to root for her rather than remain behind and supervise Terry Bogart. Kodachi's resistance to possibly putting the elder Tendo girl in harms way melted at the mention that she would be left alone with the handsome Bogart if left to fret about on the home front. Soun was beginning to have seriously deep reservations about the Soap Opera like drama that he was seeing unfold before his very eyes, but he was at a loss what to do about it and so continued to fume in silence.

"Excuse me," Silk said pleasantly as she and Nodoka approached the two strange young girls, who were looking at them in return with puzzled expressions, "But did you see a group of High School students pass by here?"

"I'm the mother of a boy who wears Chinese style clothes and had a long, braided pig-tail," Nodoka added, "Have you seen him?"

Both Haruka and Makoto exchanged puzzled looks, and then the former replied, "You just missed them by a few seconds. They went inside there to look for the boy's father."

"Thank you," Nodoka bowed to them, "You've been most helpful."

"Let's go already!" Atsuko cried impatiently as she, Comb and the others hastened through the front doors, leaving behind a very tall and pretty brown-  
haired girl wearing a long dress and radiating a gentle demeanor, who approached them in a friendly manner.

"Hello," she announced herself with a small bow, "I'm Tendo Kasumi. Are you friends of my sisters?"

"Ah..." Haruka blinked, "Tendo...you mean the short-haired girls are your sisters?"

"Nabiki and Akane," Makoto said helpfully, then returned the other girl's bow, "How do you do? I'm Kino Makoto, a...friend of Kuonji Ukyo's from one of her old schools. HIS! I mean his old school...in fact, HE used to be my Sempai..."

"Oh, that's quite all right," Kasumi smiled, "I get confused about these things myself on occasion. It does get awfully complicated when people are changing from one sex to the other without warning."

"Huh?" both women reacted with matching blank expressions.

"Oh, didn't you know?" Kasumi covered her mouth with one hand, "I'm so sorry, but I thought maybe Kuonji-san might have explained to you about Jusenkyo...oh, never mind. Forget I said anything about it. My...such interesting weather we're having?"

That last comment might have been delivered innocently but for the low rumble that caused the other two girls to look upward and take notice of the sky, which was roiling over their heads with peculiar shades of mauve and purple, enough though it was a just past noon and the sun had been shining down at full strength before this. They did not like how that odd rumble resembled a woman's voice chuckling in mirthless humor, any more than the effect that seemed to suggest a face taking shape from within the clouds, and suddenly their warning senses flared to maximum and they knew that something very bad was about to happen...

The sound of chopsticks snapping caused Tofu to start and whirl around. Kachu was sitting there holding the stumps of her former eating implements while the take-out food before her remained only partially eaten. He was even more concerned when he took notice of his Amazon wife's oddly pale expression, as if all color had just drained out of her face, and in an impulse of husbandly concern he wondered if she were coming down with a fever.

"Kachu-chan?" he asked when he saw her slowly turn and glance out towards a window.

"There is something amiss within Nerima," she spoke with an air of distance in her tone of voice, "A wrongness is afoot, and I...Elder?"

She sat upright and gazed off into the distance, looking at something which Tofu himself could not perceive, but a moment later he saw her nod her head and say, "Understood, I will be on my way at once!" She turned to look at him and said, "Please excuse me, Husband, but an emergency calls me away from this most excellent meal that you have purchased for me. I promise to finish the rest of it when the emergency is passed..."

"Demon troubles?" Tofu guessed, seeing her reach for her C'hi Chi where it rested on one wall.

"Indeed," she agreed, "The kind of thing I was trained to deal with. Do not be concerned, this sort of thing happens with me all the time in China..."

"I'll go with you," Tofu said, and when she started to protest he gave her his most gentle insistence as he replied, "Someone might be injured and you could use a good healer at your back. Besides, I'm not so bad myself in a crisis."

"That is true," she gave him a most fetching smile that almost put him into his "Kasumi Alert" mode, but then her seriousness reminded him once again that she was a very different type of woman, "Very well, if you promise to behave and not recklessly endanger yourself without cause, then I will permit you to accompany me."

"Yes, Ma'am," he smiled, managing not to sound condescending as he smiled back at her, though Kachu suspected he was only humoring her by pretending compliance.

Of no matter, she thought to herself as he locked up his clinic and the two of them headed out upon her mission, he would pay for mocking her in his heart...oh yes! She would make him pay when they were in bed later that evening, pay with kisses and that so-sweet touch of his that drove her to distraction! She smiled in relish of these tender moments, then forced herself back to a more professional mindset. There was deviltry about in her new home village, and such things menacing her husband's people Kachu would never tolerate. It was the Devil Hunter's code to protect the innocent and punish the wicked, and no way would she allow herself to be derelict in her duties, nor permit the Demons of the world to believe that Tofu Kachu had in any way been humbled by married life...even though such a soft existence was proving to be most pleasantly distracting...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Aiyaa! This day was a most eventful one, though never would I have suspected that a group of scholarly adjudicators would cause us so much trouble to seasoned warriors like ourselves! The Cleric position is not known to the Amazons, seeing as how all important decisions are made by the Elders without need of a go-between versed in the legalisms that so complicate life for people who live in larger cities, but I have always been given to understand that the whole purpose of a lawyer is to wrangle with words that which cannot be accomplished with your fists, so you will excuse me that I was not prepared to greet lawyers in a battle that was closer to my own method for the resolution of my problems.

Kuonji Ukyo took the lead in our assault upon the enemy stronghold, followed closely by my husband while my wife held a position in the center, which naturally necessitated that I remain close by her sword flank while her shield flank was covered by my apprentice and Ryoga. We six would normally constitute a formidable warriors band, had this been a normal type of engagement, but almost immediately we were to discover that these were no ordinary offices we were entering, nor were the people who worked here your typical breed of "Medical Unit Pursuers," as my wife so quaintly put it.

We entered through a pair of glass partitions into a "Room of Greeting," where we encountered a woman wearing glasses (much as Mousse does) seated behind a desk with some manner of terminal very similar to what Nabiki uses. The woman's hairstyle was oddly conical, and her manners polite and deferential as she studied us with a glance then said, "Can I help you?"

"We're here to see Kuonji Akira," Ukyo paused before adding, "My father."

"Ah..." the woman studied the sex-changed girl before saying, "You must be Ukyo. Your father told us to expect you, only he didn't mention you having any friends with you."

"They are with me," Ukyo insisted, "Now, if my father is upstairs I'd like to be announced."

"Certainly," the woman touched something on her desk and said, "Kuonji-sama, your daughter is here and in the company of some of her classmates..." she paused and seemed to be listening to something the rest of us could not hear, and I took note that she was wearing a curious head-piece that had some manner of device inserted into one of her ears. She seemed to acknowledge whoever was speaking to her through this device because she next said, "Understood. I will send them through at once." She looked at us directly and said, "You may go in. Everything has been prepared for you in advance of your arrival."

With that ominous pronouncement a side-door opened up automatically, which put me instantly on my guard as I sensed no human presence attending such an opening. Kuonji thanked the servant behind the desk and took the lead as we followed her into a narrow set of passageways formed by cloth-covered boards of some manner...but no sooner did we reach the first turning point when suddenly one panel shifted to the side and cut Kuonji off from the rest of us, and then other panels began to shift around us, and before we knew it we found ourselves trapped up in a maze being formed by these obstructions.

"What the Heck?" my husband exclaimed, "Ucchan?"

"Ranchan?" we could hear her voice on the other side of the partition, "What the hell is going on here?"

"You tell us," Nabiki called out, when another set of panels shifted, and suddenly Akane and Ryoga were separated from the three of us as my Airen reacted with alarm at this new development.

"It is some kind of a trap," I deduced, and moved closer to my loved ones so as to prevent another shift from separating us even further.

"I'll fix that," Ranma growled, and took a step towards one of the panel, punching it hard, only to back away holding his hand in dismay, "Ow! It's solid metal! What gives?"

Before either of us could answer him the floor opened up beneath us. My husband only had time enough to kick backward and twist in mid-motion with arms outstretched to catch the both of us into his embrace as we began to fall into some manner of shaft that angled beneath us abruptly and dropped us to a level below the one where we had been standing. The three of us tumbled back to our feet as I instinctively threw myself around my wife to protect her from the worst that might be taken. We got to our feet at once and found ourselves in some manner of basement, occupied only a man wearing a dull gray service uniform and pushing a mop across the floor while whistling a tune badly.

"Geez," our husband exclaimed as he rubbed his bruised hand against the palm of the other, "What is this place, some kind of fun house. I thought Ucchan's pop was expecting her or something..."

"Maybe Spatula girl has tricked us," I theorized, "This one thought that she pretended friendship a little too easy..."

"I don't know, Sham-chan" my wife considered thoughtfully, "Ukyo seemed about as surprised as we were. Granted she could be acting, but..."

"But nothing," Ranma said stoutly, "I ain't gonna believe the worst of Ucchan without more evidence, so as far as I'm concerned she's as much a victim here as any of us..."

"Ranma-look out!" our wife cried in warning as the man pushing the mop suddenly twisted his body at an angle that I knew signified an attack, and the mop suddenly became a Chinese-style spear with tassels as he pulled the head away from the wet end that remained upon the floor.

Our husband, of course, sensed the attack before it could be completed and loved accordingly to dodge the spear-thrusts as the man in the service uniform attacked him. Ranma tried to counter-attack but this man vaulted backwards and came down with a kick aimed at the bucket of soapy water, which same he sent flying into the air as Ranma and I hastily darted away from our worst nemesis. Unfortunately Nabiki was caught in the middle when the bucket came down upon her head, and her foot encountered the water, sending her tumbling to the floor and effectively putting her out of action...at least for the moment.

I had pulled out my bonbori and was using them to engage the interloper myself, hoping to provide the distraction that Ranma would need to attack this fellow from his unprotected flank. Ranma saw the opening and charged him, but the man darted out of reach of my maces and with a foot kicked the mop-head towards him, which turned into a deadly spike-shaped mace-head, which of course missed Ranma completely when my husband vaulted towards one of the walls and began running alongside it with great speed, catching the man by surprise as he turned to follow his motion, and thus gave me the chance to deliver a mace-blow to the back of his head that put him quite out of commission.

"Heh, he wasn't so tough," Ranma said as I went to check upon our wife, which drew his concern as he asked me, "How's Nabiki?"

"I'll live," my wife grunted as I pulled the bucket off of her head, seeing her disgruntled expression over the way she had been taken down. By her glare I could tell she would have relished visiting her own revenge upon the man himself, but as there was no time for any of that we got back on our way, seeking the corridor that had been protected by the sentinel who had pretended to be a humble servant. I wondered at what other tricks and treacheries we might discover in passing, and hoped that our allies would be faring as well as us in their own challenges as we made our way towards the center of the enemy stronghold...

"I see," the secretary spoke into her com-mike, "Yes of course, sir, I'll send them up right away."

She turned to look at the newly arrived adults and said, "You may go ahead, Kuonji-san is expecting you forthwith."

"Thank you," Soun replied, seeing the door that was opening for them on one side of the receptionist's desk, "You've been most helpful."

"Too helpful if you ask me," Atsuko murmured, "Somehow I don't think Akira-san is just going to let us walk in here this easy. There's something about this set-up that I don't like."

"For once we're in agreement," Comb remarked, "From what I remember of Yumi-san, she never did anything straight. She was always too subtle, never this direct, and if her brother is anything like her..."

"I know," Silk murmured softly, "I don't like it either."

"Now, now," Kodachi chided softly, "You can't always judge a brother by his sister, or vice versa. I well know this..."

"Perhaps so," Nodoka mused, following Soun's lead, "But it would be rude to refuse an invitation like this, so let's not keep Kuonji-san waiting."

"Why does this feel like such a mistake?" Comb wondered as she followed suit, against her better judgement.

"Hey, look on the bright side," Atsuko said philosophically, "What could happen around a bunch of lawyers? At worst a paper-cut maybe?"

"You have obviously not had dealings with my family's lawyers," Kodachi mused, "Or you would not ask such a question."

"Maybe so," Silk said with a distracted air as she kept glancing back over her shoulders, "I sense a strong disturbance in the current flows around us. These partition walls are not as innocent as meets with appearances."

"Yeah, so?" Atsuko asked when suddenly the panel separating them from Soun closed shut, blocking further passage, at the time that another closed upon Kodachi, separating her from the other women.

"Does that answer your question?" Comb asked as she drew her sword, even as Atsuko laid hand on her umbrella.

"Remain calm," Nodoka said softly, "It would appear that we are faced with a type of illusion formed by soft surfaces over harder substance."

"Yes," Silk agreed, "But the steel beneath the softness only seems plain and ordinary, which makes it all the more deadly."

"Going Zen on us already, guys?" Atsuko replied before turning to see a panel shifting to cut them off from one another. She reacted by grasping one edge with a hand and bracing her feet on the floor, then setting her umbrella back in place so she could free her other hand, which converted to something more claw-  
like that she sank into another section of the panel for added gripping power. It took only a moment to get the proper position for her to bring her full strength to bear, and then she heaved, ripping the panel loose from its moorings and heaving it high over her head as though it were a wrestling opponent.

"Showoff," Comb remarked, trying not to sound too impressed.

"Over there!" Silk pointed at the section behind the wall, where three men were staring at the women with expressions of astonishment, which same became terror as Atsuko followed the Lore Master's lead and hurled the steel-strong panel back at the men who had been positioning it from hiding, forcing them to scatter.

"Heads up, ladies!" Nodoka called out as a section of wall paneling slid away and a group of suit-clad individuals came vaulting over a desk with briefcases in hand, wielding a variety of perfectly ordinary desk equipment in their other hands, which they began to employ like more conventional martial-arts weapons.

"What is this?" Atsuko demanded, "Enter the Lawyers?" but soon she was just as hard pressed as anyone present fending off an attack by determined salarymen who looked more like they had strolled off the pages of Gentlemen's quarterly than "Kung-Fu Anonymous," not that anyone here was appreciating the distinction...

Soun instinctively rolled into a ball as the chute he was sliding through directed him into a curious basin, only to suddenly shoot him upwards as though he had landed onto the ramp of a gigantic Pinball machine. The tube that lifted him for a short distance was featureless but for the panel that hissed open to reveal a doorway, at which point Soun knew he had found his way into the laid of his enemies, and that the only dignified thing to do would be to square his shoulders and attempt to look something like a martial artist.

He entered into a large, dimly-lit chamber, his senses primed to the possibility of danger, a sense that normally would have inspired his self-preservation instincts, but his concern for his old friend and training partner caused him to at least effect a brave front. He was only mildly shaken out of his resolve when he saw a spotlight shine down upon a man seated-or rather tied to a chair-  
looking slightly worse for the wear but unmistakably Genma!

"Saotome!" Soun exclaimed, taking a step forward, "What have they done to you...?"

"Not much more than he's deserved," a familiar voice said, causing Soun to faltered in mid-stride, turning about to search the room for more darkened shapes as he gasped, "Yumi-chan?"

Another spotlight shone down, revealing a tall and broad-shouldered woman dressed in the traditional garb of an okonomiyaki chef, but whose broad face and cool regard were as familiar to him as any memory of times long past. Twenty years had only hardened that face, but there was no mistaking the former Ninja-  
girl who had once haunted his existence.

"So nice of you to remember," Yumi replied with a gruff nod, "At least I won't have to beat it out of you like I did your old buddy, Soun-chan."

"Tendo-kun?" Genma stirred at last, "Get away...it's a trap!"

"He knows it is, fool," Yumi snorted, her expression softening a little as she added, "Don't you, Soun-chan."

"Y-Yumi..." Soun faltered, "W-What are you doing here? They said it might be you, but..."

"They meaning the girls from the old gang now presently working their way through the maze?" Yumi noted, "My, doesn't this bring back memories? It almost makes me feel nostalgic..."

Genma grunted softly, then formed a half-smile before adding, "Well, look on the bright-side, Tendo-kun..."

"Bright side?" Tendo asked.

"At least this time she isn't one of MY old ex-girlfriends," Genma concluded.

Yumi reached up a hand and drew her bakers peel, then in one swift moment brought it down on Genma's head and flattened him once again, "And who would ever want to be YOUR girlfriend, Baka, except maybe the Amazon or the Oni?"

"That is quite enough, Yumi-chan," said a tired male voice that Soun had never heard before, and he slowly turned to see a desk that was being illuminated by yet more overhead lamps, "Tendo-san...at least we meet in person. I am a man much wronged by your friend here, but I was hoping that maybe we might discuss matters like civilized gentlemen while my attorneys occupy the rest of your people."

"Civilized?" Soun asked with a hint of genuine annoyance in his voice, "You call this a civilized way to arrange a meeting?"

"As opposed to other methods at my disposal, yes," the heavyset man with a coarse beard stood stiffly up from his desk, warding off the look of concern from Yumi, and said, "My name is Kuonji Akira, and I believe you already know my daughter, Ukyo."

Soun nodded slowly, "I know the lady personally. She is a friend of my future son-in-law, Saotome Ranma."

"A friend," Akira repeated with a sigh, "Ukyo asked that I let her settled matters for herself, but it appears that doing so may have been a grave error on my part since she has obviously put aside any thoughts of marriage or vengeance. This has forced me to reluctantly take necessary actions to correct this problem."

"Problem?" Soun repeated, "What problem? Yumi-chan, what part have you to play in this...deviltry?"

"Deviltry?" the woman in the chef's outfit said somberly, "You dare ask that of me? Ukyo is my niece, I helped to train her, taught her everything she knows, so you can bet I'm on her side of this, and from what my brother's told me of the agreement between you and this...tub of lard here, it sounds like history's repeating itself. Do you honestly think I'd let her heart be broken like mine was you thoughtless Jackass?"

"Please, Oneechan," Akira urged her, "Let us give Tendo-san the time he needs to consider what is at stake here. Family pride and honor count for little when measured with my daughter's happiness, and before I leave this world I will see to it her future-and that of our clan-is assured. All that is required of you is that you renounce your claims to have Genma's son marry one of your daughters and we can conclude this discussion like civilized people."

"My daughter...Nabiki?" Soun's expression grew hard and bereft of feeling, "Never! You would have me barter away her happiness for the sake of your pride?"

"Nabiki," Yumi mused, "Isn't she the short-haired girl who got nailed by that bucket? Not much of a fighter, that girl, and not enough meat on her bones to make a decent toothpick."

"What do you mean?" Soun asked, "What have you done with my Nabiki?"

"Nothing yet," Yumi held up a remote control device, "But why don't we watch the show and maybe that will help convince you to see reason."

She pointed it at one darkened wall, which instantly converted into a multi-  
screen Television showing different groups moving through an obvious labyrinth formed of cubicle booths, and in one of these he saw Silk, Comb, Atsuko and Nodoka locked in furious battle with men in three-piece suits who were waging battle with briefcases, staple-guns, rulers, pointers, clipboards, pens and various other tools of any office profession. In another section he saw Akane and Ryoga squaring off with a burly Sumo wrestler who was holding up a serving tray with one hand heavily laden with donuts and a pound cake. In another section Kodachi was strung up and dangling from the ceiling by an Office Temp wielding a roll of mylar tape that came from the VCR tape she was wielding in one hand. In yet another frame there was Kuonji Ukyo trying to find her way out of a box-like enclosure that had no surface features.

Finally his eyes came to rest on the image of Nabiki, Shampoo and Ranma, who were all contemplating the passage before them, which was lined with a shallow pool full of crocodiles that blocked them off from the doorway on the opposite side. It was plain to see by the look on Nabiki's face that she was having a very hard time of it contemplating such a crossing, especially in light of the Jusenkyo curses on both of her iinazuke.

"They are indeed a formidable lot," Akira noted, "But I give them little chance of making it up to this floor. I can put a stop to everything now if you will relent to consider my proposal. I sincerely do not wish to see anyone be hurt over this, but I am prepared to do whatever it takes to see that my daughter's claim will finally be honored."

"You're mad," Genma said aloud, struggling to free himself from his bindings.

"No, not mad, Saotome," Akira sighed, "Not as you mean anyway. I am a desperate man who is prepared to take desperate measures, and time is running out for me I fear. I must secure Ukyo's place as heir to the family fortune, and for this she must marry the man she selected long ago to be her iinazuke. Even you must see that they would make a formidable match, for young Saotome is reputedly the best fighter of his generation, while Ukyo has been trained for the past three years by Yumi, and she is every bit as good as my sister was at her age. Understand me when I say this, I will have satisfaction."

"You say...time is running out for you?" Soun looked at the man with mingled anger and concern in his expression.

"I mean that I am dying," Akira informed them both, "Of the same affliction that killed your wife, Yumi-chan's former rival. I have not long to live...possibly a few days at most. It is an irony to have such wealth as I possess and for it to mean nothing to stave off death, though I have tried to live long enough for the sake of my Ucchan. Now do you know what I mean when I say that I am desperate? Ukyo's happiness is all that I have left in this world, and soon even that will not sustain me..."

The man paled for a moment, clutching at his chest with a pained expression as Yumi was at his side in an instant, supporting him as he sat down heavily behind his desk, the color almost totally trained from his expression.

"Understand..." the man said in a voice that was almost as toneless as the grave, "That one way or another, I will have satisfaction!"

Soun said nothing in reply to this, but in the distant background he almost thought that he could hear the sound of a woman's mirthless laughter...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Coming Apocalyptic Melodies: shadowmane

Seriously speaking, Cancer is no Joke, so how does the crew get out of this one? Can Nabiki and crew somehow salvage their engagement in the face of such desperation, and what about that sinister laughter and what it portends? Keep tuning in as matters come nearer to foreclosure next time...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	70. Chapter 70

NabikiRan66 Ranma and Nabiki By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Six.

"Of all the bloody times to tell us about something like this you have to wait until the last minute to bring it to our attention?" cried the young-seeming Happosai.

"My apologies, Uncle," Lotion replied as the three ancients made their way to the place where she perceived was the zone of greatest disturbance, "But this was something of an emergency. On a whim I put a trace on Saotome Genma because I sensed he might be heading towards mischief, and the trace ended only a short time ago, while I was talking with the children and about to warn them of Cybelle. I believe that there is a connection between the two elements, Cybelle's return and Saotome's disappearance."

"You should have mentioned her to me before," Cologne said in a scolding tone of voice, "I would have been on my guard against her influences. Indeed, the recent string of unsettling coincidences that have been occurring of late should have tipped me off that something wicked was brewing in Nerima."

"My apologies, Matriarch," Lotion replied, "But I was merely attributing the normal weirdness factor that exists in this prefecture as the cause of much of those seemingly random coincidences. We all know what transpired here nearly twenty years ago, and it would seem that those events are echoing in the present, which means that we had better get a move on if we want to prevent real tragedy from occurring this very evening."

"It'd be a tragedy all right," Happosai agreed, "If anything happens to even one of those cuties, then I'm going to be powerfully upset with-Hello! What have we here? Who's that talking with Kasumi?"

"Eh?" Cologne lifted her gaze from the building that they were approaching to take notice of the three young girls standing beside a limousine and (as she preferred to call it) that damned infernal device that Shampoo had recently adopted as her alternate form of transportation. She only briefly took notice of the pseudo-ninja manservant of the Kuno woman before her eyes narrowed as she took in the two very tall girls, the one with brown hair and the shorthaired blonde who was dressed in manly fashion. Her ancient perceptions registered the hidden power contained within these women and wondered at its source. She knew that Lotion could not help being aware of their potential, but her fellow Elder merely acknowledged them with a bow before turning her gaze upon the front entrance of the building.

"Elder Lotion, Matriarch Cologne," Kasumi bowed politely, "And Grandfather Happosai. What an unexpected pleasure it is to see you here. These are Nabiki's new friends, Kino Makoto and Teneo Haruka."

"Charmed," Lotion nodded her head without turning around.

"Hubba, hubba!" Happosai said with plain enthusiasm.

"New friends, eh?" Cologne observed dryly, "Wearing the uniform of the Jubaan prefecture?"

"Ah...we're just visiting, " stammered Makoto.

"Not that it's any concern of yours," Haruka said indifferently, "We just gave Kasumi-san's sister and her friends a lift. Makoto was really here to visit her old Sempai, Ucchan."

"HA-RU-KA!" Makoto colored in plain embarrassment, "Cut it out, will ya?"

"Sempai?" Cologne studied Makoto carefully, "Interesting..."

"Perhaps so," Lotion said, "But better saved for another occasion. Right now we have a bit of a crisis on our hands to be dealt with..."

"Say no more, or even less!" Happosai cried as he bounded forward, "There's beautiful ladies to be rescued and-AWP!"

Halfway to the doorway the young-seeming Grand Master of the Anything Goes tradition collided with an unseen barrier as sparks flashed about his form, briefly illuming him inside out before he was repelled backward, stunned and smoking along the edges.

"As I was about to say," Lotion resumed, "The crisis I was perceiving includes a mystical barrier that appears to have been thrown up as an obstacle to our physical entrance. Cybelle no doubt wanted to permit the others to enter her snare, but not those of us who have the means to deal with her effectively."

"C-C-C-Couldn't you have told me that a little sooner?" Happosai said shakily as he slowly regained his footing, smoke exiting his mouth with sparks curling about his fingers.

"And ruin my fun?" Cologne smirked sidelong before regarding the barrier in question while Haruka and Makoto gaped in mutual surprise and Kasumi merely...worried, "I believe you are correct in your deductions. I sense it is Cybelle...a presence that I have not felt in close to twenty years..."

"Impossible," Happosai said, "I sealed that witch away myself! How did she escape to cause trouble for us again?"

"How did you escape from your prison?" Lotion countered, "This is grim news indeed. I had hoped to be at the side of my apprentice and her Airen, but instead I find myself sidelined and unable to directly advise her."

"The same holds true for my chosen apprentices," Cologne said equally gravely, "We must somehow find the means to penetrate this barrier and quickly. Who knows what evils Cybelle has planned for them? If only we had some clear notion of her true motives..."

"Like simple revenge isn't a good enough reason?" Happosai mused, "But for once you're right...we're no good to those kids if we can't find around this hurdle. What we need is more Power..."

"Power you say?" Makoto glanced at Haruka, who nodded.

"We might know of a way that you could find some useful allies," Haruka conceded.

"If you can help my sisters and Kodachi, then I implore you to do so," Kasumi urged.

"And tell those allies of yours to hurry, please," Sasuke added, "There's no telling what might have happened to the Mistress, and if anything bad does happen to her, then Master Kuno will kill me!"

"Give us a minute," Makoto replied, "We need to make a call, this will only take a few minutes."

"Oh dear," Kasumi fretted as she contemplated the office building, which now seemed less innocent and more menacing to her than before, "I do hope Nabiki and Kodachi-chan are all right. I know how resourceful they can be, but I can't quite shake this awful feeling that they're about to get in deeper than they meant to, which in Nabiki-chan's case probably means biting off a lot more than she can chew, or vice versa..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I stared at the corridor in front of us, unable to believe that someone would have gone to the trouble of building and stocking a live Alligator pit in the basement of an office building. I mean, who were these guys to put a dangerous thing like that in our way? Didn't they know these things could hurt somebody? I mean, if that was the idea, then can you imagine the legal problems they could be looking at? I thought Lawyers would be smarter than to arrange deathtraps for people in their own basements!

Ranma and Shampoo were understandably stifled by the presence of cold water, which could render any defense on their part moot. Ranma might be able to fight off crocodiles in his cursed form, but Shampoo? The thought of her Neko form in the jaws of those crocks was simply not to be contemplated. We needed to get out of this trap and escape from this basement, and we needed to do it right away.

"This is nuts!" Ranma spoke for what we all were thinking, "Ucchan's Dad must be out of his gourd if he wants us to go through this just to get to see him."

"Shampoo," I said, "You see any way out of this?"

In reply Shampoo produced a bonbori and slammed it against one of the walls, producing a hard, metallic, reverberating sound that told the story.

"It thick metal under board sheets," she explained, "Hard to find weak point to break through, and maybe no find easy way on other side."

"I guess we're supposed to go through this and get through that door over there," Ranma pointed to the other end, where we could see it opening out onto another passage, "But what's that over there? Some kind of fancy panel or something?"

I saw what he was pointed at, a square-shaped feature on one side of the exit. It didn't take much imagination to suppose it was a control panel that might do something about the crocs. The problem, of course, was reaching it, and for that we had to get by the crocodile pit itself. It was ten meters long and about two meters wide with a very small ledge on either side and no visible handholds, besides which there were the crocodiles to consider.

But as I studied this I began to see a pattern to things that had not been apparent at first glance. That same sense that came over me before when we fought against Principal Kuno, and as before I could not begin to put it into words, so I judged the situation on instinct, deciding that to hesitate would mean losing the moment. I wanted to help out, to contribute something of my own to our rescue, so I moved forward before either of my companions could suspect what I was about and took a leap out onto the back of the nearest crocodile, and from there I took another leap, and then another, sensing each footing before I landed and catapulting myself forward as the crocs began to react to the unpleasant sensation of me landing on their backs. I was across their backs before I had time to even think about what I was doing, hearing Ranma and Shampoo cry out to me the whole time though neither one of them was fool enough to try and come after me. Once I was on the other side I turned to the panel and, once more guided by instinct, pushed a hidden stud beside the obvious buttons, which caused the floor to slide shut behind me, sealing the crocks in and providing my loved ones with a safe passage.

"What the heck were you doing?" Ranma demanded as he and Shampoo came running up to join me, "You coulda got yourself killed doing that!"

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo exclaimed in full agreement, "No do thing like that again, Nabiki! Shampoo think heart stop half way across! You no want scare Ailen do that again!"

I tried to smile in a reassuring manner, but I think my knees knocking together gave away my fear reaction as I belatedly realized that I had, indeed, been risking life and limb by acting on such impulse. If either one of these two had tried something similar around me I think I'd brain them, but here I was acting like I was the reckless, headstrong one in our group, and all because I thought maybe I could make a difference in our favor.

"Tell you what, you two," I reluctantly conceded as the delayed reaction of fear began to take over, "Next time I do try something like this, spank me."

I saw Shampoo and Ranma exchange looks at that, and then a very slow smile passed between them and I started to wonder if maybe I had also just become the one to put her foot in my mouth! The clincher came when Shampoo looked at me with a knowing smirk and said, "Is promise?"

"Count on it," Ranma affirmed with an uncharacteristic leer that hinted at his intentions.

"Ah..." I tried to think something to say and lamely said, "I...uh...think we should be going, guys. Ukyo and the others..."

"Right," Ranma took point as Shampoo fell in step with me and we made our way towards a stairway that we hoped-at least nominally-would take us to the next level...

Kodachi did not deign to limit herself to the petty encumbrances that had been thrown into her path by these treacherous adjudicators of the law. From the moment the padded steel walls of the trap had been sprung upon her she was alert to the danger and reacted in the manner of a trained gymnast, vaulting onto the rim of one of the barricades to gain an advantage of height over her mundane surroundings.

Kodachi fully intended to carry her weight in the coming battle that she had sensed from the moment affairs began to take a turn for the ominous. It was clear that these lawyers with their ludicrous, foreign-sounding names were no mere legal defense team of the sort one might find in a typical law office. It was plain enough that they had a different agenda from that promised by Kuonji, who might well be in on the deal for all Kodachi knew. In that light it would make sense that she would be the first one taken since that removed her from the field of play, and hence potential danger.

Kodachi smiled as she easily perched herself along the edge of one of the barricades, able to see for herself how the sections of ordinary office booths were not only mobile but had been used to construct a labyrinthine design that could be used to trap the unwary and herd them to some possible danger. A very clever use of ordinary props found in any conventional office setting, but portending an intent towards greater mischief as one progressed through the maze in search if an outlet. Kodachi could almost admire the cunning and duplicity here were it not her own people who were the intended victims of this deception. As it was she would have to be on her guard, for it was obvious that even the seemingly innocuous and inconspicuous could prove troubling for the unwary.

Kodachi wanted to prove her worth to her prospective father-in-law, having sensed the hesitation and unease of the Tendo Patriarch whenever Soun was around her. Kodachi wanted to be accepted into her new family, just as she had rejected her old one in pursuit of her affair with the virtuous Kasumi. She needed to win him over if she was to continue being a member of his house, and she knew that Soun had some past knowledge of her mother, for the memory of same was evident in his eyes whenever he regarded her, however unfairly.

Kodachi knew she had a lot to live down in that respect, and so she was determined to set her future father-in-law's mind at ease by demonstrating once and for all that Kuno Kodachi was nothing like her mother. These lawyers had unwittingly provided her with the perfect outlet for demonstrating her loyalty and virtue, and she intended not to waste the opportunity, so she scanned the various booths beneath her in search of the one that presently imprisoned Soun Tendo.

She did not see him but rather saw the four older women fighting against a horde of enemies dressed like normal businessmen but using the tools of their profession as though they were the most deadly of weapons. Despite the overwhelming odds against them, the Elders were clearly holding their own and showing much enthusiasm for the fight, so Kodachi decided that her services would not be needed there and cast instead for some sign of the missing Tendo elder.

Running along the edge of the walls was childsplay for one with her preternatural sense of coordination, and she was complimenting herself for having circumvented the Gordian knot on this occasion when-unexpectedly-a sharp jolt traveled up her legs and caused her to jump for a different reason than mere enthusiasm. Kodachi fell from her perch onto a desk, managing to recover herself as she belatedly realized that she had been struck by an electric current. She caught her weight on one hand and back-flipped, only to find her legs were not sufficiently recovered to bear her weight, so she crashed down on the floor somewhat inelegantly and landed on her posterior with a jolt. This did nothing to improve her mood when a woman dressed like an Office Temp stepped forward and smiled, then casually extended a draftsman's triangle.

"No use cheating to get ahead," the Temp smiled in a sultry manner as she studied Kodachi from beneath horn-rimmed glasses, "You have to do this the hard way, just like anyone else."

"And why should I have to do anything, Peasant?" Kodachi replied as she got to her feet somewhat unsteadily, rubbing her calves to shake out the tension that had been caused by her near-electrocution, "What right do you have to give me instructions?"

In response the girl threw the triangle, which Kodachi nimbly avoided, only to discover the thin wire connected to the object as it looped back to wrap around her legs, dropping her back on her bottom in a very rude manner.

"People like you always underestimating people like me," the Temp replied as she yanked on the cord and drew Kodachi's foot upward to keep the Black Rose off balance, "But if it wasn't for Temps you wouldn't even know how to operate the office copier."

The Temp moved and in her hand a metallic T-square appeared like a sword, which same she brought down towards Kodachi, who caught the thing between the flat of both palms only less than six inches from making contact with her face.

"Perhaps this is so," Kodachi mused, "But, then again, why should I bother myself with such inconsequentials?"

Kodachi rocked back on her shoulderblades, creating a momentary slackening in the wire about her leg, which she used by drawing her free foot inside her guard and kicking outward, catching the Temp in the chest with enough force to knock the woman flying backwards, releasing her grip on the T-square.

Unfortunately she retained her grip upon the cord, so while Kodachi was able to cast aside the main threat, she was still unable to regain her footing as the Temp moved backwards every time Kodachi tried to close the distance between them. To counter this Kodachi reached into her shirt and pulled out one of her bowling pins, which she tossed at the Temp with unerring aim, striking the woman on the chin so that she was forced to release her grip on the wire and stagger backwards.

Kodachi was on her feet at once, smiling as she anticipated the turning tide of battle. In a flash her hand held her trademark ribbon and she flashed it in the other woman's direction, snapping it several times like a bull whip in the hopes of beating her opponent into submission.

But the Temp just avoided the lashes and smiled, then remarked, "You think I'm any stranger to abuse? Try working overtime without vacation and health benefits!"

Kodachi saw what she took to be an opening and struck with her ribbon, only to see the Temp duck around a desk lamp, which same she used to ensnare the ribbon. For a moment Kodachi was not properly balanced in order to draw back her weapon, and in a flash the Temp darted to the side and fetched a cassette box from a shelf rack, opened it and vaulted towards Kodachi, suddenly displaying a ribbon of her own in the form of the mylar VCR tape that she wove in a pattern to momentarily confuse an off-balance Kodachi.

With a speed that literally defied description she wrapped Kodachi up in the tape then hurled the cassette itself over a pipe railing near to the ceiling. She grabbed the other end and yanked, hoisting Kodachi up off the floor like a prize game animal that had been trapped on a wild safari. Kodachi struggled to no avail, but the hundreds of meters of tape thwarted her efforts at freedom as she dangled above the floor while the Temp openly admired her "catch of the day."

"You'd be surprised how many of my bosses don't even know how to use a VCR, let alone program it," the Temp remarked casually, "Do yourself a favor, kid and surrender."

"Never!" Kodachi meant to cry in defiance, but what came out past the tape wrapped around her face sounded more like, "MMppphhh!"

"Such language in young people these days," the Temp handily smiled, "It won't do you any good to struggle, you just make things harder on yourself, and there is no way that you are escaping from this one."

"Oh yeah?" Kodachi would have said as she attempted to smile brazenly, though the muffling of the ribbon spoiled the effect. Instead there was a slight clicking noise, and then all at once the tape binding Kodachi literally exploded as the razor-sharp edge of her hula hoop burst out from the sides, slicing through the Mylar tape like a knife blade.

"WHAT?" the Temp gave back in dismay, "How did you...? There's no way you could have been hiding that thing, not with what you're wearing!"

"So it seems that there are some secrets that even office workers are not privy to concerning their betters," Kodachi remarked as she tore the last of the Mylar from her face, then leered as the hoop flashed out in her hand and sliced through the front layer of the Temp's clothing, parting the fabric without touching her skin. The Temp yelped as she stared at the exposed area of her cleavage, for even her bra had come undone down the middle.

"You dared lay hand upon a daughter of the noble House of Kuno," Kodachi said in menacing tones, though her leer was more disturbing to the temp than its attendant hint of menace, "For that affront you shall be shorn of all concealment. Sleep your way to the top if you must, for the best position for you is on your backside!"

Kodachi stepped into the other woman's guard and seized her by the edges of her collar, then yanked down so that the fabric pinned the Temp's arms to her side, leaving her exposed to the palm strike that Kodachi used to knock the wind out of her sails and send her flat upon the open space of the desk. Kodachi smiled on surveying her handiwork, then turned away, determined to continue her quest for the missing Soun Tendo.

"The girl is resourceful," Yumi said in evident approval as she studied the monitor screens, "I like her quick wits, though her arrogance proves she needs to be taken down a little."

"It is plain that my daughter has found powerful allies," Akira noted gravely, "But it will be all the same in the end, once Ukyo can be made to finally see reason."

Soun said nothing, contemplating the Kuno girl's victory as if it showed a whole new angle to Kodachi that he had previously not suspected. Instead he turned his attention towards Ukyo herself, wondering what part the cross-dressing, Jusenkyo-cursed girl was to play in this drama, and whether or not her father had badly underestimated his highly resourceful daughter...

"Let me out of here, you stupid Jackasses!" Ukyo-kun cried as she pounded on the walls that had engulfed her, "What the hell do you people think that you are doing?"

"Have patience, little one," a hidden speaker voiced in reply, "Your father wants you to be kept away out of danger while your companions are dealt with."

"Dealt with?" Ukyo-kun reacted, "Are you planning to kill them? That's crazy!"

"I did not say that we would kill them, young lady," the voice insisted politely, "I merely said that they will be dealt with. Once the matter is resolved then you will be released from here and can take this matter up with your father."

"Now wait a minute!" Ukyo-kun cried, "I don't need anyone to fight my battles for me! Hello? Hello? Get back here, you Jackass! Let me out of here! DAAAAD!"

She pounded on the walls but they resisted her efforts, being solid metal beneath the exterior panels, so instead she stood back and looked around at her prison, fuming to herself, "When I get outta here some heads are gonna be rolling...!"

No one answered her this time, so Ukyo silently fumed in her cell, glancing at the walls and ceiling while trying desperately to find some form of an exit. After a moment he sat down on the floor and started taking deep breaths to calm herself down so that he could think more calmly and rationally about her situation.

Granted his father was being an idiot and going against his wishes by trying to force the issue of her engagement to Ranma, and granted that this was more likely to alienate his childhood friend by making him think that he had deliberately suckered him and his friends into a trap, but letting his rage cloud his judgement was a sure recipe for disaster! He needed to think clearly again if he was to defeat this trap and the people who were behind it (assuming, of course, that lawyers technically constituted a form of people).

Isolating him from the others was surely meant to throw his off balance and keep him from discovering if there was a way to escape him prison. Since he had been dropped down here by a chute, it was logical to assume that there was an exit by which they intended to free him once they had finished working over the others. The problem was in finding it, and it was probably too well hidden for easy detection.

He fumed briefly, allowing his irritation to float through his mind before relaxing once again. He needed to think like a Ninja if she was to escape this trap, so he started to research what he knew on the subject of traps and prisons, recalling in detail his first impressions upon her arrival.

The chute was an obvious choice if he wanted to escape the way he had come, but prying open the panel that had admitted her might be a problem, plus the fact that the walls were smooth and featureless in that chute. He might be able to scale it with the proper equipment, but he had not been expecting to need her Ninja tools when he went to school that morning, so he was lightly armed with only his spatulas and basic inventory of cooking-related weapons. Another door at ground level would no doubt be a more desirable means of egress, which just returned him to looking for the less obvious manner of escaping his prison. The walls might seem to be featureless and reinforced with metal, but...

Ukyo smiled as a sudden thought occurred to him. This was just like one of his Aunt Yumi's traps, the kind she used to test Ukyo's reflexes and basic knowledge of the art. Looked at that way it became a simple matter of deducing how the prison itself was put together.

Ukyo opened his eyes, rose to her feet and drew his baker's peel then held it down at the floor to one side at an angle. He lowered his gaze and contemplated the room in his mind as if it were a large, featureless geometric puzzle, then theorized where the most logical place was to conceal an exit, and struck with one quick blow at that particular panel. His iron peel rang a hollow blow against that section of the room, and then the panel fell inward, revealing the gap that she had speculated would be found there. He smiled in perverse satisfaction and reslung her peel in its holster against his back.

"Just like Aunt Yumi used to make," he murmured to himself, feeling his way against any possible secondary traps while following his instincts, which would lead his out of the dungeon.

"Not bad, Niece," Yumi commented to herself as she studied her young apprentice on the monitors, "Of course if it had been me rigging things you'd never have gotten out so easy."

"Why are you doing this?" Soun wanted to know, "Ukyo doesn't want to marry Ranma any more, she gave up on her claims on him..."

"Which I, as her father, must insist on maintaining," Akira said as he resumed sitting behind his desk, "It's rather the same thing as you insisting on your daughter's claim over my daughter's..."

"But Nabiki wants this union as much as Ranma," Genma replied, "You're going against their personal wishes..."

"Like you give a damn about what anyone things if it goes against your desires?" Yumi countered, "I know you too well for that, Saotome, so don't try and pretend that their consent is an issue."

"Kuonji-san," Soun tried to sound reasonable, "I can understand you wanting what you feel is best for your little girl, but Ukyo is nearly a grown woman and capable of deciding these things for herself..."

"She is still too young and headstrong to know what she desires, or what is in her best interest," Akira said tiredly, "Believe me, I have been over this in my mind many times, and I have decided that this is for the best after all. Ukyo may resent me for it now, but in time she will see that it was all for the better. Besides...time is running out for me, and if I wait any longer I won't be able to pass on to her my inheritance. This matter must be resolved here and now before I die, and then I will go to my ancestors in peace, knowing that I have seen to continuing the legacy of the Kuonjis."

"But surely it is not so desperate as all that," Soun tried to reason, "Modern medicine has made great strides in recent years..."

"You think I haven't exhausted all my options there?" Akira asked, "They found the cancer too late in my life to fully arrest it. Three years ago I started chemotherapy, when I sent Ukyo away to train with Yumi, and all I had to show for that was a loss of my hair while feeling sick as a dog. Ukyo hasn't seen me more than a few times over the last two years, and never when I was in the most intensive stages of my therapy. It was only after I gave up on modern medicine that I tried alternative healing methods, anything to prolong my life a few more years, to give Ukyo more time to grow up and leave this Tomboy phase that she's been locked into...because of you, Saotome. I finally decided to put pressure on Ukyo to settle this whole matter once and for all so that she could put the issue of your son behind her, one way or another. Instead I find her giving up on her claims, and her womanhood, to maintain this Tomboy fetish even after making peace with your Ranma..."

"Do you think this is going to make my son feel any more positively towards her?" Genma asked, "You underestimate my boy if you think he'll go along with this."

"It's no longer a question of whether or not Ukyo will marry him," Akira replied, "I want my daughter back! I want her to accept her femininity, to start dating boys again, to at least open herself to the possibility of a normal life instead of some warped notion of passing herself off as a boy forever. If nothing else I want Ukyo to accept who and what she is so that she can give the Kuonji line the hope of continuation..."

"Then you don't know," Genma got a crafty look in his eyes, "You may be a lot later than you think in getting Ukyo to accept that."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Yumi threatened with her baker's peel thrust under the man's chin.

"Nothing," Genma replied, ignoring the threat of the spatula's sharp edges, "I just find it interesting that you seem to know a lot less about Ukyo than the both of you imagine."

"And what would you know about her?" Akira frowned, "You who abandoned her to misfortune?"

"I may have left her behind," Genma replied calmly, "But I know that Ukyo has a drive to succeed that is worthy of a true martial artist, and she'd never approve of what you people are doing. You won't succeed, Kuonji-san, because you've already lost and don't even know it. Ukyo's already made her decision, so whether you acknowledge that or not..."

He stopped talking as Yumi pressed the edge of her peel against his throat and growled, "The biggest mistake I ever made was in letting you live, Saotome, so you just keep pushing all the wrong buttons and..."

"Don't waste yourself on him, dear sister," Akira ordered, "He isn't worth staining your spatula. Let's continue to let things develop before we force him to reveal whatever it is he means by that statement."

Soun balled his fists as he continued studying the monitor, praying that no one would be hurt as he watched Silk and the other former rivals continue to persevere against the labyrinth filled with lawyers...

A staple gun fired and at once Atsuko flashed her umbrella to intercept the deadly missiles heading towards them. Comb parried a lawyer's attempt to serve her a subpoena on the end of a lance while he used an office chair as a shield against her efforts to slice him. Silk spun her flute around to deflect a man with a briefcase as he tried to press in on her with a pointer, while Nodoka somehow managed to avoid her assailants while stepping past their guard and using the blunt handle of her sword to send several men into dreamland.

The more than thirty men and women in business suits continued to press the attack using seemingly ordinary office equipment in a most unexpected manner against the four women who opposed them, keeping them on the defensive with the sheer weight of their numbers in the battleground formed by the nominal office of the Combat lawyers, displaying an impressive skill on both sides as they kept up the pressure.

Every now and again the lawyers would do something unexpected that would momentarily tilt the battle in their favor, such as when several of them popped up from the concealment of a desk and heaved it into Atsuko, momentarily knocking the Oni off balance. Another of them opened up a desk folder and used it to momentarily ensnare Silk's flute while yet another secretary popped up behind the Lore Master and attempted to use a plastic trash liner to choke her, before Comb saw her friend's peril and went to her assistance, giving Silk the chance she needed to call upon an elemental servant, which coiled along one arm and frightened both secretaries as they mistook the flaming salamander for a serpent.

"You all right?" Comb asked as Silk tore the bag off of her head and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine," Silk replied with a gasp, "But I'm begining to worry about the tone of this battle."

"You're telling me?" Comb responded with a mild snort, "These guys keep coming out of the woodwork-heads up!"

She raised her sword as two Salarymen appeared swinging staplers on the end of long chains, casting them at Silk and Comb, who raised their own weapons to deflect these attacks, only to have their wrists become targets as their attackers tugged on their chains ever so-slightly. The Amazons struggled to free themselves from this coordinated attack, but the Salarymen began to run in opposite circles, wrapping their chains about both women and forcing the two of them closer together.

Before this maneuver could be completed, however, a flash of steel struck the chains and shattered them completely. As the links and their weighted ends fell to the floor the Salarymen looked astonished to find Nodoka standing there with sword held out to one side, calmly poised and at ease, as though she were a Kabuki dancer.

And then the Salarymen gasped in astonishment as their suits began to fall away, the fabric parting along the seams so that mere seconds later they were reduced to their underwear and T-shirts.

Nodoka sheathed her sword with the scabbard thrust through her sash, then very solemnly she said, "Again I cut a worthless object."

"Huh?" Comb queried of her nominal rival.

Nodoka flashed a kawaii smile at the two Amazons, made a "V" sign with one hand and said, "Nothing...I just always wanted the chance to say that!"

"Is it just me or is she losing it?" Comb murmured to Silk with a dubious expression.

"That depends on if she ever had it to begin with," Silk noted back on the same level.

An inhuman, feral scream drew their attention back to Atsuko, who was thrusting the Desk off of herself and snarling like a wild beast that had just been uncaged. Her attackers gave back with looks of dismay as Atsuko did not seem entirely human at that point, a fact she emphasized when she tore into their ranks, tossing men and women aside until she selected one at random and hefted him off the floor as though he were a child's toy.

"Tell me what you've done with my son and maybe I'll let you live!" she cried as she shook the man until his white-capped teeth started to rattle.

Before the man even had the chance at forming a reply, one section of wall toppled over as a burly Sumo wrestler went crashing through the steel obstacle, knocking several panels over. Over the body of the unconscious Sumo stepped Ryoga and Akane, who looked as though they had been in quite a fight, though the other guy was clearly not much better.

"Mom!" Ryoga called out in both surprise and pleasure.

"Ryo-chan?" Atsuko tossed her nominal victim aside as though she had completely forgotten all about him and smiled in delight at the sight of her son. Said victim did not much appreciate being forgotten, though, as he did not come to rest until he was halfway cross the office and landed in a heap between two desks and various unconscious bodies.

"Are you guys all right?" asked Akane, surveying the recent battlefield as though she regretted not having the chance to contribute.

"As well as can be, Akane-chan," Nodoka replied, nodding to the Sumo, "I trust yon fellow didn't give you too much trouble?"

"He tried to shove half a pound cake down Ryoga-kun's throat," Akane replied, darkening slightly as she added, "And then he had the nerve to say I was the one with a weight problem! Serves him right, the pervert."

"Well then," Silk remarked as she relaxed her bearing and stared off at nothing in particular, "All we need to do then is track down Nabiki and the others and then we can have some words with the people who employed this lot, including Ukyo's father."

"Not to mention someone else who will go nameless?" Comb asked her friend slyly.

"Right," Silk's tone grew a touch more frosty, "That's why we won't mention her. How odd...I can't quite seem to pinpoint a direction..."

"Hmm," Nodoka mused, "The lines of force within this building do flow oddly, I wonder what could be causing that..."

"Huh?" Atsuko blinked her eyes, "You goin' weird on us, Nodoka-chan? You're starting to sound like Silk here."

"Oh, it's nothing," Nodoka smiled, "I just felt...a bit oddly, nothing all that substantial."

"Hmm..." Comb's expression darkened, but she refused to voice her thoughts as she considered the wife of a man who once had caught her fancy.

"You know," Silk remarked in an eerie tone of voice, "I have a vague sense that something is amiss here, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's a familiar sensation, but I don't know where I've..."

"Hey, what's up?" called out a familiar voice.

"Ranma!" Nodoka smiled as she turned around to greet the missing members of their party, which included Nabiki, Shampoo and even Ukyo, looking no worse for wear for all their apparent troubles.

"Looks like they threw you guys a party," Nabiki commented as she surveyed the wreckage, "Glad to see it wasn't a complete blowout."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked, "Is more traps than a Furrier outlet. Shampoo think stupid office people no want us find way to Ukyo father."

"Or perhaps someone else might hold the key to understanding that and other mysteries," mused Kodachi as she appeared from a side passage, "Would that not be correct, Kuonji-san?"

"Huh?" Ukyo saw that more than the Black Rose were looking in his direction and hastily said, "Now wait a minute! I don't know anything about what these Jerks were doing! This is all my Dad's doing somehow...I just know it! What I can't believe is that he's trying to hurt you people..."

"I believe you, Ucchan," Ranma assured her, "This place may be nuts, but there's no way you'd be here if you had any idea what these guys would be up to."

"Ailen," Shampoo chided, "You very trusting, but Shampoo no as certain that Spatula Girl is to be trusted."

"Ordinarily I might agree with you," Nabiki said as she considered Ukyo, "But somehow I think I have to side with Ranma on this, at least until we have more evidence that she's in on the scam here."

"I'm more inclined to side with the Amazon," Kodachi noted coolly, "But if it is your wish to trust Kuonji, then I shall stand watchful and withhold my judgement."

"Hey," Ukyo glanced around, "I know it looks bad for me, guys, but I swear to you that I didn't know anything about this!"

"I believe you, too, Ukyo," Akane said reassuringly, glancing around as she added, "Let's not go attacking anybody here until we've got some proof of guilt, okay?"

"Well..." Ryoga said reluctantly, clearly not trusting Ukyo, but also not wishing to openly contradict Akane.

"It's not okay with me," Atsuko growled, "She's a Kuonji, which makes her just like somebody else we used to know from the old days, right guys?"

"Indeed," Comb said darkly, "Much too much like a certain lady we once knew, eh Silk?"

"She hasn't actually done anything to cast suspicion on her," Silk replied, "But I'll admit the resemblance is uncanny."

"Oh, you three," Nodoka chided, "Don't you know better than to hold a grudge after all of these years. I'm sure that any friend of my son would never betray his trust in such an openly brazen manner."

Ukyo sighed, only to look up in surprise as Akane touched her arm in a reassuring manner. Ryoga balled his fists and tensed as he saw this and was about to say something when a low, mirthful chuckle intervened to divert attention.

"What the...?" Comb explained, startled.

"Where's that coming from?" asked Ranma.

"It doesn't sound...natural..." Nabiki shivered without quite knowing the reason.

"Aiyaa..." Shampoo slowly pivoted as she glanced around at the ceiling.

"That laugh," Silk's voice dropped to a mere whisper, "I know that laugh..."

"So do I," replied Nodoka, who was suddenly quite tense as she laid hands upon her katana.

"Oh no..." Atsuko groaned, "Not now, not here!"

"What is it, Mom?" Ryoga asked, "What's wrong?"

"Who's doing that laughing?" Akane asked, "It's ten times scarier than Kodachi...!"

"Excuse me?" Kodachi asked, just before the ceiling darkened as a play on light and shadows formed to take a ghostly face, which gazed down on them with chilling menace.

"LONG TIME NO SEE, DEAR," the voice addressed itself to Atsuko, who paled noticeably on hearing.

"Momma?" Atsuko squeaked in a near-whisper.

"Momma?" several of those closest to her echoed, right before a flash of light hammered down at them and drove them to the floor as though a lightning flash had just opened up within the chamber...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cybelle Phone Sex Hotline: shadowmane

The enemy revealed at last as Soun and Genma confront their second worst nightmare, while their first nightmare (Happosai) seeks the aid of a certain Devil Hunter and some girls wearing fukus to try and break into the enemy stronghold, and what about Terry Bogart? Find out about all of this and more next time...so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	71. Chapter 71

NabikiRan67 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapters Sixty-Seven.

Terry Bogart brushed the sweat from his brow as he finished laying down the last of the roof tiles. It was good, hard work keeping the Tendo place repaired on a regular basis, but it was steady work, and Terry enjoyed every chance he got to visit with Ranma, Kasumi and the others who regularly made use of the dojo. They were basically nice people who loved the art and appreciated its teachings.

Terry had been training all his life to be the best that he could be, the same as Ranma, and while he had a few years on young Saotome he was very impressed with the kid and thought him well on the way to being one of the best all around martial artists, even going by the standards of the elite circles that Terry worked in. There was a focus and dedication to Ranma that was very rare in young people of his generation, an intensity that Terry felt himself when he was locked in battle against a superior enemy and forced to use all of his knowledge and skill to keep his title as the King of All Fighters. Terry enjoyed trading points with Ranma talking about the special techniques of their respective schools as only two men who shared a basic liking and respect for the discipline could. In the month or so that he had been working in Nerima he had seen Ranma improve by quantum leaps, and that was not even taking into account the kid's complex relationship with two fascinating and unusual ladies, one of them a very good martial artist even by Terry's estimation.

Hard to believe that Ranma had learned his craft from a Master like Saotome Genma, who did not impress Terry over all as much more than a fat slob who knew something of the art and very little of its inner nature. He had seen Genma training his son in their morning sparring sessions and thought the man was a bully pretending to play drill sergeant, constantly berating his boy and making fun of the fact that Ranma was cursed sometimes to turn into a woman.

A very vivacious and attractive young woman at that, as even Terry had to admit with some reluctance.

Terry wasn't sure what to make of Ranma's curse. He was no stranger to magic or the paranormal, having encountered both in his travels, but altering one's sex while maintaining the same personality was something very...disturbing to Terry's outlook. Terry liked and appreciated the strong points of women and had no qualms with a good woman fighter, but being a woman was not one of his personal fantasies, and he was sometimes in awe of Ranma's ability to cope with the psychological strain that he was undoubtedly under.

A good thing for him that neither of the ladies in his life seemed to mind all that much his constant switching of genders, but that was another subject Terry did not feel like broaching.

He began to put away his tools, satisfied that the repair work would last until the next time somebody got a bit too energetic in a sparring match. He straightened up, intending to walk towards the ladder when a wave of icy fire washed over him, causing him to stumble and nearly lose his balance.

"What the hell?" Terry gasped in a rare display of profanity on his part. He whirled about as he sensed the source of the peculiar emanation was arising from the Furinkan Financial District, not all that far away-in point of fact-from the place of his employer. As he scanned the horizon he began to make out something that to ordinary eyes would not have been visible, but which for him stood out almost like a neon beacon.

A black pillar of flame had erupted over one portion of the Furinkan area, and as he looked upon this ominous sight Terry felt a chill run down his spine, for somehow he knew Ranma was involved...and in the blackened shape of the pillar he thought that he could perceive the face and form of a smiling woman...a woman whose smile was more chilling by far than the demented laugh of Kuno Kodachi...

"Great Grandmother," Kachu hailed as she and her husband approached the area presently occupied by the three Elders (two of whom looked anything but Elder, but Kachu was willing to make allowances for their unusual condition).

"Hello, Kachu dear, Son-in-law," Lotion acknowledged the pair without turning her gaze from the exterior of the building, "I had a sense that you would be drawn to this place, the same as I was, only in your case it makes more sense as this is the sort of thing for which you've had special training."

"Hello, sister," Kasumi flashed a smile to her near-twin, "You're just in time as there seems to be some kind of a problem for Kodachi-chan and our sisters."

"A problem, sister?" Kachu turned and studied the building, then extended a hand and felt along the invisible edge of something before them.

"What is it?" asked Tofu as he gazed at the space before them rather than turn his eyes on Kasumi, "It's...like there's some kind of haze in front of that building..."

He started to take a step forward when Kachu's arm intercepted him, and in what-  
for her-was an unusually soft voice she said, "No, Airen...it would not be wise for you to risk yourself against this barrier. I sense strong magics at play here...dark sorcery, the kind that all but screams of the demonic."

"Demonic is the word for it," Cologne said grimly, "This is the handiwork of Cybelle the Sorceress, an old enemy that we have encountered once before, who has made her return to seek vengeance against Saotome Genma and your father."

"My father is in there?" Kachu said with some alarm, "And where is my mother?"

"With any luck she's with him," Happosai replied, "Cybelle laid her trap well and they walked right into it like babes to the slaughter. I just hope nothing bad has happened to any of those cuties that are with them."

Kachu leveled her C'hi Chi, which suddenly appeared in her hand, then pointed it at the barrier, saying, "If my parents and sisters are within there, then it is my duty as Hunter of the Dark to go in there and confront their enemy! The evil I sense within fairly cries out for the taste of my vengeance..."

"Yes, well, it may not be enough to penetrate this barrier, child," Lotion remarked, "You would exhaust yourself to no avail trying to bring it down. What is needed here is an alternate source of spiritual power..."

"Then maybe we can fit the bill there," a feminine voice declared from directly behind them.

Cologne turned slowly around and then her indigo eyebrows climbed nearer to her headline as she murmured in a low voice, "Oh my...!"

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

My head hurt as I slowly regained consciousness, aware that my joints were aching and that my feet were feeling like lead as I seemed to be hanging in space for no rhyme or reason. It took a moment to clear my vision, and then I realized that it was not just my imagination that was creating this impression, for I was dangling by my wrists, which were cuffed to an overhead bar, and the reason I was feeling so heavy was because of weights that were attached to my ankles. I was dangling over a floor that seemed smooth and featureless in a dimly illuminated room, and I was not alone in my condition, for out of the corner of my eye I saw Shampoo and the others were hanging there beside me.

"Uncomfortable?" a voice said, and I turned to see a woman standing there whom I had never looked on before, but whom instantly I knew was an enemy to my family and loved ones, for her smile as much as said that she enjoyed inflicting pain, and would do so freely.

My impression of her was that she was not very tall but she was extraordinarily good looking with long blonde hair that framed a face of ageless beauty. Her manner of dress was outlandish, some fancy costume that looked like a ludicrous fashion statement, yet which somehow looked good upon her and managed to convey that she was a presence to be reckoned with, far more than any business suit could ever do on a "power" executive. Her eyes were tawny gold, and on her face and forehead I saw peculiar markings that looked like slashes or tattoos of some manner or other. When she smiled I saw her fangs, and for a moment I had a brief impression that she was some kind of a vampire, only I was to learn shortly that she was much worse than a mere blood sucker. Without knowing it right away I was having my first face-to-face encounter with an honest-to-the-  
kami half-demon, only nominally human in face and form but emanating from a place far more diabolical than some neighboring province.

"Now that you're all awake," she said, "Let's get right down to business."

"Who are you, lady?" Ranma demanded, "What the heck are you..."

"I'll ask the questions, Sweet Cheeks," the woman replied with a nasty leer in his direction, (to which I unconsciously bristled), "But since you asked, the name is Cybelle, Demon Sorceress, First Level."

"Momma!" I heard Atsuko cry as the sound of chains rattling indicated a brief struggle on her part, "What are you doing? Let us down from here you..."

"Uh-uh-uh!" Cybelle the Sorceress tched with a wave of her finger, "That's no way to talk to your mother, At-chan! I must say that I'm very disappointed in you, siding with the Mortals against your own flesh and blood, and for what? So you could try and court a man who you failed to win twenty years ago, in spite of your best efforts?"

"That's not the point and you know it!" Atsuko replied to the sounds of more chains rattling, "You were gonna kill my Ryo-chan! No way was I gonna let you sacrifice my son to increase your power level..."

"Kill my own grandson?" Cybelle pretended shock at the concept, "You wound me, my dear! Nothing could be further from the truth this time. Oh, and while we are on the subject, how are you doing, Ryoga-dear? I'm your grandmother, in case you were wondering about that part. Don't bother to ask me how I know it's you...you look just like your grandfather did when I first met my Razor-kun. He'd be so very proud of the young man that you've turned into, if he wasn't lost somewhere, probably getting into who-knows what kind of trouble..."

"You're my grandmother?" Ryoga asked in clear astonishment at the concept.

"Ryoga-kun?" I heard Akane ask in wonder.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo seconded, "Stupid lost boy no just Oni son but also grandson of demon?"

"How oddly fitting," Kodachi added in, firmly confirming my suspicion that we had all been taken and imprisoned together.

"More than you know," Silk added from some place where I could not see her.

"What's your game this time, Cybelle?" Comb growled, "If you're not out to sacrifice Ryoga, then what are you up to?"

"Why, I should think that was obvious, even to a clod like you, Comb-san," Cybelle replied with disdain evident in her tone, "Ryo-chan's the key to my newest plans for freeing myself from the shackles imposed upon me by that damnable pervert, Happosai. Him and this boy-Matrix, who is the Nexus I was after so long ago...and how very pleased I am to meet him after so many frustrating years dreaming of this moment."

"You wanted my son twenty years ago," Nodoka said calmly, "You didn't get him then, you won't succeed this time."

"We'll see about that," Cybelle noted huffily, "You think you're so smart, 'Doka-san, but what if I were to tell these others the truth about you? How would that make you feel?"

I blinked my eyes at this. The truth about Nodoka? What was there to know about Ranma's mother that wasn't obvious just by looking? I really started to wonder what sort of game this lady was up to at the moment, and how exactly the rest of us fit into the pattern, all the while knowing in my heart that I really was not going to enjoy knowing the answers...

"Well?" asked a blonde haired girl who sported a pair of long odango ponytails that gave one the odd impression of a giant walking rabbit, standing next to six other odd looking girls, all sporting Sailor fukus "Do you think we can help or not?"

"Forgive my ignorance," Cologne asked as she turned to confront the new arrivals, "I know little of the local environment, but...who are you people?"

"Who cares?" Happosai lunged forward as he cried out, "SWEEEET!"

He didn't get more than a meter before Cologne's staff rapped him on the back of the head, knocking to the ground at least partially stunned. She rolled her eyes towards the heaven and murmured, "Why me, my sacred ancestors...?"

"Must be something about his Karma," reasoned Sasuke.

"I am Sailor Moon, the Champion of Justice!" the lead blonde declared after a momentary pause in which everyone present (except Kasumi) big-sweated, "And these are my friends, the Sailor Scouts...!"

"Hello, Mako-chan," Kasumi said brightly, "Haruka-chan. On my...you must be Ranma's cousin, Tsukino Usagi. How very nice to finally meet you."

"Ah...huh?" the blonde stammered, as if somebody had just read from the wrong script.

"You...know who we are?" Makoto stared at the milder looking of two twins with astonishment.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kasumi apologized, "Wasn't I supposed to tell? I must say, those costumes aren't very practical, and the skirts ride so high...why, everyone can see your legs right up to the area of your panties. They're not very modest...but I suppose it isn't my place to complain about such things."

"Uh..." the blonde exchanged puzzled looks with her companions, and a couple of them very self-consciously made the effort to tug their skirts down.

"Never mind all that, dears," Lotion said in a smooth manner, "You were offering to help out a moment ago. Do I take it your offer is still standing?"

"Er, yes," the blonde made an effort to get things back on track as she said, "We are the Sailor Senshi, warriors of love and Justice..."

"Fine," Lotion turned to Kachu and said, "I suggest you coordinate your efforts with these ladies of power. Have them focus their energies on a specific point in the shielding, then strike the barrier with your weapon and it might create enough of a gap to admit a few of us through there."

"Understood, Great Grandmother," Kachu nodded, "I will craft the spell at once, and together we shall force it to yield under our combined efforts."

"Excuse me!" a male voice hailed out to them as Terry Bogart came running up to join them, having just jogged a mile in under four minutes.

The magical girls all swiveled their heads to take in the new arrival, then the tall one (who was indeed Makoto) remarked, "Wow, he's just like my old-MMMPH!"

"We know already!" the dark haired one beside her growled.

"Would you give it a rest for once?" said the other blonde holding her hand over the taller girl's mouth.

"Why, hello Bogart-san," Kasumi said brightly, "Have you come to help us out?"

"If I can," Terry replied, turning to look at the building before remarking, "What the heck is causing that? I could see it all the way from the Tendo place..."

"Never mind," Cologne told the handsome young warrior, "Nice of you to volunteer. We could always use more cannon fod-ah...skilled warriors on our side. We'll skip the basics for now and just say that the one inside that lair is a very dangerous enemy who intends us no good, and in order to free our loved ones we must brave this stronghold of evil and confront the demon within."

"Sounds like a standard plan to me," said the tall blonde in the fuku costume, who exchanged knowing looks with her green-haired companion.

A shorter fuku-clad girl whose cropped black hair made her resemble Akane in no little degree stepped forward with a portable calculator in one hand, tapping in commands as she studied the barrier through her blue visor before saying, "I believe that I know where the weakest point is on that barrier. If we concentrate all our forces and strike at that precise point in one massive discharge..."

"I get it," the blonde with the odangos smiled, "That'll be no problem for us, right guys?"

"Right!" the girl with long dark hair beside her nodded, "Say the word and that barrier is toast!"

Lotion nodded, seeing the rescue party take shape as she turned to Kachu and said, "Have you chosen the spell that you wish to use yet, child?"

Kachu nodded, "I am ready, Great Grandmother," and with that she ban to spin her C'hi-Chi while chanting, causing the air to hum as she slowly summoned up her spell, her voice rising above that of a a murmur as she set her spell into motion...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Aiyaa! I never realized that Ryoga's grandmother could be so much more scary than my great grandmother! The ease with which we had been captured was as nothing in dismay to what that Demoness seemed capable, and as I dangled there beside my husband and wife I began to wonder if maybe we had not all taken on far worse than that which mere warriors are equipped to deal!

I looked upon a face that seemed fair to the eyes, yet hinted at such malice and duplicity that I came to believe that the rumors of my mother once facing down a demon sorceress were not only true but grossly understated. This Cybelle was both cunning and formidable, an adversary worthy of my great grandmother and certainly on a level of menace for which I had not been adequately prepared. She seemed to take great delight in our state of helplessness, and spared nothing in consideration of blood, including both her daughter and grandson in her taunting and torments.

Of course the one who evidenced the most upset at learning the identify of our true foe was Kuonji, who thrashed against her bonds and cried out, "You stupid jackass! What have you done to my Aunt and my father?"

"You mean Akira-chan?" the demoness replied, "Why, I've done remarkably little towards him, other than play with his fatherly concerns towards you, his much-  
beloved only daughter. Kuonji-san has been the perfect pawn for my manipulation, and all because you renounced your womanhood at such a tender young age, for which he blames himself-by the way-seeing as he helped cause your basic alienation."

"What are you saying?" Ukyo gasped, "Are you saying this is all my fault...?"

"Oh no," the demoness replied with false solicitousness, "I'm saying you're only partially to blame here. I'm the other half of the cause that you should be blaming, for which I gladly and with pride take credit. It's what Demons do, you know...exploit human weakness, take advantage of your basic doubts and anxieties, play upon your general paranoia and overall appeal to the Devils of your worse nature. It all boils down in the end to the concept of free will and choice...you make your own mistakes...we just help you to make them."

"So, what's the deal with the lawyers?" my husband asked, "How are you involved with them?"

"Oh, do you like that?" the Demon flashed a smile, "I thought it was rather clever myself. People always assume that Lawyers are naturally allied with the forces of Hell, so why not make it official? This firm is my creation, by the way, though it's nominal founder thinks he's the one who came up with the concept for the Combat Legal Firm. I'm just the silent partner who made the original suggestion."

"How did you do it, Cybelle?" Silk inquired, "I thought Happosai had sealed you away in your tree for all eternity..."

"Eternity is an awful long time, even by the standard of most demons," Cybelle replied, "I just found a few loopholes around the charms he set that allowed me to work my will upon the mortal world. It was simplicity itself, really, once my tree's roots dug down deep enough to interact with an underground cable line, giving me access to the vast networking system that humans have constructed."

"Let me guess," my husband's mother mused, "You discovered the internet."

"Marvelous system, isn't it?" the demoness flashed a huge grin, "You can go most anywhere in the world without having to leave the comforts of your own home. It really is quite amazing the things you can buy and sell over the wires, once you gain enough access to hack into personal databases and steal encrypted files, alter a few numbers here and there and siphon off enough surplus on various accounts to fill up several Swiss Accounts. From there it was just a simple matter of surfing and networking to achieve goals we demons could even begin to dream about during the Middle Ages. It's been so much FUN overall, I can't begin to tell you!"

"In other words," Silk replied, "You've been come a Networking demon."

"It figures," my mother noted rather unpleasantly, "I always thought the blasted machines were accursed."

"Only if you use Microsoft," I heard Kodachi say, though I'm not sure if I understand the reference."

"Take the combat lawyers for example," the demoness continued as if she had not been interrupted, "Do you know how much it costs to earn a legal degree these days? Most kids aren't lucky enough to have rich parents, and many of them take out huge loans that they've got to reimburse after graduation. That means they're willing to work dirt cheap to pay back their debts working in the Junior Bush leagues of major partnerships, which is why this firm was able to recruit so many young kids who were desperate enough to be willing to join a firm that's also part dojo! The Temps and Gofers here learn to break boards with their legal briefs, do damage to your Habreus Corpus, and you should see what they can do with a good subpoena! Since they represent clients who are not exactly the women's choir league (If You Take my Meaning), you can bet they have to be tough cookies who can stand their own alongside the Yakuza!"

"You fiend!" I heard my mother exclaim.

"Hey!" Atsuko called out, "That's my mother you're dissing, Comb...so if anybody here's got a right to diss her it's me!"

"But I don't understand," Ukyo said, "Why does my father have to do with any of this?"

"Why nothing," the demon sorceress smiled, "Except that it was my suggestion that he hire the legal services of Jun Mun Lun in the first place! It was easy to do, given the fact that he was so worked up about you pretending to be a man and renouncing your womanhood, he even got the notion that you were thinking about dating other women for real, and not just for appearances."

"But..." Ukyo hesitated.

"Granted, I can see why any gal might want to fall for a Bishonen hunk like you," the demoness leered, "But let's face facts, honey, we both know it's all a pretense and the real reason you were put on this Earth was to make babies."

"Ah..." I heard Ukyo's tone grow heavy, and by that tone I realized that the Demoness had failed to perceive something significant about the Chef, which implied that she was not as infallible as she was pretending.

"But I digress," the demoness lifted a hand and the shadows surrounding us partially fell away to reveal a heavyset man whose scraggly beard made him appear none-too-healthy, "Why don't we call your father up and have him explain for himself why he was desperate enough to heed my temptations. Say hello to Daddy, 'Ucchan.'"

"Dad!" Ukyo said in alarm, only to receive no reaction from the man, who stood where he was as though he were nothing more than a statue.

The demoness touched the man's chin and turned his head towards Ukyo, then suddenly she jerked that head sharply to one side and created a loud cracking noise, which made it appear as though his neck had been broken.

"DAD!" Ukyo cried in understandable dismay and horror.

But the thing that pitched to the ground proved not to be her father after all, as I realized by examining it closely and the way it moved in an unnatural manner. The head cane away from the shoulders and bounced for several meters, proving to be nothing more than a thing of plastic as the rest of the body itself made a hollow noise upon landing.

"Oops, sorry," the demoness grinned, "That wasn't the real one. I was just teasing you, never you mind..."

Kuonji began thrashing for real as she fought against the chains that suspended her, like the rest of us, over nothing, "YOU BITCH! You do that again and I'll..."

"You'll what?" the demoness sneered, "Whack me with that spatula of yours? Forget it, Hon, you're just an amateur...this is the real thing!"

She waved a hand and the light parted to reveal another figure, this one looking remarkably like Ukyo, only much older and larger with broader shoulders. Her face was not exactly handsome, but fair to look upon, being care worn with years and set in a hard grimace. Her eyes were open but gazing at nothing, from which I took to mean that she was in a trance of some peculiar nature and only vaguely aware of her surroundings.

"Aunt Yumi?" Ukyo gasped, "But...why...?"

"She doesn't hear you," the demoness chanted musically, leaning against the broad-shouldered woman as she grinned, "She only hears and sees what I want her to hear and see...she's effectively in a sensory state of my own creation, and she believes that she is here to obtain justice and redress the wrongs done to your family by this fellow..."

She turned as another light shown down on us, and there was my father-in-law tied to a chair and looking as if he had been severely beaten.

"POP!" my husband cried out.

"Husband!" said my mother-in-law, Nodoka.

"Gemmi-chan!" cried Atsuko in almost the same breath.

"Thought you'd recognize him," the demoness leered, "Though frankly I don't think he's ever looked better. Never did know what you see in him, my dear. You were instructed by me to seduce him in order to have his child, instead you threw your lot in with him, only to have him betray you in the end when he chose Nodoka. Truly appalling, but I suppose that was your father's influence."

"If you've hurt him, then you're going to have to answer to me, Grandmother!" said Ryoga in a most surprising tone of menace, given that he was still having trouble accepting that Saotome Genma was, in fact, his father.

"Was that a threat, Grandson?" Cybelle asked, "My word...you do have potential! With a little training you might even make a passable demon, not that I intend to let you do me any hurt, even if you are almost as cute as your grandfather."

"You like playing games with people's lives?" Akane growled as if just beginning to comprehend that this demoness was not your average sort of Mousse-level nuisance.

"Of course I do," the demoness replied as though the question was so silly that it actually surprised her, "You people with your petty, brief lives are like toys for me to amuse myself with. It's what demons do after all, at least in my particular career field. But you shouldn't think I'm the one entirely to blame for everything that's bad in the world. I only make the suggestions, pull a few strings, create an elaborate web of lies to convince you to ignore your better judgement. I appeal to the darker side of human nature, the part that doesn't like playing by the rules and wants to indulge itself in all sorts of forbidden pleasures. It's the same darkness that exists in each of you, and I shape it to my needs and purposes. You give me strength just by heeding the call of those anti-social impulses that you each have, and I delight in making you jump through my hoops. I'm what you might call a Maestro of Manipulation, but if it weren't for your weak human wills grasping at easy solutions and quick short cuts, I'd have nothing to work with, so don't try to pretend with me that any of you are innocent, because I certainly know better!"

"Sounds pretty sick to me," Ranma growled, "Using Ucchan's father like this..."

"You said it, Ranchan," Ukyo agreed, "It's sick, perverted and twisted!"

"Why thank you," Cybelle smiled, "What a nasty thing to say. And as your reward why don't I show you your real father?"

Again a portion of the world became illuminated, and there was a man much like the mannequin sitting behind a desk gazing out at nothing with a vacantness that even Kuno Tatewaki could never match.

"Dad?" Ukyo's tone sounded hesitant, "Dad? It's me! Snap out of it!"

"All in good time, my dear," Cybelle replied, "And now for the real man of the hour, the one who made all of this truly possible, I give you the last of our playing contestants!"

Once more a light shone down, and there was my other father-in-law, Tendo Soun, suspended from a cross-like object by miniature spatulas that pinned him by his martial arts gi and held him immobile.

"DAD!" Akane cried.

"Daddy!" my wife also shouted.

"Soun-chan?" I heard Aunt Silk's voice quaver with emotion.

"Ah, music to my ears," Cybelle grinned as she cupped one pointed ear with a hand, "And speaking of which, I suppose I should get the fun started for real, now that everybody's reacquainted with one another. You know, I really haven't hurt anyone so far...no one important (Saotome here doesn't really count, of course, and I'm not the one who whacked him around, eh Yumi-chan?). I've been having so much fun with everybody that I almost forgot that I brought you all here for a reason."

"I was wondering when you were going to get back to that," Nodoka noted.

"Quite so," the demoness waved a hand as though to concede the point, "I've been quite remiss as a hostess, and it's against the Villain code not to blab all about my great master plan and all that. Can't be having me go against type, but first...why not indulge in a little harmless torture, just to set the right mood in full swing?"

"You mean other than listening to the sound of your voice?" my mother asked in a low tone of menace.

"Precisely," Cybelle grinned, contemplating Soun, who was glaring back at her, obviously fully able to understand all that happened, "You know, the problem with having people hang around in a dungeon is that you come to expect certain things. Why, some are even offended when they're not actually tortured, like this!"

She pulled out some small manner of music box and started it playing, and what emerged from the foul contraption was some sickly-sweet sounding music with foreign words that sounded something like, "It's a Small World After all..." being repeated over and over.

"You fiend," was Soun's only response to this most peculiar form of torment.

"I try in my own way," Cybelle smiled, putting away the music box before pulling out a square-shaped cap with a long tassel, "To begin with, I first became aware more than twenty years ago that a new Nexus was to be born to the humble residents of a simple Tokyo suburb. The plan then was simple enough, arrange for my daughter to become the mother to the Nexus, then wait the appropriate number of years until the boy was old enough to be manipulated to my liking. Had I been successful, then I would have been the first demoness on my rung of the Ninety-Nine Hells to own one. Unfortunately you couldn t even do that much right, my little directionless Potato-spud. You wound up having the younger brother to the Nexus, whose connection with him was as intangible as it was confusing."

"What did Dad ever see in you, Momma," Atsuko growled in low menace.

"Could have something to do with that Love Potion I fed him," the demoness remarked, "Though I like to think it was my natural charms that won him over. Anyway, it occurred to me that the situation might be salvageable after all if I were to obtain possession of both boys, with which I could craft my master spell to strengthen the bond between them so that I could use one to control the other. Being of my flesh and blood, Ryoga-chan is the perfect vessel by which I can work my will upon the mortal plane and increase my market share over the whole planet! With both brothers at my side I would be pretty darn near invincible, and I might even be able to-oh, say-rule the world from this quaint little corner of Asia? You have to admit, it is an intriguing proposition."

"And what does that have to do with Ucchan?" Ranma growled in suspicion.

"Why, not much at all, really," the demoness shrugged, "Although the idea of mating you to her has its attractive qualities. I'm not so sure about this apprentice Lore Master you're currently affianced to...they tend to be a lot more trouble than they're worth to manipulate, even though this one does have a nasty streak that's worthy of a demoness."

"Huh?" my wife remarked, "What are you talking about?"

"You think I don't know about you and your whole emotionally wracked clan?" the demoness smiled at her in a way that made me bristle, "You guys are a bunch of walking basket cases, from Mister Weepy over here to that walking case of volatile hormones you call your little sister. You have a tendency to be pretty manipulative and petty yourself at times, hiding your emotions behind that intellectual mask the way your older sister hovers in a hazy cloud of perpetual bliss that filters out all negative emotions, and channels them to that Devil Hunting Amazon sister."

"You take that back about this one's Nabiki!" I cried out in protest, no longer able to restrain my temper.

"Ah yes, and let's not forget about the inflatable Bimbo," the demoness said as she was clearly addressing me in tones most insulting, "Her I can understand you wanting to shack up with, young Saotome, even if she is Comb's nuisance offspring. At least around her you'll never be short a warm pillow."

"You just wait, lady," Ranma growled, "I'm gonna pay you back for saying that stuff about Shampoo and Nabiki!"

"Oh, I'm so scared," the demoness said mockingly, "Tell you what, I'll let you have both of them, after I'm done working them over a little to make them more...shall we say...agreeable to my way of thinking...WHAT THE DEVIL?"

The demoness turned her head to gaze off into the inky blackness that surrounded us, and suddenly a portion of that blackness opened up to form a kind of window to the world outside. We saw Kachu spinning her C'hi-Chi about her head as it gathered bright, silvery fire about itself while a group of strangely dressed women standing behind her linked hands and seemed to be glowing like a rainbow.

"Who the hell called on those guys?" Cybelle's mocking tones were suddenly quite serious and angry, "Like Hell I'm gonna let a bunch of second-rate Magical Girls cut into my action! This is the sort of thing Beryl usually has to put up with, but not me! I'll show those second stringers what a real Dark Kingdom princess is like and-WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?"

The focus on the window abruptly shifted to take in Tofu, Happosai and Great Grandmother, and there was my husband's friend, Terry, standing next to Kasumi and someone else I could not identify... a woman whose hair was half white on one side, half black upon the other.

"Shirokuro?" I heard Atsuko gasp.

"What?" Ryoga replied, "You mean my dog?"

"No," Atsuko murmured back, "I mean my familiar."

All at once Kachu brought her weapon forward and thrust it at the transparency, and it was instantly disrupted so that the image fell black again while Cybelle staggered from the impact.

"Ow!" she shook her head, her eyes suddenly glowing intensely, "That hurt! Someone is going to pay for this! I have half a mind to sue!"

"Sounds like you're about to have your hands full with the cavalry," Aunt Silk mused softly.

"We'll see about that," Atsuko growled, "My people have had time enough to recover, I'll have them give your people a warm reception..."

The barrier shattered from the impact of Kachu's weapon-thrust, and suddenly a gap was created in the invisible curtain large enough to drive a truck through.

"Quickly everyone!" Lotion cried, "Before the rift can reseal, we must be across that threshold!"

Terry led the way, followed closely by Happosai and Cologne. A figure darted past them, only half seen by the naked eye, as Lotion and Kachu hurried through the gap, which already started to close behind them.

The magical girls all staggered to their knees, the force of keeping the gulf open proving too difficult even for their combined might as the barrier began to reassert itself against their best efforts. One of them, however, realized that the rift was about to close, and she forced herself to stagger forward rather than fall on all fours like her comrades.

"Jupiter...what are you doing?" cried their blonde-haired leader.

"I must...rescue my Sempai!" she cried, and suddenly the antenna-like protrusion from her tiara flashed lightning, striking the gap to hold it open a few more seconds. With all the remaining strength that she could muster she lurched forward and tumbled through the portal, just seconds before it closed behind her.

"JUPITER!" her companions cried, but the sound was muffled by the curtain that was sizzling at her backside, encouraging the tall girl to push on forward in spite of the great desire of her limbs to fail her at this instant.

Fortunately for her a pair of hands reached out to grasp her extended arms and pull her through the remaining distance, and then the doors at the front of the building closed on her, sealing them in as she found herself being supported by a very manly presence.

"Are you all right, Miss?" asked Terry Bogart.

"F-Fine..." replied Kino Makoto, who felt her heart beating slightly out of its normal rhythm, "Uh...thanks..."

"No problem," Terry moved away, "That was a pretty reckless thing to do. You might have been crushed by the force of all that energy."

"I'm...ah...tougher than I look," Makoto blushed a bright crimson, then suddenly remembered another and said, "I came here looking for my Sempai..."

"Your friend is this way," Kachu said with characteristic grimness, "Follow me into the foul lair of this demon stronghold."

"We may not have much time," Tofu said, "Whoever's behind all of this undoubtedly knows that we're coming."

"Indeed," Cologne said gravely, "Then let's not keep Cybelle waiting any longer than we have to."

"Excuse me," Kasumi asked the astonished looking receptionist, "But which way do we go to find Mrs. Hibiki Cybelle?"

Head turned in unison as the party chorused as one, "KASUMI?"

The receptionist was so flustered that without meaning to she pointed at the right panel rather than the one she was usually supposed to direct guests to.

"Thank you," Kasumi said, "You've been most helpful. Shall we be going everyone?"

"You shouldn't be here, child," Cologne said carefully, "It could-and probably will-be dangerous for you."

"Oh, but I want to help," Kasumi replied, "Kodachi's here, along with my family. They're counting on us to rescue them, right Sasuke-chan?"

"Of course, Mistress," Sasuke replied, giving the tall girl a wide-eyed stare of his own that had nothing to do with the thought that someone besides himself was actually thinking of the welfare of his Mistress, Kodachi.

Another form, unseen by mortal eyes, studied the girl in silence and arrived at its own conclusions. Leaving the party it made its way through the lair of the enemy by phasing through the walls themselves as though it were a mere shadow, following a trail that would lead it unerringly to its own Mistress and Master, thinking that the party would provide an excellent diversion for its attempted rescue, but dreading in its heart the inevitable confrontation that would occur when it confronted Cybelle again, but such was the lot of a humble familiar.

Of one thing Shirokuro was most certain, though, in this party of oddly mismatched players, her former Mistress had undoubtedly bitten off a bit more than she could chew, which gave him some hope that she and her true Mistress and Master might somehow be able to survive to see another sunrise...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Enter the Oni: shadowmane

The battle royal looms ahead as the contending players match wits with Cybelle, and Genma reveals why it is never a good idea to trifle with a determined coward. Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	72. Chapter 72

NabikiRan68 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Eight.

"It's no good," reported a fuku-clad short-haired girl who normally went by the name of Ami Mizuho as she stared at her handheld calculator, a blue visor covering the upper portion of her face, "The barrier has intensified in strength, and we lack sufficient energy as yet to attempt another penetration."

"Coitus interruptus again, eh?" remarked the short haired blonde who ordinarily was known as Haruka to a green haired girl who more often went by the name of Michiru, who smiled as if in a private jest between them.

"This is bad," said a girl with knee-length jet-black hair, who was usually referred to as Rei Hino, "This is very bad! I'm sensing Mega-amounts of nega-  
energy concentrated in that place! It's not a Dark Kingdom stronghold, but it might as well be at this strong a level!"

"And Jupiter went in there all by herself?" fretted an extraordinarily pretty girl whose luxurious blonde hair showered down her back to about thigh-level, and who was more frequently known by the name Minako, or Mina-chan to her friends gathered here.

"She must really be hung on her old Sempai," observed the remaining blonde in their group, whose odango hair bulbs extended down into twin curling trails that gave one the impression of rabbit ears, which was fitting as her name (at the time of birth) was Usagi Tsukino, "I can't say I blame her either...I'm pretty worried myself about my cousin, if he is, in fact, in there."

"Yeah well," Rei growled at this blonde in what was actually a long-familiar pattern of bickering between them, "If you hadn't insisted on having the double-  
Dutch Chocolate-and-Vanilla Sarsaparilla Expresso Mega combo Banana Cream Special-and eating it all down like a pig-we might have had the time to teleport here sooner..."

"Hey!" Usagi glared back at Rei, "Are you saying this is all my fault...?"

"Guys, please!" Ami pleaded, hoping to head off yet another pointless argument between her dearest friends, "Bickering about why we are late will do us no good whatsoever! We have to find a way in there so that we help Jupiter out, because by herself she has absolutely no chance of defeating whatever is causing this barrier in the first place."

"Mercury is right," said Haruka, "We have to stay focused upon our main objective."

"Too bad Setsuna is back home taking care of Hotaru-chan," Michiru noted to her tall companion, "Who has a bad head cold and had to be excused from school this morning."

"I'd take just about any kind of help getting in there to see Jupiter," Minako said anxiously, "Who knows what kind of dangers she's facing even now, while I'm-we're not able to help her?"

"I don't know, Venus," replied Usagi, "But I'd give a month's Manga allowance to know what she's doing at the minute..."

"BURN KNUCKLES!" cried Terry Bogart as he sent a blast of Chi-force at a concentration of the enemy forces.

Makoto Kino-the very tall girl with her long brown hair done up in a pony tail-  
was admiring the way that the handsome Terry was cutting a swath through the opposition with an ease that was almost as casual as his manly profile and congenial good manners. Such a nice guy, and Oh-So-Handsome, and easily the best fighter that she had ever seen in action, even better than Haruka-chan, and to all appearances he looked to be single.

Makoto shook herself out of her momentary daze and remembered that she, too, had to contribute to this fight. She saw a group of business-suit clad men massing on their flank and at once summoned up her power, which she unleashed upon them in the form of a massive thunderbolt that electrified the air and sent these suits off to dreamland.

"Not bad, Miss," Terry complimented before turning to face more of the opposition, striking his fist against the floor as he cried out, "POWER WAVE!" which sent a massive shockwave rolling outward to disburse the enemy on that flank.

Makoto felt like jumping for joy that the man had even noticed her in action. It was so rare to meet a guy who wasn't intimidated by her size and aggressive fighting style, and he had even paid her a compliment! She felt like dancing on air, and it was only with great effort that she reminded herself that she was here on a mission to rescue her Sempai, Ukyo Kuonji!

Devil Hunter Kachu was in her element, laying about with her C'hi-Chi as men and women fell before the fury of her onslaught. She hummed chants and cast spells to bolster the spirit of her comrades while her husband diligently guarded her back and kept out of her way so as not to cramp her fighting prowess. In between inducing unconsciousness upon foeman after foeman, she would pause to admire the calm and collected way in which the man who had stolen her heart was holding up under a crisis. Tofu was not a warrior, but he well deserved the title of Healer, and his pressure-point attacks-far less brutal than her own fighting methods-were nonetheless quite effective in cutting down the ranks of the opposition as they waded through the battle together, a true Husband and Wife team in the best of Amazon traditions.

Happosai and Cologne fought as an even more formidable team as they pressed forward in the lead, breaking down barriers and obstacles while dispatching their opposition off to dream land, while Lotion guided them past false traps and optical misdirection that would have taken them away from their primary objective. The three Elders led the way for the others, sensing where they had to go and knowing with whom they were truly dealing while the rest of their party brought up the rear, which consisted primarily of Kasumi and Sasuke.

"Stay back, Mistress!" the valiant little Ninja called to the elder Tendo sister as he fought tenaciously to keep the enemy forces away from the obvious non-  
fighter in their group.

Unfortunately he was only one man, and not a very good Ninja at that, which left him at a horrible disadvantage in numbers as one man brought a brief case down on the back of his head, knocking the little man sprawling.

"Oh my!" Kasumi fretted, "Sasuke-kun?"

"Take the girl and use her for a hostage to make the others surrender," one of the three men in this group said as they rounded upon Kasumi.

"Oh my..." Kasumi saw the three men ganging up on her and started to worry, but fortunately for her Makoto saw them as well and sent a well-aimed charge in their direction. The three men started spontaneously jerking and spasming as though attempting to do a break dance in their business suits, and went down heavily with their teeth rattling a kind of staccato.

Kasumi spared only a moment of concern for her would-be assailants, then turned her attention towards Sasuke, bending down to examine him, and thus throwing off the man who had been about to leap on her from behind, who misjudged his timing and went stumbling past the Tendo girl in an effort to avoid tripping over her, only to come to an abrupt halt when Makoto's fist intercepted his face.

"Sasuke-kun?" Kasumi politely inquired as she felt gently probed the little man's neck area before partially removing his hood to examine the bump there, as she had read was a proper thing to do in one of the books that she had borrowed from Doctor Tofu.

"M-Mistress?" the little man groaned softly as he tried to get up, "N-Never fear...I will...protect..." he slumped forward, unconscious.

"Oh my," Kasumi diagnosed the little man as suffering from a mile form of concussion, which prompted her to feel a momentary stab of remorse since his injury had come in her defense. Kodachi's faithful manservant had proven himself loyal, for all his lack of fighting skills, and however was she going to face her beloved friend if anything bad should happen?

She considered what to do and decided that moving him right then and there might not be a very good idea, but the carpeted floor between office cubicles did not seem all that fine a resting place either. She was considering options when she heard a man's voice cry out behind her, turned around to look up over her shoulder and saw a man in a Janitor's uniform charging her with what looked like a broom in his hands, but was being wielded in an altogether threatening manner.

"What am I paying these idiots for?" Cybelle complained bitterly as she studied the fight on the monitor display screens, "Can't even deal with the second-  
stringers? And who's that young girl fighting like an Amazon Elder? If I didn't know any better, I'd swear she and that blonde guy besides her looks almost familiar..."

"Your people don't seem to be doing too hot, Momma," Atsuko noted with false solicitousness, "Maybe you ought to be considering letting us go so we can work something out here..."

"Work something out?" Cybelle turned a cynical glance towards her daughter, "When I still hold all the high cards, including you guys? I think not."

"Overconfidence has always been a weakness with you, Cybelle," Nodoka remarked, "One of these days it's going to get you into trouble."

"My middle name is Trouble," Cybelle held up a cell phone and spoke into it in harsh tones, "Listen up, you Interns, Temps and Junior Partners! If you don't start putting on a better show down there it's gonna look bad on your performance review evaluations, and that could stymie your chances of promotion!"

The threat had its effect as her "loyal troops" began fighting with renewed fury and desperation, slowing down the line so that the trio of Lotion, Happosai and Cologne had to fall back a half-step in order to cover each other.

"Whatever you're planning," Soun said gravely, "It's never going to work."

"We'll see about that," Cybelle smiled at him, then pulled out the music box again and played yet another sickly sweet tune, "I Love You, You Love Me...!" to which Soun recoiled in horror.

"Dad!" Akane cried out.

"You swine," Nabiki muttered darkly.

"Of course, I'm on a tight schedule, and this is cutting into my preparatory timeslice," Cybelle remarked as she put the music box away, "So maybe I ought to give these guys my special treatment," and she began to crack her knuckles together before flexing her fingers, then performing a complex hand gesture.

"Grandmother," Silk murmured softly, "Kachu...Kasumi..." and for a moment her expression grew taunt as though she were summoning her power for an entirely different purpose...

Kachu had a sudden sense of peril touch her mind, causing her to turn and see her near-twin sister as a man in a servant's uniform came bearing down upon Kasumi. There was too much distance between her and that man, and no clear shot for her to hurl her pole-arm like a javelin. Instead she sent a silent prayer Kasumi's way as bond suddenly opening between their minds without even conscious awareness of the rapport having been activated opened both ways.

Kasumi suddenly moved forward, catching the broom before it could reach her and forcing it downward so that the bristles pressed against the floor. The man in the Janitor's uniform was taken by surprise as his forward momentum caused him to collide with his broom's handle, and then Kazumi dipped one shoulder, causing the man to trip over her as she straightened up, broom in hand, and toppled him onto his head with barely more than a jolt from the sudden collision.

"Oh my," she averred as she held the broom in her hand while the man who had attacked her was hearing the cries of birds circling his bruised noggin. A sound alerted her that someone else was behind her and she turned around to see who it was, unconsciously swinging the broom in her hands as though it were a kind of bo-staff and thus clipping the office secretary on the chin who had been about to attack her.

That was all the time, thought and energy that Kachu could spare for her sister as the press of battle drew her back to the main fray. There were fewer of the enemy to deal with now as those still conscious and able to withdrew a pace to lick their wounds and take stock of the battle. She was about to press on ahead when suddenly her instinct cried out to her in warning, and she lifted her C'hi-  
Chi in time to erect a defensive barrier with a hastily summoned spell, the blast impacting on her shields with the force of a hammer blow and driving her to her knees, while the rest of her allies suffered a similar reaction, including her husband.

"K-Kachu-chan," Tofu gasped before the second blow struck down their defenses and laid both husband and wife out, while momentarily stunning both Terry and Makoto.

"Uh oh," Happosai called back over his shoulder, feeling the impact wash over him and his own companions, "Looks like Cybelle decided to enter the fray for herself."

"We can't afford to waste time defending our allies," Cologne said grimly, "We must rescue the others, then deal with Cybelle, in that order."

"That's a mighty harsh and cynical judgement, even for you, Matriarch," Lotion noted.

"Ruthlessness is sometimes part of the burden of leadership," Cologne said with clear reluctance, "I do not enjoy doing this, but you both know that it is tactically necessary."

"Doesn't mean we have to like it either," Happosai noted, and with great remorse in his own expression he began summoning up his Chi energy in preparation for dealing with Cybelle directly.

"You go on ahead if you must," Lotion replied, "I will stay and watch over the children."

Cologne nodded her ascent, "Good luck to you...old friend. I fear you will need it."

"As do I," Lotion replied, turning back and hobbling towards their fallen comrades.

Kasumi saw her companions struck down while somehow managing not to be touched herself by the blast, and quite suddenly she realized that she was the only one still able to continue fighting. It had never been her way to follow the path of the warrior, even when she had been schooled in the martial arts, and the very thought of inflicting pain upon another human being was abhorrent to her nature. Nonetheless she knew that everyone was counting upon her, for in their momentarily weakened state they could not defend themselves and were helpless before the advancing men and women of the office.

Left alone to herself she might have taken the passive approach and offered no resistance to the enemy, hoping that everything would work out for the better. Instead a new thought arose in her mind, one that cried out to play a significant part in defending her family, the Wa of her household, the essence of her entire philosophy as the family domestic. It was her duty as the oldest and wisest of the daughters of Soun Tendo to uphold the honor and pride of the Tendo Ryu, and so she did what she so often did when confronted by difficult choices in much less tense situations.

She thought to herself, "What would mother do in this situation?"

And then the answer came to her with surprising simplicity, and she smiled a soft little smile, understanding exactly what her mother would expect her to do, and why she was the perfect candidate to protect the others as they fought to recover their strength.

She reached down and tore the slight rent in her dress that she had suffered without noticing during the battle, ripping of a band of silk, which she then proceeded to use to tie a serviceable headband around her head, keeping stray locks of hair from falling into her eyes. She then calmly assumed a relaxed posture, holding the broom out in both hands and thought back to her childhood when her mother first coached her in the arts of cleaning a house of dust, lint and cobwebs.

She had been a girl of only six when her mother had noticed her hovering in the background while Tendo Kimiko had been busy cleaning house. She asked Kasumi if she wanted to help out, and Kasumi had enthusiastically said yes, eager to join in with her mother's daily activities as she sensed that it would forge a closer bond between them as mother and daughter. Kimiko had even offered to turn it into a game, explaining how she had worked out her own system based on her husband's "Anything Goes" philosophy, and together they created a brand new martial arts system crafted around a system of motions that would be well suited to the chores involved in keeping their home clean and relatively spotless.

Kasumi had worked with her mother for close to four years to perfect this art, and she had practiced it every day since her mother's illness had taken her away, so she was well conditioned in the movements that would be needed, though it was the first time in nearly a decade that she had ever thought to use the arts in such an aggressive manner.

The Combat Lawyers and Interns were surprised at seeing this "Non-Combatant" suddenly taking up a weapon as though she were a Sohei Warrior Nun or some kind of domesticated Shi. Their hesitation was only momentary, of course, as this soft-seeming woman was only one left who could offer even token resistance, so they pressed in with the intent of an easy victory, only to discover why it was never wise to underestimate a Japanese Housewife.

Kasumi sensed movement on her right and at once performed the "Spinning Tassel Unwinds Cobweb" maneuver, which planted the business end of the broom into the face of the first man to attempt to rush her on her left flank. Without missing a beat Kasumi brought the handle-end of the broom around and struck the second man approaching her from her right while using the "Jab at Loose Panel Board" thrust to strike him between the eyes with force enough to cause the man to see double. Kasumi used the slight resistance this provided her to initiate momentum as she stepped forward and pivoted on one heal, bringing her weapon around and to the side at just the right level to strike another man in his stomach and double him over. Kasumi reversed her spin and pivoted around to bring her broom high in the "Caress the Ceiling" position before bringing it down again to strike with the bristly end in the face of a woman wielding a staple gun with force enough that she was driven to her knees.

Kasumi stepped back to assess what she had accomplished and unconsciously leaned her broom at an angle as yet another man attempted to rush her, unexpectedly encountered the handle between his legs and was unable to halt his forward momentum. The handle jerked in Kasumi's hand as the wood pressed up against the sensitive spot between the man's legs, and she turned in time to see him cross eyes and drop the pointer that he was going to use to slash at her, hands going to his groin as his sucked in on his cheeks and slowly toppled over.

"Oh my!" Kasumi said in surprise. THAT was certainly not a maneuver that she had learned from her mother...!

Nabiki's Journal resumes:

"I don't believe it!" Cybelle said in dull amazement, which pretty much summarized my own reaction to watching Kasumi take out half a dozen guys in as many seconds.

"Kasumi?" Akane exclaimed, sharing our sense of mutual disbelief.

"Kasumi-chan?" Kodachi was no less dismayed by the sound of it, and for once I had no trouble understanding her reaction.

"Well, what do you know?" Comb remarked aloud, "She's Kimiko's daughter after all. Who would have thought?"

"Never underestimate the power of a Japanese Housewife," Nodoka remarked in what sounded like a clich line from somewhere.

"It's always the quiet ones who surprise you," Silk remarked with surprising calm, as though she alone had anticipated this totally unexpected revelation about my sister.

"This whole business is proving a tedious investment of resources," Cybelle sighed, "It looks like I'm going to have to take a more personal hand in salvaging this fiasco."

And without warning the Demon Sorceress vanished from the chamber.

"Where did she go?" asked Ryoga.

"Who cares?" Ranma asked, rattling his chains, "This is our chance to get loose, so let's not waste it!"

"Aiyaa, Airen," Shampoo remarked, "Is good thought...but how we do?"

"Keep in mind, people," Atsuko called out, "Momma works mainly through the power of illusion, the same as me, only her powers are about a hundred times stronger, at least! These chains may look and feel solid, but they're just an illusion!"

"You mean we're not really being suspended on crosses over the ground?" Ukyo asked.

"Haven't you noticed that we've been hanging here for at least a half of an hour," Silk pointed out, "But our joints aren't aching and don't feel as though our arms are being pulled out of their sockets?"

I had begun to wonder about this as well and glanced down at the weights that I could feel pulling on my ankles, stretching me tight with my whole body rigid, and yet somehow I wasn't suffering as much as I objectively knew that I should have been experiencing. The obvious conclusion was that Silk and Atsuko were right, which meant that there had to be some way of convincing myself of the unreality of my bonds. The problem was that they felt pretty convincingly solid!

"Good to know that they're not really there," Comb summarized our thoughts for the rest of us, "Only how do we break this particular illusion?"

"Mistress?" a voice asked in a low, throaty growl that caused all of us to turn upward.

There, suspended on the chains above Atsuko's head, was a furry, ape-like shape with a canine-like muzzle clinging to the chains with the ease of a huge spider. One half of her body was covered in white fur, the other half was jet black, reminding me at once of the womanly form that we had briefly witnesses on the monitor screens before my sister and her allies had staged their daring attempted rescue.

"Shirokuro?" Atsuko blinked, then cried out, "It is you! Where the hell have you been?"

"Forgive me, Mistress," the wolf-like shape eased down until it was almost level with Ryoga's mother, "My former mistress captured and detained me in her stronghold, but I recently escaped in the hopes of finding you and my young Master. I'm sorry to be so late getting to you, but now that I'm here, how may I serve you?"

"By helping us get these bloody things off of us is how," Atsuko informed the humanoid canine, "Got any suggestions?"

"I have better than that, Mistress," the wolf-creature held itself erect on the chains while reaching down and presenting something looked like an arm-bracer, which she clamped around Atsuko's wrist, "I found it while searching for you in China, where you must have lost it during one of your changes."

"My At-brand!" Atsuko cried in delight, "Shirokuro, you are a wonder!"

"I try, Mistress," the wolf-creature made a horrific grimace that must have been a smile before turning to grimace even more towards Ryoga, "Hello to you again, My Master. I am sorry that I have failed to serve you as I was ordered, but when my former Mistress, your grandmother, found me I had to lead her away from you, which is how I was captured."

"You're...Shirokuro?" Ryoga said in disbelief, "My Dog?"

"Your humble servant," the wolf-creature replied before vaulting from the chain and doing a somersault that even Kodachi must have found impressive, transforming as she fell from creature shape to that of very nubile and unmistakably female shape, her ample breasts now protruding from the gaps created by the corset she wore beneath a black-and-white jacket.

Atsuko concentrated, and suddenly bands of flame curled about the arm that wore the bracer, sliding up the chains and melting the first one away, and then the other. Atsuko fell to the floor, easily catching her weight as the chains about her ankles disappeared, revealing themselves to be nothing more than cellophane strips of the kind used in photography.

Atsuko then extended her arm and the fires once again traveled up from the bracer to curl about Ryoga's body, and then he, too, fell free from his illusory bonds, landing as lightly as he could as the fall was no more than three meters.

"Well?" Comb asked impatiently, "What about the rest of us?"

"Ah," Atsuko grinned, "But you look so nice that way! Still, I suppose we could use more canon fodder when Momma comes back to investigate."

Once again her bracer glowed brightly, and now flames curled around the rest of our bodies, and one-by-one we began dropping to the floor as our bonds dissolved around us.

Of course when you're that high over the floor the sudden fall looks pretty jarring, and considering that I can't leap five meters into the air like Ranma and Shampoo, I was looking at a mighty nasty spill, only to find that Ranma got under me before this could happen, even as Ryoga positioned himself underneath Akane. Since we were the only ones in any imminent peril the others managed on their own to effect a good landing, and in very short order we were all safe and sound on ground level.

"Dad!" Akane cried the moment Ryoga set her down, and she rushed over to where our father still hung from the cross by the mini-spatulas, only to find the towering Kuonji Yumi blocked her path.

"Aunt Yumi?" Ukyo-kun asked in his husky voice, dismayed at being confronted by another spatula-wielding relation.

Yumi smiled at us and then relaxed, "Don't worry, Niece, I'm not under her control, no matter what Cybelle told you. You should know us Ninja-girls are harder to influence than that."

"You mean you weren't being mind controlled?" Ranma asked in clear suspicion.

"I wanted her to think that so she wouldn't keep her guard up too high around me," Yumi turned to regard her still-motionless brother, "And I wanted to learn the real scoop over why your father's been acting so peculiar lately. It seemed the right thing to do to play the dutiful older sister so I could get to the heart of this conspiracy, and now I know why he's been acting like such a Baka lately."

"Why?" Ukyo-kun asked, "What's wrong with Dad?"

"He didn't want me to tell you this," Yumi said reluctantly as she studied her niece, "In fact he's gone to great lengths to keep you in the dark about his condition."

"His condition?" Ukyo-kun asked in dismay, "I know he's been sick a lot lately..."

"It's much worse than that, Kuonji-san," Comb pronounced as she leaned close to the man sitting motionless behind the desk in an open-eyed stupor, "His life-  
force is failing badly. I can't do too detailed an analysis here, but I'm afraid your father is not in good health..."

"Perceptive as always, I see, Comb-san," Yumi said grimly before laying a callused hand on Ukyo's shoulder, "In fact, it's Prostate Cancer. I hate to tell you this, Ukyo-chan, but...your father is dying."  
There was a long, silent moment before Ukyo gasped, "N-No...it can't be true! Why didn't he tell me?"

"He thought you had enough on your mind," Yumi replied, "It's why he's been putting so much pressure on your lately about your engagement to young Saotome."

We all looked to see Ranma standing there with a stricken expression, staring at a man he had not seen in over a decade and clearly trying to place him with his childhood memories. At last he approached Ukyo's father and said, "Kuonji-san? It's me...Saotome Ranma."

"Saotome," Akira said faintly, the first sign he had given in all this time of being even partially aware of his surroundings.

Ranma took a long, deep, ragged breath, and then I saw a look of such intense fury cross his face as I had never seen before, and without another thought he stormed in a semi-circle around us and went directly towards his father, who was still tied to a chair, though his wounds seemed less severe than before. Without a moment's pause he drew a hand back and slapped his father-hard! He struck him two more times, Genma's head rocketing from side to side with each blow, until Comb, Atsuko and his mother interposed themselves and sought to restrain him.

"SNAP OUT OF IT, OLD MAN!" Ranma shouted into his father's face, "You're the cause of all this! You're the one who made the deal and then broke it! What do you gotta say for yourself now, huh? You worthless old fool...!"

"Ranma," Nodoka spoke firmly, "This is no way for you to act around your father. No matter what he may have done to you, or what crimes he may have committed against the Kuonji's, he is still your father."

"Don't remind me!" Ranma hissed, but he nonetheless desisted.

"Foolish boy," Genma suddenly spoke up as he lifted his head to regard Ranma with what looked almost like disappointment, "Have you learned nothing in all your time around me?"

"Learned what?" Ranma sneered, "How to be a coward and a failure? Some example you set for me, Old Man! You wrecked Ucchan's life and drove her Dad over the edge, so what are you gonna say that can possibly make things all right, huh? Huh?"

"Only this, Boy," Genma replied, "Never judge by appearances."

And with that he calmly and casually broke the chair that he was bound to, then stood erect and brushed the ropes off of his body.

"Now then," he said in a too-casual manner, "Since the rest of us managed to free ourselves, I suggest we do the same thing for Tendo-kun. Even the Master was never so harsh with us in training, eh old friend?"

"Saotome," Daddy replied, "I am glad to see that you have recovered, but would you mind getting me down from here?"

"Yumi-san?" Genma asked as he adjusted his glasses, "Since this is your handiwork, I assume that you'd like to do the honors?"

"I was hoping somebody might ask me," Yumi replied, "Too bad it had to be you."

With that she hefted her huge bakers peel and made a flying leap, bringing it down like it was a huge fly swatter, only she somehow batted away the mini-  
spatulas, allowing our father to tumble free from his bindings.

Silk was there before we knew it, catching Daddy before he even made contact with the floor and hugging him tightly as she asked, "Are you all right, Soun-  
chan? Are you injured..."

"Hey," Yumi growled, "I didn't free him so you could claim him!"

"This sounds familiar," Comb mused to Atsuko, "I wonder why?"

"Couldn't imagine," replied Ryoga's Oni mother.

"Dad," Akane said as she moved to join our father, which I was about to do myself when I felt something stagger me from within, a sudden jolt that went up and down my spine and caused me to gasp as my thought were suddenly flooded by the images of my mentor, Lotion.

"What...?" I glanced around, suddenly very much afraid that something bad had just happened to the Amazon Elder...

"So far so good," Happosai mused as they made it to the third floor without incident.

"That's usually what people say when they fall off of a cliff," Cologne remarked tartly.

"It's not the fall you gotta worry about," Happosai replied, "It's that sudden stop at the-YEOW!" he cried out as he ran face-first into an unseen barrier, that caused his outline to briefly be illuminated.

"Oh, did that hurt?" Cybelle asked as she seemed to flow through the walls of the corridor, "I'm so sorry, I meant it to be much more painful."

"Cybelle," Cologne fell into a defensive crouch, her staff at the ready.

The demon sorceress frowned as she studied the familiar battle-posture and said, "Have we met before? You do seem familiar...and your energy signature is almost like someone I've met before, give or take a couple of decades."

"I've changed somewhat since the last time you saw me," Cologne replied, "But I remember you quite well. This whole business has had your stench on it from the very beginning..."

"I'm flattered that you find me so unforgettable," Cybelle made a hand-gesture, "Now let's see what you're made of."

Cologne braced herself as the first attack lanced at her with the speed of a striking cobra, but with her staff in hand she channeled her energies into a deflective spell, and the attack broke harmlessly against her own barrier like water off a duck's back.

"Impressive," Cybelle remarked with raised eyebrows, "Let's see how you handle this one."

She made a circular motion with her hand and all at once the energies surrounding Cologne swirled around her, closing inward and igniting into a brief, intense explosion. When the energy vapors trailed away, however, Cologne was still standing in the center, relatively unaffected.

"Well, well," Cybelle sounded impressed this time, "You are more than you appear, it seems. In fact, I'm rather surprised at myself for not recognizing you sooner, Elder Kho-Lon of the Joketsuzoku."

"At your service," Cologne replied in mock courtesy, "Took you this long to figure it out?"

"Your new look confused me for a while there," Cybelle smiled, "You look young enough to be dating my grandson. I take it, then, that this other youth is, in fact, your former paramour, Happosai?"

In spite of her determination to remain calm, Cologne could not help bristling, "HE IS NOT MY...!"

"SWEEET!" Happosai cried as he lurched to his feet and launched himself at the demoness, only to pass harmlessly through her form as though she were not even present.

"I guess that answers that question," Cybelle noted drolly, "A creature of habits, your old boy friend. I must say that I do approve of his new look...very Bishonen and distinctive, even if inside he's the same old pervert."

"I told you before," Cologne said in exasperation, "He is NOT my BOYFRIEND!"

"Whatever," Cybelle casually waved a hand, and suddenly the floor around Cologne snapped up to form an iron cage around her body, another cage forming about Happosai as a chain appeared to lift them from the floor. "There now, you're less trouble to me if you're safely detained in walls of iron. These are not so much illusions as specially made devices that I've had refined to almost pure levels of iron, the kind so hard that normal steel would seem brittle. Have fun contemplating your cages, I have other fish to fry, and you've both cost me more time than I can afford to expend here."

With that she vanished.

"Cologne-chan?" Happosai asked as the two "elders" found themselves hanging side-by-side together.

"What?" Cologne asked as she studied the cage, looking for the weak points that might be shattered.

"Why do you hate me so much?" the blonde man sat upright in his cage, pushing the blonde locks out of his face, "Did I really hurt you that badly all those years ago?"

Cologne heaved a very tired sigh, "Let's just say you didn't endear yourself to me when you stole those treasures from my village, AFTER you proved to be such a faithless wretch, unworthy of my trust."

"That hurts, Cologne-chan," Happosai pouted in a childlike manner, "I wasn't trying to deliberately hurt your feelings. I just...couldn't control myself back then..."

"You never even tried," Cologne said in increasing frustration, unable to discern the normal patterns of force that flowed around most solid objects.

Happosai glanced down at the floor of his cage and said, "If I could go back and do it all over..."

"You'd do the same thing you always do to annoy me," Cologne replied, "The Demoness was right about one thing, you are a creature of perverse habits."

A brief fire lit up in Happosai's eyes, and he sullenly glowered at the radiant beauty in the other cage, vowing to himself that he would make her regret those taunts and come to see the real him, at which point he would relish seeing her grovel at his feet begging for his favors. In fact he knew exactly how he could work his vengeance upon her, and an idea began to form in his crafty mind, one that even Cybelle would be impressed with had she bothered to listen in on the nefarious plot that he was silently hatching...

Lotion watched as Kasumi knocked down two more opponents with seemingly no effort, approving of the girl's ingenious adaptation of basic household chores into an effective combat system. It appeared as though the gentle Tendo daughter would not be requiring her services after all, so she stood guard over the others as they began to recover consciousness, the first being the tall girl in the white and green fuku, along with Terry Bogart and, of course, Lotion's great-granddaughter, Kachu.

But just as their party began to sort itself out and Kachu set about reawakening her husband, Lotion felt the hairs along her arms bristle and stared in dismay as several of the computer consoles flared to life, their energy congealing as a form flowed into being inside the chamber, there-yet-not-there-which she knew without question would be the demon sorceress.

Worse still the demoness took shape alongside Kasumi, smiled as the Tendo girl reflexively struck out at her with her broom, only to encounter nothing, then raise a hand as she replied, "My turn!"

Lotion gave no thought to the consequences as she all but flew across the room, interposing herself between the demon sorceress and Kasumi as she raised her staff to meet the attack, concentrating the remaining energies of the chamber into a defensive spell, which met and countered the blast that had been meant to fry Kasumi where she was standing. Unfortunately there was not time enough to make the spell more effective, and the reverberation traveled down the length of her arms into her frail body, knocking the aged Lore Master to the floor as though she had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

"Oops," Cybelle remarked, "Well, what do you know? Instead of one annoyance I got another. Long time no see, Elder...too bad for you it couldn't have been longer!"

"GREAT-GRANDMOTHER!" Kachu cried out, having witnessed the blast and felt it reverberate throughout her nervous system. In a flash she snatched her C'hi-Chi from the floor and leveled it at the demoness, "FOR THIS FOUL ACT YOU PAY, DEMONESS!"

"Eh?" Cybelle turned to regard the eldest of the Tendo siblings with only a slight frown, "What have we here? A child playing at being an elder? You and Cologne ought to compare notes, though you're not in her class by a long grade point average!"

"You dare to challenge me?" Kachu asked with deceptive calm, "Your arrogance shall be your undoing!" and with no further warning she attacked the demoness, her weapon spinning in her hands like a helicopter blade as she summoned her power and slashed at the holographic demon.

"Eh?" Cybelle reacted as her body momentarily was rent in twain, then righted itself again, "What? But...!"

Kachu gave her no chance to recover but attacked again and again, her blade striking home each time and causing the image of the demon sorceress to ripple. Cybelle backed away, trying to summon her own energies, but Kachu was relentless, singing chants and prayers that caused her weapon to glow around the edges. Steadily by measure she drove the demoness away from Kasumi and the others.

Kasumi was kneeling down to examine the Elder, who was barely conscious in her arms when Tofu noticed her condition and went to her, allowing his wife to do her work without interference on his part. Meanwhile Terry and Makoto studied the fight between the Devil Hunter and the Demoness, hoping for the opportunity to contribute.

"Are you seriously hurt, Elder?" Kasumi asked the stricken Lotion.

"I'll live," the Elder replied weakly, "Barely...but I'm afraid I'm no good for any more fighting at the present."

"You've done enough, Grandmother," Tofu said to his adoptive great-grandmother-  
in-law, Better to rest now and leave the fighting to us."

"Wise thoughts, Son-in-law," Lotion winced slightly, "But I sense...an evacuation would be in order. I must go into a healing trance to conserve my strength, but I trust you to do what is necessary, and take good care of my Kachu."

"You have my word on that," Tofu replied, "You've be bouncing your great-great-  
grandchildren on your knee before you know it."

"I look forward to that," Lotion replied, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath before becoming relaxed, almost motionless.

Tofu felt the elder's pulse, which was very faint but strong enough to believe she was not in immediate danger. Nonetheless when Kasumi asked, "Is she...?" and he looked up into her eyes, he found that-for the first time in years-he could study her much-beloved face without feeling the effects of his normal hysterical impulses.

"She'll be fine, but we have to get her out of here," Tofu replied, gathering the frail old body into his arms before saying, "We'll have to count on Cologne and Happosai to do what we came here to do, and if they can't free the others, I rather doubt we would manage."

"You're probably right, Tofu-chan," Kasumi agreed as she took Lotion's staff in hand, feeling that it was only right to bring it with them.

"Correction," a voice said, "You are not going anywhere."

They turned to see a somewhat elderly man in the trademark suit of the Combat Lawyers holding an old-style pistol on them as he gave them a slight, congenial smile and said, "Congratulations on proving to be one of our toughest cases on record, but I am afraid that I cannot allow you to leave without the permission of the Mistress. As Senior Law Partner of Jun Mun Lun it is my duty to...as you might say...take care of problem assignments.

"What are you going to do?" Tofu asked the man, unable to attack with the unconscious Elder in his arms.

"The basements in this building are very deep," the man said pleasantly, "We bury problem cases, such as you, where they will not be discovered, possibly for many generations yet to come. If you give me any further difficulties I will be happy to file you there...under the heading of Post Mortem."

"That doesn't sound very lawyer like," Kasumi criticized, "Aren't you ordinarily the sort of people who do not like to get their hands dirty?"

"I make the odd exception," the man smiled, when all of a sudden a blurring motion struck the gun from his hands and it fell to the floor in several pieces. The man himself was hurled against one of the steel-reinforced cubical walls with jarring impact as Ranma's forearm cut across his windpipe.

"Care to try that again?" Ranma snarled, "That's my sister-in-law you're threatening, creep!"

"Ranma-kun?" Kasumi said in surprise, then turned to see the others appearing from a side-corridor, and she burst into a radiant smile as she cried, "Akane-  
chan, Nabiki-chan...Koda-MMMPH!"

The press of Kodachi's lips cut her off over her mouth as Kasumi staggered back a half step, only to recover in time to return the kiss with deep passion.

"AHEM!" Soun said a bit too loudly, reminding the two girls that they had an audience.

"You were magnificent, my love!" Kodachi said with enthusiasm, "A truly breathtaking sight to behold, worthy of the descendent of a noble Samurai house!"

"Thank you," Kasumi returned her smile with radiant warmth, "I'm glad to see you well."

"Ah...Ranma?" Ryoga tapped his half-brother on the shoulder.

"What?" Ranma snarled.

"I think the guy you're choking just passed out," Akane noted.

"Huh?" Ranma checked the elderly man to see if he was still awake or faking, then let him slide to the ground, snorting, "Wimp!"

"Elder?" Nabiki stepped forward to see the unconscious Lotion, and her expression was stricken.

"We need to get her to my clinic right away," Tofu replied, glancing over his shoulder before adding, "Assuming any of us survive the next few minutes..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I don't know what to tell you went through my mind when I saw the old woman hanging there limply in Tofu-Sensei's embrace. A thousand thoughts must have gone through my head, but the one that was strongest there was, "WHY? Why did this happen?"

Okay, I was being melodramatic. The Elder didn't die saving my sister's life, but I almost felt as bad as if she had because it reminded me of just how frail old people really are, even if they're Amazon Elders. The old woman had taken a lot when that Demoness hit her, and it was a miracle of no small proportions that she even survived the blast, as I knew Kasumi would not have.

I love my sister very much, okay? So if anything bad did happen to Kasumi...then I'd probably feel it as if it were like with my mother all over again. That's the problem about caring for other people...they can hurt you by being hurt themselves, and I never wanted to feel that helpless again, ever. Somehow she had done it, though...the old woman had gotten to me, and I think I almost have started to think of her as though she were my own grandmother.

Oh yeah, about the fight with Cybelle...it was a pretty intense thing right about then and there, though I was only half aware that Kachu was beating on a hologram the whole time that I was fussing about Lotion. My Chinese half-sister was giving what for to the old witch, but right about the time when she had Cybelle on the ropes her body froze up on her and she started to double over. Tofu was not aware of this himself at first, but as Cybelle recovered her strength we all began to feel it, like electrical tension on our skin, and turned to watch the last act of the drama.

When Kachu unexpectedly faltered, falling down to one knee, she provided the opening that our friend, Terry, had been looking for, and he got a pretty good shot in that caused Cybelle's image to disrupt for several seconds. She reformed again within seconds, so Ukyo's friend, Makoto (Oh yeah, more about her later) unleashed what looked like a lightning burst that crackled about the whole room, causing several computer systems and some overhead lights to spontaneously short out. Cybelle reformed again, as mad as a hatter, only now her image appeared less well defined than it had before. That didn't stop her from returning the favor on Makoto and Terry, who went flying halfway across the room with a single broad sweep of her hand.

That was when Ukyo, Akane Shampoo and Ranma moved in to attack. Ryoga started to join them when his mother put a restraining hand to his shoulder and said, "Not yet, Ryo-chan...let the others take the point, you can join in when they make an opening for you."

"Their combined power is formidable, Mistress," the buxom lady with the white-  
and-black hair called Shirokuro related, "But it's insufficient to deal with my former Mistress."

"I know, Shirokuro," Atsuko turned to her and said, "I'm trusting you to help my son out on this. Do you think you can do it?"

The familiar nodded, "Understood and agreed, Mistress. The young Master will be safe with my protection."

Meanwhile Ukyo-kun was sweeping the space occupied by Cybelle's image with his baker's peel, having no other effect but to keep the demoness off-balance. Ranma tried the Chestnut fist but found his hands had little to strike at. Akane suffered from the same problem, while Shampoo's bonbori were just as ineffective.

"Oh dear," Cybelle's image remarked when the four of them stepped back to exchange looks over their apparent lack of progress., "Are you children having fun? You're just pale imitations compared with your elders."

Her hands moved and suddenly Ukyo staggered away, clutching at her chest as her bandoleer of spatulas fell away, while Ranma and Shampoo were batted aside with contemptible ease. Akane tried to duck low and get into the guard of the next attack, but all she managed to do was hurl herself through the holographic body, to land in a heap across the desk that was behind the demoness.

"Akane!" Ryoga at the same time that Makoto cried, "Sempai!"

"Go!" Atsuko ordered her son and familiar, for which Ryoga needed no encouragement, but as he started to rush forward the familiar leaped upon him and suddenly his body was surrounded by a shimmering coat of burning black-and-  
white fire. In less than a second Ryoga's flame-covered fist struck the image of his grandmother, which resulted in a fire-storm of explosive colors, causing the entire room to shake as Cybelle's image was entirely disrupted.

"That won't hold her long," called Cologne, who mysteriously appeared alongside Happosai, neither looking the worst for the wear, though it was hard to tell if that were a good or bad thing, "She'll reform herself again in mere moments! We must attack the power source that she is using to project her image, only then will we be out of immediate danger!"

Sure enough a huge face took form over our head, crackling in the air over our heads as the demoness leered at us and said, "NICE TRY, PEOPLE, BUT YOU CAN'T BEAT ME IN MY OWN STRONGHOLD! THE BUILDING ITSELF WILL SUSTAIN ME LONG AFTER THE LOT OF YOU ARE SPENT AND EXHAUSTED!"

"The computer system," Silk murmured faintly, "It's the computer network itself that she's using to project her image!"

"My thoughts exactly," Nodoka agreed, "She's using the Internet to by-pass the wards Happosai used to imprison her physical body. We're only seeing her image because she's Telecommuting!"

"Then we have to destroy all the computers and on-line systems for the whole building," I said, "But that could take forever!"

"Not necessarily," Genma said gravely, his eyes gleaming with a sudden intensity that I'd never seen there before, "Master?"

"Yes, Genma-my boy?" Happosai asked.

"Take my wife and son and see that they leave," Genma said softly, "I'll be the one to deal with her...my way."

"Your way?" Yumi snorted as she supported her brother over her shoulder, "What can a cowardly fool like you accomplish that an Amazon Elder can't do?"

"I said..." Uncle Genma turned around, and suddenly there was an intensity to his eyes that caused even the burly chef to back away, "I WILL DEAL WITH IT, UNDERSTAND?"

I heard Happosai gulp, and all at once the blonde pervert turned to the rest of us and said, "Everybody clear out of here, NOW!"

"Huh?" Ranma asked as he was rubbing his chest with one hand, helping Shampoo with his other, "What give, Pop? Why are you suddenly being so dramatic?"

Genma did not immediately answer, he just looked up at the ceiling before saying, "You threatened my wife, sons and best friend...I too, have my limits."

"Better leave now, Boy," Happosai started to hustle us towards the corridor by which we had come, "Don't argue with your father!"

"Saotome?" Daddy was obviously confused, but he did not resist as Silk urged him to follow after Kasumi, Kachu and Doctor Tofu.

"What's wrong?" Ryoga asked as he fell in step, alongside the reformed familiar, Shirokuro.

"You've never seen your father when he gets really angry," Happosai replied, "I have, that's why we're leaving!"

"But...?" Atsuko turned back to stare at Genma, who had not moved from the spot where he had made his declaration.

"Husband?" Nodoka sounded just as puzzled.

"We can't leave that fool behind," Comb complained, though she was sensible enough to follow the example that the rest of us were taking.

"He'll be all right," Happosai assured us, "Trust me on this!"

"Trust you?" Cologne asked skeptically, but nonetheless followed the rest of us as we retreated from the building.

All at once I felt something gathering behind me and turned before fully leaving and saw Uncle Genma crouch down and assume a curiously hunched down posture, and then-right there before my eyes-he suddenly vanished completely!

"Pop?" Ranma had turned to witness the same thing, and all of a sudden computer systems started exploding all over the room, and a shadowy blur moved across the ceiling and along the tops of the cubicle walls as explosion after explosion sounded behind us, and then the room itself started vibrating.

"I was afraid of this," Happosai growled, "We'll never get out of here in time if he keeps it up at this level. I guess Genma is really, really pissed off about Cybelle..."

"I don't understand," Comb said above the rumbling noises that started reverberating throughout the whole structure, "How can he be doing this? I never knew he had this kind of technique!"

"That's because Genma sealed it away for fifteen years," Happosai replied, "I was there the day he buried the first scroll, then gave the other one to Nodoka for safe-keeping."

"Scroll?" Nodoka remarked, "I remember him giving me something that I thought was just another musty old volume, like all his other old martial arts tombs..."

"Take my word on this," Happosai urged, "This one isn't like all of the others...it's one half of a very evil martial arts system that Genma pioneered shortly after you married, the Umisenken, which differs from the Yamasenken in that one is the Soft-inner form and the other is the Hard-outer form of the same basic concept. Both systems together are the reason why Genma was once known as the Destroyer."

There was a long pause before anybody said anything, but then Cologne cried out, "THAT FAT FOOL IS THE DESTROYER? You must be joking!"

The building shook under our feet again, at which point I said, "I think the point is rather academic at the moment people, and we still need to get out of here in a hurry!"

"No can take stairs," Shampoo reasoned.

"The elevator probably doesn't work either," her mother noted as the building shook again, "And I frankly wouldn't take my chances with the window."

"If no can go that way," Shampoo brightened, "Then we make own exit, Mother?"

Cologne and Comb both smiled, and the former said, "I like your thinking on this, Child, go to it."

"Make our own way?" I exchanged looks with Ranma, "But...?"

Silly me, I forgot who I was talking about here. Shampoo the Human Wrecking Ball turned ninety degrees to one side of a long hallway and began using the Bakusai Tenketsu (and probably a lot of other techniques I can't even pronounce) to start hammering her way through wall after wall, bursting through tone, wood and concrete and shattering steel in her passage while her mother and great grandmother worked to widen the passage for the rest of us to follow. Once they figured out what was happening, Ryoga and his mother joined in and their combined efforts cut down the time it would have taken us to get from the second floor to street level. Once we hit the pavements we started running and found the rest of Makoto's friends waiting for us with anxious expressions.

"Ranma!" called a girl with long blonde pig-tails (and boy did that jog a memory when I saw that!) whose face was hard to identify but who reminded me a lot of Usagi Tsukino called out.

"Jupiter!" cried out another blonde who I'd swear I knew from somewhere, but as with the first girl her face was difficult to get a grasp on.

"Hey guys," Makoto called out as she helped Ukyo-kun along, holding her spatula and bandoleer in one hand, "Like to meet my Sempai?"

"Oh wow!" a dark haired girl (again I had that sense of familiarity working here).

"THAT'S your SEMPAI?" said a short-haired girl who reminded me a lot of Akane.

"Uh...hi," Ukyo-kun smiled awkwardly, holding a hand over her wounded chest.

"Let me see that wound, child," Comb turned to her and gently pried her hands away from the deep gash we saw there, "As I thought, you need to get that treated immediately or you could risk an infection."

"But...?" I saw Makoto's face (yeah, I could see her pretty clearly, don't know why it was easier with her than with the others) go rigid with shock as she stared at the hard, MALE chest of Ukyo, and then she turned an astonished look at Ukyo, who smiled back at her a bit shyly.

"I-uh-wanted to tell you about that," Ukyo-kun remarked, "You see...there've been a few changes since last I saw you..."

"What's this?" Yumi looked towards her niece from where she was tending to her brother, "What changes?"

"Will Ukyo be all right?" Akane gasped as she saw the blood on Ukyo's shirt that was seeping from the claw marks.

"Set her down and I'll do what I can on short notice," Comb instructed.

"Gemi-chan?" Atsuko suddenly murmured as she turned around, hearing a rumble grow with intensity behind us, and as we all turned to look the building began to collapse inwardly as though imploding from a series of timed explosions.

"Husband?" Nodoka asked in the same anxious tones.

"Saotome," Daddy said grimly, "You didn't have to do that."

"Incredible," Cologne said in mild dismay, "To think that such a powerful technique resides in the mind of such a fool..."

"Pop?" Ranma sounded unexpectedly worried, "POP!"

"Father?" Ryoga asked in the same worried tone of voice.

"Look," Silk pointed, "I see survivors."

Sure enough as we watched the dust settle a number of the Combat Lawyers began staggering from the remains of the building, first one or two, then two at a time, followed by larger groups until a full mob appeared, some looking pretty banged up and bruises but otherwise surprisingly unhurt for all the level of damage that had been sustained to the building. Their suits were torn and rent in places, but that was the extent of the damage, which I found frankly as unbelievable at the thought that one man could destroy an entire building bare-  
handed.

And then, amid all the carnage, Saotome Genma himself came striding out from the ruins with a body slung over his shoulder, which he tossed down onto the street and turned out to be none other than the creep who had pulled a gun on Tofu and Kasumi. Without acting as if anything out of the ordinary had occurred he turned to Happosai and said, "Thank you for getting everyone clear, Master. Now, I think it's time we should be going home, people."

"Pop?" Ranma asked his father, looking as stunned as everyone else was.

"Let that be a lesson to you son," Genma nodded slowly, "Don't judge by appearances, and never turn your back on a coward."

With that he turned to leave, even Yumi giving him a new kind of respect that heretofore none of us would have shared in the slightest.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo said in tones of incredulity, "First time Shampoo understand why Shampoo mother think Ranma father very special."

"I still don't get it," Akane said in what had to be the universal thought of the moment between us, "If Uncle Genma's that powerful, then why does he always run away for his problems?"

"Has to do with what happened fifteen years ago," Happosai replied, "Genma once sold the scroll containing the Yamasenken to a friend, only that poor devil literally brought his dojo crumbling down on top of him and he died. Genma blames himself for that...it pretty much broke what was left of his courage."

"You mean because someone died using his technique he chose to bury the system and become a coward?" Silk asked in dismay.

"Running away from problems is often a lot easier than trying to deal with them," Happosai remarked, "And when the thing you fear the most is yourself, you pretty much have to keep running all the time, or so I imagine."

"And of course he's following your fine example," Cologne remarked, earning a withering glare from the blonde pervert.

I exchanged looks with Shampoo, then we each glanced towards Ranma, who still seemed pretty stunned by the notion that his father might at one time have been a formidable martial artist, then we turned to see Comb straightening up after laying hands upon Ukyo-kun, who was glancing down at herself in surprise with her wounds almost healed as if by magic.

"I recommend plenty of rest for you...young Master," Comb winked in a conspiratorial manner, giving a sidelong glance at the girls in pretty sailor fuku who were gathered around to examine their friend's "Sempai."

"Gosh," one of them remarked, "He's gorgeous!"

"What a hunk!"

"No wonder you compare him to just about every guy you meet, Jupiter."

"Ah..." Makoto replied, still looking stunned at the revelation of Ukyo's current gender.

"I think Saotome had an excellent suggestion," Daddy noted to the rest of us, "I think a victory celebration would be in order. What do you say, Kasumi-chan, Silk-chan?"

"Yes, Father," Kasumi smiled as she held Kodachi's hand, who added for her, "It would be our sincerest pleasure."

"Don't I at least rate favorable mention?" Yumi asked as she began carrying her brother while following after Tofu, who was still holding Lotion.

I turned to Ranma and Shampoo and said, "Guys? If it's all the same..."

"We come with you," Shampoo assured me.

"Yeah," Ranma replied gruffly, "We wanna see the old woman pull through as much as you do."

"Then I'd better be heading back to my office," Terry remarked, "Before my Boss thinks I've taken the rest of the day off."

"Would you mind if we walk with you?" one of the blond haired girls smiled eagerly, a sentiment shared by many of the others.

"Uh...sure, I guess," Terry said with some reluctance.

The girls in Sailor Fuku began to crowd about our studly repair guy, all except Makoto, who lifted Ukyo-kun into her arms while murmuring under her breath, "You got some explaining to do, 'Mister.'"

"Uh...whatever you say, Mako-chan," Ukyo-kun replied, while Akane frowned and decided to follow.

"What'll happen to Grandma now that we destroyed her building?" Ryoga asked his mother.

"Don't know," Atsuko replied, "And I don't particularly care. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of her, but for now that's one place she isn't gonna using in the future."

"Say," one of the Sailor girls said as they barely drifted out of earshot, "You guys feel a draft all of a sudden?"

I turned around and saw Happosai tucking some incriminating white fluff into his shirt while chuckling as Cologne rounded upon him, easily avoiding her staff and skipping off with the pilfered items he had somehow confiscated. I saw the two Fuku-suited girls who had been standing back from the others watch all of this with a certain wry detachment, and then the blonde said to the green-haired girl, "There are some very strange people living in this Ward."

A sentiment to which I only nodded in silent agreement before hurrying to catch up with Tofu, hoping against hope that Lotion would continue to be around a while longer to further bother and befuddle me with her conundrums...

Tatewaki Kuno leaned back in his chair and studied the reports that were on his desk, deciding which of them would warrant his most immediate attention and which could be postponed for a later time. So much work to do to get his family assets back in the profit zone. For too long things had been starting to decline, but with his leadership at the helm he had every hope of turning things around for the next quarter.

His terminal display was on but he ignored it as he gazed out a side window, and in doing so failed to see the woman's face smirking at him as Cybelle thought to herself that one long-range plan might not have panned out, but this new project that she had undertaken was indeed showing definite promise.

There was more than one way to skin a panda in Nerima...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Genma the Human Conundrum: shadowmane

The calm between the storms sets in, but does this mean happy times are in store for the gang? Not if Happosai has his way as he turns his evil wiles to the nefarious end of stalking an ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile Cologne herself confronts her family problems, and Atsuko decides to press her luck around Nodoka. Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	73. Chapter 73

NabikiRan69 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Sixty-Nine.

A pair of crimson eyes gleamed with soft intensity as they peered through the gloom of the night and easily discerned the two forms lying closely together. Atsuko smiled as she remained hidden within the shadows, regarding Nodoka and Genma with speculative intensity after watching the two of them go at it for the better part of an hour, only to slump back and rest in each others arms, unaware that the full time spent in "getting reacquainted" with each other had been observed and critiqued by a less-than-disinterested observer.

It had been very hard for Atsuko to remain aloof the whole time, but once she had found the bedroom that had Genma's scent all over it she had made certain to secure herself in one corner, casting an illusion to hide her presence so that she could study the two of them and judge the moment to make her fateful entrance. Only long and careful practice in mastering her instinctive impulses had kept her from revealing herself prematurely, for it was her intention to wait until one or both partners had succumbed to sleep before she would make her move to separate Genma from Nodoka. She was confident that she would be able to achieve this, having done this once before on that occasion when she had gotten herself pregnant with Ryoga.

Atsuko thought back to that fateful night just over seventeen years back, when she had been sent by her mother for a final attempt at getting herself with the future Temporal Nexus. Atsuko had tried everything she could imagine to win over Genma's heart, had indulged in wild and impossible schemes to try and get him to return her desire for him, or to at least make him understand the intense feelings that she had always felt in his presence. Falling in love with a mortal had been one of the most climatic moment of her life, forcing her to choose between her womanly passions and the ambitious designs of her Sorceress mother. Something about Genma reminded Atsuko of her half-Oni father, Razor, but it was for more than this reason that she had first developed feelings for him, which in time led to her downfall when she had turned her back on her past and sought a life with her son far from the watchful gaze of her mother.

The unfortunate thing was that Genma did not seem to love her in the same way that she loved him, and in the end he had chosen Nodoka, a woman with whom he'd had an arranged marriage, yet he seemed to care for her in spite of this. Nodoka was alternately a quiet and quirky person who was very hard to classify, let alone anticipate, and she came from a moderately wealthy background, so Genma had strong motivation for accepting her, quite beyond the fact that he genuinely seemed to like her for some reason that totally escaped Atsuko's understanding.

Well, qualify that...Atsuko did like Nodoka, but then again it was hard not to like her chief rival for Genma's affections. Nodoka could be alternately sweet tempered and unpredictable, almost the opposite of Comb, who was both volatile and too-predicable in her responses. In spite of much effort on her part Atsuko had never been able to work up a real dislike for Nodoka, who would go out of her way to be nice to people, even those who were less than nice towards her. She was a difficult one to get a handle on, so in the end Atsuko had resigned herself to trying to get along with her rival even as she made repeated attempts to seduce Genma from her clutches.

Only all of that ended the day that Genma had married Nodoka, thus bringing an end to Atsuko's fervent prayers that somehow she might persuade him to choose her instead of Nodoka. Atsuko could remember the tears she had shed that day when it had seemed all hopes of enjoying a normal life honoring her human half were ended. Then her mother had come and laid down the ultimatum to abandon Genma to his fate. She gave Atsuko a special dagger and told her what was to be done to exact her vengeance upon both Genma and Nodoka. She was to steal into their bedroom on their Honeymoon night, take Nodoka's place, seduce Genma and get herself with his child, then kill him. She could take her time killing Nodoka, just so long as the deed was done and would insure that Atsuko would bear the only son of a man fated to be father to a new Nexus.

Atsuko had half-agreed to the plan, stealing into the room of a sleeping couple and assuming Nodoka's outer form while casting a spell to insure that the real Nodoka would not wake in the middle of the evening. She then roused Genma (in more than one sense) using spells to restore his vigor while the charm she wore-  
that her mother had given for this purpose-would make certain that a child would result from their brief union. Genma certainly responded well to her advances as Atsuko had released three years of pent-up desire for him in a single night of ardor. By the end of the evening she had known success was hers and that she would have a son by her human lover. All that was needed from that point onward was to cast a spell that would ensure that he would sleep and never wake again while she finished off Nodoka, then to escape into the night with Genma's precious seed within her.

The only problem with this phase of the plan was that she could not do it. Though he had jilted her and given her every reason to despise him, their lovemaking had convinced Atsuko that she could never bring him harm, not even in the name of vengeance. Nor could she vent her anger at abandonment on Nodoka, who had never really tried to give hurt Atsuko and whose only crime was in accepting Genma's marriage proposal. Atsuko could not murder two people in their sleep...she had spent too much time among humans to accept the way of the Oni as the only solution for her bereavement.

So she had left them alone, casting a spell to insure that their rest would be untroubled, then returned to her mother without confirming that the threat of a rival Nexus had been ended. She would spend a month with her mother before discovering the truth of what she intended to do with her son, at which point Atsuko was glad that she had been merciful, and she resolved to escape her mother, never looking back again from this day to the present.

It had been hard making a new life for herself and her infant boy, but three years among the humans had taught Atsuko all that she needed for survival, and by crafting the illusion of a husband she was able to escape the usual ostracism that Japanese society visited upon a single mother. It would not be until years later that she would learn that her son was not the much-coveted Nexus and that Nodoka had been with child that very night of the conception. It would provoke Atsuko's pride and lead her to goading her son into his eventual resentment of Nodoka's child, and once Ryoga began resenting Ranma it took little effort on her part to encourage their rivalry, up to the point when her son foolishly ran off in pursuit of his vengeance and got lost for the following three years, prompting Atsuko to have to follow after him and thus leave behind the comfortable life that she had created in the suburbs.

Only now the chance for a new life was beckoning before her. Genma had returned to her after seventeen years of separation, and now the chance to renew acquaintances was nearly overwhelming! All that she needed to do was place a spell that would make Nodoka sleep like before, assuming her shape once again then rouse Genma and she could have a night of bliss such as had filled her dreams during her years of wandering and exile.

Of course she was reasonably confident that both man and woman were near to the point of sleep, for how could they not be asleep with Genma snoring through all that racket that Atsuko kept hearing down the hallway? Nodoka's son was obviously doing his business with Soun's child and (boo hiss) Comb's energetic daughter. Those kids were certainly making enough noise to raise an army of the dead, and that even without the assistance of her Aunt Morgana's necromantic powers!

Atsuko finally judged the moment right and eased out from her concealment, moving carefully on bare feet so as not to give herself away as she approached the sleeping couple. (Not that she expected Genma to wake up should an elephant come storming into the room, but there was never that much certainty with Nodoka) She was already preparing the sleep spell in her mind as she knelt down over Nodoka's recumbent form, stretching out a taloned hand with the proper somatic components ready to be uttered when she felt the press of cold steel gently touch her neck, causing her to freeze abruptly. For the next few seconds the only sounds that she could hear were her heart beating like a drum and Genma snoring like a sawmill.

"I was wondering when you were going to make your move," Nodoka mused softly, and her eyes opened to regard the half Oni in the lingering gloom with a smile of amusement, "I had no idea you could be so patient."

"...?" was all Atsuko could think to utter, moving her eyes to study the slight reflection of a katana gripped in her rival's hand as Nodoka held it near to the Oni's jugular vein. That was the other thing about Nodoka that disconcerted Atsuko...how much she had improved over the years with that thrice-damned katana!

"I thought you might try repeating history when I noticed your shadow early on before Genma and I began our business," Nodoka resumed as pleasantly as if she were commenting upon the weather, "I didn't think you could hold out for so long, but once more you have surprised me."

Atsuko's crimson eyes widened as she stared down in disbelief at her rival. Nodoka had sensed her presence? Impossible! Atsuko's illusions were much too good to be penetrated by any mere mortal! No way could she be that perceptive unless...

Atsuko was suddenly perspiring from more than nervousness at being caught in the act by her nominal rival. Sudden understanding was causing her to totally reevaluate everything that she had thought that she had ever known about the woman before her, and that changed the dynamic chemistry of their rivalry by a large measure!

"Ah..." Atsuko said uneasily, "Maybe I should just go find my boy and let you two lovebirds alone to get reacquainted..."

"You might do that," Nodoka's smile deepened, "Or you could consider staying and keeping me company for a bit. It has been a long time and we do have so many things to catch up about, and it's not absolutely mandatory that you leave here without fulfillment..."

Atsuko's eyes fluttered in her surprise. Could she be mistaken or was Nodoka...? Did that mean she...? Was she...? Atsuko's nervousness suddenly redoubled.

"Ah...maybe later," she said as she hastily backed away, grateful that Nodoka seemed inclined to allowing her to withdraw without protest, "It's kind of late, and I need to get some shut-eye..."

"As you will," Nodoka replied, producing the scabbard for her sword as she slid it back into the sheath, "But think about it if you are still intent on renewing relations with my Genma. There is no reason why we should be enemies, and since Ryoga is Genma's son, I would think it only proper that we come to some...mutually beneficial arrangement."

Atsuko just stared in mute disbelief. Had Nodoka changed this much over the years? True, Atsuko had vastly underestimated her, both past and present, but she had never even suspected that her rival...

"Ah...maybe," she stammered softly, turning about so suddenly that she almost walked into a wall before-by some odd miracle-finding the exit. As she slid the door open she heard again the sounds of muffled cries echoing down the hallway, followed by Nodoka's approving murmured comment, "My son is SOOO manly!"

Atsuko managed to avoid facefaulting as she slipped into the hallway...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

That whole business yesterday with Ryoga's wicked grandmother, on top of almost losing my mentor in the crossfire, was causing me to reevaluate my whole outlook on life...mainly my realization of how temporary human existence can be and how easy it is to lose those whom we care about. It was a lesson I had thought that I had learned many years ago when I lost my mother, but now I was having a fresh look on the choices Mom's death had forced on me, and why I had resolved never to care about anyone like that in the first place.

The day Momma died, my family was an emotional wreck with Daddy going to pieces and Kasumi withdrawing into her comfort zone, while Akane got mad at the Universe for allowing this to happen. I was the one who made an unconscious decision to close down on all feelings, having tried to be the responsible one after seeing how emotions had affected both Daddy and my little sister. I saw Kasumi trying to fill in the role of housekeeper and I wanted to help out in any way that I could, and being good with numbers I naturally took over the family finances, organized a weekly budget and started making deals with local merchants so that I could stretch our yen out between the hospitals bills and utility costs, while Daddy all but stopped running the dojo, our family's main source of income.

Emotions had seemed like a burden that I could deal without back then, so I turned my attention to the bottom line and tried to make do as life gradually fell into a new pattern. Being the Smart One in my family (or so I used to tell myself that I was) I resolved to never let myself be hurt by anyone or to permit myself to care the way Daddy had cared about Momma. I honestly thought that I could survive my teenage years without the entanglements of a relationship, and the one time that I had taken on a boyfriend proved such a disaster that it confirmed in me a desire to remain single.

But then I began to feel annoyed on some level, not satisfied simply with making money through the betting and money lending schemes that I was using to supplement the family's income, and even when I tried my hand at more sophisticated games such as blackmail and photography I still wasn't able to fill a certain hole that I felt was in my life, though I refused to concede the fact that I was basically pretty lonely, even resentful of Akane for being so much more popular than me, and with so little effort on her part. It had gotten so bad that when Daddy had announced his little engagement scheme I had found the idea was pretty intriguing, and the chance to meet a cute boy had overruled my longtime resolve of remaining single.

And then Ranma came into my life and that was it...no more resolve to avoid romantic entanglements, no more loneliness and isolation, and hello to a world of aggravation and despair that was flavored with moments of intense joy, a joy that was only redoubled with Shampoo made her resolution to claim both of us for her Airen.

And now as I lay in my bed with the pair of naked bookends flanking me on either side I realized just how much I had changed, and how they both had come to mean to me, and how much I would miss having either or both of them around, and not just because the sex part was such an incredibly fulfilling experience. I had opened my heart to them and they had become as much a part of me as my right and left arm, and having them in my life was worth any amount of aggravation that came with the package. As I fondly ran my fingers through both black and purple hair I felt a sense of incredible peace come over me, as if this was so incredibly right, as if there were no other kind of life that I could imagine now, being part of a triangle that was really one unit composed of three different but closely linked sections.

Yeah, I cared about them, more than I had ever been able to admit to them when they were conscious, or to myself without some coercion on the subject. I still couldn't say the "L" word to either one of them without feeling the old hesitation surface up again, as if merely saying the word would somehow change everything, make it more permanent than it was now, and it was frightening to me to think how admitting the depth of my feelings aloud might be the final Reubicon that-once crossed-would signal the end of what was left of my independence. It scares me worse than I can say even now to realize how much my future happiness has come to depend upon maintaining the affections of others.

I used to tell myself that I didn't care what other people thought about me, that what they said behind my back was of no consequence to me whatsoever. I knew tongues were starting to wag and voices were being raised in whisper about my having a three-way relationship with a couple of Jocks, and one of them a foreigner at that, but it didn't really bother me as much as I thought it would. All that mattered to me was the good opinion of my future wife and husband. What Ranma says and thinks of me is more important than all the people in our school combined, and that goes in equal part with Shampoo, whom I have good reason to know is a lot more intelligent that she lets on in normal conversation.

Yeah...I care a lot about these two, even more than I care about my family, who seem to be acting stranger every day. Daddy now has two girlfriends fighting over him, which almost puts him on a level with Ranma's father. Kasumi is spending her nights in bed with that lunatic, Kodachi, and apparently enjoying herself more than I've ever seen before, while Akane...what do I make about Akane and her weird fixation on Kuonji? She hasn't exactly given Ryoga the heave-ho, but you can tell that the former Pig-boy isn't exactly happy about having a girl with a Jusenkyo curse for a rival. Of course he's a fine one to complain about flirting, what with that shapeshifting familiar, Shirokuro, now back in his life and with an expression of a more than puppy-like fascination.

And I could tell just from looking what Akane thought about having HER for a potential rival! One look at the voluptuous "Cruella DeVille" Vamp she turns into and it was Dagger City for Akane's flashing eyes. I could almost enjoy watching these four get into their romantic foibles if it wasn't so utterly confusing, and compared with Akane's new romantic troubles I think my lovelife is looking pretty stable!

And now there's Kino Makoto in the picture, Ukyo's ex-girlfriend from Middle School, who appears to have found out late in their relationship about Ukyo's true gender and stated preferences, which ended their affair on a sour note, though indications are that they still share a great deal of mutual affection. Only now Ukyo turns into an incredibly handsome boy and things aren't simple for her at all, and that means Makoto is probably going to be seeing a lot more of her Ex, which doesn't sit well at all with Akane, and I'd just LOVE to see how Kuonji intends to deal with this in the future!

Ah yes, and let's not exclude the adults from this. Comb's husband seems like a pretty nice guy, and he obviously keeps Shampoo's Mom on a tight leash, but the way the Amazon Healer keeps hanging about with Uncle Genma while exchanging barbs with Ryoga's Mom makes it pretty plain for all to see that she's wavering in her loyalty and devotion. Atsuko's a real handful by any standard, flirtatious and volatile in a way that makes Ryoga seem mild-mannered, it's becoming a real Soap Opera just keeping up with the way things are going from day to day, and don't ask me why Nodoka seems to be handling all of this with such a pleasantly even temper. There's something about Ranma's Mom that's more than a little weird, and I'm not just referring to obsession with Ranma's "Manly" behavior.

I don't know about Kuonji Yumi...she helped out back there, but...well...she's kinda scary. Not a raving beauty, like Ukyo in either gender, but pleasant enough to look at while built like a barracks marine and a tendency to swing that spatula of hers on the slightest provocation. I can tell what side of the family Ukyo gets it from, and I'm finding it real hard to accept that a woman like that was ever Daddy's girlfriend.

And, of course, let's not forget Silk (I've tried to, believe me!), the gentle-  
voiced dead ringer for my Mother, who makes no secret about wanting to claim Daddy for her own and seems more than willing to come to blows about it with Yumi. I don't envy Daddy for being caught in the middle between these two, but I'm not sure exactly how I'd feel about having to someday call either one of them, "Mother."

I think I should go back to Kuonji herself for a minute and mention the other people who seem to be noticing her "Manly" characteristics. The Amazon, Ambergris, former friend and current rival (or should that be "friendly" rival?) to Shampoo, seems to enjoy flirting with Kuonji in a way that makes the okonomiyaki chef seem more than a little nervous, while the Enforcer, Perfume (Shampoo's cousin and apparent training partner) seems to enjoy Kuonji's female half, when she's not making goo-goo-eyes with Lotion the Younger (Shampoo's ex, but I'll get into that later).

Oh yeah, and lest I forget we come to the Duck Boy, Mousse, (or as Sham-chan affectionately calls him, "That annoying Blind Fool who won't leave Shampoo alone!"). Seems the girls caught him while we were away and Cologne seemed pretty insistent that he would stand trial before a tribunal of Elders, just as soon as Lotion could recover enough to defend him against the accusation that he had violated the Amazon code on numerous occasions. Cursing my sister and half-  
cursing Shampoo were only two of the crimes that were to be made against him, though it seems the charge that he stole Kuonji's Jusenkyo waters will be dismissed on a technicality as new evidence has come to light that implicates Atsuko's mother as the true guilty party. Meanwhile he languishes in a cage, forced to remain a duck until his fate is decided, and I'd almost feel sorry for him if it hadn't been explained to us that he'd be coming after me and Ranma if he got loose to press his suit on the Shampoo issue.

As for the twins, Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, I'm not sure where they fit into any of this, but I mention them in passing as it seems to me to be a prudent subject and one definitely not worth neglecting. Those girls are looking for boy friends, and this does not bode well for the male half of the local teenaged population.

Getting back to my mentor, I was very concerned about Elder Lotion's state of health after the way she had taken injury defending my sister from Atsuko's mother. Seeing her on a bed in Tofu-Sensei's clinic brought back unpleasant memories of Momma, and looking on the sallow complexion of her skin made me fear the worse, that I was about to lose her also. I don't know why the old lady has gotten under my skin this way, but I was starting to believe that she was invincible and would go on living forever. Two hundred years...just shy a century of Cologne's own age group, and shriveled up like a prune with arms that seemed both as thin as willow bark and as brittle as kindling. Hard to believe the way she could manifest such an incredible air of all-knowing power when she was alert and active. It shocked me more than I could say to realize that she was mortal after all, and that I could lose her when I'd started to feel almost like she was my own grandmother!

Tofu was not certain of her status, but Cologne assured us that her fellow Elder would recover from her rest and be up and about to annoy us before we knew it. I wish I could say that I believed this was so, but Shampoo's great grandmother has been known to stretch a truth or two on occasion, so of course I wasn't all that reassured and wanted to stay by her side for a while in case she might wake up and need water or something. I only left after Kasumi urged it, saying I could come back and visit her again, and that Kachu would be looking after her with Tofu to see that her great grandmother was well cared for. I don't know why I trusted my new "Big Sis" on this, but I could tell Kachu was sincerely worried about her Elder and would do everything in her power to help her to recover.

Concerns about Lotion aside, the rest of the gang were in a pretty good mood after our near brush with Cybelle and the Combat Lawyers. Ukyo's dad was admitted to a local hospital for treatment, so she was away for a while, along with Ryoga and Akane, but the grown ups were in a pretty good mood, so Kasumi, Nodoka, Kodachi and Silk all teamed up to whip up a pretty nice feast around the dinner table. Since Ambergris called off the match between her and Shampoo for the day it was pretty much a party for us as the Amazons joined with our extended clan to devour enough food to even keep Uncle Genma happy. In spite of my worries about Elder Lotion, I amused myself with watching Atsuko attempt to stuff Genma's face while Comb tried to "dissuade" her, and more than once Silk combined forces with Nodoka to restrain them from brawling. Shampoo's Dad looked on with evident disapproval but kept his own peace on the matter while Ranma tried to pry the secret out from his father about the Umisenken and Yamasenken, wanting to know how come Uncle Genma had kept the very existence of that system a secret from Ranma.

"Foolish boy," Genma had responded gruffly, "If I had told you about it, then it wouldn't have been a secret."

"But would you at least teach me how you did that?" Ranma wanted to know, always keen to pick up some powerful new martial arts technique to add to his arsenal.

"In time...when I think you're ready," Genma had replied, but from the gleam in his eyes I could tell that he was enjoying Ranma's discomfort, a fact he confirmed by adding, "After all, you're going to be the Master of our School some day, and when that day comes it will be your burden to keep the secret that I've carried all of these years."

"Secret?" Ranma had responded angrily, "You mean that you screwed up and somebody else got killed?"

"That's part of it," Genma had looked away, "The other part is the style itself and the purpose for which it is intended. You're not ready to know that, boy, but when you are, then I'll teach it to both you and Ryoga. Then you can decide what to do with the system, but not before I think the two of you are ready."

"You just want to stay on top and lord it over me that you know such a great fighting technique," Ranma glared at the old man, "Admit it!"

"I admit nothing," Genma had replied, "I may have taught you most of what you know, Boy, but I haven't taught you all that I know, and that's why I'll continue to remain the Master and you the student."

The relatively amicable air of peace and cooperation was briefly disturbed about that point when Ranma booted his old man into the koi pond.

Looking back on all of this, I wonder just how much Genma's name suits him, because like a Dark Horse he has a tendency of once in a while surprising you and confounding expectations. Ranma may be the "Wild Horse" in his family, but there's no mistaking that the two of them are cut from the same cloth on some levels, a fact I find altogether quite disturbing.

Anyway, when we retired to bed and indulged in our usual bedroom gymnastics, I felt a peculiar frenzy to my own share of the lovemaking with both Ranma and Shampoo, that "Near Brush With Death" thing probably affecting me a lot more than I usually was. I've heard of the "Survivor Reflex" for people who go through some traumatic event that suddenly makes then conscious of how brief life is and how easy it can be taken away from you, so I guess you can pretty much say that we tested the springs on my mattress, and this caused me to resolve to get a bigger bed for the future. For some reason I was the last of us to pass out from exhaustion, so I lay there for a time cuddled up in the warm space between both of my lovers, feeling incredibly at ease and one with the universe and all of that. Thinking about the events of the day seemed a more productive use of time than counting sheep, and I've done the best that I know how to reconstruct my thoughts on all of that had happened, recorded now hours after the events when I've just gotten up to have breakfast.

It was just about the point where I think that I was starting to nod off that I heard the voice calling out to me...a pleasantly familiar voice that urged me to sit up and investigate the identity of the speaker. I got out of my bed and went reaching for a nightgown when I happened to turn back and look at the bed itself...and there I was sleeping soundly between a naked Shampoo and Ranma. My body...or rather my physical form, which caused me to look down at myself, seeing I still had a body, only it felt lighter than usual and incredibly elastic.

I've heard of "Out of Body" experiences, of course...who hasn't? But this was the first time I could remember the phenomenon happening to me, and so I started to wonder what was happening when I heard that voice again, urging me to leave off questioning what was happening and go investigate the identity of the caller.

I went to the door to my room, but instead of opening it my hand passed through the surface. I was so surprised that I started to lean forward and tumbled through the doorway, emerging out onto the other side, which at first seemed like a field of blinding white until the lighting resolved and I found myself standing in the middle of an open field in a wilderness setting and surrounded by cherry blossoms.

"Nice of you to come, apprentice," a voice said to me, and I whirled about in surprise to find a young girl smiling at me, her long pink hair done up in an Amazon style while she was wearing a cheongsam, much the same as Shampoo normally wears. She had pleasant amber eyes and was quite beautiful to look upon, even though her face was both unknown to me and yet somehow hauntingly familiar.

"Who...?" I'm not sure if the thought came out of me as words or a mental projection, but the young girl raised a hand and said, "All in good time, Apprentice. I'm not surprised that you do not recognize me in this form. I haven't looked like this in ages, but as you no doubt recall from Cologne's example, appearances are not always to be trusted."

It took a very long instant before I ventured to ask, "Lotion?"

"The same," she smiled, inclining her head with a sage look, "Did you think you were going to be rid of me that easily? Think again! My mortal body may be in need of rest, but my mind is as alert as ever, and there is no way that I am leaving you alone at your current meager skill level."

"Are we dead?" I naturally asked, that being the logical thing to wonder about when you're outside of your body.

"Hardly," my mentor replied, "This is more of an in-between state where our Chi has substance and takes the form of whatever we imagine. As I tend to think of myself as a young girl at heart, I appear as I did in my youth, while you seem much less altered, being well adjusted to your particular age group."

"Ah..." I found it much more difficult to conceal the flow of my emotions on this level, as it seemed that thought indeed had substance and I was much less accustomed to erecting barriers around my emotions in this environment. I saw my mentor smile at me and felt like blushing, only instead of color rising to my cheeks it felt more as if my whole body began shimmering a rosy color.

"Shall we begin?" this beautiful version of my mentor inquired, composing herself as she sat down on what appeared to be a grassy plain that stretched out in all directions, and of course I felt compelled to sit as well, folding my legs under me with no real sense of effort, "To start with, a review of your performance in the current crisis. I noted that you are learning to follow your instincts more naturally, and that you have begun to trust your abilities, even in the face of apparent danger."

"Ah...well," I found my thoughts moving ahead beyond my ability to restrain them, "Ranma and Shampoo couldn't do it, and I saw...a pattern that I knew I could handle..."

"Just so," the young woman before me nodded, then stretched her staff out like a pointer and touched the grass, which formed a kind of pool or TV-monitor like viewscreen, and there was an image of me, Ranma and Shampoo...only not quite like a flat-screen image, but real, and I saw myself leaping out onto the back of a crocodile, vaulting from one back to the other before any of the beasts could chomp me.

"Taken as it was, your actions displayed the sort of heroism and reckless courage that you normally would chide your husband and wife for. As it was, however, you were in less peril than you might have seemed to be on the surface."

The same image replayed, only now the corridor that we were in was reduced to a kind of grid-pattern with the crocodiles shown to be like computer-simulations, only lacking the detail and realism that I could well remember.

I gasped as I realized the implications in this and said, "You mean they were illusions?"

"In a manner of speaking," Lotion replied, "But there is a fine line between reality and an illusion, and these were Cybelle's creations, which means that they could very well hurt you. The risk was genuine, only you saw through the deception, even though you did not realize it at the time. Had you faltered in the slightest, then real or no, those creatures might well have devoured you...or not, depending on the capricious whims of their mistress."

"Son-of-a-!" I caught myself in time, but the thought was formed in my mind anyway. I had thought myself being foolishly heroic, but all along it was obvious that my mind had seen through the danger without my being consciously aware of it. I was still bloody pissed off, though, to think that I could have been had by even so elaborate a deception.

"Another example of where you let your false perceptions override your instincts," she touched another spot of grass and a new image formed, of me and the rest of the gang all dangling from crosses suspended over a floor in a darkened room...only now the image shifted to reveal that we had been suspended up by cellophane strips made to look like steel chains, and separated by bars that were not even solid, just as the chains about our ankles proved even less substantial.

I grimaced as I realized how badly I had been had by the demon sorceress, but then I thought a moment and said, "Why didn't Atsuko see through this? She's an illusionist too..."

"The daughter is not quite the equal to the mother," Lotion explained, "And Cybelle's power is more than just illusion. It can have a very real effect on the physical level, as you have no doubt witnessed."

"Ah...yeah," I admitted, recalling the frightening image that Cybelle had presented, in spite of her behavior being little more than a carnival showman.

"Do not feel too badly," Lotion said gently, "You were not expected to excel against her at your current level of understanding. Part of being a Lore Master is knowing and accepting that you are human and have mortal limits. It can seem at times that we are vastly superior in our abilities to that of ordinary people, and it can be very humbling to discover that we can be taken down as easily as any warrior. The trick is knowing when to exert yourself and when to leave the hard work to those best qualified for menial labor."

"You mean like Kasumi?" I shook my head, still unable to believe that my gentle older sister could have been such a hellcat against the Combat lawyers.

"Your sister is a Tendo," Lotion replied, "And the daughter of Kimiko. As I told you before, she has within her the capacity to be a very powerful Lore Master...all that she has ever lacked is the inclination to broaden her horizons beyond that of a humble domestic."

"I guess," I noted sheepishly, "I'm going to try very hard never to take her for granted again."

"That is wisdom," my mentor smiled, "The first sign of becoming an adult is knowing that all things have their time and place, a lesson your sister learned a long time ago...and I suggest that you should do likewise."

"You mean I'm not an adult yet?" I asked facetiously, only to see her smile in a way that took the wind out of my sails.

"Do you feel like an adult?" Lotion asked me, "If so, then that husband of yours must be an even more talented fellow than even I gave him credit for. Forgive me, child, but I think you have a good deal more growing up to do than even you imagine."

"Ah..." I didn't know what to say to that, so I just glanced down at the grass and wild flowers.

"Don't feel so bad," she urged me, "Enjoy your time of youth, for it may seem all too brief as the years stretch out before you. You have a destiny to fulfill, and destiny can be a harsh, cruel mistress, as I have discovered on far too many occasions. Once innocence is lost it is difficult to recover. Your sister is remarkable in that she retains much of her innocence in spite of all that goes on around her, a quality I find admirable in a way, though it is not for me or you, I fear."

I had to nod to that because it certainly was a pretty fair estimation of both Kasumi and myself. I love my older sister very much, and I cherish her more than I often will say in words, because she's always been there for me when I needed her, but that doesn't mean I want to be just like her.

A curious thing happened, though, while I was staring down at the grass...before my very eyes a patch that I was looking at began to swirl, and then took the form of another image, this time of me and Kasumi when we were both much younger, and I had just skinned my knees skateboarding, and Kasumi held me in my arms and soothed me until I gradually stopped hurting.

"How...?" I had been thinking of the very same image, and all at once the very intensity of that moment came back to me as if I were still only five years old and Kasumi was seven, my older sister by two years but so much more to me than just my sister...

"Something else that you are learning," Lotion's voice drew me back to the moment, "You can view any point in time and space in this realm simply by focusing your thoughts on a given subject. Strong emotion and thought have form and substance on this plane of reality, for this is the Astral Plane of the Soul, the Third Continuum of existence, where time means nothing and distance is all relative."

I looked up at her and said the most intelligent thing that I could, "Huh?"

In reply she drew a circle in the ground with her staff, the tip sliding through the grass as though it were only sand, and then it became sand for real before my astonished...uh...perceptions. Lotion stabbed at the center of this circle and cause ripples to radiate outward, the sand flowing like water as I stared in complete wonder.

"The Aleph," she said, "The center of all things, the source of all creation, the one force that binds us all together. This is the First Principle...or Continuum, of all realities, the source of life and energy for all things and beings in the Cosmos. As I explained to you before, reality is divided into levels of perception, the second being the Plane of Forms where ideas and Archetypes frame and shape this energy of existence to give the illusion that we call form and substance. It travels through the Astral Light and manifests as solid reality in the Fourth Continuum, the physical plane, what those without deep perception call reality in its manifest complexity. If you understand this you are on your way to comprehending the very workings of nature and reality...and you will understand how Mages shape their power, for they have an instinctive grasp of these fundamentals and can work with the archetypes to transform their thoughts into flesh and substance."

Lotion slowly rose to her feet and extended her arms, turning to face the panoramic view that was a world too bright and clean to be the world that I remembered, with colors too vivid to find anywhere but on a painted surface, a canvas of the mind, as she would later call it, though I was just beginning to get the gist of what she was trying to convey here.

"This!" she paused dramatically, "This is Space without Time, Form without Substance, Thought and Emotion in their purest dynamic. This is where our power is borne, where the imagination holds sway and the limits of your ability is the acceptance of what you understand, that which is already in your nature. This is where reality is shaped in both the mind and body...here on the plane where thought is Sovereign and all things have their beginnings!"

"The future?" I asked.

"And the past," she replied as she turned to me with another smile, "That which could be, that which might be, and that which will be...all are found here and all can be accessed. This is what it means to be a Lore Master...to be at one with this plane and the next reality, to be attuned to the rhythms and flow of the Cosmos and sense its sway and currents as they shape themselves around us. Knowing when to act or intervene in these eddies and currents-ah! That is where wisdom and understanding are implicit. It is incumbent for us to not only know things before they happen but to accept what we know and differentiate between that which we can and should change and that which we must allow to stand as a given."

"You make being a Lore Master sound almost...godlike," I said uneasily.

Her smile did not so much reassure me as make me aware of just how much I had to learn before I could even begin to work upon her level, "Does it seem that way to you? Let me warn you...we are very powerful, because power is the potential to achieve an effect, whether great or minor. If a fulcrum can direct energy in such a way that a small force can have a large effect, then we are powerful in this manner, but never mistake this for being all powerful. There are some areas were we dare not trespass, where even the gods can be balked and where our ability to affect change is severely limited. Also too, be mindful that War Masters are far more capable on the physical plane of reality than we ourselves are, while Mages are powerful by definition and should not be crossed lightly. We are Knowledge and Understanding, but they can shape the power to their will in ways that we can only bow to. It is a Lore Master who can define the rules that ordinary people must work with, but Mages tend to set their own rules and can even violate what we would define as the normal laws of time, space and matter. You will learn this in good order, but for now take with you this single most important lesson."

"Which is?" I asked her.

"Emotion has value," he informed me somberly, "You have long sought to control and deny your emotions, to repress ordinary feelings so that you can work on the level of the intellect, but in doing so you have kept yourself apart from that which is the more essential element of being human...feeling! What you feel is as important as what you know...what you truly feel is more important than what you think that you are feeling. Cybelle could create an illusion that would look and feel real enough to your physical senses, but a Lore Master's perceptions are more acute than this and are not so easily deceived. When you understand that emotion is the true source of all power, then you will be that much closer to achieving your status as a Lore Master. Remember this well...what you feel in your heart is the greatest awareness of all, so do not let yourself be deceived by false distractions."

She turned and struck the ground with her staff, and suddenly the pleasant outdoor environment that was so warm and cheerful melted away to a formless gray void that had no up, down or even a horizon, only Lotion and myself, all the rest was gone, and yet the space we hovered within did not feel empty.

"Emotion and Thought are the keys to a greater understanding and awareness," my mentor said to me as she hung there in the void serenely, "Nothing happens without your desire working in concert with your thoughts to form the Will that shapes reality. Thought is King but Emotion is Queen, and through the triumvirate of this dynamic is change itself affected. Think well on this until your next lesson."

As she spoke those words I felt as though the world were closing in on the both of us, and then a tunnel formed around my perceptions, and I felt as though I were being pulled backward by an invisible rope. With a jolt I felt my body tingle all over and I opened my eyes, seeing the darkness all around me, and feeling the soft murmuring noises of two warm bodies huddled snugly about me.

I knew at once that I was back in my own body, and that the electric tingle I was feeling was probably my Ki relinking with my central nervous system to take stock of my physical state now that my soul was back in my proper body. The slight electric tingle that went from my head to the tips of my toes faded out gradually, to be replaced by a kind of languor that helped me to settle in and slowly drift back off to sleep, not even to wonder until much later if I had dreamed the whole thing or if it had actually happened.

Scratch that, I KNEW that it had happened! The clock on the wall only said that maybe fifteen or twenty minutes had elapsed since I last remembered looking, but I knew without a doubt that Lotion had visited me in my dreams and gave me those instructions that I've just related here. I remember it more vividly than I do any dream that I've ever experienced, and I recall the sense of peace that it gave me in knowing she would be all right, that the old woman would still be around to jibe and annoy me with her knowing smirk and confounded riddles, and that I was very much glad of this fact as I wanted more than ever to study everything she had to teach me. I had just learned the hard way that ignorance was far more dangerous than her knowledge.

I'm writing this down in a hurry because Ranma and Shampoo are busy warming each other up in anticipation of the big show down that she and Ambergris are having later this morning. Cologne is going to preside over their feud, while I contacted Ryonami last night and made sure to set up the betting pools and arrange for a decent audience because it sounds like we're in for quite a show between Sham-chan and her former best buddy.

I'll visit the old woman later and see if she's come out of her self-imposed coma. She's resting at the Nekohanten with the Amazons taking their turn looking over her in case she needs something. I'd have offered to put her up here at the dojo just so I could help take care of her, but the place is a bit crowded right now what with Ryoga and his mother staying over, and I don't even want to have to think about where Silk is spending her evenings.

Oh yeah...something else that I remember Cologne warning me is that I had better keep my computer disconnected from my modem for the present because Cybelle might try and hack into my files to read my accounts in these journals. She didn't seem to know anything that I know because of the special encryption programs that I use, but with her ability to hack into normal data systems...well...there's no sense taking any chances!

It's gonna take a while getting used to the idea that I have an enemy who can't be touched in the normal sense of the word, one who's after Ranma because of him being something called a "Temporal Nexus." I'm by inclination something of a rationalist and materialist, but I've already seen enough magic that I no longer have any doubts that the unseen world is just as important. Lotion's lesson from last night struck home pretty well, and I'm going to be committing the gist of it to memory, though I've accepted the basic concept of what she told me.

Emotions matter. I already knew this, but for so long a time I'd chosen to ignore it. Emotions are a complex form of logic that flows through us with the speed of lightning, and-depending on how we handle our emotions-they can make or destroy us. That's one lesson I am never going to forget!

Just watch yourself, lady, if you come anywhere near my Ranma or Shampoo again! I'm Tendo Nabiki, and I don't take squat from any two-bit, second rate hack wizards! I look after my own, and like Kasumi, I'm not somebody you can safely take for granted!

Take that one to the bank...I double dare you!

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Celestial Temple Collection Plate: shadowmane

Shampoo versus Ambergris, then Cologne pays her respects to her father...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	74. Chapter 74

Summary:  
It's Shampoo versus Ambergris in the title fight which will decide who is the better Amazon, while everyone else looks on and reflects upon the implications. Ukyo takes stock of her own curious situation while Cologne pays a long-delayed visit to see her father...  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Masaki Tenchi was performing his morning chores by sweeping around the shrine when he took notice of a woman mounting the steps, a stranger with dark blue hair who wore a fashionable kimono and looked to be around his age, save for something in her eyes that appeared both strange and mysteriously familiar. She came to a halt a short distance away from him, casually leaning on a walking staff as she regarded him for the longest time, and then she smiled in an oddly friendly manner and spoke to him in a casual voice with no discernable accent.

"You remind me so much of your mother."

The rake fell out of Tenchi's hands as he stared at the stranger before him, and in a hesitant voice he asked, "You knew my mother?"

"Not well, I'm afraid," the woman sighed, "But we met when she was about your age, or possibly a bit older. Is your grandfather in attendance? I would like to speak with him if it is at all convenient."

"Ah " Tenchi was about to say that this stranger could not have known his mother twenty years ago, that she could hardly have even been alive that far back, but he stopped himself as recent experiences had taught him the folly of judging by a youthful appearance. Instead he belatedly recalled his manners and said, "Who should I tell him is calling?"

"Tell him Kho-Lon of the Joketsuzoku Amazons wishes to speak with him in private," Cologne replied somberly, "He'll understand why at least when I have a chance to explain about my situation."

"Explain what to me?" Tenchi's grandfather, Katsuhitsu, appeared at Tenchi's side with such suddenness that Tenchi was briefly startled. He was even more surprised to see the look on his grandfather's face as he stared at the strange woman and said, "Kho-Lon?"

"Hello father," Cologne replied with a soft, almost apologetic expression, "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

Tenchi looked from his grandfather to the new arrival and gasped, "Father ?"

Already it was turning out to be a very strange day, which was only to be expected at the Masaki household

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Great Grandmother apologized that she would have to be leaving shortly after my honor-duel with Amber, but I pretended not to be unduly concerned with this as I have not fully forgiven her for the many deceptions that she has practiced with me over the years. I was nonetheless grateful that she did attend, if only so that I could demonstrate to her that I had not become a weak girl just because I was now a happily married woman.

In fact all of my immediate family was there to witness my fight with Ambergris, including my mother and father and both of my younger sisters. My adopted cousin, Perfume, sat with Lotion, Kachu and her husband, and the rest of my new family on my husband and wife's side. In fact, just about everyone whom I knew even casually was there to watch me go at it with my former best friend, a fact I had not countered on since this included a good size portion of the students at my new high school.

The reason for the latter, of course, was Ryonami and the rest of my wife's private staff, who had circulated the news that two Amazons were about to vie for the title of Champion, an event that would have been worthy of a festival back home, only they were busy selling tickets and placing wagers on the outcome. I did not mind this so much as I knew that Nabiki stood to make good money in the bargain, and this would help provide my family with much needed income, to say nothing of helping to build the reputation for the Anything Goes School. What I minded was the sense that a personal feud between me and Ambergris was now being made a public spectacle, and I resolved to discuss this in private with my airen when the matter had been successfully concluded.

Of one thing I am certain is that Amber did not seem to mind the large audience, perhaps accounting them as witnesses to her expected triumph. This, too, was understandable as every Warrior in their hearts seeks the acclaim of an audience that acknowledges them as the best of all fighters. It was not egotistical of her to want to perform well, even given that I had what Nabiki termed "The Home Court Advantage." It surprises me even now to realize that many of my fellow students were cheering me on, and that I had somehow become a "local favorite." Amber, however, insisted that this only sweetened the match for her as it allowed her to compete against expectations. I think she relished playing the part of the underdog, but then again Amber always did have a flare for the dramatic, and I suppose she also wants the acceptance of our peerage.

I would never dream of insulting her this way, but there are times when I have the feeling that Amber might make a halfway decent politician assuming such an entity is to be found in this life. Her subtlety and charming cleverness with words makes her formidable in an arena of combat where I have never felt myself particularly gifted. I prefer plain, direct methods to resolve my personal problems while she prefers to study her opponents to determine their weaknesses beforehand. In a lot of ways she can be as devious and sneaky about it as Nabiki, though I no longer question that her motives are for the better.

My reason for believing this? Lotion. She vouches for the time she spend with Ambergris that my current challenger spoke often of her dreams and ambitions, but always with the emphasis of helping our people to integrate into the modern era. According to Lotion, Ambergris believes that the Amazons have fallen well behind the rest of Chinese society, that in spite of our impressive history and traditions there is a danger that the government might one day outstrip us and then come to regard us as a nuisance that should be dealt with. She illustrated her point with the example of Tibet, who-for all their advanced mystical knowledge-were helpless in the face of the guns and tanks of a conventional army. She believes that the Amazons could benefit from studying more of what the outside world has to offer in order to strengthen ourselves and preserve our way of living.

Of course Great Grandmother has often said that Amazons should find their own strength and fortify our traditions. She has a disdain for the modern world with its reliance on technology, and it's only recently that I've come to understand how strong that aversion is. The issue of my father's motorcycle of a year ago illustrated how much she dislikes such reminders of the outer world's progress. In truth, my own experiences in the world beyond our borders has convinced me that we are falling rapidly behind and the world itself might soon relegate us to the obscurity of history. My husband and wife are proof enough to me that not all outsiders are weak and foolish creatures.

So in a way I understood why Amber feels that she must prove herself against me to attain a higher status in our society. Her hopes obviously are to gain a voice that will be heard by the Elders, and to do that she must be stronger than any other warrior in our age class, a potential Elder in her own right, which means that some on the council will not be so quick to dismiss her.

As we took our positions and awaited the signal to commence, I saw Ambergris smile at me, a smile that hinted of our old friendship, and in a pleasant tone of voice she said, "Shampoo no matter whether you win or lose this battle, I want for you to know that I am grateful to you, for you have done me much honor, and for this I am grateful."

"The fight is not decided either way, Amber," I replied, "Prepare yourself and do your best."

"I intend to," she replied, and I saw by her expression that she was sincere in her intentions

Ukyo watched the pair squaring off from where she sat beside Akane, Ryoga and the Amazons, not to mention her Aunt Yumi. Close nearby was a certain brown haired girl in a different school uniform who was eyeing Ukyo with curious glances, not missed by her four companions, who were identically dressed, albeit none matched her for height as she stood close to Yumi in height, but without the older Kuonji's rugged build and mannish posture.

Ukyo was puzzled about several aspects of this engagement between friends, feeling a curious sense of deja vu as her own clash against Ranma was too recent in her memories not to draw an analogy. This battle was not in anger or out of vengeance, but it was of two formerly close friends who had experienced a falling out over what eventually proved to be a mutual misunderstanding.

Not that Ukyo could hold it against Shampoo for feeling betrayed by a companion. The feeling had once filled Ukyo's every waking moment like a dull ache seeking relief, a rage so strong that it's absence had created a vacuum in her heart. She did not know what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, but to waste it in a useless quest of self-redemption was not the way to honor her ancestors or the memory of her mother (whose memory she only knew from third hand sources, her own memories too vague and indistinct for proper recollection).

She thought of her father when she last saw him in the hospital, hooked up to tubes with wires to monitor the state of his health. The doctor who examined him confirmed that he was suffering from a long-term cancer, but he denied that Kuonji Akira's condition was at the terminal stage as her father had believed. He was more suffering the effects of stress and exhaustion that had no doubt be exacerbated by thoughts of his impending death, a state that her Aunt Yumi attributed to the influence of the Demoness Cybelle, who had played upon her father's mind for her own nefarious purpose.

If there was anyone against whom Ukyo would swear a blood oath, it was unquestionably that Demon, but Ukyo doubted that she could prevail on her own against Ryoga's evil grandmother, based on what she had learned from talking to Yumi, whom she had naturally confronted on the issue of seeming to side with such a monster against her own flesh and blood. Her Aunt's reply to the charge had been telling, looking Ukyo straight in the eyes as though she had been asking herself the same question and was prepared to make an answer.

"Listen to me, Little Pup," she had said, using a favored pet name that she had often used during Ukyo's apprenticeship in her restaurant, "I fought this demon before you were born and I know what she is capable of doing. Your father was too deep under her influence when I received his summons, but I pretended to play along because I knew the time would come to break her hold over his mind. First I wanted to confirm for myself if you were pursuing your vengeance quest or had come to a resolution. Obviously you have made several decisions on your own in this matter, so now I have to do what I can to support the both of you idiots. My brother's folly comes from pride, but you're in a different kind of dilemma, one you put yourself in by the looks of things and the way you fill out your halter."

Ukyo remembered feeling her cheeks warm as her Aunt indicated the sudden change of her gender to her male, cursed aspect. As a man she was noticeably taller, broader-shouldered and narrower in the hip with no need of a wrap to flatten her breasts, and because of the difference in her weight distribution she tended to walk and move differently, a fact that had somewhat hampered her fighting techniques. Since Yumi herself had been her trainer for three seasons it was only natural that she would pick up on these factors, and she proved remarkably accepting of the explanation of Jusenkyo, assuring Ukyo that she knew of the place from other second-hand sources.

"So," Yumi had confronted Ukyo on the subject while they were still in private, "You went the full distance after all in denying your femininity. Have you given up on being a woman entirely because you couldn't have the boy of your dreams?"

"No " Ukyo had started to say, then amended to say, "Well maybe but it wasn't intentional. I fell into the spring when I was trying to fetch some of the water for Ranchan."

"That's a very noble reason to risk yourself," Yumi had replied, "But tell me the truth, Niece how much did you fight against acquiring this curse? You've told me often enough that you wish that you had been born a boy so you wouldn't be having so many of your problems "

Against the probing stare of her aunt, Ukyo's resolve crumbled and she had to admit to herself that becoming a boy did not seem as tragic for her as Ranma's turning into a girl seemed to affect him adversely. The one problem with becoming a boy, however, had been the discovery that she still felt like a woman even in male form. The inner her had not changed at all, only the outer trappings, so in a way she felt her change of sex only masked what she was in the eyes of others it could not erase totally the memory of being a girl for the first sixteen years of her life, and nor had it truly given her a man's perspective (though the odd rush of hormones in her male form was VERY different from what she felt as a woman).

"I see," her aunt had replied after hearing her explanation, "So rather than curing yourself of your problems, you've just added some whole new ones, is that it?"

"Pretty much," Ukyo had admitted, studying her Aunt's austere expression before asking, "Aunt Yumi are you disappointed?"

"In you, Child?" Yumi had replied, seeming surprised by the question, "Never! I helped to raise you from a Pup and you've grown to be the cunning Wolf-child that I'd hoped that you would turn into. Granted this adds a new wrinkle to your training since you're going to have to learn all about your center of balance all over, but that's a minor handicap when compared with the problems that this is going to give you in having children."

Ukyo had felt something at the mention of children, a sense of loss more acute than any she might have expected to feel, having had the negative side-effects of her curse explained to her in detail by the old-Uh-by the Amazon Matriarch. In all truth the concept of becoming a mother had never truly dawned on her until she was confronted by the sudden loss of that potential.

The prospect that her only chance of having children might come from the other side of the bedsheets was a subject in which she was utterly unprepared to venture at least as things stood at the present.

She remembered her aunt's hand on her shoulder and the reassuring smile the older Kuonji had given her before saying, "Don't worry what I think about your situation, Cubling. There's been more than one occasion when I've wanted to chuck my own gender and be like a man, though if you quote me on that I'll deny it and give you such a spanking with your peel. You might even get to like that."

"Ah " Ukyo had felt her cheeks go rosy again and her thoughts had become flustered, even though she was used to her Aunt's good-natured teasing. That was another downer aspect of becoming a man her thoughts became so muddled whenever someone paid a compliment to her male aspect (and in all truth she could not blame them, having been captivated and amazed at the sight of her own reflection).

"The one you should really worry about right now is your father," Yumi had added in a much gentler, far more sober tone of voice, "In his condition, I don't think explaining about your curse would be such a great idea, especially as he likely to blame himself for driving you to such an extreme decision. I suggest we wait for a better time to tell him since he's been behaving like such a baka lately. We're going to need to pull together if we're going to save the company from the mess he got us into, and that means you're going to have to convince both him and the board of directors that you're well, fit and able to bear the responsibility of running things in his absence. I'll do whatever I can to help out, but you're the one who stands to inherit a considerable fortune, which means you're going to have to grow up a lot faster than either of us is likely to think fair. It's a shitty deal, but there you have it, so I want to know if you feel up to handling it right now, or else I can tell the Regional Directors to take a hike because of the recent medical crisis afflicting your father "

Ukyo had assured her aunt that she was more than capable of assuming responsibility for her father's restaurant chain, but in truth was she truly up to such a task? She had expected to have a few more years of preparation and to at least have enrolled in a Business College before stepping up to the plate. It was a lot for a high school student to manage while still maintaining a decent grade point average, let alone cram for her entrance examinations. She had been counting on her father remaining at the helm of his business for a few years more, and trust the old man to screw things up for her again, though she thought this last part without her usual animosity or resentment.

"Of course," Yumi had added, almost as an afterthought, "The ones you really need to explain yourself to are those people waiting for you in the hallway, including a couple of the ladies, if I judge matters rightly. Never knew you were the type who preferred salad with your beefcakes, Nephew," she added the latter part with a teasing expression, "But I'm hardly one to complain having done my own share of experimentation when I was a lot younger. It's your business how you want to handle things, but I think you know enough to honor whatever commitments you might have been making on the sidelines."

That had earned more than a blush from Ukyo, though she could not adequately voice protest against her aunt's good-natured teasing. Try as she might to deny that she had been leading anyone on, she had been more than a little aware of the fact that Tendo Akane was getting awfully close to her, and now with Makoto back in the picture, her life had just become a whole lot more complicated!

To say that she had no idea what to do about either of these girls would have been a gross understatement. Makoto had once been a very strong part of her life, back when she had been living a secret existence as a pretend-guy hiding his real sex from the world and her fellow classmates. The day when she had finally confessed to truth to Mako-chan had been a wrenchingly emotional time for them both, but it had been necessary to head off what was looking to be a much more compromising situation. It had been a hard decision to make, but Ukyo had come clean with the intention of accepting full blame and whatever repercussions Makoto might wish to vent upon her for Ukyo's deception. She had not wanted to lead her friend on with the false promise of a potential romance between them, and had Makoto slapped her face and called her names, or even beaten her up on general principles, Ukyo would not have blamed her.

Instead Makoto had looked at her as they stood in the rain together with shock in her eyes, followed by sadness and loss that was unending. It had broken Ukyo's heart just to see the proud girl whom she had counted as her best friend in middle school looking at her as though Ukyo had suddenly become a stranger, and she knew right then and there that things could never be the same between them. Ukyo had transferred to a different school the same time as Makoto enrolled at Crossroads and they had not set eyes on one another from that time to the present.

Only now Makoto was back in her life, and for the life of her Ukyo did not know what to make of her own reactions to this sudden occurrence. Makoto was taller and had grown more heart-rendingly beautiful, (not to mention she had filled out in quite a few noticeable places) and there was no mistaking the MALE reaction of Ukyo's body when she-or rather HE-had caught herself considering Mako-chan in that particular aspect!

Makoto had been there at the hospital when Ukyo had stepped out into the hallway and asked immediately about the state of her father. Ukyo had the presence of mind to remember that Makoto had lost both of her parents to a plane crash around about the time of their first meeting it was even one of the things that had helped to firm their friendship when Ukyo had been there to comfort Makoto just after receiving the news that she had become an orphan.

Now the shoe was on the other foot, and Ukyo had more sympathy for her friend, but more she felt as though she were seeing Makoto for the first time, not just as a friend but as a fellow woman (even granted that Ukyo was still in her cursed gender). Of course the confused mix of emotions that had coursed through her body as she looked Makoto in the eyes said a lot about the changes that they had both obviously been through. When Makoto had asked if Ukyo felt up to talking, she had assented at once, knowing it was better to get things out in the open before Makoto began forming weird ideas of her own, based on Ukyo's unfortunate exposure during the battle.

She had promised an explanation, so when the two of them were alone, Makoto had turned an expectant look her way, prompting Ukyo to glance down and say, "I guess you're wondering about why I'm a guy now "

"You could say that," Makoto had responded with even temper, though Ukyo could tell that her friend was just a hairsbreadth away from showing her legendary temper.

"I had an accident while I was away in China," Ukyo explained, "There's this place called Jusenkyo "

"You mean you really are a girl?" Makoto had not relaxed by more than a fraction, "And here I thought maybe you were lying to me all those years ago about really being one. Are you saying you got this way on account of magic?"

"Ah pretty much, yeah," Ukyo braced herself for a display of skepticism, even name-calling, knowing she well deserved it for whatever hell she had put Makoto through during their time together, "I wasn't lying to you before, Mako-chan I really was and am a woman, appearances notwithstanding."

"Senpai," Makoto began before smiling at the reflective reference, an old habit from their school days, "It's not that I don't believe you, because I do. I've seen a lot of strange stuff over the last couple of years, and magic's a big part of it, but I'm trying to understand, so help me out here. Was it because of me or did this really just happen to you?"

"What do you mean?" Ukyo blinked.

"You know," Makoto said awkwardly, "This guy-thing. I mean you have to admit as accidents go it's a little too convenient "

"Convenient?" Ukyo almost shouted the word, "Do you know what this is gonna mean for me and the rest of my future? How is it convenient that I now turn into a guy because of a curse?"

"Is it a curse?" Makoto asked her, lifting both eyebrows, "Because I remember you telling me how much you wished you were a man and now you are one is that, like, a coincidence or something?"

Ukyo had to pause and really think about that one before making her reply, "Okay so maybe I did think about it a time or two but I didn't deliberately fall into that spring! I slipped and fell or it was like it pulled me in or something! I-well, maybe some part of me did want to fall in, but it wasn't like I planned it that way or nothing! So why do you think it has something to do with you, Mako-chan?"

"I just thought " Makoto looked down at her feet and seemed unable to get the words out right away, but at last she said, "That maybe you felt bad about the way things turned out between us and maybe something I said or did put the idea in your head. I mean I've thought a lot about you, Senpai, and I've wondered about a lot of things about me, for one thing, and why I've always felt so attracted to you, even after I found out that you're really a woman."

Ukyo blinked at that, never having expected to hear her friend make such an admission. Oh sure, Makoto might behave like a tomboy at times and she certainly had a reputation in their class for violent behavior, mainly against guys who tried to give her a hard time, but in Ukyo's eyes she had never though Makoto was anything but feminine. Ukyo might dress the part of a guy and act like one to fool people into believing she was one, but in the back of her mind she always felt like a woman, and if anything she was a lot more of a tomboy than Makoto!

"Uh " Ukyo tried to organize her thoughts but instead spoke the first words that came into her mouth, "You don't think it's weird of me that I'm both guy and girl now?"

Makoto had given her a very lopsided smile in response to that, then said matter-of-factly, "I don't even know what weird means anymore! I've seem people change their sex from hunky-cool guys to well, I don't think I could explain that one too good but you've met my friend Haruka?"

"The tall chick with the short blonde hair?" Ukyo replied, remembering that there had been a green haired woman who was hovering at her side as though the two were in orbit around each other, which caused her to say, "Oh "

"Yeah," Makoto affirmed, "She's like that only when we first met she looked enough like a boy that my friend Minako thought she was in love with her. Turns out Haruka and Michiru well you don't usually find one without the other around, y'know? So I've been wondering if maybe ah well y'know ?"

Ukyo had stood there and stared at Makoto for a very long time before answering, seeing in the tall brunette's greenish eyes a hint of worry, nervousness and expectation, as though the next thing Ukyo said might crush whatever courage she had mustered underfoot. The admission frankly astonished Ukyo, who had thought any chance of a relationship between them had been ended a long time ago, only now here was Makoto-a girl she had once been very close to-all but admitting that she still had feelings for Ukyo IN SPITE OF THE CURSE, if not outright because the curse made a relationship conceivable from both angles of sexuality. It was a lot to take in all at once, and Ukyo had not the slightest idea how to respond to the question, seeing as she did not know the answers herself, finding it difficult to either accept or refuse what Makoto had to offer.

As it turned out she was spared having to give an answer when a loud clattering noise from just around the corner had caused both of them to turn around, only to see Akane sprawled out on the floor next to the medicine tray that she had accidentally tripped over. The realization that the youngest Tendo sister had been eavesdropping on them both put an end to their conversation (at least for the moment) and left Ukyo with a whole different batter of sauce to examine, realizing that it was not just Makoto who was entertaining thoughts about her, both because of and in spite of her cursed status.

So now she sat watching Shampoo go into battle against a friend while Akane sat close nearby without saying a word on the incident, even pretending that the whole thing had never happened. Ryoga was hovering close by giving Ukyo occasional glances that were borderline homicidal, and Makoto was hanging farther back with her friends, pretending to be a part of the audience while remaining close enough that Ukyo could feel her tall friend's eyes upon her whenever she in turn was pretending not to look, even in spite of the fact that Ukyo was now female once again and preferring to stay so for the foreseeable present.

She heard a soft chuckle and glanced to the side at the Amazons, catching Perfume's wry smirk as the Enforcer stood with her blue-haired amorata in a way that all but screamed that they were an item. She saw the sapphire eyes of the brown haired Amazon smile at her as though she were silently sympathizing with Ukyo dilemma. Ukyo flashed on the memory of how Ambergris had also smiled at her in a charmingly sly way, with further emphasis on the way Akane had reacted, which was not favorable at all, though the dark haired girl clearly did not want to come out and admit that it upset her.

[How do I get myself into these things?] she silently asked of the heavens, knowing full well that they would not be giving her an answer or at least not verbally anyway, though from the way things seemed to be happening around her, it was a sure bet that somebody up above was having way too much fun at her expense! She sighed to herself and resolved to watch the battle, which was about to begin as Cologne raised her staff and signaled that both contenders should be ready.

At least a fight was something that she understood with clearly defined boundaries, something that could not be said about this relationship business. How much easier it had been when her thoughts were directed solely towards cornering Ranma, but she had surrendered him to another (ironically enough) on the grounds that events around him were much too complicated for her understanding. Avoiding trouble on one end, she had stumbled into an even more complicated situation on the other-go figure!

As the staff came down and the combatants made themselves ready, Ukyo fleetingly wondered about the other thing that she had meant to ask Makoto this business about her current double-life, and how exactly did a gourmet chef get herself into the business of playing a superhero ?

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I don't know why I'm always nervous at these fights you'd think I'd have more confidence in Shampoo's abilities, just like with Ranma, who always wins no matter the odds against him. The trouble is I worry. There's always the chance that one day either he or Sham-chan will run into something that's too big for them to handle, and then where will that leave me? I'm not even married yet and already I'm starting to feel like a war-widow!

Of course Ranma dismisses the possibility that he might get in over his fool head one of these days, but I could tell that he was just as nervous as me watching Shampoo go up against a fellow Amazon, and somebody who clearly was a lot more formidable than your average level fighter. This Ambergris worries me on so many levels that I can't begin to identify half of them not that I get a bad feeling from her or anything like that. It's just a hunch I have that there is a LOT more to this pink-haired chick than some Macho brawler with an exotic hairstyle. She's a little too clever and competent for me to want to have someone like that for an enemy, and I could tell that Ranma was making the same assessment.

Shampoo had assured us that she knew what she was getting into, but even she seemed wary about whatever hidden agenda her former friend might be entertaining in issuing this challenge. Proving that you're the best in a village full of tough fighters is one thing, but Ambergris fairly screams ambition, and it was obvious that she had something to prove and wasn't afraid of doing so in front of a large audience. People like that can be dangerous by din of the fact that they will totally commit themselves to a given objective, and anything that stands in their way tends to get plowed over, be it friends, families or loved ones.

Of course there are some people who would define me in the same terms, but I like to think that I've changed somewhat for the better in that regard at least to the extent that I think first before I use people.

When I saw Shampoo and Ambergris go into a slow, almost ritualized pair of dance-like maneuvers, I took careful note of the way they each were studying the other with that peculiar focus that I have sometimes seen on Akane's face, or even Ranma's. It was the look of someone tacitly acknowledging an equal in the field of combat, and the wary respect that they were showing one another spoke volumes to me about how serious this match was for the both of them. The uneven stalemate only lasted a short few seconds before Shampoo launched her attack, but in that time I'm sure they each sized the other up and down before making any commitments, so when Ambergris moved to counter the attack it was done as if the move was expected by both of them, as though this were only the feeling-out stage, not the actual serious phase of their battle.

Once the fight had begun in earnest it was lightning fast and devastating, one blow following the other in such rhythmic precision that the fight might as well have been choreographed by a Hong Kong director, albeit that any movie maker would have slowed the action down to where the audience could actually see the actors' motions. Shampoo and her friend were moving so fast that it was only a blur to my eyes, though I'm pretty sure Ranma had no trouble following their movements. I kept stealing glances to the side to see him flinch or tense at certain key moments, as if a part of him yearned to leap into the battle and take over the fight, no doubt to show them how it should be done (though if he said that to Shampoo's face well, the results would not be pretty!).

As difficult as it was to follow these exchanges, I did manage to get a sense of what was happening between the contenders. Shampoo was wielding her bonbori as if they were as light as a pair of Jo sticks, and they are not light weapons by any measure! I've held them in my own hands and can testify that those hollow metal spheres are pretty thick and solid with a lot of heft to them, which partially explains how they can be so effective at battering down walls and even boulders. Compared to them a naginata is a light hand tool, but Ambergris had no trouble using it to deflect and absorb the punishment of those bonbori spheres so that the sound of metal hitting reinforced wood came at us with a staccato fervor while the two of them danced about the yard going back and forth with precise, controlled thrusts and counter-thrusts giving their fight the look of some fast-moving dance number.

It wasn't long before either one of them started doing acrobatic maneuvers to up the energy level of this grudge match, and since either one of them can leap from a standing start as high as any pole vaulter, you can just imagine for yourself the sort of spectacle these two were creating with their powerful kicks and thrusts being launched with such death-defying agility that I found myself holding my breath without even realizing that I had done it. If either one of them had hesitated by a fraction it would have resulted in a crippling injury, or worse, and the last thing I wanted to see was out beautiful Shampoo reduced to some helpless paraplegic! That idea leant a kind of manic fear to me that would not go away, no matter how hard I tried pushing it to the fringes of my conscious awareness.

In fact I was so worried that I must have been focusing on the pair of them in a very peculiar way, because it started to seem as if the two fighters were slowing themselves down to where I could actually see their movements. As I watched with a peculiar fascination this phenomenon became more and more pronounced, to the point where things seemed to crawl along at a greatly reduced velocity, and before my very eyes I saw Shampoo leap into the air with a dragon-stamp kick aimed at Ambergris, who was in the process of moving the haft of her weapon in order to deflect the kick to one side, and all at once they froze in those positions, Shampoo hovering in the air, her lovely face set with intense ferocity as she aimed her kick at her opponent. Ambergris's face was set in a mask of stoicism as she waited for the blow to come, poised with her legs slightly bent in order to absorb most of the energy of that kick, but the kick itself did not seem about to happen. The two became as motionless as statues before my very eyes, a fact so odd that I turned to ask Ranma about it, only to see that he was frozen as well, eyes set on the combatants while he did not seem to register that he had even heard my question.

"W-What ?" I gasped aloud, feeling a slight buzzing in my ears and some pressure about my temples as I tried to make sense of these occurrences, turning my head about to confirm that it was not just him or the fighters who had stopped moving, it was everyone and everything! Some of our fellow students were gaping with varying expressions that ranged from the very stupid to the extremely thoughtful. I even noted with astonishment that a fly was hovering in the air off to my left by a couple of meters, and a distant bird that I could see flitting through the trees was just hanging there over nothing without even a wire to hold it up against the pull of gravity. In fact, as near as I could tell, I was the only one or thing capable of movement, and even the air seemed thick and slightly resistant to the slightest movement. I was even finding it difficult to breathe air into my lungs as the phenomenon continued, as did a slight chill that I was feeling.

Then a voice spoke into my mind, "That is enough! You don't want to strain yourself doing this too soon in your training. Ease back a bit and allow things to return to normal."

I blinked my eyes and then everything returned to normal. I glanced around to see where Lotion was as I knew automatically that it was she who had addressed me, but the old woman was no where to be found. I was about to say something to that effect when I heard the clash of metal and wood resume, returning my attention back to the here and now and the primary business of seeing how Shampoo would fare against Ambergris.

To my relief Shampoo did indeed seem to be holding her own, albeit that the kick turned out to be a feint on her part and was followed up by a one-two combination of lightning kicks that did manage to force Ambergris onto the defensive. The only difference was that I now had no trouble following their plan of attack, and I began to get seriously interested in studying their maneuvers, seeking a pattern from the web of complex techniques being employed here, enough so that I could even identify which parts were from our school and which one had to be Amazon Wushu in origin.

I also took note that when the fly flew too near to Ranma he automatically caught the thing with one hand, held it cupped there for a moment, then gave it a toss and sent the little pest soaring off to bug some other person.

That was a pretty weird experience, I'll admit, but my attention returned at once to the fight, especially seeing as the combatants broke apart and took opposing position, which signified to me that the preliminaries were over and they were about to escalate their duel to a whole new level

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

"You are good, Shampoo," Amber said to be as we parted to regain our bearings and retake stock of one another's fighting potential, "You've improved a lot from our last fight, and you deserve your title as Champion of our village, which is why I intend to win it from you fairly."

"As opposed to dishonorably?" I replied, taking deep breaths to steady myself as I knew that I would soon be needing my wind now that we had finished sizing each other up and were about to get down to the serious fighting, "This one expects nothing less from you, Amber. If you wish the title, then it is yours, but only if you best this one in fair combat and prove yourself her better."

"That much is assured," she said with a confidence that had been lacking in our last fight, "Because as good as you are, I've traveled farther and studied harder than you know, and now I intend to demonstrate how much I have improved since you saw me last. Observe!"

She assumed an upright posture, brought her naginata to one side, held it out at arms length, then slowly brought it forward with the point extending, then spun it around like a baton, rapidly gathering speed and power as she spun it in a figure eight pattern, soon becoming a blur while I felt something like the hackles at the base of my neck stand on end and my arm-hairs started to curl. I could feel the power of her Chi grow stronger the more she twirled her naginata, and as I shifted my vision to study her aura, I made out a very potent built up of her internal energies as she summoned the force lines to her body and intensified the strength of her Chakras.

Of course I was concerned about this point because I have only just begun to study Chi attacks and defenses and have yet to master some of the complex forms that Great Grandmother has long promised she would one day teach me. Amber not only knew a Chi attack that was wholly new to me, she obviously had mastered it as I could determine from the way the wind kicked up all around her the more her aura intensified. I braced myself as best I could and prepared to meet whatever form her attack would assume, feverishly racking my brain for every iota of knowledge that I had on the subject, hoping to endure her assault, if not ultimately to defeat her.

When it came it was devastating, like being at the center of a lightning strike as I could feel a charge almost like electricity strike against me and curl along my arms, down my spine and into my feet, where contact with the ground completed some kind of a circuit. The brunt of the attack was absorbed by my bonbori, but this only made it worse somehow as merely holding wooden handles did not in itself provide enough insulation to adequately protect me, so that I was apparently picked up and thrown for a goodly distance (I say apparently because my only memory of the experience was a bright flash of whiteness that momentarily blinded me and left the rest of my senses reeling).

I came back to myself very slowly, aware that I was on the ground and that someone was shouting my name, though it took more than a moment to recognize the voice as belonging to Nabiki. I was not as badly hurt as I might have been, I realized, when I began to feel pain screech over every inch of skin as nerve endings came alive to inform me of their status. I sensed those channels flowing through my body and knew that all my parts were intact, and I was not really burned as I would have been from a true electric shock, it just felt bad because my nervous system had been overloaded, but after a moment the pain began subsiding and I started to make sense of my surroundings. I was able to sit up again after a brief moment of internal inventory, and I determined that I had not sustained genuine injury, which either meant that Amber had been holding back or she was not yet as good with her Chi as a true master. Of course I suspected the former rather than the latter as I was certain Amber's attack had the potential of being far more devastating.

She was standing a short distance away leaning on her naginata and regarding me with a look that could either have been concerned or expectant. I forced myself to my feet, refusing to show weakness before others, and did my level bast to steady my balance, then turned a glance towards my bonbori and saw what condition they were in. The thick metal of the spheres showed signs of deformation, and the force of the blast that they had absorbed had discolored their paint job so that they were no longer quite so pretty, but other than this they seemed serviceable that I could still have used them. I decided not to risk it as it was not likely that they could protect me from a second attack of that nature. They would need repair work as it was, there was no sense to outright destroy them!

The fact that Amber had not attacked me while I was down and recovering proved to me that she was serious about meeting me as an equal, while a true enemy would have finished me off when they had the chance. Amber is no fool, so I can only take it to mean that she was supremely confident in her abilities, and given what she had just demonstrated, I was not about to doubt her prowess.

Nor was I quite yet ready to yield to her, though I clearly had been beaten. I took a neutral tone as I regarded her, then said in a level voice, "You held back."

"Of course," she replied, "It was never my intention to kill you, Shampoo, or even to see you injured. I want only to prove that I am the better warrior, and I have done that. Anything else is up to you. If you wish to renew your challenge I will meet you as an equal, the better to demonstrate that my years of exile have made of me a stronger fighter."

"That much is evident," I replied, assuming a fighting crouch, "But if you want to be the Champion of our tribe you must prove to this one that one trick attack is not all that you are made of."

"I am very pleased to hear you say this," Amber smiled, her one exposed eye showing no trace of disappointment as she held her naginata out to one side then casually dropped it, "Because the Shampoo I knew would never take defeat lightly. You are the best of our tribe, Shampoo, but I am your better, and I do not need either weapon or tricks to prove this, so I will again meet you as a warrior should, bare handed."

She knelt down into a fighting crouch and we squared off again, ready to renew our battle.

"What's this?" we heard Great Grandmother say, "You wish to fight again?"

"Stay out of this, Old Woman," Ambergris replied without looking at great grandmother, obviously making fun of the Elder's confusion of ages, being old in a young body, "This is personal, between the two of us and concerning no one else. The match is only over when the both of us agree to it, so let the fight be renewed until the better one of us is decided."

I saw Great-Grandmother turn a worried look my way and I could almost read her thoughts as she seemed to doubt my ability to stand up to another minute of fighting. That look reminded me of all the other times when she seemed to cast doubt on my abilities, and it motivated me here to square my shoulders and flex my arms, shaking my head to clear it of the last lingering traces of my disorientation, then took as powerful a stance as I felt that I could and faced against my once-and-current friend, determined not to be phased merely because she had learned a few new tricks to enhance her fighting skills. Underneath the new training was strong evidence of her older techniques and style of combat, which I remembered from the time when we were still friends in training together. At heart she was still the same Amber, and I was determined to use my knowledge of her in the same manner that she had made use of me during our first fight from so long ago.

This was no longer a question of determining who would be tribal Champion or not, or even who won and lost. This was a fight to test our abilities against one another for the simple joy of the fight, and whether we won or lost, we would show to these outsiders what Amazons were made of

Ranma sensed Nabiki's tenseness while watching the battle between Shampoo and Ambergris progress to a new level of intensity. He had felt much the same response when the pink haired Amazon had manifested a Chi attack, and he'd had to check his impulse to want to jump in and defend Shampoo, knowing full well that his assistance would be resented more than appreciated, just as he would feel if someone he cared about were to try and usurp his place in a challenge match. It was the hard code of the Warrior that prohibited him from lifting a finger until such time as it was obvious that Shampoo would need his assistance. Short of that, Shampoo would want to do this on her own terms, and he was forced to respect this, much though he might not like it.

Ranma hated being on the sidelines, just as he hated the sense of helplessness that came from watching someone he cared about going up against a tough competitor. It exposed a side of himself that he would rather keep buried, a side that was not the confident, self-assured champion that he presented before the world and himself. He was more human in such moments, and with his upbringing being merely human meant showing your weaknesses and doubts before the world, which left you vulnerable and helpless before others. It was not a feeling he much appreciated nor wanted to experience as it left him feeling very much out of his element as a fighter without peer. He was never one prone to self-analysis on the subject, but he knew intuitively that he wanted to be the best because it was the thing that most defined him, a basic need that he knew was shared in some measure by Shampoo, though from evidence available he knew that her range of skills and interests was far more diverse than his own, a sense of disadvantage that was also very much contrary to his liking.

His experienced eye had quickly determined that the two combatants were near enough in skill to be equals, but the range of Ambergris's techniques had obviously been expanded by travel and training outside the confines of their village, giving her a distinctive advantage.. Shampoo's skills were largely centered on the basic Wushu of her upbringing, and though she was incredibly fluid with a complete mastery of her supple body, it was obvious to him that her training had numerous holes and drawbacks to be exploited, much as he had taken advantage of one such perceived weak area when he went up against her at their first meeting. This Ambergris was a very sharp customer, and she doubtlessly had detected many of those selfsame deficiencies and was looking to take advantage of them. Small wonder she had cast aside the advantages of her weapon as in close-quarters combat she would have a more than equal footing.

Sure enough, Ranma saw Ambergris holding back in reserve a good portion of her energy, deliberately hobbling herself to lure Shampoo on with a false sense of equality, even as Shampoo was pacing herself to preserve a portion of her own strength in reserve, all the while launching her attacks with a ferocity that bordered on fanaticism. To an untrained eye it might appear that they were going all out, but that illusion masked a more complicated exchange where tactics and strategy were as much in play as battle hardened instincts with each fighter looking to take advantage of that moment when their opponent began to slow down or allow fatigue to overtake them. The least hesitation or faltering about that point could spell disaster for either Shampoo or her rival, so victory was as likely to go to the more savvy combatant as it was to the stronger or faster of the two of them. It was much the same as in some of his own fights when he had gone up against a foe whose abilities had seemed to surpass his own, and Ranma only hoped that Shampoo would be smart enough to be on her guard to meet the read attack that Ambergris had yet to unleash upon her.

Of course keyed up as we was he did not miss the hint of genuine worry that was emanating from Nabiki, whose understanding of the art was admittedly far inferior to his own, yet who seemed just as tense as if expecting something to happen. Ranma felt an uncommon urge to reach out to try and physically reassure her that all was right and that the fight would have a happy resolution, but his own anxiety held him back, as did his habitual reticence on outward displays of softer emotions.

It was with an almost expectant gasp that he felt the battle turn against Shampoo, turning back to the fight in time to see his purple haired girlfriend overextend one of her attacks and provide the opening that Ambergris needed to launch her own assault, easily penetrating past Shampoo's guard to land a solid back-fist to the side of her opponent's chin, which staggered Shampoo back for several paces as Ambergris followed through with a devastating set of combinations. Ranma felt Nabiki mimic his own wince as the pink-haired Amazon pressed home her advantage, forcing Shampoo to give ground inexorably while being seemingly unable to defend herself, let alone counter-attack. It was all Ranma could do to keep himself from rushing to Shampoo's aid as she was pummeled repeatedly by devastating blows and kicks that would have demolished stone and concrete, let alone a flesh and blood opponent. Nabiki was even less able to constrain herself, nearly jumping to her feet before Ranma was able to lay a hand to steady her against rash action. Together they watched in mutual dismay as Shampoo went down from the relentless onslaught unleashed by her pink-haired rival.

Ambergris might have finished the fight then and there, but instead she held back and waited until Shampoo gave evidence that she was not yet unconscious, and even then the pink haired warrior did not attack, allowing Shampoo time to roll over onto all fours, her lovely face bruised but otherwise unbloodied. The entire crowd held their breath and waited to see what would next occur as this had already proven to be a fight of epic proportions, even by the standards usually set around Ranma. Shampoo climbed to her feet with an unsteady posture, and only then did Ambergris seem ready to resume the fight, closing the distance between them with a single kick that would surely knock her rival senseless.

But Shampoo surprised everyone with an explosion of motion, turning her body slightly to the inside of the attack while deflecting the kick with a double-arm motion. Her movements were a blur to everyone, including Ranma, and suddenly it was Ambergris's turn to be sent flying backwards, struck several hundred times at Amaguriken speeds as her airborne assault had unwittingly left her open and vulnerable. She struck the ground some ten meters away and rolled to a halt, from which she did not move again for the next several seconds.

When she did it was Shampoo's turn to stand and watch as her former friend slowly recovered her bearings, got to her feet and resumed a defensive posture. Ambergris looked as if she had just made acquaintance with a rockslide, but as battered and bruised as she obviously was, she was not seriously damaged. If anything she was actually smiling!

Shampoo smiled back at her, and the two Amazons resumed facing off with one another with the slow and supple moves of a pair of wounded panthers. Neither one seemed inclined to yield the fight any time soon, and if anything they even seemed to be enjoying their rough form of play. They seemed willing to go on for as long as either of them still held breath, and there was no telling how much more punishment they might have been to inflict on one another but for Cologne's intervention, raising her staff in one hand and calling out, "HOLD!" in tones that neither warrior could have mistaken.

Both antagonists froze in place as the de-aged Matriarch advanced on their position, not so much leaning on her staff as rapping it against the ground to signify acute displeasure, her glare taking both warriors in with level scrutiny until she at last came to a halt several paces from them.

A long, tense silence ensued, which stretched on for many long heartbeats before Cologne at last pronounced, "Would either of you two mind explaining for my benefit what exactly it is that you are doing?"

Two sets of eyes blinked simultaneously, and then Shampoo responded, "How you mean this, Great Grandmother?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean," Cologne's accusatory glare took in one warrior, then the next, "This farce of a challenge match, which to me seems more like a love-fest in the making. You were going all out against each other in the beginning, but now several times you have allowed yourself to grow unusually careless, Shampoo, and you, Ambergris, have failed to exploit your advantages every time they are given to you."

"What are you talking about Old ?" Ambergris halted herself, then amended with the arched word, "Elder?"

Cologne did not seem willing to allow herself to be baited and chose to answer the question directly, "You know perfectly well what I mean this uncharacteristic chivalry of not attacking a foe when she is on the ground and clearly at your mercy. You could have finished this battle several times yet chose not to "

"I don't need to explain myself to the likes of you," Ambergris replied narrowly, "Matriarch you may be, but you are not my Master."

"Oh so?" Cologne hardly seemed to move, yet Ambergris was knocked to her knees and laid flat out onto her back by an attack so swift that even Ranma had not seen it coming. All at once Cologne was poised over her with the tip of her staff hovering just over the bridge of the pink-haired warrior's nose, threatening to crush hr skull in an instant.

"Great Grandmother, No!" Shampoo cried out, looking ready to leap to her formal rival's assistance.

"You need to mind your manners if you want to get anywhere in this world, Stripling," Cologne said, very crisp and precisely, "Now shall we continue this again with a civil tongue, or do you wish to see exactly how far it is that you must climb before you can account yourself my equal?"

"I yield the point, Elder," Ambergris replied, then waited until Cologne had stepped away before regaining her footing.

"And you, Child," Cologne turned back to Shampoo, heedless of the fact that she did not seem (at least on the surface) to in any way be the Elder, "When have you ever been as sloppy as this against a challenger from our village? You almost seem eager to concede the match is it that you no longer want your title and are willing to give it to Amber?"

"What you mean, Great Grandmother?" Shampoo replied with a frown, "Shampoo fight very hard with Amber "

"If that were so," Cologne replied, and suddenly the staff in her hand came rocketing towards Shampoo, who effortlessly dodged it, "Then that would have felled you. You obviously are not fighting at your best, and I have sensed from the start of this match that you are reluctant to go all out against your friend. If your heart is not in this battle, then you may as well concede now and spare us all much trouble. Of a certainty Ambergris here wants what you seem not to value, and I must say that I am more than a little disappointed in you both. It's not as if this were a fight to the death, after all, and I thought you wanted to settle for yourselves which one of you is the stronger fighter."

"Are you saying we're not really doing our best?" Ambergris began, but her single visible eye narrowed as the rest of her exposed face took on a thoughtful expression.

"I am saying that you are doing very well for a pair of novices," Cologne replied, "But I expect more than that out of Village champions. You have obviously studied long and well for this fight, and so has Shampoo, yet neither one of you seem willing to conclude things in anything less than a rude draw. If such were not the case then this would have been ended some time ago and one of you would become the acknowledged champion. Unless you can convince me otherwise, I must reluctantly conclude that this fight is a pointless exercise and that the real contest should be reserved for the next harvest season "

"No," Ambergris replied, her expression suddenly quite hard and unyielding, "That is too long and far away in the future to satisfy me. I want to resolve this here and now, not wait for the better part of a year and leave things undecided."

"But what we do if no can fight all-out?" Shampoo wondered.

Ambergris's single exposed eye focused on Shampoo, and then softly she said, "There is one way to finish this here and now. The Kalinar."

There was a slight gasp from Shampoo, and even Cologne's eyes seemed to widen. Ambergris merely extended the palms of her hand towards Shampoo, who reluctantly matched her gesture, and then the Matriarch backed hastily away while the two warriors faced off together.

"What's this?" Soun asked, "What did she just call it?"

"The Kalinar," Silk replied in hushed tones that carried only a few feet from her radius, yet which somehow Nabiki overheard in spite of the slight difference between them, "It's a very ancient ritual dating back to antiquity, seldom used by Amazons below the rank of full master. It's a contest of wills, calling forth the Chi of the two fighters to test which one has the stronger will force."

"It's also seldom used because of the danger of its invocation," Comb added with her own level of intensity, "The danger is great for both of them, but greatest for the one whose will even slightly falters. My daughter is being asked to pit the strength of her life force up against that of Ambergris, and if she hesitates or fails the challenge, then the resultant charge might destroy her!"

"Aiyaa!" cried Ling-Ling as she and Lung-Lung tensed together, only to feel their father's hands squeeze their shoulders in a reassuring manner.

"Kalinar?" Akane frowned, "That sounds almost like something from that American show, Star Trek."

"That's Kalimar," Ryoga automatically corrected.

"Oho?" Kodachi eyed the lost boy, wondering at how he could have known such trivia on a foreign import.

"Oh my," said Kasumi at her side, "I certainly hope they don't overdo things. Nabiki would be very distressed if Shampoo is hurt from all this sparring "

"I don't get it," Ukyo admitted from her own point of vantage, "What are those two trying to accomplish?"

"Is ultimate test of Amazon," Perfume replied for her benefit, squeezing hands with Lotion as if for mutual reassurance, "Is like ancient Chinese game of Rock, Paper, Knife, only using Chi in place of weapons."

"Shampoo," Lotion said tensely, her eyes focused on the ensuing silent battle.

Shampoo and Ambergris held their ground and neither appeared to be moving, but around their bodies a faint blue glow began to appear, which same was only visible to those who were sensitive to Chi auras, which included not only Ranma and Nabiki but the disguised Senshi warriors in their midst, including a somewhat disturbed pair of talking cats, whose whiskers were standing on end as the energy swirled around the two opponents.

"Whoah," said Tsukino Usagi, "Check it out, guys "

"Those two are giving off major energy levels," said the dark-haired Hino Rei.

"If I had my pocket calculator I could estimate just how much life energy those two seem to be generating," added Mizuno Ami just as tensely.

"Are you sure there's nothing special about them?" asked Aino Minako, "I mean, with their hair color and all, they might have some connection to the Moon Kingdom "

"Doubtful," replied one of the talking cats, while the other one added, "But you have to admit it is a disturbing prospect "

Makoto did not join in with her friends in their speculation but shot an anxious look towards Ukyo, seeing the way "he" tensed up and looked ready to jump to "his" feet at any moment. The fact that Ukyo was friends with at least one of these two so-called Amazons was reason enough for Makoto to express a tacit interest, but she had also caught the way that the one with Pink hair had been flirting with Ukyo a short while before and frowned in obvious disapproval. She was not exactly certain what association-if any-that Ukyo shared with either of these women, but Makoto intended to get to the bottom of it, and very soon if only out of interest for their one-and-renewed bonds of friendship, of course

Akane caught the way the tall girl kept glancing at Ukyo and frowned for reasons of her own disapproval, a gesture Ryoga could not help but witness with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew he was being unfair to object to Akane's friendship with Kuonji, but he could not help the way he felt about this matter, not trusting that Ukyo was in any way innocent of encouraging Akane's interest. He knew that the matter would have to be addressed, and soon, if only for his peace of mind if not for the dwindling prospects of a relationship between them.

Then all at once a brilliant flash filled the makeshift arena and all eyes instinctively flinched away for a few brief, blinding instants. When eyes could focus once again on the combatants they found Shampoo down and Ambergris still standing. The purple haired girl had been thrown back a considerable distance and lay in a heap where she had fallen, while her pink haired rival wavered slightly on her heels and seemed ready to join her in an unconscious state. Everyone looked stunned, but such inaction only lasted several heartbeats before Ranma came charging forward, shouting Shampoo's name with obvious distress. Nor was Nabiki slow to follow his example, albeit that she approached at less than a full run, anxiety making her curiously reluctant to see her own worst fears confirmed for their mutual partner.

As it turned out she need not have fretted, for Ranma found Shampoo was semi-alert and not truly as down for the count as she had first appeared. In fact she stirred the moment Ranma laid a hand on her and looked up at him with somewhat less than total focus. As Nabiki drew nearer she managed to weakly gasp, "Airen?" with no clear indication which one of them she was so indicating.

The word gave Nabiki the strength and confidence that she needed to close the remaining distance between them, joining Ranma in a huddle of reassurance that the Amazon was all right after all. She was instead seized by the conflicting desires to embrace Shampoo in a hug while simultaneously shaking her with the demand that she not be worried like that again, either one of which gestures would surely blow her image as an Ice Queen out of the waters forever, though at the moment Nabiki was well past caring.

But even as relief flooded through the middle Tendo daughter, she heard Ambergris call out, "So, you still intend to cheat me of my full measure of satisfaction, Shampoo. How ironic "

Ranma tensed and turned a murderous glare back her way, a snarl on his lips as he cried out, "What's your problem, Lady? You still want to start something, try me out for size!"

"Oooh," Ambergris smiled with a mockingly pleasant expression, "I like him. Small wonder you chose to give him the kiss of Marriage, Shampoo, but your airen need not take that attitude with me. I'm declaring the fight a draw and officially withholding my challenge for another occasion."

"Why so?" Nabiki asked, both vexed and perplexed with the Pink haired Amazon's demeanor.

"Indeed," Cologne remarked as she came up to join them, "You have clearly defeated Shampoo, and no one from out village not even I would dare to deny it."

"Simple fact, we're too evenly well matched for either one of us to be the victor," Ambergris replied patiently, "Much though I would like to declare victory, the fact is that Shampoo withdrew her energies at the last instant, which is why she seemed to lose at the challenge of the Kalinar. Had she truly gone all out well it would have been a far more interesting outcome."

"Withdrew?" Ranma asked with a confused expression, glancing at Shampoo as he added, "Why would you do that?"

"Shampoo not know," the Amazon replied, "Only sense it no good idea to continue fight. Shampoo trust her instincts, rather give fight to Amber than risk going against will of ancestors."

"And what exactly do our sacred ancestors have to do with any of this?" Comb replied, also joining them, as did the rest of their family and extended clan, while the student onlookers mulled around and Ryonami tried to talk up a convincing spiel about point scale, "Are you saying that my daughter wanted to lose this fight?"

"Not at all, Healer," Ambergris replied, going to retrieve her naginata before leaning against it for support as weariness started to overtake her, "I merely suggest that Shampoo has good reason to not be fighting at her utmost, reasons she's not even aware of, though I should have suspected it myself from the beginning."

"What you mean?" Perfume asked as she joined into the discussion, "Is something wrong with Shampoo?"

"No," Ambergris said simply, "Nothing is wrong with her, per se but tell me, Stud," she addressed herself at Ranma, "Just how long is it that you three have been officially married, as in engaged in honeymoon antics?"

"Uh a few days, why?" Ranma asked.

Ambergris shook her head in such a way that the other half of her face was briefly exposed to view, then sighed, "Not nearly long enough, if this were under ordinary circumstances, but I suspect the magic of Jusenkyo is at work here, speeding up Shampoo's metabolism, however slightly."

"You mean ?" the blue haired Lotion asked with sudden comprehension.

"It's only a hypothesis," Ambergris turned to Comb and Silk before saying, "Correct me if I am mistaken, but a warrior who is with child will instinctively hold back a part of her energies rather than risk a possible miscarriage, correct?"

Dead silence fell over the assembly, broken only when Hairbrush turned to his wife and asked, "Is this possible? Can it be true?"

"Ah well " Comb seemed more than slightly flustered, "There's no way to tell at the present it takes several weeks before a woman begins to show signs, and even using modern methods "

"But it is true nonetheless," Silk said with an odd sense of detachment in her voice, turning a slightly unfocused gaze upon Shampoo before adding, "Grandmother might confirm this, but I sense the truth behind the words Ambergris has spoken. There is indeed the possibility that a seed has been planted, and it is just enough of a potential to alter Shampoo's biochemistry and throw off her natural rhythms. I suspect that she instinctively withdrew because she sensed the potential harm to her child that might be wrought if she continued to go all-out in the Kalinar "

"I still say it sounds like something out of Star Trek," Akane murmured under her breath, but for the most part everyone else ignored her.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured at last, her eyes as round as saucers.

"You've got to be kidding!" Nabiki at long last reacted, wondering how they could be so sure when she and Ranma had only started having sex with Shampoo earlier in the week, albeit very intensely!

"What?" Ranma asked as he glanced around with a look of incomprehension, "What are we talking about here? What's this about Shampoo? She's all right, isn't she? You didn't hurt yourself, right?"

Slowly all eyes turned his way, only adding to Ranma's confusion. Even Ryoga could not believe how dense his rival was behaving that he could not have picked up by now on what everyone was hinting at.

"Like father, like son," Atsuko philosophically offered.

"What?" Genma asked as he glanced her way.

"Never mind, dearest," Nodoka, clapping her hands together as a beatific grin illuminated her face, "My son is so, so manly!"

"Yeah, whatever," Yumi said with a shrug, giving a playful nudge to Ukyo before adding, "Maybe you ought to clue him in a bit, Nephew.'"

Ukyo gave a sour look at "his" aunt before turning back with a sigh, "Ranchan "

"I see," Katsuhitsu remarked as he made a fresh cup of tea and passed it along to his daughter, "In other words you're about to be a great great grandmother congratulations."

"This isn't funny, father," Cologne said tensely.

"Yes it is," he smiled, "By the sound of things, it seems very much that this is what Shampoo herself has wanted and as you say, she is getting along splendidly with both of her airen."

"But it just complicates things to no end," Cologne sighed, "I was hoping to win back some of Shampoo's trust by offering my services to train her to new levels so that she might never suffer such a humiliating defeat again, but now it seems that her training regimen will need to be cut back for a few months six to nine, depending on who you ask on the subject, Silk or my granddaughter."

"Young people are so rash and impulsive these days," Katsuhitsu remarked, ignoring the sound of an explosion echoing somewhere on the mountain.

"What was that?" Cologne asked with her battle-reflexes causing her to tense up slightly.

"Just more rash and impulsive behavior on the part of some young people I know," her father replied, "You get used to these things after a while, so pay it no mind."

Cologne settled back in her seat and remarked, "It sounds as if our lives have more in common than I might have once suspected, Father, but to return back to my point, life has just gotten complicated for my great granddaughter and her airen, to say nothing of what a baby will mean to their future happiness. They might be of age back in China, but here in Japan these three are still counted as too young to form a stable family situation on their own. I had thought to give them a couple more years before they would settle down and take on the responsibilities of a family life together. In a way I should have suspected that something like this would happen, but with everything that has been happening of late " she sighed, "If only that miserable dwarf hadn't splashed me with Jusenkyo water "

"You are certain of its effects?" Katsuhitsu inquired, "You can't assume your aged disguise? What if you splashed yourself with hot tea water ?" he extended the pot with a helpful expression.

"I'm afraid my condition cannot be reversed like a regular Jusenkyo curse," Cologne waved away the offer, "It was water from the spring of the Drowned Girl, and I am a young girl in body already, though my thoughts at times make me feel very ancient. The water appears to have strengthened my mental conception of myself so that I can no longer form the disguise of great age, nor even think of myself in that context. This is a complete disaster for me as I now stand exposed in my true form before Shampoo and the others, and should word of this ever reach the ears of the Council "

"It might be difficult to explain your perpetual youthfulness," Katsuhitsu shrugged his shoulders, "I can see how you might find that awkward, having to explain why you've been withholding the truth about yourself for so many generations. It was to avoid complications such as this that I generally avoid having too many close personal contacts. Living on a mountain guarding an ancient shrine has its advantages in that way, and should I meet someone whom I knew a few generations back, they always assume that I'm my own grandson."

"Convenient for you, Father," Cologne replied, "But it still leaves me to face the situation that Ambergris spelled out for me before departing once again for China."

"Oh?" Katsuhitsu asked, "And what was that?"

"She drew me aside and asked to speak to me in private," Cologne began with a sigh, "What else was I to do? She knows enough about me now to ruin our family's standing in the Council. In a way her words were coached as a friendly bit of advance, one warrior to another, but taken as they were " she sighed again, then sobered, "She explained to me that she once had a vision come to her, of herself leading the Amazons to victory against a terrible opposition. Coupled with a prediction that once was made by Lotion my former pupil, that is, and not her great granddaughter "

"I see," Katsuhitsu urged her to continue.

"She said," Cologne began again, "And I quote that Elder Lotion told her that she was fated to be the next Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, and that this was necessary to save the Amazons against a looming threat darkening our collective future. According to this prophecy only Ambergris can stand against the challenges and lead our people into a bright the future, but if anyone else besides her becomes Matriarch, it would spell the doom of all our people."

"I see," Katsuhitsu said again, "And do you believe her?"

"In truth I know not what to believe any more," Cologne sighed, "But somehow I do trust her. Ambergris is clever and resourceful, more so than any ten warriors that I have had the distinction of observing from close proximity. Had she intended mischief against Shampoo or my House, she would have contrived it in a less obvious manner than to simply challenge Shampoo for her title. Her ambition is quite impressive, but I am not inclined to think that she would be as ruthless in the pursuit of power and influence in our village as I might be in her position. I believe her to be sincere in her claim that becoming the new Matriarch is truly for the good of our people and not just some form of personal aggrandizement."

"She does sound remarkable for one of her tender age," Katsuhitsu eyed his daughter shrewdly, "It seems to me as if you both admire and resent her. Could it be that she reminds you overmuch of someone you once knew long ago, who had similar ambitions?"

Cologne refused to rise to the bait and just gave her father a faintly disapproving look before continuing, "I would admit that she has great potential and might one day become a very formidable leader. For now it is the other part of what she said that I find troubling. The stripling had the nerve to advise me that I should consider the odd chain of events that brought the rest of our immediate family to Japan, which I must confess had been disturbing me on at least a subliminal level. She hinted that there might be more than mere coincidence behind this, then suggested that the fates themselves might be warning me to distance our family against some possible tide of circumstances that might be working against us. Shampoo obviously does not wish to return to China at least not right away, while she is settling in to her new life with her airen. Comb and her husband wish to eventually return to resume their duties in our village, but I don't sense any great haste to depart from either of their quarter. My other two granddaughters are just finding out what a vast and wonderful world exists outside our tiny realm, and being teenagers, of course, they are quite curious and precocious. I think Silk intends to renew more than just her relationship with the outsider man who captured her heart and fathered a child on her, and her daughter has already settled in to life with her husband, so you can see how it might appear to a casual observer as if we are being given reasons not to return home, as if to do so might brook the wrath of the gods or at least that is what it seems like."

"I see," Katsuhitsu remarked, "Do you suppose that Ambergris herself might pose a threat to your House, or one of your fellow elders? Who was that charming young thing who once stole a man away from you all those years ago? Be something?"

"Be-Dea," Cologne frowned, "And no, I don't think the upstart is intending direct harm against our family, nor would the other Council members be willing to cause trouble for us if it is not in their immediate interest. Comb is our village healer, one of three who have attained her level of competence in our immediate region, and her husband is valued for his skills as our village mechanic. I don't see how any of our traditional enemies would gain by seeking harm to the twins, Shampoo or even her baby, and matters have been quiet with the Musk dynasty of late, so I cannot see any reason for why we should be so concerned about a return trip to China."

"But you suspect trouble nonetheless," Katsuhitsu remarked in tones that made clear that it was not an actual question.

"Yes," Cologne signed, "I cannot shake this feeling that Ambergris's warning portends very troublesome things in our immediate future. I have learned to trust my instincts over the years, and they are telling me that it would be best for everyone to have my family extend their stay in Japan for the foreseeable future."

"I think that might be wise," Katsuhitsu said soberly, then as he was wont to do, his mercurial mood swings caused him to smile delightedly and add, "It would give me a chance to meet my great-great granddaughters. You could have them visit me here in the family shrine. I'm sure that my son-in-law would be glad to put you up for the duration."

"That is generous of you, Father," Cologne replied, "And perhaps I will take you up on this offer sometime in the future. But for now there is another matter than I with to discuss well, more like sound off with you to see if you can add anything to my own careful perceptions."

"Ah," Katsuhitsu replied sagely, "We come at last to the crux of the matter. What is wrong, Kho-Lon? What is the real reason that you came out all this way to visit with your poor old father?"

Cologne eyed him dubiously at the "old part," for in spite of his great age, the man sitting before her was anything but doddering and senile. having dropped the appearance of old age in her presence, out of respect for her condition, "I came, father because I need your advice. There are few others whom I could consult with regarding the courses of action that I might take at the present few I could consider as an Elder at any rate. The fact is I do not know what to make of my life if I am unable to resume my duties as Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku. I have been the eldest one of our tribe for so long, and there have been occasions when I have, out of necessity and when justified by circumstances performed some questionable actions and given the recent way in which my past mistakes have been coming back to haunt me " she sighed, only to react with a start when she felt his hand caress hers from across the table.

"There now," he smiled gently, "I'm sure you've always acted in what you felt was the best interest of all concerned parties, and you think I haven't had more than my share of regrets? Your little sister was one of many foolish mistakes that I have never ceased chiding myself over. If only I had been more of a father to her when she most needed my protection " he glanced down at the table and allowed himself a rare moment when regret fully emerged from behind his mask of unruffled dignity and noble bearing.

Cologne took a long moment before she resumed again, "Father I know you've had your reasons for staying away from us for so long a time, and I regret that I have not sought you out more often, but I never thought it wise to dwell much in the past, and I respected your privacy until now. It seems that I may have occasion to call upon you more often in times to come I only hope that this won't prove to be too much of a bother."

"Not for me surely," Katsuhitsu replied with his usual cheerful demeanor, "And it would do Tenchi good to meet up with his aunt once in a while. The boy has certainly had his fair share of adventures recently, and I dare say that he could stand to benefit for some Amazon wisdom."

"He does seem like a charming lad," Cologne mused, unable to help comparing the soft-spoken boy with her own son-in-law and wondering how much they might share in common, "Perhaps I should visit more often, if only to pay my respects to the demon you've been guarding."

"She's out, by the way," Katsuhitsu revealed, having timed the moment to where she had taken another sip of tea, which she promptly spat out in the manner that he had predicted, "Ryoko's one of those 'Interesting Things' that I've been meaning to mention. Not to worry, though her long stay in that cave has made her somewhat more agreeable in temperament, if not outright domestic."

"I can see we do have much catching up to do, Father," Cologne remarked as she hastily wiped her mouth and chin of all traces of tea that she had just spat out, sensing as she did this an epic story worth telling around campfires, "Now that I think of it, I believe I did catch sight of an unusual lady hovering around the boy when we briefly touched bases at that mountain resort. I'll reserve judgement about the demon until you supply me with more of the details."

"Fair enough," Katsuhitsu agreed, "But what of your story? You didn't tell me the upshot of your private meeting with this Ambergris "

"Not much to tell," Cologne replied, "Other than that I promised to take her words under advisement. I also bade her good fortune in her efforts at becoming my replacement."

"You did?" Katsuhitsu could not quite conceal his surprise at this.

"Of course," Cologne's lovely face conveyed amusement, "If I cannot return home, then at least I can send her to my fellow Elders with a message excusing my prolonged absence, and besides I rather think she might make a pretty fair Matriarch, one who would keep my fellow Elders in line should I be unable to continue my own duties. At the very least they deserve her."

"Rather like loosing a pink-furred tiger on a gathering of old hens, eh?" Katsuhitsu smiled, "Father would have loved you at court. I always thought you'd make a formidable Juraian Princess."

"Why thank you, Father," Cologne replied with affection, then her eyes went tot he door of the little shrine and she added, "And you can tell my nephew that if he wants to listen in on our conversation, then at the very least he ought to join us instead of sneaking around with a glass pressed to one ear it might make his lady friends suspicious."

Katsuhitsu turned and his voice became as roughened and withered as the old man he so often appeared to be to others, "Tenchi, I thought you still had chores that needed doing!"

There was a loud, "AWP!" followed by a crash and a hasty scramble, as if some figure were hastily departing the premises, which caused Cologne no end of amusement, deciding there and then that the lad did indeed share a great deal in common with his cousin, Ranma

Continued 


	75. Chapter 75

Summary:  
After all the excitement they've been through, Ranma, Nabiki, Shampoo and the rest of the gang decide a peaceful day at the beach is in order, but then Life is a Beach when Happosai shows up!

A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Pregnant! I still can't get over the idea that Shampoo is pregnant. I mean, it's a logical result of all the fun activity we've been indulging in, and those bedroom acrobatics were bound to pay off with Ranma being male at least a part of the time, but still pregnant? You have to admit it's pretty mind blowing!

I mean, we're still just kids and all that, and having a baby is well an awfully big responsibility to have to cope with. Okay, I'm almost eighteen, Ranma and Shampoo will be pushing seventeen in another few months, so legally we're covered, at least as far as Japanese law would define it. In some countries it might be rated as statutory rape, but let's not even begin to go into that question, shall we? It's enough just trying to figure out how we're going to support our own family-within-a-family, and did I mention already that I'm a little freaked out about Shampoo being pregnant?

Okay, so I'm rambling a bit, but can you blame me? I mean c'mon! Having a kid is such a big responsibility. I was still trying to decide for myself how long I should put off having kids, and here's Shampoo jumping the gun and getting pregnant before we're even formally married! Of course she's technically married to Ranma already by the rules of her society, so she's pretty much covered by that angle, but not by Japanese law, which would not recognize the marriage as legal without the benefit of a formal ceremony and a qualified priest, and then you add to it the fact that I'm looking to marry Ranma and am already "technically" married to Shampoo, and yes it really does sound as confusing as it feels, doesn't it? Never mind the question of what I'll do if it turns out that I'm also pregnant too after all, it's not like any of us has been using protection!

Oy! Just the idea of me being pregnant is enough to make me get chills down to my kneecaps!

I mean, not that I don't mean to someday get pregnant, just I'd rather wait on it a while until I get through a few years of college. Not that I'd object if I did wind up pregnant and all that I just want my life to have a little stability before I get that settled down into marriage

Oh geez, I just typed the M word again! Now I'm gonna have a major case of the jitters in another few weeks when the wedding is scheduled to happen!

Anyway, it's been a few days since all that business with Ambergris went down, and Doctor Tofu assures us it will be some time before we know for sure if Shampoo is pregnant or not, Amazon Lore Mastery notwithstanding. The good news is that Lotion is out of bed and back to being her old, irascible self (the older one, I mean, not the Younger), and I am definitely glad of that, as much as it means that I'm back to my training! Odd thing to worry about that, seeing as it was the weekend and everybody decided to celebrate together by taking a trip to the beach for a little recreation. The basic idea was that we'd all unwind and relax after all the stressful events of the past week.

Naturally nobody was paying attention to the script. That's the problem with this crowd, too much ad-libbing!

The problem, naturally enough, originated with the old man, but then I'm starting to believe that Happosai exists to cause we of the younger generation no end of grief with his mischief. Of course the fact that part of this revolved around Ukyo and Cologne could not honestly be anticipated, and for once Ranma, Shampoo and me were on the periphery of the action, but that's getting ahead of my telling this story

It begins with our merry little band convening on the sands of Yokohama beach, and what a sight we made! It had been close to a year since my family was last able to afford such a beach outing so we bought new bathing suits since our old suits were a size too small for a few of us (I won't mention names, but a certain sister of mine has "bigger bones" than she'll admit to). Kodachi generously offered to pay the cost (though I suspect she likes dressing up my older sister, and even I have to admit that Kasumi in her new suit looked stunning, if "suit" you can actually call the pieces of gauze linked together by dental floss that she talked my normally conservative sister into wearing-another euphemism of convenience, I assure you!).

I have to admit that I rather enjoyed trying suits out with Shampoo (who looks stunning in just about anything she's wearing), but Ranma was a problem, what with the fact that we were going to be spending most of the day right next to a very large body of water, which precluded him going in male form, and getting him to accept even a tank-top suit with "his" figure was no easy picnic, even with my skills as a negotiator. In the end he opted for a neutral, gender-free one-piece that would at least stretch with any changes in his anatomy, size and physique. Honestly the way his ego gets ruffled by little things like his appearance makes me wonder if his girl-form is as surface-deep as he's always maintaining.

I was faintly amused at the fuss Akane made when Kodachi and Kasumi combined their efforts to turn her into a human "dresser's doll," mainly owing to her peculiar curse as the ability to spontaneously sprout a pair of wings does impose a kind of fashion challenge that's rather unique, if not outright daunting. Rather than be intimidated, however, those two seemed to relish trying out new stuff at Akane's expense, and in the end they wound up buying my youngest sister an entire wardrobe, not just the one-piece suit that left Akane's backside exposed down to the base of her spine, which has got to be embarrassing for her as the Akane I've always known is terribly self-conscious about her body. Who knew what the power of lust could do to un-frigidaire my normally prudish sisters?

I refer, of course, to Kuonji, who elected to come to the beach with us in her guy form (same reasoning as why Ranma was female). Akane obviously wanted to show off in front of him and not just Ryoga, who acquired a pair of swimming trunks by means of his mother. I have to admit that Ukyo looked pretty hunky in the outfit she showed up with on that beach, and even knowing that he's really a girl can't make you overlook that handsome physique and stunning pectorals, which contrasted nicely with Ranma's own manly profile (a pity he wouldn't be able to show it on this occasion).

Ah, who am I kidding? I gaped just as hard as Shampoo when we first saw Ukyo-kun show up on that beach, turning the heads of every heterosexual (or-in our case-bisexual) girl in sight. His "bishonen" looks made me fully understand Akane's peculiar attraction, and about the only one who did not seem to appreciate his guy form was Ryoga himself, who glared murderously at Kuonji as if daring the cursed girl to give him an excuse to start something.

A real surprise was the discovery that some of our Amazon friends had not yet returned to China as intended. Seeing Ambergris show up on that beach was only slightly more surprising than the sight of the pink haired Amazon, accompanied by Perfume and Lotion (the Younger, I mean). I had thought that they were heading back home a few days earlier, but apparently their plane reservations had been cancelled due to a technicality, so they elected to stay a week and take in the sights that Japan has to offer.

I caught Shampoo giving her blue-haired ex a more than slightly dismayed lookover, and in spite of my irritation on that subject, I had to admit that the young apprentice Healer did look good in a two-piece, though it was obvious enough for me that the one she was truly interested in pleasing was Perfume, who was just as sexy looking in her own micro-thin outfit.

Naturally Makoto and her all-girl gang showed up to join us, though I think it was mainly the tall girl's friends egging her on as none of them seemed privy to the fact that Makoto's "Senpai" was really a cross-dresser. I had to wonder a bit about what that Makoto is thinking chasing after Ukyo while pretending not to. It drives Akane to distraction to have someone as good looking and well-endowed like that pursuing her "boyfriend."

Lest I forget the adults (much as I might try to) they also chose to come out in style, or whatever style most seemed to reflect the peculiarities of their individual natures. Comb and Silk wore revealing outfits that flattered their still-taut figures very nicely, while Nodoka elected to wear a plainer one-piece suit that was dignified and distinguished without being the least bit showy. Atsuko seemed to be competing against Comb in the sex department, and she was flirting outrageously with Genma, who of course was in panda mode (I don't even know why he bothered wearing swimming trunks in the first place). I was more amused by that than I was with Silk's flaunting herself around Daddy, who seemed all too aware of her ample charms, being a little too much like Momma for my liking.

I think the award for "I don't believe it" should go to Yumi, Ukyo's robust aunt, who came to the beach looking like a female body builder in a suit that was obviously too small for her muscular figure. She's no raving beauty like Kuonji Jr., but what she lacks in classic looks she more than makes up for in character, the kind that flattens you if you so much as crack a hint of a smile, smirk or snicker!

Of course a real surprise came in the form of our other sister, Kachu, who showed up with Tofu-sensei, but I'm getting ahead of myself on that score since it was the one who accompanied them who brought the most gasps and looks of total disbelief and incomprehension.

I mean go figure who would have believed that the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku would look so hot showing up in a bikini?

Maybe I can't entire shake the mental image of her as the Old Ghoul, but the sight of the Indigo haired Cologne in something that revealed the vigor and youth of her body was stunning enough to even give Shampoo a case of whiplash. Cologne was just outright gorgeous, and it was easy to see from what branch of the apple tree her granddaughter and great granddaughter had fallen.

Let's see is that everyone? Did I leave anyone else out? Oh yeah! My "father-in-law," Hairbrush, and Shampoo's two precocious sisters, who were wearing matching suits that contrasted their odd hair colors in a really psychedelic effect that I found visually quite unnerving.

I think I caught sight of Ranma's cousin Tenchi and his entourage of psychotic beauties somewhere on that beach, but that's not a very significant issue in light of all the fun that started out when Happosai joined our merry list of players

Happosai stood on the edge of the beach gazing down at the tantalizing sight of so many scantily clad bathing beauties traipsing about in total abandon of normal social conventions. The normally austere and reserved Japanese had a way of reverting to a more carefree and laid back juvenile status by the call of nature, which made this place almost a holy spot by his reckoning of such matters. Normally he would be chasing about the beach looking to grope and cuddle as many of the fairer set as he could manage, and recharging his batteries of perversion power in the process.

The problem was that he was currently captivated by one beauty in particular, the one who took his breath away and left him stupefied in awe, having almost forgotten what power she could have upon even his overly jaded nature.

Cologne did not look one day removed from when he first laid eyes upon her in her humble mountain village. The shy and modest young girl she had been then had been buried over the years into a twisted, embittered old hag with no resemblance to her actual nature. Now that he knew the truth, that it was but a mere illusion she had cast to disguise her unchanging radiance, he had to pause and reflect on what dark emotions must have motivated such a deception. Could she truly have lost so much of her innocence that she would want to hide herself in such a withered shell of unloving reflection?

In part he knew that he was at fault for helping to bring about such an unwelcome transformation. His failure to remain faithful to her weighed heavily on his ancient soul, as much as the wasted potential of what might have been had they been able to reconcile their differences and live together as man and wife were supposed to. Though the years had colored his memory and perception of the events that preceded their parting, in his heart he cherished one memory of having received a gift from her, a memory he wanted to rekindle in Cologne, for which he was prepared to approach her on bended knee and beg for her forgiveness.

Him, the Most Perverted of all Martial Arts Masters, the founder of the Anything Goes Ryu, a man to whom shame and guilt were unknown qualities, ready to humble himself for the sake of a woman who seemed openly to despise him. In every way she seemed worth a small sacrifice to his ego, if only he could convince her that he was sincere this time, that he really did intend to make a real commitment.

To that end he came bringing her a gift to serve as a reminder of what might have happened. In a sense he was returning a family heirloom, something she had given him at the time of their parting of ways, and so by showing it to her now he would prove that he had kept this treasure with him for the near three centuries of their separation.

What an irony to reflect on the events of a mere twenty years back, when Cologne had sent those two young cuties, Comb and Silk, in a hapless attempt to recover the lost treasures of the Amazons, which were in his possession. If they had only come to ask instead of attempt to force him to give the artifacts back he might have consented to be generous if they had permitted him a quick feel and some of their undergarments, of course.

But now Happosai had one advantage that he had lacked in the old days now he was a young and handsome youth and TALLER than when he was actually a youth all thanks to the magic of Jusenkyo, a fact he intended to make full use of now that he had a goal in life beyond the collection of undergarments. He had the looks of a man to whom women would naturally fall sway, and all he had to do was turn on the charm and work the old Happosai magic

"Watch out!" a voice cried in warning, just one second before something collided with the back of his head and knocked Happosai over from sheer surprise, not so much from the force of the blow as from the speed of its delivery, as if shot out of a cannon.

"Hey, are you all right?" a young voice inquired, "So sorry about that, sometimes Ryoko doesn't know her own strength!"

"Excuse me?" Happosai asked as he started to recover his bearings, seeing the beach ball bounce to the ground some distance away from where he lay sprawled with his face in the dirt. He was just beginning to get angry over the inexplicable weakness that he always suffered in his cursed form when he looked up to see a pair of legs only a few feet away from his nose, legs that he slowly followed up and up the long way to see the body they connected to, and from there to gaze up through the peaks and valleys of a very scenic landscape to the Cyan haired cutie looking down at him from a lofty distance.

"Hey there, you okay guy?" she asked, her sharply angular face curling a playfully predatory smile, golden eyes full of sensuous mischief.

"Yowza " Happosai softly murmured, ignoring the young boy who bent down to offer him a hand as his baser instincts started to take over

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

"Great Grandmother?" I asked, my mouth no doubt hanging open as I gaped at the vision that stood before me.

"What?" Great Grandmother replied as if oblivious to the stares that she was receiving from those of us who most intimately knew her, "Did you imagine that I never knew how to have fun when I was your age, dear child? I don't often get to indulge myself in this manner, and certainly not back home in China."

"Grandmother?" my mother said in equal parts astonishment and dismay, as if the very notion that the Elder to our House could be such a stunning attraction in a Western-styled swimming suit, which on her even I found to be a little daring.

(Not that Mother does not impress me with her own good looks, and being my elder by at least a generation, I can take pride in that fact, even as Father looked distinguished and handsome in his own unique way, but I suppose that I am overly prejudiced in his favor).

"Oh my," murmured Silk, no doubt mirroring my mother's thoughts on the matter, "If the Council could only see you now, Matriarch, I think there would be more than a few words of gossip spoken."

"Quite possibly, child," Great Grandmother replied as she turned to regard the sea with a peculiarly wistful expression, "But I suppose it no longer matters now since I cannot return home until I have re-learned the art of masking my thoughts from others. I have decided to rather take advantage of my condition to enjoy my youth, as I never had when I was a young girl in China. Whatever the future may hold, I must face it as befits an Elder."

Great Grandmother headed off towards the surf, her youthful body radiating energy and power as she began to trot, which turned into a full-out run until she reached the edge of the water, at which point I became aware that more than one set of eyes were tracking her every motion. She waded out into the surf until the waves lapped up around her hips, at which point she unhesitatingly dove in and briefly vanished from our sight, at which point some spell that had been cast over me was broken and I began to react to the sights and sounds in my immediate surroundings.

It was Atsuko who was the first to voice an opinion on the subject, though all she did was mouth the thought that was foremost in all of our minds, "What the heck was that all about? Is she losing it or something?"

"I would say that Elder Cologne is reflecting on the strange directions that her life appears to have taken," replied rose-girl Kodachi with an unusually thoughtful tone to her voice, "As would I were I in her position."

"Oh my," remarked nice-girl Kasumi, "I suppose that must be very awkward for the honored Elder. She can't be very used to receiving this sort of attention."

"A good point that," observed my father, "Grandmother has always taken a lot under her shoulders in the past, but now that she's faced with a future in which she doesn't control anything, it must be very frightening indeed."

"Great Grandmother no be Elder anymore?" asked my sister, Ling-Ling.

"Great Grandmother no sit on the Council?" echoed my other sister, Lung-Lung, in an eerie echo of the same voice, "Then what happen to family?"

"Other Elders no want Great Grandmother to lead Amazon people?" and the twins exchanged looks of nervous apprehension between them.

I confess that such thoughts expressed my own unvoiced concerns in this matter, for Great Grandmother's behavior of late has been a puzzle even to me, who knows her as well as any besides my mother. In truth I am still angry with her over her years of deception after all, that whole situation with Ambergris had been the result of her meddling in our friendship. Holding back the knowledge of Lotion's survival was another sore point for which I had yet to forgive her, but something deep within me spoke of concerns much deeper than this for the Elder of my family. Something was bothering Great Grandmother, something she would not share with us, which always suggested to me that we should all be greatly worried.

Anything that is too much for a Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku to handle is certainly far worse than a humble Warrior such as I could imagine.

"Whoah," I heard the word escape the lips of my husband (or I suppose I should call her my first wife as she was presently female) as though from a delayed reaction on her part had just set in, and I turned to follow his gaze to see that she was taking notice of Great Grandmother, who was presently surfacing from the water, her body displaying such tone that even I was impressed. I had to restrain myself momentarily as I felt the unusual desire to hit her.

Instead I took comfort in thoughts that I was assured of Ranma's love, for which I briefly set hands to my as-yet smooth stomach and thought of the child growing within me, proof of his love and devotion, to saying nothing of his growing skills in the bedchamber! I then took notice of my lovely wife, who was sharing with me a certain regard of our mutual sex-changed husband, and I felt a warm feeling come over me as arousal and desire made the air feel considerably warmer than it had until that moment. I had to remind myself of the stupid Japanese prejudice about displaying too much affection in public and thought instead of ways by which I might contrive to lure both of my beloveds to some secluded location where I could express myself without reservations.

The poor things have been under so much stress lately, it would only be the duty of a wife to take their minds off of any impending problems.

I was briefly amused to notice that Kachu and her husband were lathering each other down with tanning lotion, much as I understood was the custom to prevent premature burning from so much sun-exposure. The thought gave me inspiration, and it seems that I was not the only one to have this notion be suggested, for I heard Kodachi ask Kasumi to lather her up, which my older sister-in-law seemed only too happy to oblige, much to my wife's evident annoyance.

I was less amused as I noticed my mother scowling at Ryoga's mother as the Oni-woman attempted to interest Ranma's father in applying lotion to her back, but I was infinitely more amused when Ranma's mother offered to do it for her, which caused Atsuko to express such a look of dismay and alarm that it dawned on me that she was frightened of my mother-in-law for some odd reason.

Such did not seem to be the case with my other father-in-law, who displayed little hesitation in accepting Silk's offer for a lathering. I did catch Kuonji's Aunt Yumi frowning at the two of them, but I did not consider at the time that it was any of my business.

Then Akane asked the boy-type Ukyo if he would be kind enough to apply lotion to her back, and his expression was one I will cherish for years, especially when the tall girl named Makoto asked to be lotioned after Akane. Even Ranma's father did not seem half so sandbagged between two such promising and interested parties!

How Lotion talked Perfume into appearing near-naked on this beach is something to be wondered in view of how sun-sensitive she has always been, far too prone to burning and no where near this daring. Lotion assured that she would heal my cousin if she did develop sun-rash, an offer that-coming from her lips-sounded laced with the promise of something more than just a rubdown.

I hid the smile that I was feeling in my heart as I turned to Ranma and asked if she would accommodate me in such a manner. I watched her eyes go very round, as though I had just asked her to do something very shocking, but then an impulse that I thought generous on my part prompted me to suggest that Ranma begin with Nabiki, and this time I could not hold back a chuckle as I saw a nearly identical look of surprise cross her lovely features.

On reflection I must concede that it is very sneaky of these Japanese to devise a means by which they can circumvent their normal inhibitions. No one can be accused of doing other than insure an even distribution of sun-lotion while allowing your hands to explore areas of skin normally considered taboo to such affectionate treatment. Such social restrictions did not appear to bind either Kasumi or Kodachi as they took turns applying sun cream to each of their bodies, and I could tell from the expression on Kachu's face how much she was enjoying the way her husband took advantage of her submission to such treatment. I yearned to allow my own considerable knowledge of Shiatsu-point massage to flow through my hands into the flesh of my two most dearly beloveds, but before we could get down to such delightful play we had a series of untimely interruptions, beginning with the unexpected arrival of our home room teacher, Miss Hinako

Nabiki's Journal Continues.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention somebody else who showed up on that beach with no prior warnings the ever-pesky Hinako Ninamiya, who seems to have set her eyes upon Ranma and Cologne as her "special projects."

"What are you doing here?" I asked as the deceptively young-looking girl came walking up to us in a swimsuit that seemed rather large for her petite frame.

"That, Tendo-san, is the question that I should be asking of you," she replied in tones that would have sounded a lot more stern coming from a proper adult who did not have the stains of chocolate ice cream on her childish features, "There is an assignment due in your economics studies "

"I know," I replied, "And it's already finished."

She hardly blinked an eye at that as she turned to Ranma and said, "And what about you, Saotome? Is this how you study for the quiz in your social studies assignment?"

"Ah, lay off, Teach," Ranma groaned in evident disgust, "It's a day off from school already! I'll do my studies with Nabiki before class starts up again, I promise!"

"Not good enough by half," she frowned, "Might I remind you that you still have a lot of make-up tests and assignments that you need to bring your overall grade point average closer to the accepted school standards? I've made a lot of concessions for you on account that you spent a year away from classes in advanced martial arts training, but just because we belong to the same Ryu is no reason to expect me to continue to favor you with such special treatment!"

I was a little surprised to hear her admit that she and Ranma had that much in common, owing to the fact that her form of the Anything Goes School largely consists of being an energy-leaching vampire.

Before any of us could speak words to that effect, however, we were interrupted by the sound of a loud cry ringing out from over our heads, and we all looked up in time to see a young and handsome Happosai sailing in an arc that inevitably brought him to a one-point landing at the feet of Cologne, who was just then coming ashore from her brief swim in the waters, which of course is what set a bizarre chain of weird events in full motion

Happosai pried his face out of the wet sand in what had to be the second biggest blow that his ego had taken in as many minutes. Once again his line of sight encountered a pair of shapely legs only a foot or so from his flaring nostrils, which automatically caused him to track up the scenic view that took his line of sight through some interesting territory.

What surprised him, however, was that his search ended abruptly as he encountered Cologne's much-surprised expression.

"Happy?" she asked before disgust tainted her vision, her green eyes turning hard as she growled in distaste, "Who was it you were annoying this time?"

"Eheh " the blonde youth tried to sound more nonchalant than he was feeling, having the odd sense of a little boy being scolded by his mother. In an attempt to regain whatever dignity he had left, he sat up and held out the bracelet, "I believe this is yours I thought maybe I ought to return it."

Cologne's reaction was something other than he had expected as she nearly took a step backwards and regarded the thing as if it were poisoned.

"Where did you get that thing?" she hissed, then answered her own question, "No wait that was one of the artifacts that you stole from me, wasn't it? I know that bracelet such a thing does not belong in your possession!"

She made a grab for it, but Happosai was a fraction swifter in snatching it back. His suspicious nature had been aroused, so he momentarily forgot his intent of using it as a peace offering and instead replied, "Just a moment, Old Woman what exactly is it about this trinket that you seem to think is so important?"

"That is not your concern!" Cologne hissed, making a second grab for the artifact, but Happosai leaped to his feet and darted his way, managing to maintain a distance between them.

"I thought so!" he cried in realization, "It's magic, isn't it? It's one of your special treasures, and you weren't going to tell me about it either! That's just like you, Old Woman, never wanting to share your special treasures with poor ol' Happy."

The "old woman" in question screwed up her lovely features in a snarl of contempt and prepared to launch herself at him, heedless of the risk that he might try to fondle her in the ensuing melee, a small price to her dignity if it meant parting from him the object of their current contention.

But then a blue haired woman materialized in the space between them, snarling furiously as she grabbed Happosai by the neck and began to shake him.

"I'm not done with you yet, you pervert!" she cried as she began shaking him like a leaf, "Bad enough with that Ataru creep trying to grope at every girl on this beach, but if you think I'm actually letting you get away with it !"

That was when one of the three pearls on the bracelet detached itself and shot forward to imbed itself in the opened mouth of Ryoko, who stood stunned for a brief moment choking on the thing in her mouth. Then a peculiar change came over her expression as she had a second look at the handsome youth whom she was choking, and before anyone could say a word otherwise, she turned her actions into a hug as she brought his mouth up to hers and proceeded to kiss him.

It was Happosai's turn to look surprised, not that he was fighting all that hard since the blue haired woman was no longer resisting his efforts to grope her.

"Ryoko?" cried a young man, whom Cologne recognized as her nephew, Tenchi, who came running up the beach as if afraid that he would be too late to prevent a murder. He halted with such suddenness that the purple haired woman following on his heals collided with his backside.

"Oof!" cried Cologne's Aunt Ayeka, "Lord Tenchi, would you mind giving me more warning the next time that you do-THAT?" she shared the youth's sudden disbelieving expression.

Cologne sighed, having already figured out what had just happened, and casually walked up behind the Space-Pirate and notorious "demoness" and laid the flat of her hand at a precise point along her backside. Ryoko broke her kiss and coughed out the pearl that she had almost swallowed, which promptly lodged itself into the open mouth of Ayeka.

"Oops," Cologne realized her own elder and briefly wondered which of the three pearls it was that had found her errant kinswoman.

Tenchi was still standing stupefied at the sight of Ryoko kissing a young man (and a handsome stranger no less!) and did not react when Ayeka walked around him and pushed Happosai rudely to the side, heading straight for the confused-looking space pirate.

"Wh-what just Ayeka?" Ryoko started to exclaim, only to react in a most comical manner when the Princess of the Jurai threw her arms around her and gave the space pirate a kiss of incredible ardor.

Cologne merely sighed and wondered if she could pry the pearl out of her aunt before it caused any more trouble. Then she realized that Happosai had used the momentary confusion to make a hasty exit, and in that moment she felt a rare moment of indecision. Filial responsibility warred with dread over what might happen if Happosai realized the bracelet's full potential, but the issue was resolved for her as Ayeka suddenly pushed Ryoko away and stared at the former Space Pirate as if dreading that she might have acquired some horrible disease by her brief display of affection.

That at least clarified which of the Pearls had been used, now all Cologne had to do was step in and make hasty explanations before World War Three broke out on that beach, (With herself at Ground Zero) and she fervently hoped that this could be resolved in sufficient time to allow her to give chase to her wayward fellow elder.

Overall, Cologne reflected, it was looking to be one of THOSE kinds of mornings

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"What gives with the freak?" asked Ranma as the rest of us looked on in confusion at the weird events playing out on the beach between what looked like her cousin Tenchi and at least two of his girlfriends.

"You got me, Ranma-kun," I replied, "But whatever it is, it looks like it's got the old woman pretty rattled."

"Old woman?" Hinako-sensei inquired, reminding us that at least one member of our immediate party was not privy to all the intimate details.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo chimed in, "You think even evil pervert master try something upset Great Grandmother?"

"That would hardly be beyond his nature," a fourth voice intruded on our conversation, "But then again, no one ever accused my grand uncle of being a sensible person."

"Lotion?" I whirled around, finding the old woman (not her great granddaughter) was standing only a short distance away from me, and without meaning to I think I actually sounded as glad to see her as I actually felt for once. I hastily got myself under control and tried to lamely amend my outburst (though I couldn't help myself for smiling), "You're back I mean are you feeling better?"

"Well enough, child," she gave me a slight smile with a twinkling in her eyes that betrayed her own amusement, "A bit of rest was all these old bones of mine truly needed to refresh myself, and I can see that you've been taking it far too easy during my brief absence."

I tried to look suitably contrite, but I couldn't stop smiling. It was good to see her up and about, and I'd been worried more than I even care to admit in private since watching her get struck down by Atsuko's evil mother, Cybelle.

"So what are you doing here, Granny?" Ranma asked, indicating that the old woman was the only one not appropriately dressed for the weather, and I admit that I started to worry myself about that, hoping that she wasn't too hot and uncomfortable wearing a robe in this weather.

"Is that any way for you to be addressing a teacher, Saotome?" Hinako-sensei demanded sternly, but Lotion waved the point aside with an affable expression.

"It's quite all right, and coming from her it sounds more like an endearment," she turned to address Ranma directly and continued, "I've come to claim my student for a time, young War Master," she included Shampoo with her casual nod, "That is if it is all right with the both of you. I promise not to be too long in monopolizing her interests."

"If you say is important training, Elder," Shampoo replied with endearing reluctance, leaning over to give me a hug and a peck on the cheek that left me blushing in spite of my fervent desire not to, "You train hard, Airen, then Shampoo have turn mono-polizing attention."

My imagination absolutely refused to supply the details of what that girl had in mind, mainly because doing so would have blown my Ice Queen rep out of the water forever!

To cover for my shifting emotional state, I got to my feet and said, "What do you want me to do, Grandma?"

"This way," the old woman indicated with her staff and began walking forward, prompting me to follow, all too conscious of Ranma and Shampoo watching me leave, and wishing that they could follow.

Of course by leaving I wound up missing most of the action, which I count as a mixed blessing since I hear things heated up pretty fast around Happosai

Happosai checked to make certain that no pursuit was on his heals before slowing down to a trot and glancing at the bracelet in his hand, wondering what was so special about the thing that it could drive Cologne to such distraction. The fact that she wasn't following him was actually quite curious in itself, as though something had momentarily distracted her, such as the very odd behavior of the blue haired cutie who one moment was trying to kill him, the next had latched on a lip-lock that could make any pervert's head spin!

It did not escape his notice that one pearl was missing from its setting, which opened up a new field of speculation that his fertile imagination was quick to supply with the details. A pearl that could transform hate into affection? Sounded very much like Amazon magic at work here, the kind they often used to ensnare innocent young men into their crafty clutches, such as when all else failed in procuring a man for a husband.

A love bracelet! He felt like dancing for joy at the bounty the fates had left for him, and to think he had such a thing in his possession for years but never even suspected! Even more chastening to think that he had been ready to make a present of it to Cologne when with the power inherent in these pearls he could have the pick of the best women of either Japan or China! Why waste it on an old crone in a young body ?

And then something almost clever for him came to mind, the perfect revenge to be had for all those lonely years pining away for his lost almost-love, the childhood sweetheart who had obviously become embittered during their years (or centuries) of separation.

If one Pearl could turn a woman's thoughts from violence to lust, then what more perfect use to employ one than to make the Old Woman repent all those years of rejecting him? The more he thought on it the more the notion appealed to his perverted nature. Cologne on her knees begging his forgiveness, supplicating herself to his tender mercies and allowing him to finally lay hands on the temptations offered by her comely body? To reduce her to a virtual sex slave and make her wallow at his feet until he inevitably forgave her and granted the boon of his returned affections. YES! It was too perfect an opportunity to pass up! He smiled just at the thought of finally humbling the proud Matriarch of all the Amazon cuties who had denied him their affections. The more he thought on it, the more convinced he was that this plan was the perfect way of getting even.

Small wonder he had noted a trace of worry, perhaps even fear in Cologne's expression. She doubtless knew the potential of the bracelet to make her come around to seeing things more from his perspective!

Cackling a merry chuckle to himself, he turned around and darted back towards the beach, intent on finding Cologne and putting his theory to the test before she had time enough to organize an effective counterstrike, possibly even recruit more allies.

One way or another he was going to have his way with her at last, and the idea of that alone got him so incredibly excited that he actually ignored the bounteous charms of the other cuties around him, intent on his chosen target with all the dedication that was in his predatory nature

"Hey," Minako called out to her friends, drawing their attention to the blond-haired youth passing near to where they were gathered playing Volleyball with some Furinkan High students, "Does that guy look familiar to you guys? I could swear we saw him just the other day "

"You're right," agreed Ami in surprise, "He was there in the building where we fought that Cybernetic Youma."

"You mean the creep who stole our panties?" Rei snarled, still remembering the horrifying embarrassment of discovering WHY it had felt drafty on that particular occasion.

"Yeah, how'd he do that?" Usagi wondered, "I thought they were a part of our costumes when we change into our Senshi forms."

"Are you going to argue about that again?" said a black moon-cat at her feet with a faint trace of exasperation.

"Heck no," Minako replied, "But whatever that guy's doing out here, he can't be up to any good, which means we gotta follow him, right gang?"

"Right!" the other three chorused, but then Ami voice a secondary concern, "What about Makoto? Should we ask her to join us?"

"Naw," Rei replied, "She's with her Senpai, and I for one would hate to interrupt them while they're having fun."

"I can't say I blame her there," Usagi beamed brightly, "He's such a dreamy hunk, I wouldn't hind hanging around with him myself "

"I thought you had Mamoru?" Rei eyed her with more than slight irritation, "It's the rest of us who don't have boyfriends."

"Oh yeah," Usagi amended lamely, I kinda forgot..."

There was a chorus of sighs from the other three senshi, and had this been an anime series you would have also witnessed a massive sweatdrop. Being "real life," however, they merely resolved to follow after the pervert-thief and "discuss" with him the hazards inherent in stealing somebody's undergarments, preferably through "vigorous" forms of persuasion uniquely at their disposal

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

I saw Great Grandmother approaching us with my husband's kinsman and his companions, and without needing to ask I could tell that something had my kinswoman deeply worried. Great Grandmother is not always so transparent in revealing her thoughts with her expression, but on this occasion she seemed both disturbed and distracted, which is why I did not need to hear the words she spoke to know their significance as Great Grandmother informed us, "We have a problem "

"Trouble Great Grandmother?" Perfume asked, sitting alert without concern that she had been laying facedown on her blanket with her halter top unfastened. Such a thing would not normally warrant my attention, of course, but for the way I saw and heard the Japanese half of our family group react to the sight of her full bosoms, including the round-eyed look that she received from my darling husband. (Or wife, if that does not sound too confusing)

"Yes," my Elder nodded, taking in the both of us in a casual glance before turning her attention towards an area of the beach itself as she continued, "Happosai has one of the treasures of the Amazons, and-worse still-I fear he may have discovered how to use it."

"So what's the problem?" Ranma asked, "How powerful is this thing supposed to be anyway?"

"Simply put it is a Bracelet of Love," Great Grandmother replied, "One that normally contains three pearls, each of which grow once every generation when the bracelet regenerates the spells that are use to form them "

"THAT THING AGAIN?" I heard Mother bolt upright with a shocked expression on her features, "I thought that miserable item had been lost during our last visit!"

"No such luck it would seem," Silk remarked, "Apparently the old man retrieved it from the storm drain where we had thought it lost. A pity we forgot that the pearls would eventually be restored to it so that it could bedevil yet another generation."

All of our eyes turned to regard my mother and favored Aunt with various degrees of mutual astonishment, at which point I asked the question, "You have encounter a thing like this before, Mother?"

"Ah " I was puzzled at why my mother suddenly grew very pinkish hued I did not think that she had been exposing herself to that much sunlight (inadequate protection against burns notwithstanding).

"It's a long story," Silk rather hastily amended, "Suffice to say, for the sake of you young people, that it is best to avoid contact with the three pearls for they have the power to cause one to instantly fall in love with the first person with whom you make eye contact following ingestion."

"I thought that only worked if the person you view were of the opposite gender," my father-in-law, Soun, offered, thus demonstrating a prior knowledge of the bracelet that I found most unnerving.

"Ah right," it was Ryoga's mother who voiced that, and I was further surprised to note that she was avoiding eye-contact with my mother, who was similarly preoccupied studying the recent cloud formations.

"Perhaps it would be more accurate to suggest that the pearls will intensify feelings towards anyone for whom you might potentially share an interest," Silk amended, "It can't actually make you change your preferences, but it will most definitely remove what inhibitions stand between you and the object of your affections."

"Oh my," my mother-in-law, Nodoka, remarked, "That could be very awkward if you look into the eyes of the wrong person, wouldn't it?"

"You could say that," my mother replied in a voice that sounded remarkably like one reluctant to expand upon that topic.

I noticed that another pair were doing their level best to pretend that the other did not exist, the blue-haired demon-girl and the purple haired lady who called herself a Juraian Princess (and I keep racking my brains to remember where I have heard that term employed before, perhaps in regards to Great Grandmother). My husband's kinsman, however, exchanged pleasant greetings with Ranma before sparing a look of concern for his two Airen. I wondered if there might be a connection to the bracelet, only to have my suspicions confirmed moments later by Great Grandmother.

"Each Pearl has a different duration of effect," Silk was explaining for our benefit, "One Pearl only makes you fall in love with someone else for a brief moment the effects wear off almost instantly, or within a few seconds. The second pearl will cause one to fall in love for an entire day, and let me stress that the level of attraction here is not to be underestimated. The party affected will literally rip your clothes off if you allow yourself to become their object of affection."

"And the third pill?" Ukyo asked, "How long does that last?"

"A lifetime," Great Grandmother replied, "And let me assure you that the first pill has already been accounted for, meaning that it is the day and lifetime pill that must concern you."

"So why should we be worried if Great Grandfather has it " Akane started to ask, only to realize the enormous stupidity of her own question, "Oh!"

"That's right," Ukyo's Aunt replied, "A thing like that in the hands of the old pervert is a terrifying concept. He could force any one of us to become his helpless love slave. Why, he might even try something evil like that on me, can you imagine?"

Fortunately for our peace of mind, very few of us have that sort of imagination. I have met women who were far less physically attractive than Kuonji Yumi-Cabinet comes readily to mind-but with her rough and tumble nature she seems even more Amazon than most Amazons, and I wonder just what sort of a wife she might have made for my father-in-law had she prevailed against the competition.

"Gotcha," Ranma nodded, "So you want our help separating this bracelet-thingie from the old freak?"

"No, Son-in-law," Great Grandmother replied, "I want you most of all, and Shampoo as well, to stay as far away from him as possible. Do you think he would spare you knowing that one of these pearls may turn you into the obedient student he has always wanted?"

"Huh?" my husband gasped, "But I'm a guy! I-Oh " she glanced down at herself as if suddenly remembering how often the Demon Master liked to grope her.

"Wait a minute," Hinako glanced at all of us, "A magic bracelet that makes people fall in love? Are you serious?"

"As serious as the plague itself," Great Grandmother continued to look around then ask, "Where is Nabiki?"

"She's with the old woman," Ryoga replied before I could, "I mean the other old woman ah honored Elder "

"Ah," Great Grandmother nodded in comprehension, "If she is with Lotion then she is probably in no danger. It is the rest of us who must be on our guard. We must divide ourselves into teams and begin searching the beach until we find him "

"Divide and Conquer, Elder?" I heard Ambergris remark, announcing her arrival with typical nonchalance, "Not the best strategy for dealing with one as dangerous as this Happosai."

Before continuing, I must say that Amber has more than a bit of the showman in her the way she somehow managed to effect making herself a real presence whenever she puts in an appearance. The swimsuit that she was wearing was as impractical as my own, consisting of a few red bits of cloth tied together with string and barely covering the areas that Japanese seem to consider most taboo in public situations. I thought she looked very handsome and distinguished in a way that made me briefly wonder why I had never considered her a potential lover, like my Lotion. Her arrival, however, seemed to spark the opposite reaction in Great Grandmother."

"I do not recall inviting your counsel, Warrior," my Elder remarked in clear disapproval, "Especially in matters of a strategic nature."

"With due respect, Elder," Ambergris replied, "Master Happosai is among the most dangerous opponents that you have ever faced, even granted that he is weakened in his cursed form, and your past association with him may have a direct influence in your assessment of his potential threat value. Dividing our forces would not necessarily insure success unless each group had a proper balance of elements where the strengths of one are bolstered by another "

"I am well aware of this," Great Grandmother replied testily, "And if I were you, I would wait until you are in my position before you think to start offering counsel. Besides which, as you say, I do know Happy and of what he is capable "

"Happy?" Hinako-Sensei blinked her eyes, "Uncle Happy?"

" And I don't recall asking your advice either," Great Grandmother concluded with unusual sternness in her voice.

"Matriarch," Amber said without hint of taking the reprimand to heart, "I meant no disrespect in making my suggestion, only this humble warrior's observation from a tactical standpoint "

"I can see that you have lots of such suggestions," Great Grandmother replied gruffly, but turned away as if to avoid making eye contact, "However, only a fool would ignore good advice when it is offered. A balanced mix of talents and abilities is the wisest course of action, and parties of no less than three to watch each others' backsides, preferably larger, with no more than six to a group to avoid getting in the way of one another."

"That is what I would suggest," Amber bowed, "And I am pleased that my ideas meet with your approval, Elder."

Sometimes I truly do not understand people like these two, such as the word game being played between them. That Great Grandmother seems to resent my once-best friend far more than seems reasonable, and the way Ambergris baits her with such politely honeyed words it is like no combat skill that I have ever trained for, and one for which I have little stomach, though perhaps my Nabiki would understand this form far better than ever I could manage.

At any event it was plain enough that Amber's recommendation would be followed, and as was always the case for as long as I have known her, her counsel was wise to follow, even tough under these particular circumstances we were all about to be tried in ways that none, let alone I, could imagine.

Of course where it comes to the old man, the unexpected is almost a given

Continued 


	76. Chapter 76

Summary:  
Happosai with love pearls equals trouble, but what happens when magic is combined with magic to multiply the problem?  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Don't ask me how she did it but only a few steps away from my family we suddenly found ourselves on a remote section of beachfront totally devoid of other people. Things like this seem to happen a lot around Lotion, and I've pretty much gotten used to it, or rather stopped paying too much significance to sudden scene changes (though I would like to know how she was able to even find a deserted spot like that in the middle of Tokyo harbor!)

She began things pleasantly enough with a casual, "How are you coping, child, with news of Shampoo's recent condition?"

"Uh " I also didn't bother asking how she could be so up on current events after having spent the better part of a week bed-ridden, those nocturnal visits of hers to my dreams having provided us ample room for idle chit-chat. Since it seems to me at times as if the old woman really does know everything, I decided to be truthful, "To be frank I'm a bit stunned I thought we could at least enjoy a few weeks more of nightly activity before something like this could happen. I mean it's only two weeks to go until Ranma and me "

At that point I did not and could not continue. Every time I say the word "married" in relation to my iinazuke I tend to get real silly and flustered. Didn't seem necessary to say it aloud either, what with the way I'm sure my cheeks were turning crimson, as if there was something more significant to formalizing the act of being Ranma's wife that two solid weeks of bed play had yet to provide! I guess mainly I'm just real uptight on the formalizing part, that being something that used to mean a lot to Kasumi before my usually uptight sister became Kodachi's own bed partner!

"You'll get used to the idea in time," the old woman reassured me, though whether she meant Shampoo's pregnancy or my becoming Ranma's official wife was not immediately apparent from her statement, "Life has a habit of throwing the unexpected in the way just to see what sort of reaction might be obtained. If things remained predictable and orderly it would be a far less interesting place, which brings us to the topic of today's lesson, of course the difference between Orderly and Random behavior."

I had a mental flash of Akane representing both aspects with her life. On the one hand my younger sister can be fastidious and keep a neater room even than I could, much to the relief of dear Kasumi but on the other hand she can be the singularity at the eye of a hurricane, as best represented by her futile attempts in the kitchen.

"Okay," I said, "So we're talking Order and Chaos, right?"

"Not precisely," the old woman replied in that annoying tendency of hers to sound ambivalent when giving a straight answer, "Those two represent different degrees of the same thing, and both are aspects of Entropy, the finite system by which energy is conserved within a system. On the one hand Order is the tendency to organize intro logical, categorical, easily defined sets and subsets of energy and matter. The degree to which something is orderly, even fixed, determines its basic structure, whether a molecule of water is in a gaseous, liquid or solid state, which I'm sure you can agree made a good deal of significant impact with the Titanic."

"Right," I agreed, having been neatly sunk on that issue, "And Chaos isn't the total absence of order?"

"Goodness no," she replied, "Chaos may seem like the formless state of primal creation, but there is order to everything, and in Chaos you have strong attractors that inhibit the degree of random behavior. The Laws of the Universe govern a particle of hydrogen whether it is in an attached or detached state, whether in a state of flux or fixed as a solid molecule of ice just a few degrees above absolute zero. Do you think it matters to the hydrogen atom what goes on in its neighborhood? It still remains what it is, regardless of the conditions."

I wasn't going to complain that she was once again dragging Chemistry and Physics into a lecture on Metaphysics, mainly because I had already been chastised with the reminder that all the sciences began with the Natural Philosophers, who observed the behavior of energy and matter over a number of generations before founding the Western ideas of modern science. Lotion tends to remind me a little too much that the root core of her philosophy is something much older that goes back to the dawn of recorded history, if not a good deal older.

"Okay," I said, "So we start with the basic building blocks and work on from there, right? Same rules apply to everything, regardless of the complexity of its structure."

She rewarded me with one of her patented smiled that made me felt like I had been patted on the head and given a dog biscuit. She continued forward until the two of us were close enough to the waves that they were almost lapping against our ankles, "What do you see before you, Tendo-san? An infinite and open horizon or a collection of atomic particles interacting in one huge, fluid molecular structure?"

I was wise to her verbal trap this time and said, "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, so I would have to say it all depends on how you look at it, right?"

"Exactly," she replied, then with a sudden motion of her staff she struck an approaching wave and froze it in mid-motion.

I have to admit that I gaped in mute astonishment at that casual display of her power, even though I was growing more used to seeing the old woman perform near-miracles with casual indifference to the word "impossible" that might be commonly associated with same. The wave was a good fifteen meters away from us but it stood absolute still, not like a block of ice but more like a sculpture made of acrylic, glistening and smooth on the surface but containing the energy of motion in the shape of its contours. There seemed to be no reason why it would be hanging motionless like this when a few seconds beforehand it was about to make contact with the shoreline.

"I have just subtracted one of the elements that govern all nature," the old woman replied, "Can you tell which one it is?"

I glanced around to make certain that time itself had not been halted, and sure enough I caught sight of a seagull that was wafting along on a breeze, perfectly unaffected. The phenomenon only seemed to apply to the one area of water directly before us, so I turned and stared at the frozen sculpture before saying the obvious, "Motion?"

"No," she smiled, "That is merely a side-effect. It is Randomness that I have removed from the system. The molecules are fixed in their position, having no where else that they can go, they sit still and remain as they are, and even the force of a hurricane could not propel them forward. But if I restore the normal rules of entropy like this," she pointed with her staff again, and the wave returned to full motion, crashing down on the surf and moving the sand about as if nothing had truly been altered.

"Randomness," I said in what I think was a fairly level tone of voice, betraying little of my surprise, "You mean like Chaos Theory?"

"No," she replied, "Not even like Quantum theory, though I suppose that there are a few analogies that could be drawn to that since it is the potential energy of change itself that was briefly suspended. It all depends on how you view a thing and what elements you choose to work with. Reality itself is in a very plastic state that is subject to change through observation, and what is often observed is more the result of a thousand interacting forces working in perfect balance to create a pattern of stability. It helps to know that this balance can be affected in a number of ways, as you will learn to do when you have accepted the responsibility for working with the Power."

"Responsibility?" I replied, wondering when I had ever qualified as a responsible person.

"At the risk of sounding droll and earning a copyright suit," she began, "With any great power there comes a corresponding responsibility in knowing when and how to employ it. Knowledge is our power, and our ability to interact with the forces that surround us makes us very responsible for any actions that we may take, whether of omission or commission. Not to act is the same thing as acting irresponsibly in certain situations what is needed is the wisdom to know when to stand aside and allow events to occur as they are, and when to act decisively to affect the overall balance."

"Right," I murmured softly, "I think I got that much this time "

"Do you?" she seemed amused as she glanced at me, then turned back to the shoreline and said, "I wonder if you truly know what it means to be responsible for safeguarding the lives of those around us. A Lore Master projects the wisdom of the ages, and we are the guardians of the ancient knowledge that we embody. It is a terrifying thing to know so much and to be able to do so little for with the ability to interact with nature comes the understanding that we are not as gods and cannot willy nilly tamper with events to suit our preferences and longings. It is rather like knowing how to affect the course of mighty rivers and yet daring not to intervene with the way water flows across the landscape. Civilization in China began when the first Emperors tried to tame the Yellow River to serve the needs of agriculture, the net result of which is thousands of years of tampering that have quite recently earned a backlash in the form of floods and famine."

"Uh right," I agreed, having read in the news how the mainland had, in recent years, suffered some massive ecological problems that were affecting the rice harvests and turning the government there into a Rice Importer to make up for the shortfall. I was also reminded of a number of rivers throughout the globe that had recently rebelled against the attempts by Man to redirect their flow, and I began to form a tentative understanding of what the old woman was trying to tell me.

I heard Lotion heave a sigh and glanced at her with concern, seeing the wistfulness in her expression, "I a way our knowledge is a double edged sword that cuts both ways. We in the Qing Hi province have endured the overlordship of the Beijing government out of political necessity, but they rule us in name only. The Communists have attempted many times to dictate policies in our region, and for the most part we have largely resisted and maintained our old traditions yet one day it is certain that there will be trouble between us and some of the local Commissars. It cannot have escaped their notice by now that the Nyanchiczu, alone of all tribes in the region, never suffer as much of the ravages as other regions, due in no small part to the efforts of we Lore Masters. Our relative prosperity and wealth will inevitably breed resentments that, in times long past, have led to discord. Communism is inherently backwards leaning and inefficient, but it serves as a political philosophy the needs of a power-hungry few who have grown much accustomed to the authority they derive from the old order."

"Is that why you want Ambergris to be the new Matriarch after Cologne?" I asked, "Because she can handle these changes and isn't as much bound by tradition?"

"You understand completely," Lotion nodded without glancing my way, "Save that I do not relish foisting such responsibilities on the child when she is still in the act of growing into her position. Amber contains many positive traits that will one day make her into a great leader. For now she must rise slowly through the ranks and cultivate alliances with the various houses and clans that link the Joketzusoku to other Amazon tribes of the region. It is my hope that she will not only become Matriarch but the first true Queen to govern us in over six hundred years since the Great Division. Other Matriarchs will look to her for counsel but only if she is allowed the chance to grow up with time. After all, she is younger than you, no matter that she sometimes behaves as if she were much older."

"She's also abrasive, conniving, condescending and not a little bit conceited," I remarked, "She acts like she's smarter than everybody else around her and she's probably right, too."

"You can see what I mean by a need for personal growth," Lotion sighed, "There are many hard lessons that life has yet to teach that one, and I pray that she will be afforded the chance to learn as the fate of our people rests upon her shoulders. I trust that you will be mindful of this in your dealings with her and counsel Shampoo to maintain their friendship, not make a potential lifelong enemy out of one who looks to her as almost a sister."

"Right," I nodded, figuring that much responsibility I could bear on my own shoulders, "Guess the future isn't determined just yet, eh? In a way that's kind of scary."

"And well you should be concerned," Lotion turned away from the water and headed back towards drier sands, "But the future will take care of itself. You must live in the present and learn to judge the currents of the waters that surround you, not those that wait for you in the distance. Life itself will judge the outcome, you must be ready to cope with whatever changes you encounter."

"Okay," I said, "I'll buy that. Ambergris is important to the future of your people, so I guess I could try to get along with her but something about her almost makes me feel uneasy."

"Go with your instincts," Lotion noted, "They will guide you, just as you may one day serve to guide as her conscience. Heaven knows the child feels isolated and alone as she is rather a lot like a certain fellow of your acquaintance, no?"

"Ranma," I replied to her understated comment, "Somehow or other it always seems to come back to him "

"And is that so surprising?" I caught the twinkling in her eyes, "He is, after all, a Nexus of realities, and where he turns so turns the universe. He too is fated to play a part in the destiny of our people."

I don't know why I found that last bit at all surprising, but it caused a slight chill to pass down my spine at the thought of what sort of adventures might await us as we grew more and more involved in the politics and destiny of Shampoo's people. The fact that a fair representation of her own tribe were now living in Nerima was enough that I sensed that the mischief we had been through was only the beginning

Lotion brought us to a halt at a sandy spot of beach that seemed unusually smooth and absent of the usual flotsam and jetsam that litters most beaches. She waited until I was paying full attention, then struck with the tip of her staff against the soil and caused an area roughly ten meters in diameter to jump in a circular area as though the spot were lined with explosives. She waited for the particles to settle, then in the ensuing silence said, "What did you just observe about the behavior of matter?"

I refrained from the comment that sprang readily to mind that her staff was obviously tipped with nitro and instead allowed myself a moment of reflection before replying, "Stuff went up and came down again it all looks pretty random."

"Indeed," she noted, "Only more than you realize. There is a fundamental difference between liquid and solid matter, and an even greater difference when it comes to particulate matter. The more laws of cause and effect that determine how a single particle will behave become complex and fragmented when you allow more than one particle to interact together. The Randomness that can determine the spark of a single proton becomes infinitely complicated by the multiplicity of such variable attractors. The more individual particles you add to the equation, the more variables you have until the result becomes completely unpredictable, even by the finest mathematical equations."

"Uh yeah," I said, "That kind of makes sense. So how does this apply to anything else besides sand?"

"Gains of sand on a beach," she smiled, "You draw your own analogies from that one."

I felt like hitting myself for missing the obvious point that she was raising, and tried lamely to recover some shred of my dignity by saying, "In other words if you equate the grains of sand to people, then the more people you have to work with, the more random the circumstances."

"Exactly," she smiled in evident approval, "All these particles have the force of gravity working upon them, but where they land depends on how they interact while falling, and if you vibrate the sands with a precisely measured force " she touched the tip of her staff again, only this time the effect was more subtle. I saw the grains of sand forming patterns that shifted at random intervals, rather like watching smoke in a closed chamber, only far more abstract, to which the old woman said, "You wind up with a more gradual version of the larger event. Each particle behaves as a distinct individual, and each individual human being behaves in a complex pattern governed by their individual natures."

"But still most people do have a few basic needs in common," I pointed out, "Doesn't that make them at least in some ways predictable?"

"Indeed they are," Lotion agreed, "All human beings have needs, wants and basic drives that govern their behavior, as well as a social-psychological dynamic that in each individual takes shape as their own personal dynamic. You, for example, tend to keep a focus on the material needs of your family and yourself, while Ranma seeks the perfection of his art, and Shampoo seeks to find domestic bliss you the both of you, her chosen life partners."

"Ah " I colored again, thinking that Shampoo could be enormously demonstrative of her affections in that department.

"There are so many ways that human beings can interact together," Lotion mused, "Far too much potential there for any one universe to contain, and multiplied by the billions of souls who exist upon this world, as well as other worlds directly concerned here. A good thing the cosmos makes allowances for this multiplicity by exploring each option on a separate timeline trillions of potential alternate worlds exactly like this one, only different in some small measure."

"Trillions?" my mind couldn't quite cope with a number like that unless it had a Yen sign in front of it, but I managed to say, "Doesn't that make things awfully crowded?"

"Fortunately most potential universes remain unmanifested realities or you really would have trouble differentiating one from the other," she answered, "Rather the number of Manifested realities is more finite, being determined by the sparks of light known as the Human Consciousness, the sum total of which are a billion, billion minds interacting together to determine which universe remains stable and which is destined to fade from existence. A billion choices made every second creates and maintains the world that we see all around us, and through observation of this reality is our fate determined. That's why is it so difficult to predict the future far too many random elements could chance the course of what is to be into what might have been, but as time itself is only an illusion, it is the past that is fixed and determined. What has been is a part of you always, and no matter where you go you are grounded in the reality that determined your present. If this were not so then all of life would be totally random."

"Okay," I replied, having lost somewhere in the middle of this explanation, "So people are what make life complicated they still have basic behavior patterns that should make them easier to predict, right?"

"A single individual might behave in a uniform manner," Lotion replied, "But dozens and even hundreds of people coming into close contact every day? It begins to form a more complex tapestry, which is why one can only generalize about the future by studying the larger events that govern our behavior."

"Right," I said, resigned to feeling dumb on this particular subject, "So what exactly is the great moral lesson here? That you can't know the outcome of events based solely on the present?"

"Precisely," she smiled as if I had just won a prize for a perfect test score, "Consider this, if you will the bedrock assumption of your present reality, that you and Saotome Ranma are fated to be together."

I must have colored at that one, it brought me back to thoughts of our impending marriage.

"But consider, if you will, what life would be like if this were not fated between you," the old woman continued with some delicacy, "What then would you life be like?"

"Huh?" I gaped at that one, "What do you mean if we're not fated to be together? Do you know something that I don't? Spit it out!"

I had not meant to speak that harshly with her, but she did not effect to seem at all ruffled by my vehemence, "I do not speak of what is or is to be, I speak of what might have been had circumstances been in any way different. Supposing your Ranma were not engaged to marry you, or the both of you to marry Shampoo. What if life had taken the three of you along a different path, one that did not lead to unity but to separate pathways?"

"How's that again?" I felt as if the ground were about to fall out from underneath my feet. Me not engaged to Ranma? Shampoo not our less-than-blushing Amazon bride? I could not conceive it, nor did I want to!

"Supposing just for the sake of argument, mind you," she averred as if to reassure me, "That instead of engaging you to Ranma your parents had chosen instead to make his iinazuke either Kasumi or Akane?"

I almost laughed at that, but didn't because of the seriousness with which she asked the question. Ranma and Kasumi? That was pretty far-fetched! But Akane? Oil and water mixed better than those two! I couldn't even form a mental picture of the nuptials my sex-shy sister on her honeymoon night with my perpetually sex-innocent iinazuke it was an even bet whether he'd even survive the night at her bedside!

"That's not too likely," I responded, "Ranma and Akane don't even like each other I've never understood why since they have so much in common "

"Such as?" the old woman smiled at me in a perverse manner.

"Well," I began, "Aside from martial arts, where Ranma is obviously superior, which Akane hates with a passion, they're both stubborn and willful with too much pride and too little good sense for their own good. Ranma has more on the ball than my sister he can at least cook and sew, just not as good as Kasumi. Akane can't even boil water, but heaven help you if you should mention that to her face!"

"Indeed," Lotion replied, "Pride and stubbornness, and a love for the art. You've recently gained a healthy appreciation for what physical training can amount to, though much of your early life you spurned those who seemed to do all of their thinking with their muscles by which I infer more than their pectorals."

"Uh right," I don't know why that old woman's salty pattern of speech can rattle me so much maybe it's because I don't expect to hear that kind of talk from someone in her age group which, um would be a rather slender category to begin with

"Supposing you took one look at a penniless boy who seemed to only care about one thing and had as few prospects as his vagabond father," she continued relentlessly, "A mindless jock with an ego the size of a small hill who took it for granted that he was your physical superior and tended to treat you as if you were weak and helpless, worthy only of protection. Add to that a peculiar condition that makes his gender suspect and you can see why another version of you might well be persuaded to look elsewhere for her marriageable prospects."

I had to concede that she had a real point there. Before I became involved with Ranma the only thing that mattered in my life was earning enough money to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. A boy who looked like a black hole of financial debt would hardly have appealed to me on that level, and besides which I had long preferred order and stability in my world, things in short supply around Ranma.

Add to that the fact that his basic existence was a challenge to all of my most deeply held beliefs and you could see how I might shy away from an engagement and seek instead to foist him on poor Kasumi, or even Akane. I might even manage to convince myself that the two of them belonged together, as far a stretch for me as that might be!

I tried to remember what my life had really been like before Ranma and all I could come up with was the sense that my life was meaningful but empty. There was a void in my soul that I hadn't even been aware existed until he came and filled it, giving that aspect of my life a sense of completion. The loneliness and isolation that I had deliberately surrounded myself with had been torn to shreds within the first few weeks that we were together, but in time I learned to care about him as an almost extension of myself and I no longer minded that my life had been turned into one great big adventure.

And Shampoo? How would I have lived my life if she hadn't become a part of my world? That amorous sex-kitten had wormed her way into my heart with every bit as much tenacity as my growing affection for Ranma, so now I was left to face the fact that my life would seem empty without the both of them in my world. I had gone from notorious Ice Queen of Furinkan High to domesticated sex-partner, and I regretted no little bit of it, no matter what else in my world had gone crazy.

"I'd rather not think on that if it's all the same to you," I averred, finding the subject very difficult to handle.

"I understand, Child," Lotion replied more gently than before, "But I thought it best that you at least consider what life would be like if you had not made the decision to take Ranma on as your iinazuke. It can't have been a very simple choice, and I have no doubt that it went against the grain of the person you once were. It helps to appreciate things if you put them in a different perspective."

I had to allow that she was right on this, as indeed she seems to be right on most subjects. Ordinarily I'd be annoyed hanging around with such an obvious know-it-all, but there's just something about the old woman that's hard not to like, even when she's being totally exasperating and evasive

Life without Ranma and Shampoo? It's not worth contemplating! No matter what turmoil goes on in my life, I've made a firm commitment and I'm sticking with my decision no matter what turns we all go through in the future and I'd like to think the feeling is mutual on all sides. I know a good thing when I've got one, and as long as our relationship proves to be mutually beneficial, I'll stick to those two come hell or high water

Ukyo was in Hell, a peculiar hell of her own making. On the one hand she was trying hard not to hurt anyone's feelings, on the other hand she was finding herself increasingly swamped within a romantic situation that was beyond her understanding.

On the one hand she had Makoto, her ex-girlfriend from middle school, who had dated her when Ukyo had been pretending to be a boy and who had formed an adolescent crush on the okonomiyaki chef back before they were both too young to understand things like a mature relationship between equals. Now that they were both older and more mature on the subject, and had the advantage of two years separation to examine their feelings on the subject, Ukyo found that she had missed the taller girl's companionship and actually welcomed having her back into her life, even granted that Makoto's feelings appeared unchanged when it came to her "Senpai."

On the other hand there was Akane, a nice girl who had attached herself to Ukyo before learning about her true status, and the subsequent curse that had befallen her in China. Akane was an odd study in contradictory behavior, prone to fits of sudden and unreasonable anger but basically very outgoing and friendly. She was a good friend and an occasional sparring partner and over time she had begun to form a grudging respect for the younger Tendo sister in all things not related to the kitchen.

And then there was Ryoga, a boy who obviously had it bad for Akane and who regarded Ukyo with unleavened hostility for the perceived threat to his relationship with same. Ryoga was as stubborn and pig-headed as a mule, but he was basically an honest guy and had many favorable qualities that she might otherwise have found attractive, qualities he shared in common with his half-brother, Ranma.

On top of all that there was her-or rather HIS curse, which Ukyo found particularly vexing as it made him the obvious object of appeal to half the women he encountered on this beach. Since the close proximity of a large body of water precluded coming out in her true gender (unless she wanted to risk the chance of "sudden exposure" that would leave her guy form looking foolish) he had to suffer the drooling idiot girls who seemed ready to fall all over him at the least provocation, not least among them the girlfriends of Makoto.

He was starting to seriously regret his decision to accompany Ranma and the others to this beach, not having taking into account exactly what sort of stud he looked like in a pair of tight-fitting trunks. He knew that Ranma was having similar misgivings about being a girl on this occasion, and Ukyo had to allow with good reason, surprised to note how he himself had an obvious and immediate reaction in her presence!

As if all of this were not enough torment, there was the flirtatious advances of the Amazon Ambergris that she occasionally had to endure whenever the two of them were close enough to exchange greetings. The pink haired girl seemed to delight in making Ukyo squirm with her flirtations, and she was driving Akane to distraction, which was no doubt a part of her intentions.

Alone any one of these elements might have sent Ukyo scurrying for cover, but with his Aunt Yumi around offering ready commentary to what a "stud" her nominal niece was becoming it was a wonder that Ukyo was not as red as a beet from continuous blushing. This whole thing was turning into one giant disaster in the making, and for the life of her Ukyo could not see his way through to resolving this crazy situation.

It was not that he had anything against any of the others far from it! He liked Makoto and Akane and would not have minded spending time alone with either or both of his female companions, even if it meant having to endure the constant glowering of Ryoga. He was half tempted to tell the boy to get lost, but in his case that would have been ironic. It wasn't as though she saw him as a bad guy or even a possible rival, it was just having to endure his constant glaring that was getting on his nerves and making Ukyo long to knock some sense into him with the flat of his spatula.

Of course he had left his customary weapon back at the restaurant, a kitchen implement being slightly out of fashion for a beachside occasion, but he could improvise in a pinch, being a capable ninja-trained disciple of the Kuonji Ryu, but for now he resolved to ignore the potential threat of Ryoga while trying to find a gentle way of dissuading her girlfriends from pressing the issue.

In point of fact it was proving truly awkward to be caught in the crossfire of a potential catfight. Akane resented Makoto's attempts at fawning over Ukyo, and Makoto seemed to regard the threat of the other girl as a personal challenge. Between these two it was beginning to feel a bit like the makings of a war-zone.

How did Ranma manage it, Ukyo wondered idly to himself balancing two such dynamic personalities as Shampoo and Nabiki with both girls cooperating in a way that was almost too chummy! Granted there was considerable flexibility afforded by the fact that both girls were openly bisexual, but Ukyo somehow doubted that he could be as accommodating to both of them were he to be added to the mixture.

Not that the idea was lacking in temptations

Ukyo forced himself to turn his thoughts away from that direction and instead voiced aloud, "So, where do you think the old coot is hiding?"

"Hard to say," Ranma-chan replied as she glanced around the boardwalk, "This might be the wrong way to go, but I can't believe the old pervert is gonna pass up this many girls in string bikinis."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo readily agreed, "Many places to hide, much chance of ambush."

"Whatever," Akane noted, "He'd just better not try anything perverted around us. If he so much as THINKS about targeting me for one of those love pills "

"Don't worry, Akane," Ryoga assured her, "He'll have to get around me first, and I've been waiting to give Gramps my family special," he cracked his knuckles for emphasis.

"Whatever," Makoto glanced around, "I hope we find him before the others. The thought of somebody like that with that kind of power " she involuntarily shuddered.

In spite of the inner turmoil that he was experiencing at the moment, Ukyo could not help but feel amused as he said, "Don't tell me you're more nervous about a love pill than fighting against Youma?"

"Of course not," Makoto readily replied with a smile that showed how much she had grown in self-confidence since the time Ukyo had first known her, "But Youma's only drain you of energy these things can warp your mind so that even a wrinkled old prune like him might look attractive."

"Keep in mind he's got a curse that makes him look younger than he is," Ranma reminded them, "The one advantage for us is that he's weaker in his cursed form, and any of us should be able to handle him when he's that way."

"I was counting on that," Ryoga agreed, "Just let me have one good shot at him and this will all be over."

"You're not planning to kill him, are you, Ryoga?" Akane sounded horrified at the concept.

"Small chance of that," Ranma replied, "The guy survived being trapped ten years in a cave without food and water. He just ain't normal "

"All the more reason to be on our guard," said Makoto with a rock-steady undertone in her voice that earned Ukyo's silent approval.

Meanwhile, unknown and undetected by these six up and coming martial arts masters, the object of their search was smiling to himself as he clung to the underside of the pier. Just like the old woman to send out scouts to hunt him down and bring him to heel, as if he'd be stupid enough to wait out in the open where they could find him when his real quarry was Cologne herself. He waited until they were well past earshot then detached himself from the shadows and made his way out onto the open beach, having taken note of the other hunting parties so that he could single out the one that Cologne was currently heading.

He had only two chances to make his mark against the old biddy, and he intended not to waste them!

A good distance away from there, the unknowing object of his desires was taking private stock of her own allies and wondering if she had chosen well from among their numbers. Comb and Silk were obvious choices, but the Oni-woman, Atsuko, had chosen to remain with Genma while Soun, Nodoka, Hairbrush and Yumi comprised the rest of the parental brigade. Even by Cologne's jaded measure it was looking to be a rather explosive mixture.

Frankly she had never understood what it was about Saotome Genma that could attract the interest of such strong-willed characters as Ryoga's mother and her own granddaughter. Comb might try and deny that she had any interest in the fat fool but the way she carried on whenever he was around left Cologne to marvel that her husband could retain such composure. Hairbrush was not the sort of man who was prone to petty fits of jealousy, but it was obvious enough to anyone who knew him that he privately detested Genma and saw him for the honorless baffoon that he was, he just did not prefer to show it openly and instead affected a look of stoical indifference.

Nodoka was even more of a puzzle, given her volatile history and tendency to draw steel whenever challenged over the issue of her husband. She seemed far more amused by the antics of her nominal rivals and took no umbrage over the fact that Comb and Atsuko each regarded her as a dangerous nut case. In return Atsuko was behaving in a remarkably skittish manner whenever she brushed shoulders with the Saotome matriarch, as if she had recently found out something disturbing in the overly pleasant woman's manner that had utterly unnerved her. Cologne hated not knowing what could cause this change in the half-Oni's demeanor and privately resolved to make inquiries on that subject when time and opportunity allowed. For the moment she was grateful to have Silk's calming presence to serve as a firewall between these formidable women.

That left the Kuonji elder, Yumi, who was as much an unknown to Cologne as anyone else whom she had recently encountered. She knew of the former ninja turned chef mostly by reputation, having heard accounts from Silk on how the two of them had clashed on prior occasions. More importantly they both had been at odds with the late and much-lamented Kimiko, who had won Soun's heart after a feisty engagement that had been arranged by their mutual parents. Yumi did not seem overly resentful to have come out the loser in those battles, but there was something else about her manner that suggested to Cologne that she had not entirely given up on Soun, who had quite clearly succumbed (and quite recently) to the ample charms of Silk, who was-after a fashion-Kimiko's natural successor.

Cologne signed in weary exasperation as she made the grim discovery that she no longer felt as much at home with the older cast members of their ongoing soap operatic adventure. Give her the company of young people any day over the jaded antics of their clueless elders. It was a rather startling admission for one of her age and stature, but it reminded her painfully of how much she had come to enjoy the role of a teacher. At least young minds had some flexibility that you could work with, and their attitudes were not as hardened into pre-set and determined patterns, which meant that you could in some measure influence their future behavior by helping to change their present outlook. Older people were far more reluctant to change their established ways, and so you had to work a lot harder just to help them grasp the basics.

Rather like the old fool whom they were presently chasing down. Even as a young man, Happy had been fairly set in his ways and determined to be an unabashed pervert of extraordinary measure. Still and all, there had been a time when Cologne had almost hoped that she could be able to reach him, to perhaps guide him away from the course his destiny was to take him before he made that pact with the Demoness Ganglot and became an even more extraordinary perverted individual than he had been to begin with.

And now? Happy finally had achieved the youth and beauty that he had so longed for as a boy in his native Okinawa, and what did he do with his gifts? He squandered them shamelessly and drove away any woman who might look favorably in his direction. He had the chance to remake himself in a new image, but all Cologne saw was the old Happosai in a younger body selfish and self-absorbed to a degree that even Genma appeared altruistic. Not that Happy was totally lacking in redeeming qualities, as signified by his hamhanded attempts to assist the woman-child known as Hinako, but even his most noble aspirations tended to go sour because of his single-minded obsessions and obliviousness to the inevitable consequences.

Even as these thoughts were running their course through her mind some part of Cologne was on guard at all times. She was nonetheless surprised when the very object of her current pursuit appeared directly before her with a leering smile, as large as life and three times as perverted.

"Hiya, Toots," he said by way of announcing his presence, "Did you miss me?"

Young though her body was, Cologne had the superior reflexes of a Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, and unlike Happosai she suffered no penalty due to her cursed form. Even so she barely got her hand up in time to deflect the pellet that had been aimed for her opened mouth, a movement performed purely by reflex so that Cologne was barely aware of the danger until after it had been averted.

"Nuts," Happosai growled, taking aim with the second pellet, "Well, you won't dodge this one, I guarantee it!"

Cologne was only mildly surprised at discovering that she was the target of Happosai's attempts to use the Love Pearls, but even so the realization of her near-miss shook her deeply with the thought of how close she had just come to being enraptured with the pervert. This time she ducked the hurtling pearl that had been aimed for her, knowing that Happy would employ every trick he knew to curve it around her defenses, and it was best not to take chances when dealing with this level of magic.

Of course two things of which she was not presently aware came into play about this point, the first being the approaching Hinako, who had spotted Happosai on his way to lay and ambush and had already fetched a coin out from the hidden pouch in her bikini and was preparing to use it, already beginning the chant when an object lodged itself in her throat, causing her to cough and sputter for several moments.

The second, even more calamitous occurrence happened as the second pearl went rocketing past Cologne's head and came streaking at Silk, who barely saw it coming. Unlike Hinako, however, Silk had the means to do something about it, and being a Lore Master, she slowed the flow of time to allow herself enough space to get a spell handy, and with outflung hands attempted to erect a shield to block the pearl but when it struck her defenses something wholly unexpected happened.

The Pearl was the creation of Amazon Magic, charmed with the essence of Agape itself, and when it encountered Amazon magics of a similar nature it absorbed this force and added it to its own, intensifying the power and causing a brief prismatic flare-up of corresponding power.

To all other eyes it was as if the single pearl streaking for Silk suddenly exploded into a shower of pearls that shot in all directions, a few of which lodged in any open mouths of those closest to her.

Both Comb and Atsuko shared a brief moment of deja vu as pearls lodged in their mouths, as they did in Yumi, Soun, and Nodoka. Genma, being of wiser temperament than most when it came to dealings with Happosai, had already ducked his head and so missed receiving his own pearl, while Hairbrush had stood farther back and so similarly missed becoming a target.

"Aw nuts!" Happosai growled, "Now you've gone and done it!"

"I've done it?" Cologne slowly turned around to see the sheepish expression on Silk's face, then the stunned looks on several of the others, "Child what have you done?"

"Ah oops," Silk said meekly, "I uh didn't expect for that to happen "

Comb covered her eyes with her hand and said, "Quick, somebody, give me a blindfold!"

"Whatever you do, don't look my way!" Atsuko cried with her eyes shut tightly, "Oh man I thought once was enough for a lifetime! How come these things keep happening to us?"

"Oh dear " Soun blinked his eyes as he turned to the Oni-woman, and then all at once his expression became intensely raptured, "Astuko, you pearl among women where have you been all of my life?"

"Huh?' Atsuko forgot her own advice and opened her eyes to stare into Soun's eyes, and then suddenly the two of them were embracing, "Soun-chan my big, strong, handsome boy !"

"Excuse me?" Silk asked, a vein noticeably swelling on her forehead.

"Are you all right?" Hairbrush asked Nodoka, who had doubled over as if attempting to cough something out.

"I oh my " Nodoka's eyes grew very wide as she looked up at the concerned expression of the Chinese gentleman, and all at once a broad beam smile crossed her lovely features, "I am now, you handsome, manly thing, you "

"Say what?" Comb whirled around, jealousy instantly suffusing her features as she took in the sight of the Saotome Matriarch putting her arms around her husband. In three quick strides she crossed the space between them to rescue her man from the predatory embraces of the other woman, whirling Nodoka to face her and suddenly forgot all of her anger.

"Nodoka-chan?" Comb gasped, as if meeting her for the very first time ever.

"Are you jealous?" Nodoka asked her, "I'd be willing to share him if you're willing "

"Am I ?" Comb replied in a tone of sheerest wonder.

"Oh Bugger," Cologne murmured under her breath, realizing that it could well have been her acting like such a lovestruck puppy had Happosai's aim been a tad bit better.

"Dearest?" Genma was astonished at the behavior of his wife, only to gasp in alarm as a hand was laid to his shoulder, and all at once he was turned about to come fact-to-face with Yumi, who force once did not have that "I want to gouge your eyes out" expression!

"Where you going, lover boy?" she purred in a sultry voice, holding him by the collar so that his best efforts at resisting could not prevent the smooch that was soon to happen.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Silk remarked as if stating the condition of the weather.

"Soun, my boy," noted Happosai as he came to stand beside them, "I never knew you had it in you but that Genma now there's a real lady killer."

Cologne had not forgotten that the pervert was with them, much thought she would have preferred to have done so. Now she reacted with anger, whirling on him and with one swing of her hand knocked the fool flying for several meters.

"AND WHOSE FAULT DO YOU THINK THIS IS?" she demanded as he struck the sand close to Hinako.

The youthful teacher had managed to stop coughing when she spied the handsome youth in the sands beside her, and being of a compassionate nature she went to his side to see how he was doing only to find that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was definitely in order! Happosai recovered to the wondrous discovery of an underaged child giving him the lip-lock, and at this even his perverted nature rebelled. He was a man of many vices, but Pedophilia was never among them!

"Uh, excuse me?" he tried to break free of her grip, but the girl was quite tenacious, "I happen to be older than you, Miss, and "

It took him a second or more to recognize Hinako, which was one second longer than it took to recognize the smile that crossed her face as she reached for another of her ever-present yen pieces

Cologne winced slightly as she felt the power-drain go off in Happosai's general direction, but at the moment her attention was squarely focused in another direction. Genma's arms were windmilling and his feet were moving without corresponding movement from the rest of his body. From all appearances he seemed to be wanting to dash for the relative safety of the water, as if his cursed form might afford him some protection against Yumi, whose grip on his hide was tenacious.

Atsuko had Soun down on the sand, the both of them totally oblivious to their surroundings. It appeared as if the half-Oni was constructing a reactive "Somebody Else's Problem" illusionary field to insure the both of them the privacy that they obviously wanted. Meanwhile Comb and Nodoka were busy dragging the hapless Hairbrush off in the direction of the boardwalk, and it took little imagination to extrapolate their intentions.

And to top it off, Cologne noticed a few more of those bothersome pearls were littering the beach no telling how many their number due to the effect of Silk's tampering with forces best left undisturbed. They would have to round up every one of those menacing things before this day of mischief could be concluded and here it had been looking so promising as a day of diversion. Trust Happosai to turn it into a day that many would not like to remember!

She heaved a sigh and said, "Contact your grandmother perhaps she can assist us."

"Right," Silk nodded at once, trying to force her mind away from thoughts of murdering the Oni.

Cologne spared a glance to where she had last seen Happosai, only to see the blond haired man taking off at high speed with a fully adult Hinako in hot pursuit. Several innocent bystanders looked like unfortunate victims of a rice-papering incident, but from experience she knew that they would soon recover. Nice to know that there was at least some poetic justice in the world, however fleeting.

And yet something warned Cologne that this day's mischief was hardly even beginning, and so long as those pearls remained there was the potential of even greater mischief. Throwing love pearls about in the midst of this hotbed of conflicting romantic circles was like tossing nitro on an open fire, and there was no telling what harm this could do to existing long-term relationships, such as her great-granddaughter's marriage to Saotome Ranma.

Nothing could be allowed to come between Shampoo's future happiness and the security of their family bloodline. The uniting of two Houses was essential for more than just romantic and practical considerations. Her recent experiences with her father had convinced her that a stronger bloodline would be insured by the joining of her house to the Saotome branch, producing future heir much like her promising young nephew, and that could be critical to the future survival of the Amazon people.

Elder Lotion was not the only one with her eyes on the Big Picture, and Cologne wanted a viable counterpoint to that young upstart seeking to replace her. If Ambergris was the future of the Joketsuzoku, then Cologne wanted to insure that future did not stray too far off course, and if she had failed to earn the respect of her beloved great-granddaughter well, there was always the next generation to work with, just as there had been when Comb proved to be a disappointment.

And speaking of her hot-tempered granddaughter, Cologne fervently hoped that the pearl that she had swallowed was not the long-lasting sort or things really were going to become enormously complicated for her family's future! To say nothing of what Silk might do if provoked by Atsuko's intrusion into her relationship with Soun. The normally calm and easygoing Lore Master might seem as smooth as her name would imply, but even Cologne did not want to be at ground zero should she actually show her temper.

But first the gathering of the pearls, which would require the services of the young ones. Without the pearls the threat posed by Happosai would be abated, but a new and potentially greater threat would loom should those pearls fall into the wrong hands, a category that covered far too many potential candidates for her liking and who knew what the odds were that she herself might wind up a victim of some one else's intended mischief?

On the other hand the pearls might also represent unrealized potential. As she thought on it a moment, it occurred to Cologne that there were potential uses for the pearls that could be of an entirely beneficial nature provided the one using them was willing to face the potential consequences

Continued 


	77. Chapter 77

Summary:  
The chase is on as all Hell breaks loose on the beach as pearls galore stir up a hornets nest of mismatched engagements. Can Ranma and the gang cope with the mess caused by magic compounding magic, and will relationships survive or be reformed by what was wrought by Happosai?  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

"Darling," said a certain green-haired alien girl to her reluctant boyfriend as they sat together on the beach, "Would you spread suntan lotion over my back, please? The local sun here is said to do adverse things to a girl's complexion, and you wouldn't want me to get old and wrinkly, now would you?"

Moroboshi Ataru affected a weak smile in response to this request, thinking privately to himself that he was in Hell and well damned for all eternity. Here he was, the greatest lecher of Tomobiki High School, surrounded by a beach full of drop-dead gorgeous young ladies, and he was powerless to do a thing about it on account of the one and only girl on the planet who wanted him to put his hands all over her body.

Of course there was Mendou, who sat nearby with Shinobu, his childhood sweetheart, from whom he had of recent been estranged due to his unfortunate engagement to the beautiful Oni Princess. The fact that it was all a colossal misunderstanding hardly mattered at all to her these days Shinobu just seemed to get perpetually angered and ticked off with him for the slightest of reasons, and were it not for Lum's protective presence, Ataru had little doubt that he would become the recipient of his former girlfriend's jealous rages.

Ataru sighed and for the nine millionth time asked a silent, "Why me?" of the cosmos. It was not that he found Lum's company objectionable per-se after all, she was an exotic beauty with a body to die for, whose natural charms had won over the hearts of more than half the boys in his class, some of whom had even formed a fanatical fan club known far and wide as "Lum's Stormtroopers." Any man with eyes (and who wasn't blind to begin with) would lust for her and count himself lucky to be the object of her affections

It was just that Lum was incredibly possessive about Ataru, and she had one teensy, tiny little flaw that distinguished her from any other single-minded girl of his acquaintance, which was her propensity to shock him with around ten thousand or so volts of electrical power. This was intended to curb Ataru's wandering eye, and as electroshock therapy went it was pretty damned effective not that it truly deterred him from lusting after other women in his heart. To date Ataru had been shocked so many times during their relationship that he was reasonably certain that a standard lighthouse bulb would flicker to life if he held it in hand. He did seem to be building up some sort of immunity over time, but it still hurt a whole lore more than he liked to think about with even his high pain threshold.

Shinobu, for her part, was struggling to keep her temper under wraps as she once more observed with disgust the way that green-haired hussy flirted with HER boyfriend. It was not so much that Ataru was any great prize among men, (and at times even Shinobu had difficulty recognizing what it was about the boy that appealed to her on ANY level) but she had set her sights upon him first before the Oni girl had wormed her way between them. Shinobu did not like being cut out of the action without so much as a "by your leave," and this tended to make her more than slightly resentful.

But at least she had Mendou to lean upon a handsome and intelligent boy who had many of the qualities in which Ataru was so sadly lacking. He was incredibly rich and from noble stock with a strong sense of integrity and honor, even granted he was a bit of an obsessive-compulsive militant nut case. He also had that one glaring flaw in his otherwise prideful nature in that he absolutely hated the darkness and tended to freak out whenever he was cut off from a light source. That and the katana that was ever near to his hand tended to put him in a special category of "exceptional loon," (which for Tomobiki was saying quite a lot) but Shinobu liked his company and at least the both of them could enjoy being miserable together and resentful of the "Not-So-Happy" couple beside them.

Mendou himself was glaring hard enough at his hate rival to bore holes in a good-sized diamond, (had he counted x-ray heat vision among his natural endowments). To think of how a royal Princess from a vast star-faring culture should debase herself on that worthless worm, it was enough to send him ranting off into fits about the injustices of the heavens, but for dignity's sake he kept to his forbearance. To think how the cad had spurred the beautiful Shinobu to play the wretched role of a Lathario to the stars, it made Mendou want to draw steel and hack the fool into a thousand paper-thin slices (Of course if he tried that he would risk the wrath of said princess, which any man with sense fervently avoided like a thunderclap that had his name writ upon it).

Still and all, the offer the Princess Lum had asked of her intended betrothed reminded Mendou that he was remiss in his own manners. His ancestors would surely chide him for ignoring that someone equally deserving and fair was in need of a liberal dose of suntan lotion.

Only slightly less terrifying than the rage of a jealously protective Oni girl was the thought of Shinobu burned as red as a lobster and ready to vent her frustration in anyone's direction, and being the closest potential object in hand naturally prompted Mendou to turn to her and say, "Please allow me, Shinobu-san. I thought to bring an excellent sun blocker that will protect your delicate skin from the sun's intense rays. It would be my humblest honor if you will allow me to apply some to your body."

In spite of her miserable state, Shinobu had to smile at that. At least someone here had enough manners to know how to approach a lady with such an offer!

Ataru glared at Mendou, wanting to rub the rich snob's face in the dirt for using such an obvious come-on as an excuse to get more intimate with Shinobu. As if Ataru couldn't see through such smooth ploy as that, being something that he would have tried if he dared to risk getting more than his fingers singed in the process.

Shinobu was in the process of laying down as Mendou reached for the nearby bottle of lotion when suddenly a pair of running feet kicked up sand in all direction. As the astonished quartet reacted they heard a frantic male voice calling out, "But Hinako-chan-!"

"Come back here, you sexy delinquent!" purred an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous woman chasing after the blond-haired man, her long brown hair waving in the breeze as interesting parts of her body were similarly in motion.

Ataru gaped in mute disbelief, oblivious to the fact that his green-haired companion was sputtering from the mouthful of sand that she had accidentally swallowed. Lum was privately wondering why she had not heeded her natural instincts and taken her boyfriend to safety in the air when something lodged in the back of her throat and refused to be dislodged from there. This gave her considerable difficulty breathing, and after a moment of near choking even Ataru started to notice.

"Lum!" he cried in a belated impulse towards chivalry, realizing this was the perfect time to apply the Heimlick maneuver (and for once not for the obvious reasons!). He moved to place himself behind her and cupped his hands under her breastbone (Trying valiantly not to think what a simple motion of his hands might yield for him, knowing full well it would mean a one-way trip down the aisle as a bridegroom!) and gave a firm heave that caused Lum to cough out the blockage.

Unfortunately only sand came out the object that had caused her choking went down the other way, and Lum gasped in surprise, looking up to find Shinobu leaning over her with a worried expression.

"Are you all right, Lum-san?" Shinobu asked in sincere concern for her nominal rival.

Lum's face brightened up as she gazed fully upon the earth girl for what seemed like the first time in her life and suddenly she wondered why she had never really noticed how beautiful Shinobu's eyes could sparkle. She felt the warming urge to reach out and embrace the other girl, but before she could respond to this she became aware of a pair of hands that were gripping her from behind by a MOST unwelcome pervert.

Well, Lum knew what to do about groping perverts!

Ataru gave a yelp of surprise and jumped back as the tingling warning build-up of static charge gave him faint warning of an impending Lum Lightning blast. He was about to ask what he had done this time to earn such a reprimand when he opened his eyes again and saw Lum with her arms wrapped around a much-vexed Shinobu.

"What the hell?" he reacted, feeling an unexpected wash of emotions welling up from within him

Mendou had a similar reaction, only he was more stunned than outraged, witnessing the uncharacteristic behavior of the delightful Oni Princess turn suddenly quite brazen in groping a hapless Shinobu in broad view of the public. It was undignified, unseemly, and surely the Princess was not acting rationally even by the standards to which they were all accustomed.

Shinobu's mind was an absolute blank, pure shock and amazement drowning out any other emotions, or else she would have put up more resistance when Lum drew their mouths together for a passionate kiss that involved more than the meeting of two mouths and even provided a little tongue action.

Something did not click right here in Ataru's mind, and since he was a boy who lived by his wits (one of the reasons he was constantly in so much trouble), he deduced that it had something to do with all of that sand that Lum had swallowed. Possibly something in the sand was affecting her behavior? If so, then it was his duty as a man (and NOT, he would insist, as either her boyfriend or fianc ) to do something to help her, and since the only way he knew how to help was to dislodge the offending substance (assuming it was a potion or pill, as he'd had far too much acquaintance with in the past) he took a heroic risk, stepped forward, and did something that he ordinarily would have totally loathed doing to his Princess.

He brought his hand back and swung it forward again, slapping Lum firmly on her backside, right between the shoulder blades and slightly below the eleventh vertebrae.

The technique worked better than he could have expected, causing Lum to cough up the pearl that she had swallowed in one massive lungfull of air that cleared the way of all obstructions as the pearl went from her mouth and into Shinobu's.

The reversal this caused in their respective behavior was almost immediate as Shinobu's stunned vacancy was suddenly filled with clear intent and purpose like a burgeoning supernova. All at once it was her hands that wrapped themselves around the Oni, while it was Lum's turn to act stunned and disoriented as the impulse that had come over her thoughts left her as suddenly as it had taken her mind over.

Mendou's already open mouth nearly made contact with the sand as he saw the helpless Shinobu suddenly turn into a raging sex-kitten, stripping Lum of the top half of her ever-present bikini to afford her groping hands a freer access. Now it was Lum who was struggling to escape from her embraces, and had it been anyone else but Shinobu her natural strength might well have prevailed. Shinobu being substantially stronger than an ordinary earth girl, her futile efforts left her looking all the more desperate.

And this was not an isolated instance where normal relations between men and women (or women and women, or even guys and other guys) were turned topsy-turvy, as other couples and groups of people had unexpected and seemingly-random encounters with the enchanted pearls spread over a wide area of beach front. Dozens of other persons suddenly found themselves inexplicably attracted to the nearest potential object of affection that they encountered, and in only a few instances did this happily turn out to be with the appropriate sex partner.

In one such instance a girl named Usagi chanced to notice a pearl laying in the sand, and not having yet been coached as to the danger of such an item, naturally picked it up for a closer examination.

"What do you have there, Usagi?" asked Minako, who also had a fondness for shiny objects.

"I don't know," Usagi smiled, "Could be a piece of candy, looks a little like a sweet-tart."

"For Heaven Sakes, don't fool around with it!" said a small black furry presence traveling close to her ankles, "You never know where it might be from! You just can't pick up every item you find at random "

"I quite agree," said Ami, who also leaned close to observe the object Usagi was holding, "I think it looks more like a piece of jewelry somebody lost. That almost looks like a pearl "

"Oh yeah, right," sniffed Rei, "Like you're just going to find a pearl lying around in a crowded place like this. I'm sure anybody else would have found something valuable before you would, Usagi."

"You're mean, Rei," Usagi complained, "I sure hope it's candy I'm starving!"

"You're always starving, Usagi," Minako playfully teased, "And we just ate ice cream a little while ago before we started out this business of hunting down the old man."

"Say," Ami paused with a look of realization, "Didn't Makoto tell us that the fellow we're chasing was supposed to have a magic bracelet that contained pearls like this one?"

"Hey, that's right," declared the other cat present for this search, "That could be one of the pearls that Mako-chan said we ought to be on the alert about."

"One way to find out," Usagi announced and popped the pearl into her mouth before anyone could even think to stop her, "Hmm it's not sweet, but it does seem kinda tingly "

"You idiot!" Rei instantly fumed, "Don't you remember what Mako-chan said huh?"

Usagi went briefly blank-eyed, and then she turned at the sound of the Shinto Priestess's voice. All at once her eyes got an unusual focus about them and the smile that crossed her features was so broad and welcome that for a moment Rei wondered if she had some speck of ice scream staining her mouth, or anything else that would get a drooling leer like that from Usagi!

"Uh oh," cried Luna, "The pearl must be having an effect on her! Quickly, make her spit it out!"

"Right," Minako readily agreed, and following an unfortunate pattern that was becoming a trend for the day she gave a hard THWACK to Usagi's backside, which of course propelled the Pearl out from her mouth and into the mouth of the person standing directly in front of her.

Unfortunately this time the pearl went down too fast to lodge in an easily accessible place. It went all the way down Rei's windpipe before she had time enough to gag, but instead of coughing and hacking about it, her face went unusually white and she started to go into a virtual trance, the magic in the pearl having a stronger affect on her than it would on a less psychically sensitive person.

"Uh oh," remarked a cat named Artemis, "This doesn't look good " and of course he was being unusually prescient

"Is no good," Perfume announced to her companions as she studied the footprints in the sand the way another person might closely examine an article in a major newspaper, "Pervert sex-fiend double back on trail, use other route to throw off tracker. Perfume think he maybe want find us before we find him, but him use trail that take him to find party with Great Grandmother "

"Of course," said Lotion the younger at her side, "Given mutual history, should have suspected that he try this. Happosai after Elder Cologne, maybe his idea of getting even."

"He's after Aunt Cologne?" Tenchi reacted with alarm, "We've gotta stop him!"

"Quite right," agreed Ayeka, "It would simply not do for a man of his low character and standard to force his will upon a member of the Juraian royal family particularly with such an odious concoction that can blind a person's senses to all reality and make friend into foe and vice versa."

"You're telling me about it?" Ryoko asked from where she stood nearby, refusing to make eye-contact with the violet-haired princess beside her, who likewise had been pretending equally hard to ignore her immediate company as if by mutual unspoken agreement, "I'm gonna have nightmares about it for the rest of the day. The rest of you guys had better watch out or you could wind up having the same think happen to you."

"Don't worry," Kiyone assured her, "I don't have any intentions of swallowing anything without a thorough examination of its contents. These things would be considered a controlled substance in at least thirty-eight star systems, and the very least we can do is impound them for public safety."

"I would not be too boastful about refusing their power," Lotion the Younger cautioned, "Amazon magics are very powerful, and this bracelet was said to have been created by one of the more gifted Mages ever produced by out tribe some seven hundred years ago. It's even said the bracelet briefly adorned the wrist of the great Tourist, Marco Polo himself."

"We no have intentions of swallowing pearls," remarked Ling-Ling, to which her twin sister added, "No do have Amazon warrior fall in love unless strong fighter.

"Say what you will," replied the diminutive Washu, "But I wouldn't mind having one of those pearls for a closer analysis of their content. It's hard enough fathoming the makeup of the libido tendencies in the average sentient being, and magic pills that can make even you two turn lovey-dovey "

"Don't even think about it, MOM," Ryoko growled the latter word between clenched teeth.

"Oh yes," Ayeka concurred, "We had quite enough of that when Sasami meddled in one of our arguments and nearly got the two of us hitched together."

"I said I was sorry," sighed a young blue-haired girl in weary exasperation, the small creature resting upon her shoulders concurring with a slight "Mew" that all they had intended to do was make the Princess and Space Pirate behave nicer around one another.

"I thought we weren't going to bring that up again ever," Ryoko glanced meaningfully to her longtime rival.

"Consider it forgotten," Ayeka glanced away, her memory still much too fresh of the strange thrill of delight that she had experienced while holding Ryoko, and without knowing it she thought ironically that the accursed devil-girl would just naturally have to be such a talented kisser, mirroring exactly Ryoko's thoughts in her direction.

Tenchi sighed, oblivious to the hidden subtext in these exchanges. Life was never simple for him, but at least it would be nice if his two girlfriends weren't always fighting over him and destroying property. He wasn't eager to be engaged to anyone per-se, much as he enjoyed the company of the colorful girls who always seemed to be at his side right when he needed them the most. Why couldn't people just try and get along the way he was always attempting? There were very few situations, in his experience, that could not be better resolved if all the concerned parties would agree to sit down and discuss things like rational people.

Ironically it was the one girl in his entourage who did not seem to have an interest in Tenchi who turned back over her shoulder with an exasperated frown of her own, spying her lagging partner as she growled out, "Hurry it up, Mihoshi! You think we've got all day?"

"But Kiyone," her fellow Galaxy Patrolwoman replied, pointing back the way they had just come, "I think something's happening over there and isn't that the guy we're supposed to be chasing after?"

The entire party turned to follow the line of her gaze, only to see a blond-haired streak rush past, being hotly pursued by a gorgeous brown haired woman, and a few seconds after them another girl with long purple-black hair came tearing by, only she had her face covered with both arms and was crying in a horrified voice, "Noooooooo!"

A few seconds later a topless green-haired girl came zooming past, actually streaking right by them in a horizontal position, her feet never once touching the sands, and followed closely in heal by yet another brown-haired girl who was crying loudly, "LUM-SAMA, WAIT UP! WAIT FOR YOUR BELOVED SHINOBU!"

No sooner had those two flown by then a couple of boys showed up, slightly out of breath and each one looking desperate with concern and worry as one turned to the other and declared, "This is all your fault, Moroboshi! What have you done this time to upset the Princess Lum and Shinobu?"

"I didn't do anything!" Ataru stoutly defended, "You think I want them to be ignoring me while they go playing with each other?"

"I wouldn't put anything past your lecherous excuse for an imagination!" the boy clutching the katana in one hand declared, then the two picked up the pace again and rushed off in hot pursuit of their errant ladies.

There was a moment where everyone remained standing stock still with only the sound of a collective eye-blink to break the ensuing silence, and then four more girls came rushing up, the lead one saying, "Rei, where are you going? Did anybody see which way she went? Oh, hi cousin Tenchi!"

Tenchi stirred at that friendly greeting, "Usagi? What are you doing here?"

"No time to talk, Cuz," the Odango-blonde haired girl flashed a friendly smile at him, "We're looking for a friend who we think went this way and what's this about you being with all these girls? Don't tell me shy little Tenchi is turning into a major stud! You have got to give me all the juicy details sometime "

"Not right now," the other blonde in the party pleaded, "We're looking for a girl, not too tall but nicely built and leggy. She has long dark hair and we think she may be having some kind of trouble. Can you tell us if you've seen her?"

"Uh sure," Ryoko pointed, "Someone like that went that way not thirty seconds ago."

"Thanks!" all four of the girls chorused together, and then they were in motion once again in hot pursuit of the others.

"Japanese very strange people," Ling-Ling commented after their passage, to which her sister mutely nodded in agreement.

"You know, you meet the strangest people on this planet," remarked Ayeka matter-of-factly.

"You're telling me?" asked Washu with a grim, "Why do you think I like it here? So much room for experimentation!"

"I wonder," Lotion frowned, then shifted to her native Chinese and asked, "Perfume, did you notice anything unusual about all this?"

"Define unusual," Perfume replied with a straight face.

"I mean behavior wise," Lotion sought to narrow down her question, "Autonomic responses, unusual pulse rates, high phenomenal activities signifying a heightened state of sexual arousal "

"Ah " Perfume glanced from one side to the other, then in Japanese responded, "Is maybe no different from what Perfume see over there, there and that a way?" she nodded to various couples who currently and most definitely were displaying heightened states of arousal.

The rest of the party began to take notice of the phenomenon that the Amazon Enforcer's heightened perceptions had been first to make plain, that more than a few people surrounding them on that beach were indeed giving indications of increasingly peculiar behavior.

"But Hiyukawa-san!" one boy was complaining to his two lady companions, "What have I done wrong now and what are you and Hikaru-chan doing?"

"Like it's any of your business!" the raven haired Madoka shot back as she kept her arms around the astonished girl with the light-brown hair beside her, "And for that matter, Kyosuke, I think the way you treat Hikaru sometimes is nothing less than shameful!"

"Madoka-chan?" Hikaru wondered if she were missing something significant here to explain her best friend's odd behavior.

Not too far removed from them, a girl (whose name, curiously enough, was Akane, and cousin to Kyosuke) glared over the rim of her sunglasses at the object of her longtime obsession and wondered why Hikaru should be so lucky.

And not too far removed from these youths, a slightly older boy was having similar difficulties trying to fathom out the odd behavior of a pair of female jet pilots named Mataki and Miyuki

"Uh does it seem to you as if folks are acting a little weird all of a sudden?" Tenchi asked, being far from the most astute observer in the world but wholly unable to miss the significance of the energetic way in which some people were behaving.

"Now that you mention it," Washu noted, "Even by the standards of this planet some of this is looking a little weird "

Lotion gave a gasp and asked, "You think power of bracelet maybe do this to people?"

"But there only two pearls left on bracelet," Perfume scanned around, "Is many, many peoples acting like pearl is having this effect."

"Pearl?" Mihoshi bent down and picked something up out of the sand, "You mean like this one?"

"Huh?" everyone crowded around to see the object in her hand, and Kiyone was first to say, "It does look like a pearl but why are there so many?"

"You got me on that one," Washu scratched the back of her head with a thoughtful expression as she glanced around, spotting another pearl, and another one beyond that., ""Looks like a bunch of those things are littering the beach, and it's a good bet that more than a few are being swallowed. Maybe somebody's mass-producing them by the bucket?"

"That looks exactly like the one that got us," Ryoko said with more than a hint of alarm in her voice.

"Whatever you do, do not take that thing into your mouth, Mihoshi," Ayeka stressed with great conviction.

"It no make sense," Lotion was puzzled, "Only three Pearl in legend, where other pearls come from?"

"And why would anyone in their right mind swallow one of these things," Kiyone asked, "Even if they didn't know they were magic?"

"Is magic all right," Perfume held one of the pearls up in the palm of her own hand, "Perfume can feel tingle and see aura surround it. Is like something Grandmother make for fun, only much, much more powerful than ordinary love charm."

"Your grandmother?" Tenchi asked.

"Elder known as Siren," Lotion replied to the question, "She very big troublemaker."

Perfume heaved a sigh, "Is true, Grandmother very how you say much fun?"

"Enthusiastic," Lotion supplied for her.

"Thank you," Perfume smiled at her beloved friend, only to give a start as her battle instincts warned her just barely in time of an impending collision. She braced herself to absorb the impact against her shoulder blades but winced as her hyper-sensitive pain receptors exaggerated the impact, and for a momentary second lost possession of the pearl that she had been holding.

"Sorry about that," the boy who collided with her belatedly apologized before turning to face the other boy who had struck him, "I'm warning you, Mizuhara, stay away from my sister, and especially keep well away from Shayla-sama!"

"And I'm telling you to back off, Jinai, or you're gonna get hurt!" the other boy declared, "Shayla's mine and you're not taking her from me!"

The unfortunate person standing directly in front of Perfume only had time to for a hesitant gasp before the pearl shot into his mouth as though aimed there with intention, and then Tenchi reflexively coughed, having had no time to deflect or avoid the enchanted object. He had the presence of mind to shut his eyes tightly, realizing that to open them at this particular moment was to court disaster on a colossal level. It didn't matter WHO he looked at next, one or more of his companions was likely to protest the act with explosive consequences, and with him trapped, as usual, in the middle!

"Uh oh!" Ryoko murmured, having more than a little idea what the Juraian prince would experience if he looked someone in the eyes like her for example!

"Lord Tenchi," a nearly identical thought crossed the mind of Ayeka and triggered a war of conflicting desires and conscience wholly absent in the thought processes of her rival.

"Boy swallow pearl," Ling-Ling said as if realizing that someone had to announce the obvious.

"Make cough up pearl before he huh?" Lung-Lung broke off her suggestion as the blue haired space pirate materialized in front of Tenchi.

"Hey Tenchi," Ryoko cooed, "Maybe you'd better let me have a look at that to see if I can help you."

"YOU WHAT?" Ayeka hastily shoved the space pirate aside and seized Tenchi by the arms and said, "Lord Tenchi, let me be the one to examine you. After all, it is my duty as a princess "

Tenchi made a hesitant decision. He knew with a sinking feeling in his guts that he was going to get sucked into this mess no matter what he did, so he might as well surrender to the inevitable this one time and opened his eyes, resigned to suffering the effects of the pill, which he hoped would only be temporary.

"Why you!" Ryoko straightened up and balled her fists, intending to do mischief, but Kiyone stepped into the battle-zone, separating Ayeka from Tenchi with her voice raised in a note of sternness.

"KNOCK IT OFF, YOU TWO!" the Galaxy Patrolwoman declared, "This is no time for one of your fights! We have to get Tenchi back to normal, so don't even think about taking advantage of him like huh?"

"Kiyone?" Tenchi looked on her, his hand gently placed upon her nearest extended arm, his face suffused with the purest of adoration, "How beautiful you are I never realized your eyes were so blue! How come I've never really noticed you until now? You're incredibly special "

"HAH?" Kiyone reacted in dismay, and suddenly she felt a pair of battle auras flaring up, with some tell-tale logs forming in the air, and for once found herself in a situation that she absolutely knew could not be blamed on Mihoshi

Shampoo's diary resumes:

AIYAA! This is one day that I will not soon forget, that is an absolute certainty! How to describe the unusual things that this one has participated in and witnessed? It does not make for very easy telling!

While Nabiki was away receiving special training from Elder Lotion, it fell upon me to keep a watchful eye out for our much-beloved husband, especially in light of great grandmother's warning as to the Evil Perverted Master's wicked intentions. How could we have known that Lore Master Silk would accidentally cause so much mischief? It was all that this one could do to keep her beloved husband from falling a victim to the curse of those pearls stealing his love away from her and directing him to a far less worthy person.

Or an unworthy person setting their sights upon my Ranma!

I am not certain that I would have defined Kuonji Ukyo as "unworthy," but I had been deriving considerable amusement at her expense earlier in that day, taking notice of the way in which she was attempting to balance the conflicting claims against her hand by rival interested parties. That pig-boy Ryoga considered her a threat to his relationship with Akane was only to be expected, but that Akane herself would completely lose all sense of proportion about her infatuation with the girl-turned-boy chef was as much a surprise to me as I'm sure that it was for Kuonji.

To be fair the pearls were to blame, of course, but the way in which it happened would likely have inspired much more amusement in me had I not been at least partially caught within the crossfire, especially when the tall girl named Mako waded into the ensuing mischief

"Back off, Ryoga!" Ukyo declared, having finally come to the end of his patience.

"And let you have your way with Akane?" Ryoga murmured back in a low growl, "Not likely."

"Ryoga, stop it," Akane reprimanded, "Stop picking fights with Ukyo-kun. This is no way to behave, not when we've got important business chasing down Grandfather Happosai."

"Grandfather?" Makoto asked, "You actually mean that guy and you are related?"

"It's nothing we're proud about," Akane grumbled, "And despite what he sometimes looks like, he's actually a very old pervert who taught my father the martial arts he even founded the Tendo and Saotome systems."

"You're right," Ambergris remarked, "It's nothing to be proud about, but you seem to cope well enough for all that."

"Like we've got a choice?" Ranma asked rhetorically, "He ain't my master, though, and one of these days I'm gonna pound him so flat that he won't crawl out from under the rock that spawned him."

"And Shampoo make sure," the Amazon added in helpfully sweet tones, "Find lots of really big rocks and pile on top him."

"But first we have to catch him, Sugar," Ukyo remarked, "And on a beach this size it ain't gonna be easy."

"Then perhaps we should apply a bit more intelligence to the search," Ambergris mused aloud, "I've been thinking on what goals Happosai might have once he discovers the full potential of the pearls on that bracelet, and it comes into my mind that the logical target may not be some random piece of fluff but rather a specific target, someone who has repeatedly and successfully evaded his best efforts "

"You mean Great Grandmother?" Shampoo deduced, surprised that she had not thought of it herself.

"The old leach wants her?" Ranma asked, "Talk about living dangerously! Does he really think she'd just curl up and turn into his faithful love slave or something?"

"As a matter of fact that's probably what he's counting on," Ambergris replied, "And you're right, his plan would probably backfire on him and he'd wind up with a lot more than even he could handle."

"You mean she wouldn't turn weak and submissive to his will?" Ukyo asked.

"You got it," Ambergris smiled before adding, "Sugar."

Ukyo blinked while Akane glared at that, but the pink-haired Amazon continued as if oblivious to this reaction, "From what I understand about love spells, they don't actually erase the personality of the victim, they only strengthen the attractive force between two (and sometimes more) people, feelings that they may already possess in some small measure, whether it's mere liking or casual friendship. By the same token logic, if one uses a spell to change hate into love, a lot of the anger and hostility that went into the hate would remain and taint their relationship. After all, hate is not the opposite of love, as Elder Lotion is wont to say fear is."

"Fear?" Akane asked.

"Fear is avoidance, just as love is attraction," Ambergris supplied, "Hate is an alloy of the two, a corruption of conflicting emotions, the two strongest in existence, which is why it can be such a powerful weapon but one that cuts both ways. Add fear to love within a relationship and you're bound to have a stormy affair that can harm as well as heal, and when the two most powerful Elders of their generation get together well let's just say I wouldn't want to be the one who gets caught in the crossfire."

"That would be awful," Ryoga agreed, "So, what you're saying is that if the old man gets what he wants then he'll receive her anger as well as her affection."

"You got it, Sugar," Ambergris replied with a soft chuckle, "You're not as slow as most people seem to think you are. You grasp the basics a lot better than most people."

"Huh?" Ryoga was not certain if he should feel complimented or not by that statement, but then there was very little that he understood about the enigmatic Amazon and her oddly superior nature.

"Ordinarily I wouldn't interfere," Ambergris continued, "I'd wish the happy couple well and say they pretty much deserve one another, but as we are talking about the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, and considering the level of major property damage those two could manifest if they really went at it, I think it would be prudent for all of us to take that bracelet away from the old boy and stick it someplace where it can't harm anybody. A power like that shouldn't be abused this way in fact I'm not even sure if I could trust me with that sort of ability. After all, who wouldn't be tempted by the power of playing Cupid?"

"Playing Cupid?" Akane repeated with an unusually subdued and thoughtful tone of voice.

"Sure, I understand that," Ukyo replied, "If some guy had some girl he wanted to seduce then he'd feel inclined to using a pearl to win her over, though I have to admit that sounds like a pretty low brow way of getting a girlfriend."

"But," Makoto said aloud, "If the person already liked the other person that could be a real temptation not that I'd want to do that, of course."

"Of course," Ryoga replied, "It wouldn't be a very honorable way of winning their affections "

"And besides," Akane concluded for them, "If someone did that to me then I'd probably resent it."

"Probably?" Shampoo lifted an eyebrow.

"Jeez, listen to you guys," Ranma growled, "Didn't you just hear her say it's dangerous to fool around with that kind of magic? You never know what you might wind up with!"

"That's easy for you to say," Ryoga replied, "You've already got two girlfriends, and you didn't even have to work at it either, Ranma."

"A lot you know," Ranma growled resentfully, "You think it's easy keeping up in a relationship? If it wasn't for Nabiki and Shampoo " she paused, then glanced away, "Aw, you guys wouldn't understand. I just know it takes two people to make it work or three if you count me into that."

Shampoo smiled at her husband/wife, though she did not fail to catch the thoughtful expressions of many of the others and wondered in the context of their discussion if any of them were seriously contemplating using the pearls for their own sakes. She shot a suspicious look at Ambergris and wondered if her old friend had deliberately implanted the idea in their minds as one of her clever little pranks, no doubt motivated by watching the back-and-forth exchanges of a tentative love triangle.

Complicating her estimate of the truth behind Ambergris's former statements, she turned to the currently-female Ranma and said, "You know, Saotome, the Matriarch is right you would make one very formidable Amazon. You often manage to sound wiser than even my most liberal estimation."

Ranma did not appear to know how he should take that, nor did Shampoo, who frowned at the implied condescension.

What Shampoo could not know directly was just how conflicted Akane was feeling at that moment, thinking about the pearls and the opportunity that they might present, but weighing that against a fundamental certainty that it would be morally wrong and personally unethical to try and influence someone's choices that way. It went against many deeply held beliefs and feelings about how one should conduct themselves in a relationship.

And yet still

She turned to study Ukyo's far-away expression and once again experienced the odd thrill that she felt whenever the handsome bishonen youth was in her presence. She knew Ukyo was really a girl cursed to become a boy, much the same in reverse as with Ranma, but still unlike that jerk, Ukyo was a sweet and sensitive person who never deliberately upset Akane, yet who somehow managed to confuse her on almost every level that truly mattered. Ukyo seemed to like her and never objected to having Akane around, so it was at least possible that he might feel something like what Akane had come to feel towards him or her as the case might be.

Would a magic potion that strengthened feelings of attraction be so wrong if it merely intensified what was already there to begin with? Would it be morally wrong to discover if Ukyo even had such feelings in the first place, or if there was even a chance of something happening between them?

And what of Ryoga? Was she really ready to sever her relationship with him in Ukyo's favor? Akane did not mean to purposefully lead the lost boy on by the nose, and she had long since forgiven him his deception over the matter of his P-chan deception, but were the feelings that she had begun to have for the son of a half-Oni truly well and gone, or had they simply been smothered by her feelings for Ukyo or Ucchan as Ranma almost habitually called him. If Akane chose Ukyo then Ryoga's feelings would be hurt, which was something she would have preferred to avoid if there were some way of keeping Ryoga's friendship, because he was a valiant friend, and a welcome shadow who always seemed close at hand when she needed his attention.

Ryoga, for his part, was faced with similar conflicted feelings, fully aware that Akane had turned from him to the okonomiyaki chef, and resenting this fact enormously as it had prevented any chance he might have had for repairing the rift that had grown up between them. If not for Ukyo's arrival in Nerima, Ryoga might have even become Akane's OFFICIAL boyfriend, and for that he owed the cross-dressing Lothario a good and proper pounding!

Ukyo was more than slightly distracted, trying hard not to glance in Ranma's way, and feeling deep shame at having even momentarily entertained the fantasy of feeding a pearl to Ranma just to see if it could inspire a favorable reaction.

Makoto was feeling a similar brand of torment, her experiences as a senshi having conditioned her to be wary of any artificial or magical means of affecting a person's behavior. Still it was hard to classify something as essentially benign as a love charm with the harsher and far more life-threatening enchantments that she had encountered fighting against the Dark Kingdom and it was her Senpai that she was at least considering as a likely prospect. Besides this, she was growing mighty tired of being one of the only two senshi who didn't have a boyfriend or a life partner

All four had their fantasies disrupted when two sets of running feet charged past their position, one belonging to a very short young girl with pale lavender head who was running at top speed with a very attractive redhead following behind her, a wildly lustful expression on one face counterbalanced by a strong sense of panic that crossed the others.'

"But Big-Sister Shayla !" she was crying as she ran past.

"Whadya doin' running away, little girl?" asked the redhead, "You've always wanted to play with me, we'll here's your big chance!"

"But I'm trying to remain faithful to Nanami!" the smaller girl whined as she managed to maintain a slight advantage in distance.

"Hang on, Aliel!" a brown haired girl called out as she rushed to keep up with the first two.

"Wh-what the heck?" Ranma-chan managed to gasp as she watched the odd trio disappear down the boardwalk.

"Maybe they're having a fire sale," Ambergris suggested.

"Yeah," Ukyo agreed, "Only they're selling real fires."

"Ranma, my boy!" the young-seeming Happosai reminded them all of the purpose behind their searching. He tried to glomp onto the chest of the redhead martial artist, but Ranma had no time working in the counter.

"Back off!" Ranma told the glomping pervert as she slammed him face-first down into the dirt.

"Ahah," Ambergris, "Speak of the rat who's responsible for so much trouble huh?"

"Rmpha, phah mphd jrr helph!" Happosai declared with his face pressed against the sands under Ranma's foot.

"You need my help?" Ranma interpreted correctly, "What the heck for? You got some other guy after you for bothering his girlfriend?"

"It's nothing like that," the blond haired man protested as he managed to work his way out from under his alleged student, "It's Hinako-chan, she's under an unfortunate spell that's making her act-YIKES!"

With great nimbleness and haste the handsome youth ducked around behind the party and hunched down low, just as the voluptuously adult form of their homeroom teacher came trotting up with many parts in motion more eye-catching than any exotic sights one might normally associate with the ocean. Even Ukyo found himself suffering a momentary flash of arousal, as could be noted had anyone bothered to glance at his ultra-tight swimming trunks.

"Saotome," the sultry teacher cooed, "Where is that gorgeous hunk of manhood gotten off to? I simply must give him a proper Teacher-Student evaluation."

"Ah " Ranma began to say when Ambergris spoke up for him, "He's around, honored teacher. Do you wish for us to convey the message that you wish to see him?"

"Thank you but no," Hinako grinned in a naughty way, "I want to personally deliver my message to the dear, sweet boy just as soon as I can find him."

Hinako began to jiggle-ah-jog off in pursuit of her intended quarry, which prompted Ranma to scowl, then reach down and haul the blond haired Happosai to his feet by the armpits and say, "Okay talk! What did you do to the teach?"

"Isn't it obvious enough?" Ambergris remarked, "He must have fed her one of the Pearls, which either means his aim is off or he numbers pedophilia among his numerous vices."

"That's an insult!" Happosai scowled at them both, "I would never raise a hand to harm dear, sweet, innocent Hinako-chan but I wasn't aiming for her in the first place. It's all the old woman's fault for deflecting ah "

"I get it," Ukyo scowled, "You aimed for Cologne but you got Hinako by mistake."

"Bad man," Shampoo reprimanded.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Akane joined in with the chorus.

"I couldn't agree more," added Ryoga, turning a glance towards Ambergris, "What I don't understand is why you didn't tell her where to find him."

"There are some cruelties even I wouldn't visit on an enemy," the pink-haired Amazon replied, "And besides which, in case you failed to notice, we happened to be standing in the way between her and her current object of obsession. As I understand it, she's a bit too casual in using that Happo Five Yen Satsu attack of hers, and I've no particular desire to feel my energy be drained at the moment."

"Then what do we do now that we have him?" Makoto asked.

"What else?" Ranma-chan growled, "We haul him back to the old ghoul and let her decide his fate, after he gives her back that bracelet!"

"And don't even think about trying anything," Akane added, "You're not as tough in your cursed form, and we've got you surrounded."

"Oh, do you now?" Happosai smiled, then his hand suddenly shot forward, "Here, catch!"

Though he had been running for his life for the past several minutes, Happosai was far from oblivious to the fact that there were pearls scattered all over the beach thanks to Silk's spell going awry, and he had managed to gather a few up on the run on the off-chance that they might prove useful. Now was just such a time that he had in mind, and while normally he would welcome the opportunity to bend this arrogant puppy to his leash, he had more practical issues of escape in mind this time and would simply have to hope that he could collect on the potential award much later.

Ranma saw the attack coming but could not get her mouth closed in time, but she reflexively raised her tongue to block it and the pearl failed to go deep into her mouth. Nonetheless the attack made her momentarily lose her grip on the blond pervert, which was exactly what Happosai had intended.

Unfortunately his means of escape was blocked off by the others, who had fanned out to curtail all likely exit routes, but Happosai saw one way of getting around that and scooped up several more of the pearls while diving at an angle.

"Heads up!" he declared as he sent four pellets at carefully selected targets.

Normally his aim would have been flawless, but Akane and Ryoga had both been on their guard this time around and the two managed to pluck their individual pearls out of mid-air, though Akane's went off-course as her fingers failed to close on them and instead the pill went wide and straight for an unprepared Makoto.

Ukyo had been a bit slow to turn due to the still-unfamiliar added mass of his cursed form, so he had far less time than the others in which to either avoid or deflect his pearl, which found its way into his mouth as though it were a guided missile.

As for Ambergris, she deftly caught the pearl aimed for her between two outstretched fingers.

"Hah," she scorned triumphantly, "Too slow my half, Old Miscrea-OOFF!" Ambergris staggered as she was suddenly tackled by an amorous Makoto.

"Ukyo?" Akane said in alarm as she saw the cursed boy cough and sputter and naturally went to his side to see what was the matter.

"Akane-don't!" Ryoga cried in belated warning.

Ambergris gasped as something landed in her mouth, and just as suddenly she realized what had happened, but was prevented from taking the necessary and appropriate actions due to the bear hug that the taller girl had formed around her body. Unfortunately for Makoto her eyes were not focused her way but were instead directed towards the one standing closest to her, Ryoga.

Ukyo stared into the concerned eyes of Akane and suddenly everything was clear in her mind, and for the first time since giving up on her vengeance quest her life suddenly had purpose. Why hadn't he been able to see it before? It was so obvious just exactly whom he was meant to be with!

"Airen?" Shampoo asked anxiously as she very deliberately placed herself between the redhead and the rest of their party.

Ranma spat his pearl into the palm of one hand and said, "I'm okay, Shampoo in fact I don't feel any different."

As the Amazon heaved a sigh of relief, the both of them were amazed to hear Ukyo declare, "Akane I never realized it before, but I love you!"

"SAY WHAT?" chorused several voices at once as all eyes turned to see Ukyo holding Akane closely to him, his eyes locked on hers as Akane gazed back at the handsome youth with a look of absolute wonder.

"It's true," Ukyo declared as if to Akane alone, the others having briefly ceased to exist or have meaning, "It's you I love, Tendo Akane, and no other."

Akane's mind was blank with amazement and wonder, and not a little guilt that tempered her emotions. On the one hand Ukyo's declaration caused something within her to light up like a fireworks display with halogen lights and a neon display underlying the words, "I love you!" On the other hand she knew perfectly well that this was the effect of a spell causing Ukyo to behave in a way normally contrary to her nature, and that deflated her exuberance by a considerable margin.

Ryoga's response was more typical to his nature. With absolute rage he declared, "KUONJI-HOW DARE YOU-URK!?" came the tail end of his declaration as he suddenly found Ambergris pressing herself up against his body.

"Hey, you manly stud you," she cooed, "Why go for the stick when you can have a real woman?"

"Amber-chan!" Makoto wailed plaintively, "Don't tease and ignore me!"

"Uh " Ranma hesitantly ventured, "Why do I get the feeling that this is bad real bad?"

"Is all big mess caused by Happosai," Shampoo glanced around and displayed more vexation as she added, "He get away, make big distraction!"

"That figures," Ranma glanced at the pearl still in his hand, "These things are like dynamite. Good thing I caught mine before it could make me act this crazy."

"Ukyo " Akane started to say, wanting to apologize for ever even entertaining the thought of imposing this sort of thing on the cursed boy.

"Shh," Ukyo bent down low and took Akane into a clench, gazing into her eyes in such a way that the feeble protests of the youngest Tendo sister were drowned in the deep brown pools of Ukyo's vision. Their lips met in a kiss, and suddenly Akane forgot all about what she had been about to say a moment beforehand.

The sight, however, re-ignited Ryoga's anger and turned it up to Blast Furnace levels so that he shrugged off the pink haired Amazon and exclaimed, "KUONJI UKYO, PREPARE TO DIE!"

"In a pig's eye, you blow hard!" Ukyo broke off her kiss and set Akane behind her, taking a protective stance between her and Ryoga, "You don't deserve a woman like her, and Akane deserves a real man who can take care of her, so get lost it's something you're good at!"

Even Ranma was taken aback at the flaring battle-aura that surrounded her half-brother. Ryoga's eyes seemed to grow twice their normal size and take on an almost demonic cast, and Ambergris instinctively backed away lest she be burned on the periphery. Without a word Ryoga charged forward, aiming a fist in Kuonji's direction.

Ukyo did not meet the attack directly but rather ducked down low under the attach and caught the arm between both hands, twisted his body underneath and threw Ryoga in a classic Jujitsu maneuver that sent the other boy crashing into the sand and would have stunned an ordinary man, which of course meant little here as Ryoga was far from ordinary.

"That's it, you DIE!" Ryoga leaped to his feet again and came at Ukyo a second time, but the Ninja-trained chef was ready for him and moved with a speed that belied the size of her cursed male body. As Ryoga was not concentrating on his defenses, she got inside his guard easily and delivered a series of crippling blows, which same only partially staggered Ryoga.

"Ryoga-kun!" Ambergris cried plaintively.

"Ryoga, stop!" Akane called out to no avail.

"Amber-sama," Makoto pleaded, "I want you to be my new girlfriend "

"Ucchan," Ranma murmured in concern, realizing that strength and skill were both in Ryoga's favor.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo declared, "Cursed girl no deserve this. How we break up fight, Airen?"

"How about with a crowbar and lots of rope?" Ranma suggested before sighing half to herself, "Yup, this definitely is turning out to be one of those days "

Continued 


	78. Chapter 78

Summary:  
The plot thickens like lumpy oatmeal as more victims fall prey to the Pearls and their relationship-spawning magic, but when Lotion and Nabiki enter the scene will there be naught that they can do to avert a crisis, and will it be too late to avert all-out war between Ukyo and Ryoga over the issue of Akane?  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

"Kodachi-chan," Kasumi noted pleasantly, "It's very warm today, would you like to share some ice cream?"

"Would I?" Kodachi noted slyly, "I would most indubitably seek your indulgence to share the sweet serenity of an iced confection, though in all honesty there is something else upon which I would much rather spread chocolate sauce with a sprinkle of nuts and honey."

It was Kasumi's turn to blush at the innuendo of her dear friend's lascivious statement, and the two of them shared a smile of fond anticipation. Walking side-by-side, the two young ladies were enjoying a moment of intimacy in which the crowded beach surrounding them had only two people, and in that world that only they two owned there was much conversing with coy looks and subtle exchanges that would have meant little to anyone else but meant great volumes for two young lovers. It was a relationship that few understood and even fewer gave approval, but for Kasumi and Kodachi it was as natural to them now as breathing, and every little brush of the hand or hip had the sweetness of a caress of a far more significant nature.

Given that they were currently joining in a search to find Happosai, whom they had been informed was in possession of a magic bracelet, the like of which a man of his low character should not be privileged to possess. They had begun the search in the presence of Kasumi's half-sister, Kachu, and Kachu's husband, Tofu-sensei, but the pair had begged to be excused for a bit as Tofu had a plan that he thought would help, and so he and Kachu had left with the promise of a return in a prompt and timely manner. Kodachi and Kasumi did not mind being left alone, of course, and they felt more than adequate to handle any challenge that might come in their direction.

Trailing behind them a respectful distance was the ever-faithful Sasuke, keeping an alert and watchful eye out for anything that might adversely affect the happiness of his two Mistresses. In the time since he had come to regard Kasumi as a second Mistress he had grown to love and respect the gentle Tendo girl, and to value her smile far in excess to any personal happiness that he might otherwise imagine. It was his duty as family retainer to the Kuno estate that he be her faithful ninja, ever bit as much as he was to Kodachi. That the two seemed to be ignoring him at the moment was of no consequence at all he knew his company was valued, and if he faded into the background and took their minds off of worldly matters, then he was faithfully discharging his duties, a fact in which he took great satisfaction.

Of course he also took notice that several people whom they passed upon the beach were behaving in a very odd manner, and he witnessed several fistfights breaking out with much shouting and even some running about going on between utter strangers. For a denizen of Nerima this was not an exceptional matter, but after passing so many in a few minutes, Sasuke was beginning to wonder if there was something going around, and quite possibly contagious.

"It's such a beautiful day," Kasumi mused in a voice that well conveyed the happiness that she was currently feeling.

"Yes it is," Kodachi agreed, "The more so for having you with me."

Kasumi smiled and was about to say that the feeling was mutual when something loomed up in her path and a pair of strong male hands gripped her by the arms to steady her and prevent an impending collision.

Both Kodachi and Sasuke came to an equally abrupt halt, staring at the man who had appeared within their path with such unexpected suddenness that Sasuke wondered in private if his Master had become part ninja.

"Oh!" Kasumi gasped, and raised her eyes to look full on the face of Kuno Tatewaki, who glanced down at her with a cold and remote expression devoid of either warmth or resentment.

"Tendo Kasumi," he acknowledged, "It is ill advised to take no notice of your surroundings, you might well have injured yourself against some party that intended you no mischief."

"Tatewaki," Kodachi greeted her brother with even less warm than he displayed when he turned his gaze in her direction, "What are you doing here, Brother? I thought you were preoccupied taking over affairs abandoned in your lap by our father."

"The running of a major corporation takes far more of my time than I am sure that you understand, dear sister," the older Kuno replied, "Nor do I suspect you have much of an interest, having affairs of your own to pursue, which of course are of no concern of mine. You are free to do as you like, however much it pains me that you neglect the obligations of your station."

"And what obligations are those, Tatewaki?" Kodachi growled, "To what do I owe my family that you come here to remind me of it?"

Tatewaki very gently but firmly moved Kasumi to one side, then fully confronted his younger sister, his eyes full of complex emotions, few of them of a brotherly nature.

"Like it not, and you may be assured that I do not," he began, "There is a stipulation in our father's will that vests in you a portion of the inheritance that we may each come into in the untimely event that he is unable to discharge his paternal duties. I now control the company, but you own a share of the major outlets. It would be pointless for our two parts to be at odds with one another, so I must ask your consent that I may make several deals that bind the Pharmaceutical branch with our Munitions outlets."

"You want to combine drugs with arms manufacturing?" Kodachi's eyes widened in alarm, "To what end would you wish such a thing?

"I am not at liberty to spare the details in a public forum," he replied, "But it concerns an arrangement our father made with the government, an obligation that I must needs honor or be remiss to the tune of several billion yen already invested. You need not fear, I intend no evil thing with this program. I will make all the pertinent details available to you, but I must needs ask that you come with me now. I already have a limousine waiting "

"No," Kodachi said firmly and distinctly, so much so that Sasuke stifled a gasp at the sense of an impending clash between his Lord and Lady.

"No?" Tatewaki quirked an eyebrow.

"I will go nowhere with you at this time, Brother dear," Kodachi said precisely and evenly, "The affairs of business shall not intrude on my day of contentment, nor will I be rushed into a decision until I have had time to thoroughly review the details of this proposal. We both know the folly of haste in conducting our affairs, Tatewaki, and we have each suffered grievously because of ill-made decisions entered into without proper thought to the consequences."

"How well you state the matter plainly," Tatewaki replied, "Very well, then I will be blunt in my speech as well. As much as I have forgiven you, dear sister, for the years in which you tainted my food and my mind with your subtle poisons, I still hold your conduct in the prismatic light of your past behavior, and while it seems that you have made a sincere reform of your ways, I often wonder to what depth you have acquainted the fair Kasumi with the full extent of your past transgressions."

Kodachi grit her teeth but shot a guilty look in Kasumi's direction. She had bared her soul to the eldest Tendo sister and made a full confession of as many of her personal sins as seemed relevant to the present, and received the forgiveness of her lover for these sins but not every sin ever committed. There were some few past wrongs of such a nature that she had feared to share their existence with any other, and It seemed in her mind that Tatewaki was now threatening to make those evils more common knowledge, and that was something she could not tolerate. Of all the pains and ills that Kodachi might bear in this world, Kodachi feared seeing Kasumi's love turn to bitterness and disappointment.

She silently cursed her brother, wondering at this strange transformation of the formerly clueless and dull-witted Kuno from romantic dreamer to capable and much subtler performer. At first Kodachi had blamed the drugs that she had been feeding Tatewaki in his food for having suppressed his natural intellect, but the boost in his competency level was unfathomable, and she began to suspect that there was a more sinister cause behind his sudden burst of genius.

"There are no secrets between me and Kasumi-chan," Kodachi voiced aloud with as much control in her tone as she could manage, "And it is to her that I turn as my conscience."

"I have no doubt she is quite capable in that regard," Tatewaki glanced sidelong at Kasumi, "And I do not doubt that this is far from the limit of her talents."

Kasumi gasped in surprise, having at least some inkling of what the tall boy was implying with his veiled comment, and it shocked her that he would use such crudity in regards to her, as if she were guilty of something that was not right and proper.

Kodachi, on the other hand, felt her temper flaring to raw heat at the insult directed towards her favorite Tendo sister. With far less control of her temper than before she snapped, "Is this how you seek my cooperation, Tatewaki? To embarrass and insult my friends?"

"Friends?" Tatewaki asked, "Is that what she means to you? An interesting use of terminology "

Even Sasuke felt a shudder go down his spine at the crudeness that remark, delivered with such sharp venom that it seemed utterly unlike the Master whom he had served devotedly since childhood. Whatever strange alteration had of recent times come over the elder Kuno sibling, Sasuke most definitely did not like it and apparently neither did his Mistress!

Kodachi was on the verge of doing something rude and unforgivable in front of Kasumi and to her older brother when a pair of running feet interrupted their conversation, and all three heads turned in time to take notice of the blond haired Happosai making tracks in the sand with a gorgeous brunette in hot pursuit, scattering sand and debris in all directions.

"What in the name of ?" Tatewaki began to say when something fell into his mouth, causing him to momentarily gag in reflex.

"How very odd," Kasumi said aloud, "That looked like Grandfather Happosai in his cursed form, but who was the woman chasing after him?"

"I don't know," Kodachi replied, "But I'm certain that I have seen her around somewhere."

"Oh," Kasumi clapped her hands together, "But isn't it nice that Grandfather has finally found a woman who is interested in meeting him? Maybe now he won't be so lonely."

"More like she's another of his admiring fans who want to express their appreciation for his acquiring their undergarments," Kodachi gave a nasty smile that showed her opinion on the subject of the family pervert.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if you ladies might have seen someone," a voice asked from slightly above their heads and off to one side, "He's a young man with brown hair who answers to the name of Makoto do you know where he might be?"

Kasumi and Kodachi turned to see a beautiful woman with long white hair floating in the air several feet above the sands, her gray eyes politely inquiring and granting to her an almost angelic demeanor.

"Oh no," Kasumi answered forthrightly, "I do know a Makoto, but she's most definitely not a young man. If I see anyone who answers to that name I'll be certain to tell you."

"Thank you," the woman replied and floated off in search of her missing boyfriend.

"Such a nice young girl," Kasumi remarked, "I do hope she finds the one she's looking for."

Kodachi was just considering the point about the woman floating without apparent means of support when she began to take recognition of the fact that there was more than a little unusual behavior going on around them.

"Eh?" Tatewaki finally opened his eyes and glanced in Kasumi's direction, only to react in stunned amazement as he turned to the unsuspecting Tendo girl and once more seized hold of her by the arms, only this time there was no aloofness in his expression, "What beauty is this before me? What unparalleled grace of womanly virtue? Canst my eyes have beheld a more wondrous vision ?"

"Excuse me?" Kasumi replied with some perfunctory eye-blinking.

"Surely the gods smile upon this humble mortal that he may bask in the presence of such glory," Tatewaki continued, "Pray be mine, gentle maiden, and I shall spread the glories of the earth beneath thy dainty feet and cover thy bed with rose petals and blossoms. I shall prize you over all the women of this Earth and make a mockery of my former diversions "

"Tatewaki, are you insane?" Kodachi demanded, heedless of the irony in that statement, and quite amazed at the sudden transformation within her brother.

"Aye, mad with desire for she who claims my affections," Tatewaki resumed, "Come with me now and I shall take thee to unexplored depths of desire that thou mayest acquaint thyself with the generous bounty that is thy rightful lot. Oh happy day when mine eyes beheld such a vision "

Sasuke blinked in open surprise on hearing what sounded like his Old Master making a spontaneous return to the fold, only now the object of his current interest put him definitely at odds with the wants and desires of his Mistress, and what was a poor ninja to do in such an appalling situation?

Kasumi wondered if Tatewaki were feeling quite all right, and was also struck by how quickly he had warmed up to her without any stimulus on her part. His words were strong with the sincerity of his ardor, but he was simply a younger boy to her who happened to have a nice background, and though he was unquestionably quite handsome, he simply was not her Kodachi.

Kodachi, however, did seem to be in rather a state herself at the moment, her eyes burning with the fires of outrage, and if Kasumi did not know better she would have believed that her beloved friend was presently manifesting an Akane-sized battle aura, with her brother being the primary target of much impending violence. Given all of this, Kasumi could only react in the manner which, for her, was second nature, and neatly summarized both her and Sasuke's conflicting emotions on this subject.

"Oh my "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

My first warning that something was amiss with the others came when Lotion paused in the middle of her lecture, glancing off with one of those faintly distracted expressions that often come over her without warning, and then the subtle shift in her tone as she remarked aloud, "What has that child done now? Honestly you would think she would have more sense than to attempt something of that nature "

I was about to ask what she meant when the old woman raised her staff and gestured, and suddenly we were back on the other beach surrounded by people, a few of whom were actually familiar.

I saw Cologne at once, of course, standing with Hairbrush and a giant panda whom I took to be Uncle Genma, only he had a medical smock covering his muzzle. I was about to ask where he had gotten it when I belatedly recalled that he used to work part time for Tofu-sensei. I wasn't about to ask how he had obtained it for this occasion such things are better off left unasked around my prospective father-in-law, but I was wondering why he was wearing it on this particular occasion.

"Good of you to come," Cologne said in greeting before I had the chance to voice my question aloud, "It seems we have a situation "

"I already know all about it," Lotion replied, glancing around, "Where is Silk? I should like to have a few words with my errant granddaughter."

"Silk is presently concerned with personal matters," Cologne replied, "She'll be along soon enough, after she has retrieved Tendo Soun from the present affections of Hibiki Atsuko."

I blinked at that and said, "Daddy?"

"It seems they both swallowed love pearls that have enchanted them into a temporary dalliance, Daughter-in-law," Hairbrush noted with a shrug of his broad shoulders, "There's a lot of that going around, I've noticed."

"Say what?" I asked in understandable confusion.

"I myself barely escaped the amorous attentions of a bewitched Nodoka," the man continued with an apologetic nod in my direction, "Fortunately for me my wife provided some needed distraction."

I saw Genma-panda glare crossly at the other man, but for once his ever-present sign was not in hand, or else he might likely have employed it in a less-than-constructive manner.

"Indeed, this is most serious," Lotion noted with a look of intense concern in her expression, "I knew that allowing Happosai to keep possession of many of the Amazon treasures would prove to be a grave mistake, but until now I've lacked a clear plan on how he and they might be well separated. I take it this was the charmed bracelet that once was in your possession?"

"The same one that has caused untold mischief in the past," Cologne replied, "And I think you can well appreciate the harm that he has wrought through injudicious employment of the love pearls."

"Wait a second!" I cried, forming a "T" with both hands, "Time Out! Love pearls? You've gotta be kidding!"

All at once an unshaven man with an unkempt manner that defined him as one of extremely poor grooming habits came rushing by us shouting out, "Ifurita! Where are you my love-goddess of Destruction?"

Not far behind him was a very slender woman with pale lavender hair who cried, "MASUMICHI! Please wait up! Don't run from me like that, my husband!"

And right behind her a pretty girl with long brown hair partially held up by a headband came floating by on a breeze crying, "Where are you going, Big-Sister Mise? I want to play with you some more! Come back!"

I could not help but notice that there were a lot of other people all around us who were showing more than a little of the same behavior in fact it looked as if dozens of people were carrying on like a pack of love-crazed morons.

"Oh," I said at length, "Guess you're not kidding after all "

"There you are!" said the familiar voice of Doctor Tofu, and we turned to see both him and Kachu come running up to join us, both wearing surgical masks, the same as Genma.

"Great-Grandmother," my elder half-sister called out, "Thank our ancestors that you are here! We are in dire need of the services of your office!"

"So I see," Lotion replied, "I take it you and your husband thought to retrieve some masks from a local medical clinic. That was very insightful of you, Son-in-law, I'm much impressed by your foresight."

"It seems like the best way to prevent accidentally swallowing one of those pearls," Tofu replied through his mask, "They act almost like Mexican Jumping beans, or corn kernels on a hot sheet."

"So many people have swallowed these pearls that one is tempted to believe that they are enchanted to do so," Kachu added, handing me one of the surgical masks, "Here you are, sister this will offer you some protection, and I shall give you two more to share with your wife and husband."

I didn't feel like correcting the Devil Hunter on the mere technical fact that we aren't yet officially married, but I was grateful that she had thought of Shampoo, Ranma and me. It's at times such as these that I can actually see the resemblance between her and Kasumi, and I'm not even a little ashamed at acknowledging her as my sister.

"There is not much time in which we may act," Lotion said in thoughtful tones as she accepted another one of the masks and donned it, giving her the appearance of someone suffering from a bout of influenza, "Silk cast a spell without properly calibrating the intensity of her defenses. Sometimes that girl forgets her own strength " she shook her head in weary exasperation, "But anon, she will have to deal with affairs that she instigated in her own peculiar way. I must study the matter at somewhat greater length than we seem to be permitted ahah!" she spied something on the ground, which she knelt to pick up, and at once my eyes went round as I took in the sight of a perfectly round pearl whose net worth I estimated to be a good five thousand yen, at least!

"You'll find those almost everywhere you turn," Cologne informed us, "There are hundreds of them littering the beach, and every one of them has the potential to cause someone to fall in love with the first thing whom they set eyes upon "

"Luna!" I turned in surprise as I heard the voice of Tsukino Usagi calling out from a short distance away, "What the heck are you doing with that Seagull?"

I blinked my eyes and saw the black cat with the moon-crest scar who always seemed to hang about with Ranma's ditzy cousin pinning the aforementioned example of wildlife to the sand and if you think I'm going to describe the rest of this, you've got another think coming!

"Uh okay," I said, "That's bad "

"Airen!" I heard the joyous cry of my Amazon bride-to-be one second before she literally pounced on me and nearly knocked me over, hugging me closely that my ribs started to protest, "You is all right! Shampoo so worried you get pearl and start to act funny!"

"You okay, Nabs?" I heard Ranma ask as my redheaded iinazuke joined us at a somewhat more leisurely pace.

"Nabs?" I wanted to have words with him regarding this new nick-name he had just coined, but first I had a pressing matter of my own survival to attend to as I gently but firmly pried myself loose from Shampoo's bear-hug, "Easy, Honey, do it gently! I'm not made of rock "

"Oops," Shampoo said cutely as she partially let me go but kept on smiling as our eyes made contact, "Is good you no affected by pearls, Nabiki but why is you wearing funny mask?"

"I get it," Ranma said with a grin, "Pretty cagey! This your idea, Tofu-sensei?"

The doctor nodded as I handed Ranma and Shampoo their smocks, then hastily explained to them both the urgent need to prevent ourselves from swallowing some pearls, only to have them both vigorously shake their heads in agreement as Ranma said, "We already know about that! In fact that's why we need help! Ryoga and Ukyo are going at it, and they mean serious business."

"Going at it?" I blinked my eyes, trying to picture the cross-gender chef and the perpetually lost half-Oni doing something very naughty together. The sound of a nearby explosion distracted me from this unlikely mental image.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo breathed through her mask, "They really going at it!"

"It ain't good," Ranma shook her head, "Ucchan's good, but she ain't no where near as good as Ryoga, and unless we can figure out a way to break these stupid love-spells "

"Fortunately there is little reason to fear," the old woman announced as she seemed to conclude her researches into the object that she was holding, "The pearls have been diluted from their full might by the very spell that multiplied them from a single source. One hour should be sufficient duration until their effects wear off, after which the affected parties will no doubt experience some after effects that will cause them to rethink their behavior."

"A whole hour?" Ranma gasped, "Ucchan's gonna get creamed long before that! Ryoga's gone totally berserk, and he ain't pulling his punches in spite of her only being a guy because of magic!"

I heard what sounded like several more explosions, only they were taking place at other points on the beach, and not all concentrated in one area either!

"What is this?" I asked, "A beach or a war-zone?"

"When it comes to romance I'm at times hard pressed to find a difference," Cologne answered.

"Did someone mention my niece?" we heard Kuonji Yumi ask as she appeared at the side of a much-alarmed Genma.

"Remarkable," Cologne noted, "I would have thought that the sleep-spot I tapped would have you resting your eyes a bit longer."

"You can't expect to use tricks like that on a trained ninja," Yumi pointed out as she wrapped her muscular arms around the fur of Ranma's father, who made a serious effort to free himself, only was less than totally effective.

"Hah?" I heard Ranma and Shampoo echo my own gasp.

"Come here, you big strong panda-bear you," Yumi hugged the cursed form of my father-in-law to be while rubbing her face in his fur with great affection, "Let's snuggle up together and make some sand-bunnies!"

It took maybe three seconds for Ranma to close her mouth, and then in two quick strides she crossed the distance between her and her father and yanked hard down on his chin-hairs until their faces were about eye-level.

"What this about, Old Man?" Ranma growled, "Are you cheating on Mom again? Why I oughta "

"For once the fool is not to blame, Son-in-law," Cologne remarked, "Kuonji Yumi is under the influence of the pearl that she swallowed."

"I am?" Yumi asked in mild surprise, "If so, then it feels WONNNDERFUL! The things could put pale to Viagra!"

I wasn't going to touch that one with a ten-meter pole-arm, and for the first time in quite a while I actually felt a note of sympathy for the hapless Genma.

"Heh," Ranma grinned as she let go of Genma, surrendering him up to the burly okonomiyaki chef, "Sounds to me like you've got what's coming to you, old man only " she glanced around, "Where's Mom and the others?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo agreed, "Where Shampoo mother, and why she no with you, Father?"

"Ah " the Chinese gentleman in question replied, "That might take some explaining, dear "

"Where's Daddy?" I asked, returning to a subject that had almost been forgotten, "You said he and Ryoga's mom are suddenly sweet on each other?"

"What?" Kachu reacted, "Father and that Oni?"

"Silk is attending to that even as we speak, child," Cologne replied, "You may trust her to get to the bottom of matters before things proceed too near to the bottom."

I glanced around in search of Daddy and the others and made a peculiar discovery a section of beachfront upon which my eyes absolutely refused to focus. I tried staring at that place but it was like my gaze just slid off the spot, and I couldn't even form a mental picture of what I had seen barely on the periphery of my vision. Try as I might I could not bring that area into sharper focus.

"No time for that now," Lotion reminded me as she scanned the sands for a moment then stabbed a spot with her staff and flipped an object into her hand, "Ah here is the offending item. Uncle Happosai must have dropped it in his haste to escape from his own folly. All of the pearls may have been shed, but I believe that it is still the key to winding up this libidinous mischief."

I spied what looked like a solid gold bracelet worked ornately into the pattern of a dragon biting its own tail and goggled, unable to help estimating its value (assuming that the gold was solid and not plated). I also noticed that there were three settings that could accommodate jewels, which same were presently missing. From that I deduced that this was the artifact that had been mentioned, the one that produced pearls that were presently causing so much trouble, such as the lightning flashes and thunderstorms which I was hearing all around us.

"Come, Apprentice," the old woman announced, "We must consult with someone who may be able to help us round up these pearls before they cause any more trouble."

I saw Cologne blanch slightly as she heard this and she shot a look towards Lotion that was nothing less than appalled, "You don't mean you're going to summon HER, are you? Are we truly this desperate?"

"She is the only one who can answer my summons in a timely manner, Matriarch," Lotion replied, "And unless you have a better suggestion, she may be the only one who can undo what has been done. After all, the bracelet once belonged to one of her ancestors."

"Where are you going?" Ranma asked in a somewhat disappointed voice, glancing at me as if afraid to let me out of her sight.

"To contact the one person who may be able to help us," Lotion replied, "Siren the Archmage, Perfume's grandmother."

"Archmage?" I blinked, "You mean she's a witch?"

"More like an Enchanter," Cologne grumbled, "And usually she's more trouble than she's worth."

"Now, now," Lotion chided, "Try and keep your personal feelings in check on this, Matriarch. You now how she looks upon you with the fondest of affections."

"Like I can forget a thing like that?" Cologne rolled her greenish eyes towards the heavens.

"Who is this Siren?" I asked, mindful of the concern which I saw cross the faces of Shampoo and her father, "Is she dangerous?"

"Only if she likes you," Lotion noted as she started forward, compelling me to follow.

"And if she doesn't like you?" I persisted.

"Well then," the old man mused, "Danger is such an inadequate word to describe a person of her character and abilities. She is an Amazon Archmage, you see, and they're quite a bit beyond the mere definition of the word danger."

Somehow I was less than reassured by this, but like a dutiful apprentice I followed and was soon lost to another remote area of beachfront within a half a dozen footsteps

Ukyo was having a bad run of it and knew it. Despite the increased strength and resilience of his masculine body, Ryoga was a lot tougher by a fair measure, and after initially allowing himself to be thrown around a few times straightened up and got serious, displaying more of his skill as a fighter.

The half-Oni lost boy packed one hell of a punch, and when Ukyo had slowed by a fraction she had been on the receiving end of it, which knocked her flying and nearly rendered her unconscious. Only the superlative training of a ninja saved her from losing the fight at that moment and she managed to roll with the impact in the soft sand, coming to a rest between the legs of a towing blonde woman, who glanced down at her with a faintly aloof expression.

"Humph," she remarked as Ukyo stared up through the peaks and valleys of her cleavage, which same were revealed in spite (if not because of) the flimsy bits of cloth that allegedly comprised her bikini, "Like what you see, handsome?"

"Ah " Ukyo hastily got back to his feet and said, "Sorry about that, I-hold that thought for a moment," he added as he turned just in time to avoid another Hibiki-patented roundhouse.

"Ukyo!" Akane called out from the sidelines, "Ryoga, stop fighting!

"Ryoga-sama!" Ambergris called out, "You don't need to fight him over her! I'm more than enough woman to satisfy you, big boy!"

"You're more woman than he deserves you mean," Makoto clung to the pink-haired Amazon's arm, "And what do you need a guy like him for when you could have me?"

"This very strange," said Perfume from where she stood besides Lotion the Younger, "Boys act like they ones who decide who make challenge to Akane."

"Is way some outsider men behave," Lotion noted, "Hear word used by Amber describe this, call it Pecking Order, like wolves in pack."

"Aiyaa," said Ling-Ling, "Is very strange behavior."

"No Amazon way, that for sure," agreed Lung-Lung.

"Probably not," added Makoto, "But try telling those two blockheads."

It was taking all the skill he had to hold his own against Ryoga, but Ukyo was not about to give up the fight and surrender in the face of the other boy's berserker status. The fact that Akane, the woman that he now loved with total devotion, was watching him fight spurred him to use every trick in his arsenal to stave off the other boy's thrusts, punches and kicks, all the while wishing that he had brought his battle spatula to the fight so that it could at least be a more even tussle.

"No way," he growled under his breath as he caught Ryoga by the forearm and twisted into his defenses, delivering a stunning elbow thrust that staggered Ryoga back a few paces, "No way am I letting a blockhead like you have Akane!"

"Go to Hell, Kuonji!" Ryoga reared up and charged again with a straight punch that Ukyo barely evaded.

"Heh," the blonde who had spoken before remarked, "Looks like a serious case of testosterone poisoning to me. This is no way for guys to behave on a public beach. I think somebody ought to do something about it."

"Uh oh!" said Akane.

"Uh oh?" repeated Perfume.

"It's Kenou Ai," Akane replied, "The Captain of the Furinkan High Combat Cheerleader's squad, and she brought the rest of her girl gang with her!"

"Combat Cheerleaders?" Ambergris asked, "Are you serious?"

"Is true," Ling-Ling replied.

"We see strange girl in school yard other day," Lung-Lung added.

The two combatants paid no heed to their audience, the total focus of their attention being directed at one another. Although at a clear disadvantage in terms of raw physical power, Ukyo had been training to fight all of his life, and despite the unfamiliarity of fighting in a totally male body, he was a quick study about such matters and was rapidly adapting his combat techniques to account for his greater mass and different center of gravity. As the fight progressed and he was forced to tap more and more into his reserves of combat prowess he began to fight with greater efficiency and effectiveness, taking advantage of any and all openings his enemy obligingly provided as Ryoga was striking far too heedless to devote much energy to his defenses. As such he provided plenty of opportunities for Ukyo to turn his extensive knowledge of anatomy to providing him with an advantage.

Ryoga began to tire of having his arms sting as if stuck into an active bee-hive and tried to finish Ukyo off with an all-out offensive, hurling punches with the force of his Amagurikan speed, but to his surprise he found Ukyo was able to dodge and deflect every one of his attacks, giving the chef time enough to vault backwards and out of arms reach.

"Hah," Ukyo scorned, "You're much slower than Ranchan, and he used this on me during our last fight. I've been training ever since, and I'm used to serving okonomiyaki at twice the speed you're moving, lame-brain!"

"What did you call me?" Ryoga growled in outrage, "I can't believe you said that! Come back here and fight like a man, you coward!"

"Girls," Captain Ai smiled in sly anticipation, "Let's move out and separate these Bo-hunks."

"Right!" cried five voices as other shapely girls in skimpy swimsuits fanned out and took positions reminiscent of a magical girl combat show, with flashy body postures and appropriate hand gestures. At a wave of Ai's hand the girls fanned out and took more aggressive stances.

"What they going do?" Lotion asked.

"You're about to find out," Akane answered with a hint of real dread in her voice as looked with concern towards Kuonji.

Ukyo was readying to meet Ryoga's next attack when the cartwheeling bodies of several young girls suddenly sped past the two combatants, momentarily distracting them from their altercation. Then all at once a girl landed with both feet planted on Ryoga's shoulders, while a second young lady straddled a much-surprised Ukyo by scissoring his neck between her legs.

"I've got my date picked out," said the one girl perched on Ryoga's shoulders.

"And I've got mine," the other girl upon Ukyo replied, and then the two of them fell forward together, clasping hands before either Ukyo or Ryoga could do anything about it.

Then another girl leaped high over the bridge formed by the arms of the two while another girl dove underneath, and the two of them linked arms and legs, gripping the ankles of both boys with their ankles, thus tripping up the two combatants.

"Hey!" both Ukyo and Ryoga cried together as the four girls combined to turn them into a human wheel, which same began rolling as Ai and the remaining girl began pushing them along towards the ocean.

"We're going to cool you two hot-heads off before you can do anything to mess up those handsome profiles," Ai called out to the cries of the boys and the delighted cheers of the girls in question.

"Tell Perfume she no see this," the Amazon Enforcer said in a droll tone of voice.

"That would make Lotion liar," her companion replied in the same disbelieving manner.

"I have to give them credit," Ambergris remarked sardonically, "That attack certainly had originality behind it."

"It's definitely a new one in my experience," Makoto agreed sincerely.

"Oh," Akane belatedly broke off from her own surprise, "Ukyo Ryoga!" and she took off running to catch up with them, compelling the others to follow in her wake.

"Think maybe Akane have liking for both boys?" Ling-Ling asked of her sister.

"Maybe she want two husbands," Lung-Lung agreed, "Been known to happen "

The human wheel went crashing into the surf and for a moment both Ukyo and Ryoga shared a brief moment of panic, until both remembered the reasons why they did not have to fear for their curses. Neither one changed due to Ukyo already being in male form while Ryoga experienced the brief wonder at not changing before belatedly remembering that he had been cured of his curse and so need never again have fear of cold water. As they were each making this discovery, the girls holding onto them let go with perfect synchronization and dove into the surf to scatter apart briefly. When the whole group resurfaced, Ai and her sister, Mariko, stood proudly at the ankle-deep edge of the water and waited for the pair to stop sputtering out briny mouthfuls of salt water.

"So sorry to come between the pair of you while you were having a manly fight," she emphasized the word "manly" to give it a particularly double-edged meaning, "But there's a critical shortage of masculine beauty on our campus and it would be simply criminal for the pair of you to mar your good looks before any of us have had the opportunity to date you."

"Date us?" Ukyo fought to stand up and found himself restrained by the arms of two of the lovely Cheerleaders.

"Of course," answered Mariko, "You think we're going to let a couple of studs like you get away without at least trying you out? And while some of us are pretty flexible in our standards," she gave her blonde sister a meaningful look that was returned with good-natured venom, " the rest of us are set and determined to at least have boyfriends before the end of the semester."

Ai stuck her tongue out at her sister while Ryoga reacted to finding a pair of comely arms take one of his in their embrace as a cheerful voice said, "Hey, I like this one, can I keep him?"

"Hey, that's no fair!" the girl who latched onto Ryoga's other side protested, "You had him last time, Kyoko! I want a turn this time around!"

The pretty brunette named Kyoko blinked her eyes and said, "I did?"

There was a slight pause before the other girl said sheepishly, "Oh yeah, I forgot wrong series."

"HEY!" an angry voice declared from the beach, "What the heck are you doing with him? Get away from there, he's MINE!"

Ambergris was about to set foot into the water when a pair of arms latched around her waist and she heard Makoto coo into her ear, "Forget about him, Amber-chan, you don't need him, you've got me!"

Ambergris fought to get free but was surprised at discovering how much tenacious strength there was in the taller girl, who seemed to know at least enough about the art to avoid being shrugged off by a few simple maneuvers. It was as Ambergris was about to summon up enough Chi power to break loose from the grapple that Akane rushed up to their side and cried, "Stop it! You don't really want him! It's only the effect of those stupid love pearls!"

"Love Pearls?" Ai cocked an eyebrow, "You're kidding, right?"

Akane rounded on the pink-haired Amazon and said, "Think about this! Remember what you were telling us just a minute ago about these pearls being a cursed item? You're not thinking straight because you got a pearl that's making you act crazy!"

"Like you're any expert on romance!" Ambergris shot back as she struggled to work loose from Makoto, "The only reason Lover-Boy over there is interested is because he looked at you first " she paused and said, "Because of a pearl. Wait a minute what am I doing?"

"That's it, think about it!" Akane said, "You think you're so much smarter than we are, but you're acting like a complete baka, and you know that isn't like you."

"No it's not," Ambergris ceased struggling against Makoto, who took advantage of the lapse in activity to move her hands into more interesting places, "Hey!"

"You see how she's acting?" Akane pointed out, "Tell me that's the way you want to behave around Ryoga."

"Ryoga " for a moment the fire rekindled in Ambergris's golden eyes, and once more she began to resist Makoto's efforts, "You can't have him you don't deserve him, Tendo! The guy goes through hell over you and you treat him like he's some love-sick puppy that you can ignore!"

Akane winced, both from the accuracy of those words and the heat with which they were delivered, "I guess maybe I haven't been fair to him lately but I was so angry at him for deceiving me about P-chan. I guess that wasn't really his fault either but I've never deliberately meant to hurt him "

"Akane-chan," Ryoga whispered, the women at his sides all but totally forgotten.

"But I don't really know how I feel about him anymore," Akane continued, "I still like him, but then there's Ukyo "

"That's right," Ukyo shook off the hands that gripped his arms and stood proudly, "I love you, and I'm not afraid to admit it anymore. You don't need this thick-witted clod hanging around you anymore, Akane. I'll be the boyfriend you deserve, not like those fawning, drooling perverts who used to chase you!"

"That's not fair," one of the Cheerleaders protested, "Akane gets all the cute boys to chase after her and ignore us!"

"Yeah," another of the girls replied, "There ought to be a law against it."

"Ukyo," Akane turned towards the surf and said, "I " and then a wave lapped against her toes and Akane involuntarily reacted, her fear of drowning unconsciously affecting her judgement. With a sudden yelp she tripped face-forward into the surf and was momentarily lost to view as the rest of the wave briefly covered her over.

"That's Akane for you," Mariko sighed, "Only she's klutzy enough to trip over her own shadow."

"Next to her Kyoko is the pinnacle of grace," Ai agreed, expecting to hear a loud protest from her fellow team member in question, only one second later all thoughts of the good-natured barb were totally forgotten.

Two white limbs rose out of the water, at first resembling a pair of surf boards until they unfolded to reveal a set of wings whose span was much longer than Akane. Akane herself followed their emergence, sputtering and coughing out the salt water that she had swallowed, then noticing that her balance was slightly off when she tried to sit upright. She glanced over one shoulder and said aloud a fervent, "Uh-oh!"

"Omigod!" Kyoko cried out, "Akane's drowned and turned into an angel!"

She was spared getting THE LOOK that almost always resulted when she made such a curious observation as the rest of her team was too busy being stunned to spare the effort. Akane glanced around at them all and very sheepishly said, "Ah I can explain this sort of "

"Akane-chan," Ukyo surged forward and was at her side a few seconds before Ryoga could do likewise, and then the two boys glared at each other, each one taking a hand and helping Akane to stand upright, where more feathers were revealed projecting from the sides of Akane's muscular legs, adding to the impression that she was part waterfowl, part angel.

"Guys," Akane put a hand to each of their chests and rested them there, "Before you start anything up again, at least hear me out, okay?"

"Well now," Ai mused, "This is a new one even for me and you know something, Akane's never looked this sexy."

Mariko glanced sideling at her and said, "Sometimes I worry about you, Sis "

"Akane-chan," but Ukyo and Ryoga said together, only to turn and shoot sparks with their eyes at one another, though they refrained from renewing their struggle.

Ryoga-kun " Ambergris made a wrenching motion with her head as if to tear the sight of him from her eyes, and then she straightened out again with a look of grim determination, "NO! I won't submit to this I won't let this thing control me!"

"Something you'd like to share with those of us who just walked in on the act?" Ai asked the pink-haired Amazon.

"Not at the moment," Ambergris said evenly, then turned her head to take notice of Makoto leaning hers against her shoulder. There was a long pause before a thoughtful expression replaced the Amazon's look of inner torment, and then she took one of Makoto's hands in her own and said, "You come with me."

"Come with you?" Makoto asked innocently, her eyes suddenly quite hopeful.

"I need to lick this thing," Ambergris replied, "And I guess you're elected to help me out. Don't worry, I'll get both of us past this crisis somehow."

"Oh," Makoto's face lit up with delight, "Amber-chan do you mean ?"

"Yeah," Ambergris replied gruffly, "But not here. Come with me, I'll take you somewhere and we can work this off together."

"Goodie!" Makoto at once relented as the Amazon took her by the hand and led her off in the direction of a more remote section of beachfront.

"What is she doing?" Akane asked as she and her two male paramours returned to drier land.

"You ask this?" Perfume replied with an arched eyebrow.

"Is not to worry," Lotion assured them, "Amber know what doing. I trust her."

"Trust her?" Mariko snorted, "If she's anything like my Sis, then I think I could throw her a lot farther."

"I'm warning you, Oneechan " the blonde haired Ai growled, then cocked her head and said, "On the other hand, you have a good point. Maybe somebody should follow and play chaperone just in case?"

"And of course you're volunteering?" Mariko asked.

"Well, unless you want the job yourself," Ai noted with a sly leer, delighting in seeing her sister demure at the invitation.

"Well hey," one of the other cheerleaders spoke up, "Could somebody maybe please let the rest of us in on what's going on around here? What's with all the fighting on the beach, and why is everybody acting like they've got a case of Kyoko-style infatuation?"

"Hey!" Kyoko cried out, "Stop picking on me!"

"I'm so sorry," Akane said, "I don't even know where to begin. It's all the fault of those stupid love pearls affecting everybody's behavior, making them act crazy!"

"You mentioned something about that," Ai turned to face her sidelong, "Are you saying that there are actual love pearls that can make a person fall in love with somebody?"

Mariko noticed something in the sand and bent down to pick it up, "Would they look something like this?"

Akane's eyes widened and she cried, "Whatever you do, don't put that thing in your mouth!"

"Now why on earth would anybody be dumb enough to do that?" Mariko asked in a rhetorical manner.

A sly look crossed Ai's expression and she said, "Why don't we find out, Sis?" and with a well-aimed kick drove her foot against the back of her sister's hand and caused the pellet to fly out of Mariko's palm and into her mouth as she gasped involuntarily. Ai chuckled at the trick she had just played on her older sister and said, "Works every time, whether you're holding gum drops or tic-tacs "

"Uh oh," Perfume murmured.

"Quick, turn around!" Lotion called out to the others and promptly followed her own advice.

"You shouldn't have done that," Ryoga warned, "Now you're going to be sorry."

"Oh, pardon me if I don't quake and tremble at the threat of a little magic," Ai smugly replied, "And Mariko was asking for it, so it's not like HAH?"

No one seemed more surprised than Ai to find her older sister's arms draped around her body as Mariko gazed up adoringly into Ai's astonished features.

"Imoutochan," Mariko breathed, "I'm so sorry, I never realized what this was like for you! Now I finally understand why you go both ways and you really are kinda sexy!"

"Huh?" Ai did not seem in any way mentally prepared for this sudden change in her normally aloof sibling.

"Well, you asked for it," Akane said dryly, "And it's not like we didn't try to warn you."

"Strange girl in for it now," Ling-Ling agreed.

"Is fate," sighed her twin sister.

"Ah Mariko," Ai began to struggle against her sister's amorous efforts, "It's not that the feelings aren't mutual, and I wouldn't mind discussing this at another time, but "

"You always were too shy," Mariko's throat was sultry and predatory, as her hands were also as brazen as the leer that she was wearing, "But Big Sis knows how to make you feel all warm, cozy and protected "

"Are you seeing this?" one cheerleader said to another.

"Seeing and hearing it," another cheerleader replied a bit drolly, "Believing it that's another subject."

"It's almost like a reversal of the natural order," a third agreed, "Never saw the Captain refuse anyone before, and Mariko? That's unheard of!"

"Oh wow," Kyoko blinked as Ai broke loose from her sister and made a sudden dash for freedom, "I guess maybe those pearls really work, huh?"

"You think?" Akane replied, only to turn her head as she felt Ukyo's cheek brush against the top of her head, which naturally prompted Ryoga to glare hotly. Akane sighed, flexed her wings then folded them as neatly as she could against her backside. It was going to be one of those days, and if they all managed to live through it, it would be a miracle worthy of the kami

Continued 


	79. Chapter 79

Summary:  
With all the manic activity hitting the beach, Lotion calls upon the services of an outside consultant, but is Nerima ready for the arrival of the Amazon known as Siren the Archmage?  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

It was a bright and cheerful afternoon that found two young girls, both aged fifteen, inline skating across the boardwalk with perfect freedom and abandon, enjoying the warmth of the sun on their bikini-clad bodies as the wind whipped through their hair and provided a cooling breeze against their faces.

Kimomoto Sakura and Daidojo Tomoyo had been friends for as long as either girl could remember, and they had shared many strange and interesting times in their youth, though little of it was known to the general public. What marked them as unusual was the secret they each shared, a secret made stronger by the bonds of their lifelong friendship, for Sakura was in that special category commonly known as a magical girl, but unlike most such members of that order, she tended to be a bit shy on the matter of public relations.

What made this even more unusual was the fact that Tomoyo was her self-designated Publicist and Promotional advisor, a role she relished only slightly less than her other tasks as part-time fashion designer and emotional consultant for the often reluctant Sakura. She had made it a point to videotape every one of her friend's heroic exploits and kept them all tucked away in a private vault, vowing one day to chronolog Sakura's escapades in a public forum so that other people living in Japan who appreciate the bravery of her beautiful friend, who was Tomoyo's personal idol.

Something else that distinguished the pair of inline skating teenagers, however, was the entourage that followed them, always at a discrete distance. Many heads chanced to turn in amazement at the sight of five fairly attractive women all dressed in matching black attire with dark sunglasses concealing their ever watchful eyes as they skated after the two young girls, their charges. In point of fact they were Tomoyo's personal bodyguards whose salaries were paid for by the dark-haired girl's industrialist mother. They were highly trained and dedicated fighters who had experienced much and told little of what they witnessed. Though they were presently dressed in light, fashionable garb suitable to inline skating, they were also armed to the teeth with concealed weaponry, in addition to which they also carried such equipment vital to the happiness of their Mistress such as her portable video camera, extra pouches of film and batteries that always needed changing.

Though Sakura and Tomoyo knew about their escort neither one paid any mind to being followed. Tomoyo's bodyguards were professionals who never interfered in the personal affairs of their Mistress. They could be trusted for discretion, and besides, after years of having them around, it was almost like having a second shadow.

At length both girls paused at the edge of the boardwalk and caught their breath against the rail, having at last found a spot that afforded them a good view of the beach, which they intended to enjoy like any other perfectly normal teenager. Of the two of them Tomoyo was slightly more out of breath, being far less athletically inclined than Sakura, but it was a good kind of fatigue that made her feel happy to be spending time with her favorite superhero. She leaned against the rail and admired Sakura's lovely profile and was about to say something to her shorthaired companion when both girls heard the sounds of a disturbance on the beachfront.

Or rather that should have been clarified to say that they heard and saw a LOT of disturbances, to which Sakura was first to remark, "What the heck is going on out there? Is it some kind of rumble?"

In response to that question they saw a fleet-footed young girl whose hair was done up in a pair of circular braids running at top-speed with a shorter girl in hot pursuit. From where they both of them passed by Sakura and Tomoyo could just barely make out the words spoken in passing.

"Cut it out, Azusa! I may be hard up for a boyfriend, but I'm not this desperate!"

"But Miss Yohko!" the other girl protested, "You're not being fair! I only want to show you how much I appreciate being your sidekick!"

"Oh dear," Tomoyo said, "People don't usually behave like that in this part of Japan, do they?"

"You're asking me that?" Sakura replied, only to start again as they saw two more girls running in the opposite direction, a tall girl with brown hair and a lithe beauty with a black ponytail, the latter girl being the one who cried out, "Faster, Kasumi, he's gaining on us!"

"Ohmyohmyohlyohmyohmy!" the other girl said aloud, and seconds later a tall boy with short black came surging up the beach behind them crying, "Wait up for me, my loves! I wish only to dote on you and show thee why thou shouldst not give up on the male gender!"

Sakura and Tomoyo blinked their eyes on this, then gripped the rail tightly as a series of explosions sent people scurrying in all directions.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU TWO!" cried a blue haired woman who was levitating in the air in pursuit of a young man carrying a dark haired woman in his arms, "I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

"But Ryoko!" the boy called out over his shoulders, "It's not Kiyone's fault!"

"LIKE I CARE?" Ryoko cried, hurling more blasts that kicked up huge craters in the sand at the one boy's ankles.

"WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?" wailed an anguished Kiyone, who clung to the boy tightly though her expression was anything but romantic.

"KIYONE, WAIT UP FOR ME!" cried a brown skinned girl with golden hair, who in turn was followed by two more girls, one with purple hair, the other much younger and with pale blue a shade lighter than her peculiar face markings.

"Ah " Tomoyo said after a moment, "Sakura-chan do you think maybe ?"

"I don't know," Sakura drew a portable cell phone from her belt-pouch and hit the speed dial. After a moment of pause she said, "Kero sorry if I woke you up from your nap, old buddy, but I was wondering if you could put in a personal appearance ASAP?"

"What is it?" asked the tired voice over the phone, sounding very much like a griffin who had just been awaken from a pleasant nap about meeting a female of his kind and having some hatchlings together, which was only fitting.

"Do you know of any Cards that could maybe explain a sudden outbreak of manic behavior in a large group of people."

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"Symptoms are strange, curious sexual attractions that appear to cross genders and include a wide range of hentai-like behavior," Sakura replied, "There are a lot of fights we're witnessing, but not everyone is fighting. In fact I'd say quite a few people are getting along unusually well, and no one seems to be minding the dress code "

"Oh," there was a slight pause before the griffin said, "It's probably the Lust Card."

"Excuse me?" Sakura blinked, "Did you say a Lust Card?"

"Yes," the guardian beast responded, "It tends to cause people to develop wild and uncontrollable impulses that run outside the normal conventions of society. If people are being affected by that it could explain what you're witnessing now. It's a very tumultuous Clow Card and dangerous to leave loose in the general public."

"Ah-huh," Sakura said with a slight frown, "Is there any reason why you never mentioned to me before that there was such a thing as a Lust Card if it could do this much damage?"

"Ah well " there was a long pause on the other end of the line, "You started out in the Card Captor business when you were very young "

"Six years ago," Sakura agreed, "What about it?"

"Well " another pause, "At the time it didn't seem like the sort of thing one should be bringing up with a girl who had not even experienced puberty do you follow me?"

There was a long pause on Sakura's end before she replied to that one, "Oh."

"Well, now there definitely does seem to be a Clow Card inspiring lust in a great many people," Tomoyo turned to Sakura with a serious expression, "And you know what that means?"

"Uhuh," Sakura fingered her ever-present pendant, which to mundane eyes seemed no more than a harmless painted wood birds head, "It means I've got to go out there and capture it before it does any more damage."

"That's right," Tomoyo grinned triumphantly, holding up her own cell phone, into which she typed a coded number, "And that means we get to try out that new costume that I added to your wardrobe!"

"Urk!" Sakura reacted, never ceasing to be amazed at the limitless propensity for her friend to want to turn her into a superheroic dress dummy. Bad enough Sakura was turning into a teenaged fashion model in her civilian life, and thus following in the footsteps of her sainted late mother, but with Tomoyo turning out to be quite the talented artist and photojournalist with her ever-handy camera, it left Sakura feeling like a character out of some anime rather than a normal high school student who just happened to be charged with capturing magical cards before they could threaten the public's safety.

It was with no surprise that she saw the truck containing her make up and wardrobe already being wheeled up to where they were standing, and with a sigh Sakura resigned herself to the inevitable, hoping that there really was a Clow Card behind this mess or she was really and truly going to feel foolish or rather more foolish than was usual for her average workday adventure.

The life of some magical girls ran anything but smooth, but if one of her powers had tended to be Instant Costume Change it would have left Tomoyo with much less to do, which would not have pleased her friend very much, and the one thing that truly mattered to Sakura was keeping her friend happy. She just hoped that this one time their adventure wouldn't come with any unforeseen complications

Silk pushed on ahead past barrier and illusions, seeking to penetrate the web of glamour woven by Hibiki Atsuko to conceal her and Soun from the world at large and all outside interested parties. Even for a trained Lore Master it was an uphill struggle, the nature of Atsuko's illusions being so very different from Silk's own abilities, which largely centered upon Truth, while Illusion was the artful bending of the truth for purposes of deception.

At present Silk was struggling with the illusion that she was crossing a great sandy desert with wind whipping against her face, hair and body. Though Silk knew that it was an illusion its effectiveness was difficult to deny, for the half-Oni's powers were quite formidable, and she had learned at the feet of a true Master of the art, her demonic mother. Such illusions could not only take on the aspect of real life but have a substance and solidity that could conceivably kill if employed at full level.

It was a battle of wills as well as personalities, for even a love-besotted Atsuko was still a real terror in any situation involving combat. Silk had never truly fought with the Oni on the same level or frequency as Comb, and never as a Lore Master matching wits and the manipulation of forces against even a young Hibiki Atsuko, and her illusions were sublime. In order to defeat them one had to go farther into their makeup to pluck the vital essence of their hold on life, which was the basis of all perception.

In many ways Silk counted it as a favor that she had basically gotten along with Atsuko and had no real animosity from their prior past associations. If anything she had often been amused by the antics of the perpetually directionless Hibiki, counting her as a sometime ally if not almost a friend, and certainly a much better person than her mother, which arguably would not be that much of a stretch. Atsuko was often clueless, prone to swift and certain anger and even occasional berserk rages, but there was also kindness in her heart and a basic understanding of right and wrong behavior. Though relentless as an enemy, as a friend she had great loyalty and had even demonstrated a capacity for self-sacrifice, and through no fault of her own she had fallen for that fat-headed slob, Genma, for which she had Silk's sincere pity, but other than this there were no issues that stood between them.

Until that errant pearl had caused Atsuko to set her eye on Silk's man, which under even ordinary circumstances would have been reason enough to earn the wrath of Amazon justice.

Of course Silk was of a more reasonable temperament than Comb and not as prone to rash behavior, so she was able to analyze the situation and come to the reasonable conclusion that the benefit of the doubt should be extended. Atsuko had never evidenced even once an interest in Soun before this occasion, nor had Silk's man ever given the slightest hint of straying in his affections from either Silk or the memory of his late wife, Kimiko. Whatever faint recognition the pair of them had for each other as man and woman was probably so faint and indistinct as to barely warrant attention, and thus it was the power of the pearls that had enflamed mere embers into a raging passion that demanded consummation. It was for that reason alone that Silk would forbear harsh judgement and refrain from imprudent action, such as to roast the errant Oni over a low bed of coals, which had been her first inclination.

The desert setting faded away as Silk prevailed against this illusion, and suddenly her surroundings changed into a jungle setting, one glamour melding smoothly into the other like one of those computerized morphing images that she had seen demonstrated at an Expo that she had once visited in the Shanghai. Vines flowed across the sands and grass appeared from barren patches, shoots sprang up and grew leaves before spreading their branches out to form a canopy of greenery all around her, and suddenly she was in a sweltering hothouse, a rain forest into which the sun barely shone through the space between foliage. The transformation was startling, and even knowing that it was all an illusion still left Silk to ponder in amazement the craftsmanship and detail with which the Oni had fashioned this progressive change in their surroundings.

Of course the really telling brushstroke came when Silk heard a deep-throated rumble in the distance, and the thunderous tremble underfoot that spoke of something massive in full motion, which seemingly was approaching with a relentless ferocity that threatened to trample everything in its wake. Sure enough the looming shadow soon arrived as a head poked from around one corner at the level of a three-story building, rows of lethal teeth bared in a snarl of bestial hunger.

"Oh please," Silk murmured aloud, "Don't tell me someone's seen Jurassic Park one too many times?"

The creature came rushing towards her at a full run, but even as it was about to gobble her whole, Silk raised her hands and made rapid finger-slashes that cut the air with blue-white fires, and with a single word of power the Tyrannosaurus melted into shadow, as did much of the forest veldt itself. What replaced it was a grayish void that resembled nothing on the earth or heavens, resembling nothing so much as the formless void of Limbo, which Atsuko had visited on rate occasions.

"Well now," Silk murmured to herself, "This is an interesting variation "

Her instincts warned her of the bending of shadow taking place directly behind her, but Silk was too slow to react and so found both of her arms being gripped by limbs that formed from seeming nothing, and then a pair of minor demons manifested, denizens who dwelled beyond the Outer Darkness that surrounded the worlds of light, and Silk had a brief moment of concern that Atsuko might have summoned up actual allies to do her bidding, much as her shadow-beast Shirokuro.

"Ah " Silk murmured as she struggled against the creatures, seeking the form behind the illusion and finding only shadows that blocked her perceptions, "Help?"

"FOOLISH MORTAL!" came the booming echo of a creature that suddenly appeared before her, a type four demon by the look of is makeup, "YOU DARE TRESPASS WITHIN OUR REALM? NOW YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR IMPRUDENT TRESPASS!"

Atsuko had to admit that this illusion was much more effective than the last one, especially when the two demons holding her arms were joined by two others, who lifted her up and stretched her out across a convenient stone slab that materialized out of nothing. Like a bad movie misrepresentation of an occult ritual, the chief demon loomed over her with a convincingly wicked looking knife, and the gleam in his eyes plainly showed what he intended to do with it in regards to his prospective victim.

"I don't think so!" Silk said aloud, summoning her inner power and weaving it into a counter spell, which same she released with a thought, causing the demons surrounding her to clutch their heads before their leader could carve his initials within her vitals.

The illusion unwound itself into its component threads, and Silk regained her footing, surrounded by the flames of what looked like a volcano, or one of the Hells of the abyss. The fires did not sear her flesh and she ignored them, casting her gaze about in search of the ebb and flow of the energy currents.

"There!" she cried, reaching out to seize hold of a pair of strands that her instincts warned her were the central-most key to controlling this particular illusion. Crafting her art to blend with the flow of these strands she transformed them into a pair of handles, and with them employed leverage to rip the canopy of illusion wide open.

It was cracking the outer shell of a massive egg, and with the parting of two hemispheres the object of her pursuit was at last revealed. A cozy looking love-nest made to look like the interior of the master bedroom of a Japanese-style castle was revealed, complete with a western-style canopied bed that certainly was not period but did provide two lovers all the comforts of modern living. On the bed itself were the guilty parties in question, one of whom stared in blank-eyed surprise from his portion of the bed, but the other one got up with a most indignant expression, and her naked body was as impressively well muscled as it was the epitome of womanly perfection.

"YOU!" Atsuko cried, "Don't you at least believe in knocking?"

"I thought I just did," Silk replied as she assumed a defensive stance, "Nice illusions, by the way, but I thought you would at least reveal the real you to dear Soun-chan."

The Oni woman snarled and the currents began to flow around her nude body, encasing her in stylish armor as a sword appeared in hand and she prepared to strike like a samurai in an ultra-modern high-tech raiment. It struck Silk as nothing so much as one of those anime-style costumes that served no practical value but to give young girls a fashionable outlet for their aggressions, while young boys could experience heart palpitations and adolescent fantasies of magical girls fighting evil.

Of course the fact that she was presently in the act of trying to take Silk's head off discouraged the Lore Master from offering the commentary about the Oni's viewing habits. Rather Silk flowed with the currents and side-stepped the wicked thrust aimed her way, knowing full well that such illusions had more than sufficient substance to be deadly. There was no sense disbelieving in an illusion that had more convincing effect than the average glamour.

Silk knew she had a problem, being that she was no match for the Oni in a straight out catfight. Against an ordinary martial artist she would have the distinct advantage of bending the currents to her advantage, but Atsuko was in that highly refined class of fighter who was worthy of the title War Master, and her perceptions were far beyond the ordinary, and her reflexes were lightning fast, backed by the raw physical power that was her father's birthright. In her prime she had been a match for Comb, and unlike the Warrior-turned Healer she had apparently not slacked at all in her training. Even at her prime as a fighter Silk would never have been her equal. Contrasting her powers against the Oni's illusions just made the fight more interesting, provided Silk could survive the next several seconds of battle.

Of course the one thing in her favor was that the underlying basis of Atsuko's current battle rage was the influence of a pearl that was diminishing her already limited span of attention. That very focus made the Oni a dangerous customer but one who could be out-foxed by her own specialization.

As Silk prepared to dodge the second thrust of the Oni's weapon she slowed the rate of time and allowed herself to slide in and out of nominal "realspace," phasing in and out of material existence to appear behind Atsuko, only to fade out again as the Oni inevitably reacted to the perceived threat from her rear position. As the Oni turned to meet the threat, Silk attacked from her blind side, hitting hard and fast with a single finger-point touch attack aimed for the "sleep spot" that would be located beneath the armor, and backed by the power of Silk's Chi, the attack penetrated the illusion with the unerring aim of her highly refined intuition.

The results were immediate as Atsuko staggered forward then collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been rudely cut. Silk heaved a sigh of relief that the Oni was human enough to conform to the usual rules of anatomy, but now she had the more difficult task to attend to, turning to regard the man in the bed, who had risen to his feet at the sight of the perceived threat to his supposed "lover."

"Who are you?" he demanded, "And how dare you attack my beloved!"

"Soun-chan?" Silk was surprised not to be recognized, but then the glamour cast by Atsuko was so strong that they tended to remain even after she lost consciousness. No doubt the Oni had clouded Soun's eyes so that he did not see her as she was but rather as Atsuko wanted her to be seen, which meant that waking him up from this illusion would be a complex affair. She braced herself to fight yet another battle on more than one level.

"Whoever you are, you have made a grave mistake in disturbing us," Soun assumed a fighting posture as if preparing to launch an attack, "As a master of the Tendo school of Anything Goes martial arts I am sworn to defend those whom I love from any and all attackers."

Silk had to marvel at herself for taking the time to admire her man even as he threatened her with violence, but she could not help it really he looked so manly without anything on but a pair of old worn boxer shorts. She was rather disappointed not to catch him in the altogether, but perhaps he had taken the time to pull them up during her fight with the Oni.

"I know you do, Soun-chan," Silk replied, making eye-contact with the man to try and penetrate the illusion around his thoughts, "And I love you all the more for that, but you need not fear, no one has been hurt, and you need not fear from me "

Even as she spoke those words he launched his assault, and Silk intuitively dodged the kick he launched her way, flowing around him like a ghost while searching out a place to disable him without harm to his pride or his body. To her surprise Soun twisted in mid-leap and avoided any potential counter-attack on her part, coming about for another assault, which same he launched with great ferocity and unexpected speed and power. Silk's attempt to dodge this time was far less successful than her first efforts and he managed to make contact with a blow that caught her just below her rib cage. If Silk had not instinctively rolled with the punch she knew that it could well have broken bones and possibly caused internal injuries, but as it was she was nearly driven without breath and staggering badly, too disoriented to avoid the roundhouse kick that he aimed for her face in the follow-up.

Silk staggered backwards and found her head was spinning from the combination of blows, which hurt more to her pride and from their source than any physical damage she might have taken, but as a consequence she found she could not concentrate or draw upon her Lore Master talents.

As an Amazon, however, she was not so easily beaten, and when he launched a powerful sidekick her way her arms rose up to intercept his foot, and with a sharp twist of both arms she flipped him over, earning his cooperation in this as the alternative for him was to suffer either a broken leg or a twisted ankle.

This maneuver bought her time to reorient her thoughts, though the thought that she was being pressed this hard by a man she cared for was more disturbing than that he had landed two good blows through her defenses. She wanted to call out to him, to protest this treatment, but she could not spare the breath and it was plain enough that he would not hear her words or attempts at reason. She marveled that he could not see past the illusions on his own power to see that it was someone he loved that he was attacking. If he knew she had no doubt that he would desist, but instead he was coming at her once again with every intent of doing her bodily harm.

They were going to have some words about this when this was over, she avowed, but in the meantime she had to treat this fight seriously or she would lose in earnest, and not in the way that she would have preferred to accept as a proposal of marriage!

"Soun-chan," she growled as she prepared to meet his next onslaught, "You're going to owe me a lot more than dinner for this one "

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I stood and watched as the old woman raised her staff and called up the power that she would need for her summoning spell, and I swear that I could actually see the light swirling around that wooden stick like it was a special effect in a movie, and when she bought it down again I actually saw some kind of symbol-ridden circle appear all around us, what I think they call a magic circle, and let me tell you my skin felt like electric current was flowing all around us. It was like having a bunch of ants crawl over your skin, only it wasn't all that unpleasant, other than my hair standing on end, especially around the back of my neck and both of my forearms. This huge bolt of light then shot right up into the sky, like my mentor had fired off a guided missile or something. It disappeared over the horizon, and I'm pretty sure that the directed it headed in was west towards China.

Lotion sighed and leaned on her staff again, and the circle of light faded out all around us. After a moment of silence I said, "Now what?"

"Now we wait," Lotion replied, "It's up to her to decide to acknowledge my summons, and whether or not to answer."

"But if she's a thousand miles away in China " I started to reason.

"Time and distance does not matter with such a one," Lotion cut me off, "Siren can cross oceans with a thought and appear anywhere in time and space that she cares to visit. Her power is much greater than our own, for she is an Archmage, an entirely different class of spell user."

"I don't understand," I admitted, "How is being an Archmage different from what we do?"

"We are Lore Masters," Lotion turned to regard me with a serious expression, "We shape the power that we perceive all around us, but principally we are Keepers of the Lore and guardians of the Knowledge. A Mage IS Power personified, and the stronger they become the more at one they are with the power."

"I still don't get it," I replied, thinking that this old woman was a whole lot more powerful than anyone I had ever before encountered. How much more powerful was this Siren if Lotion herself regarded her as a potential danger?

"You'll understand in time," the old woman said in a kindly voice, "If you maintain the disciplines that I have been teaching you, then you will learn to tap into the flow of power that circulates all around us. This power will serve you as you need but a Mage instinctively taps into that same power flow, and their capacity is greater than our own. Where we devote ourselves to understanding and knowledge, it is power itself that becomes the aim of a true Mage, for they are as one with the power and walk always within its shadow."

"So you're saying that a Mage is more powerful than a Lore Master," I summarized with some trepidation.

"In a way," Lotion replied, "Power is not our primary obsession and our power comes from knowledge. A Mage works by intuition, grasping the power and shaping it with their will. We work with the forces of nature, they command those same forces, and they can summon the Powers that Be through ceremony and ritual invocations that transcend the Earthly bonds that we must work within."

"So you're saying she's a lot more dangerous than we are," I said, feeling more than a bit slow in grasping the finer points of what she was attempting to explain for my benefit, "But I still don't get it."

"What we do through study they do from instinct," Lotion began again, "It is second nature for them to shape the power through the strength of their will. Their only limit is their imagination, which in some ways means that it is both easier and more difficult to train in their system. We are limited by the powers of our perceptions but they have no such limits, the power working through them perceiving itself and bridging the distance between object and desire..."

"You're losing me," I scratched behind one ear and felt incredibly foolish, "If we know more than they do, then why are they better at using the power?"

"Consider that what we do could be compared to a software technician who is part consultant, part research analyst," Lotion replied, "We handle the raw codes and commands that make up the complex chain of subroutines that go into the operation of basic software but a Mage doesn't trifle with the mere nitty gritty of details they are the Master Hackers and Technicians who take what we generate and shape it into powerful performance operations. A Mage can create and shape in wondrous detail because they have an elementary grasp of the workings of power, but unlike our order they are not overly concerned with the secondary and tertiary effects often generated by the use of their powers. As such they enjoy considerable latitude and freedom in their actions."

"Come again?" I asked, "You're saying that they can do what they like and we can't?"

"We are different in that we can sense the consequences of our actions and know before we act that we can have a beneficial or negative outcome," Lotion explained, then sighed, "At least that's how it works in theory my granddaughter being the exception. At times I almost wish that I had heeded Siren's advice and allowed her to be trained as a Mage rather than a Lore Master, but my granddaughter was so convinced that she could be a greater service to our people "

"And I could have told the both of you different," a voice suddenly echoed from all around us, and then I gasped as I saw a figure step sideways out of a fold in time and space, manifesting on the sands in full regalia, not dressed in Amazon attire but rather an outfit that made her look like that character from the American show, "I Dream of Jeanie."

"Surprise," said a cheerful blonde figure in a pair of pale blue baggy pants whose lavender halter top left both her shoulders and midriff exposed to view, and the dainty little vest that she wore over that completed the picture nicely. I found myself looking her up and down, impressed by her beauty and the perfection of her womanly figure. She saw my patented look and at once posed her body fetchingly and smiled, giving me a jaunty little greeting, "See anything you like, Dearie? I do try and keep in shape, and you won't find a bit of me that's in any way sagging."

"So pleased to see you responded quickly to my summons," Lotion began without preamble.

"Well of course I came in person," the blonde flashed a smile at the old woman and said, "It was worth it alone to hear you admit that I was right twenty years ago. So this is your new apprentice not too shabby."

She began to walk around me as if doing a careful study, and then I yelped as I felt her hand pat me on the butt, and without thinking about it I lashed out with a backfist, which same she easily deflected.

"Nice reflexes," the blonde stepped back, "I can see she's already learning to tap into the power, but you've got a long way to go before you could take me on in a fair fight. So what's the scoop, and why did you call me? I've got an apprentice of my own to look after, and you know that Frost can be such a handful "

"My sympathies," Lotion replied, then held up the bracelet.

The blonde at once reacted like a Magpie spotting something glittery and she snatched up the bracelet to examine it with a cooing noise of delight, "OOOOHHH! You found it! You found my mother's bracelet!"

"Your mother's ?" I responded with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, didn't she tell you?" the blonde asked, "It's been in my family for generations. It was created by one of the greatest magical Artificers our tribe has ever known at a time when she was experiencing ahem marital difficulties "

"In other words Tao-Chi was trying to land herself a husband," Lotion clarified, "And the fellow who defeated her was not cooperating."

"Exactly," the blonde smiled, "Certainly a useful item when the object of your affections is playing hard to get. The last I saw of this lovely piece of jewelry was when I gave it to Cologne as a present."

"You gave it ?" I paused, "How long ago was that?"

"Oh, about three hundred years ago," she replied, "Give or take a decade."

"And you gave it to Cologne?" I continued, resizing my estimation of the blonde's age accordingly.

To my surprise I saw a fond look cross the blonde's face, and with no little amazement I recognized a far-away and star-struck expression, "Oh yes you should have seen her back then when we were both young and innocent to the ways of the world. She was such a cutie, and so warm-hearted not like that bitter old crone she pretends to be as if I didn't know what she really looks like " she added with a sly expression.

"She's changed recently," Lotion replied dryly, "I think even you might not recognize her at first glance."

"Somehow I doubt that," the blonde turned and regarded us with a sly look, "Is that what you called me to tell me? Has Cologne finally seen the light and decided to let it all hang out, like I've said she should do about a thousand times already?"

"Actually I called you on account of the bracelet," Lotion pointed out, "It was recently found in the possession of Happosai."

"That dirty old Leech is still around?" the blonde sniffed, "Cologne must be disappointed."

"She's not the only one," Lotion replied, "Unfortunately we are experiencing something of a crisis due to the absence of the pearls from the item in question."

"Oh?" the blonde-Siren I by now realized-examined the bracelet more closely and then exclaimed in surprise, "Why, you're right! They are missing but that's odd. The bracelet is supposed to grow them back at least once in every generation "

"It did," Lotion replied, "But note that I say this in the past tense."

"You're lecturing me about Japanese grammar?" Siren replied with a sarcastic lilt, only to blink before saying, "Oh you mean somebody swallowed the little darlings. Well, that could be a problem. Only one of them is the Lifetime pearl, though, so if you wait a day "

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Lotion explained, "Uncle Happosai aimed one of the pearls at my granddaughter and she blocked it with a spell only it seems to have backfired, as often is the case when Silk acts without thinking."

"Wait a second here," Siren pointed at Lotion, "You're telling me Silk cast a spell to block one of my ancestor's magic love spells? What is wrong with that girl? Doesn't she have any idea that such magics can be additive with a huge multiplicative factor?"

"She does now," I replied wryly, "We've got a bunch of pearls littered all over the beach and people keep swallowing them up. It's a real mess back there, let me tell you "

"It's true, Siren," Lotion replied to the blonde's disbelieving expression, "We've had an outbreak of lust running rampant over a section of beachfront with many victims behaving in ways atypical to their usual nature."

The blonde stared for a moment, then a smile crossed her face, followed by outright laughter, and then she cried, "MARVELOUS! I have got to go see this for myself! It must be a real riot!"

"Just about," I replied with a frown, "So glad you find it amusing."

"But of course, Darling," Siren leered, "You Japanese can be so stodgy and reserved with your emotions that anything that shakes you out of your shells is to be well applauded."

"Nevertheless," Lotion replied, "We need your help to reestablish order on the beachfront."

"You can't be serious?" Siren regarded her in surprise, "Dozens of people running about acting like love-struck fools and you call that a problem?"

"It is when one of the victims is my father!" I snapped, finally losing my temper.

"My, my," Siren regarded me with mild surprise, "That's quite a temperament you have there, Dearie. Are you sure she's up to the task of becoming your successor?"

"Her successor?" I blinked, momentarily shaken out of my anger.

"My apprentice is up to the challenges that she must inevitably face," Lotion said firmly, "And she is not subject to negotiation. Besides, you already have an apprentice."

"What a pity," Siren inclined her head as she regarded me, "I bet you'd make one heck of a Mage, Dearie. Ah well so, why exactly do you think I should lift a finger to change the outcome of what's going on with the Love Pearls? Sounds more like the sort of thing I'd be causing if I'd had a mind to."

"Apart from the fact that the Matriarch herself wills this," Lotion began, "There is the danger these pearls pose to several committed relationships that I would rather have stand as they are at the present. As you are more familiar with the creation of artifacts than am I, it is logical and necessary that you should undo the harm that may befall Comb, Silk and many others whom I could name "

"You think these pearls might mess things up for those two?" the lovely blonde raised an eyebrow, "As I understand it they already had one brush with the pearls you mean they were foolish enough to swallow them a second time?"

"Foolishness is only a part of the problem," Lotion replied, "I suspect the bracelet itself is behind at least part of the phenomenon of pearls actually seeking out their victims "

"And you want me to confirm this?" Siren considered, chewing on a fingernail, "Well I suppose it is possible after all, Magic items have a life of their own, and cursed items especially want for you to use them, so given an opportunity to seek potential targets "

"You're saying the pearls are deliberately jumping into the mouths of innocent people?" I asked, appalled at the concept.

"Got it in one, Kid," Siren frowned, "Of course I haven't heard of many cases like what you've described, not unless there's some external influence that's adding fuel to the fire and maybe altering the nature of the pearls on a subliminal level. Must be a lust-demon or some kami with a sense of humor. My guess would be Urd, if she's in the neighborhood she always was a fun one to hang around with when I was still cruising college scene a few generations back "

Lotion heave a sigh and said, "What will it take to convince you to help us out, Siren? Can I at least appeal to you as a fellow Amazon to just for once take seriously the consequences of wild magic?"

"Don't be such a grump," Siren chided, "And don't talk back to your Elders. From you it just doesn't seem fitting. I already agreed to help you out, or at least to see what-if anything-I can do to rectify the situation. Besides, I understand that my granddaughter, Perfume, is visiting with her new girlfriend, and I'd love to check her out to see how much your namesake has grown since I last set eyes on her. Imagine Cologne hiding a thing like her continued survival from the rest of the Council "

"Right this way," Lotion urged with her staff, "I will show you where they all are gathered."

"Lead the way, Pink-stuff," Siren waved a hand, "I can't wait to see what everyone's been up to."

I won't describe exactly what it felt like to be in the presence of two such powerful individuals, but the ease with which we suddenly found ourselves back on the crowded section of the beach made me realize just how much out of my depth I am with the ease with which they wield their incredible powers. We arrived just in time to see several more perfect strangers acting out frantic chase scenes or classic love triangles like a massive overdose of daytime Soaps all played together. I was only mildly dismayed to take notice of the fact that some of the individuals in question were flying, apparently on their own power, but I was a bit disturbed to notice that a couple of them were riding broomsticks. There were also the continuing sounds of fireworks going off in the background, but for the moment the worst of the action appeared to be taking place at another location.

"Well now," Siren grinned hugely as she scanned what looked like a battlefield of bodies in full motion, "I haven't seen this much action since Woodstock!"

"Nabiki?" I turned around to see Ranma standing there, along with Shampoo and the others, all wearing surgical masks, which reminded me to re-don mine as a precaution.

I couldn't help noticing that Cologne took one look at Siren and suddenly pulled a fast fade, placing herself behind the massive bulk of Uncle Genma. The wide-eyed expression I had briefly caught upon my features inclined me to believe that she was somewhat less than eager to be spotted by the Archmage, especially under the current setting.

"Great Grandmother," Kachu acknowledged Lotion, then bowed respectfully towards Siren, "Elder."

"Well now?" Siren inclined her head with a pleasant expression, "Is this a young man I see standing beside you, Kachu-chan? Could it be that I dare to think that you have finally found yourself a boyfriend?"

"My husband," Kachu took Tofu's hand for emphasis, "His name is Tofu-sensei."

"A doctor!" Siren declared in delight as she turned to Lotion and added, "You must be very proud of her, and I'll bet he's quite the catch without that mask on."

"Elder," Shampoo spoke up, taking Ranma by the hand and saying, "This Shampoo husband, he named Ranma only he no boy at moment "

"I can certainly see that, Dearie," Siren leered as she looked my iinazuke over, ignoring the glare I gave her for that, "Bet he's quite the stud when he's not in his cursed form. Well now, everything seems to be in order, nothing I would want to displace, so where is my granddaughter and her girlfriend? And for that matter, where is the Matriarch? I so much want to pay my respects while I'm in the neighborhood "

"Help!" a voice cried out, "Itoumochan, Nabiki!"

I whirled about in time to see Kasumi and Kodachi come rushing up to join us, both looking as out of breath as though they had been running for quite a distance. I was about to ask what was the matter when Kuno suddenly appeared, hot on their tail, and without preamble he seized my older sister and tried to molest her.

"Kasumi, you gem among ladies, my dearest love and sweetest of obsessions !"

"HAH?" we collectively gasped as Kasumi struggled in vain to shrug off Tatewaki's advances.

"TA-TE-WAKI!" Kodachi growled between clenched teeth, and then she drove her elbow to the back of his skull and knocked him sprawling at the feet of my sister. The Black Rose stood glaring at him with the sound of her breath coming hoarse and ragged, but like the evil Phoenix that he is, Kuno shrugged off assault and started to push himself off the sand to renew his protestations of affection.

"Bray though thou might, sister, dear, I shall not be denied," Kuno declared as he tried to get back on his feet, only to be pushed back into the sand as Kodachi planted a foot between his shoulderblades and did a little tap-dance.

"What's with him?" Ranma asked, "Why is he acting like the old Kuno all of a sudden, not that I mind him going after someone else for a change but Kasumi?"

"And why not Kasumi?" Kodachi shot a venomous look his way that caused Ranma to recoil as if slapped, "She is indeed a treasure among all the ladies of the Earth, but she happens to be MY treasure, and I'm not sharing her with you, darling brother."

The way she said the last two words, heavily laced with dark sarcasm, told me a lot about how much these two had fallen out with one another of late. Of course Tatewaki was in the process of recovering again when Lotion reached out with her staff and touched the boy on the back of his neck, rendering him instantly unconscious.

"Well now," Siren remarked, "He certain is a persistent one, and you say that he is your brother?"

"Not something I would like to admit to," Kodachi said darkly, climbing off his back as she sighed and turned a timid smile towards Kasumi, "I most certainly do hope the pearl he swallows wears off soon. I don't think I could stand to put up with a whole day of this sort of behavior."

"I'm sure he means well," Kasumi said as she adjusted her bikini top, "It's not really his fault that the magic is so effective."

"How right you are," Siren mused as she gave my sister a VERY thorough study, one I did not very much like or approve of as it reminded me a little too much of Kodachi, "But the pearls have a short lifespan, all except the one that is eternal, and if I may assume that he did not ingest that one, then the best that you can do is restrain him until he returns to relative normal."

"A good idea," I admitted, "What we need is something to bind him up so he can't get away. I know Tatewaki pretty well and he's as relentless as they come, so whatever we use had better be pretty damned effective."

Kasumi blinked her eyes, and then she started rummaging through her belt-pouch until she found what she was looking for, and then she pulled them out and said, "Will these do for now? I've found they can be quite effective."

I took a long hard moment to react to that one, or rather to the sight of the things that I saw dangling from the hand of my older sister. There are lot or word-associations that just don't fit with Kasumi, and these were pretty near the top of the list. I wanted to ask where she had come upon a pair of steel handcuffs, and what such things could possibly be doing in her possession, only a quick glance towards Kodachi, who seemed to be taking a sudden interest in some passing cloud formations.

I very firmly took the proffered handcuffs from her hand, looked my sister square in the eyes and said, "Never tell me."

As I bent down to cuff Kuno's wrists behind his back, like I'd seen done in plenty of movies and television programs, I was gently but decisively corrected by Kasumi, who insisted on showing me the correct way to do it. Much to my dismay her technique proved most effective, and I rather doubted that Kuno would even dare to move his wrists, let alone try some Samurai trick to work himself free of such restraints.

"Better do something about his legs," Ranma suggested, "I don't trust Kuno as long as he can work his way upright."

"Good idea, Airen," Shampoo agreed, "Maybe also put something in mouth to keep stupid boy from reciting poetry, hurt Shampoo ears he do that."

"I have a second pair of cuffs and a ball gag," Kasumi offered, earning another long stare from me and the rest of our party.

I shot a more severe glare at Kodachi and silently vowed to myself that we were going to have words on the subject of her relationship with my sister. Obviously there was a lot more going on between these two than I had even dared to suspect, which I count it as a minor blessing. I don't even care if it earns me another spanking session from my normally modest and well-behaved oneechan, there are just some things you don't pull with my sister!

"Well now," I heard Siren grin, "I can see you two have an interesting sex life. Now then, about the rest of our missing kinfolk "

"Speaking," Silk replied as she appeared without warning with my father draped across one shoulder, Atsuko sprawled in the sand and quite naked at her feet, "I see you've called for reinforcements, and about time in my opinion."

"Ah," Siren grinned, "Your wayward granddaughter, and I take it she's been busy having fun. You really should learn more from following her example."

"I try not to," Lotion noted.

Much to my surprise I saw the panda go to Atsuko's side and bend down to check on her pulse. For once I didn't suspect Uncle Genma of any ulterior motives, mainly because there was no way he could pick the Oni's non-existent pockets.

Of course his unexpected act of compassion also came at the surprise of the Matriarch, who was suddenly without a handy object of concealment. Siren was quick to take notice of her, and then with an astonished expression she cried, "Cologne? Matriarch? Is that you?"

"Ah " I saw Shampoo's great grandmother edge away from the Archmage, and in a less than steady voice she said, "It's not quite as it appears "

"Genma-chan!" declared the unmistakable bellow of Kuonji Yumi, who came rushing up to embrace him, much to the alarm of the panda in question, "Why do you keep trying to avoid me, my darling lover-boy? Come to me and I'll bundle up in that great big fur carpet of yours, my little snuggle teddy!"

"You're on your own for this one, Pop," Ranma smirked from beneath his mask.

"Now that he had coming," agreed Hairbrush.

"Oh my," Siren grinned, "This just gets better and better !"

"You not know half of it, grandmother," Perfume called out as she and the rest of our wayward party approached, Akane flanked by Ukyo AND Ryoga,, who were glaring daggers at one another. I could not help but notice that my younger sister was presently in her cursed form and sporting a pair of wings that were drawing more than a little attention.

"Well now," Siren mused as she caught sight of my sister, "I didn't know we had a Spring of the Drowned Angel. If I had, I might have been tempted to try that one out for myself."

"Grandmother," Perfume sounded more than slightly wary, "You help remove curse before we have real big trouble " she paused at the sound of a minor explosion before adding, "Worse than is now?"

"It get worse?" Lotion flinched as a lightning bolt approached a bit too close to our position.

"Are you the one who can help?" Akane asked as she pressed the palms of her hands against the bared chests of the two boys struggling to get at one another, "Please-do something!"

"You mean you actually object to having these Bo-hunks fighting over you?" Siren mused, cocking her head as she added, "Not that I can blame them you are a pretty little thing. You must be very popular with the boys where you come from."

"Too much!" Akane winced, though whether she was answering the question or making comment about being pressed in the middle of an angry male sandwich was open to opinion.

"Elder," Hairbrush spoke up, "I know it's not my place to say this "

"Never stopped you in the past, Handsome," Siren leered at him as if making pleasant conversation.

"But having these pearls running loose causing all this trouble," Shampoo's father continued, "It's upsetting the balance of nature "

"Nanami, think of what you're doing!" cried a swift moving girl whose salt-pepper hair was a mixture of both white and red patches, "This isn't like you!"

"Who cares if it's like me, Stomu-!" another pretty girl replied as she chased after her.

"Birdy!" the other girl called back.

"Whatever!" the second girl replied as they went charging down the beat, the one girl barely keeping ahead of the other.

"Hmm " Siren mused, "You may have a point there "

"Grandmother!" Perfume pleaded.

"Oh, very well," Siren replied, making motions with her hands, "Everyone stand back and give me room enough to work. You're about to see a Master Mage in action."

We did as we were bidden, and then the blonde haired Archmage raised her hand and held the bracelet high, humming a strange sound that echoed from the bottom of her throat, and then she began to chant in a low sing-song manner

Continued 


	80. Chapter 80

Summary:  
The power of the Pearls contained at last, but what is the fall out to result from this day of frantic sexual pandemonium, and will relationships among the main cast endure...and will Nodoka consider her actions "manly?"  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

It was a Clow card after all, there was absolutely no doubt on that subject! Even if she had not been sensitive by nature to their presence, Sakura would have known a Card was responsible given the widespread nature of the disruption all around her.

That being a given, it was taking all of her hard-one skills to battle this particular Clow card, her normal means for containment having proven less than effective. Her Wind and Shadow cards were of no use in battling against the power of the Lust Card, for its very nature made it slippery and evasive. Even the Cold Water card hadn't done the trick in curbing the card's influence, for the power it was gaining from the people all around them was too great to be inhibited in such a manner. Sakura had even tried the Wood card, but that proved to be a mistake as what she got were tree-limbs that shaped themselves into phalluses, and that prompted some rather curious delights from a number of the semi-clad ladies who had been caught within its branches.

Worst still (as if all of this were not bad enough), the Lust card was even having an influence on Tomoyo, who for once was not sitting on the side with her trusty camera playing one-girl cheerleader to her heroine's heroics. No, this time Tomoyo had brought an entire film crew to capture for posterity Sakura's fierce battle against the errant Clow Card, and her efforts might have been a bit less embarrassing if not for the way that her friend was currently clinging to her body.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura cried in dismay as she clung to her wand while her friend clung to her on the rear of their flying keystick, "This isn't the time for this!"

"That's what you say," Tomoyo breathed into her ear as her hands roved up and down Sakura's body, even baring one of the latter's breasts to full view-MUCH to the dismay of Sakura! "Ohhh do you know how long I've been waiting to do this with you? Oh, fly me to the moon and back, I love you, my darling!"

Sakura's mind was doing some rather interesting things while all of this was happening, not the least of which was attempting to keep the both of them airborne while crashing seemed like a more inevitable option!

"What are you two doing screwing around like this?" cried a cross voice, as a huge winged griffin appeared in the air beside them, "You've got work to do! Finish this off later!"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura pleaded to the guardian beast of all Clow Cards, "This isn't my idea! You've got to help me! Tomoyo-chan-HEY! Quit that already!"

"Oh," the griffin replied rather sheepishly, his expression owl-eyed, "Er well what exactly do you suggest?"

"Get her off of me so I can concentrate on the card!" Sakura pleaded, thinking of what an irony it was that Tomoyo usually fussed so much to get her INTO a costume, and now here she was trying to tear her own handiwork off of Sakura's body!

"Er okay," the Griffin replied, and swooped up behind Tomoyo, gently fastening his claws upon her body and lifting her off of Sakura's winged wand, not to mention off of Sakura.

"Hey!" it was Tomoyo's turn to protest, "Sakura-chan-!"

"I'll just be a moment!" Sakura called out, producing a card from her side-pack that bore the signature of "The Void." She summoned the power of the card and all at once a whirling vacuum-shaped vortex surrounded a certain area where Sakura sensed the card's influence was strongest. Sure enough this time a Saffron-shaped image of a woman appeared, which was precisely what Sakura was hoping for. Swooping in low she converted her wand from winged to normal mode and summoned up her energies, crying out in a loud voice, "CLOW CARD, CHANGE TO YOUR TRUE SHAPE!"

She struck out with the bird-beaked head of her wand, and the energies swirled around there to form a more localized vortex. The Void card faded out, leaving in its place a second card that bore the emblem of the lusty golden woman.

"Whew!" Sakura sighed as she took this card in hand, "That was tougher than I thought it would be! I must be out of shape since it's been months since I fought my last Clow Card "

Kero dropped down and deposited Tomoyo in the sand beside her, then shrank his appearance down to appear less fearful. Sakura's dark-haired companion blinked her eyes and glanced around before saying, "Wh-what happened?

"Tomoyo-chan," Sakura grinned in relief, "Are you feeling any better?"

Tomoyo blinked her eyes and actually thought about it for a moment, then raised a hand to her cheek and said, "Oh my I embarrassed myself, didn't I? I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan I don't know what came over me all of a sudden "

"Forget it," Sakura flashed the card and winked, "With this thing contained you and everybody else should be returning to normal huh?"

Much to her astonishment, Tomoyo put her arms around Sakura and buried her face in the other girl's shoulder, then in a trembling voice she said, "I've wanted to tell you for years, but I was always afraid of how you would react. I never expected to have to divulge my deepest secret to you under the influence of a Clow card "

"Hah?" it was her turn to blink, and Sakura wondered if maybe this card was maybe having residual effects upon its victims.

"It's just that," Tomoyo pushed away a bit to stare up into Sakura's eyes, and then in a trembling voice she said, "I love you I always have. I never admitted it before, but I've been in love with you since the day we met, I've just never been certain if you care about me the same way. Sexually, that is and I don't just mean that because of the Lust Card "

"Hah?" Sakura repeated, her mind suddenly turning as blank as any cherry blossom.

"Uh oh," the mini-griffin at her side remarked with a hint of serious worry

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"In Brightest Day, in Full of Night,

Thy power spawned of infinite might,

That Cupid's shafts of Eros make

Should passion in the heart to wake,

Let now the spell that cast thee out

To swine whose lusts thou hast won out,

Begone now from these jaded hearts,

Return to thy setting, thy Mistress's arts!"

Okay, that was a rough translation of the words that Siren was speaking and as poetry goes I wouldn't even set it against the most insipid verse ever misquoted by Kuno. The point is that I could feel the current shaping themselves around her as the Archmage did her recall thing, and all I can tell you for a fact was that her spell was mighty effective.

Almost instantly I saw Yumi staggering on her feet, as did Ukyo and several other persons whom I spied here and yon behaving in a similar such manner. Even as this happened I saw the currents swirling around the bracelet in Siren's hand, and to my wondering yes it did indeed seem as if the pearls reformed out of nothing, like bits of sand coming together to form a pair of tiny marbles of glassy alabaster.

Seconds after she did this, I heard Atsuko groaning while my father clutched his head and leaned against Silk's shoulder. Even Kuno seemed to recover himself about then, only to immediately discover that he was cuffed and gagged, to which he voiced a muffled opinion that we all chose to ignore for the moment.

"Very good," Lotion remarked, "For once nothing went wrong."

"Your faith in me is underwhelming, Darling," Siren mused, "But in truth it was easier than even I believed would be the case. It's like some element of resistance went out at the end there, making my spell all the easier. I suspect whatever influence was causing the pearls to go out of control had been contained by another agency of course that's only an educated guess. You could, of course, confirm it for me, O' mighty Lore Master."

"My senses have already confirmed the accuracy of your statement," Lotion replied, "I suspect the agency in question was drawn to this location by the release of my granddaughter's spell. You really should be more careful in filtering outside influences out of your summons, my dear."

"Hey," Silk protested, "I didn't have time to think about it, I was reacting on instinct."

"Oh man," Atsuko winced as she pushed up off of the sand, "Anybody get the number of that truck?"

"I could use a few stiff ones myself at the moment," Yumi slowly uncovered her eyes and glanced around, then in a low voice of menace, "WHERE IS HE? Where is that fat fool, Genma!"

"Uh oh," murmured Daddy as he, too, began to recover.

"Heeding the better call of valor," Hairbrush replied, nodding towards a retreating black-and-white mass whose distinctive shape was telling.

"I'll kill him!" Yumi reached up over her back as if expecting to find a spatula waiting there at hand. She paused when she realized that she was effectively without weapon, but then shrugged her burly shoulders then took off after Uncle Genma anyway, not doubt to relieve some stress that she was currently experiencing.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "I hope she isn't too hard on Uncle Genma. After all it was the love pearl that was affecting her judgement."

"Somehow I don't think Kuonji senior is going to be very understanding about this," Kodachi remarked as if finding great amusement in the discomfiture of Ranma's father.

"How do you feel?" Silk asked of my father.

"Like I just walked into the middle of a play," Daddy glanced around then took notice of Silk's expression and instantly became concerned, cupping her face with one hand as we all began to notice the bruises and cuts all over her body.

"Who did this?" Daddy demanded, and from his wrathful expression it was plain that he was contemplating his "Divine Wrath" attack against the offending party.

Silk quirked a smile at that and said, "You did airen."

To say that we all goggled at that was like saying the fish-eyed expression on my father's face was paler than normal. Silk maintained her smile before she finally took pity on him and said, "Just kidding. You don't think I'd take advantage of you like that, much though it is tempting "

"But but how I never !" Daddy sputtered with his best, "caught in the headlights" expression.

"We'll discuss it later," Silk patted him on the arm, turning a glance towards Atsuko before adding, "Let's just say I caught a certain Fox in the hen house and leave it at that."

"Huh?" Atsuko blinked her eyes, and then her whole body reddened, "Ohgawd! Don't tell me no way!"

"Mom?" Ryoga asked, not catching on to the significant way in which Silk was standing between the Oni and my father.

"Dad?" Akane asked with a similar expression.

"You don't want to know, sister," Kachu replied, "Believe me."

"Never mind, you two," Silk said as smoothly as her namesake, "Your parents and I just need to discuss something between us, and there's no reason why it should affect you."

"I got a feeling that's gonna be some discussion," Ukyo murmured under his breath.

"How are you feeling?" Lotion asked her, "Any lingering affects from your brush with the Love Pearl?"

"Love Pearl?" Ukyo repeated, then glanced at Akane, then back again, "Is that what is was? I ah don't feel any different "

"You mean you don't remember?" Akane asked, trying to hide her disappointment.

"Um " Ukyo swallowed, "Ah actually I do ah "

"Hey, don't sweat it, Ucchan," Ranma clapped him on the shoulder, "Nobody was acting normal just now, and the less said about it the better."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo suddenly exclaimed, "What about Shampoo mother and Ranma mother?" she glanced around with a worried expression.

"A good point that," her father remarked, "Why don't the three of us go looking? I'm sure it's safe enough for me to come near to Nodoka "

"SAY WHAT?" Ranma reacted.

"I've got a feeling there's going to be a lot of that going around," Siren said in obvious amusement, examining the bracelet in her hand, which was now sporting three pearls in its setting, "With folks returning to normal, a lot of customers aren't exactly going to be wild about discovering what they were doing."

"Do you think perhaps you might do something about that?" Tofu asked, "Maybe give them a temporary case of mass amnesia?"

"I'll think about it," Siren mused with a mischievous look in her eyes, "On the other hand, most of those affairs will only be more intensified forms of attraction between parties who may have had an interest in one another to begin with, so maybe this will be the necessary push to get a few such parties together which reminds me where did that delightful Cologne get off to?"

"No way!" Atsuko reacted, "I don't feel any attraction for HIM!" she pointed at Daddy, "And no way do I want to remember! All I want is to find my Gen-chan!"

"Well you'd better hurry up," Kodachi replied in some amusement, "Because if Kuonji Yumi catches him before you do, he'll likely be adorning the wall to her restaurant before sunset."

"SHE WHAT!?" Atsuko called out, "I've gotta stop her!" and with that she took off naturally in the wrong direction!

"Mom!" Ryoga started forward, only to have Akane restrain him.

"Oh no you don't!" my sister insisted, "No sense having the both of you get lost at the same time!"

"Perfume go catch her," the Amazon Enforcer sighed, turning an apologetic look to her companion, the younger Lotion, "You wait here?"

"Of course," the blue haired girl replied with a gentle smile, "You do what needed, get Oni-girl and find panda."

As the brown haired Amazon took off at a run after the Oni, I turned to the elder Lotion and said, "What now?"

"Now," my mentor replied, "You need to go with your husband and wife to seek out their parents before Nodoka awakes to find herself in a most compromised situation."

"Uh " I blinked my eyes as I understood her meaning, "Yeah good idea. Hey, wait up, Ranchan, I'll come with you!"

"Ranchan?" I heard Ukyo asked me as I passed him.

"We'll discuss royalties later, okay?" I pleaded, not wanting to have to explain why I had instinctively taken to using his favorite pet name on my iinazuke

"I don't understand," Usagi glanced around as they neared the pier without finding their elusive quarry, "Why did Rei take off like that? I thought those pearls well " she colored slightly.

"I'm sure she had good reasons for doing it," Ami replied, "Perhaps she was trying to avoid looking at you or any one of us for that matter."

"Oh, she got a pretty good look at me," Usagi glanced down at the sands and experienced a brief memory of the look that was in the priestess's eyes before breaking contact, and of her own brief surge of desire that had resulted from the pearl she had almost swallowed, "What I don't understand is her running away like she was in terror."

"Well," Mina said aloud, "If Rei were here she'd probably say something nasty, but you're right it is strange that she reacted so differently from how everybody was behaving who swallowed those love pearls."

"You're telling me?" said the white cat trudging along at her side, "And what was with you and the sudden interest in wildlife?"

"Excuse me?" Luna asked dryly, "Were you talking to me, Mister Hormones? And what was with you treating Mina's leg like it was rubbed in catnip?"

"Yeah?" Minako eyed the white cat, "What's the deal with that anyway? You'd think you were part dog the way you were acting."

"Ah " the white cat said like one who desperately wanted to drop the subject.

"At least the effects appear to have worn off of everyone," Ami glanced around, "It almost seems as if everything thing is gradually getting back to normal "

All of a sudden the three girls and two cats drew up short as another party of five crossed their path. The lead girl was pleading to the shorter girl at her side, "But Mill-chan !"

"How could you betray me like that?" the younger girl complained, "Chasing after Rapier instead of me? Oneechan, you are only allowed to look on me with lust in your eyes! Why, if we were both back home I'd have the pair of you executed!"

"Urk!" a statuesque blond figure paled noticeably, her blue eyes darting to the shorter girl as she said, "But Princess "

"Yeah," said another young woman whose wiry reddish-brown hair was held from her forehead by a headband, "What is the deal with that? And you chasing after Orin when you could have me for your bosom companion."

"Hey," a blonde haired giant of a man remarked, "Leave me out of this one. I was an innocent bystander "

The three senshi waited until this group had fully passed beyond earshot before Ami chanced to remark, "Well normality is a very relative concept "

"Ah " Minako blinked her eyes, "Was I seeing things, or did it look to you guys like that one girl had a pixie riding between her bosoms?"

"You saw that too?" Artemis asked in a mixture of relief and worry.

Of a sudden Usagi turned and stared at the boardwalk, or rather at a shadowy place just beneath where the pier joined up with the boardwalk. Motioning to her friends she said, "Ah guys? Would it be all right if you all wait here for a minute? I think I'd rather do this by myself."

"You see Rei?" Luna asked.

"I think I I can sense her," Usagi took a deep breath and the added, "Wish me luck."

"Sure," Minako replied, "With Rei you'll probably need it."

"But you know you'll have us to talk to if either of you need us later," Ami said reassuringly, then stayed behind with Mina while Usagi walked under the shadow of the boardwalk.

"Rei, are you here?" she asked.

"Go away!" came the immediate confirmation.

"I can't do that, Rei," Usagi felt her confidence flagging and took a deep breath to regather her nerves, "We need to talk about that Love Pearl thing. You don't have to worry any more, it seems to have worn off with everybody else."

"What makes you think I'm worried?"

Usagi located Rei's position by her voice and moved in closer, "Who are you trying to kid? You took off like you'd seen a ghost or something. Am I really that awful that you couldn't even look at me without running in terror?"

"With a face like yours, is that so surprising?" Rei automatically countered, but her tone lacked conviction, "Just go away, Usagi I don't I can't deal with this "

"Well why not?" Usagi edged closer, "Don't you even want to yell at me and call me names? After all, it was my fault for swallowing that pearl like a total doofus "

"It wasn't your fault," Rei replied, "You were just being yourself, Usagi."

"Ouch," Usagi winced, though she wasn't certain quite sure how the Shrine Maiden had intended that statement.

"It's my fault," Rei sounded miserable, "I'm the one who should be sorry."

"Hah?" Usagi blinked, taking a chance and coming near enough to Rei that she could make her out where the other girl was hunched down beneath the shadow of the concrete pillars binding the pier to the boardwalk, "How is it your fault? I'm the one who spat the thing into your mouth "

"Don't remind me," Rei said in a low grumble, "I probably got Usagi germs in me or something."

"Now that almost sounds like the Rei that I remember," Usagi got as near to Rei as she could manage then sat down beside her, "Want to tell me why you ran? Am I really that awful?"

"No," Rei replied, then after a long moment she sighed, "Usagi do you ever think at all about the future?"

Usagi blinked, "No why, do you?"

"I didn't until now," Rei informed her, "We all know that Luna and Artemis keep going on about us recreating the Silver Millennium of peace and justice, and then there's Chibi-Usa from the future who showed us what our future might be like. From the looks of things the future seems pretty bright for all of us, provided we can keep those Dark Kingdom Nega-creeps from messing things up."

"What's this got to do with that Pearl?" Usagi wondered.

"Everything," Rei rested her chin on her hands, which were cupped over her knees, "I saw the future, Usagi all of it, our whole damned lives laid out in front of us. Something about that pearl triggered my clairvoyance and gave me a vision more like a revelation. It was like seeing everything being fast forwarded, about a thousand years going by me in the span of a minute. I don't remember too many details, but it was like I lived my life out in every exciting, fun filled moment, and it was beautiful so very beautiful. It's the kind of life I want to lead only only it's nothing like I expected."

"You're talking in riddles again," Usagi gave her friend a faint smile of indulgence, "But if it was so wonderful, why did you cry out like that and run away?"

"Because " Rei paused, took a deep breath, then started again, "Because the future I saw was one where you and me you and Mamoru the three of us " she paused again before resuming, "All three of us were in it together."

Usagi blinked her eyes then said, "So?" She blinked again and continued, "TOGETHER?"

"Ah hah," Rei nodded, "You, me and and him."

"Ah as in sharing a house together?" Usagi was a bit hopeful.

"As in sharing the same bed," Rei stated a bit more bluntly.

"The same bed?" Usagi thought that over a moment before her eyes got round and she glanced away with a faint, "Oh."

"Oh?" Rei arched an eyebrow, "Is that all you've got to say? Oh?"

"Ah wait a minute," Usagi turned back to Rei as if to demand clarification, "Are you saying that the both of us are sharing Mamoru?"

"Among other things," Rei answered.

"Other things?" Usagi asked faintly.

"Usagi," Rei was a bit short-tempered as she growled the word, "We weren't just doing it with Mamoru. I saw the both of us in bed TOGETHER! As in YOU and ME, you got it?"

"Don't shout at me, Rei," Usagi replied, "I'm not that stupid. I just I mean really?"

"Really," Rei confirmed a bit sadly.

"Oh " a long pause held in the air between the two friends as the implications of that slowly settled into focus. Only after the silence seemed to compel something else to be said did Usagi venture, "So you mean to say that we both get married to Mamo-chan and live happily together in the future?"

"Just about," Rei answered.

"That's pretty wild, Rei," Usagi noted in an unusually thoughtful manner, "I never thought you'd be that hard up to find your own boyfriend."

"Me neither," Rei answered.

"Unless " Usagi paused again to turn a glance at her companion, who was barely visible in the gloom under the boardwalk, "Rei do you like me?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Rei reacted with a start.

"I think it's a pretty reasonable one," Usagi replied, "Under the circumstances."

Rei glanced away and took her time before answering, "No, Usagi I don't like you "

"Oh?" Usagi could not conceal a certain disappointment in her expression.

"I love you," Rei concluded her statement.

" " was Usagi's only reply.

That brought on another long pause, and then Rei continued again, "I had this really strange ending to my vision about the two of us when we're both really, really old like a couple thousand years from now. In fact I saw you laying in bed and you were dying " Rei shut her eyes and for a moment could not speak about it, but when she did her voice was tight with emotion, "You were over two thousand years old and your body was worn out. You'd used the Silver Imperial Crystal one too many times, I think or whatever it was I was right there beside you "

"Rei?" Usagi glanced at her fellow senshi with a look of amazement, seeing the faint gleam of tears upon her cheeks.

"It was so real!" Rei resumed, "It was like actually being there and seeing it happen! I was holding your hand and you were comforting ME! You were asking me to be brave, to look after Princess Rini, who you'd named as your successor. You were about to die and you wanted me to be strong, and I wasn't "

"Rei," Usagi tried to gently get her attention.

"I wanted you to live!" Rei cried out, "I didn't want you to leave me! We'd both lost Endymion many years before that, and now it was like you were about to leave me for him, and I hated you for it, and I wanted to die with you so I wouldn't live without you!"

"Rei?" Usagi tried a bit more forceful.

"I was the one who always wanted to protect you!" Rei cried, "I swore an oath to lay down my life rather than to see you harmed! We were all your loyal soldiers, but I was the one who truly knew you, and you were the only one who really knew my heart "

"Rei!" Usagi said more insistently.

"You can't know what it felt like to be the only one left to be alone to be the one who had to carry on the torch for the sake of the next generation, ME! The one who could never control her temper "

"REI!" Usagi finally resorted to shouting.

"What?" Rei asked, finally acknowledging her princess.

"I love you too," Usagi smiled, taking Rei by the hand, "Even if you do drive me crazy."

"Usagi-chan?" Rei blinked, squeezing back automatically and finding she liked the warmth of the other girl's hand between her fingers.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," Usagi continued, "You know I never want to do that. I can't say what the future holds, I don't have your power to see things before they happen but wouldn't it be better if we maybe tried to live the future rather than try to live in it before it happens?"

"Usagi," Rei found herself smiling and crying at one and the same time, "Thank you."

"No thank you," Usagi squeezed Rei's hand between her own fingers, "I've been such a thoughtless pest lately, going on and on about Mamoru. I haven't even seen the guy in almost a year, and the whole time you've been right there beside me trying to make me feel better. Is that clueless or what?"

"For you?" Rei managed a sly look, "No."

"Ouch," Usagi found herself smiling, "Tell you what I try and be a little more considerate in the future. I mean you spend more time with me than you do at the temple, and the least I can do is try and cheer you up once in a while."

"I don't mind," Rei said gently, "I may not admit it, but most of the time I like being around you. Even if you do drive me crazy."

The two young girls shared a light chuckle over that, and then Usagi tugged Rei's hand and said, "Come on, let's go find the others, they've been really worried about you."

"Okay," Rei replied, allowing herself to be drawn to her feet, "I suppose we ought to go let them know that we're both all right, even if Minako-chan is an awful flirt and a gossip who can't keep her mouth shut."

"I DO NOT!" the aforementioned blonde herself cried out as she poked her head from around behind one of the piers, only to be yanked back hastily by the hand of Ami.

Usagi blinked her eyes and said, "Hey, are you guys eavesdropping on us?"

"Nobody here but us kittens!" a voice called out, followed closely by a muffled male voice crying, "LUNA!"

Usagi blinked her eyes then turned to her companion, "You knew they were listening in?"

"Of course," Rei smiled sly, "You have to know these things when you're a priestess "

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Father showed us where he had last seen Mother and Ranma's mother together, and sure enough we crept up upon them and found them sleeping side-by-side, totally naked. Mother was curled up around Nodoka's body with the both of them were facing towards the east. It was a cozy spot nestled in the sand away from prying eyes and shielded by coral formations while dry enough not to disturb them, precisely the sort of place that I would have expected my mother to select, though usually I would have expected to find her in such a place cozying up with my father.

Under ordinary circumstances I would have found the pair of them very cute as we found them, two handsome warriors still in the prime of their youth and health, obviously having enjoyed the comforts of each others' bodies and having exhausted themselves with spirited vigor. Of course the fact that they were our parents no doubt prompted Ranma to experience a less favorable reaction, one I in some measured shared as this was not a thing either one of us would have expected.

"What the hell ?" my husband started to protest.

"Cool it, Ranma-kun," Nabiki urged, "You want to embarrass them both and make your mom feel dishonored? You know how prickly she can get on that subject "

"She's right, Son-in-law," Father agreed with my wife, "Your mother is a very traditional minded woman, and while her conduct was no more under her control than my wife's, it would be better if we don't cause either one of them to feel too crowded."

"Then how are we to wake them, Father?" I asked, keeping my voice hushed so as not to carry far enough for our two mothers to hear us.

"A good question," he murmured in his usual sage and thoughtful way, then turned to Nabiki and said, "What do you think we should do, Daughter-in-law? You and Ranma have as much a stake in this as Shampoo, and you understand the traditional mindset that your mother tends to embody."

"Ah " Ranma winced, "I don't think either me or Nabiki are all that traditional, but I guess Mom would feel pretty bad if she was doing something she thought Pop wouldn't approve of "

"Not that his opinions should count for a whole lot here," I added, "Bottom line, what's the worst sort of reaction we could expect here? Think the two of them are gonna wake up and start screaming their heads off?"

"Wait," I said, catching sight of a slight movement as Mother's chest rose and fell, and then I heard her breathing deepen over the crash of the surf that was obscuring our own voices, "They are waking."

We all hunched down and held our breaths as Mother and Nodoka began to move as if regaining consciousness, and then the signs of slow recognition taking place caused us all to tense, and then my mother-in-law turned her head towards my mother and in a voice so soft even I had trouble hearing it said, "Comb-san?"

"Nodoka?" Mother sat upright and stared down at the other woman, then glanced wildly around herself and said, "What the hell ?"

"Oh my," Nodoka also looked around and seemed to take notice of the fact that the both of them were naked, "Where are our swimsuits? Did we just go skinny dipping together?"

Among the various discoveries that I have made during my stay in Japan, the one most appropriate for a situation such as this is called a facefault. I practiced this technique spontaneously, as did my wife, husband and even father. When we recovered I saw mother sitting up with a disbelieving expression on her own face, and then in a skeptical growl she said, "I think we did a lot more than that together in fact I seem to remember ah "

"Oh my!" Nodoka also sat upright, but unlike mother she made a point to cover her breasts with her hands for some peculiar reason, "I see what you mean. Oh my! Comb-chan I never knew oh dear "

For a moment the both of them seemed to be experiencing recent memories of joint activities that they had no doubt shared together, and I would have to be supremely na ve as regarding such matters not to at least have some idea as to how they could have exhausted one another in a span slightly less than one full hour.

"My husband," Nodoka said as if just remembering him in passing, "How will I explain myself to Dearest? Genma will be so disappointed in me "

"In you?" Mother asked, "What am I going to tell my husband? How the hell do I explain my sleeping with you of all people?"

"I know that this is very unexpected," Nodoka replied with a sheepish expression, "And I don't think it's the sleeping part that needs explaining "

"Uh oh, yeah right," my Mother glanced away with a very troubled expression.

"I have dishonored myself and my family," Nodoka sighed, "Whether Dearest learns of my transgression or no, I have violated my sacred marriage vows and must atone for my dishonor in the only manner worthy of the daughter of my samurai ancestors."

"W-What?" my mother reacted, "You mean ? But that's CRAZY!"

"It is the Bushido," my mother-in-law replied, "I cannot ask that you understand our ways, but you must respect them, just as I do those Amazon rules that you are so fond of."

"But that's an entirely different-!" my Mother stopped herself, "Ah well, maybe it isn't, but that doesn't mean you have to kill yourself!"

"As I said you don't have to believe in our ways," Nodoka said, "But as a fellow warrior I appeal to you to act as my second "

"You-WHAT?" Mother reacted with typical non-restraint, "You want me to take your head off after you stab yourself in the throat?"

"Nani?" I heard my husband exclaim beside me, an understandable reaction as I was similarly dismayed upon hearing this revelation.

"Well," Nodoka replied, "You don't have to pretend as if you haven't thought about taking my head off "

"That's not the point!" my mother reacted, "How could I ever face Genma or your son ?!"

"I admit that it is a difficult situation that I am placing you in "

"YOU'RE DAMNED RIGHT IT'S DIFFICULT!" my Mother shouted, "You're always putting me into these fixes, well-no way am I going to go through with something as wrong-headed as this, and I will not be making your son an orphan! Find some other way of getting over this, will you?"

"I see," Nodoka sighed, "Then I suppose it must fall upon my son to perform his duties as my second "

"NANI?" Ranma reacted, but Nabiki and I clamped our hands over her mouth to keep her exclamation from drowning out the crashing wave that struck the rocks at that same instant.

"You can't expect him to understand this any more than I do!" Mother was on her feet and typically heedless of her unclothed stature, "This is a totally unreasonable request of yours, and all because the two of us made out together I mean, try and think logically for once! We weren't acting in our right minds, and it's not as if I wanted to make love to you of all people "

"Oh?" Nodoka asked with a hint of disappointment, "Are you saying you wouldn't make love to me of your own free will?"

Mother blinked her eyes to that and said, "Come again?"

"Or is it just that I wasn't interesting enough for you to make love with?" Ranma's mother persisted, "For what it's worth, I had nothing to complain about, and you rather seemed to enjoy me."

"Hah?" my mother reacted in surprise to that, "Th-That has nothing to do with it! I just don't see why you have to kill yourself over a thing like this? You Japanese you can be so exasperating !"

"Is that why you fell in love with my husband?" Nodoka asked, "Because you find him exasperating?"

The surf was too loud at that moment for me to hear if Mother made any reply to this, but the two of them looked at one another for a very long moment, and then Nodoka got to her feet and faced Mother directly, smiling at her as she lowered her hands from her breasts and stood in a more confident manner.

"You don't have to be ashamed of admitting it, you know," Nodoka replied, "You knew him before he and I met, and he almost defeated you, which would have made him your husband. You chose to go back to China and seek out a man of your own to love after surrendering him to me. I never did have the opportunity to properly thank you for that, and even though Genma has not always been an ideal husband, he gave me a son that has made everything worthwhile."

"Wow," I heard Nabiki murmur at our side, "She's good."

I wanted to ask her what she meant by that, but I was too busy listening in on the conversation taking place between at least two of our parents.

"Wh-what are you saying?" my Mother was then asking her of her nominal rival.

"That if things had been different and he had chosen you over me," Nodoka resumed, "Or Genma for that matter, then I know you both would have been happy together ." She paused and added a wry smile before saying, "Of course you would have kept him on a tighter leash than I did, and you still would have had to deal with Atsuko, and then you might never have met your handsome husband and had your three lovely daughters, and I think that would be such a shame. But in a way things did work out for the better, so I guess that means that you and I are now family on more than one level "

"More than one what?" Mother asked as the rest of us strained to catch each word that they were saying.

"Well, after all," Nodoka said coyly, "Our children have united us in marriage, and yet we already share kinship ties on my father's side of the family, and your grandmother is, after all, my cousin so we're all family, right?"

"W-W-W-What?" my mother started, which was a fair estimate of my own reaction.

"Didn't you know?" Nodoka asked sweetly, "Not too surprising your grandmother does seem to keep a lot of things to herself, not that there's anything wrong with admitting to being family and I guess what goes between family can't be wrong and dishonorable. After all you were almost first wife to my husband."

"First wife?" my mother's blinking was almost loud enough to be heard over the ocean.

"So maybe you are right and what we did was not dishonorable after all," Nodoka glanced away, "Although for a brief time there I was strongly attracted to your husband, and in that moment I did dishonor my own husband "

"It-It was the pearls that did it to us!" my mother blurted out, "We weren't behaving as ourselves we were both under the influence of those accursed Love Pearls, only they must have worn off after an hour!"

"I suppose that might explain why we did it," Nodoka said simply, "But it doesn't change the fact that we did it, and for that brief moment I wanted someone other than my husband to make love to me. You prevented me from dishonoring myself with your husband, but the intent was still within my heart, and I must bear the weight of that from this day forward. It would be easier to seek the honorable path, but you are right to say that it would bring great injury to those I love, so I guess for their sake I must go on and live with this sorrow "

"You're being ridiculous," Mother told her, "If you're dishonored then so am I, and if you think Amazon armor is any less than your Japanese pride, you're quire mistaken!"

"Perhaps you are right," Nodoka smiled, "Then perhaps we should go find our swimsuits so we can return to the beach and seek our husband to ask for their forgiveness."

"Now you're talking sensible at last," Mother said, glancing around, "Only ah I don't see my suit anywhere, or yours either for that matter."

"Then maybe we should wait for someone to find us," Nodoka said, "I'm sure Genma or Ranma will want to know where we are and what we have been doing."

"Urk!" Mother reacted, "On second thought maybe I can do something after all. If I can just find my foldspace " she patted her side, looking more than slightly disconcerted.

"Your what?" Nodoka asked her.

"It's a technique we Amazons use to store things," Mother replied, "Now be quiet and let me concentrate. This will take a moment and I hope I have something stored there that we can both find useful "

"Hey guys, what are you doing?" a voice startled the lot of us so that we all gave a yelp and turned around to see Atsuko approaching with Ranma's father in tow and no sign of Kuonji's mother.

"Ah, Atsuko-san," Father promptly explained, "I see you've managed to keep the fur rug on Genma's hide what a pity."

"Ah, deal with it," Atsuko sniffed, turning to us and saying, "What are you kids doing hiding among the rocks? Did you find Comb and Nodoka?"

Seeing no use in denying this, my airen and I just pointed.

"SAY WHAT?" Atsuko exclaimed when she got a good look at the sight of her two rivals, even as I saw my father-in-law's eyes increase to twice their normal size.

"We're trying to figure out a way to let them know we're here," Nabiki said, "Do you think you could keep it down a little?"

"Yeah," Ranma agreed, "They're gonna hear you if you carry on like that."

"Oh really?" the Oni woman grinned hugely, then she gave a dark chuckle and stalked around the rock, "This I've just got to see for myself!"

"But wait !" Nabiki hissed at her, only to be ignored by Ryoga's mother, who stalked out into the open and right up to her rivals with a hint of glee in her voice and expression. Genma hung back for a moment but then promptly hurried his pace to catch up to the Oni.

"Aha!" Atsuko cried, "Caught you two in the act, did we? And what were you two up to while you were under the influence?"

"Who are you to ask that?" Mother immediately responded, only to blink her eyes when she caught sight of Genma, even as Nodoka gasped, "Dearest?"

Ranma's father held up a sign in his paw, which read, "Are you two all right?"

"We are," Mother gulped, "Ah, look it's not what it looks like "

"Oh yeah?" Atsuko grinned, putting hands on her hips with a hint of triumph in her voice, "Looks a lot like you two were keeping pretty busy. Don't tell me you let 'Doka here seduce you?"

"Seduce me?" Mother blinked her eyes in reaction.

"Ah I'm afraid it was more the other way around," Nodoka replied, "But it wasn't Comb-chan's fault or mine either, I hope. Can you forgive me, husband?"

Genma turned the sign around and asked, "For what?"

After an obligatory facefault by Atsuko and my mother, the Oni leaped back to her feet and said, "THEY MADE LOVE TOGETHER, YOU CLOD! Don't tell me you didn't figure that one out?"

Genma turned the sign around again and now it read, "With or without Hairbrush?"

"Eh?" Mother replied, "What difference does that ?"

"Without him," Nodoka answered.

The sign turned around once again and now read, "So, what's the problem?"

"Huh?" Atsuko gasped, "You mean you don't mind how could you?"

Genma turned the sign around once more and it read, "I forgive you for Soun, and no one can blame me about Yumi."

"You you do?" Atsuko's tone softened.

"You and Soun?" Mother repeated.

"What about you and Yumi?" Nodoka asked with an odd expression.

I saw worry cross the panda's features as the sign turned around once again and read, "Never mind forget I said that "

I felt Nabiki nudge me and turned to see what it was that she wanted, only to see her point off to one side, where Ranma and I took notice of some bits of cloth laying in the sand. We understood at once, and the both of us slipped from our concealment to seek these barely noticeable strands out from where they lay half-buried in the surf, and sure enough we found a pair of swimsuits or at least the top of one and the bottom of the other.

"I guess it's the best we can do," Ranma offered, "Now how do we get these to them?"

"Leave that to me," our clever wife replied, "You just keep looking for the rest of their swimsuits, okay?"

We of course agreed with this plan, and Nabiki headed off to where our mothers were to present to them the incomplete halves of their two suits. I did not know what words she said to them to explain our sudden appearance, but a short time later Mother and the others came out from behind the rocks with their suits complete and a smile on the face of the Oni. Father greeted them both very politely, but his soft smile was meant to be reassuring as he said, "I trust everything is well with you now?"

"Well enough," Nodoka replied, "But I think it would be best if we get back to where we left our belongings. Atsuko-chan is preserving our modesty, but I would prefer not to have to rely on her illusions."

"Same here," Mother turned to exchange glares with her other rival, "No offense, of course."

"None taken," Atsuko responded.

"Well then," my wife said with a cheerful smile, "Now that we're all friends again, and everyone agrees it was the pearls that were to blame, perhaps we can try enjoying what's left of the rest of our day on the beach?"

"That's right," Atsuko replied, "All is right and all is forgiven, so let's get down to party "

A sudden wave crashed down over her head, getting her wet while the rest of us scattered. A moment later a Fox shook its wet head, the two parts of what amounted to a bikini the only testament that a grown woman had been formerly present.

"Who says all is forgiven?" asked Silk as she stepped out from her own point of concealment, giving the Fox a playful smile, even as my mother's bikini-top faded out of existence, as did the missing parts of Nodoka's own suit.

"SILK!" Mother cried even as she and Nodoka promptly covered their hands over the exposed portions of their bodies.

"Oops," Silk realized her gaff, but she recovered well enough and said, "So you two lost more than your inhibitions? No problem, just use hers. I'm sure Atsuko-chan won't mind."

The fox expressed an opinion that sounded contrary to that, but I saw Mother and Nodoka smile and knew that common ground had been arrived at, while Genma just blinked his eyes and shared a sympathetic look with my father.

"Well, this has sure been a day to remember," Ranma remarked matter-of-factly, "Not that I even want to."

"Which reminds me, you two," Nabiki eyed us both critically, "You sure neither of you got affected by any of those pearls?"

"Oh no," I replied, "This one made very sure that Ranma look at no one but this one."

"I had a pearl in my mouth for a few seconds," Ranma said, "But like I told Shampoo I didn't feel any different."

"Of course," I smiled, "When you already have the perfect marriage, how could things get any better?"

Naturally they had nothing to say in contradiction to this, nor would they dare voice a contrary opinion if they had one to share. After all, my airen are very wise and considerate people, and they know where their best interests lay, which means that they agreed with this one, and everybody is so very happy.

The consequences of not agreeing were simply not to be contemplated

"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" Akane asked Ukyo for the fifth time in the past quarter of an hour since the threat of the Love Pearls had finally be cancelled.

"Yeah, I think so," Ukyo said sheepishly, "It was a pretty wild ride while it lasted, but you don't have to worry about me turning into another Kuno."

"That's a relief," Akane smiled faintly, turning a slightly reproving glare at Ryoga before adding, "Just make sure the both of you are on your best behavior. You've embarrassed yourselves enough on my account for one day at the very least."

"He started it," Ryoga growled, but his tone subsided as Akane's gaze hardened in his direction, "Well he did "

"I wasn't trying to start anything with you," Ukyo insisted with barely restrained patience, "In fact YOU!" his gaze whipped around to glare beyond Akane's shoulder.

"Huh?" Akane wondered what could be upsetting the cursed boy/girl so much, only to follow the chef's gaze as they all turned to see Ambergris approaching with a somewhat anxious Makoto.

Ukyo stepped around Akane and met the Amazon partway, gripping Ambergris by the top strands of her suit and demanding fiercely, "WHAT DID YOU JUST DO WITH MAKO-CHAN?"

"I didn't do anything," Ambergris smiled back, ignoring the implied threat as she amended, "Much."

Ukyo drew back a fist, only to have it be deflected as Makoto stepped forward and caught Ukyo by the wrist, saying, "Stop it, Ucchan! Ambergris didn't do what you think she did I mean she didn't take advantage of me well, she did but she didn't "

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked his eyes, "You wanna explain that one to me, Sugar?"

"She means that we didn't have sex," Ambergris replied, "So there's no need for you to feel jealous."

"JEALOUS?" Ukyo reacted in surprise, trying to free her hand from Makoto, "I am NOT jealous!"

"Could have fooled me," Ambergris noted in dry sarcasm, even as the top part of her bikini came undone, leaving Ukyo to cling hold of it while the Amazon stood her ground and affected a nonchalance that belied her being nearly naked.

Ukyo, being in her cursed male form, could not help but goggle at the sight of a pair of firm bared breasts, then at the incriminating top in her hands, and abruptly he swallowed.

"I'll be generous here and assume that you weren't making a proposal, Kuonji-san," Ambergris noted dryly, "Although I will try and contain my disappointment you'd make such a fine catch back home, if I could ever convince you to wear a dress in your cursed form."

"Hah?" Ukyo asked, now being more than slightly put off from her anger.

"I don't understand," Akane said as she frowned at the Amazon, then Ukyo and lastly at Makoto, "You're saying you didn't take advantage of her when you had the opportunity? But "

"I found another way to help the both of us through this crisis," Ambergris held out a hand to Ukyo, who only hesitated a few uncertain seconds before handing back her halter, which the Amazon then promptly set about refastening over her bosoms.

"As you know," Ambergris continued sagely, "Makoto and I were under the influence of the magic of the love pearls, she enamored of me and I taken by a fancy for Hibiki-san. You talked me out of going after your boyfriend by reminding me that my love was only artifice, not a real and natural product of my own emotions. I knew then that I had to reassert control over myself, so I sought for a creative outlet with whom to vent my lust in a fairly harmless manner. Naturally had I chosen to I could have taken full advantage of Makoto-san here, who was drawn to me in a similar manner."

"That's right," Makoto confirmed, "She could have done anything with me and I would have gone along with it in fact I'm wondering why you didn't."

"I could not, in good conscience, take advantage of a friend or an ally in such a manner," Ambergris replied, "Not without forgoing that friendship once the effects of the pearls were ended. No matter what you may think of me, I do have enough integrity to know the difference between real and artificial emotions."

"So what did you do?" Ryoga asked.

"The next best thing to having sex," the Amazon leered, "I gave Mako-chan here a foot massage and a backrub."

"You what?" Ukyo blurted, seeing Makoto blush a deep shade of crimson.

"We Amazons know a great many uses for Shiatsu-styled sutras," Ambergris explained, "All I needed was a relatively private spot where we could be uninterrupted while I used my hands to work the kinks and tension out of Mako-chan's body. As tempting as it was to play with her further, I only used my skills to bring her off in a fairly harmless manner that left her virtue intact and served to expiate her hunger."

"It was the most amazing thing," Makoto said in wonder, "She did everything BUT make love to me, and I felt so deliriously aroused and relaxed that I never even minded that she didn't go all the way with me even though I wanted to very badly. You have got to teach me how you did that "

"Perhaps another time," Ambergris demurred, "When neither of us has any other outside commitments that might impede us from going all the way," she turned back to Ukyo and added slyly, "She is yours if you want her, I left her virginity as it is so that the lucky man who claims her will not feel cheated of his spoils."

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked hard at this, then swallowed.

"He already has somebody," Akane growled.

"Who?" Makoto asked, looking the shorter girl over and ignoring the way Akane's wings were twitching, "You? What makes you think you're woman enough for my senpai?"

"What?" Akane blurted, "I can't believe you just said that !"

"Uh huh?" Ukyo stared back and forth at the hostile glares being exchanged between cursed girl and senshi and his face became even more bewildered.

"I see you two have finally decided to stake out your claims," Ambergris said in obvious amusement, "Too bad I have to return to China or I might stick around a while longer and give you both some competition. Unfortunately I must bow out and surrender the field to the both of you ladies, so may the better warrior be prepared to defend her territory."

"Their what?" Ukyo became even more bewildered, though the sparks that seemed to be filling the air between his two girlfriends left him to wonder if retreat might make a good option.

"Ah Akane?" Ryoga asked in equal concern.

"BUTT OUT OF IT!" both girls promptly snapped without breaking eye contact, leaving Ukyo to exchange looks with Ryoga with the silent appeal of faint desperation

"There you go, Tatewaki," Kodachi said as she removed the last of the restraints, "You are free at last now I trust you will behave yourself much better than the last time?"

"Be assured, sister dear, that I have no intention of furthering my humiliation," Tatewaki said as he regained his footing and massaged his wrists to relieve their soreness, "What spell bewitched my thoughts has departed and I am myself once again or rather the self that I have become rather than the love-sick clod that I was."

"No hard feelings, Tatewaki," Kasumi asked, being careful to position herself on the other side of Kodachi, "I hope that we can be friends now that this is all over."

"Friends?" the elder Kuno considered the word as if attempting to work his mind around the concept, "We are not enemies, if that is what you mean, and I do not bear you ill will. If anything I feel that I am in your debt, Tendo Kasumi."

"Your debt?" Kasumi asked with a puzzled expression.

"Indeed," Tatewaki replied as he turned to regard her frankly, "For you have wrought a most wondrous change in the nature of my formerly twisted sister, and because of your relationship, Kodachi is a very different person, and a better one in my own opinion. You helped convince her to reform her evil ways, and as such it is to you that I owe my current sanity. Fare thee well and do no lasting harm to one another, for I must needs now return tot he affairs of my family's business."

"Tachi," Kodachi said as the tall boy started to turn away, "I will look over those papers you wanted me to sign, and if I approve of the arrangement, then you can count on my supporting your endeavor."

"Thank you, sister," Kuno regarded Kodachi with a faintly amused expression, "I think I better understand your attraction to the fair Miss Tendo. She is a uniquely gifted human being, and a rare flower among womanhood. Indeed my brief infatuation for her is easily understood within that light, for like a Midsummer's Night Dream my affections did flow as hot and cold running water. Until the next time our paths cross, adieu."

Kodachi waited until her brother was halfway to the edge of the boardwalk before saying, "My brother is still a romantic deep down under that crusty exterior he has recently been demonstrating."

"It's a shame he doesn't have a girlfriend of his own," Kasumi remarked, "All that poetry is going to waste."

"Are you thinking of the position?" Kodachi asked her slyly.

"No," Kasumi smiled, taking her companion's hand in her own, "I've already got someone whom I'm interested in, and she makes me very happy."

"Oho?" Kodachi arched eyebrows in spite of the thrill she felt from sheer physical contact, "And you are certain nothing could alter that? Perhaps if you had swallowed one of the pearls and gazed upon, say handsome doctor Tofu?"

"Oh my," Kasumi blushed demurely, "Maybe at one time I would have wanted to, but now I couldn't do that to my sister, and I'm happy with my choices."

Kodachi's heart soared upon hearing those words, but a nagging doubt clouded her happiness, and with lowered gaze she said, "Kasumi-sama there is something I have been meaning to share with you something hinted at by Tatewaki. I should never have kept anything from you, but when he challenged me for my honestly "

"Whatever it is it won't affect the way I feel," Kasumi reassured her.

Kodachi breathed an uneasy note to that and said, "I would not speak so in haste until you hear me out. It concerns my mother "

"I know," Kasumi squeezed her hand again, "You've already told me "

"Not everything," Kodachi paused to summon up her courage, "My mother was not an evil woman, but she had deep character flaws, some of which I inherited from her. I've told you that she could be very hard on me and Tatewaki growing up, but she wanted us to be our best, and she felt so neglected by our father...and...and I wanted her to like me for myself, not just because she saw me as a reflection of her own lost childhood...""

Kasumi politely waited for Kodachi to continue, her concern plain upon her lovely features as the Black Rose began again, "I had as much of my father in me as my mother, and at an early age I took an interest in Chemistry and Botany, mainly because they were the only things my father and I had in common. He actually explained things to me in terms that I could understand, and he made it all sound so fascinating and it turned out that I was very talented in growing leafy things for our garden. Of course I tended to the roses in my father's greenhouse, and I was present when he made his discoveries about the medicinal effects that could be derived from Black Rose petal extracts "

"The drugs you made and were taking until now?" Kasumi clarified.

"The very same," Kodachi replied, "Only at the time neither one of us knew about the unfortunate side effects of the derivative compounds and as a consequence of tampering with things half understood, Father drove himself insane taking the very drugs that he himself created. I would later refine the extracts to create a kind of paralysis powder that could also be converted to an effective neural inhibitor and mood suppressant and I even experimented with the powder in an early raw phase by feeding a little of it to my mother."

Kodachi winced and tightened her hand on Kasumi's still-warm fingers, not daring to look up into her eyes as she continued, "I only wanted to make my mother feel normal again, to take away her depression, but instead it seemed to create the opposite effect in her and a short time after this she committed seppuku "

"Oh " Kasumi said after a long moment of silence between them, " My."

"Do you see now?" Kodachi asked in a wretched voice as she stared down at the sand at their feet as if not daring to see the condemnation she feared would be in the eyes she so dearly loved, "I killed my own mother I was the one who drove her over the edge of insanity to suicide because she believed that my father was unfaithful. I compounded this wrong by taking the drugs for myself to dull the pain and deny the guilt that I was feeling, and to keep Tatewaki from finding out only he must have figured it out, damn him "

"Kodachi," Kasumi's voice caused the Black Rose to finally turn tear-stained eyes in her direction, but instead of reproof what she saw in those warm brown eyes was deep understanding, "You were a child, you didn't know any better. Your father and mother tried to love you as best they knew how, but they didn't do a very good job of teaching you how to avoid getting into trouble. I don't blame you for any of this it's not your fault please don't hate yourself because of a mistake you made almost ten years back."

"Oh, Kasumi-sama!" Kodachi turned and put her arms around the older girl, and Kasumi hugged her back with sincere warm and maternal protectiveness until Kodachi's sobbing faded out and her body ceased to tremble. They held each other like that for a long while, but at last Kodachi whispered in the taller girl's ear, "How can you always be so understanding, so full of forgiveness ?"

"Because I love you," Kasumi gently pushed Kodachi back to where they could again make eye contact, "And because I know deep down that you are a good person who wants to do better."

"Can you show me how?" Kodachi whispered, "How I can forgive myself for all the wrong things I've done, all the mistakes I've made before I met you?"

"I can certainly try," Kasumi assured her, touching Kodachi on the chin with a finger, "But of course if we're talking about forgiveness, then I think we ought to go back to your place and discuss the matter further."

"Will you punish me?" Kodachi asked with a little-girl expression.

"As much as I think you deserve," Kasumi reassured, "And I certainly think you at the very least that you deserve a spanking."

"Kasumi-sama," Kodachi bowed her head submissively, "It will be as you command of me my Mistress."

"Good," Kasumi smiled, holding the other girl tighter, "Just as long as we are agreed about that."

The both of them smiled together, for all intents and purposes the only two people on the beach, which is why they were heedless of the various couples passing near at hand who were experiencing their own after-lust recriminations

"I'm telling you," Kiyone tried to reassure her companions, "I wasn't deliberately trying to steal Tenchi away from anybody! I'm not like the rest of you guys, and I won't want to be his mistress!"

"Uh-huh," came a chorus of doubting Thomasinas as Ryoko, Ayeka, Washu and even Sasami eyed the Galaxy Policewoman with deep lingering suspicion. Only Mihoshi seemed more troubled than jealous, while Tenchi himself was staring at his feet and hunching his shoulders as if trying to look smaller.

"I can't believe you did that to me!" Ataru loudly protested, "Chasing after Shinobu of all people "

"But darling " Lum pleaded as she hovered in the air beside her angry near-husband, "I don't know how it happened, and you know I always am faithful "

"That's more than you could say about these two," Shinobu snorted as she all but dragged Mendou by the wrist, "Bad enough I turned into a skirt chaser, but did you two perverts had to do a lip-lock together?"

"Don't remind me!" Mendou complained, "I need a stomach pump, I'm going to be sick! Only death can atone for this stain against my ancestors !"

"Like you have something to complain about?" Ataru shot back, "And besides, you ain't that good a kisser!"

"Ah Nanami Aliel," Shayla swallowed, "About that thing we just did with Makoto "

"That wasn't Makoto," said Aliel, "That was Fatora."

'FATORA?" the redheaded Fire Priestess looked horrified, finding to her dismay that the near-twin of Makoto was clinging to her arm with a moon-struck expression that had nothing to do with any love pearls.

"Oh darling!" the Princess of Roshtaria cooed expectantly, "I never dreamed you could be such a hot hump in the sack "

"HELP!" Shayla cried, pleading to her fellow Priestesses, who presently were engaged in their own nervous discussion.

"Ah " Afura Mann glanced down at the sand and tried to get her jumbled thoughts back into some semblance of order, "You know I've always respected you like a big sister "

"I know," Fujisawa Mise also avoided eye-contact with the willowy brunette, "Neither one of us was acting in accord to the sacred principles, and the less said about it the better, or so I'm thinking. At least my husband is back to his old self "

"Yes, and getting thoroughly plastered by the look of it," Afura nodded to where the male half of Mise's union was currently trying to drink Makoto under the table, with a concerned Ifurita looking on in faint disapproval.

" And that's not all," Tomoyo was saying to Sakura as the both of them walked side-by-side without noticing the weird looking people all around them, "Lee-san also had it bad for you, which is why Meilee always saw you as a rival "

"Really?" Sakura asked, amazed at this and several other revelations that her friend was only now making apparent.

"Of course Lee-san also had the hots for Yukita, go figure," Tomoyo continued.

"For an older BOY?" Sakura reacted, "You've got to be kidding!"

"Well, to be fair, Yukita-san always did strike me as very bishonen," Tomoyo said, "Which is why it seemed so strange that he hung out all the time with your brother. I think the two of them might have been involved in a relationship together "

"NO WAY!" Sakura protested, "My brother is a homo?"

"Well, stranger things have been known to happen," Tomoyo considered, "Just look at us, carrying on an affair that began with both of our mothers."

"Well I ah still kinda wonder about that," Sakura colored deeply.

"Ignore her, Tomoyo-chan," the miniature griffin hovering by their side remarked, "Sakura can't even fathom the fact that Riki-chan had such a big crush on her when they were little."

"No way!" Sakura declared, then after a brief pause she added, "Really?"

"Ah huh," Tomoyo reassured, "I'd have been jealous, but I've always somehow known that the two of us were going to wind up together. It was fate, like a red string that binds the two of us together "

"Er ah, um ah " Sakura tried to think of something to say to that, but the warmth of Tomoyo's hand on her own blanked out all conscious attempts at reason

"GANGWAY!" a slightly out-of-breath Happosai called out, now reverted back to his true age after a brief attempt to swim to safety.

"Come back, Master Happy!" Hinako cried out, only to widen her eyes as she saw something ahead and called out in warning, "Look out!"

"Hah, like I'd fall for that-!" Happosai said, one instant before colliding with the blunt end of a surfboard.

"Aiyaa?" said the redheaded girl holding the board under one arm, "Nuku Nuku felt something. Little man ran into Nuku Nuku's board? Even Nuku Nuku not that careless."

"Hey, you all right, old guy?" asked the young boy at the side of the redhead, to which he received a faint groan in reply.

"I'll take care of him, don't worry," Hinako knelt down and tended to the somewhat stunned Happosai, glad that she would not need to absorb any more energies to remain in her adult form at least for the moment.

"Suit yourself," the redhead shrugged prettily, then cried out in delight as she saw a promising wave and at once took off with her surfboard.

"Master Happosai," Hinako said as she waited for the ancient pervert to recover, "Why did you run away from me like that? Don't you know it's me, your little Hinako?"

"Hinako-chan?" Happosai groaned in a slightly disoriented fashion, "'Scuze me if I don't get up I think I'm gonna take a nap now "

"I understand, Master," Hinako said as she laid a hand over the forehead of the disoriented old pervert, "I just hope you don't have a concussion we have so much catching up to do. It's been so many years since we parted "

"Seems like yesterday to me," Happosai replied, then fainted.

"To you, maybe," Hinako murmured as she combed stray wisps of hair out of the old man's face, "To me it is a lifetime but never fear, I'll help you to remember. Now that I've found you at last you need never chase after other women again. Just leave everything to your faithful Hinako."

Happosai did not reply, but in his dreams he shuddered faintly

Continued 


	81. Chapter 81

Summary:  
Just when things seem to be settling down for our cast and crew, into the picture strides a new girl looking for trouble, and how much trouble can she be? Well...it might help you to know that her family name is Hibiki...  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

"Okay then," a blonde haired girl was saying to herself with what sounded like conscious deliberation, "It's a left turn at the next corner, shouldn't be any problem, right?"

Ryonami turned around to study the girl, who was wearing a high school uniform that she did not immediately recognize. Curly locks of golden hair, brown eyes, and a look of intense concentration on her features. She seemed lost to Ryonami's careful scrutiny and estimation of such matters, and this was confirmed a moment later when the girl all but bumped into Hiroshi and Daisuke, who were walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh hey!" Hiroshi exclaimed as they each drew up a few centimeters from one another.

"Better watch where you're going, Miss," Daisuke added as politely as he could manage under the situation.

The blonde haired girl reacted in a way most unexpected, gripping both boys by their shirts and heaving them into the air to where they could each dangle at arms reach.

"Who did you say should watch out here?" she snarled.

"Ah " Daisuke kicked his feet but could not find the ground beneath him, which prompted him to rethink his situation, not to mention that of his companion, "Never mind I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding "

"We didn't mean you any harm!" Hiroshi added with all the manly courage that could be expected in an average Furinkan high school student.

"You're wearing the colors of Furinkan High School," the blonde noted in passing, "Tell me where I can find your school and I'll let you both go and pretend I never saw you."

"Ah huh?" Hiroshi blinked his eyes.

Daisuke pointed sideways, "It's right there can't you see it?"

The blonde turned her head and saw the bronze placard not three feet from where she was standing and promptly dropped both boys on their respective kiesters, "Oh well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

"Hah?" Hiroshi was still having trouble grasping the concept.

"Eh excuse me for asking this, Miss," Daisuke asked as non-offensively as he could managed, "But we didn't get your name "

"That's right," the blonde said, "You didn't."

"Are you looking for someone?" Hiroshi hazarded a wild guess, "Maybe someone who goes by the name of Ranma?"

The look the blonde turned on the two boys would have caused a snake to shed its skin and hide under a rock, and with a sudden clenching of her fists she growled, "You know where I can find him? He and I have business to discuss together."

"Not another fianc e, I hope," Daisuke grumbled under his breath, only to get swatted by his companion.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" the blonde demanded, looking twice as scary as before, which was certainly going some.

"Excuse me," Ryonami spoke up, "But maybe I can be of service?"

The blonde turned a wary gaze her way, even as Hiroshi and Daisuke breathed sighs that sounded like prayers to the heavens. Ryonami felt qualms about involving herself in the matter, but her trained eye perceived an opportunity here, and it never hurt to gather information that could be advantageous to her senpai, especially if it meant another rival had just shown up with a bogus claim on her iinazuke.

Several things had been apparent to Ryonami almost from the beginning, not the least of which was the fact that the girl before her was very dangerous, obviously a trained martial artist and showing little compunction against using her skills on non-combatants. It also very obvious that the two boys were in for a beating if they did not immediately cooperate, and given the ease with which this stranger had thrown them around it was a fair bet that she was very strong and had a violent temper. Her problem locating the sign had also given Ryonami a hint as to just how dangerous she might be if provoked to anger.

"How?" the blonde asked in a way that displayed more intelligence than Ryonami's first estimation would have extrapolated.

"I'm a friend of the Saotomes and the Tendos," Ryonami revealed, "And if you're looking for Ranma, I'm afraid he's with the rest of his family seeing some friends off at the airport. They got out of classes early, so I wouldn't expect them back until much later."

"How much later?" the blonde haired girl immediately inquired.

"Perhaps around dinner time," Ryonami suggested, "I can show you where they live if you like, and I can even help you find it later."

"Once is enough," the blonde replied, turning away from the two boys as if dismissing them from her thoughts, "Show me where it is and I can always find it later."

"Ah " Ryonami began to have second thoughts about misdirecting this girl or leading her on a wild goose chase as there was a gleam of intelligence in her eyes that suggested that it would be very bad for Ryonami to even think of crossing her in any significant manner. Even charging her for directions would, at best, be problematic.

On the other hand it would make sense to sound this girl out for information, which same could be relayed to her senpai at the first available opportunity. And after all, it wasn't as if Ranma could not handle himself against any challenger, no matter what their bloodline. Her senpai might even approve if Ryonami helped them to prepare for yet another one of Saotome Genma's blunders.

But still one thing Ryonami felt had to be made clear for her own peace of mind, and so she timidly ventured aloud, "Excuse me for asking this but would your name by any chance be Hibiki?"

The blonde's eyes narrowed fractionally before she replied in a cunning tone of voice, "So you've heard of me, eh? Very well, I am Hibiki Kennou, now let's get on with it, shall we? Time is money."

"Hibiki?" Hiroshi said in horrified realization.

"Kennou?" Daisuke added as the two exchanged glances and together chorused, "UH OH !"

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Seeing the Amazon trio off to their plane was more than an act of civility on our parts. Although it clearly meant a tearful parting of ways for Shampoo, her cousin Perfume, and their mutual love interest, Lotion, it also meant the departure of Ambergris from Nerima, a fact for which more than one sigh could be heard in our party.

"You take care," Shampoo said with misty eyes at the blue haired girl who had been first in her heart and a torch that she had carried in her heart since long before either Ranma or I had known her.

"You too," the younger Lotion replied as they clasped arms together and smiled a smile that conveyed a rich expanse of emotions, "I have fun during visit Lotion no went to leave, hope maybe come visit sometime when you have baby."

"Shampoo hope this too," my Amazon iinazuke responded before turning a confiding look towards Perfume, "You take care each other, yes?"

"You know Perfume will," the Enforcer replied simply, also clasping arms with her adopted cousin, "Have good strong baby when Perfume next see you, Perfume welcome new cousin as warrior of good family."

Ambergris next clasped arms with Shampoo, only between the two of them there seemed to be a different play of emotions, far too complex for even my immediate understanding.

"You know that I will do everything within my power to see that they are both safe and well cared for," the pink haired girl said with sincerity and conviction, her one exposed eye meeting Shampoo's gaze without the least hint of a challenge, "You will always be welcome to our House so long as I am alive. I, too, hope to see you once you have delivered your baby, and perhaps when you have named her you will inform us in a timely manner."

"Shampoo hope so too," my Amazon bride-to-be responded, "You take care you self, Whale Puke."

"Count on it, Hairball," Ambergris grinned and the two of them seemed to be sharing a private joke between one another.

"Is serious," Shampoo added in a sober tone of voice, "You no have easy path you want become Great Grandmother successor."

"I can handle the old biddies back home," Ambergris said in a cock-sure manner, "And I've had extensive conversations on the subject with Matriarch Cologne," she turned and regarded the Indigo haired Elder in question before adding, "I'll convey your message to the Council and see that your will is respected. If they seek to know your whereabouts, then I will tell them that the Matriarch is on a quest of discovery. That should content them for a few months at the very least."

"I will contact them in my own way and time of discretion," Cologne replied, "It's up to you if you want to impress them enough to believe that you are worthy to be my successor. Shampoo is right to say that you have a hard road to follow "

"I will face it like any challenge in my life, Elder," Ambergris replied, "And I will prevail. But one thing remains unresolved for me " she turned back to regard Shampoo, "We have yet to determine which of us is truly the better warrior, and I fear that question must go unresolved for the present."

"Shampoo ready face you any time," my Amazon wife replied confidently, "Any place."

"Then I will set the date for two years from now," Ambergris replied, "When we are both eighteen and can resolve the matter on the Challenge Log like Amazons proper. That will give you time enough to have your baby and recover your fighting trim, so I expect a good show, because you know that I will be in training."

"Shampoo give you as good as you give work out," Shampoo promised, "No think Shampoo go soft when you next see her."

"I'm counting on that," Ambergris replied, "Shampoo you remain for me a symbol of all that I must attain if I am to be truly worthy of leading our people. You have already shown me what courage can be found in embracing your destiny, and perhaps I will be fortunate too if my ancestors smile on me and give me a noble wife and a strong husband, such as you have found. I am hopeful, based on my experiences here, that I might find such a one waiting for me in the near future or perhaps one who is a little of both if I am truly lucky."

She glanced over at Ukyo, who blanched slightly in spite of the fact that she was currently in her true female form. The playful look the pink haired girl was giving her caused both Akane and Makoto's expressions to darken, and was I imagining that I heard the distant rumble of storm clouds?

"And of course," Ambergris turned her one-eyed stare upon Ryoga, "There certainly is no shortage of manly talent to be found here in Japan. I can't help wondering what you would look like wearing a dress, Ryoga-kun."

"Hah?" it was Ryoga's turn to blanche, and now Akane looked ready to burst a blood vessel while Ranma smirked at the expense of his slow-witted half-brother.

Apparently Ambergris saw this because she glanced at him and added coyly, "After all, I already have an example on hand in the form of Shampoo's husband."

"Hah?" Ranma reacted, this time earning a smirk from Ryoga.

"Two years then," Shampoo said very softly, "Shampoo be ready."

"We have a date then," Ambergris turned on her heel and said, "Come along you two love birds. We have a plane to catch, and this time we're not getting bumped from our seating."

As the three Amazons vanished down the boarding ramp leading to their plane I faintly wondered how it was that they could even get past the metal detectors without setting off every alarm in the place. One of these days I'm going to have to learn how they manage to conceal so much hardware on their bodies without appearing to look bulky. If I tried carrying half the junk I've seen them pull out of their pockets I don't doubt that I'd fall over just turning a corner.

As the trio made their fateful exit from our continuing daytime drama, I heard Hairbrush chance to say, "You know I actually envy them. I thought we would be returning ourselves by now "

"It is not the right time," Lotion replied, "I have read the signs and they reveal that it would be a less than advantageous occasion for anyone from your House to return to China. The Matriarch knows this, and so for the present time you and your children must tarry in Japan until the tides read more favorable omens."

"I'm not so sure about that, Elder," Comb remarked, "Are you sure it isn't just politics that could be giving you these dark omens? I'm sure no one would raise a hand against either me or my husband, let alone our daughters "

"Trust me on this for now," the old woman turned to regard us all, "There are forces none of you are aware of at work, and until I say otherwise, you must make a home for yourselves in Nerima."

"You could be right on that," I heard Siren mused as she stepped out from concealment of a pillar, "I frankly wouldn't put anything past the other council members if any one of those old biddies saw a chance to promote themselves to a higher rank within our village."

"How long have you been standing there?" Cologne asked with a wary expression.

"Long enough," the Archmage answered, "I have to pop back home for a bit, but I was planning to come by and pay regular visits. Now that you've finally seen the light and let it all hang out, I'm hoping I might be able to persuade you to give me a second chance "

"After what happened with the first one?" Cologne asked with more than a hint of worry.

"Now don't be like that," Siren cooed as she walked up alongside Comb and gave her a particularly sultry expression, "We've both been around enough to be well past that awkward stage, and there's really no reason that we can't let bygones be bygones."

Cologne looked surprisingly nervous about that, and for a moment we all thought Siren was about to try something brazen in public.

"Heh," Ranma smirked to himself, "Don't expect sympathy from me on this, old woman."

"Unfortunately," Siren sighed as she turned away from her intended amorata, "I have to absent myself for a time to look after my apprentice. Frost is getting to be such a handful lately she's at that awkward stage in her training, and it simply would not do to leave her unattended."

"Good thinking," Comb remarked, "Otherwise we might not have a village left standing."

"Frost still have problem talk to self?" Shampoo wondered.

"Oh, she's more beside herself over matters these days," the blonde Archmage said airily, "The unfortunate effect of a little encounter with Jusenkyo. Nothing to worry about though, she's adjusting quite well to her new condition. In fact she's almost mastered her spellbook to the point where she can destroy anything from the letter "A" to "K." I hope by next year that she'll be able to destroy anything else from the letter 'L' to 'R '"

"Whole year?" Shampoo sniffed, "Too bad Mousse name begin with 'M' "

"Is he still being a bother to you?" Siren asked, "You'd think by now he'd have gotten over you and found something else " she paused and I saw a scary wicked gleam appear in her expression, "Of course he might be persuaded to find someone else, provided she was the right type of candidate " the blonde turned a nasty glance towards the boarding ramp and smiled, "I wonder if he and Amber might be a compatible match for one another "

"You are thinking of using the pearls for this?" Cologne asked with an owl-eyed expression.

"Well, can you think of a better use for them?" Siren turned a lascivious grin on Cologne and added, "I could. Well, your call until later, Ciao!"

With that she stepped sideways and seemed to go flat for half of a second before a brief light flared up and she winked out of existence.

"Wow," Ranma broke the ensuing silence, "She's sure got your number."

"A good reason for me to have it changed," Cologne turned away, though I could tell from her expression that she was seriously worried.

"Aiyaa," Ling-Ling said aloud, "Great Grandmother no look happy Aunt Siren have bracelet."

"Is to worry," Lung-Lung nodded sagely.

Shampoo turned a bright smile to her sisters and said, "Shampoo glad you stay for now, is almost like being back in village have you around. What you think so far of Shampoo new village?"

"Is very strange place," Ling-Ling replied sincerely.

"Is sure we find strong boys date here?" her twin sister added.

"You've heard Grandmother," Silk noted, "When have you ever known her to be wrong when she uses that tone of voice? Besides, I'm sure there will be lots of boys here who would like to date you, and some of them at least have to be strong fighters."

"Phooey," Atsuko remarked, glaring at Comb as she added, "Who needs you around to crowd my action?"

"Now girls," Nodoka smiled, "Be nice."

"For them that was nice," instantly ventured Kodachi, "But in a way I am glad to see that you will be staying on for a while longer. It would feel a little too quiet around the dojo without you.""

"Besides," Kasumi added, "You've all been such a big help these days that it's not even a burden having so many people living under one roof. I'm sure that Father agrees that you can stay as long as you need to."

"Er, ah um " Daddy hesitated to voice his real opinions.

"Your generosity is considerable," Cologne remarked, "But my granddaughter and her husband will be staying with me at the Nekohaten for the present. I would make the same offer to Atsuko and her son, but well "

"Thanks," Atsuko replied, "But the dojo suits me just fine, and I'm sure Ryoga wouldn't want to be separated from his lady love right now, eh son?"

"Hah?" Ryoga's face turned an interesting shade of pink as he glanced at Akane.

"Still and all," Nodoka spoke up, "We have been imposing on your hospitality of late, Soun-san, and we Saotome do have a house of our own that we have been neglecting. Since the wedding is only a few weeks away, I think it's time that Ranma came home and received a proper training from me in how to become a good husband to your daughter "

"SAY WHAT?" I blurted aloud, even louder than Ranma and Shampoo.

"Oh, I'm sure my son must seem very manly to the both of you," Nodoka assured us with a smile, "But practicing before the wedding isn't always such a wise thing, and I think a two week period of abstention should make you all the more eager to join together at the proper time. After all, a good marriage does involve a lot more than an active sex life."

"It does?" Ranma responded blandly.

I frowned a bit at this, only to find Silk speaking up before I could, "What a wonderful idea! Nabiki must be as nervous as a newborn colt about formalizing her union to young Master Saotome. Things have been so hectic of late that I doubt Shampoo has even had the time to teach her airen everything that might be expected from them to go into a happy union. Normally that burden should belong to her mother, but I would be happy to substitute for her and give her proper bride training, if Nabiki will let me."

"If I WHAT?" I reacted in a less than calm and composed manner.

"Of course Kasumi will be willing to help out, I'm sure," Silk included my older sister, "It's been so long since anyone has asked my advice on marital matters, and since my only child was born out of wedlock "

"Er " Daddy suddenly had a worried expression on his features.

" I guess the only other ones here with any experience in being a bride would be Cologne, Comb, Grandmother and Nodoka," Silk continued in that pleasant way she has of not giving you time enough to respond to her suggestions, "And of course Kachu has been a bride for the better part of a month, and she seems to be doing quite nicely."

"Mother," our Amazon sister replied as she glanced down and her face colored brightly, though Tofu's hand on her shoulder seemed to reassure her more than slightly.

"Hey, what about me?" Atsuko folded her arms and looked at us crossly, "I managed to at least fake being in a marriage for fourteen years, which is long enough to bring up my son right and proper!"

"There's a big difference between pretending to have an illusory husband and actually having one who's flesh and blood," Comb replied rather crossly.

"I know that!" Atsuko responded, "I'm just saying it was good practice "

"I still can't believe that Dad was just one of your illusions, Mother," Ryoga shook his head, "My memories of him are so real "

"I played both roles, Ryo-chan," Atsuko said gently, "My real inspiration was Dad, only you've never really met him. Your grandfather was quite a guy, or I thought so until he got lost and broke up with my mother "

"Not to mention your mom is an qualified psycho," Ranma added.

"Huh, you're telling me?" Atsuko huffed, "I grew up around her, remember?"

"Still," Uncle Genma adjusted his glasses as he coughed to draw attention to himself, "Your mother has a good point, Ranma. With only two weeks to prepare you ought to train yourself to handle being married."

"Hah," Yumi snorted from where she hung in the back row, "I'll bet he's known how to run away from his problems since the time he could walk. He doesn't need more lessons in that from you "

"I was thinking more along the lines of a training mission," Genma insisted with a certain stiff resentment in his voice, "After all, Boy, you've been letting yourself get soft lately, you've even let other people do at least some of your fighting "

"Hey!" Ranma insisted, "It's not like I make them!"

"None the less, Boy," Uncle Genma stressed the last work, "You're not living up to your full potential, which means I'm going to have to train you all over in the basics. If you want to learn any more special techniques, then you're going to have to demonstrate to me that you can handle the extra training."

Ranma made a dismissive noise and said, "Just try and keep up with me, Old Man, you'll see how ready I am."

"Good," Genma turned a sidelong look and added, "Why don't you come with us and train with your brother, Ryoga?"

"Sir?" Ryoga blinked his eyes as if not believing that he had heard properly.

"Ranma needs a sparring partner, and you're the one who can give him the best workout," Genma turned back towards Ranma, "And maybe one of the two of you can impress me enough that I might actually teach you something. Maybe the both of you can show me which one of you is the true heir to the Saotome Ryu."

"And excellent idea, husband," Nodoka smiled, "When do we get started?"

"We?" a worried look crossed Genma's face.

"Well of course," Nodoka said as she took him by the arm with a playful expression, "Do you think I'm going to let either one of you out of my sight after what happened the last time?"

"Hah?" Genma looked effectively cornered, and once again I had to upgrade my opinion of Nodoka as a smooth player who had a knack for keeping people off their balance.

"If she's going then so will I!" Atsuko insisted, "If Ryo-chan needs any encouragement, he can always count on me to back his play."

"Mom!" Ryoga responded like any boy his age who feels a bit too crowded by a parent.

"Then it's settled," Lotion announced, "Nabiki will alternate in her training with me and receive bride training from Silk and her sister. Shampoo, perhaps it would be well for you to move in with your parents for the time being "

There was a cry of protest from both Shampoo and me at that suggestion, though I had not expected to be the one who would raise an objection on that point.

"It would be for the best, daughter," Comb remarked, "You have your own training to attend to, and you should spend more time with your sisters. Besides, there is an old Amazon saying you should keep in mind here that absence makes the heart grow fonder "

"I'm rather partial to the one that says that a man is not complete without a woman beside him," Hairbrush noted.

"And then he's finished," Uncle Genma concluded matter-of-factly.

"What was that, husband?" Nodoka asked.

"Ah, nothing dearest!" he promptly reassured her.

And that was how it was decided that Ranma and Shampoo would be moving out of my house and away from my life for a two week interval that was somehow supposed to bring the three of us closer together. I have to confess it's quite an adjustment for all concerned parties, not the least bit for me as I'm finding the emptiness of my bed more than a little bit depressing. I've gotten used to waking up with someone warm beside me, even if it's only Shampoo in her cursed form, at least I don't feel so alone in the night, like staring at the ceiling for hours is some new kind of meditation. You'd think that I could go back to the way I've been for well over the first seventeen years of my life, but I'm not the same person I was anymore. Sleeping alone just doesn't seem right any more, and not just because I miss the bedroom antics that made every night so lively.

If this is what a single night without either of my lovers being around me is like, then how in the name of the kami did Aunt Nodoka survive ten years without that fat fool of a husband?

I'd speak of the kami right now, but that would be jumping ahead in my story. First I should at least address what happened when we came home from the airport and found Ryonami waiting for us and looking extremely worried.

Right away I knew something was bothering her because Ryonami doesn't hide her emotions half so well as I do, and some instinct warned me that this wasn't about our private business interests. It being a school day, and she still wearing her uniform told me that she had not gone home to change, which is her usual habit, and she wasn't holding her ledger either, so that precluded this being about money. We weren't holding classes until tomorrow, so I didn't think this had anything to do with her private martial arts lessons, so right away I walk up to her where she's sitting on the steps to the dojo and ask her outright what's got her looking so anxious.

"Oh Senpai," she began as she sat up, looking from me to Ranma, "There was this girl looking for you iinazuke, and she says her name is Hibiki Kennou."

"Hibiki?" Ranma reacted with a look of surprise, then turned and called out, "Hey Ryoga! You know anybody by the name of Kennou?"

"Huh?" Ryoga left my sister's side and approached us, "No, now that you mention it, I've never heard that name before, why?"

"Because I think she might be a relative of yours," Ryonami replied, and quickly relayed the story of how she had met the girl outside the schoolyard.

"Hibiki Kennou?" I turned and saw Aunt Atsuko standing near, "That doesn't ring any bells with me either, not that it should be too surprising. Our clan doesn't often get together for family meetings "

"Probably because they can't even find one another," Silk joined in on the conversation, "Are you certain the name is not just a coincidence?"

"I'm positive she is related to you guys," Ryonami replied, "She's very strong, a martial artist, and she seems to have a problem with directions. The only difference that I can tell is that she's very smart and almost handles herself like you, Senpai. She kept talking about how meeting up with Ranma was a matter of business."

"Business?" Ranma frowned, then turned about and cried, "OYAJI!"

"Not another suitor?" Shampoo frowned and smacked fist-to-palm to emphasize her displeasure, "How many girl Shampoo have discourage because of stupid panda?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," I replied, and collectively we all turned to Uncle Genma.

"What are you looking at me for?" the Panda-man in question reacted to our hostile looks in his direction, "I don't know anyone named Hibiki Kennou either!"

"You'd better not, Gemmi-Poo," Atsuko growled, "Or it won't be healthy!"

"You're sure that you don't remember anyone else by that name?" Silk asked her, and I was glad right then and there that Comb wasn't here to add her two yens worth into the matter.

"Positive," Atsuko frowned, "I think unless "

"Unless?" Kodachi inquired.

"Ah " Atsuko was suddenly worried, "Ryo-chan remember that you have a younger sister who's been ah missing for a few years "

"Ryomi?" was suddenly very anxious, "You think this might be her?"

"It might," Atsuko frowned, "Only she didn't have blonde hair, she looked a lot more like you, but then again she got lost when she was only four, and keeping up with her has been such a bother "

"You're sure she's even alive?" I asked, just to cover all the bases.

"I'd know if a kid of mine was deceased," Atsuko frowned, "We Oni have a sense about such things, just like I know my dad's still among the living, even if I haven't set eyes on him in over a decade "

"Excuse me," Kasumi said, "Did you say your father is still around?"

"Sure thing," Atsuko replied, "Just because him and Momma don't get along any more doesn't mean he's dropped off the planet. If anything he keep getting himself into all kinds of adventures and sometimes rescues fair ladies who he even occasionally has romantic flings with. That's how I wound up having a niece who's a little bit older than you, Ryo-chan who's always out to sea (in more than one sense of the word) named Akiko "

"You mean that there is more than one Hibiki wandering loose about Asia?" Kodachi mused, "Now that is a concept that I find rather disturbing."

"More than one Hibiki?" Silk exchanged looks with my father.

The Oni paused as if in delayed reaction to her own words, and then it dawned on her what she had just said and she reacted in atypical fashion, groaning, "Oh no not another one? Dad wouldn't do that to me would he?"

"He's a Hibiki," Genma replied, "I think that says it all rather nicely."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Atsuko glared at him with particular fierceness.

"Only that your father is no doubt a very virile man who would never think of dishonoring your mother," Genma hastily replied, adding in a more delicate tone, "Unless he somehow forgot that he was married."

"Forgot he was married to Momma," Atsuko looked away as if considering this seriously, "Uh yeah, that could be the case. Dad always was kind of absent-minded, never could keep track of more than one thing at a time "

"That shows where you got it from," Ranma teased his brother, earning a customary, "Shut up, Ranma!" snarling reply for his efforts.

"You're saying your father could have forgotten all about his being married?" Akane asked indignantly, "And slept with another woman?"

"Hey, it's been known to happen," Atsuko shrugged her shoulders.

"Must be so," Genma frowned, "Or how else did you wind up with a younger child named Ryomi."

"Ahhh " the Oni winced, "There's kind of a funny story about that "

"Save it for later," I said, "Now the question is what is a Hibiki doing here, and why is she after Ranma?"

"Genetics?" Ranma replied with a shrug, "Seems to run in the family "

"Shut up, Ranma," Akane growled, "This is probably all your fault. Either you did something to upset her or your father probably cheated her out of a meal."

"That would figure," Ryoga said, "Only Ranma could get engaged when he's about to get married."

"Shut up, Ryoga," Ranma growled in retaliation.

"Let Shampoo be one meet up with stupid girl if she show up here," our Amazon bride-to-be made a fist as if to stake out her claim, "Show her thing or two about challenge airen."

"Thanks, Shampoo, but I fight my own battles," Ranma reassured her, "If she's here to start trouble, then I'm the one to give it."

"Of course," Kodachi said "That all depends on whether or not she could find her way back to this place, after all she is a Hibiki."

"And what about me being a Hibiki?"

I really hate it when people do that, spring up out of no where and deliver dramatic lines from behind your back, which naturally causes us to all turn about and act like extras on one of those "gotcha" television game shows, the kind that specialize in catching ordinary people at a moment of vulnerability and astonishment. I really hate it when people surprise me like that, and lately it seems to be happening on a pretty routine basis.

The blonde haired girl I saw was about my age only maybe a little taller than me, and there was a kind of ruggedness about her that matched the dangerous gleam in her eye that I recognized as one of the street-wise. I could tell she was not someone who did a lot of smiling, and something about the manner of her stance suggested to me that crossing paths with her in a dark alley was definitely not a very good suggestion.

"That's her," Ryonami said as she ducked behind me, "She's the one I told you about and it looks like she found her way here."

"I always find my way back to any place I've already been," the other girl replied, "It's just a matter of paying attention to your surroundings."

"You are a Hibiki?" Ranma asked.

"That's right," the blonde replied, tossing a pair of walnuts into the air before catching them in her fist and crushing them to powder, "Hibiki Kennou is my name, now which of you is Saotome Ranma?"

"Wait a minute," Ryoga stepped forward, "If you're a Hibiki then who is your father?"

"Huh?" I saw surprise cross the other girl's features, to be replaced almost instantly by a wary kind of hostility, "What's it to you?"

"You mean what's it to me," Atsuko stepped forward, "If you're a Hibiki, then welcome to the club, because so am I."

"You?" the blonde eyed Atsuko skeptically, and for a moment there was a silent, tense exchange of glares, but then the blonde said, "I don't know you, lady I'm here for Saotome Ranma."

"And what's your business with Ranma?" Ryoga demanded.

"That's between me and him," the blonde focused on Ryoga and said, "Are you Ranma?"

"And what if I am?" Ryoga demanded.

The woman's hand flashed forward, and Ryoga snatched the sheaf of paper out of the air. The blonde then pivoted on her heel and said, "Meet me at the place and time specified, and don't be late, Saotome."

"You've got a lot of attitude for a punk kid," Atsuko said, "I like that."

The blonde halted in mid-step, turned a glance over her shoulder, then shrugged them and said, "Yeah, whatever " and headed for the gateway.

"Ryoga," Ranma rounded on his brother, "Why the hell did you do that?"

"Stay out of it, Ranma," Ryoga said as he unfolded the paper, "If she's a Hibiki then it's my problem not yours."

"The hell it is!" Ranma stated, "That's my challenge letter!"

"It is a challenge letter," Akane said as she glanced at the unfolded paper in the lost boy's hands, "But why is she after Ranma?"

"I don't know," Ryoga said, "But I intend to find out."

"You?" Ranma scoffed, "You couldn't even find your way to that park in a month!"

"Then I'll go with a guide," Ryoga pursed his lips and whistled, "Shirokuro!"

The shadows flowed from out from under the dojo and suddenly the beast woman appeared who had helped us out back at the stronghold of the demonic lawyers. She bent one knee like a faithful retainer to a lord and said, "What is it you wish of me, Master?"

"I need your help to find my way to a challenge match," Ryoga handed her the paper, "Do you think you could find this?"

"With ease, Master," the beat woman said, and then her shape flowed like one of those computer morphed images and suddenly she was a dog who was black on one side and white on the other. She even wagged her tail and sniffed Ryoga's hand like the faithful mutt she resembled.

I sensed Shampoo tense beside me, and I realized this must be an instinctive reaction due to her cursed form. Ranma was not happy a out being preempted, but his mother spoke to mollify his resentment and urged a compromise so that Ranma could go to the fight as his brother's second.

This incident was far from the most extraordinary event of the day, however, for Lotion showed up later in the day while Ranma and his father were packing their belongings, and I was still trying to sort out my feelings on the whole matter. As usual the old woman already seemed to know all of the details about what had happened before I even spoke a word on the subject.

"So," she said matter-of factly as I stood watching my iinazuke prepare to leave my house for the first time in what seemed like ages, but was only a few months on the calendar by any independent estimation, "Another player has entered the scene, and a long lost Hibiki, no less."

"Yeah," I replied, not bothering to register the fact that as usual I had not seen the Lore Master's arrival, "Imagine that, only she claims not to recognize either Ryoga-kun or his mother."

"Perhaps that is because they have never met," Lotion noted simply, "Hibiki Razor has lived a very colorful existence, and while it was never his intent to be a derelict father, the fault does not entirely lay with him. No doubt young Kennou is a bit angry and resentful about feeling abandoned, and she takes it out on everyone around her rather like another young girl of my acquaintance."

I winced a little at the casual way she had said this and replied, "Surely I wasn't that terrible to be around "

"You were better at hiding your emotions than your younger sister," the old woman said, "But you were quite angry and bitter and willing to take it out on any available target."

"So something must have happened to her mother," I surmised, "And her father got lost, so she lives by her wits and supports herself any way she's able."

"With the strength of a Hibiki to back her, and none of the training," Lotion replied, "What fighting technique she knows has been acquired on the streets, and in this she is a qualified expert."

"So why is she after Ranma?" I asked, "Was it really another one of Uncle Genma's failed engagement schemes?"

"Perhaps you should ask her when the time is right," Lotion answered, "I think the answer to that one might surprise you, but I can say that it is for once no fault of the elder Saotome."

"Okay, I guess I can live with that for now," I sighed, feeling my depression grow more deeply.

"What is wrong, child?" the old woman regarded me sidelong, "Your future husband isn't moving out from you forever."

"No," I said, "But the next time that we're together " I felt my mouth go dry and the butter flies returned to their roost in my stomach, or whatever it is you call a place that butterflies flock to.

"The next time that you and he share a bed will be on the day of your marriage, eh?" I could feel the old woman's smile deepen without even looking at her, "That is what you want to say, that somehow it will be more official, less casual and with deeper commitment."

"I even miss having Shampoo around," I said and thought briefly of the empty spot in our toolshed in which she normally kept that Monster bike of hers. Apparently Shampoo could not bear to be parted from it, but she was willing to absent herself from my bedroom, go figure.

"You will see them both soon enough," Lotion reassured me, "And each time you see them it will be a special moment, one that endears you to your beloveds, just as they will long for you with the same quiet intensity. You need not fear that they will stray from your heart in the time between now and when you stand before the altar."

"I'm not afraid of anything," I tried to sound casual, as if I really meant that, "I just feel a little lonely "

I felt her wizened old hand touch my arm and the brief contact felt good, and I tried to smile in spite of the odd spec in my eyes that was causing them to tear up a little.

"You are a very brave and intelligent woman," she said, "Have faith in yourself, and faith in your loved ones. They will come through for you, believe this and it will happen."

"I want to believe," I said very tightly, "But I'm too old for fairy tales, and I know every story doesn't necessarily have a happy ending."

"True," Lotion said, "But life does go on, one sunset following another, so as long as life goes on there is always a new day. Consider your father his life all but ended when your mother passed beyond the pale, yet here he is like a man renewed by the faith of another woman who knew him even before your mother. Now there is hope again, and love within his heart, and his dreams are not entirely centered on the future of his offspring he can actually take the time to think of his own needs without necessarily feeling selfish."

"I guess that's one way to put it," I said, "I know she wants to do well, and maybe I shouldn't be hating her for trying to replace my mother. After all she almost did marry him twenty years back, and they've got a daughter to prove it, so if things had been different she might very well have been my mother."

"You are growing up at last," Lotion smiled, "You are actually thinking about others with the same importance that you attend to your own needs, which is exactly as it should be. In time you will come to see that your interests are intrinsically linked with the needs of others."

"That's a hard one," I said, "Needing people. For a lot of years I told myself I didn't need anybody but then I was always dependent on Kasumi, and in a way I looked up to Daddy as the head of the family I just didn't respect him."

"You were the clever child who thought she could use her talents to help her family survive against long odds," Lotion explained, as usual reading me like I was a manga, "It was easy for you to pretend that you didn't care about your isolation, and as long as you held people at bay you didn't have to feel responsible for anybody. You could do as you like and never have to worry about the consequences."

"I guess that doesn't make me sound like a very nice person," I admitted.

"Perhaps," Lotion said, "But I wouldn't be too hard on the you that was, she only acted in the way that she thought was best for her and those around her. Now that you have grown as a woman you know that you share the responsibility of a member of this household and soon you share responsibility for the care of your own home. You sister will not deny her own destiny, and in time she will move out and seek to further her education with a good possibility that young Kuno-san will be that to support her."

"Geez," I winced, "There's a union I wouldn't have laid odds on. I want to do something to put a stop to things but I've never seen Kasumi so happy. Do I have the right to interfere? Kasumi's my older sister and she seems to know what she's doing."

"Learning to trust other people to run their own affairs is a lot like learning to trust yourself," Lotion replied, "Your destiny is in your hands, and you have the power to help or heal through your thoughts and actions, so have some care of what you may do lest you have an effect that is not what you intended."

"You make it sound like we have the power of life and death in our hands," I remarked, "I'd rather leave stuff like that to the kami."

"Ah yes," Lotion nodded sagely, "You have voiced an opinion on this subject before, which is why I sought you out this fine evening. The sun will set very shortly, and while we yet have the light there is something I wish to show you."

"Oh?" I asked as I turned to regard her, "What is it this time? More sands on the beach, or is it the pearls before swine we're up to?"

"We have already covered those chapters," Lotion smiled, then waved at me with her staff, "Come this way, it will only take a moment."

I turned and looked over my shoulder, seeing Ranma standing by the door glancing in my direction. I begged the old woman allow me a moment then went up and held him in my arms as he hugged me back, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I I don't wanna go," he said.

"I know," I replied, enjoying the smell of him as though I was afraid I wouldn't get another chance for some time, "I don't want you to go either."

"I'll be back," he looked me in the eyes when we parted enough to permit this, "Usual time and place?"

"I'll be waiting," I grinned up at him, "Don't be late for that or else."

"Count on it," he said, then we parted ways as he walked out the door and I followed him as far as the gate, feeling the strain grow within me the further he moved out of my arms reach.

Lotion permitted me to linger there for a long moment then started forward through the gate and said, "Don't drag your heels, it would most impolite to keep your hostess waiting."

"Hostess?" I asked.

"We go to consult an authoritative expert on the subject of the kami," she revealed, "There are a few things about the nature and workings of the cosmos that you need to have explained for you, and once you see for yourself it will all become apparent."

"Okay, I'll bite," I said, hurrying to catch up with my mentor, "So, how far is this place we have to go?"

"Not far at all," she replied enigmatically, "Farther than the eye can see yet nearer than your touch in fact, we are there already."

"Huh?" I asked, finding the streets that we were one were not the ones that I knew so well as my neighborhood. In fact there was a building on one side of the road that looked surprisingly a lot like an old Shinto shrine in fact it WAS a Shinto shrine, and one I had never seen before in any part of Nerima.

"Behold the Morisato residence," my mentor informed me, "Here we will find the expert to whom I was referring."

"In a Shinto shrine?" I asked as I followed her lead and entered through the gates, glancing around and feeling as out of place there as I might feel in a Catholic monastery.

"Can you think of a better place to meet the kami?" she asked me, and I had to allow that this was a very good question.

We approached the main building at one side of the yard and came to a halt near the entrance. Lotion leaned on her staff and was quiet for a long moment, but then I caught motion from the other side of the door, and then out stepped a radiantly young woman who appeared only a few years older than I was, whole long mist-brown hair framed a face like an angel, and upon her forehead I took note of a curious marking.

"Konnichi wa," she bowed to us, "It has been quite some time. Won't you come inside? I've been preparing some tea and confections to mark your arrival."

"You are most kind," Lotion bowed in reply to her, then nudged me because I was staring rudely at this strange vision before me. I belatedly recalled my manners and bowed to the woman, but I could not fully take my eyes off of her, for I sensed a glowing radiance from within her, surrounding her like a faintly discernable halo.

And that was not the only thing I immediately noticed much to my astonishment I realized that her voice was intimately familiar for me for it was no less than the voice of Kasumi, my sister !

Continued 


	82. Chapter 82

Summary:  
Ranma goes back to the home he left over a decade ago, but can you really go back home, and what about the challenge match with Kennou Hibiki? Nabiki visits the Morisato residence and receives a divine revelation to remember...  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

The trip to his mother's place (he was not yet ready to think of it as his own) went relatively smoothly, mainly because his mother had opted to rent a cab rather than take the bus this time, much to the dismay of his avaricious father. It seemed that his mother had hidden assets at her disposal to which Genma was not privy, and since money tended to vanish into his father's paws as fast as he could lay hands on it, this was a very good thing in Ranma's opinion. His mother seemed to exercise some kind of a power over his father that Ranma barely understood, only that the mere hint of displeasure turned Genma into a quivering mass of terrified politeness, and that even without her ever-handy sword being present.

His knowledge of history reminded him that in traditional samurai houses it was the man who earned a living but the wife who controlled the purse strings. Nodoka, being a very traditional minded woman, and who had come from a moderately wealthy background before her marriage to his father, had access to a trust fund set up for her in advance of that marriage. Ranma had been casually informed that a separate trust had been established in his name and that when he turned eighteen he would be given control over that fortune, provisional to his first getting married.

He was beginning to better understand why his father and Mister Tendo always seemed to be pushing for the marriage. Of course the fact that Ranma had gone along with their scheme willingly after having taken the time to get to know Nabiki only worked to their advantage.

"Stupid old man," Ranma murmured to himself, but privately he thought that it was one scheme his father had set up that actually seemed to be working out to his advantage.

Ranma thought uncomfortably of his iinazuke as he set down his backpack and studied the room that he was now in, which he had been informed was now his room his room alone, not to be shared with any other person. He studied the walls of the place, took note of the furnishings and wondered to himself what Nabiki herself would say to such modest accommodations. A rolled up futon lay in one corner with tamati mats all carefully folded, along with bedsheets and linen set out on shelves as if a maid had come in and arranged things. There was a low-set dresser by one wall and a closet that stood open with clothes hangers and even some articles of clothing in full evidence, and the walls were sparse without the sort of posters and paintings that he was used to seeing in Nabiki's room. There was one silk screen painting of obvious Chinese manufacture adorning one wall where the sunlight through the window could play upon it to an interesting effect, but other than this those walls were relatively barren.

Well, barren except for one picture sitting on the low frame table beside some incense burners as one might adorn a house shrine, and when Ranma knelt to examine this he discovered that the picture showed a man and a woman who looked something like younger versions of his parents, and in the father's lap was a young boy who was quite obviously having a good time (and no doubt driving the photographer to distraction). The picture was somewhat faded and obviously quite old, but Ranma had no trouble deciphering that it was his family in the picture, no doubt taken during a happy occasion before the ten-year training mission from Hell had even been contemplated.

Ranma glanced around himself and marveled that this room could ever have been his. There was only the barest hint of familiarity about the place where he had spent the earliest years of his existence, and for all that he tried to recall those memories that were so deeply buried they would not come forth. His normally flawless memory failed him in some manner perhaps because everything still seemed so new to him. The room was sparse, positively Spartan, but compared to most of the places that he had been in his life it seemed like luxury unimaginable, and he could not visualize himself having such a room to himself without the old man's snoring to his one side

Or the warmth of two bodies nestled closely against him.

Ranma swallowed hard and wondered from where the hell that thought had harkened. Sure he was used now to sleeping in the same room with Nabiki and Shampoo, but considering the demanding way those two could keep him awake half the night you would think that he would be glad to have some time to himself to get his thoughts in order and maybe catch up on some much-needed sleep. He had only been away from his fianc es for a little more than an hour or two at most, so why was he missing them this badly, and why was there a certain tightness in his chest about not hearing the affection in their voices as they snuggled up beside him in the dead of night and complimented him on the quality of his performance? Just contemplating having all this space to himself left him expecting to hear Nabiki's usual sardonic commentary filling in the details that his own thoughts avoided, while that cute baby-doll voice of Shampoo's chimed in with ever-ready and helpful suggestions

Ranma straightened up and fiercely reminded himself that GUYS DO NOT CRY! What the hell was he getting so maudlin for? (And never mind that before he knew Nabiki he would not even have known what the word "maudlin" was for except that it possibly described some kind of mackerel) It was only going to be for two weeks, he'd adjust to having a bed all to himself, and even a hard mat on a cold floor was better than having to fight for the use of the covers! No more games of foot-wrestling under the sheets, no half-fear/anticipation that one or both girls would produce a glass of water and expect him to carry on far beyond the limits of his male body, and no more stumbling around over sharp-cornered furniture or tripping over a pair of bonbori set with a sword in one corner. This was HIS room to do with as he liked, and he would not have to answer to anyone (except his mother) in the manner that he could use it. He could even hang posters on the walls and get a CD player, or maybe even a computer, like Nabiki. His mother would no doubt supply him with all his needs, anything he asked for, all he had to do was think of something he needed.

The fact that he could not think of anything he particularly needed at the moment only left him staring flatly at the empty spaces of his room and wondering why it felt less like a home than the dojo. Hell, even Ryoga crawling into his bed-space in a lame attempt at trying to kill him was beginning to feel nostalgic! The dojo and Tendo house had become so familiar to him that he could doubtlessly have negotiated his way to and from the kitchen with his eyes closed and never once have to worry about bumping into anything but a lost Ryoga. It was the only roof that had been over his head for more than two months that he could recall in his otherwise vagabond existence

"Ranma?"

He whirled about, startled at his mother's voice, which had come upon him at a moment to total vulnerability and with his guard way down, unacceptable for a martial artist. He fought the urge to assume a martial crouch and instead made himself relax as he saw the concern in his mother's eyes and knew that this was one time that he could not afford to give into the reflexes of his training.

"Yeah, Mom?" he asked, hoping he would not sound too upset by the fact that his mother had somehow managed to surprise him, he not even having heard the approach of her footsteps.

His mother's smile helped him to relax as her eyes shown with affection, and in a very motherly voice she said, "I was just thinking how handsome you look standing there. I wanted to keep your room the way it was, but I thought you might feel less comfortable in the room of a five-year-old. I'll help you set things up to your liking as soon as you've had time to settle in, then we can decide if you would rather live here after your marriage or move back in with the Tendos."

"Mom," Ranma found himself smiling, and he bowed to her in respect, "Thank you."

"No, my son," Nodoka returned the bow, then stepped into the room and reached out to embrace him in a motherly hug, "Thank you for coming home to me, for being so manly, everything that I could wish for in a son, and more "

"Mom," Ranma put his arms around her, feeling incredibly awkward as it felt so different to be holding his mother like this instead of Shampoo or Nabiki.

"Your father did a better job of raising you than I could have imagined," his mother's voice was tight with emotions, but then she stood back and smiled at him, her eyes full of tears in spite of the happiness that she was almost literally radiating, "Even better than I think he suspects. You've grown so much in the time since you left me now you're almost married, and soon I'm going to be a grandmother Oh Ranma! You make your mother so very happy!"

Ranma did not blink his eyes to this, but some part of his mind went, "TILT" at the mention of both his impending marriage and the idea of Shampoo being pregnant. The responsibilities of adulthood, of being both a husband and a parent, were creeping upon him with a speed that was phenomenal, and for the first time in his existence he began to have an inkling of why his father had always ducked responsibility on these subjects.

That thought alone repelled him. NO WAY was he going to turn out like the old man! Unprepared for it or not, he was NOT going to abandon either one of his iinazuke, especially NOT with children in the picture!

"Ah well," his mother turned away as if to hide fresh tears that were streaming down her cheeks as the happiness bubbled up from within her, "I've embarrassed you enough for now, I suppose I just wanted to tell you that dinner will be ready in one hour and I'm looking forward to having all of us sitting down at the same table like a family ought to. It's been so long since we had the chance to be like this and I am so looking forward to it "

"An hour?" something clicked in Ranma's mind and he suddenly remembered a conflicting appointment, "Uh but Mom, I've got to be somewhere that challenge letter "

"Oh, I know you want to answer it for yourself, Ranma," his mother replied, "But your brother has offered to handle it himself, and she is a Hibiki, so I think for once you can let the challenge slide. Besides, it's not as manly when the challenge comes from a woman even a woman who seems as un-ladylike as that one."

"But !" Ranma started to protest.

"Ryoga deserves the chance to find out more about this girl for himself," Nodoka insisted, "You should trust in him more and not always feel like you have to compete against him, just because he is older than you by a few months "

"But-!" Ranma tried to get a word in edgewise, yet his mother was too smooth for this to be managed.

"Your father raised you to fight your own battles, and this is a very manly thing," Nodoka said with obvious approval, "But there comes a time when you must learn to trust in others who have demonstrated their abilities to act manly, and your brother is a very manly sort of boy, he even sneeked glances at his intended beloved while adopting the seemingly harmless disguise of his cursed form. I know how much the thought must have embarrassed him because he is such a nice boy over all, very much like his mother, only not quite as rough hewn around the corners "

"Bu what?" Ranma wondered if he was missing something here, or did his mother actually APPROVE of Ryoga's behavior?

"Now come along, Ranma," his mother turned to leave, "You can help me prepare the vegetables, and be sure to wash your hands before you handle the food. I understand that you've been learning to cook for yourself, and while that is not a traditional role for a man, it will no doubt help you to have such skills in your marriage."

"Hu-wha-huh?" Ranma reacted with confusion, wondering just how the subject had been neatly turned from his going to meet a challenge match to the subject of him learning to cook food for his two girlfriends. His every instinct told him that he had to leave NOW, that if he started out at once he might just barely make it to the park in time, and that there was NO WAY that he was going to let Ryoga fight his battles for him! If he paced himself and hopped rides along the way he could even cut that time in half, and unlike Ryoga he had no doubt of his ability to find the park in question. It was only a mere twelve miles tops from where they were standing, he could cover that distance in his sleep and still have time to rub Ryoga's nose in the dirt about it.

Instead he found himself compelled to follow his mother out towards the kitchen, somehow powerless to resist her suggestions, and before he knew it he was wearing an apron and had reverted to his girl form (in retrospect he realized that washing his hands with COLD water had been a tactical blunder).

"Now isn't this nice?" Nodoka smiled, relishing the thought that she could have both a son AND a daughter to help her around the house for a change. Such an obedient son, and so talented in ways that she could never have imagined.

Genma sat by the table watching his son-turned-daughter begin the slow and inexorable process of domestication that he himself had so narrowly avoided many years back. A part of him wanted to weep from the shame of having a son who could disgrace himself by turning into such a fishwife, and yet the part of him that was in control was gratified that the Boy was deflecting attention away from himself, freeing Genma to sit back and enjoy the comforts of a domestic existence, and all he had to miss was playing (or cheating, depending on how you looked at it) a game of Shogi.

(Of course Nodoka was a wickedly talented Shogi player, and too sharp-eyed to miss a detail when Genma had tried to cheat her. Since cheating was a large part of the sport that he and Soun loved to indulge the hours with, it took part of the fun out of the playing, and so Genma had resigned himself to the sorry fact that his wife was a far better player than he was Oh the shame of being reminded )

Ranma found himself with knife in hand dicing carrots, onions, peas, celery, lettuce and cucumbers with a flair to which he approached all subjects in a martial arts fashion. But as he diced he kept glancing over his shoulder at the fading light outside the window, relying on this as he had never relied on a time piece to tell him the approach of the hour when the challenge match was set to begin, and all the while burning with the need to get there

And then, like the answer to all her prayers, Ranma-chan thought she heard what sounded like the thrum of a motorcycle, and-sure enough-moments later there came a knock on the door, which drew her mother's attention.

"Nihao!" a cheerful voice greeted Nodoka at the door, "Is Ranma in? Shampoo come find her airen at house of airen's mother "

"Why hello, Shampoo," Nodoka said delightedly, "Did you come to share dinner with my son?"

"Honored mother-in-law," Shampoo bowed in a fair attempt at Japanese mannerisms, "Shampoo come take Ranma to fight. Is no proper that husband be dishonored by girl, and Shampoo dutiful wife, she see airen is on time for challenge."

"Shampoo?" Ranma-chan was astonished in spite of this being the answer to her prayers, and though his mother was clearly reluctant, she gave her no time to think about it as she said, "Thanks! I'll be back in time to share dinner, Mom, I promise!"

"Oh " Nodoka replied, "Ah Ranma?"

"Yes Mom?" Ranma-chan hesitated at the door, afraid that she was going to get called back inside at the last minute.

Nodoka turned and went to the closet, then came back holding an object that she handed to the astonished pig-tailed girl, "Always remember to wear a helmet. You could get into a terrible accident if you're not too careful."

Ranma-chan blinked, "What do I need a helmet for?" but one look from her mother was all it took to convince her that wearing the stupid thing was a lot better than arguing about it. He was so glad to be leaving that he did not even bother to ask where and when she had found the time to even acquire a helmet, he just took his place behind Shampoo as she started up her motorcycle.

One nagging question did occur to him then, and through the open visor of his helmet he asked, "How did you know I was going to be stuck here?"

"Ranma forget that Shampoo also have mother?" the Amazon cooed back, "Hold on tight to Shampoo, we get there in time, you see."

Ranma-chan did make certain that she had a firm grip around Shampoo's waist as the Amazon gunned the engine to her motorcycle and briefly popped a wheelie. So grateful was he for the rescue that he never even complained once on the RIDE THROUGH HELL that was shortly to ensue, (even though he fought to scream his bloody head off during certain portions of the journey). Shampoo was as good as her word, though they were to arrive a few minutes later than intended. The fight with Hibiki Kennou was already well under way when they got to the park, though they would be in time for a few of the more startling revelations

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

It was beyond a doubt one of the strangest encounters I have ever lived through (and considering what the past few months have been like that covers a lot of territory!). The BEING (I'm not sure if you can properly describe her as a "woman," though her resemblance to Kasumi in voice and mannerisms is a little too uncanny) sitting across from us was the perfect image of a genteel hostess, so polite and considerate that you just opened up to her without thinking. There was a timeless wisdom in her eyes that reminded me very much of Lotion, but without the guile and sophistication of the ancient Lore Master, and her AURA-my GAWD! She was like a Neon sign lighting up the room, only being in her presence made it seem like the best of spring and summer rolled into one little corner of an obscure Tokyo province.

"Would you like some more tea?" she would ask, and just the way she said this made me feel like genuflecting. No doubt if I were viewing her with ordinary eyes I would have seen nothing out of the ordinary about this girl, but the fact that my senses literally screamed not to underestimate her made her seem in some indefinable way even more impressive than Siren the Archmage. I didn't need to be informed that there was something about this Belldandy that was well out of the ordinary!

"Thank you no," my mentor declined after the third such helping, "You have been most kind to me and my apprentice. I trust you and your fianc are getting along well these days?"

"Oh yes," the being smiled, and her smile would have defrosted an igloo, "Keiichi-san and I have been very happy these past few months, although we have had some interesting moments "

"Oh?" Lotion asked of this angelic woman, noting the slight hesitation with which she had spoke the latter half of her statement, "Is Peorth still being a bother?"

"She comes and visits from time to time," Belldandy said with a hint of sadness, "I wish she would stay and talk some more. We used to be such good friends in the old days, before a misunderstanding came between us. At least she knows now that I never intentionally meant to slight her."

"It is sad when old friends have a falling out," Lotion agreed, "I've never quite been able to forgive Cologne for interfering in my personal life, though in a way I suppose that she believed that she was acting in my best interests."

"I'm sure that Matriarch Cologne means well," Belldandy agreed, "In spite of her years she is still very young in a lot of matters, but in time I am certain that she will learn to trust people to govern their own lives better and not be so manipulative. When she earns the trust of those around her I am certain that will make an improvement in her general disposition."

I felt an odd sense, not as ominous as a chill, at the way in which this young girl so casually discussed Cologne's age as if she really was the errant teenager that she often comes across as, and this gently smiling girl really was Kasumi in her usual "Big Sis" role of understanding surrogate parent. I had a sense that it was not mere presumption that caused this other girl to take such things so much for granted, for there was something ageless and eternal about her, like seeing an eternally youthful flower that was always in bloom and would never wilt away with time's passage. It was almost as if before her I felt like a stray piece of chaff in the morning breeze, here one moment and then gone and forgotten.

Not that there was anything that could in the least bit be implied to be lofty or condescending about this Belldandy, for she was gentleness and kindness personified, almost like what I imagine Kasumi would be like if transformed into a literal angel. And yet I was given to understand that she had spent the past few months living in an abandoned Shinto shrine that had been ancient at the start of the Meiji era, and that she was living with a college aged boy named Morisato Keiichi, who was not coincidentally her fianc under an arranged contract that I assumed was for their impending marriage. Whenever she talked about the boy or even mentioned his name she gave off a sense of supreme happiness that made it seem as if the air was full of birdsong and laughter. She never raised her voice, never said an unkind word towards anybody, and was all so remarkably content to be living a mundane domestic existence cooking and cleaning the house like any other Japanese-style housewife.

More and more the parallels between her and Kasumi were leaving me feeling more than a little bit breathless.

"I suppose it is very small minded of me to hold a grudge over all this time," Lotion's voice brought me back to the here and now so that my thoughts no longer wandered back tot he enigma of our hostess, "But I can't help but be amused at the turns her life has recently been taking. Here the Matriarch has the golden opportunity to begin her life all over, and yet she can't help but make many of the same mistakes that left her feeling old and bitter in the first place."

"It is sad that people do seem to be prone to old habits," Belldandy remarked, making it sound from her lips like a profound social observation, "But she is trying very hard to make a new beginning, or so it seems from the inquiries I made about her at the Home Office."

"Just the same, I look forward to seeing what new turns her life will take now that Siren is back in the picture," Lotion noted in dry humor, "There is another one who has been given the chance to make a new go at it, and I wish her well in her endeavor, if only that the happiness of one Elder is likely to be of benefit to the other."

"It does seem as if their lives will be going in some interesting directions," Belldandy replied, then she turned and regarded me with that look of infinite kindness she so freely manifested, "I think your apprentice is a bit bewildered by all our talk about the Elders. I suppose I should say that I am very pleased to see the way that you are growing into your role as a Lore Master, Tendo-san. It is good that Elder Lotion has brought you by this time so that I can properly congratulate you on your impending marriage to your future husband."

"Ah thank you, Belldandy-san," I nodded, feeling the odd urge to refer to her as "sama."

"Indeed," Lotion turned to half-regard me, "It is for the purposes of her education that I thought it time to bring her by for a proper meeting. I wanted to lecture her on the subject of the kami, but bringing her to see you in person struck me as the best way of gaining her full attention."

"I see," the radiant vision before me said, her eyes as gentle as the embrace of my sister as she addressed me again, "And what would you like to know about us? I'll be happy to share my own knowledge if it will benefit you in your training."

You will note that she used the word "us" here. It was with silent acknowledgement that I registered this fact as confirmation of my growing suspicions.

"Ah " I began (well, what would YOU say if asked that question by someone like her?), "I ah well I was wondering "

"Yes?" she politely inquired.

"What she means to ask is what you can share with her about the nature of the kami," Lotion said for me, "I was prepared to explain that the nature of reality comes in many layers, and that at certain levels of existence there are beings who are charged with looking over the mortal world and sometimes taking necessary steps to help mortals to enrich their lives, unlike the Demon Tribes, who often strive to mislead people into gross errors."

"That is certainly one way of putting it," the vision before me noted, "Of course we sometimes enter into contracts with specific mortals whom are designated as deserving by the system. It really is a very complex operation, and before we organized things by modern standards we could only act randomly with specific individuals, and only on rare occasions where such interference was permitted."

"Modern systems?" I asked a bit blandly.

"Yes," the vision smiled a bit fondly, "I suppose you could say that our reality was upgraded quite a number of years ago when the great computer system of Yggdrasil was established "

"Computer system?" I blinked my eyes.

"It has simplified matters for us greatly," Belldandy revealed, "And a lot of the functions that used to be undertaken by lesser kami now are being regulated by trained system monitors who oversee routine daily operations."

"Routine daily operations," I repeated with a note of dull wonder.

"I myself am a systems analyst and part time consultant who often took turns servicing individual cases," the radiant beauty continued, "Of course since I entered into a contract with Keiichi-san I have tended to be exclusive in administering to my duties but sometimes I receive calls from the Home office, and my services are naturally on call where needed."

"System analyst and consultant?" I was wondering if my surprise level was as off the scale as I knew it should be on hearing the casual way in which she had said this.

"Of course some kami still prefer to do things the old fashioned way," Belldandy continued, "And I certainly am not one to fault those of a traditional mindset. I suppose those are more the sorts of kami that you would be concerned with in your training. What I can tell you about them is that they tend to bond to certain elemental structures inherent in nature and are subject to the will of Yggdrasil, just like any mortal, only their lives are eternal and they tend to involve themselves with mortals on a highly localized level. My sisters sometimes like to involve themselves with people whom they meet, and you'd never know to look on them that there was anything special about us. In a way it's very refreshing to interact with ordinary people you can lose track of the human element when you get too concerned with the routine maintenance necessary to the running of our system "

"Tadaima!" a young voice called out in a cheerful manner, and into the room stepped three figures, two of whom immediately drew my attention, the third being a young boy who seemed only a few years older than me but who was barely as tall as my sister, Akane.

"Oh hoy," he said in surprise as he saw us, bugging the back of his head in an oddly familiar manner, "I didn't know we were having guests over "

I did not immediately acknowledge him, of course, as it was the other two who locked the bulk of my attention. The girl who had been first to enter was not very tall and appeared to be barely middle school age, perhaps no more than fourteen or so with long black hair done up in a pony tail. Behind her was a much taller girl who was evidently a few years older than Belldandy, but whose beauty was easily a rival for our ethereal hostess, and there was something almost unconsciously swaggering and sensual about her manners. She had nut brown skin and long white hair that trailed down almost to the floor, and like Belldandy and the other girl she had odd markings on her face that seemed like a cross between tattoos and birthmarks.

What riveted my attention was the sense of a glow within them and the auras surrounding them, both far too intense to be mistaken as ordinary glow-lights. Neither one burned as intensely as Belldandy, but they still radiated power on a level that I could barely hope to comprehend, and even before she announced that they were her sisters I had the sense of this kinship being a fact beyond question.

"Tendo-san," Belldandy had informed me as I was making this estimation, "These are my sisters, Skuld and Urd, and of course this is Keiichi-san, my fianc ."

Imagine her singing those last words and you can maybe get a sense of how much joy her voice contained when addressing the young man, who looked properly humble and pleased at the introduction. He bowed to me and we all made our introductions, then the one named Urd regarded me in a peculiar way and said, "Have we met before? You look kinda familiar "

"Ah," I replied, certain that I would not have forgotten someone like her if I had seen her on some prior occasion, "I don't think so "

"A new Lore Master, huh?" the bratty one named Skuld remarked, "Hope she's better than the last one she screwed up one of my experiments!"

"Silk apologized to you over this a long time ago, Skuld," Belldandy chided, "You should never hold a grudge over something that's in the past. Learn to forgive others and they will better receive you."

"She's just upset over what happened the other day when we were visiting the Beach," the one named Urd smirked in what sounded very much like sisterly teasing, "Like Megumi hasn't apologized over that a few hundred times already."

"SHE KISSED ME!" the younger girl wailed, "How do you expect me to forget about something like that? I always knew she was a closet pervert "

"Skuld," Belldandy gently chided, and the younger girl flinched as though she had been more severely scolded.

"Well she did," Skuld scuffed one foot on the floor and looked pensive, then glared at the taller girl beside her and added, "If I didn't know any better I'd swear she'd taken one of your potions!"

"As if you'd need any help from me in getting a date," the taller girl grinned broadly.

To my surprise and horror the shorter girl shipped out something in her hand that looked like a homemade hand grenade and growled, "WHAT WAS THAT? YOU WANNA REPEAT THAT TO MY FACE, YOU ONI!"

"Skuld," Belldandy rose to her feet with a fluidity and grace that was as ethereal as her beauty and gently placed a hand on the girl's arm to restrain her. The shorter girl gave a guilty look her way then hastily put away her hand-bomb. I breathed a moderate sigh of relief at that, strongly suspecting that the gesture had been the heralding of something loud and unpleasant.

"Really," the one named Urd folded her arms over her substantial chest, "As if I need to condescend to employing cheap insults, you midget. Besides which I think you and Megumi liked it. She even offered to buy you ice cream."

"Oh yeah?" Skuld glared her way, "Well what about the way you were carrying on with Mara? Don't tell me you left things off with just a simple handshake!"

"Urk," the tall girl winced as if the younger one had just scored a bullseye, "Th-That has nothing do to with anything and you know it! Mraller was just there to cause mischief, like always, and I was ah distracting her from spoiling things for the rest of us "

"Oh yeah?" the dark haired girl sounded even more skeptical, "You were distracting her for a whole two hours? You sure didn't look distracted to me when the rest of us had to come find you!"

"Please you two," Belldandy pleaded, "Can't you both agree to settle this later?"

"Yeah," the boy named Keiichi said, "Like how about when we don't have company over, huh?" he nodded to us with a special emphasis plain in his expression.

"Oh, don't mind the both of us," Lotion said as if amused by the whole spectacle, "You're doing a delightful job of illustrating my point. You see what I have been telling you, Apprentice? Beyond the superficial differences that you might find, at heart they are much the same as ourselves in their behavior."

"Yeah," I said nervously, "So I've noticed."

"One big, happy family," the one named Urd smiled, "That's us."

"Sometimes they're a little too much like us," the boy named Keiichi murmured softly, as if afraid of provoking a reaction.

I have to pause at this point to wonder about the analogies that were being drawn here I mean, sure I've gone on and one about the fact that Belldandy reminds me of Kasumi, and now that I think on it that Skuld sure struck me as being a little too much like a certain younger sister of my own whom I might mention, especially seeing as she tends to walk around carrying what looks like a croquette mallet strapped across her back. I'm not too sure about that Urd, though there is something about her that strikes me as a little too familiar, but I'm at a loss as to whom exactly it is she reminds me of, but I'm sure that I should know her. However at the time all of this was happening a nagging memory resurfaced, something said casually in conversation, and it suddenly clicked with me where I had recently heard the name "Urd" being mentioned.

"Excuse me," I asked politely, "But would you by chance know someone by the name of Siren?"

"Siren?" Urd's pale blue eyes immediately registered recognition, "Oh yeah I knew a Siren that must have been oh Geez twenty or thirty years ago at a place called Berkley. Been a while since I looked her up, though so how is she doing?"

"As well as might be expected," Lotion replied, "She thinks fondly enough of you."

"Oh, that's sweet," Urd smiled in delight, "Now there is one mortal who really knows how to party!"

"I thought she was supposed to be a mage," Skuld frowned.

"Archmage," Belldandy said, "First Class, Licensed and registered with the Home Office."

Okay, so my suspicions were being confirmed. Now what do you do when you find yourself in this type of a situation? Okay, that's pretty much my reaction I had no idea what I was doing there, and I felt more than a little sympathy for the boy named Keiichi, who looked even more out of his element than I was.

Of course we did exchange more pleasantries and Lotion was just starting to explain to me more about the workings of the kami when my senses caused my eyes to jerk towards the ceiling, and to my utter amazement I saw a swirling vortex open up there, and then a figure dropped into full view, landing in our midst amid a hail of red roses, rather like the black rose swirl sometimes conjured up by Kodachi.

"Keiichi-sama," she grinned, going to embrace the alarmed looking young man with obviously fawning attention, "How nice of you to call on me! It's been so long, Mon Cherri, almost a week since I last saw you "

"Peorth?" Belldandy asked in milder surprise than I would have expected from her, seeing someone else embrace her boyfriend, "What are you doing here?"

"Being a pest, like always," Urd growled, "Or that's what it looks like."

"Called you?" Keiichi fought helplessly to resist the affections of the newcomer, "I didn't call you! There must be some mistake "

"I did."

All faces but mine turned to regard Lotion, who had spoken the words as casually as if it were a fairly routine question, but my eyes were locked on the newcomer, for her face, voice and mannerisms caused an even more instant jolt of recognition than the parallel that could be drawn between Belldandy and Kasumi.

The new arrival let go of the boy and turned around, "You did, Cherri? For what reason does a licensed Lore Master summon one of my high station?"

"Quite simply to arrange for your meeting of my apprentice," Lotion indicated my presence, "Say hello to Megumi First Class Peorth, Tendo Nabiki."

"Tendo Nabiki?" I saw the Megumi in question gape at me with a surprise that nearly rivaled my own expression.

"M-M-Mother?" I gasped just before I fainted

Continued 


	83. Chapter 83

Summary:  
It's Hibiki versus Hibiki in a no-holds barred match to remember. Meanwhile Nabiki makes a discovery about an early childhood memory and has a face-to-face confrontation with a living goddess, and what will be the result of such a transcendent encounter?  
A Tale of Two Wallets (An Altered Destiny)  
Written by Jim Robert Bader Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Hibiki Kennou very carefully made her way to the designated sight of her latest impending battle, having already staked out the significant landmarks that she would need to find her way and not get lost somewhere in the far distant reaches of the Islands. Though finding her way had always been a difficult feat, she managed well enough through a combination of flawless memory and sheer determination, not letting herself be distracted even when her thoughts tended to wander, as lost as she might be had she not perfected her system of location.

Almost unbidden to her thoughts came the face and image of a boy named Kiroguri Hiroshi, the only man she had ever so far truly cared about more than she cared about herself. No matter where she went or who she fought with she had never managed to fully banish him from her mind, much though she had tried in every way possible to avoid another meeting. A childhood friend, separated for years, only to meet again by sheer mischance, Kennou had fallen head over heels in love with the boy, only to learn that he had already met someone else towards whom he had given his affections.

Kennou scowled and her anger was something to behold as she thought of her two great rivals, one an innocent young girl whose name was Marie, the other an even more hated Xerox copy of the other girl, having the first Marie's name, face and body, only with the soul of a machine, being the product of Hiroshi's boy genius.

Damn her, Kennou thought for the thousandth time since first encountering the android, a monster should at least look like a monster and act like one, not intimidate Kennou by turning out to be a nicer person than the Hibiki girl could ever hope to be. She had fought the artificial girl to a near standstill, intending to smash Hiroshi's creation with her bare hands, only to find the pseudo-Marie every bit as much the fighter as Kennou herself, and of excellent manufacture. Moreover, Hiroshi had defended his creation by declaring that he felt attracted to Kennou but could not bring himself to love her if she dared persist in attacking his self-created "sister." "My Dear Marie," as Kennou tended to derisively label the artificial girl, was a little too human and persuasive for her liking and had even talked sense about Kennou's misdirected anger, a fact for which she hated the other girl even more than the thought that Hiroshi would take her side over that of Kennou.

I saw him first, she thought with vicious anger, that ought to give me proprietary interest! I'm a flesh and blood girl, she's just a creation! How dare she come between me and my Hiroshi?

Of course she could have easily forced herself on the human Marie, who had formed the template from which her doppelganger had been created, but there seemed little point in attacking a weak and helpless thing like that when she could not even prevail against the monster, so Kennou had left them alone and sought for greener pastures, hoping in time to put her hopeless crush for Hiroshi well behind her.

I don't need love, she thought to herself fiercely, all I need is money! Lots and lots of money! Enough to buy me a life, and I don't care who I have to step on to get it!

Even as she thought this thought she self-corrected her course and direction, belatedly realizing how close she had just come to turning left instead of right, which was the curse she lived under, her horrible confusion about direction!

Within a matter of minutes she arrived at the park, only to find to her surprise that the object of her latest assignment was already waiting to meet her. There was the boy she took to be Saotome Ranma standing with one of the girls whom Kennou had seen hours earlier at the Tendo dojo, and next to them was the older woman who claimed to also be a Hibiki.

Oh yeah, and a curious looking mutt who was white on one side and black on the other. Kennou tensed at the sight of the dog, hating watch dogs and guard dogs in principle as people often fetched their animals on her, and she frequently had to "teach" them the error of their ways since no mere animal was a match for her strength. Kennou had always known that she was stronger than other young girls her age, and thanks to years of honing her fighting skills on the street she knew how to use her power to good effect. If this kid thought his dog could win the battle for him, she would very soon teach him the error of such thinking.

"You're early," Kenou said after coming to a halt an appropriate distance away from her quarry.

"I didn't feel like waiting," the boy replied, "Glad to see you didn't get lost on the way here."

Kennou bristled at the arrogant presumption of the boy's tone but held her anger in check. She was looking forward to a little exercise, and this Saotome Ranma was said to be pretty good. She hoped he would last more than a minute, far too many of the people she fought were hopeless cases.

"You brought help, I see," Kennou said, "I thought you fought your own battles."

"It's just me you have to worry about," the other boy replied, "Akane and my mother are here to make sure you don't try anything underhanded."

"You afraid I might bite?" Kennou asked.

"No more than I will," Ryoga's smile showed off his fangs, "I just have one question why are you looking for a fight anyway, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Huh," Kennou's smile held no warmth to it, but she answered just the same, "If you have to know it's because I was paid to do it."

"Paid to do it?" Akane blurted out, "You fight for money?"

"Best reason to fight," Kennou replied, "In case you didn't know, there aren't too many legitimate jobs open for kids our age, at least ones that don't require ID and a permanent address."

"Oh really?" the older woman replied with an odd expression, "You don't have a home of your own, then?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Kennou ignored the woman and glared at her intended target, "Let's get this on, shall we? I'm not getting any younger."

"Just one more question," Ryoga took a stance, "Who's paying you for this? Who wants you to fight with me?"

"Sorry," Kennou replied, "Client confidentiality and all that."

"You don't say?" Atsuko smiled, showing off her own fangs as she regarded the blonde Hibiki, "This is starting to sound more interesting by the minute."

Kennou took a stance and Ryoga did likewise, then the both of them held for a moment, studying each other's postures and stances before initiating contact. Kennou made an instant evaluation that the boy before her was a strong fighter and not one to be taken lightly, which was just the way she liked it. She gave a faint smile as she prepared her initial offensive, and when she moved it was like going from zero to sixty in one second. She moved so fast that she was barely a blur, but Ryoga saw and moved to counter, side-stepping Kennou's thrust while holding back the counter-stroke he might have delivered.

Kennou revised her opinions about the other boy's speed and flipped away to give herself distance, surprised that he had not attacked her when she had given him such an obvious opening. Apparently what she had heard about Saotome's reluctance to strike women was true after all, but no way was she going to take it for granted that he would not respond to her further challenge. She came at him a second time, her punch timed to strike a fraction of a second before her image would have suggested. It was a minor trick she had learned on her own to disguise her offensives, and it worked this time in catching the boy off-guard as he had not properly timed his own evasion. The punch was a solid one, but to Kennou's surprise it barely staggered him, and the resistance her fist encountered suggested that there was a lot more muscle and bone to the boy than an average guy his age, which again cautioned her once again that he was a foe not to be taken too lightly.

To stave off any chance at his recovery and potential counter-attack, Kennou followed up her punch with a triple back-fist combination, followed by a razor kick as she vaulted forward in a somersault that helped her leap out of the way while further knocking her opponent backwards. Kennou landed on her feet ready to renew her offensive, but to her surprise Ryoga shrugged off the blows that he had taken and came at her in a rush, his first punch barely missing her face as Kennou twisted hastily to one side to avoid him, but Ryoga caught his momentum and spun on his heels to launch another series of punches that forced Kennou to take evasive action.

"Hmmm," Atsuko frowned, "Her style's pretty basic, but she does show a talent for innovation. I see a lot of borrowings here and there, and her technique isn't too polished, but there's a lot of raw talent there to work with."

"Aren't you worried that Ryoga might get hurt?" Akane asked anxiously, seeing Ryoga and the strange girl dancing about with various punches and kicks being exchanged at a speed that was almost breathtaking.

"I trained Ryoga myself," Atsuko replied, "And he's learned a lot on his own, so I know what my son is capable of. He can handle himself against her, provided he doesn't get too careless or sloppy."

Kennou was finding herself harder pressed than she would have anticipated, and the boy she was fighting was very good, a hard and disciplined fighter. That suited her just fine, though, as an easy fight was the last thing that she wanted. She forced the issue by going on the offensive once again just to see how the boy would handle her upping the stakes, using her Whirlwind Attack style, which she had not had to call upon for quite some while, turning her whole body briefly into a whirlwind of powerful kicks and punches, many of which scored against the other boy, who was driven back by her relentless onslaught.

Of course using the technique was very tiring and she had to break off to regain her breath, which unfortunately gave the boy time enough to recover so that when Kennou was prepared to attack again he was already launching his own offensive. To Kennou's surprise his fists came flying at her like a flurry of strikes, far too many for the eye to follow, and more than a few of them connected against her, getting past her guards to score points that left her feeling battered and reeling.

"What?" Akane blinked, "Ryoga used the Chestnut fist?"

"One thing I taught my son was to never strike a lady," Atsuko grinned, "Of course if his opponent ain't no lady then he should take the gloves off, as she's just found out the hard way."

Akane thought about that one, how in all her sparring matches with Ryoga he had never once used his most powerful techniques against her, which either meant he thought she could not handle such attacks or else he regarded her as a lady, either possibility of which left her feeling confused and conflicted, uncertain of whether to feel flattered or insulted.

Kennou dropped to the ground but caught her weight on one hand with both feet spread wide, more surprised than hurt to be on the receiving end of so many punches. Obviously the boy had not been striking her full-force, which meant that he was still holding back and not taking her as the serious challenge the wanted to present him. Rather than retreat to regather her resources, however, she instead chose to go back on the offensive, supporting her weight on one hand as her body jack-knifed out and lashed out at Ryoga's legs to trip him.

Ryoga had not been prepared for her to rally quite so quickly and so went down heavily as he was knocked ass-over-teakettle. The rude landing helped wake him up that his opponent was very serious about fighting, and it was time he stop playing around to sound out her fighting skills. He was not like Ranma, who would tease and provoke a foe into behaving in a reckless manner, he was a much more direct fighter, and no way was he letting this girl show him up in a fight in front of Akane and his mother!

He was on his feet before Kennou could press her advantage and ready to meet her nest attack with fierce determination and a willingness to pull out all restraints. He did not wish to seriously injure Kennou, but neither would he let her batter him around under the mistaken assumption that he was actually Ranma. He would only go so far in his deception, he had no intention of defeating her as anything but a fellow Hibiki.

Kennou was wondering what the boy in front of her was made from that he could get up again without seeming more than mildly shaken. She was already preparing a strategy in her mind for how to cope with his unusual fighting ability when she found both of her hands gripped suddenly as Ryoga moved before she had expected him to, and all of a sudden she found herself being tossed forward as he lifted her up and tossed her about like a rag doll. Kennou made a sharp move with both wrists to break his hold, but finding herself airborne forced her to divert time twisting her body in mid-air in order to land with both feet under her instead of landing face-first in the dirt. She whirled around with an angry glare, which was matched by a cool gaze from her foeman, and both antagonists silently began to circle about in search of a new opening with which to renew their encounter.

"I think he made her angry," Akane noted from the sidelines.

"Anger is good if it helps you to focus," Atsuko remarked, "It's when you lose your temper that you get into trouble. We Hibikis always have had a problem with that, and when we lose it we tend to get destructive."

"Yeah," Akane said nervously, "So I've noticed."

This is like fighting against that damned doll, Kennou thought fiercely to herself. Fighting this guy was like fighting a machine, and she strongly suspected that she had not yet seen the boy's full potential.

But neither had she even begun to show her true combat level, and unlike that stand-off humiliation that she had endured months ago she was now better prepared to up the ante.

"Think you're pretty tough, huh?" she said aloud, seeking to stall for time by engaging the boy in some meaningless exchanges, "Does beating up on a girl give you a cheap thrill?"

"Shut up, you!" Ryoga snarled back at her, "You're no one to talk about starting a fight! I just want to know what this is all about, why you came here looking for trouble "

"Because somebody was ticked off enough with you to pay me to do it, of course," Kennou said as she continued to stall while quietly summoning her ki in preparation for her special maneuver, "Lots of people seem to hate your guts, and whatever you've done to get them mad at you, it must have been something, because I'm getting paid pretty well for this one battle."

"Then they're wasting their money," Ryoga said scornfully, reflecting on the irony of what he was about to say, "Saotome Ranma can't be taken down by cheap stunts like you've been displaying. As good as you are, you're no match for me, and sooner or later you're going down. I'm stronger than you are "

"Yeah," Kennou said as she brought both of her hands forward, "And thicker in the head."

Atsuko's eyes widened and Akane heard her gasp, "WHAT? She summoning a ki attack!"

"She's what?" Akane blinked her eyes and concentrated, even as she thought she saw something like a flash appear between the palms of the blonde woman's hands, and all at once an explosion filled the air, going off practically in the face of the unsuspecting Ryoga.

Ryoga had not been prepared for finding himself at the blunt end of a white flash of energy that struck him squarely in the chest and knocked him flying backwards.

"Ryoga!" Akane cried out, already running at full tilt to reach the side of her fallen boyfriend. All but unnoticed in the excitement, the hound that had stood faithfully by her side was also in full motion, seeking to reach the side of her master just moments ahead of the swift moving Tendo.

"Eh?" Kennou registered the fact that the girl had just cried out a name very different from that of Ranma, but the channeling of her ki had left her momentarily feeling empty, so she paused to let the spiritual energy flow back into her form, and for a few seconds she was vulnerable and open.

"Hmm," Atsuko murmured to herself, and suddenly her outline blurred before her outer form seemed to dissolve into shadows.

"Ryoga, are you all right?" Akane asked as she fell to her knees to cradle the fallen boy in her arms.

"A-Akane ?" Ryoga gasped, prying his eyes open as he fought to retain consciousness.

"Don't try to talk, Master," Shirokuro said as she reassumed her human shape to examine him, "You weren't hurt bad, but you need to save your strength so your body can heal itself. You'll be back to yourself if you wait a few minutes."

"You called him Ryoga," Kennou frowned, "I thought you said you were Saotome Ranma."

"His name is Hibiki Ryoga!" Akane cried out in anger, "He fought you because he wanted to know if the both of you were related!"

"He did what?" Kennou's surprise turned to anger, "What the hell did he do a thing like that for? You lied to me, you baka!"

"I never lied," Ryoga managed to grunt out, ignoring the Shadow hound's urging as he tried to sit upright, "I let you believe that I was Ranma so I could see what you were made from " he fell back as his strength failed him, " I guess I found out "

"But if you're not Ranma then where ?" Kennou started to ask when the sound of a motorcycle fast approaching.

Akane and Ryoga both looked up in surprise to see a found hundred pound bike soaring over their heads, to come down in a two point landing a mere thirty meters away as the purple haired dynamo piloting this craft pulled about in a tight one-hundred-eighty turn then pulled to a halt only a few feet away of where Ryoga was laying. As she lowered the kick-stand, the quivering mass that was her helmeted passenger forced herself to release her death-grip upon the Amazon, setting one foot down on the grass as gingerly as if he thought he was about to break it, then with deliberately forced calm pulled off her helmet, allowing a length of red hair bound up in a trademark warrior's braid to catch the last gleaming rays of sunlight. She took a deep breath and then with noticeable effort forced her knees to stop shaking, closing her eyes for a moment until she visibly calmed down and could relax her overly tense posture.

When she opened her eyes again the redhead looked down at her feet and said, "Ryoga what happened to you?"

"He got hit by a ki blast," Akane pointed at the guilty party, "Thrown by her, that's what happened!"

"Oh yeah?" the redhead turned to Kennou and handed his helmet over to the purple haired girl beside her, "So you beat up my brother, huh? Not that the baka doesn't deserve it sometimes, but for that I'm gonna stomp you, lady."

"Your brother?" Kennou frowned as she studied her new prospective opponent, "Don't tell me you're also a Hibiki?"

"Hardly," the redhead replied, "I'm the one you're looking for, my name's Saotome Ranma."

"WHAT?" Kennou reacted in surprise, "But But I was told that you were a man "

"Ah yeah, well," Ranma sighed, "Shampoo the hot water please."

To his surprise the Amazon had already fetched a thermos from under the seat pack of the motorcycle and was already in the process of handing it to him. Ranma smiled at her in gratitude then opened it up and poured some of the contents over her head, and immediately grew almost a foot in height with appropriate increases in body mass as her hair changed from red to black, and suddenly a male Ranma stood before the astonished blonde Hibiki.

"Surprise," Ranma addressed himself at his prospective opponent, "Is this what you were expecting, lady?"

"W-what?" Kennou gasped, "But you were a girl how is this possible ?"

Before her question could be answered the gathering shadows around her solidified and a pair of arms went around her neck, locking the blonde Hibiki in place long enough for Atsuko to touch her sleep spot, rendering her almost instantly unconscious.

"My apologies," Atsuko nodded to Ranma as she eased the blonde to the grass and knelt beside hr, "But I've got a few questions of my own I want to ask, so you'll have to put off your fight with her until after I get finished."

"Ah okay," Ranma glanced around, then noticed the tell-tale signs of a fight all around them, "What all happened here? Did she put up much of a fight?"

"Obviously," Akane reacted, "Your timing could have been better, Ranma. Ryoga might have been hurt fighting your battles, so what took you?"

"Hey, it wasn't like it was my idea!" Ranma snapped at her, "And don't blame Shampoo either if it wasn't for her well I wouldn't have got here any sooner " he winced as he tried not to think of the hair-raising shortcuts his Amazon bride had insisted on taking, and in spite of himself he was incredibly grateful that his mother had insisted on him wearing a helmet.

"Don't bother, kid," Atsuko replied, "My guess it was Nodoka that insisted on holding you back. She's just that kind of hmmm?" the Oni woman turned her head and frowned before sniffing the air several times, and then she said, "We've got company."

"We do?" Ranma tensed, "More trouble?"

"That depends on what you mean by trouble," Atsuko replied, "Shirokuro go fetch."

"As you command, Mistress," the beast woman replied even as her shape flowed back into her canine form, and then like a shot she took off, heading unerringly in the direction of some distant bushes.

Ryoga was just beginning to recover his bearing and was able to sit up by the time that the Shadow hound returned, quite literally dragging a scarecrow-like form behind her that a few moments later was revealed to them in the uncertain lighting.

"What the ?" Ranma frowned, snapping his fingers, "I know you I've seen you around uh "

"Gosunkuji Hikaru?" Akane said in wonder, "What are you doing here and with a camera?"

"Ah !" the pale boy with the frail body cringed as he fought to free his arm from the teeth of the snarling beast that held him, "It's not what it looks like!"

"Shampoo think it very much what look like," the Amazon joined in, "See sneaky boy stalk around school, take pictures," Shampoo turned a smirk towards Akane and added, "Many pictures of violent tomboy."

"You " Akane halted in mid-outburst and replied, "Really? Why would he want to take pictures of me?""

"You can ask a question like that," Atsuko smirked, "With a sister like Nabiki?"

"Hey!" Ranma snarled, "Nabiki doesn't go around snooping on people like that anymore! And what the hell is your beef with the tomboy?"

"You have no right to talk to her that way, Saotome!" the frail boy whined as if anger had given him a backbone, only to quail as the hound growled menacingly, so that his tone turned pleading, "Nice doggie !"

"Shirokuro," Atsuko said calmly, "Break his arm if he decides not to cooperate."

"You can't!" Gosunkuji quailed, only to wince as the hound tightened its grip on his arm.

"Hibiki-san," Akane pleaded.

"Ain't it kinda extreme?" Ranma asked, "The guy's an obvious wimp who can't hurt nobody "

"Tell that to my son," Atsuko showed no hint of relenting, staring hard at the boy as she spoke in level tones, "Did you hire this girl to attack Saotome Ranma?"

"I " Gosunkuji winced as he felt the pressure tighten once again, "I did! Only it wasn't just me! I couldn't afford to pay her all that much until the others chipped in to contribute to her hiring fee "

"Others?" Ranma asked.

"Sure," Gosunkuji was almost in tears, "Lots of people hate you as much as I do, Saotome! You're the envy of all the guys, one of the three boys all the girls want to date, and even as a girl you're too sexy for them to compete with! And it wasn't just us some guy named X paid a hundred thousand yen up front to have Hibiki-san avenge the dishonor you did to his daughter "

"One of Pop's deals gone sour no doubt," Ranma grumbled.

"You sure are popular at your school, Kid," Atsuko noted.

"Tell me about it," Ranma's expression darkened.

"But why were you taking pictures of the fight?" Akane asked, noting that the offending object dangling from around the boy's neck had a telephoto lens and looked fairly ultra modern.

"So people would have evidence that Ranma had been beaten," Gosunkuji replied, then added, "Ah can I have my arm back now?"

If a hound could smile, Shirokuro did just that, only it wasn't a very pleasant thing to witness.

"So instead of Ranma's humiliation you took pictures of my son," Atsuko replied in level accusation.

"Almost as good," Gosunkuji admitted, "Lots of guys don't like him either on account of him hanging around with Akane."

"But what has this got to do with me?" Akane wondered.

"Geez, you can be so dense," Ranma replied, "Ain't it obvious the guy's got a thing for you, like all the other perverts who go to our high school."

"Is true," Shampoo nodded, "Akane way more popular with boys at school even have girls looking at her when she no pay attention."

"What?" Akane colored, "I do not!"

"Oh no?" the Amazon asked slyly, "What about Spatula girl, or he only boy you see? Either way, you very strange girl."

"I don't need to take that from you!" Akane snarled, "Hikaru, you don't really have a crush on me do you huh?"

The slight boy was suddenly smiling as if in his own little dream world, for he had heard her address him by his given name, which in his mind meant that she had actually noticed him on some level, and might possibly like him.

"Ah " Akane hesitated, "I guess maybe I do have that effect on some people "

"You think?" Ranma asked her.

"Ranma," Ryoga said as he got back to his feet and stood ready to defend the shorthaired girl, "You stop picking on Akane. As for you " he glared hard at Gosunkuji, "Count yourself lucky that you aren't worth sullying my hands against. Akane's not for the likes of you or any of the other fools who dare to annoy her."

"You just think because you two are such monsters that you can throw your weight around," Gosunkuji replied, almost in tears again, but this time not from the pain in his arm, "But you won't always be in charge, and one of these days I will have my vengeance!"

"Monsters," Ranma exchanged looks with Ryoga, "You think he means us?"

"I guess so," Ryoga scratched the back of his head, "Only I don't see where he gets off calling anybody a monster."

"Besides, if anybody here is a monster it's me," Atsuko frowned, "Shirokuro, let him go. Take your camera and leave, and don't let me catch you around my son, Boy, or I'll get really nasty!"

All at once her appearance changed, her skin becoming ruddy hued while a pair of bat-like wings appeared and she grew in size to a virtual giant. Her fangs were suddenly six inches long and as wicked looking as those of a saber toothed tiger, and a spade-bladed tail protruded from her back as her hands crew claws that looked as if they could rip steel plate like tinfoil. Gosunkuji took one look at this horrific apparition and immediately lost whatever semblance of courage that he had, turning on his heels as the hound released him and fleeing into the night with a scream of abject terror.

"Hah," Atsuko remarked as her appearance returned to normal, "That gets 'em every time "

"But wasn't that an unusually cruel thing to do to a boy his age?" Silk asked at her side.

"Naw," Atsuko dismissed, "Do that kid good if somebody put the fear of the Oni in him " she paused, and then with a sudden start turned and went, "GAK!" as she jumped back from the Lore Master.

"Well you needn't act like I've turned into the monster," Silk sniffed, "I was only checking in to see how everyone was doing."

"How long were you standing there watching, Lady?" Ranma asked with his usual display of tact and good manners.

"Long enough to get the drift of what has happened," Silk glanced down at the still unconscious girl at their feet, "Such a shame that a young thing like her had to grow up on the streets after losing her mother. Bad enough the poor thing has to bear the awesome burden of being a Hibiki "

"Is there anything we can do for her?" Akane asked.

"Tie to tree and leave for morning?" Shampoo suggested.

"Shampoo," Ranma said in a weary tone of voice.

"Is better than first impulse Shampoo have," the Amazon replied, "Rather tie to tree and use for target practice so she no bother Airen."

"As much as I hate having to agree with a child of Comb's get," Atsuko said, having recovered from her surprise at the sudden appearance of the Lore Master, "She's still family, and no way I'm leaving her around when I've still got questions I want to have answered."

"Like how she was able to do that special attack of hers," Ryoga stared at the girl in question, "Whatever it was, it was pretty darned effective."

"Ki techniques," Silk noted in a curiously distant tone of voice, "Very rare and dangerous, only a few really powerful fighters ever manage to master the basic forms, and the one she used on you was definitely very powerful. At full strength such a thing might even level the side of a mountain."

"It's kinda hard to master them because it takes more discipline than most humans have these days," Atsuko noted, "And you have to be able to achieve just the right kind of mental frame in order to work the power."

"Can you create ki attacks?" Akane asked.

"Of course," Atsuko replied, "My specialty is the Oni Wave Form, a combination of illusion and genuine ki power. Comb used to have one of her own in the old days, only I wonder if she's kept up the discipline she needs to call it up?"

"You're asking me if she can still do it?" Silk shrugged, "Since most of her power is devoted these days to healing, I very much doubt that she's found the time to use the Razor Sheer, though I'm sure she could manage one if pressed in a crisis."

"So what do we do with Miss Congeniality?" Ranma nodded to the still unconscious Kennou.

"We take her back to the dojo," Silk replied, "And then we will start to get some answers."

"I'll bet anything that she's one of my long-lost half sisters," Atsuko mused, "Either that or she's a niece, or possibly a cousin. It's hard to tell without asking Dad in person hey wait! Silk, do you think you could ask your grandmother for a little favor?"

"Like what?" Silk replied, then answered her own question, "Oh you mean to see if she can use her power to contact your father? What an interesting concept I've long wanted to meet the fabled Hibiki Razor. You won't need to trouble grandmother for that, though I can do it just as well as she can."

"Huh?" Atsuko's eyes widened, "But that's not !"

"Just leave it all to me and I'll see to it that he gets a spiritual message," Silk continued, then nodded to Ranma and Ryoga, "Do be a pair of dear boys and pick her up for me, will you? And try to be gentle in case she wakes up prematurely I'm sure we will soon learn that this was all just a big misunderstanding."

As the Lore Master turned and waved her staff in the air, drawing a box-like shape that materialized into a kind of mirror that hung in the air without reflecting their images, Atsuko studied Silk's profile and silently wondered to herself if asking for the other woman's help might prove to be a serious error

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

I had the strangest vision as I slept, all unsuspecting of what was going on around me, more like reliving my oldest memories of when I was a young girl, barely more than an infant, playing on some swings while my father gave me a push and my mother looked on with silent approval. Akane was playing in the sandbox while Kasumi was writing a coloring book and staying neatly within the lines, like always. It was a pleasant Sunday afternoon and I remember being very happy such a memory as would be very rare after Mom got sick, but that was fortunately a couple years into the future. I was about five years old at the time, and like most kids about that age I had a real sense of adventure, of unlimited possibilities just waiting to be discovered.

Only on this occasion something very unusual happened, something that stood out at the time, but which I later relegated to a hyperactive imagination. The chain on the swing that I was using was old and rusty, and it chose that particular moment to break just as I was attempting to set a new altitude record by swinging as high as I could manage on my own power. I came closer to achieving success than I had intended, because the chain snapped and I was suddenly airborne.

By rights I should have been in serious trouble, but for some reason I did not feel any sense of actual panic. I remember being weightless, of losing my grip upon the chain as I was momentarily in the air and free falling, but then I found myself landing as gently as if I had a pillow underneath me, and it wasn't just because the sand broke my fall either. I remember my father calling out my name, but it was Mom who knelt over me, smiling serenely, as if she had known all along that I would not be injured.

And now I found myself looking at the whole affair from an entirely different perspective. It was like stepping to one side in my adult form and seeing the whole scenario replay itself, seeing the swing break and the younger me suddenly launched into a six foot fall that should have been a very rough landing. But at the moment when a five year old girl was beginning her Earthward plummet I saw something strange happen out of the corner of my eye, and turning my head to see my mother, who was in the act of rising from a sitting posture, only there was a strange kind of light surrounding her, and as I studied this in more detail I saw the halo of a woman hovering over her, extending her arms in my direction.

The halo effect of a womanly form looked exactly like my mother, only her hairstyle was different, and she had on some exotic looking outfit, and she had such a look of benevolence on her features that I could well imagine that she was an angel who just happened to look a lot like my mother. Turning back to the ensuing crisis, I saw the five-year-old me floating down to the sand even as Daddy was making haste to get to my side, yet somehow Mother was there ahead of him, almost as if she had voided the normal rules of time and space, not to mention gravity. I was naturally unhurt, but the younger me was smiling and reaching up for my mother, and I could see a bond existing between mother and daughter growing stronger in that instant. It was like seeing a light form in the space between them, like a merging of halos.

And yet there was something else standing out from the incident, something that made me turn away from the painfully sweet memory of an event I had lived over a dozen years ago, some instinct that caused me to turn my gaze away from my anxious sisters to spy a shadowy figure lurking amid some bushes and under the shade of a tree, a figure whose very presence caused a chill to run down my spine, because I could see the malevolent glare in her eyes and knew at once that she was an enemy to my family and had something to do with the chain snapping. The contrast between her and the angelic figure that had briefly surrounded my mother was telling indeed, and it gave me some hint as to the supernatural events that had even then attended my family and caused us to stand out as distinct from other such families living in Nerima.

Then the images slowly faded, and I opened my eyes, seeing light streaming in through rice paper windows while voices were heard close nearby in heated debate over something that concerned me greatly. It was with some small surprise that one voice sounded so much like Kasumi while another made me think of Silk with a phony French accent. The other two were not as easily recognizable, but I did pick up Lotion's soft murmuring in answer to a question spoken to her directly. I began to tune in more attentively, concealing the fact that I had regained consciousness while trying to organize my thoughts back into some form of coherent order.

" I'm telling you, ma Cherrie, that I don't know anything about this are you calling me a liar?"

"Gosh, would that be such a surprising revelation? Talk, Peorth, what are you hiding? What's your connection to this girl, and why does she seem to think that you're her mother?"

"Are you implying that the child is mine, Urd? Even you must see that this is highly unlikely. The child is a mortal, albeit a gifted one "

"Gifted indeed," and this voice was Lotion's, "No doubt because her inborn gift was awakened for a time, only to be buried and suppressed, as was all other evidence of anything unusual surrounding her upbringing."

"Wh-What are you getting at?" the voice that sounded like Silk or Momma, sounded very much to be on the defensive, "Are you saying that I had something to do with this?"

"Peorth," and this voice definitely sounded like Kasumi, "This is very important. Please cooperate with us. No one is accusing you of anything, but if you did have some involvement with this girl's mother, they maybe you ought to share that knowledge with us."

"Yeah," the voice that sounded so slyly sardonic chimed in, "Unless you were acting under orders from above and can't reveal the facts without going against those orders."

"You mean Kami-sama told her not to tell us?" the younger voice asked in clear surprise, "But why?"

"The child has a destiny," said Lotion once again, "Perhaps knowing too much of it then might have affected the shape of the rest of her existence. I would suggest, however, that some revelations be made known to her now, and it was with this purpose in mind that I arranged for this reunion."

"You arranged for ME to be here?" the voice of the mother sounded somewhat indignant, "You presume above your station! By what right to you set the course for a Goddess First Class, Lore Master?"

"I did nothing of the sort," Lotion replied, "I merely anticipated your movements, based upon the knowledge of your interest in young Master Morisato."

"Yeah, she has gotten to be a real pest about that of late," the one whom I now identified as Urd noted sarcastically, "That would make her a little sloppy about the timing and probably give enough of a call sign that even a low grade divinator could have seen her coming."

"Oh my," the Kasumi-like voice of the one named Belldandy said eerily, "Do you suppose could it be that the reason that she recognizes you, Peorth is that her mother is one of your Templates?"

"Her Template?" the one named Skuld replied, "But that would mean "

I heard the sigh that preceded the one named Peorth as she sounded resigned to making her revelation, "You are closer to the truth than you know, Belldandy. Her mother was one of my Templates, but there is more to the story than that."

"So we gathered," the one named Urd remarked, "You had some kind of personal connection with this one, didn't you? She wasn't an ordinary Template, she was an Avatar, am I right?"

"Half right," Peorth sighed, "But perhaps I should reveal that part of the story to her myself since the child is awake and already listening in on ever word that we are saying."

"Has been for several moments," I heard Lotion's voice become more distinct, as if she had turned in my direction, and I knew the jig was up, so I opened my eyes and turned my head in their direction.

"What's this about Momma being your Template?" I asked, "And what's a Template anyway?"

I was still unnerved looking at the woman who so closely resembled my mother, who I now recognized as the very image of the ghostly aspect that had hung over Momma in my dream vision. She was clearly reluctant to say anything, but under prodding by the others she said, "I am not your mother, ma Cherri but I once met up with her when on an assignment. I didn't realize that she was a Template until that meeting but once we did meet, I knew that it was destiny."

"In other words she was granted a wish," said Urd, "What are the odds of a wish being granted to your own Template?"

"A Template, child," Lotion explained to me as I sat up on the futon that I had been laid out upon inside the temple turned living quarters, "Is a back-up image drawn from the main source of divine creation. Every Goddess has several earthly Templates that are generated every so often at random, a way in which the system Computer maintains unit integrity of the main source programs "

"Come again?" I blinked, "You're saying my mother was some kind of a backup file copy, like on a floppy disk?"

"As is my granddaughter," Lotion replied, "Yet another system Template."

"Oh yes, I almost forgot that I had an Amazon double living out somewhere in the boonies," Peorth mused before flexing herself into a pose that had the aspect of self-preening, "Of course I am the original Matrix from whom all Templates are copied, so while I don't always keep track of what goes on with their lives I have an inherent link to each and every one of my Templates, so that what affects one in some small part reflects upon me. That was why I knew that our meeting was important when I received her summons and responded to her in person."

"And this happened when?" I asked.

"Oh, something like seventeen years ago," the goddess who looked like my mother replied, "Less than a full mortal generation anyway. I'd have to check the system records to be certain, and as you've already guessed those files have been rendered classified and are sealed up with a password."

"Seventeen years?" I replied, realizing then and there that this would be before the birth of Akane.

"Yes," Peorth sighed, "A sad case, truly a mother with child praying not for her own sake but for the life of her unborn baby. She had been diagnosed with a terminal illness but had refused Chemotherapy and was seeking out the use of alternate medicines. It was at a shine that she put in her request, which was forwarded to my office. I waited until she made a routine phone call from her dwelling place then took this as an invitation to have a little face-to-face visit, and that's where I made the discovery that she was one of my Templates."

"So naturally you granted her request," Belldandy observed, "But why then were the files rendered classified? It seems like a perfectly routine case of a wish being granted."

"There were complications to granting the required wish," I saw the goddess hesitate before continuing, "The wish had been approved but only to the extent that the baby's birth was to be guaranteed. I extended her life a bit beyond the four months that she had left originally she was going to die during childbirth and leave her daughter an orphan. I didn't think that was right and proper so I took steps to see that a few more years were added to her time card."

"A few more years?" Urd replied, "Now how was that achieved? You know that system records are very precise, and the Officers there don't like meddling with their file system."

"I meant no harm, really," Peorth replied, "And I had some vacation time stored up, so I merged with my Template and gave her a portion of my own life essence no more than a sliver. It helped her to recover full health, and she was perfectly fine and healthy and normal in every way, and it gave me another chance to experience what life was like for a mortal "

"YOU WHAT?" Skuld beat me to the punch with that outburst, "You turned her into an Avatar? And without approval from the Main Office?"

"I didn't go that far," Peorth insisted, "I submerged my essence within Tendo Kimiko and lived her life through her eyes, doing nothing to interfere with her actions. She behaved exactly as destiny was supposed to be for her had she not developed cervical cancer, and she lived almost seven full years before passing away which was when I was ordered to return and erase all evidence of my tempering with the records."

"Only you could not totally erase the effect that you had upon her life," Lotion concluded for me, "In some small part you affected her behavior, softening Kimiko-san's rougher qualities and helping her to become the person whom she wanted very much to be. Because of you she learned to cook and sew competently and provided a strong influence in the development of her children so much so that when you left them it created a void in their world that was almost impossible to fill. The father became an emotional wreck, while each of his daughters reacted differently to the sudden loss of a much beloved parent "

"Oh my," Belldandy said, "It must have been very hard for them. I'm so sorry to hear that a good deed had such an unexpected outcome."

"Outcome?" I was on my feet by this time and walked right up to the woman who looked so very much like my mother, only now I had heard that she was, in effect, an aspect of my mother, or the other way around, which is why I asked her point blank, "Momma?"

I saw the guilt in her eyes as the goddess winced, and I'm pretty sure she would have turned and fled had Urd and Belldandy not been flanking her on either side. The goddess seemed to be searching carefully for her words when my hand came up almost of its own volition, and then without conscious thought on my part I slapped her.

"How could you?" I asked as the woman turned her face at that slap, "How could you leave us? How could you do this to me? How could you?"

"Nabiki," Lotion said gently.

"Hey kid," I found Urd's hand on my arm, restraining me, even though I knew that I would not have the strength to hit Peorth again, "Much as I think she sometimes deserves a good slapping, I don't think that's going to accomplish anything."

"Urd is right," Belldandy said, "You must not allow your grief to turn your heart bitter. Peorth did not deliberately mean to hurt you, and it is wrong to blame her for having to heed the call of the Main Office."

"Yeah," Skuld added, "When Kami-sama gives the word, you drop everything and come running."

"Don't apologize," the goddess said, holding her cheek as she slowly turned back to regard me, "I'm not surprised you feel that way, Nabiki but I am a little surprised at your behavior. You were more the intellectual type, a little bit like me as I remember things, and never as physical as Akane, who was very high spirited even at that age."

"You don't deny that you were my mother for seven years?" I asked.

"No more than I deny how sorry I was when I received my orders," Peorth answered, looking me in the eyes in such a way that the anger drained right out of me, "You know that I would never deliberately hurt you and I never meant to hurt Soun or Kasumi. I felt so very close to you all it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do to close that chapter of my existence "

"And so you went back home to Heaven," I said, "And left us all to grieve only what happened to Momma my real mother, that is?"

"Oh, she is well and fine," Peorth assured me, "The system processed her file and she now resides in the Astral Gardens, awaiting the time of her next incarnation. She sometimes visits the Earth plane on weekend furloughs and sees how you are doing she's always drawn to the dojo, where you keep a portion of her essence in a shrine. Of course as a spirit she has limited effect upon the physical plane, but she knows you and no doubt is very proud to see what a grown woman you have become, exactly as I do."

I backed up a half-step in response to this, and I cannot begin to describe the range of emotions that went through me as I contemplated the idea of my mother watching me during some of my past antics. Just how proud would Momma be about some of my less savory past exploits, not to mention the wacky stuff I had more recently been up to. Would Momma approve of me being as sexually active as I have been prior to my impending marriage? I could think of about a dozen things I've done in the past that I'd never want my mother to find out about, and if you think having somebody read your diary is embarrassing

Well, actually, I could think of a lot of moments when I've privately thought how nice it would be to have Momma watching over me, and though I've a reputation as a died-in-the-wool materialist, even I have had my spiritual moments. I never seriously credited the idea that the spirits of the dead watch over us and sometimes offer us guidance, but in light of everything that I had been through since meeting Ranma well, it began to look as if my earlier skepticism was a bit premature, if you take my meaning.

All this must have flowed through my mind in the time it took for me to register what the goddess had said to me because I swallowed on a dry mouth and found myself at a loss of anything intelligent to say in reply. I just studied the face and form of the VERY POWERFUL woman before me, reading more than just the strength of her aura this time. If anything she seemed to me to be a bit sad, even lonely as she searched my face as if seeking for something that she did not find there.

"Nabiki-san," said Belldandy softly, breaking the momentary tableau that had fallen between us, "What Peorth did was certainly questionable, but I think it must have been for the best if it helped you to grow as a person."

"It did much more than that, I'm afraid," Lotion remarked, "Each of Kimiko's children bears a distinctive legacy to mark Peorth's brief time among them. Of them all, however, I would say it was the youngest child whose influence was the more distinctive."

"Oh?" I saw the interest level in the goddess intensity as she turned to regard my mentor, "What about Akane? Is she well? I'm afraid I have been rather too busy with work of late to check up on the family and I've been afraid to pay too close an interest after the lecture I received from Kami-sama."

"Afraid you couldn't help meddling?" Urd remarked, "Sounds like it'd be worth checking back with the Office to see what all has been going on with your family. After all, you wouldn't want to gain a reputation as a deadbeat mom, now would you?"

"You're the expert when it comes to that," the goddess said rather huffily, "But you're right as soon as I get back there I'll be calling up the records. Now what is this about Akane and my influence?"

"Only that the child that you helped bring into this world has become an Angel," Lotion revealed.

"An Angel?" Peorth reacted, "Are you serious?"

"Well, part time Angel would be more accurate," my mentor allowed, just before the boy named Keiichi entered the room to distract us.

"Oh hey, you're awake again," he said as he regarded me, "That's great. Are you feeling better?"

"Ah sure," I replied, "At least sort of "

"That's great," he smiled at me, "I know things around here can get a little overwhelming sometimes, but things tend to sort themselves out in the long run. I just hope this wasn't too much of a shake up."

I was more than a little bit unsure of how to respond to this, given that I had just learned that my dearly departed mother had been briefly carrying around the aspect of a full goddess, and that in some way this might be responsible for what had happened recently to Akane. I considered instead this boy, who like me was a mortal caught up in the affairs of beings who-or lack of a better word-could only be considered as a divine pantheon who seemed to magnify aspects of humanity to a level that I could not quite fathom. The more time I spent around these beings, the easier it became for me to adjust to the intensity of their life auras. I don't even know how now to describe the sensations that were passing through me, other than the unmistakable feeling that there was a definite connection between my family and this one. Belldandy's uncanny resemblance to my sister was all the confirmation I needed in the forming of this impression.

How do I feel about learning that my mother was the resident host for a living goddess? How would you feel about a thing like that? But seriously, I was beginning to get a bare inkling of why Lotion had brought me to this place and allowed me to find out this hidden chapter in the history of my mother. It was beginning to become very clear to me that there had been a lot more going on about the lives of my parents than even I had dared to imagine, and that in some way what had happened then was having an influence on our present lives. I began to wonder what other dramatic revelations were awaiting us in the near future, and of course I was wondering this long before I was to discover the story about the girl named Hibiki Kennou.

May you be cursed to live in interesting times, or so goes the Chinese legend (Shampoo naturally believes it is of Amazon origin). Well, here I am living the life of high adventure, and I haven't even reached my senior year in high school! The way things are going, I'm wondering if I'll even live to see eighteen, or make it to the altar as a blushing bride to my iinazuke Ranma.

I'd ask Lotion what she knows about the future, but I have the terrifying and overwhelming feeling that she just might tell me the answer, and there are just some things I am not yet prepared to handle. As it is I'm taking things one step at a time and playing it by ear and hoping to make the adjustments I can to new revelations. It's all I can do and I think it's part of what it means to be a Lore Master.

Growing up is hell, I know, but I guess it sure beats living in the past. Only question is what am I going to do now that my life has a divine element within it? Am I really up to dealing with that challenge? Read on a bit now because as strange as what I've just written must seem, my story is about to get even more stranger

Continued 


	84. Chapter 84

NabikiRan80 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and others)  
Chapter Eighty.

"Hey, where do you think you're going, you?" the barkeeper asked of the burly man who had just recently been a patron of his establishment.

"Oh?" Ra-Zor asked as he turned to glance back at the man in the alleyway, trying to place him and finding the fellow was only vaguely familiar, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes something is wrong!" the Barkeep snarled, "You walked out of my place without paying for your drinks, that's what!"

"Oh?" Ra-Zor tried to remember and then thought a moment and said, "I was buying a drink?"

"What, did you think it was going to pay for itself?" the Barkeep cried indignantly, "Get back here and give me some money!"

"Oh, all right," Ra-Zor reached into his pants pocket, only to find he had somehow misplaced his wallet. He turned the pocket inside out but could not find it, so he explored the other pocket and only found the usual junk that had a habit of winding up there. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I guess I dropped it back in your place. Maybe you can tell me where it is so I can look?"

"No money, huh?" the Barkeep smiled nastily, "Next thing you know you'll accuse somebody from my place of stealing it from you."

"Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't do that," Ra-Zor replied in an affable tone of voice, "I'm sure it will turn up eventually...somehow it always does..."

The Barkeep dismissed the tall man as an obvious drunkard, but the nasty smile never left his face as he snapped his fingers and said, "Don't bother, I know another way you can earn your keep."

At the Barkeep's summons several unsavory residents of the neighborhood roused themselves to produce an array of wicked looking implements, mainly employed for the purpose of Shanghaiing the unwary into the underworld pits that made this notorious port city so disreputable in most civilized quarters of the planet. The burly man looked like he could make a pretty good slave to one of the various paying customers who were in need of employees who did not ask for union wages, and from the way this fellow moved it was even possible that he might know something about fighting. They could always use new raw talent in the slave pits where men were trained to fight for the amusement of rich patrons, and without needing to worry about such bothersome details as retirement fees and health benefits. The Barkeep was well known to the community as a man who could spot raw talent and supply it on demand, for there was no shortage of available "recruits" who might accidentally lose personal belongings and shortly thereafter wind up discovering new employment options.

Of course in this particular occasion the Barkeep in question was to discover that he had woefully underestimated the caliber of this particular "raw talent."

Ra-Zor had not wanted to seriously hurt any of the misguided individuals who had mistakenly attacked him under what had to be a simple misunderstanding, but neither was he one to ignore a threat when it presented itself, not that these fellows were all that threatening to begin with. As calmly and as reasonably as he could manage, Ra-Zor "explained" that it was a very bad idea to attack the grandson of a former Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, let alone one who had Oni blood and a full Demoness for a mother. There were no more than a paltry dozen or so individuals coming after him, (not including the Barkeep himself, who hastily realized the error of his ways in time to flee the ensuing carnage), so the fight-such as it was-barely lasted a full minute. When it was over and bodies strewn the alleyway, some profusely groaning from numerous "unavoidable" injuries, Ra-Zor took stock of the whole affair and sighed. He wondered why people were also so unreasonable when a man just wanted to be left alone to pursue his endless wanderings. If more people left well enough alone, there would be fewer such individuals currently laid up in traction in various hospitals throughout Europe and Asia.

But then he chanced to glance down and-wonder of wonders-there was the wallet he had somehow lost during his visit to the Barkeep's establishment. That it looked somehow different from the wallet he had been using that very morning did not even occur to him, seeing as it was plain and black with a worn crease and stuffed full of money, which were all the identifying markers that he required. He picked it up and pocketed this then amiably returned to his wandering ways, only to pause as his roving eye caught sight of something that caught his attention in the moonlight. He knelt to pick this up, wondering if it was the laundry slip he had been looking for after the last time he had to clean blood off of one of his jackets?

It did not look precisely like a laundry slip, he discovered, but it did look rather a lot like a lottery ticket, so he decided to hold onto it in case its original owner might get lucky. He straightened out and went about his way, already forgetting all about the fight he had just been in, nothing about it being of particular significance to a man who had seen a lot of roughhousing in his two hundred and ninety-three years of existence...

"Drat it all, he's late," commented Captain D'Amour, owner of the dubiously named vessel, "The Worthless Piece of Sh*t," which was known and loathed throughout the seven-and-a-half-seas that it often had the habit of notoriously patrolling.

"I know, Cap'n," his faithful (and there were not many crewmembers of the TWPOS about whom that could be considered accurate) companion, Frog, responded for the third time in as many minutes, "I guess he got a bit detained making his way to this pier. You know what kind of a rough neighborhood they've got in these waters."

"That's true," noted the burly crewmate known as Brunt (which was also quite fitting considering his burly appearance), "If a man only loses his life here, he's considered to have gotten off lucky."

"That doesn't excuse the rudeness of making us wait for him like this," D'Amour sulked, "We'll miss the tide at this rate, and why the devil do we need to wait on him anyway? We've got a schedule to run, and shipments to deliver..."

"Actually, sir," Frog reminded him, "He's our only paying customer...something about wanting to avoid trouble with the local authorities, pain of execution, that sort of thing."

"Who the blazes did he offend?" D'Amour asked, "The bloody Governor of this region?"

"Tyger Tiger, sir," Brunt replied, "One of the local honchos who run this whole region. Also a fellow by the name of Patch is wanting to have a few words with the guy, so whatever he did, it must have pissed off a lot of very important people."

"So he's traveling incognito and wants to avoid attention," Frog continued, "And you can't get much more un-Cognito than to book a passage on our ship. I think he said he was going to obtain a few funds for travel expenses, but after that he'd be wanting to ship out of here just as soon as we could manage."

"I'm not concerned with petty details and excuses," D'Amour replied, "He's not here in the next...well, hello, what do we have here?"

"Don't know," Frog said, "But it could be our client. Never got a proper look at the guy, and it was kind of murky in that smoke-filled tavern..."

The burly gentleman who walked up to the pier was not a fancy dresser by any account, his clothes looking as though they had been borrowed off of several people, not all of whom fit his particular size and dimensions. He was, however, holding onto the requisite boarding pass, so it was reasonable to assume that he was indeed the proper owner of said ticket. After all, how was anyone to know that the proper owner had indeed met up with a fellow named "Patch," and was currently discussing the various sordid details of his life story with the appropriate agencies in the afterlife? After all, things like that tended to happen in Mardripoor.

Ra-Zor had been examining the ticket to get a better view of it in the light, and had aimlessly wandered onto the pier without realizing where he was going. He spotted a number of odd looking fellows standing off to one side of the docks and thought perhaps to ask them for directions. Imagine, therefore, his surprise when he no more than opened his mouth, only to find the long-haired man in the fancy dress of a swash-buckling pirate captain impatiently turning on one heel and saying, "Right then, come along, no sense waiting any longer."

"But..." Ra-Zor stared to explain himself, only to have a smaller man say, "You heard the Cap'n, no sense waiting around to see if he means it. Last guy kept him waiting he just yanked up the anchor and left him standing by the beach."

"He means well enough," the black skinned man of a fair size and dimension rivaling Ra-Zor's himself said encouragingly as he patted Ra-Zor on the shoulder and guided him towards the boarding ramp leading up to a curiously run down looking vessel, "But our Cap'n doesn't number patience among his virtues...assuming he has any."

"Well..." Ra-Zor reasoned that it would be impolite to argue, but still it was an odd time to be taking an ocean voyage, the sun not even being out and all that. Still when it came to sailing ships the only criteria he usually demanded was that they stay afloat and remain reasonably dry, and in at least one of these two elements it appeared-not quite what one would call a "miracle," but close enough-to be staying up on the right side of the water.

As he was welcomed aboard to the curiously run down looking ship, however, the burly man spotted a girl who was passing by one of the hallways and said, "Hey, Aki! We got a paying guest this time. You want to show him around to his cabin?"

"What do I look like?" the dark haired girl demanded, "A tour guide?" But then she took one look at the new arrival and said, "Wow...where did you find HIM?"

"He's the client," Brunt said solicitously, "So go easy on him, okay?"

"Sure thing," Akiko latched herself onto the man's arm, still grinning, "Where are you going, Handsome? And how can I help you to get there?"

"Ah...well..." Ra-Zor replied to the nice girl, wondering exactly how he should answer that since he never really had to go anywhere, mainly because he could never remember where he had been in the first place. A nagging sense, however, made him study this girl as if he had seen her somewhere before...if only he could remember...

"His ticket's for Japan," Brunt replied, "Assuming we can get there this season."

"Are you implying I can't find the main Islands on my own?" Akiko growled dangerously, only to receive a bland expression from her crewmate, "Humph...I'm not the ship's Navigator for nothing."

"That's true," Brunt murmured as the two Hibikis wandered off together, "That Cap'n would have to pay you a salary for that."

Akiko ignored his crewmate's snide comment, vowing to get back at him later. At the moment a nagging sense was telling her that the man beside her was familiar in some manner, but while she was certain that she would recognize a good looking guy like him anywhere, it had been a while since she had met anyone on board the "good" ship TWPOS who was this interesting with which to spend time, so she ignored the usual good advice her subconscious was telling her about getting lost on board the vessel. She just hoped the fellow at her side did not mind a long trip negotiating corridors and exploring exotic parts of the vessel usually not seen by mortal man. After all, anything might happen if she spent enough time getting to know him better.

If only she didn't have this nagging sense that the fellow in question was so goddamned familiar...

"San Francisco...finally!" exclaimed Professor Sydney Fox as she saw a harbor appearing in the distance, "Honestly, how you could get us that far lost in Bermuda is beyond me. Don't you even know how to work a compass?"

"Hey, I'm doing the best I can," Ryomi replied, "How's a kid my age ever going to work up enough funds to make my way home if nobody gives me the chance to practice?"

"I think it would be best for all concerned parties if you sought another line of work not concerned with navigation," noted Nigel, Sydney's long time assistant and fellow Cultural Anthropologist, "And frankly you are a little too young to be piloting an airplane."

"Hey, I've been flying since I was twelve!" Ryomi exclaimed, "I'm almost fourteen now, so you want to make something of it, Mister 'I can't fight my way out of a Shoebox?'"

"Knock it off you two or you're both walking home," Sydney reprimanded, "At least those lost Atlantean treasures we packed on board should be safe until we get them back to a museum, so the trip wasn't a total bust, even if we never did make it to Venezuela."

"Yeah, go ahead and blame me," Ryomi sulked, "At least I was useful in fighting off the natives."

"Hello, what's this?" Nigel asked as he adjusted the radio headset that he was wearing, "Ah...Sydney? I don't think that's San Francisco at which we're about to land."

"What do you mean?" his fellow Relic Hunter inquired.

"It's just that I'm picking up control tower frequencies in Japanese," Nigel turned to look at the Amerasian beauty beside him, "I think we're being hailed from Tokyo's International airport."

"TOKYO?" Sydney's almond-shaped eyes got appreciably wider, "Are you telling me that we're over the Sea of Japan? But that's impossible!"

"I know," he replied, "Or at least not possible under a single tank of fuel. Don't ask me how, but when we left that pyramid we must have gone through some sort of dimensional vortex or time loophole, or something like that. It transported us to an entirely different location..."

"BUT EIGHT THOUSAND MILES OFF COURSE?" Sydney asked in as calm and reasonable a manner as could be expected of someone who was used to risking her life on a routine basis.

"Who cares how we got here?" Ryomi burst out in a smile of glee, "Japan! We're finally in my native country! After all these years I'M GOING HOME!"

Her delight was difficult to ignore, though Sydney shared another silent look with her assistant, and Nigel just shrugged his shoulders, acknowledging tacitly (and not for the first time) that there was something very unusual about their recent traveling companion, and no doubt it was one mystery well beyond even the means of a qualified Relic Hunter...

"...And in conclusion, Gentlemen," said Naomi Nakamura to her fellow board members, "The projected share increase in our stock portfolio should more than offset the cost of initial investment in the Shohan project, provided that Chairman Quincy can count on your approval of his initial proposal."

"Miss Nakamura," one of the Executives at the table asked, "Correct me if I am wrong, but this project could take as much as forty years to see final development. That's pretty long-ranged thinking, even for a Japanese conglomerate."

"As I explained in the initial briefing, sir," Naomi replied with typical patience, "This is a multi-staged project that will take many years, indeed possibly even generations to complete. It will be necessary to first build the infrastructure that will be needed in order to construct the Space Needle that will make transportation of the basic materials to a space platform almost as routine as shipping a package across town. The needle will make it possible to have low-cost transport of basic goods to our satellite facilities operating in geo-synchronous orbit from which lunar colonization will be achieved, and from there we can eventually mount the final goal of creating outposts upon the Martial landscape. Once the initial surveys have determined viability, our plans to terraform the red planet will insure that humanity has a neighboring body within this solar system that will be able to relieve projected overcrowding from the population densities of the late twenty-first century. With the unlimited resources that can be afforded through the mining of the asteroids and harvesting of the gas giants, we could be talking about a whole new renaissance for the human race that will ensure our planet's continued survival. Surely for an end this noble we can afford to look beyond the usual Five Year Mentality all too typical in this country."

"It's not the goals that we object to, Miss Nakamura," said another Executive, "But we're in the business to make money. Saving the world is a bit more than an American business can afford to be concerned with."

"It's thinking like that which has caused America to lose its edge in the exploration of space," Naomi said rather brusquely, "If we don't maintain our footing in the technological high frontier, then you can bet that the French and Chinese will be more than glad to take up the slack that we provide them! By pooling our resources with Genetics Unlimited, our United Technologies firm will create a super-sized conglomerate that will-through generous public funding between our government and the Japanese-give us a leg up well into the next century, and once we have established our foothold in space, gentlemen, I assure you that our profits will continue to skyrocket."

"I still say that it's an ambitious plan for a Junior Vice President like yourself to come up with," said yet another board member, "I don't know how you sold this wacky idea to the Chairman..."

"Chairman Quincy is a man of integrity and vision, which is more than I can say for some of you," Naomi soured the faces at the table with her usual sharp-edged gaze and said, "May I take it that the Board gives tentative approval to this proposal? If not, then please explain your reasoning on the record and I will be happy to take the matter up with Chairman Quincy."

The board members grumbled slightly but exchanged nervous looks with one another, and none of them had the courage to speak out against the outline they had just heard recited. Quite apart from Naomi's legendary reputation as a board room shark, there was the even greater threat of Chairman Quincy's displeasure hanging over their head like a Sword of Damocles, just waiting to drop. There wasn't a man or woman at that board with a big enough parachute to ride out the sort of wrath that might be visited upon them, and so they reluctantly agreed to forward initial funding of the ambitious proposal.

Naomi smiled once the Board had been dismissed and she could return to her own office, which was just down the hall and clearly marked for her benefit. Even granted that she carried a sensitive direction finder upon her wrist, it was still a nerve wracking operation for her to travel a mere one hundred feet, stopping only once to use the privy. Not many people were aware of her little "problem" (Chairman Quincy was one of the select few who knew about the curious quirk in her makeup), and Naomi had gone to great lengths to make certain that one no else knew that the "Shark" was actually a fish out of water.

She was nearly thirty years old, at the top of her class and had degrees in Physics and Engineering in addition to being a qualified CPA with an IQ rating of at least one hundred and forty. Though adopted, she was quite happy with her family, which included a little girl around six years of age, the product of her one and only attempt at being married. She had a brilliant and incisive mind that had brought her to the attention of a young industrialist by the name of Quincy Rosencroix, who had spotted her obvious talents and cultivated her to head one of his more prestigious offices in the San Francisco region. If only she weren't surrounded by such obvious Luddites and half-witted business flunkies without the collective imagination of a roach she might actually be able to accomplish something. As it was she had to fight for even the simplest proposal!

Of course she would lose considerable prestige with such a crowd if they knew the one truth that had made her life a living hell...her little problem owing to a minor lack of any sense of directions...

Entering her office she turned to one corner separated from her desk and regarded the punching bag that she kept on hand for "stress relief," the same needed constant replacing. Just thinking about some of the things that had been said to her made her blood boil, and her legendary temper came to the fore. Walking up to the bag, she drew back her hand and visualized the face of one of the more obnoxious individuals in question and threw her fist forward with the full power of her strength and anger. To no surprise the bag burst like a popped balloon, being much too flimsy to withstand the force of her anger.

But at least a bag wouldn't sue her on behalf of next of kin, so it was safer to simply requisition a new bag instead of take it out with the real toad in question...

A chiming sound from her desk drew her attention, and without moving from where she was standing she said, "What is it, Marguerite? I'm a bit busy..."

"Excuse me, Miss Nakamura, but you wanted to be reminded when the Chairman wanted to speak with you. Shall I put him through?"

"Of course," Naomi replied, doing her level best to compose herself and rein in her legendary temper.

"Good morning to you, Naomi," said the voice of Chairman Quincy Rosencroix, "I trust all went well and that you gained the approval of the board for our little proposal?"

"They agreed to authorize initial funding on the project, sir," Naomi responded, "There was some resistance, as expected, but they fell in line, just as you predicted."

"It is sometimes necessary to abide with those who may be slower of wit than yourself, Naomi," the chairman reminded, "Be certain you do not display your contempt too openly...at least not until such time as we may replace those slow of wit with more agile minded executives, at which time the project will gain momentum."

"It will be as you say, sir," Naomi replied, "The project will go ahead as planned and on schedule, and I will find a way to deal with those who might attempt to slow our progress."

"Good," Quincy replied, "But that is for the future. Right now I have a more immediate assignment that I wish you to fulfill for me. I trust that I will have your full support in this endeavor?"

"Of course," Naomi replied, "I have always been loyal to you sir. What is it you have in mind?"

"How is your Japanese these days?" the man sounded faintly amused, knowing that she had been originally born in Japan but had spent most of her life in her adopted country.

"I'm told my accent is noticeable," Naomi replied, "But I have been improving the more we have entered into negotiations with our Japanese outlets."

"That is good," Quincy replied, "The Shohan project will have its roots in Japan once the timetable is established. Unfortunately we are having some difficulty in scouting out the real estate area most ideal to our purposes. I wish for you to look into this and make final recommendations so that we can secure long term leases to the property in question."

"I see," Naomi replied, "When would you like for me to depart?"

"Tomorrow will be sufficient time for you to make personal preparations for departure," Quincy replied, "I have taken the liberty of booking flights for you and your daughter. You will be using the company jet and should be on the Home Islands by this time tomorrow."

"I-I see sir," Naomi murmured as she thought that one over, "So you intend my stay to be a lengthy one?"

"A few months should be sufficient," Quincy replied, "You should be able to improve your Japanese when this is over. Now that you have gotten the cooperation of the Board, I will temporarily assign Vasquez to overseeing the initial planning stages."

"He is a good man," Naomi said, "I trained him myself, but...this is my project and I would prefer to see it through from its earliest phases."

"You will have full oversight and approval of all the major aspects of the project," Quincy assured, "But day-to-day operations will be handled by Vasquez. This is my decision."

Naomi bowed her head and said, "As you wish it, sir. I will handle this new project, which I take it to be the Tokyo district that I recommended?"

"Actually I hoping to have you review a secondary site that is under our consideration," the Chairman replied, "A residential area in the Nerima district that may be under consideration for Employee housing for one of our research facilities."

"Nerima?" Naomi repeated, wondering why the name alone gave her an odd sense of foreboding, a feeling she was quick to dismiss as she was not superstitious by nature.

"I will make all the details available to you when you arrive at your new offices," Quincy concluded, "Until then have a safe journey."

"Y-Yes sir," Naomi said as she turned and studied the ruptured bag before adding, "Maybe I'll even brush up on my martial arts...I've heard there are some pretty good fighters in the Tokyo area."

"A great stress relief I am certain," the Chairman said before breaking off the connection.

"Yes," Naomi said as she studied the back of her hand, which bore the faint scars of intensive training, "Stress relief is good."

The shark was about to arrive in Nerima...

Kennou awoke from a strange series of dreams to the sound of a flute playing somewhere in the background. She blinked her eyes and tried to move, only to find that her hands and feet would not respond, and with a start she realized that she had been bound by ropes while unconscious.

"Are you sure it's necessary to leave her that way?" a voice was saying just out of her immediate line of sight.

"You saw what she could do with your own eyes, Akane," an older voice said in reply, "Believe me, tying her up like that is merciful compared to what I'd usually do to somebody who hurt my Ryoga."

"But if she's related to us, then it seems pretty harsh, Mother," Ryoga said, "We don't want her to be a permanent enemy, we just want her to listen to our side of things before she tries to attack Ranma."

"Looking out for your brother, Son?" Genma asked, "That shows good character."

"Hey, I don't need him to look out for me!" another male voice protested, "I can handle myself, I don't need anybody!"

"So you say, Ailen," a girl's voice said, sounding distinctly foreign, "But Shampoo say you full of hot air. She know Chi attack, she dangerous to Ailen."

Kennou had, by now, placed most of the speakers from her prior experience to names and faces she had already encountered and was forming a basic understanding of the terms of her captivity. Sensing that they did not intend her immediate harm she decided to bide her time until she could effect her escape. By the sound of things it would not be an easy matter, that Atsuko in particular had proved to be a dangerous customer, one capable of near-  
invisibility, in addition to which she had the strength of a Hibiki.

The curious flute sounded oddly plaintive and melodious, summoning images in the mind of a home life lost and all but forgotten, bittersweet and yet so fondly remembered. Kennou's mind briefly filled with thoughts of her mother, the tender memories of a youth spent in happiness and innocence. It was a rare memory long buried, and the brief whiff of nostalgia it created gave Kennou an intense longing to relive more such treasured moments of a time before she had become a wandering orphan...

Kennou frowned, forcibly shaking off the effects of the music, and angered at having such memories dredged up in her in the first place. How dare they make her feel that way again after so many hard years of keeping them tightly suppressed? Her anger made her tense against her ropes, and as she felt them constrict against her wrists and ankles the feeling of helplessness that they created made her want to scream in protest.

"Ah, you're awake at last," Kennou heard Atsuko remark, and with a guilty start she looked up to see the brown haired woman leaning over her. Obviously Kennou had betrayed herself by that last futile gesture, a fact for which she chided herself as she could have continued to play dead and obtained more useful information.

"Are you all right?" asked the boy whom she had fought mere hours ago, yet who was looking upon her with concern that did not seem feigned, not that Kennou seriously believed that he could be worried over her welfare.

"I'm fine," Kennou growled as she swept her eyes across all the faces that she could see from her position, "Where am I?"

"In my family's dojo," replied the dark haired girl of before, "We brought you here to talk, so could you please refrain from forcing us to hurt you?"

"You seem to have me at a disadvantage," Kennou glared in fierce defiance, "But I'm still not talking."

"You don't have to say a word," Atsuko replied, "We already know about your involvement with Gosunkuji, and that a fellow named Daidoji was one of those who were paying you to beat up Ranma."

"Yeah, like she could do that," the boy who had been a redheaded girl replied with a note of extreme skepticism.

"Sounds like you got the short list," Kennou replied, "And what makes you think a little rope is going to hold me?"

"Oh, these ropes will hold you all right," Atsuko assured, "But I can remove them if you agree to cooperate. I'm a little curious to know more about you...starting with the name of your mother."

"And why should I tell you anything?" Kennou asked in a level tone of voice.

"Now then," Atsuko smiled benevolently, "Is that any way to talk to your older sister?"

There was a long pause in which Kennou stared up at the other woman, and then she said, "Prove it."

"Love to," Atsuko replied, "But I'm just playing a hunch, and without much to go on that's all I've got to work with. I'm trying to contact my Dad to find out for sure if he married another woman besides my Momma, seeing as you have the family name, along with our other distinguishing feature. Whoever your Mom was, though, she must have been an ordinary human world...and I'm guessing she's either dead or no longer a going concern in your life, am I right?"

Kennou said nothing, but she continued to stare up at the woman claiming to be a fellow Hibiki.

"Let me see if I know how it is," Atsuko resumed, "All your life you've felt that you were different from other kids your age...stronger for one thing, and with a crummy sense of direction. One day you found yourself without parents to look after you, so you improvised and made your way in the world. You used your talents to get by, learned to do a few odd tricks on the sly, and picked up the Martial Arts as a matter of survival. You've been to a lot of places but none of them feel like home, and you've learned to wall off your feelings 'cause it's easier than making friendships. Of course you're also wearing a school uniform that's obviously seen better days, so at one time you were enrolled as a student in a High School somewhere in the Tokyo area...am I right so far?"

"Maybe," Kennou answered.

"How long has it been for you, kid?" Atsuko asked, and not without a sincere note of compassion, "How long ago did you find yourself alone? That's a pretty big chip you've got on your shoulders, so I'm guessing you've been in and out of the foster care system, right? Maybe even you were in an orphanage but didn't like it."

"So what?"

"So," Atsuko smiled, "What would the odds be that I could find out from your uniform which school you belonged to and get ahold of somebody there who could look up your records? I could find out everything I needed to know in just a few hours if I tell them we're related."

"Without proof?" Kennou asked with more reluctance in her voice.

"I can be very...persuasive if I have to be," Atsuko revealed her fangs as she smiled, "One way or another I'm going to find out what I need to know. I just hoped you'd be more cooperative, but I can see you think that you're a pretty tough cookie."

"I manage," Kennou replied, but she had the strong sense that the woman hovering above her was not bluffing. There was something purposeful and deadly about this Atsuko woman that implied that she was used to getting her own way, and that standing up to her was not a safe proposition.

"You can drop the tough act," said a woman whom Kennou barely remembered from the other day, the one who held the silver flute that was no longer playing music, "I've already obtained the information that I was seeking, and you are right, Atsuko-san...she definitely is your blood sister."

"I knew it!" Atsuko declared with a look of triumph, "So who was her mother?"

"My inquiries came up with a name," Silk turned to regard Kennou frankly, "Kaoru Nakajima, daughter of a leading industrialist who married an American woman named Tandy. Kaoru was rescued from some troublesome situation that I believe involved her being kidnapped when a wandering hero arrived to save the day, a fellow who put the fear of the Kami into the kidnappers and ended their evil ways yet refused to claim a reward for his heroic efforts."

"That sounds like Dad all right," Atsuko noted, "He always did have a real knack for walking into things without looking, not that he ever left them standing when he was finished."

"Naturally the girl was quite taken with her handsome savior, and against the wishes of her parents she proceeded to date him," Silk resumed, "Just after she graduated from High School she took to joining him in his wanderings but eventually returned to Japan to settle down and raise their daughter. The father wandered in and out of her life several times after this but eventually turned up missing while young Kennou here was still an infant. Sadly the mother perished a few years later from a wasting illness and since her family had disowned her, she wound up a ward of the state...that is until her maternal grandfather learned of her existence and attempted to adopt her."

"Adopt her?" Akane asked.

"She grew up for a time in the home of her grandfather," Silk continued, "But in time she began to feel stifled by the restrictions that he placed upon her movements. One day she got in trouble with the law, and rather than return home to face the music she ran away from home and has been running away ever since, keeping a low profile while avoiding all attempts by her grandfather to contact her..."

"HOW COULD YOU...?" Kennou blurted out, then chided herself for thoughtlessly confirming the information.

"Young lady," Silk said simply, "It is my duty to know these things, such as that you are not quite as hard of heart as you try to pretend. What happened to you at that private girl's school of yours is none of our concern, but if you do not choose to cooperate in these affairs then we will have no choice at all but to contact your Grandfather. For now I trust that we can avoid that?"

Kennou glared at the woman, but there was no avoiding the fact that she was in a very unfortunate situation.

"By the way," Atsuko asked, "Did you have any luck getting ahold of my Dad?"

"I discovered that he is alive but very far away from here," Silk revealed, "So I altered my divination spell to one of summoning, hoping to draw him here by the invisible currents of destiny, which links him to you and this young lady."

"A summoning spell?" Kennou asked skeptically, "You telling me you can work magic?"

"Not precisely work magic," Silk replied, "More like bend to the call and petition the fates to think kindly upon the possibility of a family reunion. By now the spell will be drawing Hibiki Razor to Nerima by arranging a fortuitous string of seeming coincidences whose net result will be his arrival within a fortnight. Now all that is needed is for us to wait and be patient. In due time you both will see your wayward father."

"My Dad's alive?" Kennou was caught between her native skepticism and the suddenly swell of a need that she had never before recalled experiencing. She had given up all hope so long ago...could it really be possible that she might see the man whom she only remembered as looming so large and impressively over her, a man who had vanished from her world without a word of explanation.

"Alive and soon to be here," Silk affirmed, "Now...if you will excuse me, I'm a bit weary from all these exertions. I'll be in the kitchen helping Kasumi prepare dinner. I take it we can count on you staying the night if you promise to behave, young lady?"

"Promise?" Kennou tasted the unfamiliar word, but managed a faint smile, "Sure...I'll promise anything...if you promise to untie me."

"Hah," Atsuko scoffed, "I trust you about as far as I could throw this whole dojo, but I guess it'll be all right to let you up." She waved a hand in the air and added, "Try moving now, Blondie."

To Kennou's surprise she found that she could move her wrists and ankles again, and she wasted no time in sitting upright.

"Nice trick," Ranma noted, trying not to sound impressed.

"No problem," the Oni woman responded, "Since she was never even tied to begin with."

"SAY WHAT?" Kennou reacted in dismay, staring at her wrists and noting the absence of any rope burns.

"The power of suggestion, combined with my illusions, can be pretty damned effective, huh?" Atsuko grinned, then added, "Shirokuro...keep an eye on her guest. If she tries to leave without permission, then make sure she's uncomfortable."

"It will be as you say, Mistress," replied a strange looking woman who appeared from seeming no where, her hair white on one side, black on the other. Just looking upon her, Kennou was uncomfortably reminded of the similarly colored canine.

As Ryoga watched the Lore Master returning to the house he asked in a somewhat anxious voice, "Do you really think that she can summon up my father."

"Oh sure," Atsuko replied, "They don't make Lore Masters out of complete dummies. I knew Silk back when she was just another fighter, but she seems to have gotten the basics down pretty good of following her grandmother's footsteps...only..."

"Only?" Akane repeated.

"Well..." Atsuko rubbed the back of her head and gave a nervous chuckle, "There's something about her that reminds me of this old Foreign cartoon I used to watch when Ryo-chan was just old enough to bounce on my knee. It was about this Moose and a Squirrel, and the Mouse was always trying to work magic, only he tended to screw things up by overdoing it. That's what Silk reminds me of these days...somebody who's basically sincere, but she doesn't seem to know her own strength."

"Sounds like someone else I could mention," Ranma grumbled as he stood back with the purple haired girl giving Kennou a wary look of appraisal.

Kennou frowned as she studied her target and wondered if she would still get the chance to confront the Saotome boy, if only to test herself against him. As she started to get up, however, a soft growl at her side caused her to start in dismay, for somehow the black-and-whit Hound had managed to sneak up behind her. Kennou hastily rethought the wisdom of making any hasty movements, seeing wicked fangs bared with yellow eyes glaring at her as if daring her to try something. There was no sense in tempting fate, so she resolved to bide her time and see what else she could learn before deciding what her next move would be.

At the very least she might cop a free meal out of the deal, and it was certainly a lot more interesting than returning to a barren hotel room and a bowl of cold Ramen. Just the possibility that she might learn something useful about the man who had given her life made her decide to tarry further, and NOT-  
-she most sternly thought to herself-because there was any implied threats being made against her.

Again she thought of her father being alive and wondered what exactly she should feel at that revelation...surprised, relieved or angry? Times were that her life had been so hard that she had cursed her own existence, and even cursed the memory of her parents. Would she hug him or kill him when they at long last met? For that she had no answer! All she knew was that life had just gotten a lot more interesting of a sudden, and whatever the consequences of her involvement here, it certainly beat the hell out of moping around with hopeless thoughts of her Hiroshi...

Her Hiroshi, that is, if a certain damned wind-up Doll wasn't standing between her and her peculiar love interest...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

"An Angel...my sister?" I asked.

"Well, why not?" Lotion replied, "You certainly feel that way about Kasumi."

"Yeah, but Akane?" I shook my head, "I'd never associate her with Sainthood."

"Shows how much you know about Saints and Angels," the old woman regarded me with a faint smile, "Their reputations, like those of the Kami themselves, are not all that they might seem to be upon the surface."

I thought back to our recent experiences at the Morisato Shrine and had to admit that meeting an enclave of self-described goddesses has not exactly conformed to my expectations regarding the living embodiments of my Shinto heritage and family religion. I know I'm not the most religious person in our family, and the beings we encountered were certainly enormously powerful, but still...I would have expected something...grander.

"If they're really so much like us deep down," I said aloud, "That what exactly does that say about the make up of the Universe?"

"The Universe gets along very fine whether we personify it in human terms or not," Lotion revealed, "The Kami are principally concerned with the affairs of mortal men and women, as rightly they should be as personifications of the elemental forces of our Nature. The three sisters, for example, are the Goddesses of Fate in a highly limited aspect. They don't personally oversee the daily workings of our lives, but they administrate the systems that do attend to those small details of our existence."

"I don't get it, though," I said, "All these references to Technology and some great computer that oversees everything..."

"It must seem to take some of the magic and mystery out of the whole picture, is that what you are about to say?" she smiled at me as if she did not in fact know that I was going to say exactly that to the letter, "As yourself this...what is your mental image of a supreme power that governs over everything and all of creation?"

I tried to imagine what it was that I ultimately believe in, but I confess that my materialistic nature clashed with my desire to see Gods in terms of something Omnipresent. As was becoming my usual practice around Lotion I said what came first into mind, "I guess someone or something that knew and controlled everything everywhere simultaneously, past, present and future, would be the obvious answer...only that doesn't seem right somehow. I'm not sure I even know what a being that powerful would be like..."

"Indeed you should wonder," the old woman agreed, "Because a mind that could be so all encompassing and all reaching could not possibly be related to on a human level. Such a mind would be alien to all we know and hold dear from a conscious level as mortal beings of flesh and bone. A mind that could fathom the farthest depths and reaches of Creation could hardly be expected to know us on a personal level, as some religions would have you believe."

"So is there, in fact, a Supreme Being who governs everything?" I asked.

"There is certainly something that governs everything at the core to our reality," Lotion replied, "But I can tell you for a fact that it is not the being known as Kami-Sama."

"Come again?" I blinked, "You saying there is a Supreme being...but there isn't"

"Kami-Sama, child, is the local equivalent to the Sky Father who predominates in many world religions," she explained patiently without sounding the least bit condescending, "In China they call the Lord of Heaven Shang-Ti, and he rules the pantheon that even now is in the hearts and minds of a great many mainlanders, despite the efforts of the Government to suppress the old religions. We Amazons have our own Celestial Mother of the Stars, who is in some part a blend between the Grecian Goddesses Artemis, Athena and Demeter. In fact every culture in the world has their own Supreme Deity at the head of a pantheon, like the Seraphim. Each religion insists that their God or Goddess is supreme above all others, and of course each one would insist that they are right...but what they do not realize is that they are effectively giving homage to local variations on the same concept. In the end all religions say pretty much the same basic thing at the core, and all are as equally right as they are mistaken to believe that their views should prevail over one another."

I scratched my head and tried to think of that one, and finally I said, "So no one's right, but everyone is right after a fashion?"

"Understand that these Gods are primal manifestations of elemental power, and most embody the collective beliefs of their worshippers and embody their highest personal aspirations," she explained by way of her lecture, "Religion itself is about the ultimate concerns of people as either individuals or as groups of like-minded individuals. It's rather like belonging to a political party in which your leader is God and the leaders of rival parties are naturally seen as Devils. It is the total commitment of the true believers that keeps them from seeing the truth...that they are only imagining a very limited aspect of the Universal consciousness that they are hoping to achieve."

"Okay," I said, "Local versions of the same thing...so is Kami-Sama just Shang-  
Ti by a different label?"

"Not at all," Lotion replied, "They are two very different beings who just happen to fulfill the same office. Shang-Ti is the Kami-Sama of the traditional Chinese, but the two are not one in the same person, any more than Yahweh is Allah, or even Jesus Christ for that matter."

"So...you're saying one guy doesn't rule over all?"

"Pantheons govern the localized region that they have their traditional roots set," she explained, "As long as no one pantheon conflicts with another there is hardly any disturbance. But you have sectarian religious wars-by far the most destructive type of human altercation-then rival ideals will be magnified and the clash is more dramatic. That is why it is never a good idea to mix incompatible systems of belief, especially when it comes to summoning magic. When dealing with the Heads of rival pantheons the clash of egos is far greater than what you experience when two absolute sovereigns collide with one another."

"So...Kami-Sama is only the big Honcho for us poor Japanese, eh?" I asked.

"Precisely so," she gave me a shrewd look as she added, "After all, would you trust one all-powerful tyrant to adequately supervise an entire cosmos? Frankly I like living with a plurality...the competition keeps them honest."

"I guess China and Japan have that much in common," I thought, referring back to Ranma's favorite subject of history, which is rife in our culture with Shoguns and Daimyos who effectively wielded absolute power.

"I think the problem is that too many people substitute wishful thinking with an honest appraisal of their own belief systems," Lotion smiled at me as she added, "It never occurs to most people that the ideal of an All Powerful God is not compatible with an entirely benevolent and all-good being. In order to be all powerful a God would have to be in control of floods and fires that sometimes destroy the land and livelihood of people. An Earthquake, Typhoon, Hurricane or other natural occurring disaster is referred to as the 'Wrath of God,' but how could an all-powerful being be wrathful? Why would an all-good God punish the weak and the helpless for living beside the godless? There is much excuse making by those of a scholarly bent to cover up for this obvious confusion, but the best that they can come up with is the notion that there are Larger Issues involved that obligate an all-good god to sometimes destroy necessarily undeserving people."

"I've got to admit, that one's always had me scratching my head," I noted, "So a God who controls the wind and the weather can't be all that concerned that we fragile mortals sometimes happen to get in the way of the weather?"

"If you build a house upon a sloping hill and you get caught in a landslide, whose fault would that be?" she reasoned, "There are limits to how far you can go to avoid courting disaster, but many people the world over insist on building their houses on very shaky foundations. The best that mere mortals can do is to bend with the seasons and pray that they will now wind up as statistics of the weather."

"So does anybody control all that stuff?" I asked.

"Indeed there is," Lotion replied, "But it's a different department in the Celestial bureaucracy than Human Relations. Sometimes the Earth must shake and the winds must blow, and that is the price of living in a world that is far from ideal but is the reality that governs our existence."

"Ideal...like in Heaven?" I asked.

"Heaven is an ideal," Lotion said, "But it is nothing like this world. In the land of the spirit it is belief and will that presides over substance, but even there you would find sacrifices being made. If you stand too near to the source of all light you can often get burned, so as powerful as the Kami may be, they often operate under greater restrictions than we mere mortals."

"I heard Belldandy say something about a contract," I frowned, "And Peorth...said that she had no choice about returning to Heaven..." I could not quite keep my bitterness from showing.

"She is bound to the boy by a promise," Lotion replied, "Just as the promise Peorth made to your mother bound her to the mortal world for the time that she lived among you. There was very little choice involved for either, but in both cases I believe a great deal of willing cooperation could be detected."

"I wonder..." I hesitated, then forced myself to plunge ahead, "Is her being bonded to my mother for a time the reason I have this Lore Master power...?"

"No," Lotion said, "You inherited that potential from your mother, but likely it would have remained dormant throughout your life had it not been briefly awakened by the Goddess. Peorth sealed away your knowledge of the power for almost a decade, but the glimpse that you had gained into the universal power that is your birthright no doubt influenced your development and propelled your interest in becoming the master of your own life. The seals had faded by the time that I first encountered you, and through my training you have slowly reawakened the power that is within you, and one day it will become a fire that guides you through the darkest of shadows. However the real influence of Peorth was felt more intensely by your younger sister, Akane."

"Akane," I said, remembering the original subject of our conversation, "What's this again about her being an Angel?"

"Most Angels are the emissaries of divine presence who attend to Goddesses like lesser acolytes but have no real free will, being merely manifestations of their conscious projection," Lotion explained, "There are a few Angels who rise to a higher calling and become lesser manifestations of the Gods themselves, and a few of these become Elemental Lords who can be invoked where needed. The thing to keep in mind is that they are not entirely benevolent and are often creature of wild passion or purposeful nature. And then there are the spirits of the departed, who have the status of lesser Angels."

"You mean like Ancestor spirits and the like?" I asked.

"Indeed," she said, "The Dead often walk side-by-side with the living but are rarely seen by us. They differ from true Angels in that they freely come and go as they will, not subject to the direct control of the Kami themselves. In time they reincarnate in physical bodies and renew the cycle of Karma, unless they are of such a degraded nature that their souls do not rise to a higher level."

"Reincarnation, right," I said, "So do these lesser souls wind up coming back as snails and roaches?"

"Like begets like, Child," she corrected, "Human beings do not become snails, not without having to retrograde backwards through several layers of the evolutionary chart. Only devout Hindus believe otherwise, and many of them believe that a Cow is their reincarnated ancestor."

"So what does this have to do with Akane being an Angel?" I wondered.

"Your sister was born through the direct intervention of a Goddess First Class, Unlimited Potential," the old woman replied, "Akane was born a mortal with a spark of the divine hidden within her. It is a potential that many unconsciously perceive and are drawn to, such as her horde of randy admirers who never seemed very much to mind being pummeled into a black and blue haze at her dainty little hands. She has always had more raw power than the essential balance that is required to properly make use of her potential. In effect she tries too hard to achieve normalcy, but even the most charitable person much concede that she is not a 'normal' person."

"You're telling me this?" I asked, though it was revealing to discover that there actually was a reason for my sister's strange aura of Charisma and near-  
superhuman physical prowess. There were many who would argue that Akane was a "Goddess" by their light, Kuno not being the least of them (in a past sense anyway), and for once I had actual confirmation.

"It was the Jusenkyo water that triggered the initial awakening of her dormant potential," Lotion continued, "First the Yaazuniichuan, which turned her into a duck, and then the Nyaniichuan water added to this, shaping the nature of her curse so that she took on the physical aspect of an Angel."

"But is the transformation only physical?" I asked.

"I believe it goes all of the way," she replied, "Which is why I brought it to the attention of the Goddess."

"Oboy..." I groaned, "Bottom line what are we looking at here?"

"Possibly nothing major," Lotion revealed, "She only reverts to her Angel aspect with the application of cold water, but even in human form she carries the spark of her divinity within her. If the power remains dormant and does not further evolve, then there should be no real problem. If, however, the power is further awakened...well...Angels have often been known throughout the ages to be the heralds of calamity. There is a remote possibility that your sister could become a danger to herself and those around her."

I immediately thought of Ranma and his tendency to often tease and sometimes provoke Akane to anger, and then the recent tug-of-war for her affections being waged between Ukyo and Ryoga...and I began to see a definite problem.

"Uh oh," I said aloud, trying to imagine some of the implications.

"Precisely," the old woman replied, "Well, we're here again, back at your home and just in time for dinner."

I looked up to see the gates to my family dojo and absently reflected that we had been walking together for a considerable time, but certainly nothing like the fifty kilometers or so that separated us from the Morisato place. Only Lotion could make the crossing of a distance like that seem like a leisurely stroll through the park, but we had covered a lot of subject matter in that interval, and she had given me a great deal to think about, so I wasn't about to begrudge our little pep-talk.

Inside the yard I sensed a new tension that got me to worrying even before we made our way to the family living quarters. The thing that struck me right away was the extra mouth sitting at the table between Ryoga and his mother, the blonde haired girl who had issued a challenge to Ranma early on that very day. I lifted an eyebrow to this but refrained from making commentary.

As usual, Silk, Kasumi and Kodachi had prepared a meal that could sate the bottomless gullet of Uncle Genma, but I noticed the absence of the Panda with a certain crestfallen deflation. Also missing from my sides at our usual spot around the table were Ranma and Shampoo. I was told that they had stopped in earlier but had to leave, Shampoo giving a lift to our iinazuke.

I briefly pitied my poor boyfriend for having to suffer our Amazon bride's conception of "safe" driving and yet wistfully wished that they had at least waited around for me to return, if only so I could see them again for another hour. Having them be away like this was torture, the like of which I wouldn't wish upon a Kuno, and after only touching my food I asked to be excused and returned to my room, even as Lotion did her usual fade-away and no doubt returned to the Nekohaten.

As I flopped down on my bed I considered writing down my thoughts and impressions, but I was too tired in mind and body to work up the effort. Instead I drifted in and out of a brief haze in which I replayed my memories of the Goddesses living in a temple among Mortals, only to have my thoughts disturbed at the sound of a faint tapping upon my window.

I was out of bed and on my feet like a shot, and sure enough, there was Ranma hanging upside down by his ankles. I ran to the window and opened it without thinking, and soon enough we sat side-by-side in our usual place on the roof beneath the stars, my arm around his shoulder as I rested my head against my iinazuke.

We didn't say much for the first half-hour, but finally Ranma opened up to me and told me a little about his feelings. Being back with his mother was a strange experience, especially living in a house that was so unfamiliar to him, and he'd decided that had to see me again, if only to have someone with whom to share his loneliness. We hadn't been apart for even half a day and already we were missing one another, and I seriously doubted that we could survive the next two weeks until the official date of our wedding.

He of course told me all about the Hibiki woman and what she was doing in our place, and the thought that a hired gun like that would be aiming for his hide was enough to make me feel like going on the warpath. After sharing the details of Atsuko's arrangement, however, I was inclined to take a more cautious "wait and see" approach, even if Ranma reluctantly revealed that the girl had a dangerous Ki attack that raised her above the level of the average fighter.

Ranma asked me what I had been up to, but as I wasn't sure exactly how to share my experiences with the Goddesses I only told him that Lotion was showing me around to some interesting places, and being the sort of guy that he is, Ranma didn't press me for details. I think the whole Lore Master business puts him off in a way, and I guess he feels the less he has to know about it the better.

He had to leave before too long. He had accompanied Shampoo back to the Nekohaten, but he had a promise to fulfill to his mother, so he left to try and make it back home before his mother started sharpening her katana. We promised to meet again clandestinely, but I'd be lying to say that I was not disappointed that fooling around wasn't in our immediate agenda. It's odd having an itch to scratch that you only became aware of about a month ago, but which now you can't imagine living without it (though I'll be the first one to admit that bedroom gymnastics without Shampoo in the middle would seem like a tame affair. She's the real dynamic one who keeps things lively, the both of us are just paddling to catch up, but the both of us are proving to be very adept students in this particular arena).

To relieve boredom I got on the computer and just penned the whole affair so I'd have a physical record to document my experiences. How else am I to make sense of what all was revealed to me today, especially in light to the discovery that my mother literally was divine, and not just because she was my mother.

I don't really know what my feelings are concerning this Peorth character, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm about to find out. Somebody like that doesn't just pop into your life and do a fast fade out, and with my kind of luck I can expect that this heralds a whole new chapter in my already strange existence.

The bit with Akane is another going concern, but I suppose that one will sort itself out...eventually, assuming that we survive her sudden transfiguration. The business with the Hibikis is warming up and who knows what will come of that affair, especially if Silk is successful in summoning up this larger-than-life character that we've heard so much about, Razor. Then of course there's the subject of my "Bride Training," which begins sometime tomorrow-oh joy! Kasumi and Silk have made it plain that they intend to give me the crash course in the basics, and I mean-seriously-can you see me as the blushing domestic sort? I'd lay thirty to one odds that before the two weeks are up I'm going to be climbing the walls at this double-motherly treatment!

And to think most kids my age just have to worry about boning up for their test finals, or working on their entry exams to insure their admittance to a higher level of education. I wonder what life would be like if everything wasn't so very complicated, but I suppose I'll never find out...and in all honesty would I really want to go back to being relatively "normal?"

I don't think so, but there are days when I get enormously tempted...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Caucus Votes from Nerima: shadowmane

The Divine Comedy continues as Nabiki has a nocturnal visitation...or several in consecutive order. Be there for the fun when Akane begins to display her hidden talents...but don't forget your mallets!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	85. Chapter 85

NabikiRan81 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Eighty-One.

Ukyo-kun parried the thrust of Yumi's Baker's Peel, using her own to turn the leverage of that thrust around into a counter-thrust, using her whole body to roll about with a sweeping slash that forced his aunt to back-step a half a pace. Metal clanged upon metal as he sought to press home his advantage, but the older warrior just met his attack calmly and methodically, waiting for Ukyo to lose momentum before rallying for a counter-attack that had the backing of her superior strength behind it.

Ukyo found himself on the defensive as Yumi drove him relentlessly to the edge of their arena, but he was not long at a disadvantage and avoided being cornered by leaping high over his Aunt's head with a perfectly executed somersault that brought him around to Yumi's rear before the larger woman could fully compensate. Ukyo executed a perfect backwards thrust, only to be met by a deflecting block that set Ukyo up for a counter-thrust, which same Ukyo neatly side-stepped, the edge of the Baker's Peel narrowly passing by his head as he sought to step into Yumi's guard to deliver a devastating back-slash with her own cooking implement. Both antagonists separated to their respective corners, and Yumi called a halt to the affair, breathing deeply as each took full stock of the other.

"Very good, Nephew," Yumi congratulated as their breathing steadied and they had saluted one another, "You're learning to anticipate more on instinct. Before you were more inclined to rushing in while attempting to overwhelm your opponent's defenses. On the whole I'd say you've improved tenfold as a fighter."

"Aunt Yumi," Ukyo winced, "We're alone now. Do you have to call me Nephew?"

"Pardon me, but it is descriptive, Whelp," Yumi smiled lopsidedly, "And you'd better get used to thinking of yourself as male whenever you're in that form, because nobody else is going to mistake you for a female."

"I suppose," Ukyo said reluctantly, "By why did you insist on fighting me as a guy this time?"

"Because you need to work more on your posture and balance," Yumi clapped the cursed girl-turned-boy on the shoulder, "You have to get used to fighting in your male form if you want to make a better showing of yourself the next time you go up against that Ryoga, and no way will any Niece or Nephew of mine lose out to a Hibiki!"

"I didn't realize you had such a history with their clan," Ukyo winced as he flexed his shoulders to insure that his arm had not accidentally been dislocated.

"You can't really call them a Clan...not properly anyway," Yumi replied, "But the line of Hibikis goes back a long way to their ancestor, the legendary Razor, who wandered into the Edo passes long ago and once courted a Kuonji woman. I won't bother you with the full details, but their line was allied with ours for many years, right up through the Meiji era, only they seem to either have died off or wandered and gotten lost over the last century or so, and now they're as rare as an honest merchant. Of course my own involvement with Atsuko goes back a good twenty years to when our paths first crossed, and while we were never exactly friends we weren't really full-out enemies either."

"Then why should I be training to fight against Ryoga?" Ukyo wondered, "That fight between us was a misunderstanding. I wasn't acting like myself..."

"Are you so sure about that, Cub?" Yumi eyed her nephew slyly, "Maybe that Pearl just brought something out in you that was always there to begin with. After all, that Akane is a pretty enough young thing, and boys have been known to brawl for considerably less provocation."

"Akane's just a friend," Ukyo insisted, trying hard not to allow his cheeks to redden at the thought of the cursed Tendo sister, "It's not like I've got any claim on her, and besides..." he faltered as he tried to put his thoughts into words and came up with nothing.

"Hmm," Yumi smiled shrewdly, "Obviously I neglected certain parts of your education. Oh well, you'll figure some of it out on your own, probably long after I've left town. At least you no longer bristle at the mere mention of a boy's name, and you've stopped sharpening your spatulas and carving them with that Saotome boy's initials."

"I never did that," Ukyo insisted, unable to help blushing furiously at his Aunt's relentless teasing, "So...when are you planning on leaving?"

"By the end of the week, unless I find some compelling reason to stay," Yumi replied, "Just as soon as I think you're training is back on par, but I can tell in certain quarters that I've already overstayed my welcome."

"It's been...nice having your around," Ukyo replied, "But I guess I can handle things now that the restaurant is up and ready for business."

"You'll do just fine, Cub," Yumi playfully cuffed her Nephew's cheek, "I taught you all the basics, and you've got a good head for business, so you don't need me to hang around holding your hand and boss you about. You've been ready for this a long time now, and I'm very proud to see you're growing up into a fine representative of Clan Kuonji."

"I've been ready for it my whole life," Ukyo affirmed, "I'm gonna do you proud and prove to Pop and everyone else in the company that I can handle the responsibility. Still...it's been nice having your around. You don't have to feel like you can't come and visit..."

"I'd love to," Yumi replied, "But I've spent enough time away from my own restaurant, and Okonomiyaki don't get flipped on their own. I only came out this way to keep an eye on that stubborn old mule, your father, to see he didn't up and die on us and drop the whole company on MY shoulders," she snorted, "Like I'd know what to do with the whole franchise!"

Ukyo nodded a little grimly. The company business was his responsibility to look after. He'd been studying all that he could learn about running a business, and when the time came to assume control over Kuonji Industries he intended to be fully briefed and ready. He already knew a lot more about the business end than most kids his age, and once he graduated from High School he intended to make his mark in the restaurant business. But first, of course, he had to show his father that he could turn a profit in his own personal outlet.

"One thing I intend to teach you before I go," Yumi noted with the lifting of a finger, "Come sit with me and assume the Nine Levels of power."

Surprised by the request, Ukyo followed his Aunt's example and joined her in sitting in the middle of the floor so that they could meditate together until they each attained a higher level of consciousness. Once breathing and heart rate had steadied to an even pulse, Yumi raised her hands, and Ukyo copied her example, and together they made the finger motions that symbolized the nine levels of consciousness that were essential to the art of Ninjutsu.

"Rin," Yumi said as she brought her palms together, index fingers pointing with thumbs twined together, then brought her hands up to where the thumbs were almost touching her breastbone.

"Harmony of Mind and Body," Ukyo replied as she copied the same gesture.

"Chiu," Yumi called out, curling her middle fingers over the forefingers to form a kind of "M" with a pyramid above it, then raised her hands up and down as if channeling with the gesture.

"Direction of energy," Ukyo replied as she dutifully did likewise.

"Doh," Yumi called out, making an even more complicated twining of her fingers.

"Harmony with the Universe."

"Sha!"

"Healing of yourself and others."

"Kai!"

"Premonition of Danger."

"Jin!"

"Knowing the thoughts of others."

"Retsu!"

"Mastery of time and space."

"Zai!"

"Controlling the elements of nature."

"Zen."

"Enlightenment," Ukyo clasped the palm of her right hand over the clenched fist of her other hand and saluted her mentor, then the two of them bowed their heads and allowed the silence to fill the space all around them.

When they emerged from their dual meditative trances, Yumi opened her eyes, compelling Ukyo to do likewise. For a moment the air between them vibrated, and then in a fluid motion Yumi stood up and bade Ukyo to do likewise, then the both of them put their hands together with palms touching.

"Feel the flow of your Ki," Yumi urged, "Tap into the force lines that you perceive all around you and when you have found your center call the force up from your navel to the top of your head and down through the palms of your hands. Do you feel the Third Eye awakening within you?"

"Yes," Ukyo replied softly, "I feel it."

"Then feel this and remember," and with that Yumi's hands suddenly grew very warm, and an instant later a flash of electricity shot from her palms into Ukyo, who staggered backwards.

"W-What...?" Ukyo exclaimed in surprise.

"Sorry if that startled you," Yumi smiled, "It's part of a little initiation ritual passed down from Kuonji to Kuonji. Consider it a rite of passage that you've earned...now...do you think you can remember the feeling of that force flowing through you?"

"Y-Yes," Ukyo replied a bit unsteadily.

"Learn to tap into that power and let it flow through you like water," Yumi replied, "Be like all the elements combined, air, earth, water, fire, stone, iron and wood...learn which one to tap into and which to use as a counterbalance to the others. Now, let me show you the practical application to the full use of this power. Wait here and I'll demonstrate."

Ukyo waited as Yumi want back to the rear of the restaurant and came back a moment later with a pair of cinder blocks, which she set up on the floor, then left and returned a moment later with a large wooden block that had obviously been cut from the trunk of a sizeable tree, roughly a foot tall and about as wide in diameter. Yumi then stood back and brought her hands together, then murmured to Ukyo, "Watch very closely."

Yumi closed her eyes and began to hum softly to herself, raising her tone a level until the air around her vibrated, and then she shot her hands out like a pair of sword thrusts and parted them as if tearing an invisible screen asunder.

The block of wood that stood only three meters away tore apart into splinters, startling Ukyo, who had not been expecting such a violent resolution. Instinctively he flinched away, but the fragments of wood went all in one direction, away from him and his Aunt, though some bits imbedded themselves in the far wall and left one with no doubt of the force registered by the explosion.

"You see?" Yumi smiled, "A Ki attack, one of several that our clan has to offer. I want you to practice mastering this particular form so that by the time I leave here you can shatter either wood or stone without needing to touch it."

"W-Wow..." Ukyo replied, impressed both by the display and that his Aunt believed that he was ready to learn such a powerful technique. He had never even previously suspected that his Aunt knew such advanced attacks styles, and it left him to wonder what other weapons she had in her arsenal, and how long it would take for Ukyo to master these advanced elements of the Kuonji Ryu.

Yumi was smiling and about to say something when a sharp glance to the corner of her eyes alerted Ukyo that his Aunt had detected something out of the ordinary. Without turning her head the senior Kuonji remarked, "If you want to admire my Nephew, it might help if you come out into the open, Kino-san."

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked his eyes, turning to stare in surprise at a reluctant Makoto, who edged away from the shadow near the rear entrance.

"Ah...sorry about sneaking up on you like that," the tall girl replied nervously, "Not that I was sneaking or spying on you, of course...I mean...I wouldn't spy on you, Sempai...at least...ah..."

"Mako-chan?" Ukyo exclaimed, only to stop in mid-turn as he caught full sight of his old girlfriend.

Makoto was not wearing her usual school uniform but had rather dressed in something much more...casual...if not outright eye-catching. The brown haired girl was wearing a short-trimmed tank top with a pair of worn cut-off shorts that left the entire length of her very long legs exposed to view, to say nothing of her bared midriff. A pair of sizeable breasts were poling their way against the thin material of her white shirt, and her washboard-smooth tummy was so elegantly trim and waspish that it made her look even more like a Tomboy than usual...except that it also made her simultaneously seem both feminine and incredibly sexy. She was barefoot and had a simple country elegance about her that belied the simplicity of her appearance, and while her face was only lightly touched with makeup, her green eyes were framed by just enough of a hint of eye-shadow that their understated beauty drew the eye like a magnet. Looking on the pony-tailed girl, who even drawfed his male form by a couple centimeters in height, Ukyo could not help himself for staring, and rather than speak he found himself swallowing against a certain tightness.

"Ah..." the tall girl glanced down and blushed, looking all the more feminine for the gesture, "I didn't mean to intrude, but I was...in the neighborhood, jogging, and I found the door open in the back, so...I...wanted to come see you..."

"Hah?" Ukyo replied, about the most intelligent thing that crossed his mind at the moment.

"You should try calling ahead next time, Kino-san," Yumi smiled in an approving manner, impressed that the other girl had been able to summon enough courage to even attempt being this brazen, "I'm sure my Nephew would appreciate having more time to properly prepare to receive you."

"Hah?" Ukyo repeated, only this time having a nagging sense that his Aunt was implying something of significance.

"Um..." Makoto tried to rally her courage once again, "I caught the last few minutes of your practice session...you've very good. I've never seen anything quite like it. Well, unless you count that fight between Shampoo and Amber. Um...well...do you have a moment, Sempai? I'd...like to talk if you're not too busy."

"Oh, my Nephew's not too busy," Yumi nudged Ukyo with an elbow, "In fact we were about to straighten up a bit, but since you're here I think I can spare the Cub for a little bit. You two young things must have a lot to talk about, so don't mind this old-timer, and I'll be minding my business in the back if you need me."

"HAH?" Ukyo forced himself to turn away from the stunning vision that was Makoto to give his Aunt a look of alarm and faint dismay. Yumi was already heading for the rear with the cinder blocks in hand, leaving Ukyo alone to contemplate the odd rush of emotions and sensations that were presently overwhelming his senses.

"Sempai," Makoto took a nervous step forward, as if afraid to startle Ukyo like a timid deer into full retreat, "I wanted to apologize to you for the other day..."

"Apologize?" Ukyo replied, swallowing another thick lump, his voice a bit off-  
key as he added, "For what?"

"For the way I behaved back on the beach," Makoto eased forward another step, carefully testing the floor with the sole of her foot as if afraid to creek a board and make a sound that might shatter the moment, "I acted like a fool over Amber, and I hope my conduct didn't offend you."

Ukyo tried to pry his eyes away from staring at the rise and fall of Makoto's chest, and with as much self-control as he could still mange he said, "You weren't to blame...any more than I was...with Akane."

"I know," Makoto replied, easing forward another foot, "I tell myself that, but I can't help but feel so jealous. I wanted you to look at me...ah...well...the way you did her," she paused before continuing, "Sempai...I want you to be honest. What do you think about me? I mean...really?"

"Ah-huh?" Ukyo blurted, "Wh-what makes you want to know that?"

"Because..." Makoto glanced down, wringing her hands together in a very feminine gesture of coy anxiety, "When we first met...a couple of years ago...I was a different person back then...I was still angry and resentful about losing my parents. You were the first real friend that I'd had in quite a while, the only one who seemed to want to spend time with me...and I thought you were so cute...I mean...even though you were really a girl only pretending to be a guy, I thought you were a guy, and you looked so sexy...ah...I mean in a guy kind of way..."

"Er...right," Ukyo decided to agree with that rather odd statement, feeling his own anxiety increase at the memory of how he had deceived people like Makoto in a mistaken quest for personal vengeance.

"I...know you didn't deliberately lead me on or anything," Makoto resumed, now only a couple of meters away from Ukyo, who was still staring at her with a kind of fascination that made her pulse quicken, "If anything I'm the one who got her hopes worked up over nothing. You tried to ease out of our relationship as gently as you could, but it...still hurt...more than a little..."

"Mako-chan?" Ukyo wondered why he had this sudden urge to turn around and run like mad, while simultaneously held in place by a force beyond his understanding.

"But I got better," Makoto hastily continued, "I transferred to a different school, met up with some really cool friends and...I didn't feel so alone any more. My friends helped me to see myself in a whole new light...but I never stopped trying to find myself another boyfriend. I mean...to find a real guy who was as nice as you, or as much fun to be with, or who didn't mind me being so tall and...well...such a Tomboy..."

"Mako-chan," Ukyo smiled, "I never thought of you as...anything less..."

"That's sweet of you to say," Makoto replied, "You've never acted like you were intimidated by me, or like I frightened you away by being too aggressive and violent...or stuff like that. I wish there were more guys like you...real guys, that is...not that you're not a real guy now...well...sort of..."

"Ah...well..." Ukyo felt his cheeks burn slightly.

"I guess my problem is that I compare every guy I meet to you," Makoto continued, "And you know what? There really isn't anyone like you. You're very special...which is why I...want to know if you still feel anything positive about me."

"Positive?" Ukyo blinked, "Such as?"

"Well..." Makoto curled her hands behind her back and scuffed the floor with the toes of one foot, posing her body in an unselfconscious manner that made her look even more feminine than before, "..Do you think I'm...pretty?"

Ukyo's eyes were as round as saucers as he considered that question in frank astonishment, "Come again?"

"I mean...are you attracted to me at all?" Makoto asked, then continued in a rush as if not wanting to give Ukyo the chance to deny her, "Because I really can't stop thinking about you. I don't know why, but you're just the nicest guy or girl I know, and you look good in either form, guy or girl and...and I want to know if I'm wasting my time hoping or not, because if you don't see me that way, then I want to know now before things get any farther. I...I care about you, Sempai...you don't know how much I've wanted to get close to you these last few years..."

Ukyo made a very audible noise as he swallowed the new lump in his throat, "Ah...Mako-chan..."

"I used to think it was finding out that you were really a girl that caused us to separate," Makoto said, "But I was wrong...you were just being honest with me. You never tried leading me on or deceiving me, and I was the one who tried to make too much of what we had back then. But...you know what? I've never stopped thinking about you...and when I was under the influence of that Pearl I found out that I could think of another girl that way...that it really wasn't such a big problem with me, that I was willing to do anything that Amber asked of me if she'd let me do it with her."

Ukyo frowned slightly at the thought of the pink haired Amazon, who came so near to seducing Makoto, and his tone grew hard, "Mako-chan..."

"Don't say it," Makoto turned away, "I couldn't stand to know if I'm just making a fool of myself and embarrassing you. I...I couldn't bear to have you think of me as some kind of cheap harlot..."

"Mako-chan..." Ukyo softly chided.

"I-I'm sorry that I bothered you, Sempai," Makoto turned away, "It won't happen again..."

"Wha-huh?" Ukyo blinked his eyes as his former girlfriend started to walk dejectedly back towards the rear exit, wondering what in the Hell had just happened to cause such a dramatic scene change. He was about to call out to Makoto to stop when a ball of paper bopped against the back of his head, causing Ukyo to snatch it from the air and unfold it in great haste.

Written on the paper in her Aunt's clear handwriting were the katakana script for, "Don't just stand around gaping, you fool, bring her back!"

Ukyo stared at the paper, glanced back to where he could see his Aunt mouthing angry words in silent pantomime, and finally put it all together. Crumpling the paper in his hand he darted forward, catching up with Makoto even as she was bending down to put on her footwear.

"Mako-chan!" he said, only to misjudge his footing as he tried to come to a sharp halt on the slick floor at the back of the restaurant.

"Eh?" Makoto asked, turning around just in time to see Ukyo trip and fall towards her.

There was a moment when the two friends collided and then Ukyo broke his fall just after having knocked the tall girl over. Ukyo found himself nearly nose-  
to-nose laying atop of Makoto's body with some interesting padding pressing against his chest and Makoto's green eyes looming large before his vision. Ukyo's hands were pressed against the floor to either side of the taller girl as they lay like that for a long astonished moment, and then Makoto bent to impulse, reaching up to frame Ukyo's face in her strong hands, and cupping her mouth in an appropriate pucker, she brought Ukyo's lips against hers and applied enough gentle pressure to make the cursed girl/boy's mind go blank with the explosion of fireworks and pin wheels.

Peeking over at the two from a discrete distance, Yumi wiped the tears from her eyes and beamed proudly, "She's such a fast worker...way to go, Nephew..."

Shampoo's diary resumes:

It was a very ordinary type of day at school, save that it was brightened considerably by the presence of both of my beloved Airen, so I suppose I can overlook a few odd things that appeared even stranger than what I've become accustomed to seeing in my new homeland. It was not until lunch break that I began to notice anything unusual, and that mainly from Nabiki, who seemed very thoughtful and distracted, no doubt over weighty affairs known only to a Lore Master.

She had been absent much of the day before when we had that business with Hibiki Kennou, but now that the strange golden-haired girl is a temporary guest of her family's dojo, I would have expected matters to be resolving themselves as the Oni woman, Atsuko, seemed to believe that she had matters in hand and under control. I, however, do not rest well knowing that one such as the Golden hair might harbor ill will towards my husband. Thankfully he is staying at the home of his mother, so there is at least that much separation between them. I am also somewhat comforted by the thought of the Demon hound who guards her against further attempts against his person.

So where had Nabiki vanished with Elder Lotion while Ranma and I were moving away for temporary quarters with our respective parents? She would not say directly, other than to imply that it had to do with a visit to see her Mother. I took that to mean that she had visited the family plot where her mother's ashes reside, unless the Elder's powers are even greater than I have believed and an actual trip to the afterlife was implied by this statement.

I do confess that there at times that I am awed and humbled by the abilities of my talented wife. Nabiki is still learning the rudiments of what it means to be a Lore Master, but already she surpasses my understanding and expectations for her, for her speed and reflexes have increased to a phenomenal level, and with hardly any effort she can side-step perilous situations that would daunt a seasoned warrior even twice her age. And she is so beautiful and talented in bed...Aiyaa! How difficult it will be to have to endure two weeks without snuggling up beside her under the pale moonlight of springtime!

Anyway, as I have just said, something unusual occurred when she and I made a visit to this wonderful facility that the Japanese have called a privy. Now I know back home that there is no great significance attached to having a place set aside for the necessity of bodily waste disposal, but the indoor booths they have are so much more comfortable and clean smelling than an outhouse, and who would ever believe that they could invent such a wonderful use for rolled up paper? This something that should be mentioned to the Elders in terms of basic home improvement, along with this other curious invention that they call indoor plumbing.

Ah yes, before I allow myself to become too distracted over the matter, it was as I was cleaning myself and preparing to leave my booth that I heard my wife give a somewhat startled yelp, and then a voice that sounded like Nice Girl Kasumi spoke words to reassure her. I made haste to finish my business and push down on the handle to flush the unmentionables away, then quickly dress and prepared to exit the booth, just in case the Nasty girl who Kasumi dates might be around looking to cause trouble.

Imagine my surprise upon leaving the booth that I should meet someone who is as nice as Kasumi, a Celestial beauty who stood wearing a different school uniform than that which is worn by a Furinkan student. My wife turned a startled look my way and made hasty introductions, giving the name of this new girl as Belldandy, whom she claimed to have met the previous day at a temple.

"Very good to meet you," this strange girl bowed to me with perfect Japanese politeness, "Nabiki-san did not inform me that she had such a beautiful wife. I'm sure the both of you will be most happy together."

Right away I was put off my guard, for every instinct in my body cried out to trust this girl and not harbor suspicious thoughts towards her over my wife's association. I could see that there was something about this one that troubled Nabiki greatly, but with no hostile intentions in evidence I took this to mean that this beauty was a most transcendent individual, the kind whose presence makes one feel humbled, and of course there was her curious resemblance in voice and mannerism to her beloved sister.

"This one is honored to meet with you," I replied, returning the bow, "Are you an exchange student or visitor from another High School?"

"Oh my, no," the Celestial one replied with a pleasant smile, "I go to Nekomi Tech University, as does my fianc e. I'm just here to pay a brief visit to Nabiki, and to share some information that I thought she might find useful regarding her sister."

"What about Akane?" Nabiki asked, her tone and manner implying great anxiety on this subject.

"Well," this Belldandy said as she turned back to regard my wife with benevolent interest, "Peorth has agreed to personally look into the matter, but from what inquiries I have been able to make so far from calls to the main office, I believe that your sister is in a transitional state where her dormant potential is gradually rising to the surface. It seems that her manifestation of wings is but the outward form of a deeper transformation, and at this stage there is no telling where she may go in the next phase of her personal evolution."

"So you're saying that becoming an Angel may not be the final form after all?" my wife asked her, "What...happens if she does become more like you guys?"

"I'm not sure that it could go that far," Belldandy responded, "Becoming a full Goddess is not as easy as simply manifesting wings in a transitional form. There are quite a few other levels that would have to be undergone before she might become anything like Peorth, though it is true that the seed for such an eventual change may well have been planted."

"That's...pretty disturbing," Nabiki admitted, "Akane is going through a lot more than just a physical transformation right now, and she's having a pretty rough time of it. I don't think she's at all ready to have to try and cope with what you're describing."

"It is a problem, I will admit," Belldandy nodded, "But my sisters and I will continue to research the matter, and I'm sure Peorth will be intimately concerned with her welfare and will do everything in her power to protect your sister from potential complications."

"I guess that's as much as I can hope for at the present," Nabiki replied, "But I'd feel a lot better if you actually met Akane and saw for yourself the sort of problems she's going through."

"That would be for the best," Belldandy agreed, "And it would help us to make a proper analysis of the extent of her changes. I will arrange to pay you a visit at the appropriate time, after I've obtained more information from the main office, and..."

Before she could complete her statement the door to the oddly named rest-room opened up and in walked Kodachi and Kasumi, both of whom were happily chatting together over something. Kasumi caught sight of her sister and said, "Imoutochan, you left this morning without taking your Bento box. Kodachi and I thought we would..."

My nice sister-in-law paused as she caught sight of Belldandy, who turned and looked at her with a curious mix of awe and wonder on both of their features. Nabiki seemed oddly worried for some reason, while Kodachi's eyes went from the new girl to her companion and back again as if sensing, as I did, a curious connection.

"Oh my!" said both Belldandy and Kasumi together, and by the tone of their voices it was near impossible to tell the one from the other...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

That was freaky, hearing my sister's voice in Stereo like that. I can only attribute it to being the curious effect of a Template meeting up with the Original Matrix, because once the both of them got over their initial surprise they began chatting away together like old friends, which further bewildered both Shampoo and Kodachi.

Having the two of them stand side-by-side like that helped me to better define both the similarities and the differences between the Goddess and my sister. Belldandy manifests a kind of timeless beauty that transcends her apparent age, while my sister appears that much more earthy and human by contrast. They don't look exactly alike, but there is enough of a resemblance for me to almost think that they were both sisters, and that air of serenity that attends them both is unmistakable. Guess what the old woman said was true about a Template being a reflection of the original model, which leaves me to wonder about how Kachu might fit into this equation.

Anyway the news about Akane doesn't exactly cheer me up as my sister is really having a tough time of it in the romance department. I can see her repairing her ties with Ryoga after the Hibiki affair and that fiasco with the Love Pearls and the poor lost boy no longer walks around here looking so much like a whipped puppy. The problem is she still has feelings for Kuonji, and that doesn't look like it's going to wind up in a happy resolution like what I worked out with Shampoo over Ranma.

How would I cope if I had my sister's problems? Not well I think! A pair of wings on my back would fit me like a halo, which means, "NOT BLOODY LIKELY," in case you have any doubts on that subject. And while I can certainly understand the way Akane fell hard for Kuonji's good looks, she's never exactly been short on potential suitors, while I've always been the girl most boys my age tend to avoid due to my reputation as a hard case. Just thinking of all the ups and downs that I've been through in my relationship with Ranma I have to concede that the hardest part for me was even admitting that I wanted the guy as my iinazuke. Wanting somebody creates vulnerability, and a weakness like that was something I would ordinarily have avoided before learning the hard way that I was better off with him than without him.

Thinking on the subject of Kuonji, I'm amazed I don't feel as much resentment towards her as I do with Kodachi's presence around my sister. But to be fair I guess the girl-turned-boy is having her own rough time of it adjusting to her curse...and I keep wondering how I would manage to cope in her place. Supposing I turned into a boy whom other girls flocked around wanting to date? I know it doesn't sound like a very likely concept, but I have to admit the idea is kind of scary...

"Do tell?" a voice suddenly manifested at the computer console, and Nabiki jumped back with a start, seeing the face of the Goddess Urd suddenly fill her monitor screen, smiling and winking in her direction.

"GAK!" Nabiki jumped back out of her chair, even as the screen suddenly flared with a brilliant white light that caused her to briefly flinch away, only to turn back in time to see the body of the goddess flow out from the narrow fourteen inch screen, manifesting in full form and solid life a moment later, serene and majestic in fashionable garb worthy of a Goddess.

"Hi there," Urd smiled as she stood to full larger-than-life attention before the dismayed Tendo sister, "Sorry I didn't call ahead, but I make a habit of surprising people...and don't worry about what you were typing, I made sure to save it before I transferred."

"H-H-How...?" Nabiki began to say, then corrected herself with a hasty, "Don't you guys believe in doing things like ordinary people?"

"Pah, that's so mediocre," Urd said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Traveling this way saves so much in time, gas and air fair. Besides, I figured you wanted the information I was bringing enough that you might put up with a little inconvenience."

The goddess waved several computer printout sheets, which instantly drew Nabiki's attention.

"Is it about my sister?" she asked.

"That and the full details about Peorth's stay with your family," Urd winked, "Everything but the juiciest details."

Nabiki accepted the small stack of papers and quickly leafed through a comprehensible timesheet, schedule information, listing of names, dates and places and other such neatly arranged data that would no doubt take hours to leaf through, let along digest in any detail.

"Thanks," Nabiki said as she took note of the letter heading on the stationary address, "Central Registry-slash-Yggdrasil dot com?"

"It's a very exclusive data-base," Urd replied, "You need Level Two clearance just to access the website, and it helps if you're a licensed goddess."

"Uh...right," Nabiki set the sheets down on her desk then turned to regard the goddess, "You guys have all the latest systems hardware, huh?"

"Some would say we were the original System programmers back before you humans had even created your first Univac," Urd smiled, "Kami-Sama insists we keep up with the changes. Used to be in the really old days that we'd have to keep track of all this stuff by hand, which was pretty time consuming."

"And you were around back then?" Nabiki asked, "I mean...after all, you are a goddess..."

"Two thousand, four hundred and seventy-six years old and still going," Urd posed herself in a fetching manner and added, "Not bad for a woman my age, huh? Of course nobody keeps track of the time after their first few centuries...Belldandy for example."

"How...old is she?" Nabiki wondered.

"That would be telling," Urd smiled, "But as her big sister it is my job to keep track of such things. As she's the Goddess of the Present, though, setting an actual age to her wouldn't be too relevant. She's eternally self-renewing, and what you see is pretty much what you get in a non-strictly chronological sense."

"The present," Nabiki replied, "And you're the Goddess of the Past?"

"Well...that is my official title," Urd replied with obvious reluctance, "But I prefer to think of myself as a Goddess of Love...which, by the way, reminds me. Nice catch, couldn't have arranged it better myself."

"Ah...excuse me?" Nabiki asked.

"You nailing Saotome and the Amazon of course," the Goddess turned and walked over to the nearby bed before sitting down and crossing her legs in a fetching manner, "Not many girls are fortunate enough to get both a Nexus and a Juraian Princess. I have to say that reading over your file was certainly pretty eye-  
opening."

"Ah, yeah..." Nabiki replied with a nervous smile, "I can imagine it made for some...interesting reading..."

"To put it mildly," Urd regarded Nabiki with a frank expression, "Especially the part that starts a few months ago when you first met your current iinazuke. Would it interest you to know that originally you weren't the one scheduled to wind up engaged to him? Originally it was your kid sister."

Nabiki stared in frank disbelief at the Goddess for a long time before saying, "Come again?"

"That's right," Urd nodded, "According to the original projected plot for this timeline, Saotome Ranma was to meet and become engaged to one Tendo Akane, only something happened...a paradigm shift in the system, possibly caused by a Bug or a glitch, and the engagement got switched over to you. Imagine that and what a fuss it made back in the home office when the anomaly was discovered."

"That's impossible," Nabiki said and her tone was flinty.

"You're telling me?" Urd regarded her frankly, "Contrary to popular belief, the system is a long way from infallible. I don't know why some mortals insist that we're so all-fired perfect or that the 'divine plan' never makes glitches because as a System Analyst I'm in a position to know that this sort of fuck-up happens a lot more often than you could imagine. To err may be human, but to really screw things up takes a computer."

"My sister...and RANMA?" Nabiki became visibly upset, "No way! They hate each other! They'd make each other miserable for life!"

"If you're expecting an argument you came to the wrong department," Urd regarded Nabiki benevolently, "Believe me I've no objections to the current arrangement, but I thought you ought to know, just in case your Mentor didn't feel like sharing the news with you at your current level of training. Ranma and Akane were due to have a lengthy and tempestuous relationship with many stops and starts along the way, but at the end of a feisty two year courtship the two of them would admit their love and marry, producing one child, a daughter, before the marriage came to an abrupt and violent end after a one year trial that was as much ordeal as union."

"Wh...what was supposed to happen?" Nabiki asked, feeling the strength in her legs begin to give out so that she had to sit down in her computer chair to keep from fainting.

"What happens in a lot of marriages," Urd shrugged, "Both parties had unrealistic aspirations and conflicting goals. Ranma wants to pursue his martial arts career while Akane elects to pursue a higher education. Their fights become more occasional and random and everyone thinks they're getting along better when they're barely even speaking to one another. Ranma stays to try and run the dojo but his idea of training clashes with that of your father. Akane wants to put off having kids but lets herself be talked into having one in a futile attempt to preserve the marriage. She goes to a college in Tokyo, Ranma barely sees her for several weeks and starts to feel enormously frustrated, then he gets it into his head that she's seeing someone else. He surprises her in a restaurant where she is having lunch with a male friend, and in the ensuing brawl that results they suffer a permanent break in the marriage. In some scenarios the violence erupts in death for one or more parties, in other variations no one gets hurt but emotions are frayed and trust is permanently broken..."

"But that can't happen!" Nabiki insisted, "Ranma isn't going to marry Akane! Not if I have anything to say about it anyway!"

"I know," Urd replied, "As things currently stand the scenario I just gave you is altogether unlikely, which broaches the interesting subject of how this timeline was changed in the first place."

"Changed?" Nabiki asked, "What do you mean?"

"Contrary to another popular belief," Urd said, "There's more than one timeline, one path through which time can flow, or only one destiny with one possible outcome. What we call 'Reality" is more like a multi-lane superhighway, and there are a near infinite number of parallel worlds exactly like this one, yet in some small way different. On this timeline a change occurred when you elected to accept your engagement to Ranma, which apparently caused a cascade effect that affected the rest of the timeline."

"You mean...I had a choice in this?" Nabiki asked in dull wonder.

"Free Will," Urd smiled lopsidedly, "It's one of the gifts particular to you Mortals. It makes all the difference in the long run, only thing that I wonder about is what motivated you to change your mind at the exactly critical instant."

"I...I don't know," Nabiki said thoughtfully, "I was going to refuse to have anything to do with him...I remember thinking that I didn't need the hassle...only then I started to think about how lonely I was, and that it really wasn't all that bad that he turned into a girl..."

"So you said yes instead of no," Urd replied, "And that made all the difference."

"But...why did I do it?" Nabiki asked.

"I don't really know," Urd replied, "And that's what makes it so interesting..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Continuity Revisionism: shadowmane

Nerima braces as clan Hibiki hit the town, but will any part be left standing when they're finished? And Soun decided to have a heart-to-heart chat with his son in law-to-be while Nabiki digs in her heels to get to the bottom of this latest most disturbing revelation...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	86. Chapter 86

NabikiRan82 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Eighty-Two.

"Are they still following us? Can you see them?" asked Ju-Lan of his lovely companion.

"No," Ro-Mano replied, "But that doesn't mean that they're not still following our trail, even to this forbidden area. You know our families can be so very relentless."

"It's a good thing that the Enforcer is still away on official business," Ju-  
Lan noted, "If it was her on our trail we would already have been caught..."

"The council wants little to do with the feud between our parents," Ro-Mano duly noted, "So even if the Enforcer is back, it is doubtful that the Elders would send her against us."

The two young Amazons joined in silent prayer that they would escape to lands beyond the reach of any Elders, and that their kinsfolk would give up on the chase, though the one was equally as unlikely as the other. The boy, Ju-Lan, was already badly winded from trying to keep up with his companion, and Ro-Mano would not leave him behind to effect her own escape, and hence their current dilemma.

In truth it was a great tragedy that their mothers were bitter rivals who were bitterly opposed to any romance between their respective offspring, especially due to the fact that Ju-Lan was not of Warrior status and knew as little about fighting as he did about magic. A farmer by trade who was somewhat bookish in his tastes, Ju-Lan had been a sickly youth who had been nurtured through a difficult adolescence by the kindly ministrations of the village Healer, and he had about as much of a chance of honorably defeating Ro-Mano in combat as he did of sprouting wings and flying like the people of Phoenix mountain. Ordinarily if a Warrior of the tribe fell in love with a man of his station it could still be allowed that they should marry with the approval of the Council, but Elders Gin-Su and To-Main would not give their own approval, and so the families remained divided, each blaming the other for the seduction of their respective son or daughter.

Had the Matriarch been there to decide the matter their current troubles might well have been avoided. Elder Kho-Lon, though very traditional minded, was known to be just and fair in her decisions, and she could well have been expected to arrive at a compromise that would have appeased the honor of both Houses. Unfortunately the current leader, Be Dea, was of a different temperament, and so the two young lovers had been forced to flee to avoid provoking a near riot among the Amazons that could well have torn tribal unity asunder.

Of course their decision to escape the valley by plunging headlong into the Forbidden Forest had been a risky one, but they had hoped that the name and reputation alone would discourage their pursuers. Only the desperate and the mad would risk going so near to the Temple of the Sleeping Demoness, so as luck would have it they found themselves there in very short order.

"Oh Riceworms," Ju-Lan exclaimed in softly profane dismay, seeing the warning signs that dotted the ruins that had strangely and mysteriously appeared all around them.

"Er...maybe we should have taken that left turn at the last bend in the trail after all," Ro-Mano murmured softly as if afraid to make enough noise that she might awake something better off left sleeping.

"I'd swear this was the trail we mapped out based on the old records," Ju-Lan murmured, "We should have skirted the Musk Valley and arrived at the territory of the Howler Monkeys...so how did we wind up here?"

"I don't know," Ro-Mano whispered, her hands hovering near to her weapons, though what good a pair of Jo sticks might do against the fearsome and legendary demoness she was not about to speculate, "I guess maybe if we trace our steps back the way they came..."

"And run into our cousins, Hack, Slash, Slice, Dice and Filet?" Ju-Lan softly countered.

The warrior thought this over for a few seconds, confident that she could prevail about two or three of her fellow Amazon fighters, but not all five while protecting her boyfriend. A Warrior who could not protect her man was hardly worthy of the name Amazon, but as good as she was, it wasn't like she was among the Highest ranks of the Champion fighters, nor could she bear the thought of Ju-Lan going back to be punished for his defiance of his own family Elder, so the option of going back was simply not to be considered.

Going ahead, on the other hand...well, that entailed its own degree of special risks. Ro-Mano would have bristled at the suggestion that she was afraid of anything, Man, Beast or Fellow Amazon, but when it came to the supernatural she was understandably cautious.

Ju-Lan, on the other hand, was of a more practical mindset, drawing his courage from the books and ancient scrolls that he all but devoured in his off hours. The Scholarly son of a proud and illustrious house sounded unusually calm as he studied the ruins before saying in an even tone, "I think we might be able to negotiate our way out of here if we get a bit of altitude so we can study our surroundings. The sun should be in the Western sky just now, and I think I can see enough light through the trees to determine that the direction of the sun's rays are...that way. So if we determine that West is in that direction, and we've been traveling in a South-Easterly direction for the past few hours, then logically the way to the other side would be to continue moving along the trail that comes nearest to that direction. Given the uneven makeup of these hills, it is likely we will have to move along parallel to the Bayankallah range before we can reach the nearest inhabited village well beyond Amazon territory, and if we make it that far we should be able to find at least some temporary shelter..."

It was at moments such as these that Ro-Mano knew why she loved her man so dearly. Ju-Lan could make it seem as if he were as knowledgeable as any Lore Master when, in fact, he might be making no more than an educated guess, which was a lot more than she could come up with on the spot. Besides which he always made his suggestions sound so convincing, even when she could only follow roughly half of what he was saying.

"All right," she glanced around, "I suppose that I can find a tree that will bear my weight, then I'll call down what I see to you and we can figure out a way out of this Gods Damned forest."

"Actually," her boyfriend replied as he pointed to one special mound amid the vines and ruins, "I was going to suggest that we climb to the top of that Pyramid, which should afford us an even better look at our surroundings."

"A Pyramid?" Ro-Mano stared in disbelief, wondering exactly how should could have missed seeing such a significant landmark, "There are Pyramids in China?"

There was only the slightest hesitation in the Farmer's voice before he replied, "I guess there is at least one of them. It doesn't look a thing like any Buddhist temple I've ever seen or read about."

"Then who could have built it?" Ro-Mano asked aloud, then shrugged her shoulders and said, "People dead a long time, I guess. I just hope their ghosts aren't looking around in these woods," she case a nervous eye towards the shadows, imagining that she could see malevolent eyes peering at them from every quarter.

"That's the spirit," Ju-Lan smiled at her, and then led the way up the worn moss-covered steps that seemed older than the Great Wall itself, and bore the impressions of countless footsteps left by those who had come before them, "I'm sure if we're respectful to them the spirits of the dead will give us safe passage."

Ro-Mano worried about the accuracy of that statement but nonetheless followed her man with her heart in her mouth, recalling far too many ancient legends and stories of lost or stray Amazons who had come to a bad end from underestimating the spirits.

They made it to the top of the pyramid without incidence, and Ro-Mano was about to breathe easy when her warrior senses detected the unusual atmosphere that hung around the place, even as her hunters instincts called her attention to the fact that there was an unusual absence of bird and animal noises all around them. She nearly swallowed her own tongue when Ju-Lan spoke again without warning, even if his normally soothing tones sounded more curious than uneasy, and it was obvious enough to her that he did not share her sense of looming and impending danger.

"What's this?" he was asking as he paused near the top of the pyramid, his attention drawn by a faint glimmering of light.

Ro-Mano saw that the stone here was free from the cloying vines and plant growth that spread so abundantly over the rest of the ancient basalt, and with a lurching feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach she made out the details of a circle that had been carved into the stonework, along with many odd symbols upon whose nature she did not think it healthy to speculate. What had attracted her companion's eye was a glassy orb located in the center of this circle, and as Ro-Mano looked on in dismay she saw Ju-Lan bend down to examine it, his hand outstretched as if to feel the warmth of the light that it was suddenly radiating.

"DON'T TOUCH-!" she cried out in belated warning, only to flinch back as a blinding flash filled the air all around them, and then Ro-Mano felt Ju-Lan's body collide with her as he was thrown violently backwards. The both of them landed in a heap and nearly fell over the side of the pyramid, which would have led to a long and nasty roll to the bottom had Ro-Mano not reacted in time to brace them both against such an eventuality. Their perch atop the stones secured, both Amazon teenagers looked up in dismay to see the shimmering light that formed a vortex-like funnel sprouting high above the Pyramid's apex.

This light shifted and resolved itself into a form that took shape before their eyes, and then a figure appeared in full naked glory, spinning like a top as it stretched out arms to set the toe of one shapely foot down upon the glowing sphere as a womanly shape was revealed, slowing down into an elegant pirouette.

The figure stretched her arms and smiled serenely, and then in a curiously melodious voice she said, "FREEDOM-FREE AT LAST! OH MY GLORY, HOW GOOD IT IS TO BE FREE AT LAST!"

"...that?" Ro-Mano whispered in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"Ah..." Ju-Lan murmured from where he lay atop his beloved, "...Did I err...?"

"HMMM?" the woman who appeared above them drifting as light as a cloud had pale yellow hair and skin that was nearly bronzed gold while her eyes were a startling Platinum color and in all senses of the word she was utterly magnificent. A set of odd facial markings distinguished her classical features, and as they looked on in confused amazement her body was draped within fine silken robes that materialized from seeming no where, giving her the look of some ancient Imperial Princess. Her voice, when she spoke, had the mellowed quality of honeyed thunder, a sensual rumble, like clouds upon the hills, with a hint of spring rain that could easily bring flash flooding.

"WHAT HAVE WE HERE?" the woman asked, and her voice was in no language that either Amazon youth spoke, yet somehow the words had a clarity that might well be understood in any language, even as they resonated like an echo chamber, "ARE YOU THE ONES FOR WHOM I OWE MY CURRENT FREEDOM?"

"Er...ah..." Ju-Lan tried to ease himself off of his beloved while simultaneously attempting to shield her with his body, "I guess so...ah...sorry about that..."

"SORRY HE SAYS," the figure grinned impishly and studied them both with wry amusement, and then her tone fell to a normal volume, "As if there were anything bad about effecting my release. You both are Amazons, I take it? Hmmm...and such an interesting couple..."

Ro-Mano thought that there was something extremely wrong with the picture of her standing behind a man seeking protection, and ordinarily she would have insisted on shielding Ju-Lan with her own body, but the terror that she had always felt towards all things supernatural held her rooted to her current place even as her hands refused to close upon her weapons. There was something extremely disturbing about the gaze of the golden woman, as if she were reading the both of them like an ancient scroll and fast-forwarding to the good bits.

"Aha," the woman mused, "I see that you two are fleeing from your fellow Tribespeople over an illicit romance in which the two of you are presently engaged. Well met indeed! I am called Ganglot, the patron of this, my ancient Temple, in which I have been unjustly imprisoned for many of your generations. Your Council of Elders consigned me here over a...slight misunderstanding between us. Perhaps the three of us might be able to do business?"

At the mention of the name, "Ganglot," both teens felt a chill run down their spines, for the name of the Demoness was as legendary as it was fearsome, her being one of the antique Bogeymen whose name was commonly invoked to frighten small Amazon children.

But at the mention of the word, "Business," Ju-Lan rallied his courage and asked, "What...kind of business?"

"Ah," the Demoness smiled, "I can see that you are a clever one. Well, do not fear...I am not a particularly vindictive sort, so I don't plan to do you any harm, nor do I wish harm upon your people. In fact I need your help almost as much as you could use mine, so consider this more in the way of a proposed partnership...I help you to escape from your pursuers, you help me to get to a place that I need to be in very short order

Ro-Mano thought that this deal sounded a little too good to be true, and coming from such a dubious source she felt that she just had to ask the inevitable question, "Where...are you planning to take us?"

"Someplace where the both of you will be free to spend out your lives together, free from the tyranny of your Elders," the golden demoness replied, "It is no place special that you have ever heard about, but I need to be there and quickly. Unfortunately I am bound by ancient rules to this, my sacred temple, unless I find a willing ally among the mortals of this world, ones who will freely and of their own will enable me to travel where I need to go."

"And where is that?" asked Ju-Lan.

"Tell," she asked coyly, "Have either of you ever heard of a place called the Tendo dojo?" and when she saw blank looks of incomprehension in their eyes she smiled the more deeply, "PERFECT!"

Ganglot the Oni was about to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting province of Nerima...

"I don't know why the Chairman insisted on having you meet with me at the airport," Naomi replied to the man seated across from her in the Limousine that was currently transporting them to their intended destination, "I'm perfectly capable of finding my own way in this city..."

"Forgive my impertinence, Lady," the well dressed man sitting across from her replied, "But that is not quite what I have heard from the Chairman himself. He has asked that I helped conduct you to the site of our newest construction project, and he has asked me to see that you are provided with all the details concerning new land that we are hoping to acquire shortly, contingent upon your ultimate approval."

Naomi glanced at the folder that she had been presented shortly after her arrival, then at her six year old daughter, Rachael, who currently had her face pressed up against the window and was watching the neighborhood through which they were passing with all the eagerness of youth, which brought a slight smile to her lips, in spite of the seriousness of her mission.

"I will give the proposal my most serious attention," Naomi remarked, "But for now I'm interested in finding day care facilities for my daughter. Do you have any place which you might recommend here in this neighborhood? I'm planning on finding a hotel for a few days and getting to personally know the neighborhood a lot better."

"I know of a place that will be perfect for your needs, Nakamura-san," replied Sonoda Taichi, a local figure of some rank among the local "business" interests of the region (though Naomi strongly suspected that he had ties to the Yakuza), "The Furinkan Financial District has many fine facilities that can be enjoyed by those with the means to afford them. I will be assigning my nephew, Kento, to look after you during your stay here, and he will be both your guide and your protection should you have any troubles in the interim."

"Troubles?" Naomi asked with a raised eyebrow, "But I was given to understand that there is little crime in Japan, at least when compared to what we have back in the States."

"Not the sort of troubles you might be used to in your country," Taichi responded, "Here we are less concerned with such problems as Drive By Shootings and armed muggings due to our country's strict gun laws...but Furinkan, and Nerima itself...has a more localized form of threat that has been quite a nuisance of late. Kento will see to it that no harm comes to you or your daughter."

"Harm?" Naomi frowned, "What sort of danger are we talking about? Mob activity?"

"No," Taichi smiled, "We handle our own difficulties clandestinely, and large, spectacular affairs such as what I refer to draw a little too much attention for our liking. I don't expect you to understand, after all there is no comparison in your country to the sort of random affair that we need to be concerned about in the Tokyo region."

"You're not making any sense," Naomi frowned, "What possible trouble could there be that neither you or the police couldn't deal with?"

"I hope that it does not become necessary that I should have to explain this," Taichi said enigmatically, "But Kento knows what needs to be done should you have an encounter with such problems. It is only a very remote likelihood at any event, but I would be remiss as a host if I did not think ahead to ever possible contingency that might even slightly inconvenience both you and your daughter."

Before Naomi could respond to that the Mobster nodded to the well dressed gentleman sitting at one side of the Limousine, a fellow who-while not very tall-was broad shouldered and very competent looking for a young man who appeared to be barely college level, and the individual referred to as "Kento" nodded back and said aloud, "You have nothing to worry about with me on the job, Lady. My Uncle wants me to keep an eye out for the two of you, then you won't be having any problems."

"I fight my own battles," Naomi replied, "But if you mean to see to it that Rachael comes to no harm, I will be contented."

"Mommy!" cried the young girl in question, "Can we stop and have lunch? I'm starving!"

Naomi gave a motherly smile at her little girl and said, "If you wish, though it is closer to dinner than lunchtime over here in this part of the world. Have you any special places which you might recommend, Sonoda-san?"

"There are many fine establishments that can offer you a good meal at an affordable price," Taichi began to say when his nephew spoke up again and said, "What about Okonomiyaki?"

"Eh?" his Uncle turned to Kento and asked, "What was that?"

"Tell the driver to stop the car, Uncle Taichi," Kento pointed out the window with a smile, "That looks an awful lot like a restaurant I know back in Kyoto that served the best Okonomiyaki in Japan. I didn't know they had a franchise out here in the boonies, but if it's anything like what I've tasted last semester..."

"Okonomiyaki?" Naomi asked, "Isn't that supposed to be the Japanese equivalent of a Pizza?"

"I can see that you haven't had one before or you would never make that analogy," Taichi smiled, "Very well, Kento...we'll try this place out just to see if it is as good as you claim it to be. I haven't tasted a good Okonomiyaki in years, not since I was a young man and dated a particular lady...ah well, that is of no great importance..."

Yumi smiled as she aimlessly polished the counters while thinking merry thoughts to herself about her young charge, who was growing up before her eyes and showing every sign of becoming a real lady killer (much to Ukyo's embarrassment, of course, but that was only to be expected). How far her Niece had progressed from the years of bitterness and betrayal where she had all but renounced her femininity in form and function over the affair instigated by that wretched Genma. How nice to see that Ukyo had grown beyond that phase and was now behaving almost like any normal girl her age...with the slight exception of her becoming a man when doused with cold water.

Ukyo might not appreciate how her good looks could land her in so much hot water (literally if not figuratively, that is), but the truth was that Yumi could fully understand why the girls were turned on to the good looks of her male form. Even as a girl dressed in boy form her Niece was quite the heartbreaker, and as a boy for real he was stunningly beautiful. The two young ladies currently most interested certainly agreed with this as a factual statement, even knowing of Ukyo's real status, which had to say a lot about the liberal state of mind and desperation of young girls in the current generation. There were not enough real boys who were half as nice as Ukyo could be when her rough-  
hewn Niece had a mind to remember her manners.

That Makoto girl was especially interesting to Yumi. On the surface she might appear to be a normal girl with Tomboy-like inclinations, but there was great strength of character hidden beneath an almost palpable need to be loved by others, and the tragic story of her youth spoke volumes of a young woman who had been forced to grow up much faster than a normal person her age should have to be. Losing her parents at a young age would have crippled many a girl her age, and yet she handled herself as though nothing less had been respected, and there was so much more to her the deeper than one looked.

Of course Yumi could also sense the power laying dormant within the young Miss Kino, a power that was unlike anything that she had encountered in more than a generation, and while Makoto did appear to have some training in the art, she had the look of a rough hewn diamond. Yumi doubted if the child had even begun to tap into her true potential, and that thought alone made her interesting to the former Ninja. The art taught one to read the depths of another person's soul, and if what Yumi read were accurate, then this Makoto was a very good soul, and one who could be equally good for Ukyo if they made a real go of it in rekindling the romance that they had left unfinished between them.

Yumi smiled as she reflexively glanced towards the stairs, wondering if the two youths were indulging in the sort of entertainment that Yumi herself might partake of if she were twenty years younger with her life experiences. Too many children their age rushed into things without thinking of the consequences, or else thought too much for their own good and ignored the calling of their instincts and thus wasted the opportunities fate so often provided.

Youth, Yumi sniffed to herself, was wasted on the young...but still she hoped that those two would sort things out together. It was so nice to see Ukyo smile with sincerity, and it did not take a practitioner of Ninjutsu to see that her Niece liked this Makoto very much, more than even Ukyo seemed to realize if Yumi were any judge of her Niece's behavior.

"Enjoy your time, Kiddo," Yumi murmured to herself with self-admitted envy, thinking how much of life Ukyo had yet to live, and that if she went through even half the adventures that Yumi had endured in her misspent youth, then she was in for some interesting times, and she could use a good friend at her side to offer love and support in both the bad times and the good ones.

This prompted her to think of Makoto's chief rival for Ukyo's heart, the indomitable Tendo Akane, whose own divided heart had her chasing after a Hibiki while alternately flirting with Yumi's niece. Akane in many respects seemed like a very fine and sincere young girl, but one who had a lot of growing up to do, and much life experience to be gained before she would be ready to settle down into any sort of mature relationship. As with Makoto there was much raw potential yet to be harvested, rather a lot like his father when Yumi had first known him...

She caught herself in the act of remembering with nostalgia her hopeless pursuit of Soun. The Tendo boy who had been a particularly intense obsession for her youth had grown into a man who seemed to embody the best and worst aspects that Yumi had once noted. He was emotional and not very restrained about expressing his feelings, highly dependent on feminine support to fulfill the most basic functions held by a traditional wife, and on the whole not very good at managing his own affairs. On the other hand there was much courage and strength that belied the seeming weaknesses of his character, and while training under Happosai had given him an exaggerated sense of self preservation, there was more dignity in the way he carried himself these days, perhaps the result of having Silk back in his life, the very image of his late wife in appearance (if not in temperament and nature).

Silk had always been a smooth one, fitting her name with the style in which she could slyly insinuate herself into a man's heart and work her way past his defenses to encourage him to think more like a man than a spoiled youth. It used to rankle Yumi that she could never hold a candle against the other girl when it came to maneuvering people, and they never seemed to see through her obvious act as she would play upon their egos and worm her way into their hearts...

Yumi stopped herself in the act of fuming about her one-time rival. Just because Silk had chosen to stake out a new claim on their former love interest, did that necessarily mean that Yumi herself had to follow the young Lore Master's example?

"Oh no," Yumi murmured to herself once again, "Don't want to go there again...once is enough for this lifetime..."

The sound of the door being slid open drew her attention to the group that was presently entering her Niece's restaurant. There was a woman and two men with a little girl bouncing happily ahead of them to pick out a stool of her own, which the woman-her mother quite obviously-obligingly helped her into.

"Welcome to Ucchan's," Yumi said in pleasant greeting as she continued to study her new patrons, intrigued with the way the young man and the woman were moving, which was careful and precise with a hint of martial arts training, "Can I get you anything, perhaps one of the House Specials?"

Yumi frowned even as she said this, for there was something about the older man that caught her eye, a nagging sense that she had met him once before, but his face was difficult to place at the moment.

Taichi was also experiencing a similar nagging sense of having seen this woman somewhere before. She was about the right age...his age as a matter of fact...and certainly carried herself with a certain swagger that was altogether familiar. Her face was a bit broad and flat for his liking, but there was something about her eyes...those eyes were so damned familiar...

Kento, unaware of the tension that was currently flowing between his Uncle and the Chef, just smiled as he recognized her immediately, "Hey, how are you doing? You're the same lady I saw last in Kyoto. Did you relocate out to this area?"

"No," Yumi, of course, placed the younger man as one of her frequent customers, "I'm here helping my...Nephew to establish his own restaurant. We just opened for business the other day, but I'll be returning home as soon as things are on an even footing."

"Ah yes," Taichi smiled as he and the others took their places at the counter, "It is good to encourage the young to make their own way in the world. My Nephew here is going to a University and hopes to become a Geologist. His father would be very proud of what he has accomplished."

Yumi stiffened, that voice! She knew that voice from somewhere...

"What do you serve here that is good to eat?" the woman asked in a no-nonsense business-like manner.

"Coming right up," Yumi replied, trying to give no evidence that she was in any way disturbed by this curious visitation. The grill was already heated up and ready, so in a matter of seconds she was behind the counter whipping up a batch of okonomiyaki. With practiced moves she prepared and served four hot dishes to her most exacting specifications, smiling as she caught the look of astonishment in the young girl's eyes and reflecting on how much she looked like Ukyo at that same age. She was further rewarded by the surprised look in the businesswoman's face as if normal skepticism had just given way to belief in some slight-of-hand magic.

Taichi's surprise, however, was an unexpected bonus, for he stared at the food on his plate, then at the woman herself and thought, It can't be!

"Yumi-chan?" he asked hesitantly.

"Taichi-kun?" Yumi responded, and for the moment the two of them just stared at one another.

"Huh?" Kento blinked, halfway into the process of devouring his okonomiyaki.

"You two know each other?" Naomi asked with a surprised expression.

"Ah..." both business man and Chef glanced away with equally embarrassed expressions, leaving an uneasy silence that was broken when the young girl cried out, "It's delicious, Mommy! I want another!"

"Don't eat so fast, Rachael," Naomi replied in English, "You'll give yourself a case of indigestion."

"Oh," Yumi turned away from the older man to give the child an indulgent smile and replied in the same language, "She is just a growing girl with a healthy appetite. I'll make another one for her...on the house," and Yumi busied herself for the next several seconds preparing and serving another okonomiyaki, all the while trying furiously not to look at the man who was staring at her with the disbelieving expression.

"Uncle?" Kento asked of the man beside him.

"It's...nothing," Taichi swallowed, "She just reminds me of a girl I once knew...many years ago, someone I dated and even at one time considered taking for my wife."

"Ah..." Yumi was momentarily so startled that she almost burned the next okonomiyaki, but long practice and professional pride salvaged her work so that she was able to deliver it serviceable upon Naomi's platter, followed by two more that landed before Kento. A fourth okonomiyaki-significantly enough-  
did not land on Taichi's own platter.

"As I recall the matter," Yumi said in a level and aloof tone of voice, "The man I dated had his eye set on a business woman's daughter. I see he has done very well for himself, just as I have managed to do in establishing my own business."

Taichi winced and more nervously replied, "You're...still mad about that, eh...?"

Naomi picked up her okonomiyaki and examined it, then took another bite and found the flavor was almost as good as the first, which prompted her to pronounce, "Talk about fast food...I've got to get the recipe for one of these..."

"I'm afraid it's a family recipe," Yumi replied again in accented English, "Not to be shared with outsiders, especially Gaijin."

"Gaijin?" Naomi replied in some surprise, wondering if she looked "too American" for the other woman's standards, "You speak very good English..."

"Your Japanese isn't too bad either," Yumi replied, "But I'd work a bit more on your accent."

"I'm told that I have a gift for languages," Naomi replied with her best professional smile, "But I will take up your recommendation and work to improve my speech patterns until even you are satisfied. I'm simply impressed that you can produce such excellent results in hardly the time it takes to compliment you."

"A lifetime of practice is what makes all the difference," Yumi said, "If you can't do something well, don't do it at all. If you're not prepared to give your all towards something, then why satisfy yourself with half-measures?"

"Whoah, that's deep," said Kento, finishing off his third okonomiyaki, "You don't know how much a guy like me appreciates good food and good service when I'm cramming between classes. Your stuff gives me lots of energy to concentrate for my studies, and because of you I get good grades in most of my courses...except Math, which I'm a little slow in."

Yumi smiled at that, sensing that the younger man had an honest soul, in spite of his obvious relationship to his Uncle, who was anything but honest...or rather the older man was as honest as anyone could expect to be who had his ties to the underworld. Despite their reputation for ruthless criminal activities, the Yakuza were a good deal more civilized in their affairs than many rival Asian syndicates, especially the Tong, who were honorless even by the standards of the mainland. One did not grow up in Japan without hearing the good that went with the bad, nor establish a business without having even a slight brush with the local Oyabun. Taichi still had all of his fingers, and his Nephew likewise, so either they were not very high in Yakuza affairs or they simply had not had the occasion to screw up in a significant manner.

Either way, her former boyfriend would bear serious scrutiny, and for a brief moment her eyes sought out and made contact with those of Taichi.

The little girl-Rachael if Yumi remembered right-finished off her plate and washed it down with the water that Yumi had provided, then made a big smile and called out in a cheerful voice, "Thank you!"

"You're quite welcome," Yumi was pleased that the child had at least attempted to use the correct wording, rather than use English, but she was more than a little amazed to discover that the child had much less of an accent than her mother.

"Can I have another?" the girl promptly piped, effecting a Cherubic smile that would have softened the heart of a gargoyle.

"You've just had two in a row," Naomi chided her daughter, "You'll spoil your dinner."

"But they're so good, Mommy!" the child replied, still speaking in plain Japanese in spite of her mother's referral to English.

"Greedy," Naomi ruffled her daughter's hair and turned to Yumi and asked, "What do we owe you?"

"I'll only charge you half since it's your first visit," Yumi smiled with a wink, "But be sure to come visit us often. You'll find my Nephew cooks every bit as good as me, which is only proper since I taught him everything he knows about okonomiyaki."

"Thank you," Naomi reached into her purse and pulled out a credit card, "Will this be sufficient?"

Yumi held back her surprise at the sight of a Platinum Card that held the name of a prominent Tokyo bank, rather than one of the foreign ones that she would have expected from a tourist. Affecting a pleasant smile she took the card and rang up the meals, adding a tip that would go to Ukyo to pay for the cost of the materials expended in making the extra okonomiyaki. As she handed the card back she said, "By the way, you've done an excellent job of teaching your daughter to speak Japanese..."

Naomi froze as she started to put the card back in her purse, stared at the Chef with unblinking eyes and said, "What do you mean? My daughter doesn't speak Japanese..."

"Are you kidding?" Kento asked, "She speaks it so well I almost thought she was a native."

"I, too, thought her pronunciation was most exceptional," Taichi turned to regard the astonished Naomi, "You are certain that she has not been formally educated?"

"In private schools, yes," Naomi answered, "But as far as I know she's still too young to learn a foreign language," she turned to Rachael and said, "Do you speak Japanese, Rachael?"

"What's Japanese, Mommy?" the child asked curiously.

"You understand what I am saying, Rachael-san?" Yumi asked the child directly.

"Of course," the child said brightly, "Why wouldn't I?"

There was a long pause, and then Yumi reached down under the counter and brought up one of the small unsharpened spatulas that she and her Niece often used for throwing practice, handing it to the little girl while saying, "Could you do a favor for me, dear? If your mother has no objections, can you bend this in half?"

"What are you saying?" Naomi asked, "She's only a child..."

"Is it all right, Mommy?" the girl asked sheepishly, "I know I'm not supposed to bend your stuff back home."

"Humor me," Yumi asked, seeing the guilty start that appeared in the eyes of her mother, "I just want to test a suspicion."

"Okay," the child took the small object in both hands, and then with a great deal of concentration casually bent the throwing spatula until it had a distinctive "L" shape.

"Whoah!" Kento remarked in surprise, "She's almost as strong as me when I was her size!"

"Who," Yumi said carefully and precisely, "Was the child's father?"

"That's-none of your business!" Naomi got up hastily and grabbed the portfolio that she had carried with her from the car, "Come along, Rachael, we're leaving..."

Something fell out from the side of the leather-bound folder, and in a flash Yumi was across the counter in time to catch it before it could hit the floor. With a brief and curious glance she saw what she thought she had spied upon the photograph in question, then she handed it over to the businesswoman, her tone as polite as before but her expression quite guarded.

"You dropped this, I believe," Yumi said as Naomi accepted the photo.

Naomi put the photograph back into her portfolio, covering her surprise at the speed and agility displayed by the Chef, which was quite phenomenal even by her standards. In equally reserved tones she said, "Thank you...I don't know how that got away from me. Good day to you, Chef-san."

"The name is Kuonji," Yumi replied, "Yumi Kuonji, but you can call me Yumi."

"Thank you," Naomi said a bit less stiffly, "I will remember that...Kuonji Yumi."

"[See that you do,]" Yumi remarked casually in Cantonese, "[I have a feeling we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other over the next few days, Miss Nakamura.]"

"You know my name?" Naomi turned around, this time not bothering to hide her surprise.

Yumi held up a business card in one hand, and replied in Mandarin, "{I read it here...or would you prefer I call you Naomi?}"

Naomi frowned at that then took her daughter in hand and remarked, "I can see that you're a tricky one who bears close watching. "

"(As do you, Nakamura-san,)" Yumi nodded as the businesswoman left the restaurant, followed hastily by a confused looking Kento.

Taichi paused at the door to glance back at Yumi and ask, "What was that all about? And why were you talking to her in all those different languages?"

"Just confirming a theory," Yumi replied, "Do you know anything about her parentage?"

"Nothing I am at liberty to discuss, even with you," the businessman replied somewhat evasively, albeit with an apology in his expression.

"Then perhaps you might explain to me your interest in the Tendo dojo, and why a photograph of it was in that business pouch?" Yumi smiled, seeing her reward in the surprised look at crossed the face of her former boyfriend.

"That...also is not a matter for open discussion," he turned away before adding, "It is...good to see you looking so well, Yumi-chan...Yumi-san," he corrected himself, "Good day to you...until the next time."

"Sayonara to you, Tai-chan," Yumi smiled, but once her guests had entered their limousine and drove off, she turned away with a most troubled expression.

Another Hibiki in Nerima? Or rather two of them, a mother and a daughter? And by evidence neither one seemed to be in any way aware of their heritage...coincidence? Yumi did not think so, especially in light of their seeming interest in the Tendo estate, which made the matter of extremely intimate interest to Yumi.

"Atsuko's going to love this," Yumi mused aloud, not so much out of sympathy for the Oni but out of a sense of camaraderie to a former ally who might yet be valuable should the worst of Yumi's suspicions come to fruition.

Of course even she could not anticipate the extent of the troubles that were about to surround the Tendo residence, for which she could be understandably forgiven, not realizing as yet that Nerima would soon be the focal point for yet more members of the very loose clan known collectively as Hibiki...

Akane stalked angrily down the streets of the Furinkan financial district thinking about the girl naked Hibiki Kennou, and why the blonde had suddenly become such a major interest for Ryoga. Ordinarily the lost boy would accompany her everywhere, whether Akane wanted the attention or not, but this time Ryoga had insisted on hurrying back home to once again confront his alleged "Aunt" with more suspicions of their mutual heritage, leaving Akane to feel somewhat left out of the package. And just when she had begun to see Ryoga in a different light due to the mature way he had handled himself in that fight against Kennou...

She sighed, wondering why life had to be so damned complicated. It was not like she actively went around looking for trouble, but trouble seemed to be finding her at every turn, and she had no idea just why she should be so "lucky." First it was Kuno coming onto her, then his encouraging half the boys at their school to take an active interest, then Ranma showed her up in her favorite sport of martial arts, leaving Akane to feel second best in all things, and following that was the business with Shampoo, which had yet to be resolved by any standard.

Meeting up with Ryoga had been one of the few bright spots in her life of late, for the perpetually lost boy seemed to share with her a basic sense of social alienation, of not quite fitting in with their surroundings, besides which he had always seemed to sincere and forthright, and not at all a drooling pervert. Ignoring the lapse in his character revealed when he deceived her as P-chan, Ryoga had done a great deal to repair Akane's shattered trust in other people, proving to her that not all boys were jerks and that some could actually be quite nice. It had been something of a minor revelation for her to discover that she not only liked Ryoga but felt attracted to him on a fundamental level.

And then Ukyo had come into her world and gone a great deal farther to change Akane's opinion about the male sex. Okay, so she was mistaken about Ukyo being a guy back then, big deal! Even as a faux-guy, Ukyo was among the nicest people Akane had ever met (not counting Kasumi, but then no one else human could possibly match up to the standard of her older sister). Ukyo was warm and caring and a good friend in whom to confide, and Akane found herself falling for more than the cursed girl's good looks before too long, finding an attraction to the Chef that was every bit as strong (if not stronger) than the ties she felt with Ryoga.

Having two "men" her age who vied for the title, "Nicest Boy in Town" be interested in her was a genuine source of pleasure for Akane, far more than her supposed popularity among the rest of her classmates. It almost hurt to find herself sharing Kuno's peculiar desire to claim two loves at the same time...but was that really such a strange idea given the relationships of her middle sister and her two fiancees? Akane found herself actually considering the concept of Polyandry and wondering if she could make it work on some ridiculous level. Okay, Ukyo and Ryoga did not seem to get along right now, but that was mostly feelings of competition that would be natural to anyone trained as a Martial Artist. Once she got them past the stage of mutual hostility and distrust, then maybe they could have a real discussion on the subject and come to a mutually beneficial understanding.

Well...stranger things had already happened, right? She asked this silent question in silent petition to the Fates that they not prove her a liar.

Of course there were still complicating factors to consider, such as her turning into a winged woman whenever she got splashed with cold water (which could be at nearly any time, she realized with some annoyance). That was inconvenient for more than the fact that sprouting wings from her back and the sides of her legs forced her to modify her wardrobe so as not to provide an impediment that would result in the tearing of her clothing. Oddly enough the change did not even hurt her, really, but was more like an all-over tingle that caused sudden changes in her anatomy, both internally and externally, to afford the presence of extra limbs with appropriate shifting of bones and muscles. Her wings appeared to function quite well and responded to her thoughts just like her arms and legs, even giving her the power to strike a target from a distance like a Goose lashing out at an unwary foeman, giving her the power to break boards even at a distance.

The one thing she had not managed to do so far, however, was to fly. Try as she might she did not seem to have enough strength to get properly airborne, nor did she know how to angle her wings so as to give her enough lift to properly glide. It was very puzzling, and yet Shampoo-of all people-had suggested that much the same thing held true for her own cursed form. As a winged cat she could glide with the best of them, but flapping her wings from a standing start did not provide sufficient lift for her small Neko form, so often she had to either leap or get a running start to assist herself on take off.

It was all so very puzzling because Cologne insisted that most curses caused instinctive changes in one's psychological make up so that the ability to fly was second nature to Mousse in his cursed form. She might have to find and confront the Chinese boy for further details, but as far as Akane knew it should not have required all that much practice.

As freakish as she sometimes felt about having wings but being unable to fly, of more immediate annoyance to Akane was the arrival in Nerima of the girl named Makoto. This girl had a history with Ukyo that went back a couple of years and seemed to give her claims over the cursed girl/boy that Akane had yet to fathom. There was such an eagerness in the pony-tailed girl's manner and the way she so obviously was lusting after the Okonomiyaki Chef that set Akane's teeth on edge with a strong desire to "reprimand" her. Such brazen and flirtatious behavior did not seem at all fair to Akane's way of thinking, especially taking into account that the very tall girl had a body to die for and was as pretty as any fashion model.

That is for a girl who seemed even more of a Tomboy than even Akane would have imagined.

That being said, she had the strong urge to go visit Ukyo at his...her restaurant, and Ukyo's Aunt Yumi seemed like a nice enough person. She had enough change in her pocket to afford at least one okonomiyaki (though Ukyo rarely insisted on charging her money). Of late Akane had been thinking hard about the nature of her attraction for the handsome boy...(or Bishonen girl, she self corrected)...and it was long since time that she confronted Ukyo about the nature of her own feelings. Of priority for her was to discover if Ukyo really felt the same way about her, or could even come to like her over time, or if Akane was just making a colossal fool of herself over the whole matter. She had to find out the truth before things got any more intense, and especially before that Makoto tried staking out her own claim, in which case Akane intended to teach her not to trespass.

Thus armed with these thoughts she cut through the alleyways intending to save time and take a short cut that would bring her within sight of Ukyo's restaurant within minutes.

What she was about to discover, however, would turn her day upside down and lead to even more distressing problems, both of an immediate nature and further down the line, though only the former had relevance to this particular occasion...

"Five yen for your thoughts, Sempai," Makoto mused as the two of them sat side-  
by-side on the roof of Ukyo's restaurant, surveying the alleyway with their eyes turned towards the distant Tokyo skyline.

"Heh, is that the going rate these days?" Ukyo mused, now fully female after having hastily applied a dash of hot water.

"It's just that you're being awfully quiet all of a sudden," Makoto glanced away, "Was it because I kissed you. I know I shouldn't have, but...I couldn't help it."

Ukyo regarded the profile of her friend for a moment before replying, "I don't blame you for that, Mako-chan...I guess...some things are just meant to happen. Ah...that didn't come out quite the way I meant it...I mean..."

"I embarrassed you," Makoto sighed, glancing down with curling her feet in a contemplative manner with thoughts about jumping off the roof and disappearing to hide her own shame on the subject. It was only a mere three stories, after all, and she could handle a drop like that in a cakewalk.

"No," Ukyo replied, "I embarrassed myself by falling on you that way. I guess it gave you the wrong idea...I mean...not that kissing you was bad or anything, but I wasn't trying to rush things, in fact I...I wanted to talk a little more...so thanks for not leaving yet. I really want to explain myself better but...I seem to be making a real botch of it."

"Not at all," Makoto gave a little half-smile back in Ukyo's direction, "It was going too fast for both of us, I think, so it's a good thing you stopped things when you did or I...might've messed things up even worse. I wanted to..." her voice became a bit roughened, "...let you have your way with me...if it's what you really wanted. I'm not trying to force myself on you or anything, but if you'd wanted to...make out with me...I wouldn't have minded."

"Hah?" Ukyo knew that she was in danger of having her train of thought be permanently derailed and swallowed to try and get her thoughts back on the subject, "Well...ah...that...would have been very...interesting, I suppose...I mean, I've never really tested the limits of my male body, but..." she glanced away with a start, thinking to herself, WHAT ON EARTH AM I SAYING?

Makoto, for her part, was quick to latch onto the opening, "Are you saying that there was a...possibility that you might have accepted?"

"Ah...well...I mean..." Ukyo wilted.

"Sempai," Makoto leaned her head against the top of Ukyo's head and sighed, "You don't know what it means to hear you say that. I was so afraid that you were going to reject me over the brazen way that I've been behaving. You've always been so good to me that I just wanted to show you how much I appreciated you and everything...oh," she moved away again and said, "I'm so embarrassed..."

"Ah...wha-?" Ukyo's mind was spinning at the dizzying twists and turns of this conversation, but seeing the plaintive look in Makoto's eyes she knew that she had to say something, so she cleared her throat and said, "Mako-chan..."

"Yes?" Makoto whispered.

"You really are special to me," Ukyo replied, "You've always been important. I...care about you, and I want you to know that. I...I guess I have been a little reluctant to show how much I care about you, but...I...I'm very glad that you came back into my life, and you're even more beautiful than I remember."

"You really think so?" Makoto turned to her with a look of wonder.

"Well...yeah," Ukyo half-smiled, "I mean...look at you...the boys must be falling down drooling every time you walk by. You're absolutely stunning, and with a figure like that..." Ukyo's eyes drifted without conscious thought down to view the generous amount of cleavage revealed by Makoto's tank-top halter.

"Oh," Makoto glanced down, "You like them? They've started growing out over the last year, and now they're absolutely huge! They've ballooned out so much that I've had to learn another way to carry myself when walking and fighting. If they keep expanding out like this I may even have to have surgery to have them reduced a little."

"Reduced?" Ukyo repeated, automatically thinking what a shame that would be, and such a waste of a generous natural endowment. Those heaving breasts were awe-  
inspiring and gave Ukyo a faint sense of inadequacy even as she felt the strong desire to reach out and "sample" them with both hands in order to test their firmness...

Ukyo drew back with a start, wondering where in the hell she had come up with such lecherous urges! She had thought changing to a girl would stop the flow of these strange impulses, which until now she had largely attributed to the Hormonally charged mess caused by her male body! This was almost as bad as the thoughts that had caused her to want to effect her change before continuing her "discussion" with Makoto, when Ukyo had taken notice of how the tall girl's pert rump rode so high with the cut of her shorts barely concealing anything below that was indecent to view in public...a thought that had nearly incapacitated Ukyo as the distinctly male part of his body had threatened to double him over!

"I know I shouldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth," Makoto resumed without being aware of the libidinous reaction that she was causing in her companion, "Rei likes to tease me about the fact that my breasts have gotten so big, and Usagi keeps saying I'm top heavy and that it's a wonder I don't fall down as often as she does...of course Usagi could trip over a small crack in the sidewalk, and Minako...she's even worse than Usagi!"

"You really enjoy talking about your friends," Ukyo noted with a faint hint of jealousy in her voice, glad to talk on any subject that took her mind away from her friend's generous assets.

"Oh...sorry," Makoto gave a sheepish smile and glanced away, "My friends are important to me, they're like my family, and I can't really think what life would be like without having them around. Every one of them is special to me in their own way...Usagi because she has a heart that's so warm and true, Rei because she's so fiery and fiercely loyal, and Ami because she's so smart and can come through for you when you least expect it. Then of course there's Minako...I really like her a lot. She's so elegant and has such a great fashion sense...if only she didn't come across like such a Spaz sometimes..."

"It's good to see you with friends," Ukyo remarked, "I can remember a time when you barely had any...except for me, that is."

"Well, you meant more to me than just a friend, Sempai," Makoto said with a softer, more relaxed expression, "You were my first love, and it took me a long time to get over you...in fact I never really have, though I have tried looking elsewhere..."

"Ah..." Ukyo's sandalwood brown eyes met Makoto's leaf green eyes for a moment and it was like looking into the emerald depths of something rare and precious. No words flowed between them for several seconds, but the two drew unconsciously closer together before either one of them knew what was about to happen.

Ukyo had never deliberately kissed another girl before...at least not without pretending to affections that she did not actually feel, and only as a cover when dating other girls in Middle School. This time was very different, and it meant a whole lot more than simply kissing with affection. There was passion in the other girl's lips that inspired her to reply with passion of her own, and for several long moments the two of them held each other as the kiss went on almost a full minute.

Ukyo broke off the kiss when she finally awoke to what she was doing, and then she gasped as she turned away, her thoughts even more tattered and confused than ever.

"Wow," she said with wonder, unprepared for such a physical reaction on her part.

"Wow isn't the half of it," Makoto covered her own lips with a finger.

Ukyo's eyes once more roved up and down the exposed lengths of Makoto's body and once more experienced a lump in her throat that made her voice rough and uneven, "Uh...you...really do know how to kiss...ah..."

"HEY!" a voice called out, "WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING UP THERE?"

Ukyo reacted with a start, glancing down into the alleyway as she spied an altogether familiar figure, "A-Akane-?"

"Uh oh," Makoto whispered, "Busted."

Ukyo ignored the double-entendre that crossed her mind in that instant and called down, "Akane-chan, what are you doing down there?"

"LOOKING FOR YOU!" the younger Tendo sister called back in an angry tone of voice, "NOT THAT I SHOULD HAVE BOTHERED SINCE IT'S OBVIOUS YOU HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR TIME!"

That said, the youngest Tendo girl pivoted around on one heel and headed back the way that she had entered.

"Akane," Ukyo pushed away from the wall and leaped down, easily handling the five-meter drop as she hurried to catch up with the retreating Tendo sister. When Akane did not turn around Ukyo vaulted in front of her and spread her arms wide to block her further passage, "Wait a minute, Akane! At least hear me out...!"

"Why?" Akane growled, "So you can lie to me, tell me I matter to you, that I'm not wasting my time and being such a bother?"

"You're not bothering me," Ukyo tried to sound soothing as she made a gesture to attempt to pacify the angry girl before her, "Makoto and I were just talking..."

"TALKING?" Akane all but shouted in Ukyo's face, "Looked more like to me that you were KISSING her! And behind my back no less! How could you?"

"How could we what?" Makoto asked, causing Akane to whirl around with a start at the taller girl, who had come so silently up behind her, "You got a reason to be so upset about the two of us spending time alone together, Tendo-san? Because if not then it's none of your business what I do with MY Sempai!"

Akane balled her fists but for once restrained her temper, growling instead of taking a swing at the other girl, "None of MY business? When did it become YOUR business to try and put the moves on him, you hussy? And I don't need any lectures from the likes of you..."

"And what does that supposed to mean?" Makoto demanded.

"It means put up or shut up!" Akane raised her fists and assumed a fighting posture.

"Well now," Makoto smiled as she took a stance of her own, "You're finally talking sense for once. Let's see what you've got, Tendo."

"Uh...guys?" Ukyo said in alarm, trying to head off the impending catfight, "This isn't the place for this...!"

"BUTT OUT OF IT!" both girls snarled without taking their eyes off one another.

All at once the garbage can sitting to one side of the alley detached itself from the wall and came up behind Ukyo to embrace her as a high-pitched voice said, "I completely agree, my darling Ukyo! Ignore the two hussies, you don't need them, you have me!"

"GAK!" Ukyo reacted with alarm as she fought to break the hold of the arms currently sported by the trashcan, and with a hasty maneuver she shoved the can away from her, causing it to clatter and spill out its singular contents, which to all appearances was a brown haired girl in a light green dress.

"Ow!" this figure complained as "she" brushed the hair out of a face so effeminate and fair that it was even more Bishonen than Ukyo herself, "Ukyo-  
sama...that hurt!"

"Tsubasa?" Ukyo groaned, "Don't tell me you're come to Nerima? It just isn't fair...!"

"TSUBASA?" a pair of arched voices asked from directly behind her.

"Uh oh," Ukyo said as her eyes grew suddenly very wide indeed, and all at once she knew that this very strange life had just gotten infinitely more complicated...and potentially lethal! Given the way her karma was working at the moment, it was beginning to seem like a major miracle if she somehow managed to live to see another morning...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/What about Nabiki and why isn't she in this Chapter?

Shadowmane

(My apologies, I spent more time on the Kuonji section of this chapter than I had intended and so will have to postpone the scene between Ranma and Soun until later)

The Battle of the Tomboys gets into high gear while more of clan Hibiki make their appearance on the scene, and Nabiki has a sobering discussion with Lotion on the nature of personal Karma. The fireworks are about to begin anew, and you are cordially invited to attend the festivities, so won't you kindly be there?

Until next time!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	87. Chapter 87

NabikiRan83 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Eighty-Three.

A shimmering light painted the empty guest room ceiling as a shower of rose petals swirled and filled the air for a brief moment, heralding the arrival of a womanly form, who glided through the ceiling as smoothly as another might dive into a pool, resolving a moment later into her full manifest glory as she lifted her eyes and slowly scanned the space around her.

Peorth felt odd about visiting the home that she had abandoned a mere decade ago, rather like what one might feel to put on an old set of clothing that no longer quite fit right, but there was little more to be said as she took a moment to adjust to the balance of energies all around her, then opened her eyes again and began viewing the place as something other than a stranger.

Ten years...a long time for most mortals, a blink in the eye of the Gods, yet how much history was contained within these four walls, and attendant other chambers? She could remember living it all through the eyes of her host Template, the interminable delays of pregnancy, the pains of delivering the child, followed by the sweet torment of brining new life into the world and knowing all along that she would one day be forced to abandon it when the time came for her separation. Her decision to linger on a few more years had cost her points with the Central Office, and yet she regretted not a minute of the time that she had given to Kimiko, being dormant within the woman and yet fully aware of all that transpired, every heartfelt thought and desire experienced by both her and her Template, and the final agony that came when they had to surrender this home that they had made for their husband and children...

No, Peorth corrected herself, not her husband...Kimiko's husband. She could ill afford to think of him as hers, not while fulfilling her present mission took precedence over all else. There was a rift created by her actions, and as a Goddess First Class it was her duty to atone for her transgressions...

"See anything you like?"

"Oh?" Peorth turned around, startled that a mere mortal could sneak up on her unawares, but then the mortal she saw standing there was anything but ordinary.

"You guys aren't real big on knocking, are you?" Nabiki asked with a sardonic expression, "Not that you had to...I had a pretty strong sense that you'd be showing up sooner or later. We need to talk, you and me, and now seems like as good a time as any...Mother."

"Ah..." Peorth wilted slightly before the gaze of the apprenticed Lore Master, but there was no real hostility or accusation this time in Nabiki's facial expressions. Steadying herself with the reminder that this girl was still (at least technically) a mortal while she was a full fledged Goddess, Peorth drew a deep breath then sighed, "I think we do indeed, Ma Cheri. Forgive me that I did not stop by sooner but...I've been a bit busy doing research."

"About Akane," Nabiki replied, "Or the changes to this timeline?"

"Oh," the Rose Goddess said faintly, "You already know about that?"

"Urd told me that there had been some changes in chronology," Nabiki replied as she folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe, "I figured you could confirm what she's told me already about...the engagement going to Ranma and...my little sister."

"Akane?" Peorth smiled weakly, "Well...originally that was how it was meant to go, but now that this timeline has established itself and become firmly anchored in this present, there is no likelihood of changing it back to the way it would have been had...certain events not taken place in ways other than they were meant to."

"And you wouldn't happen to know how those changes were made, would you?" Nabiki asked, "Other than me changing my mind at the last instant and accepting the engagement."

"Well, that is the pivotal point of transition," Peorth revealed, "You were meant to have a very different destiny in the original plan, in point of fact you were going to wind up married to a man of the family of Kuno..."

"Tatewaki?" Nabiki could not hide her disgust, "Give me a break! I'd sooner kiss a snake."

"I've kissed worse things in my time," Peorth winced slightly, "Not all of them by choice. I am given to understand that the boy is a bit of a problem, owing to the fact that his mother was a rather unpleasant woman of my...of my Host's acquaintance named Hitome. In the past the Kuno boy was ill favored with a father and sister who were equally mad and drug crazed, and I don't blame you for thinking ill of his past antics, but he's a darling of Raiden, so what can you do about it?"

"You guys choose sides and play us like an Arcade game?" Nabiki asked.

"Oh no, we haven't done that in quite some time," Peorth replied, "In the old days it was customary for the followers of one God to pit their worshippers against one another, but now we all try to get along and abide by the policy of let bygones be bygones. Of course there is that game Toltir is running over several cross parallel timelines, but that's not really important..."

"Tachi's not as nutso as he used to be," Nabiki noted, "If anything he's gained a few dozen IQ points and had taken to running his own affairs like a feudal era warlord."

"I know," Peorth replied, "That's because he has made a pact with a member of the Demon Tribes, those who stand in opposition to our kind."

"Come again?" Nabiki asked, "You're saying Tatewaki is allied with a demon?"

"One who has unleashed his hidden potential and set him on the path that he now follows," Peorth revealed, "I don't have too many of the details, but the crux of it is that Demons make bargains with mortals, just as we Goddesses are in the business of granting wishes and our divine favors. Our quarrel with them is very ancient, for Demons love to sew mischief and anarchy to undermine the system, while we seek to keep and maintain the balance of the established order, mainly under the auspices of Kami-Sama."

"Who is like the Chief Executive Officer of the company you work for?" Nabiki asked, putting the matter in terms that she found easier to comprehend.

"Yes, exactly," Peorth confirmed, "Only we're in the business of Life itself. We govern our quarter of Heaven and administer to the needs of those who petition us for redress. Not every mortal is granted a wish, of course...the decision is made by Yggdrasil, the Universal Computer, which decided to grant your mother's request to live long enough to see the birth of her third daughter."

"Which same you extended to last a full seven years," Nabiki concluded for the Goddess, "Which was also bending the rules a bit, which is why you wound up in hot water with your Kami-Sama."

"Yes, I admit I did meddle where I should have limited my stay," Peorth's expression softened, "But at the time I did not think that I was overstaying my welcome...not if it allowed me to see you grow a few more years and to enjoy that time with your father."

Nabiki saw the soft petition in the eyes of the goddess and felt her own reserve begin to crumble. Looking away to steady herself she said, "I'm not saying I'm blaming you for the way things turned out, but...couldn't you have found a better way to leave us? You have any idea what Mom's death did to Daddy, me and my sisters?"

Peorth sighed, "Perhaps not, and perhaps I never truly will, but you know it was not my desire to hurt any of you. Call it the law of unintended consequences, or whatever you may like, but believe me when I say that it hurt me more to leave you than you could ever hope to know, unless you become a parent. You are the children I have never had the privilege of raising on my own...mainly because I...have never quite found the right sort of man...at least a man of my own who did not belong to another..." she glanced away and for a moment her expression was infinitely sad, but finally she managed to say, "In a way I see you still as my daughters, and while I may seem to have abandoned you, I have never truly forgotten what it felt like to tuck you in at night and sing you lullubies. Whenever one of you was sad or skinned a knee or had reason to cry it was as if my own heart was weeping. Think what you will of me, ma Cheri, the memory of what that felt like will live in me forever."

Despite herself Nabiki was affected by the sight of tears in the eye of the Goddess, and it was only by steeling herself against the urge to go over and hug the Goddess that she was able to say, "I believe you...Mother."

"I...don't really have a right to be called that," Peorth said sadly, "Your mother was my Template, and for a time I lived within her in order to walk among you. Most of the time we Goddesses are confined to our own celestial world, which parallels this world on a higher level of being, similar to the Astral plane but more like an Elemental plane of light. I could not begin to describe what it is like living there...it is beautiful beyond imagination...but for all of that there is such wonder to be found among you mortals. If you but knew the potential that lies buried within you..." she paused, then managed to smile at Nabiki, "But then you will know at least that much in time since you are on the path towards becoming a Lore Master."

Nabiki fought for control once again, remembering belatedly her purpose for seeking out the Goddess, "I was wondering if you could confirm something else for me. I did a little...research after my encounter with Urd last night. The names Urd and Skuld come up as two of the three names of the Norn goddesses of Fate in Nordic mythology..."

"Whereas Belldandy is the equivalent to Verandi," Peorth smiled, "Yes, I know all about that, and before you ask about their origins, I will confirm that there is a connection."

"A connection?" Nabiki repeated.

"You have noted that Urd and Belldandy do not appear to be native Japanese," Peorth noted, "While Skuld does. The truth is that they each had different mothers but share the same father, Susanowa the Sea God, the current Kami-Sama."

"Come again?" Nabiki asked, "The CURRENT Kami-Sama?"

"Not much up on religion, are you?" Peorth smiled, lifting an elegant finger, "The Japanese Heaven is ruled by three Major Gods, each of whom take turns playing out the role of Kami-Sama according to a complex schedule of time and season. The first is the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omikami, the second is her brother, Tsukiyomi, the Moon God, and third is Susanowa, the Lord of Storms and God of the Seas. In the beginning of all things when Japan was young and freshly conquered from the Ainu these three divided up the world between them, each ruling their separate quarter as an independent fiefdom, subject to the will of the Celestial Overlord, who is enigmatic and mysterious beyond the ways of Gods and Mortals. Then around about the end of the ancient Feudal period, when Japan had been torn apart by generations of war, and the Gods had fought numerous battles against the tribes of the demons, it was decided that everyone and everything would come under the dominion of the triune powers, the Three who would each take turns holding the office of Kami-Sama."

"This was in the Tokugawa period?" Nabiki asked.

"Precisely," Peorth smiled as if to reward the mortal girl for being clever, "Iyetsu's reforms were the inspiration for establishing a new system, one that operated on the principal that Japan would remain apart from the world beyond our shores. It was in this time that even we Gods came to view ourselves as being at the center of all creation...imagine our surprise when the outside world eventually came knocking back at our doorstep."

"Let me guess," Nabiki said, "You guys had to initiate a new reform to the system."

"Exactly as it was for you," Peorth replied, "In the Meiji restoration period. Unfortunately Hachiman gained prominence shortly after this and launched a period of Militarism that was supposed to make Japan a world power. That period ended during the last great war, and ever since that time things have been run on a more-or-less business like level."

"And you run things now through the use of a Super Computer?" Nabiki asked skeptically.

"The most powerful ever invented," Peorth replied, "A wonderful timesaving invention, spares us from having to worry ourselves about the tedious day-to-day affairs of watching every leaf fall and attending to the chirruping of every single cricket. The Ultimate Force program keeps things in balance on a Karmic level, and day-to-day functions are attended to by separate divisions, freeing we Goddesses to attend to those special details that sometimes fall between the cracks."

"So what has this got to do with the origins of the Goddesses?" Nabiki persisted.

"Ah yes," Peorth remarked, "As I said they each had different mothers but the same father. Urd was born in a time when the world was in a very violent and primitive state and many things were done that would be unthinkable in our days. Belldandy grew up in more enlightened times when civilization was at a high point and ladies were taught good manners and refinement. In a sense we are close to the same age, and we were even classmates together attending the same rectification course when we both were initiated into the new system. Of course she had a foreign mother, a Goddess from the cold North with whom Susanowa was briefly affianced."

"You make it sound as if you people live your lives in direct parallel to the way things are done in the mortal world," Nabiki fathomed.

"An excellent way of putting it, ma Cheri," Peorth smiled, "We Goddesses periodically have to renew ourselves in order to remain relevant to the working structure of your world, so in a way we have our own form of rebirth and reincarnation. Of course we are closer to the source of all that governs the cosmos, so things happen in a larger scale, commensurate with the fact that there are only a few thousand of us to several score millions of you."

"So...who was your father?" Nabiki asked.

"I am Tsukiyomi's child," Peorth smiled, "My mother was an Earth spirit of the forest, hence my close association with roses. I have a half-sister named Kagura Rei Rei, who is the patron of lost and forlorn relationships. I myself prefer to become involved in helping Mortals achieve their innermost desires...of course I'm both gratified and disappointed to know that I need do little to help you out in that department, seeing as you are far closer to achieving your aims than most young people your age."

"Ah..." Nabiki replied, coloring herself to a pretty rose-cheeked hue.

"As you have noted," Peorth resumed, "The names of the three goddesses closely parallel their Norse counterparts, which is only to be expected as their father believed that filling a niche was important to the new order. Borrowing a page from the Norse pantheon, he gave his three daughters an aspect of the principle of Fate so that one became guardian of the Past while the others are of the present and the future. In recent times all three became System Guardians of the Universal Computer, Yggdrasil...however, all three goddesses have found themselves residing on the Earth Plane due to a curious set of circumstances the like of which even I find perplexing."

"How did it happen?" Nabiki asked, "How did Belldandy wind up engaged to a mortal like Keiichi?"

"Morisato Keiichi," Peorth began, glancing away with a somewhat pained expression, "Is a very rare and exceptional fellow...again for reasons that in part escape me. Belldandy's involvement with him was work of serendipity more than fate. She once traveled through time to meet him centuries before their first official meeting, and this created a paradox that caused them some trifling difficulties. Belldandy, as you may have noted, is an exceptionally bright and obedient young girl, but on this one occasion she did something that she was not supposed to do and used her father's Temporal Mirror to find the one to whom she would one day give her heart. She appeared to the child Keiichi as a young girl his own age and became friends with the boy...all innocent of the consequences, of course. When her father found out he was very angry and ordered her to seal the boy's memories, erasing all trace of her first visitation. It would not be until the modern era that she would see him again, after which time even a Goddess's memories could stray, and she fell in love with the boy after he made a wish that bound them both together."

"You have a problem with that, don't you?" Nabiki asked, "You want the boy yourself...is he really that special?"

"You tell me," Peorth replied without looking towards Nabiki, "You've met him."

Nabiki thought a moment before she answered, "I can't say that I see the attraction, other than the fact that he seems to be a pretty nice guy, but on the whole I didn't notice anything exceptional about him."

"That was what I thought too," Peorth gave Nabiki a wistful smile, "When I first met him...but then again, it is always a mistake for us to underestimate you mortals."

Nabiki shook her head, "I don't know...Mom. For beings who are supposed to be so powerful and intelligent..."

"It can be a little humbling to meet us in the flesh, so to speak," Peorth finished for her, "And yet also disappointing. You were expecting something more cosmically dazzling, weren't you? Well, you can thank the Covenant for the fact that you are spared viewing us in all our glorious magnificence. We seal the main bulk of our powers with these," she pointed to the elaborate earrings that she was wearing, "For without them our vast powers might overwhelm the mortal world. By toning things down a bit it becomes easier for us to relate to you, and yet we remain an order of intelligence as far above you as you are above the Chimpanzee..."

"That's debatable," a voice almost identical to that of the Goddess mused softly as Silk walked into the room wearing only a plain silk Kimono.

"Ah...there was an awkward moment of silence as the elaborately dressed Peorth shared looks with the Lore Master who bore her such a close resemblance. Nabiki could not help looking from one woman to the other as if needing to confirm in her own mind that she was not seeing double, but at length the Goddess relaxed somewhat and said, "Silk, isn't it? I vaguely remember running into you once..."

"So glad to see you haven't fully forgotten," Silk replied in a deceptively easy manner.

Peorth inclined her head and regarded her double before smiling as she said, "Remarkable resemblance...of course you don't have one tenth of my beauty..."

"Or your modesty it seems," Silk replied, still effecting pose of relaxed caution.

"And what do I have to be modest about, hmmm?" Peorth mused, "I didn't slink away without telling my boyfriend that I was pregnant. I take it that you're here hoping to rekindle your relation with Soun-chan..."

"Well, why not?" Silk asked, "I had him first."

"Hmph," the Goddess scowled, "Not that it's any of my business, but do you think playing on his sympathies for fathering your child you and resembling his late wife are sufficient grounds for renewing a relationship?"

"Not at all," Silk replied, "I gave Soun fair warning of my intentions shortly after I arrived here, but he didn't send me away or attempt to discourage me in any way. I took that to mean that he would not mind if I courted him all over. I could well have claimed him at any time merely by effecting to lose to him in a fight, but I would rather the decision is his to make, rather than have that decision be made for him."

"An Amazon with scruples?" Peorth arched an auburn-haired eyebrow, "Now I've heard everything."

"How is that more remarkable than a Goddess envying a mortal for his choice of bedmates?" Silk countered reasonably, "Are you here to stake out your own claim? Because if so, then Goddess you may be, but you won't have him without a struggle."

"An interesting proposal," Peorth mused, "But you needn't fear, I'm not here to interfere in either of your love-lives. I leave that particular form of meddling to Urd and her potions."

"Good," Silk replied, "Then you are welcome to come visit us as a guest, but have a care that you do not awaken memories of his late wife in Soun-chan. He has barely begun to recover from the grief that drove him into a lasting bout of manic depression."

"Ah..." Peorth wilted a little, "He took it that bad, eh? Well...not too surprising, I am pretty hard to forget..."

"Not that some of us don't try a lot harder," Silk finished for her.

"Grrr..." Peorth snarled, baring her teeth slightly, only to have her expression go blank as a male voice was heard in the hallway.

"Silk, is that you in there?" asked Soun a moment before he stepped in through the doorway.

Nabiki blinked her eyes as she saw the Goddess literally flow through the nearest wall, vanishing from view before her father could detect Peorth's presence. All unknowing and unsuspecting of what had just transpired, Soun turned to Silk and said, "I was wondering if you could help me, I'm trying to locate something that I seem to have misplaced in our room. It's...oh, hello, Nabiki."

Nabiki was not so rattled by the comings and goings of Peorth that she failed to detect the rapid change in her father's expression, as if the elder Tendo were deliberately trying to conceal something from her notice. Soun having an admittedly lousy Poker Face, Nabiki guessed that whatever her father was looking for related to her in some mysterious manner, but at the moment she was at a loss as to how exactly she might go about pressing him for details.

"Oh?" Silk eyed her man with a curious expression, and then a knowing look crossed her elegant features and her smile deepened, "Why of course...I'd be only too happy to help you locate what you are looking for. You should have mentioned it to me sooner."

"What?" Nabiki asked, her curiosity sharply increased by the sense that the Lore Master knew something that she didn't.

"Oh, nothing of any great importance...yet," Silk smiled mysteriously, "But you'll find out all about it later."

"What's wrong with now?" Nabiki scowled in growing frustration.

"Er, nothing," Soun said, taking Silk by the hand and drawing her with him out of the room, "I'll be going out in a little bit, so tell Kasumi to save my part of dinner until later. Don't wait up for me, I'll be seeing you later."

"Later?" Nabiki blinked, "What...?"

"Oh my," said Peorth as she reappeared at Nabiki's side, startling the mortal girl as she cooed affectionately, "My little girls are all growing up and getting married. And to think that I've been denied this part of your lives until now..."

"What the heck is going on here?" Nabiki demanded, trying to conceal her surprise by masking it with her frustration, "Do you know what they're up to?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Peorth regarded Nabiki with a sardonic expression, "I should think even an Apprenticed Lore Master could see from the coy way those two were behaving that it has something to do with you getting married."

"It...does?" Nabiki swallowed.

"That Silk is a fast mover," Peorth sounded almost admiring of this fact, "She already assumed many of the functions of a mother in this whole affair...I hope you're not too resentful about that. I'm sure she means well...for a mortal."

"Ah...okay," Nabiki said with a dubious expression.

"How I envy her," Peorth sighed, "A mortal she is, yet she can start anew, where I am forbidden to reacquaint myself with your father...such a pity. I wouldn't mind at all becoming your Mother in fact and not just by proxy. You'll make such a lovely bride when it comes time for you to take your place beside your man at the altar."

"Bride?" Nabiki squeaked, the word causing her eyes to nearly double in size as she looked slightly panicked.

"Ah, developing cold feet are we?" Peorth grinned affectionately, "Perhaps I will petition the Agencies in charge to permit your real mother to make a visitation before the wedding so that she can give you her official blessings."

"My-My M-mother?" Nabiki stuttered, caught herself, coughed to clear her throat and began again, "You...you can...do that?"

"Of course," Peorth reassured her, "I am a Goddess, and what's the point of being divine if you can't occasionally bend the rules now and then, especially if it means helping you to find the courage you need to go through with part of this arrangement. Your real mother had a warrior's soul, and she would have liked nothing less than to be with you on the day you officially came a real woman. Consider it partial repayment from me for not being here when you truly needed me. It is the very least that I can do for someone whom I very much wish that I could claim for a daughter in fact. You remind me so much of myself when I was your age..." the Goddess fanned herself as she looked away with a far-off expression, "How long ago that seems...hundreds of years, but it's barely a lifetime..."

Nabiki stared at the Goddess in silence for a very long time, so much so that Peorth returned her look with a knowing comprehension, but then Peorth looked away and said, "Oh my...how the time flies, and I've almost overstayed my allotment. I came here looking for Akane, would you happen to know where I might find her?"

"Ah..." Nabiki said, "I don't really know at the moment, I don't keep track of her movements..."

"Not your sister's Keeper, eh?" Peorth smiled then touched Nabiki's brow with a forefinger, "Not to worry, and just relax. You have abilities that you have yet to learn how to use, and one of these talents can prove quite useful as a location finder...ah! There she is. I'll be seeing you again, Daughter, when you least expect it."

And then she vanished through the floor, fading through a portal of light that formed beneath her feet and vanished as soon as the Goddess had departed.

Nabiki blinked her eyes and rubbed her forehead, "That was...weird..."

"Indeed," Lotion observed, eyeing her with mild concern, "How are you feeling, child?"

"Fine, I..." Nabiki paused, glancing over her shoulder, "How soon did you get here?"

"As soon as I sensed the disturbances surrounding you," Lotion replied as she emerged from the shadows, "One doesn't mark the passage of a being like her without caution. I sensed that you had very weighty issues to discuss between you and thought to respect your privacy on this one occasion."

"So you don't know what we just discussed?" Nabiki eyed her mentor suspiciously.

"I didn't say that," Lotion smiled, "So how are you feeling?"

"Weird," Nabiki turned to fully confront her mentor, "You've been holding back on me."

"Oh?" the ancient Lore Master arched a gray eyebrow, "In what way?"

"You've known all along that somebody switched the timelines so that I would wind up with Ranma instead of Akane," Nabiki said in mild accusation.

"Ah," Lotion nodded sagely, "That."

"So you admit it," Nabiki said in confirmation.

"I do," Lotion replied, "But until now I did not think it best to raise the subject, at least not until you were ready. It would appear that Urd was able to get access to your classified records and discovered the temporal phenomenon that has created many subtle and significant changes to this timeline, only some of which I have been able to glean in my meditations."

"Such as?" Nabiki asked her.

"Aside from you losing out with Ranma but finding a love in the man known as Tatewaki?" Lotion replied, "I know that you are not the only one who would have made sacrifices in the pursuit of true love."

"You mean like Ranma and Akane driving each other crazy?" Nabiki frowned.

"They're was a love-hate relationship with many stormy moments, yes," the old woman nodded.

"And what about Shampoo?" Nabiki asked with more concern.

"Dishonored and disgraced," Lotion replied, "She was banished from her tribe for failing to obey their laws and had to make her way in the world as a single woman without a husband. Certainly that was a better outcome than on some worlds where she commits suicide to preserve her family's honor."

"SUICIDE?" Nabiki all but shouted.

"You needn't be so alarmed," Lotion said, "That isn't going to be happening here, not as things are progressing on this timeline. It is rather like the case of Kuonji Ukyo, who also would have lost out on love and been forded to undergo years of remorse and regret. On some worlds she picked Ranma up on the fly after he divorced your sister, and in other timelines she finds love in another man's arms...or even a woman in certain timelines..."

"That's not so different from here," Nabiki admitted, "And what about Kasumi?"

"Either she would have married Doctor Tofu or found her way on a different path of destiny, but what matters any of this? Your world is here, and you are well grounded into your future."

"Maybe so," Nabiki said reluctantly, "But I just can't get over the idea that this wasn't supposed to happen. Are you saying that somebody deliberately changed the timeline to make it possible for me to fall for and marry Ranma?"

"I do indeed," Lotion replied, "And I have been studying that question for quite some time now and have arrived at some rather startling conclusions."

"Such as?" Nabiki held her breath in expectation.

"For one thing," Lotion began, "I am positive that the one who changed the past was a Lore Master...and a very powerful one skilled in the art of manipulating the currents of time and destiny, which is a good deal more powerful than even I can attest."

"Somebody more powerful than you?" Nabiki asked in alarm, "Like...who?"

"Like you for one," Lotion's eyes held Nabiki fast as she emphasized the words carefully and precisely, "You are the one who altered the timeline...or rather a version of you who hails from the future."

There was a long pause before Nabiki replied, "You're kidding...ME?"

"And no other," Lotion affirmed with unshakable conviction.

"B-but why?"

"A very good question," Lotion replied, "Perhaps when you meet yourself one of these days you might well ask her. I am certain that it will be a most enlightening conversation..."

Ranma was holding an ice-pack to his head as he tried to remember just how he had managed to lose consciousness while taking a bath earlier in the day. He remembered enjoying a good soak in the Furo, thinking about changing into his good clothes so that he could pay another visit to the Tendo dojo, and idly wondered what Nabiki might be wearing when she greeted him that evening.

Imagine his surprise when the water had suddenly bubbled and boiled before a circle of light took form, and up through the gap had floated this crazy chick with a mallet?

Okay, it wasn't fair to compare that girl to the Tomboy, he admitted, but she had sure acted like Akane when she took a good look at her surroundings, then happened to notice him gawking up at her in amazement. Ranma remembered seeing the mallet grow large before his vision, and then felt an explosion go off in his head as his vision was obscured with trees and planets, and then he lost consciousness and quite possibly was dreaming. He had an odd sense of being in his cursed form while chasing a rabbit down a hole, but from there the details became thankfully hazy. He had a sneaking hunch it was one of those erotic wet dreams that he had been experiencing lately and if he had remembered the details it would most probably have led to a nose bleed.

Ranma opened his eyes, finding the still-unfamiliar bareness of his room greeted his senses. The pain in his head was fading gradually, but as even he knew better than to risk his gray matter with a probable concussion, he decided to take it easy and not sit upright until he was certain that he was ready.

"Damned Tomboys and their mallets..." he muttered softly.

"Tell me about it."

Ranma's eyes went wide and he turned his head to see the figure sitting near at hand smiling down at him with comradely affection, "U-Ucchan?"

"Got it in one, Ranchan," the Chef nodded, "Don't bother sitting up on my account. Just rest a bit more and let that legendary Saotome healing factor of yours kick in."

"What are you doing here, Ucchan?" Ranma asked.

"Nice to see you too," she sniffed in reply.

"Ah..." Ranma said a bit lamely, "That...didn't come out the way I meant..."

"Never mind," Ukyo reassured him, "I just came by to talk and your Mom said you were up in your room resting. She tends to think of me as a boy, so she said it was all right for me to come up here and take my turn seeing you weren't in a full comma. By the way...who did this to you? I didn't think anybody could lay a hand on the great Saotome Ranma."

"Har-har," Ranma snorted, "I didn't get too good a look at her, but she surprised me while I was in the furo. I..." it suddenly occurred to Ranma that he wasn't wearing any clothing beneath the blankets that covered him as he lay upon his Tamati-mats, and since Ukyo WAS at the moment a girl he had a sudden urge to remain perfectly still, fearing that to do otherwise would be to risk serious trouble.

"Whoever she was, she must have been pretty good to catch you napping," Ukyo noted, then teased, "I hope she didn't try and take advantage of you while you were at her mercy, but if she did, then you can count on me to avenge your honor..."

"Very funny," Ranma sulked, then blinked, "Take advantage of me...?"

"You think some girls wouldn't attempt it," Ukyo snorted, "Take my word on it, some will!"

Ranma noticed for the first time that his childhood friend was currently sporting a black eye and looked as if she had been dragged through some bushes, and in concern he asked, "Where'd you get the shiner?"

"You like it?" Ukyo indicated the bruise in question, "Compliments of your favorite Tomboy and mine over a...misunderstanding we had a little while ago. I don't think she bought my explanation."

"What did you do to get her that worked up?" Ranma wondered before adding under his breath, "Not that it takes much to get on her bad side..."

"Let's just say it has to do with an old acquaintance of mine who dropped into town and made a lot of trouble between me, Akane and Makoto. It was all a big misunderstanding really, but before I could explain things to my two girlfriends, I got clobbered."

"I know the feeling," Ranma mused, and for a moment the two friends shared a private laugh together.

"So," Ukyo remarked after a moment of silence, "Guess we both know what it's like to be popular with the ladies."

"I guess."

"So how did we get so lucky?"

"Wish I knew, Ucchan," Ranma sighed, "I wish I knew..."

"At least your girlfriends wait to hear explanations," Ukyo winced as she felt along her chin, "Now I've gotta think of a way of making it up to the both of them, and dealing with a certain nuisance who's come back into my life. And here I was feeling sorry for you having to spend two weeks away from the Tendos."

"I appreciate that, Ucchan," Ranma felt good enough to sit upright, so he tried it and found his head did not hurt as much as before, "Wish I could help you out, but it's all I can do to keep up with Shampoo and Nabiki. This whole engagement business has got me to thinking..."

"A dangerous past time, or so I'm told," Ukyo sniffed.

"Yeah, well..." Ranma managed to fold his legs and sit on his bed, only to belatedly remember to cover up his waist as he glanced sheepishly at Ukyo, who pretended not to notice.

"What are you so worried about?" Ukyo asked as she studied the room with an amused smile upon her lips, "I've got one of those too, you know...or I do when I get hit with cold water. I'd even compare sizes with you sometime if you wanna know just what kind of a 'curse' I'm stuck with..."

"Ah..." Ranma swallowed, "No thanks."

"Suit yourself," Ukyo grinned, "Now you were saying?"

"Ah..." Ranma tried to remember what it was that he had been about to say the previous minute, then sighed, "Anyway, I guess the whole thing about this marriage business is that I was never exactly given a choice about it...it was like, 'BANG, you're Engaged, Saotome!' First Pop drags me to meet the Tendos, then Shampoo shows up and like an idiot I went and defeated her..."

"You're sorry about that?" Ukyo looked at him with surprise.

"Ah, no...actually," Ranma colored, "I'm not. Nabiki's great, and Shampoo..." he sighed, "Like you said...how did I get so lucky?"

"You three have been doing the bump and grind for a couple of weeks now," Ukyo noted, "So what does that feel like?"

"It's great," Ranma smiled, then more reluctantly added, "I never knew what it was that made guys go completely nuts over girls, but now I know that I could get used to doing that for the rest of my life. Shampoo's a good teacher, and Nabiki...wow...I can't put it into words. It's like nothing else I've ever done in my life...better even than Martial Arts..."

"Sex?" Ukyo raised both eyebrows.

"That...and it's just so wonderful holding them both..." Ranma sighed, "I get used to snuggling with a couple of warm bodies sharing a bed that can barely hold one of us. We're definitely gonna have to get a bigger bed when we do it full time, and one that can take real punishment, because I think we wore out the springs the other night..."

"You know that you are making me feel completely jealous," Ukyo said dryly.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, then belatedly realized what he had been saying, "Oh...yeah...ah...well..."

"I'm teasing you, Ranchan," Ukyo playfully cuffed him, "Don't take everything so literal and serious. Actually...I wanted to ask you something...seeing as we both share similar curses..."

"Uh...yeah?" Ranma asked cautiously.

"Well..." Ukyo began to wring her hands together as she seemed to be searching for the right wording, "You know I've pretended to be a boy for years and I've...never actually...done it with anyone before...I mean, I was hoping to meet the right guy one of these days...and then I met you and...ah, well...that isn't really what I'm here for, so don't worry."

"Oh?" Ranma swallowed.

"I don't want to make trouble between you, Shampoo or Nabiki," Ukyo assured, "What I want to know is...how do you make somebody happy? Somebody you care about, that is?"

"What?" Ranma asked, "What do you mean...?"

"It just that I've always thought of myself deep down as a regular girl who wanted a man to be my husband," Ukyo began, "It never even occurred to me until lately that I could have a relationship with another girl. I mean...I don't think myself as a pervert or a Lesbian just because I'm a...cross dresser..."

"But now you got a couple of girls who are interested in you, right?" Ranma hesitantly asked her.

"Right," Ukyo sighed, "And to my complete astonishment I'm finding out that I can feel the same way about them that they feel about me. Mako-chan came to me earlier and tried to seduce me...and the scary thing is that I almost let her."

"Whoah," Ranma remarked, "That's heavy."

"At first I thought it was because of my curse form," Ukyo said, "I mean...no offense, but being a guy must be real hell on you. You've got all these emotions and sensations that are so different from being a girl, I don't know how you can control yourselves half the time. No wonder many boys are such droolers."

"I'm not like that," Ranma said quietly.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Ranchan," Ukyo smiled, "But you're not exactly a normal guy, and most boys grow up wanting to ogle and fondle women. I know, I've spent enough time around boys that I've heard all the stories."

"So you're saying being a guy makes you act horny?" Ranma asked.

"No, I mean being a guy makes the horny part a lot harder to handle," Ukyo corrected, "Take me for example...I was seriously drawn to Makoto in a physical sense, but the feelings didn't go away when I changed back into a girl. I still wanted to screw her...just thinking about her now is making me feel so incredibly horny."

"You really like her, huh?" Ranma asked, seeing the fondness come over his old friend as Ukyo talked about Makoto.

"Oh yeah," Ukyo sighed, "I do...lots. Only...there's also Akane to consider, and I don't want to hurt her feelings...at least not anymore than I already have," she touched her eye for emphasis, "I think I've let her get closer to me than either of us imagined we could get, not counting that business with the Love Pearls. I like her too...which is more than a little scary."

"I'll bet," Ranma said, "Better you than me, though."

"Don't be like that," Ukyo chided, "You're also being mean to Akane, but she's not that bad a person. She tries real hard to make people like her, and just because she has a few problems is no reason to make her out to be some kind of a monster."

"I guess," Ranma replied, "You want her, you can have her. How can I help?"

"Well...you've been where I'm at," Ukyo said hesitantly, "How do you make it work? I mean...how do you keep two women happy at the same time without having them kill each other, and maybe me in the process?"

"Whoah, that is a toughie," Ranma sniffed, "I think it really is up to them, but if you want to know how to please a girl...all I can say is that you've gotta pay attention to them and their needs, but you can't ignore your needs too. It's kind of hard to balance them out, but if you're really into doing something then your enjoyment of it's gonna translate into how well you perform...I mean, if you pay attention to what's making them feel good, then you're gonna know that you're gonna enjoy it too, especially if it's something you know you'd enjoy as a girl...ah...am I making sense with all that?" he wilted slightly.

"Actually," Ukyo blinked her eyes, "That's almost like...profound. I never looked at it that way, but now that you mention it, if somebody were coming onto me..."

"What's this?" a voice asked archly, "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

"Eep?" Ranma started, "M-Mister Tendo?"

It was indeed the Tendo Patriarch standing as large as life in the now-opened doorway, eyes blazing as though he were about to manifest his fearsome "Demon Head" attack upon the half-naked boy whom he found in bed with a woman other than one of his daughters.

"RANMA!" Soun cried, "EXPLAIN YOURSELF! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS WOMAN IN YOUR BED?"

"I'm not in his bed, Tendo-san," Ukyo replied, "And we're just making out like lovers."

"URK!" Ranma wilted, looking like he wanted to find a rock to crawl under.

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Soun looked like he was about to blow a gasket.

"Relax, Mister Tendo, I was just kidding," Ukyo straightened up, "I've got my clothes on and I've only just been here for a short time. Nothing happened between Ranchan and me, and nothing was about to happen either. I give you my word as a Kuonji that I wasn't here to try and seduce him."

"Then why are you here?" Soun asked, his tone ratcheted down to the level of simmering suspicion.

"If you must know, I had to ask Ranchan a personal question," Ukyo replied as she headed for the door, her mood considerably more cheerful than anyone had seen in her for a long time, "And now that he's given me his advice I'm gonna go put it into practice. Now please excuse me, Tendo-san, there are some people I need to see, and two of them are my potential girlfriends."

Soun blinked his eyes several times as the Chef made her way past him and out into the hallway. He turned a questioning look towards his prospective son-in-  
law, seeing only a blank look in Ranma's eyes, which prompted Soun to ask, "You gave her advice?"

"Uh...I guess," Ranma said dubiously, wondering what he had just said that could effect such a positive mood change in his friend and fellow curse victim, "You...uh...wanted to ask me a question, Mister Tendo?"

Soun blinked again until his brain hit the "Reset" button and he remembered the reason for which he had come to the Saotome house. He stepped fully into he room and said, "Son...I want to know the truth, do you care about Nabiki?"

"Er...what?" it was Ranma's turn to blink.

"My daughter deserves the happiness that can come from a good and stable marriage," Soun began again, "And it is important for me to know that you will take her to the altar with the intent of providing for her the love and support that she needs from the man whom she will marry. Until now I have been content that you honor the pledge that your father made to me when you were born, a pledge that I am happy to see that you have been willing to honor...but now comes the time when every father must ask seriously if this is your will and not just something performed out of duty."

"Oh..." Ranma replied, feeling somewhat awkward as he returned the look of the older man, then said as solemnly as he could, "It's not just duty, Sir...I do care about your daughter, and Nabiki...she's the woman for me. I didn't know this at first, but in the time since I've gotten to know her, I've decided that I want to go ahead and do this."

"And what about Shampoo?" Soun asked without giving a hint to his mood or pleasure.

Ranma's chin grew firm, "I've made a commitment to her also, sir, and she's having my baby. I won't abandon her, and neither will Nabiki."

"And that's your final decision on the matter?" Soun's tone hinted of anger.

"It's my decision, sir," Ranma replied, his own face showing the stubborn pride of the Saotomes.

"Good," Soun's expression softened, "Then I can count on you to do the right thing with both women. I'm not happy about having a three way engagement, but you seem to be thriving well enough, and I can see that Nabiki is very happy with the both of you. You decision does you honor, son, and so I want to give something to you so that you can show Nabiki how serious you are about the marriage."

"Sir?" Ranma asked with a raised eyebrow.

Soun pulled a small object out of his pocket and then approached Ranma, sinking down to his knees before he solemnly bowed and presented the object before Ranma, his behavior like a Samurai giving a gift to a peer rather than an adult to a younger warrior. The object lay there on the floor as Soun eased back and then assumed a sitting posture.

Ranma stared at the object, a small box-like shape whose purpose even he could not fail to comprehend. With great deliberation he reached out to pick up the box, and then he opened it to find a diamond studded ring set in a styrofoam holder.

"It's an engagement ring, Son," Soun explained, "I gave it to her mother, and now I ask that you give it to Nabiki. May it bring you both as close together as it did for my wife and me. I am sure that Nabiki will be proud to wear her mother's ring, and I know her mother would be proud to see her wear it."

"Sir..." Ranma felt an odd swell of emotion that almost brought tears to his eyes, but he fought of the urge stubbornly, unwilling to behave in an unmanly fashion before his prospective father-in-law. Instead he bowed to Soun, momentarily releasing his grip on his bedsheets, though the older man polite gave no hint of noticing, his own eyes full of tears that he did not hesitate to shed as he returned the bow, then straightened.

"I know that you will do everything in your power to make my little girl happy," Soun said before he rose back to his feet, "Choose a good time to give that to Nabiki, one that she will remember well into your twilight years. Remember, the future is in your hands to shape, so guard it well. That's all that I came to say...the rest is up to you...Ranma."

"Tendo-san?" Ranma said, pausing as the older man was in the process of turning away and exiting his bedroom.

"Yes my boy?" Soun asked.

"Thank you," Ranma nodded, "I'll make you proud of me, I promise."

"I already am, my boy," Soun smiled as he made he exit.

Ranma stared for a long time at the ring in his hand, feeling the gravity of everything it represented, and then his resolve firmed and he closed the box and set it to one side. He rose from his bed and got dressed, pocketing the ring box and intending to safeguard it until he could present it to Nabiki.

It was almost time for dinner, but once he ate he intended to be on his way for their nightly rendezvous, which seemed to his way of thinking to be an excellent time to give a ring to Nabiki. He stepped out into the hallway and was almost to the stairs when he heard his father's voice call from behind him, "Ranma?"

"Yeah Pop?" Ranma asked as he glanced back over his shoulder.

The older Saotome tossed something at him that Ranma caught by reflex, which turned out to be a box almost identical to the one Soun had given him. In surprise Ranma found another ring, somewhat different from the first, which made him stare in disbelief at the man who so closely resembled his father, but who could not possibly be Saotome Genma.

"Where did you get this?" he asked in suspicion.

"It belongs to your mother," Genma said, "And I'm giving it to you. It was her engagement ring, and I thought you should have it."

"To give to Nabiki?" Ranma asked.

"No," Genma adjusted his glasses, "I was thinking more that you should be giving that one to Shampoo. I wasn't going to say so in front of Soun, but it's a bad idea to give a present to one girl and ignore another...take my word on that one."

Ranma still was having trouble placing the man before him with the fat fool he had known for over ten years as his father, and he could not keep the suspicion from his voice as he said, "I'm surprised you didn't pawn this thing off, Old Man."

"Not for lack of effort," Genma said, "But your mother was a bit too clever for me and I never could find out where she hid it. She gave it to me about an hour ago and said I should give it to you, and you should know by now that I never do anything that could get me in trouble with your Mother."

"Nothing she can catch you in the act at," Ranma clarified.

"Exactly," the light gleamed off his father's glasses as Genma smiled, "That's how I've lived this long. Take my advice and do the same thing with your wives and you'll be a lot more healthy."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ranma reluctantly conceded as he pocketed the second ring next to the other, "I'd hate to get Shampoo mad at me...and Nabiki..." he shuddered, remembering the cold glare that he sometimes earned from his iinazuke whenever he did something to displease her.

"You're growing up fast, Boy," Genma said, "But there's a lot of life you've yet to live through, and when you get to be my age you'll finally understand what it means to be a father. Maybe then you won't think so bad of me and what I had to do in order to raise you."

"Maybe," Ranma said, straightening up, "We'll see."

"First order of business," Genma nodded, "We don't keep your mother waiting. After you finish helping her out with the dishes you can go and get yourself properly engaged to your fianc es."

"Makes sense to me," Ranma replied as he headed back towards the stairs, vaulting the entire length in a single bound and landing near-noiselessly at the bottom, feeling the weight of adult responsibility begin to settle upon his shoulders, but with one remarkable difference.

This time he was choosing to shoulder those responsibilities, to do the right thing without hesitation or regret. He may not have chosen his path that his parents had set him upon, but he was becoming an adult now, and with that knowledge he was beginning to see that not all choices were fatal ones, and that whatever became of his future was his to create with his labors.

All he needed to see the future through were Shampoo and Nabiki...nothing else mattered half so much in his life, and upon his sacred honor he intended to make them his...or perish in the attempt. He would not make the mistakes of Old Man in building his future and he would make everyone proud with his conduct, ESPECIALLY when it came to becoming a father!

If only the mental word "Father" suddenly popping into his head didn't make his knees turn to jelly just as he rounded a corner, causing him to lose his balance as he went tumbling onto the floor, sending him rumbling into the sink area where his collision caused a tumbler full of water to overbalance onto his head, triggering his transformation into his girl form.

"Ranma?" Nodoka turned around, "You should be more careful when you go running in the house. Well, now that you're a girl you can help me by helping toss the salad, after which you can serve the fried noodles to your father. Oh my...this is so much fun having a son who can also double as a daughter..."

Ranma-chan looked up from where she lay in a heap, contemplating the injustices of the Universe at large which often seemed to behave as if the Powers that Be had a wicked sense of humor.

If only his dignity could survive the whims of Kami-Sama he just might be able to make it through to see his actual wedding...

Continued.

Comment/Criticisms/Celestial Programming and the Software of the Gods:

shadowmane

Things are in motion for the gang from Nerima and the situation is fluid (They're up a creek!), but what scheme has Ukyo in mind to reconcile things between her, Makoto and Akane, and will Ranma actually get to deliver his rings to his own fiancees? And what about the rest of clan Hibiki on their way for their first-ever family reunion? The answer to these and other questions will be pending, but meanwhile stay tuned for our next chapter for more fun, adventure and mischief...so be there! I promise you it won't be boring...

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	88. Chapter 88

NabikiRan84 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Eighty-Four.

Kennou had managed to find herself in many strange and curious situations, but none recently could compare to the bizarre forced captivity that she was presently undergoing. Bad enough that Oni woman kept her confined in some weird place tucked out of sight in one corner of the dojo, but to bring her out so that she could share in the family communal dinner, and all under the watchful eyes of that half-toned bitch with the red eyes who was playing her guard dog warden, made the seeming pleasantries of a home cooked meal into a truly strange experience, and stranger still were the people who dined with her!

For prime example, the two main hostesses who cooked the meals and served them were abnormally nice to her, expressing their concerns even as they lavished huge platters full of piping hot food that smelled so incredibly good that it made Kennou's mouth water and her eyes as wide as saucers. She was even allowed to eat to her heart's content with no complaint about her manners, even when her seconds turned into thirds and the dishes began to pile up in front of her. Truly she had never eaten this good in her life, and yet with no hidden price tag involved it made her suspicious that maybe they were fattening her up for some sinister purposes later.

To be certain there was absolutely no indication of foul intent that could be discerned in either the Witch or this Kasumi person. Both were very pleasant eating companions who kept to their own and only randomly asked probing questions of Kennou, which-much to her own surprise-she sometimes answered without thinking. They asked her a lot of personal questions, but nothing too personal or embarrassing, such as whether or not she had a boyfriend!

In truth it was Kasumi who disturbed Kennou more than that Chinese mystic who called herself an Amazon. Kennou had never encountered such a relentlessly nice person before, and it set her teeth on edge to think on how this girl was so close to sainthood that she reminded her of one of those plaster Saints at the Orphanage where she had so briefly stayed while the government found her a more permanent arrangement. Kasumi had a kind heart and a gentle manner that asked nothing in return from a person but that they adhere to a policy of good manners around the dinner table.

The one flaw in the girl's armor that Kennou noted was Kodachi, the dark haired girl whose manners suggested a very different sort of personality, one steeped in mischief and darker humors than anything one might normally associate with the older Tendo girl, yet who seemed to follow Kasumi around like a faithful wet-nosed puppy, ever eager to please and help out, as though the oldest of three sisters was her private Lord and Master or something. Kennou had been around enough to know that these two were a couple of Lezzies, but neither one exactly conformed to her mental images on that subject, being both far too feminine in appearance and manners to be anything but favorably contrasted with some of the Bull Dykes that Kennou had sometimes run across.

Kodachi was the sort of person who set Kennou's teeth on edge, especially when she laughed about something or other, creating a noise that was fundamentally disturbing. A rich girl, snooty and snobbish in her manners, looking down her nose at those whom she considered her social inferiors, was exactly the type of person on whom Kennou enjoyed dishing out punishment, but some warning instinct cautioned her not to take the other girl too lightly. Watching Kodachi work out in the dojo, demonstrating her martial arts gymnastic skills, told Kennou that she would be a tricky opponent, one steeped in dirty dealings who would not hesitate to use duplicity and deception in order to win a fight, which was at least something Kennou could respect if not actually admire. It was gratifying to see this proud girl freely humble herself around someone like Kasumi, though her worshipful act could at times get a little nauseating.

And then there was the Lord of this household, if one could call him that! A strong martial artist by training, he could prove to be such an appalling wimp at times that it made Kennou's eyes appreciably widen. The women at the table seemed to know that he was a pushover and cheerfully ran the affairs of the house with only token acknowledgement of his Lord-rights. That aptly named Silk was the smoothest one by far, flattering the man's ego even as she led him by the nose in conversations. When the two of them sparred together they went at it like cats and dogs, fighting ferociously as if to establish which of them was the top hen or rooster in the hen coup, but after their sparring was over they were all affections and niceness to each other, and while they were not actually married they had the manner of Newlyweds, which made Kennou feel even more like an outsider.

And then there was the Hibiki woman, who insisted that she was Kennou's older sister, which justified her current treatment of the blonde haired Hibiki. Kennou did not know what to make of her "Big Sis," having learned almost immediately upon her arrival that Atsuko was not actually a full-blooded human being. Kennou had never believed the legends of the Oni until she actually had met one, and yet for all the obvious fact that Atsuko was one of the Japanese Ogres normally conjured up to frighten small children, she behaved in a manner that was at times surprising human. A bit slow witted in places, but with sufficient street smarts to keep Kennou on her guard and wary. Not only was Atsuko an obviously superior fighter but she had the power to cast convincing illusions that could not be discerned from reality and even bent the normal rules of time and space to fit her billing.

Kennou counted Atsuko as her official jailer and vowed to keep her eye on the Oni woman until she better understood the situation. It would be folly to underestimate the older woman until Kennou had a better idea of how her powers worked and what would be needed to counteract her illusions. That Atsuko had also promised to reintroduce Kennou to their mutual father was another reason to wait and bide her time, just on the off-chance she seriously meant it, though the mere thought of seeing her father again...left Kennou feeling more than mild trepidation.

Of considerably more concern and alarm was Kennou's alleged "Nephew," the boy whom she had fought and mistakenly believed was Saotome Ranma. Ryoga was polite, differential, considerate and more than a bit thick-witted with a hide as thick as tanned leather and a temper even more volatile than Kennou's. A powerful fighter whose knowledge of the art exceeded her own grasp, Kennou had reason to respect him as a fellow warrior, but as a man...he was a little too pussy-whipped for her liking.

That this Ryoga was in love with one of the Tendo sisters was the reason and justification for the Hibikis to be staying in the same residence as the Tendos, though calling the House-within-a-Dojo a part of the same property was stretching it, because their living residence only consisted of a door that opened on one side of a single wall, and no other part of the property seemed to reside upon the same plane or dimension. It was there that Kennou spent the time when not permitted to roam the house freely, and it left her feeling more than a bit disconcerted every time she stepped through one side of the door to the other, feeling like Alice through the Looking Glass, not that the place that had been created through Oni magic was all that unpleasant a residence...it even had Cable!

Of course this brought her to the two remaining members of the Tendo Household, the younger sisters of Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane. Nabiki, the middle child of the three, had a sly and probing manner that seemed to treat Kennou as a puzzle needing to be opened and examined. She was the fianc e of Saotome Ranma, and thus naturally hostile to Kennou and more than a bit eager to learn the names and identities of the persons who had hired her to beat up her boy friend. Nabiki also had a curious relationship with that purple haired Cat-girl whom Kennou sometimes saw sneaking in and out of the middle sister's window. Hearing that they both shared an engagement with the same man had sent Kennou's head spinning at the possibilities, and if she could have arranged to set up a camera and sound equipment in Nabiki's room she would have paid dearly for the privilege, if only to learn if her suspicions were confirmed. On the whole it reminded Kennou how much this Tendo place differed from any ordinary household.

Lastly there was Akane, the short-haired and short-tempered girlfriend of Ryoga, who was a practicing martial artist of some ability, though by no means in the same class as Ryoga. Akane reminded Kennou a little too much of herself in that the girl seemed to be boiling over with rage and seething about her romantic troubles. At the present moment she had challenged Kennou to a sparring session, which Kennou had agreed to as it was something to do to help relieve boredom. Akane had a lot of raw power and a fundamentally structured style of combat that no doubt had made her a real terror to the boys in her class, but she lacked the finesse Ryoga often demonstrated, and even Kennou knew enough street-borne counters to the Tendo girl's basic attacks that she could hold the other girl at bay without hardly any effort.

"No good," Kennou commented after five minutes of running the other girl ragged, "You keep attacking with such easy-to-read moves. Do you like being thrown around the room, Tendo-san?"

"Shut up!" Akane snarled, "I'm just getting warmed up! All your fancy tricks won't beat me when I really get going!"

In spite of herself Kennou found herself admiring the stubborn pride of the girl, who did not complain half so loudly about getting beaten and bruises in their match as Kennou would have expected. This Akane used rage as a weapon to intensify the strength of her attacks, and her speed was impressive for a girl her age. If only she were lighter on her feet and knew a bit more about gymnastics she might even be considered dangerous. As it was the girl was fighting on pure tenacity, and the way she was taking punishment suggested to Kennou that she actually welcomed the abuse as a form of self-flagellation.

Finally Kennou felt too disgusted to go on and called a halt to the whole affair. Akane was barely able to stand upright but insisted on ignoring her bruises, squaring her shoulders in a horse stance as she breathed in deeply to try and steady herself for a new encounter.

"Come on, fight me!" Akane demanded.

"It's no fun if you don't improve yourself more," Kennou said as she turned away and seemingly ignored the other girl's challenge, "How do you think I am going to improve as a fighter if you don't show me more than just the same basic attack styles over and over? You have to know more of the art than this, or at least a few variations. You've got trainers all around you who could probably kick my butt without half trying, so why would I want to fight you if all you want to do is get beaten?"

Akane snarled and rushed to attack, but Kennou merely stepped to one side and gave the girl a push when she moved past her, sending Akane staggering forward to crash into a far wall and land in a heap, groaning profusely.

"You see?" Kennou asked, "Even you should agree that attack was pathetic."

"Akane!" cried Ryoga as he rushed into the room, crossing the distance in a few strides so that he could kneel down and examine his ladylove, his distress so palpable that Kennou almost expected him to make a canine whimper.

"She'll be all right," Kennou said, against her better judgement, "She just needs to get serious if she wants to make this more interesting than boring.

Kennou was not prepared to see the savage snarl that crossed Ryoga's handsome features as he cradled Akane in his arms, "What's your problem, lady? Do you get off on tormenting other people?"

"As a matter of fact, 'Nephew,'" she gave the word a twist of irony, disregarding the fact that she was only a bit older than he was, "I don't. I just expect that when your girlfriend challenges somebody that she at least pays attention to her defenses. I know she has to be better than this, I've seen the two of you work out, but it's like when she gets into a fight she forgets what she's learned and just falls back on some lame kind of program. I've known MECHANICAL opponents with a better learning curve than this!"

"You want a fight?" Ryoga carefully extricated himself from Akane and stood to his feet, "You've got one."

"With you this time?" Kennou smiled coyly, "That would be more my idea of a workout. Of course I beat you last time, but if you promise to be more careful..."

"You used a Ki attack to win the last time," Ryoga assumed a fighting posture, "I won't be caught napping twice by the same trick..."

"Ryoga," Akane's voice caused the lost boy to turn and look at her with renewed concern, for there were tears in Akane's eyes, though she was not looking at Kennou, "It's all right, you don't have to stand up for me. I asked Kennou-san to fight me...and she's right, I am pathetic..."

"Akane-chan?" Ryoga blinked, "No...you're not pathetic..."

"Yes I am!" Akane pushed herself to her feet and stumbled out the door of the dojo before Ryoga could move to stop her, her sobs carrying well into the night as the youngest Tendo girl gave vent to her deep sorrow.

"Akane-chan!" Ryoga moved to follow her, but found Kennou blocking his path, "Get out of my way!"

"Let her go," Kennou said with surprising softness, "You can't cover for her all of the time, this is something she has to work out for herself if she's ever going to grow up and stop living in other peoples' shadows."

"What do you mean?" Ryoga demanded, "I'm not covering for her, and Akane isn't weak either!"

"No, she's not," Kennou replied, "She's stronger than she knows...but while I don't know her as well as you, I can tell a spoiled brat who's been living a sheltered life when I see one."

"You shut up!" Ryoga threw a punch, but Kennou easily caught it in the palm of one hand.

"Care to have that rematch now?" the blonde Hibiki grinned, "I think I'm warmed up enough to cut loose in earnest."

Ryoga's only reply was another snarl, and the battle renewed itself between them.

Unnoticed by either Hibiki, however, a silent figure floated through the walls of the dojo, drifting over the garden as she followed the trail of the anguished Akane.

Peorth looked on in anguish as she saw the young human girl hunch down over the koi pond, staring down forlornly as she hugged her knees and wept softly. The sight of the child that she had helped give birth to and later abandon was in such distress that it wrenched her immortal heart and made her softly curse the destiny that had kept her from attending to her maternal duties. She could see the effect that nearly ten years absence had wrought upon the girl whom she very much thought of as her own, for Akane had grown bitter with the sense that no one cared for her the way she wanted to be loved and cared for. It was more than the pain of her recent romantic troubles, the pain Peorth sensed was the longing of a child for her mother.

Peorth had never consciously gone against the will of Kami-Sama, at least not when challenged directly. One did not get to be a Goddess First Class by disregarding the orders of the hierarchy above you, not that she had any illusions that the Trinity were infallible or incapable of error. That she had overstayed her leave the last time on the flimsy excuse that no actual recall order had been given during her time within Kimiko, it was simply a case of bending the rules rather than outright rebellion, and when ordered to comply she had dutifully erased all traces of her time as the wife of Tendo Soun. She had not, however, erased her own memories of what it was like to be loved and cared for by a husband and three daughters, nor could she bring herself to forget those needs that worked two ways in such relationships. As they had relied upon her, so had she come to depend on them as a family who loved her.

It was not really her family...at least not in a technical sense. She had merged for a brief time with Kimiko and extended the mortal's life for a few brief years, laying dormant within her and only occasionally rousing to consciousness when there was need for her to manifest. She had dreamed the dream of another woman and lived through Kimiko's eyes, seeing and experiencing mortality first hand within her Avatar, and as such she had come to appreciate how precious a mortal life could be.

Like she could ever forget four months of pregnancy and nine hours in a delivery room, she sniffed softly, undergoing the trials and agonies that were the lot of mortal women, all to give birth to the very child who now she studied with the wonder that some might pay to a work of rare art. This was her child...she could feel the essence of her divine spark beating within her. Akane was mortal, yet her soul was more than mortal, and she bore a curious supernatural twist to her make-up that was part curse and part blessing. Such a fierce, indomitable spirit this girl had, how very much like her real mother was at the exact same age. The child might believe herself a failure, but in fact she had exceeded her parents in ability and potential...all she needed was the proper hand to guide her, and until now the only ones who had offered to teach her had been surrogates and suitors. What she needed was her mother!

"Mother," Akane whispered into the night, as if Peorth's very presence had triggered memories in the girl that had lain long dormant, "I...I miss you so much..."

Those words had firmed Peorth's resolve. If Kami-Sama or her father himself ordered her to leave right then and there she would refuse them. This was her child, HER daughter, and no one could ever make her willingly abandon her again! Peorth had ignored her duties for far too long, and she had a promise to be fulfilled, the promise that she would always be there when she was most needed by her daughters!

That being said, she did have one slight problem in how exactly to go about approaching Akane. If she just manifested as herself the child would be terrified, nor did Peorth relish offering to her the sorry same excuses that she had used with Nabiki. It was fortunate that Akane lacked the perceptiveness of either of her two sisters or she might have sensed Peorth hovering nearby, but as the girl obviously was more mundane in her perceptions, it gave Peorth some hope that she might cloak her essence and assume a guise that the child would find acceptable under the circumstances.

Thus decided, Peorth altered her outer appearance resemble that of her Template, Silk, and set foot on the ground before manifesting visibly next to Akane and murmuring softly the words, "You mother knows how much you miss her, Akane. Please stop crying, you'll make your mother sad."

"Oh?" Akane started, glancing up with a haunted look in her eyes, and for a moment Peorth thought the child had penetrated through her disguise, but seconds later Akane sighed and said, "You startled me, Silk...I didn't hear you approaching."

"You seemed to have something on your mind," Peorth sat down on the rock next to Akane and leaned forward, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"N-No...not really," Akane went back to sulking as she stared at the surface of the koi pond.

"You know," Peorth commented as if making conversation about the weather, "A young girl should never make a frown unless she wants to look old and bitter, like a grown up."

There was a slight pause before Akane asked, "W-What...what did you just say?"

"I was just thinking how grown up you look, and how much you've matured from the little girl you must have been when your mother...left you," Peorth tried to keep her voice even and steady as she continued, "And those words just popped into my mind. Is something wrong? Did I disturb you?"

"N-No," Akane half-turned to regard the woman beside her, "It's just...for a moment there...you almost sounded like my Mother."

"May I take that as a compliment?" Peorth smiled gently, "Your mother was a fine woman, and it's all right to grieve, but life is too short to spend it all on tears. You should be smiling and laughing more often so that your mother can hear you and know that you are well. You wouldn't want to make your mother feel sad about...abandoning you? It's not like she wanted to go...after all, who would want to live in Heaven rather than stay here with such a beautiful daughter?"

"Thank you," Akane did smile at that, "It's...nice of you to say these things, but..."

"But you doubt my word?" Peorth asked in mock-offense, "I'll have you know that I come from the best authority on the subject of Heaven, and if I say your mother is looking down at you right now and smiling, then you ought to believe it."

"I guess I do," Akane replied, "It's just...sometimes I feel so lonely...I wish Mother were here so that I could talk to her and let her know what's in my heart..."

"So why don't you?" Peorth asked, pointing to the largest of the stones that encircled the koi pond, "Why not pray to that stone? It's sacred, and sometimes the Kami can hear you if you call them by name. If your mother knew that you were visiting it often then she would make it a point to stop by now and then so that she can listen in and hear everything that you have to say. Do it often enough and your prayers will be answered."

"You really think so?" Akane asked.

"I know so," Peorth winked in a conspiratorial manner, "Your mother will want to hear everything that you have to say to her, so wish for her to hear you and I will make it happen."

"I wish..." Akane clapped her hands together and closed her eyes as she turned towards the stone and said, "I wish that mother could hear me when I talk to her...and maybe give me some sign that she's heard me...and maybe come and visit?"

"Your wish has been heard," Peorth smiled, then closed her own yes and allowed the light to briefly illuminate her features. The peculiar markings on her face grew bright as Akane gasped and turned to look at her in surprise, and then a single beam of intense radiance shot skyward, briefly illuminating the night and banishing the shadows for miles all around them.

Then the light faded out and Peorth lowered her eyes to smile at the astonished Akane, her facial markings still visible for several seconds before fading out behind the cover of her illusion.

"Your wish has been granted," Peorth informed her, "Pray to her often and you eventually will see your real mother."

"Akane!" came a voice from the house itself, "Are you all right? I felt something go off..."

"N-Nani?" Akane's head whipped around as she saw Silk standing on the back porch looking towards her with a much concerned expression.

"Oops," Peorth murmured to herself and hastily sank down into the rock upon which she was sitting, vanishing entirely by the time Akane turned her head back in her direction.

"Oh dear," Silk murmured, having caught the end of this exchange in time to realize that she had just blown the Goddess's cover. There would have to be some hasty explanations made if Akane were to make sense of what had just transpired here, and Silk softly cursed her own impulsiveness, having rushed without thinking to the sense of supernatural power in close proximity to one of the Tendo sisters. She and Peorth were going to have to exchange words before the night was over, at least to establish a few ground rules for visitation. Being impersonated by a Goddess was, after all, a kind of flattery, but Akane deserved to know the truth no less than Nabiki. To do anything less would simply not be honest.

"Silk...?" Akane gasped, looking from her back to the rock again, "Who was that?"

"Ah...who did you think it was, Akane-chan?" Silk replied in mild evasion.

"I-I thought...no...it can't be..." Akane whispered, "I must be going insane..."

"You're not insane, Akane," Silk replied as she walked up beside her, "At least no more than the rest of us. The world is a very strange and wonderful place, and you can take it from me that almost anything can happen."

"Was it...could it be?" Akane murmured, whispering into the night, "Mother?"

Peorth heard her, of course, but kept her head bowed down. Give the girl time, she mentally counseled herself, don't try and rush things. Keep your good intentions from becoming rash impulses, like that mess you made with Keiichi. When the time is right you can explain yourself properly, but for right now...

She mentally sighed, patience sucked! She wanted to hold her daughter in her arms and give her the comfort and support that Akane needed...that Peorth needed from Akane! Given time they might even heal the rift that remained between them, and then maybe one day Akane could give Peorth her forgiveness, but until that time she would have to lay low and intervene only when it could be justified. She would not abandon her again, though, not even if ordered to do so like the last time.

There were forces at work that even Gods did not dare to stand against, and most powerful of these forces were the bonds of mother to daughter, bonds that could never be broken, however much they might be strained by time and circumstances. She had much to do and much work ahead of her if she were to be the proper sort of mother Akane needed, and there was still so much to learn about what had happened over the past nine-and-a-half years of their separation. Akane needed a friend and an ally almost as much as she needed the return of a parent, and Peorth intended to be that ally until such time as when it became necessary to reveal that the Tendo family indeed had friends in some very high places...

"Look, I'm telling you, Comb," Atsuko said to her longtime nominal rival, "There's something really weird that you should know about Nodoka. She's not the same shy little girl with a katana that we knew twenty years ago..."

"Hah, you're telling me?" Comb replied as she continued to stack dishes at the Nekohanten, adding in soft undertone, "I could figure that one out when we were on the beach and she...ahem," she did not continue the sentence.

"Played you like Sitar?" Atsuko finished for her, "Or was it the part where you two screwed each other's...?"

"Do you have a point for dredging this up?" Comb asked in a testy manner as she quickened her pace, stacking five trays full of dishes one on top of the other, "I know she's improved a lot with that damned meat cutter of hers, and she made us both look like rank amateurs when we tried to confront her a month ago..."

"It's not just her fighting skills that have improved," Atsuko murmured in an unusually thoughtful tone of voice as she watched Comb continue to clean up in the kitchen, "Haven't you sensed the other changes about her...the ones less physical than spiritual? And I don't just mean that she's one of the coolest customers I've ever fought beside when we were going up against those lawyers. Did you know that she can also see right through some of my illusions?"

"So what?" Comb replied as she dunked more dishes into the hot water and began scrubbing the pots and pans clean, "Even I can see through you half the time..."

"I don't just mean that," Atsuko replied in a testy voice of her own, "I mean that she's got the power of Clear Sight, which extremely rare in mortals. In fact...lately I've begun having my suspicions about our dear Ms. Saotome, or should I say Tsukino?"

"Or Masaki," Comb said in an idle voice as she furiously scrubbed away at a particularly stubborn piece of fried-on noodles, "That's the clan she originally belonged to, or rather her father did before her, before she and her brother parted ways over her marriage. Which reminds me...I wish Grandmother would get back from her trip to visit our kin at that Masaki shrine...who would ever have believed that she'd take an interest at her age in the local Japanese religion?"

"I don't mean to pry into your business," Atsuko began.

"Never stopped you before," Comb finished before the Oni could complete her own sentence.

Atsuko did not even frown as she continued, "But are you sure it's just a casual interest she's got over there? You heard her call that old guy her father, and that Tenchi boy is her Nephew, which makes him your cousin, and since he's also a Masaki..."

Comb dropped the plate she had just finished cleaning and it clattered back into the soapy water. She whirled around and gave the Oni a hard glare before saying, "Are you trying to tell me that Nodoka and I are RELATED? That's-  
That's...!"

"Disgusting, I know," Atsuko nodded, "But I'm sure 'Doka's over it if she was willing to bed you."

Comb was just searching around for something sharp to fall into her hand when her husband looked up from the meal that he was cooking and said, "Play nice, you two. You start anything up this time and I'll have you both cleaning dishes."

"It had better be the hot water she works with," Comb frowned as she got control over her temper, "Or the Vixen here with need special claws to keep from spilling the merchandise..."

"Comb," Hairbrush raised his voice ever so-slightly and the tall purple haired woman subsided.

"Yes dear," the Amazon verbally responded, trying to make it sound as if she meant it.

Atsuko chuckled softly and slowly shook her head, "You are sooo Pussy-whipped."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Comb's eyes narrowed dangerously as she eyed the brown haired Oni.

"Nothing," Atsuko smiled innocently, which on her was about as convincing as the face of an honest merchant.

"Oh good, you're both here. That saves me a lot of time and explanation."

Both Oni and Amazons turned to see Yumi standing in the doorway with her trademark baker's peel strapped across her back, arms folded over the bandoleer of throwing spatulas that she was also wearing, her sleeveless shirt and loose-  
fitting pants, her attitude entirely one of business.

"Why are you decked out like that?" Atsuko asked.

"Are you looking for trouble?" Comb added with a hint of raw suspicion.

"Don't need to look for it, Sugar," Yumi arched her voice in a fair imitation of her Niece, "Trouble's about to find all of us, and it all revolves around the Tendo dojo."

That got their attention as Atsuko straightened up off of the counter and said, "What about Soun's place?"

"There is a real estate developer sniffing around the area," Yumi replied, "And I think they may have their eyes set on Soun-chan's property," Yumi added in deadly seriousness, "I've made discreet inquiries around the neighborhood and found out that some of the local merchants have also been approached with generous offers. I think something suspicious is going down, and the three of us may have to band together with Silk if we're going to do something about it."

"The three of us...and Silk?" Comb eyed the former Ninja warily.

"You feeling okay?" Atsuko asked solicitously, "I can still remember a time when you vowed to take her head and stuff it..."

"That was then," Yumi insisted, "This is now...and besides, it's not just Soun I'm thinking of, it's also my Niece. Ukyo hasn't heard the news yet...in fact I haven't been able to find her at all this afternoon, but if what I suspect is true, then it's only a matter of time before someone tries to buy out her restaurant, and we only just got the place up and running the other day."

"Can't you an appeal to your brother?" Hairbrush asked as he joined in on the conversation.

"He's still too ill to concern himself with the business," Yumi replied, "And even with the backing of the full board members we wouldn't have the resources to stand up to the company that's making the play. Ever heard of Genutek?"

"That company that's doing all the weird biological experiments?" Atsuko whistled, "Even I've run across them in my travels. They do some pretty deep shit in the gene-splicing department..."

"Sounds almost like the rumors I've heard about the government back home conducting forbidden experiments with political prisoners," Comb remarked in a wary tone of voice, "What do they want to do, come in here and set up some secret laboratory producing Frankenstein-like monsters?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Yumi replied, glancing around before adding, "Where are the children? They may need to be warned about the sorts of troubles we could be headed into."

"Shampoo is out visiting her Airen," Hairbrush replied, "The twins...well...what do most young girls their age do when they haven't yet found boyfriends?"

"My sympathies to the local male population," Atsuko smiled, "You've got a couple of real heart-stoppers there, and if they're anything like I was at that age..." she shook her head in dismay at the implications.

"They are growing up much too fast for my liking," Comb said in a wistful tone of voice, but then she turned to Yumi and her tone was serious, "What do you propose we do? It's Grandmother who handles the business end of this restaurant."

"Then for now we bide our time," Yumi reply, "Until the Matriarch gets here, and then she'll need to be briefed on all of the particulars which I have so far gathered."

"Then count me in," Atsuko smiled, "My son's looking to marry a Tendo, and there's no way anybody's buying the property out from underneath him."

"Probably because it's the only piece of real estate that either of you has been able to find on a consistent basis," Comb remarked, "And you're right that we need to have Silk with us on this. If push comes to shove, it would be a good thing to have on call the services of a Lore Master."

"Are we really that desperate?" Hairbrush murmured to himself as he sagely returned to the stove and continued with his cooking, leaving the women to plan their war council, which was how things had always been with his fellow tribesmen (if only by adoption).

The property wars were about to fall upon Nerima...

"Damn all men," Makoto sighed as she stared at the emptiness of the space all around her, having come home to the house that had once belonged to her late parents, but which now was her abode alone and no other's, feeling slightly worn out from the emotional roller coaster that had been a day starting out with so much promise.

The irony of what she had just said would have amused her had she been able to think objectively about it. In passing token of humor she corrected her speech and said, "Damn all women pretending to be men...or who turn into men and behave like such jerks. Damn all cross-dressers while we're on the subject, and maybe include me in the deal for having fallen in love with one..."

She caught herself. Had she just said that last part? In love...with Ukyo? That was a pretty surprising revelation!

Not that Makoto was any stranger to instant and ephemeral infatuations, of course. She had a roving eye for the male sex and was always quick to spot the cute guy in any crowd. She was second only to her good friend Minako in her ability to flirt, but unlike the blonde dynamo, who could justly be compared with the Goddess Venus, Makoto had much less success in her flirting, being the awkward and ungainly Tomboy among her close-knit circle of inner Senshi. She tended to frighten most boys away by coming on a bit to aggressively, whereas Minako tended to drive the boys away by acting flighty.

Makoto thought wistfully of Minako with a certain fond expression. The two of them so often commiserated over their failures at starting relationships that some people even teased them and claimed that the two of them were dating. Sure they hit the Malls together and often bought dresses in the same salons, and even critiqued and played each other's fashion critics, and they shared everything, each one taking turns crying on the shoulders of the other. But aside from all that they were still both interested in finding a guy to keep them happy, and it wasn't like they actually were Lezzies...not that Makoto did not find Minako to be highly attractive, and Minako was just about everything that she could ask for in a girlfriend...

A mental image of Minako in her Sailor fuku briefly floated into mind, playing off the length of her best friend's long and well-shaped, tapering legs, even riding up a tight rear end that often got embarrassingly exposed at odd moments..

Makoto caught herself in the act of "checking out" and mentally undressing Minako, behavior that she would normally associated with some perverted creep like that Happosai guy, not at all the sort of thing that she would believe herself capable until rediscovering her interest in her "Sempai."

"I need a drink," she said to herself, even though there was not a drop in the house, nor could there be one as her guardians had a strict policy for her living alone while attending high school in the Juuban district.

Why on earth was she so powerfully attracted to Ukyo anyway? Sure the cross-  
dressing girl had been her first crush, but crushed was how Makoto had felt upon learning the truth from Ukyo's own lips. For over two years she had carried the pain of that perceived rejection with the unconscious fear that she was a closet Lesbian, and she had been reluctant to make friends until approached by Usagi, who had taught her to open up again and care about people. It sometimes appalled Makoto to realize that most of her best friendships were with other girls her own age (well, there was one man whom she was particularly fond of, but he was more like a brother to her, and then the boy who was her second biggest crush at the Arcade...but he turned out to have another girlfriend, which scotched that romance in the bud!), so maybe she was like that deep down...or at least capable of switching both ways, as had recently proven to be the case with Rei and Usagi...

She paused to consider two of her other best friends who-for the longest of periods-had acted like blood enemies, until the edges softened between them. The recent revelation that Rei had a vision of herself being a future consort to Usagi and Mamoru was a bit odd, yet not quite so startling when you thought of how the young Shrine maiden tended to act these days around Usagi. Rei's sharp edged tongue could still be heard whenever Usagi did something particularly stupid, but there was more teasing affection to her barbs, and Makoto had often seen Rei stealing looks towards Usagi that did not seem so angry or resentful as in the old days. If anything Rei had turned into Usagi's staunchest defender, and quick to take exception with anyone else who criticized their future "Moon Princess," as if Rei had staked out the title role of "Her Majesty's Chief Defender," and no one dared dispute her that title, even among their fellow Senshi.

Okay, so maybe it was possible for a girl to look both ways, but that did not mean that Makoto was ready to totally give up on men...in fact, Ukyo's ability to turn into a man made it at least seem possible that a relationship between them could be fulfilling. It wouldn't be as if Makoto was giving anything up to be with Ukyo after all, and from all indications even Children would not be out of the question...

Again Makoto reined back the direction of her thinking. Here she was wrestling with the question of her own sexual identity, and already she was planning out the details of their future together, including children! What was next? Naming the kids after planets and constellations, or possibly even the Moons that encircled her guardian planet?

I really do need that drink, Makoto thought to herself as she lay back on the couch with her bare feet propped up on a pillow, her long legs stretched out as she stared absently at the ceiling.

And things had been going so well between her and Ukyo that very afternoon! Makoto had surprised herself by acting more flirtatious than she had ever even considered behaving around the sex changing okonomiyaki chef. The first kiss between them had melted all of her objections and left in her a resolve to make certain that Ukyo would think of her and no other, and it further surprised her to realize just how far she had been prepared to go to make this happen. The very idea that she was prepared to surrender her virginity to another woman was enough to confirm the worst of her suspicions about herself, and yet Makoto could not regret having made the effort, or feel bad about herself for coming to close to succeeding!

If only they had not been interrupted by that foul tempered Tomboy, Makoto thought with no sense of irony on the subject. And then that other girl who popped up out of no where and accosted Ukyo...that was all it took to send Makoto fleeing for home feeling enormously foolish and fuming at being once again misled by her baser impulses. And to think that she was beginning to trust Ukyo again after so much disappointment...

The doorbell rang, disturbing Makoto out of her blue funk. Her first impulse was to tell whoever it was to go away and leave her to sulk in her romantic misery, a condition that was becoming all too common of late, but she checked that impulse, knowing full well that it might relate to Senshi business. She had a duty to think of the needs of others besides herself, though it could just as easily be Minako stopping by looking for a shoulder upon which to cry. It was with these sour thoughts in mind that Makoto got up and went to the door, briefly pausing to undo the latch without bothering to take a look through the peep hole to see which of her friends was waiting on the other side. After all, it could just as easily be one of their cat guardians who would not show up at eye level.

So imagine her surprise when the person she encountered was none other than a nervous looking Kuonji.

"Ah...hi," Ukyo said hesitantly, "I was just in the neighborhood and...can we talk?"

"Talk?" Makoto asked, the direction of her thoughts momentarily disrupted.

"Yeah," Ukyo said, her manner as tentative as the taller Senshi, "About Akane...and stuff, like what happened back there...if you want to talk about it, that is..."

Makoto frowned, remaining aloof for a moment longer, "Who was that girl glomping onto you, Sempai?"

"That was no girl," Ukyo replied, "That was Kurenai Tsubasa."

There was a faint clicking in Makoto's memories as the name did ring a bell, "Kurenai? No...wait...wasn't he a...?"

"Master of disguise," Ukyo replied, "And a cross dresser."

There was a slight pause, and then Makoto said, "I didn't know you were seeing him on the sly."

"I wasn't," Ukyo assured, "Look...it's a long story, and do you want to hear my side of it or not? Because if you'd rather I leave..."

Makoto thought about it for all of a second then stepped back and opened the door, "Okay, we can talk...but you'd better be on your best behavior, Sempai, or I'm throwing you out."

"Why?" Ukyo asked in a playful tone, "Don't you trust me?"

"We'll see," Makoto said with slightly arched tones, though her expression was not as stern as had obviously intended.

Ukyo smiled impishly as she caught the undertone of soft humor in her friend's voice and took it as a hint that all would be forgiven, provided her explanation was sufficiently satisfying, which she fully intended it to be. Her talk with Ranma had bolstered her courage to think the unthinkable and to finally take Makoto as seriously as she so obviously deserved.

There would be no more holding her friends at arm's length while she tried to sort out the nature of her own feelings. Far too much hurt had been unintentionally inflicted that way, and now Ukyo had to make amends to repair the breaches. It would not be easy to repair things between them, but Makoto meant more to her than she had imagined, and she was not willing to let her go without a fight. A similar confrontation would be needed with Akane as soon as she could arrange it, but first she had to confirm for herself that there really was a future between her and Makoto. No sense burning any of her bridges just yet, even though she had a strong sense where her sentiments were headed.

One thing was for sure, she would not be leaving this room until she had worked out a basic understanding of their relationship with Makoto, to which end Ukyo was prepared to do whatever it took to convince Makoto of her sincerity and commitment. No way would she allow the issue of Tsubasa to loom large in her life and possibly screw up the best deal that she had been given in a long while. One way or the other, she would know where she stood with at least one of the two women currently seeking her affections, no matter the consequences...or whatever price might need to be paid in order to assure that Makoto knew the true depths of Ukyo's affections.

And the oddest thing of all, Ukyo realized, was that she no longer desired to avoid confronting that issue. No matter what else the night might hold for them both, before the night was out they would both have an answer to that long unasked and all-important question...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Ranma called last night and apologized to me, saying he would not be able to get away from his parents, who wanted to discuss with him some details about the wedding. I was disappointed, to say the least, about not being able to see him that evening, but thankfully Shampoo still put in an appearance, and...well, the details of what we did for the remainder of the night is nobody's business! Let's just say that I was VERY contented come the next morning.

Of course the first order of business for the day was uncovering the identities of the persons or parties who had hired Hibiki Kennou to go after Ranma. I'd put my people to work uncovering a list of names the previous day, and now my factors related to me the facts pertaining to those fellow students whom had each contributed something to a pool of funds that went to hiring Kennou out, beginning with Gosunkuji. That worthy was all the more cooperative when I asked Shampoo to "encourage" him to divulge all that he knew on the subject, and before long we compiled a very interesting profile that read like a "who's who" on our fair campus.

I then put the word out that said parties were never to consider resorting to such fouls means again, on pain of incurring my wrath and that of Shampoo, who of course felt obligated to make a few rather spectacular examples of the worst of the offenders. Needless to say the word got out and a lot of our fellow students went home early that day pleading ill health, whether feigned or genuine. Those who were not so ill-fortuned to cross the path of my Amazon bride were seen to be glancing nervously both ways and over their shoulders as if fearing that a sword of Damocles was about to drop over their heads.

They should be so lucky if I get to them before Shampoo, for while she might do damage to their bodies, I have it within my power to destroy entire reputations.

Of course Ranma himself was not a party to any of this, being too much of a boy-  
scout to even think of retaliating in such a base and dishonorable matter. Shampoo agreed with me, however, that he was much too softhearted for his own good and that it was better not to trouble him too much with the sordid details of our activities on his behalf. Needless to say, those who did see Ranma coming were noted to turn around and head the other way or go to great lengths to avoid him as if he were indeed the source of all their current troubles.

I wonder about Ranma, though. He seemed to have something important on his mind that he wanted to share with the two of us when we saw him around lunchtime. His attitude was unusually serious, and from the way he was looking at us I could tell that he was trying to summon the nerve to say whatever it was that was bothering him, but wouldn't you just know that before he could get it out we had another one of those annoying untimely interruptions that have been making life so interesting of late, so I never did get to know what it was that he had to say to the both of us. I hope he brings it up again tomorrow because I hate not knowing what is going on in his life. If only that blind fool, Mousse, had not put in an appearance at exactly the wrong moment...

"Okay," Ranma said, taking a deep breath as he scanned across the space of the open field to the tree under whose shade Nabiki and Shampoo currently sat enjoying their lunches, "I can do this...no problem. Just walk up to the girls and hand them their rings and ask 'em to marry me. Sure...no sweat, just treat it like any other kind of martial arts problem..."

Vocalizing his thoughts like this was not normally his way, but at the moment he needed some encouragement to steady his nerves and keep his focus on his mission. He had given his word to deliver these rings to the right girls, and he would not fail in this endeavor. Just hand them the rings and ask them the question. It wasn't as if he didn't already know how they would answer him, of course, so there was no real mystery there and no reason to fear for rejection.

Now if only he could convince himself that it would be that simple, yet experience had taught him repeatedly that life was rarely simple, which was no doubt why his heart was racing. Undoubtedly his instincts were anticipating trouble even in the absence of any evidence of same, which certainly made for a more reasonable explanation than to suggest that he was scared about something. After all, he was Saotome Ranma. What did he have to be scared about? Nothing was going to stop him from proposing to Nabiki and Shampoo, so all he had to do was walk across the grass and ask them the question.

Right...simple. Now all he had to do was do it!

Ranma stood his ground as he considered the implications. It was just a stupid lawn, no more than fifty yards between him and the two objects of his affections, a yard that was currently occupied by dozens of other students all consuming their own lunches. The girls were waiting for him to be a man among men and to claim them both for his wives. In theory it was a simple and natural thing to do, especially in light of the fact that he was going to be married to them in a couple weeks anyway, and that one of them was going to have his baby. What he was doing was the honorable thing, the right thing, and the thing that he wanted very much to do, so there was no conflict in his heart, no doubt that he wanted to go through with this...so why was he hesitating to take the first step forward?

He considered both women, Shampoo and Nabiki, recalled everything he knew about them, what they had been through together, weighed all the plusses and minuses in both girls and concluded for a fact that he genuinely liked them and desired them for his life partners. Okay, so marriage was a heck of a big commitment, but wasn't making out like they had for the past several weeks a big commitment too? All he was doing was making it official and giving it the stamp of a proper marriage. Nabiki was so charming and clever, so beautiful and intelligent that she sometimes took his breath away...and Shampoo...what words were there to describe her? So loyal, strong and supportive, she made it easy to think about sharing a future together, and she was beyond beautiful in his eyes. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that he wanted to commit himself to them, to be a good husband, as opposed to becoming like his father.

So what was there to be afraid of...not that he was afraid, of course! No way, not him, not Saotome Ranma! He was just gathering her nerves-his thoughts-  
to make sure he didn't mess things up on the first try. He had to get the word just right, after all, it was a make-or-break moment. Ah, that was to say that he did not want to say the wrong thing and spoil the moment...yeah, that was it. Just go over to Nabiki and casually hand her the ring-box, then give the other box to Shampoo...provided he remembered to give the right ring to the proper fiancee. No sense upsetting Mister Tendo by giving Nabiki's ring to Shampoo, or vice versa...

He stood his ground a bit longer and thought about it some more, then mentally berated himself for acting like such a woman. Holding back when he should be moving forward was the sort of thing he'd expect from Ryoga! Be a man about it already, he mentally cuffed himself, and just give Nabiki his proposition so he could ring her for a...no, wait a minute! That wasn't right...

"Aiyaa," Shampoo noted as she looked up from where she had been quietly eating her Ramen beside Nabiki, fretting that the rest of her lunch was getting cold, including the lunch that she had brought for their Airen, "Why is Ranma stand over there when he should join Shampoo and Ailen?"

"Hmm?" Nabiki looked up from her own lunch to see where the Amazon had indicated, and sure enough there was Ranma keeping his distance from the both of them, "That's strange. What's the Baka doing standing around there like a doofus?"

"Is very strange," Shampoo agreed, only to turn with a note of concern to her fellow iinazuke, "Aiyaa...you think maybe he hear we put fear of Gods in...in...what word for stupid boys who pay for stupid girl to beat up Ailen?"

"Malefactors," Nabiki answered, "And I hope that's not it. Ranma can be awfully stuffy on the subject of his honor, and we only did what we had to do to look out for his welfare."

"Shampoo hope he no mad at us," Shampoo noted in an unusually subdued manner, "Only break a few bones in Male Factors, dislocate few tendons, no like do actual damage. Maybe Ranma want to be one who punish stupid boys?"

"Not really his style," Nabiki murmured, "Well...whatever's eating him, he should come over here and get it over with. I don't like being kept in suspense."

"Shampoo go get him," the Amazon put down her lunch and stood up, "No way spend lunch letting food get cold when no have to."

"Go for it, girlfriend," Nabiki encouraged, "Just make sure you drag his sorry ass over here, he's starting to make a spectacle of himself making out like a lawn ornament."

Ranma saw Shampoo start to get up and he almost panicked. No, he thought furiously, this wasn't how it was supposed to go at all! He was the one who should be making the first move rather than make Shampoo come to him! He had to break loose from this weird paralysis and take the initiative like he was supposed to! He squared his shoulders and ignored the butterflies kick-boxing in his stomach and began to force himself to take a step forward...only to experience that tell-tale sense of impending disaster loom up without any other kind of warning.

"SAOTOME RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"

Even as Ranma moved to take evasive action he was silently cursing Mousse for choosing now of all times to make his dramatic entrance. Ranma ducked low and raised his guard as a series of chains and hurled objects whizzed by his head without doing any damage. Ranma tracked the direction from which they were coming and turned to meet the perceived threat, only to see Mousse bounding away towards the school gate, pausing to glance back over his shoulder while pulling out a megaphone from seeming no where.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE MAN ENOUGH FOR SHAMPOO, SAOTOME? I SAY YOU'RE WEAK AND A COWARD, AND IF YOU WANT TO PROVE DIFFERENTLY THEN COME AHEAD AND FACE ME!"

"Oh man," Ranma averred softly, "Doesn't he ever give up? And what kind of fool does he think I am talking to me like that? Like I'm gonna be dumb enough to fall for some lame trap he's probably got set up somewhere, like I'm baka enough to just walk into his ambush."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo said as she came up to join him, "What Mousse want this time? Ailen no go after him?"

"Naw," Ranma sniffed, "I'd rather let him come to me sometime when I don't gotta get back to my classes. Let him talk all he wants, I ain't buying."

Mousse suddenly reappeared, as did his bull horn, "WHAT'S THE MATTER, SAOTOME, ARE YOU CHICKEN? DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE AFRAID TO MEET ME LIKE A MAN, OR WOULD YOU RATHER JUST STAND THERE AND LET ME CONTINUE TO INSULT YOU?"

Ranma's eyebrow twitched and he scowled intensely, "Geez, why does he gotta say stuff like that in front of everybody?"

"No doubt he's expecting you to rise to the bait," Nabiki herself offered as she walked up to join them, "He's just taunting you because he thinks you're fool enough to take him at his word."

"Right," Ranma scowled, "Nobody here's that foolish..."

"HEY EVERYBODY, RANMA IS AFAID TO FIGHT ME! HIS LIVER IS AS YELLOW AS THE STRIPE DOWN HIS BACK! HE'S CHICKEN, BUCK-BUCK-BUCKAW!"

"Why that-!" Ranma finally lost his temper and went charging off after Mousse, who turned and fled across the wall, the two of them vanishing down the streets of Nerima while the rest of the Furinkan students blinked their eyes in wonder.

"Nabiki," Shampoo said softly, "Why Shampoo think she see this one coming?"

"Who knows, Kitty-cat," Nabiki sighed, "Come on, let's go follow the Baka. This ought to be worth a few laughs."

"Mousse never learn," Shampoo agreed, and the two of them hurried to catch up with their errant boyfriend...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cat-and-Mouseplay: shadowmane

Ganglot, Razor and the rest of clan Hibiki make their entrance, while Ukyo has a few words with Akane and a certain ex-Pig boy. More of the grand scheme begins to take shape while Ranma continued to find frustration in his quest to be a ring-bearer (and as a certain Hobbit could have told him, it's not as easy to give away a ring as you might imagine!). All that and Peorth deciding to test the waters of destiny, so won't you kindly...be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	89. Chapter 89

NabikiRan85 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and Others)  
Chapter Eighty-Five.

Cybelle prided herself as a patient Demon Sorceress, one who could bide her time and learn from unfortunate set-backs, (such as that minor fiasco with the Combat Lawyers) but now she was finding herself growing intensely eager with anticipation of her latest capital venture. Her unsuspecting pawn was proving to be a most reliable resource for a project so far-reaching and monumentally ambitious that it was almost breathtaking, and the fool did not even have a clue as to the true scope of the eventual program.

The demoness smiled as she regarded the many monitor screens that decorated her abode, giving her access to virtually every part of the globe where a dozen other ventures were showing similar results that might one day all come together for the eventual final program. Generations of investment in time, money and energy would be needed before Cybelle was ready to undertake her schemes for humanity, at which point she would the unstoppable force ruling over all with an electronic fist that might one day be clenched in flesh, metal and plastics.

Oh true there were currently several highly successful programs that had turned out results much to her liking, but none yet showed as much promise as this Shohan project that she had more recently conceived and put into production. The NK series Android was a nice working prototype but had the handicap of relying upon organic tissues in the central processing unit, in effect a Cyborg. The even more interesting bit of serendipity that had led to the creation of Marie had demonstrated the feasibility of an entirely artificial integrated system, but that too had many unsatisfactory limitations. What Cybelle needed was a totally independent and self-maintaining unit that could function on multiple levels while maintaining a link between both the artificial and organic worlds, and as yet the technology for this did not exist in anything but the most rudimentary stages. Cybelle needed a body that would not suffer from her own present limitations, one that would give unlimited power at her command without interfering with her ability to work magic, but the closest that she had yet come to achieving this was the ill-fated Genocyber unit that had gone rogue and demolished her facilities upon that Singapore Islet.

Ah well, she mused, that was for the future. Though some would believe that her aim of creating a hybrid body that had both human, demon and cybernetic potential was a little too ambitious, the prospect of achieving true freedom from her present incarceration was just too tempting to pass up. The critical interface would be in learning to adapt Juraian and Oni technologies so that she could maintain linkage to her tree while still being able to tap into its vast stores of cosmic energy. The problem was that even the best minds on Earth had so far proven unable to achieve this.

Well, she mused...Rome wasn't conquered in a day and she had plenty of time to conduct the necessary research, for which she required new testing facilities that could explore different avenues and further her aims towards the eventual program. When-NOT IF-she achieved her ambitions then she could rule a substantial portion of the mortal world as a virtual Goddess, displacing the real Goddesses as her mundane powers increased proportional to her knowledge. With independent movement and the resources of the World Economies at her disposal she could really shape things on Earth to her liking.

At least Tatewaki-kun was proving adept at securing the real estate that Cybelle was most after, all save for a few choice pieces of property, like the Tendo dojo, so tantalizingly out of reach of her agents. Time was on her side, of course, but she could not wait to relish the misery that would be inflicted upon Tendo Soun when he and his family were evicted. It would sooth her ruffled ego to no end to discomfort those who in the past had proven so annoying, but to this end she had begun to think of a truly wicked plan, having recently come across a bit of information regarding a certain fellow who might do the job for her quite nicely.

Cybelle hated to fall into stereotypical patterns of any sort, but at the moment she felt the strong urge to give vent to a classic villainous laugh as she thought of all the wicked ways in which she could torment those who opposed her. Her plans were nearly fool proof, taking advantage of key psychological factors such as the egos of the various players. In due course she could move beyond petty harassment to outright malevolent glory, but that still required that she move cautiously and not tip her hand too much in advance. There were a few among the enemy camp who might prove more troublesome than the rest combined and it would not do to underestimate those particular players, especially considering the resources that were yet at their disposal.

Her amused reflections were cut short as a light went off on one of her monitoring devices, and as Cybelle turned to regard this screen she sensed that something was truly amiss, and her sensors located the source of the anomaly as having originated in China. Concern caused her to expand the screen of this particular monitor, and then she point-and-click accessed through the registry until she had isolated the source of the problem.

A certain temple hidden within the Bayankallah mountain range appeared before her scrutiny, and without even needing to run a diagnostic, Cybelle could sense that the Ward Seals had been broken.

Ganglot? After all this time? Cybelle was suddenly quite concerned regarding the discovery that her ancient mother-in-law had somehow stirred from her crypt and was now fully awake and no doubt somewhere loose in China. If there was any being under Heaven whom Cybelle had cause to fear, it was the fearsome Oni Princess who had given Happosai his start and was the author of much mischief that sometimes afflicted the best laid plans of both Gods and Demons. Ganglot's powers had exceeded her own in the days before the Amazon Elders had sealed her away within her Temple, and while Cybelle had grown in strength since then she did not relish a rematch that might come close to testing her full potential.

All right, Cybelle thought to herself, calm down, nothing to panic about. She's powerful but like me she has some annoying limits, such as the length of time that she can expend in the world away from her Temple, which was the source of her power, much like Cybelle's tree prison. That limited the range at which Ganglot could operate effectively, and Cybelle doubted that the Oni could make it all the way to Japan from China.

That is...unless Ganglot had found a way around her peculiar limitation...

Cybelle frowned as she studied the pyramid-shaped Temple once again, then she keyed in a Search program, called up a diagnostic file and used it to conduct an analysis of the temple structure. After less than a minute the program concluded its comparative analysis to the current temple and the one Cybelle kept on file, and as she had feared there was a definite change in the layout, owing to the fact that a single stone had been removed from its setting.

A five ton block of stone that had formerly stood at the pyramid's apex.

"I don't believe it," Cybelle murmured to no one in particular, "How in the name of Carl Macek did she transport a thing like that out of China?"

And then a worse scenario thought occurred to the Demon Sorceress...where did Ganglot intend to go with her Hearth Stone, and what did she ultimately intend to do when she got there...?

"Ah," Ganglot smiled as she surveyed the interior of a studio in the downtown Furinkan area, relishing the size and feel of the place, which tasted to her so much of the sweet scent of freedom, "My new home away from home at last! Good thing I picked up the lease before my Daughter-in-law found out it was on the market. This will be so nice to set up shop in..." she did a pirouette and laughed like a carefree child before turning and selecting a good spot that had all of the right vibrations.

"Yes," she said, "This will do nicely. Put it down there...and do be gentle about it, Ju-Lan dear."

The scholarly Amazon youth stared straight ahead like a Zombie as he held up the huge block of rough-hewn stone with both hands, easily carrying it as though the basalt rock was as light as the proverbial feather. He set down the stone with the ease that one might handle a cardboard box, even though the object itself was sixty times as massive as his own bodyweight, yet when he set it down there was an audible 'THUNK" that betrayed its all-too-solid nature. The Amazon male then stood back and continued to stare ahead without the least bit of emotion in his features as though unaware of his own feat, a puppet awaiting further instructions from his Mistress.

"Hmm..." Ganglot studied the block until she was satisfied that it was correctly aligned with the proper forces, and then she smiled seductively at the unblinking youth and said, "Very good...you've both fulfilled your part of the bargain, and now I will do likewise."

So saying, Ganglot raised her arms and suddenly her image blurred, then separated into two very different components. The Oni herself stood to one side as the figure of Ro-Mano remained poised like a Grecian statue, only to blink her eyes a moment later, then look around with a most peculiar expression. As the Amazon girl slowly came back to an awareness of herself, Ganglot snapped her fingers, and suddenly the male Amazon blinked his eyes and began to do likewise.

"W-Wh-where...?" Ro-Mano gasped in bewilderment.

"Welcome to your new home," Ganglot said, "Which also happens to be my new citadel of power. You are no longer in Amazon controlled territories, or even China itself for that matter. You are in a country known as Japan, which is across the Eastern Sea off the coast of the mainland, and I have transported you both here beyond the reach of your family elders...exactly as I said that I would do."

"You brought us to a foreign country?" Ju-Lan blinked his eyes, "Why don't I remember...?"

"A necessary side-effect of the transportation process," Ganglot explained, "Don't trouble yourself with the details, the important thing is that you both are now free to pursue a life together, if that is what you ultimately desire."

"You say we are free of the Elders of our two families," Ro-Mano said in suspicion, "But what of you? Are we bound to you now as your personal slaves?"

"Abyss, no," Ganglot chuckled, as if having anticipated this very question, "You two were only bound to me for the purposes of a wish, which I have now granted you precisely to the letter. You can leave at any time that you will, I won't hold you against your own wishes. That's now the way that I prefer to operate, so if you desire to leave, by all means, the door is that way."

"Truly?" Ju-Lan asked, "You'll let us go...just like that?"

"It is to you that I have to thank for my own freedom," Ganglot replied, "Fair is fair after all...and as I would not be a slave, nor do I have any wish to be a slaver. You need not bother with petty details such as a language barrier or a shortage of money. I have instilled a full comprehension of the Japanese language in both of your minds and have secured a sufficient amount of petty cash that you now carry in your belt-pouches. Should you wish to buy passage back to China, that will be within your power. However I rather think you both could stay and enjoy the climate here...with less chance of anyone back home becoming the wiser."

"But...what will we do with ourselves?" Ro-Mano asked.

"We know nothing of the customs of Japan," Ju-Lan agreed, "What I know of the place has been gleaned from ancient scrolls and modern textbooks..."

"Not my concern," Ganglot replied, adding with an oblique smile, "Of course...if it were employment that you were seeking, I might be able to work something out with the both of you, provided you were willing to come to work for me as an employer."

"Employer?" Ro-Mano took a moment to let the word filter through the interpretive powers of her sub-conscious, and then she bristled, "Are you claiming that I would hire myself out like a common mercenary? A warrior of the Joketsuzoku in the employment of a Demon Oni?"

"Suit yourself," Ganglot replied, "But the offer is still open if you wish to take it. As I said the door is that way, so if you will both excuse me, I have a lot of work to do fixing up this place before it's ready to be opened to the public."

"What do you intend to do?" Ju-Lan asked, pausing before adding with a bit more caution, "Ah...if you don't mind my asking, that is..."

"Not at all," Ganglot grinned, "I'm going to open up a private Art Gallery and sell lithographic paintings to the general public. I've always had a passion for Neo-classical realism, though there are times when I've flirted with modern Impressionism of the Post-Picasso era. I rather fancy painting lyrical landscapes that use a great deal of color to dazzle the eye and inspire the imaginations of people, rather like that charming fellow, Van Gogh, but with a touch more of the sensuality of his ex-Roomie, Gogan..." she paused to study their blank-eyed expressions and said, "But then you wouldn't know anything of what I am talking about, would you?"

Both Amazon youths shake their heads negatively, the translation programs in their heads failing to place the names to faces that they could relate to, let along grasp more than the basic concept that this Demoness was intending to sell artwork.

"Well, don't worry your pretty heads about it," Ganglot smiled, "All that matters is that I am here and I can finally pursue a lifelong ambition. You have given me the gift of my personal freedom, and now you can enjoy the fruits of your labors with my blessings."

"Ah...excuse me," Ju-Lan said, "But you are a Demon, are you not?"

"So what was your first hint?" the golden skinned beauty grinned back, revealing her pronounced canines, "But not to worry, I'm not one of those Demons who spurt blood, fire and pea soup, I'm a Wish Oni, which means I'm closer to being an Ogre than a full Demon...an Ogre Mage, if you will, one who grants wishes to deserving mortals."

"A wish Oni?" Ro-Mano replied, "But...why did you help us out?"

"Because I needed a favor, and I was in a position to grant one," Ganglot answered, "Besides, you two remind me of another young couple I knew from a long time ago...even had similar names to yours and everything, but things didn't turn out very well in the end, so I'm hoping to do better this time around on the wheel of Karma. There's far too much tragedy in the world, if you ask me, and not enough comedy, so I do what I can to help out by...stirring up the pot a little."

"We owe you a debt for helping us just the same," Ju-Lan replied, hesitating before adding, "Do you think the people of this...Japan...could use a good farmer?"

"More than that," Ganglot smiled, "A talented scholar such as you would make a find prize once you start exploring the college circuit. I could give you a recommendation for some competent history professors who might value taking you on as an apprentice, seeing as how you can now speak more than one language and read Chinese without difficulty."

"School?" Ro-Mano asked, "But school is for children..."

"I don't mean to be the one to point out the painfully obvious," Ganglot noted with wry humor, "But the both of you are not exactly senior citizens, and most Japanese children your age are even now attending classes, and Warrior training is not quite as vital here for survival."

"What kind of barbarous place have you taken us to?" Ro-Mano demanded before turning about on one heel and saying, "Come on, Ju-Lan, we're leaving!"

"Wait," the boy said, "Do you mean to say that the Elders here actually encourage us to get an edu-CATION?!" he gasped as Ro-Mano seized him by the arm and all but dragged him away, muttering under her breath that his obsession with learning was unhealthy.

Ganglot smiled as she watched the Amazon youths take their leave of her new domicile. Give them a half an hour, maybe an hour tops, then she would perform a scrying spell and see what sort of trouble the pair of them got into. She would bail them out, naturally, and then stress the need for the pair of them to keep a low profile, and when she was done outlining the potential lists of dangers she would propose to them again her offer of employment, confident that the girl would at least be in a more cooperative state of mind, while the boy was already half-sold upon the concept.

"Nice kids," she grinned, "Good help like that is so hard to come by these days..."

It was by merging with the girl that she had been able to move beyond the wards that had sealed her into her Temple grounds, and the boy had transported her Hearthstone with the help of some magically boosted strength, coupled with the localized cancellation of gravity upon its overall mass, so now she no longer needed to make frequent visits to her temple in order to get a recharge. So long as she rested within the stone periodically Ganglot would be at her full power, and thus be free to act amid the world of mortals, and a good thing too considering what all she had sensed was converging on this place called Nerima.

Though her body had slept away the centuries, her mind had remained active and her spirit had kept itself busy by studying the world at large as it changed and evolved all around her. By learning to tune into the ever shifting patterns of Akashik logic emanating from Yggdrasil, Ganglot had managed to keep relevant to the times and so was not quite the helpless fossil that her Wardens had anticipated...but if they were intending to keep her isolated they should severed her links to the World computer, let alone used a programming language that she could so easily tap into in order to create a new password.

Things were in motion all right, and it centered around her son and his ex-wife, Ganglot's unfortunate daughter-in-law and all around pest, Cybelle, who had been actively plotting mischief, and centering it around both Atsuko and Ryoga. Ganglot had never actually laid eyes upon her great grandson and heir to the proud line of the Hibikis, but she knew enough about the boy already to feel a touch of familiar pride, and no way was she allowing that Iron Witch to harm him!

But that was for the future...in the present she had a studio to set up and art to create, and her passions had been fired with new inspiration. Once she was done converting the place into a livable chamber she would get to work making all the appropriate contacts whose name she had researched on the Worldwide Web database. She had lost so much time already due to the instigation of Amazon malice, and no way was she being left out of these fresh and exciting times that she had so longed to be a part of. Ganglot thrived on the dynamic energies of Chaotic and unpredictable mortals and had so longed to be a part of the world once again, and no one was going to deny her destiny! The world of Art was waiting to receive her newest masterpieces, and once she had begun setting brushstroke to canvas they would know and respect her genius.

Ganglot the Oni had arrived on the scene and nothing would be the same again, of that there was absolutely no denying...

"I see," said Tatewaki as he surveyed the broken lockers, "And you are certain that these are the only samples that were taken?"

Hai, Kuno-sama," the head of the security detail bowed like a true Samurai facing his Lord and Master, "We have conducted an inventory and determined that the perpetrator only made away with those vials already listed. The rest of the collection is untouched and intact. We suspect he made not have had enough time to take more than what he gathered..."

"Be assured," Kuno mused, "If that one had a mind to take the entire inventory he could well have done so. I went to a considerable degree of trouble and expense to gather these samples for our new research facility to examine. One of those sent to obtain these samples was even fool enough to get himself cursed, so I trust that I do not need to stress to you the importance of safeguarding the rest of the stock, Captain?"

"Hai!" the Captain snapped to attention, though his eyes uncomfortably wandered over towards the holding cage that currently housed the luckless member of the research party in question. Who would ever have imagined that there was such a thing as the "Spring of the Drowned Aardvark?" But there was the unmistakable evidence of the efficacy of the cursed water, and so might well be the fate of any other who dared to fail or displease the Lord Kuno.

"Very well," Tatewaki said, "We shall overlook this one incident...for now, but be mindful that there is not a repeat of this transgression. Should any other vial of water turn up missing before our lab people have a chance to examine it, then you, dear Captain, will feel the full wrath of my displeasure. Is that understood?"

"Hai!" replied the Captain, his spine as stiff as a board though his knees came close to shaking at the prospect of winding up in a different shape than nature had intended.

"You are dismissed," Tatewaki said, turning around without even seeing if his order had been followed, trusting the security man to know his proper place. Instead he turned to his Chief Lab researcher, a man named Ikari Gendou, who was eyeing him with ill-conceived amusement.

"You have identified which vials were taken?" Tatewaki asked of the sly looking genius.

"Just these, sir," Ikari handed over a list, then added as if slyly to a companion, "You were unduly merciful with that wretch. I half expected you to can his sorry ass."

"It is a poor weapons smith who blames his tools for his own failures," Tatewaki replied, "I should have anticipated that the half-blind fool would try something of this nature. After all, he had been a little too cooperative in telling us all that he knew about Jusenkyo and its accursed water."

"Love has addled his wits," Ikari noted in a moment of rare philosophical introspection, "It drives many a strong or otherwise intelligent man to do things that normally would be outside his nature."

"Indeed," Tatewaki replied, "And perhaps that is why I don't harbor darker resentments towards him. Mao-Tsu has been ill-favored by the God of Love since early childhood, and as someone who has been where he now is I am understanding. If anything I berate myself for underestimating his tenacity as I might well have done the same were I in his position."

"It's hard to imagine you as the lovesick puppy type," Ikari noted, not adding that he was very impressed by the boy's maturity and self-restraint, as used as he was to having to deal with that maniac, the boy's father.

"You would do well not to imagine it, for it was not a happy episode of my existence," Tatewaki replied, then quirking a smile as he said, "He took this particular vial? The others I could well understand, but this one?"

"I believe he mentioned something about seeing justice done to a wretched Cur," Ikari noted, "You don't suppose this was what he had in mind, do you?"

"Hmmm..." Tatewaki thought a moment, "On second thought his choice does make a kind of sense, given the nature of his obsession. Use a curse to play off of a curse, pit instinct against desire...yes, I see a strategy at work, designs within designs, a pattern. This should be interesting to see played out. Perhaps for now we will do nothing more but to sit back and observe, and only act when the time comes to teach Mao-Tsu not to cross Kuno Tatewaki."

"Fortunately we have lots of extra samples of the water he took," Ikari noted, "Do you want us to proceed ahead with the transfer?"

"With all due haste," Kuno replied as he tapped the older man on the chest with the papers that he was holding, "Thanks to my adoring sister's cooperation we should be able to merge our Pharmaceutical labs with our advanced chemical testing facilities in order to discover what there is in these waters that gives them their efficacious powers. There are so many potential breakthroughs that could result from this discovery, and I am eager to read the reports as soon as the testing phase has commenced."

"I'll admit as a scientist that I'm a little troubled about the implications for matter-energy conservation and the restructuring of molecular matter," Ikari mused with his usual thoughtful expression, "From all we ever knew on these subjects, what this cursed water does should be considered impossible, and yet with my own eyes I have witnessed this very impossibility be demonstrated." The man paused before continuing, "You believe that Mousse character used us to obtain the samples he needed, and that is the reason he told you all about the water in the first place?"

"You heard what the Jusenkyo Guide said about the legend of these waters," Tatewaki replied, "That those once cursed cannot find their way back to Jusenkyo on their own power...that something prevents them from returning in order to obtain the cure of a second dousing. Mao-Tsu must have learned this the hard way when he sought to find his way back to obtain more on his own power. The fool had unintentionally cursed Tendo Akane but learned that the actual target of his attack had subsequently gone to China and had obtained her own samples. By this means was Hibiki Ryoga cured of his own curse, proving the effectiveness of being doused with the appropriate waters."

"I see," Ikari admitted, "Then the fool played his hand well...but why do you want to him proceed with his plans uninterrupted?"

"Because his past failures lead me to suspect that he will not prevail on this occasion any better than the last," Tatewaki replied, "But the fallout of his mischief is always interesting to study, and you never know what interesting developments may result from this...field study of cursed water under actual field conditions."

"I see," Ikari did smile this time, "And if the fool gets lucky and happens to nail the Saotome boy as he intends?"

"It would be a most unfortunate development," Tatewaki returned the smile, "Either way the results should prove to be...most entertaining..."

The first thing Ukyo noticed when she regained consciousness was that she felt warm and snug between soft bedsheets and that the mattress felt a good deal softer than a tatami. The sheets also smelled so fresh and nice, like someone had used a good fabric softener to give them a clean, wholesome scent, which was only mildly flavored with the pleasant musk-perfume of Makoto's own body...

Of...Makoto's body?

Ukyo's eyes flew wide open and she hastily looked around, finding herself in the master bedroom of an unfamiliar house and not her own Spartan room overlooking her new restaurant. This discovery in no way reassured her, so Ukyo sat partway upright, only to discover to her further dismay that she was wearing a negligee, something she had never consciously imagined herself using in this life!

But how? Could she...? But she...and she was still a girl! And she didn't remember anything from the night before that would even HINT of something like this having happened!

"Oh good, you're awake at last, Sleepy head."

Ukyo turned to see Makoto entering the room holding up a tray in her hands, dressed only in a bathrobe with her hair done up in a towel.

"Gah-!" Ukyo grabbed the sheets and partially covered herself, her eyes as round as saucers as she tried desperately to think of a good explanation for what was happening. Only the rumbling in her stomach gave hint that she was aware of the breakfast Makoto was serving to her own bed, the rest of her was trying to think up a good reason not to panic or faint on the spot.

"And here I thought you Ninja types were supposed to rise up before the sun or something," Makoto teased, "You've been sleeping in the entire morning."

"WHAT?" Ukyo nearly bolted from the bed, but her modesty kept her underneath the covers, "But I have classes this morning!"

"So did I, but I called in sick," Makoto informed her, "I called your Aunt and she said she'd make arrangements with the school to give you the day off. From the way she talked you'd think we were doing something naughty, can you believe that?"

"A-A-A-ah..." Ukyo wilted slightly, "Did we?"

"What?" Makoto effected a slightly disappointed tone as she set the tray down on the bed and then plopped down besides Ukyo, "You don't remember? And here I thought it was such a memorable night, one that you know I won't be forgetting about anytime soon..."

"Huh?" Ukyo's voice was an octave higher than her usual tones, and her eyes were almost twice as wide as before, "But...I...we did? But...I don't...I can't...was it good?"

That latter question surprised Ukyo even as she said it, even more than the wink her friend paid to her as she leaned forward and in a sultry tone said, "What do you think?"

"Ah-ah-ah...er..." Ukyo racked her brain but could not come up with anything intelligent to say in response to that.

Fortunately for her peace of mind, Makoto leaned back and gave a soft chuckle as a broad grin crossed her face and she said, "Oh relax, Ucchan...nothing happened between us. You just fell asleep while we were talking, and we were talking well until three in the morning. You must have been exhausted because you slept like the dead...except for all the snoring you did, which is how I was able to tell you weren't a Youma."

"Snoring?" Ukyo's relief became outrage, "I don't snore!"

"The evidence says otherwise," Makoto held up a small hand-held tape recorder and pushed the "play" button, producing a noise that sounded like it had been recorded at a saw mill.

"But I..." Ukyo paused then said, "We really didn't do anything?"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Makoto leaned forward again.

"Er...no," Ukyo said sheepishly, "I'd never do that."

"Good," Makoto winked again, "Because if we really do make out in my bed I guarantee you'll never forget it...or you'd better not if you know what's good for you."

"Er...right," Ukyo smiled this time, feeling greatly cheered that something as significant as making out with another girl had not completely escaped her attention. Her relief was brief, however, as a different feeling replace it, a vague sense of disappointment as she looked into Makoto's lovely features and saw a friend whom she deeply cared about, not someone to be feared and certainly never avoided.

"Now that we've got that sorted out," Makoto said with a jaunty smile as she crossed her legs and bounced one foot over the knee of the other, not even minding that this caused the bottom part of her bathrobe to slide away and expose a generous portion of her thigh and crotch area, "Now's the time for us both to eat."

"Huh?" Ukyo's eyes were magnetized tot he exposed area so that she completely missed the significance of the question.

"I mean the food I just cooked up, silly," Makoto's laughter was musical as she picked up a slice of toast and presented it to the lips of her friend, "Hope you like it...it's not okonomiyaki, but it's good for you, and I made sure to use your favorite jam this time, strawberry."

"Ah...oh," Ukyo hesitantly took a bite out of the toast, feeling odd to be fed this way instead of under her own power. Still the ambiance was surprisingly nice, and Makoto was obviously enjoying having her over to stay the night, so she reluctantly swallowed her pride and reservations and chewed down her bite full before taking the rest of the toast in her hands and feeding herself, which made her feel a bit less awkward about the situation.

After finishing off a bowl full of hot oatmeal and several slices of bacon, Ukyo paused to look at her friend and say, "You don't have to do this for me, you know. I could have cooked my own breakfast."

"But I like cooking for you," Makoto responded, pouting slightly, "Don't you like it?"

"Oh...sure, it's delicious," Ukyo immediately reassured her, "A Western style breakfast, huh?"

"I thought it would make a nice change of pace, and I'm always trying out new recipes," Makoto replied, "I was afraid you'd only like Japanese food...all you ever seem to eat is okonomiyaki."

"And what's wrong with okonomiyaki?" Ukyo responded archly.

"Nothing at all," Makoto replied, "You cook the best in Japan, even better than your aunt, but it isn't good to eat the same thing all of the time. You need a balanced diet."

"Hey, it's better than eating rice every morning," Ukyo countered, "I had to do that when I was training in the hills with my grandfather."

"You see what I mean?" Makoto asked, "You eat the same thing every day and it can affect your diet, and before too long it all begins to taste the same. You should be offering a more diverse menu at your restaurant...not that I'd stop making okonomiyaki since that is you recipe of choice."

"I'll have you know that I can cook up a hundred different types of okonomiyaki," Ukyo noted with a hint of professional pride in her voice, "And none of them ever get boring."

"That's because you're not a boring person," Makoto replied, "In fact you're about the most interesting person that I know...and I could never get tired of being around you."

There was an uncomfortable silence that hovered in the air after the taller girl said that, and Ukyo stared up into Makoto's green eyes reading the sincerity of her statement. It made her throat feel tight and her body began to feel warm all over.

"Uh...Mako-chan?" Ukyo began, then faltered.

"Yes?" Makoto leaned closer.

"Did you...undress me last night, or did I put this on myself?" Ukyo glanced down at her borrowed negligee.

It was Makoto's turn to color, and in a slightly defensive tone of voice she replied, "Well...it didn't seem right to put you to bed with your clothing on. All I did was pull things off and give you one of my older nighties. It doesn't really fit me any more, but it looks good on you...even better than it does on Minako."

Ukyo looked at her sharply and said, "You put this on her?"

"No," Makoto sounded slightly defensive, "I've let her use it when she was staying over for the night. The only thing is I never let her anywhere near the kitchen...she's such a walking disaster area in the morning, gah..." she rolled her yes in affectionate exasperation.

"You do like her, don't you?" Ukyo asked, "I'm jealous."

That brought another long pause when the two of them just stared at one another, but then Makoto lowered her eyes and said, "Sempai?"

"Yeah?" Ukyo asked hoarsely.

"Do you think..." she paused, then raised her gaze again and looked squarely into Ukyo's brown eyes, "Do you think it would be all right for me to come and work for you? I mean...running a place all by yourself is a big responsibility. I'm sure you can handle it, but...it would be nice if I could be your back-up chef in case you do decide to cook other things besides okonomiyaki."

"You...you want to cook for me?" Ukyo asked in wonder.

"I wouldn't cost you much," Makoto assured, "I don't really need the money, but I want to spend more time with you...I...want to contribute something. I can even learn to cook okonomiyaki as good as you, if you'll let me."

A slow smile crossed Ukyo's expression as she saw the hope and anxiety that warred within the eyes of her friend. Being trained to read the thoughts of others from the slightest hints and observations, she knew that Makoto's sense of well being was very fragile at this point and that any perceived rejection would be especially hurtful to her pride. In spite of all that Ukyo could not help smiling.

"You know," Ukyo replied, "I can think of a lot less enjoyable things than having you for my partner, Mako-chan. I hope you don't mind if I don't give you an immediate reply, I need to think it over. But...if you want to hang around with me...I wouldn't mind. Of course it's a long way from here to the Furinkan district..."

"I don't mind commuting," Makoto replied, "And if you have a place for me to stay, I could always take a guest room at your place."

"Wow," Ukyo noted, "You have thought this one out, haven't you?"

"I've missed you so much these last few years, Sempai," Makoto leaned closer again, "I don't want to lose you, especially to another woman."

"Akane," Ukyo said lopsidedly, "That's the other thing...I need to talk with her. I came to you first, but she's somebody who would be very hurt if I gave her the brush off. Also I need to do something about Tsubasa..."

"Funny how I'd forgotten all about him," Makoto mused, "He used to be a minor legend around Juuban, the Master of Disguise we called him, who could spy on just about anyone without being detected. How did somebody like that ever get it into his head that you were to be his love interest?"

"You got me on that one," Ukyo sighed, "I was dressed as a boy at the time, but somehow he spotted me out. He started coming onto me shortly after this, and when I tried to discourage him he took to cross-dressing. I guess maybe he thought I'd find it cute for him to play at being the opposite gender, like I was doing. Now he seems to have gotten it into his head that I really do like girls, and not just pretend ones like him."

"Gee, I'd never have guessed you were interested," Makoto said with mock surprise, "Does that mean we should rule out taking showers together?"

"Ah...huh?" Ukyo's mind suddenly filled with the curious image of Makoto in the showers, and she colored at the thought of this, realizing that the image was exciting her on a surprising level.

"Well, you need to take a shower anyway," Makoto made a point of sniffing Ukyo before holding her nose in a mock fashion, "You smell of sweat, and I'm going to have to clean the sheets."

"Oh, ah..." Ukyo faltered.

"I'm just kidding," Makoto patted Ukyo's arm, "Don't take everything I say so literally, Sempai, I just mean that you can take a shower if you want. I've already cleaned your clothing out and it's already dry enough for you to wear your outfit."

Ukyo blinked at these rapid shifts in her mental gears. Makoto was flirting with her on so many levels that it was becoming hard to keep her own thoughts straight.

"Of course," Makoto resumed, "You'd have to be taking a hot shower if you want to remain a girl...but if you took a cold shower, then I'd have to explain to the neighbors why I had a boy over in my bed. It's your choice, of course...but if we ever do take a cold shower together, I'll bet you could warm me up like one of Rei's fireballs. Just say the word and I'm at your disposal."

Now Ukyo was very glad that she was a girl, because if she were in her male form right then and there she just KNEW that she would have been experience the biggest hard-on of her life. As it was her breasts were poking hard nipples from underneath her nightie, and she still could not take her eyes off of Makoto. It actually frightened her to realize how much she was seriously tempted!

Much to Ukyo's dismay, Makoto got up off the bed and removed the half-finished plates that had been her breakfast, saying, "Go clean yourself up and we'll talk some more. Maybe I can help you out over that Tsubasa character...of course you're on your own when it comes to Akane."

Ukyo waited until the taller girl had left the room then murmured under her breath, "She's gonna drive me crazy if she keeps doing that..." but in spite of her words she found herself actually smiling at the prospect...

Ranma had almost caught up with Mousse by the time they reached the park area, at which point Mousse stopped running and held his ground, smiling confidently with his hands ominously concealed by the sleeves of his long robes.

Ranma alighted on the ground a few meters away from his opponent, careful not to rush this time into an obvious ambush. He intended to use greater caution this time than would normally be expected from him in a fight and think things through, just as Nabiki would do, rather than let himself be outsmarted by such an obsessive moron as the Chinese boy before him.

"Greetings for the last time, Saotome," Mousse smiled, "So nice of you to drop in."

"Can it, Mousse," Ranma snarled, "If this is about Shampoo then you can forget about it. She belongs with me now, and I'm not letting you bother her again!"

Mousse's expression darkened with anger, "You've despoiled her, you took from her that which rightfully belongs to me! You're a thief, Saotome! You don't deserve her, you never did! You never even wanted her until you found out you could have both her and your slut, Nabiki!"

"Don't call Nabiki that, you Baka!" Ranma's anger flared, "You haven't any right to make claims on Shampoo or anyone else! She's told you a hundred times that she doesn't want you but all you do is try to force yourself on her, to take her choice away from her, because YOU are too selfish and self-centered to listen to anyone but your own stupid desires! Well it's not gonna happen!"

"How dare you try and tell me what I don't deserve, Saotome!" Mousse cried in matching anger, "You don't know me at all! You've got no idea what I've lived through, how hard I've worked, how much I've suffered, the sacrifices I've made, all to win Shampoo for my wife, and once you're gone she'll be mine to claim...forever!"

"Listen to you," Ranma snorted, "What you suffered? What you've been through? Welcome to the club, buddy! You got no idea what I went through just to get to where I am, so if you wanna compared sob stories, go find another sucker, 'cause I'm not buying!"

"It's pointless to trade insults with you, Saotome," Mousse declared, "You signed your death warrant the day you crawled into Shampoo's bed and took her virtue! For that crime alone I will see you suffer before you beg me for death!"

"Oh man," Ranma shook his head, feeling his disgust turn into pity, "You've totally lost it! You think I had to do anything to force Shampoo to be my fiancee? Guess again! Besides, you've never once beaten me in a fair fight, so what are you gonna do now, bore me to death?"

"No," Mousse replied with a malevolent gleam in his eyes, "I've got a special kind of revenge in mind for you, Saotome, one tailor made to show you up for the weak and pathetic coward that you are! I'm going to see you burn in Hell for daring to come between me and my dreams, beginning with exposing you to your darkest, most forbidding fears..."

"I ain't afraid of nothing!" Ranma took a step forward, assuming a fighting couch as he prepared himself for any attack that Mousse might be planning.

"Oh no?" Mousse smiled confidently, and made a sudden gesture with his hands, but rather than hurl an attack Ranma's way the chains that shot out of his sleeves went sideways and wrapped themselves around two separate poles at opposite ends of the clearing. With a snap of both wrists he yanked these poles out of their moorings, which caused a number of bent over trees to snap upright, and all at once the ground beneath Ranma's feet sprang up around him, forming a cargo net before Ranma had time to escape its ensnarement.

"WHAT?" Ranma cried as he fought to free himself from the sudden upset, finding himself being hauled into the air like the proverbial sack of rice, having to fight to work free against strong ropes that trapped him up in their embrace.

"Look at you," Mousse sneered, "Helpless in my web, like a wild goat fit only to be slaughtered. It wouldn't even be a challenge for me to use you for target practice, Saotome, but that's far too simple a death for you, and far more merciful than you deserve! I'm going to see you get everything you deserve, you greedy womanizing Tom-Cat."

"What are you talking about?" Ranma growled as he sought to get enough leverage to break free from the netting.

"Take a look below you," Mousse said as he reached down and seized the ground at his feet, yanking up to reveal a concealed canvas tarp that had been buried there beneath a layer of dirt, and with another heave he snapped it away to reveal a pit that had been cleverly concealed there.

"What?" Ranma asked, "Another dumb trap...?" but then a slight noise found its way up to him, and he stared down into the dark maw with dawning horror, "N-  
No...you didn't...you wouldn't...?"

"Surprise," Mousse grinned, "This is phase two of my revenge, borrowed straight from the pages of your father's training manual, and once these creatures have had their way with you, phase three will really knock your tabi socks right off...if you were wearing any, that is..."

Mousse produced a knife and hurled it at the rope holding up the netting, dropping Ranma into the pit as the latter was already screaming. His scream was swiftly joined with the sounds of many ally cats clawing and tearing at Ranma's flesh. It was just as these noises began that Shampoo arrived bearing Nabiki in her arms, and the both of them reacted with mutual horror, understanding at once the depths of Mousse's treacherous maneuver.

"AIYAA!" Shampoo cried as she set Nabiki down on her feet, "What Mousse do to Ranma?"

"He must be triggering the Nekoken deliberately," Nabiki replied, "But why?"

"Ah, the other two players have arrived on cue," Mousse turned to them, "That saves me the trouble of hunting you down...Tendo Nabiki!"

"W-What?" Nabiki gasped, surprised at the tone of hostility that was delivered her way by the Chinese boy, for Mousse's eyes were almost burning with anger.

"Phase three wouldn't even be possible without your involvement, of course," Mousse continued, "Once your beloved Saotome is primed and ready to receive you, I'll give him an iinazuke that he'll never forget!"

"MOUSSE!" Shampoo snarled as she rushed forward, "I NO LET YOU!"

"I'm sorry to have to do this, Shampoo," Mousse replied as the Amazon closed on him, "But you leave me no choice."

"Wha-?" Shampoo gasped as she closed in on Mousse and took a powerful swing in his direction, only to find his empty robes were hurled into her face as Mousse avoided her entirely, moving to one side as a Matador might evade a charging rhino. Shampoo fought to remove the robe from her face, turning to confront the now bare-chested youth again, only to falter in mid turn as her body abruptly stiffened.

"You will not be able to move for the next hour or so," Mousse explained, "A powder that I have recently acquired and laced on my shirt has induced paralysis that will freeze up your muscles, leaving you powerless to do anything but watch as the fun begins in earnest."

"M-Mou...!" Shampoo struggled to say, but even her jaw and vocal chords appeared to be affected by the fast-spreading powder.

"I'm am truly sorry that it had to be this way, Shampoo," Mousse sighed as he turned away to again confront Nabiki, "But I can' have you interfering with my plans, not this time. Tendo Nabiki, prepare to have your true essence revealed before these, your lovers!"

"Why are you doing this?" Nabiki cried, "You honestly think this is going to win Shampoo's love, you Moron?"

"Shampoo is an Amazon, the same as me," Mousse replied, "She knows the law and will abide by it when I defeat her and make her my wife, and then I will erase all memory of you so that we can begin anew as if none of this ever happened."

"You what?" Nabiki flared, anger replacing fear for her personal welfare.

"In a way it is a pity," Mousse said almost sadly, "You were as much a victim of all this as Saotome, but I can't allow anyone or anything to come between me and Shampoo, and because you accepted her to your bed, you fully deserve this!"

From seeming nowhere the Chinese youth produced a plastic cylinder containing roughly a gallon of bottled water, and with a toss of his hand he sent it hurtling into the air over the head of Nabiki's, and then another thrown dagger shattered the cylinder in mid-arc, sending the contents spilling out in her direction...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Will he get away with it: shadowmane

Mousse has made his play, but will Nabiki be cursed, and how would this affect her relationship with Ranma? Can Shampoo overcome her paralysis in time, or will the Chinese boy finally get his way? For the answer to this, and many other questions, you'll have to stay tuned for next time for the resolution to this mess...so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	90. Chapter 90

NabikiRan86 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)  
Chapter Eighty-Six.

(Life Sucks!), thought Akiko furiously to herself as she finally made her way to the bridge of TWPOS, leading her Grandfather, (NOW I find out, right after almost making a fool of myself and coming that close to incest!) as she found the arrows that told her that she was near to her destination. She was in a pretty foul mood when she heard the voices resonating from just ahead of her that she recognized as once as coming from the Captain and her fellow Bridge Crew.

"You're serious?" Captain D'Amour was exclaiming, "We've actually reached Tokyo Harbor ahead of time and on our first effort?"

"Can't explain it myself, Captain," replied Frog in the same incredulous voice, "Eight hundred statute miles covered in only a day and a half...it's not nature, Sir, it stinks to high blazes of Magic."

"Must be beneficial magic," noted Brunt, "We've never yet made a deliver this far ahead of time...even on time would be a first for us."

"This is most fortuitous," D'Amour purred in a voice that Aki could almost SEE as smirking, "Our passenger should be rather pleased to get where he wanted to go in such an efficient manner. Do you suppose our good fortune might be due to the absence of a certain Navigator, who will go unmentioned?"

"Can't say for sure, sir," Brunt noted, "I'm sure the steering alone can't account for us getting here in such good order."

"Not that it could hurt much," snickered a fourth crewmember, whom Akiko recognized as hailing from Phillips Wrench, the current Ship's Engineer in residence, "If she were here steering a course we'd be in these waters until the next millennium. That walking Flying Dutchman is a worse jinx than stepping on a flock of albatrosses..."

"SHHHH!" his fellow crewmates hastily shushed.

"What?" Engineer Wrench asked, "You think she can hear us? She's probably still in the cargo hold making out with our client."

"That's not the issue," D'Amour said, "Somehow even whispering aloud on this subject has a way of getting back to her. It's almost as if the ship itself is part informer."

"That's true, Cap'n," Frog agreed, "These walls don't just have ears, sometimes I think they've even got eyes, and when you're not looking I've even heard 'em snicker behind our backs on occasion..."

"I think you're all being daft," Wrench offered his opinion aloud, "Not only is that Akiko character the worst Navigator that I've ever had to serve with, but she's slow-witted and bad tempered and..."

Akiko had heard enough and surged forward, rounding the corner just in time to witness the collective "DEER CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS" expressions of her fellow crewmates as she snarled, "Slow witted am I...?"

Razor Hibiki was surprised to see the nice girl who had been escorting him (she looked a little familiar to him for some reason, but then again, after a while so did most people) suddenly turn into a vengeful harpy wrecking her terrible vengeance upon the unfortunate miscreant who had voiced such inopportune opinions against her. Himself no stranger to rough play, he had to give the girl high marks for the creative approach that she employed in systematically correcting the man's opinion about her, along with a good portion of his skeletal structure.

"Is it over?" D'Amour asked at length, his hands covering his eyes as though he believed that by tuning things out he could avoid inclusion of the awful retribution.

"Safe to look now, Cap'n," Frog hesitantly replied, "But Engineer Phillips, sir...well...she screwed him...and not in a good way either."

"Oh?" D'Amour chanced to look, saw what remained of the groaning mess buried halfway through the deck and said, "Oh."

"Better get a crew to clean that up, Sir," Brunt noted and coolly nodded to another bridgemate, who relayed the appropriate orders.

"So," Akiko mused, her mood much improved by the mild exertion, "We're almost at port, eh? Well good, because I'm taking my Grandfather ashore to look up some of our old relations. I got the word that my Cousin is staying at some place in Nerima, and I haven't seen him since the last time our paths crossed."

"Your...Grandfather?" D'Amour looked from side to side, "Where is he?"

"There," Akiko pointed at Razor.

"HIM?" the entire (remaining) Bridge crew erupted in disbelief as they stared at the tall, broad-shouldered brown-haired man in the worn, rough hewn Chinese-  
styled outfit who did not look a day older than his late twenties or early thirties.

"Me?" Razor asked in typical confusion.

"I recognized him as my Grandfather when I saw the tattoos on his chest," Akiko sighed, coloring slightly and hoping no one asked just how the man's chest had been bared in the first place.

"I have tattoos?" Razor wondered.

"HE is your Grandfather?" D'Amour asked in particular disbelief, "I know people are having their kids a bit young these days..."

"Look, Akiko growled, "He doesn't look his age and he doesn't remember things for more than a few minutes at most, but he's definitely my Grandfather. I'd know him anywhere, even if the last time I saw him I was...too young to really remember..."

"There's one way of knowing for sure," Frog turned to Brunt and said, "Give him the test."

"All right," the burly dark skinned second mate replied, reaching down and ripping up a huge steel girder from the wreckage of the floor, then straightening out and using it like a baseball bat to swing down on the head of the unmoving Razor.

At the last second Razor's arm shot forward and intercepted the girder, bending it in the middle, then almost too fast to be seen the big man himself moved forward and slammed Brunt through the nearest wall, which fortunately did not contain any particularly vital equipment.

"Oops," Razor asked as he stood stock-still looking at the hole he created, "Sorry about that...reflexes..."

From the gap that had just been put through the steel bulkhead came a faint groaning sound as Brunt reported, "He's a Hibiki, Sir..." and then promptly passed out.

"Well," D'Amour was faintly impressed, "My compliments to your plastic surgeon, or whatever means it is you use to keep your youthful appearance. Ah...those Pectorals are for real, aren't they...?"

"You think they use that much Silicone on anything that doesn't have an hourglass figure?" Frog responded as though commenting on the state of the weather.

"Ah well," D'Amour straightened out, "Pleasure meeting you and that, old Chap, and enjoy yourselves when you hit the red light district. Aki's a bit overdue for some shore leave, and by all means take as much of it as you like. I'm sure we'll manage to somehow get along without you."

"You're going to be here when I get back, right?" Akiko asked suspiciously, "You're not gonna take off and leave me stranded?"

"Heavens no," D'Amour replied with an expression that was the very soul of integrity, which made most crewmembers instinctively reach for their wallets, "You know that we would never even dream of going anywhere without you at the Helm, Ensign Hibiki. You can count on us to be right here when you get back, smiling and eager to be on to our next destination."

Akiko did not smile with quite the same charming innocence, knowing that more than one crewmember of the good ship TWPOS thought her too slow witted to pick up the sarcasm in the Captain's voice. Fortunately she knew a way of ensuring his compliance, and that thought alone gave her smile a most ominous connotation...

Ainu Minako stood anxiously at the front porch of Makoto's home, rocking back and forth upon the balls of her feet as if containing far too much energy for standing still on a bright and sunny afternoon, when she could be out shopping. The Senshi meeting being held at Rei's Temple later in the evening was only one of several issues that were on her mind when the front door opened and she saw Makoto standing there in casual dress, as if kicking back for the day instead of laid up in bed, as Minako had half expected.

"Mina-chan?" Makoto asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I came over as soon as I got out from classes," Minako replied, "When you called in sick we were worried, and I thought maybe you had another flu attack like that last time..."

Both young girls knew well the incident to which the blonde Senshi was referring, one of the very rare occasions when the doughty Makoto had been laid low by an infectious illness that had affected all of the Senshi except Minako. Minako had tried to help out by coming over to cook and clean for her best friend, but the results...had been less than either of them hoped for, and Makoto had wound up chasing Minako off in order to get better.

"Oh," Makoto relaxed a little, "Well, I'm just fine as you can see. I didn't call in sick because of that. I...ah...had a guest over."

"A guest?" Minako's curiosity was instantly piqued and the blonde studied Makoto's green eyes for tell-tale signs of the almost unthinkable, then she tried to peer past the imposing frame of her fellow Senshi, "Is he still here? Did you do it? Who is he?"

"Ah...this really isn't a very good time, Mina-chan," Makoto began to explain when she heard the Ukyo call out to her from the bedroom.

"Hey, Mako-chan, I thought you said you dried my things?"

"They're on the sofa out in the living room, Sempai!" Makoto called back over her shoulder before she had time to think better of the gesture.

"Sempai?" Minako blinked her lovely blue eyes several times before pushing in past Makoto before the latter could think to stop her, "You had your boyfriend over for the night? You mean you actually...?"

Minako came to a halt as she stared at the unexpected sight coming out from the bedroom. Ukyo was wearing a borrowed bathrobe and had a towel wrapped around her hair, but the distinctive bulge around the chest area did not appear to be created by a masculine set of pectorals.

"Oh..." Ukyo was in the process of reaching for her cleaned clothing when she saw the blonde girl staring at her with orbs as large as a character from an Anime, "...Ah...Minako, right? Heheh...fancy meeting you here..."

Minako just kept on staring as Makoto closed the door and turned to face the inevitable music, drawing deep breath as she began, "Mina-chan..."

"She's a girl," Minako forgot her manners and pointed.

"I noticed that," Makoto replied in dry humor.

"She's a GIRL!" Minako stated again, "You had a GIRL over to stay the night?"

"Well, it's not like it's the first time..." Makoto began to say.

"IT'S NOT?" Minako's tone was incredulous.

"I don't mean it that way," Makoto tried to reassure her, "Ucchan...I mean, Sempai just stayed the night after she came to visit me so that we could talk about some personal stuff..."

"I'll bet!" Minako rudely snorted, "I can't believe you had a GIRL over last night who wasn't one of us! How long has this been going on anyway...and just when were you planning to tell us that your 'Sempai' is another woman?"

"Er...eventually?" Makoto answered rather lamely.

"I know this must look strange," Ukyo tried to explain herself, "But I only stayed in Mako-chan's bed because..."

"You had her in your BED?" Minako cried, turning to look at the taller girl with stark disbelief in her expression.

"Er...do you think you could keep your tone down, Mina-chan?" Makoto winced, "I don't think all of the neighbors quite heard you..."

"I thought he was a BOY!" Minako's tone was incredulous, "I thought you were in love with a GUY, not another woman!"

"Er, well..." Makoto colored, "She's...ah...well..."

"Are you in love with her?" Minako asked, her tone almost accusatory, turning to stare in disbelief at the wilting Ukyo, "I can't believe you kept something like this from ME of all people!"

Ukyo sighed, "If you must know, there is something very unusual about me. Just wait here, please, and I'll show you."

As the bath-robed Chef made her way towards the kitchen, Minako turned a murderous glare towards Makoto, to which the taller girl recoiled as if slapped.

"What?" Makoto reacted at the unexpected behavior of her friend.

"How long were you going to keep this to yourself that you wanted this type of a relationship with your girlfriends?" Minako accused, "You've never even hinted that you were hiding these kinds of feelings."

"Hey, it's not what it looks like," Makoto waved her hands in denial, "We only just talked last night, and we were up so late we lost track of the time and had to sleep in..."

"In the same BED?" Minako cried out in anxiety, "You've had me over plenty of times and you never did that with ME! Am I somehow any different than HER? You've never even once asked me if I wanted to sleep with you...?"

"Ahhh-huh, say WHAT?" it was Makoto's turn to raise her voice above two octaves.

"I understand your confusion about that," Ukyo said as she came back into the room, "But it's not quite what it looks like, and I'm not exactly a normal girl. See?"

Ukyo held up the glass of water that she had in her hand and poured it over herself, triggering her change as she grew out by six inches and became broader about the shoulders, "You see?"

There was a long pause before Minako was able to get over her shock, but then she displayed surprising resiliency and said, "You mean...He's like the Sailor Starlights?"

"Not quite," Makoto replied, "As far as I know, Ucchan's got no connection to any Senshi business."

"It's a curse I'm under," Ukyo-kun explained, "I turn into this whenever I get splashed with cold water, I turn back into a girl whenever I use hot water, like in the showers."

"A curse?" Minako's eyes roved up and down the extraordinarily handsome and Bishonen looking fellow, whose frame stood out all the more in the borrowed bathrobe, "You call THAT body a CURSE?"

"That was what I was going to say," Makoto smirked, only to catch heat as Minako turned another accusatory look in her direction.

"Ah...well..." Ukyo-kun reluctantly conceded, "That also depends on how you look at it...I guess..."

"So you really are a guy," Minako said in awed wonder.

"Well, actually no," Ukyo explained, "I didn't start out this way. I...look, it's complicated. Why don't you sort it between yourselves, I have to get dressed and changed back, so I'll talk to you both later."

Ukyo grabbed his things off the couch and headed back into the bedroom, making sure to secure the door before going about the business of restoring himself to relative normalcy. Left alone to themselves an awkward silence hung between the two Senshi until Minako murmured aloud, "You really like him...don't you?"

"I do," Makoto replied, "I won't lie to you about that, Mina-chan. You're my best friend, but Ucchan's always been my Sempai."

"There better be a good explanation for this," Minako growled in a surly manner.

"Excuse me?" Makoto asked with arched eyebrows.

"And all this time you've been hiding the truth from us," Minako whispered, "From your friends...that your Sempai is really a woman."

"Ah..." Makoto looked down, "Sorta. I never lied to you about that either. I found out before I met any of you, and it broke my heart...a lot worse than when you found out about Haruka."

"Or when you found out about Andrew?" Minako responded, "I just can't believe you kept something like this from me..."

"Well...I was gonna tell you," Makoto replied, "But I just wasn't sure...I mean, until last night I didn't know if I stood a chance with Ucchan. She's...been going through a lot of stuff lately, and I didn't want to put any more pressure on her shoulders..."

"Swell," Minako's shoulders sagged, "So you just decided that you like girls, or is it only her guy form you're after?"

"It doesn't really matter much any more," Makoto replied, "I care about Ucchan...guy, girl, whatever."

"That's swell," Minako drew a deep breath then cried, "It's not FAIR! Every time I see a good looking hunk cross my path it turns out that he's either a girl in disguise or he's already got a girlfriend! You know exactly what I'm talking about...you were in the same boat until you just up and decided you like girls after all...or is it just HER you care about? You just decided last night that it doesn't matter and that you want HER no matter whether she's a guy or a girl underneath?"

"Well...pretty much..." Makoto replied, only to blink in surprise, "Mina-  
chan...are you...crying?"

"What do you think, you big Doofus!" Minako burst out without thinking, "I was starting to think that maybe we had something more than just friendship...but did you ever even consider my feelings? You...you...OHHH!"

With that the blonde Senshi turned and headed for the door while Makoto stood where she was in stunned disbelief, unable to come to terms with what she had just witnessed.

A moment later the door to the bedroom opened up and Ukyo walked out, now dressed and returned to her proper gender.

"I think I heard just about everything," Ukyo murmured, "She must really care a lot about you to come right out and admit it like that."

"W-What did I say?" Makoto asked, "She's my best friend...but...but I never..."

"Never knew she felt about you like that?" Ukyo mused, "Funny thing is, I know exactly how she's feeling right now, only I'm more like one who's done than been done to lately. I guess maybe I came between the both of you and never really knew it."

"But that's not...I never wanted..." Makoto began to stammer.

"I know, Mako-chan," Ukyo replied as she laid a hand on her shoulder, "And it doesn't change the way I feel about you one little bit. But I think you need to go after her and sort things out between you. She's obviously hurting a whole lot, and I can't stand to see anybody like that. I went for ten years hating the world because the guy I was interested in never even knew I was a girl. Don't make the same mistake as me and Ranchan."

"It'll be all right with you?" Makoto asked, "I was going to walk with you to the bus station..."

"I'll manage on my own, thanks," Ukyo smiled, "Besides which, my next stop is the Tendo dojo. I have to see a certain member of the household I need to see, and I don't think it would be a good idea to have you with me...at least this time around. Maybe later."

"Yeah...I guess," Makoto said reluctantly, "If I had to deal with that Akane character right now we'd probably just get into another fight. I guess I can trust you to handle her by yourself...just like I gotta go make things right between me and Mina."

"If it's any consolation," Ukyo replied, "I wouldn't mind a bit if you did sleep with her...just so none of us would have to feel so lousy about any of this."

"Really?" Makoto asked, "You wouldn't mind that? You wouldn't be jealous?"

"Weeelll..." Ukyo drawled and a sly smile crossed her lips, "Maybe a little jealous, Sugar, but I wouldn't really want to be the cause of any future problems between you and a fellow team mate. I can see how hurt personal feelings could really be a bad thing if the both of you wind up in another crisis."

"You're right about that," Makoto nodded, "We have to trust each other with our very lives, if we don't then the whole team could fall apart, and then it'd be all over for everybody. Mina and I...we're pretty close...or we were before all this. I don't want her hating me because I...never guessed that she felt that way..."

"I think you care a lot more for her than you realize," Ukyo said, "Let me know how you work things out, I've got to go have a heart-to-heart with Akane."

"Sure thing, Sempai," Makoto nodded, "But I want to hear the details of that meeting when I stop by your place later, okay?"

"You've got a deal," Ukyo grinned, "Sugar."

And that she was out the door while Makoto sighed, "And I thought things were crazy when we were just fighting the Dark Kingdom..."

"Thank you ever so much for looking after my servants back to me safe and sound, Officers," Ganglot said to the policemen in the station house, "I know they must have been quite a handful, but you have my word that they won't be causing you any further trouble."

"Well...see that you take care of their immigration status," Officer Tomoko replied with a stare that was only slightly unfocused, "After all we can't have foreigners running around picking fights with just anybody. We get enough problems just dealing with the brawls incurred by the local Martial Arts population."

"And yet you do so well under such difficult circumstances," Ganglot replied with a pleasant smile, turning away as she added, "Come along, Children, we've taken enough time from the local law enforcement people."

Ju-Lan and Ro-Mano exchanged looks then reluctantly followed after the Demoness as she took her leave of the precinct station house. That they had been forcibly detailed by the local Police was a concept that in itself was difficult for the two youths to grasp, that they had done anything wrong to warrant such detention was an even more difficult concept.

Still the two held their peace until they were back on the street again and falling in stride behind the woman who had come to bail them out, but at last Ju-Lan spoke up, "Lady Ganglot...?"

"Yes, Julian?" the Demoness responded.

"Ju-Li-An?" the Amazon boy blinked his eyes, "That's not my name..."

"It is now," Ganglot replied, "So you had better get used to it because I've registered you both under new names, the better to prevent your Elders from tracking you down to this fair city."

"You changed our names?" Ro-Mano asked.

"Indeed I have," Ganglot replied, "Yours is Romeo, in case you are curious. I will explain later why these names suit you both so well. Get used to the odd pronunciation...in time they will seem more natural to you, at which point you should be sufficiently acclimated to this culture to be able to cope without creating such spectacles as what I have just rescued you both from."

"We didn't ask for your help," Ro-Mano groused.

"But we are grateful just the same," Ju-Lan hastily reassured the Demoness, reasoning that staying on the good side of anyone so powerful was a better policy than deliberate antagonism, "It is just...why were we ordered to submit to those city warriors? We did nothing wrong..."

"Nothing wrong?" Ganglot was amused, "Your girlfriend here roughed up three men and several women in a confrontation that was provoked over your unattached status. As justified as self-defense may be, you went a bit overboard in administering punishment to those youths..."

"They deserved it!" Ro-Mano growled, "Those non-Warrior cows dared to flirt with Ju-Lan! And if those boys had minded their own business..."

"Most would have," Ganglot replied, "If you had given them the chance. But those boys were coming to the aid of their own sweethearts, so you have to understand that your behavior was excessive. Granted street gangs are not notoriously well known for their good manners..."

"What were those people who pulled weapons on us?" Ju-Lan asked, "They acted as if they had the authority of village elders behind them."

"They were weak and poorly trained," Ro-Mano growled, "I could have taken them all, but they threatened Ju-Lan..."

"No one is questioning your status as a warrior," Ganglot replied, "But you just can't go around picking fights with everyone who gives you offense. Those people in uniform were the local Enforcement branch of the village elders who preside here. In Japanese society women bear no special status above that of men and there are a different set of laws that must be abided by if you are to live among them in peace without interference from those in higher rank above you..."

"Laws?" Ro-Mano stiffened, "What kind of barbaric country have you taken us to?"

"What kind of laws must we be aware of?" Ju-Lan asked.

"Number one, and the thing to keep in mind," Ganglot replied, "Is that the both of you are the Foreigners here and cannot expect special status on the basis of what you were in your own country. In order to remain here as resident aliens it is necessary that you find gainful employment and learn to support yourselves through legitimate enterprises. You must also have room and board arrangements with a semi-permanent address that can be used to find you should the authorities here have cause to question you for any reason. Fighting back against them is not an option, or rather only an option of the most extreme last resort, regardless of whether or not you believe you can get away with it."

"Why should I submit to their authority when they don't respect Amazon traditions?" Ro-Mano sulked.

"Because if you defeat one of them, ten more will come after you," Ganglot replied, "And if you defeat those ten, then a hundred will then be seeking to arrest you. You can protect yourself for a time, but not against the resources of an entire nation, and almost certainly your companion here will be hurt in the crossfire. You can only go so far in protecting him before your own means are tested, for there are a few warriors in this country that seriously outrank you."

"Are you saying I can't protect my own man?" Ro-Mano asked defensively, but she glanced at Ju-Lan and her expression was deeply troubled.

"Ask yourself that question," Ganglot replied with a sobering look that caused the young Amazon to lose a little of her pretensions, "Can you be everywhere at all times of the day and night, even while you sleep without knowing if your back is well guarded...or his for that matter? Despite what you may think about their ability to fight, the local authorities are very good at investigation and it is a good deal more difficult to keep out of their sight...even in a nation as heavily overpopulated as this one."

"And the condition about dueling?" Ju-Lan asked.

"Only as a last resort," Ganglot answered, "And if your pride as a warrior is directly challenged. The authorities cut a lot of slack for duelists, but roughing up the local hoods tends to land you on their bad side as it means that you are directly competing in territory that they consider their own turf."

"And when do I know when it is right to defend myself?" Ro-Mano demanded in an angry tone of voice.

"Try warning them off next time," Ganglot smiled, "And if they refuse to take the hint, then use as much force as seems appropriate to establish your claims to your boyfriend."

"Ah...lady?" Ju-Lan asked just as they came within sight of the Studio that was now home to the Demoness, "When you said that we need...was it 'gainful employment' that you called it?"

"Jobs," Ganglot replied, "A means for earning money, which is the local unit of exchange by which goods may be purchased and services may be obtained. They don't use barter very much around here, and money is counted in the form of paper and coins that bear the National stamp of authority, meaning that it is backed up by the Elders who rule this country."

"Money?" Ro-Mano asked, "Why would we need money?"

"Because hunting is outlawed in many parts of Japan, and stealing is severely frowned upon," Ganglot replied, "If you want to avoid trouble with the Law, and keep the low profile that you need in order to avoid attracting unwanted attention, you have to find someone who will value your skills and offer you money for the work you do on their behalf, and this person will be the Elder whose trade you must respect and value."

"Would that happen to be you?" Ju-Lan asked before hastily adding, "If you don't mind me asking, that is..."

"Why, what a novel suggestion," Ganglot remarked as if the idea had never occurred to her before this, "I do seem to be uniquely positioned to help you out since, as a Demon First Rank, I can arrange the paperwork to make your residency here as permanent as you like, and offer you what protection I can from harassment by the locals. Of course working for me may not appeal to the pride of a Warrior, and as a Scholar you would naturally have reservations about working for someone who does not walk in step with the will of the Gods, even if I assure you that I am not the sort of Oni who would abuse a trust or deliberately mislead you."

"No," Ro-Mano replied, " But you did arrange things so that we have no other choice but to work for you. It's either that or take our chances with the bizarre customs of this barbaric country."

"That's not exactly how I would prefer to frame matters," Ganglot noted, "But you do seem to be shy of a great many alternatives. I could, of course, help you to find gainful employment somewhere else, but that would require you to trust in my recommendations. Trusting me seems like a very large step for you both, even if I am-and may I say this with complete frankness-at present the only friend that either of you have either here or back in China."

That caused both youths to fall silent as they mulled it over, at which point Ganglot unlocked the front door to her property and waved the both of them in before entering herself and closing the door behind them.

"Bottom line, Children," Ganglot said, "You are outcasts from your clans now residing in a foreign country, and if either of you wants to back out now you need only tell me and it is within my power to send you back home where you can face the music and make explanations to your elders. Otherwise you live under my roof and by my rules. It is that simple, and whether you believe me or not, I will do exactly what it takes to protect you both, and you can do whatever you like on your own time. I won't supervise your activities and you are free to come and go as you will, just as long as you obey my house rules and try to keep out of trouble. If you violate my rules...there will be consequences. I am a very lenient sort, so you can expect that I will be tolerant and forgiving of behavior...up to a point, of course, but until such time as you do leave my employ you are to respect me as you would your own Elders and not challenge or oppose me in any way. Is that understood? Is this agreeable with the both of you?"

The two teenagers exchanged glances, but neither one of them offered an opposing thought, so by their silence they assented and gave the Demoness their full attention.

"Good," Ganglot smiled, "Then we have the makings of a bargain. Now, why don't you two crazy kids go pick out a room of your own and set up house? We'll worry about the furnishings afterwards. Meanwhile...I have a little scrying to do, and you've taken enough of my time away from my own business"

Ju-Lan and Ro-Mano left the demoness alone and went off to wander about the studio, getting a sense of their new accommodations. There was so much that they did not understand about what they saw and had seen so far in their single hour of residence in Japan, and not the least of which were the mysteries of the building they now found themselves within. Ju-Lan wanted to study the architecture while Ro-Mano wanted to find out where they located the out house.

Ganglot permitted herself to grin once her two charges were about their business, behaving like little children in a candy store, and she looked forward to educating them both to the wonders of indoor plumbing. In the meantime she had serious issues that needed resolving, especially since she had been aware of an alarm sounding in the back of her head that told her that a renegade program was in the works and causing complications for certain of her personal objectives.

Cybelle had been a busy little Witch, she mused, and it would take a great deal of hard work for Ganglot to set about undoing at least some of the harm being conspired by her wicked Daughter-in-law. As Ganglot sat down upon her stone and assumed a lotus posture she opened up her special access link to Yggdrasil, closing her eyes as the marks upon her face briefly glowed to life and she linked into the Net to determine which of several problems would most chiefly require her special attention.

Not surprisingly she found herself dialing up the link to a certain Tendo sister who had caught her eye much of late and was proving to be a most promising subject. She was currently being threatened by one of Cybelle's special pawns, and the manner of his attack was typically sneaky and underhanded, a ploy worthy of Cybelle herself, though the twisted mind of the youth showed the extent of his manipulation and faintly disgusted the Demoness. She really hated it when mortals were driven to madness in such a way...it made them sad and pathetic creatures, not at all fun to play with and more than a little scary even to a full blooded Oni...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Words fail me even now, hours after the event, to express the depths of my despair as I stood by helplessly and watched as Mousse attacked Nabiki with Jusenkyo-cursed water. Few moments in my life have rivaled the sheer terror that gripped my heart as my love seemed to freeze up in horrified realization of what was about to happen, and only one who bears a Jusenkyo curse themselves can understand what horrors are to be found in these waters that twist and reshape you body and soul. The fact that Mousse could also understand such terror made his actions even more inexcusable and worthy of my loathing.

Had he succeeded I would have hunted him down to the ends of the earth and vented my rage, even if it meant surrendering my dislike of killing as I could inflict pain in a thousand different ways far more terrible than death itself. Mousse seemed to believe that I would be his by din of defeating my loved ones, as if that alone would be all that was needed to win my heart! Maybe at one time I would have felt bound by the laws of our people, but I had grown beyond such thinking and discovered what true love is, and what could he offer me that would rival that? It was a pathetic hope that he was indulging, and it proved to me beyond words that he truly was a weak and unmanly creature.

All of my life I have nursed a secret pity for Mousse, for there was a time when I did truly like him, however much I have sought to deny this fact in the years that followed. Mousse was picked upon and ill treated by other children because of his poor vision, and I once stood up for him because I was moved to think that he could be better than this. When he hugged me and said he loved me I felt my child's heart soar with unexpected joy, but then he spoiled the moment later by embracing a pig and mistaking it for me, all because I happened to flatter him and say that he had nice eyes without his glasses. Ever since that time he has tried to gain my attention by often putting his glasses aside in the thought that I would like him better without them.

Looking back I can see that I reacted rather badly to the unintended insult that he gave me, and beating him up was excessive punishment, more an act defending my hurt pride than a proper response for a young warrior of my station. Every afterwards when Mousse approached me and tried to renew his statement of affection I would rebuff him with violence, hoping that this would discourage his interest. Much to my dismay, my actions only seemed to encourage him to try again and again to impress me of his devotion, and over time he simply stopped listening to anything but his own addled desire to have me for his wife. I tried many times to discourage him, to convince him that I was not the one who could make his life complete, but as we grew in years he simply grew more stubborn and convinced that he would one day force me to return his love, and that all my protests to the contrary were simply my way of encouraging him to try harder.

In a way I think he was as much interested in my status as he was in having me as a woman. His pride had been crushed as a youth, yet rather than live within its shadow he had rallied himself to become a more capable and dangerous fighter, and when he undertook training in the difficult art of Hidden Weapons he began to excel in ability beyond all other boys his age, becoming the best male fighter among the Amazons even as I rose in stature among the warrior class. Defeating me would have confirmed for him the status as the dominant male of our society...granted of lesser importance than a woman's rank, but still giving him the right to be heard in council and respected among his peers. It would have been the ultimate confirmation of his worth as a man to have me as his "Trophy Wife" (a term Nabiki has used when I explained to her Mousse's nature, and she in turn helped me to understand his thinking).

I do not honestly know why Mousse would otherwise be so committed to winning over a woman who treated him as badly as I would do whenever he approached me. Among Amazons it is customary to embrace the one you love in public, and if he had even once been allowed to glomp onto me it would have confirmed in his mind that I wanted him for a husband. I'm reminded of the way my husband used to tense up whenever I glommed onto him, which confused me greatly as I thought it odd that he would be so reserved. If he truly did not want me to embrace him he could have easily fended me off, just as I fended off Mousse's attempts...so it was sending me mixed signals, telling me that he both desired and rejected me, whereas I was unambivalent in expressing my own views towards Mousse's behavior.

All right, I was very proud of myself when I first came to Japan, and convinced that I was the type of girl that any man of Ranma's status would naturally want for a wife. I have since learned through study of others that the Japanese expect a more reserved and dignified person than I was in the beginning, and that such public displays of affection were regarded as unseemly. I have done my best to adapt to my new homeland's customs, but in my heart I am still a warrior, and for me a rebuff is as firm as any statement. I had rebuffed Mousse a thousand times growing up and still he persisted in trying to force himself upon me.

When I turned to Lotion instead of him that hurt his pride very deeply, and he vowed to make himself an even better warrior by imposing voluntary exile, traveling abroad to study the martial arts in the hopes that he would return and conquer me. By the time he came back to my village I had already left in pursuit of Ranma. When he fought against Ranma to earn the right to challenge me I was not yet confirmed as Ranma's wife, having yet to consummate our marriage with either Ranma or Nabiki. When he lost to their combined talents it should have discouraged him at last, and when I finally did take them to bed and become their wife in body and soul it was the final seal that should have warned Mousse that I could never again be taken.

Of course the only type of separation that our law recognizes for a wife and a husband is death, so killing off Ranma and Nabiki would naturally clear them from competition, but if he thought that would make me more willing to embrace him as anything but my mortal enemy he was horribly mistaken! No matter what evil thing he planned for me afterward, I would rather kill myself and follow my loved ones into the void rather than submit to his caresses. Only the life of my child would hold me to this world, which would mean that he would have to be quitted since there would be little chance that Mousse would welcome the child of Ranma as his own. I would have had no choice but to kill him...the only choice that would have been afforded me was whether to make his death quick and painless or slow and everlasting.

Fortunately for all concerned, Mousse badly underestimated both of my Airen. The waters he threw in maliciousness at Nabiki would never claim her...for my wife proved worthy of her training and confirmed her status as a Lore Master...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I can't really explain what happened in the next second as I saw that water headed towards me, knowing in my guts what it was and what it would do to me if even a drop made contact. Being cursed like Shampoo or my sister is no small deal and is certainly not something that I would wish on an enemy, but knowing that it was Mousse who had selected this water left me with a sinking feeling that it could not be anything good...especially in light of the fact that he was inducing the Nekoken in Ranma.

With my luck I might have turned into a fat, juicy rat or maybe a soft and fluffy bunny, whatever a cat might choose to catch and eat, or merely play with. Since Ranma is pure animal when the Neko is on him I doubt he would have recognized me in time as his mate and plaything, and my chances of survival in such an encounter would have been pretty much near zero. This was undoubtedly the whole point for why Mousse had gone to such trouble to arrange this, hoping to force Ranma to have my blood on his paws, which I kind of like to hope he wouldn't be too happy about, but seeing as I would be dead it was all academic. Maybe he thought Ranma would be suicidal or leave an opening for Mousse to finish him off when he came back to his senses. Whatever the deal it was pretty nasty, and a lot more contemptible even than when the Baka cursed my sister!

I could feel something as the water surged towards me, almost intelligent...not quite malevolent but definitely not friendly! Those waters were a threat to twist and distort me into something not natural, some hybrid creature that I had not been born to be but would be trapped in with every occasion that I encountered cold water. For an instant I understood completely why Ranma had always resented his curse, even though he has long since come to accept it the way you accept a bad haircut, and it was looking as if any second now I would be joining Shampoo in the ranks of severely handicapped curse victims.

What I do recall in that moment was feeling my fear give way to a sudden surge of anger, and then something clicked in my mind and I reached down into that curious place that I've come to fall back upon more and more in my training. Like a white light opening up within me, I felt the power surge up into my arms and then I raised my hands to deflect the water...only instinct took over and instead of pushing against it I pulled something else into my body.

It was a familiar sensation, one I had experienced before and recognized only belatedly from one of my training sessions with Lotion. Whatever the case I had my hands up in a position of defense, but nothing happened beyond that curious wave of power that flowed through me. I looked up after a moment, wondering why I had not yet been splashed and saw-much to my own astonishment I will admit-  
-that the water was just hanging there in mid-air, frozen like a glassy sculpture or example of modern art gone mad, droplets just hovering their in empty space without anything to support them, as if the very force of gravity itself could have no effect on these droplets.

"WHAT?" I heard Mousse exclaim, even more shocked and amazed than I was, "But how...?"

I was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and I hastily moved to the side to place myself out of the line of fire, even though the water sculpture gave no evidence of breaking its equilibrium. Why it just hung there I had no idea since you would think it if was truly motionless that the very rotation of the Earth would have hurled the particles out into space! All I know is that Lotion's lecture on removing Motion from the equation of forces operating upon these droplets of water came immediately to mind, and that somehow I had just duplicated her feat by accident, or perhaps more by intuition, having seen her do it once and copying it thus the way Ranma could absorb a new maneuver by direct observation.

This gave me the idea to try and put on an act for my opponent, hoping to buy time in the hopes that Ranma might somehow come to my rescue. Shampoo was a statue, no doubt the effects of one of Kodachi's potions that Mousse had somehow acquired, and I had to get Mousse away from her, which meant taking on the most unwelcome role of walking target for a crazed Amazon street fighter.

"That's right!" I said, pretending to a confidence that I did not actually feel, "You've messed with the wrong girl if you thought I was going to play helpless damsel for you, Mousse! I've improved since the last time when you kidnapped me, so if you think you can get away with this, then you're messing with the wrong Tendo!"

"Perhaps I have underestimated you," Mousse scowled, "But you don't have the Old Woman around to defend you either!"

His arm shot forward and I knew he was about to launch one of his weapon attacks my way, so instinctively I began to dodge him when I felt that power flow through me once again, and suddenly it was as if he were moving in slow motion. Time slowed down all around me and I began to move out of the way as I saw a chain snake out from seeming no where and like a snake coil out to strike at the place where I had been standing. By that point I was already several meters to one side and still in motion, which gave me the idea that my only real chance against him was to get in close and overcome his advantage of reach at a distance.

I've been training steadily and improving my martial arts skills where I'm actually pretty decent in a fight...nothing at all to compare with Ranma and Shampoo, or even Akane, but still good enough to count as self-defense from an ordinary streetwise perspective. My skills, limited as they are, were now backed by considerably more speed than I could ordinarily manifest, so I crossed the distance in the time it took Mousse to complete a single eye-blink and lashed out with my fist, aiming for his exposed rib-cage and half expecting him to block my fist at the last minute.

To my considerable surprise there came an electric spark the moment I made contact, and suddenly everything was in full motion again, only Mousse was recoiling back from me as if I'd just struck him with a wrecking ball. He flew back about ten meters before rolling on the ground and looking stunned, as if my hand had the power of Ryoga behind it.

If I thought I had knocked the wind out of his sails, however, I was sadly disappointed. Mousse was tougher than he looked and recovered from a force that would have crippled an ordinary fighter, and suddenly I saw a set of wicked looking knives heading right towards me, but once again they slowed to a crawl while I moved to avoid them.

I was getting a handle on the feeling of the power that I was tapping into, becoming more confident in its use the more I fell back upon my instincts. I was half-guessing what I was doing, but at the same time I had this sense that I knew what I was about, and as Mousse lay there on the ground with his arms extended in their throw I had a sudden flash of about a dozen places where I could strike him to put him out of commission. As before it was just a matter of crossing the distance and making certain that my hands were aimed precisely where I wanted them to go, and with a few quick moves that would have impressed Tofu-Sensei I struck all these hidden pressure-points and doubled Mousse over in the space of one second.

Of course the moment time flowed back at its normal rate I became aware that the sounds from the pit had changed in pitch and volume...and all at once a figure vaulted up out of the pit, eyes blazing with feral madness as he cast around in search of quarry. I turned from the fallen Mousse and felt a different kind of fear grip hold of me as Ranma turned a look on me that was pure animal, and not a little scary...!

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

I stared in amazement as my wife dodged Mousse's attack and somehow appeared right beside him as though she had teleported with the uncanny speed often demonstrated by the Elders. Mousse was knocked backwards by a tremendous force as Nabiki appeared in the space next to where he had been, but then the coward hurled knives in her direction and I was again possessed with the lurching fear for her welfare.

I had been horrified at my own inability to protect her from danger, yet now she was reversing the tide of the battle and going on the offensive. My pride in my wife surged even as I felt the rage build within me at my own weakness. So close had Mousse come to cursing my wife with Jusenkyo waters, and as any curse victim will tell you, once doused in its embrace (Ryoga notwithstanding) Jusenkyo will control your life forever.

Being trapped and helpless within my own flesh is no light matter, I assure you. In fact for a warrior of my stature it is the most shameful and humiliating experience that could ever be imagined, for my duty to my loved ones was being compromised by my inability to defend them. I could not move one finger to serve in my own defense. I was powerless to help Nabiki, but fortunately she did not need immediate saving as she dealt several more blows to Mousse that rendered him at least temporarily helpless.

But then Ranma came lunging out of the pit, fully in the grip of the Nekoken and looking as though he was tiger in the wild, looking for his dinner. He spotted Nabiki at once and bound over to her, knocking her down as though he had temporarily forgotten who she was and what she meant to him.

Or at least that was my initial impression until I saw Ranma pin Nabiki under his body with a kind of contented purring that reminded me very much of my cursed form. Ranma began to lick Nabiki's face as she struggled briefly against him, only to surrender when it became apparent that Ranma actually intended no harm and was simply expressing his affection in the manner most natural to his current mental state. Nabiki tried to dissuade him more gently but Ranma interpreted this as a form of courtship and persisted in becoming more intimate with her, even going so far as to rub his face and hands against her body. I was unable to determine if Nabiki welcomed this or no, for it was looking more like Ranma would be conducting himself the way an actual male cat does in the presence of a female, which most likely would have resulted in something VERY intimate and special that is normally performed in privacy and away from the eyes of others.

I had started to relax by a fraction when it occurred to me that Mousse was not yet actually out of the picture. Though unconscious he could well have recovered at any moment, and with both of my Airen so open and vulnerable to attack that it would have been little trouble for Mousse to finish them both off before either was the wiser. I knew right then and there that I had to get loose from my paralysis before this could happen, and so I dredged up everything that I knew about poisons, considered the effects that I was experiencing and made a few deductions concerning its nature.

Being the daughter of a village healer can come in handy on such occasions, such as having access to medical books and pamphlets that I used to enjoy reading to pass the time between my lessons. I knew that Kodachi's poisons were an Alkaloid extract of the unusual dark flowers that are her namesake and that they tended to cause an involuntary contraction of at least some of the muscle groups that most notably control body movement. I mentally checked a list of symptoms and came to some conclusions, then recalled that Mousse had indicated a time limit and deduced that I should be returning to normal once the poisons had worked their way through my system. I realized that I had to somehow speed up the rate of my recovery, and for that I would need to summon up my energy as there was no other way to recover my strength in time to be of use to my Airen.

Thus I concentrated on my Chi, remembering every lesson Great Grandmother had taught me on this subject and even recalling things from times when I had not been paying full attention. It is a complex matter to explain, but essentially I opened up my psychic centers and imagined a line of force rising up from the ground through my feet to my head and forming a ball of light above me that extended towards the sky, and then the light touched the stars and descended once again for form a circular force that rose through me and flowed out back again. I pooled this force in my loins, my navel, my chest, my throat my head, revitalizing each of these psychic centers as the energy continued to coarse through me and revitalize my body. I further imagined the light flowing down my limbs through my hips and my shoulders to touch my feet once again before flowing back into the ground and repeating the process all over.

Gradually I concentrated the energy in each of my internal organs and forced them to do the work that nature had intended, only much swifter than was normally the case, my Chi fortifying them as my pulse quickened and blood began to filter through my liver and kidneys. I could feel the strength return to me as I flushed the poisons from my system and raised my arms until my hands were pointed skyward, and then I called the energy into myself and let it fill my every pore until my body glowed from within with radiance, strength and power.

For the first time ever I called upon the Zodialogical signs of the Dragon and the Tiger, those polar forces of the Taoist system that I had once heard a lecture upon, then visualized each of the seven elements and called on the name of my secret Totem spirit, the Cat, and sealed the power with a word of blessing to the Goddess. Thus enervated with renewed life essence, I opened my eyes and turned in time to see Mousse struggling to sit upright, for the fool had something in his hand that I knew was a weapon, and given the cowardly way that he had been behaving all this time, I knew that he intended to use it upon my unsuspecting Airen.

"N-Never going to let you win...!" I heard him say as I identified the object in question as a pistol.

"MOUSSE!" I cried out as Msu-Tsu had been ignoring me all the time that I had been fighting to overcome his poisons. I saw him turn a startled look my way, as if not prepared to accept that I could be freed this early, and though he claims to love me he instinctively turned and pointed the gun my way as it he could ward off my anger through the use of a bullet.

There were at least nine paces separating us, far too much time for me to cross before he could pull the trigger and end my life-or worse-harm my baby, yet strangely I was too calm to be afraid, and too angry to let him overcome me, and so I felt the force within me rise up and take over, and like the cracking of a whip it flowed through my arms to strike the blind fool in the face and bedazzle him. The weapon went flying from his hand unused while Mousse himself was picked up and hurled a distance, to collide with the first object that his backside could encounter. He fell senseless face-first into a child's sandy play area and was still. Once I would have been concerned to ask about his status, but at the moment I was too worked up to feel any remorse or pity.

Instead I turned to find Nabiki had managed to get Ranma calmed down and onto her lap by applying her free hands to his sensitive areas, stroking and petting him until he managed to regain some control over his senses. I went over to join them and Ranma looked up, smiled a cat-smile and purred contentedly while Nabiki continued to stroke him and murmur affectionate names. I knelt down beside her and saw Nabiki eye me with a curious expression, for which I cannot blame her as I was much impressed with her own performance.

"What the heck was that?" she wondered.

"This one does not have a name for it...yet," I replied, smiling at myself as I had just mastered my first Chi technique, and performed it purely on instinct, "Is Nabiki okay, and Ranma?"

"I think we'll both live," Nabiki smiled down at our contented husband, who looked so cute curled up upon her lap, "Which is more than I'm sure Mousse intended. What did you do to him anyway, and do you think he'll recover?"

"Don't know," I replied, "Don't care either. This one is tired of thinking about Mousse and his problems. He does not understand the way this one feels, and he never has. For once I hope this one has knocked some sense into the poor fool, though if he goes to join his ancestors it will be his own stupid fault. If he attacks you and Ranma again, this time...this one will kill him."

As I said the words I for once knew that I meant them. Mousse had crossed a line beyond which there could be no return and no forgiveness. He had dared to jeopardize my loves, and I do not doubt that he would eventually have harmed my child in the mistaken pursuit of his obsession. Maybe once I would have taken pity and spared him, but not at the risk of any future happiness that I might ever have, and I would not live with the threat of his possible return hanging over my head a single day further. My reluctance to kill was at an end when it came to Msu-Tsu, and he had best stay out of my path if he was to learn the true depths of my renewed loathing.

But as it turns out I need not have fretted, for a voice spoke to us just then, coming out from empty air and sounding very much like the Arch-Magus, Siren.

"No need to trouble yourself over him, I have a much better justice in mind that should solve all of your problems."

I looked up in time to see Siren and Elder Lotion appear together, the latter leaning on her staff while the former set hands to hips and regarded us with a look of amusement. It was rare enough to see the two working together, and their arrival was so fortuitous that I could almost think that it had been timed to the second.

"Well now," the blonde haired Arch-Magus began as she turned from us to studying Mousse and back again, "It seems that you were right to summon me after all. Has this poor fool been bothering you again, Xian-Pu? Such a pity."

"Where the heck have you been?" Nabiki asked of her Mentor.

"We came as soon as we thought prudent, Child," Elder Lotion replied, "I am gratified to find you all in good health. I sensed the danger surrounding you and paused to summon the one whom I thought could best remedy this problem that has been troubling you lately."

"Yes," Siren agreed, then turned and surprised me by bowing to us in the Japanese manner, "Please accept my apologies. As an Elder of the Joketsuzoku I am obligated to watch over all members of my clan, and my Nephew has been most shockingly derelict in his duties to our people."

"Your...nephew?" Nabiki repeated.

"Well...not exactly that close a blood relation," Siren replied as she shrugged her slender shoulders, "More like my sister's Nephew's cousin's grandson on his wife's mother side, twice removed," she gave us all an odd smile before continuing, "I just call him Nephew because most of the women on his side of the clan gave up on him a long time ago. Even his clan Elder is embarrassed to acknowledge the relationship. Actually, when you come down to it, just about everyone in our tribe is related to everyone else in one way or another..."

"Can the genealogies for now, please," Elder Lotion urged, "I sense that Msu-Tsu is badly hurt yet-appearances aside-yet breathes, and if allowed to recover as he is he will simply return another time to trouble my apprentice."

"Quite so," Siren nodded, "You did right to summon me. A pretty sight he is...not! I will have to take a more direct hand in dealing with this fool. Do I take it my actions has the backing of the council?"

"You have my endorsement," Lotion replied, "And Cologne would give hers if she were present, so between the three of us we have a Troika."

"Works for me," Siren smiled, giving a wink in our direction, "Be looking you kids up again soon, and I must say that I'm very impressed with what I'm seeing, which is more than I can say for my Nephew."

The Mage did not appear to move but suddenly she was standing over Mousse, looking down at him with a sad shake of her head that caused her ponytail to bob, then she reached down and hauled him up by one hand until she could hold him out at arm's length.

"Stand straight and show some backbone, fool," I heard her say from a distance, "I know your spine still works, even if you're not accustomed to using it in an intelligent manner. I think it's time you came home and I re-introduce you to someone you wronged long ago. The punishment should fit the crime, after all."

And with a flash of light both she and Msu-Tsu promptly vanished.

"Where's she going with him?" I heard Nabiki ask.

"Somewhere that will change the course of his misguided direction and give him a slight chance at personal redemption," Elder Lotion replied before studying us and saying, "I believe your husband is out of danger. Give him another moment and he will fully recover his senses"

"Ah, right," Nabiki smiled as she continued petting our Airen, "Too bad, though...he looks cute this way."

"This one agrees," I smiled, moving to sit closer to Ranma as I gave into temptation and started to pet him likewise.

"I am very impressed with you all, not least of whom I mean you, Apprentice," Elder Lotion complimented, "It is gratifying to see that my lectures were not wasted."

"You've been teaching me to do that stuff all along," Nabiki noted as though this were a revelation, "You showed me what I could do, and I learned to do it on pure instinct."

"Now the task becomes learning to invoke the power when you are not operating on adrenaline and instinct," Lotion replied, "And you, Xian-Pu...I am very much pleased, as would the Matriarch herself be if she were here to say so. It is rare that a young War Master such as you can teach herself a Chi attack on the spur of the moment, let alone put it to such effective use defending yourself and your loved ones."

"How long were you waiting in the wings watching us take our lumps?" Nabiki asked slyly, as if only now coming to the conclusion that I had formed from the beginning.

"Long enough to realize that our services would only be required at the fight's conclusion," Lotion replied, "We were prepared to step in should it have proved necessary, but if you became accustomed to that then you would never learn to rely on your own abilities instead of a proverbial Deus Ex Machina."

"Guess I can live with that," Nabiki replied, only before she could continue Ranma stirred in her lap and began looking around at the both of us, his eyes regaining their focus.

"W-Wha...hey? Nabiki? Shampoo? W-Wha...?"

"It's okay, Ranma," Nabiki said soothingly, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got scratched to death by a..." he sat bolt upright and the fear returned to his eyes as he stammered, "C-C-C-Ca-!"

I put my hand over his mouth and said, "It is all right, Husband, we know what you experienced, but you are all right now. Mousse is defeated and the three of us are once again triumphant."

"You mean I drove him off?" Ranma looked around as I withdrew my hand, and then his confidence returned, "Guess I showed him who's boss. Imagine him trying to beat me like that, the Baka!"

Nabiki and I exchanged amused glances, and silently we resolved not to correct his erroneous assumption as it was better to see him this way than to possibly hurt his feelings by telling him that he had done little to contribute to our victory, other than serve as motivation for our own efforts.

"You should be proud of your two wives, young War Master," Lotion said with a hint of her own amusement, "As they are to have you for a husband. However...I think my Apprentice needs to learn a bit more self control in the use of her powers."

She nodded with her staff and we all three turned to see that the Jusenkyo water was still hovering in the air where Nabiki had left it. I admit that I had been most impressed by her accomplishment, but it seemed a little pointless to leave it dangling there where it might yet curse some unfortunate victim.

"Ooops," I heard said with a faint chuckle, "Guess I still need to learn some control, huh?"

"You could say that," Lotion replied, then with a wave of her staff she caused the frozen sculpture to vanish.

"Where did that stuff go?" Ranma asked.

"I thought it a waste to merely pour it on the ground," Lotion replied, "So I have invoked the Powers to take charge and send the waters where they can do the most good. Don't trouble yourselves about it any further...in fact, I believe you were about to give something to the young ladies before Mousse so rudely interrupted your moment?"

"Oh...yeah," Ranma began to pat himself, "Not exactly the way I wanted to do this, but I guess it's as good a time as...huh?"

Ranma suddenly appeared quite worried over something, and as he continued to run his hands over his hips I began to understand why as his clothes had been ripped so badly that numerous rents were showing, so whatever it was that he wanted to share with us must have fallen out of his pockets.

"Oh no," Ranma whispered, turning to glance back towards the pit that he had fallen into, "Don't tell me...why me?"

"Why you what, Saotome?" Nabiki asked in confusion.

"Ah...never mind," Ranma got up, "I gotta do something...gotta go find them...oh Kami-!"

Then to our complete astonishment Ranma walked up to the pit and jumped in without giving himself a moment of hesitation. The sounds of cats screeling and a fight breaking out filled the air a mere second later, as did Ranma's plaintive cries of, "C-C-C-CATTTTSSS!"

Needless to say he made a most hasty exit from the pit than his entrance, and we spent the rest of the day chasing him down and coaxing him out of a tall tree. We never did find out what he was looking for, but I must say that it was touching to think that he would go to such great lengths to obtain it for us. There are not many husbands, after all, willing to face their worst nightmares for the sake of their beloveds.

And besides which, Ranma was so cute when we took him back to the Nekohanten and gave him a ball of string to play with while Father repaired the rents to his clothing and offered our apologies for playing missing out on the rest of the school day. It had been an educational experience overall, and I mused to myself that if the rest of our lives had this much activity yet remaining that it would indeed be a wonderful marriage, one worthy of epic song when we tell it to our grandchildren, and for this reason alone I could almost forgive Mousse and feel pity.

Almost. Instead I hope wherever he is he will get what he deserves, which-  
considering Siren's reputation-was almost beyond question, and for that reason alone I do feel pity...almost...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Continuing Relations: shadowmane

Our heroes are not out of the woods just yet as more revelations are in store for them, while Ganglot continues to make house and Ukyo confronts Akane over the romantic issues between them. Kennou and Ryoga exchange viewpoints while other plot threads continue to come together, and whatever happened to all that Jusenkyo water? For these questions and more stay tuned to upcoming installment...so won't you kindly be there?

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	91. Chapter 91

NabikiRan87 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
Including characters and situations borrowed from my fellow fanfic writers DB Sommers, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos, Wade Tritschler and Nicole Manders,  
With inclusion of characters created by Kosuke Fujishina)  
Chapter Eighty-Seven.

"Hello? Mother...can you hear me?"

That plaintive half-whispered cry was Akane's anguished plea into the deepening twilight as she perched beside the rock in her family's garden that had been indicated to her as sacred the previous evening. Akane had a strong, compelling urge to talk to her mother, or to anyone who might sympathize with her plight. She was in her "cursed" form, (if you could call looking like an Angel that), having been splashed recently, a condition that she was growing to find happening to her on a most alarming frequency of late. She had barely touched her food at dinner and avoided Kasumi and Silk's entreaties to know what was the matter. In fact there was only one person in whom she felt that she could confide, and she wasn't even half sure if that person was real or just a phantom in her memories. But the person had told her to pray to the rock, and now she was doing so, clasping her hands together and fervently wishing that she could see and talk to that woman who had looked so much like her mother.

And then, almost beyond her surprise, she felt a light hand caress her shoulder and that voice spoke to her again, "I'm here, Akane...how can I help you?"

Akane opened her eyes and looked up into the face of the womanly vision who so closely resembled Silk yet definitely was not. For one thing this woman had markings on her face, three triangular tattoos that looked like guitar picks on closer examination, rounded on the flat end with the other two sides narrowly tapering off to a rounded apex. Her eyes were the color of her hair, only softer and somehow more rosy, and her hair was cut in a very odd fashion, forming a helmet-like cut in the front similar to Nabiki, but training down her back in a pair of pony tail lengths that brushed the ground, while her style of dress was oddly elaborate, consisting of silk, leather and metal, almost a form of armor.

"Are you real?" Akane asked, almost afraid that the sound of her own voice might banish the illusion.

"I'm as real as you want me to be," the woman smiled at her with genuine affection, "I heard you calling and I came as soon as I was able."

"Ah..." now that she had summoned the heavenly vision from before, what was it that she wanted to say to such a being. All she could think of asking was the question foremost in her mind, and so she asked it, ignoring the voice of prudence that was cautioning her against it.

"Are you my mother?"

Peorth had been prepared for the question, and yet its very directness put her on the spot, for a Goddess could not lie to a direct question. Her evasions and cunning skills at misdirection could not serve her here, only the direct truth would be allowed to pass her lips, else the protection programs of Yggdrasil would penalize her with the inability to speak at all. Besides which this WAS her beloved daughter, and Akane deserved to know the truth, even if Peorth only doled it out in small half-measures.

She inclined her head in a nod and said, "I am...in a manner of speaking. I was there when you were born, I watched you grow as a child, and wept with you the day your Earthly mother was taken away. I am that which transcends mortality...your mother was a part of me, and I felt, as she did, the loss of a family life that she had grown to love and care for."

"Then...what are you?" Akane all but whispered.

Peorth sat down on the rock and faced Akane with a frank and knowing expression, "What do you think I am, Akane-chan? I who know you so well and am so very proud to see you grown into such a promising young woman...or Angel, if you will excuse the metaphor. You are my Angel in a fact, and yet you are also the child that I have never had for myself. I am whatever you wish for me to be, but I am real and as alive as you are, no phantom conjured up by your will or imagination."

"Ah..." Akane found it difficult to believe that the person before her was some mere spirit or supernatural entity come to mislead her, like one of Atsuko's illusions. She could FEEL the reality behind these words, even if their actual meaning escaped her. A wild thought sprang into her mind and she looked at the woman before her, who did not appear that much older than herself, and then hesitantly asked, "Are you..."

"Yes?" Peorth asked.

"...Like a Fairy Godmother?" Akane hesitantly concluded.

The fact that Peorth did not immediately facefault was due to in part to the way that she was perched upon the rock with her knees supporting her arms as she leaned forward. The Goddess recovered in time to think fast, and then with a slightly sheepish expression she replied, "That's...certainly one way of describing me...for certain..."

"It's just..." Akane hesitated once again before continuing onward, "That you look kind of like a Fairy Godmother...like out of a story. I hope I haven't insulted you..."

"Oh no," Peorth said, "I'm not offended...in fact...you could call me your Fairy Godmother if you like. That's near enough to my true nature, and I am here to help you, if you will permit it."

Peorth could almost hear Titania, the Queen of Faerie, laughing up her gilded sleeve at the thought of a Goddess coopting such a coveted title, but Peorth was above such petty disputes with rival pantheons, (and besides which that Michael Pfeiffer Wannabe owes me a few favors!) she thought to herself while keeping her smile warm and inviting.

"Good," Akane began to relax a little, "Because I really do want to talk...ah...that is...if you don't mind..."

"Mind?" Peorth's voice was musical, "Why in Heaven's name would I mind? I came here to listen to you, Child...I always want to know what is going on in your life and how I can do anything to help you feel better. Go ahead and lay your burden on me, Kiddo...I've handled a lot worse in my time, and nothing you say or do will ever change the way I feel about you."

Akane felt tears welling up in her eyes. Was it possible that there was someone in the world who could understand her, appreciate what she was going through and actually agree with her for once? It was too much to hope for, and yet something about this vision made her feel as warm and safe as her mother's arms, and the fact that she did look a lot like her mother certainly did not hurt the situation.

"Ah..." Akane started, "I...don't know where to begin..."

"Why not start with today?" Peorth asked, "Like what was bothering you so much a moment ago that you felt like calling out to me? Is it the wings that are bothering you? You know you could banish them with just a dash of warm water..."

"Oh...well..." Akane glanced at the feathered protrusions from her back and legs then hesitated before asking, "Do you think maybe you know a way that I could, like, permanently get rid of them so they don't bother me any more?"

"I might have a few recommendations," Peorth inclined her head, "But why would you want to do away with them? I should think that you would welcome the gift of flight, which is very rare in mortals."

"I..." Akane glanced down, "I don't know how to use them."

"You don't?" Peorth asked with rounded eyes.

"I've tried," Akane almost wailed, "I've really tried so hard, but I...I can't get off the ground..."

"Can't get off the ground?" Peorth sat back on her rock, "Why not?"

"I don't know," Akane admitted, "I've tried flapping them real hard, even getting a running start, but I can't take off..."

"Well no wonder," Peorth chuckled, "You don't really think you have sufficient mass-to-weight lift ratio to do it all on muscle power alone."

"I don't?" Akane blinked significantly.

"To have the structural integrity to do it all by the strength of your wings, you would have to have a body-cage to anchor them that would alter your basic shape from that of a recognizable woman," Peorth replied, "The lift that you need to get off the ground comes from within you, from what you call your Ki, the force of your will and the power of your imagination. You have more strength inside than mere strength of muscle, and if you wish to see how this works, then I will be happy to demonstrate the process."

The Goddess stood up upon the rock and spread her arms, and suddenly there was pair of very manifest wings that appeared upon her own back, and as she smiled down at the astonished Akane, she looked even more like an Angel than ever.

"You mean...you can do this too?" Akane asked as the goddess reached out to her, and Akane took her hand, allowing herself to be drawn to her own feet with an ease that was utterly breathtaking.

"Watch what I do, Akane," Peorth urged, "And don't be afraid of falling. I will be here at your side to catch you."

"Okay," Akane stood up on the boulder beside Peorth, still clasping hands with the Goddess.

"First of all," Peorth began, "Listen to the power that's already within you, feel it, nurture it, welcome it like a warm fire that keeps you safe from the cold and snug at night. The power will come when you allow it to blossom out in you, much like the force of your Ki when you summon it to break bricks and boards, only not quite so destructive."

"All right," Akane replied, closing her eyes and searching deep within her for the power indicated, and then a moment later she said, "I...I feel something..."

"Feel it like your mother's love," Peorth said gently, "Let it flow out to touch every part of you. Let it lift you up, feel it merge with every centimeter of your body, your shoulders, your limbs, your head and your heart...every part of you becoming one and whole, then stretch out your wings and feel the gentle breeze lifting you, carrying you up like the love of the Kami."

Akane felt warmth move all over through her body, and then her spirits began to brighten as though someone had lit the pilot light on a dormant furnace. She opened her eyes to express this to the woman beside her, only to start with dismay as she found the level of her gaze was much higher up than she had thought possible, short of standing at the window to her room. She looked down to see her feet dangling above empty space with the garden directly below her, and in that moment of surprise she lost her concentration.

"WHOAAAH!" she cried before going splash into the Koi pond.

Peorth sighed as she hovered in the air where Akane had been watching her daughter flounder around like a wet goose. She shook her head in wry affection and said, "Ah well...Kyoto wasn't built in a day...shall we start again from the very beginning...?"

Off to one side three pairs of eyes were watching as Akane stood up on a rock and attempted to fly, only to land with a splash in a rather spectacular manner.

Kennou was the first to sigh, "She's so pathetic..."

"Shut up, you," Ryoga growled as he turned back to see Akane climbing out of the Koi pond, "At least she's trying...she actually got off the ground this time. We should encourage her, not make insults."

Shirokuro said nothing, but her eyes were much wider than those of her master, for she could see the distinctive distorted area in the space beside the winged Tendo sister and knew intuitively what this signified. A being of power was masking her presence against detection by others, and had Shirokuro herself not had keener senses than most she would not have been any of the wiser. It was as if that being were deliberately tuning themselves out against the normal powers of an Oni to penetrate shadow, a very strong illusion that rivaled even the abilities of the Mistress. That alone cautioned her to be wary lest that being look with ill favor upon her Master...or even Shirokuro!

Kennou glanced at her alleged "Nephew" and sighed, "You've really got it bad for her, don't you?"

"That's none of your business," Ryoga snapped, not taking his eyes off of Akane, who was trying once again to spread her wings and levitate even higher than before.

"Maybe it's none of my business," Kennou replied, "But it twists my guts to see you acting like such a pathetic lap dog. Have some self-respect and stop whining like a whipped hound..."

Shirokuro made a growling noise from where she hovered in the shadows.

"You keep out of this," Kennou snapped without looking at the shadow creature, "This is between me and my supposed 'Nephew.' Are you a man at all or are you just going through the motions."

"Shut up!" Ryoga snarled, "I don't need to hear that from a Mercenary like you..."

"So I'm a Mercenary," Kennou shrugged, "At least I can support myself. You can't even hold down a decent job, let alone support a family. You're too much of a blockhead to find your way around without help from your seeing-eye-dog..."

Shirokuro growled again, this time in more definite warning.

"Yeah, I know," Kennou growled back, "I'm sure you're good enough at your job that you could get him to and from his employer without taking a tour of all forty-three districts between here and Hokkaido, but the minute you let him out of your sight...he's gone on a trip around the planet. Come on, Ryoga...face facts. Your life is a mess and it's about time you started doing something about it."

"Like what?" Ryoga asked, balling fists as if ready to renew their on-again-off-  
again sparring match.

"Like grow up and start taking responsibility for your own problems and stop blaming them on others," Kennou replied, "It's sure awfully convenient when you can blame everything on someone else, means you don't have to face yourself when you look in the mirror. You've got a lot of things going for you, and you ought to take pride in the things you're good at instead of moping around all the time in a state of depression."

"Like what?" Ryoga asked.

"Well..." Kennou had to think for a moment before responding, "For one thing you can be pretty sharply focused when you keep your eye on a goal. You let your mind wander a lot, and you've very easily distracted, but when you sharpen up your mind on something...Whoah! You're like a lethal weapon!"

"Really?" Ryoga was surprised to hear something that sounded almost like a compliment escape the lips of the blonde Hibiki.

"Yeah," Kennou replied, "You can be like a bladed weapon when you stay in focus, like that first fight with me when you almost impressed me. The trouble is you gave away how easy you are to distract, and ever since I've been able to throw you around nine times out of ten."

"Oh yeah," Ryoga straightened out, "Try saying that again out of the other side of your face!"

He took a step towards her and prepared to take a swing swing, but Kennou merely smiled, turned her face towards the door and said, "Look, she's actually flying this time."

"Huh...?" Ryoga stumbled as he turned around in mid-swing, tripped over the floor and went tumbling into Akane's exercise equipment, while Kennou remained where she had been standing, wincing slightly.

"See what I mean?" she asked to her groaning Nephew.

"Ah..." Ryoga groaned softly, "Maybe I do get distracted...a little..."

Kennou just sighed, then did something very uncharacteristic for her, which was to go over to Ryoga and offer her hand to help him back on his feet, "Look, you don't have to like me, and I don't blame you for resenting my advice, but I'm just telling you what I see, which is that you're making an awfully big fool of yourself over nothing."

"You think so?" Ryoga asked, hearing the twittering sounds of birds circling around his head.

"Look, I'm not really that bad a person that I want to hurt your feelings, even if you are keeping me here against my will," Kennou explained, "I'm just saying that I don't see a lot of permanency in a relationship between you and Akane. She needs somebody who's strong enough to keep her in line, who won't let her shove you around while she goes off and flirts with the Boy-chick. She's out of control with a bad temper and no self-restraint to speak of, and she doesn't take criticism very well, so she's got a lot of issues that need resolving before she can be trusted in a relationship. I'm not saying she's a bad person either...in fact it's kinda hard to hate someone who's that pathetic..."

"You think you're so perfect?" Ryoga asked, shaking off his mild daze.

"Who's talking about perfection?" Kennou rocked on the balls of her feet and smiled serenely, "Even if I do come close to the mark, if I do say so myself."

"Yeah...right," Ryoga snorted.

"I got my own problems, and I'll admit it," Kennou said, "But she can't even do that much. She's got way too much hurt pride and she thinks the world is out to get her. I've KNOWN the world's been out to get me since the day I lost my mother, but I don't waste all my time bemoaning my fate..." she deliberately kept one hand crossed behind her back so that the boy in front of her could not get a look at her fingers.

"What about that guy you're supposedly in love with?" Ryoga asked.

Kennou lost her smile, "Hiroshi? He'd rather build himself a fake woman rather than spend time with a real one, he can have his living doll and she can keep him."

"You don't sound too convincing," Ryoga replied, "Even I can see through that."

"Oh-kay..." Kennou sighed, "So maybe it rocks my guts losing out to a Robot, doesn't mean I intend to spend the rest of my life moping about it. You can't just weep because things aren't the way you want them to be, Ryoga. There are always new opportunities coming my way if I make myself ready to greet them with open arms. It's not like I need a man in my life anyway...too many complications, and who needs the heart ache?"

Ryoga frowned, uncertain whether or not he could believe his eyes and ears, but for a moment there it almost sounded as if Kennou was regretting her own statements. Feeling an odd sympathy for the arrogant blonde girl who was allegedly a kinswoman, "I don't know about that...I can't imagine not feeling the way I do about Akane. My life was empty before I met her, and I know I'd do anything just to see her smile...even a little..."

"Shut up," Kennou whispered.

"What...?" Ryoga turned to her in surprise.

"I said shut the hell up," Kennou bared her teeth, "What do you now about happiness? I've never been happy! Not even a little! Not since..." she turned away and said, "What do you now about it? You still have your mother, and your father is still alive and kicking! I've got no one who gives a damn about me, so don't even pretend like you care! You know I won't buy it!"

Ryoga was surprised at the savagery of the blonde girl's words and could not for the life of him understand how he could have triggered such a reaction. He turned to look at her for what might as well have been the very first time, honestly looking at the girl who was nearly his own age in spite of their nominal filial relationship and saw the haunted look that was in her eyes, the exposed and vulnerable side that she kept so tightly hidden behind that wall of hostility that had marked and defined her until this very moment.

"I...I'm sorry..." Ryoga began to apologize.

"Don't!" the wall slammed down again and Kennou's eyes virtually blazed at him, for all that there were unshed tears behind her eyes, "Don't you dare say another word! I don't have to take pity from you, I don't have to put up with any of this...!"

And with that she angrily stormed off out the door of the dojo while Ryoga stood his ground wondering what the hell had just happened.

Shirokuro whined softly, but she too watched the blonde girl walk out the door with confusion, wanting very much to dislike a girl who baited and taunted her master with such artistic cruelty, yet who seemed to crumble like a brittle piece of porcelain the moment someone punctured through the balloon of her own pretensions.

And the human had the gall to say the same thing about Akane!

Still, she reasoned, orders were orders, and her Mistress had instructed her to keep a careful eye upon the girl, just in case she tried to make a break for it, so Shirokuro got up and began to follow her out into the yard...when a warning sense caused her to stare up into the space above the girl's head...a space that formed into a tiny cloud located directly over Kennou's blonde head. Shirokuro had a sense that something was amiss there, but as fast as she was she could not move in time to intercept the girl and push her out of harms way.

Kennou was barely conscious of the peril facing her when she heard the rumbling noise that sounded like thunder in the distance. She was too sunk into a black mood that she had worked so hard to escape that it was only at the last second that she felt the first drop of moisture on her face, which startled her as there had been a clear sky all day long, and even in Nerima a thunderstorm didn't just crop up that way...or did they?

She turned her face up to the sky just in time to receive the deluge as a gallon of VERY SPECIAL WATER fell upon her, drenching her to the bone as a strange chill passed through her body and caused her spirit to rise up and merge with a bestial illusion that manifested into reality. All at once she fell to her knees and felt her limbs begin to distort and reshape themselves, and with an odd twisting of her hip and spine she straightened out again, resting her weight on all fours as her face became like plastic and her nose began to grow outward. One moment later she felt completely normal again...only not the normalcy that she would have expected.

Unseen by her the Goddess Peorth turned her head to regard the Tendo yard, which presently was far below her feet and those of Akane. Her Godchild was finally getting the hang of levitation and discovering the joy of using her wings to stabilize and augment her flying capability. Akane still had to learn the finer points of weight-to-lift in the extension of her wingspan so that she could master the finer points of using air currents to remain stable. Without close attention to such details her child could possibly lose her bearings and go crashing into the ground like a Hang Glider pilot on the first try, and as tough as Akane was there was no way that Peorth was letting her risk her neck in an accident. Besides which, whatever disturbance it was that she was sensing it probably only concerned those Oni-tainted kids living in the dojo.

It was not that Peorth was prejudiced against Oni, as she would gladly inform one had any dared to ask her, but the thought of Akane associating with the offspring of an Oni did not set well with her at all. She would have to have words with her child on this subject, but at the moment she wanted to rejoice in Akane's newfound joy in the art of flying.

"What happened here?" Ryoga asked as he emerged from the dojo at the sound of water splashing and a startled gasp from Kennou, "Shirokuro...what...?"

The perpetual Lost Boy halted in his tracks, for all that remained of the blonde haired girl was her worn school uniform...and a four legged beast whose presence in the yard was very alarming.

Shirokuro was staring with VERY rounded eyes as Kennou lifted her head and turned to them with a somewhat bewildered expression. She stared back at the demonic canine, then at her nominal Nephew and tried to ask them what had happened...but all that came out from her muzzle was a low whine that even her own ears thought sounded peculiar.

"K-Kennou?" Ryoga grasped the obvious as past experience informed him of exactly what had happened, "B-B-But how...?"

The red-furred wolf just looked back at him, her expression blank as she most definitely did not have an answer...

Ganglot smiled, thinking to herself that it was almost too easy. True her granddaughter was only a troubled youth and not intentionally malicious, but she had a lot of growing up to do on her own, and a brush with a Jusenkyo curse would no doubt snap her out of her clinical depression...once she had enough time to adjust to the transition.

How convenient of the Lore Master to make the Jusenkyo water available to the first entity who chanced to grasp it. Unfortunately the laws governing such matters demanded that the water be used, and if given a random selection the cursed fluids could wind up anywhere, infecting some innocent victim at random. Fortunately Ganglot had already selected a victim, and now her granddaughter would bear the weight of a new challenge to distract her from the rest of her personal problems.

No doubt Kennou might consider the alteration in her life a dubious blessing, at best, but it would work out in the long run, forcing the girl to take a harder look at herself and possibly grow beyond her continual resentments, and it wasn't as if the curse was permanent, after all...Ganglot had made certain to tweak it a little so that it could be undone at a later time of Ganglot's discretion...at least in theory.

Oh well, one more of her Daughter-in-law's little plots had been foiled, which made it a good day in Ganglot's conservative opinion. Now to return back to the affairs that were presently challenging her creative faculties, namely the canvas upon which she was painting the first of many masterpieces that she hoped soon would take the art world by storm. She smiled a triumphant smile, baring her fangs as she raised her camel's hair brush, dabbed it with the right amount of paint and went at it with a vengeance, all but savaging the canvas in a blur of dynamic energy, her artistic juices flowing in a rush of mad, inspired genius.

A little off to the side her two newly hired servants were watching their employer go about her work with a frenzy that made it seem as if she were attacking the canvas with her brush. Odd bits of paint went flying in all directions, forcing the two youths to back up a bit to avoid being splattered.

"What is she doing?" Ju-Lan asked in mild dismay.

"I think she's fighting it," Ro-Mano replied, "And the canvas is winning."

Ju-Lan tilted his head to one side and concentrated for a moment, then pronounced in a thoughtful tone of voice, "You know...there is something about that picture...it's not a bad feeling...I wonder if it's a kind of magic?"

"Black or white?" Ro-Mano asked, then answered her own question as a globule of paint landed on her nose, "Ugh! Rainbow colored!"

"I don't think she's really evil," Ju-Lan said uncertainly, as if still trying to make his mind up about it when he turned to his lady companion and gave a soft chuckle, to which she bridled and growled, "What's so funny?"

"You," he said with a grin, "That almost looks like war paint, but Amazons haven't painted their faces in scores of generations."

Ro-Mano paused to look at her man and then she also smiled, "You look funny too...maybe I should get a mirror?"

"You could never look bad to me," Ju-Lan replied, and for a moment the two of them just stared at one another, heedless of anything else until a larger globule of pain landed on Ro-Mano's forehead.

"Maybe we should get out of the line of fire," Ju-Lan suggested, and the two youths left their guardian to her creative muse while they sought out the recently christened "Bathing Room," where they intended to explore the meaning of this term together.

"Nice kids," Ganglot paused to sigh, "Reminds me a bit of myself and Rogaine when we were at that phase..." a brief look of wistful longing crossed into her golden eyes, and then she went back at it with the canvas, brining renewed energy to the project as she searched mightily to find the excellence that she knew was hidden somewhere within the canvas.

The tapestry of fate was winding the threads of destiny together, and Ganglot intended to weave them as skillfully as she was each brushstroke and hue, knowing that her first work would mark a new beginning in the nearly endless life of a lonesome Oni, and soon the progeny of loins would be woven inextricably together once the rest of Clan Hibiki made its way at long last to Nerima...

"Ta, ta, be well, have a nice trip and all that sort of rot," D'Amour waved jauntily to the retreating backsides of old and young Hibiki, effecting the gallantry of a loving host until they were well out of sight, then-without losing the pasted-on grin that he was wearing-he spoke to his First Mate and said, "Well, what are you waiting for? Haul anchor and let's be out of here before they find their way back."

"Can't sir," Frog replied.

"Are you deaf," D'Amour frowned, "I said let's be on our way, as in Weigh the Anchor, pull out the stops, remove the tether from the dock moorings, let's vamoose and be well away now that we've finally rid ourselves of that annoyingly directionless Harpy."

"Love to sir," Frog responded with faint reluctance, "But we can't move. She's taken the keys out of the ignition."

"Excuse me?" D'Amour turned to look at the man, "Did I just hear you right?"

"You did, Sir," Brunt replied, ignoring the protests of his battered and bruised body, "Aki's taken the keys to the ignition with her, said she was doing it to see we stayed put and didn't try to ship out without her."

"Excuse me for directing your attention to the painfully obvious," D'Amour said in a display of rare patience, "But this is a Boat is it not?"

"Ship sir," Frog corrected, "Only landlubbers call it a boat."

"Details," D'Amour waved a hand dismissively, "All right, now that we have that much established, then tell me how it is that we can have an ignition that needs a key to start it. This isn't a bloody automobile..."

"No sir," Brunt replied, "But we had the key-lock to the ignition installed during our last refitting."

"Well why in the bloody blazes did we do a damned fool thing like that?" D'Amour wanted to know.

"Begging the Cap'ns pardon, Sir," From explained, "But it was your orders we do it on account of you wanting an ace in the hole to hold over the crew after the last Mutiny in San Paolo."

"Oh," D'Amour thought it over then smiled, "Damned clever of me, that...but why don't we just hot wire the thing and get it to start without it?"

"Can't sir," Brunt replied, "The ignition cables are twenty centimeters thick and weigh a bloody ton apiece. You'd need the strength of a Hibiki just to cut through their casings, let alone cross them, and most folks would tend to get themselves electrocuted doing that."

"Don't bother me with trivial details," D'Amour said, "Can it be done or not?"

"Not Sir," Frog replied, "You ordered us to make it bloody near impossible to tamper with the system, so until we get that key back we're pretty much grounded."

"And to get the key back," Brunt concluded, "We have to get them away from Aki."

D'Amour felt the sides of his temples as he felt a major migraine coming on, "Please tell me things can't get any worse..."

"Sir!" Ensign Ptomaine reported, "Some of the crew managed to pry the boards off one of the port holes and they're escaping into the harbor. Assuming they don't die in the polluted waters, there's a good chance of them getting ashore and going AWOL!"

"We're a bit underhanded as it is," Brunt noted, "If this keeps up we won't even have a crew to keep the ship running."

"Look, I can't be expected to manage every little detail by myself," D'Amour growled, "I'm going ashore to look up some old haunts. I trust I can count on the both of you to mind the store for a while, and to see that you get the crew back safe, sound and in a relatively intact condition?"

"Just leave it to us, Sir," Frog held up a belaying pin, "We know how to encourage the lads to stay loyal...I guarantee we'll be up to full muster by the time you sober up-ah-finish your cultural surveys."

"See that you do," D'Amour hunched his shoulders as he glanced around at the vessel he called his own (though not too proudly as that would have been pushing it even for him), and in more hushed tones he added, "You know what TWPOS can be like when it gets lonely..."

Both men nodded that they did, and all three of them collectively shuddered...

Rei stirred as a slight shifting of weight beside her own body awoke her from a pleasant languor in which she had dreamed of being a graceful princess sharing a dance with Princess Serenity, and the both of them sharing a moment of bliss that went on and on forever. It took a few seconds for her to reconcile that with her actual condition of the moment, which was laying down on a couch stark naked with both arms around an equally nude Usagi, who was nestled up warmly beside her.

How did she find herself in this odd situation? It took another few moments for the memories to come flooding back for Rei, of the curiosity that had been gripping them both for the last two days since Rei had made her startling admission to Usagi. Since that moment under the boardwalk, everything about their lives had changed dramatically, and to Rei it was a change for the better. She and Usagi had flirted and made coy references to a future together, but neither one had dared to cross the line of actually expressing their affection in words beyond sly phrases.

Usagi had never been more beautiful in Rei's eyes then when she smiled in Rei's direction, nor had Rei ever felt such a fluttering of excitement take her over whenever the two of them brushed hands or made body contact of any kind, either deliberately or by seeming chance. It drove Rei crazy to think that she could not get Usagi out of her mind and did not want to be parted from her side, even when they had to each go home and prepare for school the next morning. It was impossible to do her chores or keep her mind on her school work as little things about her beloved Moon Princess would come back to her with startling clarity and almost life-like details, and even things that used to irritate and annoy her about the blonde haired "Rabbit" girl now were cherished in Rei like the sweetest endearments. It made sleep all but impossible, and so when they saw each other the next day Rei proposed that they should at least spend one night together...just to see if they were as compatible as Rei was hoping.

To her surprise Usagi had nurtured the exact same idea, and even invited Rei to spend the night at her place because her parents would be away and had already given their permission. Usagi was forbidden to throw any parties, but her folks did not mind a Pajama party of two or more girls, so they each convinced Ami to join them, arguing that she could play their chaperone and make certain that they used their spare time for purposes of study.

Of course Ami had reluctantly agreed, but after a fruitless hour of trying to keep their minds on their mathwork she had finally pronounced that she was tired and wanted to turn in early so that she would be fresh for her own assignments. Rei privately suspected that Ami had been uncomfortable playing "third" at a meeting where the two other girls were so obviously more interested in each other than in any dry details about Algebra equations.

So the two of them were left all alone in the Tsukino house, Usagi's brother having also chosen to spend the night at the house of a friend, and once left to their own devices the tension level climbed up dramatically, though Usagi and Rei were at a loss on what to do about it.

Then Rei revealed to Usagi that she had brought something along that she had hoped would help them get into the mood of deepening their intimacy, one of her Grandfather's porno-tapes that he kept hidden away in a private stash at the Cherry Hill Shrine house. Rei had discovered this cache by accident when cleaning up and had been tempted to throw the stuff away when she came across one of the cover titles and had been intrigued at the suggestion it posed to her. She slipped that tape into Usagi's family VCR after the two of them made popcorn, and together they watched the credits roll, followed by some explicit action in which they saw two beautiful girls making out with one another.

Usagi and Rei had sat riveted in their seats as they watched the first hour of the tape, after which they paused it and sat stock still with eyes as round as saucers. The two girls exchanged funny looks, and then broke out in laughter, making absurd jokes about the unlikeliness of the tape's premise. Did whoever made such a thing honestly expect them to believe that real life women acted that way around each other? But then the laughter began to die off and the two girls sat looking at one another in silence, and each reluctantly conceded that at least some of what they saw MIGHT have potential...

The did not immediately make out, of course, but chose to watch the rest of the tape, this time paying closer attention to the details until the final credits rolled, at which point Rei stopped the tape and rewound it, then sat silently with her eyes on the black viewscreen, and only after another long silence she began to talk with Usagi, and they each gave their critique of the movie.

One thing led to another, and they were off to the showers together, agreeing in wordless communion that they wanted to act out at least one of the scenes they had witnessed in the movie. It was much to their surprise that they discovered that at least part of what they had seen was not as exaggerated as they had suspected.

Once they had showered and dried off they took a break to come out into the kitchen to share some chocolate cake and ice cream, pigging out as the ice had been broken between them, allowing them to chat with greater honesty and intimacy, paying attention to the things that each had liked and disliked in their little "Experiment," and agreeing that more research would be necessary, which was how they concluded the matter by removing their bathrobes and winding up on the couch together.

Now that Rei was able to think clearly again she had to admit that it was a nice smell that filled her nostrils as she nuzzled the nape hairs on the back of Usagi's neck, her natural perfume ever so warm and inviting. The couch felt a bit cramped with the two of them sharing it, and Rei noted that her right arm was going to sleep as Usagi's weight was cutting off the circulation, yet too she was reluctant to move from the spot, enjoying the wonderful sensation of having the other girl curled up in her embrace. Usagi's was purring contentedly in her sleep, and never even once had she whispered the name "Mamoru-chan" all evening, which was a minor miracle in Rei's opinion.

I love her, Rei thought to herself with a sense of wonder at the admission, and it was wonderful to finally be able to say the words to herself as she knew beyond question that Usagi shared her feelings...or was one heck of a good faker!

Naturally the moment had to be spoiled by the sound of someone knocking on the door and ringing the door bell.!

"Who is it?" Usagi murmured, still half asleep.

"I don't know," Rei growled, "But I hope maybe they'll go away..."

Of course the knocking on the door was insistent, so Rei growled as she freed her arm from beneath Usagi and said, "I'll go see who it is...and if it's one of those 'Gotcha' video companies, then I'll fireball their asses!"

Usagi chuckled as she turned to regard the Shrine Maiden (well...technically no longer a Maiden...), "You're so feisty when you get up in the morning, but are you sure you want to face them looking like that?"

"No, Silly," Rei smiled back in affection as she retrieved her bathrobe and tied it on while crossing the room to the front door, and then she yanked it open without bothering to look outside, "Who the hell..."

She stopped in mid-tirade, for there stood Minako looking back at her, mild surprise painted on the blonde girl's features.

"Rei?" Minako gasped, "What are you...oh, never mind," she said as she saw Usagi approach them, tying her own robe on as she padded up alongside Rei.

"Mina-chan?" Usagi asked in surprise, "What are you doing visiting here? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Nine-thirty PM?" Minako replied matter-of-factly.

"That early?" Rei blinked, "No way!"

"I guess we weren't at it as long as I thought we were," Usagi reluctantly conceded, "Of course we did kinda turn in real early. Oh well...what did you want, Mina-chan? I thought you were visiting Makoto?"

At the mention of their absent comrade the blonde girl's shoulders slumped and she responded, "I did...only Makoto's...got somebody with her."

"Huh?" both Rei and Usagi replied, the latter saying, "Well, don't keep us both in suspense! Who is he? Is he that dreamy hunkster she's been seeing on the sly?"

"That Kuonji guy," Rei noted, "Can't say I'm surprised, she's been coming onto him a little thick lately, and the guy would have to be as dense as a brick not to notice."

"Ah..." Minako refrained from saying the words that immediately popped into her mind, that finding Rei with Usagi, the both of them tousled and quite obviously having just gotten out of a bed that they had doubtlessly been sharing together...was something that had been all too predictable among their friends in the Inner Senshi. She could still remember holding her breath in a gasp when she had overheard the Shinto Priestess make her tearful confession under the boardwalk.

"Well come on, spit it out," Usagi grinned with a kittenish expression (or should that be amended to "Sex-Kitten," Minako wondered, just imagining what their guardian cats would have to say about the two girls sleeping together, "What were they both doing...and is that the reason why they weren't in school with us today?"

"Yeah, come on," Rei urged, "Don't keep us waiting around in suspense!"

Minako saw no way of avoiding the subject, so she began, "Makoto...was with her Sempai. In fact I saw Kuonji coming out of the bedroom looking like they had recently showered together."

"OH MY!" both of her fellow Senshi chorused together.

"Of course..." Minako hesitated before continuing, "I felt bad about disturbing them...but that's when I found out something about this Ukyo character that I guess we all should have expected. You see...the guy's also a girl...or rather I mean...he's a sex changer."

"Say what?" Usagi replied after a long drawn out minute.

"It's true," Makoto herself revealed as she came walking up the sidewalk behind Minako, who gasped and turned around to see the tall girl approaching, "But you ran off before I could fully explain that, Mina-chan, not to mention that little bombshell that you dropped in my lap. Had a feeling you'd turn up here eventually...we pretty much all go running to share stuff with Usagi."

"Mako-chan?" Usagi looked at the tall girl, "Is this true?"

"Yes," Makoto sighed, "I was looking for the right time to explain it to you guys...my Sempai has this weird magical curse laid on her that turns her into a guy and back again...only I didn't know exactly how to bring it up, giving our past history with sex-changers."

"You're telling us that dreamy hunk is cursed?" Rei asked in frank dismay.

"Man, talk about weird ideas on what a curse is," Usagi agreed in mildly understated wonder.

"Ah...Mako-chan," Minako said sheepishly, "About...what I said back there..."

"We'll talk about it," Makoto promised her, "But I think we'd better go inside before Luna and Artemis start lecturing us about public exposure."

"Oh yeah...right," Usagi glanced down as if only just remembering that she and Rei were hardly dressed for a fashionable late evening.

"Man," Rei mused as they went indoors again, "When did we go from being Sailor Scouts to Dojinshonen Scouts, huh?"

"Since somebody told me they loved me," Usagi smiled back, "Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"You'd better not complain," Rei leered back, "If you know what's good for you."

"I don't hardly know where to begin," Makoto said as she and Minako sat down with the other two girls in the living room, "There's so much I've got to cover..."

"Why not try starting at the beginning?" Ami asked as she came out into the room wearing her pajamas, "Like how you and Ukyo met and first got involved together."

"Ami?" Minako reacted, "What are you doing here?"

"Ah...I kinda invited her over," Usagi said sheepishly, "But you said you were turning in early..."

"That's what I said," Ami replied, her refined tones held level and even so that she gave no hint of the exasperation and frustration that she was feeling, having had to listen to her two best friends going at it like a couple of wild cats. Small wonder their guardian cats had slipped out into the night for some peace and quiet...Usagi alone had made enough noise to shake the rafters! If Ami had not brought along her "special toy" for just such an emergency she might have had trouble even keeping to herself after the first hour, not that she had any intention of blowing her "Smart Girl" cover by revealing what her Pediatrician mother had given her for a birthday present.

"This could take a while," Makoto sighed, "All right if I make snacks for your guys? I can boil some tea if Usagi has any."

There were many assents and hands raised all around the room, and as preparing food was something Makoto had always found relaxing she went to the kitchen at once, coming back moments later after finding the remains of a chocolate cake, a baked pie and several pre-prepared rice balls.

"All right," she sighed as she sat down and everyone began munching, "It all began in Middle school before I met up with any of you guys, when I set my sights on the handsomest boy in our school, not realizing that this Kuonji Ukyo was hiding a little secret..."

Naomi felt better after soaking in a hot bath and dressing down in something casual, her hair drying off in a towel as she came back into the living room of her apartment and found her nominal bodyguard playing games with Rachael, much to the delight of her small daughter.

"...And then the wicked Nobunaga tried to crush the heroic Ninja warriors of Iga, but their Clan chiefs were clever and hid all of their treasures among his most trusted fighters so that the magical weapons would never fall into enemy hands, and do this day no one knows where those items are hidden," the burly man said as he pretended to be a four-legged creature stalking up on a crouching princess, "But one day a young Prince descended from the clans discovered his own special gift, and he fought nine dragons to master his power, becoming a great warrior in his own right...GROWL!" the man put his hands to the sides of his head and pointed outward as if pretending he had horns, "I'm the great and terrible lizard! Hear my roar...I'm coming to eat you!"

Rachael laughed in childish delight as she dodged out of the way of the man, who moved with exaggerated slowness that showed greater control than he let on to a casual observer. Rachael stood up and pretended to have a weapon in her hand as she played along with the game, "I'm not scared of any ol' Dragon! I'll cut you down with my sword Dragonslayer!"

Kento mocked being intimidated by her challenge and said, "Oh, please don't hurt me, noble Samurai! I promise to be good if you spare my life!"

"I'd love to hear the rest of this," Naomi smiled, "But you're way up past your bed time, young lady."

"Aw Mommy!" the little girl complained, "I don't even feel sleepy!"

"It's called Jet-lag, little Princess," Kento replied as he sat upright, "You're used to the time back in America, but here in Japan we have an eight hour difference, so good little Samurai should be in bed catching up on their sleep. If you're really a good little girl and do what your Mommy says I know that the Dream Kami will come visit you and let you play in his garden, which is full of all kinds of nice, sweet tasting things, like candy and gum drops."

"Really?" Rachael's eyes got as round as silver dollars, or whatever was the Japanese equivalent, Naomi amended.

"Hey, would I lie to you?" Kento raised his hand and solemnly replied, "On my honor as a Ronin."

"Okay," the girl replied, turning to Naomi, "Would you tuck me into bed, Mommy? I like Kento's stories a whole lot, and I wanna hear more of 'em later."

"Make sure that you wash up and go potty before bedtime," Naomi urged, "I'll show you how to unroll a Futon."

"Oh, I already took care of that, Ma'am," Kento replied, adding in stage whisper, "I was hoping to tire her out, but the little Princess is just too clever and full of energy for that. The Sugar Plum fairy's gonna have his work cut out for him if he wants to let her roam about in his garden."

"Oh, did you now?" Naomi eyed the man critically, "Do you also number Day Care among your list of job skills?"

"More like On-the-Job experience, Ma'am," Kento replied as she rose to her feet in a fluid motion, "I had a couple of little brothers and a sister who taught me a lot about looking after younger kids. Some things just stay with you no matter how old you get."

"Indeed," Naomi noted, "You're a man of many hidden talents."

"That's why my Uncle asked me to look after you," Kento nodded, thumping his chest with one fist, "You've got nothing to fear as long as Kento's on the job watching out for any troubles. You can both sleep tight, I won't let anything get near you, whether enemies or Youma."

"Youma?" Naomi frowned, "You mean the Undead?"

"Well..." Kento shrugged, "It's kind of a generic term these days, with several different meanings, depending what part of the Tokyo area you happen to be in. In the Kyoto area...well...we take it a bit more serious than you Westerners. They're not just stories to us, and I've personally seen a lot of stuff...well, let's just say I've got experience and leave it at that, okay?"

"Do you expect me to fall for one of your fairy tales like my daughter?" Naomi asked in skeptical appraisal.

"Not at all," Kento replied, "I'm sure you're a pretty smart cookies where you come from, I'm just saying different rules apply out here, and it wouldn't pay to take anything for granted."

"Well," Naomi reluctantly replied, "I suppose you do know your country much better than I could."

"Not necessarily, Nakamura-san," Kento replied, "Your roots probably started right here, even if you are an American, or at least I'd think so from your family name, if you'll forgive me for saying that."

"My former husband's name was Thompson," Naomi noted, "Nakamura is the name of the family that adopted me. I don't even know the real name that I was born with."

"Oh," Kento's expression fell slightly, as if fearing he had just committed a huge social gaff.

"Don't worry yourself about it," Naomi smiled, "And I'm not offended that you asked about my ancestry...the truth is that I'm very curious on that subject myself. I was hoping to do some private research while I was here and learn if I have relatives living in the Tokyo area."

"Good luck on that," Kento nodded, "Well, if you need me, I'll be sacking out in the next room. I sleep pretty soundly, but I'll be fully alert for any troubles. Don't hesitate to call on me if there's anything you need."

"I'll remember that," Naomi agreed, watching the big man head towards the next room as she added, "And Kento-san...thank you."

"Just doing my job, Ma'am," Kento nodded, "You've got a good kid, and I won't let anything disturb her dreams, or yours either for that matter."

"I see," Naomi noted as she sat down on the couch and picked up the briefing folder that she had only half scanned through. Just before Kento was out of the room, however, she stopped him with a question, "By the way...what can you tell me about the Tendo dojo?"

"That old place?" Kento paused, "I've heard a lot of stories, most stuff my Uncle used to talk about when I was the same age as your daughter. It's the home to a family that keeps the old traditions alike of the Musubetsu Kakuto Ryu..."

"The Anything Goes School?" Naomi raised eyebrows at that, "That's an odd name for a martial arts system."

"Depends on who you ask," Kento replied, "It's supposed to be pretty good, but there are only two practitioners of the art that I've ever heard of, old man Tendo and his daughter."

"Indeed?" Naomi smiled, "I think I might like to learn more about the place."

"Why?" Kento asked before amending, "If you don't mind my asking..."

"I might like to take lessons myself," Naomi mused, "I could stand to sharpen up my skills, and it might be a good place to enroll Rachael."

Kento did not share her smile as he replied, "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I mean...no offense to you or your teachers, lady, but what they know about Martial Arts in the States doesn't really compare to what they teach in the old schools."

"Do tell?" Naomi's smile deepened to its trademark "Shark-like" expression, "How interesting...I must learn more about this. I believe I will stop by there after my morning meeting with the board members."

"Whatever," Kento shrugged, "You know your business, lady, but I'll be there if you need me."

Naomi wondered exactly what it was about that casual statement that left her so troubled...

Mousse stirred to self-awareness, wondering why it was so dark all of a sudden, only to find his eyes were covered by a blindfold of some sort. He tried to pull it off but it would not come away for some reason, and that was when he heard the voice of doom sounding close nearby, saying, "I wouldn't take it off if I were you. There would be...complications."

"Siren?" Mousse of course recognized the sultry voice of the dreaded Sorceress who had haunted his family for generations before his birth, "What do you want from me, Witch?"

"Satisfaction," Siren replied in a low purr, "You've been a very naughty boy of late, and I think it's time that you had your comeuppance."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mousse growled, "Where is Shampoo...?"

"Back with her loved ones in Japan," Siren replied, "I brought you back home to China, you silly boy. Wasn't that nice of me?"

Mousse did not bother to conceal the shudder that went down his spine at the way the Arch-Mage had pronounced this, and he started to say, "You have no right to-  
-!"

"No right?" the Magus said dangerously, "I am an Elder, albeit not a full member of that stuffy old Council of hags who boss people like you around for their own amusement. I am your Elder by many, many generations, both in power and knowledge, and I won't sit for your insolence after the disgraceful showing you have made, degrading the honor and name of the Joketsuzoku."

"What do you care about honor?" Mousse growled.

"Obviously more than you," Siren replied, "Tell me...did you honestly think that you could ever win the love of Shampoo by forcing her loved ones to murder one another? Even had you used a memory-block technique her heart would never have been yours to claim. You have dragged the name of our family through the mud for the last time, and now you will reap the whirlwind that you have sown, dear Nephew."

"I won't submit to you!" Mousse declared, "Even blinded I'll fight back..."

"You've been blind since the day you were born, in one sense or another," Siren answered, "In a way it is not your fault, and I could even admire your strong will and sense of independence. In fact I was cheering you on when you sought to establish yourself as a warrior of standing, going against the odds and the expectations of your own family's Elder. That ended, however, when you wronged someone who is close to me, closer than you will ever be, and that is why I have taken it upon myself to personally mete the vengeance you so richly deserve. Know for a certainty, Nephew, that your threat to Shampoo and her beloveds is ended as of this moment."

"You can't keep me from her...!" Mousse started to protest.

"Can't I?" the Archmage replied with deceptive mildness in her voice, "I could strike you down where you stand, reduce you to a pile of smoldering ashes with but a thought had I a mind to. You've given me reason enough to change you into something small and loathsome that would make your cursed form seem like a blessing. The only reason that I don't do these things is that I find them personally detestable, and I do so hate throwing my weight around in such a manner. Couple that with the fact that I owe your Elder a favor, and out of respect to your mother I will refrain from using terminal force and instead opt for a more creative solution to defuse your misguided transgressions."

"What are you going to do?" Mousse asked, trying not to be intimidated.

"Something that should have been done a long time ago," Siren replied, "I am going to give you over to one whom you have wronged in your blind attempts at winning over a woman who hates you. Years ago you befriended a young girl of our tribe who was very na ve and vulnerable, easily swayed by the kind words you spoke to her, pretending to be interested in her while using the child as a stepping stone in your attempt to get closer to another. You know who I am referring to, do you not?"

"No..." Mousse whispered, now having some inkling of what was about to happen.

"Oh yes," Siren's tone held neither mercy nor pity, "Imagine that poor child's reaction when she stumbled across you talking with several other boys, and what do you suppose she chanced to overhear you say? Those boys were questioning you for wanting to spend time with her, and you-all pride and arrogance-declared that you truly had no interest in her at all, that you were using her ties to your actual target as a form of misdirection to get Shampoo to lower her guard and look upon you with more favor. And what do you suppose these words did to my ward's kindly heart and trusting spirit?"

"No...you can't!" Mousse protested.

"Too late, Nephew," Siren informed him, "You ingested one of my Mother's pearls...it will have an immediate effect upon you the moment you set eyes on the first person whom you see. Do what you will, your doom has already been pronounced, and it is into her hands that I give you, may she have much pleasure returning to you the spite you gave her."

"No!" Mouse cried out, ripping the blindfold off his face without pausing to question why it no longer remained where it was, "I won't let you...!"

"Siren?" a voice called out in the shadows as a pale form approached him, moving around in the relative darkness as if she could see in total darkness, "I thought I heard your voice, Teacher. Who...?" she paused and looked right at him, "Mousse?"

Mousse stared, held against his will as the power of the Love Pearl took him over and blanked his mind of everything else but the face before him. White hair framed a pretty face as pale as porcelain, ruby eyes searched his expression for several instant before setting into a frown of contempt, and thin lips pressed together as though she were gazing on something that she had accidentally stepped on.

"F-Frost...?" he gasped, suddenly seeing only her and nothing else.

"What are you doing here?" she growled before pushing her way past him, "I'm looking for my Elder, I don't have any time to waste with you..."

All at once Mousse was down on his knees and throwing himself prostrate before her path, "FORGIVE ME! I didn't know...I didn't mean...I-I've been a great fool! Can you ever look on me again with anything but hatred for this unworthy wretch?"

The albino girl stepped back from him with a start and her face was most perplexed by this sudden change in the behavior of the arrogant boy whom she once viewed with great affection. For a moment she wondered if he were possessed by an evil spirit, but then Mousse raised his eyes and said, "I never meant to hurt you!"

"You never meant...?" her anger flared like an inferno, and her aura flared to life as the young Apprentice Mage summoned up her power into the tip of one finger, "SEE HOW MUCH I CARE!"

And with that there came a raucous explosion. Siren, who watched from the safety of the trees, winced slightly in mild sympathy, then smiled to see that Mousse had managed to survive the blast, even if his clothes had been nearly seared off of his body.

"Ouch..." he said aloud and promptly lost consciousness.

"Have fun with your new toy, Apprentice," Siren grinned before fading into the night with her smile remaining like the Cheshire Cat she now resembled. Frost would decide the boy's fate...eventually, and in the meantime have a focus for her rage that might help bring about a change for the better.

If one were to ask her opinion on the subject, Siren would have exclaimed the viewpoint that what the world needed was more Wizards. There just were not enough like her to go around, though she did her best to make up for the shortfall. Spreading joy and good cheer made the job worth all the bother, and it would do her young ward good to learn to trust again and stop believing that all men were inherently evil. Mousse had represented in her mind all the worst traits of the male gender, and now he would become her loyal puppy, eager to do her bidding in the hopes of her eventual forgiveness. If things worked out for them then Siren could look forward to more children who carried Frost's gifts as a Mage and Artificer, which would be very useful talents to help preserve the Amazon future.

And if she chose to exterminate the boy, well...that would be her business, and no one would think ill of her about it. Either way Mousse would learn the humility that he was lacking, and Frost might learn to see a side to his character that was not entirely self-centered. On the whole they made a most promising union.

Now if only she could convince Cologne the same held true for them both...ah well! Siren smiled as she considered the bracelet, which still had two more pills, both temporary in duration. At least one of them should serve to get the Matriarch's attention and start her to thinking in a way entirely to Siren's liking.

"It's good to be a Magus," she grinned, wondering what other good deeds she could do to make the evening, and only dimly aware that her laughter had a curiously familiar echo...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Karmic Interventions: shadowmane

Okay, so maybe the Ukyo/Akane confrontation will take place next chapter, and meanwhile Ranma summons up the nerve to try again in his double proposal. Naomi pays a visit to the dojo while others do likewise, complicating affairs for Atsuko and Ryoga. And what exactly is Ganglot really up to? All that and more when we tune in again next time...so be there!

By the way, today is Feb. 4, 2000, which just happens to be my 42nd Birthday (Yeah, I'm an old Foggie, but I'm still young at heart and have a lot of practice writing fics like this, so get over it). I'm not rich or famous yet, but I keep trying. In the meantime stay tuned because I'm just revving up to have fun, and I'm not done yet complicating the lives of our crew from Nerima! (Sadistic, ain't I? Heheh!)

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	92. Chapter 92

NabikiRan88 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
Including my fellow Fanfic writers: Nicole Manders, DB Sommers,  
Steve Thesken and Wade Tritschler)

"What a day this has been," Ukyo sighed as she-or rather HE-came within sight of the dojo (and one of these days Ukyo was going to find out how that old woman always managed to time it just right with her bucket and ladle).

He was going over in his mind his recent encounters with Makoto and Akane and coming to a conclusion that his affections were definitely shifting in the direction of one girl over the other. This alone was quite a revelation as it was not that long ago that Ukyo would have declared that ANY same-sex affiliation would be well outside her nature.

That second kiss with Makoto, however, had put to pale any doubts on the subject. It was not just her male form that reacted to the presence of women, even as a girl she felt the potency of that kiss spreading through her like a warmth that curled her toes, quickened her pulse and caused her mind to spin like a top, all of the symptoms normally associated with falling in love or a serious infatuation. It was everything that Ukyo had ever hoped to find with a man, but with Ranma effectively taken away as a prospect she had found it instead with the second person who had entered her life and made her feel special. Talking things out with Makoto afterwards had only served to confirm in Ukyo's mind that a relationship between them was feasible, perhaps even desirable, and certainly possible on a physical level. Makoto was a very dynamic and exciting person to be around, and having her back in Ukyo's life was unquestionably a good thing, and they really liked each other. Makoto did not mind the curse and even considered it a plus in their relationship, which was another positive check in her favor. There was no need for concealment of personal secrets...Makoto had plenty of her own that she was willing to share, and from what Ukyo had already learned there seemed no question that a bond of trust was growing between them.

The only problems that had so far cropped up was the time and distance between Makoto's home and Ukyo's current place of business, plus the fact that Makoto could be called away to Senshi business at any time...and as good as Ukyo was in a fight, she knew from past experience that she lacked sufficient punch to cope with attacks by Youma. And then there was that rather unsurprising admission by Minako, a fellow team-mate, who obviously had been nurturing feelings of her own for Makoto, which made her a likely rival, yet oddly enough one towards whom Ukyo felt no strong resentment.

Ukyo hoped that Makoto would be able to sort things out with her closest friend, she had her own sorting out to manage with the other person currently expressing a strong interest, Akane. This would be a difficult matter to resolve given the volatile nature of the youngest Tendo daughter. Akane already viewed Makoto as her chief rival for Ukyo's attention, how would she deal with an actual rejection? That slap she had given Ukyo earlier might well feel like a love tap compared to what could well be in store for Ukyo should Akane take it badly that she was out of the running.

And in another sense there was regret in having to tell Akane anything at all, because Ukyo genuinely liked the other girl and thought of Akane as a friend, one who had unique problems and definitely a bad attitude about her life, but on the whole had a good heart and a caring nature. Hurting the other girl's feelings was about the last thing Ukyo wanted on his list of priorities, yet at the same time he owed her the truth and would not lie even to spare Akane's feelings. Any possible chance of a relationship with Makoto hinged on severing rival claims by third party suitors, and it wasn't exactly as if Ukyo wanted to string the girl along with false expectations.

Ukyo wondered fleetingly if this was how Ranma had felt about informing Ukyo of his preference to stay in a relationship with Shampoo and Nabiki. It occurred to Ukyo that she had never even pressed the possible issue of an inclusion in the odd three-way relationship that had formed between Amazon, Saotome and Tendo. Could they have considered her as a fourth player? Perhaps they would never find out, for Ukyo herself had closed off that issue long before her ill-  
fated trip to China. In a sense she had brought Ranma the cursed water as a token of her willingness to end their engagement on a high note, and now she valued Ranma as a friend, nothing more than this. Nor did she feel resentment towards the two girls who had clearly won his heart, much though she did feel a twinge of possible envy. She liked both girls enough to consider them as friends, even allies, but there was nothing more between them than that, much though Ukyo knew of her-or his-attractiveness to both women.

Could she have made Ranma her own if she had caught up to him before his engagement to these others? Again that was problematic, though Ukyo did not deny the regret that she had felt about having to give him up in the first place. Discovering what a nice guy Ranma could be, and his innocence of his father's duplicity, made her see him in a new light and impressed on her those qualities that had attracted her to him when they both were still children. Yes she could have been his wife and counted herself a happy woman, but not if it meant causing unhappiness to another. When she had given up on her hate she had felt an emptiness inside her that told her how hollow her life had been without revenge as a major factor. That hollow space had since been filled, and now Ukyo was seeing the light at the end of a very long tunnel, and for once it wasn't a speeding train headed in the opposite direction...

"HEADS UP!"

The cry had come from above, causing Ukyo to halt with a start and gaze upward with astonishment. There framed against the night sky was a fast-moving blur of white that took a moment for his eyes to track, and then Ukyo made out the human shape framed by a pair of luminous wings that picked up the light of nearby lampposts and reflected it like a pair of glossy phantoms. Ukyo reflexively ducked his head, even though the swift-moving form did not come low enough to be a potential danger.

As Ukyo tracked the movements of this Angelic dive-bomber he recognized it as Akane in her cursed form, rising up as she caught a draft to stabilize and hover for a few seconds, and then angle back into a circling arc that carried her around for another pass as if the transformed girl was looking for a space for open landing.

Akane finally selected a section of wall next to where Ukyo had been walking and came down to a one-point landing with both feet planted along the top. Akane beat her wings for a moment to steady herself and even then had to manage a slight teeter before confidently managing her balance, at which point she looked down at Ukyo and grinned with a look of real triumph.

"Ta-daa!" Akane declared with her hands held out for further balance, "What do you think?"

"You were flying!" Ukyo exclaimed in surprised declaration.

"Yeah," Akane chuckled, "I kinda noticed!"

"Your wings actually work now?" Ukyo marveled, much impressed with the short-  
haired girl's accomplishment, even as Akane herself beamed proudly at her own achievement.

"I've been taking lessons," Akane said, "I've learned how to use them!"

"Lessons?" Ukyo was somewhat confused, "From whom?"

"Ah..." Akane said more evasively, "Never mind that. Where have you been all day? When you didn't show up for class I...well...I kinda got worried."

"Oh," Ukyo replied, "Ah...well..."

"Excuse me," Akane hopped down off the wall, spreading her wings as she all but floated down to arrive on a more level footing with the disconcerted Chef, "Sorry...I'm still trying to get the hang of landings. It's more like levitating than flying, and using my wings for stability, which is a whole lot more complicated than it sounds like."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Ukyo agreed, setting hands on hips as he enjoyed the happiness that the other girl was radiating, "You sure seem to be in a better mood than when I last saw you..."

"Ah...well..." Akane looked down and seemed genuinely embarrassed, "About that...I'm sorry. I didn't have any right to react the way I did. It was inexcusable and I should have been more willing to listen before I...jumped to any conclusions."

"What made you change your mind?" Ukyo raised an eyebrow.

"Somebody...well..." Akane's dark yes grew momentarily darker, " Let's just say I had my butt whipped by someone who told me that I was a spoiled and selfish brat who always wanted things to go my way. I...I don't want to have to say this...but I think they were right...I did blow up on you without thinking. It's kind of a reflex with me, or a bad habit..."

"Maybe a conditioned reflex?" Ukyo suggested, "I remember you telling me that the boys in your school used to pick fights all the time, and I can see how that might make you a little defensive."

"It's not just that," Akane took a deep breath and continued, "I'm always flying off the handle and losing it...I don't even know why I do half the time. I just get so angry some time that I want to hit something, but I didn't have any right to take it out on you...even if you shouldn't have been kissing that Makoto person."

"Ah well..." Ukyo remembered his business and said, "About that..."

"Who was that Tsubasa character who was coming onto you like that?" Akane pressed on ahead, plunging on to a subject foremost in her own mind, "You seemed to know her, but there wasn't time enough to get any detailed expressions. I can't believe that you've been seeking a relationship with another girl behind my back..."

"Wh-what?" Ukyo blinked his eyes, "Tsubasa? But he's not even a girl!"

It was Akane's turn to blink, "She wasn't?"

"Nope," Ukyo said patiently, "And if you'd given me a chance to explain I would have proved to you that Tsubasa is a cross-dresser, somebody I knew back in Middle School who could be a real pest at times, always bothering me and grabbing me from behind and trying to force himself on me, and never once listening when I told him to get lost..."

"Oh..." Akane thought that over a moment then said, "That kind of sounds...familiar..."

"Tsubasa's a master of Disguise," Ukyo continued, "But otherwise he's pretty much harmless. He's a not a fighter, just an annoyance, and he has this habit of popping up out of seemingly innocent objects, like a trash can or a mailbox, and glomping onto me without warning. Somehow he found out that I was a girl disguising myself as a boy, but rather than expose me to the Principal he tried to leverage me into going out with him, and just to keep up appearances he took to dressing up like a girl and somehow got the crazy I idea that I'd want to date another cross dresser."

"Imagine that," Akane said, folding her wings behind her back as she crossed her arms over her chest, but otherwise continued smiling, "So he doesn't have a clue about the way you feel, sounds a lot like Mousse and Kuno."

"I guess," Ukyo replied, "I'm sorry if his glomping onto me like that gave you the wrong impression..."

"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions," Akane replied, "But I am a little confused about why you didn't deck him. You said you've been trained as a Ninja..."

"I've been trained to recognize legitimate threats and to counter them," Ukyo explained, "Tsubasa isn't really all that threatening, and if I clobbered the Baka...well, I'd feel bad about it. After all, he's a lonely guy without any friends who's created this fantasy life to shelter himself against the world, and stomping his face into the ground would feel a little like kicking a puppy."

"I guess," Akane said, stepping back and doing a tight pirouette, "Well...what do you think?"

Ukyo blinked, "About what?"

"About the way I look, silly," Akane grinned, holding her arms up and thrusting her chest out, "My sister and Kodachi made this new dress for me to accommodate my feathers, and I was hoping to show it off for you. Do you like what you see?"

"Oh..." Ukyo had to admit that the dress did look good on Akane, and it flattered the other girl's figure far better than the school uniforms that she more typically was wearing. The flaps out the back afforded the wings easy movement, and those feathered stabilizers that decorated the other girl's legs were accommodated nicely by slits down the sides of the knee-length dress, along with Akane's tail feathers, which were certainly not typical of one's mental image of an Angel.

Ukyo had never been all that fashion conscious, but he had been in the habit of studying the way other women dressed from an aesthetic angle, often envying girls who could proclaim their sex openly, especially those who had figures worth showing off. He had to judge that the outfit looked incredibly good on Akane and certainly flattered her tomboyish looks, creating the impression that she was even more like an Angel than could be objectively determined as a fact. More than the dress, however, it was Akane herself who seemed to captivate the eye and make one pay special attention to her very kawaii, if somewhat ordinary features. Akane looked like a typical Japanese girl...until one examined her even close...and then an exotic quality could be discerned hidden beneath her exterior, an attractive element that made one want to continue looking until...

Ukyo caught himself in time to look away, coloring furiously at the way he had so easily fallen under a spell similar to that of the Love Pearls, making him forget all about his resolve to commit to Makoto. In a somewhat flustered voice he said, "You look...very nice, Akane-chan...I mean...that dress looks very good on you..."

The short-haired winged girl's soft chuckle caused Ukyo to glance back in her direction, and then the cursed girl-turned-boy said, "What's so funny?"

"You," Akane grinned, "You don't have to feel bad about complimenting the way I look, Ucchan. I'm always saying that you look very handsome, even when you're in your girl phase. Heck, I like the way you look in either boy or girl types, and that outfit you insist on wearing looks very...distinguished on you."

"Distinguished?" Ukyo arched both eyebrows.

"All right," the grin softened as Akane's eyes took on a luminous quality, "I think you look absolutely gorgeous as either a guy or a girl, and I don't mind telling you that either."

"Ah..." Ukyo found himself at a loss for words, staring into Akane's eyes as though drawn to them by a magnet.

"It's okay," Akane turned away and rocked on her heals with a coy expression, "I don't expect you to just fall all over me and gush out poetry, like Kuno. I'm willing to wait to see if there's anything that may possibly be between us. I know you like that Makoto girl...though I don't really see why. She's too...tall for one thing...and as for that chest of hers...I didn't know that was what a girl like you wanted in another woman."

"Um..." Ukyo knew that technically he should have leaped to the defense of Makoto, but there was such a playful tone of good humor in Akane's voice that it made it hard to disagree with her...even if Ukyo wanted to say that there was nothing wrong with Makoto's chest in his own unabashed opinion.

"You know," Akane inclined her head and eyed Makoto with a look of pure mischief, "Sometimes I think being a boy is more than just an act for you...it's like you're trying to make up for a mistake you think was made at birth...but I don't see anything wrong with you also being a girl...when you feel like it."

"When I...what?" Ukyo blinked.

"Well, think about it for a second, okay?" Akane pleaded with her eyes, "Your father obviously wanted you to be a boy and he raised you to be like one even before you met up with Ranma. When you decided to be a boy for real it wasn't just because you felt rejected, now was it? Being a boy gave you certain privileges that we all wish we shared as women. I know because I've had to fight for respect nearly all of my life against guys telling me what I can and can't do, all because I was born a girl. Sometimes I've even wished that I was born a boy, the same as you, and if I had somehow gotten your curse instead of the one I now have...well...I wouldn't think it was that much of a problem. At least I think so now, but who knows?" she shrugged, "Boys come with their own sets of problems, as I'm sure you already know."

"Er...well...you could put it that way..." Ukyo reluctantly conceded.

"Being a boy means you don't have to do a lot of the things that they expect us girls to do on account of a lot of stuffy old traditions," Akane sighed, "Like inheriting your Dad's restaurant. Why should being a girl be such a problem? Sometimes I even like being a girl...and I wouldn't really give that up just to avoid a lot of meaningless hassles."

Ukyo put a hand up to the back of her head and began rubbing beneath his ponytail, "Well...there are time I wish I could just be a regular, normal girl and not have to worry so much about pretending..."

"Right," Akane's wings moved as she changed the direction of her stance, as if shifting them was becoming second nature as she seemed to pay them no notice, "So you and I've been in the same boat for most of our lives...the only thing different is that you've pretended to be a guy and I've wanted to be treated as one, or at least given the same respect as a boy. Why should either of us have to be actual boys in order to get treated nicely, can you tell me that one?"

"Well...no..." Ukyo responded.

"Which is exactly my point," Akane leaned forward, "I like being a girl...in fact, I like it a whole lot at the moment, and you know why?"

"Er..." Ukyo found Akane's face alarmingly close to her own, but before he could even think to move away the winged girl leaned forward, slipped her arms around his waist and kissed him.

As with Makoto the previous day, that first kiss lasted longer than a few seconds and did something to Ukyo's body temperature that made him feel as if a low fever had settled over his brow, causing a mild case of congestion as his chest tightened slightly, and then Akane broke the kiss and stood back by a few inches to gaze up at Ukyo with a look of dull wonder.

"Wow," she said without elaboration.

"Wow," Ukyo mirrored the sentiments, and for a moment no other words passed between them, but then Akane reluctantly let her go and stood back to smile more shyly in the Chef's direction.

"Forgive me," Akane lowered her head, "I didn't mean to do that...it just...well...it just felt right, like...it was something I wanted to do. Oh, I'm so embarrassed!"

"Huh...what...?" it was slowly starting to dawn on Ukyo that he had somehow let the momentum get away from his control, as if the words he had been rehearsing in his own mind the whole time he had been riding the Tokyo Public Transportation system had gone right out of his head during the course of this whole conversation.

"Ukyo," Akane pleaded with her eyes, "Don't think bad of me for being so forward. I really do like you, but I think I need to work things out, so...would it be all right for you if I wait before deciding which way to go? I mean...you're such a nice guy, and I really, really like being with you...but Ryoga...I've been hurting his feelings, and I need to somehow make it up to him, so would it be all right to wait for a bit? At least...until I'm more certain?"

"Uh...well..." Ukyo wondered how in the hell he had managed to bungle things so badly to let Akane continue thinking that he was interested in her in that...particular manner...even if-in all truth-he did find her more than a little cute, and that kiss had almost been as sweet as with Makoto...

"Thank you," Akane clasped her hands and bowed contritely, "For being so understanding. I'll try not to keep you waiting too long...I just need time to think it all out...and I don't...I really don't want to lose you to that Makoto..." a slight frown creased her brow, to be immediately smoothed out as Akane straightened up and spread her wings towards the heavens, "I'll see you soon...Sempai."

And with that Akane leaped into the air and was carried aloft on a breeze before Ukyo had time to think of a good response to that outpouring of emotion. Ukyo watched the winged girl angle to above-treetop level height then arc back towards the Tendo dojo, all the while feeling the confusion grow within his breast as he tried to take stock of what had just happened.

"I don't believe it," he said to himself at last, "How does she do it?"

Unnoticed by her, a figure sat perched atop the nearest streetlamp staring down eyeing the transformed Chef critically as a slow smile formed upon divine lips, and a soft chuckle escaped her.

"Well, well," mused Peorth, "What have we here? Young love in delicate bloom? And such a lovely vision to behold...way to go, my daughter."

Peorth had heard the whole conversation, of course, and was privy to at least a few of the details concerning this strange mortal with the dual nature. It set her thoughts to wondering about just what sort of relationship she was examining, and what future impact this might have upon Akane. The youth was certainly handsome enough to explain Akane's interest, and such rare Bishonen qualities. If Peorth were not currently involved chasing down her own amorata she might well be tempted to look him up for herself. As it was she could tell that he was a nice boy with a caring and compassion plain in his expression, and he excited the pulse just to look upon his manly virtues.

Okay, so maybe there was a girl buried under those good looks, the point was-and here was where Peorth's burgeoning motherly instincts came into play-that this girl-turned-boy was someone who could make her daughter enormously happy. Akane's levitation ability had increased threefold just from the happiness she was radiating after that kiss that she had so cleverly stolen. It was proof to Peorth's mind of the potential for future happiness that could be derived from this Kuonji Ukyo, and for that reason more than any other he-or she-warranted a further study.

At least this Ukyo was a human mortal, Peorth reasoned, unlike the other chief contender for Akane's affections, that Ryoga boy with the blood of an Oni. That didn't sit well with Peorth at all, that her God-child would be joined to one who was descended from the line of Ganglot the Oni, a notorious prankster who loved to play games with the lives of mortal men and who had been responsible for much mischief in both Japan and China before her eventual incarceration. One had only to look to Urd for an example of what could happen if one combined two archetypes, only in this case using the template of a mortal.

Well, time enough to research the matter, Peorth mused...this Ukyo obviously needed some encouragement to make the right decision, guided by the wise and gentle counsel of a certain Goddess of the Roses. Peorth would look into that matter at greater length before making her next visit. The future well being of Akane was at stake here, and Peorth did not intend to fail her daughter in her time of utmost need. Besides...she was rather beginning to enjoy these particular mortals...they provided no end of amusement and diversion.

Ukyo decided he had better make a strategic retreat in order to figure out what had gone wrong with his attempt to explain things to Akane, but a warning sense born of long raining caused him to glance up in the act of turning, around, only to encounter a peculiar phenomenon in the form of a swirl of rose petals, and as he outstretched his hand a single rose fell onto his palm. Ukyo's eyes widened in surprise, but by the time he glanced upward the source of the rose had long since departed, leaving only another mystery to further complicate a very unusual evening...

"Oh man," groaned Ranma as he sat on the roof of his mother's house and contemplated the Tokyo skyline, "I'm pathetic...I couldn't even give a ring to Nabiki and Shampoo without screwing things up...and all because of the stupid old man and his ideas about training..."

He had come back to himself in the Nekohanten just as Shampoo's father was finished repairing the rents to his clothing, and the discovery that he had not obtained either one of the rings meant that he would have to find his way back to the cat-pit and once again brave the horrifying dangers that it posed. Of course by the time he had got there the animal control people had come and left with all of the cats Mousse had trapped there, and there was no sign of either ring box, though Ranma had searched in the fading light, not even explaining things to his girlfriends when they had asked what he was up to. At last he had to give up and go home on account of a promise he had made to his mother to help out around the house. Now he sat where he was trying to come up with a plan to get those rings back without having to give away to anybody that he had lost them in the first place.

"How am I gonna explain it to 'em anyway?" he groaned as he looked over his less than appealing options: groveling, hiding his face, laying low for two weeks or getting a part-time job to earn himself the money to buy two rings before the date of the wedding.

"Perhaps you will not have to," a voice noted from a short distance away, and then paused to wait until Ranma had completed his arc and alighted on his feet in a fighting stance, "Not bad...five meters."

"You?" Ranma relaxed by a fraction, "But...what do you want?"

"I came to give you something, young War Master," Lotion replied, holding out a hand upon which two small objects rested, identical in exterior appearance.

"The rings!" Ranma almost lurched forward before remembering his manners and cupping his hands as the ancient Amazon passed them along to him, and then he said, "But how did you...?"

"You're welcome," Lotion smiled, "Unlike you I was fortunate in not having a parent who thought tossing a child into a pit of cats wrapped in fish sausage was a suitable form of education...though Cologne did many a comparable thing in the time of my tutorage beneath her. I was able to obtain these before the good officers of the oddly named Humane Society could arrive to lay claim to those poor beasts, and I thought, perhaps, that you might find a use for them, having been distracted from your mission by a certain sad example of the male Amazon population."

"That's swell," Ranma grinned, "Now I can get these to Shampoo and Nabiki! They're gonna be so please..."

"Which is why you should make plans to do so at your earliest convenience," Lotion urged, "Before another such disaster can intervene."

"Right," Ranma smiled, only to think about it for a moment, "What disaster? Uh...you know something I don't?"

"How much time do you have," Lotion replied, "I leave it to you to figure out the details."

And with that the old woman took her leave in her usual mysterious manner, disappearing into the shadows without so much as a ripple in the air to mark her passing. Ranma stared at the space where she had been then shook his head.

"I wonder how Nabiki gets used to her doing that?" he mused, then clenched the two ring boxes in each hand and said, "This time for certain, and I ain't gonna let nothing get in my way! Just you wait Shampoo, Nabiki...I'm gonna get these on your ring fingers if it kills me!"

He paused and thought another moment, then looked up at the heavens and said, "Ah...I don't mean that literally, okay? I mean short of getting' killed, okay...?"

The heavens made no reply, but there was an ominous rumbling sound of thunder in the distance...

"(Now remember)," Professor Sidney Fox said to the other occupants of the cab as they stepped out onto the curb, "(We're going to drop you off at the address on the post card where you and your great-grandmother can get better acquainted. If things don't turn out then we'll take you wherever else you want to go...)"

"(I know the drill, Professor)," Ryomi said with mild exasperation, "(What I wanna know is how my granny could have know I was gonna be at that hotel with you guys waiting to get cleared through customs. Up until now I didn't even know I had a great-grandmother who was still alive and kicking. I haven't seen any member of my family for years, and there's no way I could have told her I was gonna be flying in...)"

"(Let's not, for once, look a gift horse in the mouth)," urged Nigel, "(Let's just look up the old granny and pay her our respects and if she proves to be the legitimate item, then your home free, Miss Hibiki. Otherwise...well, I'm sure we could find a good home for you someplace. After all, you're a lady with a lot of special talents.)"

"(I don't need a home)," Ryomi declared as she stormed off towards the front door of the unmarked studio doorway, "(I've been taking care of myself since I was little. I just wanna know if any of my family are alive, and why they've never tried to find me.)"

"(Maybe they have)," Sidney replied as she and Nigel followed after the girl, "(Maybe they just haven't known where to look. You know there is an old Japanese legend about the Hibiki family that says they were cursed long ago by a witch to never be able to find their way wherever they are going.)"

"(I thought that was just a rumor, like those legends about there being a Wandering Hibiki, or some such nonsense)," Nigel commented as he trailed in the rear of the trio, "(I just hope that Granny, whoever she is, isn't some toothless, senile senior citizen type who only speaks Japanese and can't prove the authenticity of her claims, leaving poor Ryomi here with dashed hopes and crushed expectations...)"

"(Would a Birth Certificate and a blood test do to prove our relationship, Mister Montrey?)" a sultry voice purred as the trio paused to see someone descending a spiral-shaped metal stairway who was in no sense of the word toothless or senile, "(I've prepared a lot in advance to satisfy the demands of even your skepticism, Professor Fox...and how do you do, my name is Ganglot.)"

Sidney, Nigel and Ryomi all stared with similarly dumbstruck expressions at the vision of unearthly loveliness that sauntered towards them with an artful sway to her hips and a graceful elegance that was as effortless as it was undeniable. Gold skin and silken pale hair with eyes of almost luminous gold surveyed them in return, and then her eyes turned warmly towards the youngest of the three visitors, and she spread her arms wide and said, "(Ryo-chan! Come let me look at you! My, what a grown young woman you are, and you look so much like your mother...)"

"(My...mother?)" Ryomi stammered incredulously.

"(Yes,)" the woman sank down to one knee and beamed at her, "(Your mother is my granddaughter, Hibiki Atsuko, the child of my beloved son, Razor, who is the aforementioned Wandering Hibiki your friend here was referring to a moment ago. That makes you my great-granddaughter, and I've been very much eager to have this chance to finally meet you.)"

"(Um...excuse me)," Sidney spoke up, "(Not to point out something that's a little too obvious, but there's no way that you could be her GREAT grandmother...)"

"(Oh ye of little faith, Professor Fox,)" Ganglot smiled as she straightened up, smiling even more sensuously as her eyes took in the Amerasian beauty before her, "(I should think someone with your background would be prepared to accept the unusual and unconventional, such as the fact that I am a lot older than I look and not at all as I must seem to others.)"

"(Er,)" Nigel raised a finger, "(Not to put too fine a point on it, but you see...that is the point. You don't even look Japanese, if you will forgive me for saying so...)"

"(And what's this talk about having a birth-certificate and blood tests?)" Sidney responded, "(How could you possibly...)"

Before she could finish her statement, Ganglot's hand made a fluid gesture and suddenly she was holding a folder in her hand, which same she flipped open and handed to the astonished Professor. Sidney hardly batted an eyelash as she examined the folder and pronounced, "(This does look authentic...and the blood tests...how did you obtain these?)"

"(Through magic, of course)," the golden woman replied, "(I regret that there wasn't enough time or I would have had a DNA test run to prove our genetic relationship, but you'll have to take my word on that as I've only been out from my tomb for a single day now.)"

"(Tomb?)" Nigel's eyebrows climbed towards his hairline.

"(Where I've been imprisoned for the past two hundred eighty six years)," Ganglot replied with a shrug, "(Give or take a season.)"

"(Okay,)" Ryomi made a "T" with both of her hands, "(Time out! Hold your horses! Just what kind of little kid do you take me for, lady? You expect me to believe all this, lady?)"

"(Well, not right away, of course)," Ganglot said with a wave of her hand, "(It would hardly be fair of me to expect you to believe everything on the first telling. I could have created an elaborate set of illusions that would have been pleasing to the eye and satisfy you with the utter mundane ordinariness of it all, but that would hardly be honest, and I so much want to earn your trust, my dear. After all, it is my intention to see you at long last reunited with the rest of our clan, including your mother and older brother.)"

"(And how are you gonna do that?)" Ryomi folded her arms over her chest, "(I've been around the world a lot of times and I don't impress easy.)"

"(I don't imagine that you do)," Ganglot inclined her head and sighed, "(You do remind me so much of my late husband, your great grandfather. He would have been very proud if he could have lived to see how true his genes have bred through you and the others...)"

"(I'm still waiting for proof)," Sidney closed the folder and held it outward, "All this does is prove that you have the means and resources to obtain the right documentation to make a convincing display of pedigree, but that doesn't tie you to her in any way.)"

"(If you want proof, Sidney)," Ganglot grinned, "(Then by all means try and find your way to the door and leave by your own power.)"

"(Eh?)" Sidney turned around to glance back the way they had come, only to find that their surroundings had changed greatly beyond even her most jaded expectations.)"

"(Ah...)," Nigel began with typical understated British aplomb, "(W-What happened to the door?)"

"(What happened to the room?)" Ryomi declared in even greater alarm.

Said room was no where in evidence, nor was there any ceiling, for all around them was what appeared to be a constellation of stars, comets, moons and planets circling at an impossibly far distance. Only the floor directly under their feet remained the same, the rest of the world was gone, vanished, no where in evidence with only Ganglot standing calm and serenely, arms folded beneath her ample chest as she gave them all a knowing leer as her appearance changed and a pair of bat-like wings unfolded from her back, giving her a far more alien cast as her smile revealed fangs of a non-human nature.

"(Well now)," Ganglot mused, as she seemed to grow huge and immense before the astonished mortals and her great granddaughter, "(Would you care to hear the rest of my story? I give you my word that it's better than anything you've ever heard about in your lives, and if you still doubt my bonafides after I am done...well...I'm sure we can come to a mutual understanding regarding Ryo-  
chan's welfare.)"

Sidney tried to remain unimpressed and failed as even her familiarity with the unexpected and unknown was taxed beyond her ability to disbelieve. As if to stress how much out of their depth they all were, Nigel said the inevitable, "(Sidney...I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...)"

"(No duh, Sherlock)," Ryomi replied, but even her skepticism was crumbling under the weight of the unearthly display of the Demoness's powers...

"What do you mean she just got splashed with Jusenkyo water?" Comb demanded in her usual calm and reasonable tone of voice, "You don't just get splashed out of the blue like that, ESPECIALLY not with water from the Spring of the Drowned Wolf!"

"Are you calling my son a liar?" Atsuko replied, "I'm telling you that Ryo-chan was there when it happened, now Kennou here is cursed, and I'd like to know how in the hell that could happen!"

"It wasn't me," Silk assured them, "I felt the disturbance in the air, and then suddenly there it was, as if some force had sent it deliberately in search of your younger sister."

"Sounds like the luck of the Hibikis to me," Yumi noted, "Your kind attracts trouble like a magnet, and it seems the girl just happened to be standing there when her luck rolled the snake eyes."

It was a typical day in the neighborhood, a bright and sunny morning with the kids all at school and the adults gathered together for a War conference. By mutual consent the women had agreed to meet at the Tendo dojo in order to bring Silk up to date with their suspicions, only to have the initial phase of their conversation be slightly derailed with the news of Kennou's newly cursed status. The girl herself was sulking, having had the details of her curse explained to her at length the previous evening, and even Shirokuro seemed oddly reluctant to disturb her meditations.

But pride did not die out so easily, and so the blonde girl raised her eyes and said, "Would you people mind not talking about me like I wasn't here? I don't know whose responsible for this craziness, but if you hadn't insisted on detaining me illegally then I'd never have been around to get splashed in the first place. Now because it of I've got to spend the rest of my life carrying an umbrella!"

"Welcome to the club," Atsuko replied, "I'll be happy to give you pointers in the Hibiki Ryu of Umbrella-Jitsu."

"I'd like to know whose perverse whim was responsible for young Hibiki's fate being altered in such a dramatic fashion," Silk noted with a somewhat sour look, "I sensed that there was an intelligence guiding the waters to this specific location, which suggests to me that you have either made an enemy in very high places, or you have come to the attention of a mischievous spirit who thought to give you a form that was part creative insult."

"Could be Siren," Comb mused, "She's been known to pull stunts like this out of the blue..."

"Yes," Silk agreed, "But why target young Hibiki?" she looked directly at the blonde girl and said, "It doesn't quite fit her profile...I think you may share a kinship with whomever it was, which suggests another agency, as improbable as the notion may be, given the circumstances."

"What, you mean Momma?" Atsuko asked, then thought more about it.

"It would certainly be within her nature," Yumi agreed, "Your Demoness mother has a cruel and malicious nature, to say nothing of a wickedly perverse sense of humor."

"You mean she turned me into a Bitch?" Kennou growled, standing up and making a fist, "Where do I find her? I'll beat it out of her! There's gotta be a cure for this! I won't stand for people messing with my life...!"

"Calm down, kid," Atsuko urged, "You may be hot stuff for your age, but you're not in the same class as my Momma."

"Cybelle would be far more than you could handle at your current level of training," Comb agreed, "Her powers exceed our own combined strength by a factor of one hundred, and her only limitation so far appears to be her reliance on technology as a medium of transfer."

"That's exactly my point," Silk said, "Technology. I don't mean to belabor the obvious, but the dojo is about as non-technological as you can get around this place. How could she then reach out from the tree that imprisons her body to strike at young Hibiki without a contact point to serve as medium for her power."

"Whoah," Kennou blinked her eyes, "You're telling me her body is locked up inside a tree?"

"It's...complicated," Atsuko shrugged, "Momma's kinda like a Dryad in that all her strength comes from the Tree that she's linked to physically and spiritually. I lived with her inside its trunk for most of my youth, but that was before Master Happy locked her up with spirit wards. Somehow she found a way to reach beyond her prison and connect by cable with the Internet, and that's how she's been causing me and Ryo-chan so much trouble."

"It could be how she found out about you, Kennou," Yumi noted, "She has unlimited access to the world wide web of information, and she's somehow managed to merge her power with electricity, which is something normal demons would tend to avoid like the plague. She's more Sorceress than Demoness any way, so she's far more adaptable than an actual full blooded demon."

"Like my Grandmother?" Atsuko asked, "I've heard stories about her, of course, but she's been trapped in China for close to three hundred years, ever since your people locked her up inside her temple."

"That was Grandmother's doing," Comb replied, "She harbored a grudge against the Oni for stealing her brother away, and for making a deal with a certain perverted martial artist we all know and loathe so well..."

"Now is that any way to talk about your elders?" a tired voice asked as the withered old man in question stumbled into the dojo and collapsed face-first onto the floorboards.

"What happened to you, Master Happy?" Atsuko asked in not-so-mild surprise, for Happosai looked closer to his actual age than anyone else present could remember.

"What hasn't happened to me?" the ancient pervert groaned, "Ever since swallowed that pill, my life's been one long nightmare..."

"Pill?" Yumi asked.

"Don't you mean Pearl?" Comb blinked her eyes, "You mean...that's where you've been all this time? You've been running from Hinako?"

"Not running," the old man whimpered, "She caught me...!"

"Caught you?" Silk's eyebrows arched, "You don't mean..."

"There you are," a young-sounding voice sounded petulant, "Naughty man, making me go running all over town trying to find you. Why did you leave our bed, you silly Delinquent you..."

"HINAKO?" four voices echoed in chorus as they saw the young-seeming girl appear in their yard, setting childish fists to her hips as she stared at Happosai crossly.

"Kill me now," Happosai whimpered, "It's better to die with what dignity I have left than to be drained dry like a sponge. She's killing me with kindness..."

"You mean...?" Kennou hesitated, "Him...her...that kid and the old man? EEEEWWWW!"

"Hinako-Sensei," Silk began, "Why aren't you at school? You're supposed to be teaching homeroom..."

"I've taken the week off," Hinako replied with an impish grin that was most disturbing on a face as youthful as her own, "So I can get to know my Happy-sama better...and if he hadn't made me chase him all the way across town then I wouldn't be stuck looking this young at the moment...not that I can't take care of that when I need to," she flipped her trademark coin and gave a leer that did not look appropriate for one of her tender-seeming youth.

"You made your own bed, Lecher," Comb stage-whispered to Happosai, "Might as well lay in it, you've had it long coming."

"Please," Happosai whimpered, "Have some pity..."

"Pity?" Yumi asked as if considering the word, then shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah, whatever..."

"Oh Master," Hinako smiled winsomely, "As if I would do anything to hurt you, you silly delinquent you."

Kennou looked at the seeming child, then at the withered old man and shuddered, "I don't even wanna ask..."

"Master?" Soun said as he came out to join the ladies outside the dojo, followed by Genma, Nodoka and three other strangers, a woman man and child (whose appearance brought a startled gasp from Yumi), "What's wrong? Are you all right?"

"That's a matter of opinion," Silk replied with a smirking expression.

"Oh," Genma said in mock sympathy, "What's wrong, Master? Forget to take your vitamins?"

"Perhaps his supply of lingerie is running a bit low," Nodoka remarked with perfect straight-faced amusement, "Or perhaps he's been too busy to collect any."

"You?" the startled exclamation took most people by surprise, being voiced by one of the new arrivals as she and Yumi exchanged glances with each other.

"Eh?" Atsuko turned and stared at the woman in question, blinking her eyes twice as a peculiar sense of familiarity passed through her.

"What are you doing here?" Yumi asked in a level tone that was neither friendly nor overtly hostile.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Naomi replied, "Is it customary for the owner of your establishment to make home deliveries?"

"When I need to give something my...personal attention," Yumi replied as her brown eyes narrowed, only to soften as she glanced down and smiled, "Hello, Rachael-san."

"Hi there!" the child said brightly in Japanese, "You're the lady who cooked the great food yesterday. I wanna have another!"

"You know these people?" Comb asked with arched eyebrows.

"In a manner of speaking," Yumi replied without taking her eyes off mother and daughter, "They're the people who visited my establishment last night. Remember me telling you about them?"

"Oh?" Comb became more alert, eyeing the woman now as if suspecting her of hostile intentions.

"Ah..." Silk glanced back and forth between brown haired business woman and chef and her own acute senses came to full alert, "Excuse me...Soun-chan?"

"Oh, where are my manners," the Tendo patriarch replied, "This is Ms. Naomi Nakamura from America, and her young daughter, Rachael-san. The gentleman with them is Haokun Kento. I take it you have already met them, Yumi-san?"

"Ah..." Yumi did not glance at Soun but there was a very subtle shift in her attitude from wary anticipation to a slightly more nervous and evasive expression, "You might say that...they were customers who visited my...Nephew's establishment yesterday afternoon."

"Nephew?" Kennou realized that the tall Chef was referring to the sex-changing Okonomiyaki girl whom she had heard references to the previous evening, something about the girl carrying on a lesbian dalliance with Akane, but it was surprising to hear her Aunt referring to her Niece in her male aspect. Most everybody else here knew this Ukyo person was actually a woman.

"Nakamura," Atsuko frowned, "Does that mean your parents are of Japanese ancestry?"

"I'm told they were," Naomi replied, "But I'm an American citizen on an extended business vacation visiting your fair country. I was told that you have one of the best martial arts schools in Japan and I was wondering if you teach classes for children."

"Not presently," Soun replied, "But we can make one available if you don't mind leaving your daughter here for after school hour classes. I've trained all three of my daughters in the Anything Goes tradition, and if I do say so myself, you were not misled in believing that it is one of the finest in all of Japan."

"The Tendo and Saotome schools are the best," Genma insisted, "There can be no question about it."

"Yeah," Kento smirked, "I've heard you guys were pretty good. Your name's Saotome Genma, right?"

"Ah..." Genma's natural caution came into play, "That would depend on who is asking."

"Relax," Kento made a dismissive gesture, " I just wondered if you wouldn't mind trying me out. I've been away from training for a while and I was afraid I'd get a little rusty without a good workout. I pay you pretty good for the trouble."

"Ah, well..." Genma's eyes went click, "Payment? How much?"

"I will put it on my expense account," Naomi smiled, "I confess to learning how good you people really are."

"I'll bet," Yumi noted with a return of her guarded expression.

"Is there something you want to share with the rest of us?" Silk asked the Chef as she leaned closer to her one-time rival.

"Not unless I have to," Yumi replied back in a tight-lipped murmur.

"And who are you?" asked Rachael in a cheerful voice as she singled out Hinako, identifying her as the nearest one present to her own age group.

"My name is Hinako Ninamiya," Hinako said brightly, "I teach at the local High School in the Furinkan Financial district."

"Say what?" Naomi wondered if she had heard the child correctly.

"Man, they're getting younger every year," said Kento.

Comb was distracted by a motion out of the corner of one eye and smiled, "And where do you think you're crawling off to, Master Happy?"

"Eh?" Hinako saw Happosai had managed to pull himself along on his hands and knees almost to the edge of the dojo and properly hopped after him, saying, "Bad Master...you won't get away that easy..."

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes," Genma remarked.

"I know," Soun agreed, "Tragic is it not?"

And then the two family Patriarch's shared a mutual grin of almost childish glee and seemed ready to dance for joy at the misfortunes of their former trainer.

"So," Silk turned a sultry glance towards Naomi, "You say you're visiting on business...what sort of business are you into, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all," Naomi replied, "I represent a large multi-national conglomerate seeking to establish offices in Japan. We're into advance technologies, and I myself am a Senior Vice President in charge of Research and Development. I can't share the details of our research, of course, but it is to the benefit of the world and not just our two countries."

"And you do it out of the good of your heart, eh?" Yumi smiled, taking notice that the child, Rachael, had wandered off to see what Hinako was doing with the ancient master. Too quick for anyone to stop her, she reached over her head and gripped the handle of her Baker's Peel, and with such speed that even Comb was taken by surprise she drew it overhead and slashed downward in Naomi's direction.

Before she could strike the other woman, though, Kento intervened, catching the flat of the giant spatula between his hands.

"Hey!" Kento cried, "What the heck is this all about?"

"Tell me another one," Yumi grunted as she tried and failed to withdraw her weapon, "You had a picture of this dojo in that portfolio I saw you carrying. Are you a real estate agent, and are you looking to acquire the Tendo properties for the company you represent?"

"Yumi-san," Nodoka sounded shocked, "This is most uncalled for."

"Yeah," Atsuko blinked, "And they call me paranoid and short-tempered...!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naomi replied in a level tone of voice.

"Yeah, sure you don't, lady," Kennou snorted, "And the big guy there's just your faithful watchdog." She ignored the growl from Shirokuro, which might have been a complaint or assent, "What are you...Reigetsu? You planning on kicking the Tendos off of their own place?"

"What are you talking about?" Kento frowned, "My Uncle doesn't do stuff like that..."

Naomi made a point of pushing past Kento while keeping her gaze level and focused upon Yumi, "I don't know what you suspect of me, but I'll thank you not to make rash accusations without knowing more about me, Kuonji-san. Rachael, come to me now. It seems that we will not be staying long after all..."

"Now isn't that a pity?" Atsuko glared, "Somehow I don't think you'd be all that welcome, lady."

"Now just a minute," Soun looked from one face to another, "What's this all about? Who's thinking of taking my home and dojo?"

"Apparently they are," Genma said, his very relaxed manner masking a quick study that he was making of the man named Kento.

"Everyone," Silk said softly, now holding her silver flute in hand, "I think we should start this moment all over from the beginning."

"Uh oh," Comb said in alarm, "Now wait a minute-!"

Before she had a chance to finish her protest there was a sudden flash of silvery light as the flute became as intense as an incandescent bulb, but when the light faded everything seemed to be back to normal, except that Naomi was more relaxed and studying Yumi with only mild suspicion in her expression.

"...I can't share the details of our research, of course," she was saying, "But it is to the benefit of the world and not just our two countries."

"And you do it from the good of your own heart, eh?" Yumi said as her hand began to make its way to the handle of her favorite weapon, only to stumble as Silk "accidentally" bumped into her, even though to most people's perceptions she had been standing two meters away when this incident had first happened.

"Oops," Silk said smoothly, "How clumsy."

"Why you-!" Yumi's old reflexes nearly came to the fore as she glared at her Chinese rival, only to halt as it dawned on her that a sense of deja-vu took over.

"We would be only to glad to hear more of whatever you might wish to share with us concerning your business, Nakamura-san," Silk said pleasantly, "I'm sure it will prove to be a most fascinating discussion."

"Perhaps you might care to indulge me with a little free sparring?" Naomi asked, "I have a Gi that I purchased in town waiting for me back in the car. I'll have Kento-san fetch it for me, then if you have a place to change I can work out some kinks that I seem to have picked up in my travels."

"But of course," Silk said with perfect candor, "I would be only too delighted to indulge you. Traveling from a great distance can be most distressing, as I should well know, and you most assuredly need a partner for working those kinds out of your system. Oh Kasumi, be a good child and show Nakamura-san to a room fit for changing."

"Of course, Auntie," Kasumi smiled pleasantly as she appeared as if previously summoned, when in fact she was happy to have something to do while Kodachi was away at classes.

Once Naomi and Kento had left them alone, Kennou broke the ensuing silence, "All right, somebody mind telling me WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?"

"You back-stepped," Comb said to her childhood friend, "Why?"

"Have you forgotten the lessons your own grandmother has so often tried to drum into your thick head?" Silk reminded the Healer, "Always be careful when you make an enemy, because in doing so you forfeit a potential friendship. There is also another ancient Chinese saying...you get more bears with Honey than Vinegar...something you should keep in mind some time," she glared at Yumi.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" the Chef asked dangerously.

"That for a former Ninja you can be amazingly blunt and ham-fisted," Silk replied, "What was the idea of attacking her out in the open like that? Haven't you ever heard of keeping a low profile?"

"I wasn't going to hurt her," Yumi said stubbornly, "I knew she could take it. After all, she's a Hibiki."

"Say WHAT?" Atsuko reacted, while Kennou's eyes widened appreciatively to resemble those of Shirokuro.

"I suspected it from the moment she and her daughter came into my restaurant," Yumi remarked, "They both share your ability to comprehend languages...you notice how well the child speaks? Without even the same accent as her parent? Add to that they both have inordinate strength, and I suspect that they are also somewhat limited in their ability to perceive directions. Also too...there is a surprising family resemblance that I noted upon closer examination."

"You know, I was going to mention that myself," Nodoka said as if stating something novel.

"Say what?" Atsuko took a long pause before resuming, "Another Hibiki...?" she exchanged looks with Kennou.

"Odd that she was drawn to the dojo like this," Genma noted.

"Indeed," Soun frowned, "And what was that all about her wanting to take my dojo?"

"Only a suspicion, dear," Silk patted him on the arm, "I looped back time by thirty seconds so that we would have a better opportunity to probe her on the subject without arousing her suspicions. Leave it up to me, I'll get to the bottom of this one way or another."

"You looped back time?" Kennou's tone and expression were oddly muted.

"I can see your mother named you well," Nodoka complimented, her smile as pleasant as it was appreciative of the Lore Master.

"Another Hibiki," Comb turned to Silk and said, "Amazing coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

"Ah..." Silk seemed to consider the question, "Well...maybe not quite such a coincidence after all..."

"Uh oh," Atsuko groaned, "Don't tell me this is a side-effect of that spell you cast?"

"Spell?" Comb's purple eyebrows arched closer to vanish beneath her bangs, "What spell? What did you do?"

"Oh...nothing to be alarmed about," Silk said evasively, "Atsuko merely asked me if I could get in touch with her father, and I used a Spell Song to draw the elusive Hibiki patriarch to this location..."

"Ah...actually," Atsuko winced, "That isn't exactly what I meant..."

"You cast a spell to summon a Hibiki?" Comb's words were deceptively mild, but all at once she exploded with a pointed exclamation in Mandarin that caused Nodoka to gasp in shock and Yumi to blanch, while Happosai rallied to use his hands to cover Rachael's ears as even Kennou felt her toes curl.

"What was that all about?" Genma asked, blinking at the sense that his former Amazon suitor had come close to shattering his glasses.

"Ah..." Atsuko winced, "Let's just say she used a very bad word that loosely translates as, 'She who stands naked atop a high hill in a lightning storm holding up a metal rod while screaming that all Gods are bastards.'"

"Whoah," Kennou noted, "Now that's heavy."

"What brought this about?" Soun wondered.

"Think about it," Yumi said, "A generic spell to summon a Hibiki...a Hibiki known to be a legendary wanderer who sows his seed wherever he travels?"

"You don't mean...?" even Genma seemed stunned at the implications.

"I think we're going to be visited," Comb growled, "By almost the entire surviving Hibiki clan, and all because you can't remember to temper the strength of your summoning spells," she added with a warning glare at her lifelong companion.

"Ah," Silk winced slightly, "Well...perhaps it won't be all that bad? I mean, how many people could we be talking about any way?"

The looks they all gave her were no more reassuring than her own instinctive sense that they were soon about to learn the answer to that question...the hard way...

"Okay," Ranma said to himself as he stood atop the tower of the Furinkan school building, "Same plan, slightly revised, and this time it's gonna go off without a hitch. No Mousse hiding in the bushes, no crazy suitors or martial arts looking to challenge me, even that Gosunkuji guy seems to have taken a powder. All right, there they are, now I'm gonna get these rings to them and say the words and it'll all work out just like it ought ta."

He spoke these words aloud as they seemed to help soothe his frazzled nerves, because the events of the previous day had checked even his boundless self-  
confidence and made him wonder if there was a conspiracy in the heavens plotting against the engagement. He repeated certain aspects of his little speech over and over until he was almost convinced of the infallibility of his own logic. He had not even voiced aloud the dreaded words, "What could go wrong?" just on the off-chance that the Kami really were listening. No sense tempting fate more than the engagement itself. All he had to do now was to get to Shampoo and Nabiki and make the engagement official.

"Okay," he said once more, having assured himself that all possible contingencies had been covered, "No problem...now I just gotta the speech I wrote and hope I don't flub it. Geez, I wouldn't wanna come off sounding like an idiot proposin' to the both of 'em when we're already engaged to get...ah...married," he swallowed.

He was being ridiculous to hesitate and he knew it, but it was such a big commitment to actually make it official that the marriage was as much his idea as any dumb notion of their fathers, or even the Amazon traditions that had gotten Shampoo interested in him in the first place. He really did care a lot about those two, and watching Nabiki chat with Shampoo and some of her friends made him yearn for the nights when the three of them would share a bed together and not have to worry about any interfering (if well-meaning) parents. The more he thought about it the more he was certain that he wanted the both of them to be a part of his life forever. This was something he very much wanted to do, and waiting around to just let it happen did not suit him at all. His pride, for one, demanded that he make a demonstration of his own sincere intentions.

"Okay," he said, "Here goes nothing," and with that he took a leap off the roof, easily handling the forty-foot drop, unaware that pair of malevolent eyes were watching him from the shadows of a distant hill.

The huge dark shape began to surge forward as a petite voice murmured softly, "Now, Jasmine...now we find one who ruin life for Leechee...!"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Big Trouble in Nerima: shadowmane

Next time around Nabiki takes an unexpected (and unplanned) trip to China, forcing Ranma and Shampoo to join the chase, while back home things heat up around the dojo, and what will happen when the truth comes out about the diabolical plot surrounding the dojo? Stay tuned for more fun and I'll try not to keep you guys waiting too long...so be there!

(By the way, with the conclusion of this chapter I mark the point where ATOTW has finally exceeded the chapter count of my AVST series. Not to worry, though, I do plan to get back to that long stalled saga, gentle readers! I'm having too much fun with the current project to stop now...in fact Wild Elephants couldn't stop me...uh...what's that rumbling noise I hear in the background...?)

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	93. Chapter 93

NabikiRan89 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
Including characters and ideas created by my fellow fanfic writers DB Sommers, Steve Thesken, Nicole Manders and Wade Tritschler,  
Take a bow, people!)  
Chapter Eighty-Nine.

"What's that?" asked Ro-Mano (or Romeo, as she was having trouble getting used to the adopted nick-name which the Demoness had given her) as she stirred on the bedding that she shared with her beloved.

"What was what?" replied Ju-Lan (or Julian, same story as with the other name), half-sleepy.

"I heard voices coming from downstairs," Romeo frowned, slipping from the covers with the gracefulness of a lithe panther.

"So?" Julian replied, content to watch her with half-lidded eyes, admiring the sinuous curve and supple turn of his girlfriend's well-toned body.

Romeo spared a fond smile in his direction. Julian, for all his many charms and strengths, did not have the benefit of her warrior training, being only moderately competent at self-defense, which was the whole reason he had been downgraded to Farmer status by his Elder. He did not share her paranoia and native cautiousness towards any and all disturbances in her environment, and things were still a bit too strange for her to feel comfortable, even granted that the bed was a lot softer than her own hard mat back in their village. Little things still tended to bother her on the level of an unknown, potential danger.

"I'm going to have a look downstairs," she said, moving to gather up her shirt and pants, dressing as smoothly as it would take a normal person to cross three steps to the door (another novel concept) that afforded them privacy in the chamber they had jointly selected as their living quarters.

Julian sat up, the bedsheets sliding away to reveal his youthful frame, hardened by the intense labor of the fields, partially revealed in the faint light that filtered in through the shaded skylight as he said to her in a low whisper, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No," she rather enjoyed his crestfallen expression, though in truth she was gratified that he had answered. Julian might not be a warrior, but he was certainly no coward. Unfortunately he was only moderately good in a fight, and certainly not good enough to stand up to a warrior of her caliber...which was something she rather counted on when it came to giving him a good tumble.

Romeo slipped out onto the balcony-like overhang that overlooked the main artist's studio and peered down at the main galley, where she found the Demoness talking to a pair of strangers while a young girl who was also unfamiliar sat near the Demoness's side, all seated on chairs rather than the Japanese custom of kneeling. Ganglot was leaning back with her feet propped up on a footstool, calmly sipping from a cup of hot tea with a relaxed and care-free manner that reminded the Amazon rather much of a contented Snow Leopard who was not immediately hungry but could change its mind at any moment.

The man and the woman did not seem quite so relaxed as they regarded her, the man particularly looking edgy while the woman retained enough calm not to betray her emotions. Clearly that one had the heart of an Amazon, while her man was rightfully submissive in his dealings with her, always quick to defer on any point of his that she contradicted. The younger girl was a very different study in contrasts, both tense and ready while curiously eager and expectant, rather like a young warrior hanging attentively on the words of an Elder seeking to gain greater wisdom. From the close proximity she shared with the Demoness it was clear that Ganglot counted the girl as someone to be trusted.

"...Now isn't this more pleasant than anything confrontational that you might have been expecting?" the Demoness chatted in her usual pleasant, melodious voice, "I'm not such a bad sort when you get to know me better, Sidney."

"Ah...you're probably right on that," the beautiful woman with the oddly foreign accent remarked, "But I kind of wonder why you chose to reveal yourself to us that way. If you can make convincing illusions like that..."

"I might have appeared to you as old and toothless, as your Assistant implied?" Ganglot nodded the man.

"Ah..." that worthy responded hesitantly, "What I meant to say was that anyone normal...er, not that you're ab-normal, of course-but what I mean to say is that you...really don't look a thing like what I expected."

"What a charming boy," Ganglot nodded to Sidney, "I can see why you're rather fond of him."

The man-obviously a Foreign-born type with Occidental features-blinked his eyes, glanced at the woman beside him and said, "You are?"

"Nigel and I are partners...in a sense," the woman noted, "But I don't think of him...that way."

"Oh," the one called Nigel sat back, obviously deflated.

"Is that so?" Ganglot gave them a knowing smirk but chose not to pursue the issue, "It is a shame that such a lovely thing as you has no steady romantic interests in your life. Is it a matter of time and opportunity, or are you just too busy to concern yourself with such issues."

"How about...it's none of your business?" the woman replied, "No offense intended, of course."

"And none taken," Ganglot said easily, "Still it is a shame, all that beauty going to waste. Still, in your chosen profession romantic entanglements would probably be a nuisance. Falling in love can be such a life-altering thing, just as it was for me when I met my darling husband," she sighed, "He was truly a most extraordinary man, and I miss him to this day though it has been close to three hundred years since I lost him...at least to this plane of mortal existence."

"Excuse me," Nigel raised a hand, "Not that I want to belabor the point or anything, but I'm finding it a bit odd to think that you are THE actual Ganglot that we've read about in legend. I mean...not that you aren't a pleasant hostess or anything, but if you were actually her...you would have to be...?"

"Thousands of years old?" the Demoness smiled, "I watch what I eat, stick to polyunsaturated fats and I don't drink or smoke to excess. I also try and exercise regularly, and I have an amazing health and dental plan that comes with the job of being a Wish Oni."

"A what?" the woman-Sidney was it?-eyed the Demoness oddly.

"I grant wishes to Mortals who enter into contract with me to procure my services," Ganglot revealed, "It can be rather a bit of a full-time job, but currently I've been enjoying an off season. There are so many needs you mortals have that granting you exactly what you most need or desire can be a bit of a challenge, and there are always these unintended side effects that so often need sorting out. I don't mind telling you that I have my work cut out for me working in this town...so many lives that need repairing..." she shook her head with a sigh, "And then there are the concerns of my family that I must needs look after."

"Ah..." the child finally spoke up, "I just want to get this straight for the record...you're a Good Oni, not a bad Oni? But...I thought all Onis only worked evil?"

"Not necessarily," Ganglot cautioned, "You can't judge just simply on the basis of what those stuffy old Priests always say about us, Great-Grandchild. We Oni are no better nor worse than the Kami who oppose us and favor the Priesthood. Oh sure, many of my relatives can be nasty, brutish thugs and all that, but what family doesn't have it's share of problems? I try to make up for it by being the type of Oni that people can rely on in a crisis. Besides which, you have Oni blood in you as well, and I certainly don't see you as being evil."

"This does take a bit of a mental adjustment," Nigel admitted.

"Is that why you chose to reveal yourself to us, to make us believe that you're the exception to the normal rule about Onis?" the woman named Sidney questioned in a cautious manner.

"I leave it to you to judge for yourself if I am a Good Oni or a Bad Oni," Ganglot replied, "It seemed the best way at the time of convincing you that I am indeed the child's Great Grandmother and can be trusted to look after Ryo-chan's welfare as her legal guardian and clan Matriarch. I prefer dealing openly with my charges...much less bother and hassle than trying to conceal the truth from mortal perceptions and all that. A simple demonstration of my powers was intended to impress on you that I could be a very nasty sort if crossed, but would prefer to count the both of you as potential allies."

"What makes you think we would want to ally with the likes of you?" Sidney asked her.

"No particular reason," Ganglot shrugged, "But you are in the Antiquities business, a very rare and exotic world of obtaining relics that can be displayed in public museums, or finding lost valuables for the price of a donation to your favorite charities. I could be useful to you in both capacities, or you could be useful to me should I have need any of any number of lost treasures that I know about but have been so far unable to locate. My knowledge of the past is extensive, and when it comes to arcane lore...well, you are looking at the living source of many a historical wonder."

"She's got a point, Sid," Nigel noted to the Professor, "It might be better to have someone like her on our side instead of against us."

"Maybe," Sidney continued to give the Demoness a wary regard, "But how do we know that we can trust you?"

"You don't," Ganglot answered, "Trust must be earned if it is to have any value. It is my hope that I will be able to earn your trust over time, just as I know you can be trusted to keep your word as long as it does not conflict with your conscience."

"You seem to know a lot about me," Sidney frowned slightly.

"I know what I need to know," Ganglot smiled enigmatically, "But you did bring me my lost great granddaughter, and for that I am in your debt. In exchange for this favor I will give you the clue to finding one of the lost treasures of antiquity that you have longed to find and put into a museum. Obtaining it is up to you, but in addition to the information I am prepared to pay your travel costs and helping you clear customs, plus the added fare for getting back home when it is all over."

"That's very generous," Nigel said, "But I'm still not convinced leaving Ryomi with you is such a good idea..."

"Me neither," Sidney frowned, "And buying us off with a few trinkets is no way of insuring friendship."

"I will not take offense that you harbor these suspicions regarding me," Ganglot replied, "But I think the ultimate decision must belong with Ryomi. We Oni are strong enthusiasts on the concept of Free Will, and since it is the child's fate we are deciding, I think it better if we consult with her over whom she would be best served in staying. Ryo-chan, I will not fault you if I make you uneasy, but I alone know how to reunite you with the rest of our family, including your mother, my Granddaughter. If you would rather stay with her, then I will understand this."

"Mom's alive?" Ryomi jumped on the promise that had been made to her earlier, "You really know where she is? Tell me!"

"In good time," Ganglot replied to the child's eager expression, "Atsuko-chan has been very worried over you since you wandered away from the camp where she was busy training your older brother. Being that you all share an acute problem in finding your way to any given destination."

"Why is that...er...if you don't mind my asking?" Nigel asked with a note of caution in his voice.

"It doesn't come from me," Ganglot shrugged, "At least not directly. Rather it is to my son whom you must look for the legend of the Hibikis. He's wandered the world many times over having many strange encounters while acting in a way consistent with his being the heroic type, and in the course of his travels he has affected many lives for good or ill, not least of whom was a certain Gypsy witch, who placed a curse on him...one of many under which he currently suffers."

"So the legends of the wandering Hibiki are true?" Nigel wondered, "He truly was cursed to wander the world, never to rest through all eternity?"

"Actually it was more like, 'Why don't you watch where you're going, you big Oaf?'" the Demoness mimicked in a surprisingly good imitation of someone very old and bad tempered, "But actually it was more the way she put it that affected my son's fundamental sense of direction...something like, 'May you be cursed to never find your way,' which of course is why he always turns left when he means right and goes backward instead of forward. Give him a maze and he can negotiate his way through it very time, but tell him to cross the room to the opposite end and he will wander aimlessly in circles. It's a rather nasty curse...more like a Wish cast on him with the aid of one of my former associates at the Rival Relief office, a particularly nasty creature who goes by the name of Mraller."

"That must make it pretty hard on him," Sidney reasoned, "Always wandering, never at home in any one place."

"It would be," Ganglot said a bit sadly, "But for another, more terrible curse cast upon him, one that he picked up in the forests of Ruenza, the curse of forgetfulness and periodic amnesia. My son can't remember things for much longer than a minute, he tends to blank out all but the most general of details and would even forget his own name if people weren't always shouting it to him. Of course the fact that he inherited his Oni strength and resiliency from me is what has kept him alive all of these years, and nature endowed my son with an indomitable charisma that makes him all but irresistible to most women, including my daughter-in-law, your evil grandmother, Cybelle the Demi-Dryad."

"Cybelle?" Nigel swallowed, "You mean...like the Mesopotamian goddess whose followers used to cut off their..." he crossed his legs with special meaning.

"We ran across a nest of her followers a while ago while looking for an enchanted harp," Sidney noted, "Nigel...well, let's just say he almost wound up singing soprano when they captured him and tied him down to their altar..."

"SIDNEY!" Nigel raised his voice in protest, "Do you mind? Some things are intensely personal..."

"My daughter-in-law is indeed related to those selfsame cultists," Ganglot revealed, "And she is a nasty sort who has adapted well over the centuries. In fact she is currently indulging in the wonders of modern technology in pursuit of world domination. You would do well to avoid her in the future, she can be truly menacing when she has an urge to get melodramatic."

"Ruling the world?" Sidney asked, "Is that what you're ultimately after?"

"Abyss no," Ganglot chuckled, "Why would I want to rule the entire world? Too much overhead, and can you imagine the paperwork? No, I'd rather just have a Market share, something comfortable to tide myself over well into my declining years...although, now that you mention it, if I did rule over everything then you can believe that I would make quite a few changes from the way the current system is managed (to use a loose euphemism) by Kami-Sama."

"How so?" Sidney asked.

"Well, for one thing, there would be a lot more nude beaches," Ganglot grinned, "And not so much stuffy rigmarole about self-denial in religion. I'd want people to have fun, to enjoy life a lot more, and to take better care of each other. You know, it truly is a shocking waste of human potential that you all but throw away a good third of your entire population, branding them as useless to society...the poor, the sick, the mad, the underprivileged, the slow of wit, those born to bad families..." she shook her head sadly, "Of course I'm not the one calling the shots, or else you can very well believe that I would put a stop to the deplorable Japanese practice of Whale hunting."

"Wow," Ryomi sounded impressed, "You don't sound like any evil Oni I've ever read about, Great Gramma."

"Thank you dear," Ganglot relaxed, "I really shouldn't get up on the soap box like that...it just isn't my style to be all lofty and pretentious."

"Well..." Sidney paused before continuing, "You sure make a convincing case for yourself as an altruistic Oni..."

"I like humanity very much," Ganglot replied, "You people are such fascinating creatures, and so very unpredictable, which is why I would hate to see my daughter-in-law's plans for you achieve ultimate fruition. If she had her way things would be a lot more boring and predictable with everyone carded, stamped, numbered, briefed, debriefed and indexed. None of that for me! I am not just some statistic, I am a Free and self-willed Oni!"

"Sid," Nigel asked of his senior partner, "You think maybe it would be all right to leave Ryomi here? I don't think she intends to harm her own flesh and blood..."

"Maybe," Sidney turned to regard the Demoness, "We do have to get back to the States as soon as possible, and if you really are the child's natural grandparent...great-grandparent...whatever...then I suppose you would know what was best for her, especially if you can unite her with her mother."

"As I said before," Ganglot noted gravely, "The choice must belong to Ryomi. What about it, Child?" she turned to regard the younger girl, "Will you trust me to do what is best? I give my word that I will protect you from harm and see you safely into your mother's loving arms. Your ten year long odyssey will be at an end and a new chapter in both of your lives will be written. You'll no longer have to live like a modern-day Ulysses and we can all be a family again, or as close to a 'normal' family as we've ever been. Just keep in mind...it is your decision."

"Ah...well..." Ryomi turned to Sidney and Nigel, "No offense to you guys, and it has been fun, but...if there's even a chance that Grammy's on the level here...I gotta take it."

"All right," Sidney sighed, "If that's what you want, then we won't try to stop you."

"But you will write if anything untowards should happen?" Nigel asked.

"I'll even pay for the call myself," Ganglot smiled, then ruffled the dark brown hair of her great granddaughter, "You won't regret this, Ryo-chan, I promise you that. We're going to have so much fun together, you and I...and won't your mother be so pleased to see what a big girl you've gotten to be all on your own?"

"Ah...well..." Ryomi put a hand behind the back of her head and made an odd chuckling noise, completely unaware of her resemblance to someone else for whom this gesture was second nature.

"So," Julian startled Romeo, who had been so intent on eavesdropping that she had not noticed him coming up to join her, "Looks like we've got another tenant."

"She does seem to draw in the strays," Romeo noted, and together the two Amazons exchanged looks before silently turning about and returning to their still-warm bed to continue their process of getting more "domesticated..."

"Hey, Sempai, wait up!" Makoto called out, surprising Ukyo as she was not expecting to meet her on the Furinkan High School campus.

"Mako-chan?" Ukyo-kun turned to see the tall girl striding across the school yard, "What are you doing here? I thought you had classes in Jubaan?"

"We were having a field trip today and I kind of skipped out on the rest of my class," Makoto smiled as she came up alongside the now-male chef, grinning broadly, "I have to be back before they take a head count, and I stand out pretty much in a crowd, but I wanted to come see you and offer you lunch. It's not okonomiyaki, but I'm sure you'll agree it's delicious."

"Oh...ah..." Ukyo was caught at a loss as Makoto handed her a Bento box, "Sure...that's awfully thoughtful of you, Mako-chan, but I wouldn't want you to get into any trouble..."

"Ah, it's no problem at all," the tall girl waved a hand dismissively, "Besides, I'm thinking about taking a temporary transfer and enrolling here for the rest of the semester...that is, if you accept my proposal."

"Say what?" Ukyo's eyes widened appreciably.

"I mean about going to work for you, silly," Makoto patted the nervous Chef on the shoulder in a seemingly "innocent" manner, "I wouldn't want to put pressure on you by rushing things...although, now that I think about it, it's awfully convenient that you're legally registered as a guy...kinda makes it easy, if you know what I mean..."

"Hah?" Ukyo responded.

"You know..." Makoto lowered her eyelashes and scuffed one foot while blushing in a pretty manner that made her seem like a perfectly normal girl with a serious crush, which raised more than a few eyebrows from certain members of the female half of the School population.

"Look at that overgrown Cow flirt with our Ucchan!" complained an irate Cheerleader as she frowned in their direction, "Hey Ai, are we gonna let her get away with that? She's poaching on our territory!"

"Yeah," Mariko added, "And trying to grab the prize male catch of our school at that."

"That Kino girl needs to be taught her place," Ai nodded in agreement with her team mates, "Imagine the nerve of playing hooky just to try and catch his interest."

"Yeah," Kyoko frowned, then looked at the others sitting with her eating lunch, "How come none of us ever thought about giving him our lunches?"

"Maybe because none of us can cook a decent Okonomiyaki to save our lives," Mariko sighed, "It's just not fair..."

"Ah..." the fifth member of their team spoke up, "Is anybody here besides me worried about what's gonna happen when Akane sees this?"

"Oboy," the first speaker winced, "There's gonna be trouble..."

As these four girls were saying this, Ai turned her head and said, "Well now...scan to the left, girls...do you see what I see?"

"Yeah?" Mariko turned to follow her sister's line of sight, "It's Saotome...what about him?"

"Aside from the fact that he's one of the other prime catches of our fair school?" Ai replied, "What a shame he wastes his affections on that Cold Fish, Nabiki, and that top-heavy Chinese Bimbo. What does he see in those two?"

"Nice Boobs?" Kyoto replied, then once again received the bland-eyed stare of her team-mates, "What? It's not like I don't notice..."

"No question about it," Mariko mused, "She's definitely been hanging around you too much, little sister."

"Bite me," Ai replied sweetly.

"Already did," Mariko remarked with a slightly ironic expression as the two sisters briefly shared a nervous glance in the other's direction.

Ranma was not aware of any of this, of course, having his eyes focused squarely on the true objects of his affections, and using what nerves he had to keep from turning around and retreating. His mouth was dry and his palms were sweaty as he tried to keep the words in mind that he was going to say the previous day at this selfsame very hour. The ring boxes felt unusually heavy in his pockets as he successfully crossed the yard without incidence, then paused before the two girls, who turned to look up at him with expectant expressions.

"Ranma?" Nabiki asked, "What's up?"

"Ah..." his mind went blank, his carefully rehearsed speech turning to liquid in his thoughts.

"Is Ranma okay?" Shampoo asked, "Why Airen so nervous?"

"I...ah...got something to say," Ranma tried to get the words out, "It's important, okay? I...I've been doing a lot of thinking..."

"What?" Nabiki's face drained of color and Shampoo just looked bewildered.

"Look..." Ranma gulped, "You two are the best, and you've been swell to me all this time, and I...I gotta say something...and it ain't easy..."

"No..." Nabiki looked away, "I-I don't want to hear this..."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "What are you talking about?"

Nabiki stood up so fast that her bento box spilled to one side, "Look, I got things to do, so we can talk about this later..."

"What?" Ranma realized that his script was not being followed to the letter, "What do you mean later? I gotta do this now!"

"Why?" Nabiki turned a hard, flinty glare in his direction and seemed genuinely angry about something, "So you can say 'We'll always be friends,' Saotome? Is that your idea of talking?"

"What the heck are you going on about?" Ranma blinked, "Why are you getting so mad at me all of a sudden? I just wanna ask you two a question!"

"And it can't wait, huh?" Nabiki looked as if she were going to be sick to her stomach.

"No way," Ranma insisted, "I'm gonna say this and I'm gonna say this right and wild Elephants aren't gonna stop me..."

"Huh?" Nabiki turned to look at him, confusion replacing her sudden wave of nauseous anger, but before Ranma could continue there was a loud CRASH-ing noise that caused everyone's attention to shift at a ninety-degree angle horizontal.

"Oh for crying out loud," groaned Ranma at this latest interruption.

Akane was coming back from guiding Ryoga to the public rest rooms and was the first to see the phenomenon that had just demolished one portion of the school wall, "Hey, what is that?" she asked, her voice all but drowned out under the exclamation and shouting that filled the air for the next several seconds.

"I don't know," Ryoga replied, having heard Akane in spite of the shouting "It looks like some kind of large, dark cloud...and it's coming this way!"

Akane tracked the huge dark object as it surged forward and immediately saw who was standing in its direction, "It's headed towards my sister! We've gotta stop it!"

"Yeah," Ryoga agreed, "But...how...?"

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

That stupid Baka of a boyfriend of mine...it figures he couldn't even propose to me in a perfectly normal manner! Not that I'm complaining about the way things turned out, but giving me a fright like that, making me think-even if for only a few seconds-that he was about to break up with me and Shampoo... words just fail me!

Not that it really was Ranma's fault that I got that fool notion into my head. I guess from the very start of our relationship I've been walking around waiting for the other shoe to drop, as if expecting somebody was going to produce this giant pin to pop my bubble. Let's face it, I'm not used to being this happy, and for all the headaches I've gone through over this fiancee business, I've gotten closer to Ranma than I've ever been to anybody else except my mother (and Shampoo, of course, but that's a different kind of romantic story).

I don't know why being happy should still seem so strange to me. I was pretty happy before any of this happened...or at least that's what I tell myself some days when I can pretend that I don't know any better. Loneliness was more like it, but I was used to that and I could keep most people at arms length and not have to worry to much about it. I had Kasumi to do the mother thing for me, but it's not the same when it's your sister, and as for Akane...well...we got along most of the time, but you know how middle and little sisters can get sometimes. I'd exploit her, make money off of her, make snide insults about her femininity and her cooking, and she go on to become the most popular girl in our school, making me feel jealous even when I said I wasn't.

Okay, enough reminiscing on that. I'm digging myself into a whole here reliving that awful moment when I thought Ranma was gonna break up with me, by which I mean rip my heart out of my chest with a shovel. What a lot of paranoid BS on my part that proved to be, considering the real reason he was acting so skittish.

And like I say, he couldn't even do it in a normal fashion...but then again how do I hold what happened over his head considering everything he went through for my sake? If it wasn't for him and Shampoo...well...I don't know what I would have done! But I'm getting ahead of things, as usual, when I should be telling this weird story from the beginning...

Okay, like I said before, this huge THING goes plowing through a wall, big as a house with a really black aura that was so impenetrable that even my vaunted Lore Master senses couldn't penetrate the thing. All we could see were a pair of red-glowing, malevolent eyes, eyes that radiated pure hostility, the sort of thing you get when you piss something off real bad and it comes lurching out of Hell to register its protest.

Think I'm exaggerating? You try being in the center of that thing's focus! Of course it was heading straight for Ranma with deliberate intention, Shampoo and me just winding up in the collateral periphery of its cone of blazing anger. Ranma naturally thought he was protecting me by scooping me up into his arms and jumping out of the way, just seconds before the thing goes plowing into my favorite shade tree and reducing it to a pile of toothpicks.

"What is that thing?" Ranma asked as the dark blob reoriented in our direction.

"Is after us," Shampoo said with a wonderful grasp of the audience, bless her well-padded hide as she was also seeking to offer me protection with her body.

The rest of our fair classmates scattered like extras in a Giant Monster movie, but we found ourselves suddenly flanked by Akane, Ryoga, Ukyo and (don't ask me how she got there) Makoto! They interposed themselves in the path of the creature, and Ryoga-nice boy that he is-had his ever-trusty umbrella in hand, while Kuonji was flashing her Spatula of Justice.

"Get back, Ranchan!" Ukyo-kun called, looking strangely manly as if the role came with the package his curse had provided.

"Get Nabiki out of here!" Akane ordered with fists raised at the charging blob.

"I'll handle this!" Ryoga announced as he bravely-and stupidly-charge the thing with his umbrella thrusting forward. Something happened, a movement within the darkness, and the lost boy was batted away like a leaf by a fly swatter.

"Uh oh," Makoto responded, "What do we do now, Sempai?"

"Ah..." Ukyo-kun seemed to seriously think about it.

"Running sound like good idea," Shampoo volunteered.

"Got that right," Ranma hefted me up and cried, "SAOTOME SPECIAL MANEUVER!"

And with that we beat feet hastily out of there, another beautiful school day spoiled on account of the bizarreness' that comes with living in Nerima...

Naomi slammed onto the floor of the dojo and lay stunned for several seconds, wondering how it was that she was getting thrown around like the proverbial rag doll. She waited until the room stopped spinning before getting up, then turned to regard her current tormentor, who was smiling back at her with utter serenity in her expression.

"Had enough yet?" this woman who called herself Silk asked politely, her very at-eased posture infuriating Naomi to no end.

With a rude noise Naomi forced herself back to her feet and turned to regard the other woman, angry enough to spit nails but tempering her impulses this time as she sought to analyze why she had so far been unable to score a point against her.

She's faster than she looks, Naomi reasoned, and so much more limber and flexible than me. I rate as a Fourth Dan in Shotokan Karate, but she's never where I expect her to be...almost like she's anticipating my moves and reading them before I've even committed.

Aloud what Naomi said was, "You're good...but what is it about this 'Anything Goes' school that makes you different from other systems?"

"For one thing," Silk replied, "The Musubetsu Kakuto Ryu is more flexible and adaptable than other traditional schools, having a less formal and structured style that allows one to combine different aspects of rival systems into a more integrated whole. The Tendo school, represented by Soun-chan, is the Land Based system that uses the strength of an opponent against themselves, while the Saotome School, represented by Genma-san over there, is the Sky school of Aerial style attacks. I know both systems, of course, having studied alongside these two gentlemen in the course of our mutual association."

"Amazing," Yumi noted in a low voice as she watched these exchanges, "She managed to say that without calling him 'That Fat Tub of Lard over There...' in fact she was almost civil."

"Why don't you shut up?" Comb growled in low undertone, her eyes on Naomi as she was marking the woman's style with critical attention to details of movement and posture.

"Then I take it you are not the lady of the house?" Naomi was asking as she studied the other woman for openings, finding nothing that could immediately be exploited.

"By no means," Silk sighed, "But not for lack of wanting. Soun-chan's late wife just happens to have resembled me, but I have high hopes for the future, should Soun-chan be willing..."

"Eh?" the man in question asked, arching an eyebrow as he caught the wistful note at the end of the Lore Master's comment.

"Oh, touched a nerve have we?" Yumi was murmuring to Comb, "You know, it has never ceased to amaze me how you and the Oni can go all weak in the knees over that overstuff panda..."

"I seem to recall that a short while ago you were doing pretty much the same," Comb sniped back in an even tone of voice.

"I was drugged and bewitched," Yumi's eyebrow twitched, "It doesn't count."

"That's why I haven't pounded your face into the ground over the issue," Comb said softly, "As far as I'm concerned it's a closed subject."

"Like you and Nodoka?" Yumi asked, then smiled when Comb refused to answer.

"Let me see if I have this right," Naomi noted as she began to circle her Chinese opponent looking for the least moment of hesitation, "You had a child by Tendo Soun before he was married, born illegitimately in your native country, and she looks identical to the oldest daughter born to your former rival? That's a stunning run of seeming coincidences, don't you think?"

"My grandmother is always telling me that there are no true coincidences," Silk noted without giving the other woman the opening for which she was looking, "Like you're being here...I'm sure that there must be a reason behind even the most trivial of gestures."

"Eh?" it was Naomi's turn to be surprised as Silk moved before the business woman could shift from attack to defense to counter, and all at once she went flying across the room to land in a rolling heap near the far end of the dojo.

"Why don't we take a small break to catch our mutual breath, eh Nakamura-san?" Silk offered by way of an olive branch, "Let the boys have their fun while, then we can renew things as soon as you are ready."

"Man," Kento winced, "That lady is brutal."

"Like a pillow wrapped around a gold brick," Genma agreed, then sighed as he heaved himself to his feet, "Well, you wanted a workout, and as long as you're paying, I see no reason not to oblige you."

"Thanks, Saotome-san," Kento grinned as he also got to his feet, "I'll consider this both an honor and a personal favor, and I'm sure you'll give me my money's worth."

"We'll see," Genma smiled with a soft smile and a reflected gleam of light off of his glasses.

"Are you all right, Mommy?" Rachael asked as she got up off of Kasumi's lap to sit next to her aching mother.

"I'll be fine, Rachael," Naomi winced slightly, rubbing her shoulders to restore full circulation, "I guess I'm just a little out of practice..."

"You did quite well, you should be proud, Nakamura-san," Kasumi complimented, "Silk is rated very high among her own people, and her knowledge of Wu Shu is quite extensive, although she has been studying lately with Father and has done very well in mastering the Anything Goes system."

"Why don't you practice sparring?" Naomi asked of the gentle-mannered young girl whose beauty and grace had impressed her on their first meeting.

"Oh, I don't have time to work out all that much," Kasumi replied, "I have far too much work to do around the house...although not as much lately since Silk moved in with us. She's been very helpful in a lot of things and we've gotten to be good friends lately...although if father decides to make it official, I suppose that I could get used to calling her mother..."

There was the slightest hesitation in the young woman's voice that caused Naomi to raise an eyebrow, but about that point the men began their sparring, and at once she shifted the focus of her attention their way, allowing Rachael to settle onto her lap as she sat with her legs folded in the Japanese manner.

Kento launched a powerful attack that did not come anywhere near to connecting with the older and heavier-set Genma, who moved with a speed that belied his girth and circled around behind the big man to plant a kick on his backside.

"Too slow, Boy," Genma taunted, "You've got a lot of raw power but you have to learn to move faster if you want to get the chance to use it."

"All right," Kento grinned back as he recovered, "Guess I don't have to take it easy with you, Old Timer..."

"I think Genma may have bit off a bit more than he can chew here," Happosai noted.

"Oh so?" Hinako asked as she sat by his side, "Why is that, Master?"

"That Kento's got more than raw strength on his side," the ancient Master responded, "He's got the hardened edge of a trained Pit-bull, and he's obviously been in a lot more fights than most youngsters his age."

"Yeah," Kennou agreed reluctantly, "See that smile he's got pasted on his face? He likes to get down to rough housing."

"Weird," Atsuko frowned, "There's something about that guy...he's almost familiar..."

"Oh dear," Nodoka raised a hand to her mouth as Genma was caught off-guard by an elbow-shot that caught him under the chin and knocked him sprawling.

"Hah!" Kento grinned, "Fell for my Rock Crusher special maneuver. Don't worry, though, I pulled it at the last second."

"You hear that, Saotome?" Soun raised his voice, "You should be able to shrug that off easily."

"Yeah," Yumi grinned, "Your head's still attached to your shoulders, but I'll bet it's ringing like a bell..."

Suddenly Kodachi appeared in her school uniform and called out, "Kasumi-  
everyone! Evacuate the building at once!"

"Kodachi-chan?" Kasumi turned to look at her beloved friend, "What is it?"

"No time to explain!" the Black Rose cried urgently, "Just trust me on this and please get out of there, everyone!"

"Something must have happened," Comb stood up, "It probably concerns my Son-in-  
law, so I guess we had better have a look."

"Might as well," Happosai sighed as he and the others got to their feet, "Can't stand to watch much more of this. Genma old boy, you're gotten too soft from easy living..."

"Wait," Yumi paused, looking down, "I feel something..."

"Huh?" Kento looked around, "What's the matter?"

"The ground is shaking," Naomi got to her feet with great haste and grabbed her daughter by the arm, "I think it's an Earth quake!"

"No," Silk replied, "Not an Earthquake...it's something else..."

"Would you hurry up already!" Kodachi vaulted into the dojo and took Kasumi by the waist, hurrying her to the door, "It's almost on us!"

"What?" Kennou asked.

"Miss Kodachi," Hinako began scolding, "Your unseemly haste is most unbecoming in a lady..."

That was about all she had time to say before a loud crashing noise sounded from just outside, and a second later the back wall to the dojo exploded outward, startling those inside the dojo who had just barely managed to get out of the way of the huge mass that thrust through the wall like a runaway locomotive.

Almost miraculously everybody found themselves out in the yard outside of the dojo as the black shadow reared its head and roared like a demon from the pits. Even Atsuko was noticeably impressed as she cried, "What the hell is that thing?"

"That's what we'd like to know," said Ranma as he and the others made their presence among the crowd of their stunned elders, "It followed us home, and we think it's after Nabiki!"

"Nabiki?" Soun reared to full parental mode, "How dare that thing attack my daughter and ruin my dojo!"

"You think that's bad, Daddy?" Nabiki asked as she stayed close to Shampoo and Ranma, "You should see the trial of destruction leading up to our doorstep."

"Look!" Kennou cried, "It's got the old man wrapped up in its trunk!"

"You're right," Genma sheltered his eyes, "It has the Master..."

There was a pause as everyone turned to look at Kennou, including Shirokuro.

"Trunk?" asked Nabiki before any of the others could even think about it.

"Well...yeah," Kennou seemed surprised at the attention being focused her way, and she pointed, "It's an elephant...can't you see it?"

Atsuko focused her eyes on the blob and said, "You're right...it is an elephant!"

"HELP!" cried Happosai just before being slammed into the rubble of the dojo.

"Master!" Hinako cried before manifesting her own aura of anger, and she took a step forward, producing her trademark coin and pronounced her dreaded chant (while everyone else stepped back as far as they could in the time available to give her wide berth), "Happo Five-Yen Satsu, MALICE, EVIL, ILLNESS, PAIN, MAGIC!"

The wave of force that poured out from the creature triggered an immediate transformation in the young girl, causing her to expand in size and proportions to her adult form, while the dark cloud surrounding the creature all but evaporated, absorbed into the cone of Hinako's spell. Stripped away from its cover the creature itself was revealed, standing well over ten feet in height and incredibly massive.

"An elephant?" Soun said in dismay, "That's what wrecked my dojo?"

"Are you seeing this?" Naomi asked Kento, who was shielding her with his body.

"Yeah...and that's not all I'm seeing!" the big man responded, his eyes riveted to the sight of Hinako, who was trembling from all the energy she was absorbing.

"What the hell?" Kennou stared at the transformed teacher.

"Too much..." Hinako grunted, staggering back as she lost her grip on her coin and faltered, "Too much power...!"

"H-Hinako-chan...?" Happosai groaned from where he lay amid the crumpled floor of the dojo.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo exclaimed, "Is too much aura even for teacher!"

"That's it," the now-adult Hinako declared as she righted herself, "I can't absorb any more. What an incredible battle aura! I've never encountered anything like it..."

"Don't bother yourself about it, Teach," a figure stepped forward, tall and proud with an outfit vaguely like a School uniform, consisting of a while top and green dress with a large pink bow-tie, "I've got this thing covered!"

"Mako-chan?" Ukyo gasped as if to confirm for herself that this was indeed her girlfriend.

"Don't worry, Sempai," Makoto raised her hands and an electrostatic charge began to form as the tiara around her head drew lightning like an antennae, "My friends and I deal with stuff like this all the time. This thing is toast if it makes another move!"

"I think she means get the heck out of the way," Yumi said tensely.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Comb noted as she and the rest of the crowd cleared the field around the sailor-suited Makoto.

The elephant still had much fight left in it and was about to rear forward when a voice sounded from a nearby tree, "JASMINE! That is enough! Come to Lychee!"

"Huh?" everybody collectively gasped as they all looked up to see the figure standing amid the branches looking back down with a cool and dispassionate expression. On command the elephant turned to this figure, raising its trunk until the young girl could set foot upon the upraised snoot and then was gracefully lowered down to ground level, coming to stand in front of the elephant as she turned her attention towards Happosai.

"Happosai...we find you at last!" declared a girl with blonde hair who was dressed in a curiously formal style of Chinese dress, "Now you answer for what you do!"

"Friends of yours, Master?" Genma asked.

"N-Never saw her before..." the old man groaned faintly.

"So you say!" the young girl held up an object in her hand and threw it at the ancient pervert, "But you give this to Lychee ancestor, and now she cursed to never know real happiness!"

The object in question turned out to be part of a scroll, which same bounced off Happosai's head and rebounded into the crowd of watching spectators, one of whom caught the thing by reflex more than good judgement.

"What the heck?" Nabiki asked as she looked down at the thing in her hands.

"Is half of scroll?" Shampoo asked curiously.

"Why the heck did she throw that at the old freak?" Ranma wondered.

"Perhaps it's part of an invitation?" Kodachi volunteered.

"Uh oh," Makoto looked not at the scroll but at the sky over their heads, "What the heck is that?"

"Trouble," Silk replied as the clouds opened up and trouble indeed followed...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Crisis over the Skies of Nerima: shadowmane

Is it that time already? A certain pickle-eating Prince makes his arrival on the scene, but will it be Nabiki would winds up in a pickle, and who will come to her rescue? Stay tuned for more fun as we Fly the Friendly Skies of Nekonron Airlines...so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	94. Chapter 94

NabikiRan90 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)  
Chapter Ninety.

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"...A few more adjustments," came the voice from just below my desktop computer, "Flick a few toggles, connect a few more wires and...presto! Upgrade completed!"

The head of the dark haired girl popped up with a cheerful grin and said, "Now all we have to do is flick the one switch and wait for it to reboot."

"You're sure this will do the trick?" I asked, seeing a splotch of grease on her face (and how the heck to you get grease on your face from working with a computer?).

"Sure, no problem," replied Skuld as she got back to her feet after pressing the on-switch, "Now...with power on let's see what happens."

There was a low whirr noise as the fan sprang to life, then the tell-tale clicks and static I've come to associate with a portal computer when it boots up and initializes the operating system. I confess that I was a bit nervous, seeing how the mini-tower under my desk did not in any way resemble what had been there before the Goddess started tinkering around and-to use her own words-"Made a few simple adjustments." I think it was the symbol for atomic power that had come on the side of my new hard drive that made me just a wee bit edgy, but in spite of a few lights flashing and a couple of really weird test patterns flashing over my monitor screen (which was now a flat screen LCD instead of the 14" standard monitor it had been a little more than an hour ago, everything seemed to be functioning normally...

That is until the new "Anti-Bug" software kicked in, and then something came hopping right out from the side of the computer, a really weird looking creature that was like a cross between a rabbit and a spider. It had six legs instead of the normal four and there was something sinister about the way it was twitching its whiskers. I didn't have a lot of time to examine it, though, because Skuld whipped out that croquette mallet she carries around with her and smacked the thing squarely on the head, causing it to vanish.

"Heh, I knew it!" the Goddess trumpeted, "There's always a bug in the system! You shouldn't have any problems from now on, though. I've quadrupled the memory, increased the RAM and speeded up your processing speed to around 2000-  
Megahertz, without overclocking. That should give you all the power you need to keep a smooth operating system like Yggdrasil Neo-Millennium, the special Skuld version guaranteed to lock out outside intrusions."

"You mean it will keep a certain Demoness from reading my files?" I asked as I sat up on my bed, thinking with some eagerness that I could not wait to try out my new system.

"That's what I just said," the young-seeming girl replied a bit testily, as if I were really very slow upstairs to her way of thinking, "You'll have a whole new system with all your encrypted files password protected. I transferred the useful data over to your new HD unit, so there's no way Demon Sorceress lady is going to be hacking into your files. Oneechan wanted you to feel secure, and now I've done my business."

"And you've earned your reward," I nodded to the Mini-fridge that I'd recently installed to my room (for emergencies, such as days when Akane tries to improve her skills in the kitchen), "There's ice cream to spare, and in the flavors you wanted."

"Neat!" the young-seeming Goddess beamed and promptly started raiding my larder.

I mused to myself how much my life had changed of late, and with all the craziness I had just been through it was only par for the course that I should have a Goddess of Fate working on my computer. Of course I was a bit disconcerted when this particular Goddess had appeared to me while I was taking a bath in the furo, rising right up from the surface of the water as dry as a bone and appearing almost as direction lost as a Hibiki.

She had quickly explained why she was here to me and of course I agreed to let her make the modifications that she had recommended. So what if my new computer is now cooled with Liquid Nitrogen? At least it's self-contained with its own power unit, and a guaranteed lifetime operation capacity of about 20 years (of course having to bury it in concrete in the backyard for the next 40,000 years once it outlives its warranty is a bit daunting). It all in the name of a good cause, naturally, protecting my files from the prying eyes of a certain malevolent presence that has become quite a pest in our affairs lately.

It's been about a week since the last time I've been able to log on, and I have a lot of stuff to relay here. Skuld naturally suggested a good place to start when she commented on my new engagement ring, the one that had originally belonged to my mother. She said Peorth recognized it from the memories she once shared with Kimiko, my real mother, and that Rose goddess in question had seemed awfully choked up with emotions the last time she paid me a visit, acting very much like I'd expect any mother to fret and behave when she had a daughter only a few days away from getting married.

Okay then, to try and sort things out, let's start with the crazy events that led to my being kidnapped. It all began when that stupid Baka of a boyfriend gave me the fright of my life without the least clue that he was sending me all the wrong signals, and then I'll skip through the frantic chase that took us across town to the dojo, where the oddest things were about to happen...

ONE WEEK AGO:

Light crackled and the clouds above their head parted to reveal a large ship that came drifting down into view, suspended by cables from a dirigible, all painted brightly with garishly ornate coloration. The martial artists stared up at this in stunned disbelief as she ship came to hover over them at a mere hundred foot altitude, and then over the railing appeared a number of oddly dressed figures.

"BEHOLD!" cried the lead figure on the ship, a tall man wearing formalized Chinese dress as if stepping out from another era, "I AM PRINCE KIRIN OF THE SCHOOL OF THE SEVEN LUCKY GOD MARTIAL ARTISTS! I HAVE COME AT THE APPOINTED HOUR TO FIND THE ONE WHOM I AM DESTINED BY FATE TO MARRY!"

"Kinda a flashy way to make an entrance, huh?" Atsuko asked nervously.

"You can tell he's not exactly the shy and retiring sort," Yumi agreed at the level of a stage whisper.

"My Prince!" Lychee cried in delight, "You've come for me at last!"

"Who are you, woman?" the Princes in question asked as the ship drifted to a mere fifty foot altitude, "Kirin has no business with you if you do not possess the scroll..." he paused, "Ah, there it is!"

"Hah?" Nabiki was surprised to find herself the sudden focus of the man's interest.

"I think he means that scroll you've got in your hands, Sis," Akane reminded her, "If I were you I'd give it back before there's trouble..."

"Ebiten!" Kirin commanded.

"As you wish, Sire," a little man with incredibly huge ears stepped forward holding a fishing rod in both hands, and with a snap of his wrists he sent the line reeling down to wind around Nabiki's waist and pin her arms to her sides before anyone could prevent this.

"HEY!" Nabiki cried out as she was suddenly yanked skyward.

"NABIKI!" Ranma cried, surging forward and using the first object in his path that he could find for a spring board: His father's head! With a powerful leap he soared up after Nabiki, nearly catching up with her in mid-flight, only to find his path blocked a pole arm was thrust into his path while the Prince scooped Nabiki into his arms and held her tightly.

"Let me pass!" Ranma said as he gripped the shaft of the pole arm and tried to use it for leverage to force his way onto the ship, only to find his way blocked again, this time by a pair of chop sticks that caught him by one ankle.

"You do not have permission to board the ship of Prince Kirin," the Prince in question said disdainfully, and then with a mere flick of his hand sent Ranma tumbling back towards the ground for a certain bone-jarring impact, only to find Shampoo had gotten under him and managed to break his fall with some effort.

"Nabiki!" Soun cried as he looked on in helplessness as the ship began to rise back into the heavens.

"Don't worry, Dad," Akane declared, "I'll stop them!" and with that she jumped into the koi pond and one moment rose up transformed into her winged aspect. Beating wings with great haste she gained quick altitude and started after the flying vessel.

"You okay, Ranma?" Shampoo asked her Airen.

"Yeah...thanks for the save," Ranma turned his eyes back towards the retreating vessel, "That-that arrogant-I'm gonna get him!"

"No worries, Ailen," Shampoo said, "Shampoo go rescue Nabiki."

Turning from his side before he had time to question what she was up to, Shampoo went leaping herself into the koi pond, then emerged in her winged Neko form running full-tilt up the side of a tree and vaulting onto the roof before spreading her wings wide and gliding after Akane.

"What in the world...?" Naomi asked in stunned disbelief.

"Mommy?" Rachael asked in childish wonder, "Did that lady just turn into an Angel, and that other one turned into a flying pussy cat?"

"Ah..." Naomi was dubious in trying to formulate an answer.

"Oh man," said Kento at her side, "That guy's gotta be related to Tulpa..."

"Shampoo!" Ranma made a fist, "Nabiki...I gotta go after them!"

"Yeah, but how?" Ryoga asked, "Akane can't fight those guys alone!"

"I could bring them down with a lightning bolt," Makoto suggested.

"Bad idea, Sugar," Ukyo warned, "You blow that thing up and it'll go crashing down into somebody else's house, and probably kill everyone in the process."

"Oh dear," Silk sighed, "Prince Kirin and the Seven Lucky God Martial Artists...I should have known something like this was going to happen..."

"Yes, you should," Comb eyed her friend suspiciously, "So why didn't you?"

"No one is perfect," Nodoka answered matter-of-factly.

"My Prince!" Lychee was weeping, "Come back to Lychee!"

"Oh my," said Kasumi, "I do wish Nabiki had told me that she was taking a trip today. I didn't have any time to pack her belongings..."

"Somehow I don't think this was something she planned for," noted Kodachi sagely.

"MY PRINCE!" Lychee cried again as she got onto the back of her elephant and started chasing after the retreating vessel, heedless of the other wall that only briefly impeded further progress.

"Ah...Big Sis?" Kennou asked, and for once she was not being ironic, "Does this sort of thing happen all the time around here?"

"Well, it is a novelty even from where I'm standing," Atsuko admitted.

"Oh my," Kasumi said again, "I suppose I'll have to contact Mister Bogart and have him pay us another visit."

"It's on the Speed-dial," Silk informed her, "Just dial one and hit the pound symbol."

"That...Delinquent!" Hinako shook a fist, her deep and sensual voice giving her anger an ominous ring totally missing in her child form, "How dare they crash in here and ruin the home of my Happy-sama!"

"Er...just for the record," Kennou eyed the shapely teacher, "You were a bit shorter a moment ago, right?"

"Never mind all of that, Child," Happosai folded his arms, "We should be more worried about what the Seven Lucky God Martial artists intend to do with Nabiki..."

"Say Gramps," Ryoga suddenly loomed over the old man and made a menacing noise with the cracking of his knuckles, "Call me stupid, but I get the sneaky hunch that you know something about those guys...like the girl with the elephant."

"Yeah," Ranma rounded on the dwarf, also cracking his own knuckles, "Tell us about that, why don't you?"

"Master?" Genma adjusted his glasses.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the old man said evasively.

"The Seven Lucky God Martial Artists are an ancient clan who dwell in a remote region of China known only as Nekonron," a voice informed them as all eyes turned to see Lotion standing there, having made another of her trademark mysterious entrances, "Prince Kirin is the latest in a long line of heirs to this powerful school that has long been entrusted with the guardianship of one of the key Portal Gates that exist within their hidden empire."

"Oh great," Happosai growled to himself, "With you here I might as well confess everything..."

"That would be a good idea, Uncle," Lotion informed her fellow Elder, "Beginning with how you stole the scroll that wound up by mischance in the hands of my unfortunate apprentice."

"Stole it?" Soun's eyes darkened, "I see...in other words this is all your fault, Master."

"Give me a break why don't you?" Happosai protested, "I only took the scroll from them for the sake of World Peace! Do you know what they were intending to do with it? Use it to sacrifice some poor girl who was being sent to Nekonron on orders from her Imperial father!"

"This ought to be good," Yumi murmured to Comb, "The old freak's about to concoct one of his far-fetched Tall Tales."

"I'll have you know it's true, I say!" Happosai cried indignantly, "I overheard the retainers in the poor girl's party saying it was so. Those Lucky God Martial Artists are nothing less than a secret society plotting world domination!"

"Pull the other one," Kennou frowned, and Shirokuro at her side silently nodded.

"And your connection with the girl?" Genma asked, his own skepticism well hidden.

"Eh...lovely thing," Happosai said a bit evasively, "When I escaped from their castle I was seriously injured, so I gave it to her as for safe keeping...and such a lovely thing she was back then, only now she's turned into an ingrate."

"And this was what?" Ukyo asked, "About ten years back?"

"Oh no," Happosai replied, "I was a young man barely eighteen on a mission to train myself while touring through China..."

"In other words about three hundred years," Comb noted, "She sure didn't look that old, not even the same age as my Grandmother."

"Can't be the same girl," Makoto noted, "Not unless she's got a way of keeping herself young all this time."

"More like a descendant," Silk mused, "And in her line the scroll must have been passed down over the generations."

"Oh dear," Nodoka looked puzzled, "Why then do you suppose she was so upset with Master Happy?"

"Could be because that scroll represents something very tragic in the child's past," Lotion replied, "Perhaps the failure of childhood dreams in which a Princes comes to her rescue."

"It don't matter, though," Ranma declared, "If the old man skipped out and left her holding the scroll, then he's responsible for what happened to Nabiki. The thing is that I gotta get her back, and Shampoo too!"

"And Akane!" Ryoga agreed.

"That's right," said Ukyo with a frown, "Akane may be counting on us to come to her rescue if she gets into trouble."

"I don't like this," Makoto said, "But if you're going after them, Sempai, then you can count me in too."

"I thought you kids had to be back in school," Yumi noted.

"This is more important than school," Ranma balled his fist, "It's about the future, and without Nabiki in it my future means nothing!"

"I don't approve of you children playing hooky," Hinako said, "But I suppose under the circumstances your actions can be justified."

"Ah...on question," Kennou raised a hand, "How do you guys intend to follow a flying ship, especially if it's headed towards China?"

"Ah..." Ranma's face went blank, "I've got no idea..."

"It's headed out over water," Ukyo said, "We'd need a ship of our own or..."

"Might I make a suggestion?" smiled Kodachi, "I'll commission a yacht to help in this most worthy endeavor. I control enough of the Kuno fortune the finance an expedition all the way into China, if needs be. One way or another I intend to see to it that these miscreants are punished for daring to purloin my Kasumi-  
sama's beloved younger sister."

"Then if you're going, I'm going with you," said Kasumi.

"SAY WHAT?" came the collective gasps from all around her.

"Nabiki is my sister," Kasumi said with gentle firmness, "I can't sit back at home and wait to hear what happened to her, and with Kodachi gone...I would be twice as worried."

"Ah, no offense, Kasumi," Ryoga said, "But you're not a fighter, and this could get dangerous..."

"But I'll have all of you to look after me," Kasumi's smile was radiant, "I'm sure I'll be perfectly safe as long as I'm with Kodachi."

"Kasumi-sama..." Kodachi breathed in wonder.

"All right then," Lotion said, "Then is Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Makoto, Kodachi and Kasumi intend to follow Nabiki, Shampoo and Akane into China, then I might as well come along to chaperone. Uncle, will you be coming with us?"

"Why should I?" the old man groused, "Nobody even believes my story..."

"Master!" Soun loomed up with his most demon-headed expression, which even Happosai found a little intimidating.

"We understand that it would be an enormous sacrifice for you, Happy-san," Nodoka replied, "After all, it would mean having to leave Hinako-san here all alone for the duration."

"Eh?" Happosai thought it over for about tenth of a second, "Then what are we waiting around here for? Every second counts if we're going to rescue Nabiki!"

"Then I'll come too," Hinako said, squelching the man's enthusiasm.

"I thought you had to teach classes?" Comb asked in a suggestive manner.

"I've overdue some vacation time, and the substitute can handle my curriculum just fine," Hinako responded, "But it's like what Saotome-san said...without Master Happy my life would be empty."

"Ah..." Kennou said nervously, "Maybe I could volunteer to help out too?"

"Nice try," Atsuko smiled at her, "But you have to wait here with us just in case our father shows up, which is why I'm not going. What about you guys?"

"I think we should stay close to the dojo and help Master Bogart effect repairs," Silk turned to the still-silent Naomi and bowed, "My apologies...our demonstration for today will have to be cut a bit short, I'm afraid, but if you stop by next week I'm sure you'll see that everything will be back to normal."

"Oh?" Naomi privately had estimated that the cost of damages alone exceeded the family's entire operational yearly budget, which meant that if they could somehow pull it off she would be impressed beyond words. As it was she was slowly taking stock of the mayhem wrought by the crazed elephant and wondered if this sort of thing was all that unusual, judging by the way these people were coping. For the first time she began to have some inkling of why Kento had been assigned to guard her.

"Very well," Kodachi smiled, pulling out a pocket cellular phone and speed-  
dialing up a number, "I'll have Sasuke drive us to the harbor, and within two hours we should be on our way to China."

"Two hours," Ranma fretted, "We could lose them at that rate!"

"Not with me helping to guide you," Lotion assured them, "Besides, I know the way to Nekonron and can get us there should we be unable to intercept them in transit."

"Are you certain you'll be all right, Grandmother?" Silk asked.

"Quite fine," Lotion smiled, "In fact I'm rather looking forward to the trip. It's been a while since I was part of a questing party. The rest of you will stay here and effect the necessary repairs to the dojo, and attend to...other matters that require your attention."

"Oh yeah," Atsuko caught the woman's hidden meaning and glanced obliquely at Naomi, "That."

"All right then," Ranma balled a fist and waved it at the heavens, "It's off to China we go, to get Nabiki and the others back and to pay that Kirin guy a one-  
way trip to the cleaners!"

"That's very thoughtful of you, Ranma," Kasumi said, "But I don't think we could afford the dry cleaning bill for what he was wearing."

"My son is so manly," Nodoka clenched her hands together and beamed like a proud parent.

"If that creep hurts Akane," Ryoga's expression darkened, "I'll make him sorry he was even born."

"You got that right, Sugar," Ukyo agreed, "But I'm kinda wondering why they took Nabiki in the first place, and what's in that scroll that's important enough to be worth all this trouble?"

"I'm just wondering what Grandmother is up to," Comb rumbled, "It's not like her to miss out on all the action."

"Aw, who cares about the old biddy?" Happosai grumbled in a less-than-convincing tone of voice, "She's probably kicking back having a good time relaxing while the rest of us do all the hard work."

"Oh really?" Silk purred, "I wonder..."

"Hah, too slow, Ryoko!" Cologne taunted as she darted out of the way of the angry space pirate, "You may be formidable by ordinary standards, but your training is weak in a number of places."

"Oh yeah?" the pale-blue haired alien girl snarled as she took another swing in the blue-haired Matriarch's direction, "Well, just stand still and let me show you how weak I am!"

Cologne easily avoided Ryoko's lunge and tapped her on the back with her staff, sending the space pirate rumbling forward to collide against the bowel of a tree, forgetting to dematerialize before immanent collision.

"That was far too predictable," Cologne sighed as she shook her mane of hair sadly, "How do you expect to make a suitable bride for my Nephew with such pathetic reflexes? You've taken it far too easy sleeping away the centuries in that cave, it's about time you learned what it means to be a true Warrior worthy of becoming a Juraian consort."

"She does seem to be a bit rough with Ryoko," Ayeka commented from the sidelines, "Not that this isn't a fairly amusing display of battle prowess."

"Just remember, Ayeka," Katsuhitsu smiled blandly, "Your turn is next to spar with you Niece and receive a few of her lessons."

"Eh?" Ayeka suddenly looked very ill for some peculiar reason.

"I just hope she doesn't hurt Ryoko," Tenchi fretted, "She's being awfully rough with her, don't you think Grampa?"

"Nonsense," Katsuhitsu smiled benevolently, "Cologne knows how to read the limits of her opponents and gauge their hidden weaknesses, as well as their strengths. You could do well to learn a lot by studying her methods, Tenchi. She may only be about three hundred years old, but for one so young she is exceedingly skillful."

"I guess," commented Mihoshi from where she and Kiyone sat a bit apart from the others.

"Tea time everybody," Sasami called out brightly as she came upon the clearing holding up a tray laid out with cups and a large pitcher, "Oh my...is Ryoko all right? She doesn't look too comfortable with her legs and arms like that..."

"Meow!" agreed the cabbit who rode on the blue haired child's shoulders.

"Well, I suppose we could take a small break," Katsuhitsu noted, "Cologne-chan, that will be enough for now. I'm sure Ryoko-san appreciates the wisdom that you have imparted in today's lessons."

"Perhaps," Cologne said calmly as she surveyed the groaning space-pirate, "You fight well from the heart, but you need to use your head to balance things out. I respect your enthusiasm, and it may indeed prove true that you will be a fine for my Nephew's offspring. I expect a lot more from you when we renew this match in a half an hour, so until then rest up and make yourself ready."

"Is it too late to pray to my ancestors?" Ryoko groaned as Ayeka came up to savor her condition.

"You don't have any ancestors," the Juraian princess pointed out serenely.

"You sure?" Ryoko asked, "I could swear I see my life flashing before my eyes..."

"Here, let me help you, Ryoko," Tenchi urged as he offered a hand to the Cyan haired space pirate, "Ayeka, please help us out."

"Oh, very well," Ayeka decided that she had enjoyed the moment long enough and went to help Ryoko to her feet so that she and Tenchi could guide her to sit on a log with the both of them. No one made any comment about how well the two rivals seemed to be getting along these days because, had it been pointed out, certain denials would have been their response (though Tenchi appreciated that it had been a tad bit easier to live around these two since the incident at the beach had taken the edge off their mutual anger).

"That sure was something else," Kiyone commented as she studied Cologne, "I never knew Earth self defense systems could be that formidable."

"Live and learn every day," Katsuhitsu replied as he accepted a tumbler of already poured iced tea, "Thank you, Sasami."

"You're welcome," the always polite child beamed, "What about you, Mihoshi?"

"Ah..." Mihoshi glanced at Kiyone as she accepted the two remaining mugs, then paused as she slipped something out from under a finger and let it drop into the cup she handed to Kiyone, "Here you go, I sure hope this works out."

"Huh?" Kiyone asked and she took a sip of her tea while glancing at her partner.

"It's just..." Mihoshi had on a guilty face as if something were on her mind, and she looked at her partner contritely, "I don't want you to get mad at me or anything like that, Kiyone."

"Mad?" Kiyone frowned, "What did you do this time? Crash the ship into the side of a mountain?"

"Ah...no..." Mihoshi replied, "At least...not lately..."

"Sell Ukinojo to some junk dealers?" Kiyone eyed her partner a bit harshly.

"Not since you told me not to last time," Mihoshi assured her.

Kiyone softly groaned, "You didn't send that report to headquarters when I told you not to?"

"Kiyone," Mihoshi responded in an almost chiding tone of voice, "You told me what would happen if higher ups heard about what happened on Altair four, so I had Ukinojo delete the whole thing from the record, just like you asked me."

"All right then," Kiyone steeled herself, "What is it this time?"

"I...ah..." the tanned girl with the cat-like ears and leonine mane looked down and said, "I've been doing some thinking..."

"You?" Kiyone did not like the sound of that. Mihoshi and "Think" did not go well together in a sentence!

"Yeah, and I...kinda wanted to know something...so I kept one of those pearl things that we found on the beach."

"You...kept one of those?" now Kiyone was CERTAIN that she did not like the sound of this!

"Yeah," Mihoshi replied, "All the other pearls just vanished when things started to return to normal, but not the one I'd put inside my cube for safekeeping. I dug that out just today and...well...I thought it'd be a shame not to test it..."

"You didn't?" Kiyone glanced down at her half-drained mug of tea but saw nothing in the amber water. She looked up at Mihoshi and growled, "Mi-Ho-sheeee...?!" her tone suddenly lost its edge as she stared into Mihoshi's eyes, a look of pure wonder replacing her anger.

"I didn't wanna make you do anything you don't want to, Kiyone," Mihoshi's tone was plaintive, "But I had to find out...I wanted to know...if you feel anything about me...even a little. We've been partners for so long and...well...you're the person I care about the mostest in the whole Universe, and these pearls are only supposed to work for an hour..."

Kiyone stopped her partner with a hand over her lips, a sultry smile crossing her own as she reached out with her other arm and drew the surprised Mihoshi into her embrace and brought their lips together.

"Oh my," Ayeka looked up in time to see this, "What do you suppose has gotten into those two?"

"Who knows," Ryoko smirked, "About time if you ask me. That Mihoshi's always had the hots for Kiyone, she just didn't know it herself, the dingbell. I was beginning to wonder if Kiyone was ever going to figure it out for herself."

"I guess she did," Tenchi said a bit wistfully, then wondered where that had come from. As if he didn't already have enough female troubles!

"Hey you two," Katsuhitsu blandly called out as Kiyone began to part Mihoshi's shirt to expose more of her neckline, "If you want to indulge in that, then go do it behind those trees so we can spy on you from concealment."

"Proprieties must be observed," Cologne mused with private admiration for that Mihoshi girl, showing more initiative with that love pearl than the Matriarch would have expected. She turned back to giving her Nephew another kind of amused look altogether then said, "So, Master Tenchi, when are you going to stop keeping these girls in suspense and take one or both of them for your blushing brides?"

Tenchi spat out the mouth full of tea he had been swallowing while Ryoko and Ayeka eyed him with raised eyebrows. After he finished coughing and spurting he gasped out, "You've gotta be kidding?"

"Why would I jest about a thing like that?" Cologne asked with a bland expression, "These girls are obviously very committed towards you, and it's just as obvious that you care for them as well, so why would you want to keep things up in the air the way you have been doing? All I see in that approach is a lot of needless pain and bother well into your future."

"But-but-but I can't decide!" Tenchi blurted out, refusing to add that if he picked one girl the other would go ballistic, and besides which he was too young to even think about getting married!

"Then why bother choosing?" Cologne asked with a perfectly straight face, "Marry both of them."

There was a pause, during which time Kiyone and Mihoshi got up and left the clearing, all but unnoticed by the others, broken only by Tenchi's soft sputtered, "B-B-Both of them?"

"Of course," Cologne said, "It is the logical solution when two such strong claims by equally vibrant women share equal legitimacy with an available bachelor such as yourself. I merely point out that a Prince of the royal Juraian blood is entitled to have more than one wife, just as my father's father had you by a different woman than his own mother."

"Oh my," Ayeka said, "It's true that father has two wives, but..."

"Yeah," Ryoko said, "But..." and the two of them exchanged nervous glances.

"Well, it is just an idea," Cologne turned away to hide her smirk, "Perhaps I shouldn't say anything, Nephew. You've obviously got the situation well in hand, so forget the foolish words of a meddlesome Aunt. After all, you are still a young man with prospects, so there's no reason to rush things."

Now the two women flanking him were eyeing Tenchi with suspicion, and the young man wondered if the weather was suddenly heating up because he was starting to feel a bit warm under the collar...

"You know," Katsuhitsu mused, enjoying the nervousness of his grandson, "Cologne does raise a valid point, Tenchi...one you ought to at least consider her words rather than dismiss them, and after all these two would make you very good brides, and the three of you together are stronger than when separate, as you proved against Kagato."

"The three of us?" Ryoko eyed Ayeka.

"Together?" Ayeka mused as if the word were something new to her vocabulary.

Tenchi slumped his shoulders, feeling the weight of his doom settle in over him like the yoke to an oxen. A suggestion here was as good as a commandment, which meant he would be as good as engaged by the end of the day if he didn't think of a reason quick that might deflect the logic of this suggestion. Unfortunately he could not think of a single reason himself. Ayeka was so nice, and Ryoko was very exciting to be around. He had only known them for the better part of a year but already it was becoming hard to think of his life without the two of them in it.

Cologne was enjoying her moment in the sun, away from the craziness that was her life in Nerima. As lively as these young people could be, it was still a tamer existence than could lately be found around the Tendo dojo, and besides that her Nephew needed her wisdom to guide him through the difficult times that appeared to be ahead for a prince of the Jurai, a part of her own heritage that she had only recently sought to embrace.

Of course it was merely a vacation, she told herself, and not because she was trying to stay out of sight from a certain blonde haired member of her tribe who had recently demonstrated a renewal of long dormant interest. When she was satisfied that the need for her services here was at an end she would return to resume the training of the young people in Nerima. Shampoo could not possibly hold a grudge against her forever, and then there was Akane and Ryoga, whom she had promised to provide the benefits of her teaching.

Unknown to the youthful Matriarch the very figure whose attention she was seeking to avoid smiled down from the concealment of high branches far overhead. Siren chuckled softly to herself as she hid within the spell of concealment that she had cast over herself and mused aloud, "So this is where you've been hiding yourself, my dear Kho-chan. So nice to see you getting back to your roots, but if you think you can avoid my notice you have another think coming..."

Cologne, of course, did not hear those words being spoken, but a curious tingle along her spine caused her to pause for a moment and glance at the heavens as if sensing a reason to be worried...

"...And these are my two assistants, Romeo and Julian," Ganglot explained to Ryomi, indicating the two Amazons, who had by this point gotten dressed for the occasion, "Children, this is my great granddaughter, Ryomi...or rather one of my current generation of lineal descendants."

"Charmed," Ryomi eyed the strawberry-haired girl who carried herself in such a way that she knew instinctively that this one was a fighter. The brown haired Chinese boy had a studious look about him and did not stand at a ready posture, marking him more as a Nerd in her estimation. (Not that she had anything against Nerds, of course, since many of her acquaintance had been pretty nice guys when you got to know them.)

"An honor," Romeo replied as she studied the dark haired girl who wore her hair in a warrior's braid, to say nothing of the Apache-style headband that she wore to keep her eyes clear.

"Lady Ganglot," Julian spoke up, "You say one of your descendants, but how many children have been sired by your son and his offspring?"

"More than you might think," Ganglot said in amusement, "But of those surviving in the Hibiki clan I intend to stage something of a mini-family reunion. My granddaughter is the key, of course, as she is presently staying in town with some friends who go way back. I intend to take Ryomi to see her in a few days, after Ryo-chan and I had time to get to know one another better."

"Why not right now?" Ryomi asked.

"Patience," Ganglot winked at her, "I'm told that it is considered a virtue. There are problems inherent in moving too quickly and revealing my hand prematurely. I have only been out of my crypt for but a day and a half, child...I have not yet had time to organize everything to insure a safe and happy reunion...and if I move too quickly there will be certain parties who will move in opposition, not least of whom is your evil grandmother."

"If my grandfather's such a cool guy, how could anybody he married be evil?" Ryomi wondered.

"Ah...the mysteries of modern relationships," Ganglot sighed, "If I knew the answer to that one I would be a very wise Oni, and not simply a very experienced one. Let's just say that Cybelle and I do not see eye to eye about a lot of things, and that she was certainly easier to get along with when my son was around to temper her devilish impulses. I have been watching too much of life pass me by without being able to directly participate, and now I have so much lost time to make up for..." she sighed, then ruffled Ryomi's hair, "Well, time enough to reminisce. Have you eaten anything since this morning? I was going to order up a sumptuous meal from a local Chinese restaurant, but if you prefer American style foods I can call for a pizza."

"Thanks Great Granny," Ryomi smirked, "It's gonna take me a while go get used to calling you that."

"Well, then we're even," Ganglot replied with an impish grin, "It's going to take me quite a while to get used to being surrounded by a family. You two, of course, will join us for dinner?"

"If that is your wish, Lady," Romeo nodded.

"It's not like we had any other plans any-oof!" Julian exclaimed as he received an affectionate rap from his girlfriend's elbow.

Ryomi chuckled, "You two are funny, but how'd you get stuck with names like Romeo and Juliet? Your parents must really have been into Shakespeare."

"Actually they are not their real names," Ganglot explained before ether Amazon could reply to it (or rather Romeo could reply as Julian was still attempting to get his wind back), "Names have power, you see, and since these two will be close to me for the duration, I would prefer it if I not leave any openings for Cybelle to exploit. As these names are a close equivalent to their given Amazon names I thought it would provide just enough insulation that my Daughter-in-  
law's calculations won't be able to touch them. Her spells require careful measurement and adjustment to the specific parameters of a target and...well, I can explain the rest of that later. This way, people..."

As the Demoness led the way into a side chamber, Romeo turned to Julian and asked, "Did you understand a word of that?"

"Maybe one in three," Julian replied before adding in a hesitant voice, "I think she means to protect us against this enemy who married her son."

"Hard to imagine that is the fearsome Ganglot of legend," Romeo murmured softly, "If this is some elaborate deception on her part, it's beyond me to fathom."

"If I didn't know better I'd say you were starting to like her," Julian smirked in amusement.

"Whatever gave you that idea," Romeo scowled, but her attempted bravado was transparent to her beloved, who smiled at her as she passed him and dutifully fell in step a pace and a half behind her...

THE PRESENT:

"...And what about you?" Skuld was asking as she finished off her third helping of ice cream, "You were kidnapped by that Kirin guy and taken on board his ship..."

"That's right," Nabiki bounced one bare leg off of the other as she winked at the Goddess, "I was the helpless damsel carried off by a wicked prince while my shining, gallant knight and his companions struggled to follow after me, and with my sister and Sham-chan smuggled on board while trying to help me. Of course it wasn't going to be easy for any of us...we had close to three hundred miles to cover in a slow-moving blimp with a gondola the size of an office building, and my friends having only a yacht to follow us in. I didn't get all the details of what happened with Ranma and the others until well after they caught up to me, and I was a little too preoccupied with my more immediate problems to do more than fret about any of that. Kirin and his henchmen were a pretty tough group. It wasn't looking too good for our heroine, let me tell you, and the worst was yet to come!"

"The worst?" Skuld was clearly hanging on the edge of her metaphorical seat with the spoon in her mouth, her eyes as wide as any ordinary human girl listening to a good campfire story.

"Oh yeah," Nabiki formed a circle between her thumb and her forefinger, "Stay tuned for part two, kiddies, and I guarantee it's a doozy..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Dramatic Pauses: shadowmane

The warm-up is over, now we get to the real fun in the next chapter. What happened during Nabiki and Ranma's lost weekend, and what about Shampoo and Akane? Will Ryoga and Ukyo be able to set aside their differences long enough to work together, and if so will Makoto be enough to turn the odds in their favor? All that and more when we pick up the pace, for the race is on and may the better Man, Woman or Aquatransexual win! So be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	95. Chapter 95

NabikiRan91 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
including characters and situations created by Naoko Takeuchi)  
Chapter Ninety-One.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Okay, so far my day was not looking up in other than the physical sense, that being largely because I had been hauled into a sky ship like some refugee from a kid's Manga. You can imagine I wasn't in too good a mood after having been wrapped up in fishing line and hauled out of my own yard like some prized catch of the day, and by a little shrimp with big ears no less! Sure landing in the arms of a handsome prince is some girls' idea of a fantasy dream come true, but not when that selfsame Prince is a chopstick wielding maniac who thinks kidnapping a bride is a great way to save on the costs of actual courtship.

I was still recovering from having been yanked when Ranma staged a daring (and fruitless) attempted rescue, only I saw him get rebuffed by the big guy with the pole arm, but being the stubborn cuss that he is Ranma tried to get around that obstacle, only to get halted in mid-kick by nothing less than a pair of chopsticks! My so-called Prince then chucked my real iinazuke over the side like tossing back a catch he didn't wanted, and seeing as we were a lot higher off the ground than seemed reasonable to my thinking I had an understandable concern that my boyfriend was about to have a very rude landing.

I called out to him, of course, but my cries were ignored as I was whisked away into the ship that served as a giant gondola suspended in the air by a huge blimp by numerous cables. I had no chance of seeing if Ranma survived or not, or if he landed on something other than his fool head, which meant he might actually hurt something! (Or somebody, but at the time he was kind of topping the chart on my concern priority, followed a close second by myself as I was herded off to a waiting room below decks.

I can't really sum up my thoughts about this point, being as I was a little too hysterical with worry to take much more than peripheral interest in my immediate surroundings. Ranma had said that he had something important that he wanted to tell me, and now it was looking like I wouldn't get the chance to find out what he wanted. Instead I became aware of a certain tightness in my chest that wasn't exactly like fear but definitely was anything but pleasant. I kept replaying in my mind the way he was insisting that he was going to tell me something that I knew instinctively was important to our engagement, and of course I went and jumped to the wrong conclusions, but then I wanted to tell him how important he was to me, so you can see that I was a little distracted for the first few minutes of my captivity. In fact it wasn't until I was summoned by Prince Kirin that I had time to calm down and start to think rationally again about my current situation.

First off I started to notice that this ship seemed an awful lot bigger on the inside than it had appeared from the outside. The corridors were as long as those of a palace, and the chamber I was escorted to had the spacious quality of a throne room. That might have been a trick of the d cor fooling the eye to make it seem as if things were larger than they actually were, but I don't think it was quite that simple. Then again if the ship really was that huge it would have weighed a couple thousand metric tons, which was a lot more weight than could be kept airborne by what had seemed like a non-rigid airbag of the type that I had observed during my actual kidnapping.

Like I said, the room I was shown to had the look of a Palace, complete with a throne on a raised dais, and there was the guy who headed the show sitting on top of a large ceramic pot and accompanied by his circus troop of oddly-dressed retainers. I took notice of the architectural layout of the place and saw that it had been constructed for aesthetic rather than practical considerations with these seven characters being seated to make an ostentatious presentation to anyone standing where I was, the obvious guest that they were seeking to impress here. There were other figures moving about in the room, of course, minor court retainers wearing hooded masks that were probably meant to help them fade into the background, and I quietly estimated that the ship probably had a crew compliment of a couple hundred. There were guards situated at the back of the chamber, but I suspected that they were largely there for show as the Prince and his courtiers seemed manifestly confident in their own abilities, a confidence that I had reason to suspect was not overrated.

One of those seven creeps was the short guy who had wrapped me up in his fishing line, and I heard his name given as Ebiten, the most trusted of Kirin's henchmen, currently serving in the slot of a Chamberlain as he introduced me as the future bride of his employer.

You can imagine that I didn't take too well to this bit of news, and I wasted no time making my opinions known on this subject.

"BRIDE?" I repeated in a calm and reasonable tone of voice, "You've got to be kidding me! I'm not marrying him!" and I pointed directly at the Prince just in case anyone was hazy on that topic.

"You object to being the Bride of Kirin?" the guy asked, referring himself in the third person, which I found mildly grating.

"Damned straight!" I folded my arms over my chest and said, "You just kidnapped me from my home and assaulted my boyfriend! Where the heck do you come off assuming I want anything to do with you, let alone becoming your wife?"

"But you had the sacred scroll," the man replied in an irritatingly calm tone of voice, "By the laws of Nekonron that makes you the fated Bride of Kirin."

The little shrimp held up the half-scroll that had fallen into my unsuspecting hands with a smug expression that made me want to hit him on general principles. As I'm not normally a violent person, I think you can see just how ticked off I was at being roped into this arrangement.

"What about it?" I asked, "It's not mine. I caught it on the rebound. It really belongs to some girl riding an elephant who came crashing into our yard and started yelling at Gramps, then threw it at him."

"How strange," the Prince replied, "You are saying that the scroll came into your hands by mere chance?" He smiled, "I would call it fate in motion. The scroll selected you at the exact appointed hour when Kirin was fated to come looking for his bride. The hour of our meeting was fated to be this way, and so there can be no doubting that you are his bride, and Kirin is most fortunate to have a Bride who is as lovely and obviously intelligent as you strike Kirin as being."

I'll admit the guy was a smooth talker, and I felt slightly less ruffled as I stood more relaxed with one hand on my hip, studying these people with my usual intent at finding out what's going on in their heads. I could see this guy wasn't a total idiot like Kuno (correction, like Kuno USED to be), he actually sounded quite sincere, and while he was highly Provincial in his thinking, it was plain that he was anything but slow-witted.

"You think just because of quirk in the way the thing landed in my lap that I'm supposed to automatically go along with whatever kind of plans you've got? Sorry, Buster, but I don't work that way. Tendo Nabiki is not for sale, and you don't get on my good side by shanghaiing me off into your little cloud kingdom."

"Your name is Tendo Nabiki?" the Prince said with the look of somebody who preferred only to hear what fitted his own interests, "A curious name, but one that will become most fond to Kirin's heart."

I made a slightly rude noise of exasperation and said, "Aren't you listening to me? I said NO WAY am I marrying you! You can't just kidnap me and expect me to marry you..."

"But that is the way it has always been for my people," the Prince got up and hopped off his pot, still clutching a bowl of rice in one hand while using the chopsticks that he held in the other hand to serve as a pointer, "Kirin's mother was carried off by Kirin's father, and Kirin's grandfather carried off his bride before this, and so on well into the mists of time. It is a long and venerable tradition that has produced many powerful heirs for the Seven Lucky Gods school of martial arts."

"You're putting me on," I said in disgust, "You mean you're descended from a line of guys who think stealing a girl from her home is the way to take a bride?"

"Why?" he asked as if genuinely puzzled by my question, "How is this done in your land? Does your Emperor let others choose his bride for him? That would be most uncivil..."

"Ah..." I could see right away that we had a conceptual problem here, so I tried again to make him understand me, "Look, I hate to break this to you, but I've already got a fiancee, and he's more than I can handle some days, so there's no way I'm getting engaged to another guy, you got that?"

"And who is this miscreant who would dare presume that he is worthy of the Bride of Kirin?" the Prince asked as if he were the one who had been offended against.

"You just met him..." I paused as the memory of Ranma being batted away came back into mind, but I forced myself to pretend that I wasn't worried about that, "He's going to come after me and get me back, just you wait and see! You won't stand a chance if you go up against Ranma!"

"Hmm," Kirin gave me a haughty look and said, "He did not seem all that formidable, and Kirin has easily dispatched far more impressive sorts than that. Do not entertain false thoughts that such a one will stand in combat against Kirin, Master of the Seven Lucky Gods School of martial arts. If he tries to take you from Kirin then he will fall, as would anyone else who sides with him."

I looked into the man's eyes and felt something akin to what I had felt against Mousse the previous day, and without thinking I moved forward to slap him, but he easily caught my hand and gave me a look of tolerant indulgence. That set me off right there, and without another thought I did exactly what I had against Mousse and froze time for a few seconds, allowing me to strike his face this time without him being able to stop me.

Of course the problem when I hit people that way is that my blows tend to carry a lot more kinetic force than they normally would have, so my simple slap picked him up and knocked him back into his pot-throne. Time resumed one second later as everyone reacted to my blow as though I had just shot him dead with a pistol.

"Master Kirin!" cried the diminutive Ebiten as the rest of Kirin's lackeys were on their feet and reacting with alarm with the guards at the rear of the room leveling their spears in my direction.

And then I saw that everyone was looking not at the prince but at the rice bowl in his hand, and as I turned to notice this I saw that the slice of pickle resting upon it had fallen off, which I came to realize a few seconds later was a grave social gaffe of the first order.

Before I had time to so much as nervously chuckle like Ryoga I found myself whisked away and thrown into the pokey. I was locked inside a massive empty pickle jar with the lock slapped in place and a pair of burly guards posted on the outside. I found myself trapped in total darkness alone with nothing more than a slight circulation of air to inform me that the thing had ventilation.

I've never been in prison before, I've rarely even been sent to my room, and I've never had my personal freedom be this severely restricted, so I don't mind telling you I did not react well to this solitary confinement. I knew I'd brought this on myself by reacting without thinking, but how else was I supposed to react to finding myself playing the Romantic heroine in some bizarre Chinese Fable come to life? The sensory deprivation alone got to me within only a few minutes and I began fervently wishing against hope that Ranma was somehow on his way to rescue me...though I have to confess at that point I was at a loss to know just how he was going to find me.

I also had a fleeting thought of Shampoo and my sisters, and I wondered if I was ever going to see them again? I was even hoping that maybe Lotion would magically appear and effect my rescue, but all I could do at that time was sit tight and try to keep my sanity, wondering all the while what everybody was doing at that precise moment and if anyone even knew or cared about my crazy situation...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Fighting the air currents to gain altitude was proving more difficult for me than I would have imagined. My cursed form was designed to operate best in the air, but I had a long way to go before I could fully master the art of gliding on air currents. Had I not been practicing regularly in the weeks since my curse was modified, I know that I would have been at a loss to gain the altitude I needed, let alone catch up with the balloon that was holding my Nabiki.

But I was determined, and there was no way that I would lose out on my love to a silly blimp, which was little more than a bag of hot air holding up a ship against the normal pull of gravity. I was using every trick that I had learned to rise closer to my goal, even beating my wings when necessary as the wind might occasionally shift against me

Even granted that I have heard the legends concerning the Seven Lucky Gods school and know by reputation that they would are formidable fighters, I was still determined to prevail against them. It was a fortunate thing that the object of my pursuit was very ponderous and slow moving, because if it had been a plane I most likely would have left her eating its dust. At most I could achieve an airspeed of roughly forty nautical miles, not counting back drafts and periodic uplifts, while it was cruising at a leisurely rate of maybe thirty or so knots, giving me a very slight edge as I gradually closed the distance between us. The winds were favoring me more than the blimp as it was traveling against them, while a strong headwind was picking me up and carrying me the remaining few hundred yards that I needed in order to reach my target. I was almost upon it at the last, feeling the strain of my exertions, only to fall short at the last second as the winds died out on me at a far-too-critical moment.

I cried out in protest, seeing my chances of rescuing Nabiki escaping through my claws as I tried desperately to will myself to reverse her directions and come closer to the vessel. Had I failed at that moment I doubt that I would have had the strength for a second attempt, but just as I was starting to lose hope, strong hands caught me from behind and a familiar voice said, "I've got you, Shampoo...hold on! I'll get us both up there, no problem!"

Akane? I was so surprised at this that I might have made things more difficult for her, but I instinctively folded my wings and allowed the winged Tendo girl to get a better grip under me in her arms as more powerful wings than my own beat the air and helped improve our angle of ascent. Akane surprised me with the grace and speed that she generated with her cursed form, having improved very much since the last time I had seen her attempting levitation.

All at once the railing of the ship came into view, but there were guards on the deck, so Akane dropped us down a few feet and grabbed the railing with one hand, placing me on a ledge beneath the rail with the other. I wasted no time digging my claws into the wood and finding a safe purchase to hold onto. Akane clung to the rail beside me and the two of us waited nervously to see if we had been spotted. When no one came closer to investigate the Angel heaved a sigh of relief then said, "We've gotta get inside somehow without setting off any alarms. Got any ideas on that?"

I meowed that I had a plan and began climbing along the edge of the rail until I found a glass-covered portal just wide enough for Akane and myself to fit through. I nudged it with my nose then looked at Akane in a meaningful manner. My sometime Apprentice nodded her understanding and tried to pry the window open with her fingers, finding it latched from within, which momentarily impeded her best efforts.

"Darn," Akane frowned, "If I break it open that's bound to be heard by somebody. It's latched on the other side...hey! Shampoo, you think you can get in there and open it for me?"

"Meow!" I said, signifying that I agreed with her suggestion, and then with Akane's assistance I managed to climb up over the railing. I slipped along the deck, as stealthy as a shadow, moving as fluidly as I could to avoid the notice of the deck hands, who seemed more intent with scanning over the sides of the ship as if detecting landmarks or expecting trouble from a greater distance.

The hatchway leading to the decks below was closed, of course, but I found a place of concealment near enough at hand and waited in hiding until somebody opened it, then quickly slipped past their legs before they were any the wiser.

Inside the vessel itself I smelled the perfume of heavy incense and many spices, which of course caused my nose to twitch with irritation. It would impede my ability to pick up Nabiki's scent, of course, which was annoying but simply a factor to be dealt with. Of secondary concern was the realization that the ship had a form of size distortion that would make it difficult for me to estimate direction and distance, but as Akane was waiting for her at the bow of the ship I knew that I would have to find that window port and quickly. There was no telling how long Akane could hold on in the relatively thin air and cooler environment afforded by the altitude at which we traveled, where even I-  
mountain born and bred-had difficulty breathing.

I proceeded down the corridor as stealthily as I could manage while still moving in great haste, crouched low near to the wall when-as I approached a corner-I heard voices coming my way. I immediately made myself small and folded my wings over my body while emptying my mind of all thoughts and waited for them to pass, and a moment later I spied a pair of oddly dressed men in black and white garments whose heads were obscured beneath simple hoods with two eye holes cut out, giving them an oddly ghost-like appearance, as though intentionally garbed to minimize their visual aspect.

They were speaking a sub-dialect of Mandarin that I was just barely able to make out, and one of them was saying, "...Did you see what the Prince's new Bride did? How shocking! "

"Imagine a woman with the effrontery to dare assault the Prince," the other man replied, "It will be a scandal when word of this reaches the homeland. "

"It amazes me that the Prince should be so lenient with her, merely locking her in confinement. "

"She'll come around to understanding what is best for her," the other agreed, "They always do. "

Always do? No sooner had the men passed me then I continued on with even greater haste. My wife had dared to display her temper with Prince Kirin, and while I have never heard that Nekonron is as oppressive as the Musk Dynasty, I knew well enough that the men throughout most of China do not take well to a woman who asserts her independence.

I found my way to the rear chamber, only to discover to my dismay that it was guarded by two male warriors who stood alert as if recently called to alarm over some matter. It did not take much of a deduction on my part to understand that this was where Prince Kirin and his most trusted retainers gathered to hold audience, in which case sneaking in there was unlikely to be effective. I briefly paused to consider my options, such as discerning if this vessel had a ventilation system through which I might crawl (one of the advantages of my small cursed form that I had discovered was the ease with which I could gain entrance to even the most secured facilities. That might allow me to escape notice for a little while, but if discovered I would be at a severe disadvantage. My cursed form is not very good for fighting in, (unless you count the ways in which I can scratch an opponent's face) and if I were to face my enemies in battle I would prefer to do it as an Amazon.

Regaining my human form therefore took priority over reaching Akane, and I just hoped the winged girl would be able to hold on a bit longer as a new plan began forming in my mind. I even smiled to myself as I decided to stop fighting my feline instincts and allow my nose to lead me to the kitchen. The trail of vinegar alone would make it impossible for even Ryoga not to find it, and once there I was certain that I would find some boiling water. I would then seek out my Apprentice and together we would liberate my wife, her sister and be gone before these pickle-eating fools were any the wiser.

At least that was how my plan was supposed to go in theory, but as Great Grandmother has often told me, the Gods dearly love to play with the best laid schemes of mortals, and no strategy was ever to survive intact when the first encounter with the enemy runs headlong into the dreaded God named Murphy...

A yacht sailed forth from Tokyo harbor while the rays of the late afternoon were still full in the heavens. The good ship Viziens II (Oddly named, but that was a quirk of Kodachi's father) sped out on an uncertain course heading, looping around one bend before steaming off in a generally Westerly direction.

Sasuke was not entirely comfortable at the helm, but his Mistress had insisted he man the wheel while she lay out on the main deck getting a good suntan, along with Kasumi, who was serving everyone some tea and refreshments. The grim-faced Ranma insisted on standing near to the prow of the ship, engaged in low-voiced conversations with the Elder Lotion (besides Hinako, about the only other person on board who made the diminutive Ninja feel oddly taller). On the Port side of the vessel stood Ryoga, silent and as inscrutable as the Sphinx as he contemplated the ocean, giving not the least sign that he was in any way seasick (though the green Sasuke spotted about his gills was a pretty strong indication). The Starboard side, as if by agreement, belonged to Kuonji Ukyo, presently in her female aspect, and hovering near to her side was the giantess, Makoto. That left only Happosai, the Demon Master, currently in his cursed male form hovering near to the child Hinako as if tethered to her side by an invisible leash. For some reason Sasuke felt oddly troubled by this as if moved to pity the ancient pervert, a most rare experience for him as Sasuke was usually accustomed to pitying himself around the Kuno siblings.

From what little he had been able to discern from his Mistress's terse explanations was that the Middle Tendo child, Nabiki, had been kidnapped by some skyborne pirates. They were therefore chasing after these miscreants in order to get her back and were being guided to a rendezvous point by the withered old lady, who had an uncanny knack for such things, which reminded Sasuke a little too much of his own grandmother. (He had not heard from the ancient Witch in many years but the mere mention of her name still sent shivers down his spine...thank the Kami she had found a child-apprentice to occupy her affairs of late so that she had ceased paying visits to look up on how Sasuke was doing. He passingly wondered if his ever-young Grandmother were somehow related to the Elder Cologne as well as being around the youth-restored Matriarch came nearer to being with his Granny than Sasuke found prudent.)

(Wherever you are, little Kotetsu), he thought to himself in silent earnestness, (I hope you are well, or in at least as much of an intact condition as your Mistress-with her perverse whims-finds to her liking...)

"Sasuke-san," the voice of the old woman snapped him back to the present, "Five degrees more to starboard and increase our speed to seventeen knots."

"Hai!" Sasuke found himself responding to the command by turning automatically to the new course adjustment as if ordered to do so by the Mistress (which in a sense he had been seeing as Kodachi had instructed him to follow the Lore Master's instructions as if they were her own). Of course he was left to wonder how they were going to catch up with a flying ship using a mere boat for transportation, even granted that the Kuno family yacht could move at a pretty brisk pace when needful, but far be it from the likes of him to question the wisdom of his betters.

And so the Good Ship Vinziens II, with nine passengers and a crew of one, sailed off towards the mainland for something more than a three hour tour, which was the only thing separating it so far from a certain other vessel of international distinction...

"You seem troubled, young Master," Lotion was saying to Ranma as Sasuke complied with her latest set of directions, "Do you doubt that we will find your lady loves in time to make an appropriate rescue?"

"Huh?" Ranma responded as if surprised by the question, "Ah, it's not that...I'll pound that Kirin guy and get Nabiki back. That ain't what's got me wor-ah-thinking..."

"Then what has troubled you?" Lotion asked, "Is it proposing to your lady loves that still has you tongue tied?"

"Ahh..." Ranma felt his face turn red for more than just the buffeting of the sea winds, "Kinda...but more like something Nabiki said just before this whole mess started out. It was like she got really mad at me about something, and I've never seen her give me such a cold evil-eyed stare before, like I'd just stepped on her favorite stuffed animal..."

"Perhaps it was the way in which you began to ask her for her hand in marriage," Lotion noted sagely, "You might have given her the wrong impression."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "How so?"

"Keep in mind that my Apprentice, while enormously well gifted for her age, is still a young girl, and deeply in love with you, though she does not desire to admit it."

"Ahhh..." Ranma's face was now almost as red as his shirt.

"At the same time she is also a young girl who lost her mother at a very tender age," Lotion continued, "And it was this loss that has colored every aspect of her life ever since. She effectively learned to shut down her emotions in order to function when there was a need for family unity, to turn away from her own grief and bury herself in the task of trying to keep her family financially solvent. She became obsessed with material pursuits and started applying her intellect to finding ways in which to support herself in the absence of her emotionally distraught father. When you entered her life it was at a critical juncture when she was just starting to notice that there were other people in the world with needs besides herself, a too-brief window of opportunity in which she allowed her loneliness to overcome her desire to remain aloof and unaffected. When she chose to be your fianc e she set in motion a chain of circumstances that have since opened her up, both emotionally and intellectually, to seeing the world in entirely new patterns. You are therefore the linchpin of her entire life now, and without you she would be lost and alone, forced back into that empty shell of an existence from which you removed her."

"Ah..." Ranma said more softly, "I...I never...I guess I never looked at it that way..."

"So imagine how she might react if she perceived that you were about to turn away from her and give her the brush off," Lotion concluded, then waited for the inevitable outburst.

"WHAT?" Ranma all but exploded, "How could she think a stupid thing like that? Doesn't she know how much I...I...ah...er...uh..."

"Yes?" Lotion responded with a bland expression.

Ranma looked down and balled his fists, "That stupid baka! Doesn't she know I'd do anything to protect her? Like I hadn't made it obvious enough the way I feel? Does she gotta make me come right out and say it?"

"That could be a good start," Lotion noted, "For the both of you. After all, you are as committed to her as she is to you, but sometimes a girl likes to hear a man actually say that he needs her. Fear is the driving force that kept my Apprentice from admitting that she even has feelings for the longest time, a fear of commitment, with its attendant possibilities for disappointment and rejection."

"No way," Ranma whispered softly, "No way would I ever reject her!"

"Then tell her how you feel, boy," Lotion softly urged, "Make her believe it and understand you. In her heart she knows that you are the one from whom she was destined, and you know that of her as well. You can put the lingering doubts her rational mind has conjured to rest only by giving her your most sincere demonstration of affection and devotion, by overcoming all obstacles and proving yourself in your own eyes so that you will stop doubting this as well."

"Huh?" Ranma said, "I'm not doubting myself!"

"Oh no?" Lotion inclined her head, "Then why do you have trouble saying the words that you know are in your heart? Other men say such things quite freely and rarely mean it, but you hold back and keep from committing yourself in-total to your union. Merely having sex with her is not enough, you must make love to her in such a way that she will never again doubt you."

"But..." Ranma hesitated, "How do I do that?"

"Study Shampoo if you seek for an example," Lotion replied, "She is remarkably uncomplicated in her devotion to the both of you. She gave her heart to you utterly and freely, without restraint or prior commitments. In fact so great was her love for you that when she saw the way you felt towards Nabiki she chose to rather take on the aspect of a second wife rather than abandon either one of you. She is now the third part of both your lives, and the better part of you both in my rather unbiased opinion."

"Shampoo..." Ranma's expression softened as he thought of his Amazon bride, but then his face hardened again and he growled, "She'd better be all right...they'd both better be! If that Kirin creep harms either one of them, then I'll...I'll..." he raised a fist and shook it at the heavens, "I'll make him sorry he was ever born!"

"Then nurture those feelings, Young Master," Lotion replied, "That is exactly the sort of display of sincere conviction that will prove to Nabiki that you are serious about the marriage. It also wouldn't hurt to give Shampoo the same level of commitment as those two girls are going to be the source of much future happiness and frustration yet to come. Be true to what is in your heart and the rest will surely follow."

Ranma turned a hard stare at the old woman and said, "Tell me about this Kirin guy. Is he really good?"

"Judge for yourself," Lotion tapped Ranma on the ankle, "He wields those chopsticks of his the way your mother handles her katana...like an extension of his own being. His speed is quite phenomenal, and he is heir to a very ancient school of consummate martial artists. He and his ancestors are the trusted guardians for one of the Pillar Gates that link this world with the realm of the spirit world, a volcanically active place that you will not find on any conventional map, a place so remote that even the Communist Government does not know of its existence. In effect it is not entirely of this world, governed by rules very different than what prevails out here in the world of mortals."

"Sounds like it'd be pretty hard to find without you along," Ranma noted.

"Perhaps," Lotion replied, "Prince Kirin knows how to find the gap, and if we follow him we will enter his domain where he and his kind wield absolute power. You may have to fight him on his own terrain and beat him by using his power against him, for which you need a strategy, but one that I cannot recommend as it resides in the province of the War Masters. A pity Cologne is not here to council you in such matters..."

"All right," Ranma growled, "I'll bite. What do you think I should do when I face him?"

"You will know when it is time," Lotion replied, "But keep in mind that the strongest attacks are not always the ones you see with the eye but often what you feel with the heart. It is with the heart that you will ultimately triumph."

Ranma heaved a sigh and said, "And I suppose it'd be a waste of time to ask what the heck all of that means?"

"You catch on quick, young War Master," Lotion smiled, "Small wonder you're so popular with the ladies."

As Ranma began to color once again over that, Ryoga turned away from his vigilant stance as he so far had not been able to pick up so much as a speck in the clouds that could be his Akane. Instead he turned to study his chief rival for the winged girl's affections, seeing Ukyo sit in full lotus posture while making complex motions with her hands while softly chanting to herself.

Finally his limited patience could stand it no more and he said, "What the heck are you doing over there, Kuonji?"

"It's called the Nine Levels of Power," Makoto answered for him, "And don't disturb her. Sempai's in a meditative trance and she's trying to learn how to summon up her powers the way her Aunt taught her just the other day."

"I can see Kuonji's school differs in other ways from Sasuke's besides just cooking," Kodachi mused as she shifted her sunglasses, "Chanting exercises are supposed to be good for strengthening the mind and spirit so that a Ninja can become as sharp and focused as any weapon in their arsenal. I do wish, though, that she would take a break for a while and come join us in relaxing...I'm getting exhausted just watching her go at it."

"There's nothing wrong with studying, Kuno-san," Hinako remarked as she looked up from grading papers, "Just because we're on an important mission of mercy is no reason to slacken up in your studies."

"No offense to you, Sensei," Kodachi leered, "But I should think you had other matters that would keep you occupied," and with that the Black Rose used her eyes to indicate the handsome young Happosai currently sitting near the bow to the yacht.

Hinako blushed prettily but said, "I only do it with him when I'm in my adult form, and I need to save up my energy for the next time we face those miscreants. I got a pretty big charge the last time and I could have used it while we were back at the house...but..." she sighed, "Timing really sucks sometimes..."

"Tell me about it," Happosai responded without glancing back in the young-  
seeming teacher's direction.

"Now don't worry about it, everyone," Kasumi smiled brightly as she sat up on her own deck chair, reaching down to her portable bag and pulling out a number of booklets, "There's no reason for anyone to fall behind in their studies. I brought along your study booklets and homework assignments, and Hinako-san here can give you personal tutorage so you'll stay current with the rest of your classmates."

There was a loud groaning from all around as even Ukyo reacted to that comment, and Ranma glanced back in dismay from his end of the boat. Ryoga had a weak, lopsided grin as he said, "She's...something else, isn't she?"

"One of a kind, I think," Makoto quietly nodded.

"How wonderful of you to think ahead, Tendo-san," Hinako clapped her hands together with a big smile, "You must have been a very good student when you were in school yourself. Why didn't you ever go on to college?"

"Not enough time," Kasumi smiled wistfully, "But I do try to keep up on my reading, and Tofu-Sensei even once offered to sponsor me through medical school..."

"You would make a wonderful Nurse, Kasumi-sama," Kodachi mused, "Or an even better doctor. You have such wonderfully sensitive hands and a gentle bedside manner..."

"Ah..." Ukyo winced, "Do we really need to hear this?"

"Why?" Makoto asked, "I think it's very romantic."

"You would," Ryoga said as he turned back towards the railing.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Makoto glared in his direction.

"Just that you fall all over yourself making passes at Kuonji," Ryoga said before he had time to think twice about his outburst.

"Uh oh," Kodachi murmured, sensing trouble in the offing.

"And what would you know about falling all over yourself?" Makoto glared as she turned around to regard the Lost Boy's backside, "If you were more of a man, then your girlfriend wouldn't be hanging around bothering my Sempai!"

"Oh my," Kasumi said, oddly echoing her own companion.

"What did you just say to me?" Ryoga turned around.

"Isn't it obvious?" Makoto shot back, "You let her flirt around because you're too much of a coward to face Akane and tell you about the way you feel, so she gets the weird idea that my Sempai is for her, and you just let her!"

"Uh...guys?" Ukyo pleaded.

"I don't have to take that from you!" Ryoga snapped as he took an aggressive posture, "And it's none of your business what Akane and me...!"

"Oh my," Kodachi said brightly as she scanned the heavens above as though the sun were overhead instead of nearing the horizon, "It's such a nice warm day, and I feel so hot wearing this stuffy thing on my body. I think I'll take it off just to cool down, and why don't you do the same thing, Kasumi-chan?"

"Oh?" Kasumi blinked, then smiled, "Oh yes...that would be a very good idea, wouldn't it?"

And with that both girls reached down and pulled off the tops of their bathing suits, then leaned back and sunned themselves with their gorgeous, ripe nipples exposed to the heavens.

"AH!" Ryoga hastily averted his eyes and gripped the railing until his knuckles turned white.

"Miss Kuno," Hinako said indignantly, "This behavior is most unseemly..."

"Now, now," Kodachi chided, waving a finger without looking the least bit contrite, "My ship, my rules...after all, I am the Captain. We're also far enough from the shores not to pose a traffic hazard, and it's such a nice day to sunbathe. You wouldn't want us to develop tan-lines, now would you?"

Hinako tried to think of a good argument against that, only to notice that Happosai was staring at the two semi-naked girls with eyes as round as dinner plates. With a slight growl in her voice she gripped her man by the collar and said, "Come along, Master Happy, we're going downstairs to discuss this!"

"But Hinako-chan-!" the young-seeming pervert began to protest when he saw the coin that appeared as though by magic in her other hands, and he submissively gave up the fight with hardly more than a mere whimper.

Kodachi turned an amused smirk towards Makoto and said, "Why don't you do the same? It would be a great shame to hide such generous endowments from the eyes of your beloved. I'm certain Kuonji here wouldn't mind seeing you topless."

"Oh?" Makoto got over her surprise at the behavior of the other two girls and smiled, glancing at Ukyo before undoing the top of her own halter, "That's a great idea...I really hate feeling this constricted. It's hard to breathe with one of these things on, don't you agree, Sempai?"

"Hah?" it was Ukyo's turn to have her eyes go as wide as saucers, and then she hastily covered her nose and forced her eyes to look forward over the railing, certain that to do otherwise would be to risk having a Ryoga-style nosebleed!

"Ah...nice!" Makoto stretched and flexed her arms as she thrust her chest outward, displaying her large breasts for all the world to see like a pair of orbiting moons that had affixed themselves to her body, and without even having to look at them Ukyo could see in her own mind the image burned into her retinas, of a pair of rosy pink areolas sparing out from pale peach orbs the sides of grapefruits. This thought alone shattered any hope she had of regaining the focus of her concentration.

"I don't even wanna know," Ranma murmured to himself as he averted his own eyes, having paused only long enough to make a mental size comparison between Makoto's breasts and those of a certain Amazon who came bouncing up in his imagination to glomp him with conceptual affection.

"That Kodachi is quite a strategist," Lotion murmured, almost to herself, "What a novel way of diffusing such a tense situation. The surprising thing is that Kasumi picked up on her thoughts without the Kuno girl needing to voice them. That's such an excellent display of teamwork in action."

"Sure beats the hell out of letting those two fight and wreck the boat," Ranma agreed without turning away from his silent search of the heavens.

"Stay focused, keep your eyes on the compass," Sasuke murmured to himself over and over, hoping that he would not accidentally run them aground as his mind kept drifting back to that brief glance of his Mistress and her Mistress.

Makoto was only mildly disappointed at not being able to draw more of Ukyo's attention, thinking that the rosy hue to the Chef's cheeks was a nice indication that her beloved Sempai was definitely interested. Now if only she could help Ucchan overcome her reluctance to express such feelings openly? It had taken a real sense of desperation for Makoto to overcome her own shyness and come this far, but once exposed to the sun she found she liked it very much. That gave her a wicked idea, and she smiled the more deeply before voicing her thought aloud.

"You know, Sempai," she said as calmly as she could manage, "You could join us in getting naked. It'll probably be a few hours more before we catch up with those kidnappers."

"Naked?" Ukyo's voice was muffled by her hands, but now she definitely KNEW she was going to have a nosebleed! The thought of exposing herself to Makoto...of the two of them...being like that...!

"Hey!" Ryoga cried out, "I think I see something...it's shaped like a balloon!"

"You baka," Ranma growled, "That's just a regular blimp. You don't see a ship dangling from the bottom, do you?"

"It's too soon for us to intercept them," Lotion smoothly intervened to head off an argument between the brothers, "Be patient, you will know the time, and I will make certain that we catch up to them, young Warriors. Be assured that I will now allow Prince Kirin to get away with stealing my apprentice."

As if on cue a beeping noise came from Makoto's side, further distracting the tall girl from her attempts to coach Ukyo into a more open commitment. With an apologetic smile at her Sempai she flipped open her portable compact communicator and said, "Just a minute, guys, I'll talk to you when I'm able." She turned to Kodachi and said, "Mind if I use the cabin down below?"

"Be my guest," Kodachi replied with a leisurely, contented expression, "Far be it from any of us to want to interfere in important Senshi business."

"Terrific," Makoto rolled her eyes, "My Cover's been blown big time."

"Not at all," Kodachi replied, "Just remember to transform into your Jupiter aspect when the time is ripe and don't bother to worry about the rest of us seeing you," she glanced meaningfully in Ukyo's direction.

Makoto could not help but softly chuckle at that while Ukyo reacted as it struck between the shoulderblades by that last remark. As the tall girl headed for the below decks she mused to herself that it was about as hard to keep a secret with this crowd as it would be among her fellow Senshi.

And speaking of which, she flipped her compact open as soon as she was reasonably alone and said, "Mako here...what is it, Usagi? Any trouble while I'm away?"

"Nope," her cheerful blonde friend said, "It's as quiet as Rei's temple around tourist season, no reports of Youma activity, although Luna and Artemis are complaining about you spending time this far away from Tokyo. You must really have it bad for your Sempai if you're willing to do this thing solo."

"It's what I have to do," Makoto replied, "A friend of my Sempai's been kidnapped...your cousin's girlfriend no less, and I'm going to help Ukyo get her back."

Usagi's expression grew serious for a moment and she said a bit more gently, "How's Ranma holding up? This has gotta be awfully hard on him..."

"She was taken right out from under his nose and in broad daylight," Makoto replied, "And he couldn't even stop it. How do you think that would make you feel if somebody did that to Rei?"

"A good point," Usagi nodded, but then she cheered up again and said, "And how about you? Have you gotten to first base yet or are you still in the flirting around stages?"

"Ah..." Makoto blushed as the indelicate way Usagi put that, "We're making progress, but it's still touch-and-go. I'll let you know if Sempai and I really do work things out..."

"Let me talk to her!" Minako's voice was heard to say as she all but shoved Usagi out of the way, then her face dominated the view screen, "Mako-chan, you get back here safe and sound just as soon as you get finished, you got that? We still have some things to discuss ourselves, or don't you remember?"

"Ah..." It was Makoto's turn to look as awkward as Ukyo when she tried flirting in the boy-girl's presence, "Mina-chan...I know we were going to talk some more after school, but...this kinda came up out of the blue, you know? There's no need to be jealous..."

"JEALOUS?" Minako's voice screeched over the com-lines and almost caused Makoto to drop the compact, "I AM NOT JEALOUS OF THAT...THAT...THAT HENTAI! If you want to flirt with that boy-girl cross dresser then go right ahead and see if I care! You just remember when you get back here that we're going to have serious words about it..."

"Ah, Mina-chan," Makoto smiled lamely, "Please calm down..."

"I AM BEING CALM!" Minako's blue eyes blazed, only to blink as they scrolled down as if trying to look below the level of the screen, "Are you naked over there? What the hell are you doing...?":

"Ah, gotta go, seeya later!" Makoto hastily broke the link then heaved a sigh. Who would have ever imagined that her best friend could be so possessive?

"Troubles on the homefront?"

Makoto gasped as she whirled around to find Ukyo standing there on the stairway landing. There was a brief pause while the Chef's eyes once again took in the tall girl's most prominent features, and then she hastily looked away and said, "Sorry...I didn't mean to...I...ah..."

"Sempai?" Makoto took several deep breaths to calm herself, "You scared me..."

"Sorry about that," Ukyo turned away so that he back was to Makoto, "Uh...look...I know your friend cares a lot about you, and I sure can't blame her...um...but...maybe it's for the best..."

"Maybe what's for the best?" Makoto regarded her friend with an odd expression, "Are you afraid I'm going to have to choose between you and her? I hope it never comes to that because you both mean a lot to me, Sempai. Please don't turn away from me because Mina-chan is a little jealous."

"Jealous like Akane?" Ukyo sighed, "I keep half expecting she's going to come swooping down on me from the air and catch us doing something that I'll regret. Sometimes I don't know which way to turn around the both of you...you're both so nice, but I feel like I'm being torn in two directions..."

"Am I really being that pushy?" Makoto asked, "I'm sorry...I guess I've been unfair to you, Sempai, coming on so strong and all that..."

"Oh, I haven't minded...much," Ukyo amended lamely, "If anything it's very flattering to have someone like you going to all this trouble...when you know what kind of a mess my life's been lately. I really appreciate you for being so supportive..."

"Sempai," Makoto chuckled as she scuffed one bare foot on the floor and posed coyly, enjoying the sense that her nudity gave her a strategic advantage, but wanting to reassure Ukyo at the same time that she understood the other girl's feelings, "You're worth it to me. You were my first love, and I've never forgotten about you. You haven't been leading me on or anything, and I've just been trying to make it obvious to you how much I appreciate what you've been through..."

Ukyo gave a soft half-chuckle at that, "Well, you've succeeded, now I can't stop thinking about you either..." she caught herself a moment and hastily added, "As a friend...well...as more than just a friend...in fact...in fact I...I...I think I...I...you..."

"Sempai," Makoto whispered the word this time and daring much she took a step forward and placed her hand on Ukyo's shoulder, "I love you too."

"You...you do?" Ukyo turned around and stared up into Makoto's eyes, really looking into her eyes, and there were tears in her own as the Chef struggled with her emotions.

"Sempai," Makoto breathed the word as their faces leaned closer together.

"Mako-chan..." there was only a slight hesitation this time, and then Ukyo allowed herself to be drawn into the other girl's arms, giving in to temptation as their mouths came together and Makoto's large breasts pressed up against the material of Ukyo's own clothing. They held each other like that for a long time but then Ukyo broke the kiss and leaned over to murmur in Makoto's ear, "Call me Ucchan."

"Ucchan..." Makoto whispered, and then all restraints were abandoned, all doubts were banished and the two best friends finally gave in to the smoldering fire that was swiftly ignited between them. In mere moments that fire was built up into a blazing inferno, electricity sparking the air as though the young couple were giving off faint electrostatic discharges.

"Oh my," Kodachi lifted her sunglasses as she heard the snap-crackle and pop hiss from down below, "Now that's electricity for you...I just hope they don't short out my yacht's electrical systems."

"Mistress?" Sasuke called out from the top deck, "The compass needle is spinning like a top! I can't make out which way we are headed..."

"Not to worry," Lotion replied, "I can tell the direction, and I'll do what I can to bleed off some of those discharges so that they do no serious damage."

"Other than to the floorboards you mean?" Ranma lifted an eyebrow as he heard a distinctive bumping noise from below that his own personal experiences translated as someone getting on with some serious action.

"Ah...Hinako-chan?" Happosai whimpered to the now fully-adult Hinako, who was presently bending over him planting a number of kisses on his face in the cabin they were currently sharing, "Do you hear something outside?"

"Don't try and distract me, Master," Hinako replied in a deep, sultry voice between passionate kisses, "You've been asking for this all day now..." and with that she sank her face between his thighs, and a moment later the young-seeming old pervert crossed his eyes and forgot all about the groaning and muffled gasps taking place in the next compartment.

"Hmm," Kasumi purred, glancing over at Kodachi, "Do you think, maybe, that they have the right idea?"

"I don't see why not," Kodachi replied, "We won't be needed until we catch up with the Airship, and it would be a waste of a day not to seize hold of the moment. Besides, your sister would not want us to deny ourselves and fret only for her sake."

"I suppose that's true," Kasumi said with only a slight hesitation, "But where can we go? It's probably a little crowded downstairs..."

"Not to worry," Kodachi grinned as she draped a hand down under her chair and came away holding a tarp, which same she tossed over the two of them as it somehow transformed itself into a portable pup tent, "I always come prepared for such occasions."

Ryoga blinked his eyes then shook his head, "Don't those two ever get tired of doing that?"

"What are you asking me for?" Ranma called back, "I've got enough of my own problems."

Sasuke's hands were gripping the wheel hard enough that he almost tore it from its moorings when he jerked his head at that statement. He calmed himself by absently chanting a mantra, the result of one of his Mistress's punitive sessions where he had been forced to watch more dreck, yet which somehow could actually sooth his nerves under such nerve-wracking condition. In a soft sotto-  
voice he began chanting, "I love you, you love me, we're as happy as can be..."

It would not be until six more hours had passed that they finally managed to catch up with the Ship of Kirin...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Kirin's recipes for Pickled Cucumbers: shadowmane

Akane and Shampoo combine forces to effect a desperate rescue, but will they save Nabiki from the flames of a false engagement or will it be out of the frying pan into the fire, and will it be their bacon that gets fried by Kirin? Will Ranma and company be in time to keep their gooses from being cooked? And now that Ukyo has done it with Makoto, what effect will this have on her feelings towards a certain Tendo Angel, and will Peorth decide to have words about this?

Stay with us until next time for, "Love on Fried Rice," or "What a pickle we've gotten ourselves into this time!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	96. Chapter 96

AtotwSS04

How to make an Okonomiyaki

By Jim Robert Bader

(Featuring the creations of Rumiko Takahashi and Naoko Takeuchi)

HENTAI ALERT: CONTAINS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES OF TWO WOMEN MAKING PASSIONATE WHOOPIE, ONE SEX-CHANGING IN THE SECOND SECTION INTO A MAN, THUS PROVIDING SOMETHING FOR BOTH YOU SAME-SEX AND HETEROSEXUAL AFFICIONATOS-YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

(Section one, set between Chapters 91 and 92 of my parent series, "A Tale of Two Wallets")

Section One.

(Rainy Day Friend)

It was a rainy day in a certain Middle school as two young teenagers, both recently turned fourteen, took shelter together beneath a canopy-styled awning. The girl, tall and slender, eyed her Bishonen companion and smiled half-shyly towards the figure in the boy's uniform and casually remarked about the romantic setting, and how nice it was for the two of them to be trapped together by the weather.

To her surprise her companion winced slightly and glanced away, then in a surprisingly sober voice replied, "Makoto...I...there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

"Oh?" Makoto dared to get her hopes up, that the Boy she was so strongly attracted to might at last be willing to state an open profession of love towards her and put to rest all doubts she had upon that subject. She could literally feel her heart beat quicker as she turned to regard "his" handsome features, wanting to drown herself in those sandalwood eyes that held such deep and complex emotions, and she was a little bit frustrated as Ukyo continued to look away, refusing to meet her earnest expression.

"Mako-chan," Ukyo sighed, "I like you...really and truly I do. You've been a good friend to me of late, and I...care about you...I don't want to hurt your feelings."

Up until that latter part Makoto had been feeling her hopes soar, but when she heard the part that said, "...hurt your feelings" she had an ominous sense that something terrible was the matter.

"Sempai?" she whispered, hoping against hope that he was not about to dump her like the proverbial hot potato.

"Mako-chan..." Ukyo began again, "It's really not about you...you're terrific...any guy would be honored to have somebody like you in their life...but...I'm afraid we can't be anything but friends...and I can't give you what you want from me...I'm sorry."

Makoto felt as if the world had just turned ice cold as she stared at the boy of her dreams, her universe collapsing around her, nearly as awful as when she had lost both of her parents. Ukyo had been there for her through some very hard times, but now he was ending their relationship, which left her to wonder, "But why...?"

"It's not you," Ukyo's voice sounded tight with misery, "It's me, Sugar. I'm not who you think I am...and I want you to know that I never really meant to deceive you."

"Deceive me?" Makoto numbly repeated.

"Years ago," Ukyo sighed, "When I was just six, I met this...guy...who meant a lot to me...and I liked him so much that I asked my Dad to engage us..."

"To...engage...?" Ukyo's thoughts were sent into the tumbler. Ukyo was Gay? But how...?

"It didn't work out," Ukyo continued, "The louse and his old man stole my father's Yatai and left me in the dirt. That was the day my life ended as a woman..."

"As a...woman...?" Makoto could not have been hearing those words right. That would mean that...Ukyo?

"I swore some day I would have my revenge on him for dumping me," Ukyo turned around and finally met Makoto's shocked expression, "That's why I've been training so hard with my Aunt Yumi, plotting the day when I could exact my vengeance. I gave up on being a woman...no guy would ever even look at me without feeling pity that I was dumped by a fianc e. That's why I dress and act like a boy, Mako-chan, but...I'm not really one...not where it counts. That's why I can't let thing so on any further...it's tearing me up inside. I...I think the world about you, but I...I can't change who I am. I'm sorry."

And with that Ukyo turned and walked out of her life, leaving Makoto standing stunned and speechless, utterly bereft of sense and idea of what to make about the situation as her world came crashing down around her head. She watched Ukyo walk out into the rain and out of her life, feeling her blood turn to ice water as tears fell from her eyes, threatening to outpour the rainwater...

Over two years had passed since that day but the two young girls had never fully forgotten about each other. No matter where she had gone, Ukyo carried the memory of Makoto in her heart, while Makoto had never been able to fully forget about her Sempai, comparing every boy she met to Ukyo and always finding them coming up wanting.

Only now things had changed, and for the most part they had changed for the better. Makoto had blossomed out into a beautiful young woman while Ukyo...Ukyo had remained a Bishonen "boy" in dress and mannerisms in spite of being-in all actuality-a beautiful young girl in her own right. Jusenkyo curse notwithstanding, Ukyo's feelings for Makoto transcended issues of gender, even as Makoto's feelings for her had only intensified with the intervening seasons. The weeks that had passed since their reunion had left them both in no doubt at all that they were meant to be together, and in spite of the professed interest of another rival girl (who shall go nameless for the moment) there was never any real doubt that the two of them were meant to be together.

The setting was less than ideal, being in the lower deck cabin of Kodachi's yacht, cruising through the sea of Japan in search of Nabiki, who had been kidnapped by Sky Pirates, and they were not truly alone with others of their party on the deck and locked away in one of the sleeping quarters (they could hear Hinako and Happosai going at it like there was no tomorrow but chose to ignore this minor distraction). Makoto was topless, having just gotten off of communicating with her fellow Senshi back in Japan (and being yelled at by a certain blonde who also professed a strong interest in Makoto), so on the whole conditions were not favorable for a private assignation.

But Ukyo and Makoto had been waiting for this moment so long that they were prepared to ignore such minor discomforts and impediments to a properly romantic encounter. In point of fact both girls were feeling very much aroused just being in each other's presence, so when they came together in a clench it felt as if electricity were shooting through both of them, as if this was a moment each was fated to experience and that nothing would get in the way of their expressing their desire to consummate their relationship. It felt so RIGHT to be doing this now that when they fell onto the deck together they paid no heed to the hard wooden floor and concentrated all of their energies upon one another, allowing pent up frustrations to lend the desperate strength of a love denied as Ukyo finally gave herself to Makoto.

Until quite recently the young Kuonji had believed herself a fairly typical teenaged girl with fairly ordinary "normal" sexual appetites that only ran towards the male gender. She had buried all memory of her attraction to Makoto and the REAL reason why she had ended their relationship...the sense that she would lose what femininity she had left if she gave into her feelings for another woman. Makoto had made her feel warm and special after a long time of believing that she would never again feel such attraction for another living person. Ukyo's rage at the perceived rejection of Saotome Ranma had totally warped the direction of her young life so that she had been blind to other possibilities and had been too confused to make proper sense of those feelings that Makoto could awaken within her.

Only now those feelings came to the surface with no restrictions whatsoever, and Ukyo gave into those feelings with welcome abandon, no longer denying their existence. There was nothing to hold her back this time as her lips responded eagerly to Makoto's equally impassioned kisses, and as they groped on the floor seeking to explore one another in earnest, Ukyo was delighted to discover the well-exposed texture of the taller girl's near-naked body, all too aware of her femininity and openly relishing such exploration.

Makoto-in spite of her tomboyish behavior and appearance-had a softness to her skin that belied the hard steel of muscles underneath such attractive padding. Ukyo was very much aware of how well endowed the other girl was as Makoto's fulsome breasts pressed against her shirt, yielding to the touch and yet so firm that Ukyo could sense the extent of her girlfriend's arousal.

Makoto, for her part, was relishing the fulfillment of a dream, yielding herself into the warm embrace of her much-beloved "Sempai" while expressing her own long-suppressed desire for her first love in ways that left no doubt of her devotion. Ukyo was responding to her kisses and caresses with a hunger that rivaled her own intense ardor. Physical contact between them aroused such smoldering desires as had been long simmering beneath the surface, and once ignited that desire erupted like an inferno causing pulses to race quicker and breath to grow coarse as the air was filled with soft groans and moaning that would leave no one within earshot in doubt of what was about to happen.

Makoto was in heaven from the moment that they had begun their lovemaking odyssey, and it was as much a journey of discovery as it was the meeting and press of flesh between them. Ukyo was very much like a man in some respects, very strong and assertive (independent of her cursed form) yet felt just like a woman in Makoto's arms. It was so nice to be caressed and fondled by slender hands whose lack of experience was more than made up for by the enthusiasm that they displayed as Makoto encouraged Ukyo to indulge freely in just such "exploration."

For Ukyo the discovery that holding a woman in her arms could be so nice was matched by the equally welcome discovery of Makoto's ready acceptance and compliance with being caressed in such a personal and intimate manner. Ukyo's hands obeyed a will of their own as they roved over the smooth skin of her all-  
too-willing girlfriend, caressing the altogether perfect body of the Senshi and feeling the well toned muscle that lurked beneath the outer sheath of ample padding. Ukyo came to the sudden realization that she had wanted to fondle Makoto's large breasts almost from the moment of discovering how large and firm they had become since Middle School. It was the same curiosity and delight that she might feel for the texture of a well-made pair of Okonomiyaki, but it was Makoto to whom these ripe fruit were so firmly attached, and that made playing with these Melons all the more delightful, even as the desire grew within Ukyo to have a little "sample."

She was delighted at finding no protest or resistance as she gave into temptation and groped Makoto's huge bosoms like a child discovering a new form of self-indulgence. Meanwhile their lips met in a kiss that carried with it a taste of the sweetness that was to follow. It was amazing how good kissing Makoto was, and how tender was the flesh was that yielded so graciously to the strength of her fingers, mindful not to get too carried away as she knew all too well that improper handling of such fruit would likely bruise Makoto. Almost by chance her fingers blindly found the nipple to each breast and without pausing to think of what she was doing she began to lightly pinch and pulled on that nipple, not hard by any means but using just enough force to stimulate it to erection. The breast itself swelled to life as Makoto's arousal caused her nipples to stiffen like a cock. The feel of it was so nice in Ukyo's hand that she knew that she just had to go farther in this experiment and allowed her mouth to drift down Makoto's neck and shoulder until she wiggled herself into position and could wrap her lips around the now-swollen areola, closing over the breast and applying gentle suction.

Makoto's eyes got round as she felt Ukyo's hot mouth begin to suckle from her bosom, a feeling coming over the Senshi that made her squirm with delight, not unlike a cat whose belly was being petted. Makoto made a soft noise of approval and closed her eyes as she gave herself over to the delirious sensation of having her breast in Ukyo's mouth, being drawn in as though a hungry babe were attempting to induce lactation, which in a sense was a good analogy for this particular situation. That Ukyo was doing this for her made these sensations all the more exciting and a thrill traveled the length of Makoto's statuesque body, causing her toes to curl as her mouth formed the shape of an "O" in heartfelt approval.

Ukyo was powerfully turned on by the taste of Makoto's nipple between her tongue and lips, and she found her hunger increasing even as tender feelings were aroused from within her. Her friend's bosom was a delight to feast upon as she sucked as much breast-meat as she could between her lips and applied the appropriate amount of suction, even teasing the nipple with her tongue before suckling her again, much to Makoto's obvious approval. This emboldened Ukyo to begin exploring the other breast between her fingers as she gently squeezed and molded that breast as though it were a ripe grapefruit fit for the plucking, and when it seemed the appropriate time for it she transferred her mouth from one juicy nipple to the other and began to suckle Makoto as though she really did expect to draw sustenance from this tasty bosom.

Her passions were so aroused that she allowed her hands to rove freely down Makoto's smooth abdomen until she caressed one hip and could slide down a little further. Almost of their own will her fingers found their way to the sensitive plane just above the soft furry mound that was covered by the bottom half of Makoto's bikini, and-electing to bypass this for the moment-moved further down to caress the area between milky thighs, producing in Makoto the most intense groan of arousal as the product of these labors.

At last Ukyo could hold off no longer, desire and curiosity getting the better of her nature. She left off her suckling of Makoto's large breasts and drifted down with her lips kissing and caressing their way to that area of her girlfriend's anatomy that most distinctly marked her as a woman. Guided as much by instinct as her own desires she hastily stripped off the bottom of Makoto's suit and uncovered that furry mound that had so recently drawn her interest, feeling her own pelvis growing moist at the mere thought of what she was now contemplating. It was not a thought that formed in her head so much as a clear desire to consummate her growing ardor and desire for Makoto, which included taking an oral inventory of this womanly shape that was yielded up to her with so much generosity and devotion.

Makoto's eyes roved down, seeing Ukyo's head move to the lower section of her body as she held her breath in silent expectation. Ukyo's mouth paused on its journey down south to taste and sample every curve and crevice of Makoto's shape that they encountered, and no sooner did Ukyo's lips find their way to this nestled harbor of Makoto's nurturing womanhood then she plunged her tongue into the velvet brown forest to uncover the folds of Makoto's hidden alcove. Ukyo's lips encountered her beloved friend's tender labia as she had the Senshi's other lips and nipples before this, only here there was a powerfully aromatic aroma that graced the Chef's nostrils as she discovered these lips were flowing with sweet nectar, and-using fingers to spread the succulent pink flesh wider-  
Ukyo's lips were granted full and un restricted access, confirming her suspicions that the taste would more than meet with her culinary approval.

Makoto gave a sharp gasp of amazement as intense feeling that swept up through her body, finding the woman whom she loved was giving loving attention to the most intimate part of her anatomy. Ukyo's tongue stabbed in past sensitive walls that responded to the caress with electricity, encouraging Ukyo to explore even deeper into the canal that was Makoto's vagina. Ukyo flicked her tongue up and down the line that was her girlfriend's slit before at last uncovering the hooded nub of flesh that was Makoto's clit, which same she lavished attention upon as the sounds Makoto made were both ecstatic and approving. Ukyo closed her lips around this nub and suckled it as she had Makoto's nipples before now, producing in the Senshi the most delirious noises of unabashed arousal, causing Makoto to grunt and groan her way towards her first-time ever fem-to-fem climax!

Ukyo was delighted when her probing gave way to the fluttering sensations of Makoto's inner walls vibrating to the hum of her impending climax, but the Chef was unprepared to discover the rush of hot fluid that gushed from this hole into her mouth, and in gag reflex she gave back in surprise, only to receive even more of the succulent juice as it sprayed her face with the result of Makoto's free-flowing orgasm.

"Whoah," Ukyo expressed aloud, screwing up her eyes as if trying to see the droplets that covered her nose, face, chin and lips.

"Are you...all right...?" Makoto gasped between soft moans and gasps as her body went through a series of internal gyrations, filling her mind with sparks and pinwheels.

"Uh...yeah...just surprised is all," Ukyo grinned lopsidedly, making a point to lick her lips and finding she liked the flavor of cum even more than okonomiyaki, "I wasn't expecting that to happen."

"Learn something new every day, huh?" Makoto grinned like a cat, but the force of her orgasm left her too weak to sit upright, so instead she gasped, "Wow...that was sure something..."

"You think so, huh?" Ukyo grinned, her confidence returning, "Then try this..."

"Wha...OOHH!" Makoto gasped as Ukyo went down on her once again, this time intending to go all out with her tongue scooping up and licking every drop of nectar that her lips encountered. This renewed onslaught upon her loins sent Makoto over the edge in less than a minute so that she was soon gasping, groaning and crying out aloud in absolute and complete surrender to the moment.

Of course this time the electricity was more than metaphorical, not that either girl was paying much attention. So great was the Senshi's state of arousal that she was unconsciously drawing upon the electrical ions in the air and creating a swirling cloud that built up with the intensity of her arousal, and when released discharged into their immediate environment with many thousands of volts of currents. Ukyo, fortunately, was well grounded when this happened but the same could not be said for the yacht, which took the brunt of the charge and channeled it through every conducting piece of metals, nearly shorting out several electrical systems even as the burst caused the engine to briefly falter.

"What was that?" came the words from several assorted lips scattered all about the vessel, but fortunately the damage inflicted was only superficial. Makoto and Ukyo hardly paid any attention as they were in their own little world of mutual exploration. Makoto had arched her back as Ukyo continued to employ her lips, tongue and even her teeth to the goal of further pleasuring her lover. Makoto continued to cry and offer up her loins for Ukyo to devour, but at last the Chef had to pause and take a breather, having sent Makoto over the edge two more times (thankfully for the sake of the boat, less explosively than the first two). She could have gone on munching at Makoto's pussy, having discovered a feast for which her hunger was yet unabated.

But this point Makoto was far too aroused to lay back and catch her own breath as she had a hunger of her own that needed sating. Ukyo had shown her the way, now she rose up to the task of returning the favor, sitting up so that her mouth could embrace Ukyo's lips and taste the juices still fresh on her tongue, the flavor of her own vibrating pussy, a flavor that inspired a curiosity to know what Ukyo would taste like, to which end the Senshi decided to find an answer.

"My turn," she informed the surprised Ukyo, gently pushing her friend down before straddling Ukyo with her larger body.

Ukyo was surprised to see Makoto taking the initiative here, but she made no protest when Makoto's lips pressed down against her own and her lands began stripping off what was left of the Chef's own clothing. Makoto went from passive to aggressive as she tore away whatever obstructed her appetites and soon she had bared Ukyo down to the waste and took full advantage of their change of positions. Ukyo discovered what it was like to be on the receiving end of a pair of hands that groped her body possessively and began to cup and mold her (somewhat) smaller breasts (in comparison to Makoto's, that is) between hands that were both soft and strong with a supple cunning that made their very strength delightful and not oppressive. Ukyo was amazed at feeling her own nipples pinched, pulled and prodded, but the sensations this aroused in her made her feel so incredibly feminine that she instantly and unhesitatingly surrendered herself to this caress without reservations or conditions.

Makoto was quick to take advantage of her "Sempai's" unconditional surrender, taking charge and possession of the Chef's entirely feminine body to full and delighted effect as she bent her head to begin to paint over Ukyo a trail of hot and delighted kisses whose ultimate goal was never in doubt yet whose every inch of the trail left Ukyo gasping and breathless with anticipation. When Makoto mounted the first of her twin peaks, Ukyo knew with a sense of absolute conviction that this was but the first of several stages that would comprise her eventual conquest to the ample charms of her beloved Makoto. The sensations of pleasure brought about by a warm, soft mouth encircling her pink areola was an extra added feature, one that caused Ukyo to lean back and roll her eyes in response to the ecstasy of the moment.

Had anyone at any time before this even implied that Ukyo would willingly and enthusiastically embrace another woman this way Ukyo would have called them flat-out crazy, that she would be on the receiving end of a wonderful girl like Makoto was an even more unbelievable concept, yet here Ukyo was succumbing to the glorious revelations that this experience would bring her, and it was not just the teasing, playful way that her beloved flicked her tongue over Ukyo's hot nubs that inspired this conviction. Having her breast meat be suckled upon by the hungry mouth of the other girl set Ukyo's pulse to racing as she arched her back and gave a soft, moaning sigh of approval. That someone, ANYONE would do this with Ukyo's breasts was a stunning epiphany into what it truly meant to be a woman, and the eagerness that Makoto demonstrated in taking first one breast and then the other into her mouth, treating Ukyo to the wonderful sensation of having her womanly parts be lavished with such attention.

But it was not enough for either girl, and soon Makoto resumed her travels south, painting kisses over Ukyo's belly, pausing only long enough to yank the other girl's trousers down to expose a pair of shapely legs and the soft brown muff that had lain hidden all this time. Ukyo said nothing as the last articles of her clothing were cast aside, the panties she would no longer need for the duration of this session as Makoto bent down to the task of giving back as good as she had received from Ukyo own lips. The Chef bent her head in the dim light of the cabin as if to question whether Makoto would really do what she now threatened to make happen, but all doubt was cast aside in mere moments as the Senshi buried her face in the cleft between Ukyo's muscular thighs, and then the Chef cried out in shocked amazement, feeling the flick of a tongue stroking the pink petals of unfolding flesh that was exposed to the other girl's tender mercies.

And mercy was what Ukyo felt like crying out as Makoto went to work exploring the exterior sheath that beckoned down below. Makoto was like a starving puppy who had discovered a dish of something succulent and inviting, and with totally abandonment she dug her tongue into the moist valley that opened to receive her. Ukyo gasped and groaned as she felt Makoto's tongue stab into her several times before going for broke and plunging in all the way, to swirl around as if probing for Ukyo's depths and almost blinding finding a cluster of nerves that sent the Chef over the edge and caused her mind to momentarily white out as something crashed within her like the surf moving with the tide, and then Ukyo's mind erupted with the explosion of fireworks on a Chinese New Year, and her whole body lurched as she experienced her first truly intense woman-to-woman orgasm, her first orgasm ever as her body clenched and spasmed with love-juices. A hungry, happy sound of Makoto slurping away at the "oyster" that was Ukyo soon filled the air, even as she chef gasped and writhed beneath her.

Makoto was enjoying herself way beyond even her immodest expectations. Having Ukyo thrash on the floor with Makoto's tongue lapping away at her sex was the fulfillment of many a wet dream in Makoto's less guarded moments, when she had allowed that aspect of her personality to surface, a side she had not even shared with her fellow Senshi (which no doubt accounted for why she was so surprised to learn that Minako had been thinking of her in just such a manner). Doing this with Ukyo was fun beyond anything else that she could compare it to, so even if she weren't deeply in love with the other girl she would still be having a good time, and grateful for the opportunity to finally have this kind of fulfillment. Some girls might want to wait and save it until they made it to the altar, but Makoto knew life was too precious and brief to waste even a second. Making love was a confirmation that she was still alive, not to mention a heck of a good reason for living! It mattered to her who she did this with, of course, but the fact that it was Ukyo-her first and only real love-was precious beyond all measure.

Not to mention the fact that Ukyo's loins tasted so nice, salty sweet yet oddly flavored with a hint of strawberries and pimento. Eating her out was more fun than eating one of Ukyo's special okonomiyaki, and as a gourmet chef of some modest ability, Makoto took pride in having an expert palate and a fine sense of taste that could distinguish from the merely good to the outright delicious, and two thumbs up was what she wanted to rate her lover!

Ukyo was in the "clouds and rain" stage of sexual ecstasy as she writhed and groaned in exultation, exhilaration (of all things) at being a woman! She had never previously understood the full advantages of being the sex that she was born with, and such an irony to learn this now at the hands (or lips) of Makoto. More irony still that she now valued her womanhood that much more because of her curse, now fully aware that the differences between men and women did not make one gender superior to the other, and that the differences were things to be celebrated for their own sake, not regretted because of any foolish social conventions.

Convention had nothing to do with that she and Makoto were doing at the moment, and the tender exploratory nature of the sex in which they were engaging made that undiscovered territory all the more worthy of venturing further, which was probably why the larger girl decided to up the ante. Using lips and tongue was all very well and nice, but she had other ways of stimulating her Ucchan, and with that thought in mind she brought her fingers into play, intending to give Ukyo a royal creaming that would further insure her hold on the other girl's affections.

Ukyo only became aware of this change in strategy when she felt a long, slender digit slide it's way into her nether regions as Makoto dipped her wick into her lover's rectum and slowly moved it around with a gentle wiggle.

"Mako-chan...what...?" Ukyo began to squirm under the odd intrusion to a heretofore-untouched region of her anatomy.

"Just lay back and let me do my stuff, Sempai," Makoto leered with purely lascivious intentions, "My fingers will do all the walking..."

"Ah...!" Ukyo found her hips widening noticeably as she planted her feet upon the deck and pushed off a little, her thigh-muscles clenching a little as she found Makoto's finger twirling around inside her, caressing all sorts of interesting nerve clusters.

"You like it?" Makoto asked before burying her mouth back in Ukyo's loins so that both ends of Ukyo's nether regions were being pleasured, a double-pronged attack for which the Chef had no defense and could only surrender to with a heartfelt groan of surprised approval. Makoto's tongue and that finger pleasuring her other opening were enough to send her over the edge within minutes and once again her loins clenched and gushed with a renewed feast for Makoto to slurp down with happy enjoyment, yielding up the nectar as a reward for her "naughty" behavior.

Ukyo though-by the time of her third climax-that she would surely pass out from the ecstasy of that follow-up aftershock, but Makoto was far from done with her and now brought her other hand to play, probing with fingers inserted in Ukyo's loins while Makoto's tongue lavished its attention to her clitoris. The utter delight this caused made Ukyo shiver as her mind turned to jello and her body turned into limp tapioca.

Far from bringing a close to their sex-feast, Ukyo's appetites were whetted so that a brief pause to catch her breath was followed by her all but pouncing on Makoto and going to town ravishing the larger girl's supple body. Makoto was more than willing to yield after having worked so hard to bring her "Sempai" off four times outstanding. Ukyo knew she was behind and her competitive nature was sparked even as her lust was enflamed and she knew at once that she would visit her wrath upon Makoto until the Senshi surrendered and yielded the bounty of at least three more orgasms! This time Ukyo did not limit herself to groin and breast but took time to pleasure every inch of Makoto's body, lavishing much of her attention on the long legs of her sexual playmate, traversing the ample surface of those well-shaped and supple lower limbs from inner thigh to the back of Makoto's knees, working her way down smooth-shaven calves to licking around Makoto's ankles, the arch of her bare feet, the falls around the base and winding up at long last at the toes, taking them one-by-one between her lips so that Ukyo such suckle those sensitive digits, eliciting from Makoto such pleasurable noises that downed out any heartfelt protests.

At long, long last they fell into each others arms, spent and limp and utterly happy, satisfied in every way that their first time together was a qualified success, the first of many such sessions that they hoped would lay in their future. They had tasted the flesh of their bodies and found them good and pure in every respect, even as the nectar of their loins carried with it the savor of a happy hunger that would return in good order and demand full satiation.

"Wow," Ukyo exhaled as she stared at the dark ceiling over their heads, "That was really something, Sugar."

"You're telling me, Ucchan?" Makoto asked as she caressed one of Ukyo's bared bosoms between her fingers and lazily played with her nipples, "You're incredible, Sempai..."

"You ain't so bad yourself, Sugar," Ukyo chuckled as she savored the warmth of their naked bodies pressed together side-by-side, as if the rest of the world (for the moment) had no other meaning, "You really flicked my switch there, Mako-chan...I can't believe I ever resisted doing this with you...I feel like such a jackass..."

"Funny," Makoto chuckled, "You don't taste like one."

"Flattery will get you somewhere," Ukyo rested her head on the Senshi's shoulder and snuggled in closer, curling one leg to slowly slide it around Makoto's leg so that her bare foot could caress the inner thigh of her lover, "I'd do it all over again...but I think I need to get my strength back first..."

"Same here," Makoto sighed happily, "You wore me out like no battle with a Youma ever has..."

"Oh, so I'm a Youma now?" Ukyo gently teased her, nibbling on Makoto's earlobe where it was not pierced by one of her star-shaped earrings.

"You're not a corpse, that's for sure," Makoto grinned, "But making love to you sure is draining. Give me a half an hour, though, and I'll show you how much I've got left to share with you...Oh, and Sempai?"

"Yeah Sugar?" Ukyo sighed, half-asleep already from exhaustion,.

"Next time maybe we can do it with you as a guy," Makoto murmured, "Just to see what it's like..."

"Could be, Sugar," Ukyo responded as she began to settle into delightful half-  
slumber, "Could be something...we'll see..."

And indeed they would...on their very next session...!

Section Two.

(Set between Chapters 100 and 101)

A fire rose up in Ukyo's now-male breast as he felt the arms of his beloved Makoto go around him and her lips pressed firm against his own. The tall girl bore him back towards the edge of the bed that Ukyo had so briefly shared with Akane, and then the both of them landed on the bed itself with a desire that was heedless of any other thought than consummating their love with all the haste of a pair of love-starved Hentai.

The magic pearls at work in both youngsters now resonated in accordance to one another, intensifying the bonds of emotion that already existed between Ukyo and Makoto and insuring that their minds would be filled with no other thought than the fulfillment of their mutual ardor. This time, however, Ukyo was male and would experience the affair in the manner that any man would for the woman he loved and desired to possess. Makoto was all too aware of this singular difference from their first session together and was quick to exploit this difference, knowing just how she intended to take full advantage of Ukyo's anatomical differences, the most distinctive feature of which she hungrily sought out with hands that found their way down to the other youth's trousers.

Ukyo was fully aware of what her beloved was intending to do and offered up no resistance as he smiled with curiosity and excitement, eager to see what Makoto would do and how the experience would differ from the last time, having a male member to play with.

That difference alone, she thought, might well mean all the difference!

It was not that Ukyo was into gender stereotypes, or that she felt bad now about being alternately both a man and a woman, it was that the raw possibilities left open by her switching genders made her curiosity kick into full gear, so she let Makoto do the job of undressing her while she regarded her beloved friend with a hungry eagerness that had little to do with any charm spell.

Especially since Makoto seemed to have something at the forefront of her mind that would make his day and thensome! The amorous Senshi pulled down on Ukyo's pants until they were about her ankles, then did the same thing with the Chef's undergarments to reveal the anatomical distinction that most clearly defined Ukyo presently male status.

The Chef's eyes widened as he belatedly cottoned on to what his lover was intending, but being male was still such a new experience that he was wholly unprepared for when Makoto's hands reached out to caress his still-soft manhood. The physical contact caught Ukyo off-guard and caused an immediate firming of his male resolve as Makoto began to play with and fondle the dangling male organ until his testicles retracted and the cock-shaft grew hard, arching upward to full erection in an amazingly short interval, and Ukyo rocked back on the balls of his feet, astonished at the sensations that came over him as Makoto continued her awkward hand-stimulations.

Of course for Makoto this was only the first step to claiming Ukyo's male organ, and once satisfied that it would remain good and hard for the duration she brought her face up to the ball-end of the shaft and slowly licked it, savoring the feel of tactile contact as though she were savoring an ice-cream cone, only the ball was warm and had a slightly salty flavor. Emboldened by this tentative gesture, Makoto decided to go for broke and began to wrap her mouth around the ball and started to suck on it in earnest.

For Ukyo the sensations this caused were literally mind-blowing! He rocked back on his ankles then forward to shift his weight onto the balls of his feet, curling his spine backward in amazement as he felt a part of himself enter Makoto's mouth and remain there for several long instants. A wet-slurping noise accompanied the shudder that came over him as Makoto worked him further past her lips, taking more of the shaft down this time and running her tongue along the bottom, then sliding the cock out once again as if coming up for air, then plunging ahead once again to work even more of the shaft down her gullet until Ukyo felt the tip of his organ slide past the Senshi's tonsils and keep right on going!

For Makoto it was not that hard a task to orally stimulate Ukyo's male sex in past lips that were well suited for the task, sliding her male lover in and out of her mouth with a slow and steady rhythm that slowly built in tempo until it had the actions of a piston. Ukyo stared down the length of his chest with rounded eyes as he watched in perverse fascination, seeing a part of himself disappear into her lover as though Makoto were deep-throating a sausage, a very apt analogy, though the Chef hardly viewed this with even a semblance of detachment. It felt so good every time Makoto downed his cock into her velvety mouth, and it was all that he could do to fight to maintain his balance, certain that at any moment he would go weak in the knees and collapse to the floor in amazed appreciation of her first-ever case of oral copulation.

Makoto, however, did not intend to let Ukyo cum into her mouth at just this point. She wanted Ukyo to be fully inside her when he climaxed, and so she left off her own experiment in felatio and instead smiled up at Ukyo with a mischievous savor in her eyes that would have looked good and proper for a big cat eyeing its dinner. At Makoto's urging Ukyo was backed away until the back of his knees hit the edge of their bed, and then the transformed Boy fell back in a sprawl upon the bedsheets, giving Makoto a perfect opportunity to pounce and nail her lover to the mattress, sliding her body up against his in the process so that her fulsome breasts would be in easy reach as Ukyo instinctively reached out to steady her body atop him.

Makoto smiled as Ukyo's male hands closed upon her bosoms with an automatic squeeze and a fondle. She leered at her beloved as she said, "Why Sempai...are you checking me for freshness?"

"Ah...?" Ukyo seemed fairly lost and bewildered as her hands reacted as though they had two minds of their own, retaining their firm grip on Makoto's breasts as Ukyo automatically plied and molded these soft "pillows." Even as she did this Makoto was busy working the shaft of his manhood with her hands so that she could poise it at the gate to her own vulva. She waited until she saw the acknowledgement in Ukyo's eyes of what they each knew was about to happen, and then with a sigh of delight Makoto said, "For you, Sempai...I give you my body."

And with that she sat down, working the shaft into her vagina until it slid all of the way and rendered her officially a non-Virgin. Ukyo stared in amazement as they maintained eye contact, then saw Makoto close her eyes with a sigh of real enjoyment. The Senshi arched her back and worked her loins up over his until she could position herself for maximum penetration, impaling herself on his fully erect manhood while Ukyo grunted in heartfelt amazement.

"Now you see?" Makoto sighed, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Ah...well..." Ukyo smiled lopsidedly, "I'd say that was very hard...very hard indeed..."

"Oh yeah!" Makoto cheered enthusiastically, swerving her hips around until she could work the shaft even further into her body, as which point he added, "I'm not complaining...Sugar!"

"You'd better not have any complaints," Makoto sighed with delight as she pushed slightly off of the bed, then sat down again with a slight bouncing moment, "Oh yeah...that feels good! Keep it up, Sempai!"

"That's the idea, Sugar!" Ukyo declared, now fully into the act as he felt Makoto bob up and down over his manhood, his hands claiming firm position of Makoto's huge breasts and playing with them for all that they were worth, to which Ukyo cheerfully called out, "Ride 'em Makoto-Whee!"

"That's my line," Makoto grinned, throwing back her head as she enjoyed bucking on Ukyo like the proverbial bronco.

Never before had Ukyo come as close to understanding what it truly felt like to be a man, to discover in himself those urges that made boys act the way they did around attractive women. Until that moment he had always supposed that most boys were hormonally crazed lechers, like Happosai only to one lesser extreme or another. Having discovered what it felt like to be driven by needs far too primal to be understood on an intellectual level he now fully comprehended why men were willing to do anything to be joined in sexual congress with women. It differed greatly from when he had done this as a woman but was no less intense a feeling, simply a need to join and copulate as the physical expression of his desires, his emotional needs having more to do with affirming their union in such a way that would leave no doubt in either mind that Ukyo and Makoto belonged together, and that having her this way was the purest expression of his ardor, giving to the Senshi as much as he received from her in symbiotic union.

Besides which this was an incredibly fun thing to do, and made sweeter by the fact that Makoto wanted this every bit as much as Ukyo, the sort of love each had imagined as their first time with a member of the opposite gender, only now Ukyo was playing the man in earnest, having finally obtained the right equipment to fulfill Makoto in a more-or-less conventional (and heterosexual) manner.

Ukyo arched his back as he savored the incredible joy of having his lover sliding up and down a part of himself that was hardened like a fist and well-  
lubricated with their commingling juices. The sight of Makoto's face alight with the joy of their copulation filled Ukyo with such overwhelming feelings of love and tenderness joined at the hip with carnal lust and desire, and it gave him further insight into what it truly meant to be a man in this type of situation. Having his thing inside of Makoto was a wonderful sensation beyond description, and she relished the joy that was filling her own bosom with such all-consuming need to be joined like this forever, to be a part of Makoto as one flesh and one body, two halves of the same whole with little distinction where one began and the other one met their limits.

Besides which the feeling of Makoto's swelling breasts in her hands, the sliding of his sex being engorged by the love-canal of the Senshi, made Ukyo burst inside with the delight of an entirely male orgasm, and with wondrous realization he felt himself erupt inside of Makoto, shooting her full of his male seed like a geyser at a hot spring. Makoto reacted to the spurt of his jism by clamping herself down and wiggling over his manhood as if to suck in every inch he had to offer. She cried out a moment later as her own orgasm caused her mind to briefly fill with the proverbial fireworks, exploding rockets and firecrackers complete with spiraling pinwheels!

Ukyo groaned as Makoto briefly drooped her head and gasped, mewing sweet noises of delight as she rode the horn of his love for her, allowing her body to sag as consummation of their mutual desire gave them pause to catch their expended breath. Their eyes sought each other out and embraced with a warmth and longing that was sweet and utterly fulfilling, but then Makoto felt her strength return, and with it her desire to claim the boy as her own, to make Ukyo a man entirely for the brief duration of their glorious time together.

"My turn," she smiled, rolling Ukyo over so that the half-exhausted chef found herself straddling atop Makoto's body, and then the Senshi wrapped her long and shapely legs around Ukyo's waist and hooked her ankles together, effectively trapping the Chef within their encircling embrace. As Ukyo's limp manhood was still nestled in the warm and inviting harbor of Makoto's love-harbor he had no trouble at all springing back to life as he contemplated the gorgeous woman beneath him and realized emphatically that he was far from done in this matter.

Rocking back and forth gently he pressed his suit in and out of his lover, and Makoto gave him a look of absolute adoration as she used her legs to encourage this endeavor. As Ukyo grew bolder in his efforts he found his way clearly paved and well lubricated as the Senshi yielded her body to the probing of her depths. A soft groan escaped from Makoto as a heartfelt groan became its answer from Ukyo, and together they shared a series of progressively more intensive sounds of building intensity. When the climax came it was literally the pounding of the surf crashing against the coral of the shoreline. With a release of his cum that was almost a surrender he filled Makoto with his love and she gratefully received him.

Ukyo felt his strength begin to wane again, but rather than fight it this time he allowed himself to sink into the gracious pillow of his lover's arms, kissing Makoto lips as she welcome him with arms as strong as they were soft as satin. One kiss led to another, and soon Ukyo was painting Makoto's face with his lips, gently moving down to caress her cheeks and throat, and from there travel down again the well familiar road to Makoto's generous bosoms.

"Sempai..." Makoto gasped as she arched her back when Ukyo's hands molded her flesh and brought his chest within reach of the hungry lips of her male lover. Ukyo know a hunger to taste those bosoms and draw them into his mouth for a gentle suckle, and he devoted himself to pleasuring Makoto in such a manner that the Senshi was soon gasping his name aloud with greater urgency, yearning to have him inside her once more as soon as his strength could return and his loins could rally to mount her.

"Mako-chan," Ukyo softly murmured as he brought his mouth down the silken path of his lover's washboard smooth tummy, placing a hand over her sex to begin to play with her there, stroking Makoto's velvet lips and clitoris so that the petals unfolded once again and could present his lips with her tasty love oyster. When Ukyo plunged his tongue into that nectar it was as though heaven itself had offered up its bounty and Makoto arched her legs and used her feet to prop herself up off of the bed so that her lover would have a generous sample of her wares, and Ukyo eagerly dove into that cleft to lap away like a puppy drinking in the cream of a Senshi. It was a heavenly delight and to Ukyo it tasted like ambrosia as she reveled in its sweetness.

"Sempai!" Makoto cried out as she climaxed, once more giving of her fluids as Ukyo made love to her sex and gave her ample reason to celebrate this consummation. Makoto was now Ukyo's to have as he wanted and for as long as he desired, just as Ukyo now belonged to the Senshi in either of his genders, paying worshipful respect at the gates of her ultimate pleasure even as he ravaged her with tongue, lips and fingers. It was plunder of a different sort as Ukyo took what she desired and gave back in equal measure.

Though born a woman-and now grateful for this as her true gender and not something to be regretted-Ukyo discovered that playing the man and being one were radically different concepts, yet grateful for his "curse" that allowed him to be with Makoto in either manner. His beloved readily accepted him in either form, and now they knew beyond question that a relationship could be both satisfying and fulfilling. They also knew that this would be far from the one and only time that they would do this as a man and a woman, but it no longer mattered which sex they were so long as they were together. A union of souls, two parts that were made one, and joyous beyond all expectations though they knew many struggles and conflicts would yet remain to be resolved in their immediate future. That future was looking rather bright overall and now they could learn to love and be themselves without pretence or dissembly. Their love would endure the test of time and ultimately yield fruit as they lay their foundations for a bright and promising future.

Of course neither one could know at that moment that one great challenge yet remained, an obstacle by the name of Tendo Akane, whose desire for Ukyo would have its own consequences in the not-too-distant future...

Session Three.

(Set during the Pangean adventure that takes place midway during Chapter 101)

Akane did not question the sudden urgency of her arousal, nor why it should take hold of her while she and Ukyo were trapped in an elevator mid-way to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Ukyo herself did not understand why she was suddenly being backed into a corner by an Akane who had seemingly lost all restraint to her actions. All she knew was that one moment she was attempting to figure out how they could get out of their predicament when all at once Akane was all over her, pushing Ukyo back to one corner of the booth and pressing her body up against the much-surprised chef as Ukyo found that she could not escape from the winged woman, Akane's ardor having risen to levels never previously experienced as if maddened with lust for a certain cross-dresser.

And off to one side, unseen by anyone due to her spells of concealment, Peorth smiled in triumph, having finally succeeded in arranging matters to her liking. Her previous attempts had not turned out quite as anticipated but this time she intended to see that these two hit it off without any outside interference.

"Now let us see you worm your way out of that, ma Cheri," the Rose Goddess murmured, pausing as she did so to listen just in case there was some annoying thunderclap heard in the distance.

Of course the Goddess was above such petty concerns as playing the voyeur. She was merely behaving like a concerned parent looking to the interests of her beloved spiritual daughter, the nearest that she had ever come to having one born of her flesh like regular daughters. Akane was the child of her heart whose happiness was all-important to Peorth's view of certain matters. She knew what Akane yearned for, how much she desired the Chef and how integral this was to her self-conception as a woman. Peorth was determined to fulfill her "daughter's" longings, and what Akane wanted most of all was for Ukyo to return her ardor.

What Akane wanted and needed was the thing Peorth would grant her, and all that remained to be determined was whether or not Ukyo could feel the same way towards her, and if not, then Peorth would set about seeking to "persuade" her that this was the path of least resistance.

At the same time this was happening, of course, Peorth had arranged for Makoto to be "detained" elsewhere, and thus she expected little in the way of interference, though it never paid to get too cocky.

For her part Ukyo was amazed upon discovering that Akane's nearness was tantalizing her with the perfume of the youngest Tendo daughter's spun-honey aroma and she found that it was becoming harder to think rationally the longer the time she spent sniffing the aroma of Akane's body. When Akane's lips pressed against her own it set something off inside of Ukyo that banished all her doubts and left the Chef with the clear understanding that she needed to fulfill the wants and expectations of her cuddlesome companion. A last lingering thought of Makoto tried valiantly to beat its way through to the surface but with the charms placed upon the duo it had little enough effect and was quite easily consigned to the shadows of her unconscious awareness.

A part of Ukyo trembled inside for it surely knew that there would be...consequences for this loss of resolve on her part, but the part that took center stage was the primal part of Ukyo's being that had long been attracted to Akane, that had been drawn to the other girl's side almost from the instant of their first meeting and which now claimed the mantelpiece of Ukyo's self-  
awareness. This part was the sexual being within Ukyo that-either as guy or girl-would always yield to temptation.

The rest, as they way, was a simple matter of biology as Ukyo felt herself be denuded by Akane, who parted the buttons on the Okonomiyaki chef's shirt and yanked down her trousers, revealing the undergarments that Ukyo wore and disposing of them with great alacrity so that nothing could obstruct Akane from laying her hands upon the other girl's strong and supple body.

For Ukyo it was an amazing thing to be attacked so boldly and in such a manner by the usually shy and demure Akane. The youngest Tendo sister was like a bitch in heat as she stroked and fondled Ukyo's body, caressing her breasts even as she pressed her own body up against Ukyo's and used her wings as a kind of blanket to provide the both of them shelter. Being ravished by an Angel was certainly a new experience in Ukyo's event-filled books, but given that it was Akane who had Ukyo backed up against one corner of the elevator it felt as though something were coming to life between the both of them. Ukyo rolled back her head and leaned into the wall even as she felt those sensitive lips kissing and caressing her form, playing with soft flesh and sensitive nerve endings, stroking a fire of lust and passion that grew with such intensity that before too long the chef was eagerly receiving those caresses. Her conscious mind went numb as the animal side in her nature took over, and it was with this part of her nature that she began to react to Akane's advances, to yield to the other girl back some portion of the Angel girl's ardor.

For Akane it was a most amazing thing, as if some creature that had long dwelt within her was awaken from its long, intense slumber. All of her life she had struggled with being a "Good Girl," at repressing her urges and denying her feelings when they would have strayed into "forbidden" territory. All the doubt and disgust with her own nature was forgotten as another Akane rose forth like a phoenix from the ashes, an Akane who knew what she wanted and knew instinctively how to get it. This Akane knew what it was right to have her way with Ukyo, that it was RIGHT for her to desire another woman's body and to consummate that desire with an almost mannish aggression. It was as if a portion of her mind that had always been sleeping and dormant came to life and discovered the power that was inherent in sharing these affections with another member of the same sex, and as such the animal-like lust that came to the fore banished the "Nice-  
girl" Akane persona after exposing for a lie the faux sham pretence that underlay it.

Not that Akane lost all thought and awareness of the needs of the other girl...OH NO! Far to the contrary, it was exactly the fact that Ukyo seemed to be responding to her advances that emboldened Akane to ply with gentle hands and soft, loving embraces, unhurried and yet quite eager to get down to the nitty-  
gritty. What had always felt so WRONG with a guy now felt right with Ukyo, and so Akane did what came natural and made love to the other girl, truly giving her own love a physical manifestation.

Visions of Ukyo floated through Akane's mind from the first fateful encounter where a confusion of gender made Ukyo seem like an "acceptable" partner. Thought of Ukyo in various guises filled Akane's mind with an awareness of the Chef's kindness, strength and compassion. When discovering Ukyo's true sex it had seemed as if Akane had been cruelly tricked by both Ukyo and Fate, but learning that Ukyo had deliberately cursed herself on Akane's behalf had done a great deal to redeem the Chef in Akane's eyes, and now she wanted Ukyo with the whole of her being, and was ready to claim her with no thought at all that she was devoting herself to loving another woman.

So when her small, well-callused hands began to explore the other girl she found herself guided as if by instinct to touching those parts of Ukyo's body that only a woman could know, even when with another woman. The kisses she gently rained upon Ukyo made her all the more aware of the delicate flavor of the chef's lean and well-sculpted body, a salty flavor that her tongue made sport with, giving Ukyo such a thrill even as she could hear the Chef's heart beating faster as her own pulse was racing and the two of them became as one in flesh and body.

For Ukyo it was a most amazing thing to discover this side of Akane's passionate nature, a side that had never before seen the light of day even though this was actually the second time that Akane had made love to another woman (the first time being with Minako, which Akane had subsequently forgotten). It was a very different sensation from being with Makoto, and yet no less intense and thrilling. Akane seemed to know instinctively where to go in order to spark a response in Ukyo's nerve endings as she Chef pressed her back against the wall and gripped the rail tightly for balance, her legs instinctively widening long before Akane slid down to her knees and pressed her face between those silken thighs. It was with clenched breath and a sense of tingling expectation that Ukyo awaited the inevitable plunge, the moment when Akane first tentatively and hesitantly pressed her sensitive lips up to the sex of Ukyo and gently teased the chef down there, coaxing her labia to unfold so that the pointy nub of her clitoris would be exposed to Akane's eager inspection.

What followed was Ukyo crying out in wonder and disbelief as her groin was gently savaged by the dark haired winged girl, Ukyo lifting one leg to perch a foot on the railing for added balance, her other leg bearing the rest of her weight even as her knees started to buckle with electric jolts running up and down the length of her body. Akane's tongue explored her nub and the canal that beckoned to her until at last she could hold back no more and began to plunge it in with earnest desire, tasting deep and rich of Ukyo's nectar. The Chef could not restrain the groan that filled the compartment as she gave out a liquid sigh and felt her body climax to Akane's loving persuasion. A hungry slurping noise filled the air as Akane at long last had her ambrosia and claimed a part of Ukyo for herself. It was all that either of them had longed for in the silence of their hearts and it filled Ukyo with such tenderness and regard for her beloved friend that that yearned for the chance to return the "flavor."

That chance came when Akane eased back and allowed the near-nerveless Ukyo to temple into her arms as they both fell back upon the floor of the elevator compartment. Akane found her wings provided a brief cushion as Ukyo wound up on top of her, straddling her with the larger girl's limp body. Unfortunately those wings also trapped Akane on the floor as she found it difficult to sit up turned upside down, a victim of her odd anatomical construction. Like a duck on its back she tried to free herself to no avail, but the motions of her body were such that they stirred Ukyo from the drowsy languor that the Chef had fallen into, reminding her that there was a desirable young girl laying directly beneath her, and with bare breasts touching to invite such further contact.

"Akane-chan," Ukyo murmured before bending her lips to the task of kissing her newly claimed lover, then caressing Akane's face as she planted yet more kisses over her cheek and neck while their bodies ground together and their bellies made even firmer contact.

Peorth, who had been observing all this from a place of concealment, was fanning herself furiously with a Japanese hand-fan while loosening the collar of her outfit. These two were certainly going at it hot and heavy, and with such an intense display of mutual affection and desire that it made the goddess wonder why she had ever had to resort to magic in the first place. A little nudge in the right direction was all it took to get these two started, and now look at them go at it like a pair of wildcats in heat! Once those tawdry distractions of conscious denial were stripped away what was left was sheer animal magnetism, the kind of emotion that Peorth had suspected all along existed just simmering beneath the surface.

She idly wondered what Urd was doing at that moment, and just how Peorth might ply on her fellow Goddess to suggest a little creative...diversion. Failing that there was always Keiichi, whom she would dearly love to have fired up in such a manner were the boy not so pure of heart that he was virtually immune to such manipulations. Keiichi had definitely run her chimes of late, though the oddest thing was that Peorth was now thinking similar thoughts about Belldandy...and what fun there could be found if she could talk the pair of them into a little threesome...

She squirmed a little as she thought about Belldandy...whom for many years Peorth had resented over a regrettable misunderstanding. Belldandy had once acted in such a way that Peorth had construed something entirely incorrect and unflattering about her fellow goddess, who had until then been her best friend and bosom childhood companion. Upon discovering the colossal mistake Peorth had made all of those years ago she now felt chagrined whenever she was around Belldandy, who had never nursed similar such negative feelings in her regard. Peorth did not know how she could ever make it up to her old friend for thinking such unfair things about her...though at the moment an idea was starting to suggest itself, one that could well count as an "apology" fervently delivered upon the Goddess's doorstep, sighed, sealed and delivered in such a way that even Kami-sama could hardly fault the Rose Goddess...

Meanwhile Ukyo was traversing the line down Akane's eager body, taking time to explore the usual scenic routes while enjoying the areas in between, much to the other girl's considerable approval and amusement. Akane's breasts were not as large as Ukyo's own but they were a lot firmer and easily aroused, and certainly a delight to taste as the Chef briefly suckled on their nubs, sampling one rounded nipple before going on to suckle on the other.

And of course her hands were hardly idle during all of this, giving Akane plenty to be thankful about as the Chef worked her over like a well-blended batch of Okonomiyaki. In time Ukyo made her way down to the Angel girl's groin but chose to by-pass the nest at the center of Akane's pleasures, taking time to travel down each leg and play with the nerves of her inner-thighs, the back of her knees and the bottoms of both of Akane's bare feet, working with fingers, lips and tongue to give every inch of the other girl her full and undivided attention. By the end of this odyssey Akane was reduced to a quivering mass of groans, cries, moans and pleading murmurs, all of which encouraged Ukyo to finally give in to the urge to taste of the loins of her gentle lover, pressing lips to groin and teasing those lower lips to unfold and reveal their petal-like nectar.

What followed next were the sounds of Ukyo happily munching away with messy slurps and a gorging of her appetites while Peorth looked on with increasing uneasiness, the Goddess all but squirming with a need for some relief, so turned on was she from just watching these two go at it!

But time enough for allowing her spiritual daughter to have her fun indulging her hidden nature. Time enough to get serious about this business of bringing the two teenagers even closer to together in the bonds of sexual coitus, so Peorth murmured a brief spell and summoned a cold tea-kettle, murmured a few more words to insure that its contents were not too cold then aiming the brew for the exposed backside of the Okonomiyaki chef. Ukyo was too far gone into her lusts to notice when the change came over her, reverting her from female to male in mere seconds, but a part of HIM very much became aware of the transformation and wasted no time growing hard and stiff as it projected downward, its throbbing member far more engorged than any mere clitoris.

Akane was barely aware of the change when Ukyo suddenly broke off from cunnalingus to slide her body up the length of the helpless Angel girl...a body that somehow felt harder and leaner than before, and without the firm softness of two breasts, which themselves had mysteriously become pectorals. Ukyo was barely aware of what he was doing when he brought his loins up to the gate of Akane's well-lubricated sex, but Akane became aware an instant later as he entered her without the slightest resistance.

"Oh!" Akane gasped as she reflexively opened her eyes and saw the incredibly GORGEOUS Bishonen man hovering over her, which prompted her to say, "Ucchan?"

"Akane," Ukyo said as he flexed the muscles of his abdomen and hips to push his manhood even farther into the dark haired girl beneath him, mounting Akane all the way as the latter gasped a bit and then widened her hips to receive him.

"Ucchan..." somehow the sight of a MALE Ukyo was a bit of a let-down, even a disappointment, though a brief one at that as Akane still recognized the boy as unmistakably HER Ucchan and began to move her hips accordingly, encouraging Ukyo to begin moving in turn with his own hips, bringing his organ into play for full penetration, then sliding it back and forth once again, gradually building up in tempo as he got down to some serious and earnest Male-to-Female coitus.

"Oh my," Peorth murmured from her concealing perch, almost ready to fall into full view as she stared with rounded eyes at her own handiwork, amazed at the sight of the transformed girl-turned-guy slowly entering and exiting her daughter, increasing his momentum so that each thrust became better timed and more possessive while Akane did her best to wrap her short legs around his body and encourage him to go forward, closing her eyes as she imagined the female Ukyo with a male phallus within her and satisfying herself that this was truly what she had wanted from their very first meeting.

This was definitely even better than what Peorth had been hoping to achieve, and if anything it was a bit too much of a sweet deal as it was now affecting even her like a Lust spell, and the desire to find some relief from SOMEWHERE was becoming overwhelming! Though it had taken some ingenuity on her part to bring these two together, once started on the path they needed no further instruction and were quite willing and eager to screw each other senseless!

"Mother?" a voice asked from somewhere off to Peorth's left.

"Eh?" the Goddess whirled around, and now she almost did fall from her perch, for there was Nabiki standing poised on a rafter looking at her with arms folded over her chest, a scowl turned firmly in Peorth's direction.

"Mother," Nabiki repeated again, "What are you up to...?"

"Ah..." Peorth could almost hear Urd's sardonic lilt as the Goddess would later taunt her with the words, "Busted!" in regards to this awkward situation.

"Er...Nabiki..." Peorth tried again.

"What the hell are you doing, dare I ask?" her mortal child inquired, flicking a glance towards the glass-walled booth that was the elevator, in which Ukyo and Akane could be plainly seen going at it hot and heavy.

"Well..." Peorth replied sheepishly, "Have you ever heard the term, "When in Paris," ma Cheri?"

"Unfortunately yes," Nabiki scowled, "Do you have any idea what you've just put poor Makoto through, to say nothing of Ukyo and my sister? What do you have to say for yourself, huh?"

"Ah...well..." Peorth knew that the jig was up and it was time to make a strategic retreat, having achieved her basic goals of bringing Akane and her "Love Chef" together so she struck an elegant pose and said, "We'll always have Paris?"

And with that she vanished in a swirl of roses, leaving Nabiki to pick up the pieces, though the Goddess silently pledged to somehow find a way to make it up to her middle daughter...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Continuation of Coitus: shadowmane

Yeah, this one cries out for a sequel, but it seemed like a good time to take a break and leave Ukyo to her romantic devices. Expect to see a sheepish Chef try explaining this "fiasco" to Makoto afterwards, only to learn indirectly that Makoto herself wasn't exactly "idle" with her time either, and that Minako is walking around a bit more happy, albeit she is happily following an equally dazed and confused Ryoga.

For more details about that, tune in the next time that I have the urge to Hentai, and in the meantime, be seeing you! Look for the continuation of this scene in my upcoming series, "Pangea, the Land that Time Ignored," with its subsequent follow-on story, "We'll always have Paris...?" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	97. Chapter 97

NabikiRan92 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations inspired by Naoko Takeuchi,  
Kosuke Fujishima and my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Wade Tritschler, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos, Ryan Anderson and Gregg Sharp, take a bow people!)

"SAY WHAT?" the Goddess Peorth reacted calmly and with great dignity as she stared at her Earthly counterpart, "You let my daughters be kidnapped by some Chinese clown act? You'd better have one heck of a good explanation for this or there will be hell to pay, ma Cheri!"

"It's as I was explaining to you before," Silk replied in a far more even tone of voice, "When Prince Kirin showed up it was most unexpected that he should be targeting Nabiki and I was as much taken by surprise as anyone else present. Akane flew to her sister's rescue, but from what I have been able to determine she has not yet met with success in her endeavor..."

"Success?" Peorth cried indignantly, "Nabiki should never have been taken in the first place! What kind of incompetent Lore Master are you that you can let some jerk just yank one of my daughters out in broad daylight with a fishing line? If it was your grandmother standing there..."

"There might well be no change of status," Silk replied coolly, "There are some things that even we, with all our power, cannot prevent from happening. The lines of destiny are subtle and quick to turn against us. Of course I assume that as a goddess you would have stood a better chance of acting in my place?"

Peorth was silent as she chewed that over, a silence that Silk took as assent that the assigning of blame would be counter-productive.

"I have been doing what I can to monitor affairs from a distance," Silk resumed more reasonably, "And grandmother is updating me with periodic reports...flashes of thought transference to reassure me that all is proceeding well and that she has found no cause for alarm just yet..."

"YET?" Peorth pounded on the word, "You mean something could still happen to them in the future?"

"There is always that possibility," Silk grimly acknowledged, "But there's no reason to panic ourselves with maybes and pointless speculations. Grandmother knows her business, and if there were a reason to fret I'm sure she would have informed me. As it is, it's taking all my efforts just to calm Soun down so that he doesn't go rushing off on a mad quest while we need him here to stave off a potential threat to the dojo."

"What?" Peorth blinked, "What about the dojo? Who's threatening my Soun-chan's dojo?"

"YOUR Soun-chan?" Silk asked in arched tones.

"I had him for seven years in a marriage," the Goddess said testily, "Which is longer than the seven months that you knew him."

"As I recall," Silk twitched a single eyebrow, "You were submerged within Kimiko, the woman who actually married him, and Soun-chan had no knowledge of your presence...""

"Say what you like," Peorth sniffed, "I knew him as well as anyone, now tell me what's this about a threat to the dojo?"

"Only speculation so far," Silk replied, "But we believe a developer may have her eyes on the property and may be looking to acquire the lease for a major International Conglomerate. That's why we've kept Soun-chan here so that the entire Tendo family isn't away while someone tries to buy the land out from under our feet..."

"Wait up a second," Peorth waved a hand, "The entire family? Where is Kasumi?"

"With her friend, Kodachi," Silk replied tersely.

Peorth's eyes narrowed as she said, "And where are they both right now?"

"Sailing out of Tokyo harbor in pursuit of her two sisters," Silk replied with some reluctance.

"Are you telling me..." it was Peorth's eyebrow that was now twitching, "That you let Kasumi follow her sisters into danger? Do you have any idea how reckless that is? Have you any conception at the possible consequences?"

"Kasumi is the oldest child," Silk replied, "She feels responsible for the welfare of her sisters. I didn't want to let her go, but she was adamant about staying with Kodachi. I...did not think it was my place to refuse her, even if she is not warrior trained like Akane, or an aspiring Lore Master, like Nabiki..."

"You Dolt!" Peorth snapped, "There's more to Kasumi than you or any other mortal knows! She's a reincarnated..." the goddess caught herself, then said, "Well...it's not a very good idea to put her into harm's way...it could trigger...unfortunate consequences. Call it a bad idea and leave it at that."

Now Silk arched her eyebrows and began to say, "Do you mean to tell me that if Kasumi is left in a hazardous situation it might cause a change in her...?" but before she could finish this sentence they heard someone else calling out to them.

"Hey, Silk!" Comb appeared on the back porch, even as Peorth chose the moment to fade through the floorboards, "What's taking you so long? Have you finished making those sandwiches yet? We need you out here to help us raise those walls. You don't expect me and Atsuko to do it all by ourselves, do you?"

"Of course not," Silk replied smoothly, gathering up the tray that she had just finished loading up with snacks as she followed her best friend outside, "After all, we couldn't expect Genma to lend a hand, after all..."

"He's busy keeping Soun distracted with a game of Shogi," Comb nodded towards where the two men were at their accustomed places, while Nodoka sat nearby calmly reading one of Kasumi's books on Herbal Lore, "By the way...who were you talking to in there? I thought I heard voices..."

"I was merely talking to myself," Silk replied, "Nothing you need be concerned about."

Peorth waited until the two Amazons were gone before she rose up through the floor and scowled, "Nothing to worry about, am I? Well...we'll just see about that, Cheri, after I look into this matter about the kidnapping."

And with that the Goddess floated up through the ceiling and vanished, intent on researching the data libraries of Heaven for all that could be learned about these "Seven Lucky Gods" and whether or not she should petition their offices with a formal complaint. After all, there were just some things one did not have to tolerate about obnoxious foreigners, be they snooty Amazons or a Rival Relief office. And if immediate redress was not forthcoming, then she was prepared to take matters into her own hands, and woe betide the mortals who dared lay an unwanted finger on any of her babies...

Akane knew that she should have felt tired and cold hanging onto the back railing of the sky ship, but oddly there was no fear in her as she glanced down at the distant surface of the water rolling beneath her in such tranquil reflection. It was as if heights no longer intimidated her, as though her cursed form with its ability to fly had given her a renewed confidence and a basic understanding that she could cope with this environment as if it were second nature. It was like the odd way that she lost her normal inhibitions whenever she sprouted the wings from her back and the feathers from her legs, as though she became a somewhat different person than the Akane who had always been earthbound. She did not even fear landing in the water any more, confident that she would not sink like a stone as she always had from the negative buoyancy from which she had always suffered. She no longer even saw her other form as a curse anymore, instead it felt like a state of blessing, such as the way she felt whenever she spoke to the woman who looked so much like her mother.

Even so she judged that it was taking Shampoo a very long time to get back to her, and clinging to the ship was not getting her any closer to finding, let alone rescuing, her sister. Nabiki was counting on the both of them to come through on her behalf, and it was the thought of this (not to mention the secret sweet pleasure of showing up that obnoxious Ranma) that was making her impatient. She would much rather be busting heads than standing around while these creeps did Who Knew What with her sister! So it was that she leaned a bit closer to the multi-hued pane of stained glass and resolutely concentrated upon it, wondering what was on the other side and if it might be safe for her to break through and enter.

Imagine her surprise, therefore, when all at once she found that she could see through the glass after all, and could hear the voices on the opposite side as one of them was saying to the other, "...But Master Kirin...this girl could be dangerous. It's not as if any ordinary girl could lay you out with a single blow..."

"Enough, Bishimonten," came the calm reply of the guy who had called himself Kirin, "Your concerns are well noted, but I am curious to learn more about this girl who is to be the bride of Kirin. Such fire as we have witnessed in her eyes seems most rare indeed, and I should like to learn more err we return to our homeland. Kirin is quite recovered from the mere love tap she gave him and would see this girl again, so I order you to bring her to me, Ebiten."

"As you wish, my Lord," came the little guy with the fishing pole, "Perhaps an hour by herself has cooled her ire and forced her to reconsider her rash behavior. Be assured that if she attempts to strike you again she will be dealt with."

"Do no harm to her," Kirin urged, "She is a guest and will be afforded all the privileges that may be accorded to a foreign born woman...and know that she is fated to be Kirin's bride, so treat her accordingly as you would a Princess."

"It will be as you say, Master," the little man with the big ears bowed, then spun about on one heel and exited the chamber.

"Master Kirin," spoke up a woman's voice this time, "How shall we instruct your Bride into the proper etiquette that is to be expected of a woman of her station?"

"Kirin leaves that matter entirely in your hands, Mon Mon. As Royal Courtesan you are to use such means as you deem fitting to bring her into line with our traditions. Make allowances for her as she is to be a special case, but should there be a need for chastisement..."

"I understand, my Lord," the woman said differentially, "She will learn her place by the time of your wedding."

"Why that..." Akane murmured to herself the words, "arrogant," "preening" and "bastard" while trying not to draw attention her way. She counseled herself that whoever these people were they were obviously dangerous and not to be underestimated. She counted the six oddly dressed people in the room, plus servants and guards, in all about twenty or more to worry about if she were to go in there directly. Instead she took a calming breath and waited, biding her time as-from the sound of matters-Nabiki would be produced in very short order.

Sure enough her sister was led into the room looking slightly disheveled but otherwise no worse for the treatment. If anything she had a somewhat restrained look of resentment as she regarded the Prince and his courtiers, then in matter-  
of-fact tones said, "You wanted to see me, Your Highness?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from all around, and then Ebiten whirled on the middle Tendo sister and cried, "None have right to address Prince Kirin without leave, woman! How dare you rise above your place..."

"Enough," Kirin instructed, "Come forward, Tendo Nabiki, that Kirin may speak with you in a more civil manner. This distance ill suits a bride and his groom before a wedding..."

"I'm not...!" Nabiki started to shout, then caught herself and with some effort lowered her volume a notch, "I am not getting married with you, Prince. I mean, you seem like a nice guy and all that, but your way of petitioning for my hand in marriage leaves me a little on the cold side, if you take my meaning?"

"If you refer to being confined as punishment for your earlier outburst, consider the matter as forgotten," Kirin informed her, "It was wrong of us to expect you to immediately comply with our customs when we know so little of your own. Forgive our presumption, we will attempt to abide with a more tolerant attitude in the future."

That seemed to mollify Nabiki somewhat so that she stood less guarded as she walked closer to the dais, then paused to bow in a respectful Japanese manner. Courtesy having thus been dispensed, she folded her arms over her chest and inclined her head in a sardonic manner and said, "First off...about this place you guys hail from..."

"Nekonron," Kirin replied, hopping off his throne-like perch atop a heavy brass kettle, standing tall before Nabiki with his bowl of rice and chopsticks as ever at hand, "It is nestled in the mountain straights due north of the place that you call Hong Kong and south of what is now known as Canton. Few know the way and fewer still can arrive there without invitation for it is not on any maps that you will find it. Our land is a gateway between the worlds of Earth and Spirit, and the Seven Lucky Gods Martial Artists are the traditional guardians of same. It is a very long and illustrious line that you are to marry into, Tendo Nabiki, and most women would regard it as quite an honor."

"Ah...let's just say I'm not most women and leave it at that, okay?" Nabiki urged, "I mean, look, you're handsome and you've got a nice ship and people here obviously look up to you, but this isn't the sort of thing I'm looking for in a boyfriend."

"Oh?" Kirin asked, "How intriguing. What manner of man is it that interests you, if you do not mind Kirin's curiosity on this subject?"

"Well..." Nabiki hesitated, "Let's just say he's not rich, but he is handsome...I mean...one day he might be rich, but that's not the reason I'm marrying him. He's brave, a bit reckless and headstrong, but he's got a good heart and I'm really kind of fond of the baka..."

"You obviously do care a great deal," Kirin noted, "What a shame that it cannot be between you. As loathe as Kirin is to come between the affairs of two lovers, the traditions must be upheld and so you will have to learn to forget all about your commoner boyfriend."

"Says you and what army?" Nabiki allowed a dangerous gleam to be hinted at in her tone, look and mannerism, "You may be a Prince but you're not a God, and you certainly aren't my Ranma."

"You say that he will come for you," Kirin replied, "This Saotome Ranma?"

"You can count on it," Nabiki stated flatly.

"Then we will wait to meet him," Kirin replied, unruffled, "And when your Knight in shining armor attempts to steal his bride from him, Kirin will be waiting, and then you will see with your own eyes which of us is the more worthy of becoming your husband."

"Why that...!" Akane's temper finally snapped and she balled a fist, momentarily forgetting that there was a pane of glass in front of her as she brought it forward, "You keep away from my-!"

The shattering of said glass startled her no less than it did the occupants of the room, and suddenly Akane found all eyes turned in her direction as she stood framed by the ruined window.

"Ooopsss..." Akane said a bit lamely, "Sorry about that..."

"Intruder!" the little man called Ebiten cried out, and with a flash of his fishing rod he sent his line of twine in the direction of Akane.

Elsewhere in the ship, Shampoo perked up her ears, hearing the sudden commotion, knowing without thought that Akane and Nabiki had to be at the center of it all. She turned back to the pot of water that she had been heating on the stove for the past several minutes, hoping that it was the right temperature to trigger her change. Just getting a pot filled up and carried over to the ancient cooking platform had taken her the better part of several minutes, having discovered the kitchen empty and no handy cooking ware ready to be used in her cursed form. Were it not for her ability to focus her Chi to bolster her physical strength there would have been no way that a mere cat could have accomplished such a task. As it was, the mere act of getting the pot onto the burner had proven surprisingly complex, whereas for a human it would have been a task of mere moments.

It did surprise her to learn that they used electricity instead of gas to heat the coils, but in a way it would make sense to avoid using an open fire on a gas-suspended vessel, and the thing looked old enough that Thomas Edison himself could well have worked on the slow-to-heat contraption.

She tested the waters with a paw then decided it was warm enough to do the task. Knowing that every second would count she jumped into the pot and transformed to her human shape, then wasted no time whisking out a spare cheosong from virtual space and slipped it on in a dead run, producing her bonbori halfway to the Prince's chambers and wasting no time putting them into service by smashing the heavy wooden doors down.

After all, dramatic entrances were an Amazon forte, and Shampoo was hardly one to disappoint her Airen...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Hey, I'm not one to complain about the cavalry coming to my rescue, but the thought that it would turn out to be Akane made me consider taking back at least a quarter of the nasty things I've said about her over the years. Too bad my charmingly inept younger sister didn't come with a ready made plan, so it took less than a heartbeat before she landed herself in a heap of real trouble.

That Ebiten guy was the first to strike, reeling Akane in like a fish, though his line failed to snag her wings and merely pinned her arms against her body. It was what he said next that I found most surprising, "Look, Sire! It is a spy for the people of Phoenix Mountain!"

"A Spy for the winged folk?" Kirin turned to regard the struggling Akane, "How very odd. There has been peace between our peoples for many years..."

"LET ME GO!" Akane shouted, bracing her legs on the floor as she brought her wings into play, more out of reflex than deliberate intention. I saw her lash out with one of those wings as my sister casually batted the little man away, slamming him like the proverbial hockey-puck against the far length of the room, which gave her the slack she needed to get loose from the fishing line. She whirled about just in time to be met by a charge by the big guy with the pig sticker. She dodged the thrust of the large man's shaft and lashed out with one foot, catching the man under the chin and causing him to turn his head to one side...which was all the effect she created!

Akane backed away as she took stock of the man-mountain named Bishimonten, whom I later learned was the Royal court Exorcist, and rightly judged that he would be a tougher sale than she had originally estimated. Backing up to give herself more room to fight, however, brought her into the reach of yet another of Kirin's lackeys, a literal mountain of flesh who resembled nothing so much as a weird caricature of the smiling Buddha.

"Akane-look out!" I cried, too late as it turned out as a pair of massive arms looped around both wings and my sister and squeezed them in the huge embrace, crushing the breath out of Akane and effectively taking the fight out of her for the next several seconds.

"Hold her, Garuda," Kirin commanded, "But do not hurt her. Kirin would interrogate this one and learn why one of the Winded Folk would have business with Nekonron."

That was when the second surprise happened as the double doors at the far end of the chamber were knocked off their hinges, and into the room stormed Shampoo, large as life and full of purple-haired fury.

"What's this?" Kirin turned to the new threat.

"An Amazon," Bishimonten replied, "Are we are under siege by an alliance from the Bayankalah provinces?"

"What next?" asked the pale haired lady in scanty attire (whom I later learned was named Mon Mon, but more about her later), "An attack from the Musk Dynasty?"

"This is a most unfortunate turn of events," Kirin noted, "Take her as well as the Wing Woman. There is more to this story that Kirin should much like to learn about."

"Nabiki," Shampoo called out as she approached us with great haste, "You is all right?"

"Keep back, Sham-chan!" I called out to her, not caring that I was giving away the fact of my association with these two timely interruptions.

"You know of this woman?" Kirin asked in surprise.

"Yes they're..." I decided to use the term that would most make sense under the situation and said, "My sisters," I glanced at Shampoo and hoped she would not take that the wrong way.

"Sisters?" Kirin turned to glance at Shampoo, then at Akane, "Now Kirin is very interested in hearing the full story..."

"Nabiki," Shampoo seemed genuinely torn as she glanced from me to Akane, who was struggling to no avail against the man-mountain, "You sit tight...Shampoo rescue you, but first help Akane."

"Mon Mon," Kirin ordered.

"As you will, Sire," and too fast for me to see the pale haired girl suddenly appeared directly in Shampoo's path, startling my iinazuke as even she seemed taken aback by such a maneuver.

"Get out of Shampoo's way!" my Purple haired dynamo cried as she thrust forward with her trademark bonbori, only to find the girl dodged out of the way with as much ease as if Shampoo had been attacking Ranma. Even more disconcertingly she started to play on a guitar-like instrument, giving no evidence of concern as she dodged and weaved around Shampoo, keeping her off balance.

"What are you doing, Shampoo?" Akane grunted as she fought in vain to free herself from Garuda, "Hurry up and rescue Nabiki!"

"In moment, Akane," Shampoo took a step back, only to find Mon Mon appearing behind her. Shampoo dodged an attack by the girl and her guitar, but then got a cagey look in her eyes and smiled, waited for the next attack then spun around and threw one of her bonbori, aiming it for the head of the towering Garuda.

The giant Buddha barely seemed to feel the metal mace as it bounced off of his head, but the gesture sufficiently distracted him that Akane was able to break free from his embrace. I stared in amazement as Akane began to glow brightly, her aura intensifying in strength as if fueled by her emotions, and with an incredible display of brute strength she pushed with her wings against the brute and achieved the incredible feat of actually toppling the mountain!

"Incredible," Kirin remarked, "Such teamwork in traditional enemies is most remarkable."

I decided to file this away for later reference, intending to ask Shampoo later on what she knew about winged folk living in a place called Phoenix mountain, and what the heck was this Musk Dynasty that I'd heard referred to in passing.

"Finally!" Akane flexed her wings and then got a cocky look on her face as she balled her fists and said, "Thanks, Shampoo, now...who's next?"

"We are," said one of a pair of identical twins who appeared directly before her.

"Daihotse and Daikotse at your service," said the other.

"Whatever!" Akane cried as she surged forward, only to find the two identical men were leaping at her with near-identical maneuvers, one aimed high, the other low, catching her squarely on the jaw and solar plexus.

"You hit them high," said one of the two men.

"...And you hit them low," agreed the other as Akane staggered backwards, clearly taken aback by the double-attack.

Meanwhile the air was filled with the ringing sounds of Shampoo's remaining bonbori fending off the attacks of the metal-rimmed guitar wielded by her opponent. I could see right away that the scantily clad girl had the edge in speed and technique and was pressing home her advantage, forcing Shampoo to retreat until she had been cornered next to Akane.

"Remember Kirin's orders," Kirin called out to his henchmen, "Restrain these two but do not harm them."

"It shall be as you command, Sire," Bishimonten replied as he moved to block off any attempt at a break through. Meanwhile I could see the other members of Kirin's team were doing likewise, presenting a united front that overwhelmed all hope of a victory for my lover and my sister.

"They're too many of them for us to fight," Akane said as she felt along her jaw, "What are we going to do?"

"Akane," Shampoo murmured softly (and don't ask me how but I could hear her plainly), "When Shampoo give signal you make break for it and go find Ranma."

"What?" Akane shot a look at my girlfriend, with whom she was standing virtually shoulder-to-shoulder, "But...what about you?"

"Shampoo place with Nabiki," my future bride said with grim fatalism, "You no need stay here, and Ranma need to know what we facing."

"No way," Akane shook her head, "I'm not abandoning you!"

"Is no choice," Shampoo held her bonbori at the level, "We fight we both captured, Ranma no find us. You is best one to get away, you come back with allies. Shampoo find way protect Airen."

I could see Akane chewing her lip over that but she finally nodded, "All right, but I don't like it. Just stay alive until I get back, all right?"

"Shampoo no suicide," my bride said bravely, and I got a sense of what she was intending.

"How noble of you to offer yourself in the place of your friend," Mon Mon remarked, "But it is a wasted gesture. Neither one of you is leaving this room without permission of Lord Kirin."

"You wrong," Shampoo called out as she turned to the wall and struck with her bonbori with a cry of, "BAKUSAI TENKETSU KO!"

And with a massive slam from her mace she punched a hole right in the side of the chamber, exploding it outward with such force that it created a suction draft that caught Akane by surprise and hurled her away before any of Kirin's people could move to stop her.

Shampoo fought the draft and was nearly blown outside with my sister when a fishing line caught her by her waist and yanked her back. Meanwhile the other Lucky God Martial artists all fought against being sucked after Akane, all save for the big Garuda, who thrust his massive body into the gaping hole and quite effortlessly plugged it.

"Incredible," the Prince said as he prevented me from losing my footing with a gallant arm thrust across my chest, "Had Kirin not witnessed it with his own eyes..."

"I have you woman!" a recovered Ebiten declared as he wrapped Shampoo up in the coils of his nylon.

"You no have Amazon warrior for long," Shampoo declared, surprising the man by twisting her body into his reeling motion, closing the space between them while using her feet for balance, and before the little guy knew what had happened he'd been head-butted into the wall for a return to nap-land.

Shampoo wasted no time freeing herself from the nylon, but as Mon Mon came rushing up to attack her again she calmly lifted her bonbori, then dropped it to the floor, surprising everyone (and me as much as anyone else present).

"Shampoo no want fight," Shampoo declared, "You talk Shampoo, she no attack you."

"You mean you're surrendering to me?" Mon Mon was clearly stunned by the gesture.

"Amazon NEVER surrender!" Shampoo's eyes blazed with fury, but she refrained from attacking the other woman, "But warrior know when fighting no serve purpose. You no want kill Shampoo or her Nabiki, Shampoo will no fight you."

"You are offering us your Parole?" Kirin was plainly unprepared for this stunning gesture, just as I was equally astonished to see Shampoo opting to talk instead of her usual head-bashing, "How extraordinary. Very well...if you will refrain from violence, Kirin will allow you your freedom."

"Master!" Bishimonten cried, "I protest! How can we possibly trust this one to abide by her word? Amazons are without honor..."

"Is this from a guy who thinks kidnapping a woman is a kind of foreplay?" I asked sarcastically, then addressed myself to Kirin, "Don't hurt her, she's...she's a friend of mine, a very good one."

"Indeed," Kirin smiled, "Kirin had already deduced this. A most unusual friend indeed who is willing to accept Kirin's hospitality on your behalf. I find the very notion that you two could even know each other extraordinary, and you will tell Kirin all about your story when we sit down for dinner."

As if on cue my stomach started growling, embarrassing me somewhat as I had not had anything to eat since lunch time, and then only a half-devoured Bento.

"All right," I said, "But Shampoo stays with me."

"If that is the way that you prefer it," Kirin nodded, then waved to his black-  
and-white clad masked servants and pointed first to the wall and then the gaping hole that had been a rear window, "Clean those up, then prepare the room for a feast. Kirin and his bride shall sit down to sup while her friend is given a place at our table. Mon Mon, see to it they have time to wash and bathe so that my Bride will look more the part of a future Princess."

"As you wish it, my Lord," Mon Mon bowed to him, but she eyed Shampoo with caution, clearly not convinced of my Amazon bride's good intentions.

Shampoo came up to me and embraced me with her eyes, but clearly she understood that this was not the time nor place for a more open display of her affections. I smiled at her, more gratified to see her again than I can possibly put into words, and for once I felt like being the one doing all the glomping. After the events of this weird day just seeing her beautiful face again made me hunger for her arms in a way that put the rumbling in my tummy to shame.

Of course the one thought in the back of my mind during all this was the natural one you would expect...did my sister get away scott free, and where in the name of heaven was my other iinazuke, Ranma...?

"Oh man," Ranma groaned to himself as he tried to ignore the noises that were coming from the back of the ship, "What kind of screwy rescue is this?"

"You've got me on that one," Ryoga commiserated as the two of them sat on the front prow of the ship with their legs dangling over the water, their arms on the low railing that was keeping them both from pitching forward as the ocean became more restless.

"Now don't be that way, you two," Lotion urged, "Revel in the moment, feel the wind in your faces and the rolling of the ocean..."

Ryoga put a hand over his mouth and looked a bit green around the collar, "I'd...urk...rather not, thank you!"

"If you cease to fight the motions of the ship you won't be so badly discomforted," Lotion advised, "In fact think of this as a form of training...preparation for the struggle that is to begin when we catch up with our adversaries."

"Training huh?" Ranma, "I can go with that...but what kind of training?"

"The kind that Cologne would be teaching you if she were here in my place," Lotion replied, "I was once warrior trained, as are the both of you, and I was her apprentice in the warrior arts, and being far from senile I still remember the elements of my training."

"I'll go with that," Ryoga said, "But what can you possibly teach us that will do any good in a couple of hours?"

"The fundamental lesson of what it means to fight with your Chi and not just your fists," Lotion replied, "Life is the power that fuels the art when one ascends to the next level of their training. You both have come about as far as one can go on the physical side of the art, but what you are facing here now are warriors skilled in the refined art of Chi manipulation. It's a different kind of combat than that to which you both are accustomed."

"Chi manipulation?" Ranma asked, "You mean like that Ki attack thingie Kennou used against Ryoga?"

"The very same," Lotion smiled, "You say Ki, I say Chi, so let's call the whole thing off."

"Huh?" both boys blinked in unison.

"Sorry," the Lore Master smiled, "Old joke, I couldn't resist it."

"Well..." Ryoga allowed, "It would be pretty neat to know how Kennou did that energy blast that knocked me for such a loop. I would have won our first fight if she hadn't pulled that out on me at the last minute."

"So how do we do it?" Ranma asked, "I know how to use my Chi to strengthen my attacks, but to actually use it as a weapon..."

"Well, the first thing to keep in mind is that you need to replenish energy as fast as you use it or you will suffer from supreme exhaustion," Lotion informed them, "To do this you will need to master the art of harboring your Chi within your bodies, to tap into whatever available reserves of energy are around you and to keep a strong reserve for ready usage."

"Sounds good," Ryoga said, "Only question is how?"

"By recalling that within each person there coils a snake of energy that rises from the feet up the spine to the head and back again," Lotion replied, "The Chakra centers of energy that reside within your body will grow more and more accustomed to handling the stress of greater and greater energy levels, and the more you charge yourself the larger will be your ability to handle the increasing stresses."

"Kinda like flexing a muscle to buildup your strength, huh?" Ranma said when a new thought crossed his mind, "Is this the kind of thing that you've been teaching Nabiki?"

"As we say in China, Bingo," Lotion smirked, "The only difference between you and her is that you've been building up your Chi throughout the whole of your life and she's only recently been training to try and catch up with you. You can already harness more Chi than my apprentice, and you've seen for yourself what she can do with her advancing knowledge of the arts."

"You mean we could do stuff like stop time and dodge real fast and all that?" Ryoga asked.

"You could if you mastered the same techniques," Lotion explained, "But you differ from her in that you are living weapons who can apply their strength either defensively or offensively. A Lore Master can do far more than employ her Chi as a weapon, and Knowledge is her primary power."

"Yeah, right, got that," Ranma nodded, "So how do we go about toughing up our Ki?"

"One simple exercise should be all you need to get things started," Lotion replied, "It is called 'As Above, So Below.' You should be able to master it before we engage the enemy, and it could even prove critical to surviving your first encounter."

"I'm game," Ryoga said, "How does it work?"

"First and foremost," Lotion said gravely, "Become aware of your environment. Feel the ions of energy in the air swirling all around you. Feel the wind in your face, feel the sun when it beats down on you...or in this case the Moon...and feel the rolling of the oceans, restless and eternal. On land it will be the ground beneath your feet that you may draw upon, but the principle is the same wherever you go. Just chant the phrase, "Sky above, Earth below," and feel the elements reaching out to you, filling you with their Chi. Think of yourself as surrounded by a globe of light that is build up from this Chi energy, then draw that light into yourself, concentrate it in your body and awaken the Snake that coils within you, the power of the Dragon."

"The Dragon," Ranma murmured, feeling an odd sensation passing through him as he followed the old woman's instructions.

"The Dragon," Ryoga echoed, then paused before adding, "What is the Dragon?"

"A very good question," Lotion smiled, "The world itself is the Dragon...the sky above is the Dragon, and the sea too is the Dragon. It is everywhere, it is in everything, it's breath is the flame of life itself, and its thoughts are as the Lightning. Merge with the power of the Dragon, become as Dragons yourselves. Be young dragons emerging from your shells, stretching out to test your wings as you grow and mature beyond infancy to adulthood. The Dragon will guide you...it is the Worm that encircles the Earth devouring its own tail, and it coils within the base of the spine, ready to leap out and strike at a moment's notice."

"But what all does that mean?" Ranma asked.

Lotion gave a soft chuckle, "Figure it out for yourselves. Consider it a Mystery to unravel, like a Chinese doll, a test of your maturity as warriors in training."

"Chinese doll?" Ryoga asked, "You mean like those things that have dolls inside their bodies, and smaller dolls inside those, and so on?"

"You catch on quick, Boy," Lotion grinned, "Now...concentrate on your lesson and repeat after me, Sky above, Earth below."

"Sky above, earth below," both boys chanted in chorus.

"Now say it to yourselves silently," Lotion urged, "And feel the words, feel their meaning, and feel the flow of energy creating the ball of light within you. Be mindful to tap into the positive flow of life energy all around you and seek the harmony with your own Chi. Be Dragons, young warriors, fierce and protective of those you love and all you hold sacred."

"Nabiki," Ranma murmured softly.

"Akane," Ryoga echoed, and then they both closed their eyes and started to meditate on the words, "Sky above, Earth below..." while channeling the energy that flowed into their bodies.

Lotion watched the two boys grow calm and their restless spirits grew still, and then the slow process of harmonization began, Ranma's confidence returning while Ryoga slowly merged with his sense of fatalism. The two were well on their way to mastering the second stage techniques that she intended to teach them, but first they had to purify their minds and bodies. The clean essence of elemental light was being kindled within them.

Once she was satisfied that they would maintain the discipline until ready for the battle, she turned her attention back towards the distant Air ship, upon which they were slowly gaining ground by the nautical mile. As night had fallen upon them and the yacht moved out into deeper waters she had been subtly shifting the currents of the tides to speed up their rate of travel, bringing them closer in alignment to their quarry, who were also fighting headwinds that were slowing down their progress.

Something was happening over there, some incident or significant occurrence that had been setting off alarms on the edge of her consciousness, and now that Lotion was free to turn her attention that way she felt the tide of battle turning against their side, only to be marked by a feeling of escape as one of the pinpricks of light parted company with the main body. Lotion drew the focus of her attention towards this plummeting object and got a mental image of Akane Tendo fighting to regain her orientation, swings spread wide to catch the currents as she slowed her rate of descent and gradually managed to stabilize her flight and take stock of her surroundings.

Akane had been briefly stunned at the speed with which Shampoo had put her plan into motion, and the speed of execution had taken even her completely by surprise. Almost in no time at all she found herself a kilometer away from the sky ship and watching it drift away at a leisurely gait. She briefly entertained the thought of chasing after it but gave that up as she knew that she could do little on her own to take on the forces that had driven both her and Shampoo into a corner.

Then she remembered the parting words Shampoo had given her: "Find Ranma and bring help," which meant that she had to retreat with her tail-feathers between her legs and hope to find her way back in time to rescue BOTH Shampoo and Nabiki. Too bad it turned out those goons were a tougher lot to fight than they had originally been prepared for, but it made more sense to gather as much strength as they could before mounting an assault against these kidnappers.

Now there was only one problem left to solve...which way was home? She was out over the ocean with no sign of the coastline, and the light had long ago failed with the setting of the sun, leaving her with no sure sense of direction, no certain way in which to fly in order to get back home to the dojo. How could she gather her allies if she couldn't even find her way home...and for that matter...how was she supposed to find dry land before her wings got too tired and she wound up plummeting into the sea, which would be a VERY BAD THING? It started to dawn on her that she really was in a very bad situation.

For the first time in her life Akane had a sense of what it must have been like to be Ryoga, always clueless about direction and at a total loss of any point on the compass other than up and down. It was not a comfortable revelation, and if anything she felt herself begin to quail at the thought that she could be lost too in the expanse of the ocean. Lectures from her history classes came a little too readily to mind...like didn't early World War Two pilots often have these sorts of problems flying at night and without adequate instrumentation...?

Only then as she started to feel a bit of concern eat into her confidence did she become aware of a voice in her head, not the voice of her mother but rather that of Lotion the Lore Master.

**Child...can you hear me?**

"Hello?" Akane wondered if she were hearing things or it really was the voice in her head of Nabiki's mentor.

**Still your mind and calm your fears** the old woman's voice spoke strongly, **I will serve to guide you to our position. Just open your senses and feel your way here and I will make certain that you find us.**

Akane could have wept for joy. The voice sounded strong and it felt reasonably near to where she was gliding, so she turned the way that the voice had directed and let the currents carry her forward, making good time as she no longer had to fight against the headwinds. In less than a half an hour she felt the voice urging her to descend, and then her eyes began to gain stronger focus as though the darkness was becoming as plain to her as daylight...and there in the distance was a boat heading in her direction.

Lotion smiled upon seeing the youngest Tendo girl coming into sight and gave her final instructions for an approach vector, hoping the child had sufficiently progressed in her flying skills to manage the difficult art of landing on a moving object. Satisfied that direct word as to the condition of her Apprentice was at hand she had one other task that needed tending. Kuonji Ukyo needed to be informed of Akane's presence, and it simply would not do at this early stage to let the Tendo girl suspect what had happened between the Chef and the Senshi below decks.

At least not until their mission was successfully concluded, after which Kuonji would have to do her own ditch digging. Lotion did not fault the Sex-changing girl for her romantic interlude, but this was hardly the time to sow dissention in their ranks, now when they had to present a united front in facing against Kirin. Tearing the team apart was certainly a recipe for disaster, and with the volatile Akane it was always best not to take unnecessary chances...

"Mmm..." Ukyo purred as she stretched out and curled one bare leg around the thigh of her recent bed-mate (or technically speaking as it was more the floor of the lower deck and not an actual bed that they were currently sharing), "I think I could get to like this..."

"Me too," Makoto murmured in a sleepy tone of voice, deliriously contented at the success of this first-time ever sexual encounter as they lay facing one another, totally naked, "So...how was I on a scale of one to ten?"

"I wouldn't know where to begin," Ukyo chuckled softly, "But you definitely impressed the heck out of me. Where did you learn to do that, by the way?"

"Promise not to laugh?" Makoto asked.

"How can I promise something like that?" Ukyo asked, but when she felt Makoto's hand reach down to cup her pelvis she hastily said, "All right, all right, I promise!"

"Good," Makoto chuckled ominously, "If you really want to know, I learned to do that by watching Anime and reading Manga."

"You're kidding?" Ukyo asked, only to gasp as she felt the finger pressure increase against her loins and she gasped, "Ah...maybe not...?" albeit a bit archly.

"Scouts honor," Makoto murmured, then chuckled at her own jest, "Usagi and Rei aren't the only ones who've read romance Manga when growing up, and living by myself as I do...well, it gets a little lonely on a Saturday night, know what I mean? And some of those Manga get awfully graphic..."

I didn't know you went in for that type of literature," Ukyo mused, then purred in contentment, "I guess I can vouch for the graphic parts...and pretty accurate too I'll wager..."

"Very," Makoto nuzzled the top of Ukyo's forehead with her lips, "I used to fantasize about doing this...at first with a guy, of course, and I'd fast-  
forward through the girl-girl parts...but then I started to pause and really look through those sections, and when I did that guess who I started thinking about in the roles as the two lovers?"

"Really?" Ukyo mused, "In other words you were planning to seduce me all along?"

"Well..." Makoto drawled, "I admit the idea was in the back of my mind when I decided to approach you...after I got the word that you were living in Nerima..."

"How diabolical," Ukyo mused, nuzzling Makoto's throat, "And now that you've had success with your fiendish plans of having me for yourself, what next to you plan to do?"

"What else?" Makoto mused, "Try you out in your guy form and see if I like you as much in either version."

"I had a feeling you were going to say that," Ukyo's hand roved over the smooth skin of Makoto's hip, "To tell the truth I'm a little curious myself, but I wanted to do this first in my true form..."

"Oh?" Makoto asked, running her free hand up Ukyo's washboard-smooth stomach to circle around her hip and slide it around to caress the Chef's pert fanny, "And why was that, pray tell?"

Ukyo cupped Makoto's chin and replied, "Because if we're going to have any kind of relationship together, I want to know that you'll love me for what I am, not what I turn into...and I also wanted to know if I could actually do it with you as a woman."

"You wanted to be honest with me," Makoto murmured in low-voiced wonder.

"I've never wanted anything else, Mako-chan," Ukyo replied, "From the moment we met I've felt a burning need to share with you all my dark and dirty little secrets, and it gnawed on me all the time that we were dating that I was effectively lying to you by hiding my true gender. Now that we know so much more about each other...I'm hoping this time things will be different."

"Me too," Makoto smiled, "I'm hoping that this will be just the first of a lot of really hot sessions between us, Mako-chan, especially if you take me up on my offer to come work in your restaurant. I'm not saying that there won't be problems, of course, and I still owe duties to my friends and fellow Senshi..."

"You know I wouldn't want to come between you and the work you do, Mako-chan," Ukyo rested her head upon Makoto's breast and heard the beating of the other woman's heart for several long seconds, "I also hope this won't put a strain on your friendship. I keep thinking about Minako and the claims she made on you the other day. It's obvious even to me that the two of us getting closer is going to be a problem."

"I can handle Minako," Makoto replied, "In spite of her somewhat flighty nature, she's a very loyal friend and we've never kept things from each other, so I know how many times she can fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat. I...like her a lot, but I wasn't really thinking of her as anything but a friend. I suppose I might have noticed sooner or later that she had those kinds of feelings for me...and maybe if I didn't have you back in my life I'd even be tempted to try her out..."

"What, like a new dress?" Ukyo sniffed, "I think you may be making a mistake about her. I don't really know why, but I think she's a little more desperate for attention than you realize. Maybe too many failed attempts elsewhere have got her to thinking of you as something more than a last-ditch alternative. Or maybe she's just noticed what a gorgeous hunk of womanhood you are. Either way she's got to be feeling more for you than a simple schoolgirl crush, and crushed might well be what she's feeling right now, feeling like you've abandoned and rejected her..."

"You think it could be that bad?" Makoto wondered, "I hope it's not that serious. I do like her, you know...I mean, you've met her, you can see that she's really deep down a very sweet and caring person."

"So I think you're still going to have to deal with her before we can even think about living together," Ukyo noted, "I'd be willing to wait for you to make up your mind, one way or another."

"Do you honestly think I'm going to give up on you this soon?" Makoto asked in mild exasperation, "After all it took me just to get this close to you?"

"I wouldn't expect you to give up on me any more than I'd give up on you, Mako-  
chan," Ukyo chuckled, "You've really changed my life over the last few days and I'm starting to wonder what I was ever so nervous about in the first place. Of course I've also got to deal with Akane..."

"You mean you didn't tell her yet?" Makoto's tone was no longer quite so playful.

"Ah..." Ukyo cringed, "I really meant to tell her yesterday evening, but...somehow I got a little side-tracked..."

"Uh-huh," Makoto glared down at her, "Tell me another one. Are you planning to keep us both on a leash, Ucchan?"

"No," Ukyo insisted, "It's not like that! Mako-chan, you know I'm not trying to play games with anybody's affections. It's just...when I'm with Akane...things start to get a little fuzzy..."

"Are you telling me you're in love with her?" Makoto's voice was no longer quite so teasing.

"No!" Ukyo insisted, only to have the disturbing image of Akane's kiss crop up unbidden, "Ah...well...I think..."

"You think?" Makoto growled, "I don't think I like the sound of that. In fact I KNOW I don't..."

**Kuonji Ukyo,** a voice rang out in both of their heads.

"Eh?" Ukyo reacted, "Who said that?"

"Sounds like the old woman," Makoto noted, momentarily distracted from her irritated state.

**It may be of interest to the both of you to know that the object of your current discussion is on the way here and will shortly be landing, at which point I think it would be very wise for the both of you to be in a better state to present yourselves.**

"Akane's on her way here?" Ukyo sat upright, eyes wide with panic, "We've gotta get dressed at once!"

"Why?" Makoto asked, "I'm not afraid of her."

"You ought to be, Sugar," Ukyo replied as she started reaching for her discarded belongings, "She's got a temper like a matchstick and she knows a lot more about the martial arts than you do. If she catches us like this she's gonna go ballistic, and we've got to keep our focus on freeing Nab-chan from those Lucky God creeps."

"So you think we've got to play it cool, huh?" Makoto said uneasily, "I guess I can go along with that. But after this is done I expect you to tell her everything and make it plain with her that you belong to me now, and she's got to keep her hands off, or else."

"I didn't know you had a bill of sale, Sugar," Ukyo smirked, "C'mon, get dressed and I'll try and make it up to you afterwards."

"All right," Makoto roused herself to sit up and reach for her suit, "But I'm holding you to that promise...Sempai."

Ukyo winced, but gaining Makoto's cooperation took precedence over all else, so she finished dressing with haste even as Makoto finished tying on her bikini top just seconds before something went crashing onto the deck like someone misjudging their airspeed and landing with a bit more force than intended.

"Ouch!" came the all-too-recognizable voice of Akane as Ukyo went rushing for the steps and emerged into the night air in time to see the youngest Tendo girl sitting up on the deck and rubbing fanny, then complain rather sourly, "Guess I need to work a bit on my landings..."

"Akane-chan?" said Kasumi as her head popped out from under the collapsed mini-  
tent.

"Kasumi?" Akane reacted, "What are you doing out here, and where is everybody?"

"We came to rescue you," Kasumi said brightly, "Ranma and the others are all here looking for you, Shampoo and Nabiki, isn't that nice?"

"Everybody came?" Akane asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well," Kasumi amended, "Everyone but the adults, with the exceptions of Hinako-  
Sensei and Elder Lotion, and of course Ryoga's aunt stayed behind because his mother insisted..."

"Okay, I get the picture," Akane got to her feet and fluffed out her wings, "I came to warn everybody, only I didn't know that I'd find you in a boat in the middle of the ocean. Good thing I landed on something soft..."

"That would be me," Kodachi groaned as she pried her own head up from under the ruins of the tent, "You definitely do need work on your landings, Akane-san..."

"Oops," Akane winced, "Sorry about that..." and then her eyes took in a more welcome sight and with a cry of delight she rushed forward saying, "Ukyo! You came for me also?"

"Well I..." Ukyo got no farther than that before Akane threw her arms around her and drew her into a kiss twice as intensely passionate as the last time. Ukyo was not braced for the impact and had to put her arms around Akane to stabilize herself, all the while very much aware of Akane's lips pressed to her own, and without thinking about it Ukyo's resistance melted and she returned the kiss, albeit more automatically and with much less enthusiasm. As the kiss went on her resistance collapsed even further, and she became aware of Akane's wings stretching out to enfold them both in their continuing embrace, affording them a modicum of privacy, though all present knew perfectly well what they were about.

"Well, well..." Kodachi leered, "It seems our wayward Tendo sister is rather eager to express how much she has missed her gallant Chef."

"Oh my," Kasumi agreed, "They do seem to rather much like each other..."

"Akane-chan?" Ryoga gasped as he watched this whole transaction take place before his eyes with growing horror.

"Oboy," Ranma winced slightly, "Something tells me this is gonna mean trouble..."

Right on cue a ragged voice from a throat suddenly gone horse grated out, "HOW DARE YOU?"

"Oh bugger," Lotion murmured.

"Sempai...I TRUSTED YOU!"

Ukyo was not so far gone into the power of Akane's kiss that she did not pick up on the lethal tone of that harsh utterance, which same she only vaguely placed as belonging to Makoto. Extricating her mouth from Akane's eager tongue proved far less pleasant than the act of turning around and seeing her worst fears manifested in the form of her other girlfriend. Makoto stood there in her swimsuit like a towering column of rage whose emerald eyes were blazing with hurt and accusation.

"M-M-Mako-chan?" Ukyo's voice was pitched higher by about two octaves, "It-It's not what it looks like...!"

"Oh yeah?" the pony-tailed girl glared hotly, "Tell me another one, like how you were going to break it to her gently!"

"Why don't you bug off and find a whale somewhere to play with!" Akane snapped, immediately resentful about being interrupted in her business.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?" Makoto balled a fist and waved it in Akane's direction, "Mind coming over here and saying that?"

"Sure," Akane growled as she stepped around a dismayed Ukyo, "As soon as I find a ladder!"

"Uh oh," Kodachi winced, then blinked her eyes, wondering if it was a trick of the light or did the taller girl appear to be giving off small electrical discharges.

"How dare you..." Makoto shook with rage, "How dare you talk that way to me? And how could you kiss her, Sempai? Have you no shame? Have you no HONOR!"

All at once electricity started pouring out of the other girl, shooting out randomly and in all directions. One stray bolt hit Ryoga in the chest and knocked him backwards, almost over the side and into the water. Ranma ducked low as a second bolt hit the railing to one side, and at once everyone else fell to their knees to avoid the other discharges, all save for Ukyo, who for once was glad not to be wearing her bandoleer of throwing spatulas and trademark baker's peel or she was certain the lightning flashes would have struck her like a magnet.

Akane raised her arms and wings simultaneously as if forming a ward sign, and the lightning bolts that crackled at her struck some invisible barrier and were easily deflected. Makoto showed no signs of lessening the intensity of her flashes and her eyes were blazing like twin neon sighs, but before the whole ship could be further damaged Lotion came up behind her and struck her on the back of her knees, knocking Makoto down to a level where the wizened Lore Master was able to find her sleep center and render her unconscious.

Silence reigned in the ensuing afterglow of Makoto's brief rampage, punctuated only when Ranma raised his head to ask, "What the heck was that all about? How did she do that?"

"That was her Senshi power manifesting itself," Kodachi deduced, "Sailor Jupiter is reported to use Lightning attacks against her enemies, which we have observed in prior battles."

"Oh my," Kasumi put a hand to her chin, "But I thought she could only use her powers when she transformed into her alter ego. Is it usual for her to act this way while dressed as a civilian?"

"Apparently the sight of young Kuonji with Akane set her off in such a manner that she was able to transcend her normal limitations," Lotion deduced, "She has somehow instinctively tapped into her true source of power without needing the transformation."

"That's just swell," Akane groused, "Lightning girl here almost electrocuted the lot of us because she has a problem with me getting closer to my Ucchan."

"Ah..." Ukyo winced a little, "This is really all my fault...I should have...been more honest..." she swallowed, wondering just when Akane had decided to start using her nickname.

Akane turned a softer look her way and said, "You don't have to blame yourself that she has the wrong ideas about you, Ukyo. I guess I can't really blame her for being jealous of us...but if you're going to let her down it would probably be a good idea to wait until she's calmer and we're not surrounded by all this water."

"Er...ah..." Ukyo felt trapped good and tight, at a loss of words as her imagination failed her utterly. How in the name of sanity had she ever gotten herself wound up in such an impossible situation?

"Akane," Ryoga looked away, his face so contrite with misery that even Ranma looked on him with pity.

"Speaking of dressed for odd occasions," said a now-adult Hinako as she appeared on deck, drawn by the commotion, "Is that your idea of evening formal wear, Miss Tendo?"

At first Akane thought that her teacher was referring to her, but then she saw that Hinako's gaze was directed at Kasumi, whom she only now realized was wearing a very odd get-up that served no practical value and did not seem conservative in the slightest. Kasumi's lovely bared breasts perked up from beneath some form of metal and leather harness and she had on a studded leather collar, velvet gloves that extended up to just above her elbows, and a pair of thigh-high stockings that connected to thong sandals. She also noticed that Kodachi was wearing a choker-collar with a leash-chain attached, one end of which was held lightly by Kasumi.

"Ah...well...oh my," Kasumi blushed slightly, "I suppose this does require an explanation..."

"I'm not sure if my heart could stand hearing it," Ranma admitted tersely, wondering if Shampoo and Kodachi might have had the same kinky teachers. He turned instead and said, "Ryoga..."

"Leave me alone," Ryoga growled without enthusiasm, staring disconsolately at the sea as if contemplating a high dive.

"Ah...Ryoga?" Akane belatedly became aware of the lost boy's depressed state of mind and realizing at once that her rash behavior had hurt his feelings beyond mending.

Makoto groaned as she stirred where she collapsed, "W-What hit me...?"

"Mako-chan?" Ukyo went to the side of her girlfriend, bending over to see Makoto staring up at her with a puzzled expression.

"S-Sempai...?" Makoto seemed on the verge of remembering something significant when all at once Lotion announced, "We are here...there is the Air Ship."

She pointed with her staff, drawing all attention towards an object visible against the night sky, reflected by the beams of moonlight that managed to poke their way past a nearby cloud bank. It was drifting along exactly as Akane remembered it, prompting her to say, "That's where they're holding Nabiki! I was just up there fighting alongside Shampoo..."

"Shampoo?" Ranma all but pounced on the word, "Is she all right? Is Nabiki okay? If they've hurt either one of them..."

"I...I don't really know," Akane glanced down, "Shampoo told me to come get you guys...I didn't want to leave her alone up there, but we were both outnumbered and..."

"You did the right thing, Child," Lotion replied, "Had you stayed then you would only have become another hostage. Now at least you can provide much-needed information to the others. Sasuke-san, are you still awake at the wheel?"

"Eh, what, yes Mistress!" the little Ninja announced as if he had not been drifting in and out of sleep for most of the past hour.

"Hold a course steady by my mark," Lotion said, "We must endeavor to get our warriors aboard yon vessel while you and I remain behind to secure transportation."

"What?" Ranma said, "You're not going?"

"Not beyond this point, I am afraid," Lotion replied, "I am an Elder of the Joketsuzoku, and if I am seen to directly partake in an attack upon the Prince of Nekonron it could have serious ramifications back home. Never fear, just remember your training and you will do well enough without me...but if you should run into trouble, don't hesitate to call upon my services. I can be there in a flash should I truly be needed."

"Then I guess Kodachi needs to get ready," Kasumi said as she undid the chain connected to the Black Rose's collar, "Now remember to be a good girl and don't play too rough, Kodachi-chan."

"I will remember, Kasumi-sama," Kodachi smiled, reaching down and yanking up the remains of her tent, then with a flash that would have done a professional magician proud she waved it once over herself, and suddenly she went from nudity with clips and chains to her Gymnastics leotard, all in the space of a second, "Shall we be going?"

"All right," Ranma smacked fist-to-palm, "It's about time we got to it! That Prince Jackass will never even know what hit him!"

"That's supposed to be my line," Ukyo nodded, "But I'm right behind you, Ranchan."

"Then I'm coming with you," Makoto declared in no uncertain terms, "You owe me an explanation, SEMPAI, and for your sake it had better be a good one!"

As Ukyo gulped, Ranma turned to his half brother and said, "What about you, Ryoga? You coming?"

"I came all this way to help, didn't I?" Ryoga responded, his eyes as hard and flat as twin chips of basalt.

"Then how, pray tell, are we to get up there?" Hinako quizzed, "It's at least two kilometers above the level of the ocean."

"Not to worry," Lotion replied, making a motion with the end of her staff at the deck, and suddenly a coil of heavy rope appeared as the old woman said, "This has the tensile strength of a cable and can be gripped quite easily without causing rope burns. Even Kasumi would have little difficulty climbing it, and you, Akane-san, will have the honor of flying with one end tied about your waist. You will hook the end to the railing and secure it so that it can take the combined weight of the others, and once there you will lead the raid into the stronghold of the enemy. Are you so far with me?"

"Hai," Akane nodded, thumping her chest with a fist, "Just leave it to me, and this time those Lucky Gods creeps will never know what hit them!"

"That's the spirit," Lotion nodded, "Now...only one member of our assault team is missing. I do hope you have not totally depleted my Uncle with excessive foreplay, Hinako-san."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Hinako relied, "I made sure to leave enough of him left that he'll still be able to chase after the ladies, giving me a good excuse to punish him for it afterwards."

"Cute system," Ranma nodded, "All right, let's do it!"

The assault on Kirin's sky ship was about to begin in earnest...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Going over like a Led Zeppelin: shadowmane

The best-laid plans of Mice, Men and Ranmas often go astray, so why should this crew be any different? Stay tuned for the next chapter: "My Dinner with Hentais," or "Farewell my Yen," so be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	98. Chapter 98

NabikiRan93 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,  
Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others;  
Including my fellow fanfic writers Peter Schell,  
Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Wade Tritschler.  
Ryan Anderson and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)  
Chapter Ninety-Three.

"Oh my, this getting intense."

Ganglot, a wish-granting Oni, Unlimited Class, was smiling to herself as she mentally probed the lines of destiny that gave her a mental picture of what was taking place many miles away at sea. Having long ago learned how to tap into the World Computer of Yggdrasil for instant access to any and all data files, she found it remarkably easy to penetrate the wards surrounding the Prince's ship and spy on the fellow who was presently entertaining Nabiki and Shampoo for a most unusual fare of dinner, and all the while oblivious to the rescue party that was already moving into play and about to crash the party...

"So," the Prince himself was at that moment saying, "You left your homeland on a blood quest to avenge your honor against an outlander girl who had dared to defeat you, the Champion of your annual contests."

"Is true," Shampoo nodded, "Shampoo defeated by great warrior, lose face in front of whole tribe. Shampoo train whole life to be best in tribe, no take lying down, give Kiss of Death to outlander."

"And so you followed the ancient traditions of your people and went in search of this outlander female," Kirin continued, "And did you ultimately find her?"

"Of course," Shampoo replied, "Shampoo second best tracker in village, follow all way to Japan where finally catch up with girl, find in home of Nabiki. That how we met for first time, turn out girl is really Nabiki..."

"Cousin," Nabiki hastily interjected, "Ranko is my Cousin, and we're very close together, have been since she first came to pay my family a visit..."

"So she was staying with you when she," Kirin pointed with his chopsticks at Shampoo, "Came into your house to execute your cousin. Perhaps Kirin does not fully understand the situation here, but Kirin finds it very confusing that you can be close friends in spite of this."

"Oh, Shampoo no kill outsider girl," Shampoo replied, "She find very good reason to no kill, and this what bring Shampoo closer to Nabiki."

"By closer you mean that you have become her watchful protector?" Kirin asked.

"Among other thing," Shampoo smiled enigmatically.

"But Kirin does not understand," the Prince remarked as he held up his bowl, which was automatically filled by one of the twins sitting atop the rotating platform that dominated the center of the dinner table, which was followed by the obligatory pickle, "How can you choose not to obey the traditions of your people? You swore to kill the outsider girl who caused your disgrace..."

"But girl prove very hard to kill," Shampoo said, "And then Shampoo meet big, strong man who defeat her, which mean he become her husband, and it turn out that he and outsider girl..."

"Are brother and sister," Nabiki interjected once again, albeit with a look of haste and almost panic.

"Is so," Shampoo glanced at Nabiki with a winsome smile, "Is almost like they one person, and that make outsider girl family to Shampoo, which mean she no longer outsider."

"I see," Kirin remarked, "You found a loophole in your people's own laws. How admirably clever. But this does not explain why you regard yourself as Nabiki's protector?"

"Is very simple," Shampoo replied, "Nabiki promised to husband, and husband care about Nabiki. By Amazon law this make Nabiki obstacle to marriage, but no can kill Nabiki and no upset husband, so Shampoo decide take Nabiki on as co-wife. We share Ailen and everybody happy."

"You...share the same husband?" Kirin clearly found this revelation surprising, "I was aware that Amazons could sometimes agree to share a man, but Nabiki is not a warrior..."

"Is something better than Warrior," Shampoo had the enigmatic smile again, "And beside which she like sister to Shampoo, and we have sex together to prove we compatible, so Shampoo take her for wife..."

"Wife?" now Kirin's eyes registered surprise and confusion, while Nabiki spat out the mouthful of rice that she had been in the process of chewing.

"Is surprise to Kirin?" Shampoo asked, "You think warriors never fall in love with one another?"

"Kirin...admits that he finds the concept unusual," the Prince responded after careful thought that lasted for a long, tense moment, "But it is not unheard of in Nekonron...in fact it is the way that concubines train for marriage. Mon Mon herself is a practitioner of many exotic forms of foreplay, the better to please a man, in addition to being the Mistress of the School of Benzaiten."

"Excuse me?" Nabiki asked as she finished washing down the flakes of rice that she had nearly choked on, "Benzaiten?"

"One of the Seven Lucky Gods that are worshipped in our homeland," the Prince explained, "Surely she is known even in your land as a Patron of the arts and famed for her music?"

"I've heard of her, of course," Nabiki coughed into her hand-towel and then continued, "I was just...surprised is all...that a goddess worshipped in our land is also worshipped in your part of China."

"But is it so surprising that the Goddess would come to be known far and wide for her beauty, style and wisdom?" Kirin reasoned, "Each of the schools of Nekonron is styled after the God that each system is named for. For example, Kirin's own school is that of Fukurokuja, the Patron of Commerce and longevity. The other schools are Jurojin, Hotei, Ebisu, Daikoku and Bishimonten. You will note in the latter case that the current Priest of that school is named for its patron, and of course Garuda has been fashioned to be the very essence of Hotei."

"You train to imitate your Gods?" Nabiki asked with arched eyebrows.

"Of course," Kirin replied, then paused before adding, "Which gods do you worship, Tendo Nabiki?"

"Well..." Nabiki drawled, "I'm not what you'd call seriously religious, but of late I've taken a stronger interest in the gods of my people...and recently I've been feeling a bit closer to one named Peorth of the Roses, but I consider that a private affair and I'd rather not have to talk much about it."

"Very well," Kirin replied, "We will respect your wishes in this and not impose our beliefs upon you, but Kirin is most concerned regarding this man that you each claim to be your husband..."

"Iinazuke," Nabiki corrected automatically before she had time to think twice about it.

"A fianc e," Kirin smiled, "Then your marriage is not yet official."

"Is official enough where Shampoo concerned," the Amazon insisted, "Ranma prove himself very much man, best warrior in all Japan, he easily defeat Shampoo and win heart of both her and Nabiki..."

"But now you have met Kirin," the Prince replied, "And he is a superior man to this Saotome Ranma, as you will see when Kirin defeats him in battle."

"Hah!" Shampoo declared, "You no defeat Ranma! He much, much better than silly chopstick wielding boy-king."

"Silence, woman!" the dwarven Ebiten spoke up, "None may address Lord Kirin..."

"Enough," Kirin spoke decisively with a wave of his rice bowl, "Kirin does not choose to take offense. If anything he is much impressed with your loyalty to your acknowledged husband. Kirin would hope to earn this loyalty for himself when he defeats this Ranma and takes Nabiki for his wife..."

"You never take Nabiki from Shampoo!" Shampoo insisted.

"Kirin would not think of doing this," Kirin replied, "As there is no conflict in having you for a second wife, he will permit you to stay and continue in your self-appointed role as Nabiki's bodyguard and companion. However, in all other respects, Kirin will insist that his claim remain unchallenged, and for that a second husband is not to be permitted."

Nabiki sputtered again on the rice that she was chewing, but this time managing not to swallow any kernels down the wrong pipe.

"Is something wrong, Tendo Nabiki?" Kirin asked in genuine concern, "Is our food displeasing to you in any way?"

"Ah..." Nabiki paused to swallow more tea, then said, "It's...not all that bad, but the rice is a little bland, and don't you put anything else on them besides pickles?"

"But pickles are good, wholesome and nutritious," Kirin argued, "They are the primary staple in the diet of the people of Nekonron."

"You're kidding me," Nabiki stared at him blandly, "Pickles are the primary source of your diet?"

"Oh no," Kirin replied, "Rice is the primary portion of our meals, but we always serve rice with pickles, and we never eat rice without them."

"Pickles?" Nabiki seemed to have trouble comprehending this, "You don't eat anything else?"

"Why?" Kirin seemed genuinely puzzled, "What else is there to eat?"

"I don't suppose you've ever tried a hamburger?" Nabiki arched an eyebrow.

"What is a hamburger?" Kirin wondered.

"Is meat served on roll," Shampoo replied before frowning, "Shampoo think they serve it with pickle."

"You eat the flesh of animals?" Kirin seemed genuinely appalled.

"Ah...why?" Nabiki asked hesitantly, "Is that a problem?"

"It is one of the taboos that is forbidden in Nekonron," Ebiten spoke up once again, "No matter what savage, barbaric foods you may be used to eating, Woman, from now on you will learn to eat on pickles as befits the Bride of Prince Kirin."

"Only...pickles?" Nabiki looked more than a bit disquieted at this notion.

"Kirin is afraid that Ebiten is correct," Kirin answered, "It is a tradition that he must insist upon. You do like pickles, do you not?"

"Oh...ah...sure," Nabiki smiled weakly, "I like them just fine...only not as the only thing besides rice in my diet..."

"This is most unfortunate," Kirin replied, "I will ask Mon Mon to add this to the list of things for which you must be trained."

"I thought you weren't going to impose your beliefs on me," Nabiki argued.

"It is not belief, it is a practice that bears the weight of long tradition," Kirin replied, "Kirin is sorry if this displeases you, but he must insist that his Bride will uphold the traditions as an example to all women of Nekonron."

"Pickles," Nabiki let her chopsticks clatter to the table and stood up, "Sorry, Prince, but I've just lost my appetite. Come along, Shampoo. If you'll excuse us."

"HALT WOMAN!" Ebiten stepped forward, "You are not to leave the table without the permission of Lord Kirin!"

"Excuse me?" Nabiki looked down her nose at the little man, "What am I now, his slave or something?"

"You are a woman," Ebiten said as if this needed to be pointed out, "And women do not speak back to their husbands..."

"Blow it out your ears," Nabiki snorted, "Which in your case would probably be fatal."

"Why you-!" Ebiten took a step forward, only to find Shampoo standing directly in his path.

"Ebiten," Kirin spoke the name as he stood up from the table, "We will not detain you if it is your wish to be difficult. Kirin understands that you need time to adjust, so he will have Mon Mon show you and your...companion to the room that you have been assigned. She will also see that your needs are attended, beginning with the all-important task of your Bride training."

"Bride training," Nabiki said sourly, "When are you gonna get it in your head, Prince, that I have no intention of cooperating with any of this. You don't just tell a girl that she's going to be your dutiful little wife, you have to earn that privilege, and so far I'm not impressed."

"I see," Kirin said, "Then Kirin will need to impress you that he is the man for whom you are destined. I look forward to this challenge as you are a most intriguing woman and quite certainly a most diverting challenge."

Nabiki was about to speak up to this when Bishimonten entered the room and said, "Sire, we are under attack! Strangers have boarded the ship and are attempting to force an entrance!"

"Strangers you say?" Kirin arched an eyebrow, "Deal with them-no, wait! Find out if one among them is named Saotome Ranma. Kirin is most eager to confront this young warrior who has come all this way to challenge his claims to Tendo Nabiki..."

All at once Ganglot's mind was yanked back by the sound of a voice calling out to her. In mild vexation she opened her eyes and groaned, "It never fails...just when I was getting to the good parts..."

She turned her mind to close nearby and found her great granddaughter, Ryomi, calling out to her in the studio above her. Deciding that immediate family should take precedence, she ordered a relay to record the upcoming battle, then rose up out from her stone resting place, flowing through the basalt and up through the floor, emerging in the studio itself, where she startled Ryomi, who had not expected her to make quite so dramatic an entrance.

"What is it, dear?" she asked, immediately falling into the delightful role of a caring Elder, a role that she found very much to her liking, "Were you having trouble sleeping?"

"G-Grandma?" Ryomi stared at her with very round eyes, "How...what...you...?"

"I was resting, dear," Ganglot replied, "Even Oni need their beauty sleep."

"You sleep inside the stone?" Ryomi stared at the block of basalt.

"The stone is from my hidden temple in China," Ganglot replied, "It is my link to the center of my power, and sleeping inside it helps to recharge me after a hard day at the office."

"I guess..." Ryomi said dubiously, eyeing the stone as if trying to fathom why such a plain looking object should be so important.

"Is there something you wanted to ask me, Ryo-chan?" Ganglot inquired, "I do have a lot of important things to do in the morning, but if you are having any problems you know that I would be glad to make times for you..."

"Ah...well..." Ryomi ran a hand against the back of her head and said, "I was just wondering...do you know what my Mom's really like? I...I was too little to remember..."

"You were four years old when you got lost," Ganglot sympathized, "I've watched your mother for a great many years, but always at a distance. I've been locked up in my temple for the better part of three centuries, so I can only give you the condensed version born of my covert investigations..."

"That would be nice," Ryomi said, "I don't even have a picture..."

"Try looking in the mirror sometime," Ganglot smiled, "You resemble my granddaughter to a degree that is most uncanny. Oh, granted your hair is much darker and your eyes appear to be a normal shade of brown, while your mother's true appearance is something more akin to this," Ganglot made a hand gesture, and the air was suddenly filled by a life-sized image of a bat-winged naked woman with ruddy skin and green hair. Ganglot made a second gesture and a nearly identical image appeared next to the first one, only this version appeared more human, having brown hair done up in a braid and a more lightly tanned skin color.

"What...?" Ryomi stared at one version of her mother, then the other.

"That is the way that your mother chooses to appear before most people," Ganglot explained, "She polymorphs into this more human aspect so as not to alarm people or give away her true nature. Beneath the surface, though, she is quite the Oni...very strong and quite powerful in her ability to cast illusions. She is also a highly skilled and dedicated fighter, the Mistress of the Hibiki School of the Righteous Fist, which itself is a variation of the Anything Goes school of combat."

"Wow..." Ryomi paused before adding, "She's beautiful...will she know me when I see her?"

"How could she not recognize a beautiful child such as you?" Ganglot smiled indulgently, "Not a day goes by when you are not close in her thoughts. She has wandered the world looking for some trace of you, hoping to find you before her mother fully learns of your existence. Never believe that she does not care for you or has not missed you, for At-chan would gladly die to spare you suffering, and when she sees you once again...well, try not to be too embarrassed if she makes quite the scene, kid. She's got ten years of anxiety wrapped up over not being able to find you."

"Because of the curse?" Ryomi-asked, "That stuff you said about us never being able to find things?"

"The curse," Ganglot nodded sadly, "Something I hope one day that I shall be able to break forever. It has kept me from seeing my son as anything but a wandering statistic. There are spells that keep me from locking in on him directly, but I've recently managed to contrive a happy chain of circumstances that have finally helped me to correct this problem. A subtle shifting in the command directories of Yggdrasil has altered a recently cast summoning spell into a more generalized command directive that will bring the Hibiki clan to gather in Nerima. In a few more days, a week at most, we will start to see the results of this summoning as the spell has already brought you here, and shortly too it will bring your Cousin, Akiko, who is currently playing tour guide for your mutual grandfather."

"Huh?" Ryomi asked, "Would you mind explaining that one again, Grandma?"

"Certainly," Ganglot directed the child towards a painting that was presently covered by a cloth draped over the canvas, "I've crafted spells into the weaving of this bit of artwork that helps me to mark the lines of the wandering Hibikis."

As the Oni Princess uncovered the portraiture, Ryomi blinked, for it seemed to her eyes to be a kind of crude map showing the main Japanese Island of Honshu, only with lines of various colors tracing their way across the canvas, some weaving in odd patterns, others moving in a more direct manner.

"Each of these lines represents a different member of Clan Hibiki," Ganglot explained, "Yet all are descended from a single source that is invisible to this tapestry. My son does not register on detection spells, so you will not see his line directly, but as he is currently in the company of this particular graph line," she pointed at a dark ambler line that was weaving and bobbing all about the area of Tokyo, "I know exactly where he is. This is Akiko's line, and so it also marks the path currently being taken by my son, Razor."

"Who's Akiko?" Ryomi asked as she studied the abstract bobbing and weaving of lines all over the map, "And just how many guys are there on here?"

"Twenty six in all," Ganglot replied, "Which is presently all that is left of Clan Hibiki. There were more, but over the years..." she sighed, "Accidents, random encounters, deliberate targeting and outright murder...all of this has taken its toll on a good many lives, both good and bad. I've been powerless to do anything about it until now, but at last with the Clan converging around this one place...I have hopes of securing the future for all of my offspring."

"That many guys are gonna be here soon?" Ryomi asked with arched eyebrows, "Won't it get a little crowded?"

"We may have to rent out some temporary housing," Ganglot allowed, "Which is why I'm going to need your help, Ryo-chan. There is only so much that an Oni can do by herself, but with your help, as well as Romeo and Julian..."

"Okay," Ryomi nodded, "I'll do whatever I can, Grandma, just as long as I get to see my Momma."

"And your half-brother," Ganglot grinned, "I can't wait to see their expressions when they learn how much you have grown to be just like them, Ryo-chan. At-chan will be so pleased..." the Oni hugged herself and made a pleasant noise of anticipation.

"Uh..." Ryomi glanced at the painting, then she looked down, "Grandma...can you tell me...anything...about my Dad?"

"Ah," Ganglot sighed a bit more sadly, "Perhaps I could, but I think that is something that your mother would insist on doing for herself. It's quite a complicated little affair, and there are already enough complications with Atsuko having to confess to your brother the nature of his father, a man named Saotome Genma."

"How's that again?" Ryomi asked, "My brother and I had different fathers?"

"Yes," Ganglot nodded, "Two years after your mother left the Nerima area and had your brother she encountered another man who briefly affected her in a positive way. He's...no longer around, but his memory lives on in you, and I think it's best if you save the rest of your questions for when Atsuko herself is here to answer them. I owe my granddaughter that much respect to tell the story in her own peculiar manner."

"Somehow I don't think I'm gonna like this," Ryomi eyed the golden Oni before saying, "What's this Saotome Genma like? I'd swear I've heard that name somewhere before, I just can't place it..."

"Genma," Ganglot said softly, "Is the only man that your mother has ever truly loved. She courted and lost him to another woman, but contrived to have Ryoga by him in secret. Genma has a son by the name of Ranma who is two months younger than your brother, and Ranma is presently engaged to marry a daughter of the house of Tendo, the same place where your mother currently resides as a guest, along with your brother and an aunt named Kennou."

"Sounds like I've got a lot of catching up to do," Ryomi smiled lopsidedly, "And here I thought I was gonna have to do some explaining to Mom about some of the places I've been to..."

"I pray that you both have plenty of time to get better acquainted," Ganglot nodded sagely, "It will be wonderful to have the family reunited at last. I've been missing too much of the world during my imprisonment..." she sighed, then smiled and ruffled the young girl's tousled head, "But that can wait for later, young lady. Right now you are up way past your bed time."

"Aw..." Ryomi growled, "I'm too old for curfew..."

"Now, now," Ganglot waved a well-manicured claw before her great granddaughter's nose, "My house, my rules, and I want you to be well rested come the morning. You'll need your strength to help me unpack some things that I've ordered delivered to this studio. After all, we must have everything in readiness for when the time comes to surprise your mother."

"All right, Grandma," Ryomi sighed, "If that's the way you want it..." and with that she started to turn around and head off in a given direction.

"Oh, Ryo-chan?" Ganglot called out.

"Yeah?" the young girl glanced over her shoulder.

"The stairs are that way," Ganglot pointed to where the spiral staircase stood near the opposite corner.

"Oh," Ryomi blushed furiously and reversed directions, "Okay...and Grandma?"

"Yes dear?" the Oni asked.

"Hurry up and find a way to break this (expletive deleted) curse, would you?" Ryomi growled as she headed up the stairwell.

"Consider it near the top of my projects list," Ganglot called back to her, then shook her head with a wistful sigh, "Children..."

With that she flowed back into the stone, hoping she had not missed anything too significant in the drama unfolding out over the Sea of Japan...

Ranma did not even give a passing thought to the notion that he was scaling up a mile of rope over a sheer drop into the sea that even he would have found rather painful, should his grip in any way falter. He only hoped that Akane had managed to secure her end of the line as it would not do to have a loose knot slip before he got there. He also hoped that the winged Tomboy wouldn't trip herself up or give the game away to any guards who might be watching out for just such an assault, even as he scaled hand-over-hand up the rope, intending to do mischief on the first joker who looked at him funny.

Below him the others scaled with equally grim-faced attention, no one voicing any complaints about rope burns or discomfort as they made their way like a silent troop of ants in the eerie faint gloom of the pale moonlight. Clouds obscured the moon at this particular juncture, making their climb even more precarious as they could not even see the rope gripped in their hands, or their hands either for that matter. They felt their way along by instinct more than vision, guided by touch as one hand gripped the rope above their heads and started pulling, followed by the other hand as their legs held to the rope for support. All in all it was a dangerous climb but not a one of them so much as considered turning back on this journey.

At last Ranma caught sight of Akane, her wings giving away her position as she clung to the railing of the ship, keeping low and out of sight of anyone on the deck. She had done the rope up with so many knots that it almost seemed like an abstract sculpture, and Ranma was reminded of one of Nabiki's lectures about something called the Gordian Knot, suspecting that the original knot would have looked like a bow tie compared to the inelegant pretzel that Akane had created.

Still it had done the trick and that was all that he would have asked, so Ranma gave Akane a silent nod before gripping the rail with his own hands and moving to one side, creating a space by which Ryoga and Ukyo could next follow. The deck was partially illuminated by what appeared to be electric lamps of a primitive nature. On the deck itself were three figures wearing black-and-white outfits, one standing near to the prow of the ship, the other lingering about the main deck casting glances to the side as one held up an astrolabe, clearly taking a star-reading of their position.

"What's the plan?" asked Makoto as she took her place beside Ukyo at the railing, not even glancing at the nervous girl beside her.

"We go in and take those guys out before they can give off an alarm," Ranma whispered back in a grim manner.

"I'll handle this," Ukyo replied, slipping over the railing as silently as a shadow.

One of the men noticed the movement and started to turn around when the blunt handle of one of Ukyo's throwing spatulas clipped him near to one temple, dropping him to the deck, partially stunned. Ukyo raced the remaining distance before the man with the astrolabe was any the wiser and put him out with a blow to the base of his neck, but before she could deal with the third man he gave out a yelp of dismay, only to be silenced as Ranma's foot collided with his chin, sending him off to dreamland.

Unfortunately for them a forth man had appeared at the door to the main deck and caught sight of this activity, and he was the one who raised the alarm that let the rest of the ship know that company had come calling.

"Damn!" Akane winced, "What rotten luck..."

"Can't be helped," Kodachi shrugged, "I suggest we prepare to greet company...the only question is do we face them down below or out here where we have more room to maneuver?"

"Down below's bound to be as restricting for us as for them," Happosai noted, having shifted back to his Old Man form for its superior combat capabilities, "At least out here we'd be better able to gauge their abilities as fighters."

"Whatever," Ryoga cracked his knuckles.

"Bring them on!" Makoto agreed, having already shifted to her "Sailor Jupiter" aspect.

As if on cue men came rushing out onto the deck, men armed with spears and crossbows but nothing more modern. Ukyo heaved a sigh of relief at that and said, "Looks like these guys don't believe in using firearms..."

"Maybe," Hinako said, pointing upward, "But I'm willing to bet that has something to do with it."

"Huh?" Ranma followed her gesture, saw the bag of gas directly over their heads and said, "Oh."

"Oboy," Ukyo winced, then cupped her hands and called out, "Mako-chan! Whatever you do don't shoot off any lightning bolts, okay?"

"What?" Makoto looked shocked at that suggestion, but when she saw the direction in which Ukyo was pointing she cottoned on at once, "Don't tell me these guys don't use Helium...?"

"Let's not find out the hard way, shall we?" Akane rather fervently suggested.

There was no more time to reminisce as the guards attacked with crossbows and pole arms, forcing the Nerima-based martial artists to fight back, which they did with a vengeance. Ranma wasted no time laying out a half dozen of these men when they tried to mass against him while Ryoga waded through their ranks like a charging boar, and Ukyo employed her battle spatula to great affect batting clean-up. Happosai was like a flitting phantom moving through the enemy ranks while Makoto was forced to use her fists instead of her lightning bolts and Akane swept through another dozen men with twin blows from her wings, which she was now learning to use like extensions of her own fists, quite devastating when backed with her Chi power.

Hinako disdained coming into close proximity with her foes, but with a single coin attack she laid low four attackers hapless enough to be caught within its radiance. The others gave the now fully adult teacher wide berth as they selected new targets to lay out in their own distinctive manner. Kodachi's ribbon was everywhere flicking men in sensitive places and helping to disorganize the enemy ranks so that no massed offensive could be mounted against them. The fight went well for her and her allies as fully half of their attackers-roughly forty men in all-were soon littering the decks in various uncomfortable positions, causing the remaining guards to fall back and regroup, hopping to take stock of their formidable opponents.

And then a voice called out in booming tones, "HALT! Prince Kirin has demanded a cessation of hostilities! The Prince wishes to address these attackers, so let all bow down to his wisdom!"

"Hey," Ukyo glanced at the one who had spoken, "Is that the little guy with the fishing rod?"

"The one who kidnapped my sister," Akane balled her fists and poised her wings in an ominous manner, "That's him all right."

"And who's the big guy?" Makoto asked as she took stock of the fierce looking warrior wielding a pole arm.

"Bishimonten," Akane replied, "And the other big guy's name is Garuda."

"Whatever," Ranma raised a fist, "They're toast if they don't produce Nabiki and Shampoo real quick!"

As the rest of the Seven Lucky Gods Martial Artists file out onto the deck, the way was cleared in the center, and out walked Prince Kirin himself, followed in close order by Shampoo, Nabiki and a third woman whose pale hair was the color of moonlight.

"Greetings," the Prince announced, "You come unannounced like thieves in the night, but we were warned to expect you. Tell us which of you is named Saotome Ranma?"

"That's me, Jerk-Face!" Ranma stormed angrily forward, "You gotta problem with that?"

"Wonderful," Kodachi rolled her eyes, "So much for a diplomatic solution..."

"Ranma!" Nabiki called out, not bothering to disguise her delight on seeing him, though her effort at rushing forward was met by a casual wave of Kirin's arm, blocking her advances.

"Airen!" Shampoo said at the same time, only to be reminded by Mon Mon's presence not to give into her impulse, which mirrored that of Nabiki.

"You are Ranma?" Kirin regarded him with condescension, "You do not impress Kirin as one who claims the mantle as the best warrior in all of Japan."

"I ain't here to impress you," Ranma retorted, "I've come to take Nabiki back!"

"And why is one so lowly as you worthy even of her notice?" Kirin pondered, "To have won the loyalty of both her and an Amazon would leave Kirin to believe that you stood seven heads high and had arms the size of boulders, yet here I see a mere boy, a sapling, not hardly a pine tree. Such a one as you could never be meriting Kirin's attention were it not that you have a claim upon his future Bride."

"Bride?" Ranma's nostrils flared, "She ain't no bride for you! She belongs to me! Kachu Tenshin Amagurikan HA!"

Ranma launched his attack, his fists becoming blurs, but Kirin easily met and countered each strike, repulsing them with ease before knocking Ranma backwards and sending him tumbling almost to the rear of the vessel.

"Really?" Kirin scoffed, "Such a pathetic attack is beneath our notice. Go home to your own people, boy, and Kirin will allow you to live. Continue to annoy him and you do so at your peril."

"Did you see that?" Akane gasped.

"His special attack failed," Ryoga sounded no less impressed.

"Such speed," Ukyo marveled, "He met and countered every one of Ranchan's punches."

"If only I could use my lightning," Makoto growled in frustration.

"Somehow I doubt if even that would give you an advantage," Kodachi murmured in mild disquiet.

"Ngah...!" Ranma grunted as he got back to his feet, staggering slightly before regaining his bearings, "It ain't over yet! No way am I letting you have Nabiki, or Shampoo either!"

"Your persistence reeks of foolish bravado," Kirin replied, "You are wasting Kirin's time if you do not have other skills with which to defend you."

"Ranma..." Nabiki gasped.

"Airen..." Shampoo said in worry.

Ranma took stock of his situation, glaring at the arrogant prince before glancing down at his wrists and seeing the tell-tale chopstick impressions. The man's speed was simply unbelievable...it was like fighting against someone who had their own protective force-field. Battering down those defenses was likely to be an exercise in futility, he needed a plan and quick or the fight was as good as over before it even started.

I need a different attack, he thought to himself, then briefly considered the Nekoken, reckoning the speed of that form would blow away the other man's chopsticks. He discarded the idea as soon as it had formed in his mind. No way was he going to fall back on anything so unreliable! He was a MAN, not an animal, and it was as a man that he intended to rescue Nabiki.

While he was thinking this, however, Mon Mon was smiling arrogantly and saying, "Too bad, Lord Kirin...it seems he won't be providing you with much sport after all."

"Indeed," Kirin nodded, "A fool who stands before the hurricane is still a fool, though he be a brave man. If this Ranma seeks to try his luck again Kirin will not go so easy."

Mon Mon bowed in assent to this, only to react with a start as something glommed onto her chest, hugging the space between her large bosoms.

"SWEEETO!" Happosai cried deliriously, rubbing his face against the bounteous flesh exposed there.

"GAHH!" Mon Mon instinctively reacted.

"Happy-Sama!" Hinako cried out, raising her coin and preparing for another aura-  
drain.

"Beware my lord, Treachery!" Bishimonten cried as he raised his pole arm to ward position.

"How dare they sneak-attack us!" Ebiten cried as he brought his fishing pole into play, even as the other Lucky God martial artists moved similarly into attack mode.

"Heads up!" Ukyo cried, bringing her bakers peel up to ward a thrust aimed at Makoto by Bishimonten.

"Your turn!" Ryoga snarled as he charged forward, only to find his way blocked by the massive body of Garuda.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked his eyes as the lines of battle dissolved into confusion, leaving him and Kirin alone unaffected.

"This goes not well," Kirin murmured, unconsciously agreeing with his own foe's assessment.

Nabiki stood to one side as Shampoo struggled with Mon Mon, trying to keep the lute-wielding courtesan from smashing Happosai into the floorboards. The matter was resolved when Kodachi's ribbon looped out to encircle the pale haired woman and warp her tighter than a mummy. Kodachi was just about to congratulate herself when she was double-teamed by Daihotsuke and Daikotsuke, who blind-sided her from ambush.

Akane surged forward, wings raised like twin swords as she aimed herself for Prince Kirin, but the Prince casually side-stepped her thrust and jabbed the winged girl in the neck with his chop-sticks. Akane continued forward as consciousness slipped from her grasp and went crashing into the railing, landing in a heap like a albatross that had misjudged its approach vector.

"AKANE!" both Ukyo and Ryoga cried together, and without conscious thought they each broke off their attacks with their respective antagonists to converge in the Tendo girl's direction.

"Oh no you don't!" Ebiten declared as his fishing rod flashed out and easily felled both fighters.

"UCCHANNN!" Makoto snarled, "That's it, you guys are TOAST!"

Hinako saw the Senshi of Jupiter begin to crackle as she built up a charge, and without a second's notice shifted the direction of her attack from Bishimonten to Makoto, draining the girl's battle aura before she inadvertently could cause a major disaster. Unfortunately this left her momentarily open to attack and Bishimonten's staff clipped the teacher on her chin so that both she and Makoto hit the deck together, one stunned and the other partially drained of battle aura.

"HINAKO-CHAN!" Happosai's cry took everyone by surprise and his own battle aura flared to bright that it sent those nearest to him flying as though repelled by a force-screen. The ancient pervert's eyes took on a deadly cast and for the first time that Ranma had ever seen he genuinely looked angry. Happosai shot forward like the ball from a cannon and struck the large man in the back, staggering Bishimonten and leaving him helpless to defend himself as Happosai grabbed him and slammed his massive body through the floorboards.

"Now this one is worthy of Kirin's notice," Kirin smiled, standing resolute as he raised his ever-present bowl of rice and concentrated, his aura suddenly shimmering with translucent blue-white fire.

"What the...?" Ranma gasped as he flinched away at the intensity of the other man's aura, right before a blast of energy lanced out to catch Happosai and strike him with the speed of a spitting cobra. The old man tumbled through the night air and hit the railing, going right on through without hardly even stopping.

"Happy!" Hinako cried, regaining her bearings just in time to see this happen.

"Toss them into the sea," Kirin said, "Kirin has no further need of those who would attack us without honor."

"As you wish it, Lord," said the freed Mon Mon, who signaled to the others to comply with the Prince's wishes.

"HEY!" Ranma declared, refusing to be dismayed by the fact that he was the only one on his side who was still left standing., "You can't do that! I won't let you!"

"You?" Kirin scoffed, "Do not make Kirin laugh. You have already wasted enough of our time with these childish antics."

"Why you-!" Ranma charged forward without thinking, pouring all that he had into a renewed attack as if he were training once again aagainst Cologne, hoping to modify his attack with a burst of extra Chi to fuel his movements.

Kirin still managed to counter every one of his blows, hardly seeming all that much impressed as he held his own with serene contentment, even speaking as though the effort did not tax him, "You still have yet to learn that you are not Kirin's equal. You may account yourself as fair by the standards of your world, but Kirin is leader of the Seven Lucky God Martial Artists and is quite above such childish antics."

Kirin made a sudden forward slash to finish off his opponent, but Ranma saw it this time and managed to dodge to one side, only to have the attack slice through the material of his jacket, cutting open his hidden pocket in which he kept the prized personal articles that he had fought so hard for. Ranma caught a gleam out of the corner of his eye as he saw the two objects go spinning off into space, and without a moment's hesitation he broke off his attack and went lunging to catch them.

"Ranma?" Nabiki was stunned to see Ranma turned away from his enemy, and then she saw a pair of objects that her fianc e was chasing and briefly wondered as to their significance, but at the moment she was tending to a semi-conscious Shampoo, who had taken a blow from behind when she had sought to come to Ranma's rescue.

"What is this?" Kirin asked, "Has he lost what wits he turns his back to Prince Kirin?"

"Got them!" Ranma declared as he caught both items in his hands, only to take belated notice of the fact that he was beyond the edge of the railing. With a cry of "GAAAHHH!" he went plummeting off into space, a casualty of gravity and his own foolish impulses.

"RANMA!" Nabiki cried out in horror.

"Too bad," Mon Mon remarked, "He was a brave young boy, and quite handsome, if foolish."

"Over the rail with the rest of them!" Ebiten cried out, flashing with his fishing pole to snare Ryoga and hurl him with a toss over his shoulder.

"RYOGA!" a recovered Akane cried, getting to her feet in time to take wing after the plummeting Hibiki.

"Lord Kirin has given his command," Ebiten declared as he snagged Ukyo and likewise sent her over the railing.

"SEMPAI!" Makoto was also quick to vault over the railing after the plummeting body of a near-senseless Kuonji.

"Here you go," said Daihotsuke as he took one end of the mummy-wrapped Kodachi while Daikotsuke took the other and said, "Lady's first!" and together they pitched her over the side after the others.

"That just leaves you, woman," said a recovering Bishimonten as he confronted Hinako.

Hinako just smiled without humor and pointed her coin his way, and suddenly the massive man felt his knees turn to water as part of his life-force was sucked away and into the woman.

"You have no idea what you have done, have you?" Hinako's words blazed in spite of the calm and direct manner in which she had delivered each pronouncement, "You will all suffer for what you have done to my Happosai!"

"Your attack is more formidable, woman," Kirin called out, sensing that he was the next target of Hinako's fury, "But Kirin cannot permit this to continue. Ebiten, restrain but do not harm her."

"If that is your wish, sire," and suddenly the fishing line wrapped itself around Hinako.

"I shall be merciful with you," Kirin said, "Take her down below and permit her time to grieve. This battle has left a faint distaste in my mouth, for they were brave fighters, however foolish they were to attack Prince Kirin."

"YOU...!" Nabiki stood up and her eyes blazed at Kirin, "BASTARD!"

"Eh?" Kirin turned around, "You seem upset for some reason. Has not Kirin proven himself to be the superior fighter?"

The man did not even have a sense of movement when Nabiki came to stand in front of him, but this time she controlled her momentum as she slapped the Prince in the face, causing Kirin to react as if he were a whipped puppy.

"You think that little display impressed me?" Nabiki snarled, "All I saw was a bunch of brawling berserkers with your thugs attacking my friends and my sister! How DARE you call yourself a Prince after tossing them away to their deaths? You're not a prince to me, you're a Butcher!"

"Kirin does not understand," the Prince replied, feeling the side of his face with the back of one hand, "They lost the battle. How did you expect Kirin to dispose of defeated foemen?"

"You don't have a single concept of mercy or honor, do you?" Nabiki glared at him coldly, "You think it matters to me which one of you can beat up the other? It might have mattered to Shampoo once, but even she sees beyond that crap these days! You can't win me just by fighting! I'm not a prize you can pick up at the local festival! I'm not some bone you can fight another dog over! I'm a person, a human being, and I sure as hell won't marry you for what you just did to my Ranma!"

"This talk is very strange," Kirin replied as if supremely puzzled, "You desire him even if Kirin has proved the better fighter, but it was not at Kirin's hand that he met his death. He chose to throw himself into the sea to obtain some worthless trinkets."

"Ah..." Nabiki backed down from her anger, puzzlement and grief reflected as she thought back to that awful moment when Ranma had turned away from her just to catch a couple of objects...

A couple of small objects.

Two very small boxes that by themselves did not seem all that important.

But...what if there was something within them that was important to Ranma?

"N-No..." Nabiki sank to her knees, replaying the image once again in her mind as she focused not with her eyes but with her heart on those objects and saw a pair of metal bands appear, both glittering with gold, silver and two precious diamonds. It suddenly all made sense now...it suddenly occurred to her what Ranma had wanted to say that very morning!

"Kirin admits that he has no idea what disturbs you, Tendo Nabiki," the Prince remarked with surprising softness, "But Kirin is sorry if he has been the cause of your grief. Perhaps Kirin acted in haste ordering his enemies to their deaths. It was never Kirin's intention that he would cause you to suffer, and for that Kirin...apologizes."

There was a collective gasp at the unfamiliar word coming from the Prince's lips as his retainers looked towards their leader with surprise and confusion.

"Master?" Ebiten ventured with noticeable hesitation.

"Escort them downstairs," Kirin replied, "Have them shown to the Bridal chambers and post a guard on the door. Mon Mon, you will personally attend to their needs...to ALL of their needs. Do what you have to in order to see that a period of grieving is observed. I leave the details to your discretion."

"As you wish it, Lord," Mon Mon bowed, "I will do whatever is necessary."

Kirin paused to study the field of battle, even as his fallen guards were picked up and carried or shown to their below decks, then he frowned as he gazed off at the space where Ranma had vanished, murmuring softly, "Kirin wonders what there was about that youth that would make women so loyal. Perhaps Kirin should have spared him to ask that question, and the others who came with his party."

"Too bad we'll never know, sire," Ebiten noted, "As you say, it is a pity."

"Indeed," Kirin murmured, turning away and feeling oddly troubled...

"Everybody all right?" Ryoga asked as he dangled upside down holding onto the ribbon that was supporting Kodachi.

"Of course not, you clown!" Kodachi shot back up at him, "No matter what you do, don't let go of that ribbon!"

"Sheesh, lady," Ukyo grunted as she held onto Ryoga by his belt-buckle, her other hand gripping Makoto by one ankle, "You think you're the only one who has a problem?"

"Some people are never happy, Sempai," Makoto agreed as she glanced up at Akane, "You doing okay up there?"

"Why am I the one who has to support everybody?" Akane grated as she fought to maintain her grip on the Senshi, (and by extension everyone else) while holding her wings spread wide and her Levitation field over everybody else.

"You're doing fine, Akane," Ryoga called up the dangling chain, "In fact I can see the boat, we're drifting closer to it, just move a little more to the right..."

"That's the left, you Jackass!" Ukyo course corrected.

"Just make sure we don't hit too hard, okay?" Makoto urged, "If you have to, go ahead and drop us in the water..."

"Don't tempt me, okay?" Akane grated, "This isn't as easy as it looks, you know!"

"Not to fear!" Kodachi's voice just barely managed to drift up to the winged Tendo, "We only have another half of a kilometer to go...just drift a little more to the left..."

"Are you sure that's left?" Ryoga asked.

"Trust you to ask that," Ukyo complained.

"I think Ryoga may have a point," Makoto noted, "It's a little hard to see the ship in all this darkness, and we could be chasing a mere reflection off the moonlight."

"Now somebody thinks to tell me!" Akane growled through clenched teeth, "I just hope that stupid Ranma is doing better than us! With his luck he probably caught the rope or something..."

"Can't even see it in this blackness," Ukyo said, adding in fervent overtone, "Just hold on, Ranchan...this won't mean anything if you're not well..."

Little did any of them know but Ranma was having his own share of problems, not having anyone or anything presently holding him up at the moment...

Ranma found himself in freefall roughly a mile above the surface of the ocean, reaching terminal velocity in only a matter of seconds. Though he was not as gifted as Nabiki in mathematics, he knew it would only take somewhat less than a full minute to hit the water at such speeds that he might as well have landed face-first in a bed of concrete, which was slightly more punishment than even he cared to experience at the moment.

Sometimes, he reflected, he could do things even he had to admit were enormously stupid.

Odd the things that crossed one's mind when faced with certain death-or at the very least a painful reentry. He found himself thinking of the old woman, of Lotion the Lore Master and her coaching that he study the words, "As Above, So Below, sky above, earth below..." which same he found himself speaking aloud, if only because it made a whole lot more sense than the "AAAAAAAAHHHHH!" that he would normally be speaking.

And to his amazement he heard the old woman voice replying, "Nice to see my lessons weren't totally wasted upon you, young War Master."

To Ranma's complete surprise he found himself hovering in mid-air, suspended in space with the ocean remaining where it was and no sense of the wind whipping past him. He stared out at a bank of clouds, and there he found the tiny figure of the old woman standing on the edge of one cotton-like puff of air as if the thing were a floating island. Much to Ranma's amazement he found himself drifting over to join her as the two of them came to rest in the mildly white mass that felt a bit spongy under his ankles.

"Ah..." Ranma glanced around before saying, "What just happened?"

"I called a temporary time out on your falling to your death," she replied, "I trust you won't mind us having a little chat about your recent performance."

"Huh...uh..." Ranma once again had a sense of what Nabiki normally had to cope with, hearing the old woman's gently voiced sarcasm tease and tantalize even as it left him confused and frustrated.

"First off," Lotion smiled, "I'd like to hear your own appraisal of your performance against Lord Kirin."

Ranma winced slightly and said, "I think I got my butt whipped."

"Humiliating, isn't it," Lotion mused, "Taking such abuse from a fellow who always refers to himself in the third person?"

Ranma's expression darkened, "Yeah..."

"Yet obviously not enough to be of any use to my Apprentice," Lotion shook her head a bit sadly, "Such a pity...I had such great hopes for you, as did Cologne, you know. We both thought you might be special, that you genuinely had what it takes to become the greatest War Master of your generation."

"Now wait a minute," Ranma began to protest, "I ain't licked yet!"

"Oh no?" Lotion replied, "Seems to me as if you defeated yourself at the end there. Imagine, diving off Kirin's ship to save a pair of rings that you did not even have the nerve to give to Shampoo and Nabiki."

"Hey, wait!" Ranma said, "That's not fair..."

"Oh?" the old woman arched an eyebrow, "And what in life is, pray tell? I suppose you were expecting special treatment...stopping your descent and freezing time was not enough to your satisfaction, you would rather that I take care of matters on your behalf?"

"What?" Ranma said, "No way...!"

"Are you sure?" Lotion mused, "I understand that Prince Kirin can be quite reasonable, and I might even be able to negotiate with him to grant you visiting privileges for his impending wedding to your iinazuke...both of them, that is."

"W-WHAT?" Ranma sputtered, "No way!"

"To the victor goes the spoils," Lotion mused, "After all, if you're not serious about victory, well...I suppose you could always leave it to someone else to come to Nabiki and Shampoo's rescue."

"What are you talking about?" Ranma demanded, "I don't need anybody else! I can save them on my own!"

"Are you so certain of this?" Lotion asked, "After all that seems to be the pattern which you have adopted of late, letting other people fight on your behalf, claiming victory when the dust has settled..."

"NO WAY!" Ranma shook his fists in the space between himself and the Lore Master, "I'm Saotome Ranma, I'm heir to the Saotome Ryu, and I don't surrender to anybody, especially not some fancy pants who fights with chopsticks!"

"Then convince me that you mean what you say," Lotion pointed at him with her staff, "Prove you are the man whom you claim you are and not some callow pretender who adopts his father's methods for dealing with his problems."

"Pop?" Ranma asked, "What's he got to do with this?"

"Everything apparently," Lotion replied, "He trained you well to be exactly like him in all ways that truly matter. You run away from things that you cannot solve with your fists, you avoid responsibility when it becomes too much to bear, and make excuses for your own personal failings. What kind of man does that, I wonder...a man who throws his son into a pit of cats or a man who abandons his resolve to save the woman he loves...correction, women!"

"You're just twisting stuff around," Ranma snarled, "You think makin' me mad is gonna get me to back off? No way! I'm going after Nabiki, and nothing and nobody's gonna stop me!"

"Prove it," Lotion challenged.

"How?"

"You know how, Boy," Lotion tapped him in the chest, "You feel it right here or it doesn't exist in you at all. You have everything you need to defeat a hundred Kirins if you but believe in your own power. If you're not willing to show even that level of commitment to me, well...then I'm just wasting my time with you, aren't I? I suppose I shall have to make condolences to my Apprentice at your apparent lack of effort."

"That not gonna happen!" Ranma roared, "Nobody's gonna stand in my way, nobody and nothing! I'm Saotome Ranma! I'm not gonna fail anybody!"

"Then believe it," Lotion urged, "Feel those words, let them burn inside you, set your heart ablaze, be a dragon and not a mouse! If you mean what you say, then let the dragon rise up that burns now within you!"

Ranma felt something burst forth from within him as he limbs surged with incredible power, a strength that filled him as he raised his fists before him and cried, "I AM SAOTOME RANMA!"

The fire burst forth from his chest, traveled down the length of his arms and formed a ball of force between his hands which same shot forward...or rather directly downward, and to his complete amazement impacted against the water that was shockingly closer to reaching him than he had heretofore be aware.

The blast of chi hit the water and detonated like a bomb blast, creating an immediate column of steam that shot upward and formed a cushioning wave that swept up and caught him in its embrace. Ranma found his downward plunge had been broken by this force of his own creation, and in amazement he found himself drifting on the updraft as it played against his body, slowing his fall to such a rate that he could splash harmlessly into the water without undo discomfort.

Lotion smiled as she gazed down at her own handiwork, then felt the Goddess manifesting in the space beside her to say slyly, "Not bad at all...you handled him quite well."

"It was almost too easy," Lotion mused, "And yet he came a little too close for my liking."

"I suppose," Peorth glanced down at the sputtering redhead who broke the surface of the water, "The boy does have his charms...think he'll remember how to do that the next time he faces Lord Stinky?"

"Time will tell, of course," Lotion replied, "The lad is a quick study. Well, time to return to my body before it gets a bit too cold. Can I trust you to play guardian Angel a bit longer?"

"You insult me with such a comparison, ma Cheri," Peorth snorted, "I'll see to it the boy-er-girl doesn't drown before she gets picked up. I rather imagine that display of hers lit up the night sky for miles in all directions. Probably make some mortals think that someone has resumed Nuclear testing in the neighborhood or some such nonsense."

"No doubt of that," Lotion replied before her Astral Image vanished in a twinkling, drawn back along the silver chord to the body that was sitting in meditation back on the Vinziens II.

"A nice girl, for a mortal," Peorth smiled, glancing down at the somewhat bewildered Ranma as she mused, "You'll do quite nicely for my little girl, Saotome. Lord Stinky face had better watch out for his rice bowl, and I can't wait for the rematch..."

If Ranma heard the chuckling of the goddess drifting high above his head he did not acknowledge this, but she was rather amazed to find herself alive and undamaged, if a bit on the soggy side. She glanced around but could not spot the blimp that held Nabiki and Shampoo, which nonetheless did not deter her as with grim resolve she muttered, "You just wait, you bastard...I'm gonna shove that rice bowl so far up where the sun don't shine!"

And so she continued to mutter as she fought the waves until her eventual rescue...and meanwhile a certain Oni was murmuring to herself in a low voice, "Gosh, this is better than a movie! If only I'd remembered to bring popcorn..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Moko Takabishi lessons: shadowmane

Things continue to get heavy as Ranma and company attempt to stage "The Rescue, Part Two," while Nabiki grieves in her own peculiar fashion. Be with us next time for "Time out of Mime," or "The Taming of the Crew." Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	99. Chapter 99

NabikiRan94 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,  
Naoko Takeuchi, Kosuke Fujishima and others)  
Chapter Ninety-Four.

Naomi sat at her apartment table studying the figures on her portable laptop computer, sipping her coffee (which she preferred to tea) while considering her portfolio as the Dow Jones was just opening in New York, about eleven Time Zones distant.

As she watched the familiar numbers rise and fall with each new update, she thought about the folder that lay on the table, information she had obtained after some polite inquiries to the right agencies, information that greatly concerned her in the light of her own personal experiences earlier in the day during her visit to a certain family-run dojo.

To say the least she was quite surprised to learn more of the history of the place (both the official and unofficial versions) which stretched back over a century, giving her some idea of how long the property had been in the hands of a family whose recent exploits were-to put it charitably-somewhat notorious in the world of martial artists. Reputed to be one of the most formidable Kempo schools in all Japan, its current heirs were said to be capable of quite unbelievable levels of physical performance, and going four generations back the family had been dominated by a mysterious patriarch who was said to be three hundred years old. Truly an unbelievable story, and yet how much more unbelievable than the things that she had witnessed with her own eyes? To her Gaijin way of thinking the whole thing had been impossible, like some kind of a comic book story come to life!

Or perhaps maybe one of Kento's bedtime stories, the kind he was currently telling Rachael to help her sleep tightly.

Out of curiosity she got up from her chair and crept to the door of her daughter's bedroom, listening through the partial crack as the burly man was saying, "...And so the evil armor of the Youma King Tulpa was taken by the Ancient one to a holy temple where he prayed for days to unravel the secrets of its dark, forbidding power. The Ancient found the means to divide the one armor into nine distinctly different versions that embodied different aspects of the one power, and these nine armors were grafted with the symbols for Virtue, Wisdom, Justice, Trust, Life, Loyalty, Piety, Obedience, Serenity, all based on human emotions, then hidden away for a thousand years until the day when a warrior would discover each of the armors and awaken their power in order that they might fight the Evil Dynasty when Lord Tulpa returned from his thousand year exile..."

Naomi marveled at the man's imagination and the vivid way in which he told his story, making it sound as though he had actually lived through these events as an eyewitness. How odd to discover such bedtime manners in a man nominally hired to be a bodyguard for both her and her daughter. Kento was friendly, outgoing and a reliable man to have in a crisis, not at all what one would have expected given his family connections to the notorious Yakuza.

She moved away from the door, thinking of her mission to explore real estate options in the Nerima area, the Tendo dojo among many such proprietary acquisitions that could greatly benefit her company's plans for expansion. On the surface the place seemed ripe for the plucking, the family having incurred numerous debts over the years due to the primary breadwinner having essentially closed up shop on their only legitimate source of income. The dojo had recently been reopened and the family had taken great steps to stabilize their financial position, but still they were in a vulnerable position that-had this been taking place back in the States-would have made them ripe targets for a buyout. Japanese inheritance laws being somewhat more complicated, the dojo could only remain in the family if one of Soun Tendo's daughters were to marry into the family of Saotome. If anything were to happen to the senior Tendo before this wedding could take place...well, it would be most unfortunate for all the concerned parties.

Of course Naomi would never even think of resorting to such vile and unethical tactics in order to obtain ownership of this property, but she was a little too aware that others in her position did not share her personal scruples. Certain rival Executives vying for her position, for example, would love to demonstrate their ruthlessness by outperforming "The Shark" and securing future land use. The Tendo properties were in an ideal location for certain aspects of the greater plan, and if Naomi gave her approval to buy out the surrounding neighborhood...well, it would only be a matter of time, and would that truly be the same as getting her own hands dirty to leave the details to a native-born rival?

This did not sit well with Naomi, for she was coming to suspect that her assignment here was not so much serendipity as a more perverse whim on the part of the chairman. Perhaps he was testing her loyalty, or perhaps he wanted to see how far she would go on behalf of the Project. Either way it left her in a most uncomfortable position of having to weigh the fate of a single family against the greater glory of the Chairman's vision, and this was not the sort of thing that left a good taste in her mouth. Not for the first time she regretted giving up smoking around the time that she had found herself pregnant with Rachael.

And still her mind kept going back to the utter unreality of the day herself when an ELEPHANT of all things came crashing through the dojo wall, reducing the venerable structure to a pile of matchsticks (and nearly trampling her in the process!). Elephants did NOT go running amok in suburbs, nor did flaying wooden ships suspended from gondolas drop down out of the clouds to kidnap the Tendo heir, forcing her fianc e to perform an impossible leap in an aborted attempt at a rescue! All of this was flat out crazy, a conceptual absurdity that compelled Naomi to believe that what she had witnessed was some form of mass hallucination, possibly induced by psychoactive means. The presence of a girl from the illustrious Kuno family leant some credence to this hypothesis, and Kuno Pharmaceutical Industries was entering into an arrangement with her own firm for the initial genetics research...

And the nominal head of Kuno Industries was Tatewaki Kuno, the older brother of the girl named Kodachi.

Something was not quite right here, and Naomi was at a complete loss to account for it. She was out of her element and out of her depth, a position she most certainly did not find palatable, let alone comprehensible, as there was nothing in her experience to compare to these events. Her conventional upbringing had not prepared her for coming to terms with people who changed into animals with wings, or people with wings for that matter. Flying and fighting in the air was a little beyond what her college education would consider to be within the realm of possibility, and she was very much the outsider here, not just because she was an American but because there were people here who seemed to know things about her that could not have been learned in any conventional manner...

"She's asleep now," Kento's voice startled her out of her reveries, "She's a really good kid, handles herself like a trooper."

"Ah," Naomi recovered her composure, "Ah...good...I thought she might have been traumatized by all that excitement earlier..."

"No chance of that," Kento seemed amused about something, "Kids are amazingly adaptable and you have no idea what they're capable of when it comes to managing a crisis."

"I don't want my daughter exposed to any type of danger," Naomi snapped, "You're here to see that it doesn't happen..."

"Whoah, Ma'am," Kento made a deflecting motion with his hands, "Ease up, lady...in case you forgot there was no way that anyone could have anticipated something like that happening. Flying ships like that haven't been seen in the Tokyo area since...well...that nothing for you to be concerned about. Ancient history as far as I'm concerned..."

"Huh?" Naomi asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Ah...nothing," Kento gave a boyish grin and rubbed the back of his head, "Anyway, it's kind of hard to explain the way things work out here. You in America don't really believe in monsters, ghosts and the undead, but here in Japan we know these things have a reality that goes outside of conventional science."

"Would you...mind explaining that part?" Naomi asked, "Are you telling me that there really are such things as ghosts and the supernatural?"

"You bet," Kento nodded in a completely matter-of-fact manner.

"I find it hard to believe that a college aged student such as yourself puts credence in such things as goblins and demons," Naomi said skeptically, and trying valiantly to sound as if she meant it.

"We call them Youma and Onis out here," Kento explained, "And Tengu...those are kind of like winged elves, which is what I think that one girl turned into..."

"But...supernatural creatures such as those can't really exist," Naomi insisted, then paused before adding, "Can they?"

"I wouldn't presume to tell you what's real and what isn't, Lady Nakajima," Kento said affably, "But I've seen stuff that would make your hair curl, and very little-if any of it-ever finds its way into the papers."

"But how can that be possible?" Naomi asked, "Are you saying that there's a conspiracy to keep the existence of these things from the public?"

"Well, yes and no," Kento shrugged, "More like a collective determination by those in positions of authority and power to keep the public fat, dumb and lazy rather than risk a general panic that would upset a lot of lives and make it harder for ordinary people to sleep at night. Japan's an ancient society over which the trappings of modern life has been overlaid, but every now and then the demons of our history rise up to challenge the mortal world, and when that happens the guardians of order have to stand firm and oppose these evil forces wherever and whenever they rear their ugly heads..."

"Excuse me?" Naomi looked at the young man as if he had just stepped right out of an episode of "Power Rangers."

"Oh...ah...sorry," Kento smiled sheepishly, "Guess that must sound pretty weird to you. I didn't mean to come across like some refugee from an Anime..."

"There's something about you that's very unusual," Naomi deduced, glancing back at her daughter's bedroom before adding, "Those stories you've been telling Rachael...they're not just stories?"

"Sometimes it's hard to know where legends end and realities begin," Kento informed her, "Not all Prophesies lie, and not all legends are based on make-  
believe...and they don't all have happy endings either. Let's just say I know where I'm coming from here and leave it at that, okay?"

"Deal," Naomi agreed, "I probably wouldn't even want to know all the facts anyway. Keep your secrets for now, but please help me out in understanding something about this place, the Tendo dojo..."

"Well, not much to tell," Kento shrugged, "You've seen for yourself that it's a pretty tough school with some fairly competent fighters, and I'll bet there's a lot more about them than you've ever find in any of your reports or briefing folders. The parents seem pretty attached to the old ways of their system of Kempo, and it seems as if they get mixed up in some weird stuff of their own. Beyond that I really can't tell you."

"I must know more," Naomi spoke haft to herself, "There was a feeling I have...almost a memory...something happened there...I...I don't quite remember..."

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Kento frowned, "My memories seem pretty fuzzy about something...I wonder what it means..."

"Possibly nothing," Naomi's frown deepened, "But I have to know for certain. There's something...oddly familiar about the place...but I don't see how that can be since this is the first time in my life that's I've been in this country..."

"You're thinking of paying the place another visit?" Kento raised an eyebrow at this.

"Possibly," Naomi made a fist and stared at it, "I was humiliated by that Silk woman...and I would like another chance at her. If this system they practice is as powerful as they make it out to be...I could stand to learn a few new things..."

"Whatever," Kento shrugged, "I'll be there to back you up..."

"No," Naomi said, "I want you to accompany Rachael to the day care center that I enrolled her in. I'll go by myself...I'm sure the driver will be able to manage."

"By yourself?" Kento said in alarm, "No way! My Uncle told me to..."

"I don't need a baby sitter," Naomi insisted, "What I need are answers...and a little satisfaction. I'll be all right...I've been taking care of myself for nearly my entire life, but Rachael isn't as strong yet as I am, and if there are forces in your country that can prey on the weak and helpless, then I would rather have someone like you looking after her. Can I continue to trust you on this, Kento-san?"

Kento sensed that arguing with the lady would yield him nothing, so he nodded and said, "She'll be safe with me, you can count on that, but...lady? Don't take any unnecessary chances. You haven't really seen what this town can be like when things really start to get hairy."

"If what I saw today is your idea of average," Naomi smiled, "Then I look forward to the challenge."

"Oh, do you really?" smirked a voice unheard by either party as far away a figure smiled a sly, humorless smile, "Then we're about to test that theory, Lady Nakajima, spawn of a whore who once slept with my husband."

The distant crackle of thunder in the distance sent an ominous chill down Naomi's spine, though she passed this off as a slight chill in the ventilation...

"Man, this sucks!" Ranma-chan sputtered as she paddled through the waves, rolling with the ocean currents, "When's the old lady gonna lead them here to find me? I got no idea which way to swim, and this is a little too much like Pop's stupid trip to China..."

The oceans did not respond to these comments, so Ranma saved her breath and concentrated on remaining afloat, still trying to sort out in her mind the incredible power that had saved her life mere moments ago. She could still feel the swell of her emotions that had fueled the energy ball that had shot down from her hands to the ocean with the force of a major explosion. The very violence of her attack had taken her aback as she had heretofore never even expected that such a powerful use for her Ki even existed!

"What was that?" Ranma murmured to herself, only to react with a start as she sensed a shadow looming over her head, and with a yelp she turned to discover the prow of a ship bearing down on her, about to run her over.

With a yelp that turned into a gasp Ranma dove under the water, just barely in time as the ship passed over her head, propelled by twin props that sliced the water, just missing her by as close as a meter. Ranma felt anger swell up in her chest as she swam to the surface, intending to curse out whoever was controlling that boat when it suddenly dawned on her that it must be the yacht belonging to Kodachi.

Her anger was instantly replaced by relief and Ranma broke the surface as close to the starboard side, propelling herself up to where she could grip the wooden beams just barely within her reach and pull herself up and over the side, beaming broadly as she prepared to thank the gang for coming to her rescue...

...And came face-to-face with a pair of ruby eyes that stared at her as if she were some lower life form on the food chain.

"Ah...nice elephant?" Ranma-chan asked with a nervous smile.

"Who you?" cried the girl sitting atop the back of the elephant, "Jasmine-  
attack!"

It was, Ranma allowed as she dove out of the way of the trunk that sought to hurl her back into the water, truly turning out to be one of those days, and while the bulk of her attention was devoted to staying alive she spared a passing thought in hope that the rest of her crew was having a better time of it than Ranma...

"This is just swell," Ukyo grunted to himself as he wrung out his wet shirt over the side of the railing, glad that he didn't have to fear for having his chest exposed to view in his cursed form, "I'd ask what else could go wrong but we'll probably find out, sooner or later..."

"Don't be mad, Ucchan," Akane urged, admiring the way the moonlight played off his manly form, which looked twice as sexy now as he had that day on the beach, "We'll get those Lucky God creeps the next time we catch up with them. The law of averages have got to favor us sometime..."

"Yeah?" Makoto groused, "How do you figure that? Face it, Tendo, we got our heads handed to us, and I was next to useless," she struck her bared thigh in frustration.

"I wouldn't say that, Mako-chan," Ukyo responded, "It's not your fault you had to hold back on account of not wanting to blow us all up. If anybody was useless up there it was me."

"For once we're in agreement, Kuonji," Ryoga said without turning around from his silent vigil at the prow of the vessel, "All you did was distract Akane, and she was more effective in that fight than the both of us put together."

"Ryoga," Akane chided, "You two weren't useless, we just got surprised by that Kirin guy. We need a plan to take him and his freakshow carnival circus down the next time we go at them"

"I quite agree," Kodachi noted from where she sat atop the roof of the main cabin, "We do need a plan to marshal our forces, but first we must find out where Saotome has gotten himself off to...or make that herself since Elder Lotion insists she made a safe splashdown out here in the water."

"That is correct," Lotion agreed, "The Young War Master is out here somewhere and will be joining us rather shortly. Meantime we must keep pace with Kirin's airship and not allow it to reach land before we do."

"Why?" Ryoga asked, "What happens if we reach land?"

"We're on a boat, Jackass," Ukyo snapped, "If they get over land we won't be able to follow."

"I knew that," Ryoga frowned, "And I didn't need you to tell me."

"Why don't you both save it for when we're up against the enemy?" Makoto groused, "I swear you two snipe worse than Rei and Usagi."

"Surely not that bad," Ukyo winced slightly, eyeing his sweetheart with the guilty look of one who would have preferred to grovel than endure the continued hostility of the pony-tailed girl's cold shoulder, "But I'm afraid the next time I'm going to be at a severe disadvantage. I lost my spatula during the fight, and by now...it's probably on the bottom of the ocean..."

"So what?" Ryoga snorted, "You depend on that thing far too much, Kuonji. It's an actual disadvantage to rely on your weapons to do most of your fighting..."

"Excuse me?" Ukyo turned his attention to the petulant lost boy, "This coming from a guy who uses an umbrella, his belt and a bunch of bandanas?"

"I may use a weapon sometimes," Ryoga said, "But I'm just as good without them, but you? I doubt you're anywhere near that effective without your toys..."

"Oh yeah?" Ukyo balled a fist and growled, "Well, why don't you come over here and let me show you how effective I can be?"

"Thanks, but I don't fight women," Ryoga said in a haughty tone of voice, "Oh...that's right, you're not really a woman right now, are you?"

"Ryoga," Akane snapped, "What's gotten into you? Are you trying to pick a fight with Ukyo? This isn't the time for this, you know..."

"Of course not," Ryoga said sourly, "It never is with you anymore...Akane-  
chan..."

"Huh?" Akane blinked, "What are you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Makoto shot back, "The guy's in love with you, but you're treating him like dirt, so why don't you quit chasing after my Sempai and start being nice to him for a change and stop making this clod into your personal doormat."

"I don't use Ryoga that way!" Akane insisted, then paused before saying, "Ryoga? I...you..."

"Leave me alone," Ryoga said without turning around.

"Ryoga?" Akane blinked at him in confusion.

"Isn't it obvious that you prefer Kuonji over me?" Ryoga asked, still not turning around to face her, "You don't have to tell me a thing...it's obvious that I'm never going to mean anything to you as long as he's in the picture..."

"Now wait a minute...!" Ukyo protested.

"...Of course he's only stringing you along," Ryoga continued, "The one he's really interested in is Makoto."

"That's right," Makoto said, "Ucchan belongs to me, so why don't you just take a hike, Bird-lady?"

"What?" Akane flared, "I don't have to take that from you!"

"They hell you don't!" Makoto reared up to her nearly six foot height, "Things were going just fine between Ucchan and me before you had to butt in with your beak and wrap your greasy feathers around him!"

"Uh...guys?" Ukyo-kun pleaded, knowing as he did so that his efforts were for naught.

"And you!" Makoto rounded on the stunned Ukyo, jabbing a finger against his manly chest, "How could you just let her kiss you like that? And after you promised me that you were going to have a talk with Akane to straighten her out about this infatuation..."

"W-What are you saying?" Akane stammered, "It's not just an infatuation..."

"Oh no?" Makoto glared in her direction, "Then why don't you ask Sempai which one of us he'd really prefer to be with? Go ahead, Ucchan, tell her! Don't pussy-foot around, just come right out this time and explain it!"

"But...I..." Ukyo stammered.

"Ukyo?" Akane looked at him with eyes rounded with fear, confusion and anticipation.

"I..." Ukyo fought for the words, paralyzed by the hurt he saw reflected in Akane's expression.

"Go ahead, Kuonji," Ryoga glanced back at his rival, "Be a man, take a stand and tell Akane which way your feelings really run, I dare you!"

"I want you to put an end to this right now, Sempai," Makoto glared, "It's either me or her, you can't have us both, now which of us is it going to be, or should I just call up Minako and tell her she can pick me up on the trip back to Tokyo harbor?"

"That's not...!" Ukyo started to protest.

"Ukyo," Akane breathed the word, tears in her eyes as she cried, "Tell me you haven't been lying to me all this time! You don't actually prefer this-this Amazon to me, do you?"

"Amazon?" Makoto flared, "That's it! You're about to be Deep Fried, you-!"

"STOP IT!" Ukyo suddenly shouted, balling her fists as she thrust herself into the space between both of her girlfriends, "STOP IT! STOP FIGHTING ABOUT ME! STOP INSULTING AND SNIPING AT EACH OTHER! YOU THINK THIS IS SOME KIND OF A GAME? YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY? DON'T YOU TWO KNOW THAT YOU'RE BOTH DRIVING ME CRAZY?"

"Methinks she doth hit a nerve," Kodachi murmured as she stood back from the fray with Kasumi.

Ukyo glared at both Makoto and then Akane before resuming, "Do either of you know how hard all of this is for me? Do you think I LIKE being tugged and pulled in two different directions? Do you think I'm just playing games of tag, and 'who's it' with stakes this high? Do you think I'm some kind of a heartless beast that I'd just walk up to one of you and lie about the other?"

"Yes," Ryoga answered into the ensuing silence.

"YOU KEEP OUT OF THIS!" Ukyo snapped, even causing Ryoga to start at the intensity of the chef's angry protests.

"Ukyo," Akane hugged herself and looked miserable, "It's true, isn't it? You really do prefer her and not me?"

Ukyo found her voice faltering again as she was met by those luminous eyes on the younger Tendo girl, eyes that held him within the scope of their power, "Akane-chan..."

"But why?" Akane asked, tears streaming down her eyes, "It's not fair...IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!"

With that Akane's wings beat the air and she took off into the skies with such force that the yacht was momentarily sent bobbing in the water, and then she sailed off towards the clouds with surprising speed, gaining altitude in only a few seconds.

"A-Akane-chan?" Ukyo said faintly, "I-I didn't mean to..."

"Kou-AN-JIIII!" Ryoga growled as he stood up from the rail in the deck, shivering with rage, "YOU MADE HER CRY, YOU SWINE!"

"I didn't do it deliberately," Ukyo protested, "And since when did I become the villain anyway?"

Ryoga's fists were squeezed tight as he started to tremble with unrestrained emotions, "You dare to trifle with Akane's feelings and then pretend as if it was nothing?"

Both Makoto and Ukyo gasped as the boy before them stood up to confront her in the thin moonlight, his dark eyes taking on a most unearthly cast as the darkness seemed to collect all around him, and suddenly he balled his hands together and that darkness swelled, forming a globe of force that crackled with bluish electrical fire.

For a single second Ukyo was paralyzed by the sight of this, but then a figure blurred as it moved across the deck to tackle the boy and knock him down, almost over the railing and into the water. The next second the globe of dark energy shot from Ryoga's hands as if shot out of the muzzle of a cannon and sliced through the night air, skimming the surface of the water. Two hundred yards out to sea it plunged into the drink and detonated, exploding with a force that briefly lit up the night air and kicked up a geyser that shot another hundred meters into the air, causing the sea to roil and buck their puny ship for several instants.

"M-Mistress?" called Sasuke rather hesitantly from the bridge in the ensuing silence.

"Oh my," Kasumi murmured in disquiet, "What was that?"

"At a guess," Kodachi noted at her side, "I would say Ryoga has just mustered his Ki attack."

"I-I...I did this?" Ryoga stared uncomprehendingly at the space between his hands, then at the distant water, and then he collapsed, falling to his knees like the proverbial stringless puppet.

Lotion stood up off of Ukyo and sighed, "I'm getting a little too old for this...and congratulations, you have just mastered a technique known as the Shi Shi Houkonan. It concentrates the essence of your rage and depression into a singular force of destructive negative energies against which few things could survive without adequate shielding."

"You mean he just used the dark force?" Makoto murmured, her own expression darkening, "And he tried to kill my SEMPAI?"

"Not quite the same dark force that you are used to dealing with," Lotion corrected, turning to Ukyo, who was just then sitting up, "And how are you feeling, Master Kuonji?"

"Like I was just kicked by a mule," Ukyo winced but turned a grateful nod in the Lore Master's direction, "Thanks for the save, by the way...I owe you."

"Don't mention it," Lotion gave him a wry look, "As if I would need an excuse to tackle a body such as yours. If I was but a hundred years younger or had Cologne's eternal beauty..." she sighed as she extended a hand, into which her ever-present staff flew from across the deck where she had dropped it.

"Ah..." Ukyo winced, only to hear a flapping of wings from overhead.

"Are you guys all right?" cried an anxious Akane, "I saw an explosion...!"

"That was loverboy over there," Makoto nodded at the semi-conscious Ryoga, "He got so depressed that he turned his depression into a weapon. I thought only Dark Kingdom generals could harness Nega energies that way, but he doesn't look so scary at the moment."

"That is because young Master Hibiki has yet to learn how to replace what he uses at a rate that will not leave him so exhausted," Lotion sighed as she stood beside the fallen lost boy, "Recall your lessons, boy, and learn to draw upon the abundant elemental energies that surround you. We will have to work on teaching you to create more positive outlets of Chi energy so that you don't have to be so depressed in order to use them. You Hibikis have always been rather sensitive, misunderstood creatures." The old woman shook her head in mild exasperation.

"Ryoga?" Akane asked as she landed on the deck and folded her wings, this time managing to do so without incident. She knelt down as best she was able to examine him as Ryoga lay still listening to the pounding of the waves against the yacht.

"Akane," Ukyo spoke up, "This has to stop. I like you, honestly...and I think you're a very special person, but I can't be happy if you're making him so miserable all the time. Ryoga hates my guts because he thinks I'm trying to take you away from him, and in a way I have...just not deliberately like he thinks."

"But...you don't really love me?" Akane asked without turning around or getting up from where she was kneeling.

"I...I don't really know what I feel towards you," Ukyo admitted, "Every time I get near you all my certainty just flies out the window, but this isn't fair to either of us, and it's especially unfair to Makoto. I love her, Akane, and I'm not afraid to say it anymore."

"Sempai?" Makoto gasped in wonder at this admission.

Ukyo turned and smiled at the tall girl and said, "I love you, Mako-chan...I think I've felt that way all along, I just didn't know it. I'm not saying I don't love Akane too...but with you there's just no doubt about my feelings, and whatever else I do or say, I can't get you out of my thoughts. You mean the world to me...and...and I'm sorry if I've given you any reason to doubt me."

"Sempai," Makoto's expression softened.

"You really mean that?" Akane asked, glancing up now from where she hovered over Ryoga, "You love her...more than you love me?"

"Ah...sorry," Ukyo's chin fell as he looked down at the deck with a contrite expression, "I should have said something sooner, but...every time I tried to summon up the courage...I'd just see how happy you were, and that smile you'd give me...it made me lose all resolve about saying anything. I never wanted to hurt you, I do like you...in fact I think I like you enough that Mako-chan had a reason to feel jealous, because if things had gotten any farther along with us..." Ukyo turned away, glad that no one could see how red his face was in the moonlight.

"Are you saying...that there's still a chance?" Akane's tone was hopeful.

"Ah...probably," Ukyo admitted, "But it's not fair to either Mako-chan or Ryoga, and he needs you more than anybody else here, including me. Don't you understand, Akane? The guy's got nothing without you. I know that's not a solid reason to base a relationship and all that, but...how could I, you...how could we ever be happy if we caused him to feel so miserable? Or Mako-chan for that matter...and she's the one I think I could build my life around."

"Sempai," Makoto's eyes shown with softening emotions.

"Mako-chan," Ukyo returned her look, "Please forgive me...I didn't mean to make you doubt me like that. I don't know why it has to be this way, with winners and losers, with me having to choose between a great pair of girls like you...and if you think it doesn't feel a little weird for me to say that, then you've got another think coming. Kuso...ever since I got this curse I've been fighting these urges...and I just can't explain what it's been like for me. I see either one of you and my brain just goes into shut down! Heck, it was even like that when Ambergris was coming onto me, and you know I didn't want anything to do with that lady!"

"In other words you've turned into a typical guy," Makoto eyed the chef's bared chest wryly, "What else about you is guy-like? Think it's possible for me to conduct a little test here?"

"Mako-chan!" Ukyo reacted in mild panic as he interpreted the leer that crossed the tall girl's lips in such a way that he felt a nagging and uncomfortable bulge pressing out in his crotch area.

"I see," Akane whispered softly, "Then you've already decided on her and not me."

"Ah..." Ukyo faltered, "I...wouldn't put it exactly like that..."

"I know I haven't been fair to Ryoga," Akane closed her eyes tightly, "But why...why choose her instead of me? Don't you know...don't you care at all about my feelings?"

"What do you want him to say?" Makoto asked, not unkindly, "Ucchan already decided on me a few hours ago, and I'm very sorry to break the news to you, girl, but you were never really in the running to begin with."

All at once Akane rose up to her full height as her wings spread out behind her back like a predatory bird about to strike, and a reddish-gold light surrounded her, casting a glow that surrounded her like a massive battle aura as her wings seemed to turn metallic and her eyes started blazing with golden flames born from her the fires of her passion.

"I see," Akane declared, and her voice manifested a weird echoing effect that rang from all over, "Then why don't the two of you JUST GO TO THE BLAZES-"

"Akane-chan."

Those softly spoken words caused the youngest Tendo girl to pause in the act of raising her hands as though she were about to smash the taller girl before her. Kasumi calmly walked out onto the deck and confronted her winged younger sibling before saying, "You really must learn to control your temper. You could hurt someone with a careless gesture, like the one you are making. Ukyo said that he cares for you and doesn't want to see you angry. You should try listening to her for once and not letting your passions rule your judgement."

"She's right, you know," Kodachi noted as she joined Kasumi at ground zero, "This isn't the way to win Kuonji's heart, and you know in your heart that you do not wish to see him hurt, or even Makoto here, though you may blame her for your current condition. Perhaps Ukyo would have accepted you first in his heart had she not been in the picture...after all, he even went and got himself cursed in China on your behalf, and though he protests that it was an accident, I have long had my suspicions."

"Hah?" Ukyo's eyes widened, "What? Now wait a minute...!"

"Honestly," Kodachi favored the cursed boy with a leering smile, "Saying you just fell in because you saw your own reflection in the waters. I could come up with a better excuse than that one, Kuonji. Try denying that it was in your thoughts to begin with that having a male body might be the answer to so many of your life's problems...that you wound up creating new problems is simply incidental."

"But I didn't...!" Ukyo made warding motions with his hands.

"Silly boy," Kodachi moved closer to him then leaned forward and whispered, "Play along with it, you baka. Just trust me and this will all work out for the better."

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked as the Black Rose slid an arm around his waist in a slinky and suggestive manner.

"Admit it," Kodachi purred as she turned back to the others, "Though your purpose for coming to Nerima was to avenge yourself for the wrongs done you by the father-son duo of Saotome, you met a girl who caught your eye and started behaving nice to you, which you found most flattering to your ego. You rekindled your lost desires for Ranma when you discovered that he was not the true source of your troubles, and in time you found yourself torn with the sense that you had already lost him to Nabiki and the amazon while at the same time feeling a need to take him from them by means of your prior claims upon his manly person. Having myself fallen under the spell of his charms I can well sympathize with your plight, but like me you concluded that there was no profit to be found in playing the role of the other woman. Thus your resolve to abandon your claims to womanhood no doubt prompted your desire to go to China. Reversing the effects of the curses was merely the excuse you needed."

"I...uh...er...um..." Ukyo stammered, uncomfortable over how close to the truth the Black Rose's words were scoring.

"I think it's all very romantic and speaks well of you that you wished to do the right thing for all concerned parties," Kodachi continued with her lips disturbingly close to Ukyo's ear, "But let's be honest, shall we? You knew in your heart that Akane had already fallen for you, and you dreaded revealing the truth about yourself to her for fear of her rejection. She was the closest thing to a girlfriend that you had known since Kino-san here had vanished from your life, and the loneliness within your heart was yearning to share the closeness that Akane wanted. Having a male body just meant that you'd have an easier time scoring...but how were you to know that Kino-san herself would be returning to your life a short time after?"

"Ah...er..." Ukyo's eyes took in the way Makoto and Akane were looking at him, and he became a little too aware of the Black Rose's nearness.

"They both have a desire for you," Kodachi leered, "It no longer matters to either of them whether you are a girl disguised as a man or a man who is actually a woman. It is the You they have come to know that draws them like moths to the flame, that unmistakable air of charisma that you radiate, which drives Hibiki-san there mad with jealousy. It is no simple fascination, no mere crush or infatuation now, but a deeper feeling that binds you all together..."

Kodachi moved away from Ukyo and her manner became more casual, though no less airy, "It could be quite fascinating to stand back and watch how this all plays out as you make a better show than any daytime drama that I could ever name...but the truth is that your battles are having a most unsettling effect upon my Kasumi, and that makes it of importance to me that you resolve your conflicts now before anyone truly is hurt. Besides which-and dare I to say this-your inner battles are destroying the unity that we will need if we are to rescue the fair Nabiki from the villainous clutches of those who seek to force her into an involuntary marriage."

Ukyo staggered a bit, recovering from the weird effect Kodachi had created by her very nearness, only to become all the more aware of the twin sets of eyes still leveled towards her. Coughing to clear his throat, Ukyo said, "Ah...good point that...fighting's not the way to settle things, you guys, and if we wind up wrecking the boat then we're gonna have to swim the rest of the way to China."

"Well said," Lotion nodded, "And I was about to inform you that we are now within sight of Kirin's ship once again."

Akane sighed, "I guess you're right...I'm being selfish. I should be thinking about Nabiki and not..." she glanced towards Makoto.

"All right," the taller girl said, "We call a truce for now, but when this is over..."

"Then you can settle the matter of who gets Ukyo?" Kasumi asked brightly, turning to Kodachi and smiling, "Isn't it romantic how they still feel the same way about him? Of course this doesn't look well for poor Ryoga..."

"Indeed," Kodachi turned to the silent Lost Boy and said, "Are you going to just give up without a struggle? You know in your heart that Akane still cares for you and has long since forgiven you over your deceptions as P-chan.. You need to make plain to her the true nature of your feelings if you are ever to win back her heart."

"Hey," Akane glared at the Black Rose, "Who's side are you on?"

"Kasumi's of course," Kodachi easily responded, then cast another look in Ukyo's direction, "Kuonji, if you want my advice on how to settle things, take a page from your Ranchan's book and just marry both of them. You can agree to share Akane with Ryoga. That would seem the best way of resolving this without further bloodshed."

"What-huh?" Ukyo was taken aback by this suggestion.

"Marry both of us?" Makoto sounded incredulous.

"You've gotta be kidding!" Akane sputtered at the concept.

"Share...Akane...?" Ryoga was no less stunned at the very idea of sharing.

"Oh my," Kasumi was pointing off in the distance, "Is that Ranma clinging to that rope...and is that an Elephant with him?"

"AN ELEPHANT?" everyone else exclaimed, turning to follow Kasumi's gesture as a most peculiar sight came within the scope of their vision...

"Now remember," Ranma called back down the line where she was scaling up the rope, "We get up there you let me do the talking. If there's any trouble I'll deal with it, you just back me up and stay out of trouble."

The elephant, Jasmine, made a trumpeted noise while using its trunk to hoist itself up after the lithe redhead. Clinging to the Elephant's saddle, the girl named Lychee called up, "No hurt Lychee's Prince! We come talk to Prince, make him listen to Lychee!"

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma growled, glad that he had finally managed to calm down the Chinese girl after agreeing to listen to her life's story, just as he was equally grateful that no one on Kirin's ship had apparently found the rope, which they had found obligingly dragging across the surface of the ocean, thus affording them a way to climb back up to the sky vessel.

"You is first person who ever really listen to Lychee's story," the strawberry blond said, misty-eyed and tearful, "You help Lychee find her Prince, she very grateful.."

"I just hope that Kirin creep is gonna listen and believe this," Ranma groused before calling out, "How you doing up there, Gramps?"

"I'm doing just fine, my boy," the young Happosai called down as he continued scaling the rope without slackening his pace, "I could do this when I was knee high to you, and this young body of mine has enough stamina to cope with a few rope burns."

"Mighty sneaky the way you talked yourself onto her ship," Ranma was careful to arch her tones so that they traveled up and not down to either Elephant or its mistress, "But you're gonna have to settle up accounts with her sooner or later."

"I know, son," Happosai noted grimly, "But it's not like I wished any ill on the child or her ancestors."

"No," Ranma scoffed, "You just left one half of an enchanted scroll in her family's possession for three hundred years after you ran out without paying the bill you owed to their restaurant, and as a consequence of this she's lost just about everything...her house, her family, all because of that stupid scroll that started this whole mess."

"Well, if you want to get technical about it," Happosai replied in the wounded tones of one who wanted to avoid pleading guilty but could not deny the accuracy of the charges, "How was I to know the thing would get your iinazuke kidnapped? I just hope Hinako-chan hasn't done anything too rash. I'd never forgive myself if anything were to happen to her..."

"You mean you really do care about her?" Ranma asked, "It ain't just the sex she's been giving ya that's making you act this horny?"

"Shame on you, Ranma my boy," Happosai responded with a tone less jovial than usual, "I may not enjoy the enthusiasm with which Hinako-chan's been expressing herself lately, but you know I'd never want to see any harm come to the poor girl. She did what she did on account of me, and I'd never be able to live with myself if anything happened to her on account of her being bespelled by that Love Pearl."

"Well, I'll be," Ranma leered, "Don't tell me the most Evil Pervert in all Japan actually has a heart after all? You sly dog, you..."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Happosai sniffed, "And you don't have to be so nasty about it, you ingrate."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma snorted.

"Just remember to save your new attack for when you're up against Kirin," Happosai cautioned in a testy voice, "Don't give it away that you know it until the last second or he'll be on guard against you."

"Right," Ranma nodded, "That Moko Taka-whatever it was you called it..."

"Mako Takabishi," Happosai replied, "And it's a perfect technique for a smug, snot-nosed little punk like you. It works on the confidence and strength of your Chi, but if you let go of it too soon it can leave you pretty exhausted, so one shot is all you'll likely get in a real fight."

"Don't worry," Ranma said, "I've got it covered," and then under his breath he murmured aloud, "Hang on, Nabiki...I'm comin' ta get you, and Shampoo too, you'd better believe it..."

And with that the odd quartet continued to make their way up the rope that had obligingly been left in place by Kirin's inattentive servants, all the while hoping fervently that this next confrontation would go better than the last one, while similarly unaware above of the changing situation that was shortly to greet them...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Elephant Trapeze Acts: shadowmane

What are Shampoo Nabiki up to while all of this has been going around? Have they found a way to escape from Kirin and his minions, or is this just another melodramatic plot twist to add new complications to the mixture? Find out the answer to this and more next time in, "Pandora's Lunch Box," or, "This is another fine Pickle you've gotten me into!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	100. Chapter 100

NabikiRan95

Ranma and Nabiki,

A Tale of Two Wallets

By Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,  
Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others)

WARNING: LIME ALERT, CONTAINS SITUATIONS WITH MILD NUDITY AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SITUATIONS.  
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Okay, so that's overstating it by a bit, but it about summarizes that first day of my captivity where I was locked in a gilded prison cell that just happened to look a lot like a King's Seraglio, complete with a lush bed, a sunken bath and all the other trappings of luxury that you might expect to find in an Arabian Knights movie. There were silken tapestries of Chinese manufacture hanging from the walls, a canopied bed draped with white linen cloth that was obviously hand-  
woven, and a comfortable down feeling to the mattress itself that made resting on it feel like floating among the clouds, which was very apt considering that we were on board that sky ship making our way out towards some place called Nekonron China. I had never personally witnessed such opulent magnificence, hinting at wealth and glory of untold magnitude beyond my wildest dreams of avarice.

To put it mildly I was miserable with loathing for every minute that I spent there. It was about the last thing I needed to see after believing that I had just witnessed by boyfriend falling to his death, and to think that these clueless bastards would expect me to be impressed by the whole thing...it just sums up what a pretty pickle I was in, and I haven't even gotten to the good parts yet!

Shampoo was recovering from the blow she had taken to the back of her head, soaking it off in the hot tub while our personal one-woman guard, Mon Mon, looked on in silence. She was aimlessly tuning that metal-rimmed instrument of hers, leaving me to sulk in silence until Shampoo got up out of the water to wrap a towel around her body. I caught the look the pale haired woman gave my Amazon honey and felt a brief spark of resentment before returning to the more fulfilling pursuit of wallowing in my grief and despair. I kept seeing Ranma's face before my eyes, flashes of moments we had shared, culminating in the sight of him diving out into space to catch a pair of ring boxes, and then the crushing weight on my chest returned to make breathing difficult, each breath coming in both hoarse and ragged.

I don't suppose I'd be giving away the farm about this point to say that the thought of never seeing my iinazuke's face again was about the most horrific feeling that I have ever lived through, short of what I felt when I lost my mother, and possibly a lot worse. I'd seen Momma die after weeks of suffering, and in a way I thought it was a mercy when the doctors let her go. I'd never dreamed the real reason for her departure was a clerical anomaly in some metaphysical divine office, but let's stick to the subject here, which was that Ranma's seeming demise had been too sudden for me to have any time to adjust to it as a concept. One moment he was there, as large as life and twice as cocky, and the next...and the next he was gone. That wasn't something I could adjust to, it just seemed unreal that I could lose him in mere seconds.

Oh sure there have been times when I've wanted to kill the baka with my own hands, and times when he could literally drive me up the wall just trying to figure him out, but nothing like this, nothing so real, yet so unreal. Ranma was...well...he was like life itself to me, always full of surprises, never a dull moment, and capable of the most uncanny turns of mind when he could shake my world upside down and force me to see things in an entirely new way. There are times when he can be such an arrogant, insensitive jerk, but other times when he shows a surprising degree of tenderness and understanding...I mean, who wouldn't miss having a guy like that around? Can you blame me for getting a little upset under the circumstances? Hell, I was even considering jumping off the ship myself just so I wouldn't have to go on in a world that didn't have a Ranma in it.

But of course, as she's done so often with me at those times when my life seems the bleakest, Shampoo crept up to me, this time in human rather than cat form, and asked me softly, "What is wrong, Nabiki? Why you look like you lose last yen in gamble?"

I was a little surprised that she could even ask such a question. Upon regaining consciousness, Mon Mon had informed my Amazon bride of Ranma's stunt with the two rings, and didn't she know the reason why he would risk his life like that? If anything I would have expected her to show twice as much grief as I was, mainly because she's a lot more casual in expressing her emotions.

"Sh-Shampoo," I managed to stammer on a dry mouth, "It...Ranma..."

To my increasing surprise she said, "Silly Nabiki, what you mean about Ranma? You no think he fall to death in ocean, do you?"

"Huh?" I looked at her with a blank expression.

"Ranma only fall one mile," Shampoo explained, "Is no like he fall from great orbit. Ailen very strong, very skilled, him find way to survive fall, be back again, you see."

"H-How can you say that?" I gasped, "How can you be so certain...?"

"Because Shampoo no feel Ailen dead," Shampoo touched the exposed area of her chest between those swelling mounds that I knew and loved so well, "No feel it here where truly matter. Ailen live, Shampoo very certain. Is no way for great warrior to die, not when he have quest must fulfill. Is heroic way, him come make rescue."

I blinked my eyes. How could Shampoo know if Ranma was alive or not? I was the one training to be a Lore Master, which meant that I should know...

I could have kicked myself if it was anatomically possible. Of course I should have known! I closed my eyes and stopped listening to my fears, instead listened to the beat of my own heart, which I felt echoed by Shampoo's own heartbeat...and that of another...not quite so close but closer to us than I would have imagined.

"He's alive?" I blinked my eyes and knew at once with that curious Truth Sense that I'd acquired that my words were right on the money, which of course caused me to say with more enthusiasm, "He's alive, HE'S ALIVE! Oh, Sham-chan!"

I embraced the purple haired girl and endured the warmth of her own bear hug as she patted me on the head and said (as if I were a small child or something), "Now you thinking like Lore Master. You no let fear do talking, you listen to heart. Shampoo always listen to her heart and it never fail her. Ranma come for us, you see, and then he make prince sorry he dare take brides away from Ailen..."

"So, the boy is still alive," said Mon Mon as we turned to see her standing off to one side of the bed eyeing us with cool, curious eyes lacking either hostility or strong passion, "Prince Kirin will have to be informed of this. The boy might yet prove himself a nuisance."

"Him more than that," Shampoo noted smugly, "Ranma is man of Shampoo dream, is strongest man she ever meet. You see when you face."

"I look forward to that," the pale haired lady began stroking her lute once again, producing sounds both sweet and oddly bitter, "I hope he provides a better challenge than he and his friends did the last time. It wouldn't be much fun defeating them if they were not up to full form."

"You awful sure of self for mere lackey," Shampoo eyed the girl as if reading her stance as a challenge.

"I am Mon Mon," the other lady replied, "Priestess of the Goddess Benton, Chief courtesan to the court of my lord Kirin and a member of the Seven Lucky God of martial arts. No mere man can stand against my power, save only Lord Kirin himself who has proven a better man than your Ranma."

"That what you say," Shampoo replied, "But Shampoo think you only flunky."

"How dare you!" the other woman's lovely face snarled, "If it were not against Lord Kirin's orders I would make you pay for your insolence..."

"Uh...about that," I said, now having regained at least partial control over my wits, "What exactly is it Lord Kirin expects you to do for me anyway? He said you were going to give me Bride training..."

The pale haired woman glanced away, but after only a moment of hesitation she reached up and undid the top lace to her bodice, pealing it down to expose a pair of melon-sized bosoms that put even Sham-chan's swelling fruit to shame. I stared wide-eyed as the girl casually stripped off her outer garments then knelt down on one knee before us, bowing her head submissively and saying in a low voice, "I am to serve you as I have served Lord Kirin, to instruct you in the ways by which you may please him on your honeymoon. It is my function and my duty to make myself available in all ways that might please and educate you in the mysteries of the body."

I just stared at her with my mouth gaping open. I mean...hell, this woman was outright GORGEOUS, and I could tell even Sham-chan was affected by the sight of the other woman's naked flesh, so imagine what I was feeling seeing her display her tasty packaging in such total submission, and I was pretty danged sure she wasn't faking her offer either!

"Um...excuse me?" I heard my voice squeak as I continued to stare at her body.

Mon Mon raised her head to me and said, "A woman of Nekonron is taught from birth that her most pleasing task is to please the man in her life, and I have been trained by the finest courtesans in all of China. I know a thousand ways to indulge in carnal pleasures that would explode your minds with the possibilities, and seeing as you have stated a preference for both genders, it makes my work that much easier in gaining your cooperation."

"You're putting me on," I said, knowing perfectly well that she wasn't.

"Shampoo is confused," my Amazon bride said, "You is warrior...and slave?"

"Slave?" Mon Mon blinked her eyes, "There are no slaves in Nekonron, there have not been slaves since they were all liberated by one of Lord Kirin's ancestors."

"You're not a slave," I said, "But you offer us your body because your Boss tells you to."

"I am to do with as Prince Kirin wills," Mon Mon explained, "My greatest pleasure is in serving him, in making my Lord happy in whatever manner he finds pleasing."

"You've slept with the guy?" I asked.

"Of course," she said, "Lord Kirin needed training in the arts of pleasure, and that is one of the functions that I have performed for him as his retainer. Is this a problem?"

"Not for me," I said, "But...if you like the guy...how could you stand letting me have him?"

"I...do not understand your question," Mon Mon frowned with honest puzzlement in her pale grey eyes.

"You is no jealous if he want Nabiki for wife?" Shampoo asked.

"Jealous?" Mon Mon sounded as if she did not know the meaning of the word, "Why would I feel that? He is my Lord and Master, and he has been fated from birth to marry the possessor of the sacred scroll. I live to serve him, and I serve him quite well, and if by serving him I must teach you to give my lord pleasure, then I would consider it nothing less than my highest honor."

"Okay," I said, "Time out! Let me see if I get this straight, okay? Now...you don't mind if another girl sleeps with your Prince, and you especially don't mind that it's this 'destined bride' of yours. You don't consider yourself a slave because you actually want to do this, but the fact is that you couldn't refuse him if you wanted to, could you?"

"Why would I want to refuse his orders?" Mon Mon asked us, "My duty as royal Courtesan requires my absolute loyalty and obedience. It is the thing that I have trained for all of my days, so why would I not wish to see my Lord happily married?"

I saw at once that we were having a little conceptual problem. I tried again to make myself understood, playing on a hunch as I said, "You like your Prince Kirin, don't you?"

"Eh?" I saw surprise and an almost shocked reaction in the other woman's eyes, "What sort of question is this? Of course I admire my Prince...what woman would not?"

"Me for one," I replied, "I don't like guys who kidnap me from my family and just expect me to marry them because it's their tradition. If you like him so much then you can marry him."

"What?" she reacted as if I had just slapped her in the face, only she colored and looked down, "That...that is not possible! I am not the one fated to find the sacred scroll, I am not even a Princess..."

"What has that got to do with whether you like him or not?" I smiled slyly, "Surely it's more important to like the guy you're gonna marry than to do it because you're supposed to."

"This...this is most strange," she shook her head in dismay, "What appallingly barbaric customs you must have in your country. How can anyone expect to have a stable marriage if they marry for reasons other than what is proper?"

Now it was my turn to be confused, "Uh...look...if it's all the same to you, I'd rather decline the offer, and I know Sham-chan feels the same way, so if you could just tell the Prince that I said thanks but no thank..."

"I do not understand," Mon Mon said, "Am I not pleasing to your standards?"

"Ah..." my mind went slightly off the railing at that, "What? I mean...you're beautiful and all that, and I'm very flattered if you..."

To my complete surprise I found her suddenly leaning forward, her face only a few centimeters from my own though I had barely even seen her moving, and with her face filling my vision I could smell the incredible perfume of her body as something in my body reacted to her on the level of a pure chemical reaction.

"My task is to determine your threshold of pleasure," she informed me, "So I must do what tradition dictates and test the both of you for your compatibility level."

"For my...?" I started to say when her lips pressed against mine and we shared a kiss that took me as much by surprise as if she had just grown wings like my sister. I can't imagine what Shampoo was thinking at the moment, but suddenly I found myself on my back on the bed with this woman leaning over me and her hands quite skillfully pulling open my blouse as time itself seemed to go still for me and I found myself reacting as though I had lost all self volition.

But then Shampoo put her arms around the woman throat and locked her in a Nelson, hissing in her ear, "You go too far! You no do this with Nabiki! You no have Shampoo permission!"

Mon Mon gritted in obvious discomfort but showed no great alarm as she said, "And why would I need your permission?"

All at once-and please don't expect me to describe how she did this-Mon Mon broke loose from Shampoo's hold and laid her out on her back, somehow paralyzing my Amazon lover while straddling her as if Shampoo was utterly at her mercy.

"I was hoping you would try something like this," she purred, "I've been wanting to try my skills on you since I laid eyes on you, Amazon. I've heard your people train to be the best warriors in all of Asia, and yet you will only take a man who has defeated you in battle. My Lord could quite easily command you, if he so wishes to win you in battle, but since he has trusted me to train you for him..."

"What you do?" Shampoo seemed to be making an effort at moving but was unable to break free, leaving her to stare up into the eyes of the pale haired girl with obvious concern in her expression, "Shampoo no for the like of you..."

"It is my task to change your mind about this," Mon Mon leered, parting the towel and exposing Shampoo's chest to full view, "You will learn humility and mind your place with my Lord, but first I will show you what is in store for you if you choose to cooperate..."

And with that she bent her lips down and began planting soft kisses on the chest of my Sham-chan!

I had to think quickly or else I knew that the both of us were in for real trouble. Shampoo had lost the ability to resist the other girl, and I sure as heck didn't rate myself as having a snowball's chance of fighting her off, even if she WAS taking liberties with MY girlfriend! A sudden plan hatched in my mind as I saw Shampoo arched back her head as Mon Mon's kisses got nearer and nearer to those twin peaked mounds of flesh that I loved so well, at which point I was fairly certain that Sham-chan would feel both used and degraded.

"Please," I said before things got too far into this double-seduction, "Could you explain something for me before we do this?"

Mon-Mon paused with both of her hands squeezing Shampoo's breasts, and she gave me a faintly annoyed look before saying, "What is it you want me to explain?"

"Ah...this Nekonron China you call home...what's it like?" I wondered.

"The gateway between worlds?" she smiled back at me, "It is a land of ten thousand hot springs, violent and beautiful with mists that wall off time itself. Our people live in the lush valleys of plenty and enjoy the harvests of terraced farming, and we easily support ourselves by exporting our main pickle crops to the port cities of Asia..."

"Fascinating," I said, cutting short this travel brochure description of a place I had no intention of visiting at the moment, "And what are your cities like? I mean...you must be pretty advanced to be able to create something like this sky ship..."

"The ship?" Mon Mon got off of a relieved looking Shampoo while idly stroking one finger up and down the valley between my girlfriend's bosoms, "It was a gift to Nekonron by one of the European powers almost a century ago. It has been refitted and modernized several times over the years to serve as the royal sky ship for the line of Kirin. It has many modern conveniences and has served the family well on those rare occasions when we have been compelled to journey to your world..."

"I must say, I never expected anything like this coming from a part of China that has such a strong traditional culture," I continued, playing up on a hunch, "You must not have all that much contact with the outside world..."

"What contact we have has been very limited," she admitted while allowing her hand to drift lazily down the length of Shampoo's belly, just shy of actually exploring her pelvic region, "We mostly deal through traders and go-betweens. Nekonron's pickle industry is much prized throughout Asia, for they are the wealth of our nation..."

"Fascinating," I admitted, "And how exactly does one go about becoming a go-  
between for your people? I imagine you must have some pretty exacting standards..."

"Indeed we do," the pale haired woman replied, "One is that our isolation must be observed, especially from the Communists, who had sought and failed to gain access past our borders. We had dealing with them in the past that cautioned us against trusting in their good intentions, but with bribes paid to the right people they have learned to look the other way and tolerate our existence, though they refuse to acknowledge us and had prevented Nekonron from being listed on any maps."

"I can just imagine how much they must love you guys," I noted, noticing the way Shampoo had regained partial control over one of her arms and was slowly moving it into position, "One more question...which do you think Kirin values more, you or his precious pickles?"

"Eh?" the confusion returned to her eyes, "What is the purpose to this-?"

That was as far as she got before Shampoo jabbed her neck with the tip of her fingers, causing our captor's eyes to roll back up in her head as she collapsed without a sound, completely unconscious.

I heaved a sigh and said, "What took you so long?"

"Is to be excused," Shampoo smiled as she flexed her shoulders and slowly sat up on the bed rubbing her arms and then her neck before rotating her head around in a circle, finally concluding with, "Great grandmother long ago teach Shampoo counter for paralysis point, but it take her full minute to reach correct mind state. Is good thing you is so clever, Nabiki, you keep silly Banjo-girl talking long enough Shampoo regain advantage."

"It was either that or let the both of us get raped," I said, "Not that I'd complain much about her technique..."

"Ah so," Shampoo eyed me with a lewd expression, "Maybe Shampoo no should act in such haste. Maybe very entertaining watch you and girl make nice-nice. Shampoo think you enjoy too much...or maybe you rather watch girl make nice-nice with Shampoo?"

"Some other time, maybe," I grinned, "Now all we gotta do is find a way out of here, and then get off this boat before they discover us missing."

"Is good plan," Shampoo smiled, "Maybe Shampoo have idea that help?"

I knew that sneaky look quite well and smiled back at her, "What have you got in mind, Kitty?"

"Banjo girl say Pickles wealth of Nekonron," Shampoo explained, "And earlier while in Neko form, Shampoo think she smell place where find many, many pickles. Is good place to hide, yes? No one find there until Ranma make new rescue?"

"Hmmm..." I thought, admiring my beautiful sex-kitten and wishing very much that we had time for some healthy exercises of our own, which unfortunately would have to be put off for later, "I think I've got an even better idea, Sham-  
chan...help me tie this one up and then you show me where they keep their treasury. I know just the way to get this Kirin guy's attention..."

"Ah...master?" Ebiten (Ebiten) asker nervously, disturbed at the dour expression he saw on the face of his fearless leader.

"What is it, Ebiten?" Kirin replied without glancing in the little man's direction, "Kirin does not wish to be disturbed in his meditations."

"But that's just it, Master," Ebiten replied, "You've been sitting there staring off into space for hours, and...you will forgive my impertinence, but you do not seem like your usual self..."

"No, Ebiten," Kirin replied, "Kirin is not himself. Kirin is...disturbed. There is much that Kirin does not understand about his future Bride, and this displeases him greatly."

"What is there to understand, sire?" the little man asked, "She is a woman...they are beyond understanding."

"And yet this woman has dared to find fault with the Prince of the Seven Lucky Gods school," Kirin replied, "She has dared accost Kirin and declared him unworthy of her interest."

"I know sire," Ebiten nodded, "And for that she must be punished..."

"No," Kirin remarked, "On the contrary, I do not believe that the fault lies with her. Kirin...is not certain why he should think so, but...it seems the truth nonetheless. Somehow Kirin has failed to understand and correctly interpret a situation that is new to him, and this causes him great distress. Kirin must know why the words of Tendo Nabiki have had this effect upon Kirin...and why she would say such things. If Kirin is to marry her, then he would know the mind of his Bride and seek to find better ways of obtaining her approval."

"Sire," the little man hesitated, "You know that I would never think to criticize you, but isn't that putting things backward? She is supposed to be the one who is devoted to pleasing you..."

"I do not want a woman who merely bends to my wishes," Kirin replied, "If I did then I could find that with Mon Mon."

Ebiten gasped, "With the royal Courtesan, Sire? That is most...unusual..."

"Yes," Kirin agreed, "But these are most unusual times, and Mon Mon has served Kirin as loyally as any other. Were it not against our traditions, Kirin would take the Priestess of the Goddess Benton as his own bosom companion, but what concerns us now is the perceived failing of Kirin to win the affections of his true Bride in the battle against the boy, Saotome Ranma."

"But Sire," Ebiten began, "You defeated him most handily..."

"Did Kirin defeat him, or did this Ranma defeat himself?" Kirin asked, "Kirin finds it most...unsatisfying to see a foe merely plunge to his death when the matter has not been fully resolved between us. A pity Kirin disposed of the other members of his group in such haste, they were most interesting fighters and might have provided us with further entertainment."

"If you say so, sire," Ebiten replied with a most dubious expression.

"Kirin cannot reconcile the words Nabiki used upon him when she claimed that it was not important to her which of us was the better fighter," Kirin replied, "What else is there that she could ask of a husband than that he be a strong warrior and a good provider? Kirin has vast riches that could make any woman's life most enjoyable, and he has been trained all his life to be as skilled and as entertaining a husband. Could there be anything more than this that she would desire? How then could she prefer a rough hewn barbarian with barely adequate skills as a fighter?"

"It is a mystery to be certain, Sire," Ebiten remarked, "But perhaps in time she will come to appreciate the real you..."

"But how long must Kirin wait for this?" Kirin asked in frustration, "Supposing there truly is some element that Kirin does not possess? What if Nabiki has seen an inadequacy that Kirin never dreamed that might be found in him? This cannot bode well for our impending marriage. Kirin must know more, and so he must discover a way of approaching his future Bride that she might give him an answer."

"Perhaps Mon Mon will discover it for you, Sire," Ebiten replied, "She is with your Bride and her consort now beginning their bride training..."

"Sire!" Bishimonten burst into the room without warning, a shocking breach of normal protocol though his words had such urgency that no one called him to task for it, "Your Bride has escaped from her room! Mon Mon was found bound and gagged on the bed and..."

"WHAT?" Kirin's reaction was also much out of character, being much vexed beyond what any of his retainers had ever before witnessed, "Are you saying that Kirin's Bride has mounted an escape over the best efforts of the Royal Courtesan?"

"Uh...well, Sire," the big man hesitated, "Mounted appears to be the operant word...in fact the condition in which Mon Mon was found..."

"Speak sense, Man," Ebiten demanded, "Are you saying the Royal Courtesan was unable to prevent their escape?"

"Well, no...I mean yes," the Priest of the War God for whom he was named hesitated, "What I mean is that the Royal Courtesan was found stacked-I mean-  
she was bound in such a way as to suggest a tight struggle...and rather nicely well mounted if I do say so..."

"Get to the point, man," Kirin demanded impatiently, "Where is Kirin's Bride and why haven't you found her yet?"

"Sire!" Daihotsuke appeared from behind the big man, "Someone has broken into the Royal Storeroom and stolen all the pickles!"

"Sire!" Daikotsuke appeared from behind his brother, "We've located your Bride...she's the one who stole the pickles!"

"WHAT?" Kirin reacted in dismay for the second time in as many minutes, "Where is she? What has she done with our Pickles?"

"The lower Deck, sire," Daikotsuke replied, his expression conveying bewilderment, "She's holding them for random!"

There was a slight pause before Kirin's expression darkened, and then in tones that brooked no contradiction he commanded, "Take Kirin to her at once! He will get to the bottom of this, one way or the other..."

"Not too much farther now," Ranma-chan said, "Doesn't seem as far up as when we climbed this the last time."

"Their ship does seem to be traveling a bit closer to the water than the last time," Happosai noted as he led the way up the rope, "I wonder why that is?"

"Is maybe because they fly at night," Lychee called out from where she clung tenaciously to the back of her elephant, Jasmine, "Is cooler air, that why rope drag so close to water..."

"Hey, that's right," Ranma blinked her eyes, "The gas in that blimp must contract a lot when it doesn't have the sun to keep it warm, unless they got some kind of portable heating system..."

"Since when did you know so much about blimps?" Happosai asked.

"Ah...well...hangin' around with Nabiki kinda makes a guy have to stay on his toes, know what I mean?" Ranma-chan winced slightly.

"Just a little farther and we'll be there," Happosai remarked, "Just hold on until I get there, Hinako-chan...what in the name of Frederick's of Hollywood?"

"Huh?" Ranma turned to see what had attracted his blond haired family patriarch's attention (let alone got him to utter words that for a pervert were considered holy) and saw something that made her own eyes blink, "Huh...? The bottom of the ship is opening up!"

"You right!" Lychee called up, "Is some manner of platform...and look! Huge jars of pickles!"

"And that ain't all," Ranma blinked her eyes, "It's Nabiki an' Shampoo!"

"And Hinako-chan's with them!" Happosai exclaimed, "We gotta get over there and fast!"

"But how?" Lychee asked, "Rope no go near enough to hatch for Jasmine to climb up there!"

"Then just stay here and let us do all the work," Ranma called out, "You with me, you Old Fart?"

"Eat my dust, you Young Ingrate," Happosai concurred, and together they began to swing the rope to give them much needed momentum...

And far below them, but gaining ground rapidly, Ukyo was staring in disbelief at what she could see and commenting to those nearest to her, "I don't believe it...how the heck can an elephant be climbing a rope?"

"Well, it appears to be wrapping its legs around the rope while pulling itself up with its trunk..." Kodachi started to point out.

"Later," Akane urged, 'We gotta get up there to help out. Are you with me, Ryoga?"

"Try holding me back," the Lost Boy said, his spirits rising to the occasion.

"Better make it quick," Makoto said, "Looks like Ranma and the old man are about to try something."

"Oh my," Kasumi noted, "Is it my imagination or does the ship appear to be closer to the water than the last time?"

"You are not imagining things," Lotion murmured, "I think you had all better hurry, matters are about to get a bit tense up there, and as usual my Apprentice is in the middle of all the action."

"So what else is new?" Akane said, taking Ryoga into her arms and beating the air while levitating to get airborne...

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

"It's not that I object to your tactics, Nabiki-san," Miss Hinako informed us as we prepared ourselves to meet the inevitable confrontation with our abductors, "But are you certain this Prince Kirin can be made to see reason?"

I had to allow that our homeroom teacher had a valid point. Since we had liberated her from the room in which she had been held captive on a suicide watch she had been a willing ally in our schemes, even employing her powers to render guards insensate in such a way as not to prematurely set off any alarms. Hinako's spirits had been bolstered by the reassurance that the man whom she was in love with had doubtlessly survived his fall from the vessel (and to be perfectly frank, I doubted that we should have been as lucky never to see that fool again) and so was agreeable to do whatever it took to effect our release from the sky ship. Her expressed concern, voiced as it was at the last moment, was no less than prudent counsel, and even I-who backed my wife's desperate plans to the letter-had doubts of success, and as such I wished fervently that there had been time enough to come up with a plan that was less desperate.

As it was, though, we were stuck with what can best be termed as "The Only Game in Town," being hopelessly outnumbered by our enemies, and even I would not be rash enough to test my abilities by going directly against Prince Kirin.

"I know it's a real gamble," Nabiki replied, "But it's the only card we have to play, unless you'd rather chance walking out the front door or sneaking out the back."

"I'll grant you fighting off an entire shipload of pirates is not the sort of thing I would encourage," Hinako admitted, "But resorting to these tactics...it's most distasteful."

"Just let me do the talking, Sensei," Nabiki urged, "I'm counting on you and Sham-chan to keep them honest. If any of these creeps tries something you'll have to beat them off while I keep my finger on the proverbial trigger."

"And the key to escape is Prince Kirin," I reasoned, following my wife's logic, "If we get to him then the others must follow his word."

"That's what I'm hoping for, Sham-chan," Nabiki noted, "But don't take any of the others for granted, especially if Mon Mon is with them. She can't be any too happy about the way we left her hanging."

"Why?" Miss Hinako asked, "What did you do to your jailer?"

Nabiki and I exchanged smiles and chose not to elaborate. It was not that either of us bore ill will towards the Courtesan, but she had taken improper liberties with both my wife and me and there are certain lines one ought not to cross with an Amazon. There are principles that must be upheld, so while we did nothing of a permanent nature, we made certain that Mon Mon was less than comfortable when we left her in that chamber.

The first ones to discover what we were up to were some of the Prince's masked guards, and after the first half dozen fell to Miss Hinako's coin magic and my bonbori the others learned to keep their distance and went off to inform their masters, and in good order the Prince and his Court made their appearance, and to no great surprise Mon Mon was among them, eyeing us both as if wanting very much to return the favor.

The Prince actually sounded shocked as he said, "Tendo Nabiki, what are you doing?"

"Don't come any closer!" my wife said, keeping her hands on the handle of the level that we had discovered when prowling along the bottom of the ship, "Any of you so much as takes another step and I'm dropping the floor out from under us. That means that those precious pickle jars of yours-and us-get dropped into the ocean!"

I saw in the eyes of the Prince and his minions that they took the threat seriously, as well they should, for we were three desperate women short on options and ready to risk much for the chance of our freedom. The heavy jars of pickles that we had gathered-about thirty in all-constituted the bulk of the ship's stores of pickles, beyond which there had been bags of rice that filled entire chambers, but this we thought would be enough of a "bargaining chip" (one of those vexing terms Nabiki often uses) to get the Prince's attention, and we succeeded.

"What are you doing, Woman?" Ebiten demanded, "If you fall from this height you will surely perish!"

"I'll take my chances with the sharks before I'll let you clowns drag me off into marriage!" Nabiki shot back with clear determination in her voice, "One way or another we're getting off this boat right here and now, and in case you think I'm bluffing..."

Nabiki pulled the lever and held it for several seconds, which same caused the floor beneath us to sag by about a meter before she straightened it out again, leaving the floor partially exposed to the night air. The gesture had the desired effect as the Lucky God cronies made noises of protest that showed their fear of what would happen should Nabiki throw the lever altogether.

"Tendo Nabiki," Prince Kirin himself spoke out, "Why do you do this thing? Is becoming the Bride of Kirin so distasteful for you that you would prefer your death and that of your companions?"

"It's nothing personal, Prince," my wife responded to this, "But it's what I have to do. You people go on and on about me respecting your traditions...well it's about time you learned about one of the traditions of my people, namely what I'm obligated to do if I'm dishonored."

"And that is?" Kirin asked, proving that you don't need a royal pedigree to be slow on the uptake.

"My ancestors were Samurai," Nabiki revealed, "And we have some pretty 'barbaric' concepts about honor. One of those archaic traditions is that when a Samurai loses face or is in any way dishonored they must redeem themselves by taking their own lives. Call it Hare Kari, Seppuku, or whatever you like, if anybody other than Ranma or Shampoo here tries to force me to become their wife, then all they're gonna get is my cold, dead body."

There was stunned silence upon this declaration, for even I could not tell if my wife were being serious or no. Kirin himself stared with disbelief until the mountainous one named Bishimonten spoke up, "She's right, Sire...I have heard of this tradition among the Samurai classes."

"You are willing to do this?" the Prince asked after absorbing this revelation, "To take your own life...and that of your companions?"

"If you don't give me any choice about it," Nabiki's voice was tense, and I could see her shift as if preparing to pull the lever all the way, "Sham-chan's loyal to me, so I know she'll do whatever I ask, while Miss Hinako has her own reasons for going along with this. We're all prepared to die rather than lose face because of your stupid pride and your idiotic traditions, so what's it gonna be? Do we get off this ship the easy or the hard way?"

"Answer Kirin one question," the Prince replied, "In what way has he failed to measure up in your eyes that you would prefer to die rather than accept his hand in marriage?"

"It's not something I can explain in terms you'd understand, Prince," Nabiki responded, "In a lot of ways you're as much a prisoner here as either me, Sham-  
chan or Hinako. You're stuck on your traditions and you don't know anything about the world beyond your own culture, and you clearly don't value my culture or traditions. In my world a woman has a choice who she marries, and it's got nothing to do with any stupid scroll. It's nothing personal against you, other than this...I mean, you seem like a nice guy and all, but you're just not Ranma."

I silently agreed with my wife's estimation, although I was tempted to point out to her that her engagement to Ranma had originally been an arrangement by two parents. Then of course there were the circumstances of our own marriage, which was compulsory on me due to my people's traditions, but I was not about to undermine her arguments by stating this aloud.

"This is madness!" the short one called Ebiten turned to his Prince and said, "Sire, we cannot allow this woman to dictate to us the policies of..."

"Enough!" Kirin declared, "Understand that Kirin will permit no harm to come to his Bride! We must accept the humiliation of humbling ourselves before our Bride rather than to jeopardize her safety."

"But sire...!" Bishimonten started to protest.

"Kirin has spoken," the Prince declared as he quelled the discontentment of his retainers, "Just tell us what we may do to deter you from this rash course of action."

"First," Nabiki said, "We need a way of getting back to our place, so turn this blimp around and take us to dry land. Second, I want your word that neither you nor any of your people will try and make a move to stop us..."

"The word of Kirin is beyond question," the Prince declared in such a way that even I was compelled to believe that he actually meant it, which made him a far sight better than many of the Princes whom I have ever heard about in legend.

"Third," Nabiki continued, "I want you to call off this engagement nonsense. I belong to Ranma and Shampoo, nobody else has a claim on me. I won't be bullied into going along with any other type of arrangement..."

"There we have a problem," the Prince declared reluctantly, "It is not Kirin's wish that you be compelled to do anything that is contrary to your nature, but Kirin is bound by the laws of Nekonron, and even a Prince cannot go against the sacred dictates of the Gods."

"Then say goodbye to me and your precious cargo," I saw Nabiki's hands tense on the lever while simultaneously noticing several of Kirin's henchmen tensing to strike, which also caught the eye of Miss Hinako, who had her coin out and ready, even as I stood tensely and waited to act in the defense of my Nabiki.

It is always difficult to say what the outcome will be in such a stand-off. I could see the Prince was struggling to make a difficult decision, even as his underlings all looked as if the only thing holding them back was their Prince's displeasure. Even I did not know if Nabiki would actually pull the lever or not, and I very much doubt if my wife knew either, though I was prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect her life, and the life of my baby.

It is fortuitous, therefore, that our impasse was broken when a voice called out, "Are we interrupting anything important?"

I turned as I heard Hinako-Sensei gasp, followed by her coil hitting the deck, in time to see our Homeroom teacher stare in amazement at the younger version of the ancient pervert. Happosai was flanked by a certain redhead whom I once had chased the length and breadth of China, so my own reaction was not far behind that of my teacher's. Only the fact that there were enemies on my flank prevented me from rushing up to glomp that beloved face that I knew and cherished so well, but my spirit soared to know that my Airen had come for us after all. In spite of my earlier words to Nabiki even I had been frightened that the fall might have rendered Ranma incapable of attempting another rescue.

"Ranma?" I heard Nabiki whisper the name as if not truly daring to believe it, and I saw out of the corner of my eye the love and light return to her beautiful eyes, as if she, too, had not dared to believe in this reunion.

"Ranma?" I heard the Prince said and I could almost feel him frowning in confusion, "But he is dead..."

"Hah, shows how much you know," Ranma smiled with that arrogant smile that was as much a promise that someone's hindquarters were about to receive a foot-  
launch, "You didn't think you'd get rid of my that easily?"

"Ah..." I heard Nabiki hesitate, then she self-corrected, "Ranko...where is Ranma, is he with you?"

"Huh?" I saw the confusion in Ranma's eyes as she clearly did not make the connection, "But I'm right..."

"Aiyaa!" I spoke up to buy my husband time to-as Nabiki would put it-get with the program, "It is good to see Ranma-sister again, it means that our Airen on way to help this one and her co-wife?"

"Er...are you two feeling okay?" Ranma asked, and this time even I was sorely tempted to give her a swat to get her brain jump-started.

"You called this one Ranko," the Prince finally made the connection that we were hoping he would make, "She is the redheaded outsider who defeated you? She must be very skilled, and brave to risk confronting Kirin in such a manner."

"Stuff it out your ears, you pompous Lech!" Ranma snapped, "You give Nabiki back right now or I'm gonna make you wish you never even heard the name of Saotome!"

"So far Kirin has yet to be impressed," the Prince replied, "Your cousin is fated to be Kirin's Bride, though so far he seems to have run into some difficulty obtaining her cooperation."

"Damned right she won't cooperate!" Ranma declared as she shook a fist in his direction, "There ain't no way she's gonna become your wife, and if you try to force her I'll bust your head wide open!"

"I see," the Prince mused, "You are as rough-hewn and boastful as your brother, but do your skills match up to those of Kirin's."

"We won't know until we try, will we?" Ranma had a confident smirk on her face as she assumed a fighting crouch, "I'm a lot better than before, as I'm about to show you!"

"Ranma!" Nabiki tried to get our husband-wife's attention, but I could see the warrior fire in Ranma's blue eyes as she launched an attack upon Kirin using a modified form of the Chestnut fist. To our surprise she actually forced the Prince back two steps before he managed to rally his guard and deflect any further forward movement.

"You are indeed skilled," Kirin appraised, "And much faster than your brother, but you still make the same lamentable mistakes!"

And with that he penetrated Ranma's guard with three good hits, the third picking my husband-wife up and nearly hurtling her out through the open hatch way...except for a strong arm that moved to intercept her.

"I've got you, Ranma," Ryoga declared as he and Akane appeared through the open space, my Apprentice folding her wings in order to better maneuver within the confines of the chamber, "Shame on you trying to hog all the action."

"You again?" Kirin sounded amazed, "But you and the others..."

"No thanks to you!" Akane glared angrily before looking towards my wife, "Are you all right, Nabiki?"

"I'm fine, Sis," Nabiki smiled, "Nice rescue by the way, Ryo-chan."

"Don't mention it," the Lost One had on a nasty smile as he maintained his grip on Ranma, "Just looking out for my kid sister's welfare..."

"WHAT?" Ranma started to protest as she fought to free herself from Ryoga's embrace.

"That's right," Ryoga continued to grin, "It's an older brother's duty to look after a sister. You wouldn't want Father to get mad at me, would you?"

"You-you, I'll get you for this, Ryoga!" Ranma all but sputtered.

"You are her brother?" Kirin asked, "But that would make you..."

"Yes," Ryoga let go of Ranma and turned to confront the Prince, "Though it's nothing I'd boast about, Ranma and I are brothers...his older brother, to be exact, and that makes me as much your enemy as his."

"I see," the Prince declared, "So it is not just your brother but his entire clan that is now out to settle accounts with Kirin."

"Don't forget my family!" Akane balled her fists, "You stole my sister out of my house, and there's no way you're getting away with that!"

"To say nothing about preventing the two branches of my family from reuniting," Happosai turned away from the grateful embrace of Hinako, his face covered with her lipstick, which undermined the gravity of his declaration, "I'm an easy-  
going fellow, but for that, and for upsetting my Hinako-chan, you're definitely going down."

"Thanks guys," Ranma said with more composure as she regained her bearings, "But I can still take this creep on by myself. There's no way I'm letting you get away with this, Horse-face!"

"Your manners are as crude as your speech, woman," the Prince's nostrils flared though he steadfastly remained unruffled, "And why should Kirin tolerate such insolence?"

"Because she's not your fiancee, she MINE!" Ranma hooked a thumb at herself, "Nabiki's my iinazuke, and anybody tries to get in the way of that, I'll kill them!"

"Your...fiancee?" the Prince's confusious redoubled, "But...you are a woman."

"I...huh?" Ranma faltered for a moment, glanced down at herself and said, "Oh...uh...yeah, I kinda forgot..."

Nabiki heaved a weary sigh at that and said, "You Baka..." though I could tell she meant it with deep affection.

That was when others made their appearance through the open hatchway, Ukyo, Makoto and Kodachi, each looking ready to back us up, though Kuonji was-of course-currently without her trademark weapon.

"Are we too late?" Ukyo asked, "We didn't miss the party?"

"Looks like it's still going on, Sempai," Makoto-once more in her Sailor Suited identity-declared as she helped the now-male chef regain her footing.

"It simply would not do for royalty to start such an auspicious affair without waiting for the illustrious Kuno Kodachi to arrive," said that crazy maniac girl who ravishes my beloved's older sister, producing a pair of black fans instead of her usual ribbon, "Now that I am here the festivities can truly begin in earnest."

"You people are more persistent than an infestation of cockroaches," Ebiten declared darkly.

"Indeed," the Prince himself replied, "But one is forced, however reluctantly, to acknowledge such persistence."

"Let us deal with these cretins, Master!" Bishimonten growled as he leveled his weapon.

"I'd like to see you try, Creep," Ukyo stood ready, if barehanded.

"Don't worry, Sempai," Makoto made a double-hand gesture and I saw what looked like a miniature antennae project upward from her tiara, "I think we're far enough from the gas that I can risk a little low-voltage lightning against these suckers!"

"I'm just itching to bust some heads here," Ryoga cracked his knuckles.

"My, you are persistent," Mon Mon declared, "Five fools ready to throw their lives away against the mighty Lord Kirin."

"Don't be too sure of that," Happosai moved a short step away from Hinako, "You haven't seen what I can do yet. You youngsters have no idea who you're dealing with."

"Happy-sama and I stand together!" Hinako declared as she pulled out another one of her coins, this time a fifty-yen piece.

"That's assuming that we'll let you," Daihotsuke declared.

"Which of course we won't," agreed his brother, Daikotsuke (and yes, these two did remind me a little too much of my own sisters).

"Everybody," Nabiki called out, "Chill out and calm down! I've got this situation right in hand, right Prince?"

"Except for one small detail," Lord Kirin pointed out, "If you pull the lever now you will not just be condemning yourself to the sea but your friends and family as well. Are you truly prepared to risk that?"

"Ah...huh?" Nabiki stared at the lever, and then she released it as if it had just turned into a cobra.

"It would seem your bargaining is at an end, woman," Ebiten smiled as he leveled his fishing rod and the other Lucky Gods moved into combat positions.

"No one move unless Kirin gives the command," the Prince held up his rice bowl, "Tendo Nabiki, your courage and loyalty to the one named Ranma has earned his respect, but Kirin is not the master of his own fate. Were it Kirin's place he would accommodate your wishes, but to do so would be to go against tradition, nor does Kirin find the concept of losing you much to his liking. You have the air of such novelty about you, and there is much that Kirin thinks that he could learn if you but give him the chance to get to know him better."

"Why you-!" Ranma took a step forward, only to find his way was still blocked by Ryoga.

"I don't like it either," Ryoga said tensely, "But if we start fighting in here someone's bound to be hurt, and that's probably Nabiki."

"He's right, Ranchan," Ukyo declared, "The odds aren't looking too good for us right now. If only I had my spatula..."

"This one knows where it is," I revealed, drawing everyone's attention as I smiled, "This one borrowed it during the previous fight and left it in a very good place."

"You what?" Kuonji looked at me in confusion, "Where is it, Sugar? Don't keep me in suspense!"

"It is very easy to find," I replied, "This one threw it into the balloon that holds this ship aloft. It tore a small hole through which gas has been escaping for the past two hours. That is why this ship has been drifting so much lower towards the water."

"You what?" Ukyo batted his eyes in dismay, his reaction very similar to that of Lord Kirin and his retainers.

"No wonder," Ranma grinned, "Nice going, Shampoo! That's using the old noodle!"

I allowed myself to bask in the glow of his approval, though using Kuonji's weapon had been a gamble that had caused me to take a blow from Mon Mon. It was one reason that I had not considered invoking Amazon law against her, the other being that I felt a twinge of sympathy for her, knowing well what it is like to be bound by traditions with no real conception of their limitations.

"Then that is why we have been having so much difficulty maintaining altitude," Daihotsuke declared.

"We have been emptying out ballast to no avail," echoed Daikotsuke, and I wonder how those two managed to coordinate their thoughts so precisely? Then again, I've never been able to figure that out with Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung either!

"But if we lose too much altitude," Bishimonten declared, "We'll eventually crash into the water!"

"What have you done, Woman?" Ebiten glared at me, "If we cannot maintain altitude we will not be able to find the gateway to Nekonron!"

"Then there is no time to lose," Kirin turned to his underlings, "Have men sent up into the riggings to patch that hole and recover that weapon! We will release our emergency stores of gas to stabilize our flight path. Perhaps there is still time for us to recover our lost bearings."

"Good," Nabiki said, "You do that, we're leaving."

"I'm afraid not," Mon Mon stepped forward, "For good or ill, you are coming with us. It is the will of our Master and the laws of Nekonron."

"I've had it with your stupid laws-!" Ranma started to declare when Happosai darted forward, throwing himself (with typical aim) at the full-chested Royal Courtesan.

"SWEETO!" he cried happily, rubbing his face against her bosoms.

"What?" the pale haired girl cried, fighting against his glomp, "Let go of me-  
!"

"Happy-Sama!" Hinako flared as she aimed her coin in his direction.

With great effort the Courtesan-priestess managed to pry a bare foot up against Happosai's chest and flung him backward, albeit her aim was a little off as his backside collided with the lever. All at once the floor beneath us lurched as the loading platform began to swing open, creating a vertical incline beneath our feet before any of us had a chance to brace for our sudden loss of traction.

The jars of pickles that my wife and I had gathered so painstakingly with Miss Hinako's assistance went tumbling out into space, as did most of our allies, with the sole exception of Nabiki and me. Kirin was the cause for my wife's last-minute rescue, having leaped forward to catch her before she could fall with the others, while Mon Mon reacted with incredible speed to whip out her musical instrument, and with a single quick note she sent cat-string chords out to ensnare me before I had even begun falling. I was most surprised that she would react this way to save me, but then I saw the dark gleam in her eyes and realized that her reasons were anything but altruistic.

As for Kirin himself, the moment he wrapped his arms around Nabiki, Ebiten's fishing line snared the both of them and held them back from falling. We dangled there under the sloping platform with me unable to free my arms to come to my wife's assistance, while Nabiki herself was looking at Kirin as if too stunned to think properly. Far below I saw the dark ocean receive the pickle jars while there was no sign at all of our friends and kinfolk. I was about to call out the name foremost in my concerns when I heard a grunting from just below us and turned in time to see Ranma, who had somehow managed to grip the edge of the platform and was pulling herself up with considerable effort.

"Airen!" I called down, gratified beyond words to see that she had once again managed to defy the odds, though I should have known from my own experiences just how hard it was to kill a Saotome."

"Just...hang on...you two..." Ranma grated, "I'm coming...to get you!"

"Incredible," Kirin remarked, "Your will to live is most extraordinary. But you have come to the end of the line if you still mean to take Nabiki from Kirin."

"You just wait...bastard," Ranma fought hard for every few inches of platform, "You won't beat me...nothing stops a Saotome!"

"We shall see," Kirin freed one arm and held up his chop-sticks, "It is against Kirin's wishes to vanquish such a valiant foe, but you leave me no alternative. Desist now and Kirin will spare your life."

"No way," Ranma growled through gritted teeth, though there was no room for her to dodge should Kirin launch an attack using his chopsticks, "I'd sooner die...than let you have...Nabiki..."

"Promise me you won't hurt them?"

"Huh?" both Ranma and I said together, turning dismayed looks upon Nabiki.

"What was that?" Kirin asked in confusion.

"Promise me you won't let either of them be hurt," Nabiki told him, "If you spare their lives...I'll...I'll do whatever you want."

Kirin blinked his eyes at this and said, "You will surrender to Lord Kirin?"

"If I must," I could see Nabiki press her lips together, and I can only guess how bitter the words were as they left her mouth.

"And you will agree to become his wife?" Kirin persisted.

"I...I...I..." Nabiki swallowed, "If that's what it takes...then all right."

"Nabiki?" I heard the shock and confusion in Ranma's voice carry with it my own dismayed reactions.

"It's not because I want to!" Nabiki called down, "But if this keeps up then you're both going to get killed! I-I can't have that...I won't let it happen!"

"This is not the way that Kirin wishes it to be," the Prince said sadly, "But if this is your resolve...do I have your word you will make no further efforts to resist Kirin?"

"Yes," Nabiki swallowed and added, "I'll give you my word...as a Tendo."

"Then Kirin will honor your courage," Kirin replied, "The women will be spared. Kirin has no stomach for further needless waste of life, and if you agree to be his Bride, then there will be no further need for conflict."

"Nabiki," I could hear Ranma's pain and saw tears flowing from her eyes, "I thought you had more faith in me than this..."

"I do...you baka!" Nabiki shot down, "But if it comes down to a choice of seeing the both of you get hurt or killed..."

"No way," I saw Ranma's resolve hardened, "I won't accept this! This ain't over yet, you hear me?"

"What Kirin hears is empty threats from one who has already lost," Kirin said, "Go and tell the rest of your clan...those who have survived the fall...that they need struggle no more to waste their lives in further attempts at a rescue. Tendo Nabiki has made her decision, now we must all live with the consequences of that choice."

"The hell you say!" Ranma declared, giving me a sober look before adding, "You hang on, you here me, Sham-chan? I'm gonna come for the both of you, and nobody, Prince or what-not, is gonna get in my way!"

And with that she just let go and fell off the platform, stunning both me and Nabiki as she vanished into the night, leaving us both to wonder at the significance of that singular declaration...

Peorth sighed as she hovered unseen in the distance, watching as Saotome performed a near-impossible feat of acrobatic diving, bringing herself to within reach of the rope that still dangled from the back end of the sky ship, only to find that the rest of her party had somehow "miraculously" managed to catch it before her.

"This one's a little too Deus Ex Machina for my liking," she murmured aloud as she watched Akane glide in circles around the others, "A pretty speech, by the way. That boy does know how to make a dramatic exit."

"He is starting to come into his own birthright," the ghostly Astral image of Lotion remarked, "The next time he confronts Kirin will be the most decisive moment of his still young existence."

"Perhaps so," Peorth mused, "I rather like the way Nabiki demonstrated a capacity for self-sacrifice, and Akane is just learning to tap into her own birthright. The one I hope will not be put in jeopardy is Kasumi...should that happen..."

"Yes," Lotion nodded grimly, "No telling what may happen should the seals break down and her dormant memories come rising to the surface. The battle nears a critical juncture, and the final outcome will be determine in Nekonron, as I feared from the onset."

"That's the way destiny works, Cheri," Peorth shrugged, "A pity the loss of those pickle jars should provide just enough ballast for Kirin's people to right their air ship. A nice tactic by the Amazon attempting to slow them down that way, but of limited effectiveness in the long run."

"You can't fault the child for trying," Lotion noted.

"Indeed, I do not," Peorth replied, "More and more I grow impressed with these young people. So many interesting twists and turns to the plot. I can well understand why you find them a source of such rich amusement."

"They are my wards," Lotion said, "They are the future itself. What is done here is for the greater good of their destiny, but should they again have need of one or both of us..."

"Quite so," Peorth stretched her arms and flexed her hands together to lightly unkink her own knuckles, "I'm looking forward to the exercise. This business about playing 'Fairy God Mother' is quite a lot of fun when you get down to it, and I'm only just getting started."

"On to Nekonron then," Lotion noted briefly before her spirit flowed back to her waiting flesh, and her ancient body drew breath once again, knowing that nothing less than the very shape of the future itself hung in the balance...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Chinese Water Polo Lessons: shadowmane

Getting a bit tense, huh? Well, things are coming to a head as the gang confronts the Seven Lucky Gods Martial Artists in a final no-holds barred competition with Nabiki and Shampoo the twin prizes of the outcome. Who will be the one to dust Kirin's chops, or will the Prince of Nekonron change his last name to Tendo? What fiendish plans does Mon Mon have in store for our Amazon wonder, and does Nabiki really intend to go through with a change of fianc s? Be with us next time for: "Be still my Wonton Heart," or "That Burning Heat of Rolex." Ciao!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	101. Chapter 101

NabikiRan96 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,  
Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
Including my good friend and fellow fanfic writer,  
Nicole Manders)

MILD LIME ALERT, CONTAINS SITUATIONS OF A GRATUITOUS AND POINTLESSLY SEXIST NATURE.  
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Tofu Kachu was walking home from the market bright and early the next morning, humming a song to herself that had once been sung to her by her mother. Had anyone from her village chanced to see the fearsome Devil Hunter doing anything so common as to bring home victuals for her husband it would have started quite a scandal, but Kachu was happy to do the shopping for their household needs, provided her husband was the one who did the actual cooking.

Besides, it was a husband's traditional place to do the domestic chores in an Amazon household. Women were the hunters and providers, a role that Kachu might ordinarily prize but for the fact that hunting was rather out of fashion within the boundaries of a Tokyo suburb. Kachu contented herself that the food and items she had just purchased at several markets had been bought with money that had been given to her as a return favor for exorcising a demon, which in effect meant that she was the provider this time rather than borrowing money earned by her Healer husband.

Kachu did not ordinarily accept money for her services, but she had often received gifts from the people whom she helped back home in China. Money being rather more important in this society, she had chosen not to refuse the gift, even if a Devil Hunter was sworn to serve the people without thought of compensation. It rather relieved her sense of self-worth to find that she could do something useful to carry her weight in her marriage, which in all other ways had been a most satisfying affair, and very much fulfilling. Kachu looked forward to informing her husband of how her day had gone so far and was even considering speaking with him about the suggestion someone had made to her about advertising her services to others who might be in need of her special kind of service.

It did seem to her as if the people of Japan suffered an inordinately high number of demonic visitations for a major metropolitan zone, almost as much as in the mountains of her homeland. Human females seemed to be the principle prey of many of the worst types of demons (while a few specialized in the male of the species) and if there was one thing that Tokyo was not in dire shortage of it was young, eligible (and sexually precocious) teenaged women, very few of whom could fight their way out of a burlap sack...

All at once the trained senses of the Demon Hunter came into play and Kachu halted in her tracks, drawn by a sense of the unusual, which was emanating from close nearby. She turned her head to the side and saw an unremarkable looking building several storefronts down that had a sign on it that had not been there the previous evening.

In her experience that usually meant trouble, so Kachu crept up to this store and paused just outside of the windows, peering in to what looked like some manner of odd shop with pictures covered by cloths, but the exact nature of this business eluded her understanding.. This close to the source, however, she could all but smell the presence of a demon.

That was all the cause that she needed to enter this den of darkness, and so without waiting to determine exactly what type of Demon she would encounter she called forth her C'hi-Chi and prepared to make an impromptu entrance...

Ganglot was in her element and relishing it to the hilt, her hands flying across the canvas that lay across the floor, her body splattered with splotches of paint as she even used portions of skin to create unusual and exotic impressions. The muse was upon her once more, and woe betide to anyone or anything who might disturb her creative moment!

To outside appearances she seemed no more than a very tall (and extremely attractive) woman with golden skin and her hair done up in a tight bun (mainly to keep it out of the paint, though in this task it was a notable failure) dressed (if that were the operant word) in a tied cut-off shirt with short jeans that were barely adequate to measure the cloth value of a string bikini. The bounty of flesh that was currently on display would have given nosebleeds even to Happosai, and the fact that certain parts were (barely) concealed from view only added to the effect that she was presenting.

Her gallery was nearly ready to be opened and Ganglot was looking forward to the proud moment of the displaying of her work before the public. Not that everyone appreciated high art, of course, but she rather hoped to attract the right sort of attention, and maybe even a few art critics (whom she looked forward to tormenting the moment they panned even the least of her achievements) as the recognition of her genius would be the high point of her renewed freedom.

An Oni's take on what constituted high art, of course, might make for exotic conversation, and of course Ganglot was no stranger to controversy, so she would keep it to herself for now that many of her art projects incorporated a little magic into their structure, which only made them more interesting in her own rather biases opinion...

Ganglot was enjoying the creativity of her latest project, but right at a critical moment she ran out of the color red. This did not please her in the slightest as Red was a color with much energy and dynamic, and without it the painting would look a little drab. She was also reaching a point where her creativity had taken a coffee break, so she decided to follow its example and got up off of the canvas. The extra paint supplies were on a table across the room, so she turned with the intent of retrieving it, hoping a little physical exercise would be good for unclogging her systems.

Just as she started to turn away a figure came crashing through the doors to her studio at a dead run, charging straight at a surprised Ganglot with pole arm raised and a clear intent to impale her. Ganglot judged the woman's momentum and casually stepped to one side, easily avoiding the other's point, but Kachu's foot encountered a slick spot in the paint and lost its traction, causing the Devil Hunter to slip onto her back as she continued her forward momentum.

As Ganglot turned to watch she saw the brown haired girl go crashing into the far wall with such bone-jarring force that her attacker all but wound up standing on her head. The Oni blinked several times before recognition came back to her and she placed this particular human from her reference files of significant players.

"Oh," she said aloud, "It's you. I've been expecting you to drop in, so nice of you to save me the trouble of having to contact you through your husband."

All at once Ryomi and Romeo came rushing into the studio, with Julian popping out from the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about that had been disturbing their breakfast.

"Grandma, what happened in here?" Ryomi asked.

"Lady Ganglot-!" Romeo paused with her tonfas at the ready, only to see the Devil Hunter scrunched up against the wall, to which she gave the startled cry of, "Ka-Chu!"

"Geisuntheit," Ryomi promptly responded.

"I think she means the lady taking a nap over there," Ganglot pointed at their unexpected guest, "Devil Hunter Kachu Tofu, formerly from Romeo's home village."

"A Devil Hunter?" Ryomi gasped, "Here...but...!"

"She came looking for me," Ganglot mused, "I'm touched. Of course that might also be a faint case of the flu that I've been fighting off the last two hundred years..."

"But what is the Devil Hunter doing here of all places?" Romeo wondered.

"Sleeping it off it looks like," Ganglot put one hand to her chin and said, "The only question is...is it art?"

"Excuse me?" Ryomi asked.

"Oh, never mind," Ganglot glanced down at her painting and smiled, "Why yes! That's exactly the effect I was looking for! She helped me finish my masterpiece...Oh, I really must thank her when she fully recovers her wits."

"But what are we going to do?" Romeo asked, "Lady Ganglot, Kachu the Devil Hunter is an incredibly dangerous and unpredictable..."

"Yes, yes, I know all about her," Ganglot waved a hand, "Your concern is duly noted and appreciated, and I have no doubt that she could be a real thorn in my side if she mistook me for an enemy...however, I have a plan to put her talents to good use. In fact I'm counting on her to be every bit as dangerous as befits her reputation."

"Grandma?" Ryomi stared at the Oni in growing confusion.

"And old saying among we Oni, my dear," Ganglot grinned broadly, "Keep your friends close to hand and your enemies closer, but those who can be of the greatest use to you should be your next door neighbors, hold a block party and be sure to invite them to bring the kids. Now, I think we had better see that she wakes up in comfortable surroundings so that I can create the right mood for what I am planning," she chuckled as she rubbed her hands together, "My old friend Ahz himself would be proud of this one."

As the Oni princess turned away, Ryomi turned to the Amazon next to her and said, "What was that all about?"

"How would I know," Romeo shrugged, "She's your great grandmother..."

"I'm gonna make him pay, I swear it!" Ranma-chan avowed through chattering teeth as she and the rest of her team clung to the rope dangling from the drifting sky ship.

"Yeah, sure," Akane groused from where she was resting her wings on the rope above his head, "You've been saying that for the last several hours, but we're no closer to forming a plan for dealing with that creep, Kirin."

"There you are," Ryoga informed Lychee as she finished tying off the knots he had wound around the elephant, Jasmine, "Now you can rest that trunk of yours and save your strength for when we next face Kirin and the others."

"Lychee thanks you," the Chinese girl said from where she lay huddled on the saddle on her elephant, "Jasmine can no climb any higher, and what you say make it very clear that Prince is no ready to hear Lychee story."

"Gotta admit," Ukyo mused, "That's a creative way of using that infinite supply of bandanas you got there, and they seem to be doing the trick, though I sure as heck wonder what they're made of."

"I just hope when we get back on the ground I get a chance to do something useful," Makoto said without evidencing the same degree of discomfort as the others from gripping the rope between her hands, "So far this whole trip I've been feeling like nothing more than a bit-player."

"Don't say that, Mako-chan," Ukyo said soothingly, "I appreciate you being here, really, and at least you've been of more use than a certain pervert I could mention."

"I dunno," Ranma glanced down, "You gotta admit they look awfully cute that way."

The others were not in a position to look and see what the redhead indicated, where Happosai and Hinako hung together from the same piece of rope, the blonde haired man keeping the teacher warm with the heat of his body after she had long ago reverted back to her child form.

"I quite agree," Kodachi mused, "They are a very cute couple, and neither one exactly what they seem, nor as harmless as they appear."

"That's one way of putting it, I suppose," Akane mused, then yawned and stretched one arm, "Oh man...what I wouldn't give for a bed right now..."

"Don't think like that, Akane," Ukyo urged, "You'll put yourself to sleep in no time."

"For once you're right, Kuonji," Ryoga said as he climbed down the rope to where Akane was perched (avoiding Ukyo to the degree that he could manage on the same rope), "Just remember to stretch out a little and let your mind drift in a meditative state and you won't let go of the rope. We have no idea where the boat and the old woman are at..."

"Yacht, Ryoga-san," Kodachi corrected, "Never call it a boat, it exposes you for a land lover."

"What about you?" Ukyo asked the Black Rose, "Aren't you worried about Kasumi being lost out there in the ocean?"

"My Kasumi-sama is with Sasuke," Kodachi replied, "And Sasuke-for all his many faults and shortcomings-has taken care of me and my brother for most of our lives. I would trust him with my life, I will trust him with my yacht and dear Kasumi."

"She's my sister too, you know," Akane growled as if she were making a significant point.

"I would never seek to come between you and my beloved, Akane-chan," Kodachi assured her, "Despite what you no doubt think of me, your family is now far more important to me than my own family ties, for you grew up in a loving environment while I...had to struggle for years against my inner demons. It is a battle that I was only able to win because of the love of my beloved, so believe that what is important to her is of importance to me, and thus I am with you in this quest to save Nabiki."

"Only from the sound of things Nabiki's in even more over her head than ever," Ukyo glanced down, sparing a moment of concern towards Ranma.

"I'll get her back," Ranma growled, "Just you wait, Kirin...you're gonna be so sorry..."

"Look!" Lychee suddenly cried out, pointing forwards to where the skylight was lightening in the distance, "What is that?"

"HUH?" came the collective gasp as everyone stared at the curious aerial phenomenon that was opening up before them, looking like an Aurora Borealis or the opening of a massive curtain.

"What is that thing?" Makoto stared in awed wonder.

"I don't know," Akane replied, "It's beautiful..."

"Awesome," Ryoga agreed.

"It's gotta be some kind of a trick of the light," Ukyo murmured faintly.

"Or a doorway...HEY!" Ranma reacted, "Didn't the old woman say something about Nekonron being some kind of a doorway between worlds?"

"Why you're right," Kodachi marveled, "It could be some sort of paradimensional doorway leading to another realm that has been hidden from the world at large, like Shangri-La or Ku'un Lun..."

"That makes sense," Makoto remarked, "It's certainly no weirder than some of the places I've been in my career as a Senshi."

"Then we're almost there," Happosai announced as though to make it official, "Nekonron awaits just beyond those mountains."

"Then we are near to our goal, my love," Hinako murmured, her voice oddly mature sounding for the young girl that she resembled.

"Nekonron," Ranma's expression hardened, "Hang on, Nabiki, Shampoo...I'm coming for you...just have a little faith, you'll see..."

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"I am done," Mon Mon announced to no real surprise on my part as she got up off the bed and started to dress herself, having discharged the obligations of her office.

I lay where I was and did not move, feeling numb more than any sort of passion. The Courtesan had been very gentle yet thorough in probing me, and I could tell that she lacked the enthusiasm with which she had earlier pursued my seduction. This time she was entirely professional about it, stimulating me to orgasm several times before satisfying herself as to my pleasure threshold, which I can now reveal was pretty high by her estimation. I needed no great revelation on that count, having discovered it for myself when it was Shampoo teaching me about making out with a girlfriend.

I felt, in essence, that I was betraying Ranma by submitting to this treatment, but I had give my word to Kirin that I would offer no resistance this time, and for once I meant as good as I my promise. I'm not big on this honor thing like some members of my family, not even to the same degree as Ranma himself, but these circumstances were different and I had more than my own skin to think about. I had bought Ranma time and spared Shampoo from possibly worse treatment than she actually suffered at the hands of our captors. For that reason I've no regrets about what I did to stay alive, but I'm not eager to share the finer details with either of my beloveds.

Mon Mon, surprisingly enough, was no more eager for this than I was, even though she performed her duties with diligent care and consummate skill that I would have greatly appreciated had it been under different circumstances. It wasn't rape at all, nor even forcible seduction, and it was mutually pleasurable and consensual in all ways except for the fact that it was not really of our choosing. Had I met this lady and taken a liking to her for a private personal tryst I would have had no problem with what we were doing, but this was a long cry from that type of a situation.

This was sex without love, mechanical and emotionally unfulfilling, performed on a level of command that was more about determining my fitness to become the permanent bed-mate of another. Mon Mon was performing a job, or more like providing a service, one she seemed to intuitively realize was neither welcomed nor appreciated. I don't hate her for doing it and if anything I think she knew what she was doing was wrong. She was a prisoner of her own cultural isolation, and with a lifetime of training that conditioned her to believe that there was nothing wrong about what she was doing I can view her even now as being as much a victim of circumstances as I was.

Perhaps I'm dwelling on the moment a little too much here, but I don't think so. It was the first time in my life that I felt totally out of control of my own life. I had made a decision that was having consequences in the here and now, and so I had to submit myself to the passive role of cooperating with my own Bridal training. It was more than just the sex, of course, it had a pretty interesting briefing program, all administered by Mon Mon herself lecturing me on things that would make Kasumi's eyebrows twitch (and I mean the Kasumi before Kodachi, of course, with all her prudish notions about traditions and a wife's duty to her husband and all that). It was anything but a modern girl's ideas regarding a married life as a co-equal partner between a man and a woman.

I think you can pretty much take it for granted at this point that I was not looking forward to this wedding.

As she was preparing to leave our bed, however, Mon Mon paused in the act of dressing and turned part-way towards me before saying, "You are still expecting him to still stage a last-minute rescue, this Ranma you are still in love with."

"Yeah," I replied non-commitally, "What about it?"

"It must be nice...having a Prince of your own in whom you can have faith," and then she left me there to ponder the meaning of that statement.

Okay, so I'm establishing that she's not the bad guy here, but I can't really put the blame on the Prince either. This whole thing started because I caught a stupid scroll that belonged to some poor peasant girl with romantic illusions, a chip on her shoulder, and a big elephant to back her up when things get less than cozy. So who here is really to blame for me winding up engaged to a guy who had trouble with personal pronouns? I think it really all does come down to me in a way, and if I were the traditionalist that I pretended to be in that stand off over pickles then I'd probably make like Nodoka and go stab myself as an apology to my ancestors, or some such nonsense. Fortunately my level of hypocrisy does know some limitations.

Not that I consider myself a fallen woman or anything like that, but I lowered my standards out of love, proving once and for all that Fate loves a good joke as much as the next of us, a fact I to which I can testify due to my close associations with the Goddesses, but that's getting a bit ahead of myself in my narration.

Mon Mon had assured me that Shampoo was safe and well and that she personally was adhering to the Prince's orders concerning that she be well treated, by which I took it to mean that Sham-chan was in a most uncomfortable situation very similar to the one we left the Courtesan in when we availed ourselves of her hospitality the last time. I didn't blame the blonde Priestess for being a bit miffed and vengeful and all that, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if she even got creative in detaining my Amazon girlfriend so that she would not be busy working on a plan to bust me out of my jeweled prison. I only know that the next time I saw Shampoo she gave the Courtesan a most peculiar look, one I have trouble to this day figuring out, though I'm pretty sure that there's one heck of a good story there. I just doubt that Sham-chan will feel like sharing it with me for some time to come now.

I don't know how long I lay there looking at the ceiling, naked on a bed that wasn't mine trying to make sense of feelings that I was no longer even sure I still had and thinking that what I needed most of all was to go back to sleep for a few more hours. I had no particular reason to want to get up out of bed and continue with the nightmare, and even my vaunted Lore Master talents seemed as far away from me as my mastering the Bakusai Tenketsu.

But then one of the lesser Priestesses came to inform me that we were approaching Nekonron, and that the Prince had requested my presence in his audience chamber to join him for breakfast. Seeing as he was the sort of guy you don't say no to, and as I'd given my word to cooperate, I had no choice but to let these attendants bathe and dress me (something I was not supposed to do for myself anymore according to Mon Mon), and I swear I must have smelled like a flower shop for all the oils they had rubbed into my skin. My hair was done up with silky lotions and I had a light application of make-up to highlight my features. I'll give those girls credit, they got me to at least look the part of a Princess, complete with the wardrobe, the like of which I could probably spend the next few hours describing, right down to the jeweled slippers they had me wear (and thank the Kami these guys didn't go in for that hideous ancient Chinese custom of foot binding!).

I was draped in luxury, the kind that exceeded my wildest dreams of youth, and I was utterly miserable. In this condition I was led to meet my Prince, and I found him similarly refreshed and in a resplendent costume fully worthy of a man of his station.

I ate my rice and pickles with no real appetite, more out of something to do to avoid conversation, as Kirin seemed of a mind to allow me my peace. His retainers were, as usual, hanging back in attendance, and Mon Mon was the last to arrive, leading a somewhat subdued Shampoo after her, as if on an invisible leash. I didn't ask what they had been up to, and I could see in Shampoo's eyes that she also did not much feel like talking. The look she gave the Priestess wasn't the lethal glare of an enemy, but neither was it all that particularly friendly.

Kirin made one gesture upon Shampoo's arrival and had Ukyo's spatula presented at the table, revealing that his men had dug it out from the balloon before repairing the rift and getting the ship back to the proper altitude. He was going to keep the thing as a trophy and just wanted us to know about it, saying that any further such resistance to the impending wedding would not be met with as much leniency on his part. I don't think he was being deliberately cruel in announcing this, he just wanted to be certain for his own peace of mind that we weren't planning to try giving him any further troubles. I replied that I had given my word and no intention of resisting while Shampoo allowed that she would do whatever I told her. Neither one of us made any mention of our lingering hope that Ranma and the others would still contrive somehow to effect a last minute rescue.

Let me tell you, the idea of eating nothing but pickles and rice for the rest of my life wasn't making my mood any better as I considered my diminishing options. Kirin announced that the ceremony would take place immediately after we returned to his palace, and that's the point when I felt my heart lurch and my stomach go queasy. That would not permit Ranma very much time to come after us, let alone to retrain in order to beat Kirin in their next encounter. If Ranma was late coming to get me I was going to wind up rudely married to the wrong guy, and wouldn't that just bite?

At least I'd tossed those thirty jars of pickles into the ocean...that had to hurt the Prince and his people where they lived, and because of Sham-chan and my efforts these guys were forced to rely on their emergency rations. It's a small pyretic victory but we take what comforts we can where we can find them.

When Kirin saw that I was no longer eating he called a halt to the whole charade then asked me and Sham-chan to accompany him as he wanted to show us something. We shortly found ourselves on the top deck staring out towards the skyline as the sun started to rise, only what we saw literally took my breath away and momentarily made me forget all about my problems.

We were sailing into some kind of electromagnetic phenomenon, similar to an Aurora effect but much closer than the Northern lights, looking more like an enormous curtain being parted to allow us entrance, and there before us were rolling hills and high peaks surrounded by clouds of steam that made the air smell faintly tangy, like being in a mineral hot springs. I didn't need to be told that we had just stepped into another world, I could FEEL the difference from our own world, and it was this realization as much as anything that really got my attention.

"Behold," Kirin declared, "Nekonron, China...this is Kirin's home...and your home now. Here is where you will rule at Kirin's side, and together we will unite the sacred scrolls as your half is joined to Kirin's."

I could have laughed bitterly at the man's declaration. Rule by his side? More like live out the rest of my days in his shadow as his royal brood mare! And what about the child that Shampoo carried? Would Kirin's ego allow it to live knowing that the father was none other than my Ranma?

I was asking myself this as we approached a field of colossal geysers, and I was about to learn how these guys debark from their ship as the blimp was collapsed to let us fall onto a cushion created by the hot water. It had such an air of unreality about it that I actually took this in stride, as if I hadn't just walked onto the set of a really weird Anime. I felt like I was being led to a gallows or something with every inch bringing me closer to confronting my fate, and all the while I kept on asking a new question over and over...

Namely where the heck was Ranma?

"Look out!" Ranma cried just instants before the geyser hit them with a blast of hot water, causing everyone to lose their grip and fall the remaining height between themselves and the pool of water that beckoned beneath them.

At once everyone with a Jusenkyo curse reverted back to their true form, Happosai becoming an old man, Ranma and Ukyo switching genders and Akane losing her wings while Ryoga, Kodachi, Makoto, Hinako, Lychee and her elephant Jasmine just got wet as they went floundering about before breaking the surface and taking stock of their new surroundings.

"W-where are we?" asked a now-female Ukyo.

"Nekonron," Happosai replied as he helped Hinako stay afloat, "I can tell by that mountain over there. It's been nearly three hundred years, but I'd never forget the sacred Lucky Gods Mountain."

"Huh?" Ranma followed the young-seeming pervert's nodding gaze and saw a huge rock formation that resembled human figures standing side-by-side around a central mound-like dome.

"Then we're close to our goal," Makoto sputtered as she fought off the roiling waves of very hot water, "Now if this guy follows the pattern and stays true to type he's probably got a palace somewhere in which he's holding Nabiki."

"Swim to the shore everybody," Ryoga said, "There's not a moment to waste..."

He started off in one direction, but Kodachi gripped him by the collar and said, "Hibiki-san, the shore is that way1"

"Hey..." Ukyo glanced around, "Where the heck is Akane? Didn't she land here with the rest of us?"

"Uh..." Ranma thought a moment then said, "Wait a second...something I remember Nabiki telling me...Akane can't swim, can she?"

"Oh my," Kodachi exclaimed, "That's right...I remember Kasumi-sama telling me that Akane was deathly afraid of the water when she was but a small child. She could be...one moment, please," and with that the Black Rose ducked back under the water.

"Akane!" Ryoga ducked his head after her.

"Wait, you Jackass!" Ukyo declared, "We don't need both of you drowning...oh hell!" and with that she followed Kodachi and Ryoga's example.

"Sempai!" Makoto exclaimed and promptly did likewise.

"Should we help in the search?" Hinako asked in the ensuing silence.

"No," Happosai said with surprising decisiveness, "Too many cooks spoil the brew and all that. Those four ought to be enough to find Akane if she's having trouble staying afloat, and don't think I'm not worried about her, too. I care about all my clan, but our first duty now is to get to shore and find Nabiki."

"I guess so," Ranma reluctantly agreed, feeling torn between helping out in the search and continuing his own quest to find Nabiki. He let the old man's suggestion lead him to shore, where he found Lychee and her elephant already waiting, along with several other more surprising arrivals.

"You?" Ranma said as he splashed onto the shoreline, "But how...?"

"You didn't expect to leave us behind that easily, did you?" Lotion replied, "Not with the fate of my apprentice hanging in the balance."

"You look all wet, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said pleasantly as she reached into her basket and handed the boy a dry towel, "Here you go. We have breakfast ready for you, so I hope you'll take the time to eat some rice and pickles."

"No thanks," Ranma started forward, only to be tripped up by Lotion's staff, which found its way between his legs before he could slip on past her.

"I'm afraid we must insist," Lotion said, "You have been on the go for almost an entire day and have exhausted your resources. It would do no good for Nabiki it you attempted her rescue on an empty stomach."

"Look," Ranma started to get up again, "I appreciate your concern, but..." he paused, "Did you say Rice and Pickles?"

"Why yes," Kasumi said pleasantly, indicating a camp fire, "Sasuke-kun has already prepared a bowl for you, so if you eat quickly you'll have enough energy to rescue Nabiki."

"Huh?" Ranma turned to see the bowl and chopsticks being offered to him by the diminutive Ninja.

A coughing noise barely registered on his awareness as he stared at the bowl and chopsticks, a very strange look crossing his handsome features as he made a connection, taking both items from Sasuke with barely even a murmur.

"Are you all right, Akane-chan?" Kasumi asked as she saw her sputtering sister being helped to shore by Ukyo and Ryoga, with Kodachi and Makoto following close by to lend their own assistance.

"She will be fine," Kodachi revealed, "Apparently her improved buoyancy in water only applies to her angelic form. Fortunately we came upon her in time before she could inhale too much water."

"We have you to thank for that," Makoto remarked, "You were the first one to find her."

"But it was the least that I could do for the sister of my Kasumi," Kodachi blushed, seeing the adoring look being paid to her by the older Tendo sister.

"Thanks guys," Akane gasped as she managed to stand up on her own, "I think I can manage now...and Kodachi? Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Kodachi replied, "It was Ranma who reminded me about your problem with negative buoyancy...which reminds me. We must take care of this shocking deficiency in your training at our earliest opportunity. Your other form has proven so talented and useful that you appear to be in danger of forgetting how to handle yourself while fully human."

"Huh?" Akane blinked, "I guess I didn't think about it that way. Ever since I've learned how to fly...well...being normal just seems kind of dull."

"Perhaps because you no longer view it quite so much as a curse," Kodachi turned to regard Sasuke and said, "By the way...if you three are here, what happened to my yacht?"

"Oh, it's in good hands," Lotion smiled, holding out her own hand and revealing what looked like a small model ship contained within a bottle, a ship that resembled the Vinziens II in exacting detail.

"I guess that means our transportation's safe until we get back to the sea," Akane reasoned before turning her head to say, "Thanks for helping out, Ranma...Ranma?"

"Huh?" Ukyo took notice of the way that Ranma was staring at a bowl full of rice that was crowned by a single pickle, "You gonna eat that or not, Ranchan? Just looking at it's not gonna make you any less hungry."

To their complete surprise Ranma tossed the bowl upward without releasing it, causing the rice to jump up in the air several feet while spreading out in all direction. With a cry to summon his Ki the boy's hand wielding the chopsticks became a furious blur, and in less than a second every kernel of rice had been plucked out of the air and restored to the rice bowl, which Ranma then positioned in just the right place to catch the falling pickle along the crown.

"THAT'S IT!" Ranma declared, "Now I've got it figured out! That Kirin guy's gonna pay for it this time!"

"Huh?" Akane exclaimed as Ranma's chopsticks flew again, this time emptying out the rice bowl at twice his normal speed of consumption. Ranma handed the now-  
empty bowl to Sasuke and said, "Thanks...but next time go a bit easy on the salt, okay?"

"Uh...sure," Sasuke replied as Ranma started to turn away, "And Master Ranma...good luck."

"Heh, I won't need it this time," Ranma smirked before turning and taking off up a trail heading towards a certain mountain.

"Wait up!" Lychee cried as she climbed into the saddle of her elephant, who got to its feet and took off after the fleeing Saotome.

"That boy is really starting to impress me," Happosai said, nodding with faint-  
-if grudging-approval, to which Hinako at his side slowly nodded.

"Is he feeling okay?" Makoto asked while toweling herself down with one of the towels Kasumi had provided.

"It can't be," Ryoga stared at the bowl of rice that Sasuke handed to him, "Could it be that Ranma has discovered the pattern of Kirin's chopstick attacks?"

"You're kidding, right?" Ukyo stared at the bowl of rice that she was handed, then shrugged, "Guess there's only one way to find out."

"You got that right," Ryoga exchanged looks with the Okonomiyaki chef, and the both of them smiled as if a silent challenge were passing between them. Without a single word being given they both tossed their bowls into the air in the same manner as had Ranma.

Seconds later each stared at their bowls and the kernels that they had gathered, far less than the full amount but nearly equal in quantity, and each adorned by a pickle.

"Humph," Ukyo sniffed, "Best two out of three?"

"You're on," Ryoga replied, and the both of them extended their bowls to a much-  
surprised Sasuke.

"What are you two doing?" Akane asked with a round-eyed expression.

"Boys will be boys, I guess," Makoto shrugged, and the two of them exchanged a brief smile at each other before turning to Sasuke and reaching for a rice bowl.

Kodachi shook her head with a sigh and said, "Oh very well, if you can't beat them, join the club I always say," and with that she extended a hand without glancing at her man-servant, and it was promptly filled with yet another rice bowl...

An Elephant at full charge can be a pretty impressive sight, yet even the fearsome Jasmine was having difficulty keeping up with the fleet-footing Ranma. The trail was taking them up the side of the high mountain atop which they had spotted a Pagoda-tower resembling a Chinese palace from a distance. Without needing to be told that this was where Nabiki had been taken, Ranma was determined to get there with all due haste in order to put his hastily worked strategy into effect.

Before he could scale too far beyond the base, however, he discovered a lesser Pagoda-shaped gate blocking the trail, and from this tower strode forth the towering form of Bishimonten.

"Oh man," Ranma growled to himself, "It would have to be somebody tough on the first try..."

"So," the burly man said as he flashed his polearm in a professional manner, "It's true...you did survive that fall. But you stand before Bishimonten and you shall go no further."

"Out of my way, Jerk!" Ranma snarled, charging right at the man with no further hesitation.

Despite his huge size the man proved incredibly fast and expert in the use of his weapon, and only by twisting aside and vaulting away in mid-air did Ranma avoid being skewered by a savage thrust. As Ranma alighted on the ground a few meters away he took renewed stock of the larger man, then glanced down to see the thin trail of red that had sliced through his shirt and faintly nicked him.

"First blood goes to me!" the big man declared, only to turn and confront the angry Jasmine, whose battle aura flared to life, causing even the priest of the War God to take notice.

"I won't let him beat me," Ranma snarled to himself as he studied the man's movements, seeing the impasse develop between man and elephant while Lychee perched atop her massive protector. His eyes narrowed as he sought to determine the man's strengths and weaknesses, intent on renewing the battle as soon as he had a strategy of battle.

But then the rest of the gang finally caught up with them, and he heard Ryoga cry out, "Hold on, Ranma, we're coming to help!"

Ranma was about to declare that he did not need help when the Old Woman suddenly appeared at his side, placing a restraining hand to his shoulder as she murmured, "Save your strength and learn to rely upon your allies, young Master. You're about to learn the price of underestimating an opponent."

"Hah!" Bishimonten assumed a battle pose, flashing his pole arm as he stood at the ready, "All of you combined cannot defeat Bishimonten! Come one or all of you together, you shall fall before me!"

"Oh yeah?" Ryoga assumed a battle crouch as Ukyo and the others fell into place behind him, "Well we'll see about that! Bakusai Tenketsu!"

With that Ryoga thrust a finger at the ground and a wave of force kicked out, splitting the earth and forcing the huge man to jump back out of the way before the blast could claim him.

"WHAT?" the War Priest exclaimed in astonishment, "But that is an Amazon Technique! You don't look like any Amazon, Boy!"

"Hardly!" Ryoga smirked, vaulting forward with his fists at the ready. Almost as if the attack was coordinated Ukyo launched herself into the air as well behind him.

Unfortunately the big man moved much quicker than they had imagined to swat the pair of them out of the air with great ease. Ryoga and Ukyo hit the ground together and seemed stunned for several minutes, but otherwise uninjured.

"Ukyo-Ryoga!" Akane cried, but her voice was drowned out by an even louder shout that reverberated off the mountains.

"JUPITER SUPREME THUNDER-SMASH!"

All at once the air was torn by a massive flash of raw electrical might, causing Ranma's hairs to stand on end as he hastily glanced away from the blinding radiance as a wave of force lashed out at the towering War Priest.

For one instant the world went white as a noise so intense that it was almost beyond sound shook the heavens, but at last the lightning died out, leaving only a loud ringing in the ears as hearing slowly returned to normal, and Ranma opened his eyes to stare at the smoking form of Bishimonten, who had taken a good sized share of the blast, as had a portion of the pagoda behind him. Ranma studied the collapsed part of the structure, then turned a mute look towards Makoto, who was smiling in grim triumph.

"That'll teach him to mess with my Sempai!" Makoto made a fist before turning an affectionate look in Ukyo's direction.

"Ah..." Ranma studied the twitching War Priest's body before glancing at the green-clad Senshi once again and said, "Remind me never to get her angry at me like that."

"Agreed," Lotion replied in an easy, amused tone of voice, "I trust you have learned the lesson of this?"

"You mean the bigger they are the harder they fall?" Ranma replied.

"Bingo," the Lore Master responded, "Now, it is best if you all pick yourselves up and hurry on to the next gate. Time is of the essence here, and every second bring Nabiki closer to a false marriage."

"Nabiki," Ranma gasped, and all at once he was on his way, hopping over the rubble of the partially collapsed pagoda.

"I guess we'd better follow young Master Saotome's example," murmured Sasuke, who made a point of giving wide berth to Makoto.

"That would be eminently sensible," Kodachi agreed as the group picked up the pace and Jasmine began negotiating a safe trek around what remained of the gateway.

Ranma was not deterred when the second pagoda gate proved to have its own guardian, but he did take an approach of notable cautioned when he saw which of the Seven Lucky God Martial Arts masters was confronting him this time. The huge Buddha-like Garuda stood athwart his path, dwarfing even Bishimonten in sheer size and body mass.

Rather than rush to the attack this time, Ranma halted in his tracks and took a defensive crouch as he perceived that the creature (he could not quite classify him as human) was more muscle than fat, a fact that could readily be deduced as without sufficient muscle the ten foot tall giant could hardly have remained upright!

"Man, what do they feed you?" Ranma murmured to himself, "Must be some kind of pickles..."

"Aiyaa," a voice that did not belong to Shampoo but very much reminded him of her cried out, "Is huge...bigger even than Jasmine!"

"How the hell can anybody be so big?" Ukyo asked.

"Careful," Kodachi said, "To suspect such a lumbering brute incapable of rapid movement would quite possibly prove an error most fatal."

"You mean he's tougher than he looks?" Ryoga said warily, "I guess I can believe that..."

"Come on, everybody," Happosai declared, "You don't really think that size is everything, do you?"

"That is most correct," Hinako flashed another one her seemingly endless supply of coins, "This time I am ready to deal with this particular delinquent!"

"Maybe we should let him make the first move," Akane warned, "We can't afford to let even one of these creeps keep us from rescuing my sister."

Everyone stood alert and tense until the elephant relaxed its posture, then started to move forward.

"Jasmine?" Lychee asked, seeing the elephant extend its trunk towards the mound of muscles that stood before them.

To everyone's surprise the huge Garuda turned his eyes towards that trunk, and then an arm the size of many an oak tree stretched out to touch it, matching the elephant's gesture in an amazingly friendly manner.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked his eyes, "You've gotta be kidding me..."

"It would seem that the Priest of Hotei has not seen an elephant before," Lotion mused, "His curiosity has been piqued and he has been distracted from his original purpose.

"Well if that don't beat it all," Happosai exclaimed as they saw the giant Buddha caress the trunk and press it against his fleshy head with a child-like expression of wonder.

"You mean that's it?" Ryoga asked, "It's that simple? He and the elephant make friends, leaving the rest of us to sneak right past him?"

"Works for me," Ukyo shrugged, "Anyone here care to test that theory?"

"I'll go," Ranma said, moving forward, careful to make no sudden movements as he gave wide berth to both elephant and Buddha. Garuda paid him no notice, so the others followed after him as one-by-one they filed through the gate after Ranma.

Lychee dismounted from the back of her elephant and patted the creature's neck before saying, "You stay here and make nice, Jasmine. Lychee go on to find prince."

The elephant acknowledged this and continued to make friends with Garuda.

"How nice," Kasumi mused as she and Sasuke followed after the others, "He seems to be like a large boy who's always wanted a pet."

"That could very well be, Mistress," Sasuke timidly noted, "I have heard that some orders of monks train young boys from birth to embody the aspect of the Buddha by removing all worldly temptations, including the source of male pleasure, so that they never experience true puberty and effectively remain quite child-like."

"The source of male pleasure?" Kasumi blinked, "But that would mean...oh my!" she covered her mouth with a mildly disturbed expression.

Unnoticed by her, Ranma, Ryoga, Happosai and even Ukyo winced slightly at this unpleasant realization.

"Two gates down," Ranma murmured to himself as he saw the next obstacle appear from around a bend in the road, "The third one's dead ahead."

"I wonder which one of those Lucky Gods jerks we'll be up against this time?" Ryoga mused as he cracked his knuckles.

"At a guess I'd say it's the twins," Ukyo remarked, indicating the symbol above the gate, which had a white and black stone positioned together like a Yin and Yang symbol.

"Those two creeps?" Makoto frowned, "What trouble can they be for the lot of us?"

"Guess we'll soon find out," Akane remarked as she tensed her own shoulders, finding the absence of a pair of wings upon her back vaguely disturbing.

To the surprise of everyone, the insides of the pagoda proved to be much larger than the outside, and the floor that spread out before them was like a massive tile layout that stretched a hundred yard in a perfectly grid-like manner.

"What the?" Ranma exclaimed, seeing a pair of figures sitting down in front of a board in the distance.

"Onige Konige" came the voice of one of the twins as he moved a piece upon the board.

"Interesting move," responded his identical twin brother, "I'd never suspect that..."

"Oho," the first brother looked up and glanced towards Ranma and the others, "It seems we have company Daihotsuke."

"I believe you're right, Daikotsuke," the second one mused, "Somehow they must have gotten past Garuda and Bishimonten."

"Too bad for them they won't get past us," the first man smiled.

"Come ahead if you dare," the second man matched the first's smile, "You won't get by the Priests of Daikoku."

"The male God of wealth," Kodachi mused, "How curious that their gods are worshipped in Japan and this part of China."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma started forward, "Just keep your eyes pealed for trouble. These guys look like they're up to something."

"How right you are!" Daihotsuke announced before slamming a piece on the board and crying out, "FOUR-FOURTEEN, BLACK!"

"Huh?" Ranma said when a warning sense caused him to look upward.

"LOOK OUT!" Ukyo cried just before a massive black stone fell from the ceiling into the exact square where they had been standing. As by this point everyone had scattered.

"I don't believe it!" Akane gasped when everyone assumed new fighting positions, "It's a giant Go stone!"

"Quite perceptive," Daihotsuke called out, "The entire Castle is a giant Go board.

"And we love to play," Daikotsuke added, "And you're our new players. Now...where to move next? I know! SECOND MOVE, FOUR-THIRTEEN WHITE!"

Another massive stone fell from the ceiling, this time white, causing everyone to take evasive action as another stone followed another, often blocking attempts to cross the room to get at the two players, who continued to rain stones down on their heads as the Nerima martial artists darted about in hopeless confusion.

"This is fun!" Daihotsuke declared while selecting one of the remaining parts of the board still uncovered.

"Like rats running around in a maze," Daikotsuke agreed.

"Glad you Freaks are enjoying yourselves," said Ranma from close nearby.

"HUH?" both twins turned to stare at the stone nearest to them.

"Your attack has one fatal flaw," Ranma said confidently, "You can't put a stone down on top of another stone, so all I had to do was run on top of them to get right to you.

"He's right!" both twins declared in horror, "WHAT AN OVERSIGHT!"

Ranma came down with a fist planted squarely in the middle of the board, splitting it exactly down the middle.

"Hah!" Ranma smirked as he dealt a double-kick that knocked his two opponents senseless, "Looks like your game's all broken up..."

Before he could finish the sentence he felt the floor beneath his heals begin to tremble, and then with a startled gasp he looked up in time to see the whole of the Pagoda had itself been split down the middle and was collapsing down upon them.

"Nice move, Ranma!" Akane growled as she and the others scattered for cover.

High above their heads the Goddess Peorth covered her eyes and murmured to herself, "That boy definitely doesn't know his own strength...oh well!" and bringing her hands together she began to chant, "WINDS OF DESTINY CHANGE AND REORDER! HEED YOUR MISTRESS NOW AND SPARE THESE MORTALS FROM THE PERILS THAT NOW CONFRONT THEM!"

It was a seeming miracle that moments later found the group from Nerima staggering out from the rubble of the demolished pagoda, coughing and rubbing the dust out of their eyes but relatively unscathed for all the devastation with which they found themselves surrounded.

"W-What just happened?" Ukyo was the first to venture.

"I don't know," Ryoga gasped, "But we're alive, and I guess that's all that matters."

"Next time watch what you hit, Saotome!" Makoto urged as she helped Kodachi from the rubble.

"Are you all right, Kodachi-chan?" Kasumi asked.

"I believe so," Kodachi staggered slightly and winced, "But my ankle does not feel quite right. I believe I may have sprained it."

Ranma shifted and turned over a piece of wall that he had been holding up to shield Lychee, then said, "We're losing time. Kasumi, you stay here and look after Kodachi. The rest of you follow me!"

"Don't let your enthusiasm run away with you, my boy," Happosai turned to Hinako and said, "You stay with them and keep them safe. If anybody tries to hurt these two..."

"I understand, Master," Hinako said, flashing her coin once again, "No one will get by me, of that you can certain."

"Good girl," Happosai allowed himself to display an open look of affection, but then the little man darted forward and said, "Tally ho, everybody! The next one's bound to be that cutie with the Sitar!"

"WHAT?" Hinako's eyed grew wide, "You get back here, Happy-sama, right this instant!"

"Small chance of that," Ranma sighed, "Come on, guys, let's keep the old Freak out of trouble."

The rest of their team filed out behind him as Ranma led the way after the trail of the fast-moving pervert. They discovered Happosai just outside of the fourth Pagoda, partially buried head-first in the ground as if he had been planted there by a massive hammer. Even as they tried to determine what could have done this to the withered old master, the sounds of a stringed instrument being played drew attention towards the roof of the nearby building.

"Well, what do you know," Ryoga remarked, "The old fool had it right for once, it is that strange woman."

"Careful," Ukyo urged, "If she could do this to Happosai she's definitely not somebody we should underestimate."

"Don't worry, Sempai," Makoto responded, "If she tries anything I'll fry her!"

"How amusing," Mon Mon's voice drifted down to them with an almost musical lilt to her voice, "You think to take me with such a simple ruse as you used on Bishimonten? I think you'll sing a different tune when you face the Priestess of the Goddess Benzaiten."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma said, "Look, we got you outnumbered five to one, so why don't you surrender now before you get hurt?"

There was not even a sense of movement before the Courtesan was among them, lashing out with her metal-rimmed instrument with such speed that even Ranma was caught flat-footed. He and the rest of his team were knocked to the ground in a rude semi-circle, leaving Mon Mon to alone remain standing. She smiled at them all and remarked, "Who has whom outnumbered?"

Ranma easily shook off the blow he had taken, adopting a fighting crouch as he growled, "You have to be kidding me! You think a love tap like that is gonna stop me?"

"Interesting," Mon Mon cocked her head in amusement, "Are you the Prince whom Tendo Nabiki is waiting for to rescue her? You don't seem very prince-like..."

To her surprise Ranma just smirked in reply and said, "Who said I was a Prince, lady...I'm more like a Dragon."

"Eh?" Mon Mon seemed confused by this reply, but she shrugged and said, "Whatever. Sweet Nabiki is a most diverting and attractive package, I'll warrant that, and quite...responsive if one approaches her correctly."

"What?" Ranma blinked his eyes in dismay, which proved to be a mistake as it gave the Courtesan the opening she needed.

With a dramatic flourish the pale haired woman strummed her instrument, launching guitar strings that caught Ranma and Ryoga by surprise, wrapping both boys up in their embrace.

"Did you think I didn't see you attempting to flank me, boy?" Mon Mon asked as Ryoga struggled to free himself, to no more avail than Ranma's own efforts, "Mon Mon cannot be taken by the likes of you heathens."

"You don't scare me, lady!" Ryoga grunted, "These tricks won't stop me either..."

"That's right," Ranma gritted his teeth, "And you're gonna have to kill me to stop me..."

"Hmmm," Mon Mon seemed to be thinking over her options before she sighed, "I can't have that, it would make my future Princess quite unhappy with me, and it would displease my Master. Fortunately I don't need to kill you, only to detain you until there is no way that you can interfere with their impending marriage."

With that the Priestess made a sudden sharp motion with her instrument and flicked both Ranma and Ryoga away as though cracking a whip, sending them both flying into the nearby cliffwall with bone-jarring effect. The strings somehow magically contracted back into the stringed instrument until it seemed perfectly normal again, at which Mon Mon smiled and said, "Almost too easy."

"Ryoga!" Akane cried as she fought to get to her own feet, glaring murderously at the pale haired minstrel as she assumed a fighting crouch, "You're gonna pay for that!"

"Count on it!" agreed Makoto as the two of them rushed the Courtesan together.

Mon Mon struck a set of cords again and once more sent them shooting out to ensnare the two girls in their embrace and hold them captive as she leered, "You don't learn from the example of your men...for that Mon Mon will have to see you both are punished."

"Give me a break," Makoto growled as lightning began to crackle from her tiara, causing Mon Mon to yelp in pain, but unfortunately caused a similar cry to escape from Akane.

"Damn!" the Senshi gritted between her teeth as she cut the juice to her attack, realizing that to deal with their foe would mean inflicting undue pain on her nominal rival.

To her surprise, though, Akane shot back, "Don't stop on account of me! Go ahead and finish her! We have to get by her if we're gonna save Nabiki!"

"You would sacrifice yourself for the sake of your sister?" Mon Mon seemed surprised by this realization, "Perhaps your wings are not merely for effect, but as I can't permit you to keep shocking me that way..." she plucked a string and caused one of the cords surrounding Makoto's right thigh to suddenly constrict, causing a trail of blood-and a subsequent gasp-to escape from the Senshi. "So I'll just have to see to it you cannot concentrate to summon your powers..."

"LET THEM GO!" Ukyo declared with murderous venom, having at last recovered from the abuse that she had taken.

"Ah, did I forget about you?" Mon Mon asked as she strummed her instrument once again, wrapping more cords around the still slow-moving chef, "Pity about that, but I'm sure you won't cause me too much trouble, Handsome."

"Oh yeah?" Ukyo surprised everyone by smiling, "That's what you think, lady!"

Eh?" Mon Mon reacted as the Okonomiyaki chef brought both hands together and began to make a series of complicated hand motions, "What are you...?"

"RIN-CHIU-DOH-SHA-KAI-JIN-RETSU-ZAI-ZEN!" Ukyo declared before thrusting her hands forward and projecting the force that she had just summoned.

Mon Mon's reflexes alone saved her as the air between her and the chef fairly hissed and crackled with energy with the molecules of her guitar strings-and her guitar itself-being shredded with the power of dissolution. As it was the front part of her clothing suffered the same fate while her skin was untouched by the power, and Mon Mon found herself falling back on her rump with a somewhat bewildered expression.

"Ha, that'll teach you!" Ukyo smiled before her knees turned to Jell-O and she started to collapse.

"Sempai!" Makoto was quick to rush to the aid of her beloved, only to find Akane had done likewise and the two of them wound up staring at one another with the chef held between them.

"So...that's the way it's going to be," Ryoga said sadly as he watched all of this happen.

"Hey, you don't think this means...?" Ranma stretched out a hesitant hand but refrained from touching the shoulder of his half-brother.

"Isn't it obvious to you, Ranma?" Ryoga said disconsolately, "I've lost her to Kuonji."

"You don't know that," Ranma said, but Ryoga shrugged off his attempts to reassure him.

"Yes I do," Ryoga replied without feeling, "I know when I've lost...I'm always lost, remember?"

"But..." Ranma searched for something to say and found words inadequate as he watched Ryoga walk through the undefended Pagoda gates, for once not getting lost without guidance.

"Wait a minute," Mon Mon said as she started to get try and get back on her feet, "You haven't won yet...!"

"I beg to differ," Lotion mused as she appeared from seeming no where, pointing at the exposed chest of the priestess, "Unless you mean to continue like that."

"Eh...?" the Courtesan looked down at herself then hastily moved to cover her bosoms.

"Wow," Makoto remarked, "Ryoga was so bummed out he never even noticed."

"Ryoga..." Akane stared down at her feet, "I'm so sorry..."

Ukyo winced slightly as she allowed herself to be helped back to her feet, "It's not too late, Akane...you can still catch up with him and tell him he's wrong about you."

"I-I can't," Akane said with deep reluctance, "I-I care about him...but not like that..."

As eyes turned towards Akane upon hearing that admission, Lotion said, "There is no time to sort matters out. We must hurry on to save Nabiki from the misguided efforts of Prince Kirin."

"But what about the last guardian of the gates?" Makoto asked.

"That fishing pole guy?" Ranma asked, "What about him?"

"Indeed," Happosai said with some concern, "Judging from the mood of the boy, I rather doubt there will be much of a problem on that end..."

Sure enough, at the last of the five gates, Ebiten saw Ryoga approaching him with slow, relentless energy in his gait, his eyes dark with emotions so deep that the air about him seemed to swirl with his depression.

"So," Ebiten extended his fishing pole, "You've managed to reach the gate guarded by the fearless Ebiten, but here you shall fall, for none may pass beyond this point without permission of Lord Kirin!"

Ryoga barely even raised his eyes as he responded with a listless, "The world is a dark and desolate place..."

"Huh?" Ebiten blinked his eyes, wondering about this non-sequiter statement.

"But I'm beyond caring," Ryoga lifted his eyes, and something inhuman was reflected there as the darkness swirled around his arms and a globe of greenish-  
black energy formed a globe of energy before him, "SHI SHI HOUKONAN!"

The blast was so intense that Ranma and the others were nearly knocked off their feet, and Lychee cried out, "What was that?"

"Someone else biting off more than could be chewed," Lotion replied, and the group hurried forward until they found Ryoga standing calmly before the collapsed rubble of another destroyed Pagoda.

"What took you so long?" Ryoga asked, sounding calmer than he had mere moments before.

"Ah..." Ranma glanced down at a badly battered figure that he recognized as the Priest of the Fisherman God Ebisu.

"N-N-None shall pass, I say..." the little man gasped before he fainted.

"Wow," Ukyo murmured, "Remind me never to get him depressed like that."

"It's all my fault," Akane said, "If I'd been honest with him sooner..."

"Forget about it," Ryoga shrugged, "Come on...let's go find Nabiki."

"Right," Ranma nodded grimly, moving forward again with the way cleared to the palace of Prince Kirin...

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Cordial Invitations: shadowmane

You are cordially invited to attend the impending marriage of Prince Kirin and his lovely bride, Tendo Nabiki...what's that? Something wrong with this picture? Stay tuned, gentle effendi, as we pick up pace with the dramatic conclusion of the Kirin saga: "Here comes the Bribe," or "Wedding Days Black and Blue." Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	102. Chapter 102

NabikiRan97 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,  
Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
Including my fellow fanfic writer Nicole Manders)  
Chapter Ninety-Seven.

Kachu's eyes fluttered open and she glanced at her immediate surroundings. She seemed to be indoors staring up at a ceiling with a moistened cloth over her head. She was laying on a sofa propped up on pillows as if to make her as comfortable as could reasonably managed. The strong smell of turpentine and other materials associated with an artist's studio was not familiar to her awareness, but she deduced that she must still be in the place where she detected the Demon presence. That also meant that she was close to the place where she had been treacherously overcome by said Demon, which meant that she would have to be on her guard against further such treachery.

But at least this Demon had made the mistake of leaving her alive, a fact that the young Demon Hunter intended to exploit to her best advantage...

"Hey, are you feeling better now, lady?"

"Eh?" Kachu blinked, partially sitting up as she turned to see the youth who had addressed her in such a familiar manner. What she saw was an underaged girl-a warrior by her aspect-with dark hair done up in a pig-tailed braid and wearing some manner of headband. She was dressed casually, seeming like a typical Japanese youth, a bit rough-hewn around the edges but otherwise not so very different from the girls who lived in Kachu's own village.

"Here, have something to drink," the girl handed a cup full of hot tea to Kachu, "Grandma says you should drink up on account of your condition and all that."

"What?" Kachu responded, "My...condition?"

"Yeah, something about you having to take it easy so you don't strain yourself too much," Ryomi shrugged, "You can ask Grandma about it herself, she's in the next room doing art stuff."

"Your Grandmother?" Kachu frowned, "But I..."

"She says her name's Garimel," Ryomi winced slightly, "Shinjuku Garimel. My name's Ryomi and I'm staying with her on account that I'm looking for my mother..."

"Shinjuku?" Kachu frowned, "That's the name of a district of the inner Tokyo area..."

"Yeah?" Ryomi asked, "What of it?"

"Ah...never mind," Kachu finished sitting upright, only to glance at a set of bags that were stacked in one corner of the room and say, "My belongings..."

"You were taking them to your home, right?" Ryomi asked, "Grandma wanted you to know that everything's there, except the cold stuff, which she had me put in the fridge so it didn't get melted."

"Thank you," Kachu said, "That was most...considerate of you. I believe I will go talk with your grandmother."

She got to her feet and followed the child's indication of direction, and entering out into the main studio area she came across a sight that caused her to stop dead in her tracks and blink twice, just to make certain that she was not suffering from some weird hallucination.

There was a naked man and an equally naked woman standing on a block-like platform, their bodies oddly positioned in such a way as to suggest dynamic energy in motion. The girl, a statuesque blonde whose long hair hung down to below her waist, had a well-defined physique with a sculpted musculature that gave a sense of pantherish grace and power. The man had brown hair trimmed to below shoulder length and also had a fine, lean hardiness about him, manly in a way that reminded Kachu overmuch of her own beloved husband. They were of indeterminate race, clearly Asians but of mixed ancestry, and there was something faintly familiar about the woman, but seeing as they were unclothed without distinguishing adornments this impression was hard to verify.

Almost as surprising as the sight of the naked pair standing as motionless as statues was the tall woman with pale white hair and a nicely tanned body furiously working with a large block of clay, her hands molding the grayish stuff with loving caresses, making the act seem oddly sensual in some vaguely undefined manner. Kachu stared at this woman and felt an odd sense of otherworldliness that left her feeling strangely disoriented.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," this woman said without turning around, "When you slipped and hit your head I was half afraid you might have suffered a mild concussion."

"Who are you?" Kachu wondered, "And...what are you doing?"

"Call me Garimel," the woman replied, "I'm the owner of this studio, and as to your second question, I am sculpting my latest masterpiece, with the help of my two assistants."

Kachu turned to look at the naked man and woman, seeing them each blink while beads of perspiration adorned both of their handsome forms, no doubt an effect caused by the powerful lighting that shone down on them from above, highlighting every nuance and detail of their bodies to interesting effect.

"Your assistants?" Kachu asked with a frown, "They seem...oddly familiar..."

"You're from China, are you not?" the woman asked.

"Well...yes..."

"Then it seems most unlikely that you would know anyone in Japan unless you've already met them," the woman reasoned simply, "But what you really want to ask me is where the demon is whom you earlier detected."

"Ah...yes," Kachu remembered her original business and frowned, "I sensed that there was a demon within this place. Have you seen it?"

"Well, that all depends," the woman turned away from her handiwork with a smile, "Can you describe her?"

Kachu gasped as she saw the woman's face, and at once she fell to her knees and bowed her head, saying, "F-Forgive me, Radiant One! This humble servant did not recognize you..."

"No," the woman smiled, "I rather imagine that you wouldn't. Get up, child, you don't need to bow in my presence. One who already follows the Light need not humble herself before one of the Host. The question is how I may help you, noble Devil Hunter."

Kachu kept her face averted and replied, "I dare not, Great One, for I am unworthy to bask in the blinding radiance of a Celestial. I ask only that you forgive my earlier rude entry, for I had no thought upon whose domain I trespassed."

"You were pursuing your calling," the woman replied, "I find no fault in that. Rise, child, and tell me how life has been treating you of late. Is your noble husband fulfilling his role to adequate standards?"

"Yes, Noble One," Kachu's voice held a warmth that caused some listening in attendance to hook an eyebrow, "My husband treats me very well, and I am...most satisfied with his performance."

"So I can see," the woman purred, "And I also see that your union has been most fruitful."

There was a slight pause before Kachu's voice hesitantly ventured, "It has?"

"You did not suspect?" the woman's voice was gentle, musical and teasing, "You have certainly been working hard enough to insure that your marriage is productive in every sense, for which you are to be congratulated."

"My Lady..." Kachu's voice trembled, "I thank you for this revelation, and I know my husband will be very pleased to learn that he has been as blessed as I am."

"It is good that you will be fine parents for a child of the future," the woman revealed, "But there is another matter of which I must discuss...far less pleasant than this, I fear."

"Oh?" Kachu raised her eyes with a questioning expression.

"Indeed," the woman announced with great gravity and sadness, "You were correct in believing that there is a presence of evil loose within this province. There is a treacherous being who wears the shape of a woman yet who has bonded herself to the tools of this modern age of marvels. She uses others as her pawns to further her ambitions and she seeks nothing less than the domination of the human will. You have encountered her already and know her by a name both foul and corrupting..."

"Cybelle," Kachu's expression darkened, "You are most wise, Celestial One. She is an enemy sworn who has threatened my family and my husband once before. I have taken an oath to fight her evil wherever I may find it...but can you tell me where she is to be found?"

"In good time, Noble Warrior," the woman assured her, "You must gather your strength for now and prepare for the coming struggle. I have ventured far from the plane that is my home to witness the struggle between light and darkness of which you shall be a part. None can say when the hour will come that your services will be called upon, but you must fortify and refine your Chi for the coming struggle. The enemy will use deception and illusion to achieve her goals, and she works through hidden agencies so that you will only know by her handiwork and the effect it has upon the lives of others."

"I understand, my Lady," Kachu brought a fist to her shoulder by way of salute, "I will train to be ready."

"Not too much, though," the woman cautioned, "You must not strain your body or it could affect the child you carry. Trust in your husband and his love for you, and do not refuse allies to help you in this struggle."

"Allies?" Kachu blinked, "But I..."

"Believe yourself to be self-sufficient, I know," the woman assured her, "But strength can be found in numbers, and you must learn to appreciate the strengths you find in those around you. Choose your allies well by what they have within their hearts and not merely the conditions of their birth, and try to be more patient. It isn't easy, I well know, but you will in time come to understand that you have more friends in this world than you have ever imagined...and people who sincerely love you for yourself."

"Thank you, my Lady," Kachu bowed again, "I will remember."

"Good," the woman smiled, "Then you had better get back home before your husband notices that you have been overlong at the market and begins to get worried. He is a man, after all, and the poor dears need to be reassured that their women love them. He deserves to know that he shall soon be a father. We will talk again when the time is right."

"Thank you, my Lady," Kachu bowed for a third time before taking her leave of the studio after retrieving her packages from Ryomi.

Ganglot waited for the shop door to close, then made a hand gesture that caused the overhead lamp giving her a halo effect to wink out while the Neo-New Age background music playing on the CD player fell silent. With a mischievous look she chuckled to herself, "There's one born every minute..."

Not seen by her directly, the two naked teenagers bigsweated.

"What was that all about?" Ryomi asked when she came back into the room.

"Just giving my new ally a push in the right direction," Ganglot reached up and removed an almost invisible patch that had been covering a portion of her forehead, "After all, the best illusions are always to give people what they most want to see and hear."

"You mean that stuff about her having a baby isn't true?" Ryomi asked.

"Oh, it's quite true," Ganglot smiled, "I could smell the change in her hormonal balance that unmistakably tells me that she is with child. I let her know before a medical test could reveal this so that she would be far too distracted to pierce through my main illusion."

"And what illusion was that?" Ryomi scratched her head, "The way she was acting around you, you'd think she mistook you for a..."

"A Goddess?" Ganglot replied with a wry grin, holding out her patch, "This is an Alignment Scrambler. It's been adjusted to alter my aura from Chaotic Good to Lawful. Instead of perceiving that I am an Oni of the Ancient Blood she believed that I am one of the Celestial Host, which made her considerably more receptive to my message."

"Neat," Ryomi smiled, "Guess that sure beats having her attack you."

"It certainly saves on my insurance premiums to say the least," Ganglot noted, then gave a wry glance at her two assistants and said, "You can move now...I think a thirty minute break is in order."

Romeo and Julian at once heaved deep sighs then flexed their arms and shook their heads to un-kink them. The Chinese man said aloud, "I thought for sure she was going to recognize us..."

"So did I," agreed his blonde girlfriend, "And Kachu is no fool to be lightly dismissed. Had she known that we are refugees from our home village..."

"She is not likely to have done anything herself," Ganglot concluded for them, "But if she knew you were here, then word would eventually filter back to your homeland. This way she is a little too much in awe of me to risk coming here again without stronger motivation."

"But what if she does come back and finds out that you're really an Oni, Grandma?" Ryomi asked.

"We'll cross that Rubicon when we have to, Dear," Ganglot replied, "I'm more concerned with what a certain Goddess is going to say when she finds out I was impersonating her. Ah well...she always was one who could appreciate a joke as good as the next half-Oni."

Romeo was about to retrieve her clothes when she took notice of the sculpture that their Mistress had been working upon, and staring at this she murmured softly, "Is that...us?"

"Sure is, kids," Ganglot grinned, "And a pretty accurate likeness if I do say so myself."

"But...it looks exactly like us," Julian marveled.

"That was the basic idea."

"No," Julian said, "I mean this really does look like us. Your other work doesn't resemble things in real life this closely..."

"I'm a master of many different styles," Ganglot replied, "Both Modern and Ancient, in this case I preferred to use classical Renaissance to capture what I believe to be the essence of your male and female beauty. Consider it a present, as well as my way of making you Immortal."

"Immortal?" Romeo reacted.

"In a manner of speaking," Ganglot gave them her most enigmatic smile then said, "You two take five and then we'll pick up where we left off in a half an hour."

The two Amazons exchanged looks but shrugged their shoulders and accepted this, as they had come to do with so much else about the Oni. Ryomi, on the other hand, was more inquisitive and asked, "Grandma...are you planning to do something like that with me?"

"In good time, Ryo-chan," Ganglot replied, studying her great-granddaughter's profile with a critical eye before saying, "Hmm...I think your left is your better side...more photogenic. Of course for you it would have to be something special, but I'm sure I can come up with something suitably creative. After all, you have your mother's good looks for me to work with."

"Ah...thanks," Ryomi blushed at the compliment.

"Don't mention it," Ganglot replied, "Besides, if anyone here resembles an Angel it's you, kid. Now...what to have for lunch, I wonder? I'm suddenly feeling in the mood for a little Okonomiyaki..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

If anyone had told me a year ago that I would be standing at the altar with an honest-to-Kami Prince Charming who was filthy rich and wanted me to share his fortune with him I would have had them committed. Of course back then my typical response would also be to say yes and write home to Daddy sending out the wedding invitations.

Shows how much of a difference a year can make, huh?

To be fair, growing up in relative poverty as I have, I value a yen a lot more than most people, and I've devoted a lot of my personal time in the effort to acquire as much of the stuff as I can manage. I all but attached myself to the orbit of Kuno Tatewaki for a time because he was such a lucrative source of ready cash just waiting to be exploited, so the idea of somebody offering to support me in luxury for the rest of my days was the fulfillment of a childhood dream, which is proof once and for all that not all such dreams are what they're cracked up to be in life.

So I'm standing there in my fancy wedding gown thinking what a huge mistake the whole thing was and wondering what the hell was keeping Ranma from my rescue. I know it's traditional for the hero to make a fateful last-minute entrance and all that, but I came a lot closer to the edge that time than I ever even want to think about. I can't imagine what Shampoo was thinking standing at my side as I dragged us both near to the edge of marital oblivion, and all because-for the first time in my life-I'd given my word and intended to keep it.

It's not that I hold great stock in my honor and all that, but there was an element here that I somehow knew I had to observe, if only for Shampoo's welfare. But for my promise her life might very well have been forfeit, and I'm pretty sure Ranma would have fallen to Kirin back on that sky ship. The same principle by which I'd never deliberately cheat a client held sway here, and call it pride if you will, but I had to stay true to the letter of my agreement to not resist Kirin, and so I found myself there on the brink of being married!

"When these two scrolls are joined we two shall become one," he told me rather importantly as I stood facing him in about thirty pounds of excess wardrobe, and then he handed me the half of the scroll that had gotten me into this mess in the first place, then held out his end for me to join my half two, which I proceeded to do, only to hesitate completing the act at the last second.

"What is wrong?" he asked me, seeing my continued reluctance, "You agreed to cooperate, and while Kirin would rather you not be compelled against your will, he would have you be his wife for all eternity. Please accept Kirin's love for he will strive in every way to be a good husband."

"Kirin," I said, the scrolls just millimeters away from being united, "I..."

And then the door to the chamber got blown off of the hinges and in stepped Ranma and the rest of our merry band of misfit Martial Artists. My true Iinazuke took one look at me and I saw him hesitate, torn between outrage and some other kind of emotion, as if he had never really seen me before, and I wondered if it was because of the costume they were making me wear. I saw the breath catch in his throat for a second, and then the anger returned and he called out, "Kirin...you and me got some unfinished business!"

I looked around the room at my friends, my FAMILY, all standing there looking ready to join in for a round of Kirin bashing. Akane, Ukyo, Ryoga, Makoto, even Happosai had come to my rescue. They all looked like they had just been through a meat grinder, but none seemed ready to quit the fight and I was pretty damned sure at that point that they would each prefer to have died than to back down in the face of Kirin. My eyes watered up at the thought of them caring this much about me, though it could have just been some dust that was getting to me at that particular moment.

"So," Kirin replied, turning to face Ranma as if he, too, had expected this, "You do live after all...and now you have dared defile a sacred ceremony. I might tolerate your persistence, but sacrilege such as this can never be forgiven."

"Talk ain't gonna settle this," Ranma flashed his fists as the rest of our gang filed out to form a semi-circle, "Give it up or you gonna lose it big time!"

"FOOL!" the Prince snarled, and all at once my skin started to prickle as my nape hairs stood to attention, and all at once Kirin all but exploded with power in a massive wave Ki-burst that briefly filled the chamber.

I blinked my eyes while Shampoo moved closer to my side, and when we looked again everybody was laid out on the floor, felled at the same time by the unexpected display of Ki power, all except for Ranma, whose arms were braced in front of him as if to absorb the impact.

I saw Ranma wince in pain as he lowered his arms, but the determination in his eyes seemed twice as fierce as before as he grit he teeth and growled, "That ain't gonna stop me! I'm wise to your tricks now and I won't be caught napping!"

"Kirin sees that he will need to use more effort in dispatching you," Kirin replied, "Never has one proven to be so stubborn in pursuit of a hopeless cause. Were it not that Kirin disdains the needless shedding of blood he would offer you his pity, yet you force him to do this, and for that you deserve no pity."

"Ranma!" I said, "Kirin, please stop! I said I'd go through with this..."

"Nabiki," Ranma addressed me in a manner I'd never heard him use before, "A girl shouldn't try to interfere in a battle between men. This has gone beyond just deciding which of us is better for you, this is where I prove to this pompous twit that he's got no business even looking in your direction!"

"But I'm worried about you, Stupid!" I snapped, "If you keep this up you'll get hurt, or maybe worse..."

"You idiot!" Ranma shot back at me, causing me to recoil in surprise, as he had NEVER called me that in all our time together, "How do you expect me to get you back if I don't do this? You think he's gonna let you go if I just ask him nicely?"

"He is right for once," Kirin replied, advancing towards Ranma, "This has become a matter of honor, and Kirin will not back down should Hell itself beckon to the loser. What of it, Saotome Ranma? Shall Kirin send you to the Nether world for your troubles or will you be sensible and go home to never trouble Kirin again?"

"Why doesn't Kirin stick it where the sun don't shine?" Ranma mocked back, "I've finally figured out how to break through your iron defenses, Kirin! You're the one who's gonna lose here, not me!"

"Is that so?" Kirin sniffed imperiously, "That is something Kirin very much would like to see!"

"Have it your way," Ranma cried, "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN HA!"

Ranma charged at Kirin with his fists flying like before, which Kirin casually met with his usual calm indifference, but as he set about deflecting Ranma's blows something very strange began to happen and Kirin actually backed away, forced to give ground by first one step, and then another.

"What?" Kirin cried in dismay, suddenly finding himself on the defensive.

"Your fault, Jerk!" Ranma snarled as he forced Kirin to give ground, their hands moving about so fast that even I had to slow it down before I could make heads or tails of what they were doing, "You bragged to me about my attacks lacking a pattern...well, I figured out what your pattern is, and I've also figured out the counter!"

My eyes must have been pretty wide about that point because my accelerated vision now enabled me to see that Ranma was himself holding a pair of chopsticks and was using them to catch and deflect Kirin's every movement and thrust, his hand darting about as if he were anticipating each of Kirin's strikes before they were concluded. It was like fencing with chopsticks, only at an incredible speed that made it seem as if Kirin was being driven back by an invisible barrier. The Prince faltered for but a fraction of a second and Ranma was in for the kill, catching Kirin's chopsticks with a twisting motion that broke them off at the ends, leaving Kirin to hold the stumps.

"HAH!" Ranma flashed his chopsticks as if pointing a dagger at Kirin's face, "You lose at your own game! Now do you give up on Nabiki?"

"Incredible," Kirin exclaimed in clear amazement, "No one has ever mastered Kirin's special attack before, let alone bested him with his own weapons! You are a more exceptional fighter than I had thought from our previous encounter."

"It ain't hard figuring out something when you dangle the clues in guy's face all the time," Ranma said haughtily, "I figured you don't carry that rice bowl around just for looks...it's gotta be a part of your training, and once I figured that out I realized that you can only move chopsticks in so many ways when plucking rice out of the air, especially without dropping the pickle," and to further emphasize his point Ranma flashed his chopsticks again, which now had speared the pickle off of Kirin's rice bowl.

"You dare to mock Kirin?" the Prince suddenly cried, "You-HEATHEN!"

Again that explosive blast rang out, only it shot forward from Kirin to strike Ranma and sent him flying backwards.

"RANMA!" Shampoo cried as she started to move forward, only drop as Kirin moved to the side and rendered her insensate.

"Do not interfere!" Kirin ordered as Shampoo hit the floor with a dull thump, "I tolerate much, woman, but no one will come to Saotome's aid until this matter is decided."

I saw Shampoo laying still, saw Ranma on his rump with his back against the wall, and something flared up in me that was raw, red and angry. I grabbed my headpiece and slammed it on the ground, attracting Kirin's attention.

"That's it!" I declared, "Deals over, Prince! This Wedding's been officially cancelled!"

"What?" Kirin looked shocked by my declaration, "But why? You gave your word..."

"I gave my word if you didn't hurt Ranma or Shampoo!" I declared, feeling something welling up inside me that made me feel the power rising up at my command, "But I'm not gonna stand here while you beat up my friends and family! You hurt Shampoo and Ranma, you got me for an enemy, and if you kill them you're gonna have to kill me as well...if you can!"

I don't know how to describe the feeling that came over me right there and then as the air actually began to swirl with the energy that I sensed was all around me. I think Kirin sensed it too because his eyes got very wide and he actually took a step back from me as though I'd just grown horns and a tail. I think it was only then he started to get some idea that there was anything unusual about me that might make me every bit as dangerous to him as Ranma and the others.

Before I had a chance to see just how good I'd fare against a fighter of his caliber, though, Ranma forced himself back on his feet and said, "Back off, Nabiki...you gotta have faith in me. I ain't gonna lose to this guy, and I got one trick left that's worth playing."

I stared at Ranma as if wondering where he could possibly find enough confidence to make such a boast, but as I saw the determination written in his expression I knew that he did indeed have a plan, and that it would be better for me to let him handle Kirin in his own way, so I let go of the energy I had just summoned to me and said, "I trust you, Ranma-kun...go get him!"

"Heh, no problem," and my iinazuke smiled in such a way that I actually started to feel sorry for Prince Kirin.

"Tendo Nabiki," Kirin actually sounded lost and bewildered, "How has Kirin failed you that you turn against him?"

"Did you ever think about my needs being more important to me than your traditions?" I countered, then I went to Shampoo, who was groaning where she had fallen.

"Kirin," Ranma growled, "I'm gonna make you pay for every stupid thing that you and your goons have put me and my friends through...especially Shampoo and Nabiki."

"And how will you do that?" Kirin asked as he turned back to confront my boyfriend, "You can barely even stand on your own two legs..."

"A lot you know," Ranma huffed, "I'm Saotome Ranma, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, and I ain't never been defeated, not by you, not by anybody! You can knock me down as many times as you like and I'll just get back up again, only twice as strong as before, and whatever you use to put me down I'll just learn to turn it back on you, like with your chopsticks. You don't know who you're dealing with here, you just think of yourself as if the whole world revolves around you, but I'm gonna show you what being a warrior really means, and frankly you ain't got what it takes to stand against me!"

"You are an arrogant pup who dares to bark at his betters," Kirin readied his stance, producing a new set of chopsticks, "Prepare for the fate you so richly deserve, Saotome Ranma!"

"Stuff it!" Ranma barked, "You ain't foolin' anybody, Prince, you've lost and you should have the dignity to admit it. You think I've trained every day of my life to let a prick like you steal away my girlfriends? You're not fit to walk on, let alone to lay a hand on Shampoo and Nabiki! I'm more than ready for you this time, I'm more than ready to fight a dozen punks like you! I ain't never been this ready for a fight in my whole life, and I'm just sorry that you have to be such a twerp because it'd be a lot more meaningful when I kick your butt from here to Thailand!"

"YOU-DARE?" Kirin actually started glowing.

"Dare what?" Ranma scoffed at the impending danger, "At least I don't have to kidnap anybody to get myself a wife! With a face like that I'm not surprised you get rejected at lot. Lychee's elephant's got better looks than you!"

"DIEEE!" Kirin started to surge forward, only his attack was met by Ranma, who brought his hands together as a wave of force formed into a ball of golden light that looked like nothing so much as a miniature sun extending out from his fingers.

"MAKO TAKABISHI!" Ranma roared the word, and I swear to you that it was no mere trick of the light because I could almost believe that I saw what looked like the form of a dragon surrounding Ranma and shooting out a blast of fire that met Kirin's attack and tore it to pieces.

"Nabiki is MY fiancee!" I heard Ranma declare over the roar of the forces he had unleashed, "SHE BELONGS TO NOBODY BUT ME!"

By this point Shampoo and the others had all regained consciousness and were able to watch the fight as Kirin was thrown through the far wall of Palace chamber. Unfortunately the chamber itself proved unable to take the strain of our battle and the floor began to crumble beneath our feet, the whole building following example a few seconds later.

Now is the time when I have to pause to tell you what I think happened next, because it happened so fast that the best I can describe it is pure reflex. That same power I'd been gathering into myself when I'd contemplated bashing Kirin's head in now came to the fore as I froze time all around us, causing blocks of stone to hang in mid-air while the rest of us just hung there looking about in understandable confusion. I eased up a bit and allowed my friends and myself some freedom of movement so that we could drift down to the ground as light as a bunch of feathers, the stones all around us serving as excellent platforms that we could use to propel ourselves and help control our direction. Once on the ground I maintained the field above our heads long for everybody to get to safety, and only after we were in the clear I relaxed the field and watched the tower crumble inward, falling off to one side near the end while I winced as the feedback of my spell gave me one mother of a headache!

"Well done, child," Lotion called out to me as I turned about in amazement, "You have proven once again that the power chose well in you. Lord Kirin is fortunate to escape meeting your wrath directly."

"Ah, fine," I winced slightly, "Anybody got some aspirin?"

"I think I packed away a bottle," Kasumi replied, reaching into her handbag.

"Kasumi?" I looked around, "Hinako-Sensei? Kodachi?"

"Welcome back, Nabiki-chan," the Black Rose smiled at me as if expecting me to thank her.

"Think that Kirin guy got the message this time?" Makoto asked.

"Could be," Ukyo noted, "I got a feeling that aspirin isn't going to cut it for him."

"Good riddance," Akane snorted, "What a nuisance!"

"You said it," Ryoga replied, and then I noted an awkward exchange of looks between him and my sister before the latter looked down and he looked away, sighing.

"Ranma, you is twice the man Shampoo think she marry!" Shampoo cried as she threw her arms around our triumphant iinazuke.

"I guess," he chuckled, then he turned and flashed a grin at me before saying, "Now are you glad you had faith in me?"

"Oh yeah," I smiled back, feeling as if fifty kilograms had just fallen off of my chest.

"Hey," Happosai glanced around, "Where did Lychee get off to? Did anyone see her?"

"I think I did," Ukyo blinked, "She was rushing into the tower while we were making an escape;"

"Oh no!" Ranma exclaimed, "She must have been trying to rescue that scroll of hers, the little idiot! We gotta go back there, she might be buried or worse!"

"Don't bother," Ryoga pointed, "Look over there!"

We followed my future brother-in-law's gesture and-sure enough-we saw new figures moving among the rubble. At first I could make out the lumbering shapes of Garuda and Bishimonten, but then I saw Mon Mon appear, hugging her breasts for some strange reason, followed by the twins, Ebiten...

And Prince Kirin!

Kirin was holding someone in his arms that I recognized as the girl named Lychee, and following along beside the prince with anxious noises that made him seem like an overgrown puppy was the elephant, Jasmine. Lychee seemed barely conscious but I could see that she was holding on to one half of the scroll, having obviously risked her life to obtain it.

At once everybody tensed and went on their guard, but to our surprise the Prince called out, "There is no need for further hostilities. Kirin admits his defeat and would see no further violence committed between our peoples."

"Eh?" Ranma exclaimed in obvious confusion, "You're giving up? Does that mean you ain't after Nabiki?"

"Absolutely," Kirin replied with surprising respect in his tone, voice and manner, "You have defeated Kirin utterly...he has never known a one such as you before! You threw everything that was within you in order to best Kirin. Your dedication to her was absolute and unshaken. Such a pure love cannot be ignored, even for the sake of our traditions."

"But my Lord..." Ebiten started to protest.

"Enough," Kirin said simply, setting the girl, Lychee, down at his feet, "This simple girl has taught Kirin much by her example. While Kirin fought to recover himself against the force of Ranma's Chi, and with all else falling around her, this one chose to risk her life in order to save one half of the sacred scroll. Kirin knows now that she was the one for whom he was destined. It was never Nabiki to begin with, though Kirin was too blind with pride and desire to see this."

"Damned straight it wasn't Nabiki," Ranma pointed to Lychee, "That girl there's gone through hell in order to find you. She told me all about what she's gone through on account of that scroll being left to her by her own ancestors. I agreed to help her find you so she could get the story straight, but I'll leave it to her to fill you in on all the details."

"Then Kirin is forever in your debt, Saotome Ranma," Kirin smiled, "You have saved him from committing a grave error, to say nothing of the sin of lust that would have bound him to a woman who does not love him. Much though I wish it were otherwise, Nabiki has clearly given her heart to you, as has the woman who fought nobly by her side. Kirin cannot compete with such a love, nor would he stand between her and one who would move heaven and earth itself to find her."

"Ah...well..." Ranma scratched the back of his head and looked sheepish, glancing at me before his face turned an interesting shade of crimson.

"Kirin will remember the words you both have spoken to him," the Prince continued, "And he will try to profit from their wisdom. It seems that he has much yet to be learned about the world and the people who live in it. Perhaps we may start over again as friends and put the past behind us. He would rather call you brother than an enemy, Saotome Ranma."

To our complete surprise the Prince extended one arm and held his hand open, and after only a moment of hesitation Ranma took that hand and shook it, at which point both sides heaved a mutual sigh of relief and relaxed our postures. It was about that moment when we knew that the fight between us was truly ended.

"She never lost faith in you," Kirin said as they broke their handclasp, "Kirin hopes that you both live long and productive lives together. It has been a true honor meeting such a one in combat, but let us never again meet as enemies but rather as friends."

"Sure," Ranma said, "No problem."

"Ranma-kun," I smiled, "Thank you...for coming to my rescue."

"Ah...well..." it was about this point that Mister Ego started to turn shy again, but Lotion cleared her throat as if to remind him of something, and Ranma managed to get his nerve back, reached into his shirt and pulled out a pair of boxes.

"Here," he handed one of these to me, "I was gonna give this to you the other day, but...well...I guess now's as good a time as any. I had this speech worked out, but it was kinda dumb, so maybe I should come out and say it..." he swallowed as it trying once again to summon up his courage.

I opened up the ring box, pretending that I didn't already know what was in it, though I didn't have to pretend my delight as I stared at the beautiful diamond set in a band of white gold, automatically appraising it to be the genuine article and worth about a hundred thousand yen if it was worth a five piece.

"Would you marry me?" he finally asked the words I'd been longing to hear, even if we were already many months into our engagement.

"Ranma..." I got no further than that before I threw my arms around him and kissed him for all that I was worth, letting the tears flow down my cheeks without the least thought to my image as a notorious Ice Princess.

"Well, it's about time," Akane sniffed.

"Guess that makes it official," Ryoga agreed.

"Way to go, Ranchan," Ukyo applauded.

"Perhaps the boy does have hope after all," mused Kodachi.

"Oh my," said my big sister, "If only Father could see this."

"I think it's very sweet," added Makoto.

"Only question is what they're gonna do for the Honeymoon," that from Happosai.

"It would be almost anti-climatic," Sasuke agreed.

"Just as long as they don't forget all about their school work," that from Hinako.

"Ailen," Shampoo said very softly, "Shampoo very happy."

"Shampoo," Ranma broke off from out kiss, though he didn't manage to get loose from my arms as I had no intention of letting go of him at this point, "I got something for you as well," and he held out the other ring box.

Shampoo looked at it, then accepted it with an awed expression, opening it up with a small gasp before she held it up to the light, a golden band with a double diamond setting that was easily worth as much as the ring I had been given.

I let Ranma loose so he could do the honors of putting the ring on Shampoo's finger, and then our Amazon bride began freely crying as she stared at the ring, then did a happy little dance before throwing herself onto us for a rib-cracking bear hug.

"Aiyaa!" she declared with even more enthusiasm than was usual for her, "Shampoo much, much happy now! You make Shampoo happiest girl in all of China!"

As much as I was taken up in the delight of our three way embrace, a memory tickled at the back of my mind and I made a sudden connection. Looking at the ring on Shampoo's finger I said, "Isn't that the engagement ring that used to belong to my mother?"

"Hah?" Ranma blinked oh no! Your Dad gave that to me to give to you! Pop wanted me to give his old engagement ring to Shampoo...I must've got them mixed up by mistake..."

"Oh, that's no problem," I chuckled, freeing myself from the hug to turn to Shampoo and extend my hand, taking her ring hand in my own as I removed my mother's ring and placed Nodoka's wedding ring on Shampoo's finger. She caught on immediately and did the same thing for me, so in a way we wound up exchanging engagement rings too, which I think couldn't have been more perfect.

And then a voice called out, "ALL RIGHT, NOBODY MOVE! IN THE NAME OF THE MOON-Huh? Ah...what's going on here?"

"Sailor Moon?" Makoto turned away from our little moment of mutual triumph to stare at her four Fuku clad friends, who stood atop the pile of rubble in typically heroic poses, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Ah..." the girl whom I knew to be Tsukino Usagi (always hard to tell when she's in her secret identity due to the weird Glamour effect that protects their identities from the public) eyed us with a sheepish expression and replied, "...Coming to your rescue? Ah...I don't mean to seem rude and all, but...are we late for this party?"

"Afraid so," Makoto smiled, "Not that I don't appreciate the sentiments. I mean, it's awfully nice of you guys to come storming to my rescue and all..."

"Oh, you can blame it on Sailor Venus," said Sailor Mars (by which I mean, of course, Hino Rei), "She bugged us and wouldn't let us have a moment's peace until we agreed to do a Senshi teleport, once Mercury fixed your position."

"Are you all right?" the blonde Senshi in question hopped down to Makoto's side with an anxious expression, "You didn't hurt yourself fighting these goons? And what about that last call you made? You didn't do anything with your Sempai, did you?"

"Ah...well..." the taller girl said with a sheepish expression.

"I KNEW IT!" the blonde all but stabbed an angry finger at the other girl, "You told me you were going to wait until we talked some more on this! How could you, Jupiter? I thought we had an arrangement!"

"But, well, ah..." Makoto winced slightly, looking at a loss of words, for which I could hardly blame her.

"Heh," Akane smirked at the tall girl's discomfort, "Sounds to me like you two should work this out between yourselves, but don't worry, I'll take good care of Ucchan."

"Hah?" Ukyo blinked as Akane latched onto her arm in a very possessive manner.

"Hey!" Makoto protested, only to back a half-step at the glare she received from her blonde companion.

"Oh," Shampoo suddenly spoke up into this ensuing melodrama, "Almost forget," and she reached into that netherspace where she hides things like her bonbori and pulled out Ukyo's trademark favorite weapon.

"My Baker's Peel!" Ukyo cried in delight, "But how...?"

"Shampoo borrow it back from Prince," my Amazon honeypot revealed, "After all, can no be Spatula girl-or Spatula boy-without spatula, yes?"

Ukyo started to reach for it when Minako snatched it out of Shampoo's hand and began to chase after Makoto, who had sense enough to get a good head start of all of three paces. The rest of their merry band just stood where they were sweat-dropping.

"Guess they got a few bugs to work out in their relationship, huh?" Usagi remarked, and the other three Senshi just silently nodded.

"Oh, guess what, Usagi-chan," Kasumi announced with typical disregard for discretion, "Your cousin, Ranma, just proposed to Shampoo and Nabiki."

"Hah?" the pony-tailed odango-wearing Blonde in question turned a surprised look towards Ranma, "But I thought you guys were already engaged?"

"We are," Ranma swallowed, "I just thought I'd make it official, just so's nobody thinks we're doing this on account of it being an arranged marriage."

"All right then!" Usagi declared with enthusiasm and hopped right up to me to examine my ring and Sham-chan's, "Wow! They're beautiful! Who'd you have to rob to afford these, Ranma?"

"Pop and Mister Tendo," Ranma replied with a slightly more boyish expression.

"Really?" Usagi arched her eyebrows, "I'll bet that was slightly easier than busting into the national treasury. Oh well, way to go anyway! Now how soon did you say was the wedding?"

"Wow," Rei also leaned forward to examine my ring, then gave Usagi a sly look and said, "Wonder how big a ring I can expect you to give me, eh Princess?"

"Hah?" Usagi blinked her large blue eyes and winced, "Er...can we talk about that later?"

"My, my," chuckled the short haired Ami (and yeah, I still think she must be Akane's long lost twin sister because the resemblance between those two is like comparing Kasumi to Kachu), "This is certainly a more pleasant reunion than the one we were expecting..."

"Indeed," the Prince remarked, "Truly Kirin has seen many wonders this day," but then he glanced to one side as Lychee tugged on his sleeve to get his attention, and as he turned a questioning look on the girl she shyly handed him the half of the scroll that had been responsible for all that we had just gone through.

"Is important scroll, yes?" the blonde girl inquired, "You have, is for you."

"Thank you," Kirin took the scroll in his hand and drew the other one from some place within his outfit, then brought the two halves together as they sealed perfectly, becoming one scroll as though by a kind of magic.

"So that's it, huh?" Ranma said, "End of story."

"I guess," Ryoga agreed, "Only what's on that scroll? I mean...what the heck was all this about any way?"

"Is there some arcane secret preserved down through the ages?" Kodachi mused, "A hidden combat system or technique that would make you supreme against your enemies?"

"See for yourself," Kirin unrolled the scroll and Shampoo moved forward to read the text, a curious look crossing over her lovely features.

"How to make too-too delicious Fukujin Pickles?" she exclaimed, "First happy bride and groom wash pickles in salty water, then happy couple make vinegar solution from..."

"You've got to be putting us on!" Ukyo growled.

"You mean all this time we've been on a quest concerning a scroll that tells you how to make pickles?" even Sasuke seemed disquieted by that notion.

"Is very important recipe, good way to start in happy marriage," Lychee noted, and all of the Lucky Gods people nodded their heads in total agreement.

"Oh Shampoo..." Happosai mused in obvious delight, "The sound of your voice reading from the menu makes the whole thing sound like such a delightfully erotic experience...URK!"

"Say, Gramps," Ryoga growled dangerously as he picked the little man up with one hand, balling a fist with the other while adopting a most unpleasant smile on his otherwise angry expression, "What was all that business you were telling us before about this being a secret plot at world domination?"

"Er...well..." the old goat reasoned, "I guess maybe I did embellish my story a little, but everything turned out all right, so you can all look at this quest as a form of training..."

"Training?" Ranma crackled his knuckles, "You call this...TRAINING!?"

With that just about all of us joined forces to give the ancient Lecher a one-  
way launch on his way back to Japan. Even Hinako did not seem too ill disposed at our actions, though I imagine she was looking forward to extracting her own form of punishment against her boyfriend when she next saw him.

Anyway, things seemed to go pretty smoothly from there. The Prince had his people working to rebuild his ruined pagodas even while he made his blimp available to us for the return trip back to Japan. Me, Shampoo and Ranma all commandeered one of the cabins for ourselves, but no sooner did our newly re-  
engaged fiancee hit the pillow then he was out like a light and snoring like a saw mill. Shampoo and I decided to leave him like that, figuring he'd more than earned his rest, and found...ah...better ways of keeping ourselves occupied. As for the rest of our merry crew...well, I didn't make too many inquiries, but I'm happy to report that I only heard a couple of explosions somewhere off in the distance.

One fun little side-note that I probably should share with you is that Lotion approached the Prince and explained my role as her apprentice. Kirin respected the Amazon claims she made and promised that due compensation would be paid to our family dojo. But then the old woman surprised me by suggesting that I should be made a representative of Kirin's interests in Japan, which he seemed all to happy to agree with, saying that he was much impressed with my negotiating skills and thought I would know enough about the markets in Japan to give Nekonron a favorable trade concession.

Of course I through in my own conditions for this tidy little arrangement, something that Shampoo and I agreed was fitting compensation for our troubles. Since Kirin had complained about feeling isolated from the dynamics of the world, I suggested that he should send a trusted representative with us who could make a thorough study of our world and report back to him about the cultural and technological innovations that our modern society had to offer.

By now it should come as no surprise to you that we both suggested Mon Mon for this all-important role of bridging Nekonron to the future.

Why did we suggest this? Well, in case you haven't figured it out, we reasoned that all of our troubles stemmed from the traditional Male-dominant concepts that had been expressed to us by the Courtesan Priestess. Her lack of familiarity with modern ideas about womanhood had caused her to take liberties that she ought to have known were improper. I figured exposing her to the outside world would set a chain of discoveries in motion, and when she went back to her homeland she would bring that knowledge with her, and being about the highest ranking woman in their society...well...I rather think this could cause some useful changes in their cultural mindset.

Besides which Shampoo and me still owe that lady some pay back. I just hope Ranma never finds out how far she went with either one of us or it could mean troubles on a different front. For now we're letting him think or real reason for inviting her along is purely about cultural exchange. He seems willing to accept that fact, but even if he knew the truth, I'm not really sure if he'd regard himself as cuckolded.

I will say this in closing on the whole Nekonron affair...it brought the three of us even closer together than we had been in the beginning, something I never even thought was possible, given the sense of mutual inter-dependence that's grown between us of late. Ranma and Shampoo are like my left and right arms (don't ask me which is which, even I'm not sure sometimes) and the thought of how close I had come to living without one or both of them makes me faint. Now that I know beyond doubt how he cares about me I won't ever lose faith in him again, and Shampoo? She never lost faith in him, not once the whole time, even when I'd despaired and had been about to abandon faith she kept true to her love and never even once doubted Ranma.

It seems to me at times like this that my first appraisal of my iinazuke had been woefully misguided by a basic lack of vision. I had thought Ranma a penniless wanderer, rough hewn and ill-mannered without two yen to his name, in effect an Empty Wallet. My Wallet, by contrast, was my presiding obsession, and filling it all but ruled my life, so what did I need with a guy who seemed like a bottomless money pit? I had spurned boys in the past far richer and almost as handsome.

But I was wrong and I can now freely admit it. Ranma's wallet is full of courage, love and conviction, and as such it can never be empty. My wallet has been filled because of him and will never be empty again, and now I know that there are something worth more to me than all the Tea in China or the yen in the Tokyo markets. Two Wallets have become as one, and the bounty that we have joined there is our wealth of the future.

Now if only the Adults hadn't screwed things up so much while we were away, maybe we wouldn't currently be facing the immanent loss of our main asset, the family dojo...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Dances with Oni: shadowmane

Thought things were about to quiet down in this series? Think again! Cybelle makes her bid at a hostile takeover while Ganglot has a chat with a certain chef, and things are set in motion when Naomi pays her second visit to the dojo, so be there for: "With Sex you Get Eggroll," or "That's Using your Noodles!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	103. Chapter 103

NabikiRan98 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
Including my fellow fanfic writers, Nicole Manders,  
TH Tiger, Ryan Anderson, Wade Tritschler, DB Sommers,  
Steve Thesken, Gregg Sharp, Mike Koos and Donny Cheng,  
Take a bow boys and girls!)  
Chapter Ninety-Eight.

Nigel had a theory concerning Blondes and their behavior. It was a theory borne from long and arduous study of the subject, or-to be more precise-a study of the seemingly endless stream of Blonde secretaries that often filled Temp (or permanent) positions for Professor Sidney Fox.

His theory was a variation on the theme of natural selection, owing primarily to his belief that blonde haired women had a competitive advantage when it came to attracting the favorable attention of the opposite sex. Men the world over were drawn to blondes the way any species is attracted to the colorful plumage or distinguishing characteristics that become associated with health, exoticness and successful reproductive ability. Blondes conjured to mind the Viking ideal of the Valkyrie, bathing beauties sunning themselves along the beach, or inhumanly lithe Snow Bunnies from Sweden. To have a blonde on your arm was a symbol of status, a mark of male virility and success, to be a pack leader and to command the admiration (and envy) of millions.

As such they did not have to work so aggressively at finding a mate as did brunettes, so qualities such as intelligence had lesser importance and could even count as a deficit, and as such the vast number of Blonde jokes in the world had a kernel of truth behind them, as witnessed by the current occupant of the Secretarial desk normally inhabited by another blonde by the name of Claudia, who typified the sub-species.

"Were there any calls?" Nigel asked, and braced himself for the inevitable reaction.

"Yeah, some," replied a lovely blonde named Tamara as she consulted a note-pad, "Got a call from some museum on the east coast, a couple of Professor guys, and three other calls from a guy named Julianni."

"And those numbers are?" Nigel asked, already knowing the answer.

"What, you wanted me to take them down?" the girl made a disgusting noise before she resumed chewing on her gum, "You should have said so in the first place."

Nigel rolled his eyes and counted to five in Latin, contenting himself with the knowledge that the "slightly less than totally incompetent" Claudia would be returning in another day, in which case it would be a matter of "Here today, gone Tamara." The Temp office was really scraping the bottom of the barrel with undergraduate students filling in for roles for which they had barely minimum training, which meant that the faculty could save a few precious dollars on the sly, and never mind the mess that Temps often created in their wake.

Not that all Blondes were totally incompetent and lacking in smarts, he sternly reminded himself, having met more than a few who had wits as sharp as any razor.

He turned to his nominal employer and said, "Any chance we might install an answering machine in your office?"

"I'll talk to the board about securing the funds," Sidney replied, already heading for said office.

Nigel had some idea of where that suggestion would fit on the Board's list of priorities. Another theory he had long entertained was that school faculty members had been found on a previous excavation looking back to a time when there were a lot fewer electronic Gizmos to clutter up office existence. Their idea of a filing system was just that, a metal box with folders in it. Try explaining to them the intricacies of a Browser program and you might as well be speaking ancient Coptic Greek. Nigel also suspected that such men were the reason why Blonde Secretaries would not soon go out of existence, although what the agency thought it was doing assigning a sexy member of that set to Sidney Fox was an issue upon which he did not even wish to speculate. After all, Nigel was reasonably certain that his employer did not go THAT WAY when came to pursuing such matters. (Or if she did she was pretty damned discrete about it, although it would explain a few things that had been puzzling Nigel for some time now...)

The phone rang before the door fully closed, and Tamara fetched it on the second ring, saying, "Yeah? Who's this? Okay already, I'll tell her you're calling! Hey, Professor? Some lady named Laura Croft wants to talk to you on line one."

"I'll get it in my office," Sidney flashed a patently false smile before giving Nigel a hard look, "Call Professor Jones and tell him I'll be late for my staff meeting."

"I'll tell him a massive boulder is chasing you across the campus," Nigel replied, "He might even buy that."

As the Amerasian beauty vanished back into her office, and Nigel went about his own business, the secretary named Tamara returned to the busy work of filing and polishing her nails, unaware that a pair of less than friendly eyes were peering at her from the monitor screen sitting unused at her desk. All at once a light came on in the center, attracting Tamara's brief attention span, right before that light stretched out to engulf her, and then two images merged together, one superimposed on the other, only to resolve again into the outward form of Tamara, whose eyes grew light with intelligence and purpose as she casually set her nail polish bottle to one side and stretched out a hand to caress the phone intercom system.

"...You're kidding me, right?" the voice of Sydney Fox expressed in disbelief, "You took a Headhunter's dart where?"

"Look," another female voice responded, "You want me to have to spell it out? I had that obsidian dagger in my hands with the natives got a little restless, and thank Heavens I'd had my tetanus shots just the other day because those needles they used were a bit rusty..."

"I've had days like that," Sydney sympathized, "So how did you lose the dagger?"

"Oh, you know how it is," the other woman replied, "An associate just happened to be in the area and thought ripping me off was a good way to score points with his backers. I won't speak ill of the departed, but the sorry so-and-so shouldn't have made that crack about my boobs..."

"Well, can you blame him?" Sidney replied, "No offense, but they are among your more prominent features..."

"Etu, Sydney?" came the weary sigh from the other voice, "Look, I just thought you ought to know so you can be on the alert for that the dagger, which is somewhere loose in the wilds due to one of the henchmen who got away."

"I'll keep an eye out for it and let you know if word comes my way," Sidney replied, "From what I understand that dagger has quite a legend surrounding it, not that I believe in its supposed supernatural powers..."

The blonde secretary smiled, having fixed the intercom to hold in place after the call was concluded, and-sure enough-no sooner had Nigel returned then he and Sidney began conversing on a subject of far greater interest, their recent trip to a certain Tokyo district.

"Ah...Sidney," the English-born fop began, "Do you really think we did the right thing leaving that child with that Oni woman just on the strength of her say-  
so?"

"If you had objections to leaving her there you should have voiced them when we had the chance. All I know is that she seemed to have the right credentials, and her story was a bit too wild to be something you'd just make up to impress foreigners."

"But an Oni?" Nigel's skepticism was plain in his voice, "Aren't they supposed to ruthless, savage and responsible for most of the mischief in Japanese legends?"

"Not exclusively," Sidney, replied, "And this one seemed...different than what you'd expect. She didn't feel evil at all, and the way she laid her cards out on the table...I was more than a little inclined to trust her."

"You think we might have been under a spell?" Nigel suggested, "If you ask me we were a little too trusting of her story..."

"I've considered that," Sidney replied, "But with all that we've seen...given that it could have been all smoke and mirrors, it still made a lot more sense than any alternative theory I could come up with. It was Ryomi's choice to stay, after all, and unless you were thinking of adopting her..."

"I should say not," Nigel reacted, "She was trouble enough to handle when she was just a stranger!"

"So there you have it," Sidney remarked, "Of course I had intended to check this Ganglot out to see if her story really did hold water, such as to investigate her background and look into the matter of how she obtained that property and all that...but...I can't seem to recall the address. You wouldn't happen to remember it yourself, would you?"

"Ah...you know...now that you mention it," Nigel sounded faintly bewildered, "I can't. I don't even remember what part of the prefecture we were in...now isn't that odd?"

"Very," Sidney replied, "It's like the details are so fuzzy...like remembering something out of a dream. I wonder if she did something to us to make us forget?"

"I was thinking the very same thing," Nigel related, "Now why should she do that, I wonder...?"

The woman form posing as Tamara made a face at this. Of course it would make sense that her Mother-in-law would take steps to cover her tracks, and the memories of mortals were such malleable things, it would only be a little too obvious a step to blank them out so that any information that might be obtained from them would be effectively useless.

But then the woman (who was not Tamara) smiled as she contemplated the terminal at her desk. It might be horribly primitive...at least three seasons old by the look of it, and of limited capacity, but she knew could use it to link into more powerful websites using the College tracking systems to access sensitive satellite information from the JPL database. From there it ought to be simplicity itself to track down that pesky Oni!

It took a few minutes to set up the relays using a number of dummy accounts but she was finally able to download the information files that she needed. A good thing that she had some time ago engineered some periodic system crashes at a few popular websites to insinuate her remote Robot programs in these various systems, leaving those who noticed her attacks believing mistakenly that she was just some cleverly fiendish hacker maliciously disrupting Internet commerce. Her plan had allowed her to create dummy back-door files in all the major companies, spreading viruses under the disguise of repair kits, and as such she could survey the required photos at leisure without the Pentagon or the FBI being any the wiser.

And of course if anyone did manage to trace her handiwork down they would only discover Professor Fox and her primitive facilities, draw their own conclusions about an impoverished Relic Hunter and leave the blame on her instead of Tamara.

And of course the fact that "Tamara" linked these computers in with Yggdrasil itself gave them extra power and diagnostic ability so that the images scanned in raw electronic signals could be interpreted in such a way that the unique energy signature of an Oni of the First Rank would logically stand out like a beacon, leading Cybelle straight to her quarry and any annoying (and hence vulnerable) mortal alliances that Ganglot might have forged in the few days since obtaining her freedom. Once they were effectively dealt with it would only be a matter of sealing her Mother-in-law away for another three hundred or so years to end any chance of her becoming a genuine nuisance.

Of course her clever scheme had one flaw to its perfection, that being when the photos themselves turned up no reliable evidence that would lead her to discover the location of the Oni's lair. Much to Cybelle's dismay (and Tamara's blank incomprehension) what she saw were a number of hot flashes and widely spaced intervals within the Tokyo system, confusing Cybelle as to which of these energy signatures could be trusted as the current whereabouts of the Oni whom she was after.

Which left the dumbstruck Demon sorceress with one question, of course...namely how in the name of the Ninety-Nine Hells had Ganglot managed to pull this off, and with so little time for planning and preparation...?

Nearly halfway around the world, Julian paused in the act of setting up yet another of those odd devices that he and his ladylove were attaching to satellite dishes throughout the Nerima prefecture.

"Why do you suppose our lady wishes us to do this?" he wondered aloud for the tenth time in as many hours.

"Who knows?" Romeo shrugged, "It's not for the likes of us to fathom the motives of her kind. All I know is that she has promised to reward us for every one of these devices that we can attach to these curious bowls that these barbarian Japanese have uselessly hung out on their houses as decorations."

"Sometimes I wonder which is harder to fathom," Julian mused, "These Japanese or our lady?"

"It is a toss-up, I'll grant you," Romeo replied, and went back to repeating the motions drummed into her and Romeo by their Oni employer on the previous evening...

Yumi would smash the first person who suggested that she was worried into the ground with her bakers peel, even if the thought that her Niece had been out of touch for the past couple of days was making her a bit edgy. Staying on to look after Ukyo's restaurant was a small price to pay in order to see that Ucchan's Okonomiyaki Caf would be up and thriving by the time Ukyo got back from her heroic quest. After all, it wouldn't do for their company's image if their up-  
and-coming future owner and president went out of business before she had even had an official Grand Opening.

Still and all, Yumi did smile when she thought of what a charmer her Niece had become with the ladies of late, and it would be a sad miracle if somehow Ukyo came through this ordeal without one or both of the girls making a play for her virtue. Good experience under the belt in Yumi's own rather biased opinion, virginity being such an overrated concept, a legacy imposed on Japanese society by uptight European sensibilities (and a brief occupation by America, though somehow Japan had survived being culturally indoctrinated on the subject of their puritanical sexual hang-ups).

Ukyo needed someone in her life who was reasonably stable and had both feet planted solidly on the ground, which was why that Makoto girl was looking like such a favorable prospect. Not that the other main contender was all that bad a sort, just a bit flighty and high strung, as had been her mother before her. Ah...Kimiko...now there was a mass of self-contradictions! How strange to lose out to such a girl in the battle that had been waged for Soun's heart...

Yumi shook her head for the fifth time in as many hours. Damn, she was falling back into that pattern once again, and after vowing never to go back to being the lovesick fool of her youth! Silk had her claws in him now, and good riddance. She was better off without a man in her life...they were never anything but trouble anyway. Good only for one thing, and usually lacking in the stamina to even be very good at that! In fact it was a wonder that women still clung in hope to the silly pests in the first place, as if Men could alter their very nature, to grow up and act responsibly like adult human beings! If it wasn't for a trick of biology that made women dependent on men for the conceiving of children...

The doors to the Okonomiyaki shop chimed open, and Yumi looked up from the grill to see a figure striding into the place with nonchalant ease that belied the fact that she was very tall and extraordinarily pretty. Her long pale hair and dark sunglasses gave her the appearance of an American Movie star, yet she was dressed in simple street attire, not too fancy or garish, but obviously able to afford a good round of okonomiyaki.

At her side was a young girl...roughly Middle School aged, possibly thirteen or fourteen, whose long black hair had been neatly combed into a long ponytail tied fast with a ribbon. The dress this child was wearing flattered her figure and gave her a look of athletic grace worthy of a track star or Olympic gymnast. It made her think a little of one of her favorite Anime series about teenaged girls in the far future competing for the title of Cosmo Beauty, especially in the general cheerfulness the girl manifested, even as she looked somewhat uncomfortable in her clothing, as if accustomed to less feminine wear.

"Good Chef," the woman hailed Yumi, "Five of your best for my companion here. It's her first time eating at your establishment, and I dare say she has the appetite to eat your plates if she's not reminded against it."

"I'll have them ready in a Jif," Yumi replied, already setting the batter in motion.

"I'll have five more for me when the first batch is ready," the woman said as she and the girl sat down on a pair of stools by the grill, "I've heard much good praise about the cooking skills of this establishment and have high hopes for a meal most pleasing."

"Coming up faster than you can say Okonomiyaki," Yumi winked at the child, who got the gist of her jest and promptly responded, "Okonomi-!"

The fifth one hit the girl's plate before she was even finished, leaving her to gape in frank disbelief as though she had not suspected that Yumi was serious in her promise. She picked up the first one and blew on it, then took a sample bite before declaring in wonder, "It's good!"

"Second best in all Japan, eh?" the woman with sunglasses smiled, giving Yumi a knowing smile, "And you trained the best, didn't you? Or so goes the rumors in Kyoto."

"You know about us?" Yumi was faintly surprised, but only that. There was something about the woman...and that girl...the girl's face was somehow oddly familiar...

Almost mechanically she whipped up and served five more okonomiyaki to the woman herself, then saw her daintily pick up her first cooked disk in both hands with almost reverent savor before biting in, then adding in a side comment, "Chew slowly, dear...I want you to work a bit harder on perfecting your manners."

"Aw, Grandma," the child complained, "Isn't it bad enough you got me wearing this stupid dress? You worked all morning on my hair so I don't even recognize myself any more..."

"That was the idea, dear," the woman smiled before favoring Yumi with a wry look, "Children...they can be such a trial, but try living without them. But I rather imagine you already know what that's like though..."

"I'm afraid not," Yumi shook her head sadly, "I've never been married."

"Never?" the woman evidenced surprise, then shook her head, "Such a lovely thing as you? I find that difficult-no, make that impossible to believe! Surely the boys must have been falling all over you in your youth..."

"Who, me?" Yumi scoffed, "Hardly! I never had time for the boys when I was this girl's age, only after..." she paused, catching herself in the act of reminiscing, "Anyway, it was a long time ago, and I don't worry about such things..."

"What a shame, but I suppose it is your life," the woman sighed, "Still I rather imagine that there had to be at least one boy who caught your eye long ago...you see? I'm right, aren't I!"

"W-What are you talking about?" Yumi realized that she was stammering and tried to pretend that she was not.

"You're blushing," the woman paused, "And it's a nice blush, too. Whoever he was must have been quite a fool to let you get away...but that's life, I suppose," she sighed, "Still, I wouldn't trade the world for a single day spent with my own late husband. So much you have to look forward to in the years to come, Ryo-chan...how I almost envy you your choices."

"Ah, Grandma," the dark haired girl blushed crimson.

"Grandma?" Yumi arched an eyebrow, studying the handsome profile of the other woman.

"You'd never know to look at me, would you?" the woman smiled, "But then you're rather well preserved yourself for a woman in her late twenties..."

"I'm afraid I'm a bit more seasoned than that," Yumi responded, "But thanks for the compliment."

"Truly?" the woman replied, "I never would have guessed."

Ryomi was just finishing off her fourth okonomiyaki when she paused to give her Great Grandmother a puzzled look. Was the Oni actually flirting with this horse-faced old woman? (Not that Ryomi would say such things aloud, of course, but the chef was hardly what Ryomi would call a raving beauty!).

Yumi was about to say something more to the other woman when she heard the bell chime at her door once again. Turning a pleasant smile towards her new customer she stared to say, "What will you have...Sugar...?

Sonoda Taichi stood in the doorway smiling hesitantly at her with a package in his hands, bowing politely as he said aloud, "Konichiwa, Yumi-chan...you're looking very well this afternoon."

"What do you want?" Yumi's nostrils flared as she stared at the man with far less warmth in her tone, voice and posture.

"I...wanted to apologize if we got off on the wrong foot the other day," Taichi responded, "It was rather rude of me to leave without giving you a gift. You do like chocolates, as I seem to remember..."

"I've been trying to cut back," Yumi responded, not favoring the gift yet not refusing it either, "As I said the first time, what do you want, Tai-san?"

Taichi winced a little, but he steadied his nerves as best he could, even if the initial greeting had gone off a bit less smooth than he might have wanted.

"Ah..." he searched for a new opening line and tried again, "You're looking...ah, rather healthy these days. The restaurant business obviously suits you."

"It pays the bills," Yumi turned away, "Not as much call for my old line of work. By the way, how is your wife doing?"

"Okay-I mean, she's doing quite well," Taichi slumped his shoulders a little, knowing this was definitely not going to go the way that he would have liked, "I must say...it was a bit of a surprise seeing you again after all of these years. I...didn't know that your Nephew was setting up shop in this area..."

"Kuonji Enterprises is always looking to expand its interests in new market areas with a lot of capital growth potential," Yumi replied, "My Nephew is very adept and promises to be a fine credit to the family owned business. It would be most unsettling if someone were to attempt to buy out this franchise before he has had a chance to demonstrate just how well he has learned under my Tutorage in the running of a privately held business."

"Ah...well...yes," Taichi steeled himself, "About that. My clients are also interested in exploring their options for the Furinkan Financial district, and we most certainly do not anticipate any sort of conflict between your interests and our own. However...if we do acquire property holdings in the neighborhood, and it should happen that this block itself should need to be added to that tally..."

"You'll what?" Yumi glared at him, "Send your goons out here to try and force the owners to accept whatever offers you make them?"

"Certainly not!" Taichi protested, "I would never dream of doing anything like that with you. Why get perfectly good men killed? AH-I mean...surely there would be more civilized ways of settling such matters?"

"There would be," Yumi said, "And if it was just me I'd merely tell you to take a hike, but if I even so much as hear one word that you and your 'clients' are attempting to exert pressure on my Nephew to sell his business...I would not look kindly on such a thing. Do you understand my meaning?"

Taichi swallowed a thick lump in his throat and replied, "As clear as crystal...but there is no need for you to harbor such suspicions and hostility towards me or my clients. We're not unreasonable people, we most certainly do not seek an adversarial relationship with either you, your Nephew or Kuonji industries itself. Surely there must be a less confrontational way for us to discuss these matters, Yumi-chan."

"Don't call me that," Yumi growled, "You lost the right a long time ago!"

"Um..." Taichi steeled himself and finally asked the question that had been bothering him since their previous meeting, "Is it about what happened in the park? I know I was...ah...less than fully honest with you at the time, and that I...inadvertently created certain...false expectations that I failed to realize. You're...not still upset with me about that, are you?"

"Upset with you?" Yumi's eyes glittered with emotion, and suddenly she was across the dividing line of the grill with trademark Baker's Peel in hand, and with a flourishing motion she brought the iron weapon around and swatted Taichi like a fly, picking him up and hurtling him out the doors as though she were scooping up something she found on the sidewalk.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I'M UPSET WITH YOU!?" she cried at the top of her lungs before hyperventilating for a few moments, only managing to calm down with the greatest of efforts.

"Wow," Ryomi exclaimed, having watched all of this with a round-eyed expression.

"Now that's what I love to see," Ganglot mused as she peered beyond her dark sunglasses, "Live entertainment with our food. This really is a full service establishment."

Out in the street Taichi groaned, his graceless landing having been broken by a handy mailbox that had just happened to be positioned outside of the restaurant, "She took that...better than I thought she would..."

"You think?" said Mailbox groaned with equal fatalism, thinking that there was much of a resemblance in technique between his Ucchan and her Aunt, as if spatula wielding were a trait that could somehow be genetically transmitted.

Yumi finally calmed down enough to remember that she had an audience, and turned a sheepish expression their way, bowing before she said, "I'm sorry you both had to see that..."

"Not at all," Ganglot replied, "I'm sure the poor fellow did something to deserve it."

"That technique of yours," Ryomi sat upright, "You clobbered him so smoothly! I've never seen anything like it."

"Ah...Kuonji style Cooking Martial Arts," Yumi explained a bit sheepishly, "It's a family specialty..."

"Ah yes, and you do it with such style and panache," Ganglot complimented, "I'm something of a connoisseur of the arts myself and I appreciate a true master of their chosen profession."

"Oh, I'm nothing special," Yumi replied as she slung her trademark weapon across her back, "My family has been making okonomiyaki for countless generations, and we've perfected our technique over the years...it just comes in handy sometimes that our technique has many other applications."

"Ah, but you see, that's the part I don't get," Ganglot remarked, "You take such pride in your family business, and yet you have no direct heir, other than your Nephew, to carry on the name and your profession."

"Well...perhaps...but Ukyo is a very special Nephew," Yumi replied, "And I'm proud of the way that sh-HE has been coming up in the world. HE will be a real credit to the Kuonji name, and I'm satisfied just to help secure our legacy by supervising HIS more recent training."

"I can see that you are proud," Ganglot nodded, "And I'm sure your Nephew will perform beyond your expectations for...him. It just seems such a shame that you never truly enjoyed the benefits of being a real mother..."

"Eh?" Yumi asked with a non-plussed expression.

"I'm sure you would have been a wonderful mother," Ganglot sighed, "It changes your outlook on life in so many ways that you would never expect. Of course, as you say, you seem happy enough with your life as it is, and a man would probably only complicate things. Besides, as you say, you lost out on the love of your life to some other woman, which no doubt was for the best."

"Ah...well..." Yumi hesitated.

"And as they say, all is fair in love and war and all that," Ganglot sighed, "Winners and losers in the game of life, I know well how that story goes..."

"Winners and losers?" Yumi blinked, "Now wait a minute...!"

"Oh, I'd never imply that you were a loser at anything," Ganglot reassured, "Even if someone else did win, a woman who obviously appealed to his tastes far better than you could."

"What?" Yumi reacted, "Me lose...to that...that...!"

"Was she a better cook or a more talented domestic?" Ganglot asked.

"Cook?" Yumi cried indignantly, "That neo-fascist...she couldn't cook to save her life!"

"Then was she prettier than you?" Ganglot wondered, "More feminine, more attractive to the opposite sex?"

"What?" Yumi rounded on the other woman, "Are you calling me unfeminine?"

"I would never think of doing any such thing," Ganglot assured her, though Ryomi did think it significant that her great grandmother kept one hand behind her back, "I'm just trying to understand how someone such as you could lose to another woman who obviously did not adhere to your high standards. I suppose it must all come down to a matter of chemistry. It's always the good ones that get away from us, we just have to go on and pick up the pieces..."

"Why should I?" Yumi muttered to herself, "I'm tired of playing second fiddle to some ghost of an Army brat...never mind. If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to running a restaurant."

"By all means," Ganglot said, getting up from her chair, "Your food was excellent and the service was first rate. I believe that Ryo-chan and I will be visiting here for lunch more often, and do give my regards to your Nephew when you see him."

"Sure thing," said Ryomi as she followed the example of her elder and said "Neat trick with the spatula. I wouldn't mind learning how you spin-reverse pivot"  
like that."

"Oh, no problem, kid," Yumi replied with a deeply troubled expression as she returned to cleaning off her grill, intending to be ready when the school lunch crowd came by for their Okonomiyaki.

Out on the street Ryomi took notice of the oddity of a mail box with legs sticking out from the bottom but preferred not to comment on this on the off-  
chance there might have been something in that Okonomiyaki. Instead she turned to her great-grandmother and said, "What the heck was that all about? Were you trying to make her jealous about that guy and his picking somebody else?"

"Nothing so mundane, dear," the Oni chuckled softly, "Some people just need a good push in the right direction to get them to behave the way you want them to. You'll find out more about it once the fun really gets started in this drab old town..."

Naomi was utterly stunned upon debarking from the limousine, having expected to come upon a ruined dojo, only to find the rent in the wall had been repaired and that the dojo itself was presently under an advanced stage of reconstruction.

As she paused at the gates to the property itself she tried to sort out what she was seeing with her memories of the place when she had last left it, a battle ground where an elephant (and she still had problems reconciling herself with that point) had come crashing through the compound some refugee out of a Tarzan movie, trampling all that lay in its path (which very nearly had included Naomi and her daughter!). At the very least she had expected to see a yellow tape marker strung across the huge gap that had been in the brickwork with "Do Not Cross" signs indicating the zone of devastation. In America such things were meant more than for some flimsy security measure, but rather to mark off the extent of damages so that insurance companies could send representatives to inspect and make their estimations. She understood that matters were handled somewhat differently in Japan, but at the least she would have expected a week to have elapsed before a construction crew could be assigned to make repairs, after zoning permits and official police permission had been obtained once criminal matters had been properly determined.

There was not even a faint scar to mark where the wall had been demolished, and the Dojo itself was near to fully reconstructed with fresh beams hoist into place by a curious work crew consisting of Atsuko, Silk, the Purple-haired Comb and some other individual whom Naomi did not recognize, fellow wearing some odd manner of ball cap.

To Naomi's further astonishment, the one named Atsuko was easily hefting a two hundred pound beam over her head while the man called out instructions and guided one end into place across the main beam. Comb helped guide the other end into a pre-cut groove so that the beam fit snugly without requiring either a hammer or nails. The blond haired man then pressed some wooden pegs into place using nothing more than the tip of his index finger while Atsuko went to fetch another beam, and all the while the one named Silk consulted some blue prints laid out on a table, conversing over details with the blonde haired girl named Kennou, while the one Naomi remembered as Nodoka appeared to serve ice-cool drinks to this odd team of workers.

No one paid immediate attention to her as Naomi scanned the yard in search of the two men she had witnessed the other day, and to her amazement she found them sitting on the porch of the main house calmly playing a board game together or rather she saw one of the two men-the owner of the estate himself-while the other looked to all the world like a giant panda! Naomi had to blink her eyes several times before taking all of this in with dull amazement. It was not at all how she had imagined a typical Japanese family might spend their mornings

"...I still say they need to reinforce the walls a little better," she heard Kennou arguing, "If you guys have things like elephants come crashing through here ever other day..."

"Unfortunately we could hardly afford the amount of steel and reinforced concrete needed to cope with such occurrences, Dear," Silk was replying before a growl from that odd half-and-half hound resting near to their side drew both women's attention to Naomi, "Oh my...company calling this early?"

"How the heck did you get in here, lady?" Kennou roundly challenged Naomi, as if marking out her turf against an unwanted intruder.

"Ah...I was coming to see you," Naomi began, not adding that she HAD been looking for the front door but somehow mysteriously wound up in the back, an occurrence that she could hardly blame them for being skeptical about should they doubt her, "I thought maybe...ah..."

"You wanted to check on us to see how we were doing?" Silk said pleasantly, "Isn't that very nice of you...and is that a present you bring us?"

"Ah..." Naomi glanced down at the package she was carrying in her hands and said, "Er...yes. I was told that it is the custom here to give presents when you visit someone's house..."

"What is it?" Atsuko asked as she suddenly popped up alongside them, "I hope it's chocolates! I just love it when people bring me candy! I've got a real sweet-tooth you know..."

"More like sweet-fangs," Comb noted as she, too, came up to join them, "Come to check on us, eh? Expecting to find the rotting bones that you could pick over?"

"Comb," Silk chided, "Be nice. Please forgive my companion, she hasn't had her distemper shots in quite some time, though I can vouch for the fact that she does not actually carry rabies, appearances notwithstanding."

"Bite me," the Purple haired woman snorted.

"Don't give her any ideas," Atsuko stage-whispered, "I already made that mistake once already..."

"How nice to see you again, Nakamura-san," Nodoka said with even more pleasantness than Silk herself, "And how are you and your lovely daughter enjoying your stay in Japan?"

"So far it has been...most illuminating," Naomi replied, glancing to one side before adding, "Don't those two do any work around here?"

"Nope," Atsuko leered, "It's not exactly for their brains or their labor skills that we keep them around."

"Most certainly," Silk nodded, "If Soun-chan and the useless Panda want to help out, there is nothing to stop them, but we do this as a labor of love and in token repayment for the kindness and hospitality of the Tendos."

"Besides," Kennou snorted, "The sort of help those two might give would be worse than no help at all. The Three Stooges had more employment skills than those two."

"Excuse me," a soft-spoken, warmly polite and unmistakably MALE voice said from just behind Naomi, "But if everyone is taking a break for right now, then I hope you'll excuse me while I report back to the main office. I need to pick up a few more supplies if we're going to get this done before sunset..."

Naomi slowly turned around, a look of dazed wonder crossing her lovely face as she found herself looking up into the face of the most gorgeous man whom she had ever seen grace the entire planet. Up close his manly good looks and robust health affected her like a small conflagration that erupted, in her soul and spread out to engulf all other areas. In dazed wonder she marked that face by each distinguishing feature, classified him as an Adonis and promptly felt weak in the knees, and coming very close to fainting outright!

"By all means, Bogard-san," Silk replied as if she were the one entitled to give permission, "Take your time but do hurry back. You're making such splendid progress that I know very shortly you will have Soun-chan's dojo fully restored to its former glory. Everything should be in readiness for when Nabiki-san and the others get back from their mission."

"Thanks," the astonishingly handsome man smiled a friendly smile as he made semi-saluting motion with two fingers touching his cap before turning around and taking his leave of their presence.

Naomi thought she heard a faint sigh escape from Kennou's lips, or it could have been an echo of her own soft exhalation, which same implied that she had forgotten to breathe for several long seconds.

"Sooo," Comb drawled the question, "Why are you here, Nakamura-san? Is this just a social visit, and where is your bodyguard?"

"Ah...Kento-san is not my bodyguard," Naomi came back to herself with a snap that was almost elastic, "But he is looking after my Rachael. I'm here because we never did get to finish our little chat from the previous day concerning this dojo, which...I can see, is on a firmer foundation than I had previously imagined."

"Well then," Silk waved to the house, "Why don't you and I have a little chat about that while the rest of our merry crew relax and unwind in their own individual fashions."

"That would be most pleasurable for me," Naomi agreed, handing over the package she was carrying before adding, "And these are seaweed cakes, not chocolate."

"Awww," both Comb and Atsuko responded, while Kennou gave the pair her most patented, "I don't know these people" expression.

"I love seaweed cakes," Silk accepted the package, then motioned towards the house once again, only to pause as she gave the rest of her companions a meaningful glare, at which point Comb reacted, as did Atsuko with disappointed expressions.

"Come on, you two," Kennou said in disgust as she took them both by their arms and drew them out into the yard with a grumble, "Honestly, you guys are about as subtle as a lead pipe..."

Naomi blinked her eyes, wonder just what sort of weird family environment they were running at this Tendo place, and whether it was safe to bring children around. Nonetheless she was pleased to be sitting down at the table across from the smooth-talking Silk, feeling more at home in conversation with someone who had more than two neurons to rub together, as opposed to people who preferred to use their fists to illustrate their points in conversation.

"I'm sorry if my friends are a bit nosy and aggressive in wanting to know the reason for your visit," Silk began, "I admit to curiosity, but I am not about to assign sinister motivations simply because you are a foreigner representing American business interests."

"You will forgive me," Naomi smiled, "But you are not exactly native born yourself. I at least have Japanese ancestry, but you are a resident of the mainland, and I am given to understand that Japanese sensibilities do not run all that highly favorable in that direction."

"All too true," Silk replied as she poured more freshly brewed tea into both of their cups, "But less so now than during my previous visit some twenty years ago. Chinese have always been regarded with suspicion by the Japanese, owing to a few odd wars waged between our two countries and the usual ethnocentric barriers that you Americans yourselves must find very difficult to cope with."

"You've been to Japan before," Naomi said as she blew on her tea to help cool it, "I must confess that I find your relationship with the owner of this house a rather curious one...not that it's any of my business, of course..."

"Well, it's not exactly on the level of a National State Secret that I became intimate with Soun-chan during my previous stay in Japan," Silk mused, "And the fact that we have a daughter now old enough to call me up a while ago and tell me that she and her husband are expecting their first child might be considered scandalous in some quarters, but we Amazons tend not to be all that obsessed with our reputations."

"Your daughter is going to have a baby?" Naomi blinked, "A daughter born illegitimately...?"

"I take exception with your choice of wording," Silk said smoothly, "There is nothing illegitimate at all about my daughter, whatever the circumstances are surrounding her conception. I never informed Soun-chan that I was pregnant on my return to the mainland, and he only found out when she came to Japan searching for a nearly identical sister she never even knew that she had."

"I'd imagine he was rather upset with you for not telling him," Naomi remarked.

"Perhaps he was," Soun remarked, "But that's the remarkable thing about Soun-  
chan, he can be surprisingly resilient and forgiving, once he has time to adjust to something as unsettling as discovering a bouncing baby twenty year old Amazon Demon Hunter on his doorstep. It's one of the things that attracted me to him in the first place."

"So now you're trying to rekindle the old romance, eh?" Naomi found herself smirking, as if she were having a friendly chat with one of her old High School girlfriends.

"More than trying," Silk smiled with all the mysteriousness of a lady Buddha, "In truth the fact that I was the first of his suitors to make plain my desire for him gave me a foot in the door, even if I did make a choice that I later regretted of returning home rather than pursue a more permanent relationship. Instead I surrendered him to an engagement arranged by his parents between him and the chief of all my rivals, the late Tsukino Kimiko."

"The mother of those three girls I saw yesterday," Naomi remarked, "The legitimate-I mean-the daughters born to his late wife..."

"The very same," Silk replied, "Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane, each of them a very special girl and each gifted in their own individual ways. I have made quite a study of those three during my time here and have drawn many...interesting conclusions. I now feel that I know them almost as well as if they were my own daughter, not that I would presume on them to fulfill the role their true mother left vacant."

"But you'd like the chance to be their step-mother," Naomi deduced.

"Not if it alienates me against those three girls, but...if a suitable arrangement could be found by which I could appease their concerns and understand that I would never truly seek to usurp Kimiko in their father's heart, I would be happy to regain a place in their father's life that was of a more-or-less permanent arrangement," Silk replied, taking another sip from her teacup.

"I see," Naomi replied, her own expression relaxing somewhat, "This almost reminds me of the time I spent with my ex-husband. We married when we were both much too young, and we had no idea of all the...complications it would cause in both our lives. I managed to work my way through college and even graduated at the top of my class before having Rachael, and then there was all that bother and hassle about finding a competent day care service, and Rick never did enough to help carry his half of the weight..."

"Men can't always be relied upon to know what is best," Silk remarked, "Not their fault, really, more like a trick of biology that makes them eager to plant a seed but not so fond of the idea of harvesting the fruit of their labor."

"I won't pass on some of what he did as a mere result of biology," Naomi growled, "Poor breeding is no excuse for turning out the way he did when his career failed to take off like mine. In the end I had to make a decision for the sake of my Rachael."

"And I'm certain it was not an easy decision you made either," Silk heaved a sigh, "Men can be full of surprises, and not all of them pleasant, but without them we would have to find alternative ways of entertaining ourselves, a reason why we Amazons have never truly done entirely without them."

"You say...Amazon," Naomi frowned, "As in a society of women warriors?"

"The strongest women fighters in all of China," Silk replied, "Some think us merely a legend rather than one of the oldest continuous civilizations on the planet with our roots going back to Bronze Aged Asia Minor. We are a Matriarchy, one of a very few remaining from ancient times, tolerated by the government of Beijing because we are too remote and troublesome to be worth the effort of them forcing us into submission."

"I can't imagine that they're any too happy to have a group like you in their midst," Naomi remarked, "From what I've read the government of Communist China is as intolerant of dissent as they are of non-conformists."

"We have had our difficulties in the past," Silk replied, "But the power of the Amazons should never be underrated, and we have-on occasion-impressed upon the government officials the consequences that would be exacted upon them should they try and impose their rule on us directly."

"Well, not to presume to know anything about your business," Naomi remarked, "But I personally would never rest easy until there is a permanent and decisive change in the Beijing government. Their leaders strike me as the sort of ruthless bastards who would stop at nothing just to remain in power."

"I dare say you are right about that," Silk said with a distant tone in her voice, "But one can never say when it comes to the future...too many alternate pathways lay open at any turn in the road that destiny will follow. We have a say in the turns and twists of our own destinies, yet we can never ignore the path that is already there waiting for us to pursue it."

"What is this?" Naomi asked, "Ancient Chinese Fortune Cookie wisdom?"

"Something like that," Silk replied, "Or poetry, if you like, such as Robert Frost's famous dictum regarding the road not taken, which made all of the difference."

"Look," Naomi set down her cup of tea, "It's no concern of mine how you pursue affairs of stare or affairs of the heart, and I really didn't mean to wander off into matters of such a personal nature..."

"No, you did not," Silk replied, "You are here because you are interested in the property, but also because the traditions embodied by this dojo fascinate you on a certain level. You have never experienced anything quite like the Anything Goes dojo, and you strike me as the sort of person who likes to acquire the things that fascinate her."

"You think I'm here because I'm after the property?" Naomi replied with an arching of eyebrows.

"That is part of your reason," Silk replied, "The company you represent is considering real estate acquisitions as a part of a long-term project that you are a part of. You seek to curry favor with your employers by exploring the options on possible land acquisition, not just of this property but of the rest of the surrounding neighborhood. It will be on your recommendation that the company moves ahead with its plans, which is why you are still trying to make up your mind about us. Finding the dojo in ruins would have lowered the property rates and made such an acquisition that much more easy..."

"I see," Naomi replied, "Not much gets by you, does it?"

"I pride myself as an observer, as well as a judge of character," Silk replied, "You are not truly a bad person, nor even as ruthless as you style yourself, but it would be a mistake to underestimate you. Your skills at business are quite formidable, and having you for an enemy would be most undesirable. You have approached me because you believe I have some influence upon Soun, and if I were to agree with your plans then he most likely would follow my advice. Of course if you were to deal with Soun-chan directly you might discover that he can be quite adamant on certain issues, and that the dojo itself is the one thing he prizes more than life, family and honor."

"Why is this place so special to him?" Naomi asked in surprise.

"It would be difficult to describe to you," Silk replied, "Perhaps the best term to use would be the memories that this place holds for him...of his family, his roots to traditional society, the home where he loved his wife and cared for his children, where he played as a child himself and rode upon the knee of his late mother. So much about this place holds value to him beyond all wealth and title, and he would quite literally do anything to keep this property within the family, even promise his daughters to the first man who is strong enough to hold it against all opposition."

"I think...I understand a little of what that is like," Naomi replied, "I've never truly had a home to call my own. I traveled a lot in my youth and my parents...my adopted parents...tended to move around a lot...and besides...it is difficult to summarize..."

"But you have difficulty finding your way back to the place where you originally began," Silk concluded for her, "Direction is a problem for you, not just knowing where to turn and which path to follow. Retracing your steps to the beginning simply beyond your ability, and you have never understood why this is so. If you had no one to guide you, no familiar landmarks, you might well wander at random and never find your way in this world or in life..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naomi was half on her feet, "What are you getting at? Why can't you just come right out and say it?"

"My apologies if I have given you offense," Silk replied, "But I am feeling my way here, and there is much about you that conforms in character to someone else of my acquaintance."

"What would you know about what I've had to go through, what I've had to endure?" Naomi demanded, "Who the hell are you to presume to lecture me about my life...?"

"I am a Lore Master," Silk replied, "It is in my nature to divine truth and to speak it. It is the truth, is it not? You have no sense of direction, and you have no idea why this is so. You are stronger than any other girl of your age, and your daughter has inherited this strength, but raw strength alone cannot earn your way in this world, so you have learned to adapt to a world where people make certain assumptions about you. Being more intelligent than most you have done an admirable job of mastering your chosen profession, but now you are beginning to sense that there is more to your world than you have previously imagined."

"And just what the hell does all of that mean?" Naomi demanded.

"That your roots, and the answer to the mysteries surrounding your existence, are to be found here in Japan," Silk replied, "And it centers around this dojo."

"You're insane!" Naomi got up and backed away from the table, "You think I'm buying any of this fortune cookie mumbo jumbo? You think I'll buy into it just because you found out a few things about me?"

"I think you are intelligent enough to form your own answers," Silk replied, "Deny it to yourself if you must, but we both know better. The truth is here, and it is waiting for you to see it."

"What truth?" Naomi turned and walked out onto the porch, "I don't even know why I came out here! Forget it, good bye! Thanks for the tea, and don't bother seeing me out the door!"

"But..." Silk paused then smiled softly, "Oh well...good luck finding your own way out of the yard, Nakamura-san."

Comb, Atsuko and Kennou came out from hiding, the latter one saying, "What the heck was that all about? You rattled her cage pretty hard there..."

"Probably wanted to see what fell out," Comb remarked, "After all, she is a Hibiki."

"Hey, I resemble that remark," Atsuko growled, "And what were you trying to do making her angry like that? Didn't you just say she could be a pretty mean customer to go up against?"

"It was a risk, I will admit that," Silk conceded, "But it was necessary to first throw her off her guard by opening up about myself and giving her a sense that she could safely do likewise. Once matters turned to more serious issues of business she was more on her guard, and then I closed the argument by tossing her a piece of meat to attract her interest. She has a real hunger to know about her roots, and that will bring her back to us time and again until she is ready to accept the answers we provide her. You will have to take charge of matters at that point, Atsuko-san...after all, she is a kinswoman."

"I hope you're right," Comb sighed, "It a dangerous game that you're playing with Soun's dojo, and that has an effect on Shampoo and her Airen, so what goes around comes around..."

"Which is the way things usually work with a Hibiki," Silk softly noted.

"Hey, watch the personal remarks," Kennou frowned, "But you know...I actually feel sorry for that lady somehow. She's got no idea who she is or about any of that stuff you've been telling me about the family."

"Rather a lot like you before we found you, eh Sis?" Atsuko remarked with a sly expression.

The blonde did not answer that one directly, but the frown she adopted was more contemplative than resentful...

Cologne sighed as she eased back into the steaming warm bath that was installed outside to the Masaki household. A product of Juraian technology that seemingly defied numerous architectural standards, it was surprisingly relaxing as well as pleasing to the eye and mind, and it afforded her some measure of seclusion so that she could at long last unwind and take stock of her surroundings.

These young people (well, technically young anyway) were so full of energy and life that at times it was a trial just keeping up with their numerous exchanges. The week or so since she had accepted her father's generous offer to pay an extended visit had been both exciting and fruitful, and none so more than the past few days when the normal (for lack of a better term) routine of daily life had been disrupted with the arrival of the curious girl-child who called herself Miyuki.

How curious that the young girl should just drop in on her Nephew and announce herself in such an auspicious manner. Unraveling the truth surrounding that girl had proven a bit of a challenge even for likes of Washu, but when at last they had confronted the Demoness Yazuha and learned the truth of the child's conception it had been a bit of a revelation on all counts. So many dramatic moments to experience before the final confrontation in which her Nephew had prevailed by use of the Lighthawk sword. In the end they had managed to save enough of Miyuki to clone the child via Washu's laboratories, and now there was a baby forming from a zygote into a child that would soon need the love and caring of a family unit. Even Ryoko was pitching in on this, and she being the one who had most resented Miyuki and all she represented.

Washu...Cologne shuddered slightly at the thought of paying another visit to her laboratory. The self-described "Greatest Mad Scientist of the Universe" and her appetite for studying members of the Juraian royal house had just given Cologne a new definition of the words "A Probing Inquiry." Letting down her guard around that one had definitely NOT been one of the wisest moves of Cologne's existence, a mistake she had no intention of repeating any time soon.

Of course Cologne was not to be underestimated either, which was why the act of physically relaxing was so rare for her, almost sinfully self-indulgent. With nothing to do, no place to have to be in any great hurry, no important decisions to make, nothing to be consulted about, even training momentarily suspended and her time set aside for the pure joy of relaxing, it was a moment where Cologne could all but redefine the nature of her life through simple reflection. Enjoying a refreshing period of utter and complete contentment, it was for the first time in almost three hundred years that she could really and truly let her guard down, shed all her disguises, pretenses and inhibitions and just be a normal young-seeming girl, much like what she in fact resembled due to her Juraian longevity. Time to enjoy her retirement, allow the world go about its ways and let responsibility melt away from her shoulders, permitting her to bathe and relax in the glorious contentment of a life well lived, surrendering herself to the arms of fate itself...whose arms felt oddly real, solid and inviting now that she took a moment to pay attention...

Arms? Cologne's eyes flew back open as hands caressed her from behind and cupped her breasts as long and sensuous fingers teased her skin and gently yanked upon her nipples, even as another pair of warm pillows pressed up against the exposed area of Cologne's back as her long hair was currently done up in a tight bun. Even as she made these discoveries she smelled the familiar perfume of almonds and honeysuckle that recalled to mind a certain someone who always loved to shampoo her hair in a blend of such scented allow mixture, and then the familiar voice murmuring in her ear, "Nihao, Kho-Lon, darling...I've been waiting for you to get here..."

Cologne's yelp of dismay could be heard all the way to the Masaki manner...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Juraian Hot Springs Vacation Resorts: shadowmane

While the kids are away the adults will play, but what are the kids doing while the grown ups are busy getting into trouble? A brief glimpse of the kids making their way home will be in order before we return back to seeing what Cologne is up to (and who with) and more news about the fate of the dojo. Ranma has a man-  
to-man chat with Ryoga and Ukyo, and Nabiki makes a discovery concerning the true nature of her mother, Kimiko. Be there for: "The Love Blimp," or "Romance Always Gives Me Gas!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	104. Chapter 104

NabikiRan99

Ranma and Nabiki,

A Tale of Two Wallets

By Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)

Chapter Ninety-Nine.

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Once again I found myself in that curious place between worlds that Lotion calls the Astral Light, or dimension of Souls, whatever you might like to call it. To me it's like an infinite blue screen canvas that stretches out to infinity in all directions, a place where the Mind has more substance than the Body, and where change is unknown but belief is the absolute criteria for what you see, hear and experience.

Call it the TRUE third dimension, as Lotion insists that the world of substance that we know is merely a product of the Fourth dimension, time being essential for change, and change being necessary for there to be energy, particles, atoms, molecules, heat and all the like. I mean, it makes sense when you come down to it...without the power of change, of one event flowing into the next one, how could we possibly even recognize ourselves, let alone a speeding bus heading straight for us in an imminent collision? The Old Woman is rather scathing to the limits of modern day physics, rather like a college professor critiquing the finger paintings of a small child, as if ancient Amazon Lore is that much more superior to the accomplishments of scientists of our era,. (Of course the fact that she constantly reminds me of what a cute young boy Einstein was when she first met him does kind of help me to understand why she feels this way, given that her mere longevity alone is proof of the soundness of her theories).

Actually to even call her an OLD woman when she's giving one of her Astral lectures is a bit of a stretch, seeing how she barely looks older than me while we're both mentally on that plane, our bodies left behind in meditation. Young, pink-haired and radiantly beautiful in a silken Chinese styled Kimono, exactly how she looked back when she was a young warrior in training under Cologne. The resemblance between her and Ambergris is striking, leading me to speculate as to a possible relationship, though when I asked her about this Lotion just smiled and reminded me that in a small village such as theirs all the families were related by blood in one sense or another, a reason they have to constantly be on guard against excessive inbreeding.

Anyway, on the occasion of this particular session, Lotion was showing me the art of Astral Timetravel, stressing all the while that the power of the mind to project itself through the Astral stream from one point to another is a facet of the plane's essential LACK of time and continuity, and that it would be easy to get lost this way if it were not for those silvery chords that anchor us to our still-living bodies. Sever the cord and the soul would be lost in the timestream, something we both had to guard against as a simple scrying session could easily turn out disastrous without the proper precautions and safeguards.

Having drummed this point home to me almost to excess, she then proceeded to show me how she could negotiate through the complex web of data and impressions that were open to our minds for ready access, and how to find the chords of one's own destiny so that you can trace it back through time to the original source material. She showed me the point where my chord began, which was a few months before the time of my actual birthing. To my surprise my chord changed color and continued onward into the past, but Lotion merely explained that this was the point where my soul had entered my mother's embryo, and that the soul extending backwards in time was the Me who was before my birth. I asked for clarification on this point and got a lecture about Reincarnation, how we live many lives over and over and that few souls are ever truly created, and what a silly idea it was for the Catholics to believe that the soul was universally created at the moment of conception.

Yeah, that really clarifies things a bunch. I'm just the me who is right now, but before the first Trimester of my physical conception...maybe the second or third month of my life...my soul merged with my then-embryonic body and began the long process from womb to birth to infancy to my present teenaged state. Naturally this prompted me to ask her how there could be six billion people living on our world in the present when the total number of human beings who ever lived before the nineteenth century was estimated to be just about that number. I mean, wouldn't that imply that we only had time to be live twice in all the millennia that Homo Sapiens have existed?

Her response to that surprised me as she merely smiled and asked if I had ever heard of a place called Atlantis. She then added that Scientists barely know less than one percent of the total story of the human race, and that there used to be a race before our own called the Solnoids, or something of that nature. All women, she added, who reproduced through artificial means, something that no doubt would have amused Sham-chan to no end but would no doubt have appalled Ranma.

Okay, I didn't really let the point drop there, but Lotion's second answer was no less puzzling than the first one, something about the souls of all the people who now live having come from other places and times, even other worlds and close parallel dimensions where life had died out or the world had mysteriously ended for one reason or another. She assured me that there was still a ready supply of souls yet to inhabit the bodies of children not even yet conceived, and that there was even something of a waiting list, "Though admittedly the list grows shorter every year what with you prolific youngsters all too eager to help out with the short fall," she added with a rather smug and infuriating expression.

And of course she couldn't let the point go without assuring me that when the time came for me to be a mother that an appropriate soul would be found to inhabit the body of my baby.

Okay, so that's jumping ahead a bit for my money (but it is a nice thought to know I won't be short-changed in that department). I was curious, though, about knowing what sort of person I was in a previous life, but Lotion told me that was for a different session to unravel. At the moment she had something else in mind that she wanted to show me, so she left off following my chord and instead selected the chord that belonged to my mother.

This one stretched out in two directions, and from where we were viewing it I could see the future ahead of that chord merging with a golden chord that shone with intense inner light, briefly becoming intertwined before separating some years off further downward. Rather than follow that trail, however, Lotion directed my attention to the chord stretching back into the past, showing me where a shiny silver chord touched it and separated (without question that one belonged to Kasumi) then moving even farther back to where her chord became intertwined with a gray chord that I discovered belonged to my father. Lotion selected a specific point in the chord and directed me to focus upon it, and like that I felt myself being drawn into the chord itself, merging with it as reality reshaped around us and took the solid form of four gray walls, walls that dulled a bit in color as a sense of solidity fell over us and we found ourselves in a room currently occupied by strangers.

Or rather a few of them were strangers, but as I focused on the faces sitting around the table I immediately recognized one of them with a start, discovering to my surprise that it was none other than my Mother!

"They cannot see or hear us," Lotion explained at my side, "We are not truly present in anything but an astral context. These are the shadows of what once was, the past that cannot be changed yet exists eternally at this moment, which is the present reality for those in attendance. This is the point where your mother and father first met, and that is Tsukino Kimiko, a distant cousin to Masaki Nodoka. Your father has never laid eyes on her before, yet due to her close resemblance to my granddaughter, Silk, he is looking at her and appraising her as if to see the mirror image of a woman with whom he is currently involved. The others are your grandparents on both sides of the family, and now watch as events unfold the way they did almost twenty years ago. Do not try and interfere in any way, merely watch and listen."

I wondered why she thought she needed to remind me of that, but I was shortly to discover the reason for her stating that precaution as I tuned in to hear the older folks concluding what had to be some pretty involved negotiations. There was a document laying on the table between them, and with a start I recognized it as a marriage contract, the sort of thing that was positively old fashioned in any modern romantic framework.

Just as one of the two men sitting down wearing kimonos leaned forward and was about to put his kanji signature on said contract, though, the young man at the table (Yep, three guesses, it's Daddy, or rather my father as a much younger guy, and surprisingly handsome as I discovered on closer examination) spoke up and said, "One moment, Father. I object to this. We have only just met each other, and now you want the two of us to get married?"

All eyes turned towards Daddy as he sat there cringing a bit, as if wondering what had just possessed him to speak up at this time and place. Having found his spine, however, Daddy squared his shoulders and said, "I'm not saying I won't marry her...but it wouldn't be fair...I mean...she and I...we don't even know each other..."

"What's that got do to with it, Boy?" said my father's father, a thinly build guy with a touch of grey in his hair and a more than slightly care-worn expression as he peered at my Daddy over a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, "This is an agreement of Honor between our families, Tsukino and Tendo. The two of you are to marry to unite our families and schools of martial arts, so don't go mouthing off about the deal being fair or not. Give yourself some time and get to know the girl before you reject her."

"I'm not rejecting her, Father," Daddy spoke up, "But...well...what about her feelings? Does Kimiko want this engagement any more than I do?"

The other man at the table, who definitely had more gray hairs on his head than my father's father, just said stiffly, "My daughter will do what she is told. She is a dutiful child of our clan and has already given her consent for this engagement."

"But doesn't she had a right to tell me this for herself?" Daddy persisted, "I mean...she's a very attractive young lady...ah..." he swallowed before going on, "I would never refuse her...if this is what she truly wants, but...I am still a young man with prospects..."

"You mean those other girls you like to hang around with?" Grandfather Tendo replied, "Tough luck, boy...your tomcatting days are as good as numbered. A lady such as Kimiko won't be cheapened by you flirting about chasing after other women."

"But that's not what I..." my father tried to protest, but I could have warned him where this line of debate was headed, watching the old Hypocrite dig himself in ever deeper.

"I'll tell you what," Mother's father suddenly got a smile on his features that looked downright menacing, and I knew at once he was up to something, "Why don't we leave these two alone and give them the chance to get better acquainted with one another? The boy does raise a valid point, it wouldn't be fair to have them engaged sight unseen. Better to let him know what he's in for once they're married."

"An excellent idea," my other Grandfather shared his benevolent smile, and that's about the point where I would have been heading for the door or taking cover. Instead both men stood up and left my future parents alone together, stepping out of the room as if the two old goats were chatting about old times and looking forward to killing off a bottle of sake between them.

Daddy looked real nervous as he stared across the table towards Momma, but much to his and my surprise we both saw Momma frown in his direction as a long, tense silence hung in the air between them, broken only at the point where she said (in rather frosty tones), "My, aren't we special?"

"Excuse me?" Daddy asked, no less surprised by that chilly greeting than I was.

"Here I was told I'd be marrying some kind of heroic figure from a Samurai legend," Momma's tone literally dripped sarcasm, "It took a lot of arm-twisting before I let Dad talk me into going along with this, and now you have the grace to all but humiliate me by saying I'm not good enough for you. What a fine thing that is for a girl's ego..."

"Excuse-I mean-I'm sorry, I never meant...!"

"Oh, did you now?" Momma's eyes narrowed as she studied his profile, "And what's this I hear about other women? Don't tell me you've been seeing girls on the sly before condescending to meet with me for an Omake? How very generous of you to spare me the time and attention..."

"Ah...look," Daddy tried to make a pacifying gesture, "You've got the wrong idea, Miss..."

"Oh, Miss is it?" I heard Momma's tone harden, "I'll have you know I hold a Lieutenant's rank with the Home Defense Force."

"Er...what?" Daddy blinked his eyes, "You're in the Army?"

"Correction," she replied rather archly, "Japan doesn't have an Army, we have a Home Defense Force, and you'd better bloody well remember that, Mister Big-Shot martial artist."

"Er...ah...well...they never told me..." Daddy continued to dig himself in even deeper.

"As a matter of fact, I'm a Helicopter Pilot," she continued, "And a rather good one at that. If you like I could give you a demonstration."

"Er...that won't be necessary..."

"Are you sure?" she smiled, "I'm also pretty good in a simulator...I have over seven hundred hours flying time as a jet pilot...not that they'd ever trust a mere woman to fly one of their big, expensive American made jets..."

"Er...ah...can we get back to the engagement?" Daddy's smile was more like a wince, and a bit too hopeful.

"Don't tell me a woman in uniform intimidates you?" Mother continued to taunt him, "How like a man to find a woman who knows how to fight too much for them to handle..."

"Er, well...you would be surprised..."

"You know," Momma continued, "I'm ranked as a pretty good martial artist in my own right...I hold a third Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. In fact I could demonstrate for you if you'd like to try me out."

"But...ah...you..." I could already see him sweating, as if wondering just what he had said to set off this line of conversation.

"Come on, then," Momma got to her feet and smiled, "This is supposed to be a famous dojo, right? Well, I'll meet you out there once I change into something more appropriate. Don't be late, or I may be forced to come get you."

And with that my Mother left the room and my father, the latter blinking his eyes as if trying to sort out what exactly had just happened.

Lotion made a small gesture and the scene shifted to the interior of the dojo, which looked surprisingly a lot like it does in our time (or did just prior to its latest calamity). Momma was standing there in a martial arts gi with a black belt that bore three distinctive red stripes, facing off against daddy, who was wearing a version of that brown gi that seems to comprise the whole of his wardrobe (I almost hadn't recognized him earlier when he was dressed in a blue and white silk kimono). He looked remarkably handsome with his long black hair hanging loose, while Momma's short-cropped brown locks curled in such a way as to denote her mixed Japanese/American ancestry. The resemblance between her and Silk was even more uncanny now, only to my surprise it was my Momma who looked the part of a Tomboy, while compared to her Silk would almost come off looking like Kasumi!

They sparred, Momma at once coming on as the aggressor, showing a surprising ferocity that reminded me a little too much of Akane and her wild rages. Unlike Akane, however, Momma fought with clear intelligence and purpose to her motions, less of the wild energy that's typical of my sister and more of the cunning that I usually associate with Ranma. She seemed more than a bit surprised when Daddy managed to avoid her earlier strikes, however, and yet when he did not counter-  
attack my Momma stood back and said, "What's wrong with you? Why won't you fight me?"

"But...you're a woman," Daddy protested.

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Momma sniped, and I swear to you it was almost my own voice that I thought I was hearing! She launched another attack, this time going all out for the kill, and this time she managed to force my father back into a corner where she was able to nail him with a spinning reverse kick that sent him crashing back into the wall. Before he had time to recover she was on him, gripping him by his gi and crossing her arms so that she drew it tighter about his neck, almost choking off circulation.

"Now you listen and you listen good, Buster!" Momma hissed into his face, "Just because I let my Dad talk me into this insane scheme is no reason for you to think I'm some kind of timid, weak hothouse flower that you can coddle and take care of! If you think you're too good for me, fine, and if you think I'm too aggressive or too mannish, then that's also fine, but DON'T come off like you're doing me any kind of a favor here! I'm a young girl, too, and I've got a career to think about, and Dad's trying to get me to resign my commission, so you just tell me why you think I should give all of that up to be with you of all people?"

"Urk!" Daddy responded, turning a shade of purple.

"Huh? Oh," Momma let him go and stood back, "Sorry about that...I get carried away sometimes. Even I don't know why I do that..."

"Ah...hah," Daddy felt his throat and took deep breaths before saying, "I wasn't going to...say anything...about it...but you remind me a bit too much...of Yumi."

"Yumi?" Momma turned a puzzled look his way, "Who the heck is Yumi? Is that the name of one of those girls you hang out with?"

"Sort of," Daddy coughed to clear his air passage, rubbing his neck before continuing, "Actually for a while there she was trying to kill me...then she...ah...changed her mind. It's a bit complicated, and I doubt you'd want to hear the full story..."

"Try me," Momma looked at him as if she were accepting a formal challenge.

"Ah...well..." Daddy replied, "I've been training with my family Elder and...a fellow student of the art, for a number of years now...and on one of our training missions we...made the acquaintance of a fair number of young ladies...one of whom looks a good deal like you, as a matter of fact."

"Like...me?" Momma blinked, "This Yumi person?"

"Er...no," Daddy replied, "Her name is Silk and she's Chinese...ah...well, enough about her. I don't think you need to hear about that..."

"No," Momma insisted, "By all means tell me more...like who is this Silk person, and who else are you involved with?"

"Ah, well, ah...um..." Daddy winced, "This could take a while..."

"I've got nothing scheduled for the rest of the day," Momma folded her arms over her chest, "My weekend furlough lasts until Sunday."

"Oh...isn't that interesting," Daddy looked like a drowning man trying to swim upstream, but the look Momma gave him was one that as much as said that refusing her request was not an option. It was clear from the start, which of them would be wearing the pants in the family, and it most definitely was not my father!

"It gets better than this," Lotion said, reminding me of her presence, "Observe what happened the day your mother and my granddaughter met for the first time."

The scene shifted once more, only instead of the dojo we found ourselves outside at the local Zoo with animals running amok all over the place and my father in the middle of everything, a young man wearing a bandana around his head close by his side, quite obviously Ranma's father.

"We have to do something, Saotome!" Daddy declared in a surprisingly heroic manner.

"Agreed, Tendo," said a Genma who was about a hundred pounds lighter and sported a few tufts of hair from beneath his head piece, "The only question is what?"

"We have to round up all the animals and get them back into their cages before anyone gets hurt," Daddy replied as if he were the strategist among them.

"I've no problem with the basic concept," Genma adjusted his glasses, "It's pulling this off that gives me a problem."

"You men," sniffed one of their companions, who beyond question was Silk in an earlier age, dressed in a green Cheosong and sporting a pair of Amazon Odangos in her hair with her trademark silver flute in hand, her Japanese clearly not as refined as in the future, "No can be trusted make decisions of this nature. Amazons know how to deal with animals who run loose in village."

"Is so," agreed a purple haired spitting image of Shampoo who was wearing a red pantsuit with leather embroidered tunic, "First deal with big animals, then round up smaller pests..."

"You mean like this?" a cheerful voice inquired as a younger version of Atsuko appeared dragging a brown bear by its scruff, the animal quite clearly unconscious as if she'd thunked him good and hard with something, "I caught one of them, Gemi-chan...where do you want me to put him?"

"Ah..." Genma replied with rounded eyes, "At-chan...I..."

"What the hell are you people all doing standing around gawking like tourists?" a familiar voice demanded, and as I turned to look in amazement I saw a young girl riding a giraffe that she had her arms and legs wrapped around, a girl dressed up in a Ninja costume with her dark brown hair done up in a pony tail, and with a real jolt I recognized this girl as Kuonji Yumi!

"Yumi-chan?" Daddy replied in no little amazement.

"Get to work, you lazy cows, and catch some animals!" Yumi challenged before guiding her long-necked mount off in the direction of one of the nearby submerged pens.

"Well, aren't we the show-offs," Atsuko snorted.

"No let stupid Ninja girl make fool of Amazon warrior!" the one whom I now knew had to be Comb growled angrily, "Comb catch bigger animal and show who is better fighter!"

With that the purple haired dynamo vaulted away, looking very much to me like an enraged Shampoo as she zeroed in on a group of people currently being menaced by a pack of lions.

I heard Silk heave an exaggerated sigh, "She so impulsive...feel sorry for big cats..."

"Tendo-san!" a voice echoing her own called out, directing attention away from the swirling confusion that surrounded us to see my Momma running up towards us, only dressed in uniform, as if she had just stepped out from a military recruitment poster.

"Kimiko?" Daddy whirled about, "But...how...?"

"Eh?" Silk turned towards her with a very puzzled expression, "Who this?"

"Tendo-san!" Momma came up to within a few meters of Daddy then glanced around and asked, "What the hell is going on here? What are all these animals doing outside of their cages, and who are these people...?"

"Excuse me, Ma'am," Genma spoke up, "I don't mean to be rude, but...you wouldn't happen to be Tendo-san's new fiancee, would you?"

"Why yes," Momma turned to regard him, "I'm Lieutenant Tsukino Kimiko, and you are?"

"Saotome Genma," the young man replied.

"Oh," Momma at once acknowledged, "Then you're his best friend, the one he's been telling me all about."

"Ah...wouldn't you rather hear my side of the story?" Genma asked with a somewhat nervous expression.

"Fiancee?" Atsuko slowly turned to first regard Daddy, then Silk, whose expression had noticeably darkened, "Uh oh..."

"Soun-chan..." I heard the purr in Silk's velvety throat turn particularly menacing, "What means word 'Fiancee?'"

"Uh...ah...er..." Daddy hemmed and hawed like a man with his balls trapped in a vice grip.

"Why the hell are you idiots still standing around gawking here?" Yumi demanded as she came vaulting back over the railing, minus the giraffe, "We've got too many animals to...who the hell are you?" she demanded as she came face-to-face with Kimiko.

"That was going to be my next question," Momma replied as she turned and regarded the Ninja, "You're...Yumi, right?"

"Who wants to know?" Yumi asked as she stood ready, as if about to draw a weapon.

"Er, ladies!" Genma spoke up before the carnage could happen, "Can we save this for another time? As you say we do seem to be having a little problem with some animals..."

"Is so," Silk responded, "And maybe we deal with other animals when wild ones put back in cages."

"Who are you?" Momma asked as she seemed to take notice of the Amazon for the first time, "And why do you look like me?"

"Ah..." Daddy finally seemed to get his brain back in gear, "Silk...this is Kimiko...Kimiko-san, this is Silk of the Joketsuzoku..."

"Charmed," Momma bowed to the Amazon.

"Is like so," Silk returned the gesture, almost as though a formal challenge was being issued.

"Oboy," Atsuko winced, "Something tells me there's gonna be trouble..."

"You've got that right," Genma sighed, "Why can't the Master's training missions ever be easy...?"

"As you can see," Lotion remarked as she dismissed the picture, returning us to the blue-gray void with the merest hand gesture, "The patterns were set back then that echo down to the present era. Your father and mother eventually did fall in love and marry, after my granddaughter made the decision to return to China, having had your father for a single night as a way of closing their relationship on a high note. From that Kachu was born, while you and your sisters are the result of your father's commitment to your mother."

"Wow," I exclaimed, "I'd guessed that things were a bit frantic back then, but I never imagined the adults could screw things up this badly. Compared to Daddy and Momma, Ranma and me almost seem like a couple of old school chums..."

"You really should spend more time looking into a mirror," Lotion remarked, then refused to elaborate as she left me to chew that one over, "Of course Yumi herself still harbors feelings for your father that she had worked hard at denying, even as Atsuko and Comb have renewed their old rivalry for the affections of Ranma's father. His engagement to Nodoka did not occur until a year after Soun's marriage, and their courtship was an even more spectacular affair as Atsuko held out hope for the longest time, egged on by her mother, who wanted their firstborn for her own dark purposes. Of course there is one other rival for your father's hand who appeared around this time, even as the vision you saw did not include Gosunkuji Hitome, another suitor for the affections of Genma."

"Kodachi's Mom had the hots for Ranma's Dad?" I blinked, "What is this, a generational thing?"

"In a manner of speaking," Lotion replied, "Only the son of Atsuko fell in love with the daughter of Kimiko, even as the Niece of Yumi has caught the favors of your sister. Kimiko and Genma got along far better than either of them did with Silk, so I don't think your mother would at all disapprove of your marrying a Saotome. As for Hitome's daughter...well...Kodachi has always needed someone in her life who could provide the stability, love and support that she has desperately needed and was lacking with her own mother. The fact that Comb's daughter is now married to Genma's son is the only relationship of this lot that truly seems generational, so in a way you can think of the past as a different example of the same principles that you now live with."

"Right," I said simply, "So...what was your purpose in showing me all that?"

"Two fold, really," Lotion replied, "The first being to obviously demonstrate how the past can be accessed for knowledge that you may find useful in the present...the second point is to give you some idea as to the nature of your mother prior to her having merged with the goddess Peorth. As you can see she embodies aspects of all three of her daughters...and in some ways the best and worst that is now within you."

"Right," I said, "So...how come nobody's ever told me that my Momma was in the army?"

"Home Defense Force."

"Whatever."

"Kimiko chose to enlist in the Officer corps as a means of seeking educational benefits and advanced avionics training," Lotion replied, "From the time she was a little girl she always dreamed about flying. She was also a bit impulsive and never too comfortable in the traditional roles expected of a Japanese woman, and given that her mother was herself the daughter of a United States pilot who served during the occupation..."

"Okay, I get all that," I said, "So Daddy never mentioned that she was a Lieutenant..."

"Your father has had a difficult time coping with the loss he suffered with her death," Lotion replied in a gentle manner, "For good or ill he chose to let you and your sisters keep your memories of your mother as she was when you knew her. She changed a lot when she married your father, lost much of her anger and sense of isolation. She found a soul-mate in Soun, a man who did not try to contain her or smother her with the expectation that she be a good house wife. I think it was because of this that your mother undertook to domesticate herself by learning how to act like a more traditional woman, and to this end she sought the aid of her closest friend, Nodoka."

"I think I'm beginning to see," I said, "And about this same time she contracted cancer and made that arrangement with Peorth..."

"Who fulfilled her training in how to become a perfect Japanese housewife," Lotion replied, "And passed on the benefits of her training to Kasumi, who proved an even more adept student."

"So you're telling me that, prior to meeting my Dad, Momma couldn't even keep house or cook?" I wondered.

"She could barely even boil water without alerting the Fire Marshal," Lotion explained, "Oddly enough your sister seems to have inherited this trait, only unlike your mother she lacks the patience to make a good student in the kitchen."

"So Momma had a lot more patience than Akane, huh?" I asked.

"Extraordinarily so," Lotion replied, "She could never have studied and achieved such high marks in Pilot academy were it not for her having the methodical and even ruthless ability to bone down and study a problem until she had worked it out and had mastered the details. She learned to Cook by following the steps Nodoka taught her as if she were studying up for another one of her Exams. Truly she was an extraordinarily gifted young woman, and such potential I sensed within her..." she sighed, "You have no idea how gratified I was to know that her potential lives on in you. You mother could well have been a Lore Master had I been the one to train her, but with you I have had a very fulfilling experience, and I know your mother is very proud of you and all you have accomplished."

"I wish..." I felt tears in my eyes, though how I could cry tears in my astral body I won't even begin to speculate, "I wish I could have had more time to get to know her..."

"Your wish will be granted," Lotion replied, "Peorth herself has promised this to you, is that not correct, Great One?"

"I did indeed promise her," an all-too-familiar voice said as I turned to see an almost blindingly radiant figure materialize in the space at my side, "And I am a Goddess of my word. It took some doing to sort through the paperwork and obtain the right forms, but I've come through on my part of the bargain, Cheri, as you can witness for yourself if you are ready."

I turned, both metaphorically and physically, to see the glowing form of Peorth smiling at me with benevolence, and then glancing to another figure who was approaching from what seemed like a great distance. I could sense a field or garden somewhere beyond the shadow of a woman who slowly approached me, but then the woman herself filled my vision, and with a gasp I recognized her as none other than Momma!

"Hello, Nabiki-chan," she smiled at me, her brown eyes alight with all the love that I still remembered, "They told me you were all grown up, but I never realized that my little girl had become such a beautiful young woman."

"Momma?" I gasped, and then I flowed into the orbit of this impossible vision, almost performing a kind of Amazon Glomp, even though our bodies were not solid and it was more like a meshing of textures than an actual embrace. That was enough to confirm it for me, though, that this really and truly was my mother, the mother who had given me birth, who had married my father, having won out in the sweepstakes competition against all rivals.

I think I'll skip over the details of what we said in those first few exchanges, but you can bet that I was gushing with emotions that I've never expressed to anyone else, not even Shampoo or Ranma. I was a little surprised, however, a voice chimed in on our meeting and asked, "Nihao...is private moment or can Shampoo greet Mother-in-law like Nabiki?"

I think you can imagine my surprise on hearing those words, but Peorth's own reaction was almost comical as she cried, "YOU? How the heck did you get here?"

"Oh my," Lotion turned to regard Shampoo, who stood there on the edge of our little gathering with an expectant air of anticipation.

"Shampoo not know how she find strange place," Shampoo replied, more in thoughts than words as her emotions reached out to me with warm, rosy intensity that made the metaphorical air feel like summer, "Only know she looking for Nabiki and find Ailen in strange place like Amazon Happy Garden."

"Are you Xian-Pu?" I heard Momma ask, and then the surprising warmth in her voice as she continued, "You look just like your mother! And you're married to my Nabiki? Come here, please, and let me see you..."

With an all too typical cry of delight, Shampoo leaped to embrace us all in a hug, somehow managing to grab Peorth in the process, much to the dismay of the Goddess, who did not seem at all accustomed to such treatment.

"It would seem that Shampoo has astral traveled in her dreams in order to find you," Lotion theorized on the periphery of my awareness, "Her love has given her the strength to cross time and distance in order to be with you. Most likely she believes that this is a dream, but it would be better to respond to her as if this were a real event taking place in the material world, and your mother seems eager to meet up with her daughter-in-law..."

"No fooling," I gasped before surrendering to the moment, but even as I warmed to the embrace of the two more important women in my life, I couldn't help but wonder...where was Ranma and why wasn't he trying this hard to reach me in the land of dreaming...?

Ranma awoke from a deep sleep and was almost immediately aware of the emptiness that rumbled about in his stomach like a herd of hungry elephants. His senses became at once alert to the peculiar mix of perfumes in the air and other telltale signs of semi-unfamiliar surroundings.

His eyes opened to a most unfamiliar ceiling, a canopy hanging over the bed that he lay upon amidst silken covers. To judge by the softness he felt underneath him, Ranma determined that it was a goose down bed of a type he had never previously encountered, so soft and yielding to his weight that a futon would feel like a bed of nails by contrast. As Ranma began to look around he found his body being pressed into the mattress by two very warm and familiar bodies, and with a slight movement of his head he took in the welcome sight of Shampoo and Nabiki curled up on either side of him, looking snug, content and wondrously happy.

It was at this moment that Ranma realized where he was and under what circumstances he had found himself, recognizing the room as the chamber that he and his two girlfriends had chosen for their own. They were on board the Nekonron sky ship, traveling back home after successfully rescuing Nabiki from Prince Kirin, even guests of the Prince himself, who had proven surprisingly conciliatory after his stunning defeat at the hands of Ranma. They had come to this room shortly after leaving the Mainland and were obviously still under way back to Japan. Just how much time had elapsed was a question that Ranma did not feel able to answer, but as the sun was still visible through the windows, and Ranma was feeling very well rested, it probably was sometime during the morning. The only way to know for sure would be to get up out of bed and consult with a time clock.

Of course doing that was not a thing that he felt any great urgency to do, being how comfortable he felt with two highly desirable young women pressing their naked bodies against his. It was at moments such as these that he became aware of how incredibly lucky he was to have Shampoo and Nabiki as his fianc es, and proposing to them both had been the smartest move he had ever made in his whole life. He was even in too good a mood to mind that it was the old man's idea to include Shampoo in the proposal.

Of course as warm and snug as he was feeling, his body had a way of rudely reminding him of more practical considerations, such as the fact that he had to go potty and was ravenously hungry. He also felt like he had not taken a shower in the past forty-eight hours. As a man who could hardly cross the street without encountering cold water this was an incredible realization, and one he knew would need prompt rectification if he was to avoid catching flack from both of his lady loves...

Lady loves?

Ranma blinked his eyes and thought that one over. True his feelings ran deep for both women, and he could no longer imagine what his life would be like without them, but to date he had never even once managed to speak the words of endearing praise and fond devotion that were in his heart. His upbringing had conditioned him to believe such things were unmanly, but when he was with these two he felt as if all the words ever spoken would never prove enough to express how much he wanted them in his life and how empty his world would be without them. Having come frighteningly close to losing Nabiki, he now had a sense of what all the poets could go on and on about, and for the first time in his life he envied Kuno Tatewaki's ability extemporize at length upon that subject.

Not that he needed words to express what was in his heart, of course. He had more than proven himself in his quest to regain Nabiki, and his feelings for Shampoo had proven even deeper for the way she had stuck close to Nabiki's side like a faithful guardian watch-cat. On the edge of his awareness was the sense that losing one would surely doom his relationship with the other, for the three of them had become like the sides of a triangle, or a three legged chair, the loss of one surely dooming the structure of the other. The fact that Shampoo was carrying his baby only added to both his desire and need to offer his protection, so while he had yet to say the actual words to either girl, his actions spoke volumes and his deeds had proven mighty. He would go through hell itself to win them back to his side come whatever the future might offer, and-  
the best thing of all-they both knew this beyond question.

As such he did not have it in his heart to want to disturb these girls as he carefully and gingerly managed to pry his body out from beneath them. The girls seemed unusually out of it, as if both were enjoying a deep and mutually satisfying sleep, so he was glad that he did not wake them as he slipped his bare feet onto the floor, glad that he at least had his boxer shorts on and would not have to seek out the privy stark naked, even in the presence of his fiancees.

An amused thought passed through his mind as he searched out for a place to go potty, that Shampoo and Nabiki must have been going at it with a lot of drive and energy if they could sleep in this soundly. Normally it was Ranma who got teased about being dead to the world. He hoped they would get a good rest for the next time he climbed into bed with the both of them because that down bed felt a lot more comfortable than a futon, and certainly more spacious than the bed in Nabiki's room, which offered lots of possibilities for later exploration.

Odd to think that only as little as a month ago he lacked the basic knowledge of what girls and boys the world over were expected to do when they got close to one another. His mother's advisement that they should wait until their honeymoon was a difficult concept to have to live with after being initiated into sex by someone as enthusiastic and gifted as Shampoo. As used to he was to hard and grueling discipline, he rather doubted he would have that much self-  
restraint, especially considering the warm reception that he was expecting from Nabiki over the reception of her mother's engagement ring. That was one celebratory party that he had every intention of attending!

Finding the equivalent of a john took some doing, but Ranma's cosmopolitan upbringing had given him familiarity with almost every type of privy to be found throughout the whole of Asia. Coping with the Nekonron conception of toilet paper was another matter entirely, but Ranma completed his business and washed himself up, taking time to soak in a hot bath that had been prepared for him by a pair of thoughtful servants in the employ of Prince Kirin. Ranma had been more than a bit disconcerted on discovering that their privacy had been so compromised, but it turned out that it was Kasumi who had given them their instructions, somehow having anticipated in advance the moment of his revival.

A bath did much to restore his vitality, but what he really needed was some food in his belly, and in that respect Kasumi had come through again, having left a substantial amount of food on covered plates, most probably for the first person to wake up, either himself or one of his ladies. Ranma silently thanked the eldest Tendo girl for her thoughtfulness and consideration then devoured the contents of three plates, being careful to spare enough for his lady loves when they woke up without him. He would have written them a note telling them not to worry, but after food and hygiene he felt a need to stretch out, feeling incredibly stiff and tight all over.

Leaving the warm security of their room, he found his way out onto the main deck where the fresh air invigorated him greatly. Seeing that there were few people on deck he started to do a few warm-ups to stretch out, only to pause when he heard the sound of someone playing a stringed instrument. He recognized the sound as Mon Mon playing her cardolin-styled sitar. He glanced around but could see no sign of the Courtesan priestess, yet the sound of her music carried on the wind, leading him to believe that she was somewhere close nearby, but where?

"Hello, Ranma," a gentle voice hailed him, and Ranma turned around to find Kasumi and Kodachi smiling at him, having joined him on the deck, albeit more warmly dressed than he was, "It's good to see you fully rested."

"Indeed," Kodachi gave that sly smile of hers that automatically put him on edge, even though he knew that she was no longer pursuing him with any serious interest, "Saotome-san always looks good in the mornings. Has the noble Knight emerged from his perilous trials with the noble Princesses he has rescued to at long last grace us with his presence?"

"Ah..." Ranma smiled nervously and rubbed the back of his head, "Actually I just wanted to stretch my legs. We were on the go so much trying to get to Nekonron that I guess I kinda forgot to take care of myself, but a good night's rest sure has put me back on my game..."

"That was over a day and a half ago," Kodachi revealed, "Do you mean to say that you have been sleeping it off the whole time instead of entertaining the ladies?"

"Ah..." Ranma blinked his eyes, "A day and a half? No way!"

"I'm afraid so, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said pleasantly, "The crew of this ship says we're making good time, considering that the winds are mostly against us. We should be back in Nerima by this time tomorrow, a full two days longer than it took for us to get to Nekonron in the first place."

"Not that any of us are in that great a hurry to put an end to this lovely vacation cruise," Kodachi added with a warm exchange of glances between herself and her companion, "Even given that Hinako-Sensei has made a point on tutoring us in private one-on-one sessions. We prevailed on her to leave you and your ladies alone, but now that you are awake she will doubtless be seeking you out to lecture you on the benefits of a proper education."

"Thanks for the warning," Ranma groaned, "And here I was hoping the old Goat would keep her too busy to think of us."

"They do seem to be getting along a lot better," Kasumi remarked, "I've even seen Grandfather helping Hinako-Sensei out in the preparing of her study materials. It's amazing how much he knows for someone who has never even had a formal education."

"Or seen the inside of a classroom without looking up women's dresses," Kodachi added, "In a way I think we're in debt to your homeroom teacher for keeping him too busy to bother the rest of us...not that we've had too much need for undergarments with all the time that we have been spending enjoying the hospitality of our Nekonron hosts."

"Ah...yeah," Ranma decided not to explore the thought that crossed his mind at that point and instead asked, "By the way, where's Ucchan and Ryoga?"

"Up there," Kasumi pointed to the blimp over their heads.

"Say what?" Ranma blinked.

"Ryoga-san wanted to be alone so he climbed on top of the blimp itself," Kodachi explained, "Kuonji was concerned that he might be contemplating harming himself so she went after him, and neither one has been down in the past several hours. Of course we haven't seen anyone falling off either, so I take that as a good sign..."

"Oboy," Ranma winced, "I'd better go up there and check on those two to see that everything's all right. Ah...by the way, where's your sister?"

"Akane?" Kasumi replied, "She's out stretching her wings."  
"Indeed," Kodachi mused, "Ever since she's learned how to fly it's all we can do to keep her on the ground. I don't think even she defines her condition as a curse anymore, in fact she definitely counts those wings of hers as a blessing."

"Guess I can't blame her for that," Ranma smiled lopsidedly, then added, "And...what about Ucchan's girlfriend?"

"Makoto?" Kasumi replied, "She's downstairs in the kitchen trying to convince the cooking staff to prepare something besides pickled dishes. She's taken inventory on the storage rooms and everything..."

"Oh yes," Kodachi nodded, "The way she's bossing them around downstairs you would think she was a Master Chef asserting her dominant role over the poor cooks who are quite intimidated by her presence. I don't believe that they are used to a woman who compromises so little in her pursuit for culinary perfection. I can well see why Kuonji is considering a union with her as she would make him an excellent wife. Too bad this has caused serious friction between her and Akane."

Ranma lowered his arms and sighed, "Yeah, that's pretty tough all right. Guess I'd also better have some words with Ucchan so she doesn't feel like joining Ryoga in being depressed all over the place. I...ah...can kinda sympathize with what she's going through, if you know what I mean."

"Indeed," Kodachi sighed, "I have offered my own counseling, but I fear the best case scenario now would be a win-lose situation. Someone will win, someone else will lose, and no one will be entirely happy with the outcome. I most feel sympathy for Ryoga, he is the one who has definitely emerged the poorer for Akane's declaration of a lack of romantic interest towards him. Even I was somewhat surprised that she would come out and tell him this, though in retrospect I should have foreseen such an outcome."

"Huh?" Ranma asked, "But...why's that?"

"Akane-chan for a long time believed that she was a perfectly normal girl, Ranma," Kasumi replied, "She's always tried to fit in, even when she couldn't really behave like the rest of her classmates, and for the longest time she's been afraid to admit to herself that she's...different."

"What?" Ranma asked, "You mean like her being such a violent Tomboy who can't cook or sew to save her life?"

"I'm afraid it's more than that, Ranma," Kasumi was clearly reluctant to go on, but she managed to say, "The fault is really mine because I'm her older sister and I should have explained things for her when she started to show...signs of her true nature. Instead I pretended not to see things...and I denied to myself what in my heart I've always known was the truth..."

"You are not to blame, Kasumi-sama," Kodachi touched her arm, "There are many who never admit to the truth and spend all of their lives in denial of what is in their hearts. I might have been the same way...had I not met somebody who is very special and has helped me to understand things."

"Understand what?" Ranma scratched his head, "What are you both getting at anyway?"

"Ranma," Kasumi looked at him with unusual clarity in her expression, "Do you remember when you first came to visit our home and Akane invited you to spar with her in the dojo? Do you remember what she said after you defeated her that first time?"

"Ah, sure," Ranma thought back over the long months that had happened since that fateful day when he had first met the Tendo sisters, "She said she was glad I was a girl because losing to a boy would be too..." He paused, then he said, "You've got to be kidding..."

"You decide for yourself," Kodachi replied, "I was not there to witness events for myself, but I understand that she did treat you a lot better before finding out that you were really a boy cursed to become a woman when wet. She even walked in on you while you were taking a bath under that same faulty assumption, but when she saw that you were male...well, I've given to understand that she did not take it well."

"That's putting it mildly," Ranma sighed, "Poor Ryoga...I wonder if he even suspected?"

"It's doubtful," Kasumi replied, "I don't think even Akane knows for sure, but the way she acted around Ukyo both before and after learning about her secret..."

"It would not be such a stretch to suppose that she likes Kuonji all the more because of her curse rather than in spite of it," Kodachi noted, "She might say it is what is within that matters most to her, but knowing Kuonji is a woman at the core gave her a competitive advantage that Ryoga simply could not compete against, and so he lost before the battle was even begun. That is why he has my pity, for he is not that bad a fellow when you truly get to know him."

"I guess," Ranma said, giving the Black Rose a curious study before deciding to save his observations for later. Instead he gave them a friendly nod then headed over to one of the suspension cables and began scaling it with no regard to the possible danger. He never once glanced down, being comfortable with scaling high places, and just as agile as any monkey, he soon was able to ascend to the top of the balloon itself, where he found the source of the music sitting by herself casually strumming her cardolin while Ryoga and Ukyo sat off to one side in an uneasy silence.

"Ah...hi guys," Ranma called out as he crawled on all fours over the spongy surface of the balloon itself until he was close enough to sit within earshot of his fellow martial artists.

Ukyo acknowledged his presence, but Ryoga just sat with a neutral expression and said nothing. He was deep in thought and it was difficult to discern his mood, but at least there was no hint of that black aura surrounding him that had fueled his awesome Ki attacks. Ukyo appeared to be female at the moment, but Ranma was not about to venture a guess without closer inspection (something he was extremely reluctant to do for fear of word getting back to his own loves). As he settled in between these two he wondered how to begin a conversation, but seeing that the mood was so silent threw him off. About the only good point he could recognize in the situation was that his best friend and half-brother did not appear to be on the verge of yet another major altercation.

To his surprise it was Ukyo who broke the silence by saying, "She's pretty good, isn't she?"

"Huh?" Ranma replied, then nodded, "I guess. Ah...how you guys getting on? I've been kinda out of it for a while now..."

"So we've heard," Ryoga noted, "So glad you've finally decided to grace us with your presence, Ranma. We were starting to think your future brides were going to keep you busy all the way back to Japan."

"Well...not quite," Ranma said, "I gotta eat sometime you know."

"Ignore him, Ranchan," Ukyo said, "We're both glad to see you're all right. You were looking a little ragged at the end of the fight there, not that I doubted you'd win out in the end."

"Well, sure," Ranma shrugged, "I always win...but I guess I was a little tired. Did either of you guys come to check on me while I was asleep?

Ryoga made a somewhat disgusted noise, "Frankly, Ranma, we have had better things to do with our time, or at least some of us do. Akane..." he sighed, and his words petered off as if he lost all interest in the point that he had been about to make.

"Are you still upset about what she said?" Ranma asked, "Forget about the Tomboy. There are lots of better women in the world for you to moon over, Ryoga. You don't need her..."

"Who says?" Ryoga asked, still evidencing little emotional interest.

"Well, I do for one," Ranma replied, "I never could see what you saw in her anyway. I mean...I know she treated you a hell of a lot better than she did me, and I ain't exactly her biggest fan to begin with, but to me she was always just some violent tempered macho chick who always expects everything to go her way, and she gets mad when it don't..."

"You're not exactly being fair to Akane, Ranchan," Ukyo responded, "Akane isn't that macho, and she's only occasionally violent..."

"Like that makes a difference?" Ranma scoffed, "Come on, Ucchan, face facts! She just ripped his heart out and broke it into piece. Ryoga may stand for that, but I sure as hell don't see why I should..."

"It's none of your business, Ranma," Ryoga remarked without turning about.

"I say it is," Ranma replied, "Just because you like playing a door-mat doesn't mean I should sit it out and let her get away with it..."

"And who the hell are you to complain?" Ryoga snapped as he turned a hateful glare towards Ranma, "It's my life..."

"To throw away?" Ranma shot back, "To spend the rest of your life mooning over a girl who never had the guts to tell you she wasn't interested in guys? That's a hell of a lump to have to swallow..."

"Shut up!" Ryoga got to his feet, bobbing slightly as the balloon under his heals reacted to this sudden motion, "Who asked you for your opinion? For that matter, who said you could even breathe in my direction, you Jerk?"

"Nobody had to tell me what to do," Ranma got to his own feet and readied his stance, "And if you weren't such a blockhead you wouldn't need me telling in the first place, because you'd already know it!"

"And why should you care?" Ryoga asked.

"Because you're my brother!" Ranma declared, and then he fell silent as both he and Ryoga exchanged astonished looks over this simple declaration.

At last the two young men turned their heads away and looked off at opposite skylines. Ryoga managed to recover first as he said, "Well...anyway, Akane's my problem, so just leave off insulting her for once, will you?"

"That's okay," Ranma said as he glanced off into the distance, "The less I have to talk about that walking disaster area the better...or maybe I should make that flying disaster area now, considering how she usually makes her landings."

"And what would you know about it?" Ryoga asked, "You should give her more of a chance before you condemn her."

"No thanks," Ranma replied, "I'd rather not let my guard down if it's just the same with you guys."

Ukyo sighed, "Would you two please not get into a fight while we're sitting on top of a couple hundred thousand cubic meters of hydrogen gas, okay? Ryoga and me are having a truce right now, Ranma, so I suggest you do the same. Besides, it's not as if Akane deliberately meant to hurt Ryoga's feelings."

"Hello?" Ranma turned her way, "This is the guy who tried to bash your head in a while ago, Ucchan! What are you doing defending Akane and making nice with Ryoga?"

"Look, I'm trying to make amends and do the right thing, okay?" Ukyo replied, "It's my fault I messed up Ryoga's relationship with Akane, and now she's coming onto me and I don't know what to do about that. I've tried explaining to her that it's Makoto that I want to settle down with, but somehow...it's like she just hears what she wants to hear, and I'm left feeling like a real sleaze because I'm making Makoto insanely jealous!"

"Akane's after you even though you want somebody else?" Ranma sniffed, "That sounds just like her...and don't tell me I'm being unfair, Ryoga. After the way she's treated you, you're the last one who should be in her corner."

"I-I don't blame her for it, Ranma," Ryoga glanced away, "It's really all my fault...I let myself believe that there was a chance of something between us, and I ignored all the signs that we were in serious trouble. Her coming onto you was no accident, Kuonji, you really are better equipped to satisfy her than I ever was."

"Huh?" Ukyo responded, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah...Ucchan?" Ranma rubbed the nape pairs beneath his pigtail, "You ever wonder why Akane doesn't mind so much that you're really a girl who just happens to turn into a boy? For that matter, why you're the only boy she wouldn't mind climbing into the sack with?"

"What?" Ukyo blinked for a moment then said, "No...no way! You've got to be kidding! You guys are crazy!"

"Why don't you ask her yourself," Ryoga glanced up and to one side, "She's coming this way."

"Huh?" Ukyo reacted, turning just in time to be swamped by a winged form that came barreling down out of the sky for a rude landing, knocking the Chef sprawling as the two of them landed in a heap upon the canvas.

"Oops!" Akane winced, "Sorry about that, Ucchan...guess I need to work some more on my landings."

"Ah..." Ukyo became all too cognizant of the fact that the winged girl was straddling her with their faces only a few inches apart. Despite the ridiculous of the situation she found herself staring up into the soft brown eyes of the other girl and forgetting about her slight case of discomfort.

"Incoming," Ranma murmured with a sigh, "She's hopeless."

"Which one?" Ryoga asked with a neutral expression.

"Uh-oh," Akane said as she shifted her wings and sat upright, turning to glance at the two boys as she said, "Do you guys mind? I'm sharing a moment with Ucchan."

"Who, us?" Ranma made a deflecting motion, "Don't mind us at all. In fact, Ucchan here had something she wanted to say to you...right, Ucchan?"

"Oh?" Akane turned back to Ukyo, "What about?"

"Ah..." Ukyo forced herself to sit upright as she faced Akane and tried to rally her thoughts, only to find those eyes of the Angel girl turned upon her with unmistakable adoration, "You...ah...really enjoy flying now, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Akane grinned broadly, "It's the best thing I've ever learned to do! You can't imagine what it feels like, the freedom, the feeling of the air against my body, the power of holding the sky in my hands with the sun warming my back and...OH! Words just can't describe it, Ucchan! There's nothing that I can compare it to! It's better even than...ah...well...I don't really know if it's better than that, to tell you the truth," she gave Ukyo a shy, happy and intimate smile."

"Ah...uh...huh?" Ukyo's mind went blank once again, any words that she might have said banished like smoke before the intensity of that gaze turned on her like a thousand watt light bulb by the radiant Tendo.

"Maybe...you might be able to convince me which one is best?" Akane added with a coy expression, her normal shyness asserting itself as she pressed her palms to her face and said, "OH, I can't believe I just said it! I'm so embarrassed!"

"Hah?" Ukyo blinked as the Tendo girl got back to her feet and started running off, flapping her wings and immediately returning to airborne status.

"That girl is totally out of control," Ranma murmured to himself with a disbelieving expression.

"Nicely played, Kuonji," Ryoga mocked, "You handled that in a really mature and expert manner. Real honest of you, letting her know your true feelings."

"Shut up, you Jackass," Ukyo snapped, but with no real heat in her words as she covered her eyes and said, "I'm such a louse! Makoto's gonna kill me for sure this time..."

"I don't get it," Ranma said, "I mean...I know she's putting words into your mouth and making a lot more out of this than she ought to, but can't you at least get Akane to see that she's messing up what's between you and Makoto?"

"I don't think she really cares anymore," Ryoga sniffed, "You want it both ways, Kuonji, and don't bother trying to deny it."

"Look, I'm trying to do the right thing," Ukyo complained, "It's just...every time I'm with Akane...it's like my brain goes into seizure! She gives me one of those smiles and...and I just can't bring myself to hurt her feelings! The words just don't want to come out of me...and it feels so WRONG whenever I think of turning her away..."

"You're in love with her," Ryoga sniffed, "Admit it. The reason you don't want to break up with Akane is because you know how special she is and you don't want to give her up. I felt the same way...until now...but I never could make her smile at me the way you do."

"Is that it?" Ranma glanced from Ryoga to Ukyo, "You like the Tomboy that much? But..."

"I love Makoto!" Ukyo was in tears, "You guys don't know! You don't understand...when I was with her in Middle School...she was the first person who made me feel that way, besides you, Ranchan! The day I...I broke up with her...I thought I was doing the right thing then, too, telling her who I really was and why I dressed up like a man...and it was awful! You can't imagine what I was feeling like when I said those words to her...and of course I blamed it all on you since you were still my handy-dandy all-purpose excuse for all of my problems..."

"Okay," Ranma said, "So it looks like you're stuck with both of them. You ask me it'd be better if you try and work out a peace between Makoto and Akane."

"But how do I do that?" Ukyo all but wailed, "Your girlfriends sorted things out between themselves, but mine are seriously contemplating homicide, and it's all my fault! I should have stopped things from getting so out of control before, but I didn't even want to see what was happening between Akane and me. I was in denial until Mako-chan showed up, and now...everything's so complicated, and it's all my fault! What am I gonna do, Ranchan?"

"I dunno," Ranma sat down beside Ukyo, "Maybe I should talk with Usagi...she's Makoto's friend, she'd have a better handle on her than I would. Besides, isn't that Minako girl also interested in Makoto?"

"That's the other complication screwing up my life right now," Ukyo's shoulders slumped, "I don't want to make anybody unhappy, but now I've got Makoto's best friend hating my guts, and it's Mako-chan who's all screwed up about it. I mean...I like Minako...honestly I do...but I don't think she'd be interested in sharing Mako-chan between the three of us. Just when I think I've got my resolution up to commit to the first girl who ever treated me like a human being...and now..."

"Sounds tough all right," Ranma sympathized, giving Ryoga a sober look, "You absolutely sure there's no chance of you winning Akane back, Ryoga?"

"I wouldn't even try at this point," Ryoga slumped back down onto the canvas, "No matter how much I wish it were otherwise, Akane just sees me as a friend, like she used to see me as nothing more than her pet pig. What chance there was that she would have returned my love died when she learned about my secret. I thought maybe when she got cursed herself it might give her a better understanding of what my curse was like for me...but..."

"Aw jeez," Ranma winced, "Now you're gonna remind us that it was all my fault you getting stuck with that stupid curse in the first place."

"No," Ryoga sighed, "I've done a lot of thinking about that, and I've finally accepted the fact that you never really meant to do that to me in the first place, just like it was my fault for missing that fight that started this whole mess. I was wrong to blame you for everything, and I see that now...and worst of all, it was you who helped to cure me. You don't owe me anything more, Ranma, I...I..."

"Aw Jeez," Ranma winced again, "Don't get all mushy on me all of a sudden. I mean...what are brothers for, right? You'd have done the same for me..."

"No, I wouldn't have," Ryoga glanced down, "And that's what shames me. You're a better man than I am, and...and it's just taken me this long to figure that out."

"Sounds like you've both done some growing up," Ukyo sighed, "Now if only I could solve my own problems. If only Akane found somebody she liked more than me...if she gave up on me, I'm pretty sure Mako and me could work something out with Minako. I'm really and seriously convinced that Makoto's the one I want to build my life with, but..."

"There's something I don't get here," Ranma turned back to his best friend, "What is there between you and the Tomboy anyway? I mean...it's none of my business, but what do you two even have in common?"

"Aside from the both of us being Tomboys?" Ukyo replied, "Akane's a nicer person than you seem willing to accept, Ranma, and I've seen enough of her to know that I like what I see. I'd never deliberately hurt her, and I...think she's actually kind of cute. Okay, so she can't cook or do any domestic stuff, but that's not all there is in a relationship. I like seeing Akane smile...she can light up a whole room when she's being so Kawaii..."

"I guess," Ranma shrugged indifferently, "Maybe it's a lot like me and Nabiki. I mean...Nabiki's smart and funny and real pretty, and she can really mess up my mind when she teases me. There's not a whole lot that we have in common, but I like being around her and I never get tired of watching her haggle with her business friends..."

"If it's all the same to you two," Ryoga said, "I think I'll just go over there and kill myself."

"Want me to supply you with a spatula to slit your wrists?" Ukyo offered, then shook her head, "Seriously, Ryoga...if there's no reason for us to be enemies, couldn't we at least agree to talk things out with Akane? She likes you too, even if it's not the same way that you want, and it's not like she's told you to stay out of her face or anything like that..."

"She might as well," Ryoga said indifferently, "I'm just too tired about caring if she knows my feelings or not. I can't...make her love me...not even if I had one of those love pearls."

"That would only just be a temporary solution anyway," Ranma, "Those things wore off after only an hour."

"Tell me about it," Ukyo grimaced, "I still remember the power it had over me and how it made me feel...you're better off without one, Ryoga, trust me on that."

"Maybe," Ryoga said noncommittally, "But...it would still be nice to know if Akane...had any feelings for me at all...or if she could love me as a guy, that it isn't just women she favors..."

Mon Mon continued her playing, catching snatches of conversation from the three young warriors who comprised her current audience. She said nothing though her ears were perked at the curious bits and pieces that drifted her way in the thin air through which they were drifting. She eyed the curious boy-girl who had defeated her so handily, recalling the way in which the Chef had turned the tables in their battle over her love for two other woman, and it left her curious to know more about this Kuonji Ukyo. Surely a woman cursed to turn into a handsome boy whom other women found charming and desirable was worth a closer study, and there was the issue of pride at being defeated by such a one that caused the Courtesan to resolve to learn all that she could about such a one, and how a girl of her talents had earned the loyalty of the young Warrior who had the audacity and skill to defeat her beloved Master.

And unbeknownst to the Minstrel and the three teenagers, a fifth pair of ears perked up upon hearing this, and the unseen figure floating above them arched an eyebrow as she murmured to herself, "Love Pearls? How interesting...sounds almost like one of Urd's potions. I wonder..."

Peorth gave a cunning little smile, having just finished conducting Nabiki's soul back to her body when she went in search of Akane...and made a discovery that offered such interesting possibilities for the future. The Rose Goddess had a calculating look within her eyes as she resolved to conduct some research into this matter, sensing the potential for a means of convincing Kuonji that a union with her daughter had sufficient merit to justify going even further than just kissing.

It was not easy manipulating the sex-changing girl's mental patterns, for such a thing was a violation of the rules concerning free will among mortals. It seemed Akane herself was providing much of the inspiration for Kuonji to hold off in making her permanent resolution, the natural charm and charisma with which she had been gifted having such a strong effect upon the unsuspecting Okonomiyaki chef. All it would take was a bit of **tweaking** to get the cook to thinking that Akane was the girl to keep in her life. Let the Senshi have each other, all that mattered to Peorth was the happiness and security of her daughter.

"You just wait, Kuonji," Peorth smiled in relish as a plan began to form within her divine head, and then she slipped away, all unnoticed, returning to her office in the heavens to set certain things into full motion, and then...watch out!

The three teenagers paused in the midst of their conversation, glancing up at the heavens as each one thought they heard the unearthly peal of rose-tinted laughter...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Love Potion 69: shadowmane

Think Ukyo's in hot water yet? Peorth's about to turn things up to a low boil, and meanwhile back with the adults we see how matters continue to progress as Cologne confronts an amorous Siren and Naomi comes to a fateful resolution. See you next time for: "Be careful what you Cook," or "Did anybody get the number of that Bouquet of Roses?" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	105. Chapter 105

NabikiRan100 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

WARNING, MILD LIME ALERT!  
CONTAINS SITUATIONS AND SCENES INVOLVING BISEXUAL/LESBIAN ACTIVITY BETWEEN CONSENTING YOUTHS IN THE 16-18 YEAR AGE ZONE, WHICH IS LEGAL IN JAPAN BUT PROBLEMATIC IN THE UNITED STATES,  
(WHICH HAS WAAAY TOO MANY UPTIGHT BLUE NOSES!)  
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Chapter One Hundred.

"I bored," said Ling-Ling to her sister, "What we do for fun?"

"No idea," Lung-Lung replied, "Think hanging around mall no bring us closer to having cute boyfriends."

The two Chinese Amazons heaved a chorus of sighs and silently agreed on the absolute injustice of life and its treatment of cute girls seeking romance and adventure. Coming to Japan had seemed like a good way of meeting strong warriors worthy of their attention, and they had indeed encountered many a strong and able fighter, but it usually turned out they were either already committed or had equally strong girlfriends, and after a while giving out Kisses of Death was becoming too much of a habit.

The place that they currently found themselves was called a Mall, allegedly a place where boys and girls could hang out and meet one another, some by hanging around something called an "arcade," though the simulated fighting games there seemed much less appealing than actual Amazon tournaments. So far no boys had answered their challenges, so they had to fall back on reflecting on those they had actually fought within recent memory, easily recalling the names and faces of those who had at least demonstrated the greatest husband potential.

"That Recca boy very cute," Ling-Ling remarked, "Call real fire dragon, no like dance we use."

"But why he call girl Healer Princess?" Lung-Lung responded, "Big boy nice fighter, almost ignore he have face like boiled cabbage."

"Sooner date him Girlfriend," Ling-Ling snorted, "Wind girl at least cute, and very strong fighter."

"No half cute as boy with water sword," Lung-Lung sighed, a sigh matched with dreamy expression by her twin, Ling-Ling being in total agreement.

"He no have girlfriend," Ling-Ling agreed, "Maybe him worth second look."

"Is much better than stuck up boy with stupid five-part weapon," Lung-Lung noted, to which both girls heartily nodded in mutual agreement.

That was when they felt a rumbling in the floor, a rumble that traveled through the bench upon which they had been sitting and caused gasps and yelps of surprise from the various Mall patrons passing them by. As one both girls turned astonished looks towards a wall that was part of one of the shops that lined the indoor Mall, and before their eyes said wall exploded as if someone had used an Amazon stone cutting technique. Through the hail of dust and rubble a pair of figures stepped out, one a warrior woman and a very large and powerfully built man (whom of course the twins could not help noticing was also ruggedly handsome).

"This way, Gramps!" the dark haired girl sporting a headband urged as she all but dragged her male companion behind her.

"But where are we going?" the bewildered male inquired, "I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding..."

"Misunderstanding my ass!" the dark haired girl snarled back, "If they catch us they're gonna make us pay for the damages! I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly on an unlimited expense account, if you know what I mean!"

"Um...excuse me," the man sounded honestly puzzled, "But have we met...?"

Shortly after this pair made their hasty exit through the remains of what had been a second wall a number of uniformed security guards (and a fair number of store employees and patrons) came charging after the fugitive couple. Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung just stood to one side watching this fast-moving parade charge by, then in perfect synchronicity they blinked their eyes and exchanged puzzled glances.

"What that about?" Ling-Ling asked.

"You guess good as me," Lung-Lung answered, "We follow?"

"Is something to do," Ling-Ling reasoned, adding with a sly smirk, "And tall boy very handsome."

"Think girl call him Grandfather," Lung-Long noted, "Maybe he elder?"

"Who care?" Ling-Ling asked before adding, "Maybe she good date too. Is worth asking."

"Is good point," Lung-Lung smiled, and as one the twins joined the chase after the retreating pair vanishing off into the distance...

"Isn't she tired of doing this already?" Kennou asked for the fifth time, seeing Naomi wander past the now rebuilt dojo, "You think she'd have given up by now and asked for directions."

"Do you want to be the one to show her the way out of here?" Atsuko asked.

"That isn't funny, Oneesan," Kennou glared at her alleged "Big Sister," the term "Blind leading the Blind" coming all to readily to mind at this point.

"It's her own fault, really," Silk remarked, "If she was only less stubborn about admitting that she has a problem she could ask for and receive directions. It's not like I deliberately meant for her to spend the past several hours looking to find her way out of the yard on her own power."

"Now even I'm starting to feel sorry for her," Comb reflected, "But I thought she was a lot smarter than the average Hibiki. You'd think she had a system for working things out, like Kennou here."

"Wouldn't matter if she had one," Atsuko replied, "I've woven illusion spells around this place to baffle and confuse my Mother's ability to scry here...that messes up even my already messed up sense of direction. I'm afraid she won't be able to make it until she asks one of us to show her the way to the front gates. It's tough, I know, but a lot better than dropping the ward fields."

"Perhaps Shirokuro could help her out," Kennou suggested, turning a glance to one side, "What about it, Mutt, you wanna help the lady?"

The Shadow Hound just growled in response to that.

"Hey, don't bite my head off," Kennou reacted, "A simple 'No' would have sufficed."

"I wanted to make a point with her," Silk sighed, "But this is too ridiculous for words. If she would just admit that I was right about her lacking a sense of direction then we could work on explaining to her the ties she shares to the Clan of the Hibikis."

"Something else I pity her about," Comb mused, "Two burdens I wouldn't wish on a Clan rival."

"Hahaha," Atsuko growled sarcastically, "As if we'd let just any old Toma, Doka or Haruka join up. We Oni tend to be a wee bit more selective than that.

"You sure about that, Sis?" Kennou asked, with just a touch of her usual sarcasm.

Naomi did not hear these words but she was fuming in anger at the baffling way she kept winding up traveling endlessly in circles. It was just a stupid yard, not a maze! There was no reason why she could not find her way out back through the gates, they were even in plain sight of where she was standing, yet every time she started to walk towards them she found them curving away until she looped back endlessly to the dojo.

**I'll bet they're laughing up their sleeves at me,** Naomi mentally seethed, **They probably think it's hilarious that I can't negotiate my way out of a simple square lot with two buildings in it! This is worse than elementary school, at least there I could always count on a teacher to help me...**

Unbeknownst to her, Soun had been watching the businesswoman's hopeless plight, which was distracting him from his latest game and giving Genma the chance to remove more than the usual number of pieces when he knew Soun wasn't looking. At last the Tendo Patriarch had had enough and got up, resolution emboldening him to take action.

"Miss," Soun said as he approached Naomi, "There's no reason for you to be lost like that. I'll show you to the gate myself."

Naomi turned to the handsome man as if Soun had sudden grown wings and sported a halo about his head. The look of gratitude she gave him caused Silk to inhale a breath from where she watched just a few meters away, though aloud what she said was, "Ah...thank you, but you don't have to go to any trouble on my account..."

"Nonsense," Soun replied, "You are my guest and it would be improper for me not to show you the courtesy of my house. The gate is this way, and I believe your ride is still waiting there for you."

Naomi thought to herself what a charming fellow this Tendo Soun was, and very handsome for a bachelor. No wonder that Chinese Witch was after his hand in marriage, which prompted her to don a sly smile as she glanced towards the house, seeing the Amazon's eyes boring upon them, which gave her a sudden inspiration.

"I suppose that it would be rude of me to refuse your kind offer," Naomi deliberately positioned herself in close besides Soun, who merely blinked his eyes in surprise at her forwardness as Naomi touched his arm and said, "Besides which, I would be...most grateful."

Silk's hand was suddenly gripping her silver flute, but Comb's own hand found its way to her shoulder, and with a swift shake of her head the Healer negated her friend's rash impulse.

"Ah well...I see," Soun swallowed, then accepted the businesswoman's arm and escorted her towards the front of the yard, even going to far as to see her to her limousine, where the Chauffeur put down his tea and paper and snapped to attention, moving smartly to get the door before Soun could think of such a gesture.

"How gallant of you to be of such service, Tendo-san," Naomi gave him a pleasant look that she knew would cause the other man to suffer a momentary (and entirely masculine) reaction, "Perhaps next time I will return the favor for you."

"Ah...well...if you wish it, Miss," Soun responded, then waited until the limousine drove off before turning to notice the five sets of eyes turned upon him.

"Oh yes," Silk said, "That most gallant and noble of you, Soun-chan."

"What she means is that you undercut her negotiating position," Kennou interpreted.

"Seriously," Atsuko sniffed, "Now how are we gonna get her to admit that she's a Hibiki?"

"It was a noble gesture," Comb remarked, "But I don't think you appreciate just how dangerous that woman might be if she has a mind to be a problem."

"I don't care," Soun said with firm resolution in his voice, "You were being deliberately cruel to a guest and trying to coerce her into making a concession for which she is obviously not prepared. No matter who she is or who she works for, I'll not have guests be mistreated while they are staying at my house. Do I make myself clear on this subject?"

Silk blinked her eyes, surprised at the unusually harsh reprimand in the Tendo Patriarch's voice, and it did not help her mood any that the panda at her side was holding up a sign which read, "Busted!"

"But I...!" Silk began to protest, only to see the man she loved waving a hand in front of her face as Soun singled her out for special attention.

"You thought you were acting in my best interests," Soun replied, "But you should have consulted with me before taking it upon yourself to put her through such a trial. I make a lot of allowances for you, Silk, and I do appreciate your otherwise good intentions, but this time you have gone too far. This is not your home and property that you can play the part of its Mistress. If you want that title then you are going to have to work to earn it."

"I...what...?" Silk's mind momentarily was derailed off her mental train tracks.

"Wait a second," Comb blinked her eyes, "You're challenging her? For real this time?"

"You will act as a witness?" Soun asked of the purple haired Healer.

"Ah...uh...yes, of course," Comb was non-plussed as she and her fellow Amazon exchanged surprised glances.

"What the heck is this all about?" Kennou glanced from one set of faces to the other.

"A marriage proposal," Atsuko replied, "Amazon style."

"A marriage proposal?" Kennou blinked, "I thought they were going to fight."

The panda at her side began to make a series of growing noises, and he held up the sign to illustrate points, giving a rapid low down on Amazon laws and customs, punctuated by side-comments and growls from Shirokuro, at the end of which Kennou cried, "You've gotta be kidding me!"

Meanwhile, back in the limousine, Naomi smiled as she picked up the car-phone and dialed a pre-set number, resolved to put her plan into effect that she hoped would even the odds for the next time she did pay a visit to the dojo. With the trademark smile that had earned her the nick-name of "Shark" she waited for the connection to be made then said, "Fujikura Realty? I'd like to speak directly to Chairman Norunga about some inquiries I was making on behalf of the company that I represent..."

"Okay," Ukyo said to herself as she squared her shoulders and prepared herself mentally and spiritually for the ordeal that she knew was ahead, "Don't back down now, Kuonji...this has to be done. Do it for Makoto..."

She swallowed on a dry mouth and politely knocked on the cabin assigned to Akane, then waited until a soft voice murmured, "Come in."

"Here goes nothing," Ukyo murmured to herself as she slid the door open and entered, her Ninja-trained senses at once coming alert that there was something very unusual about the room even as she meekly made her entrance.

"Akane?" she asked hesitantly, wondering what the strange perfume-like smell was that was filling the air, and subsequently her nostrils. Then she saw movement on the bed and felt her resolve begin to quaver, for Akane emerged from beneath silken sheets and had a dreamy expression on her kawaii features, as if she had just awaken from a deliciously erotic dream...and to judge by the hungry look she turned Ukyo's way it was a safe bet that she had been (at least in a surrogate sense) a feature player.

"Ukyo..." Akane murmured softly, then rose further from the sheets to reveal the upper part of her fully nude body, "I was hoping you'd come see me..."

"Ah..." Ukyo would have turned and fled like mad but for the fact that someone doused her with cold water, causing her to sputter while her body changed from female to male aspect. Thus distracted she did not see the womanly form appearing directly behind her with an outstretched finger that touched the now-  
male chef at a point located on her/his lower back, roughly about the location of her-how his-liver.

That area briefly glowed to life, a tiny pearl-shaped object being delineated in the exact place where an undigested piece of silicon would logically come to rest. The dormant charge that had been expended over a week ago suddenly came to life as the finger drew a glyph in the air, then withdrew, having activated the spell that had once been there.

The effect traveled through Ukyo's system with the speed of a toxic poison, only instead of harming the mind the effect was to enflame deep buried passions, causing him to stare in wonder at the desirable girl laying on the bed, and with a shuddering gasp of long suppressed emotion she said, "Akane-chan...I'm here for you!"

"Ukyo," Akane spread the sheets to expose more of the bed and smiled, leaning back with a look that was altogether inviting.

Peorth withdrew with a soft chuckle, flowing through the wall as if the wooden partition offered her no obstacle, content to allow the magic "Incense of Erotic Passion" to do the main work of getting the Bishonen boy together with her beloved daughter. It was almost too easy to rig this trap to ensnare Kuonji, having had a sense that the Chef was going to come looking for Akane sooner or later, not doubt to break up with her for sake of her lust after a Senshi.

Having done the necessary research, Peorth had learned about the magic pearls and their effects some short time ago on a group of unsuspecting mortals. Most of the pearls had evaporated when the spell that had conjured them into life had been reversed, but the pearl Ukyo had swallowed had been partially absorbed into her system, and as such it had left its imprint. Reactivating the spell was childsplay for a Goddess of Peorth's rank, and while the charge would only last a couple of hours at most, that would be more than enough to seal the bonds between Ukyo and Akane so that the Chef's sense of honor and integrity would forbid her from renouncing Peorth's daughter, thus insuring Akane's happiness, which was all Peorth desired (well...that and of course having Grandkids...).

Of course there was one potential threat to this relationship, but Peorth had already devised an equally cunning way of neutralizing this Kino Makoto. She slipped away from where Chef and Tendo were about to become like man and woman and sought out the towering Jovian girl, finding her on the prowl looking for Ukyo, which of course gave Peorth the means of directing the girl to an adjoining room, having whispered a few suggestions while surreptitiously activating the girl's own swallowed Love Pearl.

Inside the room Makoto noticed the barely illuminated lighting provided by a few glowing wands of incense...an incense that was oddly appealing in some odd way, rather like a lotus blossom mixed with lilac. A long-haired and obviously female form was stretched out on a bed moving her hands over her naked body, the silken sheets that she lay atop highlighting her sinuous form to excellent profile.

"Ucchan?" Makoto hesitantly asked.

"Guess again," purred a sensuous voice that sounded kittenish and altogether friendly.

"M-Minako-chan?" Makoto gasped, and she would have taken a step back but for the way an invisible hand pushed her forward, causing her to stumble until she all but landed on top of the bed and its single occupant, at which point amorous arms stretched out to invite her and all but threw her down on the bed with the strength of a sex-crazed panther.

Peorth shut the door on the two lovebirds and chuckled at her own brilliance. Two for two, and not a sign of any mishap! This was going even better than she had hoped for, and now all she had to do was sit back and enjoy the show as powerful magics coupled with human desires did her work for her, thus sealing the future...

"Thought I'd find you here," a voice startled the Goddess, "What are you doing, Mother?"

"Hah?" Peorth would have jumped if not for the fact that she was floating, whirling about with a guilty expression as she found someone standing there with arms folded and a slightly accusing expression, "N-Nabiki? Oh! You gave me such a fright..."

"Can't imagine why," Nabiki drawled, "Unless you're up to something that you shouldn't be doing, 'Mom.' That's Akane's room over there, right? The one she's presently sharing with Ami."

"Ah, yes, I was just...checking up on your sister," Peorth lamely explained, "She's in bed right now and not feeling all that well..."

A moaning sound emanated from said room, to which Nabiki lifted an eyebrow and said, "I see what you mean. From the sound of things she's either got a tummy ache or somebody's down on their knees giving her Cunnilingus."

"Ah...what an active imagination you have, Cheri..." Peorth smiled a bit weakly.

"It's not imagination," Nabiki said, "When you've got two bedmates like Shampoo and Ranma giving you plenty of examples. I was coming this way to speak with Akane after Ranma told me about Ukyo's romantic troubles. I was going to try talking some sense into my kid Sis, but it seems that somebody was a step or two ahead of me. You wouldn't happen to be trying to bring those two closer together through magic, now would you?"

"Why, I'm shocked at you, Nabiki-chan," Peorth replied, "How could you accuse your poor divine mother of resorting to any such thing?"

"Because Urd warned me about you," Nabiki replied, "She says you mean well but have this tendency to meddle. I think you'd better put a stop to things right now, Peorth, before they get too far out of hand."

"What makes you think that I can...or that I should?" Peorth responded, privately musing on interesting and inventive ways of dishing out pay-back to her fellow Goddess, "Akane would not welcome an intrusion at this point..."

"No, but it's wrong to make Ukyo act this way just to please Akane," Nabiki said firmly, "Mother, I know you want what's best for her, but they've got to make their own mistakes, come to their own resolutions, make their own choices if it's going to have any lasting meeting. You get them together under circumstances like this and it could turn into a real disaster, especially if Kuonji's really fated to make a life with Makoto. This isn't fair to her or Ukyo, and it's not..." Nabiki paused and glanced at the other door, "Who's in there?"

"Ah...that would be Makoto," Peorth winced nervously, then attempted a weak smile as if hoping to deflect attention.

Nabiki heaved a sigh, "What am I gonna do with you, Mom? I thought you promised Momma that you weren't going to meddle?"

"Who's meddling?" Peorth waved her hands disarmingly, "This is just...ah...giving them a slight push in the right direction..."

"I think I'd better see this for myself," Nabiki started forward, only to find the Goddess positioned in her path.

"I, ah...would not go in there, ma Cheri," Peorth explained, "You might be affected...ah...that is...someone is burning special incense in that room, and even I could be affected if I breathed it in too deeply."

"Love incense?" Nabiki arched her eyebrows.

"More like something that relaxes inhibitions and strengthens the libido," Peorth replied, "So unless you want to risk doing something spontaneous that might not meet with the approval of you wife and husband...I'd wait until I had a gas mask before going in there...if you take my meaning..."

"Lovely," Nabiki murmured as she pushed past the goddess and lifted part of her dress to form a rude filter.

Of course when she did push open one of the two doors and looked inside, what she and Peorth saw caused them both to gape in wonder and amazement.

"What?" Peorth exclaimed, then hastily covered her own mouth as her nostrils began to tingle from brief contact with the incense.

"Somehow I think your plan's backfired a bit, Mom," Nabiki said as she slid the door back into place then went to check on the other room, and after a pause said, "Now I wonder how this happened...?"

Akane welcomed Ukyo into her arms as the two of them kissed with intensity and passion. It was a moment each was longing for with equal fervor, a moment when the barriers would finally come down from between them and they two would be locked in the warmth of a passion that could not be denied regardless of reason or logic.

For Ukyo it was like a blinding revelation, as if he had awaken from a dream where all the previous doubt and uncertainty was banished to a very remote place far away from conscious awareness. Any thought of breaking up with Akane now was simply not to be conceived. Of course she loved Akane, who could not love someone so generous, warm and caring who had the aspect of an Angel, even minus her wings. Such a prize among women, not to be dismissed or undersold, and definitely a desirable package with her tight little body fitting snugly within his arms as Ukyo began kissing her face and working his way down to her throat. Akane had a lean and muscular figure beneath the soft outer packaging of her skin, and to hold her like this made Ukyo very much sympathetic with the legion of boys who once sought to fight for the privilege of dating her, or of Ryoga, who had pined for her in such forlorn resignation.

(Something about that latter thought disturbed Ukyo on the periphery of his awareness, but being too far under the spell placed upon him he did not allow this twinge of conscience to disturb his growing ardor)

For Akane the act of being kissed by her beloved Ucchan was a dream come true, and yet for all the sweetness it entailed there was a nagging sense that something was not quite right, or rather less than fully perfect. Considering how a powerful wave of lust was now coursing through her system it was amazing that she could even think coherently, let alone realize that there was something amiss to this otherwise complete picture. Ukyo was most certainly the boy that she had dreamed about for many a night and a day, and every bit as sensitive and giving as she had hoped that he might be, and yet as his kisses drifted down her throat, Akane became aware of a nagging wrongness to this picture, and it was that which caused her to put a hand to Ukyo's chest and gently push against him.

Sensing the change in his companion's mood, Ukyo paused in the act of his kissing and said, "What's wrong, Akane-chan? Is something the matter?"

"No...yes...I...don't know," Akane temporized, looking up into the dimly visible face of the handsome Bishonen boy before her, "I...Ukyo...do you love me?"

"Do I love you?" Ukyo's voice was husky as he smiled without hesitation, "What kind of a question is that, Sugar? Of course I love you...would I be here if I didn't?"

"And what about...Makoto?" Akane asked with a slight hesitation.

"Makoto?" Ukyo blinked, "Who's...Mako-chan?" Ukyo blinked, "That name...I know her...Mako-chan? But..."

That told Akane as much as she needed to hear. Her perfect mood was shattered as she pushed against the handsome boy and got up out of the bed, heedless of her nudity, "I thought so...you're under some kind of a spell, aren't you? I should have known you wouldn't come to me this easily..."

"Akane-chan?" Ukyo sounded puzzled, seeing the girl he loved standing there in the dim light of burning incense.

"I-I care for you...truly I do, Ucchan," Akane slowly backed away, "But I want you to come to me of your own choice, not because somebody makes you do it..."

"Akane-chan...?" Ukyo got up from the bed, feeling a hardness in his trousers swelling to get out.

"I...I..." Akane's resolve wavered as she stared at the altogether handsome boy, her lust nearly overwhelming her, though she understood now why she hesitated to commit herself, which gave her a sad but logical idea that would at least temporarily abate the problem, "Wait here...I'm gonna heat up some water, then...we'll talk. At least...I want to know if you-if the real you-is as open about this as I hope you are..."

Feeling her resolution already begin to crumble, Akane turned and headed for the nearest door that she could spy in the dim light, which just happened to be the door that adjoined her room to another cabin. She did not see the forlorn look that crossed Ukyo's features as the sex-changed boy-girl wondered what he had done wrong to offend his beloved, and so after only a momentarily hesitation he turned to follow after.

Meanwhile, as all of this took place, Makoto was wrestled to the bed and pinned by an amorous Minako, who also was under the effects of the magical incense and had every intention of making her erotic fantasies into reality as she bent down to plant a kiss on the taller girl, which was instantly returned as Makoto was under the thrall of her own potent libido.

Minako passionately explored Makoto's mouth with her tongue, meshing their juices as she pressed her body against that of her fellow Senshi. Venus most definitely was in the House of Mars as the naked girl's blonde hair showered down to cover a much aroused brunette like a blanket of love as Minako's hands began to squeeze and fondle Makoto through the thin barrier of the latter's clothing. Makoto responded to this squeeze by reaching out with a hand to caress the soft texture of Minako's skin, sliding hands up to cup and return the fondle as Minako's breasts presented delightful fruit just hanging there waiting to be sampled.

Minako thrilled to the sense that she was fulfilling her own fantasy, but right as she was about to begin removing Makoto's dress, she became aware of a slight cramping sensation that swelled up within her and threatened to momentarily convulse her.

"Damn," Minako whispered as she broke off kissing a willing Makoto.

"What's wrong?" Makoto asked, sensing a shift in the attention of her beloved friend and fellow Senshi.

"I gotta pee," Minako made a slight face, "This would happen to me now of all times! Just wait here and I'll take care of things. Don't move an inch from this bed, you hear?"

"But I want to come with you," Makoto said pleadingly, "I don't want you to go..."

"I know," Minako's smile could not be seen in the dim light of the room, but the warmth she radiated was felt by Makoto as the blonde got up off of the bed and left Makoto's side in search of the adjacent privy.

"Mina-chan?" Makoto sat up, too much under the spell of the love pearl to pay heed to Minako's insistence that she wait. All she knew was that the girl she loved had left her side and was moving away into the gloom surrounding them, and that was simply not to be tolerated. Makoto was on her feet moving towards where she thought she saw Minako vanish through a doorway, and so she started to follow, only to bump her knee against a bed post, which caused her a few tense moments during which she paused to rub her wounded member.

And as such her back was turned when Akane walked into the room from the adjoining doorway.

Akane was certain that she remembered seeing a kettle on one of the electric heating pads in the room next to the one assigned to her and the curious girl named Ami. Akane intended to heat up the water so that she could restore Ukyo to female status, and then she would either engage Ukyo in conversation or pick right up where they had left off, secure in the thought that she would be making love to the girl whom she had fallen in love with and not simply the handsome boy that Ukyo became in his cursed form.

Her reasons for why this seemed important to her was difficult for her to understand, though if asked she would have said that she wanted to know if her own feelings for Ukyo were genuine and not just the product of baser lust. She wanted Ukyo with an intensity that almost frightened her, and that alone was cause enough to cool her ardor and make her proceed with greater caution. With all the magic and spells that had been flying about lately the last thing she wanted to do was entrap Ukyo under false pretenses.

Her thoughts briefly traveled to the curious girl named Mizuno Ami, a girl whom everyone kept insisting looked just like her, though Akane wondered just how much of a resemblance could be drawn between her and the shorter haired friend of Makoto. Ami had blue eyes and blue-black hair while Akane's eyes were unmistakably brown, and she was a real bookworm with only moderate martial arts training while Akane was an above-average student who loved sports and physical activities more than reading. Ami spoke with a refined, cultured voice that had very few cultural colloquialisms and she behaved with such formal manners that even Kasumi seemed Tomboyish by contrast. The girl was shy to the point where just asking if she had a boyfriend could cause her to blush and titter like a Middle school student, yet she was so brainy and confident in her ability to make complex calculations that she seemed to be practicing her own form of mental martial art, and the things she could do with a calculator were simply not to be believed!

Oh sure there was a superficial resemblance between herself and this Ami character, but it wasn't that close of a resemblance, and if anything she had about as much in common with the other girl as...well...as Kachu had with Kasumi!

As she was thinking these thoughts she did not see Makoto stumbling towards the door, unaware that it was the door adjoining the other room and not the privy where Minako was presently located. Makoto was just in the process of sliding open the door when it began opening seemingly on its own power, and then she stared with a start at the figure standing on the other side of this partition, and then her eyes made contact with the figure standing before her.

Ukyo was startled to find Makoto was blocking her path, but as their eyes locked together she felt something curious begin to happen. The tiny resonance that had been the Love Pearl began to pulse inside her, responding to the resonance frequency corresponding to the Pearl in Makoto's body, and thus the spells affecting both of their minds reset, finding the already existing patterns of their emotions and intensifying the bonds of their mutual attraction. That coupled with the erotic intensity of the magical perfume scent made inevitable what next was about to happen.

It was Makoto who made the first move, reaching out to enfold Ukyo in the powerful embrace of her arms and bearing the now-tall male (almost as tall as herself, but only slightly broader in the shoulders) backwards as Ukyo staggered backwards and allowed himself to be borne over to the bed. They did not have the presence of mind to slide the door behind them, but such was hardly necessary as events were to make this less than essential.

Minako came out from the privy having concluded her business with all the haste that a girl suffering such intensely erotic vibrations could have managed, and so great was her urgency to find and conclude her business with Makoto that she stumbled blindly into Akane, having not seen the other girl in the dim light of the chamber.

Akane was taken completely by surprise and the two of them fell to the floor in a heap, their yelps going unnoticed by the pair already rolling on what had been Akane's bed, who were in their own little world and beyond noticing the greater world beyond them.

"What are you...?" Akane started to say.

"What the hell are you...?" Minako started to say at the exact same time when a curious effect fell over both of them, which halted their outraged protests and caused their mutual surprise to turn into something even more surprising.

Akane found herself beneath a naked girl whose hair felt as soft against her cheeks as Kasumi's, and she even had a similar body-scent. She was well padded in the places where Akane's hands were placed and the touch of that skin was incredibly smooth and altogether inviting.

Minako felt an equally warm and naked girl lying underneath her and her first impression was that it was Ami whom she had landed atop. Certainly the face that greeted her with much surprise looked very much like Ami, and while this was not too surprising in itself (after all, Ami slept in the next room with that Akane girl for a room mate), but what was astonishing was the sudden surge of attraction that flared up within her as the lust that had been directed at Makoto was now focused upon "Ami."

She had always felt close to Ami, who was like a little sister in a brainy, nerdy kind of way, but now she was altogether aware and attracted towards the blue-haired Senshi of Mercury as a vibrant and sexually attractive young woman, and as such she found herself reacting with sheer wanton desire, behaving on an altogether instinctual level, not even able to question this sudden surge in animal lust that was taking over her mind and overruling her reason, encouraged all the more when "Ami" responded to her advances.

Akane did not know why but the smell of the woman lying on top of her mingled with the perfume-like incense in the air to overwhelm what was left of her resolve and crumble her resistance to such erotic impulses as now flooded her consciousness like a form of possession. Though she had never been with a woman before and had been set and determined to make Ukyo her first she found the allure of a girl who could remind her of Kasumi more potent than any aphrodisiac imaginable. As such her body responded to the other girl's advances with equal ardor and soon the two of them were rolling on the floor like a pair of wild cats in heat, heedless of anything but ravishing one another.

Thus when the door slid open and a two sets of eyes-one mortal, the other divine-peered in to see the frenzied activity taking place within this chamber they hardly took notice, even when one of the pair said, "...Now I wonder how that could have happened...?

And less than a thousand miles away a certain lady smiled as she surveyed her latest creation, peering beyond the abstract colors as she murmured to herself, "Like taking Candy from the Lollipop Guild. Too bad, Peorth old girl, but you'd need to be at least a couple thousand years older to be better at this game than yours truly..."

"Did you say something, Grandma?" Ryomi asked as she sat waiting in a chair close nearby.

"Just talking out loud, Ryo-chan," Ganglot smiled, "Now just hold still a bit longer. I need to put a few more touches to this work, and then I'll do your portrait, as I promised."

"Cool," Ryomi smiled, then paused before adding, "This isn't gonna be another one of those cubist thingies you were doing earlier in the day? I mean...if you're gonna do me it'll look like me, right?"

"Of course, Darling," Ganglot replied, "Trust me...even you'll be impressed when I get finished. Now...a few strokes here and...voila...another masterpiece! Now...all we need to do is wait and the effects should take hold in another few minutes..."

Ryomi decided not to ask what that latter comment entailed, and suspected she was better off not knowing, though it would have surprised her to know that it directly concerned her older brother, who was even then wandering lost on the decks of the Nekonron sky ship.

"Where am I now?" he asked in what had to be one of his more notorious trademark lines, and even he had to wonder how anyone could get lost on a ship even of this size, though he was surprised to find himself upon the bridge of said vessel. Seeing several of the ship's crew on hand, he decided to ask one of them for directions, only to be surprised when one of them turned to him with a rather stern expression.

"You there," the Nekonron Officer of the Deck pointed at him, "You're one of the Prince's guests, right? I need to find the Captain and tell him something, so you might as well get over here and make yourself useful."

"Um...sure," Ryoga said, "What do you want me to do?"

"Just take the wheel and hold it on course for a bit," the officer replied, "Don't turn it left or right, just keep it steady and don't do anything until I get back."

"Ah...sure," Ryoga said, "I guess I can do that...but what about them?" he nodded to the two other bridge crewmembers.

"Can't use Te-Skuaer," the officer replied, "He's the navigator and he's got to plot the charts according to our rudders. Hi-Ganz here's been up all night and he's dead tired. In case you haven't noticed, we're all a bit exhausted on this trip, that being because we had to run hard to avoid getting caught on the edge of a storm that creeped up from the South. Of course you young kids wouldn't notice a thing like that...probably think this is a damned luxury cruise for your enjoyment..."

"I wouldn't think that..." Ryoga replied as he took the wheel away from a half-  
asleep Hi-Ganz, who stumbled off to a nearby palate for some much needed sleep and was in the land of Nod before his head hit the pillow.

"Sure you do," the Officer said as he left the deck, muttering to himself, "Foreigners...what is the Prince thinking...?"

"Ah..." Ryoga found himself virtually alone holding the wheel while the only other crewman conscious was too busy pouring over some maps and log-books, wondering how he had let himself be talked into this but not daring to leave his post as it might cause the air ship to go off course and delay their arrival in Nerima.

It would not be until two hours had elapsed that the officer would return to relieve him, but the damage had been done by then and no one would discover this until they failed to arrive at their destination the next morning, exactly as Ganglot had intended, though even she did not calculate just how long it would take for the crew to finally arrive back in Nerima...

"You needn't have shouted like that," Siren winced as she rubbed a finger in one ear, "Honestly, Cologne darling, you can be so very melodramatic."

"How did you find me?" Cologne demanded from where she had withdrawn by a good three meters, her eyes as wide as dinner plates as she studied the naked blonde Enchantress as though Siren were more dangerous than an amorous Anaconda.

"Did you think you could avoid me that easy?" Siren gave her fellow Amazon a chiding look before leering, "As if I wouldn't cross hill and dale to be with you in your self-imposed exile. By the way, why are you holding onto that big mallet?"

"Eh?" Cologne became faintly aware that she was clutching hold of said wooden hammer but merely shrugged her shoulders and said, "Ayeka keeps a supply of them on hand for dealing with Ryoko. Don't change the subject, I asked why you are here?"

"Take a wild guess," Siren lowered her eyelashes and batted them in the Matriarch's direction, "I came to find you of course, Silly. Where else would I be but at the side of my darling, beloved Kho-chan?"

Cologne tightened her grip upon the mallet she was clutching, regretting that her staff was out of reach, but even as she took a more defensive posture she was staring at the blonde Archmage with eyes as wide as proverbial saucers.

"You what?" Cologne asked, only to gasp in surprise as Siren vanished from sight momentarily, to reappear once again directly behind the blue-black haired Matriarch.

"You won't need this for dealing with me, Kho-chan," Siren cooed as she deftly removed the mallet from Cologne's unresisting grasp and tossed it to the side, where it vanished like smoke, leaving Cologne virtually defenseless. Once again Siren's arms snaked around to cuddle and fondle Cologne's supple body while her own body pressed up against the Matriarch's backside, positioning her face so that her lips could nuzzle one ear of the astonished Amazon Elder.

"You don't know how long I've been dreaming of this moment," Siren cooed as Cologne felt her breath blow against the base of one earlobe, "Of holding you, of being with you again. Three hundred years is a long time to wait for unrequited lust you know..."

"Let me go," Cologne struggled in vain, finding Siren elusively resisting her best counter-motions, "Siren...this is no way to behave..."

"Wrong," Siren replied, "It is exactly how I've wanted to behave with you since we were both younger girls innocently sharing out meals together and wondering what the future might hold for us both. Now here I am the strongest Mage of our tribe, and you and greatest Warrior of our generation, exactly as we dreamed it would be...before all of that unpleasantness happened."

Cologne gasped as she felt hands reach and caress places that no one had dared to touch on her person in a very long time, but finally she struggled free of the other woman's grasp and put as much distance as she could between them both, splashing furiously until her back rested up against the stone railing.

"What are you so afraid of?" Siren asked as bobbed in the water with a faintly disappointed expression, "I won't bite you...at least, not unless you ask me nicely..."

"You haven't changed," Cologne was panting, her heart beating like a triphammer, though why she would be so intimidated at the forward advances of her one-time best friend was something she would have been at a loss to explain had anyone asked her, "You're still as irresponsible and reckless in your ways as I remember."

"Oh, now that hurts, Kho-chan," Siren pouted, "You know I would never do anything that was truly contrary to your nature. Are you telling me that you feel nothing when you look on me as a woman and not just what I represent?" and with that the blonde Archmage rose up out of the water and flexed her arms as she struck a pose designed to show of her quite remarkably physique to excellent effect. Cologne's eyes drank the sight of her in and for a moment she was utterly stupefied, only to wrench her eyes away with considerable effort.

"It makes no difference who you are and what you have become, Siren," Cologne fought to keep her voice steady, "You can't just come into my life and pretend the last three centuries never happened..."

"And did I say anything about that?" Siren asked, "And what is there about the last three centuries that would stand between us, pray tell? You've been married twice and so have I, you've had children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even more that are on the way...and so have I. We've both seen generations come and go, yet we're both still here, and each of us is in rather good shape if I dare say so myself," she paused to strike another fetching pose, only this time Cologne ignored it, causing Siren to pout the more deeply.

"As you say, we have seen generations come and go," Cologne replied, "And we owe it to those generations yet to be born to serve as examples for the future..."

"Says who?" Siren asked, "The future will take care of its own, we should have a mind to take care of our own needs as we've done more than the right. There is no clan division between us, no rivalry between your family and mine, and I've always been content to let you rule as Matriarch without contesting your position. I'm not aware of any personal animosity that you should bear towards me, and you know if you would ask it I would be more than willing to lend you my support, had you ever thought to ask me."

"Oh?" Cologne studied the hovering Archmage warily, "And I don't suppose you would know a way that I can restore my appearance before the rest of our people?"

"You mean hide yourself once more behind the illusion of the Crone?" Siren paused to consider this, "As I understand it, it was a splash of Jusenkyo water that cost you this ability by reinforcing your self-conception as a young girl and not an old woman. Doesn't warm water such as this weaken the effects of your Jusenkyo curse."

"You think I haven't tried that already?" Cologne frowned, "Even with hot water I can't reconstruct my illusion."

"Well, there you have it," Siren smiled, "The power of Jusenkyo water is certainly beyond the scope of ordinary magic, almost divine or sinister in nature, caused no doubt by a powerful intelligence far older than Amazon memory. It would seem in your case, however, that the power discharged itself in canceling out your illusion, effectively locking you in place as though it were Chiisituan itself..."

"Can you break this spell?" Cologne asked, cutting short this diagnosis.

"Hmm," Siren stroked her chin as she slipped back into the water, "Possibly...though I seriously doubt that it would be easy. Of a certainty it is beyond the means of Lotion or any Lore Master, not that I'd suspect your former apprentice of being inclined to help you out. Of course I should stipulate that I would be most reluctant to agree to assist you in this deception, seeing how I've always been opposed to your hiding the truth from the Council in the first place."

"Never mind that," Cologne snapped, "Can you do this?"

'Hmm," Siren mused, "Perhaps I should qualify my earlier statement to make it plain that there is one exception to my earlier offer of assisting you...such as asking what is in it for me if I did go along with your desire to resume your identity as a dried up old piece of Mackerel Jerky?"

"It's my decision to make," Cologne replied with utter firmness.

"Oh really?" Siren arched pale eyebrows, "And here I thought it might either be the will of the Fates of the Gods that you end your long years of denying your Juraian heritage. You're far too honest a person to go on living a lie like this just to avoid the jealousy and resentment of your fellow Elders. What would Be Dea and the others say if they knew that you had been keeping a thing like that from them all of these decades? Sooner or later you are going to have to face the music, Kho-chan, and it's better to do so on your own terms rather than having this choice forced upon you."

"And who are you to lecture me about responsibility?" Cologne asked flatly.

"No one special," Siren replied, "I just happen to be the person who is in love with you, that's all, and I have been...for almost as many years as I have known you."

Cologne stared in blank-eyed amazement at that as Siren turned away and sounded actually quite serious as she continued, "No, I will not consent to this, Kho-  
chan...not even for you. I will not assist you in resuming your lie or ducking out on a choice you must clearly make for yourself. You may call me selfish and irresponsible, but I love you too much to want to help you continue to bury a truth that you do not find comfortable in sharing with others...not that I can understand why you should feel that way, seeing as you do have a very lovely family, both the terrestrial kind and those who come from other planets."

"I'm not ashamed of my roots," Cologne insisted, albeit with a softer tone than she had used before, "I just don't think the Council will ever be ready to learn the truth regarding our origins..."

"Perhaps so," Siren turned a harder stare on Cologne than the latter would have anticipated, almost fierce with emotion as she seemed to bore into the Matriarch's very soul, "But we will never know if you insist on keeping the facts to yourself while swearing those few of us who know the truth to perpetual silence. It is not fair to the younger generation, like Ambergris herself, who must lead out people in time if she is to fulfill the prophesies of Lotion. You know as well as I do that Fate is a jealous mistress who does not like being cheated."

Cologne lowered her gaze as she stared into the water before responding to the unvoiced accusation, "You know that if I appeared to the Council as I am there would be trouble. Our entire way of life would be unsettled..."

"So who says it has to be common knowledge?" Siren asked, "The Elders can be trusted to keep a secret among themselves. Besides, if it's their wrath you're worried about, you know I will back you all the way, and so will Lotion. Between the three of us there is no one on the Council who would dare to challenge our combined authority. Your family and clan will not suffer reprisals and our people will be the stronger for the sharing of your knowledge."

"I am not as certain of this as you are," Cologne said reluctantly, "What I know...even you cannot suspect some of what I know. There is much that I would be reluctant to share with anyone..."

"Then share it with me," Siren mused, "Do you think you could stand to know some of what I know on account of my training? I've been to places you cannot even imagine, Kho-chan...I've done things...sometimes questionable, other times fully justified, and if you think it's easy living with that...well, I'm afraid we have radically different definitions of the word 'easy.'"

"I will allow that as a given," Cologne shrugged, "But the truth is that the task of being a Matriarch involves more than being a great fighter. I doubt even Ambergris could learn everything she needs to know from simply living life on the road or studying with the council."

"If you want to have a part in her future training, then you should go to her and offer to train her," Siren argued, "You would hardly be the first to groom your own successor, and she's far too intelligent to eschew your advice. No doubt she would even welcome a visit from you from time to time to give a critique of her performance?"

"Perhaps," Cologne mused thoughtfully, "As you say, it is something to consider."

"You see?" Siren smiled, "Learning to trust people to make their own decisions isn't as hard as you seem to imagine."

"Is that what you want me to do?" Cologne asked, "Trust in people to govern their own lives? And what of your trust in me...or are you waiting for me to lower my guard so you can deposit one of those Love Pearls that I know you're holding."

"Is that what's set you so much on edge around me?" Siren gave Cologne a coy expression, "You think I'm going to coerce you into surrendering your love to me by use of a Love Pearl? Well...let me set your mind at ease on that. I had considered resorting to the pearls in order to make you more...compliant with my wishes...but on further reflection I decided that this was not the way that I wanted to earn your love, so I gave the Lifetime Pearl to someone more in need of a change of venue. My young apprentice will now have to cope with the undying affections of a certain boy we both know who used to be a nuisance for your granddaughter..."

"What?" Cologne blinked her eyes, "Frost...and Mousse?"

"Don't you think they'll make a lovely couple?" Siren gave Cologne a kittenish expression, "Assuming Frost does not choose to remove him from existence in the corporeal world, or turn him into something even more loathsome and unpleasant. She might even grow accustomed to the thought of having the boy be her faithful love slave...the very same boy she's had a crush upon for years, and whose jilting of her was responsible for Frost losing so much of her youthful innocence."

Cologne considered the boy who had proven such a problem for Shampoo over the years, turning his affections towards the albino girl whose tolerance for his childish antics would prove remarkably brief, and gave a slight shudder, feeling actual pity for the boy who was the descendent of one of her most hated rivals on the Council.

"As for the day pill," Siren smiled, "I swallowed that one myself before I came here."

"You WHAT?" Cologne was amazed, even though it would account for the Archmage's preferred choice of extending her greetings.

"Indeed," Siren mused, "I wanted to make certain...and you know what? It didn't change my feelings for you in the slightest. That's because the Pearls have only a limited effect upon true love, so my feelings will not wear off at the end of a day but will only grow more intense for you over time as I make plain to you the full extent of my desires." She gave Cologne a look that was knowing and confident as she added, "Mark me well, I will claim your heart for my own, Kho-chan. It is only a matter of time, and I think you already know that. You will never hide your feelings from me again and will come in time to know that those feelings are genuine, without artificial enhancement. Resist all you want, play hard to get with me if you must, but you and I will be lovers before long and then...oh yes! Then I will show you a world of enjoyment just waiting around the corner...all the love that has resided unrequited in my heart as I have watched you give your heart to others time and again. You will not deny me any longer, my beloved, dearest friend, and before a month is out you will even admit that love me. Count on that, for I have spoken."

The Archmage made a sweeping gesture with one hand and caused a water spout to form around her, briefly obscuring her from view, only to die away as suddenly as it had happened, leaving no trace of Siren in its wake. Cologne stared at the empty space rippling in the water for a long, tense moment, then released a slight shudder...though less from fear than of an unexpected certainty that Siren's words had been anything but empty...and most confusing of all, she did not know of her own feelings on this matter, which truly was a disturbing concept...

"Oh man," Usagi grinned in relish, "Get a load of that sunset."

"I know," Rei replied as she squeezed Usagi's hand back in reply, "We never get sunsets like that in Tokyo..."

"This whole trip has been like some kind of a dream," Usagi mused as she rested her head against that of her beloved Shine-maiden (well, less a Maiden, but still much beloved) as the two shared a sigh, relishing in the warm of their mutual close contact, "What a bummer it has to end by tomorrow."

"Speak for yourself," Rei cooed ecstatically, "I'm gonna remember this cruise in the clouds for as long as I live, Usagi-chan."

"Make that double for me," Usagi turned her face towards her dark haired companion and kissed her.

"Well, aren't you two looking chipper," chimed Ami as she looked up from the book that she had been reading, "I was beginning to wonder if the both of you would spend the whole trip in your room."

"Tempting," Usagi mused, "Especially with the kind of room service they give here. I never knew breakfast in bed could taste so sexy..."

"Especially when you eat something sweet off of the person you love," Rei agreed, giving Usagi a very naughty and self-indulgent smile that caused the odango-haired Moon Princess to shiver with delight at the mere memory of same.

Ami rolled her eyes and went back to her reading, even if the pages were starting to blur the longer she had to endure hearing the love-talk of her two best friends without fleeing for the safety of her own shared cabin. A vibrator was starting to sound a lot more interesting than the facts and figures of her text, and if she did not do something soon to relieve herself of sexual tension, then she was rather certain that she would very shortly go mad from sheer frustration.

"By the way," Usagi turned towards Ami as if just then remembering she existed, "How are you getting along sharing a room with that girl, Akane."

"Yeah," Rei sounded equally amused, "Any truth to the rumor that she's really your long lost twin sister?"

"I don't see how anyone could mistake the two of us for twins," Ami set her book aside and silently reminded herself that it was improper to think such thoughts as committing statutory rape on her two best friends, one of them even being her Princess, "She's a nice enough girl, I suppose, but we have very little in common. She doesn't seem at all interested in either math or history, though she's hardly as ignorant as you on that subject, Usagi."

"Hey, don't bite my head off already," Usagi frowned, "What's eating you, Ami-  
chan?"

"Yeah," Rei also noticed the unusually sharp tone in their friend's voice, "Don't tell me you're not enjoying this cruise like the rest of us?"

"Oh, you know Ami," Usagi chided, "She probably fretting that she's the only member of our crew who came on board without a romantic interest, like her boyfriend, Greg, who's somewhere off in Okinawa studying with his father."

Correction, Ami mentally thought to herself. It was improper for her to be considering flogging her Princess with whips, chains, strap-on dildos and a hot poker.

Aloud what she said was, "I would agree insofar that the curious meteorological effect provided by the sun reflecting off of those clouds as we are nearing sunset does create a most panoramic effect that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and induces a pleasurable state upon the mind, but I am perfectly capable of enjoying such a view without requiring companionship, thank you very much."

"Translation," Rei murmured, "It's none of our business."

"Ah...I guess," Usagi said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head, "Sorry...I guess I really put my foot in my mouth that time..."

"Yeah, Riceball-Head," Rei chided, "Next time try putting your foot in my mouth."

"Ooh, you'd like that, would you?" Usagi leered.

Ami was beginning to miss the old days when all those two would do was fight and endlessly name call one another. She doubted rather much if she could be held accountable for her actions in a court of law if they insisted on torturing her this way...you never knew when she might just follow through on her baser impulses.

"Nihao," they were greeted as the priestess, Mon Mon, appeared on deck beside them, scanning the rail and adding, "Another lovely day comes to an end. I suppose you girls are enjoying the view, care of our prince?"

"Oh, we're definitely grooving on it, thanks," Usagi responded.

"It's weird you guys having a ship this advanced when you live in such a remote part of China," Rei noted.

"Not so very strange when you think about it," the Courtesan replied, "And we are not completely isolated from the world beyond our borders. This ship originally was a gift of the Italians in return for a generous supply of Pickled Olives that our then-Prince shipped to Rome as a gift for their Pontiff. Some German engineers installed most of the basic electrical systems after their Kaiser received a years supply of Sour Kraut, and they taught our people how to maintain the Royal Barge in good working order so that it is still airworthy after nearly a hundred years of service."

"I find that all quite fascinating," Ami remarked, "But I am interested in knowing how much further we have to travel before we reach Japan?"

"Not all that long, according to our navigator," Mon Mon replied, "Less than half a day's travel, which means we should be nearing Tokyo harbor by early morning."

"Gee, I think I can see land down there right now?" Usagi peered down over the railing, "And look...seagulls! We must be getting close to the Main Islands..."

"Ah..." Rei blinked her eyes, "Usagi-chan...those don't quite look like seagulls..."

"Eh?" Ami got up and went to the railing and had a look herself, then gasped, "You're right...those don't look at all like seagulls, and no gull can fly this high, nor are they as large as..." she fell silent for a moment then said, "I don't believe it!"

"Eh?" Mon Mon wondered what these young girls were going on about, but she used the excuse to lean in closer to the short-haired one named Ami (whom her Courtesan instincts were informing her had a serious case of pent-up sexual frustration, and thus much in need of relieving). Peering down through the clouds she scanned a number of dark objects that were in motion, gliding with the warm breezes that surrounded a looming volcano roughly the size of Mount Fuji, and as they approached this curious landmark they saw one of the winged predators angle towards them, drifting leisurely by until they could all see plainly that it was not a member of the Bird family and was, in fact, rather lacking in feathers...

Minutes later Ranma, Shampoo and Nabiki came out on deck to stretch their own legs and saw the way that their friends were staring out over the rail as if mesmerized by something, and as they came over to join them Ranma asked, "Hey, Usagi-chan, what's the big deal here?"

Rather than answer him verbally, his blonde cousin mere pointed.

"Huh?" Nabiki glanced over the rail, and suddenly grew quite pale, "I don't believe it...!"

"Nabiki-chan," Shampoo's voice was unusually subdued as she asked, "Is usual find bird with no feathers as large as elephant?"

"That's no bird," Nabiki's voice quavered, "Those are Pterodactyls!"

"No way!" Ranma declared, "Stuff like that only exists in a movie!"

"Does that look like special effects to you?" Rei asked rhetorically as one particularly nasty looking specimen drifted closer to investigate this curious intrusion into its airspace.

"How could such a thing be possible?" Mon Mon asked in as much disbelief as the others, "Our Pilot would never steer us off course from Japanese territories, yet somehow we have arrived at the near mythical Islands known to legend as Pangea!"

"Pangea?" Nabiki asked without taking her eyes off from the wicked row of teeth that was so easily gliding past their bow.

"Indeed," Lotion announced as she mysteriously appeared at their sides, "Otherwise known as The Lands that Time Forgot, visited long ago by a fellow named Doyle."

"But how could we possibly get this far off course?" Mon Mon wondered.

"Yeah," Rei agreed, "What idiot would deliberately steer us to some primitive Monster Island?"

"It would have to be someone who utterly lacked any sense or direction," Ami spoke aloud, then as one all faces exchanged sharp glances of mutual realization, followed shortly by a near-universal cry of, "RYOGA...!"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Jurassic Parkland Rangers: shadowmane

Has our intrepid crew gone from the Industrial Age to the later Mesozoic, and will they ever get home in time to avert a family financial crisis, or will the Dojo have an "Under New Management" sign waiting to greet them? What will Akane and Minako have to say in the morning, and does a wedding ring wait in store for Makoto...or Cologne? Stay tuned for, "Tyrannosaurus Twist," or "The Lands that Time Ignored." Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	106. Chapter 106

NabikiRan101 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)  
Chapter One-Hundred-and-One.  
(No Dalmatian Jokes, please!)

WARNING, LIME ALERT! PERSONS AND SITUATIONS SUGGESTING OR IMPLYING PHYSICAL INTIMACY AND WAFFY EROTIC CONTEXTS THAT MAY BE OUTLAWED IN AT LEAST SEVENTEEN STATES DEPICTED BETWEEN CONSENTING MINORS...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Akane stirred, awaken from a deep and intensive slumber by a slight movement at her side. Being a trained martial artist she naturally became alert, in spite of a sense of having come out of something highly pleasurable that was worth continually doing. She could not account for this extraordinary good feeling, or why there was that peculiar taste in her mouth (her memories being rather fogged at the moment), but there was one thing of which she was absolutely quite certain.

She needed to get up and use the little girl's room...real bad! Her bladder was full and severely protesting a need for relief that would brook no denying.

Climbing out of bed, she took no notice of the peculiar lump that was presently hogging one half of the sheets, stumbling half-asleep towards the privy with only one thought on her mind: finding the throne and making her deposit. (She just hoped what these Nekonron people took for toilet paper wouldn't scrape her bottom too badly). The urgent need that was the call of nature distracted her sufficiently long enough from questioning the peculiar sense that she had not been alone the previous night, though some residual memories were starting to peek through the haze surrounding her awareness.

Thus unnoticed, her erstwhile nocturnal companion awoke with a slight intake of breath, feeling a twinge about her skull that spoke of the equivalent of a hangover, and with that a sense that something very significant had transpired in the hours before losing conscious awareness. A long and active career as a Senshi put her on the alert for the strange, bizarre and unusual, but all that greeted her when she opened her eyes was an empty, unlit room, one that seemed only vaguely familiar until she reached over to a nearby lamp and fumbled to turn on the electric mechanism.

Yellowish light flickered to life and revealed the room that she had commandeered for herself and Makoto, but naturally her fellow Senshi was no where to be seen, a fact which left Minako more than slightly annoyed. Her next thought was to wonder where the big goof had gotten herself off to, and did she really want to know the answer? Almost instinctively she knew that Makoto had been with Kuonji, a fact that did little to improve her mood and if anything aggravated her budding headache.

Well, nothing to be done for it now but to find some aspirin and discover what these Nekonron types did to cure a hangover. (Odd to think that she had one of those, for Minako was not normally a drinker) A shower or a good bath could wait until she had that little detail attended to, after which she intended to hunt Makoto down and skin her alive just for the principle of the thing. Imagine not coming by to wake her after spending all that time eating dinner. Minako had been looking forward to enjoying Makoto's home-cooked fare, which she had promised everyone would taste a whole lot more satisfying than boiled rice and pickles!

Knowing she would look a mess, Makoto didn't bother to dress in anything fancy, just grabbed a nearby kimono that she found hanging from a handy coat hanger and slipping it on with a few quick motions. She did not even bother finding her shoes as the room felt fairly warm and she much preferred to walk barefoot in the morning. She was almost to the door when she discovered something peculiar in her wardrobe and paused long enough to fish the thing out, holding it up to the light and studying it with some confusion as she belatedly recognized it as a long white feather.

A white feather? But...how...?

Donning a peculiar expression that much befit the mood she was in, she opened the door and slipped out into the hall, closing it just in time as the door to the privy slid back to reveal a much-relieved Akane.

Akane was feeling grateful to know that the Nekonron at least believed in the concept of indoor plumbing. Being somewhat fastidious by nature, cleaning her hands after using a stool was almost second nature, drummed into her with the force of habit by many chiding remarks from Kasumi. She was only slightly annoyed that it had been cold water that splashed her, which was why her wings were back in place, but having them gave Akane the idea of getting some flying time down to help release some of her pent up energy. The clean air was bound to clear her mind of lingering cobwebs.

The only problem was what to wear while flying, and it was a problem fortunately solved when she took notice of a pair of short pants with matching tank-top neatly folded onto a nearby chair, exactly in her size no less, which made her silently thank the room service people who worked this ship, always hovering in the background with their black-and-white outfits and hoods helping them to pass all but unnoticed by the ship's patrons. Slipping on these comfortable clothes felt so good that Akane resolved not even to bother with a bra or panties, considering this sufficient garb to obstruct the amorous views of any observant Hentai who might happen to be lingering about the decks (she sent another silent thanks to Hinako-Sensei and hoped her homeroom teacher was keeping the old pervert busy).

Akane was almost to the door when she paused, coughed a bit and discovered something lodged between her teeth, which forced her to spend a moment extricating it with her fingers. Holding it up to the light (and it only now belatedly occurred to her to wonder who had turned the light on during her time in the privy) she studied it with some slight amazement, wondering how such a thing could have gotten into her mouth, and was it really a yellowish hair, as fine as silk yet no longer than the joint of one finger?

Puzzled beyond imagining, she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

Meanwhile, a short distance away (but a world away for all that it really mattered), a male Ukyo was smiling contentedly as he rested his head on the softly rising and falling breasts of his beloved Makoto. Makoto was idly strumming fingers through Ukyo's unbound hair while relishing the afterglow of a long and intense session between them. At some point during their first session they had each drifted off to sleep together, but upon awakening they had wasted little time going at it with renewed vigor, and now that they had finally exhausted themselves with lovemaking all that was left was their second favorite part, the cuddle.

"So," Makoto finally spoke after the longest time of enjoying the silence, "How did that rate on your meter? Was it better doing it as a guy this time?"

"Sugar," Ukyo softly chuckled, "I wouldn't even know where to draw a comparison. It's different as a guy, but I like it either way...and at least as a woman I don't tucker out after a couple of shots."

"You won't hear me complaining," Makoto said in earnest appreciation, "That was my first time doing it with a guy, and my second time ever, and you know what...I like you just as much either way. You really rang my chimes with that last time, Ucchan. Having you inside me...I can't begin to describe it. You made my world spin around and I'm still dizzy."

"Careful," Ukyo laughed, "Talk like that'll go to my head..."

"Which one?" Makoto's voice took on a predatory aspect, "If you wanna get it started up again..."

"You're insatiable, you know that?" Ukyo countered, then in mock-exasperation cried, "Women, what do they want? I'm only made of flesh and blood you know..."

"Faker," Makoto chuckled at her boy/girlfriend's feigned distress and she hugged Ukyo closer to her bosoms, "Maybe I oughta see what your limits really are, Buster. I can hold out as long as you..."

"Then maybe I'd better change back to a girl, just in case," Ukyo replied in a teasing voice, "That way I've at least got a fighting chance of holding out against you. I just know I'm gonna walk bow-legged as it is if I try getting it up again..."

"Poor baby," Makoto chided, "Why not let Doctor Kino have a look at it and maybe kiss it to make it all better..."

"You would too," Ukyo could not keep from chuckling, though his mind was fresh with the delirious sensation of what it had been like to feel Makoto's mouth closing upon his most prominent male member, providing him with a sense of what a velvety tongue she had, which licked him like a Popsicle and got him hard enough to plunge that organ into her hot and moist vulva a few moments later.

"Count on it," Makoto let a hand drift down to find and play with Ukyo's fanny, squeezing it possessively in such a way that the cursed girl/boy shivered with anticipation.

Before things got any further along, though, the felt the ship lurch sharply to one side, and then a screeching sound, almost like the hull being scraped against something hard and unyielding caused both Ukyo and Makoto to sit up in alarm, listening to panicked cries and shouts from outside their cabin.

"What the heck was that?" Makoto asked.

"Sounded like we hit something," Ukyo responded.

"What, you mean like in the Titanic?" Makoto blinked, "But we're on a boat that sails through the air, not the water!"

"Either way, I think we'd better go have a look, just in case," Ukyo said, and with some reluctance the two lovers got dressed and left their cabin, heading for the top deck even as they started bumping into the other passengers upon the vessel...

Just moments before this had happened...

Ryoga was glad that someone had finally come and relieved him from having to man the steering wheel. He had tried very hard not to turn it either to the right or the left or to in any way deviate from the course that it had been left at, but when the Navigator told him to turn six degrees to the right he naturally had tried to comply with those instructions. A short while later the man had ordered a twelve-degree turn to the left, and this too Ryoga had obeyed to the letter...or had thought he did at any extent. Given all that, he had wondered why the man had been so upset with him near the end, having taken another course reading and arrived at conclusions that frankly disagreed with his calculations.

Ryoga had sweated it out and tried not to be upset with anything the man said to him, even when the comments took on a personal character and left Ryoga shaking with anger, and in the end Ryoga had managed to hold his temper in so that when he was relieved of his post by the lieutenant that had given him the task in the first place he only mildly clapped the Navigator on the arm and left him screaming in pain about a dislocated shoulder. It served him right anyway, saying things like that about his mother!

Ryoga frankly did not know why the man should be so upset about his calculations being a little bit off. If the man couldn't do math, then why had they given him the job of Navigating in the first place?

Convinced that he had done all that anyone could reasonably have asked of him, Ryoga resumed his search for his room and wound up shortly thereafter in the kitchen. This by itself was not so remarkable a thing, but he was surprised to almost bump shoulders with the pretty blonde girl named Aino Minako, who was having a difficult time explaining to one of the cooks her desire to be cured of a hangover. Obviously she did not speak good Mandarin because the fellow thought she was asking for boiled squid and was receiving a lecture about the impossibility of pickling squid meat given their propensity for squirting you with ink, which is why Ryoga decided to step in and provide a much-needed translator.

"Excuse me, honorable Chef, but my friend wishes to know if you have something that can relieve her of a severe headache," he explained in careful terms, not wanting a repeat of the incident from the previous day when he had found himself in the laundry room of the ship.

"Sure thing," the cook promptly responded, "Just tell her to lay her head down on the chopping block there and I'll take care of it, no problem," he hefted a sizeable meat cleaver for emphasis.

Ryoga paled and said, "I can't tell her that!"

"Relax, I'm just fooling," the Chef adopted an easy smile as he set the cleaver aside then turned to the confused looking Blonde and said, "Now then...let's see where that spot is that my Mother always used on Father when he'd been out drinking."

The Chef turned the confused Minako around and partially exposed her back, and before either the blonde or Ryoga could protest his taking liberties the man jabbed a finger at a spot and said, "How's this, young lady?"

Minako gasped, then flexed her shoulders and shook her head, rotating it in a circle so as to unkink her neck muscles, and then she smiled and said, "It's gone! How did he do it?"

"Pshaw," the Chef replied, "You foreigners must not know all that much about medicine if you don't know about the Pressure Points that can cure most common ailments. Tell you what, I'll even whip up one of the Prince's special remedies for official holiday cures...pickled onions with pickled carrots and pickled radishes on rice. It'll give you all the nourishment you need to keep the DTs at bay, put a smile on your face and everything."

"What did he say?" Minako asked.

"Ah..." Ryoga considered the point then replied, "Thank you for your kind thoughts, Sir, but my friend needs to refresh herself. Perhaps later when she is dressed for dinner."

"Better have Mistress Mon Mon look her over," the Chef recommended, "She'll know what's best for a cute young thing like her. Reminds me a bit of my youngest daughter...god rest her mother..."

Ryoga thanked the Chef then took Minako by the arm and gently guided her out from the kitchen. Once they were out in the hall he said, "I can show you to your room if you want...if you could do me a little favor."

"Sure thing," Minako gave the cute boy a pleasant smile and said, "What do you need?"

"Could you...um..." Ryoga hesitated, not wanting to look like a complete idiot before this friendly girl whom he'd only noticed on the periphery before, one of the friends of Usagi, who was Ranma's cousin, and thus probably somehow related to Ryoga (he really had to sit down and figure this one out one of these days...).

Minako found the boy's shy hesitation actually quite charming in someone who could be such a fierce terror in a fight and tried to encourage him by saying, "Don't worry, you can ask me, I won't bite."

"Ah...right," Ryoga cleared his throat and said, "Could you...show me where my cabin is? I'm having trouble finding it, and...ah..."

"Oh?" Minako cocked one blonde eyebrow at this, "Can't find your way, huh? Well, it is a pretty big ship, at least on the inside, so I don't really blame you for that. No problem then, I'll show you to your room and you can show me to mine."

"Ah...?" Ryoga wondered why the exact wording this cute girl used worried him so much.

"Relax, it's just a joke," Minako grinned all the more, liking this boy the longer she got to know him, and how typically male that he felt embarrassed about having to ask for directions. Nice to see he wasn't some kind of sex-  
crazed pervert out to shag a cute girl like her on the flimsiest pretext (not that she would have minded being asked by someone as hunky as him...which was not to say that she actually intended to let him take her to bed, although if he did ask she would certainly consider it...).

"HEY!" someone called out to the two of them, "Ryoga, get your butt up here this minute!"

"Huh?" Ryoga found himself rather annoyed about being distracted from having a pleasant chat with the cute blonde who was smiling at him in such a nice manner, "What do you want, Ranma?"

"Come out on deck and see for yourself," Ranma called out before pivoting on one heel and grumbling about "Clueless Morons."

Ryoga was surprised at the behavior of his alleged half brother, so much so that he was distracted from his normal impulse to be angry. At his side Minako said, "I guess we'd better go see what's up," which left him with no margin to contradict her.

Seeing nothing to be gained by refusing, Ryoga and Minako found their way out onto the top deck, at which point they saw a panoramic scenery that took their breaths away, almost picture-postcard perfect in the dwindling light of a setting sun, which as much surprised Minako as she had not realized it was that late at evening.

"What happened?" Minako asked, "Where are we?"

"That is the question," said Kodachi as she turned a curious look in Ryoga's direction, "Hibiki-san, by any chance you were no where near the bridge of this fair vessel within the past few hours...were you?"

"Ah...well..." Ryoga hesitated.

"That's what we figured," Nabiki groaned, "Don't ask us how you did it, Ryoga-  
kun, but you just put us a few thousand miles off course in the southern hemisphere, and this Island dead ahead of us is named Pangea, which is supposedly also known as 'The Land That Time Ignored.'"

"Forgot," Ami corrected.

"Whatever," Nabiki groused.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "Then that means we'll be a bit late getting home..."

"By about a week at least," Rei added.

"A week?" Usagi blurted, "No way! We have a mid-term exam to take by this Friday!"

"It will have to be postponed, I fear," Mon Mon said, "I don't understand how such a thing could happen. Our Navigator is usually so very precise in charting our directions..."

"Ah...well..." Ryoga winced all the more.

"Ryoga," Ranma eyed him suspiciously, "You didn't do anything to him, did ya? 'Cause that'd be real bad about now..."

"Stupid pig boy really do this one big time," Shampoo agreed, joining the chorus.

"Look out!" Minako cried, having been the only one to notice at that moment how close a certain volcanic hilltop was coming to their position...or rather how close to it their blimp was sailing.

"Oh no," Nabiki groaned, "This is just perfect..."

"Everyone, BRACE FOR IMPACT!" cried Kodachi, just seconds before their ship began a slow turn that almost managed to avoid scraping their bottom against said volcano...

"Well," Ganglot sighed, "The die is cast, I just hope they don't get in any worse trouble than I'm trying to keep them out of on this end."

She stared at one of her latest works, the portrait she had made of Ryomi, which was such an incredible likeness to the real article that her mother would have no trouble recognizing her on sight. The tattoos on her forehead were glowing slightly as she accessed the Yggdrasil database, viewing events many thousands of miles away as though she were watching a monitor screen in full living color.

Ordinarily it would have been problematic to view anything taking place upon that vessel, for there were rules under which all divine beings (be they heavenly or hellish) were governed and limited in their scope and ability to view and influence the events of a personal nature. Nekonron was under the protection and governance of a certain pantheon of gods whose sovereignty could not directly be challenged, so when it concerned Prince Kirin and his court there was usually a blank zone that could only be accessed with special high-  
level password clearance, and using same might draw unfavorable attention her way. Fortunately the Sky Ship was presently occupied by only one solitary Priestess, and as long as the issues did not directly relate to her, both Ganglot and Peorth were free to operate...within certain parameters. It was a technicality that she had used to great effect, but there were potential consequences that would have to be taken into account when they developed further down the line. There was no such thing as a free-lunch in the business of interfering in the lives of mortals...

As much as her attention was focused upon events taking place on the Nekonron sky, Ganglot was alert enough of her immediate surroundings to hear her great granddaughter ask, "Grandma? What's going on? Why is your face glowing?"

Ganglot eased back on her accessing of Yggdrasil and allowed her already-  
existing "stealth" programs to resume their normal function. She turned to Ryomi and replied, "Just checking back on the office, dear. There's much an Oni has to remain aware of if I don't want to fall behind the curve of events as they unfold all around us."

"This is like surfing on the Internet, right?" Ryomi shrugged, "I've seen people doing it, but I've never tried it myself..."

"That is a very apt analogy," Ganglot was pleased as her smile took on an indulgent grandmotherly aspect, "What a bright girl you are...and perhaps I should help you out with getting your own account started when things calm down a bit and I can trust having a PC terminal within the walls of this sanctuary. At the present I dare not provide such an access port for your grandmother, which is why we're forced to do things a bit on the primitive side...at least for the present."

"I see..." Ryomi fidgeted a bit, looking faintly uneasy about something.

"What is it, dear?" Ganglot asked in concern, "Is there something you want to ask me? Don't hesitate to be honest, I expect nothing less of you, and I will answer you forthrightly."

"You wouldn't try and con me, Grandma...like you did that Devil Hunter?" Ryomi wondered.

"I may stretch the truth and bend it to my needs when necessary," Ganglot replied, "But I am forbidden to tell a direct lie, so if asked a question I must answer it as honestly as I think prudent."

"What's the difference between bending the truth and lying?" Ryomi wondered.

"A law degree and a career in politics," Ganglot replied with a smirk, "A prudent liar will always tell the truth as much as they have to because it's easier to verify and cross-reference. All lies are distortions of the truth bent into unrecognizable patterns, but there is a fine line between telling half truth that deceive people and outright deceiving them...it's a line that all Gods and Oni must operate within."

"Why is that?" Ryomi wondered.

"Because, child, the 'Truth' is a precious commodity that not every mortal mind is prepared to hear in an unvarnished package," Ganglot sighed, "If only it were possible for me to tell you everything I know without shattering your faith in the world completely...but there are times when the truth does more harm than good, or when suffering can be caused by being too honest...brutally honest...with someone who is not mentally and emotionally equipped to hear it."

"Like how so?" Ryomi wondered.

"Let me give you an example," Ganglot waved a finger to begin, "There is a man whom I know who is a determined liar, who has used deceit and deception as a tool to avoid the truth at every point of his long and colorful existence. The truth about him is that he cannot face the truth about himself without experiencing a severe loss in self-confidence and respect. He fears the truth and attempts to smother it under layers of self-delusion, acting as an impulsive and thoughtless being who does what he likes and seeks never to face the consequences of his actions. In some large measure I am responsible for his turning out the way he did, for I made a pact with him long ago that had consequences that echo down to the present."

"Who is he?" Ryomi asked.

"His name is Happosai," Ganglot replied, "And he is three hundred years old, give or take a couple of decades. I knew him as a young man who was deeply troubled and full of self-pity, and in an act of mischief that was partly malice on my part I granted him a wish, which same gave him what he thought he desired and sealed his fate down to the present."

"You gave him a wish?" Ryomi blinked, "Why would you do that, and what kind of wish did you give him?"

"In answer to the first part of your question," Ganglot began, "It was a combination of pity and vengeance that motivated me to strike up a deal with a young man whom life had treated most unfairly. You see...Happosai as a boy was much abused because he was small in stature and not very attractive. His father was not the best sort of role model that one could have asked for and belittled the youth, taunting him with saying that he would never amount to much in his life. In point of fact his father was deliberately needling the boy to try and make himself into a man, but it was cruel and thoughtless and did much to diminish Happosai's self-respect and self-image, and so he vowed to make himself into a great martial artist while nurturing his wounded pride by turning into a pervert who would ogle and molest young women."

"Ewww," Ryomi made a face, "Why would you ever want anything to do with a guy like that?"

"Mostly it was because I was a different person back then," Ganglot sighed, "I was angry and bitter over the loss of my husband, and more than a bit lonely. I felt I understood the demons that drove Happosai to be what he was even then, and it amused me to see the sort of mischief he could do if I promoted him from a minor to a major nuisance...especially since it majorly tweaked a woman with whom I then had a deep, abiding grudge. It's taken me close to three hundred years to see the followup of my actions, but in my own defense I would say that as much good as bad came from my mischief, so I must now live with the echoes that resonate down to the present."

"Who was this lady?" Ryomi asked.

"Her name is Cologne of the Joketsuzoku," Ganglot sighed, "And she is...or was...my sister-in-law by marriage."

Ryomi blinked, "Mind running that one by me again?"

"My husband's name was Rogaine of the Joketsuzoku," Ganglot explained, "The son of Yosho, a Prince of the Jurai, and Cologne's twin brother."

"And she wasn't too crazy about you getting hitched to her brother?" Ryomi fathomed.

"To put it mildly, no," Ganglot sighed, "He died in battle and I miss him terribly, but I resented Cologne for holding me responsible for his death, as if I were the one who put him up to it when in fact I begged him not to fight that battle, having had some foreknowledge of its eventual outcome."

"Was it because you're an Oni that she blamed you for that?" Ryomi asked.

"That and the fact that I doubt any woman would have matched Cologne's high standards in those days," Ganglot replied, "So when Cologne gave her heart to Happosai, only to reject him in the end, I saw a way of getting even with her, and spitefully I made Happosai into a stronger warrior than herself by granting his wish to be the world's most powerful-if perverted-martial artist."

"You made him what?" Ryomi blinked.

"That was the nature of the wish I granted him," Ganglot replied, "He wanted to become the world's greatest martial artist, so I had him phrase his wish to become the strongest perverted martial arts master in the world. With his powers and skills thus increased it was childsplay for him to steal the treasures of the Amazons and escape back to Japan, making a tour of the orient in which he carved out a legend as both a pervert and a fighter."

"Sounds to me like you went a little overboard, Grandma," Ryomi said in a disapproving tone of voice.

"I know," Ganglot bowed her head sheepishly, "It was wrong of me and incredibly shortsighted, and it contributed to the decision by the Amazon Council of Elders to seal me away within my Temple for the past three hundred years. That gave me a lot of time to think about what I had done, even as I watched Happosai grow older and even more perverted. He managed even to make himself semi-Immortal by stealing the longevity of a powerful being, which is why he is still very much alive and kicking. Of course there has been as much good to come from this as evil as Happosai contributed to the line of the Saotomes and is, in fact, the great-great-grandfather of your older brother, Ryoga."

"You mean I'm related to this guy?" Ryomi made a face, "Ewww..."

"Well, fortunately I have noticed a recent change in Happosai's nature, and for the better I might add," Ganglot smiled, "And whether he knows it or not, the power of love has begun to redeem him from his perversion, so we will have to wait and see what comes of it all. I have hope of his eventual redemption, even as I do of making restitution for much of the evil that I caused in the old days."

"Is that why you're doing all this?" Ryomi asked, "You wanna make amends for all the bad stuff?"

"Well, that and I want to make certain that there are great-great-great-  
grandkids waiting in the future," Ganglot smiled, "But I'm afraid that's more in your ballpark than mine...you and your brother."

"Ah...gee..." Ryomi blushed and scuffed a foot on the floor, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

"Now then," Ganglot nodded to the portrait, "What do you think? It's not Rembrandt, but I think it's a pretty good likeness, don't you?"

Ryomi turned to study the picture that bore her likeness and blinked her eyes, then said, "Wow! Is that me? I mean...it's beautiful..."

"Only a pale reflection of the original, I fear," Ganglot ran a hand over the girl's long dark hair, which had be once again done up in its trademark warrior's braid.

Ryomi colored all the more deeply and said, "Aw...Grandma..."

"Your mother will be so proud when she sees you," Ganglot continued, undeterred by her great grandchild's modest behavior, "Soon...very soon it will all come together...just wait and be patient a little farther and you two will be reunited, I promise."

Ryomi turned to regard the bronzed Oni Princess before she asked, "And will Mom be happy to see you too, Grandma?"

"I hope so, dear," Ganglot sighed, "But we'll have to wait and see a bit, and it all depends on how soon it takes my son, your grandfather, to get here, which should be any..."

Without warning one wall of the gallery exploded inward, a wall over which no pictures or artwork had been left hanging, and through the gap in this wall a tall man appeared, flanked by a girl who looked very much like an older version of Ryomi.

"Bingo," Ganglot smiled, turning to greet these new arrivals, "Welcome, my Son...you've been expected."

"I am?" Razor blinked his eyes as he saw the bronzed woman with the odd tattoos on her face and said, "Have we met before?"

"Huh?" Akiko glanced at the Oni, then at their surroundings and said, "Where the heck is this place, and who are you?"

Ganglot heaved a sigh and said, "This could take a while. Ryomi, dear...say hello to your grandfather and cousin. I have snacks prepared and accommodations have already been made for you, so by all means feel free to make yourselves at home, my children."

"Grandfather?" Ryomi said in amazement as he stared at the half-Oni, who blinked back before glancing at Akiko and back again, as if trying to make a connection.

"Grandfather?" Akiko echoed, "Oboy...something tells me we're not in Kansai anymore..."

"Good guess, Tonto," Ryomi replied, then grinned broadly as she added, "Well, whadya know? I always wanted a big sister..."

Yumi had calmed down considerably by the time she had arrived at the dojo, having taken the time to think long and hard about the curious words of the woman who had visited her the previous day, and she had concluded that there was no reason for her to rush into anything imprudent. After all, it wasn't like it was in the old days any more, and it wasn't like she in serious competition for Tendo Soun's affections, so why the hell had she let the woman's words rattle her so much? Wounded pride only went so far or explained so much, even with a Kuonji.

Getting all jealous and spiteful about her former affections was silly for a grown woman of her age and social standing, especially given her history with Soun, which had not started out on the best terms one could ask for. Originally she had sought him out because of a family obligation, a promised engagement that had been arranged by her elders when she was but a wee babe and not fully along in her Kunoichi training. Soun's grandfather, who had served with the National Intelligence Services during the second world war, and forged a pact with Yumi's grandfather to seal the clans with a promise of marriage. That dubious "honor" had fallen onto her shoulders when one the original candidates for said union had died in a kamikaze raid against an American carrier, and no more eligible candidates turned up until long after Yumi's mother had married her father to carry on the Kuonji traditions. It was not until she turned sixteen that her elders ever-so-generously informed her of the arrangement and gave her the assignment to go find that boy and seek to engage him.

Yumi had chosen to interpret her instructions in a different way. Being a proud girl and highly resentful of "the old Tyrant" (her affectionate nick-name for her grandfather), she sought out Soun with the object of testing him, intending to kill the boy rather than marry him should he prove to be a weakling. No way would she give up her training just to marry a boy if he expected her to be some pathetic weak China doll who would fawn all over him like a nice little housewife.

Her initial efforts at testing or killing Soun had proven to be less than stellarly effective, but they did serve to put Soun on his guard around Yumi. Of course once she had spent a sufficient amount of time around him she began to see the youth in a different light, and this eventually caused a change in her own nature, so much so that she eventually came to regret her earlier impulsive actions.

By then it was too late, though, and he had already fallen in love with one of her rivals. Silk had given him her affections freely and generously, without reservation or condition, and though she was a barbarian outlander she carried herself with such lady-like poise that it left Yumi feeling like a country bumpkin. Soun was quite obviously taken with her and most probably would have married Silk had not the latter chosen to break off their relationship and return home to China. Soun wound up with Kimiko almost as a consolation prize, and to this day it still stung Yumi's pride to realize that she had not even been a runner up in the final competition.

Well...to be fair, she had not actually given him much reason to trust her in those days, and she supposed that some parts of her conduct had seemed spiteful and possessive, and her change of heart had come pretty late in the game, so earning back points to come out even would have taken a major stroke on her part if she could have somehow contrived to come across as more the heroic lady type instead of a reformed "bad girl." Of course she was no where near as bad in that department as that lunatic sorceress, Sybil...

Sybil? Yumi frowned as she thought of her other major rival (and fellow loser in the romance sweepstakes), Sybil the Sorceress, whose mad lust for Soun had partially been fueled by a belief that he was Astrologically destined to become the heir of some sort of cosmos-spanning destiny, which sounded a lot like Atsuko's original reason for chasing after Genma. Sybil was a certifiable nut-  
case, but definitely powerful, even if her spells did have a tendency to miscue.

Sybil...Cybelle? Could there be a possible connection?

As she was pondering this she strode past the gates to the Tendo yard and by-  
passed the house, at least reasonably certain that she would find any occupants presently at home gathered around the back porch area, a deduction that proved entirely well founded.

Of course what she saw when she arrived there caused her to blink her eyes and take a moment to mentally back-pedal.

The first thing she noticed, naturally enough, was that the yard looked badly chewed up as if a major brawl had just set back whatever repairs had been made to the landscape and surrounding structures. The second thing she noticed was Silk sporting a black eye with Comb tending to her numerous cuts and bruises. In spite of looking like she had been through he proverbial meat grinder, Silk was grinning like an idiot and seemed to radiate an enormously happy aura of blissful self-contentment.

"What's been going on here?" Yumi asked by way of a conversation opener.

"Damnedest thing I ever saw," Kennou shook her head in disbelief, "Tendo-san and the Witch went at it like cats and dogs chewing over a bone, and when it was over he gave her a ring...can you believe it?"

"A ring?" Yumi blinked, feeling a slight churning in her guts as she regarded the Lore Master, "You didn't...he didn't..."

In response to this Silk raised her left hand and showed a gold wedding band that-while simple and obviously not too expensive-seemed to fit on her finger as if she were born to wear it. Yumi saw Comb shake her head and sigh before closing her own eyes and laying a hand over Silk's swollen left eye as a warm light seemed to briefly emanate from the Healer. When she took her hand away the eye was almost completely healed and the swelling had all but vanished.

"You should have seen it, Yumi," Atsuko remarked, "They fought tooth and nail for the better part of twenty minutes, and for a while there even I couldn't tell if they were trying to kill each other or not. Soun managed to land a lucky blow near the end there that put out her lights for about a minute, but he looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion. He's soaking it off around in back right now if you want to find him, but I'd say it's a pretty good bet that him and Silk just made it official."

"You fought him...and lost?" Yumi said with an almost accusing expression focused in Silk's direction.

"I didn't throw the fight, if that's what you're thinking," Silk replied, "He beat me fairly and honestly without even resorting to cheating."

Yumi saw the panda standing off to one side hold up a sign that read, "Don't look at me, I was rooting for him to lose." Yumi noted that said panda was holding a wash basin with toiletries in one claw, which meant he was quite obviously intending to join Soun in a hot soak.

"I don't know why you pushed it so hard," Comb was grousing as she finished healing the least of her friend's bruises, "No one back home would have made a fuss if you'd both gone a bit easier on one another."

"No," the Lore Master shook her head proudly, "I wouldn't cheapen things like that. Soun-chan deserved my best efforts, and I owed it to Kachu that she would know her father is a strong man capable of defeating me in battle. I'm glad he went all out with me this time, it means he's finally ready to accept me as an equal," the smile on her face grew even deeper.

"Screwy way to land a husband if you ask me," Kennou groused, "Not that anybody has..."

"But weren't you telling me just the other day that you fought with a girl for the affections of a man you both love?" Atsuko countered.

"Ah...but this is different," Kennou insisted, blushing furiously, "She was trying to beat up the guy she claims she wants to marry...I was pounding on a wind-up toy who thought she was good enough for a human. I wouldn't be that rough on Yoshi, and he couldn't take it from me anyway 'cause he's a pathetic, nerdy little weakling..."

The Shadow Hound Shirokuro, made a noise that sounded like a snicker, to which the blonde Hibiki girl snapped, "Oh, be quiet, you! At least I date within my own species..."

"Amazon romance isn't the same as fighting off rivals for the affections of a husband," Comb explained, "From the Bronze age down to the present we have given ourselves to the men who are strong enough or brave enough to court our affections. Of course until today I didn't think Soun exactly qualified, but from the way he fought I have to conclude that he was serious this time, or more so than when Silk first began to date him..."

Silk stuck her tongue out at her purple haired companion and said, "You're just jealous. Admit it, you were tempted more than once to challenge the Fat Fool, but you never knew how to goad him into wanting him to beat you."

Comb was about to say something obviously tart in response to this when Nodoka showed up bearing a tray with steaming mugs that smelled like hot cocoa. In her uncannily pleasant manner the katana-toting woman chimed pleasantly, "Oh, Yumi-  
san...I didn't know you'd be here today or I would have made another cup. Have you heard word yet from Ukyo and my son?"

"Not yet," Yumi replied, then seeing the disappointment in the other woman's eyes she went on to add, "But that's not necessarily a bad thing. I raised my Niece to be capable and independent, and I'm sure she and the others are all right, whatever they're doing at the moment..."

(Or who with), she added silently, but preferred not to voice her curiosity concerning Ukyo's two girlfriends and which one of them had come closest to nailing herself a Kuonji.

"Soun's around in back if you want to see him," Nodoka's smile returned to full radiance, "I'm sure he'd be glad to know you stopped by if you don't want to wait for him to get finished."

"I think I'll go talk with him myself," Yumi paused to eye Silk before adding, "If that's all right with you, that is."

Silk made a grand hand gesture and smiled, "Why should I mind? Old friends don't need permission to pay their respects to one another."

Yumi turned away, hiding the scowl that she felt like wearing. Old friends was it? The little Witch didn't waste any time prompting Soun to fall into her orbit. Obviously Yumi had been a little too relaxed in her vigil, and now she had lost Soun for real to an annoying Amazon marital custom.

The bath was located around in back of the dojo, which was odd as no trace of it could be seen from the outside, but stepping across some kind of threshold in back brought her into what looked like an adjoining yard almost as big as the Tendo lot itself with a full-sized swimming pool and perpetually hot bath framed by a garden light setting that was altogether very much like a portable hot springs. In spite of herself Yumi was much impressed with the landscape and vowed one day to figure out just how Atsuko could manage to arrange this. Quite obviously the Oni's command of her illusion power had grown considerably over the years to where she was almost a full-fledged master.

Finding Soun soaking in the shallow end of the steaming bath, Yumi paused to dismiss Genma (now reverted to his human form) from her thoughts as she steeled herself not to try and peer at the parts of the Tendo patriarch that she could make out from below the surface of the water.

"I hear somebody just got married," Yumi said aloud by way of announcing her presence.

Both men yelped a bit and ducked down to neck-level in the pool, hands obviously moving to cover their privates. Soun looked up with astonished eyes and said, "Yumi-chan? I didn't see...hear you enter..."

"Of course you didn't," Yumi folded her arms and adopted a cross expression (though her mood was improved a little at seeing him cower in her presence), "I'm a Ninja, remember? You'll only see me coming when I permit it."

"That's assuming we'd want to anyway," she heard Genma growl in soft undertone, but Yumi could have cared less for the fool's opinion as her attention remained focused upon Soun.

"Yumi," Soun tried again, "I was...hoping that I would have the chance to speak with you...you've heard that Silk and I...?"

"Congratulations," Yumi replied in a neutral tone of voice, "I'm sure you'll make each other very happy."

"Ah...quite," Soun seemed to be struggling for words, but to Yumi's surprise he actually rallied himself to say, "It wasn't anything to do with you...I want you to know this."

"Eh?" Yumi lifted an eyebrow but did not elaborate.

"Yumi," Soun glanced down, then he rose a bit further out of the water and said, "You've always been a good friend, and I appreciate what you've done for me over the years..."

"What are you talking about?" Yumi was baffled at the man's behavior.

"I know you...did some things early on that we both now regret," Soun continued, "But what counts is that you were there for me when I needed a friend, and I will always be grateful and I...prefer to remember you that way."

"Ah..." almost against her will Yumi found herself blushing, looking away as though struggling to cope with the unexpectedly magnanimous behavior of the man whom she had once had such a crush upon.

"So..." Soun cleared his throat and said, "I want you to know that you and your niece will always be welcome in our home, and I still consider you a friend, which is why I want you to there when Silk and I are formally married."

"You...do?" Yumi blinked.

"You're family...after a fashion," Soun replied, "I haven't always been the kind of friend you needed or deserved, but I...have always thought highly of you, and it's never been easy for me to express this."

"Ah...I see," Yumi looked away, "So...you want bygones to be bygones...?"

"If that's all right with you," Soun replied, "I never did properly thank you for helping us out against Cybelle and those lawyers."

"That...was personal," Yumi replied, "My brother got the family mired in that business and somebody had to be there to dig us out."

"Nonetheless, you have been a friend when my family needed one," Soun noted, "And I hope one day that I will be able to return the favor."

"So you do, do you?" a perverse whim made Yumi smiled, and then in an off-handed manner she said, "By the way, did you know that your daughter, Akane, is seeing my niece on the side? I think she's interested in Ukyo with romantic intentions."

Yumi counted to three, then right on cue Soun rose up from the water and cried, "SHE'S DOING WHAT WITH MY AKANE?"

"I didn't say I knew this for a fact," Yumi smiled, "But it's just a suspicion I have. By the way, nice tush. Good to see a man like you keeps fit and trim, unlike some obese pandas I could mention."

Yumi pivoted on one heel and make her exit while the two men chewed that one over, Soun ducking back into the water with a yelp while Genma fumed impotently in her direction. For some reason she was in a lot better mood than she had been in when she had entered the bathing area, and she was even chiming a tune at the thought of what might happen in the time between the present and Soun &amp; Silk's "official" wedding...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

In the words of a really old American-made television show I quoted the words, "When we get back home, Daddy's got some 'splainin' to do."

Naturally my companions didn't catch the reference, and Ranma and Shampoo just gave me funny looks, though I'm sure that they felt much the same way given our recent encounter with the family of Chardin.

One of these days I'm going to chronicle that mess that we ran into on that primitive island. I mean, being kidnapped by wild headhunters and given a hot bath filled with peas and carrots isn't exactly my idea of a scenic vacation. Shampoo making like Raquel Welch with one of those Pterodactyls wasn't much better, although she managed to come through the whole deal in her usual high spirits and even managed to snag one of the babies that the Momma had made the mistake of trying to feed her to. She put the nasty thing in a cage and gave it to me as a present, which was a sweet gesture but not exactly my idea of a cute souvenir for my troubles. Of course Kasumi expressed an interest in the thing, so I gave it to her for a present, much to the delight of my sister and Kodachi, who seemed to relish feeding bits of raw meat to the greedy featherless buzzard and have even given it the cute name of "Lockheed."

Of course on the more positive note, the experience gave Kuonji the chance to be all heroically noble before her girlfriend (or should I make that fianc e?), and those Troglodytes who tried to make off with Makoto wound up wearing afros when Kino-san regained consciousness. I'm not too sure what most of the others were doing for excitement during all of this, other than it probably would have been awfully familiar to a girl named Fay Wray. Rei and Usagi seemed to have enjoyed themselves pretty much, but I'm a little puzzled about what happened between Ami and Mon Mon. The real surprise is that Ryoga appears to have picked up Minako for his girlfriend, which lets Makoto off the hook (at least for now) and sure has made Kuonji's life a whole lot more easy.

That leaves, of course, Akane, who had her own aerial encounters with those Rhodan wannabes, but she seems to have come through the whole thing relatively no worse than wear, if still a bit resentful towards Makoto. She hasn't given up on Kuonji by a far sight, but I think even she's beginning to catch on to the fact that she's been left behind at the starting gate with not enough time to play catch up as the final score seems destined to favor the Senshi. I'm reasonably confident of the fact that Ukyo's been sleeping regularly with her girlfriend, while as far as I know my little sister has yet to get on first base, though the way I hear tell it, it sounds as if Akane's been doing her own share of "sleeping about" in various cabins.

Naturally Hinako-san couldn't just let us enjoy the trip without turning certain parts of it into a study on botany and zoology, but fortunately for us there were plenty of things for her to Zap with her coin trip, so she spent most of her time in her adult phase while Happosai lingered about in his cursed form, playing "Teacher's Pet" as if the role came to him second nature.

I really must make a note that the next time I get kidnapped I should remember to bring my camera because there are a whole lot of memories of this trip that I wish I could have preserved on film. Just the bragging rights for filming a wilderness setting that was straight out of the Biology texts would have netted me a cool ten million yen, to say nothing on a top slot for "Japan's Greatest Home Movies." For now I'll just have to content myself with the thought of how good Ranma looks in a loin cloth, to say nothing of Shampoo donning those saber-  
tooth lion skins, which on her looked like a cave-girl bikini!

I asked Lotion if we ought to tell people about our experiences, but she confirmed for me that it would probably be a good idea if we kept the whole thing to ourselves, at least for the present. That tribe descended from a long lost colony of movie extras who got stranded there doing a "Kong" remake might have next of kin to notify, but I'm not too sure if the people back home would relish the discovery of the colony's peculiar eating habits.

Ah well, scratch one up for experience, and proof indeed that the world is even weirder than even I've been starting to imagine!

It had been some days since we left that mess in Pangea behind us, and even now I still shake my head and wonder if the whole thing were not some kind of a dream in spite of the very real way in which events had seemed to unfold during the three days that we were stuck there. Fortunately repairs to the blimp had been effected without too much complication, and we were winging it along well enough back through whatever boundary line we had crossed in the first place to first get there. Within a day we had come across dry land once again, only to discover when we neared a major metropolitan zone that it was not Tokyo Tower we were spying on the distance but the bloody EIFFEL TOWER that was somehow looming up on our horizon.

Don't ask me how we managed to cross from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere (to say nothing of a few thousand nautical miles) without being any the wiser, even the Nekonron people were having trouble figuring that one out. Of course the stopover in Paris gave us a chance to stretch our legs again while taking a tour of the famous City of Lights, which is how we wound up making the acquaintance of a fellow named Picolet Chardin II, who promptly challenged Ranma to an eating competition, a field in which my iinazuke normally excels, but on this one occasion proved less than equal to the task.

I'll spare you for now from hearing too many details about what followed, suffice to say that we-meaning me and my sisters-learned about a certain arrangement our father was alleged to have made back when he was on one of his training trips with Happosai and Uncle Genma, starving as usual, when they came upon La Belle France Martial Arts Restaurant and Dojo, which is situated on the outskirts of Tokyo in a fairly swank section of town (and don't even ask me to explain that one, I'm still having trouble grasping the whole concept of a Martial Arts Restaurant-Dojo). To make a long and painful story short, they lost an eating contest, at which point Daddy pledged to marry off one of his as-  
yet unborn daughters to a son of the house of Chardin. Picolet-san was seeking to make good on the bet, seeing as how the men of his line have always had trouble finding a mate (of course the fact that he has a mouth that can stretch to the size of a pizza and a tongue that coils out longer than a snake might have something to do with his family's "problem").

Naturally Ranma wanted a rematch with the guy, but Shampoo and I managed to "talk" him out of it through some gentle, loving persuasion (well, that and about nineteen meters of rope). Since I rather emphatically stressed that I already have a prior engagement, Picolet naturally courted my sisters, and you can imagine what Kasumi and Akane thought of that idea, to say nothing of Kodachi and Kuonji.

Just what interest Ukyo has in my sister's welfare I'm still not too sure about right now since it seems pretty much clear that she's already decided on Makoto, who wants Kuonji on terms most decidedly exclusive. I think the idea of somebody trying to snag Akane brought out the smoldering embers of competitiveness in both Ukyo and Ryoga as they insisted on challenging Picolet and now have about a week or so to train before they can take him on in an eating competition.

I think Makoto went along with that idea because it gives her an excuse to cook for her "Ucchan." Akane offered to help out, but even Ryoga did not seem too inclined to take her up on her "generous" offer, the idea being to train in eating, not gagging on poison. Kodachi has helpfully volunteered to do her part to train our resident Chef and Lost boy, the idea of somebody making moves on her girlfriend being obviously a bit too much for her to stomach.

(Of course this whole business with food has gotten me to wonder a bit, and having come close to being someone else's "lunch date" certainly changes your perspective about what it's like to be on the wrong end of the dinner plate!)

I'm still having trouble grasping the idea that Daddy could have made two such engagements in a lifetime. I mean, my engagement to Ranma has worked out beyond anybody's expectations, but this thing with the Chardin's sounds a little too much like something Ranma's Dad would have cooked up. It leads me to wonder if maybe there might be other possible engagements waiting out there to compete for claiming our affections. Good thing my own marriage is just a few days away from now...that leaves less time for the next disaster to happen.

Anyway, at long, long last we found ourselves limping for home, about a week later than we would have been had it not been for Ryoga. This time we left nothing to chance and had the boy tied up tight in Minako's room with spirit wards courtesy of Rei. Without his weird influence affecting things we finally arrived back home, at which point the Nekonron ship landed in the middle of our school yard, at which point they collapsed the gas bags and stowed them down below deck, pretty much leaving the ship where it was while we debarked in search of our home (after a customary ceremony of kissing the ground, which most of us did enthusiastically). Hinako-Sensei then sought out the Vice-Principal to explain as much as she could about our absence and straighten things out for us about attendance.

To put it mildly I wouldn't wait to get back home, and neither could Akane, who winged off ahead of us to give Daddy the good news of our safe arrival. Imagine the surprise when she turned up a few minutes later with the unsettling news that Daddy was married to Silk and was now effectively our Step Mother.

That was a bit less surprising than the even more unsettling news that we had just been served a notice of eviction...!

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Food-Chain Dietary Recommendations: shadowmane

The gang returns to Nerima in time to find the landscape altered, and what will be their reaction to discovering what the Adults have been up to during their absence? How will Nabiki and her loved ones win back the high ground from those who are threatening to take the dojo away, thus removing her dowry, and will Ranma be more help than harm in confronting this issue? Be with us for "The Jokers are Wild," or "Playing your Cards Right." Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	107. Chapter 107

Pangea01

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE...  
(with apologies to Lee Falk...)

This is a side-story detailing the adventures of Ranma and Nabiki during the time they spent between their encounters in Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival back home in Nerima. This story has many adult themes and some seriously Hentai action, so please refrain from reading if you are easily offended by sexually explicit encounters between semi-  
mature teenagers with many borderline themes that might be a bit strong for the average reader. Some of this is "Over-the-top" and should not be taken more seriously than you would the average Edgar Rice Burroughs rip-off, so if Jungle themes set in a "Jurassic Park"-like setting are not your bag, consider yourself duly warned from this point onward...

To recap important elements of this story (since it's been a while since I wrote my last ATOTW chapter), Ranma and Nabiki are engaged to be married with Shampoo in an Amazon three-way arrangement. Ranma has just defeated Prince Kirin to win Nabiki back as his fianc e and has openly declared his intention to marry her, even as Shampoo is implicitly a part of the bargain (and since Shampoo is now confirmed as pregnant with his child, it would hardly be "manly" for him to refuse her at this point, ne?)...

Important changes from canon: Nabiki has been adopted into the Amazon tribe and has been apprenticed to become a Lore Master under the tutorage of the Elder Lotion. Already she has begun to develop unusual abilities of a not-easily defined nature,  
and while not a serious martial artist like Ranma, she is quite formidable in her own rights with the ability to "know" the strengths, weaknesses and hidden potential of a given opponent...  
Shampoo already considers Nabiki to be her wife and is sexually active with her, and her curse has been modified so that her Neko form has wings and is capable of gliding for limited distances. She acts in the capacity of self-  
appointed bodyguard to her Airen, and though she is nurturing Ranma's child she still remains quite fearsome as a fighter...

Ukyo, meanwhile, has a Jusenkyo curse of her own, having fallen into Nanniichuan during a personal trip to China. This has complicated her life somewhat since she is now being actively pursued by an amorous Akane, who herself has the Jusenkyo curse of sprouting a pair of fully functional wings whenever she gets wet. At the same time Ukyo is strongly attracted to her old middle-school flame, Makoto Kino, to whom she has made a serious commitment (much to the intense annoyance of Akane and a certain meddlesome goddess by the name of Peorth of the Roses)...

Peorth-who once was merged with her mortal template, Kimiko Tendo (and who considers Akane to be her spiritual daughter, owing to the fact that Kimiko was pregnant during their merger)-has taken an active interest in bringing Akane and Ukyo together (for the alleged happiness that she hopes this will bring to Akane), but-as tends to be the case with many of Peorth's best laid plans-her attempts have so far met with less than sterling success, the latest plot resulting in Akane unwittingly winding up spending the night in passionate whoopee with the wrong woman, Minako Aino (who herself has a serious crush upon Makoto and is jealous of Ukyo for that reason)...

{And yes, the Senshi are definitely involved here,  
Usagi and Ranma being cousins and all, which means lots of cute "Magical Girl" action can be expected,  
with the added side-note that Usagi and Rei are romantically involved here, while Ami's resemblance to Akane is a topic of serious contention...}

Prince Kirin-proving to be a remarkably good loser in his attempt to marry Nabiki-has graciously extended the use of his Royal Airship as a means for the happy couple to return home with the Martial Arts Immortal known as "Mon-Mon" acting as his diplomatic representative for Nekonlon interests...however, due to a series of unfortunate errors in judgement on the part of the ship's captain, the duty of navigator was accidentally assigned to Ryoga,  
who has-predictably-steered the airship somewhat off-course from its intended destination...

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of ATOTW, with substantial borrowings of text to help the average reader in following the text from this point onward...)

Episode Oh-Point-One:

Rude Landings

The Nekonlon Skyship-Somewhere over the Atlantic:

Akane stirred, awaken from a deep and intensive slumber by a slight movement at her side. Being a trained martial artist she naturally came alert, in spite of a sense of having come out of something highly pleasurable that was worth continually doing. She could not account for this extraordinary good feeling, or why there was that peculiar taste in her mouth (her memories being rather fogged at the moment), but there was one thing of which she was absolutely quite certain.

She needed to get up and use the little girl's room...real bad! Her bladder was full and severely protesting a need for relief that would brook no denials.

Climbing out of bed, she took no notice of the peculiar lump that was presently hogging one half of the sheets, stumbling half-asleep towards the privy with only one thought on her mind: finding the throne and making her deposit. (She just hoped what these Nekonlon people took for toilet paper wouldn't scrape her bottom too badly). The urgent need that was the call of nature distracted her sufficiently long enough from questioning the peculiar sense that she had not been alone the previous night, though some residual memories were starting to peek through the haze surrounding her awareness.

Thus unnoticed, her erstwhile nocturnal companion awoke with a slight intake of breath, feeling a twinge about her skull that spoke of the equivalent of a hangover, and with that a sense that something very significant had transpired in the hours before losing conscious awareness. A long and active career as a Senshi put her on the alert for the strange, bizarre and unusual, but all that greeted her when she opened her eyes was an empty, unlit room, one that seemed only vaguely familiar until she reached over to a nearby lamp and fumbled to turn on the electric mechanism.

Yellowish light flickered to life and revealed the room that she had commandeered for herself and Makoto, but naturally her fellow Senshi was no where to be seen, a fact which left Minako Aino more than slightly annoyed. Her next thought was to wonder where the big goof had gotten herself off to, and did she really want to know the answer? Almost instinctively she knew that Makoto had been with Kuonji, a fact that did little to improve her mood and if anything aggravated her budding headache.

Well, nothing to be done for it now but to find some aspirin and discover what these Nekonlon types did to cure a hangover. (Odd to think that she had one of those, for Minako was not normally a drinker) A shower or a good bath could wait until she had that little detail attended to, after which she intended to hunt Makoto down and skin her alive just for the principle of the thing. Imagine not coming by to wake her after spending all that time eating dinner. Minako had been looking forward to enjoying Makoto's home-cooked fare, which she had promised to everyone would taste a whole lot more satisfying than boiled rice and pickles!

Knowing she would look a mess, Makoto didn't bother to dress in anything fancy, just grabbed a nearby kimono that she found hanging from a handy coat hanger and slipping it on with a few quick motions. She did not even bother finding her shoes as the room felt fairly warm and she much preferred to walk barefoot in the morning. She was almost to the door when she discovered something peculiar in her wardrobe and paused long enough to fish the thing out, holding it up to the light and studying it with some confusion as she belatedly recognized it as a long white feather.

A white feather? But...how...?

Donning a peculiar expression that much befit the mood she was in, she opened the door and slipped out into the hall, closing it just in time as the door to the privy slid back to reveal a much-relieved Akane.

Akane was feeling grateful to know that the Nekonlon at least believed in the concept of indoor plumbing. Being somewhat fastidious by nature, cleaning her hands after using a stool was almost second nature, drummed into her with the force of habit by many chiding remarks from Kasumi. She was only slightly annoyed that it had been cold water that splashed her, which was why her wings were back in place, but having them gave Akane the idea of getting some flying time down to help release some of her pent up energy. The clean air was bound to clear her mind of lingering cobwebs.

The only problem was what to wear while flying, and it was a problem fortunately solved when she took notice of a pair of short pants with matching tank-top neatly folded onto a nearby chair, exactly in her size no less, which made her silently thank the room service people who worked this ship, always hovering in the background with their black-and-white outfits and hoods helping them to pass all but unnoticed by the ship's patrons. Slipping on these comfortable clothes felt so good that Akane resolved not even to bother with a bra or panties, considering this sufficient garb to obstruct the amorous views of any observant Hentai who might happen to be lingering about the decks (she sent another silent thanks to Hinako-Sensei and hoped her homeroom teacher was keeping the old pervert busy).

Akane was almost to the door when she paused, coughed a bit and discovered something lodged between her teeth, which forced her to spend a moment extricating it with her fingers. Holding it up to the light (and it only now belatedly occurred to her to wonder who had turned the light on during her time in the privy) she studied it with some slight amazement, wondering how such a thing could have gotten into her mouth, and was it really a yellowish hair, as fine as silk yet no longer than the joint of one finger?

Puzzled beyond imagining, she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

Once out on the deck she felt the pleasantly cool wafting breeze of early morning caress her skin and body, her wings automatically unfolding a bit as though they, too, caught the morning drafts and seemed quite restless to get airborne. Akane smiled as she wasted no time moving towards the rail so that she could lean forward and take in the spectacular view of the sun beating against the ocean far below them. There was a heavy cloudbank dead ahead of where the Nekonlon airship was gliding, but she took little notice of this, having her mind set on getting in some practice swoops so that she could work on her aerial combat skills and further refine them. She was getting rather good in the use of her wings and the feeling of soaring always gave her such a thrill that she ached to get started, anticipating that a few hours in the sky would help her work up quite an appetite for breakfast with Ucchan.

With this thought in mind she climbed over the rail and stood balanced on her bare feet as she unfolded her wings and took a long step into the airless nothing. Automatically she employed her newfound gift of levitation to help her catch her fall and turn it into lateral motion as she sailed away from the airship, spreading her wings to catch the first thermal updrafts of the morning and using these to carry her aloft as she floated into the air with her six meter long wingspan.

Unbeknownst to her, however, a certain pair of eyes were watching even as a lovely tattooed face of indeterminate age and unsurpassable beauty set itself into a wistful expression, and then the Goddess Peorth sighed, "Why don't things ever work out like they're supposed to?" as though beseeching an answer from the very heavens.

She turned a glance back over her shoulder towards the cabin that her "daughter" had just exited and frowned with annoyance. Her perfect plans to attempt to ensnare Ukyo Kuonji in bed with Akane had gone somewhat awry, but thankfully Akane did not seem to remember what had happened, or with whom she had just "done the nasty" on the previous evening. That blonde bimbo, Minako, was supposed to be Peorth's unwitting ally in her plot to get Ukyo separated from that Kino girl, the blonde being deeply in lust with her fellow Senshi, and it should have gone like clockwork. Peorth had supplied the drug that would enflame the desires of anyone who imbibed it with the sole express intent of getting Minako and Makoto together, all the better to clear the way for Akane to finally bed her "Ucchan." Instead Minako and Akane had wound up making out with each other all night long and never the wiser that the ones whom they had intended to bed were in the next room adjacent to their own, making out themselves like rabbits.

And-unlike with Akane and Minako-those two were very much aware of who it was whom they woke up with in bed, and-in spite of a very slight fog over the details-they were happily content to accept the consequences and implication, the cursed girl-turned-boy more than satisfied to declare her affections for an entirely satisfied Makoto. This was not at all what Peorth had wanted, and it was enough to make her grind her teeth together as she realized that the ties between Chef and Senshi were now stronger than ever. The task of getting Akane together with Ukyo was made that much more complicated, not that Peorth intended to accept defeat that grandly. Somehow she would just have to contrive to do better the next time, but for the sake of Akane's future happiness, Peorth was more than willing to go the distance.

"Just you wait, Kuonji," the Rose Goddess grumbled ominously, "I'm not done with you yet, not by a longshot..."

And with that declaration just made, Peorth vanished from the shadows, unaware that she herself had been observed by yet another party operation in the background.

"We will see about that, Divine One," remarked the wizened old elder named Lotion, "Even the best laid plans of the gods can have unforeseen consequences..."

Akane, of course, was oblivious to all of this and instead had her mind and body focused upon the simple joys that came with flying. More than just the wings on her back, she had aileron pin feathers that extended out from her legs which assisted her in stabilizing her flight path, and with her gift for levitation she found the sky was her playground and the distant ocean below her held no threat to her whatsoever. It was becoming difficult to sea the ocean itself, yet somehow she instinctively knew the directions for up and down and had the sun rising up over the horizon to further guide her. Unlike her former boyfriend, Ryoga, she seemed to be endowed with an internal guidance system so that there was no danger in becoming lost or disoriented while airborne, and since she did not intend to stray far from the Nekonlon airship she had relatively little trouble keeping pace with it and even surpassing it for airspeed.

The thin air that prevailed at this altitude was only a mild problem for breathing, and she somehow was able to resist both wind pressure and the temperature of the air as though her "cursed" form (and what a novel idea it was to consider THIS for a curse!) was somehow naturally adapted for this environment. It almost felt as though she were born to fly, like she was reclaiming her natural birthright. This made her wonder if there might be other aspects to her curse that she had yet to fully explore (besides the ones her mother had been showing her in dream form), and she intended to discover what else she might be able to do even as she arched her wings and glided along on a warm draft that she had somehow intuitively sensed was about to reach her.

Now this was an experience to exhilarate any martial artist's heart and fancy, to move through the air with the ease of a practiced swimmer would glide through water (and never mind that Akane sucked at swimming, having all the natural buoyancy of a stone prior to gaining her cursed form). Nothing to impede you distract you from the simple joy that flight bestowed upon the winged Tendo sister, only freedom and the open space that extended all around you in every direction. The sky was truly her limit at this moment, and as such it was easy to forget her growing list of personal complaints that the mundane world had to offer. Her frustrations over Ukyo, her qualms about the current activities of her two older sisters, even the thought that she would soon have Ranma as her brother-in-law, all of this failed to damper her good mood and the exuberant joy of being in her true element for the first time in her life. No wonder she had always found simple walking awkward...this was where she was intended to be, even as she took belated notice of the large grayish-brown object that was looming up in her path and...

"EEEK!" Akane shrieked and hastily dodged out of the way as something huge passed through the space where she had been gliding, swooping directly into her path even as she pulled up short and banked her wings to alter the direction of her glide, thus saving her from a certain mid-air collision. She fought hard to regain her bearings after stalling for a few seconds, but then she turned about and saw what it was that had so narrowly missed her, and when she made it out her mind almost locked up with a "hard drive" seizure.

"Huh?" she exclaimed in dismay, "You've gotta be kidding me...!"

A shrill cry nearly shattered the air, doing much to throw Akane off even as the backwash of the thing buffeted her and threatened to send her into a vortex. Once she had recovered from that she turned and stared in disbelief as other brownish-gray **things** became visible within her sharpened range of vision, and then Akane felt a curious sense of unreality as she mentally classified the type of creature which she was observing, even knowing it was impossible, that there was no way for such a creature to exist, let alone in such numbers.

"Nabiki!" Akane cried out, at once thinking of her clever Lore Master sister and how she always seemed to provide the answers where none was forthcoming. That thought made her come around in search of the airship...only to see the thing was drifting off towards a curious formation amid the cloud banks, and then she really felt the panic begin to surge through her as she recognized that some of those supposed "clouds" were unusually craggy and covered in a snow-cap, like natural camouflage, only portending a certain disaster.

"No!" she cried, even as she sped up her momentum and beat her wings against the air in a desperate attempt to catch up with the airship...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I awoke with a start to the sudden sense that Akane was in danger...only the feelings changed from a sense of personal danger to a different note of panic. I glanced around and immediately recalled where I was and what it was that I had been doing, and then I felt a gentle urgency to rise up and attend to some serious personal business.

But the sense of impending menace would not go away, so I reluctantly pried myself out from under the warm blanket that was Shampoo and Ranma and gently awoke my two loves with a thought, murmuring something to the effect of, "Akane's in trouble."

To that Ranma only grunted back, "So what else is new?" as if the thought barely justified even opening his eyes, let alone a more serious reaction.

Shampoo was a bit more affected by saying, "This one's apprentice is like magnet that suck in trouble, yes, but no reason we no see what she up to this time, Airen."

"I second the motion," I said, even as I felt other urges making themselves be steadily known since laying in the arms of my two favorite people was far too pleasant a sensation for me to want to interrupt for the sake of my clueless younger sister.

Still, family is family, and even while my sisters seem intent on driving me to distraction on occasions like this, I still felt obligated to attend to Akane's sense of growing alarm and panic. I reached for a robe even as Shampoo did the same with her cheosang and Ranma for his pants and top...but then I felt something like an edge of alarm run down my spine, and belatedly I realized that Akane's fear was for us and not herself on this occasion.

Even as that thought registered in my mind I sensed the door to our cabin unlock itself and open of its own accord, and then there stood Lotion the Elder, my Sensei, giving me an impatient look, and flanking her to the side were none other than Kasumi and Kodachi, already dressed and appearing quite anxious (and never mind what they had been doing prior to being rudely awakened, a subject I prefer not to dwell upon if at all possible, thank you very much...).

At this point I didn't know what had everyone in such a state of disquiet, but when we emerge outside we found Ranma's cousin, Usagi, and her friends Rei and Ami, all equally confused looking, with Mon-Mon (our resident Nekonlon "Immortal" Lucky God Martial Artist) having that sense that we foreigners were getting ourselves all worked up over nothing. Me, I hate leaving things to chance, that's how the worst problems in my life always get started, and if Lotion herself is worried enough to pay me a visit in my "Honeymoon" suite, then that's cause enough to be alarmed about, even as I head unwittingly off to face one of the strangest adventures I have ever yet encountered.

On the way, however, Ranma chances to ask the question that I myself had been wondering since counting heads and noticing some significant absences from out jolly list of players, "Hey, where's Ucchan and Ryoga about?"

"You got me, Cousin," Usagi replied, "We're wondering the same thing about Minako and Makoto."

"Some of us are anyway," the dark purple haired Rei rolls her eyes as though the question barely warrants an explanation, and as I turn my budding Lore Master senses to the subject, I suddenly begin to glean why the shrine maiden Senshi seems to think the answer is self-explanatory...

Meanwhile, a short distance away (but a world away for all that it really mattered), a male Ukyo was smiling contentedly as he rested his head on the softly rising and falling breasts of his beloved Makoto. Makoto was idly strumming fingers through Ukyo's unbound hair while relishing the afterglow of a long and intense session between them. At some point during their first session they had each drifted off to sleep together, but upon awakening they had wasted little time going at it with renewed vigor, and now that they had finally exhausted themselves with lovemaking all that was left was their second favorite part, the cuddle.

"So," Makoto finally spoke after the longest time of enjoying the silence, "How did that rate on your meter? Was it better doing it as a guy this time?"

"Sugar," Ukyo softly chuckled, "I wouldn't even know where to draw a comparison. It's different as a guy, but I like it either way...and at least as a woman I don't tucker out after a couple of shots."

"You won't hear me complaining," Makoto said in earnest appreciation, "That was my first time doing it with a guy, and my second time ever, and you know what? I like you just much either way. You really rang my chimes with that last time, Ucchan. Having you inside me...I can't begin to describe it. You made my world spin around and I'm still dizzy."

"Careful," Ukyo laughed, "Talk like that'll go to my head..."

"Which one?" Makoto's voice took on a predatory aspect, "If you wanna get it started up again..."

"You're insatiable, you know that?" Ukyo countered, then in mock-exasperation cried, "Women, what do they want? I'm only made of flesh and blood you know..."

"Faker," Makoto chuckled at her boy/girlfriend's feigned distress and she hugged Ukyo closer to her bosoms, "Maybe I oughta see what your limits really are, Buster. I can hold out as long as you..."

"Then maybe I'd better change back to a girl, just in case," Ukyo replied in a teasing voice, "That way I've at least got a fighting chance of holding out against you. I just know I'm gonna walk bow-legged as it is if I try getting it up again..."

"Poor baby," Makoto chided, "Why not let Doctor Kino have a look at it and maybe kiss it to make it all better..."

"You would too," Ukyo could not keep from chuckling, though his mind was fresh with the delirious sensation of what it had been like to feel Makoto's mouth closing upon his most prominent male member, providing him with a sense of what a velvety tongue she had, which licked him like a Popsicle and got him hard enough to plunge that organ into her hot and moist vulva a few moments later.

"Count on it," Makoto let a hand drift down to find and play with Ukyo's fanny, squeezing it possessively in such a way that the cursed girl/boy shivered with anticipation.

Before things got any further along, though, the felt the ship lurch sharply to one side, and then a screeching sound, almost like the hull being scraped against something hard and unyielding caused both Ukyo and Makoto to sit up in alarm, listening to panicked cries and shouts from outside their cabin.

"What the heck was that?" Makoto asked.

"Sounded like we hit something," Ukyo responded.

"What, you mean like in the Titanic?" Makoto blinked, "But we're on a boat that sails through the air, not the water!"

"Either way, I think we'd better go have a look, just in case," Ukyo said, and with some reluctance the two lovers got dressed and left their cabin, heading for the top deck even as they started bumping into the other passengers upon the vessel...

Just moments before this had happened...

Ryoga was glad that someone had finally come and relieved him from having to man the steering wheel. He had tried very hard not to turn it either to the right or the left or to in any way deviate from the course that it had been left at, but when the Navigator told him to turn six degrees to the right he naturally had tried to comply with those instructions. A short while later the man had ordered a twelve-degree turn to the left, and this too Ryoga had obeyed to the letter...or had thought he did at any extent. Given all that, he wondered why the man had been so upset with him near the end, having taken another course reading and arrived at conclusions that frankly disagreed with his calculations.

Ryoga had sweated it out and tried not to be upset with anything the man said to him, even when the comments took on a personal character and left Ryoga shaking with anger, and in the end Ryoga had managed to hold his temper in so that when he was relieved of his post by the lieutenant that had given him the task in the first place he only mildly clapped the Navigator on the arm and left him screaming in pain about a dislocated shoulder. It served him right anyway, saying things like that about his mother!

Ryoga frankly did not know why the man should be so upset about his calculations being a little bit off. If the man couldn't do math, then why had they given him the job of Navigating in the first place?

Convinced that he had done all that anyone could reasonably have asked of him, Ryoga resumed his search for his room and wound up shortly thereafter in the kitchen. This by itself was not so remarkable a thing, but he was surprised to almost bump shoulders with the pretty blonde girl named Aino Minako, who was having a difficult time explaining to one of the cooks her desire to be cured of a hangover. Obviously she did not speak good Mandarin because the fellow thought she was asking for boiled squid and was receiving a lecture about the impossibility of pickling squid meat given their propensity for squirting you with ink, which is why Ryoga decided to step in and provide a much-needed translator.

"Excuse me, honorable Chef, but my friend wishes to know if you have something that can relieve her of a severe headache," he explained in careful terms, not wanting a repeat of the incident from the previous day when he had found himself in the laundry room of the ship.

"Sure thing," the cook promptly responded, "Just tell her to lay her head down on the chopping block there and I'll take care of it, no problem," he hefted a sizeable meat cleaver for emphasis.

Ryoga paled and said, "I can't tell her that!"

"Relax, I'm just fooling," the Chef adopted an easy smile as he set the cleaver aside then turned to the confused looking Blonde and said, "Now then...let's see where that spot is that my Mother always used on Father when he'd been out drinking."

The Chef turned the confused Minako around and partially exposed her back, and before either the blonde or Ryoga could protest his taking liberties the man jabbed a finger at a spot and said, "How's this, young lady?"

Minako gasped, then flexed her shoulders and shook her head, rotating it in a circle so as to unkink her neck muscles, and then she smiled and said, "It's gone! How did he do it?"

"Pshaw," the Chef replied, "You foreigners must not know all that much about medicine if you don't know about the Pressure Points that can cure most common ailments. Tell you what, I'll even whip up one of the Prince's special remedies for official holiday cures...pickled onions with pickled carrots and pickled radishes on rice. It'll give you all the nourishment you need to keep the DTs at bay, put a smile on your face and everything."

"What did he say?" Minako asked.

"Ah..." Ryoga considered the point then replied, "Thank you for your kind thoughts, Sir, but my friend needs to refresh herself. Perhaps later when she is dressed for dinner."

"Better have Mistress Mon Mon look her over," the Chef recommended, "She'll know what's best for a cute young thing like her. Reminds me a bit of my youngest daughter...god rest her mother..."

Ryoga thanked the Chef then took Minako by the arm and gently guided her out from the kitchen. Once they were out in the hall he said, "I can show you to your room if you want...if you could do me a little favor."

"Sure thing," Minako gave the cute boy a pleasant smile and said, "What do you need?"

"Could you...um..." Ryoga hesitated, not wanting to look like a complete idiot before this friendly girl whom he'd only noticed on the periphery before, one of the friends of Usagi, who was Ranma's cousin, and thus probably somehow related to Ryoga (he really had to sit down and figure this one out one of these days...).

Minako found the boy's shy hesitation actually quite charming in someone who could be such a fierce terror in a fight and tried to encourage him by saying, "Don't worry, you can ask me, I won't bite."

"Ah...right," Ryoga cleared his throat and said, "Could you...show me where my cabin is? I'm having trouble finding it, and...ah..."

"Oh?" Minako cocked one blonde eyebrow at this, "Can't find your way, huh? Well, it is a pretty big ship, at least on the inside, so I don't really blame you for that. No problem then, I'll show you to your room and you can show me to mine."

"Ah...?" Ryoga wondered why the exact wording this cute girl used worried him so much.

"Relax, it's just a joke," Minako grinned all the more, liking this boy the longer she got to know him, and how typically male that he felt embarrassed about having to ask for directions. Nice to see he wasn't some kind of sex-  
crazed pervert out to shag a cute girl like her on the flimsiest pretext (not that she would have minded being asked by someone as hunky as him...which was not to say that she actually intended to let him take her to bed, although if he did ask she would certainly consider it...).

"HEY!" someone called out to the two of them, "Ryoga, get your butt up here this minute!"

"Huh?" Ryoga found himself rather annoyed about being distracted from having a pleasant chat with the cute blonde who was smiling at him in such a nice manner, "What do you want, Ranma?"

"Come out on deck and see for yourself," Ranma called out before pivoting on one heel and grumbling about "Clueless Morons."

Ryoga was surprised at the behavior of his alleged half brother, so much so that he was distracted from his normal impulse to be angry. At his side Minako said, "I guess we'd better go see what's up," which left him with no margin to contradict her.

Seeing nothing to be gained by refusing, Ryoga and Minako found their way out onto the top deck, at which point they saw a panoramic scenery that took their breaths away, almost picture-postcard perfect in the dwindling light of a setting sun, which as much surprised Minako as she had not realized it was that late at evening.

"What happened?" Minako asked, "Where are we?"

"That is the question," said Kodachi as she turned a curious look in Ryoga's direction, "Hibiki-san, by any chance you were no where near the bridge of this fair vessel within the past few hours...were you?"

"Ah...well..." Ryoga hesitated.

"That's what we figured," Nabiki groaned, "Don't ask us how you did it, Ryoga-  
kun, but you just put us a few thousand miles off course in the southern hemisphere, and this Island dead ahead of us is named Pangea, which is supposedly also known as 'The Land That Time Ignored.'"

"Forgot," Ami corrected.

"Whatever," Nabiki groused.

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "Then that means we'll be a bit late getting home..."

"By about a week at least," Rei added.

"A week?" Usagi blurted, "No way! We have a mid-term exam to take by this Friday!"

"It will have to be postponed, I fear," Mon Mon said, "I don't understand how such a thing could happen. Our Navigator is usually so very precise in charting our directions..."

"Ah...well..." Ryoga winced all the more.

"Ryoga," Ranma eyed him suspiciously, "You didn't do anything to him, did ya? 'Cause that'd be real bad about now..."

"Stupid pig boy really do this one big time," Shampoo agreed, joining the chorus.

"Look out!" Minako cried, having been the only one to notice at that moment how close a certain volcanic hilltop was coming to their position...or rather how close to it their blimp was sailing.

"Oh no," Nabiki groaned, "This is just perfect..."

"Everyone, BRACE FOR IMPACT!" cried Kodachi, just seconds before their ship began a slow turn that almost managed to avoid scraping their bottom against said volcano...

Akane looked on in horror as the Nekonlon airship attempted to change its direction at the last possible moment, only to scrape the side of the icy mountaintop with the sound of splintering wood and canvas loud in her ears even at a hundred meters distance. As hard as she had been pumping her wings to gain momentum she had been too late to reach them in time to help them avert a disaster, and now she could only watch in helpless dismay as the airship veered widely to one side and began an inclined descent that would carry it through the clouds and into their all-engulfing embrace.

Akane hurried to catch up with the stricken airship, banking her wings and gaining momentum in a dive that would surely allow her to overtake the massive object, but even as she looked she saw tiny forms begin to plummet over the sides as the jarring collision shook them loose, like so many fleas off the hide of an animal. It was all that she could do to pick one tumbling form at random and to aim herself in order to catch them, fearing that she would have only one chance to save their life from certain disaster. She tried not to think about those others whom she could not save, staying focused on her goal as she stretched out her arms and prepared to slow her descent to match that of the plummeting body. Only when she was within the last fifty feet did she make out the form of Kasumi, and then this discovery leant a sense of urgency as she sought to save her eldest sister.

But as she started to close to within a few meters of where Kasumi was plummeting a red ribbon snaked out and caught itself around the older Tendo sister's waist, yanking her up and out of the way of a much-surprised Akane, who reflexively caught yet another body that was falling fast towards her, this one easily around Kasumi's basic size and dimensions. However, it only took an instant following her startled, "OOFFF!" at the shock of the sudden weight in her arms to recognize the woman whom she was grasping as none other than the Lucky Gods Martial Artist named "Bon-Bon."

The added weight bore Akane down even faster than before, so she banked her wings to angle her flight path into a rising swoop, but-though she strained her levitation skills to the max-she could not fend off the eventual stall that resulted when her momentum ran out, leaving them both hanging in a stall as Mon-Mon looked at Akane, who looked back with an equally non-plussed expression.

"Tendo-san...you saved me?" Mon-Mon asked, "But...why?"

Akane did not get the chance to answer that when something else came swooping down on them from above, and then the leathery beat of massive wings rendered the whole matter entirely academic...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

I don't remember too much of what happened after we collided with that mountain, but-needless to say-the crash took us all by surprise and did some serious damage to the airship's ability to hold in gas, so before we knew it we were headed for the ground with everyone scrambling to hold onto something while the rest of us went over the railing. I felt a hand grip my wrist almost immediately and without having to look I knew that it was Ranma, but then I felt a pair of hands snag me by one ankle and realized that it was Shampoo holding onto me, and that suddenly I was being stretched like a cord between one of my lovers and the other.

Of course I hardly blame Shampoo for that, nor can I fault Ranma that he was hanging on practically by his fingernails with the both of us dragging him down with a less than firm grip at the ship's railing. Nor did it help matters all that much that the ship he was holding onto was veering wildly down through a cloud bank next to a sheer cliff drop that looked ready to tear its hull wide open at any minute, and here I suddenly flash onto what it must have felt like to be a passenger on the Titanic (not that I watched that sappy gaijin movie, of course, or will admit to it under cross-examination).

All I know is that a sudden jolt was all it took for Ranma to lose his precarious hold upon our sole means of support, and then there was nothing between us and a couple hundred meters of open air with a craggy jungle laid out before us, and me the only one of us present who isn't trained to take a fall from near-earth orbit. To say the least this day was not looking up for me, and I had a sneaking hunch that our troubles were only just beginning.

Boy, was that ever an understatement...!

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Paleolithic Rhapsody Harmonics: shadowmane

After a two year hiatus I am finally back on the case of this side-story, (one hinted at and referred to in numerous journalistic references by Nabiki) where many significant character studies were intended by me, and which I have long intended to get back to. Now, at last, I am finally tackling the matter of the Nerima gang having an E.R Burroughs-like encounter of the "too-close" kind, and if you don't mind a romp through the jungles with primitive life forms (oh yeah, and there's Dinosaurs here too), then please stay tuned for: "Bungle in the Jungle," or, "The Lost and Found World!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: or it's Mirror page at ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	108. Chapter 108

Pangea02

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to

"A Tale of Two Wallets,"

by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi

Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,

with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my

fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,

T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,

Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

WARNING-OVER THE TOP BEHAVIOR AHEAD!

CONTAINS SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE SCENES OF

A HIGHLY LEMON-LIME NATURE, WITH PLENTY

OF SHENNANIGANS THAT WOULD LIKELY GET YOU

BANNED FROM BOSTON (University, of course). IF YOU

FIND "LOST WORLD/JURASSIC PARK"-TYPE STORIES

TEDIOUS AND DISTRACTING, THEN I HOPE YOU WON'T

BE TOO DISAPPOINTED BY THE FOLLOWING ADVENTURES.

[YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!]

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic

series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when

the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual

arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:

(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;

Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is

cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and

Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor

Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to

Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically

involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is

carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kodachi, and

Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.

Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode One-Point-Two.

Jurassic Pork

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

As I look back on the events of the past frantic week of my as-yet-too-brief

life I am left to marvel that I survived long enough to be sitting here

recounting my adventures. Getting kidnapped by Prince Kirin (and nearly made

into his blushing bride against my consent) turned out to be merely the start of

the weirdness that I and my Airen were forced to live through, but things really

hit the rails once we arrived in beautiful, sunny Pangea, a land so fantastic

and improbable that even now I have trouble believing that any of it actually

happened. Looking back it seems more like some B-grade Toho Productions monster

movie more than a real place where I nearly met my demise on a minute-to-minute

basis, and I'd be heavily tempted to chalk it all up to a really bad mass

hallucination were it not for that damned baby Pterodactyl that Kasumi's gone

and adopted, the annoying beak-brain currently staring me down from his cage

like I was an evening snack that he intends to munch down upon.

I'd tell him that he could get in line behind the other guys who tried to turn

me into their dinner, but that would be getting a bit ahead of myself here, and

since I feel the urge to record these things before going to bed with Shampoo

and Ranma, I might as well pick things up where I left off this morning, namely

my first experiences shortly after waking up that fine morning and discovering

that the Nekonlon dirigible was heading for a mountainside, with a very rude

scrape to the sides that reminds me overmuch of what happened to that British

ship whose name is synonymous with such very rude encounters.

Granted I was half asleep when it first happened, but once it happened I was on

a non-stop adrenal rush for the rest of the morning.

Finding yourself in sudden freefall is a stronger way of waking yourself up than

a pot full of strong tea, to say nothing of the difficulties that might be posed

by a sudden stop at the bottom. As such you really get to expand your mind and

clarify your focus when the prospect of a sheer drop against steep cliffwalls

looks as painful as it is likely to be should you allow it to happen. For any

normal teenaged girl in my position this would definitely be such a problem...

However-as my luck would have it-I have something of an ace up my proverbial

sleeve, even as Ranma and Shampoo have their martial arts training that somehow

allows them to fall from an impossible heights without suffering great injury (or

even death). My training under Lotion in being a Lore Master came to the fore

here, and without half thinking about it my concentration became acutely

focused, and I sensed the force-lines in the air surrounding us, and reflexively

reached out to them to touch those lines and tap into the flow of their manna.

I can't really describe for you what it feels like, your vision suddenly going

from normal to some kind of prismatic effect where you see everything delineated

in patterns of force, both strong and weak currents. Solid objects look a bit

fuzzy around the edges, and there are these electrical lines surrounding

everything like strings of curling energy that you can reach out and touch with

your fingers. I only half understood what I was doing at the time, but it was

like I knew it all along, what I had to do and what the consequences would be if

I didn't loop those energy lines in just the right way before the three of us

hit bottom. I had only seconds to weave things together, but like some kind of

a mental spider, I cast my net out and surrounded us in a curtain of force that

caught our weight and slowed our downward momentum.

I'm sure it must have come as quite a surprise for Shampoo and Ranma when our

fall began to slow down to a crawl and we started to drift over the jungle turf

as though we were suspended on invisible parachutes, to say nothing of how odd

it felt to drift that way with our legs dangling out over the expansive jungle.

Had anyone been looking up from the ground level I'm sure they'd have gotten a

nice show since I was only wearing that bath robe that I'd grabbed up in a

hurry. Shampoo had on her typical pantsuit, and Ranma his usual pants and shirt

Chinese outfit, but they had been the sensible ones, not like me, who had this

vague notion that we were only getting up for a moment and would shortly be

returning to bed for more of our morning hijinx.

But this was a seriously disturbing way to spend our morning, and while my

efforts appeared to save us all from a bad tumble, I became belatedly aware that

we were drifting off in one direction while our ride was headed in another. The

dirigible had been stricken a mortal blow to the side and was headed for the

ground at a sobering incline. I had no idea then and there if it would survive

the crash or be wrecked when it hit bottom, and because it was soon lost among

the canopy of clouds that surrounded some of the lower peaks I had no way of

telling where it would wind up on the island below us, let alone in what condition.

Unfortunately my focus was on keeping us alive, and so I was not aware of what

became of the other members of our oddly mismatched party. I had a vague sense

that Kasumi was all right, and that she was with Kodachi (which is not

necessarily the same thing in my opinion!), but Akane seemed to be facing some

sort of difficulties, and the rest of our merry band were likewise faced with

challenges of her own. The most amazing thing is that I did not perceive that

anyone in our group (aside from Akane) was in seriously life-threatening danger.

That was a good thing since it meant that I could reserve the bulk of my

attention to getting us save back on the ground without anyone among us being

given a bad shake up. Ranma and Shampoo-bless them both-were wise enough to

not distract me with questions until long after the tree tops rose up to

surround us and we drifted down to the floor of a heavily wooded jungle. When

at last we did set foot on the mossy soil of that strange island and I could

relax my field of support altogether, a too-brief silence hovered among us as we

took stock of what had happened, then Ranma-articulate as always-summarized

our feeling in his typically understated manner.

"Whoah," he said, to which Shampoo added an equally voluble, "Aiyaa..."

"Everybody okay?" I asked as I turned to my fiancées, "Anybody get a good look

at where we landed?"

"Ah," Ranma rubbed the back of his head and glanced around then said, "Not

really. Can't even tell which way the sun is shining. Hate to say it, Nab-

chan, but at the moment I feel as clueless as Ryoga."

I was so not going there, but I did smile a bit as I turned to Shampoo, who

normally is a pretty reliable tracker, and said, "Think we can find the others

if they landed anywhere around here?"

"Is possible, Airen," Shampoo replied, taking my question more in stride as she

frowned and glanced about at our surroundings, "Maybe we find high place where

we see more of area, get idea how land is formed, then explore in direction most

likely to have sky boat. Maybe even find others along way and get group back together."

I nodded to that assessment, then noticed the rather odd way that Ranma was

looking at me and said, "What?"

"Um...well," my intended husband seemed to be struggling for the right way of

phrasing the question in his mind (and considering how blunt he normally is, I

have to give him credit for making the effort), "Couldn't you just, like, pick a

direction and let your instincts tell you which way? I mean...that Lore Master

thing...it's supposed to help you know stuff, right?"

I had to blink at this, then I felt the rather large temptation to bang my head

against one of the nearby trees since it was such a simple and obvious solution

to our problem that I marvel that I didn't think of it myself at the moment.

"I...guess I could try that," I said rather lamely, doing my best to save face

while casting my gaze around and opening my senses to picking up a clue on where

to get started. Not too surprisingly, I did feel an immediate tug in one

direction that I somehow knew was the **correct** one, but even so it was more

of a generalized sense that left different from right and that the sky ship was

off that way directly as the crow flies.

At the same time as I felt this, I immediately felt a looming sense of dread

that warned me away from the direct route, as though that path would be leading

us into serious danger. Danger was all around us, of course, and I felt as

though I were drowning in a sudden surge of alarm that informed me that we were

surrounded on all sides by things that wanted to eat us, but the way that led

directly towards the dirigible was BAD, or-put another way-MORE bad than any other.

"Ah," I pointed vaguely, "I think that's where we have to go, but the trail we

need to follow actually leads...that way," I pointed off at an angle, "This is a

pretty big island, and...I sense a lot of animals all around us...big animals,

and nasty ones too, with lots of sharp, pointed teeth, which I very much think

we ought to avoid if at all possible, you get me?"

"I think so," Ranma said, "Um...what kind of animals?"

"Big ones," I said with a shudder, feeling a dread as though one were breathing

down my neck all of a sudden.

To tell the truth, I was so disturbed by my sense of looming danger that I

failed, at the moment, to see the look of alarm that came over the lovely face

of my wife as Shampoo nervously said, "A-Airen..."

Ranma was quicker to follow her line of gaze than me and managed to say, "Uh-

oh," before I had a chance to focus upon the source of their disquiet. When I

did turn fully around in time to see the thing that was stalking up towards us I

was already on the edge of full panic mode, but when I actually saw it I felt as

though my blood and brains had turned instantly to Jell-O.

It was about ten meters tall...that much I knew even before I looked upon it,

and it was huge, massive, and-above all else-HUNGRY. It was covered in

armored scales and had a head that looked fairly large in proportion to the rest

of its body. The stubby little arms in front seemed hardly suitable limbs on

such a powerful monster, but there was no question about the teeth being

functional as it stared down at us with beady little eyes and seemed to be

sizing us up as though to determine if we were suitable for its diet.

Funny thing about my first face-to-muzzle encounter with a dinosaur and the only

thing I could think of at the moment was that he sure didn't look like those

rubber suited monsters you see in the movies, for one thing, he smelled worse

than latex, and for another...I had this really awful sense that he didn't come

with a zipper...

The first thing Ryoga did when he found himself in the process of falling was to

go limp and to let his natural momentum carry him forward. He would right

himself with a tumble soon enough and then take stock of his situation, then try

to absorb as much of his Chi into himself as he could to toughen up his body so

that his landing would be merely uncomfortable, not fatal.

But the high-shrill scream he heard from close nearby changed his strategy

abruptly, and at once he oriented himself upon the tumbling body of the blonde

haired girl named Minako, who was falling quite near to him and seemed to be

stretching out her hand as though attempting to catch him from a distance. He

had the vague sense that she was preparing herself to do something towards that

end, but all he could think about was that she was an ordinary girl and in no

way as capable as him of surviving a fall from such a great height, so without

further adieu he turned and angled his body to slow his fall by a fraction while

angling himself directly underneath her.

Minako literally fell into his arms with a "WHOMPH!" of surprise, and then he

wasted no time wrapping an arm around her slender waist while his other hand

reached back and plucked his umbrella out from where it was normally carried.

The fact that he had not been wearing it did not even occur to him, he just

**knew** that it would be there, and so it was, and once he unfurled it the

heavy thing it served as a passable parachute, slowing their descent down to a

gentle glide among the treetops.

All the way down Ryoga was conscious of one thing, however: that the really cute

busty blonde in his arms was pressing her lean body up against him and holding

on tightly, or far more tightly than was absolutely necessary given that his own

grip was sure and steady and there was absolutely no chance of him dropping her

at this point.

Of course it also felt rather **nice** to be holding her like that, and the way

her long blonde hair whipped around in the wind and threatened to tickle him on

the nose, it was a fair struggle to maintain his concentration as they touched

down together on the velvety earth in the midst of so much lush foliage and

jungle life. Ryoga had been in jungles before, of course, and knew what to

watch out for when in them, but rather than take stock of his surroundings he

found himself instead looking down into the luminous blue eyes of the girl he

had just rescued, and a moment later he felt certain that he was going to have a

nose bleed, because the top of her dress was revealing an **awful** lot of cleavage!

"Ah," Ryoga hastily averted his gaze and said, "You okay?"

"Yeah...sure thing, handsome," Minako replied, doing nothing to decrease Ryoga's

impending nasal hemorrhaging problems, "That was some trick with the umbrella,

never thought you could actually use one like that..."

"Oh, it's nothing," Ryoga said as he slung his umbrella over his back once

again, and promptly forgot about it (even as Minako tried to peer around him to

see where it had vanished), "Just glad you're safe. Um...I know this is going

to seem like a really odd question and all, but...where are we?"

"Well," Minako mused, studying his profile and silently remarking on this

handsome young boy's problems about shyness (a trait she did not suffer from

herself, of course), "Back on the ship that Mon-Mon character was telling us

about this being some really weird island that goes by the name of Pangea.

Supposedly it's in the Southern Hemisphere, which would put it close to

Antarctica, but how could we possible get there from China in a day? I mean, it

doesn't sound too probable, know what I'm saying?"

"Ah...yeah," Ryoga said with a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his

head, "Well...we ought to go find the ship to see if everyone else made it all

right. Um...you...wouldn't happen to know where it went, did you?"

"Sorry," Minako replied, "Didn't pay much attention. I kind of had my focus

on...um...other things. Say, do you think this is a really big island, or would

it be hard to, y'know, explore it for a bit, just to get a lay of the land and

all that, know what I'm saying?"

"Er...well...I suppose that could help," Ryoga ruefully admitted, knowing from

experience that wandering around lost would sooner or later bring him to where

he was going if only by pure random chance.

"Swell-I mean...great," Minako grinned impetuously, taking Ryoga by the hand

while not intending to look that eager, "Then we might as well get started now,

no telling how far we have to go and all that..."

"Ah..." Ryoga was all-too-aware of that hand gripping his and tugging him along,

and once more he felt the urge to cover his nose to stave off a possible gusher.

After all this girl was nice and pretty and seemed to actually like him, and she

had to have a better sense of directions of where she wanted to go than he did,

so exploring this island with her actually sounded kind of...romantic.

He had to swallow hard to keep from succumbing to his preternatural shyness. A

really cute girl was drawing him off to parts unknown and neither one of them

had any sense of where the others had gotten off to, or even if they were still

alive (pessimist though he was, Ryoga refused to give up hope that the others

would survive like he had, if only because Ranma was too tough and clueless to

let a little drop like that put him out of action).

Minako smiled to herself, relishing the sense of raw, incredible power that

seemed to flow through this young boy as she drew him along for a private

assignation. There was something both manly and virile about this fellow, and

she was feeling more and more attracted to him by the moment, even if they were

still almost virtual strangers. He was polite to the point of shyness,

courageous and a good fighter, a truly heroic and noble type of Prince Charming

that any girl might count herself lucky to get marooned with, and so she was

feeling rather eager to get to know more and more about him, especially away

from the hungry competition (Usagi and the others, though Minako privately hoped

that her beloved friends were all right and had made their Senshi transformations in mid-drop).

About the only thing that could sour her mood at the moment was the stray

thought about what Makoto might be up to, and what had happened to her and her

so-called "Boyfriend." It still smarted her ego to know that she had lost out

on her chance to consummate her fun during the night with her long-time partner

in Senshi-ual business, and as Minako thought on that she scowled a bit in

irritation. Learning the truth about that Ukyo Kuonji floozy certainly did

shake up her perceptions about her sometime rival, the okonomiyaki chef. The

idea that she was a cute guy who magically transformed into a really cute girl

was as disturbing as that time when she had almost dated one of the Starlights.

[Imagine the nerve of that Bishonen half-man, stealing MY Mako-chan away from

me, the nerve of some people! And that ditzy Makoto...letting herself be

seduced by a sex-changing pervert like that? I mean, if she wanted a real

woman, then she could have had me...]

The sudden shift in her mood did not go completely unnoticed by her companion,

but Ryoga simply took it to mean that she was eager to find her missing friends

and see if they were all right. It hardly occurred to him at all that she might

be fuming over someone else who had stolen her affections. All he knew was that

it did feel nice to be in her company for some reason, and he had every intention

of seeing to it that no harm befell her. He did kind of wonder about which

direction they were heading in, though, even as he paused to wonder if anyone

else had fallen overboard like them, and-if so-would they be encountering

any of them in the very near future...?

The first thing Ukyo knew as he fell over the railing was that he had to grab a

handhold quick or else attempt to find out if he was as good at surviving long

falls as his buddy Ranchan. The second thought that followed close on the heels

of the first was, "WHERE IS MAKOTO?" They had been standing close beside one

another, but when the ship lurched to the side they both had been catapulted

into the air together.

It took a bit of twisting and acrobatic nimbleness for Ukyo to orient himself

around to where he could see his iinazuke as she, too, was headed groundward.

Unlike him, however, she did not appear to be in any state of near-panic and was

instead attempting to orient herself into an upright position, at which point

she outstretched a hand and called out in a loud voice, "JUPITER STAR POWER!"

which triggered her Senshi transformation.

Ukyo got very round-eyed as he watched Makoto go from the light silk robe that

she had been wearing to total nudity with her magnificent long body given

special detail by the weird illumination that surrounded her for the next

several seconds, but then new clothing began to form around her, and he

recognized her costume as her Sailor Jupiter guise, which meant that she was now

magically fortified with the power of a Senshi.

Lucky for her that she had such a handy failsafe for emergencies like this.

Unfortunately for Ukyo, she lacked a Henshin pin and so had to get by with her

normal level of power.

But then Makoto surprised him again by twisting her body around and with a

display of agility even greater than what Ukyo herself could accomplish, the

taller girl managed to close the distance between them and wrap her arms around

Ukyo, spreading her legs wide and bracing herself for impact.

They landed with an awful thud, but Makoto easily absorbed the shock with her

long legs coiled beneath her. She righted up again with Ukyo feeling only

mildly dazed at the sudden shift of momentum, finding himself being cradled in

his lover's arms as though she were the heroine and he was reduced to the role

of mere side-kick.

"Are you all right, Sempai?" she asked, her concern evident upon her lovely

expression in spite of the weird glamour that seemed to attend her Senshi incarnation.

"Uh...yeah, more or less," Ukyo responded, "Just...give me a moment to get my

stomach back in order, Sugar."

To Ukyo's chagrin Makoto seemed to be in no great hurry to release him, but then

she seemed puzzled more than worried as she saw that he had survived the rude

landing, so she asked in a curious tone, "Sempai...did you get splashed on the

way down? I thought you were in your girl form a second ago."

"Huh?" Ukyo glanced down to determine that he was-indeed-quite male at the

moment, then he blinked his eyes and said, "That's funny...didn't even notice

when I changed. I was intending to stay girl for a few more hours, but...I

guess the fates are feeling playful, Sugar."

"Oh well," Makoto smiled again and reluctantly set Ukyo down on his feet, "No

harm done, and like I said before, I like you either way. So...what the heck

happened up there? Did we crash or...?"

"Wish I knew, Sugar," Ukyo sighed, glancing up at the sky in search of the

missing sky ship, "One minute our ride's there, the next it vanishes like

smoke...speaking of which, there sure are an awful lot of clouds around those

peaks. You think maybe it's gonna rain or something?"

"I hope so," Makoto fanned herself for emphasis, "It feels awfully hot around

here. Good thing my costume's well ventilated."

"Uh...yeah," Ukyo gave a slow study up and down of her companion, taking notice

of what there was to the Senshi outfit-which meant largely what of it was not

there drew your attention to the parts that were showing, "Guess that helps a

bit. Um...so...any idea which way we should head off if we're gonna find the others?"

Makoto smiled at him (and caused Ukyo to feel an acute desire to renew their

bedroom antics of the previous evening), "Your guess is as good as mine, Sempai,

but as long as I'm with you I don't feel so alone. Not that getting lost on a

deserted island in the middle of no where is necessarily such a bad thing,

but...I would like to know if Usagi and the others made it, just like us."

"Uh...yeah, and Ranchan," Ukyo hastily added, trying to coach himself on the

idea that they had important things to do and that now was DEFINITELY NOT the

time to be screwing around in the bushes with his girlfriend, "Well...might as well get started..."

"I'm with you, Sempai," Makoto affirmed as she fell into step alongside the

Bishonen sex-cursed chef, absently taking his hand as though she, too, was

feeling tempted to do other things besides wander around lost in the bushes, and

with that heady scent of sex in the air the two of them headed off, little aware

that there beady eyes following them and that their "scenic tour" of the island

was about to become anything but tranquil...

Akane felt the crushing grasp of talons squeezing the life out of her as she was

carried aloft by the thing which had grabbed her. The air was rushing past her

face with the heavy sound of leathery wings beating against the wind currents,

slowly gaining altitude as the creature carried her aloft towards its intended destination.

Struggling as she did to try and loosen the thing's powerful grip upon her,

Akane felt a moment of real panic creeping over her, for she lacked the leverage

that she would have needed to free herself, and without that her martial arts

skills would avail her for nothing. Worse still, this creature was impossibly

huge and quite evidently hostile, no doubt mistaking her for some innocent bird

or other winged creature that normally made up its daily diet. This did not

bode well for her considering what a wicked beak it had, and what those jaws

could likely do to her once it had her safely back at whatever roost it used for a nest.

As she racked her brains trying to think of a way to overcome this monster,

however, she became belatedly aware that there was someone else present hanging

on to one of its feet by a lacy ribbon. Glancing down, Akane made out the

wavering form of the Lucky Gods Martial Artist known as Mon-Mon, who seemed to

be clinging on for dear life. The Concubine Minstrel must have acted in

desperation when the creature attacked them, and now she was as helpless as

Akane in the face of a most unpleasant fall should she lose her grip on those

ribbons for even a second.

Of course, the major difference was that the Concubine had her hands free and

Akane did not, which did give her an edge on the matter, a slim hope that she

might be able to help Akane in her hour of desperate need...assuming that Mon-

Mon was so inclined to help, which was assuming a lot considering what the

Nekonlon sort were, being the former kidnappers of Akane's sister, Nabiki.

"Are you all right?" Akane asked with as much force as she could manage

considering the pressure that was being exerted upon her chest by the creature.

"Oh, just fine," Mon-Mon called back, "Just waiting to see where it lands before

I have a word with the creature over its dietary habits."

That comforted Akane somewhat, even as she was still left to wonder how she was

going to get herself out of this fix, and in what condition. Her wings were

also pinned to her side and she could not unfold them, nor determine if they

were damaged in any way. She had another surge of panic at the thought that she

might be crippled if the force being exerted by the creature hurt her wings.

Losing the gift of flight seemed as incomprehensible as the loss of an arm or a

leg. She could not afford to be grounded at a time like this, when she would

need to fly in order to find the Nekonlon sky ship and her sisters. She only

hoped that wherever Kasumi and Nabiki were at the moment it was in a safer place

than she seemed to be headed...

Little did she know, however, but help was on its way from a heavenly venture.

Peorth had not been on board the sky ship when it collided with the volcanic

mountain face, but even though she was hovering nearby lost in thought over the

matter of bringing her daughter together with the chef, Kuonji, she had a sudden

preternatural sense of imminent danger that hit her like a sledgehammer and

caused her to whirl around in mid-flight. She at once homed in on the stricken

airship but by the time she had arrived it was already heading off for an

emergency crash landing. A quick scan of the vessel helped confirm her worst

fears that her daughters were not on board, which prompted a hasty search and

some impromptu spell casting in order to discover which of the three Tendo

sisters was most in need of her assistance...

And-to no great surprise-she discovered it was Akane.

Finding the child whom she had helped bring into the world through her Avatar's

body being carried off like a field mouse by a barn owl was hardly the most

reassuring sight any mother could have envisioned for her semi-divine mortal

offspring, but the sheer size of the creature-a Pteranodon, no less-was

enough to give Peorth conniption fits. The huge winged reptile was forty meters

in wingspan alone and reminded her overmuch of that not-so-charming fellow who

used to pay Tokyo visits a couple of decades back (Peorth still had nightmares

about that encounter, one of her personal pet experiments that unfortunately got

away from its laboratory, thus bringing a hasty end to her career in prehistoric

gene splicing). So distraught was she at the sight of Akane in this creature's

wicked clutches that she all but ignored the other humanoid form dangling from

its leg by a few frilly ribbons.

Of course, being who and what she was, Peorth was set and determined to put a

stop to these affairs, and so she called upon the power of her Angel, "La Rose

Manifique," to balance the odds somewhat more in her daughter's favor.

Akane was too preoccupied to see the rapidly approaching form of the woman whom

she believed to be the ghostly presence of her late mother as Peorth placed

herself athwart the path of the oversized Pterodactyl, but she was aware of

something strange happening as a prickling along her spine signified the

manifestation of The Angel of the Roses, but it was the Pteranodon (and a very

astonished Mon-Mon) who were in a position to witness the colossal form of a

winged angelic being surrounded by a thorny vine of rose-sprouting tendrils

spring up nearly in the face of the enormous creature. Akane felt as much as

saw the rose vine lance out to ensnare the Pteranodon in its immense netting,

and all at once the creature was thrashing and beating at the vines, kicking out

with its legs and generally trying to loose itself as the Rose Angel held it

fast and prevented it from escaping.

Of course such frantic motions left Akane feeling very much like a rag doll

being tossed and shaken around in the grip of the creature, but a moment later a

pair of slender hands was prying those talons apart so that Akane could break

free on her own, and like that she embraced the freedom of the air once again,

spreading her wings wide with the joy of knowing that they had not, in fact,

been actually damaged.

Her delight at discovering her freedom, however, was short lived, for out of the

corner of one eye she caught sight of Mon-Mon being cast about like a fish on a

line, and then the Concubine lost her grip and went soaring into space, albeit

without the benefit of a pair of wings to assist her. Without even a second of

hesitation on her part Akane was rocketing to her side and once more caught the

half-naked blonde girl in her arms, this time deliberately, and thus preventing

a certain plummet to a very unpleasant demise. Mon-Mon gratefully put her arms

around Akane's neck and held on as the Tendo girl tried to negotiate through the

treacherous air currents, but no sooner had she started to get clear of where

the creature yet struggled against the rose net then she heard Mon-Mon call out, "Look!"

Turning her head to glance back over her shoulder was not the easiest thing to

do under the circumstances, but Akane managed it and saw what it was that had

surprised the older woman whom she was carrying to safety. Her eyes went wide

as she saw what looked like an enormous woman (who looked strangely like her

mother) wrestling with the Pteranodon as it fought frantically for release from

its netting. So overwhelming was the vision of this epic struggle between

"Angel and Dragon" that she failed to notice the smaller form of Peorth, who was

trying mightily to conduct the actions of Angel. Akane also forgot to pay

attention to where she was going, and so did not see the rising wall of stone

before her until she and Mon-Mon noticed its shadow, at which point they looked

up together and uttered a single well-chorused exclamation:

"Uh-oh..."

The next second following this was obscured by a very loud, "SPLAT!" followed

shortly by a fireworks display of spinning pinwheels going off inside Akane's noggin...

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

I have never been all that interested in my great-grandmother's lessons on

ancient history and culture, perhaps because I have had too much of it rammed

into my skull over the years, and after a while you can get a little tired of

such forced memorization. I mean, honestly, who cares what happened 44

generations back to Yam-Lin on the night of her honeymoon to Chuk-Li? Some of

the trivia and gossip that the Elders go on about makes it sound like they were

actually there instead of repeating the stories told around the campfires for as

long as our people have existed. Even great-grandmother is not so ancient that

she could have been around to personally witness many of the stories that she

has related, but I think she was forcing me to remember much of these stories

with the intent of having me one day repeat them to my designated heir in the

future, assuming that I will find as much pleasure inflicting such an ordeal on my offspring.

The odd thing is that my husband actually enjoys learning about history, hearing

old tales and stories about his distant ancestors. I can see it in his

expression whenever he sits down to listen to the stories told of times and

events long past, a little boy's enjoyment of the tales told by his elders. It

reminds me of how he grew up alone with only his father for companionship, and

stories must have comprised his sole means of entertainment, his imagination

broadening with the legends of warriors and heroes locked in epic struggles

against titanic forces. It is much the same as the sense of wonder I once felt

growing up among my people, who walk hand-in-step with the stuff of legends.

Of course experience teaches us that legends are easier to listen through than

live through, and while it might seem exciting to be off on an adventure it can

also be a frantic thing to be charging through a wooded forest with your loved

ones at your side, a hungry beast as big as a dragon charging hard upon your

heels and intending to make the three of us into his morning breakfast. Alone I

could have easily evaded such a lumbering brute of a creature, but not so my

wife, who was stumbling along without the keen agility of either our husband,

Ranma or myself. For her sake alone we traveled by foot as fast as we were able

with the certainty that to stumble would prove fatal in the extreme, either

squashed or gobbled up, neither fate all that appealing.

Given that too much knowledge tends to induce a general indifference to gaining

more of it, I have never taken much interest in studying the ancient times

before the dawn of man when the creatures known as Dinosaurs were the dominant

life form on the planet. The particular specimen that was chasing us-I later

was informed-was known by the curious name of Tyrannosaurus Rex, which my

mother informs me means "Terrible Lizard King." Appropriate enough, considering

that it was trying to do terrible things to Ranma, Nabiki and myself, and if it

wanted to claim royal birth, I wasn't going to argue!

Of course, to prevent that we needed to escape from the beast's awful grasp, and

as our ancestors would have it a helpful escape route presented itself to our

eyes as we came upon a very tall tree with a conveniently high-placed broad

branch within clear sight, and in testament to what a perfect match we are,

Ranma and I spotted it in the exact same instant. A glance between us was all

that was needed to convey our meaning, then each of us seized our wife by an arm

and at once gathered ourselves up to make an appropriate leap that carried us to

our purchase. I think Nabiki was caught a bit off guard by our maneuver, but

the results were otherwise satisfying as we were treated to the sight of the

monster lumbering past our newfound elevation. So lumbering and brutish was the

beast that it could not adjust to our sudden tactic, and by the time it trundled

by us it the beast had long since lost our trail and would have to reorient to

discover us high above him.

A simple ploy to buy us time, of course, and to get Nabiki out of the line of

the creature's attack since she was the most vulnerable of the three of us to

the creature's appetites. Of course I knew the passive role of staying out of

its reach was merely a delaying maneuver, and if the creature caught our scent

it would be after us with renewed ferocity, and who knew if the tree whose

branch we used would be up to withstanding its rampages.

Ranma, of course, understood our impending danger, but even so I did not expect

him to take the dangerous risk that he next employed when the creature finally

did return to menace us, and so brave was my husband that I love him the more

for his self-sacrificing nature, even as I want sometimes to beat him hard on

the top of his thick skull for making us worry about him in that manner as the

next few moments were shortly to make plain of his heroic nature...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I learned many important lessons that day, not the least of which being that a

Tyrannosaurus Rex can do about fifty kilometers per hour at a dead run...and I

should know because I was doing close to fifty-five myself...and don't even

start with telling me that it's impossible for a human being to run that fast.

You try outrunning one of those bloody suckers and you'll find out what I mean,

especially when you have a couple of handy speed demons such as Ranma and

Shampoo holding on to your shoulders.

Of course, it would have been nice of my dear baka loved ones if they had given

me some warning before trying that running fifteen meter leap to that tall-wide

branch that they both conveniently spotted at the same instant (and I don't even

want to go there in imaging what would have happened to me if they had both

misjudged their leap or picked different branches as their escape routes. (Can

you say "instant wishbone?" I thought not...)

Anyway, there we were stuck on a branch of a tall tree panting like crazy while

the monster lumbered down the trail underneath us, me feeling my chest about to

burst from the way my heart is pounding like a hammer, and my lungs were on fire

to boot, which overall means that I was still alive and as yet not gobbled.

Ranma, of course, recovered his wind a long time before I could, and Shampoo was

not far behind him in getting her breathing back to normal. We took stock of

our situation while I gradually felt my pulse beat return to something

approaching normalcy and then I became aware that I was footsore and bleeding

from a dozen different cuts that I must have suffered along the way while

frantically running for my life. Of course the thin material of my robe was

hardly suitable to provide much protection from the low-level foliage and

branches that had scraped me, but as soon as Shampoo became aware of the

numerous rents in my silk garments she at once commanded me to remain still

while she peeled off my robe to give me a more critical examination.

Ranma-upon seeing this-reacted with the typical modesty that I at once found

both annoying and endearing...I mean, as if he's never seen me naked before! Of

course he jumped to the wrong conclusion as he turned his back on us and

mumbled, "Hey, this ain't exactly the time for that, you know..."

"Silly Ranma," Shampoo chided while she examined me closely, "Is no for fun that

Shampoo think Nabiki need exposing. Is strange place with many plants that

Shampoo no can identify, which maybe mean some plants no good for Nabiki, and

Shampoo have to see if she have allergic reaction."

"Oh," I hadn't considered that point myself, but now that Shampoo mentioned it,

I was starting to itch in a few of those places where I'd been scraped, and

since she was the medical expert in our merry little threesome, I was more than

contented to remain still on that damned branch while she striped me down and

gave me a very thorough examination. (Of course, knowing Shampoo, she might

just be using it as an excuse to strip me...but since when has she ever needed

an excuse to do that? Either way I trusted her implicitly, even while

suspecting her of having ulterior motives, as was borne out a few moments later...)

It was odd thinking how I was balancing my weight on my bare feet with the bark

of that tree pressing up against my shoulderblades and fanny, trying to think

clinically of other things while Shampoo checked me out with sensitive fingers

that were at once gentle and intrusive. After satisfying herself that I had

gotten off light for my troubles, Shampoo next confirmed my "worst" suspicions

by pronouncing that she knew the "cure" for my wounds, an old Amazon family

remedy that required her to-as they say-"Kiss and Make Me Feel Better."

(Hey, it works! The moment she tried it I started feeling better already, even

though I knew damned well that my purple-haired bride was taking advantage of the situation...)

Anyway, Shampoo proceeded to give me an oral examination while Ranma stood back

on the far end of that branch watching us with rounded eyes and one heck of a

bulge in his trousers. I was doing my part to play the role of docile patient

while rolling my eyes and groaning softly at the way Shampoo was rolling her

tongue over my wounds and licking the parts that were especially itching. She

started up around my shoulders and worked her way down my chest to my hips to my

belly button, even going to areas that were definitely NOT scratched, scraped or

bleeding, and everywhere that magic tongue of her traveled I felt a tingling

sensation as though her oral magic really was accelerating the process of my

healing. She got down to my legs and started to go to work by exposing my ass

and then tending to a bruise there, then glided down my right thigh to my calves

and started to do something with my foot that took the pain away, and it was

just as she was starting to tongue a trail down from my ankles to my toes that I

started to feel a certain wetness flowing from my pelvic region. It felt so

good that I didn't want her to stop ever, and who knows what this would have led

to with Ranma only a meter-and-a-half away and watching us go at it with rounded

eyes that betrayed none of his usual shyness. I can only guess what would have

happened next with Shampoo waving her pert little ass in his direction (giving a

hint that even the baka couldn't miss if he was blindfolded), but-as the fates

would have it-that was the moment we had yet another of those dratted

interruptions, once again coming from below us in the form of a bellowing roar

that shook the leaves and nearly caused us to lose our purchase.

Mr. T-Rex had finally found us again, no doubt being led to the spot by all the

profuse noises I know full well that I'd been making, and with a start the three

of us stared down into the gaping maw of death as the creature snapped its jaws

in our direction. We were about three meters up too high for it to reach even

standing on its clawed tiptoes, but to our surprise the creature proved that it

could leap the remaining distance, and I yelped as I snatched my dangling legs

back just in time to miss losing a foot as the creature's snout brushed so close

nearby that I could feel the hot breath from its nostrils as it just barely missed me.

This tactic on the creature's part let us know that we were not safe sitting up

there waiting for it to bite us, but when it came back down on its legs the

resulting "THUD" of multi-tons of raging mad iguana proved too much for Ranma's

balance as he was shaken loose from the branch and went tumbling towards the

ground below us.

"Airen!" Shampoo cried as I cried out Ranma's name as the two of us watched

helplessly while our mutual husband-to-be dropped like a stone close to where

the monster was rampaging. The creature was quick to detect the movement and

was on Ranma like a shot, and if not for those legendary Saotome reflexes we'd

both be widows, for the creature's snout came that close to clamping on his

flesh if Ranma had not twisted impossibly out of the way with a gymnastic tumble

that would have impressed the hell out of Kodachi.

He landed in a catlike roll and was on his feet in an instant, but now the T-Rex

was on the trail and smelling blood, so it charged at him and sought to chomp

him into bits while Ranma just as frantically moved out of the way to avoid it.

What followed next was an impromptu cat-and-mouse game with the T-Rex making a

score of attempts that were just narrowly blunted. It finally managed to press

Ranma a little too hard and got him backed up to the base of our tree and had

him effectively cornered.

But cornering Ranma and gobbling him are definitely not the same exact thing,

and with all avenues of escape effectively cut off, Ranma naturally went on the

offensive, unleashing his "Chestnut Fist" at point-blank range at the snarling

muzzle of the creature. Objectively speaking, his individual punches might not

amount to much against such a brutish monster, but when hit a hundred times in a

second by this "insignificant" morsel, even the toughest gargantuan beast is

going to feel it, and T-Rex proved to be no great exception.

With a sound more akin to a yelp than a snarl the T-Rex backed away from Ranma

and tried to use those stubby little arms in front to rub its snout down,

clearly pained by the staccato impact of Ranma's punches. I remember reading

somewhere that a shark's snout is its vulnerable point that that a good blow to

the nose will usually discourage even such a ravenous creature, so Shampoo and I

gave a rousing cheer of ecstatic approval, thinking that this would deter the

ravenous brute from continuing its pursuit of our Ranma. That proved to be a

mistake, however, as it reminded the T-Rex that it had two other tempting

morsels perched right above within easy munching distance. It looked up at us

and I could swear that I saw the hungry eyes of the reptile focus upon me as

though I was suddenly a blue plate special that had just gone on the menu

(Shampoo being the necessary appetizer it would have to much down on before

working its way to yours truly).

Fortunately Ranma saw this sudden shift in focus and drew the necessary and

correct conclusion. That fired him up like nothing else I could imagine, and

without a seconds hesitation he started to draw upon his Ki as he shaped his

hands in front and prepared to unleash his dreaded Mako Takabishi.

I'd only seen him perform this once before, but let me tell you, it's really

something else to behold! One minute my iinazuke is standing there drawing on

his own internal life force with the accumulated fury of his self-confidence

serving as a focus. His desire to protect us made him pull out all the stops as

he drove this force through his hands into a ball of concentrated energy then

unleashed it like a cannon shot going straight at the belly of the monster and

hitting it hard with hurricane force projected outward in a titanic explosion.

To say the T-Rex was caught off guard by that would be a heck of an

understatement, it was literally picked up and thrown away by the force of

Ranma's Ego and I watched in amazement as the huge beast went sailing off into

some distant part of the jungle. The wave itself blew past our point with a

backwash that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up to full attention,

and then it surged past us and was absorbed back into our surroundings, leaving

an unnatural quiet in its wake while Ranma continued to stand underneath us with

his arms projecting outward.

Of course, as impressive as this new technique of his might be, it still takes a

lot out of a guy, and Ranma was not long in sagging to his knees, exhaustion

overwhelming him as if he had put a little too much into that attack and left

little behind to sustain him.

"Ranma!" Shampoo called out, sparing me a glance to no doubt assure me of her

intentions before she dropped lightly off our branch and landed right beside

him. She knelt down over our slumping boyfriend and said in a tentative voice, "Airen?"

"S'awright," I heard Ranma weakly mumble as if he were struggling to remain

conscious, "I got 'im...s'all that counts..."

"Silly Ranma," Shampoo softly chided, "You need learn better control of great-

grandmother's techniques, no good using everything at once, better to save some for later."

"Now ya tell me..." was what I think Ranma meant to say next, but he passed out

before the words could fully escape him, leaving Shampoo to cradle our man in

her arms with a tender endearment that I felt even at a distance. I could also

tell that he was all right, but he would need a few minutes to recover his resources.

"Airen," Shampoo called up to me, "You be all right? Shampoo need take Ranma to

get water. Think we near stream close by, will be back in few moments."

"Hey, I understand," I called down to her, "You do what you have to. I'll stay

here and...uh...meditate, or something..."

I saw her flash a smile at me that was as much an open invitation to rape as

anything I'd ever seen on the lips of my purple haired sweetheart. Then Shampoo

gathered Ranma up into her arms and carried him off down the trail and out of my

sight, leaving me feeling left out and alone and altogether aware of my

vulnerable position up on that tree branch.

I gathered what remained of my silk robe about myself and huddled on that

branch, trying not to look down and feel miserable about my current predicament.

Technically speaking I knew that was I not safe where I was, that the T-Rex

could hardly be the only monster about on this island, and that there were

probably a whole host of other dangers just lurking nearby while sizing me up

like I saw something on the menu. I might as well have rung a dinner bell and

told them to "Come and Get it" for all the good waiting there was going to do

me, but I had no alternative plans in mind, and no place was technically safe so

long as I was on that damned island.

In truth I was more than a little worried about Ranma and Shampoo as well, but I

knew those two could handle themselves a lot better in a strange environment a

lot better than I could. After all, I'm a city kid at heart, and wilderness

situations are definitely NOT my forte, even without prehistoric monsters

stomping about looking to complicate my mornings. Even though I'm getting used

to traveling on training trips with my iinazuke, I can't imagine doing it for

longer than a couple of weeks at best. I much prefer having a roof over my head

and a nice soft bed I can cozy up on to sleeping under the stars and risking the

elements for my troubles.

As luck would have it (or maybe not so much luck as by the intention of the

Kami), it turned out that my relative isolation was short lived, for no sooner

had I started to feel sorry for myself then a familiar voice said, "Sulking

hardly befits you, Apprentice. What moves you to lament like this when you

should be enjoying the experience of yet another romantic setting with your Airen?"

By now I'd gotten pretty jaded about the way my Sensei can pop up whenever she

likes to turn even my darkest moments into training exercises, so I hardly said

anything as corny as, "You?" or, "Where did you come from?" Instead what I said

was, "What took you so long, Teach?"

"Forgive me," Lotion replied as she stood facing me on the spot on the branch

formerly occupied by Ranma, "I was enjoying the scenery and taking advantage of

the rare opportunity to closely examine the wildlife. So much interesting flora

and fauna to be discovered here, rather like some of the more remote places that

still exist in my native China. I sensed that you were having a bit of trouble

here and decided to leave off on that, however. So...what seems to be

disturbing you, Apprentice, and why are you here and not bathing in the river

with your Airen?"

I was tempted to say, "Are you serious?" when I knew full well that the question

was rhetorical. Somehow Lotion always seems to know my mind better than I do,

so I just sighed and glanced off into the jungle before admitting the thing that

was depressing me the most, "I don't want to be a burden."

"Because they can handle strange settings such as this better than you?" Lotion

asked, then made a dismissing motion with her staff, "Piffle! You are a Lore

Master. There is no environment that is so strange or alien that you cannot

adapt and overcome any obstacles, and even at your current level of training you

should be more than adequately well armed to deal with such troubles as are

afforded by this island."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I replied without meaning to sound cynical,

"But somehow I don't think I could have managed that T-Rex half as good as Ranma."

"You would have found a way," Lotion insisted, "You may not be the combat genius

he is, or even as adaptable in martial arts settings as your wife, but still you

have abilities at your disposal that you are failing to take into account here.

In truth the fault is mine that you have not more fully developed your

abilities. I have been taking it easy on you on account of your recent ordeal

in Nekonlon China..."

"Hey, I'm not griping about it," I insisted, "And I'm doing the best I know how here..."

"Really?" my teacher asked with a skeptical gleam in her expression, "Then I

think I had better not neglect your training any further. You obviously need

more of a nudge from me to get you started in discovering your true potential.

Fortunately this island makes for an excellent training ground, and one you will

do well to profit by if you keep your wits about you and do not allow yourself

to become too distracted by petty danger."

"Petty?" I asked, putting as much weight as I could into my exclamation.

"Danger to the body is as negligible as danger to the mind of a Lore Master,"

Lotion insisted, "You are gifted with the ability to know things by tapping into

your own subconscious, by sensing the currents that flow around you so

abundantly and shaping these forces to your will with the power of your

imagination. You have not begun to truly comprehend what means are available to

you even now with your inadequate level of training. You were able to

instinctively save your life and that of your loved ones only a few minutes ago

by drawing on ley lines and using them to brace your fall so that none of you

were seriously injured..."

"Hey, that was instinct," I said, "I don't really know how I did it or what I

did...I just felt my way along there, teach. It's not like I could do it again

with conscious effort..."

"Why don't we test that theory?" my mentor replied, turning to face the end of

the branch we were sitting (or-in her case-standing) upon and favoring me

with an encouraging smile, "Get up now and join me on the ground. It's really

not that severe a fall, at least when compared to dropping out of the sky and

landing on your own two feet."

"Get up?" I looked at the old woman as though she were insane, for I had

absolutely no intention of budging from the relative safety of my current perch,

not even at her urging.

"Yes," she said with just a hint of impatience, "You must learn to trust

yourself and not show such immediate hesitation in the face of ordinary danger.

You know perfectly well what you need to do, all you have to learn is to focus

your energies and it becomes second nature."

"Easy for you to say," I retorted, "You've been doing this for a couple of

centuries. I've only been practicing with you for a little under a year now."

"A little under a year and you should be much farther along than you are now in

your training," she insisted, "Now come...you already know how to fall, just do

it and stop making excuses."

I knew well enough by now that I was not going to get any peace until I did as

the old biddy instructed, so I reluctantly got up from the spot where I was

sitting and carefully balanced myself on the balls of my feet, wobbling a bit as

I recognized how high up we were and what a fall from this height might feel

like...assuming I survived without breaking my neck, spine and legs on impact.

I tried carefully to focus upon her and to ignore the looming danger of what she

was proposing while giving her my best glare of defiance, as if to say, "You

better know what you're doing here," even as I said aloud, "Supposing I blow it

and can't focus like you say? You gonna catch me or let me bust my skull on the landing?"

"Sooner or later you are going to have to learn to get by without relying on me

or either of your loved ones," Lotion assured me, "As every bird must sooner or

later leave the nest, so too does this rule hold firm with troublesome students

who refuse to trust their teachers."

Without further warning on her part she suddenly extended that staff of hers

and-ever so lightly-gave me a tap on my breastbone. All at once I felt

myself begin to teeter off that branch, and with a surge of panic I windmilled

my arms and went, "WHOOP!" before finding myself in immediate freefall.

The human body, generally speaking, obeys the rules of physics that apply to all

solid matter, so when I started to fall I became subject to the standard rule of

falling at an accelerating rate of 9.87 meters per second square. In layman's

terms that means two seconds were all the time it would take for me to drop like

a stone and hit ground with a kinetic force of roughly ten thousand kilograms,

which-spread out over the length of my entire body-gives a kilograms-per-

square-inch surface impact of roughly 30 kg/cm2, which would hurt a lot, let me tell you!

Only that wasn't what happened. The moment I went into a fit of panic my mind

suddenly seemed to flip a switch internally and I started to see the ground the

way I had in my previous freefall. I don't really know how to classify it other

than to say that the jungle setting changed abruptly into a wave of patterns and

colors that I reached out and tapped into without seeming to know how I did it.

I felt those lines converge around me and swell to form a netting that caught

and supported my weight, and with my arms extended I seemed to glide down to

ground level on a gentle current of warm updrafts, and then my feet touched

ground again and I felt a tingling pass all through my body. Immediately the

scene shifted back to normal, leaving me to stare around in wonder then glance

back up to the branch as though to ask how I got down here.

"Now, you see?" Lotion asked from immediately beside me, "That wasn't so

difficult. The only obstacle to the use of your powers is your ability to

imagine them, and your willingness to employ your resources."

"Ah...I guess," I said somewhat reluctantly, glancing around at the forest as

though expecting something to come lunging out at me at any moment.

"Walk with me, Apprentice," Lotion said as she started forward in that typical

way she has of assuming that I'll naturally follow her lead, "We have much to

discuss, you and I, before we rejoin your loved ones, and there are many things

I would impart with you...assuming that I can rely upon your undivided attention."

I smiled as I followed her lead like a faithful puppy, "Whatever you say, Teach.

But...um...what if that T-Rex has buddies who decide to put in an appearance?"

"We will manage well enough," she assured me, "You must learn not to allow

yourself to be rattled by such trivialities. A Lore Master is never surprised

by her surroundings, nor does she face a threat that she cannot manage on her

own. You must learn self-reliance in the face of adversity if you wish to

become the master of your own fate and not fate's victim. Only if you allow it

to happen will the monsters win and have themselves a nice dinner at your expense..."

"Not funny," I scowled, wincing a bit as my bare foot encountered a particularly

sharp stone, which forced me to mince a bit before adjusting to my discomfort.

"I am quite serious," she assured me, "You have to get over this lamentable

tendency you have of allowing circumstances to get the better of you. It's all

well and fine to play the part of the helpless damsel in distress who is in need

of a rescue, and that I know it gladdens the hearts of your loved ones that they

feel important enough to be of service on those occasions, but you should find

some less risky way of gaining their attention..."

"Hey!" I protested, "It's not like I asked to get kidnapped!"

"But what did you do to prevent it?" she quizzed me with a knowing expression,

"You caught that portion of the Nekonlon recipe scroll without once questioning

its significance, and as such created the false impression with Prince Kirin

that you were his fated bride rather than the true recipient of his affections,

Leichi. Now you know what the consequences can be of playing the passive

heroine in a romantic drama. Do you intend to make it a habit?"

"Of course not!" I insisted before amending, "Ah...I don't know how I

can...well...avoid it happening again...I mean, not that I plan on grabbing any

more stray scrolls that fall into my lap."

"Leaning from experience is certainly the mark of a wise person," my mentor

replied, "But the wiser woman learns before making a mistake and avoids doing

so. That is among the gifts in your possession that you have yet to learn to

exercise, and that is why we must further your training, unless-that is-you

enjoy being constantly rescued."

I had to think on that one long and hard, let me tell you, all too aware of what

a thrill it was for me to find Ranma dashing to my assistance while Shampoo

braved the lions den at my side, risking everything on my behalf, a real

testament to how much they both care about me. I enjoyed the moment of triumph

when Ranma proved the better man and put that Kirin character in his place, but

would I really give up on having it happen all over? I know for a fact that I

like being reassured of my iinazuke's affections, and maybe-deep down-I'm

just insecure enough that I need to be cuddled, just like Ranma needs an

occasional pat to his ego.

Of course, at the time, I didn't realize that Lotion was meaning to prepare me

for what was about to happen later on down the pike, but who knew I'd be playing

the helpless damsel again so soon after the last time? It's things like that

which make me realize how much I really do need to pay attention to Lotion and

her teachings. I may enjoy having Shampoo and Ranma swoop down to my rescue and

all that, but the risks they take on my behalf are enough to make me seriously

question the wisdom of such a tactic. Besides which, I need to be the one who

occasionally kicks a little ass on the sly, if only to make sure that people

know better than to mess around with Tendo Nabiki.

Besides which, getting taken down like that-and in such an embarrassing

manner-is hardly the kind of boost to my own ego that I'd want to repeat,

especially considering how long it took to get rid of the smell of those damned

lentils, and don't get me started about the way I flinch any time I see a stew

pot, considering the spicy business that was about to befall yours truly...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Setaceous Period Wildlife: shadowmane

The gang collectively run into trouble while making a study of nature

(especially with nature studying them back and sizing them up like a mobile

salad bar with bipedal locomotion) while Nabiki gets a lecture on the Bird and

the Bees (not to mention the Pteradons and Raptors) from Lotion...but what of

the rest of the crew of the Nekonlon ship, to say nothing of the others yet to

be showcased? Find out more on this and other riddles in, "Jungle Boogie," or,

"Too Many Cannibals Spoil the Stew!" Be there!


	109. Chapter 109

Pangea04

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-LEMON-LIME FICTION AHEAD!  
CONTAINS SCENES OF AN ADULT AND HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE NATURE INVOLVING BOYS AND GIRLS IN SERIOUS HANKY PANKY! ALSO CONTAINS FRANTIC SCENES OF PRIMITIVE LIFE FORMS IN HOT PURSUIT OF NUBILE YOUNG BODIES (Oh yeah, and there's Dinosaurs in this too)  
SO HOLD ON TO YOUR RICE HATS,  
THE FUN'S ABOUT TO START IN ANOTHER FEW MOMENTS...YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED...!

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Point-Four

"Let's Do It Like They Do It On The Discovery Channel..."

"Akane-san, are you all right?"

"Uhh...huh?" Akane groaned as consciousness slowly returned to her, along with a lot of painful messages from various bumps and bruises rendered all over her body. Very slowly she opened her eyes...only to find the blonde haired Mon-Mon bending over her, looking down with a much-concerned expression.

"Thank the Gods in Heaven that you're all right," the Concubine Minstrel sighed in relief, "I thought you might have a concussion after running into that rock face, to say nothing of the fall that followed."

"Fall?" Akane's mind was still too fogged to orient on the meaning of that word as recent events were still a blur. Something about Rodan attacking the dojo and carrying off Kasumi, right? No wait, that did not make sense, that happened some other time on another world...right?

"Try and take it easy," Mon-Mon encouraged, "Just wait a moment and it will all come back to you, if you let it."

"Ah...okay," Akane replied somewhat dubiously, wondering what that peculiar smell was...and why did it feel like she was laying on a bed of straw or...?

"Shhh!" Mon-Mon suddenly urged as she glanced back over her shoulder, "There is not much time, and she might return at any moment. We will have to be quick and agile if we're to escape from this dilemma."

"W-what dilemma?" Akane asked as she tried to sit up, only to find her dizziness returning for her efforts.

"Easy, do not try to force yourself too fast," Mon-Mon urged as she moved an arm to steady Akane, "Give your body and mind time to recover, you will need your wits about you if we are to survive the next few moments. The Pteranadon may be a slow-witted bird but it has a wicked beak and I do not know if I can defeat it on my lonesome. It would be best if we combined our resources, and that means you must be at your best when the creature returns to claim us."

"Uh...wait...Pteranadon?" Akane blinked, her memory suddenly returning as she recalled the huge creature who had plucked them out of the air as though they field mice. She looked up at the concubine then turned her head to glance around and gave a start as recognition finally dawned within her, at which point she said, "You have got to be kidding me..."

"Would that I were," Mon-Mon replied as she traced Akane's gaze to the rather large objects that were poised a short distance away, "But I fear that this is all too real for my liking."

"A nest?" Akane blinked, "And look at the size of those eggs! They're huge!"

"At least two meters from end to end," Mon-Mon agreed, "And I dare say that each one contains a creature that may break out at any moment. That is the reason why we are here, to serve as their first meal when they are hatched."

"Hatched?" this time Akane did manage to sit upright, staring in alarm at one of the eggs, which had started to vibrate, rocking from side to side as though it were somehow alive, like a gourd inhabited by a giant beetle.

"When you crashed the two of us into that wall you stunned the both of us, which is why I can only conjecture as to how we arrived here," Mon-Mon answered, "My guess is that the creature escaped from that angelic being and found us unconscious, so it carried us away and deposited us here to serve as food for her babies."

"Then...why are we still alive?" Akane asked, "Why didn't it kill us when it had the chance?"

"My guess would be that she prefers a live meal for her babies rather than one that is cold and decaying," Mon-Mon theorized, "It would be good training for her young if they get some early practice in slaughtering their prey since that is going to be one of their primary functions for the rest of their primitive lives."

"You mean we're nothing more than training tools and a happy meal on two legs?" Akane did not bother to conceal her dismay.

"More or less, I believe yes," the Concubine answered, "The creature is not particularly bright but it does have an instinct for when it comes to the nutritional diet of its offspring..."

"We have to get out of here!" Akane glanced around and found that her wings were absent for the moment, "Wha...?"

"Forgive me, I applied hot water from my canteen to change you back," Mon-Mon explained, "I thought we should do this in human terms rather than to risk another airborne encounter. You seem to need a bit more practice in your flying before you can make full use of your potential, and in the air the creature has a terrifying advantage, so..."

"I get it," Akane sighed, "Well, if doing it the hard way is the answer, then so be it. So we'll just climb down from here and..."

Mon-Mon just looked at her frankly and said, "Care to see how high up we are before you say that?"

"Huh?" Akane asked, then noticed the lip of the next and began to crawl over towards the edge, then, with Mon-Mon's assistance, she got up on her knees and leaned over the edge, only to yelp and draw away when she belatedly realized just where the nest was and how far down they would have to fall in order to touch bottom.

"Oh," she said, having a moment of doubt where she really regretted not having her wings back.

"We should be able to climb down from here," Mon-Mon noted, "At least in theory, but we have to avoid attracting the attention of the mother, to say nothing of any of her hatchlings, who may be putting in an appearance at any moment."

"Right," Akane said, only to abruptly turn about as a low moan reached her ears, prompting her to say, "What was that?"

"What was...oh..." Mon-Mon also turned at the sound of another moan, then together they risked moving back towards the center of the nest and circling around one of the eggs in order to find the source of this moaning.

To their mutual surprise they found a woman laying flat on her back near the middle of the nest, a woman with brown hair that was short in the front but trailed down in twin ponytails down the length of her back and who had on the most outrageous of outfits, one that seemed both impractical and gaudy with quite a lot of her body exposed to the naked eye. She was simultaneously a stranger and yet at once familiar to Akane, who gasped aloud the word, "Mom?" as though disbelieving in her own senses.

Mon-Mon's reaction to the sight of this woman was a very different sort, more surprised than alarmed as she uttered the words, "I do not believe this..."

"Mom!" Akane rushed forward and was at the woman's side in a heartbeat, lifting her up partially into her lap and cradling her there with an anxious, half-  
disbelieving expression, "Momma?"

"Uh..." the woman groaned again, then half opened her eyes and looked up to see who was holding her in such an intimate manner, then in semi-conscious tones she said, "A-Akane-chan...? Is that you..."

"Mom...I can't believe...what are you doing here? Are you real? Are you alive?" Akane stammered in a rush.

"I am wondering the former and assuming the latter myself," Mon-Mon said more clinically, as if expecting to hear an explanation from an errant schoolgirl.

"Uh...what happened?" Peorth the Goddess wondered as she tried to summon up her memories once again, "That...creature..."

"Should be showing up again at any moment, now that you mention it," Mon-Mon noted dryly, eyeing the goddess with something less than awe in her tone and expression.

"Mom..." Akane hesitated as the woman in her lap turned to glance her way, then with a yelp Peorth sat up suddenly and stared with rounded eyes in her direction.

"Ma Cheri?" the goddess yelped, "But...gah!"

Unfortunately, before any further words could be exchanged, the nearest of the eggs began to quiver, then suddenly cracked along one of the edges.

"Uh oh," Mon-Mon remarked, "I think this conversation would best be continued at a different location. If we stay around here much longer then we may be confronted with what a worm feels like when a chick hatches in their nest."

"Ah...good point," Peorth got up on her feet with such alacrity that one might not have guessed that she was only just returned to consciousness, "It seems I...um...underestimated their mother...you know how that is. Akane-chan, Cheri...I know that this must seem...rather awkward, but..."

The crack abruptly widened, and the tip of a beak began to poke its way out from the ruptured shell of the egg.

"I can't believe it...you're alive? You're real? I thought you were my fairy godmother...but...?" Akane asked, ignoring the looming threat from the egg as she stared in disbelieving wonder at the woman she thought of as her mother.

"I am serious this time," Mon-Mon said more urgently, "We have to leave, and the sooner the better."

"Um...just so, yes," Peorth dusted her hands off on her outfit, "Ma Cheri, I know I owe you an explanation, but for now you have to trust me. I will explain everything just as soon as I am able, but for now..."

"Now would be good," Mon-Mon urged, trying not to sound as anxious as she plainly was as she stared at the length of the beak that was chipping its way steadily towards freedom.

"But...how can we get down from here?" Akane asked, "The climb...it's nearly impossible..."

"Let me worry about that, ma courte," Peorth said with a somewhat lopsided smile, raising her arms and concentrating before chanting aloud, "Spirits of Air, Light and Wind, waft now and carry us to freedom from these earthly constraints, in the name of the Heavens, so mote it to be!"

And in response to her chanting a wind did indeed rise up to surround them in its warm embrace, and as Akane and Mon-Mon gasped in mutual surprise they found their feet were lifting off from the straw and mud daub to carry them aloft as they were swept away into the cloudless blue sky all around them. Peorth stretched out her arms and was suddenly dwarfed by the manifestation of her Angelic counterpart, 'La Rose Magnifique," and then she followed after both Courtesan and God-daughter, guiding their flight as the three of them drifted off from the peaks that surrounded them, gliding off towards the lower forestland that beckoned in the distance.

Akane was amazed to see the goddess in her full manifestation of glory, so much so that she almost missed the awesome view of the jungle underneath them as they got a good view of the island itself, and the equally curious profile presented by the beauteous Mon-Mon. Her Minstrel companion seemed quite at ease as they drifted in empty space, instinctively curling her body and showing off the length of her long legs as though to accommodate the patterns of the wind with a grace that was as natural as it was unassuming. Her ribbons whirled around her half-clad body, adding a touch of mystery to what was on display for free viewing.

But still the sight of the woman she knew to be her mother left Akane even more thrilled and breathless. The marks on Peorth's face were glowing in accordance with the use of her heavenly powers, and the Angel that seemed at once to surround and rise above her was itself trailing a vine of rosy blossoms while spreading its magnificent wings to catch the air and channel it around them. A thousand questions leaped into Akane's mind even as she fought her own inherent skepticism and tried to understand how her mother could be both alive and at once so transcendent.

Their meeting of a few days ago flowed rapidly to mind when Akane had half-  
believed it a mere dream that the woman now before her had appeared to her and had given her first instructions about flying. And now, wrapped within the warm embrace of a literal Angel, she stared in wonder at the woman with the glowing facial tattoos who was commanding such awesome forces and transporting them through the air like a messenger from the heavens. What else could she conclude from this but to believe that her late mother had somehow been transformed into a being of higher order, a Kami as it were, as a gift from the very heavens.

And yet...how could it be that she was flesh and blood? It made no sense, yet her mother had felt so real, solid and alive in her arms, and there was no mistaking that look of recognition that had filled her gaze the moment she and Akane had made eye contact. Those amber-green eyes had a quality that filled Akane's memories about her mother, and to look upon her now was to be filled with the sense that she really was Akane's mother, beyond question she was alive, and yet filled with the presence of heavenly essence, which meant that she was definitely far more than any mere human.

They at last touched down on the stony volcanic rock that lay at the base of those high peaks which they had only just quitted, and the goddess withdrew her Angel back into herself while allowing normal gravity to reassert its hold on all three parties. She then turned to Akane and tentatively began, "Akane-  
chan...ma cheri..."

"Are you my mother?" Akane blurted out, unable to contain herself on that subject any longer.

There was only the slightest hesitation on Peorth's part before she said, "I am...she who gave birth to you...or one part of the equation."

"Then...you are real," Akane approached Peorth and touched her face with callused hands, tracing the curious markings that adorned her heavenly cheekbones, "But...how...?"

Peorth touched Akane's wrists with her more delicate hands and said, "Some things are best not questioned, ma cheri. Know that you are my child and that I love you, and that I have always been with you in spirit if not until recently of body."

"But...why...why did you leave us?" Akane asked, and Peorth was forced to glance down rather than meet the pain, hurt and longing that made the question seem part accusation.

"Not by choice, Cheri," Peorth replied, forcing herself to look back up again with a resolute expression, "Heaven commanded and I...had to obey...but never for a moment did I not wish it to be otherwise. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my long life, and the reason I came back is because...I wanted to be with you."

"But...I don't understand..." Akane admitted with tears rolling down her cheeks and a tightness in her breast that made her feel as though she might be losing her mother all over.

"Perhaps that is for the best," Peorth admitted, "Some things should never be questioned, Akane-chan, only accepted as they are, lest Heaven decide to part us once more after we have found each other again. You will understand it all some day, I promise."

"I...I don't want to understand...not if it means losing you all over, Momma..." Akane said with a trembling lip one second before breaking down and throwing her arms around the goddess to hug her tightly in a desperate embrace.

Peorth was only a fraction of a second behind in embracing Akane back, and the two of them stood there holding on to one another while the goddess closed her eyes and wept tears without further hesitation, knowing how much she needed to be held by this child whom she had held so many times before when Akane was too little to remember.

Mon-Mon held silent as she watched these two hug each other like long-lost family, but her expression was more curious than aloof, and at length she finally spoke aloud her thoughts upon the matter, "Well, well...Peorth of the Roses, isn't it? What brings you to this side of the mortal plane...Goddess?"

Akane felt her mother stiffen in her arms, then Peorth gently pushed away and turned to confront the Minstrel, frowning as she said, "You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Mortal...I do not believe I know you, though I can see by your aura that you are something more than...human."

"I am a priestess in the humble service of my Lady, the Goddess Benzaiten," Mon-  
Mon replied, "One of the Seven Lucky Gods, and Nekonlon is my home."

"Oh...so you're Benzaiten's girl," Peorth raised an eyebrow as she regarded the pale-haired Concubine Minstrel, "That explains a few things. So...how did you come to be in the company of my daughter?"

"Mother?" Akane blinked, surprised at hearing her mother addressed as "Goddess."

"A bit of serendipity on that," Mon-Mon replied as she slung her instrument around and began to play a few odd notes, "I was falling towards the ground and she came to my rescue, proving that she is every bit the heroine as her sister."

"My other child, Nabiki?" Peorth asked levelly, "So...you've no other interest in her besides that?"

Mon-Mon stilled the chords that she was playing and smiled a smile that was pure mischief, "I never said that. In truth, I find this revelation that she is of your get to be most...intriguing."

Peorth seemed to bridle a bit as she regarded the priestess, "Now see here, Akane-chan is meant for someone else and not you! I have been trying to help her out with her romantic troubles and..."

"You have?" Akane asked, jumping back into the conversation.

"Urk," Peorth suddenly regretted her words, "I mean...I have been trying to help fulfill your wishes to find the love you seek, Cheri. I would never presume to choose your mate for you..."

"But of course," Mon-Mon remarked, "And Peorth of the Roses is famous for her not meddling in the affairs of mortals and half-mortals."

Peorth was about to say something nasty about that when Akane asked, "Why do you keep calling her that? Who is Peorth of the Roses?"

"The daughter of Tsukiyomi of the Moon and half-sister to another famous meddler known as Kaguya Rei-Rei," Mon-Mon answered truthfully, "We are in the presence of a celebrity among Goddesses, the Mistress of Moments and a high ranking officer in the Celestial Bureaucracy of Heaven."

Peorth winced visibly but tried to maintain a stoical front even as she felt Akane's eyes on her cheek as the latter said, "But...I thought you were my mother?"

"I am," Peorth replied without fully turning around, "Or rather...your mother was one of my Aspects."

"I thought as much," Mon-Mon nodded as she resumed playing, "Let me guess...she was your avatar during a visit to the mortal planes, and that is why you regard this girl as your child...because you helped to bring her into the world, which does entitle you to call her your earth daughter?"

"Hey, I was in labor for four hours!" Peorth blurted out, "You have any idea what it's like trying to pass a bowling ball between your legs?" Then she winced as realized how that must have sounded and said, "Akane-chan...I am the one who helped give birth to you. You are my daughter, Cheri, and I don't care what anyone else says about that."

"I...but...I..." Akane struggled helplessly to put it all together in her mind, finding the concepts difficult to reconcile with her own fragmentary memories of her earliest childhood, of always looking up to her mother as though she literally were an embodiment of the Kami...

Unfortunately she was still struggling to find the right words to phrase her next fateful question when an ear-shattering scream broke up their little interlude and caused all heads to turn in time to see the looming shadow that was swooping down upon them like a dark figure of motherly vengeance.

"Uh-oh," Mon-Mon nervously remarked, "Don't look now but...she's baaack!"

One second later the Pteranadon mother was upon them, forcing even Peorth to scramble out of the way of razor sharp talons and beak that was seeking to claim their flesh for the sake of her own babies...

"Gotta give her this much, she's persistent," Ukyo remarked as she and Makoto stared down from the shelf of rocks that they had scrambled to the top of in great haste, "Guess she really thinks we were going to do something nasty to her babies."

"Any chance we could convince her it was all a bit mistake, Sempai?" Makoto asked.

"You wanna go down there and try to explain it to her, Sugar?" Ukyo responded as she nodded to where the Triceratops was stomping the ground and testing the loose shale that was all that separated her from the slope that the two human girls had ascended in a hurry.

Makoto seemed to think it over for a moment before replying, "Fat chance of that, Sempai. Looks like we're stuck here for a bit until she gets tired and wanders off to check back on her babies."

"Oh well," Ukyo sniffed through her nostrils, "Guess we'll be a bit late catching up with the others. Good thing this shelf is wide enough that we won't be in danger of sliding back down there. I'd sure hate to get stomped flatter than an okonomiyaki over a simple misunderstanding."

"Looks like it," Makoto said, then smiled as she added, "However will we pass the time do you suppose? We could be here for hours."

"Or however long Miss Three-Horns there is willing to wait," Ukyo agreed before calling down at the Triceratops, "We weren't going to hurt your eggs, you stupid Jackass! You've got the wrong idea about us!"

Makoto did her best to hide her irritation at Ukyo's failure to pick up on the hint that she had been dropping and decided to up the ante, "I said, Sempai...how are we going to pass the time, and isn't it too convenient that we ran past those steam geysers on the way here?"

"Huh?" Ukyo blinked as she turned a questioning glance at her companion and only then caught the amorous look in Makoto's eyes and read the lust openly displayed in her expression, to which she could only reply, "Oh."

Makoto reached out to her and started to play with Ukyo's hair, feeling around the ends of her dark blue ribbon, "I said it before and I'll say it again...I like you either as a boy or a girl, but as a girl you have more staying power."

"Oh...is that so?" Ukyo found herself strangely enchanted by the way the warm volcanic breeze blew the hairs that formed Makoto's forelocks, and all at once she was aware of a curious perfume-like scent carried on that breeze that was nearly as entrancing as the scent of her companion's own body.

A simple tug and Ukyo's ribbon came undone, causing her long brown hair to spill all over her backside as Makoto drew her closer into her embrace and said, "Why don't we show Momma over there just how harmless we can be? I'm sure nobody will mind if we make use of that flat stone surface over there. It may not make much of a bed, but you can lay back on it and let me do all the work of getting things started."

"You don't say, Sugar?" Ukyo leered back, finding her desire for Makoto suddenly peak without warning, as though they were not in a desperate situation with two tons of angry rhino-ancestry looking up at them from a steep volcanic angle. Suddenly the side of an active volcano seemed like the perfect romantic setting for doing things with her iinazuke that you might find in any biology text under "Animal Mating," albeit what she intended to do with her fiancée was hardly reproductive, though it most certainly would be entirely consensual.!

Without further deliberation they began to undress one another and cast their clothing to the side with a careless thought of who else might be looking. The Triceratops mother narrowed her beady eyes and wondered what these primate-  
descended creatures were up to all of a sudden, only to blink as she heard the first of a long series of soft moans and affectionate noises that next caused the creature to go round-eyed in amazement, almost anthropomorphic in the way she seemed to regard the two teenagers as they acted in total disregard to all thoughts of local community standards...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"Oh, what a piece of work is a man," Lotion suddenly remarked, "How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty, in form and moving how express and admirable; in action how like an angel, in apprehension like a god. The beauty of the world; the paragon of animals. And yet, to me what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights me not, nor does woman, though by your smiling you would seem to say so."

"Hey, I'm sorry, Sensei," I said since I was indeed smiling at her, "It's just that, after years of hanging around with Kuno, I've pretty much got lines like that committed to memory, and he always was a Ham about Hamlet."

"You mean until quite recently," she corrected, "And tell me, Apprentice, what does the great Bard say to you in that soliloquy from his arguably best work ever?"

"Why, are we playing drama critic here?" I asked, "Or are you going to tell me that you knew him personally?"

"Sorry, before even my time," she admitted, "I simply thought you might have an appreciation of the classics, but obviously I was mistaken. You young people are so jaded these days, you really do think you know everything."

"Hey, it's not that," I said as we continued on through the thick foliage of that sweltering jungle, following a trail that seemed to open up for us even as we debated an English classic, "I get the point about it all. Shakespeare was commenting on the shortcomings of men in his time, which is pretty much a universal condition. We start out with all the right elements to be as godly and divine as the kami, but most of us fall well short of achieving our potential. I guess it's all part of that fallen angel theme that crops up in a lot of other works of his era..."

"You're close to the truth on this," she said as she studied the surrounding foliage, "In the scene Hamlet was engaging in a bit of misdirection with his so-  
called friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who were spying upon him for his enemy, the King. Hamlet affected a kind of madness by making a profound point that would escape the reasoning of his friends but was readily understandable by any other educated man of Shakespeare's age. Man was vaunted as a divine creation by the church and the early Humanists who helped to found the Renaissance, for such a marvel was the anatomical construction of human beings that they surely reasoned that we could only be of divine manufacture. Of course, since his age, rationalists and epistemologists have come to believe that we are nothing more than the product of millions of years of random evolution."

"All right," I said, "I'll bite. What do you believe about our divinity or randomness in evolution, Teach?"

"I believe that if we are the products of mere randomness, then it is to randomness that we owe our thanks for being around to appreciate this conversation," she responded, "A man once asked a Buddhist what he thought about the shape of the world."

"And?" I asked, waiting for the punch line.

"The Buddhist replied that he could hardly think of a better place for it," she relied, and I faintly groaned in predictable lamentation, "Think of it another way: could you design a better model for the system if you were given the powers of a god to rearrange the fundamental composition of nature?"

"Obviously not," I admitted as I admired a patch of oversized flowers dangling from some nearby vines, appreciating their color and contrasting their shade of purple with Shampoo's hair color, "I don't claim to be as omniscient about such things as a God, Sensei..."

"And yet even the Gods have their limitations in terms of power, perspective and wisdom," she naturally responded, adding a cheap shot by adding, "An example of this would be your heavenly mother."

I grimaced a bit over that, for though I do admire and even care for Peorth, my "heavenly mother" by adoption, I knew well enough about her by now so as to have no great illusions that she approaches the lofty standard of omnipotent perfection.

Lotion-as is her wont-took my silence for assent and continued, "Think of the matter this way...out of all the possible random combinations that could produce a world such as this one, the atoms and molecules that comprise our bodies formed themselves in just the right arrangement for there to be a you and a me, and the mathematical odds of such an event happening are quite astronomical. Surely blind fortune must necessitate an infinite number of alternate possibilities where you and I never met nor became student and teacher, and on countless other worlds our parents never gave birth to either one of us, while in yet other worlds human beings never came down from the trees and instead an intelligent form of badger took our place on the food chain. Go even further into the realm of likely probability and there are even longer odds against the planet Earth even forming within this solar system in the first place."

Our conversation came to a pause as we both checked our forward movements to allow the right-of-way to a gigantic centipede the size of a small crocodile-  
and I am not making this up either! It really was like this gigantic segmented roach on a hundred squirmy little legs, and I found myself absently wondering what sort of bug spray you might need to hold that thing at bay. Maybe a chair and a bullwhip would have left me feeling more secure about how near to it we were standing.

"All right," I said once the creature had ambled along past us, "So the long odds were against us, but we're here, right? I mean, we came to be instead of something else, right?"

"Indeed," Lotion replied as we started moving forward again, gingerly stepping over the trail of slime left by some other enormous creature the likes of which I don't even want to contemplate (but if it was a snail then I'd love to see that frog Pecardin try to eat it!), "And by rights we ought to feel rather proud about that, beating the odds by merely coming into existence."

"Why?" I asked as I paid more attention to our surroundings, now fully aware of what sort of primitive life forms might pounce on us at any moment even granted it was as beautiful as it was likely deadly, "We didn't have anything to do with that besides exist."

"And that is where you would be wrong, Apprentice," she said as though waiting for me to make that point, "We do have choices when it comes to our own existence. Life is not about blind chance, nor does the world exist independent of our will as we are intelligent, self-reflective beings who know and appreciate the value of the world and can respond to reality on a personal, subjective level."

"What, we make things happen?" I asked while glancing at a dandelion the size of a beanpole, "How?"

"By observing, perceiving and knowing the shape of our reality," she replied, "Subject and Object in balance, the rule by which probability may be slanted to favor our will against the odds. The mere act of observing causes a fundamental shift on the quantum level in the behavior of that which is being observed, so by altering our perception of a thing we are exerting our will to effect an alteration. Reality is actually a highly subjective shared experience that is both fluid and plastic. That which we laughingly call reality is a shared experience of collective perception, and that which most human beings acknowledge to be real is the existence that they can verify by cross referencing with the testimony of others. Similarly in Science a principle or theory is only adopted when it can be demonstrated repetitively to the satisfaction of the great majority of the community of scientists, yet that which is not so easily performed or repeated becomes a mere anecdotal experience that can just as easily be dismissed or discounted. A reality that is experienced by one and not another remains mere fancy, and if it disagrees with the wider experience of other human beings it can be thought of as unreal and resides in the realm of pure fancy."

I smiled and decided to play her favorite word tricks back at her by quoting, "I could be bound inside of a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space were it not that I have...bad dreams."

"Precisely," she nodded with evident approval, "You are catching on at last, proof that my feeble attempts at getting your attention have not entirely been for nothing. A shared experience defines the limits of perception that ordinary human beings call reality, but for we Lore Masters the bounds of what we know to be real have no such limits..."

"Because we know the shape of things without needing to demonstrate it to the point of exhaustion?" I finished for her, then paused to ask myself just how exactly I had known that she was about to say that.

"We can feel the shape of reality," she explained, "You know without having to be told that a thing is true or not, and lies told to you are as easy to unravel. The akashik plane that exists upon the level of the spirit bears the imprint of this world like a psychic carbon copy, and if you know how to read its shape you will sense and perceive a reality that is deeper and more meaningful than normal human perceptions."

"So a Lore Master is part lie-detector, Truthsayer and a Mystic," I thought about it as I said those words aloud, knowing as I spoke that I was woefully short of an entirely accurate analogy and description.

Of course that was about the time that something went stalking past our position, and Lotion hastily thrust her staff into my path, not that I needed to be told to remain perfectly still since my encounter with the T-Rex had taught me just how fast these creatures could move if they thought you were something tasty.

Fortunately for the both of us it turned out to be a plant-eater...what I think they call a Stegosaurus, which means a four-legged lizard as big as a house with a double row of nasty-looking spikes that run up and down the length of its back, and with a tail shaped like a barbed club that could put a nice sized hole in the side of a tanker. The creature was too busy munching on plants to pay us any attention, but I had a sense that it was highly territorial and might well resent our presence.

It passed after a bit and we resumed our walk once again with me being careful where I set my feet since I already knew that some of the plant life there was more dangerous than poison ivy, and the insect life came in the large economy-  
sized variety, which is why I'm glad I didn't encounter a dog-sized mosquito while traipsing around in a silk robe feeling very much like I was a prime filet on somebody's menu.

"Let us return to the point that the Bard was making in his famous soliloquy," Lotion began anew rather than address the shortcomings of my previous statement, "Consider what a marvel of construction the human form truly is, the way that bone, nerve, muscle and sinew are arranged to create the body of a martial artist. Think of the complexity with which these parts are integrated together, the manner in which they flow from one kinetic point to the other, the sleekness of the human form as it glides through complex movements that are practiced and rehearsed to exhaustion. Surely such a wondrous creation has the mark of divinity about it and is not merely the product of eons of random selection."

"Possibly," I conceded, though I was not entirely ready to abandon the rationalist model, "But doesn't the fact that all of our equipment works as it's supposed to demonstrate that it's all been field tested over and over again over countless generations?"

"A fair point that," she conceded, "The viability of the human form has indeed been field tested since you yourself are the result of many, many successful matings between the male and female parts of your ancestry, and each and every one of them had to be healthy and viable enough to survive long enough to bear children. That is the manner in which the human genome is maintained, that only a reasonably healthy individual like yourself can survive the rigors of childhood and go on to endure the even more rigorous tests that come with being a mother."

"And what about the guys who aren't as lucky?" I countered, "Are they part of the plan or did they just wind up unlucky in the numbers?"

"Consider yourself the natural implications of your question," Lotion replied, "Out of all the possible random combinations of the DNA strands of your parents, the exactly right combination resulted in your conception and gestation, and you defied the even longer odds that might have eliminated you during the zygote phase of early development. Two thirds of all pregnancies naturally end in miscarriage, the embryo proving to be non-viable, which means it dies and is reabsorbed back into the body, often with the woman never even knowing that she was pregnant in the first place. Then there are the many harsh elements, the slings and arrows of outrageous environmental injury that could induce harm to the developing fetus and stunt its development long before it is born into the world and is fully acknowledged as a person. Just by making it to the delivery room you beat considerably long odds, and that doesn't even take into account the many other genetic factors that determined your sex and potential for physical and mental development. In truth it is quite miraculous that you were even born as you are in the first place."

"Okay," I said, "I'm a lucky survivor. Yay team and all that..."

"You scoff?" she smiled my way, "Consider then that you did not suffer serious illness or even crib death and instead grew to be the lovely young woman that you are today, one who has many desirable qualities that are admired and appreciated by both your wife and husband. Surely you must concede that you are the product of more than serendipity, that you are indeed a rare and precious flower of humanity, one who embodies many of the finest qualities that are to be found within the human species."

"Yeah...well, what about it?" I asked, wondering where this long soliloquy of my virtues was leading.

"Let me put it to you a different way," she said, "What are the odds of someone like, say, your wife coming into being, or your husband for that matter?"

"Shampoo and Ranma?" I asked, then seriously considered the question, "Pretty long I'll admit, but then again, they're both very special people. I guess you could say they're each one-of-a-kind, real collector items."

"Yet perhaps not so unique as you imagine," she said enigmatically, leaving me to guess just what she was implying with that statement, "But tell me truly, child...if you could change any part of them, would you?"

"No," I answered without needing to think about the question, "Shampoo and Ranma...well...they're fine enough by me just the way they are. In fact you could almost say that they're both...perfect."

"Perfection is an ideal so rarely approached in mortal life," she mused, "But I would be inclined to agree with your assessment. Consider them both, then, in their more idealized state then visualize the shape of their faces, the lines that flow from the neck to the shoulder, the definition of muscle mass and body fat that combine to mold the frame of skeleton to support the smoothness of their skin as you trace the lines that lead down from the chest to the lower abdomen and continue on to the hips, thighs and loins, then follow the trail down to the legs and feet then consider the way they balance themselves on the balls of their feet and put the whole package together to contemplate the overall dynamic. What does this tell you about the nature of male and female anatomy?"

"That they're both hot properties and I want to screw both of them," I answered without thinking, feeling hot and bothered all of a sudden for reasons that had little to do with the sweltering heat of that damned jungle.

"Down girl," Lotion teased, "There is a time and a place for everything, and allowing your hormones to control your thoughts is the mark of poor discipline. Besides which, it would seem that your wife and husband have already started without you."

"Huh?" I asked as we abruptly came to a parting in the foliage and found ourselves near the bank of a river, and-sure enough-there was Ranma and Shampoo going at it hot and heavy, Ranma in his girl form (of course) parting her legs while Shampoo was straddling her and making vigorous groin-to-groin contact.

"You see how it is?" Lotion asked as I stood there with my mouth hanging open, "Your loved ones are indeed the finest examples of the human paragon that I have ever personally encountered and it is not at all surprising that they share a deep appreciation of one another. Of course their current eagerness could be partially attributed to the those pollen spores in the air which are affecting the other members of your party, not that any of you much need an excuse to indulge in your youthful urges and make out like rabbits in heat."

"Hah?" I asked, too mesmerized by the sight of my loved ones making out to form a much more rational response to that.

"It truly is an amazing thing, this attraction that we feel for one another on a sexual level," Lotion continued as though she were discussing some fascinating object of research, "No other primate species has the capacity to enjoy the act of sex to the same degree that we do, nor do other animals take as much joy from sexual coitus as we are designed to indulge by nature. Most animals have fixed times and seasons when the mating urge comes upon them, yet we are free to indulge in sex most days of the year, and we find such joy when the act is performed just right by the most desirable parties. It truly is more of an art than a science, yet when executed to mutual peak performance it can be the nearest thing to cosmic awareness that human beings can experience this side of heaven."

"Ah...yeah," I said, and suddenly that silk robe I was wearing was stiflingly hot and I had the powerful urge to disrobe and jump into the fun that was going on a short few meters away at the edge of the river.

I ought to make a point of saying here that I was feeling rather heady and out of sorts with my mind continually wandering all over this place with this talk of different body parts and their respective qualities. I couldn't help thinking of Shampoo with her sinuous legs and curving hips with a rounded ass that just begs for me to fondle, and going up the list of areas where I most love to lavish my attention are those magnificent gravity-defying boobs she proudly sports, and thinking even now of what I went through at that time is making me yearn to jump into bed with my loved ones and put this journal down for the duration.

Of course I'd be doing a gross injustice to neglect to mention of what a hottie Ranma is when she's in her so-called "cursed" form. She may be smaller and more petite than Shampoo but she lacks for nothing in any area that I might inventory, and I know that I take great joy in handling her like a pig-tailed sex toy. Of course I like it when Ranma is male and he's hammering me like tent peg, but with his ability to switch-hit like that I just know that I've got the best of both worlds, and so does Shampoo as was illustrated that day on the riverbank in that jungle.

Shampoo-it hardly need be said-is the more accomplished sensualist of the three of us, having explored sexuality in her early teenaged years and coming as she does from a society that is not quite as straight-laced on the subject as Japan. She is by far the more uninhibited and displays a talent for inventive mischief by turning the act of foreplay into a kind of sparring event, the kind of match where winning and losing are pretty much one and the same thing. Ranma's proven to be a quick study under her (no pun intended) and I've certainly given it my best shot to master the fundamentals of screwing my partners' brains out. To see Shampoo go at it from the sidelines, however, is an education in itself, and I felt simultaneously like taking notes and applauding for each time I heard Ranma's voice arch a note with another orgasm. I was squirming where I stood, mashing my toes into the moist soil where I was standing and feeling a heady urge to join in on the fun. Why I held back at all is unknown to be, especially considering the other stories I've since been told on how the other members of our party were being affected by those aphrodisiac-  
inducing pollen spores that I've just mentioned.

Still, given the fact that I was being enormously distracted at the moment, I find it all the more remarkable that I can still recall the old woman's words so clearly as she remarked in her dry, almost clinical manner, "It may surprise you to know this, Tendo-san, but I was young once myself and can well remember what it was like to feel the rush of hormones overriding my good sense. The man I loved so long ago...well, let us just say that I would not trade my moments with him for all the tea in China and let's leave it at that, but the point of the matter is that you are currently experiencing the rush of both hormones and of spiritual energies that bind you to your loved ones on invisible tendrils. That is why you can take such pleasure in watching them pleasuring one another, because in a way you are already in the middle of that affair and feel no threat to your territorial interests. The emotional and psychic bonds between you remain unbroken and unbowed, for in your heart you know that they are fidelitous to you even as you know that they would gladly include you in these activities were you to approach them at the height of their mutual arousal."

"Uh...yeah...I know," I swallowed, and Kami if I didn't feel tempted right then and now, the old woman's lesson plans be damned, I wanted to have some nookie!

"It is a curious thing how the mating urge in human beings has evolved to create a higher need in us that transcends mere physical satisfaction to include a social and emotional component," she continued unabated, "We have a basic need for companionship yet can only forge close ties with those to whom we feel a certain closeness. Compatibility isn't always the most important factor, sometimes it is simply basic chemistry: we meet someone special and we feel a certain click that tells us that we were meant to be together. Often, however, we can be fooled into believing that this transitory sensation is a permanent phenomenon, but love-at-first-sight is often the most fragile kind of love. The ties that we forge through adversity and hardship, however, tend to be a lot more lasting."

"Yeah, whatever," I said, hardly paying her any attention as my need for my loved ones was becoming unbearably intense, especially since I could see Shampoo positioning herself on top of Ranma in such a way that I knew the redhead would explode at any minute.

"Often the thing that attracts us the most is personal appearance," she went on as if I hadn't even spoken, "We size someone up for physical characteristics that most appeal to us whether it is a strong and masculine face or sensitive eyes and a kindly expression. A cute butt never hurts, I always say, nor does it count against them if they have a youthful, rosy appearance about the cheeks and pouting lips that beg to be kissed. A nice back is certainly a plus in most encounters, and then there is the contour of the legs, which ought to be free of sag and cellulose. Health is the thing that we most desire to see in a loved one, a sense that they could help us to produce viable offspring being important to the survival of the species."

"Eh...say what?" I asked, having lost the train of that particular bit of conversation.

"When it comes to physical beauty the elements we find the most desirable are the symmetrical balance of facial features and overall structure," she explained, "This is a universal quality not bound to any one society or culture. That is because we are hard-wired to seek out an idealized form, even if we learn in later years to discount superficial qualities and to emphasize less easily definable characteristics conforming to a given preference. The attraction felt by a man and a woman for one another can be a powerful incentive for bending the rules in search of the most desirable combination..."

"But sometimes it can go awry, huh Teach?" I hastened to point out, thinking of Mousse and his one-sided obsession over Shampoo, or Akane and her tendency to drive both Ryoga and Ukyo to distraction.

"That does tend to happen a lot with baseline infatuation," she summarily noted, "What you see in another that appeals most to you might not be valued in kind by the designated object of your intentions. It is best to wait and find out if the longing you bear is reciprocated by the other party, a waiting clause that often confuses us and needlessly complicates the complex social dynamic of courtship. In animals the process is greatly simplified...the male-or female in certain cases-makes his-or-her intentions known to the other party and then waits to see if his or her advances are accepted or rejected. With human beings the approach is often tempered with a great deal of caution. You may not like what you are getting when you take the time to get to know more about your would-be suitor."

"In other words you could get a real creep instead of a Prince Charming," I duly pointed out, thinking immediately again of Kuno.

"True," she replied, "Or you could find out that your first impression of someone was based upon an error. Surely when you first met your husband you did not immediately think that he would come to mean as much to you as he does today?"

I watched as Ranma-chan-tired of being on the passive receiving end of Shampoo's mischief-decided to turn the tables on our mutual wife by going on the offensive, straddling her and causing Shampoo to submit to the redhead's aggressive change in tactics. At once it dawned on me that I had always been fascinated on some level with Ranma's inherent dual nature, and while the idea that he could switch sexes took some getting used to, I can't imagine him now without the ability to "switch hit." I know Ranma still regrets his curse and wishes he could be a "whole man" for us full time, but I don't think I'd want him to be "normal" now even if I had the power to change him.

"All right," I conceded, "You got me there. I never would have guessed a thing like that if you had bet me the dojo."

"And there you are," Lotion smiled, "Time has helped you to decide that you would make a very good match, but with others the process of filtering your choices down to only a small handful of the likely candidates you meet is a frustrating and exhausting process that often produces horrendous errors and can often result in disastrous consequences..."

"Like if Ranma got engaged to Akane?" I asked, wondering what had prompted me to think of that again all of a sudden.

"Perhaps," my mentor said cautiously, "Mind you, unlikely combinations do sometimes work out, but only if the parties involved are prepared to make sacrifices and adjustments to accommodate one another. Given time even blood enemies might grow used to one another, and often in history the act of marriage was not really so much a romantic process but more a partnering of convenience arranged by others to suit needs both social and economic."

I winced again at this, remembering that my initial engagement to Ranma had been just such an arrangement.

"Okay," I sighed, not wanting to mire myself in the tawdry emotional issues that were raised whenever I thought long and hard on THAT particular subject, "So marriage hasn't always been about choice, but we have choices now and we've decided that we want to get married." Automatically I clenched my left hand and felt the engagement ring that I'd only just received the other day from Ranma. My mother's engagement ring, which rests proudly on my hand these days like a proclamation of intention, proof to me that Ranma and me are a VERY desirable and viable combination.

The short, intensely passionate scream that Shampoo uttered right then was like music to my ears, and I smiled as I considered how much our lives were enriched by having her included in the package.

"I am pleased that you agree with me on this, Apprentice," Lotion also smiled, albeit for more enigmatic intentions, "It proves my point that men and women have a way of filtering out those undesirable qualities that they might discover in a potential mate in the hopes of finding a more viable candidate who has the right characteristics. Women mostly seek the stability of a relationship while men are somewhat more promiscuous by nature, yet even this generalization is hardly a universal since some women can be just as promiscuous as any man, and the vast majority of men do seek a life-mate with whom to partner and set up home and hearth together. The basic equation is that men seek to enter the fortress that is our loins and deposit their treasure, which does not always involve waiting around to see if anything hatches."

"Cute," I said as I thought about her analogy, then came up with one of my own, "But what if the fortress is tightly guarded and designed to keep the guy out? What if there are traps, snares and pitfalls designed to keep the guy at a distance...?"

"Such as you used to exercise to protect your own heart from potential siege?" she shrewdly rejoined.

"Uh...yeah," I reluctantly agreed, remembering just how defensive I used to be about letting people get to know too much about me. Then something else occurred and I said, "Sensei...what...um...what if, well...it didn't work out so well between me and Ranma? What if daddy had made a mistake engaging me to the son of his best friend? What if he'd been some horrible pervert, like a junior grade Happosai? Or what if I...wasn't quite what he wanted in a wife? I mean...I could have been horribly scarred in a childhood accident, or maybe-  
like you said-I could have been born hideously deformed or even...ugly...?"

"What is ugliness but the lack of balance and proper proportion to the features of a loved one?" she asked by way of reply, "Physical beauty may be a desirable quality in a mate, but it is hardly a universal absolute. After all, your husband is basically a decent sort who might have come to value you for what you are inside rather than what you look like on the surface. Surely you came to value the person he was in spite of his curse, and can you honestly say that you would have rejected him solely on the basis of the fact that he turns into a beautiful young woman?"

"Um...I might have," I squirmed a bit as I thought back to the day of our meeting, "I was...kind of freaked out at first, but once I got over the initial shock, um...I..."

"Started to see the possibilities?" she smiled again, "Then you are like Shampoo in that respect, for she, too, foresaw the potential of a three-way relationship only after taking the time to get to know you better as a person."

I filed that away for later digestion, fascinated to know more about what had led Shampoo into making such a momentous and consequential decision.

Satisfied that I had gotten one point, my mentor decided to steer back towards the point that I had raised, "As I was saying, personal appearance is not the only qualifying factor, and one is never advised to judge a scroll by the color of the ribbon you use to bind it. You might indeed have been born with plain or average features, or then again there are many scarring and disfiguring rashes that might have destroyed the smooth texture of your peach-smooth skin, or a host of other lesser agents might have afflicted you and would work to detract from what an outstanding individual you are, and what a worthy mate you could be, more than capable of carrying on the species."

"Um...right," I squirmed, once again confronted by the issue of motherhood, which seems to come up a lot these days in our conversations.

"When I mentioned before the importance of health and viability to mate as being desirable characteristics I was in no way implying that this was the only reason for people to marry," she continued, "Exceptions to rule do exist, of course, not the least of which elements that imply affluence and means in a given party. You could run into a fat, balding man and value him for the size of his wallet more than his girth, but often even that does not matter as you may bond with him in other ways and disregard those elements which you might otherwise find less than fully attractive."

"Er...what's this got to do with anything?" I asked, rather uncertain about the train of her logic, which was wandering all over the place and tunneling through mountains of new thought at seeming random.

"The point is that human beings seek companionship in order to fulfill a basic need to connect with another that is inherent in the species," she concluded, "It hardly matters what elements you come to value most in a partner...the degree to which you feel attracted has as much to do with how those elements affect you in a positive manner. A strong mate can mean strong offspring, or it could mean that elements within your own character will be counterbalanced and made whole through the combination. Often it just means you get to spend your time with someone who makes you feel special, and children need not even fit into the package."

"Um...how does that fit in with your theory about the survival of the species?" I wondered, now sufficiently intrigued that I was able to tear my eyes away from the nice show being put on by my iinazuke.

"Quite simple, really," she replied, "Lesbianism and Bisexuality exist because they help perpetuate the species, allowing females of our species to get along and behave as social animals rather than tearing our hair out in mindless jealousy and suspicion. Male homosexuality, by contrast, also serves as a means of tempering the growth rate of the general population. In nearly all mammalian species there are a few individuals who choose not to breed, thus allowing the others a greater chance of finding mates and passing on their own inheritance. When a population becomes too dense and there is intense competition for resources it is necessary for the growth rate to be so tempered. Besides, homosexuality is a kind of benevolent narcissism that serves to counterbalance the raging appetites of strictly heterosexual individuals, who might otherwise breed us all into extinction."

"That's a funny way of putting it," I said, "Are you suggesting that the reason I feel the way I do when I'm around Ranma-chan and Shampoo...?"

"Is because you are temperamentally flexible and can readily accommodate the presence of another woman in your marriage unit," Lotion noted, "You love them both because there is no competition between you to see which of you is loved the best by the other. You are secure in that love, you thrive upon it and it is now at the very center of your being. You trust them both and care for them deeply, and they each affect you in ways that are different and yet no less intense, and you compliment each other on a personal level, which is why the three of you are a stronger combination than any pair of you alone would amount to. Do you see now what I am saying?"

"That the reason I fell in love with them both is because I felt such a union was...viable?" I asked, and then I answered my own question, "Because the feelings we share are unique and yet equal. I love them and they love me back in equal measure."

"Which makes you a very fortunate combination," my mentor smiled in sage conclusion, "Now, out of all the random possibilities that are out there, what are the odds which you would give that could describe such a unique outcome?"

"You got me on that," I chuckled lightly, understanding at once how much I had come to appreciate the curious position I had stumbled into through the kindness of the fates. I really am a lucky woman to have two people I care so much for who also care for me in a similar manner. I can't say we won't have our share of ups and downs in the near future (Kami knows we've had enough of that in the past) but I've no doubt at all that we'll stick together through thick and thin because I trust them deep down to never truly betray me. (And if they ever did...well, we all stray now and then, but I've made it plain to both of my fiancées that there WILL be consequences...)

"So tell me then," Lotion said with another flash of that mercurial wit that often drives me to distraction, "If such an unlikely event as this were to come about through seeming randomness, what then does this tell you about the universe and its basic structure?"

"That nothing is ever as entirely random as it seems," I said with a clarity that even I found quite surprising, "That we have choice and free will, and that our actions always have consequences, and if we know how to choose correctly we can affect an outcome on so-called random probabilities that works to our advantage."

"Bravo," she bowed to me, "You are indeed learning."

Another thought occurred to me right then and there and I said, "The universe is intelligent, but groping in the darkness. It seeks to promote the growth of intelligence in various life forms so that it might one day evolve a species who are capable of understanding it...and human beings..."

"Are merely the latest stage in that overall evolution," Lotion informed me with a nod of understanding, "There have been others before us...so many others that were evolutionary dead ends, that reached to heights unimaginable only to fall again through their own inherent shortcomings. Nature can be incredibly wasteful as it tries and fails and tries again to get it right. Sometimes it needs a nudge now and then to steer the course of Nature on a balanced path towards self-enlightenment and illumination. Love is the key to a higher understanding that transcends the limits of simple biology, and you are indeed a link in the longer chain that brings all of life itself full circle. Now do you begin to comprehend what it truly means to be a Lore Master?"

"Because we are the stewards and the wardens of intelligence," I answered, "We help to shape the destiny of the race by sensing the currents that flow through us and guiding them through our perceptions."

"If you understand that much then my work is truly beginning to take root within you," she said in the most flattering tones that I've ever heard my mentor utter, "But still you have a long way to go before you are the sort of guardian warden who can take my place as my successor."

I had to chuckle at that, "I don't think I could ever fill your shoes, Sensei..."

"Nonsense," she replied, "You are at least several sizes larger than I was when I was your age, but then again, you are using the metric system these days instead of ancient Chinese shoe counting methods..."

I was still in the process of coming up with a witty riposte to that when my danger senses suddenly flared to full life, causing me to turn my head and stare at the water where my two favorite sex partners were still going at it. I caught sight of a rippling in the surface of the river, then started to shout out as my sense of impending peril took over, "RANMA-SHAMPOO-LOOK OUT!"

It is a testament to their battle hardened reflexes that I still can count them as my future wife and husband. The creature that lunged from the water to attack them was probably counting on the element of surprise to win it an easy double-snack, only to miss its target completely as Shampoo and Ranma sprang to life and vaulted out of the water with an alacrity that would have surprised anyone less familiar with their daredevil heroics.

Which is a good thing, because the creature that had tried to claim them was the UGLIEST beastie that I have ever before set eyes upon. I don't even know what class of dinosaur it was supposed to represent, much less species; I just remember these teeth that that projected from the end of a long snout snapping down at where my loved ones had been cuddling only mere seconds before its appearance. The rest of it was as large as a bus and moved sinuously through the water with flippers instead of feet and a tail that was more like a giant web than a set of hind fins.

Somebody familiar with these critters would have probably been able to place it at once, but since I'm not exactly Dr. Doolittle I just know that I'll be glad if I never see anything as hideous as it for the rest of my natural life. (And never mind those tingling feelings I'm getting telling me "fat chance" of that being the case in my future) What I do remember was starting to lunge forward as the creature tried to take another bite out of where Ranma and Shampoo subsequently wound up, which was dangling from a pair of high branches that they had snagged from an overhanging tree. I mean, they were just hanging there like a pair of naked bulbs within near-reach of the stinking creature with barely enough reach to go snapping at their feet as they yelped and tried to avoid it, risking snapping their respective branches, the bakai.

Lotion's staff prevented me from doing something reckless (and most likely suicidal), then she hissed at me, "No, Tendo-san! Do not attract the monster's attention lest you put your Airen in even greater danger!"

"I don't care!" I yelled in what has to be one of the stupidest things I have ever said in the middle of a crisis, "I've got to reach them!"

"THINK!" she snarled the world at me with the force of a slap, and so surprised was I to hear that tone that I actually turned to look at her instead of attempt to force my way past the obstacle she was presenting, "You don't have the skill as yet to take such a monster on by yourself! But there are other ways in which you could attack it!"

It took me all of a moment to realize just what she was telling me, and then I reacted instinctively without thought or hesitation.

Under normal circumstances I would never even think of taking my Mentor's staff away from her, but right then and there I was as mad as a proverbial wet hen and was seeing blood more than logic to my actions, so I snatched it out of her hand and immediately lunged forward, drawing back on my earliest training as a martial artist when my mother taught me about the spear and javelin, and so I launched her staff like I'd been taught by my Momma aiming it straight at the creature and what I sensed to be its nearest weak spot along the side of its head. I didn't even think about what might well have happened next as I saw the pointy end of the staff hit the creature dead-on at the base of one of its temples, causing it to give out the more horrendous cry and topple over at the edge of the river, either stunned or dead but of no more immediate danger to our side.

I think that I have never seen Lotion so surprised by anything before that moment, but how she might have missed the possibility that I would act with the only weapon that was near to hand is...well, pretty much beyond me. I can't claim credit for anything so massively complicated as a plan to my actions, it was simply gut-level instinctive behavior, seeing an opportunity and exploiting it in the space of an instant, and man was I ever surprised to see it work out in quite that effective a manner. I also surprised the heck out of Shampoo and Ranma, who both came down from the trees to examine my handiwork then turned identical looks of pure astonishment my way, which makes a pretty mild reflection to how I was feeling at that peculiar moment in knowing I had just saved them, which is kind of the reverse of the normal situation.

To cover up for my surprisingly impulsive behavior as we approached the motionless beast, I turned to Lotion and said, "Is that what you had in mind for me, Teach?"

"Um...not exactly," Lotion replied in what had to be the most uncertain tone that I had ever heard her use around me, "I can't fault you for creativity. But...in the future, would mind using your own staff?"

"Sure thing," I said as Ranma paused to examine where the stick was imbedded in the side of the creature's head, then with a wince she pulled it free and examined the gory end with a wince to which I felt enormously sympathetic.

"Ew!" she said, "Disgusting...almost as bad as this thing smells out of the water. Here's your stick back, Old Lady, hope it didn't get too messed up and all that."

"Indeed, young War Master," Lotion replied as she accepted her staff back, pausing to examine the gory end before thrusting it into the edge of the water, "I shall need to perform a purification ceremony to cleanse this of the stain it has incurred for taking a life, then I will pray for what passes for this creature's soul that it go on to the great cycle of life that exists upon this island."

Shampoo finished her own quick inspection by turning to me and at once embracing me in a hug, declaring, "Hiyaa, Nabiki! You great warrior come save us, Shampoo very proud of this one's Airen."

"Heh, yeah, no sweat," I said while reacting to the hug by my naked wife with a renewed surge of hormonal approval, and without consciously thinking about it I copped a feel for her sweet butt by hugging her back and squeezing her ass cheeks, which Shampoo responded to with affectionate approval.

"You sure did a number on him," Ranma-chan smiled smugly at us, "But better he wind up on the endangered species list and not us."

All of a sudden another low growl drew our attention away from anything more interesting that might have followed in the next few moments, reminding us that we were not back home in Nerima and that the likely chance of encountering another such beast had tripled with its demise. In effect we might as well have rung a dinner bell and told them to come and get it.

Lotion said it all as my Mentor turned to us and said, "I suggest we run...very, very fast."

"Good idea," I agreed at once, reluctantly surrendering my grip upon Shampoo as she-just as reluctantly-did likewise.

"Aiyaa...but where is clothing?" Shampoo asked belatedly while glancing around in search of her ruined outfit.

That was when the creature making the rather hungry noises appeared at the edge of the forest and rendered the question of personal belongings academic.

"Who cares?" Ranma asked in a burst of practicality as she shoved Shampoo and me forward, "Let's get moving!"

And so began yet another spontaneous adrenaline-filled chase on what was turning out to be one of the most action-packed adventure cruises that it has ever been my misfortune to undertake, but how was I to know what was waiting in store for me in the course of the next several hours? That's the problem with these spontaneous adventure thingies...they never give you time to adjust before someone has to add to the program, and wouldn't you know that going from the literal "fire" to the cookpot was exactly where I was heading...?

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Catching Flack From The Right: shadowmane

Beware upcoming chapters because things are about to heat up for Nabiki and the gang in the next exciting chapter: "Iron Age Chef!" or "Seasoned Greetings." Be there... 


	110. Chapter 110

Pangea05

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-LEMONY SCENES AHEAD!  
CONTAINS NAUGHTY BITS OF CONSENSUAL FUN BETWEEN SEXUALLY ACTIVE TEENAGERS RANGING IN AGES BETWEEN 16-20. NOT FOR THE PRUDISH OR EASILY OFFENDED, CONSULT LOCAL COMMUNNITY STANDARDS BEFORE ENGAGING IN READING THIS FANFIC. THERE IS REAL OVER-THE-  
TOP BEHAVIOR HERE, AND IF YOU FIND JUNGLE STORY SETTINGS INVOLVING PRIMITIVE LIFE FORMS NOT AT ALL TO YOUR LIKING, THEN KINDLY READ SOME OTHER FANFIC. THIS AIN'T A SPIELBERG STORY, AND YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Point-Five

The Mating Game

The first thing Ryoga knew when he began to recover his wits was that he had a peculiar taste in his mouth and his head was throbbing as though he had a massive hangover. Ryoga knew what a hangover felt like on account of that "unfortunate incident" that had befallen him during one of his wandering adventures. In the countryside of some place called Boulogne he had the misfortune of stumbling into a vat of fermented wine while trapped in his pig-  
form. The resultant experience that had followed was a bit of a blur in his mind, other than that he had been chased by some angry Vinter and had gotten lost subsequently in some place called the "Black Forest." He had come back to his wits at the house of a nice old lady (albeit that she had strange tastes in building material, and what senior citizen chooses to live in a place made entirely of candy confections?). At any rate he knew what a hangover was, and he definitely had something like that affecting his senses at that particular moment.

He risked opening his eyes and found himself staring at a bed of luxurious straw laid out before him, only it did not smell quite like straw...in fact, it smelled rather nice on the whole, albeit just a bit on the gamy side with a perfume-like scent that tickled his nostrils and reminded him a bit of Akane.

But then he caught movement out of the corner of one eye and automatically tracked it, making out a shape that was distinctly bird-like, only larger and lacking any sort of plumage that might distinguish it from a winged iguanodon. In fact, if he did not know any better, he might almost think that it looked like those pictures in that story book that his mother had once shown him of prehistoric reptiles long extinct by the reckoning of most scientists...

With a start he sat upright, looking around wildly at the unfamiliar jungle setting, then taking notice that he was far from alone and that what had appeared to be straw at a glance was-in reality-attached to a head connected to a naked body that was long, lean and entirely feminine in contour. His eyes went wide as that latter thought penetrated the fog that surrounded his thinking, and then he want into immediate shock as he discovered that he himself was quite naked, which implied that they had been naked together, and without a chaperone about that could only mean that he...and she...

His head hit the ground as he passed out with that realization, but several minutes later he felt a stirring again that drew him back to full consciousness, and this time he managed to remain conscious long enough to sit up and take notice of his companion, belatedly recognizing her as the blonde whom he had met on board the ship named Minako.

"Ah...oh..." he said very slowly, waiting for the inevitable nosebleed that would surely send him back to dreamland.

When he did not suffer such a rupture he had another moment to ponder on why that was since he could see the texture of her body, the curvature of her hips and the gently swelling of her naked breasts. In point of fact he could even remember a bit what it felt like to lay his hands upon those globes of flesh and fondle them between his fingers, even taking them into his mouth one at a time and suckling upon her, and the sounds she made while he flicked his tongue over her nipples...the expert way in which he had gently stroked the nerves along her back and rump, the squirming noises she had made while positioning her in readiness of penetration...

Ryoga almost swallowed his tongue as the memory of the experience flooded back to him like an avalanche of images, sensations and emotions so raw and intense that it fairly stunned him to realize that it had been him in the middle of such vigorous rutting. Granted the blonde Minako was an inspirational bed-mate, but the intensity with which they had been going at it was astounding given that they were in the middle of no where and surrounded by hostile life forms.

Just then the girl beside him began to stir, and Ryoga felt an urge to panic, dreading what she would say when she found him staring at her like a pervert. He glanced wildly about in search of his clothing and found bits and pieces of it scattered everywhere, his pants and shoes were tossed off to one side while his shirt was draped over a bush some meters off in the opposite direction. There was absolutely no trace at all of any articles of clothing that might have belonged to Minako, which further added to his growing sense of desperation as he was certain that she would freak when she recovered in another few seconds.

"Mmm..." she murmured sleepily, glancing over her shoulder, "That you, Rei-chan? Oh. I'm sorry..."

"For what?" Ryoga yelped, trying not to sound too guilty.

"Eh?" the blonde turned to look up at him then said, "Oh...it's you. Ryoga, right?"

"Um...yes," he truthfully squealed, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

"Oh, that's nice," she said, and laid back down as though preparing to go back to sleep, only for her eyes to fly open in belated realization.

"It's not my fault!" Ryoga immediately blurted out, forcing himself to glance away, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look!"

Minako sat bolt upright and stared down at herself, then turned and stared at him, then turned another shocked look and took in their immediate surroundings. Her eyes were wide open and she was clearly wide awake as she absorbed the unmistakable truth of their current situation, even as memories flooded in to fill in all the necessary details.

Ryoga stood braced and waited for her to hit him, only to wonder why it was taking so long for her to go at him. When curiosity got the better of his wits he risked glancing back her way only to find her looking at him curiously and without the harsh accusation that he would have expected in her expression.

"We did this together?" she asked when she knew she once more had his attention.

"Um...yes," he said in a tiny voice that made him feel about half of his real age.

To his surprise Minako felt herself over and did a critical inspection with her fingers, then touched her hips and seemed to think something over before turning a curious look towards him again and asking, "Is there a funny taste in your mouth, and do you feel like your head's stuffed with cotton candy?"

"Ah...hah?" Ryoga wondered, still too stunned by the fact that she was not yelling and screaming her head off.

"Oh wow...my first time," she seemed to smile as she said this, then turned an apologetic look his way and said, "I...guess I owe you an explanation. You see...I don't usually do that with a boy I just met. I mean...I've never done that before...I mean, ever. I...well...you were pretty nice...and why are you looking at me that way?"

"Hah?" Ryoga asked.

Minako glanced down then belatedly moved her hands to cover her breasts while crossing her legs and blushing all over, "Oh...yeah...I get it now. Sorry about that...I'm not used to...well...I mean, with a boy that is...er, I mean, well..." and to Ryoga's complete surprise she started to chuckle in a nervous, girlish manner.

To Ryoga's surprise he found that he rather liked the sound of her laughter, but-then again-there was not much about this Minako Aino or which he did not implicitly approve. The fact that she wasn't attacking him and calling him names seemed...strange, but not something to be upset about. In fact, her futile attempt to restore some modesty to her present situation made her seem even nicer than the fact that they had both been screwing each other a while ago with great abandon. Nice definitely described this Minako in a nutshell...in fact, she was arguably the most beautiful girl whom he had ever seen in his life and definitely someone whom he wanted to get to know better.

"Ah..." he said somewhat reluctantly, "I guess...um...I mean, that is...I've...well...I've never...done anything like this myself before...I mean, I've never..."

"Been with a woman?" Minako smiled, and her smile was dazzling, like gazing at the sun and going blind as Ryoga felt the world itself dissolve all around them, "Well, that makes two of us...I mean...at least I think so..." she frowned as though struggling with her memories and attempting be certain, "Ah...don't worry about it. I think you're really nice..."

"You do?" Ryoga asked in surprise.

"Of course," Minako responded, "I may have been acting...weird a little while ago...but I knew what I wanted, and you were very, very good...ah...well, not that I'm any great judge about such things, but I know that I definitely liked it."

"Oh," Ryoga relaxed and seemed to swell up with a curious sense of ride as he heard her say this, "Um...well...you were good too...I mean...you were great..."

"Really?" she said with a radiant smile that showed how much pleasure she derived from the compliment.

"Oh yeah," Ryoga nodded, finding it impossible to look away from her as she literally magnetized the whole of his attention.

"Well, then I ought to change what I said and say that you were terrific," Minako beamed with a lascivious expression.

"Really?" he asked in mild surprise.

"Really," she affirmed, "You're quite a guy, you know that?"

"Oh...um...well, thanks," Ryoga found himself rubbing the back of his head, only to belatedly notice that she was staring at his waist, which caused him to glance down and take notice of the raging hard-on he was sporting, which he hastily attempted to cover with both hands as he yelped.

"Oh my," Minako's grin got even deeper, "You ought to do something with that monster. On the other hand, why don't you let me take care of that? You've done a lot of the work so far, now it's my turn to show you how much I appreciate your efforts."

Ryoga's monster erection got even harder as he stared at the blonde with a horrified sense that she was about to jump him all over. But then a snapping of a twig drew him around and made him aware of the fact that they were not alone and had company that was observing the both of them from the bushes.

Minako caught the shift in his attention and instantly went on full alert, curling her toes and angling to get her long legs underneath her so that she could rise to her feet in an instant. Ryoga, meanwhile, absently reached for and drew his umbrella from virtual space then stood up at the ready and waited for whoever was spying upon them to more fully reveal its presence.

To his surprise a dinosaur that stood two meters in height edged its way from behind a tree and stood there staring at them with large eyes set to either side of its massive head. It body was long, lean and sleek with oversized clawed feet that had nasty, wicked looking hooks in place of big toes, and a pair of arms with clawed hands that it extended for further balance, and a long tail that moved with a twitch from side-to-side. Ryoga saw the vicious row of teeth that lined its mouth and had occasion to wonder what it used to brush with since they gleamed like pearly spikes in the light filtering through the forest.

Yet Ryoga felt strangely calm as he studied this creature, sensing an intelligence in its eyes that were regarding him back with no less curiosity than Ryoga was feeling. Minako, on the other hand, felt anything but calm as she got to her feet and eased herself instinctively around and behind Ryoga, hovering nervously in his shadow.

"I've seen one of those before," she hissed into Ryoga's ear, "It's called a Velociraptor, and it's a deadly killer. Those claws on its feet are supposed to be able to rip a man in two with one kick."

"Oh," Ryoga remarked, filing the name for further reference even as he took stock of the creature and tried to gauge its combat potential.

Minako sensed his unusual calm and glanced at him in a sidelong manner, "Aren't you scared at all?"

"Not really," Ryoga replied, "I can tell its fast, but I'm used to fighting tough opponents. I'm more worried about you, though, so if it's going to attack I want you to take off running and leave me to do the fighting."

"You have got to be kidding me," Minako relied while her hand seemed to pull an object out of no where that resembled a pen with a round orange ball decorating one end.

"I'm serious," Ryoga, said, "You need to escape while I keep it busy..."

All at once they tracked movement from the sides, and then both teenagers turned their heads to take note of half a dozen other creatures who looked a lot like the first one, only with different body markings.

"...Or not," Ryoga lamely finished, only now starting to get worried.

Minako swallowed a large lump that was forming in her throat and then nervously said, "Momma always said that there'd be days like this..."

"Really?" Ryoga asked.

"No, not really," Minako relied with a nervous titter, "Just making conversation..."

"This...could get ugly," Ryoga murmured aloud, "I think I could handle one or two of these guys, but not this many all at once."

"So what do we do?" Minako asked as they stood back-to-back and studied the encircling band of Velociraptors.

The first raptor started to move forward and Ryoga reacted instinctively by jabbing out with the tip of his umbrella, hammering the creature on the snout, which caused it to back away with a yelp, using its forearms to rub its nose and complain in perfect Oxford English, "[OW! I say there, old Chap, was that strictly called for?]"

"HUH?" both Ryoga and Minako said together, turning equally stunned looks towards said Velociraptor...

Peorth wasted no time erecting a forcefield with a wave of both her hands and the giant Pteranadon crashed into this with the force of a small jetliner, but unlike any manmade plane the creature easily withstood this force and fought to break through the barricade in order to get at the trio of tasty snacks that its senses yet perceived was still within the reach of its enormous crane-like beak.

"Talk about persistence," Mon-Mon dryly commented as they stared up in dismay at the monster looming over the whole of their southerly horizon.

"Mom?" Akane asked, detecting a note of strain in Peorth's visage.

"Both of you...start running...very vast, ma Cheri!" Peorth grunted, "I am going to attempt something else that will restrain it."

Her hands made odd gestures with pinkies and forefingers extended as Peorth struggled to transform her spell, divine perspiration forming on her brow as the marks upon her face started glowing, then with a yell she froze the creature solid. No longer did it thrash and awful noises as it was no longer moving, instead transformed into a giant statue over twenty meters tall and twice as broad in wingspan, the color of its leathery hide alone remaining constant to suggest that it was yet flesh and blood and not stone that was hovering before them.

"Not too bad," Mon-Mon complimented as she surveyed the goddess's handiwork, "But how long can you hold the beast immobile?"

"Not long," Peorth grimaced, clearly straining to hold her spell in place, "Which is why the both of you had best get going."

"But...Mom..." Akane hesitated.

"Do as I say!" Peorth snapped, risking a glance towards her adoptive daughter before softening her tone a bit and adding in a tense hint of Kimiko's demeanor, "If you ever obeyed me as a child, Akane-chan, then heed me now. I am the Mistress of Moments and I have frozen this one in a globe of time to hold it in place...but I can only so long hold back the Chronos program, and...there is something about the way the lei lines flow here...that is diminishing my powers..."

"We understand, Goddess," Mon-Mon replied, "Come along, Akane-chan."

"But...!" Akane protested.

"Now!" Mon-Mon grabbed the other girl by the hand and started tugging her along, and Akane reluctantly began to heed her urging even while stealing glances back over her shoulder to make certain that Peorth was still maintaining her localized timefield.

Peorth felt the concern of her god-daughter as Akane fled with the Concubine towards relative safety, but then her expression firmed as she glared up at the creature, her eyes becoming almost ruby as she snarled the words, "So...you fight for the sake of your offspring and want to have us all like worms for their breakfast...but I am a mother too, ma Cheri, and I will not budge on this or allow you to have my only trueborn daughter."

She began preparing for another spell, one that would blast the creature back towards the mountains and likely peel the flesh back from its bones, but the effort weakened her grip upon the timefield and the Pteranodon mother's own eyes were gleaming, sensing a maternal cat-fight in the making.

Akane felt something cold run down her spine and broke her hold on Mon-Mon's hand, turning to glance back towards the ongoing struggle between primitive aerial life form and heavenly goddess. To her dismay she saw the creature moving, drawing back its massive wings as it snarled and brook loose of the spell that held it, and then it brought those wings forward once again in a powerful downstroke that kicked up a wind that was surely like a mini-hurricane, one that caught Peorth by surprise and picked her up off her feet before she could brace to resist it.

Peorth flew backwards over fifteen meters and lost her grip upon the spell that she was crafting. She was just about to try and get it back when reality exploded in a burst of stars and pinwheels. Without knowing it her head had just made contact with a large boulder, and while goddesses were and are notoriously hard-headed, the force of this was enough to stun her and leave her momentarily out of sorts, a helpless target upon which the creature could vent its frustration.

"MOM!" Akane cried, sensing that she would be unable to cross the distance between herself and the goddess in order to pull Peorth to safety, but even as this realization made itself known to her subconscious another force rose up inside her as she drew upon the Ki-lines which surrounded her and shaped a force that was half borne of instinct and a lot of desperation.

She had never been trained in Ki attacks until now, but her experiences on board the Nekonlon ship had shown her that there was a dormant power that lay sleeping inside her, a power that she could awaken in moments of stress when all other hope was faded. That power came in answer to her summons now and formed a ball within her solar plexus of concentrated energy, which same then flowed up from her chest into her hands and became ten times more explosive. Akane fairly glowed with outrage as her eyes gleamed with fire and she prepared to launch her attack upon her designated target.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH MY MOTHER!" she cried out, and the force of that cry was magnified by the power that lanced out from her fingertips and expanded into a ball that flew like a canon-shot directly at the creature.

The Pteranodon sensed its peril only instants before the ball of energy slammed into it like a wrecking ball run loose. The creature was picked up and sent crashing far away at the base of the nearest high peak, starting a mini-  
avalanche that half buried it beneath a rockslide.

Mon-Mon stared in amazement then glanced sidelong at the girl at her side, who was still standing in the position of attack with her arms outstretched as motionless as the Pteranodon had been, and with just as tensely focused.

"Akane-san?" the Courtesan asked, sensing what the strain of releasing so much energy might have done to her dark haired companion.

In response to the question Akane's knees began to buckle, then she started to tumble forward, only to be caught at the last second by the quick-witted Courtesan, who gathered her up into her arms with as much tenderness as a mother might have for her child, a metaphor that she herself found curious given what she had just learned about the relationship between the youngest Tendo sister and the equally motionless Peorth, which was cause for some **interesting** speculation.

"You are indeed a worthy kin to your elder sister, Tendo-san," Mon-Mon murmured, half-to-herself, as she considered her next course of action, then smiled and started moving forward, seeking to gather up both women before the next prehistoric monster decided to dine on heavenly fare, something that, as a Priestess (even of a rival pantheon), she simply could not allow. She could, however, seek suitable compensation later, and on that merry note she went to aid the stricken goddess...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Looking back on that whole affair even I am forced to blush in dismay at my own conduct, treating my husband to such a vigorous massage when I should have been concerned for the welfare of our wife, to say nothing of whatever creatures might be waiting upon the fringe to attack us.

The truth is that it takes very little for me to feel the desire to be physically coupled with my two favorite Airen, for thoughts of them never stray far from my surface. Always, together or apart, I yearn for those moments when we can share intimacies and renew our vows of love through touch and sensation, but even given that it seems incomprehensible to me that I could have allowed my desires to overwhelm my logic so completely. I can only say in my own defense that the influence of those pollen spores made it possible for me to overlook and disregard the peril of our situation, though I am certain that great grandmother would be quick to criticize my complacency and accuse me of merely looking for excuses.

As if I needed any excuse for wanting to be with Nabiki and Ranma, but my actions upon that tree limb, where I turned a routine inspection of my wife's anatomy into a much more personal exploration of my favorite pleasure sites, was a needless distraction that took our minds off our danger and gave away our position to that giant lizard called a Tyrannosaurus. I compounded this error in judgement by doing the same thing again with Ranma under the guise of taking him to get cleaned up in the nearby river.

No sooner did I have him undressed and in the water then I once again was overcome by my desires, admiring the way the change turned manliness into femininity, and how sweet my Ranma is when she is fully wet and glistening in the water. Small wonder I shortly had her in my arms and squirming at my mercy.

I-fortunately-was prevented from reverting to my own curse due to a charm given me by Prince Kirin that could hold the power of Jusenkyo at bay, a gift given to me in order to assist me in my pregnancy so that my unborn daughter is not adversely affected. The Pendant of Bast is set to work only on women who are expecting and so is of no use to my husband, but it was the sole article of clothing that I permitted myself as I got down and physical with her, delighting in the fact that in her female form I have the advantage over Ranma in size and relative strength, a factor that I am all too willing to exploit when the two of us are thus together.

I was quite obsessed with seducing my lovely Airen and took no thought at all of any dangers that might lurk nearby in the water. I trusted in my Warrior's instincts to protect me, and when I sensed Nabiki and the Elder Lotion were close nearby I decided to put on a show to see how long it would take to tempt my wife into joining us. I knew that it could only have been the Elder who managed to restrain Nabiki from giving in at once to her desires, but rather than take the hint I instead looked upon it as a challenge and redoubled my attempts to lure Nabiki into my amorous clutches. Where things might have gone from there is anyone's guess, for Ranma surprised me by taking the initiative and doing unto me the very things that I was deriving so much pleasure from in rendering unto her body. As has been noted elsewhere, Ranma is a very quick study, and yet I was amazed to experience the skill of her caresses, the touch of her masterly hands bringing such intense arousal to my flesh that I became the one who was seduced and totally at her mercy.

So when the giant water lizard chose to interrupt us I was quite annoyed and vexed at the interruption, yet one look at the row of teeth it sported was enough to banish any thoughts of fighting it off from my mind. Instead Ranma and I leaped for safety and wound up dangling from the high-set branches of an overhanging tree, and what we might have done next is a subject open to speculation had Nabiki not taken the initiative by casting Lotion's staff like a spear and rendering the creature "hors de combat" (a term that I have recently learned from that annoying Frenchman who tried to claim that Nabiki was his fianc e...but than again, I am getting ahead of myself in the telling of this story).

The defeat of the first creature gave us a moment of respite, but no sooner was it down then yet another monster came to investigate our commotion, and so great was our haste to avoid this new peril that Ranma and I lacked the time that would be needed to retrieve our clothing and belongings. Instead we were left to run naked alongside Nabiki and Lotion as we tried to evade the thundering creature that came crashing through the woods in hot pursuit. I risked stealing a glance back over my shoulder and saw that the beast closely resembled another Tyrannosaurus, only different somehow, smaller and with stronger forearms. I think, from my cursory impressions of the thing, that it may have been a different variety of giant predator, something they call an Allosaurus, which in no way diminishes the extent of the peril we were in as it was not at all that discriminatory about what it wanted to have for its breakfast.

I would not be stretching the point to state what an impression the four of us must have created since Ranma and I were like two naked fawns running before the hungry gaze of a vicious tiger. It is somewhat doubtful that we could have continued to run like that since the creature was steadily gaining ground on us, but there was no place to stand and make a fight nor any convenient perches that I could spy where we might have climbed to find safety. There was not even enough time to form a Chi attack to repel the beast as Ranma had done with the other, so we were in very desperate shape and needed a way out of our dilemma.

Though I know Nabiki lacks the hardiness and endurance of a warrior she still managed to gasp out on the run without losing her breath, "Any suggestions...how to deal...with that thing...Sensei?"

"I am powerful but not all powerful," Lotion replied, "And as many beasts you kill there will always be more who are attracted by the scent of death and..."

And that was when the Elder abruptly fell silent, so suddenly that it took us several seconds to fully register the fact, at which point Nabiki was the first of us to react, turning an anxious glance over her shoulder and saying, "Old woman? Lotion? Sensei?"

"What the heck?" Ranma followed her glance, "Hell of a time for her to be pulling one of her vanishing stunts...!"

"No time to worry about this!" I said urgently, feeling the tread of the creature closing in on us through the soles of my bare feet, "Worry later!"

I saw that Nabiki was beginning to slow down, perhaps with the intent of circling around and finding the Elder, but I gave her no chance to do this as I grabbed her by the arm and drew her along again as we redoubled our efforts to escape from the creature. At length we came to a narrowing of the woods and were able to duck low under some foliage that the creature could not penetrate and by this means did escape from its appetite. At length we were able to finally slow our pace by a bit and then catch our breath as we reached a rocky prominence that heralded an abrupt change in the landscape that was so sudden that we immediately halted to take stock of the phenomenon.

I cannot quite describe it in words, I lack the poetry of a minstrel, but it was truly an amazing thing to find yourself one moment in a humid jungle and the next within a paradise, for that is the word that best describes the setting that we encountered on our arrival. Lush foliage growing out from a volcanic rockface framed around a large lake fed by adjacent hotsprings, a pleasant atmosphere that was tantalizingly mineral fed and gave an invigorating sense of calm and peace that contrasted greatly with the one we had left behind us. It was as though we had stepped onto an entirely different island and not merely a different geological location, more tropical and less deciduous, as though there had been some magical line separating the two frames that we had managed to cross without really knowing it, as though stepping around that bend had transported us to a peaceful sanctuary well beyond the reach of our reptilian pursuers.

We progressed into the grotto area with some caution at first, but no sooner did Ranma realize that hot water was near at hand then she grinned from ear to ear and said, "All right, just what I need!" and took a dive into the nearest pool before either Nabiki or I could stop her. Fortunately there proved to be nothing unusual about these natural hot springs for Ranma resurfaced again restored to his male sex and as proud of himself as always. Considering what a splendid look we both got of his manly profile we decided to hold off on criticizing his impulsive behavior and just accept the gift that we had been handed without further qualm or elaboration.

But then I felt Nabiki grab my arm and point with her other hand, and I followed her gaze to see a creature drinking from the edge of a lower spring further down in the grotto, an enormous creature with fur instead of scales covering its body which looked something like a moose (the four footed kind, not my former and unwanted suitor) but with enormous antlers that were like a forest atop its head. We stared in mutual astonishment as the creature raised its head and glanced at us, then calmly moved away and headed for the nearby woods, which represented a very different type of vegetation than the jungle behind us.

"Did you guys see that?" we hard Ranma ask us.

"Uh...yeah," Nabiki replied to this, "Looked kind of like a mammal from the Paleolithic era, not that I'm big on primitive zoology."

"Airen," I asked, "How can a big-horn creature such as this be here? It could not run very far with that tangling its way in the bushes."

"You got me there," my wife answered, "You'd think it never ran into a T-Rex before, but then again, they were supposedly separated by about sixty million years or so of evolution."

"I don't get it," Ranma admitted, "It's freaky. You'd think we were on some other different kind of island."

I saw Nabiki get that look in her eyes again, the one she gets when her Lore Master abilities are making their presence known. Indeed, her voice reflected an airy distance as she said softly, "Or maybe...there is some kind of force that is keeping the dinosaurs out of here...like this side of the island is set in an entirely different time zone."

"You mean like a date line?" I asked, then I belatedly got her meaning and said, "Oh...like magic, one part is in one era, the other is in another."

"Guess that makes sense," Ranma said as he came out of the water and exposed his genitals to our pleasure (yet curiously my desire for him remained as it always is, strong and yet easy to manage), "At least as much sense as there being dinosaurs on this island to begin with."

"You've got a point there, Ranchan," Nabiki smiled, then she noticed the way Ranma and I were looking at her and said, "What?"

"Airen," I smiled to our wife, "You are the only one here who is still wearing clothing, and is it not time you shed those tattered rags and got yourself cleaned up so you do not smell so bad that you attract more creatures?"

"I do not stink!" Nabiki protested, then paused to sniff herself before wincing, "Okay...maybe a little..."

"So what are you waiting for?" Ranma grinned as he joined me in flanking Nabiki, "Let's get wet together girls. It'll be fun, and I think we all need it."

I had absolutely no argument for that, and since there did not appear to be any danger in this particular setting, I felt no qualms about laying hands on Nabiki again and giving her a vigorous wash as we scrubbed each others bodies with Ranma in a pool of soothing warm water. Truth to tell I needed a bath every bit as much as she, and yet I was feeling something else about that time, which caused me to climb out and dry myself on the bank before we could get too far along in the course of our pleasures.

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked as he continued to fondle Nabiki, who was looking at me with just as much longing as I had felt for her from the beginning.

I smiled as I stretched out on the smooth rocks set to one side of the pool, "It is nothing, Airen, but...this one is feeling rather uncomfortable at the moment. Perhaps this one just needs to rest, we have been running for our lives for quite a while ever since crashing."

"Good point," Ranma seemed disappointed all the same, but he had sense enough to add, "Keep watch for us in case something else nasty shows up to take a bite out of us. No sense in dropping our guard completely like the last time, huh?"

"You are as wise as you are handsome, my husband," I agreed with a fond smile, then turned to study what other forms of life I might observe in that odd place while stealing coy glances at what my wife and husband were vigorously doing to each other.

I did not want then to admit it, but the reason I had begged off on further pleasuring was due to some cramps that I was feeling in my stomach. Mother had often described for me that one of the symptoms of a pregnancy is the discomfort you occasionally must endure for the sake of your baby. My body was going through all sorts of complex changes and though it was yet early in my gestation of new life my child had needs that only nature could answer. Therefore I had to "take it easy" for a few moments until that bloated feeling I was enduring (so different from normal monthly cramps) had passed me by completely.

It turned out that this place that we were in was a haven of sorts for many types of animals that were drawn to the oasis that formed around the larger pool area. I was able to discern several score of unfamiliar creatures whose nature I could only hazard a guess about, wishing all the while that my mother were present since she knows a great deal more about such things and could have lectured me at great deliberation. All I know is that there were several varieties of ground creature who looked near enough to beasts that I am familiar with for me to guess at their probable ancestry and order of descent, if not their actual genus.

I found it fascinating to be surrounded by such a wide variety of creatures, yet all of them kept their distance from our location, and I suspect that-were we not downwind of the majority of these beasts-they might not have shown themselves at all if they were aware of our actual presence. This implied to me that they had seen other human beings before and were wary about coming too close, and for good reason, but never was I to imagine the cause for this until much, much later...nor did I suspect that-even as I was observing them-  
something else was observing me with hungry eyes and a slavering thirst for my blood, and-even more surprising-it was definitely NOT a Tyrannosaurus.

Of course the one mystery that was on my mind at that point: where was Elder Lotion, and why had she disappeared on us so abruptly? I cannot believe that she would have abandoned us in a moment of crisis, yet what to account for her sudden disappearance, and what became of her while we were busy taking time out to relax and smell the lilacs...?

"Oh my, this is embarrassing..." Lotion mused as she stared up at the hole in the ground up above her. All around her was the darkness of the hole that she had fallen into, and so sudden had been its appearance that she had failed to even detect it before dropping through the opening without time enough to warn her companions.

Though she often affected an air of serene confidence and omniscience, Lotion well knew her shortcomings when it came to actually predicting with precision the random elements of the immediate future. She could sense an attack or a threat whenever it manifested but a passive snare could sometimes catch her unawares, especially when she was distracted by something much more threatening, such as a hungry monster seeking her destruction.

"I must be getting old," she mused in her native Mandarin tongue, "Not paying attention to where I was going at a time like this. What Nabiki would think of me if she could see me now, caught in a rabbit hole like a rank amateur, or-  
even worse-like my own granddaughter. Silk would laugh herself silly to see her granny in this situation, and now I must find my way out of here to catch up with my apprentice before she and her loved ones get into even more serious trouble. I only hope nothing else bad happens before I get a fix on their position..."

A low growl drew her attention and she cast a glance to one side in time to see a pair of glowing red eyes and gleaming teeth bared in her direction.

"Oh my," she sighed, "I really hate it when this happens..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Lotion's abrupt disappearance rattled me and I freely admit it, but later on she told me something about it being the design of fate and my time to shine forth and other stuff of that sort. Personally I think she's just making excuses for letting me go through that ordeal, but whatever the circumstances, the fact was that I had to get along without her holding my hand and serving as backup. To put it frankly, acting on my own is a lot more glamorous on paper than it is in real life, as I shall illustrate very shortly.

Finding that oasis was like a blessing from the kami, but how little we suspected what a trap the place truly was, and what an amazing lure for the unwary it could be, not that I was paying much attention at the time since I was far more preoccupied acting like a rutting teenager in heat...which is pretty much what I am when I get it on with my fianc . But then again, Ranma's a pretty tempting package even when I'm not under the influence of those spores, and besides, I was making up for lost time since playing voyeur earlier had gotten me hot and bothered and not much in a mood to be standing on introspection.

Or maybe I just wanted to feel Ranma's hard meat between my legs, or pillow him between my breasts, stuff I was eagerly doing when Shampoo up and quit on us in the middle of our foreplay. I sensed that she was feeling an intense discomfort and felt a sympathetic twinge in my sides that informed me that she was cramping, but other than that I had no idea what she was going through, let alone why. I mean, what do I know about the signs of pregnancy and the effects it can do to a woman's body? Not like I was planning on getting that way myself anytime in the very near future (and why do I suddenly have this very odd feeling when I write that...?).

Oh well, the point is that Shampoo got out of the water and dried herself off to the side while I was getting good and screwed by Ranma, and though I regretted not having both of my loved ones in that clench I was not at all sorry about getting my iinazuke all to myself for a chance. I contented myself with studying Shampoo's profile out of the corner of my eye while taking it in as Ranma concentrated on me with great enthusiasm, and damn if Shampoo isn't a tasty piece to look upon when she's just casually sunning herself and combing out her long hair so that it dries without tangles. She's so free and uninhibited in the way that she displays herself that I just get charged looking at her in her fully naked glory. Inspirational is the word I'd coin to describe what she was like for me at that moment, but I was still quite content to let Ranma do me while she watched us with approval.

I know that it must seem strange that our first priority in a strange place like that was to go at it like we were already on our honeymoon instead of taking precautions to see that we would not be rudely interrupted like the last time. It was almost like our actions were under the control of a separate consciousness, but that's only an excuse, I think, since it really just means that we were acting on our own subconscious impulses without rational thought interfering in the process. No doubt those pollen spores needed time to work their way out of our system since we seemed to recover well enough afterwards with only minor side-effects, like a good buzz you get with a hangover.

That being said, it's an odd thing that my rational mind was actually working at the time as I performed my half of the sex-fest, giving Ranma further incentive to stimulate me back while taking me all the way up my ass. I was churning over a lot of what Lotion had been telling me a few minutes before about how we choose our sex partners and what criteria we employ to size them up and screen out the "weenies." (By that I don't mean cock size okay? It's not cock size alone that makes Ranma appealing to me, though he's big enough where it counts by my standards) Ranma turns me on by being more than a hot stud who can become an even hotter girl whenever he's splashed, he's got technique and appetite and an ability to get spontaneous and creative. He's solid enough that I don't fear he's going to be cheating on me anytime soon, and with Shampoo in the picture our sex is never predictable or boring. He's just the most perfect specimen of a man that I can visualize myself going down with, and though he's got more than his share of personal faults, with what I'm looking for in a husband he's pretty much near perfect.

Oh, I can imagine myself going out with an ugly man or even one who has average looks, and at one time I was more concerned about the monetary factor than I am today, having realized what an asset I have with Ranma as my "business partner." Despite his cockiness and ego he's sensible enough to know where my strengths begin and his end, and in a battle of wits we both know I have a definite advantage. Pretty rare to find a guy who isn't all that threatened about being with a "smart" woman, and in a lot of ways he's smarter than me about some things. We compliment each other so well that it feels like he's a notch and I'm the grove that he fits so well into. That makes him the only real man for me, and I couldn't imagine sharing him with anyone else but Shampoo, who compliments us both and completes our three-way triangle.

Well, anyway, while stuff like this is running through my mind I notice that Shampoo is looking somewhat distracted. Considering that Ranma's pumping me up my rear at this point and I'm groaning up a storm about it, I'm rather amazed to find we're not the central focus of our amazon bride's attention. Then I see her getting up with a wary crouch and I'm instantly on guard against a possible monster attack, and I signal to Ranma that we may have to break things up sooner than either of us would like it. He's just as disappointed as me but takes the hint and pulls out from my ass to stand beside me in a protective manner. I can feel his hard-on remaining firm under the warm water but I turn my focus towards other things and immediately sense a lurking danger hovering nearby in some adjacent bushes.

I start to call a warning to Shampoo as she edges near this point, naked and weaponless but hardly seeming all that defenseless. Ranma tenses as he, too, senses immanent danger, but when it reveals itself the creature appears with such savage suddenness that the three of us are all taken off our guard, barely giving Shampoo time enough to leap back out of the way of a set of claws that attempt to rake her.

At once I realize that she's being attacked by a great cat, one so huge it would make your standard tiger seem like a harmless kitten by contrast. It snarls in frenzy showing off a pair of wicked fangs that look like eight-inch curving knives and could probably take a bite out of a T-Rex if one were present. Those claws slash air and were big enough to rip a car apart, I kid you not! It must have been more than three meters long from nose to tail and half again a meter at the shoulder, but I had no trouble instantly placing the beast as a Saber-  
Toothed Tiger, the kind you see in museums and hear jokes about in anime and manga.

My heart lurched up into my mouth as I saw the thing pounce at Shampoo and nearly nail her. Only by throwing herself onto her back near the edge of the water was my bride able to avoid being devoured, and with her feet thrust up to catch the thing in its stomach she was able to catapult it forward using its own momentum so that it want soaring over our head with a loud "SPLASH!" into the hot spring that soaked both me and Ranma, even while it did little to cool down the Tiger's hunger.

"RUN!" Ranma cries as he grabs me by one arm and literally propels me out of the water and onto the smooth stones along the side, where I waste no time scrambling to relative safety. Ranma is just a few centimeters behind me when the creature comes rearing up at us as mad as a wet...um...Tiger...and then we're running for it again, this time heading for the edge of the grotto without the least thought towards our lack of modesty, for which I am certain that you could hardly blame us.

But this Tiger is fast and no doubt is out for our blood, so as we turn a point among the volcanic rock formations we came skidding to a halt as we saw that a narrow path was leading down the side of the mountain. There was room enough for us to go two at a time but also room enough for that damned cat to follow after us, and as it was only meters behind our trail we had no margin for error, a wrong step could take us off the trail and over into a deep ravine that we saw off to our left vanishing far below into a steamy tropical forest.

It was looking mighty grim for us when Shampoo did something recklessly noble and foolish that I would have chewed her out for if there had been time to think about it. Seeing as the three of us could not hope to escape the creature on that trail, our Amazon wife chose to valiantly sacrifice herself by turning to face the charging cat and draw its attention away from both me and Ranma. I barely had time enough to turn and glance back as I sensed her danger when the creature lunged at Shampoo once again, who leaped back to avoid the creature...and then the two of them wound up in empty space over the ledge as gravity asserted itself and bore them both off into the ravine while Ranma and me looked on in abject horror.

"SHAMPOOO!" the both of us cried at once as we saw her attempt to twist her body and get out from under the big cat while it plunged right past her heading for a swan-dive in the jungle depths beneath us. I think I saw her execute an impossible maneuver to drag herself up onto the back of the Tiger, but then they went beyond my line-of-sight as darkness closed around them and the craggy surface of the rocks blocked them off from further viewing.

"Shampoo!" Ranma called again before turning to me and saying, "Stay here, and keep out of trouble! I gotta see if she's all right, Nabiki!"

And then he started off down the side of that damned mountain, jumping from branch to outcropping to tree-limb like a monkey on steroids while I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, too stunned at losing the both of them to think of anything coherent at that second.

"Ranma!" I reflexively called out several seconds beyond the point when I was certain that he was out of earshot.

I think I really must have been too far out of it to sense my actual danger, I only heard the sound of something hissing through the air a few seconds before something wrapped itself around my neck and all at once a pair of ball-shaped objects hit me around my temples. I lost consciousness at once and can't attest for anything more that happened over the course of the next few minutes, but when I did manage to come too I was to shortly discover that there were worse things than sabertooths and T-Rexes lurking on that island, and that my real ordeal was only just beginning...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Catch and Release Policies for Headhunters: shadowmane

What new danger has claimed our valiant apprenticed Lore Master and how will Nabiki get by without Shampoo and Ranma to protect her? Will Peorth finally "fess up" to Akane and reveal the whole story, and what will Mon-Mon do to collect on her "bounty?" And what of Minako and Ryoga who find themselves confronted by a tribe of talking reptiles? Be with us next time for: "Rapping with the Raptors," or, "A Star is Porn!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: or it's Mirror page at ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.  



	111. Chapter 111

Pangea06

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

[A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader]

[Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger [Peter Schell], Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!]

HENTAI ALERT-LEMONY SCENES AHEAD!  
CONTAINS OVER-THE-TOP SCENES OF AN ENTIRELY ADULT AND FLAGRANTLY HENTAI NATURE. IF YOU HAVE QUALMS ABOUT RACY JUNGLE-MOVIE SETTINGS WHERE MEN AND WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16-20 GET DOWN AND PRIMITIVE TO MISBEHAVE IN TOTAL CONTRIDICTION OF LOCAL MUNICIPAL STANDARDS, THEN YOU HAD BETTER LOOK ELSEWHERE BECAUSE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO RAUNCHY AND DIRTY IN THIS CHAPTER, AND WITH OVERSEXED TEENAGERS LIKE THIS CAST TO WORK WITH YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE AT THE POSSIBILITIES, THOUGH NOT EVERYTHING HERE SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOUSE. YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!

[Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima]

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(with apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto [Sailor Jupiter], while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino [Sailor Moon] is romantically involved with Rei Hino [Sailor Mars] while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Point-Six:

Apocalypse Then and Now (Rapping with the Raptors)

"[Terrible sorry to give you a bit of a fright like that, old chum,]" T'shalkri apologized while offering some confections off of a ceramic tray to his somewhat uneasy houseguests, "[I know it must have been a frightful start we gave you, but no harm done and no bad feelings exchanged and all that sort of rot.]"

"[Thank you,]" Ryoga said as he accepted one of the large candied roaches he had been offered, reckoning it a grave insult not to accept one, "[I guess the fault was with me for jumping to the wrong conclusions, but I thought...well...no offense, but...]"

"[You thought that we were going to attack and eat you?]" Zhandor concluded for him, "[Quite understandable if you've never been around our sort before, but regardless of what you may or may not have heard about our species, we never eat visitors unless it's on an empty stomach.]"

Minako did not answer that directly, finding it more than a bit awkward to be sitting down on the floor of a strange house built entirely of stone by the creatures whom she and Ryoga were visiting as guests. Staring around the room at the dozen or so bipedal reptiles with their curiously sleek bodies and brightly colored scaly hides-no two exactly alike, and more ostrich-like than human-was an entirely disconcerting experience, even given how nice these Raptors had behaved around her and Ryoga-kun so far. With their three-clawed hands that had prehensile thumb-like appendages they could manipulate tools and were remarkably sophisticated and highly cultured, reminding her of nothing so much as one of those stuffy English gentry country clubs that her Ambassador father had used to drag her to on social occasions. Just looking at their elongated faces and rows of extremely sharp teeth was enough to make her feel the utter unreality of their apparent situation, being accorded the hospitality of celebrities rather than winding up as a pile of bones in some strange tar pit. Even now she found it difficult to conceive that there was a whole village of such creature going about their daily affairs right outside the door to this common meeting-hall styled building.

"[More tea, Aino-san?]" one of the Raptors holding up a pot proffered, poising the lip over the cup that was in her hand, causing her to blink and gaze up warily in his direction.

"[Um...thank you, not right now,]" Minako responded, glad that the creatures could at least communicate with them in English, a common language understood by both parties.

"[And the pickings have been quite good of late,]" T'shalkri concluded as he offered his tray to Minako, "[Plenty of game on this island, and we have a vegetable garden out in back that provides us with enough to survive the season. Do try one, they are delicious.]"

"[Ah...thanks, but I'm trying to cut back,]" Minako apologized, only to have her stomach betray her by growling rebelliously at that particular moment.

The Raptors seemed to find great amusement in the blonde's discomfort, then one of the Cr che spoke up with a friendly, "[If you're afraid of eating bugs then we could get you something else that might be more to your liking, but you really should consider roaches now and then. They're mostly protein and are extremely nutritious, regardless of their rather lowly appearance.]"

"[Thank you, you are too kind,]" Ryoga sincerely responded, crunching down on his roach since he was used to eating worse things in his travels, "[I gotta say, I am surprised that you speak such perfect English...]"

"[Not at all surprising, once you consider that we were taught by an Englishman to speak the language,]" Zhandor explained, "[I'm afraid our Japanese is a bit rusty, though, so we're going to have to wing it.]"

"[Ah...an Englishman?]" Minako asked, glad that the subject of conversation was no longer on food since she was not completely reassured that these toothy monsters were going to refrain from eating her at any moment.

"[Professor Challenger was his name,]" T'shalkri explained, "[Came to us over a century ago leading an expedition in search of this island. Of course back then we were a fairly uncivilized lot living a primitive existence that was comparable to your stone aged cultures. Our ancestors did not understand who and what they were and simply took them for another strange tribe of ape-like beasts come to raid our village, and so we dealt with them rather savagely, I'm afraid, just as we had done for countless generations to the Trogs who sometimes raid us.]"

"[Trogs?]" Ryoga asked by way of clarification.

"[Short for Troglodyte, old bean,]" Zhandor explained, "[What you might call a Neanderthal, although they are closer to the original Erectus model than those hairy brutes who used to populate your northern climates.]"

"[A tribe of ape-men who were and are even less civilized than we were in those days,]" T'shalkri seemed to reminisce, "[My Granddad always thought we should have wiped the lot of them out, only we couldn't cross the barrier to reach their village, which is all to the better I suppose, much though we might wish we had a barrier of our own that kept them out of our territories.]"

"[I don't understand,]" Minako said, "[What barrier? Whose territory?]"

"[Quite all right,]" a Raptor named Dhanold answered, "[We could hardly expect you to understand. After all, your airship crashed only a few short hours ago and you've been separated from the rest of your people. Not exactly like you checked in with the local tour guides and got a full debriefing on the rules concerning life here on Pangea Island.]"

"[It's quite simple, really,]" T'shalkri turned his massive head to gaze out of the window of his stone house as he studied the village of his people, the Velari, "[The island is larger than you might imagine from merely viewing it at a distance, and it has been divided into three different zones that are each representative of a different zoological climate.]" He turned around and went over to a wall and pulled down on a tab, revealing an unrolled parchment that had a colorful map drawn in full detail, showcasing said island, "[On this side of the island we reptilians are the dominant life form with Raptors standing rather near the top of the food chain, while farther down towards the northern end of the island you find the Giganthropedian variety of Monster, not just lizards but insects and other sorts who have been enlarged to truly cyclopean dimensions."

"[And then there is Trog country, on the Western end of the Island,]" Zhandor noted rather tersely, "[The wildlife there more represents the mammalian life forms that once roamed abundantly throughout much of the world during what you term as the Ice Age era. The Trogs thrive there the same way we do here in the Reptile zone.]"

"[But crossing the barrier from our realm into theirs is-shall we say-  
greatly problematic,]" T'shalkri resumed with a sobering expression-or at least more sobering that a seven foot lizard with a massive snout and two barbed hooks on his feet might be.

"[Why is that?]" Ryoga wondered.

"[No one knows for certain,]" Dhanold answered, "[Though Professor Challenger believed that some sort of barrier system had been erected by an ancient culture to keep our three sectors partitioned off so that we reptiles could not cross into the Mammalian zone, or the monsters stray into our realm.]"

"[For which we can all be frightfully gratified,]" T'shalkri sagely nodded, "[A low-level sub-harmonic frequency that can be detected only by lizards and not humans is quite unpleasant for us and tends to make us wish to shy away from those other two zones, but mammals are unaffected by it, even though we believe there is a counter harmonic on our side that they can hear and we cannot that has the same effect on most creatures. Trogs and Humans, it seems, are impervious to both sub-harmonics...]"

"[Why is that?]" Minako asked as she studied the half-dozen reptilian faces that were turned in her direction, making her altogether aware that the flimsy outfit she was wearing was the only thing that was preventing her from looking like a tasty rabbit.

"[No ear canals on us for one thing,]" Dhanold answered, "[We detect sound and motion through a slightly different process than what you humans use with those ears that frame the sides of your face. In a way we can hear things that are beyond the range of even canine hearing, just as we vocalize human speech by mimicking it via certain resonating chambers in our nasal passages, which is quite easy to do when you've had as much practice at it as we've had.]"

Ryoga seemed to accept this at face value though even he was a bit overwhelmed at the thought of an entire village populated by these terrifying creatures despite the fact that they seemed otherwise quite decent. Polite to a fault and surprisingly well cultured with books and scrolls and a written language all their own that even he found difficult to translate with his natural gift for strange dialects. The creatures were perfectly designed killing machines whose bodies were sleek and as agile as great cats, yet they preferred a sedentary life that balanced their savage instincts with the requirements of any city that he had ever visited in his travels which included laws and customs that allowed for their mutual coexistence with other life forms. If anything they seemed even more civilized in their habits than most people of his acquaintance.

Well, almost, as was illustrated when Minako once again broached the point by asking them about Professor Challenger, to which Zhandor replied, "[Ah yes...an amazing fellow, quite extraordinary even among his fellow humans. He taught us to read and write in seven different human languages and helped to show us how to create irrigation and farming. Much of the technology that we enjoy today we owe to him as our benefactor.]"

"[So what happened to him?]" Ryoga asked.

"[We ate him,]" one of the lower ranking Raptors replied, to which his comrades broke out into a series of guffaws and chuckles as he added the line, "[Just kidding.]"

"[Really, Vhinzent,]" T'shalkri drolly chided, "[The truth is that our ancestors attacked and slaughtered the other members of Challenger's party and did indeed consume their remains...which, after all, is what we did back then during our uncivilized beginnings. But we found that we could not do the same to him...]"

"[Why not?]" Minako was surprised her voice was as steady as it was even as she asked this.

"[Because he is an Immortal and is quite indestructible,]" T'shalkri answered, "[Our claws could not penetrate his hide, nor could our teeth rend the flesh from his body. My great-granddad broke several good teeth in the effort, so I know where from I am going with this. Our elders were puzzled at finding a human who was so unusually resilient, so they held him captive for a number of years and debated endlessly over what they should do about him, and in that time he slowly worked to gain our trust and learn our language.]"

"[That's why we have a statue dedicated to him in the middle of our village square,]" Zhandor nodded towards the entrance to the stone residence, "[The human who taught us the error of our ways and helped to lead us to the light of civilization. He showed us that it was wrong for us to kill and eat other sentient beings...at least without being provoked to self-defense, that is, though we do make exceptions when the Trogs attack us.]"

"[You mean you guys are cannibals?]" Minako all but squeaked, her worst suspicions confirmed as she already could imagine them placing her on their menu.

"[Oh no,]" Dhanold replied, "[Cannibalism would only apply if we were eating our own kind. It's Anthropophagy for us to dine on humans.]"

"[And Gynophagy for us to select the female half of your species,]" another Raptor helpfully added.

"[Yes, but humans really are not especially tasty creatures when contrasted with Stegosaurus meat and other such delicacies,]" T'shalkri noted, "[Tastes a little too much like Archaeopteryx meat for my liking.]"

"[Really?]" Zhandor asked, "[I always thought it tasted like beef myself.]"

"[And here I was going to suggest Pterodactyl,]" Dhanold quipped with some amusement.

"[Wait, I don't understand,]" Ryoga said, "[Immortal? You mean...he could not be killed at all? How is that possible?]"

"[Afraid I don't really know the answer to that one, old Sport,]" T'shalkri replied, "[Metaphysics is hardly my specialty, but I believe the term he used to describe himself was Guardian of the Elements and Master of all Science. Well, eventually some people who worked for him finally caught up with us and he went back to your world to continue as he had before, but we have never forgotten all that he did for us and in his memory welcome stray humans such as you to our village with open claw, just so long as you are mindful to observe the rules while you stay here.]"

"[So...you don't really attack humans unless they're hostile,]" Ryoga said, as much to reassure Minako as to summarize what the Raptor leader had been explaining.

"[Good heavens no,]" T'shalkri replied, "[Do harm to fellow sentient creatures? It would hardly be cricket, and we're far too evolved for that sort of misbehavior.]"

"[Right,]" Minako agreed with a dubious expression, "[So, these days you're just a fun loving, benevolent bunch of intelligent lizards...]"

"[My dear, we are Reptiles, not Lizards,]" Dhanold corrected, "[We may lack fur but we are entirely warm-blooded, and though we do lay eggs when we mate we take great pride in our clan's close knit family associations. My clutch-mates and I correspond regularly on holidays and Tuesdays, and we bury our young with great ceremony and fondness for their memories...although it is true in the old days all we did was leave them to the elements, which is far more ecologically efficient.]"

"[Okay...sorry,]" Minako winced, "[Didn't mean to ruffle any...um...scales.]"

"[Quite all right, we understand how it is,]" T'shalkri amended, "[Mammals with no experience of the Velari clan can hardly be expected to alter the preconceptions of a lifetime in only a few minutes, to which we can hold that lamentable film that a few of us starred in a while back as a publicity stunt, a vain attempt at establishing some outer-island contacts.]"

"[Publicity stunt?]" Ryoga asked.

"[Fellow by the curious name of Spielberg found out about us and made contacts through our agent to have a few of us contracted to work in one of his movies,]" Zhandor explained with matter-of-fact terseness, "[We've a few thespian-inclined individuals who were willing to do method acting, and as they were able to pass it off as special effects employing computers, it was a great opportunity for us to learn a bit about how the outside world has been progressing.]"

"[Yes, but at least that Spielberg fellow was the genuine article...not at all like the Trog chief, who is a bit of a basket case, a few cards short of a full deck,]" Dhanold noted.

"[They have a chief?]" Ryoga asked.

"[Yes, but he prefers to call himself The Director,]" Vhinzent replied with a curling of reptilian lips, "[A very unpleasant fellow, and totally deranged. Since he came from the outside and took over the village the Trogs have behaved supremely beastly.]"

"[Yes indeed, he is quite the character,]" T'shalkri noted rather sagely, "[Almost seems to think that he is more some kind of a god than humble flesh and blood...even comes from your home country, I believe, as did his original troop of followers and actors.]"

"[Actors?]" Minako blinked.

"[Who is this guy?]" Ryoga asked, "[Does he have a name?]"

"[Of course he does, old boy,]" Zhandor replied, "[Most specimens of your species tend to use names for their handles.]"

"[So what is this guy called if he's from the home islands?]" Minako wondered.

"[I believe he's somewhat famous where you come from,]" T'shalkri replied, "[They call him Akuma Zesutoru...]"

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

It's a really strange thing about being knocked unconscious...one minute the lights go out, then slowly you start to come to in stages. At first you have this really odd sensation that you're floating in mid-air, then you start to become conscious that you're swinging from side to side and can't move your arms or your feet, and gradually you open your eyes and discover that you're suspended from a pole that's being carried through a forest like in one of those old jungle movies with your hands and feet tied to a pole on which you are carried. Then consciousness slips away from you again and you're out for what seems like a few minutes before you start to come back to yourself with a throbbing in your temples and a sense that you're no longer in Kansai.

The first thing I became aware about was the fact that I was far less comfortable than if I had been in my bedroom or laying on a futon. Took several seconds before I could place that odd sensation of laying across a criss-  
crossing of bamboo-like poles, and then I had the impression of a cage all around me, and then I finally manage to pry my eyes awake and discover that I really AM in a cage, that it's made of bamboo poles bound together with vines and stuff, and that it's just large enough for me to sit up inside the thing as I push myself partially erect and adjust my eyes to the dim light of my surroundings.

The second impression that I got as I looked beyond the framework of my prison was that I was not alone and I was definitely in serious trouble.

Because all around me I saw tribespeople, brown-skinned natives in primitive garb like something out of a documentary, but much more savage looking than you'd expect from your everyday Pacific islander. These guys were the real deal, only cruder, nastier, and definitely more unsavory than anything you might view in a magazine. They also represented not one but three distinctive branches of the human species.

There at least a couple of hundred of them that I could see from my position, all of them wearing crude skins and woven grass skirts or other types of homemade articles of clothing that left more exposed to full view than concealed from normal viewing, and there were other features like bones and claws and shells that added to that rustic barbaric feeling. They had spears and other weapons on display, but my surprise was greatly magnified by the incongruous sight of what looked to be semi-automatic rifles mingled among the rest of their hardware. That didn't jibe with my first belief that I'd fallen into the clutches of a prehistoric group of headhunters but-then again, as Lotion would say-first impressions can be deceiving if you don't open yourself up to perceiving things with your higher senses.

Of course, if I had used my intuition to fathom out just what sort of trouble I was in I would have shit a brick on the spot, but that's only in retrospect that I see now how badly fucked I was, and without either of my two heroic fianc es near enough to effect my rescue.

The next thing I realized was that the setting that we were in was straight out of a movie backlot, complete with forbidden temple setting that looked like some ancient civilization had left its mark and vanished. The place was vine-covered and mossy with great age, yet also decorated with more recent marks of habitation such as blazing torches and poles upon which human skulls were mounted and ornaments of flowers garlanded at the base of every setting. The savages were all gathered like stage extras about this place as though waiting for someone to cue them into position. The light from those torches set against the darkness of the jungle gave the place an appropriately foreboding light that made me feel even more trapped and out of my element than ever. All that was missing was for somebody to be beating a rhythm on some jungle drums while natives danced the watusi, and that was shortly to come as matters further progressed, though at that particular moment all I heard was an ominous silence all around me.

Then somebody spoke and I all but jumped out of my skin, whirling around in my cage to see a man standing near to my position, a bearded guy wearing a faded Hawaiian shirt and baggy Bermuda shorts with an honest-to-kami camera dangling from around his neck, making him look even more like a tourist.

"Oh good, you're awake," he said in perfect Japanese, albeit heavily accented by the drift of being away from home for a very long time, "I was afraid the boys got a little too rough with you back there, but you can hardly blame them for being so enthusiastic. It's been a while since anything like you has been found on this island."

"Like me?" I asked uneasily, "Who are you?"

"Oh dear, that is a question, isn't it?" he touched his face as though it had been a while since anyone had asked for his identity, "I suppose you could call me...Yamaru...yes, I believe that's what my name used to be, though around here everyone just calls me Snapshot, or just Snap for short."

"Snap?" I asked, not getting the reference.

"On account of the fact that I used to be a photo-journalist," he explained, "I take pictures for a documentary company...or at least I did until I came here to work upon the Direkuto...the Director. Yes, I was part of an entire troupe who journeyed here so very long ago...a lifetime ago, several lifetimes in fact. I think I was very good at my profession, but these days all I do is follow the Director around to chronicle his genius."

"Director?" I repeated back at him, already suspecting that this guy was a fractured player in need of being sent back to the shop. Just the way he talked showed what a strain it was for him to remain even semi-coherent, and that doesn't even begin to describe the unnerving way in which he was eyeing me while we talked, like he was seeing me as something more than a pretty girl in a cage, and it was not long before I found out what he was actually thinking.

"The Director," he emphasized the word as though he were describing the Emperor or a Kami, "The genius whom we all followed here in order to make his vision into a reality. He will appear before us shortly after he has consulted his muse and struggled deep within himself to find...his divinely inspired vision..."

"Uh, yeah, whatever," I said, "So he's a mystical type, huh?"

"You misunderstand," he said as though I were a small child who didn't "get it," "He is the one who brings it all together, the general who struggled mightily against mediocrity and oppression, the maestro of cinematic glory, the one and only...Akuma Zesutoru."

I blinked at the reverent way in which he said that name, but my first reaction was, "No way!" even as I said aloud, "Akuma Zesutoru?"

"None other but," Snap said with serene aplomb, like a religious convert describing a channeling experience, "And none other less. Akuma Zesutoru, the greatest craftsman of movie making wonders who has ever graced the threshold of Tojo studios, the living legend of celluloid perfection, to whom even the best minds of the West and East pale to insignificance besides. Akuma, the Director, the one who can lead armies of grips, stage hands, performers and artists into battle against the debased and unworthy standards of the industry. The man who single-handedly revolutionized the way in which to tell a story on film, the one who..."

"He's dead," I pointed out.

"Dead?" Snap seemed a bit disoriented upon hearing this, but quickly rallied himself to say, "No...you are mistaken, he lives, just as he always rises to triumph over adversity. What to him are the Shogun's army of loyal crewmen who yet follow his lead and seek to help him to bring about his vision for the future."

"Yeah, whatever," I said, "But as far as the world out there knows, he died in a plane crash and took several key players with him, no doubt snatched up to join the other girls in an afterlife that's not being peopled with the likes of him and the rest of his performers."

"You're wrong," he said with perfect sincerely and a contented expression, "He lives...lives to craft his dream every day, the glorious inspiration that drew us all to this accursed island almost ten long years ago when we were all so young and na ve about our grand adventure..."

"Wait a minute, slow down!" I urged him, "Akuma Zesutoru? I mean...he's a genius, yes, but...he can't still be alive! I mean...ten years? Are you telling me you've been here for ten long years on this damned island?"

"Ten years," his voice actually trembled as he spoke this, then he frowned and added, "Or was it twenty? So hard to keep track of the time...how long has it been? Five days, five lifetimes or five separate incarnations...?"

I struggled to make sense of what this guy was ranting on about, but Snap had clearly snapped somewhere during the long years that he had spent there on Dinosaur Island, even as I did some mental math then came up with a more accurate total then said, "Twelve years...that's how long it's been since the world last heard of Akuma Zesutoru."

"Twelve years?" he ran fingers through his hair and beard as though to chew that over, "That long? Oh my...where does the time go? Twelve years since we debarked on our quest to find the perfect location...twelve years since we entered hell and found our way to this remotely ancient site. Yes...it has been a while, hasn't it? But then again, that's how long it has taken the Director to find his inspiration and make good on his promise to give the world the perfect Lost World adventure."

"Ah...how's that again?" already dreading that I would shortly know the answer.

I might as well cut to the chase here and let you in on what I found out by interrogating that nutjob with the camera while crouched in a tiger's cage feeling sympathy for the tiger. In case you think I'm lying or exaggerating, yeah, I really do mean Akuma Zesutoru, the director of many a Tojo-studios produced movie classic such as "Blood on Snow," "The Cherry Orchard," "White on Powder," and my all time favorite, "Heaven's Tora." Some called him the Alfred Hitchcock of Japan, or some other guy who could produce movies of great taste and cinematic vision. What Ranma might call a "weepy girl's flick" is what that man could transform into a work of moving art that can reduce you to tears while uplifting the spirit.

Or, at least, that was the Akuma Zesutoru that I knew from my video collection, a certified mastermind of enchanted theater glory. But twelve years back he had made an announcement to the world that he was going to embark on the ultimate project to produce the perfect movie. He then vanished from the scene as completely as that American pilot, Emelia Earheart, and no more was ever heard of him again, leaving a mystery behind for which there was much gossip and speculation. Only now I learned the horrible truth behind his disappearance and what had become of him during the years of his absence.

Again I'd like to caution you that my intentions in writing this are not to talk trash about the man or to ruin his reputation. This really did happen to me, I'm not making it up, and he really did go completely and totally crazy, so insanely out to lunch that he was doing lunch at my expense, only that part was at least an hour or so further ahead in my (seemingly limited) future.

The thing is Akuma wanted to create a movie alright, a fantasy adaptation of that much-lauded work by the American author Edgar Rice Burroughs, a story about a "Lost World" populated by dinosaurs and save ape-like humans, allegedly based upon the notes of some fictional explorer who called himself Professor Challenger, only Akuma became obsessed with the idea that the story was for real and reflected the actual events that took place on an island hidden somewhere in the middle of the Pacific.

Somehow Akuma found out about the location of Pangea and was convinced that going there was the only way of achieving his genius. Being a notorious perfectionist and obsessive type by nature he wanted to have real dinosaurs in his movie, not the fake ones that looked like guys in rubber monster suits, since this was in the day before CGI technology could give us lifelike monsters (as opposed to that documentary and newsreel footage taken by a few brave souls during some of Gojiro's many visits to our fair home islands).

Anyway, he got the financial backing and assembled an army of technicians and actors and landed on this island with the overwhelming force of an army storming the beaches of Normandy. Several hundred men and women followed Akuma into the wilderness and were never heard from again, including world-renowned actors Pai Takura and Kozuma Yotaki.

According to "Snap" things started to go wrong on the set almost from the very beginning, such as their first encounters with predators like the T-Rex, which drove the survivors into this area that was populated by a peace loving tribe of primitive humans, whereupon Akuma worked his charisma to win them over. Before long he had become their chief, and then he ordered these natives to become stagehands and extras, mingling his cast with these tribesmen until there was hardly any difference in the mixture.

From there he managed to transform life for these people into one long waking nightmare, constantly seeking the right lighting and set location before ordering his performers to play out his fantasies and join in the spell he wove to shape his creative vision. Kilometers of film were shot and processed with some footage shipped back towards the states by means of the working plane that yet was maintained on the eastern beach area, and gradually word of Akuma's costly struggle for achievement of his "ultimate masterpiece" began to filter back towards the studios, as did the awesome price tag of having to keep him supplied with all the resources he continually demanded. Akuma's demands became more and more unreasonable until finally the money men at the home Tojo offices decided to cut their losses by sending out the word that they were yanking financial backing for the project.

The news that they had yanked the plug on his greatest ambition was the final straw that caused Akuma to snap completely, so instead of meekly obeying their wishes he had the agents delivering the message put to gruesome death then ordered his people to destroy the plane and cut their ties back to the home islands. An expedition that later was dispatched to find them was driven away in a hail of gunfire and spear tossing, and after that the studio decided that it was too great of an embarrassment to let word about what had happen get out to the world at large, so they concocted the plane crash story and burned all records of the Pangea experience to protect themselves from future liability and financial losses.

Cut off from civilization, Akuma was no longer bound by the restraints of civilized conduct and at last he could follow his Muse to the horror that would become his movie project, and so great was the force of his personality that no one on the set dared to oppose him as he filmed one scene after another, or set everything up to film then changed his mind and did something else at random. Twelve long years of this had driven everyone mad, including the villagers, who were now worshipping Akuma as a living god and carrying out his slightest whim as though it were a heavenly commandment.

Which brings us to my plight, being stuck in that damned cage while feeling my nape hairs stand on end as Snap revealed one hideous, nightmarish story right after the other, of Akuma's rages and ranting episodes where he would order people to be killed in a gruesome manner just to add to the drama of a scene, and to heck with the fake blood when he could spill some real corpuscles! I could hardly believe my ears when I heard it described how Pai Takura had lived out her own VERY REAL death scene, submitting to the Director's demands for total cinematic realism by letting herself be boiled alive in a stew pot and then served to the crew to help relieve a meat shortage created by his own actions.

Yeah, that's right, cannibalism. One of the greatest lady stars of our time submitted herself to the ordeal of being cooked alive like a pot full of noodles, and all because the director was keeping the villagers so busy on his set that they had little time to hunt wild game and grow their crops. Pai apparently came up with the idea herself, and since the alternative was starving to death she offered no protest while allowing the gourmet chefs among the natives prepare her for a feast that would be her last ultimate performance. This set a trend among the natives, who had often resorted to cannibalism only as a last resort during times of famine and crisis. Other women on the set were soon to be claimed as meat to feed their hungry tribesmen, then men began to follow suit after drawing lots to see who would die for the sake of the others and all other social restraints on personal behavior gradually fell away until there was no fundamental difference left to distinguish the so-called "civilized" crew from the uncivilized tribespeople.

Akuma finally relented to allow the tribe to plant their crops and engage in routine hunting only when this feasting on human flesh threatened to create a serious shortage of talent to star within his movie, and so it went that every now and then a female or male would be sacrificed to appease the gods that had beset Akuma with his demonic madness.

The irony of it was that the crew had long ago run out of film and no longer could import any from the outside world, yet still Akuma drove his stage crew to behave as though they were still working to capture his vision. Akuma was obsessed with the idea that he was on the verge of finally realizing his ultimate scene and thus completing his movie, but all he needed was the right sort of cast to help him carry it off and the pool of female candidates had gotten mighty slim over the years with the surviving women either getting pregnant and bearing offspring (the lucky ones...I think) or being claimed by the local wildlife. Even the tribesmen had suffered great losses among their own ranks of marriageable females, so the clan was in danger of becoming extinct within the next generation, and all because of one man's mindless fanaticism.

Which brought the point home to me as Snap gave me a hungry look and announced that I had been elected to be the latest in a long line of candidates to help the Director get over the creative hurdle that was preventing him from completing his movie. The scene that I would be needed for was a simple one that required no acting experience and yet was guaranteed to feature me in a starring role with top billing and full credits. The only problem was that it would be a one-time only deal with no thought of me signing any long-term contracts.

To put it mildly, I thought the whole idea was only slightly less insane than bungee jumping off the Tokyo Tower in the middle of a monsoon. In other words I reacted with as much calm and composure as you would expect under the situation.

"KUSO!" I yelled, or words to that effect, "You've got to be kidding me!" (Well, okay, what I actually said was a lot less printable, and it took me a full minute to say it as I had some pretty colorful descriptions to go with this, added to some interjections far too impolite for a lady. If Kasumi had heard me then and there she would have washed my mouth out with soap, let alone wonder just where I would have come up with such a vocabulary since Japanese is notoriously deficient of Western-style curse words. Or, then again, maybe Kasumi would have sympathized considering what prospects were facing me at that general minute.

Snap seemed to understand my plight and even sympathized with my protests but nonetheless nodded his head and said, "Yes, yes, they all say that, but in the end you can't escape your fate or go against the will of the Director. His command is law here, and if he requires you to perform in this role then you have no choice but to obey him...and believe me, disobedience to his will is not to be contemplated."

"The hell you say!" (okay, again I'm cleaning it up for the record), "You just want to have your way with me and...and do that stuff you just described, but I won't do it! I'm a Japanese citizen, I pay my taxes! I'm a human being, not an animal...YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"Can do this," he said, "Will do this, and I really am sorry about the inconvenience."

"INCONVENIENCE?" I all but spat at the guy, "You freaks are going to eat me, and you call that an INCONVENIENCE?"

"Yes," he answered calmly, "But don't worry, you won't suffer very much. The chef knows what he is doing and he's had a lot of practice at this sort of thing, and you'd be amazed at just how good he is at preparing you for the role that you will be playing."

"Oh swell, that just sounds so peachy!" I sarcastically responded, "I feel sooo much better knowing that! Now I'm supposed to go along with this and let you idiots have your way with me? No thank you!"

That was when the jungle drums started beating and the natives started beating their spears against the ground, their but-ends creating a staccato noise that sounded like bones being rattled together, and as I turned my eyes to see what the commotion was all about the Director himself put in his long-awaited appearance.

To say the least I was both appalled and in awe of what I was seeing.

He was enormously fat, of course...that much is hardly surprising given what I'd just heard about his dietary habits, but he moved with grace and energy that belied his years and he was dressed pretty much as you would imagine a Chief would be with an ornate costume that had beads and pearls and shells adorning his neck, an enormous loin cloth covering the area just above his thighs while fat legs bulging with muscle driving him forward in a stride that carried his enormous bulk with ease across the stony path between us, and flanking him were a number of tough-looking warriors who had blood-red markings about their painted faces and wrists, signifying that they were some sort of official honor guard trailing after their self-anointed "Caesar."

There were young children scattering flower petals in his path as their Chieftain headed towards me, little urchins no older than ten or twelve years of age at the most, more naked than clothed and some of them quite noticeably female. Akuma himself came to a halt just a few meters away from me and took the time to study my cage with a critical expression. I made contact with his eyes, which were bright with the intensity of a driven madman, and yes, he really did have a powerful aura of charisma about him that even I could feel and react to as he looked me over critically then nodded in approval at my direction.

"She will do," he spoke crisply, "Yes...she will be my new Pai Takura, and she will complete her scene and help me bring my quest to its ultimate conclusion. Have her readied and marinated, we start filming when the sun is directly overhead, which means she ought to be ready just in time for our supper."

"Now wait a minute...!" I started to protest when Akuma gave me a sharp look that froze my vocal chords as though I'd been hit in a pressure point. I realized instantly that one does not interrupt the great Akuma when he is crafting a scene, and even strong men would bend to his will as he had the drive to overwhelm the toughest of egos.

"What is it you want from me this time, Pai?" he asked, startling me as I felt his sudden shift of mental gears, as though in his mind I had just been transformed into some other person, "More Perrier for your trailer? A bigger mirror, a better manicurist? I've no time to indulge your childish whims. Be ready to recite your lines and I have you on my set as soon as it is made ready."

"But-!" I tried again, only to find myself once more confronted by the intensity of his eyes and expression.

"You will do it right this time," he informed me, "No more takes, no more ad-  
libbing, no more excuses. You've done this often enough that you ought to know your part by now, so let's do away with the nonsense and get down to the fulfillment of my life's ambition."

I blinked my eyes then tried to steady my nerves to withstand his demented ranting, trying to think of something that I could say that would convince him that I was not Pai Takura...only to have the very strong sense that such a revelation would be bad for my health...very bad indeed, so bad that I dropped the idea on the spot as a waste of effort.

Instead I swallowed thickly and asked, "What do you want me to do...oh great Director?"

"That's more like it," he smiled, "You really are the best for this, and I've always admired you for your total dedication to your profession. Now...I must think how this will go down. There should be music and chanting, and the boys should do a warrior's dance to appease the spirits of their ancestors. Yes...and the Witchdoctor should pronounce his blessings on the feast before things really get started, and the women must have her ready before she is cooked. So many things to plan for and make just right...we must get those mirrors angled for the right mood lighting, and the prop department had best make ready the choice ingredients...the flavor must be just right this time, and everything else shall be to absolute perfection!"

Yeah, he really was that out of it, totally lost in a world of his own making and completely unable to appreciate the fact that I did not want any part of his nightmare. Oh sure, it's a great honor and all that Akuma Zesutoru thought I was worthy of starring in one of his movies, and under different circumstances I would have been flattered and all that, but come on! I've heard of suffering for your art before, but this was completely ridiculous and insane in the extreme! It's an honor I gladly would have declined if given the choice, but the option to refuse was definitely not open to my selection.

I started to rattle the bars of my bamboo cage in order to test how firmly I was trapped inside this demented scenario, but my strength was no where near that of either Shampoo's or Ranma's and the vines holding the cage door shut were stronger than you might imagine. It was looking mighty grim for yours truly and already I could see the natives off to one side transporting an enormous black kettle to a lower cooking area set in the middle of the temple courtyard, and guys were using clay pots to slowly fill it with water while other guys laid down sticks and kindling at the base of the pot with the clear intent of heating things up once I got added to contents.

In acute frustration I yelled out of my cage, "You let me out of here or you guys are gonna be real sorry!"

"That's good," Akuma clapped his hands, "Very good indeed, you're playing the part to perfection, but save it for when the film crew gets started capturing this for posterity. Now people, everyone knows their part, so get down to it and we'll have a feast to remember to celebrate my glorious triumph!"

Realizing that I was good and royally screwed this time I again cried out, "You can't do this to me! I...I've got too much to live for!"

"That's what the other actresses said when they took their turns, you know," Snap informed me with a sad smile that belied his hungry expression, "All of them had something else to live for, but that's the beauty of when they sacrifice their all for the sake of the Director and his vision. Of course, if the studios had been less unreasonable it might not have worked out this way...oh dear...I'm having trouble remembering again just why they decided to abandon us...I know that there had to be a reason..."

"Oh sure!" I snapped once again, "It's because you're all a bunch of useless morons!"

Snap snapped his fingers and cried, "That's it! That was their reason!"

Akuma turned to a group of extremely fat women who were approaching my cage and said, "Get her cleaned up and ready...we start filming in an hour, and don't forget the make-up."

These women-four of them, to be precise-were among the last females left in their tribe, but all of them gave me identical looks that as much as declared that I was not a human being to them but just a wild animal that they were supposed to get ready for cooking in that stew pot. For all it mattered I was just their next meal, food that talked and walked on two legs and of no other significance but what they intended to do to me in order to feed the appetite of the three-hundred-plus set extras who were licking their lips in my direction. I suddenly knew that trying to resist them would be a HUGE mistake as they were stronger than they looked and could likely wrestle me into a pretzel if I gave them any back-talk.

It's days like this that I wish I were a martial artist like Ranma, or even Shampoo, who could have knocked these people silly and escaped into the woods before they had time to organized a counter-strike against her. But without my two protectors I was left to my own means and was facing a rather unpleasant death at the hands of a savage party of deranged lunatics who saw me as nothing more than a source of protean. It's days like this that I'm almost glad I never took up cooking, like Kasumi.

Of course, being the one whose goose is about to be cooked puts a whole different spin upon the matter, and if you doubt me then you try going through what I did on the way to becoming a pot full of human sukiyaki...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cook Outs with Nabiki Tendo: shadowmane

Will our heroine finally meet her end for the sake of another man's insane genius, or does Nabiki have the means of rallying to her own defense? Will Ranma and Shampoo arrive in time to save their Airen from becoming tomorrow's leftovers? For this and other riddles stay tuned for: "Southern Island Cooking," or, "I am eaten by the Cannibals." Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: or it's Mirror page at ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.  



	112. Chapter 112

Pangea07

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-LEMONY SCENES AHEAD!  
CONTAINS ELEMENTS OF RAUNCH SEXUAL HUMOR AND INUENDO COUPLED WITH KINKY ELEMENTS OF AN EXTREMELY ADULT-ORIENTED NATURE. DO NOT READ IF EMOTIONALLY UPSET BY LURID JUNGLE-THEMED SCENARIOS IN WHICH CUTE TEENAGED GIRLS ARE MENACED BY HUNGRY CREATURES BENT ON FEASTING UPON THEIR DAINTY FLESH (WHETHER HUMAN OR MONSTER, I LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHICH IS THE MORE TERRIFYING PROSPECT). THIS IS INTENDED TO BE AN OVER-THE-  
TOP LEMON THAT SKIRTS THE LINE BETWEEN VULGARITY AND GOOD TASTE, SO IF STORIES SUCH AS THAT UPSET YOU THEN LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR YOUR VIEWING ENTERTAINMENT. YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED, SO RESERVE YOUR DINNER RESERVATIONS ELSEWHERE.

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Point-Seven

Village of the Dumb (Nabiki stews in her own juices)

Makoto felt delightfully contented as she lay atop her beloved Sempai, snuggled close within the embrace of Ukyo's arms while the two of them shared a post-  
coital languor, relishing the intimacy of their mingled auras merging as one together.

"Ooooh, Sempai," Makoto cooed sleepily, "You do that so good..."

"Same to you, Sugar," Ukyo smiled sensually while resting to recover her expended energies, feeling the ecstasy of a sweet exhaustion that was well and truly earned between herself and Makoto, prompting her to add in soft undertones, "I could really get to like this..."

"Me too," Makoto said as she moved to kiss Ukyo on the lips, mashing their breasts together while employing their hands to caress female flesh and draw them even tighter together, "I'm so glad we finally got together, Sempai. I never would have known what I was missing..."

"Likewise," Ukyo said as she moved her right hand up to cup one of Makoto's double-E sized breasts and give it an affectionate caress, to which Makoto responded in kind with an equally affectionate fondle of Ukyo's right nipple, "You're the most amazing woman I've ever known, Mako-chan, and I can't imagine being with anyone else but you."

"You mean that," Makoto grinned, "Not even...Akane?"

"Ah...well..." Ukyo temporized, feeling distracted by odd memories of the absent Tendo sister, "I can't really see myself the same way with her that I am with you, Mako-chan. She's a nice enough girl, but you're the one I want as a partner in my restaurant."

Makoto's smile deepened appreciatively, "That's all I've ever wanted to hear from you, Sempai. You know that I'd be glad to join you in a restaurant venture. In fact, if I can balance time with you off of my duties as a Senshi..." she broke off to give a slight chuckle then added, "Sempai, please stop doing that to my feet. You know how sensitive the bottom of my soles can be..."

"Oh yeah?" Ukyo asked, "Then what about me? You know I'm ticklish down there, so quit it."

"Quit what?" Makoto asked between mirthful chuckles, "Stop that, Sempai...it tickles!"

"What are you telling me to stop for?" Ukyo asked as she squirmed within Makoto's arms, "You quit licking my ankles. I don't mind if you tongue me during sex but..."

Both girls froze in the sudden realization that neither one of them was currently responsible for pleasuring the other. Both felt nearly identical sensations down below, as though something soft and flexible was wending its way about their legs while playing with their feet and moving simultaneously upward to caress their loins with the flick of a tongue-like appendage. Ukyo and Makoto stared at each other in mutual wide-eyed shock, then the both of them glanced down to see that the lower half of their bodies was obscured from view by an enormous head and an even more tubular body. What they had both mistaken for a comforting blanket turned out to be an enormous creature that was steadily devouring them by swallowing them whole, much to Ukyo and Makoto's mutual amazement.

The giant snake was already moving well past the level of their hips and was sliding them into its gigantic mouth while their legs were being pulled down the length of its gullet with the certain awareness that they were about to disappear into its maw altogether. That prompted the girls to emit a mutual scream of terrified realization, and then the creature engulfed them completely, leaving only a bulge that continued to move down its length with an amazing alacrity far beyond what would be possible for a normal creature. The snake then effected to smile in an almost human way, and then it spoke in feminine tones of delight, "Father Set, I love my work! It's morning snacks like those two who make for a tasty appetizer...

Akane awoke with a start and said, "Ukyo?" glancing around in surprise at her unfamiliar surroundings. A curious wetness was probing her down below and causing her to feel the most amazing sensations down below around the area of her inner thighs. She struggled to remember what she might have done that would cause such a sensation, but at the moment she was too disoriented, and that curious dream was too fresh to be ignored. She had the very real sense that Ukyo was in some kind of danger and needed help to be rescued.

Of course the feelings she also had at that moment were of more than concern for her would-be girlfriend's possible welfare. In point of fact her senses were a bit confused and disoriented as though one awareness was overlapping the other, and indescribably pleasant sensations were assaulting her mind through the filter of blurred perceptions. On the one hand there was this feeling that Ukyo was surrounded and being overwhelmed from all sides by writhing tentacles bent on ravishing her tender young flesh and probing at her openings with intrusive members seeking to gain entrance. On the other hand there was the simultaneous feeling of having her own loins be devoured by a hungry serpent seeking ingress to her own vulnerable loins. As distracting as this was Akane could not decide if it was desirable thing though it was unmistakably pleasant.

She writhed a bit as something soft-yet-firm prided apart her labia lips and gently prodded her sensitive inner folds to elicit the most indescribably desirable sensations, causing Akane to squirm under this assault and moan a bit with heartfelt approval. It felt so nice being stimulated down there that-for the moment-she felt curiously reluctant to wake up and discover just who was doing this to her naked body. She could feel the warmth of the sun bathing her skin and had her thighs parted to allow a face to caress her thighs while soft lips gently glided over her sex and caused her to experience the sweet release of lubricating juices. The ravenous serpent that was pressing into her pink folds was causing her to lose all sense of time, space and proportion as Akane arched her back and rolled her head against the ground, pressing off of a hard stone surface while she curled her toes and gave a groan of delight to further encourage that ravaging snake to continue with what it was doing.

Akane surrendered herself to the worm that went ever deeper into her womanly cleft and spent the next few minutes in helpless ecstasy as she was eaten out and brought to the edge by a skillful master of the art of "Eating Pussy," for at length Akane no longer needed rational thought to deduce that the one doing this to her was unquestionably a woman. For a brief instant she dared to hope that it was Ukyo showing some initiative for a change, but then she felt her body clench as something crossed a gap within her very being, like a spark shooting from one node to the other, and with that she experienced the most wrenching sensation that she could ever remember feeling in her young life, a sense like being a dishrag that was being twisted and squeezed for moisture, and then the rushing tide of the ocean crashed down over her body and painted her in a wave of cleansing salt watery invigoration. She moaned in disbelieving wonder as her mind went white and for a prolonged eternity she ceased existing as an individual person. Then the flood of nervous energy rushed back like the tide receding and she felt her body shudder with moist perspiration while ragged breaths escaped from her body.

She was panting and as taut as a wire while those odd slurping noises accompanied the further sense that someone was devouring her body from the groin on upward. Her legs felt week and her knees felt like water while the entire world spun overhead and left her feeing as disoriented as a Hibiki on a carousel. She gasped as her mind slowly sought to reorient itself against a blue sky backdrop and almost it felt as though she were floating among the clouds even while the smooth firmness of a stone bed reminded her that she was still very much earthbound and alive. It took her several minutes just to gather the strength that she needed to crane her neck so that she could tilt her head and see who it was who persisted in giving her such skillful cunnilingus, by which point she had undergone two more orgasms and even screamed out a prayer to the kami on the last one.

Discovery of the identity of her benefactor, however, brought with it a new sense of surprise to Akane, for the pale haired Mon-Mon was not as recognizable without her head piece and costume, her hair spilling about her lovely face as she continued to lavish tongue-worship to a much amazed Akane, who was staring in amazed disbelief while watching the priestly Concubine give her all to the act of driving the younger girl to distraction.

"M-Mon-san?" Akane gasped at last, barely able to steady her own voice, which was hoarse from so much groaning.

Her inquiry was rewarded by the sight of Mon-Mon raising her moisture-slick face and smiling back at Akane with the sort of hungry look that a wolf might give the sheep that it was devouring. The priestess licked her generous lips then said in response to Akane's unvoiced query, "Konichiwa, Tendo-san, I see that my efforts have managed to awaken you at last."

"Ah...come again?" Akane asked, only to wince at her unfortunate choice of wording.

"I would love to," Mon-Mon grinned, but then she sobered somewhat and said, "You were exhausted from employing too much Chi in your attack, so I decided to help revive you by stimulating your energy centers to hasten the speed of your recovery, drawing more Chi into you and filtering it through my own body."

"Ah...say what?" Akane softly wondered.

"You may have experienced a moment of weakness when you climaxed the first two times," Mon-Mon explained, "I was absorbing your energy through oral stimulation then blowing it back into you as fresh Shan. You should be well enough sit upright in another few minutes, after I continue working to energize your chakra centers, so do be a dear and lay still while I finish what I started."

"But...?" Akane gasped as Mon-Mon bent down to do her work once again, and now it was as if the rushing tide was crashing in and going out again in wave after wave of overwhelming pleasure. For the next two minutes she could hardly form a coherent thought in her head, but then the flow of ecstasy ebbed a bit and withdrew, leaving her shaking yet aroused with every cell in her body checking in at once with an appropriate tingle.

"There," Mon-Mon said as she sat upright and smiled down at the prone Akane, "All better. You should be able to get up now on your own power, Tendo-san, no worse for the wear and even twice as tasty."

For some odd reason Akane felt her whole body flush a bright shade of crimson, but she did feel strong enough to get up under her own power, and so she did, all the while turning puzzled looked towards her erstwhile companion.

"Ah...not that I'm complaining or nothing," Akane began tentatively after finally sorting her thoughts into a semi-coherent pattern, "But...why did you do that? I mean...?"

"Who?" Mon-Mon inclined her head and seemed amused by the question, "Who says I need a reason? But if you desire one, then consider it repayment by me for the kindness you earlier extended."

"Kindness?" Akane asked.

"In saving me twice from a rather nasty fall," the Concubine explained, "And sparing my lord Kirin from losing one of his most valuable assets. I felt that I owed you greatly for your kindness, and I am a lady who always repays her debts no matter what the consequences."

"Er...ah..." Akane wanted to say that it was not necessary that she be repaid for saving the life of the Courtesan Priestess, but the very nature of what Mon-  
Mon considered "repayment" held her silent as she tried to think of an appropriate way to imply that giving her loins a tongue-bath like that was hardly necessary, fearing that she might be misunderstood and give offense to the Priestess.

"Don't bother to thank me," Mon-Mon said with a soft leer, "The pleasure was all mine...well, mostly."

"Ah..." Akane said once again, wondering just how in the world she was ever going to explain this crazy situation to Ukyo, let alone to herself in a mirror.

Mon-Mon reached down and cupped her own enormous breasts then fondled them while keeping eye-contact with Akane, her hungry expression fairly smoldering with desire and arousal as she purred in a throaty voice, "Of course...if you really want to thank me for helping you out...then I can make a few handy suggestions which may meet with your approval. Tell me, Tendo-san, do you like to drink from the nectar of my bounty? I am well versed in all the arts of pleasuring the human body, and I can give you such exotic delights as you could scarcely imagine in your wildest fancies."

As if to illustrate the point the priestess reached down and gently encircled her fingers around Akane's left ankle, lifting her foot up and bringing it to face level, then making a point to stretch out a tongue and begin to probe around Akane's arch, causing the most incredible jolt to pass right down her leg to her spine and ricochet off into her loins, causing them to lubricate again with involuntary contractions. The Courtesan then inserted her tongue between the toes of that foot before sucking them off one-by-one, even gently masticating the big toe between her teeth to add even more incredible sensations that poured down the length of Akane's whole body, making her feel weak and helpless to resist her.

Akane watched and groaned in soft amazement as Mon-Mon then moved that foot until it touched the Courtesan upon the breastbone right above those huge globes of flesh that were causing Akane to feel such envy. Mon-Mon then moved the ball of that foot down the length of her own cleft and mashed her breasts together in order to hold that foot there as though making love to the foot and not just Akane. This had the desired effect of further eroding whatever resistance she had to further seduction, but still a nagging sense disturbed the youngest Tendo sister consciousness, preventing her from total surrender to the onslaught of the Priestess.

After a full moment Mon-Mon seemed to sense this as well and halted in what she was doing to say, "You are thinking of her again, your sex-cursed Chef girlfriend."

For some reason Akane felt guilty at having to make such an admission but nonetheless said, "H-Hai...I'm sorry...it's just...I think she may be in some kind of danger."

"Is that so?" Mon-Mon considered the naked girl before her then assumed a far less readable expression, "Well, I suppose that might be the case, but I'm really not too certain what it is you intend to do about it. If you cannot relax because of her, though, then it would be for the best if we put off the rest of this for later."

"Ah...thank you," Akane replied.

"Not at all," Mon-Mon's quirky smile once more adorned her features, "I have been disciplined enough to know that there is a time and place for all things, and I can always find another moment to renew what we are sharing. After all, I really do feel that I still owe you for my rescue."

"Uh...don't mention it," Akane blushed again, realizing as she said this how lame her words must sound given everything that the Priestess had been doing to her up until now...and with a strong sense that far more was planned for the future.

"Well then," Mon-Mon turned to glance to the side, "If we are going to search out for your missing friends then I suppose that we are going to require the services of your mother."

"My...mother?" Akane blinked, then turned to follow the gaze of the Priestess, only to open her eyes wide as she saw the prone Peorth a few meters away laid out upon the ground with her head propped up on a pile of silken cloth. Peorth's eyes were shut but she seemed so relaxed and tranquil that Akane felt an odd reluctance to wake her, but still she sensed that the Goddess of Moments had already slept long enough and that it was more than time to wake her if only to give Akane a chance to prod her with more questions.

"Allow me to do the honors," Mon-Mon urged as she got up on her hands and knees and crawled over towards the sleeping goddess, at which point the Courtesan straddled her body and positioned herself above Peorth before slowly lowering herself down so that her naked breasts hung down over Peorth's face, allowing the goddess to sniff the swarm honey-nectar that was Mon-Mon.

At first Peorth seemed to smile pleasantly in her sleep, but then she opened her eyes and took on a very different expression. Shock and surprise were next and with a gasp the goddess said, "I'm awake!"

"Good," Mon-Mon smiled as she leaned back and withdrew her breasts from the goddess, then eyed Peorth quite coyly before adding, "I thought that might be what was needed to get your attention."

Peorth sat bolt upright and stared in dismay at the Courtesan, but then her attention strayed over towards the other naked party yet present and said, "A-  
Akane-chan...?"

"Mother?" Akane replied, "Are you...all right?"

Peorth reflexively raised a hand to check the back of her skull then blinked her eyes and said, "I...I think so..."

"Good," Mon-Mon nodded with a satisfied expression.

Peorth blinked again then turned back to the Courtesan and frowned with deep suspicion before asking, "Why am I naked?"

"It was necessary for the healing," Mon-Mon replied without the least hint of shame in her tone and expression, "That was a rather nasty lump you were sporting. Even a goddess ought to be wary of the possible side-effects from a concussion."

"I...you...what?" Peorth's shocked look would have been comical if viewed by one of her contemporaries from heaven.

"As I said," Mon-Mon smiled enigmatically, "You are welcome."

"Mom...what...what are you doing here?" Akane asked as she forced herself onto her feet, feeling somewhat more steady now even if she was bursting with questions for the woman who so closely resembled the face of she who had been her mother, "I don't understand any of this...how...?"

"I believe your mother instructed you before that it would not be too wise to probe too deeply for an answer," Mon-Mon spoke up on behalf of the reluctant goddess, "But I would hazard to guess that the truth is that she both is and is not your true mother."

"What...what do you mean?" Akane gasped.

"I have taken the liberty to probe you deep so that I could discern your possible relationship, and there most definitely is a strong bond between you of close kinship and affection," Mon-Mon answered, "You have the spark of her divinity within you, Tendo-san...it was revealed in the way that you dealt with the Pteranadon. The energy you unleashed was of Heavenly manufacture."

"Ah...c'est que?" Peorth blinked in amazement.

"You revealed much of the truth to me while I was healing you," Mon-Mon explained to the Rose Goddess, "Something about answering a wish and merging with your mortal avatar, of dwelling among mortals for a time before being ordered back into heaven. You used the word 'abandonment' a lot, and I could tell how miserable and alone you were in making this declaration. You seemed to believe that this woman truly is your child in spirit if not entirely of flesh, for you helped bring her into the world and were there during your avatar's physical labor. Therefore she is indeed your daughter, but she is also the child of the mortals named Tendo Kimiko and Soun."

"Huh? What? I don't...understand..." Akane seemed even more bewildered than ever.

"Let me further hazard to speculate that the reason you became merged with your mortal Template to create an avatar had something to do with a wish that was granted long ago," Mon-Mon further elaborated, "Though your reasons beyond that are difficult to judge as I could not probe you all that much more deeply."

Peorth's eyes narrowed dangerously as she glared at the Concubine and said, "I think you did more than enough probing as it is, Cheri...in fact, by all divine rights I ought to be outraged."

"Mother?" Akane asked with a plaintive expression.

Peorth sighed as though the weight of the world had just fallen upon her slender shoulders, but then she turned to Akane and said, "Cheri...seventeen years ago your mother...your true mother...made a phone call to speak with her doctor about seeking chemotherapy and what affect it might have upon her pregnancy, meaning you, my sweet Akane. Her phone call was diverted to my office by the divine computer known as Yggdrasil, and I was the Relief Worker on duty who received her call and granted her petition."

"Her...petition?" Akane repeated.

"It is given to we goddesses that when a worthy mortal contacts us we will visit them and grant them a wish-only one wish, mind you-as a reward for their virtuous behavior," Peorth explained, "I was quite surprised to learn that the one petitioning me was none other than a Template of mine...a mortal who is linked to me by the Backup File System. Perhaps it was fate that brought us together, or perhaps a glitch in the program, but whatever the case I was moved to tears upon hearing my mortal counterpart plead with me for more time in order to have you. Her wish was that she live long enough to bring you into the world and nurture you to independence, and I...granted her wish by merging with her and lending to her a portion of my divine essence."

Akane's eyes got rounder than ever, "You...?"

Peorth nodded sadly, "Kimiko and I became as one being, I became Kimiko and...submerged the part of me that is Peorth of the Roses. I lived out those remaining few years inside your mother as she became my Avatar on earth, and...for seven gloriously brief years...I was enormously happy..."

Akane said nothing to this but just continued staring.

Peorth swallowed a lump that had taken form in her throat and glanced down before she continued, "For five months during her later two trimesters of pregnancy I kept Kimiko alive and caused the cancer within her ovaries to shrivel up and die, which your father took to be a miracle granted to us by the Kami. Then you were born and for the first time ever in my immortal existence...I knew what it was like to play the role of the creator. I cared for you, I changed your diapers, I nurtured you at my breast and comforted your tears when you hurt yourself...which was far too often to remember. I sang lullabies when I tucked you into bed, and I was there the day you took your first hesitant steps, and when you learned your first kata I was there to hug you and tell you how proud I was to have you for a daughter."

"You...?" Akane still did not seem able to form a coherent thought or expression as she tried and failed to absorb this, the enormous impact of what the Goddess was telling her literally beyond her description.

"But I am not Kimiko, I only became a part of her to keep her alive until you were old enough to care for yourself...and then the call from Heaven came and I was...instructed to leave you," Peorth did not raise her eyes to stare at Akane, the shame of her own memories bearing down upon her like a yoke upon an oxen. It was with an effort that she choked out the words, "I am so ashamed...I should have done something...protested more loudly..."

"You fulfilled the terms of your contract with a mortal," Mon-Mon noted with an unreadable expression, "The decision to remain longer than was permitted was not yours to make, Goddess. The fault for that must lie with heaven."

"But you don't understand!" Peorth wailed, "She was my baby! I...I could never give her up like that, not again! Not even if Kami-sama personally ordered it! It was wrong of me to obey, and it was wrong for Akane!"

"I...still don't...I can't...nani?" Akane asked with a childlike, almost plaintive whimper.

"That is why I am with you now, ma Cheri ala courte," Peorth turned moistened eyes towards Akane, "I failed you once as a mother...I cannot fail you yet again. You mean too much to me...you are the one I helped bring into this world, and I love you..."

Akane just stared as though struggling to grasp the meaning of those words, but Mon-Mon was not similarly tongue-tied and said, "You could get into a lot of trouble for this. Heaven has a very strict policy about association between Goddesses and Mortals, especially Avatars and their children."

"There...is precedent, Cheri," Peorth sighed, "And even Heaven has been known to bend the rules upon occasion."

"Mother?" Akane at last gasped out, "But...what about my...real mom...you promised that I would see her..."

"And I will keep my promise, I swear it, Akane-chan," Peorth reached out to take the hand of the younger girl, "I will bring you to meet the spirit of Tendo Kimiko where she resides in the heavens. I have already done that for both of your older sisters..."

"Say-WHAT?" Akane blurted out in shock, "Y-You mean...Nabiki...and Kasumi...?"

"Already know all about me," Peorth nodded, "But they do not need me as much as you do, which is why I am here with you while trusting them to go about their own affairs without my direct interference."

"But...what about Silk...or Kachu...?" Akane asked, still mildly bewildered.

"Silk...knows about me too," Peorth softly answered, "She is yet another of my Templates...I have several of them, you know...every Goddess has a few mortal aspects who serve to contain the backup files of certain of my divine attributes. Take Kasumi for example...have you ever wondered why she seems touched by a spark of the heavens? It just so happens that she is herself a Template for a...very good friend of mine. If you met them both in the same room you would come to understand this."

"And Kachu?" Akane asked once again, this time a bit more calmly.

"Ah..." Peorth raised an eyebrow, "Well...there is a residual program that sometimes allows for Templates to mirror-reflect the negative aspects of one another. Although my...friend is as kind and gentle a soul as any who have ever lived, those who know her best do know that she sometimes can manifest a rather wicked temper."

"From the way you describe your...friend," Mon-Mon remarked, "I cannot say if you think of her with harshness or affection."

"Ah yes...well...force of habit and all that," Peorth responded, looking somewhat uneasy, "We had a...misunderstanding of sorts, but it worked itself out in the end, and now we are on good terms once more, just as we were when we were young and carefree many centuries back..."

"I just...I need time to get over this," Akane said, "I mean...you're a goddess? But...what does that make me...?"

"An Angel," Mon-Mon answered before Peorth could answer the question, "You have part of her aspect inside you...I felt it manifest before, and perhaps it is the reason your Jusenkyo curse makes you resemble one of the Phoenix Mountain winged people."

"Akane-chan," Peorth looked Akane seriously in the eyes and said, "You are very special to me and...unique to my existence. I would never allow harm to befall you...and I want to help guide your steps and be there for you whenever you need me. I am sorry that I did not come entirely clean before, ma Cheri...I wanted to tell you everything from the beginning, but..."

"You were afraid...I wouldn't accept you?" Akane slowly figured it out, then looked down and said, "I...I don't know. To be honest...I really don't know what to think about...any of this..."

"Perhaps it would be for the best if you both took the time to get to know one another better before leaping to any rash decisions," Mon-Mon said before pausing and glancing off to the side, "Eh? Now that is odd..."

"What do you mean?" Peorth asked as she turned to look up towards the statuesque Courtesan priestess.

The blonde narrowed her eyes a bit and said, "It's just...that I had the oddest feeling right now...like something slithered over a tomb stone. Can you not feel it, Goddess?"

Peorth turned and looked in the same direction that Mon-Mon was facing, then narrowed her own eyes and said, "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."

"Huh?" Akane asked, not catching the reference.

"Never mind," Peorth said as she got to her feet and dusted off her hands, no longer mindful of her own nudity as she raised her arms and said, "But I think the three of us need to pay our respects to a very old colleague."

At once the goddess lifted off into the air and started floating towards the top of a nearby ridge, prompting Akane and Mon-Mon to follow on foot, albeit not all that far before the three of them rounded a bend and came upon a sight that caused all three of them to halt in mid-forward motion.

"I do not believe this," Peorth's tone became a low growl of displeasure, "Merde...what is SHE doing on this island?"

Akane and Mon-Mon both blinked their eyes and stared down at the enormous body of a huge snake curled up in the sun to warm itself up, a noticeable bulge around the middle of its considerable length as it blissfully dozed with what sounded like an almost human snoring. The sight of the terrifying invertebrate reptile was enough to cause even the Courtesan to think twice about approaching, but Peorth was not so intimidated and growled as she raised her hands and summoned up her power to craft a spell as she drew upon the local energy currents.

"I wonder what she's been eating lately," Peorth mused, "Let's see if I can get her to cough things up, shall we?"

Akane and Mon-Mon shielded their eyes as an enormous bolt of energy leapt from the fingertips of the goddess to bathe the giant snake's elongated body in the light of divine radiance, and then the creature began to writhe and make choking noises, rolling on the ground for a moment before opening its mouth and spitting something out in a rush of intestinal juices.

To Akane's dismay she saw the bodies of Ukyo and Makoto spill out upon the ground, and for a moment her vision came back to haunt her with a vengeance, her fears making her realize that what she had taken for a mere dream was, instead, a very real nightmare. Her heart was in her mouth for several more seconds as she started to rush forward, only to hear the coughing noises as the two slime-  
slick women started writhing and moaning, very much alive and yet obviously quite disoriented.

"Oh my," Mon-Mon remarked with both pale eyebrows lifted as she stared at the shrinking body of the serpent, whose dimensions took on a very human and feminine contour.

"What the hell did you do that for?" coughed a brown skinned and highly attractive looking naked woman whose dark hair hung about her shoulders at an even trip. Her face had tell-tale markings that proclaimed to any who might listen that she was definitely NOT a mortal, but her angry yellow eyes flashed like diamond slits as she stared at the hovering Peorth and growled, "YOU? What the hell are you doing on my Island!"

"YOUR island, Cheri?" Peorth asked blandly, having already manifested some clothing about herself so as to assume a pose of dignified aloofness, "I beg to differ. A belly-crawling slime such as you has no right to take such airs with your betters..."

"MY betters?" the brown skinned woman got to her feet and manifested an Egyptian-styled costume complete with serpent headdress, "HAH! That will be the incarnation, and what is the big idea of interrupting me while I was having lunch? You don't see me going around blasting you for eating those stupid croissant roles you're so fond of..."

"Perhaps you should look more closely before selecting your choice of victims, Neferti," Peorth responded as she folded her arms under her chest and gave the other woman a brazen look of outrage, "It becomes my business when one of the mortals you consume is my future daughter-in-law."

"Your...what?" the dusky skinned woman blinked back.

"Ukyo, are you all right?" Akane asked as she cradled the slime-slick Chef in her lap, heedless of the stench of the pool of stomach juices around them.

"Gah...I think so," Ukyo winced, "Kami, that was...ugh! I need a bath!"

"Makes two of us, Sempai," Makoto groaned from where she was laying, "But thanks for asking."

"What happened to the both of you?" Mon-Mon asked, "You look as though you went nine rounds with a Shikima Tentacle Rape beast and lost badly."

"Just about, Sugar," Ukyo said as she tried to sit upright, staring at her reddened body and looking ready to heave up her lunch to join the rest of the muck around them, "Imagine...having all your orifices filled...at once...and being kept alive while your feel your skin start to dissolve all around you."

"I'm amazed we're both still alive," Makoto pried herself up to glance towards Ukyo and Akane, "How many hours were we in there anyway? Felt like we were choking, only we could somehow breathe...and those...things were all over us...inside us...ugh! I thought for sure we both were goners!"

"You mean to tell me," Neferti narrowed her eyes as she glanced at Peorth, "That that mortal over there is your half-mortal bastard...and she's engaged to another woman...and that big one with the tasty energy pattern?"

"Kuonji Ukyo is the betrothed of my daughter's choosing," Peorth replied sternly, "But you can have the other one if you like. She's nothing but a distraction..."

"Gee thanks," Makoto grunted, then blinked before adding, "Um...who are you?"

"It is true that the big one is the tastier morsel," Neferti considered, "But I rather enjoyed the flavor of the other one, and I see no reason why I should give the both of them up just to satisfy you, Rose Goddess."

"And I am telling you, Cheri, that if you take one step towards her then you will have to go through me," Peorth said just as firmly, "If you want to take this up with me in private, then I'll be happy to meet you in a formal Challenge."

"Oho?" the Egyptian girl remarked with a raised eyebrow and a speculative expression, "Well, that does sound like an interesting diversion. I will tell you what, then...if you agree to meet me on my terms then I will allow these mortals to go about unmolested on my island. I'll even swear an oath in the name of my father to seal the contract."

"And what terms do you ask of me in reply?" Peorth asked.

"That we settle this one-on-one, Goddess to Goddess," Nerfti replied, "Winner gets to decide the fate of the loser, agreed?"

"With great pleasure, Cheri," Peorth smiled without humor, "Name the place and time."

"Right now," Neferti said, pointing off to the side, "Over there, away from these morsels you value so much."

"Very well," and with that the goddess started flying towards the designated battle site while Neferti changed back into a giant snake and started slithering off in the same direction.

"Somehow I think the Rose Goddess has just bargained herself into a corner," Mon-Mon sighed before turning towards the others, "Are you all right over there? It does sound as though you have been through quite the ordeal..."

"Oh fine, just peachy," Makoto said as she got back to her feet, "I always feel like this when a giant snake tries to eat me."

"Hey, that's right," Akane frowned as she glanced back at Ukyo with a look of suspicion, "Just how exactly did the both of you wind up in that big snake together?"

"Um...well..." Ukyo faltered, appearing more than slightly embarrassed.

"Never mind," Akane growled as she pivoted on one foot and turned around, "I'm sure I don't want to know. Come on, let's get you cleaned up before you make me sick from all your stink. We've wasted enough time, now we have to find the others."

Ukyo, Makoto and Mon-Mon all turned to watch the mercurial young Tendo sister storm off in a huff back the way she and Mon-Mon had come, to which the Courtesan said, "Not a half bad idea. I could use a bath myself at the moment. Coming you two?"

"Ah...right," Ukyo said before exchanging looks with Makoto, who frowned back as though to suggest that the time was right for something they had been discussing earlier, to which the Chef could only swallow. With that unstated declaration hanging in the air the comely trio turned followed upon the trail of the smoldering Akane...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

What can I say about the next few minutes of my life but that they went quick but were thoroughly humiliating and degrading in the extreme? I mean, to go from cage to washing area like a freshly plucked chicken was an ordeal unto itself, but being informed as to the purpose behind my length preparation session was enough to make me utterly lose it, and if I hadn't been numb with shock and dismay I might have said something about it instead of passively playing along in the hopes that I would shortly think of something.

Unfortunately all I could think about was the fact that I was about to die, that I was going to be cooked and eaten by a savage tribe of demented cannibals, half of whom were once (allegedly) civilized people. You try being informed that you've been picked to be the main course at somebody's feast and then you see if you can take it calmly, I double-dare you! Just being naked around this many total strangers was humiliating enough without having to add the fact that I was selected to be the main course in a feast being held in my honor. I mean, you can joke about that all you like but the serious fact of the matter is that when you face your own mortality in a situation as insane as this you're lucky you don't lose your lunch and everything else you ever choked down in the past week or so, which probably would have spoiled everyone's dinner if I really had tossed my fortune cookies while cooking in that stewpot.

All I know about what I was thinking at the time was the it could not be real, that it had to be some kind of joke being played at my expense, that none of it made any sense and that I was too young to be fried, all of which meant that I acted like a limp rag doll and let those burly matrons do what they wanted with my body. Surely someone would pop up and say it was one of those zany game shows where they fool you into believing one thing then let you in on the gag by saying it was all just a big put on job, and no hard feelings if we had you going there for the first several minutes?

Fat chance of that turning out to be the case. This was real, they really did mean it, and I really was nothing more to these guys than a bento box with legs that they were just waiting to pop open.

Even now I still recall feeling a deep sense of shame and humiliation at my ordeal, submitting to the hands of those fat women charged with getting me ready for the stew pot, the things they did to me being both invasive and degrading, to say nothing of bringing home the fact that they were entirely business-like about the whole affair and had obviously performed it before with other victims.

I won't describe everything that happened to me, nor do I want Shampoo and Ranma to know since I'm pretty sure that they'd both be terribly hurt and outraged. I will describe one thing those women did to me that shocked me good and hard even before they did it, and it involves this water pump with a nozzle that they insisted on shoving up into my rectum. It was connected to a hand-job crank and used to be a tool for one of the prop departments on the movie set, but the purpose they were employing it for was hardly in the regs for standard union practice.

Perhaps I should explain what is meant by "cleaning me up" and making me ready for dinner. Simply put, an average person contains a certain quantity of waste matter that gets stored inside the small intestine surrounding the stomach. During an ordeal like that some people have been known to-how shall I put this?-lose control over their bodily functions, and an accident such as that could spoil the brew and poison the soup, as it were. So...it becomes necessary to "clean out" the bowels by inducing an enema, by which I mean they would pump a small quantity of water up inside my butt and then release it again, doing this several times over until my bladder is totally clean and my intestines are empty of waste matter.

I also urinated every drop of moisture that was stored inside my Urethra, but that might be a bit too medical a term for most sensitive souls to digest (pun intended). The upshot of it is that I was cleaned out from the inside and had nothing left to deposit, which made me safe for consumption, understand me?

Oh yeah, they also scrubbed my skin thoroughly and even shoved a rag up into my vagina, leaving me feeling as raw as a freshly peeled lobster, but I was now a sanitized and entirely edible package ready to be served to the paying guests, so at length the ladies pronounced me fit for consumption, at which point they passed me along to the boys who manned the kitchen.

By the kitchen I mean a flat stone on which I was set, then tied up into an appropriately humbling position by the use of some woven vines that were looped around my body to keep my arms and legs in the appropriate position. I was lathered with some kind of body-oil lotion and had every inch massaged to get me good and ready for the next stage of the process, which-and here I apologize again for being indelicate about the matter-included having some of the oil get pumped up into my twat and rectum. I was filled up with the juice and made to hold it for several minutes before it was allowed to spill out of my loins and sphincter, and then the seasoning mix was added and applied all to my skin with the chefs employing their fingers to shove some of it into my nether openings, followed shortly by some vegetables with a stuffing mix added for good measure.

More ropes were applied to tie me off and hold this stuff inside me, and let me tell you frankly that it was NOT the most comfortable thing that I have ever experienced, even granted that I'm used to taking a stiff one up my ass, usually courtesy of Ranma. When the wrapping was done and I was as helpless as an infant they next carried me over and deposited me inside the giant stew pot, a massive thing big enough for possibly two whole bodies and not just yours truly. I bobbed a bit until I settled in among the warm broth, and then I found myself soaking up to my shoulders in the soup mix.

It was just about that point that I started to lose it altogether because it really sank home right there and then that I was not getting out of this thing again, that I was going to stay there in that pot and cook until I expired from heat prostration. Even before they started dicing up the vegetables and adding them to the broth I could tell that the water was heating up slowly and soon would approach a temperature that was not healthy for soaking.

And all during this time the cameras were turned on me and the director continued giving instructions to the set crew. He seemed so intent on getting the right lighting and positioning the mirrors and grips at just the right angle that I almost did not have the heart to try and inform him that he did not have any film in those damned cameras and was-in effect-taking pictures of nothing.

And then there was that nutcase, Snap, the photographer assigned to document Akuma Zesutoru in the crafting of his "Masterpiece," who kept on giving his take on the whole affair whether I needed the side commentary or not.

"Try to think of it as though you are auditioning for the part in a school play," he tried explaining for my benefit, "You're into the character of a victim meeting her death scene, the only difference being here is that we're acting it out for real and no one besides the director gets to say cut on this production. You're giving it your all for the sake of the art and your body is your offering for the sake of Akuma-sama's genius!"

"Genius?" I flared up as I tried not to totally lose it, staring at the rows of savages lined up as an audience to witness my slow execution by soup, "You don't even have any film in those things and you're calling this genius?!"

"Think of it as a virtual recording to preserve this moment for posterity," he replied as though deliberately NOT getting my point, "What is important is the beauty of your transfiguration itself. We are about to embark upon a great adventure with the director leading us to the threshold of the undiscovered country..."

"Let's not and say we did, okay?" I pleaded, knowing that my feeble attempt of levity would fall on deaf ears with these loonies.

Yeah, I was in it up to my neck in more than one sense of the term, and all the while I kept thinking to myself that Ranma and Shampoo would show up at any moment. I was convinced my lovers would not allow me to die in such a degrading and useless manner, cooked alive by a tribe of madmen while I struggled and squirmed and tried to work my wrists loose, only to cause the ropes about my body to tighten and grind against my butt and pussy. I was stuffed full and feeling like I would explode at any moment, but the oddest and most horrible thing about the whole experience was that I felt incredibly excited and turned on like nothing else you can imagine.

Yeah, that's right, turned on, as in sexually excited. Perverse as it may sound, insane as it may be, I was feeling my helplessness like a kind of aphrodisiac spell and the grinding of my clit against the ropes was hardly helping matters any as it only served to further distract me. I was scared out of my wits, more terrified than I can ever remember being, all but climbing the walls with a desperate desire to get the heck out of there before it was too late, and yet still I felt aroused and horny and almost wished the cooks and done something about it...a thought that caught me as much by surprise as it shocked me to the center of my being.

And what brought about this sudden masochistic streak you ask? Beats the heck out of me, but-then again-I recalled Lotion's earlier lecture and started to work it out for myself, the psychological need of human beings to stay alive being closely allied with the mating reflex, as though the threat of imminent death caused us to want to breed away like rabbits. I was helpless and immobile, I had a wad of radishes and carrots stuffed inside me with the stuffing mix, and every time I squirmed it set off a tingling sensation in my clit. I gasped and tried to move in order to further stimulate myself in a kind of terminal masturbation exercise that threatened to overwhelm my reason as though I could distract myself from the thought of dying by inducing an orgasm.

They say that if you heat a pot of water slowly, a frog taking a swim in it will hardly notice until it's too late for it to leap out to safety. Well, that's pretty much the principle that was being applied to me at the moment as the tribesmen fed just enough fuel to the flames around that cooking pot to cause a slow but gradual escalation in the heat, not so fast that I felt acutely discomforted but progressive enough that I knew it would soon reach a point where I would be cooked but good and proper. I'm Japanese, okay? I'm used to taking hot baths and all that, so I have a pretty high heat tolerance and it takes a lot more to make me sweat than a gaijin. The water was comfortable enough so long as I did not pay too much attention to the steam that started forming all around me, or the bubbles that soon followed this as the pot was gradually brought to the edge of a low boil with me in the center about to become the main ingredient to a well-prepared bullion.

How can I be so calm about it now? Maybe I'm just a bit numb thinking about it and the way it made me feel, stewing in that broth in a slow and gradual manner. My bare feet could touch down and feel the cooler center of the pot, which was not under the flames and thus could afford me a modicum of protection, but nearer to the sides and along the edge it was warming up rapidly and soon would be too hot for me to lean against it. For some oddly perverse reason that just added to my excitement.

Okay, I was a Japanese girl, a high-school student, not even fully eighteen years old yet and about to be turned into a soft-boiled oyster. I'd writhe and squirm and try to move about as best I could but this only got me further excited, and I knew that I was not going to work my hands loose from those ropes any time soon. I was surrounded by lusting, perverted cannibals intent on eating me and had zero chance of fighting my way to freedom even if I could have gotten out of that stew pot on my own power. It really did seem to me as though my goose was cooked good and proper, and I kept thinking about all those meals that I'd seen Kasumi prepare in the kitchen, thinking to myself what a poor lot it was for the chicken or duck that she would cook up to serve with rice and lentils. Now I was finding out for myself just what it's like to be on the menu and...well, I didn't like it all that much as you can well imagine. That being said there seemed nothing else that I could do but to lay back and enjoy the bath, helplessly stewing away while that idiot director kept droning on about the whole purpose behind his damned movie...

"Imagine the meaninglessness of life as we know it," he would say to me all the while that I was enduring this insanity, "Life is suffering, we go from birth to death without knowing the reason for our being alive. The gods gave us reason and yet we use our brains to create such insanity as war and poverty. Civilized man is little better than an animal who thinks that he reasons, so why not chose to die a glorious death by embracing the madness and becoming one with the savage within us?"

"You think life's meaningless?" I shot back, "Why don't you try killing yourself for a change and do the world a favor?"

"Alas, I must live to chronicle the vision that I have captured so that I may tell others of what I have discovered," he said almost sadly, "Did the gods shape man in their own image or has humanity created gods to give us hope, meaning and purpose? Did we create them so that we would be less alone in the face of a cold and unfathomable cosmos? And if they are gods, how then can them permit human misery and suffering to continue?"

"Maybe they're benevolent but clueless and they just can't work the bugs out of the system," I replied, thinking of Peorth as an example.

"Alas, the fates are cruel and I am bereft of faith that any higher power can exist in such a cruel and disorderly cosmos," he moaned faintly while holding his hands up to shape a square frame as he studied my profile then peered down at an angle to see my boobs bobbing in the broth, as though looking for the perfect camera angle, "I know that no gods can truly exist because they refuse to make themselves known to me, so I must struggle along with my muse for my guidance."

"You sure it's a muse and not a demon?" I shot back, thinking of something Lotion had said about demonic Thought-Form creatures buzzing around sensitive mortals and plaguing them with tormented reasoning and debased suggestions. Not every madman who thinks he hears voices is mistaken.

"I trust my muse," he insisted as he waved to one of the grips to adjust the nearest mirror so that the light was cast on me in an appropriately mood-setting angle, "She has never lied to me or given me a false vision. She has shown me the path to true enlightenment and I follow her gladly, seeking only to fulfill the only purpose that my life can hold...the meaning that I gift to it through my own actions in the pursuit of my genius."

More than ever I was convinced that this fruitloop had cracked under the strain of carrying around such a massive ego. I used to tease Ranma for being something of an egotist, but this guy was so full of himself that I was half convinced that he was related to the Kuno clan. Knowing Tatewaki as he used to be he'd probably have been off to the side nodding his head in agreement while praising the guy's eloquence and taking notes on the sideline.

I made a point of studying the bobbing bits of vegetable matter that were swimming around in the broth and I idly started to wonder how I was going to turn out when they served me by the bowl full.

If I seem a bit lurid in my descriptions then you will have to forgive me...being treated like an entree tends to make you think weird stuff like this, if you take my meaning. I was doing my level best not to totally freak out given that I was in one of the worst positions of my entire life and could see no exit plan that would allow me to walk out of there alive, hale and hearty. I think I held up rather well given the fact that I was facing a hideous and prolonged death from the combination of heat and pressure, the certain knowledge that my blood would start to boil before too long and cook my brain, at which point death was all but certain. Lurid doesn't begin to describe the feelings and thoughts that come over you at a time like this, and I had to fight down an almost hysterical urge to laugh at my own pending demise, to invite the cooks to do their worst with me and to wish everyone in that tribe of the damned a good feast at my expense...oh the house, boys, and my compliments to the chef and all that.

Okay, maybe that is a little over the top here, but you've got to understand the stress that I was under, and I am not a particularly brave person in my own honest self-evaluation.

The odd thing that occurred to me about then was that I had been man-handled (or woman-handled...I mean, those ladies were-at least technically-female) and abused but so far had not actually been sexually molested...at least if you go by what constitutes actual rape as most folks would define it. In a way I'm kind of insulted about that...I mean, I know that I'm a reasonably attractive young lady with a body that most young girls would kill to have, slender and curvy in all the right places, right? I'm not tooting my own horn to suggest that most guys wouldn't mind hitting on me in a bar, and given the chance to have sex with me-and me unable to say no about it-I find it hard to see how a healthy adult male could pass up the opportunity to fuck me raw until I'm bleeding.

But not these guys. The director told them that I was food and-BANG!-I'm nothing more than cattle, fit only for the slaughter. The fact that I was even still alive at this point was largely due to the director wanting a live actress in his little snuff film action. I was supposed to writhe around and say lines that conformed to the script that was in his head, and in that respect I was playing my part to the hilt and then some. I didn't even have to method-act to get into my part, I was living it to the hilt and looking to give in an award-  
winner performance.

My last, of course, but who thinks that far ahead when making a movie?

Okay, by now I've probably grossed you out and left you to think that I need psychological counseling to cope with my survivor guilt, but I'm trying to help set the frame and the mood here to explain what happened next, and why I'm still here to tell you all this happened instead of ghost-writing it from beyond the grave. In a way I almost owe it to the director for helping me to get over a very important hump in my life, not that I'd bother to thank him, even posthumously, since I'm sure dramatic irony would appeal to the guy since he really was that kind of artist.

Let me give you another illustration: "Your motivation in this scene, Pai, is the same as before with the other takes. You are a castaway survivor on a desert island, separated from your friends, family and crewmates and surrounded by primitive cannibals who have invited you to become their Jungle Goddess, their Queen of the May, to rule over them for a day with absolute slavish devotion before they sacrifice you to their God, and you submit to their collective will because you have come to believe in your own divinity, that you will live beyond the moment and become immortal while shedding your mortal coil and becoming food for your people."

"That's my motivation?" I gasped, "What about the part where everybody has to do my bidding?"

"We already shot those scenes the other day," he paused to consider the point, the Akuma said, "Or was it last year, or the year before that? Hard to keep track with my busy schedule...but anyway, you don't need to worry your pretty little head over that, it's all been taken care of. Now just relax and do your part and we'll make this scene absolutely perfect..."

See what I was dealing with here? And that isn't even the start of my ordeal, or the weird thing that was about to happen...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Gynophagic Cooking Instructions: shadowmane

How does Nabiki get herself out of this one, and what are Ranma and Shampoo currently doing while their Airen is being "entertained" as someone else's dinner? What of Peorth and her duel with Neferti, and how will Ukyo reconcile her own dual problems with Akane and Makoto? For this and other mysteries tune in again for: "Out of the Stewing Pot, Someone Gets Fried!" or, "Too Many Fiancées Spoil The Stew!" Be there! 


	113. Chapter 113

Pangea08

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-LEMONY SCENES AHEAD!  
CONTAINS MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNDERAGED AND UNDER MATURE WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PRACTICES THAT COULD PROBABLY GET YOU ARRESTED IN ALL FORTY-EIGHT LOWER CONTINENTAL STATES.  
ALSO CONTAINS SCENES OF QUESTIONABLE TASTE IN WHICH YOUNG GIRLS ARE MENACED BY HUNGRY CREATURES WANTING TO EAT THEM, SO DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME, BOYS AND GIRLS, IT'S DANGEROUS OUT HERE IN THIS OTHER-THE-TOP DINOSAUR-INFESTED JUNGLE! YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED...

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Point-Eight

Reservation to Disaster (The Dinner Strikes Back!)

"Akane-chan, wait up!" Ukyo pleaded, "I need to talk to you, dammit...!"

"Why bother?" Akane fumed, "It's obvious enough what's going through your mind, Kuonji. You've chosen her over me, what more is there to say about it?"

"Hey, don't be like that!" Ukyo protested, "I'm not out to hurt anyone, I just think we maybe, you know...ought to take a minute to kinda sort things out. I mean, we can still be friends-!"

"DON"T!" Akane whirled around with such suddenness that Ukyo nearly ran into the winged girl, forcing him to back-pedal by a half a step as Akane waved a finger under his nose and growled, "Don't you dare say we can always be 'just friends!' And after the way you've been leading me on...I even broke up with Ryoga on account of you! Doesn't that mean anything? Don't I deserve at least a little consideration?"

"Akane-chan...I..." Ukyo found himself struggling for words, his entire mental script thrown out of whack by the look of hurt in the Tendo girl's eyes, his cursed body reacting to her nearness on a level that his normally feminine consciousness would have found most peculiar, and somehow he managed to wind up feeling very small in the process, as though it really were his fault that this whole complicated situation had come about in the first place.

"Give it up, Sempai," Makoto said from directly behind him, "She's right, you made your mind up by choosing me, and it won't help to let her go on imagining that there's something else between you, right?"

Ukyo gulped, finding himself quite literally between a rock and a hard place, sandwiched between two volatile girlfriends who wee each intent on claiming him for their own and who just as clearly viewed each other with disdain, leaving him to realize that whatever words he said next were likely to hurt one or both parties.

"I...I just want...I mean..." he fumbled to try and get his mental processes back in order. On the one hand he genuinely did love Makoto and wanted to make a life with her in a relationship between equals. On the other hand...he just as genuinely liked Akane and could not bear the thought of seeing her hurt. What to do to get himself out of this fix he wondered, even as the odd stray thought drifted through his mind to ask what Ranma himself might do when confronted by such a pair of amorous wild cats?

Obviously the resolution to just kiss and make up was not even in the picture. Akane and Makoto were glaring at one another as though they were about to come to blows at any moment, and from the way in which they were positioned it was dubious if Ukyo could even get out of the way in time to avoid being a casualty in their cat fight.

He had hoped that soaking their cares in the nearby stream might calm everything down, but all that did was clean the muck off their bodies while reverting Akane and Ukyo into their cursed forms once again. Still, it was better than being coated in the slime of those digestive juices they had been bathed in while he and Makoto had been trapped in that snake's big stomach. He could still remember what it felt like to be trapped within the intestinal walls of the demonic creature, feeling tendrils probe and penetrate her every opening as she and Makoto writhed together in the throes of a tentacle-rape hell, doomed to die in each others arms while slowly dissolved and crushed to death within the creature...

He shuddered at the remembrance and said, "If it's all the same to you guys, can we shelve this until later? I'd like at least a little time to get over what just happened, and we still have to find out if the others are all right. No offense to either of you guys, but getting eaten by a giant snake really takes a lot out of a girl, know what I'm saying?"

Makoto did and reflexively shuddered as her own memories flooded back with graphic clarity in all their strangely lurid detail, then she said aloud, "Ah...yeah, I know just what you mean, Sempai. Going out like that...it's all kind of freaky, though...I have to confess that dying in your arms together would have been awfully romantic..."

Akane blinked as she looked from one face to the other then turned about on one heel and said, "Whatever."

They started forward again but Ukyo still found himself feeling trapped between the tug-of-war being waged between both of his girlfriends. Makoto made a point of taking Ukyo's hand between her fingers, and naturally Ukyo squeezed her back, but still she could not keep from glancing at Akane, who was staring resolutely ahead and angling her wings so that they cut off the line-of-sight between herself and the "happy couple" walking beside her.

An odd sort of silence fell over the three of them as they followed a curious trail that lead from the edge of the forest to a relatively wide field full of colorful flowers. They halted midway at the base of a tree and glanced around to get their proper bearings, and Ukyo took a moment to take stock of their situation, gratified that he had at least recovered some of his belongings, like his trousers, bandoleer and spatula, but not his shirt, which left him effectively bare-chested. His manly profile was lean and hard with well developed muscle definition, and he noticed that both Makoto and Akane were stealing glances his way, albeit in the latter case the angry Tendo Angel was doing her level best to pretend otherwise, scowling as if upset at her own weakness.

This was not Ukyo's idea of an idyllic jungle vacation, but at least the two women he most cared for were not sniping at each other and threatening to come to blows, which was something at least to feel grateful about. To avoid addressing the matter directly he shaded his brow and scanned the nearby mountains, trying to find something that would give them a clue about which direction to turn, and in an attempt at lightening the thickness of the mood he spoke at a calm and casual level, "No sign of the others hereabouts, but you guys see anything that could give us a clue about where to head, Sugars?"

"Afraid not, Sempai," Makoto replied as she, too, scanned their colorful surroundings.

"Maybe I should take to the air again and look around," Akane suggested, "I could cover a lot more distance."

"Good idea," Ukyo nodded, "We'll stay here and wait for you to get back, Sugar, then we'll try and see about tracking down the others."

"Too bad Usagi and the others haven't tried to make contact with me," Makoto sighed, "But I don't even know where my communicator went down. I don't mind traipsing around in the buff so long as it's around you, Sempai, but if we run into anybody else and they see me like this...well..." she blushed from head to toe, which was quite a lot of her to see pinken, not that Ukyo minded all that much.

In truth Makoto was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in her total nudity, those huge, perfectly shaped breasts of hers erect and firm without requiring a bra to support them. Her legs were lean and firm with muscle, and not an ounce of baby-fat was showing, though she was quite soft to caress and could set his pulse to racing just by breathing deeply.

Ukyo privately wondered if Makoto's protestations about being unable to "find" her clothing were entirely on the level. After all, Makoto could create her Senshi guise out of virtual nothingness, but Makoto insisted that she had lost her "Henshin Pen," the magical wand-like item that she used during her transformations. Without that her costume had dissolved entirely, leaving her fully nude since what passed for normal clothing had long since been ripped apart during their travels.

Still and all, it was entirely within the character of the pony-tailed girl to want to take advantage of the situation to use her body as a means of further leveraging Ukyo into a commitment. If so then she need hardly have bothered because Ukyo was already turned on just being in her near proximity, and were it not for his trousers he'd be sporting an enormous hard-on. That would certainly make it difficult to explain to Akane just how tight he and Makoto were these days, even if it was taking all of his self-control and will power to resist the urge to grab his taller girlfriend and bend her over so he could plant his "meat" between her legs, to pump her for all that she was worth until they both came together. If he did so then that would most certainly drive a permanent wedge between himself and Akane, something Ukyo was reluctant to do in spite of all his promises to pledge himself exclusively to Makoto and forsaking all others but his beautiful Senshi partner.

Fortunately for his peace of mind, a faint murmur, "Somebody hit the snooze button, I wanna sleep another few minutes..." answered Makoto's wistful mention of her friends

"Huh?" Akane blinked, "What...?"

"Would you mind keeping it down over there?" another voice complained in tones of sleepy irritation, "I've got this headache..."

"Me too," a third voice said before a short-haired girl sat upright right next to Akane, a girl who resembled her greatly save for the fact that her eyes were blue, not brown, "I have the oddest sensation...and what is that curious taste in my mouth...?"

"Huh?" Akane blinked before the other girl turned to look at her, then in a single chorus they both chimed, "You?"

"Ami-chan?" Makoto gasped, seeing her fellow Senshi was stretching herself out and quite as naked as herself.

"Eh?" Ami Mizuno turned a startled look from Akane towards Makoto and said, "Mako-chan? But...what...?"

"I said keep it down, what are you, deaf?" an angry Rei sat upright, only to blink in dismay at seeing who it was who was staring at her naked body, which prompted her to hastily cover her breasts with both hands, "EEEP!"

"What's the matter, Rei-chan?" Usagi sat upright and glanced around, then said, "Huh? Where did you guys come from?"

"Where did we come from, Sugar?" Ukyo said somewhat wryly as he studied the position that the blonde and her two brunette friends had been laying in and drew the logical conclusion, "We were looking for you, of course. Didn't expect to find you like this, though. Lemme guess...you started smelling something sweet and fragrant, and the next minute you were screwing each other like rabbits?"

"Hey, I resemble that," Usagi mildly protested before she took notice of the fact that she had been cuddled up in a sandwich with Rei and Ami, the latter one forming the middle, "Uh...oh...ah...yeah...think I see what you mean. This...certainly is awkward..."

"You think?" Rei snapped before turning a curious look towards Ami, "Uh...you mean...you...we...that is...?"

"Er...apparently so," Ami replied, blushing all over before staring back at Rei and adding, "Why, don't you remember?"

"Ah..." Rei actually considered the point then gave a sheepish look towards Ami that spoke volumes about what she could remember.

"Oh wow," Usagi blinked, "We...did all that together? Freaky..."

"Well, at least you're all right," Ukyo turned a glance towards Makoto, "That's something to be grateful for, eh Sugar?"

"Oh yeah," Makoto said with a half-smirk, "Guess I should have seen this one coming for quite a while now." All at once her expression changed and she took on a look of alarm before adding, "Where's Minako-chan?"

Her fellow Senshi all blinked together, then Rei asked first, "Isn't she with you? I mean..."

"Usually you two get into everything together," Usagi said more bluntly.

Makoto hastily glanced away before saying, "Um...not this time. I sure hope she hasn't gotten herself eaten by some damned giant snake, or trampled by a monster..."

"What was that?" Ami asked her curiously.

Makoto hastily got a "deer caught in the headlights" look before blushing furiously and saying, "Er...nothing..."

"Well, this is pretty serious, guys," Usagi got to her feet and offered a hand to Rei and Ami, "We can't be separated in a place as dangerous as this. We're going to have to search for her and my cousin to find out what might have happened to them...only...er...anyone see our clothes anywhere about?"

"Clothes?" Rei blinked as if hearing a word for the first time for which she had no direct memory, only to blush again when she saw the looks her friends were turning in her direction.

"Now is hardly the time to stand on modesty, guys," Akane flexed her wings and indicated that she was wearing nothing more than a pair of shorts and a tank-top (which you could see right through to discern her nipples), "Who cares what we look like when this place is full of creatures who must think we look good enough to eat no matter what we're wearing?"

"You got a point there, Sugar," Ukyo remarked, giving the assembly of attractive looking girls his best masculine appraisal, "All we'd need right now is a dinner bell and those beasties will probably come running from kilometers around to see what's cooking here, so if it's all the same to you, I think we should gather up our stuff and start moving to someplace safer, like an active volcano."

"Now see there," a voice suddenly surprised them all, coming from the sidelines as it did, "That's not entirely accurate you know. Active volcanoes can be safe to travel around only so long as there is no seismic activity worth mentioning, but the volcanoes around here have been known to blow their stacks time and again like regular clockwork..."

Akane and the Senshi all reacted with dismay as they caught sight of the one addressing them while Ukyo's hands went to his bakers peel and bandoleer of throwing spatulas, tensing at the ready as a troop of Velociraptors appeared at the edge of the clearing, every one of them a colorful reptilian killing machine stalking towards them on two legs. Much to their astonishment, however, Ryoga and Minako were also present near the center of their midst, walking unmolested towards them.

"It's all right!" Ryoga called out, "They're friends!"

"Friends?" Usagi asked in girlish tones two octaves higher than normal.

"Are you feeling okay, Sugar?" Ukyo asked, remaining still in a posture of readiness.

"Hey yeah, it's okay, they're cool, guys!" Minako called out, "They call themselves the Velari, and they treated us good. At least...I don't think they want to eat us or anything like that..."

"Young lady," one of the Raptors said in heavily accented Japanese, "If we did then we'd never have had such a stimulating conversation. In fact, you'd never even see us before we ate you."

"That's comforting," Rei noted, refusing to relax as her every sense cried out that these were dangerous creatures who could strike at any moment.

"Oh my," Ami said as she hesitantly took a step forward and stared directly at one of the creatures, "You are...Velociraptorus Draconum, am I correct?"

"Why yes," the individual so indicated replied, "An quite charmed to meet a fellow sentient of your culture and breeding. You may call me T'shalkri, leader of the Cr che you see before you."

"Mizuno Ami," she indicated herself, then smiled nervously, with obvious excitement in her eyes as she added, "You speak quite well...is that a resonating echo chamber that you use to produce human-like sounds?"

"It suits us as well as your ape-like larynx," T'shalkri responded, "Charmed I am most certain. You have the look of one who spends much time in research."

"Why yes," Ami replied with delight, "I must say, this is quite extraordinary, an entirely new experience for me..."

"The feeling is mutual I assure you," T'shalkri inclined his head in an appraising manner before turning and addressing the others, "Took a bit of effort for us to track you down. It really isn't safe for you hominid-types to be running around in circles in a predator-infested area such as this. My Cr che and I wish to offer you our services to act as guides so that we may reunite you with the rest of your companions. Your downed airship is over in that direction, and if we hurry we can catch up to them before the others get here to spoil things."

"The others?" Ami asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"My dear, do you imagine that we are the only sentient beings on the whole of this island?" T'shalkri enigmatically replied before turning to the rest of his fellow reptiles and saying, "Of all my Cr che I am the only one who is fluent in your language, but if any of you know King's English, then we will be happy to answer your questions while we take off in search of your airship. Don't mind our appearance, we are as odd looking to you as you would seem if you visited our village. Pray that we reach the others in time to avert real trouble and we might be able to assist you in getting home to your own country."

"Wait!" Akane said, "What about my sisters, Kasumi and Nabiki?"

"If they're the ones we tracked down earlier then there may be a bit of a problem in that," T'shalkri gave them an apologetic nod, "We'll explain about that later, but now we should be moving..."

"Hey," Makoto glanced around as if only just remembering something, "Where's that Mon-Mon character who was with us a few minutes ago?"

"She said she wanted to circle back and look for somebody," Ukyo shrugged, "Beyond that I didn't ask too many questions..."

"Hello? Peorth-sama? Are you there?"

Mon-Mon glanced from side to side and seemed perplexed over something, then paused to consider what to do about the matter. A moment's thought was all that was required before she drew her ever-handy lute in hand and began tuning up the strings, and only then she began to play a musical number, choosing the chords quite carefully before finding the right combination of notes and strumming them with precise key patterns.

The air shimmered and a gap in space and time appeared, and through this the Concubine Priestess stepped forward, passing in an instant between one space and another, to emerge out on the other side a short distance away by the measure of cosmos-spanning constants. Yet here she found the quarry that she was after, and to no great surprise came upon the massive snake-like body of the Egyptian Goddess, Neferti.

"I thought as much," the Courtesan sighed, "Just like Peorth to bite off more than she could chew...or should I say vice versa?"

She stared at a noticeable bulge in the snake's mid-section then walked up to the contented looking had and said, "Excuse me, Divine One...but do you have a moment?"

The snake's unlidded eyes took on a lazy focus then with a sibilant hiss she replied, "What do you want, Morsel?"

"I'm just satisfying a curiosity," the Courtesan replied, "Peorth challenged you and lost, correct?"

"Of course," the serpent smiled (as best a snake can smile, that is), indicating the bulge in her body.

"And by the rules of challenge you get to do whatever you want with her for the duration, correct?" Mon-Mon continued.

"For a day or two," the snake said contentedly, "Which should take me just about that long to digest her."

"Is that wise?" Mon-Mon inquired, "You know that it is forbidden by the System for one divine being to extinguish the light of another."

"Rules like that are so boring," the serpent pouted, "I prefer to make my own rules up, and what are you going to do about it, hmmm?"

"Well, that all depends," Mon-Mon explained, "I am a servant of Benten, and if I put in a word or two with her she might make trouble for you by reporting you to the system administrators of heaven."

"Your point is?" she serpent hissed, "I remember Benten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, correct? So, you're her servant, Morsel. How very...interesting..."

"Nonetheless," Mon-Mon replied, "I would very much advise against keeping Peorth for as long as it takes to reduce her to her nutritional components. I am pledged as a Priestess to prevent such an evil deed, and if forced to do so I will take the appropriate action."

"You?" the snake seemed to mock the Concubine with her regard of cool cynicism, "I think that would be most unlikely."

"Do not underestimate me, daughter of Set," Mon-Mon cautioned, "I am more powerful than you might imagine to merely judge me by my surface."

"Powerful beings do not frighten me," Neferti replied, "I delight in consuming them so that I might devour their divine light. Come at me if you dare, but if you do you should prepare to join Peorth as I intend to eat you."

"You think that I am that easy?" the Consort responded, "I warned you before not to underestimate me."

"You think that I'm impressed with your bravado?" Neferti sneered, "You may be a priestess, but to me you are nothing but an appetizer. But plead for your life and I might consider sparing you...for a bit."

"So, you still insist that you will not release your claim to your fellow goddess?" Mon-Mon asked.

"Peorth and I are old friends...we go way back," Neferti flicked her forked tongue between her massive jaws, "I always knew one day that I would eat her, and I am delighted to say that she is every bit as delicious as I have long imagined."

"You leave me no choice then," Mon-Mon replied, "I must therefore oppose you."

"And I am tired of talking to my food," Neferti sniffed, "So...are you prepared to get eaten? You have no fear about it?"

"Should I be afraid?" Mon-Mon raised a pale eyebrow, "As a servant of Benten I have nothing to fear from the like of you. In fact, I dare you to eat me."

"As you will then," Neferti opened her jaws wide and suddenly her tongue shot forward to warp itself around the bared legs of the priestess. Mon-Mon had barely a moment to register this fact before the tongue retracted, yanking her off her feet and drawing her relentlessly into the open maw of the impossibly huge creature.

The snake clamped its jaws together and swallowed, creating a second bulge that went down the length of its neck to join the first bulge near its center. Neferti smiled and lay back to enjoy the rays of the sun upon her scales, humming softly to herself, "Delicious...they don't get much tastier than that one. Now to begin absorbing her vital essence..."

Neferti was silent for a long, intense moment while submerging her consciousness into a probing awareness of what was going on inside her own body. She could feel the Concubine struggle and kick a bit as she fought against the stomach muscles that now contained her, and in due course the flexible appendages that lined her stomach reached out to engulf the Priestess, immobilizing her while probing about her openings, gradually forcing their way into all three of her orifices as Mon-Mon squirmed and struggled against her containment. Soon she was as helpless as Peorth, who already was enjoying the penetrating stimulation of Neferti's hungry tendrils. If she could have closed her eyes to savor the moment she most certainly would have, delighting as she did in the sense of total power that she held over a rival goddess as Peorth still struggled and kicked while taking it all the way in up the ass, in the mouth and in her vagina. It always gave her such a thrill when her victims put up a fight, it made it all the more savory when she pumped them up then drained their vital essence.

In all truth she most delighted in the gradual process of digesting her prey, and female mortals were the most delightful with their combination of openings and softer, more pliant natures. Stimulating them from within helped elicit the most exquisite of emotive energies as sexual passion replaced survival instinct and helped to bring her victims off in a combination of trembling climaxes that helped to sweeten the taste of their energy as she gradually absorbed them. Not for her was the quick release of death to be granted until she had measured her fill of all that her "dinner guests" had to offer, and only at the end, when they had nothing left to offer, did she grant them their release. So had it been since becoming the patron of this island and discovering her appetite for the flesh of tender mortals, and this morsel in particular was an especially tasty little dish that she would relish probing and digesting for a very long time. Almost as sweet as absorbing Peorth's energies when Neferti contrasted the two together. In fact, it was almost as if the servant of Bentan had a spark of the divine within her, as though she were more than merely mortal and...

Eh? Neferti would have blinked if her snake form had eyelids. Her awareness of all that was going on inside her stomach told her that this Mon-Mon character had folded up into a fetal position around that musical box she had been clinging to like a religious token. In point of fact the blonde was struggling to bring a hand over the strings of her lute, with the other gripped the neck in a distinctive manner and...strummed a chord that vibrated into a combination of intensifying energies, pooling within Neferti until it reached crescendo levels, and then all at once...

All at once it exploded from within her, and Neferti's huge body lifted from the ground as she convulsed in unexpected agony, her mouth widening to twice her body diameter as she suddenly spat flames and vomited out the contents of her stomach.

Mon-Mon slowly picked herself up out of the muck of mud and stomach acid that she found herself amid, turning to see an unconscious Peorth laying close nearby, no worse for the wearing. She smiled in realization that her desperate gambit had played itself out exactly as intended, then turned to look back at Neferti, who had reverted back to human form and was quite down for the count, looking sick to her stomach as though she had eaten someone who disagreed with her immensely.

"I told you it would be a mistake underestimating me," Mon-Mon smiled, only to glance down at herself with a grimace, "Of course...I didn't know it would be quite so...disgusting. I'm going to have to take another bath now, but when you wake up we are going to have a talk about the proprieties of your conduct...that is if I can convince Peorth not to take action."

Her resolve thus so stated, Mon-Mon went to the side of the goddess and once more lifted Peorth into a fireman's carry, then headed back to the nearby river to wash the goddess down while Neferti slept the sleep of the guilty and perverted...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

The steam was rising and my breaths were becoming much more shallow and labored, I was having trouble focusing and my vision was blurred as I struggled to remain conscious. More than anything else I wanted to let go, to relax, to release my hold on life and cease struggling altogether, anything just to bring an end to my torment as I slowly cooked to a boil in that stewpot, convinced that I was about to fry and would soon wind up a bullion feast for my hungry hosts and the Director who commanded them like a god, Akuma Zesutoru.

"That's it!" the big Chief said as he kept the cameras rolling away while continuing to view me through the lens of his beefy hands as I was being boiled upon his directions, a casualty of his demented quest to fulfill an artistic vision that had already claimed too many lives and had turned an entire village into a backlot set for the ultimate erotic horror-snuff movie, "That's what I've been looking for, that look of peace and resignation, the certain knowledge that you are about to become one with eternity, to venture to that great beyond which is a mystery to both priest and scholar..."

I glared at him as best I could with my blurring vision, only to gasp as somebody ladled a giant wooden spoon full of hot soup over my head, shocking me as I felt as though my brain was being cooked inside my skull, even as my flesh treasonously responded with an electric shiver of pure eroticism, and to my stunned surprise I had an honest-to-kami spontaneous climax!

I was taken aback to find my body convulse and spasm in the throes of an unexpected physical reaction that seemed to imply that I was getting seriously turned out by the fact that these guys were out to eat me. I squirmed helplessly within my bonds and felt my toes brush the hot metal of the pot surface. My ankles and wrists were immobilized but ropes connecting them were looped around me in such a way that my every motion brought them rubbing up against my clit and vagina. I bobbed around in that brew and felt those ropes tighten around me while digging into my sex and cramming the vegetables and mix stuffed up my ass and pussy further inside me while I bucked and moaned in pure ecstatic glory, almost as though I was getting double-reamed by a pair of giant dildos.

"Oooohh," Akuma moaned as though he were sharing my orgasm, "That is the perfect moment of bliss...to capture it on film for all eternity, that is truly beyond inspiration! You should be proud of yourself, Pai, you are about to become immortalized in cinematic glory! Oh yes, this will be my finest creation ever, the one that redefines the cinema and makes all my sacrifices worthwhile, just to attain this one most perfect shot of a woman on the edge about to yield to the ultimate surrender."

"Get stuffed," I muttered under my breath, now in possession of my wits once again and feeling horribly foolish over behaving like that in front of total strangers. The fact that I'd just flavored the broth with my own cum juice made my humiliation all the more complete, and-worse still-I could even smell the special flavoring that I had created, which-accompanied by the rest of the aroma rising up all around me, smelled like something really delicious was cooking-and three guesses just what was making my tummy rumble the most since I'd unfortunately missed out on breakfast.

Yep, that old special ingredient, me. I was shocked to find that I was getting hungry smelling my own flesh heating up, and damn if that didn't add to the perverse eroticism of my crazy situation.

This left me feeling lost and helpless with a certain sense that I was lost and it was nearly all over. Ranma and Shampoo had failed to materialize to rescue me and I had only a minutes more to live before the heat overwhelmed me completely and I lost myself to that kami-forsaken stew pot!

As if to add to my humiliation, the photographer named Snap spoke up and said, "Should we move in close to capture the look in her eyes when she goes, Boss? Just like with Pai the first time we cooked her? You know that the best part always comes when you look into their eyes just before they go, that moment between when you can see the life in them fade out, when they go from living to meat. That's always my favorite time when I can get the best still pictures..."

"Not yet you fool," the Director snapped testily, "I wish to savor the moment of her agony just a little longer, and only when she is about to expire will we capture her transfiguration. Yes...Pai was so glorious when she gave herself to the camera that first time so long ago...so long ago...oh, but she was such a classic performer..."

"That she was, Boss," Snap replied, licking his lips as he added, "And she sure was tasty."

I could see nods and hear grunts of assent from the other performers, and all around the general consensus seemed to be that the actress Pai Takura was a magnificent feast whom they had all dined upon with great gusto and enthusiasm. The fact that they had cooked and eaten a fellow human being seemed hardly to bother these guys in the least, especially since they had done the deed repeatedly ever since, taken woman after woman by force and turned her into their supper until the only women left were either too old and stringy or too fat to appeal to the tastes of the director.

But still I had to try one more time to make these lunatics see reason, "Please...don't...don't do this...please..." which was the best that I could do since my thoughts were too incoherent to frame a more rational speech pattern.

"Too late for you, girl," Snap said, "But don't you worry, you won't suffer much, just like Pai didn't suffer either. It'll be over and quick soon enough, after which we'll cook you a while longer until your meat is soft and your bones are elastic, then we'll pull you out and peel the meat away and save your head to make a trophy that we'll dedicate to the Snake Goddess, Neferti."

"Snake goddess?" I gasped, wondering why the sound of that had me even more worried all of a sudden.

"Yep," Snap continued, "Then we'll toss your bones back into the broth, along with your meat, and cook you a while longer to get the marrow out, and then we'll serve you up and everyone will give a toast in your honor. You'll be the Queen of the Ball and you'll live forever inside us, you'll be a part of us and we'll be an extension of you and your strength will become our strength and we'll be stronger because of you, just like we were after we ate all of the others."

In spite of myself and the way that I kept drifting in and out of semi-coherence something about those words registered a note with me and caused me to open my eyes in belated realization. I closed my eyes again and opened my inner eye, seeing with more than my conscious perception right to the true heart of the matter, and in an instant I understood with crystal clarity just why these clowns wanted to eat me.

I mean, sure, you can joke about women being as tasty as food, like calling us "Dishes" and other safe euphemisms that imply that we exist only for the benefit of our menfolk. What is cannibalism after all but the ultimate exploitation, the final expression of devaluation and transformation in which a human being is taken as a symbolic metaphor for life itself in all its messy complication, and that by the act of consumption they somehow transcend the limits of their own masculine bodies?

A woman is indeed the fountain of life, the creator and life-giver who nurtures the child from her womb to adulthood, sacrificing of herself to insure the perpetuation of the species. Women are the core of all societies and without us there could be NO society at all, a fact overlooked by the Patriarchs who have sought to oppress us, who have viewed us purely as domestic maternity dolls who spread their legs and take it.

Oh yeah, and if we should happen to distract them from loftier, spiritual pursuits, to tempt them to wallow in the flesh and the writhing sea of erotic hormones, then it's all our fault and we need to be punished for it, of course. It's all our fault after all that men are weak and fragile creatures unable to control their own baser lusts and urges, we're such natural temptresses and harlots that the only woman who gets praised is a Virgin Madonna, and that's only so long as she remains "chaste and pure," a symbol of unattainable perfection.

A woman also symbolizes hope for the future, but these clowns had lost all sight of the future and had no hope of anything so long as they followed their leader with his lemming-like obsessions. They had nothing more to live for beyond Akuma's madness, so what did it matter if they became extinct from their own actions? Pure Nihilism and Fatalism had replaced the joy of life for these people and substituted in its place a kind of wandering resignation that could only express itself in negative behavior patterns and general madness.

To them I was a symbol of all that they had lost and sacrificed for the vision of Akuma, a man so completely immersed into the idea that life was meaningless and could only be defined when placed on the edge of death itself that he had forgotten that there was any other purpose to living, which kind of makes his philosophy the ultimate form of life-denial. The only way these boys could satisfy their hunger for the joy of living that they had forsaken was to consume the symbol of all that they had renounced, to take me into their very being and to physically merge with my substance so that my flesh would become a part of their own bodies. In this manner they hoped to also take my life essence and share it among themselves, to transfigure their own mortality by means of my sacrifice and thus to take part of the ultimate savage Eucharist-like communion.

Pai Takura had understood this well when she came up with the suggestion of offering herself up as a feast for the sake of the others. Faced with likely starvation and with no hope of leaving the island she had chosen suicide for the sake of art to give her death an appropriate meaning that would fulfill the dreams of the director whom she idolized like an adoptive father.

On the other hand, if I were faced with the prospect of spending the next twelve years having to listen to him rant his Existential nonsense, then I might have jumped into the stew pot voluntarily myself, which ought to let you know just how far into madness he had sunk in pursuit of his vision.

The natives who had lived here before the advent of Akuma had been a peace loving tribe of cannibals living at one with nature in economic competition with beasts far too savage to be tamed completely. Mostly they would dine on roots and grubs or whatever wild game they could catch, or on the vegetables and fruits that they cultivated in their gardens, but once in a while when food was scarce they would draw lots and sacrifice one of their own for the sake of the clan, a practice that had gone on for countless generations and which had helped insure that the tribe maintained a stable population that was just viable enough to sustain itself without overconsumption of the resources on that damned island.

Thanks to Pai, however, this rare event of feasting on a family member became their mainstay and had all but guaranteed that the tribe would be extinct before the end of another generation.

But Pai had not been so much concerned with this as she been with what she saw as a quick end to her suffering and a pleasant demise that she could enjoy as a sensual experiment, in knowing her death as the ultimate turn-on fetish, something even her jaded sensibilities found enormously exciting. At her coaching the natives had agreed to cook her on the terms that she herself specified while Akuma taped the whole affair and experienced her death as the great climax of his uncompleted movie. Perhaps she even thought that by doing so she would bring the madness to an end and shock Akuma into sanity, but whatever her thinking on the matter I could sense that she had gone to her death willingly and had experienced-just as I did-the ultimate in carnal orgasms.

By this I do not mean to justify what she did, only to describe what I knew to be the truth about her story as I opened up my senses to the past and discovered the roots of my own dilemma. I could see her in my mind now, and I was startled to discover that she bore a strong physical resemblance to me, albeit that my hair is shorter and a lighter shade of auburn, but otherwise she could have been my exact physical ringer, which explained a lot about why Akuma thought that I was Pai returned to him, even though she had perished when I was still in grade school.

How odd to think now that her experience of death had been consensual and pleasurable, that she in no way fought her fate and had blissfully surrendered to the broth to become the feast that she had promised to the others. She had even joked about it and offered to let the crew decide which parts of her they wanted to consume, but in the end her head wound up adorning a pole and her meat was picked clean off her bones and returned to the stew to cook a while longer before it was divided up and shared among the crew and tribespeople. In a way a part of her had indeed lived on with them, but by giving them the idea that women could be a great resource for meat she had sealed the fate of the other women in her party, all forty-seven or so, who one by one would take turns being cooked and eaten, followed in turn by a majority of the tribes women.

And these guys did not just go in for bouillon either...they had a bunch of other recipes that they were eager to try so long as they had a fresh supply of victims. Even men wound up being cannibalized for their meat, mainly guys who ticked Akuma off or got on his bad side, and anybody else who died for whatever other reasons automatically went up on the menu. You could die a hundred different ways in that primitive setting and count on being the next one up for a feast. That's why there was no graveyard adjoining that village, just a pile of human bones tossed into a big pit at one end of town, all that was left to mark the passing of their friends, loved ones and fellow human beings. The only thing that they kept as momentos were their heads, and those were prized as decorations and could be seen on display on the couple hundred poles lining all around the periphery of that demented village.

In a way I had it easy being cooked in a stew pot. It could have been a LOT worse, let me tell you, and most of the gruesome ways in which people could fry had a zero chance of survival. I could have, for instance, been beheaded outright and divided up into different body parts like chunks on a meat chart, or I could have had a pole stuck up my but and impaled all the way through to my mouth so that I'd be roasted like a suckling pig over an open fire pit, still alive and dripping with juices. And if that doesn't nauseate you just to think about, there's also the alternative means of hanging me by the neck until I strangle, or tying me up and wrapping me in animal skins before burying me in the ground with hot stones that would effectively roast me. Hell, they even had an oven at one end of the village that was big enough for me to slide in all tied up like a roasting turkey. All these forms of death I could see in my mind, and many of them had been used upon the girls who had came before me, many of them kicking, screaming, yelling and weeping all the way to the end, and only a few of them genuinely consensual roasters.

Among them only Pai had gone without grief, remorse, regret or resentment. She had gone to her death because she believed that the act would spare her from future misery and would help free the others from their enslavement. She had even blown a kiss to the camera and smiled for her fans so that they would not weep as she leant her body to the art that she most loved, to live on celluloid forever.

And now I would shortly be joining her in either heaven or hell, and all because of Akuma and his dreams of making the ultimate Dinosaur movie. No doubt he had spent the better part of the last twelve years rationalizing what he did and telling himself that it was all for the best and using his art as an excuse to cover up for his not-so-personal madness.

And yet I was also conscious that there was something more going on here besides the insanity that I saw upon the surface. There was an element missing from the picture, some primal player who was egging things along and pulling the strings to play upon Akuma's dementia, to stoke his insanity and drive him well beyond the twilight edge of "common" sense. I could sense her on the periphery like a shadowy character worthy of any suspense thriller, and I did not need to be told that she was inhuman, I could sense the coldness in her eyes, the slithering hiss of a serpent who could have tempted a dozen Adams into that long ago orchard.

I thought again of Pai, of how she laughed and joked with the crew and teased them with her body, encouraging them to think of her as "only meat" while relishing her starring performance, a performer to the end who would not deign to use a body double to perform her own stunts.

And then they ate her.

Was I, too, going to go her way, to let go of myself, to wallow in the heat and allow the bliss of sweet eroticism send me to my culinary grave? What does it mean to die but that the sufferings of this world are finally ended? To go on and struggle, to suffer and be hurt, to know the pains of unrequited love and to have your feelings betrayed by others? To grow old, sick, infirm and ultimately useless? To have your looks peeled away by the ravages of time, to regret the things that you did not do in life and the lost youth what you had squandered, only to see a younger generation come along destined to steal your thunder? Surely a slow death cooked up by loving friends and family would be less fearful than all that, and what better way to quit the scene than to do something both kinky and dramatic that would give your death a significance that it lacked in all the messier and nastier ways that there were to perish. Being eaten by a T-  
Rex, for example, was certainly a LOT less pleasant than to gently boil to death with very little pain and only a little genuine discomfort...

"No..." I whispered, my mind rebelling from this vision that was filling my senses. No, I thought to myself again, I would not surrender, I would not go quietly down and be forgotten like a memory of yesterday's leftovers. I wanted very much to live and to find my loved ones, to assert myself as something more than just a piece of tasty meat, that I was indeed an individual, a person, someone whose life did matter, and for whom the meaning of life was both self-  
evident and beyond the need for justification.

But by this point I had slipped too far and could tell that my end was nearer than it had ever been in my young life. My body was already soft and pliant, my muscles having soaked too long to have any strength left at my disposal. I could tell that my muscle tissue was becoming limp and stringy and that my tendons were as soft as rubber, which meant that I could not physically free myself and had far less time to act than I could hope to recover given how the heat was making me dizzy.

That was when the strange thing happened, when my mind suddenly grew clear and clarified like molten crystal. I began to see the world in colorful patterns, as shapes and figures, lines of force and swirling fields of energy that filled the universe at large and helped me to become aware of the reality that existed beyond the illusion of solid matter.

Akuma and his sophistry was forgotten in that instant as my entire being filled with the light of new awareness, of the way the curls of heat and moisture rising up from the near-boiling soup operated upon a complex set of vectoring forces, and how I could draw strength from that energy, to fortify myself and repel the effects of the heat while creating an envelope of cool protection all around my body. I drew more life energy into my very being and used it to accelerate the healing process, to reverse the damage done to my blood, muscle, bones and internal organs, to restore life to my reddened flesh and give me the strength that I needed to overcome the swelling within my loins and rump caused by the vegetable-laden stuffing mix.

My ropes became like twine as I perceived the way that their fibers were woven together. I freed my wrists with very little effort and then set to work upon my feet, parting the ropes there with great ease then shrugging off the criss-  
crossing vines that had been grinding at my pelvis and steadily driving me to distraction.

Akuma did not realize what was happening with me until I started to rise up out of that pot, but when he saw that I was ad-libbing he reacted badly, screaming at me in dismay, "Hey, you can't do this! I didn't order a script change!"

"Tough," I said, my eyes blazing as I stood erect amid that stew feeling my energy levels rising as I drew upon the force lines in the air to fortify me for my coming battle.

Unfortunately the tribespeople seemed to have different ideas and leveled spears my way while some started pointing their rifles. I could tell at a glance that the magazines in those guns were nearly empty and I had no doubt that I could destroy them with a glance with my escalating power levels. Fortunately I was spared the need for making such an effort since that was the moment in this story when Ranma and Shampoo finally caught up with us, and then all hell really broke loose in that cannibal infested village...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Catch a Tigress By The Tail: shadowmane

They say Hell have no fury like a woman scorned, well, what about when she's scorched and burning mad about it? The Cannibal tribe finds out first hand what it means to enrage a Lore Master and her Airen in: "Raging Bullwhip," or "What's Sloshed for the Gander is Fit for the Goosing!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: or it's Mirror page at ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.  



	114. Chapter 114

Pangea09

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-LEMONY SCENES AHEAD!  
CONTAINS MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF CONSENT, BUT ALSO PROBABLY A BAD IDEA FOR THOSE OF ANY AGE WHO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEMES SUCH AS CANNIBALISM AND SADOMASOCHISM WHERE INNOCENT YOUNG GIRLS ARE SUBJECTED TO THE PERIL OF POSSIBLY WINDING UP AS FOOD FOR THE LOCAL WILDLIFE AND/OR THE TOURISTS.  
THIS IS AN OVER-THE-TOP HENTAI SERIES DEALING WITH JUNGLE THEMES NEVER TOUCHED UPON BY THE LIKES OF BURROUGHS, SO HAND ON FOR THE RIDE HERE, PEOPLE, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA GET LUMPY!  
YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!

(Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode On-Point-Nine:

"What's Sauced For the Goosed..."  
(Take a Wild Gander)

"Well?" the captain asked of his Chief of Engineering, "Can you fix it or not?"

"Fix it?" Fan Tran Phong responded with an incredulous look across his broadly rounded features, "Captain...we're lucky to have survived the crash without losing the whole gondola. One of the gas bags has a hole in its size the size of a small house, and we don't have enough silk to stitch it back together. We need to replace five of the cables and we lost one of the propellers over that last ridge we crossed coming down. We're lucky that the keel didn't crack when we skidded to a halt here, and I don't even want to think about the repairs we'll need to do to the engine."

"So can you fix it or not?" the Captain asked impatiently, "Prince Kirin will want us to return his property, and I, for one, do not relish the thought of having to explain how we got blown this far off course, let alone lost part of our crew and nearly all of his Majesty's guests in one catastrophic fiasco! For that matter, can you visualize explaining how we lost Mistress Mon-Mon during this disaster?"

Fan cringed at the thought of having to face Prince Kirin under these circumstances, but he was professional enough to insist on what he knew to be the objectively correct situation, "But sir...we lack the materials in our stores to complete such repairs as we must effect, nor do we have the facilities to manufacture what we require. We would have to make contact with a second hand parts depot, and somehow I doubt that we will find one on this primitive island. For that matter, how will we obtain the hydrogen or helium that it will take to reinflate the gas bags so that we might become airborne once again."

"I'm not interested in excuses, Fan," the Captain insisted, "The Prince will expect results. Make what repairs you can and then we'll see about obtaining whatever you require...AFTER we have retrieved the remains of our guests and whatever survivors may have endured our rude landing. Have the men divide into two groups, one to form a searching party, the others to work on the detail crews under your supervision."

"But sir..." Fan halted short of saying that he could not change the laws of physics as he caught the resolute stare of his commanding officer and so instead swallowed both his pride and his objections to dutifully reply, "It will be as you command."

"Good man," the Captain turned away and fixed his piercing stare at the next nearest man who stood within his immediate radius, "Yes?"

"Sir, we're ready to conduct the search as you requested," First Mate Yada-  
Yada reported while saluting, "Just give the word and we'll begin combing the woods as you instructed."

"Good man," the Captain clapped his giant right-hand man on the shoulder, "Then get to it and don't spare the manpower. I know that there are monsters and creatures lurking under every leaf and branch of this accursed island, but you and the men will have to ask yourselves if you would rather face a gruesome death from claw or fang...or tender your apologies to Prince Kirin."

Yada-Yada, an enormous mountain of muscle and flesh, shivered audibly under the weight of this threat, but then he pointed a beefy hand at a distant hill and said, "You mean...like that beastie over there, Sir?"

"Eh?" the Captain and all other heads turned as one to catch sight of an imposing shape that they viewed cresting the hill over two kilometers away, a head that all but dwarfed the mountains and was accompanied by a low rumble of thunder as the creature-forty stories tall if he was an inch-went on his way making a distinctive sound that chilled the marrow and made one very glad that he was heading off in a different direction.

"Now that's big," Fan spoke up, hunching his shoulders down nervously like a small monkey seeking to escape the notice of a Bengal tiger.

"Ah...well...quite," the Captain remarked, trying not to sound as impressed as he obviously was, "But...buck up, men. He's an island dwelling beastie and we're from the mainland. He might drop by to pay his respect to Tokyo evey now and again, but I'm sure he bears no grudge against us..."

"Should we write that on our tombstones after he's stomped us flat?" Fan asked at the level of a low murmur.

Yada-Yada scratched behind one cauliflower ear and said, "Boys saw a big worm headed off the other way a while ago...huge sucker, larger than a hill, but there was also supposed to be a pair of tiny dancing girls singing tunes while riding on his back, so it might just be the lads broke into the wine stores that you keeps for special occasions, Sir."

"I see," the Captain turned back to Fan and said, "Tell me why again we don't store adequate supplies to get us airborne?"

"No room for it, Sir," Fan shrugged, "We'd have to carry fewer jars of pickles to make ballast."

"Oh," that seemed to finish the matter as far as the Captain was concerned. Losing an airship full of VIPs and Priestess Mon-Mon was certainly bad news by any account, but to lose the sacred Pickle Jars would be a serious breach of courtly etiquette, and he had no intentions of starting out life as a lowly cabin boy again to work off his debt paying back his royal highness.

"We'll get started right away hunting for survivors," Yada-Yada began to say, only to halt in the act of turning around, freezing to the spot for several seconds. Then he slowly turned back to the captain and said, "On the other hand...Sir? Looks like we're having company..."

"Eh?" the Captain whirled about in time to see a group of black-clad heavily armed men approaching rapidly with automatic weapons at the ready. To the dismay of both him and his crew these men expertly surrounded and herded the Nekonlon shipmates back towards the center of the landing zone, discouraging those few who attempted to make a fight of it by clobbering them with well-timed martial arts maneuvers.

Not a shot was fired and everyone decided they wanted to keep it that way after the first half-hearted encounters, and within seconds the Captain found the snug-nosed silencer end of a compact auto-rifle had been shoved up near his face and a man wearing a face mask glaring him into submission.

"What do you want?" the Captain said, only to get a "SHHH!" hissed back at him before the man holding the gun whispered softly into a throat mike.

"[Condor One in position, we have the package, no casualties so far. Send retrieval teams ASAP.]"

"I beg your pardon?" the Captain asked, wondering if this fellow were speaking some gibberish tongue that sounded vaguely like English.

"I said keep it down," the man switched to Mandarin, "You make enough noise to bring old Gojiro down on our heads. Do what I say and we'll both live to share a drink about it."

The utter reasonableness of the man's tone belied the threat implied by his no-  
nonsense demeanor as he made rapid hand-signs to his people, and at once several armed men fanned out to assume the status of a periphery guard while other men set about disarming the Nekonlon ship mates of any and all weapons. Yada-Yada flexed his arms and glanced inquiringly at his captain, but his commanding officer decided not to rush into things without possessing more information, so he signaled back that they would cooperate with these commandos...at least until they were given reason not to.

Fan the Engineer, on the other hand, was far less resolute as he asked of the mysterious gunman, "What are you going to do with us?"

"No harm will be to either you or the crew," the masked man calmly assured them, "We are here to rescue you and transport your ship to safety..."

"Transport my ship?" the Captain responded, "To where?"

In answer to that query a huge black shape fell over the clearing and caused heads to rotate upwards as mouths hung open and looks of astonishment came over the faces of the Nekonlon shipmates. The Captain himself was struck speechless by the sight and his officers were no less stunned at the size of the thing that was hovering over the treetops, easily larger than their airship when inflated and yet moving so silently that one could almost take it for an oddly metallic black cloud drifting past. A hatch slid open underneath the belly of the curiously cigar-shaped ship, and then the leader of the gunmen seemed to smile behind his mask as he nodded to the Captain and indicated the cavernous hold looming directly over their heads.

"That's where for now," he said, "We'll talk about the rest later, after I take you to see our leader."

"That...sounds reasonable enough," the Captain said after he swallowed the lump forming in her throat, "Do lead on, I'd be quite anxious to meet this leader of yours...if he is a reasonable chap."

"As reasonable as they come," the masked commando answered, then signaled to his men to wind it up and get the Nekonlon people loaded up on the transport...

"[I say,]" T'shalkri turned to Zhandor, "{Do you hear that?]"

\The Raptor so indicated inclined his head to one side then said, "[Sounds like they've deployed the Invincible. The Admiral must be recovering that airship.]"

"[Admiral?]" Ryoga asked as he paused to glance at his Velari companions.

"We've mentioned him before," T'shalkri said as he reverted back to Japanese, a language he alone was fluent in among the Raptors, "Must be paying his respects to our island. Ah well, then perhaps you'll get to meet him after all. Splendid chap, as fine as they come among humans."

"[Yes,]" Zhandor said while sounding worried as he glanced off in the distance, "[But that sound is coming from the Monster zone. Can't go there, old bean, just wouldn't be cricket.]"

"[Why?]" Minako asked, "[Is it more dangerous there than here?]"

"[Depends on how you look at it, Miss,]" the Raptor named Dhanol replied, "[In a way it is, since the boys on that side of the fence tend to come in the large economy size, if you know what I mean. They'd regard a T-Rex about the same way you might look down on a rat, and let's not even go there on what they think about Raptors.]"

"Uh...what's all this about again?" Usagi asked as she scratched behind her odangas.

"Probably something you can't figure out for yourself Riceball head," Rei affectionately teased.

"Really, Usagi-chan," Ami sighed, "I don't know how many times I've tried to coach you to put more effort on studying English." She then turned to T'shalkri and said, "[If the island is divided into three parts as you imply, then it begs the question of what could be behind such a phenomenon, and who might have created these barriers...assuming that they are not natural to begin with.]"

"[Indeed,]" T'shalkri gave the human an appraising look and seemed to weigh her words with speculation, "[We do have a theory on that, but mind you, it is largely based on hearsay and conjecture.]"

"[Understood,]" Ami replied, "[But I should like to hear it nonetheless.]"

"[Jolly good,]" the Raptor Leader nodded, "[Well...the theory that I've tended to favor is that this island may be a long-lost remnant of an earlier advanced culture, one that mastered a science that borderlines magic and which enabled them to create Pangea Island as a sort of recreational park-slash-outdoor laboratory-slash-wildlife reserve. This antediluvian civilization wished to study my ancestors, as well as other ancient reptilian and mammalian life forms, and so partitioned the island off into two time zones while reserving the third for experimental field work and genetic recombination.]"

"Experimental field work?" Ami gasped while reverting back to her native language.

"Yes," T'shalkri said as he, too, shifted back to Japanese, "A laboratory, of sorts, for the breeding of unusual and exotic forms of life quite unlike anything what has ever even existed upon this planet. How else do you account for creatures whose very existence violates many known principles of evolution and anatomical construction? Perhaps it was an ancient weapons program that got somewhat out of control, but the results are such specimens as have plagued your homeland quite frequently in times most recent. Perhaps you know them by such names as Rodan, Mothra, Ghidora and..."

"Gojira?" Ami gasped, drawing the analogy to its obvious conclusion.

"Exactly," T'shalkri nodded his massive head, "Mind you this is only a theory, but clearly some intelligent beings set aside this island as a giant preserve for reasons that we can only speculate about. In a way that is good since without special intervention I dare say that we Velari would no longer exist to be having this conversation."

"Swell," Ukyo spoke up, "So...where are you guys leading us again?"

"To the border separating our frame from that of the Mammalian zone," T'shalkri answered, "I'm afraid that we cannot cross into there, but you should be able to locate at least three of your absent friends, who we fear the worst for. The Trogs, don't you know...they're rather beastly to outsiders."

"These...uh...Trogs," Makoto remarked, "You say they're a mixed tribe of Neanderthals and movie set people?"

"Sound almost like some of your relatives, Rei-chan," Usagi teased sweetly.

"Don't insult the Neanderthals," Rei huffed, "It's disrespectful."

"But according to you, these Trogs do terrible things, especially to young women," Ami pointed out.

"Too true," T'shalkri said sadly, "Mind you, we have only heard secondhand reports of what goes on in that frame, but what we have learned is rather potty, and we would caution you to proceed with great trepidation into their domain since many a fine young specimen of the female half of your species has gone before you without ever returning."

In the back rows Ryoga thought he overheard one Raptor murmuring to another, "[Crickey, there the Chief goes again, sucking up to yet another tasty human female.]"

"[Steady on, Mate,]" the other Raptor murmured back, "[You know the chief's policies about backsliding. Human females are strictly off the menu.]"

"[I know,]" the first Raptor sighed, "[But if you ask me it's rather disrespectful to our own females to have our chief chasing human tail with such shameless enthusiasm.]"

"[No doubt the chief will insist he's only interested in her mind,]" the second Raptor noted, "[All three pounds of it, but to be fair, she does seem to be a rather unusually intelligent example of her species.]"

"So, if we go there we'll be looking for a fight, right?" Akane said, glancing at Ukyo and smiling, "Then what are we waiting for? If my sister went in there with Shampoo and Ranma, then we'd better go help them."

"Before Ranchan hogs all the fun to himself, right?" Ukyo smiled, "I'm game if you guys are." He made a point of glancing at Makoto and her fellow Senshi before giving a firm nod towards Akane.

"[You really are going to go through with it, eh?]" Dhanol asked of Minako, "[Even knowing what the risks are, that you might not ever return?]"

"[It's what we do best,]" Minako smiled back, "[Fighting the good fight is what we live for.]"

"Well, my claws up for you, pip-pip and tally ho and all that," T'shalkri made what on a human would have been a raised thumb sign, then pointed towards the trail ahead, "The way into Trog land is just down that path a ways and around that bend, and keep an eye out for sabertooth tigers and other predators of that like. If you change your mind or should, by some favor of the heavens, return hale and hearty then you'll have a royal good welcome from us to celebrate your triumph."

"Thanks," Akane said, "Let's go, guys, we got a lot of time to make up for."

"Right," Ukyo said, only to pause as he sniffed the breeze, "Hey, does that smell familiar to any of you?"

"[Oh bloody hell,]" Zhandor sighed, "[Here we go again...]"

"Smells like flowers," Usagi blinked, "Hey, wasn't this the same stuff we smelled back in that field a while ago, Rei?"

"It does smell familiar," Rei sniffed the air again, "Kind of like lilacs..."

"Actually, what you are detecting is the pollen spore essence of the wild lotus known as Africanus Gigantus Erodatum," T'shalkri explained, "I forgot to mention to you before that it blooms abundantly this time of year and has a curious effect upon mammalian constitutions. It triggers a sort of mating instinct in your kind that tends to lower inhibitions and relaxes social consciousness to the point where a human is driven into a kid of sexual frenzy. Terribly sorry about this, forgot there is a whole field of the blighted crop growing just on the other side of that ridge."

Again Ryoga thought he heard two of the Raptors murmuring in the back row, "[You think the chief might have deliberately steered us this way because he knows that dratted flower is in bloom this time of year?]"

"[Even I wouldn't put it past him,]" the other Raptor sighed in evident resignation.

"Well, that's all fine and dandy," Ryoga shrugged, "But we're here to save our friends, not stop and sniff the flowers..."

He started to take a step forward down the trail only to feel a hand grip him by the arm and draw him back into the waiting arms of Minako.

"What's your hurry, Ryo-chan?" she cooed, bringing her face to within inches of his, startling Ryoga to no end as he caught the wild hint of passionate lust in her comely expression, "Don't you want to wait around a while with me and sniff more lotus blossoms?"

"Hey!" Makoto protested, "Let go of her, you! Who the heck do you think you are playing with my girlfriend?"

Ukyo arched and eyebrow at her, "Your girlfriend...Sugar?"

"Ah..." Makoto blinked, "Did I just say that?"

All at once Ukyo felt a pair of arms latch onto his and he turned to find a smiling Akane leaning close against his body with her breath tickling his cheek as she softly purred, "Forget about that tramp, Ucchan...you've got me to look after you, not that overgrown gorilla."

"What did you just call me?" Makoto bridled.

"Please," Ami pleaded, "Everyone calm down! This is obviously the effect of those spores that T'shalkri mentioned just now. Take a minute and we must move from downwind of these plants so that we can concentrate on..." she suddenly yelped as Usagi leaned over and pinched Ami on the bottom.

"You talk too much, Ami-chan," Usagi cooed as she snuggled up close beside her fellow Senshi.

"But we can do something like that, just like we did with you before," Rei gave a nasty chuckle that hinted at much mischief, "Right Usagi-chan?"

"You got it, Rei-chan," Usagi agreed, and together they double-teamed their mutual best friend, silencing Ami's protests with hungry, passionate kisses.

"[Oh dear,]" Dhanol sighed, "[Looks like it's happening again.]"

"[This could take a while you know,]" Zhandor remarked, "[Another two hours at least until those spores work their way out of their systems.]"

"[T'shalkri, old bean,]" a Raptor named Jonas said drolly, "[You didn't, by chance, deliberately mislead them this way with the intent of stirring up an orgy? That wouldn't be kosher.]"

"[Perhaps not,]" T'shalkri admitted, "[But at least they'll still be alive at the end of two hours, and by that time the Admiral will have organized a rescue team to go in there and do the work for them. It's all well and good that they were concerned with the welfare of their friends and creche-mates, but to go up against the entire clan of the Trogs without weapons is hardly sporting, don't you know? This way at least they'll get a good shag and will be no worse for the wear, although some may be a bit sore about the hips when it's all over.]"

"[So naturally you expect us to wait around and see to it nothing nastier than us comes along and tries to take a bite out of them,]" Boltan turned to Jonas and sighed, "Humans...why does it always have to be humans...]"

"[Don't remember you being so picky about human females when the two of us were being toasted like celebrities on Hollywood,]" Jonas quipped by way of rebuttal.

"[That was different, we were ambassadors charged with exploring the mysteries of human culture,]" Bolton insisted, "[And besides, I had a little too much to drink that night and got a bit carried away, so sue me.]"

"[But what about their friends?]" Zhandor insisted, "[If the Trogs got to them...]"

"[I know,]" T'shalkri said sadly, "[Could be rather a bit of a mess having to explain things if any of them get eaten, but that's a risk we're going to have to chance for now, and I, for one, do not relish going to the Admiral and confessing that we allowed guests in our clan to come to harm at their own insistence. If any of their number does indeed fall prey to the Director, well...may the Serpent Lady have mercy on their souls, for their mortal remains are as good as forfeit...]"

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Power: the work potential inherent in a body at rest, which can be utilized to achieve and effect or specific purpose. Normally I think of myself as a fairly powerless individual gifted with some unusual talents, but nothing to compare with the skills that have been developed over the years by my wife and husband, Shampoo and Ranma.

But not this time...this time I had power at my disposal like you would never believe. I could sense the currents and patterns of the life energy flowing through the air and could now tap into it like you could plug into a wall socket. It flowed into me, fortifying my very being, swirling around inside my nervous system and cranial passages, revitalizing every cell in my body and melding with my aura to create a powerful bond that gave me strength in infinite measure. I was bursting at the seams with raw Chi energy, and I had a lot of will to shape its flow as I was transformed into an avenging demi-goddess.

In a way I almost pity Akuma the Director for giving me that look of astonishment and dismay as I rose up out of the stew pot that was intended to be my culinary grave site. I'd been half-dead from heat prostration mere moments ago, but now I was crackling with energy and purpose, and I think maybe a little of it shone through in my eyes as I gazed back at him with the clear intention of making him pay for my ordeal and humiliation.

Strangely though what I was feeling was not really anger so much as a kind of sadness that a man who once was so gifted himself had turned into this pathetic joke of a high priest to cinematic excess. I felt more pity for him than outrage because I knew he was only just a shell of the person he once was before falling into the well of madness that had kept him going for twelve long years of self-imposed isolation. I also felt an enormous disdain for the thing which he had become, for the almost childish way in which he had lorded it over his crew and adopted tribespeople like a living god in their midst, bestowing upon himself the power of life and death, of setting himself above human morality and the ethical standards of most civilized people.

He was going to have to pay for what he had done, and I knew that just as firmly as I was intent on being the one to punish him. That's the other reason why I felt pity towards him as I prepared to dish out some long-delayed cosmic justice: I would not have wanted to be in his place right there and then facing me for an enemy!

The gods are sometimes known to have pity for mortals, but I was not about to show mercy towards the guy who had been the cause of so much death and suffering, and who had nearly turned me into a bowl full of miso!

And so I stood there cracking with energy while absorbing the raw manna energy all around me, taking in the rows of confused looking natives who were brandishing their weapons without certainty of what their role was since their chief had yet to call out directions for their next performance. In all the times that they had stood there gathered about to watch some young woman or hapless man get fried their victims had never once turned the tables against them, so the thought that I might be of any threat to them must have seemed pretty unlikely.

I was, of course, shortly to disabuse them of that notion, but before I could strike I heard another commotion break out at the other end of the village.

At first the screams and shouting from several tribesmen had seemed incongruous to the setting since I had yet to take any action myself to cause it, but soon I perceived the reason why attention was being shifted away from me right there and then: a sabertooth tiger had just burst into their ranks and was slashing away at them left and right...and there someone riding on its back guiding its motions as though it were a champion war horse, someone who had long purple hair and was dressed in an animal skinned outfit that looked something like a spotted bikini from where I was standing.

Three guesses who and the first two don't even count.

Shampoo wasted no time in urging her "mount" to leap forward into the middle of the village, calling out to me as she went, "AIREN! YOU SHAMPOO IS HERE TO RESCUE YOU! YOU NO WORRY, SHAMPOO SAVE YOU!"

Well, better late than never, I suppose, and it was very gratifying to see my wife come charging to my rescue, but I was little more concerned over the fact that she was exposing herself to needless danger by attacking in the open, and with a slight shift of my attention I could see that the tribesmen holding spears and automatic rifles were intending to do something about it, like open fire on her and the cat and reduce the both of them to Swiss cheese at a rate of 600 rounds per second.

Fat chance that I was going to sit still for that, especially now that I had a means of fighting back against those bakas.

I centered my focus on the gunmen first, on the rifles they carried, which had originally been intended to be movie props yet were reworked so that their mechanisms worked properly when Akuma had staged his little "coup" against his own financial backers. There had been a limited supply of ammunition to start out with and over the years the guns had seen much use in defending the crew against the ravages of the local wildlife. By collecting spent shell casings and recasting fresh bullets they had prolonged their supply of ammo, but over time a general lack of care and proper maintenance had set in, causing many of the guns to jam or not work properly. After all, a jungle was a hell of an environment for sloppy, slipshod engineering standards, so those guns that still worked at all were halfway rusted and the ammo they used was second and third rate, capable of jamming or misfiring under the right sort of conditions.

I made sure that the conditions were ripe for all of them to misfire and explode in the hands of their own wielders, my mind going into the very substance of the propellant and altering the chemistry so that the unstable compounds went off either prematurely or not at all, which rendered them useless as a catalytic effect spread from one gun to the other, and by the law of Similarity and Contagion my spell had a sympathetic resonance that allowed me to take out nine guns when I'd only intended a few at my first effort. Those guns that misfired did not only jam but they came apart violently and caused great injury to the men pulling the trigger. Ordinarily I might have felt bad about hurting those guys, but they had been training their guns at Shampoo and that meant that I would spare them no remorse, no mercy.

I next turned and caused an entire row of charging spearmen to go down in a wave, their javelins cast wildly off target and thus missing Shampoo and the big cat altogether. Shampoo wasted no time urging her "friend" to attack them before vaulting from its back and grabbing a stray overhanging vine so that she could swing towards me like some purple haired Jane of the Jungle.

"Airen!" she cried as she landed right beside my stew pot, "Shampoo come for you, she help you to get out, yes!"

I welcomed her assistance since climbing out of that pot would have taken me some effort at that point. I had been standing erect amid the boiling broth without moving from the spot largely because to do so would have been enormously uncomfortable. I had parted the vines holding me down but there was still all of that stuffing mix shoved up my ass and crammed into my pussy that I'd yet to remove, so moving my lower body was...problematic, to put it mildly. Needless to say I leaned forward as Shampoo reached out to grip me under my arms, then she lifted me to freedom and set me down on firm ground while I shuddered a bit, relieved at the cool air that bathed my legs and hips after the way they had nearly been reduced to so much rubber.

Shampoo wasted no time taking me into her embrace, mashing my breasts up against hers while planting a brief kiss on my mouth to assure me that she was glad to be able to once more come to my rescue. She then drew back and said, "Shampoo sorry she so late, have hard time getting here, but now Shampoo and Ranma save Airen from bad men who want to eat her."

"Ranma?" I gasped, looking from my wife to the village all around us, "Where is...?"

"MRREOWW!" came a savage cry right before a redheaded figure pounced into the space near to us, then straightened out and revealed herself to be a snarling Ranma-chan.

"Oh," I said, understanding immediately that my husband-turned-wife had fallen prey to his Nekoken curse.

"That why it take so long," Shampoo informed me while still clinging to my shoulder, "Have to chase down Ranma and convince him we need find you, Nabiki. Once him get idea, though, then he come here to pay back bad men who cook you."

"MRRREEEOOOOWWW!" Ranma snarled, then hissed as she bared her fingers like claws, and without another warning pounced at the ranks of the savage tribesmen and showed them what true savagery was like, scattering men left and right with well-timed slashes as though they were ten-pins.

Just then Shampoo noticed a milling of savages to our right and hastily pushed me to one side before taking up a defensive stance and growling, "You no come near or Shampoo make you very, very sorry!"

Somehow those guys just did not get the point that she was trying to convey to them, that this cute Chinese girl dressed like Sheena really did mean business, but I guess they just couldn't bring themselves to take any woman seriously, not after having victimized so many, so Shampoo took the fight to them and taught them the error of judging an Amazon by her hair color.

That left me with a slight problem with walking, but I was now free to dispense with the contents of my much-abused body cavities, scooping the vegetables and stuffing mix back into the pot as I had no intention of joining them again...ever! Instead I flexed my hips then turned about and sought out the one who I intended to make suffer.

Akuma.

He still could not get over the fact that someone like me was ad-libbing, that he had lost control over the production and that people were no longer following his directions. He was shouting orders to the grips and camera crew as though he meant to record the one-sided battle taking place all around us, but when he saw me stalking his way he immediately forgot about all of that and turned an almost plaintive look my way, confusing me once again with his original victim, Pai Takura.

"Pai," he desperately urged, "We can still make this work...we have enough light left to complete the scene...!"

"Sorry," I replied in an even tone, once more summoning my power to the appropriate levels, "I've decided on a script change, the heroine lives, but not so a certain director."

He caught my deadly intentions in the look that I was giving him and immediately backed away, waving wildly to his men crying, "What are you waiting for, fools? Restrain her!"

They tried, I'll give them that much credit. They tried to obey the commands of their chief, but they were only men, about a dozen or so, each one at least half again my size and well conditioned to the idea that size really does matter. They reached for me with the obvious intention of putting me back into that stew pot, but I was done playing the helpless victim and had no time to waste on fools of their debased nature.

I didn't even have to lift a finger, I just concentrated and they went flying away from me in all directions, the force at my disposal picking them up and scattering them like cardboard props in a wind storm. Then-just to see that they kept out of my way-I extended both hands and curled my fingers as though shaping claws in the air, and at once I forced a connection between positive and negative nodes, causing lightning to burst out and lash them all where they had fallen, causing them to dance and scream in pain as I poured enough juice into them to light a small office building. Then I allowed the power to subside and turned my focus back upon my original objective.

Akuma was staring at me as though I had just grown horns and a tail, then he backed away gibbering some nonsense about "My Lady!" and invoking some kind of prayer to his "Snake Goddess." I paid no heed to his ranting but merely took another step forward, causing him to back away even more frantically as I continued to advance and he continued to retreat further towards the Chieftain's hut that once been a film trailer.

I was not about to let him escape from me in his refuge, but right then another wave of savage, painted men tried to bar my way, to come to their Chieftain's rescue. These guys were his honor guard, the ones who were the biggest Akuma fanatics and who did his gruesome bidding, often performing the worst of the atrocities perpetrated against his victims. These were guys with blood on their hands all the way up to their arm pits, who glorified in his crimes because their own savage natures were appeased in doing his dirty business. In other words these were the guys who most had it coming...

And all of them up against cute little old me, naked as the day I was born and half-steamed liked cooked vegetables, without even a rusty knife to serve me as a weapon.

They never even stood a chance.

My eyes were blazing with outrage, the numerous sins they had committed an open book to me, the screams of the dead echoing in my ears as I felt the torments of the damned, those who had perished gruesomely while pleading for even the slightest token of mercy. Brutal hands and laughing cruelty, I reached into the past and drew upon their karmic debt and demanded an instant accounting for their evil.

It's difficult to describe what exactly it was that I did to those red-fingered bastards, but it's sort of like I called upon the spirits of the departed and drew on the lingering trace memories left behind within their physical remains. Those skulls mounted on poles each represented a life that had been viciously taken, and the pile of bones in that pit near the center of the set was an amalgam of depravity from which I could draw out the wispy tendrils of long-ago extinguished life. I felt the dead moving up from all around me, taking form and regaining a semblance of what they looked like in life, only now as pale and haggard as walking corpses. The ghosts of the departed assembled around me then slowly fanned out to surround their guilty-eyed oppressors, and then the ghosts advanced upon the ones who had tormented them in life, and I felt the first of the screams break out as the ghosts took back that part of themselves which had been consumed to sustain the lives of their victimizers.

I stood my ground and watched the horror feast break out before me, yet strangely I did not feel the slightest fear as I witnessed ghosts sucking the life out of the ones who had eaten the flesh of their bodies. In a way it was poetic justice, and yet at the same time I felt an overwhelming sorrow. Life does indeed exist as a paradox where the health of one being is often sustained at the expense of another. These men had sought to live by turning to cannibalism to fulfill their meat rations, but in the process they had lost far more of themselves than could be gained with a full belly. What had started out as a cruel necessity had wound up becoming a gleefully indulged pastime with guys competing with one another to see which of them could come up with the most sadistic method of torturing their dinner.

I turned away only when the screams subsided into low moans and whimpers, then sought out the one who had managed to escape from the feast, Akuma himself, whose instinct for survival and self-preservation was the main reason he had put himself at the top of the food chain.

"Keep away!" he all but screamed, now completely losing it as his eyes were as round as one of those cartoon characters you see in a Manga, "Don't come any closer-!"

I felt the ghosts lining up behind me, forming into a group that fanned out to either side of me, yet who kept a respectful distance as though bestowing onto me the right to claim our mutual vengeance. I had the peculiar sense of someone taking the space directly beside me and resisted the urge to glance sideways in order to see who she might be, instead fixing Akuma with a lethal stare that held him to the spot as though his bare feet had just been nailed to the flagstones.

"Really," I said in droll tones, "Does that line ever work in the movies?"

"P-Please!" he begged, "I...I never meant any harm! I just wanted to make movies...!"

"Don't tell it to me," I said in cool, dry aloofness, "Tell it to them, the ones you owe for making their lives a living hell. The set designers, dressmakers, make-up women, secretaries and personal assistants. Tell it to the stunt ladies and assistant camera directors, personal trainers and girlfriends you betrayed to their deaths. Tell it to the guys you double-crossed and ordered killed whenever they stepped out of line or tried to tell you that you were slipping into madness. Tell it to the ones you sacrificed in pursuit of your vision. You think life had no meaning for them? Guess again! Now they're here to pay you back for your wretched, miserable perversions!"

The shade to my left stepped forward, and suddenly I had a very clear idea of who she was, and I lifted an eyebrow as I found myself staring at the shade of...myself...or rather, what I might have looked like if I were a few years older, had longer hair and had been dead for more than a decade.

"Akuma-sama," she said with unearthly tones that were like a cold breath in a cemetery, though she spoke the word with what almost sounded like affection, "You have suffered long for a dream, now the time has come for you to rest. Your burden is over, accept the curtain call, let the lighting fade and the credits roll, for you have done your part, and the rest...will be silence."

"P-P-Pai...?" Akuma shook like a leaf as he straightened out and stared at her in sheer wonder, "Pai...it...it really is you...?"

"Yes," she smiled, "I am here, Akuma-sama. It is time to rest, your part is played, the script calls for you to bring it to and ending."

"But...how...why...?" for a moment I saw something in his eyes that almost looked like sanity, and the horror that came over his features was appalling in the extreme. He grabbed his temples and his mouth shaped a word, but no sound escaped from him, and I knew in an instant that he was remembering every evil thing that he had done for the sake of his movie.

"My love," Pai called out, "You must let it go, you must not let the past weigh upon you. What is done is past and cannot be undone by mortal hands. Only accept what you have done and let the heavens decide your fate. We can do nothing more for you but to ease your burden in the great hereafter."

"N-No...no, keep away from me!" he threw up his hands and broke free from my spell of paralysis, "You're dead! You're all dead! Haunt me no more, foul spirits! I am Akuma Zesutoru! I-!"

That was when he backed into the wrong set prop, one that had fur and was quite fully animated, and as he turned around to see what had obstructed his flight the great Director found himself face-to-fang with the saber toothed tiger, who snarled at him with bloodied jaws that had already tasted human flesh.

"Ah...nice kitty...?" Akuma plaintively asked in his last pathetic line in this existence, and then the screaming started as the tiger-true to its nature-  
opened wide and bit his face off.

I sensed that the ghosts surrounding me were averting their eyes and making warding gestures as though the crunching sounds of animal vengeance were appalling even to their morbid senses. I tried to look away but found that I could not, perversely fascinated at the sight of one predator asserting dominance over another, and then I felt the life exit from his twitching body as the tiger shook his remains like a rat in its jaws, then spat him out again as if losing all further interest.

"Akuma-sama..." many ghosts plaintively whimpered, then as one they turned away, all save for the one I knew to be the ghost of Pai Takura, who turned to me and smiled in an odd way as though the two of us were old friends who shared a memory together.

That was when the really curious thing happened...all at once an area directly behind the ghosts flared up like a torch and formed this shimmering gateway that was like a portal into some bright and golden place. I felt keenly drawn to the sight of the thing, but Pai deliberately stepped into my path and blocked my vision as best that she was able.

"Do not stare too long into the golden path, Tendo-san," she informed me, "For where we go no mortal should follow, not so long as she has a destiny in this world."

To my amazement I saw the lines of ghostly figures turn and enter the portal, one by one pausing to smile at me before vanishing into the void, drawn along on a cosmic escalator that I strongly suspect was connected to heaven. Pai remained for me a bit longer as the last of these ghosts traveled to the great hereafter, then spoke to me again and said, "We thank you for saving us, Tendo-  
san. You truly are worthy of the gifts that have been bestowed upon you by the heavens."

I focused upon this older version of me and thought of a million things that I wanted to ask, but instead I simply spoke the questions that came foremost to mind, "You've been trapped here all this time?"

"Hai," she answered softly, "Unable to cross over to the next realm, held here against our will by the force of another. Our spirits had been trapped in limbo until you awakened us just now, and yet still we have been aware and dreaming of this day, when one who was strong enough to overcome Akuma would serve as our liberator."

"Ah...well, just doing my job," I smiled, not knowing what else to say about the matter.

"You were so brave facing your moment of surrender," she said, glancing down before adding, "I was not so brave or fortunate when I surrendered and met my end. You shame me, Tendo-san, and yet I know great joy in having met you. Go well in peace and live a long and happy life, just as I wanted to before coming to this accursed island."

Again I felt a rush of questions that I wanted to ask, and once again I selected the one that came foremost to mind, "Is it true...did you really choose this fate for yourself?"

She looked me resolutely in the eye and said, "Yes...I chose to go this way. It seemed to be all for the best at the time...and I did not know until it was too late about the Serpent Lady who was afflicting my poor Akuma."

"Serpent lady?" I asked again.

"You will meet her soon," Pai's mouth quirked into a smile, "And she will not be too happy about what you did here. She considered us her prized possessions, and in freeing our essence you have made an enemy of her, but I dare say that she will be the one who regrets your meeting."

I paused again before asking, "But...why...?"

"Why did I want to go out like this?" she shrugged, "You should understand that, you have felt the same temptations as I did. It is not so unpleasant a death as many another that might have befallen me sooner or later, and I wanted to do something...to contribute as best I could to the survival of my friends and loved ones. Akuma-sama and I talked about it long before we enacted the scene, and it was a glorious way to succumb, far more pleasant than sleeping pills or slitting my wrists. We were dying, you see, from hunger and malnutrition, and the natives seemed to think that offering one of their own up would help cure things..."

"And did it?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered, "It proved to be a miraculous answer to all of our immediate needs...and yet we were being manipulated, used by the will of another. Akuma thought he was hearing voices, and now I know that he did what he did for reasons other than madness. But my choices were shaped by necessity and my own curiosity to explore the ultimate fetish, the forbidden taboo that civilized people shun from, to become as one with our dinner."

I shuddered a bit at the memory of what it felt like to cook in that stew, and yet there had been a strangely erotic sense of sensualism to my ordeal, and I was clearly getting turned on while I cooked, so much so that I had nearly given up at the end there before some spark of rebellion was ignited in me, a will to live that overrode the force of my own perverted libido.

"There was, however, another reason why I chose to bow out with grace rather than to die of privation," Pai continued, "I had a...special need to fulfill, and it was for her sake that I offered my body as meat to sustain her. She still lives, Tendo-san...and...I would ask a favor of you if you will allow it..."

"Name it," I said automatically, only to get a lingering sense of what was being asked of me, to which I said, "You've got to be kidding..."

"She is tainted with the madness of her father," Pai explained, "And she will bear watching over lest she turn out as I did. I do not ask this lightly of you, I only beg that you consider it as a proposal. It is much to ask, I know, and doubtless you may chose to leave the matter in the hands of others..."

"I get you," I said, "I...I promise...I'll think it over."

"Good," she bowed to me, "Again, it is a pleasure meeting you, and one day we will meet again and talk as friends...though I suspect for you that day will be a long time in the future..."

And then the gateway widened up once more and Pai flowed through it like a stream of mist, vanishing as the gap closed behind her, leaving barely a whisper in her passage to mark that she had ever even been present.

"Airen?" I heard Shampoo ask, startling me out of my trance so that I turned to see my wife standing beside me with a much-concerned expression, "Airen, is you all right?"

"I'm fine," I said, blinking my eyes once again as I felt my power levels slowly subside to normal, then I glanced around and said, "Uh...what...what happened here...?"

Shampoo turned and nodded at the scene of carnage all around us then said very softly, "This one not know. We were fighting...and then ugly men began screaming and clutching at their heads, saying something was eating them, then they fall down and go to sleep, all except red-fingered men over there," she pointed with a slight wince coloring her beautiful expression.

I only gave a cursory glance at the elite body guards who once served Akuma, then grimly looked away, thinking to myself that Miss Hinako could hardly have done a better job of training those guys so that they looked like a field of corpses.

"Any survivors?" I asked, trying very hard to put those images out of my mind, and failing badly.

Shampoo nodded, "Most ugly men is asleep, no dead, but there is children who no take part in the fighting. They over there playing with Ranma."

"Huh?" I turned to see what she meant by that and came to witness one of the oddest sights that I might have imagined, in total counterpart to all of the horror that I had just witnessed.

Ranma was indeed playing with those urchin-like kids who earlier had been among the loudest calling for my death by cooking. They were behaving just like normal kids might do, playing tag with my currently Neko-cursed fianc e as Ranma darted about and teased them with kittenish delight, a pigtailed bundle of energy who delighted in the happy squeals of those kids as she darted about them, pausing only to let them pet and caress her cheeks like an actual kitten.

Right then and there I wished that I had my camera to preserve that moment, for it was just the thing I needed to drive all those morbid thoughts of what might have been right out of my head good and proper. I smiled in spite of myself and felt a warm feeling of affection for Ranma in her Neko state draw upon my heart strings...

But then my eyes fell on one of the girl children, about twelve years old and clearly the oldest, acting much like their ringleader. She had a bone in her hair that formed it into a pigtail and was the next best thing to naked with little budding breasts poking out from a slender chest, and her body as deeply tanned as any native, but clearly she was neither "Trog" nor Neanderthal but Japanese and quite human.

In an instant I knew her...Pai's child, Jingo, her only living daughter.

By Akuma.

I suddenly understand the missing piece that explained her voluntary death by cannibalism. She was starving with malnutrition and had nothing else to offer for her child to eat. She made a deal with Akuma to grant her baby by him a chance at life, just as might any other parent in her position. The natives had insisted that there were miraculous healing powers that came with eating human meat, and she gambled her life that there was truth to their conviction, and such had proven to be the case for her daughter had lived, and so had the rest of her people.

But at what cost? Here before me was a little girl whose daddy had been an insane movie director and whose mother had been cooked and eaten to insure her survival. The kid had grown up in an environment where "kill or be killed" was literally a divine commandment and had doubtlessly taken part in every cannibal feast that had followed over the course of the past ten years. She knew the taste of human flesh and quite obviously reveled in it. How then could such a one as her ever go back to civilization and grow up normally among other civilized people?

I decided that was one question that would have to be put off for now, but at the moment Shampoo reminded me of the present by leaning in close and licking me on my cheek. I turned to her with an incredulous expression and asked, "Wha...?"

"Shampoo think Ugly men have right idea about Airen," Shampoo said, "But wrong way go about it. You smell good enough to eat to Shampoo, but Shampoo no mean to chew and swallow. She very much like Nabiki as she is and want to clean Airen out so she no sore on bottom."

"I...you mean...? Oh..." I responded, then I swear to you I blushed so hard that I must have resembled a boiled lobster. Trust Shampoo to think of a thing like that at a time like this! What else could I do but take her up on her offer, allowing her to lead me by the hand back up the trail to those hot springs, dragging Ranma in tow with us so we could cure her of her Neko state while cleaning ourselves up and getting down to business.

But as we started to depart I glanced over at the remains of Akuma, then noticed that the saber-toothed cat was following us, albeit he seemed to be entirely casual about it and was not clearly looking to pounce on our bare bodies.

"Um...you two are friends now?" I asked.

"Hai," Shampoo grinned my way, then indicated that curious neck-pendant that she was wearing as her sole ornament, he one I remember being given to her as a gift by Prince Kirin, "Shampoo convince big-tooth to no eat Ranma and Shampoo, make understand that we friends, no for eating."

"And...uh...how did you manage that?" I asked nervously, not trusting myself around such a clearly vicious creature.

"Shampoo have ways," she replied mysteriously, "She full on ugly men, no have appetite for us. Too bad stupid man in skirt get eaten, Shampoo want have words with him for thinking he do thing like that to Airen."

"I'd say he got off lightly," I remarked, but as I did so I frowned, feeling an acute sense that the matter was not entirely over and done with. There was an element yet to be dealt with in this picture, and those references to a "Snake Lady" had an ominous feeling about them, enough so that I knew this adventure had yet to be brought to a final conclusion, not least because we had still to reunite ourselves with Kasumi and the others.

Little did I know right then but I was shortly to have my encounter with the "Snake Lady" in question, and then Pai's words were to prove prophetic as if was the goddess Neferti who would regret our immanent meeting...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Stir Fried Tendo Recipes: shadowmane

The gang is finally reunited, just in time to learn that there is more going on this island than you see on the surface. Be with us next time for: "Bringing it to a Head(hunter)," or, "They Don't Want Stories With Good Taste, They Want Stories That Taste Good!" Be there.

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: or it's Mirror page at ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.  



	115. Chapter 115

Pangea10

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-LEMONY SCENES AHEAD!  
CONTAINS MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR UNDERAGED VIEWERS AND THOSE WITH MORAL QUALMS ABOUT OVER-THE-TOP HENTAI LEMON SERIES! CONCERNS THEMES OF QUESTIONABLE TASTE INVOLVING PRIMITIVE LIFE FORMS WHO PREY ON TASTY, TENDER HUMAN FEMALE MORSELS AND THE RAMNA-FICATIONS THAT COMES WITH DIVINE PAYBACK. ALSO INVOLVES PURELY CONSENSUAL SCENES OF TEENAGERS ON THE RUT WITHOUT THE USE OF PROPHELACTICS.  
YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!

Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Ten:

HEART OF DARKNESS (Casting For A New Direction)

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

Although I may joke about it, what happened to my wife leaves me with a profound sense of intense rage and disgust over what almost became her final ending. Had Ranma and I been a bit less slow in coming to her rescue, or if she had failed to find the inner strength that allowed her to tap into her hidden power, then I would no longer have a wife and Ranma and I would be grieving for the rest of our lives. Such a shocking loss of human potential and all of the joys, plans and dreams that we share could have been gone like that, and all because of those stupid cannibal men who thought Nabiki was good for nothing else but eating.

Given how well she took matters after disposing of that stupid director I am quite proud of my wife and awed at the inner strength which she displayed in putting it all behind her. If it had been me wielding the sort of power that she displayed at the time then I assure you that I would not have left a single stone standing. They all deserved to die for what they had done to Nabiki, even more so for the other victims who had come and gone before her, those ghostly women I so briefly witnessed, whose bones filled that pit almost to overflowing. So many lives lost and the majority of them women...yes, truly these were not human beings but monsters who deserved extermination. I only regret that I did not contribute more to my wife's rescue, but in the end Ranma and I are only human and she is an Apprentice Lore Master.

That being said, I never want to see her look at me the way she did to that Akuma person, her eyes glowing brightly with a fire more intense than hate, and the words I heard someone muttering as we turned away from the battlefield, "The horror...the horror..."

At any rate, we retired to those hot springs where we obtained a warm bath to wash the lentils from Nabiki's hair while restoring Ranma to his masculinity and sanity once again, and I took advantage of the moment to lick the spicy flavor from Nabiki's body. I was quite delighted at having her restored to the Nabiki I well know and wanted to express physically my great joy at being reunited in her arms, and once Ranma had recovered enough to take part in our mutual pleasuring he gave us both great joy and helped to banish the last traces of the nightmare we had lived from our minds. It was a frenzied, intensely passionate moment, but once our lust was expended with lay satisfied in each others arms, at which point I heard Nabiki say in a teasing whisper, "So...where were you guys...and what took you?"

I was laying atop my wife's chest and had to crane my neck in order to look up at her, then I smiled and responded, "This one is very sorry, Airen, sorry to have worried you, and more sorry to be so late for your rescue."

"I wasn't holding it against you guys, Sham-chan," Nabiki smiled at us as I felt her run her fingers through my hair, "I just wanted to know what you were doing while I...ah..."

"While you what?" I heard Ranma murmur from close beside me, "What'd I miss while I was out of it back there? I remember that big saber-toothed tiger...but I don't remember...anything after that..." I could almost hear him frowning as he tried to recall things that he had seen and done while Neko.

Nabiki seemed quite genuinely embarrassed over all that had happened, as though it were somehow her fault or something, but what she said aloud was, "I just ran into some...rough characters, but you and Sham-chan chased them off, Ranma-kun."

"Rough characters, huh?" our husband grumbled, "Well, they'd better not try anything with you or they'll have to answer to me."

"Of course," I heard Nabiki say, and the two of us shared a look, silently agreeing to spare Ranma the details until much, much later.

That was when I heard the great cat yawn at the side of the pool, and I smiled while rising off of Nabiki to give him a nod as he purred in our direction.

"C-C-Cat!" Ranma gasped and moved off of me as though seeking to get away or possibly return to his Neko state, but I reached out to steady him so that I could compel him to hear my words and not move beyond my reach, gripping as I did his manly tool so that I knew I would hold his full and complete attention.

"It is all right, Husband," I tried to assure him, "Smiley is a friend and he will not try to eat you."

"Smiley?" Nabiki asked with a puzzled expression.

I nod, "It is short for Smiledon, which is a word that this one remembers hearing her mother say when she was very little. Smiley, say hello to the wife and husband of this one..."

My friend the saber-tooth made a noise of greeting that startled Ranma in spite of my grip tightening ever-so slightly around his manhood. Nabiki looked at me with a curious study before turning to glance at the great cat before saying in a low murmur, "You're sure he's friendly? He looks kind of hungry..."

"After what he ate back there?" I reasonably pointed back towards the cannibal village, "Believe me, Airen, he is full right now and won't eat again until he is hungry."

For some odd reason my wife and husband hardly seemed all that assured by my statement, but I can forgive them for being somewhat dubious about Smiley. In truth, it was a very curious thing which brought me and that great cat together in the first place since (only hours before) it had attempted to eat me, hence the reason I had been separated from Nabiki in the first place...

And so I it was that I related to her my story, how the great cat had pounced on me while I sought to divert it away from her and Ranma. It was unfortunate that the trail we were on proved so narrow, and when I sought to evade his attack I instead wound up bearing the both of us over the edge of a sheer drop leading into a gully. We fell for what seemed like a very long time but could not have been more than a few seconds, time enough for me to flip myself around and grip the beast by its neck, wrapping my legs around its muscular hide so that I wound up riding upon it all the way to the bottom. It was fortunate that we landed in that river at the base of a waterfall, which broke both of our fall else it is unlikely that I would be here to record these events for your pleasure. Even so it was a jarring crash that nearly jolted me loose though I gripped all the more tightly to its fur as we sank deep into the cold water, and I half expected to transform into my cursed shape long before we were able to regain the surface.

But then I belatedly recalled the magical amulet that I am wearing even now, the gift of Prince Kirin to block the effects of my curse during the time of my pregnancy. It kept me human even as the tiger swam with me on its back and pulled us both back to the shoreline, dripping wet and in no mood for either of us to fight. I coughed to get my lungs cleared then looked around to see how far we had fallen. It was likely that I would need to climb a long way to get back to Ranma and Nabiki, but first I had the great cat to deal with and without any of my weapons to even the odds in my favor.

But then a curious thing happened as the tiger carried me to dry land without hardly seeming to notice that I was clinging to his back...the creature lowered its head and made a sound quite unlike what I was expecting, and while I knew that letting go of him then would be folly indeed, I felt a strong urge to dismount and inspect him, which is what I did, heedless of the danger he posed since I could feel his agony as though it were an extension of my own body.

To my great surprise I discovered that he had apparently hurt himself sometime during our fall or upon his landing. One of his paws had a huge splinter sticking out of it...and by splinter I mean a piece of wood a good fifteen centimeters in length projecting out from the side of the leg, making movement difficult and setting his full weight on the thing acutely unpleasant.

I am, at heart, a girl of the mountains. I cannot bear to see a wild thing suffer like that, and so I made the Tiger lie down and used my knowledge of pressure-points to dull his pain, and then I set about to remove that splinter. It was strange that I seemed to instinctively know what he was going through, no doubt because of the nature of my curse, but even stranger to notice how he seemed to obey me when I urged him to be brave and not resist my efforts. Once I removed the splinter I made a poultice from some herbs and leaves I found and cleansed his wound as best I was able. This seemed to gratify him because he made no effort to eat me, even though I was quite naked at the time and could hardly have resisted him with even my martial arts skills serving as poor compensation when contrasted to his strength and natural endowments.

In fact, he seemed unusually docile once freed from his injury, and I worried that there might possibly be far worse damage done to him during the fall, perhaps even internal bleeding, though a quick check for symptoms proved that this was not the case. Rather it seemed to me as though he were submitting himself before me, as though I was an elder of his clan and not of an entirely different species.

But then inspiration came to me as I saw the light reflected off the waters and my pendant reflecting in his eyes, which were focused upon the cat-shaped Amulet of Bast. I recalled then what Prince Kirin had explained about its magical properties, that it was sacred to some Egyptian goddess who presided long ago in the land between the two rivers.

Bast, he explained, was the patron of Cats, but also a defender of motherhood, and as such her name could be invoked to ward off the effects of evil curses when applied to human mothers. All cats responded to the will of Bast, and since I am part cat (due to my curse) I naturally fall under her dominion. More to the point, Prince Kirin gave me this medallion because my Jusenkyo curse is a possible threat to my baby. It has been argued that my reverting to such a small shape when wet would mean my womb would have to expand to accommodate my child, and I think I do not need to elaborate on how messy that could be if it were to befall me during a later trimester. Perhaps my curse would cause my child to revert to Neko form, but this is far from a certainty since not all Jusenkyo curses are passed on to offspring, at least according to my great-  
grandmother and the Elder Lotion.

But while I wear this pendant the goddess of Cats protects me from Jusenkyo. I do not, as yet, know if there will be any side-effects that come from the use of this spell, but as long as I am pregnant I do not need to fear from cold water...or at least that is the theory, which is why I have to wear it constantly and never risk taking it off at any time for any reason.

Apparently, however, the pendant also has the means of protecting me against predatory cats, and so I was in no immediate danger from the tiger. If anything I had just earned his trust by helping to relieve him of that splinter, and so it seemed that I had turned him into a friend and an important ally whom I could rely upon while lost in the wilderness of that peculiar island.

I was pleased to know that I would not have to kill him to defend myself, nor would he kill me even though I could sense that he was still ravenously hungry. Seeing as I was the only tasty thing around for him to snack upon, it seemed that the next order of business would be finding him something else to eat to put that issue off the table. But then something else occurred to me if I was to call this creature my friend.

Friends have a name, and as yet he had no name that I was aware of, and so on the spot I decided to call him Smiley, short for Smiledon, a name that sprang to mind from one of my earliest memories, a word once expressed to me by my own dear mother.

It happened when I was very small, before I came to live at my great-  
grandmother's house, my mother took me on my one and only field trip outside of Amazon territories to the great city of Beijing, which to a four year old was as huge a place as anything in my very small existence. So many more people than I had ever dreamed could exist in the world beyond our tribal boundaries, and I think I clung all the more closely at my mother's side when she applied to the medical university there to obtain her degree as a licensed doctor, not quite the proud little warrior that I might otherwise have styled myself as being. I recall my mother taking me to a place that they called a museum and showing me the many curious displays of antiquities that were the legacy of our Chinese ancestors, and I-wide eyed innocent that I was-drank it all in with a sense that my world was truly insignificant, lacking in all these things, even though my mother tried to assure me that Amazon treasures were nothing to be dismissed by comparison.

I would not understand what she meant until a very long time later, after I had ventured into the outside world in pursuit of Ranma, and once again came face-  
to-face with how little I know about the world at large. Even though I have since adjusted to the marvels of modern day society, in my heart I still remain a simple country village girl of the Qing Hi mountains, quite easily awed when I find myself confronted by something well beyond the range of my experience. It is now one of the goals of my life that I continue to grow in knowledge and understanding, to be worthy of my husband and wife, to be a credit to my family and to pass on all that I have come to know to my as-yet unborn children, hoping that they will come to value having one foot in two worlds as much as I have now thanks to Ranma and Nabiki.

But then I recall my father pointing to a display of gigantic bones and informing me that these were creatures who had lived a long time ago before the time of civilization. Mother was just as fascinated by much of this as I was, but then I recalled seeing strange beasts who resembled a cross between a leopard and a tiger, spotless but with these huge knife-like fangs that projected out from its mouth an astonishing eight inches, many times the length of my tiny child's hands, and for a moment I was petrified at the sight of the creature, confused at how life-like it was, thanks to the Taxidermist's art in giving it such a lifelike quality. I found it hard to believe that the beast would not spring to life and devour me at any instant, and only when my father had laughed at my fears and lifted me up so that I would examine it more closely did I understand my own foolishness, that the beast had perished ages before even the birth of China, and that it was foolish to fear a ghost when there very real predators living inside our border who did not seem half so intimidating, and that Amazon warriors had little to fear so long as they held true to the traditions of our people.

The reason I mention this now is because of the name I heard my mother use when describing this extinct gigantic: "Smiledon," otherwise known as a "saber-  
toothed tiger." I thought the saber-toothed part was apt, but the foreign sounding name stuck with me somehow and I remembered it then, which is why I came to call my new friend Smiley the Saber-toothed Tiger. I thought it apt enough since his fangs did not permit him to close his mouth completely, which tended to make him appear as though he were smiling at me, and I do not think it was because he was considering me as the entrée for his dinner.

Yet even as I was contemplating this I heard a familiar voice call out, "Shampoo, are you there? Where are you?"

"Ranma?" I smiled as I turned to see my beloved husband-turned-wife appear from just around a bend in the river, swimming to keep up with the tide while calling out my name in obvious distress, which is so much like her.

"Shampoo?" she called out to me again, seeing that I was all right, which prompted her to rush out of the water to embrace me with an anxious, "Kami, you had me worried so! Do you know you scared Nabiki and me out of six weeks growth with that..."

Smiley chose that moment to snarl, catching Ranma by surprise as she turned and did a double-take then started to back away with her pigtail curling upward and her face a mask of absolute terror.

"A-A-A-C-C-CAAATTT!" she exclaimed in abject dread as I marked the early stages of her Nekoken manifesting.

Smiley did not like being interrupted either and started to voice his displeasure with a snarl, but I immediately sprang into the space between these two and put a halt to such nonsense.

"Smiley, Airen, behave yourselves!" I declared sternly, "Smiley, Ranma is not for eating, Ranma, Smiley is a friend and I won't have you upsetting him..."

"Upsetting HIM?!" Ranma gasped while attempting to back away as far as where the river was running too deep for remaining upright.

"He will not attack, Husband," I assured her, "We are both friends now, and this one has even done him a favor to earn his good graces."

"What did you do, pull a thorn out of his paw or something?" she asked, surprising me with her perceptiveness. Of course she was also dangerously on the edge of meowing, so I knew it would be for the best to keep her and Smiley apart for as long as I could, at least until she had gotten used to being around him, and that meant finding something to distract my husband from her mortal fear of cats, even the harmless kind that I usually turn into.

So I proposed that we go hunting for wild game while seeking a path to carry us back up to where we though Nabiki was still waiting for us. How little did we suspect that she had fallen prey to savage tribes people and was about to be boiled alive as food, else we would have rushed to her aid immediately instead of wasting time finding food for Smiley.

Nabiki listened as I related this, then calmly looked at me and said, "You mean you were out hunting what those guys were cooking me alive?" I think she meant to ask this calmly, but her tone was as brittle as glass and I could sense the flaring of her newly gained power curling her hair around the edges.

I nodded to her and conceded the point that we might have made better time if we had not been taking care of Smiley, but then again, I asked, what would she have done in our place, having to satisfy his hunger in other ways than becoming HIS dinner? Nabiki conceded the point but nonetheless fumed for a minute, but then she surprised us by asking, "So...where did you get the leopard skins?"

"Oh, we found them in a trunk next to some junk left by the river," Ranma answered for me, "Buncha costumes and fake jewelry there, like they were thrown away or abandoned or something. The seemed to fit a lot better than the other stuff, and it beat running around in the buff while coming to your rescue."

Nabiki seemed to take that in for a moment then said, "Must've belonged to the film crew from their old movie set, before they went totally native. Yeah, they kind of suit you two, might as well keep them."

"Um, thanks," Ranma glanced down uncertainly at his artificial fur breaches, but I thought he looked rather darling in a loin cloth, and Nabiki certainly would back me up on my assertion.

"Ah...by the way," Nabiki glanced down at herself, "Any chance you might have found something in my size?"

I smiled, fully prepared for this, and held up a cute outfit that I'd selected for her for precisely this reason. For some odd reason Nabiki blanched at the sight of this and said, "You've got to be kidding..."

"What is wrong, Airen?" I asked innocently, indicating the curiously impractical outfit that I heard described as a "chain-mail harem-style bikini," but which I thought very nice since it would display a great deal of my wife's beautiful body for all to see and admire.

"Ah, nothing," Nabiki replied, "Just...wearing that thing I'd feel even more naked than I am now..."

"Indeed, I quite agree on that," said Elder Lotion, who surprised us all by putting in her appearance at this point, standing along the side of the hot springs and regarding us sagely.

"Where have you been, Old Woman?" Nabiki snapped, though I could that she was both vexed and relieved upon seeing her mentor returned from wherever she had gone off to.

"I ran into a bit of difficulty, couldn't get back to you right away, sorry," the Elder replied, giving the most sincere look of apology that I can ever recall seeing in the expression of an Elder, "I sensed that you were in some distress, Child, but I am glad to see that you came through your crisis with flying colors."

"Oh yeah, boiled lobster red," Nabiki frowned, "And just what was so important to you that you couldn't even come to my rescue?"

Elder Lotion actually hesitated before glancing down and coughing before saying, "I...fell down a rabbit hole..."

Nabiki was not the only one to evidence surprise as Ranma and I joined her with a, "What?" spoken in chorus.

"A rabbit hole," Lotion repeated, "I...failed to perceive it when it was directly in my path, took a wrong step and fell right in. Quite embarrassing, truly...haven't been that careless in decades..."

"Are you telling me..." Nabiki began slowly, her tone arching, "...that the reason you left me in the lurch was because you fell into a hole dug by a rabbit?"

The Elder did not immediately reply, merely reached to her side and began pulling something out from shadow-space, holding it up by the rears so that we could see that it was indeed a rabbit that she had confronted...albeit this rabbit was over a meter-and-a-half long and had three inch fangs in place of buck-teeth. Even stunned as it was it looked both dangerous and nasty.

"Oh," Nabiki said in noticeably subdued tone, which suited how the rest of us were feeling as we considered just how dangerous the thing might have been if we had confronted it in a dark, cramped space with nothing but a staff to serve as a weapon.

Smiley made a noise and Elder Lotion turned to smile at him, then offered him the giant rabbit, "Here you go, with my compliments. Eat well."

Smiley really was not all that hungry, but there is a principle to the thing, and I suspect that he and the rabbit were longtime rivals, which made it personal from his vantage. We respectfully looked away while he did his business, then Elder Lotion bade us to get dressed once again so that she could walk with us to find the others, whom she seemed to think were close nearby, and in fact this proved to be the case since we almost immediately stumbled upon Kodachi and Kasumi, who were bathing together quite nearby at another corner of these hot springs.

"Oneechan?" Nabiki gasped as she halted in mid-step, staring to see where the crazy rose-girl's hands were positioned while she and Kasumi were soaking up to their hips in the refreshing mineral water.

"Oh, Nabiki-chan, Ranma-kun, Shampoo-san," Kasumi greeted us as casually as if she were not caught in the middle of a clench doing things to one another that would have seemed perfectly normal if we were back home in Joketsuzoku, "Elder Lotion...how nice of you to find us."

"Yes," Kodachi said with somewhat less gratitude at our sudden appearance, "A pity you could not have found us just a little bit later than this..."

"Timing is everything in life," Elder Lotion remarked before turning to see a figure that was wading out at the edge of the warm pool, at which point she said, "Oh my...you have been busy."

Nabiki gave out a terse gasp and said, "What the heck is that?"

"Oh, you like him?" Kasumi detached herself from the embrace of her companion and knelt down to put up the creature by its small clawed feet, easily lifting it up to shoulder level while stroking its neck affectionately and saying, "We found him in his nest after his mother tried to eat me."

"Eat you?" Nabiki squeaked, and I wondered if she were feeling especially sensitive on this point considering her recent ordeal.

"Yes," Kasumi smiled as she continued to stroke the neck of the miniature Pterodactyl, "Kodachi was magnificent, she came to my rescue and helped drive off the creature. Unfortunately this seems to have left her baby as an orphan, so I've decided to adopt him, and I've giving him the name of Birdie."

"Birdie?" Nabiki repeated, turning to give me the most peculiar glance before turning back and saying, "Are you insane, Oneechan? That thing's mother tried to EAT you...!"

"No need to belabor the obvious, Nabiki-san," Kodachi replied, "We are fully aware that it is a wild creature from an untamed primitive wilderness setting, but it seems to have been imprinted upon Kasumi-chan, and I just haven't got the heart to see them parted, so I'm going to give it a good home among my pets at the Kuno mansion."

"You...nani?" I heard Nabiki gasp, even as I thought about the crazy girl's collection, which included the crocodile that she affectionately has named "Mister Green Turtle."

I think I can skip over the point where my Airen tried to dissuade her older sister from her chosen course of action, but Kasumi is quite a difficult person to say no to, and when she makes her mind up about something it is usually for the best to go along and not ask too many questions. At least the creature that she has since adopted as her pet seems well behaved around her, but we learned early on that it does not like Nabiki, which tends to work both ways, and it is for the best to keep them separated from one another rather than to risk trouble by bringing them too close together.

At least Kodachi still had her leotard and Kasumi had her robe, so they were better clothed than the rest of us with Nabiki looking somewhat disgruntled over being the one who had nothing to wear (not that I had any objections to having her parade around naked, but Japanese girls can be very strange on that peculiar subject). I prevailed on her once again and this time received a nod of assent, after which I took great pleasure in dressing her in the "harem costume," after which I enjoyed stealing many fond looks as she did indeed fill the thing out very nicely, enough so that I felt tempted again to pick up where we had left off before being interrupted by Smiley.

Once we were ready to go Elder Lotion led the way as we left the hot springs and retraced our steps into the dinosaur area, at which point I had to say farewell to Smiley since he seemed to object to crossing the line there, and I could faintly perceive a sort of high-pitched noise that he obviously did not find too pleasant. Parting company made he feel curiously sad for some reason, but I knew that he would fare well for himself and was at home in his jungle, while my place is always at the side of my beloved Airen.

We did not have a very far distance to travel while Nabiki spoke in low tones with Lotion about things for which I had only a passing interest, being a Warrior born and not a Lore Master by inclination. Instead I studied our surroundings as the vegetation noticeably and I detected that odd flower-like scent that before had caused me to lose control around my Airen. I steeled myself to keep firm grip over my amorous inclinations, but before any of us could begin to act like drunken monks at an orgy we stumbled upon the missing members of our party.

Quite literally, that is, only in my case the ones I nearly stepped upon turned out to be Ukyo and Akane.

I blinked as I glanced down to see those two cuddled up together, Ukyo in male state (and quite noticeably well endowed, though I would hardly compare him to my own husband) while Akane had her wings and seemed utterly at peace with her surroundings. A glance to the side showed me that the others were making similar discoveries of amorous couplings of a surprising variety of combinations. Ryoga was curled up with Ranma's cousin, Usagi, and Usagi's shrine priestess girlfriend, Rei, and from the expression on his face I could not determine whether or not he had died and gone to heaven or was merely too numb to do anything but smile. Further off to the side I saw Makoto with the blonde Minako in a VERY incriminating position, and this confirmed for me the danger posed from breathing in those pollen spores since it was obvious enough that, while under the influence of their narcotic scent, grabbing the nearest party to you for making pleasures is a pretty indiscriminate process. No telling what might happen if my Airen or I got too big a whiff of that stuff, and I-for one-did not relish the idea of waking up to find myself embraced by Kodachi.

We were only just starting to sort things out, however, when a number of figures stirred from along the edge of the flower-strewn clearing. Almost at once I fell into a crouch and stood at the ready while Ranma, Nabiki and the others became even more alarmed, only to be deterred from any rash action by the Elder thrusting her staff forward to get our attention.

"Hold, do not attack," she instructed, "I believe that these fellows mean us no harm, though by their appearance alone you might be forgiven for thinking otherwise."

"Spot-on, that," one of the two-legged reptiles spoke up, surprising us all since he appeared to be addressing us in English, "Quite a bit of a drag having to constantly assure people that we're not all out to make trouble on this island."

"They can talk?" Ranma asked, his knowledge of American even more faulty than my own, and I have recently started taking lessons.

"Apparently so," Nabiki said in faintly numb tones, "Talking lizards...what next?"

Lotion spoke some words in fluent English that I-of course-had trouble following, then she made a gesture with her staff and murmured some words in Chinese that I did not catch, and then she spoke in Japanese again, "Now can you understand us?"

"Crikey!" the lead of the multi-hued dinosaur men reacted, "Now that's a good parlor trick if ever heard of one before. Bit of a relief not having to rely all the time on subtitles."

"Yes, quite," the lizard on his left nodded, "Been a bit blimey having to depend on T'shalkri for most of the dialogue here."

"Speaking of which," the first creature glanced around, "Where is our fearless leader at the moment?"

"Where do you think?" the second one gave an almost human sigh and turned to nod towards a patch of ground that even then was shifting to reveal yet another of these creature, only this one popping up with a human in his arms...who turned out to be none other than Ami Mizuno.

"Dear me, do we have more guests already?" the creature asked, "Dreadfully sorry, didn't expect to be interrupted. I was just having a little interspecies communication with this charming lady here or I might have heard you coming."

I caught the delirious smile on the face of Ami, noticed the way she was leaning against the scaly creature grinning rather foolishly with a blade of grass clenched between her teeth and her whole body flushed as though she were the one who had been cumming up to that moment.

"Ah," Nabiki hesitated before speaking again, "You're...Velociraptors, am I right?"

"Good call, my dear human," a third of the six creatures smiled at her (at least I think that expression was smiling), "Though we prefer to be known as the Velari. Raptors for short if you must, but by all means call us often."

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "What handsome beings you are, and you have such very good manners."

"Yes, and your command of human language..." Kodachi noted with somewhat more reluctance.

"Why, thank you for noticing," the one named T'shalkri said as he got back to his feet and offered a hand to Ami, who seemed reluctant to break contact, "We do try to stay in practice like any other civilized and reasonably intelligent beings."

"Jolly so that," said one of the other creatures, "We even hold annual Shakespeare performances...you have no idea how fine the Bard is when spoken in native Velari."

"But...ah...I don't quite understand..." Nabiki started to say when three more figures appeared from the edge of the woods, the first one being Mon-Mon yet bearing a dusky-skinned woman slung across her shoulder in what I have heard described as a "Fireman's Carry." Next to her was yet another woman in the most unusual sort of outfit who bore a strange resemblance to Nabiki yet was obviously much older and seemed to radiate a presence that I cannot truly describe.

"We are here," the Nekonlon priestess announced, "Did we miss anything of significance?"

"Mother?" Nabiki reacted, surprising me as I caught her staring at the more exotic of the two women.

"Where have you been off to...and who is this?" Ranma asked, staring at the same strange woman with the odd facial markings.

"Ah, Cheri?" the woman in question replied nervously, "Ah...it has been...most unusual a day, non? Ah...has everyone else been kept busy by the events of this strange island?"

Nabiki's strangely unfocused gaze went from the stranger to the dusky skinned woman slung over Mon-Mon's shoulder, and in an even more peculiar tone she asked, "Who is that?"

The pail-haired priestess just smiled then unslung her burden then cast her onto the ground like a sack of potatoes. We all looked down to see yet another woman with odd facial markings, albeit that she had short dark hair neatly trimmed to just below shoulder length and her exotic skin complexion seemed to suggest that she hailed from a warm and sunny climate. Other than this she was quite naked and had her hands bound behind her back, her feet similarly tied by odd yellow ropes of unusual manufacture. She seemed to be only semi-coherent as she started to wake up right there and then, and I saw a pair of luminous eyes the color of emeralds yet diamond-slitted like those of a serpent.

"This," the Priestess announced, "Is the cause of much unpleasantness that we have experienced while on this island. Her name is Neferti, daughter of the serpent-god Set, and one of the Stygian lot from out of Egypt, and I believe that around here she is known commonly as the Snake Woman, self-designated patroness of the Island."

"My word," one of the lizard men reacted, "Are you saying this is our liege lady goddess?"

"A bit too human looking to be a Serpent, don't you think?" a second lizard man asked.

"Quite," a third agreed, "Bit of a downer if she should prove to be our Lady made flesh, though I'm certain T'shalkri here would find her most attractive."

"Oh, very droll," the leader of these lizard men snorted, "I assume this is merely a guise our lady might adopt on such occasions as she has to interact with the humans, and these two charming ladies quite clearly have some dispute with her, hence the rude treatment that she is receiving."

"You could put it that was, ma Cher," the stranger (whom I later learned is called Peorth) said as she eyed the dusky skinned woman with a snort, then gave an even more dubious look towards the lizard men themselves as if just then realizing that she was talking with intelligent dinosaurs, a thing even I must confess to finding most unusual.

Nabiki glanced at this Peorth, then at the one named Neferti and said, "You mean...she is the one whom those guys back there worship as their goddess? The one they make sacrifices to, including serving guests up as their dinner?"

"What?" Ranma reacted, as if only just now figuring out the sort of peril our wife had gotten herself into.

"That is not all," Mon-Mon revealed, "A short while ago your mother and I caught her in the act of attempting to digest two of your friends, and when your mother objected and demanded a face-down, she lost the fight and wound up being swallowed whole. I had to trick the goddess into swallowing me as well so that I could rescue your heavenly mother..."

I was just trying to sort out what was meant by the words "heavenly mother" when a low, malevolent laugh escaped from the prisoner at our feet, who was clearly now quite fully awake and glaring up at her with her serpentine eyes full of malevolent intentions.

"You deceived me, I will give you that much," she growled, "But holding me, that is another matter entirely!"

There was a sudden flaring of power that caused my nape hairs to stand on end and at once I fell into a crouch as the ropes binding the woman's ankles and wrists burst into flame, then she slipped through them and was on her feet in a flash, crackling with might that set off all of my alarm bells.

I sensed a similar rise in power levels from Peorth as she seemed prepared to attack the other woman and the rest of us went immediately on the offensive...all save for Nabiki, who alone stood her ground without a change in either posture or expression.

"You fools!" the dusky skinned woman declared haughtily, "Did you think to take me down that easily? You may have gained no more than a temporary advantage, but once I had time to recover my strength your fate was sealed. Now I'm going to finish you all then finish the job of having you for my dinner!"

"Big talk from a renegade!" Peorth shot back as her energy level increased three fold and the peculiar markings on her face began glowing, "But you're going to pay for what you've done, just as soon as I haul your sorry ass up to a heavenly court, mes serpent devil!"

"In your weakened state? I very much doubt it!" Neferti sneered, "I absorbed too much of your strength while I was digesting you, and besides...this is my island, I rule here! I am Queen over all that I survey, and my subjects here adore me and do my every bidding. They have given me a constant, steady supply of offerings that has made me powerful and-URK!?"

I must confess that I was no less amazed than any other...even I did not see Nabiki move before she went into action, her hand closing about the throat of the dusky serpent-woman with the force of a vice grip, and like that the snake-  
woman's spell sputtered out as my wife held the demoness at arms length the way I might accost an enemy whom I intended to strangle.

"You mean..." Nabiki asked with deceptive calm, "...That you're the one whose behind what that maniac was doing to me and all of the other women he slaughtered?"

Neferti tried to pry my Airen's arm away, but her efforts were no more effective than those of a small child to an adult, and I heard the snake woman gasp out the words, "Gak-Lore Master?-Guh...?!"

"Cheri?" Peorth asked in puzzlement, her tone reflecting my own amazed confusion as Ranma and I stared in mutual disbelief at the way our wife was behaving.

"I was asking you a question," Nabiki calmly stated to the struggling Neferti, "Are you to blame for what happened to Pai Takura and the others?"

"Nabiki?" Kasumi asked in equal surprise to match our amazement.

"I do believe that your sister has some issues with yon miscreant," Kodachi observed...and rather prophetically as it happened to turn out.

There was a silent locking of eyes and then I heard Nabiki say, "I see...you played on his mind and fed his growing paranoia...you turned him into your acolyte and he, in turn, did your bidding, supplying you with the victims you needed so that you could devour their energies and leave them as desiccated ghosts...unable to migrate to the next level of existence. Even the dead could not escape your emerald hell as you turned a peaceful tribe of primitives into those savage...things that tried just now to eat me..."

"Say what?" Ranma reacted in belated outrage.

Another dramatic pause then Nabiki said, "You are a vicious thing. If I let you go you'll just keep on doing what you want with whoever falls prey to you or your minions."

Neferti tried to rally herself but her efforts were almost laughable as she tried gasping out, "What...what do you...can't we talk about this? I'm sure-  
COUGH-that we could work something out...?"

The look that I saw in my wife's expression was almost one more of curiosity than of malice, then she brought her free hand forward and said, "I don't make deals with killers." And then a very curious thing happened...to my eyes it almost seemed as through she picked a stray hair from the shoulder of the other woman...only what she pulled away was more like an electrified wire that crackled in the air and caused an electrostatic discharge to play around their bodies with unearthly colored light distorting their mutual profiles.

Nabiki stood back pulling the wire away from the evil goddess, and then before our eyes it almost seemed as though Neferti came unraveled, as if the incredible energies which she contained had come undone and she was falling apart before our very eyes, a woven tapestry that came undone to the sound of a very loud scream that made the tortures of the damned in the 999 hells sound like a calm refrain by contrast.

For several seconds there was nothing else for us but the play of rainbow colored light and crackling lightning filling the space formerly occupied by Neferti, and then a massive boom, followed by an equally deafening silence, and like that the glade was cleared with the goddess totally missing from the picture, leaving all of us to look on in wonder.

Nabiki's expression hardly changed from that curiously unearthly calm that had fallen over her while confronting the evil goddess. While the rest of us were just then trying to recover from what had happened, my wife turned to her "heavenly mother" and presented her with the thread that she had been holding, saying, "Keep this in a safe place, Mother, and give it to whoever might care. It's the code file for your friend, and I'm sure you'll know what to do with her once you get back home."

"Ah...certainly, Cheri," Peorth glanced down at the wire in question, then closed her palm about it and took on a look that seemed almost anticipatory, about the way I would feel if I had a longtime enemy at my mercy.

Elder Lotion greeted Nabiki as she turned away from her own handiwork and asked, "Feeling better?"

"Almost," my wife replied, running a hand through her hair as she blinked her eyes, and then I saw the Nabiki I knew return, along with a confused look of uncertainty at her own actions, "Did I just...?"

"She's not completely dead, if that is what you are concerned about," Elder Lotion answered, "But she might as well be that for what you have caused her to suffer. Fair payback for a wrong done towards you I would say. Thinking more about it for now...we will discuss the particulars later."

I heard one of the lizard men turn to his companions and say, "Looks to me like we're going to be in the market for a new goddess. Any objections if we elect her?" he pointed towards Nabiki.

There was no dissent as the other five lizards consented to granted Nabiki official Demi-Goddess status.

Just then I heard several yawns, groans and low moans from our sleeping lovebirds, and as Ami saw her fellow Moon Warriors recover their wits she could not help but smile and ask, "Pleasant nap?"

"Huh?" Ranma's cousin Usagi blinked her eyes then glanced towards Ryoga, then push herself abruptly off of him with a gasped, "You're not Mammo-chan!"

"Huh?" Ryoga reacted, glancing from one girl to the next before grabbing his face to head off a pending nosebleed.

"Who the-what the heck were you doing?" Rei seemed equally shocked to find herself beside the clueless lost boy, but then memories flooded back and her face took on an even more stunned expression as she gasped out the word, "Nani...?"

Ami could not resist chiming in, "What are you so worried about, Rei-chan? I think you three make an absolutely darling couple."

"Ucchan?" I heard Akane say, and smiled as I saw the disquieted expression on the face of the sex-swapping chef as she realized just who it was whom she was holding so tightly.

"Hey, get away from him, you witch!" Makoto declared as she and the one named Minako sat upright.

"Witch?" Akane pried herself up to glare back at the tall girl, "Don't call me names, you flirt! And who are you to be pointing any fingers, hey?"

"Huh?" Makoto only just then seemed to take notice of who it was that she had been sleeping with, and when that realization dawned on her she became very quite, even as Minako grinned broadly like the cat who had just swallowed the canary (an old saying that I can identify with quite well).

"Well, well," Peorth smiled as she glanced towards this odd assembly, "Looks to me as if everything is exactly as it should be here, so why fight the obvious, Cheri? Go with it."

Again I heard one of the lizard men say, "Interesting mating habits these humans have."

"Yes indeed," another lizard said as he held up a pen and a note pad, "I've been making a fascinating study of their mating habits here and I've got enough material here to write a dozen term papers. Just wait until my friends on the Internet learn about my findings..."

"Indeed, quite an amazing display of bisexual interaction within the species," a third agreed before turning a sour look towards their designated leader, "Except for some of us who do not seem willing to confine themselves to interplay within our species, that is."

"Oh please," the one named T'shalkri demurred, "It so happens that the lady Mizuno-chan is an unusually well bred specimen of the human sub-tight, and I found her company quite stimulating and she has a very beautiful mind..."

"Yes, I'm sure it would taste good with buttersauce and some cream cheese," yet another lizard man remarked, "But I still think that you should give our own females a break. Human tail chasing...even as interesting as it might be...is no substitute to breeding within your own species."

"Eh...better table this discussion, Brothers," the last remaining of the six lizard-men present spoke up while he inclined his head, "I think the Admiral has finally arrived, and he will want to have words with our friends here just as soon as can be managed."

"Eh?" Ranma asked in understandable confusion, "What...are you guys talking about?"

I became aware just then of a curious low humming noise filling the air, just barely within the threshold of human hearing. A moment later a shadow fell over us all and we glanced up to see a strange black object hovering over our heads, ovular in shape yet moving like a cloud in almost total silence.

"What the hell is that?" I heard Ukyo inquire slowly.

"Looks...kind of like a UFO," Akane answered.

"It's called the Invincible," T'shalkri declared proudly, "Flagship of his grace, the Admiral, and I assure you it is entirely of terrestrial manufacture."

"Rather advanced for earth technology," Kodachi murmured.

"Yes, the Admiral is quite proud of it," T'shalkri replied, "But you can tell him yourself in another few minutes...I believe that I see them launching a skiff to come and fetch you."

"Aiyaa," I murmured aloud, seeing what looked like some peculiar form of aircraft lowering from a hole in the bottom of the hovering shape and heading our way with a clear and purposeful intention...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Later on that day I stood at the rail on the observation deck of the Invincible still wearing that ridiculous costume that Shampoo made me wear, taking in the breathtaking sight of a stratospheric sunset while seeking to make sense of the days events at the side of my mentor and the rest of our odd extended family group.

To my other side stood our rescuer, the "Admiral" who commanded this technological marvel, a mysterious man with dark-dark eyes who had introduced himself to us as "Challenger," though I've since learned that he has many other names and most often answers to the one called Magnus. He was our host on this flight as we left the island of Pangea far behind us and he seemed pleasant enough company even while I had the strangest sense around him that was almost like an opaqueness in contrast to the bright sensations that I was feeling from all around me.

"I do wish to apologize again to you and your loved ones for being so tardy in our arrival," Challenger Magnus said with his distinctly continental-accented (but otherwise flawless) Japanese, "Had we not received T'shalkri's message alerting us to your distress...it might not have ended quite so well. As it is I am pleased that no one was seriously hurt from among your party."

"Quite all right, Magnus," my mentor said as though she and the guy were old friends and knew each other from the old days (a fact I very strongly suspect, though I've yet to question either of them on that particular subject), "We know what a busy sort you are and we're quite pleased that you could take the time and go to all the trouble to assist us...is that not so, Apprentice?"

"Ah...right," I reluctantly responded, wondering what it was about the old guy in the odd uniform that bore no distinctive nationality I could recognize, his very presence making me feel like I was standing next to a stone obelisk. In fact the aura I could feel surrounding him was strongly polarizing like a bar magnet. Age and gravity hung about this gaijin like a stone around his neck, but there was also something curiously soothing about standing right near him, as though he was not opposed to nature but rather defined it by his very presence.

"Kinda convenient you showing up like you did," Ukyo pointed out, echoing my own thoughts that his sudden arrival had been a little too "dues ex machina" to be a mere coincidence, as if his being in the area was more than just the result of being summoned to the island by the Raptors

"Not hardly so convenient," Challenger revealed, "I regularly commute to and from Pangea to supervise various scientific projects that my organization has maintained over the years."

"So you built this thing...and you've got a lab facility operating on that island?" Ranma asked, beating me to the punch.

"The Morpheus Project is affiliated with my own organization, but I do not supervise the place directly," Admiral "Challenger" answered, "But I do get regular reports upon their research programs and the various dangerous life forms which reside there, but my interest is spread a bit thin these days with many other issues clamoring for my attention. Were it not that the Invincible was in the neighborhood when we got news of your crash landing..."

"Tell me something," I turned and looked at the man directly, risking staring into those black eyes of his, which seemed to reflect all of eternity, "Did you know about director Akuma and what was going on in the ape-man zone?"

We maintained eye contact for a long several seconds, then he blinked first, glancing down and conceding to me a very important issue.

"I had heard...rumors and reports concerning his activities, but nothing more specific than second and third hand information," he admitted, "You are correct, however...I ought to have made inquiries and probed the matter more deeply. But...there were...complicating factors that prevented me from getting at the truth concerning Akuma Zaisatsu. You are right to find me at fault for such a shocking discrepancy, however..."

"You had a problem named Neferti blocking the way," Lotion supplied to him by way of insinuation, "A renegade Goddess taking exile upon Pangea and claiming it as her own personal fief, and threatening to cause trouble if you interfered at all with her playthings."

"Precisely," Challenger answered, "She was dangerous and clever and she knew exactly where to stir up the worst sort of trouble if she had a mind to. We had something of a tentative agreement to stay apart from one another and mind our own boundaries..."

"Why, what would she have done if you'd gone after her?" Kodachi asked.

"The Morpheus project," Lotion answered.

"Precisely, the Morpheus project," Challenger affirmed, "If I had marshaled my forces my forces to oppose her then she would have destroyed it and brought down the gates holding in the creatures inhabiting the monster portion of the island."

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked, "Would that have been a problem?"

"Only if you wish another visit to your island nation by such illustrious celebrities as has made Japan famous the world over," Challenger said dryly, "It would have been most...unfortunate, I assure you."

I had a sudden mental image of giant monsters running amok, tearing apart Tokyo and its surrounding precincts, and I realized at that moment that he was not referring to any Toho-studios rubber monster movie project.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo spoke up just then, glancing around at the sleek interior of the massive craft before adding, "Is secret project of Americans, this ship you own?"

"No," Challenger said rather firmly, "Not the Americans, nor any other nation on the Earth. No flag and no nation, that is the motto of my organization."

"And why is that?" Akane asked.

"For lots of different reasons," Challenger replied, gazing off into the sunrise, "My organization is in possession of advanced technological secrets that would potentially destabilize world peace if such knowledge were too widely disseminated. As such we operate like a government unto ourselves, but with no ties to any one nation. Our allegiance is to humankind, not to governing institutions that have yet to unite under a common purpose."

"In other words you are apolitical?" Kodachi asked.

"Not as such, but we do keep an interest in what is going on in the world," Challenger replied, "But our interests also transcend traditional boundaries to incorporate much that goes on that is not reported in the public media, such as the existence of a protected zone such as Pangea."

"You hold yourself above international law like a secret shadow government?" Makoto asked.

"Not at all," Challenger replied, "You might say I hold a rather...unique position, but this not about me or my organization. You were unfortunate victims of a set of circumstances, but since I was able to offer you a lift out of that situation, it is my privilege to transport you back to civilization with no one the worse for the matter, save only a slight inconvenience for those of you who had perilous encounters with the native life there."

I thought about making an issue of my own "slight inconvenience" from encountering the native life, but just then Kasumi's pet squawked for attention, diverting our focus back to the winged little pest in that cage that Challenger had provided to contain him.

"Speaking of which," I groused uneasily, "Why are you letting my big sis to transport that dangerous critter? Isn't that, like, violating the local ecology or something?"

"Perhaps it is," and by the way he said that I could tell that Challenger had his own qualms about the matter, "But imprinting is not so light a thing that even I could dismiss the ties between that baby and its adopted mother...and, to be quite blunt about it," he added in a low voice for my immediate benefit, "Your sister can be...quite persuasive on the subject."

I had to concede the point to this guy, even if I was confident by his tone that he was a man who was not easily blunted by the opinions of another. Given the way Kasumi fawns over that pesky thing-which to me looks like a cross between a rat and a featherless parrot-I'd seven the gods would think twice about parting them. At least Peorth was able to shrink it down to a manageable size, though what it'll look like when it's full grown is anybody's estimation.

"So what's the deal then?" Ranma asked, conveniently changing the subject, "Are you gonna let us go after what we just went through?"

"Yeah," Usagi added in, "Don you secret types worry about us blabbing about what we know once we get back to Japan?"

"In your case that's almost a given," Rei teased her companion, though I could tell from the cross look Usagi gave her that it was mostly just a habit they had of playfully needling one another, and beneath it there was deep eroticism and affection.

"And what would you tell others in your homeland?" Challenger asked, "Who would you tell, and who else would believe you?"

"Huh?" Ryoga scratched the back of his head and looked as clueless as always.

"You know, that is a very good point," Ami noted, "Very few people would seriously credit a group of young people claiming to just come back from a primitive setting populated by dinosaurs and the like. They would tend to call it a mass hysteria or the product of a joke that we were all perpetrating."

"Good point that," Minako spoke up on behalf of her friends, "I know that if I heard a story like this I sure wouldn't believe it."

To what we all shared a somewhat nervous chuckle, the kind you get when relieving pent-up tension with a kind of wistful hope that we could pretend it was all imaginary and get on with our lives again once it was over, but in my case I knew that could never be the case, and I suspect that would also be so for Ukyo, Makoto and Peorth, given the story I've since heard about them and the snake that ate them. (The curious thing there is Mon-Mon, and how she overcame Neferti, though I've been suspecting all along that our resident Nekonlon spokesperson was hiding more than her share of personal secrets).

The question is not what you will be allowed to retain in memory of your adventure," Challenger announced, "The only real is what can be done for your all since the captain of your vessel has graciously accepted my offer to transport his vessel to a repair facility in Paris, France, where it will be restored to a fully operational condition."

"France?" I asked, "Why there?"

"Because of the antique nature of the vessel," Challenger explained, "They really don't manufacture spare parts for that type and model of airship in this modern jet era. However, since I am something of an expert upon the subject of airships, it so happens that I know exactly how the parts that are needed can be crafted as ordered. That way the Nekonlon can have their airship back with my blessings, and at no cost to Prince Kirin, with whom I would prefer to maintain favorable relations."

"Paris you say?" Kodachi mused, linking hands with Kasumi, "How very interesting. Is there any chance we might tag along for a bit? I've always fancied a visit to the City of Lights, and I would dearly love to show Kasumi-  
chan the view from the Eiffel Tower."

"If you wish it, Miss Kuno, I would be greatly honored to indulge you in this fancy," Challenger nodded with a gracious smile, "In fact, you are all welcome to...tag along, as you say...at my expense for the duration of time that it takes to repair the airship. Then you can be on your way once again back to your native country."

"That's awfully generous of you, Sugar," Ukyo grinned, hugging Makoto on impulse, much to my little sister's annoyance, "I'd love a chance to sample some French cuisine...not that it'll ever beat the taste of okonomiyaki."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Sempai," Makoto hugged her back, and I caught a look from Minako's vantage that showed her irritation, even though she was holding hands with Ryoga of all people.

"Paris you say?" Ami asked, "But won't this ship kind of stand out if you take it over a major European city?"

"Not to worry there," Challenger replied, "The Invincible has stealth capabilities that will allow it to slip in under the radar without detection. I do this sort of thing all the time, you see, and you won't even have to concern yourselves with such trivialities as passports and immigration. All will be taken care of quietly through back-door channels."

"Cool," Usagi grinned, hugging her own immediate companion, "So what do you say, Rei? Wanna go to Paris?"

"That's a trick question, right?" Rei smiled as she hugged Ranma's blonde cousin back, even as I saw Minako steal a glance and a grin at the nervous Ryoga.

I turned to my own iinazuke and said, "What about it, Ranchan? Sham-chan? They say Paris is a very romantic city for young lovers..."

"Is so?" Shampoo grinned back, turning a coy look Ranma's way, "What you say, Airen?"

"You mean spend more time with the both of you?" he grinned, "You bet. I just hope Miss Hinako doesn't give us demerits for playing a week load of hooky."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo nodded, "Is good question, where is teacher?"

"Yeah, and the old freak she hangs around with," Ranma scowled, "Where were they while we were out getting chased down by dinosaurs and cannibals and stuff?"

"Speak of the devil and he will appear," Lotion murmured, directing our attention to the "young couple" putting in an appearance, Miss Hinako in child form while holding onto the arm of Happosai's handsome "cursed" form.

"Well now, this is quite a snazzy little coup you've got here, Magnus old buddy," Happosai remarked while glancing around at the panoramic observation room, whose entire right wall was one huge Plexiglas-type picture window, "Beats cruising around in that sub of yours all day..."

I saw Challenger lift an eyebrow to this, but he took the comment in stride, even though I found it curious that Happosai obviously knew him.

"Where were you two all this time?" Usagi asked.

"Yeah, you have any idea what we just went through while you guys were...whatever?" Rei scowled down at the pervert and teacher.

"Oh, you were having troubles?" Hinako-sensei asked, "We didn't notice."

"We left our cabin to find some room service and found ourselves in a cargo hold on board this ship," Happosai added, "Imagine my surprise when I hear the word Invincible tossed about. Obviously this is the latest incarnation of a long line of air-powered ships in your arsenal, old bean, and if I'm not too mistaken it's got to have an anti-gravity system."

"Um...quite," Challenger said, "And your name is again?"

"Hah, don't tell me you forgotten me?" Happosai said, "You know better than to judge a book by its cover, but maybe a little reminder will help out..." and with that he launched himself at Mon-Mon, who quite naturally pounded him face-  
first into the deck.

"Happy-chan!" Hinako declared in concern, then her eyes flashed and she produced her trademark coin, only to have it snatched away by Lotion, who moved fast enough to prevent an attempted draining of the priestess.

"Play nice, Hinako-san," my mentor cautioned the teacher, "My uncle only got what was due to him, and he will recover soon enough to once more become your plaything."

There was a brief pause before recognition crossed the face of Challenger, who then stared at the fallen pervert and said, "Happosai? Is that you? You've...changed..." and even he showed surprise for a change.

"That's a matter of opinion," Ranma grumbled, and I had to concede that the old boy's changes on the surface were largely as superficial as they were meaningless to Hinako's pearl-induced love of the Jusenkyo cursed old freak.

I felt a shift in the air beside me and turned to see Peorth materializing just to the right of me, and I raised my eyebrow to this as I spoke to her with a softly murmured, "Mother?"

"I delivered the goods as you requested, Nabiki-chan," she informed me, "Neferti's essence...what you left of her to be reconstructed through a recovery program...has been given a lowered designation and she's been punished with a downgrade to a class four life form as punishment for her actions."

I read Peorth's expression then murmured back, "I take it that's a pretty stiff sentence by your standards?"

"Oh yes," Peorth replied with a nod, "You came very close to permanently discorporating her completely. There was some concern upstairs about how you were able to do this, but I did my best to explain that you were acting under extreme conditions and could not be held responsible for your actions."

"And did they buy it?" I asked, more than slightly disturbed myself about what I had done, even though I knew full well that I did it willingly if without premeditation.

"More or less," Peorth informed me, "They accept the fact that you are...inexperienced in the use of your abilities, but I'd recommend against making it a habit to do that to every evil god that you encounter."

"I don't plan to," I replied with a shrug, "But if somebody pulls that stunt around me again...then all bets are off."

"I thought as much," Peorth leaned closer and added, "For what it's worth, and strictly off the record, I am very proud of what you did, Cheri. Neferti had that coming to her for a very long time, and I'm glad somebody finally found a way of taking her down a peg or two, or-in this case-devolved her to her primal essence."

I tried to smile at that but the truth is that I was not all that comfortable with my own actions. I glanced across the room at Lotion and saw her nod to me with complete understanding of my situation. I had just endured one of the worst days of my life and had come through my ordeal much stronger than when I had started. My powers were now such that I could literally feel the energy patterns flowing throughout the room and could tap into them with a mere thought, much like flexing a muscle. I could tell, for example, the way those elemental force lines were bending around the aura that Challenger manifested, even as I could feel the strength of the various people all around me, from Ranma's fierce Ki levels to Shampoo's own potent life force. The Senshi each read like a different color of the rainbow and manifested a different elemental nature, while Hinako's aura seemed curiously flexible, and Happosai's aura was nearly off the charts in spite of his currently recumbent position.

And Kasumi? I could feel my mentor radiating a confident and calming presence that filled the room with her essence, and not for the first time I wondered if there were more to my older sister than the humble housewife I had long taken her to be. Mon-Mon similarly had a life force that was strong enough to complete with Peorth's quite potent aura, but the one who most surprised me was Lotion. My mentor's Ki levels were high, to be quite certain, but she was also tempered by a sense of great age and wisdom, of infinitely deep reserves that had barely even been tapped into, and I wondered if this were the result of her training or possibly some gift that she possessed, much like Cologne's Juraian heritage. It definitely bode further study and presented me with yet another mystery for the future.

Yet still it was good to be contemplating a trip to Paris that might portend a relaxing change of pace for us and could even give us a genuine sense of this being like an extended vacation. I had never been to Europe before and could expect to see wonders of a mundane sort that would make a nice change of pace after Nekonlon and Pangea. I was looking forward to spending time with Shampoo and Ranma since we were only a week or two away from the date of our pending marriage, and what better place in which to celebrate a pre-Honeymoon Bachelor/Bachelorette party? Especially with Challenger offering to foot the bill, and I could not see a downside to his offer.

Of course I had no idea at the time that I was about to meet a fellow named Picolet, or that I'd shortly discover that Ranma's father was not the only idiot parent in the fair town of Nerima, but that's getting a bit ahead of myself again, and let me instead explain what happened when we finally did arrive in Paris...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Parisian Delicacies: shadowmane

Think the adventure is over here? Guess again as the Pangea adventure heads to a warmer Parisian climate with a pending encounter with the dreaded Picolet Chardin whose classic meeting sets a tone of gastronomic proportions in: "Dining on Whine, Woman and Sarong," or, "Into the Mouths of Fools and Perverts..." Be there! 


	116. Chapter 116

Pangea 11

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

HENTAI ALERT-YOU ARE ENTERING THE LEMON MARANGE ZONE (WHERE NORMAL COMMUNITY STANDARDS OF GOOD TASTE DO NOT APPLY).  
PROCEED ON AHEAD ONLY IF YOU DO NOT MIND SLIGHTLY OVER-THE-TOP FANTASIES CONCERNING TEENAGED YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16-20 GETTING IT ON IN A LOVELY PARISIAN SETTING.  
BE CAUTIOUS WHERE YOU STEP BECAUSE THERE ARE STRAY APHRODESIAC SPELLS AT LARGE AND YOU MIGHT GET DRAWN INTO THE ACTION, AND THIS COULD LEAD TO EXHAUSTION, BOW-LEGGED WALKING, PRETERNATURAL HAIR LOSS AND POSSIBLY EVEN BLINDNESS. YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!

Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-Eleven

"We'll always have Paris..."  
(Part One)

"If at first you don't succeed, ma cheri, try, try again..."

Peorth smiled to herself as she witnessed her handiwork set in on the unsuspecting targets of her latest endeavor. It was a brilliant first step if she did say so herself, trapping those teenagers in a bedroom setting with some of the pollen spores that she had "liberated" from Pangea, thus insuring that Makoto Kino would not be in any condition to interfere with her overarching plan of bringing Akane and Ukyo together. All that it took now was to get the true targets of her motherly attentions alone by themselves and then she would unleash one of the other "pollen bombs" that she was carrying, and then the fun would really get underway. It was such a simple plan that it was almost brilliant in its simplicity, and all that she had to do was somehow sneak it under the watchful radar of her other "divine Progeny," the apprenticed Lore Master, Nabiki.

As she smiled in watching Makoto go at it once again with the blonde dynamo named Minako she chanced to hear a voice speak up beside her, "You never really give up, do you? Keep this up and you are going to wind up alienating both of your daughters..."

"GAK!" Peorth was so startled that she withdrew at once from the wall through which she had been peering in on the bedroom of two Senshi giving each other vigorous "69" style tongue action. She whirled about on the narrow ledge upon which she had been perched only to find the Nekonlon priestess-Consort named Mon-Mon was perched there beside her, bare legs dangling over the ledge as she strummed a few notes upon her mandolin, facing out towards the greater city of Paris, France over which the hotel building where they were situated had such a magnificent view with the Seine river flowing by just beneath them.

"I will say it again, Goddess," Mon-Mon spoke up, "You ought to reconsider this course of action that you are undertaking. You may be from heaven sent but you are neither omnipotent nor omniscient, and with the way things have been going of late this has the looming potential to blow up in your face very badly."

Peorth scowled and levitated off of the ledge to stare at the half-dressed Concubine before saying aloud, "I don't remember asking for your opinion, ma Cheri, nor do I think it is any of your business what I do on behalf of my daughters."

"Even so," Mon-Mon's fingers continued to tune her instrument as she regarded the hovering goddess from beneath her pale forelocks, "I am still obligated to Tendo Nabiki, and as such I feel it necessary to point out the obvious where it seems mete on occasion. You are, of course, under no obligation to heed my words, but I think you would be well advised not to meddle so directly in the affairs of these particular mortals. Nabiki in particular is likely to resent the rather ham-handed way that you have so far gone about in 'helping' her younger sister."

Peorth's regard of the beautiful Mon-Mon became more abstracted, and her tone took on a slightly distant air as she remarked, "There is more to you than meets the eye, Cheri. I recall how you dealt with Neferti back on that island, and I find it difficult to reconcile your actions there with the behavior of a mere priestess to my Chinese colleague, Benzaiten."

"You mean when I saved your immortal life?" Mon-Mon smiled, "Or when I helped to revive you later?"

Unexpectedly the goddess had a sudden flash of unwelcome memories...of being defeated by Neferti then swallowed whole by her snake form...of being drawn into her stomach by tendrils that proceeded to ravish her all over, probing her openings while lavishing "rough-tongue" action over every square millimeter of her body, overwhelming Peorth with the sheer sensual impact of such all-  
enfolding tactile stimulation. And even as she was being devoured by the tentacles she felt her energies being leached away as Neferti grew stronger and Peorth gradually weaker until the Goddess of the Roses could do no more than impotently kick, writhe and twitch in the Snake goddess's belly, feeling helpless to resist as she was ever-so-slowly digested in the bath of Neferti's stomach juices...

She shuddered at this memory, then felt her body go red all over as she recalled the sudden release that came when Mon-Mon had defeated Neferti by allowing herself to be swallowed, all the better to attack the Egyptian daughter of Set from within, and how Peorth had lain twitching and spasming for several minutes after the end of her ordeal, only to find herself being picked up and carried by Mon-Mon like nothing so much as a sack of potatoes, to be deposited moments later into a nearby river so that the priestess could clean her up and help restore her divine circulation...

Peorth shuddered for an entirely different reason as she remembered all-too-  
vividly what the Priestess had done next in the name of helping Peorth to "recover" from the trauma of her ordeal. Hands far too skilled in the arts of pleasuring flesh had plied her skin and probed Peorth in those very places that the tentacles had ravished, only with such gentle and affectionate attention that it was not long before the goddess felt the first of several different kinds of spasming that were soon to wrack her body and...

With great effort Peorth wrenched her mind back to the present then glared at the opportunistic lady who had taken advantage of her in such an intimate moment of weakness, trying to form words to describe such an individual that would not imperil her self-image as a lady and finding nothing printable worth sharing.

"You..." Peorth started to growl.

"You are welcome."

The goddess blinked her eyes, "I beg your pardon?"

"It was my duty to assist you," Mon-Mon smiled, "Or would you rather I had left you where you were...to gradually become absorbed into Neferti, your immortal essence reduced to a mere shell of what you are so that you would become a willing slave to her? Really, it was no trouble for me to help rectify this, and to see to it that you were purged of any lingering traces of her malevolent influence."

Peorth blinked again, "Is that what you are calling it, Cheri?"

"Well certainly, Cheri," Mon-Mon leered back even while stretching and curling her bare legs to show them off to full sensual inspection, "You don't honestly believe that a humble servant such as this one could get away molesting a goddess unless she were out of sorts and in desperate need of such attention? Fortunately I am well versed in all of the arts of touch-massage and therapy and it was quite enjoyable on the whole, helping you to liberate yourself from Neferti's diabolical influence."

Once again Peorth felt her body involuntarily shudder, but not so unpleasant this time, and she stared in renewed curiosity at the woman before her, suspecting a great deal but unprepared to venture more than a tentative guess as to why this mortal felt so curiously familiar. And as she widened the range of her perceptions to take in more of the priestess's aura she became aware that there was a curious overlap that had a more than slightly nagging quality, as though she knew her from long ago in a different identity and...

Au courant?

All at once she had a sudden flash of memory and inspiration, and with a gasp Peorth said, "B-B-Benzaiten...?"

The priestess smiled, and in that knowing smile Peorth suddenly read her imminent peril...

And-meanwhile, inside the hotel room-Makoto and Minako briefly let off from their mutual tongue-to-twat session as the latter asked, "What was that?"

"What was what?" asked a slightly breathless Minako.

"I thought I heard a yelp," Makoto glanced towards the window then shrugged and decided it was unimportant, so without further ado she plunged her tongue back into the steaming hot snatch of her beloved fellow Senshi and felt Minako reciprocate after only the slightest of hesitations, and soon they were both bathing in the warm bath of their mutual juices, quite oblivious to the world at large or any personal commitments that they might otherwise have engendered...

Ukyo awoke with a start, having briefly fallen into a mild daydream in which she imagined herself being molested by tentacles with Makoto at her side and within her embrace, the two of them mashing their bodies together while writhing, moaning and struggling to resist the probing tendrils that were invading their three openings, plying against sensitive bare skin and giving them an overall body-massage from tip to toe that was made all the more overwhelming by the enveloping sense of being surrounded from all over and bathed in the mildly acidic juices of a snake's elongated belly...

"Are you all right, Ucchan?" Akane asked at her side as the two of them were riding a tram together along with Ryoga and the trio of Senshi named Usagi, Ami and Rei, along with their teacher, Miss Hinako and a "cursed youth" Happosai.

"Er...ah...yeah, no problems, Sugar," Ukyo replied, even though the sense of being slowly dissolved in the arms of Makoto was so vivid that she could almost feel their juices writhing together, "Uh...sorry to nod off like that...haven't been sleeping too good the last few days...nightmares..."

"I can't say that I find that too surprising, all things considered," Ami addressed them, "By accounts you and Makoto-chan had quite an ordeal. Good thing for all of us that we're well away from that island and can relax while taking in the sights of this beautiful European city."

"Yeah, I always wanted to see Paris," Usagi smiled wistfully, "Too bad Mammo-  
chan isn't here...but then again, it is his loss."

"Yeah," Rei smiled, "Imagine the guy missing out on a chance to tour Paris with a couple of hot babes like us. Not that we're complaining about the present company...but, Ryoga-kun, do you think next time you could try sticking a little closer to us instead of wandering off by yourself in that museum?"

"Yeah," Usagi teasingly chided the boy sitting beside her and the others, "Who ever heard of anyone getting lost in the Louvre? The place is only the size of a palace after all, and it doesn't have that many rooms to wander around in."

"Ah..." Ryoga smiled sheepishly, "Sorry about making you guys have to look for me, it's just...well...when they said Louvre I got confused and thought that they meant bathroom, and when I thought I found a door leading to one it took me to some kind of oval-shaped room in the west wing and...well...there were a lot of strange guys there speaking English who seemed awfully upset with me for some odd reason..."

"I am beginning to fully understand what it is that Mina-chan sees in you," Ami smiled in oblique appraisal, "You're not like the usual sort that she often chases after...you are a genuinely nice person, if a bit prone to straying off the leash without warning, and if she were here I am certain that she would give a ringing endorsement of your obvious manly virtues."

"Ah...hah?" Ryoga blinked, then colored abruptly as he caught the winsome regard of Akane's erudite (and near identical twin) cousin.

Usagi frowned a bit then said, "Speaking of ringing endorsements, Ami-  
chan...what's the deal with you and that Raptor guy...Cha-something?"

"T'shalkri?" Ami corrected for her, "And what about him?"

"You two sure got awfully chummy for a while back there," Rei scowled, "I can't believe that you and him...I mean...the both of you, while the rest of us were screwing...you..."

"I mean, yeah," Usagi nodded vigorously, "What's the deal with that? I mean...was it even anatomically possible? You're, like, two entirely different species..."

"More like two distant cousin branches of a larger Family group," Ami corrected with an aloof smile towards her two best friends, "And if it is any concern to you, we happened to have been quite compatible in an inter-species discourse. I found him an unusually charming and intelligent fellow who has great sensitivity and understanding, and we got along very well on a personable level. Besides...did you know that Raptors have fourteen inch tongues?"

Both Rei and Usagi blinked in unison at that before they arched their voices and cried, "FOURTEEN INCH TONGUES...?"

They were immediately shushed down by their fellow Tram passengers, causing both girls to haunch their shoulders and look sheepish while Ami just smiled back and spaced her index fingers apart from one another, indicating a gap of around thirty-five centimeters.

Ukyo just blinked at this while Akane seemed...somewhat disquieted at her cousin's bland expression of contentment. Ryoga seemed even more confused than ever while Miss Hinako leaned closer and said, "Do try to keep some decorum in your behavior, Students. We represent Japan while abroad and during our stay here visiting this fine city we must act the part with dignity and restraint."

"Yeah, fat chance of that with this lot," Happosai remarked before turning his head and whistling appropriately at a passing pedestrian, "Whoooh-baby! Check out the gams on that Parisian cutie-OW! I was only looking, Hinako-chan...no harm in that..."

"What I say goes especially for you, Happosai-sensei," Hinako said serenely, her own adult-form beauty turning more than a few heads while she covertly "drained" a bit of energy on the sly to maintain her appearance.

"So, where are we going now, Sensei?" Akane asked, more to divert the subject away from the pervert than genuine curiosity since any place they went was fine in her eyes as long as she was with her beloved "Ucchan."

"I believe we shall check out the Eiffel tower next," Miss Hinako announced, "It is a bit smaller than the Tokyo tower, but it has great historic significance and affords a fine view of the entire city, and from there we can pick out many historic landmarks and famous sites that have great significance to this ancient Romanesque city as a whole."

"How wonderful," Ami smiled, "I have always wanted to stand atop the Eiffel tower...it is such an exciting feeling just being here...walking the streets that once were trod by Napoleon and Caesar..."

"Too bad Minako and Makoto-chan couldn't be here," Usagi sighed, "I just know they'd love to boy-watch on this trip...such a target-rich environment of cuties."

"Yeah, wonder why they begged off like they did?" Rei frowned, "It's not exactly like them to pass up a chance to cruise such a romantic setting."

Ukyo was wondering much the same thing, but privately she hoped that Makoto was making good on her promise to "have a few words" with her colleague and fellow Senshi so that they could nip off any budding affairs that might prove a distraction to Makoto's relationship with Ukyo...or Minako's budding relationship with Ryoga.

For the most part Ukyo trusted Makoto implicitly and felt the strength of their commitment to one another, which was founded upon genuine need and affection. Makoto had assured Ukyo that she would find a way of explaining things to Minako to help dismiss any "misimpressions" that might resulted as a side-effect of that pollen-spore inspired incident of a few days back. No one was exactly behaving themselves at the time, so the fact that Makoto had wound up with that "blonde bimbo" was something for which Ukyo was prepared to forgive her fianc e.

Just as long as Minako was made to understand that it was a one-time lapse on Makoto's part and would most definitely NOT be soon repeated.

A tightening on her own arm alerted Ukyo to the presence of that other wild card in her relationship to her "Mako-chan," Akane. The dark haired girl was leaning her head on Ukyo's shoulder and snuggling up in such a way that made Ukyo vividly aware of just what had happened between them while under the influence of those spores. The chef colored a bit and felt tight around her collar, trying to think of a way of explaining things to Akane that would not hurt the feelings of the other girl. Ukyo did care about Akane...but in an entirely different sense than the way that she cared about Makoto.

Hopefully she would think of something by the time that they got to the Eiffel tower, but unless she could find a way of convincing Akane soon that the two of them were NOT eventually headed towards the altar then she was looking at real relationship troubles that would make anything Ranma ever went through seem astonishingly mild by contrast. Ukyo did not want to hurt Akane's feelings...any more than she wanted to risk further alienating Makoto, but how to reconcile these two ideals without getting killed in the process? It was too bad that Akane and Makoto did not get along so well together...it would certainly be convenient if the two of them liked each other like, say, Shampoo and Nabiki...

Ukyo blanched as soon as the thought formed in her mind, then wondered if this were another one of her cursed-state's errant impulses that was influencing her thinking. Though she was presently female, she knew full well that her guy form reacted favorably to the presence of both ladies, and the thought of having the both of them at the same time came upon her so strong that she almost had a fantasy in which she envisioned them as a couple...

No wait...that did happen, didn't it? Back on the island during that last mass orgy...she kind of lost track of who was doing whom there, and though she woke up with Akane in her arms, she did indeed recall doing it with at least two or three of the other ladies...including Minako.

[That's it, it's official, I am definitely perverted,] Ukyo silently thought to herself, adding in an underthought, [I am sooooo doomed...] while wondering why she heard that peculiar rumble somewhere off in the far distance...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Chartres Cathedral de Notre Dame is certainly one of the most spectacular examples of medieval architecture yet still in existence, and it's quite a breathtaking thing to view in person, far more picturesque than any photograph could ever hope to do justice. As I stood there marveling at the place beside Ranma and Shampoo I could literally feel the age and solemnity of the place as though I were plugged into the ages and could drink in the atmosphere like a fine French wine. Even now I can close my eyes and recall vividly what it felt like to be standing there within the folds of history, and if I wanted to peel back the layers of time I don't doubt in the least I could have done so, traveling in my mind on a tour of the past through its many pages.

Lotion seemed amused by my childlike fascination with the place and said, "Yes, it is quite something to behold on your first visit. Mind you, there have been a few changes since the last time I stopped by here, but it is nice to see that they have not made too many concessions toward progress. Some traditions are worth preserving on the whole, and this certainly ranks near the top in my view of historical landmarks."

I gave my mentor an amused sidelong glance...only to feel that peculiar sensation once again that I get when I sense strong energy currents flowing near me...and for a moment I had the brief impression of a looming shape standing beside Lotion...only she was a much younger Lotion back then and her hair was still a bright pink coloration, and she was quite a bit...taller. Of the shadowy figure at her side I could only sense that it was male, extremely tall and had an extremely potent life aura, but then it was gone again before I could glimpse his face or form of this giant or get more than the most general of impressions.

Lotion seemed to be aware of my changing focus and nodded sagely, "You will get used to that in time, my Child. Time for us is not an inflexible curtain nor a fresco set in plaster but a very real and vibrant thing. You must be prepared to sacrifice any fixed notions you might have about the past being immutable else you might cause a shift in your surroundings that you would find most disconcerting."

"You all right, Nabiki?" Ranma asked, concern for me written plain in his every fiber, not just his face. I felt the warmth of his regard for me and I was moved almost to tears, being more aware of just what he means to me at that moment than I could ever remember feeling, even as I felt the equally welcome presence of Shampoo radiating love in both of our directions.

"I'm...fine, Ranchan," I replied, "But...well, like Sensei here says, it takes a little getting used to having all these...sensations..."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo softly marveled, "Nabiki is becoming Lore Master truly. Airen need time to learn what mean be like elder of Joketsuzoku. Nyanchiczu warriors know it like being one foot in other world, see farther and deeper in both worlds of womans and spirits."

There are times such as this when I really and truly love that girl...I mean...when I really do appreciate Shampoo and those surprising depths that she keeps hidden beneath her bouncy exterior and exterior packaging as an uninhibited wanton. I reached out a hand and squeezed her hand on impulse and she smiled back at me as she gently squeezed back, and the both of us knew a closeness then and there that was almost like making love without removing our clothing. More than ever I am so grateful that she chose to make me her Airen instead of treat me like an obstacle in her path to winning Ranma, and I know that I could have asked for no closer friend and helpmate from the heavens...

In fact, knowing Peorth as well as I now do, I think I'd pass on asking heaven to set something up like this for me since events seemed to have progressed just fine on their own without her prior interference.

But still I found myself glancing back at Lotion, who understood me at once and said, "Give it time, Child. You are strong, you will recover, and soon you won't even have to think twice about tapping into the power, it will become second-nature to you...just like any other muscle group that you exercise with practice."

"Maybe so," I admitted with a sigh, "But...it sure feels weird sometimes. It's like...I can see everything around me in terms of swirling energy patterns, and...well...like that thing I did to Neferti...it was like I could see the way she was put together...and I only had to pull something loose and she came apart like a bunch of thread that used to form a sweater..."

"Yeah, what was the deal about that?" Ranma asked, sounding very much disquieted at the memory, nor could I blame him since I had been a bit freaked out at my own behavior.

"Nabiki deal with bad snake woman like old silk that get eaten by glow worms," Shampoo observed, adding her own understated tone at the disturbing quality behind my own actions.

"It's quite simple really," Lotion replied, "My apprentice here merely reduced her enemy to her raw constituent coding then trapped her essence up in a tangible form that could be delivered to the appropriate agencies for her ultimate disposal."

"But she was a goddess," I argued, "I'm strictly a mortal...aren't I?"

"Gods may seem to define the essence of raw power, Child," Lotion explained, "But as a Lore Master you have an inner sense of pattern and form, and you can see how the power contained within her body was arranged...and how it might be undone since she had given you just grievance."

I had to sigh again, "Yeah, but...well...about that...how come that Magnus guy couldn't do anything about her before? I could tell he's a lot more powerful than he lets on, and by that I don't just mean the size of his bank account either..."

"Magnus is an Immortal," Lotion explained, "Or rather I should say that he is THE Immortal since there are many other kinds of beings who live long lives and seem not to age upon the surface. Magnus is a Guardian...a very rare type of elemental being, perhaps even unique since every world has at least one Guardian of the Elements, a post that cannot be inherited, only passed along from one chosen avatar to the next. He is like a living philosopher's stone and no power on earth or in heaven can harm him since he is held at a fixed point in creation by the Powers That Be, who bestowed upon him the alchemical gifts that he has mastered."

"Weird," Ranma said, "I wondered why I got such a weird sense about the guy. But I'm with Nabiki here...if he's so powerful then why didn't he do something about those creeps who tried to hurt Nabiki?"

"There are limits upon even a Guardian's power, young War Master," Lotion answered, "Magnus generally tries to mind the peace between the mortal world and the various worlds of the Gods, but Neferti was an outcast even among her own tribe. She could not harm him and he could very much have thwarted her but she ultimately held the upper hand by threatening the ones he cares most about. You might say that they had an uneasy truce between them, one that could only be breached under very specific circumstances."

"Fine," I said, "Then it doesn't count that I was almost boiled to death and eaten?"

"I didn't say that," Lotion assured me, "However...I will say this much concerning your ordeal: that during the training and apprenticeship of all Lore Masters there must come a time and a place where you face a trial by fire and must surmount it using only your own resources. I faced mine down a long time ago, and in a way it was every bit as harrowing as what you went through, but in the end it taught me how to better tap into my own inherent powers. Up until then I was quite as much as you were, Child, largely ignorant of my own potential. In facing death I overcame my fear and found the will to exceed the supposed limits that I was born with. You came as close to dying as you have ever known, Apprentice, yet you looked inside yourself and found the will to live, and that gave you the strength that you needed to overcome the enslavement of your own ego. You awoke to your own might, and thus you were able to wreak vengeance upon those who had troubled you and so many another less fortunate victim."

"So, it's like an initiation rite, huh?" I said, "I pass, I live, I learn to use my powers more efficiently, and never mind what might have happened if I'd let myself be overcome by the heat? Too bad, just another failed apprentice?"

"I am sorry that you feel that way," Lotion informed me, "And if it had been within my power to spare you from that fate, then you must know that I would have moved heaven itself to instigate your rescue. But, as it turned out, I need not have worried so much...for you are exactly the sort of woman that I knew you to be from the time of our first meeting.

"But you knew I was going to be going through all this, didn't you?" I accused, "You tried to warn me with that lecture about us all being part of the food chain and how savagery is the underlying force in human nature, and how civilization is just a veneer that separates us from the animals, am I right?"

"A wise man whom I once knew once coined the phrase that Barbarism is the natural state of man, that civilization is but a fluke and that, given the opportunity, the barbarian will always triumph," my mentor quoted, "Actually it's not quite that brutal in real life since most intelligent beings prefer to live a civilized existence, but without a knowledge of our savage roots that very civilizing impulse becomes nothing more than a mere mask to hide the lurking savage. How else can you account for the way nominally civilized people can degenerate into brutish thugs when circumstances strip away the protective layers of social conditioning? When the institutions entrusted to maintain a civilized existence break down, is not the natural impulse of a great many people to act the part of the savage?"

"You mean like with civil wars and stuff?" Ranma asked, surprising the lot of us by making such an intelligent connection.

"Precisely," Lotion smiled at him in warm approval, "What can be more uncivil than a war? Yet military institutions attempt to give structure and purpose to `the barbaric impulses of human aggression. A warrior is taught to master his emotions, to use cool intellect when facing a crisis and to react in accordance with training that has been developed to improve a soldier's chances for survival. A warrior is able to adapt from the role of civilian to barbarian and return back again with relatively little effort. Not so a civilian who lacks the discipline of war, who might be totally unprepared when faced with life and death choices for survival, and that is where the true test of the civilized man is measured. The savage can arise from even the tamest hearts under the right set of circumstances, and so a wise person is one who is prepared to meet their savage counterpart head-on in the battle of minds, heart and will. That was the purpose for my lecture, Child, and why I knew that you had to face your ordeal alone without my protection or guidance."

"That's just swell," I snorted, "Of course you could have just come right out and told me to watch out for cannibals before letting them stick me in that stew pot."

"And what would be the point to that?" she smiled at me with hidden amusement, "Not much of a trial if you knew in advance what was about to happen."

"Look," I said, "I can appreciate that you wanted me to know that we're all a part of nature and that the purpose behind living is to live, and that I had to find my inner voice that told me not to lay down and die when I was close to heat prostration, but if it hadn't been for Shampoo and Ranma providing me the distraction that I needed..."

"You still would have triumphed in the end," Lotion said confidently, "I knew you would not fail yourself in the end or let your vast potential go to waste so that it might be leeched from you and into that evil goddess. In truth it was the light within you that drew the cannibals towards you like flies to honey. They could sense the potency of your aura and they hungered to consume your essence. That is, ultimately, the nature of what cannibalism is about, after all...the desire to draw some favorable aspect from the victim the way a vampire drinks the life essence of his victims. Had you been a warrior it would have been your physical strength and courage that they would want to consume, but since you, as a Lore Master, contain within you the secret wisdom of the ages..."

"Right," I said, "And we're all just one part of a really big circle that turns in an endless cycle, one great big happy food chain..."

"More than that I should think," Lotion explained, "For each and every one of us is the embodiment of an endless line of descent from our most primitive beginnings. The unbroken chain of your ancestors might have ended with you had you not rallied in the end to preserve your own integrity. Think of it as a legacy that you inherited from your mother and your mother's mother, and from your mother's mother's mother...all the way back to the beginning of time like the Mitochondrial strain of your genetic makeup. You are the result of an unbroken history of survival, yet for every human being who fails to live long enough to produce young that line comes crashing to an end. That is the real tragedy about death, my child...it brings an end to history for the individual and all that is locked within their potential."

I had to concede that she was making a lot of sense with this point, but still I was hardly convinced that my life means nothing more than passing on my genes to another generation. I'd like to think I'm more than just the sum of my chromosomes, so I said, "I always thought the bad thing about death is that it hurts a lot, and you leave a lot of loved ones behind to grieve for you and all that."

"There is wisdom enough in what you say, Child," Lotion looked at me with those inscrutable eyes of hers as though secretly pleased with me for having made this observation, "Of a certainty your loved ones would have done much more than grieve...but fortunately the worst that could happen did not come about on this occasion."

"Hey!" Ranma spoke up again, moving closer to me as he and Shampoo flanked my sides as though to offer me the support of their presence, "I don't like this talk about Nabiki dying-ever! What kind of stupid test is that if she could have gotten killed back there? Not that I'd ever let anyone mess with her like that again," he added with a scowl as though to challenge some invisible opponent to try something.

Lotion seemed to take his belligerent attitude with a hint of warm amusement. Turning to me she said, "It is well for you to be so loved, Child. A woman is never so rich as when she has an Airen or two who would move heaven and earth to protect her."

"But Elder," Shampoo argued, "Was necessary for Nabiki to go through all that just to become better Lore Master Apprentice?"

"Understand, Shampoo," Lotion replied, "Your Airen is growing stronger by leaps and bounds with every challenge she faces and surmounts. I warned her against relying too much upon the both of you to protect her from danger...but I might just as well have been addressing myself as the three of you are growing together in strength and wisdom. Sooner or later all parents must face the fact that their children are outpacing them, and soon you three will progress to the point where you will no longer need my guidance and can find your own way, discover your own wisdom."

"Sensei?" I was surprised to find how shocked I was at her suggestion. Was she telling me that I no longer needed her? That I was close to graduating? I felt an immediate protest rise up from within me as I wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that I still needed her, that I was no where near ready to fly solo and had no intention of doing so any time in the near future.

Once again she seemed to read my thoughts and chuckled, "My dear girl, I never said that you were ready to fly solo. In truth, you have barely learned to flap your wings, by no means do I intend to kick you out of the nest as yet...at least, not until you have gained much, much more training."

I felt both relieved and alarmed at that reassurance, as though I-on the one hand-afraid of losing her companionship, and on the other of being put through the virtual wringer. If what I'd endured at the hands of director Akuma was nothing more than an initiation rite, then the more advanced courses were bound to be a real killer!

"Elder," Shampoo suddenly spoke up once again, "What means Nabiki gain such power so sudden like? Is very sudden she go from knowing basic things to speak with dead people and make snake woman go bye-bye. Will Airen be able to control so much power so soon in training?"

I had to admit that was a very interesting question, one that concerned me a lot, but Lotion just smiled and said, "Your Airen has the gift, she has always possessed such abilities, she just did not understand how to use them until now, but be assured that she will have the training she needs to adjust to her new threshold. It is only a matter of learning to trust in her own intuitive sense of proportion to judge how much power she needs to use in a given situation..."

"Let me guess," I ventured in a droll note of sullen humor, "It comes attached with lots of practice, practice, practice?"

"That goes without saying," Lotion smiled, "You practice to familiarize yourself with your hidden talents, and before too long they become second nature."

Ranma had a different question that he wanted to broach right then while I was absorbing my mentor's typically cryptic meaning, "What about the kid?"

"Jingo Takura?" Lotion replied, "What about her concerns you young War Master?"

"Is she gonna be all right?" Ranma asked, "I mean...leaving her with that Challenger guy..."

"Believe me, young man," Lotion said, "She could be in no safer hands than with Magnus and his organization."

"That's good," I said, "I made a promise to her mother...and I'm still worried about doing the right thing. I mean...she may be young, but that girl was raised to be a cannibal. She even ate the flesh of her own dead mother..."

"You are right to be concerned about this," Lotion assured me, "Imprinting such as that is not so easily overcome, and the girl has had twelve long years in which to absorb her father's philosophical perspective. In truth it might have been a blessing for her to be sent back to the great beyond rather than to allow her to grow and mature into whatever her nature has shaped her to be...but then again, as you say, you don't war against children."

"Right," I said tightly, still quite a bit uneasy about assuming such a large commitment on my shoulders. Pai's daughter needed guidance and I was not at all certain that I was up to handling the challenge, and adopting a kid at my age was simply out of the question. On the other hand the kid had been one of those cheerfully urging me on my way into the cook pot, and she clearly had no qualms about eating human flesh, so was I doing the right thing taking her away from Pangea island? Granted most of the adults who might have looked after her were dead, but she and the other orphans were not exactly innocent babes, especially considering that most of their mothers had been cooked and eaten one right after another in ritual feasts for which these children had been full participants, and Jingo was their leader, meaning they were more than likely destined to grow up to be spitting images of their parents.

Horrible thought that this was, I had to wonder just how committed Jingo could be to a philosophy that-by all rights-consigned her and everything else female to the level of "prey." In a few more years she would probably have gone the same way as her mother, so maybe it was still possible to convince her to give up on savagery and try civilization for a change. In either event I had talked it over with Magnus Challenger and decided to leave the kids in his possession...at least until things settled down enough that I might consider bringing her back home to Japan to look up the family she's never even known about until now.

So why do I get the feeling it would be a colossal mistake to bring her back to civilization? Why do I keep imagining Jingo as a young woman stirring up trouble, and trying to put me back into that damned stew pot?

Maybe Lotion was right, maybe it would have been a mercy to just kill the kid outright, send her to her mother in the great beyond, but I just can't imagine ever doing such a thing to a young girl whom is only just on the verge of early womanhood. I just can't consign her to death the way I did her father and the rest of her tribe. I'm simply not that ruthless.

They say no good deed ever goes unpunished, so maybe the promise I made to Pai Takura's ghost was a mistake, but I'll just have to take my chances and reserve my hope that the future isn't quite as bleak for her as my fears would have me imagine...

"What I don't understand is how things could go so bad back there and nobody ever tried to do anything about it," Ranma spoke up again, once more pointing out a glaring sore point for me that had not yet been addressed in a satisfactory manner.

"Ah, young War Master," Lotion sighed, "That is the eternal question is it not? Why tolerate the existence of a great evil when you have the means at your disposal to end it? Magnus must surely be wrestling with his own conscience over that subject, not that I expect that is any great consolation to you and your Airen."

"You could put it that way," I said drolly, "The guy's got access to incredible technology, and I can't really believe he was cowed into submission by that witch and her maniac band of studio headhunters."

"Believe what you must, Apprentice," Lotion replied with a particularly sage expression, "But you were the one whom Neferti had the most to fear. It is in the hands of mortals, not immortals, that the power to bring an end to evil must reside. Evil is opposed to nature, it warps and corrupts the very fabric of whatever it contaminates through direct or indirect contact. An idea by itself is neither good nor evil, but when put into practice it can take the shape of such monstrous things as what you encountered in the hearts and minds of Akuma and his people. Where once they lived in harmony with nature they became obsessed with conquering death through the sacrifice of others, much like the Aztecs of Central America, or the Anasazi...or many other groups who believe that the secret to prolonging life is to take life from another. In that sense they were seeking to prolong themselves by stealing your vitality and essence, much as Neferti sought to drain the energy of her victims and thus sustain herself while cut off from the normal access routes of her true power."

"In other words she wasn't as tough as she looked?" Ranma scratched his head, "But I thought she was supposed to be some kind of goddess...or something..."

"Gods are the embodiment of elemental energies, young War Master," Lotion informed him, "They are, in a sense, anthropomorphic representations of the primary powers of nature...but Gods such as Peorth and Neferti are actually a part of an extended tribe of ancient beings whose lineage goes back many thousands of years to a time when their line diverged from the human genotype. Star Tribes are what we might call the original Homo-Sapiens-Superior who once visited this world many millions of years ago in forgotten antiquity, in the time before there were even Lore Masters. Once they were giants who had incalculable mental and physical abilities that allowed them to span the very stars themselves in search of higher life forms..."

"Wait a minute," I said, "Are you telling me the original humans were aliens? That's pretty far-fetched don't you think, Sensei?"

"No more so than that it took our ancestors twenty-five million years of evolution to invent the pocket lighter," she responded with typical straight-  
faced facetiousness, "But you need not take my word for it. There is evidence of their once having existed all over the planet, buried in the collective memories of people the world over. The Giants came down from Heaven and loved the daughters of man, and by them gave birth to a race of titans that some would call the Nefflim..."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo spoke up again, "Is like in legends of Amazons? Stories of really big people who teach people to make fire and give birth to gods of White Mountain?"

"Yes child," Lotion replied, "The legends have a kernel of truth to them, as do most mythologies when you scratch beneath their surface. The Giants helped to evolve human kind to the next level of physical and spiritual development and they taught our distant ancestors how to tap into the very same elemental forces that they could harness as if second nature. Unfortunately, as the generations progressed, human beings became proud, arrogant and foolish. They misused the power and started a great war that eventually destroyed their civilization. All trace of them is buried now and the human race itself has been diminished. Only we, the keepers of the Lore, have knowledge of what was lost to time's pages, and that is why we train to remember, to rediscover these lost arts, to safeguard their legacy and to help guide human civilization back on the tireless road towards greatness."

"So...you're saying that Gods like Peorth aren't really just super-beings but are actually a more advanced branch of the human race, one closer to the ancient power?" I gathered.

"More or less," Lotion replied, "They are a cadet branch of the human family that retains their kinship to the light. It is something like a recessive gene that they possess and most humans do not, the ability to tap into the elemental powers of nature. That is why history is replete with legends of heroic beings who claimed a divine being for a sacred ancestor, yet only a few ever achieved real greatness. Most of the offspring of Gods wind up as little better than mortals...there is only a one-in-four shot at them being born with the divine spark, which is why the world is not overrun with immortals, in spite of some gods being notoriously prolific."

"But I don't get it," Ranma scratched his head, "If they're so much like us then are they really gods...or kami? That Peorth character sure seems awfully human..."

"They are indeed quite human where it matters," Lotion smile obliquely, "But given their extraordinary power levels, if they say that they are gods, who then are we to dispute them?"

"Riiight," I sniffed, thinking of just how human my "heavenly mother" truly was, but that prompted me to ask, "What about this computer she and the other goddesses keep referring to, Yggdrasil?"

"Ah yes," Lotion nodded, "Why would gods need to rely upon technology to augment their abilities you must wonder. The simple answer is...that even gods are lacking in perfection. They are neither omniscient nor omnipotent, no matter what they tell you in the legends. Yes, they are knowledgeable and many of them are wise, but few of them can predict the future with any degree of accuracy, and fewer still can control the direction of the fates...and therefore they have come to rely upon Yggdrasil, the world computer, to manage most of the mundane affairs that would be tedious in the extreme for any sentient being to handle."

"Elder," Shampoo asked, "If gods no be all powerful, then what of legend that say one god rules over other gods in heaven?"

"The gods to have their hierarchy, to be certain," Lotion replied, "But legends of an Uber-God, a Supreme Being above even Kami-sama in preeminence, remains mostly a legend."

"So you're saying a Supreme God doesn't figure into the picture?" I asked.

"No, I am only saying that such a being is beyond the conception of either man or god to contemplate," she answered, "A guiding intelligence can be discerned through inference and observation, and the Universe as a whole does behave as though there were a greater force moving through the background, but the one thing we can be almost certain of concerning this being is that-if She does indeed exist-she is so far beyond our definition of humanity as to have as little in common with us as we do with an Amoeba."

"She?" Ranma asked, picking up on her gender inflection.

"Well, surely you don't imagine the supreme creator of the Cosmos could be a man, do you?" Lotion replied, "A man may lend his spark to fertilize the mother, but it is a mother who bears within her the force of all creation. Perhaps the Supreme Being is both Male and Female, or perhaps neither. Perhaps even such a one transcends all definition of gender identity altogether. All that can be known with any certainty is that the Universe behaves as though there were a rational element holding the forces of Chaos at bay, and by allying ourselves with this greater Force of order we can create a better world than the one into which we were born. By balancing the Yin and the Yang of nature we can overcome disharmony and discord and learn to regain the light of the ancient Star Tribes, who were said to be as one with the Creator."

About this point I might say things were getting a little too mystical for my liking, but then again, by now I'm used to that from hanging around with Lotion. Ranma and Shampoo, however, appeared to be more than a little confused by my mentor's teaching methods, so I decided to have some mercy on them by saying, "Who's up for lunch? I'm in a mood to try some French cuisine, and since Challenger loaned us some traveling money to keep us busy while he's making repairs to the Nekonlon air ship..."

"Sounds good to me," Ranma patted his stomach, "I'm starving."

"You always starving, Airen," Shampoo gave him an indulgent wink, "But Shampoo think Nabiki have too-too good idea, and while maybe food not from China, is old Amazon saying, 'When in Beijing eat cooked duck.'"

I had to smile at my wife's cute way of turning a phrase there, but even so the thought of food tended to send me back in mind to that moment a few days ago when I was nearly somebody's dinner. I know I tend to obsess a lot on that, but it's going to be a while before I can even take a hot bath and relax without smelling the aroma of cooked lentils.

And so we set out to search for a place to satisfy our material cravings, but little did any of us suspect (not even Lotion, I imagine) we were shortly to have a dramatic encounter that would push the envelope of coincidence and bring me face-to-face with the fact that my father is an idiot, and the proof of that would haunt us for the rest of our stay in beautiful Paris.

You see, the place we selected to go for a meal was named "Le Chardin d'Affair," and who there should we run into but my other heretofore unexpected fianc ... the inestimable Picollet Chardin...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Chardin d'Affairs Reservations: shadowmane

Ukyo and the gang get more than a sightseeing trip while surmounting the heights of the Eiffel tower (and WHAT an eyeful they'll be getting!) while Ranma, Nabiki and Shampoo have their first dramatic encounter with the Chardin family, and Peorth makes a dramatic escape only to find herself going from one frying pan into the saucing container. Be here next time for our concluding chapter to the Pangea series: "Serving up Trouble with a Smile," or, "You and your Big Mouth, Daddy..." Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: or it's Mirror page at ~ All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works.  



	117. Chapter 117

Pangea 12

PANGEA:

"The Land That Time Ignored"

(A side-story to "A Tale of Two Wallets,"  
by yours truly:

Jim Robert Bader)

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi Others,  
with characters, ideas and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
T.H. Tiger (Peter Schell), Ted Hsu, Rann Aridorn, Bill Guiroff,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

Set within the timeframe of Chapter 101 of my fanfic series, "A Tale of Two Wallets," between the time when the gang parted from Nekonlon China and their eventual arrival one week later back in Nerima)

HENTAI ALERT-YOU ARE ENTERING THE LEMON ZONE WHERE TIME, SPACE AND GOOD TASTE DO NOT NECESSARILY APPLY! CONTAINS SCENES OF A RAUNCHY, ADULT NATURE AND DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE UNDERAGED OR EMOTIONALLY IMMATURE...IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SEXUALLY ACTIVE TEENAGERS WHO ARE NOT PRACTICING ABSTINENCE (WITH OR WITHOUT THE USE OF A CONDOM) THEN LOOK YE ELSEWHERE FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT VALUES. RATED HENTAI-13, NOT TO BE READ UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT, GUARDIAN OR GUARDIAN MOON CAT...  
YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED!

FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE:  
(With apologies to Lee Falk)

Ranma is engaged to marry both Nabiki and Shampoo;  
Nabiki is an Apprenticed Lore Master and Shampoo is cursed to turn into a winged cat; Akane has wings and Ukyo turns into a boy and is engaged to Makoto (Sailor Jupiter), while Happosai is a handsome swain engaged to Miss Hinako; Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) is romantically involved with Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) while Kodachi is carrying on a not-so-private affair with Kasumi, and Ryoga has just begun to get acquainted with Minako Aino.  
Everything else beyond that is purely coincidental.

Episode Oh-One-Two:

"We'll Always Have Paris"  
[Part Two:  
("My Dinner with Ranma")]

"How do you like the repairs that are presently being rendered to your vessel?"

The Captain of the Nekonlon airship nodded in affirmation as he studied the details of the work being done upon his vessel then said in a thoughtful tone, "Most impressive, Admiral Challenger. Your people are quite good, and I am amazed at the speed with which they engineered the replacement parts that we needed. At the rate with which they are going we can be airborne once more within the next forty-eight less than that, if I know my own people," Challenger mused as he surveyed his own handiwork in the small portion of the hanger taken up by the Nekonlon repair crew, his own proud airship, the Invincible, dominating the rest of the chamber and dwarfing the tiny Chinese vessel like a whale to a shark, "In fact it should be no trouble at all to get you on your way again within the next twenty-four hours. You may then convey my respects to your Prince and tell him that I wish well for his recent marriage to the lady you wish it, Admiral," the Captain replied, "It would be the least service that I could render to you for all your troubles, not to mention the fact that you are quite possibly saving my life since the Prince will be most displeased with me on hearing about the incident on Pangea Island.I will leave it to you to craft a report that will reflect somewhat better on the performance of you and your crew," Challenger replied, "But I may be able to help somewhat by giving you a letter explaining conditions that brought your party so unfortunately close into the line of a disaster..."

"Admiral!" one of Challenger's people reported, making haste to run upon the skywalk ramp that they had been crossing, and waving a cell phone in a somewhat urgent manner.

"What is it, Doris?" Challenger asked of the breathless blonde officer making haste to his side.

"Call for you on the emergency hotline," the lieutenant explained, passing the phone along to her employer before resting her hands on her knees while she sought to get her wind back.

"The hotline?" Challenger frowned as he took the phone then gave an apologetic nod to the Nekonlon Captain and his lieutenants, "You will excuse me, gentlemen. Business and all quite understand, Admiral," the Captain replied, making a dismissive hand gesture.

Challenger turned from his guests and took a few steps off down the ramp in order to obtain the privacy that he needed, then very tersely he said, "This is Challenger, how can I..."

"Magnus, my dear old friend," a voice that would have chilled a corpse responded in ingratiating tones of false solicitousness, "It has been a while, has it not? Still playing the Nemo role, I see...?"

Challenger's expression darkened abruptly and his dark-dark eyes glanced at the cell phone as though he were holding a viper, hissing out a single word to exclaim his displeasure, "Silas."

"I've been given to understand that you've had some recent troubles with some tourists on that island of yours...most unfortunate business, but I am pleased to learn that no one was seriously hurt...unless you count those unfortunate natives."

Challenger did his best to keep his temper even while he replied, "That matter is being rectified even as we speak. Your agents must have informed you of the details, so why mention that which is already past?"

"My dear Magnus," the voice on the other end replied, "For us the past is always very much alive and relevant, our having lived through so much of it and all. You know that I have always been quite fascinated with the study of those primitive life forms that you safeguard...but shame on you for allowing things to be spoiled for those Neanderthals. Why, from what I hear tell one of your guests committed near genocide upon the whole lot, and all because they tried to eat her, just imagine..."

It took greater effort than usual for Magnus to keep his tone at a level where his other guests would not likely hear him, "I should have intervened in that sector a long time ago were it not for my certain...dealings with a lady who shall go unmentioned, but I hardly see what business any of this of yours, **old friend...**"

"Dear me, are you still upset with me about that business in East Timor? That was two weeks ago, ancient history, as you say. Hardly the stuff for going to war about and all that..."

"What do you want, Silas?" Magnus snapped, even his legendary patience now being tested to its limits."

"Ah yes, to business," the voice on the other end sighed, "This really isn't a social call, I am sad to say. You see...ah...this is rather embarrassing for me to have to admit...but...there is this little...problem that I'm having with one of my employees..."

"Which one?" Magnus asked, suddenly all business.

"Red Saladin," Silas replied, "You see...how should I put this? It seems that he's gone a bit round the bend as it were...fanatics. What can you do about them? They can be so useful in a great many ways, but then they get it into their fool heads that they can make policy for their employers, as if I had not raised the boy and cultured him to have more sense than this. Rather shocking example of biting the hand that feeds you..."

"Red Saladin," Magnus repeated, and if it were possible for his stomach to churn at that point it most certainly would have, "What has that fatherless bastard done this time?"

"Language, dear sir, language," Silas chided, coughing a bit before adding, "I'm...ah...well, as I say, this is somewhat embarrassing, but...what we have here is what is known in the trade as a Broken Arrow..."

Magnus nearly dropped his cell phone, "No..."

"I'm afraid yes," Silas sighed again, "You see...there was this briefcase-sized nuke that I'd recently obtained from the Russian Consortium through...how shall I put this? Backdoor channels...quite a good bargain on it, I might add. Unfortunately Saladin got word of the transaction and, well...he's in Paris right now, and I do believe he intends to blow something up as a means of finding his way to paradise, taking a good portion of the city with him."

"You're people can't stop him?" Magnus asked.

"I'm afraid the people with him are some of my people...ones he trained personally to insure their loyalty-to himself, unfortunately," Silas explained, "Quite understandable that they mean to Jihad, considering what I will personally do to them should any of them survive the next several hours, but at the moment I am on a plane bound for the Swiss Alps, and if you had any sense at all you would be doing the same thing..."

"Lieutenant!" Magnus snapped, "Code Red! Scramble the Invincible, and get every field agent within the nearest thirty kilometers, and tell them it's priority Blue! Move!"

"I don't see what good any of that will do, other than to get good people killed," Silas advised, "If you cared about them at all you'd move as much of your operation as you could out of harm's way...but, seeing as you always have to play the part of the hero, I suppose I shall just have to rely on you acting within character and doing my dirty work for me, finding Saladin and dispatching his five megaton suitcase-sized device."

Magnus glared at the cell phone once again then said, "I don't suppose you'd care to clue me in where your employee is about, would you?"

"If I knew that then he would already be dead," Silas replied, "But I have a very good idea of where he is likely to turn up since a device of this magnitude works best when elevated above ground level...say, around three hundred meters near the center of the city."

"The Eiffel tower?" Magnus's eyes widened.

"That would be my best estimate, and the numbers do favor that location," Silas answered, "I honestly do wish you well since I would dearly miss Paris if you fail in your endeavors. As I know you will survive, regardless of how this turns out, I will speak with you again when it is all over but for the shouting. Do keep in mind, however, that with current international political tensions, brought about by the present bumbling resident of the White House and his Evangelical retinue of bible-thumping halfwits, should a major European city disappear beneath a mushroom cloud, it might be misinterpreted as an attack by a major world power, and that could lead to a great deal more unpleasantness than even I would enjoy creating. No pressure, I just thought you might want the reminder. Silas out."

Magnus snapped the phone shut and glared darkly at nothing in particular, but in his minds eye he could see a war to end all wars resulting from the catastrophe that the man known as Red Saladin was no doubt hoping to engineer, and he knew that a race against time had already begun. Even scrambling every available field agent that he had, however, it was unlikely that they would arrive in time to defuse this crisis, which meant that the fate of the world hung in the balance and if ever there were a need for heroes this day must surely call for them.

But where could one find heroes to stand athwart World War Three when a madman clutching at promethean fire clearly had the upper hand and was already five steps ahead of even the likes of Magnus the Immortal...?

"Step lively, Students," Miss Hinako urged, "Remember that we represent the honor of Furinkan high school, so we must conduct ourselves in accordance to diplomatic protocols..."

"Hey, wait a minute," Usagi protested, "We're not students at Furinkan..."

"Well, some of us anyway," Rei noted as she glanced at Ukyo and Akane, "But I think the point is we don't want to come across looking like a bunch of ill-  
mannered tourists."

"Now then, Students," Hinako began as they approached the base of the massive metal tower, "The Eiffel Tower was constructed in the year 1889 by the Gustave Eiffel et Cei Company in time to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution. It required two years , two months and five days to build using the most up-to-date technology of the age and it stands at a height of over 324 meters, the last twelve of which were added in more recent times by means of a communications spire at the top of the structure. It required over seven thousand three hundred tons of metal to build the framework and it has a total mass of over ten thousand metric tons, and its surface area is such that it needs to be repainted every decade to prevent the tower from weathering under the constant onslaught of environmental corrosion."

"Sensei," Ukyo spoke up, "Our own Tokyo Tower was patterned after this one, but because of superior construction methods ours is thirty meters taller and several thousand metric tons lighter, right?"

"Very good, Kuonji-san," Hinako nodded with approval, "But for its time this tower was a marvel of construction, and yet for all its size it has only three floors, the lower, middle and tower levels that define the general structure of the building. Now, if you'll follow me this way we'll get in line to ride the elevator system to the first floor where we will enjoy the pavilions there and take in one of their world-famous restaurants."

"Do we have enough francs to afford to dine here?" Ryoga asked, "I know Admiral Challenger loaned us some credit cards and some pocket money to help us get around in this place..."

"Oh yeah," Usagi grinned, "Shopping money. We still haven't checked out the boutiques to price some really snazzy French fashions..."

"Down girl," Rei smiled, "Time enough for us to go on a shopping spree after Minako and Makoto catch up with us. You just know they'd go ballistic if we started without them."

"Yes, that would not be pretty," Ami agreed with an exaggerated shudder, then all three Senshi shared a private chuckle at the expense of their absent colleagues.

"I'm curious to know what the view is like at the top of the tower," Akane mused as she stared up the length from the base to the spire, holding Ukyo by the hand as she added, "I hear that you can see the whole of Paris from up there. Wouldn't that be romantic, Ucchan?"

"Ah..." the okonomiyaki chef replied, feeling the tide of events sliding once more out of her means to control since she had wanted a heart-to-heart talk with Akane that did not slide off into yet another romantic encounter. She had enough trouble staving off the possibility of either breaking Akane's heart or getting sucked into another sexual situation, either of which extreme would be extraordinarily awkward, to say nothing of imperiling Ukyo's relationship with Makoto, her fiancée.

Hinako was busy scanning the signs explaining times, dates and expenses before leading their party to the appropriate line, which was not as long as one might have expected it to be at this time of the day, year and season. Once purchases were made they proceeded towards the elevator system...unaware that other parties were already boarding the cars ahead of them carrying odd suitcases that by rights should have been scanned for their contents. This stunning lapse of security went unnoticed because the regular guards on duty had been "replaced" by imposters in preparation for the event that was to follow, but Ukyo did have a precognitive sense of something being amiss when she made eye-contact with one of the guards. For an instant she sensed a feeling of **wrongness** about the fellow, her Ninja instincts going on full alert and warning her to be on the alert for possible trouble. After all, her instincts about such things were seldom wrong and always came in handy.

Someone else was alert to the fact that something did not "feel" right about the setting, but Happosai was too busy chasing after the local French women to give his instincts too much attention. He was mindful to heed Hinako's summons when the teacher crossly ordered him to return to his side, and having no taste for being drained by his easily aroused girlfriend made him unusually docile even while fighting the urge to go after every "cutie" he came across.

The elevator doors closed on one particularly swarthy group of "tourists," the lead of which was a dark eyed individual with a fiercely condescending expression, the gleam of fanaticism evident in his eyes as he kept close to a plain gray looking metal suitcase that was held by a subordinate, an ominous container whose deadly contents were to prove to be the source of much impending agitation...

Shampoo's Diary Continues:

I confess that I do not understand the taste preferences of foreigners, but perhaps I am simply being provincial, as my mother is wont to label me on such occasions as this where I got to dine with my loved ones in an exotic restaurant called the "Chardin d'Affairs," as peculiar a setting as any that I have ever patronized, and not just because of what was to happen on this particular occasion when we were to meet the son of the proprietor, but more on him in another few moments.

One of the more peculiar things that I have learned from living among the Japanese is that they have odd notion that they are really a part of Europe instead of Asia. This comes from their notorious preference for modern Western technology and lifestyles, but I think it also carried with it a kind of disdain that they have for the people of other Asian communities, something that I, being of Chinese descent, am sensitive to and have been made aware of on more than one occasion. That the Japanese have a fondness for all things European is quite legendary, and this extends to European cuisine, especially French food, which we had come to sample. Frankly, though, I don't see what the big deal is all about since Chinese food is perfectly well suited to anyone's nutritional needs (and costs a good deal less from what I gather), and besides, we invented many of the condiments that Westerners tend to take for granted in their meals, like pasta, spices and bread rolls, all of which the West seems to take credit for as though they are purposefully forgetting the many contributions of China to the development of civilization.

I will say this much for these French...they certainly can build to opulence when they have a mind to, and the place was aesthetically pleasing to the eye with architecture that hardened back to another era. The atmosphere was pleasantly cordial and there was a relaxing orchestral tune being played by a live band situated in the main ball room of the restaurant, and the waiters seemed polite enough from what I could tell of their barbaric language (of course they tended to look down their noses at you and spoke as if they were explaining things to a small child, but I've come to find that typical of most of the Frenchmen that I encountered). Since Elder Lotion conducted most of the negotiations (she alone among us was fluent in the French language) we were treated well enough and soon shown to our table (after a complimentary bribe by Nabiki, who seemed to think such gestures were a necessary gratuity here) and given menus to read that were printed in both Japanese and Chinese (a boon for which I was immensely grateful). Then we were left to decide things among us, even as we took the time to study both our surroundings and the oddly people who made up both the clientele and the staff.

Of more concern to me was the fact that we were being asked to eat with Western-  
styled utensils rather than normal chopsticks. I am, of course, familiar with the usage of a knife, spoon and fork, but they still seemed odd in my hands, much too clumsy to be used for eating. I would rather have used my fingers than to attempt to make a fool of myself playing with the silly things, yet for the sake of good manners I resolved to make a good effort. After all, I did not wish to embarrass my Airen by eating like a barbarian (though in Ranma's case I don't suppose it would have made all that much of a difference).

Perhaps I should mention at this point that we were dressed in the local style since our clothing had not survived our travails in Pangea, and I had on a rather lovely pink dress that Nabiki had personally selected for me, one that showed off my figure to such effect that Ranma had been stunned to speechlessness for several minutes, by which I judge that he gave his tacit approval. Nabiki was similarly wearing a green silk outfit that had an appropriate side-slit to show off generous portions of her legs and was low cut enough that I could have drooled all day just studying her magnificent profile. Ranma looked as handsome as always in a fairly unisexed silk shirt with matching black slacks that would suit him in either of his two genders. The three of us set quite a fashion statement if I do say so myself, and only Elder Lotion appeared in her usual robes of office, though she carried herself with the dignity and bearing of an Amazon and thus was above mere considerations of fashion.  
She was still in Teacher mode, lecturing to my wife and giving Nabiki the leading questions and oblique half-answers that are standard for an Elder, and I watched with some amusement as Nabiki tried to grasp with the concepts that Lotion was sharing, knowing that these words had deep significance to my Airen, even if much of it was as over my head as it obviously was for Ranma. But then again, we are War Masters, and Lore Master thinking is clearly not for the likes of us (for which I give great thanks to my dear ancestors).

For example, at one point in the conversation I heard Nabiki say, "So...you're saying what happened to me back there is that I came near to experiencing death...and this triggered some kind of catalytic reaction in my subconscious, which is why I'm suddenly more in tune with my powers?"

"The moment when you faced death as a very real prospect was the moment when you came closest to experiencing reality without your normal apprehensions, my Apprentice," Lotion replied, "Death is a doorway through which all mortals must pass, but we can refuse to leave before our time when the threat of dying is imposed upon us by an enemy. You reached deep down into yourself and discovered a will to live that was stronger than your fear of dying, and that is why you became as one with the power that is your birthright, when you chose to act rather than be passive."

"So," Ranma spoke up, "Nabiki gained these new abilities because she wanted to live?"

"No, young War Master," Lotion gently chided, "Your Airen has always had this potential lying dormant within her, like a sleeping serpent coiled at the base of her spine, the same potential that lies within all humans yet few of us can realize within a single lifetime. What prevents the common man or woman from discovering this psychic serpent is the self-imposed limitation of fear that blinds us against our potential. Ordinary people fear the touch of Promethean fire that burns at such a low level within the average conscious mind. It takes someone of extraordinary character to reach down and embrace this fire, and of the many who attempt this there are many who get burned because of a lack of preparation. Power and the wisdom to utilize it must be nurtured together in order to blossom...and yet power without wisdom is spiritually useless and ultimately of no real value."

"Kunalindi," Nabiki spoke aloud with an altogether comprehensive expression.

"Precisely," Lotion nodded in approval.

"You mean what you do when you wanna make a girl have an orgasm?" Ranma asked.

"No, you baka," Nabiki chided with a smile, "But...you're close enough to the answer."

"Indeed," Lotion noted, "Cunnalingus can bring one closer to heaven if done correctly, but what I mean to imply is the awakening of the psychic channels through practice, meditation and self-enlightenment. The ability to perform seeming miracles is nothing more than awakening to your hidden potential. All knowledge is present within us...like a blank sheet of paper that contains within it the potential to draw any line or form that can be imagined. Wisdom is learning to see the patterns that are inherent, and drawing the lines is to actuate them and give meaning to their potential."

"And doing stuff like that makes you a Lore Master?" Ranma asked.

"It means that you learn how to listen to the silent voice within you," Lotion answered, "To see what is hidden, to sense what is unknown, to hear the sound of the music of the spheres and to be able to touch the lines of destiny and to shape them to your understanding."

"And everyone has the same potential as me?" Nabiki asked.

"More or less," the Elder explained, "You were born with psychic ties to the Akashic realm, which is what distinguishes you from an ordinary person. Even absent my training you could sense a little bit of what goes on in your surroundings and intuitively grasp a tiny measure of the knowledge that lies within you. Being a Lore Master is like awakening from a dream into your true nature...and have you tried the steamed mushrooms topped with cream sauce? They simply are to die for..."

See what I mean? Typical Elder...

Still and all, it was a pleasant enough meal when served to us (even if I turned my nose up at some of the items on the menu, and who in their right mind eats snails out of season?) from what I was able to sample, but almost from the first I had a sense that something would go amiss when I saw a sign-card that had been on the serving tray, which somehow wound up next to me and bore some curious lettering that seemed to be written in the style of an invitation. I asked Elder Lotion what it said and she turned it around before saying, "Interesting, a curious form of complimentary challenge."

"Oh?" Nabiki spoke up over a mouth full of steamed vegetables, "What sort of challenge?"

I noticed Ranma's ears perked up upon the word (he had been in the process of stuffing his mouth full of lobster-minus the shell-when he heard this uttered) even as Nabiki asked, "What sort of challenge?"

In response to this question, the Elder read the card aloud and said, "Be it known to any guest of this establishment that the Chardin family takes great pride in serving the finest cuisine in all of France, including the rest of the world..."

"Sounds like Kuonji could take modesty lessons from these guys," Nabiki smirked.

"...And be it known that should anyone care to test us, we issue you the following challenge: eat all you like in the time before a Chardin can finish his meal and your dinner will be compliments of the house."

"Huh?" Ranma matched me for blank-faced incomprehension as we both turned that one over in our minds.

"Sounds to me like they're issuing an eating contest," Nabiki smirked, "Eat all you can before a member of the house and your meal is free."

"Free?" Ranma sat up more alertly, and I could see by the sparkle in his eyes that he liked the sound of this particular challenge.

"Indeed," a familiar voice spoke up, "It does appear as though the Chardin clan has a singular reputation for gluttony to match their excellent craft in culinary delights and service."

"Eh?" we all turned to see Kodachi and Kasumi walk up to us arm-in-arm in formal dresses that were even more opulent than our own, and complimentary towards each other, of course.

"Oneechan?" Nabiki asked.

"Imoutochan," Kasumi responded, "So, did you receive an invitation to dine here too?"

"Invitation?" Ranma blinked.

"Indeed," Kodachi produced a card (very similar to the one on our table) that had engraved gold lettering upon it and said, "It was sent to our hotel room compliments of the Chardin family. Kasumi and I were tending to her new pet when the staff informed us that one Picolet Chardin was anxious to meet with us, and there were similarly invitations addressed to both you and Akane."

"To me?" Nabiki blinked, "Some guy in Paris knows we're here and wants to see us?"

"What about?" Ranma scowled, even as I frowned in matching apprehension.

"I have no idea what this is about, Nabiki," Kasumi replied, smiling as she touched the arm that Kodachi had linked with hers, looking every bit affectionate at the intimacy of said contact, "But Ko-chan thought it would be nice to dine out together, and she's offered to buy me anything that I'd like that's on the menu."

"I'll just bet," Nabiki growled softly, and I had to smile a bit for her sake since I know how my wife feels about the crazy rose girl's association with her older sister.

Just then a new voice was heard, "Ah, you're all here, I see...magnifique! Then we can get started on matters of business...the business of the heart, which has drawn us all together."

"Huh?" Ranma asked as we all turned to see a handsome young man with short blonde hair standing before us with a tricolor cape wrapped around his shoulders...a cape that matched the French national flag colors of red, white and blue, to which my husband asked on our behalf, "Who the heck are you?"

"The name is Picolet Chardin II of La Belle France," he proclaimed in oddly accented Japanese, then with a sweep of his arm he caused the cape to vanish, and all at once a table heavily laden with food was spread out before us in place of our half-eaten dinner, only now extended to twice its length so as to accommodate yet more diners.

I admit to being no less impressed with this than any of the others present, though it was Kasumi to gasped aloud and said, "Oh my...he didn't even spill a drop of food...how very talented you are, Monsieur."

"My thanks to you, gentle maiden," the young man bowed to the eldest Tendo daughter and took Kasumi by one hand to kiss it, then straightened out to give us a good look at his incredibly handsome and elegant apparel of matching white shirt, coat and tails with only a red bow tie and a blue kerchief exposed in one pocket to add color to this array, even as he produced a rose and handed it to Nabiki, adding suavely, "And may I say that such beauty as you possess lights up the room with your heavenly grace?"

I saw both sisters look non-plussed at the man who had just complimented them, but Ranma and Kodachi found something to agree upon, for once, as both glared in deadly heat towards the man who had just flirted with our significant others. I also frowned a bit and stared hard at Nabiki, who seemed more puzzled than flattered by the man's roguish manners. Just the same I tightened my fist on the fork that I was holding in my hand and-quite without noticing it, mind you-bent it nearly double. Only Lotion seemed aloof and unconcerned with the man's forward manners, but I could tell at a glance that she was studying him with the scrutiny that can only belong to an Elder.

"Please do sit and make yourselves comfy," this man named Picolet urged as he pulled out a chair and offered it to Kasumi, who politely took him up on the invitation, even as he sought to do the same thing for Kodachi, who made a point of snatching the chair out from his hands and seating herself with a rather prim smile that would have done justice to a hooded cobra.

"Now then," the man said once we were all made more comfy, producing a bottle of champagne and popping the cork before pouring into our glasses and then raising his own with a cheerful, "A toast...to my future wife! May she prosper well and bring distinction to the noble house of Chardin."

I think that this would have been a good place for a group facefault, but it seemed a shame to spill the wine, so instead we contented ourselves by looking blankly at this stranger. Or rather everyone else was silent save for Ranma, who spoke the word aloud, "Wife?!"

"Yes, isn't it glorious?" Picolet said as he gave each of us females in attendance a cheerful study, "One of you lovely things are fated to be my bride, and imagine my great joy upon hearing the noble name of Tendo spoken once again when the Marquis brought it to my attention..."

"Hold on a second there!" Nabiki spoke up as she put her half-sipped glass back down on the table, "What do you mean...the noble name of Tendo?"

"Why, your names, of course," Picolet replied, "Are you not the daughters of one Tendo Soun come to pay your respects to our fine house in honor of a promise made long before our births?"

"Oh my," Kasumi blinked, then reflexively said, "Tendo Soun is indeed our father..."

"But not my father," Kodachi growled, "And by what means do you speak about an honorable promise?"

"Oh dear," Picolet lowered his glass, "Are you not named Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane of house Tendo? I thought for sure, having made a few polite inquiries of the establishment where you are staying..."

"Excuse please," I thought it a good point to bring my own opinion to bear upon this matter, "This one is named Xian-Pu of the Joketsuzoku, but she is pledged as the honorable wife to my Airen, Saotome Ranma," I added as I proudly held up the engagement ring that Ranma had given me only a few nights ago back in China.

"Yeah," Nabiki took the hint and held up her own left hand to expose the wedding ring there, "And my name may be Tendo Nabiki, but I'm pledged to marry my iinazuke, Saotome Ranma..."

All at once the youth pulled out some curious type of lens and began to critically examine the ring on Nabiki's hand, then frowned as he said, "A mere nine karats, and with a flaw in the stone, Hardly worthy of gracing the hand of so noble a lady..." he paused and the lens dropped from his eye as he straightened up and said, "Excuse me? Did you just say that you are BOTH engaged to marry a Saotome Ranma?"

"Yeah, that's me, wanna make something of it?" Ranma growled as he jumped to his feet and grit his teeth like a great cat bearing his fangs (I immediately thought of my friend Smiley and wondered how he was doing back in Pangea). "And get your paws off Nabiki or I'll remove it one finger at a time!"

"You dare to threaten me?" Picolet did not show the least trace of fear, rather he seemed more intrigued than impressed at the declaration of my husband, "Very well, I accept your challenge. But before we duel...might I inquire as to the marital status of the other Tendo sister in attendance? You say that your name is Kasumi...and such a lovely name it is, worthy of a princess..."

"Oh my..." Kasumi reacted with a proper show of modesty, even as Kodachi looked ready to leap for the throat of the handsome man complimenting her "territory." Kasumi took a moment before she said aloud, "Um...well...it is true that I...ah...well, I don't have a husband, nor do I have an engagement ring like Nabiki's, but...I am...sort of in a relationship..."

"Then he is blessed among men whichever fellow causes such a maidenly blush to adorn the cheeks of so fair a creature," Picolet replied, turning back to glare at Ranma, "And now...as to the nature of our challenge. You asked what the significance of the Chardin family's tradition means, and now you shall taste of it first hand. Do have a seat and we will get started."

"What, do you want to arm wrestle me or something?" Ranma asked, his frown mirroring my own confusion.

"Nothing so boorish, I assure you," Picolet replied as he sat down and rang a tiny bell, which immediately brought waiters with trays of food rushing to our table, "The La Belle France School of Martial Arts Feasting is the style of combat in which the two of us shall engage..."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "You mean...Food Fu?"

"I think he means an eating contest, Ranma-kun," Kasumi replied as she got Kodachi to calm down enough to sit beside her at the table, "The one who eats the most wins...am I right?"

"Splendidly summarized, my delicate flower of the orient," Picolet smiled, pulling out a knife and fork before making a show of clashing them together, "From Hors D'oeuvres to Dessert...whoever finishes first wins. Are you ready?"

"Are you kidding me?" Ranma grinned with the confidence of an easy victory at hand, and indeed, I had to privately agree that only his father could compete with my Airen for sheer gluttony when it came to emptying a table (not that I mind the challenge of filling his bottomless pit with culinary dishes on the day we three celebrate our Honeymoon together), "I was born ready for this."

"Ah...one note of caution, young War Master," Elder Lotion spoke up, and to our surprise she plucked up a dinner roll the size of a man's fist and tossed it towards Picolet...only to have it vanish in mid-air before any of us was the wiser.

"Aiyaa?" I reacted, even as there were numerous gasps from the others sitting in attendance as Picolet merely dabbed his chin with a napkin.

"Let this challenge be for food and nothing else, young Master Chardin," the Elder urged, "As this is a first time encounter, it is only sporting that we consider it a demonstration match with no deeper consequences for the loser than to foot the bill for the encounter. Agreed?"

"As you wish it, Mademoiselle," Chardin smiled, "The loser pays for the entire meal...but if you wish to challenge me for a second time, then I will name such terms as befits the greater honor."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma sniffed, "We gonna do this or just flap our mouths?"

"Pierre?" Chardin called to one of the army of similarly dressed waiters standing in attendance.

"As you instruct, Master Chardin," the oldest of these waiters said, holding up a bell and ringing it a single time, "You may begin."

And then the unbelievable happened...Picolet's hands moved faster than the Amaguriken and all at once plates seemed to empty out as their contents vanished before our eyes like magic. Within seconds the man was on desert while Ranma had barely even gotten started, then all at once the head waiter rang his bell again to declare the match concluded. Picolet was dabbing his mouth and taking a sip of wine while Ranma sat there with his mouth stuffed full of half-eaten victuals while the rest of us sat stunned, unable to fully absorb the incredible display that we had just witnessed.

"He's...not even human," Kodachi exclaimed, breaking the silence of almost a full minute.

"Oh my...he ate faster than Ranma-kun?" Kasumi marveled.

"Indeed," Lotion remarked, "Not even Ranma's father could more efficiently clean a table."

"But that's impossible!" Nabiki blurted out, "Nothing human could out-gorge the old Panda!"

"The secret, Mademoiselles, is absolute mouth control," Picolet replied before demonstrating by gripping his mouth with both hands and pulling it so wide that he could have swallowed a melon whole, at which point I considered fainting. The blond man then closed his mouth to normal size and continued, "The Chardin family has mastered the tradition of eating with grace, perfected over many generations so that we never lose a match and always clean a table to the least little morsel."

He then demonstrated another prodigious feat by projecting out his tongue three meters and lashing a bit of pastry from a nearby table, surprising the dinner guest there, who sat there wondering where it had gotten off to. Picolet closed his mouth and smiled at us once again then said, "We are the best in the world when it comes to culinary excellence, yet somehow we find it difficult to obtain proper mates..."

"Oh yes," Kodachi said faintly, "And I wonder why that would be?"

All at once I became aware that Nabiki was not joining in on the conversation, and I turned to see that her eyes were wide with shock and her complexion was pallid. I started to wonder what was wrong with her when Elder Lotion beat me to the point by saying, "Careful, child...breathe in deeply. Take a moment and relax...you are among friends and in no immediate danger of consumption."

I heard Nabiki shudder and at once understood the reason. Having seen the size of Picolet's mouth she no doubt was having a flashback to her ordeal in the cooking pot, and the thought of what such a man might do with such a mouth was certainly enough to give anyone nightmares.

"But...I don't understand," Kasumi spoke up on our behalf, "Did you say that one of us has been promised to be your wife?"

"Ah yes," Picolet held up a sheet of paper that looked to be some form of document and said, "This was signed by my father and your father some twenty years ago. You may examine it closely if you have any doubts upon the matter."

"Let me see that!" Kodachi snatched the document from the man's hands and glared at the thing as though accusing it of all manner of crimes. That she went pale a moment later demonstrated to me that could attest to its authenticity, and she absently passed the thing along to Kasumi, who read it carefully before saying, "Oh my...that is father's handwriting..."

All at once Nabiki exploded with an angry, "WHAT THE HELL DID HE DO? Daddy? I don't believe it! He promised one of us in exchange for payment on a meal he lost...in a WAGER?"

"HUH?" Ranma blurted, having finally managed to choke down the last bit of food that he had swallowed, "Wait a minute...don't you mean my Pop?"

"Oh, he was there all right!" Nabiki snarled, "I just saw it in my mind, as clear as if it had been video recorded! Daddy and Uncle Genma were on a training trip with Master Happosai, and typically enough they were starving to death when they came upon this restaurant franchise of La Belle France International Corporation..."

"Ah yes, my father has well acquainted me of the story," Picolet smiled grandly, "'Tis a tale even older than I, who tell it. Your father learned that he could win a free meal by defeating my father in combat, and when he lost he had no money to pay for the food, so he promised my father anything...except money."

"And Tendo Soun was thus compelled to promise one of his as-yet-unborn daughters as collateral," Elder Lotion remarked, "To marry a son of the house of Chardin and thus to perpetuate your family's traditions."

"That is indeed the agreement that was forged, Mademoiselle," Picolet leaned back in his chair and gave us all a friendly nod, "Signed, sealed and documented before a Notary Public. By the honor of your family and mine one of you will become my bride...or perhaps the one who is missing, your youngest sister. Where is she, by the way? I had thought that she would answer the summons the same as you..."

"NOW JUST A DAMNED MINUTE HERE!" Ranma lurched to his feet once again, absolutely livid, "You think it's that easy, you swooping in here and nailing one of the Tendo girls? No way! Nabiki is my fiancée, and Kasumi and Akane ain't gonna be forced to marry a freak like you, no how, no way!"

"I concur," Kodachi gave the young man a chilly stare that would have put icicles down another man's back, "And you know that such a document cannot be legally binding in a court of law. No one will compel my Kasumi into a marriage against her will. And as for Akane...if you wish to try your luck with her, then be my guest, but be warned that she does not suffer fools like you grandly."

"Would you care to make another wager on that?" Picolet smiled once again, "I said that would offer you a rematch...do you think you can best me on a second try at my own game?"

"You just name the time and place, Mister!" Ranma snarled before either Nabiki or I could restrain him.

"Will one week hence suffice?" Picolet replied, "We can even hold it in your native Japan in front of your fathers, who will back me up in my claim or forfeit all right to family honor."

"One week?" Nabiki and I gasped, even as my wife promptly clapped a hand over the mouth of our mutual husband.

To say that this was dire news for us would indeed make a gross understatement, but even as I contemplated what life would be like for Nabiki if she were forced to marry such a big-mouthed cad I had occasion to wonder myself what my apprentice would say when she learned of these developments...or, for that matter, for her intended, Kuonji, who-at that very moment-were themselves engaged in affairs of a highly risky (or risqué) nature...

Red Saladin (a.k.a. Mohammed Jaril Alafar) glanced at his timepiece as he and his men set to work putting their plans into operation. A single burst of gunfire was all it had taken to cow these foreign devils into submission, and once his men had everyone down on the floor cowering like dogs he ordered phase two to commence. The metal suitcase with its deadly cargo was placed down on the floor and then opened so that his expert in demolitions could set the timer and send phase three into full motion.

"[Grovel on your faces, Infidel Dogs!]" he barked when he saw some of the tourists start to look up from their prone positions, "[The way to Paradise is before you, and soon you will face Allah's mercy and entreat him to forgive your heathen ways!]"

That always was good for getting his men properly revved up and motivated, even as he saw blank looks from Parisian and Foreign devil turned his way since very few of them knew how to speak Farsi. He paid them no further mind than this since it hardly mattered what any of them would think about the events of the next several minutes. They were all doomed to die and it hardly was of any concern to him since he would go to his fate with a clear conscience while they would die as infidels, a fate that doomed them as surely as if they had been born Jewish.

He glanced at his chronometer again then watched as Mossud fumbled with the bomb controls, then in a carefully patient voice he said, "[You might want to hurry it up a bit...we do have a tight schedule to meet here.]"

"[Apologies,]" Mossud replied, "[This seemed so much easier during practice...]"

"[No pressure,]" Saladin said as he cocked his pistol and pointed it in a meaningful gesture, "[Just get it right before anyone figures out what we are attempting to do here. It would be most unfortunate if someone cut the power to the elevator at this point.]"

"[Uh...right, Sir,]" Mosued swallowed, then paid extra attention to what he was doing as he armed the device and set the timer in roughly half the time that it had taken him in practice.

Saladin nodded grimly, glancing at his watch for a third time since they did not have long to work at it before their enemies converged upon the tower to spoil their final mission. The bomb was to be the final blow against the Imperialist powers of America and Europe, and timing was critical to achieve the right effect. After all, an explosion of this magnitude, coming as it did while secret peace negotiations were being conducted on the other end of the city, would likely set in motion a chain of other such events that would bring the West to its collective knees and deal a death blow to the Jewish Hegemony of the planet.

It was such a perfect plan...kill the traitors selling out the Palestinian cause, along with the Jewish collaborators offering a shameful deal of 'Peace for Land,' and meanwhile the American President was on a trip towards Brussels and would be passing over French airspace in another few moments. The Vice President was an even bigger fool than him, but with a European city vaporized and no one the wiser about who did it...why, where else to turn for blame but to the Russians themselves since they provided the bomb that he was using (albeit not wittingly since the device had been stolen). The clues that Saladin left pointing to Moscow would insure that the two Superpowers (well...Superpower and one Half) would start pointing the fingers, and possibly using them to trigger yet more such explosions.

Indeed, the West would fall and by its own corrupt hands, and with the destruction of both America and Russia a new power would rise up in the world, one dedicated to holy Islam and the Sharia of almighty Allah. Then, once their supporters in America was no more, their foreign colony of Israel would fall as Muslims the world over rose up to overthrown their tyrannical oppressors. Then surely the Kingdom of Allah would be born once again, and Saladin's name would be remembered as the Martyr to end all Martyrdom. His only regret was in not living to see such a glorious future.

Unfortunately his doctor's report had made certain that this would never happen. Inoperable cancer, the result of playing around with far too many dangerous compounds over the course of a lifetime of bomb making and distribution. Sad to say that he would have no sons to carry on the tradition; he wanted to be the "New Saladin" who crushed the infidel crusaders...instead he had been given six months to live, so going out with a bang seemed preferable to a lingering death by Chemotherapy.

His men felt much the same way, so they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing Allah's will, and all it required of them was to doublecross the Dutchman. Not exactly something to lose sleep about, but if any of them lived...well, the Dutchman would see that they were not too comfortable about that.

All these thoughts flowed through Saladin's mind as he contemplated the greatest act of terrorism in a lifetime of such violence, yet still he remained alert enough to hear when his underling reported, "[Sir, someone's coming up on the elevator! I think it's another party of tourists.]"

"[We don't need any more witnesses,]" Saladin said dismissively, "[Eliminate them.]"

Weapons not already cocked were cocked and readied as the guns turned towards the elevator doors as they began to swing open with an oblivious Miss Hinako explaining, "...The place where we'll be going is called Le Jules Verne Restaurant, so named for the famous French author..."

What happened next was something which Saladin-had he survived the encounter-  
-would never have believed possible. One moment his men had their weapons trained upon a group of Japanese teenagers, ready to cut them down where they stood, and with their intended victims hardly the wiser or on guard against such a treacherous ambush, yet the terrorists had made three great errors that now came to haunt them with a vengeance, not the least of which was taking their eyes off of the tourists whom they already had thought were cowed into submission.

One of these tourists, a statuesque blonde, saw an opening and took it, and with a sudden flash of movement she kicked out at the back of one leg of a nearby terrorist and caused the man to yelp in pain, falling backward and spraying the ceiling with his AK-47. The other terrorists turned reflexively his way to see what was the matter and thus committed the second biggest mistake of the day.

They took their eyes off of those selfsame Japanese teenagers, and several of these proved quick witted enough to react within the space of a single instant.

"SENSEI-MOVE!" Ukyo cried as she grabbed Akane and Miss Hinako and pushed them to the floor even as she tumbled into forward motion, coming up with a hand full of throwing spatulas, which she threw from a nearly prone position at the unsuspecting gunmen.

Ryoga-no slouch when it came to reacting to the sound of gunfire-was in motion at once, pulling free a number of bandanas and whipping them out with the speed of a charging rhino.

Usagi, Rei and Ami leaped high towards the ceiling, pulling out their Henshin Pens (or magic amulets) in passing and readying to transform into their Senshi incarnations.

Saladin just barely became aware of this triple threat when all at once a little old man started glowing with eyes that seemed to radiate hellfire, and with a snarl that made his meaning plain across any language barrier Happosai cried, "YOU DARE TO THREATEN MY CUTIES...?!"

All of a sudden his "perfect plan" was beginning to seem a little less than perfect, but even a notorious international terrorist might be forgiven underestimating the fury of a pervert scorned, even as his men began to fall all around him and his plans began to crumble in the face of female fury unleashed...

Peorth gasped at the feeling of an icecube sliding down her chest, the involuntary reaction sending a shudder throughout her nervous system as it was slowly played between her breasts, sliding down past the gulf between perfect globes to caress the sensitive epidermis of her belly.

"Oh, you like that, do you?" Mon-Mon grinned, "Well, Cheri, that is only to be expected, and if you enjoy it here then you are going to love it...down here."

Peorth gave a little half-scream and arched her back as Mon-Mon placed the ice cube over her sensitive labia, then slowly worked it back and forth until she was able to push it in past the unfolding lips of her sex, at which point Peorth gave a ragged scream in interest and thrashed upon the bed, fighting against her restraints as she felt her body cresting the tide of a mini-orgasm.

"My, you are a sensitive thing," Mon-Mon said appreciatively as she pushed the ice cube in even deeper, "Well, take your time, we have all day to explore the limits of your pleasure threshold. I do believe that we will get to be very good friends by the end of the day, and this is so much nicer than the unpleasantness that you were contemplating before, non?"

Peorth gasped as she struggled to dislodge that intrusive ice cube, all the while putting on quite a fetching display of her limber, supple body. The Concubine priestess appreciatively leered as she studied her own handiwork while holding the goddess at bay, finding so many interesting areas to explore that would systematically drive the Goddess of Moments to distraction. Groan as she might, complain though she frequently would do, Peorth was definitely getting off on this, and all she needed was for Mon-Mon to help her along the way to another more intensive orgasm.

All the better to keep Peorth tied up and unable to interfere in the affairs of her daughters, Akane and Nabiki.

Peorth for her part was finding this whole '91/2 Weeks' scenario to be perversely entertaining and frustrating at one and the same instant. Blindfolded as she was, she was helpless to anticipate Mon-Mon's actions and so kept winding up being surprised by her, and surprise at the hands of a Mistress of the Sensualist Arts meant being molded like putty in her hands, stimulated and caressed and gently teased into a heightened state of total arousal, all the better for the Concubine priestess to drive Peorth steadily towards mental distraction. On the one hand it was an immensely enjoyable experience, the best sex she had ever had (well, to be perfectly frank, she was rather...lacking in experience from other sources so could not contrast Mon-Mon's technique with that of another), but coupled with this was the knowledge that she had been dragged into this affair almost literally kicking and screaming. Discovering the truth behind Mon-Mon's true nature only meant that fighting back was definitely NOT a good option, but playing along with the blonde meant risking falling under the other woman's spell, and in that Peorth would risk becoming enamored of someone who was near to being her equal. This was definitely NOT on her game plan and so she tried to struggle against Mon-Mon, to hold off at least some of her seduction.

But fighting the urge to climax was definitely not easy, nor was it within her character to refuse such cunning exhilaration, and so Peorth gradually yielded herself to the tender onslaught of the other woman's diabolical caresses. The more she forth, the more intense were the sensations that were driving her steadily to distraction.

It was these curious ribbons that were holding her down stretched taunt to the bed, wrists and ankles immobilized so that even her divine might was powerless to free her. That and the knowledge of who and what the Concubine truly was beneath the surface was holding her helpless, unable to refuse the wicked arts that Mon-Mon was displaying as they kept Peorth at bay, unable to do more than struggle as she was taken to the edge and literally held there for seeming ages...

All at once the phone rang, jangling the nerves of both women and earning a most annoyed look from Mon-Mon. And right at the moment when she was about to give Peorth the biggest orgasm of her immortal life too! Timing was simply awful when it came to such unfortunate interruptions, how was even a 'Lucky Gods' martial artist to enjoy herself while savoring the considerable charms of her so-delightful victim?

But still the phone kept ringing on insistently, and finally Mon-Mon was forced to reach over to pick the receiver from the cradle, then bring the phone up to her ear as she gave a very annoyed sounding, "Yes?"

One moment later she was up off the bed and standing to attention.

"Oh, yes, sorry sir...I did not...I...I see...oh? Well, very well then, she's right here. Just a second."

Peorth was feeling enormously frustrated being so close to a climax without receiving the release that her body so desperately needed, but when she felt the phone being pressed up against her ear she all thoughts of personal pleasure were banished from her mind, leaving her to gasp, "Sir? I...but I...but sir! I never...yes, I did to that...er...you saw that, did you? Oh yes, of course you did. Ah, well...it's true that was not one of my finer moments..."

The goddess wilted, and then she felt the ribbons that had been binding her suddenly slip away and release her, the ones blindfolding her similarly unwrapping themselves to flow back towards their Mistress, even as Peorth sat upright on the bed and said, "Of course I care! Sir, what do you mean by...?"

One second later she held the phone away from her ear and winced, Mon-Mon wincing alongside as she caught a few stray snatches of what (by his tone, at least) sounded like their much-distraught Uncle was having a conniption fit. So it was that the two of them hung up by mutual consent then turned to glance at one another, feeling mutual sheepishness replace their former ardor.

"Sounds to me like he is very cross with us, no?" the Concubine asked.

"I think more so with me than you, Cheri," Peorth sighed, "Another time perhaps?"

"I am certain another opportunity will come our way again," Mon-Mon assured her, then sighed, "In the meantime...I believe we have a madman to do something about."

"Especially since one of my daughters is involved," Peorth agreed, then with a startled oath she leaped from the bed and cried, "Akane!"

Clothing formed about their supple body even as Mon-Mon reached for her lute and began to strum a few chords in a specially pitched harmonic frequency, and seconds later a gateway opened up within their room, allowing both goddess and priestess-avatar to cross the space between their hotel room and a certain besieged landmark near the center of the city...

Saladin could not believe the speed with which his carefully laid plans began to come apart all around him. No sooner had his men opened fire then they were under siege from a powerful counter-assault that was coming from several directions simultaneously and had struck without warning, turning intended victims into rampaging hellcats.

Three men cried out in pain clutching at mini-spatulas even as bandana-blades began slicing through bun barrels and disarming two other men before they knew what was the matter. Worse still, the three teenaged girls who had vaulted towards the ceiling started to...change in mid-flight, and to the amazement of Saladin and his men the clothing these girls were wearing started to dissolve, leaving them momentarily naked.

"Spawn of the prophet...!" Mustafa exclaimed as he made the mistake of lowering his gun-barrel...just one instant before the very object of his fascination materialized a fresh new costume, and then a high-heeled kick clipped his chin and sent the terrorist into dream land.

The girl who had just subdued him then landed in a crouch and gestured with her fingers as she cried, "MARS FIERY RINGS-IGNITE!" and blasted rings of flame to surround another of the gunmen to hold him immobilized, while her shorter-  
haired companion fired off an ice-attack that left two Arab men feeling chilled all over. The third girl hung back while twirling some manner of wand in her hand, only to point and reveal it to be a gleaming metal scepter, and all at once it fired an attack that bowled men down under a wave of force that made mere guns seem paltry.

Meanwhile the white haired woman who had been upon the floor had wasted little time twisting the handle to the walking stick that she had been holding, and all at once revealing it to be a katana, which same she then used to deadly effect, slicing up into one man before reversing herself and stabbing backward into the stomach of another.

As if this were not enough there came a double set of attacks the likes of which left Saladin gasping and breathless. The twelve-year-old girl who had been knocked to the floor before, had risen up to produce a coin and with that she exclaimed, "You are all naughty delinquents!"

A cone of energy radiated out from her hand, and all at once three more men staggered back under the effect of this cone, and all at once these men fell to the floor even as Hinako lost a bit of her youthful appearance and began to...fill out in all directions...resulting in a radiant vision who could tempt a saint to sin regardless of his temperament.

And last (but hardly the least) there was the little old man who extended with both hands and somehow seemed to magnify his presence tenfold, and all at once Saladin and his remaining men were confronted by a demon-shape that was hurtling right at them, and the Terrorist leader had a very strong hunch that being struck by this Djinn would likely prove to be a VERY BAD CAREER MOVE.

Fortunately, Saladin had always subscribed to the management theory that when faced with an insurmountable problem a good CEO always turned to his subordinates to ward off such bothersome details. As Abdulla Khan-his right-  
hand specialist in Terrorist planning operations-was easily at hand, it was childsplay for Saladin to grip Abdulla by one arm and shove him into the path of the oncoming demon, and the huge Saudi proved an excellent shield for blunting the worst of this effect, much though the consequences for Abdulla were something less than desirable from the standpoint of his leader.

Happosai was only mildly surprised to have his Battle Aura presence attack be met and blunted by the huge masked man who was clearly the leader of this terrorist operation. Although Happosai was not as worldly a fellow as he once had been in the days of his misspent youth, he knew the signs of a fanatical criminal organization when he encountered one, and-true to form-their leader was an obvious coward who would gladly sacrifice others to protect himself from Happosai's righteous wrath. Rather much like those Hydra boys whom Happosai liked to play with a few decades back, or those outcast Ninja fanatics who called themselves the Hand, leaders were always quick to send their lackeys into martyrdom rather than face the consequences themselves (no doubt because the accounting that they would reap in Hell would be far more severe than for said lackeys).

The big guy also proved typical of such leaders in that he clearly had a backup plan to compensate for the collapse of his first scheme, and as the luckless "human shield" named Abdulla collapsed to the floor (looking a bit charred around the edges) Red Saladin grabbed up the metal case being worked upon by another subordinate and cried, "Nobody move! Take another step and I will detonate the bomb, and then we all can go to paradise together!"

"Huh?" Sailor Moon/Usagi asked, not comprehending the threat, which had been spoken in English.

"I think he means to blow us all up with some kind of device that he's got in that suitcase," Sailor Mars/Rei tensely responded.

"Worse than that, I'm afraid," Sailor Mercury/Ami declared as she lowered her visor and started doing some calculations on a portable note-pad-sized calculator, "I am picking up strong traces of radioactivity...there is a plutonium core in that device, and it's been activated on a five minute timer towards self-detonation!"

"Whaaa-at?" Akane reacted.

"You saying that thing's a Nuke, Sugar?" Ukyo surprised with an equally horrified expression.

"Two minutes?" Ryoga frowned, "That's plenty of time for us to finish these guys off..."

"Not so fast, Boy!" Happosai called out, shrewdly spotting the object gripped tightly in Saladin's hand, "He's got a deadman's switch, and I'll bet a years worth of lingerie that he'll trigger the device prematurely if any of us take another step near him."

"Delinquents!" Hinako (now in adult mode) decried as she prepared to whip out a coin to aim at the remaining Terrorist elite, only to have Happosai grip her by the wrist, preventing her from activating her Chi-draining spell.

"Hold up a minute, Honey-bunch," Happosai urged, "Let the man go for now...we'll fox him yet, trust me."

All at once the white-haired warrior woman at the other end of the room cried out, ""

A dark haired girl, roughly the same age as Ukyo and the others, had been reaching behind her shirt collar and had started to draw something out from concealment when one of the remaining Terrorist spotted her and reflexively fired off a pistol shot that took the girl in the chest and knocked her sprawling.

"BASTARD!" Ukyo prepared to hurl more spatulas at the murderous fellow who had fired the shot, even as Akane stood ready to back her play and the Senshi all pointed fingers or wands at the remaining terrorists with clear intent to use their powers aggressively in the next few nanoseconds.

"I SAID HOLD UP THERE!" Happosai shouted, "What's the matter with you people? Didn't you just hear me say he's got a deadman's switch? You want us all to be vaporized? Well, do you?"

Somehow the very force of that declaration caused the teenagers to hesitate, then a very sour note came from the body of the fallen girl, who declared, "Oweieee...why does that always gotta hurt so much...?"

"She's still alive?" Akane gasped, seeing the girl sit back up clutching her chest where the bullet struck her.

All at once the white haired woman was at the dark haired girl's side, snarling out words in a language that none of the Senshi could follow, nor could Ukyo, Akane and Miss Hinako, though Happosai could and his face abruptly flushed a deep pink hue, prompting his lady love to ask, "Master...what's wrong? What did she say?"

"It's in Arabic, Honey-bunch, and trust me...you don't want the translation," Happosai averred softly.

Saladin, however, was astonished to learn that the tall European swordswoman not only spoke their language but was fluent enough to hurl epitaphs like his own late mother. The gunman being so verbally assaulted quailed as if he had been brow-beaten by an elder, and clearly this woman knew how to hit a man below the belt as her acid commentary was enough to make even Saladin flinch in discomfort.

"[You understand us, Woman?]" he managed to say while conveying the tone of authority that he needed to maintain here.

"[Aye, I understand ye,]" the woman glared with eyes as cold as ice (and considering how effortlessly she had dispatched three men with that sword-cane of hers, it was clear enough that they were the eyes of a professional killer), "[Ye mean to kill us all anyway with that nuke ye carry, so why should we spare yer worthless hides, ye butcher O' innocent young girls?]"

"[There are no innocents among you foreigners, Woman,]" Saladin sneered, holding up the hand that clutched the deadman's trigger, "[See if you can convey my words to these others that I and my men are not to be trifled with, and if any of you come even a step closer it will be the death of us all. I mean to take this to the elevator and I will depart with my people, and if any of you attempt to follow me...]"

"[Aye,]" the tall woman slowly nodded, "[I catch yer meanin'.]"

She relayed his sentiments to the teenagers and tourists in fluent Japanese, then they all waited until Saladin regathered his people (the half of them still able to move under their own power). He then backed up towards the elevator and waited patiently for one of his men to get it open, then all of the gunmen filed into the car as it started to ascend to the higher levels, at which point Happosai turned to the others and said, "You wait here, I'll go take care of the bad guy."

"Have a care, Master Happy," the white haired woman nodded his way.

"Same to you, Erin O'shea," Happosai winked back before taking off at a dead run to catch up with the elevator, bouncing from girder-to-girder like a ricocheting rubber ball intent on stormy vengeance.

Ukyo straightened out and turned a non-plussed stare at the white haired gaijin woman, "Erin...O'shea? Is that you?"

"Aye," the white haired woman smiled back, "Thought I recognized you, luv. Little Ukyo...all grown up, and a fine spitting image of womanhood...reminds me O' yer aunt Yumi-chan when she was yer age."

"What are you doing here...and who is that?" Ukyo asked as the dark haired girl got to her feet with only mild assistance from the hand of Erin.

"Her name's Leona, she's from America, and she's sort-of my companion in me travels," Erin smiled with obvious affection.

"I don't get it," Rei spoke up, "He just shot you...point blank even."

"Yeah," Usagi agreed, "Don't get me wrong, but why aren't you dead?"

"Long story," Leona winced as she flexed and arm, "Let's just say I heal real fast..."

"Excuse me," Ami spoke up as she glanced down at her calculator, "I don't mean to be a nag on this subject, but according to my calculations we have less than three minutes left until that device explodes..."

"Hey, that's right," Akane reacted, "If that's some kind of nuclear device..."

"I don't get it," Usagi frowned, "If they mean to set it off, then why did they insist on taking it with them to that elevator?"

"Because a nuclear device works best when detonated above ground level, Luv," Erin replied, "Me guess is those creeps mean to set it off from the tower, about a thousand feet above ground level..."

"My word!" Ami reacted, "If such a device were to go off at that elevation then it would destroy an area of roughly around fifteen kilometers in all directions!"

"Then what are we waiting here for?" Rei asked, "Let's go stomp on some bad guys!"

"Keep yer shirt on, Luv," Erin urged as she nodded towards the cowering tourists, "We got civilians who need comfortin', and besides, you don't really think those boyos are gonna get off that easy with Master Happy hot on their trail?"

"You think the old freak can do it all by himself?" Ukyo asked, only to blink her eyes as she glanced around then said, "Hey...where'd Ryoga-kun get off to?"

"Oh no," Akane paled, turning to look back at the elevator, "You don't think...that baka!"

All at once she took off at a dead run, pausing to grab up a glass of water from one of the tables inside the restaurant in order to splash herself on the run, then all at once her wings burst free from her tank-top blouse and she headed for a window, crashing through like a guided arrow and leaving a large hole in her wake.

"Uh...does she do that kind of thing often?" Leona asked, forgetting for a moment that she was speaking in English.

"Interesting company ye be keeping these days, Luv," Erin noted.

"You don't know the half of it," Ukyo winced before she, too, took off at a dead run, only heading towards the elevators with the intent on catching up with her hotheaded girlfriend...

"[Beard of Allah!]" Massud exclaimed under his breath, "[Who were those children?]"

"[Surely they must have been part Djinn from the way they fought,]" Kalil winced as he felt the lump on the back of his head and remembered the angry face of the spatula-wielding boy who had put it there mere moments past.

"[And did you see the shameless way those women were dressed?]" Jehun grimaced, "[The decadence of these Western girls is so...disgusting!]"

"[I totally agree, my brother,]" Farouk slowly nodded, then paused before asking of Massud, "[Er...by the way, do you suppose any of the forty-nine virgins we'll be granted in paradise look something like that...?]"

"[One can only pray to Allah,]" Yussef fervently averred as he conjured up the mental image of the grown-up form of Miss Hinako.

"[Stick to the plan, brothers,]" Saladin said grimly to his surviving followers, "[In another two minutes it will all be over and we will be enjoying the fruits of paradise, while the Western devils will eat snails in Shaitan's Jahannam Abyss.]"

"[That is if we can make it to the tower without anything else going wrong,]" Massud grimaced, thinking that they had started out with three times this number and had already been whittled down to the core group of a half dozen diehard fanatics.

"[Nothing else will go wrong,]" Saladin confidently predicted, "[From hereon out it in the hands of Allah...]"

Had any of these fellows ever chanced to cross the threshold of Nerima they might well have cringed upon hearing their leader make this declaration, but rather they were all abruptly startled to find that the very floor beneath their feet was exploding upwards as something thrust a finger upward with an angry shout of "BAKUSEI TENKETSU!"

Through the gap an angry youth wearing a bandana, followed by a fast moving old man, were suddenly among their group with a speed and savagery that left even the diehard terrorists gasping. Saladin was amazed to find that a boy roughly half his size managed to punch him straight through the double-doors of the elevator, and suddenly he was airborne with the tower shaft beckoning beneath him. Before he had a chance to fall too far, however, something wrapped itself around his right arm and arrested his fall, also wrapping his hand about the deadman's switch to prevent him from accidentally letting it go.

Saladin hung there in amazement, staring up at the most shamefully dressed brazen hussy of a woman whom he had ever crossed paths with, who seemed to be holding him up with nothing more than a frilly ribbon that stretched from her arm to his, leaving him to hang there fifteen meters below her with an excellent upward view of her anatomy from his lower position.

"[Who are you?]" Saladin demanded, "[Release me at once, or...!]"

"[As much as I would dearly love to,]" Mon-Mon smiled, "[You have something that I need to take from you before you go.]"

"[And what would that be?]" Saladin frowned.

The Concubine minstrel merely smiled and held up her lute with her other hand, then strummed a few notes on the instrument that sent waves of force streaming out from her, and all at once the ribbon about Saladin's arm began to tighten abruptly.

Saladin cried out in pain and gripped at his arm with his other hand, unaware that he was suddenly feeling quite motionless in free-fall, and to his amazement his free hand encountered only a bloody stump where his arm should rightly have been. He was just beginning to form an awareness of what had happened when his back encountered the first of several metal beams, and with the speed of his descent his body was soon torn apart to be sprayed across the roof of the second floor of the tower.

Mon-Mon gazed coolly at the remains of the terrorist as she reeled up the bloody arm that she had removed, then casually she detached the deadman's switch from his lifeless fingers and cast the remaining member to join the others, only wincing slightly as she glanced at the blood on her ribbons.

"I ought to send him the cleaning bill for this in Hell," the Concubine shrugged, "Oh well, he's now someone else's problem..."

Massud found himself somewhat more fortunate than his employer as he managed to grip a beam before descending too far, and while one of his arms was wrenched at the shoulder and several ribs were caved in he was still very much alive (the pain that he was feeling assured him of that) and was able to crawl out onto the beam, only to find someone standing there...a beautiful heavenly vision in an outrageously revealing costume.

"Going somewhere, mon Cher?" she asked.

Massud read his fate in her eyes and started mumbling out a prayer, "[There is no other God but Allah and Mohamed is his Prophet...!]"

"[Care to make a wager on that?]" Peorth replied as her hands and eyes started blazing, "[And in any event it's academic, for I am not a God...I am a Goddess!]"

The remaining terrorists fared no better than their leader, but in the ensuing scuffle one tiny detail was missed, that is until Happosai saw the gleam of metal and cried, "You young idiot! THE CASE!"

"Huh?" Ryoga gasped, only to see the device tumbling off the side of the Eiffel tower, still active on a timer and very much a threat to the survival of the city.

Fortune once again smiled on their side as someone else saw the gleam of metal and went to investigate, beating her wings in time to build up sufficient altitude before swooping down to intercept it and catching the case by its handle in a single graceful swoop.

"I've got it!" Akane cried, only to become aware of something else that had missed her attention, the tower itself which was angling up to greet her, "WHOOOPS!"

She almost managed to pull out of her dive in time, just barely reducing her downward velocity through an act of sheer will and telekinesis. Unfortunately she ran out of time before she could fully escape the rule of physics and so clipped the curving bottom of the tower with a wing, which sent her off into a perilous tumble.

Once again the law of averages came into play as someone rolled a set of dice and came up with sevens. Someone moving fast enough to intercept Akane managed to catch her by the waist and halt her downward plummet, using a hastily makeshift rope to swing out into open space with that intention, and with the skills worthy of her Ninja ancestors, Ukyo managed to save her friend from a nasty landing on the ground, even granted that Akane lost her grip on the metal case in passing.

"I've got you, Sugar!" Ukyo declared to the half-stunned winged Tendo.

"Oh no...the case...!" Akane gasped.

As it so happened they had not that much farther to fall before the case hit bottom, and when it did the case popped open and out plopped a metal ball that went rolling for a considerable distance before winding up at the boot heals of a Senshi named Usagi.

"Hey, what is this?" the aforementioned Sailor Moon asked as she reached down and picked up the sphere, noticing at once the peculiar black gleam before saying, "It's heavy..."

"That's hardly surprising," Ami noted, "What you are holding there is pure weapons grade Plutonium, the very heart of the nuclear device over yonder."

"Plutonium-YIKES!" Usagi cried, nearly dropping the sphere as she fumbled with it for a minute.

"Calm down, Riceball head," Rei chided as she steadied her friend with a hand to her shoulder, "It's not dangerous...as long as you don't drop it."

"True enough," Ami agreed, "As long as the sphere is intact the radioactivity levels should be well within the safe to handle threshold, but if you break it then we'll all need extensive decontamination since only a small grain of this stuff could prove potentially quite fatal."

"But what about the device itself?" Rei asked, "Was it a dud all this time?"

In answer to the question the case suddenly went up in a blast as its conventional chemical triggering explosive went off on cue, kicking up a swirl of dust and debris in a thirty-foot radius, whipping up the hair of the Senshi, who alone were near enough to be affected.

"oh," Rei exclaimed as the three of them stood there looking slightly smudged but otherwise unhurt.

Meanwhile Akane clung with one arm tightly to Ukyo's body as the chef slowly lowered them down the rope to where they could find footing on one of the I-  
beams. Once the immediate danger was passed, Ukyo knelt down beside her winged friend and asked, "You feeling all right, Sugar? That was a nasty bump you took on the way down..."

"Ah...I'll be fine...I think," Akane winced slightly as she tried to work one of her wings back into position, "I guess...some hot water might do the trick..."

"Say no more," Ukyo smiled before uncapping her thermos over Akane's head and triggering her transformation, at which point the dark haired girl heaved a sigh and gave a profuse, "Thanks..."

"Don't mention it," Ukyo said with a grin, "That was an awfully gutsy move you tried up there. Too bad you forgot to take into account this tower has updrafts. You definitely need a lot more practice flying."

"Yeah, no fooling," Akane said, before giving Ukyo a grateful, radiant look of appreciation, "You saved me again..."

"Er..." Ukyo suddenly felt her mouth turn dry as she felt the impact of Tendo charm hit her like a force-five hurricane, "...I was just...that is..."

"Yes?" Akane asked with a hopeful expression.

(Now's your moment, Kuonji,) a little voice in the back of Ukyo's mind said, (If you're ever gonna tell her how you feel about Makoto, then this is it. Just say the words, "We'll always be friends," then make her understand that you do like her, but you want to get married to Makoto...)

Ukyo tried to say the words, but as she saw the hopeful look in Akane's eyes she found herself unable to voice them, and not just because they would have sounded a little too much like something a certain youth by the name of Saotome had once uttered in her presence. Ukyo could not dash that hope, could not sever her ties to Akane, could not close the door between them forever, and thus could not dash out the spark of genuine affection that was mutual between them.

(I can't do it,) Ukyo thought to herself miserably, (I can't say no to her. What's wrong with me? Why am I such a wuss? She deserves to know the truth...but...what is the truth anyway? I love Mako-chan, but...don't I also feel the same way about Akane...?).

As she sat there tongue-tied she was oblivious to the pair resting on a beam several levels above them with Peorth beaming happily like a proud mother while Mon-Mon just glanced down and heaved a sigh in token acceptance of the inevitable.

"Those two are headed into trouble," Mon-Mon predicted.

"Oh hush, what do you know anyway?" Peorth chided, "I think they make a splendid couple, and I can feel the love radiating out from Akane. My daughter has made her choice and I am honor bound as her protector to see her will becomes real, as per the wish between us."

"You shouldn't be so swift to dismiss the connections that Kuonji has with that Makoto Senshi," Mon-Mon chided, "It is not truly your place to decide who gets married to whom here..."

"And who says it's not my place?" Peorth challenged, "Akane has made her choice, and now so has Kuonji, and just let anyone try and come between my daughter and her happiness, Cheri. Say what you will, those two are headed for the altar and that is final."

"Well, as you say, it is none of my affair," Mon-Mon shrugged, "But at least Paris is saved through their efforts."

"Yes," Peorth frowned slightly, "I...ah...caught that exchange between you and that Saladin character. You know, it is technically against the rules for one of us to harm a member of a rival sect..."

"You assume that he was in good standing with his god," Mon-Mon replied, "But I have it on good authority that Allah is quite fed up with these fanatics and all the bad publicity that they have been giving him lately. In any event, Saladin will have to make an accounting for his conduct to a higher authority even than us, and since his body went all to pieces..."

"Right," Peorth sighed, "Guess I'd better check in with the office and explain how that happened. I'll try and put in a good word for you, Benten-san."

"That would be appreciated," Mon-Mon smiled back, "But when you return, as I know you most certainly will, we have some unfinished business between us to be conducted."

"Ah..." Peorth suddenly felt her cheeks turn red, and then without further adieu she made a fast fade-out and vanished into the heavens...

And-far away in Japan-a certain figure stood watching these affairs through a crystal lens and smiled in satisfaction at the outcome, noting to herself, "Oh yes, my dear Peorth...there is still yet some business to be conducted between your spiritual daughter and the Jusenkyo-cursed chef, but larger plans than you conceive are in the works, and it would be folly to dismiss Makoto at this early stage of affairs, regardless of what Kuonji herself might think about it."

"Mistress Ganglot?"

The golden-skinned Oni turned an indulgent smile to one of her two retainers and said, "Yes, Julian?"

"There are some strange men upstairs who wish to speak with you concerning one of your creations," the young Amazon male named Ju-Lan replied, "I think you may have a potential buyer. Ro-Mano is having them await your pleasure."

"Splendid," Ganglot nodded, "Tell Romeo that I will be along very shortly, after I conclude a bit of unfinished business here."

"As you wish it, my lady," Julian bowed then headed back towards the stairs to explain matters to his warrior bride-in-training.

"Such a thoughtful young man," Ganglot nodded in approval before turning a smile back towards the crystal lens and adding, "Hurry back and return to Japan, my dear, dear Kuonji-san...and be sure to look after my great-grandson. He is integral to my plans, as are the rest of you, including the Senshi. Nerima awaits the return of its prodigal children, and your elders are quite beside themselves with worry about you all, most especially the Lore Master, Nabiki."

Her plans were slowly nearing fruition, and all she needed was a bit more time to bring it all about. Fortunately, when it came to a walking Nexus point like Saotome Ranma, it was ridiculously easy to manipulate the flow of events so that seeming coincidences and apparently random events coincided just the way Ganglot wished them to flow. And soon there would be a showdown in Nerima where the dynamic trio of Ranma, Shampoo and Nabiki would be at the core of these events, at which point matters truly would be coming to a head...and not just in the romantic department either as things were in the works the like of which would stagger mortal imagination.

Besides, it was just so much fun to watch these kids go into action, and in the life of a 3000 year old Oni Princess such novelty was to be treasured...every bit as much as seeing the pompous Peorth get put into her place by the reliably kinky Avatar to the Goddess Benezeiten.

"Oh brave new world that has such morsels in it," Ganglot chuckled as she covered her lens then went about seeing to her mundane business as an Artist Noveau seeking to make a name for herself in the Tokyo Arts circle, and all the while plotting merry mischief for her extended family and their friends, some of which would soon be made known to the wayward denizens of Nerima...

Continued in Chapter 101 of "A Tale of Two Wallets".

Comments/Criticisms/The Slums of All Fears: shadowmane

Well, that's it for the Pangea cycle, but this side-story merely leads into the action already recorded in ATOTW 101-121, so read those chapters if you wish to see what Ganglot and company have in store for our gallant band of heroes. In the meantime do expect me to return to the ATOTW series when time and opportunity permit, at which point we will pick things up in, "The Plays The Thing," or, "Shampoo Wars, Attack of the Crones!" Be There!

\


	118. Chapter 118

NabikiRan102 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson,  
Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)  
Chapter One-Hundred-and-Two.

"Women...can't live with 'em, can't live...uh...with them."

"I hear that."

"No fooling."

"Tell me about it."

"Another round, barkeep."

"Girl," Genma sighed, "You just said a mouthful."

"Never thought I'd be agreein' with you, Pop," Ranma sighed, turning a glance to his right, "But what's the deal with you, Ucchan? Never thought you'd be saying a thing like that."

"Makes two of us," Ukyo sighed as she leaned her chin, "Just when I thought my life was starting to straighten out (in a manner of speaking) I went and screwed it up again, and now I don't know what I'm going to do about it."

"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked of his best friend, "I thought you and Makoto were getting along great together..."

"We are," Ukyo sighed, "But while we were in Pangea...and later on during that stopover in Paris...well...things got a little strange, if you know what I mean..."

"Akane hitting on you again?" Ranma sighed, "Guess she doesn't give up easy, huh?"

"If only it was as simple as that," Ukyo took a sip from her drink then stared morosely at the now-empty glass in her hand.

"What?" Ranma smirked, "Don't tell me you slept with the Tomboy?" He waited in vain for the expected denial, but instead Ukyo just turned a bland look his way, which caused Ranma's expression to grow slack as he came to a rather disturbing conclusion, "You're kidding me...you didn't...?"

"What do you want me to say, Ranchan?" Ukyo replied, "I didn't plan it, I didn't intend it...it just...happened..."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Girl," Genma sipped from his own mug and set it back down on the table, "That's about how I wound up fathering Ryoga. Good thing Nodoka finds such things a sign of manly behavior..."

"Oh thanks," Ukyo rolled her eyes, "That makes me feel so much better, Old Man."

"I don't get it," Ranma shook his head as if to clear it, "How can you accidentally make love to Akane? I mean...not that I'm trying to lecture you or nothin' like that, but..."

"I can't really explain it myself," Ukyo replied, "It's almost like there's this...force at work trying to pair me and Akane up together. I mean...I like Akane well enough, but if Mako-chan ever finds out..."

"You didn't tell her?" Ranma stared in disbelief.

"I haven't found the right time to bring it up," Ukyo's shoulders slumped as she stared resignedly at the bar before them, "I'd like to at least get my affairs in order first. Do you think electrocution is a more painful way to die than getting whacked with a spatula?"

"I'd count on it," Genma replied, "Been there and done that."

"I think I'll have that other soda now," Ranma held out his glass and the bartender took it to refill it with Cola.

"For what it's worth," said Tenchi from where he was nursing his own Ginger Ale, "I understand exactly where you're coming from. I thought it was bad enough when the girls were always fighting each other over me, but since my Aunt came to visit with us and put it in their heads that I could marry more than one of them..." he rolled his eyes as if beseeching the heavens.

"Now Tenchi," his grandfather replied, sipping from his glass of Seven Up, "You know you'd rather the girls were doing that than starting fights and blowing up real estate. What are you complaining about? Are you feeling like you're going to become obsolete or something?"

"That's pretty much what I'm feeling like right now," said the dark haired man further down the bar, "I come back from America on vacation to find my fiancee in the arms of another woman...and her best friend no less, a girl I used to date. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"Like Pop said," Ranma shrugged, "Been there and done that."

"Heh," said the pink haired girl at the far end of the bar, "If you call that a problem you haven't really seen anything just yet."

"And who are you, lady?" Ranma asked this unfamiliar face that had just intruded into a private conversation.

"Tenjou Utena," the pink haired girl replied, "I go to Otori Academy, but I'm here on this end of town for a fencing match. Other than that...I'm nobody special."

"Sounds like you've got a story of your own to tell," Ukyo noted with a sidelong glance, having almost mistaken the girl for an Amazon of her recent acquaintance.

"Ah...maybe," the pink haired Utena said evasively, "But...well...never mind, you'd never believe it."

"Try us," Tenchi sniffed.

"You might be surprised," added Chiba Mamoru.

Genma smirked as he exchanged knowing glances with his grandfather-in-law, silently commiserating on the innocence of youth that took for granted that they knew anything on the subject of women, at which point they were about to toast one another with a shot of Root Beer when a diminutive figure came hopping into the bar, caught sight of them and immediately made a B-line for their party.

"There you clowns are," he said gruffly, "What's the idea of ducking into a Malt Shop when we're supposed to be out on the town celebrating Ranma's Bachelor Party? There's wine, women and song to be celebrated, and you want to drown your miseries with Ice Cream and Soda?"

"Hey, you drink what you want, I'll drink what I like," Ranma said, "And besides which, I'm buying."

"That's just like a Saotome," Happosai said with a snort, "Drink away your life's inheritance when you ought to be out partying and celebrating your last few nights as of bachelorhood. Don't you know in two days you're gonna be wearing the old Ball and Chain around both ankles?"

"Lay off, Gramps," Ranma snorted, "It ain't gonna be that bad havin' Nabiki an' Shampoo for my wives, and it ain't like we're not already committed in all the ways that are supposed to matter."

"Sure, you say that now, Boy," Genma snorted, "But when you become the Man about the Tendo House you'll start to sing a different tune, and the moment they try domesticating you and make you share the housework you'll be crawling on your hands and knees begging to go out on training missions."

"I ain't like you, Old Man," Ranma glowered, "Besides, who said anything about giving up on training? Nabiki an' Shampoo have to train too, in case you've forgotten."

Ukyo shook her head and said, "The more I listen to him talk, the more I wonder how you could still turn out to be such a great guy, Ranchan."

"I ask myself that all the time," mused Tenchi with a slight smirk.

"Okay, enough lollygaging about," Happosai glanced around the bar and said, "Where's Ryoga?"

"He went looking for the privy about an hour ago," Ukyo replied.

"Guess that means we won't see him until sometime next month," sniffed Ranma, "Well, guess that means you get to be the ring bearer, eh, Ucchan?"

"Just as long as you don't call me the 'Best Man, Ranchan,'" Ukyo clinked glasses with his and silently toasted the vagaries of romance.

"Can't really have a party without the whole family being present," Happosai remarked, "Wait here and I'll see where that lost pup got off to."

As Happosai bounded away, Mamoru gazed into his glass and said, "I guess I might as well tag along with the rest of you a while longer, if you don't mind having me about."

"Nah," Ranma said, "Be good to have more time getting' to know the guy Usagi wants to marry. She really does like you, y'know...just because she'n Rei got a thing going on between 'em's no reason for you to feel left out."

"Maybe," Mamoru sighed, "I suppose I should count myself lucky to get such a great Two-For-One offer, but I just wish they weren't offering it up to me like it was an ultimatum."

"Could be worse," Utena mused, "Trust me on that."

"Y'know," Ranma sulked, "I dunno what we got to celebrate an' all. Mister Tendo's in danger of losing the dojo and it's all my fault, all because of that Gambler Fink showing his face back around Nerima."

"Well, you shouldn't have bet the dojo, just like I shouldn't have bet my Dad's yatai," Ukyo reasoned, "Of course we were both six at the time, and he won those markers by cheating..."

"Only we can't prove it, so we gotta win it back in a card game," Ranma glared down at the bar and growled, "Stupid Nabiki...don't she know I gotta be the one to do this? How'm I supposed to feel right about her being the one to face that creep in a card game?"

"Well, not to belabor the point, Ranchan," Ukyo noted, "But you are just about the worst gambler I've ever met. You've got as much of a Poker face as Akane has culinary talent."

"I could have told you that," Tenchi snorted, "Back when he came to visit with us, Ranma couldn't even play fish without giving away what his cards were."

"Now Boy," Genma chided, "You know there's no shame in admitting to having a weakness. A True Martial Artist knows where his strengths lie and where he lacks potential, and Nabiki could face down the best dealers in Shanghai without losing out, like to those pedophiles that I had to rescue you back from later."

"You mean you lost me out to those Ecchi creeps," Ranma glowered, turning a pleading look towards Ukyo, "Can't I beat him up just a little? It'd be sooo therapeutic."

"You did promise to try and keep a low profile tonight, Ranchan," Ukyo cautioned, even as Tenchi and Mamoru both mouthed the word, "Pedophiles" with questioning expressions.

"Seems to me I can recall a time when you were something of a gambler, Genma my boy," Yosho noted with a sly expression, "Not a very good one, mind you, but there was that game of strip poker you wound up playing with your girlfriends, and I seem to recall Nodoka was doing her level best to lose as many rounds as she could, but you kept trying to cheat and slip fresh cards into her hand to help her out."

"When was this?" Mamoru asked with raised eyebrows.

"Ah...before any of you were born," Genma said evasively, "Think nothing about it..."

"Found him," Happosai came back into the bar in his cursed form, all but dragging a reluctant Lost Boy behind him, "Now we can get this party back on track like I'd originally intended."

"Where are you taking us, Master?" Genma asked, half-relieved at the sudden distraction.

"Someplace that's perfect for Ranma's last few nights as a free man," Happosai responded, "It's even got the perfect title, the 'Sexy Girl Tea Shop.' You can't miss with a title like that..."

Ukyo groaned, "Don't tell me you're dragging us to a massage parlor?"

"Oh man," Ranma winced, "If Nabiki and Shampoo ever hear about that..."

"Now, now, you can all thank me for it later," Happosai said with a benevolent wave of a slender hand, "And no slacking off either. Right this way, Gentlemen, and last one left behind is a celibate old monk."

"I think I'm insulted by that," Mamoru sniffed, "You're describing my granddad."

"Now, now, don't get left behind," Happosai smirked as he spotted the pink haired girl and said, "Why don't you come along too? We could use another girl in this party to help liven things up?"

"Who, me?" Utena blinked at the handsome youth, who oddly enough reminded her of the old man who had just been there, "Ah...no thanks, I'm not looking to get in any more trouble..."

"Nonsense," Happosai insisted, "Since you're also a cross dresser like young Squire Kuonji here, this group's the perfect company for a cutie like you to tag along with. Or is it possible that you've got other plans for tonight, something more intriguing and exciting than visiting one of the oldest Tea Shop establishments in the Furinkan district?"

"Ah...well..." Utena sighed and took a sip from her Sarsaparilla, then set it down as she added, "Might as well...I've been trying to cut back on these things, they're too addictive."

"I don't know about this," Ryoga said in obvious reluctance, "I don't think Mina-chan would want me going to a place like..."

"Ah, put a sock on it, Bro," Ranma clapped Ryoga on the arm, "You're still in training to face off against that Picket-face boy again, right? Well, a Tea shop ought to have food you can practice pigging out with, so consider it a favor to me, okay?"

"Since when have I started owing you favors?" Ryoga replied, but nonetheless agreed to join the others in their nocturnal forays...

Naomi was deeply disturbed and didn't mind admitting so in the privacy of her own heart.

After a furious week during which she had boned up on Japanese law regarding Real Estate ownership and had expanded her company's assets by purchasing up land at depressed market value (an astonishing thing in itself given what a premium land was worth in Japan, which had half the population of the United States living on a gross cumulative landmass roughly approximating the state of California) to where she now owned most of what her company had its eye upon for developing, she was close-tangibly close-to fulfilling the Chairman's stated goals through numerous trusts, blind trusts and third-party corporations. She had-if anything-exceeded the projected time in which she had set for herself to reach her targeted deadline for these acquisitions, and now only a handful of lots had yet to be purchased. The Shark was sensing blood in the water and the triumph at hand that would secure her reputation in the business world as a lady who got results for the asking.

It was those few remaining lots that were now giving her some unexpected troubles.

That one of these few remaining "hot spots" should turn out to be the Tendo dojo itself was something of a surprise in itself given the overall financial structure of their family assets, which had barely managed to stay out of the red during the better part of a decade when the nominal head of the family had not been bringing home the bacon. Tendo Soun seemed to have retreated into a ten-year emotional shell after the death of his first wife, and the medical costs accumulated during his wife's year of declining health had bankrupted their modest holdings and brought their family dangerously close to an eviction. Yet somehow the family had stabilized the picture and arranged for structured payments on their mortgage that eventually cleared out their debts and saved the lease upon their property, so much so that they still had enough at the end of each month to put food down on the table. More astonishing than this was the discovery of who had saved the Tendo family from financial ruin...an eight year old child who-by all accounts-had proven surprisingly adept at coming up with raw capital from a number of (admittedly) questionable sources.

Tendo Nabiki, middle daughter of Soun, and a somewhat gifted young entrepreneur whom Naomi now considered worth a much closer study than any other member of the household.

Of course it was not just to this child's budding financial skills that their success had been achieved. The Tsukino family had pitched in its own resources when the clan patriarch had learned of their financial troubles. Naomi had been very much surprised upon discovering the complex weave of three other distinctive families that figured into the clan structure for this branch of the family of Tendo, the names Masaki and Saotome also coming together to form the other half of an impending union between the two branches of the Musubetsu Kakuto Ryu. Tsukino Nauru had been the silent family beneficiary who had bailed out the Tendo bacon at a critical juncture, thus staving off a potential confiscation of land when another real estate company had expressed an interest in the family's financial situation. Nauru was also key to the engagement itself and had betrothed to young Saotome Ranma a considerable inheritance that was due to fall upon the lad during his eighteenth birthday, a little more than a year from the present.

Naomi at long last understood something of why Tendo Soun was so insistent that one of his daughters should marry this Saotome boy, who otherwise did not seem a very good prospect, having only trained in the martial arts his whole life and having (according to reputation) few other marketable skills beyond those of a fighter. When Saotome came into the money promised to him it would secure their family's fortunes well into the next generation.

So it came as something of a surprise when she later discovered that there was someone else who had a claim upon the Tendo family dojo, which was the stated dowry for this Nabiki to marry Ranma. As a young boy the lad had made a foolish bargain with a carnival card shark who styled himself as "The Gambler King," to whom the boy had written a promissory note pledging the dojo itself as a marker in a card bet. The boy had lost but subsequently discovered that he had been cheated, at which point he and some other young boy had exacted revenge against the Gambler King by tying him up and tossing him into a river.

Of course the cheating aspect could not be proven after all of these years, and the King had retained possession of the marker, which he steadfastly claimed to have won fairly and squarely. Said marker was little more than a piece of paper on which childish scrawling and a hand-print had pledged the dojo to the possessor, but that had enough weight to count as a legal document, and the King had been most easily persuaded to part with said document at an astonishingly low price of less than five thousand yen. It was an interesting bargaining chip to use, and one Naomi intended to exploit in order to exact her token revenge upon those who had dared to make her look foolish.

What exactly she was to do with the property if she did, indeed, retain possession of it even she was not entirely certain. She had no real intention of evicting the family, but shaking them out of their complacency was certainly near the top of her agenda. She had yet to decide upon a development project there and was currently only concerned with property acquisition in order to clear the way for such a possible decision.

Of course the whole thing hinged on whether or not young Saotome was indeed entitled to stake his claim upon the dojo in the first place, seeing as said claim was contingent upon his marrying a Tendo and inheriting it as her dowry in the first place. To put it mildly, Tendo Soun had not been too kindly disposed towards his future Son-in-law on the discovery of this arrangement, and there were some legal niceties to be considered over whether the document itself was legitimate or no. The whole thing could easily be tied up in court for years without a clear resolution.

That was why, once Ranma and Nabiki had returned to the Nerima scene and discovered all that had happened during their weeklong absence, and Nabiki had immediately challenged the claims of said document, that Naomi had agreed to allow the matter to be settled with a card game, especially in light of the fact that Soun had bungled matters most unwisely by challenging the King himself and losing nearly all the rest of his property. His newly engaged fiancee had stepped in to reverse this trend in their declining fortunes, but even she had not proven adept enough to defeat the King in the final round. Young Ranma had offered to take up the banner but was voted down by his own fiancee, who insisted that it was her battle to be waged, her dowry that she had to win back, an insistence that had not gone down all that well with her prideful future husband.

Naomi's first impression of this Tendo Nabiki was that of a young, highly intelligent and quite attractive girl whose instincts for business were as sharp as Naomi's own. Indeed, it was almost like meeting a younger version of herself, right down to their matching haircuts as Nabiki also wore her hair trimmed short like a helmet. She had developed an instant liking for this saucy, sassy, calculating and inquisitive young lady who seemed to miss very little that went on around her and whose eyes reminded one of a shifty ferret. A girl like that was worth keeping an eye on for a possible career, once she had some business academia in her credentials. Naomi very much expected this one's portfolio would one day rival her own impressive list of achievements, and it was better to recruit raw talent such as this at a young age before somebody else discovered the child's potential.

What disturbed Naomi was that someone in her company had leaked the word that the Tendo property was now under new ownership and had served a notice to that end to the household without Naomi's direct authorization.

She was wondering now who would have done such a thing but dismissed the Chairman immediately from a likely list of potential suspects. This seemed to have originated from a lower department and no one would claim credit (or blame) for the unauthorized memo. It had served to put the Tendo family on its guard prematurely and even threatened to bollix up the whole deal...after all, the simplest solution for the Tendos would be to break off the impending marriage. If Ranma did not inherit the property then the document itself was not worth the price of the ink spilled on the paper.

She next considered Kuno Tatewaki, the young and rising star of Kuno Industries, who had impressed Naomi very much upon their first meeting. She had found him charming, highly intelligent and with a good head for business on his shoulders, surprisingly mature for a boy who had just turned eighteen and was showing so much promise. Tatewaki had been a gracious host during their negotiations and had shown remarkable enthusiasm for the Shohan project when Naomi had detailed her company's proposal. Kuno had then revealed the extent to which his own company had already invested in the Bio-Technologies aspect of the overall program, and Naomi had been enormously pleased to close the meeting with the thought that her report to the Chairman would be most glowing in her appraisal. It was beginning to look as if her project would finally get off the ground (both literally and in a physical aspect) and might even come on time and under budget, which would certainly secure her own future as a rising Corporate VP-  
slash-division President (as hinted by the Chairman during their most recent on-line conversation).

It has surprised her that Kuno Tatewaki voiced an interest in the welfare of the Tendo estates, but then again his sister was currently staying there as a guest under some private arrangement for which Naomi had not heard any details. She was interested in learning that the younger Kuno sibling had shown a talent in Botany and Pharmacology, marking her as someone else whose career was worth keeping an eye on in the future. That the Kunos were family friends of the Tendos was something rather remarkable in itself...but then again, Naomi was beginning to suspect that much of the activity in Nerima in one way or another revolved around that notorious dojo.

Which did greatly concern her on another level...that of the weirdness factor that she was more and more discovering was a living, breathing, vital part of this most peculiar district. The reason why so many spots of land had been easy to acquire was simply that most land owners had an unspoken fear of impending disaster that could strike without warning and reduce thriving companies to vacant lots with next to no warning whatsoever. It was something on the level of an urban legend that fights that broke out between rival martial artists would invariably lead to disaster, which made insurance rates frightfully high and kept the repair contractor business the only real industry that was expanding its assets. (Naomi had already had one encounter with the chief repairman of the region, and just the memory of that chance meeting still could make her heart do fluttering motions, making her wonder if she should pay his boss a friendly visit).

What was there about Nerima that seemed to attract all of the loonies? If even half the stories she had heard were true (and admittedly the memory of a Blimp carrying a Chinese Junk in the air clashed rather noticeably with a runaway bull elephant that had stomped the Tendo dojo to so much kindling, leading her to suspect that truth itself was highly subjective in this region) then she might have to reconsider all thoughts of establishing a branch office in the Furinkan financial district. If there really was some "weirdness" factor involved here, then she would have to explore alternative sites in other regions, such as-  
say-the Tomobiki district. She had heard that the young head of Shingo Industries had assets that vastly exceeded even those of the Kunos.

As her mind wandered over all of these aspects, her chauffeur announced that they had arrived at the latest destination that she had requested. Deciding that it was time to pull her head back out of the clouds, Naomi thanked her driver and got out of the limousine, studying the address given for one of the few properties not yet in her company's possession, which appeared to be an art studio of some type that was sporting a banner proclaiming that they would shortly be opening for business.

"Hmm," Naomi mused aloud as she knocked on the door and waited to see if anyone would answer. The Gallery owner was probably one of those Art Nuveu types who had eccentricity down to an art form, and she steeled herself for having to deal with some lengthy lecture on the topic of modern aesthetics.

To her surprise the doors slid open on their hinges as though operating electronically, and the studio itself beckoned before her like the cave to some great beast out of legend. It did not help at all when she heard the pleasantly charmed voice call out to her, "Welcome to my home...enter freely and of your own will, go swiftly and leave some of the happiness that you bring here."

"Okay," Naomi murmured softly to herself, disregarding the Bram Stoker references that popped a little too readily into her mind. It was just a business venture, nothing to be alarmed about, and so the owner liked to create a Neo-Gothic atmosphere that hinted a little too much of the set of a horror movie. Nothing to get rattled about, all perfectly harmless, and never mind that her thoughts were traveling back to a time when she had been a wee lass of only nine wandering lost in a Haunted House type setting during one Halloween carnival type setting that had seemed a lot more scary than to which the adult version of her mind would care to admit.

Stepping in past the threshold she began upon a journey the likes of which she could never have imagined, even after listening to Kento's bedtime stories relating the exotic strangeness that was a Japan of old and not of the modern era...and into the lair of a most unusual type of beast who would change the course of her life forever...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

I have long known that my husband is a warrior of great courage and ability who not only has mastered the fighting arts but has come to embody the art itself to a degree that even impresses Great Grandmother on occasions. Given that, I am forced to reluctantly admit that there ware some arenas to which even Ranma is a stranger, and in the art of gambling with cards the both of us my acknowledge our wife is the superior combatant.

I know of only a few such games that I have ever played, and mostly those were taught to me by my father. Great Grandmother has always discouraged an interest in gambling, calling it an arena for fools who like losing their possessions. I must observe that this wisdom holds true for Amazons and Japanese alike as neither my Father-in-law nor Lore Master Silk proved as adept at card playing as the rogue known as the Gambler King, he who had dared to cheat my husband of his rightful title as heir to the family dojo.

No one has ever accused my husband of having-as Nabiki put it-a face like a poker (why on earth that should be accounted as a bad thing is something I am completely at a loss to explain). Nor can he conceal his emotions very well (a fact with which I am well and happily acquainted), so when he plays at cards he seems unable to hide either his enthusiasm or his disappointment. From that it is easy to discern if the cards he holds are favorable or not, which is the equivalent of giving away tactical secrets to the enemy. Small wonder that Nabiki insisted that we both sit on the sidelines while she takes on the Gambler King in a no-holds-barred competition to regain title to the dojo.

Watching her practice against Silk-the only other acknowledged Master of this form of combat among us-showed me why my wife is a formidable card player. Silk could shuffle the cards in a variety of ways which dazzled the eye and distracted one's attention from their actual placement, almost making the deck appear to be a thing alive that snaked out from one hand to the other, and still Nabiki had no trouble keeping track of the cards when they were dealt out between them. It was an amazing sight, really, one Lore Master pitting her skills against another, and yet I felt as if both opponents rather enjoyed the encounter, and in a very real sense it was helping to bridge some of the distance between them that had arisen because of Silk's recent marriage to my wife's father.

Now that I think on it, that means that Silk is now my Mother-in-law, which makes Kachu my cousin by adoption. So many surprising implications to work through here...but then I should have anticipated this development seeing as I have been marking the deepening ties between Silk and Tendo Soun. It also means that Silk is now a Tendo by marriage, which also means that I am now marriage bound to Doctor Tofu and...Aiyaa! So many thoughts that I must come to terms with! How strange and wonderful my life is now that our families have grown so much closer together!

Of course I will admit to surprise on learning that my Father-in-law actually had gathered the nerve to make his challenge gesture in the first place...such a change in him from my first impressions that he was an unusually emotional man without the temperament to make a proper warrior. Given my mother's description of his performance in the marriage battle, I must now happily revise my opinion of my wife's father for the decidedly better.

Now if only my other Father-in-law could demonstrate as much personal growth in his own behavior...but then I suppose one should not expect the impossible before it has actually happened. It would actually disturb me more than I dare admit at the thought that he might gain sufficient backbone to issue a similar challenge to my mother...and I have no doubt at all that he could defeat her were he to go all out. If mother chose to take Genma on as a second husband...Aiyaa! That would make him my second Father! Ranma would then become my brother by adoption and...I think I would rather not go there. Even I must sometimes admit that there are limits to which an Amazon might venture.

I think I would even prefer having Atsuko for my second Mother-in-law on my husband's side of the family. She at least is a warrior worthy of the name Amazon, even as her son would make some other warrior a fine husband. Their ties to the bloodline of the Oni...well...no one I know is all that perfect.

I should like to mention, before getting back to my favorite subject of my wife, that I continue to be baffled and amused by the antics of Kuonji, who seems to have a habit of taking one step backwards for every two feet she places forward. Just as she and Lightning Girl seem ready to bond in a Warrior Marriage, she lets herself become distracted by my clueless student, Akane, whose persistence even I find rather astonishing. Akane seems to have actually bedded Ukyo sometime during our voyage on the Sky Ship, a fact that Makoto does not apparently yet know about, which even I can tell is going to lead to some explosive (and no doubt painful) difficulties for Kuonji.

I wonder if this might have something to do with my wife's mother, whose spirit I have seen twice now in dreams in the company of a Celestial who bears her likeness. Nabiki does not say much about the subject of her mother, but her Lore Master training has obviously advanced to the point where she can speak with her departed ancestors, and it is well known among the Amazons that a restless ancestor can be the cause of much strange fortune for the living. If Akane's late mother has taken an interest in her daughter's romantic or marital status it would go a long ways to explaining some of the very odd things that I have been taking notice of lately.

Ah well...back to the subject of my wife and her skill as a Gambler, which-as I have already said-quite impressed me when she defeated Silk nine hands out of ten. The Shogi-stones that they had been using for markers were almost all on Nabiki's side of the table, and Silk conceded the last round, pushing all that was left into the possessions of Nabiki.

"Very well played," Silk complimented my wife, "I tried a new variation on that last round and yet you still managed to beat me."

"Nothing to it...Mom," Nabiki arched the last word, but she said it with a smile that barely hinted at any resentment, "I'm not such a novice that you could pull something like that without me catching you in the act. You're not a bad player, but I can still read your every move before you make it."

"Oh really now?" I saw Silk's smile take on a calculating aspect, "Then perhaps you might care to try me for another round? I think this time you'll find a different outcome."

Nabiki pushed the white Shogi stones over to Silk and said, "Your deal, but I don't see what makes you think you'll do better this time."

"Watch and learn, Apprentice," Silk's smile took on a slightly predatory aspect, and then her hands went into motion, almost becoming semi-translucent as I saw them seemingly divide into four sets, and before our astonished eyes she suddenly appeared to be sporting eight arms, each holding an identical deck as her hands began to rapidly shuffle the cards one from the other.

Nabiki's eyes widened noticeably and she said in mild wonder, "Neat trick..."

"It's not just any ordinary trick, Nabiki-dear," Silk noted slyly, and then the cards began to fly across the table, almost magically landing in a neatly folded pile in front of Nabiki.

My wife "cut the cards" (a very odd term that does not involve actual cutting) and folded the deck in half (not actual folding, another confusing term, I will admit) then allowed Silk to finish dealing them out, after which they examined their hands (yes, I know, it is the cards they examine, not their hands, don't ask me to explain this), and after exchanging a few old cards for new ones they each made their bets and began the curiously intense phase known as "Bluffing your Opponent."

When the cards were laid down, however, it was Nabiki's turn to be astonished, for Silk held all four aces while Nabiki held three Kings, a Jack and another Ace...and even I know you can't have five aces in a normal card deck!

"Whoah," said Hibiki Kennou, who had largely been quiet and non-committal during these contests.

"You cheated?" Nabiki blurted out.

"Are you surprised?" Silk replied, "Don't be. The Gambler King cheated me during the last match, and I never even saw it coming."

"I never saw this coming," Nabiki's eyes narrowed, "You're telling me I should be on my guard against his pulling a fast one?"

"I'm saying that you should not anticipate honorable behavior from a man who would cheat children," Silk replied as she gathered up the cards and folded them again, then made them vanish from one hand, only to reappear within the other, "Things are not always as we perceive them, and it will be up to you to be on your guard should he try anything underhanded."

"Of course you only figured that out AFTER you lost the property in that last gamble," my mother complained before turning to give Ukyo's Aunt a friendly nod, "And thanks for putting them up for the night. I know it's a little crowded in this restaurant..."

"Oh, I'm sure Ukyo doesn't mind the company," Yumi said with a dismissive wave of one hand, "Besides, this is a matter of Honor, and that Gambler King creep cheated my Niece very bit as much as he did your son-in-law. He has to be made to pay for it...in blood, if necessary."

"Let's hope it doesn't actually come to that," my Father-in-law remarked, "Just remember, Nabiki, we're all counting on you to win back the dojo."

"Like I need more pressure, Daddy?" Nabiki stretched and leaned back from where she was sitting, "I'm a little more worried about this lady you say is out to take our house in a redevelopment project...and you think Tatewaki's involved in this?"

"Almost certainly," Yumi replied, "He and that Nakamura woman are in cahoots, I can almost taste it, like a moldy okonomiyaki."

"My brother...conspiring against the Tendos," Kodachi stared down in deep shame at the floor, even as Kasumi put her arm around her shoulders, "The dishonor of it all...how Tachi has debased the already tarnished name of Kuno..."

"Much as I hate to say it," my wife replied, "You're not to blame for your brother's madness...at least this time around. And here I was hoping Kuno-san was at least getting his act together and learning to fly right for a change..."

"Now, Nabiki-dear," Nodoka chided, "That's no way for you to look at matters. I'm sure you'll do splendidly in tomorrow's match against the Gambler King. What we need here is for everyone to cheer up and get back into good spirits, so I propose we take a page from the men and given Nabiki-chan here the Bridal Shower that she and Shampoo have never had time for."

"Excuse me?" my wife blurted in an eerie echo of my own thoughts, "A Bridal Shower? You've got to be kidding me..."

"Kinda late in the show considering that the wedding's in two days," Atsuko remarked, "But y'know, that ain't half bad as ideas go. Maybe we oughta have a Bachelorette party to celebrate the blushing brides-to-be...and maybe you'd like a piece of that action while you're at it, Silk baby."

"Who...me?" Silk blinked her eyes then smiled, "What a wonderful suggestion! Soun and I are planning to formalize our marriage with a proper Japanese ceremony by the end of the week, but I don't see why we can't have a little fun before that happens. I can still remember the festival we had when you and your husband got hitched, Comb."

"Maybe you can remember it," Mother said with a rueful smirk, "But all I remember is three days into our honeymoon, which must mean that Grandmother used one of her old family recipes when brewing the punch. I'm sure if I'd had a full batch the rest of the week would have been a blank..." she shook her head as if relishing the memories she claimed not to remember.

I fear that I must remark that on occasions I have heard people-even my wife and husband-voice the opinion that I am somewhat easy going and relaxed when it comes to outward displays of emotion and affection, but there are times when I must confess that even I find the antics of my elders bewildering and intimidating. Perhaps I have been too long in Japan and am starting to develop odd notions concerning this thing called modesty that so many are obsessed with, but I have arrived at the awkward conclusion that there are some aspects to my Parent's family life to which I am better off not being too well acquainted.

That being said, the idea of a party celebrating Nabiki's impending marriage (Official, that is) to our husband had an appeal that I shared with the rest of our party, so it was decided that we would go out on the town later that evening and revel in our femininity as a night of liberation prior to total commitment to Ranma. It is a strange custom I will admit, but less strange than many others that I have learned in my adopted country, so I gladly accompanied Nabiki and our elders taking in the night life, joined by Akane, Kennou and the demon-  
hound, Shirokuro (who chose to don a human aspect for the occasion).

I must confess that a night of song and dance is a fine way to prepare one's self for the journey into marriage. We stopped off at a Karaoke bar and regaled each other with song, which delighted me in no end as it gave me the chance to show off my singing voice to my wife, who seemed appropriately enchanted, even if the song I saw was in my native language. To my delight I found her singing voice was both strong and melodious, prompting us to sing a duet together, even granted that I had to mimic most of the words as I was not so familiar with the ballad. Of greater surprise was the discovery that both Akane and Kennou can sing with equal dexterity, and then Shirokuro amazed us with a haunting romantic ballad that made one almost tearful. Silk and Mother, of course, sang a duet together that displayed an amazing harmony, though the words of the song they chose were in English, a language in which I am almost totally ignorant. Atsuko warbled a bit without going too far off key, but Yumi declined when the microphone was offered to her, claiming her vocal talents did not bend in that direction. My father-in-law similarly declined the first offer made to him to sing when his turn came, but Silk prevailed on him and soon got him to sing with a surprisingly strong and manly tone that was directed towards her. I could tell that she was much impressed by his efforts, just as we were that the two of them were much in love like a properly married couple should be.

Next we sought out a place where they had loud music and dancing, and I got to enjoy myself more thoroughly taking Nabiki out onto the floor and showing off some native Amazon dances that were designed to serve as a kind of foreplay following Victory in battle. Silk and Soun were more gentle in the way they chose to dance, but this left a more awkward situation in pairing up the rest of our party as there was not much love to be found among Atsuko, Yumi, Akane, Kennou and my Mother. They did as best as they could manage, but I was rather surprised when I saw Akane take Kennou to the floor in a swoon, only to surrender the Hibiki girl to Shirokuro, who chose to cut in mid-way through their dancing. I think the yellow haired younger sister to Atsuko was rather amazed that the Demon Hound could dance so well, and for once there was no real sense of antagonism between them.

Mother danced briefly with Atsuko, but I could tell neither of them was entirely into the motions, only then Nodoka cut in and chose to dance with Mother, then with Atsuko, and both times I saw the expressions on their faces convey surprise and amazement that Ranma's mother was such a very good dancer. Yumi declined at first until Nodoka insisted, but then Ranma's mother contrived to steer their dance over to where Silk and Soun were dancing, and to our near-universal amazement she offered to switch partners so that she wound up dancing with Silk while Soun danced with Yumi. The surprising thing was that both parties seemed to enjoy that dance immensely, leaving me to exchange puzzled glances with my wife before we decided to follow their example and switch partners with Akane, Kodachi, Kasumi and (eventually) Kennou and Shirokuro.

Dancing and a meal fulfilled two of the requirements of a Warrior's spirit, but then Nodoka surprised us yet again by insisting on taking us to an establishment that you had to pay up front before they would even permit you to enter. Inside was a somewhat noisier environment, but relaxed from what I could tell of it, and it had an interesting d cor in that men with handsome physiques were dancing on a stage while removing articles of clothing, much to the enthusiastic approval of the women who were present. It began to feel a little more like home when drinks were served and we could make a proper study of these males, who were certainly very nice to look upon, even if they were a bit overdeveloped.

To say that I was puzzled at the way some of our companions behaved would be an understatement, because you would think they had never seen an unclothed man before to hear them carry on as they stuffed yen into their jock-straps. A few of these men were quite handsome with well defined physiques that were appealing to gaze upon, but none of them impressed me as much as Ranma. I guess a Warrior's tastes do alter with time, and married life has left me a bit jaded on certain matters (not that I don't sometimes take the time to appreciate a good-  
looking male of course). On the other hand perhaps too much married life does something to the brain, or so I must reluctantly conclude after watching my Mother and Atsuko carry on as if they were as man-crazed as my younger sisters. Yumi evidenced no shame at all as she gave whistles, hoots and compliments to the men who danced near to our table. About the only one in our group who did not seem to be enjoying himself was Soun himself...or perhaps Akane, who seemed more morose than excited, and more than a little embarrassed.

Nodoka finally acknowledged that certain members of our party were not enjoying themselves as much as were the others, so she guided our party from the room and through a door leading to a nearly identical room adjoining the first one, only here it was women who were dancing on tables without the impediment of too much clothing. Here Akane actually seemed to relax a bit while her father covered his eyes until Silk convinced him that it was all right that he could ogle. The rest of us adjusted similarly to this change of atmosphere as the party relaxed noticeably, soothed by the more subdued atmosphere of men who were content to watch while drinking in relative silence.

On reflection I must say that it is a bit of a revelation to discover that Japanese women...so quiet, prim and proper on the surface...can become so wanton and raunchy when given a permissive environment in which to release their emotions. Japanese men, by contrast, are more subdued when they are entertained by attractive women, as though they let down a different kind of mask that hides their real selves from the public. Among Amazons it can be a similar experience as Warriors revel in their emotions while men are more quietly domestic. I do not know why this is so but it appears to be a valid observation, and one more pronounced in Japan than it is in China.

I remember taking my wife by the hand and squeezing it as we both eyed the same near-naked beauty who danced wantonly near to our table. Kasumi and Kodachi were similarly enraptured by a girl who appeared to be openly flirting with them as if sensing that they are a couple, while I suspect that more than a few in the rest of our party were likewise entertained, and not just at appreciating the lithe build and physical qualities of the women who were on stage, very few of whom manifested true Warrior aspects. I think it was Akane who demonstrated the most fascination with what she saw, as if her recent discovery of her true sexual nature had released her from the shackles that had so long been imposed upon her appreciation of other women.

Of course the unexpected happened while we were just settling in to enjoy the show, but how were any of us to expect that we would be sharing the same club into which Ranma and the others were shortly to take refuge...?

"Oh man!" Ranma shuddered at the memory of their recent escape from the ruins of what had moments before been a teahouse, "Next time I let the Old Coot drag me into a place like that, just shoot me!"

"I'll shoot you if you'll do the same for me, Ranchan," Ukyo replied with an equal sense of revulsion, "That was one of the scariest experiences of my life, and next to those three, I'd prefer seeing another Velociraptor.

"Nice going, Gramps," Ryoga growled, "That was a great way to bring the house down...on our heads!"

"Oh, pipe down, you three," Happosai groused, "Anyone can make an honest mistake! And how was I to know a place that calls itself 'Sexy Girl' wouldn't have any sexy women?"

"Truth in Advertisement," Yoshi sighed, "It is a rate commodity in this day and age..."

"Frankly," revealed a sign currently held by a giant panda, "I always thought Truth was highly overrated..."

"We know," Tenchi growled, "But did you have to wind up blowing up the place when we made our exit?"

"I just hope Usagi and Rei never hear about this," Mamoru visibly sweated, "I'll never be able to live this down..."

"So," Utena said sarcastically, "What do we do next for an encore?"

"Let's duck in here until the coast is clear," Happosai recommended, pointing at a back door at one end of the alley.

"Might as well," Genma remarked, "Less chance of those ladies catching up to us if we take cover."

"Those were ladies?" Ranma blurted, exchanging puzzled looks with Ukyo.

"Look, you wanna remain out here where they can catch us?" Tenchi argued, "Trust me, I've got some experience when it comes to being chased by women."

"That almost makes sense," Mamoru noted, "Why does it make me worry?"

"Constant practice?" Utena asked, but nonetheless followed the others as Happosai picked the lock by jiggling the handle to the door, then led the way into the darkened environs.

As the party of seven vanished from the alley, however, a pair of eyes gazing from beneath a hood narrowed slightly and a muffled voice murmured softly, "Nice try, but you won't escape from me that easy..."

"Oh me oh my," Cologne murmured to herself as she at long last arrived at the Nekohanten restaurant, the first time that she had seen her business establishment in close to the two full weeks since she had decided to spend some time with her father and nephew, "What a month this has been. Well, home sweet home at last, time to return to the humdrum and the madness..."

Ordinarily she would have chided herself for speaking her thoughts out loud where others could hear them, but in light of all she had been through recently, she was not really all that inclined to fall back upon her regular secretive habits.

The news that Shampoo and the others were back from Nekonron was certainly heartening, although Cologne had not even been aware that they were gone in the first place! Trust Lotion to keep her in the dark about such a thing as Shampoo's wife being kidnapped by the Prince of the Seven Lucky Gods Martial Arts school, as if Cologne only needed to be informed of such things on a need-  
to-know basis!

Only slightly less alarming was the news about the potential loss of the Tendo dojo, but that was a minor thing in Cologne's eyes, surely nothing beyond the means of her Son and Daughter-in-law's abilities to win it back in a card match (well, in that she had to concede it was more Nabiki whom she was counting on than her blunt-speaking husband). Of considerably greater concern was that there were people at large who were angling to gain possession of large tracks of real estate, the dungeon chief among them, and Comb had informed her that someone had been making inquiries about the restaurant. With Cologne gone, however, they had been able to tell the concerned parties that there was no one in residence authorized to make any transactions, a neat way of passing the buck back to Cologne when she came back to Nerima, all innocent and Doe-eyed with no more thought than attending the marriage of Ranma to Nabiki.

The real estate business was the thing to be truly concerned about as it hinted a bit too suspiciously of Cybelle's handiwork, working through proxies and third parties to whatever nefarious aims Cologne could not begin to fathom. Whatever plans the Demoness had, though, it could not mean anything good for the citizens of Nerima.

Far less surprising was the fact that Silk and Soun were now officially an item...the only surprise there being that Soun had been the one to issue the challenge. Cologne sorely regretted not being present to watch the brawl that must have ensued with the Tendo patriarch pressing home his claims while Silk played hard to get in an all-out grudge match that would put the World Wrestling Foundation on notice. It truly must have been nothing less than epic, hearing it described in awed terms by her granddaughter.

There were many other bits of news that had impressed and interested Cologne as she had listened attentively to Lotion giving her a debriefing. Kuonji's romantic troubles had blown alternately hot and cold with Makoto taking the lead as Kuonji's stated fiancee, only somehow Akane had contrived to win herself a place as the "Other Woman." Ryoga had apparently given up on being a doormat for the Winged Tendo's romantic flirtations and was taking up with another girl who seemed not to mind his various shortcomings. Akane had somehow mastered the art of flying (landing was still a bit of a problem) and would regularly take to the air for the joy of freedom afforded in her "cursed" form. Nabiki had progressed to an astonishing rate in her ascension as a Lore Master...oh yes, and Ranma and Ryoga had finally developed Chi attacks without Cologne being around to take credit for their teaching.

About the best news all around (at least to Cologne's way of thinking) was the news that Happosai had finally accepted Hinako professions of love and devotion and was committing himself to her (which was not entirely giving up on his life of perversion). It looked as if Cologne was finally off the hook with the old fool, and good riddance! Let Hinako deal with the man's constant pursuit of other women, she was obviously better equipped to rein him in with her Coin technique (ironically taught to her by Happosai).

Thoughts of her old flame, however, rekindled memories of her own recent troubles with a certain blonde Enchantress of her acquaintance. Cologne frowned as she thought of Siren, her childhood friend and current pain-in-the-rear (Oh, but she's like it that way, wouldn't she?) who had only a week ago made her profession of love and her intent to win Cologne over.

The annoying thing about Siren was that she usually got what she was after, and in a way her antics would have been infinitely more amusing were it not that Cologne was the object of her current obsessions.

She recalled the incident in the bath, followed shortly thereafter by Siren appearing once again (fully clothed this time) to declare before Cologne's Masaki kinfolk to declare herself as Cologne's one and only intended. The response to this news was (predictably) comical, Ayeka being outraged that a member of "Jurai's Royal House" would be courted by some rustic commoner (Cologne wondered if she had gotten used to webbed feet by now?) while Ryoko could not stop laughing for a solid hour. Tenchi had been somewhat blank-faced at the news while her father greeted Siren as if she were already a member of the family. Washu had given Siren that hungry look she always gave to all potential lab victims while Mihoshi and Kiyone...well...anyone not wanted on their Intergalactic Crime Logs was okay in their opinion. Ryo-Oki and Siren had immediately hit it off as though the Cabbit were an old familiar.

Life was certainly a lot less "interesting" when she had been able to disguise her real age and pose as the withered Old Lady benevolently shepherding her backwoods tribal flock through the darkness of pre-history into the 20th (or make that 21st) century in spite of all the odds the past three hundred years had hurled against them. Now she had romantic problems, a mortgage and great-  
great grandchildren on the way, and worst of all (depending on how you look at it) she was behind on finals for the semester! All she needed now was another run-in with Hinako for her life to be just perfect.

Surprisingly enough she made it through the front door of her place without incident, glanced around at the empty interior and said, "Nihao...is anyone at home?"

"Just me, Grandmother...and the twins, who are upstairs sleeping it off."

"Son-in-law?" Cologne sought out Hairbrush where he was sitting by a table in the darkened restaurant, nursing a bottle of sake from the looks of it.

"I've been hoping you'd come back to us soon, Grandmother," Hairbrush remarked, "A lot's been happening while you were away on your vacation."

"So I've heard?" Cologne approached her granddaughter's husband and took a seat next to him, adding as she did so, "I'm surprised Comb isn't back home by now..."

"I'm not," Hairbrush replied, "She spends most of her time over with the Tendos these days, keeping tabs on Shampoo, though I'm sure that isn't her only reason."

"What's this?" Cologne asked as she arched indigo eyebrows, "Do I detect a note of self-pity? Surely you're not jealous of a certain fat fool stealing your wife away...are you?"

She had meant her comment to be gently teasing, but Hairbrush did not smile as he said, "Wouldn't you be...given their history together?"

Cologne took a long time before she replied to that, "I see...and you think she's already starting to fall for him all over."

"I don't believe that in her head Comb means to cheat on me," Hairbrush sighed, "But though she denies it to herself, I can tell that she still has strong feelings for Saotome, or his antics wouldn't get to her the way they do. I doubt even she knows how deep her feelings run, but until she reconciles herself to the fact that he belongs to another I don't think I could expect her heart to be unconflicted."

"So...what are you doing with your time, other than sitting here and moping?" Cologne asked, not meaning her tone to sound brutal.

"Me?" he smiled as he took a sip from his cup of sake, "I've been managing the restaurant in your absence, of course. Someone had to, after all, and the twins have helped out, playing waitresses and bussing tables."

"You actually put those two to an honest day's work?" Cologne's eyes widened appreciatively, "I am impressed, Son-in-law, you've exceeded my expectations."

"Not bad for a man, you mean," he gave her a benevolent smile and his dark eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Pshaw," Cologne made a face, "You know I've never been one to play that particular tune. I've known all along that you are a capable enough fellow, regardless of the accident of birth that caused you to be born a man from another province. I've never told you this before, but I was proud of my granddaughter when she chose you to be her husband. You are the son I wished I could have had...and had you been my blood daughter...I would have proudly trained you to be my successor."

"Grandmother," Hairbrush set his cup down and really looked at her, "You mean that?"

"Have you ever known me to say something that I truly did not mean?" Cologne asked, then hastily added, "Don't answer that question!"

"I won't," Hairbrush said solemnly, but just the same he could not keep from smiling, "And thank you. I must have done something right to earn a compliment from you."

"Am I really that critical of people?" Cologne wondered, "I've never really thought about it...I've always just assumed that I should be as stern and aloof as people expect someone to be in my station. I can't be seen to play favorites, not even with my own flesh and blood. Shampoo in many ways is all that I have sought to make her, and yet..." she sighed.

"And yet in her heart she doesn't want to be the next Matriarch," Hairbrush said quietly, "I've known this all along, I've just been waiting to hear you say it."

"She's as much a part of you as she is her mother," Cologne made a face, "And you know what I think of Comb's leadership potential."

"Would it surprise you to know that she agrees with you completely?" Hairbrush replied, "Though it cost Shampoo her freedom, I think she made the right decision in petitioning you for her freedom. As a healer she has found a kind of peace that she never knew as a Warrior and she's earned the respect of our tribespeople. I love her very much and I'm as proud as any man could be to have her for a wife...but still at times she can be quite a trial."

"She is at that," Cologne agreed, "Don't give up on her just yet. She's bound to come around sooner or later to seeing reason."

"I live in that hope, Grandmother," Hairbrush raised his cup in salutation.

"It is disgraceful for her to neglect you," Cologne remarked, "I shall have to speak about it with her and make her see that she needs to spend more time in the restaurant."

"Just as long as she stays out of my kitchen," Hairbrush gave a boyish grin as he added, "Though truth to tell I would love to be able to convince her to put on a Waitress uniform...just to see her reaction."

"Oh my," Cologne chuckled, "That would be most...amusing..."

"So," Hairbrush said as he poured himself another cup, then passed the rest of sake bottle over to Cologne, "How are you getting along, Grandmother? Enjoying time looking up your Juraian roots?"

"I never ceased to be amazed at your devious way of ferreting out information," Cologne shook her head with a mild chuckle, "Must be those years you spent with Military Intelligence, spying for the government."

"I'll admit my informal training has come in handy on occasion," Hairbrush replied, "But you know the rules of the trade...never give out as much as you know, and never enough that you stop being an asset to your masters."

"And what do you tell them about your relocating to Japan?" Cologne wondered.

"They couldn't be more happy about it," Hairbrush replied, "They love having eyes and ears in the world beyond the mainland. Some think I've been wasting my talents in a backwoods country village and they see my position near to Tokyo as a step up in the world, almost on the level of a promotion."

"Considering that they sent you to us originally as token punishment for siding with the wrong faction," Cologne sipped her bottle and waited until satisfied that the effects were wholesome, "They probably never expected you to amount to much of anything, but imagine how they must have felt when you gained a place in the home of the Matriarch of the Nyanchiczu."

"Grandmother," Hairbrush sighed, "You've known the truth about me all along, surely you know I'd never betray any of your secrets, especially not to those idiots in the Forbidden city."

"I know," Cologne smiled all the more gently, "And you have been a tremendous boon to me, passing on the information that I provided you so that your masters would be satisfied that all was well and that we were not worth the bother. What do you suppose they'll do if we are not able to return to our village?"

"Probably send some other poor schmuck in my place," Hairbrush raised his cup to the air and said, "Whoever my poor successor is, I pray the Gods pity him, because he won't know what will hit him."

"It's good to be able to discuss these things aloud without fear of possible eavesdropping," Cologne remarked before arching her tones and saying, "And you two should be in your beds. Don't you have weapons training in the morning?"

There was a pause before Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung timidly came down the stairs, both in their cheosong pajamas.

"Great-grandmother," Ling-Ling said sheepishly.

"We have something tell you," Lung-Lung finished for her.

"And what is it that is so important that you would spy upon your elders?" Cologne asked with token sternness, giving no hint as to her actual amusement.

"Great-grandmother," Ling-Ling began, "We follow strange man and strange girl other day..."

"See them chased by mob," Lung-Lung added, "Crash through many wall, lost mob in alley."

"No lose us," Ling-Ling resumed, "We follow from roofs, them wander lost all over village."

"Then they go into building and no come out again," Lung-Lung continued, "Is strange because we find ward sign all around building..."

"Is strange kind," Ling-Ling paused before adding, "Is magical protection. We go to Devil Hunter and she say place is home of Ancient One, say we no go near place for our sake."

"But we go anyway," Lung-Lung bit her lip before finishing her statement, "And we see who there...is no womans of Japan or China."

"She very strange," Ling-Ling tried to describe the vision they had witnessed, "Is tall like Mother, but she have skin like bronze statue and hair like silver...and there strange markings on face..."

"Markings?" Cologne's focus sharpened, "Describe them."

"Is strange, like three slash on forehead, two triangle on cheeks," Lung-Lung replied, "And eyes like gold...you know, Great-grandmother?"

"I know...I know who you are describing," Cologne looked pale even in the dim light of the restaurant, "But...it cannot be her...not after all of these years..."

"Grandmother?" Hairbrush was disturbed by the unusual hint of fear in the Matriarch's voice.

"I don't know how such a thing could be possible...but she must somehow have gotten free...after all these centuries. Show me to this place, Children, at once!"

Both girls were surprised at the request but immediately acknowledged their instructions, knowing that only a major emergency could bring such alarm to the face of their indomitable Tribal Elder.

"Who is she?" Hairbrush asked, "And enemy?"

"Worse than that," Cologne replied, getting to her feet as she leaned on her staff, feeling her age in spite of her Juraian lifespan, "I pray that I am wrong, but if it is her then I must go alone to face her. No else could confront her but me and have a hope of surviving. Tell no one where I have gone, and with any luck...this may be over before morning."

With that she turned to leave, the twins falling into step behind her as the Matriarch burst from the restaurant and out into the night, leaving a bewildered son-in-law in her wake, who murmured softly to himself, "Good luck, Grandmother...I pray that you be safe, for your family still needs you."

He thought he heard a voice murmuring softly in the empty space of the restaurant, whispering something that sounded like "Amen," though it could have been the wind and his overactive imagination...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Kunoichi Beauty Secrets: shadowmane

Guess who's crashing the party for Ranma and Nabiki on their Bachelor(ettte) bashes, and Ganglot welcomes an old friend to her own menagerie-slash-family get-together. Will Old Times lead to open warfare, or will they resort to binding arbitration (and a tidily wink contest) to resolve their conflicting interests, and will Nabiki get a raw deal when she lays down her cards on the table? For this and other useless bits of information stay tuned for "Home on the Microwave Range," or "That was no Lady, that was my Kunoichi!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	119. Chapter 119

NabikiRan103 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Three.

Naomi blinked her eyes as she found herself standing at the end of a long corridor, one that stretched off an unimaginable distance that seemed infinitely far longer than the actual length of the building itself, which immediately prompted her to suspect that what she was seeing was an optical illusion. A surpassingly convincing illusion, yes, but still an illusion, however realistic, detailed and graphic.

A brass gong rang out and a bronze-skinned figure appeared to one side of the entrance, a figure dressed in an elaborate Chinese costume complete with triangular headdress, looking very much like a dancer from a Thailand show that she had attended years ago, barefoot and statuesque with bronzed ornaments on her wrists, arms and ankles.

"PRESENTING FOR YOUR DELIGHT AND ENLIGHTENMENT THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD AS TOLD BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN MEL BROOKS!"

"Excuse me?" Naomi automatically responded.

"It's performance art," the golden woman said as she winked at Naomi, "Work with me here, you'll understand in a moment."

Naomi turned and found to her amazement that the doorway through which she had just entered was no longer to be found there, that instead there was a continuation of the same corridor stretching back into seeming infinity, as though she were in the Airport Terminal from Hell, only lined along the walls by a series of glass partitions that framed what looked like Museum displays, only styled more like ancient Chinese art lithographs. By the time she had fully turned around the woman and her gong were no longer to be seen, just a series of arrows point down the way to a distant vanishing point somewhere over the event horizon.

Of a sudden the booth to her left became illuminated, showing a star-filled background that was breathtakingly panoramic.

"Behold the Universe when it was still young and vibrant with the possibility of life," a voice from seeming no where emanated (though Naomi had no difficulty placing it as belonging to the Thai dancer), "Life took many wondrous forms here, among the most advanced was a race of beings so advanced that we might as well call them Gods for the sake of an argument. Like Gods they strode the worlds of light and darkness with their eons-long lifespan, crossing time and space in search of new worlds, new life and new civilizations, boldly going where mortal mind cannot imagine and eventually discovering this world, the Earth, one of many that they colonized with their Celestial presence."

The booth to Naomi's right suddenly became illuminated, revealing a pastoral display of forest, hill and dale in all its pristine glory, complete with a bright sun peering down through cotton-white clouds upon this virgin setting, onto which graceful and unearthly, ghost-like figures strode out trailing elaborate costumes both gauze-like and revealing.

"The Star Tribe, as we may call them, came upon this world millions of years ago and found it good in their own eyes, a wondrous playground on which to cavort in merry innocence, effortlessly merging with the World Soul to become its guardian shepherds, who are the Titans of ancient legend."

Naomi blinked her eyes, seeing the hermaphrodite-like Bishonen figures come upon what looked like a hairy monkey, and one of the two knelt down to encourage said monkey to approach them in an inquisitive manner. One figure held back and aloof while the other took the monkey up upon his (or her) shoulder and allowed the animal to play with his(her) long, pale hair, the ghostly apparition gaining a beatific smile of evident fondness.

"They took an interest in all aspects of life that they encountered, but among those curious creatures whom they found most promising were the ape-like forms clinging to trees and living on insects, nuts and berries. Some took their fascination to a different level, encouraging the slow upward evolution of these small creatures, and in a little as a few thousand generations speeded up their evolution into the more evolved state that we know of as Anthropoid from archeological excavations."

A booth further ahead to the heft lit up, and Naomi-driven by curiosity more than anything else-drew closer to this so that she could better study the display, which showed a small ape-like form with glossy black fur scampering about like a pet while an amused pale figure looked on, even as the other figure behind her scowled in obvious disapproval.

"The learning and evolving process worked both ways, however, and soon members of the Star Tribe were taking on harder, more solid shapes that were closer in nature to that of the beasts whom they cared for. Not all of the Star Tribe approved of this relationship, nor did they fancy the crude beasts, who were slowly learning to walk upright and had come down from their trees in imitation of their creators. Eventually both the ape and this branch of the Star Tribe adopted a more recognizably human form. And then one day the unthinkable-or some would say the inevitable-happened."

The booth to her right lit up, and Naomi whirled around to see a lush garden-  
like setting, into which a beautiful pale-haired Star Tribe member came face to face with a hairy, man-like, brutish figure, and like the prototype of all "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tales the two of them embraced, fell to the tall grassland and appeared to engage in something primitive and carnal.

"The echoes of this union would send shockwaves throughout the whole of the Star Clans and resulted in a form that was neither entirely Ape nor Star Tribe."

Again a new booth illuminated, and Naomi turned to see a proud looking ape-like figure with reddish gold fur standing tall with broad shoulders, his face not quite human yet far removed from apish. If she had to affix a word to describe him she could only come up with "Handsome."

"Behold...Adam...the first of his kind," the voice continued, "He saw farther than any Ape before him and understood the link between Flesh and the Spirit as no Star Tribesman had ever known before. He was the archetype of many Ape and Star-Tribe unions, and in time he found a mate we know as Eve, the Mother of all Nations."

A beautiful, much less anthropoid-like figure appeared alongside the man, resting a hand on his shoulder with her ample womanly assets on full display, a handsome couple by anyone's standard as both turned their faces towards the stars, clearly inspired by more than the instincts of their brutish ancestors.

"The birth of this new race, however, was met by alarm from those Star Clans who did not share in a love for these co-created life forms. Some wanted to terminate the experiment in cross-breeding, seeing only corruption and a fall from grace in these new forms, while others wanted to study them at greater length and fathom their true potential. This lead to a division among the Tribes, so that where there had been Unity there was now division and antipathy. The perfect harmony of the One Race with its Unimind was disrupted, and this would lead in time to the first terrible war of the Powers, a hideous and perverse conflagration that would sunder the world itself and change the shape of the very continents themselves."

Naomi flinched as a new booth appeared showing a horrific battle with beings extending their arms and calling upon unimaginable forces. Streamers or ribbon and flashes of alternating light gave a hint to the nature of the forces that were unleashed within the battle as brilliant white figures suddenly were wrapped in black drapes by other shadowy figures, clearly symbolizing either death or destruction overwhelming these individuals, until the remaining figures fell back into separate encampments.

"The war ended badly for the party that sought the destruction of the new creatures, for the children of Adam and Eve waded in on the side of their parents and proved the decisive factor in bringing an end to the conflict. A great Synod was then convened in which the fate of the losing faction was decided, and entire clans were banished from the world to a dark and dismay Nether realm that existed outside of the world of Gods and Mortals. This was the Great Sundering, and from it were born the warring tribes known to most as the Devils and Demons. The triumphant party, the Titans, then raised themselves aloft from the mortal plane so as to limit their contact with mortals, hoping in this manner to avoid further corruption and contamination from the temptations of a fleshly existence."

Naomi watched a dramatic re-enactment of this selfsame gathering with struggling white-clad figures being thrown chains and all through a curtain-like circle, where they landed in a pit-like setting, cold and shivering without their luminous robes, some gnashing their teeth while bewailing their misfortune. Those luminous beings not cast through the circle of darkness then turned to one another and made similar nods. One figure-obviously their leader-gestured towards the sky, and as one they rose up into the air as though born aloft on invisible wires.

"This happened close to two million years ago but the result is still with us down to the present," the voice resumed as a new display lit up to reveal two nearly identical figures, both winged, one with feathers the other seeming bat-  
like, "There are many tribes of Demons in the world, the Oni being but one of many, while the Titans and their Children, the Gods, remain a breed apart, forever warring one with the other while casting aspersions on their rivals, saying nasty things about their mothers."

The bat-winged, horned figure stuck out her tongue and made a face at her angelic sibling, who frowned in clear annoyance at this gesture.

"But what of Humanity itself, you might well ask? Ah, there is another tale that would be long in the telling. Suffice to say that Human Beings would grow to dominate the world, experience many rises and falls in their fortunes and glory, even journey to other worlds, only to fall back into primitive barbarism. Lemuria and Atlantis would each know their time and place in the continuous life cycles. The war had changed the climate of the globe so that the Ice Sheets would advance and recede at semi-regular intervals, dooming the stability of human life itself and forcing yet-more dramatic changes in human evolution. The line of the Cro-Magnon gave way to Homo Sapiens itself. Humanity's ancestors would explore other worlds and attempt to leave the Earth behind, only to be forced back into the cradle of their mother time and again until we come to the current age of humanity, when Humans are once more poised on the threshold of either glory or destruction."

Naomi saw a series of booths light up, and as she studied each one she witnessed a dramatic presentation of wandering tribes of primitives learning to build wood and stone cities, discover the sciences, only to have it all taken away as civilization collapsed and the world grew dark as though under the folds of a wicked shadow. Again the primitive would arise re-learning how to chip stone tools, then master the forging of metals, the harnessing of the forces of nature, which then became a part of their religious practices, even learn how to transport themselves to other worlds by the power of their minds as a technology that seemed more like Sorcery developed around the use of artificially grown crystals. A race that seemed to be composed entirely of females then appeared commanding the bridge of a starship, only one came to earth with a recently born male offspring and bred her traits into the resident population of man-apes, who in time gave birth to a new age of Humanity as the cycle repeated itself all over.

"And thus we come to the end of our story," the same bronzed woman who had appeared earlier in Thai costume appeared as the corridor fell dark all around them and she alone became fully illuminated, "I trust you have enjoyed this little performance of 'Theosophy 101,' I know it's a bit showy and contains a faintly Neoplatonic flavor, but..."

"Who are you?" Naomi asked, relieved to finally find someone whom she could actually talk to.

"Ah, where are my manners?" the golden woman smiled, extending a hand to Naomi, "My name is Ganglot Morrigar, and I'm an exiled princess of the Oni Tribes, born close to three thousand years ago by your reckoning and...oh yes, before I forget to mention this, I'm also your direct ancestor."

"You're what?" Naomi stared at the ageless woman blandly.

"Your great-great grandmother to be precise," the bronzed woman smiled, and suddenly the silver tattoos on her face flared to life as her bright-amber eyes took on a glowing aspect, "And before you declare me certifiable, perhaps you should take into consideration your present location."

Naomi turned reluctantly around to see that the space around them had transformed into an enormous cavern. There were standing atop a flat surface that looked like the cropped off apex of an enormous stalagmite, and all around them were the looming shadows. It was the type of place that a certain caped crusader might well call him home...either him or Dracula...but either way it looked convincingly realistic.

"Let's see," the golden woman padded on bare feet to the edge of this pit and picked up a stone, then casually tossed it out into the void, pausing to cock one pointed ear as if she waited to hear it strike bottom. It was a remarkably long time later before Naomi's own ears heard the sounds resonating upward of a glancing collision.

The golden figure straightened up and said, "Well, what do you know? Sounds close to bottomless, do you think?"

"Where are we?" Naomi demanded.

"It's called Tartarus," the woman replied, "The land of the Dead in Greek Mythology and eternal prison of the Titans from legend. I've brought you here as a little display of my power, to say nothing of it also being a blatant warning to you should you chose not to hear me out when I tell you the rest of my story."

"You're crazy!" Naomi declared, "This is kidnapping!"

"Well, technically it's more like forcible detention," Ganglot allowed, "But it's for a good cause, so please don't hate me too much for being a bit melodramatic. I will let you out of here again...provided you listen and listen well to what I have to tell you."

"I won't listen under threats from you!" Naomi declared, her stubborn pride refusing to permit her from showing fear before this...very strange person.

"Suit yourself," Ganglot shrugged, "Just remember I tried being nice to you, Great-great granddaughter. I'll come back again when you're in a better mood to hear me out, until then try not to fall off this plateau...you wouldn't like meeting what's at the bottom."

So saying the golden skinned Oni Princess stretched out her arms as a pair of bat-like wings sprouted from her back, her appearance changing to that of a green-haired and horned alien girl, whose naked body manifested as the robes disappeared from around her. With well-manicured clawed hands and feet displayed, and wicked fangs bared from a mouth that remained sensual and commanding, the figure beat the air with her wings and lifted off from the plateau, rising up into the darkness that surrounded them as though she had not a care of encountering anything more terrifying than herself in these chambers.

"Wait-!" Naomi cried, a bit too late, suddenly finding herself alone once again all alone and in surroundings that were totally alien. As vast as the chamber was it felt as if the walls were pressing in on her from all around and long-forbidden memories resurfaced, of being locked away in a closet until she agreed to behave and listen to her stepparents.

Naomi hugged herself and shivered, falling to her knees as she found the thought of being left all alone in such a place more terrifying than actually dying, and try thought she might not to let her fears resurface, she could not help whimpering to herself, "Not again...not again...not alone again...no...Momma...!"

All at once hands were gently laid upon her shoulders, and a warm presence settled over her as those leathery wings spread about to enfold her like a blanket. She found the face of Ganglot resting on her shoulder as the Oni's sensual voice said, "I know, dear...I know all about it. You don't need to be afraid, not while I'm here. I won't abandon you again...all I ask is that you hear me...and really, truly listen."

Naomi was amazed that her fears seemed to vanish in that moment, and with only a mere touch of her earlier hesitation she nodded and said, "All right...I'll listen."

"Spoken like a true Hibiki," Ganglot smiled in approval, "But first...there's someone whom I'd like for you to meet."

"And who is that?" Naomi whispered.

"Your great-grandfather, of course," the Oni replied, "He's been waiting for years to have the chance to see you...he just doesn't know it yet, but I know you'll love meeting him. It will explain a whole lot about your life and give you those answers you've always wanted to know, about who you are, what you are, why you have so much strength and yet can't find your way from your desk to the privy without needing to use markers."

"How did you...?" Naomi gasped.

"Lucky guess," Ganglot chuckled as she helped Naomi to stand, "Hope you don't mind flying without a plane, because this is the fasted way to get where I'm going."

"Wha...?" Naomi started to ask when she found herself borne aloft in the arms of the naked Oni, the ground (or peak) falling away from her heels as a circle of light opened to greet them, complete with a sudden rush of starlight that would have terribly impressed George Lucas...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I think I know now why they call it "'Til death do us part," because at the rate things keep happening in my life I'll be lucky if I live to see my honeymoon. Life with Ranma sure can be exciting on occasion, but it's like somebody's pulling out the stakes the closer I get to the big event the day after tomorrow.

There I was enjoying some exotic dancing in the company of Shampoo and the ladies, thinking what an interesting contrast there might be between Shampoo and the girl dancing at our table (and if you think I'd have voiced this thought aloud, be assured that I was tempered by the thought that Shampoo would probably take that as a challenge and start dancing for my benefit, heedless of the audience around us) when who should show up in that very establishment but Ranma and his father, accompanied by the Old Man (in Young Stud mode), Ukyo, Ryoga, Tenchi, Tenchi's granddad and a couple of other people...some tall College guy I didn't immediately recognize and a girl who looked a lot like Ambergris (except for showing both eyes and the odd school uniform that she was wearing). Our group didn't spy them right away but when I did chance to notice I caught a few of them glancing over their shoulders as if half expecting someone was going to show up and wreck their party.

I wasn't surprised at all to think that Happosai had brought my iinazuke to a topless bar, but I was rather surprised not to see Ryoga fainting dead away from a nose hemorrhage when some cute frilly thing started dancing at his table. Right away I fathomed that they were pretty worried about something and it was distracting just about everyone except Gramps so that they barely even acknowledged that there were semi-naked women in the room. I mean, what's the point of a Bachelor party if the Stud of Honor isn't going to be taking any notice of the available market of women that he's giving up for the sake of our marriage? I was more than willing to concede Ranma a single night of such indulgence, just as long as it was the "Look, don't Touch" variety, so I was naturally concerned that there was something else on his mind of greater urgency than enjoying the party.

Of course I wasn't the only one to take notice of this curious phenomenon, and as soon as the others became aware that the boys were present they started to offer their commentary, such as Atsuko saying aloud, "Hey, what's eating Gemi-  
chan? He looks like somebody just told him the price of Bear Meat in China."

"He does have that peculiar shifty fugitive look about him, yes," Silk readily agreed, "Wonder what mischief he's been up to this time, Comb?"

"Of what possible interest would it be to me?" Comb snapped as her ruby eyes noticeably darkened.

"Dearest?" Nodoka frowned, "He's not enjoying the show, and neither is Ranma. That isn't very manly."

"Something must be bothering them," Soun got up and nodded apologetically to the rest of us, "Wait here, I'll find out what it is."

Somehow I felt more than a twinge of disloyalty at doubting my father would have much success squeezing any information out of Genma and the others, so I waited only until the count of five before taking Shampoo by the hand and saying, "Let's find out for ourselves, how about?"

"Is good plan," my impending wife readily agreed, and taking my arm in her cute little way she accompanied me as we went over to Ranma, intending to surprise him.

We succeeded. Ranma almost jumped out of his seat before he saw who we were, at which point he only half-relaxed and said, "Oh, it's you guys...I mean, glad it's you and...ah...er...what are you doing here?"

"That's supposed to be our line," I gave him a mock-stern tone because I always enjoy seeing him squirm when he's trying to come up with an explanation.

"Ah...I can explain everything!" he instantly protested, "The old Freak dragged me here and..."

"Ailen no have lie," Shampoo responded, leaving my arm and reaching out to cup his face in both hands, "Shampoo very glad Ailen come place where men pays respects to superiority of womans, but if Ranma want see girl dance naked, then Shampoo show him," and to illustrate her point she pulled Ranma's face into her chest and began to rub the exposed portions of her breasts against him.

I was amused to see Ranma's pigtail stand on end once again, and turned on like nothing else by Shampoo's brazenness. I wanted to do the same thing for Ranma, to rub his face between my bosoms, but I'm not as uninhibited as our wife, and besides which I was distracted when Akane came up and accosted Ukyo with a hug that the Chef never even saw coming.

"Ucchan!" my sister all but glowed with happiness, while I saw Ukyo's eyes do an almost comical dance that reminded me of an old cartoon about a cat and a skunk that I dimly remembered seeing as a kid, "What are you doing here? Come to keep my sister's Baka boyfriend out of trouble?"

"Ah...well," Ukyo winced awkwardly, "So far we haven't quite managed to do that..."

I rather imagine that she was glad that Makoto and her friends were back in Juban right about then because if any of them had seen her being so enthusiastically embraced by Akane...well, I wouldn't want to be in Ukyo's place should that happen. I like my hair just the way it is and I've no intention of getting it curly with a million volts of electrostatic discharge. Kuonji wears way too much metal to be fooling around like that with my Kawaii-yet-Baka little sister.

"And what do you boys have to say for yourselves?" Atsuko sniffed, "Coming to a place like this of all things...and dragging my Ryo-chan along with you no less."

"Ah..." Genma exchanged non-plussed looks with Daddy.

"Who're your friends?" I heard Aunt Yumi (yeah, I've started calling her that...I mean, you don't just say "Hey You" to an ex-girlfriend of Daddy's who walks softly and carries a big spatula) say as she nodded to the tall guy and the pink-haired looker.

"Oh," Ryoga was the one to answer, "We just met. This is Usagi's fiancee, Chiba Mamoru, and this is Tenjou Utena, she goes to Otori Academy."

"Charmed," the pink haired girl acknowledged before turning to look with round eyes at one woman dancing on the stage. She got a peculiar expression on her face as she half-murmured our way, "Ah...excuse me...I think I see somebody I know..."

As the strange girl in the masculine dress wandered off, her eyes fixed on some strawberry blonde doing a slow strip-tease number, I turned an amused look at the tall man and said, "You're Mamo-chan? The guy Usagi moons about in every other sentence?"

"Ah...she does?" he sounded surprised upon hearing that, "Ah...well...Usagi is my fiancee, but we've been apart for the past semester while I've been away studying to be an Architect."

"You've been studying in America," Nodoka smiled, "I've always wanted to visit, I hear parts of it are very nice."

"Oh, sure," the tall man shrugged, "New York is an impressive place if you're from out of town, if you can manage to avoid running into one of their Superhero fights. I'm transferring to San Francisco next semester and seeking my Major on the West Coast. I was hoping to maybe ask Usagi and her friends to come visit me, but...well..."

"Now there," Silk noted smoothly, "I'm sure things will all work out for the best with you three, but come now, what is so terrible that it has you boys acting like you have a Hunt Party following close upon your heels? This is a place where people should relax and enjoy themselves...or at least as much as you're allowed to do in public."

Right then we heard a loud "EEEK" coming from one of the stages, and without turning to look I knew that Gramps was involved. I heard Ranma mutter under his breath, "Where's Hinako-Sensei when you need her?" and silently nodded my assent to that statement.

And that was when I chanced to notice a pair of eyes turned our way, hostile eyes of an entirely feminine character framed within a face that was remarkably attractive. A dark haired girl sporting a pony tail and wearing a Ninja-type outfit was gliding through the bar on a Tangential course that was taking her near to our position. She had a tray of drinks poised on one shoulder as if playing the part of a waitress (albeit one wearing way too much to befit the dress code of this establishment), and without needing to be told I knew intuitively that her intent towards us was anything but friendly.

Shampoo seemed to sense my mood, followed my line of sight and instantly went on the defensive. We positioned ourselves in flanking points near to Ranma, ready to act if the Ninja-girl made a move in his direction. The girl seemed to take notice of this but hardly missed a pace as she suddenly launched her attack, hurtling the tray like it was a discus. Instead of Ranma, though, the tray was aimed at either Ukyo or Ryoga, both of whom turned in time to see the attack, though the one who reacted first was none other than Akane.

My sister's battle reflexes-while slow by Ranma's standards-are nothing to sneeze at and she was quick to perceive a threat towards "her Ucchan," reacting accordingly by batting the disk away with a casual arm-sweep. However this just sent the drinks that were somehow still perched upon the trail flying up into the air, and whatever was in those glasses must have been enough like water to trigger everyone's curses as we got splashed good and thorough.

At once Ukyo grew about ten centimeters, Ranma shrank by about twenty while Uncle Genma sprouted fur and Atsuko vanished into her clothing. Akane gave a wince as her wings sprouted out from behind her back while Shampoo fell to the floor in cat form, and nothing much in particular happened to Ryoga other than he got a good soaking.

That was rather what the rest of us were feeling at the moment, but I was forced to close my eyes as the sting of alcohol caused me to look away during the ensuing scuffle. I managed to get my eyes cleared again just in time to see a pair of bouncers hauling off a struggling blonde Happosai while everyone else was milling around in confusion and Ranma was drying, "Where did she get off to?"

"She vanished," Mamoru declared, "Like smoke. Ah..." he took a good, long look at our group before adding, "Does this sort of thing happen often?"

"Frequently," Ukyo-kun replied, dabbing his face with a handkerchief before offering it to Akane.

"Ranma-kun," I drawled.

"Yeah, Nabiki?" she answered.

I reached out to my now-female iinazuke, snagged her by the collar and hauled her in close to where I could look down into her face and take full advantage in the sudden change of our height ratios, going into full "Intimidation" mode as I purred rather dangerously, "Who was that and why was she after you guys right now?"

"Ah..." Ranma-chan hesitated, only to give a mini-yelp as Shampoo alighted on her shoulders, perching there with a very arched cat-like expression.

"It wasn't the Boy's fault...for once," Genma glanced to make certain that Happosai had been given the heave-ho before saying, "The fault this time rests entirely with the Master."

"Saotome," Daddy said in hushed tones, "You don't mean to say...?"

"Gramps dragged us to this place called the 'Sexy Girl Teashop,'" Ryoga replied, "I guess he thought the place would have something more than what we found when we got there."

"Hah, you got that right," Ukyo-kun noted, "Instead of sexy girls the place was full of the 'Ugly as Sin' type...in fact they were so Ugly that Sin wouldn't have anything to do with them."

"All except that one girl whom you just met," Mamoru added, "And as you can tell the lady is a wee bit miffed at the way we made our exit."

"You mean she was pissed off with Gramps for blowing the place up with one of those Hand-grenade thingies he carries around with him all of the time," Ranma said, "We're lucky we didn't get buried under all that timber and rubble, right Tenchi? Tenchi?"

"Oh my," Tenchi's grandfather turned to see the way his ward was staring at the stage with an almost shell-shocked expression, "Tenchi...you ought to be used to seeing girls naked by now..."

"But Grampa," Tenchi pointed at the stage, "That girl looks just like Ryoko!"

"Eh?" those of us who knew the self-described 'Space Pirate' on sight turned to see a naked girl with spiky pale blue hair doing a dance number as if intoxicated from too much of something potent. We were a bit amazed to find that the occupant of the table where she was dancing also looked remarkably familiar, and Tenchi recognized them too, once he had torn his eyes from the sight of Ryoko.

"Is somebody else having a Bachelor party and didn't inform us?" Nodoka turned a beatific smile towards Tenchi, "You sly boy...you never even told us you were getting married to your girlfriends."

Said "Sly boy" looked about ready to drop dead from a heart attack as Ryoko dragged a reluctant Ayeka up onto the table and set about trying to publicly undress her.

"I guess Tenchi didn't know either," Ranma-chan offered in sympathy as she moved to catch her cousin before he could hit the floor, and Comb at once produced a strip of cloth with which she managed to staunch the bleeding from his nostrils.

By mutual consent we elected to cut the night short before someone decided to throw us out, and I figured we'd had just about enough partying for one night. Besides, I had to get Ranma and Shampoo home to get them changed back to their correct shapes (not that there's anything wrong with having them in either form...Shampoo's fur is so nice to pet while she's Neko) while Akane seemed intent on dragging Ukyo off to who-knows-what assignation. We all went our separate ways after Nodoka reclaimed both her son and husband, while Comb insisted Shampoo return with her to the Nekohanten. The rest of us returned to Ucchan's Caf and retired early as I wanted to be at my best for when I confronted the Gambler King to win back my home and my dojo.

I'm presently typing this on the table top provided to me in an unused office room inside of the restaurant. (I wasn't about to leave a valuable commodity like my computer behind, given the King's reputation for confiscating property assets left behind on premises he acquires. There's also that troubling connection between the King and that mysterious Nakamura woman, both of whom I suspect are front people working directly (or indirectly) for our enemy, Ryoga's evil grandmother.

I hope tomorrow turns out well, but then I'm confident in my abilities. Winning at cards, even against a notorious cheater, isn't as great a challenge as what we (meaning Ranma, Shampoo, myself and the rest of our merry band of friends and hangers-on) faced going up against Prince Kirin and his people. It's that larger sense I have that something is building up in the background, something extraordinary that's gathering strength like an offshore storm about to turn into a Tsunami. I wonder if we'll be ready to meet whatever's coming in the future? I sure hope so...it would be nice to have some quality down time so that Ranma, Shampoo and me can take a much-needed vacation. (A quiet Honeymoon locked in our room having mind-blowing sex wouldn't be all that bad either...)

I hear Mon-Mon up on the roof playing her cardolin again, and I wondered where she had gotten off to while the rest of us were out having a party. Yumi complained a bit but seemed resigned to accepting her presence as a guest, just like the rest of us freeloaders. I wonder what a Nekonron priestess and self-  
described Courtesan must think of her first few days in Japan and whether we mere peasants are living up to her expectations.

I can't quite get the image out of my head of that female Ninja...Kunoichi (or so Yumi reminds me) was looking at us with such hostility...I'm convinced we haven't seen the last of her, and I wonder when she'll next be paying us a visit? A Ninja is supposed to be a pretty nasty enemy to have arrayed against you, and they don't always strike in a nice, neat and honorable manner, so we're all going to have to be on our guard until this matter is resolved between us...not that I can blame her for being a bit upset that Gramps blew up her place. You'd think for once somebody would go after Happosai instead of tarring us all with the same brushstroke, but I guess the term "Damned by Association" applies to us Tendos as well as Hibikis, Kuonjis and Saotomes.

I should amend here that Kasumi elected to accept Kodachi's invitation to spend another night at the family mansion, and provided the both of them can avoid having a clash with her older brother, I guess they'll be all right (Don't even wanna go there, remembering what happened the last time I convinced Ranma and Shampoo to help me crash one of their "parties").

One other thing does trouble me, though...Cologne is back in town after having spent the past two weeks with her kinfolk, the Masakis, but I'm a little surprised we didn't see her later on as she had seemed oddly distracted about something. I don't know quite why but I have a funny feeling about her, like she's about to go up against something personally traumatic, but I suppose I'm just letting my imagination run away with me on that front. I mean, after all, she's arguably the toughest warrior in all of China, probably Japan as well, so what could possibly be too much for her to handle? I sure wouldn't want to meet the guy who could give her a tough time, and she'll probably be dancing on all of our graves when we're long since dead and ashes.

At least for Shampoo's sake I hope that is the case...I don't know quite why but I still have this odd sense that the "Old Woman" is headed for something of a crisis, and I'm wondering if this might have anything to do with Lotion's curious absence as I haven't seen my mentor since we found out about the possible loss of the dojo. Could it be that there really is something major brewing in the background, and if there is, then who exactly (besides Cybelle) is behind this?

I don't really know, and that's the thing I that makes me nervous...or appreciably more nervous than my impending marriage to Ranma...

"Is there, Great-Grandmother," Ling-Ling nodded to the innocuous looking building that lay across the street from where they were perching on the rooftops.

"Is where we see strangers go," Lung-Lung agreed, "And strange woman with facial markings."

"I see," Cologne said gravely, "You have done well to come find me, little ones. I can feel the aura surrounding this place...it is definitely her. Somehow she has won her freedom and is now loose to sew her mischief here in Nerima."

"Who is, Great-Grandmother?" Ling-Ling asked.

"Is great enemy to Amazons?" Lung-Lung echoed.

"Perhaps one of the greatest enemies we have known, short of the Musk Dynasty itself," Cologne replied, turning to regard her two young charges, "You are to return to the restaurant and wait until your mother and older sister get back home. Do not give them any details, but tell them I will be detained by official business."

The twins exchanged looks and then Ling-Ling looked questioningly towards their Elder, "You is going to face enemy alone, Great-Grandmother?"

"Is wise to face great enemy and no inform Mother?" Lung-Lung added.

"You are good children and fine warriors," Cologne informed them proudly, "One day you will make our people proud of the both of you...but for now you are no match for the being who resides within this stronghold. No one else can hope to face her and come away the victor but myself, for I have faced her before and lived to tell about it..."

"No one you say?" a familiar voice softly inquired as a figure stepped out from the shadows, "I think I've just been insulted."

There was a simultaneous gasp from the twins, but Cologne just turned tired eyes towards the blonde figure in the warm-weather attire and said, "I have no time for this, Siren. If you are here, you no doubt know the one whom now threatens our future. I am going and that is final..."

"I know you are," Siren said as she put hands to hips, "You never back down from anything, which is why I'm coming along with you."

"Out of the question," Cologne said dismissively, "I trust you only slightly less than I do her..."

"Oh, now I am insulted," Siren made a face, "Admit it, Kho-chan, you don't have a prayer of facing her alone. You may be a great warrior, and your Juraian blood makes you more than formidable, but you're still mortal and human while she's ageless and powerful in ways that even I don't fully comprehend. You need me to back you up, and don't bother trying to deny it..."

"My decision stands as is," Cologne said tartly, "I am still your Matriarch, and I say you will stay out of this..."

"Oh, pardon me," Siren said sarcastically, "The great and powerful Cologne has spoken, let all bow down to her infinitesimal wisdom! Oh, sorry...did I say that I gave a damn about that or any other Council business? You can order me all you like, but you know that I'll do whatever I damned well please, and there is no way in hell that I am letting you face a foe this powerful by yourself."

Cologne's staff was in motion before the twins had even seen their Elder move, but Siren effortlessly caught the blunt end only inches from where it was poised to strike her on the chin. Siren's expression did not change as she said simply, "I am going with you whether you like it or not, and admit it to yourself, if no one else, just which of the two of us is better equipped to go up against an Oni of her standing."

Cologne's expression was hard, but after a moment she relented. She withdrew her staff and said, "Do whatever you like, but don't get in my way. This is personal between me and that...that woman...!"

"I wouldn't think of opposing you, Matriarch," Siren replied, "Or of coming between you and her, but the job of watching your back is the one I claim. I'd do it anyway, even if we weren't facing danger together."

Cologne gave a crusty snort to that while the twins just blinked their eyes and wisely chose to avoid attracting attention. Cologne remembered them anyway as she said, "Return to the Restaurant and wait, children. I will report back after my business is concluded."

With that she leaped from the roof down to street level while Siren winked at the two girls and said, "Don't let her get to you, kids, her bark's worse than her bite, and I'm in a position to know about that."

With that she spot-teleported to the Matriarch's side, leaving two very confused young Amazons to exchange concerned expressions.

"Now then," Siren mused as she regarded the exterior, "Any thoughts on how we should mount our attack upon yon edifice, O' Mighty War Master?"

"There's no sense being subtle about it," Cologne said, "She's bound to know that we're here and will have had time enough to prepare her defenses."

"That's what worries me," Siren replied, "The element of surprise is not with us, and I can see how formidable her magical barriers have been erected. I doubt that even I could penetrate them with a straight on assault, and teleporting is out of the question. So is Windwalking and Dimensional shift, two specialties at which she is admittedly a master."

"No doubt she could shuttle us to wherever she wanted if we use magic to force our way in," Cologne deduced, "But her physical defenses appear soft, and for all that she has the strength of the Demon Tribes in her blood, she is no Hibiki when it comes to a straight-up fight."

"Don't be entirely too sure on that," Siren cautioned, "She may have been out of commission for close to three hundred years, but we don't know for a fact that she will be weakened by her long hibernation. It is true that her worship has subsided over the years, but she obviously still has access to a large source of raw magical energy, and her knowledge of the arcane arts exceeds even my own by a couple thousand years or so of experience..."

"I'm counting on her still being relatively weak due to her long incarceration," Cologne noted, "I am hoping that we do not face her at the height of her power or this fight will be a quick one, and over in a way not to our liking."

"That's what I've always loved about you, Kho-chan," Siren smiled, "You radiate the power of positive thinking. Might I suggest we use the direct approach, walk up to the door, ring the bell and ask if she is at home and might be kindly disposed to receive us?"

"What, resort to diplomacy?" Cologne lifted an eyebrow.

"It's called Warfare by a different means," Siren replied, "We might be able to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution without an exchange of hostilities..."

"Even I would not sink so low," Cologne turned and regarded the building as though it had some something to offend her, "I lost a brother whom I loved because of that Woman, and there is no way that I would believe that she will back down because we ask her nicely. I will go myself and confront the Oni in her lair, you can wait here and debate the wisdom of this all you want..."

"Try holding me back," Siren's green eyes glittered dangerously, "I double dare you."

"Fine then," Cologne sniffed and began moving forward, causing Siren to roll her eyes towards the heavens before shrugging her shoulders and falling into step behind her.

Cologne gathered her energies to herself and felt her father's legacy rising up to the surface, causing her exterior to change as her hair took on a more distinctly blue coloration, her robes melting away to be replaced by a Juraian battle suit as her staff took on the aspect of a far more lethal weapon. The wood that had come from one of the Trees of the Jurai reformed itself into a spear, one capable of slicing through the toughest battleship armor. By any extreme she was readying herself for a true life-or-death battle.

"Nice outfit," Siren said in approval, sparing a leer that would have brought a look of annoyance from her companion, who was too focused upon the exterior of the building to truly notice.

"DEMONESS!" Cologne cried as she raised her weapon high, "WE HAVE COME FOR YOU! PREPARE YOURSELF TO FACE THE WRATH OF AMAZON JUSTICE!"

"Well now," a voice heralded the appearance of a woman, who stepped out from the front door of the building and posed herself in a most provocative manner, "Isn't that a contradiction in terms? Hello Cologne-darling...long time no see."

"Ganglot..." the blue haired Matriarch whispered, then with a sudden surge of emotion she charged forward, her spear held high as she prepared to strike at the seemingly unprotected woman before her, "DEEEIII!"

"Kho-chan, DON'T-!" Siren cried out in warning, rushing forward to try and intercept her.

Cologne lashed out with her spear and struck at Ganglot's image, only to shatter it like the shards of a giant mirror, which was exactly what it turned out to be as Cologne tumbled forward on her own momentum, Siren catching up at the last instant as the two of them suddenly found themselves drawn into the resulting void that opened up to receive them.

With an audible snapping noise something closed about them like the jaws of a steel trap, and then they found themselves in an entirely different setting that looked nothing like the streets of the city that they had left behind and instead had a quality that looked as if it had come right out of a painting.

"Uh oh," Siren said as she glanced around in alarm, her arms around Cologne's waist.

"Uh oh?" Cologne asked, "What just happened?"

"A Corealis trap," Siren said in hushed tones, "I was afraid she might use something like this, and now we've both stuck our foot in it. I think this time we really are in trouble."

"An excellent and astute deduction," the voice of Ganglot announced as her face suddenly filled the sky amidst their panoramic surroundings, , "Worthy of an Archmage of the Joketsuzoku. You fully live up to my expectations for you both, especially in the way you acted...almost predictable when you come down to it, for which I do admit to being a little bit disappointed."

"What have you done to us, Demon?" Cologne demanded, becoming aware that Siren had yet to release her, to which she turned an annoyed glare over her shoulder, "Do you mind?"

"Oh, not at all, thank you for asking," Siren replied with no sign of wanting to move her hands from where they were positioned, "What do you want with us, Oni?"

"What have I done?" Ganglot leered, "Why, I've trapped the both of your together, and such a lovely couple you are, if I do say so myself. As to what I want...well, that would all depend. Obviously I don't want either of you to attack me, but I can hardly expect Cologne to change her opinion of me overnight, so for now I must reluctantly restrain you."

"Restrain us?" Cologne frowned, "Never!"

"Er..." Siren said more reluctantly, "Actually...she may have us there. A Corealis trap is rather easy to get into, hard as hell to break out of, mainly because it turns your own power against you. Wizards use them to snare really powerful beings when we want to make them tractable. Even gods would have a problem escaping one of these without some help from the outside..."

"Excellent, you summarize it so nicely," Ganglot applauded, "I don't mean to hold you there forever, of course, but long enough that you won't get in the way...well...that all depends on you, I'm afraid. As long as Cologne here views me as her mortal enemy she's bound and determined to be a thorn in my side, and that simply will not do as long as my wayward Daughter-in-law is at large and intent on working her own brand of evil mischief."

"You think there is any difference between the two of you to me?" Cologne snarled, "You killed my brother!"

"Oh, get a grip on it already," Ganglot bared fangs, "You know that isn't true, and if I really were the insidious pest you think I am I would destroy you for even suggesting such a thing. I loved your brother, he was everything in the world to me. You think you had a monopoly on grief when he died? I died myself when he was lost to that battle! Get over yourself and stop blaming me for all your mistakes and problems, not least of them being Happosai himself! Now, if it's all the same to you, I'll leave you two lovebirds to get better acquainted. I have a family reunion to get back to and I've wasted enough time on a spoiled little girl who complains that life doesn't always treat her nicely."

"How dare you speak that way to me!" Cologne railed, "Mark me well, I will escape from here, and when I do...!"

"You know, I seem to recall using almost the exact same words when you locked me into my temple," Ganglot's golden eyes glinted with hard amusement, "It bites doesn't it? What comes around goes around and all that...but cheer up, I'm sure in three hundred years or so you'll find some kindly soul who would be willing to free you. I trust that in that time you both might learn to behave yourselves, just as I did?"

"Three hundred years..." Siren blinked her eyes, then smiled as she glanced down at the woman whom she was still embracing, "Together?"

"Thank me later," Ganglot winked, even as a look of alarm began to cross the Matriarch's lovely features, "Au revoire and all that, Darlings...I trust you will be in a better mood when I check in on you later."

The Oni's face vanished from the skylight, and Cologne found herself still in the embrace of an amorous Sorceress whose raw power greatly exceeded her own, to which her eyes grew round and she cried out, "HEEELLLP!"

"I'd be glad to," Siren chuckled.

Ganglot chuckled too as she set the crystal ball-shaped ornament onto a podium mount that had been prepared to properly house it. She had no doubt the Archmage would work her spell upon the hard hearted (and hard-headed) Matriarch to get her off her high horse so that she might learn to behave in a manner that was more-or-less human. She would keep tabs on their progress just in case, but at least she had averted one more potential threat to her plans. With any luck she might even get Cologne to see reason, though for that a longer stay than was practical would probably be needed.

She turned to the painting that hung from the wall and stepped through the canvas surface into the pocket dimension that she had kept separated from the material world, appearing in what seemed like a comfortable house-like setting. To all appearances it seemed like a study set inside a mansion complete with large windows opening out on a panoramic English countryside, and sitting around in chairs were a number of people, not least of whom was her son and his descendants. Julian and Romeo came in and out of the room bearing trays of food, drink and other refreshments even as Ryomi was chatting away with Akiko as though the two of them were old friends rather than recent acquaintances. Naomi looked up as Ganglot seemed to walk right out of one wall and her expression was poignant, but other than this she seemed too shell-shocked to protest, having had one too many surprised dropped on her in gradual succession.

"Sorry everyone," Ganglot said like the cheerful hostess that she was, "Personal business called me away, but nothing to be too upset about. I trust everyone is feeling comfortable? Are there any needs that are not being attended?"

"Yo, Sheila," said a Hibiki with a distinctly Australian accent, a rough looking customer from the Queensland Outback, "'Ow 'bout y'run by me agin' this bit 'bout us all bein' related? That'n fetch me another brewsky, luv."

"How about get it yourself?" Ryomi snapped.

"Now Ryo-chan," Ganglot chided, "That's no way to treat a relative. I'm sure Hogan-san meant that as a request in the politest terms of his society. Besides, you're the only one here who has a key to the bar."

"All right," Ryomi rolled her eyes and got up from her chair, pleased to note the arrows appeared in the air steering her towards the right article of furniture when she said the word, "Bar please."

"This place is incredible," a bespeckled woman with light brown hair remarked as she surveyed the books lining the shelves, selecting one and opening the cover, "Not only are these books incredibly real but they even have writing on the inside..."

"The books you see have been downloaded from their Akashik templates and recreated here with as much reality as the furniture and ceiling," Ganglot explained, "Consider this like a Hologram with form and substance, all the better to create an atmosphere of comfort for this first-ever family meeting of the clan of the Hibikis. We're still short a few members...about half of those who comprise the overall party, but that's not really too surprising since my Son and his heirs all share a similar handicap with directions."

"I don't have a problem with directions," Akiko insisted, and when others looked her way she added more defensively, "I always know where I am...it's just the rest of the world tends to get a bit disordered."

"Makes sense t'me," drawled a Cowboy-like figure as he adjusted his Stetson hat, "Out on the range an old Sod like me don't need to know where ah'm goin'...just as long as I get there sooner or later."

"Verdammit!" swore a redheaded girl with a quite unmistakable Austrian accent, "Does no one care but me that we have been kidnapped to some...fantasy castle out in the middle of who knows where we are being held against our will?"

"My apologies once again, Frauline Langley," Ganglot nodded, "I won't detain any of you any longer than absolutely necessary, but I have to impress upon you all the danger that confronts all of my son's offspring from the threat posed by Cybelle, our mutual enemy..." she paused to regard the man who was her son and added, "You do remember her, don't you, Razor-chan?"

"Ah..." the handsome man frowned, "Could you give me a hint again? Who are you?"

"Ah geez, Gramps," Ryomi chided as she came back with a couple of bottles, handing one to Akiko, then tossing another to the man called Hogan, "It's like we told you about a dozen times already!"

"I can't say I find it impossible to believe that we might be related," a younger yet still handsome man remarked, "But I still don't know about this. Are your sure he's my grandfather?"

"What do you think Ryonnosuke?" Ganglot asked of this fellow, who normally patrolled within the range of a certain forest, "That is your name, is it not?"

"Ah..." the youth blinked his eyes then said, "I think so..."

"I rest my case," Ganglot rolled her eyes, "This is going to take a lot of work, but I think we'll be able to work together rather well once we learn more about the common ties we share."

"I...don't mean to be a wet blanket," Naomi set her tea down on a table, "But will this meeting be ending anytime soon? I need to get back to my daughter..."

"Not to worry," Ganglot gave a thumb's up sign, "I plan ahead for such things, as you will see if you cast your gaze to your right."

"Eh?" Naomi blinked, only to see a section of wall begin to ripple, and through the shimmering space stepped Kento and little Rachael.

"Mommy!" the girl cried in childish delight as she rushed forward with her arms spread wide to embrace the astonished Naomi.

"Rachael?" Naomi was on her knees at once and sharing the embrace with tears in her eyes, relief flooding through her.

"Nakamura-san?" Kento expressed his surprise, "I got your call and came down like you asked...only...what is this strange place...and who are you, lady?"

"A friend," Ganglot assured him, "With no ties whatsoever to the Netherverse, I assure you."

"A call?" Naomi looked up from where she was hugging her daughter, "I didn't make any call or give you any instructions..."

"Ah, that would be my doing," Ganglot raised a hand, "I took the liberty of placing that call for you. I hoped you wouldn't mind seeing as it was for a good cause, making certain your daughter and bodyguard are included in my field of protection."

"That was you?" Kento blinked, "You sounded just like Nakamura-san. Are you sure you're not related to a guy named Dais?"

"Positive," Ganglot replied, "Well, now that this meeting is getting closer to being underway, I suppose we can start with the slide-show, or would you prefer the Video presentation? I know some of you will have trouble with some of the finer details...and a few may not even remember this five minutes after you hear the presentation, so please hold your questions until the end, please? It would be distracting being asked the same thing over and over again, and I'd like to conclude this meeting in an orderly manner."

"What about bathroom breaks?" Akiko asked.

"If you need to go just raise your hand," Ganglot replied, "Ryo-chan will escort you to and from the privy. Of course if you wish to go on your own, ask and the arrows will point the way. Now, are there any more questions?"

Everyone raised their hand except for Razor, who blinked his eyes and said, "What are we talking about here?"

Ganglot heaved a sighed, "Here we go again, and please remember, Son, this is for the sake of your children, their children, and the children yet to be born well into the future."

"Oh," Razor nodded, "I understand...I think."

"Anybody have some Ginseng?" Akiko asked of the gathering.

"How about some Memo pads?"

"I vote for flash cards."

"Ey, maybe th'ol boy oughta hold his piece 'til its over?"

"What was the question again?"

"I wonder if Zeus ever has centuries like these?" Ganglot rolled her eyes to the ceiling, knowing full well that it was, after all, a rhetorical question...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Complaints/Candidates for Lunacy: shadowmane

Nabiki battles to win back her dowry as Comb reacts to the news that her grandmother has gone AWOL. Will the gang rally to the rescue of the missing Amazon Elder, or will they sit back, toast her health and smell the roses? Will Cologne escape being locked in Pocket Space with an Amorous Archmage and will her virtue be intact in the morning? For these and other stirring questions tune in for "Full House Beats a Flush," or "Between a Rook and a Hard Case." Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	120. Chapter 120

NabikiRan104 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Four.

Comb was disturbed, deeply and personally, and not for the usual reasons that one might have said that about her (in polite company, and well away from prying gossips). She had returned home to a darkened restaurant only to be confronted by the news that her grandmother had gone charging off to face a foe so formidable that even she had seemed daunted...so much so that she had even agreed to take Siren along for backup (and if anyone knew even slightly about their personal history together they would have found that just as disturbing).

Her two daughters had taken her immediately to the place where they had last seen their indomitable elder go charging off in full battle regalia, but by the time they had gotten there it was as if the place had never been there to begin win. A vacant lot greeted their arrival, as though the building itself had vanished. Even Hairbrush (who had insisted on coming along in spite of Comb's admonition about danger) seemed disturbed by that little revelation (and Comb would have been the first to swear that her unflappable husband was incapable of looking so worried).

That left Comb with some decidedly unpleasant prospects to consider. True she did not always get along with her grandmother (well...technically speaking, she almost NEVER got along with her, or agreed with her all that often, but let's not quibble about the finer points) but still Cologne was family and her family's Elder. The idea that there was something out there that could even frighten the Amazon Matriarch was a more than alarming prospect in and of itself, but to think that such a force was let loose in Nerima? That was truly frightening! Never mind that Cologne and Siren had vanished with the building, whatever was capable of even inconveniencing the two of them was truly a menace the likes of which Comb dared not even imagine!

If there was one bedrock, unshakable conviction in Comb's life it was that Cologne the Elder was an invincible bedrock of strength and towering perfection in the arts of war and combat. Growing up under her tutelage had been a frustrating ordeal, for as hard as Comb would try to master Amazon techniques, she never seemed capable of living up to the Matriarch's exacting standards. Even to earn a compliment was like being given a bone to chew over and could make Comb bask for days in the thought that she might have achieved something praiseworthy. Cologne had been her ideal of what it meant to be a warrior, and the impossibility of even approaching her as a warrior had tormented Comb all through her difficult and trying adolescence. It was only later, when she came to question Cologne's sense of moral right and wrong, that Comb began to see her grandmother in a different, less flattering light, when compromise and expediency could often overrule a warrior's sense of honor and justice.

Not that Cologne was inherently a bad person-oh no, far from it! Comb respected her Elder as both a tribal leader and a leading example of outwardly exemplary behavior. Comb knew her grandmother was no where near as cold and ruthless as she might pretend to be before others, and often Cologne would bend the rules as she saw fit to achieve a kind of qualified justice. The problem was that Cologne was also stubbornly convinced that she was either always in the right or must at least appear to be magnanimous in conceding an error. The frustrations of youth had clashed with the superior airs of a Matronizing (not to be confused with Patronizing, of course) condescension, the infuriating "I'm right and you'd better bloody well get used to it" smugness that nearly all Elders manifested (Lotion being a rare and rather remarkable exception).

When Comb had chosen to give up her warrior status it had led to a near-  
permanent rift between them as Grandmother and Granddaughter. Comb had begun to see her Elder in an entirely different light after experiencing the world outside of Amazon borders. It had been a hard fight to win her freedom so that she might pursue her true calling as a Healer, and in the end she had been forced to make that damnable bargain that consigned Shampoo to be her replacement, but with that one exception, Comb had never regretted her decision. Becoming a Doctor had been one of the proudest moments of her life, second only to becoming a Mother and taking Hairbrush for her husband, and it had allowed her to give back to the world instead of taking from it like a trained killer.

In the privacy of her heart Comb was gratified to know how very much Shampoo had turned out to be just like her. On odd moments Comb even entertained the notion of encouraging her daughter to pursue a career in medicine, though it seemed just as likely that Shampoo might wind up as a talented Engineer, like her father. Either way, Comb was so proud of her oldest child and was equally amused at the thought of how much it would irk Cologne to see yet another of her bloodline turn away from the path of violence to embrace life itself in a fear more constructive manner.

Of course even though Comb still nursed a deep resentment of her Elder for forcing such a difficult choice upon her, keeping her from being a proper mother to Shampoo, she still did not harbor ill feelings towards Cologne that would make her wish for bad things to happen (well, other than possibly having either Happosai or Siren press home their claims as potential suitors, a thought which brought a smile to her lips even in the midst of her distress over the looming crisis).

There were very few beings in the world whom Comb knew about who could be a potential threat to her grandmother. One of them, of course, was Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty, another was Lord Saffron of Phoenix Mountain. The international criminal known as Vega or the Hong Kong based thug known as Geese Howard were said to be dangerous men on a level comparable to an Amazon Elder, but Comb doubted either one could be involved here. It was troubling to think of how many beings of power her grandmother might have encountered in her three hundred years of life, and just how many of them might nurse a grudge of long standing, but what narrowed the list of potential candidates down was a casual reference that Ling-Ling had made to the enemy being referred to as an Oni. Comb had pressed for further details and heard Lung-Lung confirm that their great-grandmother and Siren had definitely called their enemy an Oni and referred to her as female.

That could only mean one thing, and Comb sincerely hoped that she was wrong about this. Although it was well before her time that the events had transpired, the legend of the Sealing of the Oni Princess known as Ganglot was still told in hushed whispers to frighten small Amazon children into obeying their elders. If this was indeed the Demoness who had elevated Happosai from minor nuisance to the Demon Master that he was today, then it would go a long way to explaining her Grandmother's behavior.

And having arrived at this thought after long and diligent contemplation, Comb came to a second, even more disturbing conclusion on what she would have to do about this if she were to be of any assistance at all to her family's Elder. As much as it galled her she would have to swallow her pride and do the one thing she hated next to admitting to an error.

She would have to find Atsuko and (Comb gritted her teeth) petition the Oni to help Comb against her own grandmother!

As she turned away with her family, however, a lone figure approached the lot from another angle, careful not to be seen by the Healer, her husband and daughters. That figure limped up to where the sidewalk met bare ground and surveyed the space before herself with more than normal scrutiny, nodding faintly to herself before remarking aloud, "Impressive...she had grown powerful indeed, every bit as much as I dared to hope for."

Lotion paused a moment, took a deep breath, then raised her staff on high, but rather than lash out at the illusion she instead reached out with her mind to penetrate the field, merging with its emanations, then made a parting motion that drew it partially back as one might a curtain. The opening was sufficiently wide enough to pass through, so she strode through this gap and allowed it to close behind her, giving no evidence that she had even been there in the first place.

On the other side of the curtain, doors opened to admit her, and through this open portal the Lore Master continued her journey, pausing only when she was fully inside the studio to rest her staff at her side, waiting patiently for her presence to be acknowledged.

Ganglot stepped out from a nearby wall-length painting and smiled in warm greeting, giving Lotion an encouraging nod before saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting...I was tied up in a meeting. I am so glad to finally have the chance to meet with you in person...may I hope the sentiment works both ways?"

"You may indeed assume this," Lotion nodded, "I come in peace, Princess of the Oni, on behalf of myself and the people whom I represent. May I take it for granted that the Matriarch proceeded me here?":

"You may indeed assume this," Ganglot replied, "I can take you to see her if you like...she's enjoying the hospitality that I provided to her, but I feel she needs a neutral presence to help calm her down, for she seems quite agitated at the moment."

"Can't imagine why," Lotion permitted herself a smile, "She has Siren with her?"

"Oh yes," Ganglot chuckled, "They seem quite inseparable...or at least so much so that I think the Matriarch has finally met her match."

"Good," Lotion's tone grew serious, "There is much that we need discuss, you and I."

"I totally agree," Ganglot waved to the painting, "Can I introduce you to the family? We're serving cakes and ice cream on behalf of the grandkids."

"I would enjoy that very much indeed," Lotion started forward again, "The Matriarch can wait a bit longer...I'm sure she's getting along just fine in her current living arrangement..."

"Honestly," Siren sighed, "You're making such a mountain out of a molehill..."

"That's what you say!" Cologne snapped as she continued to explore along the edges of their nominal prison, "You could at least try helping me find a way to escape from this pocket dimension."

"Why?" Siren asked as she perched on the rock that she was currently using as a chair, "I like it fine where we are...I'm in no hurry to go anywhere at the moment, and the view here is spectacular."

Cologne caught the Archmage's leer as the blonde regarded the Matriarch with a saucy expression. Looking hastily away rather than acknowledge that token of interest, Cologne's tone became noticeably more frosty, "What about whatever that Demoness intends to do to our people on the outside? Have you no care for their welfare?"

"Well, that's just the point," Siren mused, "What danger are they currently faced with from Ganglot? I've been asking myself that question all along now...I mean, it's obvious that she's been in the Nerima area for a while now, long enough to build up her power reserves so that she can pull something like this on the two of us. If she were truly intending to bring harm against those whom she might blame for her imprisonment it seems to me that she had time to come up with something even more nasty."

"Nastier than being trapped here with you?" Cologne taunted.

"Is that really your idea of Hell?" Siren returned a smile that as much as doubted the sincerity of that statement, "I should think a bondage setting complete with whips, chains and implements of torture would figure into that somewhere...although to me that would form a kinky kind of Heaven."

"Can't you be serious for once?" Cologne snapped.

"Must you be serious all the time?" Siren countered, "At least try and view this as a wonderful practical joke that Ganglot must be playing on the two of us...although I more suspect her target is more you than myself as I wasn't a party to her being imprisoned in the first place. That would be my Mentor, Ancestors watch and guide her, who helped craft the wards that locked the Oni into her stone pyramid, largely on your recommendation I might hasten to add."

"You mean a prison much like this?" Cologne waved her hand at their metaphorical surroundings, "This is her idea of Irony?"

"Beyond question," Siren stretched out her legs stood up again, then began sauntering in a slow walk that paced our a semi-circle around said stone, "A Corealis trap works to direct all outward energy in a circle radiating out from the center. No matter how much force you use it cannot break free from the net. It's a wonderfully practical way of holding a being of vast power in place...only someone who is utterly at peace within themselves can escape the hold of such a prison."

"At peace?" Cologne responded.

"Pure Satori," Siren replied, "Holistic integration of mind and body, being at one with your center and all that philosophical talk that Zen priests like to go on about. A prison of this nature uses a person's own desires against them, trapping you with your own emotions, which intensify the field and increase the power of the web that holds us in place. I would call such a thing diabolically clever, but that might be overstating things a bit so I'd settle for calling it her idea of Poetic Justice."

"Justice...or vengeance?" Cologne challenged.

"For you, is there a difference?" Siren asked, "Kho-chan...I know you don't want to hear this, but are you so utterly and unshakably convinced that Ganglot is truly evil?"

"What do you mean?" Cologne frowned.

"I mean that you heard her as well as I did," Siren turned around to confront the blue-black haired Elder, "She was angry with you for accusing her of causing the death of your brother, a man she loved and still calls her husband. She could well have carried out her threat to punish you if that had been her intention, but instead she left you here with me, which may not be ideal for you but certainly gives me some entertainment value to while away the time with."

"I'm so glad to see that you're taking matters so seriously," Cologne's tone was arched and sarcastic.

"As serious as they warrant," Siren replied, inclining her head to one side, "But don't avoid my question. Do you still believe that Ganglot is truly evil?"

Cologne did not immediately respond, but her sullen dark eyes glinted faintly like rubies as she considered the point, then said, "I know what she was like before we imprisoned her. Rogaine trusted her and paid for it with his life, and then she elevated Happosai just to annoy me..." anger caused her tone to grow even more harsh, "...And then he plundered our treasures while avoiding a direct confrontation. He almost could have defeated me and become my husband but for a quirk of his nature that might have been decency in a different person. She did this to punish me, so don't think I'm ready to forgive her, though it surprises me that you would side with her given that your family was among those who were looted."

"Ouch," Siren winced, "You make it sound as if I have to chose sides between you. I'm just pointing out that her behavior is not consistent with what I would tend to define as evil."

"And if you did have to choose sides?" Cologne asked.

"I'd go with you, of course," Siren replied, "That isn't even a question. I'm only asking for the sake of honesty that you consider what you think you know in the light of what we've experienced. If you decide to continue your quest to fight with her, then you know I will not stand against you. I love you too much for that, but to see you waste yourself in a pointless quest for revenge...that isn't a quest that I want to be a part of. I'll stand with you at the gates of Hell, but I won't help you destroy yourself. The choice is yours to make, I'm just offering to be your ally, not your patsy."

Cologne looked away, her expression unreadable, her tone giving no hint as to the state of her emotions, "And what makes you think that she might have changed over the years?"

"We've changed," Siren reasoned, "You're not the same as you were when we were both young girls any more than I am. Life has changed us both, made us what we are, confronted us with choices that at every point have given us the chance to explore options. Now consider that Ganglot has adapted to the current age and seems quite different from what you and I remember...she obviously is not suffering from culture shock, nor does she behave like someone who has been locked away in virtual stasis, suffering sensory depravation and still locked in thought to seventeenth century thinking."

"Your point being?" Cologne asked.

"Just a theory I'd like to test," Siren scanned the sky then waved her hands and caused the area around themselves to shimmer and reform. Walls enclosed them, forming an Amazon-style house, and then shifted to a more Japanese d cor, and from there took on a modern cast complete with stereo, home entertainment center, and Television (complete with VCR attachment).

"Impressive," Cologne remarked, "But what does this accomplish?"

"Reality is malleable here," Siren said with a thoughtful expression, "It is possible to reshape our immediate environs with a thought...but the real question is how viable the illusions are. Let's test the second part of my theory, shall we?"

Thus stated, Siren walked over to the couch and picked up a remote control, pressed a button that caused the TV to click on, and after a moment of flipping around the channels the picture came to resolve upon the sight of two young people walking side-by-side down a darkened street.

"Well now," Siren mused with interest, "I believe that I've seen those two before..."

"Kuonji Ukyo and Tendo Akane?" Cologne blinked, "Is this something else that you've created?"

"Not at all," Siren replied, "This appears to be something like a Scrying spell...a force connects this signal to the outside world, allowing us to see outward, even if we can't transport ourselves outside of this prison."

"A Scrying spell," Cologne's expression turned thoughtful, "What are it's limits?"

"I don't know," Siren smiled, "It might be fun to find out. Let's watch a bit and see what interesting things are about to happen."

"I suppose there is no harm in that," Cologne conceded, sitting down on the floor, only to find a couch manifested beneath her.

"It think this will be more cozy," Siren smiled as she sat down beside her, "I'd offer you popcorn, but I doubt the substance of this place would bend that far. We probably won't experience real hunger for quite a while if I understand the physics of this place correctly."

"Just remember to stay on your side," Cologne said warily, sparing a side-glance at the Enchantress before turning her attention to the events taking place on the screen, which were indeed beginning to look interesting from their vantage...

"Ucchan," Akane asked as she leaned her head against the Bishonen boy's shoulder, "Does it bother you so much when I tell you how much I like you?"

"Eh?" Ukyo-kun blinked his eyes, "Ah...what makes you ask that, Akane?"

"I don't know," Akane heaved a sigh, staring off at the darkened streets through which they were presently walking, "It just seems like you're avoiding something whenever you're with me. You don't have to be afraid of hurting my feelings, you know...I'll understand if you don't want me around."

Ukyo was dubious about responding to this, convinced that it very much would upset Akane if he admitted that he did find her flirtatious behavior more than a little bit disturbing. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he had actually "slept around" with her behind Makoto's back during their recent trip to Paris (well, actually sleeping had very little to do with it, being that it took place inside an elevator and all that...). He was-naturally enough-  
very much aware of Akane's femininity and considered her both personally and physically attractive, and it was flattering to his ego to know how much Akane seemed to care about Ukyo in both of his/her forms, but still...

But still he had made a pledge to Makoto, a promise he wanted very much to keep no matter how much circumstances seemed to be conspiring against them.

"I never said I never wanted you around, Sugar," Ukyo began, wincing at the double negative he was using, "But you can come on a little strong sometimes. Most girls our age would be more self-conscious about the image they make in public..."

"I know," Akane sighed, "It's just...I get so tired of having to be a 'Good little girl' all of the time, living up to what others think I ought to be like. I'm tired of being ridiculed and called a Tomboy behind my back, as if I didn't know that I can be a little too aggressive, you know what I mean?"

Ukyo nodded that he did, though he had to admit having his arm around a girl who was sporting a pair of wings on her back did create a rather unusual impression in just about any sense of the word. That few people were out on the street to even notice hardly figured into the equation, though...and in truth Akane seemed more relaxed and easier to get along with when in her "Angel" mode. It almost made Ukyo want to relax and reciprocate by giving into Akane's obvious charms and treating her as a woman deserved to be treated by the guy she cared for.

And that was another thing Ukyo found disturbing...Akane not only liked him, she actually professed to love Ukyo, to really and truly love him, which made Ukyo feel...more than a little bit unnerved, really. Ukyo cared a lot more about Akane than he liked to let on, but was it love? It wasn't like what Ukyo felt around Makoto, but that difference did not necessarily mean that she felt anything less for one girl over the other. He still wanted to be with both of them, but if pressed to the point he wanted to be with Makoto.

Saying so aloud, however, would crush Akane's spirit, and that was something Ukyo could not allow, regardless of how disloyal he felt or how torn-up inside it made him. As long as Akane felt this way towards Ukyo there would be no peace in Ukyo's soul, not unless a miracle happened and his two loves learned to kiss and make up, like Shampoo and Nabiki had done with Ranma.

Trying to find a delicate way of expressing his thoughts, Ukyo said aloud, "I understand what it's like, Sugar, having people talk about you like you're not in the room or you don't have feelings. I went through that back when I decided to stop being a woman, when I thumbed my nose at what other people thought and said about me. I found the only opinion that matters is my own, that I have to be true to myself, to who I am, and stop living my life for others. Either they accept me as I am or they can take a hike, either way I don't bother losing sleep about it."

"Thank you," Akane hugged Ukyo all the more tightly, obviously savoring the contact of having his shoulder to rest her head against, "I wish I could be more like you, Ucchan. You're the most together guy I know, and I really hope you do like me because I...I think I...more than like you..."

Ukyo swallowed, not feeling at all together in his thoughts, which was why he almost did not pick up on the impending sense of danger before it was too late. Fortunately long training and instinct combined to make him grip Akane by the shoulder and yank her away just instants before a steel girder came down and crashed against the pavement where they had been standing.

Ukyo at once positioned himself between the winged girl and the place where he sensed the source of the danger, a shadowy figure emerging from the cabin of the crane that had just dropped the offending girder.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Ukyo demanded, assuming a defensive crouch.

The shadowy figure leaped from the cabin to perch atop the wooden fence, revealed for all to see as a Kunoichi Ninja. The eyes alone were visible, but Ukyo at once recognized their assailant as the same one who had hurled the tray at them inside the Topless Bar.

"That's twice you've escaped me," a high-tenor (or possibly Soprano) voice called down to them, "But no one can survive three times against me."

"Don't be so sure of that, Sugar," Ukyo half-smiled, his battle instincts raised by the sense that he could pound on this one and relieve himself of his pent-up tensions.

The Kunoichi hurled razor-sharp shuriken Ukyo's way, but quick as a shot she drew her bakers peel and deflected these harmlessly off to one side (or not so harmless as a second later a yelp escaped from the walkway sign against which all three throwing stars were imbedded).

"HEY!" complained the angry figure who emerged from behind the sign, "Watch that, those things smart"

"Huh?" Akane looked from the Kunoichi to this figure and back again with a most perplexed expression.

Ukyo ignored the complaints from Tsubasa, keeping his focus squarely upon the actual menace as the Ninja drew blade and charged at him. Steel rang against spatula and the attack was easily turned aside, forcing the Kunoichi to somersault backwards and land in a defensive crouch out of reach of Ukyo's counter-thrust. Like a shot the black-clad figure struck the ground with a smoke pellet and called up a billowing cloud all around them, melting into the smoke as if merging with its elemental substance. Ukyo did not lower his guard as he waited for the next thrust to happen, and when it did he easily turned the blade to one side with the handle of his weapon, turning to meet the Kunoichi as a backward thrust with the blade end of his spatula shoving forward at chest level.

The Kunoichi, however, proved no less adept and fell backwards in an amazing display of dexterity and physical control, catching "her" weight with her hands as she jack-knifed into a backwards handstand, righting herself again before calling out to Ukyo, "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME! You and your kin will pay for what you did to my home and my sisters!"

The Kunoichi began to turn around to flee, only to find the way blocked by a wall of white feathers that suddenly flashed into her face and knocked her casually sprawling. Akane flexed her wing in satisfaction then folded them behind her back, giving the fallen Ninja a smug look before saying, "That's for ruining my date, you Jerk! Next time show some manners!"

"Ah..." Ukyo decided not to raise the point about this being a "date" or not and instead walked over to the fallen Ninja before toeing her gently to determine if she were truly unconscious. Satisfy that the Ninja was not merely faking it, he knelt to examine the Ninja, pulling loose the mask to reveal a face of surpassing beauty.

"Who is she?" Akane asked with a note of wonder, unable to help admitting that she found that face disturbingly attractive.

"Don't really know," Ukyo admitted, "Must be part of that place we bombed about an hour or so ago...or rather Gramps did. Sure doesn't look a bit like her alleged sisters."

"You bombed her home?" Akane said in amazement.

"It's a long story," Ukyo replied, "Let's just say that truth in advertising isn't what it used to be. It wasn't my idea, any part of it, but now it looks like I've got me an enemy, all thanks to Ranma's great granddad."

"Too bad," Akane said, "She's really cute."

"If you go for the type," Ukyo gave Akane an amused expression before turning his focus back on the unconscious Ninja, "Ordinarily I wouldn't have unmasked her...it's a courtesy among Ninja clans that we only show our faces with those we trust. It's considered bad luck to be unmasked by an enemy, but since she was the one who insisted on attacking us..."

Ukyo checked the pulse on the Kunoichi, then did a double take and pressed his fingers against the Ninja's throat to make doubly certain. With a hint of wonder he declared, "Well I'll be-better make that a He instead of a Her! This guy may look like a girl but she's got an Adam's apple that's entirely the wrong shape!"

"WHAAT?" Akane reacted, even as the Ninja's eyes flew open and instant recognition caused the fallen foe to respond to the perceived threat to HIS person!

"PERVERT!" he cried, slapped Ukyo's hand away and lashing out with an elbow that knocked the Okonomiyaki chef sprawling.

"Ucchan!" Akane began to react when the black-clad figure vaulted to his feet with a nimbleness that utterly surprised her.

"You'll regret seeing my face!" the Ninja declared as he snatched up his mask and hastily covered his face in one quick motion, "Mark me well, I'll be avenged on you yet!"

And with that the figure vaulted away, vanishing into the night before Akane could even think to take wing to follow.

"That...Jackass!" Ukyo swore as he felt along his jaw, getting back to his feet in spite of Akane's well-intentioned best efforts.

"Who the heck was that, Ucchan?" asked the cross-dressing Tsubasa , who limped up to join them while vigorously rubbing his sore bottom beneath the dress that he was wearing.

"Damned if I know," Ukyo replied, "He's good, whoever he is...but the way he acts..."

"I know," Akane said, "He's even more feminine than I am. Hey...do you suppose he also has a curse?"

"Could be," Ukyo began to say when Tsubasa made a huffing noise in Akane's direction.

"You feminine? Oh puh-leese!" the cross-dresser huffed, "I'm way lots more feminine than you, and better built to boot! I don't see what Ucchan finds so attractive about a Tomboy like you..."

"What did you just say to me?" Akane's temper flared, her feathers looking more than a little ruffled.

"Ah...guys?" Ukyo sensed impending trouble, "Tsubasa, I've told you to stop following me around. You know it isn't right..."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do, Ucchan?" Tsubasa looked pleadingly towards his fellow cross-dresser, "Somebody has to look out for your welfare with this...predatory hussy hanging around looking to take advantage of your sweet nature."

"What?" Akane's anger redoubled, "Who are you calling a predatory hussy?"

"Ah...guys?" Ukyo was torn between the desire to interpose himself between them or take cover, as simple self-preservation would have demanded.

"You, that's who," Tsubasa got up in Akane's face and said the near-fatal words, "You're butt ugly!"

Ukyo closed her eyes and winced, saying a silent prayer to the Kami...

It would have fascinated Ukyo no doubt to know that at this very instant several of the said Kami were peering down through the Dimensional Mirror Portal that they used to survey events in the mortal world, and that several beings among this divine audience were simultaneously wincing for just the same reason.

"Oooh," winced Endema, "Now that was brutal!"

"I agree," nodded Ares, "It was violent, pointless and totally excessive, and I loved every second of it. That girl has some real potential."

"You would say that, Bro," sniffed Apollo, "I'm a little confused about all these cross-gender references though. Isn't anyone the right gender that they seem any more? First that girl gets cursed, then she's fooling around with two other girls at the same time, now she's got a pair of cross-dressing guys out for her hide, one to kiss her, the other to kill her. It's enough to even make me seriously reconsider dating."

"I'm with you on that," Thor said gruffly, "It reminds me a little too much of the days when I was a bachelor."

"You mean that business between you, Sif, her sisters and that Giantess you were dating?" Hercules asked his old drinking buddy.

"Something like that, I suspect," said Lugh the Longhanded, "You ask me, though, this Kuonji girl should stop fooling around and make a clear declaration of his intent to marry the Jupiter Senshi."

"Oh, I don't know," mused Bast, "Bird-girl looks like she'd make a nice catch."

"Only you'd like to be the one to pluck out her feathers no doubt," said Loki in a sly, insinuating manner.

"Can't we all just get along?" asked the Norse God known as Forseti, son of Balder and patron God of Justice.

Unnoticed by these Celestial couch potatoes, however, a certain Kami by the name of Peorth got up out of her chair and took her leave of their congregation. Something about what they had been watching was disturbing her more than the others, and not just because she had a personal stake in what was happening among these particular mortals.

Akane seemed to be making great progress in her relationship with Kuonji Ukyo, but still there was that divided loyalty that the Chef was feeling towards both Akane and Makoto, and in spite of Peorth's past efforts there was no certain guarantee of an eventually happy outcome. And here Peorth thought locking the two of them alone in that elevator on the Eiffel Tower would have been enough to get the ball rolling...

She sighed, reflecting that her recent activities on the mortal plane had attracted some unfavorable attention from Kami-Sama himself, who considered her efforts to be a kind of meddling in direct violation of Peorth's stated promise to one of her Templates. This was hindering her ability to further influence events, even though she had a perfectly legitimate excuse for her activities, having entered into a contract with Akane that had divine sanction. Peorth relished those moments when she could be with her adopted daughter, even as Akane seemed to thrive on Peorth's company, and one day very soon she would arrange the long-promised meeting between her daughter and the spirit of Kimiko, even as she had already done for Nabiki. Peorth was beginning to remember what it was like to have a family and the warm feeling it gave her made her want to do more in order to insure Akane had a happy marriage.

But perhaps the Chef was not the way to go. Perhaps Kami-Sama knew something that she did not about the potential for the future. It was entirely conceivable that Ukyo and Makoto were fated to be together and that Peorth's efforts to divide them were wrong-headed and misguided. Perhaps Akane was fated to find love and happiness elsewhere, in which case Peorth's best efforts were entirely misguided.

She had to know for certain if she were fighting fate or working towards its fulfillment, but unfortunately for her the "Foreknowledge of the Future" department was unusually tight-lipped about this one, and simply prognosticating the paths of personal destiny led to too many alternate pathways that could result from a series of choices not yet made by Akane. The Tapestry of Fate was a tricky thing to read even on the best of occasions, and she rather doubted that Kami-Sama himself would let her view the actual future that he intended for Akane.

That left one other option, so Peorth steeled herself and made the journey to Mimir's well, finding its guardian, Toltiir, at his usual place surveying the Multiverse and making mischievous alterations wherever it suited his fancy.

"You again?" the Lord of Mischief asked without looking up from his scrying, "I thought you already made your Bet entry..."

"This isn't about that," Peorth began, "You recall a while ago a certain conversation regarding the alteration of a particular timeline..."

"I know which one you mean," Toltiir replied, "But it's stabilized into a permanent timeline. If you mean to alter it again..."

"That isn't what I'm asking, mon Cher," Peorth replied, "I like this timeline as it is very much...except that there are a few minor points that worry me, and I'm curious to know something of its future."

Toltiir looked warily at the Rose Goddess before replying, "You know the future's never set in place, Peorth. It weaves and wobbles wherever the Mortals tend to take things, and if it merges with another timeline..."

"I know," Peorth replied, "But what I'm really interested in doing is studying the possible alternates to see which one has the most viable outcome."

"Fine tuning you mean?" Toltiir asked, "You know that kind of precision tailoring of the destiny wave isn't possible without triggering the 'Unintended Consequences' effect. It's almost impossible to restrict the number of secondary and tertiary alterations that spiral out of control whenever you change some critical point in the chronology program."

"I wasn't exactly born yesterday, mon Cher," Peorth sniffed, "I'm fully aware of this phenomenon, how even we are not above being affected by such changes...nonetheless, I am curious to know what good or bad things may result from one possible future."

"I suppose we could explore options by creating a 'Similarity and Contagion' profile," Toltiir considered the point, "However...it may mean taking the present timeline temporarily off-line...or else creating a Dual wave reinforcement file that could temporarily mean the re-establishment of the original timeline."

"Would that effect the current one adversely?" Peorth asked in concern, "I wouldn't want to make any permanent changes until I was absolutely certain that it would lead to desirable outcomes."

"Hmm..." Toltiir mused, "I think we should go with the Reinforcement option, create a dual-track parallel that will temporarily re-establish the original timeline while preserving the current version. Then we can explore the alternates without risking adverse effects to the present model."

"Good," Peorth nodded, "Then make it so...please?" she smiled sweetly.

Toltiir shrugged his metaphorical shoulders, far from adverse to the charms of the Goddess of the Roses. He turned and surveyed the Well of Mimir and said, "I'll make the necessary adjustments, then we'll start to explore options. This may take a minute or so-in a matter of speaking."

"Take however long you like, Cher," Peorth nodded, then began to rock on the balls of her feet, hoping against hope that she would soon have her answers on what shape the future was destined to follow...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

You would think after months of going from one crisis to another I could expect to have some break time in order to settle down to something as perfectly ordinary as getting married. Hey, people do it every day, right? Shouldn't be anything too complicated, just walk down the aisle, say a few words, exchange a couple of rings, maybe a kiss or two, then off to the reception for some down-  
home partying, cut the cake, say a few wishes, toss out the bouquet then elope with my two loves while nobody's looking. Simple, right?

Guess that's why I shouldn't entertain such unrealistic expectations.

I went to bed with the expectation that I'd be facing a card game in the morning, one that I absolutely had to win in order to retain possession of my dowry, the dojo (to say nothing of our house as I didn't fancy being a permanent house guest of the Kuonjis. About the last thing I expected to awake to was the discovery of my own bed, complete with my bedroom, as if the threat of possible eviction had not been looming over my head, to say nothing of the rest of my family.

I sat upright, looking all around to be sure it was my room, but aside from the few things being different (there was a poster of a popular Idol singer over my bed that I knew hadn't been there the night before) and a few other bits of furnishings being moved around, it definitely did look a lot like my bedroom, only without a cuddlesome Sham-chan curled up at my side.

Oh yes...and no Computer either, and no CD rack, as if one or the other had never existed.

Then the next thing that woke me up, the sounds of sparring in the yard outside my window. I recognized the sounds of Ranma and Uncle Genma going at it, which meant it had to be around dawn and just about the sunrise. I decided to go join them, feeling the need for a workout myself as the Old Woman is always stressing the need for a healthy mind and body. To tell the truth I actually found I like performing the Dance of Life every morning, and the discipline gives me incredible focus. I can sort things out and increase my alertness, which helps me to cope with the rest of the day and the usual stresses and strains of living in a madhouse full of really interesting people.

The absence of the computer should have clued me in that something was very, very wrong this morning, but I guess I wasn't fully awake just then, and heading down the stairs in my shorts and T-shirt had just seemed natural to me considering how warm the weather's been lately, nor did I pay attention to how quiet it felt as my instincts slowly came alert and my trained perceptions informed me that Daddy was reading the paper and Kasumi was making breakfast in the kitchen. There was no sense of Silk or the Hibikis anywhere about, none of that Shadow presence I always feel in the area about the dojo. In fact the place didn't feel at all like what I remember, and that emptiness was troubling, even as I made my way out back onto the porch, stretching and limbering myself so as to work out the kinks I normally feel when I get up every morning.

"Wait up, Ranma-kun," I called out as I stepped out onto the ground, ready to get in my morning sparring practice so I'd be physically awake when the old woman paid me her usual morning business.

"Eh?" Ranma half turned to look my way, giving his father the opening needed to send the hapless boy into his usual morning swim with the fishes. I chuckled to myself, warmed at the familiar sight of their father-son antics and casually walked up to where Ranma sat sputtering in his girl half, looking mad as a wet hen and probably blaming for taking his mind away from his sparring. I mean, can I help if I'm too distracting to the Baka? I should hope I would be, but on this occasion I didn't have a clue as to the surprise that was just about to hit me like a broadside.

Taking pity on my poor, dumb iinazuke, I knelt down and stretched out my hand, saying, "Here, Ranma-kun, let me give you a lift."

"Huh?" I saw her blue eyes flinch away and had my first real hint that something was very wrong about this picture. Ranma stared at my hand, then at me and said, "What's it gonna cost me?"

I, all innocent of the situation, took his comment for a joke and said, "Not a thing, Dummy. Come on, you don't want to be wet when the time comes for us to get to classes."

"Ah...okay," Ranma took my hand and allowed me to provide anchorage as she pulled herself out of the water. I didn't mind the weight since Ranma in this form is a lot smaller than me and not all that heavy, but when I put an arm around her and bent down to give her a kiss I felt Ranma stiffen like a statue, and she didn't kiss back, leading me to wonder if something was wrong, like an enemy was attacking us or something.

"What's wrong, Ranchan?" I asked, once more referring to Ukyo's favorite pet name, and to my shock I saw fear and surprise in her expression.

Ranma pushed away and said, "Wh-what are you trying to do, Nabiki? What the heck's gotten into you?"

"Huh?" I responded, "What do you mean, Ranma-kun? Is there anything wrong with me giving a kiss to my iinazuke?"

"WHA-?" that came from Genma, who was so surprised by my statement he froze in the act of sneaking up on Ranma and actually toppled over on his own power, landing in the koi pond without help from anyone on this particular occasion.

"Eh?" that from Daddy, who looked up from his paper as if I'd just announced that I was running away and joining the circus.

"Oh my," that from Kasumi, who was just then coming out with a tray full of watermelon and took this news in her usual nonchalant fashion, "Ranma-kun, are you changing your engagement?"

"W-W-W-What are you talking about?" Ranma actually went pale as she stared at me as though I had just grown horns and a tail.

And then the inevitable, my sister's voice crying out like a battle cry, "RAAANNNMAAAA!"

I turned to see Akane wearing sweat pants and a shirt glaring with absolute hatred and loathing towards the redheaded girl with the "Deer Caught In the Headlights" expression. Akane looked hot and sweaty as if she'd just jogged ten kilometers, but she had more than enough energy to be a credible threat to anyone or anything that got on her bad side.

"What's going on?" I asked, now fully aware of my sense that this was not the friendly family atmosphere to which I was accustomed.

"A-Akane?" Ranma backed away, waving his hands in a warding manner, "I didn't do nothing! I swear! I don't know what's she's talking about..."

"You PERVERT!" Akane began storming forward, "WITH MY OWN SISTER!"

I had had enough of being a mere spectator about that point, more than slightly exhausted at having to put up with my sister's periodic rages. I interposed myself in her path so fast that I don't think even she saw me move, and then kept myself positioned squarely between her and Ranma, looking Akane squarely in the eye and saying, "What's gotten into you all of a sudden? Is Ukyo giving you the brush off or something?"

"Ukyo?" I saw blank incomprehension in Akane's eyes, only to be replaced by renewed anger, "YOU MEAN SHE WAS HERE TOO?"

To my complete surprise I was rudely shoved to one side as Akane barreled right through where I had been standing and targeted herself on Ranma, who did not manage to get out of her way before she landed a solid blow that hurled her backwards into the nearest section of wall, cracking it into a cobweb pattern before it crumbled completely half-burying Ranma.

I was no stranger to witnessing Akane's violent and ill-tempered behavior, but this was going to extremes even by my jaded standards. I'm not used to her turning her rages against me, which is no doubt why I spun her around the way I did and landed a slap to her face before she had time enough to react to my action.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I raged, getting right up into her face and giving vent to the full weight of my anger, "Ranma's not your personal punching bag, how dare you do that to him after all the times he's tried being nice to you? Have you got a real problem with your head, SISTER?" I emphasized the word as if there was a distinctive distaste to its pronouncement.

Akane's rages can leave her as fast as they come, and this time I saw bewilderment and hurt take the place of her now-expended anger. She looked up at me with confusion and betrayal, tears forming up in her eyes, and without saying a word she turned and fled for the house, leaving me standing there wondering what the heck had just happened.

Ranma's groan brought me back to my current reality, and I moved at once, gingerly stepping around the rubble, my bare feet much too sensitive to handle the sharp pebbles. I saw Ranma pushing off some of the bricks and larger chunks of stone and I moved to help her pry her loose from the wreckage and soon had my slightly disheveled fiancee (or so I was thinking at this point) standing on her own two feet, bruised and battered but otherwise still beautiful (in my rather biased opinion).

"Feeling better now, Ranma-kun?" I asked, "I'm sorry about my sister...Akane's just out of control some days. I think maybe we should get professional help for her if she's feeling like this over Kuonji."

"Over Ukyo?" I saw the confusion return to Ranma's eyes, "But I keep telling her that she's my friend, not my fiancee. Well, maybe she is, but I don't take that serious, bein' one of the Old Man's ideas..."

"Huh?" it was my turn to be confused, "What are you talking about? I thought you two were just friends..."

"We are!" Ranma rather hastily insisted, "But that's just it! I mean...you don't got pictures of me or nothin' that you're planning on sellin'...?"

"What?" now I really was becoming aware that something was wrong with this picture, "What are you going on about, Ranma? Why would I be selling pictures...you know I promised I'd never do that again, and I'm a woman of my word. Don't tell me you're starting to doubt me one day before the wedding?"

"Wedding?" Ranma's expression would have been comical if not for the dawning sense that she had no idea whatsoever what I was talking about, confirmed by the words, "What wedding?"

"Our wedding, silly," I replied, maybe a bit too hopeful as I felt fear begin to creep over my emotions, "Don't you remember?"

The tray full of watermelons hit the floor, about the only sound to be heard for the next full minute. Everyone was looking at me as though I'd gone insane, including my father and Panda-man Genma. Then Ranma did the most natural thing in the world for somebody in her current situation...she fainted dead away at my feet, barely giving me enough time to catch her before her head could make contact with the concrete.

"Oh my," Kasumi said about this point, which nearly summarized my thoughts as I started to wonder what in the hell was going on here...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Dual Parallel Crossovers: shadowmane

What is going on here? Well, Nabiki is about to find out why it's never a good idea to fix what ain't broken! See how our intrepid heroine copes with discovering a world she never made (but did remake) while her counterpart finds herself over her head, and with the fate of the dojo at stake you know this can't be good! Stay tuned for "Time Out of Mind," or "Farewell my Concubine!' Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	121. Chapter 121

NabikiRan105 By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos ,  
Gregg Sharp and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Five.

Nabiki awoke to the peculiar feeling that she was not alone in her bed...if her bed it actually was, that being left in doubt by the fact that said bedding felt as hard and unyielding as a futon. There was also a strangely familiar presence nestled up on her left side, and a small furry bundle to her right, framing her like a secondary blanket, the more so as a masculine arm was draped across her chest in an almost protective manner.

Nabiki's eyes flew wide open, alarm bells ringing in her mind. She had not slept with anyone this close to her since she was six and Akane had crawled into her bed during a lightning storm. She had always been alone ever since getting a room to herself, and that was how she liked it. The idea that someone could be in bed with her was more than alarming, it sent shock waves passing all through her body, bringing her to full alertness with a jolt that was nearly electrostatic.

The arm, she discovered to no little surprise, was attached to Ranma, and as she turned her face to her left she saw him sleeping there, cuddled up at her side, his handsome face relaxed and more at peace than she could ever remember seeing in his expression. Nabiki's face was only inches away from his and the close proximity of the boy was unnerving her far beyond anything she would have preferred to admit to. If Akane found them like this...well...it would not be a pretty picture.

Her second jolt came when she heard a kittenish noise to her right and turned her head to find that Shampoo-neko was its source, the cursed Chinese girl curled up in a ball with nose-to-tail, making soft little noises as if enjoying dreams of fields and butterflies to chase. Nabiki saw her flex her claws in her sleep while her tiny muzzle made suckling noises and she wondered if that were the only thing currently passing through her furry little mind at the moment...

Shampoo the Cat...and Ranma in the same bed, with Nabiki between them...NOT A GOOD COMBINATION!

Nabiki considered her options carefully, not being the impulsive sort by nature. Screaming seemed like a pretty good idea at this point, certainly preferable to fainting, although that might spare her the ordeal of having to be conscious when the fireworks inevitably happened. Crawling out from her bed seemed like the least complicated means of escaping her predicament, and far better to play the innocent should anyone ask what she was doing sharing a bed with Ranma and one of his fiancees. She could always cry rape if the worst came to the worse, and her clueless little sister would naturally buy that argument, her first tendency always being to blame her baka boyfriend.

Prying herself loose from these two without waking either one of them, however, was likely to be something of a problem.

Ranma could sleep like a stone when he was good and thoroughly exhausted (jokes about having a head like a rock naturally prodded her imagination to wonder what else about him was "rock"-like, but she squelched that thought before it could start a riot), but she doubted that Shampoo was nearly as light a sleeper. Questions on what these two were doing sharing a bed with her (wherever the heck here was as it most certainly was NOT her bedroom) would have to wait until she could figure out how to escape from the space between them, but to her surprise, once she started to move, Ranma relaxed and seemed to come partially awake. To Nabiki's complete surprise he leaned his face closer to hers and began nuzzling her cheek, murmuring softly, "Mornin' sleepy head...have a good night?"

Nabiki lay rigid as she mulled that one over. Did she have a good night? That depended on if she still had her clothes on, and why the heck couldn't she remember? It wasn't like Ranma was in the habit of sleeping around with women (she knew, she had checked up on him ever since he came to their house and never once had he demonstrated an interest in women that would conform to her scenario of them renting a cheap motel to have a passionate fling together). Ranma seemed to have one of his sleeveless T-shirts on, and a glance down the length of his lean body showed her that he was definitely wearing his boxer shorts. Nabiki felt beneath her covers and found (to both her relief and disappointment) that she was wearing a negligee, so it did not seem likely to her that they had just experienced a night of passionate whoopee.

Of course if they had, then Shampoo's presence might explain her inability to remember. That Fang Gao Shiatsu thingie could block a person's memories of even an intensely pleasurable event, though if that was the case, then why would she even remember about Ranma? This whole set-up made no sense and was so utterly unlike anything that she was even prepared to cope with in the morning, the unearthliness of the situation itself being enough to make her wonder if Rod Serling were somewhere lurking in the background.

Ranma noticed her lack of emotional response (except for the going stiff part) and said, "What's wrong? You feelin' all right, 'Biki? If it's that Gambler Creep, don't worry, I'm sure you'll do just fine against him."

(WHAT?) Nabiki's mind reacted, but outwardly she refrained from answering, deciding to listen in and discover what else she could that was wrong with this overall picture.

"You know Shampoo'n me'll be rootin' for ya all the way," Ranma said encouragingly before adding with a hint of his usual arrogance, "Of course if you wanna leave 'im to me I'll be happy to demolish that joker. No way am I letting him have the house and your dojo."

(MY dojo?) Nabiki once more mentally reacted, adding after a slight pause, (Okay, so this doesn't really clarify things all that much...I mean, "SHAMPOO AND ME'LL BE ROOTING FOR YOU?")

"Ah, Ranma-kun," Nabiki decided a neutral approach would be the best way of resolving this confusing situation, "I wonder if...?"

"Oh?" she saw him lift an eyebrow, then reluctantly withdrew his arm from around her chest, "You need to go, huh? Well, it's out that door and just down the hall, you can't miss it. Even a Hibiki could find it."

Nabiki blinked her eyes at this, wondering when Ranma had turned into "Mister Sensitivity" all of a sudden. Somebody had definitely been working to house train the poor boy, and she wondered who in the heck that could be because it almost certainly was NOT his father!

Of course his misunderstanding of her intentions provided her with just the convenient excuse that she was looking for, so she gratefully got out of the bed, noticing how Shampoo became awake from the way the kitty stretched her furry limbs and yawned, then gave a cheerful, "Meow!" that Nabiki half feared would send Ranma into a Neko panic attack.

To her furthering astonishment she saw said cat pad up to Ranma, who lazily stretched out a hand to stroke the soft pinkish fur of the animal without the least sign of concern in his expression. Nabiki watched them both with rounded eyes as if she had just discovered that they had been replaced with Pod People. NO WAY could that be the same Ranma and Shampoo whom she was used to, which meant that EVERYTHING about the situation was completely changed beyond recognition, and her without a clue or a program!

Fainting was beginning to look like a pretty good idea. She resisted the temptation by taking up the bathroom option.

It did not take her too long to realize that they were on the second story of an office building somewhere in the Furinkan Financial district, but at the moment the place seemed to have been converted to a kind of hostel with people sleeping in various rooms, half of whom Nabiki could not even identify on sight, though she did take note of the unmistakable lump that was her "Uncle" Genma...and if Nabiki were not hallucinating it all, that looked like Saotome Nodoka laying beside him!

What in the name of the Tokyo Stock Market was going on here? And who was that woman with the headband sleeping next to RYOGA?

In the next room she found something even more puzzling still...Ukyo laying on a futon to one side, Akane laying on a separate futon with an empty futon laid out between them. The sheets looked somewhat ruffled, and not far removed from them was a blond haired woman whom Nabiki would not know on sight from Eve. Apparently whoever used the middle futon was up and active, about the only other person besides herself who seemed awake this time in the morning.

But a greater shock even than this was yet to await her, for as she passed by yet another room with a closed door she heard muffled noises from within, and from the sound of things someone was getting it on early in the morning. She was wondering who it was when one muffled groan took on a familiar timber and with a jolt of complete disbelief on her part she recognized it as coming from her father!

Her Daddy...with someone other than their late mother?

She was about to rush into that room with intent on discovering who the other offending party was when a voice softly murmured from behind her, "I wouldn't do that, little one. It's impolite to butt in on your elders."

Nabiki's head spun around with such haste that she threatened to give herself a case of whiplash. The woman (after a moment's consideration she decided on that) looked like an older and larger version of Ukyo, only her face was harder, leaner, and her frame was much more muscular on top. She resembled a female body builder more than anything else, and it would not surprise Nabiki in the least to suspect her of taking male hormones. She also had a nastier, more world-wise look about her face as she gave Nabiki a sympathetic-but-chiding leer, then in casual Kansai drawl she added, "What are you doing away from your own loved ones, Sugar? Ain't nothing wrong with you having a little fun on the day before you three make it official."

"Huh?" Nabiki blurted, right before she hear a soft cry from the other side of the door say, "Ooohh...Soun-chan...!"

"Sounds like they're gonna be at it for at least another hour," the strange woman sighed with what sounded like badly concealed resentment, "Well, tell you what, after you freshen up and get dressed, why don't you come downstairs and make yourself useful. I could use a hand setting the place up for morning business, and it's the least you freeloaders can do to pitch in. After that you should be ready for your card game, and then you guys can move back to your own place...all except your little sister, of course. I think she doesn't mind at all the excuse to stay with my Niece for a couple of evenings. A cute kid, but don't let her anywhere near my kitchen."

"Niece?" Nabiki asked after a long moment's pause, but by then the strange woman had withdrawn as silently as she had walked up behind Nabiki. The way the big woman moved was more than slightly disturbing...it almost reminded her of the way Ukyo could move, so purposeful and determined!

What the hell was going on here? Was she going mad and dreaming all of this, or had the world around her just gotten a whole lot stranger than even what she was used to being around Ranma? Her mind was a whirl with questions that needed answering, but before she could frame even one of them her bladder made its presence known and called her excuse for getting out of bed into question. She decided to relieve herself as recommended, followed by a good hot bath and a change of clothing, after which she would try and make sense out of the contrary bits of information that were warring against what had been the certain bedrock-  
grounded pillars of her previous existence.

And why was she so certain that she was not going to find any peace when she learned those answers...?

"Hmmm..." Lotion mused as she examined the brawny Razor, "Well, for three hundred and two years old you are in remarkably good shape, dear fellow. A touch on the care-worn side, some old scars that never properly healed, and of course your Battle God tattoos, but other than this you don't look a day over thirty."

"I do?" asked Razor as he submitted himself to the curious old woman.

"My genes and Jurai's do make for an interesting combination," Ganglot mused, "But what about my son's mental state? What can you tell me about this?"

Lotion heaved a sigh, "Your son has about as many curses laid upon him as there are islands about Japan. He seems to have acquired them like travel stickers from the many places he has visited in his wandering career. I can't begin to fathom the complexity of pattern-magic woven about him like a tapestry...about the only curse I can say with reasonable certainty that he doesn't suffer from is Jusenkyo."

"I wonder how he managed to avoid that," Akiko mused to one side without further elaboration.

"Clean living of course," Ryomi answered with a girlish grin, "Just like the rest of us Hibikis, right Grandpa?"

"Ah...I guess," the handsome man replied, turning to Lotion again before adding, "Do I know you?"

Ganglot sighed, "Please tell me you can do something about his memory problems at least. I could grant him a wish to restore his memory, of course, but not unless I know for certain that there won't be...residual complications."

"You mean like having three hundred years of memory come crashing down on him all at once?" Lotion sighed, "I think even he would go mad if he had to experience the total amount of what must be stored in that rock-hard head of his. I can do what I can to ease his memory problems by a fraction, enough so that he won't constantly be asking your names and identities every five minutes."

"That would help a lot," Akiko averred with a nod of her head, "As much as I like the guy, there are times over the past two weeks when I felt like strangling him on general principles."

"Assuming you could," Ryomi teased, "Admit it...you got the hots for the old guy, which I'll admit is pretty gross, but seeing as he's a cool buff dude..."

"Why don't you stick it in your ear, Shrimp," Akiko teased back, and the two girls stuck their tongues out at one another in good-natured sisterly fashion.

"Hold still, lad," Lotion urged Razor as she set two withered hands to either side of his temples. After a moment's long pause a warming glow appeared around his head, then Razor gasped as his eyes briefly lost focus. When he uncrossed them again his pupils dilated, then grew to pin-pricks, briefly turning yellow before resuming their previous reddish-brown coloration.

Lotion withdrew her hands and said, "Now...how do you feel, lad?"

"Ah...better, I think," the man glanced around and then his eyes locked their focus upon Ganglot and in a hesitant voice he asked, "M-Mother?"

"My Son...!" Ganglot's beautiful features broke out into a beatific smile, and then she rushed forward, kneeling down to draw the man's face into her bosom, "My dear, sweet, wonderful boy! How I've missed holding you in my arms again, my darling Razor...!"

"MmphjmphMph!" Razor responded.

"Geez, don't kill the guy, Grandma," Ryomi urged.

"Let him come up for air at least!" agreed Akiko with a smirk.

"I think air would do him some good," Lotion nodded towards her erstwhile patient, "No need to smother your long lost son with your affections."

"Eh? Oh...of course," the Oni Princess eased up on her pressure, and Razor gasped as his face emerged from the otherwise tempting softness of two lush "pillows."

Lotion turned her amused glance over two the nervous pair of teenagers standing off to one side and finally acknowledged their presence, "You both are looking splendidly well. I see life in the outside world appeals to you greatly."

"Ah..." Romeo said nervously.

"Elder," Julian began to say, "We did not..."

Lotion raised a hand to stay the rest of his sentence, "It gratifies me to know that you are well, but do not fear that I will report your whereabouts to the rest of the Council. There is no need to complicate matters by bringing the troubles of your two families to Nerima. I will relate that you are both hale and hearty to your family and loved ones, but no more than this is necessary. Go in peace and be kind to one another, that is all I can ask of anyone who chooses to make their own way in the world without the blind hate of your Elders."

Romeo heaved a sigh that made her look two years younger, "Thank you, Elder."

"Your wisdom is exceeded only by your kindness," Julian bowed his head with more respect than even a male was supposed to accord to an Elder.

"Would that it were so," Lotion sighed, only to turn her head with a sharp expression, and after a moment of deliberation she said, "Curious...something is happening out in the world...I feel great distress surrounding my young apprentice...?"

"You mean Tendo Nabiki?" Ganglot looked up from where she was still embracing Razor, turning her own face outwardly as her tattoos flared to light, at which point she softly swore, "Oh no...that IDIOT Peorth! What has she done this time?"

"No doubt it was with the best of intentions," Lotion remarked, "Which is what I hear the road to Hell itself is paved with. I must take my leave of you sooner than I would have wanted, Morrigar's child."

"I understand," Ganglot waved a hand and caused one of the pictures lining the wall to expand until it formed a full sized doorway, "Go in peace until the next time we can speak together. I'll see to it the rest of my guests are treated well or seen back to their own respective places, and I will contact you in regards to a certain pair whose activities are of interest to us both."

"Inform me the moment anything remotely interesting happens with those two," Lotion allowed herself a sly smile before moving forward and exiting through the portal.

"Count on it," Ganglot replied, sharing a leer, "And I'll remember to tape the good bits for replaying later..."

"What happened?" Cologne wondered, "Why did the picture become so fuzzy all of a sudden?"

"I don't know," Siren frowned, "Perhaps something interfered with the reception. Oh wait...it's back again! Now we can pick up where we left off, spying on your family and what they're up to during your absence."

"How odd," Cologne frowned, "That appears to be the Tendo estate, but last I checked the place was currently occupied by the Gambler King and his henchmen."

"Doesn't appear to be anyone there but your family," Siren pondered, "Or at least the Saotome and Tendo branches. There's Shampoo's husband and wife...but no sign of Shampoo, and I don't sense the Hibiki presence in the area of the dojo..."

"There must be something wrong with the adjustment," Cologne mused, then sat more upright as she added, "Well now...this is a curious arrangement..."

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Okay, about this point I was beginning to clue into the fact that I was a stranger in a very strange place...one that looked like my home and had people who I knew to be my family, but other than this the whole setting was alien, bizarre beyond belief, which I finally figured out when I had Kasumi ask me why I was flirting around with my sister's boyfriend.

To put it charitably, I did not react to this news with the grace such a situation might well have demanded.

"SAY WHAT?" I said in lieu of something less polite that might have earned Kasumi's disapproval, "Ranma-kun...and Akane? You've gotta be kidding me!"

"What would make you say that, Nabiki?" Uncle Genma asked with a clear lack of comprehension in his expression (okay, that's normally the way he looks, only this time he was moreso than usual, okay?).

"Yes," my father said with stern pronouncement, "Ranma will marry Akane and that is final. It was determined before any of you were even born..."

"No way!" I shouted, "There's no way I'm standing bay and letting you do this, Daddy! Not to me! He's mine and I'm not letting anyone have him, especially Akane!"

"Sister," Kasumi said the word softly, but for her it sounded like a disapproving shout.

"W-What is the meaning of this?" Daddy blinked his surprise, "What are you saying...?"

"He's MY iinazuke, Daddy," I declared with hands to my hips in my most no-  
nonsense manner, "Or did you forget this when you were out drinking with 'Uncle' Saotome?"

All right, you may note by now that I was acting as if this was my own regular timeline and dimension, but I still wasn't ready to face the fact that it was a parallel world and I was no doubt screwing things up for my counterpart who lived here. I was just too mad and disgusted at the thought of Ranma being engaged to my bad tempered younger sister, especially in light of the way she had been treating her not five minutes ago, and were it anyone but Ranma I would have suspected her of suffering the lingering effects of a severe concussion.

We had laid out my currently female iinazuke (I'd prefer to call her this even if it's not really my dimension, thank you) on her bed with an ice pack over her forehead and Ranma was still out like a light, which distressed me more than words could convey here. I may not have read as many medical texts as Kasumi but I know perfectly well what the possible consequences of a concussion are. A person could suffer brain damage and internal hemorrhage, wake up mentally crippled or not at all, either prospect of which terrified me more than I can possibly explain. The very idea that this version of Ranma suffered through this sort of thing on a fairly routine basis had me almost at the point of hysterics, and I was doing my level best not to go on a rampage against any idiot who would think that Ranma and Akane could make a good and stable union.

Of course my declaration had the effect of being told that I had just married the Elephant Boy, because Daddy did a good imitation of a fish sucking air while Kasumi was too surprised to even say, "Oh my" for this occasion.

"Your iinazuke?" surprisingly enough that level headed question came from Genma, "When did this happen?"

"Since I agreed to marry him," and I flashed up a hand that I was relieved to see was sporting an engagement ring (for some reason I'd half been afraid that it would not be there), "See? Ranma gave me this ring after he rescued me nine days ago! So don't try and talk me out of this, Daddy...I'm marrying Ranma and that's final!"

"It is?" I heard a groan voice from a semi-conscious Ranma.

I was kneeling at his side at once saying, "Don't try and talk or sit up, Ranma-  
kun. Everything will be all right, I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise."

"You...?" I saw her blue eyes focus on me, and then she sat up in spite of my warning, "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Nabiki?"

I suppose I should have expected this response, but it still hurt that she had to go and act like I had just turned into one of the Pod People.

"I'm Nabiki, Ranma," I said, allowing a little of my hurt to show in my voice, knowing full well the effect that would have upon her chivalrous nature, "I'm the one who loves you. Don't you remember?'

Okay, the moment I said those words I reacted about as astonished as anyone. Had I finally said the "L" word without stumbling this time? It was a pretty astonishing revelation!

"Love?" Ranma repeated the word as if it were foreign, then surprise turned to disgust as he backed away and declared, "No way! You love only money!"

Now that hurt, let me tell you, but rather than react on my pain I instead chose to give him my most frank expression, and in tones of deep emotion I said, "You're wrong about me...I don't know whatever I've done or said in the past to give you that impression of me, Ranma-kun, but I assure you I'm not all about money. There's something I value a whole lot more, and that's you, so before you accuse me of lying, ask yourself one question...are you a virgin?"

"H-Huh?" I saw blank incomprehension replace the fierce accusation in her eyes, followed by a fearful nervousness as she asked, "W-W-What are you asking me that for?"

"Because I know you've never done it with anyone...besides me," and Shampoo of course, I thought in silent amendment, but I wanted to deal with one stage of the matter at a time, knowing better than to rush things with the full dramatic revelation.

"You WHAT?" Daddy reacted predictably, "Ranma, is this true? Did you sleep with my daughter?"

"What? No way-I...!"

"Why deny it, Ranma-kun?" I asked him slyly, "You know you were the first man who ever rang my chimes, the way you snuck in through my window late at night and claimed me in my bed, the way you did it with me in both your forms...don't try and pretend it was anyone else. You know you're the only man for me, a real 'Man among Men,' and I can definitely vouch for that!"

"SAOTOME!" Daddy demanded hotly, "How dare you raise your son to have such loose morals...!"

"Hold on a minute, Tendo," Uncle Genma came to my rescue, just as I had predicted, "If the boy did sleep with one of your daughters..."

"Eh?" Daddy took a moment to think on that, then instantly changed his tone and demeanor, "Why, you're right, Saotome! It doesn't matter which of my girls he has to marry to unite the houses, and if the boy has stated a preference and even given her a ring..."

"And not just any ring, Daddy," I straightened up and showed it to him, "Recognize it now?"

My father blinked, then his eyes filled with tears and he cried, "Th-That's the ring I gave your mother...oh...Saotome!" Daddy then manly turned to Genma and started weeping against his shoulder, almost enough to trigger his panda-curse.

"Oh my..." Kasumi studied the ring, "That belonged to our Mother? Ranma-kun, where did you find it?"

"Huh, what, hah?" Ranma's eyes were wider than the proverbial saucers as she stared from one of us to the others, then back to me, "No way...!"

"RAN-MAAAA!" you guessed it, that came from Akane, who had just then come down the stairs after having cooled down from her earlier tempest, only to suffer a relapse as she caught the last part of our exchanges.

"EEP!" Ranma-chan backed up into the wall with the look of a condemned prisoner about to be read her last rights.

I wasn't having any of that, though, and so I turned to my sister and said, "Akane...butt out of this! It doesn't concern you!"

"The Hell it doesn't!" Akane raged, "Where do you get off talking like that to me, Nabiki? Now stand aside and let me pound some sense into the baka."

This times I gave her no warning at all, I just froze time all around us, moved forward, seized Akane by the waist and carried her (well, dragged her more like) out into the yard where I promptly tossed her into the koi pond. I allowed time to resume its normal flow just as she landed in the water, sputtering indignantly like a wet hen...

Only, to my surprise, she didn't sprout a pair of wings and turn into an Angel!

"Nabiki!" Akane cried indignantly, "Wh-What...?"

"Cool down, Sis," I said as evenly as if I were not about to freak out at the implications of this latest bit of proof that I was not on my own timeline, "You're hotheaded enough without having to push things."

"What the...?" Genma gasped from the porch.

"Such moves...did you see it, Saotome?" Daddy asked in amazement.

"Oh my," Kasumi said, "How did Nabiki do that?"

"I don't believe it," that from Ranma-chan, who had followed us out onto the porch and was looking from me to my sister, then she called out to her, "Akane...!"

"Just-stay away!" Akane hotly declared as she climbed up out of the koi pond, glaring at me with obvious resentment, "You-You traitor! How dare you do that to me! I can't believe you just did that!"

"Believe it, Sis," I said, "And if you don't want to have more of the same then I suggest you back down now and stop picking on poor Ranma."

I've never seen Akane lunge for me like that, not even when we were kids and I often subjected her to the butt of many a cruel prank. Kasumi and I have always been off-limits to her rages, and for her to take a swing at me must show how pretty upset I was making her, coming between her and the true target of her mindless rages.

There was a time when an enraged Akane would have been a serious concern for yours truly, but this version of my sister did not evidence signs of Amazon training and her attack was both slow, crude and predictable. I easily flowed around her thrust and got in behind her with great ease, allowing my instincts to guide my hand as I sought out the point in the back of the neck that I'd heard described as a "Sleep Spot," a place I'd seen Ranma use on several opponents. The touch of my finger had the desired effect and Akane collapsed to the ground like a stringless puppet.

"Akane!" Ranma surprised me by rushing forward to try and catch my sister before she fully hit the ground.

"Did you see that, Saotome?" Daddy asked in mild dismay.

"Incredible technique, Tendo-kun," Genma remarked, "The two schools will be well joined by such a union, but I never even suspected that you'd trained Nabiki to such a level."

"Neither had I," Daddy admitted, no doubt wondering how I had managed to become so proficient.

"Ranma-kun?" I asked, surprised to see the tenderness with which he cradled my sister.

"You keep away from me!" Ranma snapped, much to my dismay and horror, "I don't know who you are, but you're not Nabiki! She'd never do this to her own sister!"

"Sure I would," I said, steeling myself against the unexpected pain of her rejection, "If she stood between me and what I know is mine. You may not know what I'm talking about, Ranma-kun, but you can't possibly prefer her to me..."

"And why not?" Ranma challenged, "I don't even know who you are! You can't be the Nabiki I know, there's no way she could do stuff like that...whatever it is you just did!"

I suppose I should, in retrospect, have expected her to react this way, but it still hurt to feel any version of Ranma treat me like a pariah, even granted that I had done nothing so far to truly earn her trust or get on her good side. I resolved that this was a hurdle I had to win over, so I sighed and said, "Let's go somewhere and talk this over, okay? I know somebody who could help confirm my credentials."

"Like who?" Ranma wanted to know.

I was about to say Lotion, but the fact that nobody here had ever seen me use my skills before meant that the version who lived here never trained as a Lore Master, so went with my instincts and took the second best choice, "Cologne, Shampoo's Great Grandmother. She'll know who I am...one way or another."

By now I was fully with the program that this was an alternate universe, but the fact that they clearly knew whom Cologne was meant that the Amazons were at least here in Nerima. I was guessing what else was different about this world, which clearly was the timeline that had been here before the alteration that had made me Ranma's girlfriend. A plan was forming in my mind, one I hoped would win me a way back to my own version of events, and if it didn't work exactly as I'd hoped...well...

If it turned out that I was stuck in this world, then I damned well wasn't going to sit by and watch Ranma marry Akane, not by a long shot!

Which of course brings me to the question of what that other me was doing back on MY timeline, and what I'd do to her if she messed things up similarly between me and MY Ranma...

Though Nabiki was normally loath to engage in physical labor for any reason, she saw no practical reason for refusing to help set up tables in Ucchan's Caf , especially as it afforded her a good way of ferreting out information from this O-So-Helpful (and previously unheard of) Aunt named Kuonji Yumi, who seemed amiable enough to get along with just so long as Nabiki nodded her head and agreed at the right moments. It was helping Nabiki to become acquainted with the lay of the landscape, even if what she was learning about her other life was raising more than just her eyebrows.

Apparently she had been engaged to marry Saotome Ranma for the better part of two semesters, just somewhat shy of a year that she had known him, and that Akane had never even been under consideration, having expressed a strong distaste for the very concept of an arranged marriage. Somehow her other self had managed to survive being Ranma's girlfriend and seemed even to have prospered quite a bit in the process...enough so that the dojo was a thriving concern and marginally profitable at that.

Even more astonishing than the idea that she was helping Ranma to run and manage the dojo was the fact that Shampoo appeared to somehow be a part of the equation. Not only was she NOT trying to kill anybody at the time but she was even helping to teach classes and seemed to have gotten it into her head that Akane was one of her students!

Just what exactly her relationship was to either herself or Ranma was something that Yumi hinted rather broadly about, but which Nabiki did not dare to imagine might mean what it sounded like. She could not quite believe that in any world she would be willing to share a boyfriend with another woman, ESPECIALLY a notorious man-trap like the amorous Amazon, against whom other women were at a competitive disadvantage when it came to the looks department!

The identity of the woman currently sharing her father's bed was another area that Yumi seemed to be deliberately avoiding, though that appeared mainly to be a desire to avoid dealing with the subject than any intent on keeping the information from Nabiki.

What was rather astonishing by itself was the fact that Akane appeared to be pursuing a relationship with Ukyo of all people...a not entirely unbelievable concept seeing as Nabiki had long nursed suspicions regarding her little sister's sexual orientation. That Ukyo herself might encourage such a relationship was only a little less surprising...after all, Ukyo never minded Ranma's curse, and she not only dressed like a boy but insisted on being treated like one, in spite of her frequent protests that she wanted to be acknowledged as a woman.

Something else that interested Ukyo very much was how Genma and Nodoka had managed to reconcile, let alone that Nodoka had clearly accepted Ranma's curse as Yumi had made a passing reference to the fact that Nabiki's future husband was both a Man and a Woman. (The idea that she was supposed to marry the guy in the morning was strangely disturbing in and of itself, though exactly why even she could not say as she had tried for most of a year to avoid thinking of the guy as a marriageable prospect).

One final thing that disturbed Nabiki almost as much as all of the other confusing information was when she had asked where Kasumi was in all of this and received the puzzling answer that she was probably still out at the Kuno place with Kodachi. Kasumi and Kodachi? What the heck was that all about?

Just as they started to get the place fit for the customers there came a tapping at the front door, and Yumi, curious to see who it was, went to the door and had a look, then returned a moment later in the company of a tall woman who rivaled her for height but without being quite as broad-shouldered and bulky. What caught Nabiki's eye immediately was the color of her hair, long and distinctly purple with features unmistakably like Shampoo, only sporting an expression of intense worry and concentration.

"What's up?" Nabiki asked, wondering who this woman was who was so obviously on the warpath.

"Trouble," said woman replied in fluent Japanese, "I need to find Atsuko at once, it's an important matter of family business."

"Well, if you're going to have another fight, take it outside in back, I won't have you messing up my Niece's restaurant," Yumi noted.

"Hahah," the purple haired woman replied sarcastically, "It is to laugh, but this is more serious than anything between me and the Oni. This one's big, maybe even bigger than Cybelle herself, and that means setting aside any personal business until we get it sorted...'

"What's that?" yawned the brown haired figure who descended the stairs, followed by the blonde and Ryoga.

"We got trouble," the purple haired woman replied, "Grandmother went off of her own with Siren and both have vanished. Whoever did it is a Master of Illusions whom Grandmother knows personally and considers her mortal enemy, so dangerous in fact that she didn't want the rest of us to follow her into danger. Now who do you know, other than your mother, who could inspire such terror in the leader of my people?"

"Who could scare your grandmother?" the brown haired woman paused to reflect this, even as Ryoga and the blonde haired girl regarded her with puzzled expressions, "Now who could that be...wait, did you say illusions?"

"Powerful enough to make an entire building just up and vanish," the purple haired woman replied, "My daughters will confirm this because they showed me where it happened."

"And you say Siren was with her?" the brown haired woman frowned, "Oboy...that might mean...no...it couldn't be..."

"You know," Yumi remarked, "In my experience, whenever someone says something can't be it usually means it is. Must be a pretty touch customer if even an Archmage can't handle her...so who are you thinking?"

"Only one person I know has that kind of power and specializes in illusions," the brown haired woman said, "But the reason it can't be her is because my grandmother's locked away in a Temple deep in China. Cologne herself helped seal her away close to three hundred years ago, and even if she got out she'd be unable to pass through the wards around the temple..."

"Just assume for the sake of argument that she could do this," the purple haired woman made a gesture, "Just how dangerous would she be if she somehow got to Nerima?"

"Ah...pretty bad, really," the brown haired woman said, "Grandmother won't be too happy about being locked up, and it's not like I could blame her for that. She's not the worst person you could want to have for an enemy, but I can't really think of anybody who could cause more trouble if she has a mind to..."

"Wait!" the blonde made a hand-gesture, "Time out! How about explaining to those of us who don't measure their lifespan in the multiple decades just who the hell you guys are talking about?"

Nabiki felt a surge of silent gratitude to this blonde, for she had been wondering the same thing but was afraid to ask for fear of exposing her ignorance of these people.

"Yes Mother," Ryoga urged, "Tell us who this is who's causing trouble this time, and what we can do about it?"

"Oh, well that would be your Great-Grandmother, Ryo-chan," the brown haired woman replied, "Ganglot the Oni, the founder of our entire line through my father, Razor."

Unnoticed by these others, Nabiki was silently mouth the word, "Mother?" in regards to Ryoga.

"You mean...she's my Grandmother too?" the blonde asked, helping Nabiki to clarify her relationship to these others.

"Sure is, Sis," Atsuko replied, "Of course I can't believe that Grandmother would be able to get out here. She's not really as evil as your Amazons make her out to be, Comb. I've only met her in spirit a few times when she's contacted me as a disembodies spirit."

"You just said yourself that she's got a grudge with the Matriarch," Yumi noted, "And she is an Oni, a powerful one if I remember right from twenty years ago when you explained your relationship and where you got your power over illusions."

"What's this all about?" Genma asked as he and Nodoka joined the party on the staircase.

"Did you say something about an Oni who's your grandmother, Atsuko-chan?" asked Nodoka.

"Ah, yeah...my Grandmother," the so-named Atsuko replied, "Ganglot. She helped me out a long time ago when I was trying to get free from my mom, and it's because of her that I've been able to stay clear and protect Ryo-chan from his grandmother. If it wasn't for her your son would have been her pawn and I'd never have been able to warn you guys the first time when she made a move against the dojo."

"Sounds pretty serious," Ranma said as he and Shampoo descended down the stairs, followed in close order by Akane and Ukyo, "Ryoga may be clueless, but I wouldn't wish his Grandma on a Kuno."

"Oh, like you'd do any better if she had her way, Ranma," Ryoga snapped.

"Hey, chill it you two," Ukyo said as she vaulted the rail to get around the crowd blocking the stairway, "Last thing we need is another display of brotherly affection out of you two..."

"Huh?" Nabiki gasped from where she stood with her head awhirl with one too many sudden revelations.

"Nihao, Mother!" Shampoo called out cheerfully, then in a couple of bounds she came up to Nabiki's side and embraced the astonished Tendo sister before Nabiki had time to brace for the impact, followed by a kiss that took her breath away and left her mind in a total shambles.

"Is Nabiki ready to grind Stupid Card Player face in dust?" the Amazon asked cheerfully, even as Nabiki grasp of the situation went totally out of the window.

"Hey, ease up on her, Sham-chan," Ranma called cheerfully as he came to join them at a more leisurely stride, "Give her a little air or she won't be able to concentrate, and besides, I want some of that action."

"Huh?" Nabiki was starting to reconsider the wisdom of fainting. When Ranma slipped an arm around her waist and that of Shampoo it put total pale to everything she had ever thought she had understood about Saotome Ranma. It felt...weird being held by him with such warm affection, but...nice at the same time too, and the inclusive presence of Shampoo...well that just threw everything else right out through the roof! Two women and one guy...and she was supposed to be all right about this?

"I'm sure you'll ace that Gambler weasel," Ranma said encouragingly, "But I wish you'd let me have a crack at the guy...I'd like to bust him wide open for trying to steal the dojo."

"Yeah, like you could hold a card next to my sister," Akane snorted, sliding an arm around Ukyo's waist as the okonomiyaki chef looked towards her with a vaguely troubled expression.

"So, what's this about an Oni again?" Ranma asked as he ignored the taunting from Nabiki's kid sister.

"Not just any Oni, Son-in-law," the one named Comb replied, "Ganglot...the bogey woman feared by Amazons of legend, who is said to predate even the migration of the Amazons into China."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo exclaimed, "Is true? Shampoo hear many tale about strong warrior who got up against Demoness and never heard from again. Is loose in Japan now?"

"We think so, little one," Comb replied, "I told your father and sisters to return to the restaurant and wait in case they hear word from either Archmage Siren or your great grandmother. No news is not necessarily bad news, but unless we know for certain..."

"A good point," Yumi nodded, "Maybe we'd better contact Kachu and see if she can help us out. This is her area of specialty after all, and what she trained for, right?"

"Do we have to include her?" Atsuko frowned, "I'm sure if it is my grandmother that I can talk to her and get this straightened out..."

"We need a Devil Hunter," Comb said flatly, "And she's the best we've got, and loyal to the Amazons. If we tell her grandmother is in trouble, she will answer the call."

"What's this?" Nabiki turned her head as she heard her father's voice, and sure enough he was descending the stairs along with a woman whose very appearance drove the breath from her lungs as her veins turned to icewater, "What's going on here?"

"We're planning another War-council, Soun-chan," Yumi replied in a semi-  
facetious tone of voice, "Care to join in? Oh...and you too, Silk-san."

"So charming of you to remember me," said the graceful woman whose very presence was giving Nabiki such troubling moments, "Another War Council? I thought we were agreed on what to do about the Gambler King last night or...is this something else more serious to which you are referring?"

"Ganglot," Comb responded.

"Oh," Nabiki saw the woman's eyes go wide as they momentarily lost their focus, "Oh dear...I see...there is a presence not far away...one that was shielded from my senses...but the name spoken aloud...I can almost see her face..."

"If you can give us a description we could possibly know whom we're up against this time," Soun said with an arm around this woman's shoulders.

"Of course, Dear," the woman said with a smile, "Anything that I can do to help out. Eh? Nabiki?" she turned and finally paid notice to the way Nabiki was staring right at her, "Is there something wrong, dear? You look like I've grown a second head."

"Yeah, what gives?" Ranma asked in obvious concern, "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"M-M-Mother?" was all Nabiki managed to get out before she finally gave into temptation and fainted, hoping when she opened her eyes again it would not turn out to have been entirely a nightmare...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cross Parallel Exchange Fiancees: shadowmane

The Tale of Two Nabikis (Series Two OAV) continues next chapter while Naomi and Kento come to terms with what they have learned about the Oni, and what will happen when Cybelle finally learns the location of her meddlesome Mother-in-law, and what about the Gambler King, who's tapping his foot right now and wondering if anyone will even remember about the match this morning? Stay tuned for the next exciting installment: "California Oni Dreaming," or "That's Another Fine Mesh you've Gotten me Into!"  
Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	122. Chapter 122

NabikiRan106 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos ,  
Gregg Sharp and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Six.

Valhalla, the Lounge Area.

In al the bright and shining realm of Gladsheim, there was no more sacred place, no more revered and hallowed area than that neutral space surrounding the Cross-  
Dimensional Portal, which served in lieu of a mortal TV (the wide-screen HTDV Holographic edition, that is), this owing to the fact that regular battles between multi-dimensional beings tends to play havoc with the reception, to say nothing of repair costs to furniture and personnel. As such a state of Truce was in force around this area, violations of which were on pain of having to buy the beer kegs for the next Millennium, a steep price to pay for relative peace, of course, but there you have it.

Here the Gods sat down to watch their favorite sport (RE: Entertainment) transpiring on the sphere of their Mortal retainers, and in this area frequent arguments over who has the remote would often lead to the contending parties having to take it outside to settle things with a little divinely inspired mayhem. The Portal was capable of Multi-channel interactions so it was possible for them to view a multiple number of planes and dimensions simultaneously, which did a lot to help cut down on the brawls that might otherwise distract from watching the fun going on with the mortals.

Contrary to popular myth, Gods were very rarely of the "All-Seeing and All Knowing" variety, and those few who were gifted with divine knowledge and wisdom generally tended to keep it to themselves so as not to incur too much resentment from their peerage. Most Gods had fairly limited perceptions, (albeit they certainly ranked a good deal higher on the perceptiveness level than most Mortals) and as such had to depend on artificial means for keeping tabs on their worshippers. Most were plugged into the Yggdrasil relay net with standby protocols to let them know whether their names were being invoked in prayer or in vain, in which case their Pagers would go off and let them know if they had to put in a personal appearance or just do some plain old fashioned smiting.

The Portal was an easier way for them to pass the time when otherwise not engaged with their Godly offices, and so it was not uncommon for them to rub shoulders with beings from rival pantheons with whom they did not exactly share a love of mutual co-existence. Some had grudges going back almost literally to the dawn of time while others were merely suffering from petty snits that often divided them even from close kin for a few centuries. No one could hold a grudge or nurse a pet peeve like a divinity, of course, so the explosive tensions that often singed the air between mortals enemies went a good deal towards explaining why the ban on violence had such strict enforcement.

The one eternal problem facing nearly all Immortal beings is boredom. The quest for novelty, for diversion and the sublime ascendance of mortal passions consumed their waking hours both night and day. Mortals were the answer to the problems faced by Gods who had outlived the shifting of the continents and the destruction of the Fifth Solar planet, who had otherwise literally seen and done it all and were far too jaded to be impressed with the petty, ordinary cares of life, so they often resorted to the use of Heroes to brighten up the tedium and ennui with which most were ordinarily confronted.

So it was that the discovery of an obscure suburb on the fringes of one of the Earth's largest metropolitan city had been a literal Gods-send when it happened to be noticed that there was a Temporal Nexus living there by the name of Saotome Ranma. This Ranma embodied all that was best and worst in humanity, all of the positive and negative traits most favored by divinities when they were searching for a toy or plaything. A hero, in their collective opinion, should be capable of forcefully asserting himself in the most impossible of situations while acting randomly and unpredictably so that you never knew which way he would jump if you prodded him with a test or a challenge. Beings who thought nothing of quirking events to bring more and more powerful challengers together (the literal equivalent to shoving a stick into an anthill to see how much excitement you can stir up) were quick to provide incentive for the boy to constantly leap from one crisis to the next just for the thrill of seeing what would happen, and how much it would hurt when it was all over. This Ranma had proven to be a virtual gold mine of interesting moments, and not a few of the more Ecchi of the Gods privately lusted for him in either of his aspects.

Of course, presently, one of their favorite alternate timelines was currently undergoing a kind of bifocal dislocation, meaning that the screen covering events there had split into two halves running parallel to one another. This produced more than the usual number of complaints, but after calling in a repair team it was determined that the fault lay not within the portal but with the dimension itself, which was currently undergoing a Maintenance Review at the Main Office.

"What, again?" complained Heimdall, who was enjoying some off-duty time from his regular post at Bifrost.

"Look" Hephaestus said patiently, "I've already told you it's not in the equipment. Everything checks out, and the Anti-Bugging software hasn't turned up any Glitches."

"I've run those tests twice myself," Skuld insisted, "It's not in the Program either. As near as I can tell the dimension is being duplicated with a backup copy made from the original template even while the current program is still in operation."

"Then what could be causing this, Sugar?" asked the Love Goddess, Freya, whose southern Vanir drawl gave her sultry voice a certain quixotic down-home country flavor.

"Unknown at this time," responded Anubis, who was also enjoying some off-time from his Underworld Guardian position, "But I suspect someone may be placing a bet right now and forgot to inform us."

"OH," came the collective response from the Host. They all knew what happened when one placed "Bet" entries in an already existing program. It tended to spit out random alternate pathways that tended to spiral off into their own separate dimensions.

"Apparently someone is doing an inquiry into cross-temporal randomization," hypothesized Athena.

"Would you mind explaining that in Aetolian Greek, Sis?" Aphrodite winced, hating it when she came off looking like the "Dumb Blonde" in this outfit.

"It means we'll have to wait until things clear up," Hephaestus shrugged, "Might as well enjoy the show, looks like something pretty interesting is about to happen on one of these parallel timelines..."

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I've often had that peculiar feeling that someone is watching me, but on this occasion I chose to ignore it. Approaching the Nekohanten left me feeling more than slightly anxious...I mean, this was a different world with different rules, right? How much of what I knew from my own timeline could I rely upon as being consistent? Would Cologne even acknowledge me or be willing to cooperate knowing as much as I did about what motivates my great-grandmother-in-law on my timeline?

So you can see what an anxious state of mind I was in when we entered the restaurant (which is rarely locked even this early in the morning...I mean, can you imagine the thief hapless enough to try and knock off THIS particular restaurant?) and were greeted to the sight of the old woman calmly cleaning some articles of jewelry on one table, as if she were as safe as in the National Vault. The sight of all those expensive looking articles definitely raised my eyebrows, but this was not a time to think about that kind of business. I had something way more serious to discuss here and no way was I letting myself be distracted by all that fabulous wealth (even if the idea of ogling alone was rather tempting).

Of course no sooner had I set foot in the restaurant then Cologne reacted to the sight of me as if a horde of screaming Mongols had just invaded the place. Almost too quick for even my eye to follow she scooped up her valuable trinkets and whisked them away to some Pocket space as thoroughly as if we had only just imagined it being there in the first place. She then became the gracious hostess and said, "If you are looking for Shampoo, Son-in-law, she is out making deliveries and won't be back for at least a few more minutes."

"I ain't looking for Shampoo, old Ghoul," Ranma immediately snapped, causing me to wonder just how great a separation existed between them on this world, and how hard that must be on Sham-chan, "Nabiki's gotta question for you, and she ain't actin' like herself, so she thinks maybe you could explain something, like what's suddenly so weird about her."

"Weird do you say?" Cologne fetched those owlish eyes of hers in my direction, but in reply I ignored the gnarled old Troll who confronted me and turned my attention to a shadowy outline that I saw framing around me, which I knew to be her actual "Shadow" presence.

Akane, who had insisted on tagging along once she had revived from the brief nap I'd given her, responded before I could, "She's been acting really strange and calling herself Ranma's fiancee! We want to know if she's possessed or something..."

"Possessed?" Cologne was giving me a curious scrutiny, as if recognizing on instinct that I was not the same Nabiki with whom she was accustomed.

"They don't accept that I come from another reality similar to this one but very different," I replied, "I'm not the Nabiki they think I am...but I am Tendo Nabiki, and I can prove it if you'd like to test me."

Cologne nodded her head thoughtfully and said, "Your aura is definitely stronger than before, and I sense an inner strength and purpose unlike what I've known in your presence. You say you are from another world? Describe for me what is essentially different about it?"

"Where would you like for me to begin...Old Woman?" I arched my tone with a cunning smile that got her attention, "Or should I call you 'Mother-in-law,' since I was officially adopted into your family by Shampoo shortly after she declared me as her second Airen."

"Say what?" Ranma looked at me once more with that "Who the Heck are you, lady?" expression, while Akane just seemed puzzled as if not understanding to what it was that I was aluding.

Cologne's own response was poignant as she stared at me with both eyebrows climbing dangerously near to her hairline. In a studied tone of voice she said, "I see...you mean Shampoo took you for a wife...and Ranma for her husband?"

"Bingo," I winked, "Got it in one...and before you ask how I rate Warrior status, my official title is Apprenticed Lore Master."

"Lore Master?" Cologne repeated the word with hooded eyes, then like a cobra her staff leaped out at my face, only to be caught and deflected by my hand as though her rapid thrust had been aimed in slow motion. I knew she intended to pull up short of me by a few inches, but the mere fact that I had been able to intercept her feigned attack was enough to confirm that I wasn't all that ordinary.

Of course the mere fact that I had been challenged inspired me to show off a bit more of my raw talents. Ever since confronting Kirin in his stronghold, and all that stuff that went on in Pangea, I had become increasingly aware of my ability to tap into the random free ions of Manna energy that normally circulates all around us, and now it was simplicity itself for me to draw upon this flow to increase and surround my aura, manifesting my Ki Levels so that I must have seemed to be glowing with power. I could unleash that force as a weapon had I wished to, but I wanted merely to demonstrate to Cologne that I was a capable student and worthy of my Mentor's teaching.

My demonstration had the effect desired as I saw recognition register in Cologne's ancient eyes, even as I could almost read her thoughts, which ran something like, "Such power...so much power in one so young? This is Lotion's doing beyond question!"

Aloud what I said was, "I don't want to waste time on games, Matriarch. I know things other people can only guess at, and if you want to test me there you won't find me wanting."

"Whoah...!" I heard Ranma gasp, obviously seeing the intensity of my aura.

"What is that?" Akane seemed to feel my presence more than actually see the life energy with which I was currently surrounded.

"You know of things without needing them to be spoken?" Cologne asked without giving a hint in her voice of how disturbed she was at my very presence.

"I do," I replied, "For example...I know about the deal you made with Shampoo's mother in order for her to study medicine and give up being a warrior. I know why you've been training Shampoo to be your successor, and the price she's paid on account of that training."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked at me, "What price?"

"I also know of her interest in motorcycles," I continued, amused upon seeing the fleeting hint of annoyance in Cologne's expression that signified her memory of her young ward taking time away from her training to tool all over the Chinese countryside with that "Damnable Machine" that had belonged to her father, and felt a twinge of sympathy, recalling my own rides on Shampoo's monster. Aloud I continued, "I know her father is the village handyman-slash-  
engineer, and I know how he won Comb's hand in marriage. I also know about the mission you sent your granddaughter here a generation ago, and what happened as a consequence of that failed mission. I also know what fate awaits Shampoo at the end of the year should she fail to win Ranma's affections..."

"Huh?" Ranma reacted again, "What do you mean? What's gonna happen to her...?"

"Like you don't care, huh?" Akane snorted.

"I also know about the prophesy of my Sensei," I resumed, "About who is destined to succeed you as the leader of your people, and it's not Shampoo, despite your fervent desire that she succeed you...should I name the one who is fated to replace her?"

"Ah...that will not be necessary," Cologne withdrew her staff and I allowed my Ki levels to subside to normal, "Clearly your are Lotion's Apprentice, though it amazes me to think that I never even suspected that you had the potential within you."

"Really?" I asked, "Are you sure it's not because the me who lives on this timeline is a greedy, money-hustling mercenary who might make a less than idea candidate?"

"Well, that too..." Cologne conceded.

"I'm my mother's daughter," I said simply, "What she could have been I am...I'm the fulfillment of her potential, and if you want me to make further demonstrations..."

"I am certain that I would be fascinated to learn the range of your present abilities," Cologne replied, "But what exactly is it that you wish from me that you cannot do for yourself?"

"That is the question," I sighed, "I need to get back to my own world...I don't belong here, and I'm supposed to be married to Ranma in the morning."

I heard the double-gasp flanking me from either side and rolled my eyes towards the ceiling, wondering how many times I would have to explain this to my companions before Ranma and Akane got used to the concept.

"And Shampoo?" Cologne inquired.

"She's officially Maid of Honor," I replied, "Unofficially...well...it's more like a double ceremony. We plan to do it Amazon style after I assume the official title of Ranma's wife. Technically we're both already married, but I want that document that says I'm Ranma's wife so I can share in his inheritance even as I give him the dojo as my dowry, thus merging our two houses."

"I see," Cologne nodded, "A good strategy, and worthy of one with your cleverness...but am I given to understand that Ranma on your world is due to come into an inheritance?"

"Five hundred million yen's worth," I replied with a quirk, "But that's not why I'm marrying him. I love my Ranma, and I was going to marry him even when I thought he was just a pauper."

"Say what?" Ranma responded, "Where the hell does that kind of money come from?"

"From your great uncle on your mother's side of course," I turned to regard the poor boy with a wry expression, "It's part of the Tsukino fortune. You Dad knows all about it."

"And how come he never told me?" Ranma's eyes darkened to an appropriate shade of outrage.

"The same reason my Daddy never told me," I replied, "Your great uncle hates your father and considers him little more than a petty thief, so he wrote into his will that you wouldn't receive a dime of that money until you turned eighteen and had officially married. He wanted you to be old enough and mature enough to control your own fortune and see to it your Dad never got the chance to squander it, fancy that. I guess one out of two isn't all that bad..."

"That-that-that BAKA!" now it was Ranma's turn to manifest a potent battle aura.

"Your point being?" I responded, only to hear Akane's grating voice say, "I KNEW IT! I knew there had to be a reason why you were after him, Nabiki!"

"I beg your pardon?" I replied, turning to regard my outraged little sister.

"You want him for his money and this whole thing's a plot by you to try and con your way into inheriting his fortune!" my sister accused, "You don't really love him, you're just pretending, like the last time!"

"Excuse me?" it was my turn to arch eyebrows, "The last time I what?"

"The last time you became engaged to him, that's what!" Akane spat, "You tricked me into giving him up, then you exploited him and put Ranma through hell to fatten up your profit margin, selling him off on dates to his other fiancees before you got tired of him and dropped poor Ranma like a hot potato!"

"I did all that?" I was frankly appalled, though it certainly sounded like something I might have done if I were the cold-hearted mercenary bitch that everyone seemed to think I was in this dimension.

"Yes!" Akane snorted, "Well, it's not gonna work this time, Nabiki! You had your chance and you blew it! Ranma's engaged to me and I'm not letting you have him..."

"Oh?" I asked in arched tones, "You mean you're in love with him, little sister?"

"Huh?" I saw her blink in dismay at my question, almost as if it were an accusation, "Of course I don't love him! He's rude, obnoxious, inconsiderate to others, violent, arrogant, makes fun of my cooking..."

"Ahuh," I replied, "And except for that last part how does he differ from you, pray tell?"

"Huh?" Akane blinked, then her temper flared again, "You just keep away from him, you got that! I don't know what's gotten into you, but..."

"Answer me something, little sister," I said, "Why do you want to marry him?"

"Hah?" she said again, "Who says I want to marry him!"

"You just did," I pointed out, "I'm just asking why you'd want to do that. I mean...not to be cruel or anything, but I just don't see how you two could ever work out as a couple. You're just not right for each other, bad chemistry, incompatible personalities, too many of the same vices and not enough shared virtues...do you really think the two of you would be all that happy together? And just think of the children..."

"Hey," Ranma complained, "Where do you get off talking like that, Nabiki and...what children?" I heard the TILT button go off inside his head, clearly proving to me that this was very much like my version of Ranma, only under the horrible delusion that he was in love with my sister.

Before I had the chance to answer him, though, a cheerful voice called out, "I home!" followed in predictably short order by an enthusiastic, "Ranma! NIHAO!"

I was amused to see a bouncy Chinese Amazon glomp onto Ranma with the passion of a starving bear who has just discovered a tree full of honey. Ranma's face showed both dismay and discomfort, though, which told me at once that this was not a welcome gesture and certainly not reciprocated.

"Shampoo-get off me!" Ranma protested, and tried to pry himself loose, to no avail, though Shampoo hung on to him with desperate strength, clearly not wanting to release him. I felt a twinge shoot through me at the sudden realization that Shampoo knew her love was not being returned but did not want to acknowledge this truth, being desperately afraid of being abandoned and rejected.

Akane, predictably enough, saw something entirely different in the situation and at once surged forward, "RANMA-YOU LET GO OF HER THIS-!"

She got no farther than two steps before my foot shot out and tripped her to the floor. Akane landed with remarkably poor grace for a martial artist, even banging her nose on the floor, which showed me just how pathetic her reflexes were on this timeline.

"This is your idea of love?" I asked my sister, "Another woman makes a pass at him and your first instinct is to blame Ranma for being unfaithful?"

"Akane...let me go, Shampoo!" Ranma finally prevailed as Shampoo reluctantly let go of him, and at once Ranma knelt down to try and help Akane back to a sitting position, only to get a slap in his face for his troubles.

"OW!" he reacted more in surprise than pain at the gesture, "What did you do that for?"

"You delight in humiliating me, don't you!" Akane backed away without getting back to her feet, misery plain upon her features, "You're all against me, every one of you! And you're the worst, Nabiki! How could you do this to me?"

"You did it to yourself," I retorted, then sighed, "Akane...this isn't good for you. Look at the way you're acting...do you think mother would look down at you from heaven and be pleased at the way her little girl is turning out?"

"You...what do you mean?" Akane blinked at me, "Since when have you suddenly gotten religious?"

"Since I want to the Astral Plane and saw the ghost of our true mother," I replied, "She knows what we've been doing with our lives, Akane...she knows what kind of a person you're turning out to be. Do you think she could be happy knowing that the one of us who's turned out to be the most like her tries to solve all of her problems with her fists instead of giving other people the benefit of the doubt? You let your fears run away with you and it's turning you into a very unpleasant person to be around. You've got to learn to let it go and be less angry all of the time, especially around Ranma."

"Aiyaa..." I heard Shampoo exclaim, "What make Nabiki talk this way? Great-  
grandmother, is she like time family visited by Oni?"

"Why does everybody ask me that?" I sighed, "Sham-chan...ah...Shampoo...I'm not quite the same Nabiki that you remember. I...ah...well..." I found myself looking into her beautiful reddish brown eyes and for a moment my courage faltered.

"Nabiki is not the same person that we have known, indeed," Cologne remarked, "I am beginning to suspect that the differences both within and without are even greater than I could have imagined."

That was about the point when Mousse put in an appearance, coming in from the back of the restaurant and at once focusing on Shampoo, which put me on my guard, only to see him react with hostility when he caught sight of Ranma.

"Saotome!" the clueless wonder declared, "PREPARE TO DIE!"

I reacted before anyone else would have imagined possible, having already built back up the charge that I had drawn before as I had anticipated the Chinese boy making a play for my Ranma. Had I taken a moment to think about it I might have allowed Ranma to fight his own battles, but I was feeling more than a bit on edge and needed to take it out on somebody, and you have to admit that Mousse makes a pretty tempting target.

My Ki-attack caught the boy completely by surprise, striking him down like a spitting cobra and singing the fringes of his clothing as he landed in a sprawl amid some chairs and a table. I heard him groaning, "What happened...?" just before he slumped into unconsciousness, even as I took a deep breath and allowed my Ki levels to flow back to their normal level.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured into the ensuing silence.

"Sorry about that," I apologized, "That was reflex."

"Kami-sama," Akane whispered, "How did Nabiki do that?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Ranma replied, "What an attack that was...I barely felt it coming!"

"I think, young lady, that we should have that talk now," Cologne said in a dry tone of voice, "For one thing I'd be very much interested in hearing more about the world you hail from."

"I am at your disposal, Matriarch," I replied, hoping against hope that I was now one step closer to finding my way back home, and hopefully before my match with the Gambler King was scheduled to happen...

"I think she's coming around now," were the first words that Nabiki recognized as consciousness did indeed return to her, followed closely by the words, "We need to talk, you and I...and I think you had better take a moment because what I have to say will not be easy for you to handle."

Nabiki opened her eyes and found the purple haired woman named Comb leaning over her with a concerned expression on her handsomely mature face. Taking a moment to think about it, Nabiki responded to this by saying, "That's putting it mildly, lady."

"It's Doctor to you," the Chinese Amazon replied, "I am Shampoo's mother, Comb of the Joketsuzoku, and you are Tendo Nabiki...and yet you are not, I take it?"

"Well," Nabiki glanced around and saw many other anxious faces hovering close nearby, not least of which were Ranma and Shampoo, "I'm Tendo Nabiki...but I'm not sure about the rest of this set up."

Comb nodded to that, "It seems that Silk was right about you...you are not the Nabiki that we remember. My daughter-in-law is made of sterner stuff than this, not that I can blame you for fainting, given how unprepared you must have been for so many revelations."

"Ah...you could say that...Doctor," Nabiki slowly sat upright, encouraged that the purple haired woman did not deter her, "Did you...just call me your Daughter-in-law?"

"The Nabiki I know is married to my daughter," Comb replied, "She is Amazon by adoption, and co-wife to my Son-in-law. I tend to think of her as yet another daughter, though I'd be happy to be your Mother, were it not that someone else is angling for the position of your mother."

"Er...about that," Nabiki said, "Who was that with Daddy? She...she looked a lot like my mother..."

"That would be Silk," Comb sighed, "My best friend and a junior Lore Master who just happens by some amazing quirk of fate to bear a strong resemblance to your late mother. We used to joke that they were twins separated at birth, though at times I have wondered if we were really joking about that."

"Excuse me?" Nabiki said, "Would you mind running that one by me again? This Silk character is my Mom's long-lost twin sister?"

"Ah...something like that," a voice hesitantly ventured as the woman in question moved forward from the hallway, "Would it be possible for the two of us to talk alone, Comb? I know you want to be on your way seeking out your grandmother..."

"Just don't push too much onto her at once," Comb rose to her formidable height, "Too much of a shock won't be good for her system. I do need to leave at once, but I want to have your word that you won't try giving her a crash course in everything that is different from our world and the one that you say she comes from."

"I promise I will be gentle," Silk nodded to the purple haired woman, "Now be on your way and let me explain myself to Nabiki. I'm sure she's a very capable young girl, just like my future step-daughter. Now then, young lady...you gave your Father and me quite a fright. How are you feeling?"

"Er...well..." Nabiki considered the point, "Under the circumstances..."

"Shampoo not understand," Shampoo blurted out, "Is Nabiki really Nabiki?"

"Yeah," Ranma said, "What gives? Is she our Nabiki or what?"

"That is what I intend to get to the bottom of, you two," Silk shoed them out of the room, along with the others, "Now wait in the hallway and I'll let you know when she's ready to receive you."

The Amazon closed the door on the faces attempting to peer past her shoulders then turned around and sighed, giving Nabiki an apologetic nod before saying, "I'm very sorry about all this...it must be quite trying for your nerves. I'm not surprised you tried to cover for yourself, but you knew that it had to come out sooner or later that you are not in your correct timeline."

"That's what I want to ask you about, lady," Nabiki frowned, "Just how the hell did I get here?"

"You mean you don't want to ask me about how I've come to be engaged to your father?" Silk raised her left hand and displayed her ring finger.

"Well..." Nabiki winced, "That too..."

"First of all," the woman sat down in proper Japanese fashion and composed herself with such dignity that Nabiki had no trouble thinking of her as a proper lady, "You do seem to be aware that there is more than one Universe in existence, and many possible timelines that exist parallel beside one another."

"Well..." Nabiki shrugged, "I've seen enough science fiction that I can at least get with the program on that. So...this is a different world, huh, one where I'm somehow engaged to marry Ranma...and Shampoo's a part of the package?"

"You are Bisexual are you not?" Silk inquired, "Or are you telling me that the thought of a physical relationship with another woman is beyond your nature?"

"Ah...well..." Nabiki squirmed uncomfortably at the playful, teasing tone of the older woman, "I've never...done it with anyone, if that's what you mean...either a guy or a girl..."

"I wasn't asking if you are a virgin, dear," Silk smiled, "I merely ask if the thought of marrying Shampoo upsets you more than sharing her with Saotome Ranma."

"Er..." Nabiki glanced away, "Truth to tell, the idea's never really crossed my mind, you know what I mean?"

"Does it surprise you to know that Shampoo cares for you that way?" Silk asked in a gentle manner.

"Frankly...yes it does," Nabiki replied, "She's never seemed to care about anyone but Ranma...though now that I think about it, she's never been reluctant to glomp onto him in either of his aspects..."

"Shampoo had a lover in China whom she had thought had died at the hands of an enemy," Silk revealed, "She grieved for two years before encountering your husband-to-be, and only recently did she discover that her loved one had survived and had taken another for her lover. She revealed this to your counterpart and it brought you closer together with your husband."

"So Shampoo got a little on the sly before Ranma, huh?" Nabiki filed this away as potentially useful information, "What was her name, by the way, just in case anybody asks?"

"Lotion the Younger," Silk replied, "Not to be confused with her great grandmother and your mentor, Lotion the Lore Master."

"My...mentor?" Nabiki blinked, "Wanna run that one by me again?"

"Your counterpart is apprenticed to become a Lore Master, much like I am," Silk replied, "Grandmother chose your other self as her student after Shampoo discovered your potential and ever since you have been Grandmother's favorite Teacher's pet, for which you have my sincerest condolences and pity."

"So this training...what does it do?" Nabiki wondered.

"Oh...all sorts of interesting things," Silk smiled and brought her hands up to face one another, separated by less than a foot, and as she concentrated on that space between them it eventually was filled by the crackle of luminous energy passing from one hand to the other.

Nabiki's eyebrows climbed as she wondered what her counterpart was capable of doing.

"Mainly being a Lore Master means that we have the potential to know and learn things, for we are the trustees and guardians of Knowledge," Silk remarked as she lowered her hands, the energy crackle vanishing as swiftly as it had been summoned, "Information is our tool and our weapon, though we are bound by rules in how we may apply our knowledge. Knowledge is power, you see, and the ability to manipulate power has consequences farther reaching than the average mind might expect. Being essentially the same person as my prospective step-  
Daughter, you naturally have this potential within you."

"Wait a minute," Nabiki said, "You don't mean to suggest that I should study this stuff too? Sorry, but I don't do magic..."

"But what if you could?" Silk wondered, "You must at least concede that the prospect would be most tempting."

"Well..." Nabiki had to privately concede that the possession of some kind of a power would have many interesting applications, but so far her experiences with Magic had warned her off from dabbling in the unknown and dangerous stuff that usually surrounded Ranma.

Silk smiled and said, "I am gratified to see you hesitate, it shows intelligence and caution. Too many are blinded by power for its own sake and fail to realize that power is a two edged sword that cuts both ways. Abusing one's power can have potentially lethal consequences."

"Er...can we go back to the bit about you being my Mother's twin sister?" Nabiki pleaded.

"Certainly," Silk nodded, "Only I wouldn't go so far as to say that Kimiko and I were sisters...though in a very real sense I suppose we were. In truth we were rivals for your father's hand in marriage some twenty years ago, and for a time your father even considered marrying me instead of your mother. I chose to decline the honor and returned to my homeland...though not without consequences, as it turned out..."

"Whoah, whoah, WHOAH!" Nabiki waved her hands frantically, "You're going way too fast! What do you mean you and Mom were rivals? Twenty years ago? What's that all about?"

"Forgive me," Silk nodded, "I was trying to be brief because time is not being very kind to us and we have a bit of a deadline to consider. Simply put, twenty years ago Comb and I were sent to Japan by our Matriarch in search of Happosai with the intent of recovering the long lost treasures he once pilfered from our village...are you with me so far?"

"You and that...Comb?" Nabiki blinked.

"The very same," Silk nodded and continued, "We found Happosai but ran afoul of his two apprentices..."

"Let me guess...and they defeated you in battle?" Nabiki wondered.

"Would that it were so in my case," Silk smiled with a wistful expression, "No, we fought them to a standstill then called a truce. Eventually we became close friends...or at least I did with your father. Comb denies that she has ever had such feelings for Genma, not that I can blame her for considering that subject too embarrassing..."

"Wait, wait!" Nabiki pleaded, "Ranma's father...and Shampoo's MOTHER?"

"Nothing came of it, and Shampoo isn't Genma's get if that is what you are wondering," Silk assured her, "Comb returned to China and married Hairbrush, her husband, and has had three beautiful daughters, Shampoo being the oldest. I, on the other hand, slept with your father and bore him a daughter, your older sister, Kachu..."

"HOLD IT!" Nabiki's nostrils flared, "Are you saying Daddy cheated on my mother?"

"No," Silk replied calmly, "He wasn't married at the time. We were in love, but I knew he loved another as much as he did me. I surrendered him to your mother and went home to China, only to discover that I was with child. Your father never even knew about it until quite recently, and now Kachu has found a husband of her own by the name of Tofu Ano..."

"DOCTOR TOFU?" Nabiki exclaimed in disbelief, "And what does Kasumi think about this?"

"Kasumi...is in love with someone else, not Tofu," Silk replied delicately, "She wishes her sister quite well, and I am delighted to announce that my daughter's marriage has proven fruitful as she is about to make me a deliriously happy grandmother."

Nabiki just stared for a few seconds before saying aloud, "Tofu...and this girl's name is Kachu?"

"I named her for the technique, Tenshin Kachu Amarugiken," Silk shrugged, "I thought at the time that it sounded like a strong Amazon name...how little I suspected just how strong she would turn out to be. She is trained as a Devil Hunter and her temperament...well...let's just say in most respects she is the opposite to Kasumi."

"And now you're back in Daddy's life...and you want to pick up where you left off...as it nothing has happened?" Nabiki said slowly.

"Well, give your father a little credit, dear," Silk smiled, "He's had ten years to grieve...don't you think he's entitled to a little happiness? I'm not trying to take the place of your mother, any more than she took my place in Soun-chan's heart twenty years ago. I consider it an honor to even be considered for the role of his second wife, and I will do all that is in my power to honor your Mother's memory and never take her place in anything but a physical aspect."

"Yeah, right," Nabiki frowned, "I hope you don't take this personally, but I'm not too cozy on this. Are you telling me my counterpart is okay with this concept?"

"Not entirely," Silk sighed, "But I hope one day to win a place in her heart so that I don't always come across as her 'Wicked' step mother."

"Somehow you don't seem all that wicked," Nabiki admitted frankly.

"Never judge a book by a cover, dear," Silk flashed a charming smile, and Nabiki found herself oddly warming up to this strange woman who looked so much like her mother.

"So," Nabiki said, "Other than you screwing around with my father, what else should I know about my counterpart and what she's been up to?"

"That might take quite a while to cover, and we really don't have much time before we have to get over to the dojo in order to win the place back from those who are trying to take it from us," Silk replied, "It was agreed last night that you had the best chance of prevailing at cards, only now it looks as if we may have to come up with a new strategy since you are not a trained Lore Master and the Gambler King cheats in ways no ordinary opponent could counter."

"Who says I can't win at cards?" Nabiki reacted, "Who do you think is going to go in my place, Ranma? He's got the worst Poker face of anybody I've ever known, including Daddy."

"A good point that," Silk mused in a thoughtful tone of voice, "Perhaps I should have another go at it. Now that I'm aware of the King's nature, I'm sure I can make a better accounting of myself..."

"No," Nabiki got to her feet, "This is my house we're talking about, so if I've got a stake in it, then I ought to be able to defend it...ah...does that sound as funny to you as it does to me? I mean, normally it's Akane who says stuff like that, but..."

"You're winging it as best you can, dear," Silk smiled encouragingly, "Still, it is good to know that you have as much family spirit on your timeline as you do over here. Hmmm...perhaps we should consult your journal notes on your computer. Perhaps your other self wrote down some ideas that you might be able to find useful..."

She stopped when she saw the shocked expression Nabiki was wearing, and then in a voice oddly drained of tone Nabiki asked, "I have a computer...?"

Naomi was unusually subdued on the ride home in her limousine with Kento and Rachael, her daughter fast asleep from all the excitement of the meeting taking place in the Oni dimension. Naomi envied her daughter's innocence, untroubled by the sorts of tormented thoughts that would probably prevent Naomi herself from enjoying a decent night of untroubled sleep. The things that Ganglot woman had told her were more than somewhat disturbing, about Naomi's employer, his real intentions and what was truly at stake in the real estate grab that was going on under the cover of a corporate expansion. Some of what was said was bordering on the fantastic and unbelievable, but lacking any evidence of a fraud, it was the sense there was more truth than fairy tale to the story that Oni woman had told her.

The idea that there was more than one person in the world who shared her (supposedly) unique problems with directions was disturbing by itself (and not just because of what it would mean to the tourist agencies the world over). In a way it did make a kind of sense, though, as Naomi had always known the problem could not be hers alone, being that she had never done anything in her own life (Well, other than the mergers, hostile takeovers and forced acquisitions of her later years) to earn this thing with dimensional dyslexia that had plagued her since infancy. Bad Karma was not retroactive (or at least so her Guru had always insisted during Yoga classes) so the fault could not be with her alone but was in her Stars (or maybe her genetic code, assuming there was a biological reason why curses could be inherited).

That Rachael also had her problem with directions was a strong indication that there was a family correlation (it also might explain why she had lost touch with her parents shortly after being born, which did lead to the more interesting speculation of where they had gotten off to, and would they be turning up due to the Summons that Ganglot had arranged?). Rachael had also acquired Naomi's odd facility with comprehending languages, and that peculiar strength that Naomi herself had known from infancy that made her so much stronger than other girls her age, and never mind all those tests she had to go through when her strength was discovered during pre-school. Then of course there was Naomi's robust health, which also was a trait that thankfully seemed to be a part of Rachael that made them seemingly impervious to most ordinary diseases, which had saved them both a bundle when it came to basic medical costs all around, though Naomi still tended to go into panic attacks should her daughter even display a case of the sniffles.

The fact that these unique gifts might be due to their heritage including Alien blood was certainly at least within the realm of possibility, or so Naomi had reluctantly concluded (though it did remind her a little too much of that girl she had known in college who'd claimed to have been routinely kidnapped by Aliens for medical experimentation). Ganglot had gone to great lengths to explain that most of the Humanoid alien races directly concerned with Humanity (or at least within this branch of the Galactic Arm) had a common ancestry due to the influence of the Star Tribes (progenitors to both Gods, Demons and Angels), which in turn would explain how they were even able to interbreed since two completely separate sentient species evolving independently would logically have as much chance of producing offspring as the mixing of an Ape with a Carrot. (Or a Cat with a Rabbit, though why that thought suddenly popped into her head she had no idea whatsoever) The Jurai and Oni both had representatives living out among the stars, each gifted with their own peculiar talents...and who knew what else might have made its way into the mixture to produce Naomi, not to mention Rachael?

Naomi did not feel like an Alien, but she had always known that she was different. Being partly non-human did feel a little weird, yet somehow it felt right to accept this as a basic fact underlying her existence. The bit about a war between Good and Evil, though, sounded a bit too much like one of Kento's bedtime stories, and being told that she-meaning Naomi herself-was at least technically allied with the side of Evil was many levels beyond disturbing. It meant that many fundamental things that she had always more-or-less taken for granted needed serious rethinking, not least of which being her place in the corporate structure of her company and its intentions for the world itself. It also meant having to seriously question the intentions of the Chairman, whose motives for sending her here had to be seen as at least ominous, to say nothing of what Ganglot had said was his conception of the future.

And that was where Naomi had the hardest time reconciling herself to the truths that she had been given. The Shohan project was her baby, her pet project and ideal for the future of humanity living among the stars and colonizing other planets. Since she was a little girl Naomi had dreamed of being an astronaut, or being a member of "The Federation" (though these says she was a bit reluctant to admit to ever having been a "Trekkie"), or being Captain Janeway and commanding her own starship (she could really identify with the part about being lost in the "Delta Quadrant"). The fact that she had poured her time and energies into a project that could pave the way for the industrialization of space (her practical contribution to the cause of eventual space travel) made her extremely reluctant to accept what the Oni Princess had said about Chairman Quincy's own vision for the future. Her lifelong dream had been of helping humanity advance to the next evolutionary level, not seeing humanity be replaced by its artificial progeny should the Bio-Tech industries prove successful in their goal of Cybernetic replication.

Investing your dreams in a plan that would benefit others was a far cry from exploiting human suffering and weakness in a plot at world domination, and Naomi would have refused to believe any part of it if not for Rachael. Being a mother, however, tended to make one err on the side of caution, at least where it concerned things of the near or immediate future.

And what precisely was she supposed to do with this information? Learning that her company had a "Silent Partner" in the form of an Internet-friendly Demonic Dryad certainly cast everything that Naomi had thought that she had known about her company into serious disrepute. Coping with this dramatic revelation was another thing entirely, and what did Naomi know about battles between heaven and hell anyway? She had an MBA in Business and Engineering with ten years standing in the company that she represented, not "Xena, Warrior Princess," able to join in the fights between Angels and Demons, her Martial Arts skills and Oni heritage notwithstanding.

At times like this she really wished she had given into her childhood dreams of running away to join a circus. At the very least her life would not be this complicated, nor would she be forced to make such difficult decisions that were bound to have an affect on her career-to say nothing about costing her any hopes of a future promotion!

Staring out the window of the limousine and seeing the ordinary people of Japan going about their business without a thought or care in regards to what her company might do to them over the next four decades, she was surprised on hearing Kento address her with surprising sympathy, "Sucks doesn't it? Knowing what the rest of the world doesn't even suspect...makes you feel like a virtual outsider."

"Excuse me, Kento-san?" Naomi looked at the younger man and seeing his eyes study her with complete acceptance and tacit understanding.

"It ain't easy knowing that there's another world that few people even imagine is out there," Kento replied, "A world of darkness and evil that wants nothing more than to prey on the innocent and make slaves out of humanity. Most people think the whole idea of a Moral Right and Wrong is a pretty abstract notion, and how many even believe that there are consequences to our actions, let alone that it matters what we do and say to the people who are around us?"

"Why, Kento-san," Naomi gave him a faint smile, "You're quite the philosopher deep down, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't go that far, lady," Kento smiled back, "But I've had more than my fair share of brushes with the other side, and I know the darkness is out there. I've felt it, I've experienced my own inner darkness, seen what evil there is in all of us, and I've had to win back my soul from those evil forces which tried to make me one of their own. Believe me when I say that I know what it must feel like to know that the line between us and the dark side is a lot thinner than we'd like to imagine. The way to beat it, though is to not give up on yourself, to remember the things that are important and to know that we have a choice, it's up to us to decide which way to turn at every moment."

Naomi regarded the man frankly and said, "Those stories you've been telling Rachael...they're not all just stories, are they?"

"Afraid not," he nodded sadly, "A little while back some friends of mine and I...well...we had this experience that made us into better people. I still have what I gained in that ordeal, but I only call on it when there's a need for the power. Doesn't help much for boning up on finals, but it sure is handy to have if I run into something a bit more gnarly."

"Someday you really must tell me the full story about your trials and ordeals," Naomi's expression softened, "I think I'd very much like to hear all about it."

"I don't know about that," Kento chuckled, "Not all of it's as pleasant as a fairy tale, but it does have a happy ending...or at least enough of one that we're still here and the Bad Guys aren't."

Naomi nodded softly, "It has been a very good experience knowing you, Kento-san. No matter what else has happened, I want you to know that."

"Ah," the man blushed in a way that made him seem more boyish, and Naomi started to revise her opinion about his attractive qualities. True he wasn't the most handsome man she had ever met, but there was something charmingly honest and good-natured about this Kento that appealed to her greatly. At the very least he was a good friend to have around, and she suspected he was probably gifted in other areas (though why that thought had just popped into her mind was another concept that bore later reflection).

Naomi glanced down at the sleeping Rachael, so innocent and unsuspecting. Her daughter meant the world to Naomi, and if there was any decision to be made regarding the future, it would be decided with Rachael's welfare in mind. Naomi wanted her daughter to be proud of her some day, just as she was proud of the little girl as her most singular accomplishment in this life. A family was more important to her than Naomi would have ever previously considered...

And that triggered a thought concerning the other family who had recently come to her attention, which jarred Naomi's attention and reminded her that it was now morning once again. She had spent the entire night in that Oni-woman's world, resting and reflecting on what Ganglot had told her, and that meant...

That meant that it was the day of the poker match, and with the fate of the Tendo household hanging in the balance!

"Driver!" she called out, "Change of direction. Take us to the Tendo estate, we'll go by the hotel later."

"What's up?" Kento wondered.

"I don't really know," Naomi replied, "But...I've just had the weirdest feeling..."

"You should trust those," Kento nodded, "I get them myself from time to time, and they always mean trouble."

That was what Naomi was dreading, and somehow she knew that she had to get to the dojo at once, though what she would do when she got there...well...she would figure that one out when it happened...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Card Sharking Anonymous: shadowmaen

Nabiki's travails in the other world continue while her counterpart prepares to match wits with the Gambler King, and Razor reflects on his life as an Innocent Abroad even as Comb and Atsuko join forces with Yumi to confront Ganglot in her lair. (Why doesn't this seem like a very smart game plan?) Be sure to stay tuned for: "Flash in the Panned," or "Heaving can Wait." Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	123. Chapter 123

\NabikiRan107

Ranma and Nabiki,

A Tale of Two Wallets

By Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos ,  
Gregg Sharp and Steve Thesken, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Seven.

"Here you go, Gramps," said Ryomi as she handed Razor a cup full of steaming Cocoa, "Feeling any better?"

"Somewhat, yes," Razor nodded as he accepted the hospitality of his granddaughter...or rather one of those claiming to be his granddaughter who was present, glancing from her to Akiko and back again with a somewhat puzzled expression. After a moment of serious effort he said, "You're...Jun's daughter, right?"

"Yes," Akiko nodded, greatly encouraged at not having to remind him this time after having to put up with two weeks of his constant forgetting, "Hibiki Jun was my mother."

"And your mother...Atsuko?" Razor hesitated.

"Yeah," Ryomi studied the handsome man and said, "You remember us now, Gramps?"

"I guess I do," Razor turned at last towards the bronzed woman leaning over him and said, "Mother...it's been a long time..."

"Yes it has, my dear, sweet, darling baby boy," Ganglot squeezed one of his brawny shoulders and said, "Try and take a moment and don't rush it, Son. Three hundred years is a lot of history for even one of us to adjust to in one sitting."

"I guess it is at that," Razor admitted, "Most of it's pretty much of a jumble, but bits and pieces are starting to fit into place. At least I remember who I am now, which is a lot better than I've been doing for a long, long time."

"The life of a wandering Martial Artist is never easy," Ganglot nodded sagely, "I've followed your adventures from afar, but never directly...one of those various spells cast on you makes it almost impossible to keep track of your movements. In a way that's a mixed blessing as it may have kept you from my side but it also kept you out of the clutches of Cybelle..."

"Cybelle," Razors expression grew sad as yet another memory fell into place, "It's been a long time since I was with her...I wonder how she's been getting on without me..."

"Not well at all, I fear," Ganglot replied sadly, "Cybelle of the House of Anslat has grown embittered and power hungry since the time when my servant, Happosai, sealed her away within her tree, and I fear you will not like what she has become from following the path of her dark ambitions..."

"It's my fault," Razor glanced down, "If I'd been able to stay with her, I'm sure I could have talked her out of whatever it is she's planning. She used to listen to me, and I could always find that spark of decency I knew was in her..."

"Decency?" Ryomi snorted, "Get a grip, Grandpa! She's trying to kill my big brother, or at the very least use him for something nasty. Does that sound like the kind of person who has decent impulses?"

"Cybelle may be a Demoness," Razor replied, "But you can hardly hold that against her, and she is your grandmother, Ryomi-chan. Besides...I know her better than you do. I could always bring out a smile on her no matter what mood she was in and besides...plotting world domination's kind of a hobby with her people...it's not like they ever get serious about it."

"Times are different now, Son," Ganglot informed him, "And she's not the same woman that you remember. Although loneliness does account for some of the changes that I've noticed, what truly makes her a threat to you and your loved ones is that she's found a way of bringing her dark ambitions into fruition."

"Maybe she's just lonely and taking it out on the world," Razor said sadly, "My fault...I should have been with her all this time. I took an oath, 'Til Death Do Us Part...ah...only it seems maybe I've not been too good at keeping it...er..." his face colored a bright hue, "How many women have I been with over the last few years? Let's see...one, two, three, four..." he began counting off on his fingers.

"This could take a while," Akiko sighed, "Look, Gramps, we know you've had this memory problem, and you're a pretty hunky guy, so it's not too surprising if some woman...um...get a little bit tempted..."

"And what would you know about it?" Ryomi asked in overt suspicion.

Akiko stuck her tongue out at her younger cousin, then she resumed, "But that's all water over the dam, right? You weren't deliberately cheating on your wife, and these things just happen."

"I guess," Razor sighed as he stared disconsolately out into space, then turned to the much-beloved face of the Oni beside him and said, "What do we do now, Mother?"

"First we wait for the rest of our descendants to show up," Ganglot replied, making a face as she added, "Some of them got a little more lost than even I'd projected. Of course of more immediate concern is what happens when Atsuko arrives here with Kennou and Ryoga."

"Mom's coming here?" Ryomi spoke up, "And Big Brother's with her?"

"Who's Kennou?" Akiko wondered.

"Your Aunt by another woman your grandfather has bedded," Ganglot replied, adding with a wry smirk, "odd to tell how many of your children turned out to be female, Son. I must say that I'm very proud of the dynasty that you've fathered in your travels, but it's going to take a real effort to effectively pull this one off, because Cybelle won't be long in realizing what is happening, and you know she's going to take steps of her own very shortly."

"What steps, Grandma?" Ryomi wondered.

"I'm not entirely sure just yet," Ganglot replied, "But you can pretty well bet that it's going to be nasty. My Daughter-in-law has some vague idea of what my presence will do to her overall plans and you can bet that she won't be too happy to have me free and about. I expect her to try something treacherous and nasty to put me out of commission, or even attempt to seal me away once again. Either way we had best be ready for her to use her favorite tactics of subtlety and misdirection."

"But won't Mom side with us?" Ryomi asked, "You said she's gotten pretty powerful over the years..."

"Oh yes," Ganglot beamed proudly, "Your mother is a fine woman who has learned much about the arts of combat and illusion, and she will be a valuable ally in the war between us and her mother. The problem is, Cybelle knows this too, and my guess is that she will attempt to turn Atsuko against me under the mistaken belief that I'm posing a threat to her and her loved ones. Atsuko will be inclined to want to hear my side of things, of course, but I can't vouch for her most probable allies, who may be a wee bit irked that I've temporarily detained a certain Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku."

"And what will they do if they find out where you live, Great Grandma?" Akiko asked.

"Most probably stage a raid," Ganglot stroked her chin with a thoughtful expression, then beamed broadly as she added, "Then I'd better go make everything ready. My baby Granddaughter's coming home to pay a visit, and the least that I could do for her is to pour some milk and bake some cookies."

"HUH?" repeated everyone else in the room, their mutual incomprehension being a near-universal constant...

"I don't know about this," Atsuko said with a dubious expression.

"Look, do you want to help or not?" Comb snapped, "Because if you don't want to help then you should say so and leave now! I wouldn't even be asking you for help if it weren't that this is more in your area of specialty than mine. Unfortunately I know squat about illusions, but what I do know is that they're holding my Grandmother a prisoner there against her will, so unless you mean to side with your grandmother..."

"That's not fair," Atsuko complained with a frown, "And for another thing, why are you making me choose between the two of you anyway? In case you've forgotten, we're not exactly the best of friends, and I still owe Grandma a favor for helping me out against my Momma."

"This isn't a matter of choosing between two evils," Yumi reminded her nominal compatriots, "This is a matter of determining what Ganglot is doing here and what she's truly up to. Her presence in Nerima, coming as it does on the heels of Cybelle making advances against the dojo, is ominous to say the least, and having at least pretended to go along with your Mother's evil schemes, I can tell you I'm not all that comfortable finding myself locked in a vice-grip between two rival Demons."

"I hear that," Atsuko frowned as she regarded the spatula-wielding Chef, "Only I'm still not too cool about that business between you and Momma. This whole mess stinks like month-old swamp grass after they've drained the lochs, and if I really am gonna have to go up against my own flesh and blood, I'd at least like to make sure that she really is the bad guy."

"You can ask Kachu when she gets here," Comb said, "She said she would be on her way to meet with us, and then we'll have the official confirmation of a Licensed Devil Hunter."

Atsuko sighed as she scanned the seeming vacant lot, then said, "Well, I can pretty much confirm that Grandma's got her illusions down in place. The building is right there in front of us, but even I have trouble seeing it. It's like staring at the thing through a pea-soup thick fog bank. The basic outline's all I can really make out, and the magical wards are on full force, like she's expecting a God to drop in and pay a visit, or something like that. In fact I..."

Before she could complete her statement the area around the lot began to cloud, and then the mists parted before them, revealing the building that was restored as if it had never truly vanished.

"You were saying?" Yumi asked in toneless apprehension.

Atsuko closed her mouth and said, "Ah...well...I guess Grandma knows we're here..."

"You think?" Comb responded with her usual sarcasm, but even she seemed unusually muted.

"Well," Yumi reached up over her shoulder and unslung her Baker's Peel, giving it a casual twirl as though limbering herself up with a bo-staff, "I guess we can take it for granted that we're being invited in to have a look?"

"Go in there...with Grandma expecting us and everything?" Atsuko looked at the burly Chef as if she had just sported a clown face.

"You think it's a trap?" Comb wondered.

"Duh," Atsuko snorted, "I think we should wait for back-up before we take one step into Grandma's lair. At least let's wait until the card game is over and we can get Silk to help out, and Kachu since you mentioned her already..."

"I thought you said you trusted her more than that?" Yumi eyed the half-Oni with an amused expression.

"I said I didn't think Grandma was evil," Atsuko retorted, "That doesn't mean I'm totally stupid."

"Not totally stupid," Comb agreed, "Just mostly."

"Right," Atsuko nodded, then blinked her eyes and said, "Hey!"

"Well, it would be prudent to wait," Comb remarked, "But nobody ever accused me of being prudent," and she started forward.

"Waiting would be the logical thing to do," Yumi noted as she hefted her Peel, "But then again, I'm not always a very logical person. I'll back you up this one time, Comb-san."

"Hey!" Atsuko stared at her two companions as they started forward, then reluctantly followed in step, grumbling under her breath, "We're gonna regret this..."

Nabiki's Journal Continues

"This is all so very strange," I remarked as I pondered on my situation in my family's yard with Ranma, Shampoo and Akane sitting by my side eyeing me as if I were the very devil come to calling, "So much is the same as I remember...but a lot more is different."

"Strange like...how?" Ranma asked warily as if he still wasn't able to make his mind up about the way I was behaving.

"Well, for one thing," I began, "Not as many Freeloaders hanging about in the yard either sparring or socializing. The old place looks pretty beat up, as usual, but the repairs aren't as recent. The dojo was almost totally demolished over that business with Prince Kirin..."

"Kirin?" Akane reacted, "You mean you face him too?"

"He kidnapped me and tried to force me to marry him close to two weeks back," I replied with an almost fond expression, "Ranma saved me, of course, and then he gave me my engagement ring and proposed to me and Sham-chan."

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo's eyes, already round as saucers, threatened to nearly double in dimensions.

"I proposed to you...and Shampoo?" Ranma now looked convinced that I was pulling his leg. I could just imagine what Akane would say next, and as usual I was right on the money.

"Don't bother denying it, Ranma," Akane scowled, "You're enough of a pervert that you'd probably do something like that, if it was legal."

"And what, pray tell, is wrong with Ranma having the two of us for his fiancees?" I regarded my sister with a frank expression, "Are you telling me Shampoo should be totally left out of the equation?"

"Well, why the hell not?" Akane demanded, giving Shampoo a glare twice as resentful as anything my Akane would have given my Sham-chan, "All she does is cause trouble, and she won't get it into her thick skull that Ranma doesn't love her..."

"What you say," Shampoo snorted dismissively, "But Shampoo think Violent girl no have clue what Airen want! Akane no think Ranma have brain in head he see that Shampoo much, much better choice for wife than girl who poison him and call it cooking!""

"Why you-!" Akane looked ready to jump to her feet and attack the Amazon, which I knew without even having to be aware of their relative skill levels was not a good career option.

"Hey, you two, cut it out!" Ranma pleaded, "We need to get this thing with Nabiki fixed before we start up on any of that stuff..."

"Exactly," I nodded, "And to be frank about it, Little Sister, you don't impress anyone by reacting to everything by resorting to violence. That's always been the difference between the two of us, you know, I'm a thinker and a planner, you just try to use your fists to solve all of your problems."

"And what would you know about problems?" Akane challenged me, "Next to Ranma, you're the one who's done the most to ruin my life! Getting Kuno to stage those fights every morning, taking pictures of me when I'm in my underwear and selling them to the Pervert..."

"Like Akane pretend she no like have boy look at her naked?" Shampoo sniffed.

"That's it!" Akane leapt to her feet and assumed a fighting crouch, "You and me, right here and now, Shampoo!"

"We fight?" Shampoo had a delighted look of glee in her face as she accepted the challenge.

"Hey guys-!" Ranma started to say when I put a hand to his shoulder to restrain him.

"Let them go, Ranma-kun," I urged, judging the severity level as only minimal in the prospective brawl, and finding myself unable to help adding as a teasing afterthought, "Kareshi."

"Urk!" Ranma reacted to that clarifying of our relationship with a note of real panic.

"Grrr," Akane glared at me, then squared off against Shampoo, clearly needing to vent some steam against a ready target.

I winced as the inevitable happened, and it took less than nine seconds before Shampoo dusted her hands again, looking as pleased as punch with herself while Akane lay flat on her back, groaning profusely.

"Akane..." this time I let Ranma go to her, curious as to why he expressed so much concern over a girl who treated him so poorly.

"She'll be all right," I said as I got to my feet, "Shampoo wouldn't really hurt Akane, at least not while you're around to see it, isn't that right, Sham-chan?"

"Why you call Shampoo this?" Shampoo glared at me, "You is sneaky girl always try use Airen for selfish things. Shampoo no forgive you play part of fiancee and try trick Airen..."

"I don't know what my counterpart has ever done to you or anyone else, Shampoo, but I'm not your enemy...I could never be your enemy, and I'd never do something like that with Ranma."

"That you say," Shampoo made a fist, "But Shampoo no let you trick Airen again..."

I decided another demonstration was in order, and it was getting easier to Time Accelerate the more I practiced using my abilities, so like a shot I had Shampoo bent over in a swoon, my arms supporting her above the ground with my face only inches from hers, my eyes boring into her soul as I relished the very novel sense of for once being in the dominant position.

"Now Shampoo," I mused as I saw the amazed look on her lovely features, "You know it isn't wise for a War Master to challenge a Lore Master. We have our ways of making you swoon with envy."

I righted the stunned Amazon on her feet again, then playfully gave her a peck on the cheek, saying, "This isn't the Kiss of Death, it's just a token sign of my affection."

I moved back out of her reach while she mulled that over. In truth it had hurt to have to endure the past half hour of hostile and suspicious looks that Shampoo had been directing my way. Whatever my other self had done to earn her suspicion, I wasn't having any of that out of her. It was about as painful as knowing what a stranger I seemed to be before Ranma, and more than ever I wondered just what sort of a person I was on this timeline. Could I really be so awful that everyone would suspect me of being evil incarnate?

Akane was sitting up again, and I saw her amazement rekindled as she stared at me, then at Shampoo as if unable to reconcile herself to what she had just witnessed. Likewise Ranma was giving me the same kind of unqualified look that demonstrated to me that I was not displaying what-to his thinking-was behavior typical of his Tendo Nabiki.

"I know I must seem like a stranger to you people," I said in mild exasperation, "But can't you at least accept the premise that I'm the Nabiki of a parallel world, one who loves both Ranma and Shampoo and isn't afraid to admit it?" I said the latter part with fingers crossed behind my back, but I doubted anyone there would notice.

"Ah...you are acting...pretty weird, Nabiki..." Ranma hesitated before adding, "So...if the place is the same where you come from...what am I supposed to be like?"

"The same," I allowed my expression to soften, "You're the very same guy, Ranma, the guy I want to marry in the morning."

"Because you think I'm gonna inherit a bunch of money from my Uncle whatsisname?" Ranma's eyes narrowed.

"Don't be ridiculous," I leered, "Why should I possibly care who you inherit your money from?"

"I've had just about enough of this!" Akane got back to her feet and positioned herself between me and Ranma, "You're not buying into this, Ranma? It's just another one of her tricks, but I see right through you this time, Sister!"

"Akane," I sighed, "What's happened to you? You weren't always this angry growing up? Don't you remember how to smile anymore and wish your older sister some happiness with my boyfriend?"

"You're...!?" Akane spread her arms out as if to attempt to shield Ranma as she growled, "You keep away from him! I don't know who you are, but you're not my sister!"

There was something almost comical about the way Akane was standing up to me and attempting to protect Ranma. I could see in her eyes how fiercely protective she felt, and how jealously possessive, but I was having difficulty believing that she was truly in love with a guy whom she bashed all of the time and routinely insulted.

"I'm your sister all right," I sighed, "And don't think it's easy admitting that either. Growing up around you hasn't exactly been a bed of roses, though I've always taken it for granted that you mean well, Akane, and you don't deliberately mean to cause anyone trouble."

"What are you talking about?" Akane demanded.

"I mean..." and now I think I let a bit of my temper show on the surface, "That you always came first in our house no matter what Kasumi or me ever did or said to deserve as much attention. You're the one all of the boys in our school always pay attention to, the one whom everyone wants to date. You were the one that Momma and Daddy always showered gifts on and treated nicely. I got way better grades than you growing up, but did anyone besides Kasumi ever notice? You were always the first one to get a new dress whenever the old one got torn up during one of your fights, and all those times they took you to see Doctor Tofu..." I sighed, "It hasn't been a cake walk having a violent tempered tomboy for a sister, but I've tried to make allowances for you, even all those times you made a fool of yourself over Doctor Tofu."

"How dare you!" Akane reacted, "I can't believe you just said that about me!"

"I know you can't, Imoutochan," I think my tone was a bit condescending on that point, "Kasumi and me...we slaved away doing everything we could to keep a roof over your head, but did we ever get any real thanks for our troubles? Do you know what a fortune you've cost us over the years in building supplies that you've demolished? Every time you put a hole in a wall or the ceiling it comes out of the family budget and it's money we can't spend for other things. You think money grows on trees, Little Sister? Why do you think I work so hard at earning money just to keep the dojo solvent? You want to talk about taking pictures of you in your lingerie? Go right ahead, but I want to know what else you do to put food on the table!"

Akane flinched at my every accusation, though in all truth I think I was being a little hard on her seeing as I was drawing on memories of the way things had been before Ranma came into our lives and changed everything for the better. I'd already been around on this timeline long enough to learn that the dojo wasn't accepting any students, that Daddy was still too emotionally withdrawn to teach, and all Ranma and his father did to help out consisted of lounging around and eating whatever was set out on the table. Genma no longer even had his job working part time for Doctor Tofu!

"Look, Sis," I tried more reasonably, "It's not that I think you're a bad person, but you're spoiled and you don't seem to know it, and it sounds as if nobody here has had the nerve to explain things to you before. You seem to be so caught up in yourself and your own problems that you've forgotten that there are other people with problems of their own all around you. What about Kasumi and what she's sacrificed for us? She's the one who keeps this house from turning into a pig-sty, and you know she's been almost like a mother to the two of us. Don't you think she deserves better than to be taken for granted all of the time? Imagine what life would be like without her!"

As I said the latter part I thought of what I had learned about Kasumi here, most of which conformed to my own earlier estimation of the way our sister used to behave before taking up with Kodachi. I wasn't about to explain to these two the nature of her relationship with the Black Rose...I'd already found out that Kodachi here had not given up on chasing Ranma and was-if anything-yet another unofficial fiancee, thanks to a deal worked out between Kodachi and Uncle Genma.

It really scares me to admit this, but given a comparison of the way Kasumi acts on that timeline and this one, I'd have to say that there's been a definite improvement in my older sister due to the Black Rose's influence. Kasumi is a little less vapid, a lot more cognizant or her surroundings, not so emotionally withdrawn and-if anything-far more positive minded and outgoing. There's a confidence about Kasumi these days that I'd never noticed in the past, a greater appreciation of her own self-worth...and it's even more scary to confess that she does look awfully intimidating in leather! She's still basically the same sweet person on the surface, but around Kodachi...well...it's like she turns into a very different person.

Anyway, as Akane was mulling it over, clearly stung by my words into actually considering my argument on their own merits, Shampoo chose the moment to step in by saying, "Mercenary girl waste time. Pervert girl no get it, she think Nice girl Kasumi just there for cook and cleaning."

"I wouldn't be too quick to call anyone a Pervert if I were you, Sham-chan," I noted with a glance her way, "We all hide secrets deep down where we think people can't see them. There are tragedies in your past that your counterpart has shared with me, and I don't need to mention any names for you to remember what I'm getting at, do you?"

"What you say?" Shampoo frowned in my direction, "Shampoo no share secrets with Mercenary girl..."

"Ambergris," I said softly, "Perfume...and Lotion."

That stopped her cold. She looked at me in shock, actually going pale at the mention of that last name, and then in a surprisingly harsh voice she said, "You lie! You not know Shampoo secrets!"

"I'm not asking that you believe me," I pleaded with my own eyes that she would forgive me, "But you have to see now that I know where I'm coming from. You were the one who told me all about why you crashed your father's motorcycle..."

Shampoo moved to confront me, actually laying hands on me before I'd had time to react, a tribute to how much I'd let my guard down around her, and like a rag doll she picked me up and gave me a hard shake before hauling me up to where our eyes were almost level (seeing as I'm about two or three centimeters taller than her, this was no mean accomplishment, and more than a little unnerving, given that I knew full well what she could do to me in an outright physical confrontation).

"How you know this?" she demanded, "Shampoo never tell anyone...ANYONE! No even Shampoo mother..."

"But you told your father," I said, risking further wrath on her part, "He came and found you, took you home and tended your injuries...you barely even felt them, but the accident shook you up and make you aware of how far you'd fallen. He's quite a guy, your father, and you take a lot more after him than you do your mother. Am I right on this?"

Shampoo did not answer, but surprise had replaced her anger and resentment.

"Answer me something, Sham-chan," I said softly, "Why haven't you ever told Ranma what will happen to you at the end of the year if you don't win him for your husband?"

Her grip on me was growing slack and I saw the pain mixed with fear color her beautiful eyes as she hesitated to venture where I was leading her in this conversation.

As I'd hoped, Ranma was the one who spoke up, "What do you mean about that? What's gonna happen to Shampoo?"

"Nothing," I replied, keeping my gaze level as I held Shampoo's eyes with my own, "She's just going to be disgraced and humiliated before her entire tribe, which will force Cologne to suffer a loss in status and family honor. The Matriarch has enemies on the ruling Council who will be quick to exploit the perceived weaknesses in Cologne's chosen heir to further their own causes. The family will lose stature and other factions will seize this issue to try and appoint their own candidates for succession. Cologne may even lose her seat upon the Council and be forced to step down as Matriarch in favor of one of the other Elders. Of course you don't want anything like that to happen to you, do you, Sham-chan? So instead you'll accept voluntary exile as a condition to permit you to have another year to further chase after Ranma, and at the end of that second year your exile will be permanent...that is unless you elect to redeem your family's honor by another method...what we Japanese refer to as Seppuku."

Shampoo flinched at the word and looked away, and her grip on me fell away as pain colored her expression. Half those words had been a verbatim recital of what I had been told concerning Amazon marriage laws and the severe penalties they exact upon warriors who ignore them, but half of it had been an intuitive guess on my part, allowing that odd sense I often have that helps me discern truth from falsehood to fill in the gaps of my understanding in this peculiar situation. Here Shampoo had not been successful in her chase and was-if anything-losing ground to Akane. Her fear of the retribution of her people's laws had to be acute, the moreso because she was quite obviously in love with Ranma and hated the idea of being parted from him. It was not to cause her pain that I brought this up, of course, but to make certain other parties aware of her precarious situation.

"S-Seppuku?" Ranma stammered.

"Yes," I replied as Shampoo released me altogether, "Is that so surprising? Given a choice of living in disgrace for the rest of her life, stripped of Warrior status and rendered a non-person among her people, what would you expect for her to do? Do you think she wants her family to lose status and her great grandmother to be kicked off of the Council? Of course you would be able to go on in the outside world and find your way, Shampoo...I know you and what you're capable of being. You could be a doctor or a mechanic, or anything else you set your mind to. I know the kind of person that you are, and I hope you choose life instead of throwing it all away...but then I can't say that I'd blame you for going that way either. If I was in your place...and I wasn't going to marry Ranma..."

"It...it no too late yet," Shampoo said listlessly, valiantly trying to look once again on the bright side.

"You're right, it's not too late," I turned and gave Ranma a hard and uncompromising stare, "It just depends on whether certain parties can admit to themselves that there's more to you than just some bouncy piece of fluff whom everyone else can treat as a doormat."

"Hey!" he protested, "I never...!"

"Really?" I asked, "What a shame. Of course you could say that it's Shampoo's fault that she got herself into this mess. When you defeated her in China she could have been a good sport about it, but instead she fell back on the old traditions of her people and gave you that Kiss of Death that started this whole mess. If she'd left well enough alone it might have cost her points among her people, but hardly anyone in the tribe took that 'Kiss them/Kill them' law as seriously in this modern age. The trouble was she's the great granddaughter of the Matriarch, and by humiliating her you wounded her pride. It's pride that made her chase you all the way to Japan, and pride that keeps her here, the pride of a Warrior who won't admit defeat, regardless of whether or not you've already rejected her in favor of Akane."

I said the latter part with a great deal of anger, my outrage turning my words into knives that I was deliberately using to sting Ranma's pride, knowing him as well as I do and how he reacts to the thought of putting anyone else in harm's way. In truth I was angry, angry at the thought that anyone would be ignoring Shampoo's plight and would actually ignore her in favor of my clueless little sister!

As expected Ranma was flabbergasted that I was outright accusing him of emotional cowardice, but the rest surprise here came from Akane, who said, "We didn't know...no one ever told us...Shampoo, is this true?"

Shampoo did not verbally answer, she just shook her head while keeping her eyes averted.

"What do you care?" I asked, still hoping to score by wounding their pride, hoping against hope that Ranma would get the message and react the way I wanted, "Let her be disgraced, humiliated, rejected. You want to know why she's never told you any of this? Because of Pride...and the fact that she doesn't want to appear weak before the man she considers her lawful husband."

"Husband?" Ranma swallowed, "But that's..."

"It's the law of her people, Baka," I retorted, "It doesn't matter if it's not Japanese Law and we're not in China or all that legal nicety we take for granted here in the civilized world...it's the only law she's ever known in her life, and you better damned well believe she takes it as seriously as you take your code of Bushido. The moment you defeated her you officially proclaimed your intention of taking her for a wife, and maybe that's not what you were trying to do at the time, but that's the situation that you're stuck with, and if you have a problem with that, then you should have let yourself be defeated by Mousse and be done with it, so stop complaining!"

I turned away, surprised at my own flaring temper, but I have to confess that I was motivated here by a sense of what Shampoo would face if someone didn't read Ranma his rights and explain to him in large bold kanji the severity of the crisis that Shampoo was currently facing.

"But," my sister objected, "You can't expect Ranma to feel obligated because of a situation that Shampoo got herself into!"

"Of course you're right, Imoutochan," I replied without looking directly at her, "It's obviously no skin off his nose, and who cares about what happens to a barbarian girl who once spared your life in spite of the law that would have required her to kill you. You can't forgive her for taking away your memories of Ranma...but at least you still have a head on your shoulders, and if she really was as ruthless as she pretends you can damned well believe neither one of us would be standing here to talk about this.""

"But...why are you saying this?" Akane asked, "When did you turn into her defender?"

"Since I fell in love with her," I answered, hearing a gasp of surprise from Shampoo's direction.

"In love?" Ranma stared at me with frank incomprehension.

"When Shampoo-MY Shampoo-accepted me as her co-wife she changed everything, the whole dynamic between me and my Ranma," I answered, "She showed us a world that we never even knew could have existed, and she's made life special and meaningful just by being the kind of person that she is. I know more about her than I do just about anyone else in this world, and I'd die to protect her! She means more to me than the world, and I love her every bit as much as I do Ranma, because I know she feels the same way for me and has demonstrated her loyalty time and again. That's why I won't stand by and let any version of her go to waste unloved and neglected...because she deserves as much happiness as anyone else in this existence."

"Aiyaa," I heard Shampoo murmur faintly, "Nabiki never say she love anyone before...only say she love money."

"Obviously I'm not the same Nabiki," I turned to her, "You changed me, Shampoo, so I'm not going to abandon you. I promise you I'll never let you suffer," and with that I glared a hard, purposeful stare at Ranma.

"Hey," he protested, "When did I get to be the bad guy...?"

"Why don't you just say yes," Akane snapped, "You know you've wanted to be with Shampoo since she first came here."

"That's not what happened and you...!" Ranma started to challenge.

"Are you sure that's what Ranma wanted, Little Sister?" I asked archly before he had time to complete his disclaimer, "Or is that what you really want deep down? Admit it, you're just as fascinated with Shampoo as he is."

"W-What?" Akane turned a look my way that was positively stricken.

"You like girls," I replied, "And there's no question about it, Shampoo is definitely a woman."

"YOU'RE CRAZY!" Akane exploded, "That-That's absurd...!"

"Is it absurd?" I wondered, "Ranma-kun, how did Akane react to you when you first came into this house?"

"Huh?" Ranma asked with a "blink-blink" expression, "Ah...well...at first she was nice to me..."

"When you were in your Girl type," I smiled, gratified to learn that much of history was repeated on this timeline, "As I recall in my world she didn't even mind losing to you back then...but how did she behave when she learned your little secret?"

"Er...ah...: Ranma winced, "I...kinda see your point..."

"What?" Akane blurted out, "But that doesn't mean...!"

"Tell me, Sis," I smiled without humor, "What difference does it make to you whether Ranma is a boy cursed to turn into a girl or a girl who turns into a boy? Why did you hate him when you found out about his real gender? For that matter, why do you treat all of the boys in our class like pariahs, except maybe for Ryoga, who's had the hots for you as long as you've known him."

"That's not true!" Akane cried, "Ryoga's just a friend! He's a nice guy who doesn't upset me or call me names all the time. There's nothing more than that between us...right?"

She glanced at Ranma and Shampoo, who were both staring at her with equally neutral expressions. If she was looking for confirmation of her disclaimer here, she definitely was in the wrong part of Nerima.

"Ranma-kun," I said, "Confirm something for me. Ryoga has a...little problem that you don't want to tell anyone about because it would compromise your honor...correct?"

"That baka," Ranma huffed, "When hasn't he had a problem?"

I picked up on the understated tone in his voice and nodded in satisfaction, "Shampoo...you know what Ryoga's secret is?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo agreed, "But Shampoo promise Ranma never tell Akane, and Shampoo keep word to Airen."

"What?" Akane looked from one face to the other, "What aren't you telling me? What problem?"

"Sis," I sighed, "You're gonna have to figure that one out for yourself, but take my word for it, the guy's nuts about you but he's too shy to say so out loud. Kind of a shame, really, seeing as you can't respond to him the way he wants you to, not as long as there's someone else in the picture whom you find a lot more attractive."

"W-What are you saying?" Akane glanced away, now clearly nervous.

"I should have realized it before," I said, "It's the reason you got angry when you saw me kiss Ranma. The truth is that you're in love with his girl side, but you can't say it out loud, so you pretend it's really just Ranma!"

"You're crazy!" Akane stammered, "I'm not like that!"

"Sis...this is me," I urged, "Don't try kidding a kidder. You want a relationship with someone who will make you feel all warm and special, and for a time you even convinced yourself that it was Tofu-Sensei you wanted, rather than some abstract ideal that he came to represent. You hate boys, you get angry when they talk about you, when they make comment about you or come on to you sexually. Just the thought of kissing a boy makes you panic! You want to have someone who makes you feel special, well loved and cared for, someone who won't treat you like an object or ignore your feelings or spend half their time insulting you. You want the things a woman can give that a man can never understand, and you hope maybe Ranma will become that guy in time if he learns to respect you. It angers you, it drives you crazy when he insists on being a Guy all of the time, and that's the reason why you want to see him punished!"

It was like a blinding revelation to me...this deduction I made even as I was waving the proverbial accusing finger in her direction. Akane and Ranma...the two in my world had always struck sparks off one another and were always exchanging insults, but underneath it all there had to be a deeper motivation. I had just now stumbled upon the real reason for their mutual antagonism and hostility...that underneath it all Ranma symbolized something to Akane that she identified with on a personal level. Akane had always felt torn by sexual roles and identities, and here was Ranma personifying the very same inner dualism, and obviously choosing to be male, which Akane could never hope to be in her own right! Now wonder she always felt like hitting him every time his guard was lowered!

I saw the confirmation of my words in my sister's eyes and knew at last why this Timeline had been destined to turn out so badly. There was no way there could be a happy resolution so long as Ranma did not give ground on his own sexuality, or Akane admit to her own hidden desires. A lack of inner peace would drive them both to wearing thin the other's nerves until the breaking point would eventually be reached. Ranma denied his female half just as strongly as Akane denied her attraction to other women, and so the both of them would be locked into a struggle for which there was no compromise, and thus no easy resolution.

It all made sense to me now...Akane's rages, the way she reacted with violence against any perceived attack on her femininity, her desire to try so hard at being female when her instincts were more gender neutral. Akane wasn't a solid Lesbian, but she had strong Lesbian tendencies that eclipsed any attraction she might feel for the male gender. Kuno and the rest of the Hentai league were literally barking up the wrong tree by trying to make her choose to be a different kind of woman, and all along I'd been standing to the side clucking like a hen, chiding Akane for her contrary nature while all along contributing to her problems!

This realization made me feel a little ill, because it made me out to be partially the bad guy. I had failed in my role as an older sister to serve as a moral encouragement to Akane that she be open and accepting of her sexuality and not try to bury her urges beneath a mask of unreasoning rage. Akane was trying to beat down her own hidden urges and deny that she was any different from other young women, but the harder she tried to bury the truth the stronger those urges would lurk beneath the surface.

It also, not inconsequentially, went a long way towards explaining her attraction to Kuonji Ukyo, a girl who very much embodies Akane's own ambivalent sexual identity and urges.

"I'm right, aren't I?" I asked as I looked Akane straight in the eyes, "You want to admit it to yourself, but you're scared that people will call you names and treat you like a freak. You think it's wrong to feel the way you do, so you try to be as 'normal' as you can be...whatever the hell 'Normal' means for anyone living in this screwy prefecture!"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Akane asked, "Why are you saying these things about me, Nabiki?"

"Because it's the truth," I said, "But it's not all about you, Akane...this affects Ranma and Shampoo. You're not the only person who gets hurt because the truth gets buried. You're going to have to work this through for yourself, but I'd be there to support you if this was my time and I really belonged here. But maybe you should try going to someone else who's been where you are and knows what you're going through...right, Sham-chan?"

I sensed Shampoo react with a start at being involved in this particular conversation, but I knew her well enough to sense the guilty feelings that were hidden by the evasive glance she turned in our direction. Akane turned from me to her and her puzzlement increased dramatically, the thought of consulting Shampoo on anything clearly never having ever previously be considered.

"Shampoo?" Akane asked with a clear hesitation.

"Is...no so strange that Warrior love other Warrior," Shampoo admitted with clear reluctance, "Is best be womans...other womans know and accept you. Is no bad being womans, Akane...you only know what people want you be...no know what you want until you meet right person."

"Huh?" Ranma looked utterly bewildered as he looked from one face to the other, clearly having no idea whatsoever what we were talking about here, for which you can hardly blame him. This version was indeed a lot like my Ranma, only not as domesticated or well trained in the art of being a boyfriend. Shampoo and me had worked mighty hard to make up for the boy's lack of a proper education in that department and it was plain enough here that whoever he did wind up with romantically would have her work cut out for her...not that I wouldn't readily volunteer to undertake the challenge!

Of course it was about this time that someone usually shows up to make a dramatic announcement, and this occasion was no exception.

"I see you young people have kept yourselves busy while I was away," Cologne said as she put in a dramatic appearance.

"Hello, Matriarch," I turned to regard the outline and not the image of the shrunken old woman, "Did you manage to contact the parties I requested?"

"I did indeed," Cologne said gravely, "And you can imagine my surprise when I learned that she was already aware of your request and was already making arrangements to be here. In fact I am expecting her to appear right about...now..."

A swirl of light suddenly flared up from the middle of the yard, forming a pillar of fire that briefly filled the air with heat and light before dying off to reveal a pair of figures standing in its center. I must say that Siren character has a real flare for the dramatic, not at all like the more subtle methods employed by the diminutive figure who stood near at her side resting on her staff with a care-worn expression on her ancient features.

"You rang?" the Archmage flashed a smile, giving us a pose that would make Barbara Eden drop dead from envy. I heard the exasperated sigh from Cologne's lips and knew the direct parallel between our two worlds held true on that standard.

"So," the other old woman limped forward, homing in on my direction, "You are the young lady who has stirred up so much of a ruckus. Kimiko's child by Tendo Soun...yes, I see much about your mother in your eyes. Well met indeed...Apprentice."

"Sensei," I bowed, "It's very good to set eyes on you again...even if it may be for the first time from your side of the fence."

"I rather imagine my counterpart finds you quite a delight to be around," Lotion's eyes twinkled with that tell-tale smirk I knew so well and loved, "You have the look of trouble about you...I like that."

"So, that's the new Lore Master," the blonde Siren inclined her head as she studied me from a greater distance, "Not much to look at, but I do sense great potential."

"Oh hush," Cologne snorted, "You would do well to take notes from this one. The arts of subtlety run deep within her, and few match wits without counting their fingers after a mere handshake."

"Surely I'm not that bad to be around," I averred, wondering what my other self could have done to have earned such a frightful reputation.

"That remains to be seen," Lotion responded with her usual non-committal appraisal, "I have yet to meet your counterpart, but if she has the potential to be anything like you, then I suspect that she will indeed be both a trial and a handful."

"Whoever you are, lady," Ranma said, "Is there any way you can get things straightened out and put things back to normal?"

"That is what I have come all this way to determine, young War Master," Lotion replied, "We will see if it is possible to get young Nabiki back to her own time and place, and to restore the Nabiki who was of this time in the process."

"Will my sister be all right on your world?" Akane asked, giving me a cautionary glance as if still smarting from the words I had used upon her.

"She ought to be," I said, "Ranma and Shampoo will protect her...unless, of course, she makes a mistake and accepts a ride from Shampoo from Ucchan's place to the dojo."

"Why that bad?" Shampoo asked with a puzzled expression.

I just smiled at that rather than answer, but inwardly my mind filled with a mental image of my counterpart hanging on for dear life on the back of Shampoo's monster and I sent a silent prayer of condolence, hoping she would not keel over with a heart attack before we could arrange a successful transfer...

Nabiki did not consider herself to be a religious person, but riding with Shampoo proved to be a revelation in theological discovery, because she must have catalogued every Kami that she knew by name in the space of the three-  
minute ride across town back from the restaurant to the suburbs where her home was located.

Ranma managed to hold on to her from the rear, reluctant at letting her ride by herself with the Amazon, which proved to be a good tactical move on his part. If not for his constant attention Nabiki might have let go mid-way during her ordeal just to take her chances with the potential inconvenience of falling on something hard and unyielding. She was not used to physical abuses like Ranma and had no illusions of her ability to bounce back from a major trauma, yet sandwiched between Ranma and Shampoo she felt a kind of security blanket that stretched over her from both angles. No matter how crazily the Amazon zigged and zagged at high velocity, she knew Ranma would not let her go nor let her come to any harm, for which she was enormously grateful.

Of course her hands gripping onto Shampoo found themselves (almost by chance) in some interesting places, and there was a curious thrill in feeling the sense of barely constrained power well padded and supple to the touch. Shampoo did not seem to mind having her hands rest there, and it said a lot about the state of trust that must exist between the Amazon and her counterpart from this dimension. Try as she might, Nabiki could not think of a single person whom she would trust in a similar manner, especially her backside, knowing how many people felt about her in Nerima.

The implications of what this would mean for her and her tendencies to admire both genders back home was an issue she wanted to table until later. From the time of puberty she had been aware of her tendency to "check out" other women, but she'd always kept it deeply suppressed rather than let others suspect her bisexual tendencies, which among other things would definitely leave her exposed to ridicule and teasing by the other kids of her age group. Hard to build a reputation as a Cast Iron Bitch if everyone in your school knew you swung both ways and had a serious interest in "exploring her options."

It was odd the things that flashed through your mind when faced by imminent danger (her life for one thing, with far too much emphasis on the bad stuff for her liking), and the thing that came foremost to mind was the mini-ordeal she had undergone accessing her counterpart's computer records. Even with the help of the Lore Master, Silk, it was a real challenge of her mental faculties, especially in light of the fact that access to the computer was Triple-Password Protected. Ordinarily that would have made opening it up a matter of typing in a few key words to gain admittance, but the first key word had come with a riddle.

"Root of all Evil is this which exchanges."

The answer to that one had been surprisingly simple, "Money." But typing it in had led to the second riddle, "Parting with it is such sorrow, who is he?"

That also had been surprisingly simple, but she doubted it would be that easy. There was something about the ease of the first password that put her on edge, made her wary about jumping for the obvious answer. The more she reflected on it the more she came to realize that her basic instincts were similar to those of the Nabiki who wrote and encrypted these files, and that meant suspecting subtlety and deception at every turn, and the moment things looked too easy was the time to suspect a trap, so she wondered what the angle to this password would be then realized it came in the form of a Kanji riddle she had learned when studying secret codes in the library for means of concealing her bookie notes in her ledger.

Back during the last World War the Japanese military had used a machine-based code thought to be unbreakable by the allies, but little did they know that the Allies had acquired a code breaking machine that gave them the ability to read Japanese classified transmissions, and this had proven decisive to America defeating Japan in numerous key battles. The principle of the machine had proven to be too simple, but in theory it was still a brilliant concept of substituting one word for another, and that thought gave her the clue that she needed. All she needed to know was which symbol to place in the place of which letter, and which of several codes she would have needed, and once that was done she typed out the substitution code for the word, "BAKA."

That proved to be the correct answer at the second level, but then she found herself confronted by the final password, and for this there was no clue, but there was a thirty-second countdown, and it did not take a genius in Computer Science to know that at the end of the countdown would be a lock-out on the computer.

That kicked her brain into overdrive, knowing full well that the clue would be in logical sequence to the first two clues, and with no complex word patterns to have to muddle through since it was obvious that Nabiki herself was supposed to supply this password in a hurry, so she ran the first two words through her mind and said, "Money, Fool...Parted!"

She typed in the word and was gratified to find it was accepted, only then the computer screen flared to life and a greenish ray fanned out, briefly roving over Nabiki from top to bottom before fading out again, leaving her momentarily shaken, as if she had expected it was a death ray, or some other such Science Fiction invention.

"What," she said at the end of this experience, "Was that?"

"I have no idea," Silk seemed equally shaken, "As far as I know that was never programmed into Nabiki's computer."

Suddenly the screen filled up with the trademark "Windows" emblem, but the brand name was totally unfamiliar to her, "YGGDRASIL 2000, Version D, Skuld Special Edition," which was accompanied by an illustration of a colossal oak tree that looked taller than a redwood. It went through a standard reload in a remarkably short time, and then opened up with a Wallpaper photograph that showed Nabiki framed by Shampoo, Ranma and the rest of their extended family, which included the strangers she had met before and Ryoga. Following this a series of file icons framed the picture, and among those that she recognized was a Yen Sign that obviously signified her financial ledgers. She confirmed this with a point and click that opened up a well-structured portfolio, very neat and orderly in arrangement.

At this Nabiki's eyes got very wide, for there were numerous sub-directories indicating the sources of her income, which ranged from her usual bookie making to far more legitimate enterprises, among with was the evaluated monthly income generated through the operation of the dojo.

It seemed that on this timeline her father had resumed taking in students, and he oversaw classes three times a week, once for the junior and introductory level of students under twelve years of age. Silk was listed as a co-instructor and no doubt took part in the regular operations. Shampoo and Ranma taught the main and advanced classes that took place four times a week, and on the whole they had about maybe fifty or sixty students in all of these classes, each of whom paid according to their means, which averaged out to around three or four thousand yen per month a piece. That came to about two hundred thousand yen a month, which went into a general fund used to cover basic expenses of the house, the remainder of which was allocated like an allowance to individual house members.

Overall costs were neatly itemized like a corporate structure with a certain amount set aside into a general trust fund that currently was rated around one-  
hundred-sixty thousand yen, a pretty nice nest egg to have salted away for emergencies. She wondered idly how it was that so much money had been kept away from Genma.

Of slightly more disturbing character was the listing of Kuno Kodachi as contributing to the house rent for the past month to the tune of four hundred thousand yen, a hell of an advance for room and board, and she suspected the reason for this generosity would make for quite a story. Part of that fund had been used to purchase bonds and stocks that were meant to give the house a long-  
term financial posture. Given all of that, it was hard to imagine their losing the house (and the dojo) to something as simple as a card game.

And Nabiki felt a sudden surge of angry resentment towards her counterpart, which was actually a kind of self-loathing and envy. To think of all the times she had struggled and labored to keep the house from financial ruin, the threat of collapse that came from having no stable source of income, the sacrifices she had been forced to make to come up with schemes that could provide Kasumi with the spending money for the bills and the food costs, all of which had multiplied exponentially since the Saotomes had become a part of the overall picture.

To think of how she had racked her brains trying to find ways of staying in the money, even going to far as to borrowing clothes off her little sister to save on the expense of her own wardrobe...! She had learned to turn a moral blind eye to any questions about the ethical propriety of her conduct and had grown a thicker hide, telling herself that she alone had the guts it took to make it in a hard world of cruel sacrifices. And all along a means existed for her to LEGITIMATELY secure the security of the family finances...!

Nabiki calmed herself, taking several deep breaths, gradually getting control over her emotions as she reminded herself that it was not her time and place, that the version of her living on this timeline had earned every single yen through hard work and an enterprising spirit. Ultimately the question was why had SHE not achieved a similar level of success on her own timeline? If there was anything to be resented, it was the lack of support she had gotten from her version of Ranma and Akane.

She closed the file and went on to a different icon, this one catching her interest as it turned out to be none other than a file that read, "My Journal," and had the icon of a different type of ledger.

To her amazement this proved to be an actual diary recording the thoughts and experiences of her counterpart, and it was marked with individual entries that each had a time and date chronicling the events of the past six months. That covered a lot of the time that this Nabiki had spent being betrothed to Ranma, and the amount of file space covered was HUGE! They entire journal itself was over Eighteen Megabytes, which was a HELL of a lot of writing and left her wondering what sort of information was recorded in these passes.

To satisfy her curiosity she clicked on a file at random and opened up to a curious passage that began with, "The more I think on it, the more I wonder if I took complete leave of my senses the day that I took Ranma on as my iinazuke. He's arrogant, rude, acts without thinking, thinks without acting and generally draws trouble to himself like a magnet. He's also got one mighty fine Butt, and this cute way of expressing himself that's so engagingly simple minded that I just can't help but crack a smile at the doofus..."

Nabiki caught herself cracking a smile, identifying immediately with her other self as she could imagine making those very comments in the privacy of a journal in a moment of anxiety when she needed to unload her thoughts into some format. She scanned further down the text and discovered several curious bits of information, such as the training she had received from an Amazon named Lotion, and the slight vexation she received from her training was accompanied by a sense of growing confidence in her accomplishments and her prowess.

A different file turned up similar information, only here she discovered an account of sexual activities between herself, Shampoo and Ranma that sounded as if they had been lifted in form from the Kama Sutra. More than a few of the descriptions in this text caused her eyebrows to climb to the level of her hairline, while she felt more than slightly aroused and more than a bit excited.

"I suggest you click on ahead to the last time," Silk reminded her after allowing her to peruse several more such files, "Time is running out and you need to pick up on what clues Nabiki might have left you for dealing with the match."

It felt weird to hear her name being referred to in the third person, but Nabiki agreed with the basic reasoning, even as she quietly copied the files of the journal and downloaded these texts into a Zip disk that she inserted to the appropriate drive slot. She wanted to study these journal notes at greater leisure and if she could take it with her and find a computer back home that would be able to decipher the encryption she intended to sit down and do some serious reading!

She now had that disk hidden away in a pocket and hoped nobody would mind if she kept it, as long as it did not wind up in the wrong hands...meaning anyone else but her hands, of course. Assuming they did not wind up in a major accident getting to the site of the match and could make it home in one piece she intended to learn what she could of her counterpart's experiences, in which case she might find a means of improving her lot in the other world.

Besides which she had not found anything useful in that last file, other than the realization that her counterpart lived a very full and active life, one of romance and adventure. The stories her files must have to tell would no doubt be pretty eyebrow raising, but she doubted it would be a dull reading and possibly quite profitable, considering this Lore Master stuff was supposed to give one special powers of insight. Who knew what mysteries she would discover in these records?

The three minute ordeal came to an abrupt end as Shampoo performed a flying leap that would have impressed the heck out of Evil Kenivel. The landing nearly caused Nabiki to toss her cookies (or that okonomiyaki that she had eaten before leaving), but with a rapid screeching turn of the tires they skidded to a halt almost at the very gates of her ancestral household.

Dismounting from the bike had proven to be more of a trial than getting on hand been because her legs had wobbled like jello, and if not for Ranma helping to steady her she might not have managed to remain upright.

"Easy there, Nab-chan," Ranma urged with obvious affection, "Takes time to get used to the way Shampoo drive."

"How long?" Nabiki coughed to steady her voice. This was no way to maintain an air of sophistication, behaving like a mere schoolgirl!

"Ah..." Ranma's hesitation was poignant, "I'm still working on that part..."

The flapping of wings brought Akane's attention around to the incredible sight of her sister descending from the heavens. Akane's landing was not exactly one-  
point, but given that she had a pair of wings with a wingspan roughly three times the length of her own body, with secondary feathers sprouting from her legs like a pair of auxiliary stabilizers. She straightened out at once, flashed a smile at Nabiki and said, "I've checked them out from the air and you won't believe what's going on in there! That guy's turned the dojo into a casino, and he's got half the kids from our school playing at roulette wheels and card tables and everything! And the house...he's got it set up like an office!"

Nabiki turned her gaze up at the new marquis adorning the top of the gates, which read, "GAMBLER KING'S ROYAL FLUSH CASINO" in large flashing letters like a neon sign taken straight out of Vegas. Her first impression upon seeing this was to conclude that this Gambler King fellow did not believe in maintaining a low profile.

"That creeps got a hell of a lot of nerve," Ranma cracked his knuckles with a nasty expression on his face, "Let's go in there and clean house."

Nabiki was about to agree with him when a stretch limousine pulled up along the block, and a moment later three people exited from the side of the vehicle, a man, a woman and a child, the woman being very well dressed with a professional manner about her...and sporting a haircut very much like Nabiki's!

"Well now," this woman smiled as she regarded them, "Well met indeed, Tendo-san. I see you're here on time for the match, and I look forward to seeing how you perform at the gambling tables."

"What do you want, lady?" Ranma asked, and Nabiki noted from the guarded tone that the boy considered the lady a potential enemy or threat, and thus not to be taken lightly.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually hoping to see you do well," the woman replied, "It would be a shame to see this place pass out of the hands of the family that has nurtured its arts so well over the generations. I'm sorry if I left a bad impression of me the last time, but I'm hoping we may still be friends in the future."

Nabiki discerned a sincerity in the woman's expression, but her instincts warned her that this was indeed a woman of hidden talents, and clearly a force to be reckoned on the financial front. From this she placed the woman as the mysterious business representative whom Silk and the others believed was behind the Gambler King's acquisition of the dojo. The girl with her was obviously her daughter while the burly man had "bodyguard" written into the very manner in which he stood protectively close to the woman.

Of somewhat more concern, however, were the hints that she had picked up on the sly suggesting that this woman was also a Hibiki. She certainly moved like a trained martial artist, and her accent was distinctly foreign, possibly even American, which also meant she was an outsider viewing the Japanese culture from an outsider's perspective.

It was as she made these appraisals, however, that the third surprise manifested at her side, for even as Nabiki was trying to decide if the woman was friend or foe, a voice she did not recognize spoke out in response, "The future is always a difficult matter to discern, but it is better to make friends than adversaries, so in that spirit we welcome your participation in the coming match between your Factor and my Apprentice."

Nabiki resisted the temptation to jump in a start as she reacted to that speaker, preferring instead to turn slowly before taking in the sight of a woman who reminded her very much of Cologne, albeit not quite as ancient or shrunken in stature. Amused eyes glittered up at her as Nabiki took in this ancient Amazon with no little amazement and apprehension. Without it needing to be said aloud she recognized her from the descriptions in her counterpart's ledgers, and she knew this had to be Lotion the Lore Master. This was the woman who had trained her other self in the ways of the Lore Masters, some kind of Shaman mystic whose powers and abilities defied ordinary description.

"Shall we go inside and meet your challenger, Apprentice?" the old woman asked as if taking it in stride that her suggestion would be followed.

"Uh, yeah," Nabiki replied, "Let's get this show started, shall we?"

"By all means, Tendo-san," the business woman agreed, and as Ranma and Shampoo moved to flank her, Nabiki watched as the burly man took the point, pushing open the gates and leading the way into her family estate, and a very strange encounter...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Card Games Anonymous: shadowmane

Okay, the delays are done, let the match begin, and woe betide the loser of this battle of wits. Nabiki X faces the challenge posed to our Nabiki, even as Nabiki A consults with Lotion to find a way home to her own world, and Ganglot greets some guests paying their respects to her stronghold. Be with us next time for: "Queen of Tarts," or "The Jacks on You!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	124. Chapter 124

NabikiRan108

Ranma and Nabiki,

A Tale of Two Wallets

By Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Eight.

Three lady warriors of very different temperaments and natures stood in the middle of a cyclopean cave that was dimly illuminated by wall lichen and a faint air of phosphoresce. In this diffuse lighting they could make out three branching tunnels veering off from the main one in which they were currently standing, and each seemed as darkly ominous and forbidding as the other two. It was clear to all concerned that only one portal would lead to the goal in which they wanted to be going.

"Nice work, Grandma," said one of these three as Atsuko nodded to herself in oddly hushed tones, "The texture's superb and the graphics are to die for..."

"Admire her technique some other time," Comb briskly chided, "We need to find Grandmother and quickly before the Demon unleashes any hidden surprises."

"I'm game for the concept," Yumi coolly noted, "Only which way do we go? Door number one, door number two or door number three?"

"Who cares?" Comb snapped, "They're probably all booby-trapped..."

"Yes," Yumi agreed, "And we'd be boobies to just plunge on ahead without strategy or plan for confronting this Demon and her illusions."

"Ah..." Atsuko winced slightly, "Actually only two doors are probably booby trapped, the third's a genuine portal. Grandma has to play by certain rules in order for her powers to work right. She taps into this really big system that penalizes you if you stray outside some pretty gnarly borders. It's called the Ultimate Force Complex, and according to the rules she has to give us at least an even chance of figuring out which one of these caves is gonna be the safe one."

"Well," Comb growled, "And can you tell which one that is?"

"Not without some effort," Atsuko replied, "Grandma's illusions have to conform to certain realistic patterns or they wouldn't be this believable. Spotting the fakes from the genuine article ain't gonna be no cakewalk even for me, 'cause she knows what I'd look for."

"I get it," Yumi mused, "In other words these tunnels have to work on the same principles as real tunnels even if they are illusions. So...what kind of threat potential are we dealing with here?"

"Hard to say," Atsuko replied, "Depends on what mood Grandma's in, whether she's feeling playful or downright nasty. Keep in mind my illusions have form and substance, and if I wanted to make them deadly then I could forge a sword that could cut through steel, or a spear that would go right through battleship armor..."

"That must take a lot of concentration though," Comb paused to consider the point, "I never knew your illusions had become so strong of late."

"I've had to learn a lot while on the road," Atsuko shrugged, "Mainly the thing to keep in mind is that all illusions work on the power of your beliefs. My belief in my illusions is what gives them a solid structure, and once I lock them into a mold they maintain a self-belief in their own existence similar to an Elemental. It's not the same as being real iron or steel, or having a soul for that matter, but if I believe them good and hard then their ability to cut through objects depends on its resistance factor and if the belief of whatever they hit is stronger or not. Armor plate, after all, has the belief of the blacksmith who forges it fused into the metal helping to reinforce its structure, so if my belief is stronger than the armorer..."

"Kind of like that old saw about my Karma ran over your Dogma," Yumi mused, "At least I now understand how you could create that Jacuzzi area in the space behind the dojo and have it operate like the real thing even when you're not around..."

"Actually that's folding Pocket Space and coaxing elementals into the pattern so that they weave their strength into its make up," Atsuko replied, "I've got Fire, Air, Earth and Water spirits working together maintaining that illusion, and if they weren't agreeable to helping me out the whole thing would collapse on itself and it would fade out of existence..."

"Who cares right now?" Comb snapped, "Can we get back to the subject? Now, what you're saying is that if your grandmother wants to play rough, then we should expect her traps to be deadly?"

"That's one way of putting it," Atsuko scratched the back of her head and looked thoughtful, "Only I can't really believe that Grandma Ganglot would be that nasty. She struck me as the more playful type, and she's really inventive in shaping her illusions..."

"Right," Yumi noted, "So we should beware of an Illusionist who's not only clever and ancient but has the tendencies of a practical joker. Well, could be worse...we could be up against your mother, and then I know we'd be screwed royal."

"Yeah, no fooling," Atsuko said nervously, "Of course if I had to pick one of them for an enemy, it's be a pretty hard toss up."

"So...we might as well pick a tunnel and get started," Comb noted cautiously, "Any preferences?"

"Other than just barging in like your usual method of entry?" Yumi wondered aloud, "Well, we could always pick a tunnel a piece and take our chances separately...OR...we could use a little intelligence and try to fathom out which tunnel is the one least likely to be booby trapped."

"Y'know, I kinda feel slightly insulted by that," Atsuko turned to Comb and asked, "You feeling insulted by that?"

"What have you got in mind...Ninja," Comb glowered at the Chef with a "We'll talk about this later" expression.

"Actually, former Ninja would be more accurate," Yumi pointed out, "And the correct term is Kunoichi...but since you mention that my earlier training was in the arts of invisibility and silence, I feel I have to point out that I was trained to detect and find traps, so I have a pretty good idea of what to look for. If you have no objections to taking me at my word, I'd like to take the point on this one."

Comb and Atsuko exchanged looks, then Comb said reluctantly, "I know about hunting and marking a trail, but some traps are a lot more subtle than what we trained for in Joketsuzoku."

"My thing is Illusions," Atsuko replied, "And like I said, I have to bow to Grandma on that front. She's got way lots more experience, craft and guile than me when it comes to laying out traps."

"Good," Yumi smiled, "Now that we have that settled, I suggest we stick together and pool our resources, or we'll likely be picked off individually, and who knows where we'll wind up? Keep in mind that even your Grandmother obviously wasn't able to confront the Oni on a one-to-one basis, and she had a powerful mage backing her up. We're going to have to be more clever than that if we want to get through this one alive, and keep in mind the fact that we're not just doing this for us...we have our children to think about."

Her companions did not seem too sanguine on that point, but they silently nodded their agreement and resolved to watch out for each others' backs...at least until the current crisis was resolved, not that any of them wanted to make this a permanent arrangement, more like a temporary truce on all their back-biting and name-calling antics for the sake of their children. After all, they had to set a good example for future generations...

And unknown to them, a generation far removed from their own was watching their every move on closed-circuit TV, having discovered the channel during a random search to see what was available...only now the picture momentarily scrambled, leading one of the viewing audience to complain, "It never fails! Right when the program starts to get interesting, that's when somebody always screws with the reception!"

"No doubt there is some sort of interference causing these periodic disruptions," Cologne theorized, "Other than that it is quite remarkable how this system so accurately captures and depicts real events taking place in the world outside of these dimensional borders. If this is the system that the Demoness has used to make herself familiar with the changes that have occurred in the world during her incarceration, then it would go a long way to explaining how she has known how to anticipate our every move in advance..."

"You still think she's doing this for sinister purposes," Siren regarded her companion, "You don't forgive and forget easy, do you Kho-chan? I think you may be carrying this grudge with her a little too far, after all...she made this system available for us for an obvious reason."

"And what reason could she possibly have except to sow mischief and discord, like she has always done throughout all of her long history?" Cologne challenged, "Don't try to sell me on the idea that a tiger can change its stripes and not still remain a tiger! The very fact that she so easily led us into this prison is cause enough to believe that she is capable of anything, and don't tell me that you are comfortable being at the mercy of a being with this level of power."

"I don't usually enjoy being on the bottom and not the top if that's what you mean," Siren replied, "But I'm flexible either way, and I do believe that you are missing the point here. The fact that she could take more extreme measures-  
-and I will leave it to your imagination to conceive of what forms that might assume-is a hint that she is using a great deal of restraint, though in truth her grudge is more with you than with me...OH LOOK, the picture's back! Now we can see what else is going on in the world of sports and weather."

"You seem remarkably casual about efforts being made to win our freedom," Cologne observed in sardonic irony.

"Oh, do you think I'm tired of your company already?" Siren mused, "Well, understand that I do hope your granddaughter does well finding her way in here, but if I have to put my money anywhere, it would be on the Oni. Lambs to the slaughter seems almost the appropriate line of choice at this point."

"I won't sell them out this soon, but I will admit that the odds do seem to be stacked against them," Cologne noted grimly, "Of course I am also concerned about events happening at the dojo..."

"You want me to flip back there?" Siren pointed the remote at the TV and caused the picture to change, opening out on an aerial view of the Tendo estate that was anything but typical of the real estate and its regular zoning...

Ranma did not know what to make of this entire situation. Fighting opponents with his fists he understood, but when it came to battles of wits he had learned to defer in part to Nabiki. Card playing was one of those gray areas that fell in the border area between wits and combat, and he had to reluctantly concede that he had very little skill in the art of card sharking.

This version of Nabiki, however, puzzled him greatly as there were subtle little things about her that were not consistent with what he knew about his iinazuke. In a way she was just like the Nabiki whom he had known when he first came to Nerima, a materialistic and deeply cynical person who covered over her feelings of loneliness and insecurity behind the hard mask of a calculating opportunist. It had taken him a long time to learn to see beyond that mask, and so he was not so easily mislead by mere appearance, but looking into her eyes and studying her expression had shown him a shy and introspective young girl who only pretended to be knowledgeable and capable of coping with any crisis.

In a way it was almost painful to watch her stumble through the things that his Nabiki had learned to handle with ease. There was less confidence, less of the cockiness and self-assurance his Nabiki so often manifested, and what pretence of confidence this version had came across empty bravado. She was faking it and badly, going by her formidable wits yet over her head in a way that was almost painful to watch. He cared too much about the Nabiki he knew not to feel sympathy with this pretender, but still if her pretence was not fooling him, then how obvious must it have been to anyone else who knew her, like Shampoo or Akane?

This Nabiki was evasive, cold and temperamental, unwilling to concede to feelings that he knew that she possessed and equally unwilling to compromise in the give-and-take of personal interaction. It was plain to him that she was avoiding something critical within herself, denying certain emotions that might make her seem vulnerable and even human. There were issues this Nabiki was unwilling to confront, feelings of inadequacy that she was desperately trying to deny and cover over, and there was a hint of insensitivity in her conduct that implied a certain ruthlessness, like she was willing to sell out principles and even people who placed their trust in her in order to make short-term gains. It had taken Ranma a long time to come to terms with his Nabiki's materialistic obsessions, but by the time he had learned to identify her negative qualities she had mostly renounced them of her own volition. Her growth as a person had long since undermined reliance on such negative tactics.

Ranma could understand not wanting to be thought weak and ignorant because he often felt that way himself, pretenses of overconfidence notwithstanding. It was not manly to admit to such inadequacies, or so he had long believed before discovering that Nabiki already knew all about his shortcomings and still accepted him as he was in spite of being less than perfect. On that level he could understand this Nabiki's desire not to appear to be at a disadvantage, but given the seriousness of the situation that confronted them it was clear even to him that such psychological tendencies were going to put her at an extreme disadvantage.

This worried him greatly as the fate of her family's dojo was resting upon her skills as a player. Ranma wondered if she really did know what all was at stake riding on her slender shoulders. She seemed to think it was just an issue of retaining the property in the family, but Ranma had been made aware that there were larger issues at stake the night before, such as the mysterious plot that seemed to be afoot with the Demon Mage Cybelle's handwriting all over the matter. The Gambler King was a relatively minor nuisance in and of himself, but when coupled with Ryoga's evil grandmother, his re-appearance in Nerima took on a very sinister connotation.

Of course the whole idea that there could be two radically different versions Nabiki was troubling in and of itself, even taking into account that ideas like "Alternate Universe Theory" and stuff of such an arcane nature made very little sense to him on anything but a practical level. He had to conceded that the proof of this theory was Nabiki herself with her lack of muscle tone and the way she moved, her stumbling awkwardness, the almost half-blind the way she walked as if lacking that sixth sense that she had so recently acquired, the foreknowledge of events that let her move to the left or the right in time to avoid unpleasant problems (like a certain ladle-wielding old lady who had this annoying tendency of nailing Ranma with an unexpected splash of water, and thank the Kami that Lotion the Lore Master had thought ahead and provided him with a handy thermos full of hot water).

Ranma would have been the first to admit that he was not always comfortable with Nabiki's abilities as a Lore Master, but now he would had paid a great deal to have the "Old" Nabiki back, the one who could constantly surprise and confound him, who was never quite what you expected her to be and who could be the strongest ally any man could want in a confrontation. That Nabiki would make mincemeat out of anyone who dared to attempt to claim possession of her dojo, and come between her and her family members? Even Ranma would shudder and feel pity for such a dumb tactical maneuver!

He just had to stay close to her side and offer her his support in the hopes that HIS Nabiki could be restored to them in good order. Surely the Old Woman would not let her chosen apprentice languish off in some nether realm, or wherever this Nabiki has originated, so whatever went down in the next hour, he had to back this Nabiki's play and hope against hope that it would all work out for the better.

Even as he studied this Nabiki however, he was being studied in turn by her, and the middle Tendo girl was reacting with mild shock upon discovering a version of Ranma who actually seemed to be using his brain and was thinking to himself without his lips moving. He seemed to be measuring his thoughts rather than blurt them out loud or leaving them written all over his features. There was an intensity to his scrutiny that seemed to be studying her every little nuance the way that she would normally read his expressions. This Ranma clearly had a brain in his head, and that took away a tactical advantage that she had long enjoyed and considered an edge in her dealings with Nerima's premier martial arts legend.

It was confounding for her to find a Ranma who actually seemed to be considering her as both a woman and a person, who was no doubt accustomed to a level of intimacy that Nabiki herself would never have permitted. It went beyond the obvious sexual relationship that he and her counterpart probably enjoyed together, it was as if he felt that he should know her, like she was a part of him as familiar as his own right arm or a trusted companion. This was not a boy who could be bluffed or befuddled as easily as the Ranma she had come to know and exploit on a regular basis, and he seemed to be putting a level of expectation upon her that she knew she could never live up to. All of this added up to her being at a serious disadvantage that she found most disconcerting, a sense that she did not, could not be the type of person that he wanted her to be. She hated feeling this inadequacy between them, and yet the very fact that he even could feel that way towards her other self spoke volumes about the sort of life that the two of them must have enjoyed before the transfer.

A Ranma who was sensitive to her needs, who wasn't a thoughtless, insensitive jerk who thought first of himself and only afterwards considered the effects he would have upon others? A Ranma who wasn't railing against the cruelty of the Fates or despairing about his girl-half? (Seeing him briefly turn female yet only shrug in weary acceptance of this fact did not seem comparable at all with the absolute loathing that the Ranma she knew had always felt about his cursed form) Surely the Apocalypse was just around the corner! It was almost like he wasn't really Ranma, just some really cute guy who had taken the place of the often hapless and clueless Saotome youth, and it was this very difference about him that was freaking her out (to say nothing of turning her on like crazy!).

Almost as disconcerting as this Ranma was Shampoo's casual acceptance of Nabiki with all her flaws and imperfections. It had been explained at length to the Chinese girl that she was not the same girl to whom she had given the Kiss of Life and now considered her "other Airen," quite literally her wife (!?), and yet Shampoo had just smiled and reassured her that she would be supportive of Nabiki until her "real" beloved put in an appearance.

This was not just a friendlier and more outgoing version of Shampoo (admittedly a frightening concept by itself), this was a Shampoo who was seriously working to bridge the gap between their cultures and who now took it on faith that Nerima was her adopted homeland. She wasn't trying to trap and lure either of her beloveds into coming back with her to China, seemed almost indifferent on the subject of Cologne and was nonchalant in displaying her affections with either of her two intendeds. She was more than just a Motorhead with a bike fetish, she actually displayed a keen intelligence and a wit that clashed dramatically with her "Bubble-headed" counterpart with whom Nabiki was far more accustomed. This Shampoo was sexy without being overwhelming, and there was something positively glowing about her that made her seem more alive than any other person whom Nabiki had ever yet encountered.

And-shock of all shocks-she had been informed that Shampoo here was expecting a child...a child by none other than Ranma! In a way all three of them were to be considered the child's parents, Nabiki no less than Ranma or Shampoo because the child's conception had taken place in the same bed where the three of them had made passionate whoopee. There seemed to be an enormous sense of happiness and mutual fulfillment in this strange three-way relationship which spoke volumes about it being a happy and reasonably stable kind of union.

And that worried Nabiki on an entirely different level. As recently as a few weeks ago she had hatched a scheme to profit at the expense of both Ranma and her little sister, Akane. The idea had come to her in a flash of a moment...Nabiki had been caught out borrowing things from Akane, which had set in motion a chain of events where it had appeared that Ranma was siding with her against her little sister, which naturally led to a typical Akane overreaction. Her sister had declared that the two of them should be engaged instead of herself and Ranma, so in a way the idea had come from Akane's lips and all Nabiki had done was take her up on her offer...

At least on the surface.

What had actually been Nabiki's conception of the matter was that she would exploit the situation to her advantage, make a few quick yen then bail out while helping her sister and Ranma to come closer together. She had never been serious about the engagement itself (not even when severely tempted on account of his being such a hottie-in either of his two genders!). Her aim was simply to exploit an opening that would allow her to show up Akane and be the envy of their high school, grab a little of the spotlight for a time, then gladly slip back into the background after maneuvering the two clueless lovers into admitting their true feelings for one another, thus proving the superiority of her intellect and the utter lack of same in either of those two or their fathers, who made life so interesting for all concerned in Nerima.

Of course it had not taken her long to discover the downside of being Ranma's fiancee, namely that the other fiancees would have something to say about a new contender joining their merry little clubhouse. Nabiki had taken it for granted that she could outwit and out-maneuver the girls, and for a while it had seemed that her strategy would work, but then Shampoo, of all people, had called her bluff and actually threatened Nabiki's life, forcing Ranma to act in her defense, which had been semi-romantic and had given her such a thrill for all that she knew her life was in actual danger.

Eventually she had managed to calm everyone down and got things off to a sound financial footing, but during the week that she was Ranma's official fiancee she had proven to her own satisfaction that they were not compatible enough to work as an actual couple. It was not just that they saw the world in radically different terms, or that he was a magnet for trouble and she was not a practicing martial artist, totally lacking in the resiliency that served Akane in many a perilous situation. At heart, though she found Ranma personally attractive and quite a lot of fun to be around, his heart had been given to her clueless little sister, and Akane's happiness depended on him...or so she had come to believe, for all that they were as stubborn as mules and refused to come to terms with their mutual feelings of attraction.

Her plan to get them back together had proven more difficult than anticipated, but in the end love had conquered all and Yadda-Yadda-Yadda. Things went back to relative normal and soon it was as if their brief engagement had never been. Ranma seemed to forget all about the cruel and thoughtless humiliation to which Nabiki had subjected him to for the sake of her own profits, and Nabiki herself returned to her profitable schemes, congratulating her own cleverness and thanking the Kami for the hopelessness of young lovers and all that hearts and flowers rubbish.

Only now her thoughts on that subject had been thrown utterly into a cocked hat and what had seemed so certain and right now was revealed for a sham, and all of her pretensions to the contrary would not shield her from a certain truth that she had managed to keep deeply buried.

That truth was brought home by the sight of her sister, Akane, flirting outrageously with Kuonji Ukyo, somehow having come to terms with the issues of her sexuality. It was suddenly quite clear to Nabiki why Ranma and his curse had always been a source of intense discomfort for Akane. Her sister had been avoiding a disquieting truth that undermined any chance she had of a "normal" relationship as between any man and a woman. Nabiki had long suspected Akane of harboring same-sex feelings but had refrained from giving comment due to her own latent Bisexual tendencies and a belief that Akane's obsessions about male "perverts" was just a phase that she would eventually grow out from...as if this were a condition that could be changed with the passing of the seasons.

Akane had feared being treated like a pariah among her classmates and had secretly relished the tacit popularity that she enjoyed at her school, even if the crude efforts of the boys to try and force their attentions upon her must have been a truly hellish ordeal. It made Nabiki wince to think that she had even encouraged Kuno Tatewaki and the rest of his classmates, planting certain ideas in their heads, selling those photos that highlighted Akane's most attractive qualities...it meant that she had been indirectly responsible for torturing her own sister...and that was not an easy idea to digest in one sitting. How much more cruel to think that she and Kasumi had pushed her onto Ranma by mutual consent of the idea that a half-boy/half-girl might appeal to Akane's ambivalent nature...as if that would make everything all right, rubbing Akane's nose in the truth that all preferred to let be unmentioned.

Seen in that light, Nabiki had to wonder what Demon had ever possessed her soul to think that those two would ever make such a good combination. It was cruel to Ranma to force the confused young boy to not only cope with his changing sexual identity but to pair him off with someone even more twisted up inside on that very same subject! Yet here on this timeline that problem had somehow been avoided, freeing Akane to explore other relationship options, first with Ryoga and then Ukyo, the latter case being the one that had caused Akane to come to terms with her hidden desires like nothing else that she had ever before encountered.

Of course that brought to mind the differences in Akane herself, who not only was actively chasing after Ukyo but who also had a Jusenkyo curse that turned her into an Angel! (Never mind that Kasumi seemed more appropriate for sporting wings on most occasions) Said wings vanished with a douse of hot water, but their appearance did a lot to explain the curious slots that she had sported in Akane's current wardrobe.

And what a change in Kuonji this timeline had rendered! The version she was viewing coyly from the corner of one eye had a curse that oddly suited her own ambivalent nature. Ukyo had always seemed (to Nabiki's way of thinking) to be of two minds in regards to her own sexuality. Clearly she liked men, but was just as obviously drawn to women as evidenced by the statuesque girl who was hovering by his arm when he (gender courtesy of a certain old woman ladling water on the side-walk) showed up at the gates to the dojo, the presence of said tall girl causing intense annoyance for Akane.

And Ukyo did not seem quite as cock-sure about herself (or himself) as the version to whom Nabiki was accustomed. If anything the cursed Chef appeared intensely uncomfortable about being in the middle of a potential catfight, much though he/she also seemed attracted to both the tall girl and Akane. Never mind the fact that Kuonji was GORGEOUS in male gender (small wonder Akane was enamored, sexual identity notwithstanding), easily competitive with Ranma himself, and a pretty nice guy, even if showing clear signs of being not entirely at peace with her/his switching of genders.

Slightly more disturbing was the sight of Kodachi turning up in the company of Nabiki's older sister, Kasumi, the two of them holding hands in a way that was a little too friendly for her liking. Nabiki could wonder what her counterpart made of these two being so close together, even albeit that Kodachi did not seem as deranged and potentially menacing as the Black Rose of her acquaintance.

All these thoughts and more flashed through Nabiki's mind as she confronted the group that was with her as she prepared to enter the yard of her house, her mind reeling at the possibilities and implications presented by this strange new world where everything was so topsy turvy. She was very much looking forward to reading her counterpart's journals so that she could get properly acquainted with these strange events and how it had all happened.

Of course entering the yard itself produced a shock that went up and down her spine, for the staid, traditional old house in which she had grown up had been transformed somehow into a mini-resort, with the Temple at the center of a Casino-like arrangement with people circulating in and out of the yard like refuges from one of the Gambling dens that were notorious along the coastline!

"Oh my," had voiced Kasumi, which more or less summarized Nabiki's own feelings on this subject.

"This can't be legal," Ranma said as he scanned the yard and the people who were circulating in and out of both the house and the dojo, "How does that jerk he's gonna get away with this?"

"Logically he shouldn't," said the strange woman who looked like an older version of Nabiki, the one whom she had heard referred to as Nakamura Naomi, a half-Japanese American business woman whom Nabiki had been given to understand was in league with the forces arrayed against their household, "And were this America he would be facing all sorts of legal troubles by running a gaming hall in the middle of a residential district...but I am told that the Police are somewhat lax in enforcing the laws out here in this suburb of the Tokyo region."

"And what do you know of all of this, dare I ask, Nakamura-san?" Kodachi not so politely inquired, "Is now the Gambler King a factor in your business alliance with my brother?"

"I'm afraid he's not on my payroll," Nakamura frowned, "I purchased the deed for the dojo on behalf of my company but I only said he could use the place temporarily until the matter is resolved one way or the other. I never said he could turn this into a mini-Casino Royale, and it's rather presumptive for him to be taking these steps without consulting with me directly."

"Just what is your angle, lady?" Ranma demanded, "What were you trying to prove by taking the dojo away from the Tendos in the first place?"

"Actually I only wanted to make a point with certain parties, but I'll agree with you that this is quite excessive, even by my standards."

"No doubt the Gambler King has been in touch with other agencies of whose very existence you were not previously aware," said the old woman named Lotion as she, too, regarded the circulating crowds with wary suspicion.

"This doesn't look good," said the burly man named Kento, "Why do I get the feeling that there's a lot more going on here than just a simple card game?"

Nabiki had to privately concede that this was a very good question, but at the moment she was too stunned to react with anything but a general level of non-  
plussed outrage. This was what they were doing with HER house and HER dojo? (All right, technically they belonged to the other Nabiki, but the principle was still the same!) HOW DARE THEY! She might once have joked to Kasumi about selling the dojo to make a profit, but the place had far more sentimental attachment for her than just a bit of real estate...that dojo had, in fact, belonged to her MOTHER!

And then of course there was the idea that total and complete strangers were wandering around in that house and no doubt using HER ROOM that left Nabiki more than a little outraged. This entire situation was totally and completely unacceptable for her, and she intended to get to the bottom of it and quickly! She resolved to have it out with this Gambler King Joker once and for all to end any claims that the creep might have on what rightly belonged in he hands of a Tendo! She squared her shoulders and marched resolutely up to the steps of the dojo itself, intending to draw blood if it was required in this matter.

Inside the dojo it was worse than she had had dreaded. Slot Machines, Roulette Wheels, a Pachinko area and numerous card tables greeted her eyes as she scanned the room, taking notice of numerous students from her High School who were circulating about among the older and younger players. Two of them were none other than her Factors (some might call them her best friends, though their relationship was rather informal), Hitome and Ryonami!

And there at the far end of the room sat a burly man who looked as if he had walked right out of a deck of cards, the redoubtable Gambler King, presiding like a literal King of his court dealing cards out to a number of interested players. Most of these were young students around Nabiki's own age group, with a few older and even younger players, all gathered around that penultimate of all sucker's bets, the Card Table, and apparently losing to the King from the sound of things as she could perceive them from her end of the dojo-turned-  
casino.

"Old Maid, you all lose!" cried the faintly accented voice of the King, obviously relishing his triumph over the hapless players gathered around him.

"Sempai!" Ryonami called Nabiki's attention her way, along with Hitome, who gave a cheerful, "Glad that you could make it, Boss."

"What are you two doing here?" Nabiki asked before she had time to think about it.

"We're undercover, Sempai," Ryonami responded with a somewhat surprised expression, "We got jobs working the tables, just like you asked."

"We're ready to give you our report, just like you asked, Boss," Hitome added.

"Oh, right," Nabiki noted lamely, realizing that it did indeed sound like something that she would have ordered of her two Lieutenants, "What have you got to report?"

"This guy's slick, but he a real con artist," Ryomi leaned closer so as not to be as plainly overheard, "I've seen him count cards and pull them out of his sleeve. He's snake, just like you thought, but a real smooth cheater and no where near as good with a bluff as you are."

"He also liked to play kids and adults who aren't too much on the ball," Hitome added, "Guess that's why he almost never loses. He spots the bad players and tempts them to bet high, then he either pockets a card or slips one into the deck so it's not a real contest."

"Hah!" Ranma snorted, "I knew that guy was a phony to begin with!"

"He's just as bad as when he cheated us all those years ago," Ukyo noted in a voice so deep and rough that Nabiki found it disconcerting, like the raw air of male sexuality the Chef was currently putting out, "We outta bounce his sorry ass out of here for the low life creep he is, trying to cheat Mister Tendo like this..."

"Only one problem with that," Ryonami nodded with her head to some of the taller figures sitting back at the far end of the dojo, "The guy's brought some friends with him, and they don't look too friendly."

Nabiki had wondered about the oddly costumed figures dressed like playing characters but had taken them for mere showcase performers hired by the King to fit his odd fetish for dressing like a playing card. That notion, however, was put to rest when she sensed Naomi tense, then heard the older woman say, "I wasn't expecting this...and I sure didn't clear it either."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured faintly, as if sensing about these six figures an aura of real menace.

"Who are they?" Akane asked, "A bunch of clowns playing dress up."

"Nothing so mundane," Naomi replied, "They're called the Royal Flush Gang and they're from America, what we tend to call a gang of Super-Criminals who've even been known to give the Justice League some problems. I'd heard the current membership of the Gang includes an enterprising entrepreneur who figured out that there was more money to be had in hiring themselves out as mercenaries than in ordinary thieving. I've read about several businesses who've made use of them on occasion, but I'm surprised to see them here in Japan. They're a pretty expensive outfit for a low-rent hood to be employing...and that could mean serious trouble."

"How so?" Nabiki wondered.

"It means somebody with a larger expense account that I'd authorized for this operation is funding their ticket," Naomi curled a lip and bit it, " I wonder if the Chairman himself, or someone else in one of our departments is finding their inclusion...or...someone even worse."

"Like who?" Makoto asked.

"I'd...rather not say," Naomi replied, appearing quite troubled over the matter as she turned to Nabiki and said, "For what it's worth, Tendo-san, I do apologize for this. I had no idea something like this would happen..."

"The fault may not be with you, Nakamura-san," Kodachi spoke up, nodding towards the yard where a tall figure was making his way with the trademark arrogance that was distinctively Kuno-esque, though it did surprise Nabiki to hear the sharp disapproval in the Black Rose's voice as she added in a low voice, "Tatewaki has indeed been behaving in such a way as would suggest this sort of behavior."

"Whoah," Kento responded, "You mean actual Super Villains are for rent in America? What happened to the old days when bad guys just wanted to rule the world and all that?'

"Sorry," Naomi said with a lame smile, "Progress is like that."

"Aw, it don't matter who the creep hires out to be his muscle," Ranma said with typical bravado, "We're still gonna clean house no matter what he and Kuno try to pull, right Nabiki?"

"Huh?" Nabiki was more than a little surprise to hear him address her in such a jaunty manner.

"You just do what you have to do," Ranma winked at her with a smile that seemed unaffected, "Shampoo and me'll back you up no matter what, right Sham-chan?"

"You is right, Ailen," Shampoo leaned closer and added, "You is who you is, Nabiki, Shampoo know deep down you just like her Ailen. Is no way you can lose with us behind you."

"You can do this, right Sis?" Akane asked in a more cautious manner.

"Ah...sure," Nabiki tried to sound more confident than she felt, "I never lose in a straight match."

"That's the ticket," Ranma squeezed her shoulder gently but reassuringly, adding as he did so, "I've got faith in you, Nabiki, you'd never let me down no matter what reality you're from."

With those simple words the boy almost shattered Nabiki's delicate frame of mind and came close to collapsing all of her pretenses to bravado. HE had faith in HER? Ranma, frequent victim of many of her fast-buck pranks, possessor of an Ego the size of Tokyo, who always professed never to need anyone, was giving her his backing? Just what kind of a relationship did he and her counterpart enjoy anyway, and why was the thought of this making her chest feel so tight all of a sudden? She wanted to turn around and run from the place like mad, afraid that she was about to break down emotionally for the first time in her life, but she knew she did not dare to do this with the stakes so high and the fate of her family riding in the balance.

As so often in the past, it was Kasumi who came to her rescue, "Just be yourself and play well, Nabiki. We know you can win. In fact Kodachi's even placed a bet that you'd come out on top in your match."

"She did?" Nabiki regarded the Black Rose as if suspecting her of being one of the Pod People.

"Don't look so surprised," Kodachi smiled back, "I know you can do it, and I'd never place my wager on anything but a sure bet. Besides, I can't wait to see the look on Tachi's face when I collect my little favor."

This screwy universe just kept right on surprising Nabiki. She had never been on particularly good terms with Kodachi, regarding her simply as a client and ignoring the obvious manic behavior that seemed typical of the entire Kuno family, but this Kodachi seemed relatively straight laced and sober (well...she wasn't entirely sure about the **straight** part at the moment...), and there was a studious look of calm determination in her brother's eyes that did not at all read like the Kuno with whom she was well and truly familiar, never mind the fact that he was wearing a business SUIT rather than his traditional Kendo outfit, with his bokken no where in evidence!

"Nabiki-san," said youth remarked as he came to join their party, "Nakamura-san, Saotome, all of you others," he gave them all a sweeping look before his eyes came to rest on Kasumi, hesitating there slightly before turning at last to Kodachi and saying a polite, "Sister."

"Come to watch the games, Kuno-san?" Naomi asked, "I'm surprised that a busy man such as yourself would have an interest..."

"You would be mistaken, lady," Kuno nodded to her graciously in a curiously sane and level voice, "I have a passionate interest in anything that may concern my good friends, the Tendos, and this game holds a more private interest for me as well," he nodded to Kodachi without meeting the smirking expression of his younger sibling, "Besides which we share business interests regarding certain tracts of land that have recently come into your possession, as well as my own. I'm curious to see what may come of this match. I have heard that the Gambler King has only once lost a match to a player, but the redoubtable Silk is no where presently in attendance."

"She'll be along later, along with Dad and the others," Akane revealed.

"All well and good," Lotion spoke up, "But first the game awaits you, young lady, and you've dawdled enough playing tourist."

"Ah...right," Nabiki lastly regarded this crafty old Amazon who was said to be her mentor on this timeline and said, "Any last minute words of encouragement, Sensei?"

"Play well and don't let yourself be too distracted," Lotion replied with a shrewd expression, "You already know that this fellow cheats, so don't hesitate to use any means at your disposal."

"Right," Nabiki was more than a bit surprised at the practicality of this suggestion and wondered what sort of card player this Lotion might turn out to be if she ever were tested. Without knowing quite why she did begin to relax slightly, feeling more in her element than she would have felt had this been a martial arts duel. The Gambler King was, after all, just a rube who liked taking advantage of children, only she was no ordinary child, she was Tendo Nabiki, and woe betide anyone who dared step in the path of what was hers. No one messed with HER family without paying the price, one way or another. She might not be a Lore-whatever like her counterpart but she had her own resources to tap into for such emergencies, and Ranma was not the only one who could prove to be full of surprises.

She just hoped that her counterpart, wherever she was, appreciated the gesture, because Nabiki was ready to pull out all of the stops for the sake of the dojo, regardless of who was to inherit be it her or Akane!

Thus resolved, Nabiki advanced towards the Gambler King with her peculiar entourage following in step, all the while wondering how her counterpart could handle being this much in the limelight, not a bit player but the star of the show with a heroic task to accomplish, and never mind how weird that felt or what those butterflies were doing holding a Kickboxing tournament in the middle of her stomach...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

We sat facing each other with candles burning all around us, breathing regularly in slow and even tandem while allowing our spirits to touch so that my mentor could properly establish a rapport with me, her humble (if unexpected) student.

Ranma, Akane and Shampoo sat outside the dojo and no doubt wondered what the both of us were up to. These three had no familiarity with either Lotion or her methods, and in a sense I could understand their feelings as it was not all that long ago that I would have been just as clueless, back when I only believed in what I could touch, see, feel and taste, before I learned to take it for granted that there are more things in heaven and earth than were once dreamt about in my philosophy. I could only wonder what they made of me being comfortable with such mystical trappings, but with all the magic they've seen in their time they had to at least accept the concept as valid and worthy of study and reflection.

Right now I was attempting to establish a bond with this version of my teacher by letting her see who I was and where I was at in my current level of training. After receiving a few compliments for progressing from what had been a virtual start only a few months ago to where I was now able to manifest Chi-attacks, she got down to a more critical examination of my abilities and potential. This was necessary for us both to know if I had what it took to be able to help correct whatever it was that caused my trading places with the other Nabiki. Since she quite obviously was still ignorant of her dormant powers, it was unlikely that my counterpart could have done anything to cause this.

Of course, though I was eager to get back home, there was a temptation for me to stay a little while to help matters out on this timeline. There were a lot of problems that the family was facing here because the dojo was not turning a profit as it was on my side of the fence. Apparently my counterpart had worked as hard as I used to just to put food on the table, but without a more legitimate source of income (and some healthy investments made by yours truly on the sly) she had only a limited amount of capital to work with. This seemed to make her very angry and resentful towards the people whom she viewed as a major drain on the family budget, not least of whom had been Akane herself. Hearing the details of what my other self had done to her and Ranma by briefly becoming the "official" fiancee went a long way to explaining just why he had been so disconcerted by my open displays of affection.

And that made me just a wee bit ticked off with her, this other version of me who used and discarded people with the same nonchalant ease that I used to practice. Loneliness and a desire for change had been the primary causes for my accepting the engagement, but she had ignored these twin calls and opted for the status quo, totally unaware of how much living costs would escalate having the Saotomes living under our roof. The profits earned by bet-taking and photography would easily get eaten up in repair and food costs, and there were other less "legitimate" expenses that came from running a small Sting and Graft outfit like my own that barely allowed one to earn a meager profit. My counterpart had been scrambling around chasing the all-mighty Yen and getting nowhere very quickly. The family had all but starved as little as a month back when all the family savings had gone to pay off accumulated debts that had all come calling at once, and for a while the family had been reduced to living on nothing but rice and pickles, provided courtesy of Prince Kirin, who seems to have been after Akane this time before Ranma and company...talked him out of it.

Partial evidence of my other self's misbehavior had come from Akane's own lips when "my" sister had angrily denounced "her" Nabiki for borrowing clothes and other personal possessions. This had revealed to me that my counterpart had been skimming on wardrobe by taking from Akane, the "Little Princess" of our house on whom Kasumi and our father lavish so much time and attention. I could understand these feelings, of course, having been there myself, but going to these sorts of petty extremes seemed more than a bit excessive from where I was sitting on the sidelines, especially in light of the fact that I knew a better way existed.

This family definitely needed a guardian angel, and if I had only a few weeks to work with them I was sure I could get everything back in a financially stable picture. Barring that I had only to hope that the few suggestions that I had written out on a memo-pad in her room would get the ball rolling on her end of the wall. A pity my counterpart lacked a personal home computer or I could have worked up a draft sheet using Excel PowerPoint (tm) to give cost/income projections based on my recommendations.

Of course I had no time to spend on further reflection of what a mess my other self's life was in, or the pity I felt towards her knowing how isolated she was from the people around her, who seemed to think that the version of me here was some kind minor Yakuza Oyabun wannabe...either that or the Devil in Shorts and a Tank Top. What a difference in both of our lives, marking how much of a change I had undergone from the time when I was her...and how little difference there was from the way she started the year to how it was likely to finish. I think I would go a little nuts if I had Ranma and Shampoo eyeing me with such barely reserved hostility and suspicion.

Of course Ranma isn't really the kind of guy who nurses grudges, like Ryoga. He had pretty much forgiven (but not forgotten) the abuse that he had suffered at my other self's hands, and talking with him gave me a sense of hope that he might actually come to see the Nabiki in his life through different eyes and a less critical evaluation. Shampoo here, apparently, had never much thought one way or the other about the other Nabiki and had long ago formed her opinions about a "weak" girl who used her clever tongue to con and harass her Airen. (I think that part was even more painful, though maybe it's just because I've taken it so much for granted that Shampoo is a major factor in my life, and her good opinion of me counts as much as that of Ranma) Maybe they'd find it in their heart to include her in some future arrangement. I certainly hoped someone would take pity on this other me because-for all the obvious mistakes she had made with her life-she was still me deep down, and I'd like to think that no version of me could ever be totally evil.

Anyway, I had to get back because of the threat to my dojo and my impending marriage in the morning, so you could damned well believe that I was prepared to move heaven and earth in order to effect a correction. The Old Woman gave me great hope that this could be accomplished because I've come to think of Lotion as my Guardian Angel, one who can get nearly anything done if she puts her mind to it, or who knows where to look in case it happens to be beyond the range of her powers.

This proved to be an example of the latter part, for after testing me for several long moments, she looked me in the eye and said, "I believe that I understand now something of what has happened to you, young lady."

"By all means, Sensei," I replied, "Tell me what you've found out."

"You come from a universe almost exactly the same as this one," she began, "Only the path of our two timelines radically diverged close to a year ago with your timeline becoming the more stable."

"Your counterpart has given me to understand that some future time version of me was responsible for that," I replied, "One with full Lore Master Abilities...only I don't see how even a more powerful me could recreate an entire dimension."

"The path to great things can begin with only a single step," she explained, proving beyond any remaining doubt that she was exactly the same, exasperating Riddle Master who loved to tease me with these pithy little sayings, "It would seem your future self selected a precise moment in time where just such a small change could effect a larger outcome."

"By making me accept the engagement?" I asked.

"By implanting foreknowledge of the future in your past self," she revealed, "By making that other version of you unconsciously aware of what your life would be like without being engaged to the boy named Ranma. I suspect she did something similar to the Ranma and Akane of that timeline, leaving in the both of them some residual sense of the futility that would be shared in a relationship between them. You say your counterparts act as though they were lifelong enemies...?"

"More like they insult each other and try to avoid having these confrontations," I replied, sensing something enormous in this newly uncovered detail concerning the engagement, "I was given to understand that originally they were headed for an essentially loveless marriage with Akane turning more abusive while Ranma became more passive-aggressive. Are you saying the both of them have some knowledge of what their life would actually be like together?"

"Knowledge is not so easily erased once the pattern has been set within the spirit," Lotion informed me, "If you knew that a road you were about to take would lead to heartbreak and disaster, would you gladly tread the path again or choose the one not taken, which might make all the difference?"

"I think I see your point," I nodded slowly, "If my life was fated to be anything like the Nabiki of this timeline...I think I'd do just about anything to avoid it."

"Of course what I say of memories holds equally true of roads formerly taken," she resumed with her usual mixing of metaphors, "I suspect this world was dissolved into a background pattern...only somehow it has been re-established in all its former complexity, and that takes an enormous degree of power, far more than any Lore Master could generate. The only thing that seems not to have changed is you, which no doubt is a benefit of your training."

"But wouldn't the same thing also apply to you?" I asked, "I mean, you're so much more knowledgeable and powerful than I am..."

"But I am not as central to these affairs as you," she pointed out, "Nor do I enjoy a satisfying physical and spiritual relationship with a dimensional Nexus. I believe your transfer was an unexpected side-effect caused by whomever it was who had the resources to pull this off. Of course such a being would have to be on the level of the Gods themselves..."

"The Gods...?" I blinked, "As in...a Goddess?"

"One term generally does imply the other," the old woman eyed me shrewdly, "You have someone in mind?"

"Ah...yeah...you could say that," I replied, suppressing the urge to bang my head against the floor for having missed the bloody obvious, "There's one Megami in particular I know who might have a few ideas on what's been happening since this morning. Please wait here, I have to place a certain phone call."

"I shall endeavor to keep the home fires burning until you get back...Apprentice," she smiled at me in a way that almost brought a smile to my own lips but I had some serious work to do, and thank the Kami above (no pun intended) that I had memorized the number given to me as an emergency hotline by my spiritual "Mother."

That call would go direct to the highest (and I mean that both literally and metaphorically) level one could ask for, and when she finally did respond Peorth would have some explaining to do about her latest efforts at meddling with my personal life, although I did think it strange at the time since the usual object of these antics tended to be Akane, but what do you expect with having a mother who has so much in common with my little sister...to a frightening degree that did not speak well for the organizing powers that governed the cosmos...

Peorth had finished examining the various simulated timelines projected by the Well and had come to some interesting conclusions. It seemed that her daughter had very strong preferences and tastes that could make certain objectives more difficult than others, but by working with the grain of the wood here (to use a crude analogy, of course) she believed she did know a way that could enable Akane to know true happiness and fulfillment...just not quite the way that Peorth would have expected.

In a way it made a kind of sense, now that she thought on the matter. Her daughter, after all, was still very young even by the standards used by mortals and could not be expected to act in a mature and levelheaded fashion. Peorth might be centuries old but she had a pretty good memory of what things had been like for her when she went through adolescence (frightening in itself, though the Universe somehow seemed to have survived that ordeal). Her high-strung daughter tended to react on impulse to situations and could not be blamed for sometimes choosing rashly. In truth Peorth might have behaved much the same in Akane's situation, but given the perspective of a Goddess, Peorth could see that this path was likely to lead into outright disaster.

Fortunately there was a way to get around certain obvious hurdles, one that might require some finagling and "fine-tuning" to manage and guide Akane's fate past the obstacles so that she could enjoy a fulfilling life that (not incidentally) resulted in offspring. Being someone who intended to be around for quite a while, Peorth wanted to see a continuation for the future, and it wouldn't displease her at all if any of Akane's children might look at bit like their grandmother. It would take some doing on her part to make certain her plan was carried out to the letter (and not foiled by that annoying string of unfortunate coincidences that had been plaguing her lately) but she had ever hope of success in securing future happiness and marital bliss for her much beloved daughter.

She nodded to Toltiir and said, "Very good...I owe you one for the favor."

"Well, I don't mind helping you out, P-chan," the Lord of Mischief turned his gaze off to the side and took on a very worried aspect, "But somehow I don't think my personal views are presently being shared with certain other parties."

"Huh?" Peorth wondered what he was going on about, but when she turned to follow his gaze she got a very unexpected answer.

"So," said a certain angry-looking War God as he stood at the head of a virtual committee of their fellow divine host, "You're the one who's been screwing with our reception."

"We might have known," said Urd in a "I saw this one coming" tone of voice.;

"Shame on you, effecting repairs without notifying the rest of us?" complained Aphrodite, "Just who do you think you are, Daddy?"

"You had better have had a good reason for messing around with our playthings," purred a somewhat cross-looking Bubastus (known as Bast for short).

"Or else," growled a grumpy-looking Thundergod by the name of Raiden.

"Ah...did I do something wrong?" Peorth wondered what in the name of Niffleheim she had done to tick off this many of her fellow Kami, but right before explanations could be afforded (or a divine Lynch Mob went to work venting their frustration at being denied their favorite Soap Operatic entertainment), she was quite literally saved by the Bell...or to be more accurate, her Pager going off, as did her personal cell phone.

"Moshi-Moshi," she said at once, holding up a hand to urge her fellow divine beings to grant her a moment of relative silence. Once she heard the UNMISTAKABLE voice on the other end, though, she all but snapped to attention, saying, "Dad? I mean...Sir? You what? HE what? You mean...er...no I didn't know I was screwing around with Kami Sama's...oh...ah...yeah, I know, I've been warned about that. Er...well...I was trying to do some research...oh, HE already knows that? Ah...well...tell Uncle I'll get right on the ball then. Here, why don't you talk with my associate and explain what you want him to do to restore things to relative normal."

That said she hastily shoved the receiver of her phone to Toltir, who morphed into a form that had prehensile digits to allow him to take it in hand while Peorth turned away and consulted with her pager.

Her worst fears were realized...it was the number she had given to Nabiki!

"Oh Felgercarb," she winced, giving a jaunty nod to the angry-but-puzzled Gods and Goddesses crowding by the exit, "Look, we need to table this until later...orders from above and all that, okay? I'll get back to you guys after I get back from fulfilling Kami Sama's orders...until then, Ciao mes Ames!"

And with that she jumped into the pool, knowing it was the one quick exit point that could not be blocked as she made her way towards a certainly timeline, hoping she could put things to rights in good order or...well...she only hoped her fellow Goddesses would cool down by the time she got back to Heaven, or she doubted it would be safe for her to show her face anywhere in the next millennium.

Besides which her other daughter had summoned her, and no way did Peorth want to get any further on Nabiki's bad side. The young Lore Master had a promising future ahead of her, provided things could be restored to normal, and if not...well...that simply did not bear reflection!

Armed only with the knowledge that something was very wrong in the district of Nerima, Peorth raced through space and time to emerge from a certain Koi pond in the yard of the Tendo estate, causing considerable surprise to the parties who witnessed her sudden and dramatic appearance.

"What they...?" this from a boy named Ranma.

"Aiyaa," exclaimed that purple haired girl engaged to Nabiki.

"Who in the...?" that from a very different Akane than the one Peorth remembered, one whose expression registered shock, as if she had never set eyes on Peorth before, which the Goddess very much suspected to be the case here.

"Subtle as always," that from Nabiki, who stood on the porch to her house with a more than slightly cross expression, the only one present not to evidence surprise at Peorth's sudden appearance.

Of course the reactions of the Panda and the mustached man sitting across from him playing Shogi was infinitely more comical, only seeing the stunned expression on Soun's face caused Peorth to suffer a strong twinge of remorse as she could only imagine what effect this would have upon a man she still technically considered to be her mortal husband.

"Ah...I got your call, Cheri," Peorth attempted to sound nonchalant (and failed rather badly) as she drifted over to where Nabiki stood with arms akimbo, "What's this I hear about you waking up on the wrong timeline?"

In answer Nabiki pointed to the others, for Akane and Soun had both fainted, while Kasumi dropped the serving tray she had been carrying and stared in disbelief at the face of the Rose Goddess.

"M-M-Mother?" the oldest of the Tendo sisters hesitantly asked before joining her father and youngest sister off into dreamland.

Nabiki moved to catch Kasumi before her sister could hit the floor, then eased her down as comfortably as she could manage, seeing that Ranma had done the same for Akane. Straightening up once again, Nabiki gazed unflinchingly at the Goddess and said, "We need to have a little talk...Mother."

"M-M-Mother?" Ranma stammered, though unlike the others he thought fainting too unmanly.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo acknowledged with an awed expression.

"Well then," said Lotion as the aged Lore Master hobbled her way to the house, flanked by her fellow Elders, Cologne and Siren, "Now that you're here shall we get started putting matters to right?"

"Er...I'd be only too glad to," Peorth glanced around and said, "Oh dear...this is quite a mess, isn't it?"

The panda held up a sign that read, "Bit of a slow day, really," but naturally enough everyone present opted to ignore him...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Out of Dimension Experiences: shadowmane

The Card game finally gets under way while a certain trio of Adults has a Close Encounter of the Oni kind, and Kachu sniffs a rat in the woodworks. Be with us next time for, "The Jug's Up," or "Too many Aces does not a Full House Make!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	125. Chapter 125

NabikiRan109 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Nine.

"...All right," Yumi pronounced, "That's the last of them...it should be safe to travel this corridor without incident."

"About time," Comb fretted, "This is taking us way too long just to get from one point to the other. How many more of these traps will that Demon throw into our path anyway?"

"Can't really say," Atsuko shrugged, "Grandma's a bit showy, and when she bugs a place with traps she doesn't fool around about it."

"Well," Yumi shrugged, "I'll give your grandmother points for having a pretty vivid imagination, but these gimmicks of hers are nothing special to the powers of a trained Ninja."

"You're sure you got all of them this time?" Comb asked as the three of them started forward down yet another corridor.

"Positive," Yumi replied as she again took point, "I'd stake my life on it, in point of fact I am..."

No sooner had these words escaped from her, and just as they cleared the corridor directly behind them, the room they had exited suddenly shifted as if the entire corridor had collapsed directly behind them. The three adult women turned around at the suddenly blank wall that confronted their vision and then Comb broke the silence with a sardonic, "You were saying?"

"It's not exactly your life we're worried about here, Yumi-san," Atsuko noted in dry tones, "Just try harder for the rest of us, okay?"

"Ah...how did that happen?" Yumi asked in a bland tone of voice before turning around and saying, "Well...this end doesn't seem all that better. Of course it also seems we've cleared this level and are about to descend to the next one."

"What makes you say that?" Comb asked.

"Oh, call it a hunch," and Yumi pointed at the sign that stood to one side of a pair of double doors, which read, "END OF NINTH LEVEL, THIS WAY TO TENTH."

"Omigawd, it's an Elevator!" Atsuko cried out in dismay, only to take note of the way her companions were looking at her strangely, "What? You guys don't get freaked out by those things?"

"Not since I was old enough to figure out what they were," Comb responded.

"Don't mind her," Yumi confided at the level of a stage whisper, "She's probably disturbed about any device that has only two directions, up and down."

"Hardehar," Atsuko glared at her companions, "I'll have you know they use an Elevator system to shuttle people between the Ninety-Nine levels of Hell, which I suppose is an improvement on the old method they used to get from one floor to the next, which was catapulting..."

"I thought there were only supposed to be Nine levels in Hell," Yumi puzzled.

"Naw, that's only for Christians, and do I look like one of those?" Atsuko shuddered slightly, "Scary buggers...you're either with 'em or against 'em, and it's all either Up or Down with them, like there's no shading in the middle between polar extremes of right and wrong...I mean, who wants to live like that? Give me afterlives that at least allow you to party hardy!"

"The frightening thing is that actually makes a kind of sense," Comb turned back to survey the partitions in front of them, "So...what do you think, should we chance it?"

"I don't really know," Yumi studied the exterior, "I can think of far too many ways that you might be able to put traps on an elevator, and so far nothing we've seen in these tunnels is entirely what it seems."

"Well, if Grandma follows type then this probably is the Elevator from Hell," Atsuko responded, "Which tends to stop and start a lot and jerk wildly from side to side, and they're always playing the sappiest kinds of music, which was Christian Gospel or Country the last time I paid a visit..."

"I wouldn't touch that line for all the Tea in Bombay," Comb sniffed with a rolling of her eyes, imagining the Oni lost in the labyrinthine Hells of Chinese legend.

"Well," Yumi rubbed her chin then remarked, "There's an old saying among the Clans of Ninja that I associated with in my youth...'When in doubt, take the stairs.'"

Comb and Atsuko followed the Ninja-Chef's gaze and saw a second set of doors that had the universal sign for a stairway. Deciding it was the lesser of two evils, they followed Yumi through this door and soon began to descend a winding stairway that was clearly taking them in the right (or at least the correct) direction.

"So far so good," Yumi commented as she scanned her way at each step and found no cause for alarm...just yet.

"Isn't that what they say about falling?" Atsuko wondered.

"Falling doesn't worry me," Comb replied, "It's that sudden stop at the end that gives me a problem."

"You two need to work on your attitudes," Yumi chuckled, "When you get to be our ages you learn to land on your feet, and so far your Grandmother hasn't given us anything too challenging to..."

There was a sudden clanking noise, then all at once the stairs converted into a flat, frictionless slide, and before the terrified trio had time to react they found themselves rushing forward with their rumps hitting the linoleum that this slide had turned into, and with heroic cries like, "YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHH!" they went hurtling downward, only to separate at the last with all three coming to abrupt stops in a vast, dark chamber, their landing padded by airbags that materialized beneath them, then utterly vanished.

"You and your big mouth!" Atsuko groaned before straightening out to find herself standing at a podium, as did both of her companions, said podiums lined up on what appeared to be a massive sound stage.

The utter blackness of their surroundings was suddenly punctuated by a set of overhead lights that illuminated each of them, along with a forth podium that was confronting them at a one-quarter angle. To their mutual dismay a pale haired vision of loveliness materialized, bronzed skin gleaming like burnished gold in the lighting while all around them bells rang and lights flickered and some strange kind of music punctuated the air like a crazed Maruichi band on drugs. Added to this was the mysterious sound of hands clapping in applause, though no one else was visible within the chamber.

The Oni Princess was smiling at them in an overly cheerful manner, her fangs gleaming like ivory as she began with what sounded like a Carnival Baker's intro speech, "And let's hear it for our new contestants, Ladies and Germs! Let's have a big round of applause for Hibiki Atsuko, Kuonji Yumi and Comb of the Joketsuzoku, whose family name was almost Saotome! Can you believe that one ladies?"

There was a mixture of applause and canned laughter, though again the three adventurers could see no sign of an audience to supply them.

"Welcome to, 'YOU BET YOUR FANNY,' the Quiz Show that tests your knowledge of history and world events, and if you get an answer wrong, well..."

All at once all three women felt something rise up to swat them simultaneously on their posteriors, which produced a chorus of yelps from all three parties.

"G-Grandmother?" Atsuko gasped, rubbing her behind with a slightly sour expression.

"Ah, no fair claiming special privileges by being related to the hostess!" Ganglot chided her, "You three are here to compete for prizes as I give you the questions and you supply the answers. Now, is that simple enough for even a granddaughter of an Amazon Matriarch to understand, hmmm?"

"Perfectly," Comb growled as she rubbed her own bottom, having already determined that there was no way to escape from the podium since her feet appeared to have become glued to the floor, a discovery that Yumi and Atsuko had jointly laid claim to.

"Good," Ganglot smiled, "There's hope for you yet. Now, time is money, so why don't we begin with the first question, 'HOW OLD IS HUMANITY?' At-chan, you want to take this one?"

"I thought you weren't going to play favorites, Demon?" Yumi asked.

"Good point," Ganglot smiled, "Then you want to tackle that question first?"

"Huh?" Yumi responded, then glanced around and said, "Why should I take part in some stupid game sho-OW!" she cried the latter part as something swatted her on her behind.

"I ask the questions here," Ganglot replied, "And if you three are nice about it I might even give you some answers at the end of the show. Now...Comb, you look reasonably intelligent, or more so than a certain Elder I might name, which admittedly isn't saying much. You want to answer my question?"

The purple haired woman frowned, but like a trained Medical officer she began to say, "The archeological record for Homo Sapiens is pretty clear cut about that...we began as a separate species around about a hundred twenty thousand years ago...OW!" she yelped as she, too, got swatted on her fanny.

"A good answer if you're an Anthropologist," Ganglot replied, "But I would have expected someone with Juraian blood to have a better grasp on the actual history of the human race. After all, your people and my people have a common beginning in the Star Tribes that founded us...the difference is a genetic drift so small that it barely needs repeating. Now, the correct answer is..." she turned about and indicated a huge square of light that appeared before her gaze, showcasing a kind of family tree with stick-figure symbols used to outline genealogy, "ONE MILLION YEARS BC! (Raquel Welch Dolls not included)"

""A million?" Yumi exclaimed, "But-OUCH! WOULD YOU STOP WITH THAT ALREADY?"

"Remember the ground rules, Dearie," Ganglot drawled, "I ask the Questions...but for your answer I suppose I should tell you that the actual line of descent isn't nearly as clear-cut as they teach in College Biology classes...not that you can fault the Anthropologists, after all...they're only human."

"Whereas you're not?" Comb responded with a resentful growl.

"I'm human enough where it counts," the Oni Princess winked at them, "Or so your grand-uncle said to me on our wedding night about three centuries back...Niece."

"...?" came the immediate reply from the purple haired woman.

"I could have answered that one, guys," Atsuko frowned, "You told me all of this once before, Grandma, how Oni, Gods and Humans all came from one central source, the difference being some kind of big Psychic battle the Star Tribes fought right before the first of the Ice Ages."

"I know that you know the real history of the planet, At-chan," Ganglot replied, "But your friends here seem to be of a more conventional mindset, owing to the way the education system in Japan and China works (and I use the term liberally here). For example...according to conventional modern theory, Homo Sapiens-  
Sapiens itself only came about around seventy thousand years back, but this is based on a bunch of theories cobbled together from a fragmentary collection of bones painstakingly pieced together in a piecemeal fashion. Mind you I'm not faulting researchers because I have enormous respect for anyone who's willing to dig deep and get their hands dirty searching for the truth, but let's dispense with the Academia and concentrate upon what I know, which comes a lot closer to the source and doesn't require a Ph.D. to understand here."

The chart overhead magnified to show one particular division from a single pair of stick figures to two other sets of similarly matched characters.

"Observe, the Star Tribe, primal source of it all, which got into a major spat that resulted in the Great Division between the rival camps of the Immortals. One group went on to become the Gods who rule in the various Heavens that dot the Astral shadow of the planet. The other group...well...the common term for them is Demons, of which my tribe, the Oni, is a principle group in our own right. But let's break the word down first...DEMON...a corruption of the word Daemon, which mean...?" she smiled and said, "Comb-san, you want another crack at this?"

"The word means spirit," Comb replied sourly, then blinked her eyes when her bottom did not get swatted.

"Correct, we have a winner, Ladies and Germs!" Ganglot declared as lights, whistles and bells punctuated the word "CORRECT" over the purple haired Healer's head, "Five hundred points to the lady from the tribe known as the Nyanchiczu! The word Daemon is a general use term describing all entities who share a spiritual nature. Originally the Star Tribes were not-strictly speaking-of the material world, being highly evolved entities who transcended easy definitions. In point of fact the entire Psychic War deal was about the possible descent and corruption of the one race into the Many we have today, beginning with an evolved hybrid race we may call the Ancients, or Nephlim for lack of a better term. Humanity descended from this Elder Race, as did other specially evolved beings. Of course the road to modern day Humans and Elves didn't run all that smoothly. There were several twists and turns along the way, especially a side-trip through space when the ancestors of the branch of quasi-men known as Homo Erectus were visited about a million years ago by a star-faring race in search of some cheap labor..."

A cartoon-like depiction appeared overhead of a friendly looking cave dweller being greeted by some lizard-like beings in space suits who had just exited from a flying saucer, only to be netted and carried off into their space ship, evidencing much distress in their expressions over the matter.

"First contact was a bit rough, as you can see, but with a bit of advanced genetic engineering these Proto-humans were given a leg up in the evolutionary department and were soon imported throughout the stars to various worlds, where they became as commonplace as space-dirt. Of course somewhere along the line they formed their own star-faring civilization and achieved nominal independence, then went on to colonize a thousand, thousand worlds in space, only to wind up in a war with a rival civilization. Observe what the outcome was of one particularly nasty and protracted encounter..."

The image of a modern-looking man and woman stood side by side in high-tech outfits, only to have a large "X" get crossed out over the man, leaving the woman alone to dominate the foreground.

"Too bad for men...it was discovered that women had certain qualities that made them superior for purposes of space travel," Ganglot revealed, "Superior reflexes, a heightened intellect, greater resistance to disease and injury, an improved ability to cope with the various stresses of living in space...all qualities that were found useful in a Eugenics program where humanity had to fight a never-ending war against an enemy whose very nature was totally alien to the human mindset."

The view now depicted an all-female crew piloting the bridge of some manner of space vessel with no sign of a man anywhere in the picture.

"Women came to replace men in all the essential functions of life, right down to biology," Ganglot continued, "Men were gradually phased out to save on rations of food, air other essential biological necessities..."

"What?" Comb reacted, "But that can't be! Even we Amazons know that you need a man in order to have children..."

"Not when your primary source of reproduction is artificial," Ganglot changed the image to reveal a set translucent tubes with people floating in them, "Behold their method of choice, incubation tubes with floating fetuses held suspended in an embryonic solution that duplicates all the functions of the womb. It was regarded as a far more safe and hygienic method of having offspring because this method eliminated the complications normally associated with pregnancy and childbirth, including genetically acquired illnesses and latent recessive traits that might be found through inbreeding."

"I get it," Yumi said, "What you're referring to is a type of cloning."

"Not just cloning," Ganglot smiled, "Not as much fun if all you do is endlessly repeat the same genetic pattern. No, these people were smarter than that...they worked out a means of fusing DNA from two different parties to create a child that was half-and-half from both parents. This way they could continue to have family units, which were seen as important for the all-important bonding process of social communion. Two women volunteers would become the surrogate parents of their own offspring, which neatly insured a continuing line of fresh material that avoids the occasional sequencing error that you get with direct cloning. Think of it as a society in which women fulfill the roles of both the man and the woman and you might get some idea of just why this particular civilization went on as long as it did in the face of an intractable war that threatened humanity with total extinction."

"A civilization composed entirely of women?" Yumi asked.

"That would mean that they were probably all...Aiyaa..." Comb reacted as the full implications of this came upon her.

"Well, what do you expect, ladies?" Ganglot grinned, "Not a whole lot of sexual variety to quibble about on a Saturday evening. Of course these girls were VERY adaptable to playing both roles, and to them it was as natural as dating men would be for either of you. Nature always finds a way to fill a vacuum...and several other ports of entry that I could mention..."

"But that's ridiculous!" Yumi declared, "If we were all like that at one time, then Lesbianism and Bisexuality would be a lot more commonplace than they are..."

"Not if the Patriarchal Male authority figures had anything to say about it," Ganglot replied, "And believe me, they said a lot against that subject! For the past couple thousand years or so the Church has been on an Anti-Sex kick that drove the female libido down almost to the point of extinction! Why, do you know that doctors in Western Medicine didn't even recognize the existence of the female libido until late in the 20th century Even today some men have to be dragged kicking and screaming into accepting that women have an equal right to sexual pleasure, and gynecological medicine isn't even taught on the same level as men of a less-sex related nature."

"Oh yes," Comb sniffed, "Tell me about it..."

"Why, in some Muslim countries they even require a girl to have her clitoris removed before she can marry," Ganglot shook her head in dismay, "And let's not even begin to cover the outright hostility towards women practiced by Western society, which demonized the female half of the race as Temptresses and Harlots, contrasting us with their supposedly sexless Virgin Madonnas. You want to talk to me about most girls these days growing up in a state of sexual confusion? Most are even convinced that sex with other girls is mutually exclusive to having relationships with men, so when it comes right down to the whole question of female sexuality you guys might as well be like me, an outright Oni!"

"You told me this before, Grandma," Atsuko complained, "Why drag up such ancient history now of all times?"

"I'm getting to that part, At-chan," Ganglot said with an indulgent smile, "Don't rush things. Now, can anyone here tell me what this process of Unisex transmission is called? You again, Purple Locks?"

"The name is Comb," the Amazon Healer growled, "And the word you're asking for is asexual reproduction, or Parthenogenesis."

"CORRECT! Two for two! You're on a roll here!" Ganglot announced as more lights, bells and whistles sounded, along with the canned applause in the background, "Now, can anyone here answer just why this civilization eventually did come to an ending, at least in the form that was then known as the Solnoids?"

"Solnoids?" Yumi asked.

"Technical term," Ganglot highlighted the words, "Sol and Noid...or children of the Sol System, which to them was their near-mythical birthplace or Garden of Eden, a sacred planet that they deemed too pure for colonization. Of course another way of describing them would be to think of them as an all-Gal force, but that's an Eternal story that I'd rather not get into! The question I asked was why this civilization all but died off a half a million years ago...and do you know the answer to that one?"

"It seems pretty obvious," Yumi shrugged, "If they were as dependant on technology for reproduction as you say, then a war might go on for so long that it would cause an eventual technological collapse and throw everything back to the dark ages, and without men to help them reproduce..."

"You're partially correct so I'll award you half-credit for your answer," Ganglot replied as the number "250" was highlighted over Yumi's head next to Comb's "1000" total, "The war escalated to where both sides were literally blowing up planets and annihilating whole fleets of ships, and at this rate of attrition it was impossible to maintain their numbers even by artificial means. So the powers that be decided to retro-engineer men back into the system in the hopes that they might form a third race and act as a buffer between these warring parties...a bit of problematic thinking on their part, but nobody said these guys were perfect. Of course since the only model they had to work with was their own DNA, they had to borrow a little from the enemy in order to create a hybrid that had bits of both races incorporated within it. Thus was introduced the 'Y' Chromosome, a mutant variant of the normal 'X' that we all possess as women. Think of it as the opposite to most Male-conceived Creation stories where the woman gives birth to the Man, rather than the other way around. Hence the Third Race was created, and men were restored to the gene pool."

"That almost makes sense," Comb grudgingly admitted, "I've always wondered if Men weren't at heart some kind of inferior mutant species..."

"Oh yeah," Atsuko snorted, "Like we women are all that perfect?"

"A society that went on that long without men," Yumi shook her head, "Must have been quite a difficult adjustment..."

"To put it mildly, yes," Ganglot highlighted the image of the Planet Earth, only with somewhat different geographical features of landscape hinting at an earlier era, "The Third Race, and a Solnoid female, were seeded on the home planet and allowed to interbreed with the native Cro-Magnon. This Adam and Eve story would have been impossible to continue if there weren't a basic biological compatibility between the early Hominid design-otherwise you'd have as much chance of mating a human with the proverbial carrot-and that of the Solnoid, and this Third Race went on to become the dominant species of man, spending the next several hundred thousand years rebuilding and rediscovering civilization. Then around about a hundred thousand years ago the Golden Age was rediscovered, the civilization we know of as Atlantis mastered the technology of Crystal science and created a star-faring culture that would return to the stars and recolonize the planets. This was during the long Ice Age when massive amounts of water were frozen at the poles and the level of the sea coasts was a hundred meters lower, so all traces of this civilization are long lost and buried to time. Some of the seeds that were planted back then yet bear fruit today, and there are indeed Brothers (and Sister) of man wandering the stars in search of their roots on the Earth, their mythological home planet."

"Sounds more like Science Fiction than actual history," Yumi observed.

"It does, doesn't it?" Ganglot smirked, "Most people who could afford to do so back then migrated either to the stars or to other worlds and dimensions. Earth became a protected world once more with only a few outpost cities to mark an otherwise unsullied and pristine planet. It was a fantastic age when miracles of science and magic were commonplace, while those who dwelled on the fringes of this society were the outcast nomads, looked down upon as mindless beast-men, which were in time hunted to extinction."

"This was also when humans and Oni could co-exist together without too much trouble, right Grandma?" Atsuko asked brightly.

"That's correct," Ganglot nodded, "Some Tribes of Oni even chose to colonize space, and they're one of the dominant Empires to be found in the Galaxy to this day. You can even find surviving groups of Solnoids like the Cthuwulf and the Leptons of Alpha Cigna. The Star-faring culture itself that gave birth to all this thrived for around sixty thousand years, only to collapse once again due to their supreme arrogance and folly, abusing the Crystal sciences that fueled their empire, which again plunged humanity into the dark ages roughly forty or fifty thousand years ago, what archeologists now call the Stone Age, where Homo Sapiens Sapiens emerged as the result of changes in the landscape and the climate."

"Wait a second," Comb responded, "Fifty thousand years? I thought Atlantis was destroyed ten thousand years ago...?"

"No, that was the Hyborean Era," Ganglot smiled, "And that ended twelve thousand years ago when the Ice Age came to an abrupt end and briefly flooded the planet. The Oceans drank what was left of Atlantis and humanity was once again plunged into the Stone Age...only this time it took less time for humanity to recover. Eventually we come to the modern age of history that emerged from the Paleolithic era, where some stupid nomads wandering lost in a desert got it into their heads that the reason the Gods picked on them so much was because they had to be a Chosen People. And what do we call this era, girls?"

"The Industrial Age?" Comb asked, only to get swatted on her fanny.

"The Atomic Age?" Yumi suggested, only to yelp as her own behind was swatted.

"The Age of Man?" Atsuko proposed, then waited for a moment to see if she would suffer the same treatment.

Instead Ganglot cried, "You are right! A thousand points for the cute girl who goes by the name of Hibiki!"

The sign over Atsuko's head flashed "1000" with the usual sounds of bells, applause and whistles, which prompted Comb to growl, "Hey, how come she gets a thousand for one answer?"

"Blatant Nepotism," Ganglot replied, "The Age of Man...the last several thousand years of recorded history where a race that has seen great rises and cataclysmic falls is now poised once again for an era of either Grandeur or Ruin. Which way will Humanity choose to go, and will they get an assist going there from the Angels or Demons of their better (or worse) nature? That, ladies and Germs, is the fifty thousand point question!"

"Demons like yourself you mean?" Yumi asked with a poignant expression.

"Actually I'm more of an ally to Humanity than someone who wants to rule over you and tell everybody how to live their lives," Ganglot shrugged, "If I wanted to go into Politics, then I'd be no better than my Cousin, Hild, who rules several of the Hell Worlds populated by my fellow Oni."

"You were speaking before of male cultures practicing their imperialism upon others, particularly women," Comb remarked, "But my people have never suffered that level of persecution..."

"How wrong you are on that score," Ganglot shook her head sadly, "Your people were descended from Scythian nomads who used to be just as patriarchal as any other bunch of Indo-European horse thieves. The difference is that your ancestors made a lightning step forward when the men of your tribe suffered a catastrophic defeat that wiped out most of the male warriors and forced the female survivors to band together for survival. Your plight caught the attention of a Goddess named Hippolyta, the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, who descended in mortal guise to take charge over your people and lead them on to a period of greatness, a greatness that ended when Hippolyta was defeated by Herakles in battle."

"You're saying that the Amazons were a unique experiment that harked back to that earlier culture, the Solnoids?" Yumi fathomed.

"Correct," Ganglot replied, "A brief, shining moment when women rediscovered their own pride and remembered themselves as the First Sex, not the Second. Men tend to think with their larger bodies and those male organs that we ladies so appreciate that they should be our natural rulers, but any woman with half a brain knows a man will do what we want them to if we don't kowtow to their egos. It's the deep, dark secret of the human race that women are at the center of society, not the fringes, where the Patriarchs want to exile us, if we let them.

"I'm no great defender of patriarchy," Comb remarked, "But I'd just as soon not relegate the entire male gender to eventual extinction."

"Did I ever say that we should?" Ganglot replied, "Be a great waste if we did away entirely with men, but I'm just saying that they're not the be all and end all of life the way they like to believe."

"I can go along with that," Atsuko shrugged, "But I hear what you're saying about men and women acting like we're from two different planets."

"Well, I don't think I like this chronology you're proposing," Yumi frowned, "It doesn't say much for us as a race, either men or women, if all we're capable of this much glory and folly..."

"On the contrary," Ganglot replied, "Humanity is to be praised for the genius and adaptability that you demonstrate as an independent species. Unfortunately it is true that you also contain within you the seeds of your own downfall, and that's what makes the future so interesting and problematic...which way will humanity turn? Who will guide you into a future filled with wondrous possibilities, or terrifying perils the likes of which you can hardly imagine?"

"Is that what this is all about?" Comb frowned, "You're telling us the future's in our hands to shape? Is that why you've taken my grandmother hostage and come to Nerima?"

"Actually your Grandmother is my guest," Ganglot replied, "I've treated her quite well, under the circumstances. Have a look for yourselves," she nodded towards a space in the air where a huge projection appeared showing Cologne and Siren sitting on a couch together staring back at them with astonished expressions.

"Grandmother?" Comb blinked.

"Comb?" the woman on the couch replied.

"Fascinating," the blonde Siren glanced at the remote control in her hand, then at the trio gazing back towards the Archmage, "So this works two ways, I take it? You can see us just as we can see you three?"

"How are they treating you?" Yumi asked.

"Oh, fine," Cologne glared in Ganglot's general direction, "If one were to ignore the fact that we are prisoners and not 'guests,' as you so quaintly put it..."

"Prisoners, Guests, why quibble about terms?" the Oni Princess shrugged, "You have to admit that I have gone out of my way to see you treated fairly, which is a lot better than you had planned for me if I had been stupid enough to stand around waiting for you to attack me."

"She has a point, you know," Siren turned to Cologne, "You didn't exactly present her with a lot of options..."

"So you're taking her side after all," Cologne glared back.

"That's not fair," Siren pouted, "You know I'd never side against you, Kho-chan, but be honest...what would you have done if you were in her situation? I know for a fact that if I were facing someone like me, I'd do everything I could to contain their power until they calmed down enough to want to see reason."

"In other words you guys are doing pretty good," Atsuko turned to Comb and sniffed, "Toldja!"

"I'm not convinced just yet that your grandmother is on the level," Comb responded.

"Well, speaking strictly as a semi-interested observer," Yumi spoke up, "I do think the benefit of the doubt should be extended. After all, if our Hostess here were truly as vicious and vindictive as you suggested she might be, then I'd expect she would have prepared a welcome for us that was a lot more nasty than being paneled on a Quiz Show."

"Just for that I'm giving you a thousand bonus points, Kuonji-san," Ganglot smiled as the appropriate flashing lights appeared over the Chef's head, "Only I am curious...what makes you want to trust me?"

"Simple," Yumi replied, "I recognized you from when you came to visit my restaurant...only you had a little girl with you at the time..."

"Who are you calling little?" a voice demanded from just off-stage.

Atsuko whirled about and said, "Who said that?"

"Oh yes," Ganglot grinned, "I was going to wait until you won the bonus round, At-chan, but I suppose this is as good a time as any to let you know what your prize was going to be. I found something you lost a long time ago and I thought you might like to claim her. Come out and show yourself, Ryo-chan, your Mommy is waiting."

"Ryo-?" Atsuko gasped, finding that her feet were no longer frozen to the podium, which allowed her to move forward as a young girl appeared from the shadows...a young girl who looked so much like her that it could have reminded one of the issue of Cloning.

"Mom?" Ryomi hesitantly asked, suddenly finding her own feet rooted to the spot as she stared at the older woman.

"R-R-Ryomi...?" Atsuko asked timidly, then all at once rushed forward to gather the younger girl into her arms as she wept openly, "Oh, my Baby...my darling little girl...!"

"This is what makes it all worthwhile," Ganglot smiled, dabbing at tears that appeared in her eyes with a hanky, "I've waited so long to get the two of you together..."

"You mean...?" Yumi hesitated.

"That's her daughter?" Comb completed the Chef's sentence.

"Missing for over ten years, finally reunited," Ganglot turned to regard the images of Cologne and Siren, "So, what do you say to that, 'Old Woman?' Still think I'm the very Devil incarnate?"

"You may have brought two members of your family together," Cologne replied with some hesitation, "But you'll need a lot more than that to make me forgive the wrongs you've done to my family..."

"Geez, you're such a Hard Nut to crack," the Oni winced, turning to Siren as she added, "Are you sure you want to get involved with such an opinionated snob, Girlfriend?"

"Oh yes," Siren nodded affirmatively as she studied a somewhat edgy Matriarch with a sly grin, "Of that I'm absolutely certain..."

"Then I guess I'll just have to pull out my Trump Card to show my good faith," Ganglot sighed, "And here I was saving the best for last, but I suppose nothing less is gonna satisfy you, so...come out here and take a bow, Son, and say hello to your Aunt Cologne."

Atsuko turned as she saw a tall form move into the illuminated space among the shadows, and her gasp was audible even to the pair looking down from the viewscreen, for the sight that confronted them all was as familiar to her as her own reflection. Comb and Yumi both reacted with matching starts as female hormones went into overdrive and without meaning to they felt their pulses quicken. It was that strong the male aura of potency that attended the arrival of this handsome fellow.

"At-chan?" the tall man asked with a slight hesitation.

"D-Daddy?" Atsuko gasped, not letting go of her daughter but looking as if she wanted to run into his arms and hug him on the spot.

"Well then," Ganglot turned to regard Cologne, "No word of welcome for your nephew? Doesn't he look so much like his father did so very long ago? Still believe that I'm lying when I tell you that I'm here for the sake of my family and wish to put the hoary past behind me rather than drag it around like a lead weight on my shoulders the way you have been doing, Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku?"

Cologne tried to respond but he words did not escape from her lips. She stared at the handsome man, very much seeing her beloved twin brother's face reflected in his manly features.

"That's Ra-Zor?" Siren asked in her stead, "Little Razor, all grown up and looking so very manly! He does look a lot like Rogaine, don't you think, Kho-  
chan?"

"Aunt Kho-Lon?" Razor himself replied, "Wow, you haven't changed a bit! You look as swell as ever. Ah...is that...Aunt Siren?"

"You remember," Siren smiled in delight, "What a smart, handsome young boy you're turned out to be! You must be enormously proud of him, Kho-chan...Kho-  
chan? That's odd...she fainted..."

"Not too surprising," Ganglot replied with a smirk, "There's been a lot of that going around lately."

"Hibiki Razor," Comb shook her head slightly.

"He hasn't aged a bit since we last saw him," Yumi marveled.

"Not surprising...with his genetics," Comb responded, "You are looking upon a living legend, a one-man walking disaster zone who embodies the best and the worst of the Hibikis. I'm beginning to suspect that Silk's spell of summoning has worked out even better than she intended..."

"That's one way of putting it," said yet another brown-haired Atsuko lookalike who appeared beside their podiums watching the older Oni child move to embrace Razor, "Seems a lot of us have been wandering in from all over..."

"Who are you?" Yumi asked.

"Name's Aki," the newcomer replied, "Short for Akiko, and Razor is my granddad. You're the Amazon who used to be rivals with my Aunt Atsuko?"

"Ah...kind of," Comb replied faintly, more than a little disturbed upon meeting yet another version of Atsuko.

"Hibikis are coming out of the woodwork?" Yumi exclaimed, "That's it, I'm leaving!"

"That's easy for you to say," Comb remarked, "At least you're not related..."

"Waitaminute," Atsuko turned around, "Me related to YOU? Eeewwww!"

"In point of fact," Ganglot remarked, "You are cousins, three or four times removed."

"I guess that's not all that surprising, Yumi shrugged, "Go back far enough in our history and just about everyone is someone else's cousin or kin..." she stopped herself and turned to look at the Oni, then like a flash of realization she declared, "That's what this is all about, isn't it? You wanted us to see that you and Cologne and all the rest of us..."

"Are one big happy extended family?" Ganglot smiled, "Correct! You've just won the bonus prize of fifty thousand points with the answer to that question! Congratulations to you, Kid...how do you want your Sheep Dog wrapped?"

"Actually," Yumi struggled to move her legs, "I just want to get down from this damned podium, if it's all the same to you!"

"Fair enough," Ganglot snapped her fingers and their surroundings altered to the more comfortable setting of a traditional Japanese house-slash-castle, "Are these surroundings more to your liking?"

Comb and the others absorbed this pleasant change of scenery, then took note of the fact that Cologne and Siren had now physically joined them, the latter being held in the arms of the former. Cologne seemed to recover consciousness just then, saw whom it was who was holding her and hastily pushed away, turned around, saw Ganglot and made a move for her staff, only to be restrained as Siren placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder.

"Let's not spoil the moment with violence, shall we, Kho-chan?" she asked.

"A very good suggestion," Ganglot gave Cologne a poignant study, "Can I trust you to be on your best behavior for the present, Elder? If not, then I have several traps prepared for you that will make the Corealis prison look like a scenic resort in Yokohama."

"That...will not me necessary...for now," Cologne glared resentfully at the Demoness, but relaxed her grip upon her staff, at which point Siren removed her own hand and smiled with approval.

"I'll see to it that everyone minds the peace for the time being," Siren replied, "And-to be quite frank-I am curious to hear your side of things, Oni. You're not at all the savage beast that they talk about in our village."

"Oh, I'm certain I'm quite the Bogey-woman, thanks to certain parties," Ganglot exchanged glares with Cologne, who said nothing in reply, "But I'm no where near as fearsome as my reputation would suggest, and besides...I rather like my freedom. I'm not out to take on the whole world like certain other member of the Demon tribes that I could mention."

"You mean...Momma?" Atsuko turned around from tearfully embracing her loved ones, including a very embarrassed looking Akiko.

"Correct," Ganglot nodded, "If there is a real villain to be found in this piece, then it's definitely your Mother, that sorry excuse for a mega-nettlesome Hacker. She's the one you should be concerned about, the reason I came to Nerima and sought to gather my children around me so that I could lend them my protection. I've been casting spells to guard them against whatever mischief Cybelle is planning upon the various offspring of my son, her former husband, and when they say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...well, she's pretty much what the Bard had in mind when he penned those words...though in truth I'm sure he was thinking of old Queen Betsy..."

"Mistress!" a voice interrupted the Oni as a male youth came rushing out to join them from an adjoining room, "Come quickly! We've just seen-Uh-Oh!"

Heads turned to view the handsome young man, and both Ryomi and Akiko felt their breath catch in their throats while Cologne's eyes widened noticeably. Siren turned to give the handsome boy a coy appraisal then said, "Interesting...he looks almost familiar for some reason..."

"E-Elder?" the boy gasped as he stared at the Archmage, then swallowed.

"With good reason," Cologne turned fully about, "Ju-Lan, isn't it? I thought I recognized you. You're Mon-Tag's boy all grown to young manhood...but what are you doing here...and in the presence of...this?" she glanced meaningfully at the Oni Princess.

"Julian is under my protection," Ganglot retorted, "And I'll thank you not to pick upon my assistants. Now...what is it that you wished to tell me, dear boy?"

"Ah...only that we were monitoring the screens as you asked when the screen went red and the picture vanished..."

"I was afraid of that," Ganglot said grimly, "That means Cybelle is on the move. Those monitors were programmed to cut off if she even approached the connecting channels. No sense at all in giving her access to my demesne."

"What were you having them monitor, Grandma?" Atsuko wondered.

"The Tendo dojo, where a certain card game is about to get under way," Ganglot revealed, turning to regard the others, "I suggest that this reunion will need to be postponed for a bit...your children will require your assistance as I hardly expect Cybelle to play fair against them. In point of fact, I'm rather counting on it. You had better get going if you want to be there in time to make a difference."

With a wave of a bronzed hand the Oni called into life a glowing portal the size of a large doorway, then indicated this with a wave of her other hand as they could plainly see the Tendo family yard illumed on the other side of the portal. There was a brief exchange of puzzled looks, then Yumi shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, if you're offering to pay the cab fare."

She stepped forward and entered the portal, emerging on the other side before turning around as if looking for the other side of the portal.

"Neat," Ryomi remarked, "It's like a teleporter, right Grandma?"

"The next best thing," Ganglot replied, "Only it doesn't pull your atoms apart and reassemble them like they do it on Star Trek. It's safe, economical and reliable, and it's your best bet for getting where the action is in two shakes of a cat's tail."

"Then I might as well go next," Comb turned a questioning look to her Elder, "Grandmother?"

The blue-black haired Matriarch turned a probing look towards Ganglot, who looked back at her without flinching and said, "Trust me this one time, will you, Sister-in-law?"

"Go along, Child," Cologne shrugged, "I will be right behind you."

Comb nodded to that and leaped through the portal.

"I guess that means I'd better go too," Atsuko said reluctantly, "I'll be able to find you again, won't it, Grandma?"

"You know I'll always be there for you, At-chan," the Oni responded, "And so will your father."

"Then I'm coming too, Mom!" Ryomi turned an eager look the Oni's way, "Is that all right with you, Grandma?"

"But of course," Ganglot replied, "Go show your Mother what a big girl you've grown into, and say Hi to your big brother."

"I'm coming too," Akiko reached out and grabbed the big man beside her by the hand, "Come along, Gramps, we got some heads to bust wide open!"

"We do?" the father of the line of Hibikis responded as he went unresistingly along with his eager companion.

"They grow up so fast these days," Ganglot sighed, "Letting them leave the nest is never easy..." she turned and gave Cologne a frank look, "But I suppose I'm preaching to the choir on that note, eh 'Old' woman?"

"I want you to know that this is not over between us," Cologne said levelly, "I don't know what real games you are up to, but I don't buy this act of benevolence, not in the slightest."

"Some people are so hard to convince," Ganglot shook her head sadly, "I wish I could say I was surprised by your answer, but I suppose it was too much to hope you'd change your tune this easy."

"Don't mind her," Siren touched Cologne's arm again, "She's not all crusty and bitter on the inside, as I hope I'll get to demonstrate one of these days. I believe I'll let myself out this time, but thank you for the hospitality, and for showing us such a wonderful time. I haven't had this much fun in literal ages."

With that both she and Cologne vanished from the chamber.

Ganglot felt so alone once again once everyone was gone, even when Romeo joined Julian came up to join her, each wearing anxious expressions concern upon their handsome features. Turning her gaze at these two mortals who were her most loyal of retainers, she said in a low voice, "And so it begins...I've done all I can to cast the dice upon the table, now it's up to my children to play their hands. I just hope that it's enough..." she sighed again, "Times like these I really start to feel my true age..."

"Lady?" Romeo asked, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Stand watch and wait until I summon you," Ganglot replied, "I'll be monitoring everything from my sanctuary."

And with that she flowed through the floor and down to where her Capstone tomb resided, merging with the ancient stone from her temple that was the seat of her Earthly powers, and from this protected zone opened her mind up to link once again with the World Tree of Yggdrasil, and from there sought the pre-arranged link with the Tendo dojo, where all of the action was really set to happen...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Who Wants to Bury a Millionaire? Shadowmane

Well, didn't quite get to the card game this time around...the section with Ganglot took a bit longer to write out than I'd thought it would, but now another chapter is in the can and ready for your readers, so...if anyone has questions to ask about my de-construction of Anime History, feel free to write and offer your suggests (even flames will be appreciated). In the meantime (and I really MEAN it this time!) stay tuned for the big show-down, "Card Captor Rumble," or "Romeo Must Hair-Dye!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	126. Chapter 126

NabikiRan110 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Ten.

"Old Maid?" Nabiki asked sardonically, "Why not a real Adult's Game, like Poker?"

"Say what ye like, lass," the Gambler King responded, never losing his trademark smile, "But that's the game we play or ye forfeit the match. You call, but the dealer chooses the game."

"Then by that logic I get the first hand," Nabiki replied as she considered the rules of the game, which was called Babanuke in the local Japanese parlance, "My stake is the family claim on the house and dojo, what are you bidding?"

"First round," the Gambler King smiled, "I think I'll bid the front foyer as ye need to get in through the door before ye can lay claim to what lays beyond it."

"The front patio," Nabiki said, "Okay, so deal."

The Gambler King's hands deftly manipulated the cards while Nabiki pretended not to notice. Everyone else seemed to hold his or her collective breath. The cards were shuffled and divided with twenty-seven cards dealt out to Nabiki, the Dealer keeping the other twenty-six as both contending players sorted through their cards and began pairing them off, depending on the number of matches. Of the fifty-three cards currently in play, the Jokers were wild, and the one left holding the "old maid" card would be the loser.

Nabiki examined her hand looking for pairs to discard and all the while keeping one eye on her opponent. As she considered what cards she would offer to him she quietly measured what Silk had told her about this Gambler King the previous evening, mindful of his weakness for a certain card, and all the while trying to keep her mind entirely centered on the subject at hand rather than steal periodic glances at the audience that was on her side, particularly a certain boy whose presence was proving to be far too much distracting.

Ranma's expression was tense and his anxiety level was enormous, both facts which were plainly broadcast by the way his handsome features were set and determined. He looked ready to jump into the middle of things, to defend her physically if needful. This was more than Ranma's usual "buttinsky" complex of always wanting to be the hero no matter who else took center stage, nor was it merely his chivalrous nature in wanting to use his strength on behalf of others, this was Ranma being seriously and earnestly concerned for Nabiki's welfare, without a hint of selfish motivation. This was nervous "Boyfriend" mode with a vengeance, and for anyone else besides Ranma it would be the literal equivalent of holding her hand and telling her that he wanted to be with her and defend her forever.

And that was what was preying on Nabiki's nerves something fierce, the thought that there was someone in this world who loved her for herself and expected nothing back from her but the same level of emotions. This was nothing like their faux engagement of a few weeks back, where each of them knew that the matter was a sham, a mere pretence during which she had exploited him and he had come to resent her for her deceptions. Nabiki would shed a few crocodile tears, go into an act about having always been secretly in love with him and have the guy eating out of her hands, at least until the next time he started to get wise to her deceptions. The boy had been incredibly na ve and gullible for all he was on his guard against her, and manipulating him had been such a turn-on for her ego, a thought that one of the strongest martial artists on the planet could actually be hers to use and discard at her leisure. There had never been a moment when either party had taken their engagement serious, and all it was for Nabiki was a means of getting Ranma and Akane to admit their feelings, which had happened almost in spite of her best efforts.

And yet...

Nabiki recalled the moment when Akane had angrily denounced her and Ranma for seeming to "team up to humiliate her," and had declared that Nabiki and Ranma should get engaged and make it official. At the time Nabiki had taken this at face value as a means of "one-upping" her little sister while claiming a boy whom she had always found personally attractive for her own, giving her at least a couple of weeks where she could be the one with the boyfriend while Akane could be the one to grit her teeth in resentment. Ranma was a prize to be had, as anyone in their school could have told you, and she didn't really mind his curse so much as she sometimes pretended...just so no one suspected Nabiki of harboring such emotions. It had been a thrill and a half to claim him for her property, even if she was intending to give him back...assuming that Akane could make her a suitable offer.

Of course the minute that the downside of "Jealous Fiancees" were added, Nabiki resolved to find a way to gently ease herself out of the line of danger. It had occurred to her that Ranma would come charging to her rescue, but when in fact he seemed willing to take personal injury on her behalf...well... Nabiki had found that to be quite a turn-on. Ranma rushing to her rescue and not Akane? Ranma taking her into his arms and carrying her out of the line of fire? Having someone, ANYONE be willing to risk their own health on her behalf would be a novelty in itself (Daddy and Akane not counting, of course), but this was RANMA who had risked his hide for her sake, sheltering Nabiki against the wrath of such angry women as Ukyo, Shampoo and Kodachi!

Had there been even one moment where she would have accepted their engagement as legitimate, that would have been the time to clench it. Nabiki had felt enormously tempted to take advantage of the situation, to drag Ranma off somewhere and show him what a woman could do to express gratitude for her rescue. If she had done that then it would have put an end to any chance of giving him back to Akane (at least in an "unused" condition) which alone was why she had nixed the idea as soon as it popped into her head. She was still trying to maintain her aloof and unattached status in school, after all, and she was not in the habit of "giving it up" every time she got hit with a case of female hormones.

Only now that entire scenario was chucked right out the window, leaving Nabiki feeling confused, exposed and downright vulnerable in ways that she had never even expected. She hated feeling this way, this sense of being small inside, of not measuring up as a person, and the realization that there was a very different kind of Nabiki somewhere out there who had made different choices and come to radically different conclusions with the outcome that there were actually people who TRUSTED her on this side of the timeline...it was all too much for her to absorb in one sitting! In the few hours that she had been on this world her carefully constructed web of illusions and assumptions had been ripped into tiny little pieces and revealed for a sham in her own eyes, not least being the emotions exposed within herself as she considered the sort of life that had been lived by her double.

And that just would not do at all! Looking at her cards, she had trouble maintaining her focus, so much so that she knew that she was in danger of throwing off her whole game before the first round had been played between her and her opponent. With those simple words of, "I believe in you," Ranma had crashed through the walls constructed over a lifetime and revealed to Nabiki that she did, indeed, have hidden feelings for Ranma!

She took a deep breath and tried to stare resolutely at the cards in her hand, then forced her mind to work in the methodical circles in which she had so long trained herself to think. This was no time to have her mind on things like Boyfriends (or even girlfriends, she nervously amended with a thought of how close Shampoo was standing at her side, and how eagerly the Amazon seemed ready to lend her support with an enthusiasm that-if anything-was even more intensely supportive than Ranma). This was her family's future that was riding at stake here, to say nothing of having a roof over her head by the time she graduated. If she bollixed things up here she would never be able to live with the consequences, even if she did not have to live with them on this side of the dimensional divide. Her pride would not allow her to lose the house to this...fancy card shyster! She was Tendo Nabiki, and losing to the likes of him was NOT an option!

She had almost finished making her selection when her father and the woman named Silk arrived, as did Ranma's mother and father, adding their two-yen in on what was at stake for the future. She was just about to make her play when she heard Ranma shushing the others, saying, "Look, let Nabiki concentrate, will you guys? She's doing the best anybody could ask, and from where I'm standing that's good enough for anybody."

"WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT?" Nabiki angrily declared as she threw down her cards and whirled around to confront her tormentors, "Of course I'm doing the best that I can! What do you expect for me to do? You think I like having the whole fate of the family be riding on my...shoulders...?"

It belatedly occurred to Nabiki that no one was reacting to her outburst, not even to glance in her direction. In fact they all appeared to have become rooted in the spot like statues, some in the act of talking, only all sound had died throughout the length of entire dojo.

"...?" was the next thing out of her mouth, only this phrased more with the exhalation of air than any coherent sounds on her part.

"Forgive me for resorting to this," came the dry old words of the shrunken Amazon who went by the curious name of Lotion, "But you looked as if you needed a moment to catch your breath, dearie, and who could blame you for feeling a little distressed under the situation?"

"Ah...excuse me?" Nabiki turned her eyes on the ancient Elder.

"You need not fear," the crinkled face of the wizened old woman smiled at her with a knowing expression, "I have merely frozen a moment of time around us in order to give you the several minutes that I believe you'll need to recollect your thoughts. Time may wait for no Man, but we Lore Masters are of a different breed entirely, and by the time you have recovered all of this will have seemed to them to be no more than a mere second's passage."

"You did this?" Nabiki was impressed, astonished to discover just how powerful this woman was, arguably moreso even than Cologne, who heretofore had been the model of Powerful Performers in her rather unbiased opinion.

"Actually," Lotion inclined her head, "Your counterpart is learning to do just this sort of thing on her own, and obviously you share the same potential, but as you lack her degree of progress I thought it best to step in and lend you a hand, as it were. I can't imagine just how truly unsettling all of this must be for you, but it is clear enough to me that you needed a Breather, and it is the least that I can offer to the counterpart of my student."

"Right," Nabiki's eyebrows stayed firmly arched as she took into account that her counterpart must by now know tricks that would impress the Heck out of Ranma. Aloud what she said was, "Thanks for the break...but it's just delaying the inevitable. I've got to play this hand, come what may, or the version of me you call your student will be very disappointed..."

"To say the least, yes," Lotion replied, "Because a match of this nature would be a minor accomplishment and no true challenge to her skills, and I believe that you would triumph on your own if it were just a matter of winning a card game. However...no one can be expected to perform at their best when their mind is in such a state of turmoil. Perhaps you might care to unburden yourself with me? I'm rather a good listener, when I choose to be, and I believe you need a sympathetic ear willing to hear about your troubles."

"I...guess I do at that," Nabiki chewed her lower lip, reluctant to make even that tiny little admission as confessing her thoughts was certainly not within her usual nature, "It's just...this whole deal is such a crock! How can anybody expect me to fill the shoes of that other Nabiki? I'm not really her, and I don't know how to deal with all these problems!"

"Only you could call being well loved and admired a problem," Lotion mused, "Which part distresses you the most...Ranma or Shampoo...or is it the thought of having them both that makes you nervous?"

"Ah..." Nabiki wilted a little under the gentle, teasing tone of the old woman, "...Well...maybe that's not such a bad problem...I mean...if I even did go in for that sort of thing...a Threesome...and ah...well...I guess maybe the other me does like it, but..."

"Is the thought of having sex with Shampoo that disturbing?" the old woman smiled as if asking such a direct line of questioning were of no great matter.

"Ah..." Nabiki turned to regard the Purple Haired Wonder in question, trying to conceive of what the Chinese girl would be like in bed and finding her imagination blanking out and censoring the details, which immediately caused her cheeks to flush a deep red, especially in light of how aroused she felt at the very concept.

"She is a beauty," Lotion conceded, "One men would dream of possessing, and yet she has eyes only for you and your husband, and there is no sacrifice that she is unprepared to face on your behalf, if you will forgive the double-negative."

"Uh...hah?" Nabiki's eyes drifted down and she stared at Shampoo's abdomen, recalling that the girl was allegedly pregnant with the child of Ranma.

"She is quite the devoted wife, you know," Lotion continued, "And your counterpart is very fond of her, so don't be too surprised at the relationship that exists between them. Rather concentrate on what is truly at stake in this contest...which is not just a material thing like the dojo...it is the pride of your family which rides upon your shoulders."

"My...pride?" Nabiki turned back to regard the old woman.

"You are the lawful bride of an Amazon," Lotion explained, "Acknowledged as such by both Shampoo and the rest of her clan, and Amazons don't lose to outsider men, especially honorless types such as this so-called 'Gambler King' that dare make such an affront as to claim possession of your household."

"Right," Nabiki said slowly, her expression darkening as she found her emotions begin to resolve back into thoughts of outrage against someone who would dare attempt to make her family homeless!

"You are strong, as is my Apprentice," Lotion resumed, "Your pride in your own abilities rests in the sense that you have what it takes to overcome this and every other challenge. You have strengths that you've yet even to reveal before others, and if you give yourself half a chance you might even be pleasantly surprised. All it takes is the will to gamble it all in the hopes of a successful outcome."

"Right," Nabiki nodded, this time with more confidence, "I can do this...I'm Tendo Nabiki. I don't need anyone to win this battle..."

"Now there speaks the voice of inexperience," the old woman chuckled, "I said that you have the abilities to triumph, Child, but I did not say you should do it without the help of the others."

"Huh?" Nabiki blinked her eyes, "Come again?"

"You can defeat the King, he is no match for one of your charm and subtlety," the Elder revealed with a knowing wink that Nabiki found vaguely disturbing, "But he comes to the table with allies who will not be so inclined to taking losing with a straight face. Be ready to meet the challenge head on by doing the one intelligent thing a girl in your position could do when faced by powerful men intent on harming others."

"Which is?" Nabiki asked.

"Why, ducking of course," the old woman replied with a straight face, "When the fireworks begin the only smart maneuver would be for you to absent yourself from the line of danger. That will free things up for Ranma and the others to do their part equalizing the matter, and be of a mind that the Ranma who exists on this timeline is used to rescuing his Nabiki on a fairly regular basis."

Nabiki did not facefault, but the thought was enormously tempting.

"Ah...right," suddenly her nervousness returned with a vengeance, "Ranma...he's that kind of a guy...always there when you most need and least expect him..."

"He is at that," Lotion agree, "And the fact that he has a great tush doesn't hurt matters one bit, does it?"

"Ah..." Nabiki's cheeks flushed once again, and she wondered if the old woman was in the habit of deliberately catching people off-guard with these...disconcerting little statements.

"You do like him, don't you?" Lotion smiled, "No matter what the circumstances of your present existence."

"Ah...well...there's a lot to like, really," Nabiki admitted before hastily adding, "Of course he's got as many negatives as positives, but...he is the most interesting boy in our school, bar none...only...I don't think it would ever work between us."

"And why is that?" the old woman inquired.

Nabiki turned away, by choice not looking in the direction of the motionless Ranma, "It's...a long story...but I've pretty much burned my bridges in that regard, now Ranma...MY version...will never trust me. He knows I...don't always say what I mean...or mean what I say..."

"I won't pretend to know all the circumstances that surround the incident to which you are referring," Lotion remarked, "But perhaps the situation is not as hopeless or bleak as you believe?"

"No," Nabiki sighed, "It's pretty bad...and...it might even be my fault...a little..."

"I see," Lotion remarked mildly, "Well...you'd be the best judge of matters on your world, then, but it does seem to me to be a terrible waste of what potentially could be one of the great romances of the decade. Still and all, it might be wiser for you to consider your options. There are always...possibilities that do not seem apparent to us at first glance."

"Thanks for the pep rally," Nabiki replied, "But I don't think there's any way of repairing what happened between me and Ranma."

"As I say, you would be the best judge of that," Lotion dismissed the point lightly, then added, "But do not begrudge your counterpart that she made different...choices, and who knows? Perhaps she is at work in your world even now helping to repair the breech by showing your Ranma what he could very well be missing."

If the old woman had intended those words to be reassuring, they most definitely were anything BUT! It had completely escaped Nabiki's notice until this moment that her counterpart might be running loose on her world making a mess of things with her own peculiar understanding of the circumstances. How would Ranma and Akane cope with a Nabiki who was training to be some kind of a mage, and who expected Ranma to feel something towards her on the level of what the Ranma she knew was used to experiencing? What kind of ideas would she be putting into everyone's head during the "real" Nabiki's absence, and did she really want to know first hand the extent to which that Nabiki would have changed people's perceptions?

And did she really want to go back to the admittedly worse situation that existed in her version of Nerima? Here people seemed to get along a lot better than on her world, and she was actually a person whom other people regarded favorably and even cared for after a fashion? Here was a Ranma who obviously loved her for herself, and a Shampoo who did not look on her as an obstacle, and Akane was in no way interested and in fact had her sights set on marrying a sex-  
changing Kuonji...who could ask for a more ideal set of circumstances, especially in light of the fact that the dojo was actually turning a profit!

Hmm...might do to consider keeping the pinball and Pinochle machines and card tables after she won the match...it might even be nice having an extra side income in addition to the teaching of Martial Arts students...

She quashed that idea as soon as it crossed her mind. This was not her world, not her timeline, and she wasn't that other Nabiki. She had her own life to get back to, and as tempting as this one was, it did not belong to her, and in no way had she earned it. Mercenary that she was, Nabiki did have a code and some standards, and taking that to which she did not feel entitled was definitely a No-No, and not just because Kasumi would not approve of her trading places with a different version of her sister.

Besides, this Ranma was in love with a different Nabiki, and try as she might she could not in her heart be that other person. She cared for him...she could admit that to herself now...but she was no thief out to plunder another woman's treasure. This thought brought more than a tear to her eyes, but she knew it was the right decision. Somehow or other she had to get back to her world and surrender this one back to its rightful claimant, the other Nabiki.

Lotion watched the play of emotions wash over this girl who was in so many ways like her much beloved apprentice and silently nodded in approval. This Nabiki was clearly a step backwards from the Nabiki she knew, and yet she had the same potential, and clearly her heart was not as corrupted or black as even Nabiki herself imagined. The was a spark of decency about this girl that she found very appealing, and for all her Mercurial temperament, she had a first rate mind, one easily trainable if given a subtle push in the right direction.

"Don't fret too much, child," Lotion leaned on her staff and regarded this Nabiki frankly, "You'll develop worry lines, and that ill becomes you. Be yourself and take pride in what you are. You can save growing up to be a woman for another day."

"Is that what you tell the other me?" Nabiki dabbed at her eyes, angrily attempting to banish away both the tears and her emotions.

"Somewhat," Lotion smiled, "But she's a bit further along on her lesson plan, so why don't we just move back a few chapters to where you tell me to mind my own business and I say that this is what I am doing."

"Do I really sound like that?" Nabiki wondered.

"Sometimes," Lotion replied, "The rest of the time you want to charge me for giving you these lessons."

For no reason that Nabiki could identify she found herself bursting out in laughter, the idea of plying her usual bargaining tricks on this cagey old Elder sounding as unlikely as when she tried the same tactics around Cologne, who was as tough a haggler as anyone she could even imagine.

"Okay," Nabiki replied when she managed to calm down, "That helped a bit...I think I can handle the stress now. Might as well return me to my card game."

"As you wish," Lotion replied, and like that everyone around them went back into full motion. The sounds that filled the dojo sounded positively deafening after the unnatural silence of before, but above the din Nabiki thought she heard Ranma saying, "Just back off and let her have a little room. Nabiki will dust this guy off in no time, you'll see."

(He likes me), Nabiki thought to herself with a sense of dull wonder, (He knows I'm not really his girlfriend but he still wants to defend me, come hell or high water).

As she picked up the cards that she had set face-down on the table and turned her focus back on the Gambler King she found a cocky little smile forming on her lips as she thought to herself, (And I like him, even if I can't do anything about it...at least on this timeline).

"Aiyaa," Shampoo's voice made her aware of how near the Amazon was standing to Nabiki's kneeling position, "Shampoo Airen no let herself be pushed around by stupid Playing Card, you see."

(Down girl), Nabiki thought with the mental equivalent of a chuckle, (Can't quite get used to the idea that I'm supposed to be marrying the both of them, or that Shampoo already considers me her wife...but for their sakes I won't lose this game! Nobody messes with my family and gets away with it, nobody!).

The Gambler King just sat where he was, smiling, having picked up on the girl's earlier nervousness, only to see her giving every sign of picking a wining hand. He knew how to deal with unexpected surprises in the deck, and in a game of this type...well...cheating was definitely an option.

Unbeknownst to him Nabiki had picked up on the twinkle in the man's eyes and was alerted to the danger, keeping her eyes primed for the tell-tale signs she needed that the man was moving around cards from concealed places up his sleeve, and knowing exactly what to do about that. As they laid their pairs of cards out face-up on the table she was mindful to watch when he produced an extra joker, and studied the cards so that she would be able to mark their positions on the next shuffle. This time around, though, she just followed her instincts and drew the cards from his hand that caused him the least tendency to display his hidden "reflex."

She privately thanked Silk about the warning that the King had an habitual tendency to smile when someone was about to draw the "Old Maid" from the others hand, or that he would automatically push that card up with the thought that his opponent would tend to pick that card, which naturally Nabiki avoided. Given all of that it was hardly a test of her abilities that she was able to avoid picking up the card from his deck, while the next time around she would raise the "Old Maid" card and make him draw it, giving her an admittedly unfair player advantage.

A few moments later, after they'd each picked and discarded cards, forming the matches and pairs that would eliminate their hands to a few cards, then going for the finals, Nabiki drew the card she wanted to draw and slapped it down on the table saying, "You lose!"

The King took this as gracefully as a man who had just been served with divorce papers, which is to say his face went pasty white and his eyes bulged out as though this were a completely unexpected outcome. His smile became a gritting of teeth as he glared accusingly at the calm-seeming girl before him, even as the men backing him up shifted somewhat uneasily in their stances.

"Beginner's luck," the King growled, rather than voice aloud his real thoughts upon the matter. He next moved a paper sheet that carried the marker for the living room of the house and said, "Your bid and call."

"Deal me in," Nabiki replied, her confidence rising as the cards were divided once again, then both contenders examined their holdings.

"Toldja," Ranma smirked confidently, "'Biki's got this one sown up like Kasumi's stitching."

That analogy appealed to her greatly, though Nabiki privately thought that she ought to have words with her "fianc e" on his choice of nicknames. "Biki" was slightly less annoying than "Hey you!" but far from as endearing a comment as his other preference, "Nab-chan."

She examined her cards carefully, already making her selections, and for some odd reason her spirits felt considerably lighter than they had been in previous moments as the thought of winning praise for her efforts was certainly a novelty, and one she could well get used to if given half a chance!

She made her play, watched her opponent try to slip cards into his deck once again, then smiled as she marked the positions of those cards and instead selected ones he did expect, winning the second round as easily as she had the first. Like that the marker for the Living Room went to join the one for the front foyer, which in terms of sales representation was called getting your foot into the door, an important step for all would-be entrepreneurs.

Naomi watched the young girl play her cards with the skill of a professional and smiled approvingly, finding it easy to identify with this middle daughter of the house of Tendo. The Gambler King was clearly not accustomed to dealing with someone this shrewd, which was hardly surprising as the man seemed to favor targeting children and other more gullible players. Obviously this Nabiki had sized him up too, which definitely fit in well with her profile. More than ever Naomi intended to mark this girl's budding career in business and finance, recognizing talent and wanting to cultivate it for the future.

After losing the kitchen on the third round, one of the playing-card figures standing behind the Gambler King moved forward and leaned down to whisper in the King's ear, "Not that I mean to rise above my station, old Bean, but you don't seem to be doing too well here."

"Mind yer business, Jack," the King growled at the level of a stage whisper, "Tis obvious the lass be cheating to win her matches."

"And how can you know that?" the one named Jack asked.

"Because I be cheating an' she's still be winning," the King hissed back before resuming a pleasant fa ade and moving a sheet onto the table, "The washroom be next, if yer game for it, Lassie."

"Lassie, huh?" Nabiki reserved a look she usually employed against deal squelchers and refrained from commenting on her lack of resemblance to a dog, regarding it as one more reason to nail this sucker flatly.

As if anticipating her thoughts, however, a new voice was added to the mixture, "Oh, I don't know...I do see at least a passing resemblance."

Nabiki turned her head without revealing her cards and set eyes upon a total stranger...but one whose very appearance somehow raised the hackles on the back of her neck. The blonde haired stranger had the sort of smile that you might expect to find on an Undertaker expecting an upturn in business, and the malevolent gleam in her eyes was anything but human.

"You!" she heard her father exclaim as everyone of Nabiki's allies tensed up and immediately went on the defensive.

"How did you get in here?" Genma himself sounded surprisingly offended.

"Easy," Silk cautioned, "That's not really her...it's only her image."

"A hologram?" Nodoka asked, "How curious...I thought those only existed in science fiction."

"What do you want, lady?" Ranma's tone was-unsurprisingly-quite hostile, and Nabiki did not need to ask why as this stranger clearly was labeled "The Bad Guy."

"Hmmm," the blonde put a finger to her chin and seemed to consider the question, "Where to begin? World Domination? Total Market Share in the Third Quarter? You and your brother bowing at my feet? Your parent's heads mounted on my wall for trophies...where do I begin?"

"Easy, Sugar," Ukyo spoke up, "Remember how hard it was facing her off in that office building?"

"But how can she be here?" Akane asked, "There are no office equipment or computers inside the dojo..."

"Ah, but that's where you are mistaken," the blonde waved a finger in their direction, "I've had the necessary equipment installed during the night, giving me free access to your lovely house and every little thing that goes on in it. My house now, I might add...and don't think my factor will continue to lose all claims here if he knows what's good for him, eh GK?"

Nabiki heard the Gambler King audibly swallow before responding in a humble tone of voice, "Aye, Milady...ye may count on me for that."

"Good, because I am," the blonde replied with a cheerful hint that losing would DEFINITELY not be an enjoyable prospect.

"Who are you?" Naomi asked, sparing Nabiki from having to be the one to ask this.

"Ah, where are my manners?" the blonde turned and extended a business card, which Naomi accepted, "You may call me Cybelle of the house of Anslat, formerly a Hibiki and your kinswoman by marriage. And you, of course, are one of my husband's get by another woman...you have no idea how long I have been looking forward to meeting someone like you face-to-face."

"Watch it, lady," the burly Kento cautioned, "I've got mega bad vibes about this lady..."

"Perceptive one, aren't you?" Cybelle replied, glancing around, "And where is my lovely grandson, Ryoga? Don't tell me he and his Aunt both got lost trying to find their way here?"

"You talking about us?" the blonde named Kenou replied as she and Ryoga made their way through the crowd, accompanied by a curious woman whose hair was white on the one side, black on the other, "Sorry, we had to do a bit of sightseeing."

"Hope we're not too late," Ryoga's expression darkened noticeably as he stared at the other blonde and said, "Grandmother?"

"Grandmother?" yet another blonde who was walking at Ryoga's side turned and stared at Cybelle, "You mean she's...?"

"Afraid so," replied Makoto as she also stood at the ready.

"Well now," Cybelle mused, "Keeping company with Senshi are we, Ryoga-kun? Can't say that I approve, but I suppose the matter is academic..."

"As is your attempt at providing a distraction, Demoness," Lotion turned to regard the blonde haired woman with a neutral expression, "Do you have so little trust in your own agents that you feel the need of directly supervising these affairs?"

"That is a novel suggestion," Cybelle smiled, "But I think it would be accurate to say that I am here to provide balance for my side as it is plain that you are willing to go the extra lengths for your own. Now, I promise not to start anything so long as your side remains neutral, otherwise..." she held up a hand and grinned, and electrical sparks began to dance around her finger.

Nabiki had seen enough to know that this lady was definitely a novel factor that had been added to the equation, never having met the corresponding equivalent of this dangerous-looking woman on her own side of the time-wall. Whoever she was, she definitely was a force to be reckoned, and to judge by the way everyone stood warily on their guard it was plain that even Ranma considered this woman a menace, and the fact that she claimed kinship to Ryoga made it all the more reason to now lower her guard as Nabiki cautiously measured the distance between herself and the exits.

"By the way," Cybelle mentioned almost as if in afterthought, "I do trust you are fully recovered from our last meeting? It would be a shame to have you get in the way of another...interaction between myself and my intended targets."

Nabiki caught sight of Kasumi out of the corner of one eye, seeing her sister wince by a fraction as Kodachi's eyes narrowed into slits of raw hatred directed towards the blonde woman.

"I consider my wound a mark of pride on behalf of the family of my Apprentice," the old woman replied staunchly, causing Nabiki's eyebrows to once more climb towards her hairline.

"Lady Cybelle," Tatewaki spoke up, "There is no need for veiled unpleasantries, we are merely here to enjoy the fruits of a card game that is also in part an affair of honor. Let us leave the hostilities for later rather than despoil the moment."

"You're quite right, of course, Kuno-san," Cybelle responded with a gracious display that contrasted sharply with the malevolence which she had directed towards the others, "So nice to know that there is at least one gentleman of leisure present. By all means return to the card game...I am no less interested than any here at seeing what the results may be in the next few rounds of play."

"I might have known that you were in league with her, Brother!" Kodachi said in an accusing tone of voice.

"Lady Cybelle is a trusted associate," Tatewaki replied, "One who has helped me put our father's affairs in order as I have moved to insure that Kuno Industries remains on a sound financial footing. That is at least more than I could come to expect from you, dear Sister."

Kodachi's glare was almost lethal, "Have a care, Tachi...though brother you are, do not side with this creature against the Tendos or you will make an enemy of me, and I still retain controlling shares on my half of the family estate, enough to cause you troubles in future negotiations."

"That may be as it will," Tatewaki replied, "But I would advise against such a rash course of actions, dear sister, as I would not match wits with you in any light manner."

Nabiki was uncertain which disturbed her more...the fact that Kuno Tatewaki could sound so coldly reasonable and sane or the fact that Kodachi was defending her family against him! On further reflection she decided that it was definitely the latter!

"The deal's the same as before, lass," the Gambler King called her attention back towards the table, "We play for the Washroom, and have a care as I will nay be taking it as light with you as the last time."

"Fine by me," Nabiki shrugged, careful to notice that Ryonami had edged herself into position where she could read the King's cards...if needful. She made a slight signal with her hand, which Nabiki answered with her own hand-sign, advising her lieutenant to stand by and wait for further instruction.

"Hmmm?" Cybelle turned and seemed to mark Ryonami's position, then with a wave of her hand sent something that looked like an electrical spark arching from herself towards Ryonami, who jumped back as if hit by a hammer.

Nabiki was stunned by the casual brutality of that gesture, but Hitome was already moving to check upon their friend and waved back that Ryonami was okay...just a bit singed around the edges. That caused a wave of mixed emotions to pass through her, and she turned a glare towards Cybelle and said, "You're gonna regret that one, lady..."

"Oh, I'm so scared," Cybelle made a mocking sign of touching her breast, then grinned, "Like I don't already know that you're not all that you claim to be? Like I'm supposed to be afraid of an Apprenticed Lore Master who isn't even an Apprentice?"

"What?" Ranma exclaimed.

"How she know this?" Shampoo marveled.

"Must be a Demon thing," Ukyo grumbled.

"What does she mean Nabiki's not an Apprentice?" asked the blonde standing beside Ryoga.

"It's a long story, I think," Ryoga responded.

"Whatever," Makoto at Ukyo's side raised a fist and said, "You're not the only one who can make with the light show, lady. Try that again and you'll fry, Hologram or no Hologram!"

"I'd like to see you try," Cybelle replied, turning back to Nabiki, "Shall we get on with it then? You haven't even gotten to the privy."

"Right," Nabiki turned back to the table, trying not to let herself be seriously freaked out, though that thought also had its temptations.

"Nabiki," her father urged, "Do whatever you must, but win!"

"Kick his ass, Nabiki!" Akane cheered.

"Yes, but do it politely," Kasumi urged, giving a slight look of reproof to their younger sister.

"We have faith in you, Nabiki," Silk remarked more smoothly, "And you know we'll all stand beside you no matter what happened."

"That's my line," Ranma said, "Whatever happens, we're with you, Nabiki."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo said firmly, "Stupid Playing-Card Man no have chance against Airen!"

For some odd reason Nabiki was finding being in the spotlight a less than appealing prospect, but seeing nothing better to be done for it, she turned her attention back to the game itself, determined to play her cards on the table...both literally and metaphorically in hopes that somehow she would wind up holding all the Aces...

Nabiki's Journal Continues.

"I want you to understand, Mother," I said carefully, "I'm not blaming it all on you or holding it against you since I'm sure you had your reasons for whatever it was you did to cause this. I just want to get back home to my timeline, so if you know a way to help out..."

"Ah, that's sort-of why I'm here, Nabiki-chan," Peorth nervously replied to me, "Kami-Sama himself has contacted me about what happened, and when my Uncle tells you to do something...well...you know I'll do all that is within my power to put things back to right...as soon as we manage to isolate the glitches."

"Glitches?" Ranma repeated, looking only slightly less freaked out about the sudden appearance of the Goddess than either Akane or Shampoo.

"Yeah," I said, "Bug-like things that mess up the system."

"System?" that from Akane, who seemed to be having more than a little difficulty dealing with the unreality of the situation, her eyes practically glued upon the woman who so closely resembled our mother, "What system?"

"Er...that's nothing you need be concerned about, Ma Cheri," Peorth responded with her typical faux French accent, "What matters is that there has been a terrible mistake made that has temporarily inconvenienced everyone, for which I do offer my sincere apologies and my promise that everything will be done to rectify this unfortunate and wholly unforeseen affair..."

"Fine," I said, "So let's get on with the rectifying already. I've got a card game waiting for me back on my version of the event horizon and the longer I remain here the closer my family comes to totally losing both the house and the dojo."

"I'm entirely with you as far as pursing this worthy goal, Nabiki-chan," Peorth nodded sagely, "It's just...there are certain details that need to be worked out, such as discovering why you were transferred in the first place. I only meant to study the various potential directions of your timeline, not to have you and your counterpart trade places like you have. These things have to be done just right to avoid potential...complications..."

"Complications?" I replied to that with a bit more anxiety than might have been called for under the circumstances, "A non-Lore Master trained version of me is running around loose in my world thinking that Ranma should be married to Akane while some nut-job dressed like a playing card is staking claims on my house? You don't find that even a little bit complicated?"

"Well..." I saw the Goddess fidget and was instantly sorry that I had snapped at her the way I had. For better or worse, she was one half of the equation that had in a very real sense been my mother, and having met and talked to the other half...the real Kimiko, that is...well...I had a better grasp of the contrast and understood well that the union of two parties-mortal and divine-had been a pretty winning combination. That's why I do tend to think of Peorth as my literal Mother, even as I know who my real mother is, so let's not quibble on the fine points, I was just as concerned for her as I would be about her mortal Template, the woman who actually bore me.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, "That was uncalled for. Guess I've been a little stressed..."

"And who could blame either of you?" asked the other version of Lotion at my side before giving the Goddess a gentle look of understanding, "Toying with reality is not a game even the Gods should play with lightly. Restoring this timeline from a Neutral state was bound to anchor one Tendo Nabiki to a standing state, and as it just so happens that this version was trained as my Apprentice, it was natural that her perceptions would remain unaltered no matter what her surrounding circumstances."

"You mean that's why I'm here?" I asked, "Reality gets temporarily displaced and I remain firm while the Universe changes around me?"

"Actually, that makes a great deal of sense," Peorth stroked her chin in a thoughtful manner, "If she remained still while the earth changed constancies, then her world would be momentarily displaced, creating a vacuum that her counterpart naturally filled and...oh Merde," she swore softly, "I'm sorry about this, Cheri...I had no idea that anything like this would happen..."

"Don't sweat it, Mom," I replied nonchalantly, then turned to address a point that was worrying me greatly, "So...what happens to this world when I leave? Does it go back into cold stasis?"

"Huh?" I heard both Ranma and Akane exclaim, while Shampoo gave a soft, "Aiyaa..." in muted exclamation.

"Actually I wouldn't trouble yourself too much on that score," Lotion smiled at me in a way I found very reassuring, "Your very presence has caused an element of change to enter the equation, which will no doubt have a rippling effect over the whole of this timeline, the moreso if the other version of you has a taste of what you own world must be like and is affected by the experience. I think it would be safe to say that this world will go on in a different direction than was the original template."

"Er...right," Peorth sounded unusually muted as she studied first me and then my Mentor's counterpart before adding, "You really think so?" in a way that confirmed in me the belief that Goddesses (for all their lofty pretensions and incredible power) are basically still human at heart. This oddly enough cheered me up a great deal as it made her seem somehow more...approachable, and more than ever I was finding it easy to think of her as my real mother.

"Trust me," Lotion turned to regard me and said, "I think I have at least a temporary remedy to our problem. Shifting you back physically to the correct timeline might not be such a good idea at the present, but if a way was open for you to mentally commune with your counterpart..."

"I get it," I said, "Link with her and find out what she's been doing to cope with her problems?"

"That could be arranged, I think," Peorth smiled at me, "Simple, really, since you both are essentially two versions of the same person."

"Excuse me," that timid voice I heard from the sidelines came from none other than Kasumi, who seemed to have recovered from her shock upon meeting the goddess, "But...am I given to understand that you really are our mother?"

"Ah..." Peorth turned around with her nervousness restored to full measure, "Actually I'm more of the main Aspect from which your mother was drawn as a Template. It's...really quite complicated, you see...and...well..."

My metaphysical Mother was literally saved at that point by the bell, or rather her cell phone, which went off in mid-explanation. Peorth whipped it out and began talking into the receiver, "Mushi-Mushi...yes, I'm here...oh, you have? I see...that's wonderful news. Call me back as soon as you have corrected the problem."

She clicked the phone and restored it to her belt pouch before turning to me and saying, "They've found the glitches and are in the process of rebooting the software. In next to no time they should be done with the diagnostics, and then a reality transfer will be effected to restore you back to your proper Timeline."

"How long?" I asked, feeling my anxiety level increase with the hope that I would soon be back with my versions of Shampoo and Ranma.

"A few minutes, half an hour at most," Peorth shrugged, "Time enough that we can look in on your other self and see how she is fairing."

"Good," Lotion nodded towards me, "Then I suggest we return to the dojo and resume our meditations. This will be most enlightening for both of us as I would not at all mind comparing notes with my counterpart. I rather imagine she has quite a lot to say about you, young lady."

"Ah..." I winced, "I just hope you're willing to hear my side of it when it's over..."

With this matter resolved between us, we set about opening a channel so that I could get in touch with myself...metaphorically speaking, and a good thing I did, too, because my counterpart was right then experiencing something worse than a loaded card deck, as I would be discovering shortly...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Howmuchwoodcanawoodchuckchuckifawoodchuckcouldchuckwood?

Shadowmane

Sorry for the delay on this, I ran into a few technical difficulties (plus a serious case of writers block-YES, even I have those on occasion!) delayed my getting back onto this chapter. Now, that apology out of the way, allow me to take a brief pause to tend to other long-delayed projects before I move to the epic conclusion of the card game, so be with us next time for: "Betting the House," or "The Dealer's Smile." (And yes, that did seem a little lame, but give me a break, what were you expecting, Shakespeare?)

At any rate, I promise to give it my best effort and not leave you guys feeling too disappointed...

Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	127. Chapter 127

NabikiRan111 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Eleven.

Kachu was more than a little annoyed at being hastily summoned to an address only to find no one waiting for her at the place and time specified. Being told in advance that there was a need for her services, it grated on her Demon Hunter's soul to think that there was a supernatural danger loose upon this town that she was only beginning to think of as her home away from China, and the thought that there are innocent people who might be harmed in the interim made her offer up a faint curse of frustration. Had it not been her trusted Aunt Comb who had offered the summons she might be tempted to believe that the whole matter was a false alarm, but the Warrior-turned-Healer was too serious and respected a figure to call upon Kachu's services for any casual or flighty matter.

As she stood on the corner of the crossroads where she was to have met Comb and the others, she scanned the air in search of any hint of potential mischief, but none was carried upon the breeze and so she heaved a sigh and voice a harshly worded, "Where is she?"

"Take it easy, Kachu honey," Tofu urged his wife, "Maybe we got here a bit early. I'm sure the address is right, but maybe Comb-san was mistaken about the crossroads..."

Kachu would have reprimanded another who dared speak so solicitously to her, but instead she smiled in fondness before responding, "No...my Aunt is many things, but she is no Hibiki to get lost in a foreign market. I am certain that this is the address she spoke about...what I don't understand is why she is not here. Normally she is so punctual that you could set a sundial to her movements, and so I find her absence to be most distressing...hinting at some less than pleasant prospects."

"You mean she might have gone ahead without you?" Tofu speculated.

"That is my fear," Kachu nodded, pleased at how well her husband seemed to know her thoughts before she spoke them, yet another uncanny aspect of their altogether most satisfactory union, "But why she would do so is something else I cannot fathom. A Healer ought not meddle in the affairs of a Demon Hunter, or vice versa, for we each have our special disciplines with only a small overlap between us."

"You mean there are areas where a Demon Hunter and a Healer can combine their magics?" Tofu asked with mild irony and amusement.

"Indeed," Kachu replied, "When an illness is caused by a demonic influence, which happens far less frequently than some people seem to think in many of the villages that I once traversed. Most diseases are caused by poor diet and unsanitary conditions, and there is little that a Demon Hunter can do to dispel that particular evil," she remarked in a very rare display of humor.

"No, I can't see how you could be expected to make that much of a difference by yourself," Tofu smiled at his wife, pleased to see her smiling again, which she rarely did when she was on official business, "After all, you may be an Amazon, but you are only human."

"True enough," she readily agreed, not adding that she was privately torn by conflicting emotions at having him with her. On the one hand she was glad for any time that she could spend with her beloved Airen, the only man who had ever made her feel happy and complete and who felt as much a part of her now as her own good left arm, a very respectful and dutiful husband who rarely complained about having her for a wife and who was a very competent healer in his own right, surprisingly so for a man not raised in an Amazon household.

On the other hand there was the pride of any Amazon wife, not wishing to admit that she needed a man by her side even as a companion, coupled with her desire to shelter him from danger. Demons were such treacherous and vile creatures and in her time Kachu had dispatched many terrible specimens of the breed, confronting situations of such malevolent character that she would not wish her husband to be exposed to such horrors. Kachu had been trained to endure nearly anything that the Netherworld might throw her way, from brain-eating Leeches to Tentacle-rape Shikima, and always she had won out in the end, though not always coming through unscathed by these soul-scarring escapes. To have her precious Tofu-chan in peril, or forced to witness some of the things that Kachu had been trained to endure in her psychic battles, went against her very nature, and if it would have been within her power she would have forbidden him from accompanying her on this particular mission...

Only the look he would give her when she told him to stay home...there was just no way for her to describe the effect his "whipped puppy" expression could have on her resolve, so that she would find herself giving in and agreeing to have him be by her side under the stern promise that he would not interfere in her work and would refrain from offering more than his professional services afterward, in case she was in need of a good healer. If anything the recent news of her pregnancy had made him become even more protective towards her, a strange phenomenon in the way he could be both Paternalistic and tender in the selfsame moments. Kachu knew his resolve to remain behind the lines of a battle would amount to very little if he perceived any threat actually being directed towards her or the unborn child that she carried. It was but one of the many perplexing things about this man that both vexed endeared her towards him, even as she knew in herself that she would sooner die than see him injured. Yet how uncertain matters were anytime one went up against the hideous powers of the Demons...

**KACHU!** A voice suddenly spoke into her head.

"Eh?" Kachu turned to one side, even as Tofu looked at her and said, "I beg your pardon?"

**Tofu Kachu,** the voice spoke again, **Can you hear me?**

"I hear you," Kachu slowly turned around, vaguely disturbed at the unearthly timber of the voice, "Who are you?"

"Who is what?" Tofu blinked in obvious conclusion.

"You did not hear that?" Kachu turned an inquisitive look his way, seeing only blank incomprehension in his handsome expression.

"Hear what?" Tofu asked, realizing as he said this how clich his response was, like dialogue out of some third-rate horror movie.

"The voice," Kachu turned to glance towards a certain row of buildings, "I've heard it once before, but..."

Tofu was wondering if maybe his wife needed to lie down and take it easy as it seemed to him that hearing voices was a symptom of the stress she was under, but that notion was dispelled a few seconds later when the air itself burst forth with a blaze of glory, and a shimmering gold radiance surrounded them both, along with a curiously blissful state of otherworldly grace descending.

And from this blazing light emerged a figure of burnished gold with long silvery hair who hovered in the air before them, wings unfolded, like an Angel come down from the heavens. Tofu stepped back in dismay and adjusted his glasses, marveling at the manifest glory of the vision before them as the womanly shaped smiled before the both of them before turning her focus towards Kachu and speaking in a clear and radiant voice, "Can you see me now, Noble Devil Hunter?"

"It's you!" Kachu surprised Tofu by bowing her head and taking on an astonishingly humble manner in the face of this heavenly vision, "Lady Garimel, to what do I owe this great honor?"

"I have come to warn you, Fair One, of a danger that confronts you and your loved ones," the vision replied, "The Healer and her friends have gone on ahead of you to the Tendo estate, where the evil one is gathering her forces even now to menace your father's family. She has allies who mean to steal your father's house from his possession, and unless they are stopped now your sisters could themselves become casualties..."

"My family is in danger?" Kachu reacted to this news with immediate fury, "I must go to them at once! No one can threaten my father, mother or sisters without facing my righteous wrath!"

"Then go with grace as I prepare your way," the vision gestured with both hands and a portal opened up before them, "Step through this and you will be conducted to your house near-instantaneously, and once there...well, I have no doubt you will know what to do when you get there."

"I thank you for your kind help, Honored One," Kachu bowed, then to Tofu she said, "Come husband, we must away!"

"But...how can you...?" Tofu started to ask, only to have his wrist be snatched as he was drawn after his Amazon bride before he had time to fully form the question.

The Heavenly vision smiled as she banished the portal, then in an amused voice she said, "I like those two...Ozzie and Harrier-Jet Tofu. Well, that's one more piece of the puzzle in place, now time to sit back and watch the fireworks...or the Fit hit the Shan, as it were..."

And with this the Demoness Ganglot vanished, returning to her Cap-stone to recharge her psychic batteries in preparation for the outbreak of war that she knew for a certainty was about to break out in both the Tendo House and the greater part of Nerima...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

For all this day's strange catalogue of events, I found the experience overall to be quite illuminating upon several particular matters. Having my beloved wife be replaced by a less experienced and gifted version of herself was in itself a revelation as the Nabiki who was with us for a brief while proved to be very much like the Nabiki whom I had met when I first came to Nerima. She had the same materialistic temperament, the same hesitation about expressing her emotions and the same tendency to deny her real wants and desires, all the facets that had first tantalized and intrigued me about my wife when I had taken a fancy towards conquering her and making her my co-wife.

The thought did briefly occur to me that I could have the joy of seducing this Nabiki just to relish that sense of accomplishment once again, though I suppose that might make for a strange situation...to think of having a Nabiki in my arms who did not know in advance what to anticipate. This girl was in some senses a stranger in that she had never truly pursued our Ranma, and as such had never admitted to feelings nor confronted her desires the way my Nabiki had prior to our first encounter. This Nabiki was alone and seemed to fancy herself that way, which again suggested to me the fun that might be had in persuading her that alone was no where near as desirable than being with someone who cared for you, a fact that I may attest from my own experiences with great enthusiasm. Had there been more time in which to explore that option...well...be assured that this Nabiki would not have gone home to her world unfulfilled, and she would very much have been in touch with herself as a woman. Perhaps even the version of me that is on her world would thank me for this, having given her Nabiki some much needed insight.

I wonder, though...would that count as being unfaithful to my Nabiki? Making love to her counterpart...that does sound rather complicated...I only know that I felt attracted to this other version of my beloved, no doubt because this one was unconquered territory and greatly in need of my strength, but as they both are one in the same person I feel no shame or disloyalty, knowing that it is the essence of Nabiki to which I am devoted.

Would Ranma have felt the same way? Would I have been able to persuade him to share with me the joy of another version of our wife, one who seemed to manifestly need to be comforted, to be loved and cherished? It would have given me delight to bring the both of them together, but my husband can be very peculiar when it comes to certain things, though I knew implicitly that he, too, shared a strange fascination for this stranger who looked, talked and acted a bit like our beloved Nabiki.

Of course even as I thought these thoughts I was deeply concerned for where our true wife had gotten off to while this stranger briefly took her place in our existence. Bringing our Nabiki back into this world was a priority for us both, and were I equipped as a mage to effect such a transfer I would gladly have done so, if only for the sake of restoring the balance to our reality. My true wife is a woman who has learned much and gained great confidence in her own abilities, while this less learned counterpart was like a child newly born who had not yet learned to test her own legs, and thus inspired in both my husband and me an intense need to shelter and protect her. We needed to have our Nabiki return, but in her absence this stranger would be good company and a study in contrast to what progress our wife has made in her time as both Fiancee and apprenticed Lore Master. In that sense it was most desirable to send this stranger back to her home with all the haste due to the immediate situation...and yet there was a kind of secret joy to be had in the thought that-should our Nabiki not be restored in any brief amount of time-that we could do much with this version to recapture the glory that was had during the process of her education.

I am just saying this to be practical, of course, for in no way do I want my Nabiki to be replaced with a younger, less experienced model. To be fair in both senses, I feel confident in speculating on how our Nabiki would have behaved on that other world should she have been forced to reside there for any great duration, especially in light of the fact that there was another version of Ranma and me waiting there for her with which to make time, nor would I hold it against her for exploring such an option. Could I possibly be jealous of another version of me who was not currently destined to know such happiness as I have found with both Ranma and Nabiki?

But I digress...this does not bear immediate relationship to those tension-  
charged moments when this other Nabiki sat across the table from the Gambler King, the fool who dared seek to take possession of the dojo from my beloved wife and husband.

I confess to being less than knowledgeable about this particular game of card playing, but from the first exchange it was obvious to all concerned that Nabiki held the edge over her rival, at least until Cybelle appeared to alter the balance against us. I could sense that my wife's counterpart was at least nominally aware of the danger represented by Ryoga's evil grandmother, if not exactly to the degree of threat that those of us whom had faced her knew on a first hand basis. I stood nearer to hand and watched Ranma do the same out of the corner of one eye, the both of us perceiving that Nabiki was in a vulnerable spot and would need our aid should matters turn ugly. Cybelle is not above attacking an unarmed opponent, as was demonstrated by her lashing out at my wife's loyal retainer, Ryonami.

Thankfully the girl was not too badly injured, but I could see how upset Nabiki was at the treatment of her friend. For myself I was outraged at the cowardly act of seeking to harm a non-warrior in a casual display of her powers. We were all similarly vulnerable, but some of us are prepared to risk our lives in every battle that we take a part in, so attacking one who could not defend herself was shameful. Even Mousse would not sink so low and I doubt even Kuno would be at ease with such tactics were his mind not clearly influenced by the powers of the Demoness.

As for the King's allies...well, they were indeed formidable fighters, a fact we were shortly to learn the hard way, for all that they share the King's flamboyant taste in costumes. I had my eye on the one they called The Queen, sensing something very dangerous about this one, a fear that was shortly to be proved justified, though that is getting a bit ahead of my narration. In point of fact it was just as the game was reaching a critical juncture that something very strange seemed to come over my beloved, and that was the signal for many other odd occurrences which were shortly to follow...

Nabiki felt the tension in the air rise up a notch as she prepared to pick yet another card, this one to determine if she would keep possession of the hall closet. A peculiar sensation came over her, as if she had a friend tapping her on the shoulder to call her attention to something that might otherwise have gone unnoticed, and then she saw the way the King was smiling at her, as if her hand was about to pick the Old Maid card, even though clearly the card that he had pushed up from the others had to be the Old Maid as they had already discarded the Joker.

A gambler was typically a creature of superstition and habit, and few Gamblers varied their pattern away from that which was comfortable and familiar, so breaking with his ingrained pattern did not seem at all in keeping. This man was not clever or intelligent enough to fake out those tell-tale signs that were as much ingrained in him as any conditioned reflex, so she knew at once that something was the matter with this set-up, and with only a little thought she reasoned the cause had to be the presence of that Demon-woman, Cybelle.

Playing on a hunch she moved her hand away from the card that she had been about to take and saw the King's face go from a grin to a sad expression. That confirmed in her mind that the "Old Maid" card was the one she had avoided, but why was the king varying from his established modus operandi, and why had she been moved to take that card in the first place? To test the best hypothesis that she could think of at the moment, she reached for another card, and-sure enough-the King went from sadness to smiling.

That clinched it...somehow she was being compelled to draw the Old Maid card even though she would swear that it was not the card that she had been after before. That meant that the King either had a hand full of Jokers, or there was some sort of psychological trick involved here, possibly an illusion or a suggestion of some sort, and three guesses who would be messing with her mind and playing upon her perceptions.

Even as this thought began to form in her mind, she felt another voice speaking up from within her saying, "Well duh she's using an illusion...after all that is her primary source of power."

Without changing her own expression in the slightest Nabiki felt a weird sensation flowing through her, then silently asked to herself, **Who the heck are you?**

"I'm you, dummy," the voice replied, "Took me a few moments to establish contact, but now I'm in your head and you'd better damned well get used to it, because from the looks of things you're up to your neck in real hot water."

**Huh?** Nabiki thought to herself, **Mind running that one by me again?**

"I'm the Nabiki who belongs where you are," the voice replied, "And you're the imposter who took my place at this card game."

**Ah...** Nabiki's eyed grew wide and she formed a troubled expression before replying, **You're the one who's had that magic training...?**

"Lore Mastery," the voice replied in her mind, "And we don't have time for twenty questions. Keep your face under control, fool, or you'll tip off Cybelle that I'm here inside you."

**Ah...right, got it,** Nabiki swallowed, feeling that the weirdness factor had just escalated about fifty points above where it had been a minute ago, **So...what's the deal here? You gonna help me out here or what?**

"Just a minute, Sunshine, I need to update my memories," there was a pause before the voice increased in volume, "SAY WHAT? You hacked into my files? How could you!?"

**Ah...well...** Nabiki inwardly winced, hoping that she did not do so externally, **...You see...**

"Never mind," the voice inside her head barked harshly, "Probably no different than what I'd do in your place. Now listen here, you'd better not give away the fact that you have that disk in your possession, because if Cybelle finds out and hacks into that data base..."

**I got it,** Nabiki replied as calmly as she was able, **That would be bad news, right?**

"To say the least," the voice responded coldly, "If it looks like there's any chance of her getting a hold of that disk, destroy it...utterly! Don't let my data fall into her hands of it'll mean disaster for everybody, not to mention it will give her the access codes for hacking into the Yggdrasil system through the linkage Skuld set up for me..."

**Who?** Nabiki evidenced confusion.

"Never mind...you're gonna owe me for this one big time, sister. Tell you what, why don't you let me take over for a bit and then we'll have a little discussion about appropriate behavior for when you're in somebody else's Universe."

**Let you...?** Nabiki started to say when she felt something wash through her that felt as though she was being overlapped by a second presence very much like her own, then all at once her mind opened up to possibilities that she had never realized before, new perceptions well beyond her prior experience with her thoughts flowing in a different channel as her mind silently reached out and began to draw in the invisible force-lines of elemental energy that surrounded her on all sides.

This entire exchange took no more than half a minutes to elapse, but in that time there had been some grumbling and nervous looks from all around as Nabiki seemed to waver and hesitate, then lose interest in the game altogether. The King was about to snap something impatiently her way when all at once the girl's eyes grew focused and a sly, sardonic smile found its way across her lips. Nabiki straightened up and her manner became infinitely more confident as she regarded him with a predatory expression that, for some odd reason, left him feeling non-plussed and disturbed on some fundamental level.

"Cute," Nabiki noted in droll tones as she regarded the cards in the King's hands once again, seemed to reach out for the one that made the King smile whenever she had seemed about to take it, only at the last instant to move her fingers slightly to the left so that she drew another card, one that made the King's face go blank with amazement.

"I think it's time we come out of the closet, don't you think?" Nabiki asked as she placed the card out on the table with its matching set from her own hand, "You lose. A nice try this time, but you don't take Tendo Nabiki all that easy."

The King's eyes shifted nervously to the side where Cybelle was standing and there was obvious concern written large in his expression. To his surprise, relief of dismay, however, the Demoness was not looking towards him but seemed to have her attention focused elsewhere. Nabiki also took note of this, then found to her surprise that it was Ryoga whom Cybelle was eyeing, and on her expression was a curious hint of glee as though she were anticipating something rather nasty and devious that revolved around him, and whatever this scheme was she knew that it could not be anything healthy.

Ryoga himself seemed oblivious to his grandmother's intentions, but then again he was usually quite oblivious anyway, so there was no telling just what was passing through his head as he stared at the card table with a peculiarly vacant expression...

"Hello?" Ryoga asked, finding himself standing alone in the gloom of eternal darkness with no clue at all as to how he had arrived there, "Where is everybody? Is the game over already?"

There was no forthcoming reply, so Ryoga turned around looking for some clue about his surroundings, only to find the same infinite dark mass on any side to which he turned his expression. It began to trouble him greatly, as if suspecting he had gotten himself lost once again in one of those places that existed outside of normal timespace.

"Hello?" he tried again, "Kennou, Minako, Akane...anybody?"

"Why trouble you the names of the dead?" a voice replied in somber tones as a long figure materialized in a swirl of black robes, holding a farmer's scythe in one hand and radiating an aura of doom and desolation that vastly exceeded the foreboding of the darkness.

"Ah...hi," Ryoga turned to this caped figure, "Can you help me? I seem to have gotten lost again and..."

"THE NAME IS THATOS," the figure replied in booming, sepulchral tones that had all the warmth and charity of a slab being dragged over a sarcophagus, "I AM THE REAPER...THE GRIM REAPER, AND MY NAME MEANS DEATH!"

"Ah...right," Ryoga lamely amended, "Do you have a farm nearby where I can use a phone? Mom gave me a number to call if I ever got too far off the trail..."

"EXCUSE ME?" the shadowy figure responded.

"Er, sorry," Ryoga replied, "You said you were a Reaper, and naturally I just assumed you were a farmer..."

It ill suited the figure of Death to perform a facefault, but the urge was enormously tempting. Instead the dark clad figure leaned on its staff again and said, "PERHAPS I DID NOT MAKE MYSELF CLEAR...I AM THE GRIM REAPER, AND I AM DEATH INCARNATE."

"Oh?" Ryoga took stock of the cowled figure then amended himself, "Sorry...didn't recognize you for a moment there. I thought you were a girl the last time I...well, never mind that. I'm sorry to have troubled you, but I really do have to find my way back to the Tendo dojo..."

"WHY GO YOU TO THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD?" the cloaked figure tapped its bony fingers along the wooden shaft of its Scythe as if trying to contain an uncharacteristic impatience.

"Er...excuse me?" Ryoga blinked, "Maybe I didn't say this just right. I'm looking for the Tendo dojo inside Nerima ward, and they were very much alive the last I checked..."

"NOT ANYMORE," the grim figure replied, making a sweeping gesture with its Scythe as part of the surrounding gloom parted to reveal a scene of carnage and devastation.

Ryoga sucked in a sharp breath of dismay as he saw the bodies littering the dojo, blood splattered everywhere as though there had been a literal blood bath of orgiastic violence unleashed within the confines of the structure. The lost boy gazed in horror as the remains of his friends and family lay strewn about the floor in barely recognizable condition, leaving him momentarily in doubt as to their identities until he forced himself to look closer and confirm that it was indeed those nearest to him.

"H-How...?" Ryoga felt faint yet somehow remained clear-headed and unusually focused.

"IT WAS AN ENEMY THAT UNLEASHED THIS TERRIBLE CARNAGE," the figure of Death responded, "SHE IS AN ANCIENT FOE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD WHO HAS SOUGHT THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR CLAN AND THOSE NEAREST TO THE HIBIKIS. SHE IS THE ONE YOU MUST SEEK IF YOU ARE TO PREVENT THIS FATE FROM COMING TO PASS."

"Prevent?" Ryoga latched onto the word like a drowning man spotting a log in the currents, "You mean this hasn't happened just yet?"

"WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THE SHADOW OF WHAT MAY YET COME TO PASS IF THESE EVENTS REMAIN UNALTERED," the cloaked figure replied rather gravely, "IF THE DEMON WHO INSTIGATED THESE EVENTS IS NOT DESTROYED AND SWIFTLY, THEN THIS WILL BE THE FATE OF YOUR FRIENDS, LOVED ONES AND CLOSEST RELATIONS. THINK WELL UPON THIS AND DESPAIR."

Ryoga stared in horrified shock, seeing Ranma draped in death over a bloodied Nabiki, Ukyo bloodied remains draped over an equally bloodied Akane, while over in a corner his mother lay slumped in death next to Comb and his father, Genma, whose fur had been half stripped from his bloodied Panda carcass. And nor was this the full extent of the hideous obscenity, for closer to him lay the bodiless head of Kennou, staring up at him with a blank expression, while a dying Shirokuro whined plaintively before her tail ceased beating. And nearer to Ryoga still than this...

"No!" Ryoga recoiled from the sight of a motionless Minako, "NO! NO, NEVER! Tell me how I can prevent this!"

"YOUR TASK IS SIMPLE," the gravely voice of Death responded, "GO TO THIS ADDRESS AND SEEK THE STRONGHOLD OF THE DEMONESS, AND THERE YOU WILL FIND THIS STONE THAT IS THE SOURCE OF HER EVIL MAGICS."

Ryoga saw the exterior of a building and recognized it as being located in the downtown Furinkan Financial district, then he saw the doors open to reveal of large stone block that looked like the capstone to a pyramid (he knew what a capstone was from his wanderings to the pyramids of Mexico and Egypt).

"SHATTER THIS STONE AND THE DEMONESS'S POWER WILL BE BROKEN," the figure touched the stone with its scythe and caused the stone to explode into a million pieces, "DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY HER LIES AND ILLUSIONS, SHE IS A TERRIBLE EVIL THAT MUST BE ERADICATED!"

"Right," Ryoga started to charge forward, only to have his way be blocked by the scythe-wielding figure.

"NOT THAT WAY, YOU BLOCKHEAD!" Death snapped in disgust, "WAIT UNTIL I SHOW YOU THE WAY...THIS IS HOW YOU WILL FIND THE LAIR OF THE DEMON!"

The bony hand of Death stretched out one finger to touch the space between Ryoga's eyes, then all at once he knew how to get from where he was to the building that housed the Demoness, so with no further ado he thanked the Grim Reaper and turned away, all but charging through any obstacle that blocked his path, be it living or inanimate, his haste inspired by thoughts of his dead or dying loved ones.

Cybelle threw back the cowl and shook her head in disgust, then said, "No doubt about it, he's the son of my nitwit daughter! Having the other half of his genes belong to that fat-headed Genma is almost enough to make even me pity the boy...oh well...at least he's properly motivated and just competent enough to get the job done..."

Meanwhile back in the real world, Kennou and Minako both turned as one upon hearing a startled gasp from the boy standing in the space between them, and in dismay they each read the pale and horrified expression of his features.

"No!" he gasped, backing away from them without a single hint as to what was causing him to react this way, "I won't let it happen...NO, NO, I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!"

"Ryoga-kun?" Minako asked with concern written in her own expression.

"You all right, guy?" Kennou frowned, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"NOOO!" without warning Ryoga turned around on one heel and tore his way out of the dojo, scattering the people unfortunate enough to be standing in his path, and not even pausing when he reached the wall and bore right through it.

"Master?" Shirokuro belatedly inquired, distressed upon seeing the anguish in the boy's features.

"Don't just stand there you three," a voice drew their attention at once and they turned to see Lotion standing next to them, "Go after the boy, you must not let him wander off alone in his condition."

"But...what's wrong with him?" Minako asked, then growled, "Oh hell!" and she went charging off after her wayward boyfriend."

"Master!" Shirokuro shifted from her human form to that of a half-tone canine with such speed that those who witnessed her transformation were left to question what it was, in fact, that they had just witnessed.

Kennou lingered a moment longer, turning from the old woman to stare at the party she knew had to be in some way responsible for her Nephew's peculiar behavior, a suspicion that was confirmed the moment she saw the smirking confidence written plain in the blond Demoness's expression. In a low voice she growled, "You...!"

"Don't tarry long, dear," the Demoness shot back, "You'll get left behind...one way or another, Bitch."

Kennou suspected that last part was directed at her as an oblique reference to her Jusenkyo curse, and she seriously considered forming an insult of her own in reply, but the thought of Ryoga getting lost without her made her grit her teeth and growl, "Oh hell!" and then she was out the door hoping she had enough clues on hand to help her catch up with her vanishing Nephew. Fortunately for her peace of mind there was a new hole in one nearby wall that gave her a good hint which direction she should follow.

The one good thing about a Hibiki, she reckoned, was that they tended to leave a path that even another Hibiki would have little problem recognizing.

"Ryoga?" Ranma murmured faintly.

"Ryoga-kun?" Akane asked in belated reaction.

"Mina-chan," Makoto breathed, "Maybe we should follow and see that he doesn't get hurt..."

"Your place is here," Lotion said firmly, turning a stern look towards the smug Cybelle, "Now, if we may have no further interruptions?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" Cybelle feigned innocence, "My poor grandson seems to have developed a chill. Carry on, everyone...oh, and King...if you lose one more round it will be your head that you forfeit."

Nabiki's eyes narrowed, suspecting the worst of intentions from the Demoness, yet knowing better than to allow herself to be drawn away from her card game. In soft, inward reflection she said, **Now you see what's at stake here? If that witch gets control over the Dojo it will mean bad news for everybody, and I don't just mean a possible eviction.**

**Right,** came the inward voice of her counterpart, **I got it.**

"Deal," Nabiki said aloud, knowing that there was little else to be done for Ryoga at the moment, though she could not help wondering just where the Demoness had sent him off to in such haste and distress.

"Man," she heard the burly man named Kento remarked, "Wonder if she's related to Dais."

"Whoever that is," amended Naomi in a soft whisper.

"Great Grandmother," Shampoo said as she regarded her elder, "What Nabiki do, and why Elders help? Shampoo no understand what they do here."

"The heck with that," Akane sounded even more disturbed, "Who is that lady with them, and why...why does she look so much like...like..."

"Like our mother?" Kasumi finished for her.

"A fair question," Cologne replied as she stood beside Siren, "My best estimation would surprise and amaze you young people, even with all the wonders you have so far witnessed in your two-brief lives..."

"What she means to say is that you're looking on the embodiment of a living goddess," Siren interpreted, leaving the Matriarch looking somewhat non-plussed and exasperated, "She just happens to resemble your late mother, which no doubt is because of her having been based off of the same Template..."

"Off the same what?" Ranma asked with a puzzled expression.

"A Template," the Arch Magus replied, "Like a copy from the same pattern, the original being the source of the pattern, and a Goddess is naturally closer to the source and thus enjoys the distinction of being the Prime Pattern from which is drawn many a Template."

"You mean like a copy," Akane interpreted, looking more than slightly weirded by the whole situation, "Are you calling our mother a mere copy?"

"Not at all," Siren replied, "There's nothing 'mere' about being a Template...in fact it is a distinct honor and a privilege, meaning that your mother walked in grace for the time that she was on this Earth, being drawn from a Heavenly source that walks in the shadow of the powers of creation."

"And how fitting that this should be the one from whom that particular Template was taken," Cologne murmured faintly, though her expression and tone were difficult to interpret.

"Oh my," Kasumi said with an unusually thoughtful look to her normally serene expression, "You said our mother was one Template...you mean there are others?"

"Ah...yes..." Siren exchanged a hesitant look with Cologne, who continued to maintain a neutral expression, "I do know of one person in particular who does, in fact, does strongly resemble the Goddess and-by inference-your late mother, but I suppose you could chalk that up to the Divine Machinery that governs us all getting a bit repetitive in churning out the same recurrent patterns. There's nothing unusual at all to this, however, lots of people have a near-double image of themselves running around loose. In fact, there's an Amazon whom we knew who looks a little like you, sweet child, in everything but temperament and nature...and no doubt you both are drawn from the same divine archetype..."

"What about you, lady?" Ranma asked, "Are you somebody's Template-thingie?"

"Who, me?" Siren laughed at the suggestion, "You are talking to an original model here, when they made me they broke the mold..."

"Except for a certain American actress to whom you are continually compared," Cologne noted with a hint of faint amusement in her voice.

"I wasn't talking about her," the Archmage said a bit testily, "A nice girl but I fail to see the resemblance, or like that Astronaut fellow who seemed to have mistaken me for his wife on that one occasion."

"But of course," Cologne murmured with a rolling of her eyes, "What could I be thinking...?

"Well...all that stuff can wait, I guess," Ranma turned back to regard the still-silent Nabiki where she was sitting across from the Amazon Elder named Lotion, "What the heck are they doing in there? They've been like that for over an hour!"

Siren turned a sly look towards Cologne and said, "A nice boy...he kind of reminds me of someone whom we both knew back when we were young and innocent about life, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Cologne's expression darkened slightly, but other than this she remained stoically neutral.

"Shampoo agree with Ranma," Cologne spoke up, "Why Nabiki sit like that with Elder? If she Lore Master, why Shampoo never see this before?"

"Perhaps because none of us have ever taken the Middle Tendo sister all that seriously, other than for her Mercenary tendencies and propensity for mischief," Cologne noted, "Obviously in her world those talents that make her so proficient as an information gatherer were recognized early and cultivated by the Lotion of their world, and so this Nabiki is a far more formidable person that to which we are accustomed."

Ranma was silent as he regarded the silent girl currently in deep meditation, but his thoughts ran over the disturbing way that she had been acting around him, as if taking it for granted that they should both be involved in a relationship together. There was no hint of this being one of her usual clever scams and whimsical deceptions, and he failed to see how she could gain a profit out of any of this, and his instincts inclined him to believe that she was sincere this time in professing her affections. He still had not fully gotten over his resentment towards Nabiki for the way she had treated him only a few weeks back while pretending to be his official fiancee.

The problem disturbing his current state of mind that was he could not feel the same way towards this Nabiki...in fact the smile she had favored him with before entering the dojo had unnerved him more than words could say, and he was not altogether certain if it was a good or bad thing the way that smile made him feel, or why he could not stop thinking about it...

"I don't get this," Akane was saying aloud, "Are you guys saying that Nabiki's some kind of mage on the world where he comes from?"

"Lore Master," Siren corrected, "Not mage. That's my turf, thank you very much. We have very different interests and the only thing we share in common is a working understanding of the forces that govern the Cosmos. Other than that we achieve radically different ends and have goals that we pursue in very different directions."

"Of course," Cologne remarked, "You look for power, they quest for knowledge."

"I am powerful," Siren replied with a wink, "But it's what I do with the power that counts, eh Kho-chan?"

The three teenaged youths saw the flirtatious gleam in the blonde Archmage's eyes, and the stoical rebuff given by the withered Matriarch, who seemed more than slightly ruffled at being addressed in such an intimate manner. Three sets of eyes blinked in unison, then as one Shampoo, Ranma and Akane purposefully glanced away rather than try to fathom out the attraction. Only Kasumi remained unchanged in her expression, though in her case it seemed her usual obliviousness had returned with a vengeance.

They all turned back to regard the still-silent Nabiki, noting a slight crease of perspiration that was now forming on her brow as her formerly serene expression took on a look of intense concentration. Sitting across from her, the Elder Lotion studied the young girl with one critical eye and found she much approved of what she was observing. There was a conflict, a doubling effect about the girl's aura that suggested two minds sharing one space rather than the singularity of before, yet somehow this Nabiki was expertly balancing the forces at her disposal without the kind of strain one might have expected from an relative amateur. It greatly pleased her to know that such a capable apprentice could exist at this time and place, let alone a child of such gifted and unusual heritage. It gave her hope that she had finally found the one who could take up the mantle of a true Lore Master.

(Not that there was anything particularly wrong with her granddaughter, of course, but there were times when Silk could be fairly exasperating, and though the child usually meant well she had a long way to go before Lotion was satisfied enough to designated her as her chosen successor.)

Peorth looked on with parental pride as she observed the way Nabiki was handling her mind-meld with the Nabiki of this timeline and was no less impressed at how well the girl was balancing the forces that linked the two worlds together. She had a sense that there was a crisis on the other timeline, and Nabiki's increased heartbeat and metabolic rate meant that she was gathering her forces to meet some looming challenge, and the Goddess yearned to lend her own considerable resources to further aid her spiritual step-daughter, but the rules constrained her to act only as an observer...at least for the moment, pending further evidence that her godly hand was needed.

Beyond that, there was nothing in the rules that prohibited her from acting like a much concerned mother...

Nabiki was only peripherally aware of any of these things, her expression currently expanded far beyond her usual limitations, but largely drawn to the hand that she was currently playing in another world where another Nabiki was matching wits with her enemies. Not just the Gambler King on his throne-like chair, of course, but the far more menacing presence hanging just slightly off in the background.

The illusions of the Demon Sorceress were growing in strength as Cybelle made a serious attempt at drawing her attention away from the card that she was attempting to draw from the King's hand. The sweat on her brow was the only physical indication of the strain that she was under as she ignored the roaring flames and sensations like pins and needles being prodded into her skin, none of which was real as she sternly repeated to herself while attempting to calm herself down with the sense of the utter unreality of the situation. The other Nabiki was submerged within her consciousness yet very much a presence and acting like a wide-eyed girl totally out of her element and amazed at how calm her counterpart was behaving.

Nabiki KNEW what the reality of her situation was and allowed that to serve as an anchor of stability amid the barrage of constantly shifting distractions. Cybelle was clearly toying with her, making a game out of twisting her perceptions of reality, so much so that even her eyes could not be trusted to accurately reflect her surroundings. Merely knowing that it was all an illusion would not have been enough to dismiss or drown out the cacophony of misleading sounds, sights, smells and tactical sensations that were assaulting her from all angles. Some of the scenarios the Demoness conjured up with hideously perverted, and yet false to the core, images that seemed as though they were taking place on a different reality to some other person, and only be remaining true to her own inner sense of self could she remain sane under the relentless bombardment.

Her eyes remained focused on the one card that she knew she had to draw, and it seemed in her mind that this card shone with a golden radiance that distinguished it from all others in the King's hand. With great attention to what underlying reality she knew was there, she forced her hand to pick that card, and sure enough it turned out to be the correct choice, though the effort left her shaking and unsteady.

Obviously her counterpart was not as well adapted to manipulating such forces or honing her senses like a sharp knife that cut through the fog of Cybelle's illusions. More disturbing still, when the illusions faded, Nabiki saw amusement rather than alarm in the expression of the demoness, even though the King was down to two remaining cards, and the next hand was likely to decide the winner for this round of the match and be that much closer to regaining legal possession of the dojo.

"Not bad," Cybelle turned to regard Lotion sidelong, "You trained her quite well. Even in the body of a novice she still has the ability to tell one illusion from another."

"It is her birthright," Lotion replied, "I expected nothing less, even from this novice who momentarily has taken the place of my apprentice."

"Too bad for her that she won't get any farther in her training," Cybelle noted with a hint of genuine regret, "She would have made a formidable successor for you. How disappointing for you this must be, but the end is still a forgone conclusion."

"You believe so?" Lotion mused, "We will see about that, Hibiki."

Cybelle's pleasant smile momentarily faltered, "It's Anslat now. I gave up on my useless husband ever finding his way back to my bed. If we should meet again it will not be a pleasant reunion, I assure you."

"Really?" Lotion responded, "What a pity...and here Atsuko was no doubt hoping for a reconciliation between you."

"That girl always was a dreamer," Cybelle's nostrils flared, "She chose to side with my enemies, she can share the fate of the rest of you. I wash my hands of the matter..."

"Your maternal concern is touching," Lotion replied, "But you haven't won the match yet."

"Eh?" Cybelle's eyes moved back to the game, where she saw the King looking more than slightly flustered, holding in his hand the "Old Maid" card, which he had drawn while her attention was focused elsewhere.

"Oh my," Lotion remarked, "Took your mind off the game? Now how did that happen?"

"You...witch," Cybelle hissed, but then regained control over her temper as she said in a renewed sultry voice, "Oh...your Majesty..."

"Eh...?" the King's already pale face drained of all remaining color.

"I warned you that I don't tolerate failure," the Demoness made a sharp motion with her fingers as though drawing a line across her throat, and like that a flash of light shot forth from her hand to slice the air between her and the reputed "Gambler King," and for a moment nothing seemingly happened.

And then, with startling inevitability, something topped forward, striking the table and rolling onto the floor with the sound of finality while the rest of the King's body wavered where he sat, then stumbled forward.

Nabiki gasped, almost jumping back out of her chair as she stared in disbelief at what had just happened.

"I'm bored," Cybelle flexed her arms in the ensuing shocked silence that followed, "The game was becoming tedious, let's cut to the chase shall we and get things really moving."

Naomi was stunned, but not so mush so that she failed to recognize how Kento had moved to turn Rachael's away from the table and shielded her from the gruesome sight with his broad-shouldered body, for which she was silently and entirely too grateful.

"Sh-she killed him!" Ranma said into utter dead silence of the room, stating the obvious for those who were mentally still trying to cope with the utter savagery of what they had just witnessed.

All at once the headless neck of the body slumped over the table started gushing blood at Nabiki, who reacted as if she were being sprayed by acid, yet before the red ichor could make contact a wooden staff was thrust into the space over the table, and all at once the illusion was banished and the rumors of the King's death were proved to be more than slightly exaggerated.

"Eh?" the Gambler King felt along the sides of his neck as if no less surprised than anyone at finding hit still in an unblemished condition.

"Really," said Lotion snorted, "Can't you for once dispense with these cheap theatrics?"

"Oops," Cybelle replied in mock concern, "Did I forget to do that for real and merely use an illusion? Silly me...and here I was under the impression that a proper Villainess should be ruthless with employees who fail her. Guess I just need more practice playing the role of the heavy." She turned to the Royal Flush gang and calmly pointed at Nabiki and the others, "Gentlemen, time for you to earn your paychecks."

"All right with me," said a man who stood up from his chair, dressed like the playing card figure that he was, though he was a King of a very different set from the Gambler King, whom he had been regarding as a useless pretender, "Gentlemen...the game is a foot."

"About bloody time," grinned the figure of the Jack of Spades as he drew his sword and adopted a flashy stance that even Kuno found overly flamboyant.

"Indeed," the Queen of Spades noted slyly as she flexed her arms then struck a pose most stylish, "Time enough for us to have some fun with these children."

"Don't make much difference to me either way," the Ace of Spades remarked as he stood to his huge and formidable height, cracking his knuckles with the sound of rocks being broken, "Long as we're being paid. You in with us, Ten?"

"All the way," said the feminine girl with the number ten emblazoned next to the symbol of a space on her chest, "Let's show these losers what the Royal Flush Gang is made of."

"Humph," Tatewaki snorted, "You had better very well impress me for the price you are charging my lady."

"That's what you say, Lady," Ukyo remarked as she unslung her Baker's Peel and assumed a fighting crouch.

"You guys just made a big mistake!" Akane agreed as she stood beside the chef with her arms raised to attack positions.

"Yeah," seconded Makoto, who stood at Ukyo's other flank and cracked her own knuckles, looking eager for the rumble.

"You guys messed with the wrong dojo," Ranma insisted before adding in a side-  
voice, "Shampoo...keep Nabiki out of trouble and stay sharp, okay?"

"Hai, Airen," Shampoo agreed, taking Nabiki by the elbow and carefully steering her back to the rear of their battle lines.

"Hey," Nabiki protested, "What gives? I'm a part of this too, you know!"

"At the present it would be most unwise for you to participate directly in this matter, Child," Lotion informed her, "After all, in your current state you are vulnerable, and if Cybelle were to harm you..."

"Just so," Kodachi mused as she came to join the rest of their side of the looming battle, "And should anything untoward happen to you it would be most distressing to Kasumi-sama, which is why you should allow those of us who are trained in combat to deal with these ruffians."

"But...!" Nabiki started to protest, even as a voice in the back of her head was screaming, **WOULD YOU LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TELL YOU? WHO THE HECK'S BODY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO USE TO PLAY HERO HERE?"

"Er..." Nabiki considered the wisdom of having an argument with herself even as the spectators who had gathered around the room backed away to give wide space for what was promising to be a more than typical altercation in the lazy province of Nerima...but one that would most likely decide the fate of not just the Tendo House but the entire community for generations yet to come.  
The only question in everyone else's mind was: Would the dojo survive this particular challenge...or any of the occupants for whom the battle was a more than personal matter

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Long-Delayed Continuity: shadowmane

Sorry once again that I took a long pause in my writing. I had a serious case of writers cramp that was coupled with equipment failures and some personal projects that proved to be a bit more time-consuming than I'd intended. Hopefully I won't be too long in getting the next chapter going, but I do have a lot of demands on my time at the present. (Hey, I'm human, opinions of some parties to the contrary).

Anyway, the fight begins with Team Ranma versus The Royal Flush Gang (DC comics TM) with the fate of two Nabiki's hanging in the balance. Tune in with us next time for: "Rumble in Spades," or "Flushing it all down the Drain!"

Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	128. Chapter 128

NabikiRan112 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Twelve.

"Well, here we are," Yumi announced, "Back to the Tendo house for us. Wonder why your grandmom teleported us out on the street instead of in the yard where we'd attract less notice?"

"Who knows?" Atsuko replied, "Grandma never does anything without a good reason, but if you expect me to figure out how she thinks, then you've obviously got another think coming."

"Good point," Comb reluctantly agreed, "It's like trying to figure out the mind of my grandmother, and I don't recommend that to anyone who's half sane."

"I heard that," Cologne grumbled from where she stood near the rear of their assemblage, with the ever-amused Siren close on her heels looking wryly at the Matriarch's comely profile.

"So, this is the Tendo place where you've been staying, Mom?" Ryomi asked, "And where I'll finally get to see my big brother again after all these years?"

"My grandson?" Razor marveled, "I wonder what he's like at this age...I've had so many children that I've lost track of in my wanderings..."

"Yeah, we know, Gramps," Akiko grumbled, "And most of us have been wandering in and out of town like one big happy convention..."

"Strange," Yumi noted as she took point passing through the gates, "There are an awful lot of people in the yard, and since when did they rename this place as a Casino?"

"That Gambler King guy better watch out if he's made too many changes to the property," Atsuko grumbled as they forced their way through the crowds of milling people , "I closed down the illusions and sealed off the side-portals to keep them off-limits to that bozo, but if he's got Mom backing him up even that might not be a safe bet and...hey!"

Comb reacted first to the sudden changes in the environment as they heard the initial sounds of a commotion going on inside the dojo, "What in the name of our Ancestors...?"

All at once people started charging out through the doorway to the structure, clearing out so fast that it seemed that they feared a horde of rampaging beasts were on their tail. The patrons of the Casino were suddenly thrown into panic and confusion as the sounds of violence intensified, and then all at once they heard what sounded like a tremendous explosion.

Without warning a body came hurtling out through the side of the dojo as if it had been shot out of the muzzle of a cannon. The figure passed through their ranks only to collide with Razor, striking the huge man squarely in the chest, and so great was the force with which this body had been projected that the inertia actually staggered the elder Hibiki back by a good several centimeters. Razor gave a soft grunt, and then the body rolled off of him and landed in a heap on the ground, only partially stunned, to everyone's complete amazement.

"Ow..." groaned a somewhat disheveled Saotome Ranma, feeling along the side of his jaw as if to make certain it was still attached.

"Ranma-san?" Yumi reacted.

"Son-in-law?" remarked Comb with a far more alarmed expression.

"Oh, sorry about that," Razor bent down, "I hope that didn't hurt too much."

"Naw," Ranma shrugged off the blow and got (somewhat unsteadily) back to his feet, "Just caught me by surprise...didn't think that guy could move so fast, and he hits pretty hard for a clown in a white suit."

"Somebody's in there causing trouble for my Ryo-chan?" Atsuko growled, and without pausing to ask for details she charged into the dojo.

"Hey, wait-!" Ranma started to call out when he belatedly realized that several faces among the group surrounding him were less than wholly familiar, "Who...who are you people?"

"No time for that now, Son-in-law," Cologne moved past the confused youth and urged the others to do likewise, but once they entered through the door they came up behind a motionless Atsuko, who had halted in her tracks to take in the sight of the battle raging all across the dojo.

There was the lumbering giant dressed like a human-shaped Ace of Spades taking a broad swing in the direction of Genma, who was dodging back and avoiding the attack while flanked by Soun, who was busily trying to find an opening in the huge man's defenses. Silk and Nodoka were similarly occupied trying to double-  
team a lady dressed up like a Queen, who was effectively fending them off with her Scepter with such nonchalance that they might as well have been dancing. As unusual as it was to see the adults taking a primary role in a fight, it was clear from the onset that neither team of defending Elders was making much progress against their respective opponents.

A man dressed up as a King was similarly making himself busy hammering away at the odd couple formed by Akane and Makoto. The King was radiating bolts of lightning that lashed out at the two girls and was keeping them firmly and decisively on the defensive. Close nearby Ukyo was similarly engaged in an uneven fencing match against another man dressed up as the Jack of Spades, who was himself wielding a longsword with such skill that it might as well have been an epee, and evidently enjoying the match as he seemed to be toying with the cross-gender Chef, as though at any moment he might get bored and choose to end the match in such a decisive way that would very likely be to Ukyo's ill favor.

And then there was Kodachi, who presently was doing her own version of an acrobatic dance against a slender figure dressed up like the "Ten" card. The costumed girl was expertly dodging and attacking the Gymnast with such supple grace that she seemed nearly to float around the room rather than be bound by gravity or the laws of inertia.

Lastly there was Shampoo, who stood back on the sidelines with Nabiki and several others hovering defensively by her side while the Amazon held up her bonbori maces as if torn between the need to join in the fray or protect these unarmed civilians. Nabiki had a very tense expression on her features as she watched the battle rage, but when she saw Ranma and the others enter the room a look of relief briefly replaced the anxiety that she was manifesting.

"Ranma-kun!" she called out in his direction.

"So, you losers choose to show up just when things are starting to get interesting," a sly voice remarked, causing all heads to turn sideways to observe Cybelle and Tatewaki Kuno standing together as if admiring the fight from a side vantage, "And here I thought you'd be late and miss all the fun..."

"Momma?" Atsuko reacted, "What the hell are you up to here?"

"I'm coordinating the battle for my side, of course," Cybelle replied without turning to glance in her daughter's direction, "Isn't it grand? These Gaijin mercenaries are quite talented, and I expect a good show for the money I'm paying."

"Cybelle?" Razor murmured in faint wonder, though at the moment he was not yet fully inside the dojo nor visible to the Demoness from her vantage.

"Really, Saotome," Tatewaki remarked without glancing at the new arrivals, "Allowing a single punch to connect with you? That's so unlike you. I was anticipating a better performance than that. You really must not be trying very hard to protect your loved ones..."

"Shut up," Ranma growled, "That guy just got lucky! I'll nail him for sure this time!"

With that Ranma went charging into the fracas before anyone could stop him. Nabiki herself watched the youth cross the dojo floor with vengeance clearly in his eyes while the Ace of Spades had managed to grip Genma by one ankle and was proceeding to use him like a mop to scrub the floor. Ranma's leap became a flying Dragon-kick, but the big man saw him coming in time to raise Genma up as a shield, and Ranma's foot uselessly struck his father and was harmlessly deflected (well, harmless for everyone except Genma, of course...).

"Airen!" Shampoo cried, turning to Lotion before saying, "Elder, look after Nabiki and others. Shampoo go to help Ranma!"

"As you wish," the old woman responded, "Just remember to be cautious and listen to your instincts."

"Shampoo remember," the Amazon cast a fond glance towards Nabiki and said, "Wait here, Airen, Shampoo protect family."

"But..." Nabiki wanted to say something about taking care of the child that Shampoo carried, but that thought caused the other Nabiki within her to react with surprising emotions of such intensity that it momentarily left the both of them speechless with dread of what might happen in the next few minutes.

"Hey," Ranma called out as he approached the Ace of Spades, who was busy using Genma for a club and pounding his head upon the floor while Soun was busy taking a nap in one corner, "Need any help?"

"Yes!" Genma managed to wheeze out.

"I wasn't talking to you, Old Man," Ranma snorted with indifference.

That actually made the big man dressed like a playing card pause in the act of using Genma as a tent peg. He turned to regard the young man with a sidelong expression that was plain even through the mask that he was wearing. In a rumbling deep voice he said, "Kid...sounds like you've got Old Man issues like me. Much as I'd like to swap notes, I got a job to do, so..."

With ridiculous ease the big man hurled Genma the length of the room. Fortunately for the elder Saotome, a certain Hibiki woman was watching this with a most distressed expression.

"Gemi-chan!" Atsuko cried as she leaped into action, intercepting the husky martial artist before he could collide with a wall, let alone past through it. With an ease that was surprising in so womanly a shape, Atsuko caught the burden of the man in both arms and braced her legs against the floor, breaking his inertia without doing damage to either party.

"Oh my," said a grinning Cybelle, "This is so much more fun to watch in person, I should have ordered up some popcorn..."

"Cybelle!" declared an anxious Razor as he circled around to confront her, staggering the blonde sorceress with the very sight of his presence, "Cybelle...what are you doing?"

"YOU?" the Demoness was clearly taken aback at the sight of the broad-shouldered man obstructing her line of vision, "How did you...?"

The Ace of Spades moved with surprising speed as he threw a punch in Ranma's direction, but unlike his earlier back-handing of the younger Saotome, Ranma avoided the punch this time by turning his body into the blow and gripping the wrist as it passed by his body. Twisting into the punch while drawing the Ace forward on his own momentum, Ranma tripped the larger man up with the spinning motion of his body and sent the costumed-clad Ace tumbling end-over-end into a wall...and subsequently right through it.

"Hah!" Ranma snorted, "Thought you'd nail me the same way twice? What a baka..."

"Ranma," Shampoo said as she came up to join him, "You defeat stupid Playing-  
Card man already?"

"Was there ever any doubt?" Ranma turned a grin her way, "You know the bigger they are the harder they..."

There was a rumbling in the floor, and all at once the Ace erupted through the boarding, right under Ranma and Shampoo, who were propelled together right through the ceiling.

"The harder they hit, Sucka!" Ace declared in triumph.

"Ranma!" Nabiki cried from where she stood, feeling torn with helplessness at being on the sidelines, a sensation altogether new for her since usually that was where she preferred to be during just such a conflict.

"Never mind that," Razor waved Cybelle's point away dismissively with one hand, then with a sweeping gesture included the whole dojo as he declared, "What's the meaning of all of this? Why are you having these children fight out our battles? What's happened to you that you can enjoy inflicting so much misery and suffering on others..."

"What's happened to me?" Cybelle replied archly, "You ask me that NOW, forty years after you walked out on me to go to the store to buy a box of crackers?"

"Well, I was hungry..." Razor said a bit defensively.

"Is that all you have, ladies?" the Queen of Spades asked as she flashed her scepter at the two ladies trying to double-team her, "I'm not impressed...in fact, I'm downright insulted!"

The Queen's scepter flashed an energy whip around Nodoka's sword-arm, immobilizing her with the electrified current. Silk tried to take advantage of this by attacking the Queen with her silver flute, only to have her thrust be turned to the side as the Queen nimbly deflected with her staff, then side-  
kicked the Amazon Lore Master in her unprotected middle.

"She's good," Nodoka said as she shrugged off the whip and slowly began to recover from her shocking encounter.

"Too good," Silk agreed as they both fell back into defensive postures, "I can't get a grasp on her aura, and she's too quick with that toy of hers to leave us an opening. Perhaps if we attack at the same time?"

"Certainly worth a try," Nodoka shrugged as she sheathed her sword and assumed a ready stance as if pointed for a quick draw.

Silk began to hum as she spun her flute from one side to the other, her voice almost singing the chant that accompanied the musical sounds her weapon made while in motion as she summoned up her powers. Meanwhile Nodoka's expression became hard and emotionless, the mask of a Samurai with eyes sharp and deadly as a blade. As one they attacked, their weapons in near-simultaneous motion as Silk thrust her flute forward in a stabbing gesture, Nodoka's sword clearing its scabbard with a hiss of steel that whipped the air like a spitting cobra...

And with a wave of her scepter the Queen easily turned aside their attacks and sent both women reeling backwards.

"This isn't really any fun any more," the Queen declared as her energy whip crackled and spun about her body, creating a deadly figure-eight that kept both women on the defensive as they attempted to recover their bearings, "I think I'll finish you off and find someone else to play with who might give me more entertaining sport."

Silk and Nodoka flinched as one as she braced themselves, the air crackling as the whip went slashing towards their middles, so fast that it would have easily penetrated their guard but for a second sword slashing the space between them and severing the energy-whip before it could find its mark with either lady.

"Having trouble, ladies?" Comb asked as she stood poised with her straight sword.

"Comb?" Nodoka asked in mild surprise.

"Where have you been?" Silk demanded in tones of friendly banter, "It's not like you to miss all the fun..."

"As a matter of fact I've been looking up an old friend of the family," Comb replied as she flexed her straight sword and held it at the ready, her gaze never leaving her opponent, "I'll spare you the details until later, but first...mind if I cut in on your little dance number?"

"By all means, be our guest," Nodoka replied as she sheathed her sword and came to stand at the right hand of the Amazon healer.

"Plenty for you to have a go at it," Silk added as she stood to the left of Comb, silver flute at the ready.

"How cute," the Queen remarked, "Three friends all in a row...makes my job easier taking you out at the same...URK!"

As the Queen went toppling forward, Cologne stood calmly where poised behind the playing card's backside with her staff pointed at a certain cluster of nerves, and then very casually the former leader of the Joketsuzoku spoke aloud, "You may fancy yourself a Queen, but I am a Matriarch, and that means I outrank you."

"Hungry?" Cybelle was all but screeching, "You bloody forgetful-minded idiot! You know you can't find your way to anyplace without my spells to help direct and guide you!"

"I know you were always looking out for me," Razor said, "And I wasn't the best husband that you could have asked for..."

"Oh, you think?" Cybelle glared into his eyes with fury blazing in her every inch and demeanor, "And just because you admit it that's supposed to make it all better...?"

Meanwhile a considerable light show was going on in that corner of the dojo presently occupied by the King of Spades and his two sparring partners, both of whom were being hemmed in by lightning flashes that struck all around them. The King was crackling with electrostatic as he prepared to make another discharge, and when Akane tried to rush him she got slammed back into a wall as a sudden gust of wind caught her full in the chest from the outstretched palm of their opponent.

"I command the elements, Peasants," the King remarked as he held his hand outstretched, "You challenge me, you challenge the very heavens themselves. To face the King is face the Whirlwind..."

"So who are you?" asked Makoto, "Jupiter on his mountain?"

"Yeah, you big Blowhard," Akane growled as she regained her bearings, readying herself for another rush.

"Jupiter...or Lord Jove...is my role model and inspiration," the King replied, "Though mortal man may not aspire beyond his lot err he risk the wrath of hubris, still this humble King lords it over other mere mortals through his command of the wind, the storms and the lightning..."

"Storms?" Akane got a gleam in her eyes as she said, "You're all wet! All you've got is a few sparks and some wind tricks!"

"Oh, you think so, do you?" the King seemed amused by the challenge, "Then feast on this, my pretty Geisha flower."

As they watched his outstretched hand it began to cloud over with a haze of mist, which same congealed within seconds into a globe of water, and this projected outward in a spray as hard as any fire hose directly at Akane.

Akane saw the rush of water coming and immediately turned her back, bracing her legs against the floor in time for the impact to stagger her, even as it triggered her curse and caused her wings to sprout like a billowing curtain.

"What are you waiting for?" Akane shouted at Makoto even as the force of the water blast continued to pound her and drive her staggering forward, "Change already!"

"Right," Makoto said, recovering from her surprise even as she drew her pen from concealment.

The King called off his water attack as he saw the change come over his opponent, even as Akane kept her wings spread to afford Makoto the time she needed to work her transformation.

"Interesting," the King remarked, "You can change your outer form, perhaps you are not so common as you appeared..."

Akane slowly turned around, folding her wings to reveal the transformed Makoto, her eyes glaring with fury as she focused on the King and said, "I've got just one question for you...did you just call me a Geisha?"

"Rather unsporting for a King," Makoto remarked, somehow managing to appear taller and more formidable than before for reasons having little to do with her outward transformation, "How about we try this again with the odds more in our favor?"

"In your favor?" the King said, "That is most amusing," and he drew his hand back to summon up the wind, causing it to swirl around his person.

"That won't work with me," Akane warned as she balled a fist and made herself ready, even as Makoto gestured with both hands and began to crackle.

The King unleashed his whirlwind attack, but this time Akane timed her thrust and stretched her wings out only after the gust had struck her. The sudden change in vectors, rather than hurl her back, instead sucked her forward as basic fluid dynamics turned her into a human missile, with her fist aimed for the jawbone of the King, who staggered backwards from the stunning impact.

"Felt that one, did you?" Makoto asked as Akane arched out of the range of her line of fire, "Try this one on for size!"

And with that the built-up charge that she had been storing lanced from her hands like a literal bolt of thunder, catching the King full in the chest and hurtling him backwards the full length of the dojo...

"No," Razor softly replied, "I can never make up for the years we've lost or whatever you've suffered in my absence, and it's clear to me that the path that you are on now is a direct result of my mistakes, but don't take it out on the world, and especially don't take it out on our daughter."

"And what makes you think you ever know me any more, huh?" Cybelle growled, "Or why I don't blast you where you stand and heap the torments of hell upon your soul, you two-timing bastard?"

"Please?" Razor met her glare with a look of sincerity that was the absolute absence of guile or evasion...

"Nice double-team there," noted Yumi as she approached the odd pair of Makoto and Akane, "If one didn't know better they'd be inclined to think you two were getting friendly."

"Us?" Akane reacted.

"Not a chance," Makoto shared a grin as she and Akane exchanged wary glances.

"That's such a pity, really," Yumi remarked, turning around to glance in a particular direction, "My niece is rather fond of you both, and it upsets her whenever you try and force her to choose between you."

"Ukyo?" Akane blinked.

"Sempai?" Makoto seconded, and as one both heads swerved to follow the path of the older Chef's gaze.

All this time Ukyo had been fighting a pitched battle with her flashy antagonist while being at the distinct disadvantage of having her mind continually waver to the fight that had been going on in the corner. The appearance of Akane's wings, and Makoto's lightning, however, liberated her from this distraction, allowing her to fully concentrate on the Jack of Spades, whose flashing sword had been keeping her on the defensive.

The Jack of Spades was having a grand time of it all, dancing across the floor with such elegant grace that his sword seemed to be no more than an extension of his arm, even as Ukyo kept her giant spatula in motion deflecting the continuous rain of blows that pelted her defenses. In tones that seemed casual, almost lazy, he said, "Excuse me for being presumptuous, but I'm a bit at a loss to decide here if I am fighting a man or a woman?"

"What do you think?" Ukyo grunted as she turned his blade away just centimeters from her face.

Both Akane and Ukyo started to lunge forward when Yumi thrust her own bakers peel into their path and said, "Have a little more faith, you two, and keep an eye on my niece, she's about to surprise you."

"A woman, I think," Jack decided, "And a very handsome one indeed, though by your style of dress it is difficult to determine..."

"I like to keep people guessing," Ukyo reversed the direction of her peel and stabbed with the blade-end at the Jack, who turned the spatula aside with as much ease as he would an epee.

"Really my dear," Jack taunted with a condescending leer as he plied his blade with all the flash and panache of an Errol Flynn movie, "A spatula for a weapon? Truly that is such a cumbersome tool to be employed in the place of true steel, though to give you credit you wield it with more style than most fencers..."

Ukyo had been fighting defensively until now, knowing that her enemy had been merely playing with her for a time to stroke his over-inflated ego while she took his measure, but now her back arched and her sandalwood eyes glared with definite anger. Locking blades with her opponent she brought a momentary pause to the fight, then growled between clenched teeth, "I've got only one thing to say to you, Jack-ass!"

"That's Jack," the playing-card figure's smile became more pasty as his eyes registered displeasure, "And what, pray tell, is it?"

"You can insult me," Ukyo growled, "You can call me names and insult my gender, but never insult my cooking skills, my martial arts, and ESPECIALLY MY WEAPONS!"

So saying Ukyo broke the stalemate by twisting her body to one side, bringing her baker's peel down and around as Jack stepped back to untangle his blade, then sensed an apparent opening and lunged for Ukyo's middle. Akane and Makoto were on the verge of shouting out her name when Ukyo stepped into the thrust, turning it aside at the last minute with the handle of her spatula, then twisting her body around and bringing the flat of the blade around in a full arc that caught Jack just as he was lunging forward and smashed him into the floor with the full force of a giant fly swatter.

Even Yumi had to wince at that before adding the comment, "Now that's what I call laying your cards on the deck..."

Cybelle wavered, then blinked her eyes and said, "Damn you...you don't play fair! That puppy-dog stare of yours worked once a long time ago, but..."

All at once Razor turned his head to the side, his attention, then he lifted one finger and said, "Could you hold on for just a moment? I thought I heard something...?"

"YOU BASTARD!" Atsuko cried from the far end of the room, "HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY GEMI-CHAN?"

"Your Gemi-chan?" Comb remarked from where she stood with a slight turn of her head, "Since when?"

"Oh my," Cybelle blinked, "That does sound somewhat familiar..."

The Ace turned around in time to see a furious female bearing down on him, though the cause for her outrage was a bit obscure as he did not know which party in question for whose welfare she alleged to hold him accountable. What he did see was the murder in her eyes, and being the sort who did not take a threat too lightly he turned to meet this new challenge as Atsuko leaped to the attack, driving forward with a power-house kick that could have shattered a tall tree into so many toothpicks.

He caught the force of that kick against one brawny forearm and turned her foot to one side, then seized Atsuko by the leg and upended her as he might a small, errant child.

"Dunno what your problem is, Bitch," the Ace casually remarked, "But I'm a modern guy open to equal opportunity hard-knocks, and besides, you remind me a little too much of my kid sister."

With that the big man brought Atsuko up and then threw her down into the floor, hard enough to shatter timbers and imbed her below the floorboards.

"Did I forget to mention that me an' my kid-sis don't get along too well?" the Ace noted with mocking satisfaction.

That was when Cybelle felt something happen that she had not directly experienced for the better part of two generations. It was like a flaring of nerves up and down her spine, arms and legs, the pins and needles feeling of a powerful battle aura flaring to life, and then before she had time to take note of it there was a rush of air being displaced as Razor left her side, going from calm to his berserker state with such haste that she felt a delicious thrill of fear briefly crawl over her, a feeling she fought to dismiss as soon as it happened.

All Ace knew-or had time to take note of-was that there was this BIG SCARY DUDE who suddenly manifested at his side, gripping him by one arm with a hand that could put shame to a hydraulic vice grip. Being a Big Scary Dude himself, it was more than a little bit unnerving to find that he could not remove that arm from its imprisonment, nor look the other man in the face as nominally brown eyes had suddenly become tawny gold and altogether unnerving.

"You hurt my At-chan," Razor pronounced with a calm that was entirely too deceptive, "Now I hurt you."

And the Ace of Spades believed this scary dude, one second before the lights went out and the pain began in earnest...

"Hey, come back here!" Cybelle cried out over the sounds of royal carnage, "I'm not through yelling at you yet!"

"Somehow I don't think he can hear you too well over all this noise," a voice sympathetically noted from close nearby.

Cybelle almost jumped as she found herself accompanied by another blonde figure in scanty dress, and it was a mark of her surprise at being approached this way that she gasped, "YOU? But I thought...!"

"That's your problem," Siren smiled, "You think too much and you get wrapped up in the tangle of your thoughts. Me, I prefer to take like as it is and not try to make it be something that it's not...although I will sympathize with you on one thing...it's hard to predict the actions of a lover...or potential lover in my case..."

"Whoah!" Ryomi commented to Aki from where they stood on the sidelines in the fight, "Look at Gramps go at it! He's really ticked off about Mom getting hurt by that loser."

"Nice to know which side of the family tree we get it from," Aki agreed, then tapped her cousin on the arm and said, "Hey, check it out over there! That gymnast girl's getting her ass whipped...and I don't think she likes it either!"

Indeed Kodachi was getting the worst end of her particular encounter, with the Ten of Spades proving a most elusive opponent, and more slippery than greased lightning. As fast as the Black Rose could move she found it impossible to connect with any of her weapons, the other girl reacting as if the younger Kuno sibling were moving in slow motion.

"This is lame," the Ten was espousing as she somehow managed to be standing three inches to the left of Kodachi's outstretched ribbon, "All you do it throw stuff at me, you could try kicking or punching once in a while..."

"That may do for commoners," Kodachi retorted, "But my specialty of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics requires that one not make direct personal contact with their opponent..."

"Really?" Ten replied, "That's too bad," and suddenly the girl's outline became a blur, and moments later Kodachi was on the floor and hog tied like a Christmas turkey, "'Cause I don't have a problem in that department."

"Kodachi-chan!" Kasumi called out in great distress, seeing her beloved so handily defeated.

"What are you, her one-girl cheering section?" Ten gave the elder Tendo sister a sidelong glance before planting a foot on Kodachi's exposed middle, "Guess I can maybe see the attraction...she is kinda cute like that, and you're not so bad looking yourself, lady. Maybe Mom and Dad'll let me keep the two of you for my playmates. You don't get to make many friends in our business..."

"I think I've seen enough," Aki mused, "How about you, 'Cuz?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," Ryomi cracked her knuckles, "Besides, she's the only bad guy who's still left standing."

"Right," Aki nodded, "For the honor of the Hibikis?"

"Whatever," Ryomi declared, and the two of them rushed to Kodachi's rescue.

"What do you want, Witch?" Cybelle growled as she raised her hands as if preparing to spell-cast.

"Mage, not Witch," Siren corrected, "I don't do Wicca...not that I've got anything against the ceremonial stuff, mind you, and I've danced Sky Clad more than a few times in my travels..."

"Don't bother me with semantics!" Cybelle cried, "What do you want here?"

"Well, I should think that was obvious," Siren smirked, glancing in Cologne's direction, "But don't worry, I'm not here to put a crimp in your plans or anything like that...don't really need to, it seems, since your side is too busy losing to provide much entertainment..."

The Ten of Spades reacted with surprising speed as a pair of Hibikis came rushing in her direction, but as fast as Aki and her cousin moved, when they reached Kodachi's side they found their opponent had somehow managed to be elsewhere.

"What's this?" Ten asked, "New play-mates? What fun!"

"You wish, lady," Ryomi growled as she took up a defensive posture.

"Don't get cocky with us," Aki flashed a fist and said, "Or it's gonna cost you."

"Let me guess," Ten nodded to the still-tied-up Kodachi, "Friend of yours?"

"Nope," Aki replied.

"Never saw her before in my life," agreed Ryomi.

"Oh?" Ten cocked her head to regard them with in a curious manner, "Then you're just looking for a fight? Cool...I can relate to that. Together or separate? Makes no diff to me."

"Whichever works best," Aki shrugged.

"I'm good either way," Ryomi said, "Just don't crowd my action."

"Groovy," Ten smiled from behind her pasty white mask, "Just don't hold back or it won't be fun for me, Girlfriends."

With that Ten moved forward and Aki came at her, thrusting with a fist that could have shattered a head like a rotten gourd, only the playing card figure easily stepped around the punch and almost walked right past her. Ryomi tried to score a punch from the other girl's flanks, but Ten turned to meet it, caught her by the wrist and casually turned it aside as though the move had been choreographed precisely.

"What the...?" Aki reacted.

"What the hell...?" Ryomi said near-simultaneously, right before Ten went from defensive to offensive and punched them both in the guts with near simultaneous punches.

"You were saying?" Cybelle said smugly, only to take note that the rest of the Royal Flush Gang was presently horizontal, "Oh bugger..."

"One exception does not make the rule," Siren pointed out, "And never judge a fight concluded at the onset...that's one of many Amazon sayings that I'm sure you know by rote..."

"How the hell can she move like that?" Ryomi gasped, rubbing her stomach, "I never even saw her move..."

"Yeah, it's freaky," Aki growled, less visibly affected than her cousin, "She's definitely faster than us..."

"You don't know how right you ladies are," Ten replied as she suddenly appeared in the space between them, "I'm fast and I'm pretty, not that you can tell from looking."

Aki and Ryomi reacted simultaneously by trying to strike the girl, who stood in easy arm's reach, but their hands passed harmlessly through the space where she had been as Ten managed somehow to be standing a foot further away from them both, and their own inertia caused their punches to go wild and strike one another.

"Just like in the movies," Ten remarked, "Only I get to do the Kenneu Reeves number, like in that movie, The Matrix. Ever see that one, ladies?"

"About seven or eight times," Ryomi responded, then blinked, "You mean...?"

Aki tried a series of combination punches and kicks, but Ten avoided all of them with as much ease as though she were made of smoke instead of solid flesh. When she counter-attacked, however, her foot was altogether solid and sent Aki spinning into a wall, then tumbling through it."

"Wow," Ryomi replied, "You really do have Super-Speed!"

"Next best thing to being from Krypton," Ten replied, "You really don't have a chance of laying a finger on me, I can see every move you make like it was a mile away, and I can strike like a hurricane while you can't even sting like a bee..."

"Yeah," Ryomi frowned, "Only...you don't look too happy."

"Huh?" Ten seemed momentarily confused, "Happy? What do you..."

"With the Super Speed deal," Ryomi pointed out, "Must make it hard for you to get any challenge out of fighting regular opponents."

"Don't really know," Ten shrugged, "I usually fight Superheroes."

"Yeah, but even then it must be awfully easy winning your fights," Ryomi replied, "I can't find too many people who give me much of a workout these days, and I'm stronger than other girls my age..."

"Strong?" Ten sniffed through her mask, "I don't need to be strong with my speed...I could drive a blade of grass through a solid brick wall. Next to me most people are just standing still or sleep walking, and it takes forever having to listen to them just finish a sentence..."

"Gee, that's rough," Ryomi sympathized, "Can't you turn it off when you don't need it?"

"Sometimes," Ten's posture relaxed by a subtle margin, "But ever since Mom and Dad put me through those experiments...it's like my life just turned into one long, drawn out soap opera. When we're not pulling jobs or staging fights I have to find things to do to keep from going crazy! I can read a book in under a minute, or play chess with myself in under ten seconds, or when I'm on the net it seems to take years to download! Do you know what it's like to be able to count the grains of sand as they fall out of an hourglass? Time just doesn't mean the same thing to me any more I'm just not...well...I'm just not..."

"Normal?" Ryomi suggested.

"Yeah," Ten's shoulders sagged, "Not that I ever knew what Normal was to begin with, having a couple of Super Villains for my parents..."

"Try having a fucked up sense of direction," Ryomi snorted, "You know, I haven't even seen my own house in over ten years!"

"You have a house?" Ten seemed to blink behind her mask, "I never even had that, except when they put me in that foster home while my folks were doing jail time..."

"What is this?" Cybelle growled, "A social gathering? I paid these people to fight, not to loiter around!"

"Try not to be too hard on them," Siren urged, "They had a problem with being seriously outclassed and outnumbered."

"That's no excuse," Cybelle said coldly, "I paid good money for this show, I expected more entertainment value..."

"We're back!" announced Ranma as he and Shampoo came charging into the dojo, "Now where's that Ace guy? I'm gonna crown him!"

"You mean him?" Akane hooked her thumb and indicated the crater that Razor stood poised above, his face suffused with a cold mask of stoical indifference.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked as he took in the big man, then at the battered and bruised form within the pit, "Whoah..."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo exclaimed, "What funny card man do make big man so angry?"

"He touched his little girl without permission," Comb remarked from where she was helping Silk and Nodoka retrieve a somewhat battered and bruised Atsuko, while Genma and Soun stood nearby with apprehensive faces.

"Oh," was all Ranma could say as he arrived at his own conclusions.

"Ranma!" a voice cried out, causing him to turn around in time to be embraced by a much distraught Nabiki, whose arms encompassed both him and Shampoo in a hug of relief as she angrily said, "What kept you two so long? I was starting to worry..."

"Shampoo sorry," her Amazon wife replied, "Ranma and Shampoo wound up in park many blocks away from here, took time getting back, sorry we miss all of the action."

"Yeah," Ranma complained, "Couldn't you have saved a little for us? I mean, that big guy was tough, but I could have taken him in another minute..."

"Sure you could, Saotome," Nabiki gave him a sardonic leer that was altogether intimate and familiar.

Ranma blinked delayed reaction of having come to a startling conclusion, "Nab-  
chan...are you back...I mean...for real this time?"

"Ah...not quite," Nabiki replied somewhat lamely, "More like I'm in here, only there's two versions of me sharing the same body. The real me's still stuck on that other world, but I'm sort-of Telecommuting..."

"Is no matter," Shampoo said, "Nabiki is still Nabiki, and Nabiki is Shampoo's wife, and she still is marrying Ranma in morning. That all that truly matter."

"Huh?" Ten turned her head upon hearing this, "Did I catch that right? She's her wife, and she's marrying that Stud Muffin?"

"Hey, don't look at me," Ryomi shrugged, "I just walked in on this from stage left myself..."

"Where is she?" Aki growled as she came rushing back into the dojo, spotting Ten immediately and coming on like a freight train, "I'm gonna pound you for that one, lady...!"

Before Ryomi could even move a muscle the Card-suited girl left her side and met her cousin in mid-charge, and after a staccato noise like a Popsicle stick running against the spokes of a moving bicycle tire, Aki staggered and fell to the floor, just barely conscious.

"Wow," Ten remarked as she came to rest motion, "She's a tough little thing...I could've taken out Captain America with that many punches."

"Hey, she's a Hibiki," Ryomi shrugged, "We're not exactly normal people."

"Outstanding," Ten remarked, "I think I'm starting to like her..."

"That's it!" Cybelle declared, "I'm demanding a refund just as soon as these clowns get over their naps. I thought for sure they'd keep you busy twice as long as this..."

"Keep us busy?" Siren arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"Uh...never mind," Cybelle glared, "Looks like I'm going to have to take matters in my own hands...but fortunately I did make preparations."

All at once the doors and walls of the dojo shifted to reveal a kind of netting that totally enclosed the entire room from even those portions that had been damaged or destroyed during the fighting.

"Uh oh," Makoto studied the room with wary eyes from the side of Ukyo, whom she and Akane were taking turns fussing over.

"Yeah," Akane agreed, "Uh oh..."

"I don't like the looks of this," Yumi remarked for the benefit of anyone who needed to hear those words spoken aloud.

"This should prove much more entertaining, I think," Cybelle grinned in a way that was altogether unwholesome.

"Cybelle?" Razor threw off the last of his berserker rage, "What are you...?"

"Making sure you don't go anywhere this time...husband," the Demoness stressed the word with special emphasis, "At least not for a long while."

"But you're trapped here with us too, lady!" Ranma pointed out.

"Au contraire, my dear Nexus," Cybelle replied, "I'm not really here at all...except in spirit."

And with that her holographically projected image faded out from view, leaving the former combatants-including the Royal Flush Gang-to collectively react with alarm as the strobe lights came on and various nasty looking devices popped up out from concealment.

"She had time enough to rig all this in just under a day?" Silk remarked with considerable alarm.

"Indeed," the elder Kuno replied from just outside of the netting, "Mistress Cybelle is nothing if not efficient in her methods."

"Tatewaki?" Kodachi looked up from where Kasumi was finishing unwrapping her, "What do you mean by...?"

"Have no fear, sister dearest," Tatewaki replied, "The traps within this room will not react unless they sense sudden motion, and only some of them are of lethal designation. Normal movement will not set them off, but if any attempt to use force to escape from this room, they will be met with the appropriate level of force to curb such a foolish endeavor."

"Kuno," Ranma growled, "You've really gone over the bend this time!"

"Not at all, Saotome," said an unruffled Tatewaki, "I am not truly the engineer of your plight, I am simply the messenger for my silent partner."

"Some silence," Cologne growled tersely as she studied their current prison with a wary expression.

"Hey!" Ten protested, "What about me and my parents?"

"Sorry," Tatewaki replied, "Business on that end is concluded, so I'm afraid you're now part of the problem and no longer the solution."

"Tachi!" Kodachi called out even as her elder brother turned away from the dojo.

"We will talk later, Sister mine," the older Kuno replied, "Until then be wise and do nothing imprudent."

As Kuno began to take his leave of the garden, Naomi halted him with a taciturn, "That was a very cold display of brotherly concern, Kuno-san. If I had known why you insisted that my daughter and I leave the building I would not have believed it."

"Believe what you will, Nakamura-san," Tatewaki replied without glancing in her direction, "What I do is for a greater purpose, but I shall not burden you with the weight of my full insight."

"You're just like someone else I know who thought he knew all the answers," Kento replied sourly from where he stood guard next to Rachael, "The ends don't justify the means you know..."

"Indeed," Tatewaki replied without turning around, "They do not."

And with that Kuno took his leave of the Tendo estate.

"Brrr," Kento growled, "That guy's a real cold fish...doing something like this to his own sister?"

"Mommy?" Rachael looked up at her elders, "Are we gonna do something to help them get out of there?"

"I'm not sure what can be done," Naomi glanced back at the dojo, which was now covered entirely in some kind of electrified netting, "I'm just glad that we're not trapped in there with the others."

"Maybe you don't know," Kento handed Rachael over to her mother, "But I've got a pretty good idea what I can do to help out. Think you guys can keep a secret?"

"You have been keeping secrets, Kento-san?" in spite of herself Naomi felt a twinge of amusement, "What a surprise that is..."

"Well, it's not something I normally like to have get around," Kento replied, "But there's a pretty good reason why my Uncle wanted me to protect you, Nakamura-san. You see...a few months back some friends of mine from college went with me to this spooky deserted castle in one of the provinces outside Kyoto, and we kinda got mixed up in something out of an old legend..."

"A story that I have no doubt is fascinating in the telling," another voice intruded on their conversation, "But one that can wait long enough for me to ask a question...where can we find the Demon who is threatening my family?"

Naomi turned to see a man and a woman standing in the yard, the woman dressed in some manner of ceremonial garb and holding a hardwood pole arm that had a wicked spoon-shaped spear point on one end, her face set and determined in a very professional, no-nonsense manner. The man, by contrast, was wearing a faded grey-green martial arts gi and had a scholarly look about him in total contrast to the hard-eyed nature of his companion.

"And you are?" Naomi asked.

"Tofu Kachu, the Devil Hunter," Kachu replied, "And this is my husband, Doctor Tofu Ono."

"If you're looking for somebody, they're probably in there," Kento indicated the dojo, "Now excuse me a minute, I need to change into something a little more appropriate for doing battle with live demons."

The husky man stood away from the others, and composed himself while Rachael, her mother and the Tofus looked on in mild confusion. All at once the young man raised his arms and cried aloud, "ARMOR OF HARDROCK, TAO CHI!" which heralded a most amazing transformation.

"Oh my," murmured Doctor Tofu as he and the others saw the man's outward clothing dissolve away, to be replaced by something...other.

"My thoughts exactly," Naomi murmured with round eyes, even as Rachael grinned and cried, "Neato...!"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Sighs of Relief: shadowmane

AT LAST, it's finally done! I put this one off for several months now, one of the longest periods of writers block that I've had in recent memory, during which my creative output (not to mention my free-time) was frustrated by other ties and commitments. I've contented myself by working on my comic book page (check it out if you are so-inclined to see my illustrated series, "Astarte Jones and her Female Furies") while offering profuse apologies to all my readers for delaying on this project. Now the wait is over at last and you are free to peruse the finished product of many long hours struggling to come up with a reasonable battle scene involving the Royal Flush Gang (I took liberties, of course, but what else is new? And besides, DC doesn't really impress me that much anymore, not like in the old days...).

Next up, the Gang seeks a prison break as Kento and Kachu come to the rescue, and what's the deal with Ryoga? What vile plans does Cybelle have involving her grandson, and how can Kennou and Minako thwart those plans? And what is Ganglot doing in the meantime while preparing herself for her own epic struggle? These questions and more will be explored in the next exciting chapter, "Be Clued to Me," or "What the Heck is it With all these Lesbian Societies Anyway?" (Heheheh) Be there!

Jim R Bader May, 20, 2000

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	129. Chapter 129

NabikiRan113 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Thirteen.

"My lady Ganglot?"

Ganglot looked up from where she was seated, seemingly staring off into space but in actuality fully in tune with her monitoring equipment, having been silent witness to the battles being waged in the Tendo dojo. With her physical eyes the Oni Princess turned to regard her servants, Romeo and Julian, gazing at her with very anxious and distraught expressions...nor was it difficult for her to fathom the reason for their seeking her council.

Aloud what she said was, "Yes, can I help you two with something?" but silently she acknowledged that it was long since time that she provided these two with some answers.

"We were wondering if there were something that we could do for you," Julian put it as diplomatically as he could, though it was obvious to Ganglot that he actually meant to ask her a question.

"Why?" Ganglot asked innocently, "Do I look like I need something?"

"Ah...that's just it," Romeo ventured, though she was plainly the one least comfortable with words, being more a woman of action, "You looked so...well...needful, and with what you were saying before..."

"Ah..." Ganglot nodded knowingly, "You are wondering if there is any sort of problem brewing in the works. Well...yes, I'm afraid there is, but no, you can do little to help me in that regard...at least for the moment. Some battles I must wage on my own terms, and in that regard no one can fight for me...I must somehow rise to the challenge for myself, as would any Elder of your village."

"I don't understand," Julian said, "From what you were saying to your kin earlier, I thought the battle was being waged somewhere else..."

"The Tendo dojo," Ganglot replied, "It is a school devoted to the teaching of the martial arts system known as 'Anything Goes,' or 'Indiscriminate Grappling.' The members of the Tendo clan are my unknowing allies in my war against my daughter-in-law, though very soon they will learn about my part in this whole affair and that will change the dynamics on many, many levels. For now they are the targets of an unfair persecution engineered by my enemy, and to that end I have directed what forces and allies I have to helping them stave off a critical challenge of their own. So far the venture has been successful, but I fear Cybelle has other designs of a more subtle nature, a secondary plot in the works that will bring the battle directly to my doorstep."

"We are under attack?" Romeo asked, seizing on the one part of that statement that made sense to her warrior nature.

"Shortly we will be attacked," Ganglot replied, "But I don't want the pair of you involved. It is no less than my own great-grandson who will be heading this assault and he is a warrior of the first caliber with few peers in this land and even fewer in his age group. As good as you are with your tonfas, you would not last a second against him, and if losing to him meant accepting his forced engagement you would make Julian very sad. He is almost an unstoppable force, you see...a Hibiki, which practically makes him a force of Nature when fully aroused and motivated for battle."

"But if he's your great-grandson," Julian reasoned, "Then why would he attack us?"

"Ah...there is the rub," Ganglot smiled lopsidedly, "Ryoga is powerful, but he is rather simple minded in some ways, not given to thinking on his actions before reacting to situations with only half the needed information..."

"He must have relatives in our village," Romeo said with irony, thinking of far too many of her fellow Amazons who might fit that cursory description.

"Indeed he does," Ganglot replied, "Though he doesn't know that he is part Amazon. Approach him in a calm state of mind and Ryoga can have levels of complexity and depth that would surprise you...the soul of a poet in the heart of a warrior, how very...Samurai-like his, and possessed of a rude chivalry as rough-hewn as the rest of him. Such a boy can be quite noble in his own way, but also easily misdirected, and not just because he lives under the curse of the Hibikis."

"Like his grandfather, your son," Julian reasoned, "Only not as absent-minded?"

"Exactly," Ganglot nodded, "Given strong motivation, Ryoga will act on what he deems the purest of intentions, and Cybelle is counting on that since she has planted the thought in his mind that I am the threat to his family and loved ones, not her. He is coming to destroy my Capstone, which Cybelle knows is the root of my power here on the mortal plane, away from my homeland in China. Without it I would be unable to maintain a corporeal existence here in Japan and would sucked back into my prison for another centuries-long slumber, if I am not outright banished back to the plane of the Oni and the loving company of my cousin, Queen Hild, whom I have not laid eyes upon in over a millennia."

"But that's terrible!" Julian replied, "Without you to guard your clan..."

"Cybelle would be free to act as she will," Ganglot replied, "And now you see my dilemma. I cannot harm my own flesh and blood, but I cannot allow Ryoga to destroy me. A diabolical plan to be certain, and I must somehow find a way to convince my great-grandson that I am not his enemy, that he need not do Cybelle's evil bidding."

"Won't he listen to you, lady?" Romeo asked.

"My dear Romeo...he has never even met me," Ganglot replied, "At best he has only heard half-remembered stories about what I was like when I was still bitter over the loss of my husband. I used to be quite the mischief maker, taking delight in tormenting those who caught my amused fancy...ah, the follies of youth..." she shook her head sadly, "Unfortunately old legends always remember the bad parts and hold them up to torment you when you grow older and have a better grasp of the true working dynamics of the Cosmos..."

Romeo and Julian exchanged troubled looks, each wondering in their hearts just how much of those old legends were true, and how that contrasted with what they had personally observed in their mutual benefactor.

"So you see," Ganglot resumed with a sigh, "Ryoga may be in attack mode and will not listen to anyone until he has achieved his objective. That is why I do not want the pair of you to stand in his way, you wouldn't have a snowball's chance in an inferno of doing more than slow him down, and trying to talk him out of this might be worse than folly as he will construe you both for enemies merely for siding with me."

"I've dealt with that kind before," Romeo said gruffly, "You have to hit them between the eyes just to get their attention..."

"But there may be a way," Julian paused to stroke his chin, "If he can be slowed down...long enough to hear our voices...my lady, you were able to stare down the Matriarch of our tribe, I cannot believe that you would find a mere warrior...even of your blood...more formidable than that..."

"Perhaps," Ganglot replied with a sober, sage expression, "We will see...when he gets here..."

And the two Amazons standing by her side exchanged worried expressions, having noted the wistful tone of dread in the voice of the Oni Princess, and privately they shared a collective shudder...

Nabiki could not believe how suddenly their victory had turned to defeat with the actions of that holographic demoness forcing a netting to fall around the entire dojo. They were trapped good and solid, and by the crackling sound that she could hear at points of contact she had little doubt that the thing was electrified and surely offered a world of pain to anyone foolish enough to attempt to physically grip it.

"Now that's management loyalty to employees for you," remarked the girl dressed like a Ten card, "I thought you Japanese at least had some kind of sense of honor..."

"What did she just do?" Ranma asked, as if sensing that someone had to voice the question.

"Sealed us in most likely," Cologne answered sagely, "The whole room has been rigged as a giant trap to keep us in, no doubt so Cybelle can work whatever mischief she is actually planning in our forced absence."

"In our absence?" Soun repeated.

"You mean this entire business with the Gambler King was just a smokescreen to cover her real intentions?" a now fully recovered Genma asked, "She was never serious about Tendo-kun's dojo to begin with?"

"What do you mean 'Not serious?'" Soun rounded on his friend, "Are you saying she never actually wanted my dojo?"

"Calm down, Soun-chan," Silk assured, "I'm sure she fully intended to make the dojo her target because she knew how much it meant for us all..."

"Yes," Comb agreed, "As both a symbol and the center of all the activity that seems to be happening in this part of Japan."

"Oh my," Nodoka remarked, "I suppose Tendo-san's dojo does seem to involve an awful lot of people in one way or another...like another kind of Nexus..."

"There's that word again," Yumi remarked, glancing at Ranma.

"Hey, that's right..." Ukyo responded, "Isn't Ranma supposed to be the hub of realities, or something like that?"

"That depends on if you ask him or not," Akane growled as she glanced towards the aforementioned Saotome.

"We've got to get out of here somehow," Makoto (aka her Senshi incarnation), "Whatever that Nega-creep is up to, we've got to put a stop to it."

"That my own brother would be a part of this," Kodachi shook her head in dismay, "Tatewaki was never like this before..."

"Before he began working with this Cybelle person?" Kasumi finished for her, "Oh my...do you think maybe she might be controlling his actions?"

"More like influencing his behavior," Silk amended, "I thought it rather odd how quickly he went from village idiot to well-groomed CEO with no easy transition."

"Mom!" Atsuko growled, balling her fists, "You're not gonna keep me here for long, and you know it! We'll bust out of here and when we do, you're gonna regret this!"

"Probably," her father said with a sad expression as Razor scanned the interior with a look of regret and longing.

"So...Mom?" Ryomi asked, "Got any suggestions?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna bust us outta here!" her mother replied, and started to take a step towards the nearest wall.

"Wait, you idiot!" Comb cried out, failing to restrain the half-Oni as she stormed right past, only to be stocked in her tracks when an electrical spark lashed out and briefly highlighted Atsuko in a strobe-like halo, briefly altering her appearance from normal human to a bat-winged Oni and back again.

"MOM!" Ryomi cried out, even as Razor's head swerved and his eyes briefly turned golden.

"Oh my," Nodoka remarked as she somehow managed to appear behind Atsuko before her slightly charred body could fall to the floor, "I guess she forgot about the traps that have motion sensors."

"You think?" Aki reacted, glancing nervously around as she had been about to attempt the same imprudent course of action.

"That's the problem," Ten observed, "She obviously didn't."

"Is she...?" Genma asked his wife with a surprisingly concerned expression.

"I believe so," Comb responded as she more cautiously moved to Nodoka's side and began to examine her charge as they lowered the Oni to the floor together, "She took a nasty jolt, but her hide is thicker than a normal person's. She's a bit singed along the edges, but I think she will recover."

"It figures," Yumi commented while her eyes scanned the room and her body remained as motionless as a statue, "No one move any more than they have to. I believe that this trap is activated from a device located near the center of the dojo. The floor may be lined with electrical contact points, and the air is doubtlessly ionized to provide a proper conduit. The sensor will doubtlessly be a laser reflector working on an oscillating beam and is probably set to react if it detects movement above that of three kilometers per hour..."

"How do you know?" Ranma asked.

"Trust a Ninja to know these things, Boy," Yumi replied, "I may be retired, but I keep in touch with people who know these things like it was second nature."

"Uh...Aunt Yumi?" Ukyo murmured nervously, "You think the current might be attracted to our spatulas..."

"More than likely," Yumi replied, "If we stand too close to somebody who makes a hasty motion.

"But still..." Akane reflexively began to flex her wings, then stopped herself in the act with a self-conscious glance in Ukyo's direction, "Ah...if we move real slow, won't we be able to escape?"

"I doubt that it would be that simple, Akane," Soun replied, "Cybelle is hardly the sort who would rely on a single strategy to contain her enemies."

"Good thinking," Cologne noted, then used her staff to tap the floorboard nearest to her foot, and instantly a beam of red hot light flashed the center of that panel, smoking it in the immediate center.

"Impressive," Siren observed shrewdly, "And I doubt very much that this is the extent of her deviousness. Traps both lethal and benign unquestionably await the unwary and will be discovered if any one else attempts escape in a similar manner."

"But of course you are not affected by any of this," Cologne said without looking directly at her companion, "You could no doubt walk out of here at any time of your liking."

"Perhaps I could at that," Siren mused with a thoughtful expression, "But somehow I don't think Cybelle would neglect to think of magic in designing these traps. There may be risk even for me should I attempt to test her resolve..."

"But will you do it?" Cologne asked somewhat impatiently.

Siren just smiled, "I was just waiting to hear you ask, Kho-chan. You know I never could resist a challenge."

Siren raised a hand, moving slowly but with pure deliberation, her focus seemingly relaxed as she stared out into the space before her, her slender hand forming a symbolic gesture that caused the air to glow and form a glyph that hovered there for several seconds before the spell was activated.

And then the power of her spell was discharged at the nearest wall, only to strike and be dispersed before it had actually made contact with the wooden surface.

"I was afraid of this," Siren sighed, her expression becoming more sober, "A clever move on Cybelle's part...she's saturated the air with some kind of invisible mist that not only conducts the electrical sparks but apparently disrupts the formation of strong manna fields. Aggressive magic is absorbed into the air before it can effect solid matter, and I doubt even teleport or phasing spells will be reliable under these peculiar conditions."

"Meaning you're as helpless as the rest of us," Silk remarked, then blinked her eyes as she glanced around, "Where is Grandmother? I thought she was here with the rest of us?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo reacted, "Elder Lotion no here? But she always stay close to Nabiki..."

"That is true," Comb noted from where she was tending to the still-unconscious Atsuko, "It is very untypical behavior for her to leave the side of her apprentice during a crisis, especially in light of the fact..."

"The fact that Nabiki-san is not quite herself at the moment?" Nodoka finished for her.

Nabiki felt the eyes turning her way as well as saw them, even as she had been thinking much the same thing and silently compared notes with the other version of herself who seemed to have briefly taken charge of her actions. That version of Nabiki rose up within her once again and said, "Never mind who I am, we have to get out of here somehow, and the sooner the better. There's no telling what Cybelle is actually up to!"

"We're game, Nabiki," Ranma said supportively, "Got any ideas how to do it?"

That was the magic question, and Nabiki was about to say no, when suddenly she had a sense that drew attention and caused her to look away into seeming nothingness. Without really knowing why she scanned the interior of the dojo as if seeking something out that was not there from a conventional point of voice. As her POV was anything but conventional, she stared at the air around them and her gaze became unfocused. Without knowing quite why she sensed that this was important for some unfathomable reason...

And then her gaze became totally unfocused, and it was as if the air itself became thick, gray and misty, and full of ruby lines, some fixed in place, others strobing about the room in constant motion.

"I see..." Nabiki hesitated before trying once again, "I can see...there are lines all about the room...I can see where they are and everything...!"

"Really?" Silk blinked her eyes, then stared about the room and said, "You're right! It's all a matter of sensing the energy patterns...but why didn't I think about this before?"

"Gee, I wonder," Comb snorted, rolling her own eyes in mild exasperation.

"Hmm..." Silk ignored the barbed comment and scanned the room with a professional gleam in her eyes, then aloud she revealed, "There are pressure-  
sensitive grids along the floor, and the cycling for the laser motion sensor is regularly timed. I believe that it is possible to negotiate a path out of this dojo without tripping off the alarms, provided one travels slow and makes no sudden motions."

"Right," Akane replied, "Only...how do we see and avoid all these traps?"

"Yeah," Ukyo agreed, "You guys are the only ones who can see them."

"That's right," Makoto frowned as she studied the air around them, "I can feel the currents but I don't actually see them. I have some resistance to electrical attacks, so maybe I should be the one to risk it."

"So do I," Razor made a fist, "I'm tough enough to make it."

"You also have the Hibiki sense of misdirection," Siren noted, "Tough as you are, I definitely would not risk it."

"What about you?" Ryomi asked of Ten, indicating her still-unconscious team-  
mates, "You and your guys are in the same boat we are."

"Well," Ten said reluctantly, "I'd like to help, and I'm fast enough that I could probably dodge the lasers...if I could see them coming like your friend there..."

"Whatever we do it had better be quick," Genma remarked, "Whatever Cybelle is planning, it can't be too healthy."

"Right," Nabiki nodded, and without stopping to let herself think about it she started to move forward.

"Nabiki?" Ranma turned so fast he nearly got himself electrocuted, "What are you...?"

"Just stay where you are!" Nabiki called out without impeding her slow forward motion, carefully placing one step onto a floor panel that "felt" safe to walk upon, "Ranma...just don't interfere...I know what I'm doing here!"

"Airen?" Shampoo asked with clear hesitation in her voice.

It was odd to hear herself addressed that way, but Nabiki was used to dealing with the weird and the odd, in either incarnation, just as she was expert at shutting down her emotions and focusing on the here-and-now, letting her intellect rule while her heart took a backseat and let her brain do the driving.

In this case she had a sense of certainty in her actions, a feeling that left no room for doubt as she took one step forward, then another. She was not hurried in her motions, keen to stand where she sensed that the strobe light would not detect rapid movement while avoiding the more obvious traps, never setting foot where a sense of danger warned her not to, and always moving relentlessly forward, feeling growing confidence that to do so was not to court danger but to avoid it for the others.

"Nabiki..." she heard Akane murmur into the ensuing silence, where a pin falling to the ground would have sounded like the crack of a rifle.

"Nabiki-chan," Kasumi sounded even more fretful, but her voice reminded Nabiki of what was at stake in the matter, and that alone helped her to overcome any lingering doubts or fear for her own safety.

Nabiki was normally a very private person, content to look out for herself and no one else, but the thought that her family could be threatened by anybody, that her home-even her family dojo-could be fodder for someone else's ambitions was more than she could stomach, and the sense of building outrage helped her to focus her senses on avoiding actual danger. One step followed another, but always it was the goal that she kept in mind, just as she always put goals ahead of the means needed to obtain them.

**Really?** a voice asked in the back of her head, **That's so sad...I never realized that I was ever this lonely...**

Nabiki almost lost her train of focus, and savagely reacted with an internal, **WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING, SAYING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO ME AT A TIME LIKE THIS?**

**Sorry,** the voice in her head responded, **Just making an observation.**

**Well, make it on your own time,** Nabiki savagely informed herself, then mulled the added thought, **And keep your observations to yourself next time...**

**Pardon me,** the voice replied, **I thought that was what I was doing.**

Nabiki avoided thinking her next thoughts to herself, but just the same her emotions were aroused and angry, and it took more effort than before to calm herself down enough to continue forward.

"Be careful," Ranma urged very tensely, and nearly threatened to upset the delicate balance of her emotions.

"I will," Nabiki managed to say in a calm and coherent manner, though the warm spot that she was feeling in her chest made the risk seem a little more worth the bother.

Another few steps later and she reached the wall that had been the focus of her attention. With an almost anticlimactic manner she touched a button that caused a panel to open up beside her hand, then pulled the lever that she thus discovered. A glance over her shoulder confirmed what her instincts had already made plain, that the traps had been deactivated and the dojo itself was relatively back to normal.

She heaved a sigh as she heard the Amazon named Silk confirm her own conclusions, "They're gone...the traps are off, you did it!"

"Well done, Nabiki!" her father called out, words that had seldom reached his lips in the past but which now caused Nabiki to feel an odd thrill of family pride, a curiously unfamiliar sensation, "You saved us all!"

"Hiyaa!" Shampoo all but bound across the room and swept Nabiki up in her embrace, relief and other emotions causing the gesture to almost be worth the loss of a rib or two for Nabiki, "Airen, you did it! Shampoo so proud of you!"

Ranma was only a step behind the Amazon as he put an arm around both of their shoulders, "Yeah, you sure are something, but next time would you have a little mercy on a guy? I think I almost swallowed my tongue when you stopped moving for a few seconds!"

It was becoming harder and harder for Nabiki to ignore the way her heart had started beating quicker, the embrace of both Shampoo and Ranma, the praise of her father and her sisters, and the knowledge that she had been the one to save the day all combining to create the most disturbing of all sensations within her. Was it pride...or something else? Whatever it was, it was threatening to melt her icy persona into a limp, warm puddle.

Of course the relief this gave them was short lived, for almost instantly Cybelle returned, and holographic or not, she certainly looked angry!

"What the hell are you doing, interfering with my fun?" she cried as Ranma and Shampoo immediately interposed themselves between the Demoness and Nabiki, "This isn't a game where you win points for scoring or get neat little prizes, this is supposed to be your prison!"

"Yeah?" Nabiki found herself reverting back to nonchalant type, "So?"

"So THIS!" Cybelle made a dramatic gesture and Nabiki's eyes went wide as she felt an electrical charge building up as if the trap had been reactivated.

Before the charge could hit, however, a man-wall appeared in the space between them and Razor took the brunt of the shock, shrugging it off as a duck might do with water. His hair curled slightly and smoked around the edges, but other than that he remained relatively unaffected.

"Gramps!" Aki and Ryomi shouted in chorus.

"Whoah...dude!" Ten remarked, "That was frigging gnarly!"

"Cybelle!" Razor spoke with surprising sharpness, "NO! You will not hurt her or anyone else!"

"You stay out of this!" Cybelle yelled in the big man's face, "You're the last person who should be lecturing me about somebody else's welfare!"

"Geez, these guys are worse than a daytime soap opera!" Aki complained.

"Yeah," Ten agreed, "They're worse than my parents!"

"I heard that, little lady," groaned a voice from the floor as the King of Spaces began to feel his crown with a much-distressed expression.

"Consider yourself grounded for a week," agreed the Queen as she began to pry herself up off of the tarmac.

"What, you losers are back?" Cybelle growled, "At least have the decency to crawl off into a corner or something..."

"Y'know lady," the Ace of Spades growled, "I'm starting not to like you very much."

"Agreed," said the Jack of Spades, "This Gig is starting to make me reminisce about the Great G'nort and his odd entourage..."

"What, you guys want another crack at us?" Makoto growled as she assumed a fighting crouch.

"Not necessary," the King waved a hand in a dismissive gesture, "Lady Cybelle has made it plain that our services are no longer wanted, ergo we have no quarrel with you lot and no cause for further antagonism."

"Too bad," the Queen observed as she eyed Comb in a speculative manner, "It was just starting to get interesting at the end there..."

"Sounds like you've got a new admirer," Atsuko groaned as she sat up and rubbed her head, then turned and growled, "MOM! Enough already! What the hell are you trying to do, almost turning me into a fricasseed Oni?"

"Excuse me?" Cybelle said archly, "Are we on speaking terms again? Do you know how many times you've disappointed me, child? Siding with this lot against your own mother..."

"Well why the hell not?" Atsuko ignored Comb's warning and fought her way (albeit unsteadily) to her feet, "These are my friends and the guy I'm in love with...a guy I'd never have even met if you hadn't sent me out to seduce him in the first place!"

"Don't remind me of that fiasco," the Demoness growled, "If I hear one more-  
WHAT THE HELL?"

Those words, even as she spoke them, were drowned out by the sudden crash of something tearing into one of the walls, and then an armored figure appeared, ripping both wood and netting apart with gauntleted hands with as much ease as if he were no more than shredding mere paper.

"There you are!" cried the Ochre-hued armored figure as he strode with heavy metal tread into the gap that he had just created, "You're the cause of everyone's suffering, I take it?"

"And who the hell are...?" Cybelle stopped herself then answered her own statement, "That bodyguard who came with Nakajima..."

"Kento of the Hardrock, at your service!" the heavily armored figure declared, whipping out a studded wooden rod that he whirled about like a baton around his body, at last thrusting it forward like a staff in Cybelle's direction, "Let's see you try your stuff against somebody who's used to fighting major demons!"

"I know you now," Cybelle snapped her fingers, "You're part of that crew that dispatched that born loser, Lord Tulip a few months back..."

"That's Tulpa," Kento corrected, then frowned, "You knew him?"

"Knew him?" Cybelle snorted, "I used to date him...a long, long time ago, back before he had his armor fetish. The guy was always going on about how Evil he was with his Dynasty and all that. I just knew he was gonna take a fall one of these millennia..."

"You used to date a man named Tulpa?" Razor asked of the Demoness with a much-  
surprised expression.

"It was centuries before I met you," Cybelle cooed, "Don't be jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Razor growled as he cracked his knuckles, "But if I ever meet the guy, it's gonna get ugly..."

"He's dead," Kento explained, then paused before adding, "At least I think he is...kinda hard to say with a guy who ain't got no body."

"Too bad," Cybelle shrugged, "Used to have a body like an Adonis and a rod between his legs that was big enough to fit both hands around..."

Razor's expression darkened noticeably, "Good thing he's dead or I'd probably have to kill him..."

"You know," the Queen of Spades remarked, "They do sound a little like us, dear."

"Quite right, my love," the King turned to Ten and said, "Very well, your grounding is hereby suspended. Just watch whom you compare us to in the future."

"So glad that everyone is finding this so amusing a new voice added to the mixture, "But I believe it is time that we...how do you put it, husband?"

"Crash the party?" Tofu replied.

"Exactly," Kachu noted as she leaned on her Chi C'hi with a particularly grim expression.

"Sister?" Kasumi was first to respond.

"Kachu?" Silk turned to regard her only daughter.

"Kachu-chan," Soun remarked, "What are you doing here?"

"My job of course," Kachu replied without taking her eyes away from Cybelle, "Good to see you again, Mother, Father, Sisters...but I believe it is time that you all leave the dojo now that Kento-san has been kind enough to make an opening. I will be the one to deal with this foul demon."

"You?" Cybelle turned about, "Don't make me laugh! I'm not even actually here, you backwoods hick! What could you possibly do to me with your Amazon bag of tricks?"

"Don't underestimate me, Foul Fiend," Kachu's voice was level but her tone held barely constrained fierceness, "It will be the death of you and your kind to ignore the warning of a Devil Hunter."

"I like her act," Ten remarked to Aki and Ryomi, "She's got that gritty Film Noir edge down perfect..."

"Aye," said Jack, "There's a trenchcoated fellow named Constantine who wouldn't mind the cut of her giblet."

"Back off, boys, the lady's married," Comb warned them in a thoroughly no-  
nonsense manner.

"Mother," Kachu said low and precisely, "Please honor my request and evacuate everyone now...before I get angry."

"You get angry?" Cybelle snorted, "Like when are you ever calm, other than the time you spend with your Boy Toy doctor? You're nothing more than an accident, a mistake made by your mother..."

"MY DAUGHTER IS NOT A MISTAKE!" Silk cried out in outrage.

"Oh?" Siren asked, "In other words you meant to have her?"

"Er...well..." Silk fidgeted slightly, weathering a questioning look turned on her from Soun's direction.

"Press me not, Demon," Kachu warned as she flashed her trademark weapon, "I care not what you say of me, but when you insult my mother and the man I love..."

"So, what are you going to do?" Cybelle scoffed, "Bore me to death?"

Kachu did not verbally reply, but instead she began to spin her Chi C'hi about as Tofu backed out of reach of its arc. Faster and faster the weapon in Kachu's hands began to move until it was no more than a blur to the eye, and then it started glowing...

"Wow!" Ten spoke aloud, "And I thought I was fast! She really is something!"

"She's a Devil Hunter," Aki replied with a nod of her head, "Just watch this!"

All at once Kachu brought her weapon forward, and the glow of energy built up around the thing was discharged directly at the holographic image of the demoness, striking Cybelle full in the chest and momentarily disrupting that image. Cybelle reasserted herself moments later, but it was plain from her expression that the effect had not been without its consequences.

"OW!" Cybelle blinked her eyes, "How did you do...?"

"That was a warning!" Kachu declared with fatalistic resolve, "Leave now or far worse will be in the offing!"

"You think I'm intimidated by a few cheap tricks?" Cybelle scoffed, "Well, I have a few of my own in reserve too!" and with that she waved a hand towards the wall through which Kento, Kachu and Tofu had entered, and before their eyes it magically sealed itself up in mere seconds.

"It's just a stupid illusion, Mom!" Atsuko declared, "You don't actually expect that thing to hold us?"

"Maybe not for too long," Cybelle leered, "But it should hold you here long enough to rid myself of you annoying pests forever!"

With that her image faded out, leaving a rather unpleasant silence in her wake, into which Akane said, "What do you suppose she meant by that?"

"WARNING!" a voice spoke in immediate answer, "THIS DOJO IS RIGGED TO SELF-  
DESTRUCT IN FIFTEEN SECONDS..."

"Fifteen Seconds?" Ukyo almost screeched in echo.

"FOURTEEN..."

"You and your big mouth," Makoto chided Akane.

"THIRTEEN..."

"Quick everyone!" Atsuko spun on one heel, "Follow me!"

"TWELVE..."

"No thanks," the King of Spades replied, "We'll make our own exit...Ace?"

"ELEVEN..."

"I'm on it!" the big man in the white and black costume replied, turning and charging at the repaired section of wall as if expecting it to yield before his massive bulk. When it gave him some resistance he started to dig his hands into its illusory substance, muscles bunching with effort as he strained to tear the illusion asunder.

"TEN..."

"Everyone pitch in!" the King ordered, and the Royal Flush Gang dutifully combined their efforts to help Ace unseal the rupture.

"NINE..."

"Where are we going?" Aki asked as everyone else but Kento followed Atsuko into one corner.

"You'll see," Yumi promised.

Eight seconds later some high explosives that had been planted under the floor of the dojo went off with a massive explosion that rocked the hills and rattled windows for miles all around them. Naomi, who had taken shelter inside the Tendo House with her daughter, reflexively clung to Rachael as both were pitched to the floor from the concussion, and their ears were ringing long after the dust and burning debris began to settle.

For a few moments nothing was visible in the yard, but gradually visibility was restored as a number of dark figures appeared, one looming much larger than the others

"Kento-san?" Naomi asked at the level of a mere whisper.

But then she saw that the bulky shape was not Kento but rather a giant of a man dressed like a playing card, the Ace of Spades, flanked by other card-like characters whom Naomi recognized as the Royal Flush Gang. They strode through the debris as if totally unaffected by the blast and altogether familiar with the sights and sounds of wanton carnage.

"Well," remarked the one named Jack, "That certainly brought back unpleasant memories. At least we got paid half-rate for this buggy assignment."

"F-" the giant started to say when he caught sight of Rachael and reflexively curbed his speech, "Nix the other half of the fee, this Gig was a bust all around. Who woulda thunk a buncha fancy-pants martial artists could put up that much of a rumble?"

"Indeed," remarked the King, "It could well mean that Japan may prove to be a more interesting place than we previously imagined."

"I just hope my next dance partners are a little more lively than that lot," the Queen added as if in side-note.

"I dunno," Ten murmured to herself, "I think that one girl was kinda neat, and she was almost my age, I wouldn't mind taking her with us..."

"You can have your pets another time, Dear," the King promised, "But now I think the prudent course of action would be to make ourselves scarce before the local constabulary puts in its usual appearance."

"You the boss," Ace replied as the five oddly dressed characters casually walked out through the gates of the Tendo dojo.

"Mommy," Rachael asked after they were alone again with only the smoldering remains of the dojo, "Were those the bad guys?"

"I...think so, Dear," Naomi softly responded.

"But where are Kento and the others?" Rachael asked as if confused at not finding an immediate answer.

"Well..." Naomi started to say when she detected movement from the rubble, and another moment later an armored figure reared up into full view, casually shaking off a burning timber as he leaned upon his studded staff and surveyed the signs of carnage.

"KENTO-SAN!" Rachael cried in delight while Naomi stood still with her mouth hanging open.

"Hey," the big man in the Samurai-like armor replied, "How's it going, squirt? Some party, huh? Sorry if you guys got a little worried..."

"You're alive?" Naomi realized the foolishness of her own statement, but some part of her just knew that someone had to say it aloud.

"Hey, I'm a Ronin Warrior," Kento replied, "Takes a lot more than that to slow me down. Ah...but where are the others?" at that last point his tone began to sound a note of anxious caution.

Naomi was just starting to think that one through when a sight as wholly unexpected as any other greeted her already astonishment-weary eyes. A square of light appeared in the air, then formed a rectangle approximately the size and dimensions of a door, and then a door appeared in the place of the light, as real as a prayer, and it slowly began to open. Out through the black shape that hung behind this portal came Atsuko and the others, slowly filing out from this impossible-seeming phenomenon to take a look all around at the remains of what had once been a proud family dojo.

Soun wept as he cried, "My dojo!"

"There now, dear," Silk instantly reassured him, "We can rebuild it...we can make it as good as it ever was. What matters is that we're all still alive and able to do it."

"Yeah, no thanks to Mom," Atsuko growled, staring at the burning remains as though personally affronted.

"Oh my," Kasumi said in bland understatement as if considering the level of effort it would take to clean up the mess all around them. Without a word Kodachi took her hand and gently squeezed it, sharing a supportive moment as the two took in the wreckage all around them.

"That was amazing!" Ryomi stared at the black rectangle through which she had just emerged, then tried to look around and behind it only to find nothing greeted her vision. She shook her head and muttered something about a cartoon by the company of Warner Brothers (tm).

"Well done indeed," Siren admired as she nodded to the Oni, "You have improved much over the years, has she not, Kho-chan?"

The matriarch at her side chose not to voice her own comments, but she nodded silently in token acknowledgement of the effectiveness of that protective illusion.

"You know," Comb remarked aloud as she gazed reluctantly at Atsuko, "As galling as it is for me to admit this, I have to concede that your illusions do sometimes come in handy."

"Yeah, ain't I something?" Atsuko tried to smile in smug triumph but all she managed was a half-hearted grimace.

Then her father's hand came to rest upon her shoulder and in a gruff voice he said, "I'm proud of you anyway, At-chan...you saved everybody, and that's what's important. As for your mother..." he sighed, "There's going to have to be an accounting."

"No fooling, Gramps," Aki agreed, smacking fist-to-palm as if anticipating another rumble.

"I never thought that I would be in the debt of an Oni," Kachu remarked aloud as she regarded Atsuko with a frankly level expression, "But for the sake of my family and my husband...I thank you."

"Don't mention it," Atsuko sniffed, "It was enough seeing you give Mom a smack in the kisser."

"Next time you'll nail her for sure," Yumi smiled, "She'll know better than to scoff at your powers."

"Maybe so," Genma was unusually sober as he stared first at his friend, Soun, then at what was left of the dojo, "But we shouldn't have underestimated her either, and we almost paid a penalty that was too high."

"Poor Soun-chan," Nodoka sympathized in a low murmur, sharing her husband's concern for the Tendo elder.

Nabiki stared at the dojo, her nominal dowry, now trashed beyond all recognition. It had been the foundation of her life for as long as she could remember, almost as much a part of her life as the house itself, even when she had given up on her martial arts training. The dojo symbolized something to her that was sacrosanct, almost holy. It was her mother's dojo, after all, and she knew that it was meant to remain within the family for generations yet to come, and that on this timeline it had been HER legacy to pass on to her prospective children...

She felt Ranma and Shampoo move to comfort her, and it helped a bit...but for some mysterious reason there was moisture in her eyes, perhaps induced by the smoke, though she savagely chose not to reflect on the other possible reasons that came to mind at that very unpleasant moment.

"Gosh," said Makoto aloud for her as the Senshi surveyed the burning rubble, then added, "The place really got trashed good this time. Who's gonna pay for the repairs?"

"I will."

All heads turned to regard Naomi, who had addressed them with an almost apologetic expression, even bowing to Soun as if to acknowledge the importance of her own statement.

"Tendo-san," she said aloud, "Please humbly accept my sincere apologies for any and all unpleasantness that you and your family may have suffered as the indirect consequences of my company's involvement. Understand that the firm that I represent in no way, shape or form ever intended you harm, and while the fault may not be exclusively with us, it may be said that we did play a part in these rather unfortunate circumstances, so I will personally authorize the funds to supply you with whatever you need in order to make repairs to your family school so that you may continue to teach your Ryu to others."

"That...that is very gracious of you," Soun started to say when Silk spoke up for him.

"Nabiki is the one who usually handles the finances in our house," the Lore Master said simply, "Please consult with her and she will specify our requirements."

Nabiki turned and actually stared at this woman who looked so much like her mother, and for the first time since arriving on this warped version of her timeline she actually considered the woman a good match for her father. At the very least she seemed to have a talent for heading off the water-works before a crying jag could get fully started! It made Nabiki wonder privately if such a woman had a counterpart back on her own timeline...

"I will do what I can," Kodachi said quietly, "I cannot ignore the responsibility that my family must share due to the actions of my own brother."

"No one is holding you to blame for his actions, Kodachi-chan," Kasumi reassured her, clearly moved by Kodachi's offer as the two girls turned and shared the kind of look that as much as said that the world beyond them both had momentarily ceased to exist altogether.

"This is just great," Ranma cracked his knuckles, "The dojo gets trashed and somebody else has to pay for it...but what about that Cybelle lady? We gonna let her get away with this?"

"Aiyaa...Ranma is right," Shampoo declared, "No one hurt family of an Amazon and no pay penalty! Shampoo say we find where Demon hide and have Devil Hunter show what vengeance mean!"

"Noble sentiments," Cologne remarked, "But only Happosai knows where Cybelle's lair is actually located...unless we consider those who once actually lived there..."

"Ah..." Atsuko rubbed the back of her head and said, "I'd...like to help, guys...but it's been a long time since I was back home, and finding Momma's tree...well..."

"I think you can see our problem," Razor concluded for her, "And I'm not yet angry enough to want to actually hurt my wife. She may have turned evil, but...she's still the woman I loved and wronged so long ago..."

Naomi regarded the man she now knew to be her grandfather with silent admiration, thinking to herself that there were worse fates than to claim kinship with such a person.

"Actually," Siren's voice drew all attention back in her direction, "There is something that's been bothering me, which I deem to be of a more immediate relevance than seeking vengeance. What was it Cybelle said about keeping us preoccupied? That would imply to me that she has some other purpose in mind, and I doubt very much that it will be pleasant."

"Hey," Atsuko glanced around, "I've gotta an even better question...where's Ryo-  
chan been during all of this? I told Shirokuro to keep an eye on him..."

"Oh," Ukyo spoke up, "He left a while ago, back during the card game."

"Yeah," Akane frowned, "It was weird too...he stared to say something, then he ran off in a blind panic."

"I remember that," Makoto agreed, "Something about not letting it happen...whatever it was. Mina-chan and that girl, Kennou, went after him along with the dog-lady and they've not been back since."

"Uh oh," Cologne's eyes widened noticeably as if a thought had only just then occurred to her.

"Grandmother?" Comb turned a questioning look in her Elder's direction.

"Grandmother?" Aki repeated.

"Long story," Ranma replied, sensing the tension in the former Matriarch's expression, "What's up?"

"Oh...nothing, Son-in-law," Cologne said evasively, "It is just...Ryoga's absence, no doubt induced by one of Cybelle's illusions, has to have been arranged for more than simply keeping him away from the fight to increase the odds in the Royal Flush Gang's favor..."

"Uh oh is right," Siren sounded suddenly quite sober, "I'm beginning to get a nasty idea of just what that Cybernetic Slut is up to..."

"Well, don't hold it back from the rest of us," Silk urged, "What could Cybelle want with her own grandson that could be important enough to want to keep us out of the way for...oh...dear me..."

"What?" Comb saw her lifelong friend grow pale, which was more alarming for the Healer than the sight of a charging horde of Mongols.

"I...don't really know," the Lore Master replied, "But I have a sense...that she is using Ryoga as a weapon to take out the one whom she perceives to be her greatest threat...greater than the rest of us combined..."

"GRANDMA!" Atsuko cried out, "She's after my Grandmother! It finally makes sense!"

"Granny?" Aki declared in no little alarm.

"Mother!" Razor's eyes went wide and he looked on the verge of a blind panic, "We have to stop her!"

"Grandma...oh no!" Ryomi exclaimed in a dull whisper.

"What?" Nabiki asked, "What's gonna happen?"

"Grandma told me about her weakness," Ryomi said, "If my big brother smashes the Capstone to her temple...she'll get sucked back into that prison she escaped from in China!"

"A prison that someone rather foolishly cast her into, if I remember correctly," Siren eyed Cologne with an almost chiding expression.

"It suddenly all makes sense," Comb declared, "Ganglot is possibly the greatest threat to Cybelle's plans that she could face outside of China..."

"Ganglot?" Kachu asked with a puzzled expression, "The fabled Oni Princess trapped by the will of the Elders and the power of one of my predecessors?"

"No time to explain now," Siren flexed her fingers then made a series of rapid finger motions as she traced a pattern in the air, and moments later another rectangular void appeared in the space before them, "We need to make tracks, people, and we're about three steps behind Cybelle, not to mention her grandson!"

"Why are you suddenly so concerned?" Cologne eyed the blonde Archmage with lifted indigo eyebrows.

"Because whether you want to admit it or not, we need her, Kho-chan," Siren said in a completely no-nonsense manner, "And if Cybelle thinks taking her out is this important, then that's exactly the reason why the rest of us should thwart her ambitions."

"I second the motion," Comb agreed, giving Cologne a stern look before adding, "No back talk this time, Grandmother, we are going!"

Cologne's surprise was absolute at being addressed in such a manner, but she offered no resistance when Siren took her hand and urged her forward, followed in close step by the rest of their odd entourage, who were as eager as the rest to see these matters brought to a favorable (if not completely happy) resolution.

Kachu hesitated for a moment, though, to turn to her husband and ask, "Am I understanding this right, or are we really going to rescue an Oni?"

"Well," her husband shrugged, "After all...around here, stranger things have happened."

"I am beginning to fully appreciate that," Kachu reluctantly agreed, and then followed close on the wake of her mother, father and sisters...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cybellian Machinations: shadowmane

What evil schemes does Cybelle have in store for Ganglot, and will the Oni be forced to choose between her own safety and the welfare of her grandson? Will the gang be in time to save the day or will the last laugh belong to a certain Cybernetic Demoness? For the answer to these and many other questions, tune in for our next exciting installment, "Where's the Beefcake?" or "A Stitch in Meter and Line Saves the Rhyme!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	130. Chapter 130

NabikiRan114 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Fourteen.

A lone figure crept around from behind one of the walls of the Tendo dojo nervously casting glances over his shoulder as if afraid to find the very devil himself gazing upon him. The erstwhile (and self-proclaimed) Gambler King had every reason to exercise caution, but when the devil did finally speak it was with such calm lack of surprise that the Gambler King almost discovered religion.

Almost, that is, for the purpose of repenting.

"I thought I would find you here, miscreant," said Devil did pronounce, "After the poor service that you rendered it is only fitting for you to slink away in the hopes that you might be forgotten."

The King turned around very slowly, seeing the tip of the wooden bokken resting lightly upon his shoulder. Swallowing hard against the lump of dread that threatened to choke him, the King said very slowly, "Laddie...do ye want to be pointing like that at a poor sod who be down on his fortunes?"

"That all depends," replied Kuno Tatewaki, "On whether or not you deserve either pity or contempt, churl. At the moment the matter is undecided, but pray you do not convince me that you are worth even the bother."

The King was sweating and did not mind showing it off as he considered the Master of Kuno Enterprises with as much due respect as one would pay to a spitting cobra. He was not at all taken in by the seeming innocuousness of the wooden practice weapon in Kuno's hand, knowing full well that to a Master bladesmith such as Tatewaki even a dull-edged weapon could be devastatingly deadly.

"Me Lord..." the King began to petition.

"Do not address me in such a manner," Kuno said sharply, "A Lord is known by the vassals in his employ, and you, Sirrah, are no great credit to the likes of one such as I..."

"I gave it me best shot..." the King softly protested...

"And you failed miserably against Tendo Nabiki," Kuno shrugged his shoulders, "To be fair, not many of wit could match them against her and come out the better, but at the very least you might have spared yourself the embarrassment of losing in such an inept manner..."

"Put your sword down and let him go," a voice called out with a lightly appended, "Master."

"So," Tatewaki turned to regard the one who had spoken, "Even a dog can find its bark every so often..."

"A dog I may be, Master," replied a very calm-looking Sasuke, "But I served a noble house for many years and had the dignity of such employ. Do not dishonor my memories of the Master that I once served by fouling your blade on the likes of this unworthy creature."

"Can it be?" Kuno raised an eyebrow, "Have you somehow grown a spine in the short time since you left my direct employ?"

"A spine, or whatever it was that I was lacking in the past," Sasuke replied, "I just know that this is wrong...and you must know it as well, Master, if you have anything of the spark of a Samurai left within you."

Tatewaki expression darkened noticeably, "That you should speak to me in such a manner is impertinence...but then again, you have already chosen to serve my sister in preference to me, so I suppose ill manners are only to be expected. It just so happens, however, that you are right...I do lower myself by engaging such a miscreant as this one," Kuno stood away and lowered his bokken, "Leave now, Knave, and do not ever again darken the Tendo doorstep. Your claims on them are ended, and by the agreement that you and I made the property belongs to Tendo Nabiki. Never dispute this and I will allow you to remain healthy."

"Aye...that I will...ye shall nae see me again, Laddie," the King slowly edged away along the wall, then broke off in a dead run that kicked up dust as he vanished into the sunset.

"Thank you, Master," Sasuke sighed.

"Do not thank me just yet," Kuno slowly turned to regard the diminutive manservant, "Our business is not so easily concluded."

"No," Sasuke sighed, feeling weary, "I didn't think it would be."

"Know this then," Kuno regarded the little man gravely, "Though your family has been in service to the family of Kuno for more generations than either of us care to remember, I never much regarded you as a credit to that service."

"You think I didn't know that, Master?" Sasuke replied, sighing, "I was never cut out to be a Ninja...I had other dreams and goals, but I did what I could to please my father, to follow in his footsteps..."

"You did more than that," Tatewaki inclined his head with an unreadable expression, "I well know that you cared for me and Kodachi during those hard years when we were alone and friendless, our mother taking her own life, our father retreating into madness. You were not much of a manservant, but you did you best to fill in the gaps left by others. I have always been grateful to you for doing what you could to keep us warmed and clothed, though never before could I admit this in the open."

"Master?" Sasuke blinked.

"You have again reminded me of why House Kuno stands today when all who bear the name have proven themselves time and again to be unworthy," Tatewaki continued, "By standing up to me as you did just now you showed more spine and fortitude than was ever expected of you, even as a loyal ninja. Keep that in mind the next time you doubt your abilities or the choice your life has taken."

"Master?" Sasuke said in growing confusion, "What...?"

"I have chosen a path that is both difficult and daunting," Kuno continued as if not interrupted, "A path that may not even be very wise, but one I believe in and hope will eventually redeem the name of Kuno. Meanwhile my sister is in need of a friend...a friend such as you, who will look after her while I cannot. Our paths will doubtlessly come into conflict time and again err this is over, but I know that with your help Kodachi will continue to find her own way...to be the kind of person she should have been if not for the madness of our elders."

"Master..." Sasuke breathed, unable to find words that could properly describe his thoughts upon that moment.

"You may wonder why I have chosen to side with Mistress Cybelle," Kuno continued, "And I doubt not that you would be dismayed were you to hear my full reasons. Suffice to say, for now, that I prefer to ally myself with her cause...for reasons I will not burden you with knowing. I know the others believe that I have betrayed all memory of honor, but I believe that what I am doing is for the best, and so I will continue on my path, a path I walk alone, even into shadow."

With that Tatewaki turned around and walked back to the limousine that awaited his pleasure, and soon he drove off into the sunset while an overawed manservant watched him leave with a sense of awe and foreboding...wondering if it were ill omen or a hint of the coming future...

"Which way did he go now?" Kennou voiced her frustration, her lifelong problem with directions now proving to be a double curse as she chased after a fellow Hibiki.

"This way!" Minako announced, "I think I see Shirokuro...she's letting us know which way Ryo-chan turned. If we hurry we should be able to catch him..."

"You said that five minutes ago!" Kennou growled in dark undertones, but since following the other blonde was better than wandering around lost she allowed herself to be led around a corner, only to find themselves in a blind alley.

"Oh, this is just terrific!" Kennou groused, "Way to go, Blondie!"

"Watch the names," Minako pointed, "And look there...looks like Ryo-chan made another exit!"

Kennou blinked as she saw the massive gap in the wall big enough to drive a truck through, and not for the first time she swore, "How in the hell does he do that?"

"I don't know precisely," Minako replied as she took the lead once again, "But Ryo-chan said something about learning an Amazon trick for breaking rocks with the tip of his finger. I've seen him do it, too...it's pretty darned impressive!"

"And that's another thing," Kennou groused, "Where do you get off with this 'Ryo-chan' crap? You only just met him a couple of weeks ago..."

"I know," Minako replied, "But ever since he saved my life in that jungle..."

"What jungle?" Kennou blinked.

"On the Island with all the dinosaurs," Minako explained.

"Dinosaurs?" Kennou repeated.

"Yeah, on the Island that Time forgot...or something like that," Minako shrugged as if describing a mere tourist trap of her ill convenience.

"An Island full of Dinosaurs?" Kennou wondered if her fellow blonde was pulling her leg, "Where is that?"

"I forgot," Minako replied, "I think it's either in Peru or the Antarctic, or some place like that. All I know is that it's full of mountains and awfully cold if you wander outside of the valley..."

"You have got to be putting me on," Kennou exclaimed in bland skepticism, only to halt in her tracks and say, "No...double that! What the heck is that?"

Minako also saw the bizarre sight of an eighteen-wheeled truck folded over like a jack-knife, as if someone had flipped the front cab to stand it on its nose while the trailer part got leaned atop it.

"Off hand I think Ryo-chan did that," Minako mused, "He's awfully strong, and pretty single minded, and if something's in his way he tends to go right through it..."

"Tell me about it," Kennou said in dismay, wondering if even she could do that to a truck if she had a mind to.

They continued to follow a trail that even one blind would have recognized as the handiwork of an enraged Hibiki, making note of the holes punched through walls, buildings, cars and anything else that happened to be standing in their path. It was an almost ramrod straight line that bore in an unwavering straight direction, a mile of destruction that cut a swath across Nerima to the Furinkan Financial district as though shot from a laser, a fact that did not go unremarked by the two pursing ladies.

"Kennou-san," Minako asked with a hesitant edge in her voice, "Isn't it unusual for Ryo-chan to be this single-minded and certain of his directions?"

"Unusual?" Kennou responded, "It's frigging impossible! He should be just as confused as I normally am with directions!"

"Wow," Minako exclaimed, "You think maybe something is drawing Ryo-chan this way, like a homing beacon or some kind of mental magnet?"

"Mental magnet?" Kennou eyed her companion with a puzzled expression.

"Yeah," Minako replied, "Didn't you notice the way he cried out like he did back at the dojo? It was like he saw something nobody else around his saw, and that must have been what made him run off like that. I think somebody must have attacked his mind or something..."

"Must be a pretty small target," Kennou considered the point then said, "I suppose it's no more impossible than anything else that's been happening lately, and besides, we know that somebody in my family is good with illusions. Would make sense if somebody wired his brain to turn him into a human torpedo."

"But why him?" Minako asked.

"Because my Nephew is gullible and easily misled," Kennou said grimly, "And powerful enough to make the perfect weapon to do somebody's bidding, provided you can come up with a convincing enough illusion to get him revved up in an excited enough state that he acts without thinking...or whatever it is he does with that head of his when he's not butting it up against something."

"You may talk about him like that," Minako eyed her companion sidelong, "But I can tell you're as worried about Ryo-chan as I am."

"And what makes you say a fool thing like that?" Kennou growled in irritation.

"That fact that you rushed out here along with me to see where he was going," Minako replied rather smugly, "Admit it, you do have feelings for him, even though you say he's your Nephew when, in fact, he's actually a handsome guy who's nearly the same age as you, not to mention he's good natured, kind hearted, generous, noble, brave and strong, not to mention incredibly good looking."

"You said that twice," Kennou, growled, "And he's not that good looking. Besides, his Mom is my big sister, and I don't do incest."

"That's what you say," Minako smiled, "But you obviously care for him in spite of all that, almost as much as that other boy you're supposed to be in love with, the one who built a sister out of a robot..."

"WHAT?" Kennou halted in her tracks, "Who told you about that? Where did you hear about Hiroshi and his damned wind-up toy?"

"From you, of course," Minako replied, "You only talked about them so much that Ryo-chan was able to tell me everything about it."

"He...told...you...?" Kennou repeated slowly, then with fists balled she cried, "FINE! Then I don't want him, you can have him, you empty headed excuse for a..."

"Whoah!" Minako responded while pointing away from the enraged Hibiki, "Chill out and take a look at that! Is that the place where Ryo-chan's been heading all this time?"

"Huh?" Kennou turned her head and followed her companion's gesture, then blinked her eyes and said, "I don't believe it! An Art studio? That's where Ryoga's been headed?"

"I guess so," Minako studied the front doors to the studio, which had been torn off their hinges as if subjected to a great force, "But why would Ryoga be interested in visiting a studio at this time of the day? It's clearly after hours and almost sunset."

Kennou regarded her companion with a droll expression and said in dry undertones, "You know...people like you are the reason why there are so many dumb jokes about us blondes..."

"Huh?" Minako blinked, "And what do you mean by that?"

Kennou made a rude noise and turned to enter the building, "Never mind, let's just go after that baka, okay?"

"Aha," Minako smiled, "So you really do care about him after all, eh?"

Kennou's response to this gentle teasing was anything but printable but-  
fortunately for Minako-a long ways shy from homicidal...

When Ryoga entered the harmless-seeming Art studio he had thought that he was entering the lair of a powerful and dangerous creature that was threatening his family and loved ones. He did not have a plan or a purpose beyond settling accounts with this danger, and so what little subtlety he had was thrown completely out the window.

Which was why he hardly paused a step as he waded through the front doors to the studio, not even consciously taking notice of the momentary obstruction, seeing only the visions of the dead and dying bodies of his vision propelling him forward to acts of sheer desperation. As he plunged into the depths of the studio he hardly even noticed the works of art that surrounded him, many of them under cover but their arrangement leaving little doubt as to their nature, had Ryoga been conscious enough to take stock of his surroundings. He plowed on ahead, heedless of everything but the urge that was drawing him forward, and every other sense became of secondary importance.

In this state of mind he took no heed of the way the studio stretched out before him, turning a mere thirty-meter walk into something that extended out to infinity. The corridor that appeared before him was like a hallway through eternity, with the features blurring on all sides so that as has as he could run he got no nearer to his ultimate destination. It was like running in place on a treadmill, and try though he might Ryoga found his best efforts were availing him nowhere.

"Ryoga," a voice spoke in his mind, "Please stop this now. You don't want to do this, and I won't let you."

"WRONG!" Ryoga declared, or rather the part of his mind that was still capable of rational speech, "I HAVE TO DO THIS! I WON'T LET YOU HURT THEM!"

"But I would never hurt them," the voice gently replied, "And you don't even know who I am...or who you are for that matter."

"I KNOW ENOUGH!" Ryoga declared, "I KNOW THAT YOU'RE MY ENEMY..."

"Wrong," the womanly voice replied, "I have never been your enemy, but don't take my word on it...have a look for yourself and you will see..."

As these words penetrated through the haze of Ryoga's berserk mindset he saw his surroundings shift again, and this time he did pause in his forward momentum, seeing a living room stretch out before his eyes and resolving to the familiar surroundings of a room he knew like the back of his hand...if not a little better.

"Recognize this place, my dear?" the voice inquired, "You should...it was a large part of your life for the first fourteen years of your domestic existence."

"My home!" Ryoga declared in some astonishment, "I haven't been back in...years..."

"So glad that you remember," the voice said from much, much nearer, "I've never been there myself, but I've watched you grow up with your mother from afar, and so I have memorized every detail."

Ryoga turned to see who it was that was addressing him he saw a womanly form take shape from the air itself, resolving into a golden skinned woman whose frost white hair curled around her shapely body to nearly floor-level. Ryoga could not help staring at the radiant beauty that was before him, who virtually cried sensualism, and without thinking about it he covered his face to stave off a pending nosebleed.

"Who...?" Ryoga managed to gasp out, slightly muffled by his own hands.

"I think you know who I am," the woman replied, and Ryoga could not help noticing that her eyes had diamond-slits and were golden, "I'm Ganglot the Oni...and I happen to be your great grandmother."

"Ganglot the Oni?" Ryoga repeated, then at once fell back into a defensive crouch, "You're the one I've been sent to defeat!"

"Hardly," Ganglot waved a hand dismissively, "You are flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood, and despite what that Bitch, your grandmother, did to influence you, I am never your enemy, nor enemy to those you love and care for."

"Liar!" Ryoga spat, "I've seen a vision..."

"You mean the bodies strewn everywhere, some bloody beyond recognition?" Ganglot waved a hand, "Not my handiwork, I assure you...but then again I never was one for Blood and Gore dramas. I consider such things gosh beyond passe, as if spreading the syrup and tomato sauce could possibly ever substitute for actual high drama..."

"You won't trick me!" Ryoga declared, "I won't fall for it! I know that you're a demon and you exist only to torment innocent people...!"

"Now is that anyway to speak to your elders?" Ganglot smiled, then pointed to the tattoo marks on her face, "Besides, these are the mark that link me to the Divine powers of Yggdrasil, and under their influence I am forbidden to directly tell a lie. I can stretch he truth and bend it a little, but if I out and out tell you something you can take it on faith that my word is absolute Gospel."

"And how am I supposed to believe that?" Ryoga demanded.

"Hmmm..." Ganglot actually seemed to consider the question, stroking her chin with lone well-tapered hand, "A good point that...am I lying about telling the truth, or am I telling the truth about not being able to lie? I suppose the question could also be asked if I am merely being evasive, telling you a partial or half-a-truth in order to mislead and misdirect you, in which case it could be more confusing for you than actual lying, blending a bit of the truth in a form that is most deceptive..."

"Huh?" Ryoga responded, being more than a little confused by the Oni woman's questions, to say nothing of her half-answer.

"Never mind," Ganglot waved the point away dismissively, "The point is that you are my kin, and as such your welfare is meaningful to me...especially you, my little Ryo-chan, for of all of my descendants you are the most like my son, your grandfather, and you have a destiny, albeit one both strange and perplexing."

Ryoga was on his guard once again, "How can I believe you? You're an Oni!"

"And you have the blood of the Oni within you," Ganglot countered, "Or are you going to now make your mother out to be a liar?"

"Well..." Ryoga hesitated by a fraction.

"Ryo-chan," Ganglot said in a frank and intimate manner, "I know you don't have any reason to trust or believe me when I tell you that I am your great-  
grandmother, and it may be possible that you have heard stories about me as I was in the old days, before I decided to amend my ways and make nice-nice. In truth I used to be something of a mischief worker who delighted in sowing the seeds of discord among mortals, but that was back before I came to learn how precious a thing human life can be, a lesson that your grandmother has yet to learn. She's the one who goes around looking to cause trouble. Why, in ancient times would you believe she even got amusement out of convincing her followers to partake of drunken orgies while chewing hemp, and under the influence of narcotics and religiously-induced euphoria they would sometimes cut off their own balls and offer them up to her as fertility sacrifices?"

"Urk!" Ryoga unconsciously brought his knees closer together.

"Yeah, no fooling!" Ganglot made a face, "Back then you could get people to perform the most bizarre acts and call it a religious observance. I did things back then myself that I'm not particularly proud of, but I never went that far with the people who used to worship me as a goddess. Oh, I may be something of a trickster at heart, but I prefer to play straight with the people who truly matter..."

"You see!" Ryoga latched onto the part of his speech that most closely conformed to his pre-made mindset, "You admit you're trying to trick me!"

Ganglot sighed, "Brains, brawn and looks...amazing how much of my son bred true in you..."

"I don't have to listen to any more of this!" Ryoga declared hotly, "I know what I have to do, now get out of the way and let me complete my mission!"

"Oh sure," Ganglot rolled her eyes, "Let you smash my capstone, seal me back in my prison...like I'm going to let that happen. Why don't I show you something else that might take your mind off destroying me for a bit...let's see...how good are you at history?"

"History?" Ryoga repeated.

Ganglot snapped her fingers, "Oh darn, that's right...it's more your brother's specialty. Well, Geography is definitely out, and so is higher mathematics, so what other subjects interest you?" the Oni princess paused then smiled, "I know...Poetry...that seems a subject near and dear to your heart..."

"Poetry?" Ryoga raised his eyebrows by more than a fraction.

"Maestro!" Ganglot made a dramatic sweep of her arm, and their surroundings altered to an outdoor wilderness setting, with stars far up above that sparkled like tiny rhinestones set against an absolute black velvety backdrop, complete with comet flashing far overhead in a naturalistic setting.

"Some say the world will end in fire!" Ganglot declared, and all around them the wooded forest that they were in burst into flames all over, creating heat and light that made even Ryoga flinch more than a little.

"...And some say in Ice," the Oni princess continued, even as their flaming surroundings were suddenly engulfed by a wave of icy cold that smothered the fires and covered tree-branches in frost, snow and icicles. In spite of myself, Ryoga was impressed by these realistic illusions, but he had little time to take notice of the cold before the Oni princess banished it altogether.

"From what I've tasted of desire," Ganglot spoke in a rhyming sing-song, "I'd hold with those who favor fire. But if I had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also very great, and would suffice."

The ice melted all around them, and suddenly the landscape was flooded, wiping out whole villages in the virtual blink of an eye as huts and people floated off into the sunset.

"Robert Frost," Ganglot explained as the waters gradually receded, "Gotta love him...the very fact that I now take the road less taken can in some small part be attributed to him. What you are seeing now, Ryo-chan, is history sped up a thousandfold to show you how the Silver Age ended for humanity before the Stone Age opened out to the rest of our ancestors, and why the Oni are among the most loyal servants to the opposition of the Gods. It's quite a long and confusing story, but as it seems that we have enemies in common."

"We do?" asked a by-now thoroughly confused Ryoga.

"Watch on as I slow the fast-forward to the frame that I'm after," Ganglot made a hand-motion as if clicking a remote and the scene came to a halt with the sight of a pyramid being constructed by many laborers hauling stone blocks together, "Observe a little-known period in Chinese history when the monument-  
building craze of the Middle East had its direct correlation in the Quoin Hi province. This forgotten nation and its builders are currently erecting a temple at the bidding of their ruler...later on Archeologists will totally misconstrue the purpose of these Temples as Tombs for their Kings, in spite of the fact that no bodies were ever buried here, nor were they even intended for such a purpose."

"Then why build them at all?" Ryoga asked with an appropriate amount of head-  
scratching, "Seems like an awful lot of trouble..."

"As you may or may not have heard," Ganglot explained, "A pyramid is a geometrical shape that incorporates many rather interesting occult features that are of use in ceremonial magic. In this case the pyramid in question is being used as a summoning device to establish a gateway between worlds, which is why it was constructed along exact geomagnetic coordinates that allow it to tap into the Lie Lines of force that encircle the planet."

As Ryoga watched the image altered to an interior view of the stone pyramid and a large chamber in which many priests were chanting in an odd, sibilant language. A man with an odd headdress (quite obviously the High Priest) motioned a woman to step forward, this girl a simple peasant by her look, though her silken gown makes her appear quite regal. The girl knelt down in the center of an ornately drawn circle on the floor and bowed her head in supplication while the priests all around her continued to chant...and then she was engulfed in a weird energy field and she began to change in outward form, growing taller and more regal as she straightened up to her full height, her hair lengthening and turning a golden-white coloration as he skin went from alabaster to burnished gold.

"In point of fact," Ganglot continued, "This is my summoning ritual, the act which brought me physically onto this plane of existence."

"What happened to that poor girl?" Ryoga gasped as he saw the naked woman in all her inhuman glory, spreading out huge bat-wings as she raised her arms in exultation (with eye-popping chest motions that threatened him with another nosebleed).

"We became one and assimilated one another," Ganglot replied, "She is still a part of me, and I am a part of her...my mortal half that allows me to dwell among the humans and pass as one myself, though in spirit I am an Oni."

"And that means you're not human?" Ryoga wondered, keeping a firm grip over his nose until the naked woman was wrapped in silken robes by the priests who greeted her like an empress newly arrived.

"Not entirely, no," Ganglot admitted, "But I'm human enough in all the ways that truly matter. Oni are not so dissimilar from human on a genetic scale, though countless millennia of evolutionary drift have made us both distinctively different species. On the plane where the Oni reside there are different rules and elementary forces that set the conditions of our existence. We've adapted to survive under a climatic situation that you would truly find hellish, though to us it is Home Sweet Home, a place I haven't been back to in eons, not that I have any great nostalgia for the life I lived before this one."

"And why is that?" Ryoga wondered.

"Because Oni society is often harsh and brutal, civilized on the exterior but quite barbaric underneath," Ganglot admitted freely, "Many Oni whom you would encounter from our home world are vicious, spiteful creatures, every bit as savage and ruthless as we are made out to be in our legends. We are not naturally that way, any more than humans are themselves brutal and cruel to one another, but we all adapt in our own way to the demands of the societies into which we are born. About the only main features we Oni have that do conform to our fearsome legends is the fact that we are given to a rather short fuse in the Temper department...we lose our cool with far less provocation that most humans and revert to a savage, berserk-like stake when sufficiently angered. You may have noticed in yourself a tendency to get angry and stay angry for a long, long time, not to mention a particular obsessive streak that will cause you to fixate on a given idea and refuse to be budged from it come hell or high water."

"You're saying I got that from you?" Ryoga reluctantly concluded.

"Bingo!" Ganglot grinned, "I knew you really were a very bright boy underneath that exterior of good-natured simple-mindedness. You really are a lot like your grandfather, and if you grow to be half the man he is today, then your name could well become a legend."

"I don't want to be a part of any of this!" Ryoga declared, "What you're telling me makes me sound like some kind of a freak! Isn't it enough that I've had to suffer from being different for nearly all of my life? Do you think I enjoy finding out that I really am inhuman?"

"No," Ganglot replied with sympathy in her voice, "I can only imagine the pain and ostracism that you have felt from normal society...being part Japanese yet never truly a part of that world. I know how racist and divided Japanese culture is towards non-Japanese, and growing up as you have, forced to struggle for your daily existence without being able to find your way back home..."

"And how could you even begin to know about my pain?" Ryoga cried, "Because of all I've had to endure, I've seen Hell!"

"Hell?" Ganglot smiled with far less pleasantness in her tone, "You think you've seen the worst that life has to offer? Feast your eyes on this if you honestly believe that you have suffered more than any other."

Ryoga turned as the golden woman made another hand gesture, and suddenly they were surrounded by a snowy landscape littered with dead and dying bodies, burning huts and mangled forms painting out a scene of utter carnage the like of which made the lost boy's blood turn to icewater.

"This is what happened shortly after the Amazons migrated into the region," Ganglot explained, "They came into conflict with many neighboring cultures and-  
-depending on how diplomatic relations fared-either formed alliances or made savage war against those who fell into the bad graces of the Queens, Matriarchs and Council of Elders. What you see here is the end result of one such altercation, the Amazons leaving very little of that long-vanished empire that had summoned me as their resident goddess. And I was unable to prevent this, having been sealed away in my Temple by the combined might of several Amazon Mages and Lore Masters. This happened nearly three thousand years back, but the memory is still fresh within me, and I can never forget that these were my people, and that I was the one who badly failed them."

Ryoga said nothing, staring at the bodies lifted high on spear-points and other gruesome sights so typical of a lost battle.

"Do not ever speak to me again of having witnessed Hell, boy," Ganglot murmured, "I was born to a kind of a Hell, but this far outstripped my home world in hellish nightmares. I knew these people, I still recall their names and the lives each one lived before this slaughter."

Ryoga continue to survey the remains of what had once been a prospering village, now a graveyard in all but name, and he felt the sadness of the place calling out to him like a foretaste of the vision he had witnessed in the dojo, which was why he shuddered with revulsion...

"...This way...I think," Minako urged them to turn at a certain corner that in all respects seemed identical to the last three corners they had taken.

"You think?" Kennou scoffed, "The two words don't even fit in the same sentence with you, Blondie...and where the heck did this Maze come from anyway? The whole building didn't look big enough to house this!"

"Well, excuse me for living," Minako sniffed, "But I do have quite a lot of experience with chasing down monsters and lost princess, and one thing I know about Mazes, you have to pick a place to turn somewhere!"

"That almost makes sense," Kennou grumbled, "And that's got me doubly worried. At least there's no damned Minotaur running around in this place to give us a hard time..."

There was a loud rumbling noise in the distance, as though a deep-throated creature was just then clearing its congestion.

"You were saying?" Minako asked nervously, hoping the creature would not find her since most Monsters of her acquaintance seemed to have a taste for Blondes in a rather unhealthy sense of the term.

"Just terrific," Kennou paused to look around, "If only we had some kind of indicator to show we aren't running around in circles. Damn it, I'm usually pretty good with mazes...it's straight lines that mostly give me a problem!

"We all have our burden to bear, right?" Minako mused in her usual cheerful manner.

Kennou was about to respond to that when her foot encountered a slight depression, as if she had just stepped on a trap or something, and then something fell on her from above, and to her dismay she learned that it was nothing less than a pail full of water!

"What the...?" Minako blinked as she witnessed the transformation that turned a girl her own ages into a four-footed canine struggling out of a school uniform, "Hibiki-san?"

Kennou growled slightly in response, and had anyone there been able to speak wolf they would have translated the noises as an exasperated, "What are the odds? It's just not fair!"

Much to her surprise she heard a canine voice respond, "You are telling me this? I could write a book about life's unfairness!"

Kennou turned to see the odd woman-shape that she knew to be the Shadow-hound, Shirokuro, approaching them from around the corner, regarding Kennou with a very sympathetic expression.

"Where did you come from?" asked an astonished Minako.

"From my mother, mostly," the white-and-black haired woman replied, "And she was a bitch of a different Kennel. Now...sorry it took me a while to catch up with you girls. The Mistress appears to have locked even me out with her illusions, making it all the more difficult for me to home in on the scent of my master."

"Your Master?" Kennou asked, though the sounds were nothing more than whines to Minako.

"Why yes," Shirokuro replied, clearly understanding those canine noises, "I call him that, for I have served him nearly all the years of his life, but originally I was the servant of Mistress Ganglot, and later of her arch enemy, Cybelle, before I was granted the more pleasurable assignment of looking after her daughter, Mistress Atsuko."

"You're a family retainer then?" Minako blinked, "Hey...wait a minute...you can understand her?"

"As one who has served the Hibiki line can understand any member of the bloodline," Shirokuro replied, "Besides, my other form is not too dissimilar to her cursed shape, so I may serve Kennou for now by acting as her translator."

"Great," Minako declared as she regarded the wolf beside her, "I didn't know she had a curse, though...that must be awfully inconvenient."

"You don't know the half of it, Blondie," Kennou grumbled.

"There is no time for us to bicker," Shirokuro said, "My Mistress is planning something, and we must be ready to help her when the time is proper. I suggest we remain here for now and not waste further energy in aimless wandering. After all, these walls are just illusions and we are still within the studio that my Mistress has converted into her stronghold."

"And what's her deal?" Kennou asked, "Why won't she let us get closer to Ryoga?"

"I do not know the answer to that, Sorry," Shirokuro shrugged her shoulders apologetically, "I only know that you have a part to play in her greater plan, and as you both care for my Master, I will, of course, assist you in any way that I am able."

"There must be a way for us to get out of here and find Ryoga," Minako insisted.

"Not until the Mistress allows it," Shirokuro sighed, "Which-if I guess right-  
-will happen very shortly. We must be ready to act when she gives us the signal."

Kennou did not like the sound of that, but like Minako she saw no alternative but to sit tight...right up until her nose picked up the familiar scent that she recognized as belonging to Ryoga. Her ears perked up at that and she barked aloud, "I can smell him!"

"Really?" Shirokuro tensed and sniffed the air, then said, "You're right! I smell him too! He is very near to our location..."

"How close?" Minako asked.

"Difficult to say," Shirokuro replied, "I lack the means to penetrate her illusions."

"Well, you may have a problem there, but not me," Minako smiled as she reached for her henshin pen.

"And what are you gonna do?" Kennou barked sourly, "Draw us a way out of here?"

"Just watch and see," Minako winked as if making a guess as to that question, "You guys have your secret transformations, and so do I!"

With that she raised her hand and invoked the power of her Senshi form, which caused both of her companions to eye her with astonished expressions as the blonde went momentarily nude, then was clad again in a familiar white, blue and orange Sailor costume.

"Oh my," Kennou remarked in a lowered voice of wonder, though only Shirokuro caught her precise meaning.

"Now," the transformed Minako declared as she concentrated and held both gloved hands extended outward, the jewel on her tiara glowing to life as she summoned up her inward power, "If I can just home in on Ryo-chan's signal..."

Kennou held her breath, as did Shirokuro, feeling the incredible power radiating from the blonde and hoping against hope that it would prove sufficient to resolving their present dilemma...

"For a time I hated the Amazon people and blamed them for their depths, even though in my heart I knew that it was the folly of this land's rulers that pitted them against the new arrivals," Ganglot sighed and dismissed the vision of horror with one hand, "The few who survived the retribution of Queen Oriestra banded together and formed a cult that maintained my worship. Eventually they learned how to free me from my prison, but I was never able to remake what was lost. Though I have the power to grant wishes, some things are not so reversible without recourse to a greater power source than my own. It was only after I learned how to tap into Yggdrasil that I gained the power to grant wishes that could truly remake the planet."

"Remake the planet?" Ryoga repeated.

"If I chose to, of course," Ganglot shrugged, "But why should I choose? I'm rather happy with the world as it is today...well...all except certain parts of it, but until someone asks the right kind of wish..." she shrugged in an off-  
handed manner.

"But...if you're the enemy of the Amazon..." Ryoga started to say, when Ganglot waved a finger in a dismissive manner.

"I used to be their enemy...as in past-tense," Ganglot smiled, "But time slowly changes all things, and with the passage of centuries comes greater wisdom. I learned to look beyond my petty quarrels and see the larger picture, the greater whole that we all are a part of. I no longer wish for misfortune to befall the Amazon...indeed, how could I want this? My own beloved husband was an Amazon, after all, to say nothing of your great-grandfather, dear Ryo-chan."

"My...what?" Ryoga blinked.

In response Ganglot nodded, and Ryoga turned to see a tall man with dark blue hair approaching the ruins of the pyramid, a man wearing Chinese robes with the symbol of the Earth Sign embroidered on his chest.

All at once the man was surprised as a figure appeared from around a standing pillar, none other than Ganglot herself, who confronted the man with a smile that was neither warm nor particularly hostile.

"So," she declared, "You refuse to heed my warnings."

"I'm not afraid of you," the man declared, "You can do your worst to me, but I won't be turned away, not even by you, Princess."

"So..." the other Ganglot's eyes narrowed by a fraction, "You would risk my wrath by disturbing me in my sanctum. You think yourself brave coming here by yourself, knowing full well that I could destroy you with but a single thought?"

"Do so if you must," the man looked boldly into the eyes of the Oni Princess, "But I will still speak the words I came here to say."

"You are a brave fool, little man," Ganglot inclined her head to one side, "Aren't you afraid that I will devour you, like in those legends they tell your people as bedtime stories?"

"Will you?" the man approached her unflinching until he was nearly within arms reach of the golden skinned woman, "Or are those only legends?"

For a time the golden-hued woman stared into the eyes of the man before her, a man who stood nearly even with her in height, and then she glanced away, as if unable to maintain the contact.

"What words would you have for me?" Ganglot asked, "Son of Balm, and descendant of my enemies?"

The man drew a breath as if not having been fully convinced that she would not eat him, but then his shoulders squared and he replied, "There is a disease that afflicts my people...a plague that is sweeping over the Amazons like wildfire, a disease that has even felled my beloved sister. Did you cause this, as the Elders have hinted?"

"No," the golden woman did not turn to look at him in reply, "I did not cause this plague to occur, nor is its presence among you my doing, not that I would shed a tear if it ravages your numbers..."

"You are as cruel as you are beautiful, Princess," the man drew a ragged breath, "But why has the plague befallen us, and why can our healers do nothing to avert it?"

"The cure for this plague is not known to your people," Ganglot replied, "It was brought here by an outsider who came from an infected region in the west. Your people have never encountered its like before and so have no natural resistance, even those of you with Jurai Blood."

"You know of my father?" the man gasped.

"There is little about you that I do not already know," Ganglot replied, finally turning to meet the man's gaze, "I spend my hours casting my mind adrift to see the world in all its vastness, and of course I take great amusement in the study of your people."

"Does it amuse you to see us suffer and die?" the young man drew a ragged breath and balled his hands into fists as if to control his sudden anger.

For a time the golden skinned woman stared at the young mortal before her, then she lowered her gaze, "No...it does not. I have seen more death in my time than you could ever imagine, little worm. Do not presume to judge me for being an Immortal, or for standing by while tragedies such as this take place within my knowing."

There was another long pause, and then the man spoke with more compassion, "Can it be? Is there actually a heart that beats within your breast, you who have laughed at the ruin of dynasties and nations?"

"I never laugh at the fall of a single sparrow," Ganglot replied almost defiantly, "Why should I care any more or less for you humans?"

"Then..." the young man hesitated, "Perhaps we could come to an arrangement?"

"Oh?" the golden woman lifted a pale eyebrow.

"It...it is said that you have the power to grant wishes, Princess of the Oni," the man hesitated before continuing, "You enter into pacts with mortals and can give them one boon in exchange for their services. I would offer you such a bargain if you will save the lives of my people and my sister, Kho-Lon."

"You...would make a bargain with me?" Ganglot's other eyebrow climbed to equal the elevation of the other, "You...the descendant of a ruling Matriarch...would join yourself in a pact with me, Ganglot the Oni?"

"If I must," the man replied, "I would do anything to spare my people suffering, bear any burden that any god or demon would demand of me..."

"Oh," Ganglot's expression grew unreadable, "So you consider me a burden, do you?"

"I..." the young man blinked, then it was his turn to look down, "I didn't mean it to sound quite like..."

"You would bargain with me," Ganglot replied, "In good faith and without any reservations. You will not try to renegotiate or worm your way out of anything that I ask of you or in any way fail to live up to your part of our bargain?"

"I have already said this," the young man's shoulders straightened once again, "I am Ro-Gain, the son of a Tribal Champion, the descendant of one who once was a Matriarch of my people, and my father is of noble lineage to a far-flung star empire. I do not go back on my word once it is given, and I will do whatever you ask of me, if you will use your powers to save my people and my sisters."

The Oni Princess regarded the man for a time, then the silver tattoos on her face began to glow brightly as her expression became neutral. After a moment she said, "I can spare their lives and make it as if the plague had never happened. Your people will be granted a natural immunity to this virus for now and all future generations. This is what I have to offer you, but in exchange for this I will require of you one eternal service."

"Name it and it is done," the young man before her said in absolute conviction.

"What I require of you," the Oni regarded the young man slyly, "Is that you become my eternal companion. You will leave your tribe and come to live with me and give me your companionship for as long as you live, or until such time as I willingly dismiss you."

"You..." he blinked, "Want me to be your husband?"

"No!" Ganglot reacted with honest surprise, "Honestly, why do you Amazons always think that it comes down to that? Can't a woman simply enjoy the company of a man she finds attractive without it having to be a permanent, life-long attachment?"

"But you just said..." the young man replied in growing confusion.

"Look," the Oni sighed, "You're a nice boy, and I find you interesting, and there are not many of your generation who would have the courage to come facing me with a request like that, so why can't I have you around as a man-servant? You're handsome enough to be worth looking at without me growing overly tired of you in the conceivably near future, but a husband? In your dreams! You will be my servant and do my bidding without hesitation or qualm. Those are my terms...now...do you still want to agree to such a bargain?"

"I will," the man replied without pausing to think about it, his expression registering just a twinge of disappointment, "Anything you ask of me, I will do...just save Kho-Lon and Xian-Pu, and the rest of my people."

Ganglot's own expression was unreadable as she regarded the handsome youth before her, but then the marks on her face glowed again, and after a moment of pause she said, "This it is done. I will save your people..."

"Ah...the follies of youth," the present-version of Ganglot sighed as she dismissed the vision with a mere hand gesture, "Of course I was fated to fall hard for him, and I eventually did grant him his freedom, only to have him stubbornly refuse to leave me. I eventually consented to take him as my husband, and it was the happiest day of my eternal existence..." she sighed with wistful longing, "Of course Kho-Lon refused to understand why her brother left her side for mine, so to this day she resents me and blames me for what eventually happened. Their other sister, Xian-Pu, perished later in battle against and enemy, the same as did my husband..."

"Xian-Pu?" Ryoga questioned.

"A different Xian-Pu than the one you know," Ganglot explained, "The present one is named in her honor, though her hair was red, not purple..."

"What happened to my great grandfather?" the lost boy asked her.

Ganglot's expression fell, "Like I said...he met someone tougher than himself and he died. Xian-Pu defeated that same enemy at the cost of her own life, and the loss of her two immediate siblings drove Kho-Lon into a state of almost manic depression. She blamed me for allowing it to happen...as if I would have driven the man I loved into such a hopeless battle! If the fool had only asked for my assistance I would given him the means to fight back, even gone to his father and begged for the Tenchi key, but Rogaine was always stubborn like that, so sure of himself and his prowess as a fighter..." for a moment she closed her eyes as if allowing the memories to fill her with brief sadness.

Ryoga was about to say something when he felt that tugging need draw upon him once again, and he turned his eyes to see a silvery chord stretch out before him, drawing him to a certain place that was not far at all from where he presently was standing.

"I thought I had lost everything when he died...but he left me with a son," Ganglot smiled in spite of the tears filling her eyes, "Your grandfather. Oh, how I doted on my dear, sweet boy...or at least I did before that bitch, Cologne, sealed me back in my temple! And all because I tried to do her a little favor, hitching her up with a man who clearly had her best interests at stake...or so I imagined at the time. How was I to know the deal would go sour, or that Happosai's perverted nature would get the better of him in the long run?"

It suddenly occurred to the Oni princess that Ryoga was no longer paying attention, that his focus was being drawn in another direction.

"Ryo-chan, no!" Ganglot at once put herself in the immediate path of her great grandson, "That's Cybelle's influence calling to you! You must resist her and not give in! She's a Demon, like me, only she hasn't learned what it means to truly care about people..."

"Out of my way," Ryoga said with an almost mechanical tone to his voice.

Ganglot tried to put a hand on the young man to restrain him, but Ryoga reflexively reached out and twisted that arm, throwing Ganglot almost casually over his shoulder.

"Mistress Ganglot!" suddenly two figures hurled themselves into the space separating Ryoga, one of them with raised Tonfas.

"Go no further!" a blonde-haired Amazon demanded, "You dishonor yourself and the name of your ancestors!"

"We saw everything!" the man at her side declared, "You shall not hurt our Mistress!"

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Ryoga roared with greater intensity, and rudely shoved his way past the two Amazons, heedless of when the blonde tried to rain blows against him with the metal rods that she carried. With an almost contemptful backhand Ryoga sent her sprawling, even as the young man cried out her name and rushed to help her.

That was when a golden beam shot out through the air and momentarily blocked the lost boy from his forward momentum.

"What the heck?" declared the fuku-Minako as she and a certain lupine shape appeared from seeming nowhere, literally stepping through a wall that opened before them, followed in short order by Shirokuro.

The wolf that was Hibiki Kennou did not bother to reply but sought to leap towards Ryoga, barking out to him a command to cease and desist with what he was doing.

To her surprise the lost boy turned and responded in an almost listless tone of voice, "I'm sorry...I have to do this..." and then with a single blow of his hand he punched his way through a plasterboard wall and revealed the stone block hidden behind it, which was located apart from the main studio proper.

That was when the rest of "Cavalry" came rushing in through the doors, no longer guarded by illusions, and when Atsuko-at the head of the party-saw Ryoga mounting a large stone block shaped like a mini-pyramid she immediately guessed what he was about to do and tried to cry out a frantic, "STOP!" only to have her voice drowned out by his, "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

Ryoga thrust his finger at the stone block and shattered it into rubble. One moment later Ganglot straightened up and clutched at her head, then gave out a horrifying scream and was suddenly engulfed in a localized whirlwind.

"What's happening?" Ranma cried as he raised his arms to shield himself from bits of debris and rubble being tossed about in all directions.

"Mother?" Razor gasped, then more loudly, "MOTHER!"

"Oh bugger," Siren erected a hasty magical shield that sheltered the others from the hurricane-force driven fragments.

"We're too late!" Comb declared.

"You think?" Yumi countered.

"The boy's gone and done it now," Genma declared.

"Indeed," Soun agreed, "But what has he done? That is the real question."

Ganglot vanished into the diminishing vortex and the winds finally drifted into nothing, leaving a hollow emptiness in her passage...which slowly was replaced by the sounds of a maniacal laughter.

"AT LAST, I'VE DONE IT!" cried a familiar voice as Cybelle suddenly materialized in the air before them, "I've rid myself of that annoying gold strumpet! Now there is no one who can oppose my will! You fools played your part to the hilt, and now you must reap the consequences of your folly!"

"Uh...what...?" Ryoga blinked his eyes as if just then coming out of a daze.

"Way to go, Moron!" Ukyo called out to him, "You just doomed everybody! I hope you're happy!"

"But...I didn't...?" Ryoga stumbled.

"What did Ryoga do?" Akane gasped.

"I don't exactly know," Makoto replied nervously, "But I've got a nasty feeling we're about to learn the answer..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cybelle Triumphant: shadowmane

Has Cybelle truly won? Has Ryoga's impulsive gesture awarded victory to the bad guy? Will the gang be able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, without collectively getting their fingers snapped off in the bargain? For these and other fateful resolutions, stay tuned for our next exciting chapter, "A Chip off the Old Marble Block-Head," or "Who was that Oni I saw you with last night? That was no Oni, that was my wife!" Be there!

X

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	131. Chapter 131

NabikiRan115 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Fifteen.

Cybelle was in her element, and like any halfway decent Melodramatic Villainess she was entitled to gloat, and so took full advantage of that option.

"You clowns have no idea what you've just done, have you?" she crowed, "In dispatching my adversary, you clear the way for me to take over the whole franchise! This is exactly what I wanted, and you played your parts to perfection!"

"Our parts?" Ranma sniffed, "No way! It was Ryoga's doing, smashing up that stone thingie like a doofus!"

"I said I was sorry," Ryoga's shoulders slumped, "I didn't know this would happen..."

"Only because she put you up to it, boy," Cologne eyed the blonde sorceress as one would a cobra, "You are saying that you consider that Oni to be a greater threat than the rest of us combined?"

"When have you ever been a threat to anyone but yourself?" Cybelle scoffed, "Living off in the hinterlands, keeping your people apart from the modern world, insisting on living a rudimentary existence without technology, as if the modern world were something you could keep forever out of your borders! You Amazons pride yourself on your strength, but you're weak in every way that truly matters! Your time has come and gone...it's now the world that I am creating which will hold sway over every mortal life on the planet!"

"Don't be so quick to dismiss Amazon lore and might," Siren cautioned with a dangerous hint in her own voice, "You could get your fingers burned from trying."

"Don't worry," Cybelle scoffed, "If I even suspected that you backwoods barbarians could prove a threat to my plans, you would have been gone a long time ago. You think you have influence over the Chinese Government? You forget how paranoid and obsessive the 'Long March' crowd of that poetry spouting idiot, Mao, can be when it comes to clinging to power. If I give one word as to the possible threat you may pose to their future they'll bomb you back to the Mesozoic age as fast as I can snap my fingers!"

"And you think we're going to stand by and let you get away with this?" Soun reared to his not inconsiderable height, "After what you did to my dojo?"

Cybelle just smiled and snapped her fingers, and suddenly the Tendo patriarch was picked up and hurled across the room, to collide with a wall panel and create a noticeable impression.

"Like I give a damn about you and your stupid dojo?" Cybelle sneered as Soun slumped to the floor, then with an almost casual back-hand she sent Yumi flying into the ceiling when the latter attempted to plant her baker's peel on the sorceress's noggin.

"Mom?" Atsuko cried in shock, even as her father hovered at her side with conflicting emotions plain in his expression.

"Dad!" Akane cried as she and Silk moved to assist him, followed in short order by Kasumi and Kodachi.

"Aunt Yumi!" Ukyo called out in dismay as she and Makoto similarly went to the aid of their fallen elder.

"Nobody move!" Cologne called out, moving hastily to avoid a rush by the various martial artists, "Until we know what we are dealing with it is best to hold back and rein in your anger!"

"Easy for you to say," Ranma growled as he bunched his fists and tensed as if ready to strike at any moment.

"You think you can take me, Nexus, go ahead and try it," Cybelle scoffed, "You're not dealing with just a simple hologram this time...I've made a few technical improvements so that I can level more of my real power to this area and location. None of you-not even Blondie over there-can fathom my true power and resources. I command all of the wonders of Man's technology at my disposal, and if you want to know what that truly means, just keep on coming...you won't live to regret it!"

"Hey!" Siren reacted at the slight hurled in her direction.

"You boast of your power," Kachu growled levelly, "But you have yet to taste the full power at my disposal..."

"Don't think you'll take me as easy as the last time, Exorcist," Cybelle sneered, "I've taken precautions to safeguard against a repeat performance...and besides...it's not just my safety you need to be thinking about. You're with child, remember? That gives you something to lose if you further try my patience."

"I would rather my child never be born than to have her grow up in the sort of world that you would create!" Kachu raised her Chi-C'hi as if preparing to use it.

"And does the same hold for your stud of a husband?" Cybelle hinted darkly, "Would you risk his health and any possible future you might have together?'

"I..." for the first time there was clear hesitation in the Devil Hunter's expression, but Tofu stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand upon her shoulder.

"My wife speaks for both of us," Tofu declared, "Better to end it now than to live forever afraid of your shadow."

"Airen..." Kachu's voice caught for a second before she hardened her resolve and gave the Demoness her most contemptful and haughty of expressions.

"Gee, this is just so romantic," Cybelle dabbed a finger at her eye as if to wipe a mock tear away, "Going down together, just like deCaprio and that blonde floozy in Titanic..."

"So proud of yourself, are you?" a new voice was added to the mixture, and heads turned to see the ancient Lotion hobbling in on her staff, looking tired but otherwise quite imposing, "Playing games with children, threatening the future of those yet to be born. You've quite a lot to show for all your planning..."

"So," Cybelle mused, "You finally show yourself after slinking off in the middle of that card game. Just as well, having all the pieces to this game finally be assembled on the playing field, and with the Queen herself removed from future play..."

"Tell me one thing," Lotion urged, "I understand why you used the Gambler King and your other minions to detain these people from interfering in your schemes while you selected your grandson to use as a weapon against the Oni...but why precisely did you wish to have Ganglot eliminated? As powerful as she is, she operates under greater restrictions than you and can only influence the lives of others through indirect manipulation."

"That can be more than enough sometimes," Cybelle said darkly, "She was the only one who had the insight and experience needed to know where to interrupt my plans, and she was clearly acting to shield and protect these others against me. I cannot stand to have any agency or power that acts contrary to my interests, or who would nurture others who might one day pose a greater threat to my long-  
ranged plans, running loose without my knowing what they are about. My calculations are very precise and delicate, and to have that wild card running loose generating random factors that undo my equations is more than I can stomach!"

"I get it now," Nabiki spoke up, "You knew what everyone else in Nerima would do except her, and she's the only one who could keep you guessing."

"Not the only one," Cybelle gave a nasty glance in the middle Tendo sister's direction, "But she was the only one who really mattered. I happen to know that she had her eye set on watching your development, and as a junior Lore Master you could have proven valuable to her schemes...but no more! That threat, and your effectiveness, are now ended."

Ranma and Shampoo tensed together, once more interposing themselves between the Sorceress and a much-surprised Nabiki.

"You fiend," Genma declared, and sounded like he actually meant it.

"How dare you call Nabiki ineffective!" Soun rallied as he picked him self off of the floor, refusing to rely on either his fianc e or daughter for assistance.

"I think he means that she is no longer considered a threat by her, Soun-chan," Silk murmured into his ear at the level of a stage-whisper, "And so she intends to ignore her."

"Oh," Soun's expression was comically torn between protectiveness and fear for his daughter, while Nabiki felt something prick along her spine, and her eyes narrowed sharply.

"Indeed, I've wasted far too much time with you losers already," Cybelle sneered in evident contempt, "But of course I could not have done this alone without help...as clever as she was, Ganglot had me foxed on several levels, not least being my inability to locate her lair...until I was clued in by one who hated my Mother-in-law far more even than I do..."

And with that she grinned in Cologne's direction.

"I?" the former Matriarch was clearly taken aback, "But I never..."

"You didn't have to do a thing," Cybelle declared, "Your thoughts betrayed you and gave me a clear mental picture of where this studio was located. I had you bugged with a low-level tracer-spell, one keyed to go off the moment you came anywhere near my enemy's stronghold. All I had to do was to relay those coordinates to my grandson and then implant a strongly conjured image of doom to provide sufficient motive, and away he went like a guided cruise missile. I knew she wouldn't dare attack her own flesh and blood, and that he would ignore her petitions and entreaties to do what I planted into his mind...it was like shaping clay between my fingers, and now because of you both the threat posed to me is ended and Ganglot is banished!"

"Me?" Ryoga paled, "But...but I never meant...!"

"Your own great grandmother," Ukyo frowned, "I hope you're proud of yourself."

"It's not his fault!" Atsuko declared, "I...I never told Ryoga the full story...I never raised him to understand the difference between a good and an evil Oni. I wanted to shelter him...I didn't know that Momma would exploit his ignorance like this..."

"Cybelle," Razor shook his head sadly, "How could you do that to my grandson, to my mother?"

"Excuse me but I'm not listening to you," Cybelle turned her back on the big man, "We've said our parts to one another, now you can go back to wandering lost in a haze for all I care! You haven't any right to judge or condemn me after abandoning me like you did..."

"That's not fair!" Ryomi spoke up, "Grampa never meant to forget about you!"

"Yeah!" Aki seconded, "It's not his fault he gets lost and forgets stuff, he's been under a bunch of curses for longer than any of us have even been alive!"

"Speak for yourself," Cybelle declared, "I could have cured him long ago...I was well on my way to researching the means of doing just that when he went and got himself lost completely! And then I started hearing the stories about his adventures...the people he met, the lives he saved, the WOMEN he seduced, one of them being your grandmother!" she added with an acid note in Akiko's direction.

"So you've had a rough time of it," Yumi shrugged as she regained her own footing with Ukyo's assistance, "Lots of marriages go through worse."

"Oh, like you're any kind of an expert?" Cybelle rounded on the Ninja, "The kind of relationship you've had with your own brother?"

"Hey!" Yumi protested.

"What?" Ukyo turned to regard her Aunt with a puzzled expression.

"What a foul, vile creature you are," Kachu declared, "Tormenting others with words and acts of unspeakably evil."

"Not least of them being the corruption of my brother," Kodachi glowered darkly.

"How very...un-nice," Kasumi frowned in disapproval.

"Bad womans!" Shampoo agreed succinctly.

"You think we're weak and ineffective?" Akane demanded.

"You wanna know how ineffective we can be?" Ranma cracked his knuckles, "Just keep talking..."

"I've heard about all the talk that I can stomach," Makoto glanced at Minako with a knowing smirk, "Right Venus?"

"You said it, Jupiter," Minako replied back, "Let's show her how effective Senshi power can really be!"

Kenou could only growl in agreement, but her tone easily conveyed her darker meaning.

"Careful," Shirokuro cautioned from the rear of the party, "My former Mistress is not to be underestimated."

"And neither are we," Aki declared acidly, "And I doubt she's tough enough to take us all on if we rush her."

"Oh my," Cybelle drawled, "The lot of you pitted against little old me? Whatever shall I do?" and with obvious intention she brought her hands together as they began to crackle with the building radiance of electrical fire, "I've changed my mind about leaving you for later...I'm going to get rid of all of you in one fell swoop, and you'll never even see it coming..."

"You know," Lotion murmured with a glance to one side, "I'm beginning to agree with you about her penchant for cheap melodrama."

"You're telling me?" a familiar voice replied as a figure stepped out from the shadows of seeming nowhere, "She's sounding more and more like some character out of an Anime, right down to the bad dialogue and empty threats against the heroes."

The crackle of lightning died from between Cybelle's fingers and her expression went noticeably pale, "WHAT? NO FAIR! How could you still survive! I smashed your Capstone!"

"Actually you used Ryoga as a weapon to get at me," Ganglot replied with an ease in her manner that was altogether surprising, striding out into the open as though she owned the place (which, of course, was the obvious truth of the matter), "Shame on you for that. Of course your mistake was in making your intentions so obvious to me...it gave me time to prepare a little surprise, and now that you've reverted to type and revealed your grand master plan it's time for me to let you in on the jest..."

"The jest?" Cybelle declared, "You call this a joke?"

"Not really," Ganglot kicked a piece of stone with a bare foot and replied, "I call it a mess...but then again, it was one of my finer works, forging a perfect replica of my Capstone for my great grandson to destroy, and you fell for it hook, line and sinker."

"A replica?" Cybelle was clearly appalled, "You fabricated a phony capstone? That's cheating!"

"Well duh," Ganglot grinned, "Why not summon up your lawyers and try to sue me...I double dare you."

"But...what about that scream you made, Grandma?" Atsuko asked, "It sounded real to me..."

"Method acting, dear child," Ganglot grinned and conjured up a miniature gold statuette, "And the winner for 'Best Convincing Imitation of an Oni Being Sucked back to Hell goes to...ME! Thank you, thank you everybody..." she bowed with a smirk of false modesty upon her face.

"But how?" Cybelle was almost screeching now, "My spell should have detected a fake Capstone, no matter how well you carved it to look like the real thing!"

"Actually, I did have a little help there," Ganglot turned an appreciative smile in Lotion's direction, "My associate was clever enough to divert the energy signature into the faux stone so that it would appear to be the real one on even a magical level. I knew Ryoga was too single-minded to question the appearance of such an obvious target, and-with a little creative play-acting on my part-  
-I was able to convince you that he had indeed destroyed the real thing, at which point I knew you would release him and reveal yourself before these others. You can be sooo predictable when you're being melodramatic."

"You sided with this creature and helped her?" Cologne rounded on the ancient Lore Master.

"The enemy of my enemy is my ally, Matriarch," Lotion replied in an unaffected tone of voice, "And unlike some parties I could name, I do know who my true enemies are, and who are better served as my allies."

Siren noticeably put a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh, though Cologne eyed her warily as though accusing the Archmage of taking amusement at her expense.

"You...you tricked me?" Cybelle glared at the Lore Master, "That was truly a bad career move...you alone should sense just how unwise it is to get on my bad side, Shaman!"

"And you should know better than to make threats of this nature while you are presently a guest in someone else's demesne," Lotion smiled in a way that was altogether insinuating.

"Oh yes, that's right," Ganglot snapped her fingers, "Congratulations on projecting a portion of your conscious intelligence to these coordinates. I thought I'd prepare a little surprise for you to show my appreciation, Daughter-  
in-law."

"What...?" Cybelle started to say when the floor all around her began to move, square panels lurching up from concealment to form a cage that surrounded her and lifted her above the level of the floor, giving her only a moment to react before said cage erupted in a golden coruscation of golden radiance. The Sorceress screamed briefly and then her image dissipated, leaving an empty cage in passing.

"Well," Nabiki said into the ensuing silence, "That was anti-climatic..."

"How shocking," Siren commented, grinning at the exultant Oni, "I must remember that spell sometime...it could prove very useful."

"I'll be happy to share the recipe," Ganglot flexed her arms and said, "Ah yes...that did feel good."

"Did you...?" Razor hesitated, "Mother?"

"Oh, don't worry, Son," Ganglot waved a hand dismissively, "She'll just have a bit of a headache when she recovers in her stronghold. I couldn't really hurt her more seriously than that if I tried...there are rules about one Demon doing things like that to another."

"She's gone then?" Genma asked, fulfilling his role of stating the obvious for the sake of others.

"But not forgotten," Ganglot replied, "I'm afraid it is up to you people to keep her at bay in the near future. Mortals must wage their own battles, after all, but I'll gladly be of help wherever I can intercede to provide you means and council."

"I could have taken her," Ranma growled, "I didn't need no help..."

"Keep thinking that, dear boy," the tall Oni-woman smiled as she touched his nose with a clawed finger, "You have it within you to deal with the likes of her and many others, but you still lack for training, and to that end you will have to rely on someone else who is more knowledgeable in that department," she turned a knowing smirk towards Cologne, "Well, Elder?"

"Well what?" Cologne replied with an indifferent snort.

Ganglot just smiled until the youthful Matriarch could no longer match her gaze and instead glanced away as if to silently concede a point that she did not want to confess to in a verbal manner.

"Does this mean you're staying, Grandmother?" Atsuko asked.

"Try getting rid of me," Ganglot grinned, "I'm having way too much fun in this province called Nerima, and I find the people who live here infinitely stimulating. Besides...I have a lot of catching up to do with my son and many others."

"Ah..." Ryoga reluctantly approached the Oni, "I'm..I'm sorry..."

"Oh?' Ganglot turned to regard her great grandson with a lifted eyebrow, "About what?"

"About...trying to get rid of you..." Ryoga hesitated a bit, glanced at his mother, then his grandfather before turning a questioning look at the Oni and saying, "Great Grandmother?"

"Think nothing of it, Ryo-chan," Ganglot said with a wave of her hand, conjuring up a pitcher full of water, "Just don't let it happen again. Now...as for you, young lady..."

She poured the water over the lupine Kennou, who instantly changed back into a form that was noticeably less hairy.

"GAH!" Ryoga covered his nose and looked away, earning an amused glance from Minako's direction.

"I'm back!" Kennou exulted, then glanced down at herself and hastily covered herself with her hands, "GAK!"

"Here," Ganglot waved a hand, dismissing the pitcher and causing robes to drape down about the blonde Hibiki's shoulders, "That should keep you modest until you find some decent clothing...although I rather imagine that Ryo-chan is overdoing it in the bashful department."

"Grandma," Ryomi growled in mild exasperation.

"And now for you two," Ganglot turned to where Romeo and Julian were standing off to one side, trying to avoid making eye-contact with Cologne and the others, "I'm so sorry you were hurt, however momentarily, in your attempts on my behalf. I'll find a way to make it up to you...and I won't even call it official that Ryo-chan defeated you both in combat."

"GAAAH!" Ryoga responded, his mild reeling as he saw the blonde Amazon turned a dismayed look in his direction.

The touch of a Chi C'hi against her arm next drew the Oni Princess's attention and all heads turned as if waiting to see how the Devil Hunter would react in the presence of a Demon.

"You..." Kachu hesitated, "You have appeared before me twice...you called yourself Garimel...I thought you one of the celestial host..."

"A slight exaggeration on my part," Ganglot replied, "Garimel is the name of my Cousin, and while she is many things I would hardly classify her as an Angel."

"But the fact remains that you deceived me," Kachu replied with an unreadable expression, "You are not a servant of the Celestial Powers but are in fact nobility from the dark realms of the Oni."

"I am an Oni," Ganglot replied, "And of noble birth...but who is to say that I do not serve the Powers in my own way? I am no enemy of Heaven, and if anything I count some of my relations as being of the Host. Would you dispute this?"

For a moment no one moved as Kachu regarded Ganglot frankly, then slowly bowed her head in token acknowledgement, and surprised the Hell out of everyone who knew her by declaring, "One is judged by their actions as well as by their lineage, and this day you have proven to be a friend to my House, and an ally to be valued. You have also acted to protect the life of my husband and unborn child, and for that reason alone I owe you a debt of honor.""

"You owe me nothing," Ganglot smiled, "But I would gladly accept your friendship. Besides...you're pretty handy with that pig-sticker of yours, Kid. Could be that we'll both have a use for one another...if there are no objections from the Elders who are present?"

"None from me, obviously," Lotion replied, giving Cologne an amused smirk, "What say you, Matriarch?"

Cologne preferred to ignore the question, but neither did she voice a negative opinion.

"I'll take that for a yes," Ganglot sighed, then turned to the blonde Archmage, "And would you make it unanimous?"

"Who are you calling an Elder?" Siren grinned in an unabashed manner, "I like your style, though. I certainly don't see anything wrong with letting you have some fun on an extended vacation."

"You would," Cologne turned away and began to head towards the exit, only to pause before adding, "The warrior named Ro-Mano...I believe that there is some controversy about her choice in a mate. I personally do not see any fault in marrying a scholar, should this be what she fervently desires. Of course her family would have objections, but it is no concern of mine so long as they are discrete in their actions."

"I beg your pardon," Ganglot smiled, "My servant's name is Romeo, and of what possible interest would it be to any of the High Council?"

"None that I foresee," Cologne replied as she started forward once again, "Nor will any hear of it from my direction."

Julian and Romeo released a collective breath that they had not even known that they were holding as they watched the youthful-seeming Elder take her leave in an almost dignified manner. They turned questioning looks towards Lotion and Siren, however, as well as the other Amazons who were now staring in their direction.

"Aiyaa..." Shampoo murmured softly, "Ro-Mano and Ju-Lan...here in Japan?"

"No," her mother contradicted, "You heard Lady Ganglot, her name is Romeo, and the youth...?"

"Julian," the boy responded.

"Julian," a very amused look briefly crossed the face of the Healer before Comb continued, "If either of you require medical assistance, I hope you will not hesitate to call upon my services..."

"Especially if it's a girl," Silk added with an openly amused expression.

"Thank you," Julian replied, sharing an open grin with the woman beside him.

"Romeo and Julian?" Nabiki exchanged looks with an equally puzzled Ranma.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Akane said, "That's my favorite play by Shakespeare!"

"Young love is such a beautiful thing," Siren heaved a sigh that had much wistfulness in her expression.

"Indeed," Ganglot noted in a conspiratorial tone of voice, "But there's still hope for us old-timers, I think...provided certain parties are willing to see reason."

"She'll come around," Siren predicted, "I know her well, and even when she's being stubborn she can still be talked into seeing reason."

"Indeed," Ganglot remarked, "In which case allow me to apologize to you."

"For what?" Siren asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"For trying to match Happosai to Cologne instead of you," Ganglot replied, "Looking back I can see what a mistake that was, and who could truly make my sister-in-law happy."

For once Siren actually blushed and lowered her eyes, murmuring a faint, "Perhaps...I live in the hope of it...someday..."

"Are you really sure that this is what you want?" Ganglot inquired with an amused expression, "After all, we both know how pig-headed, willful and stubborn she can be..."

"I wouldn't change a thing about her," Siren replied, "I'll take her as she is, no questions asked or prior conditions."

"Whatever flips your light switch," Nabiki shrugged, "Thing is, I can't figure out whether you want to card her or date her."

To her surprise she heard the old woman named Lotion chuckle at her jest, "Ah me...my counterpart is going to have real fun with you when you return to her world."

For some reason Nabiki did not find that idle comment reassuring.

"So," Nodoka glanced around, "Would it be safe for anyone to ask if this matter has been brought to a successful conclusion?"

As if by reflex everyone tensed and stared at the empty space around them, and only when nothing materialized or happened did they collectively relax and draw easy breath over the implications.

"It's over for now," Ganglot replied with a shrug, "But as for the future...well...I'm afraid that's out of my jurisdiction"

"Good," Ranma declared, "Guess all that's left to do is go back home and fix the dojo."

"That and find something to eat," his father remarked, "I'm starving..."

"Gee, what a surprise?" both Silk and Yumi chorused together, only to turn bemused looks on one another.

"I'm afraid that there is one matter that must be resolved before you go," Ganglot turned to Nabiki, "And that concerns you, young lady, and getting you back to your proper time and place so that there can be a wedding in the morning."

"A...wedding?" in the midst of all the excitement Nabiki had managed to forget that little detail, but now she turned a worried glance at Ranma and Shampoo, who were each looking back with concern plain in their expression.

"I know it must seem cruel to bring it up now," Ganglot replied, "But there is another version of you who has fought long and bravely to see the day when she joins her hands to young Saotome and your blushing bride of passion, Shampoo here. It would be most unfair for them if the woman whom they truly love was not the one to meet them at the altar. I'm sure this has been a most enlightening event for you, but all things must come to an end, and it's time for you to go back to the life you knew, young Lore Master."

"I..." in spite of everything else, Nabiki was hesitant to submit to this logic, for there were many things about this world that so intrigued her, and the contrasts from her own less event-filled life made her wonder if she really were getting the better of the bargain.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," Lotion informed her, "Young Saotome and Shampoo will come to know you all over again if you choose to remain, and your counterpart will no doubt be a good influence on their counterparts from your world."

"Ah..." Nabiki felt confusion rise within her. She was not by inclination either a noble or selfless person, but the thought of displacing her counterpart, of living a life that was not her own, made her doubt if the results would be everything for which she hoped and desired.

"Excuse us, please," Ganglot glanced apologetically to those around them, then stepped forward and placed a hand on Nabiki's shoulder, "We need to talk, you and I, little lady, and I think we can better do so in private."

Nabiki blinked her eyes, and then suddenly they were alone in a different room, a chamber that seemed oddly more like the dojo than the art studio where they had been. It was only with a slight jolt that she recognized it as her own family dojo, but different in some manner, as if perceived in another era.

"Make yourself at home," Ganglot remarked as she stepped away and made a sweeping gesture to indicate their change of surroundings, "I thought these surroundings might help you to better relax so that you can make a proper decision. I know how anxious you are to have this matter resolved, and I thought I would play the part of a helpful intermediary."

"An intermediary?" Nabiki repeated.

"Like a family councilor," the Oni Princess winked, "After all, I've been a friend to your family in more than one sense of the world for a lot longer than you would imagine. After all, I raised Happosai to his current station as a Martial Arts master, and he taught your father, which in a way makes you as much my charge as any kinswoman."

"Like that's supposed to reassure me?" Nabiki asked with a slightly self-  
conscious expression.

"Not in the least," Ganglot chuckled, "But then again, I suppose the honor truly belongs to me for having this opportunity to meet with you directly...or rather I should make that the both of you together."

The Oni made a two-fingered gesture and suddenly Nabiki felt her mind and body seem to bifurcate, as if she were suddenly standing in two separate places. There was little pain, other than a slight wrenching sensation that passed right down her center, but then the moment passed and she seemed perfectly normal again...

Normal, that is, except that she no longer had that annoying echo-resonance in her head, as if her thoughts had been duplicated or repeated, like in an echo chamber. Then she chanced to glance to her right and suddenly had the answer for why she was feeling somehow...lesser...

The term "beside herself" suddenly came to mind, for the face gazing back at her with a matching look of astonishment was not a reflection and most definitely was herself seen from an outside angle.

"What the...?" the both of them echoed in tandem.

"Oh, don't be so formulaic," Ganglot chided, "I thought you two could do with a little space. After all, it must have been getting awfully crowded sharing the same skull."

"No kidding," one Nabiki replied.

"Good to be back in my own body," the other spoke as if to conclude the thought for the other, and then the two Nabikis exchanged glances before both added, "Sort-of..."

"Well, it's not exactly the same thing as the two of you being here," Ganglot smiled, "At least not on a physical level, but illusion or not, when this ends you will each be returned to your proper places and bodies. It's the very least that I can do to make things right after all the inconvenience the both of you have been through due to that little shake up in the realities that started this whole matter."

"Oh?' one of the two Nabikis replied, "And what precisely would you happen to know about it?"

"Why...just everything of importance, of course," Ganglot replied, "I didn't cause the divergence, but I was aware of it when your soul-mother, Peorth, cast that wish into the Well of Mimir."

"Well of Mimir?" the other Nabiki repeated, "Isn't that supposed to be something out of Norse Legend?"

"Mythology has a basis in reality, sweet child," Ganglot smiled, "And you must have seen enough of the supernatural on your timeline to know that Gods and Demons are a reality outside of mortal imagination."

"Yeah...well..." that Nabiki conceded reluctantly, while the other Nabiki was less hesitant as she asked, "You say she made a wish? What kind of wish?"

"The kind that the Kami make all the time to test out their theories on Fate and Random Chance," Ganglot replied, "There have been quite a few games being played recently on the subject of you mortals, and as Immortals find great sport in observing your brief lives and how you fill them with such adventures...well...I don't exactly blame Peorth for being curious, especially as she has recently taken such a fervent interest in the welfare of your little sister."

"Akane?" both Nabikis repeated, then one continued, "You mean like her recent string of attempts to hitch her up with Kuonji?"

"Say what?" the other Nabiki reacted, "Ukyo and Akane? And what's this stuff about her being our spiritual mother?"

"Long story," the other Nabiki replied, "Look...I know she's been worried that things aren't going too well for my little Sis in the romance department, but what gives her the right to screw up my life on account of that?"

"Well, as I believe she may have already told you," Ganglot explained, "It was an accident...an unintended side-effect or resetting the original template for this Timeline to create a parallel slot based on how things were originally going to progress. Your companion's reality was the one fated to be before a wish cast by your future self remade everything along a different pathway. Now that your timeline has stabilized and become somewhat permanent, she thought to discover something in the contrast that would give her a clue on how to arrange things in your sister's future that would lead to a more-or-less satisfying outcome. Of course her intentions were pure but her methods were somewhat less than sterling, but that's usually the way things go whenever Peorth is on the scene. She's a sweetheart, but honestly, you'd think she'd get a reality check and tone down her enthusiasm."

"I'm sure she says nice things about you too," the Nabiki whose attitude seemed more confident responded.

"Actually no," Ganglot sighed, "If she were here she'd no doubt want to clean my clocks for saying something like that about her, even if it is totally accurate. I'm afraid she lacks a certain objectivity when it comes to her own behavior...and besides, she still remembers me from what I used to be like in the bad old days, before I learned to be so mellow."

"Okay," the other Nabiki averred, "I know I'm the yokel from the poor, backwoods dimension here, but I think I'm entitled to a few explanations, like bringing me up to date about a few of the basic details, like...who is this Peorth character, and what has she got to do with me, Akane and the rest of my timeline?"

"I know you're dying to find out, dear," Ganglot explained, "But I honestly don't know how much it would be safe to share with you...after all, things are different on your world, and too much knowledge can be dangerous. After all...there is a Cybelle on your world who would be every bit as troublesome as the one in this world if she were drawn to pay attention to your particular version of Nerima. Fortunately for you, she has been far too obsessed with other interests and has yet to notice the presence of her grandson in the Tendo household. Telling you something that might draw her attention would definitely NOT be in your best interest, any more than you learning the secrets of the Lore Masters before you have effectively undergone the sort of training you will need to understand and grasp the basics. Your counterpart from this timeline has had to go through a lot of mental and spiritual changes to arrive at where she is today, while you...sad as it is for me to admit...are not quite ready to use your hidden talents wisely. You will have to undergo your own trials and tribulations before the understanding of your power awakens within you."

"Power?" the one Nabiki remarked, "I have power?"

"You've been running around in my world for how long and you can still ask that?" the other Nabiki reacted with a rolling of her eyes.

"Power is nothing more than the potential that allows you to achieve a goal or objective," Ganglot explained matter-of-factly, "It's knowing why and what to do with it that truly matters."

"Yeah," one Nabiki glanced at the other, "I think I know what you mean...like remembering the kind of person I used to be, and what I'd probably have done with my powers if I'd gotten them before I was ready."

"Hey!" the other Nabiki protested.

"Power without understanding has no meaning," Ganglot explained, "You can take my word on that, and it comes directly from the source of everything. Understanding is what gives you your power, and as long as you continue to grow on a spiritual level you will eventually become the master of your own fate and won't even need a wish-granting genie like me to help you out. People like you are of more value to me as allies, not patsies, much like Kuno is to Cybelle..."

"Kuno?" both Nabikis said together.

"You may think the boy is being used by my daughter-in-law," Ganglot explained, "But the truth is that they have more of a symbiotic relationship with each one using the other to obtain their personal objectives. Since Tatewaki awoke from his drug-induced stupor..."

"Drug induced?" one Nabiki repeated.

"His sister's doing," the other Nabiki replied, "That Black Rose-derived narcotic the both of them have been imbibing since childhood. It tends to induce a heightened state of psychotic self-delusion, only they've both been in rehab for quite a while now..."

"Oh," the first Nabiki replied, then her eyes widened noticeably as she considered the implications, "Oh..."

"You've seen what it did to their father, right?" the other Nabiki continued, "He's currently in the Booby hatch, with Kuno-kun taking over the family business. He and Kodachi are barely on speaking terms these days, and she tends to spend most of her spare time these days hanging out with our sister."

"Kasumi and...Kodachi?" the first Nabiki said incredulously, shaking her head in disbelief, "I can barely even fit the two of them in the same sentence! Wait...are you saying that they...? Ew!"

"Tell me about it," the other Nabiki nodded.

"Don't be so hard on those two," Ganglot chided, "Your sister has always needed someone who would pay attention to her needs and teach her how to live for herself and not just exist for the sake of others. Kodachi's needs are very similar, only for her it is the joy of learning to care for someone other than herself that has caused her transformation. Granted the two of them have been getting a little...kinky on the sides, but that sort of thing tends to happen when you take the lid off of a repressed libido and open the floodgates to unrequited passion."

"I know, but...really!" both Nabikis said in chorus.

"We all have needs that are often unexpressed within us," Ganglot continued, "A man needs a woman, a woman needs a man, or maybe another man and a woman respectively. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to relationships, there is only the basic need we all share to be close to someone who makes us feel special. Or, in your case, more than one special someone...more's the merrier in my opinion, and you've definitely got the best of both worlds in your fiancees."

"I know," one Nabiki smiled in a way that caused the other Nabiki to eye her with raised eyebrows.

"I know what at least one of you is thinking," Ganglot smiled knowingly, "'Love is nothing but a trick of biology, a biochemical reaction caused when hormones interact.' That's your textbook definition of Love, is it not? Only your counterpart knows better...there's a lot more to love than you can define by simply thinking of it as an excuse to make babies."

"Ah...well..." the one Nabiki colored and appeared more than slightly flustered.

"You've been where she is already," Ganglot spoke to the other Nabiki, "Why don't you explain it to her?"

"I wouldn't know where to begin," that Nabiki replied, but eyed her counterpart and said, "I used to think Love was a trick for suckers and saps, before I met Ranma. The guy changed my outlook in a lot of ways, even before Shampoo was in the picture."

"There's more to it of course," Ganglot resumed, "You've been afraid of getting involved in any relationships for most of your life, which is why you insulate yourself against others. You're afraid of being hurt, as if pretending you didn't have any feelings would somehow protect you from the pain of loss you once experienced long ago. Surely I don't have to go on any further than that to clue you in to what I'm really talking about. You're smart enough girl, you can figure out the angles."

"Angles?" one Nabiki repeated.

"She's talking about Momma," the other Nabiki explained at the level of a murmur, "She left a big hole in all of our lives, and it's taken me this long to be able to admit it."

"Momma?" the other Nabiki looked more than slightly haunted.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Ganglot chided, "A lot of beings do foolish things when they get hurt emotionally. I know I sure did when I lost my beloved husband, and I'll probably be spending years yet to come paying for those errors. You children are young, you have time to recover, to learn from your mistakes, to make new ones and to keep on learning. Even an old bat like me can learn to change her evil ways and turn over a new leaf...why, I'll bet there's even hope for Cologne someday, but then again, I've always been a dreamer..."

"I hope you're right about that," the more experienced Nabiki replied, "A part of me wants to trust Cologne, to believe that she means well and wants to do the right thing by Shampoo and Ranma. But...well...given her track record and past behavior..."

"I can't believe that she's going to be your mother-in-law," the other Nabiki shook her head, "I can't believe half the things I've seen through your eyes! This whole experience has been...really weird...I mean...you're marrying Ranma in the morning?"

"Oh yeah," her counterpart nodded sagely.

"And you've already been sleeping with him and Shampoo?" the original Nabiki continued, "And she's gonna have Ranma's baby...and you're okay with this?"

"I plan to have a baby with him too," Nabiki replied, "Someday...maybe after I finish a couple semesters of College."

"And that's the other thing," the first Nabiki resumed, "Your whole life is like a dream to me...you've got the house in a sound financial footing, you're helping run the dojo, and you plan to continue your education...why do you have it so good and not me?"

"Maybe because I accepted my role as a part of the family and didn't try to run it all myself," her counterpart shrugged, "I could ask you why you just sit back and let everybody stumble around while you try and profit on the sidelines running scams and undermining everyone's trust in you. How is that any better?"

The first Nabiki made a rude noise and growled, "At least I don't go around letting everybody know how much of a slut I am sleeping around before my wedding...!"

"LADIES!" Ganglot raised her voice sharply, cutting off the other Nabiki's harsh response to that barbed comment, "We're not here to toss around recriminations or make insults...we're here to resolve the main issue of getting you both back to your respective timelines. Wouldn't you rather take this moment to compare notes and wish each other well rather than act like a couple of school kids with nothing better on your minds than to snipe at petty details?"

"Ah..." there was a momentary exchange of glances between the two Nabikis, then each one lowered their eyes in token acknowledgement of the wisdom of that statement.

"Thank you," Ganglot sighed in relief, "The last thing I want to have to put up with is the both of you behaving like the Ranma and Akane of your world..."

"Surely not!" the first Nabiki reacted in mock-horror.

"I can't believe those two are even engaged on your world," the other Nabiki shook her head, "Or that you'd even allow it."

"Hey!" the first Nabiki snapped, "It's not like it was my idea to hook them up in the first place!"

"Actually it was," Ganglot corrected, "You and Kasumi both thought it was a better idea to foist a sex-changing fiancee on your boy-hating younger sibling, which is-of course-the crux of where things changed on our two timelines."

"Er...well..." the first Nabiki colored slightly.

"Akane," the other Nabiki shook her head in disbelief, "If I'd even known back then that I was right in my suspicions about her sexuality..."

"Uh...yeah..." the first Nabiki looked sheepish before hastily amending, "But I can't believe she'd go after Ukyo either..."

"Hey, stranger things have happened," her counterpart philosophized, "I at least know that Ukyo does care about my sister, even if she can't make up her mind between her and Makoto."

"Which brings us back to the point I wanted to raise," Ganglot smiled, "Now that you've each had a look at how the other half lives, what are the both of you going to do with that information?"

There was a slight pause before the first Nabiki replied, "That's...a pretty good question. I mean...I've learned a lot of stuff I never knew before...things I couldn't find out on my own, and it's gonna take me a while to sort it all out."

"Same here," the other Nabiki replied, "No offense to you, 'Sis,' but taking a hard look at your life has made me appreciate how good I seem to have it."

"Yeah," the first Nabiki replied sourly, "Your Daddy's gonna marry a woman who looks like Momma, a woman who gave him and us a sister I'd never even heard of before, a sister who looks just like Kasumi and got shacked up with Doctor Tofu."

"Well..." the other Nabiki winced slightly.

"Your Akane's got a curse that turns her into an Angel," the first Nabiki continued, "Your Kasumi's shacking up with the local nut-job of both our worlds. You're in training to become some kind of a witch, and you've got the Amazons for your in-laws...oh yeah, and Ranma's Ryoga's half brother, and a whole bunch of Hibikis are wandering loose in Nerima..."

"Yeah," the other Nabiki laughed softly, "Almost a herd of half-breed Oni...will the town be left standing in time for my wedding reception?"

"I'll see what I can do to tone things down a bit there," Ganglot reassured, "My clan can get a bit rowdy, but they generally mean well..."

"So did Attilla the Hun," the first Nabiki snorted, "You've got an Uncle Genma whose love-life looks a lot like the fore-runner of Ranma's, while Daddy's former girl-friends seem to be making life interesting on that end. Cologne is looking like she's young enough to be in our class and has a cute 'I Dream of Jennie' type chasing her ass, and I'm not even gonna ask what Grandfather Happosai is doing...I don't think my sanity could take it!"

"Ah..." the other Nabiki started to say, then thought better of it, "Never mind."

"So...yes, I can see that life for you is just terrific," Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Thank the Kami all I ever have to worry about are occasional bank foreclosures and finding enough money to put food on the table..."

"You're leaving out the best part," Ganglot added slyly, "She also has Ranma."

The original Nabiki turned to regard the Oni with a brief look of dismay that betrayed her vulnerability on that issue before she stoically turned away and declared, "I told you guys before...I don't have a prayer of getting him...I burned my bridges there a long time ago. Besides, he loves Akane, and she loves him, even if the baka can't bring themselves to admit it..."

"But love isn't a guarantee of happiness," Ganglot noted, "Nor can it make up for a fundamental incompatibility between those two...unless they have someone acting as a buffer who can also provide the glue binding them together. If that someone isn't you, then perhaps you ought to consider someone else who can do the task for you."

"Like who?" the first Nabiki asked.

"Like Shampoo," the other Nabiki answered with an odd expression on her face and a far-away look in her eyes, "I should have seen it earlier...she's the key to insuring happiness, and unless she marries Ranma...things won't be too good for her. She's coming up on the end of a deadline, and if she doesn't satisfy that Amazon honor of hers soon...then she won't be around to worry about too much longer."

"What?" the first Nabiki reacted in shock, "What do you mean...?"

"Ask her about those Amazon rules of hers," the other Nabiki replied, "She might not tell you at first, but believe me...it's important that you help her."

"Important...like how?" the first Nabiki asked, "Like whatever it is that brought you guys together in a threesome? I can't believe you went in for a three-way Amazon marriage..."

"Hey," the other Nabiki smirked, "You haven't felt one of her kisses...I guarantee it will blow your socks off."

The original Nabiki just stared at her with eyes as round as hundred-yen pieces.

"The details are on that disk you made," the other Nabiki pointed at her counter part, indicating the hidden pocket, "Those files you stole from me. You wanna know all the details? It's all there...and I hope you put it to a good use because I'm the one who had to sweat it..."

"Ah..." the first Nabiki felt the Zip disk hidden in her pocket with just a tiny twinge of guilt betrayed in her expression.

"Don't worry," Ganglot said, "It's all intact and readable. Use the knowledge well, you have on that disk enough information to change your world...or doom it. The choice belongs to you and whatever you decide to do once you return to your own timeline."

"I...I'll be sure and keep it in a safe place," Nabiki hesitated before adding, "I don't actually have a computer...but I know where I can find one that's pretty secure so no one else has a chance to read them."

"Don't underestimate your adversary," Ganglot warned, "You're a leaf blown in the wind to someone like Cybelle as things stand in the here and now, but that could change if she were to learn of your potential. What you need to do is change a few of your habits, start taking your life a little more seriously, and your place in the world. You should also consider making allies where you can...just in case they may prove useful. Don't confide too much in someone like Cologne, but don't turn her away either. If you keep your eyes open and your ear close to the ground you may discover enough parallels between our worlds to know where you have to turn in order to protect yourself and your loved ones against a future that even the Kami may find daunting."

"Allies like you?" the other Nabiki asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Why...what a novel idea," Ganglot smiled as if the idea had not previously occurred to her, "There is another version of me on your world, and she is just as aware of the events surrounding you as I was when my faithful servants helped free me from my prison. Just imagine how grateful that other me would be...why...I might even be convinced to grant a wish to the person who awakens me from my pyramid tomb in China..."

"A wish?" the first Nabiki raised both of her eyebrows.

"I thought those pyramids weren't supposed to be tombs?" the other Nabiki smirked in a sardonic manner.

"They certainly weren't designed with that intention in mind," Ganglot snorted, "No creature comforts like indoor plumbing, no food or mineral water in the 'fridge,' and no room service. Nothing to do but be bored and sleep all day watching mental television, surfing the Yggdrasil Internet system...you just cannot imagine how good it is for me to be free to enjoy the pleasures of this century. You Mortals have created a world where even a peasant can live better than a prince of the Edo dynasty, and I just cannot get enough of this world! Just imagine how happy I was the day Romeo and Julian came along my temple grounds and disturbed my mages-long slumber..."

"I get the hint," the first Nabiki frowned, "I suppose I could always consider it...if I ever manage to make it out to China."

"That's all I could ask," Ganglot made a solicitous gesture, "Not that I would ever dream of imposing on your good graces..."

"Yeah...right," the other Nabiki snorted, "You'd make a hell of a corporate trader with those negotiating tactics of yours..."

"What do you think I was doing for a living back when I lived on the home plane of the Oni?" Ganglot chuckled, "Hell pioneered Corporate Raiding long before you humans had even worked out the basic theory of barter."

"Somehow I find that easy to believe," the other Nabiki murmured with sardonic appreciation.

"Well..." Ganglot sighed, "As fun as this is, it's about time you two were getting on with your lives. One word of advice, though, for the you who wanted to live her life alone on her own terms, to win her place in the world without having to give her heart to another."

"Yeah?" the first Nabiki asked.

"Don't be fooled into confusing strength with solitude," the Oni Princess cautioned, "We're all alone within these fragile shells we call our bodies. True strength isn't just found in knowing who and what we are, it's in finding that common link we all share, the line of our destinies stretching back to the ultimate beginning."

"The lines of our..." one Nabiki began to say.

"Destinies?" the other finished for her.

"Don't act so surprised," Ganglot gave them a haughty smile, "The purpose of life itself is self-discovery and evolution. Every generation of man struggles to reach for the stars, to edge a little closer to the paradise of Heaven through total mind and body integration. Sometimes we catch a fleeting glimpse of that ultimate unity that all souls yearn to achieve, that moment when our solitude ends and we become as one with all life, past present and future. It's not just some romantic fable told by poets and madmen, it is the destiny of life itself, both human and Oni."

"Both human..." questioned one Nabiki.

"...And Oni?" concluded another.

"Yes," Ganglot noted, "My race aspires to the same goal as yours...but because our lives are longer we tend to evolve a little differently. The people of my world are still mired in the morass of primal emotion, which is the source of our strength and the tragedy of our existence. Because human lives are short your evolution is quite astonishing to our way of thinking, one of several reasons why your race remains an infinite source of perverse fascination, even to the Gods themselves, who make a pretence of being above it all but are very much like us when it comes to viewing your lives through the lens of Heaven."

"I'm not sure how to take that," one of the two Nabikis replied.

"Well, I for one don't like the thought of being somebody's comic soap opera," the other Nabiki snorted.

"You two should take that act on the road," Ganglot grinned, "But seriously, consider this fact before we go our separate ways...you both recall what it means to lose your mother...but your mother lives on in the both of you, and that part of her which gave you life can never die as long as you survive. You are the heirs to a long and unbroken lineage whose beginnings was born in the stars. You carry within you the promise of future generations yet unborn. Every generation before you was a winner, and that's a heavy responsibility and tradition to maintain if your mothers are to continue living within you, and to survive in your children and beyond."

"In our...children?" the first Nabiki questioned.

"Assuming we have any," the other Nabiki replied, then added, "But that's what you're getting at, aren't you? It's up to us to insure that we even have a future."

"Bingo," Ganglot nodded, "You got it in one. I knew you had potential."

"I guess she has a point," the first Nabiki said with clear reluctance.

"At least life won't be dull with her around," the other Nabiki turned to her counterpart and smiled, "Guess we can both shake on that. Good luck with you and your Ranma."

"I should be telling you that," the first Nabiki replied as the two of them brought their hands together for a handshake, only to experience a strange electrical sensation at the contact that caused reality itself to fragment, and then invert as time and space seemed to experience a massive reset.

"And so things return to normal," Ganglot sighed, "Or the next best thing anyway...until the next time somebody upstairs decides to play dice with the Cosmos."

And then she dispelled the illusion and returned to her studio, where she found Nabiki already being warmly greeted by an enthusiastic Amazon, whose hug was dangerously close to doing damage to the object of her affection.

"Hiyaa!" Shampoo was cheering, "You back, Nabiki...you really back with Shampoo now!"

"Urk!" was all Nabiki managed to reply, convinced that several ribs were within a hairs breadth of cracking.

"Ease up, Shampoo," Ranma urged, "You don't wanna hurt her now that we've got her back. Ah...this is the real you, right, Nab-chan?"

"It's me," Nabiki managed to wheeze, "Shampoo..."

"Oh," the purple haired girl registered the excess of her enthusiasm and with some reluctance eased back on her embrace, "Shampoo sorry, Airen...no mean to squeeze so hard..."

"It's...okay," Nabiki resolved herself to being warmly held by the bouncy Amazon and instead smiled with affection, "It's good to have you back, too...what a weird experience that other world was..."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Ranma sniffed as he touched Nabiki's arm with what for him was a rare display of outward emotion, "Imagine some place where I'm engaged to the Tomboy instead of you guys."

"Shut-up, Ranma," Akane growled, "As if I'd want anything to do with a pervert like you."

"I guess this means the wedding is on again?" Ukyo asked.

"Of course it is," Soun said firmly.

"Just try keeping my boy from greeting his brides at the altar," Genma chuckled with enthusiasm.

"Is it really over?" Ryoga asked.

"For now...I guess," Kennou turned to regard Ganglot with a questioning expression.

"Is that right, Grandma?" Atsuko asked of her elder, "Do we get a break this time, now that Momma's latest schemes are thwarted?"

"You can breathe easily on that score, Dear," Ganglot reassured her, "We should have at least a half a day of peace and quiet, only I think it would be a good idea to shift the wedding to someplace else since the dojo needs a bit of renovation."

"My...dojo?" Soun seemed to suffer a delayed reaction as the thought of its destruction finally hit home, at which point he promptly fainted.

"Oh father," Kasumi sighed, even as she, Silk, Kodachi and Yumi all moved to help prevent his injuring himself through falling.

"What about the other girl calling herself Nabiki?" Comb asked.

"Gone back to her own world, I believe," Silk replied, "Is that not correct, Grandmother?"

"You may indeed conclude this," Lotion responded gravely, "She is back in her own world, returned to the life she left, for both good and ill, I fear."

"Will she be all right?" Nabiki asked, unable to help thinking of what her own reaction would be if trapped in that world she had glimpsed all-too-briefly.

"She will be as well as can be expected," the Lore Master answered somberly, "Like you she is a survivor, but she will have to sleep in the bed she has made for herself, and it will take time for her to change her ways for the better."

"But she knows its possible now," Nabiki balled her fists and glanced down at the floor, "For her sake I hope she does the right thing. I'd hate it if she spends the rest of her life regretting a choice she never even knew she was making."

"She will adapt and make what choices she deems to be for the better," Lotion's inscrutable expression registered a brief flicker of humor, "I'll save my sympathy for my own counterpart, who now has the unenviable task of guiding her footsteps, as I did for you."

"Then there's hope for her after all," Nabiki lifted her eyes and glanced at Shampoo, then Ranma and shared with them a moment of reflection for the path not chosen, and what it would mean to one who was trapped in such a place, forever confronted by the knowledge of what might have been, and the difficulties that lay in store for her if she was ever to find a happy resolution...

Nabiki drew a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes, glancing around at her surroundings, finding that she was still in the dojo surrounded by familiar faces, including the old woman from before...and one who was staring at her with obvious concern written plain in her expression.

"Nabiki-chan?" she asked hesitantly, "Are you well?"

"M-M-Mother?" Nabiki felt a strange deja-vu for her first meeting with Silk, knowing as she spoke this that the woman before her was somebody other than a woman named Tendo Kimiko.

"Ah...not quite," the woman replied with clear reluctance, "I'm known as Peorth...and since you ask, I take it to mean that you're the version of Nabiki who belongs in this timeframe?"

"I guess..." Nabiki forced herself not to faint by staring long and hard at the stranger before her, unable to help recognizing a more-than-passing familiarity, as if she did not merely resemble her mother but had some aspect of her mother inside her. "Peorth, eh? Nice to meet you."

"And nice to meet you," the old woman who stood to one side spoke in an almost friendly manner, "Tendo Nabiki...well met indeed, and such a promising young lady you're already proven yourself to be."

"Indeed," Cologne murmured from the side (the old Cologne, Nabiki noted, though now she had cause to wonder), "I have always suspected as much, but it's nice to have confirmation."

"Nabiki?" she immediately recognized the voice as belonging to Ranma.

"Oneechan?" that definitely sounded like a much-concerned Akane.

"Aiyaa...?" the questioning voice had Shampoo's distinctive flavor and accent.

"Oh my..." said a voice that was Kasumi beyond question.

"Nabiki?" that from her father.

"Are you feeling all right?" said a concerned voice that sounded oddly like Genma.

Nabiki took a moment, drew a deep breath and slowly resolved herself to adopting her usual stoical demeanor. Only then did she turn to regard the people who were so anxiously seeking to know as to the state of her welfare. Her eyes lightly graced the two adults and Kasumi before zeroing in on the trio of much-  
concerned faces regarding her with clear and hesitant interest...the reason for which was not difficult at all for her to fathom.

"Ranma," she said as even and detached as she could, "Akane...Shampoo...anything happen while I was away?"

The reactions to this simple question ranged from relief to deeper concern to confusion, but Nabiki would not give up an inch of the emotional turmoil that was presently churning deep within her, intent on maintaining her dignity until she had time to sort out her true thoughts and feelings on the issues raised by her recent encounters.

"Nabiki..." Akane sighed, "You're back."

"Is true?" Shampoo asked with more hesitation in her voice.

"You sure this is the real you?" Ranma asked, "That other girl who looked like you...?"

"What about her?" Nabiki replied as if discussing the weather, "She's gone, I'm back. She's got her own life to live, and so do I."

"But Nabiki," Kasumi asked, "What was it like for you to be in that other world...?"

"Yeah," Ranma agreed, "And what about the rest of us? Were we there with you?"

Nabiki wondered how best to respond to that, then decided some secrets were not worth sharing aloud without further reflection on the subject.

"You were there," Nabiki replied aloud, "You were all there...things pretty much like they always are in this district."

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo sounded dismayed, "Is that bad?"

"Oh yeah," said the tall blonde known as Siren, "This definitely sounds like a place I'd like to stay around and check out for a while. Shame on you for not telling me about it before, Cologne darling."

The Leader of the Amazons did not verbally respond to that, but from the way she shifted her eyes without turning her head was enough to tell Nabiki that there was definitely something going on between those two, and the secrets were most probably contained on the disk that she fervently hoped she still had on her person.

"Look guys," Nabiki sighed, "I've had a long day and I'm tired, so excuse me if I go up to my room and chill out for a while. See you guys around dinner time?"

"Of course," Kasumi replied with her usual buoyant cheerfulness, "And it's good to have you back, Neechan."

"You said it," Akane agreed, "No offense, Nabiki, but...that other you kinda scared me..."

"Scared you?" Ranma sniffed, "What a Macho chick like you gotta be afraid of? I'm the guy she called her fiancee."

Nabiki was torn between keeping up her mask and a desire to slap the boy silly for that remark, but fortunately for her Akane did the task for her in her usual brutal manner. Shampoo kept looking at her with rounded eyes as if she noticed something different about Nabiki that was not detectable by the others. She decided it was for the best not to meet that questioning gaze and instead take her leave of the dojo, casting only a sidelong glance at the woman named Peorth, who was watching her in a way that was most unnerving. She didn't notice the Amazon Lotion hanging anywhere about, but for the moment attached no special significance to this curious factor.

She waited until she was fully in her room with the door secured behind her before allowing the mask to fade and her true emotions to well up from the surface. She promptly cried herself to sleep and would not rouse from her room until long after dinner was ended...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Karaoke Night at Disney: shadowmane

The gang has withstood the evil machinations of the ruthless Cybelle, but now comes a moment truly terrifying in the lives of the gang from Nerima. You are cordially invited to attend the moment we have all been waiting for, the wedding of Ranma and Nabiki, and (assuming anybody survives the reception afterwards) the fun that really begins in, "Union of Soles," or "The One and Oni!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . or it's mirror site at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	132. Chapter 132

NabikiRan116 Ranma and Nabiki,  
A Tale of Two Wallets By Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi Kosuke Fujishima, Naoko Takeuchi &amp; Others,  
with characters and situations created or suggested by my fellow fanfic writers Nicole Manders, DB Sommers, Ryan Anderson, TH Tiger, Wade Tritschler, Mike Koos,  
Celeste Byrd, Trella, Gregg Sharp, Steve Thesken, Mike Koos and Donny Chong, take a bow, people!)

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Sixteen.

"Okay, we're here," Usagi remarked, "What do you want us to do?"

"Yeah," Rei agreed, "We got a wedding to attend today, and according to Usagi-  
chan's cousin they're not holding it at the house or the remains of the dojo."

"Yeah," Makoto agreed, glancing at the bare foundations of what was left after the previous day's explosion, "The old place has looked better. It's gonna take at least a week to rebuild it, even if they use magic like the last time."

"Got that right, Sugar," Ukyo sniffed, "That Cybelle character really did a number on the Tendo place. Too bad for Ranchan's fianc e...that dojo was supposed to be her dowry, not that I think it matters all that much to either one of those lovebirds."

"Still, it's not right to see the place like this," Minako said, "It's so sad. Traditions such as this dojo represent should be protected, not destroyed."

"I quite agree," Ami nodded, "But I don't think that Cybelle had any real appreciation of those traditions. She hardly seemed the type to care about what's important to others."

"No kidding," said a white cat at her side, "In some ways she reminded me a little too much of Beryl."

"Or Mistress Nine," the black cat at his side shuddered in a distinctly feminine voice, "Creepy."

"Yeah, well...we don't have all day to stand around and reminisce," Haruka huffed, "We've got a wedding to attend in a couple of hours, and we didn't get all dressed up like this to be fashionably late for the party."

"Don't mind her," Michiru grinned, "She likes any excuse to dress up in a tux, and she'll certainly took better in it than most of the guys at the wedding."

"Better than me, you mean," Ukyo sniffed.

"Oh...I wouldn't say that," Makoto purred smoothly, "After all...you're best man at the wedding."

"Best WOMAN," Ukyo corrected, but she smiled at her ladylove, for Makoto was far too radiant in her own dress for Ukyo to feel even mild irritation at her beloved.

"I'm sure you will all look wonderful as bridesmaids and guests at your cousin's wedding, Usagi-chan," Mamoru remarked, "But I agree that it is a little odd that you insisted we all be here this early before the ceremony, Lady Lotion."

"It's quite simple, Prince Endymion," the old woman remarked, "The battle against the Royal Flush Gang caused more than structural damage to the property...there is a different sort of damage that was rendered upon the dojo's destruction. This place was a holy site dedicated for over a century to the preservation of a guardian shrine, and its destruction has weakened the barriers that has kept an evil force in line for many a generation."

"I see," Setsuna murmured softly, "And that is why you asked that all of us be present...to help reinforce these wards and to combat the evil thing that will attempt to break through at this most critical juncture."

"SAY WHAT?" many of her fellow Senshi exclaimed in one and the same voice.

"Something bad's gonna come out here?" Ukyo asked, "You've gotta be kidding!"

"Would that I were," the Amazon Lore Master replied, "Back during the days before the Meiji restoration a battle was fought here between a terrible Oni from one of the ninety-nine Hells and a band of noble warriors who were the ancestors of my Apprentice and her iinazuke. A wedding was then performed here to seal the wards in place, and every few generations those wards must be recreated by an enactment of that ceremony. Without this ritual being enacted the barriers will break down and eventually the Oni will be released to seek her vengeance. She will then seek retribution against the heirs of the families that entrapped her in the first place...unless she is stopped here and now...before she has a chance to disrupt the sacred union of the families."

"I see what you mean," Rei said, "If we defeat the Oni now she won't be a problem later on...but..."

"Shouldn't my Cousin and Nabiki be the ones to do this?" Usagi asked simply, "After all, they're the ones who have the most at stake here."

"Another time I would agree with you, Moon Princess," the old woman explained, "But this is to be a happy day for my apprentice...a day that will be cherished for happy memories, not a day to be filled with thoughts of battle against a spirit of consummate evil. Besides...you Senshi are better equipped to do battle with a spirit of this nature. Your forces combined should prove to be sufficient to hold it at bay until I can recreate the spell that entrapped it in the first place. Think of it as your wedding present to the happy couple, and you won't even have to smudge your nice dresses as your Senshi attire is of a more durable nature."

"Maybe so," Haruka said, "But what you're asking is for us to clean up someone else's dirty laundry."

"You don't really mean that," Michiru smiled, "Don't listen to her, Usagi...Haruka-chan has never turned away from any fight for as long as I've known her."

"Princess," Setsuna asked, "Are you agreeable to this proposal? If so, then we, your loyal Senshi, stand ready to support you."

"Well...I guess it does make sense," Usagi turned to her dark haired companion, "Rei...you're the expert on spiritual wards and stuff. Do you think we can pull this off?"

"I guess so," Rei nodded, "As a Shine Maiden I have a sacred duty to combat evil spirits wherever they surface, and it does sound like this particular Oni could be as much trouble as that Cybelle creep."

"I guess we can't argue with that," Makoto turned to Ukyo, "But...you sure you'll be all right, Ucchan? I mean...you've never seen what Youma can be like..."

"I think I've got a clue, Sugar," Ukyo nodded, "Fighting demons is getting to be like a side profession. You do what you have to, I'll stand on the sidelines and cheer you guys on."

"You will also bear witness to what is about to transpire," Lotion turned her head in the direction of the koi pond then added, "I think you had better get into position now...I sense the Oni is aware of our presence and is making an attempt to batter free from the wards even as we speak."

"Everyone...into position!" the cat named Luna called out, "I suggest a star pattern with the Inner Senshi forming a ring about the center!"

"Good call that," said the white cat named Artemis, "I can feel that Oni trying to break out...it's a seriously bad news kind of vibes I'm getting here...could be we've got less than a minute left before it puts in an appearance."

"Prince Endymion," Lotion said gravely, "You must also stand at the point of the star and lend your power to the spell that I shall craft. Everyone be ready...it is about to happen...now."

"Everybody use your Henshin Pins!" Minako called out as she followed her own advice and transformed into her Senshi incarnation.

Lotion struck the ground with the butt end of her staff and caused a pattern to form beneath them that was like a glowing series of triangles within a rune-  
laden ring with each of the Senshi standing at one of the points...and only instants after these wards were in place the area at the center of the pattern began to glow as the koi pond gave way to a gateway from a pocket dimension.

And from this gap reared up a huge naked form of a nine-foot-tall Oni...ruddy skinned with wild green hair and bat wings, its form incredibly muscular but unmistakably feminine. It cackled in a nasty voice, "YOU FOOLS...YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME? I LIVE AGAIN TO DESTROY AND TO TERRORIZE! YOU SHALL NOT CONTAIN ME WITH YOUR PUNY LIGHTS!"

"Uh oh..." Ukyo took a step backward and reached for her spatula, even though she was well beyond the wards with the two talking cats, whose own fur was standing out on end.

"Look at the size of those..." Mamoru swallowed, realizing that he dared not complete his own sentence while within earshot of his two girlfriends.

He was fortunately that Usagi and Rei were a little too distracted at the sight of the naked Oni, and of all the Senshi it was Ami alone who had the presence of mind to say, "I have bad feeling about this..."

Her sister Senshi were shortly to agree, for the battle royale was about to begin to decide the fate of the united clans of Tendo and Saotome...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Well, wonder of wonders, the BIG DAY had come at last! The day of my marriage to Ranma-kun and Sham-chan, the culmination of many event-filled months of whirlwind courtship and debate, the day when we would make official that which we had unofficially been indulging in for the latter part of those months, and now I stood in the bedroom of my Aunt Nodoka with my sisters, Kodachi and the Amazons, Silk and Comb, trying out my wedding dress and wondering who the heck that was staring back at me from the other side of a mirror.

To put it mildly I was an emotional wreck just waiting for the other shoe to drop, convinced that SOMETHING was going to go wrong to break up the festivities, and even more scared that NOTHING would intervene to prevent me from walking down that aisle and saying "I Do" to Ranma.

It was my day to be a BRIDE, supposedly the most important day in a young girl's life and the day that most young girls my age fervently dream about, as if they had no other career plans. In truth I'd had little more than a month to prepare myself and I was in no way near to being prepared, even as the intellectual part of myself wondered what the fuss was all about. After all, I was pretty well set and determined to make Ranma my husband and accept Shampoo into our lives on a more-or-less semi-official basis. There is the issue of our future children to be determined here, and with Shampoo getting a head start over the rest of us in that department, it was important to insure the question of her child's legitimacy as Ranma's firstborn daughter, and by that argument the heir to the Anything Goes tradition.

Oh, did I say his daughter? Yes, we had that pretty much confirmed, even though the baby is too young for standard methods of testing. Lotion seconded what my own instincts have told me, and we have the Amazon mage, Siren, who conducted her own tests and assures us that Shampoo's baby will be born healthy...this in spite of Cologne cautioning us about the dangers of a Jusenkyo curse possibly causing a miscarriage. I have to admit that I've been more than a bit worried about that one myself, the possibility that Sham-chan's Neko body might be too small for a human embryo to survive within. There's the possible issue of tissue rejection if her changeling body doesn't accept the baby while in her cursed form, but Siren reassured us that this will not be a problem.

And just how does she mean that? I'm not too sure if I even want to know the answer, but somehow I believe her.

Anyway, there I was being fitted for a dress with only a few hours to go before the wedding ceremony, and with so many helpful Aunts on hand to make sure the job was done right we got it ready in an amazingly short span of time. Even I had to take a second and a third look at myself in the mirror when I was finally ready, because I had virtually been stitched into the thing, and the woman looking back at me was a little too regal-looking for me to see myself in her position. All questions of modesty aside, I had to admit that I looked pretty damned good and would probably impress the heck out of Ranma when he see me.

Shampoo, of course, looked absolutely breathtaking in the gown they fit her up with, and technically I should have felt a pang of jealousy about that, knowing in advance that she would probably show me up on this, the most special day of both our lives. After this we would both be calling Ranma our husband and meaning it for real, but in all truth I was just as much in awe of Shampoo's beauty as if she were marrying me and not just Ranma...which of course is what we both knew was about to happen.

Officially she's the lead Bridesmaid, but we're having another ceremony after the first to make it official under Amazon law, and I have to say that I was pretty curious to know what her people consider an official ceremony. I just know that I felt a genuine sense of pride and pleasure knowing that we would be walking together to meet Ranma at the altar.

I just hoped that the guy in question would have the nerve to meet us there and do his part in the ceremony, but you know how guys can be. Something about the word "commitment" causes their brains to freeze up, or something. Good thing we thought to take special measures to see to it he didn't try and sneak off and get lost like a Hibiki.

It's hard being so sneaky sometimes, but someone has to do it...

"Oh man, what am I doing?" Ranma fretted as he stared at the reflection of himself being cast in the mirror that had been installed in his old bedroom (the one he had not used since he was six years old, and which looked as if it had been preserved in that condition with a purpose), "I'm too young for this...I knew I should have gone on another training mission-I need more preparation!"

"Relax, Boy," Genma retorted, "You're getting all worked up over nothing. You like the girls, you've agreed to marry them, and now it's time to carry through on your commitment like a Saotome."

"I thought your way was to run and hide when things got a little too intense," Hairbrush remarked, "But I agree for once, you look just fine the way you are, Son, and-you can take my word on faith about this-my daughter and Nabiki are going to love you just the way you are, so long as you don't forget to say the words, 'I do.'"

"I do?" Ranma looked on the verge of panic, "You mean I...and then they...and we..."

"Elope on your honeymoon and live happily ever after?" Ryoga shrugged, "Guess that's up to you, more or less."

"You'll do just fine, Son," Soun assured him, "After all, you have fine prospects ahead of you, two women who adore you, and once we rebuild the dojo you'll have a steady source of income again, and when you're man of the house you'll have it easy, sitting back and fathering a new generation for the families of Tendo and Saotome."

"To say nothing of assuming all the responsibilities that come with the job," Hairbrush reflected, "A mortgage, utility costs, picking up the kids and seeing they get to and from school on time, but at least you'll have it easier than I did since you won't have to do all of the cooking..."

"That's it, I've gotta get out of here!" Ranma cried, making a mad dash at the window, only to run smack into Ryoga's fist, which stopped him in his tracks and momentarily halted his momentum.

"Nice shot there, Son," Genma nodded with approval.

"Thanks," Ryoga grinned as he rubbed his knuckles against the palm of the other hand, "I almost couldn't believe it when Nabiki gave me permission to hit him if he even thought about running away."

"It's another Saotome tradition," Genma ignored the amused look Hairbrush turned on him, "I can remember when I was about to get married how Tendo-kun and five other men had to wrestle me down and tie me up just before the ceremony..."

"Oh yes," Soun nodded, "I well remember that...in fact, I'll never forget that shiner you gave Godai just before losing consciousness. You were quite the spry on in those days, Saotome."

"Yes I was...and a bit lighter on my feet at that," Genma glanced down at himself a bit sadly, then brightened up and clapped Ryoga on the shoulder, "Never fear, Boy...your time will come, and when you walk down the aisle with some lovely young thing waiting you at the altar you'll understand what true terror is, and on that day you'll achieve true manhood."

"Uh...I guess," Ryoga winced slightly.

"Remind me to return the favor when that happens," Ranma groaned as he slowly pushed himself up off the floor and felt his jaw to see that it was still in place, "Ow."

"It will hurt a lot less in time, Son," Hairbrush assured him, "And soon you'll even be thanking your brother for knocking some sense back into you. Believe me, you don't want to know what it's like to get hunted down by an Amazon war party sent to recapture an errant husband."

"I'll keep that in mind, Sir," Ranma said as he regained his footing then studied his reflection again in order to straighten out his rented tux, "Man...I should have known Nabiki would cover all the exits, but I guess you're right...I agreed to do this, so I'm gonna have to go out there and meet her like I promised. I'll say all the things they want me to say and...and get married like I'm supposed to...I just want you guys to do one thing for me first."

"What's that, Son?" Soun asked.

"Talk me out of it!" Ranma whimpered, right before he felt his father lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder, then gently-but-firmly give him a shove towards the doorway.

"Out you go, Boy," Genma urged, "Time for you to finally go out there and get yourself married."

"Don't shove me, I'm going!" Ranma complained, though he was finding it hard not to drag his feet as his nervousness increased by the moment. He kept telling himself that this was what he wanted to do, that it was a matter of both honor and personal desire that he seal the pact between himself and Nabiki...and to take Shampoo on fully as his wife. It was the Manly thing to do, it would please his mother and all of his friends, and it would bring an end to such craziness as people kidnapping his fianc es and trying to marry someone else. A new life would begin for them all the moment he pledged his vows of marriage to both women, it was a moment they both had longed for over the many months of their being together for the better part of a year of eventful happenings and an ever increasing dependence on one another.

He just wished the butterflies holding a Kickboxing tournament in his stomach would break for lunch or call a time out, or something, because the idea of going ahead with this frightened him far worse than facing down any devil or demon. He just hoped Ukyo would be there for her role as Best Man (er...whatever) because he would need a little hand holding to get through this, and-ready or not-it was time at long last to get married.

That he didn't faint dead away just thinking the word in his head was a tribute to his character, though in all likelihood he would pass out somewhere during the ritual itself, or so he told himself as he went down the stairs of his Mother's house and went out into the converted yard that would host the ceremony since the dojo was presently in a state of shambles.

He was surprised upon seeing how everything had been arranged on such short notice. Atsuko and her father were busy setting up the decorations with the help of the two Amazons, Julian and Romeo, with Ryomi, Aki and Kenou pitching in to eagerly assist their Hibiki elders. There were ribbons and decorations everywhere, and a many-layered cake that looked like a small cathedral with three tiny figures standing atop the apex, perfectly styled to resemble himself, Shampoo and Nabiki. Everywhere he looked there were chairs and decorations that looked to him as though they had collectively cost a small fortune, which made him wonder how his mother was paying the caterers for all this. A few guests had already arrived and more looked to be on the way, all of which cumulatively spelled out to Ranma the seriousness of the occasion, which again assured that this was not a dream, that he really was about to get married.

Suddenly running in terror for his life didn't seem like such a bad option, but since Chickening out at this late state was out of the question he just squared his shoulders and tried to adopt a nonchalant pose that actually fooled no one for all the profuse sweating that he was doing.

"Does this go here?" Razor asked Atsuko as he paused in the act of tacking up one streamer.

"Hmmm...a little closer to the other one, I think, Dad," Atsuko replied from the ladder upon which she was presently perched, securing a ribbon shaped like a bow-tie over one of the erected posts, "I think they're supposed to be evenly spaced apart...right Grandma?"

"Now dear," Ganglot replied as she placed hand to chin and assumed a reflective, contemplative attitude, "As much as I value symmetry, there is a lot to be said for letting one's inner creative part go, and I fancy a bit of irregularity to break up the otherwise uniform pattern. After all, try to be too perfect on a day like this and you might make the gods themselves feel jealous at your hubris."

"I resemble that remark," a voice from directly behind the Oni responded, "And don't tell me you're the one who's catering this party?"

"Urd!" Ganglot cried with obvious delight as she spun around to greet the dusky-  
skinned, silver haired goddess, "How wonderful, you made it, Cousin...and Belldandy...it's been ages!"

"Ganglot," said a sweet-voiced, sandy-haired beauty standing beside a slight youth, who himself bore a somewhat nervous expression, "How nice to see you again after all this time, and how thoughtful of you to send us those invitations."

"Um...excuse me for asking," said the boy beside her, "But...isn't she...ah...kind of working for the Rival Relief agency or something?"

"Oh, those clowns?" Ganglot scoffed, "I haven't worked with them in centuries. I'm an independent contractor, my dear boy...and you must be Bell-chan's dashing fianc e, of whom I have heard so much about."

"Ganglot," Belldandy nodded, "This is Keiichi, my intended...Keiichi-san, this is Urd's cousin Ganglot, from her mother's side of the family..."

"Swell," Keiichi said dubiously, knowing full well what that implied after having directly encountered Urd's demon mother.

"I can't believe you're here in Japan after all this time," Skuld complained, "I thought you were trapped in a pyramid or something."

"Old news, Skuld-chan," Ganglot waved the point aside, then glanced beyond her, "And who is this lovely thing beside you? Have you taken on an assistant?"

"Ah...that's my younger sister, Megumi," Keiichi spoke while the girl in question just smiled, even as Skuld colored and glanced away for some obscure reason.

"Charmed," Megumi herself replied, taking in the tattooed face of the Oni and reckoning it was some sort of family tradition.

"My words exactly," Ganglot mused, "You are quite the charming little thing, aren't you? I can see the resemblance between you and your Oneechan. And-  
what's this? Do I spy another member of your party?"

"Just don't push it, will you?" Peorth scowled at the Oni Princess, "Is Nabiki around? I...want to see her...before the ceremony, that is."

"Upstairs in Nodoka's room," Ganglot replied, "But do stay for the ceremony...after all, it's your daughter who is about to get married."

"One of them anyway," Peorth replied, and headed off towards the house, ignoring the questioning looks that she received from her companions.

"Her daughter?" Urd asked incredulously.

"Oh my," Belldandy said, "And I didn't even hear that she got married."

"Poor guy, whoever he is," Skuld sympathized.

"Not married," Ganglot corrected, "But she definitely did know the father."

Peorth colored slightly but turned away and advanced on the house rather than answer.

"Whoah," Keiichi remarked as soon as the goddess was out of earshot, "Is that why she hasn't been after me as much lately? There's another guy in her life who's more important?"

"For once I'm with Skuld," Urd remarked, "Poor guy, whoever he is."

Ranma did not even make a pretense of understanding what that was all about but instead turned to another group that was just then arriving, his cousin, Usagi, flanked by her fianc e and circle of friends, which at the moment included a somewhat tired looking Ukyo. As a matter of fact the whole group looked exhausted, as though they had just gone through the proverbial wringer.

"Hey, Ucchan," Ryoga called out, "Glad you could make it."

In spite of having the towering Makoto leaning against her shoulder, Ukyo brightened up when she saw him and said, "Hey, Ranchan...looking spiffy! Is that really you in that get up?"

"Must be," Ranma nodded, "Um...what gives with Usagi-chan and the others? You guys have a hard time getting here or something?"

"If only it was that simple," the blonde Minako perked up as she grinned, "Ryoga-kun...you look good enough to eat! Which reminds me...which way to the refreshments?"

"Huh," Ryoga responded, surprised at the sudden change of topic.

"It's over there, next to that cake," Ami brightened up considerably, "And is that a punch bowl I see? I hope it doesn't contain alcohol..."

"Are you kidding?" Haruka groaned, "If it doesn't, then there's going to be trouble."

"Why don't we ask the Saotomes if they have a bottle of sake tucked away?" Michiru suggested.

"Good idea," Haruka said, and with her green-haired lady-friend in tow the two of them wandered off in search of libation.

"Um," Ranma blinked, "You guys run into any problems on the way here?"

"Oh, nothing too much," Ukyo smiled back weakly, "We just had a little workout before coming here, that's all."

"And you wouldn't believe our dance partner," Makoto smiled even more weakly, "I think I need to sit down. Can you get by without me for a few minutes, Sempai?"

"I'll try," Ukyo smiled back as Makoto staggered off to the refreshment stand.

"Hi Cousin," Usagi gave Ranma the sort of Zombified smile that seemed to typify the general consensus among her Senshi, "Can't talk right now, I've gotta eat."

"Let me at that concession stand," Rei pleaded, "For once I'm gonna pig out like you, Usagi."

"Hah, that'll be the day," Usagi flashed an affectionate grin to the priestess, then the both of them headed off to the table together with Mamoru trailing along behind them, looking tired himself but also giving the impression that he wanted to keep the both of them well within his sight.

Ranma blinked as he watched the other Senshi begin to mingle with the rest of the guests, then he heard Ryoga remark, "That must have been some work-out."

"Enough that they'll probably be soaking their bodies in the Jacuzzi when this is all over," Ukyo sniffed, then took on a speculative expression, "Which means Mako-chan will be needing a backrub, and with a back as large as hers to work with..." she actually seemed to be savoring the prospect.

"Ah yes," Ganglot suddenly spoke up, having somehow worked her way over to their sides without anyone being the wiser, "I believe your recent dance partner was an old colleague of mine by the name of Kaarnak...a particularly unpleasant member of the Oni race, voted most likely in our Class of having herself be trapped under a rock for about a century or so. Your friends did quite well if they managed to contain her, but then again, you had Lotion's assistance, and that certainly counts for something."

"Where did you come from?" Ukyo gasped, surprised at seeing the Oni attending such a service.

"Well," Ganglot seemed to seriously consider the question, "On my mother's side there was a bit of High Deva, though for the most part I like to believe that I tend to favor more of our original Star Tribe ancestry, but on my father's side of the family...well...there you're talking about a whole new level of Hell Lord..."

"Bragging about your ancestry again?" Urd asked as she, too, appeared among their midst unnoticed, "Come on...let's mingle and you can tell me all about what you've been up to in Nerima. Is it true that old hack, Cybele, is making a come back?"

"Nipped in the bud for now," Ganglot replied as she allowed herself to be steered away from Ranma group, pausing only to wave back at him and say, "Buck up for the ceremony, Kid! You're doing great so far, and I'm definitely rooting for you!"

"Swell," Ranma said, "Why doesn't that make me feel any better?"

"You ask me, Sugar," Ukyo nodded, "Ryoga's great-grandmother is a few boxes shy of a full load...but in a way I guess she means well..."

"I sure hope so," Ryoga sighed, "I still fell awful about letting myself be fooled like that...I could have banished her back to China and then we'd all be at the mercy of my grandmother."

"Experiences learned, mistakes not to be repeated, Boy," Genma replied, "And you can quote me on that."

"Wanna bet?" Ukyo scowled, but she elected to let the matter drop as Genma headed off to the concessions stand, so she turned and said, "So, Ranchan...how's it feel to be almost married?"

"Scary," Ranma admitted, then bucked up his pride and said, "Not that I'm scared or nothing, it's just...a lot of responsibility to take on, know what I mean?"

"Heh, tell me about it," Ukyo glanced at Ryoga, "Why don't you run along and say hi to Minako-chan? I'm sure she'd love to be spending her time with you, big guy."

"You...really think so?" Ryoga asked, then wandered off towards the concession stand to be affectionately greeted by a half-starving Minako.

"Too bad about him and Akane," Ukyo remarked after a few quiet moments between herself and her best friend, "But he seems to be making a smooth recovery, thanks to Minako-chan. How about you, Ranchan? Are you really feeling up to this? No last minute changes of heart or nothing, right?"

"I...think I'll be okay for now," Ranma sighed, "It's just...when I think about meeting Nabiki and...exchanging vows with her...I feel really excited...and like I wanna run for it at the same time, know what I mean? Heh...thing is, if I even tried that I doubt I'd get ten steps before they nailed me..."

"Who? Shampoo or Nabiki Dad?" Ukyo sniffed.

"Take your pick," Ranma sniffed, "No shortage of people here who want to see us get hitched."

"Hey, it could always be worse, right?" Ukyo responded, "You might have run into a bunch of guys who wanted to stop you at the last second. She could have a bunch of would-be suitors looking to nail her, or you could have a horde of unhappy fianc es that your Pop tried to marry you off to in your vagabond days, maybe even me among them."

"You?" Ranma blinked again in surprise.

"Sure," Ukyo leered, "You think I'm blind to what a great catch you are? Maybe I was wrong to give you up, or maybe I just needed more time to think about it. Want to elope and wind up selling okonomiyaki from a yatai cart? I'll cut you in for a partnership and pay you a share of the proceeds."

"Hey, cut that out," Ranma pleaded, "Even as a joke it ain't funny!"

"Oh, you think I'm joking, do you?" Ukyo asked archly.

"Ah...I didn't mean it like that or nothing," Ranma hastily back-pedaled, "I mean...Ucchan, you're great, and I think any guy would count himself real lucky to have a great girl like you for his wife...but...well...between me, Nabiki and Shampoo..."

"Oho," Ukyo arched her eyebrows meaningfully, "Three's company but four's a crowd, eh? Well, what if you had all of us to deal with, and maybe even one or two more girls? Say, didn't Kodachi once have a thing for you? How'd you like to have her for a girlfriend?"

"What, and have Kasumi glare at me for the rest of my life?" Ranma pleaded, finally catching on to the subtext of humor in Ukyo's voice, "Besides, I think your girlfriend would try and kick my ass if she thought I was putting the moves on you, and frankly, that idea is even scarier than being engaged to Kodachi."

"Heh, maybe for you, Mister," Ukyo deliberately bumped hips with her former iinazuke, and the two of them smiled at the joke, settling in a bit to a more easy manner about one another. Then Ukyo sobered and said, "Speaking of which, I think she's glaring at me right now. I'd better go reassure her that I'm still head over heals for her and no one else...but...um...is Akane around?" she glanced nervously over her shoulder, "I...don't want there to be any trouble..."

"She's with Nabiki getting her ready," Ranma replied, then smiled as he added, "Want me to tell her you've been looking for her?"

"Don't you dare!" Ukyo warned him, making a threatening move for her baker's peel.

"You two seem to be having a lot of fun together," a new voice cut in on their conversation, and both of them turned to see the blue haired Ryoko standing to one side in a party dress, "But hey, Ranma...you ve seen your cousin Tenchi anywhere about?"

"I thought he was with you and the others," Ranma nodded to the group that had been sitting together enjoying some tea while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

"He said something about needing to use the bathroom," Ryoko scowled unhappily, "But that was fifteen minutes ago. I offered to help him out, but he sure can be a shy cutie when it comes to bodily function...HEY! Leggo my ear! Ayeka!"

"You come with me right now, Ryoko," said a stern-voiced Princess Ayeka, "I won't have you bothering the Groom before the ceremony, and besides...I need your help to find Lord Tenchi."

"Now you're talking, Princess," Ryoko settled down (albeit she started floating a half meter above the ground), "Between the two of us we ought to find Tenchi, no problem."

Ranma and Ukyo watched them leave for several moments before the latter said, "Definitely weird. Must be hard on your cousin having a couple of girlfriends like that."

"Sometimes I guess I don't really know how lucky I got it," Ranma nodded in agreement, "But they seem to get along...most of the time, anyway."

"And when they don't...watch out!" Ukyo duly noted.

"I certainly do agree that you have a rather interesting and unique circle of friends as your close relations and allies," remarked the withered old Lotion, who suddenly spoke up from beside them.

"GAH!" Ranma half-jumped, "What is it with everybody sneaking up on me like that? You don't think I'm edgy enough as it is?"

"Oh, sorry," Lotion replied, "I just thought I'd make a friendly observation. Ready now to begin the festivities, my dear Boy?"

"I guess," Ranma replied, then grimaced a little before adding, "A bit."

"And you, Kuonji-san," the aged Lore Master nodded, "You did remember to bring the ring with you, did you not?"

"The ring?" Ukyo blinked, then she began to pat herself down, only to gain a look of real panic, "THE RING! I don't believe it! I hope I didn't lose it in that fight..."

"Calm yourself," Lotion held up a hand and presented the object in question, "I only mentioned it so that you would not forget at the appropriate time. Here...make sure you hold onto it until it is needed."

"Oh sure, no problem," Ukyo said as she accepted the offering and secured it in her tuxedo vest pocket.

"Just be as sure when it is your turn to play best man at her wedding, Young Master," Lotion noted slyly to Ranma.

"HUH?" both teenagers reacted, Ranma gasping, "Best man...?" and Ukyo finishing the statement with her own arched, "...at MY wedding?"

"To Kino-san, of course," Lotion replied, "And just for the record, I'm hoping it will be a boy on the first try, definitely a girl on the second."

"Hah?" Ukyo had the sort of expression on her face that literally was made for the statement, "Could be blown over by a feather."

The next second she was nearly knocked to the ground by a heavy hand that slapped her between the shoulder blades (while missing the part protected by the handle of her spatula) as a boisterous voice said, "Finally made it on time, I see. Ready to be Best Woman at your boyfriend's wedding?"

"Aunt Yumi?" Ukyo staggered before whirling around and setting eyes upon her elder, whom she almost did not recognize since Yumi Kuonji was wearing a dress, sans bakers peel.

"Just got here in time to see this lad marry someone besides you," Yumi grinned at Ranma, "More fool him. Sure you won't want to take my niece up on her offer? I think you're making a mistake not to include her in your harem."

"Harem?" Ranma blinked, feeling more than a little dizzy from all the attention that he was receiving.

"Well, your loss," Yumi shrugged, turning back to Ukyo, "By the way, I dragged your father out of his death bed so he could be here to watch you help give away your Groom to another."

"Dad is here?" Ukyo blinked with an incredulous expression.

"He's sulking a bit about your deciding to go another way and bollix up all of his plans," Yumi winked, "But secretly I think he's proud of the way you've been helping take over the business, even if you did kind of mysteriously take off for a week without a word to him of explanation."

"Ah...about that..." Ukyo winced.

"Save it," Yumi waved the point aside, "I've brought him up to speed on all the particulars, or at least the ones that he's entitled to know about. Come over and pay your respects to him, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"I'd love to," Ukyo said, "But the wedding could start any minute, and I'm the ring bearer..."

"Ah," Lotion spoke up as she turned their attention back towards the altar, "And speaking of which now, the officiating Priest is here. I suggest you make yourselves ready while the guests are called to attention."

"Right," Ranma swallowed a thick lump down his throat, only to see his father and Soun gesturing towards him, letting him know in advance that everything was in readiness and that if he tried to make a run for it at this point that he would have a riot chasing after him in a second. Not so much gathering his courage as slinking with tail between legs, he headed towards the altar, almost hoping for a crisis that might give him a chance to delay the ceremony for a few more hours.

Not that he expected he could ever be so lucky...

"Hello?" a voice asked timidly as she knocked lightly on the door to the room presently being used by the bridal procession, "Ma Cheri? Is it all right to come in there?"

The door opened and a face peeked out from the crack, the very mirror of the one worn by the woman asking for admittance as the Amazon named Silk remarked, "You? Oh my..."

"Oh my yourself," Peorth said reluctantly, "Is it all right for me to see my daughter before she's married?"

"That depends on what you mean by 'your' daughter," Silk responded, but nonetheless she turned her head and said, "Akane-chan, can I trouble you to go downstairs and inform them that the bride is ready to make her appearance?"

"Sure thing, Auntie," Akane said as she walked past the door, which Silk obligingly opened. Peorth was quick to do a vanishing act, disappearing as Akane walked right past her without looking, only to reappear once more once the young Tendo girl was halfway down the stairway.

"Akane-chan," she murmured softly, feeling contrite until the door to the room fully opened to admit her.

"Who were you talking to...?" Comb started to say when her mouth hung open.

"I don't believe it," Kodachi blinked, looking from Peorth to Silk and back again, "They could almost be twins..."

"Oh my," Kasumi murmured, wondering if fainting would be a good strategic move at this point.

"Aiyaa..." Shampoo seconded the motion.

"I believe it...sort of," Nabiki herself remarked, "What are you doing here, Mother, other than the obvious answer to that question?"

Peorth winced at the tone Nabiki used but nonetheless firmed up her resolve and said, "I wanted to be here, of course...I was invited."

"Invited," Nabiki had a faintly distracted look for a moment then said, "Well...I won't say that I'm sorry to see you here, but...you do know manifesting like this in front of my father and sisters could lead to...complications."

"I know, Cheri," Peorth replied, "But I wouldn't miss this for the world, my little girl growing up and getting married. That's one step I never had the courage to take, for all my very long life, but...I must say, Nabiki-chan...you do look good in bridal white."

"Thanks," Nabiki smiled back, "We were going to originally do this as a Shinto ceremony, but that would have cost a lot more, and those rituals they recite can be so endless!"

"Tell me about it," Peorth rolled her eyes, "Why do mortals always have to complicate a simple thing like a ritual of marriage? It makes me envious of those other cultures where the groom kidnaps the bride and carries her off to an elopement. Ah...the good old days...young people now have no respect for traditional values..."

"Well, you can stay for the Wedding," Nabiki nodded, "Just as long as you behave and don't try to pull any more funny stuff like trying to hitch Akane up with Kuonji. One thing, though...the Honeymoon is off-limits to trespassers, and I mean to enforce this."

"As if I would pry into the privacy of one of my daughters," Peorth said with a look of angelic innocence that Nabiki did not quite find so convincing, "Anyway, it's about time you settled down and raised a family. Mortals like you should cherish every moment that you have when it comes to starting a family...far too many never get started until it is almost too late, and then there are regrets, Cheri, such as you could not imagine."

"I'll try and keep that in mind," Nabiki noted when she turned her head and said, "Uh oh...more late arrivals?"

One moment later Siren and Cologne appeared with hardly a "POOF" to signify their entrance, the blonde haired Enchantress saying, "Ta-da! We're here at last, so you can start the party! You see, Cologne darling? I told you I'd get us here in a stylish, timely manner."

"So you did," Cologne said grudgingly, only to take in the presence of the Goddess, "I see we are not the only ones fashionably late. Are you here to give the happy couple your divine blessings?"

"Something like that," Peorth replied, "Actually, I meant to give Nabiki-chan here a late wedding present..."

"Excuse me," yet another voice intruded, and heads turned to see the upper body of the blue haired Ryoko popping up from one of the walls as the Space Pirate herself asked, "Have any of you ladies seen Tenchi anywhere about? He's kind of gone missing, the silly boy..."

"Oh," Kasumi responded, "Ranma's cousin hasn't been upstairs to the best of my knowledge. I'm sure he would be downstairs looking for directions...he's a very sweet boy, and he has such excellent manners..."

"Yeah, but I love him anyway," Ryoko smirked, "Well...thanks for your help, sorry to bother you, carry on and all that..."

With that the blue haired Space pirate faded back through the wall, leaving everyone else in the chamber to stare at where she had been, including Siren, Cologne and Peorth in equal measure.

"Oh my," Kodachi broke the silence to remark, "We do have some rather colorful guests here to see the wedding, don't we?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo nodded, glancing at her mother before saying, "And Shampoo think back in village we have very strange peoples."

"I guess travel really does broaden the mind," Comb shrugged, turning back to Peorth and saying, "Now...what was that again about bringing Nabiki here a present...?"

"That's very odd," Ayeka frowned, "You are certain he is not in the bath room?"

"Positive," Ryoko replied, sliding easily through the ceiling as though she were the proverbial ghost, "I checked all the rooms and nobody has seen him. Maybe he went back outside and we missed him?"

"That does not seem to likely," Ayeka frowned, only to brighten again, "Wait a minute...I know how to find our errant future husband. Washu made this for me," she said as she fished a small object from the folds of one sleeve.

"What is it?" Ryoko floated closer to get a closer inspection.

"It's a location finder keyed to the buttons on Lord Tenchi's lapel," Ayeka smiled, "I made certain to affix a tracer to him just before coming here for just such emergencies as this."

"Why you sneaky little devil," Ryoko grinned, "No wonder I like you."

"Flattery will get you somewhere," Ayeka said coyly, only to blink her eyes as she stared at the device, "Oh dear...it says Lord Tenchi is close nearby."

"How close?" Ryoko leaned even closer.

"Around four or five meters...this way," Ayeka turned a questioning look, then moved over and found the object was pointing at a closet. She opened the door and gasped, "Oh my!"

"MMMMMPPPHH!" Tenchi grunted from where he sat trussed up on the floor with a gag in his mouth, bound hand and foot like a present.

"Ayeka," Ryoko frowned, "Didn't you promise that you weren't gonna do that to him until after the wedding?"

"But I didn't!" Ayeka protested, "And how am I to know that you didn't do this to him yourself?"

"Because you tie the knots tighter than I do," Ryoko reasonably pointed out.

"Hmmm...good point," Ayeka conceded, "I thought you said you checked every place in the house."

"Everyplace upstairs and around the bathroom," Ryoko shrugged, "Who knew I should be looking for Tenchi in the closet?"

"MMMMMPPH!" Tenchi grunted in more annoyance.

"Now just hold still and let me take care of this for you, Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said as she bent down and began to skillfully undo the knots, "Hmmm...whoever did this was a professional...such expert work of meshing the cross grooves..."

"Stop analyzing and get him out of those things," Ryoko impatiently elbowed her way in closer and simply broke the ropes with her bare hands, then pulled the gag out of the mouth of their boyfriend, "There...all better?"

"Hmph, any barbarian could have done that," Ayeka sniffed.

"He came at me out of no where...or I mean...I think it was a he...or a she...I don't really know, I'm so confused!" Tenchi babbled out once he was able.

"Huh?" Ayeka blinked.

"Slow down, Tenchi," Ryoko urged, "We can't understand what you're babbling."

"I said that whoever it was who tied me up like this came at me from out of nowhere!" Tenchi tried to coax his word out a bit more slowly, "He-or she-  
said she needed to take my place...she was going to plant a bomb in the cake and needed me out of the way, and she even apologized about the inconvenience..."

"What?" Ayeka reacted, "A bomb?"

"Inside the wedding cake?" Ryoko snorted, "How formulaic..."

"RYOKO!" Tenchi blurted.

"All right, I'll take care of it!" Ryoko made placating gestures with both hands, "Ayeka, stay here and help Tenchi get back on his feet. This'll only take a minute."

"Hurry, Ryoko...and do be careful!" Ayeka pleaded.

"Don't worry," Ryoko said as she teleported away, adding to herself once she was back outside, "No sneak thief gets away with blowing up a cake before I eat it...hmmm...now...how did she manage this, whoever she is? Hmmm..." and with that Ryoko stuck her face into the cake, then her hands reached down and through the table, and suddenly she appeared once more holding a device in both hands that was obviously home made.

"Uh oh," she saw that the timer was nearly at the zero point and hastily teleported away, gaining several thousand feet of altitude before letting the device go, then teleporting back again to ground level.

"There," she said as she dusted her hands off, "That's taken care of, and I didn't even knick the frosting."

"You took care of it?" Ayeka asked as she helped Tenchi to gingerly step outside of the house with hardly any eyes turned in their direction, their mutual fianc e working hard to regain his circulation.

"I just know I'm going to regret this," Tenchi winced, "But...how did you take care of it, Ryoko?"

"Oh, not to worry about such trifling things, Tenchi," Ryoko smiled, "Besides, it should be going off at any second..."

Konatsu felt bad about having to be a party pooper, but orders were orders, and he was under instruction to punish the ones who had destroyed his family's tea shop, and what more poetic way to do the deed than to plant a bomb at the very wedding for which they had been celebrating with that impromptu Stag Party? It had been simplicity itself to jump one of the guests, then to briefly impersonate him long enough to get close to the table, where he then planted the device, just as his Step-mother had told him. Now all that remained was to wait for the explosion and then report back to his step-mother and step-sisters that he had performed his task like a proper Kunoichi (well...a Kunoichi in name only since he was, at least technically, a man for all his Bishonen appearance).

Objectively Konatsu did not believe that this Ranma or his friends had intended to cause trouble for their tea shop, but the fact remained that they were the ones who had destroyed his home and forced him to live like a vagabond sleeping in and out of trash cans. Most likely it had been a misunderstanding, and he knew how his Stepsiblings and Stepmother loved to exaggerate on the details. If Konatsu was not a loyal Ninja in the service of his clan he would have balked at doing something so treacherous, but the life of a Ninja was never a very happy one, let alone simple or uncomplicated. He had done exactly what he had been instructed to do, now all that he had to do was wait for the explosion and his honor would be satisfied.

Of course as he settled down to conceal himself beside a trash receptacle, he was only mildly surprised when he heard it complain, "What, you again? Go find your own hiding place, loser!"

"Eh?" Konatsu straightened up and blurted, "You?"

"That's right, Me!" cried an indignant Tsubasa as he (also problematic since his usual mode of disguise included dresses), "Who else do you think this trash can belongs to? Besides, I have this space reserved so I can watch out for my darling Ucchan."

"What do you mean reserved?" Konatsu asked, "I don't see any sign informing people that you own this area."

"Who needs a sign?" Tsubasa sniffed, "This is where I always hide this time of day when I want to keep an eye out for my Ucchan."

"Well, how was I to know that?" Konatsu asked reasonably, "I've only been spying on the Tendos for a few days, and this is the first time I've come to the home of the Saotomes..."

"Well, next time ask first!" Tsubasa retorted, "I can't have Ninjas sneaking about chasing after my Ucchan..."

"I'm not after her, I'm after the ones who destroyed my family's tea shop," Konatsu countered.

"If it's that Saotome creep you're after, go ahead," Tsubasa sniffed, "But stay away from my Ucchan."

"Why would I be interested in a girl who looks more like a man than me?" Konatsu asked, only to jump in surprise as she whirled about, "Step mother?"

Tsubasa was surprised to shift his focus towards three figures who suddenly appeared from seeming nowhere, three of the UGLIEST women he had ever had the misfortune of setting eyes upon, so much so that he immediately dove back into hiding inside his trash can.

"Konatsu," the shorter and older of the trio demanded, "What is the meaning of this? Why are you slinking around here more than two blocks away from the house of your target instead of going in there and ferreting out information?"

"Step-mother," Konatsu fell to his knees, bowed his head and assumed a very obsequious manner, "I was only doing what you instructed, planting the bomb in the home of our enemies, and the reason I am here is because it is much safer than being a lot closer to the blast radius. That was a particularly powerful explosive that you gave me if it was brewed up by my sisters..."

"Oh, so you've already installed the bomb and set the timer, eh?" the old hag nodded in satisfaction, "Well, that's different..."

"Um...Mother?" the thinner of her two daughters responded, "Do you hear something falling?"

"Falling?" the fat one of the trio of female Ninjas started to look up when an object fell in front of her eyes and she automatically caught it, saw what it was and had time enough to voice a dumbfounded, "OSHI-!"

The explosion kicked up Tsubasa's trash can and sent it flying into the air even as Konatsu was sent tumbling like a leaf blown in the wind, to strike a wall several blocks away and immediately lose consciousness, which was a mercy compared to what befell her step-kin, who were hardly that lucky...

A lone figure perched atop the Saotome residence paused in the middle of playing her musical instrument, a slight frown creasing her otherwise beautiful features. The explosion that had ruined her otherwise perfect ballad in tribute to the fortunate married couple was a very bad omen in her opinion, though from what she could see from her purchase made Mon Mon shrug her slender shoulders and desire that no one innocent had been harmed in the explosion.

Down below the reaction was a bit less sanguine.

"...What the heck was that?" Ranma asked, glancing off in the distance and seeing a rising cloud of smoke from several blocks away.

"Sounded like a gas main ruptured, or something like that," Ukyo frowned, "I sure hope nobody was badly hurt."

"There's little we can do about it right now, Son," Soun declared, "And I won't stand for anything distracting you from marrying my little Nabiki."

"Don't worry, Sir," Ranma declared, "Wild horses couldn't budge me."

"That's because you've locked your knees together," Ryoga pointed out, "Better loosen them up before you lose consciousness."

"Here now," Genma glanced back towards the house, "I believe the women are about to emerge."

"You're right, Saotome," Soun beamed proudly, "It's finally about to happen."

"And on time at that," the officiating Priest remarked with a smile, "There truly are such things as divine wonders."

Everyone in attendance for this wedding would certainly agree, but none more so than Ranma himself, who stood with open mouth staring in wonder at the sight of white-robed women marching out in procession, one pair of figures in the middle being the focus of his attention...the flash of purple hair on one side, short-  
cropped auburn hair on the other, both veiled to add mystery as they advanced upon his position.

"Oh my," said Naomi as she saw what looked like a younger version of herself appearing in white, which stirred memories of bittersweet joy and longing.

"Oooh...pretty," Rachael cooed with childish wonder.

"Not too bad," said Aki.

"I guess," remarked Kenou, pretending to an indifference that she did not actually feel at the moment.

"How beautiful my sister looks," Kachu remarked to her husband, "These Western customs may be strange, but I think I understand why they are so greatly favored."

"The only one who looked better walking down the aisle was you, Kachu-chan," Tofu complimented, and received a light squeeze of his hand in affectionate reply.

"Well now," mused Akira Kuonji to his sister, "I'm glad after all that you dragged me out here to see this, Yumi-chan."

"I told you it would be better not to hold any grudges about how things turned out, you big softie," Yumi smiled at her wheelchair-bound older brother.

"Man, this rocks!" said a dark haired man whose name was Ryu, "I'm glad you invited us to come along for the ride, Kento old buddy."

"Hey, didn't I tell you guys that these two made a really cute couple?" Kento smirked.

"That you did," mused Sage beside him, sharing a nod with their other friends, Rowan and Sai, "Of course we know another couple who might look just as good if they wind up strolling down the aisle, right guys?"

"Huh?" asked a somewhat surprised young woman named Mia, who then automatically exchanged puzzled looks with Ryu, only to have both of them blush a deep crimson and glance in opposite directions.

From where he sat Terry Bogart was smiling, glad that he had been invited to attend since he knew the bride and groom quite well and considered them a good match, one who were destined for better things...and was it his imagination or did he seem to feel a light caress of a ghostly hand upon his shoulder...?

"Oh Mamu-chan," Usagi gushed happily, "Just think...one day soon that will be us going down the aisle together.

"You mean us don't you?" Rei asked a bit archly, only to have Usagi squeeze her hand in reassurance.

"Why me?" Mamoru asked, rolling his eyes towards the heavens.

"Skrewp!" cried a hungry figure in a cage, one who looked suspiciously a lot like a miniature Pterodactyl.

Nabiki continued to advance upon Ranma's position while he stood his ground and stared at both her and Shampoo, mesmerized by the pair of them, but especially Nabiki. His iinazuke was smiling at him from beneath her veil, but he could see enough of the details of her face to know that she was crying. He would have been jolted at that were it not plain enough even to him that her tears were tears of joy and happiness, which almost made him want to cry, for all that he fought the impulse and tried to maintain a stoical expression of manly virtue.

His mother and the rest of the older women, plus her sisters (including Akane, who had belatedly joined the bridal procession) were all a blur in his eyes as he stared at the woman to whom he was about to be pledged in matrimony, a woman who now meant more to him than life itself, a statement that once might have seemed corny to him but which he now fervently believed and had demonstrated to be true beyond question. Shampoo was smiling at both of them and seemed all the more radiant in his eyes for the new life that he knew she carried, but it was Nabiki's hour as they both well knew, and neither of them would have it otherwise. Suddenly all his doubts were banished utterly and Ranma stood a bit taller, smiling as Nabiki at last reached his side and turned to him, taking his hand in her own while her other hand held the bouquet of appropriately selected flowers.

The priest began to recite his lines as the music fell silent, but the words were a blur in his mind as his attention remained squarely focused upon Nabiki. Then at last the Priest came to that precipitous point in their vows where he was obliged to ask, "...And do any here have any reason why these two should not be joined together?"

Ranma held his breath and tensed in the ensuing silence, vowing silently to himself that he would kill the first person who uttered a word of assent, but then his worst fears were realized and a voice called out from the back rows, "I KNOW WHY THEY SHOULD NOT BE MARRIED!"

That brought about instant muttering and a murmur of confusion among the wedding guests, which had to be lowered by several urgent attempts on the part of the priest, who then turned to the handsome blond man who had just appeared at the rear of the procession.

"Who are you who objects to this union?" the priest asked of this stranger.

"Picollet Picardin, Monsieur," the blond man replied with a sweeping bow, "At your service...!"

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Culinary Duels of Honor: shadowmane

What's this? Picollet has made his move to lay claim upon the daughters Tendo? Does this bottomless French Epicurean bode ill for our intrepid hero and heroines, or is this one too many meals that can't be digested? Find out next time in: "Food Fight at the Not-So-Okay Corral," or, "The Mouth is Quicker than the Eye!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	133. Chapter 133

NabikiRan117 Ranma and Nabiki:  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and far too many people for me to remember at one sitting, if I forgot anyone, please remind me!)

Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen.

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

You have to give it to Picollet, it takes balls to interrupt a wedding that's being attended by Gods, Mages, Lore Masters, Superheroes and more Martial Artists than you could stock into a hundred Chinese Chop-Sockie flicks, let alone to proclaim that the bride intended-meaning ME-was his by right of conquest. I mean, honestly, not many guys would take their lives in their hands like that...kind of like that time Ryoga lit a match inside a Fireworks factory just to find out where he was, and the match he lit just happened to be a flare gun.

To say the least, I wasn't amused in the slightest, especially in light of all the trouble I'd gone through just getting Ranma to the altar, let alone in the mood to say "I do" to our impending marriage. I was about to unleash the fury of Hell itself on the poor bastard, and that would have been a kindness compared to my second choice...letting the entire Hibiki Clan have a few choice words with him and their fists. Of course the way the problem wound up being dealt with was an eye-opener in itself, but let me get to that point first by explaining how it happened.

Ranma was the first of us to break the silence by saying, "You WHAT, Jerk?"

"You heard me, Saotome," Chardin smiled in that smug, ingratiating way that rich boys have of looking down at their supposed "betters," "Have you forgotten Paris already? The promise you made of a rematch between us? Your bride will be mine by right of forfeit if you back down now in front of all these witnesses it will proclaim that the Saotomes have no honor and no right to make fit husbands."

"Why you..." Ranma balled his fists but I could see the pride showing in his eyes, that he knew he was cornered and would have to meet this challenge or feel lessened in his own eyes.

It's just one of the things I love about the big lug, but at times like this that pride can be so annoying!

For my part I felt like slapping myself for forgetting about Paris. Sure we had a whirlwind tour of the place and got to take in all the sights when our borrowed balloon (courtesy of Prince Kirin) had stopped in for some repairs, and after the craziness in Pangea I figured we both needed the break. I mean, playing the Jungle Girl route with Ranma as Tarzan and Shampoo as Sheena was all fine and dandy, but after dodging cannibals, dinosaurs and other exotic forms of crazed wildlife, I figured a quiet time perusing the shops of a fashionable European city would be a nice change of pace, and...who should we run into but this blond haired eating machine who represents a school of martial arts that is entirely about EATING!

Up to that moment I didn't think anyone could hold a candle to Ranma in that department, but Picollet and his Chardin school were a whole new chapter in gluttony and avariciousness that has to be seen to be believed (and believe me, I don't relish anyone the pleasure!). Having just so recently discovered myself on the food chain, this was not the sort of change of venue that I was looking for, and when you've just left a whole island full of people and things who want to eat you, my sympathy goes to the cuisine! The shocking thing was...the Chardins had a valid claim upon the House of Tendo, due in no small measure to the mutual stupidity of both of our fathers.

Twenty years ago Daddy and Uncle Genma stumbled into a Chardin house (operating in Japan, of all places) while on their infamous training mission with Happosai. Starving and in need of a meal, they were lured by the temptation of a "Free Lunch" that had only one provision: If you defeat a Chardin, the meal is on the house! Naturally two famished grown men were inclined to assume that they could eat anything on the table, including the table, so fancy their reactions when Picollet's father should show both of them up by making the food disappear even faster than they could.

And then the bill for the goods...far more than either man expected to see in a lifetime.

Need I go on and explain what happened next? As alternative to working off their debt for the remainder of their lives, Daddy promised the senior Chardin that one day a daughter of his would be pledged to marry a son of the Chardin house...and lucky me, Picollet singled me out for consideration, though he could just as easily have victimized either one of my other two sisters (Kachu doesn't count, of course, since she's already married).

I could hear several wedding guests murmuring the question to each other, "Who is this guy and what's his claim upon Nabiki?" Well, Daddy at least had the good graces to look shame-faced for his part in this fiasco, while I could see Shampoo looking confused and indecisive, as if wondering if she should take this guy out for our benefit, and-of course-her two younger sisters seemed more than ready to do the deed for the sake of their big sister.

"Is very brave boy he challenge husband to Big Sister," Ling-Ling murmured to Lung-Lung.

"Handsome boy...and he no married," her twin murmured back, and my two colorful "bridesmaids" gave each other a conspiratorial smirk at one another.

I saw fretting mostly because Ranma and I had promised to prepare ourselves for this match, but with all the craziness that had gone on over the past week neither one of us had taken the time to do any training, and now a week had elapsed and the both of us were caught flat-footed. So much for my vaunted powers of precognition!

But then-much to our surprise-someone else stepped forward to confront this French-born dandy, Uncle Saotome himself, large as life and with the fat to prove his qualifications!

"See here, Boy," Genma growled, "I remember you and your father, and so does Soun. We made a bad bargain with your house that day, but who knew then how things would turn out? Better walk away now while you can, because you're not having Nabiki."

"And who is going to stop me, Old Man?" Picollet sneered the word in such a contemptuous tone that even Ranma bristled at the insult.

"If I must," Genma replied, "I've had twenty years to prepare myself for this day...twenty years of having to abide with the pain and humiliation of knowing that I was bested in my favorite of all professions. Both the Saotome and Tendo schools suffered a black day that must be wiped clean from the slate of memory before either Tendo or I can go to our graves in peace."

"You think the horrors beyond the grave will be any worse than the humiliation you will suffer at my hands, Old Fool?" Picollet sneered in a stylish, genteel manner.

"Bring it on," Uncle Genma responded, and from the way the sunlight gleamed off his glasses even I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine, for my instincts told me he was being entirely serious about this matter.

"Pop?" Ranma blinked his eyes, and I could tell from his expression that he was wondering if somebody had just impersonated his father.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo murmured faintly.

"Is he for real?" Ukyo's disbelieving tones were quite understandable under the circumstances.

"Uncle Saotome?" Akane sounded no less disbelieving.

"Dad?" Ryoga sounded just as dumbfounded.

"Saotome..." Daddy gasped in equal amazement at such fierce determination.

"Very well," Picollet snapped his fingers while maintaining his serenely confident expression, eyes locked in battle with his prospective opponent, "Since you will not be talked down from such foolishness, have at you!"

To the amazement of our guests, at the sound of Picollet's signal, a horde of well-manicured and excellently well tailored waiters flooded into the yard bearing trays and a table, which they set about to arrange in good order, and before our astonished eyes in mere seconds a complete banquet was laid out before us. It was the kind of mouth-watering feast that could have sustained a good sized village, which sort of reminded me of how Ranma and his father had wound up in that Amazon mess near the end of their training mission, but if not for that then we would not now have Shampoo in our lives, so...never mind that diversion. The point is that I doubted right then and there that even Uncle Genma's bottomless bit could handle so much food at one time, and we were probably going to have to invest in some seltzer when this was over.

Yet Genma seemed unnaturally calm as he stood his ground without wavering, and the grim expression he wore, the same expression he'd adopted when ordering us to leave the offices of the Combat lawyers, just minutes before he leveled the whole building bare handed!

"Gemmi-chan," Atsuko's voice quavered with emotion.

"Husband?" even Nodoka seemed surprised at her husband's fierce determination.

"Genma," I heard Comb faintly murmur, "What are you doing?"

"That's what I would like to know," Silk frowned and glanced sideways at Lotion, "Could you possibly know the answer to that one, Grandmother?"

"Of course," Lotion replied, "I was the one who informed Genma that Picollet was coming."

"YOU WHAT?" I blurted before remembering to tone down my volume, "And do you think you might at least have told me about that?"

"You had enough on your mind already, Child," Lotion replied, "Besides, there was no need...I also informed Genma of how the Chardin school might be countered."

"SAY WHAY?" Ranma blurted before belatedly remembering himself to lower his voice to a near whisper, "You know how to put that fancy-pants in his place? Spill it already!"

"Patience, young War Master," my nominal Elder replied, "This is your father's hour, do not spoil it. Besides, it is not a technique which you could use on an empty stomach."

"Huh?" we both said together, then turned to look as the battle royale was about to get started.

Chardin seemed supremely confident of himself as he assumed his place at the table, and with more chefs waiting on hand to fill the plates of the contenders, he seemed to have every confidence that he would be victorious in another moment. Genma took his place at the opposite end of the table, but there was the gleam of a smile that I thought I sensed from watching his side profile. This was a match of determined fighters, masters of Gluttony unparalleled about to exchange forks and chopsticks across a field of honor that was sumptuously laid out in a mouth-watering spectacle that was causing even my stomach to grumble in complaint. At the height of tension an old and stately woman stepped forward, one dressed from the neck down in a long and frilly gown that gave her a matronly appearance, her glasses adding to the sternness of her expression.

"Monsieur Saotome," Picollet waved to the old woman, "May I present Madame St. Paul, who shall be the judging official of this batter. She is senior instructor in our school and knows the ways of the Chardin school by heart. If you like she will instruct you in the particulars of our battle."

"Not necessary," Genma replied, "I had a very good instruction at the hands of your father...care to see how much I've learned?"

"Very well," Picollet smiled, "We shall begin when you are ready, Madame."

"You each have equal portions set before you," the stern matron intoned with all the solemnity of a Sumo master, "First one who finishes off his plates wins, the loser will be the one who has food still remaining uneaten."" She raised a hand bearing a knife and fork and then lowered it with a cry of, "BEGIN!"

What happened next is one for the books...the hands of the two opponents becoming a blur as food began to disappear with frightening haste, almost evaporating before our eyes, to be replaced once again by serving waiters who set more food down for consumption, only to see that vanish as well in the space of a few seconds.

But then-to everyone's amazement-Chardin backed away from the table with something stuffed in his mouth that looked like the whole side of a chicken. Genma cleared his plates off and then smiled, dabbing his chin with a napkin before sitting back and saying, "Those chicken bones can be tough for the craw, eh Son? Too bad for you...I win."

Indeed, there were still several uneaten plates of food on Picollet's side, and while he struggled mightily to finish off his portion he had to swallow something a lot thicker than a whole chicken...his pride! His stupefied expression was as nothing compared to the open mouthed astonishment of his Mentor (and when I say "Open Mouthed" here, that really means something when referring to a member of the house of the Chardin!).

"IMPOSSIBLE!" she exclaimed, "There is no way that you could have eaten more than Monsieur Picollet!"

"Quite right," Uncle Genma nodded, "But you didn't count on me discovering a long forgotten and forbidden technique of your school called the Parley Du Foie Gras, did you?"

Madame St. Paul's jaw quite literally hit the ground (and if you doubt that's even humanly possible, then you've never seen a Chardin with their mouth hanging open). Even Picollet seemed horrified at the mere mention of those words, giving Genma the sort of distance that one might accord to a leper and looking very much like he was about to toss up everything which he had just swallowed!

"The Parlay Du Foie Gras?!" he cried in dismay, "Surely no one in their right minds would dare risk such a terrifying technique!"

"I would," Genma replied, "For the sake of my pride, for the sake of my son, for the sake of the future happiness of our schools, I would dare even this to insure that Ranma marries his Nabiki. You can't have her, Boy, she belongs to House Saotome by right of battle. Concede that you lost now, or I will be forced to get very angry."

"Angry?" Madame St. Paul slowly recovered from her shock, "But after using the Parlay Du Foie Gras, you cannot have the strength to even stand, let alone threaten my ward!"

"Don't say never to a Saotome," Genma tried to force himself to stand up from the table, but to our amazement his legs lacked the strength to support him and he instead fell out of his chair, as weak as a kitten, "Okay...maybe I could stand a little rest..."

"GEMMI-CHAN!" Atsuko rushed forward.

"Husband!" Aunt Nodoka managed a more leisurely rate of travel, no doubt partially hindered by her kimono.

"Genma...what did you do?" Comb sounded no less dumbstruck.

"Did that fat fool actually sacrifice himself for somebody else for once?" Yumi asked in amazement.

"Saotome..." Daddy rushed to his best friend's side but then just stood around looking anxious while Atsuko and Nodoka fretted over him.

"Pop," Ranma and I started to move forward, only to have Lotion thrust her staff in our way, blocking our forward movement.

"Calm down," the old woman said, "He'll be all right, he just lacks enough energy to move on his own. That technique takes a lot out of a body, but his reserves of fat will help to sustain him."

"What are you saying?" Ranma demanded, "After all that food Pop ate?"

"He didn't eat any of it, Son-in-Law," Cologne spoke up and surprised us, "That gesture with the napkin was for our benefit, but in reality not one morsel of food passed his lips during the whole encounter."

"WHAT?" both Ranma and I again chorused together.

"Aiyaa!" Shampoo exclaimed, no less appalled at this revelation than we were.

"I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes," Siren exclaimed in tones no less shaken, "Saotome Genma gave up a meal in order to shove food into someone else's mouth?"

"What is the world coming to?" quipped Ganglot, who sounded a lot less surprised than the rest of us put together.

"The rules of the Chardin school require that food be consumed without being seen by the naked eye," Lotion explained for our benefit, "Speed of consumption is important, as is the elegance with which food is dispatched...the problem is that the Chardins are trained almost from birth to distend their mouths and develop cast iron stomachs that makes the rapid consumption of food possible, and against that an ordinary mouth...even Genma's, would be a poor match to compete. Fortunately the rules do not specify whose mouth is used to do the consuming."

"You mean...?" I gasped as I suddenly comprehended the significance of what my Mentor was saying.

"Genma cleaned off his plates by rapidly shoving his food into young Picollet's mouth, and with twice as much to eat, Chardin was at a critical disadvantage."

"Whoah..." Ranma almost fainted but for my arm steadying his at the moment, "Pop...gave up food...to win a fight? That's...that's...that can't be!"

"I don't believe it either, Son," Hairbrush remarked, "Your father sacrificed everything for the sake of defeating your rival."

"Saotome...you humble me," Daddy declared, weeping openly for his fallen comrade.

"The poor guy," Akane sympathized.

"Genma, you fool..." Comb whispered in tones that belied her attempt at sounding stern.

"Husband...you truly gave of yourself this time," Nodoka bowed her head, "I am...humbled by your courage."

"Saotome," I heard Kuonji Akira remark, "I almost take back nine tenths of everything I ever said about you...almost."

"Well, what are we waiting around for waiting for him to starve to death, huh?" Atsuko suddenly spoke up, "Gemmi-chan needs food in his stomach! The fight's over, right? Then it's okay for him to eat again!"

"For once I'm with you," Yumi nodded, then spoke up, "SOMEBODY GET THIS MAN SOME FOOD! If not, then I'll whip up a stack of okonomiyaki!"

That broke the tension, and Chardin was forced to concede gracefully, but no sooner was the apology out of his mouth but then Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung pounced on him and wrestled him down to the dirt, proclaiming loudly that they wanted to challenge him to a fight, and they were ready to whip up a meal between them to see that he defeated them in open competition.

"Children?" Comb sounded shocked, "What are you doing?"

"We tired of waiting to find right man, Mother!" Ling-Ling declared flatly.

"No care if this man have funny mouth, he handsome!" Lung-Lung seconded her twin's statement.

"I think we'd better concede at this point, dear," Hairbrush murmured to his wife, "Before our little ones stage their own mini-riot."

"Well, at least he's rich, right?" Siren grinned, "You could do worse for a son-  
in-law, believe me."

"You guys sure about this?" Aki asked.

"A mouth like that would freak me out," Ryomi murmured with distaste.

"You're freaked?" Kenou grimaced, "It's gonna take me the rest of the day to get my own appetite back!"

"Oh my," Kasumi spoke up right then, "Is this excitement over at last? Maybe now we can get on to finishing up the wedding?"

"And excellent point, Darling," Kodachi nodded, "Wedding first, then Monsieur Chardin can help cater the reception as a courtesy for his rudely interrupting our fun."

"Huh?" Picollet's mouth fell open once again, but this did not seem to affect the twins as much as it would have had it been me in their position (and fat chance of that ever happening, hah!).

"An excellent idea," Ganglot noted, "We have unfinished business here, and unless Saotome is willing to let his father's noble gesture go for nothing..."

"What?" Ranma steadied himself and took my arm very firmly, "Not a chance! Come on, Nabiki...let's do this."

I tightened my own hand in his and smiled with a surge of happy emotions, and then we turned back to say our vows to the priest, who conducted the remainder of the ceremony, and it was a beautiful thing the moment we said "I do" to one another and he put his ring on my finger (which Ukyo was thoughtful enough to provide), and then he lifted my veil as we turned to kiss one another...and like that it was done...we were MARRIED!

Married! Even now that word sounds strange to me, but the very sound of it is music in my ears. We were overwhelmed by a sense of the world around us dissolving for a moment as we sucked on each other's mouths and playfully meshed our tongues together in a virtual wrestling match, right up until the priest politely coughed to remind us that we had witnesses, and some were underaged. We took the hint but smiled together, promising with our eyes that we would be doing a lot more kissing when alone together.

Shampoo was so overcome with happiness that she impulsively hugged us both with rib-crunching enthusiasm. Her time would come in another few hours, but by mutual agreement this hour belonged to both Ranma and me. She was so delighted at seeing her Airen united together that I felt certain that she was going to kiss me on the spot, but she managed to control her impulses for the sake of our dignity, even as I smiled at her and silently promised that I would be just as enthusiastic when our Amazon rites would be performed in secret together, with just close family members of those born Amazons in attendance.

With the ceremony successfully concluded, our guests felt free to retire to the banquet table (which had been prepared in advance by the combined energies of some of the best female chefs in Nerima), now bolstered by a side helping of French cuisine care of a certain Chardin.

What happened next was a blur in my mind with people coming up to congratulate us, the boys to offer me a hug, the women wanting to kiss the groom (with my stern approval, of course, especially when it came to his cousin Usagi and her beautiful cohorts). Genma was busy having food shoved down his throat by his ladies, with even Yumi making sure he ate his fill and Comb finally conceding enough concern to insure he got his equal share of Ramen. Ukyo's father, Kuonji Akira, wished us both a fine Honeymoon and then said a few grudging words of respect to Genma before wheeling himself off into a corner. The guests all broke up into separate groups and began chattering away as though we were all one great big extended family, old and new friends exchanging pleasantries with new acquaintances and well wishers. In fact, everyone seemed to be having such a great time of it that no attention or particular significance was paid to a certain young man who came crawling into the yard, looking fairly exhausted.

It took a moment, of course, before even Cologne noticed his presence, and then I thought I detected a note of concern in her voice as she said, "What happened to you, Happy? You missed the entire wedding."

"Couldn't help it..." the exhausted youth that was Happosai's cursed form wheezed out, "She wouldn't let me out of the house...she was like a tiger...I never knew women could be so damned insatiable...whee..."

"Yo, check out the old Freak," Ranma said as he started to notice the plight of Happosai, "Hey, Gramps! You feeling all right over there? You want some cake or something?"

"Huh...a lot a pup like you knows about feelings," Grandfather Happosai complained, "You think you got it rough with two Honeys hot for your bod? Try spending an afternoon with Hinako, I double dare you!"

"She must have drained him dry to sustain that much energy," I noted in passing, "No wonder he's too pooped to pop."

"Good point," Ukyo conceded, "I doubt she'd have done it with him in her child form."

"Hah, serves him right, if you ask me," Ryoga scoffed, "The old fool got himself into this, now he can suffer the consequences just like anyone else would."

"Why you..." Happosai started to push himself up, then collapsed again as if this effort taxed his reserves, "If I wasn't so tired I'd show you a thing or two..."

"Oh yeah, like we're so scared of the big-bad master," Ranma scoffed, "Give it up, Gramps...in your cursed form you're too weak to give either of us a good workout."

"And as an old man you're even twice as pathetic," Ryoga joined in with equal derision.

"Oh yeah?" Happosai bridled, this time managing to accomplish by anger what he had been unable to do on reserve power, which was force himself up into a sitting position, "A lot you know! Why, you young punks don't know how easy you have it with your naturally good looks, which all the ladies swear by..."

"Looks ain't everything," Ranma said, "You need a personality to go with it, and, Gramps...you ain't got nothing on us there either."

"That's it!" Happosai turned and saw one of the French waiters passing by with a tray full of hot food and beverages and without hesitation jumped to his feet and snatched up a tea-pot, which same he then doused over his own head, reverting at once to his shrunken Gnome form. Once back in his natural (well, sort of) shape he declared, "You Punks are gonna regret saying that to me! It's time you learned some manners from your Elders!"

"Sorry," Ranma said, "Can't play with you now, Gramps. I promised Nabiki I wouldn't mess up this Tux, it's a rental."

"And it's against my dignity to pick fights with the elderly," Ryoga scoffed with equal bravado.

"Uh...guys?" I said, not liking the way that Happosai's battle aura was flaring.

"Ah, ignore him, Nabiki," my new husband said to me as he made a point of turning his back on the ancient Master, "He's just sore because he missed out on the best part of our wedding..."

I started to call out a warning as I saw Happosai cup his hands together, then all at once I saw him hurl something at Ranma's backside, which I tried to intercept with my powers, but its chi-field was too strong and it all but ignored me!

The next thing I know is Ranma is yelping in pain and crying out, "HOT-HOT-HOT-  
HOT-HOT-!" as he jumped into my arms, forcing me to bear his weight for several critical seconds.

"Bad Man!" Shampoo leaped to our defense, producing one of her Bonbori from the folds of her bridesmaid's dress and smashing down at where the old freak had been standing, but Gramps had already leaped away and was chortling merrily to himself as he cried out to us in warning.

"Ranma-now you'll know what it's like to taunt the weak and take advantage of their misfortune! Have a happy Honeymoon with your cutie, and I'll be seeing you again when you're ready to apologize for your disrespectful behavior!"

"Why that miserable, good for nothing..." Ryoga balled his fists in outrage, "How dare he do that, and on your wedding day no less!"

"Yeah," Ukyo agreed," That old Geezer has a lot of nerve talking about disrespectful behavior."

"He'll never change," Cologne said sadly before turning back to us and asking, "Son-in-law...are you all right?"

"Yeah," Ranma said as he got back on his own feet, not that I minded holding him (for all that we both looked ridiculous with this reversal of positions), "The old Freak just caught me by surprise, that's all."

"I don't think it's that simple, not at all," Siren said with surprising seriousness in her tone and expression, "If you ask me, Happy was up to something, and I don't think he meant to wish you well by that last comment."

"Huh," Ranma snorted, "Let him try and start something, that Pervert will just have to get used to the idea that he ain't the top dog of this school anymore, I am."

"Do not be so overconfident," Lotion spoke harshly, "War Master that you are, you are still a young man who lacks even a tenth as many seasons as my Uncle. He is as crafty as they come, and he combines the talents of both War Master and Lore Master...never forget this."

"Aw, let's just forget about it," Ranma snorted, "I'm in too good a mood to let a freak of nature like him spoil my day."

"That's telling them, Ranchan," Ukyo grinned as she patted him affectionately on the shoulder...only to gasp in amazement as Ranma staggered forward, "Huh?"

"Yo, Ucchan," Makoto said as she strolled up to join her amorata, "Don't dislocate the guy's spine or nothing...he's going to need his strength in the bed chamber, especially with a private wedding coming."

"Besides," Minako said as she appeared at Ryoga's arm like magic, "You were promising me a dance, Ryo-chan, remember?"

"I did?" Ryoga gasped, only to stagger away as the sultry blonde all but dragged him towards the area which had been reserved for dancing.

"That's my cue as well," Makoto firmly latched herself to Ukyo's arm and urged the Chef along with gentle insistence.

"But...but I didn't hit him that hard," Ukyo protested as she was led away to a private assignation.

"Whoah, what's up with Ranma?" Akane asked as she came up to join us, her eyes flicking towards Makoto with evident annoyance.

"I...don't know," I answered, "Ranchan?"

"I'm all right," Ranma flexed his shoulders, "But what the heck did she hit me with, her spatula? That actually hurt!"

"Eh?" Shampoo blinked her eyes, and then she moved forward and ran her hand across Ranma's backside, uncovering a small hole that had been burned through the fabric, roughly the width of a finger, "Aiyaa..."

"Huh?" I moved forward to examine this, then I growled, "That miserable dwarf! He ruined the jacket!"

"What?" Ranma declared in outrage, "But it isn't even paid for! That freak is gonna owe me the bill for this one!"

"I think the results may be somewhat worse than that, Son-in-law," Cologne said ominously, "Are you certain that you are feeling entirely well?"

"What are you talking about?" Ranma flexed an arm, "I feel as fit as a fiddle and ready to go ten rounds with that withered old prune!"

"Heads up!" a familiar voice cried from somewhere off in the distance, and-  
like lightning striking twice in the same lifetime-a Frisbee hit Ranma square in the face before the baka even had a thought about dodging...but when he fell over it was a lot more readily than the last time.

"Is that a fact?" Cologne asked matter-of-factly.

"Oops!" Usagi called out, "Sorry about that, Cousin!"

"What are they doing?" Akane asked, "Tossing Frisbees at a time like this?"

"No doubt they are practicing for when Nabiki here throws the bridal bouquet," Lotion explained, "It is a quaint but honored custom in Western societies to believe that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one who gets married."

"Oh really?" Siren brightened up as she gazed not-too-nonchalantly at the bundled flowers in my hand, "How interesting...I'll have to investigate this in more detail."

For quite understandable reasons Cologne began to look nervous.

"No time for that now," Lotion said, "Shampoo, help your husband inside, we must remove his shirt and examine what my Uncle may have done with that sneak Chi attack."

"Gnuh...I'll be just fine..." Ranma tried to reassure us.

"No argue, Ranma," Shampoo said as she, Akane and I reached down and helped our husband to his feet (yeah, I still get a funny feeling just writing that word) and helped him into his mother's house, whereupon we took what pleasure we could in stripping him down to the waist then exposing his backside to full view, at which point we discovered a small burn mark that bore a suspicious resemblance to a couple of symbols in Kanji.

The words spelled out, "Moxibustion," or something of that nature.

"Just as I feared," my Mentor noted gravely, "Happosai has used a forbidden technique not known for many generations...that Chi burst was actually a spell combined with a precisely focused Shiatsu-style attack aimed at disrupting the flow of your husband's Chi centers, specifically the ones dealing with muscular tension and muscle coordination..."

"Huh?" Ranma asked, "How's that again?"

"The technique has rendered you weak, young War Master," Lotion explained, "It is a strength-sapping spell designed to heave an opponent helpless. You still have the power to muster Chi for limited uses, but so long as this mark is in place you will be as weak as the proverbial kitten."

"SAY WHAT?" Ranma, Akane, Shampoo and myself all cried together upon hearing that stunning revelation.

"The Moxibustion," Cologne all but shivered, "Such a terrible technique, and here I had believed that it was no more than a legend."

"More than a legend if Happosai knows about it," Siren frowned, "But how did he learn it? That's one trick even the Amazons have never claimed among our treasures."

"You mean I'm weak?" Ranma stammered, "No way!"

"And not just in terms of physical strength either," Cologne said gravely, "No doubt he intended to render you unable to perform your manly services with your wives in the bedchamber-URK!"

Shampoo was suddenly holding her great-grandmother by the collar and picking the other girl up off her heels as she shook the now-young Cologne like a leaf while declaring, "YOU NO JOKE ABOUT THING LIKE THAT! WHAT YOU MEAN RANMA NO PERFORM LIKE HUSBAND IN BEDCHAMBER?"

"Um...Shampoo?" Akane hesitantly asked, "You're choking her, she can't exactly answer you."

"Oops," Shampoo said as she released her elder, who staggered back into Siren's arms, rubbing her neck where Shampoo had bruised it, "S-Sorry, Great Grandmother...Shampoo no mean to do that..."

"Understandable...under the circumstances," Cologne coughed a bit as she tried to regain some dignity, "But save your anger for the true cause of your husband's misfortune."

"That right!" Shampoo balled her fists and shook with fury, "Old Pervert no have right to do this to husband of Amazon! When Shampoo see, SHE KILL!"

And this time I was fairly certain that she meant it.

"Elder," I turned to Lotion, "Surely you know now to counter this attack, right?"

Lotion stared for a moment at Ranma then said, "Yes...and no. I know that it can be done, but I don't think that I am the one who will be able to do it."

"WHAT?" I asked, "But why not?"

"Because it was a Lore Master who cast the spell," Siren answered in her place, "And even half-trained as he is, Happosai is clever enough to seal it against even the powers of his formidable niece to unlock, is that not right?"

"I would have to know precisely where to strike in order to counter this attack," Lotion grimly nodded, glancing at me, "You might be able to do it...sense the place where the Chi-centers have been disrupted, but without the full knowledge of the Moxibustion technique you could wind up doing him more harm than good. No, for better or worse, we need Happosai's help for this."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ranma declared, "I'll hunt that old freak down and make him tell me how to undo this!"

"With what?" Cologne pointed out, reaching out with her staff to but lightly tap Ranma on the forehead, at which point he staggered into the wall as though struck with a hammer, "You see? Happy would only laugh at you and any weak attempt you might mount against him."

"Well, that doesn't go for the rest of us!" Akane declared, "We can hunt him down for you, Ranma. I won't have Nabiki get stood up on her own honeymoon."

"To say nothing about being unable to fulfill his part in the Amazon ceremony that we were going to hold in a few more hours," Siren noted.

"AIYAAA!" Shampoo cried in dismay, "Is worse than death Shampoo will punish him! Old man go too-too far, this time he pay for what he do to Amazons, and what he do to Husband, Shampoo and Nabiki!"

"Unfortunately, even combined, your efforts won't be enough to root that fool down," Sire said sadly, "Our tribe did their level best to recapture him when he stole our priceless treasures, and even today we haven't been able to uncover the location of where he hid them..."

"Then we need someone to help us find him and his ill gotten gains," Cologne said grimly, "Someone intimate with his habits, who knows how Happosai thinks and is more than a match for him when it comes to a confrontation..."

"Hello?" asked a pleasant voice as Ganglot appeared in the room, "You people okay in here? When you wandered off inside I thought something important had happened, but obviously you lovebirds didn't elope and...why are you all looking at me that way?"

Siren just smiled and said, "I think we have our candidate. Akane-chan, do go outside and tell the others that we'll be a bit busy dealing with a private, personal matter."

"And don't tell anyone what happened," I cautioned, "We don't want any of our guests to get too worried."

Besides which I was worried about how Ranma might take a sudden loss of face before half the people of Nerima, but Akane seemed to understand, for once, and left without argument, for once not even making a personal dig at Ranma's sudden weakness.

"Now then," Siren turned to Ganglot, "About your troublesome ward and what he's done over the centuries to the women of the world, and by that I don't just mean China."

"Oh?" Ganglot replied, "What has Happy done this time that I see you want to lynch him?"

"Oh, nothing too much," I growled, giving the Oni my most withering look, "Just turned my husband into a weakling."

Ganglot stared at Ranma, and then I swear her eyes all but glowed, along with those tattoo marks on her face, and comprehension at once softened her expression, "Oh...he did that, did he? I see...no wonder he's just gone to the top of your hit list."

"He won't be the only one if you don't tell us how to find him..." Cologne started to say when Ganglot waved a hand to halt her tirade.

"No need for threats, I am with you on this, Sister-in-law," Ganglot replied, "Happosai has gone too far even by my admittedly libertine standards, and all because his new mistress is more woman than he knows how to handle. Of course I can tell you what you need to know in order to reverse this condition..."

"Great!" Ranma cried, "Then let's get started!"

"...Unfortunately," Ganglot continued, "I won't be that simple. I'm constrained by rules which you cannot imagine when it comes to helping out mortals, and while I've never hesitated to meddle and tinker in the lives of others, when I think it is to their benefit, in this one case...there is a complicating factor."

"Complication?" I growled, "What complication?"

"The fact that she has a contract with Happosai," Siren answered in place of the Oni, "And it constitutes a rule violation if she acts contrary to the interests of any party with whom she has made a bargain. This, of course, does not cover the natural side-effects that come with your gifts, which often have very distinct negative consequences for the parties with whom you bargain."

"I can see you've done your homework, Archmage," Ganglot nodded sadly, "In order to free Ranma from his condition, he must first defeat Happosai in battle, and only then will I be obliged to reverse the Moxibustion. If I simply undid it now...well...the Ultimate Force Program of the Great Computer would find some other way of messing up your life, most probably worse than simply rendering you helpless."

"Worse?" Ranma gasped, "What could be worse than being a weakling!"

For once Ganglot's expression turned deadly serious and in graven tones she replied, "You don't want to know, Saotome...BELIVE ME, you do not want to know."

I felt another chill run down my spine at that declaration, but I forced my fears down in order to voice the obvious question, "But...how can Ranma possibly hope to stand against Happosai in his present condition?"

"Aiyaa..." Shampoo exclaimed, her own mind obviously as rattled as mine at the prospect.

"There is a way," Ganglot turned to Cologne, "You know how...show him."

"Show me?" Ranma blinked.

Cologne seemed to consider the point very slowly before saying, "She's right...I do know of a technique that may be helpful...but it will be a hard thing to master, Son-in-law, and the perils to your health will be great. Do you still wish to try it?"

"Are you kidding?" Ranma declared, "I'll do anything to get my strength back! Ah...anything, I mean...except marry somebody else besides Shampoo and Nabiki."

"It won't involve anything that stressful, I assure you," the young-seeming elder half-smiled, "But there is a danger...I just thought you should be informed of that before we started training."

"Training?" I repeated.

"Life is training," Lotion replied, "You should remember that if you want to survive this marriage to your husband."

Somehow that did not exactly reassure me, but of course I had no choice but to agree to accompany my husband into the mountains, and with Shampoo along it was naturally assumed that we were getting an early start on our Honeymoon, though why we included our parents in the trip would not be revealed until sometime later.

Of course the real surprise in all this was what happened with Akane, but who (aside from Ganglot and Lotion) would have expected her to snag another boyfriend? Life is funny that way, then...then again, so is training...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Moxibustion Points: shadowmane

So the official wedding to Shampoo is to be delayed, but how can Ranma hope to force Happosai to concede on this matter, and who is it that Akane has following after her this time? For these and other important questions yet to be resolved, stay tuned for, "Flying Tigers, Ascending Dragons," or "The Perils of Soul-of-Ice Training!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	134. Chapter 134

NabikiRan118 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)

Chapter One-Hundred-Eighteen.

Akane was not the type of person who could normally remain calm in a crisis, but she managed her emotions well enough in most situations, and given that she was boiling over with rage at the old pervert who had effectively wrecked her sister's Wedding day, she still intended to carry out her instructions of letting people know that the bride and groom were going to be a bit busy and not available to make an immediate personal appearance.

Of course the more Akane thought about it, the more she realized that Ranma would need help from his closest friends, and that meant letting Ukyo know that her "best friend" was having a little problem due to that strength sapping Moxibustion. Ryoga was another one upon whom it would be logical for her to call upon, for though he did not always get along with his half-brother, Ryoga's sense of integrity and honor made him the obvious choice to recruit over this matter.

That decided, her next move was obviously to approach Ukyo and Ryoga and quietly bring them back inside the Saotome house, preferably without alerting anyone to the nature of the looming crisis...most especially not her father!

That Ukyo was dancing with Makoto was cause enough for her to be angry, but for once she steeled herself against making a scene and simply stepped up to tap the chef on her shoulder, causing Ukyo to turn around with guilty surprise while Makoto frowned noticeably in her direction.

"Mind if I cut in?" she asked, then-rather than wait for a response-she simply drew Ukyo away from the taller girl and urged him to dance with her, disregarding the fact that Akane herself was only a middling dancer while Ukyo clearly was light and graceful on her feet, the kind who could make any dance partner feel special.

"Um...Akane?" Ukyo asked with considerable nervousness, all too aware that Makoto was giving them both dagger looks.

"We've got a problem," Akane replied, "Ranma's in trouble."

That got Ukyo's attention at once, "Ranchan? What's wrong?"

"Not here," Akane urged, "Go back inside the house and you'll find out. I'm going to talk with Ryoga."

With that statement in mind, Akane reluctantly allowed Ukyo to leave the dance floor while she sought out Ryoga, who seemed to be struggling along with Minako, who was not quite that fine a dancer.

"Ryoga-kun," she said without bothering on formality, "Ranma needs your help."

"What?" Ryoga blinked at her, "Now?"

"Now," Akane said firmly, then offered her apologies to Minako, who did not seem happy about being parted from her new boyfriend, but who took the assurance that it was "personal family business" in good stead.

That task completed, Akane wondered what her next step should be when, over the din of the party guests, she heard something go rattling against the nearby wall of the yard, something in the alley way having disturbed one of the trash cans. Almost immediately she thought about Happosai possibly sneaking back to steal some underwear from the wedding guests, and-filled with the righteous rage of the truly offended-she immediately decided to do something about the matter.

Of course her bridesmaid dress was hardly suitable should it come to a fight, but Akane was too angry to give this much notice as she stalked outside of the yard and immediately came across a figure who was sprawled out in the alleyway, leaning over a toppled trash can and groaning softly.

"Huh?" she asked before she belatedly recognized the outfit that this person was wearing, which automatically transferred her anger from the old man to the newcomer, "You! You're that cross-dressing Kunoichi who tried to jump me and Ukyo the other day!"

Said Kunoichi did not respond to the accusation, other than to moan incoherently as he again tried to regain his bearings.

"Hey you!" Akane grabbed the masked figure with both hands and hauled him up where she could see him at eye-level, "I'm talking to you! What's the big idea of sneaking around my sister's wedding?"

Clearly the fellow was even more out of it than she had first estimated because the word that he softly moaned in reply sounded something like, "Mother?"

Akane blinked, and only then came down from her anger as she took notice of the way the wall had been impacted by a body-shaped impression. She turned her attention back to the Kunoichi and said, "Hey...are you all right? Did you get hurt or something?"

"Gah..." the Kunoichi gasped, "I'm sorry, Step-mother...I've been bad..."

"Oh for the love of the Kami," Akane tore the man's mask away and said, "Look, snap out of...it?"

Akane found herself staring in surprise at the beautiful face that was exposed to full view, so effeminate for all its masculine qualities that it quite literally took one's breath away

"...Don't ask me to clean the urinals out again...at least give me a brush..." the handsome youth softly moaned in complaint.

"Huh?" Akane blinked, only to sense a presence appear at her side, causing her to glance quickly and defensively at whoever it was who was standing near to her shoulder.

"Do you wish for me to dispose of this trash, Tendo-san?" asked Mon Mon in a deceptively mild voice.

"Trash?" Akane repeated.

"I'm not too sure of all the details," Mon Mon explained, "But I believe this...gentleman...was involved in an attempt at ruining your sister's wedding. I was on the roof when I saw one of the guests discover a package hidden inside the wedding cake, but she vanished before I could see what she was going to do with it, and the next thing I knew there was an explosion several houses down the block. I believe the two incidents might be related...but of course I can't be absolutely certain."

Akane turned back to the hapless Ninja in her hands and asked, "Is this true? Did you try to bomb my sister's wedding?"

"Yes," the Bishonen fellow responded in semi-lucid candor, "I did just like you asked, Step-Mother, I planted your bomb...just like you ordered..."

"The fool's wits are as scrambled as his morals," Mon Mon sniffed in disapproval, "Either deal with him yourself or turn him over to the authorities before he recovers from the effects of his own folly."

"I wouldn't be too hard on the poor fool if I were the both of you," yet another voice commented wryly as Courtesan and Tendo turned to see Ganglot standing there, the Oni's sudden appearance catching both of them off guard as there had been no warning of her arrival, "He's had a hard life and he really isn't to be blamed for the way he was raised by his brutal Step Mother."

"What do you know about it?" Akane asked.

"Just the general details that I picked up while doing an Akashic scan earlier," Ganglot replied, "First off, he is a Kunoichi, the best ever raised of this generation, and quite a capable fighter in his own right."

"A Kunoichi?" Akane repeated.

"Yes," Ganglot explained, "That's a female Ninja, like your friend, Kuonji...ah...well, some of the time anyway..."

"But he's a guy!" Akane protested, gesturing at the young Ninja's Adam's Apple.

"Well, you could always check his qualifications down below," the Oni suggested with a leer.

"Ugh, no thanks!" Akane winced in distaste.

"Suit yourself," Ganglot shrugged, "But you can take it from me, he's a very good Kunoichi, and quite a formidable fighter."

"All the more reason to take him down while he is helpless," Mon Mon replied, "Though, in truth, it would be more honorable to face him in battle, and I wonder just how capable he would be..."

"Very," Ganglot answered, "I know his family...his real father and mother, both died when he was barely young enough to remember, and that those who raised him like a slave were the lowest sort of scum, charming people who exploited his labor and talents for their own dishonorable reasons. The lad hardly even knows that he's a man anymore...they've treated him like a girl for so long that he's even started to think he is one."

"But that's terrible!" Akane reacted, "How can anyone treat another human being this way?"

"You would be surprised, Tendo-san," Mon Mon said without elaboration.

"Indeed," Ganglot mused, "This world is full of all types and personalities, and I would be remiss if I didn't include the darker elements in that statement. As for this poor fellow, he needs time to recover his sense of identity, now that the family who raised him are scattered to the four winds and no longer an immediate issue."

"Eh...?" the Kunoichi in question came out of his daze right then, "W-What was that...about my family?"

"They're gone," Mon Mon replied, "I saw them fly away from my perch atop the Saotome house."

"Why, that's terrible!" Akane reacted.

"Not really," Ganglot smiled, "Lots of people travel by air these days."

Mon Mon gave the Oni a peculiar look and responded, "In different directions?"

"You mean...my Step-Mother...my Step-Sisters...the explosion?" the Kunoichi asked.

"I'm so sorry for you," Akane replied, "But...it sounds as if the blast..."

Much to her astonishment the Bishonen guy embraced her with glee and cried, "Oh thank you, I'm so happy! Oh, happy day, I'm free, I'm free!"

"Hah?" Akane asked blankly, totally taken aback by this unexpected reaction.

"Broken up about his loss, I see," Mon Mon noted dryly.

"Oh yes," the Bishonen young man released Akane and clapped his hands together in prayer, "Rest in peace, my Step-Kin, rest in pieces!"

"You mean...you're glad that they're...?" Akane slowly started to catch on.

"Oh yes," the youth replied, "I mean...don't get me wrong, I didn't do this deliberately, but with them gone my father is at long last avenged, and I'm free to make my own way in the world...I mean, with the restaurant gone, it wasn't as if I had anything left to lose...of course it means I'll probably be sleeping in alleys, but I was already doing that, so..."

"Sleep in alleys?" Akane blinked her eyes, "Are you kidding?"

"No, Mistress," the youth suddenly bowed, "I, Kanzen Konatsu, am now at liberty to make my way in the world. O' happy destiny! Now I can find a proper Master or Mistress who won't neglect their loyal servant and will remember to honor me with at least one meal a day for my services, instead of only feeding me every other day, which Step-mother always insisted was more than I was worth..."

Akane turned an appalled look towards Ganglot, "Is he being serious?"

"What do you think?" Ganglot replied, "As I said before, his step-kin weren't exactly nice people."

"If you ask me," Mon Mon noted, "I'd say he lacks the imagination to be an effective liar."

"You mean you don't have anywhere to live?" Akane asked.

"No, but it's not much different than sleeping behind the latrine of our Teashop," Konatsu explained, "And this is a very nice neighborhood, I'm sure I'll be able to scrounge up a good meal out of the trash cans I've seen so far..."

"Trash...?" Akane blanched, "When was the last time you've eaten?"

"Um...well..." Konatsu paused, "I did take a few canap s from the hors d'oeuvres table...just a couple, but yesterday I did have a bowl of warm water..."

"Warm water?" Mon Mon wrinkled her nose, "That explains the smell."

"The...smell?" Akane looked ill, "No way!"

"Well, what did you expect?" Ganglot asked, "It's not as if his former Step-  
mother ever paid him an allowance."

Akane grimaced, her resolution taking shape right there and then, and without further thought she grabbed Konatsu by the sleeve and said, "Come with me...you're going to eat and take a bath, and then we'll do something about those clothes you're wearing."

"My...clothes?" Konatsu blinked as he found himself being drawn into the yard of the Saotome house.

Mon Mon blinked her eyes before turning to the Oni and saying, "Did I just miss something? Is she going to feed and bathe the very man who tried to kill everyone, including her sister?"

"Tendo Akane has very peculiar values," Ganglot replied, "It's part of her charm...one minute she can be angry and wrathful, the next she is inordinately concerned with other peoples' welfare."

"How very strange," Mon Mon replied, "I would rather see a man strung out on a carpet of nails if he threatened me and mine...Mon Mon is not so forgiving of her enemies, even if they are fools and little better than slaves to their masters."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you were sent here by your prince to learn about different ways and the practices of the world outside your borders, yes?" Ganglot smiled.

"Those...were my Prince's instructions...yes," the bosomy Courtesan reluctantly nodded.

"Well, now is a fine time to start," the Oni replied, "Observe how the youngest of the Tendo sisters deals with her own enemies, then mark what comes of it...as the old saying goes, by the fruit of one's labors are their qualities to be judged."

"I will be mindful of that," Mon Mon replied, though from her expression it was clear that she was dubious about her prospects in that department.

"Now then," Ganglot turned away with a mischievous expression, "Where has my granddaughter gotten off to by herself? Ah...children these days are so restless, and that goes especially far when describing a Hibiki..."

"Great-grandma?" Ryomi glanced around, wondering where her elder had gotten off to all of a sudden. With a colorful group like those attending the wedding it was easy for people to get mixed up in the mingle, but she would have thought someone like her Oni forebear would have stood out in any crowd. In fact, she was so busy looking for the golden skinned, pale haired Ganglot that she almost did not see the person standing next to her until she nearly ran into her, at which point she gave a slight gasp in surprise, taking in a total stranger whom she'd swear had not been standing there just seconds beforehand.

"Oh, excuse me!" Ryomi exclaimed, "I didn't see you..."

"No," the stranger, a blonde girl who stood about Ryomi's height and build replied with a friendly smile, "I don't expect you would. My name is Candice...but you can call me Candy...Candy Kane...which is kind of a joke, but that really is my name, honest."

"Candy...Kane?" Ryomi blinked, "Um...are you a guest here...?"

"Actually...I'm kind of a party crasher," the blonde said apologetically, "Don't tell anyone, though. I did get an invitation, but it must have been some kind of mistake because I'm not a friend of the family, or even of the bride and groom. I would like to be your friend though...if you don't mind just hanging around with me for a bit, seeing as we did sorta meet already."

"We did?" Ryomi blinked, running a hand through her hair, "Um...well...I guess it's possible, but...where?"

"Yesterday," Candy said with an odd smile, "We kind of met in the middle of a thing, but I'm not surprised if you don't remember me. I'm told I'm pretty hard to forget in the flesh, but when I wear that costume my Mom and Dad insist on me wearing...well...some people think I'm a perfect Ten, if you know what I'm saying..."

"Wait a minute...yesterday?" Ryomi did a double-take, then looked the other girl up and down in disbelief, "Ten? Is that really you?"

"In the flesh, so to speak," Candy said with a lopsided smile, "So...not cool enough without the makeup and the costume?"

"Huh?" Ryomi blinked again before catching on, "Oh...no, you look great! Wow, didn't know you were so pretty behind that mask you had on! And that outfit you've got on is real cool!"

"Look who's talking," Candy nodded back, "You one of the Bridesmaids here?"

"Uh...yeah," Ryomi stared at the white dress she was wearing and said, "Great Grandma's idea, I feel kind or dorky looking like this..."

"Oh no, you look just fine," Candy reassured, "So...were you serious about hanging out yesterday? I couldn't get away until now, but...if you don't mind chilling out with me..."

"Oh yeah, that'd be cool!" Ryomi brightened, "I mean...not that I'm not happy with my cousins getting hitched and all that, but it's been such a drag around this place with nobody my own age to talk to..."

"I know exactly what you mean, believe me!" Candy rolled her eyes, "With my folks insisting I help out with the family business, I hardly ever get a chance to socialize...in fact, I'm always being dragged around from one part of the world to the other. Sometimes I just wish I could be normal, know what I mean?"

"Yeah, whatever normal is," Ryomi sympathized, "Gosh...you get around too, huh? Yeah, I know what that's like, only in my case it's kind of like a family curse. I mean...before I came here I kept winding up in new places all the time and hardly had any chance to form lasting relations and all that. Now I'm back with my Mom, my big brother, my grandfather and my aunts and cousins...well...I don't feel as alone anymore, but...it's still ain't easy being the second youngest one here, right?"

Candy chuckled, "Man, it sounds like we've got a lot more in common than I thought! Um...you don't mind that I was part of that whole mess yesterday, right? I mean...I'm sorry about the way things turned out, blowing up the whole dojo thingie like that and all..."

"Hey, it wasn't your fault," Ryomi insisted, "You didn't plant that thing or set it off, and it could have gotten you too, you know. Well...I mean...even if you were fighting on the wrong side and all, I didn't think that was really what you wanted..."

"I don't really know what right and wrong is," Candy admitted, "I mean...that wasn't exactly high on my education list with my parents, you know? But yeah...if it had been up to me none of that would have happened, but what do I know? Adults hardly ever listen to me anyway..."

"Boy, do I know that!" Ryomi sniffed, then amended, "But Great-Grandma's cool...she actually seems to listen to me and takes me seriously like a person."

"You're so lucky to have somebody like that around," Candy assured her, "In our gang the only one who bothers to even talk with me is Jack...and he's a bit of a rake with the ladies. Ace is cool, but he's kind of stiff and keeps a lot to himself, a real tough guy act, and as for my parents..." she rolled her eyes with meaning.

"Sounds like you've got a pretty rough life," Ryomi conceded.

"Well, I'm not exactly little miss poor girl," Candy tried to reassure her, "But aside from having everything that money can't buy from stealing...I really don't feel like I have anything...does that make any sense to you?"

"Not really," Ryomi shrugged, "But I never had much of anything with all the traveling I do...kind of hard to take it with me wherever I go, so I'm used to making do with whatever I can find."

"Really?" Candy looked puzzled, "That's kind of hard to imagine..."

Aki listened to the stranger conversing with her cousin and began to relax slightly, having gone all tense once she realized who the blonde was from her own description. From the sound of things, however, it did not seem as though Ryomi would need any help from her fellow Hibiki, not even against the speed-  
enhanced Ten, who had run circles around the both of them during their recent battle.

In truth it was pleasing to see her younger cousin getting along with the other girl, who did seem rather nice for someone in a criminal line of work like that. Aki had known many unsavory customers in her time (heck, she worked for one, at least in a nominal sense) but this girl did not seem to fit the usual profile of a sociopath, even granted that most sociopaths could tend to seem like perfectly normal people on the surface. There was less of a raw edge there, not as strong a sense of aversion to self-disclosure, more like an almost painful need to reach out and make a connection to someone who would judge her for the sins of her parents. In truth she did seem like the type whom Ryomi could identify with, even given their differences in background, and-who knew? From the rootless way in which all Hibikis tended to operate, she might even be a good influence on the other girl, or possibly help steer her from a permanent life of crime in the long run.

"You really think it's a good idea leaving those two alone like that?" Kenou asked, surprising Aki, who had forgotten that her young Aunt was standing right beside her, also monitoring the conversation of the younger kids, and with even more uncertainty in her tone and expression.

"Don't see what harm it'll do, just so long as the Card girl stays on her best behavior," Aki shrugged, "But I'm keeping an eye on them just the same, if you know what I mean."

"I don't really," Kenou replied, "I mean...this family stuff is still awfully new to me. All my life I've only had to look out for number one, meaning me...but now that I've met the lot of your...I dunno...I guess I must be getting soft or something.'

"Families do tend to grow on you," Aki nodded, "You can choose your enemies or your friends, but the people related to you by blood...that's a different matter. Guess it's partly because all us Hibikis share so much in common, on account of Granddad."

"My...father..." Kenou glanced nervously at the big, handsome man presently looking slightly bewildered as her other niece, Rachael, chatted up a storm with him while sitting on his lap and eating her share of cake and ice-cream.

"Yeah, he does kind of leave a pretty big impression in the old genes and all that," Aki frowned, "It's just...darn it..."

"What's wrong?" Kenou turned her attention back from Razor to Aki, "You looked a little distracted..."

"Maybe because I am," Aki scowled, "I dunno...all day long I've had this really weird feeling...I keep feeling like I've forgotten something important...but what?"

"Who knows," the blonde Hibiki shrugged, "But I'm sure it'll come back to you eventually, if it really is all that important."

"I hope you're right on that," Aki sniffed, "Oh well...I guess it doesn't really matter right now, I just wish I knew why I kept feeling like there was something I was supposed to do, like there were people counting on me for something...like a promise I forgot I...OSHIT!"

"Huh?" Kenou asked, "What's wrong?"

Aki fumbled around in her dress until she found the hidden pouch in which she carried her personal belongings, fished around inside for a moment, then pulled out an object, which same she displayed before Kenou, "Good, I've still got it! I almost forgot I still had this thing with me...Geez, the Captain'll have a fit when I show up late...not that I give two whiskers what the pervert dandy has to say..."

"A key?" Kenou blinked again, "But...what...?"

"Never mind," Aki patted her on the shoulder, "I just forgot that shore leave ended for me a couple of weeks ago. Oh well, I was due for a little vacation time, and it's not like they could go anywhere without me..."

"Who?" Kenou asked, now thoroughly bewildered...

"WHERE IS SHE?" thundered Captain D'amour as he anxiously paced across the deck of his vessel, "It's been nearly THREE WEEKS since she went ashore with that Razor fellow, and in all that time do we hear so much as a peep out of our little miss Navigator? NO! She's probably out having a great time while we're stuck here in port with a ship that won't go anywhere without her!"

"Begging the Captain's pardon, Sir," Brunt replied, "But we could send a shore detail ahead to find out where she's gone and gotten off to this time."

"Are you insane, Man?" D'amour rounded on the hulking bruiser, "Do you remember how much trouble it was for us to round up the crew the last time they managed to escape ashore? We can't spare any more manpower as it is, and I won't stand for any more desertions!"

"Um...well, technically, Sir," Frog spoke up, "We couldn't really find all of our old crewmates, so we kind of made available use of anyone we could round up who has even a little ship-board experience. They're coming along fine now that most of them have discovered the traps we set and have given up on escaping, at least for this week. After that last mutiny you put down, I don't think we'll have all that much trouble getting underway...assuming Aki returns with the key for the ignition."

"Bloody hell," D'amour muttered, turning towards his Chief engineer, "I don't suppose that you've had any success so far circumventing the bloody thing...hot-  
wiring it maybe so it will start without the key?"

"Uh...sorry to tell you this, Captain," the rotund man tried for the fiftieth time to explain, "I'm not really an engineer, I'm an actor! I just played one on TV and in a few movies..."

"Dammit, Scotty, I can't be bothered with such details," D'amour said dismissively, "Just defy the laws of physics, or something like that. It's not like I'm paying you to stand around and make these excuses."

"You're not even paying me at all!" the man sputtered, "I was here in Japan to attend an Anime convention, sign a few autographs! Hell, I'm a Canadian, I've hardly even ever been to Scotland!"

"You'll have to forgive the Captain, Mr. Doohan," the ship's surgeon, a lovely blonde haired woman who was affectionately known by the name of "Bubbles," responded with a sympathetic look, "He has a medical condition we term as Cerebrally challenged..."

"You mean his Turbovator doesn't travel to the top deck?" the man replied, "And please, Doc, call me Jimmy."

"More like he's a few OAVs short of a series," Bubbles replied with a dazzling smile, "And by all means...call me Doctor Bubbles."

"No problem for me," the man smiled back in an appreciative manner, "You're sure a whole lot more well-rounded than our last ship's surgeon..."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Bubbles grinned, "By the way, can I get your autograph?"

"Sure thing," the man agreed, "Um...if you'll give me something to sign, that is..."

Doctor Bubbles unbuttoned her shirt and exposed a generous portion of cleavage, one breast in particular being highlighted as she handed him a felt tip pen, still smiling.

"Ock," the Engineer remarked with rounded eyes scoping out the "top-of-the-line" equipment while privately giving a silent thanks that a certain scene-stealing Captain he knew wasn't on hand to try and corner out the action on this set!

"Captain," Bubbles gave a sultry purr as she maintained eye-contact with the Engineer, "I believe our Engineer is running a temperature. I'm going to take him down below for a complete physical, after all, we want him to remain healthy while he helps us with our...problems."

"Yes, yes," D'amour waved a hand without looking around to see what he was missing, "Don't bother me with trivialities. I have Captainy things to consider, such as how I'm going to make Aki walk the plank when she gets back from being AWOL!"

"How about with a Marine division to give her a push?" Brunt suggested.

"That'd really be something, Cap'n," Frog replied, "Considering we don't even own a gang plank."

"I told you not to bother me with trifles," D'amour said in a testy voice, while Doctor Bubbles dragged away her unresisting "patient," "I just want to know where Aki is and what she's doing with my key! Blast whatever foul Muse inspired me to have the bloody ignition installed in the first place! This is the longest that the good TWPOS has ever in port in any one place, and I'm half afraid that if we hang around here any longer we might run into someone unpleasant..."

"What," Brunt pointed off to the side, "You mean like that rolling fog bank pulling out from the harbor?"

"Eh?" that got D'amour's attention, "What rolling fog bank?"

"The one that made off with all our women during that bar fight you started a couple days back," Frog replied, "You know...the Lady who's part Tiger...?"

"WHAT?" D'amour whirled around as he saw a moving cloud roll past the point where his ship was tethered to the dockside, "LAO-YOU THIEVING POACHER! GET BACK HERE!"

"Actually," Brunt pointed off in a different direction, "I meant that rolling fog bank...the one you're shouting at, Cap'n, is the barge with all that toxic waste coming in from Okinawa."

"Oh," D'amour blinked, "I knew that...it's just hard to tell the difference between a toxic barge and her ship sometimes, that's all."

A distant voice hailed out to them from the fogbank presently rolling out from the harbor, "YOUR MOTHER'S TATTOOS LOOK BETTER THAN YOUR FACE, CAPTAIN DIMWIT!"

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW, HARLOT?" D'amour demanded.

"BECAUSE I JUST POACHED HER...AND YOUR SISTER TOO!"

"My sister?" D'amour blinked, "I didn't think there was anyone brave enough who would try to do that...HEY, WAIT A MINUTE! GET BACK HERE, YOU THIEVING WHOREMONGER!"

"STICKS AND STONES, CAPTAIN DONUT!" came the merry reply of the vanishing Pirate Queen-slash-slaver.

"Damn," D'amour fumed, "I really hate it when she one-ups me in the insult department. Well, what are you fools waiting around for? Let's get after that wretch and sink her!"

"Sink her?" Frog replied, "But...Cap'n...we don't even have any weapons!"

"Unless you count those leftovers that Aki deposited in the freezer after her last attempt at cooking," Brunt noted, "Frozen solid, they ought to have a pretty wicked heft."

"Besides, we can't even pull out of port without the key to the ignition," Frog further elaborated.

"Dammit, men, this is no time to be squeamish!" D'amour declared, "Break out the lifeboats and have them tie ropes to the ship...we'll drag the ship after them..."

"Um...excuse me?" Frog looked puzzled.

"Cap'n," Brunt remarked, "No disrespect intended..." he firmly kept two fingers crossed behind his back, "...But TWPOS is big...at least twenty or thirty thousand metric tons displacement easy, and a rowboat...well sir...those Aluminum kinds that you picked up dirt cheap only weigh about thirty-two kilos..."

"So?" D'amour twitched an eyebrow, "What's your point?"

"They also leak something awful," Frog explained, "Last time we tried to use one...well...we never did find all the bodies..."

"Dammit, Men, I can't think of everything!" D'amour growled, "If you're saying that you don't have the guts to go after Madam Lout, then I'll just have to do it myself! Break out one of the lifeboats and I'll row it after her vessel!"

Brunt and Frog exchanged bland looks before the latter arched an eyebrow and said, "Really?"

"In that case, Sir," Brunt grinned, "We'll be happy to follow orders."

"You see, that wasn't hard," D'amour struck a jaunty pose, "Now get to it!"

"No problem, Sir," Frog replied as he removed a belaying pin from its rack near the main mast and passed it along to the bruiser, who was fingering a pair of brass knuckles hidden in his shirt pocket, both men deciding to engage in their favorite sport of "Conking the Captain," hoping that this time around their latest mutiny attempt might prove more successful than the hundreds of others which proceeded it, and maybe with him out of the way, they reasoned, they might be able to free themselves of the curse of living on this ship forever...or at least get some from any woman not yet poached on the shoreline, depending on how fast they acted...

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

It was enormously frustrating for me to have to postpone the official ceremony of marriage between my Airen and myself. By Amazon law we are already married, of course, since a simple declaration is all that is required, but I know how important even a largely symbolic ceremony is to both of wife and my husband, so the act of going through the challenge of the "Marriage Gauntlet" would be a demonstration of their deep commitment to me, accepting me as their wife, which would have been the perfect ritual consummation to our three-way group marriage.

Of course I also regret that the condition of my husband rendered him too weak to satisfy our needs sexually, but I must reluctantly accede to the will of my elders on this matter.

I could tell how disappointed Nabiki was that Ranma could not perform the ritual of "carrying her across the threshold," which does sound very nice, but which was totally beyond the ability of our husband to perform while suffering under this "strength-sapping Moxibustion." We both prayed that the special technique, which Great Grandmother promised to impart to Ranma, would help him to effectively defeat the old man who had inflicted this upon him. Failing that, I hoped that Nabiki herself would discover the counterpoint and be able to restore our virile husband to full potency through her own formidable methods.

Either way, I naturally stood firm as a proud Amazon who was willing to do her part to help my husband become strong again. Though I may have my reasons to resent and distrust my great-grandmother, Cologne is the senior War Master and Elder of our tribe, the guardian of Lore that dates back to our earliest history, and I was confident that she would know of a way to bring the old Pervert to heel so we could force him to undo what he had done to my Ranma.

Returning to a wilderness area beyond the borders of town, one which we had used before during earlier training missions, my Elder selected a fairly level spot of ground at the center of a clearing and designated it as the place for our training battle. My husband, my wife, her sister, his brother and best friend were there with us to attend War Master Cologne's lecture. Waiting with us on the periphery were Elder Lotion and Siren (we had considered bringing the parents along, but after watching the two of them drink themselves into a stupor after my wife's wedding, we decided to leave the parents alone to handle the aftermath of the party). There was also one other presence with us, who drew more than a few eyebrows, the strange man-girl named Kanzen Konatsu, who insisted on staying with Akane, even though my disciple seemed herself quite dubious about the matter.

And what was this stranger doing in the midst of an Amazon training exercise? You might well ask this, as I did, but do not expect a reasonably straight answer, other than Elder Lotion's cryptic assurance that no harm would come from having Kanzen around, that he might even prove "useful." (I was not to learn exactly what she meant by that remark until sometime later.)

My Great-grandmother began her lecture by describing this form as the "Hiryu Shoten Ha," or "Ascending Dragon Punch," and then to give us a taste of what this power was like she instructed us to attack her in a group, telling Nabiki to stand back while Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Akane and myself attacked her en mass, the five of us being directed to go all out and unleash all that we had in an attempt to overwhelm and defeat my young-seeming Elder.

To say the least, this was not a hard request for us as nearly all of us have some reason to want to try our hand at defeating my great-grandmother.

However...as we darted in and tried to press our combined forces towards the end of putting Elder Cologne in her place, my great-grandmother frustrated us by dodging back and avoiding us, working us into a line as he tried to catch up with her, and all the while I became aware that she was drawing us into a spiral. I did not, however, fathom what the significance of this would be until the end when she made a dramatic gesture that kicked up a powerful wind, resulting in a vortex which picked all of us up and scattered us about the landscape.

I recovered almost at once, though I will admit to feeling somewhat dizzy and disoriented with a firm grasp of what it felt like to be a leaf, but with the assistance of a passing tree I was able to break my fall and return to Earth without harm. I was gratified to see that the others had made a similar recovery, but some had a rougher time of it than others, and none suffered more upon landing than my husband. Ranma was literally like a doll filled with rags as he dangled upside down from a branch that had caught him, but-to my amazement-when I helped him to get down he seemed more elated than injured, even ecstatic upon discovering the effective force behind the Hiryu Shoten Ha.

We returned to the clearing, while the others limped back on their own power, and then Ranma eagerly confronted my great-grandmother and demanded that she show him how to perform this maneuver, to which Cologne then challenged him to explain to her how he thought it had been accomplished.

To our amazement Ranma borrowed the Elder's staff and drew a spiral in the ground that wound its way in to where the elder herself was standing. Cologne smiled in approval and said, "Very good, Son-in-law, you figured that out after a single demonstration."

So had I, of course, and I am pretty confident that the same held true for Nabiki.

"Heh," our husband replied with a bit of his old cockiness, "I may have lost my strength but my speed and memory are as good as always. I figure you drew us all in to attack you then led us into the spiral so you'd get us to focus all of our Chi in one place, and then you countered it with an oppositely charged punch that set the whole thing off like a firecracker."

"Oppositely charged?" Ukyo asked in relative confusion.

"I get it," our wife deduced, "The secret to the Hiryu Shoten Ha is in the Chi both sides use against one another."

"Exactly," Cologne replied with a raised finger, "And the key to that secret is an exchange of temperatures...of hot and cold winds colliding, creating an updraft, much as in an actual cyclone..."

"An exchange of temperatures?" Ryoga repeated for the rest of us.

"I think I get it," Akane said, "We learned it in science class...when there's heat on the ground and a cold wind blows over it, the hot air wants to rise..."

"And the cold air takes its place on the ground," Nabiki finished for her sister, "And when I watched you guys fight it was amazing...you were generating hot battle auras while Cologne here was like an iceberg..."

"Exactly," my Elder noted, "And that is the key to victory here...to remain calm with a Soul of Ice in the face of your enemies, to let their heat and aggression defeat them by turning the force of their Chi into a weapon."

"Incredible," Ranma exclaimed, "But...a soul of ice? How do you do that?"

"That will be the key to your training," Cologne revealed, "You must learn to set aside your emotions, your anger, hate and fear, to let your Chi remain as calm as the eye of a hurricane no matter what amount of anger and aggravation is thrown against you. Once you master this you will have what you need to defeat Happosai by turning his own strength against him."

"Then I gotta learn it and fast!" Ranma balled his fists, "I'll do whatever it takes to get my strength back!"

"Aiyaa!" I declared, sharing my husband's excitement, "Then Ranma will be able to marry this one and consummate our love with Nabiki in a proper honeymoon in spite of the Old Man's spell of impotence!"

"Ah...Sham-chan," my wife said pointedly as we both took note of the way Ranma cringed at hearing my declaration, "The idea here is not to advertise that part, remember?"

"Ooops," I sheepishly responded, "This one will try and remember that, Husband."

"Heh, no problem," Ranma smiled a bit weakly, "No pressure either...heh..."

"Just make sure you can get it up at the right time," Akane promptly sniped, "My sister is counting on you not to wimp out on her..."

"Akane!" Nabiki promptly reprimanded, but I could see by the smile my apprentice wore that she was not particularly sorry at needling my husband. Ukyo and Ryoga, however, both seemed properly ashamed of her taking advantage of his momentary inadequacy, and I privately resolved to intensify her personal training.

"Mistress Akane," Konatsu spoke up unexpectedly at that moment, "I believe the idea here is not to diminish Saotome-san's confidence but rather to work upon his ability to remain stoical in the face of a challenge."

Akane clearly did not look comfortable with the deferential declaration behind her new admirer's tone of address, but she did manage to say with some composure, "Then he can learn how to handle himself right now. After all, if he hadn't taunted Grandfather Happosai into getting angry at him in the first place..."

Yes, my apprentice does have a curious way of looking at the world, but her point was well taken about Ranma learning to remain calm and confident against a challenge. The problem is that his entire early training in War Craft consisted of learning to bait and react to verbal insults that he and his father would exchange at one another, purposefully learning to make an enemy so angry that they would become careless in a battle...an effective strategy which I have seen demonstrated many a time in both battle and practice sparring. In point of fact, I have made use of this potent technique myself on numerous occasions.

Fortunately Elder Lotion stepped forward at this point and said, "I believe that I can offer a suggestion on this matter. I have had many a conversation with Ranma's father and have made observations which I believe can contribute greatly to the young Master's training in remaining calm in the face of battle."

"Oh yeah?" Nabiki eyed her mentor with interest, "What have you got?"

"As you all know," Lotion resumed, "Ranma's father trained him to react to verbal attacks with snappy comebacks and a full fledged fighting spirit. Anger was the key to his early development, the means by which he learned to draw upon his innermost resources, to disregard pain and exhaustion, to be shamed and humiliated into fighting back with the full force of his ego. What you are proposing, Matriarch, runs contrary to his earliest memories in battle...however...it also provides a great opportunity to learn to counter-  
program his own reflexes. Therefore Siren and I have devised a strategy to help train the lad into mastering the Soul of Ice technique."

"Oh?" I noticed that great grandmother had a more wary regard of the Archmage, but Siren is one whom even the Elders of the Joketsuzoku must defer, and Elder Cologne more than any as I am given to understand that there are issues between them dating back to their early childhood together. Considering the grief great-grandmother gave me during my own brief childhood affair, I wish her every happiness and give my blessings to their long and happy union.

Assuming, of course, that Siren succeeds in her declared intention of winning the heart of my great grandmother.

"Actually," the blonde haired Enchantress began, "We had considered bringing the drunken sot up here so that he could antagonize his son the way he's been doing for over a decade, but that would have involved having to sober him up, then explain everything to him in detail, then go through several minutes of his bemoaning his son for becoming a weakling, beating his breast like an aggrieved father, that sort of thing, but in the end it really isn't necessary. A simple spell should suffice in creating a useable facsimile who can serve our needs most adequately."

And as is her usual wont, the Archmage made a gesture with both hands with complicated finger motions and a few murmured words of a spell before pointing at the ground before her and unleashing a discharge that caused a shape to form in the air...a human outline that grew in dimensions until it resolved itself in the form of my father-in-law, Saotome Genma.

"Pop?" Ranma blinked upon seeing Siren's creation.

"Not quite," Siren replied, "But a reasonable likeness, if I do say so myself."

"Indeed," Lotion nodded as she studied the motionless man-form in question, "Though he lacks the life-aura of the real Saotome Genma, this Shadow Puppet will look and act the same and has the same memories, resources and reflections. Think of this as a temporary clone of the real Saotome Genma, who even now is reclined in a near-stupor with my Apprentice's father, having between them consumed enough bottles of sake that their respective women will be hard pressed to get a rise out of them for the remainder of the evening."

"Like we needed to be reminded of that?" my wife asked archly.

"Just so," Cologne frowned, "A Shadow Puppet strikes too near to the dark side of magic for my liking. Can this...creation of yours truly be trusted to behave himself around Ranma?"

"Hey, I don't do dark magic, you should know that about me, Cologne-chan," Siren sniffed, "And trust me, this guy will do exactly what the real Genma would do in this situation, right Boyo?"

"That's right," the shadow-Genma replied, "I will do exactly what is needed to make my son strong again."

"Whoah," Ukyo responded, "He even sounds like the real Genma!"

"No fooling!" Akane responded, "Creepy!"

"He looks and sounds like...my father," Ryoga frowned, "But can he fight like the real thing?"

"Try him out for yourself," Siren replied with a wave of her hand, "You won't be disappointed."

"Okay," Ryoga squared himself into a fighting crouch, then came rushing forward with a fist aimed at the Shadow Puppet, only to see Genma step to one side and stick his leg out, tripping the Lost Boy up and causing him to stumble into a nearby thicket of bushes.

"Whoah," Ranma said, "He even fights like Pop, that was sneaky!"

"Boy," the Shadow-Genma squared his shoulders and frowned, "You need a lesson in respecting your elders. Just because you're a married man now is no reason to think you're too good for your Old Man to take down a peg or two..."

"That is not the aim of this exercise," Cologne said harshly, "Ranma must learn to restrain his impulse to anger and emotion. You must not think of him as a proud father, you must rather focus on bringing out his wrath by provocation. He must learn to ignore your taunts and remain calm in the center of a storm...in other words, you must become an Ogre and drive Ranma has the real Genma has never driven him before."

"I must become an Ogre?" the shadow Genma blinked, then his eyes resolved firmly and he nodded, "All right then, then I'll become an Ogre. Come here, Boy...time you found out what it takes to be a real man."

"Huh, what are you gonna do?" Ranma sniffed, "Give me a heart-to-heart talk?"

"No, Boy," Genma said ominously, reaching into his gi and pulling out several pictures, "Instead I'm going to show you...this!"

With that declaration he held out one of those square pictures in front of Ranma's face, then turned and showed it to the rest of us, revealing an image of Ranma as a small boy jumping out of one of those rubber pool things that I've seen in the yards of small children...a naked Ranma who was crying over some appropriately childish manner.

What can I say about this but that the sight caused me and the others to bubble up with spontaneous laughter, for though I dearly love my husband and would not wish to compromise his dignity, the sight of that one picture was enormously funny!

"Oh my Kami!" Ukyo burst out.

"How Kawaii!" Akane also found it amusing.

"I can't believe that's you, Ranma!" Ryoga did not even bother to conceal his own amusement.

"Neither can I!" Nabiki also chuckled, "Ranchan...you were sooo CCCUUUUTE!"

"It is very funny!" I agreed with their consensus.

"HEEEYYY!" Ranma himself burst out and immediately dove for the offending picture, only to have the Shadow Genma dart away and snatch it out of his reach, replacing it almost immediately with another.

"And here is a more recent picture that even Nabiki-chan doesn't have in her collection," Genma showed yet another picture of Ranma in the nude, only now he was full grown and his usually incredibly manly self, which did nothing to calm down my frantic husband, who tried in vain to lay hand on the picture, even while Nabiki begged that Genma move his thumb so she could view Ranma in all his glorious detail.

All at once great-grandmother brought the blunt end of her staff down on top of Ranma's head and flattened him.

"Soul of Ice, Boy!" she snapped, "What did I tell you before about controlling your emotions?"

"Ow!" Ranma rubbed his head as he forced himself back to his feet, "What did you do that for? I was trying!"

"You do not 'try' to keep your emotions in restraint," Cologne reprimanded him hardly, "You learn to cultivate a state of mind in which emotions such as embarrassment and anger become like drops of rain that wash off a duck's back! You ignore your own humiliation, disregard your ego and remain clear and focused on staying calm while you work your way in a spiral to the center!"

"All right, all right, I get the point, I'll do it again," Ranma growled, "This is training, right? And I never fail when it comes to learning a new technique. Do your worst, Old Man, this time I can take it."

"Is that a fact?" the Shadow Genma replied, pulling out a hand-held microphone from seeming no where, the kind you see in Kareoke bars, and without warning he spoke with amplified volume, "AND NOW FOR THE SECRET THAT RANMA HAS WHISPERED IN HIS SLEEP ON THOSE NIGHTS WHEN HE WAS NOT WITH HIS FIANCEES...NABIKI, MAKE ME YOUR LOVE SLAVE! SHAMPOO, BE MINE FOREVER!"

"Aiyaa!" I exclaimed in delight, hearing my fondest wishes being affirmed by this Shadow Puppet.

"Why Ranchan," Nabiki smiled sweetly, "I never knew you were such a sweet talker."

"HEY!" Ranma dove at the man again, "CUT IT OUT, THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"OH YES, SHAMPOO...DO ME LONG AND HARD!" the Shadow Genma continued while staying out of reach of our ever more desperate husband.

"Why, you sly dog," I heard Akane quip.

"Who would have thought you were such a Sex Pervert, Ranma," Ryoga added with equal humor.

"Nabchan, you're a lucky girl," Ukyo quipped, "And Sham-chan...how naughty!"

"Have you no shame, Saotome?" even Konatsu joined in, though his observations seemed to be entirely sober.

"CUT IT OUT!" Ranma pleaded, and so the training went with great-grandmother reprimanding him every time he got out of control with his emotions.

After quite some time had passed, and just as evening light fell upon us, and great-grandmother pronounced that it was sufficient training for one day. Ranma had learned at long last to disregard the taunts and teasing of the Shadow Genma, and Archmage Siren banished her creation away so that we could retire to share an evening meal without having to watch the imitation Genma try to steal our food before our very eyes. My Elder even seemed quite satisfied with the progress my husband had made as Ukyo and I cooked up his dinner, but then she surprised us with a declaration that effectively banned all of us from taking part in the next day of training.

"What?" was our automatic response, with Nabiki having the presence of mind to ask, "But why?"

"It is true that Ranma has come close to mastering the Soul of Ice maneuver," my Elder replied, "But to go the distance at the next stage, Ranma must be willing to use the Hiryu Shoten Ha upon a single opponent, one who can generate the heat of anger and strike at him in his weakened state without holding back. Now, who among you has it within them to come at the Boy with the intent of doing him serious harm?"

We exchanged looks between us...Nabiki, Ukyo, Ryoga and I, even Akane seeming dubious about using that level of force against a greatly weakened Ranma.

"Elder Siren?" I asked, turning to the Archmage in the hope that she might again provide the answer.

"Sorry," she replied, "I can make lifelike Shadow Puppets, but they don't actually have life auras, and what you need is somebody whose Chi can manifest real anger, lethal force and even deadly intentions. And by the way, Shampoo dear...don't call me an Elder. The less I have to do with those over-the-hill biddies the better I like it."

"Indeed," Lotion replied, "There can be no shortcuts on this matter...we must find a likely candidate who will go all out against Ranma, someone strong enough to defeat him and who is willing to risk injuring the young Master."

"More to the point," Cologne resumed, turning her focus towards Ranma, "Can you honestly say, Boy, that you want to use such a powerful technique against these girls, or even your own brother? Would you strike at Shampoo, Nabiki, Ukyo, even Akane...let alone Ryoga?"

"Uh...well..." Ranma winced, glancing at us then lowering his eyes in tacit admission.

"But..." Ryoga began, "Without an opponent who's willing to fight him all out..."

"...Then Ranchan will stay a weakling forever," Ukyo concluded for her.

"Eep!" my husband gasped, "No way!"

"But there must be something we can do," Akane declared, "I can't believe you put him through all that training without figuring out a way around this!"

"Oh, we have someone else in mind who should do the task quite well," Lotion replied with a mildly elusive smile, "But why don't you young people get some sleep for now, we'll tell you what we have planned in the morning."

"Indeed," Cologne replied, "We are all quiet tired and could use the rest. It is better to retire early so that we can begin anew fresh and early in the morning."

"What a wonderful idea," Siren beamed as she smiled at my elder, "Would you like to roll up into bed with me? I can keep you warm at night and regale you with memories of the old days."

"I would sooner cozy up with a bull python," Cologne's tone was acid.

"Hey, whatever position you like, I'm game for it," Siren quipped back, to which my great-grandmother's response is best not recorded for posterity as even my ears were left burning...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cologne's Bedtime Childhood Secrets: shadowmane

Next time up, the secret is revealed! The candidate who will challenge Ranma to the death steps forward to avenge the honor of another, and Ranma is forced to unleash the power of the Dragon Arising. Be here next time for: "Punch for the Skies," or "Icy Souls are not for Riding!" Be there!

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	135. Chapter 135

NabikiRan119 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)

Chapter One-Hundred-Nineteen.

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

You never know that the bonds of love will be tested so much as when you are facing a crisis where loyalties are called into question and one's very commitment is seriously cross-examined. That is the lesson I learned late this very night, and as I jot my memories down in this notebook (for later transcription into my computer logs) I am humbled to realize just what I have gathered around me in terms of a family with our diverse personalities and shared beliefs in what it takes to make a more perfect union.

Ranma was disconsolate about the sudden impediment that had cropped up in his training, namely that he would have to find an opponent who was willing to go all out in order to defeat him, and one whom he would risk injuring in turn in order to master the new technique that Cologne has been teaching.

Having Uncle Genma insult and badger Ranma in order to teach him the "Soul of Ice" mindset that was a crucial part of this training was a bit of a masterstroke on Cologne's part (even now I feel tempted to call her "Old Woman" even if she presently looks not a day older than I am...which reminds me of what Lotion must have been like in her own heyday), but now she wanted to show Ranma how to execute the steps by making him wear some kind of metal harness that she had obtained from the Kami-knows what place, and by making him dance the spiral while sparring with Ryoga showed him how he could hold down his Chi without causing the harness to clench up on him (any heat tended to make the metal overreact, which again makes me wonder just where the old Matriarch could have found it). By the end of this session Ranma could perform the spiral without having to manifest a "hot" battle aura, quite an accomplishment when you think of how much his lifelong training has tended to rely upon emotion to bolster his fighting spirit.

That said, Ranma was at an impasse when we sat down to camp and tried to think of who we could find who might be willing to go to the next phase of his training. It was proving difficult to think up a competent fighter who could actually press Ranma to his limits while manifesting the kind of "Hot" battle aura that is needed by the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Little did any of us (except for Lotion, of course) suspect but the solution to our problem lay right at hand, almost literally under our noses, busying himself about the place while dutifully tending to a slightly flustered Akane.

Perhaps I should put a word in about Kenzan Konatsu, the so-called "Perfect Kunoichi" who had been hot for revenge against us only a little more than ten hours ago...something about a bomb in the cake that had gone off on the "wrong" (or right, depending on how you looked at it) parties. The story I got was that the kid's father had married some incredible old hag, then died off while the boy was still an infant. Konatsu's real mother had perished some time before this, leaving him at the mercy of a vicious family of female Ninja who had elected to raise the boy as a girl in all ways, a fact that was heightened by his Bishonen good looks, which at a glance could fool almost anyone into believing he was female.

Konatsu learned to be a "perfect" Kunoichi while serving his evil step-mother and step-sisters as a virtual slave, doing their bidding in all ways and living a perfectly horrible existence. The Kunos had never treated Sasuke half as inhumanly as what his own clan did to him, causing the poor boy no end of potential psychological harm, though at least on the surface he seems reasonably stable, if just a little too obsequious and humble for my liking.

Somehow this guy had latched onto Akane with the notion that she was to be his newly fated "Mistress," all because my little sister had shown him the kindness of giving him a decent meal and allowing him to freshen up in our furo. Now Konatsu seemed intent on waiting upon Akane hand and foot (and by that I mean literally!) as repayment for showing him a little compassion, something I could tell Akane herself was not too comfortable about, but she seemed to lack the heart to tell him to leave, for all that his attention and devotion was making her uneasy.

Ukyo seemed oddly vexed-yet-amused with the situation, reminding me that our other Aquatransexual cross-dresser has yet to make her own mind up about her feelings towards Akane. Just when you think Kuonji has firmly and emphatically decided to make Makoto her "one and only," something like this comes along to point out the ambivalence in the Okonomiyaki chef's resolution...proof again that she does like Akane...at least as a "friend" (her preferred term for their relationship), and ignoring the fact that I'm pretty sure that they've slept together on at least one (or more) occasion. I think Ukyo is going to have to make a choice and stick to it pretty soon if she wants to avoid ticking off both of her romantic angles...and somehow I just don't see this thing ending as amicably as my own marital situation, with both Akane and Makoto agreeing to abide by one another in a three-way union.

There are times that I have wondered about how I let myself get talked into a joint marriage with Shampoo...after all, it's a pretty unconventional lifestyle, and in conformity-minded Japan such a thing could be asking for trouble further down the line. Shampoo's pregnancy further complicates things as it is no secret to anyone that Ranma is the father. I just wonder what will happen when (and I'm pretty sure now it will happen sometime down the road, based on how often we go at it) it's my turn to have a baby care of Ranchan...I'm still young, barely eighteen, after all, and I haven't yet even been accepted into a major college. Most institutions frown on letting pregnant mothers undertake any sort of heavy academic workload, how would the admissions boards react to the idea that I was involved in such an unconventional lifestyle...I mean, after all, I sleep with the woman who is having my husband's baby!

At the moment, though, Shampoo and I were faced with a more immediate problem of reassuring Ranma that we could be patient over his condition. The strength-  
sapping Moxibustion that had rendered him a temporary weakling was also leaving him feeling...less than his normally viral self, if you know what I'm saying. He felt like an invalid because his lack of confidence only made matters worse, and with his member at low mast, a guy used to pleasing two hungry girls like Sham-chan and me couldn't help but feel slightly emasculated.

There was, of course, the option of doing it with him while he was a girl, but Ranma's pride made him refuse that easy option. He wanted-no-he NEEDED to feel like a man with the both of us, and that was proving to be the crux of our current problem...getting him to recognize that our respect for him was not all based on his being able to get up an erection.

It kind of spilled out that he was facing a deeper doubt based on the implications of what this meant for him as "breadwinner" in our family. A large part of our income these days comes from his martial arts ability, both in teaching at the Dojo (temporarily closed for repairs) and in the various bets that I often collected every time he went up against a new challenge. Without the ability to throw a good punch or kick he was at a substantial disadvantage...even I could knock him over with a feather! It all boiled down to him looking hard at himself and voicing aloud the sentiments, "Without my strength, what good am I to anybody?"

"That's just ridiculous," I tried to reassure him, "You have lots of other talents, Ranma, and I'm sure-even without your strength-you could make a pretty good living."

"Oh yeah?" he asked in reply, "Doing what?"

That caught me off guard and for a moment I hemmed and hawed while trying to think up a good answer. What could Ranma do for a living that didn't involve the martial arts? His academic scores had improved a lot over the last year (thanks to my tutoring) but he still had a lot of ground to cover if he wanted to fully graduate. Going from sub-standard to "adequate" was a far cry from placing in the top ten on the achievement test scores, and with the amount of work it had taken just to bring him along this far, it was a wonder that my own test scores had not correspondingly suffered.

What then kind of career could Ranma look forward to if I could talk him into attending college? Well, the guy did have Eidetic memory, which helped a lot with "rote" memorization of dry facts and details, but anyone who really knows about education will tell you that this is a far cry from actually having a deep-level understanding of the subject matter itself. The problem was that Ranma's mind was just wired differently from that of another student...oriented towards battle strategies and the abstract understanding of complex relationships relating to vector forces...by which I mean his mind and body are all but hardwired towards physical combat. It's so instinctive for him that he's barely even aware of it most of the time, and it took a long while for me to get him to open up and explain it for me how he does many of the things he can do without apparently any real effort. Teaching this to a class had been another area of conceptual understanding that had taken quite a while to get across...Ranma just prefers demonstrating his abilities rather than to have to put them into words. He prefers to teach by example, setting a goal for his students that they have to hurdle before he will consent to teach them their next technique or maneuver.

The problem was that Ranma-who is absolutely brilliant as a fighter-doesn't have the same level of passionate understanding when it comes to the sort of skills that would make one a good office worker or executive type. I just can't picture him working in a factory or on an assembly line, and he's not blue-  
collar enough to make a good construction worker. The only non-martial arts areas where I know he'd do the strongest are in history or geometry, and there we run into a whole different problem area of matching his actual skills to something that would earn him a paycheck.

So as I fumbled around trying to think up a good answer the dilemma I was facing must have shown on my face, so much so that Ranma was prompted to complain, "Would it have killed you to come up with an answer?"

"Ranma," I protested, "Don't be silly...I know we could work something out..."

"Maybe you could work it out," Ranma sulked, "You can work out anything...you've never needed to rely on strength, like me, to win all of your battles. You're too smart for that, and I'm just a dumb jock of a martial artist..."

"Ranma, you is being stupid," Shampoo surprised us by the quietly emphatic way in which she said this.

"Huh?" Ranma and I both turned to her, the former saying, "What do you mean by that?"

"You think you no being strong mean Nabiki and Shampoo love you any less?" I saw the flash of anger in her crimson eyes and was surprised at their quiet fierceness, "Shampoo no forget that Ranma is strong fighter, but is even stronger as man...you come for Nabiki and Shampoo when Kirin try force us to do his bidding, and you no quit even when you think you is losing. Shampoo know you have soul of warrior that she loves very much, and Nabiki know you never abandon her, not even when stupid men on Island try cook her for dinner."

Ranma gave us both a dubious expression, but I could tell that Shampoo's words were having an effect on him. Still he had to glance down and complain, "But I did all that while I was still strong...now that I'm a weakling..."

"You still try save us even if you weak," Shampoo insisted, "You kind of guy who no give up no matter how strong enemy is you facing. You think Shampoo could give her love to man who is no worthy of Amazon? Is no just strength of body...is strength of heart. Shampoo know Ranma have heart of lion, no give up, no back down, no surrender even if you fight dragon, you still fight to save us."

Ranma just looked at the purple haired mother of his child-to-be and said, "Yeah...but...when we met...the only reason you were even interested in me..."

"Is because you Outsider girl who strong enough to defeat Shampoo?" she smiled, "Maybe is reason in beginning...but Shampoo come to know that girl is boy, and boy is strong, much stronger than Shampoo herself. You no understand how much you teach Shampoo by example...Shampoo is different now than when she come to Japan first time...she now know she would choose you even if she have all of Japan men to choose from...if you weakest guy in whole world, Shampoo still choose you."

"Y-You mean that?" Ranma asked in wonder.

"What Shampoo know of Ranma she love," Shampoo replied resolutely, "What she learn she learn to love...even when you is being stupid."

I just looked at this allegedly "simple" barbarian girl from the backwoods of China and felt incredibly humbled by her simple declaration. No matter how much time I spend around her, Shampoo still continues to surprise me, and I realized implicitly that what she was saying went for both of us. It was my own thoughts that she was putting into words, so strangely eloquent for all her reflexive mangling of personal pronouns.

I could tell that Ranma was moved as well, but then we heard a slight sniff from the opposite side of our campfire as Akane put her own two-yen worth in on the subject.

"Just give in and accept that they won't abandon you, Dummy," my younger sister remarked with a slight smirk on her features, "No matter how you try to talk them out of it, they're not giving up on you, and you shouldn't give up either."

"Excuse me?" Ranma asked archly, "We're trying to have a personal conversation here..."

"Then don't broadcast it around when you know others are listening," Akane replied, "Go shack up in your own tent and leave the rest of us out of this. I'm sure Nabiki and Shampoo here will be able to get a rise out of you somehow during the night."

There was dead silence all around our camp as everyone turned to look at my little sister in amazement, myself included. Granted she and Ranma have never exactly gotten along in the whole time that they have known each other, but even for her that was a very crude statement, and insensitive, given Ranma's current situation.

"You are so Un-Cute," Ranma sniffed in her direction.

The sound of a firelog snapping in two brought our attention around to Konatsu, who was holding the two bits of hand-chopped wood in either fist.

"Uncute, huh?" Akane sneered back, "Here we are out in the wilderness trying to help you get your strength back and all you can do is mope around feeling sorry for yourself. That's pretty Un-Cute if you want to ask me about it!"

"Nobody was asking you, Tomboy," Ranma replied, "Why don't you just take your opinions and shove them up your..."

All at once Konatsu was standing directly in front of Ranma with his fists on his hips, scowling in a very feminine kind of way, but no longer so "girlishly" cute as the mincing little Bondslave that she had been in prior moments.

"Do not address yourself to Akane-sama in those tones, Saotome," the Kunoichi said softly.

"Huh?" Ranma looked up in surprise at Konatsu and said, "What's eating you all of a sudden? Don't tell me you're upset because I called her a Tom-URK!"

Konatsu had reached down and had lifted Ranma to his feet so that he could hold him at eye-level, then she glared (in an appropriately "girlish" way, of course) at my new husband and said, "I told you not to call her that. Akane-sama is a lady...and she was merely rendering an honest observation. Looking at you now I can see why she is so offended by your presence. You do complain about your lot in excess, and that is most...disrespectful."

Ranma tried to punch the Kunoichi out, but without much strength to his blow it was barely even felt by Konatsu. In response to this the Bishonen boy pushed Ranma back so hard that he went flying for a good ten meters, landing well beyond our campfire in an open spot of ground not too far from where Ranma had been training in earlier moments.

Shampoo, naturally enough, was on her feet at once and tried to punch the "girlish" boy's lights out, but he just dodged her fist as though she were standing still and moved beyond her reach as though she were trying to nail water. Shampoo tried to turn around and back-kick him but Konatsu easily dodged her foot and leaped clear of her follow up, all perfectly timed and without apparently little effort.

"Whoah!" Ukyo remarked in dismay, "He's good!"

"He moves like Ranma...maybe even a little faster," Ryoga remarked in a surprisingly appreciative tone of voice.

"Konatsu-san," Akane got up to protest, "You don't have to do this...don't be angry, he isn't worth it..."

"No," Cologne spoke sharply, surprising us all, "Shampoo, stand down. Do not take action, let them settle this between themselves."

"But Great-grandmother..." Shampoo automatically complained.

"Do what she tells you, young Warrior," Siren spoke up, "I, for one, would like to see how good this youth truly is. Perhaps he might even give young Saotome a decent workout?"

"Precisely," Lotion agreed, startling me to find all three Amazon Elders in agreement about something, "Young Master...think of this as an opportunity. See how good you are against an opponent worthy of your mettle."

"Worthy?" Ranma growled as he got back to his feet, "You've gotta be kidding. You think Girly-Boy here can give me a workout?"

"You may insult me all your like, Saotome-san," Konatsu said, "But I will not stand for hearing you taunt Akane-sama!"

"Oh now, is that a fact?" I saw Ranma smile unaccountably, "Is that the way it is? You're sweet on her, aren't you?"

"Awp-that has nothing to do with it!" Konatsu sputtered in protest, "Akane-  
sama is a lady..."

"Lady?" Ranma said scornfully, "I've seen gorillas that were more lady-like than her..."

"Why you-!" Akane reacted.

"Oh, what's the matter?" Ranma's tone grew more mocking, "Can't take as good as you give? Maybe you should take lessons from Girly-Boy here...I'll bet he could teach you how to behave like a real woman!"

"That tears it!" Konatsu rushed forward and attacked Ranma, who darted away as fast as he was able, leading the other boy along as the Kunoichi went all-out in an attempt to destroy him.

"Ranma!" I cried out, already on my feet and deathly afraid that my new husband had just literally bitten off a good deal more than he could chew.

"Stay where you are," Lotion spoke sternly, "Your Airen knows what he is doing."

"But Elder...!" Shampoo retorted.

"Have some faith in your man, Child," Siren urged, "You see? He has the situation under control...and I must say, he's chosen a very good opponent."

"Indeed," Cologne appraised as she studied the two combatants, "Ranma is maintaining his Soul of Ice while the Konatsu boy is manifesting a very fine battle aura. This should be interesting to see what develops."

"What?" I blinked, "You mean...?" I mentally kicked myself for not having caught on right away, being so concerned about the possibility of Ranma being injured and killed that I had forgotten the whole purpose behind this training, but...now that I turned my attention to studying the matter, I could see that Ranma was leading Konatsu on, following intuitively the steps he had rehearsed earlier while walking inward towards the center of a spiral.

"...Your Mother was so ugly she probably slapped the doctor who helped her get delivered!" I heard Ranma calling out as he tried to avoid the deadly thrusts of the swift-moving Kunoichi.

"Is Ranchan asking to get killed?" Ukyo asked, "She's getting that Konatsu so worked up that he's not holding anything back!"

"That must be the idea," Ryoga belatedly caught on, "Why didn't I think of it...it's brilliant?"

"Brilliant?" Akane blanched, "Oh no...you don't mean...!"

"Uh-huh," Siren said complacently, "And it looks like he's almost got the boy all the way to the center of the spiral...uh...um...Cologne-chan?"

"Yes?" for once I didn't hear a wince in the Indigo haired Elder voice as she responded to that affectionate nickname.

"You did tell the boy what to do when he gets to the center, right?" the blonde Enchantress inquired.

I saw alarm suddenly register in Cologne's green eyes before she gasped, "Uh...oh..."

"Uh oh what, Great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked archly.

"I forgot to tell Ranma what to do to trigger the Heaven's Blast," the former Matriarch said with a sheepish expression.

"WHAT?" Shampoo and I cried together, "RANMA-!"

It was right about this time that Konatsu finally caught up with Ranma and delivered a stinging blow to the face that staggered our husband and almost drove him to his knees. They were at the center of the spiral now and yet without the finishing move it was clear that Ranma was about to receive a furious beating. As he looked up to see Konatsu preparing to smash him down again, and out of sheer reflex our husband threw an upward punch in his direction

All at once all hell broke loose as a wind kicked up out of nowhere, the converging forces of Hot and Cold Chi colliding in a massive spiral that flared up into a full-fledged tornado. The wind whipped back out way like a whip uncoiling, slamming into us with a force that had to be felt to be believed...right up until Siren erected a magical shield to protect us from the brunt of the hurricane force-winds.

"OH MAN!" I heard Ukyo cry out over the roar that filled our ears in that tumultuous moment.

"HE DID IT...HE REALLY DID IT!" Ryoga exclaimed in equal amazement.

"BUT WHAT DID HE DO?" Akane asked, "THIS IS JUST LIKE THAT WIND THAT HIT US EARLIER...!"

"Exactly," Cologne replied more calmly, and somehow I could hear her satisfaction over the shrieking winds, which only started to die down after a full two minutes of furious life.

When at last the winds died down there was no sign of Konatsu, but our camp had taken quite a battering with personal belongings scattered everywhere and a huge trench gouged out of the ground where the fight had taken place.

"Where Ranma?" Shampoo urgently asked as the both of us moved to the edge of the new trench.

"There!" I pointed as I saw a figure crouched down at the center of the bowl, and-sure enough-there was Ranma, looking battered and bruised but otherwise quite intact...which is more than could be said for the condition of his shirt.

"Ranma!" Shampoo bounded to his side while I was only slightly more leisurely in making my way to his side, and then at once we both set to checking him out for possible injuries like a pair of self-appointed field medics.

"Looks like Ranchan got through that one alive," I heard Ukyo remark over the ringing that was still filling my ears.

"He must have figured out how to do the finishing move on his own," Ryoga deduced with unusual perception.

"That's my Son-in-law," Cologne said with obvious satisfaction, "A true intuitive Combat genius."

"But...what happened to Konatsu?" Akane wondered.

"You mean him?" Siren pointed skyward, "He's still caught up in the vortex, but it should peter out in another few seconds."

"The boy did very well," Lotion remarked, "We must remember to thank him when he gets back down to Earth."

"Assuming he lands on something softer than-whoops!" Siren winced, "Spoke too soon!"

"Konatsu-san!" Akane headed off to attend to the fallen Kunoichi.

"Ranchan," I asked, as I tried to remind Shampoo that she had to be gentle in hugging him to her bosom, "Are you all right?"

"Hah?" he said with a faintly bewildered expression, "Oh sure...never better...Ouch..."

"You had best take your husband to bed and see to it he gets some rest before morning," Cologne urged.

"What bed?" Ukyo pointed out the condition of our tents.

"Don't worry about it," Siren replied, "I can put everything to right by the time you get to your bed...just don't strain the boy too much, he'll need his strength for tomorrow."

"Precisely so," Lotion remarked, "For when Ranma regains his full strength he will need all that he has to face my Uncle...and then win back that which was stolen."

Shampoo and I agreed between us that we would not put any undue strain upon our husband, but all the while I kept thinking to myself that this was one heck of a way to start out a Honeymoon...but then again, how many other girls can claim to have one this eventful...?

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

After Ranma recovered from his mastering of the "Heaven's Blast" technique he was confident that he would be able to force his Devil-Pervert of an Elder in order to win back his righteous Manly prowess. Knowing our proud Man would soon be restored to full health, Nabiki and I abided to provide him comfort without demands, hoping between us that he would shortly make up for our sacrifice the day after.

It has been a strain to see my proud and Manly Airen reduced to doubting himself because of the selfishness of Happosai. I wanted to personally punish the old fool for ruining what was to be a perfect day for both Nabiki and Me, the celebration of our perfect marriage, which already has proven to be so fruitful. Knowing that I carry a strong daughter for my husband has been a source of great joy to me, and one day soon I hope to deliver to my Airen our first joint child, the heir of our strong union. I have always dreamed of being a mother, but I had not thought so soon to be blessed by the Gods with such a wonderful heaven's gift, and I hope my mother will be as proud of me as I will be to present her with her first grandchild.

Of course that is getting ahead of ourselves, so let me return to the narration of how Ranma got back his proper manhood.

Tracking down the Ancient Pervert was hardly a great task for any huntress of our village, for Happosai tends to leave a trail of outraged women everywhere he travels, and this time was hardly any exception. We only had to look for a traveling ball of stolen lingerie to find the Master of our misfortunes attached to the bottom. Ranma took the initiative and went hunting after the Pervert when he paused to take stock of his next perfidious crime on the rooftop a local building, and with a mighty dragon kick he struck out at his foe from behind...

...And promptly bounced off his head without apparent effect, his lack of strength proving insufficient to even gain Happosai's attention.

As we closed in to hear what happened next we could hear the Demon-Master lament that life had become boring without a challenge since Ranma had vanished from the scene. Staying out late at night, avoiding the clutches of Hinako-Sensei, all this was easier to achieve with no one around to annoy or pester him into remanding his behavior. I am pretty certain that he was aware of Ranma's presence and was trying to needle him by pretending he was not there, something calculated to make my husband grow more righteously outraged and less in control of the situation.

But the old fool had miscalculated. Ranma-although righteously offended by the Pervert's disrespectful behavior-had mastered the Soul of Ice technique and was not about to lose control to a worthless individual so far beneath his notice in terms of human potential. Ranma persisted and finally forced the Master to acknowledge his existence, then issue the challenge that defied Happosai to try and ignore it.

And to make certain that the Old Fool got the point, Ranma untied the bindings to the bundle of stolen lingerie, spilling it out across the rooftop,

"MY BEAUTIES!" Happosai cried in outrage, and then he turned in rage at my husband, manifesting an incredible battle aura, and at once attacked, falling into the trap set down by my darling Ranma.

But...then matters began to take a slight turn for the unexpected...

It had all seemed so perfect...Ranma was drawing his adversary steadily into an ever-tightening spiral, gathering up the "Hot" and "Cold" Chi currents that would be needed to effect the Hiryu Shoten Ha, and then-just as he reached the center and was ready to make the upward spiral punch that would finish off the Old Fool, when...all of a sudden...Happosai-and his Chi-disappeared from the center, canceling out the Heaven's Blast before it could be effected.

It seemed that the Perverted Master had been distracted at the sight of a woman taking off her brazier on a nearby balcony. Ranma tried again to get the evil Master's attention, but Happosai would not be so easily drawn in yet again to another spiral. Then Happosai surprised us all by announcing that he knew what Ranma was up to, that he would not oblige to fall victim to such an obvious technique, let alone one that had been used against him in his youth, and in saying this he directed an accusing hand at great-grandmother.

We all turned questioning looks at my Elder and inquired what was the meaning of this statement, only to have Siren inform us that she recalled an incident from nearly three hundred years ago in which Cologne had used the Heaven's Blast on a certain pervert. This discovery-to put it mildly-was most disconcerting...and I fear I said a few choice words about my young-seeming Elder on the subject of her memory, implying that perhaps-appearance notwithstanding-she was experiencing early senility in her inconveniently forgetting such a significant bit of information.

That was when Nabiki sought to confront the ancient pervert and demanded he end this game, threatening to take dire actions of her own if he did not relent to restore our husband to full strength. I added my own sincere determination to see him punished for his transgressions, but Happosai stubbornly dismissed our complaints and told Ranma that he could stay a weakling forever. When Nabiki attempted to lash out with her powers, however, Lotion intervened and told her "No," that it was improper for one Lore Master to challenge another in such a manner, not even against one who was unworthy of his own talents.

"Uncle," Lotion said sternly to the old man, "You bring shame on us both with your actions. Not even the memory of my true ancestor, your late and much lamented brother, could stay my hands from punishing you for what you have done against the husband of my apprentice. Since you will not listen to petitions for reason, you leave me no choice but to take stern actions against you."

Happosai began to say, "Do your worst, Niece...I won't-BLUBBLUB!" the latter noise coming from his mouth because a large quantity of water was doused over his head right there and then, and an angry Hinako stood forth with an emptied pail of water in both hands, a very stern expression on our homeroom teacher's features.

It was amazing the effect her presence had in earning the old Master's immediate capitulation. Perhaps there truly is some positive emotion towards her on his side of their relationship beyond that of fear, lust and exhaustion...but with Hinako at hand his behavior became noticeably more civil. He agreed to give back the scroll containing the Moxibustion pressure points...provided that Ranma could defeat him in straight battle.

Before any of us could decline this stipulation, Ranma immediately agreed to it, thus pulling the rug out of further negotiations.

Nabiki was not the only one displeased with this, but Ranma told us that he wanted to defeat Happosai on his own, to prove decisively, once and for all, that he owed the little man (even in his tall and handsome form) no loyalty or respect. Happosai, he insisted, is not his true master, and so we agreed to have another battle between both sides convened on the following day.

The only problem was that this was not sufficient time for even Ranma to learn another new technique, and there were none that could be taught in that time which great-grandmother might relate capable of changing Happosai's opinion.

And yet Ranma seemed strangely calm, and he said that we should not worry, that he had an idea that would turn the day in our favor. Then he made a very strange request of us both and asked Nabiki to fetch her camera. He had something in mind that he assured us would mean victory on the marrow, and when he explained what he had in mind the both of us agreed that it was a reckless and foolish plan, but perhaps the best one if we were to achieve success against the Ancient pervert.

But then Nabiki and I stated our own terms for helping him carry this off...and while he at first refused and insisted that he should be the one to bear the full burden, we reminded him that we had sworn to do everything together, that where he went we would follow as an Amazon family must. It was the least that we could do to show him that we were as committed to his success as he undeniably was.

And so the following day we convened our battle, Nabiki and I standing on one side, Hinako on the other. Our respective men faced each other in the center, and Happosai manifested an air of utterly indifference, even affecting to produce an ironing board and an iron for smoothing out his "treasures." (I saw Hinako frown about that, and I rather doubted that all of those articles belonged to her in the first place).

But Ranma was undeterred, convinced his plan would win the day, and to that end he reached into his shirt and pulled out his secret weapon...the photographs that we had taken the previous evening.

In them we each were depicted wearing revealing lingerie and posed in suggestive postures meant to titillate the fancy of any man who finds young women attractive. Nabiki and I were both portrayed in positions together while Ranma's female form was posed in the middle of our action...exactly the sort of bait that one would flaunt if your intention was to enflame the passion of a man who delights in viewing such perfectly natural behavior.

To say that Happosai-who was back in his old-man guise-fell for the bait would be a vast understatement...he suddenly produced a "Lust Aura" many times more intense than his Battle Aura could ever manifest. At once he pounced for those pictures as Ranma darted away out of his reach, forgetting all else in his maddened desire to see us in revealing attire, chasing Ranma into the spiral like the proverbial bee on a trail for honey.

When Ranma released the "Heaven's Blast" it was as though a small mushroom cloud had dawned over the campus, creating typhoon force winds that blew everything in its path like silk on the winds, but unfortunately this worked out even better than planned as we all found ourselves-the concerned onlookers-sucked into the spiraling vortex!

A good thing Nabiki had resisted her impulse to form a betting pool for this particular match. We wanted to keep the news of Ranma's weakness a secret from both our relatives and the public, so there were no crowds of onlookers to fall victim to the force of the winds with which we were confronted. Nabiki and I had spent the night at the Kuonji place, obtaining the silence of her Aunt at the expense of including Makoto in our audience. Akane and Ukyo were on the sidelines with Ryoga, Minako, Ranma's cousin and their friends while Elders Lotion, Siren and Cologne comprised the rest of our audience, with a somewhat recovering Konatsu comprising the rest of our attending onlookers.

So it was that only competent martial artists and fighters were sucked up into the funnel that had been unleashed by Ranma and Happosai, and for the next several minutes we had to fight to recover our bearings as the world spun around us in a maddening swirl. I believe even I would have been sick had not Ranma fought his way to our side, gathering Nabiki and this one in his arms with as much strength as was left to him while we rode out the wave all the way to the bottom.

We were about to crash rather suddenly into a fence when a new force took charge and canceled out the funnel. We were lightly dropped to the ground as this new force dispersed the old, and then we looked up to see Siren at the center of a new funnel, one that was under her control as she brought her Enchantments into play, slowly easing herself down as she, Cologne and Lotion combined efforts at bringing an end to the furious Heavens Blast that had felled the mighty Happosai.

Everyone else seemed to come through the matter admirably well, Ukyo and Makoto rallying to one another's aid while Konatsu nobly risked further injury in protecting his "Mistress," my somewhat bewildered apprentice, Akane. Ryoga and his new girlfriend managed as well as the rest of their friends, in fact the resolution of our wild ride within the vortex ended much better than it might have had the Elders not acted to diminish the potential disaster.

As for Happosai himself, he had been slammed into the ground hard enough to create a small crater, but he had acquired his "prize," the photographs for which he had braved much. Hinako alone saw to his revival, being rather dismissive of the pictures taken of us and giving us all a stern lecture about leading her man into foul temptation.

But she was amenable to handing over the Moxibustion scroll, which had been left in her safekeeping, and with it great-grandmother was able to fathom the means by which Ranma's conditions could be repaired. She insisted, however, that it was Nabiki's right to apply the counter-Moxibustion, and after studying the scroll for a few moments our wife knew precisely what had to be done, and with a touch of her hands restored Ranma to full power.

To say that he was as delighted as a small boy given a new toy would be a vast understatement. He was so elated to have his strength back that he launched into an aerial kata and demonstrated a lightness to his moves that suggested that his mastery of the Hiryu Shoten Ha extended much farther than just the creation of a spiral.

Lotion then revealed that the Moxibustion scroll had been stolen from a nearby temple and vowed to restore it there (after having Nabiki fashion a serviceable copy). The Lore of the Moxibustion thus restored to safe keeping (meaning Amazon hands, as well as the temple for which it was sacred) we considered the matter sufficiently resolved, which meant that we could return to the celebration of our marital relations, the long-delayed Honeymoon of my much beloved Airen.

Tonight we are scheduled to have the Amazon half of the ceremony be performed so that my union to my beloveds will be recognized in the eyes of our people. As I cannot marry either of my loves by the crude Japanese law that recognizes their own union, I am nonetheless to be fully adopted into the Saotome Clan and given the recognition that is my right, after which we will resume the Honeymoon with the three of us going off in seclusion to celebrate the restoration of our husband's wonderful manhood.

I meant every word of my pledge to honor Ranma regardless of whether or not he ever got his strength back, but I would be less than honest if I did not confess that it is very good to have my husband back to full power. I may be willing to sacrifice much, but I do not wish to live the rest of my life as a renunciate Buddhist Nun...although I might find some compensation being the primary recipient of Nabiki's affections.

Ranma is my lawful husband, however, just as Nabiki is my beautiful wife, and together we three stand united to face any obstacles which may remain before us. I do not know what the future may hold...no one can, not even the Lore Masters...but I do know that we will be stronger for the many challenges that we have endured together. In the fullness of time our love can but grow stronger when it is tested, and I know that I will always stand beside my Airen, ready to face the night itself in their arms, ready to bear the first of our children, even to fathom the strange ways of this Japan that is my new homeland.

We each bring something that is special and unique to our union...we are different people, united by our strengths, made whole by our resolution. I am the fist and the heart, Nabiki is the head, and Ranma our foundation, three parts made whole and the whole greater than our individual parts. This one is proud to stand beside such Airen, and she blesses the Gods of our Ancestors that she has been allowed to find such noble and beautiful life partners. What adventures we face next will be up to the whim of the fates, but I know we will always prevail because we are the Clan Saotome and the future is ours to shape. We will never surrender that which has been hard won through every fight, and with the blessings of our elders we will continue to prosper.

I know this as surely as I know that my loves will care for me in my time of need...but I wonder if the same may be said for Kuonji, the Hibiki Clan and my somewhat benighted apprentice, Akane. Many issues have yet to be resolved, not least of which is the curious relationship that I have observed being formed between Elder Siren and my great-grandmother, much against the professed disdain of the latter. I also wonder about my mother, sometimes, who flickers between longing and dismissal for Ranma's father, even as Ryoga's mother does not seem to have surrendered just yet in her own pursuit of Saotome Genma. I also wonder about whether the affair between Kodachi and my sister-in-law, Kasumi, is but a passing fling or something longer lasting. Then there is the matter of the brother to the self-professed Black Rose, no longer so crazy and yet steeped in a darkness about his soul that troubles me greatly. And then there is the matter of my two younger sisters, who profess to have acquired their own Airen (and an Airen with a mouth big enough to swallow them both is certainly not my ideal for an in-law, I assure you!).

So many questions yet to be answered, so many possibilities that lay open to the future. Where to go from here with my own life...not simply as a mother or even as a fellow teacher and student of the arts with my loved ones...I have rediscovered my joy in the art of motorcycle mechanics, and with my father on hand to renew my education in that matter, I see much to look forward to, so much of the future that is open to me. I do not know what the future holds but I confess that look forward to its discovery, it will be an exciting journey I am assured, and yet the road is never ended. There is always something new to be discovered, and when we get there the journey is always beginning...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Continuous Cycling: shadowmane

Where next to go? Your guess is as good as mine, but if I do proceed beyond this point you can be sure it will be from inspiration as I enjoy these characters too much to completely abandon the ATOTW series. The Wallet is never Empty, the Journey is never done, and where it goes from here is certain to be a trip, so...see you then, my friends...and by all means, BE THERE! ^_^

X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

If you wish to check out my other works, Please check out my Fanfiction webpage at: . All related chapters of this series can be found there along with my other works. 


	136. Chapter 136

NabikiRan120 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty.

"A Power Rekindled."

From The Journal of Saotome-Tendo Kokaku:

Quite recently I made a discovery while shifting through the paperwork stored away in the family attic, a rather unexpected find given all that I know about my parents (both from their own accounts and things I have independently uncovered). I have made previous entries concerning those already noted computerized transcripts that my mother left on her old antique PC harddrive, (and the even more fascinating accounts of my co-mother's journal), but nothing to date quite like what I discovered then I found a badly worn and partially damaged leather-bound diary that was scrawled in my father's faded handwriting. To say the least this is a treasure unexpected given that I had long believed my father to be far less than inclined to literary transcriptions.

Perhaps I am being meddlesome to re-record his thoughts in his own words down for posterity, but I feel that I owe as much to future generations to let them know the kind of man my father is (if only to clear up certain widely held misconceptions). After all, my father-while hardly the most prolific and talented prose writer that the world has ever known-is thought of mainly as a jock with few thoughts in his head not related to his martial arts skills. Indeed, it might surprise many to know that he could even write legibly at all (a fact he owes in no small part to some studious coaching by my mother).

My twin sister, Kachima, thinks it pointless to pry into the private personal affairs of our respective parents, but I am quite fascinated to read of events that took place long before our birth, and even those events leading up to our coming into this world. In point of fact, learning how Shanma, our older sibling, came close to never having been born at all is an eye-brow raising revelation that I find personally quite harrowing (though oneechan herself appears surprisingly blas on that subject, as if her birth were somehow predestined and never seriously in any sort of contention).

Perhaps Kachima can be pass about such matters, but she has studied to be a Lore Master, and thus she probably already knows much of what I am about to relate here, but for the sake of those generations of Saotome and Tendo not yet born I should think a brief recount of events leading up to this matter would duly be in order.

My mother is fond of saying that no story ever truly has either a beginning or an ending, but for the sake of propriety I suppose that I should insert one. The beginning of this story may well be set back around thirty years or so when my grandfather first made his resolution to take my father on his fateful training mission. Ten years later the results of his goal to make my father a great martial artist were in full evidence, at which point he and my mother were summarily introduced to one another and the engagement formalized between the families of Saotome and Tendo. To say the very least, this did not at first go over well with either of my parents since neither one of them had looked to be married at such a tender age, and arranged marriages even then were going out of fashion.

(A side-note here...it's a rather good thing that our parents chose not to follow in the example set by their elders or else my sibs and me would most probably have fianc es of our own by now, even more probably selected from the pool of talent that comprises our current generation. While I much prefer having a choice over the matter of who I will one day wed, I am sometimes given to speculate just which of my peers and closest friends I might have become engaged to, such as Ganemede, who seems to be very fond of Shanma, though my oneechan professes not to return his affections).

And yet somehow, in spite of all their struggles, things did indeed work out for my father and my mother, and after many adventures that tested their resolve they finally did consent to get married. This was after the inclusion within their relationship of a third party, who became my co-mother, the Amazon known as Xian-Pu, or Shampoo to those who habitually mispronounce her name. And yes, in spite of the unorthodox nature of this three-way arrangement, Xian-Pu and my mother managed to work things out with my father, and thus the core of our rather unusual family was formed, which proved to be a surprisingly stable union.

At any rate, the particulars of their courtship has been described in some detail in my previous log entries, but the events I am about to relate took place some months after the formalization of their group marriage. In calendar terms it was approximately three months later when the events my father chronicles took place, roughly some eighteen years ago just on the eve of Shanma's birth, when my co-mother was five months pregnant and showing sign of immanent labor. That is a period in a woman's life when she is particularly vulnerable to mood swings and erratic hormonal surges and a thousand times a thousand different little things can go wrong to upset a pending baby. Add to that the fact that my mother was not yet fully aware of her own looming pregnancy when my sister and me had been conceived and were entering the early stages of our first trimester. That was the moment when we were most vulnerable to outside manipulation, when an enemy might best take advantage of our weakness, and one did just that, which set in motion the chain of events that were to follow.

But rather than to give a summary account of what happened I believe that I will instead turn matters over to different sources, beginning with my father's journal, and in his own words as I will quote directly from hereon after...

Ranma Saotome Writes:

First off, I'm a guy, and guys don't keep diaries and junk like that, so it ain't like I've had a lot of practice doing this stuff, so cut me a little slack here. Living most of my life on the road, being trained by pop to become a great martial artist, ain't exactly left me a lot of time to put my thoughts down on paper. It's more Nabiki's thing anyway, or even Shampoo's, but as for me I don't see the point. Stuff happens, so what good does it do to write about it, especially if you don't intend to let anybody read this stuff later.

Mind you, I love my girls a lot, and I sure don't got nothing to complain about when it comes to how they do things, but girls got very secretive minds, lots of secrets they don't like to share, and even I can feel pretty left out much of the time as I feel naturally curious to know what goes on inside their heads, but don't even think about me looking over their shoulder 'cause I ain't brave enough to go there.

It's kind of funny though when you think about it. I mean, I'm probably like one of the only guys on the planet who's got an inside track on what it's like to be a girl, but girls are still pretty much of a mystery to me, and even living with 'em for the better part of a year and a half means I'm still just working out the basics.

Take Nabiki for example...she's got a mind that's as slippery as an eel but she's also a pretty terrific girl, and while she's a heck of a lot smarter than me (and I'll even admit it) she's also got that Lore Master thing working for her, which makes her harder to figure out than almost anybody else I know, which is saying a lot. I learned real early from hanging around with her that you gotta watch what you say and never ever take her for granted, 'cause if you say one thing wrong she can always turn it against you. It made things real tough in the early days before she started training under Lotion, and I found out how easy it was to hurt her feelings if you said things the wrong way. I also figured out real fast that she has ways of getting back at you that can be a lot nastier than fighting, so I've mostly worked to try and stay on her good side.

Because the good side of Nabiki is a really nice girl to be around, and I found out real early that not knowing where she was or what she was up to could make my chest feel funny, like I'd been punched in the gut by Ryoga. Being around her makes everything seem right somehow, and I just don't wanna think of what life would be like if she weren't a part of my world. I didn't just marry her because she's got a terrific body, I took her for a wife because I couldn't think of anything in the whole world that I wanted to do better.

Which is pretty much the same way I feel about Shampoo, only with her you get a whole different package of girly stuff that I'm really hung up about. She ain't just beautiful, she's gorgeous, and while she can be the nicest girl in the world around me I've seen her when she gets angry, and believe me when I tell you that it ain't healthy to get on her bad side.

Funny thing is I call 'em both my wives and they get along great with each other, and you pretty much can't find one of 'em without the other most days, and the three of us are a pretty solid team, a real family unit. Like three parts that fit together to make a whole, or something like that. Thing is I wouldn't ever wanna live without either one of 'em. They're the center of my whole life, and the only two things I care more about than training.

Y'know, it's funny when I look back on how we got to this point, and even now I have to shake my head and wonder how I let myself get talked into this whole business, first with pop and me stumbling into Shampoo's village, then pop leading us both to the Tendo place, where he and Soun-san engaged me to Nabiki. At the time I met her I thought she had to be the cutest girl I'd ever seen, but then when Shampoo caught up to us in town I had a second look at her and...whoooah! I pretty much knew I'd hit a double jackpot.

I'm saying all this stuff now because I'd really started to think on it and realize how lucky I am, in spite of all the other stuff that keeps happening whenever my back gets turned. I got two great girls sharing a life with me, and one of 'em is carrying my baby (maybe two if those tests Nabiki took the other day come back positive from Tofu-sensei's clinic). It's been six months since we got the news about Shampoo being pregnant, and four months since we formally got married, and all I know is I'm starting to get nervous and wonder if maybe pop had the right idea about taking another training mission just until my wife has the baby.

Of course the moment I even think of that I got Nabiki all over me, which reminds he of how hard it is to keep secrets from her, which ain't the case in reserve, but why go there? Besides, I ain't planning on spending ten years on the road raising a kid who'll grow up to resent me as much as I did pop, what with all the stupid nonsense he put me through, so I might as well hang around and do the right thing by my ladies or else my name is a good as mud, and I much prefer to be called Saotome Ranma.

Anyhow, the reason I'm setting all of this down is because of what happened the other day when Shampoo was out shopping for some stuff from a local market. Now, aside from being a foreigner, she kinds stands out in a crowd with her purple hair and odangos, but most folks never seem to mind since she's real easy on the eye and full of charm, but on this one occasion this dumb bastard went and said some stuff that upset her, and that's where I got good and mad about the whole damned business...

"How much is price for powdered curry?" Shampoo asked of the merchant behind the counter, holding up an example of same, "This one cannot find a label."

The merchant took in the foreign customer and looked down his nose at her with clear disdain in his expression. In a voice coached to the minimum level of politeness he said simply, "Four hundred yen, in cash, not foreign currency."

Shampoo looked up at the man with a quizzical expression, "Four hundred yen? Are you certain that is correct?"

"That is what I told you," the merchant said curtly, "Are you having difficulty with the translation?"

Deeply puzzled by now at the man's curious attitude of restrained hostility she said, "In another store where this one made a purchase she found a container of powdered curry for about half that price. Are you saying to this one that the food you charge is more expensive?"

"Why don't you shop there instead of here if that's the case?" the man snapped, "Four hundred yen is what I'm charging."

There was a very slight pause on her side before the heavily pregnant Amazon said, "Excuse this one for asking, but has this one in some way given you offence?"

"Other than by showing your face in my establishment?" the merchant snapped, causing Shampoo to recoil from the vehemence of that statement.

"But...this one has shopped in your store many times before," Shampoo insisted, "And never has she heard a word of complaint from you before..."

"So?" the man glared at her without flinching, "That was before."

"Before?" Shampoo blinked, "Before what?"

"Before I heard the rumors," the man said in a voice no longer even giving pretence of politeness, "Before I learned what a shameless slut you are, you foreign-born hussy."

Under different circumstances and at another time and place those words would have been cause enough for Shampoo to bare steel and flash her weapons at the man's face, demanding retribution, but as things currently stood, with her emotions suddenly in tatters, she just stared wordlessly at the man in bewilderment before mustering the courage to ask, "Why...why do you say these things to Shampoo? What cause has she given you for thinking her such evil?"

"Cause?" the man spat, "I'll tell you what cause I have to object to your just being here in my store! Because you're walking pollution, you contaminate everything you touch! You're worse than Burakuman or Ainu, you Chinese harridan! Sleeping with our youth, foisting your halfbreed seed on a once-noble family like the Tendos, living immorally with the husband of a daughter to that house, even tempting his wife into your lustful embraces, bringing shame and dishonor to both families! And that's just the beginning to the list of crimes that you've willfully committed!"

"What crimes?" Shampoo asked, "Why do you find shame in this one's actions?"

"You even have to ask such a thing?" the man spat, "You have even dragged your whole disgusting family into your dishonor, bringing chaos to the whole of Nerima, and you have the gall to ask why? After the havoc and destruction you and your ilk have inflicted upon the entire district?"

Shampoo took a step back and looked on in dismay at her accuser, "You hold this one responsible for that? Why not give blame to the ones who attack this one and her Airen? This one has always done what she felt was best for his family and others..."

"You can't have feelings," the merchant said , "It's not possible for anyone to act so carelessly and thoughtlessly towards the people around her and to still be capable of feeling."

Now Shampoo would have responded in anger at the brazen affront the man was giving her, for no man of her village would have dared speak that way to her without facing the direst of consequences...yet for some inexplicable reason she felt incapable of wrath, as though the very emotion were being suppressed within her, leaving her helpless to react to these charges save by cringing like a child in the face of such groundless accusations.

"This one has feelings," she insisted, feeling tears form at the edges of her widening eyes, "She cares for her family, she cares for others..."

"You care about nothing but your own selfish needs and your carnal desires," the Merchant glared at her with eyes that were more dangerous than weapons, pointing at the Amazon's distended abdomen and saying, "You call that the product of your feelings, you filthy whore? What kind of abomination are you gestating in that belly of yours? You think it will even be human? Not with your genes it won't, and when it comes it will signify the utter bankruptcy of your entire clan! You should do away with it before it arrives, or else it will be living proof of the shame that you have brought upon those who you claim to care for!"

"Why are you saying this?" Shampoo asked, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks, "Why would you hate this one's baby? Why would you say that she is an abomination?"

"Baby?" the man shouted, "Unclean harbinger of filth! That baby you cling to is proof of everything that I've been saying...about you, about the Tendos, and most of all about Saotome!"

"Why?" Shampoo asked, "What about this one's husband?"

"Husband?" the Merchant said incredulously, "He's the husband of Tendo Nabiki, now Saotome Nabiki according to the legal records. He's not your husband, not unless the three of you are breaking the law and living in sin together, which would be a scandal of immeasurable proportions! You don't have any right to claim him for a husband, and if you do then you are dragging his name through the mud and declaring Saotome Ranma to be nothing better than a philandering pig, a cuckolding bigamist who takes two women for his brides when he's entitled to having only one of you, which is all any real man should need in his existence!"

"But...that is not true!" Shampoo protested, "What we do is honorable...it has the weight of long tradition..."

"Tradition?" the Merchant all but screamed, pointing imperiously towards the door, "Leave my store, and never do business with me again! I won't have your kind in my establishment, and neither will anyone else in the Furinkan Financial district!"

Shampoo backed away to the door, not intentionally retreating from the man, but feeling a gnawing dread form in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes were as round as bonbori as she stammered, "But...but you do not understand...this one...she loves her Airen...!"

"Love? Hah!" the man snorted, "If you really cared about the family that's adopted you then you'd drown your brat and yourself in the nearest river! You cling to them out of selfishness, and they've tolerated you out of pity, but soon the world will know just what sort of scum you've been associating with! When that happens it will be the Tendos who suffer, not you! You just think you can do anything you want because you're a foreigner, but we won't tolerate your kind around here anymore! Not me and not the other merchants around Nerima!"

"You...you are saying...that having my baby...will bring shame and disgrace...to this one's family...to her Airen?" Shampoo asked as if finally getting the thrust of this man's argument, if not entirely understanding the racism underlining his feelings.

"Oh, so you've finally understood that much, have you?" the Merchant scoffed, "I was beginning to think you were too stupid to even grasp that much."

Shampoo wasted no more words attempting to rebut the man and his heartless accusations, but rather turned and fled from the shop, crying tears that seemed to flow from somewhere deep within her soul, and without looking where she went she ran off down the street, never pausing to look back and quite forgetting that in her hand she still had the offending container of powdered curry.

"Go on, get out of here, foreign slut!" the Merchant shouted on her heels, then he grumbled under his breath, "I ought to call the law on you for stealing...serves you right if you get hit by a truck..."

Very slowly his words began to die away, and then the man's eyes started to lose focus, his posture slackened and his face became wazy. He did not move-other than to breathe-as he stood his place staring off at nothing...when of a sudden a form began to materialize from behind his register, taking the human shape of a woman with long blonde hair and a leering, malevolent expression.

"I do so love it when they cry," she chuckled softly, "That was almost too easy...and with any luck she really will get hit by something, and won't that serve the both of you right...Saotome Nabiki..."

Nabiki stood where she was within the garden staring at nothing while standing relaxed and at ease, allowing the world around her to exist as it was while she extended her feelings and opened wide the full scope of her perceptions.

Very gradually she turned around and scanned the yard with her unfocused gaze, then very gradually she started to move forward, setting one bare foot before the other, feeling the ground under her toes as she moved away from the main building.

With inexorable certainty she homed in on a particular spot nestled away at the edge of the garden and knelt down before a stone lamp set at one edge of a koi pond and moved her hands to shift through the stones behind a ceremonial rock formation. She then revealed a hidden cache beneath the stonework, and from this removed a small wooden box that was painted black but showed signs of weathering despite its concealment. This then she held up for closer examination before turning and retracing her steps back to the main porch where those who stood in witness were following her every movement.

"Here," she said as she presented the box to the matron of the household, then pressed her fingers against one panel in order to show that person the means of opening the box, and from there her patron carefully removed a folded document that was frayed and yellowed about its crispy edges.

The matron accepted the paper and unfolded it, then held it up to the sunlight and scanned its surface before nodding in satisfaction. She then passed it along to another woman, who took greater care and deliberation in scanning the parchment before pronouncing aloud, "It's genuine. It's even been notarized with an authentic government wet seal."

"You mean it really is grandfather's will?" a man standing to one side asked incredulously, "She found it...just like that? And after everyone else in the family has been searching for the thing for generations?"

"Forty-seven years more like," Nabiki corrected, "And the old man was crafty in choosing his place of concealment. The garden was landscaped with that hidden niche in mind, and no doubt he meant for it to remain hidden until a time and place of his choosing. Too bad for him he died before he had a chance to notify anyone else in the family, though I think in large part it was deliberate spite as he did not get along too well with either of your mothers."

"How on earth could you know that?" one daughter of the household asked incredulously, turning a look towards both her mother and her uncle, "I thought that was only family gossip."

"Grandfather...never quite approved of the man whom I chose to marry, your father, dear," the matron of the house remarked with slightly pained expression, "I know that he wanted the property to remain within the family, but he also knew that the inheritance laws would allow the government to confiscate everything unless he passed it along as a gift to a family member."

"And here I always thought he was just being spiteful, Sis," the man beside her noted sagely, "Passing the both of us over and giving the title to our younger brother, who was a wastrel even in those days. But now that we have the true will and can prove his actual intentions were to give you the property before you got married..."

"I thank you, Saotome-san," the matron bowed respectfully towards Nabiki, "You have saved our family from ruin in having our land taken away to pay my late brother's debts. Since we can now prove that the property was never actually his to own in the first place...well...I am certain his creditors will have a more difficult time proving their case through litigation."

"If so, then my services are available to you to act as an intermediary representing your interests," Nabiki nodded to the lawyer of the matron and added, "No offense to your position, Naoiko-san."

"None taken," the woman in question replied, "But I must say that I am impressed that a lady of your tender years can conduct herself with such modesty and professional integrity...though I would like to know the means by which you were able to find the document just now. I'm having a bit of trouble buying into the argument that you are a psychic."

"It's your prerogative to believe or disbelieve as you see fit, Naoiko-san," Nabiki replied, turning away, "But I do what I do by my own means, and explaining them to you is something that I am neither obligated to do nor inclined. Now, if there is no further need of me at this point, Hanamuri-san?" she let the question dangle in the air politely.

The matron smiled and said, "As much as I would like to invite you to stay for tea and lunch, I can tell that you have other business that you wish to get on about, so I won't keep you any further than I have, Saotome-san. But again I thank you, and I will keep in mind your further offer of service as a negotiator. A promising young lady such as you deserves the respect of her talents, which you so clearly have in great abundance."

"You are too kind," Nabiki said as she turned away, "Ryonami will discuss the rest of the details. You will know where to find me through her if I am ever needed."

"Sure thing, Chief," Ryonami said brightly, turning away from her employer to smile at the matron of the house while politely indicating with an open palm her expectation of a generous "donation."

As the matron reciprocated by fishing through her purse for a roll of thousand-  
yet notes, her daughter, a young woman named Yurika, frowned as she studied the exiting profile of Nabiki and said, "What's with her anyway? Shy does she act so superior and everything? And why does it seem as if she's got her head in the clouds instead of here in the real world?"

"You wouldn't ask such things if you knew my Sempai as well as I do," Ryonami replied while carefully counting the yen notes, "She's a lot more aware of her surroundings than you could possibly imagine, and if you said something like that to her face you'd get a surprise at just how well grounded she really is."

"You obviously respect her quite a lot," the matron noted sagely, "And she did not ask directly for payment for her services but allows her clients to determine the worth of her actions."

"Yes, well...Sempai used to be a lot more material and everything," Ryonami said while putting the "donation" money away, "But ever since she took special lessons in spiritualism and whatnot she's kind of lost interest in material things, at least in the way of most people. She still needs to earn an income to help support her family and all, but that's why she uses me to collect the funds since I'm reliable and good with numbers."

"Lost interest in material things?" Yuika sniffed, "No wonder she walks around barefoot like a hermit."

"Hey, there's a lot more to it than you could ever know," Ryonami frowned, "So be careful what you say about my Sempai. Her head isn't really in the clouds, and she could take you apart faster than spit if you insult her."

"I am sure that my niece did not intend to give offense either to you or to your business partner," the man named Kenjuro Hanamuri tried to reassure the irate teenager.

"Well...just so you know, Sempai is not a fake, she's the real deal, and you guys got one heck of a bargain through me, so don't say stuff about her behind her back just because you can't understand how she does things. Heck, I've known her for years and even I have trouble understanding the stuff she does, but I know she's legitimate, and I won't stand by and hear bad things said about her, you got that?"

"My daughter tends to sometimes speak without thinking her words out," the matron of the family said gently, "Please forgive intemperate words that were not meant to give offence. I really do owe your partner a great deal for the services that she has rendered."

"Even if I still can't quite buy into this mystical mumbo jumbo," the lawyer named Yurika grumbled, "But I'm hanged if I'm going risk finding out the hard way if she knows how to make curses."

Ryonami left the garden and hurried to catch up with Nabiki, but before she could even open her mouth her employer said, "Let it go, Ryo-chan. I've better things to do with my time than waste it fretting about mundanes."

Ryonami was left with her mouth open for a second or two, but then she frowned and said, "Damn...it freaks even me out when you do that."

"Sorry," Nabiki replied with a bit of a distant air to her tone and expression, "They were good people, you know, just a bit old fashioned in some ways and oblivious in others. You can't hold it against them that they lack the sensitivity to solve their own problems...and that's why there are Lore Masters. We exist to fill the perceptual void left in the world by the headblind and the clueless."

"I know, but it still galls me the way some people think you're stuck up and everything just because you won't look at them directly," Ryonami fumed, "They got no idea of how unnerving it is when you do look directly at somebody, or what you see in them when you use that focus thingie to real their auras."

"I can read the Akashic patterns of force surrounding all living beings, yes," Nabiki agreed, "And yes...it can be pretty unnerving, even for me. Suppose you could tell at a glance which persons you meet are good and decent people and which ones are the real scumbags? Or if you could tell that somebody is going to die within a year from terminal cancer? What exactly do you say to somebody you've hardly even met when you sense that they might have a car accident within the next few months unless they take the necessary steps to avoid a certain street corner? What if telling them the truth made them go to great lengths avoiding one peril, only they stumble into a greater one blindly? You are definitely right about that, Ryo-chan...it can be more than a little unnerving."

"Yeah, what you said," her companion remarked, pausing just long enough to let the point hover in the air before asking, "Want me to give you the tabulated total gross earnings of the past month? This last job definitely put us way into the black..."

"No, I trust you to handle such things, Ryo-chan" Nabiki assured her close companion, "And if you do make a mistake, or try to spend the money on your gambling habits, I will definitely know all about it."

"See?" Ryonami sniffed, "That takes all the fun out of graft and corruption. I can't even make a small calculation error on the books without you knowing all about it. How am I supposed to embezzle large sums of cash for my retirement pay if you can sense that I'm about to do it even before I get even the slightest hint of a temptation?"

Nabiki had to smile at the private joke, but then she said in total seriousness, "I trust you far more than that, Ryo-chan, except when it comes to betting. You're much better placing odds and laying stakes at my direction, but if you do it on your own it will be with your savings, not mine. I need every yen piece we gather to help support my family and make sure that my loved ones are provided for, and the last thing either one of us needs is for you to incur unnecessary obligations."

"Hey, I said I'd pay back that loan to cover my losses...no needs to keep rubbing it in about it, Sempai," Ryonami protested.

"I don't mean to," Nabiki reassured, "But you have to know that there are risks when it comes to betting against the odds. Even at my worst I never risked myself by betting against a sure thing, even if the payoff is a lot steeper when you place your marker against the current."

"You're an inspiration to us all, Sempai," Ryonami cheerfully replied, "But you don't mind if I keep that last comment just to ourselves? We don't want to spoil our business by giving away trade secrets."

Nabiki had to chuckle at that, but no sooner had she started to take amusement out of her friend's wry take on life but then something opened up within her perceptions, and she felt the clarion call of her intuition warning her of impending danger.

"Shampoo," she suddenly said aloud, turning around and looking off in a certain direction.

"Shampoo-san?" Ryonami asked, "What about your wife, Sempai? Is there something the...matter?"

Like that the brown haired girl discovered that she was only talking to herself, her employer and friend having vanished all too abruptly without the slightest trace of her movements, which prompted Ryonami to grimace as she murmured, "I really hate it when you do that, Sempai...but whatever's wrong, may the kami go with you..."

Without quite knowing the why and the means by which she had come to be at such a strange point, Shampoo found herself standing upon a bridge overlooking one of the drainage canals that lined the streets of Nerima, staring down at the passing waters and thinking melancholy thoughts that were quite at odds with her usually ebullient nature. The harsh words of the merchant ringing in her ears, it had seemed to her as if every person whom she had encountered on the streets had taken up the chant and had spat accusatory remarks her way, telling her in no uncertain terms that she was not wanted in this country, and that her very presence was a scandal bringing great shame and dishonor to her adopted family and loved ones.

Ordinarily Shampoo would not have given one whit of concern about what other people said about her, yet for some odd reason her mental armor had been shredded into tatters, leaving her open and vulnerable in ways that were the very opposite of her normal temperament. Her mind was in confusion and her emotions were feeling ravaged, and the thought of ending her misery through decisive action held an enormous temptation that at any other moment would have been dismissed without consideration.

The plain truth was that she cared more about her husband and wife than she did about herself, a fact only intensified from living with them for well over a year, and until that point the fact that she was bearing her husband's daughter in her belly had been a source of great pride and an affirmation of their union. Having anyone call her unborn child an "abomination" was traumatic in her late-  
term condition, and as her hormone levels were affecting her mood swings she was not thinking clearly at the moment but rather responding with excessive revulsion at the shame of having allowed anyone to get away with slandering her baby.

Why had she not punished the fool who had said such awful things to her face? In Joketsuzoku a male who dared to insult a pregnant warrior would have faced either immediate death or total disgrace for both his family and clan-ties. His own relatives would either disown him or have the fool put to death...and yet that was not the way things were done in this strange country. Here things were very different and the response one was expected to take towards verbal injury was to simply ignore the offender.

The more she thought about it the more convinced Shampoo was that there was something wrong with her, some anomaly brought about by her condition that was causing her to think erratically and feel things that were normally quite foreign to her nature. She was thinking of both Ranma and Nabiki as the pain welled up inside her, for she would have done anything to spare them from dishonor, having come to appreciate how valuable honor could be to a Japanese household. Often a family's name and reputation could affect their standing within the entire community, and having the least degree of shame could hurt them in the form of social ostracism. Traditional minded as many Japanese were, the mere fact that you might have something wrong in your ancestry was reason enough to shun you, though most Japanese would never say openly why they might regard you as sub-human.

Yet Shampoo had lived long enough among the Japanese to have a deep appreciation of their cultural concerns regarding family honor. The Chinese of the mainland had their own ideas about what constituted "shameful" or "dishonorable" behavior, but Amazons were not so deeply tied to the concept that what your ancestors did or did not do was a strike against your family name forever. Amazons were supposedly above such things, believing that it mattered more what an individual did and not just a bunch of dead people who lived their lives in a more primitive context, but even they could be quite animated when it came to losing face before others.

And the very last thing that she wanted was to cause such a loss of face to either her new family or the two people with whom she shared a bond far closer than any conventional marriage.

Without being conscious of the fact that she was doing it she found herself suddenly standing perched atop the rail of the canal staring down at the swift moving currents below her, only a step away from plummeting into that most dreaded of mediums that would trigger her Jusenkyo curse and leave her at the mercy of the fast moving water. To drown her woes and to bring an end to possible shame and disgrace for her family seemed the perfectly logical answer to her deeply unsettled state of mind, and she was but a hairs breadth away from doing it when a voice called out to her from seeming no where, cutting through the weight of her depression.

A voice of deep concern belonging to her wife, Saotome Nabiki.

"Shampoo, what are you doing? Get down from there this instant!" her Airen cried out, and all at once Nabiki seized hold of Shampoo by the waist and was physically dragging her back from the edge with a strength born of horrified desperation.

Shampoo awoke as if from a daze to find herself embraced by her wife as Nabiki clung to her and held her fast against the nightmare and depression, and suddenly it was as though the sun had broken through the clouds, for everything was right once again and she was in the arms of the woman whom she most cared for, her momentary distraction and befuddlement entirely banished. This left Shampoo in an entirely different state of confusion as she hugged Nabiki back to her swollen body, and marveled at the fierceness with which her wife was holding her, as if afraid to let her go for any reason.

For a moment no words were spoken between them, but then Nabiki started to shake from within as a delayed effect of her wife's near-suicide, following which she said, "What were you doing up there? Were you crazy, Shampoo? You were going to jump...and you know what that would have meant for both you and the baby."

"This one knows, Airen," Shampoo answered, "But...this one...I cannot understand...Shampoo does not know what just happened. One moment she was buying curry for supper, and then the store man started yelling at her and saying all sorts of bad things, and then...and then this one started running...and found herself here..."

"Yelling at you?" Nabiki suddenly pulled a way and stared at Shampoo with an intensity that for anyone else would have been unnerving, but for the young couple it opened the floodgates to memories and impressions, and all at once Nabiki knew the details of what had happened and had been said with venomous disdain, and for the first time in many long months she began to feel an intense emotion that had been absent from her existence.

Rage and hate boiled up within her, barely controllable antipathy, and a flaring of a battle aura that shocked even Shampoo, who knew better than almost anyone of the capabilities of her wife when angered. Months of discipline learning to harness and channel the power of her emotions were ripped away with the intensity of an instant, and what flared to life from within her was a horrible desire for vengeance and retribution against the instigator of this near-  
tragedy.

And all at once Shampoo's own anger over the abuse that she had suffered turned to pity for the errant merchant, for what she beheld in her wife's eyes was the smoldering threat to his very existence, for he most certainly was about to learn first hand the consequences of incurring the wrath of an Amazon-trained Lore Master...

Ranma Saotome Writes:

And where was I during all of this? Working out with my old man, of course, but that was before we got interrupted by the kind of typical business that seems to flare up at our house every so often...and man does it ever feel weird even after all this time to call the Tendo place "our" house. I've never owned property before in my whole life, but ever since I married Nabiki it's been mine as a part of my dowry, including the dojo where I spend much of my time away from school coaching my own class of students...

"Give it up, old fool!" Ranma snarled while launching an all-out assault on his opponent.

"Not in your dreams, Boy!" Genma shot back while managing to parry the rapid-  
fire punches of his son's Amaguriken attack, countering with an offensive of his own that was backed by his superior size and experience, though his son still had the advantage in terms of speed and raw power.

Ranma redoubled his efforts to pound some sense into his father, but the battle was far from a one-sided affair and both men were trading blows and using ever more sophisticated techniques to equal advantage. As accustomed as he was to measuring himself against the often underhanded tactics his father occasionally employed, it was still a surprise to Ranma to find that-as hard as he trained and as far as he had progressed in the art-his father still knew enough tricks and was resourceful enough to keep it up at an all-out pace with no holds barred or methods restrained.

For the others currently in the garden who took the time to pay attention to such a routine, daily affair, it was a fairly impressive display of incredible prowess that both son and father were demonstrating. Martial arts being a common pastime around the dojo it was natural for many to take an interest in the probable outcome, but as everyone had their preferences over who to favor or not they stood divided into two distinctive camps, each side rooting for their champion to show up the victor.

"What do you know?" remarked the woman known as Silk from where she was busy cleaning vegetables for the family's impending dinner, "Genma is going all out this time and pushing young Master Ranma to the end of his limits. Of course I'd be willing to wager that the fool won't be able to sustain such a rigorous onslaught for very much longer."

"I don't know about that," Atsuko commented as she handed off yet another pot of pre-cooked beans, "Gemmy-chan's still the Sensei here, and as good as Ranma is he's still yet to surpass the mantle of Genma the Destroyer."

"I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss young Saotome's budding accomplishments so far, ladies," Soun boasted from where he sat reading the newspaper, "My son-in-  
law has made great progress as a fighter, and I know that Genma is justifiably proud of his accomplishment from the way he is refusing to hold back, and at this rate, who knows? Another few years and Ranma will indeed be the Master."

"My son is showing great potential indeed," Nodoka agreed as she sipped from the stirring spoon and decided to add a pinch more spice to the confection that she was brewing, "But my husband still has the edge in experience, but I agree that they're both making excellent progress, just as long as they don't destroy anything too valuable or fragile."

As the fight between father and son continued to intensify Silk mused rather idly, "A good point that. Property damages do tend to climb whenever those two really cut loose. I wonder what the trigger point for their current argument was? Something about how much farther young Ranma has to go before he can claim the title of an Anything Goes Master?"

"You would know that better than me, Lore Master," Atsuko sniffed, "And speaking of young apprentices, I wonder where Nabiki is off to this morning?"

"She said something about helping a new client," Soun remarked while turning to the next page of his newspaper, "You know how she's been ever since she took up being an Intermediary and Spiritualist as her newest profession."

"Indeed, that girl is a wonder," Nodoka openly admitted, "So well behaved, and such a nice companion for my Ranma. And look how well she and Shampoo get along together? She doesn't even mind that my other daughter-in-law is having my son's baby."

"I'm sure with the way those three go at it that she'll be having one of her own before very long," Atsuko snorted, "Now if only my Ryo-chan would settle down with his new girlfriend? I'd kinda like to know what it feels like to be a grandmother myself one of these days. Oh well...at least he's over his shyness and doesn't get so many nose bleeds whenever a pretty girl smiles in his direction..."

Meanwhile, at the far end of the garden, yet another houseguest of the Tendo-  
Saotome residence was even then busy adjusting the towel around her body as she left the Sauna-bathing pool area nestled in one pocket behind the dojo, only to pause and see that the morning ritual of father-and-son aggression was well underway and in full martial arts splendor.

"Honestly," Hibiki Kennou sighed while studying their technique, "What is it with those two? You'd think they hated each other from the way they always go at it, or something..."

So intent was she in observing their match, however, that she failed to perceive a curious trembling in the ground directly beneath her sandled feet. But a few instants later, however, and it became quite impossible not to notice how hard the ground was shaking...and seconds later it all but exploded from underneath Kennou, spilling her onto her well-padded backside.

Ryoga coughed and then said, "We made it! I just knew that I could find my way this time...thanks to great-grandmother's handy trinket," he added while holding up an ornately styled compass.

"That's all very good and all that, Ryo-chan," said the somewhat dirty-faced blonde beside him as she made motions with her hand to wave the dust away, "But next time...maybe we should try taking the bus instead of commuting by foot to find your place?"

"Ah...sorry about that, Mina-chan," Ryoga sheepishly apologized while helping his companion out from the hole that they had both created, "Don't quite know how we got into that cave in the first place, but at least we dug our way out of there, so no harm done, right?"

"Ryoga?" Ranma asked as he and Genma came to stand over the new addition to the garden landscape, "Where the heck have you been? It's been three days at least since you wandered off to get some powdered curry."

"Three days?" Ryoga thought a moment as he dusted himself off then said, "Yes...I guess that's about right. Well, anyway, I ran into Mina-chan and the two of us got caught up in this adventure and..."

"Oh dear," Aino Minako turned around and saw the figure who was currently stretched out on the ground behind them, "Is that you, Kennou-san? Are you all right, and what are you doing down there in the first place?"

Kennou was only just beginning to comb the hair out of her eyes as she glared up at her cousin's girlfriend and thought of some appropriate words that she could say on the subject of blonde bimbos (quite ignoring the fact that she herself was rather noticeably of the blonde persuasion). But just then she noticed the looks that the men were paying her and glanced down in dismay to discover that her own makeshift "top" had come undone, spilling out the generous assets that nature had bestowed upon her for easy inspection, and with a yelp of dismay she hastily moved to cover herself over.

"Ah..." Ranma hastily glanced away while Minako thoughtfully covered the eyes of her own boyfriend before Ryoga could suffer a massive nosebleed. Genma looked away with a somewhat contrite expression and said, "Er...maybe you had better put something on, Girl, before you catch a chill."

"Why bother?" Kennou snapped as she got to her feet and stormed angrily back the way she had just come, "I'm taking another bath. I'm suddenly feeling a whole lot more dirty."

As the blonde Hibiki stormed away the others were left to feel somewhat awkward in the silence that followed. Then Minako murmured, "Poor Kennou...sometimes I really feel sorry for her."

"You do?" Ryoga asked, "Ah...actually, I didn't think the two of you...well...you know..."

"Get along together?" Minako smiled, "Actually, I think that's part of the problem between me and your cousin. We both feel strongly about you, Ryo-chan, and in many ways her resentment of me is because she feels that I get in the way of knowing you better. She has only your clan to claim as family, and without even a home of her own to claim, outside of here and at Ganglot's studio..."

"A good point that," Ranma said, "You ought to cut some slack with Kennou, Bro. She's had some pretty hard breaks in her life, and while it's made her a pretty tough cookie, deep down inside she's still just a girl who needs a family, just like everybody else."

"Wise words indeed, young War-Master," said the ancient Lotion as she appeared mysteriously from seemingly out of no where, as was her usual wont, "But think of your own family's needs and the ones who depend on you the most. They have need of you too, most especially my apprentice."

"Huh?" Ranma whirled around, "Nabiki? What are you talking about, old woman?"

"Can you not sense it?" the ancient Lore Master asked with a piercing gaze in his direction, "The gathering of energy, the anger smoldering within her youthful breast?

"What?" Ranma asked, "What are you..."

"Oh my...I can sense it too, grandmother," Silk spoke up as she appeared from the house, glancing off to the side and saying, "Even from here I can feel her smoldering like a torch...the outrage, the need for retribution. Your wife is upset over something that has awakened the power within her, Ranma, and if she releases it at the wrong target..."

"Nabiki's in trouble?" Ranma's tone sharpened abruptly, clenching fists with a sudden need to be at the side of his lady.

"Not just her," Lotion cautioned, "But the one who has incurred her wrath is in even greater danger, for my apprentice is allowing her emotions to overrule her reason, and without knowing the true source of her misfortune..."

"Look can we cut to the details later?" Ranma asked, "You obviously came here to warn me that something bad is about to happen, so...can you just take me to her? It'll save more time than just talking."

"Very well, as you wish it," Lotion gestured with her staff as Ranma joined at her side, and then the two of them were whisked away in the folds of time and transported...elsewhere..."

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Continuity Gaps: shadowmane

We're off and running again with a brand new ATOTW chapter, so don't everyone faint about it! Next time up Nabiki is on the warpath...and what befalls a certain merchant when he becomes the focus of her wrath? Find out next time on, "A Lore Master Unleashed," or, "Ready for a Parking Lot where that Shop used to be?" Be there... 


	137. Chapter 137

NabikiRan121 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to us her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-One.

"Rampage."

From the Journal of Saotome Nabiki:

During my year-plus of training under Elder Lotion I had been warned many times to keep control over my temper, but events of that day bring to the point just why it is a very bad idea to tick off even an apprenticed Lore Master. The delicate balance that it had taken me so long to achieve between intellect and emotion was rent asunder in just one instant when I had perceived the events that had befallen Shampoo that very day. To put it in the mildest terms imaginable I was pissed off as hell and itching to reap righteous vengeance!

And so I begin my latest journal by recapping what you already know of the events leading up to that confrontation between me and a local merchant, where Shampoo had been verbally ambushed and ridiculed by a complete stranger who had somehow found a way of saying the most insensitive things calculated to drive my wife to complete and utter distraction. The things he said hardly bear mentioning at this point, but just thinking about them makes me angry all over, and I don't really trust myself to remain at all calm and objective if I try and put myself into the mindset that would say things like that to a pregnant girl, regardless of whether or not she is of foreign nationality.

Suffice it to say that I wanted to have words with the bastard who had driven Shampoo to near suicide, and so I entered his shop with Shampoo close at hand feeling the edge of my temper as though I held an actual knife in my hands...only the knife that I was wielding was a lot sharper than the finest tool steel in existence.

The merchant standing behind the counter looked up at me politely enough, but then he frowned and sneered in Shampoo's direction, making it rather plain that her presence was unwanted. Shampoo felt compelled to oblige him but I stood firm and insisted that she remain, and then I stared directly at the man and gave him a withering look to command his attention and said-very precisely, "How much do you charge for a container of powdered curry?"

He actually seemed surprised by the question but answered perfunctorily enough with a price that sounded reasonable, but I pounced on the point at once and said, "That's not what you were charging my friend. The sum you quoted to her was more than twice that amount...or have you lowered your prices in the past few minutes?"

Accusing a merchant of deliberately lowering his prices for select customers should have been barb enough to get a rise out of any entrepreneuring spirit, but this man hardly blinked his eyes as he replied, "Depends upon the customer. Some can afford to pay a better price than others."

"I see," I said, feeling little trickles of my consciousness beginning to seep out through the tight barrier that I was attempting to keep firm around my emotions, "In other words you believe that Shampoo here can afford to pay more for curry than me?"

The man gave me another look that as much as took my state of dress in as a testament to near poverty then said, "Depends on if you've got a scholarship or trust fund, I suppose...or even a roof over your head, in which case you wouldn't need the powdered curry."

I think Shampoo was more aware of it than me at the time, but that was the point where little sparks began to trail out from behind my mental shields and the first faint hint of the pyrotechnics to come made their unofficial appearance.

"I have been here many times, and so has Shampoo," I stated bluntly to the man, "You ought to recognize us on sight, we're steady customers, so I would think that you would be interested in keeping our business."

"Not so much as before," the man sniffed in an almost patrician manner, "But that was before..."

His voice trailed off and let me in on a little secret he was hiding, one that I was quick to investigate by asking directly, "Before what?"

"Before..." the man paused, letting me know that he had not intended to reveal so much, but now that it was in the open he just had to speak openly about it, "Before I learned about you weirdoes and your hippie cult practices, Tendo-  
san..."

"It's Saotome," I said precisely.

"Tendo-san," he rather rudely insisted, "Or do you think it's legal to commit bigamy by claiming to share a husband between you and this...Chinese-born strumpet..."

That was the word he used, and at that point the walls around us began to quiver and shake as I wrestled to contain my emotions. Already I could feel the trailing flow of energies permeating the entire shop as minor effects became noted, like bottle tops popping open and packaged foods beginning to rupture.

"Say that again?" I asked as mildly as I could manage, "Are you calling my...friend here...a prostitute?"

The man did not seem at all aware of the potential for danger because he haughtily declared, "By now everyone in town knows what an immoral lifestyle you three are living, so why even pretend to be respectable when you know full well that slut is living with you and having your husband's baby."

Okay, this is where it started to get ugly, and I don't just mean the minor effects that I was describing before as I am pretty well aware that I was losing it big time, and that meant that actual furniture was coming loose from its moorings and refrigerators were spilling out their goods while vending machines began spurting whatever goods and change they had within them. I was fighting hard to keep it all down, but I was steadily losing the battle, and the shop was vibrating now in accordance with my rising temper.

Shampoo for her part was quite alarmed by this and said to me in a fearful voice, "Airen?"

"Hah, she even admits to being your lover," the merchant sneered, "The very idea, two women with one husband, disgraceful! You ought to be publicly pilloried and run out of town with the rest of your degenerate family, and that's not even going into the matter of your sisters..."

"Airen!" Shampoo said with more alarm as she could feel the entire building begin to tremble with a rather ominous crack in the ceiling over our heads heralding the fact that the entire place was being wracked with a minor earthquake.

I was physically sweating as I fought to remain control, but my eyes were like slitted windows into the soul of the man before me as I stared hard and mentally tore into him, wanting to shut him up, to throttle him with invisible hands, and it was only by the barest of margins that I kept my wrath at bay or the effects would surely have been lethal.

He, for his part, did shut up as the merest touch of my mind seemed to shock him back from whatever state he was in, but that gave me my first real clue that this fellow was not entirely what he appeared to be, and like that I was all over him, wanting to know the source of his lies, the reason for his hateful words, and just what in the hell he actually did know about my family and our "degenerate" behavior.

"Who told you these things?" I asked, hardly even aware that a heavy beam snapped directly over my head, or that instead of falling on our heads it instead pitched upward and split apart as my anger formed a sphere of protection around the three of us while my eyes continued to bore into the widening eyes of the merchant.

What I got for my troubles was an eye-opening revelation, and images began to flood into my mind, forming into serpentine tendrils whose character I recognized for the poisonous wisps that they were. I then leaned forward past the counter and stared behind the register to find a computer screen hidden there, and all at once I knew the shape of my enemy, for she was smiling back at me with smug condescension.

"Well, you finally caught on," she said with a sneer, "Took you long enough, Apprentice Lore Master."

"CCCYYYYBEEELLLEEE!" I snarled, realizing too late the trap into which I had so blithely fallen, but this discovery only intensified my rage, and my power-  
already aroused to full fury-was a truly terrifying thing with a life of its own over which I exercised only the most marginal of control, and with the state of energies unleashed it was only a matter of mere moments until the build-up would hit the critical phase and go full nova.

Shampoo realized the danger as well and threw her arms around me, crying out, "Airen...we must leave here now! Shop is going to explode if we stay any further."

I was gritting my teeth and doing everything I could not to catch my wife with a random discharge, but the power was now resisting my control, and once invoked it needed to find the spark that would kindle the inferno, and with so many objects loose on hand to employ to destructive ends it was as if we were at ground zero in an explosive powder keg packed with nails that would rip us apart in all directions. Try as I might to calm myself down, my rage refused to be smothered even with Shampoo's life at risk, though I honestly did try to tame it down with all my might for her sake, knowing that her life was as much at stake as my own or that of our baby.

Bit then I felt something cutting a path through the tide of swirling energies that I had unleashed, and I turned to see a blazing torch of light sucking in the ambient faerie-fire as a pair of diminutive hands managed to hold the fire at bay, then a familiar voice called out, "Go and get them, Saotome-san! It is up to you to save your wives and daughter!"

"Right," I heard Ranma say just before I saw him charging into the maelstrom, ducking flying debris and heavier objects as he rushed to our side and gathered Sham-chan and me into his arms, and then the next several instants are a blur as I don't have a coherent recollection of what exactly happened. I only know that-a few moments later-we were out on the curb with Shampoo and me sitting down while the merchant stood off to one side looking befuddled, and the smoldering remains of the shop directly behind us.

I have no idea how many eternities later it was before I heard my mentor pronounce, "Good news...the place did not explode, though I fear it has suffered extensive physical damage. I trust that you do have an adequate insurance policy to cover incidents of this nature?"

The merchant did not immediately reply, but then he gave a somewhat bewildered look around and asked, "How...how did I get out here? I...what happened? I...I don't seem to remember..."

"Is merchant gone funny in head, Elder?" Shampoo asked as she glanced up while holding am arm around my shoulders.

"That is one way of putting it, Child," Lotion replied, "I suspect the fellow will have no memories at all of verbally assaulting you, nor will he recall how you reacted in response to his baiting comments, Apprentice."

I winced at the tone my mentor used and looked around somewhat sheepishly, but I didn't need for anyone to tell me that I had badly screwed up and fallen victim to the latest of Cybelle's disreputable schemes.

"You okay, Nabiki?" Ranma asked at my side, "That was pretty gnarly back there...I hope you and Sham-chan weren't hurt."

I glanced at my husband and gave him a weak smile of appreciation, but then I said in a tired voice, "I think I want to go home and take a nap, Ranchan. I feel...pretty awful about this, and I know that I could have handled things a little better."

"Indeed you could have, Student," Lotion's tone was not one of reprimand but it had a certain crisp edge that made he flinch, "I have warned you many times of what could happen if you allowed an enemy to slip past your mental guard in just this manner. Now perhaps you can better appreciate the consequences of allowing the power to slip free and unfettered."

"Hey, give her a break already," Ranma called over his shoulder, "She knows she screwed up, you don't have to rub her nose in it..."

"Your concern for your wife's welfare is laudable, young War-Master," Lotion replied in that genial manner she had of putting people in their proper place, "But my apprentice knows better than any just how far she has transgressed and hardly needs me to remind her. We were fortunate to be in tip to nip things in the bud before they got out of all proportion, but the next time?" She heaved a heavy sigh, "And at her level of training even a slight loss of discipline can lead to genuine disaster."

"You're right," I croaked in a tight voice that broke with more emotion than I'm wont to express on most occasions, "I blew it...big time. I let Cybelle corner me...and it came close to costing both me, Sham-chan and our baby..."

"It is not your fault, Airen," Shampoo assured, keeping a firm grim about my shoulders as the warmth of her presence alone was helping to steady me against the urge to break down like a baby.

"Yes it was," I said, then I sighed a ragged sigh and said, "What can I do to make up for this? How can I be sure it won't happen again?"

"We will work on that, you and I," Lotion assured me, "For now it is enough that you realize the gravity of what you allowed to transpire here. A Lore Master shares kinship with the ambient nature of the forces that surround us...she does not lightly invoke that power to destructive means, and never without consequences for all concerned parties."

"Hey, we know Nab-chan's gotten real strong of late," Ranma said, "But the same could be said of me and Sham-chan, and if either of us cut loose like that there probably wouldn't even be a block left, let alone a shop still standing."

"Perhaps so," Lotion said, "But this is not an issue of comparing the levels of power that each of the three of you commands at his or her disposal. In all truth Nabiki is capable of a great deal more destruction than the both of you combined, and that is the reason why she must work harder than either one of you to achieve the delicate balance necessary for our avocation."

I looked up at that and said, "You know...that almost sounds like you've got another training mission in mind for me. Were you just saving this lecture for the right occasion?"

My mentor gave me a wizened look and said, "Nice to see your infamous wit has survived this debacle. It is proof enough of your resiliency, and you will need your wits to travel with me on this particular session."

"I'm game," I sighed, "So...what do you have in mind? Another trip to the country?"

"Nothing quite so mundane this time," Lotion replied with her usual enigmatic manner, turning away and saying, "I will give you half a day to set affairs in order, because this trip will consume several days and take you to places very far from that with which you are so familiar. But be assured that the goal of this trip will be to reinforce the discipline that you so desperately need...and in the meantime, why not pursue the question of where this fool came by his link with our mutual enemy? That website he was visiting ought to prove quite illuminating."

"Website, huh?" I said, "What was he dialing up? ?"

"Why ask me when you already know the address?" Lotion asked, and then she hobbled away on her staff, a lone figure of great mystery whom even after knowing for over a year still is as much an enigma to me as the day when she first descended upon both me and Nerima.

"Um...excuse me?" the Merchant said with a mildly bewildered expression, "Is...that my shop? Did something...happen?"

"I think that's our cue to get the heck out of here," I murmured faintly.

"It is a very good suggestion, Airen," Shampoo agreed, "Ranma?"

"Let's head home and make ourselves ready," Ranma replied with a shrug, "Before somebody blames us for this and slaps the dojo with another lawsuit. Kami knows that Cyber-bitch has enough lawyers on her payroll to keep us in litigation until we all three graduate from college.

It's times like these when I'm reminded of why I married the guy. Trust Ranma-  
kun to always know how to put things in the proper perspective, but thank the kami he also has his priorities in order in other respects. I know that I was going to need his warmth and support to get my mental house back in order after the way this day had started out, but that's what Sham-chan is also especially good for. With her shoulder to lean against the three of us headed back for home with the sincere hope of putting this whole unpleasant debacle behind us.

How little was I to know where I would be heading later in the day? But I guess it's like Lotion always told me about being a Lore Master...just because you have the ability to sense things out and Know the things that are hidden from others doesn't mean you know everything, a fact that would get hammered home pretty soon when I joined her in that evening's "training mission..."

From the Writings of Saotome Ranma:

Okay, I was freaked, and I'll freely admit it. Somebody makes a move against my wives and unborn daughter, my first response is to wanna kick 'em in the teeth and make 'em regret that they messed with a Saotome. But this ain't my sorta battle, and I knew I was good and out of my league, which is why it's a good thing to have friends at times like this, especially the kind who have the skills and resources you need to wage what Nabiki calls "low intensity conflict."

Whatever the heck that is.

That rather ominous line about Nabby putting her "affairs in order" didn't set none too well with me, but I followed her clue and the three of us took a side-  
trip to the house of her friend Ryonami. Ryo-chan's a good kid and she really looks up to Nab-chan for just about everything, so when my wife asks her for a favor it's as good as a done deal, and soon enough Ryo's dialed up that website like Nabiki asked her to do, only with the three of us looking over her shoulder as we see something that's pretty damned nauseating pop up on her monitor screen.

Evil-bitch dot com was right! It was a full page text outlining a personal list of outrageous accusations and attacks directed against our families of Saotome and Tendo!

I didn't read too much of what was there, but I got enough of the gist as Ryo-  
chan scrolled down the page to get the idea that somebody out there had a serious grudge against us. There were bits and pieces of true stuff mixed up with patent lies and downright false bunk that made us out to seem like we were the worst sort of diseased plague to hit the soil of Japan ever. Stuff like our three-way marriage being an insurance crock to bilk the government of tax money, or something equally stupid. Talk of weird sex rituals and nightly trysts with demons and what have you, sex with animals, even sex with our own parents!

I was tempted to smash the screen to bits after just a casual glance over that website, but Nabiki made he hold my temper in check as she insisted on going deeper, of using Ryonami's computer skills to hack into the site and attempt to dig in even deeper. I'm not quite sure what they were hoping to find, but a few seconds later they must've triggered some kind of safety firewall, because all at once the computer started acting crazy, and the next thing you know these snake-like things start coming out from behind the screen attempting to grab us!

Fortunately Nabiki banished them easily and then did something with her hand that caused the entire computer to momentarily spark and flutter, only to become perfectly normal again but without the internet connection. We heaved a collective sigh of relief to have that over and done with, only I knew from looking at Nabiki that it wasn't yet a done deal. She had that thoughtful kind of look that she gets when she's thinking stuff over, and I usually get a knot in my stomach when she seems to put two and two together.

"So," she says after a full minute of this unnerving silence, "That's how she got control over that merchant."

Shampoo gave one of her patented, "Aiyaas," which in a way kind of is reassuring as it means she's starting to adjust to yet another phase of weirdness, but then she looked at Nabiki and said, "So many hateful things...and do people who see this believe it?"

"I can't say for myself, Sham-chan," Ryonami answered for her, "But I'm sure convinced that somebody means business. Didn't you notice the way the words just seemed to crawl across the screen and dig their way into your eyes? I mean...I know it's all BS, but after only a few seconds I was even starting to believe it."

"I won't hold that against you, Ryo-chan," Nabiki said, "That was definitely a diabolically crafted spell interwoven within the text of a nominal HTML format. Kind of like a mental virus, or a worm that tries to burrow in disguised as something innocuous, but if allowed to fester..."

"I think the point is," I suggested rather tightly, "If anybody out there besides that merchant reads this and starts to get all mental..."

"Then we would be facing real problems, possibly even mob action," Nabiki turned on me with that unnerving gaze of hers and said, "Lotion is right...we had better be prepared for the worst if this is Cybelle's idea of an opening gambit."

"But surely no one take seriously what they say against Shampoo and her Airen," Shampoo asked with what even I could tell was a too hopeful kind of expression.

"Hey, some people are gullible enough to believe anything that they read on the Net," Ryonami shrugged, "And that's even without some evil subliminal spell whatzis affecting their thinking. You ask me, Boss, this is the kind of thing that we can't take lying down. Only how do we combat it? Just accessing the thing nearly crashed my harddrive."

"Obviously the direct way is out," Nabiki decided, stroking her chin and looking thoughtful (yeah, my stomach was definitely itching), "Something like this is way to sneaky and underhanded to take on through conventional methods...but fortunately there is someone in town who could give us a hand in that regard."

"Who is that, Airen?" Shampoo asked, through from the look on her face I had a pretty strong hunch that she knew just as good as me the answer.

"Who else do you know who's sneaky enough to make even Cybelle look like a second-rate Genma when it comes to sheer deviousness?" my wife asked slyly, confirming our worst suspicions, "I think it's long since time that we paid a visit to our dear auntie Ganglot..."

Shampoo's Diary Resumes:

Often I am asked why it is that I have willfully compromised my standing within the Amazon tribes and my hard-won rank as a warrior of the Joketsuzoku merely to live among outlanders as a second wife to my lawful husband. As if this were a question that needed serious consideration!

I live abroad with my beloved wife and husband because I choose to do so, and because being with them gives me the greatest happiness and satisfaction that I have ever known. It is a source of pride to bear the child of a warrior as strong, brave and capable as Ranma, and to share a bed with Nabiki, whose beauty is more than just physical, and who has given me a purpose beyond all consideration.

Granted that we have had moments when we have quarreled and disagreed over petty matters, but no issue has ever loomed large enough that it could come between the love that we feel for one another, and together we are an invincible unit, three parts that form a perfect whole, and in that union I have a place that brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. So what matter if I gave up some of my pride in my old ways in order to be in the land of my Airen, and as often as these Japanese and their barbarian customs might seem puzzling and even distracting at times I have never felt so alien to their culture that I could question my own worth or the rightness of my belonging.

So why was it that I seemed so willing to cast aside both pride and purpose for a moment's doubt that should rationally have had no valid basis? The uncouth words of the merchant should have been well beneath my attention, and by right he should have felt honored if I had even noticed him so far as to bash his teeth out of his skull for daring to speak that way to a warrior of the Joketsuzoku.

Elder Lotion insists that it was a spell of dark enchantment cast by the evil one who is Ryoga's grandmother (I shall not speak of her by name lest I invoke her fell presence), but I am not so na ve as to believe that any spell could undermine my certainty of the rightness of my being with Ranma and Nabiki unless it found its root seed somewhere in my mind, so doubt or uncertainty that I have not been aware of until now. Incredible as it may be to even consider the possibility, perhaps there is some small worm of hesitation in my unconscious thinking that gave the demoness the leverage she needed. It is a possibility that haunts me to this hour, and one that I intend to root out and discover for myself so that I never again face the prospect of dishonoring myself and endangering my husband's baby.

My mother is wont of saying that hypnotic spells work on levels of the mind where a person's normal volition will not operate defensively, that one acts as if they are in a waking dream when enchantment comes over them, and that for this reason one's behavior under such influences is never to be trusted. Great-  
grandmother insists that this is why love spells and charms are less than fully desirable means for one to obtain the services of a husband, which makes me doubly glad that I never had to rely upon such things in order to win the love of Ranma. Our love is genuine, and thus is stronger than any lesser magic, yet somehow the demoness found a way of turning that love against us, and by causing me to doubt my own worth to my family unit brought shame upon my head that makes me cringe even now with a burning desire for retribution.

Yet how can I stand against the likes of a full-fledged demoness who has thousands of years on her side and is easily as old as the Joketsuzoku? Elder Lotion informs us that this demoness was old in the days of ancient Babylon and used to compel male followers to geld themselves by making an unholy offering of their scrotum. Just writing those words down makes me nauseous with revulsion, for even at their worst the Amazons valued men as bulls far more than we ever would as eunuchs.

And this demoness has learned many terrible ways of spreading her influence over the electronic currents that blanket the whole planet. Anything connected by wire or transmitter is potential under her dominion, and the only reason that she has not yet asserted total control over everything is because she has far too much competition for other demonic sources competing for the same franchise.

Which brings me back to my original question...how to give back some of the pain that I felt that day to one who is not even technically human?

Fortunately for us there is one who dwells within the business district known as Furinkan who is knowledgeable of the evil one's ways and who has been of great assistance to us in the past, being a longtime enemy of the one she refers to as her "daughter in law of darkness." In rare times of trouble even Nabiki has been forced to consult with the golden haired Oni who is Ryoga's own great-  
grandmother and, as such, tied to our clan by blood and marriage vows, to say nothing of a common purpose.

And so it was, much later in that day, that we three found ourselves standing within the studio of the renegade Oni princess, observing as Lady Ganglot put her latest artistic creation to virgin canvas. Although to the common eye she might appear as a very tall and handsome woman of indeterminate youth and beauty, those of us who know of her skill with disguises and illusions are less easily deceived, for the grace and fluid energy that she embodies is testament that she is far more than meets with mere appearances.

That being said, of course, her mannerisms...on the other hand...are more than a bit on the side of what you might call...the eccentric.

"So, my daughter-in-law is bugging you three again," she mused while dabbing handfuls of paint up out of buckets and splashing them onto the canvas in no apparent order or reason, "She has slandered you in public, published a demonic web page to hypnotize and beguile the unwary, and she tried to get Shampoo here to suicide. That does sound so much like her."

"She tried to get Nabiki to blow up that shop, and herself with it," Ranma said acidly, "And she's painted us as being worse than a family of ax murderers...so, yeah, you could say I'm a bit bugged about that, yeah."

"So now you come to me in wonder of what steps you might actually take to make Cybelle (On the Oni's lips I feel it safe enough to use her real name here) regret her rudeness," the Oni Queen said while using both hands to shovel a couple of fist-fulls of red paint over the huge yellow splotch that she had just taken so much trouble in creating.

"If you have any suggestions in that regard, it would be appreciated," Nabiki remarked while studying the motions of color fighting a war for dominance upon a formerly white landscape.

"I'm flattered that you think so highly of me that you would come to me in search of a suggestion," Ganglot paused to consider her next move, then dipped a few fingers into the blew paint and lightly sprinkled them over the red, then paused to consider the effect before remarking, "And if truth I'm more than a bit inclined to do something rather nasty on my own initiative just to pay Cyber-boobs back. The problem is...that once you start something of this nature it tends to escalate wildly out of control...tit for tat, each of us upping the ante, and before you know it we'd have an open shooting war, with all of your mortals caught as fair game within the crossfire."

"So you're saying you won't help?" Ranma asked.

"I never said any such thing," Ganglot favored my husband with a wryly sardonic expression that would have done credit to Nabiki, "I just wanted you to be aware of where this might go if things get as far out of control as they are likely to do, and we already know that my daughter-in-law likes to play things tight and nasty."

"Then maybe we should be aiming to discourage her from making another move, at least for the present," Nabiki suggested, "Some way of making it hurt without sparking retaliation..."

"I'll definitely be working up a formula for that," Ganglot said, "If you can tell me how to put it into practice. Mind you, I've had way lots more experience dealing with the bitch-ah-that is, my poor misguided son's unfortunate bride of circumstance. I know better how she thinks than anyone else now living, and that means that she and I are bitter enemies to the end...but we just can't go around knocking each other's pawns about without reckoning the consequences. That sort of thing just will not do for the reputation."

"To hell with reputation," Ranma smacked a fist to palm, "Just give me one clean shot at her and I'll make her sorry she ever looked cross-eyed at either of my wives!"

Ganglot smiled at both Nabiki and myself then said, "What a charmingly primitive declaration of territorial machismo. I can certainly see why you both consider this boy a keeper."

"Elder," I spoke up with as much respect as I could when addressing a figure of such fearsome reputation among the Joketsuzoku, "A wrong has been committed against this one and her offspring. Honor and pride demand an accounting."

"And indeed an accounting shall be had, my dear Mountain Girl," Ganglot replied before picking up a bucket of white paint and splashing it over all of the work that she had just done to the canvas, "But before any rash declarations are made you should be mindful of with whom it is that you are dealing. I may have renounced the way of evil but I am still a mischief making trickster Oni who is bound by the laws of Joketsuzoku to maintain a delicate balance between Chaos and Order, so if you make a contract with me there are bound to be unforeseeable...consequences."

"Consequences?" Nabiki asked, "Such as?"

"Now there you go again," Ganglot chided, "Seeking to know that which lays beyond even the ken of a Lore Master. If I told you what they were then they wouldn't be unforeseeable, now would they?"

"Makes sense," Ranma shrugged, then when Nabiki and I looked at him he said, "Well hey...she just said she can't see what they are, right? So how can she tell us if she don't know herself?"

"What a wonderful treasure of insight you are, Saotome Ranma," Ganglot chuckled before making a slash with one hand and causing the paint on the canvas to perform an incredible kaleidoscope of multi-hued patterning that is impossible to describe in words, only that the effect was positively hypnotic, "And here some people take you to be nothing more than a mindless jock who is little better than breeding, when I know for a fact that both of your ladies value you for a lot more than just your prowess in the bedroom."

"Yeah?" Nabiki asked while staring at the canvas, "And how do you know that?"

"Why, naturally I have your bedroom bugged for recording purposes," Ganglot paused to give us a typically wicked grin before adding, "Just kidding. But seriously, all three of you have experienced much growth since you banded together as a family unit, and in your case, Saotome Ranma, it is noticeable in the flowering of intellectual abilities that you did not formerly possess before encountering Nabiki."

"Well...yeah," my husband shrugged uneasily, "I had to learn stuff in order to keep up with Nabiki...I really hate it when people refer to me as her dumb jock of a husband..."

"Which you most certainly are not," Ganglot assured, "Any more than Shampoo here is an empty-headed bimbo. And you, Saotome Nabiki...in you the personal signs of growth and change are the most noticeable, and that is why Cybelle chose to act against you now. She took advantage of a momentary lapse in your defenses, but the plain truth is that she is afraid of the three of you, and by acting against you as she has she has tipped her hand through an involuntary admission of weakness."

"Weakness?" Nabiki asked incredulously.

"She's afraid of us?" Ranma asked, "Why?"

"Perhaps I should clarify my point," Ganglot said will studying the settled portrait of a blazing star like a nova that had resolved itself upon the canvas, "It is not who and what you are in the present that she fears, but rather she fears what you three are evolving into. She fears what you shall become...and she fears the baby that is within Shampoo and almost ready to be birthed. Even more she fears the recently conceived twins that Nabiki is carrying, one of whom will grow to become a potential Lore Master every bit as gifted as her mother."

"Say..."

"What?"

"Aiyaa?" the three of us chorused together as Ganglot turned and favored us all with a smile of pure benediction.

"Oh, did I spoil the surprise?" she asked in amusement, "Do you see know what I mean by unintended consequences? Believe me, life is far more interesting and fun if you don't spend every moment knowing in advance what is to happen. I try to keep myself from gazing too far ahead of the present out of respect for what is to come...for the choices that will be made both now and in the future, and the effects that will be felt on account of those choices."

"A...baby...?" Nabiki glanced down at herself and placed her hands over her own smooth belly.

"But...how..." my husband was as positively stunned as any male I have ever seen who was caught unawares by such a revelation.

"Well, if you need my held explaining that then you're not as gifted as I took you to be just now," the Oni said with obvious fondness, "But if you want to know the starting point, then count back several days and I'm sure you'll find the answer."

"Oh..." Nabiki said, then her eyes got round and she said more profoundly, "Ohhhh..."

"You see?" Ganglot inclined her head, "You were distracted from noticing the changes within your body due to the intensive training that you have been receiving of late from your mentor. But now that you are paying attention you can see how it is that Cybelle was able to subvert your attention and take advantage of such a lapse to spring her deadly little surprise. It was a fools gambit on her part, and no doubt she knew it, little more than minor harassment as she measures such things, but the next time she strikes she will be in deadly earnest and it will be no mere game for the unwary. That is because she knows that time is not on her side in this affair, and that the longer she allows the present situation to progress the more the child within you will take shape within the destiny of the future, and thereby insure her inevitability, which is something no demoness of her nature can allow to happen."

"Why not?" Ranma asked, "What's she got to fear from Nabiki's...I mean...from our baby?"

All at once Ganglot drew herself erectly and seemed to gain in stature, becoming much taller than her ordinary day-to-day appearance, "How much time do you have to spare with me, Saotome? How long are you willing to abide and hear the full story of why the demon race fears humanity and the potential that exists within you? You know already the legend of the Star Tribes...?"

"YES!" we all three instantly volunteered, since the story of the Sundering of the Great Races of the Ancients was a favorite story of the Oni, one she never tired of relating to anyone unwary enough to listen."

"Well, then you don't need to hear the full story again, just the good parts version, which will explain what there is to fear from Cybelle's POV," Ganglot smiled, "The short-short version is that humanity fragmented into different parts, one branch forming the race of mortals that we call humans today, while another race went on to become the ancient gods, and yet a third branch gave birth to the many nefarious races known as demons.

"But what you may not be aware of is that the human race, for a time, retained many of those godlike qualities that made the mother race so Augustine and daring, and in that age of miracles and wonders the measure of human potential was not so limited as it is in the present. Unfortunately the event that caused humanity to suffer the psychic scarring that wounded the world and changed the very shape of the planet also caused the vast majority of sentient beings to suffer a voluntary withdrawal from the source of primal power, so that all but a few gifted individuals would turn away and hide their faces from the fire within, to bury their heads in the mud and live as head-blind mortals rather than to risk rekindling the memory of that deep trauma. And that is the reason why very few human beings can learn to tap into the spiritual fire that the three of you can draw upon at will...because most humans fear the power and what it can do. It represents a deep-seated and utterly irrational phobia of the unknown, which likewise causes some to resent and envy those few who are unusually gifted."

"Meaning what?" Ranma asked, trying to look as if he had followed all that as carefully as I had, though I very much doubt either one of us were as quick in the grasping as Nabiki.

"The reason why there are so few who have the ability to become Lore Masters," Ganglot answered, "Most people sub-rationally do not want the power...they fear it, and often invent reasons to justify their fear. They fear the wisdom and knowledge of the ancients because they fear awakening the same trauma that once came so near to destroying everything. They fear the rebirth of understanding and knowledge, of the power that knowledge would give to mortals, of the ability to effortlessly tap into the flow of life itself to achieve the near miraculous. They fear the power itself, the touch of the flame, its brightness, the consequences of linking yourself to the center of it all...of feeling the flow of life in all of its complexity. They fear the chaos, the confusion, the underlying order of it all, and even more than this...they fear the ones who do not fear it."

"In other words," I hesitantly asked, "You mean Nabiki?"

"Bingo!" Ganglot smiled as if I had just made the brightest declaration of the day, and then she looked directly at my wife and said, "And do you now understand why Cybelle fears you and your baby more than she fears any other, including myself?"

"Because...wisdom and understanding are the keys to the powers of the ancients?" Nabiki slowly fathomed, as if drawing the memory out of herself rather than answering a rhetorical question.

"Now you understand what it means to be a Lore Master," Ganglot smiled with humor, "You are a rare trustee to the ancient flames of wisdom, and if you are allowed to kindle a greater blaze in the course of time..."

"I believe that is quite enough for one day," the voice of Elder Lotion spoke up, making us aware of her sudden inclusion within the studio chamber.

"Oh pooh," Ganglot pouted, "I was just getting to the good part. You always show up just in time to spoil my narration."

"Too much knowledge at one time can be as dangerous as a lack of knowledge when it is needful," Lotion turned from the Oni to regard Nabiki, "Well, Apprentice? Are you satisfied now that Cybelle's threat against you was no idle whim but part of a calculated strategy aimed at unsettling the future that you and your family represent?"

"I think I got that part, yeah," Nabiki nodded, narrowing her eyes before adding, "And just why is it that you do show up just as I'm starting to get some straight answers?"

"All a matter of good timing," Lotion answered, "And haven't I cautioned you enough to have patience? That all good things are revealed at the appropriate time and season?"

"Give me a break, Sensei," Nabiki said, "This is my life we're talking about here...and my family! That uber-bitch is threatening our standing in the community..."

"And now that you know why, I think the time is ripe for us to take a walk together," Lotion motioned with her staff in a way that-like her tone and manner-seemed deceptively mild but held within them the authority of an Elder.

"Now?" Nabiki asked, but her obedience was not only expected here but automatic, for she's spent far too much time with the Elder not to pick up on the hint that Lotion meant for no delay in their transition.

"I have been consulting with others and have learned of things that require our mutual presence in the other realm," Lotion replied, "So far less time is allotted for us to delay than I did fear, and your company on this journey cannot be delayed by even one minute longer."

Nabiki gave both Ranma and myself a rather helpless look of compliance then followed after her mentor while Ganglot looked on and said, in denial tones, "Don't worry, I will look after your wife and husband while you are away, my dear. And Lotion darling..."

"Never fear," the Elder replied enigmatically, "I will stay true to my end of our bargain."

"Bargain?" I heard Nabiki gasp as she stared at her mentor, "What bargain?"

"The one we struck earlier," Ganglot answered in Lotion's place, "Before you and your Airen paid your respects to my humble studio. As I told you before, there are always consequences that come when dealing with even a benevolent Oni, such as myself."

"What consequences?" Ranma asked, turning an askance look the Oni's way, but by now Nabiki and Lotion were no longer to be seen, so the question would go unanswered as the two of us were left alone in the presence of a being of ancient lore who was old before China was an empire.

It is in interesting times such as these that shape the course of destiny, and I am reminded of a saying among my people that goes something like, "Those who sleep with dragons should prepare to awake in the belly of the serpent." I do not know if such a saying applies to consorting with Ganglot, but as even she admits to being a creature of mischief, one has to reckon that the risks will somehow balance the rewards...if one lives long enough to see the coming harvest...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Hasty Shuttle Trips To The Other Side: shadowmane

And so a quest is born anew, with Nabiki following Lotion in a walkabout of self-discovery to help her regain her self-composure before their enemy can use her weakness to their disadvantage. Just how far is Nabiki willing to go to insure the safety and security of her loved ones and their future? Find out next time in, "Through an Orgass Darkly," or, "'How Now Brown Cow Cried,' The White Rabbit?" Be there! 


	138. Chapter 138

NabikiRan122 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to us her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Two.

Avatar.

"I wonder what is to be made of this?" Romeo asked of her companion as the two of them walked home side-by-side together, both studying the printed page that was held in the Amazon warrior's hands.

"I do not know for myself, Airen," Julian admitted, "It is a curious thing, having both of our names on display like this, and in English no less, with Japanese subtext."

"Only they seem to have misspelled yours for some odd reason," Romeo scowled a bit, "We must ask Lady Ganglot what all this is about. She seems to understand these Japanese much better than either of us at any rate."

"Indeed, that would seem to be the course of wisdom," Julian noted as they entered the art studio that was their refuge away from China.

"Mistress?" Romeo asked by way of announcing their return to their Oni benefactress's presence, "We are back from another day of attending that barbarian school that you insist is for the betterment of our education."

"Oh quit it," Julian chided, "You know it is a rare enough privilege to be able to attend foreign schooling, even if this Furinkan does have rituals that remind one a little too much of the Joketsuzoku..."

"Over in here, dears," Ganglot called out pleasantly from the main studio, "I'm entertaining guests, including your cousin from China."

"Eh?" Romeo blinked as they rounded the corner and found the two who were sitting in studio chairs being entertained by their mistress, "Shampoo? And Saotome Ranma?"

"Where is Saotome Nabiki?" Julian automatically asked, at once noticing the absence of the third member of that most notorious of troikas.

"You just missed her," Ranma shrugged, "She went on another walkabout with Lotion."

"Elder Lotion has taken your wife on yet another training mission?" Romeo remarked, more from politeness than surprise as she was far more curious about what the two were doing visiting with their lady.

"Yeah, I know...happens a lot," Ranma shrugged, "You get used to it after a while."

"Airen grow strong in ways of the Lore Masters," Shampoo helpfully explained, "Maybe too strong for Airen's own good. Need learn better control or too much strength be bad for everyone is this one's thinking."

"Er...did something happen?" Julian asked, perceptively picking up on the hint of potential trouble.

"That is one way of putting the matter," Ganglot replied, "But we are working to correct the harm that was done. Which is why I asked the Saotomes to hang about and chat a bit while their wife is away communing with heavenly spirits."

"Oh," Romeo said, accepting the explanation at face value, and so she extended the paper in her hand, as had been her original intention.

"Ah," Ganglot noticed the gesture and moved to take the flier from her servant's hand then studied it for a moment before smiling, "I see...and I can well understand your confusion. In truth I had wanted to better prepare you for this, but I suppose that there is no time like the present for cultural introductions."

"Prepare us, lady Ganglot?" Julian asked.

"Cultural introductions?" Romeo repeated.

"What's the deal?" Ranma asked, "What's on that flyer?"

Ganglot turned the paper towards her other guests then revealed the heading, which read: "Furinkan High School Dramatic Players Present-William Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET...a Romance To Last All Through The Ages."

"Romeo and Juliet?" Ranma said aloud, glancing at the two young Amazons and saying, "Oh...I get it...and you guys thought this was about you?"

"Those are our names...sort of," Julian noted, "And we were wondering why the school put them on display like that in front of all of our classmates."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked, "Silly cousins...is no about you two. Is name of very famous play that even this one hear about in high school."

"Play?" Romeo repeated.

"Ah...well, about that," Ganglot said, "There is a very...interesting story that I have been meaning to share with you concerning your names and a certain play by a famous writer of sonnets who lived some four hundred years ago in a place called England..."

"So recent?" Julian asked.

"What is a play...or a sonnet, my lady?" Romeo asked.

"A form of story telling with actors who perform a drama with lines of poetry and physical illustration, much like what the old ones of your village use when trying to make a point to young ones using events that happened many generations ago," Ganglot explained matter-of-factly.

"Oh," both Romeo and Julian said together.

"Is story about boy and girl who come from two very different houses," Shampoo explained with a somewhat dreamy expression, "Elders quarrel, there is much strife and bad blood between families, but boy and girl fall in love in spite of being enemies...chose to stay together no matter what no matter that friends and families say and do about it."

"But..." Romeo paused, looking troubled.

"That sounds almost like what Romeo and I faced back home...before our own families drove us into exile," Julian said before exchanging glances with his Airen.

"Er...yes," Ganglot conceded, "I was rather taken by the rather striking coincidence of it all when we met..."

"Is most romantic story Shampoo ever hear about since coming to Japan," Shampoo continued, "Lovers no wish to live without each other, even willing to die rather than to be parted."

"Yeah, but it ain't all that nice an ending," Ranma cautioned, "They bring an end to the quarrel between their families, but they both commit suicide in order to do it...which to me seems kinda pointless."

"That figures," Romeo shrugged, "Old stories told by Elders usually wind up with somebody dying."

"But still..." Julian said somewhat reluctantly, "If they could bring peace to their warring houses..."

"Ah, don't start thinking that way," Ganglot cautioned, "You can't control the thinking of others by attempting to manipulate their emotions. Take it from an expert on that subject, and when it comes to the stubbornness and pride of Amazon elders, those European Patriarchs have got nothing on them."

There was another faint exchange of looks before Romeo said, "But still...the people at our school seemed to think this story was about us...and when we tried to explain about the reasons why we left our homeland..."

"It kind of seems hard to deny that they have a point, lady," Julian reluctantly concluded.

"Ah, well...that is something you may just have to abide with," Ganglot shrugged, "It's not like the play is really about you, after all, and since neither one of you is in the drama class no one expects you to perform in the play or take the roles of your namesakes. But still I am rather pleased that you brought this to my attention."

Romeo and Julian were just thinking this over while Ranma turned to Ganglot and said, "Well, if it's all the same to you, lady, I think it's time Shampoo and me were getting back home before dinner gets cold and our folks start to worry about us."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo agreed, "And Ranma mother make too-too delicious meal for this one and her Airen. Things very different now that Tendo father marry Silk, and nice-girl Kasumi move in with Kunos."

"Yeah, to say nothing about Akane and her moving into Ukyo's place, taking a job as a waitress and whatnot," Ranma shrugged, "It's been a lot quieter at the place with only Ryoga showing up now and then to pick fights and stuff, which is more for recreation than anything serious between us."

"Indeed," Ganglot remarked, "Oh...and how is that other sister of the Tendos getting along these days, the one who went off to study in America...business school, wasn't it?"

"Ah...oh," Ranma said, "You must mean Nabiki."

"Eh?" Romeo blinked, catching a discontinuity as she noticed the momentary look of distraction in the Japanese boy's expression.

"Nabiki...Shampoo's Amazon oath-sister, yes," Shampoo agreed, "Last hear she doing good in other country. No remember...maybe other day when hear from her last, yes?"

"Aiyaa?" Julian asked, just as visibly shaken by the bizarre turn in the drift of the conversation, and he rapidly shot another confused look with his Airen.

"Yes, a charming girl," Ganglot mused, "Quite clever and capable in her ways. I am certain that she will be doing well wherever she goes in her travels. Now, if you must be off, then by all means do not let me hold you here any longer than I have."

"But..." Romeo started to protest.

"Hey, take care of yourselves guys," Ranma said as he and Shampoo walked right past the astonished Amazon couple, heading for the door arm-in-arm as though nothing were the matter.

"Such a lovely couple they make," Ganglot smiled, "I just know that they'll be wonderful parents...give a few more days the way that Shampoo is blossoming with her kitten..."

"Ah...lady?" Romeo asked hesitantly.

"Why were Ranma and Shampoo acting funny just now?" Julian asked, "The way they were talking...it was almost as if..."

"They had forgotten that they had to get back home in time?" Ganglot said brightly, giving both of her young wards a peculiarly intensive look, "Yes, that tends to happen when I'm the one doing the entertaining...not that there is anything else that they could possibly have forgotten...is there, my darlings?"

"Ah..." Romeo blinked, then she said, "I...ah...aiyaa..."

"That is the oddest thing," Julian remarked, "I thought that there was...something to do with Nabiki...but now...I don't quite seem to remember..."

"Which is all for the best, believe me," Ganglot winked, "After all, I have a promise to keep, and for the time being certain things will remain lest left unspoken. You can trust me on that to manage things as per my agreement with a certain colleague who asked me for a favor earlier in the day. Now, if it is all the same to the both of you, I think should be planning for a special kind of dinner. I know...why don't we go out and paint the town, my treat, and then you can tell me all about the sort of day you both have been having."

"If you wish it so, lady," Romeo nodded.

"School was quite informative, as usual," Julian agreed, only to pause as he glanced towards the flier, then shared another look with his chosen mate, then the both of them shrugged and headed for the upstairs landing in order to make preparations for the coming evening, all thoughts forgotten about a certain young Lore Master in training who was on a walkabout...and the reasons for her sudden absence...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Unaware as I was just what sort of mischief Ganglot was cooking up-with, I might add, the direct support and collusion of my mentor, though I was not to learn of that particular deal until much later-I followed Lotion out through the dimensional gap that she opened between boundary layers, plane-traveling, if you will, through one of the natural fissures that open up and close at seeming random and which ordinary folks can never see. You have to be especially sensitive, or know just how to take advantage of them, a trick I had picked up from Lotion after more than a year of being her apprentice.

It's a sign of how much my life has changed since training under her that I can now take Windwalking like that for granted. It was now as common to me as a visit to the mall and back again, and I knew my way through the weave of time and space the way you might negotiate a trail through a common forest. It's just a matter of keeping your bearings, and your eyes and ears open, and leaving an appropriate trail of "bread crumbs" just to make sure that you can find your way back without too much trouble.

In the case of Lotion I knew that I was following a master at this sort of an adventure, so I was not too concerned about the course of our direction. She had somewhere in mind and that was good enough for me, and so I let her be my guide, as always, trusting in her wisdom to steer me right, especially as I knew that she had something important that she wanted to show me. Someplace I needed to be, a lesson to impart, like all her ancient wisdom, only this plan aimed towards enabling me to regain my tattered sense of equilibrium.

And so we walked in relative silence past sights that would once have stirred in me a sense of disbelief and wonder, of a road through layers of sound, texture and color, through one state of being and another, where even a sense of up and down was a relative concept, and backwards was as good as forward, all sense of motion itself little more than an illusion.

And always the patterns, the force-lines, the complex weavings of meticulously intersecting mathematical equations that my mind comprehended in terms that shape and form could not do justice. I studied our surroundings with a curious eye towards these phenomenon more as a means of increasing my familiarity with such alien concepts more than actual curiosity, perceiving as we traveled that we were headed to distant grounds entirely different from the fields through which we usually traveled.

After an indecipherable length of time I finally broached aloud the thought, "Going pretty far afield this time, are we, Sensei?"

"Not so distant as all of that," Lotion answered without breaking stride, "We are following the path to the Crossroads. There is someone there whom I would like you to meet."

"The Crossroads?" I repeated, "You mean the way between the realms? Who's waiting for us there? Three witches and a pot of Irish stew?"

Even as I said that word I winced inside, for even after this much time has elapsed the mere mention of a "pot of stew" can give me involuntary shivers. Call it bad word association, or the lingering effect of my own near encounter with the broth of a certain kettle.

"Not this time," Lotion's tone belied a sense of faint humor that I detected, and I knew full well that she was aware of my continuing phobia involving stewpots, "The individual I speak of is known by some as the Way-Farer, though he is known by many other names, among which are 'Soul Guardian' and 'Binder.'"

"Binder?" I repeated, sensing a peculiarity in that name, not quite a tingling of recognition.

"The Binder of Souls some call him," Lotion answered, "One of the Four Lords of the Way, the Guardian of the Path of Air and Fire, known as the Phoenix Force of creation."

"Sounds like quite an important guy," I reckoned, but though I tried to make light of the matter I had a growing sense of ennui the nearer that we came to a place where two intersecting roads converged, and there directly before us hovered a star that shone brightly, illuminating the twilight.

Or rather the star turned out to be in the shape of a man, a hovering figure who was levitating in a full lotus position, face turned towards the sky while his legs were crossed beneath him with palms turned upward, the very posture of a living Buddha.

Only he was like no Buddha that I had ever seen gracing a temple, shrine or religious altar, for he was tall and slender with arms and legs that were well formed and excellently well proportioned. His face was youthful, agelessly handsome and he had a full head of light brown, almost wheat-golden hair, somewhat darker than blond but definitely styled to give his features balance. He was clad in a yellow shirt with open sleeves and had tight-fitting slacks and thigh-high boots that looked like well-worn velvet rather than leather. A purple sash around his waist further added style to his Spartan sense of fashion, and about his neck hung a thin gold chain from which was suspended a teardrop-shaped amethyst stone, his only other adornment that seemed to resonate upon his chest with a gentle pulsing rhythm that seemed timed in synch with a steady, even heartbeat.

Gazing on this man I had the most indescribable sense that I knew him, even though I'd swear that we had never had a previous encounter. There were force lines congealing upon him from nearly everywhere, and the intense strength of his aura was as blinding as the star I at first took him to be. I could feel the power inside him, literally immeasurable, intense beyond description, and gazing upon him was like staring up close at the sun given flesh. He was like a mountain, like the sky itself, like the vast ocean, far too deep to measure, and yet he was in all other ways quite human. If I could sense nothing else about him it was the firm belief that he was somehow...familiar.

And then Lotion bade me to stand in my place at her side as the two of us looked upon the glowing stranger, and then very slowly the man opened his eyes and turned them to gaze upon us...eyes as bright as emeralds and as clear as the heavens, the curious eyes of a man of gentle humor, who smiled easily and often, and who seemed amused by what he saw as he looked full on me...and then for some odd reason I found myself smiling back without quite knowing the reason.

And then the glow about him began to fade, and he casually unfolded his legs, setting them upon the ground so that he could stand erectly to his full height of nearly two full meters (minus perhaps no more than a couple of English-style inches). That made him very tall indeed by my reckoning, through his physical stature was a bald understatement to how much I knew he towered above us in other senses that I will not bother to mention.

And yet...and yet for all that I was in awe of his appearance, for some reason it was not terror of a kind that I would associate with fear that held me dumbstruck. Something about his very presence warmed me and told me that there was nothing to be afraid of in his presence...and yet still I could not shake the feeling that there was much, much more to him than what he would reveal upon a casual greeting.

And then his voice, gentle, mellow and well-pitched, warm with humor as he said, "So...you are back already, and I see that you have brought your lovely daughter with you."

Despite myself I felt my cheeks grow rosy with a blush, for though I am quite happy in my marriage it would have taken a heart of stone not to be affected by the flattering way in which he seemed to address me indirectly.

"You jest with me, Lord Anri," Lotion smiled, "I am returned with my apprentice, as I did promise."

"Indeed," the man called Anri said as he fully regarded us, eyes never straying far from my person, "Well met indeed, Saotome Nabiki, Lore Master and Wife of a Nexus."

"Ah..." I stammered shyly, "You...know me, sir...?" I hesitated before asking, "Anri?"

"The name means Air and Fire," Lotion answered for me, "He is one of the Daokan, the Four Lords of the Way of Life and Order. You know of him by other names, for he is a figure out of legend..."

"Please," Anri said with a casual dismissal, "I am really not all that important in the greater scheme of things. I only fill a niche in destiny, as much as anyone can who truly matters."

"So speaks the humility for which you are also legend," Lotion replied, giving me a coy look before adding, "Don't let this charming flatterer deceive you, Student. He has a way with women that's the talk of many another legend. Why, in one of his past incarnations there is a tale of how he once came upon a field full of virgin milkmaids and..."

"Please don't repeat that one," Anri urged, "I've been living it down for the past four incarnations, and my wife is quite thoroughly tired of being reminded that she was one of those milk maids."

"You have a wife?" I asked, trying not to sound disappointed.

"He's been married to her through at least seven of his previous nine incarnations," Lotion informed me.

"Whoah," I said, "That's not a marriage, that's a serial habit."

"Tell me about it," he smiled, "Now then...I understand that you have been having some difficulties back on your home timeline with a certain daemon who seems to believe that you pose a threat to her continuing existence...and so she is intent on threatening your present existence, am I right?"

"Are you ever wrong?" Lotion replied for me before turning to me and saying, "Lord Anri is aware of things that even Lore Masters find difficult to fathom, but when you spend over ten thousand years in ten different incarnations as him you ought to be able to pick a few things out of the void at random."

"You are too kind," Anri nodded, "So now, if you would care to lend me an ear, Mrs. Saotome, I would like to ask a favor of you, something in the way of a business proposition..."

"But what about Cybelle?" I asked.

"Oh, that's already being attended to even as we speak," Anri assured me, "What I asked your mentor to bring you here for is an entirely different matter, one that has great importance beyond what you know, or even what you suspect that you know. In other words...I wish to ask you for your assistance."

"My assistance, Sir?" I asked rather meekly, because what I was feeling from just the near presence of this guy told me that he was a lot more evolved as a spiritual being than I was as a mere Lore Master, and the idea that I could be helping him was more than a bit disconcerting.

"Oh yes," he smiled gently, and suddenly I saw a sadness in his eyes that was weighted with a depth of wisdom that really did make me feel foolish, "You are the very one who can help make the difference. For you see...there is a world very much like your own where another you resides, and she is presently in a state that prevents her from protecting herself and the very valuable legacy in which the fates have entrusted her. As you are momentarily at liberty to act in her place you are the perfect candidate to foil the intent of one who would render her much mischief."

"Another reality with a me in it?" I groaned softly and turned an askance glance towards Lotion, "Not again! Just how many other realities are you planning on dragging me through just to show me that I've got it better than the rest...?"

"This is not one of those commonplace realities that I have introduced you to in the past, Student," my Mentor chided me, "We are not doing another reprise of 'It's a Wonderful Life' here. The reality that Lord Anri refers to is a special continuity line where the you that is of their present has very much achieved a level of prosperity and self-contentment equal to what you know of your own life."

"Yeah, yeah, like I haven't heard that one before," I said before turning back to Lord Anri, "Ahm...not to quibble or anything, Sir...but why exactly do you need my help? No offence...but from what I can tell just being around you...I should think you're more than capable of fighting your own battles."

"A very good point, and it is true, I do prefer to fight my own battles," Anri replied, "But I am a guardian of the Path of Life, and the enemy I oppose is a Lord of Ultimate Darkness who has set his eye upon this particular reality's destruction. For now he operates through his chosen agents and proxies, and so I must do likewise in order to maintain the balance, for to act too directly...well, that could set in motion a chain of very unfortunate circumstances."

"Such as?" I asked, seeking further clarification.

He paused as if to consider the point then said, "Suppose that there was a man who took to the hobby of raising a colony of ants within a cage of glass that comprised the whole world of his selection. Now it is certainly condescending to infer that humans are mere ants or that I myself would be a giant in relation to ordinary men, and so the analogy is awkward...but for the sake of the matter, suppose another giant comes along and decides to sow mischief in the colony by introducing some rogue ants who will disrupt the harmony of the ants within their dominion. What if the first giant opposes the actions of the second giant and the two of them take to quarreling with one another on top of the ant hill..."

"In other words...the two giants fight and the ants get stepped on?" I fathomed rather quickly.

"You catch on quickly," he said with a smile, "I knew you were an excellent choice for this assignment. You have a ready grasp of the variables, and the obvious with you need not be overstated."

"Right, got it," I said grimly, comprehending at once what he meant, because of the enemy of this guy were commensurately as strong with him then I sure as hell did not want to meet that fellow in any dark alleys. But then I cocked my head as I regarded him and asked, "Tell me something, Anri-san...do you usually instruct people through syllogisms and analogies...or even parables and stories?"

"One of my favorite teaching methods," he said with a twinkling in his eye that caused my stomach to sink even lower than my intestines.

"That's...what I was afraid of," I said with a gulp, suddenly understanding a LOT more about this guy than I even cared to know, and all at once it made perfect sense what I was picking up about him, all the various hints and clues to his real identity, and the sudden realization that I was standing in the presence of someone who walked a whole lot closer to the center of all being than I could ever dream of ascending.

"Now then," he resumed as though ignoring the certain knowledge that he knew that I knew now about his true nature, "I only need for you to visit this realm for a couple of days and then you can return safe and sound to your own world, and by the time you get back home you'll find that the matter which has currently daunted you will be resolved in a positive light. In the meantime...stay focused and sharp, for the cunning of this enemy will test your abilities and teach you much about the balance between darkness and light."

"If you say so, Sir," I said, squaring my shoulders, "So...when do I get started?"

"Now seems perfect," Anri suggested, nodding off towards the distance, "This being the crossroads between the branches of various worlds, it is quite easy to access any point in all of creation, but for our purposes the journey is neither long nor very far a travel. Just a few steps beyond and you are in a world as much alike as different from the one you leave behind, and there your path awaits you, and the challenge, if you accept it."

At one time I would have hesitated, discussed terms for my services and set a price for compensation for my time and the inconvenience of what was sure to be a rather difficult assignment. After all this journey would take me far away from my own world and the company of my loved ones, but as I was fairly certain that my participation was important to this powerful and enigmatic new acquaintance of mine I did not feel the urge to quibble over the particulars. Instead I merely answered, "Very well, I accept the assignment. Am I at liberty to use my own discretion in this matter?"

"You are completely free to do as you believe is right and necessary," Anri replied, "I will observe and only contact you when there is need, but not to interfere. You are your own agent, and I trust in you to be worthy of your teachings."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said without meaning to be sarcastic and I started to move forward when the strange other realm between dimensions did a fade out and resolved into a more familiar real-world setting. A few steps further and I was back upon the streets of Nerima once again, and quite alone at the moment as I paused to glance around, discerning it to be late autumn, which was the same exact season as on my world, meaning that this timeline was roughly in synch with my own, which I made a mental note of and filed away for future reference.

Beyond that, however, I sensed something very different upon the winds, a feeling that this world held remarkable differences from the conditions with which I was familiar. I'd already been to several alternate dimensional realities and was accustomed to the rule changes that invariably followed a transition, but this one was unlike any other in that I felt a strong resonance here that had my name attached to it. That mean that there was a counterpart of mine here who was above the average high schooler and not like the milksops I sometimes encountered who never left home, never trained to be anything special, and most of all never got it on with Ranma...

Or even Shampoo for that matter.

But this reality held surprises galore, and as I stood there absorbing the significance of the ambient field that was this world's Akashic structure I could sense the echoes of things in the past that were moving towards the present, and in that moment I began to view a kaleidoscope of images and sensations in which I was the central player in much larger drama. It was fascinating to say the least, because it began almost twelve years in the past, about the time when Ranma began his training mission with his father.

But that was where the divergence began, and where the strangeness followed, for rather than see Ranma leaving home at an early age I witnessed a younger version of myself in the company of uncle Genma, leaving Nerima at his side and going abroad to study the martial arts and becoming thoroughly immersed in what was supposed to be Ranma's world of adventure. I then see myself coming back to Nerima a very different person, much stronger and hardened by my years of endless fighting, and I see myself returning home a change woman, far more confident and self-possessed and aware of my abilities, and ready to turn my back on the whole affair because of the taint laid upon me through my uncle's negligence.

In other words I see myself as Ranma...or rather myself as Ranma was meant to be, only I'm the one with the Jusenkyo curse, and the one who's the top notch martial artist of Nerima.

More images follow, the memories of battle, of seeing myself going up against a series of strong opponents who arise to challenge my position. I see a large giant of a man who stands wrapped in pain and masked in the continence of death, and yet it is by my own hand that he perishes. I see other challengers, tough ones who make interesting for me and those around me, and one who wears the aspect of a tiger. And strong allies who fight by my side, just as they had in my world, even though some faces and names are unfamiliar to me.

But one among them who is very familiar is also the one whom I most expect to be there by my side. I see Ranma, I feel his love and support, and I know that on this timeline he is both my partner and my husband. I feel the bonds that unify us and I know that they have been well tested, and I know that we share a destiny that was meant to be the defining union of our mutual existence. And there are others in our union...not just Shampoo but two others who are just as important.

Ukyo is one of our partners, which is not really all that surprising given how her fate seems linked with our own on many different timelines...but the fifth party in our family grouping is a warrior whom I barely even know on my own timeline. Shampoo's adopted cousin Perfume...the one who is known as the Enforcer for the Joketsuzoku. Here she is tied to Ukyo, and through her to both me, Shampoo and Ranma.

Curious...a five-way marriage? Unorthodox to say the least, but only a degree or two removed from the three-way union that Shampoo and I share with Ranma, so I guess I can see the viability of such an arrangement. I listen to the Powers whisper the story in my ear of how it came about and concede that it makes sense under such a context, so then I turn my attention more towards the present, attempting to perceive the reason why I am here, and what purpose Lord Anri might have for leading me to such a world, other than for curiosity's sake.

And that is when the real surprise catches my attention, as a familiar voice breaks in on my reverie to say, "Well, come on. Are you just going to stand around all day and play voyeur, or do we get on with your supposed mission?"

I turn to see Lotion standing there close by...only I instantly perceive that she is not the Lotion whom I know but rather the local counterpart to my own mentor. She is giving me a cross look that speaks of thinly veiled impatience, and I can sense that she is attempting to size me up in the same way that I am studying her, for despite what she must know me to be I am still a relative stranger to her reckoning, which makes the moment somewhat awkward for us both.

I attempt to recover my bearings by saying, "Ah...excuse me. I wasn't expecting a reception."

"Well, you have one, young lady," she informs me in no uncertain terms, "And I don't know what sort of indulgent behavior you may be expecting on my end, just as I have little idea what my counterpart considers proper teaching methods for her apprentice, but with me you should expect much firmer standards."

"I'll be certain to pass that along to your counterpart when next I see her, Elder," I reply, "Do I take it that you're the one who asked Lord Anri for a favor?"

"Not I," she assures me, "But when the Lord Anri speaks, it is a wise woman who listens and heeds his lightest suggestion. I trust that you are advanced enough in the art to know why this is wisdom?"

"I think I have a pretty firm idea," I replied, only to hesitate before adding, "But...is he really who he appears to be? I'm afraid I find it...more than a bit incredible..."

"Then obviously you have progressed far enough in the art or you would know what is to be expected when you meet the Buddha," my mentor's counterpart informs me while turning away, "Understand that he is never what you expect him to be, he is what he is, and that is why he is the Lord Anri."

"I guess," I replied dubiously, automatically falling into step at her side as she begins to conduct me on this strange journey, "It's just that...we never covered this in my training. I've met gods and demons a plenty in my travels...but...never one like him."

"Anri is less than a god but quite substantially more than an ordinary man," the Lotion of this world replies, "He is Daokan, one of the Four Lords of the Way, and anything else that might be said about him is wasted self indulgence. Anri himself would be the first to deny that he is in any part what myth and legend would make him out to be, for he has lived ten lives under different aliases, and in no two has he been exactly the same individual...and yet in every lifetime he remains Anri."

"The Lord of Air and Fire," I gently murmur, "Mahurabsammatrusara...the Man in the Center of the Eye of God, Maitreya..."

"Those are merely titles, pay them no heed," Lotion said curtly, "Whether Boddidharma, Sidhartha or even Hermes Trimigestes, he is a man by any name...just more evolved than others. If you were to spend enough time around him you would understand better, and still he would be Anri."

"I'll try and take that to heart, Sensei," I reply, seeing that we are approaching this world's equivalent of my home, the Tendo compound, "Now...what is the task that I've been asked to perform here, and why is this world's Nabiki incapable of rendering it for herself?"

"That you shall learn soon enough, or you are no fit student on any timeline," this Lotion replies curtly, and I begin to wonder at her unusually crusty tone when dealing with me, as if she were deliberately attempting to keep me at a distance, "For now it would be best if we approach unseen, so keep your ears and eyes open and move as I do through the shadows."

I did not bother to acknowledge that I understood her instructions, for to do so would have implied that I was not a very good student of the art. Instead I followed her example, altering my aura to match her resonance and effect a mental field of insolvency (which is not to be confused with actual invisibility, which merely involves the bending of light waves). With our presence thus masked against ordinary detection we entered the compound and made our way towards the main house, and already I could sense substantial differences within the ether.

For one thing no scent of Oni was at hand, which meant that Atsuko Hibiki and her cousin were not present. Neither way Ryoga, at least that I could detect, though perhaps there was a lingering trace odor of his presence, meaning that he was a frequent visitor but not a full time resident. In their place was a different kind of odor that I did not at first know how to place, sickly sweet with a taste of attar mingled with cinnamon and cedar, which are the sort of odors you might find at a funeral parlor...and yet no sense of looming death could I discern, which left out that most obvious of associations.

I also did not detect the presence of another Lore Master, and thus Silk was similarly absent from the firmament. In a way that was a shame as I had grown accustomed to daddy taking a second wife who bears a similar likeness to our late, lamented mother. Silk had her faults, and I could list them at my leisure, but after months of living around her I had finally come to accept that she really does care about our father, and daddy's been a lot more vigorous and happy since she's been around, so I chalk up more positives than negatives in her coming to live with us in Nerima.

On the other hand Aunt Nodoka is a presence I would know anywhere, and Uncle Genma was somewhere around lying about indolently in panda form, so at least that much of life around here was normal.

But as we move around behind the main building I was coming to sense considerable differences in the place quite beyond the change of residency. For one thing laughing voices greeted our ears, and then we paused to observe three small children rushing past and around this side of the dojo, all three moving quite fluidly upon tiny little legs, and not one of them taller in stature than my waist, though their apparent ages did not match what I sensed to be their actual chronological state of development.

Wait a moment, my mind belatedly reacted. Children? Obviously someone had started out a lot sooner here than on my world, and I at once discerned that the oldest of the trio had distinctly lavender colored hair, and her urchin-like features were a blending of characteristic traits that I at once recognized as a blend of myself and a certain Amazon of my delightful acquaintance.

Shampoo and me? I blinked and recoiled at the implications, but my mind at once perceived the story behind her conception and I mentally watched the events of well over a year gone by, then turned to Lotion and said aloud, "I got her pregnant?"

"Did you imagine someone else did the deed for you?" she replied, and I belatedly had to admit that such a thing was not only possible but most likely inevitable if I had indeed taken Ranma's place during that visit to Joketsuzoku.

After all, Ranma was largely ignorant of matters sexual and had been female when he and Shampoo had their first dramatic encounter. A male me, still new to the transformation, would have been a ripe prize for an Amazon to seize for a husband, and given what I know about their marriage rituals I can't see my other self as being all that much on her guard when the Elders slipped her a certain potion that was intended to "ease the transition into marriage." No doubt my counterpart woke up the next morning with a surprise in her bed and undoubtedly hit the panic button...or else Uncle Genma smuggled me out of town rather than have the both of us face the music later. I can only just imagine what sort of story he would have concocted to tell Daddy when Shampoo showed up some weeks later in Japan and with the evidence of our night together growing inside her.

At any rate it was daunting enough to think of myself with a curse that turns me into a man, much as Ukyo possesses in my own time...and considering the effect his male half has upon women, I could only imagine what sort of stud magnet that would make my counterpart. The obvious question for me, then, would be how Ranma would have come to accept someone that Bishonen for a co-husband. But then again, one glance at the second of the trio of young girls scampering past us was enough to inform me that I was far from the only one who was guilty of gender-swapping parental confusion. The girl with the brown hair had Ukyo written all over her features, but there was another cast that did not match Ranma's distinctive traits, and as I sought to discern who the other parent was I got a helpful clue in the form of a full grown woman who rounded the bend chasing after the children as though attempting to herd them back towards the dojo.

I had known Perfume the Enforcer only for a brief time when she had come to visit Shampoo in the company of my wife's former lover, Lotion the Younger, so I recognized this girl on the spot without too much effort, but with my mind now open to the prospect of her as a co-marriage partner I was taking a better look at her now, and finding what I observed was very much to my liking. She has many of the same qualities that I find so special in Shampoo, only if anything she may be a bit prettier and more lushly well developed. Her curves were definitely noticeable and there was a softness to her face that implied that domestic life had been very good for her indeed. I also marked that she had the same Jusenkyo curse that my Shampoo has borne for over a year since leaving China. Well...not exactly the same as her cursed form did not sprout wings, but in most other respects she was just as kawaii as Shampoo and liked riding shoulders in the selfsame sensual manner.

I could also feel the strength and vitality of her spirit, and she was a warrior beyond question, marked with a tinge of tragedy and former loneliness that had been caused by her hypersensitive condition. I could sense that she was not quite so lonely or hypersensitive these days, just as I mentally pictured her spending a lot of time around Ukyo, and one peculiar image of her transformed into a man in order to get her co-wife pregnant...something about a temporary exchange of curses with this world's Nabiki.

Very curious indeed, and yet as I studied her and perceived these things I also sensed that she was aware of a similar disturbance in the ether, and she turned a wary glance our way as though attempting to puzzle out some anomaly that she may have picked up with her hyper senses. A Sentinel, I realized, and gifted with abilities that were well beyond the threshold of normal human senses. She would not quite be so easy to avoid or confuse by means of our mental camouflage fields, and so Lotion and I remained perfectly motionless while she appeared to be gazing right at us without seeing.

And then a familiar voice caught her attention and called her away, and then I saw a very heavyset Ukyo treading carefully up to join her, and I took in by her swollen abdomen that she was three pregnant by this world's Ranma. I thought pregnancy looked very good on her and was not unduly jealous over the matter, but even as I tried to fathom how Ranma could be married to both her and this Amazon while sharing a bed with me and Sham-chan I found myself growing distracted by the sight of Perfume gazing lovingly at Ukyo, and from that understood that there were bonds of emotion here that went well beyond conventional understanding.

I my world Ukyo and I are just friends, nothing more than that, but here this Ukyo is best friends with her Nabiki. They had met in childhood and formed lasting ties of friendship that were strengthened during middle school, and yet this Ukyo had been motivated by a different set of challenges that had prompted her to seek out Ranma for a challenge match, and all because Uncle Genma had foolishly let slip to her father that his son would make a good match for any man's daughter. The complicated web of lies and false promises had resulted in an affair of honor that had obligated Ranma to accept their engagement as valid, but it was only after coming to a very difficult business agreement that we managed to square things with our own engagement, and the inconvenient fact that my counterpart was already married to Shampoo when all of this happened.

You can imagine that my mind was spinning at the implications about this point when Ukyo and Perfume began walking arm-and-arm together back towards the dojo. The two young scamps at their feet...I knew intuitively that their names were Fragrance and Lylac, were being herded back towards where the rest of their family was gathered for the evening...but then I chanced to notice how the third young girl, the curious redhead, was glancing back at me with a quizzical look, and her gaze was not abstracted, which meant that she somehow was seeing past the field of my illusion.

I wanted to know whose daughter she was, for I sensed that she was not directly part of the family unit. But then a tall redhead trotted into view and I knew instinctively that she was the child's mother. There was something disturbingly different about this new face in the crowd that made me extend my senses to include the Akashic field around her, and all at once I felt the strong reverberation of divinity, and I knew that she had the blood of the gods within her. I also recoiled in amazement at the powerful life force that beat within her well-formed breast, and for some peculiar reason I could perceive the shadows of giant figures framing the space around her...one of them wearing a cape with a large "S" symbol emblazoned there, another a burly man wearing a dusty lion's skin, and the forth shadow that of a star spangled woman.

Truly my counterpart upon this time had formed alliances with some very unusual people, but I knew intuitively that this was not one of my counterpart's lovers...rather there was another presence with whom I felt the crimson ties of blood fate had been forged in a furnace of battle and adventure...and sure enough I soon saw a strikingly beautiful woman with ivory hair grace the scene with her presence. She was heavy with child but still quite a stunning beauty, and she wrapped an arm around the redhead with a casual ease that spoke of long practice and much devotion, and without needing to know the means by which it had been rendered I sensed that she was the redheaded child's other parent.

Indeed there were stories to be told here, and I was sufficiently intrigued that I had to study the matter even further.

Lotion indulged me this unvoiced desire as we walked to where the dojo was and observed how the family was sitting down to table, which already was laden heavily with prepared food fit for a banquet. There at the table I found a version of my wife almost exactly as I had left her, heavily pregnant and radiant with delight at her condition. And there beside her...I found me. Or rather I found the version of me that was native to this world...but unlike anything that I had been prepared to witness I found that my counterpart was bulging at the center and no less pregnant than Shampoo herself.

Now that took me by surprise completely for I knew my twin had a Jusenkyo curse that turns her into a man, and it is an accepted fact that Nanniichuan victims cannot get pregnant. Ukyo, I well know, could not sustain an embryo without her turning into a man and voiding her conception. It's like trying to avoid getting splashed with cold water for six-to-nine months, the very nature of the curses is such that they all but draw cold water to you like a magnet.

And yet there she was, me in every detail that truly matters, and quite near to term by the look and feel of such things, and acting sociable as if she were the head of the household calmly dispensing her duties like a Matriarch of Clan Saotome. Shampoo was doting on her with eyes soft with delight and admiration, and Ukyo was conceding seniority through casual gestures and body language, clearly acknowledging that this Nabiki was the head of her household. Perfume sat attentively as though accustomed to taking the lowest ranking position, and without conveying any sort of defensiveness I could sense that she was the protective one who was quietly supportive of her loved ones, not conformable with taking orders but rather quite content to receive them.

There was only one presence that I noted was lacking at this setting, that of Ranma himself, but as I formed that thought I felt his nearness and was strangely comforted. I turned to see him approach but was at once struck by a sense that there was more different about him than even what I observed as different between myself and my counterpart. He moved differently from my Ranma, not quite so brash and cocky, much more measured and attentive. There was a softer edge about him, a lack of the kind of hardiness that I sensed in this Nabiki. He was more of a "Momma's boy" since he had spent his years in a home surrounded by family and was, as such, less weathered and far less worldly than my Ranma. I also sensed that he had shadows of his own attending him, for I perceived the presence of other intelligences coiled in and around him, as though he were in special alliance with some curiously otherworldly forces.

The women greeted him and he smiled back as he took his place at the side of his Nabiki, and the easy way in which his wives accepted his company informed me that he had earned their open affection and was recognized as husband even by Perfume, whom I had previously thought indifferent to the male sex. There were pleasantly sensual hints in their thoughts that all five of them enjoyed a vigorous sex life, and by that I became aware of something else peculiar about this version of my Ranma. He had a way with women that was transcendentally physical, as though his martial arts prowess also extended to a mastery of the bedroom. I was sufficiently intrigued by this that I wanted to tarry further, to fathom what secret arts he might know, and to study them for my own unique advantage.

But Lotion drew my attention away from thoughts of pilfering his secrets and instead she murmured, "Try and stay focused. Despite the tranquility of this setting there is much amiss here, and we must be on our guard against the cause that has summoned us here at the direction of Lord Anri."

I wanted to say something curt to the old woman but I knew that she was in the right, much though I wanted to be distracted. There was something quite charming about the domestic scene of this place that made me yearn to play the voyeur to my counterpart's lifestyle. This was certainly a different kind of alternate reality from the ones I had studied before in other transworld journeys. For one thing I was very much drawn to the question surrounding the silver-haired woman sitting closely to the redhead, and I wondered why it was that I had never encountered such a duo on my world. There was something almost familiar about them and I could sense that they were closely tied to my own family. I was just beginning to pick up the gist of their names when I chanced to sense that faint disturbing air that Lotion herself had just noticed.

I turned around and scanned the night, seeing a presence hovering in the air taking shape on the breeze in the form of a strange glowing pair of eyes casting down with a look of almost malevolence. I could feel the intelligence behind that gaze and was at once on my guard, feeling as though the gathering night itself were staring down looking to cause us mischief.

And then the strangest thing of all happened. From off to the sides the night detached itself from the shadows and took the form of a rather curious young woman who was dressed head to foot in tight fitting black garments, a cape opening to reveal a rapier in the hand of this stranger, who moved away from the dojo and assumed a fighting crouch, her ruby eyes fixed not at my family but rather towards the hostile set of eyes that I had witnessed.

In a breathy voice she cried out, "Beware, my lords and ladies! I am sensing danger!"

"Lenore-san?" I heard this world's Ranma call out to the stranger.

"Something the matter, Sugar?" Ukyo asked with seeming casualness, but I could see her hand sliding under the table to grip the handle of her near ever-present baker's peel, just as Perfume by her side was suddenly sporting a pair of broad-  
blade double-axes.

The stranger-who had shot-cropped red hair and bore the curious sent that I had detected earlier, only hissed and revealed a wicked set of fangs that would impressed a Hibiki, her rapier extended in challenge towards the glowing eyes that we both could see-did not immediately reply, but all at once I was startled to find a full grown wolf flanking by her side and growling menacingly as though to lend the redhead support and extra menace. My senses warned me that they both had the strong presence of the supernatural about them, but then I felt a third ethereal presence move into play, and I recognized them as a formidable trio who haunted the dojo like spiritual guardians, raising the protective banner of their combined might in challenge of the evil I still sensed.

My counterpart remained calm and as possessed of her wits as though this were a fairly routine occurrence as she spoke softly to her Ranma, "Ranchan...I think we have a visitor. Do be prepared to give them a proper greeting."

"Right," Ranma was on his feet in one fluid motion, confirming for me that-  
while not quite as hardened as my Ranma-he certainly had good battle instincts and could be counted on in a fight as a very formidable ally.

Similarly the redhead at the end of the table stood up over her own silver-  
haired girlfriend and set hands to hip as though ready for action. She scanned the night, apparently looking for trouble, then flexed one powerful arm and growled very softly, "Think we should wait here for whoever it is to show up, or should we go out there and give 'em the business?"

"Let 'em come," Ranma growled while smacking fist-to-palm in a distinctively Ranma-esque manner, "Anybody wants to start something, he's come to the wrong place."

I felt the air tense, then heard the soft tread of footsteps as a solid form took shape in the garden, then slowly turned to regard a man who manifested his presence there, moving into the light to reveal himself in all his puissant glory.

I didn't need any introductions to know that this guy was a mage. In my line of work you can feel the presence of someone who is accustomed to working with high level magic...it's kind of like knowing the difference between the auras of warriors and mages. Or like Siren the Archmage and contrasting her with Lotion. Mages have that certain feeling about them that pulls on the force lines that surround them the way a lodestone does with iron filings. You have to be trained in reading energy flow and auras to understand what I'm getting at here...the fact that a Mage stands out like a torch in a fog bank when compared with ordinary mortals. They don't just live and breathe the magic, they embody it, and power is in their very being.

I could feel this guy as he approached and it made me very, very nervous, because my experience around mages has cautioned me never to take them for granted. Though some people might think Lore Masters are a kind of mage, I know for a fact that we most definitely are not of the same system. Amazon Mages study ancient wisdom for the sake of acquiring the power to shape the heavens. This guy had a very strong, tenacious air of Power within him and it was making my skin crawl, for though he was more Grey than Dark I could literally feel his intelligence and knew that he was both ruthless and cunning, the sort of guy you don't cross in a dark alley.

He seemed to take no notice of Lenore as he swept the rest of the family with a glance, and then he said, in cultured tones, "I take it that you are the family of Saotome-Tendo and Kuonji?"

"Who wants to know?" Ranma asked without a hint of warmth or welcome.

"My name is Shang Kwan," the man replied, "And I have come a long distance to find you. I take it that you are the one named Saotome Ranma, husband to Tendo Nabiki, as well as the Amazon warriors known as Xian-Pu and Par-Fume, to say nothing of the lovely warrior-chef known as Kuonji Ukyo?"

"You have found us, Sir," my counterpart answered, "Now mind telling us what's so important that you feel like interrupting our dinner?"

"My apologies if I seem rude," the man replied, "But my business is important to me, and I cannot spare the moment to explain my actions. I only need one thing from you and then I shall be on my way, so do yourselves a favor and do not interfere with my business."

"What kind of business?" the woman named Lenore demanded.

For the first time the stranger actually looked at her, "The kind I have already informed you cannot be divulged at this time. And you should be more mindful where you point such things, Vampire."

I saw the power flare up from within the man and would have shouted a warning but for the hand that Lotion placed on me to restrain my impulses. Instead I watched helplessly as this Shang Kwan raised a hand and performed some sort of complex gesture, and all at once ruby rays of light struck the redhead and wrapped themselves around her body, causing her to lose her grip on her blade as she and the wolf fell to the ground writhing in agony as though the coils had electrified their respective nervous systems.

Another gesture and I saw a white shape fly back into a wall and strike it hard as a presence that had been all but invisible until now slumped to the floor in an ethereal heap. Another gesture and yet more ruby coils wrapped themselves around the legs of the other redhead, causing her to stagger and fall forward while the silver-haired girl called out her name as, "Aiko!"

By this point Perfume was already on her feet and hurled both axes at the stranger, even as Ranma made a gesture of his own and caused coils of living flame to manifest at the tips of his finger. Shang Kwan hardly broke a sweat as he made another gesture and caused the axes to bounce off of an energy shield that flared up in the space around him, and then with his other hand he projected a cloud of ionized energy particles that smothered the flames and caused them to collapse upon the floor of the dojo, taking the shape of a rather strikingly beautiful woman.

All of this was witnessed by the others, even as Ukyo got to her feet and Shampoo rose with bonbori in hand, and Perfume drew another set of axes from concealment. I saw my counterpart staring hard at the man and could perceive that she was studying him intently, apparently attempting to fathom his moves and to discern the best means of counter-attacking...but before anyone could take another step further Shang Kwan lifted both arms and summoned even more power than before, crafting it in both hands in the form of a spell that I could see him literally folding like paper origami.

The next thing you know he casts the spell not at my family but rather at the entire dojo, and all at once time freezes, slowing to a crawl, and everyone is locked in mid-motion by the temporary stall that has them all immobilized like flies in literal amber. I marveled at such a casual manipulation of eldrich energies and rated this guy as no amateur, but then I perceive that he is moving deliberately forward and sense that he has bad intentions in mind, and so I resolve to stop playing observer and to take an active hand in the matter.

Lotion did not bother to dissuade me, so I took it for granted that this was the reason why I was here, and thus I dropped my mental shields and stood revealed before the stranger. He quite literally stopped in his tracks and looked upon me with surprise in his expression, but then his eyes narrow tightly and I hear him his out the words, "Lore Master."

"Guilty as charged," I replied, "I take it you know what I am capable of, Mage, so I will ask you kindly to take your business elsewhere and leave these people alone. Or else."

"Hmph...merely an apprentice," he said dismissively, and then another gesture caused a bolt of energy to course in my direction.

But unlike with his previous attacks I stand my ground and reach out to seize the spell in hand, and I literally pick through the complex pattern of its weaving to disassemble it and break it apart into its component fragments.

This time I earn a look of grudging respect as he revises his estimation of me, "Intermediate level them. Very well, you have earned this as token of my respect for your abilities."

And that's when all hell breaks loose as I feel him marshalling forces that literally make my arm hairs stand on end. I hear him invoking names of eldrich power and can sense the eyes of various deities and demons being focused my way, and then I'm hit with a literal wave of force that sets my nervous system ablaze, and I'm picked up off my feet and sent crashing into the temporal field that presently imprisons the residents of the dojo. The good news is that my presence disrupts his earlier spell...but the bad news is that the resultant release of energy knocks me for a loop, to say nothing of everyone else currently standing.

Time goes haywire in my head and I momentarily lose consciousness, but then I awake with the sense that the mage is gone and his spells have departed with him. Also something else is missing that I cannot quite put my finger to, but thankfully all of my body parts appear to be attached and in good working order.

Or at least for the moment.

Because the next thing I know Perfume is standing over me and she has her axes raised in a threatening manner. Likewise Ukyo and her baker's peel is aimed at my neck, while Shampoo is standing over me with raised bonbori, and even Ranma is looking more than a little hostile.

"Who the heck are you?" he demands, "And why the hell do you look just like Nabiki?"

I move my eyes and see my counterpart looking down at me with a "That is a very good question" kind of expression, so I take a moment to take stock of the whole affair, then very carefully inform them, "I am not your enemy...please don't do anything hasty."

"Such as?" my counterpart replies.

"Well," I glance around at the alternate family and then decide a quick demonstration is in order, and so I move fluidly to my feet while sweeping the legs out from under Ukyo, summoning raw energy to send Shampoo back by several paces while I turn to meet an attack by Perfume, raising a shield to deflect both axes so that I can gain an opening and put my palm to her chest, projecting just enough force to send her to her knees without impairing her nervous system.

I turn as I sense a flaring of energy, and all at once it is this world's Ranma I am facing. I look into his eyes and see the fires burning up from within him, and so I reach out and take that fire, plucking it out of the air so that it coils about one arm in the form of a writhing serpent.

"Hello," I say to the hissing serpent of flames, containing its energies within a field of my own construction as I fathom its true nature then say, "Salamander, right? An interesting pet you've acquired here, Ranchan."

"Don't call me that!" my husband's counterpart says, and with his other arm he summons up a silvery dragon, only this one composed entirely of water.

"Let me at him!" the brawny redhead named Aiko declares as she shoulders her way forward, looking ready to start something nasty, "I'll work the truth out of her..."

"Alison, stand down," my counterpart says, "Ranma...keep tight hold over Sharil. Let's not jump to any conclusions here. You were saying before about doing something hasty?"

"Such as might start something that none of us would enjoy very much," I answer levelly, keeping a firm grip on the salamander, "And before you ask, I really am Saotome Nabiki."

"How is so?" Shampoo demands of me, "Airen is over here, and so you cannot be Airen."

"Ah...actually," I turn to a recovering Perfume, "Maybe you would like to confirm that I'm not an imposter, even if I'm not quite so...pregnant?"

"Guys," Perfume says in surprisingly colloquial Japanese while rubbing her solar plexus, "I am detecting her scent, and she does smell very much like Nabiki...only I think she is pregnant. Just not that far along, if you know what I'm saying."

"Say what?" Ranma asked, staring at me as if trying to disbelieve his own senses.

"So she's a good copy," Ukyo insisted, "Just not all that perfect. She doesn't have your warrior's braid for one thing, Nab-chan, and for a second thing...why did she show up just now when that creep came here to kidnap our kids?"

"Say what?" I reacted, "He...kidnapped your babies?"

"As if you not know," Shampoo sniffed, and boy do I hate to be on the receiving end of one of her patented glares, especially when I know how good she is with her maces.

"Really, I don't," I insist, "I'm not here as an enemy. I was...sent here by a friend, but I'm from another dimension."

"Pull the other one," my counterpart snorts, "Why should we believe you?"

"Because she speaks the truth," Lotion answered for me.

"Huh?" Ranma gasped as he whirled around to recognize the old woman, "Where the heck did you come from?"

"Elder?" Perfume asked.

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo exclaimed, "Lore Master Lotion?"

"She is the Tendo Nabiki, ne Saotome, from a parallel timeline very different from this one," Lotion explained for my benefit, "Only on her world...she is my apprentice."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you people," I say while passing the salamander back towards Ranma, "Here...yours, I believe."

I watch in fascination as the salamander coils and snakes around Ranma's outstretched hand, and then both she and the silver serpent vanish altogether while Ranma just looks at me in puzzlement and says, "Your...apprentice?"

"I am a Lore Master," I reply, giving my counterpart a firm, hard look, "And I think the two of us should talk, especially if that creep made off with your children."

"Obviously so," the other Nabiki replies, looking me over, then pausing to add, "Did you say that you're name is also...Saotome?"

"Ranma is my husband," I answer, "Only on our world it's Shampoo alone who's our other Airen."

"Aiyaa?" this Shampoo replies, but she has put away her bonbori and no longer favors me with a hostile disposition.

"Are you saying Perchan and me aren't part of the deal where you come from, Sugar?" Ukyo asks, still skeptical but obviously listening now that I have an Amazon Elder's backing.

"Not strictly speaking, no," I answer frankly, "And on my world your counterpart is seeing someone else from her past...a girl named Kino Makoto."

"Mako-chan?" Ukyo responded with lifted eyebrows.

"Makoto?" I see Perfume give a narrow-eyed glance at her companion, and I can already sense that I've sparked what will likely be a lively discussion of Kuonji's past with my idle revelation, and so I resolve not to mention Akane at this time, knowing full well how that might further complicate the matter.

"I got a feeling I'd like to hear more in detail about your life and situation," my sister counterpart says frankly, "But first I want to know more about that creep who came here and abducted our children."

"Believe me," I say, "I want to know just as much about that as you do. But first we need to find out who that Shang Kwan character is, and then find out what he was doing here and what he wants with your kids."

"I can answer that question," Lotion says with grim pronouncement, "Shang Kwan is a name known to the Amazons from long ago. He hails from a remote providence deep in the heart of central China, and he is very ancient and adept at the mystical arts of Taoism. He is neither good nor entirely evil, but he cares nothing for people, only the accumulation of power through greater knowledge."

"So what does he want with our kids for?" Ranma demanded.

"Yeah," the girl named Alison affirmed, "Why'd he take little Eileen along with Lylac and Fragrance?"

"I think I know the reason," the silver haired woman-whom I learned just then was named Beatrice Daitokuji, "Or rather...I dread to suspect that I know it. He wants our children because they are all...very special."

"More than even you know," Lotion replied, "For your child has the blood of the gods, while Lylac is a Nexus, child of a near-Nexus, and possesses the unique combination of traits that she has inherited from both of her mothers. As for Fragrance, she is a Sentinel in training. No doubt Shang Kwan is interested in the power that lies dormant within them, power he may seek to claim for himself at the expense of these children."

Stunned silence follows that pronouncement, and then I say very slowly, "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo turned and looked at me with curiosity.

"In a way they're my kids too," I insist to their surprised expressions, "And nobody messes with my family and gets away with it. You can count me in...in fact, I insist you do."

Ukyo and Perfume turned matching looks towards my counterpart, as did Shampoo and Ranma, who were obviously used to letting their Nabiki make all the touch decisions.

She looks me in the eye and says, "Fine...then you're in. Only I'm not sure what you can do. This Lore Master thing...I understand it's powerful stuff, and you put on quite a good show just now, but..."

"I understand," I assure her, "And I'd feel the same way if I were in your place. Or vice versa."

"Good enough," she says with a decisiveness that I can't help but admire as I find myself wondering if I was ever this cocky, self-assured and decisive, "Then maybe you can tell us a bit more about this Shang Kwan fellow, Elder. I'd appreciate any useful details you can spare, such as...does the creep have any weaknesses? And how the heck do we handle him when we was throwing us around so easily just now?"

All at once I hear the voice of the redhead named Lenore call out, "Lady Saotome...your sister approaches, and I sense that the boss is with her."

"Boss?" I ask, then give my counterpart a curious look, "You employ a vampire as a part of your home security?"

"Not me," my counterpart replies, "She belongs to Kasumi...it's kind of a long story."

"No doubt," I say dryly, aware even as I say so that the surprises of the evening are only just beginning...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Dual Validated Parking of Dimensional Alternates: shadowmane

The surprises keep on coming as Nabiki learns more about her family in this alternate timeline, and meanwhile back on her world some other surprising developments are under way as Ganglot's spell continues to weave itself over the face of Nerima. Be with us next time for: "When Altered Destinies Collide," or "That Was No Vampire Goddess I Saw You With, That Was My Sister!" Be there...and seeya! 


	139. Chapter 139

NabikiRan123 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to us her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Three.

Altered Alliances.

Ranma's Chronicles Continue:

I know it sounds pretty dumb for me and Shampoo to get taken in by Ganglot's spell the way we did, but in another sense I'm glad that it happened. Things were getting pretty intense there, and the Oni was just doing what she does best in order to take some of the pressure off me and Shampoo while Nabiki was off in that other world interacting with those weird counterparts, including that version of her who turns into a guy of all things.

I know it must seem pretty weird to most people that I can just accept the fact that my wife can up and walk off to another world and come back a couple days later having had this really big adventure, but I'm used to stuff like that happening. I only fret when I don't get to be at Nabiki's side fighting with her against the bad guys. It's a husband's place to look after his ladies, right? Only I had to take care of Shampoo, who's not as able to get around and all while she's pregnant with my baby.

Heck, my life ain't exactly what you could call normal under the best of circumstances, so I've kinda learned to take things one step at a time and not to worry about stuff that I can't do anything about.

So yeah, I went with the flow that time, falling under Ganglot's spell and forgetting that Nabiki was supposed to be with Shampoo and me, that the three of us are a team, and without her the both of us feel lonely. We weren't feeling too bad at that time because we thought Nabiki was away in America studying for college exams, or something like that, and it made us kinda happy.

So what does a guy do when he's feeling good for some odd reason but not quite satisfied with the way things are? Well, in my case you go pay your respects to your best friend outside of marriage, and in my case that means dropping by Ucchan's place to see how my old buddy is doing. I mean, if anybody can understand how weird stuff can happen to perfectly ordinary guys, it's gotta be Ucchan, because next to me she's got the weirdest lifestyle that I know anything about.

Dropping by her place on an average business day can mean having to wait to get her attention, because there's always customers crowded there hoping to get the best okonomiyaki in Japan, and that's what Ucchan's serves, in addition to the other fare that Makoto makes for those guys who like a little variety in their diet.

Of course anytime I step in through the door I know that I can expect a friendly greeting, and no matter how busy she is Ukyo always seems to know when I'm there, like she has radar on me or something like that. Maybe it's just good combat instincts, because I know she's trained pretty hard with her aunt so that she's almost up to my level as a fighter. I sometimes hear Shampoo get a bit jealous because she's had to tone back in her own practicing due to the baby, but I'd put the two of 'em about even most other times. Still ain't as good as me, but that ain't a fair comparison, and nobody else but Ryoga even comes close to their level.

Actually the one who's improved the most is Makoto herself, but when you're hot for somebody and want to be a good match for them it's only natural that she trained herself hard, or at least a lot harder than she used to train before she and Ucchan got engaged and all that. Nowadays she's cutting back herself on account of having a baby of her own on the way, which I guess is why most girls don't get to be that much better than guys, my own cursed form being the sole exception.

Anyhow, I step in through the door and Ucchan gives me a greeting, and I wave back and find my usual place at the bar, and then I hear Makoto calling to me and smile her way, thinking that pregnancy looks pretty good on her, and when are those two gonna move up the date 'cause guys at school are already talking. Ucchan's currently in her male body, so she's got the Bishonen looks that most girls seem to go for, and in spite of knowing the truth about her I see lots of girls from our class are there flirting with him good-natured like, which Makoto tolerates since Ucchan doesn't even try to encourage that sort of attention.

In fact about the only girl who sometimes give Makoto a pain is currently doing waitress duty at the other end of the restaurant. I noticed Akane at a glance in her cute little outfit, and since she's not in her own cursed form she's only having to put up with some of the usual jerks who try and harass her, not that Akane ever notices them since she's pretty well set on Ucchan, and the other guys ain't even real competition. Of course I spy the other hired help doing his thing in the back rows, fetching fresh ingredients for Ukyo while enduring his own share of wolf-whistles and cat calls from guys who oughta know better.

But damn, how is it Konatsu can look so pretty in spite of being a guy without a cursed body? If I didn't know better even I'd be fooled by his Kunoichi act, and in a kimono he still looks twice as feminine as Akane, or even Ukyo when she dresses nicely. You can't help but wonder about the guy sometimes, like how he was raised to act like a girl by his former family. If I ever wanted to pass as a girl as my other self I'd probably come to him to take lessons. Not that I'd think that was every likely, of course, and while I'm used to my curse by now, that don't mean that I'm feeling like ever going all the way girly.

So there I am on an average day waiting my turn for a meal, and I know Ucchan's gonna prepare me one of her top-notch specials. I used to bum free food off of her, but these days I pay for everything just so nobody accuses me of taking advantage of our friendship. I ain't like Pop, who's worked out his own private deal in order to skimp on payments, and that way nobody glares at me for expecting special favors.

Besides, it's nice to be able to afford paying for my meals with money I earn honestly teaching martial arts classes. Sure beats living like a thief the way pop and me used to do when it was just us training together, and in a way I guess that's what comes of having a wife who taught me the value of money that you come by honestly, and not just by scamming people like she used to do in the old days.

Anyway, I'm watching Ucchan whip out her usual magic as a guy and keeping everyone happy when a familiar voice says to me, "What is your pleasure, Lord Saotome?"

I glance to the side and find the Seven Lucky Gods courtesan named Mon-Mon sitting there on the counter next to me with bare legs curled up and her ever-  
present Chinese mandolin, strumming a number with her pick and favoring me with a look of speculative interest.

"Nothing much," I reply to her offer, "Anything you feel like playing. I'm just here to talk to Ucchan."

"Some mood music then," she says while adjusting the pitch and chord appropriately, "By the way, where is your lovely wife?"

"Shampoo didn't feel like coming over with me," I explain, "So she stopped in at Baba's place to spend some quality time with her mom, dad and sisters."

"I see," she gives me one of those enigmatic looks that I can't ever really figure out and adds, "And how is Nabiki?"

"Nabiki?" I'm surprised to hear the name brought up, "She's doing fine, last I heard, why do you ask?"

All at once Mon-Mon strikes a sour chord then frowns and says, "That Oni and her manipulations again. Does she think the same charm will work on me? Well, whatever she's up to, I'm not buying."

Of course I don't know what the hell she's going on about, but now that I got my full memories back I of course understand. Somehow Ganglot's spell wasn't working on her and she was letting me know that, but then again she's always been a bit weird about Nabiki. Like she feels that she owes my wife a favor or something, and she was suspecting that my forgetting we were even married was somehow like I was cheating, even if it ain't so. At least, not with Shampoo anyway.

Of course most guys drool when they get that close to Mon-Mon, but I ain't most guys and as big and buxom as she is, I'm way too devoted to my own wives to let myself be tempted. Besides, I know she just flirts to put on an act, that she'd never really let any guy get to first base with her...at least not unless she really liked them. She's still partly loyal to that Kirin guy, and even if she is on loan with us doing ambassador stuff and playing cultural observer, about the only time I've really seen her get interested in somebody is when Peorth pays a visit to town, which is rare enough these days in spite of her having close ties to both Akane and Nabiki.

Oh yeah, I know all about Peorth. Nabiki explained things when she took me and Shampoo on a trip with her to the Other World, and damn if that wasn't a weird experience, communing with some goddesses and meeting up with actual dead people. Like I said, though, after a while you get used to stuff like that, and to tell the truth I can't see all that much of a difference between either the goddess or my late mother-in-law. From everything I've seen about her, that Kimiko was one heck of a character in her day.

Well, enough wandering off the subject. Mon-Mon and me exchanged a few more friendly words and then she wandered off to another part of the restaurant to entertain a few more customers with her fancy mandolin playing. Maybe she's one of the reasons that Ucchan gets such a crowd in on weekdays, lots of guys get off on dining in a friendly atmosphere with lots of pretty girls to keep things lively. Heck, even I've done waitress duty on occasion when I wanted to pay Ucchan back for a favor, and as much as I usually hate guys drooling over my body, you can make good tip money by pretending to act friendly.

As for Akane, she waves at me and I nod back and we exchange a few words on the subject of Nabiki-who we both seem to think is off in America thanks to Ganglot's manipulations-but then she's off waiting on another table, being cheerful and polite to both classmates and complete strangers. I kinda have to remark to myself that she seems awfully happy these days since she and Makoto came to a mutual resolution on the subject of Ucchan. Don't know how they worked it out, but since the jealousy thing wasn't getting them anyway, I figure they decided to take a page from the example that Shampoo worked out with Nabiki when the three of us got married, and I gotta say it's been a lot easier getting along with the Tomboy (Akane that is) than it used to be when she and Makoto were striking sparks and baring daggers with their glances.

Ironically enough, I sometimes think Ukyo secretly likes the attention she gets from the girls around her. I mean, I've been accused of worse having two girls I call my wives all to myself, but if Ucchan really wanted to keep it solo with Makoto-chan, like she used to insist, then she ought to have told the Tomboy to take a hike when she had the opportunity. Instead I know for a fact that she's sleeping with both girls (in either her real body or her cursed one...it's kinda interchangeable, like with me and my ladies), and that's not just to be nice to Akane's feelings. Heck, the way they've been going I almost expect Akane to be showing signs herself any day now, and not just because she's living full time at Ucchan's.

The really weird thing is Konatsu...I kinda think the guy has the hots Akane but doesn't have the guts to admit it...or maybe he's just too nice or something. I mean, I really can't figure him out. It ain't like he's jealous of Ukyo or nothing, but he fawns all the time over Akane, and he once even threatened me when I said something off-hand that he didn't like about the Tomboy.

Well, I ain't one for gossip, and that's just how I see things around Ucchan these days. Ain't like it's any of my business who my old buddy sleeps with, long as it ain't me. I mean, it's kinda weird to even think about the fact that we were once engaged without me knowing it, and how Pop's little deal with her dad screwed up her life something awful. Something else I owe Ukyo for, even if it I ain't to blame for Pop engaging us and stealing her dowry and leaving her by the roadside and all of that.

Y'know, I kinda wonder sometimes if life woulda been different if Pop really had kept his word and taken Ukyo with us on the road. Would it have been so bad growing up with Ucchan always by my side? Probably not...in fact I'd bet we'd have had some swell adventures, and we'd probably still be engaged, if not actually married. And it wouldn't be so awful having Ukyo for a wife neither, 'cause I've seen how cute she is when she smiles and everything, and sometimes I even think...yeah, it coulda worked out for us.

If I hadn't met Nabiki and Shampoo first, and gotten engaged to the both of them, and believe me, they're more than enough for me to handle!

Okay, so I'm rambling around, time to get back to the point, namely how Ukyo finally did get time enough to drop a specially made okonomiyaki on me, and it disappeared in two bites, so she whipped me up a couple more without charging extra. And then she...ah...I mean, he (boy, does it get confusing sometimes trying to remember which gender she's in since even when she's a girl she's kinda butch, just like when she's a guy she looks so kawaii and everything)...well, anyway, we got to talking and he asked me how I was and what I was doing with the rest of the day. We talked for a bit and then he mentioned something about me acting a little moody, so then he up and challenges me to meet her around in the back for a friendly sparring match while she takes a break away from the restaurant, and I say okay, and that's how we wind up in the practice room blowing off a little steam by whacking away at one another.

Guess that's really what I come to Ucchan for...the fact that she/he's the only guy I can cut loose with and not have to hold back or nothing. Ain't like with Pop, who usually does something to tick me off so I feel he's gotta be punished...with Ukyo it's just plain old free sparring with no bad feelings about how long it takes for me to win...or fight her to a draw, or nothing like that. It's a lot more relaxing that way, let me tell you, especially since I miss sparring with Shampoo since she's got to take it easy, and it's a whole different story about what it's like to spar with Nabiki.

Anyhow, after a bit Ukyo noticed that I was feeling a little glum and so she asks me, right in the middle of our fight, if there's something wrong that I need to talk about, and since I'm not thinking straight about Nabiki I say no and that I was just feeling a bit restless and needed to work out a few kinks. And that's another great thing about Ucchan...she's the only girl I know who really understands how a guy thinks, know what I mean? Most girls don't get it when a guy tells 'em that he ain't in the mood to talk about something, and they always want to talk about their feelings, but Ucchan's been around guys most of her life and knows that we ain't like that. So she just accepts that I ain't in the mood to do much talking and we go on with our sparring until I finally do feel like saying something, and then I tell her that I can't put my finger on what it is, only that I've got this weird sense that something's missing.

"Missing what?" she asks, and I just shrug and say that I can't remember what it is, so she accepts that and we go on a bit longer before I actually start to feel like I'm getting a real workout, and then all of a sudden I've got my back up against the wall and Ucchan's got her spatula pressed against my neck, and I realize that I ain't fighting on all levels, which even she...ah, he...knows just ain't like me.

So we take a break to get our wind back and start talking about stuff that comes to mind, nothing too special, just things we feel like sharing about our lives and whatever. And then it just rolls off of me that I'm worried about what people will say when Shampoo finally has her baby. I mean, I don't care what anybody says about me, but I care a lot about Shampoo's feelings, and I mention that somebody the other day said something mean to her that upset her pretty awful. Ukyo agrees with me that it's a bad thing when people bad-mouth my wife then asks if she should send her condolences to his next of kin, and I say something about that shopkeeper having to pay for damages, and Ucchan asks if I need the services of a good lawyer.

Man, it's good to unwind with her...ah...him. Talking with Ucchan always makes things feel a whole lot better. And then Ukyo lets me in on a little secret, about the reason why she's been too shy to finally tie the knot with Makoto, even though the big girl's getting noticeably bigger around the waist, and it's starting to affect her overall reputation.

The thing is...Ucchan wants to do the right thing by both Makoto and Akane...but how to please both of them when the law says one thing and your heart says another? He doesn't feel comfortable taking the same option that I did with Shampoo, marrying her by Amazon law instead of by Japanese custom, and then the two of us wonder for a moment why that seems so strange since neither one of us can remember that I'm legally already married to Nabiki.

Then I ask about Konatsu, and something strange crosses my buddy's face, and if I didn't know better I'd almost suspect Ucchan was jealous of the cross-dressing Kunoichi. He told me that Konatsu has no where else to go and feels obligated to serve Akane as his mistress, and Ukyo doesn't feel right about coming between them or anything, even if Akane treats Konatsu more as a friend than as a guy. It kinda makes the whole thing seem pretty awkward.

Well hey, I tell Ucchan it's up to her how she handles her life, and that if she wants to marry both girls it's fine by me, and it's not like I can talk or nothing. Then Ukyo admitted that he really was seriously thinking about tying the knot with both of them, maybe asking Cologne to officiate an Amazon ceremony for a three-way marriage while legally claiming only Makoto as his wife...or marrying Makoto as a man and Akane as a woman.

Kinda sounded to me like he was borrowing trouble, but I feel for his dilemma. After months of struggling over the question of which girl he likes better it finally became clear that he doesn't want to part with either one of them, and looks to me as if it holds both ways since neither Akane nor Makoto are willing to drop their claims and all that. About the only sour note in the whole bundle is what Tendo Soun would have to say about seeing his "little girl" get slighted. Not like it would be fair to Makoto-chan if she were the "Mistress" and Akane the legal "wife." I mean, if people are talking now, suppose she has her baby out of wedlock? That sure wouldn't be pretty.

You know...if Akane really did notice that Konatsu was interested in her, would that change anything, or would she hurt the guy's feelings? Or maybe the Tomboy and the Kunoichi are made for each other, I dunno. It's more than enough just trying to figure out my own life without having to borrow trouble by getting in the middle of this mess.

The truth is I really hope things work out for everybody. Akane really ain't all that bad a girl when she ain't doing something annoying, and I like Makoto, so I don't want either one of them to get hurt in all of this. Hell, I don't even want anything bad to happen to Konatsu...ain't like he's ever done nothing to me that I'd be thinking bad things about him.

Well, to summarize this whole bit, I finished up sparring with Ucchan, offered to host her over at the Tendo place with a meal that Shampoo could cook for her (my wife makes a passably good okonomiyaki since she's had coaching from Ucchan). I know Mister Tendo would love to see Akane again, and he misses her a lot since she moved out of the house to live with Ucchan. Akane even gets along these days with Silk, so having them over would be a real hoot, not to mention patch things up between Akane and Mister Tendo.

We didn't even bother asking what I was doing living at the Tendo place with Shampoo since my own real excuse is being married to Nabiki and claiming the dojo. That just kind of blipped over our minds since Ganglot had fixed things so we wouldn't be thinking that way about Nabiki, but we parted company soon enough and I headed back over to the Neko Hanten to pick up Shampoo, who'd had a great time sharing stuff with her sisters and parents.

It's kinda a good thing that Shampoo got over her beef with Cologne over that Lotion business because the...ah...formerly "Old woman" needs all the friends she can get these days. Ever since getting trapped in her young body and being mistaken for a teenager by Miss Hinako she's had to cope with the fact that she's legally listed as a "foreign exchange student." Her own granddaughter fixed her up but good so now she has to play the part of one of my classmates, and I can tell that rankles a lot with the old...ah...biddy...even though she gets lots of offers for dates from plenty of guys in our high school.

The real weird thing is between her and Siren. Frankly I don't know how the Amazon witch pulled it off, but these days the two of them are all but inseparable...something about Cologne losing a bet, or Siren saving her life, or whatever it was. It just seems like they declared some months ago that they were an item and that was all that was to be said about the matter. Weird, huh? But I guess you gotta expect stuff like that from people who are over three hundred and don't look it. Shampoo thinks they make a pretty nice couple, and I sure won't say anything bad about 'em. It just sometimes feels...weird...I mean, I know that they were involved together way back when they were our age, but how did they break the ice? I mean...Cologne used to make it pretty obvious that she was burned out on relationships and had no intention of hooking back up with her old girlfriend.

Oh well, ain't my business neither. I'm just trying to give a taste of what the rest of my day was like without Nabiki being there to share stuff with me, like always. Even Shampoo noticed that something was missing from our usual conversation, but neither one of us had any idea what was going on in the other world or that there were copies of us who were having a big struggle over some evil wizard who'd made off with their children.

I can't really say how I'd have reacted in their place. I mean, I know it takes some time to get used to the way Nabiki acts these days, but considering what she was up against I gotta chalk it up to Nab-chan's resilience that she could take so much in stride, considering all the weirdness she was facing...

"So basically this guy comes from a remote portion of China and he wants out kids because of some special properties they acquired from inheriting our combined genetics...is that what you're essentially telling us here?"

"More or less, yes," Lotion replied to the Nabiki of this world, "Two daughters born of women who are married to women who turn into men...and the third the recombinant child of advanced science who did not even technically have a father. I think the word "unique" does not do justice to the concept."

"I see what you're getting at," Nabiki narrowed her eyes, "But it still brings us no closer to getting back our children."

"I am particularly interested in learning where this villain has taken our daughters," Beatrice insisted, "Surely he cannot have spirited them all the way back to China in the short interval since he left. Such an intensive consumption of magical energies would surely be beyond the normal threshold..."

"Not applicable in the case of an Archmage," Lotion replied, "And I doubt very much that he would make such a bold appearance unless he had already lined up a means of quick extraction."

"In that case, how did you and Miss Sunshine over there know enough about it in advance to show up when it happened?" Alison demanded.

"Don't look at me," the other Nabiki remarked from where she was sitting cross-  
legged atop a dresser off in one corner of the room, "I came here because I was summoned."

"Indeed," Lotion remarked, "But we are fortunate that certain events tend to create a large impression in the field of space and time, and by that means were Shang-Kwan's evil intentions discerned, at which point our services were called upon to prevent his wicked ambitions."

"Called upon?" Ukyo asked.

"Summoned?" Perfume repeated, "By who?"

"By one whose name is not to be invoked too lightly," Lotion explained, "Understand, there are beings in the many world who are far older and more knowledgeable than the memory of mortal men, and among their number there are beings of light and beings of darkness who observe an unending struggle for the collective souls of humanity. The being who called upon our services is one of humanity's greatest champions and allies, a teacher and servant of the Light who is known by many names and has been honored in many cultures by the identities for which he is most widely recognized."

"In other words, you wouldn't believe us if we told you," the other Nabiki summarized in passing, "But the important thing is that we're here now, and we're with you guys in the cause of recovering your babies."

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo asked while turning a puzzled look from one Nabiki to the other.

"Oh yeah?" Ranma eyed the counterpart of his wife, "Why are you so interested? It's not like it's your baby that's at stake."

"That's where you're wrong," Nabiki looked at the young man sharply, "What affects one world is of great importance to all worlds, and if your future is endangered how do imagine that mine will go on unaffected...or does the fact that I carry the child of my own husband mean nothing to you...Saotome?"

"Whoah," Ranma reacted in surprise to the heat of that statement, "I didn't mean anything by that..."

"Mister sensitivity speaks again," a familiar voice said, and as heads turned they saw a number of figures enter the room, most notably Ryoga, who gave Ranma a look that as much as said that he took some delight at the expense of his half-brother.

"We're here like you asked, Nabiki," said a very pregnant looking Akane, "So what's the big emergency and...whoah! Who the heck is that?"

"Oh mamma," said a redhead whose resemblance to the female version of Ranma that the Nabiki of the other world knew was so great that it caused her to do a double-take.

"Oh my," said a pregnant looking Kodachi as she, too, entered the chamber, "Is that Nabiki over there that I espy...and if so, then...who is that sitting by herself, noticeably un-burdened by extra body mass?"

The Nabiki sitting in the corner cocked an eyebrow as she took in these new strangers, but she said not a word in her own self description, leaving it to her native counterpart to say, "Oh, her? Well, believe it or not, but that's supposed to be from another dimension."

"Say again Nab-chan?" the redhead in the tank-top and shorts asked in obvious confusion, giving the newcomer a studied look that was full of curiosity and appraisal.

"She looks just like you...I mean...the way you used to look before...ah..." Ryoga reluctantly chided himself, "Only..."

"Only...there's something about her...about her eyes..." Akane paused and then recalled herself, "I'm sorry. Are you really my sister from...somewhere else?"

"I am," the stranger uncoiled her legs and stood up from the dresser, then hopped down to the floor and gave Akane a curious study, reaching out a hand to touch the younger girl's abdomen, "And you're my little sister from this world, eh? Well met indeed, and you don't even have a Jusenkyo curse..."

"A Jusenkyo curse?" Akane blinked, "You mean...where you come from...I have a curse?"

"My little sister turns into an Angel when she gets splashed with cold water," Nabiki revealed, then turned to the redheaded next to her and said, "And...your name is Arigami Keiko, right? Your curse turns you into a vulture...and Kodachi becomes a small...furry ferret, right?"

"How ever in the world do you know this?" Kodachi asked in astonishment.

"Yeah, did somebody tell you about us already?" Keiko asked.

"Actually...no," Nabiki turned and gave Ryoga a cursory study, "You don't have a Jusenkyo curse...and I sense that it has been some time since you were with your mother."

"My mother?" Ryoga asked in growing amazement, "You've seen her?"

"She's living with us on my timeline," Nabiki revealed, "And quite a formidable lady...but I suppose in your world she has very good reasons for wanting to keep her distance."

"Reasons?" Ranma asked, "Such as?"

"Her mother, Ryo-kun's grandmother, is an enemy of our family," Nabiki revealed, "And for another thing...you are aware that you and Ryoga are half-brothers?"

Ryoga gave a startled look, but Ranma just frowned and said, "Yeah...Pop owned up to it months ago, but we learned the facts from my other half-sister, Kaori."

"Kaori?" for the first time in almost an hour Nabiki evidenced surprise, but then she said, "I see...Uncle Saotome was keeping some secrets even from himself. A woman named Sakura who runs a circus eh? And your big sister is good with Tarot cards. That's very...interesting."

"Huh?" Keiko blinked.

"You know, it really freaks some of us out when you do that stuff," Alison winced.

"Do what stuff?" Akane asked, "How is she able to know things like that if nobody here tells her?"

"It is quite simple, really," Lotion replied, "In her world she is my apprentice, a Lore Master in training, and it seems that she has not yet learned how to mask her abilities so that she can spare the uninitiated the exposure to her budding powers of Clairsentience."

"Clairwhatsis?" Ryoga repeated.

"Clairsentience," Beatrice remarked, "The ability to know things, to see the future and the past, and at a great remote distance. I had heard about this rare talent possessed by only a few sensitive psychics, but I had never dreamed that such a trait might be found within you, Nabiki."

"Within me?" Nabiki asked.

"Actually, the ability is latent in all the women of our family...sister," Nabiki turned to regard her counterpart, "A talent that is dormant within you but which was passed down to us by our mother...the ability to perceive the invisible and to read beyond the folds of the Akashic field that surrounds all living bodies. It's taken me well over a year to nurture and harness this ability, but as Lotion here says, I am making steady progress and becoming her counterpart's successor."

"Yes, but you have quite a bit more distance to travel before I would acknowledge you an accomplished student," Lotion observed in a dry, ascerbic tone of voice.

"Yes, I know," Nabiki smiled, "And even if I were further progressed you would still upbraid me and attempt to keep my feel squarely planted in the here and now. That is partly why I am here, to better work on refining my control over my talents."

"Wait a minute," Ranma said, "You mean all this stuff you can do, these weird tricks you were showing off a while ago...you mean Nabiki has also got the same abilities, only buried deep inside her."

"Yes, but your wife is trained as a Warrior and thus lacks the temperament to follow in my path," Nabiki replied, giving her counterpart a level gaze, "Our two disciplines require an entirely different frame of mind, and at your rather advanced stage of training, I'm afraid it would be difficult to reorient your entire mode of thinking to match what I have learned."

"Oh, you think you know so much better than me, do you?" the pregnant Nabiki asked archly.

"I know what I know," her counterpart replied, "Just as I would have difficulty executing the Shiryu Hoten Ha or those Shadowskills that you took so long to master. Or the Senken maneuvers that your Ranma is so expert at performing. And what is this I sense about a seventh Senken that is devoted entirely to the mastering of pleasure?"

All at once several other figures entered the room, beginning with a swift-  
moving girl a few months younger than Akane, who stopped in her tracks and stared from one Nabiki to the other before saying aloud, "It's true...I didn't believe it, even when Oneechan told us that there was another Nabiki in the house...but..."

"Kurumi is it?" the Lore Master Nabiki remarked, "And is that Natsume, your sister, I see standing in the hall next to Kuno Tatewaki?"

"Now this is definitely weird," said a version of Mousse who entered the room and caught the wary glance turned his way by the stranger, "Elder Lotion? Is it true what I heard from Kasumi...that this...stranger is a Nabiki who has been trained to be a...Lore Master?"

"You heard correctly," Lotion replied, "And it is good to see that you are faring well in your new life, my kinsman. My compliments on choosing such a lovely young wife who will no doubt one day soon bear you strong offspring."

"Ah...hah?" Kurumi Tendo blinked, then glanced at Mousse, who shared a look of sheepishness between them.

"Definitely a different version from the Mousse that I know," the Lore Master Nabiki remarked, turning to the slender girl who followed in the wake after her sister, "And you, Natsume...you are a Slayer of Vampires...and yet you share the same house with a Kasumi who is part vampire?"

"Ah...well..." Natsume turned a disconcerted look towards one Nabiki, and then the other.

"You know, that's really starting to weird me out," Keiko remarked, "Do you know everything that there is to know about us just by looking at our auras?"

"You heard of the ability...from your own mentor, a renegade Amazon named Lao Khan, did you not?" Nabiki smiled, "And I apologize if this is difficult for you. I'm told I have a tendency to...freak people out when they first get to know me."

"Yeah, about that," the Nabiki of this timeframe noted, "Do you think you might tone that all-knowing and all seeing thing of yours down a little...just for the sake of my reputation? Last thing I need is for people to think I'm even more of a freak than they usually call me when they think I can't hear them."

"Because of your curse?" the Lore Master Nabiki smiled, "Sorry about that. It's become something of a habit. I don't mean to deliberately weird you out, but you must understand...it takes a bit of getting used to for me, sorting out your lives from those of the people I grew up with. Everything is very different here, and I'm doing my best coming to terms with much of the strangeness."

"You mean like the way you reacted when you saw Kasumi back there, Sugar?" Ukyo asked, "Or when you met her new boyfriend?"

"Ah...yes, that," the other Nabiki said simply, "Among other things. Understand, about the only two things our worlds appear to have in common is that I am married to a Shampoo and a Ranma. Everything else...is like having the furniture rearranged to suit an entirely different order."

"Ah...right," Keiko said, giving this newcomer a curious study before turning back to the Nabiki whom she knew and respected, "So what's the deal here, Nab-  
chan? And why is this other you here looking like you guys are preparing for a battle?"

"The simple answer to that, Kei-chan, is that a little while ago a creep attacked us in the garden and made off with Fragrance, Eileen and Lylac. We think he means to harm our kids, so I'm willing to take whatever help I can get in order to prevent that."

"No!" Akane exclaimed, "Not my nieces?"

"What creep would do such a thing?" Kurumi asked.

"Threaten those kids?" Ryoga cracked his knuckles, "Not if I got anything to say about it...so why aren't we out there kicking butts and counting heads, Brother?"

"We haven't figured out where the scumbag got off to yet," Ranma said darkly, "But as soon as we do, then you better believe I'm gonna hunt him down and pulverize the bastard."

"Better get in line, Sport, 'cause nobody threatens my baby," Alison brandished a fist for emphesis.

"So say we all," Tatewaki thundered, "Whoever this blackguard is who would dare to threaten helpless innocents incurs the wrath of heaven...and the sword of Kuno Tatewaki!"

"Well spoken, Tachi-sama," Natsume agreed, "Does this fiend have a name who would dare to threaten our nieces?"

"The creep's name was Shang Kwan, from out of China..." Ukyo started to say, when Mousse suddenly gasped and turned a dismayed look towards his elder.

"Shang Kwan?" the tall Chinese boy looked aghast, "Is that who we're going up against? The Butcher of Larassa?"

"The very same," Lotion said gravely, "And as you already have guessed we are marshalling what strength we have in order to confront him, though I fear he may already have taken refuge in his stronghold in central China."

"Then...what hope do we have, Elder?" Perfume asked, "We can't lose our babies...not after all we went through just to have them."

"We're not losing anyone, Per-chan," the Nabiki of this timeline affirmed grimly, "We're gonna find this monster and pay him back, even if we have to march up to the gates of hell in order to do it..."

"In your condition?" the other Nabiki asked, "No offense, sister, but I don't think you could do much marching."

"Oh, and I suppose you intend to lead them in my place?" that Nabiki shot back with a look of challenge.

"Leadership is your way, not mine," the Lore Master replied, "But for what it's worth, I've got every bit as much intention of seeing this thing through as anyone else present."

"And what exactly can you do to help?" Ryoga asked in puzzlement, only to receive a look from the strange-eyed woman that caused his breath to lock within his lungs.

"I have my ways," the Lore Master assured them, "And if anyone doubts my abilities, I'll be happy to show them just how far I've progressed in my own lessons."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo turned to her Nabiki and said, "Is best if we respect her, Airen. Lore Masters very powerful...very capable...and this one seem like she know her way in battle."

"Well, Honey, if you think she can hack it, then I guess we could give her a chance to put up or shut up," Nabiki replied, "But if she's not into leadership, then that means Ranma's in charge in my absence. I may not be able to do much traveling myself, but I ought to know well enough to trust my own husband."

"Then what about it, young Lord Saotome?" Lotion turned a curious look upon the young man, "Do you believe that you can work beside this woman who is much like your wife but is in fact my apprentice in her world? You have never fought before at the side of a Lore Master, and many of the things of which she is capable might defy your warrior's thinking."

"Ah...I think I can handle it," Ranma remarked, but nonetheless gave a wary look at the other Nabiki, who returned his look in kind as though they were two complete strangers who had never met before and had only the barest recognition of one another.

"Well, then I guess that's settled," the Nabiki of this world shrugged her shoulders then said, "Now, the next big question is...how do we get to China in time to keep this Shang-Kwan creep from messing with our children?"

"Leave that to me and Lotion," the other Nabiki assured, "If we find the path to the Archmage's stronghold...then we can open the path to lead the way for you others."

"That's assuming that my counterpart's confidence in you is not misplaced," Lotion duly cautioned, "But time will tell about that, and for now we must first discern if the barriers surrounding his sanctum might be permeable to our combined talents."

"If not, then I can craft a device that should give you the edge in that department," Beatrice remarked, "I know enough about magic to have some idea of how to combat it...and Alison has the blood of the gods in her veins, and no one knows better than me how relentless she can be at spoiling the plans of those who mean to do her evil."

"Hey, just call me a natural born wrecking machine, Bei-chan," Alison said confidently, "Just let me at that creep again, he'll never know what hit him."

Lore Master Nabiki gave a curious glance at the redhead, but then turned her focus towards the door as a familiar presence made her entrance, followed in turn by a hulking brute of a man who had to duck his head in order not to bump it against the rafters, the latter saying aloud, "I've contacted some friends on the Wild Side, and they've helped give me the coordinates to the last known position where this Shang-Kwan was said to have a fortress. I can get us there in about six hours, give or take how soon the chopper I ordered shows up for transport."

"Six hours may be as long as six days if we do not make better haste than this...my old friend," Lotion said softly, turning a strangely haunted regard at the big man, who stared back in kind at the ancient woman and swallowed very thickly, an awkward silence falling between them that was noticed most pointedly by Lore Master Nabiki and a Vampiric Goddess known as Tendo Kasumi...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

Talk about weird moments. There I was in the garden hearing the sound of an approaching motorcycle, and even before I get to the front driveway I have this weird sense that I'm about to encounter the most shocking revelation of the night. Sure enough I see a machine as big as a horse pull up with guy well over two meters tall and clad all in leather at the wheel...and there riding side-  
saddle behind him is none other that Kasumi.

Only it's not the Kasumi I know so well from my own timeline. I can tell at once without even needing to read her Akashic pattern that this girl is a whole entire new chapter from the book of weirdness, at least when compared to the gentle-voiced sister I've known and loved my entire life. This Kasumi has evolved beyond the mortality that we inherited from our mother...she's more like the child Peorth would have had if she really had been our biological mother. Only her divinity is tainted with a darkness that I at first have trouble equating with my sister. It was only after I put two-and-two together that I realized that this Kasumi is a blood drinker...and that she keeps her thirst at bay with specially crafted magical earrings, but from her fangs, crimson eyes and other feature traits I belatedly deduce that she is as much of a vampire as Lenore, who is in fact her sworn retainer.

When the big guy dismounted from his huge machine I got another shock and a half, because I knew at once not only who he was but WHAT he is, and thensome! I mean, of all the guys Kasumi could bring home as a boyfriend and she has to hook up with the one and only Monster of the book by Mary Wolstencraft Shelly! I mean, some sisters have boyfriends who only look like death warmed over, but this guy is supercharged by microstatic electrical discharges, a fusion of Alchemy and Science gone mad, and well over two hundred years past his warranty. I could only imagine the impact it had on Daddy realizing that his little girl was dating a real monster!

And yet there was no mistaking the fact that Kasumi had emotional ties to the big guy, and despite his hairy rep the guy seemed legit enough to be counted as one of the good guys. I was still having trouble reconciling the contrast between my loving, gentle sister and a guy who was made of separate parts stitched together when I felt a strange stirring at my side and realized-  
incredulously-that I had just picked up on an emotional surge from Lotion.

It took me another minute to kick dormant brain cells into gear, but then my memory flooded back to the various stories my Mentor passed on to me about a doomed relationship of her youth, which all of a sudden made sense in the present context. I glanced her way and saw the haunted look in her eyes that almost always implies a deeply buried torch that is being carried for a former lover. As I thought back on the things my Lotion had said about her youth, then her frustrated romance with her former boyfriend had at least resulted in offspring, and that some of the descendants who called her their ancestor owed partial lineage to the guy currently giving a beefy hand to assist my sister in dismounting.

And then the inevitable meeting between me and Kasumi, who naturally gasped and gave me a look of pure dismay before turning and staring at my counterpart, who at least had the swollen belly that our sister was expecting.

"Nabiki...but...what...?"

"Holy doppelgangers," the big guy exclaimed, "Is that...you, Saotome-san?"

"The last I checked it was me," I replied, giving this version of my sister a cautious look before saying, "Oneechan...you're looking...well."

"Imoutochan?" Kasumi said back, then again glanced at my counterpart, who just shrugged her shoulders and smiled in an awkward, lopsided fashion.

"It's a long story, Sis, but it will to wait until later," she turned crisply to the big man and said, "We have a situation, Frank...and we could use your help big time."

"You know you've got it," the appropriately named Franklin Nathaniel Steinberg assured us with automatic gallantry that I sensed was second nature, "What is it?"

A curious thought crossed my mind as the local crew quickly detailed the emergency and explained out recent encounter, and I had a thought as I studied the big man in some detail that I sensed a strange affinity between him and my Ranma. I don't mean the local version, who seems to be on his way to becoming a Wizard in his own right, but who isn't the actual Champion of Nerima. I mean the man I've known and loved for close to a year-and-a-half, the sex-swapping trouble magnet who can't keep from being the focus of a hundred adventures even to save his life. This guy was very much like an older version of my Ranma, and I could faintly detect the residual traces of Jusenkyo about him, and had a flashing image of him as a normal-sized redhead wearing a skirt and sporting a classically girlish figure.

It suddenly seemed as if the absurd notion that he had lived a life just like my Ranma was, in fact, the cause of his close association with Lotion. The two had met and fallen in love, only to be parted thanks to the interference of a disapproving Cologne, and that bittersweet memory yet haunted their mutual existence.

Odd how the fates loved to work through ironies, but I decided to let the matter slide for the present. I was much more interested in fathoming the reason why my sister was a vampire goddess, and contented myself to studying her past, my familiarity around goddesses serving me in good stead, though I could only imagine what Peorth would say if she were standing there with me.

Fast forward to that makeshift war-conference. I could tell everyone was having trouble getting used to the "new" me, but they should understand just how weird it was for me to be standing there with them, looking at so many familiar faces and seeing only strangers. Here Ranma was a homeboy and something of a well-  
intentioned jerk, while my counterpart had a real butch side that seemed to take pleasure in bossing people around, and from the way people snapped to attention and followed her orders I could tell that she had earned their respect, for the most part. Here Akane was happily married to Ryoga and even had a child by him while Ukyo shared a bed with an Amazon named Perfume, and the both of them were married to me, Shampoo and Ranma.

As for Kodachi...this redhead named Keiko seemed to think of her as her "owner," and that opened the gates for the memories about this slaver renegade named Lotion that I had only heard about by legend...and from what I could deduce in everyone's memories of her it's probably a good thing that we've yet to have a direct encounter. Kodachi's child appeared to be some sort of magical hybrid combining not only Ryoga's genes but those of Keiko, something called a "triple-  
fusion," which I suppose is their business more than mine to comment upon, though I had to remark what a contrast that was from the Kodachi of my world, who shares a similar relationship with my version of Kasumi.

And these other sisters...Kurumi and Natsume? I think I remember encountering them briefly in my travels, but now that I could study them more closely I came to the belated realization that they are actually my blood cousins by an aunt I never knew named Mariko. What a story that told me, one to rival the revelation about Ranma having an older sister...and here I'd always taken Uncle Genma to be just a little slow when it came to relationships, the sly devil.

So daddy was holding back on me? I wonder if Peorth knew the story, or if that was something I would have to take up with my true mother the next time I visited her in the other world. Whatever the case was, I was definitely going to have to look up the Natsume and Kurumi of my world and reacquaint them with the family. After I had a few words with grandfather Happosai about his messing around with their respective metabolisms.

Tatewaki was a surprise since this version of him was relatively sane and not tainted by the touch of Cybelle's evil. Likewise Mousse was not the same nuisance here that he used to be for us, though I think that's largely due to Kurumi's positive influence. I wondered what other surprises were in store for me the longer I spent time on this world and away from what I usually accepted as normal and took relatively for granted. In some ways there were definite improvements here, but in other ways they were behind the times as far as I could measure things. I briefly wondered if Ryoga would ever be reunited with his own mother, then even more briefly paused to reflect upon Kennou Hibiki. No Sailor Senshi either, which was why my comment before to Ukyo about Kino Makoto caused her such a brief flash of painful memory, meaning no reconciliation with her former girlfriend...which is probably for the best considering what a hot number that Perfume is.

Okay, so I was still taking stock of the whole deal, just like they were trying to make heads or tails about me. So everything's relative, right? Only the big picture was what loomed over the horizon for the lot of us, and we had a serious situation on our hands, what with our enemy here being a full-fledged Archmage.

I can tell your from my experiences around Siren that Archmages are pure trouble with a capitol "T." It's not just that they're bloody powerful but the very nature of magic tends to make them unpredictable, and against someone like that even my own abilities would be of minimal importance.

We needed a plan, and we needed powerful allies, but the best we had on hand were some square pegs with round holes who were undoubtably very formidable but by no means in the same class as an Archmage. Well...possibly with the exception of Kasumi, but there was an instability in her matrix that I was sensing, a kind of residual darkness that made it dangerous to rely upon her for assistance. I could feel the pull inside her weighing more to the dark side than even her boyfriend likely suspected, and there was no telling what would happen if she cut loose with her full abilities, making her involvement as risky for us as it would be for the bad guy.

But I'm getting ahead of my story and giving away too much of the plot. As it turns out there was a lot more going on than any of us then realized, which is proof enough that even Lore Masters in training can sometimes find the future shadowed beyond our ability to pre-know. It's just as my Mentor always tries to reassure me, that things have a tendency to sort themselves out and proceed in accordance to their own logic, which in a way is a great relief because who wants the burden of always knowing what will happen in advance? That would tend to take the fun out of everything, which is the point that Lord Anri was attempting to get across to me the next time that I would see him, which was shortly before we launched our assault on Armageddon...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Precognitive Complaints: shadowmane

Next time up the Tendo Posse (plus one) begin their campaign to win their children back, but do they have what it takes to face their worst challenger to date, a man who commands forces that can thwart even the will of a full goddess? Tune in next time for: "Rise of the Seven Dragons," or, "The Subtlety of Wizards." Be there! 


	140. Chapter 140

NabikiRan124 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Four.

Rise of the Seven Dragons.

"What in the name of the Unholy Frak is going on here?" Cybelle demanded, "Something is interfering with my spell, and I sense a very large disturbance in the force surrounding Nerima. Has that blasted mother-in-law of mine plagued me yet again by daring to thwart my ambitions? Gooooh! That really skunks me something awful!"

Master manipulator that she was, Cybelle was all too aware that her full Oni counterpart had the market cornered on sheer devious audacity and was several levels more advanced when it came to hatching out schemes of a perversely twisted nature. Though nominally "reformed" (meaning her alignment had changed from Chaotic Evil to Chaotic Good with kinky tendencies) she still retained the same wicked sense of "fun" that had made her a force to reckon with in the old days when she was still allied with the forces of the Abyss. Though time had mellowed her out and lessened her taste for true skullduggery, Ganglot was still a dangerous and entirely too gifted opponent.

Given the Oni Princess's propensity to meddle in Cybelle's plans of late dealing with her decisively was rather high up Cybelle's overall "to-do" list. Ganglot's only real limitations were that she still had to restrain the use of her powers so that they did not create too great a disruption on the workings of Yggdrasil, so she had to work through contract with a mortal, and all her dealings had to have a twist to maintain the overall balance between Law and Chaos. Well, that and her Capstone, which was her biggest Achilles' heel, but after Cybelle's last attempt on that she had taken extra special care to guard it so that it did not become damaged, which would of course destroy the Oni's ability to remain upon the earthly plane.

And given what her Aunt Hild, the Queen of the Oni, must doubtlessly think about her rogue niece, it was doubtful that she would be given a very warm reception back on their hell plane. All the more reason for Ganglot to be wary of sticking her neck too far out, and so-as was typical with her-she always chose to work indirectly towards achieving her aims. You could never fathom exactly what she was up to unless you studied the effects and worked things out backwards, which always did give Cybelle a massive headache.

But this time it appeared as though Ganglot had caused a minor reality alteration spell with her dealings with the Saotomes, causing the people of Nerima to share the collective delusion that Saotome Nabiki was living abroad in America and was not actually married to Ranma, her lawful husband. Instead people believed that Saotome Ranma had taken a foreign bride and was living as a guest in the Tendo house rather than him being Tendo Soun's legal successor, which certainly was a peculiar means of deflecting criticism away from him for extra-legally being the husband of two very different women.

This really scotched Cybelle's latest plot to drive the Tendos and Saotomes off of their ancestral land and away into perdition through a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation. And after all the time and energy Cybelle had invested into creating that infernal web-site...but the merest first stage of a larger plan aimed at driving a nail into the heart of a growing cancer who bore the name of Saotome Nabiki. Though Cybelle did not like to admit it, even to herself, she had very good reason to fear the nascent potential of the young Lore Master in training, for in a surprisingly brief time the girl had gone from a virtual nobody to being so adept with the Powers that she could even bring down a full-fledged goddess like Neferti, the daughter of Set and a colleague of long standing.

Obviously something was very wrong here if this Nabiki could threaten even a Goddess Second Class, albeit of evil alignment. If this was what the child could do at her relatively low level of experience, then there was no telling how dangerous she might become in the future. Indeed, she might well be on her way to rediscovering the Ancient powers long kept dormant in most humans, and if that should come to pass, then she might well turn out to be an even worse threat than Ganglot to Cybelle's long-term health plans.

A pity that Neferti's own schemes had fallen through, though. It would have amused Cybelle to no end if the girl had wound up getting eaten by those cannibals. She might even have ordered out for a helping of that stew that Nabiki was being boiled into just to see if humans really did taste just like chicken.

And speaking of which, where the heck did that infernal Nabiki get off to anyway? Despite her best efforts Cybelle could not find hide nor hair of the annoying girl with the page boy haircut, not even when widening her search to include an area as big as the entire planet.

Had Ganglot somehow found a way to erase all trace of the girl, or to shield her against detection? Or...was it possible that Nabiki had gone off-plane to some other world...and if that were the case...then where in the name of perdition was she...and why did her absence make Cybelle feel such a disturbing sense of apprehension...?

Lylac's eyelids fluttered and she slowly came back to an awareness of herself as she hovered in a gray haze between darkness and the gray of morning twilight. Very slowly she started to take stock of her condition, reasoning that she was not in any pain and barely even noticed any discomfort. She discovered right away that she could not move and deduced from this that she was restrained in some manner and that the only parts of her that seemed to be functioning normally were her eyes and thought processes, everything else being maintained in a state of near-limbo.

The very second thing that she realized was that she was not alone in her condition, that two other tiny forms hovered near to her, and that they were her half-sister, Fragrance, and their bosom companion, Eileen, who were hovering beside her in a similar state of helpless suspension. The fact that there were no visible bonds holding them firm tended to confirm the hypothesis that their restraint was not physical but rather magical in nature.

"{Good, you are awake at last,}" Eileen said abruptly, using the coded "baby-  
speech" that they preferred to use around adults rather than to betray the fact that both young girls had very advanced linguistic skills far beyond the normal ken of regular children in their age group.

"{Where are we?}" Lylac asked, deciding to start things out with the basics.

"{I rather imagine that we are in the wizard's lair as his unwilling house guests,}" Eileen theorized, which seemed to Lylac to be a very reasonable conclusion, "{When he captured us he seemed to be in great haste to return to his home, and so the spell he used to immobilize us was less than fully effective on me and I managed to retain conscious retention of the transferal process.}"

"{Oh,}" Lylac replied, glancing around before murmuring, "{Is Fragrance...?}"

"{Your sister has yet to regain consciousness,}" Eileen revealed, "{And I see no haste in reviving her since her skills will only prove useful after we devise a means of liberating ourselves from the spell that currently holds us.}"

Lylac glanced down and saw that they were hovering directly over some manner of circular pit with only a long fall through infinite darkness awaiting them down there, and so she shuddered slightly before saying, "{Maybe we had better think that part through, because unless one of us learns how to fly, and soon, getting free by itself might not be to our advantage.}"

"{Believe that I am working on that part even as we speak, Ly-chan,}" Eileen reassured her companion, "{Obviously getting free by itself does not equate to actual freedom, another reason why I think Fragrance should sleep a bit longer before we awake her. You know how she gets around high places.}"

"{You mean she reacts like a cat and wants to climb even higher?} Lylac mused.

"{Exactly,}" Eileen said, motioning with her eyes and encouraging Lylac to look upwards, "{And what is it that you see awaiting us there?}"

Lylac stared upwards and found the source of the curious illumination throughout the chamber, a jewel-like faceted crystal object was hovering directly overhead and spinning in mid-air like a diamond-shaped top without an obvious source of suspension.

"Oh," she said aloud, then shifted back to Baby talk and said, "{I see your point. No way Fragrance could ignore a thing like that. She'd look at it and think it was very pretty.}"

"{And then try to work loose in order to find some manner in which to reach it,}" Eileen concluded, "{Before we even have a chance to determine whether it is safe to touch or not...and for all we know it might be cursed, or negatively charged in some way. I have observed a very curious aspect to the aura it projects, and I am definitely of the opinion that direct contact with the thing would not be healthy.}"

Lylac understood this but was unable to nod her head in agreement. Instead she thought for a moment then said, "{Ekko-chan, do you have any idea how far away we are from our mommies?}"

"{Far enough that it might take them a while to find us,}" the self-named "Ekko" responded, "{But I'm sure our mothers are bending heaven and earth towards that end, and your father and mine will not rest until they reach this stronghold and give a good spanking to the wizard who kidnapped us.}"

"{Let's hope it's soon,}" Lylac averred, "{But I don't think we should count on them for a rescue.}"

"{I agree,}" Eileen murmured, "{But it will take me some moments to devise a means for our rescue, so let us hope that, whoever our captor is, he remains thoroughly distracted and does not properly rate us as worth monitoring too scrupulously or else a means of escape will be that much more complicated.}"

"{I know that you will do your best just the same, Ekko-chan,}" Lylac replied, "{I have every confidence in you. You're the smartest girl in all of Japan, and probably the world to boot, so if anyone can figure out a way for us to escape, it's definitely you.}"

"{But I am only a shadow of the genius that is my mother,}" Eileen remarked, giving her best friend a poignant look that was momentarily shadowed by...other emotions, "{It will be many years yet before I am developed and trained enough to match either of my parents in their particular fields of specialty. Though I resemble a child of eleven-point-two months of age and am actually only point-  
four-four six five...}"

"{Never mind rounding to percentages, or rationalizing the negatives,}" Lylac insisted, cutting off her friend's penchant for using big numbers, "{Just do what you do best, Ekko-chan, and we'll be out of this in no time...}"

A stretching of jaws followed a noisy yawn, and then Fragrance stirred to full consciousness with a cheerful, "{Is big-words doing it again? And where the heck are-OOOHHH! A shiny!}"

"{What did I tell you?}" Eileen remarked before she too stared up at the spinning jewel high above them, "{But still...perhaps there is a way of making use of Fra-chan's penchant to be fascinated by visual stimulation. If I can calculate the output of that stone, and work through the variables over what empowers it, and how it is controlled, and is controlling us for that matter, I might be able to...}"

Just then Lylac heard the rustle of fabric and said, "{Cool it guys...adult approaching.}"

All three girls at once fell silent and played "dumb," taking advantage of the normal tendency of adults to expect nothing more from infant toddlers than some innocent cooing and gurgling noises. Besides, they had seen enough from the night before to realize that this fellow approaching them was dangerous with a capital "D" in Romanji, and he was obviously powerful enough to give ready challenge to their parents, so the best thing to do from their end was to encourage him to ignore them.

"Ah," he said in Mandarin Chinese, "You are awake it seems. Well, that is of little consequence as nobody is here to change your diapers, so you can forget about bawling for your parents."

Fragrance narrowed her eyes and murmured softly, "{I'm starting not to like this guy. What does he think we are, babies?}"

"Easy, Fra-chan,}" Lylac urged, "{Let the grown-up talk stupid and maybe he'll ignore us.}"

"{That definitely would appear to be the wisest of courses,}" Eileen concurred, then all three fell silent, aware of the curious way in which the mage was studying them, like insects.

"Fascinating," he mused, "One would almost believe that you are engaged in some manner of intelligible communication. Of course you are rather well developed for your chronological ages, just one of many things that has attracted me to you three prodigies. It is precisely why I needed to obtain your services for this evening, that I may use the various component elements of your unique natures in order to devise a spell that shall bestow unto me the godlike abilities that reside within you."

"{What did he just say?}" Fragrance asked, "{I could only follow about half of that...}"

"{It means trouble for us,}" Eileen revealed, her expression very serious as she studied the grown-up before them and privately measured his potential.

"And to think that such incredible potential resides within the innocent seeming bodies of such young-seeming children," the man mused while giving them each a predatory regard that caused Lylac to suffer a momentary shudder of apprehension, "Most particularly you...the child of one who was born in close proximity of a Nexus...only you are a Nexus yourself for the coming generation that you represent. A lynch-pin in the cosmic scheme of infinity...one whose very nature can cause a shifting in the tides of probability and reality, a twig in the Jango-stick pile of Fate itself...to pluck you would cause entire empires to collapse and be reborn. Yes, that is power indeed, and soon to be power that I wield to do with as I deep fit and proper."

"{Uh-oh,}" Lylac murmured, "{Whoever this guy is, I get the very odd feeling that he wants to eat me...}"

"{More like consume your energies...and our energies as well,}" Eileen shuddered, "{This is very bad, worse even than I imagined. He intends to absorb our essence and use it to make himself into a virtual god.}"

"{And that's bad?}" Fragrance asked.

"{Very,}" Lylac averred, "We gotta get out of here, and the heck with waiting to be rescued by our parents.}"

"{Agreed,}" Eileen said grimly, "{But let this fool prattle on...his talk is helping me to formulate an idea that may well prove to our advantage.}"

Fortunately for the young girls the man was speaking more to himself than to them as he waved his arms to indicate their immediate surroundings, his eyes drifting up towards the spinning gem as he said, "And soon, once the cosmic alignment of the stars is ever-so-precise, the power to shape reality will be mine...and then let the name of Shang-Kwan be feared and respected the world over, for the day of reckoning is almost at hand...the day when over a century of preparation shall see fruition, and all thanks to the helpful knowledge provided to me by an ally who is colleague and rival...but may soon be more when I gain the power to impress even her with my glory!"

"{What's he going on about?}" Fragrance asked, deeply puzzled by the grown-up's curious behavior.

"(He means to ascend to the level of near-divinity in order to impress a girl,}" Eileen said with a sigh that would have been followed by a shake of her head were she able to move other than her expression, "{Honestly...why do these power-mad types prattle on and boast about their self-appointed mission?}"

"{That's what villains do, didn't you know that?}" Lylac cringed inwardly, sensing the level of danger that they were in was well beyond her childish powers of imagination, "{Mommy...whatever you're gonna do, you'd better do it quickly...because we are in big trouble...and this guy really needs a royal spanking...}"

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I am told that my ways can be quite disturbing to the uninitiated, and that is certainly the case with anyone who knew me when I was just an ordinary girl living without a clue to my true potential. These days hardly anyone in Nerima is unaware of the "strange" girl living in the house of the Tendos, the prodigal daughter who seems to know everything and who can bend the forces of nature to do her bidding, a girl who thinks nothing of levitating while deep in meditation with her ass set half a meter above the floor, her mind attuned to cosmic places that for ordinary people are quite beyond imagining, let alone mere comprehension.

I tend to take these things in stride because the concerns of "normal" people are more of a distraction than a genuine concern to me at the current level of my training. One does what one is gifted to do, and not to use the abilities that I trained so hard to acquire would be a criminal waste of human potential. Thank the Kami that Ranma and Shampoo still accept me for what I am, because I'd be sad beyond measure if my abilities alienated them against me, much the way this strange parody of my family and friends currently surrounding me were giving me askance glances.

But I was following the lead of my Mentor's counterpart in this frame, letting her conduct affairs while I assumed the familiar role of an assistant. It was her prerogative to take the initiative in scanning the etheric channels surrounding the dojo in order to weed out the particular path that signified the transfer port used by the wizard in his travels. By seniority and ability she was the more gifted of the two of us, and so could be relied upon to follow the corridor to its source on the other side while I anchored her soul-tether and helped maintain her body with protective spells that warded off the presence of any evil.

To outward eyes it might have seemed no more than that the two of us were being suspended from invisible wires, much like in a special-effects movie, but between us the glow of energies that was pooled in the space created by our hands which the sensitive among our helpful onlookers took to mean that we were doing something incomprehensible with magic, a thought not too far removed from the reality of what we were in fact doing. I could sense confusion, impatience, curiosity and even dread in their minds, but mostly the hope that what we were doing would somehow prove useful.

Ultimately that is what our efforts achieved, for when I sensed Lotion was slipping back into her mortal shell I could feel the concern and apprehension within her, but knew that she was quite well, which lightened my spirit considerable as I was just as anxious about her as I was for the missing children.

Very slowly the two-hundred-year-old Loremaster opened her eyes and breathed deeply, then sighed as we both drifted back to the floor and set our bottoms on waiting mattresses, at which point she looked at me directly and said, "It is as I feared. He plans on slaughtering the children and drinking their souls dry before the twelfth hour of evening."

I heard a gasp and several hushed voice expressing fear, dread and aversion, but mostly I felt the anger and rage these words produced in warrior hearts and found that my own feeling in the matter were considerably stronger than these emotions. I knew beyond thought what the Archmage planned on doing was purely evil, but I also sensed a familiar hand at work behind the scenes and knew at once that there was more going on here than anyone besides Lotion could even envision.

"The good news is that I have found the way into his stronghold," Lotion continued, "It is a perilous journey, and one that is fraught with danger, but we have allies who will assist us in finding the way. The only real question is...who among us will brave the keep of an Archmage and face him in the place where his power is strongest?"

To their credit not a one among them blanched, and as one I felt their spirits rise with righteous fury as they immediately volunteered to do their part in facing down the villain of this evening.

"I shall lend my sword to the hand of my dearest friend, Saotome Ranma," Tatewaki declared with typical heroic bravado...only this time I knew that he was both competent and sincere, as well as quite oblivious to the ironic look I gave him, still more than a bit bemused at the thought of a world where Ranma and Kuno had grown up as best-friends and childhood playmates.

"You think I'm holding back when my brother's kids need rescuing?" Ryoga declared to the sound of cracking knuckles.

"I'm with you all the way, Ryo-kun," the redheaded girl named Keiko said with such confident bravado that I was reminded once again of how much she resembled a slightly taller version of Ranma-chan in his female aspect, "To save Nabiki's kids I'd swim naked through a lake of acid. Ah...that is if it is all right with you, Mistress."

I turned to glance at the heavily pregnant Kodachi and found myself struck even more at the curious contrasts between this world and my own, most particularly with whom the "Black Rose" shared an acute fetish for bondage, "You know that I expect nothing less from you than total victory, my sweet, and to punish the blighter who would dare threaten the welfare of innocent children..."

"You know that you can count on Kurumi-chan and me to stand up for the welfare of our family," the girl named Natsume said with quiet but unmistakable conviction.

"Yeah," affirmed the fleet-footed young girl named Kurumi...a couple of months shy in age of Akane but easily her match as a martial artist, "Just bring it on and we'll show that bastard just what it means to mess with a Tendo...or a Saotome for that matter."

"Oh my," this strange otherworldly version of my big sister, Kasumi, said with some reluctance, "Must it end in violence? I would, of course, do my own part to insure the safety of my nieces..."

"But nothing," the redheaded dynamo named Alison Kent-Kane-Managi-Daitokuji said gruffly, "Somebody threatens our kids, we plant them six feet under, face down, and no questions asked of the survivors."

"Crudely put but accurate, Aiko-chan," the silver-haired Beatrice Kane-Kent-  
Daitokuji-Managi agreed in a more elegant and refined tone of voice, "For the sake of our children no sacrifice is too great, nor will the penalty to the one behind this affront be less than swift and absolute."

"You kids mean well," said the walking man-mountain of a monster standing to the left of Kasumi, the legendary "Creature" forged of alchemy and science who laughingly had adopted the modern-day nom-de-guire of "Frankline Nathaniel Steinberg," as if anyone could doubt his real identity at a glance, "But this guy's in the big leagues, and as good as the lot of you are, none of you are a match for an Archmage. Better leave this to me, I've got experience dealing with this type of an asshole."

"That may be true, old friend," Lotion said as she turned to regard the man who had once been more dear to her than life itself, "But do not be so quick to count out these particular children. I sense more than just the willingness to do what is right in their resolve, and some here would have to be physically restrained rather than sit home quietly while their young ones are in danger."

"Damn straight, old woman," this world's version of Ranma said with a look that left no doubt that he was willing to face the very devil to rescue his wives' children, "Ain't nobody but me gonna put this guy in his place, and if anybody tries to stop me, they're gonna be hurting."

"Crudely put, but eloquent, Husband," Perfume said with evident pride in her regard of the man who had married her "Airen." To emphasize her own point she flashed her twin double-bladed axes and said, "Anybody going to doubt that I'm game for this, Archmage or no Archmage?"

"You all are well gifted, and there is no denying your conviction," Lotion averred as she turned to study each and every one of these volunteers, "But we cannot simply charge up to the gates of this Archmage's lair if we go as a disorganized mob. Nor can my otherworld apprentice and I maintain the gates between here and there for so great a number. Twelve of you would be too large and unwieldy a group to bring along all at once, nor would we be able to coordinate our different attack styles into an effective attack party. So...what I propose to do is to split your number into two halves and mount this assault in waves, the first part being the initial assault group, the second held in reserve just in case the first group bogs down into too much trouble."

"That sounds logical," my counterpart of this world agreed, "So, who do you have in mind? Obviously I'm in no shape to go myself...much as I want to be the one to smash in the face of this wizard," she glanced down at her swollen belly, leaving none in any doubt of the reason for her forced abstention.

"If I wasn't a couple of months along myself I'd be right there with Ranchan kicking butt and taking numbers," Ukyo fretted, giving an ironic side-glance at Shampoo, who smiled back at her as though sharing a private jest between them.

"Same here," Akane agreed, "I think it's terrible that this guy just waltzed in here and took away my nieces without any thought on how that would affect the rest of us. He deserves whatever you give him, Ryo-chan, and I expect you to give him one for me just to show him a thing or two about messing with a Tendo!"

"That's a promise, Akane-chan," this world's Ryoga told his pregnant wife, and once again I could not help but marvel at the contrast between the way this world and my own had developed, what with the Akane I knew having broken off her engagement to Ryoga in order to pursue an almost hopeless relationship with the Ukyo of my timeline.

"Very well," Lotion said dramatically, rising from the floor to her not-too-  
considerable height, only to waver a bit as her ancient legs were not quite so spry as they once had been...but quick as thought the huge man named "Frank" moved to offer his support for her shoulders, and she briefly gave the man a fond look before steadying herself and refusing his hand, thus regaining the dignity and bearing of an Amazon elder.

"Perhaps you should think twice before offering your own services in this matter...old friend," I heard the false-sounding elderly tones of one I knew well in my world, and turned with a start to see the wizened fa ade of an "old ghoul" approaching us with more ease in her bearing than that of my mentor, "Formidable as you are, it would be folly to pit your strength against that of an Archmage."

"Matriarch?" for once this version of my Lotion evidenced surprise, "I had not anticipated your coming..."

"Have you forgotten that I have means for moving in stealth and silence beyond even your ability to detect, my old colleague and former apprentice?" the Cologne masquerading as an old woman remarked before taking her place at the center of the dojo and assuming immediate command over the situation, "But I'm still prime enough to handle even the likes of one as formidable as Shang-Kwan, or had you forgotten that I knew him when he was but a lad of tender years, in the days before power became his one and only obsession."

"As if I could forget such a thing," Lotion said pointedly, then added with a slight twist to her tone, "Oh...and I see you remember my old flame of long ago, the one you once thought would not amount to anything more than a handful of trouble."

I caught a wince on Frank's face and a slight frown in the expression of Cologne, accompanied by a mildly puzzled look on the face of Kasumi, and a non-  
plussed expression on my own counterpart, as if everyone were sharing a private thought about something that happened long ago, even as my mind opened up to the memories and I saw some fleeting imagery of an angry exchange of words that once had taken place on the shores of Japan two centuries in the past.

"Words spoken in the past, long since regretted," Cologne said in mild dismissal, "Sure you can see beyond that moment to appreciate the truth behind my words, and why I am the better choice to face this devil in his own hellish lair, rather than you."

"Your words have logic, but the world is not an entirely logical place, my former teacher," Lotion said, "Nevertheless, I bow to your age, wisdom and experience when it comes to battle situations, Matriarch, and if you wish to lead the first assault, then far be it from me to deny you."

I saw the puzzlement briefly flash in the eyes of Cologne, as though she were surprised that Lotion had given in so easily, but then she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I am more familiar with this group and know their capabilities as well as anyone. And a War Master knows the fitness of her tools and weapons far better than a Lore Master, as even you must concede...my fellow elder."

"As you say, I shall not dispute this," Lotion replied, "Then choose your weapons well, for I can tell that they have been well honed for battle."

"Ah," I decided to speak up just then, a thought having occurred to me that I felt was worth bringing up at this crucial juncture, "Before we go breaching the gates of this particular enemy...don't you think it might be worth considering the inclusion of someone who has more experience with magic than the lot of us put together?"

"Meaning?" my counterpart asked with a sardonic look that almost made me flinch as it was so identical to one of my own trademark expressions.

"This guy is an Archmage...so why not call upon the services of an Archmage on our side?" I asked, "Is Siren available on this timeline? I don't sense that she's living here, like in my version of Japan, but..."

"Siren?" Ranma looked at me curiously.

"Wasn't she the tall blonde chick in the Arabian Knights costume?" Keiko asked, almost drooling at the memory this conjured.

"Down my pet," Kodachi chided, "Yes...that is a logical point that this Nabiki is raising. An Amazon-born Archmage would certainly be an asset to our cause, and why not fight fire with fire? It is elemental logic."

"Indeed, sister-dearest," Tatewaki affirmed, "The Book of the Five Rings could not have more eloquently stated the matter."

"Use a wizard to fight a wizard?" Natsume mused, "It does have a certain poetic quality about it."

"Yeah, but you don't know her like I do," Frank winced, "We might almost be better off not calling her in for all the way that dizzy blonde..."

"We will do this without her."

Even I was a bit surprised at the vehemence with which Cologne had made this declaration...but then again, who better than me could appreciate the irony of summoning up an old girlfriend who still nursed a flame of unrequited desire for the Cologne hidden beneath the bitter folds of her ancient illusion? I still shake my head in memory of the way those two courted each other on my timeline, and for a while I'd have even laid bets against them finally coming together. But thanks to the whims of fate (and the persistence of the aptly named Siren) love had finally conquered all, and the two of them were now living together as wife-and-co-wife...a fate I rather doubted would be in store for their counterparts on this timeline.

"Are you certain that this is wisdom?" Lotion asked of her old teacher, "My counterpart's apprentice speaks wisdom in that the services of our most powerful mage would be well employed against her contemporary...and who has more cause to pay him back I dare ask you?"

"I will pay my respects to Shang-Kwan and demand an accounting of his many crimes," Cologne said sternly, "We do not need the assistance of THAT WOMAN to achieve our ends. The price for her involvement would be too high, and I am satisfied enough with the tools on hand that I need not overload the deck in our favor."

"Be it as you wish it, Matriarch," Lotion waved the point aside, but I could tell just by looking at my Mentor's counterpart that she was far from convinced that this would be the last word on that particular matter.

"Very well then," Cologne said as she turned with ruffled dignity to pay her regards in my direction, "You I do not know, but I can sense the power that is within you. You are much like my apprentice and heir, but different enough to be an unknown quality, and so I would suggest you remain behind with the second group and lend your assistance to Elder Lotion. I take it you have no strong objections?"

"Not particularly," I say as I look directly at the "old woman" and easily penetrate her disguise in order to confirm for myself that she is the same woman in all other respects to the Cologne I know, who is trapped in her true form and unable to disguise her age with an illusion.

"Good," Cologne then turned to the others and said, "Ranma will be assisting me at the lead of the assault party. Assisting him will be his brother, Ryoga, and his good friend Tatewaki Kuno."

"All right," Ryoga flexed an arm and smiled in anticipated triumph.

"Good to be fighting by your side once again, my brother-in-arms," Tatewaki declared while placing a comradely arm upon Ranma's shoulder, which the latter did not flinch away from, leaving me to once more contrast images as I tried to picture the same thing happening on my world, and failing badly.

"Mousse, as the Master of Hidden Weapons and the Shadow Senken, you are a logical fifth choice for our group," Cologne said firmly, "And as it would be rude to part you from your wife, Kurumi and her sister will, quite naturally, form the sixth and seventh members of our assault group."

"You know better than any that I am ready for this, Baba," Natsume declared as she stood beside "her man," meaning Kuno Tatewaki.

"All right," Kurumi grinned with anticipation while glancing up at Mousse, "Time again to go back into action."

"With you are my side, Airen," Mousse declared, "Our victory is all but assured, even against an Archmage."

"But what about me, Great-grandmother?" Perfume asked, "Don't I get to come along and fight beside my husband?"

"Sadly no, Child," Cologne said with obvious reluctance, "You will stay here and serve your great-grandmother as you would me or any elder of our village. As Enforcer your duty is her protection and welfare...and the same goes for you, Frank. I expect you to lend your not-inconsiderable strength to the cause should it be necessary to send the second wave to our rescue."

"Hope it doesn't come to that," Frank averred, "But you know I'm always ready to toast a wizard."

"Hey wait!" Keiko protested, "Does this mean I've gotta stay behind and play second stringer?"

"I am afraid so, Arigami-san," Cologne nodded simply, "Though you are as skilled as any warrior here present, we must needs keep our numbers down to a mere seven for this trip. Any more or less than this and we risk courting disaster."

"Huh?" Ranma looked puzzled, "Why is that?"

"Because Seven is the Number of Magic," I replied, "The Square and the Triangle, forming the pyramid...the third and fourth Continuums of reality overlapping...Astral and Physical, the best number to use when confronting an Archmage."

"Well said," Lotion noted, "Seven is the number you shall be, and the number of the second party shall remain as Seven. Seven is the color of the rainbow, the number of notes in the Pythagorean scale of music, A to G, the Aleph to the Scepter. You must rise to the moment and become as seven fingers striking with the same palm to penetrate into the lair of a dragon...and as dragons you must be...seven ascending dragons of heaven..."

"Seven fingers on one hand?" Alison said in askance, "And what the heck do you think I'm gonna do while the rest of you are out kicking butt? Stay here and play Shogi?"

"Easy my love," Beatrice restrained the fiery beauty with a hand to her shoulder, "Your time will come, have no fear of that. Maybe not on this particular trip, but when Eileen is rescued and safely delivered back into our care..."

"That's just it, Beiko," Alison complained, "I need to go! She's as much my kid as yours, and there ain't no way in hell that I'm gonna sit back and let some scumbag try and drain her!"

"As a certain ancient evil once attempted to do with your mutual friend?" I asked, and received some startled looks from the mismatched pair of brawn, brains and beauty, as though I had just dredged up a particularly painful subject for the both of them.

"You know," my counterpart said with another sardonic look in my direction, "It really weirds me out whenever you do that."

"Sorry," I said with a shrug, "Force of habit. I can't help it sometimes, the images just pop into my head and I blurt them out without thinking..."

"Something else my counterpart appears yet to have taught you against it would seem," Lotion remarked, "But let it go at that. For now...all that matters is finding the children and effecting their rescue."

I held my piece this time, but if you think I was taking it on the chin and letting that comment go unchallenged, then you really don't know all that much about me and the relationship I share with my true Mentor. Sensei Lotion is often caustic and acerbic in her temperament, but that's just her way of distancing herself so that she doesn't get to maudlin and weepy by expressing too many emotions on the outside. Underneath the stern fa ade I could sense that she was really quite impressed with me, with the understandable qualifier that if I had been HER student I might have turned out even better.

Actually I have quite a lot of affection for the old biddy, and I put up with a lot of guff because, deep down, I know that she cares and is doing and saying these things for my benefit, so I don't get too cocky and overconfident over the progress that I have made and always keep in mind that I am a student, not yet a true master. To others I may seem quite formidable, but I am all too painfully aware that, next to her, I am just a stumbling amateur, and while I have the resilience and folly of youth on my side it would make for too easy an excuse to fall back on that all of the time. The reality is that I value our training sessions together and yearn for every scrap of wisdom that she can impart upon me. Through her eyes I have witnessed and performed a great many miracles, but as far as I have progressed in more than a years time, I become all that much more aware of the vast mountain of knowledge that I have yet to ascend, such as the patience needed for careful and reasoned observation.

For example, I had been sizing up the difference so far between the people of this world and the ones I so well and fondly remembered, emphasizing the contrasts and making note of the perceived changes in the paths of their individual destinies that had brought about such changes. Now I sought to study them in terms of their combat potential to see if Cologne's choices really measured up to closer inspection.

Beginning, of course, with this world's version of my husband, Ranma, in whom I had already witnessed a great many differences from the cocky and self-contented guy I know and love so well on my own timeline. This Ranma had grown up in a house and a fairly stable family environment and was not so hardy and well-  
conditioned to life in the world outside Nerima. He was a bit of a mamma's boy, and he tended to take orders from a woman out of habit, finding it comfortable to let his Nabiki do most of the thinking in their household. In some ways my counterpart had an easier time of it convincing him to see things her way, whereas I had frequently had to argue and cajole my Ranma, who could be pig-  
headed and stubborn about some things, and often I would have to fall back on my sex appeal to win him over, which was a lot of fun in a way, and I had grown quite used to our occasional tiffs as they almost always heralded some fun and kinky action that would be following on its heels very shortly.

This Ranma had the ability and the confidence in his martial arts that made him a ready and able help-mate, but he was not as much of a take-charge starter and lacked some of the confidence in his edge that so often marked my husband as a man who could almost never be intimidated. He also had mastered many skills unknown to the Ranma of my timeline, including the various Senken maneuvers (many of which he himself had created) that he had acquired in preparation for what they laughingly called a "love-match" with his Nabiki. Since she was the premier martial artist of this Nerima it had been quite a challenge for the "homeboy" to surmount her advantages and defeat her for an Amazon-style betrothal, but he had been set and determined to find a way of becoming her equal, and in doing so had branched off entirely from the art, taking on his elemental servants, which was steadily conditioning him to an entirely different mode of thinking, one more in line with a Magi as opposed to a strict martial artist.

That he was an ascending dragon was unquestionable, for the Dragons that he commanded were affecting his nature in ways both overt and subtle. His affinity for elemental forces, and his tendency to view the body as a house, were opening doorways in his mind that had formerly been closed off to him, and if he kept on the same pathway I had no doubt that he would eventually gravitate to the ways of a Mystic, which put him more in my area of specialty even though he yet lacked the training that I had as an observer and medium for the elemental forces of nature.

Color him a Red Dragon, representing both courage and chaos personified, energy in motion that could sweep away all opposition.

Cologne, of course, is a hardy and seasoned veteran of countless battles and has tricks up her proverbial sleeve that even Lotion has yet to reckon. To view her as a dragon was simplicity itself, even if she defies easy analysis with her contradictory personality and the contrast between what she is and what she projects before others. This Cologne still has the crutch of her disguise to convey the impression to others that she is a "weak and helpless elderly person," which tends to make people underestimate how formidable she actually is...whereas the Cologne of my timeline is young and beautiful seeming and is often passed off as a "piece of fluff" by those who do not realize their peril.

Color her a purple dragon, most spiritual of entities with the "royal hue" that heralded the morning.

Ryoga here was also a Senken master, but he was also more settled in and domesticated, having a wife and a steady job as a construction worker, where he honed his mastery of the "Ko-Senken," the discipline whereas he used his hands as tools as if they were made of metal. Not quite so shy and retiring as the Ryoga with whom I am familiar, he frequently gets roped into all sort of kinky sex games that he plays not only with Akane but with Keiko and Kodachi, the four of them regular sex partners in what amounts to an "unofficial" harem. He's also never been Jusenkyo cursed and so lacks the hard discipline that is often brought about by the burden of the forbidden springs, which always marks its victims with a special destiny, prone to eternal trouble and hardship.

Color him a Gold or yellow dragon, the embodiment of the Solar Principle of renewal and rebirth, and of metal, ever renewable and firm, able to reshape himself in the cast of a whole new likeness.

This version of Kuno Tatewaki I found myself actually liking, rather than the "cold fish" of my world who is the willing helpmate of Cybelle and tends to spend his days running his father's empire with an iron bokken. Here he is actually the Samurai hero that he only once imagined himself to be, and the nobility of his spirit is so great that he actually won the affections of my cousin-turned-adoptive sister, who is also of a somewhat romantic temperament and tends to see the world in terms that are entirely on the same wavelength. They fit together so well that it was actually frightening, and yet he was just an ordinary guy who had studied the ways of Nampo and Kenjuitsu and had a long ways to progress before he could claim the title of a Master.

Color him a Blue Dragon, the Thunder of the heavens matched by intellect and the cool wind of a valiant spirit.

Natsume was a puzzle to me, a total enigma as she was not a part of the world that I remember, even though I knew without question that a version of her is wandering loose somewhere in Japan, seeking knowledge of a family that she and her sister have never known. I really must make it a point to seek my version of her out to determine the truth behind our relationship, and there is so much in common between us that I am actually quite intrigued to discover more of her background. Such as...who was this younger sister of my father that daddy's never bothered to mention to the rest of us, and how does her relationship with the brother of "Uncle Genma" affect my own relationship with Ranma? I had known in the past that Ranma and me were distant cousins, but the whole idea that our families were that blood related tended to add a special emphasis over why our fathers had been so insistent on our engagement.

In other ways I felt a real sense of sorrow and pity for the girl. Marked by birth as a "potential" Slayer, a quirk in fate's plans had bestowed upon her the full mantle of the ancient line of the Vampire Hunters, very few of whom had ever lived beyond their eighteenth birthday. Natsume was eighteen, roughly about the same age as me, and hardened by life on the road to a steely sense of iron pragmatism that tended to view things in strictly black and white terms. Her martial arts skills were already quite phenomenal, almost on a par with my Ranma, and backed by the considerable strength and constitution of a Slayer which meant she was a force to reckon with, even if she tended to rely a bit too much on her odd choice of a weapon.

I mean, seriously...a rug-beater for a bokken? She and Kuno-chan were well matched indeed, and as I sensed that he was teaching her the art of Kendo, she could well be on her way to giving Nodoka a few lessons in swordsmanship. Now if she could only work to better develop her unarmed skills she might even be dangerous on a level to match, say, Pantsaru Taro...whom I sensed was somewhere in this district yet lurking in the background.

Color her a Green Dragon, nature personified in its rarified and unrefined condition.

Kurumi was seriously kawaii and had a "cuteness" quotient far in excess of Akane. She was also the victim of some heavy-handed manipulation of her Chi-  
centers that had speeded up her metabolism to the point where she was perkier than a ferret. Talk about bottomless pits, her stomach literally vaporized whatever food she consumed and converted it to raw elements, giving her an explosive energy level that made her many times faster even than Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken training. She was also pretty handy with that ribbon she wore in her hair for more reasons than plain aesthetics, and by whirling it at speeds that would literally defy description she could channel her Chi into a "hot" weapon that was capable of taking down even foes many times her size. Just nailing her to the floor would be a difficult enough accomplishment as she literally had trouble standing still and would often fidget when excited, much though she had trained hard in meditative techniques in order to control this unfortunate condition.

I could mark the same heavy hand of Happosai in her that I had observed many times in Miss Hinako. The founder of our discipline of Musubetsu Kakuto fighting had often displayed a soft touch for the plight of children, but his remedy for their conditions was often a cure just as bad as the disease as he could twist their energy patterns into forms that made them living weapons but denied them any chance of a "normal" lifestyle. I had seen indications of the same effect upon Natsume, but not to the same degree as her little sister evidenced...although that might be more a matter of perception than reality since Nat-chan's ability to manifest "cold" Chi fit well with what I had observed of her lowered body temperature and indifference to the cold of whatever environment was around her. Perhaps she needed frequent contact with Kurumi in order to keep her body and spiritual temperature in balance, kind of a yin-yang equation that would fit in well with what I know about great-  
grandfather's techniques.

Color Kurumi as an Orange or Ochre dragon, warmth and sensuality set between the poles of fire and sunlight.

Lastly there was Mousse, and here was where I noticed some of the greatest contrasts of all, for while he seemed on the surface to have much in common with the Mousse that I remembered, his obsessive tendencies had for once been transferred to someone who actually returned them with genuine affection, and he had never been "hung up" about Shampoo, having instead formerly been fixated upon her adoptive cousin, of whom I will say more in another minute.

This Mousse had matured considerable in a year and was no longer quite so myopic and thickheaded. The change in Jusenkyo curses from Duck to Orangutan was another factor worth noting, as was his ability to listen and feel the pain of others. Such simple empathy was more than the Mousse of my world had ever managed to suffer, and with his dedication to a woman who actually loved him in kind had come a renewed moral and ethical sense of integrity quite beyond the Mousse that I remembered. His creation of the "Shadow Senken" had been as much an act in search of a means of gaining parity with Kurumi as it had been meant to hammer his opponents into submission, but ever since defeating her in an "Amazon Love Challenge" (however unwittingly given and accepted) he had used his abilities only to help others rather than for his own self-aggrandizement. Much to my considerable surprise I found myself liking him on principle, almost enough to forgive the Mousse of my world for his various attempts at harassing Shampoo and me, up to and including giving a Jusenkyo curse to my own little sister.

Color him as either a Turquoise or an Indigo dragon, on the one hand cool and clear as running water, on the other hand harboring a shadowy presence that could strike from concealment and without warning.

Hmm...perhaps I should make a note here about the ones being left out of the "rescue party." After all, I had a very strong sense even then that things would not turn out quite as Cologne anticipated, and that before too very long the rest of us would be forming up our own rescue party. Since some of these are unknowns in my world I think I will begin first with the ones whom I estimated to be my strongest potential allies.

Perfume, of course, is Amazon trained and in some ways even surpasses Shampoo in terms of raw fighting potential, but because of a trick of nature in her birth she was born hypersensitive to pain, which prevents her from using all of her abilities to the max, particularly where it comes to unarmed fighting. Her reliance on weapons is a definite liability, but she compensates for that by a supernormal proficiency with both Axes and Tonfas, and her speed is quite phenomenal, almost on a par with Kurumi. She is highly intelligent and perceptive, able to devise and execute complex strategies on the fly, and knowledgeable in many of Cologne's most formidable techniques, including the Bakusai Tenketsu. She is strong and quite resilient, and-thanks to having been bestowed with the advantages of "nano-technology" care of the silver-haired Beatrice-her nervous system has been partially repaired and reinforced so that she no longer suffers a crippling handicap every time she is struck in battle. Add to that her cuddlesome and affectionate nature and you have one very formidable young lady, especially given that she has the hypersenses of a Sentinel, giving her a superior awareness of her environment, though not quite the equal of the perceptions of a Lore Master.

There is also her Jusenkyo curse to consider, which-ironically-is almost the same exact curse that Shampoo has on my timeline, and while it is unfortunate that she tends to get splashed with water quite frequently, experiencing life as a cat has given her a feline perspective about fighting...meaning that her claws are very sharp and that you should watch carefully that she does not "scratch" you with her axes.

Then there is Arigami Keiko, a real study in contrasts. Cocky, brash, hardy and well seasoned in the ways of the world, she is entirely sensualistic in nature and is quite open about her sexuality, having a strong preference for other women but being well disciplined and trained in the arts of giving and receiving pleasure even with a definite guy like Ryoga. An openly admitted "Sex-Slave" who takes great pride in being "owned" by Kodachi, some of her formative years had been spent being conditioned to that mode of thinking under the tutorage of the formidable Lao Kung, a woman I had yet to meet yet whose reputation in me was already growing the more I studied her reflection in my contemporaries. Keiko is both assertive and submissive, a real go-getter in some ways and yet able to turn on a dime into a meek and willing kitten whenever her metaphorical chain was given a yank by her current owner. Her resemblance to my Ranma-chan is so stark that I am almost tempted to believe that she and Ranma share some sort of resonant connection, and yet her Jusenkyo curse turns her into a vulture, one of the ugliest carrion eaters imaginable. Go figure!

Her mastery of various martial arts styles, primarily that of Kick-boxing, to which she has added the Shadowskills for a chaser, makes her one tough and deadly fighter, someone who has actually taken the lives of many opponents in both street brawls and cage fighting. Though the blood on her hands is quite unmistakable, she's basically life oriented and has a cheerfully optimistic view of the world that mingles cynicism with a "devil-may-care" defiance. Naturally I found myself liking her a great deal, though I could not help but notice how she pined with unrequited desire for my counterpart...and found me a bit too disturbing as an enigma.

And then there is Alison, aka "A-ko" Managi, a living powerhouse who was a thousand times as strong as the rest of us put together. Not a great intellectual but full of brawn and bravado, which makes her just as formidable as my Ranma (even granted that her level of destructiveness puts his to shame by a good long measure), I sensed that she had a lot of underdeveloped potential of her own, and while her training in the martial arts was none too shabby (her mother being an Amazon from a branch of the line that was even more ancient than the one in China) I had the sense that she had powers and abilities yet to be fully explored and tested...and just how tough was she anyway? I had a feeling that many an army had learned the hard way not to underestimate her, and not just on our planet but among the stars, where her name was already a legend.

How curious that she should find herself paired off with someone her exact opposite in a great many senses, but looking upon Beatrice Kane (ne B-Ko Daitokuji) it was easy to see the reasons for their attraction. Each had qualities the other lacked, and both were stronger when united with the other than they were as separate entities. Beatrice was as intelligent as Alison was powerful, and her ability to work near magic with the tools of science meant that she was every bit as formidable in her own way. She also had the advantage of exposure to super-advanced off-world technology, not the least example of which were the Nanites that were crawling around like ants within her bloodstream, giving her perfect health and an ability to regenerate damage that no doubt came in handy with the active lifestyle that she and her "wife" experienced together.

I'm not sure how much at this point can be added about my counterpart, since I've already expounded at great length as to the rather large differences that exist between us. In a way looking at her was like looking into a funhouse mirror, the kind that distorts the image from what is to what might have been, and in her place I probably would behave and think just like her, which is a scary enough thought let me tell you!

But then again, how to measure the even greater contrast between the Kasumi I know and the one who was standing there before me. Tall and willowy as I remember but with a certain ethereal sweetness that hinted of greater things that only lurked as the potential hidden within my own beloved big sister. This Kasumi was a force to be reckoned with, an elemental being of light, fire and air who also manifested a very earthy sensuality that contrasted with her nominal "innocence," and while she was unquestionably still a virgin, this Kasumi knew what she was lacking in terms of fulfillment. Rather a bit like how my Kasumi used to be a bit of an air-headed romantic, right before she started up a very passionate and physical relationship with my world's Kuno Kodachi.

How to measure the many contradictory things that I observed in this altered version of my own big sister? For one thing she was both a vampire and a goddess, and if that doesn't strike you as contradictory then I don't know what will! She had a thirst for blood and had tasted the neck of my own counterpart, and through that had gained the full knowledge of her martial arts skills, which were coupled with her vampiric abilities, which meant that she was most probably the toughest one among us, Frank and Alison notwithstanding. She disliked fighting and had formerly renounced her martial arts training before the events that had led my counterpart back into her life, and under conditions that brought about a very strange kind of incestuous fascination, most particularly centered upon this world's Nabiki's male aspect.

And yet she had turned instead to the homunculus of a man whose very name struck terror in the hearts of many a mortal. To see her standing beside the hulking giant was to marvel at how opposites could attract, for he was rough-hewn in manners and had a history of violence that belied the more cultured exterior that he attempted to project these days. Kasumi barely topped the level of his belly button, and yet the big man acted with great deference and respect towards her, acting as though he were afraid that he might unwittingly cause her injury if he moved too abruptly, which was odd considering how my big sister could probably have bent him in half if she ever had a mind to be less than gentle...or if, as I suspected, her long-repressed libido came to the fore and she let loose upon him with a tide of wanton sexuality, in which case he had my most sincere condolences and pity.

Yes indeed, a very odd assemblage of mismatched personalities, but still quite formidable and tightly knit as a family unit. The bonds between these people were strong and well tested, and there was not a one of them-including Mousse-  
-who would shy away from taking injury on the behalf of another, and not just the ones with whom they were romantically and sexually involved at the present. And all of it centered around my counterpart, who either knowingly or unknowingly had become the glue holding everything together.

Perhaps I also ought to say a few words about those who were not present for this meeting, the undead trio of Lenore, Chloe and Kiima. They were here as official employees of Frank, who had commissioned them to keep close tabs on the movements of Kasumi, something Lenore was obliged to do anyway since my sister was her goddess.

Having spent enough time around them to get a sense of what they were actually like, I could see why Kasumi did not mind having them around as they were a non-  
intrusive presence around the household. Lenore was discrete and tended to lurk about the place, hiding in the shadows but always there when summoned or needed. In a way she was like a competent version of the Kuno manservant, Sasuke, and Chloe was as much like a pet as her girlfriend, always affectionate and eager to please, yet fiercely loyal and protective against anyone who threatened those under the werewolf's protection.

Kiima was a much more difficult one to nail down, being trapped as she was in a state between death and life due to an accident caused by her scientist father. The man had been attempting to contact the spirit of his dead wife, but the device he used had unwittingly caught their daughter within an etheric net that held her in a state of perpetual limbo, neither wholly of the flesh nor spirit, a living ghost who could walk through walls and manifest a physical presence where needed, and who could also control the etheric state of her own body as well as effect the same abilities as a Poltergeist, including such talents as telepathy and telekinesis.

She was, in some respects, a sad case of an innocent trapped in eternal purgatory, and yet she had adjusted to her current state of being and had long since made peace with the ghosts of her own past. It was through her friendship with Lenore and Chloe that she had renewed her interest in living, and through their involvement in other supernatural encounters the three of them had formed an unbreakable union that held them firm through over a decade of close and active association.

There was a lot more to their story than I am relating here, of course, but this is only the short version of my summary here as I am sure you, my gentle readers, want me to forge on ahead and get to the point where things took a more active role, and the heroes began their assault on the lair of the villain.

Oh yes, and you may ask, 'What about the fathers? What about Aunt Nodoka?" Well, I don't want to drag things out by giving an account of their own involvement, it just seemed as if my father and "father-in-law" were spending much of their time angsting and fretting about the dangers posed to their beloved granddaughters. Other than that they were leaving the important stuff to us kids, while Aunt Nodoka was doing her level best to pacify their anxieties, providing lots of tea and hot saki while encouraging to take their minds off of our problems by playing a round or two of shogi.

At times such as this I really do miss having my other "aunts" around, especially Comb, Silk, Atsuko and even Ukyo's aunt Yumi. Heck, I'd especially have given a lot to have my other big sister around, but it seemed as though on this world the gang had yet to meet Kachu, and daddy was still in the dark about the existence of an older daughter who looked a lot like (but was totally the opposite of) Kasumi. Similarly there was neither Peorth nor Ganglot on hand to call upon for some semi-divine favors, nor did Ryoga have his formidable kinswomen on hand, particularly Kennou and Ryomi, or even his legendary grandfather, Razor, the founder of the current line of the Hibikis.

But then again you might as well call upon great-grandfather Happosai to lend his assistance, and that always entailed trouble of its own as the diminutive runt had a tendency to let himself be distracted from his mission by close contact with the ladies.

To cut to the chase of the matter, Lotion and I were called upon to perform a spell by linking our energies together, and by extending our senses into the great etheric field we found the opening to the "worm-hole" like tunnel that the wizard had used during his assault on our dojo. To the eyes of others it must have seemed as if a hole were opened up in the very ceiling of the chamber, and with Cologne directing the others the "first wave assault group" entered the vortex and vanished from the sight of normal eyes, embarking on their mission while the rest of us stayed behind looking up with a sense of shared longing.

I had the sense even then that things were would not go smoothly, but even given my precognitive abilities there was no way in hell for me to foresee all that was about to occur, or the steps that I would take to rectify the error in judgement of this world's Cologne in thinking herself better able to take on Shang-Kwan than her former pupil. Lotion had grown very far beyond even the understanding of the Matriarch in her skills and abilities and was a force of her own to be reckoned with, whereas I had been thinking long and hard about the way in which I myself had been defeated and had already devised several alternate strategies that would effect a different outcome in a second encounter. One should never try the same trick twice with even an apprenticed Lore Master...but that was a lesson Shan-Kwan had yet to comprehend as my turn in the battle would not occur for some hours yet.

There was also another even more potent lesson that I and my counterpart were about to teach him, namely that one should never underestimate either a Tendo...or a Saotome, because when you threaten the ones that we love we tend to become quite ruthless and nasty, to say nothing of terribly inventive in the pursuit of our heavenly retribution.

But I digress once again, for that is getting far ahead of myself in this story...for the rise of the Seven Dragons is the story that I would next relate, as best I am able to reconstruct things from the accounts of the survivors and my own intuitive perceptions...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Color-Coded Charts: shadowmane

Next time around the heroes mount their assault upon the lair of Shang-Kwan, but as the old saying goes, "Never Cross a Wizard," for, "They Get Soggy and Are Difficult to Light." Be there! 


	141. Chapter 141

NabikiRan125 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Five.

"Tread Softly In the Company of Wizards..."

Ranma's Entries Continue:

For some reason that escapes me completely I had this inexplicable desire to drop by the Kuno place and pay my respects to Kasumi. Don't ask me what prompted this, but Shampoo seemed agreeable enough, and we had time on our hands, and we really were curious to know how she was doing since she moved out of the house to be with her girlfriend.

Now me and Kuno Tatewaki don't exactly get along these days, but with Kodachi there's a kind of nominal truce since we've never really been enemies, and we've even fought side-by-side on occasion, and she ain't really all that bad when you get to know her.

Well...maybe "bad" is a relative term here, because as soon as we knocked on the door we saw it open we were greeted by a cheerfully pleasant Kasumi, who seems to have fit in well with the Kuno lifestyle. Of course right away me and Shampoo kinda "noticed" a few odd things, like the fact that our big "sister-in-  
law" was sporting a pair of leather cuffs that had looping chains that linked them together through a leather belt-ring, and you could hear the slight tinkling of metal about her ankles, which made us naturally glance down and notice that her feet were cuffed with leather straps held together by a light chain, and beneath her long dress she wasn't wearing no underwear and was definitely barefoot.

Oh yeah...and she had a leather collar around her neck, complete with a loop that you could fit a chain to, just like a dog collar. Even so she was smiling warmly at the both of us and seemed perfectly at ease despite her handcuffs and leggings, and we kinda got the feeling that it was a natural thing for her to be wearing them these days. Just as naturally we didn't want to speculate on what this meant about the kind of life she lived together with Kodachi, but then again...it ain't healthy to ask too many questions when it comes to their relationship.

As long as Kasumi is happy I'm happy, but even so...ya just gotta wonder...

"Ranma-kun," she said with typical cheerfulness, "Shampoo-san, how very nice to see you again. What brings you here? Have you business with the Mistress?"

That she was referring to Kodachi with a "sama" on the end of her name didn't exactly hit us like a news flash, but I guess we kinda stood there and gaped for a few seconds because neither one of us said or did a thing until Kodachi herself showed up and pleasantly greeted us with a coy, "What can we do for you, Saotome-san? Is this business or a social visit?"

"Ah," I said, mentally whacking myself on the back of the head for gaping like an idiot, "Nothing, Sham-chan and me just felt like dropping by and seeing how you guys were doing..."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo said in muted agreement, but I kinda think she meant a lot more by that than just to back up my lame explanation."

"By all means, come inside and let us sit a while," Kodachi urged with the pleasant attitude of a true hostess, "Do fetch us some refreshments, my Pet, and let us all make ourselves at home while we acquaint ourselves with current events in the lives of our very good friends, the Saotomes."

"At once, Mistress," Kasumi replied, and happily went about her way as though playing the role of a servant was as natural to her now as it used to be for her to play "housewife" for the Tendos.

The little chinking noises she made as she sauntered away was a little too hard for us to ignore as Shampoo and me followed Kasumi with our eyes, still trying to grasp the fact that she was living like a virtual slave in the mansion, and yet was obviously loving the role to the hilt, which definitely marks how much she's changed from the sky and "proper" girl that first greeted me and Pop when we came to her place.

"You no doubt are wondering how my loving pet fares within this domicile," Kodachi said, sounding pretty amused as she read our reactions, "Be assured that she is treated quite well, and that the two of us are very happy together, which you may relate to her father and step-mother should they make inquiries upon this subject."

Yeah, I know...that's the fancy way both Kunos talk, using a lot of words to get to the point, and if it weren't for Nabiki coaching me I'd never even understand half of 'em, let alone be able to spell them proper like. Good thing I've got a great memory, I'd never think of having anybody talk like that if I were writing this like in a novel.

Anyway, we soon found ourselves in a very swank and comfortable room that was almost as big as the Tendo house all by itself. I think she called it her "study," though it was more like a place to lounge around and read some books or play the piano, or something...nothing else there that I'd call entertainment. And the cushioned chair that me and Shampoo sat on was a huge and soft-padded sofa that let us slouch together and stretch our legs with Sham-chan's almost in my lap while we sat together, watching Kodachi play the hostess while Kasumi served tea and some sweet rolls, then casually set the tray down and sat down on the floor, composing herself between the open wide-spread knees of her "Mistress."

And in doing so she naturally extended both of her legs in our direction, allowing us to fully see the chain that linked her leather cuffs together, not bothering to hide them...heck, even boasting that she was wearing them, like she was proud of the subject, or something like that.

Something else we definitely noticed right there and then...those chains looked golden, but I kinda doubted that they were solid gold 'cause that would make them way too soft and brittle. Heck, even Kasumi wouldn't have no difficulty breaking loose from a pair that thin, so either they were plated, or...maybe she doesn't want to get loose from them...like wearing them is okay with her. And on the other hand (as Nabiki would say), would Kodachi use anything less than real gold, or electrum, in order to bind Kasumi's feet like that? It really starts you to thinking...

Or other stuff, as I caught my hand moving to caress the bare foot of my wife, which I know Shampoo likes a lot. Like me she's got really tough soles and she's used to going barefoot over rough ground, but I know for a fact that her arches, ankles and insteps are really sensitive if you know how to stroke 'em, and by playing with the space between her toes I can get her to purr, even when she ain't in her cursed body. For a fact she never bothered removing them from my lap as I started to play with her the way I know she liked, and all the while noticing how clean and well-manicured Kasumi's feet were, as if Kodachi took good care of 'em, and considering what neatness freaks she and my big sister-in-  
law are I doubt that there's even a speck of dust on the floor to get 'em dirty.

"Now then, Ranma-kun," Kodachi began, having elegantly composed herself to play the role of a hostess, even as Kasumi rested her head against one knee and gently stroked a hand over the leg of her "Mistress," while Kodachi was saying, "What brings you here on this fine day to visit house Kuno? I know for a fact that you cannot be here to pay your respects to my brother."

There was a funny kind of twist to that last word, and I caught Kodachi momentarily frowning, as if she and her brother ain't on too good terms these days, which I have to say ain't all that surprising.

"Aw...nothing much, just a social visit," I said, trying hard not to stare at the way Kasumi was acting, "Thought I'd see how you and Kasumi were getting along, that sorta thing..."

"I see," Kodachi stretched out a hand and caressed the top of Kasumi's head, almost like she were a pet rather than a human, "Well, as you can see we are doing quite splendidly. At least...I have no complaints...have you any to voice, my darling?"

"None whatsoever, Mistress," Kasumi said happily, and with a completely sincere tone of voice and expression.

I know I ain't got a great "poker face" like Nabiki, so maybe I was a little too obvious about the way I was staring, but I know Shampoo was just as curious as me over how Kasumi could enjoy living like this, a slave in all but name, but obviously not minding it, but still I had to get it out and say, "Really? That's swell...uh...but...well, knowing your brother like I do, I can't see Tatewaki being all that happy about you living like...this, Kasumi-chan."

Again Kodachi's pleasant expression darkened and I could tell I'd hit a raw nerve, but Kasumi just tilted her head and ran her fingers up and down the leg that was exposed beneath Kodachi's dress, so Kuno-chan managed to get her smile back, though her tone was a bit frosty.

"What my brother thinks about the way I have chosen to live my life...or who with...is of very little interest to me, I must confess," she said with a sniff of her nostrils, "And he understands that I will not part with my dearest one regardless of what he off-handedly refers to as a 'scandal.' Kasumi is very dear to me, and I would not give her up for all the money in the world or all the tea in China. No offense to you, Shampoo-san."

"None is taken," Shampoo replied, then my wife decided to try a tact of her own by saying, "Is...it very good for you here, Kasumi-san? You no regret leave family behind to live with black rose?"

"Why should I regret it?" Kasumi replied, and again I could tell that she was being totally honest, "Mistress Kodachi has made me feel great joy in her company, and she gives me a place and a purpose all my own. I am not needed at home since father has remarried, and I am quite happy for him that his new wife, Silk-san, has everything in order and is making him feel so many years younger. Besides...the Mistress and I have an announcement that we were hoping to share with you. Is it permitted for me to tell them, Mistress?"

"You may indeed, my sweet," Kodachi said as she continues stroking the hair to the top and the side of Kasumi's head, then she looked at us and her smile practically lit up the room, "I have proposed to my darling and she has accepted. I am adopting her into the Kuno family and she will become my wife, as well as everything else that marriage life entenders."

"Hah?" I said, and then Kasumi extended her right hand and showed off the ring that she was wearing, one with a diamond so big that I had to blink twice, wondering how I could have missed seeing it before, and as pretty much the same thing was running through Shampoo's mind I could hear my wife murmur softly one of her appreciative, "Aiyaas," which is the short way she has of saying "HOLY FUCK!" or something of that nature.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Kasumi said with radiant happiness, "Even father will be pleased that I am finally getting married, and to my darling Mistress Kodachi."

I kinda had my doubts that "Uncle Soun" was gonna be any too thrilled when he heard about this, but even I've got better sense than to say something like that aloud, especially considering the way Kasumi and Kodachi treat their relationship like there ain't nothing wrong about it. Funny thing is, I'm even more worried about the way Kasumi might look at me if I implied any sort of criticism her way than I was about what Kodachi might say about it. Ever since I first met both girls there's just been something very intimidating about 'em that I can't put my finger on, like anybody who gets in the way of what they want had better be prepared to back it up with more than fists, or something.

Trust Shampoo to be the one to bring up the obvious question that immediately came into both of our heads, "But...Kasumi...what about children? You no worried you no have them?"

"We've talked about that," Kodachi replied while continuing to play with the hairs of Kasumi's forelocks, "And we have considered adoption as a possibility. However...there is one other avenue that we are hoping to explore, and as such it is quite fortuitous that you should happen upon us this very evening."

"You see," Kasumi said as if prompted to speak, "The Mistress and I love each other very much, but we know full well that it takes a man to get one or both of us with child...so...we would have to find a man whom we could mutually respect and trust to provide us with...a sample...oh my."

She blushed and looked down rather abruptly, as if embarrassed by what she was about to propose, and considering the way she was acting up to this point that oughta tell you a lot about the idea if it could bring a blush to her face that reminded us a lot of the "old" Kasumi.

"He would have to be brave, handsome, strong and capable," Kodachi remarked as if reading off from a mental list, "A proven gentleman who would not seek to intrude into what Kasumi-sama and I enjoy together, and demonstrably fertile. Do you know anyone who might possibly match that description?"

Okay, call me clueless, but the first thing that came into my head is what I stated, "You want Ryoga?"

"No silly," Kasumi chided me as if I were a very small infant, "Ryo-kun is certainly a quite admirable fellow, but I would hardly want for my children to inherit his family curse of no sense of direction."

Kodachi did not look directly at me but rather met Shampoo's stare and said, "Among your people is there not a tradition of one warrior allowing another to make temporary service of her husband in order to replenish your tribal numbers when war, famine or disease has ravaged your village?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo got it before I did, "You wish this one to...loan you the use of her husband?"

"Say what?" I blurted.

"It is just an idea," Kasumi hastily said, "No need for you to give us an immediate decision, Ranma-kun. But the Mistress and I think you would make an excellent choice for the father of our child, and if either one of us were to become pregnant by you we would of course extend you parental rights and visitation..."

"But the child would remain our own in all other legal senses," Kodachi said simply, "And would bear the name of Kuno rather than Saotome. I know that is asking a great deal of you, Ranma-kun, but we do hope that you will at least consider it as one possible option to provide Kasumi-chan and me with the one thing that would guarantee total happiness in our marriage.

I sat there with my mouth hanging open, but then I noticed the way Shampoo was looking at me and I promptly closed my mouth and said, "Ah...I'm honored...sorta...but...well, ah...Sham-chan?"

It's amazes me the way her mind works, and how she can often turn on a dime and make perfectly rational decisions as if working out the calculations, "This one will consider your proposal and speak of it at length with her husband. If it is deemed that this is the best way of insuring the preservation of your family line, then we will honor you both and do as you have requested."

Yeah, I know how that comes across sounding on paper, like she was bargaining with me as though Kodachi were asking for the family lawnmower, but I could tell my wife was being polite and stalling for time so that we really could think this whole thing over. I mean...me with either Kasumi or Kodachi? Hey, they're both beautiful girls, don't get me wrong about that, but...cheating on my wife-  
-even with her knowing about it-just to get another girl pregnant just don't sound too kosher, if you know what I'm saying...

"Thank you, Shampoo-san," Kodachi smiled at her with sisterly affection, "You are as intelligent and wise as you are beautiful and kind-hearted...and may I ask how much longer it will be before your own child is safely delivered?"

Shampoo reflexively moved a hand to her tummy and said, "Great-grandmother and this one's mother think any day now. Is only five months, but think pregnancy speeded up by magic of Jusenkyo."

"We look forward to the day when your child is in hand and your family has prospered," Kodachi said graciously, "And...just between us girls, we're hoping it's a daughter."

"Say what?" I asked, even though we'd already had the sex of our child predetermined. Not that I mind having a girl first, but what's wrong with a son? Shampoo and me are still young, and there's plenty of time to give our daughter a baby sister or brother...

"This one hopes it is so too," Shampoo said politely, "And maybe you have beautiful baby girl too, much-much resemble mothers but have Airen's eyes and cute little dimples."

All three women chuckled at that, but I didn't see what was so funny about having dimples. I had 'em when I was a kid, but it cleared up as I got older, but I guess that's just the price you gotta pay when you're the only guy in a social group of women.

Kodachi suddenly glanced up at the wall and stared at a clock then said, "Oh my...forgive me please. I had quite forgotten that I left something unattended upstairs. I will be down shortly enough...in the meantime, my sweet, do fetch more of your delicious brownies for our gracious guests. I will try and be back shortly."

"As you wish it, Mistress," Kasumi said before getting back to her feet to the sound of a slight jingle of golden chains rattling together.

Kodachi must have had something important to do because she wasted no time taking her leave of us, but I began to notice something a bit odd about the way that Kasumi was walking that had nothing to do with the short steps the chains were forcing her to make, and when she wandered by our sofa I suddenly reached out with a hand to stop her.

Kasumi looked at me a bit oddly, "Ranma-kun?"

I moved Shampoo's feet off my lap and stood up, then I reached down and lifted Kasumi's dress without thinking about it, exposing her bare ass, which had a number of pink stripes criss-crossing her ass-cheeks.

"Aiyaa," Shampoo averred, then in a rush she was at my side staring at the welts and asking, "Did...did black rose girl do this to sister Kasumi?"

"Oh, those?" Kasumi did not seem so much to mind having her behind exposed as she was by our curious expression, "The Mistress gave them to me, yes, but they're really not all that serious and they'll heal up within a few hours..."

"That ain't the point," I said, "What'd you do for her to punish you like that?"

Kasumi gave us a very odd smile and said, "Who says that they are punishment? I consider them a reward for very good behavior."

"Aiyaa?" Shampoo asked disbelievingly, which pretty much matched what I was thinking.

Kasumi gave us both the sort of smile one gives a child when saying, "Wait until you're older," but what she said was, "We play games together, Kodachi and I, and you caught us in the middle of one of our especially favorite games, the one where I am an expensive courtesan and Kodachi-sama is my natural owner. Of course we play a great variety of different roles in these games, and sometimes I am the slave, but other times...I am the Mistress," she leered with a sly look in the direction which Kodachi had vanished.

"Games?" I asked, finding it hard to wrap my mind around the idea that getting hit with a stick across your ass was somebody's idea of "fair play."

"I do appreciate that you may have difficulty understanding this, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said, "But I am quite content living here with Kodachi, and there is no end to the variety and depth of our affair, which is why I am looking forward to the day when we can exchange formal vows and live as a married couple together. But I must ask that you let my dress down now. Unless you have Kodachi's permission, I cannot allow you to play with her property, even if it might inspire you to consider our proposal sometime later."

"Property?" Shampoo asked as I hastily let the hem of the dress fall down about Kasumi's ankles.

"Of house Kuno," Kasumi turned to explain to us, "You see...you are quite right in thinking that her brother had objections to my staying in this house, and I would have left early on for the sake of maintaining peace between the siblings, but Kodachi forbade it and declared that I would belong to her and no other. I was quite agreeable with the idea, and so we signed a formal contract giving her full proprietary right over me in full perpetuity, and I will soon seek officially to have my family name changed to Kuno. Please do explain to father that I am not renouncing my ties to his house, but...I would much rather be here at the side of my Kodachi than live anywhere else, either in Japan or the whole of the world."

"But...you mean, you really are her slave? I mean...it ain't exactly legal," I stammered out, trying to understand her matter-of-fact attitude about letting herself be owned by somebody else.

"Perhaps not," Kasumi said, "Neither is marrying another woman, but we will keep it a private matter to ourselves, and I am bound by my honor to live by the words written in my contract. Full payment for my indentured services comes in the form of the money that I have regularly been sending back to the house to help support you and the dojo. I consider myself legally bought and sold, and I have no regrets about it, only a great deal of joy at being so valued by my Mistress."

"You mean...the money that Nabiki's regularly been cashing to keep up the house...comes from you selling yourself to Kodachi?" I was pretty appalled about the idea, but she seemed to think it was just a natural business transaction...which made me wonder if Nabiki really knew, and why she had never explained these details to us.

Or did that really need any explanation? Nabiki keeps so many secrets to herself these days, but usually she let me and Shampoo in on the details, sharing and sharing alike and all that. After all, as Nab-chan likes to say, the both of us are her rod, staff and emotional anchor that keep her rooted firmly to the ground when she might otherwise float off with the way her head's been swelling full of learning after studying for a year to be a Lore Master.

Of course I didn't remember any of that at the time, Ganglot's spell being in force and all that, but still it came as quite a shock to realize that we were living well at the house on account of Kasumi ransoming herself out as a slave, which didn't seem right no matter how she thought about it. But just try explaining that to Kasumi, I double-dare you...

"There is more too it than you know, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said, looking at me and suddenly being quite serious, "You see...Tatewaki-kun has changed much in the time that he has been under the dominion of Cybelle...and Kodachi and I have watched him struggle with what remains of his conscience and humanity...and you are right to be worried. He is steadily losing that battle."

"But...does that not mean that remaining here is a danger?" Shampoo argued.

"Maybe so," Kasumi replied, "But Kodachi is the one person who can keep the Master in line and hold him back from totally being submerged by his dark side. She is a few months shy of turning eighteen, whereupon her trust fund will be fully active and she will gain a substantial number of shares of Kuno industries, which Tatewaki currently controls by proxy. If he wishes to remain in charge of the business he must stay within Kodachi's good graces, but that also means that she is in danger from him, or from Cybelle, who might otherwise think of taking her out of the picture, thus clearing the way for total ownership of both the company and the Kuno fortune."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo gasped, "You mean...Blue Thunder boy might actually hurt Black Rose sister?"

"His own sister?" I said in disbelief, "You mean...he'd actually kill her?"

"Not him," Kasumi replied, "But Cybelle might through him, which is why I must always remain in the company of my Mistress, to see to it that no harm comes to Kodachi. For some odd reason Cybelle appears to be afraid of me...I cannot actually say why, but I know that this is so, and thus my presence here is insurance that Tatewaki will behave himself, and that Cybelle will not totally gain control over the Kuno empire. So you see...my being here is actually honorable service, quite apart from the kinky sort of games that Kodachi and I enjoy together."

That one certainly took me aback, but I knew from the stories I used to hear from my grandfather, Masaki Katsuhitsu, that in old Samurai days it was considered honorable service for a warrior to contract with a Lord whom they wanted to protect, and some of the ladies that lives in castles did a lot more than just look pretty for the Master. Quite a few of 'em were bodyguards in disguise who did double duty for their lords, obeying their words on the surface while carrying a concealed knife or weapon just in case somebody tried to hurt him.

But to view Kasumi in that role was an entirely novel thing. She wasn't a fighter-heck-she couldn't conceal nothing remotely like a weapon under her dress, let alone use one with her wrists and feet being fettered like that. But still...there's just something about her that's kinda intimidating, if you know what I'm saying, and there's a reason why some guys often say that nothing ever bad happens to Kasumi. It's a personality thing, I guess, or maybe something that makes the Tendo girls so different from other women, like the potential within 'em that makes Nabiki a Lore Master.

All I know is that, looking up into the eyes of Kasumi, we saw determination written there, as well as a lotta other stuff even harder to nail down, and you know something? I really do pity the guy who tries to do anything bad to Kodachi, because slave or not, he's gonna have to deal with Kasumi first, and that ain't gonna be so easy. I still don't understand what it is that they got going down between 'em, but there ain't no denying that they're both pretty committed, and whatever gets in the way of their happiness ain't likely to stand up to that...kinda like the way I feel about Shampoo and Nabiki. Mess with them and you're dead, so ya better watch out Cybelle or you ain't the one who's gonna be left standing...

"We are here."

The others looked around as Cologne made that simple pronouncement, but what they saw was no cause for quick celebration. Quite apart from the stark and desolate appearance of the place, it had a quite foreboding aspect that warned off the casual tourist and made stout hearts feel a chill of apprehension. Dominating the field of their forward vision it loomed like a skyscraper made of unknown architectural composition, a towering shape upthrust like a finger of stone aimed towards the sky.

"Impressive," Mousse commented, breaking the spell of apprehension that had fallen upon all of the others.

"Mousse-chan?" his wife by Amazon law, Kurumi, asked politely.

"Well, I'm not saying I'd want to set up a summer home here or anything like that," the Master of Hidden Weapons replied, "But you have to admit it would discourage door-to-door salesmen, and the view from the top must surely be quite lovely..."

"We ain't here to sight-see," Ranma growled, "We gotta get inside that place and find the kids, then put the bad guy on ice if he gives us any trouble."

"Agreed Saotome-kun," Kuno averred stoutly, "Formidable as this place might appear, we shall breach these gates and deliver your daughters to safety."

"Assuming we can find them before anything bad happens," Ryoga averred grimly.

"Do not be defeatist, Brother-in-law," Natsume chided, "The seven of us are enough to storm the very gates of heaven, and against one lowly Wizard..."

"Archmage," Cologne corrected, "Never forget, they are a special breed, and rare among mages, being the best or the worst of their kind, not mere conjurers and tricksters."

"Your point is well taken, honored Baba," Tatewaki replied, "But with your guidance I am certain that the seven of us will prove more than adequate to the task. Indeed, Ranma-kun himself is now something of a wizard himself, what with the command of his elementals..."

"Be warned that the one whom we are going up against is no mere amateur who can be impressed by elementals and specialized techniques," Cologne said a bit harshly, "Shang-Kwan is something of a name out of local legends, and if only half the stories told are true then we are in for quite the battle, and so everyone must be on their guard and not get cocky or make mistakes that could seriously cost us."

"If that's the case, maybe we shoulda brought Perfume along, or maybe even Aiko," Ranma reasoned.

"Not for this particular stage of our mission," Cologne turned back to regard the basalt tower, "Stealth is the key word here, not brute force or raw power. Getting in and out must be our primary objective as we are here to rescue the children. Doing battle is a secondary consideration, and that only if we make a mistake and allow ourselves to be detected."

"I follow you, Old Woman," Mousse replied, "You want me to use the Shadow Senken, and Saotome here to use the Umisenken to soft-penetrate the building."

"You two seem the best suited for getting inside past the wards so that the rest of us may follow," Cologne said sagely, "Your methods involve Chi manipulation more than deliberate acts of magic. The raw force part can be reserved for the rest of you, most particularly Ryoga, who knows the Bakusai Tenketsu and can-if necessary-force his way in past physical barriers in order to create a breach that the rest of us can use to follow."

"Very shrewd, Baba," Natsume agreed, "And the rest of us can use our individual arts to pummel the opposition into submission, thus creating a handy escape route for Ranma-kun and my nieces."

"I don't like the idea of being separated from Mousse-chan," Kurumi fidgeted, "Is there some way that I could follow after him? I can be pretty stealthy myself when I have to be..."

"This is no mere food raid," Cologne chided the younger of the two sisters, "The dangers we face cannot be understated. We must do everything within our means to avoid a confrontation UNTIL the children are delivered safely. After that we can be assured that Shang-Kwan will be coming after us, and he will spare no means to our undoing."

"Bring him on," Ranma glared angrily, "Nobody threatens my kids and gets away with it...nobody."

"So say we all," Tatewaki agreed, "My sword stands ready to smite this cretin, so by all means let us be about our mission."

"I'm with you on that," Mousse replied, then quietly composed himself with feet squared apart, and then folded his arms across his chest...and summoned the power of Shadow in and around himself, even as Ranma assumed the Umisenken pose and slowly faded out from visibility by even his closest companions.

Moments later they both emerged from their disguises, having scouted out and around the towering structure before each found a means to scale the wall, and thus needed to briefly consult with one another.

"That wasn't so tough," Ranma said to his somewhat reluctant companion of the moment, "I've scaled mountains and cliffs that gave me more trouble than that."

"The formidableness of a structure should not be determined by its outward breech alone," Mousse cautioned, "But you're right, I was expecting that to be more of a challenge. Makes me wonder if we're missing something rather obvious about this place."

"Such as?" Ranma said as he turned to regard an example of the local architecture, a huge stone gargoyle that stood at the edge of the parapet that they had surmounted, and then in a casual manner the young man rapped his knuckles against the side of the creature and said, "Ugly sucker...wonder who sculpted it?"

All at once the gargoyle savagely backhanded the unprepared Saotome, and then it snarled, "Watch what you say about my mother, Bub!"

"Like that," Mousse said as he stood instantly on his guard studying the monstrous brute while Ranma peeled himself off of the distant wall against which he had impacted, "Not all the defenses of this place are as innocuous as they might appear..."

"Now he tells me," Ranma groaned as he fought to shake off the double-impact to his body.

"Well, ain't you the Rhodes scholar," the gargoyle growled as he stepped down off of the parapet and confronted the two young men with his stone wings spreading wide as though composed of organic substance, "Name's Bruce, pleased to meetcha, now Sod off before I get nasty."

"Kinda late for that doncha think?" Ranma said as he flexed his neck and recovered the rest of his bearings, then stared up at the two-meter tall brute and said, "Sorry about the crack about your looks. I take it you're the watch on duty?"

"Just me and my buddies," the gargoyle named Bruce said to the accompanying sound of cracking his knuckles, which really did sound as though they were made of granite, "We were sleeping it off after the last party we threw about a fortnight back when you gents happened along to wake me up, and considering the size of my hangover, you'll have to mind me feeling a wee bit cranky."

"I had heard that gargoyles sleep by day and awake by night," Mousse reflected while studying the movements of the creature, "And yet it's near to eleven PM in this time zone and here you were sleeping on duty."

"Eh, watch yer lip," Bruce scowled, "You don't hear me telling you how to do your business. Not that we get much visitors around here and all, what with Shang-Kwan's reputation being what it is. Most folks got more sense than to try and break into the house of a Wizard who studies the Tao and has as much mumbo jumbo on his side as this one. 'Course, not many folks is fool enough to go up against a gargoyle when he's ticked either, so I guess you two don't count as normal people."

"No," Ranma said, "We don't," and all at once he went into motion, his hands moving so fast that they created deadly vaccum-blades that whipped through the air and scored against the stony hide of the monster, causing Bruce to take two steps back and make pained noises as the blows genuinely hurt him, much to his considerable amazement.

Mousse followed up by casting chains from his sleeves that wrapped around the gargoyle and pinned his arms to his sides, leaving only his wings and clawed feet unhindered as Bruce suddenly took to the air, beating down with his leathery appendages with great force, calling up a wind and forcing the two humans to back away with arms raised in their own defense.

"Now ya gone and done it now!" the creature snarled while flexing its arms and snapping the chains as though they were badly rusted, "You think knowing a few tricks is gonna save you?"

"Maybe not," Ranma grit his own teeth and snarled, "But this will!"

This time he moved his arms far more slowly, but in doing so the wind he conjured up was ten times more powerful than the batting of the creature's wings, and all at once Bruce found himself borne aloft by an updraft much too strong to be resisted. Bruce fought for control but it was clear that he was not gaining the advantage, and all at once he was slammed into the side of the tower wall with force enough to crack a boulder.

"Not bad," Mousse commented, "But you really shouldn't rely so much on those elementals of yours. It's like with me and the Shadow Senken...I only use it when I have to rather than to telegraph to the enemy my strongest..."

"Save it for later," Ranma hastily motioned skyward, "We got company, and they don't look too happy!"

Three more gargoyles had appeared in the air and were hovering a few meters away, each one easily as ugly and nasty as the one Ranma had just defeated, and as the young Master of the Senkens had just observed, the definitely did not appear too thrilled about what had just happened.

"Did you see that? He hurt Bruce!"

"Bloody human, who does he think he is, knocking our buddy about like that?"

"We oughta learn him a thing or two about what we do with trespassers what hurts our friend!"

"I see what you mean," Mousse softly replied, "Forget about what I just said...this definitely does call for the use of my Senken."

With that subtle declaration in mind Mousse gathered the shadows in and around himself, creating a blanket of darkness around himself that he was able to shape to his will, and then the solidified darkness extended outward in the form of lance-like projections that struck the gargoyles ruthlessly and penetrated their stony bodies before wrapping them in its envelope and casting them aside like skewered rats on a set of pitch forks.

"Wicked man," Ranma observed a bit grimly, "You know, it weirds me out when you do stuff like that, and did you have to be that rough with them? I think you might've even killed them."

"No worse than they deserved, and certainly no less than they were intending to do with us," Mousse said as he turned to regard his companion, "But you amaze me sometimes, Saotome. After all this time, the battles we've fought, the monsters we've put down, some of them a lot nastier than that lot, and still you would show mercy and compassion to creatures who regard us as some kind of lesser life form?"

"I just don't see the point in killing when there ain't a need," Ranma replied, "Showing a little compassion ain't a sign of weakness, and it's not like those guys could actually hurt us..."

All at once a loud cry of, "YOU KILLED ME BROTHERS! Now I'm gonna kill ye...!" as yet another Gargoyle appeared with a weapon held high bearing down upon Ranma from the rear...only to fall back as a massive fist-shaped rock-hand molded itself out of the very stone of the tower to strike the winged creature down while Ranma himself only turned and stared at the flattened gargoyle.

"Nagisha?" Ranma asked, seeing his elemental servant form a temporary body in the place of the fist, then stare at him with stony eyes that seemed to mingle great concern with irritation.

"The Master of the Shadow Senken is correct, Master," she grated out with the sound granite might use if it were given a feminine voice, "You are much too soft and kind-hearted for your own good, and you leave too many openings for your adversaries to exploit...which is why we who serve you must work extra hard to insure your safety."

"Maybe so," Ranma replied, "But do you really think I'd be all that comfortable with being that ruthless?"

"Sometimes ruthlessness is what the situation demands," Mousse said as he turned away, "And before you fall back on some maudlin sentimental reason why you should be so high and mighty about your scruples, be mindful that these stone-  
bred creatures served a master who has ruthlessly taken your children and intends to use them in some unspeakable manner to steal the unique qualities that make them individually so special. Think well about that before extending Shang-Kwan and his minions the hand of mercy."

Ranma chewed that over, fuming a bit as he tried to think up a counter-argument to the cold logic that the other man was employing, but try as he might he could not look beyond the slow rage that had been building within him over the course of the night. A threat against the children of his house was enough to set his battle instincts on edge. It hardly mattered that none of the three kidnapped offspring were of his own direct get, the fact that they belonged to him and his extended family was more than sufficient cause to claim them as his own.

And no one, NO ONE would be allowed to touch a single hair upon the heads of Lylac, Fragrance or even Eileen, who was the child of two very good friends, and so by right under direct Saotome protection.

"All right," he said aloud, "So you've got a point there...so if we find this Shang-Kwan guy...he's dead if he does anything to my daughters."

"Glad to see you're thinking at last," Mousse said as he turned away, "Believe me, I don't take any particular pleasure in playing the hard ass. If anything I see a lot of myself in you, and I can't express in words how upset I am that your children were taken to be used by a villain who would think nothing of doing them harm."

"Huh?" Ranma voiced his surprise, "What do you mean? Why should it be so important to you? And what the heck do you mean you see a lot of yourself in me? We're nothing alike!"

"There you are wrong," Mousse glanced back over his shoulder, "We both know what it is like to feel drawn to a woman who spurns our desires. In my case, obviously, that was Perfume, but in your case it was the woman named Kodachi who treated you as if your infatuation with her made you worth little more than dirt. Of course we've both since turned our affections to someone who returns them with due interest, but that doesn't mean that I've completely forgotten how obsessed I was over Perfume, and how enraged I was on the day when Ukyo took her from me."

"Yeah, like she was ever yours to claim in the first place," Ranma said bitterly, though his mind turned briefly back to Kodachi and how beautiful he had always found her, how much he regretted that she had never returned any of his entreaties of affection, but had instead given her heart quite freely to Arigami Keiko, and now the both of them had a child together...which sort of made him wonder deep down if he and Mousse were really so different as he had first imagined.

"Again I agree with you," Mousse said, "Perfume wasn't mine to claim, and it's taken me this long just to admit it to myself...but does that mean I've stop feeling for her altogether? And what makes you think that I would allow any part of her to fall into the hands of something whose value on life is deplorable even by my standards? As much as I may sometimes resent Kuonji, I am also grateful for her making Perfume so happy...and to you for the same reason...so don't even begin to doubt that I am as committed to this mission as you. I won't let anything happen to Perfume's daughter, even if she's no more a part of me than Lylac is for you, and for exactly the same reason."

To that Ranma literally could say nothing, leaving it to Nagisha to voice the thought aloud, "There are surprising depths to you, Lord Mousse, which even I would never have suspected."

"Coming from you, Black Dragon, that is certainly a compliment," Mousse turned around and half-smiled, "So what about it, Saotome? Ready to break into this place and kick butt on en evil wizard?"

"Sure thing," Ranma readily agreed as he studied the portion of the tower upon which they presently stood, "Only...how do we get into this dump? I don't see any door or opening, not even a window."

"Leave that to me, Master," Nagisha affirmed, "Stone is of the Earth, and is thus subject to my will, however enchanted."

And with that declaration the Earthen elemental extended one hand and caused a nearby wall to melt and dissolve as though subjected to a blowtorch, and moments later an opening was created large enough for two men to walk through standing shoulder-to-shoulder."

"Not bad," Mousse remarked, "Maybe I should try finding an elemental myself and get her on contract."

"I would not advise seeking the services of an elemental of the Shadow world, Lord Mousse," Nagisha replied, "They tend to be mysterious and subtle, and they drain the life out of whatever they touch from the worlds between light and shadow."

"Better keep that in mind, pal," Ranma said, "Besides...having these girls around isn't all fun and games...just ask Nabiki."

"I have no idea what you mean by that, Master," Nagisha said with a straight face and only the barest tone of irony in her voice and expression, but nonetheless she dissolved her stony form and flowed back into his body to take up her normal residency in the form of a tattoo around his right leg, and for some odd reason refused at first to respond to his mental entreaty.

Mousse looked directly at Ranma and said, "Now who's creeped out? Doesn't it ever seem to get a bit crowded in your head having four of them sharing space together?"

"You got idea," Ranma rolled his eyes and decided not to pursue the issue any farther, only turning to enter the door that Nagisha had created with Mousse following closely at his side, both young men extended all of their senses and keeping their combat senses at the ready...

Meanwhile, back at the base of the Tower...

"So far so good, as such things go," Cologne murmured half to herself, "No alarms appear to have been triggered, other than that brief commotion up there involving the stone Golems," she indicated the broken remains of one of the gargoyles that had attached Mousse and Ranma, "Now if only they can get through the internal defenses of this sanctum without mishap and find the children before they care discovered, we might yet manage to achieve our aims."

"I notice that there are an awful lot of 'ifs' there, Baba," Natsume remarked, "And not to cast doubt upon my brothers-in-laws' abilities to enter and leave a place undetected, I cannot quite believe that it would be that simple against a wizard as dangerous as what you have been describing."

"I agree, my love," Tatewaki remarked, "It chaffs my warrior's soul to stand here waiting for our turn when Ranma and Mousse face danger together. I would that I could be at the side of my warrior brother, defending his back and keeping a keen eye out for possible menace."

"Same here with me and Mousse," Kurumi affirmed, "I know he's good at this sort of thing, but I'd feel a lot better if I was there with him making sure that he's all right."

"I just hate standing around doing nothing when our friends are in danger," Ryoga growled, clenching and unclenching his fists as if struggling to contain his agitation, "And my nieces may need all of the help that we can manage..."

"Calm yourselves everyone," Cologne urged, "Our time will likely come, and sooner than anyone either expects or should want for. Mind you well that none of you were there to confront Shang-Kwan when he stages his bold raid upon the dojo, and so you have no idea of how dangerous he truly is or what the likely odds are arrayed against us. Indeed, without intending any false modesty, I dare say that I am the only one who could stand face-to-face with him and hope to survive such an encounter. The only reason that son-in-law and the others were able recover is that Kwan did not reckon them to be any kind of serious threat to either him or his plans...a foolish misjudgment to be certain, but a strong indicator of the level of confidence he has in the superiority of his magic."

"Who is this interloper, honored Grandmother?" Natsume asked, "And why do even you speak of him with such trepidation?"

"For one thing, in answer to your second question," Cologne said, "I have lived a long life and have seen many things in my time that would amaze and astound you, so I know just how dangerous it can be to tangle with an Archmage. For another thing, in answer to the first part of your question, Kwan was born in a time of great unrest, when the nations of Japan and China waged war together over the land that is presently known as North Korea. He was fathered by an act of violence when a Chinese soldier raped a Korean woman after murdering her father and mother. That she survived was itself a minor miracle, but the son grew up regarded as a hated half-breed and a cruel reminder of the days of Japanese occupation, and so the people of his village ostracized him, who drove him and his mother into exile. That she perished from starvation and disease was only to be expected...but that the boy lived and grew to manhood was far less to be credited. It seems that he was born possessed of unusual talents that granted him a favored place in the scheme of larger events that were to follow, and by turns he came to the attention of a Taoist mystic, who recognized in him the seeds of greatness that could be enhanced through time and training."

"Ah..." Kurumi said uneasily, "Excuse me, but I remember reading somewhere about this in history class...and wasn't that war you just mentioned fought back in the 16th century?"

"Precisely," Cologne answered, "Meaning that he is at least a century and more older than myself, and has had that much more time to master the finer points of his craft. I will not bore you by reciting a list of his accomplishments and adventures save to note that his name is known throughout most of central China, and spoken of only with fear and apprehension."

"He is that much of a danger?" Tatewaki asked with lifted eyebrows.

"Enough so that you should be wary before thinking to attach him outright," Cologne replied, "He would think nothing of killing you or transforming you into something rather unpleasant, and there is a streak of cruelty in his nature that was instilled by the harshness of his upbringing. He cares nothing for morality, all he cares about is increasing his knowledge and power."

"I don't care how old or powerful he is," Ryoga grit his teeth, baring one fist at the ready, "But if I get to him first he won't be living any longer."

"Contain your righteous rage, Lord Hibiki," Cologne urged, seeing signs of his berserker rage steadily building up within him, "Your turn may come soon enough, but it would bode us not well if we act prematurely and make Kwan aware of our existence."

"On the other hand, Baba," Natsume said, "Perhaps we could provide a needed distraction for Ranma and Mousse to complete our mission while Kwan is focusing upon our direction?"

"I have considered this, but I doubt it would do us any good, more be that much of an aid to Mousse and Ranma," Cologne answered, "No, we must wait for the right time before rushing in there and stirring up trouble. Wait and see whether or not our intrepid point-men can manage to pull this off before jumping to any rash conclusions, like waking a dragon from its slumber."

"That's assuming that this dragon ever sleeps," Tatewaki pointed out, "Which-  
from what you say-may not be the wisest of assumptions."

"Indeed," Cologne said as she scanned the foreboding exterior of the tower with faint apprehension, "But one can only hope for the best, however unlikely the odds, and these two are the best that we have available for this type of mission, so try and think positive thoughts for their sake while readying for the possibility of an unforeseeable disaster..."

"Man, this place is something else," Ranma murmured softly as he and Mousse took in the strange architecture all around them, "Kinda like a cross between a museum and a mausoleum."

"What were you expecting, Saotome?" Mousse replied while taking note of the various books and scrolls set hither and about, some of them propped open to a particular page or section, "Well lit rooms with regular maid service? Obviously Kwan doesn't employ a house keeper to interfere with his personal effects, though I have to concede that he does give every indication of being something of a pack rat, what with all of these mystical paraphernalia and equipment."

"No kidding that," Ranma said while casually brushing a singer against the top of a glass case containing a withered skull that still had bits of hair and flesh attached to it, then he blew against a small statuette set upon a nearby shelf and saw the cloud of dust his breath kicked up, which only confirmed his growing suspicions.

"In a way it could be a good thing for us if Kwan lives by himself without a servant," Mousse continued on as he scanned the racks of weapons lining the walls, some of which looked as though they had seen actual service, as did much of the rest of the trophies and equipment that they passed by as they made their way ever closer to the center of the complex, "It would mean one less party who might detect our presence and alert our host to our existence."

"There is that," Ranma conceded, then took notice of a pair of large brass doors that they discovered to one side of the winding corridor, which prompted him to say, "What's that?"

"Unless I miss my guess," Mousse replied as he studied the ornate engravings and molded cast settings that adorned the massive frame and partition, "That's where we need to go if we're going to find the ones that we're after."

"So how do we get in there?" Ranma asked as he ran his fingers along the brassy surface, "I don't see no doorknobs, and I doubt it slides sideways."

Mousse glanced up and said, "No, but it does appear to have brass handles, and considering what they appear to be shaped like I feel somewhat compelled to say..."

"Don't," Ranma urged, sensing what Mousse meant as he noted the conical shape of the projections.

"I can't help myself," Mousse admitted a bit sheepishly, "Those are some very big knockers...and I'm not even sure if I would want to meet the lady whom they were patterned after as she would likely put even Perfume-chan to shame. Of course she might also likely deck me if she heard me say that."

"Count on it," Ranma said firmly, then studied the doors before saying, "Anybody have any ideas how to get it open?"

"It usually works best if you know the password."

Both Mousse and Ranma whirled around and discovered the one who had spoken just then. For Ranma it was the instant shock of recognition, while for Mousse it was a first time experience, but both knew their enemy in an instant from the cold and calculating look in his eyes as he regarded them both with a faint smile of easy condescension.

"You?" Ranma said as he instantly stood at the ready.

"Shang-Kwan I presume?" Mousse asked, being somewhat more defensive than offensive in his posture.

The Taoist wizard regarded the taller of the two boys and said, "Your accent sounds familiar. Bayankala Mountain range, if I am not too mistaken."

"I'm from the tribe of Joketsuzoku," Mousse replied, keeping his hands free and at the ready, "Two of those children you'd taken are the great-great granddaughters of our matriarch...but then, you already knew that."

"I am fully aware of their unique pedigree," Shang-Kwan replied without many any overtly hostile gestures, "And how is my dear old friend, Cologne, doing these days? I believe that I detected her presence the moment you arrived in the vicinity of my tower, but she is cloaked as if expecting some minor disguise to confuse my mystic senses."

"What?" Ranma said as the slow realization dawned upon him.

"You knew we were here the whole time?" Mousse's own eyes widened.

"It's a trap!" Ranma declared, at once summoning the power of his elemental ladies into both hands and attempting to harness them, only to find their mismatched forces less than easy to summon in concert.

Shang-Kwan shifted his attention to Ranma and said, "You both interested me, and I was curious, so I decided to permit you to enter my tower. You have four powerful hosts residing within you...most extraordinary. Few mortals can bear the strain of even one elemental ally at a time, yet you seek to maintain a balance between four of the seven main elements of nature. And you...a master of Shadow it would seem? No, not quite a master...I perceive that you are only just a novice, a dabbler."

"We'll see about that, Kwan!" Mousse declared as he extended his hands and projected his chains from their usual point of concealment.

Kwan merely raised a hand and halted the chains mid-way to his position.

"Honestly, my dear fellow," the Archmage said with an almost friendly tone of banter, "Did you think it would be as simple as this?"

Ranma decided to shift tactics and called instead upon the energies of one elemental, extending his right arm and summoning Latisha, who appeared in the form of a fiery dragon who opened her jaws wide and spewed flame in the Archmage's direction.

But Kwan merely withstood the flames then raised his hand and summoned the fires into himself and banished the flames altogether.

"Is that the best that you can do?" the wizard sniffed, "Honestly, no control, no style, very little use of creative technique. It seems you are little better than an amateur. Too bad you won't get the chance to achieve true greatness."

With that Kwan gestured and caused a blast of energy to engulf the spot where Ranma had been standing, only Ranma was not fool enough to remain still and just take it, having shifted at once to take evasive maneuvers based on the Umisenken.

"Fast, and quite agile," Shang-Kwan remarked as he studied the motions of his opponent while firing off blast after blast as though testing his opponent, "You are certainly a resourceful one..."

Ranma tried the direct approach, shifting from defensive to the attack, but no sooner did he close upon his enemy then he encountered some sort of invisible barrier that deflected his fists and caused him to literally bounce off and strike the nearest wall with his backside.

"Not too bad," Shang-Kwan remarked, "But still a bit sloppy. Now, where did your Amazon friend get off to at the moment..."

"Right here," Mousse said from directly behind the wizard, and before Shang-Kwan could react a curtain of darkness spread out from the Chinese youth and engulfed him. Shang-Kwan literally felt a wave of chilling darkness rise up from the floor to surround him, but despite evidencing mild surprise on this point the Archmage gave no evidence of concern as the blanket of Shadow rose up to neck level.

"Well, this is certainly an improvement, but still not impressive enough," Kwan said as he flexed his arms and suddenly caused a brilliant wave of light to radiate out from his body, disrupting the Shadow and causing Mousse to stumble backwards, "The both of you interest me, but most particularly the Nexus. Of you both he is clearly the more dangerous, and yet neither of you has given me cause to justify a further expenditure of time on your behalf, especially at such a critical juncture."

"Oh yeah?" Ranma said, getting up once again and attacking this time using the Yamasenken, attempting to employ brute force to "break down" the barrier surrounding his foe as he would the doors to a house...and yet still the barrier held, his foot coming no nearer to Kwan than his fists had the first time.

"Now that was certainly a most powerful attack," Kwan mused, extending his own hand again, "Now feel mine."

This time there was no time to move to avoid the assault, but Kwan had chosen to employ a wide-spread force projection rather than a concentrated energy burst, and so Ranma was merely stunned and hurled backwards rather than blown apart to his constituent elements.

And this time what he hit proved a lot more solid than the walls as he made close impact against the brass doors and their fixtures. Those doors swung inward from the force of his rude entry and Ranma found himself spilled onto the floor of a corridor leading to an adjoining chamber somewhere at the center of the tower itself, and as he skidded to a halt he found himself just a few meters shy of the edge of a circular pit that ran all through the length of the towering building.

"Daddy!" he heard a tiny voice call out to him, and as Ranma attempted to shake the sparks out from his field of vision he looked up in dismay and saw three diminutive forms hovering upside down at the center of the chamber.

"Lylac?" he gasped, clearing his head enough so that he could better make out the details of their current status, "Fragrance, Eileen? Just hold on there, Kids! Daddy's coming to get you!"

"Hurry daddy!" his purple haired step-daughter called out, looking at him with round eyes that went even wider as she spied something just a few meters beyond him, to which she cried out, "Daddy-watch out!"

"Huh?" Ranma turned in time to see Shang-Kwan slowly approaching him in a manner that implied low menace. Ranma wasted not time getting back to his feet and assuming a fighting crouch as he snarled, "You bastard! How dare you do this to my kids!"

"They are my guests now," Kwan replied matter-of-factly, "And as touching as it is to see them reunited with their loving father, I still much insist on cutting this parental visit short as I have a bit of a deadline to consider, and you are just in the way for now, so I must deal with you directly."

"Oh yeah?" Ranma snarled, concentrating all of his energy into his left hand and summoning up Sharil, "Try dealing with this, Asshole!"

The very floor literally shot up with a pillar of water that engulfed Shang-  
Kwan, who acted surprised for a mere second before reacting in time to draw the elemental into his hand, and then capture her as her fluid form vanished altogether.

"Now that was interesting," Shang-Kwan remarked as he studied his own now-  
emptied hand, "Two of your servants down. Care to try for another?"

In Ranma's mind he heard the word, **Master, allow me this time.**

To which he heard Karina voice protest, **Are you nuts? You saw what he just did to Sharil and Latisha? You gonna let the same thing happen to you?**

**I have already labored in the service of one monster who was not worthy to be my Master,** Nagisha snarled, **But I will be damned to the lowest of hells before I allow this one to harm my more worthier Master!**

This time the very stones beneath Kwan's feet rose up and formed a fist with which to crush him, but once more the Archmage summoned up an energy field to meet and contain the danger, and then a mere twisting of one hand caused Nagisha's elemental essence to be snatched up, and all at once she vanished from Ranma's template.

"Nagisha?" he gasped, "Sharil? Latisha?"

"Three down, Boy," Kwan smiled cruelly, "Have you learned your lesson yet? I've been doing this for centuries, and I've faced opponents far more formidable than you, and yet you keep insisting on hurling these servants of yours into my hands for disposal. Oh, don't look at me like that...they're not destroyed. I merely contained them in a pocket spell that will keep them civil until I decide what is to be done with them later."

"You'll never get away with this!" Ranma snarled despite the fears that were gripping his chest, "Even if I can't wipe that snotty look off your ugly face, you're still gonna go down, you heartless bastard!"

"Oh, do you mean that your friends will come rushing in here to avenge you?" Shang-Kwan sneered genteelly, "Do not worry about them...I already have a warm reception planned for that lot. Fear rather for where you are going," he mused while raising a hand and causing a swirling pool of energies to form directly behind Ranma.

"Daddy!" Lylac called out in warning, "Look behind you!"

"Huh?" Ranma risked a glance over his shoulder, only to widen his eyes as he saw what looked like a miniature spiral-shaped opening taking shape immediately behind his backside, "What...what the hell is that?"

"I call it the Gateway to Oblivion," Shang-Kwan replied, "But for you...it is your new home away from this dimension!"

And with that he gestured and caused Ranma to be struck by a wave of force that picked him up and sent him hurtling backwards, and he might have been swallowed up immediately by the vortex save for a swiftly hurled chain that whipped by his face, which Ranma instinctively grabbed at as though it were a lifeline."

"Saotome-hold on!" Mousse urged as he firmly gripped the other end, "Don't let go or you'll be...!"

"Are you still conscious?" Shang-Kwan said in mild annoyance as he turned to the other boy and made a casual sweep of the hand that caused the chain to be severed, sending Ranma hurtling all the way into the vortex as Lylac screamed out to him, with Fragrance joining her in a shrill-voiced chorus.

Mousse staggered backwards but was not yet taken out of the fight. That feat was accomplished mere instants later, however, as Kwan hurled yet another spell, this one multi-faceted that simultaneously struck the Chinese boy in a number of unguarded places.

"Well, now that he's subdued, time to extend my best wishes to Cologne and her minions," Kwan smiled as he turned his vision elsewhere, the vortex behind him now closed and utterly vanished, with no trace of Ranma anywhere to be found despite the weak and desperate cries of three captive elementals...

Natsume was the first to notice that something was amis, and she murmured faintly to Cologne, "Baba?"

"I feel it too, child," Cologne said while tensing her grip upon her staff, "Everyone be ready...it appears that our attempt at stealth has gone somewhat awry..."

Kurumi gasped and pointed, "No fooling! What the heck is that?"

All at once the very stones surrounding them rose up and took the form of menacing shapes, their black basalt hides resolving into ugly grotesqueries whose lumbering, brutish shapes denoted a form of live that was other than strictly human.

"Trolls," Cologne said aloud, "And by their likeness of the Mountain clans, the type who are all but extinct throughout most of the world occupied by mortals."

"These miscreants seem very real to my thinking," Tatewaki said as he at once assumed a defensive crouch and held his bokken at the ready, "And in truth I am somewhat relieved to be at last presented a target against which to vent my righteous wrath, though I also fear for my brother-at-arms' safety."

"If Ranma's in trouble then I'm going in there, and nothing is going to stop me," Ryoga avowed as he balled his fists and appeared quite eager to be going into battle, "Especially not these rock things..."

"Don't let their brutish appearance put you off your wits, Boy," Cologne said sharply, "They can move quite swiftly, and they are nearly as powerful as your Oni kinsfolk."

"Not strong enough to deal with this!" Ryoga snarled as he lunged forward, extending one finger, "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

The attack, though sudden, was somewhat less than fully effective, and while his lunge did cause a portion of the stony hide of the Troll that he stuck to collapse and explode into almost meaty chunks of bone and gristle, enough of the Troll was left standing to savagely backhand the offending Hibiki, sending Ryoga flying backwards even as the other Trolls reacted with anger and dismay at this assault upon one of their number.

"Hey, did you see what he just did to Phil?" one Troll growled to another.

"That's uncooth!" the other Troll snarled to his brethren, "Let's get them!"

"Oh kuso!" Natsume exclaimed as the Trolls came surging upon them from all directions.

"What happened?" Kurumi asked as she dodged a huge club and lashed out with her trademark hair ribbon, "Why didn't Ryo-kun's technique destroy him?"

"The Bakusai Tenketsu is less effective against living stone than it is ordinary rock and granite," Cologne replied while fending off two Trolls with her staff, "Living things are surrounded by a life aura that confuses the flow of energies that makes the Tenketsu usually so effective."

"Now she tells me," Ryoga grunted from the pile of stones against which he had just collided.

"Living or unliving, they shall feel the sting of the sword of the Blue Thunder!" Tatewaki exclaimed, lashing out with his Bokken and employing the full effect of his skills in Nampo to create energy waves that made the rosewood's attacks all the more deadly and effective.

Natsume was busy fighting back-to-back with her fianc , but while her own trademark weapon was doing a quite effective job of holding the Trolls on her side at bay, still the nagging sense refused to leave her that the real source of their menace had yet to manifest, though her Slayer instincts warned that it was fast approaching.

All at once she cried out, "Baba! Over to your left!"

"Eh?" Cologne started to turn around when she was hit by a wave of force that drove her to her knees and made her lose her grip upon her staff before she had time enough to erect her defenses.

"Cheers and salutations, my old friend," Shang-Kwan remarked from the high rock faced formation atop which he was standing, "Come to pay your respects to me on the eve of my ascension to godhood? How very thoughtful of you. And as for you rest..."

His eyes briefly flashed with fire, and a wave of pain and force fanned out to engulf the human fighters, leaving the Trolls utterly unaffected. Almost like puppets with their strings cut loose, one by one Natsume, Tatewaki, Kurumi and Ryoga toppled to the ground and remained unmoving, not unconscious but rather paralyzed, their bodies utterly refusing to obey the signals that their brains were frantically sending.

"When will you ever learn?" Shang-Kwan shook his head a bit sadly, "It does no good to send your Amazon warriors against me. Only one member of your tribe is fit to be called my equal, and you foolishly did not come with her as your backup. Ah well...time heals all things but memory it would appear, but surely you could not have doubted that this would be the outcome?"

Cologne frantically fought against the force that held her at bay, but then said force reversed itself and she was jerked off her feet and suspended in mid-air, hovering only a couple of meters away from Shang-Kwan as the wizard observed her closely, then smiled to himself and said, "Honestly...what were you thinking? And what is the meaning of this ridiculous disguise you are wearing? I much prefer to view you as I remember."

Cologne struggled in vain against the invisible hands gripping her tiny body, but all at once her eyes went wide and she found herself being subjected to the effects of an even more potent spell, and against her will she started to change and lose her withered appearance. Old age disappeared, to be replaced moments later by ageless beauty as her white hair turned Indigo and her skin lost all of its wrinkles, assuming a smooth and blemishless texture as her body filled out in all the appropriate areas and grew to a somewhat more "normal" stature.

"Baba?" Natsume gasped from where she lay prone upon the ground, now gripped by Trolls who took advantage of her currently nerveless condition.

"Old...woman...?" Tatewaki asked disbelievingly as he struggled in vain to regain control over his own now-captive body.

"Granny?" Kurumi gasped weakly.

"Ah...now that is much better," Shang-Kwan's smile became a leer as his eyes roved up and down the Matriarch's transformed visage of unparalleled beauty, "Why ever would you want to hide such loveliness from the eyes of all others?"

Cologne struggled to fight free of his grip upon her, but all she managed to grate out (in a voice no longer so raspy or withered), "To guard myself against fools like you who only see what is on the surface..."

"My, such a narrow view," Shang-Kwan averred, "Perhaps time has dulled your memory of when we both were so much younger. Ah well, I can make up for that by inviting you to share an evening meal with me. After all, it is several more hours yet until the stars and planets are in the appropriate position."

"Get stuffed," Cologne retorted, but not very effectively as her helpless state only seemed to fan the Wizard's interest.

"Oh yes," Shang-Kwan said as though in afterthought, turning to regard the others, "I suppose I should extend my hospitality to the rest of your rather pathetic crew. It is the least that I can do for strangers who are bold enough to assault me in my own stronghold."

"Ra...Ranma..." Ryoga gasped.

"Ah yes, him," Shang-Kwan mused as he studied the face of the fallen Hibiki, "Hmmm...I do detect a family resemblance, but you are not yourself entirely human. Well, if you must know, both he and the other chap are my guests as well, so you might as well come inside and get re-acquainted. Oh Bruce?"

One of the Trolls grated out, "Yeah Boss?"

"Do be a chap and carry them inside," Shang-Kwan directed, "But try and be gentle...humans tend to bruise easily, and I cannot play a proper host if they are broken during transport."

"Not to worry, Boss," the Troll named Bruce said while lifting Natsume from the ground and dangling her by one leg, "We'll be as gentle with 'em as if they were babies...the kind that aren't for eating, of course."

"Of course," Shang-Kwan replied, turning around and heading back towards his tower fortress, a hapless Cologne following after him as she floated in his wake, albeit unwilling.

"Natsume-chan!" Tatewaki cried out, "Unhand her, brute, or else...!"

"Aw shuddup," the Troll presently holding him captive snapped, "The boss says not to damage ya, but if you give us any lip then I suppose a few times dropped on yer heads oughta quiet you down some."

"Yeah, and we might even play a few games with this one," another Troll said as he indicated Kurumi, "She looks cute enough to be made into a pet. I always wanted me own hamster."

"This looks bad," Kurumi shuddered, then stifled a sharp scream as she was carried like a rag doll in the brutish hands of the Troll, appalled at how easily they had just been subdued and defeated, and even more worried that none of them might live to see another tomorrow.

She only hoped that the cavalry would arrive soon to save the mission, but in light of how powerful the Archmage had just demonstrated himself to be she was starting to have doubts about it and could only pray that Mousse was all right and that they would be reunited soon because she was fighting on the verge of a real panic, and only his comforting presence could help her stave off the despair that was threatening to choke her very being...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Wizards and Warriors Inc.: shadowmane

The rest of the Posse must rush to the rescue in order to save the day, but is it too late for poor Ranma? And what do you do when one Nabiki alone isn't enough for the job? Find out next time in: "The Devil May Care," or, "Two Nabikis for the Price of One Fanfic!" Be there! 


	142. Chapter 142

NabikiRan126 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Six.

Posse Comatose

The Concubine Priestess known to others as Mon Mon hardly interrupted her playing as she felt the visitor set down upon the edge of the rooftop upon which the minstrel was playing. She continued improvising her instrumental, working out the finer details of a composition that she had been working on for quite a few months now, improvising the tone to suite a romantic harmonic, and not even bothering to look up as the other woman listened to her skillful fingers strumming on her cardolin until she paused to better adjust the keys for the higher pitch that she was seeking.

The Rose Goddess named Peorth took advantage of the lull to interject her words explaining her sudden manifestation upon the earthly plane, "I received some disturbing news from the central directory...it concerns my daughter, Nabiki..."

"Step daughter," Mon-Mon corrected while better tuning a chord to get just the right effect that she was seeking, "She's only your daughter in the sense that her mother was one of your templates."

"Yes...well...but I spent a good few years helping to raise her, if you'd care to remember that," Peorth said a bit testily, "I consider her to be as much my daughter as Kimiko's, and anything that affects her welfare is as important to me as if she were my flesh and blood, so let's not pick things apart on technical details, shall we?"

"As you wish," Mon-Mon replied, resuming her soulful playing, "And to answer your next question, the reason for the disturbance you detected is that the Oni has cast a spell to make the people of Nerima forget that she and Saotome Ranma are married."

"What?" Peorth reacted in dismay, "Why? Why would Ganglot do such a thing...?"

"Because Nabiki and her loved ones asked the Oni for a favor," Mon-Mon explained, "And you know how perverse the gifts of the Princess of Hell can be, regardless of her good intentions."

Peorth scowled as she regarded the beautiful blonde priestess, knowing full well that there was more to Mon-Mon than met with surface appearance, "Explain yourself. How would doing Nabiki and her partners a favor require Ganglot to blank out the minds of so many mortals?"

"It was the demoness's doing," Mon-Mon answered, "Cybelle was stirring up trouble in the neighborhood, attempting to leverage the details about their illicit three-way union into pernicious mischief that might well have resulted in their being expelled from Nerima altogether."

"She what?" Peorth snapped, balling her fists in (quite literal) righteous indignation.

"You know how the Techno-demoness works," Mon-Mon replies, "She delights in causing misery and confusion in others...only this time it was the Oni who bested her at her own game. By temporarily removing Nabiki from the equation she has removed the primary source of scandal against both the Saotomes and the Tendos. Now people only remember that lord Ranma has taken a foreign bride who is having his child, and quite aside from some provincial racism against marrying non-native Japanese, there's very little that people can openly say against that. After all, his wife is lovely and quite the charmer, as I should well happen to know, so few men can fault lord Ranma for his choices, while many a girl is envious of his bride as they find Lord Ranma quite the man to their liking."

"But...this is just temporary, right?" Peorth asked, "Nabiki hasn't been totally cut out of the picture?"

"The spell is crafted to last a few days then expire naturally of its own design," Mon-Mon assured the Rose Goddess, "By that time Nabiki will return from her sabbatical and can resume her duties as head wife of the Saotome household. Shampoo will have delivered her child by then and will have given an heir to her husband who blends the both aspects of both of her parents...even as the twin daughters that Nabiki carries shall one day mirror reflect the alternating virtues of their mother..."

"Huh?" Peorth was momentarily stunned, "Say that last part again? Twins? As in...Nabiki...?"

"Is several weeks pregnant," Mon-Mon smiled as she glanced sidelong at the lovely goddess, "Congratulations...you are about to become a spiritual grandmother."

"I...hooboy," Peorth fanned herself with a hand, "That's going to take a few moments to adjust to. So...Ranma and Nabiki finally got lucky, eh? That's good...that's very good news indeed. I've been so worried about my daughters of late, especially the youngest, Akane..."

"She continues her pursuit of Kuonji-sama and has even learned to abide the presence of Makoto in the same bed chamber," Mon-Mon smiled all the more slyly, "As for your eldest adopted daughter, she continues to thrive and prosper in the Kuno mansion, where she, too, seems inordinately happy."

"Happy?" Peorth arched an eyebrow, "Well...I suppose...but there are time when I think that Kuno woman is a bad influence on Kasumi...even if she does have a fine touch for cultivating roses..."

"I see nothing wrong in their affair," Mon-Mon remarked, "And each takes great happiness in the company of the other."

"Naturally you wouldn't see anything wrong about my daughter living like a slave and bowing the neck to another woman," Peorth gently scolded.

"Of course," Mon-Mon replied, "Such things are second nature to me, but I understand if you had other plans for all three of your daughters."

Peorth regarded the blonde haired concubine-priestess with some mild trepidation. Of late she tended to be more on her guard and less at ease around the minstrel, even though they both had grown quite close of late and could converse like this on a fairly civil basis. It was knowing that there was a lot more going on beneath the beautiful shell of an earthbound mortal that tended to put Peorth on her tip toes, the inherent realization that Mon-Mon was but the outward disguise for an immortal beauty every bit as divine as Peorth herself, and one who had a mysterious power to affect the Rose goddess in ways that were most disturbing...yet no less fascinating for the contrast.

And, of course, the fact that Mon-Mon was quite open in her affections and tended to put the moves on Peorth at every possible occasion that tended to give substance to her trepidation. It was not that she objected to Mon-Mon's company...not in the least! If anything she was just as powerfully drawn towards her as Mon-Mon was to Peorth, and on more than one previous occasion she had succumbed utterly to the priestess's charms.

Which was why Peorth did not trust herself to spend too much time in the company of the altogether comely priestess.

"Well...my plans don't seem to amount to all that much these days," Peorth reluctantly admitted, "So I've learned to trust to my daughters to make their own choices. You taught me how to let go and not be quite so controlling and manipulative, and...if for nothing else...I thank you for that favor."

"You're welcome," Mon-Mon replied, regarding Peorth with that disturbing intensity in her eyes that seemed to undress the goddess visually from a distance, "And in case you are wondering, Nabiki is away from Nerima at the present, but if you asked anyone in the streets who knows of her, they will say she is in America studying to pass the entry exams for some business college or other."

"America?" Peorth frowned, "Ganglot certainly is inventive, I've give her that much credit, even if I'm liking the sound of this less and less the more I hear it."

"You do not seem overly concerned about your daughter being away from her loved ones," Mon-Mon noted wryly.

"Well, we both know Nabiki is the one who can best take care of herself," Peorth said before frowning, "But I still take exception to Ganglot's ideas about helping her. Granted Cybelle is a real pain in the tookus, but making it seem as though my daughter does not even reside in Nerima, but in America of all places?"

"What is wrong with America?" Mon-Mon asked, "I understand the people there can be very friendly to foreigners, especially at Anime conventions."

"That's not the point and you know it," Peorth scolded, "There has to be another way of keeping Cybelle at bay...but what would you care about it anyhow? It's not as if you raised her..."

"I care a great deal about the welfare of Saotome Nabiki," Mon-Mon assured, "My Prince charged me to look after her, and I owe her fealty during my stay within this country. Besides, I've grown rather fond of the people of Nerima...as you have as well, Cheri, despite your attempts to pretend otherwise."

Peorth snorted, "Mock me all you like, but I still consider her my child, even if I wasn't the one to give her birth. But where is Nabiki off to anyway? My attempts to find her on the grid met with an astonishing lack of success just before I left heaven for earth..."

"That is the question, isn't it," Mon-Mon glanced away, "I cannot answer you there, save to say that the senior Lore Master has taken her on a sabbatical to another plane of being that is parallel to this world."

"Another dimension?" Peorth reacted with renewed dismay, "And when is she coming back for heaven's sakes?"

"In a few days I suspect," Mon-Mon answered, "The sense I had of such things was that she was being given special training to overcome a defect in her self-  
control that Cybelle was attempting to exploit. When she and her mentor return I am certain that you will be free to inquire about the details."

"I think I just might at that," Peorth nodded, "Well...nice to see you again, and thanks for the information..."

"Is this all that you came to me to inquire about?" Mon-Mon asked as she tilted her head to the side and gave Peorth a curious expression.

"Ah...what do you mean?" Peorth was suddenly very nervous and looked away rather than meet the gaze that the priestess was favoring her with in such a coy and seductive manner.

"You know what I mean," Mon-Mon purred sensuously, "You've been avoiding me these past few weeks. Has my company suddenly become less than pleasant?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Peorth said, "I'm not avoiding you, I've just had a lot of work to do upstairs. They've made me regional administrator, which means a lot of responsibilities that I have to take care of..."

"Responsibilities," Mon-Mon mused, "I once knew what that was like...but it has been many a long year since I involved myself in the minute details of business among the heavens."

"Well, you're always welcome to visit," Peorth assured her, "I'm sure I can get you invited back on a visitor's pass. Now, if you don't mind, I have to go find Ganglot and give that Oni a piece of my mind about her ideas on helping my daughter..."

"It will change nothing you know," Mon-Mon said confidently, "And you are avoiding my question, Goddess."

"Question?" Peorth swallowed thickly, "What question?"

Mon-Mon rose fluidly to her feet with a fluid grace that was almost pantherish, and then she sauntered brazenly across spine of the roof, bare feet on tiles, hips swaying in an exaggerated manner, and she advanced upon the goddess as if stalking her prey, which caused Peorth to feel a sudden urge to back away, even if it meant falling off of the building altogether. Instead she held her ground, albeit more like a deer caught in the headlights rather than as an act of defiance as Mon-Mon continued to approach her, eyes alight with smoldering intentions. Once again Peorth felt the impact of the raw sensuality that the concubine embodied, scantily clad in revealing attire that boasted ample swells of appropriately curving flesh for the eye to feast upon...and a heady aroma of natural perfume that set the pulse to racing far more potently than one of Urd's aphrodisiac concoctions.

Peorth well knew what that supple body could do when properly aroused to full ardor, which was why she did not immediately heed the call of her rational mind telling her to get the hell out of there before matters progressed beyond the point of all recalling.

Mon-Mon's eyes roved in turn over Peorth's slender and willowy form with much approval for what she beheld. She waited until her face was only inches away before pausing and murmuring aloud, "Did you miss me? Did you think denying yourself of my company would make your desires any more palpable? And did you think that I would not miss you terribly? I have been waiting every evening here in the hopes that you would manifest, and the ballad I was composing just now was in your honor..."

"It...it was?" Peorth stammered, held rapt in her place by the unearthly beauty of the priestess as they hovered within easy reach of one another, "It...it was quite lovely..."

"Thank you," Mon-Mon replied, "I will play it in its entirety for you and you alone...but first...allow me to pay my homage to you, my heavenly Rose Goddess."

And with that declaration Mon-Mon reached out with one hand and drew an unresisting Peorth into her embrace, and then their lips met mid-way and a kiss that could melt the snow off an icecap, warming the night all around them and causing whatever hesitation and doubt was in Peorth's mind to melt away, which left her reeling with only a single question.

"Your place or mine?" Peorth asked as she felt the huge bosom of her companion press against her own ample chest.

"Mine is closer," Mon-Mon murmured in reply.

"Good enough for me," Peorth answered, and then she gathered the priestess up into her arms and teleported the both of them through the walls of the restaurant, to manifest in the chamber that Mon-Mon called her "ambassadorial residence" during her stay at Ucchan's in the province of her current mistress...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

I confess that these days I am not as used to waiting on the sidelines as I once was when just starting out my relationship with Ranma. I'm too used to being a participant, and always at the front ranks of those who are called to adventure, and with my burgeoning talents I'm considered something of a local heavyweight, certainly not the type you leave on the bench waiting for her turn at bat.

So try as I might I found it difficult to relax and sit idle while the others were off facing danger and possible death at the hands of a wizard who even had Lotion speaking in low murmurs. My counterpart seemed to be in much the same boat, though her situation was compounded by her far more advanced state of pregnancy, and I didn't need to rely on my talents to know at a glance how she chaffed at being left out of the action. Being far more a woman of battle than myself it doubly chaffed on her to be burdened by the needs of her unborn offspring, but five months of a steadily increasing girth around her mid-section had taught her the need for patience. So, to give her credit, she was trying just as hard as me to keep up a brave face while hiding her anxiety over her absent husband, friends and kinfolk, which is probably why the two of us found ourselves turning to one another for diversion.

It was obvious from the start that we were two very different facets of the same complex matrix, our lives both having diverged from the pattern of "normalcy" that had been our lot in life close to twelve years back in our mutual pasts. That long ago she had been traded for the son of a friend of her father and had gone off to live a life on the road learning the martial arts while I was the one who stayed home and tried to help my sisters patch a broken family back together. I could tell how much her ordeal had shaped her character and helped define her as a person of strong values and means, and I could certainly admire her balsy spirit and inherent optimism, reckoning that she was not an easy person to deter from her stated goals. She was much too much a doer than a simple observer like me, and where I had grown up sly and clever and all-so-  
proud of being on top of my game...but in her I saw how truly vain and shallow I had been, for she was the real deal whereas I had been-until some fifteen months back-a mere pretender.

Of course that changed for me on the day when Ranma came into my life, followed in short order by the Napalm strike that was Shampoo's impact upon Nerima, and now I stood a year and a half later a much different person, and certainly a lot stronger than I would ever have previously imagined. I had resumed my martial arts training, but my strength lay more in my mind rather than in my hardened body, so while I could not physically compete with my counterpart, she could not match wits with me where it truly matters. I could see how vexed and frustrated she was with trying to get a handle on what I was into, but my altered nature was too different from what she had experienced and she had no reference point to use as a compass, and so she was regarding me as much of an enigma as though I were, in fact, a total stranger.

"So...let me see if I've got this right," she was saying as we sat across from one another in the dojo, "You've honed your mind into some kind of mental radio that picks up thought waves sent out by the cosmos itself, which is how you're able to know these things about somebody without having to hear an actual explanation?"

"Well...more or less," I shrugged, "But that's really not the way I would describe it. You'd have to know more about the fundamental structure of reality to really appreciate what an Akashic field is. Think of it more as an infinite field of plasticized fabric that stretches out into infinity and touches all points of the cosmos, then compare it to the same effect you get when you stretch a cord between two cans and use them like a telephone that directly conveys sound waves. It's not quite as crude as that, but the basic thing is...I've learned how to listen and pick up on the vibrations that resonate throughout the Akashic field, and the effect is strongest when I am in the immediate presence of someone whose history is unknown to me. I just tune in and feel the vibrations and interpret the signal like a radio transducer..."

"Riiiight," my counterpart drawled, clearly signifying that she really did not get it, "So basically you can find stuff out at a glance just by opening yourself up to these...what did you call them again?"

"Akashic memories," I answered, "Ever thing you do, ever event, ever thought in your life affects the field that surrounds your body and you aura records you entire life history there, so if you know how to read them it's simplicity itself, or rather...for me it's now second nature."

I could see her struggling with the concepts again, and I have to give her credit for honestly trying, which was much better than most people with whom I attempt to explain my powers, "Ah...you mean to say that there's this...invisible field that picks up and records everything like a mobile CD burner? That's...pretty disturbing...I mean, some chapters of my life...well...they're personal, know what I mean?"

"Intimately," I smiled, "And I don't blame you for finding it disturbing. Most people do who spend enough time around me to know that they can't keep secrets from a Lore Master. But don't worry, I'm not really the talkative type, and I've been keeping secrets for other people for as long as I remember..."

"And using them like a commodity I'd wager," my counterpart said shrewdly, "So how much is it going to cost me to have you confine what you know to yourself?"

"I'll think about what it's worth and get back to you on that," I assured her, faintly amused to see how she took that idle comment, which reminded me of how a lot of people I do business with have regarded me as if I were a one-girl Yakuza protectionism racket, a reputation I've done nothing to discourage as I find it quite useful to have people be wary of what I may know and be able to hold against them.

I could sense that the same pretty much held true for my counterpart and the way she did business with her own "associates" and "clients," but having someone else be able to turn the screws on her was the sort of poetic irony that she was not in the mind to appreciate, not even as a form of "karmic justice."

Of course as I reckoned this I also detected strong thoughts and emotions emanating from a different corner of the dojo, and so without turning to look in that direction I said, "If you keep giving me looks like that I might begin to get the wrong impression about you, Perfume-chan."

"Ah...aiyaa?" I could feel as well as hear the wince in the Amazon Enforcer as she reacted like a cat caught eyeing the goldfish bowl, and all at once attention was shifted in her direction.

"Per-chan?" my counterpart said, eyeing her co-wife with a mild hint of confusion.

"You'll have to forgive her," I told my counterpart, "She knows more of what a Lore Master is since her own great-grandmother happens to be my mentor...at least where I come from. She's been on edge much of the time that I've been here, but I can sense her curiosity warring with her natural caution...but you don't have to worry on my count, Perfume-chan. I won't be employing any of my more advanced skills around your Airen...though I must say that I am flattered that you find me a subject of such great interest."

"What are you talking about, Sugar?" I heard Ukyo speak up from where she and Shampoo were sitting together on the sidelines, having pretended all the while to be immersed in their own two-way conversation while actually keeping one ear tuned to what their primary wife and I had been saying together.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Perfume said evasively, which even to hear own ears must have sounded more like denial than an actual protest of innocent intentions.

I didn't really want to explode her cover, but I felt I had to say something and so I blurted out, "No need to be shy. I'm sure I must fascinate you to no end being so much like the Nabiki you know...and yet so different as to be a total stranger."

"Aiyaa," I heard Shampoo appreciatively murmur, "Shampoo think she only imagining things when she think she see Cousin giving no-Airen Nabiki funny looks just now. Shampoo did no think you look like that at our Nabiki."

My counterpart frowned at this and growled, "Is there something you'd care to share with the rest of us, Per-chan?"

"I told you she's crazy," Perfume sputtered in further desperation, seeing the way that even Ukyo was now eyeing her, which made me regret having put her on the spotlight.

"Perhaps I am," I said as I got to my feet and turned to regard her frankly, "But I know what I was feeling just now, and it certainly wasn't the kind of thing you should mentally think about in the presence of your co-wives and Airen. But I won't hold it against you seeing as you seem to be a very passionate person who does not give her affections lightly, and your loyalty is not to be questioned...you just suffered a mild lapse just now, the same thing that most women experience from time to time...and again I must say that I am very flattered at your interest."

"Ah...Airen..." Perfume nervously regarded Ukyo, only to turn with a start back towards me as I slowly walked in her direction.

"May I say in reply that I find you no less interesting to observe from a distance?" I admitted, "The Perfume on my timeline is barely even an acquaintance, but you've spent more than a year here in Nerima and have acclimated well to the Japanese culture. You are intelligent and highly adaptive, and certainly as cuddlesome and compassionate as my wife, your cousin."

Shampoo was giving me a curious look of her own while Ukyo narrowed her eyes slightly, and my counterpart scowled, eyeing me as if I were encroaching upon the territory of her tight-knit family unit. But still I felt compelled to approach Perfume, allowing myself to fully appreciate the Chinese girl at a closer proximity as bits and pieces of her history floated into my mind, to be absorbed into a larger collage that gave me a deeper perspective of who she was as both a woman and a person.

"In fact," I said, "Were I not happily married to my Shampoo, and were you not similarly committed to your wife and co-wives, then I could really go for you in a very big way," I murmured, coming to within a few steps of my quarry, who was backed up against the wall as if afraid that I would pounce in her direction, "You are seriously cute, you know that? And I don't just mean kawaii in the way that implies good looks, a great bust and an agreeable temperament. I can sense that you are a person who revels in the release of her emotions with whichever party you are most intimate...and if you were my lover, I think the both of us would be very good together. In fact...I can sense that on some other alternate reality that you and I were bound to be together."

"We were?" she asked in a tiny squeak that made her voice sound even more high pitched and kawaii than usual, and there was no mistaking from her rounded eyes that she was taking the concept of us as an item in due consideration...and reckoning the likely truth behind her words, which was why she swallowed all the more as she knew full well that Ukyo was listening in with barely contained fury.

"Sugar," Ukyo drawled in that menacing tone that sounds so mild upon the surface, but almost invariably heralds the use of her bakers peel, "You mind not standing that close to my wife? You wanna talk to her like that, you'd better damn well ask for permission."

"I've said my peace," I turned to Kuonji instead and gave her my most disarming grin before adding, "And in case you're feeling left out, Ucchan, there's more than one occasion when I've looked at your counterpart on my world and had naughty thoughts that would make my Shampoo extremely jealous."

"Hah?" my words had the effect of taking the sting out of Ukyo's jealousy, only now it was Shampoo who was scowling, no doubt reckoning how her own counterpart would react to seeing me flirt like this with other beautiful and desirable young women.

"Excuse me," my counterpart's own tone was noticeably brittle, "But I'll thank you not to be stirring up trouble like that with my family. In case it's escaped your all-knowing mind, they belong to me and not you, capeesh?"

"My apologies," I turned to regard her once again, "As I've told you before my abilities sometimes cause me to say things without thinking through the full consequences. I meant no disrespect to you or to yours, and I humbly beg your indulgence."

I think my tone was sincere enough to unruffle a few feathers, but nonetheless my counterpart was giving me a cautious eye before saying, "In the future try thinking more and saying a lot less. Nobody likes a chatterbox who spills other people's secrets...and I thought you said you had more skill at controlling that? Sounds to me as if your training is somehow...lacking."

"Lotion believes this is so, and I tend to agree with her," I answered, "In fact she said coming here would help me to gain a better handle on my abilities, so perhaps you reminding me of when I'm out of line is what she had intended."

I heard a chuckle from the far end of the room and turned a look towards its author, who was leaning up against the door frame as if "just happening" upon our cozy little melodrama, which was why I mildly asked her, "Does something here amuse you, Arigami-san?"

"You," she grinned affably, "I think I've finally started to figure you out. Mistress Lao told me once about Lore Masters, how you make other people feel uncomfortable because you see and know things that are hidden from normal perceptions, that you have to train hard to learn to restrain yourselves from the tendency to meddle in the private personal affairs of others...and now I see what she was getting at. You're like a kid with a new toy that she's still trying out, and since you don't have to work as hard as out Nab-chan to ferret out information..."

"Ah, I see what you are getting at," I turned to regard her, frankly admiring her striking good looks and athletic frame, which was so much like my husband's cursed form, albeit a few centimeters taller, lankier and leaner, "You mean that I'm still a dabbler while Lotion is the real deal. Of course if you think I'm meddling, then you ought to see my step-mother, Silk..."

"Silk?" my counterpart asked in frank curiosity.

"She's almost like mom's twin sister from China," I answered, "Only she's an Amazon, and Perfume-chan's auntie. She knew daddy even before he met and married our mother, and they even had a daughter together who is like an older twin sister to Kasumi..."

"SAY WHAT?!" my counterpart blurted.

"Just shy of six months ago daddy challenged her and defeated her in combat," I continued, "So now I like to call her my not-so-wicked step-mother, and she's a Lore Master, like me, trained by her grandmother, my mentor, Lotion. Daddy's looking pretty spiff and trim these days, no doubt to her great cooking skills and fine influence, and he's even started teaching classes again in the dojo. As for the oneechan of ours that you've yet to meet, pray she visits you on a good day, because she's like Kasumi's total opposite, a walking temper tantrum who swings a really mean Ch'I-chi. Of course Kachu-chan's mellowed out somewhat since she settled down and married Tofu-sensei..."

I caught the various astonished looks being turned my way, and once again Keiko-  
san was grinning like a Cheshire, "See what I mean about meddling? Now you've gone and spoiled the joke and let everyone here in on something that they would have found out eventually, only under very different conditions."

"Hmmm...good point that," I mused, "I suppose I could have let you guys stumble blindly onto the truth and have you endure all the tragic-comic consequences of the sins of our fathers...but I think on principle I did owe you a fair warning."

My counterpart cleared her throat and then said, "Sham-chan...can you confirm any bit of what she's saying?"

"Aiyaa," the counterpart to my pregnant wife closed her mouth and looked somewhat sheepish, "Shampoo no think that way before...but now that counterpart-  
Nabiki say this, Shampoo realize that maybe is resemblance between Ka-Chu and big sister Kasumi..."

"Yeah, but only in the looks department," Perfume added, "Temperamentally they are nothing alike, which is why even I have trouble thinking of them in the same context."

"Sugar?" Ukyo looked her way with arched eyebrows.

"Well...hey," the nicely endowed, buxomy Amazon Enforcer shrugged, "Nobody ever asked us about it before, so give me a break! If you ever met Devil-hunter Kachu in person you'd understand that she's one of a kind in our village...which I think is a very good thing."

"Devil Hunter Kachu?" my counterpart repeated.

"I have met her," Keiko winced, "And now that you mention it, it's not surprising that even I didn't get it until now."

"Wait a minute," my counterpart scowled, "Are you telling me that daddy had an affair behind momma's back and fathered a kid out of wedlock?"

"Yes, only he doesn't know it yet, so I wouldn't bring it up with him if I were you," I cautioned, "Not unless you want to set off one of his tear-jags and remind him about his lost youth and all that. Keep in mind, this happened around the time when he and Uncle Genma were training under Master Happy, and all sorts of weird stuff tended to go on back then. Or did you think I was all that blas about learning that Ranma has an older half-sister naked Kaoru?"

"Hmmm...good point that," Ukyo noted, "Funny thing is I never saw Uncle Tendo or Uncle Saotome as that sort of playboy."

"Oh, believe me, Ranma only picked up a fraction of his father's tendency to get into mischief," I rolled my eyes and relived the memories that I'd absorbed after months of probing into the backgrounds of our elders, "The Saotome charm held true even for that drunken lout, but in the days of his youth he was quite a few kilograms lighter and had more of a boyish streak about him, and he hadn't been hammered as much by life on the road, so back then he did have a few morals."

I could see the others trying to visualize what I was saying and failing badly, but being the sort of person we both are, my counterpart had trouble letting go of the main point of her contention, "I just don't see how daddy could have been that much of a Lothario. I thought he worshipped the ground that momma walked across...I never could imagine him having an affair without her knowing."

"It wasn't without her prior knowledge and/or approval," I assured her, "Her arrangement with daddy was postponed by a few days, during which Uncle and daddy had an encounter with an Amazon Hunt party sent from China to retrieve some stolen artifacts in the possession of great-grandfather Happy. There was a brief scuffle and some near misses that could have wound up in a severe case of premature matrimony, but basically both sides declared a truce before either one could be declared the victor, and both sides agreed to abide the peace until they could better sort things out, which is how Silk and Comb wound up traveling for a time in the company of our fathers."

"Let me guess where this is going," Keiko raised a finger, "Aunt Nodoka and Kimiko-san arrived a few days later when things were really heating up and everything got complicated with both sides winding up in a rivalry for the attention of their clueless menfolk. Sounds like a perfect formula for an Anime, a kind of Martial Arts Love Hine."

"More or less," I said, then I added with a wicked gleam towards my audience, "Of course Shampoo's mother never married Uncle Genma, and just as soon as she went back to China she met and married your father after losing to him in a chess match. Silk never did get married but switched from warrior training to follow in the ways of her grandmother. As for the OTHER rivals who used to compete against them for attention..."

"Other rivals?" my counterpart bristled.

"Kuonji-san's aunt for one," I gave a wink at Ukyo, "Kuonji Yumi, who still harbors a thing for daddy even two decades after moving away and establishing her restaurant in Kyoto. You trained with her for a time, didn't you, and learned some of the finer arts of okonomiyaki cooking and combat while your daddy was too ill to be of much direct assistance."

"How did you...?" Ukyo's eyes got wider, "Aunt Yumi...and Uncle Tendo?"

"Hibiki Atsuko you already know about," I continued, "Funny how relationships can be almost generational...or perhaps there's the strong hand of karma at work, the children following in the steps of their forebears, that sort of thing. No doubt Ryoga-san still flinches from the idea that he and Ranma-kun are really half-brothers."

"Uh...they've kind of resolved that one between them," my counterpart said dismissively, "But...you said there were others? Other what? Other suitors for daddy?"

"More than either of us would feel comfortable about reviewing," I answered, "But of the rather lengthy list I would say that Sybil the Sorceress was among the chief contenders. Of course she was really just an agent of Cybelle, the greater enemy and Ryoga-kun's evil grandmother, and the primary reason why his mother refuses to visit you guys out in the open. As for Uncle Genma, well...would it bother you too much if I mention the name of Gosunkuji Hitome?"

"Can't say that rings a bell, Sugar," Ukyo replied.

"Ah...wait a minute," Keiko got the hint sooner than the rest of them, "Gosunkuji Hitome? Who changed her last name to Kuno after she married?"

"Kuno?" my counterpart blinked, and then she blanched, "No way! Kodachi's mom used to date Uncle Genma?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo averred, "And Shampoo think it bad enough him used to date Shampoo's mother..."

"Actually date is rather too strong a word," I cautioned, "More like 'Stalk with a Vengeance,' meaning that she and Aunt Nodoka used to be rivals. See what I mean about the sins of the father visiting themselves upon the present? Of course the Kodachi of both of our worlds has mellowed out quite a lot from what she used to be like. I mean...the idea that she and Akane-chan are longtime childhood buddies? That's almost as bad as Tatewaki and Ranma being best friends, or finding out that Kasumi here is both a vampire goddess and is dating the Monster of Mary Shelly's novel."

"Well, what about the way things are on your world?" my counterpart asked, "Who did you say again was hanging around with Kasumi?"

I had to smile at that and say, "Good point...but maybe I ought to show you rather than explain in words how things have turned out between those two on my world."

"Show me?" my counterpart asked, "What do you mean by..."

In response to the question I extended my hand, having moved to within easy arms reach during the course of our conversation. I touched my counterpart's temple very lightly and she went momentarily rigid as the connection between our minds was thus established.

I drew upon my most recent memory of a visit I paid a few days back to the Kuno mansion. As usual I passed Tatewaki and we grunted our snarls of cheerful greeting, being on opposite sides of the track in a protracted war of nerves and all that...but what else could you expect between the chief minion of Cybelle and the number one target of the wrath of Ryoga's wicked grandmother.

Of course, being the sort of "pretend-gentleman" that he is, Tatewaki rather helpfully pointed me in the direction that I should be seeking in pursuit of our wayward sister, and in spite of all the bad blood that exists between us, on this one particular subject "Tachi-kun" and I are in mutual agreement that the less said on the matter the better for our collective peace of mind. Comprende?

Unfortunately I do have business dealings with Kodachi, and no matter how warped her life may appear to me at times, Kasumi is still my beloved older sister, and so I braved the trek across the expansive yard surrounding the mansion, negotiating my way past the numerous obstacles, including the koi pond filled with dangerous and illegal flesh-eating sea life, and the ever-grinning "Mister Green Turtle," as Kodachi so affectionately has named him. From there I found my way to the Kuno stables, and then to the yard itself whereupon I confronted the sight that I had known would be awaiting me...which by no mean implies that I was prepared for it, mind you, I'm just saying that sometimes pre-knowledge can be a bitch when you have to re-live it.

Granted chariot racing is a rather popular sport among some people, a modern-day version of the old gladiatorial-style games, only performed with a much lighter and sportier version sleeked down for speed and convenience of turning. The "horse" is hitched to the front end in much the same manner as a Chinese rickshaw, towing the chariot along while the rider sits comfortably and guides the "horse" with a few gentle flicks from a lash, guiding them both along through a mile-long circle of track at an even trot that is sporting to look upon, even given the fact that both parties are entirely human and nearly naked.

Think you know the scenario by now? Guess again! Because in this scenario it is Kodachi who is the "horse" and Kasumi who is the rider, as if she's flicking the lash against Kodachi's bare ass-cheek as the latter is jogging barefoot across the red earth of the track pulling the chariot along and jiggling eye-  
catchingly with each and every movement.

Okay, I will admit that Kodachi looks pretty hot in a leather harness, her breasts heaving up and down at all, but do you honestly think I can see Kasumi in the same get-up and not mentally flinch with a sisterly cringe at how far she's gone from the modest, prudish older girl I used to remember? Granted she seems to be having the time of her life riding around like that enjoying the role of a dominatrix.

Which is kind of funny when you think about it since-according to the logic of their relationship-it's Kodachi who is the Mistress and Kasumi...ah...well...that's where it gets kind of complicated.

This habit they have of switching roles with one party being on top one minute and the other DEFINITELY on the bottom the next, well...even I have to mentally adjust every time I see them like this together. Believe me, if you were there you would totally know what I'm saying...

Okay, back to the image I was showing to my counterpart-who I could feel reacting with denial and dismay even as the memories unrolled as I had experienced them, watching as my kindly older sibling skillfully guided her lover around the track in a full circle before spying me and drawing up to a slow halt near to where I was standing.

Once the chariot had come to a complete halt Kasumi hailed me brightly and said, "Good morning, Imoutochan, it's nice to see you again so bright and so early."

"Likewise," I said somewhat dubiously, because as glad as I was to see Kasumi in such good spirits, the circumstances involved gave me more than a bit of unease, especially as I turned to regard Kodachi, who was staring straight ahead with a metal bit in her mouth and blinders obscuring her peripheral vision, her long dark hair done (quite literally) up as a pony tail that stood upwards and backwards rather than to the side as was her usual preference. Her wrists were cuffed and connected to chains that connected to the belt around her waist, and the harness itself was connected by an elegant series of leather straps that well distributed the weight that she had to pull, thus increasing her comfort level even while limiting her mobility to strictly forward motions.

It had been designed by Kodachi herself and was now proudly sported by the so-  
called "Black Rose" in her new guise as a "Pony Girl." She seemed to be suffering little in the way of humiliation standing there virtually naked pawing the ground softly with her bare feet and acting the part of the "beast of burden" that she was portraying, and I could sense that she was actually enjoying her role doing the opposite of her usual thing as "The Mistress." Perverse as it might seem to ordinary minds, she and Kasumi were actually quite happy with their "game" or "sport," or whatever you might want to call it. I guess it's all in the fantasy role playing, or the casual effort to cast themselves in new roles for variety, or the pure enjoyment of the fresh air as sometimes Kasumi is the driver, and other times takes her turn as the "pony."

"If you're looking for Kodachi, she'll be along in a while," Kasumi said as she got up out of the chariot, setting the riding crop aside and coming to stand beside Kodachi, whom she patted down affectionately before reaching for a hair brush, with which she began combing down her pony tail, exactly as if Kuno-chan were the animal that she was portraying.

"Ah...?" I posed a question disguised in the form of a polite noise, indicating the very woman whom my sister was grooming, a girl only a year younger than me and fabulously wealthy with a nest egg the size of the budget of a small country.

"Oh this?" Kodachi acted as if only just noticing Kodachi, "This is my new pony, Rose. Isn't she a darling? I ride her like this every chance I can get, and she really is quite the trotter."

"I guess," I responded, even as I perceived-not willingly I assure you-that Kasumi had a similar pet-name when she dressed up as the "pony," and, believe it or not, Kodachi calls her "Muffy."

Okay, maybe that's a little too much information here, but this is the life my sister has chosen for herself, and to say she glows with an inner light is to reflect upon the joy that she and Kodachi bring to one another. Even posturing in assumed roles of bondage and domination they were enjoying each others company, and no matter who was on top or on the bottom all that really counted with both was that they cared about one another. Enough that Kodachi did not mind her whip-welts, or the calluses on her feet that even a gymnast would never know from an indoor arena, for those would be soothed and healed later by some affectionate care and attention sometime later.

If anything Kodachi wore here welts as a symbol of pride, for being attended to by my gentle sister was making her shine like a star, the more so even as Kasumi continued to pretend that she was just her "little pony," reminding me that she had always wanted a pony of her own when we were little children, and now she effectively had one. Just not on four legs, and definitely a lot less hairy in most places.

I decided to play along as there was no point making an issue over the matter, "She does look good in the turns, and she handles smoothly in the straightaway. Thinking of racing her on a professional circuit?"

"Perhaps," Kasumi smiled while running a hand playfully over Kodachi's firm bottom, which earned a delighted noise that came through the bit in her teeth as she held her head high and her chest out thrust, almost shivering with sheer pleasure as though receiving high praise as Kasumi said, "But for now I prefer to take her out on leisurely trots to warm her up on cold mornings so that she learns to keep an even pace. Perhaps one day I will take her out professionally, but for now she is mine to play with, and I am content enough to keep her just that way."

"Well, I guess that does make sense," I said in lieu of anything else that might come to mind, "Well, I can see you're both busy at the moment, but if Kodachi shows up later tell her I have more of that business we discussed earlier, and I'll come around whenever she is ready."

"I'll be sure to inform her of that, Imoutochan," Kasumi replied while resuming her "grooming" of Kodachi, "But why do you address yourself to my little Rose here? You know that Ponies can't talk."

I withdrew my hand from the forehead of my counterpart, allowing the image to dissolve right then, which left her shaken and disturbed, much as I had intended.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded, making what sense she could of the memories that I had just shared.

"That is the reason why you shouldn't complain about your Kasumi being a goddess of the vampires," I replied, "Despite the physiological changes she has experienced, underneath it all she is still basically Kasumi."

To no great surprise on my part I saw my counterpart smile sardonically, and for once I knew what it was like to have my own trademark look turned in my direction.

"I guess I should be grateful after all...if that's the alternative," she said with a lilt in her voice that demonstrated appreciation of my gist, "But is it really true...did you bargain with Kodachi to sell our sister into her care as a sex slave? That's the sort of thing I'd expect from one of Lao's minions."

"Say what?" Keiko blinked, "Kasumi...taking my place with Kodachi-sama?"

"Excuse me, Sugar?" Ukyo asked as both Shampoo and Perfume gave a soft "Aiyaa" in perfect chorus.

"It was Kasumi's idea, and she kind of talked me into it," I said rather sheepishly, "She had this crazy notion that Kodachi was in danger from her brother, and that by being with her full time she could act as a kind of counterbalance or shield to thwart any efforts on Tatewaki's part that might jeopardize her safety, so selling herself to Kodachi was just her way of protecting her lover, even though Kasumi takes this game somewhat liberally and is a heck of a lot more than just Kodachi's mistress."

"Excuse me, Sugar?" Ukyo blanched, "Are you saying that the Tatewaki of your world would actually threaten to do harm to his own sister?"

"You haven't seen the changes he's gone through like I have," I replied, "He's Cybelle's man now and she guides his moves like a puppet, even if he imagines that he's really the man in charge. Where once he was a somewhat affable baffoon, these days he's cold, calculating and utterly humorless, and he'd think nothing about removing an obstacle like Kodachi from his path if their interests were to diverge any more strongly. But somehow Kasumi's presence seems to have calmed things down a bit and distracted Tatewaki from any such designs against Kodachi. Cybelle seems genuinely to be afraid of her, and I think Tatewaki secretly lusts for her body but is too proud and distant to admit it, and besides, their antics disgust him too much for him to pay much more than cursory attention..."

"That almost makes a kind of sense," my counterpart remarked, favoring Keiko with a wry look, "Or maybe I've just been hanging around with you for too long that the idea isn't quite as shocking as it ought to be."

"Hey, I offered to sell myself to you, but you missed your chance, Nab-chan," Keiko shrugged with an affable expression, "And for someone who prides herself on her business assets I must say that you missed out on quite the bargain, though I'm happy enough belonging now to my Mistress Kodachi."

"Pardon me for feeling a bit left out of this, Sugar," Ukyo scowled, "But from all the rest of us could tell just now you did something, tapped Nab-chan on the forehead and made her zone out for a few seconds, and then she blinks her eyes and is back to normal."

"My apologies," I said, "But what I had to share was...extremely personal, though I dare say that if Akane were here our little sister would probably have understood implicitly, being no stranger to such games if I perceive things rightly."

"Hey, no comments from me, other than to confirm the fact that Akane-chan would make one heck of a concubine if Ryo-chan ever lets her," Keiko winked, "I'd be happy to teach her all the finer points of the trade, but she does grasp the basics and would probably do well as a fellow sex slave to our Mistress Kodachi."

"You're right about that," my counterpart said, "Sometimes my little sister worries me, and if she didn't have Ryo-chan so thoroughly wrapped around her little finger..."

"Excuse me for interrupting things just as they were starting to sound interesting," I heard the silver-haired Beatrice remark as she appeared at the entrance to the dojo, "But it might interest you to know that I have finished a preliminary analysis of the data you shared with me earlier, and I believe I have some useful recommendations that may prove advantageous in another confrontation with the enemy wizard."

"Oh?" my counterpart replied, giving the blonde her full undivided attention, "Such as?"

"Magic, as I understand the term, involves mentally tapping into certain natural ambient forces and shaping them through the lens of the mind, powered by the will, to create an effect that can be measured both etherically and upon the plane of ordinary matter," the super-intelligent Daitokuji replied as I turned to regard her quite breathtakingly beautiful profile, "As long as the channels are open a sufficiently powerful and talented mind can draw from a theoretically infinite source...but what would happen if you could block or somehow diminish the flow of energies that he is able to tap into, say...by creating a wave of interference that might disrupt the pattern of his mental emanations?"

"Interesting," I said as I turned to regard her fully, "Are you suggesting a device that could cause a localized interference wave such as what you are suggesting?"

"As a matter of fact I have just finished working on such a device," Beatrice held up an object roughly the size of a grapefruit yet ovular, almost egg-shaped with a knob at the top end that was clearly meant to be adjusted, "I call it a Mind grenade, and it's effective range is about twenty meters in radius. I puts out a lot of power and so the batteries will only be able to sustain it for a matter of a few minutes, but that should be sufficiently long enough to give one the edge in battle. The downside is that it could also affect Ki lines and manna taps for other purposes, and so it may hamper both sides when it is active."

"Fascinating," my counterpart said, "Could come in handy even if we never get to use it on this mission."

"I look forward to examining the data when it is put to field use," Beatrice replied, "So if at all possible do try and recover it so that I can study the memory chip that will analyze and record critical data..."

"Are you still working on that thing?" said the redheaded Alison as she suddenly appeared at the side of Beatrice, "And here I told you to take it easy and relax for just one night instead of always trying to invent a better mouse trap. What do I have to do, tie you down and sit on you before you get the point that you shouldn't be straining yourself and the baby?"

"If I should happen to forget I will always have you on hand to remind me, my Barbarian," Beatrice said to her wife with great affection, "But I am done inventing for now, so I will heed your sage advice and sit down for a bit back at the house while we await news of the eventual triumph of the others."

"Yeah, whatever," Alison took the blonde by the arm and all but dragged her away from the dojo, but not before she managed to toss her "Mind grenade" to Keiko, who caught and held it gingerly as if afraid it might go off at any moment.

"Heh, easy to see who wears the pants in that family," Keiko mused as she examined the device in her hands then said, "I'll keep a firm hold on this for now if you don't mind, Nab-chan. Now...if it's all the same to you, I think I'll go hunt down the privy. All this waiting is making me feel constipated."

"Sure enough, but hurry back just the same, Kei-chan," my counterpart instructed, "It's been taking Ranma-kun and the others too long to report back on their mission, and I'm starting to get worried."

I waited until the redhead was out of the room before I turned to regard my double and murmured softly, "You have good taste in friends, and that one is certainly loyal and true blue."

"Kei-chan thinks she owes me a favor for helping her out of a tight jam a couple of years ago," my counterpart shrugged, though I could sense in her memories a long and complicated story worthy of much deeper reflection.

"You do that a lot, don't you?" I observed, then paused before adding, "Oh...and by the way, do you know that one who just left has a real heavy crush on you but doesn't want to say it aloud?"

"Kei-chan?" my double asked, "That's old news...she's had this thing for me, and I try not to encourage it, but..."

"Not her," I corrected, "The other one... you know, who talks with lots of big words and has more IQ points than the lot of us put together?"

"What?" my counterpart stumbled, "You don't mean...Beatrice?"

"She loves her wife and would never do anything that could seriously compromise her marriage," I informed her, "But her feelings for you are pretty strong. She just doesn't wear them on her metaphorical sleeve quite so brazenly as Arigami-  
san."

"You've gotta be kidding," Ukyo blurted out in dismay, "Beiko...and Nab-chan?"

"Aiyaa," Shampoo agreed in mild astonishment.

"What, you guys are just figuring that out?" Perfume shrugged, "I noticed it a long time ago, the way she fawns over Nabiki and is always willing to volunteer to be Oh-so-helpful. I know what a crush looks like, believe me...and why the big surprise? After all, when she and Nab-chan get into a discussion together hardly anyone else can follow what they're saying."

"Great minds to feel a certain attraction, that I will warrant," I admitted, "But take it as the flattering compliment that it is. It's not as if she's about to stalk you, like she did that one girl that she and Managi-san knew back in their old high school."

"This is starting to get complicated," Ukyo averred, turning a worried look my way, "Ever think you might be a little too helpful yourself with all these kibitzed points you keep dropping from your world, Sugar?"

"I may be at that," I admitted, "But the alternative is to let you wander blindly into some surprises that fate might well have planned for your future. I can't really say myself...I only sense the shifting of certain patterns, but I cannot anticipate the eventual outcome."

"Oh?" my double asked, "Are you saying that you're not really omniscient after all? That in a lot of this you're just guessing?"

"You've finally cottoned onto my secret," I smiled back, "But knowing the future isn't as easy as opening a window or turning on a TV cable set...there are all sorts of variables and probability intersections where small changes can have larger outcomes. I have no trouble sensing the larger play of forces in the worlds, but the finer details, such as the Tokyo Stock Exchange? Forget it...too much random choice contaminates the overall outcome...so yes...I am not omniscient...nor did I ever say or imply that I was, your opinions to the contrary."

"Even so," my counterpart began, when all of a sudden she noticed a change coming over me, for I had glanced away at just that moment and stared off into space...or rather onto the Etheric plane, where a tether-line that I had erected between me and her husband had abruptly been severed, which did not bode well for either of our plans about his future.

It was Perfume, the most perceptive of the lot of them, who was quick to ask, "Is something wrong?"

"I...don't really know," I said, trying to probe the line back to its source but encountering nothing on the other end that I could find all that reassuring, "But I strongly suspect that something has gone very wrong with our assault party."

"What?" my counterpart attempted to lurch to her feet but failed to compensate for the extra mass within her tummy. She fell back onto her pillows but nonetheless had the presence of mind to ask, "Ranma-kun...is he...?"

"I don't think so," I replied, "I didn't feel pain on the other end just now, only a...kind of barrier that was erected between us. I think he's gotten trapped up in something and it's making it difficult for me to get a lock on him. The nearest analogy I can manage would be to compare it to him being dropped into a long black hole with no means of climbing back out, and wherever he is he's surrounded by an infinite sea of darkness."

"No way!" Kuonji immediately protested, "He couldn't get beaten that easily...not our Ranma!"

"I'm sorry," I replied, "That's all I can detect at the moment. Oh, that and the fact that the rest of the party seems to be caught up in some sort of fight, and by what I can sense they appear to be losing quite badly."

"We've got to get over there to help them!" Perfume immediately volunteered, clenching her fists in a way that suggested that she was about to once again draw upon her double-bladed axes.

"I agree," I said, already heading towards the door to the dojo, only to see it slide back as Lotion, Frank and Kasumi entered, all three grim-visaged and appearing to already have gotten the news of impending disaster.

"As I suspected," Lotion remarked, limping forward with a kind of hurried pace that was more abrupt than her usual manner, "The Matriarch and the others have just succumbed to the superior might of the Archmage. I had a sense that things might turn out like this, and so I have been preparing for this moment."

"If you already knew it was going to happen then why the hell didn't you say something earlier?" the other Nabiki immediately protested.

"Because I know Cologne and how stubborn she is when her mind is made up on a given subject," my mentor shot a hard look towards my counterpart that stifled further protest, "I knew that she had to try things her way, just as she suspected all along that her best efforts might be for nothing, so of course she ordered the rest of us to remain behind as a backup ploy in case the worst case scenario were to befall her and the others."

"Sensei," I said respectfully, "I can follow your reasoning on this...but was it really necessary to allow Ranma and the others to accompany her into danger?"

"Calm your fears, Child," Lotion said, and not so unkindly this time as she was no longer maintaining her gruff appearance from meeting earlier in the day, "They had not yet been harmed, and Shang-Kwan is far too proud of his abilities to dispose of unwanted guests so lightly. He will take them into captivity first with the intent of extracting information from them for later...but his energies will still be focused upon the impending ceremony, and in that lies our opportunity to best him."

"How do y'all reason that, Sugar?" Ukyo wanted to know, but again I was already ahead of her and was putting it rapidly all together.

"Of course," I said aloud, "Those of us whom Cologne left behind have more raw power and native ability at our command...to say nothing of experience," I gave the towering Frank a look that must have surprised him as I saw him arch an eyebrow, "The only strike against us is that we've never all worked together as a group, and I'm still an unknown to the rest of you. That's why we need to coordinate in order to make an effective front against this wizard."

"Precisely," Lotion actually seemed gratified by my answer, "And it helps to know that our allies will be in a fair enough condition to be rescued by us, which means we can bolster our ranks once we get there. The only problem that I foresee is that the one among us who has the best chance of helping to pull this off is presently indisposed at the moment, her physical condition limiting her usefulness at the moment."

"And who is that?" my counterpart replied, only to blink as I gave her a very droll look, to which she just slapped herself along the side of her head and said, "Doh! Okay, so it's inconvenient that I've got a kid on the way. That still doesn't mean that I'm gonna sit back and let you guys risk your necks to save my kids and my husband."

"Are you serious?" I asked frankly, "Granted you're definitely a superior fighter to me, but in the state you're in you'd be more a liability than an asset..."

"Not necessarily so," Lotion replied, giving me a very strange look before saying, "After all, there is a reason why my counterpart sent you to me just now...and I finally perceive why as you open up possibilities that otherwise might not be open."

"Huh?" I asked, feeling as slow to keep up with her reasoning as I had been in the earlier days of my training.

"There is no time for a full explanation, Child...at least not here within this dojo," Lotion replied, turning her focus towards my opposite number and giving her a grave look of total seriousness, "Tell me this, Saotome-san...what are you prepared to risk in order to save your friends, family and children?"

Surprise was brief in my counterpart before she frowned back as though challenged, "I'll do whatever is necessary on my part to bring them back safely...but what...?"

"Fine," the old woman said curtly, "Then you will accompany me and your twin here to the other realm where we will consult with one who knows much about what I am about to propose. Assist me in opening the gates, my almost-apprentice."

I suddenly cottoned on to what she was saying, "You mean...?"

"Indeed," she smiled at me obliquely, "You and I are off to see Lord Anri, and when we return to gather the others to our side our next stop will be...off to see the Wizard."

Somehow I just knew she was going to say that, but I guess one thing Lotion's got in common on either frame is a barbed sense of humor, which reminded me very much that we were not headed to Kanzakai but rather to a place well beyond all mortal comprehension...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Spiritual Gatherings: shadowmane

What has Lotion in mind to tilt the balance back in their favor, and can the two Nabikis combine their talents to form the unbeatable team that they will need to defeat Shang-Kwan? View the answer to this and many other pertinent question in: "The Profit of Prophets," or, "When You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kiss Him!" Be there! 


	143. Chapter 143

NabikiRan127 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Seven.

"A Prophetable Business"

Closing hour was always a busy time around the restaurant, but Akane never minded helping out, even if it meant working close besides her rival, Makoto, while Ukyo-their mutual love interest-worked in the back doing the books and keeping up the ledgers.

Time had eased some of the sting of mutual resentment that used to stand between her and the other girl, and these days Akane found that she could actually appreciate the positive qualities that made the taller girl so attractive. Makoto was fearless, loyal and devoted to those whom she cared for, and she was a tremendously good cook, one who even showed Akane some important things to take the sting out of her own arguably inferior abilities in that particular field. In exchange for this teaching she had helped Makoto to improve and refine her own martial arts abilities, and so they owed each other, and not just for the times when they had fought side-by-side and actually defended one another's welfare.

But still they had not achieved a total harmony of peace of mind around one another. Always in the back of her mind Akane felt a smoldering resentment that in no small part reflected her sincere belief that Makoto was, in some ways, a much better person. Certainly she was built more womanly with a noticeably larger bust and a frame to match it that was tall, lean and gracefully athletic. Sometimes she would tease Makoto over her size, only to flinch at the inevitable retort that "that just means there's more of me to love," which certainly was the case as such things could be physically and visually measured.

And, of course, being in love with the same person meant sometimes having to share him/her in other respects, including the bedroom, and not just taking turns out of politeness. At first their "Threesomes" had been awkward things of necessity more than contrivance, but after learning to relax a little (and not hog the bedsheets) they had warmed up beyond tolerating the other's existence to actually calling a full scale truce and letting bygones be bygones when the lights were out and no rules need be applied to the situation within the bedroom.

It was not so much that they had stopped resenting each other as they had simply grown used to the fact that they shared the same romantic interest in common. Ukyo did not lie to them about her affections, nor did she pretend to favor one above the other. With Makoto she was the most at ease having known her longer and having developed a personal trust that set the two of them as a pair who were meant to be together...but with Akane she had gained a deep abiding affection, one where they took great satisfaction in spending time together, and so neither one wanted there to be a parting.

With that understanding in mind both girls had grown accustomed to the fact that, were either one of them to leave the equation, great unhappiness would be felt by Ukyo, and neither one could bear to see her suffer. It was not simple indecision on Ukyo's part that had brought this about but an abiding sense that her life was greatly enriched by having both women at her side...and besides which, Makoto was showing signs of her growing pregnancy, while Akane looked to be the same way before very much longer. Ukyo's male half was, of course, the responsible party, and having a child by her male aspect gave the taller girl great satisfaction, which Akane saw and yearned to replicate within her own body.

And besides...both were committed to their new life together, and they had a kind of dare in which neither one would resign out of pride, refusing to surrender the field to the other. And after having slept together on more than a few occasions...they had grown to appreciate the finer qualities that marked them both as individual human beings.

So when Akane lifted a table to stack it neatly in the corner Makoto automatically came to help, her greater height and strength being useful in lifting the chairs to a higher vantage point so that they could clear the floor to sweeping and mopping purposes. It was the sort of thing they did every day as a routine matter of course, and like tasks that you become that accustomed to doing one often forgets to pay attention, and accidents are sometimes known to occur.

So it was that Akane stumbled, having misjudged her weight as she lifted one of the tables, and all at once the table came down upon her left hand and pinched it between itself and another table. Akane yelped in pain and lost her grip on the thing altogether, but before it could hit the floor Makoto was there to halt its downward progress.

With an ease that would have surprised anyone who was not used to seeing her perform far greater feats of strength Makoto set the table aside and at once moved closer to Akane, taking her injured hand between her own as she inspected the wound and said, "Take it easy, don't try and move it. Let me see if anything is broken."

Akane did not resist as she allowed the other girl to examine her injury, wincing a bit as Makoto tested the bruised area with two fingers, then submitted to a careful examination of her thumb and forefinger, then felt a sigh of relief as Makoto pronounced, "It's not broken, but I wouldn't try holding anything with this hand for a few days."

"Thank you," Akane said automatically, then glanced up at the taller girl and said, "You do this kind of thing often?"

"Hey, even us Senshi get hurt now and then," Makoto replied with a faint smile, "It comes with the job of saving the world."

For some odd reason, and in spite of the pain she was still experiencing, Akane found herself chuckling at the jest in a comradely kind of way. Then when she saw the look the other girl gave her she said, "I remind you of her a lot, don't I?"

"Who?" Makoto asked, only to answer her own question, "You mean Ami?"

"How long has she been away...a couple of weeks now, off studying in Europe?" Akane asked, "She's one of your inner circle of best friends, and I can only imagine how the rest of your gang is coping."

"It's not all that bad," Makoto replied, "Ami's still a part of our team, and we can talk to her at any time, even visit her when we teleport."

Akane gave the other girl a frank look and said, "I don't pretend to understand what it's like to be you, knowing that you're part of something larger than any of us can even know, with your memories of your past life and everything."

"Oh?" Makoto arched an eyebrow and then smiled, "Well...it's something you adjust to, like knowing how to wield the power of storm and lightning. It's not like I asked to be born a Senshi, any more than you did to be born to a family of martial artists."

"But we just train our bodies to fight," Akane reasoned, "You were born with this incredible power, and a place in some greater destiny..."

"What, you mean like you discovering that your mother was possessed by a goddess and passed onto you in the womb the qualities of being an Angel?" Makoto sniffed in amusement, "Your curse just brought that part of you out into the open, just like Ucchan's brought to the fore the masculine side of her personality, and we both know how well that fits her."

Akane could not help sharing a chuckle over that, a rare moment of sympathy passing between two sort-of rivals who had grown used to the idea of involving the other one in their personal lives. However, before the moment got any deeper, someone else popped up to express their dismay, seeming almost to appear from no where as Konatsu was prone to do whenever Akane was in need of his assistance.

"Akane-sama, you are injured?" the male Kunoichi cried as if heartstricken, gazing at her hand as though it were her own and feeling her pain acutely. And then he turned a glare towards Makoto, who recoiled from the shocking level of accusation in that stare, sensing just the heat of the Kunoichi's lethal temper.

"Ah, it's all right, Konatsu," Akane hastily interjected, "It was my fault, I was clumsy, and Makoto was just trying to help..."

"What's going on out here?" Ukyo asked as she emerged from the back office, "Sounded like something fell over..."

"It's nothing, Ucchan," Makoto called out, "Akane just had a little accident, but nothing much to worry about."

"Oh yeah?" Ukyo asked as she approached the pair then saw the bruise on Akane's hand, "Let me see that. Ooh...nasty. Definitely put some ice on that, and no more work for you today and that's final."

"But..." Akane started to protest, only to see the firm look in the eyes of her lover, which caused her to demure a bit before saying, "I don't need to be babied..."

"Let me be the judge of that, Akane-chan," Ukyo softly chuckled before giving Makoto a sly look and adding, "Shame on you letting her get hurt like that. And after all the times I've told you two to play nicely."

"But..." Makoto started to protest, only to catch the grin that Ukyo paid her, which caused her to give a grin back at her fianc e.

"You know," Ukyo added, "I hate it when either one of you gets hurt, and it's usually Mako-chan I worry about, what with the baby and all, but in this case you really need to cut yourself some slack, Akane. You're both too valuable to me to waste on this menial stuff. Let Konatsu take over, he's good at keeping things neat and orderly, and I think he'd be happier if you'd let him."

"Most assuredly, Ukyo-sama," the bishonen Kunoichi acknowledged, delighted beyond words at the helpful suggestion to the point where he forgot his normal resentment of the Chef, who was his "Akane-sama's" principle love interest.

"Well...if you wouldn't mind too much, Konatsu," Akane somewhat reluctantly conceded, "At least until my hand heals..."

The man looked as if he could have danced on air from the way in which he exulted at receiving such sympathetic consideration from the woman he adored more than life itself, "You may trust me, Mistress, I will do everything in my power to see that you do not need to sully your sweet hands," and then he jumped almost literally to the task, piling tables and chairs in neat corners with such speed that even Makoto was taken aback, and then the cross-dressing Kunoichi was down on his knees scrubbing the floor with such speed that it soon became hazardous to be found anywhere on the floor as he became a blur to the eye, moving rapidly from one end of the restaurant to the other.

For safety's sake Ukyo and her companions retreated back to the main office, and then looked on in amazement as Konatsu proceeded to do the work of five people in the space of a few minutes.

"Off hand I think you just sent him into orbit," Makoto remarked as she expressed amazement at the energy the Ninja was displaying.

"Might take him the better part of the night to come back down to earth," Ukyo agreed, privately grateful that Konatsu's services ran so cheaply.

"I feel so bad taking advantage of him like that sometimes," Akane fretted, "He really is such a sweet dear, and he was treated so horribly by his own family. I wish I could do more to make it up to him for all the help he's been to me of late."

"Just noticing that he's still breathing seems to be enough to keep him going in the mornings," Makoto turned a frank look towards Akane, "I think he's got a real thing for you, and he resents Ucchan and me for taking up most of your attention."

"What?" Akane expressed shock at the very concept, "But he's just a friend...a good friend, to be sure, and I know he seems to look up to me, but...I mean...  
you don't really think...I mean...really?"

"You might want to ask him about it sometime, Sugar," Ukyo murmured in her ear, "Because I'm starting to feel jealous."

"But that's silly," Akane insisted, "I mean...me and Konatsu? I...that really wouldn't work out...would it? And besides...I have you, Ucchan, and that's all I've ever really wanted."

"Now who's feeling left out and jealous?" Makoto sniffed, "Well, looks like Konatsu's pretty much got everything covered down here. Don't know about the both of you but I think I'll turn in early and try to get some work done for my college entrance exams."

"Is that all you've got in mind, Sugar?" Ukyo asked slyly, "I've just about finished with the books, and after making the cash drop I expect to turn in myself for the evening. Sure you wouldn't mind a little company, especially if Akane here makes it a threesome?"

"Oh?" Akane gave the other girl a raised eyebrow, "And what makes you think either of us is in the mood right now?"

"Hey, way I figure it, Mako-chan here owes you a favor, right?" Ukyo grinned broadly, "And the best way to deal with an injury is to kiss and make it better."

Makoto seemed to think that one over then said, "She has a point, you know...  
and I do feel kind of bad about seeing you get hurt like that, Akane."

"You think I need sympathy out of you?" Akane asked in a pretense of her usual resentment, but in actuality she was grinning up at the taller girl as if already contemplating how the both of them were going to spend the evening 'making it up' to one another.

"Off you go the both of you," Ukyo cheerfully said as she swatted both girls playfully on their pert bottoms, "And try not to do anything I won't be doing with the both of you when I get back upstairs. Oh, and see if Peorth and Mon-  
Mon can hold it down a little. With all the racket they're making those sound-  
proofed wards in their room won't keep the neighbors from complaining."

"What?" Akane reacted, then glanced upward as she heard a moaning noise that did not sound at all as though it were made by a shifting of the rafters.

"Sounds like your mom elected to pay us another visit," Makoto observed wryly, "Only Mon-Mon intercepted her, which means we won't be seeing either of them until very late tomorrow morning."

"If that," Akane mused with a playful expression, silently wishing her spiritual mother a good tumble as she knew that the Chinese priestess had a way of keeping her too busy to plot any mischief, which was a good thing for anyone who knew first hand about Peorth's tendency to meddle.

Konatsu seemed oblivious to this as he went about the task of tidying up the place, but he did pause in the midst of scrubbing the dishes to notice the way Akane and Makoto were acting as they headed for the staircase, holding hands and not seeming much to mind one another like they used to do in months past. For a moment the Kunoichi felt a touch of sorrow and longing crimp the good mood that he was in, but then he turned back to the task with a vengeance, indulging private fantasies and taking what pleasure he could from the knowledge that his mistress had at the very least acknowledged his very existence...

There came an instant of opportunity in the moment when Shang-Kwan caused the portal to appear and swallow up Saotome Ranma. Mousse had acted to attempt to rescue his brother-in-law by casting one of his chains as a lifeline, but the Wizard had severed this with a slash of one hand, causing the part not gripped by Ranma to go flying past the edge of the portal and straight across the pit in the direction of three very anxious children.

As Lylac and Fragrance called out the names of their adopted father, Eileen reacted swiftly to snag the chain with one hand and whip it to the side before it might strike either of her companions. She then kept firm hold of the thing while it dangled down into the pit below them, roughly six meters of six-gauge steel that was almost too big for her tiny hands to fully grip, yet which served her now as a lifeline to stave off certain disaster. In another fortuitous wink of the fates, Shang Kwan chose that moment to disappear rather than take notice of what had happened, and so was not at all privy to the scheme in the child was hatching, which went well beyond the ken and scope of an ordinary five-month old infant.

"Daddy..." Lylac was whimpering while Fragrance openly sobbed and said, "I want my Daddy!"

"{Calm yourselves the both of you,}" Eileen said in the pigeon-tongued baby-  
speech that they normally employed to keep grown-ups from overhearing their private conversations, "{Uncle Ranma isn't dead. The wizard only trapped him with a spell involving dimensional inversion. I could tell that much by reading the edge of the portal, and I would have detected it if he had been actually blasted into random bits of scattered atoms.}"

Fragrance immediately dried her eyes and turned to look at her redheaded playmate, "{Really?}"

"{You mean Dad's still alive, just trapped somewhere like us?}" Lylac immediately fathomed.

"{Yes, but at the moment he can do little to assist us in our escape,}" Eileen said while glancing down at the chains in her tiny hands, "{Or rather...to help us more than he already has by providing us, however unintentionally, with this, the means for our liberation.}"

"{One of Uncle Mousse's throwing chains?}" Fragrance puzzled as she glanced down at the length of metal dangling over the pit below them, "{I don't get it.}"

"{I think I do,}" Lylac replied, "{You mean to use that to somehow get us away from here?}"

"{Correct,}" Eileen replied, "{But it will take all of our combined efforts to pull this off, and that means that I must have the both of you with me, so concentrate on what I say and we may yet escape from this mess before the wizard has time enough to realize what we are up to.}"

"{I'm game if you think it'll work, Ekko,}" Fragrance assured, then paused before somewhat reluctantly asking, "{Um...only what sort of game is this, and how to we play it?}"

"{Just wait and I will explain your part,}" Eileen said, then directed her next comments to her more immediate companion, "{Lylac-chan? Are you ready?}"

"{I think so,}" Lylac replied, "{You mean for me to catch you?}"

"{That's the plan for your part,}" Eileen answered, then took a deep breath and said, "{This would be much easier if my physical coordination were up to your standards, but I have enough strength to pull this off...if Fragrance and I coordinate our perceptions.}"

"{So what am I supposed to do again?}" Fragrance asked in growing confusion.

"{Just point your finger at the shiny light above us,}" Eileen replied, "{Ignore the distortion effect caused by temporal distortions and focus your senses to tell me exactly where it is to the nearest millimeter's distance.}"

"{Okay,}" Fragrance said, then after a moment she added, "{Ooohh...I see what you mean. It is kinda hard to see with that funny glow about it...but I think it's right...there. Yeah, that's the real it,}" she said while pointing at a space precisely above them.

"{I see,}" Eileen said as she studied the direction in which her friend was pointing, and then she rapidly calculated the trajectory and cross-reverenced against her own estimation then said, "{Exactly as I thought it would be,}" and then with a casual display of strength she broke off a piece of the chain in her tiny hands and turned it into a throwing projectile, aiming it at her now-  
confirmed target.

There was a tiny chinking sound mere instants later, and then all at once gravity reasserted its control and the trio began to fall headlong into the oblivion beneath them. Or rather they would have if Eileen did not follow-  
threw with her throw by swinging the chain in a wide arc and letting the opposite end go flying while keeping a tight grip with her other hand as she heard the confirming sound of stone and metal meeting.

The sudden release of whatever force held them in place spurred Lylac into immediate action, and despite her tiny frame she moved quickly to catch the part of the chain directly beneath her, swinging around with her legs and wrapping them about Fragrance's waist while holding tightly with both arms to the arm of Eileen as the three of them began to fall an abruptly shortened distance as the chain prevented them from the endless night that beckoned to swallow them whole.

Fragrance was the next to perceive the impending danger and twisted her diminutive body so that she got both hands and feet in the way in time to meet the impact with the wall of the pit itself, and reflexively absorbed most of the energy so that it did not jar her friends loose in the process. With Lylac keeping a firm grip with both her legs and hands, Eileen then began to climb up the chain over Lylac's arm and shoulder until she reached the top of the pit and could pull herself all the way free, at which point she bent down and gripped the chain, then braced her tiny legs and worked at pulling the other two all of the way out of the pit until Fragrance and Lylac were able to make the remaining short distance.

Once all three of them were on their feet and outside immediate danger, however, Fragrance turned a dismayed look towards the ceiling and said, "{You didn't tell me you were gonna break it!}"

"{A necessary sacrifice to spare all of our lives from the peril it presented,}" Eileen assured them, "{There were too many variables as it were for me to risk the chance of any part of my plan failing at a crucial moment, and I knew that it would take perfect coordination on all our parts to pull it off...and, as you can see, my plan was successful.}"

"{Nice work just the same,}" Lylac complimented, "{And don't worry about the shiny thing, Fragrance-chan, I'm sure we'll find another pretty light for you to play with.}"

"(But first we need to get away from immediate danger,}" Eileen cautioned, "{The bad man of this piece will sense something is amis and be coming back with the intent on preventing our escape from his clutches, so we must make ourselves ready and bide for the time that we will need to finish the process.}"

"{The process of what?}" Fragrance asked with dismay, "{And what are we waiting for?}"

"{For our parents to find us of course,}" Eileen noted, "{If Uncle Ranma could make it here then so could our mothers, and when that happens...well...I would not be the bad guy for all the tea that is in China.}"

"{What would anybody want with so much tea?}" Fragrance scratched her tiny head in growing confusion.

"{Never mind,}" Lylac affectionately patted the head of her cousin-sister and smiled, "{But let's just say that's one bad guy who's gonna be getting his comeuppance...}"

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

I can only imagine what my counterpart must have felt during that moment of transition when Lotion transported the both of us from her reality to the plane of Temporal Transition. I've made the journey numerous time, both as her student and on my own power, and I know how disorienting it can be to suddenly find yourself in another place unimaginable to those whose perception of reality is grounded in the purely physical senses.

But still my counterpart was nothing if not resilient and too stubborn to admit that she was out of her element and managed to swallow her nausea in order to gasp out, "Where the hell are we?"

"In a layer of the Astral Plane that exists outside and between dimensional boundaries," I replied in a matter-of-fact helpful fashion, "The transition point between alternate realities that is not bounded by the normal rules of physics."

"Oh really?" she tried to copy my bland tone of voice and failed badly, "So we're at a kind of no-man's land, the place you crossed to get from your reality into ours?"

"More or less," I answered, "Though it's also important to note that this is a realm composed of virtual energy, where nothing is real unless you perceive it to be, where the power of the imagination is boundless and the power of the mind and will are at their sharpest reflection."

"You don't say?" she replied, finding it difficult not to sound impressed, "And you come here often?"

"Whenever I need a place to meditate and recharge my psychic batteries," I answered, "This is also the dimension of dreams, where physical matter is a purely transitional state and our bodies are held in their present coherent forms by the simple act of memory, reflex and long habit. Souls visit this plane whenever you sleep at night, and it's where the power of dreaming is the most vivid. It's also where souls journey when their bodies are no longer functioning, and there are layers of the Astral field that correspond to every different conception of an afterlife that has ever been imagined in the mind of a mortal. None of it is real but the will and imagination, and here even gods are ephemeral beings composed of mostly light and shadow."

"So it's a psychic way-station," my counterpart shrugged, "I've heard something about it from a Yogi once, but I thought it all sounded like so much Taoist junk food."

"Well, now you know better," I smiled, "And since you wanted to know, this is also the place where we draw our Ki energies from whenever we focus our spirit or draw upon the life essence of the cosmos. There are various elemental divisions that can be found here corresponding to the elements that exist on the physical plane, and this realm is populated by spirits of every kind imaginable. It's also a window through which you can view both the future and the past, and even travel there if you desire, because Time here is an illusory concept."

My counterpart gave me a shrewd look and said, "If I didn't know any better I'd swear that sounded like a tourist brochure that you just recited from memory."

"Hey, blame it on my mentor," I shrugged, smiling as I glanced to Lotion, "She's the one who pulled the line on me the first time I came here."

"Obviously my counterpart is something of a drama queen at heart," the Lotion of my counterpart's timeline remarked, as if attempting to distance herself from the behavior that I knew so well, not that I was fooled as I could see right through her pretense of being the stern elder. Only one thing she did not cover for was the fact that this realm also projects one's internal self-  
image, so her appearance was not that of the wizened old cripple that she had been on the plane of mortals but rather a much younger, taller and infinitely more slender and wand-like Lotion, whose long pink hair showed lustrously and whose unwrinkled skin shone with the luster of lost youth re-imagined.

My counterpart gaped as she witnessed the transition, though I smiled knowingly, having long familiarized myself with my mentor in both of her incarnations. Lotion took notice of our regard of her young appearance and scowled at my counterpart, saying in a crusty tone that did not match the melodic youth of her voice, "What are you staring at?" as though it were a challenge.

"Ah...nothing..." my counterpart gulped, then looked to me for reassurance, "Does she do that often?"

"Only when she's here and not restricted by the laws of time and space," I answered.

"Being bound to one's appearance does not make one old unless you believe yourself to be elderly and infirm," Lotion explained, though not to my counterpart's satisfaction, "Now we really don't have the time to waste on silly juvenile games...not even in this realm where time is but a trick of the mind and an illusion of the will. This way, ladies, if we are not to keep Lord Anri waiting."

"Who is this Anri character that you dragged me out here to meet?" my counterpart asked, "And is he supposed to be able to help us get my kids back?"

"In answer to the second part of your question, you bet," I replied as we turned and followed the restored Lotion of past decades through the imaginary surroundings of indescribable complexity and abstraction, "But as for the first...believe me, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. But let's just say for the sake of the official record that he's a very important person in the scheme of the cosmos, and if he can't help us...well, it's pretty hard to imagine who else could."

"So..." my counterpart reflexively ducked her head as a shadow passed over us, only to gape in amazement as she saw something the size of a whale blissfully passing far above our heads like a living cloud of pre-ordinate matter, "...  
Ah...is it a long journey to get where he's at?"

I could tell that she was hoping the answer would be negative to that, and much to her relief our pink-haired guide responded, "Not at all. Distance is also an illusion. We merely had to pass through several layers of camouflage and concealment that Lord Anri has cast about himself in order to cloud the perceptions of those who would rightly fear him."

"If you really must know," I added as I sensed our approach to the center of the multi-hued kaleidoscope of patterns and ideas that I knew were but projections of a mind far more powerful even than Lotion's, "Anri is a figure of legend who has gone by a great many names over the years. To some he is simply the solar child of Wonder, to others he's both meddler, teacher, healer and prophet. Some call him Maitreya, or the Binder of Spirits, or the Lord of Air and Fire who embodies Tipheroth, the Solar Plane of Harmony and Beauty, though to better appreciate what he is you would have to know something of his actual history as part of the Daokan, and at the moment..."

All at once the metaphorical jungle of imagery parted before our eyes, bringing the three of us to a seeming grassy plane in the middle of a sunlit forest, and there in the middle was the man I had been describing engaged in what can be best described as playful behavior with a full grown golden-maned honest-to-  
kami lion.

"Ah..." I paused rather lamely, as surprised by what I saw as my counterpart, who finished my statement by asking, "Let me guess...a lion tamer?"

I suppose it might well have appeared that way to a first timer, though the wrestling match going on between man and big cat did not have the sort of fierce intensity of a true life-and-death encounter. The lion was clearly not attempting to hurt the man, any more than the man was exerting himself as the two rolled around in the field, and only ceased in their activity with the man gripping the Lion's arms in full nelson, a which point he playfully stretched a hand down and scratched the lion's tummy.

Of the three of us only Lotion appeared unruffled by the sight and waited patiently before saying, "Lord Anri, if you would excuse us please?"

"Oh," the man acted as if he had not been aware of us until then, though I could sense bloody well that he had known of our approach long before our arrival. He let the lion go and the two of them got back to their feet, then he patted the large animal affectionately between the ears and said, "That's all for today, Azrarn. Run along and play, these ladies and I must discuss far more important business."

"As you wish it, Maitreya," the Lion replied, then calmly turned around and said in a much-amused rumble, "Now if you all do not mind, I have some Children of Adam that need counseling. My regards to your friends and I hope to meet them again when time is more permissive."

I knew by that point that my counterpart's credulity level had just about been breached, but as I'd seen much stranger things than a talking lion I decided to shrug the matter off as not immediately relevant and instead bowed to the fabled Lord of Light and said, "Lord Anri...may I present my sister-self from that timeline to which you sent me?"

"Yes, just so," Anri made a dismissing motion, "Very good of you to join me here, and I too regret for the need to be abrupt, but matters are proceeding swiftly and it is altogether important that we conclude matters here before things spiral out of control back on your timeline. Now then, Ms. Saotome, I know that you have a lot of questions that must seem terribly important to you, but the important thing to know is that your husband and children are still alive, and if we are to keep them that way then we need to do this thing and swiftly."

"Do what?" my counterpart asked, taking in the fair-haired gaijin with a puzzled look as if sensing something familiar about him that she could not put her finger on, for reasons I well understood but will not go into at the moment.

"Engineer it so that you can take part in their rescue, of course," Lord Anri replied, "You would prefer it, of course, if you were the one who lead the charge to retrieve them safely from Shang-Kwan's stronghold?"

"Ah...yeah," my counterpart said, pointing at her abdomen, "I would if I were able to, but as you can see...I'm not exactly in my best fighting trim at the moment."

"Materially irrelevant," Lotion said dismissively, "You thinking much to linearly about the limitations of the body. Such limitations do not exist here, and the Lord Anri can show you how to surpass them."

"It's really quite simple, actually," Anri shrugged modestly, "Your physical body has currently geared itself towards that all-important function of bringing precious new life into the world, and as such it cannot be risked in battle. But here we can form a body from the essence of the mind that takes the shape of the you who is a Mistress of Battle, and by projecting that body back onto the physical plane you can temporarily achieve the effect of the way you were before becoming pregnant."

"Say that again?" my counterpart blinked, and neither could I blame her as I was a bit surprised myself by the suggestion.

"You mean...engineer it so that an Akashic double takes her place temporarily while her real body remains here?" I asked, then thought a moment before saying, "Ah...that might work...but still, the risk..."

"Your sister will be safe here in the care of Lord Anri," Lotion assured us, "As safe as anywhere that may be found in the entire cosmos."

"Thank you for the kind words, but I will do my best," Anri said with a modesty that seemed more natural than practiced, "Think of it as a variation of a technique that you already know...Temporal Fugue, only with a mental image instead of your real body."

"You mean that thing Cologne taught me to do when I had my love-match with Ranma?" my counterpart replied, "But that's just moving in and out of synch with the normal flow of time. What you're talking about is..."

"A mental equivalent of same, only switching between bodies," Anri answered, "Ordinarily that would put a strain on the real you, but I am prepared to lend a portion of my own strength to help you compensate so that there are no ill effects on either you or your baby. Trust me, I have been doing this for quite a while now, and I'm hardly a dabbler when it comes to special techniques of this nature."

"That is a considerable understatement," I mused, giving my counterpart a wry look before adding, "You can take it from me that this guy could give Cologne lessons in his sleep, and when it comes to facing down evil wizards...well, who do you think it was taught the Amazons what they knew about Higher Magic?"

"Oh yeah?" my counterpart frowned, "Well, if you're so tough, why aren't you the one out there kicking the butts of creeps like this Shang-Kwan?"

"Aside from the fact that it would be dramatic overkill?" Anri replied, "I dare not venture forth directly or else a greater enemy would be alerted to my presence. Besides, they are not my children, and would you rather entrust a stranger with their safety?"

"Good point," she conceded, then added, "My next question is...why are you involved? I mean, if you're some kind of important muckety-much in the scheme of things, when why bother yourself trying to help out? Like you say, they're my kids, not yours."

"But they are important in the larger scheme of things in ways you could not understand unless you were able to perceive the flow of fate as I can," Anri answered, "They have qualities that Shang-Kwan values, traits that make them special to your portion of reality, and for that reason I cannot permit his evil plans to see fruition. And besides...is it really all that strange for one being to be concerned with the welfare of another?"

I knew full well how much my counterpart distrusted altruism so I decided to add in, "He's being completely sincere about this, Sis. And trust me, I know the truth when I hear it, even when spoken by an Immortal."

"But you are still a child when compared to the Daokan," Lotion cautioned, "And it is perfectly reasonable to ask why a living Buddha would trifle with an affair as seemingly trivial as this rescue. Believe then that neither he nor I wish to see Shang-Kwan endowed with the sort of power that he is after."

"You're a Buddha?" my counterpart scoffed, "Excuse me for saying this, but I don't see your begging bowl or saffron robes anywhere about."

"It's at the cleaners," Anri smiled, patting his washboard-smooth stomach, "And I haven't needed to beg for rice in quite a while now. I do not consume physical food as you understand it...I am sustained by Akashic energy alone, and so I am as you perceive me to be, as I perceive myself to be in this particular incarnation."

"He looked a lot different when he was a Hindu, Sis," I modestly reassured my time-displaced sibling, "And when he was a Jew, and a Tibetan, and an Egyptian before all that..."

"One incarnation is always different from another," Lotion added for my benefit, "Though some traits are held in common, with each new life an Eluini grows in strength, knowledge and wisdom, and this is presently Lord Anri's tenth incarnation."

"You'll understand such things in greater detail when the time is right," Anri said, and not just to my counterpart as I was pretty sure that he was including me in that projection, "But accept for now that I am your friend and ally, and I wish to coach you on the method that you will need in order to confront Shang-  
Kwan with any hope of triumph. Can you accept these terms as a precondition for accepting my counsel?"

"Well...I guess," my counterpart reluctantly conceded, though for the sake of pride and caution I could tell that she was trying hard to think of a reason not to.

"Good enough," Anri smiled, "Now...just relax and think of what it is you do whenever your invoke Temporal Fugue, then allow yourself to drift to more than one location. Keep relaxing your body and practicing in your mind the things that you must do, and then wait until you achieve a point of harmony and balance, and then you will manifest a new you through the prism of your counterpart's template."

"Excuse me?" I asked, surprised upon hearing this aspect of the operation.

"Your double has been growing mentally adjusted to the idea of motherhood for five months now," Lotion explained to me, "She needs a model to remind herself of what it used to be like when she was slender and trim...and the fact that you are also pregnant gives you a level of sympathy that is crucial for this spell to be effected."

"Oh," I replied, "Well...if you say so, I'm prepared to do my part for the cause and all that. Um...what do I have to do?"

"Just link minds and share presence with your counterpart," Lord Anri explained, "Despite the many differences between you, you are both aspects of the same template, and it is those qualities that you share in common which are needed in order to form a perfect Akashic body."

"Makes sense," I remarked, then turned and opened myself to my counterpart, who looked a bit stunned at the ease with which I made mental contact since-as I have already stated-we are basically the same person in two very different aspects.

Of course in the Astral Plane it's a lot easier to channel energy because you don't have temporal physics filtering it out...like removing the resistance factor from wiring to let electricity flow more smoothly, so for me to help work out the particulars of this spell was childsplay, hardly a real test at all of my abilities, though I think the purpose here wasn't to test them so much as to assist my counterpart in getting herself ready to go back into action.

After all, she was a woman of action, and I could tell how much it chaffed her to have to crimp her martial arts abilities by holding back out of consideration of her baby. It wasn't just the fraying edges of the spell that I sensed around her holding her Jusenkyo curse in check that was growing tired from long inactivity, and it was long since time for the Nabiki of this timeline to show her stuff and put her lifelong training to good usage.

After all, unlike me, she had never interrupted her martial arts regimen with a long period during which I had effectively turned my back on the art and opted to live the life of a "normal" girl with no special training. I kept up the exercises that I had learned from childhood mainly to keep my body in shape, but not with any intent of doing actual fighting with my feet and fists since it was my brain that I tended to nurture. I had long convinced myself that fighting was for suckers and losers, an expression of the ultimate failure of the intellect to triumph over brawn and muscle. After all the Art had not saved mom from getting sick and ultimately dying...but that was a child's reckoning I now knew, and my counterpart had been spared from that sort of fatuousness by the long hard experience of the open road.

And to think that she needed someone like Genma to teach her about morals, if only by his very poor example.

Essentially we had been almost exactly the same person up to the age of seven, but beyond that point our lives had diverged into two very different pathways...  
and now we were coming full circle back to measure those differences and to take stock of the contrast that had shaped us both and defined us as the people we had become.

In all truth I found it fascinating to experience first hand just what sort of a person she had become after ten years of sacrifice and hardship, followed by an additional year and a half where she had effectively taken charge over a good portion of Nerima, reigning like a minor Daimiyo of legend and even causing the Yakuza to take a wide berth around her territorial claims to the district. It was not just by the strength of her arms that she had cut a broad swath over much of Furinkan's turf, but rather the force of her character and charisma that had drawn people to her cause who could fight her battles even in her absence, like this formidable "Posse" that had adopted the clan title of Tendo. She was exactly the sort of person whom other fighters would gladly follow into battle, and her loyalty to her friends was matched by a ruthless tenacity and courage that was undaunted no matter what odds were turned out against her.

Contrasted with that mine was a very passive, far less easily defined road where I had more-or-less been dragged along by events, sometimes kicking and screaming against the tide, until the day when I'd learned to assert my will and take charge of my destiny rather than be a minor bit player. I had not sought to find a fianc e but had accepted one when offered, and only in time discovered how much he meant to me as both a companion and a lover. The same with Shampoo, who had been the one who declared that we were married by the customs of her people, and who had gradually convinced me to accept her as a part of my life after warming me up to the idea in gradual stages. Heck, she had even been the one who initiated the first sex between me, herself and Ranma, and I can't even begin to explain looking back on that kinky little scene how deeply affected I was to have someone care that much about me that she'd go to so much trouble tying me down in my bed and then ravishing me silly.

No one followed my lead save for Ryonami. I didn't command or inspire leadership in others, I more-or-less left that role of the hero to Ranma, with me cast as loving advisor and handy side-kick. My friends did what they could to help out because they wanted to do so, not because I could make them do things that went against their nature. If I made a suggestion they'd think about it before deciding whether or not to follow my lead, but as most of them now knew that my word was pretty wise counsel they did tend to comply with my requests and suggestions. I never had to make it an order, nor would I have expected them to automatically obey me...or else.

So I wasn't a leader, but she was. She made things happen just by being there, by making the hard choices, by rendering complex decisions that were carried out to the letter. She had a pretty strong ego and a bit of a chip on her shoulder but she had earned what she commanded, and no one questioned her authority without risking her wrath. Ukyo, Perfume and even Ranma jumped to do her bidding, while only Shampoo could sometimes stand firm and resist her, playing the role of helpful advisor whose wisdom often tempered my counterpart's impulsive call to action. The one time Ranma had stood firmly up to his wife was when he had resolved to get his own act together, to prove to himself that he was worthy of being her husband, and only after his hard-won victory in their "marriage battle" did he go back to enjoying a secondary status. And the ones outside the marriage circle, Keiko, Ryoga, Akane, Kodachi, Tatewaki, Natsume and Kurumi, Kasumi, Alison and Beatrice and everyone else who was involved in their little enterprise, all of them looked to their Nabiki for leadership and guidance, and through hard-won experience their trust in her had-for the most part-been vindicated.

If this made her a little bossy and sometimes difficult to be around it was a small price to pay for the way she had brought a kind of order and stability to the chaos that normally was Nerima. If Cybelle tried had her hand against the Posse I have a very strong feeling that it would get snapped off at the wrist, and with her friends and loved ones united behind her there was very little that she could not accomplish, which was why we needed her back in her prime in order to make this rescue thing happen. The others did not know or trust me the way they trusted her implicitly with their lives, so without her it was obvious that we'd be going into battle with our best arm tied behind our collective backsides, and even if I had my own Ranma here beside me I doubt that we'd be half as effective in rallying their spirits.

In a way I think that our men as much define the two of us as we are by each other. After all, my Ranma is a dynamic locus of chaotic energies who shakes the foundations of the world by his very presence, while I tend to be more of a stabilizer to his actions, a compass to keep his path in focus. Ranma here is in much the opposite position, a stable rock upon which to anchor his Nabiki when she unleashes the maelstrom that is contained by the force of her will. With her husband and children in jeopardy there would be no stopping the tide that she would unleash, and for that reason if nothing else she was desperately needed.

And so it was that I drew upon the Icon of her primal form and allowed Lord Anri to mentally guide me in shaping a temporary body out of the raw stuff of Akashic virtual matter. Together we drew out the essential part of what made my counterpart so special and infused it into a solid image in her likeness while her actual body went dormant with temporal lethargy, a kind of suspended animation that would last until the task was completed. In a few more seconds the deed was done and the Golem likeness was formally completed.

She looked around as if just awakening from a short nap then said, "I don't feel any different. What was supposed to happen again?"

"Look down," I nodded to the rest of her body, and my counterpart's double did as instructed, only to react with a start as she put both hands to her abdomen and stared in disbelief at those washboard firm abs that lay behind the soft outer lining of a perfectly smooth tummy.

"You will find this body moves with a speed and grace that is even superior of your natural form," Anri informed her, "Because it is formed of light and thought energy and will maintain its resilience for as long as it is needed."

"No fooling," she glanced around and said, "There where's the real...me...?" she gaped as she saw the pregnant version of herself standing somewhat behind her with chin pointing downward, eyes closed as though having fallen asleep standing.

"Weird, huh?" I asked as I watched my double waving a hand before her own eyes as though to confirm her initial impression.

"I'll say," she glanced back at me and then at Anri, then down at her new flesh and reflexively pinched herself, obtaining with a wince all the confirmation that she needed that her new body worked very much in the same manner as her old one.

"Now you are ready to begin the next phase of your journey," Anri said with a smile, "But before you do, I think your counterpart will need to acclimate herself to one aspect of your condition."

He made a very slight hand gesture and suddenly a pitcher of water appeared above my double's head and promptly deposited its contents on top of her, triggering at once the Jusenkyo transformation that still remained with her, and causing me to gasp as I stared in amazement, feeling the raw impact of his transformation into manhood.

I was, of course, aware that her male half had a strange power that affected any woman who had even a slight interest in heterosexuality, but to witness the effect first hand was quite a bit like having my nervous system touched by an electrode. He wasn't just handsome, he was GORGEOUS, a regular Adonis with rippling pectorals and a fit, trim athletic build that bristled with muscle and sinew, containing power far and away above even what Ranma had in such ample abundance. I stared in disbelief while looking him up and down as if to memorize every curving detail, and I caught myself glancing down at his crotch area with a speculative gleam that made me yearn to try him out just to see if he'd be a proper fit from both angles.

With an effort I yanked my thoughts back from the cry of my awakening hormones, but still I felt as if I were the one who needed to have a cold pitcher of water dumped over my head, because I was shaking with lust and licking my lips with the thought of tasting his rod with my tongue, and yes I know I was being terribly unfaithful once again to my loved ones. But I swear if Shampoo were there she would have backed me up on this, while Ranma might have experienced a sincere fit of jealousy, to say nothing of a bit of envy, and all because of what Jusenkyo had wrought, yet another reminder of why those bloody things are called curses (though I'm sure the vast majority of women in my place would have disputed finding that body a "curse" to have to deal with).

I understood at once what the Shampoo of her world had seen in such a godlike beauty that would make her blindly follow her Nabiki so far away from her homeland, just as I sympathized with the incestuous lust of the Kasumi of this world, whose unrequited yearning for her "Kaneda-sama" had given her so many nights of sad-yet-exquisitely-sweet torment. Only Keiko seemed indifferent to the charms of my counterpart's male half, but she could be excused for being indifferent to men in general, and besides which she had been trained and conditioned to make love to either sex without qualm or hesitation.

Of course I also implicitly understood how being so irresistible had made life so complicated for this timeline's Nabiki, and how it often embarrassed her to have girls (and even a few men) throwing themselves at her male half at every turn and juncture. I also sensed how being half-male had caused her to gain more sympathy for someone like Ranma, who had heroically overcome his own aversion to same-sex unions to the point where he had even once surprised her by doing her anally in a guy-to-guy encounter (and let me tell you, the image that formed in my mind was pretty hot, which did nothing at all to assist me in my efforts at regaining my composure).

Of course "Kaneda-san" could not help noticing the fact that I was no longer able to look at him directly without my cheeks burning hot, and with a frown that was almost plaintively "et tu, Brute?" in its sardonic blandness she asked aloud, "What's bothering you?"

"Ah...nothing," I flatly lied, "But now that you've shown me your other half, I think it's time we go and gather up the others."

"Hmmm...not too bad, if a bit Bishonen for my standards," Anri mused as he regarded his own handiwork, "But the point is taken, it would be best if you changed back for the peace of mind of your sister."

"Just great," my counterpart sniffed, "Now even my own other-dimensional self wants to screw me. That's just perfect."

"Really?" Lotion gave us both a bland look, "And here I would have thought it would be your greatest fantasy come to life."

I think she got the point from the withering looks we both gave her that this comment was not appreciated, and then to spare my peace of mind (since even looking away wasn't helping my concentration) I waved a hand and imagined a hot tea kettle forming, then passed it along to my double, who gratefully poured it over his head and triggered his transformation back into a woman.

"Right," my counterpart said as she handed the now-empty kettle back to me, only to see it vanish as I dismissed it back into the virtual nothing from which it had been envisioned, "So...are we gonna do this thing or what? And you're sure my body's gonna be safe with you here until I need it back?"

"You may trust me to do my part in this enterprise," Anri replied, "I will clear the way so that the enemy does not sense you and your companions approaching, but you must strike swift and without qualm, for she who hesitates is lost, and in this struggle no quarter may be spared for the enemy is ruthless and will not hesitate to strike you down if you leave him the slightest opening."

"I get the strangest sense that you say a lot of things like that to the people you meet," my counterpart frowned, "Ever thought about going into the fortune cookie business?"

"Just concentrate yourself on the task at hand and remember what is at stake here," Lotion chided.

"Right, got it, anything else?" my double replied, accepting casually that this was a "kill or be killed" mission.

"Just do your best and remember your training," Lotion said, raising her staff as she parted the mists and created a corridor, "And now to summon the party we will need to bring an end to the career of one who has lived too long and brought so much evil through his actions."

I have to admit that I was impressed with the take-charge attitude my counterpart was demonstrating, but I knew it would take more than guts and determination to prevail in this encounter. We were going up against an enemy who had outlived countries and whose experience of battle exceeded our own by a good long fraction. That was undoubtedly part of the reason why I was coming along for the ride on this excursion, and not just as a favor to my counterpart or in sympathy for the plight of her children. A Lore Master would be needed before this day's business was finally done and over, and even as we were marshalling our own resources the Ranma we were seeking to rescue was having an encounter of his own, one that would help define the battle in ways that even I could then scarcely have imagined.

Though I'm pretty damned sure that Lord Anri had some notions about it, what with his being aware of the bigger picture. But when you sit on the right hand of divinity...you tend to see a lot of things most people would rather not see, and for that reason alone I think he is to be pitied...and that's not even going into the sadness I sensed behind his eyes, a deep compassion and understanding for the transitory glory that he found in all things mortal...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Cavalry for Dummies: shadowmane

Saotome Nabiki is back and this time there will be a reckoning as War and Lore Master clash with Archmage in the battle royale to come...but in the meantime what of Ranma? Can he escape the trap of oblivion into which he has been cast and somehow find his way back to the side of his loved ones? With the kids manage to escape the awful fate Shang-Kwan intends for them...and will the evil wizard dome to regret that he did not contract the services of a proper day care service? Find out the answer to that and so much more next time in: "Vacuum Sucks!" or, "Void Indigo ala Carte!" Be there! 


	144. Chapter 144

NabikiRan128 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Seven.

Enter the "Bitch" Squad...

"Come to bed, Wife," Hairbrush urged, "You can read that letter again better in the morning."

"I can't help it if I'm being emotional," Comb said while dabbing at her eyes, "My little girls are writing me all the way from Paris, France, where they're enjoying life with their new Airen. What mother wouldn't be thrilled with her little babies?"

"They'll turn sixteen in a few months, so you can't really call them babies," Hairbrush argued, "I just hope that new son-in-law of ours treats Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung well and doesn't try to welsh out on our deal to marry them officially when they turn eighteen and it's fully legal."

"He had better not...for his sake," Comb said direly, "Or else he'll have that frog-like tongue of his shortened by at least a meter. But anyway, the girls say that they're doing well and they've enjoyed a visit to the Eiffel Tower. It's amazing them to learn how big the world truly is...and don't I well remember what that felt like when I first left our village to see the bigger picture outside of China."

"Of course you chose to return home rather than marry a rich foreigner and live the life of a pampered princess," her husband pointed out, "And now that events have come full circle...well, how do you think I feel about our little girls growing up so quickly? It seems only yesterday that they were just studying to master their first Dragon Dance, and now they share the same husband..."

"They do grow up quickly," Hairbrush mused, taking a moment to glance towards the nearest wall before adding, "Unlike some I could name, who never seem to grow up even slightly."

"Oh, let them have their fun," Comb mused, "Grandmother's been a lot easier to deal with ever since she stopped running away from her destiny and at last decided to embrace it.

"Is that what it's called these days?" Hairbrush mused as he went back to reading the book on his lap, "Well, it certainly is an improvement from when she tried to control the lives of everyone around her, though mostly I think she just enjoyed being the Grandmother that other people turned to for their problems."

"Very hard to maintain that role when you look younger than my own daughter," Comb mused, "Which is why I intend to keep her in that high school until she legally graduates, no matter how hard she protests against it."

"Age is not a function of appearance but behavior," Hairbrush quoted without looking up from his book, "I believe that was one of her fondest quotes, and now she has the chance to prove her point by showing her great wisdom and earning the respect of those she meets upon a daily basis."

"But still..." Comb said more cautiously, "Do you really think that we are doing the right thing keeping our family here instead of moving back to China? I know that, with the ascension of Ambergris to the coveted spot of Prime among Warriors our family constitutes the old regime and is thus not welcome...but still..."

"What is there to worry about, Wife?" Hairbrush asked, "Ambergris shows great promise of one day becoming the leader of the tribes and uniting them against whatever threat it was that Elder Lotion has foreseen awaiting us sometime in the future. To that end it is good to have our children out of immediate danger, and now that Shampoo is about to give us our first grandchild..."

"Oh, Gods of the White Mountain!" Comb winced, "I'm going to be a grandmother...how in the name of my ancestors did that ever happen?"

Hairbrush glanced up towards his emotional wife and just allowed his look to speak volumes in the intervening silence. She got the point and at once grew chastened, reminded of why she valued his company so much after all these years of marriage. He was the one who understood her best and was best able to cope with her mood swings, a skill he needed frequently these days as their family was often jolted by one crisis followed swiftly by another.

"Things will work out for the best, you will see," he promised.

"I hope that you are right, Airen," Comb averred, "I sometimes sense a shadow looming in our future, yet time and again it has been driven back, and in that I think we have Shampoo's Airen to thank, proof again that our daughter has made very good choices."

"Speaking of which," Hairbrush reminded his purple haired lady, "How did that meeting go between you, Atsuko, Nodoka and Genji the other day?"

"Genma," Comb immediately corrected, "And I don't see why you even have to ask. I keep telling you that it is all in the past between us, and she can have the fool for all I care."

"Well...as you say," Hairbrush decided to let the matter drop, though hardly satisfied by such a stock pro-forma answer, "By the way, have you considered going back into Medicine and opening your own clinic? It shouldn't be too hard to obtain a Japanese license...not with our family's connections."

"I'm sure I'll pursue that option soon enough," Comb replied, "But for now we have a restaurant to operate. The clinic option is something to be reserved once we're on sound financial footing."

"You just like keeping your grandmother in the role of a waitress," Hairbrush said with amusement.

"Well..." his wife reluctantly admitted, "I'll confess that is one of the perks, but she brings in so much business waiting on tables in that cute little outfit I bought for her. And besides, now that she and Siren have finally taken the plunge and settled down..."

Another sound penetrated the woodwork, to which Hairbrush idly noted, "I'm not sure if 'settled down' is the term that I would use, but...there you have it."

"Elders should show more respect to their kindred, and at their age no less," Comb mused, "But as I was about to say, it is for Siren to determine affairs from this point onward. After all, she is senior Airen in that match, and she's admitted to me how much she enjoys seeing grandmother prancing around in her outfit, so until she voices objection to having lots of strange men ogle her every morning..."

"Whom she could easily turn into newts if she did have such objections," Hairbrush noted.

"But of course," said his purple-haired lady, "Which wouldn't be too good for business, but as you say, she has shown remarkable restraint up to the present."

"After you consented to allow her to open that herbal tea shop next door to our place," Hairbrush again helpfully supplied.

"Well, that and the magic shop in the back helps keep our books in the black," Comb remarked, "But as you have noted, it is in the name of doing good business."

"How did you ever learn to be so devious, Wife?" Hairbrush asked as he eyed her sidelong.

"Between you and grandmother? I had good teachers," Comb answered, "And life itself has been the ultimate teacher, or so Silk would say if she were here to needle me with her barbed witticisms."

"Fortunately she has her own husband to turn her favors upon," Hairbrush said, then considered his wife carefully before saying, "You know...I've always loved your hair exactly as it is, but sometimes it does get annoying having to assure people that you don't use a coloring agent."

"Hah!" Comb snorted, "Like when I had to dye it black in order to attend Beijing University and not appear too reactionary? Let people speculate what they will...or are you telling me that you'd prefer it a different color?"

"Not at all," Hairbrush replied, "And if it doesn't bother you, then I'm content to leave things as they are...even if I am getting along in years, and more and more people are wondering if you're my oldest daughter rather than my Airen."

"Are you saying that I'm too young for you?" Comb asked in surprise.

"Appearances would suggest it, even if you have assured me over and over that we are of similar ages," Hairbrush noted, "Not that there is anything wrong with looking young and hearty at the tender age of forty...and your family is noted for its longevity...the evidence in the next room being a prime case on example."

As if on cue another drawn-out screech assailed their ear, informing them that someone had just scored another point in the game of love that the two elders were playing back and forth together.

"Yes, but I don't have the connection to the Juraian trees through the staff that grandmother carries," Comb pointed out, "So one day I will start to show my age...just not as soon as with other women, and as you say, there is nothing to be ashamed about in that admission."

"I'm just saying...there may come a time when you may have to consider a life lived under a very different arrangement," Hairbrush cautioned, "I may not always be here..."

"Stop!" she promptly ordered, "You are my husband, and a life lived without you is simply unthinkable. Don't talk nonsense to me, you know that I would never permit it."

"I just needed to hear you say that," Hairbrush smiled, "But for the record...if there ever did come such a time...I would want you to be happy. Your happiness has always been my foremost consideration."

Comb glanced down at their bed and considered allowing the tears to form that she felt stinging her eyes, but for pride's sake she refused to be as weak as a man by giving into such temptations. Instead what she said was, "And yours is important enough to me, Airen, not to want to compromise what we have shared together these past two decades."

"Time enough to worry over that," Hairbrush said, both moved and amused by his wife's declaration, "Now, off to bed for the both of us, or we'll be setting a poor example for our Elders."

"Oh yes, wouldn't do to stay up late and give grandmother cause for one of her lectures," Comb grinned with impish delight, "I'd much rather be the one to do that to her in the light of the morning. Imagine keeping us all awake at this hour of the morning...simply shameful."

And with that she turned off the lights as she and her husband put aside their reading matter and his glasses, and then they drifted off to sleep despite the continuing ruckus going on next store to their room.

And, meanwhile, in the selfsame adjoining room, Siren and Cologne paused for breath, panting softly as their exertions of the moment past had momentarily taxed even their formidable constitution. In the dim moonlight of evening both women studied one another's agelessly youth features and then grinned like the pair of randy teenagers whom they resembled before one of them said to the other, "They must think us no better than a naughty pair of delinquents for behaving this way, Kho-chan."

"Let them think what they will," Cologne murmured back, "Comb can make what she wants of our behavior...I let her indulge in the pretend act of playing my Aunt for the sake of my legal standing in this country, but that doesn't mean she actually has the right to impose a curfew on my behavior."

"Well, technically she does," Siren pointed out, "You left her the deed to the property, and since you can't prove that you're the original signer on the lease it naturally falls to her since she is-officially at least-your senior by about a decade or two, at least as it concerns the authorities here in Nerima."

"Devil take Japanese laws and customs," Cologne said in frustration, "If not for this curse inhibiting my illusion generating powers..."

"I wouldn't so much call it a curse myself seeing how it was the reason we finally got back together," Siren studied the beautiful profile of her Airen before adding, "But you did resist my advances for so long that I was beginning to doubt it would ever work for us again. What made you change your mind and decide to accept the magic?"

"Perhaps you were just so annoyingly persistent that I forgot my reason to refuse you," Cologne shrugged, "Or perhaps saving my life counted for something in my re-appraising all that I thought I knew about you..."

"Ah, I thought that might be it," Siren sighed softly, holding her dark haired Airen in her arms and feeling the beating of their hearts slowly coming together in synch, "Persistence always was one of my chief virtues."

"One of the very few virtues that you possess that are worth noting," Cologne teased, "As I recall things, one of the issues that broke us apart three hundred years ago was your wandering eye and fancy for other women."

"Really?" Siren mused, "And here I thought it was because of that curious infatuation you developed for a certain pervert who visited your village. What was his name again?"

Cologne playfully swatted a hand against the thigh of her beloved, then leaned her head softly between the harbor of Siren's breasts before musing, "Perhaps in all truth I've just been more lonely than I was willing to admit...and then I began to remember what it was that attracted you to me in the first place..."

"You mean my keen wits, my good looks, my gregarious personality?" Siren suggested.

"More like your insatiable appetites," Cologne chuckled, running a hand over smooth skin then deliberately cupping one breast and feeling its soft texture, rolling the nipple between a thumb and forefinger, which caused a soft groaning noise to escape from the lips of her blonde-haired Airen.

"Oh...yes...that," Siren said with obvious approval.

"I am not often given to say this aloud," Cologne murmured, "But in a way I am actually grateful to Happosai for giving me the chance to find that which I thought had been lost long ago, but only recently I have rediscovered."

"And that is?" Siren groaned as Cologne continued to tease and fondle her bosom.

"My self-respect as a woman," Cologne answered, "I had thought myself happy to be the Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, but so much weight and responsibility hung about my shoulders that when it was taken away...I did not know what I should do with myself. Starting out life all over can be frightening when the foundations of your world are knocked out from underneath you...but thanks to a certain stubborn mage of my acquaintance...I have begun to learn more about myself than I had ever known from meditation and reflection."

"I really must remember to thank Happy for...that," Siren gasped, "Should I turn him...into something unpleasant that would please you?"

"No, I rather like the fate that he brought upon himself by his own actions," Cologne chuckled, "Being married to that psychic vampire of a teacher is all the punishment that I could ever wish upon the pervert."

"You're right," Siren said while caressing her hands across the smooth muscles of Cologne's back, "Turning him into a bug would be a mercy compared to that."

"In the meantime, Airen," Cologne said meaningfully, "Do not squelch on your marital duties...as you wanted this so bad, work for it and convince me that it truly is myself whom you most care for."

"If you mean more than I care about myself," Siren noted wryly, "I should think I've already proven that time and again...but if you do need convincing..."

"By all means," Cologne urged, "Convince me."

Green eyes met scarlet within the darkness where all colors are indistinguishable tones of gray, and then Siren whispered back fervently, "With pleasure, my love, and three hundred years of accrued interest..."

And so the night wore on as two lonely souls made compensation for many decades of self-imposed abstinence and continued to carry on as if their apparent ages were their actual ones until long into the first pale light of day, their "friskiness" a testament to an affair long interrupted yet which was still as vibrant now as it was three centuries earlier when their love had been as fresh as the dew of the morning grasses...

Cologne awakened with a start from the incongruous images that had haunted her at rest, the face and texture of a familiar womanly presence in her arms making her feel things that she had thought long buried within the dusty corridors of her aged breast. It had felt so real, that sense of limbs entwining, of tongues exploring taste and texture of skin and going deeper into very intimate places that only lovers could know...and incongruous array of images and impressions that caused her to shudder slightly, wondering if her first female lover were somewhere near at hand projecting into her mind the memories of what they once had had but long since had abandoned.

But looking around herself she was at once struck with the vivid contrast between the intensely sensual experiences that another Cologne was enjoying...and the far less pleasant place in which she currently was nestled. Rather than find herself in the amorous arms of a childhood lover long abandoned she discovered that she was chained to a wall with arms and legs spread akimbo and the cloying scent of mildew all around her that befitted her dank environs, which to all appearances seemed to be a fairly standard castle dungeon.

"Awake at last are we?" a familiar voice asked, compelling her to turn and gaze in the man's direction.

"What have you done with me and the others?" Cologne demanded, then gaped in shock as her voice did not carry the raspy quality of old age but rather held the strength of youth undiminished.

"Surprised?" Shang-Kwan asked as he stepped into better lighting, "Don't be. That illusion you wore hardly flattered you, so I have dispensed with it so that I may gaze upon the Cologne I knew as a warrior of legend. I honestly don't understand or care why you disguised yourself as a withered old hag, but you really should have known better than to think it would fool me."

"The others?" Cologne asked, maintaining her resolve in spite of her evidently helpless situation.

"I'm seeing to it that they are suitably entertained," Shang-Kwan replied, "But you are my special guest, the one I would prefer to spend more time with, when circumstances permit it. By then the event that you came to prevent will have come to pass and I will bathe in the glorious radiant energies of your very own great-great-great...ah, how many greats is it? Well, no matter...your heir apparent's life essence will be mine, and through it I will have achieved godhood, at which point even you will bow before me."

"Never," Cologne said flatly, "And what makes you think that I would ever view you with anything but spite if you accomplish such a fiendish thing?"

"Oh, trust me, by then it will no longer seem all that important how I got to where I am," the man said with a confidence that was bone chilling, "Neither will you remember such trivial things, for with all the descendants you have had over the centuries I'm sure losing one or two of them will be a sacrifice small in importance."

"You are madder than I thought you were when we last met a century ago," Cologne stated flatly, "At the time I had thought you to have some potential, but I see that you have squandered your gifts on petty self-enrichment..."

"Spare me the lecture that you would use upon your minions among the Joketsuzoku," Shang-Kwan said in mild dismissal, "You can pretend all you like to embody some noble cause but in the end you do whatever you think is necessary to preserve your power. Is that not why you fool your peers by attempting to seem as one of them with that age-inducing illusion? Because you do not want them to know that you are of superior stock and a breed apart from normal humans? What a pathetic waste of your potential, to squander your gifts fretting uselessly about the welfare of others."

"You would never understand the concept of community, kinship ties and friendship..." Cologne protested.

"Of course I understand them," Shang-Kwan insisted, "I have observed these traits in others, but never felt them in my own life, and why should I? I have worked to achieve what I have and I see no reason to waste even a second of my time fretting for the sake of those mindless sheep who do not have wit enough to care for themselves. Mere mortals are fools who relish their ignorance and flaunt it as a badge of courage, despising those who take the time to study and learn. It is rule by the thug and the bully that is the true lot of civilized society, I find nothing noble or of consequence to laud in those who care not a whit for one another. This world belongs to the strong and the insightful...the man who understands its workings is the master of all fate, far more dangerous for what he knows than the rude brute who lumbers around feeding his animal appetites and rutting himself into extinction."

Cologne regarded Shang-Kwan carefully then said, "I was wrong...you are not merely mad, you are a sociopath, and it will be my duty and pleasure to see you suffer for your crimes before this is over."

"Whatever," Shang-Kwan made a dismissive gesture, "Your failure to realize your own superiority is a consequence of your upbringing, but I will soon liberate you from the petty weight of an imposed conscience, and you will even thank me for doing so once you come to realize the extent of your maudlin error. But for now let us not spoil our reunion by quarreling over petty issues. I regret that I must restrain you for now, but I intend to treat you like royalty when I am ascended, and who knows? You might even make a fitting queen for my court...once you are persuaded to accept your role as my divine consort."

"Never!" Cologne stated flatly.

"Never is a very long time, even for Immortals," Shang-Kwan chuckled darkly, "And one should never be so quick to prejudge the outcome of an event that is in question. But have no doubt of this...I am to be a supreme power and authority in this region, and it would be well for the Joketsuzoku to mind their place and not tempt me to wrath. I will give you time to think on it for now, but when I return you will see for yourself the truth of that which I have spoken."

Cologne balled her fists and tried to pull herself free from her chains, but she could not slip her wrists out of the manacles, and something about the metal was inhibiting her Chi summoning abilities. She gave up the effort as futile, but only for the moment, intending to find another way of getting loose so that she could strangle the abomination before rather than see him work his evil plans upon the whole of China.

"Oh," Shang-Kwan said before fully turning away, "And since you did ask about your companions, I've had to apply restraints in order to keep them quiet and civil while I complete the delicate ceremony of my ascension. All except for one boy...a curious fellow who used Elementals to attack me...imagine. I trapped him in a dimensional void leading straight to the abyss, and so I doubt that you will see him alive and well ever again as the void tends to be a most inhospitable place to positively charged life forms."

"No..." Cologne's eyes went wide and she took on a note of fear in her tone and expression.

"You didn't really think such a stumbling rescue could succeed against me, now did you?" Shang-Kwan asked, "You must not have valued those young people by very much to throw their lives away against me, regardless of their special talents. Think well on that and consider who is truly at fault here, for what I do I do from necessity, not malice, and if anyone suffers from this...well then, you have only yourself to blame for underestimating me and my resolve to become a power to be reckoned with. So waste no time grieving for the one who is lost...rather concern yourself for what will happen to the others if you do not cooperate in the very near future. And now with that tawdry bit being said, I bid you adieu...at least until later this evening."

Again he started to turn away, only to pause as a curious tinkling noise was heard in the distance. Shang-Kwan appeared to be genuinely surprised, and then he asked rather curiously, "How odd...that sounded almost like one of my elixir beacons being shattered. But how...?"

"My guess would be my great-great-granddaughters," Cologne said with a certain prideful air of smugness, "Just how well did you think that you had them secured in your clutches anyway?"

"But that's absurd!" Shang-Kwan insisted, "I left them in the central shaft under the control of the Eye of...Hotath? That's very odd...I don't sense the Eye's power anymore...in fact..."

All at once he quickened his pace, all but running rather than masterfully striding through the chamber, and he teleported with great haste at the very last moment before leaving Cologne's field of vision altogether.

"Good luck rounding them back up, fool," Cologne malevolently chuckled, "You are going to need it. Now...how to get these blasted chains off of me without using Chi? I really must remember better where I store my lock-pick kit for just such emergencies as this..."

"Hello...is anybody there?" Ranma asked as he dangled on the edge of eternity clinging to the chain that was anchored at the mouth of a really big pit that seemed to stretch on forever, "Anybody?"

**Save your breath, Master,** Karina urged in his head, **There is very little air to breathe on this side of the vortex, and I have to concentrate to keep as much of it together as you will need to stay alive until we can manage to effect a rescue.**

"The Abyss?" Ranma asked aloud, "Is that where that creep hurled me when he opened that gate? Ah...just what is the Abyss anyway?"

**Other than a movie made by mortals about a sea trench that's more in Latisha's backyard than mine?** Karina answered, **The Abyss is the term mortals use to describe a place that is not any place as you might understand it. It's the place beyond the Worlds of Light where Shadow rules with absolute darkness. It's the absence of form and substance as you mortals know it, an infinite realm of nothingness that sometimes shapes itself as dream and nightmare, the very opposite polarity from the Astral Plane, a place where even gods do not go to venture. Do you understand what I am saying, Master?**

"No," Ranma reluctantly admitted.

There was a mental sigh and then Karina tried again, **That gate the Wizard opened was the doorway to the Abyss, and we're caught in a transitional tunnel of some sort that the guy must use as an interdimensional garbage disposal chute for throwing out the stuff he doesn't want, like intruders who try and mess up his evil plans and such...**

"So you're saying he thinks I'm garbage?" Ranma bridled.

**Well, that's his opinion anyway,** Karina reassured her Master, **But the important thing is that we have to get away from here, and fast, or else we could get trapped out here forever.**

"And that's a very bad thing, right?" Ranma guessed.

**Very,** Karina stressed the word, **The problem is...I'm the only one of your elemental servants who's still left to serve you. He somehow siphoned the others away and trapped them in a jar of some sort. If you had ordered me to attack him then I'd probably have wound up with them...horrible prospect that. Not that I mind being a solo act, but without Latisha to create the heat you need to sustain you, or Nagisha to form substance out of the pseudo-matter all around us, or even Sharil to maintain the fluids in your body...it's going to be somewhat rough for me alone to keep you safe and healthy out in the Void, Master...so getting out of here isn't just a priority, it's a matter of life and death, and thensome."

"Right, got it," Ranma noted as he continued to cling to the chain, "So...what happens if this chain snaps or I let go? Do I just sail out into the great nothingness forever?"

**That's the fate of most mortals who get stuck out here,** Karina informed him, but then she tried to sound more upbeat, **But you are not most mortals, Master...you're the great Saotome Ranma, and I have every confidence that you can beat this if you apply yourself, just like you have all the other enemies who've gone up against you.**

"Right," Ranma said somewhat dubiously, "So...what do you suggest I do in this spot?*"

**Ahhh...** Karina paused and seemed to be thinking it over before reluctantly saying, **Well...you're the combat genius here, Master, I'm only the servant. Void and Air are like total opposites, and this really, really isn't my element...but if there is any way that I can suggest an idea to you for getting the both of us out of this mess...**

"Gotcha," Ranma said, staring up the chain then softly admitting, "Ummm...nothing comes to me at the moment, but I'm sure using the Arishisenken..."

**WHO DARES DISTURB MY REST?!**

"Ah..." Ranma paused somewhat reluctantly, "Did you just say something?"

**Not me, Master,** Karina assured him, **I've never heard that creepy, ominous sounding voice in my life...though it does remind me a little bit of my ex-  
Master, Dimitri...**

**I SAID-WHO DARES DISTURB ME?** the voice reverberated ominously, and then a face took shape from the swirling vortex of terror that lay directly below them.

"Hah?" Ranma glanced down and saw baleful eyes the size of miniature galaxies staring up at him with cold determination.

The face shrank down considerably and resolved itself into the form of a girl who stood roughly the same height as Karina when in human shape, only naked and quite pissed from the look of it. Her large breasts hung from her chest like a pair of giant asterisks, and with hands on her hips she looked surprisingly cute for all that her body was airy and translucent.

"I said who the hell are you waking me up when I'm trying to get my beauty rest?" she snapped, "What are you, deaf or blind or something?"

Ranma almost let go of the chain in his surprise, but managed to stop himself after sliding down a few links, "Ah...excuse me? Were you speaking to me just now?"

"Who the fuck do you think I was talking to, Stupid?" the strange girl all but exploded, gesturing towards Ranma and adding, "That air-headed bimbo Sylph you've got riding piggyback on your right leg? And what are you two doing here in my realm making so much of a fuss? Just let go of that thing and sail off to oblivion for all that I care, but don't hang around here and disturb me. I'm a working lady."

**Air-headed bimbo?** Ranma could sense Karina bridling with outrage, then aloud she projected, "And who the hell do you think you are ordering my master around like that? A working lady? That's not how I would put it!"

"Ah oh," Ranma said in a very small voice. He had more than enough experience with female cat-fights to sense were this was heading.

The translucent girl with the swirling hair glared hotly at both Ranma and Karina with her vacant eyes and snarled, "I'll give you to the count of ten and then I'm snapping that chain and ridding myself of you completely. One, two, three, five...""

"Hey, what happened to four?" Ranma protested.

"I never was that good at match," the transparent girl made a wave of her hand and all at once the chain above Ranma's head was abruptly severed as though struck by a knife blow, "Bye-bye, don't bother to write and...huh? Why the hell aren't you falling?"

Ranma had instinctively done what he would ordinarily do when presented by a long drop that might normally end in a rather rude landing...only this landing looked like it could go on forever. When the chain had snapped he let go and balled his fists to concentrate his energy, catching the chain on his foot while summoning up the Arishasenken maneuver known as "Warm House Creates Strong Updrafts," which allowed him to defy gravity or-in this case-resist the pull of wind that was attempting to suck him off into the great nothingness below them. With Karina charging his Ki and enabling him to control his vector and center of gravity he turned and oriented himself upon the see-through nude girl and gave her a look that was openly defiant.

"Guess again, Bimbo!" Karina taunted from someplace just over Ranma's shoulder, "You won't get rid of my Master that easily, not while I'm here to combine with his spirit, because we're a team, something a vacuum-head like you wouldn't understand to save your life!"

"Ah..." Ranma murmured half-heartedly, "I really don't know if this is the time to piss her off..."

"Fine!" the ghost-girl seemed to glow with antipathy as she balled her fists and said, "Then you're gonna find out what it means to piss off an Astral Deva, you minor-league trollop! Prepare for Elemental Mortal Combat!"

"Anytime you're ready!" Karina shot back, then flowed all the way back into Ranma and said, **Don't worry, Master...she talks tough but she's just a minor-  
league act. I've met Void elementals before, and they're mostly just space with very little substance.**

"If you say so," Ranma said while preparing for a fight, murmuring as he did so, "I just know that I'm going to regret this..."

The translucent girl expanded outward and took on the appearance of a sea of glass, and then began to whirl about with razor-sharp blades that looked like the teeth of a cyclone preparing to grind Ranma and Karina into bits of frothy hamburger. Ranma steeled himself and summoned up all of his training, knowing that he had only one elemental attack to fall back upon this time, and severely regretting the absence of the others...

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

A quotation comes to mind that popped into my head even as my counterpart and I were retrieving the other members of our hastily formed rescue party. I believe that it is a quotation lifted from the Christian Bible...though it also sounds like something that might well have been said by the Buddha, which I now know is far less of a coincidence than many people tend to imagine.

It goes something like this when translated into Japanese: "That which you have will save you if you bring it from within yourselves. Let Him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds he will become troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over them all."

I said that aloud without thinking about it, which is why my counterpart turned a questioning look towards me and said, "You really get off on that fortune cookie nonsense, don't you?"

"It's not nonsense to me," I assured her, "And ever since undergoing my training I've come to appreciate the value of a good saying, if for no other reason but that it makes me feel better at the time. Do I need a better reason?"

"Probably not," she said, turning back to regard the others, "Look, I know it seems weird for me to be standing here without my baby, but I'm all right, and he's safe, and right now I can't be sidelined when I ought to be out there doing my part to rescue our children. It's only temporary, I assure you, and when I get back I'll be restored to my proper body...or that's what the guy I talked to said would happen anyway..."

"Airen?" Shampoo asked tentatively, touching her wife's stomach in a tentative way as if to reassure herself that her Nabiki was quite real and solid.

"Neat trick," Ukyo noted, "Any chance you could teach it to the rest of us so we can take part in rescuing Ranchan and our daughters?"

"Unfortunately I doubt that it would work for anyone else at the moment," I replied, seeing their disappointment since these women were as much girls of action as their counterparts on my timeline, "We needed a template to effect the spell, and I'm the only one here who could do the job. Besides, my Shampoo's just as knocked up as you are, Sham-chan, while my friend Kuonji has a Jusenkyo curse, which would kind of mess you up in the baby-making department, Ucchan..."

"Whereas I am not a part of your life on the other side of the dominion timeline," Beatrice noted rather astutely, "And while the Akane of your world is not-as you say-pregnant at the moment, she also bears a curse that might make a transition awkward...so indeed, you are the logical choice for a template. Therefore the rest of us must remain in our assigned roles while you lead the charge to bring back our daughters...and Alison is going with you."

"Just try and keep me away," the doughty redhead glared meaningfully, and indeed, I doubt very much that I would have wanted to keep her behind if I could because when something that powerful gets that royally pissed it's time to commence prayers for the departed and addressing them to the bad guys.

"That goes double for me," Perfume assured, "I may have held back because great-  
grandmother told me to stay behind, but for the sake of my Airen and our daughter...I'm going there whether or not I'm either needed or wanted."

"Couldn't imagine leaving you out of this, Per-chan," my counterpart assured her, "Frank, I know you'd be a real big help, and you seem to know this guy, which is more than the rest of us can claim..."

"Count on it," the hulking homunculus whose name is a legend in the annals of terror assured us in his deep and brassy voice, putting palm to fist (which originally had belonged to two separate bodies) and glaring appropriately like an oversized Boris Karloff.

"I'm coming with you," Kasumi volunteered, and when my counterpart tried to say otherwise she turned that imploring look her way that would have melted butter and made small puppy dogs whimper and said, "Don't say that I can't go along, Imoutochan...you know that I'm more than able to handle myself, and I want to save my nieces."

The other Nabiki closed her mouth and had to acknowledge this as a fact, nor could I blame her for backing down in the face of such an entreaty. Even without the Vampiric or Divine charisma that attended this version's aura, I'd have found it just as impossible to say no to my Kasumi, especially when she looks at you with that heartfelt, imploring look that makes you even ignore the red eyes and fangs that distinguish her from the sister that I remember.

"If my lady is going along, then I'm coming with you," Lenore stated firmly, "And the rest goes for my crew..."

"Not this time, Hotshot," Frank turned a gruff look towards her and said, "Somebody has to stay behind and watch the farm while we're away, and I'm volunteering you girls for that assignment."

"But...ahhh, nuts," the vampire complained, kicking the floor with a bare foot and wincing slightly as she had forgotten that it was wooden.

"Guess it does make sense though," Chloe the Werewolf noted, "And it's not the first time I've been given guard dog duties."

"Let someone try and cause us trouble," the ghostly Kiima assured, "They will be lucky if they live to regret it."

"Well, if they're staying then I'm coming along," Keiko informed us, "I've already talked it over with my Mistress and have obtained her permission..."

"Of course you may go, my sweet Pet," Kodachi patted the redhead on the head and smiled benevolently, which showed he just how much of a resemblance there was between her and my world's Kodachi, "You will represent the Kuno family honor in lieu of my errant brother...but I charge you to deliver yourself safe and sound back into my presence when this is all over."

"I'll be there with the bells on, Mistress," Keiko assured with an infectious grin, and I thought to myself-if she were like Chloe in her Were form-that if she had a tail it would have been wagging at the moment, "And you can put them on me when we're done saving the kids, including the little ones you can attach to my breasts and go..."

"Quite," Lotion turned to the rest of us, "Then it is decided, the Seven of you, plus myself, will be the new Ascending dragons to lay siege to the lair of the worm known as Shang-Kwan. Just remember that the first team failed because they underestimated the difficulty of the opposition. I cannot tell you in advance what will be encountered there, but I can say to be on your guard and to do your utmost, because holding back or keeping anything in reserve may not be an option."

"Right, enough with the pep speech," my counterpart said, "Take us to Oz, Dorothy, and let's go kick the Wizard's ass."

"Eloquently put, Sis," I smiled, "I couldn't have said it better myself."

Alison glanced at the both of us and shook her head, "Weird..."

"I know what you mean," Perfume murmured to her, "Like having Nab-chans in stereo..."

"I know it sounds weird for me to be the one to suggest this," Keiko noted, "But maybe one of them should turn male just so we can tell them apart?"

"No time for that now," Frank insisted, turning to Lotion and saying, "Babe...do your magic."

"Most happy to comply, my once almost-Airen," the old woman said while raising her staff and parting the doorway that we had left partially open.

At once the corridor formed and we leaped through, one by one crossing the space between one part of the world and the other, almost instantly crossing through a fold in the layers of time and space to cover a distance of leagues in only a few seconds.

When we arrived at the other point I have to say that I was surprised at how dreary and unwelcome it was as the place greeted my senses. Honestly, you would think that an Archmage who can turn lead into gold could afford the services of a nice landscaping team to brighten up the place...but, then again, that would require a sufficient abundance of positively charged Manna, of which there was very little in evidence to greet my wary perceptions.

The only way that much Manna could be sucked out of a given area is if something negatively charged were absorbing it more quickly than it could be generated, and given the ominous feel of the tower it was not hard to determine that it was the primary reason for the barren sense of sterility that greeted our arrival.

"I don't like the feeling of this place," Keiko averred, "It feels almost like something died here."

"Lots of somethings," Perfume's button nose wrinkled up and I could tell that she was having difficulty coping with the general ennui of the place, her senses being so much sharper than a normal person that she must have been picking up a wide array of very unpleasant odors.

"Kinda reminds me of that time Mom took me to visit Uncle Hades in Tartarus," Alison winced, "Dank, depressing and-hey-full of dead people, only some of whom wind up laying in their graves, just like in the old stories."

"If I didn't know better I'd swear Bella Lagosi was their interior decorator," my counterpart murmured, sparing a glance towards our senior companion and saying, "No offense intended."

"None taken," Frank answered, "Drac and me don't always see eye to eye, but even he's got more class than to hang around in a dump like this."

"Oh my," Kasumi said on cue, "Do you think Ranma-kun and the others are inside that awful place?"

"Let's hope so, Sis," I answered, "For their sake, because the alternative to finding then alive and in some rat infested dungeon...well...isn't really all that nice to think about, know what I'm saying?"

My counterpart turned to me and said, "Can you give us anything more definite to work with?"

I had been trying all along to make mental contact with our absent colleagues, but the most that I was able to say with any certainty was, "I'm pretty sure that they're alive and inside there. I know Cologne is because her aura's pretty hard to miss...but as for the others..."

"The Matriarch is currently experiencing some difficulties in liberating herself from captivity," Lotion said by way of dry understatement, "But she will fend well for herself, which is more than can be said for the others if Shang-Kwan decides that he has no need of their company. We must make haste to find entrance if we are to spare their lives and those of the children we seek to rescue."

"Then stand aside and let me make an entrance," Alison said, smacking fist to palm with a confident smile that as much as boasted that she came from a long line of rude entrance makers.

"Hold up on that, Aiko-san," my counterpart urged, "We don't want to telegraph the fact that we're here to the bad guys. Let's try the quiet approach for now, then resort to your methods when absolutely necessary. Per-chan, take the point and scout us an entrance."

"Right Airen," Perfume complied, moving forward with great haste though by her mincing steps I could see that she was employing the most absolute caution that could be allowed in this situation.

"Kei-chan, follow her and back her up if she runs into trouble," Nabiki indicated to the pigtailed redhead.

"Got it covered, Nab-chan," the girl who bore such a striking resemblance to a taller version of Ranma's cursed form moved in support of the Enforcer, and together they found a way through the tangled debris of the landscape that the rest of us could tread with relative safety, and the rest of us started forward even as my counterpart continued to give out directions.

"Oneechan, of us all you're the only one who can fly, so please cover us from the high ground and let us know the instant you see trouble," she directed as if giving orders were second nature.

"Of course, Imoutochan," Kasumi replied, and then she rose up into the air, spreading her arms and levitating on a curtain of negative Manna that she channeled with great ease, a display of casual might that once again struck home with me the stark differences between the Kasumi whom I knew and this one who combined the aspects of both a Vampire and a Goddess.

"Frank and Aiko, stay close by me and be ready for trouble," my counterpart then turned and gave me a wary look before adding, "I suppose you know where you're most suited..."

"Right here with you for now will do," I answered, noticing how Lotion herself slipped away unnoticed to do her usual inscrutable thing without the hindrance of us young folks. To avoid calling attention to her absence I glanced at my counterpart and said, "You know, leadership really does seem to suit you. You just give a command and expect it to be obeyed as though it were second nature, and everybody jumps to do your bidding like they can see that you're their natural top alpha."

"I'm not sure what you mean by that," my counterpart sniffed, "I just call things as I see them and the guys do it because it makes sense and they really trust me. It's not like I ever force them to do things my way..."

"But they do as you ask and willingly," I pointed out, "That must count for something. True leadership never has to shout orders or compel compliance...people follow a leader because he or she gives confidence that she knows what she's doing, and in a crisis that counts for a lot. You must have worked to earn their trust like that, but they follow you so easily that it's obvious that you haven't let them down or betrayed them. Leadership like that means you must be doing something right, or else they just respect you enough not to question your judgement or right to give them directions."

"I've kinda noticed that too," Frank averred, "Even I'm impressed sometimes with how you handle things in a rough spot, Saotome-san, and I've known guys with twice your battle experience who couldn't hold it together half as well when the guns start blazing."

"Hey, even Beiko and me know better than to try and second guess you most of the time, Nab-chan," Alison said wryly, "So give the modesty bit a rest for a while, will ya? Take the compliment for what it is and accept the fact that you're our non-officially designated leader."

"I just try to do the right thing is all," my counterpart insisted, "I'm not right all of the time, and when I screw up, it's a doozy."

"The same could be said of me," I noted, "But I would never assume to give orders to anyone, let alone expect that they'd be carried out to the letter and without question. Back home if I tried doing that my friends would think about it for a second then tell me to go fly a kite or cool my head down so it's not that swollen. I've never really considered myself a leader, more like an adviser and counselor to real leader types like Shampoo and Ranma."

My counterpart eyed me dubiously and asked, "Are you comparing me to you again?"

"Not exactly," I answered, "I'm just taking note of how different we are people. You have your life to live, I've got mine, and we're both more-or-less happy with the choices we've made, so there's no reason for either one of us to feel resentful. But I have to say that I'm learning a lot about myself by studying you, which I think is the whole point why Ganglot and Lotion sent me on this little field trip..."

"Who's Ganglot?" Alison asked, reminding me that once again I was talking out of school about things that were not quite native to this particular timeline.

"Somebody you'd better hope you never have to meet, Kid," Frank assured her, "Never met the lady myself, but I heard stories, mostly told to me by Cologne and Lotion. She's kind of like a rebel Oni princess out of hell, but she acts more like a wicked Genie who grants you wishes, and whatever you ask for is granted...just not quite the way you imagined."

"Sounds typical of what I've heard about Genies," the other Nabiki said as we cautiously neared the base of the ominous black tower, "So...is she still around causing trouble."

"Naw," Frank shrugged, "She got locked inside her pyramid by Cologne and several other elders after she went one step too far in driving the Amazons to distraction. She made a deal with Happosai that granted the little pervert his martial arts mastery and longevity and made him an even worse nuisance than he was to begin with."

"She's the one who turned that guy into such a menace?" Alison gasped.

"I'm surprised they even let her live," my counterpart remarked with a sour note that conveyed how much she was thinking about Happosai, and the number of times he had groped her and her co-wives.

"She's mellowed somewhat after three hundred years," I noted, "In my time a pair of Amazons fleeing from a clan feud stumbled upon her pyramid and inadvertently freed the Oni, making a pact with her to escape from China to Japan, and ever since she's been their guardian benefactor, keeping a watch over everyone in Nerima and warding off the evil plans of...someone a heck of a lot more nasty."

"Do tell?" Alison remarked as we continued to follow the path set down by Perfume and Keiko, "You know, the Amazons have a saying about using one type of demon to fend off another..."

"Let me guess," my counterpart said drolly, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend?"

"Hey, I didn't know you were part Amazon, Nabiki," Alison grinned facetiously, only then we were rudely interrupted as something large and heavy fell from the sky, making a loud thudding noise as it hit the ground, more like a rock than the living thing that I sensed it to actually be.

"Oops, sorry," Kasumi called down to us, "Didn't mean to come so close...but I think we have visitors, Nabiki!"

"No fooling," I replied, already aware of lumbering shapes rising up to greet us from all directions.

"Let me guess," my counterpart stated while sizing up the ominous looking brutes who seemed to be guarding the base of the very large tower, "The welcoming committee, right?"

"Gargoyles and trolls," Frank clarified as I myself had been attempting to classify the impressions that I was getting of these creatures, "Nasty types, very strong and resistant to normal kinds of damage."

"Well, fortunately I ain't exactly all that normal myself," Alison grinned, "Let me at 'em and I'll show 'em what a welcoming committee feels like."

"Go to town, Aiko-san," my counterpart replied by way of giving her blessings, and then the creatures started to close in on us from all around and a battle royal began in serious earnest...

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Critical Juncture Nodes of Time and Space: shadowmane

The battle is joined and the combatants are committed, but can even this formidable assortment of talented young (and old) people achieve the ends of defeating Shang-Kwan and rescuing their loved ones? (More importantly, will they arrive in time to rescue Shang-Kwan from the children he foolishly thought he had captured?) Will Ranma himself prevail against the elemental perils of the Abyss and find a way back from the void in time for it to matter? Find out next time in: "The Perils of Pre-School," or, "How to Score with Elementals in Five Easy Lessons!" Be there... 


	145. Chapter 145

NabikiRan129 Ranma and Nabiki,  
"A Tale of Two Wallets!"  
by Jim Robert Bader (Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her...take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Nine.

Legacy of Sins Past

"Do you sense where she is?"

"It's not as if I've got a locator beacon with a GPS system to tell me her exact location," Frost said testily to her ally and less-than-wanted companion, "What I can do is sense the flow of energy currents in the area, and when I see a concentration that looks familiar, I can approximate her whereabouts to within a half kilometer. After that I just home in on the manna currents and sooner or later they will lead me to my elusive mentor."

"Spare me the mumbo-jumbo about your mutual profession," Mousse replied, "I just want to know where my great-grandmother is, what she's doing after fucking with my head and with both of our lives, and I want to know how to pay her back for doing this to me...to both of us, like our wishes in this matter didn't amount to anything, like she can do whatever she likes, just the same as she always has..."

"You think I don't feel the same way about this as you?" Frost shot back acidly, "She fed you that pearl thing and got you hooked on me, and it's taken me months to find the antidote, and it's not even a permanent cure either! The minute you lose that necklace you'll revert back to the same drooling...dog you were just a few days ago! The one always annoying me, pestering me with professions of love and other crap that was driving me crazy!"

"I'm sorry about all that," Mousse insisted, "I wasn't myself...it was the love pearl not me. I'd never do any of that to you willingly..."

"Do any of what?" Frost shot an acid glare back his way, "You don't think I'm attractive enough for a guy like you?"

"I didn't mean it that way," Mousse hastily amended, "I just mean the way I was bothering you..."

"Oh," Frost turned back and resumed scanning the manna-fields of the district.

"I mean...I know I have a reputation in the village for being a pest and all of that," Mousse continued, "But I really mean to shower you with affection, just like I used to do with Shampoo before...before I was misdirected..."

"Misdirected," Frost repeated, "Is that what you call it?"

"Ah...well..." Mousse winced, "Maybe I did kind of overdo it by fetching you those pearls, rubies and emeralds from the lair of the White Wyrm, plus the tusks of the Oliphant and the heart stone of the Phoenix..."

"Oh no, those were quite useful and were appreciated," Frost said, "As were the spotted griffin eggs, the powdered wyvern liver...and where on earth did you find that horn of the minotaur?"

"Oh, just some labyrinth I raided while fetching the Compass of Aliatha," Mousse shrugged, "It sort of came off his head when he was dodging some things I was throwing at him. But really, I've always been good at finding things. I may have trouble with seeing things up close, but directions and hidden locations are not a problem. In fact my grandmother always used to assign me these fetch jobs when I was growing up, which is how I learned to handle myself in all sorts of stressful situations..."

"What?" Frost reacted, "You mean...you've been fetching special ingredients for my mentor...ever since you where...how old were you again?"

"Six." Mousse answered.

"Six?" Frost asked incredulously, "But why would your grandmother do such a thing with you?"

"To get me away from the village and teach me to be more independent," Mousse replied, "She thought I was making a fool of myself over Shampoo and that sending me on errands would get me off of my obsession with her...but all it did was harden my determination to eventually win her as it was in her honor that I performed each task. That harder the chore the greater my will to succeed became...so it really wasn't much of a transition to switch my allegiance from her to you and follow the same pattern..."

"Wait a minute," Frost said in disbelief, "You mean all that time...you did all of those things just to impress me? You mean you were thinking of me while doing all of those dangerous things?"

"Yes," Mousse replied, "Aren't you happy about it?"

"NO!" Frost reacted, "That's terrible! You trying to impress me was the last thing I had in mind when I told you to do all of those things!"

"Uh...what were you wanting me to do?" Mousse wondered.

"Fail!" Frost snapped, "I was trying to get rid of you! How was I to know that you'd actually succeed with all of those dangerous and life-threatening missions?"

"Oh."

"You really are pathetic, Mousse," Frost scowled as she turned away, "Going out on a limb just to impress a girl? Ridiculous! What do you think, that we're all fragile, helpless weak ninnies who need a man to come and rescue us from peril? We're Amazons! We look out for ourselves! No wonder Shampoo never respected you if you treated her like an invalid who needed your protection!"

"But...I never meant to imply that!" Mousse protested, "I wanted Shampoo to know that I cared about her, that she could count on me to...to...to...er..."

"Now do you see what I mean?" Frost asked, "You insulted her, and not just with that thing about confusing her with a pig when you were four years old either! So how do you think I feel about being treated like a pampered princess? You don't really respect me, and you sure didn't respect either Shampoo or her feelings!"

"Yes I did!" Mousse protested, "I care a lot about her feelings! She's the most important one to me in the whole world!"

"Oh yeah?" Frost scowled, "Then why don't you respect her opinion and let her live her life the way she wants without you trying to tell her what's best for her?"

"Because...because she's confused...the Law got her mixed up...her losing to Saotome...and then later deciding to hook herself up with that Nabiki..." Mousse attempted to argue.

"The law may not be perfect but it's been the traditional guideline for our people for hundreds of generations," Frost insisted, "And you know how much Shampoo sets by what she was raised to believe in by the Matriarch, her Elder. So again I ask...how was trying to kill her Airen and steal her away from them supposed to be respectful?"

"I...that isn't...you're twisting things around again, just like you always do, Frost!" Mousse insisted.

"You want twisted?" she whirled around to glare at him, "I'll give you twisted! I ought to turn you into something else besides a duck and leave you like that so you can't ever bother her, me or anyone else again!"

"Oh yeah?" Mousse glared back at the diminutive albino, "Then why didn't you do that when I was courting you?"

"Courting me?" Frost snarled, "You don't court Amazons with flowers, you challenge them to a fight and try to best them! So why didn't you try and best me?"

"Because I...I didn't want to hurt you," Mousse said, losing the edge of his fury.

"Hurt me?" Frost blinked.

"Because you're not a fighter!" Mousse insisted, "You've never trained your body like I have, and you could get seriously hurt if I...well...hit you..."

Frost made a gesture with two fingers and pointed at a boulder, and it shattered into a pile of gravel as power lanced from her fingertips, an explosive force rivaling the intensity of a Mako Takabishi.

"Come again?" she said in dead pan, leaning forwards, "What makes you think you'd even get near enough to touch me?"

Mousse blinked at the stone, but then reached out with a hand and touched the albino on the tip of her nose, and before Frost knew it she found herself windmilling her arms and tumbling backwards.

"You're powerful, and I've never doubted that," Mousse replied, "But in a fight it isn't power alone that counts, it's who gets the drop on you, and if you can't take a hit you're better off not throwing punches."

"You did that on purpose!" Frost declared angrily after finding herself flat on her back with a mildly stunned expression.

"Well...as they say among the Outlanders, duh," Mousse replied, "I was making an illustration, and if you can't take the hint then don't lecture me about being stupid."

"Why you..." Frost got back to her feet sputtering indignantly and fully intending to unleash a destructive blast against the annoying pest who had been plaguing her for the better part of eight months standing, but before she could a probing feeling touched her mind and she whirled about with a startled expression, turning her focus back along the lines that she was sensing and homing in on a specific, rather than a general location.

"What is it?" Mousse asked, sharp enough of wits to sense that the change in his companions demeanor was something to be alarmed about.

"She's there," Frost pointed, "I felt her just now...or rather...she felt me! I could sense her touching my mind from a distance...she must have been alerted by that power blast I just unleashed! Oh, I knew I should have fried you back in China while I had the chance!"

"So why didn't you do it then?" Mousse wondered, "The Gods of the White Mountain know you've had enough chances."

"I...I didn't want to waste my magic on you," Frost forcibly turned away, scowling dangerous, "All right, Seifu...if you think you can mess with my life and hook me up with this fool, then you've got another reckoning coming! Just because I'm your student doesn't mean that I'm your slave, and I'll show you just how pissed off I am about you foisting him upon me!"

"What do you mean foist me on you?" Mousse protested, "It's the other way around to my way of thinking!"

"Semantics!" Frost snapped, "The point is...the line's drawn in the sand, and I'm going to show her a thing or two, even if she is an Archmage!"

"What are you ranting about this time?" another voice asked as a figure-  
identical to Frost in every detail-came walking up to join them on the hill top overlooking Nerima, "Is Mousse still getting on your nerves?"

"You want to trade places with me and find out how annoying he is?" Frost asked her double, "Be my guest, and I'll go out to triangulate the area with magic!"

"No thank you," the other Siren replied, "But I think we should both be on our guard. That was a probing spell I just sensed, which means the element of surprise had just eluded us, sister."

"Then maybe we'd better recombine ourselves and double our power levels," the first Frost reasoned.

"I just was just about to suggest that," the other Frost agreed, pulling out a flask of water and pouring it over both of their heads, which a moment later triggered a mutual transformation in which their two distinct forms combined into one intact being.

"You know, it always freaks me out whenever you do that," Mousse noted.

"Like I care what you think?" the singular Frost responded with a snort, then paused as she absorbed the combined memories and experience of both halves and winced, then growled aloud, "And that's another thing...pairing me up with you is implying that we are in any way compatible, and by now it ought to be obvious to anyone that we're not!"

"So what do you want from me?" Mousse countered, "An argument? Look...let's just concentrate on the subject at hand, paying grandmother back for meddling in both our lives and trying to fix us together."

"Right," Frost said, "Exactly," though her scowl was a very troubled one, and she could not help turning a glance towards Mousse as though to hide the actual cause of her resentment...

Meanwhile-less than a mile away-Cologne noticed the distracted expression of her Airen's lovely face and said, "What troubles you now, my love?"

"Oh bother," Siren replied, "My student appears to have figured out a means of canceling the effects of the love pearl. Now she and my idiot grandson have returned to sow new mischief."

"What a bloody nuisance," Cologne signed, "Ah well...it was bound to happen one day. After all, Frost never was all that forgiving, and when her pride was hurt she all but swore off men altogether."

"Which was entirely the point of trying to change her life for the better," Siren sighed, "But I guess it was too much to think that the two of them could work things out over learn to look past their differences to see how basically compatible they really are. Now I'll have to deal with them when they're all angry and vengeful, and that really is more work than I feel up to at the moment."

Cologne snuggled closer to her wife and said, "Let it go for now...time enough to deal with the follies of children in the morning."

"Oh?" Siren glanced down at the dusky shape of the ageless beauty who was the Amazon Matriarch and asked, "And what if their folly leads them into doing something rash for which they will have to be punished?"

"You can punish them when it happens," Cologne replied, "But for now your only concern is with me, and I'm not quite done with you for this evening."

In the darkness the blonde Archmage smiled, "Insatiable are we? Well...my matriarch's wish is my fondest command...or something like that."

"Less talk, more action," Cologne insisted, and then she and her common-law wife were at it again, warming up the sheets of their bed with the passion of a love rekindled after smoldering in mere embers for many a generation...

"{Haven't we found what we're looking for yet?}"

"{Not yet,}" Eileen replied as she, too, fumbled through the flasks and vials that lined the shelves of the sorcerer's laboratory, "{So many useless concoctions, I don't understand their alchemical significance, and what sort of chemist would fail to pack aluminum chloride disulfate? It's unthinkable, like forgetting to use table salt in an average kitchen!}"

"{Maybe he's on a low-sodium diet,}" Lylac suggested, "{Or maybe his ideas about chemistry don't conform to the conventional known rules of science that you specialize in, Ekko-chan.}"

"{Or maybe he's just careless,}" Fragrance added in brightly, "{You know how you get when I fool around in your chem-set?}"

"{That is because you think everything in my chemistry set smells interesting enough, and you're not careful enough to know which combinations are dangerous to play with,}" Eileen replied, "{There must be something useful in this wizard's laboratory that could give us an edge, some compound or element that might make an effective enough weapon against his magic...}"

"{Well, that all depends,}" Lylac said pragmatically as she scanned the chamber, "{What sort of things work best against magic?}"

"{According to my research certain substances have a dampening or inhibiting effect upon spells and manna manipulation fields,}" Eileen explained for the benefit of her contemporaries, "{Cold Iron and Orichalcum have the greatest retarding effect...the former being crudely magnetized and unrefined metal with a highly conductive field effect that breaks up complex energy patterns and grounds magical charges. The other is a specially made alchemical combination of gold and silver that forms a type of electrum that is bonded into an atomic matrix that is much stronger than any other known metal, save only Uru and Adamantium. It absorbs magical energies and acts like a lightning rod, canceling out magical effects...and it is said that even Gods can be affected by its merest contact. Other than these two rare compounds a more common reagent is salt itself, or basic Sodium Chloride, which has its own electro chemical properties that disrupt and inhibit fields of magic...}"

"{Well, there you have it,}" Fragrance smiled, "{We just find some salt and sprinkle it over his head and POOF! No more magic!}"

"{Nice try, Sis,}" Lylac replied, "{But I doubt it would be so simple...}"

"{Actually, and ironically enough, it is a method that might prove effective in limiting the scope of his powers,}" Eileen suggested, "{But not salt alone...not someone with as intense a magic field as he radiates. We need a compound far more inhibiting...or else to project an energy field that would interfere with his own prana generation...}"

"{An energy field, huh?}" Lylac considered while rubbing her tiny elfin chin, "{Like one of those forcefield thingies your mother often creates to contain dangerous compounds that she works on in your apartment?}"

"{Something like that, yes,}" Eileen affirmed, "But for that I'd need access to the right materials...such as copper tubing, some highly conductive wire, an electrical source capable of generating thousands of watts of raw power, and several mouths full of chewed up gum and/or silly putty...}"

"{No problem then,}" Lylac said, noddeing towards the elaborately worked up chemistry set, which was full of tubes and pipes connecting various bottles and flasks to one another, "{We can adapt much of what we've got here to serve the same purpose.}"

"{Hmmm...}" Eileen considered the arrangement carefully then said, "{Perhaps we could make it work, but we'd need some time, and I'll have to forgo the silly putty...}"

"WHAT ARE YOU HELLIONS DOING RUNNING LOOSE IN MY LABORATORY?!"

"{Uh oh,}" Fragrance said with alarm, "{Don't look now but I think he's back!}"

"{Scatter!}" Lylac shouted out, then promptly followed her own advice and ducked under a table to begin scurrying for cover.

Eileen had already taken the very same thought to heart and had found a makeshift cubby-hole by punching her way through a section of the wall directly under a different table. But she poked her head out long enough to call out, "{I need time to put everything together! We've got to stall and distract him so that I get the time we need!}"

Meanwhile a furious Shang-Kwan manifested in the middle of the laboratory complex, whirling around to see the mess that had become of his workshop, and with a rage not previously displayed in their earlier encounters he said, "WHAT HAVE YOU BRATS DONE TO MY EQUIPMENT!? HOW DARE YOU FUMBLE AROUND WITH THINGS FAR BEYOND YOUR FEEBLE UNDERSTANDING!?"

"(Listen to him carry on like that,)" Eileen remarked, "{You would think we damaged something of great importance.}"

"{Oh sure, blame it all on us,}" Fragrance murmured, "(We're just a buncha babies to him...as if the place wasn't messy enough without us!"

"{Will you two be quiet?}" Lylac hissed, "{You're going to give away your positions!}"

"Where are you?" Shang-Kwan demanded, "I can hear you jabbering among yourselves...and when I find you three you are going to pay for destroying my ruby!"

"{What, that old thing?}" Fragrance asked, only to hastily cover her own mouth as she belatedly remembered that she was not supposed to be talking, and that in doing so she had broken a fundamental rule of hide-and-seek that had been coached in her repeatedly by her father-mother.

"AHA!" Shang-Kwan whirled around, preparing to launch a spell as the energy crackled about his fingers, only to flinch as something hit a spot in the air just behind his head and broke without touching him directly, one of the chemical flasks that had been sitting until now untouched upon a table rack.

"You leave my sister alone!" Lylac snarled out before immediately diving back for the concealment of some benches.

"Why you little...!" Shang-Kwan whirled about and unleashed the spell that he had been gathering in a new direction, but so hasty was his casting of the offensive spell that instead of striking the child it got entangled among the metal and wooden legs of the benches themselves, which caused the energies to fizzle out on the tangled length of wire that had been hastily strewn between them.

"{Well, what do you know?}" Lylac mused as she surveyed her own handiwork, then she wasted no time scrambling back into a place of concealment.

"{Told you it would work,}" Eileen noted while continuing to work on her own individual project.

"Very clever," Shang-Kwan noted as he struggled to calm down and regain his normal air of implacable elan, "Rigging bits of metal to deflect my spell...but only effective against a minor-league conjurer. I am an Archmage, and there are no limits to the scope of my powers!"

Energy crackled between his hands once again, only this time when he raised his hands it was the tables, chairs, furnishings and lab equipment that rose up from the floor and levitated, everything not nailed down rose up and revealed the whereabouts of at least two of the three children These objects hovered in the air as though suspended from wires while the Archmage sneered and gloated at his intended victims in malevolent triumph.

"I see you now," he sneered while preparing to craft yet another spell to catch and contain them.

That was when Eileen burst suddenly from her hiding place in the wall and tossed a line of chord at the legs of the wizard. Shang-Kwan barely had time to form any sort of reaction when he suddenly found himself being hauled off of his feet by a tug on the wire that looped his legs abruptly together. He fell heavily to the floor only to find that the miniature redhead was scurrying up a wall and moving with such speed that she could almost be taken for a baby-sized spider. Kicking out with her tiny legs she tumbled high over a suspending bean directly overhead and kept on going, then kept right on yanking with her end of the wire as Shang-Kwan found himself being drawn into an upside-down position, suspended above the floor with his warms moving wildly in a futile attempt to regain his balance.

"{NOW!}" Eileen shouted, and her friends hardly needed to be coached as they grabbed the nearest objects at hand and started to beat upon the wizard as though he were a man-shaped pi ata.

"OW! YOU BRATS-STOP THAT!" Shang-Kwan pleaded while throwing up his arms in an attempt to ward off the blows that they were raining upon him.

The objects that were formerly levitating started to come crashing down as the wizard lost some of his concentration, prompting Lylac to break off her intended beating to look up and say, "Uh-oh..."

"{RUN!}" Fragrance shouted, hardly needing to be told what might happen when the chemicals in those flasks collided with each other upon crashing to the floor, having more than enough experience learning first hand that it was not nice to treat unknown substances so rudely.

Three tiny forms darted a hasty exit towards the door to the lab as Shang-Kwan started to ask, "What are you three-?"

The very next instant the lab exploded all around him, even as three tiny forms threw themselves flat on the floor and practiced rolling maneuvers that were entirely second-nature to their training. A few moments later a slightly disheveled Lylac got up and dusted herself off, then glanced at her sister and best friend and asked, "{Everybody all right?}"

"{I think so,} Fragrance tested her limps then said, "{Nothing broken, but I think I hurt my bum-bum on that landing...}"

"{Of course I am quite well,}" Eileen noted, turning back at the smoldering room that they had just exited and asking, "{But I wonder if the same can be said for our host? I certainly hope not.}"

"{Uh oh,}" Fragrance turned around with widened eyes, "{I see something moving...I don't think he's toasted just yet!}"

"{I vote we don't stick around and find out the hard way,}" Lylac advised them, and then the three of them started taking off as fast as their tiny legs would carry them, even as a smoking and badly singed form stumbled out from the chamber, coughing and sputtering a bit but otherwise surprisingly quite intact considering the conditions of his alchemical chamber.

"Those..HACK...gremlins!" he gagged with a wrathful expression, "They will rue the day that they-(COUGH)-conspired against me! I was going to merely drain them of their essense...(WHEEZE)...but now...no more mister Nice Archmage! From now on (GASP) this means WAR!"

He tried to summon up his powers for a good teleport spell, but so badly affected was he that he could not work up enough air in his lungs to manage the level of concentration needed by such a spell, and so he elected to do things the slow and difficult way by staggering down the corridor in pursuit of his unruly house guests, assured that he would recover in mere moments, at which point he would show these hell-spawned rug-rats a thing or two about magic...

So distracted was he with thoughts of getting even with these troublesome urchins that-for the moment at least-he failed to detect the presence of yet more intruders on his very doorstep, nor did he appreciate the fact that an even greater danger was fighting its way towards his citadel, fueled by a rage that could only be known by a parent coming to rescue their offspring, and woe betide anything that stood in the path of their vengeance...

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

As accustomed as I was to witnessing high-level combat on a personal level I admit to being both fascinated and impressed with the performance of my allies from that parallel dimension. Each one individually had something powerful to contribute in the battle, and no one was a slacker who failed to pull their own weight, though it is debatable which one among them would count as the most impressive fighter. I did my best to take a personal stock of their overall performance and am recording this now to better preserve my perceptions.

First off there was Alison, a redheaded titan in human form, who bears the legacy of both Kryptonian and Olympian DNA, and who fights like a tigress with the strength of a giantess and seems impervious to fear in the conventional sense. From the way she took on those gargoyles and trolls who came out to greet us it was obvious enough that she was used to dealing with alien and exotic life forms in hostile and exotic situations. I didn't need any enhanced perceptions to tell me that, nor did I feel particular pity for those trolls she dusted with her fists, even though they were woefully outclassed trying to mix it up with a girl who is descended from a very long and distinguished line of monster-stomping heroes.

But it take more than raw strength to make a true warrior, and in that regard I had a lot more respect for Kasumi's homunculus boyfriend, whose electrostatically-charged strength was certainly well above average even if far short of Alison's own superhuman measure. He fought with a skill, timing, proficiency and utter brilliance that was breathtaking to behold, and the way he could electrify his fists when powering up to smash a stony face into gravel made me pretty darn glad to know that he was on our side. It was like watching a two-plus-meter tall, quarter-ton version of Ranma go at it as the Anything Goes style clearly formed the basis of his fighting system. I had to remark to myself what an extraordinary series of events must have come about to make him a master of my family's rather unique brand of Kempo, but I could see why Kasumi was so fond of the big guy, and how-despite his craggy features-he can actually be quite the charmer.

The girl naked Keiko was also rather impressive, and her resemblance to my husband's female side was certainly more than a bit striking, to say nothing of disconcerting. As I saw her leap into the fray with hands and feet hammering away with the force of twin sledgehammers I was reminded of how the intensive training in the art can be used to push one past their ordinary human limits. Her blows were devastating, shattering whatever they hit and causing massive destruction as her powerful moves were backed by a combination of Mu Tai and Shadowskills, and something rather unique to her that she called her "Stone Foot" method of elemental fighting.

Appropriately named since her long legs and tapering feet could manifest many tons of explosive power, and every movement of her long and lithe body was supremely well coordinated, a testament to a training regimen that was literally called "slave driving," making me wonder more than a bit about this mysterious "Madam Lao" who had coached her in the arts and instilled within Arigami the mindset of one who considered slavish devotion to another to be the highest form of erotic adoration.

The one named Perfume also had my eye (for more than the obvious reasons) as she was an Amazon without peer, supremely skilled in a variety of styles and weapon systems that easily made her Shampoo's peer (if not slightly better due to her more intensive training). As I have already stated before, I was quite drawn to and intrigued with this brown-haired kinswoman of my wife, who in many ways I could see as a potential wife herself had I not hooked up with Shampoo...and doubtlessly there were other timelines when I had done just that, and what a prize she'd make to bring home to daddy...

Of course those two were not immediately with us but further ahead down the trail scouting our way towards the castle, though hardly beyond the range of my perceptions. The ambush kind of caught the rest of us by surprise, but we rallied to our defense and soon taught those buggers why it's a mistake to mess with the Nerima Wrecking crew...

On any given timeline.

Of Kasumi herself I think it safe to say that I was both impressed and more than a little bit frightened. The very idea of my gentle-mannered (and often clueless) older sister manifesting the powers of both a Vampire and a Goddess made me question the whole idea of sanity on this timeline, but added to that were the accumulated martial arts skills of both Ranma and my counterpart, which made her a serious force to be reckoned with by any reasonable measure.

Which brings me lastly to my counterpart, the Nabiki of this timeline, a real walk on the other side as well as a view of myself as a jock, and not a dumb one by any extension. She reminds me of the line about beauty and grace walking in the night, for of all those present she was the most coordinated fighter in our midst, a near perfect synergy of mind and body energy who moved with fluid grace and controlled power that even my husband would have difficulty matching. It was Genma's teaching as filtered through the prism of someone who could truly understand and improve upon the principles of Kempo, and who had adapted numerous other arts acquired here and abouts into a fully integrated combat system truly worthy of a Master.

Her attacks were both powerful and well-coordinated, sheer poetry in motion and a damned fine excuse to cheer and applaud her demonstration of our shared potential. Although I had stopped my own combat training for ten years, while she had never broken her own regimen-not even for the five month period during which she had been nurturing a new baby-her skills would potentially have been mind had I gone on the road to train as Ranma had rather than to stay at home and let Akane assume the mantle of heir. It was a mistake I have never ceased chiding myself about, and yet it was my destiny, my fate and I accept that. Just as I accept the course of events that brought me to study under Lotion.

And that brings me at last to myself and the other member of our rescue party, the Lotion of this timeline, not the one I trained under but still very much the same person. As Lore Master and Apprentice we represent something very different from the experience of the Nerima fighters, and our style of combat is accordingly very different since Lore Masters are not about strength and power but about knowledge and understanding out method of dealing with violence is very different according to our precepts. When we strike it is with control and coordination between ourselves and the universe itself, and our blows are always precisely timed, drawn to the target by the force of equality that always seeks a balance.

When someone attacks with violence in their heart it creates an imbalance in nature that must be rectified and made whole, and so we move in accordance with that universal need to fill the void and restore a balanced order. It may be a difficult concept for some people to grasp but it is the purest essence of the martial arts made manifest, and I have seen and felt it in motion time and again and it never fails to fill me with a sense of inner calm that belies the violence that you see upon the surface. We fight back against disorder and we fight back hard, but never in excess to the needs of a given situation, and always with the aim of returning back to its source the evil of another's intentions.

And make no mistake about it, their intentions were evil. I've met gargoyles before and some of them could be quite charming, in that rocky, craggy sort of way...and not all trolls are brutish and ugly...we just got hooked up with a bad crowd from the wrong strata. But then again, anybody who takes employ with a scumbag like that Archmage can't be a too discriminating sort when it comes to the morals department, and my experience with evil has led me to conclude that it is an infectious ailment that takes a lot of fortitude to resist. If you don't have much of a character to begin with you can easily slide down the slippery path from expediency to outright eager participation in the acts of your employer.

Taking glee in the infliction of misery for others is usually sympathetic of an injured heart or a wounded regard for life, but in the case of these bozos their thoughts were not complicated by human needs and desires...at least not as we humans would understand them.

Elemental beings, you see, often reflect the needs, wants and desires of those around them, or-as in this case-of the singular personality who resides within the fortress castle that they were charged with guarding. In other words they were an extension of Shang-Kwan himself, and in fighting with them we were actually doing combat with reflections of his own inner corruption.

So when I describe Alison putting her fist through the chest of a brute many times her size you don't need to wince or feel sympathy for the poor rocky shnook who mistook her for an ordinary mortal. Nor should you have qualms about Keiko using Ki-force to slice right through the rock and stone of a Troll's granite body and send him to meet his ancestors in the gravel quarry, because the bad guys were the ones doing the attacking and my new friends from this dimension were merely defending themselves, albeit with force enough to reduce a small mountain into a literal mole hill. Nor should there be any moral ambiguity about the other things that the rest of us were doing to the comrades of those whose existence came to an abrupt end in the manner I was just describing. Everything we did that day was justified, and you can take it on my authority that the powers that be were not charging us with any negative karma.

That being said, let's return back to the action so you can hear for yourself the way things went on our mission to find and rescue the missing children of my counterpart and her extended family, and her good friends Alison and Beatrice. To say the very least it was a fascinating account of the seven of us laying siege to the villain's fortress while he was otherwise distracted from within attempting to round up and corner three very talented and interesting young ladies...

Nabiki could not help studying her other-dimensional counterpart with an eye to the stark and stunning contrasts that lay between their very different styles and natures. This Nabiki moved with the grace of student of the Anything Goes school, but her moves were less aggressive than defensive, perfectly well-timed and supremely coordinated. She seemed to sense and anticipate danger with a casual regard that made it seem as if she were dancing rather than dodging and weaving between the far more clumsy lunges of the brutish hulks that were attempting to subdue them. But this Nabiki never really gave any ground, nor did she leap to the attack at any give point. Rather she accepted the attack of another and responded with a maneuver that took the energy of the opposing assault and turned it back against the aggressor.

Moreover when she countered a blow her hands or feet would dart out and strike her opponent in precisely the right way to cripple or disable them, and there was something particularly startling about the way the Ki-lines flowed around her, as if she were directing the flow of energies in a way that made her moves especially devastating without the need for being inordinately violent.

She was still not too savvy about what this "Lore Master" stuff was all about, but she had to concede that it was a formidable sort of art entirely different from anything with which she was even remotely familiar. Her counterpart had an disturbingly unearthly way of looking right into your soul and reading things there that were hidden away from the attention of others (and for very good reasons as everyone had secrets that they would rather not share with another). He casual means of divining the truth about anyone with whom she interacted left Nabiki ill-at-ease in her counterpart's presence. It was like nothing was barred from her attention, and she felt privileged to know everything at a glance no matter how intimate or private. Having such a person around on a long-term basis would be most disconcerting...and yet she could perceive no malevolence in her counterpart that would imply a base desire to use her knowledge against you.

And then there was the equally casual way in which she drew upon powers and abilities that seemed like magic working to the perspective of this world's Nabiki. These were not mere conjurer's tricks either as the Elder named Lotion demonstrated with the way she wielded her staff like a wand, channeling forces both unseen and subtle to her will as she swept up the battlefield with foe after foe who made the mistake of viewing her as an ordinary and harmless aged and invalid woman.

Though her counterpart's abilities were but a shadow of that demonstrated by her nominal mentor, they were still pretty frightful and awesome to behold and certainly left one to speculate as to their actual limits. Though she did not actually understand the nature of the power that they wielded, she had sense enough to realize that it would be a very bad career move to get on a Lore Master's bad side.

She forcibly turned her mind away from such thinking, turning her focus back towards the fight at hand which required a bit of coordination in order to steer her people towards bringing an end to the threat posed by these rocky monsters that were popping up seemingly from out of no where.

Sizing up the battlefield at a glance she called out, "Alison, blaze a trail! Oneechan, give her cover!"

"Gotcha," Alison replied, taking both hands and making a wide motion before bringing her palms together with such force that the shock-wave she created was sent rippling outwards towards everything directly before her. Trolls and Gargoyles were scattered by such a traumatic effect, and some were even shattered by the sound alone that rang out for miles in a radiating projection.

Kasumi, meanwhile, threw up a mental forcefield to block off any assault to Alison's unguarded backside, thus preventing ambush from the rocky creatures intent on pummeling them into submission.

"Frank-san..." Nabiki nodded towards one particular outcropping in the terrain with a meaningful and encouraging expression.

"Gotcha," the hulking man-monster acknowledged, and then he began to crackle with electrostatic energy which he unleashed like a powerful bolt of energy directed at mere stone, which shattered upon contact, scattering rock and gravel in all directions.

Both Trolls and Gargoyles got the hint and immediately scattered, giving the party wide berth and thus allowing them some much-needed breathing space, at which point Nabiki began summoning her own considerable Ki into the center of her being, and from there congealed it into a ball between her hands that she concentrated and directed in a straight line between herself and the formidable looking tower standing several hundred meters in their immediate distance.

"Everybody else...scatter!" she growled from between clenched teeth, and then unleashed her ball of force with a powerful cry of, "Mako Takabishi!"

The party quite sensibly scattered to clear a path for the ensuing onslaught as a wave of indescribable force bowled through the center of the massed enemy forces and shattered everyone and everything with which it made contact. Rock and stone were as nothing compared to the energy unleashed in one devastating instant, and like straws in the face of a hurricane the bulk of the enemy were quite literally blown away, to say nothing of a huge gaping trough dug into the landscape that was left smoldering there when the ball had expended the full measure of its amassed fury.

That decided the issue for the surviving Troll and Gargoyle forces, and with cries of hideous dismay they scattered in all directions, granting a much-needed respite to the remaining party members.

When the smoke and rising particles of matter ceased rising up from the still-  
smoldering ground her counterpart turned to her with a look of respect and said, "I can see now why it's a mistake to get on your bad side, Sister."

"Most impressive," the ancient Amazon elder known as Lotion remarked, "But of course you know that a discharge of such magnitude is bound to attract the enemy's attention."

"That was the idea," Nabiki replied, flexing her arms and shoulders and remarking to herself how good it felt to do that again after a prolonged period during which her pregnancy had discouraged such displays of her formidable talents.

"You mean to provoke a confrontation this early, Kid?" Frank asked.

"Yeah," Alison said, "Remember how that guy surprised and troused us the last time we went head-on against him?"

"Bring it on," Nabiki answered, "We're better prepared this time, and we're all heavy-hitters, and I'd prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around through the back channels."

"Something else that we don't share in common," her counterpart remarked, even as she turned to sense Perfume and Keiko come loping back from further down the trail.

"Hey, give us more of a warning the next time you do that, Nab-chan!" Keiko called out, "We barely had time to get out of the way and take some cover!"

"I knew where you were," Nabiki assured them, "And Per-chan has sense enough not to stand around in the path of a summoned Mako-Takabishi."

"Good thing I could sense you summoning one up in time enough to give Red here a warning," Perfume remarked, then nodded back down the trail from which they had just come and said, "We found the way to the front gates, but there's no open door that we could detect, and it's sealed tighter than an Elder's legs against forced entry...ah...no to you offense, great-grandmother."

"None taken," Lotion said with evident amusement in her otherwise inscrutable expression.

"Lead the way," Nabiki directed her party, "We'll find a way in somehow...and if not, then Alison here can make her own entrance."

"With pleasure," the redheaded Titaness grinned broadly, and immediately took point, flanked by a somewhat dubious Perfume and Keiko.

"Oneechan," Nabiki directed herself towards her sister, "Hover closer to us this time and give us some air cover...just in case our sparring partners need more encouragement to leave us alone."

"Of course, Imotouchan," Kasumi replied, and immediately began to levitate to a spot just a few meters over their collective heads.

"Frank...rear duty," Nabiki said, "You make the biggest target, and nobody in their right minds is going to want to sneak up on your behind."

"Got that right, Kid," the big man said gruffly, falling into place as though taking orders from her was as natural to him as to the rest of the Neriman party.

"You other two..." Nabiki paused to see the look her counterpart was giving her, "What?"

"I was right about you," the other Nabiki replied with a sardonic smile that was unnerving to see upon another's features, "You do like giving out orders, and expect them to be obeyed...and I can see why that makes sense on this timeline."

"Such a waste," Lotion shook her head sadly, "If only I had known in time of your existence...such a tragic oversight...you would have made a splendid apprentice."

"Hmph," Nabiki said, "I'm not sure how to take that."

"As a compliment, Sister," her other self smirked, then promptly started forward with Lotion flanking Nabiki on her other side as if the two of them had already anticipated the directions that she had been about to give them.

Nabiki shook her head and said, "I don't think I could ever get used to being around somebody who knows things before I do."

"What makes you think I have?" her counterpart called back from over one shoulder, "And for what it is worth...I know how worried you are behind that fa ade of stoical indifference. I'd feel the same way if my husband and children were locked up in that place...but you know that Ranchan's a natural born survivor...on any timeline."

"Yeah, I think I do," Nabiki answered, "But that doesn't mean I'm happy about this."

"Save your sympathies for Shang-Kwan, Saotome-san," Lotion replied, "At the moment he is much more deserving of pity, even if he is only just beginning to appreciate this fact."

"Yeah," her counterpart smirked again, "After all, he's the one locked up in there with your kids and Ranchan, and I doubt he's all that smug and happy about it."

"You think?" Nabiki replied, but nonetheless she felt oddly buoyed by the notion and was smiling herself in ready anticipation of their impending "rematch" with the arrogant Chinese-Korean Archmage.

Of course...if she had the perceptions of a trained Lore Master, she might not have been so smug herself considering the situation in which her husband was presently situated...and the consequences of same that were about to befall a certain native-born son of Nerima as he confronted the challenge posed to him by an irate elemental...

Ranma moved swiftly, using Karina's powers to bolster his own natural abilities since there was no solid ground to use to propel himself in a sideways tumble. Her aerial blasts, however, coupled with his mastery of the Arishisenken, gave him enough of an edge to use in moving out of the way as his opponent sent a vacuum-blade hurtling through the spot where he had been for the fifth straight time in their encounter.

"HOLD STILL AND LET ME EVISCERATE YOU, MORTAL!" the as-yet-formless creature snarled.

"You've gotta be kidding!" Ranma responded as he drew upon Karina to create an aerial barrier just in time to deflect a whip-like slicing stroke hurled towards him by his opponent.

"PERSISTENT PEST!" the creature attacking him said, "INVADE MY REALM AND YOU SHALL PAY THE PRICE, SO SIT STILL A MINUTE AND START PAYING!"

**Look who's talking about being an annoyance!** Karina projected back, **And it's not like we invaded here intentionally!**

"Yeah," Ranma said aloud, "We were sucked in here by a spell cast by that annoying wizard!"

"WATCH WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT MY MASTER, PEST!" the creature growled back, "IF HE DREW YOU IN HERE IT WAS PROBABLY FOR A VERY GOOD REASON-AND WHAT THE HECK IS AN AIR ELEMENTAL AND A HUMAN DOING HERE IN THE ABYSS ANYWAY? DON'T YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE NOT WANTED?"

"Excuse me?" Ranma blinked.

**Are you just inordinately slow or did you miss the part when we said we weren't here by our own intentions?** Karina projected back, **And what do you owe to the guy you call your master? Didn't he set you here to guard this opening against intruders?**

"YEAH, BUT THAT'S MY JOB, WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING," the creature argued reasonably, "AND THE ABYSS IS MY HOME, SO WHAT ABOUT IT?"

"Ah...excuse me for asking this," Ranma said while keeping his guard up, "But we're really rather leave here if it's all the same to you, and I've gotta get back to save my kids, so could we kinda wrap this up already? I really don't want to have to fight you...um...whoever you are, that is."

**She's a Void elemental, Master,** Karina supplied, **Otherwise known as an Astral Deva. I've heard about them on the elemental circuit...they tend to be very rare and give a new definition to the word reclusive.**

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO CAST ASPERSIONS ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S CHARACTER, SYLPH?" the Void Elemental in question demanded, "YOU GUYS ARE REAL AIR-HEADS, YOU'VE GOT YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WHAT OR WHAT REALLY MATTERS, AND YOU SURE DON'T HAVE YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND ON THE BEST OF OCCASIONS..."

**Actually I do thanks to my Master,** Karina challenged back, **And what does an empty-headed vacuum-breath like you know about earth, or the ground for that matter?**

"I KNOW A LOT MORE THAN I WANT TO KNOW!" the Void Elemental shot back, "I'VE BEEN STUCK HERE NEAR THIS HOLE FOR CLOSE TO A CENTURY AS MORTALS RECKON TIME, AND THE BEST THAT I CAN DO FOR ENTERTAINMENT IS TO CATCH GLIMPSES THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PORTAL I'VE BEEN GUARDING. NOT ENOUGH TO PIECE IT ALL TOGETHER, OF COURSE, BUT I FILL IN MY OWN GAPS WHEREVER I'M ABLE."

"Ah..." Ranma paused to consider the glowing apparition before him, then said in a cautious voice, "You don't sound much like a minion of evil. Aren't you kind of lonely out here all by yourself with no one else to talk to?"

"WHO THE HECK WOULD I WANT TO TALK WITH?" the elemental challenged back, "MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS? NO WAY! THEY PICKED ON ME ALL THE TIME, CALLED ME THE RUNT OF OUR LITTER, AND OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT! FORGET IT, I'M MUCK BETTER OFF BY MYSELF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW IF YOU DON'T MIND TOO MUCH, I'M GOING TO GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF SMITING YOU FOR STICKING YOUR NOSES IN MY PERSONAL BUSINESS!"

With that declaration the creature summoned up a wind tunnel from its very being and cast its sucking maw, a hurricane-force vortex that threatened to swallow up everything and everyone within its path. As Ranma was at the center of the vortex it seemed very unlikely that he and Karina could avoid the grip of this onslaught.

But Ranma was nothing if not resourceful, and with Karina backing his play the Master of the Arishisenken cupped his hands together and created a counter-  
vortex of air that filled the space at the center of the maw and diminished the power of its cyclone in accordance to the laws of pressure dynamics.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU-?!" the Void Elemental demanded in protest, only to react with a shriek of astonishment when the conflicting waves of pressure caused the built-up energy to discharge in an explosive discharge of considerable force and dimension.

The wave knocked both parties backwards, but Ranma was quick to recover, tumbling around and righting himself with Karina providing the ballast and propulsion to compensate for the lack of solid terrain with which to right his balance.

The elemental recovered too, but not so much with dignity as it turned on them and said, "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT? HOW DID YOU JUST DO THAT?!"

"Trade secret," Ranma answered, "Now can we please call a halt to this? I don't want to hurt you, I just want to get back to my earth so I can rescue my kids!"

"YOU HURT ME?" the elemental scoffed, "TALK ABOUT DELUSIONS OF GRANDUER!"

**He's right, he can do it,** Karina assured the opposing elemental, **He defeated my last Master, who was a lot more powerful than you are!**

"Yeah...but I had the other girls with me at the time," Ranma glumly admitted, "But still...nothing you've shown me so far suggests that you're more than I can handle."

"OH YEAH, BIG MOUTH?" the irate elemental snapped, "TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE!"

And with that the creature summoned up a globe of glowing force that it hurled towards Ranma, who stood his ground and prepared to repel it, only to find that it flowed around his outstretched hands and engulfed him like a soap bubble.

Only the bubble proved to be far more menacing than suspected, as Ranma found himself unable to breathe, and clutching at his throat momentarily left him vulnerable and open to attack.

"NOW-DIE!" the Void elemental declared, plunging forward with its energy extended to form a blade of vacuum, only to find a flaring shield form up to take the brunt of the attack, thus defending Ranma from serious injury.

"WHAT?" the Void elemental reacted with a start, "YOU DEFENDED HIM? BUT WHY?"

**He is...my Master,** Karina telepathically responded, **...And...I love him...**

"KARINA!" Ranma cried in dismay, shocked and dismayed even as the Void elemental's hold upon the vacuum bubble collapsed unexpectedly, thus freeing him to draw breath and feel outrage.

"LOVE HIM?" the Void elemental responded, "AN ELEMENTAL...IN LOVE WITH A MERE HUMAN? BUT...WHAT?!"

Ranma suddenly manifested a powerful glow that surrounded his body, glowing from within him as his eyes started to blaze with righteous fury.

"You hurt her!" he snarled, "You're gonna regret that!"

And with that declaration his rage fueled his Ki and caused the glow to form within his hands, and with a suddenness that startled his opponent a ball of congealed force took shape between his fingers, forming like magic as the young man moved and projected it forward, unleashing it like a shot directly at the swirling mass that was the Void elemental.

But after attempting to absorb the blast the elemental wisely chose to dissolve its form and allow the brunt of the force to pass right through it. It recongealed a few instants later slightly to the side and twice as angry as ever.

"THAT HURT YOU JERK!" the elemental complained, "LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE THIS!"

The elemental surged forward to engulf the irate Ranma, but unlike the last time he had sense enough to hold his breath and take control over his internal energies, and then before the Void elemental knew what it was about it, Ranma extended his hand and flexed internal muscles of his own, calling upon the same technique and power that he had used in the past to enslave his other elementals.

"WHAT-WHAT ARE YOU DOING-STOP!" the elemental cried as the force of Ranma's ki expanded outward to surround himself, forming a bubble of his own within the vacuum that forced the Void back to the edges, forcing it to strain in an attempt to contain the force of his expansion.

And then-precisely as he had done on other occasions-he withdrew and deliberately diminished the level of his key, thus collapsing the bubble and drawing the energy back into himself, which had the effect of sucking in the Void elemental back into himself, creating a vortex of his own in the process.

Ranma stood his proverbial ground and waited until he had fully contained the creature, then heaved a sigh of relief as he felt her swirling and struggling inside him, fighting its containment but without a measure of leverage to work to her advantage.

"Now who's a Jerk?" Ranma asked with a sigh, then paused to view himself internally and said, "Karina...are you...?"

**I'm all right, Master,** his elemental servant replied, **Just a bit winded...like being hit in the gut with a very blunt object, I'm afraid...almost knocked the wind out of me, figuratively speaking.**

"What a relief," Ranma sighed, then paused and said, "Guess you can't be hurting too much since I can still breathe and talk and stuff. So...what are we gonna do? We're still trapped in this cockamamie...whatever the heck it is. Dimension?"

**More like un-dimension, Master,** Karina replied, **The Abyss isn't really so much a place as a state of un-being...and explaining it would take a lot more time than I think we can spare at the moment, so why don't we try and use the portal to escape back the way we came?**

Another voice in his head protested, **You can't! It only opens one way! I'm the only one who knows how to use it!**

**Uh huh, tell me another one,** Karina mentally snorted, **Face it, Sister, you're trapped in here the same as me, only unlike you I'm perfectly happy about it.**

"Ah...mind if I ask a question here?" Ranma said, "Did you just say...sister?"

**That's right, Master, I did,** Karina responded a bit smugly, **Not that gender means as much to us as it does to you, but she's definitely of the female persuasion.**

"Hooboy," Ranma said, feeling very much like the line that his wife sometimes used, It's d j vu all over again..."

**Where did you hear that line?** the new elemental asked, then added, **And...what's a wife?**

**You've gotta be kidding me,** Karina responded, **You don't know what a wife is? I thought you could view the mortal realm from here!**

**Hey, I get video, not audio!** the new elemental protested, **And give me a break, it's not like I've spent all that much time around real people!**

**Then where did you pick up so much human dialogue and lingo?** Karina argued, **You're way too modern and hip to be some putz who's been stuck out here for a hundred earth years or so...**

**I don't know where it comes from...I just...pick things up, that's all,** the other elemental argued, **And what's a putz anyway? Something you eat with your breakfast?**

"This is way too surreal for me," Ranma admitted, "Bad enough I'm stuck in a weird place like this, but do you girls have to carry on a shouting match inside my head? And...ah...just what should I call you anyway?"

**Oh no, I'm not telling you that!** the new elemental protested, **Names have power, and if I give you mine then you'll have the power to control me!**

**He already can control you, Nimrod!** Karina insisted, **When he absorbed you just now he took you inside him, just the same as with me, and now he's like the lamp in that Aladdin story, and if you want to get out again you're gonna have to treat him real nicely!**

**Nicely?** the elemental protested, **Whatever for? He's just a dumb human!**

**Yeah, but a human who kicked your sorry butt just now, admit that!** Karina crowed, **My Master is the great and powerful Saotome Ranma, a fighter with few peers, and the undisputed Master of the Seven Senkens!**

**The seven what?** the Void elemental reacted, **Saotome Who? What are you going on about?**

"Look, it's not important," Ranma insisted, "All I want is to get back home..."

**Hey, it may not be important to you, but a girl's gotta watch her reputation!** the elemental insisted, **How would you feel if you got beaten by a Joe Nobody? I may have been stuck here for a hundred years but I've got friends in the Abyss who still remember me when I was just Sobriel the younger...!**

"Sobriel?" Ranma blinked, "Is that your name?"

**AWP!** Ranma had the mental image of the elemental covering her mouth with both hands, even if it was far too late for such a hasty recourse.

**Blabbermouth,** Karina said smugly, **I told you she was a vacuum-head, Master, and now do you believe me?**

"Look," Ranma said, "Sobriel? Can't we just call a truce if I let you out of there? I'm sure we can work something out, and all I really want is to get back to my family so I can rescue my kids..."

**Unfortunately it's not as simple as all of that, Master,** Karina noted, **She's under contract to a wizard, so she's lawfully bound to serve and protect him and his interests...and about the only way you can convince her not to try and prevent our leaving here is...**

"Uh...yeah?" Ranma asked, already dreading the answer.

**Bind her by contract to you,** Karina finished lamely, **That way she'll do your bidding and not Shang-Kwan's, and hopefully lead us out of this hell-hole of a transitional quasi-dimension.**

**Hey, watch where you're calling quasi!** the Void elemental protested, **This is my home you're talking about! Oh sure, it may not seem like much of a home to you, but...**

"We're sorry," Ranma apologized.

**Hah?** Sobriel reacted, **You what?**

"We didn't mean to upset you...honestly," Ranma tried sounding reassuring, and sincerely meant it.

**Speak for yourself, Master,** Karina huffed.

**You're...apologizing?** the new elemental asked, **To me?**

**Ahh...yeah, the Master sometimes does that,** Karina explained, **It's a human thing, go figure.**

"Look, all I want is to get back home and save my kids, is that so hard to understand?" Ranma argued in growing frustration.

**Um...kinda,** Sobriel reluctantly admitted, then paused a moment before adding, **Just a minute ago when you got injured...he was actually concerned about you, wasn't he?**

**That's just how he is,** Karina replied, **Compassionate to a fault, which is why I love my Master.**

"Ah..." Ranma said uneasily, his thoughts automatically reverting to Nabiki.

**Oh,** Sobriel remarked, **So that's what having a wife means...I...never suspected...**

**Open your thoughts to her, Master,** Karina urged, **Let this goofball see what it is she's missing.**

"All right," Ranma said, relaxing as best he could under the situation. His mind became an open book, or a still pond...or just empty, depending on how one viewed things, but it felt as though the thoughts of his new internal companion were rifling through the corridors of his brain like the pages of a book being uncovered.

A moment following this he heard the new voice in his mind say, **I...I never even imagined...you care about all of these people? And not just the ones you're related to either?**

**He's like that,** Karina assured her, **I know because I've been with him for five months now, going on six, and I can testify to the fact that my Master is a kind and caring person.**

**My master...doesn't care about anyone...not even me,** Sobriel soberly reflected.

**So what are you waiting for?** Karina asked, **Sign up now and get with a Master you can really respect!**

**But...it's not that easy!** Sobriel protested, **Master Kwan is an Archmage...you just don't turn your back on that kind of power!**

**You do if he's a rat-fink sadist who's going down big time,** Karina assured her, **So who do you really want to serve? I guy with psychic muscles but no real heart, or a guy who's heart is his biggest muscle?**

**You've got a point there,** Sobriel sighed reluctantly, then all at once she ceased to struggle within him and said simply, **May I appear before you to grant you my obedience...Master?**

"Ah...I guess," Ranma concluded with great reluctance on his own part.

With his permission thus given the Void elemental flowed out and merged from her prison inside his body, taking on a humanoid shape, which turned out to be a beautiful young girl of ageless beauty who was also quite noticeably blonde and naked...and not just in that order either.

At once she belt one knee and bowed to him, then said in a solemn voice, "If you will have me for your servant, than I will belong to you and obey you in all things...Master."

"Ah..." Ranma gulped, staring at the compliant beauty bowing down before him.

Karina remained where she was within him, sustaining him with the breath of her essence, but on behalf of her Master she said, **Choose the place where you will reside from now on...and lay off the right leg, that's my turf.**

"Fair enough," Sobriel said, "But...that's not the leg I was thinking about..."

"Huh?" Ranma asked, "What do you mean...HEY?"

Sobriel was already undoing the throngs about his waistband and pulled down his pants before Ranma could manage a coherent protest. She paused a moment to say, "What the heck are these?" as she encountered his boxer shorts, but then she shrugged and pulled these down as well, exposing the member beneath, which automatically flared to life as Ranma suffered a bout of acute arousal.

**That isn't what I...!** Karina hastily protested.

"Tough," Sobriel said as she reached out and felt her Master's stiffening member, "This is how I choose to sign my contracts...the way insisted upon by my former Master..."

"But-!" Ranma hastily said, moving his hands with the intent of pushing her face away, only to find that her hair was as smooth and elusive as glass, and her lips were already parted to take him in, so he fumbled in his effort to prevent his total engorgement, and consequently felt his member slide down into a velvety throat that felt surprisingly warm and altogether...human.

**Ohhh...** Karina mentally projected as she sensed what was happening to her Master through their direct spiritual connection, **So...that's what it feels like for a guy when a girl does that...**

"Ahhh...ahh...ohh...kuso..." Ranma softly whimpered, arching his back and curling his feet as he hovered within oblivion feeling a girl give him head that-combined with the Zero G effect of his surroundings-quite literally made his head spin as he thought in fleeting desperation, **I hope Nabiki never finds out about this...!**

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Screaming in a Vacuum: shadowmane

Or: shadowmane9849

Next time up at bat: Ranma unites with his new elemental servant and joins the fray as both Nabikis and the rest of the Tendo Posse storm the gates of the fortress keep, and Shang-Kwan learns first hand the perils of Baby Sitting. Be with us next time for: "Bearding the Arch-Mage," or, "One Flew Under the Cradle's Nest!" Be there... 


	146. Chapter 146

I finally did it, punching through the writers block to add more fire to one of the longest running fanfics that I'm personally aware of...so without further adieu let's wring into the newest chapter full of action...

"A Tale of Two Wallets" one hundred and thirtieth chapter...

Jim.

xxx

NabikiRan130

Ranma and Nabiki,

A Tale of Two Wallets!

by Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her take a bow wherever you re at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty.

Action Without Thought

A yen for your thoughts, beloved Airen, Shampoo purred while cradling in the arms of her husband, enjoying the night air with its subtle hint of the coming morning in the offing.

Just thinking, Ranma said with a faint look of puzzlement as he studied the night sky from his favorite perch on the roof, cradling his wife with one arm and sensing the life that was within her beating strongly with the pulse of a budding Saotome.

That s unusual for you, Shampoo cooed teasingly, playing her fingers against his muscular chest and relishing the life they shared together, Is there anything I can do to help cheer you up?

Maybe, Ranma half-smirked at the interesting promise contained within that question, If I think of anything I ll make sure that you re the first to know, Sham-chan,

Shampoo grinned happily, only to wince somewhat then tighten her shoulders as a cramping pain caused her to briefly feel nauseous and disoriented.

Ranma instantly sensed his wife s discomfort and tensed, Are you all ?

Fine, Shampoo said a bit tightly, only to feel that twinge again,  
and she knew suddenly that it was not just a passing discomfort, that something was definitely happening to her body, something wonderful and yet also something quite alarming.

Airen, she said, altering her position, Is maybe time go see Tofu-Sensei.

Right now? Ranma asked, then blinked his eyes and with stronger emphasis he gasped, RIGHT NOW?

Right now, Shampoo said simply yet insistently, And maybe contact Great Grandmother she deserve known she about to have great-great grandchild.

Ara Ranma said, and despite having anticipated this moment for months now he felt the adrenalin surge within him to near panic mode as he scrambled to carry Shampoo into the house, after which he would place a hasty call to Doctor Tofu on the speed dial, then waste little time carrying his wife to the hospital with all the reckless abandon of a young man about to expand his family by one very precious quarter

Nabiki s Journal: Post Pardnam Entry:

I paused on the stairway leading up to the castle proper and turned a glance over my shoulder as if hearing a call from very far away, which in effect I was since I could have sworn in that moment that I was hearing my husband, Ranma, calling Doctor Tofu with the urgent message that Shampoo was about to have our baby.

What is it? I heard my counterpart ask, seeing my distressed look and not correctly interpreting it for reasons that were understandable within the present context.

Ah nothing that can t wait, I temporized, starting up the stairs again, though my counterpart-being as much of a sneaky, suspicious sort as myself-would not drop the matter so lightly.

What s eating you right now? she asked, Is your mind still in the game?

I pursed my lips, wishing for the luxury that I once knew before beginning my training as a Lore Master, a discipline that prevented me from lying, Shampoo is having a baby.

WHAT?! my other self reacted in dismay, But

Not your wife, I explained, Mine which means I have to be done with this and soon or I m going to miss a precious, vital part of my marriage which I certainly will regret for all eternity.

Yeah, I get that, my counterpart started up the stairs with me again, and I could almost hear the memories crashing down in her as she added, Just take one bit of advice from me don t hold her hand when she s in labor not unless you want to lose yours.

I had to smile a bit at that, I ll keep that in mind, I promise.

We resumed our climb up the stairs lining the inner walls of the sinister castle, mindful of each step as more of the elemental stone creatures might be waiting in hiding to strike at us at any moment. Our party had split into three groups with Kasumi and Frank holding one end of the matter while Alison and Beatrice stayed close to Perfume, who was a born tracker. My counterpart and I-at my suggestion-stayed together as a team at the forefront of our assault team, while this Universe s version of Lotion held back a bit and observed us in action, no doubt noting the contrast in styles that was most pronounced between a Lore Master and a Martial Artist, two versions of the same women separated by an infinity of differing choices.

Something stirred on the edge of my senses, and I felt an enormous discharge of magical energies that caused me to tense, which prompted my counterpart to ask, What s up?

I just felt a hostile spell being cast somewhere ahead of us, I replied, I don t know who else is ahead of us, but I think that Shang-Kwan guy is fighting somebody, and apparently not winning.

Do tell? my counterpart raised an eyebrow, then smiled as she turned resolutely ahead, That s very interesting.

I probed deeper with my feelings then got an image that caused me to blanch a little as I said, The children they must have gotten loose somehow, and he s trying to catch them

About what I thought, the other Nabiki nodded grimly, Those scamps could put anyone to the test, so there s only one question to ask here.

Which is? I asked, intrigued by my counterpart s incongruous surge in confidence upon hearing my report of the matter.

How much do you think we should charge him to take the kids back? my other self smiled wickedly, After all, two of them are my children

COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE DEMONS! Shang-Kwan snarled as he let loose with a blast of lightning from the tips of his fingers, only to stare aghast as something caught his spell in mid-air and absorbed it into a series of wires that had been strung up inexplicably in his path, diverting the current to the side where a makeshift fuse set off a charge that had been fashioned from common materials, and all at once an explosion to his side rocked him off his feet and sent him caroming off the opposite wall while his targets faded off once again further down the hallway.

It was hardly dignified for Shang-Kwan to run after the trio of sawed off little rugrats, but he was well angered beyond the point of reason and had all but forgotten about his original purpose for kidnapping them in the first place. His only intention was to catch and punish them in the most extreme and gruesome manner that he could envision, and so he readied his energies and prepared to cast a spell when he rounded the corner and came upon one of his fugitive quarry, the irksome redhead who spoke college-level colloquial dialect while not looking old enough to fully walking on two legs, the one who seemed to be the brains behind this pint-sized rebellion.

I ve got you now, you little fiend! he declared, surging forward with his energies crackling about his fingertips as he lunged her way

And found his feet suddenly encountering empty space instead of solid stone surface.

Shang-Kwan was too well skilled in magic to let himself be defeated by a little thing like gravity, but still it disconcerted him to realize that he had been tricked into running out over a deadfall, one of the many hidden traps that laced his castle to ensnare the unwary. Even as he cast the levitation spell that prevented him from plummeting to the row of spikes that laced the bottom of this particular stone pit he was silently amazed at himself for being so infuriated that he had failed to see the warning signs that he had put in all the rooms bearing such perils, but even more amazed to see that the girl he pursued was not actually standing on a floor (as she had appeared to be doing at first glance) but was actually supporting herself above the pit by means of a wire that she was holding with one hand while keeping her body perfectly upright and rigid.

Shang-Kwan had to windmill his arms a bit to restore his own stability, an act which brought him even closer to the child as she hung where she was with one tiny fist keeping her safe above the pitfall. Then when they were almost within reach of one another she raised a finger as if to demand his further attention, then asked him very clearly, Tell me,  
Mister Archmage, you being so adept at alchemy and all of that do you happen to know what occurs when two compounds of volatile substance, such as an isotonic acid and a base, interact with an alkaloid of different valances that have a Hydrotonic exchange at the molecular level?

You get an explosion, of course, Kwan automatically answered, only to widen his eyes as the girl used her free hand to pull a test-tube vial out from behind her waist and hold it up for him to examine. Then Kwan did the natural thing and turned his gaze down into the pit itself, and thus saw the tub of chemicals that was wedged between the spikes, at which point he said, Oh no

She let the tube fall, and Kwan made a desperate grab for it, only to miss as his intended quarry hastily scampered up the wire with both hands grappling it as though it were a rope that could carry her to safety.  
Meanwhile the tube hit the tub and its cap came loose, allowing the chemicals to mix, which prompted a catalytic reaction that required only a fraction of a second to engage.

The resulting blast shook the entire chamber while Eileen made it to the hole in the roof up above and was pushed through that final couple of feet by the rush of hot blast that catapulted her into the air, at which point she executed a somersault and landed gracefully on bare feet right beside her two waiting companions, Fragrance and Lylac.

Looks like he fell for it, Lylac said to her friend as the three of them were again reunited.

Hope he went all to pieces this time, Fragrance chuckled.

I would too, but I rather doubt it, Eileen said as she urged her companions to get moving once again so that they could set up their next ambush, So far he has survived more punishment than you would think any adult could endure, which inclines me to think that he has fortified his body with enchantments that make him very hard to kill. At the very least we should not wait around to see if he survived since if he has that would be a very poor notion.

They started down the corridor when they suddenly found a figure blocking their path, panting like an angry bull and covered in soot-singed magical robes with bloodshot eyes betraying a kind of near madness.

I m not angry with you, Shang-Kwan said in a nearly reasonable voice, But I am terribly, terribly hurt and now it is payback!

And with that he unleashed his horrific spell point blank at all three children, and with no time for them to seek cover or evasion

So how do we get out of here again? Ranma asked of his newly gained fifth elemental servant, the Void Elemental whose name was Sobriel.

That s kind of a difficult question to answer, Master, the elemental said sheepishly, You see I guard this place but I m not actually allowed to leave it on my own not without the permission of my former Master.

Swell, said Karina the Sylph, Ranma s only other remaining elemental servant, So other than being full of emptiness, what good are you?

Sobriel bristled at this and looked ready to start something up when Ranma headed things off by saying, What about the opening I came through?

No good, Sobriel said, It s one way, and only my former master knew how to cast the spell to open the portal.

Well, there has to be another way out of this place then, Karina reasoned, Nothing goes in without something coming out. It s just the basic rules of physics

You forgetting that you re near to an Event Horizon, Sobriel snorted, The normal rules for physics don t apply here

If that s so, Ranma said with hasty inspiration, Then how about applying them in ways that don t normally work? I mean you live here, so you must have some idea how to make things come out in our favor?

Our favor? Sobriel looked at him with a curious expression.

Yeah, Ranma responded, I mean, you, me, and Karina here, the three of us together.

Sobriel arched both pale eyebrows and then turned a questioning look towards her fellow elemental.

He s like that, Karina shrugged back with a smile, Master never thinks only of himself when other people are at stake, and he hates to see anyone suffer except the guys who have it coming.

Weird, Sobriel said while turning back to regard Ranma with a very thoughtful expression, then she seemed to concentrate for a moment before saying, There might be a way just a possibility, that is. I mean the Void is an absolute on this side of the rift, but if we could combine the streams of manna and Qlipoth we might be able to reverse our position relative to the barrier on this side of the rift

Karina looked appalled, Cross the streams? Are you insane? That would be like matter and anti-matter coming into close proximity DEFINITELY NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Look, it s the only way that I can think of doing this, Airhead, Sobriel snapped, If you ve got a better suggestion then I d like to hear it.

All right! Ranma held up both of his hands, Let s do it your way and not bicker about it! Now how exactly are we supposed to do it again?

Sobriel rolled her eyes and said, And you re supposed to be my new Master?

Hey, lay off, Vacuum head, Karina snapped,

Girls! Ranma hated to shout to get his point about but the constant bickering was starting to wear even on his nerves, and he wanted very much to escape from that place and get back with his family, who were even then struggling to win back the safety of his children.

Both elementals sobered at the tone of command in his voice and as one they echoed, Master?

So what you were saying before about crossing the streams? Ranma prompted of Sobriel.

Oh, she replied, Well as you know from normal occultism, Manna and Qlipothic energies are polar opposite, like positrons and electrons, and crossing these currents would be a bad idea except that doing so releases a different form of neutral energy that can cross over between the boundary lines and can be employed to reverse the flow of this portal so that energy goes back the other way, restoring you to the physical world that is natural to your kind of being.

That s assuming you can survive the energy release without being torn apart, Karina argued in a rather snappish manner.

That s where we come in, Oxygen head, Sobriel snipped back, As his servants we can cushion the force and protect our Master from the energy by absorbing it into our own bodies.

But won t that hurt you? Ranma asked in obvious distress, once again earning a startled look from Sobriel, who looked at him with translucent eyes as if only just seeing him for the first time in that very moment.

Like I said, Karina said with strained patience, Master is special he thinks of others before himself, and he d never willingly sacrifice either one of us if he can avoid it.

You mean you really do care that much? Sobriel asked in a very startled expression.

Of course I do, Ranma responded off-handedly as if surprised himself by her question, Now let me see if I can get a handle on this.  
This void portal you re guarding it flows one way but not the other?

Ah yes, Sobriel said slowly, eyeing her new master with a wary appraisal.

So in a way its self-contained like a house? Ranma said thoughtfully, studying the energy flow that he could sense with his enhanced elemental perceptions stretched out all around him, So what happens when the flow is reversed? It just explodes outward?

More or less, Sobriel noted with caution.

But won t that unleash a lot of dangerous energy and will it hurt you girls if you try and protect me against it? Ranma asked.

Not me, Sobriel replied, I m native to this realm, I can withstand Qthotic energy. It s goldilocks here who d be at risk through direct exposure but for humans it really might be fatal.

Okay then, Ranma thought some more then said, How about this you shield Karina and she protects me from behind your shielding, and meanwhile I reverse the channels using one of my Senken maneuvers the same one I used when I first got control over Latisha.

The Honosenken, Master? Karina blinked, But that s risky it means expanding the field of your Ki pattern

I can do it if we pool our energies together, Ranma said, turning to Sobriel and saying, So how about it?

Sobriel looked stunned, You mean me combine my energies with her?

What are you scared of? Karina snorted back, Afraid I m gonna bite you?

Sobriel bristled, Like I m gonna trust a bubble head like you to handle something delicate like this !

Just do it please? Ranma pleaded, My wife, Nabiki and me she s gonna have my baby soon, and I can t stay here and miss that. Besides that wizard guy s got my other kids, and I won t let him get away with whatever he s planning to do with them. I ve gotta get back to where I can stop him and help out the others!

Sobriel paused to regard him once again, then under the look Karina gave her she heaved a sigh of resignation and said, Okay I ll manipulate the streams, you direct me, and the Airhead here serves as your body armor while I keep her from being disrupted.

Thank you, Ranma averred, then he composed himself and centered his Ki, then said, Link up with me, Girls Karina on the inside, Sobriel outside, and follow my lead as I do the Expanding House thing to create a bubble then collapse it on itself.

You d better know what you re going, guy, Sobriel replied, You re cute, but you re no wizard.

Not yet anyway, Karina averred, then dissolved into her elemental state and formed a cloud like bubble of air around Ranma as Sobriel turned her body into a translucent hard shell of compressed vacuum energies while Ranma tapped into his internal Ki and linked it with both Elementals, and then began performing the maneuvers that were at the core of his most fundamental of all advanced Senkens

Shang-Kwan gestured, confident that his powers would flow in accordance to his will as his mind framed the correct alchemical equations,  
and by all right his spell should have lanced out to engulf these troublesome toddlers and immobilize them completely.

So imagine his surprise when he felt the power cut off in mid-gesture, and then nothing poured forth in response to his frantic commandments, leaving him to stand there staring uncomprehendingly at his own outstretched hands, then at the intended victims of his spell, and in slowly dawning horror he came to a belated realization.

The redheaded girl child named Eileen smiled up at him and asked,  
Did you wear down the spiritual batteries? Or perhaps it s the presence of all that salt that I scattered down this corridor that is messing up the pattern that you re weaving and creating unexpected interference?

You don t say? Lylac smiled, turning to her sister, Fragrance,  
And do you know what that means?

Fragrance grinned back, Bam time?

Bam time, Eileen affirmed, mimicking the gestured of cracking tiny knuckles as she regarded the hapless Archmage with vindictive retribution.

Uh oh, Shang-Kwan belatedly murmured, and he started to back away when he suddenly tripped over his own legs as Fragrance shot down between his feet and managed to position herself behind both of his ankles, even as Lylac came rushing forward and launched her tiny form at his knee-caps, and Eileen vaulted over her shoulders to deliver a fist to his chin that sent Shang-Kwan tumbling backwards, spinning about in mid-air and seeing a panoply of stars and planets that made for quite an interesting astrological array worthy of deeper study and further contemplation

Nabiki s Journal Continues:

It s often hard, bordering on the totally impossible, for me to describe to ordinary people what it s like to be a Lore Master, especially the sort who trained under an Amazon mentor like Elder Lotion, whose eclectic methods challenge the listener for broader comprehension.

The truth is that becoming a Lore Master was nothing more difficult for me than learning to open myself up to perceiving the universe under very different terms than what I had known when I was just a simple high school girl struggling to get by with my grifter ways, scamming fellow students for loose cash in order to sustain a modest lifestyle.

I always had the gift of viewing the world in a manner more akin to grasping the fundamental workings of the universal human dynamic. I was rather like a plumber who understood the connections between a source of water and an outlet, but without the proper training I was as head blind and aimless as anyone else, oblivious to the greater scope that was going on all around me and entirely too focused in my own narrow world of personal need and gratification.

Being a Lore Master means opening your awareness to the way that things are connected to one another. It means having the ability to perceive the invisible lines between subject and objective, the sustaining clause of causality between action and effect, and the real way in which existence sustains itself in manifest form with the flow of thought and perception being the means of controlling an event and its most probable outcome.

If that explanation leaves you scratching your head then you must understand how difficult it would have been for me to explain myself to my counterpart, who was arguably a top-notch War Master of Cologne or Ranma s orientation but who had the perceptions of a brick when it came to relating to me and my own style for dealing with the forces that opposed us as we fought our way through the fortress level by level with all manner of creature rising up to contest our passage.

She was brute force guided by intelligence and precision, a real testimony to the effectiveness of Uncle Genma s qualifications as a martial arts instructor since my own martial arts training under my daddy was hardly as inspirational or this effective.

Of course Cologne s teachings had harnessed and refined the superb quality of my counterpart s martial arts and had transformed her into a deadly and formidable weapon, one who struck fast and hard without regard to an opponent s superior size and strength, and I could see how she focused her ki to the lethalness of a hardened blade so that her slender hands had the force of twin spiked hammers. Her feet could kick a stone golem to rubble with as much ease as she might reduce the whole entire castle to crumbled ruins had she really been cutting loose at full strength, and I could marvel at the intense control that she demonstrated as she turned her enemies into memories with fierce and efficient dedication, clearly intending to allow no obstacle to stand in the path between herself and her missing offspring.

By contrast my own method for dispatching the Elemental foes whom we encountered was more daring and subtle. I simply examined the position of all objects in the room, felt the flow of energy lines and perceived the weakest points of defense in my opponents then positioned myself to where they were least likely to anticipate trouble. I would open the way for rapid passage through the force lines of material reality and step through the mini-gaps in space to save myself the bother of having to cross the distance through the old fashioned methods of a fully fleshed mundane.

I suppose I should explain here that physicists have long suspected that normal matter has the capacity to create a tiny worm hole like effect in the gaps and spaces between atoms, but what many fail to perceive is that solid matter by itself is entirely a trick of the mind while time and distance themselves are an effect created by our perceptions and that even energy is just a vibrational expression of the fundamental reality that underlies all of existence. So if you have a mind and imagination powerful enough to channel your perception of your own reality it is an effortless matter to skip between the gaps of time space and travel any distance in an instant with but the sole constraint being the focus your own guiding will and imagination.

So what a materialist who sees only the visible patterns of light might have perceived was that I was standing in one place at a given instant, and then I was somewhere else entirely in less than the span of an eye blink. To some I must have appeared as an ethereal ghost flitting from point to point with dance-like motions while striking out at my foes at those key points where I perceived their energy patterns were weakest, and as such I only had to hit them once to take them out of commission, or to destroy them utterly if that was my intent, before moving on to tackle another opponent.

So I caught my counterpart casting furtive glances my way while the two of us progressed up through the passage leaving behind the littered remains of those foolish enough to stand against us, and by turns arrived moments later at the top of a long and winding stairway with a large wooden door bracketed by brass fixtures and ornate runes distinguishing it from an average door such as you would expect to find in a more western looking castle.

At this point our methods differed entirely because I sensed that she was drawing back her Ki in preparation of launching an attack to blast this barrier to our passage, and I hastily stepped into her path and threw up my arms to ward her off, causing her to pause and look at me as though I had taken leave of all of my senses.

Don t! I informed her.

No? she looked at me with a frown, And why not?

Because it s warded with enchantments and is giving off a strong feel like a barrier has been erected around it, I explained to her while turning around to examine the thing, Any force you hit it with is likely to bounce back on you redoubled, and if you hit it hard enough well I m sure you wouldn t very much enjoy it.

She paused to consider my warning then said, So, its booby trapped by magic, huh? I don t suppose you know how to take it down?

I can try and perceive if it has a weak area, I said, But I m not a mage and I can only understand how the flow of energy is put together.  
Undoing it will take a bit more effort

Then stand aside, Apprentice, and allow one with more experience in such matters to try her hand at unraveling the weave of this mystery, I heard the familiar voice of my mentor say, and as I turned to see this universe s version of Lotion mounting the stairs with staff in hand, a slight wheeze in her voice betraying her age and infirmity, I instinctively moved to the side and motioned for my counterpart to give the elder room enough for practicing the craft to which she was so much better equipped to handle than I was at this current level of my training.

I saw the skeptical look cross my counterpart s expression while I calmly stood and watched and absorbed the knowledge of what my Mentor did as she brought her staff up to the door then thrust it into the field of protection, causing the energy lines to spiral and engulf it with swirling energies that laid bare the complexity of its weaving.

Those lines were not entirely visible to my counterpart, but I could see her expression change to one of astonishment as even she could feel those lines shape and flow about in counterpart to the energy weavings that my mentor s counterpart was projecting forward with so very little effort.

A moment later she withdrew her staff and said, As I suspected a level eight field, one incorporating a Mestasos field barrier with level twelve repulsion qualities. Very tricky, but not beyond all means of taking down if one perceives the correct counter-vibrations that could unlock it.

But can you do it? the other Nabiki asked with obvious impatience.

Quite possibly, Lotion replied, However, doing so might consume more time than what we would prefer at this point. Rather I think that I shall circumvent the problem entirely by doing this

As she said this she moved her staff away from the door and rather attacked one of the walls flanking it on the side, creating an instant hole as the ancient rock crumbled away under the precision-guided motions of her staff, and a moment later a gap was created just wide enough for a bowling ball to fit through, or a human head for all that the gap in the stone did not penetrate all the way to the other side of the matter.

It stands to reason, Lotion said calmly, That a man who invests so much of his energy into forging a stronger door might sometimes forget to reinforce the wall frame that supports it.

But still you didn t go all the way through, my counterpart pointed out.

Lotion turned around and said, What is the point of being a teacher if you do all the work of your students. You ought to know by now that once a lesson has been given to you it is up to you to apply it to case examples.

My counterpart turned a non-plussed expression to me and I just shrugged and smiled then said, She s like that you get used to her methods.

I hastily moved to dodge a thrust by Lotion s staff and quickly raised my hands in a contrite expression of apology.

That lesson was for you as well, she snapped, then added in sour undertone, Honestly, my other self must be growing lax and senile in her old age. Imagine, allowing her apprentice to get this slow in grasping the basics.

Okay, Okay, I replied, sighing in unison with my other self as we turned together to regard the gap in the wall, only to stiffen in turn as we felt a wave of determination even greater than our own press at out shoulder blades, and without a word needing to be exchanged between us we got the hell out of the way of the one coming storming up the passage as Alison growled, Step aside!

Obviously she had caught enough of Lotion s lecture to grasp the obvious basics and ignored the doorway entirely, turning her superhuman force towards the gap in the wall, and with a single punch finished the work left open by Lotion s staff as no mere wall was ever designed to withstand the motherly rage of Hercule s granddaughter.

Not bad, Lotion said dryly as Alison barreled on through the doorway that she had just finished creating, Perhaps I should have taken that one under consideration as an apprentice.

Sorry, she s already taken, Beatrice said somewhat more politely as she followed up in her black battle armor (which I had to admit flattered her form to good effect), leaving me only a moment to wonder just when she had joined up with our team as I could have sworn that we had left her behind back in Nerima.

We did not waste any more time than we had to in following through the gap in the wall and found ourselves shortly thereafter in another chamber where Alison was standing with hands on hips glaring around at what looked like a very large pit at the center of the tower. I immediately understood how the stairs that we had followed looped around this central fissure, but what alarmed me most was the sight of several dangling chains hovering out over empty space with a certain instinctual sense that someone had been there a time ago, and without needing to consult my intuitive perception of the time flow I knew at once that this had been where the Archmage had been holding the missing children.

Do not be afraid, Lotion said aloud for our benefit, The children, as yet, are unharmed but the same is not so certain for the one who has instigated their temporary incarceration.

You got that right, Alison said as she kissed one fist then smacked it into the palm of her other hand with a sound that echoed off the walls with explosive repercussions, Especially when I get my hands on the bastard.

Control your temper, Alison, the armored Beaatrice urged, No good can come from acting rashly at the center of an enemy s citadel though if you do see the fellow in question, be sure to convey our mutual bad wishes.

Alison glanced to the side and said, The Battle Bot again, Beiko?  
I thought you weren t gonna use that thing until you d gotten your stamina back up to normal.

It is true that the last time I used this the effect was somewhat of a strain, Beatrice replied, But you were taking so long that I decided to send this remote unit forward in order to get a grasp on the progress that you were making in retrieving our daughter.

I m working on it, all right? Alison growled in the manner of a henpecked mate, Just hope that thing of yours has the bugs worked out on its combat mode because this guy has got a lot of flunkies that need pounding, and some of them are even giving me a real workout.

I saw Lotion turn her head abruptly to one side and knew from experience that this implied something significant so I immediately asked, Sensei?

She seemed only mildly ruffled that I was addressing her as I would her counterpart but said, I sense the presence of the Elder and of several of the others who were entrapped from the first assault team.

Where are they? my counterpart immediately snapped, looking as ready to spring to the attack as Ranma himself would be in her place.

That way past that stone barricade, which is actually a concealed never mind, my mentor s counterpart hastily amended as Alison surged forward and-not bothering to check for traps and hidden latches-burst through the wall as though it were made of Styrofoam,  
rendering the question moot and proving for one and all her heroic ancestral connections.

She is most effective, I said dryly as I peered at the dust and rubble created in the wake of the redheaded dynamo s passage.

She does have her uses, my own counterpart remarked a bit dryly.

She does indeed, the armored Beatrice replied with a sly smirk,  
But that is for me to know and you ladies to guess about, and she promptly followed in the wake of her chosen life partner, her possessive tone denoting her absolute confidence in Alison and her ability to resolve problems by taking big ones and making them little.

Of course, as I would have pointed out myself had I been afforded the chance, sometimes rash behavior had its share of hidden risks as Alison promptly discovered when she tripped some of those traps that had been lurking in the lurch for someone rash enough to trip them up in total disregard of the consequences that they yielded.

We caught up with Alison balanced precariously over a sheer drop pit with her hands outstretched and grasping a series of spikes from the wall that narrowly missed impaling her from the sides, and while she might have been tough enough to withstand a glancing blow from those deadly implements my own instincts inclined me to believe that she would have been severely pained and pinched in the subsequent crossfire had she not twisted her body and managed to dodge a direct penetrating strike against her toughened hide by these magically enhanced (and poisonously tipped) barbs that might have given even her a thorough perforation.

Beatrice was instantly appalled and cried, Aiko what are you doing?

What does it look like I m doing to you? Alison grunted back while trying not to breathe too hard since expanding her lungs would have been rather painful in her current situation, Trying out a new exercise position?

We don t have time for you to be screwing around and making us both look foolish, Beatrice declared, and with no further preamble raised her gauntleted hands and fired off energy bursts that melted through the barbs or shattered them from a sidelong angle, leaving Alison with nothing to support her over the fall but for a snaking cable that Beatrice shot out from both palms that caught her up and broke her fall altogether.

At least she s found the significant traps that we had to contend with, I pointed out, glancing around and surveying the corridor beyond before noting in passing, I perceive the presence of Elder Cologne and the others but I m not picking up the presence of Ranma.

I believe he is presently in a different location, Elder Lotion murmured in that manner that we Lore Masters use to convey uncertainty while pretending to be even more prescient than we are over things we sense more than perceive directly, And given how dangerous it would be to contain him with his present mastery of Elemental magics, coupled with his knowledge of the Senkens

Right, my counterpart said impatiently, In other words Ranchan is probably fighting for his life even now and needs me to come to his side so we can kick the butt of this evil wizard.

I noted the passionate undertone of her remark as it implied a degree of partnership very different (yet no less intense) than what I shared with my Ranma, but I sympathized with her anxiety levels and her unstated belief that her significant male partner could not expect to fare as well without her as with her backing his play.

After all, the one thing that Ranma in any timeline seems incapable of doing is to keep himself out of trouble.

I perceived that Kasumi was approaching her presence was even more unmistakable than my own beloved older sister due to the potency of the aura she manifested, and with her the lesser (yet still quite significant)  
resonance of the man-monster named Frank was trailing along at a good clip in my sister s formidable wake.

I scanned even deeper and determined that Perfume and Keiko-san were making good time of their own, finishing up on those opponents foolish enough to attempt to block their forward passage. I estimated their arrival was within another minute but beyond this I found it difficult to probe since there was a heavy interference field blanketing the castle and making it difficult to isolate the life signs of our missing counterparts from the first assault team.

Beyond the fact that they were very near I could discern little.  
Likewise for the real targets of our current battle since that trio of scamps were keeping on the move, but there was no mistaking the strength of their vitality, which reassured me that they were still very much alive (and doing a fair bit of butt-kicking in the process).

As for the wizard himself he was definitely very much in essence,  
but since his magic infused the place it tended to defuse the intensity of his own life signs, making it difficult to isolate him, though by what impulses I could sort out I sensed that he was in a world of pain and hurt at the moment, for which I could hardly claim not to enjoy a certain level of vicarious interest.

Obviously my expression as I glanced around attempting to sort out the impressions that I was receiving caught the attention of my counterpart,  
who asked, What is it?

We are not alone, I replied, In fact we are very near to completing our quest.

Never mind all that! Alison said impatiently, Where the hell are our kids? And where s that dumb soon-to-be-dead bastard who took them from us!

Patience, Aiko-chan, Beatrice urged, No doubt we will encounter him shortly since we have made it to the heart of his inner sanctum

Almost on cue there was a loud noise as an upper section of a nearby wall burst outwardly, pelting us with minor debris as the larger chunks of stone fell away into the pit, and then a body came tumbling out onto the stone floor, landing with a sound not unlike a sack of potatoes being dumped unceremoniously into our midst.

We just collectively stared in surprise for a moment at the groaning mass of bruises, and then Beatrice dead-panned a bland, You see? There he is now, just as I predicted.

Not exactly, I said coyly while glancing up at the section of wall that had been rudely busted by great force and caught the furtive look of three cherubic faces peering over the edge to insure their handiwork, then just as quickly ducking out of sight when the others followed my stare and glanced the same direction.

I smiled a bit as I realized that the kids were trying to downplay their obvious formidable talents in order to keep from alarming their parents about just how advanced they were for their relatively delicate ages. I understood that Jusenkyo-influenced children such as Lylac and Fragrance were maturing at roughly twice the rate of growth that should be typical with their relative age groups, while Eileen was definitely on a par with her semi-divine heritage, and the legends about Olympian offspring gave ample testament to just what sort of a handful she would no doubt prove to be as she got older.

After all, her great-grandfather was alleged to have strangled a pair of poisonous snakes when still in his crib, an early foretaste of his career as a monster hunter and a prime reason why he tends to get better press clippings than the majority of his full-divine kinfolk.

Perhaps it would not be too far out of place here to suggest that the growth factor applying to my counterpart s offspring was nature s way of insuring that they lived to reach maturity since the universe at large might be sufficiently alarmed at discovering what burgeoning talents were nurturing at ample Amazon breasts, and there are certain dark forces that do not like or approve of humans with their talents, who no doubt would try and do something about them to avoid a future confrontation.

Perhaps the fates had learned a lesson in Ranma s case, that a developing Nexus with his talents would definitely shake up the world, and with Lylac a Nexus in development the future was definitely looking very interesting for this timeline.

But at any rate the presence of the bruised and battered wizard in our midst inspired my counterpart to seek to take advantage of his obvious state of incapacitation, so she reached down to pick him up and hold him at arms length, giving him a good shake for measure to insure that she had his full, undivided attention before launching into her opening bargaining position.

Listen you! she snarled, We ve got you dead to rights, and you re going to surrender to us here and now or we re really going to get nasty!

I had a sudden flash of intense alarm as I saw Shang-Kwan snap out of his momentary daze since whatever had been cutting off the flow of Ki into his body was no longer in effect. The power swelled up inside of him and I could feel him drawing on a spell that surged to life almost before I had a chance to react to his maneuver.

There was no time to shout a warning as I tried to flow into motion,  
accelerating my body to several times the normal speed that bone and muscle could manifest, but even so I knew I would be too late as the wizard unleashed his fury point-blank at my counterpart.

I managed to break his hold by inserting myself like a wedge into the space between the both of them, but not before my other self absorbed a dangerous amount of elemental magical energy, and she gave back with a scream of intense pain as the power erupted all over her body, bursting into flames that would have consumed a normal woman into ashes within the space of a few seconds.

I, of course, had altered my own state to form a highly resistant counter-flow that washed the rest of his spell energies off of my hide like the proverbial paradigm of water off a duck s back. It was a bit painful,  
of course, but well within the range of what I could handle, and I did what I could to deflect as much of the force back at the Archmage, but not sufficiently strong to do him serious injury as he merely stepped back and absorbed the counter-flow, looking intensely furious at being denied the kill that he was seeking.

Beatrice snapped into motion to assist the other Nabiki by blanketing her with a foam that extinguished much of the fire, leaving her badly burned and blistered but otherwise very much alive while the rest of the dangerous elemental energy radiated from her agonized hide without doing more internal damage. I winced in pained sympathy for her plight, having a vivid enough memory of what it felt like to be cooked, but I had to school myself to facing down the greater menace of an enemy whose strength was intensifying, and who was still very much a danger to one and all if not checked in very short order.

Alison, of course, had attempted to do just that with him but was rebuffed with a wave of his hand as he quite literally swatted her aside,  
sending her tumbling wildly towards the pit that was a sheer dead fall.

Somehow Alison managed to tumble and grasp hold of the ledge before going all the way over, but that left her momentarily out of commission as she had to extricate herself from the pitfall. That left just me and Lotion to confront the dangerous wizard who was seething with fury and looking very much like he wanted to vent his wrath at the most available targets.

I did not need to ask my mentor s counterpart if we would be enough to deter the threat this fellow posed. Lore Masters are conduits for knowledge and wisdom, and we channel natural energies through thought and dynamic impulse, but the swelling intensity of the magical inferno that I felt raging inside this guy was more than anything I had ever personally matched myself against. I felt certain that even the demon Cybelle would find him more than a challenge to go up against though possibly Ganglot could take him if it were not for the restrictions that were placed upon her powers by the nature of the Yggdrasil system.

But then I felt a power far more intense than Shang-Kwan lash out and strike him where he stood with channeled lightning bolts that bathed him briefly and made his skeleton illuminate from beneath his torn and battered robes.

And a voice unlike any I had heard from the lips of my beloved older sister declared, HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY IMOTOCHAN?

Shang-Kwan turned to confront Kasumi, but the enraged goddess that she was did not give him a chance to form a reply as her hands quite literally glowed with energy that she unleashed upon him in the form of magical lightning. He was bathed briefly in a wash of energy that made the nape hairs stand up on the back of my head, and I found it impossible to believe that anything human could withstand the forces that she unleashed upon him.

Even I had to glance away to spare my eye sockets from such fury,  
and the fact that Shang-Kwan was not reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes alone was a testimony to the resiliency of an Archmage.

Still and all her attack drove him to his knees as he momentarily prostrated himself before Kasumi, who stood there regarding him imperiously as though he were some lowly form of insect, and I saw the hulking Frank nervously tip-toe his way around her as if himself surprised at seeing the way his normally demure and highly feminine girlfriend was taking on a role more in keeping with a heavenly avenger.

Whoah Doll face where did that come from? he wondered.

He hurt Nabiki, Kasumi said more coldly than I could ever recall from the lips of my own Kasumi.

Not quite

We turned around and saw what Beatrice was informing us about, and to even my surprise we saw my counterpart standing there in handsome male aspect examining his own body as the reddish blisters were vanishing before even his own eyes, leaving skin intact as even the clothes upon his body were repairing themselves in a matter of instants.

Of course, I heard my mentor s counterpart remark, That body is an Akashic projection, remember? So long as Lord Anri is standing watch over her true form he can absorb any attack and instrument self-repair without any real damage being permanently effected to her person.

I see so there are powerful forces aligned against me to prevent my ascension, Shang-Kwan said as he started to straighten out and regain his imperious posture.

Kasumi glared at him and her outstretched hands shot electrical fire, but this time he caught and deflected her energies with a hastily erected spell, smiling all the while as his own eyes started to glow with a fire erupting from within.

You are indeed quite formidable, Goddess, he said, But your inexperience in the use of your abilities is telling and I am an Archmage.  
I acknowledge the supremacy of no being, God, Demon or Mortal.

And then he spoke words in a language that even I had never heard of before, but which alarmed my mentor s counterpart sufficiently that she raised her staff and cried, EVERYONE LOOK AWAY! just instants before a bomb blast went off within our midst.

I could sense that my mentor was trying to erect a barrier, and since her understanding of such things exceeded my own I immediately linked myself to her and transmitted the bulk of my personal energy into reinforcing her play. I think she was grateful for the assist because the next instant the two of us were being assaulted by a wave of searing energy that would have flattened everyone in the room had we not been braced for the attack, and even then it was a near thing as it picked up everyone else and sent them flying in every other direction.

Frank reacted instinctively to thrust himself behind Kasumi so that he could use his greater bulk to shelter her as the two of them were slammed into a wall many meters distant. Beatrice and Nabiki were a bit less lucky as they had no one to shelter them in the same manner, but some sort of force field protected them both as Beatrice took the brunt of the assault and managed to outride it.

Shang-Kwan reared up at the center of the chamber when the effect of his spell subsided and he looked mad enough to spit out nails as he declared, YOU ARE ALL DEAD AS OF THIS-

That was when the hissing sound filled the air, and a moment later a thrown battleaxe struck him full in the chest and managed to stagger him backwards as it caromed off whatever protective shielding he managed to erect at the very last instant. He seemed as surprised as anyone as the one who had thrown it calmly entered the room, flanked by her adoptive Great Grandmother (who seems to have a few frayed edges around that illusion of old age that she normally manifests) and the rest of our missing crew entered the scene looking poised and ready to unleash hell in their own distinctive manner.

You are late, Cologne said with a side-glance towards Elder Lotion, I was expecting you to get here well before this troublesome cad could prove to be such a problem.

My apologies, Elder, Lotion replied, But one does what they can to play out the roll that they are given over to by the fates.

So this is the guy who s caused everybody so much headache, eh? Keiko said to the sound of cracking knuckles.

But my counterpart was more sharp in picking up the obvious and asked, Where s Ranma?

I fear we do not know this, Tatewaki Kuno replied, He was singled out earlier for attention by yon miscreant and we have been unable to attend to the matter as we were detained until now in his foul dungeons.

You want to know where your missing companion is? Shang-Kwan demanded hotly, raising his hands in preparation for another spell, Fine,  
then I will show you to the same fate as I what? he paused and glanced sidelong as though sensing something were amiss, as I could perceive that it was with my own particular senses.

That was when the air crackled and hissed and suddenly formed a circular hole that expanded out like a donut-shaped torus, and through this gap appeared the missing Saotome Ranma, large as life and looking no worse for wear, and as ready to kick but as any time that my own husband had ever had a mad-on to his credit

Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Karma Unleashed: shadowmane ...

Or: shadowmane747 ... or shadowmane9849 ...

Very sorry that it has taken so long to get back to doing this series, almost three years as a point of fact, or slightly longer by a year than the time that I was employed at Home Depot as a Garden Associate and Assembler, which kept me pretty busy on the whole and with less creative energies than I would have preferred to have on the whole. I got tied up doing AVST but dropped that for a time due to lack of comments from you readers. I m back to doing both series while looking for alternative work,  
and I hope to get the next chapter going very soon in spite of the time I have to divert doing a job search.

Never let anyone tell you that we have low unemployment and inflation. Prices have risen by more than 25% in the space of two years while millions of people are not being counted as unemployed who do not have full time employment, and meanwhile billions are being wasted on no-bid contracts on the other side of the world, and people are dying in a war that should never have even been started.

And that s just the political end of what has happened while I was busy doing other projects. I am still at work on my long-running comic book series, SYRENS, which has topped 463 pages to date. I hope to set up an independent website to make it available to wider viewing, but for now it can be viewed in installments upon request.

I also have a novel in the works that I m submitting to a publisher that encapsulates my personal life philosophy, THE DISCOVERY OF EVERYTHING,  
THE CREATION OF NOTHING. I ll keep you posted if it gets accepted.

In the meantime stay tuned for the next installment of A Tale of Two Wallets wherein we see the final confrontation between the Tendo Pose and Shang Kwan, and there will be surprises a plenty in the course of this adventure that I have tentatively titled, Fire, Flood and Faxing, or, A Wrinkle in Thyme. Be there!

X


	147. Chapter 147

At long, long last this chapter is finally ready...and I hope you guys think it was worth the wait...

Jim.

xxx

NabikiRan131

Ranma and Nabiki,

A Tale of Two Wallets!

by Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,  
with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use her take a bow wherever you re at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-One.

Thought Without Motion.

The sound of gentle music disturbed Tatewaki in the midst of his deep meditations. The sound was not repeated, nor did it need to be as he had made it explicitly clear to his latest secretary that he did not like being disturbed at this hour of the day, which meant that whatever had prompted the violation of his dictum had to be of penultimate importance or else

Or else he was going to have to notify the Temp agency that yet another of their employees would not be available for service due to an unfortunate accident on the job and that Kuno industries would be paying out benefits to their next of kin, as it had done with the three previous secretaries sent to fill the space no longer occupied by a longtime member of the company.

Kuno believed in the harsh principle that a Daimyo ruled his fief by insuring that no member of his immediate staff was unqualified for his or her duties. After all, the weakest link in any chain insured its failure,  
and a blade that was not properly tempered would cut only so sharp when used in a battle.

And Tatewaki had no illusions about it, he was in a fight for his life and for the survival of his family holdings and could not bear to be disturbed by anything less than a significant crisis bearing upon his larger mission objectives.

He took several deep breaths to emerge from the third stage of his meditation and then he opened his eyes and scowled a bit in consternation.  
If it were Lady Cybelle calling he would not hesitate to answer her summons,  
but to no one else did he feel so indebted that he would bend the knee or compromise his few treasured indulgences. Meditation helped him to maintain his calm equilibrium while dealing with fools who could annoy him and everyone on his personal staff was well aware of just how dangerous it was to annoy their lord and master as he was quick to demonstrate his wrath and not the least bit hesitant about using extreme examples in order to insure their swift compliance to his authority and will.

He rose from his meditation tami and crossed the space to his desk then deactivated the privacy call block and said, Hai?

Lord Kuno, it was his personal adjuctant, Hiroshi Kansato, a man not known for screwing around with petty nonsense, You wished to be informed on the occasion of a certain event. Agents in the field inform me that said event is happening and that the Nerima Crossing should be brought to your immediate notice.

Kuno nodded slightly and frowned even more. So, it was finally coming to pass his former rival and his foreign-born wife were about to become parents. As anticipated, this would prove to be of great interest to the Mistress.

Understood, Kuno replied, Continue operations and await my arrival. Have my limo parked and ready for my descent.

My lord, you will forgive me for being presumptuous, but I have already taken the liberty of having one prepared, and the driver has been briefed on the important details.

Kuno nodded grimly and smiled without humor, And the other matter?

The Florist has delivered on time, there was the barest pause before adding, Shall I inform your sister of these events?

Kuno appreciated the delicacy with which his subordinate raised the issue of Kodachi, but on this matter Tatewaki saw no advantage to be gained in stooping to pettiness and so he said, Of course. Her companion is involved as well and they would think me remiss not to pass along such vital information.

Of course, Sir, it will be done as you will.

Kuno s grim smile deepened as he broke the connection then turned to regard the portrait of his father hanging at the far end of the room.  
Naturally it was painted at a time when the old man had still retained some measure of his sanity and could actually have been thought of as a respectable patriarch for their clan, before his madness had forced Tatewaki to have the fool committed elsewhere.

His father would not approve of him or what he was doing at this moment, but considering how hard Tatewaki had labored to repair the damage his father had wrought upon their family the internal and external power struggles for control over Kuno enterprises he could hardly weigh his old man s opinion that greatly in his pursuit of greater power and influence for the Kuno name.

The one factor that troubled him was his old family retainer,  
Sasuke. Despite the obvious betrayal that the little man had performed in taking Kodachi s side over Tatewaki there was still some lingering sentimentality in the way of doing that which was necessary to secure the future of the company. Even his deepening association with Cybelle had not totally erased the feelings of deep appreciation that Tatewaki still felt for the man who had all but raised him in the absence of parental supervision

He shook his head to dismiss such nonsense. He had a duty to perform, one that would insure the future for their family enterprise and remove any need for a personal mentor as Tatewaki firmly asserted total control over their holdings. And all he had to do was attend to a few trivial affairs, crushing the last lingering resistance in his path to glory, and then then he would truly be his own Master, a force to be reckoned with and closer to an even footing with his current Mistress, and then

Then they would see which of them was truly the Master, and at such a time Tatewaki would put everything that he had learned into play, and Cybylle would see indeed that he was the match of any man she had ever known and perhaps then it would be she who would call him the Master

Nabiki s Journal Continues:

There was obvious relief in Ramna s eyes as he saw us, though I could hardly blame him for the momentary disorientation where he looked at me and then glanced at the now-masculine other version of myself, and I could not help but wonder how it would have been with myself in his situation.

Even if having him in the same room as Keiko Arigami was tantamount to the same thing in principle, even granted that my husband s feminine half would never run around calling herself a sex-slave, let alone the property of Kodachi.

Kwan, he glared as he turned his focus back towards the bad guy.

You? Shang-Kwan gasped like a stock villain out of central casting, How did you escape? It s impossible! The Void never gives back what it takes, never!

First time for everything, you cocky bastard, Ranma snorted as he squared his stance and without turning away he said, You okay there,  
Kaneda-kun? Per-chan? Everybody else?

All right now that you re here, Ran-chan, my counterpart replied,  
and I have to concede it was a bit disconcerting to recognize the thrill his voice inspired in me as it dripped with as much sensual magnetism as the sight of his rippling pectorals.

Right where we are, Husband, Perfume said while retrieving one of her two deadly axes.

Shang-Kwan turned around to face Ranma and said, I know not how you escaped, but if you think that you and your petty rabble are going to take me down then you are sadly mistaken.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ranma said while flexing his shoulders and making the motions of warming up for a fight, which he had to know was deeply annoying to an egotistical jerk like the one he was facing, You re all tough and everything, you beat up on little kids and lock people away to get your jollies, I get all that, okay?

I saw a twitch on Shang-Kwan s face at the mention of little kids, and thought with irony how everyone would react if they were to find out just who had been doing the beating, but before things could proceed any further than they had there was a noise rather like a burp, and then the space where the ring of fire had appeared suddenly spat out a pair of comely female forms, both naked, one golden hued and the other distinctly pale purple.

Now I had no difficulty discerning that these two were other than human, but even so I found my eyes uncomfortably sizing up their obvious charms as they lay sprawled on top of one another with the look of a pair of very satisfied ladies, their energies swirling together in a way that informed me that they had been engaged in a type of hanky panky that mere mortals could not hope to enjoy, being that having a solid body would tend to get in the way of quite literally merging your essence with another in the sort of sensual way that I was definitely catching vibes about, enough so that even I felt the effect and had to school myself not to betray a sympathetic shudder.

Oh wow the purple hued Void elemental girl said from where they lay awkwardly sprawled upon the floor, the golden girl laying atop her like a willing blanket, That was definitely something different

You think? the golden Sylph girl purred into her ear before leaning forward and nibbling on the purple girl s lobe, And that s only the beginning if you want to stick around and share space with the Master.

The purple one turned to the golden one and their lips almost touched as she said, If you had told me you could do stuff like that when we first meet then it would have saved us both a lot of trouble..

Why spoil the surprise, the blonde said in a low murmur as their lips brushed together, And that s just the beginning, I promise

What the hell? Frank asked, summarizing our thoughts as all eyes were turned with questioning looks towards Ranma.

Ah I can explain everything, Ranma hastily said, Sobriel meet the family. Guys meet Sobriel. She s ah kind of what they call a Void elemental

Another one? Mousse asked.

Saotome-san, Natsume said with a side-glance at her adoptive sister, the other Nabiki, Just what have you been up to?

That s what I want to know, my counterpart growled tersely.

This ought to be good, Perfume said in deceptive dead-pan, though I could tell from her kittenish eyes how this sexy Amazon Enforcer was eyeing her husband with a particularly predatory expression.

Slave! Shang-Kwan barked out harshly, What is the meaning of this betrayal?

Oh shut up, you, the purple haired girl said, and then she and the blonde flowed and dissolved, then swirled around several times before reforming in totally nude human form as they glared together at the Archmage, You re not my Master any more Master Ranma is my new Lord and Master!

Ranma was grimacing at the look this earned from many in the room,  
but the girl named Keiko sounded definitely approving as she whistled and murmured, Whoah you stud.

As I glanced about the room I saw the expressions of the others of our team form a variety of complex emotions ranging from my counterpart s jealous glare (and yeah, it was a bit freaky to see a male version of me radiating intensely sensual vibes towards another guy who just happened to be the counterpart of my own husband) to a disapproving scowl on her adoptive sister, Natsume. Her younger sister, Kurumi, was a bit harder to puzzle out as she was neither jealous nor hostile but obviously did have concerns about how her brother-in-law s actions were reflecting on his family as a whole.

But of all there none seemed more upset than Ran-chan s half-brother, Ryoga, who glared at my husband s counterpart with equal parts of outrage and resentment.

Ranma what have you been doing while the rest of us have been held here as prisoners? Ryoga barked harshly, and I could tell he was struggling with mingled issues of his own that were equal parts of concern for what a Lathario Ranma was turning out to be and a fair amount of jealousy since he did not have any similar elemental allies making his own life complicated..

How dare you speak that way to me you disrespectful Bitch! Shang-Kwan said with an angry gesture, but where the power at his command lashed out it suddenly found Ranma in the way, interposing himself before the two elemental girls as he made rapid motion with both hands and caused the energy to drain away into the space between his fingers.

Don t you even think about trying to hurt her! Ranma snarled while crouching in a way that I found quite fascinating, obviously having something to do with these forbidden techniques Uncle Genma called the Senkens, You ain t getting your mitts on her or anybody else, you got that?

Foolish boy, Shang-Kwan said in contempt, We have already done this dance before, and you are not even worthy of my serious attention.

He made another gesture but Ranma s hands went into motion and caused the air around him to swirl and form a kind of lens-like funnel, and then Ranma stabbed forward with his right hand while simultaneously cooling down the intensity of his Ki by several factors and I could feel the force of his personality rise up behind the power of his will as he reached out with his Ki and formed a connection grounded on the very spell that Kwan himself was casting, and suddenly I could feel the draw, like a sucking energy as the counterpart to my man created a bubble inside his own very being.

Kwan s outstretched arms were suddenly frozen in the act of casting a spell, and his eyes went wide with shock and surprise as he felt his own energies being reshaped as a swirling vortex of air, and through the center of this straw-like funnel the power started to flow one way as Ranma pulled it in by the sheer force of his ego.

What what are you ? Kwan gasped in astonishment.

Surprised? I could feel the tension in Ranma as he fought to hold his ground in their tug of war of wills, Got the idea while I was in that Void place and now I know how to beat you at your own game, you stupid bastard!

I confess it, I was as stunned as anyone there to see Ranma asserting himself with so much force and determination, and I m hardly a novice where it comes to reckoning the stubborn nature of a Saotome. I could see the lines of force swirling about both men and knew well that-as an Archmage-Shang-Kwan had gained his power by the forging of many pacts between himself and many an eldritch power while Ranma had trained and disciplined himself to be a master of both martial arts and elemental magics that were far more raw and basic yet just as effective in determining which man had the better leverage for plying his arts to better effect.

Plus the fact that Ranma had the twin advantages of novelty and surprise on his side meant that-by opening the gap between them-Kwan had just commited a classical and possibly fatal error by attacking Ranma.

After all the raw basic essence of the art has always been the skill in turning an opponent s strength against him, and by means of one s own inner strength forcing the laws of nature to bend around you in accordance with your own imagination.

Kwan fought wildly to break the link that was forming between them,  
but he was off balance and had no means of countering the very spell that he himself had cast. And then he gasped as flames burst forth from both of his hands, and all at once I saw a globe of fire shape itself into a woman as it left the Archmage s body and flowed effortlessly into Ranma.

He took the woman into himself and seemed to grow a bit in statue,  
his voice more confident as he said, I knew that you were stealing their energies for yourself and that was a mistake! You left an opening, and now I ve got you!

Stop how can you give that back! all at once Kwan seemed to be sweating, or melting, but then a globe of water flew out from his body and took the shape of a blue woman, who entered Ranma s body and caused the fire within him to balance out abruptly.

That s two now for Nagisha! Ranma growled, and with redoubled effort he drew on more energy, and suddenly a blast of sand left Kwan and flowed across the space, solidifying mid-way into the form of a very attractive dark-haired woman, who once again entered Ranma s body.

Our turn, the blonde said to her purple companion, and with mutual smiles they dissolved their bodies and flowed into Ranma, fortifying him with their strength and their essence.

Kwan fell to the floor as the vortex between them dissolved, and suddenly he was the one who was looking diminished. He gasped and whimpered out, How how did you ?

I m the Master of the Senkens, Asshole, Ranma exclaimed while flexing his arms and baring his sleeves to show the mobile tattoos that now covered them once again, I trained myself and earned the right to use them.  
I m not saying it s right to own people or have them call you Master and all of that, but my girls are my friends, and I d rather die than let you have a single one of them to yourself! You ain t taking any more of their energies, and if you try I ll kill you.

Whoah, Frank remarked with no little irony, Even in my ears that sounds scary.

Ranma well done, little brother, Kasumi said with a smile of congratulations.

Well played, old friend, Tatewaki Kuno said with a nod of approval that the Tatewaki of my world would never have duplicated.

Masterfully accomplished, Natsume mused.

Not bad, Bro, Ryoga sniffed.

But we re still gonna have a talk about this habit you ve got of picking up strays, the other Nabiki warned, and I found myself sympathizing both with her and her version of Ranma.

Well, now that the crisis at hand appears to have subsided, Beatrice glanced around, then at her wrist as she said, We still have to find our missing angels.

Yeah, and thanks for the hand pulling me up out of that thing, Alison growled at her wife as she dusted herself off and glanced down at a hand, I think I broke a nail when I fell after that last explosion,  
and OOOOOFFF! she reacted as a tiny redheaded figure impacted with her abdomen.

Mommy, mommy! You came to save us! the little imp named Eileen said, and I thought she was laying it on a bit thick with the I m just a little kid act, though there was no denying the relief she genuinely felt at being reunited with her parents.

Mommy! both Lylac and Fragrance said in chorus as they came rushing into the room, careful to avoid getting too near to Kwan or to interpose themselves in the line of possible danger as they flocked around my counterpart s legs and hugged them tightly, causing the male version of me to reach down and rub their heads in an affectionate manner.

Hey you two, my counterpart said, Have you been keeping yourselves out of trouble while Daddy and I came looking for you?

That will be the day, I heard Perfume murmur, and I suspect that she was less taken in by the pretense of youthful innocence manifested by their daughters.

So what do we do with the creep? Kurumi asked of the now-hapless Archmage.

Good question, Mousse said, eyeing the Archmage with wary contempt, He may be down but he s not done completely, and I know a thing or two about Archmages.

You are right, Cologne said, We cannot let our guard down for even an instant.

Oh, I think I know of a means of keeping him in line, Lotion murmured as she moved up to the fallen Archmage, with me maneuvering tactfully to keep near in hand just in case the fellow tried something, You do know, Shang-Kwan, that you are presently out mastered, outnumbered and at a disadvantage. If you choose not to cooperate the consequences for you will be most unfortunate, as even you must concede at this point.

I saw the proud glare in his eyes as he growled at her, You think I am defeated this easily? You underestimate my power

Oh no, to the contrary, Elder Lotion replied, I understand entirely what sort of a man you are and how you will never stop trying to gain the power that you believe is yours by right, even if you must steal it away from others. But would even you wish to risk your fortunes if we were to leave you at the mercy, of say the very charges whom you thought to use for your evil ambitions?

I saw a look of dread cross the man s eyes, and then I heard my counterpart remark, You know now that you mention it, Ranchan and I have been thinking of recruiting the services of a good housekeeper someone to take care of the kids when the wives and us are out enjoying a night on the town.

You wouldn t dare? Kwan shuddered abruptly.

Try me, my masculine counterpart glared, So the question to ask is how much are you willing to pay me to take them back?

For a moment Shang-Kwan s lip curled in dismay, but then he glared hotly and started to rise up to his feet, only to feel the press of a slender hand against his neck, which froze him in place altogether.

Never mind the negotiations, a new arrival on the scene said coolly, and I felt the hackles on my arm hairs stand on end as I looked up and saw the person I least expected to be here taking command over the matter, This fool and I have unsettled business of our own that needs conducting.

Cologne gasped and moved back into the shadow of her granddaughters while I saw Frank wince somewhat as the others reacted with dismay, all save for Lotion, who alone seemed unsurprised at the appearance of the blonde haired Amazon known as Siren the Archmage.

Kwan s face now lost all pretense of arrogance and condescension as he was lifted from the floor with ridiculous ease, and his eyes alone moved in his suddenly pallid face as he regarded the beautiful buxom woman in the Harem costume as though he were in the literal presence of the very devil.

Grandmother? Mousse gasped, What are you doing here?

That s your grandmother? Kurumi asked with a round-eyed expression.

I came at the invitation of an old friend and at the behest of my own grandfather, Siren replied as she gave the limp and motionless Kwan a studied expression, And he is very much upset with you old friend as are the other members of the ruling Council of the White Circle. We have been hearing very disturbing reports of your recent activities and now I find that you are trying to murder young members of my clan in order to steal their powers including my own great-granddaughter? For shame.

What are you going to do with him? Natsume asked in lieu of my counterpart or myself asking the question.

That is a very good question, is it not? Siren said, You have been a very bad boy, Kwan, and you know something? I ve been wanting to have this chat with you for some time now, but I would never have been able to get close enough to you to do this were it not for the efforts of these young ones. My thanks to them for bringing down your barriers and dispatching with your elemental servants.

Ah right, my counterpart said nervously, as much taken by the dangerous hint of anger in the tone of the blonde as she held the immobile Kwan as though he were a mere child in need of scolding.

Now, I suppose I could present you to the Council or inform the Sorcerer Supreme about your recent activities, Siren continued, But I am pretty sure that I already know what they will have to say about all that.  
You are a dangerous element who has grown too proud and reckless, and you threaten to bring down all of us in your mad quest for absolute power, so if I gave you a chance you could steal back more energy and try this whole thing all over again that is, if I allowed you the freedom.

Kwan s eyes shifted in panic mode to Lotion and he desperately gasped, Is it too late to reconsider that offer of housekeeping?

Indeed it is, Lotion said with a pitiless look of serene dismissal.

Much too late for you, Siren concluded.

As she said this I could sense the energies in the room congealing dangerously about this world s version of the Amazon Archmage, but now she conjured up a circle of light that formed up behind Kwan, and with barely an effort she tossed him through the gap then sealed it up behind him, leaving all of us with a brief glance of a place that was full of light yet had the look of a swirling hell, which sucked up even the screams that Kwan had attempted to manifest, leaving only silence in his wake as though he were not even a memory as the gap disappeared, leaving us all in the resultant darkness.

Now then, Siren said with a bright smile as she turned to regard me, You are the Lore Master version of my granddaughter s new Husband? My,  
my and such a lovely catch indeed, and so talented. And you she suddenly turned a grin towards an anxious looking Ranma, I ve got my eye on you, my dear fellow. Very nicely played indeed you and I will have to have a private chat sometime about initiating you into the real mysteries of an apprentice Archmage.

Apprentice Archmage? Ranma blinked.

Grandmother? Perfume looked at the blonde with a non-plussed expression.

Well, after all a new vacancy in our ranks appears to have opened up rather suddenly, Siren said while spreading her arms wide, Twelve is the traditional number for members of the council, and since we re now minus one we re a bit short-handed. Besides anybody who could do what you did to Kwan is definitely a fellow I mean to study in further detail.

Study how? my counterpart glared, only to find Siren eyeing her in a disturbingly intimate manner.

Ah now at last I understand what they ve been telling me, my sources, Siren mused, You are indeed handsome enough to temp even me into expressing an interest.

Ah suddenly it was the male Nabiki who was looking somewhat uneasy,  
and enduring questioning looks from both Perfume and her version of Ranma.

Ah now Siren paused, glancing towards where Cologne was standing off in the corner, Something different about you today, Kho-chan. I can t quite put my finger on it but I d almost say you look better than you usually do which, come to think of it, would be true under most regular occasions.

Cologne winced while I thought to myself how much alike our two worlds were in some details, and I refrained from blowing her cover since I knew perfectly well the size of the torch that Siren was carrying over her first true girlfriend.

My thanks for your prompt response to my request for your services,  
Elder, Lotion said serenely, seeming to enjoy the pained look this brought to Cologne s face, though Siren gave her a sour glance of her own as if refusing the invitation for a baiting.

Puh-leeze, the blonde haired enchantress snorted, Don t call me an Elder you make it sound like I was old or something, and I m barely over three hundred and twenty. Besides, I m grateful for the chance to settle accounts with that bastard. So I guess, having done my Deus Ex Machina thing for the day, it s time I be moving on. Be good, people, and don t do anything I wouldn t do whatever that is. Oh and grandfather wants to see you two just as soon as you wind things up here, she said the last part with a glance in my and Lotion s direction.

Be assured my the apprentice of my other self will be attending to her duties once matters here have been fully concluded, I caught the slight hesitation in Elder Lotion s voice and wondered if I were imagining that she actually did think of me as her own apprentice, As for the rest I believe our business in this place is done with.

Fair enough, the blonde haired Siren said, And since I doubt any of you guys is packing a passport at the moment I might as well earn my keep and give you a lift back to your proper destination.

Perhaps she was just showing off but with the sudden surge of power that I felt emanating from her body I concluded rather that the Archmage considered it but a minor task to erect a portal between the castle and Nerima, because her eyes glowed and with but a wave of her outstretched hand I could feel the points in space and time being linked together and connected with an ease that would have baffled me had I but tried the same mass gesture.

Needless to say there was only a slight wrenching sensation and suddenly we were gathered about in the yard of my family s ancestral estate with many glances turned towards us from those gathered about on the porch in obvious anticipation of word of our progress.

My father was the first to speak, Saotome-san look! They are back!

About time, Tendo-kun, Uncle Genma commented from his end of the shogi board, and I could see him taking advantage of the distraction to rearrange several of the pieces, thereby proving for one and all that our two dimensions were definitely of one centralized template.

And they have the children with them, how wonderful, Aunt Nodoka said with as much confident ease as if she were commenting upon the weather.

Hey everyone, did you miss-OOOFFF! my counterpart gasped as an amorous (and decidedly pregnant) Amazon suddenly threw herself into his embrace, almost bowling him down physically while my counterpart clung to her for balance and support, trying to regain the breath that he was currently lacking.

Ukyo was a bit more modest as she came up besides Ranma and gripped his shoulder, So you guys made it back in one piece, eh Ranchan? And Per-chan nice work-MMMPPH!

That was all she got before the brown haired Amazon clamped her lips over Ukyo s own, leaving me to raise both eyebrows as I studied the complex of relationships that seem to exist between partners of their five-way union and I have to confess that in a few peculiar ways I even felt a little bit jealous.

It would seem that we have endured yet another potential crisis, Beatrice remarked as she stood beside Alison, who supported little Eileen on her shoulder as if the little ball of trouble were the lightest of possible burdens.

Yeah, but you d better get out of that thing before you have a feedback loop like that last time, Alison said while reaching out to snag her counterpart by the arm and hold it up to show where the skin had been damaged near to the shoulder and the clear white fluid leaking out that was definitely not human blood, thereby confirming what I suspected of her artificial nature.

Oh my wonder where that happened? Beatrice remarked idly as she studied her own flesh as critically as if examining a machine which,  
technically, she was at the current moment, Guess I still have a few bugs to work out of this artificial replica body. Oh well it was just another test run to work out such bugs. It s not as if the real me was ever at risk as you were, Aiko-chan.

Don t give me that, the redhead growled dangerously while leaning closer to emphasize her point, I told you before I won t stand for you taking unnecessary chances while you re still recovering from the last time.  
Do that again and I ll tie you down and sit on you in bed.

Is that a threat or a promise? Beatrice mused, and their faces were very near to kissing right there, but for the fact that they were conscious of the attention this was drawing and made a studied attempt to part ways looking somewhat indifferent.

I saw Akane waddle up to embrace her husband, and here I was struck once again by the strange ways in which our timelines had deviated since this Akane was actively bisexual and had an open relationship between her man and the odd pairing of Keiko and Kodachi. She may not have wings and was not suffering from having an overly enthusiastic divine Mother meddling in her private life, nor did she have to compete with Kino Makoto for Ukyo s affections, just as this Ryoga was not presently involved with Makoto s own best friend, Minako.

How curious the ways in which the fates had drawn us both to our relationships with our respective choices of significant others, though as a Lore Master in training I well understand that fate works in tandem with our own hidden desires, and that no one is entirely aloof to the consequences of our thoughts and actions, even if the results may prove to be somewhat different than what we actually had imagined.

Of course if I needed evidence to back this I had merely to glance at my Oneechan and the rather odd choice that she had made in a partner, who was-in effect-very much made for the role of being her hulking manly protector.

Well, I d say we chalk this one up as a win and write it off on the tally sheet, this fellow named Frank said gruffly while leaning close to Kasumi and said, You were great like always, Doll-Face. I almost think you could have taken that guy down by yourself if he hadn t cheated and used anti-clerical magic.

I am just the same grateful that everyone is all right here, Kasumi said before turning to me and saying, And your part was most helpful, Imotochan. You are very different from our Nabiki but it is clear that you are very much alike in spirit.

Indeed, Tatewaki said, You fought with courage, bravery, skill and honor, and it was an honor to stand in battle beside you.

Even if we did arrive too late to be of much help in that final battle, Natsume said with obvious regret over that issue.

I regarded her and thought with curiosity how there must indeed have been a Natsume in my world who shared with this one the kinship of a long-lost cousin, here adopted as loving sister. She and Kurumi were indeed a pair with unique gifts and specialized skills that made them as formidable as anyone in Nerima from the list of my usual friends and sparring partners,  
and once again I resolved to seek them out when time afforded me the opportunity.

I felt a gentle nudge at my side and glanced down, seeing the studious look that Elder Lotion gave me before saying, It is time we leave.

So soon? I asked. After all, I was only just beginning to learn about this strange new world and the people who were so much like the ones I knew who lived within it.

You have not forgotten that someone is expecting you? she asked with an arching of eyebrows, and belatedly I realized just who she meant and felt the urgency of before once more come upon me.

Oh right Shan-chan is having her baby my Sham-chan that is. Guys,  
I gotta go.. It s been fun and everything...

Hey, don t forget about me, the husky male version of me spoke up,  
gently extricating himself from the arms of his own Shampoo.

We would hardly do such a thing, Lotion said, Lord Anri would never forgive such a lapse in the performance of my duties.

Who s Anri? I heard Ranma ask, but for the now I knew that his question would remain unanswered as there was no time to fill him in and he would find out for himself the hard way before very long, I could well sense.

Allow me, Siren said, and with but a wave of her hand that sense of transition once more came upon us as everyone vanished but my counterpart, Elder Lotion and me, and then we were once again in that strange crossroads between dimensions that served as neutral ground within the Astral.

Cheery place, my counterpart said, glancing around at the weirdly abstracted pseudo landscape.

Home sweet home, Siren smiled, glancing off sidelong, And there is grandfather himself up to his usual shenanigans, battling with the forces of evil.

We all followed the Archmage s stare and, sure enough, there was lord Anri only the battle in question was definitely not what we would have expected.

It consisted of a game board set between Anri and some hulking demon or other I could not quite make out the type (demonology isn t my thing,  
after all I ve got a thing about tentacles, you know or any creature with too many appendages to keep track of). Chess if you can believe that, and from all indications the both of them were really focusing hard upon the game, which I noted was a draw, or as close to such things as you can get with only thirty two pieces competing for sixty four squares.

The demon had the face of a tiger and the body of a bull (and I won t even speculate as to the size of the thing under his loin cloth).  
Neither one of them glanced up to see us, not even when Siren struck a fetching pose that would have gotten a rise out of a corpse if one had been present.

Grandfather, Siren said pleasantly enough, We re here as you requested. Now, if you re not too busy playing with your friends here

Anri raised a hand and said, One moment I m about to take his Bishop.

Sure you are, the demonic being rumbled with a voice like a bear speaking from the bottom of a really deep barrel, Make your play, Aeslepius.

Aeslepius? my counterpart quizzed.

Anri made a gesture and caused a piece to move, and as we watched in fascination we saw his knight move to threaten the opposing bishop, but the creature made a gesture of his own and a pawn moved to intercept, and suddenly the position was threatened.

Oh dear, Anri glanced down and said, I did not foresee that.

Sure you didn t, the demon said gruffly, And now my Bishop is threatening your rook.

I always did have that kind of problem with Bishops, Anri sighed,  
then made another gesture and said, Check.

The Demon glanced down in shock and surprise, How did you Your knight did wasn t there a minute ago!

In which reality? Anri replied, making a gesture of innocence,  
then turning to us and smiling, Glad to see you re back, and right on cue.  
This is my friend Sharqua ath I know he looks fierce but he s basically a nice guy. Used to have his old following in the old days, temple, swank lodgings, comely priestesses at his beck and call

The good old days, the demon rumbled, Back when Gods were Gods and Demons were demons and people actually struggled for quests and sough a higher meaning without having to buy DVD packs and audio tapes explaining how they could do it.

Evil truly has altered its standards, Anri said sadly, It used to be a bit easier to tell the good from the bad by how one was regarded by your fellow living beings.

It was never that simple and you know it, Binder, the demon griped,  
then to us he said, Take it from me, this clown s been posing himself as one of the Good Guys for longer than you mortals could possibly imagine, but who has a worse reputation for sowing trouble and dissension?

I know, I know, Anri sighed as he rose to his feet fluidly and turned to regard us, The road to Purgatory and all of that now then, how may I be of assistance to you ladies?

Drop the act, Grandfather, Siren said with a sniff, You know perfectly well what business we re here about. Which reminds me is Auntie about?

Thelendra you mean? Anri asked with a shrug, In a manner of speaking. Lines of destiny and all of that. Now then the quest that you have completed. Well managed. That fellow was becoming something of a nuisance of late, and with the coming storm about to grip your timeline it would be best to keep the list of our troubles somewhat manageable for the present. As for you both, Ms. Saotomes

Hai? my counterpart and I asked in chorus, then glanced at one another, my male aspect giving me a somewhat wry look as he noticed my blush when I looked fully in his direction.

Anri sighed, Definitely have to do something about that, he murmured and made a slight hand gesture, and suddenly my counterpart was washed by a splash of hot spray that engulfed her rather suddenly, then blew away to reveal that Kaneda had just reverted back to Nabiki, which did afford me partial relief, though in all truth I found her quite sexually intriguing in either of her genders.

Now then, he resumed, folding his hands into the long sleeves of his tunic, I do apologize that you were both conscripted into managing this affair since I m sure that you would agree that it was a task best handled by mortals, and definite overkill if I had been compelled to step into the picture

Cut the bull, Grandfather, Siren snorted, You know perfectly well that sending ordinary mortals up against an Archmage is far from a fair pairing of resources. Why don t you tell them the real reason for why you passed the buck off to them instead of me or even Uncle Bartev.

Udan? he lifted blond eyebrows to that, Now that definitely would be overkill though, come to think of it, since Shang-Kwan tended to favor Earth Magic in the crafting of his castle defenses it might well have fallen under my brother s sphere of influence more than it did me. On the other hand you are quite right that I should at least explain as much as I dare to share about exactly why this fellow was so intent upon stealing the essence of your children.

Because Lylac is a Nexus, right? I asked, The same as her adoptive father?

Well yes, partially this is so, Lord Anri admitted, Just as the child of the blood of Olympus is fated to be her companion, guide and protector when they come of age and are of slightly greater threat to the forces of Nihilism. But there is far more at work in this than the congealing of bloodlines that will one day produce a champion forged by the fates who will in turn become even greater than her parents

Wait a minute, my counterpart said, What the heck are you saying?  
Is my little Lylac going to be that important to the future?

Important? I could hear the chuckle in Lord Anri s voice though his eyes sparked with a clarity of wisdom far deeper than the stars,  
Well in the sense that we are all significant to the greater whole of the One, I would offer that all lives are of equal worth but where Fate is concerned it would definitely be affirmed that the child conceived from Jusenkyo has a destiny to fulfill that will bring great honor to your family bloodline. Of course, to say more than that might be giving away the plot to an epic story

The tiger-faced demon snorted, Since when did you ever quibble about kibitzing, Asclepius? You delight in teasing mortals with your taunts and riddles pearls before swine in your own words, and don t bother to deny it.

But it would be wrong to reveal too much of what I perceive to be in the works for the development of this particular plotline, Anri continued, giving my counterpart a particularly intense look as he added,  
And you carry within yourself yet another seed who will be at the center of a tempest that is still further off on the horizon.

Without needing to be prompted my counterpart touched her abdomen and said, My baby ?

Anri turned as if to glance over his shoulder, but it was more as though a doorway were opened by the motion of his body, and there we all saw the real (and very pregnant) form of my companion hovering in mid-air as if suspended from invisible wires, glowing faintly with her arms outstretched with a halo about her head, much like a living Ankh symbol, though many another might have likened it to a scene like a crucifixion.

My counterpart was not the only one to stare at herself in wonder,  
but then a figure hobbled around from behind the living cross that was my counterpart s true body and I saw the Lotion whom I well knew and remember appearing there in her youthful pink-haired aspect.

So it is done, she said simply, And about time. You are due back in our reality, and in another few moments your wife is having her baby.

Indeed? the other Lotion said, herself now revealed in stunning pink-haired profile, And if time were so urgent why then did not put forth a summons?

My energies were needed here to stabilize the spell preserving the integrity of the counterpart to my apprentice, the Lotion that I knew replied to her counterpart, treating me to the peculiar rare sight of my mentor in Stereo, which my counterpart seemed to find even more disconcerting than I did.

Yes, and about this apprentice whom you have selected the Lotion of the other world began.

You have objections to my choice of her? my Lotion asked with the raising of pink eyebrows.

Not as such, her counterpart replied, In fact I am rather amazed that you were able to find a candidate with so much raw potential and yet still

Yes, she does lack for some refinements, my mentor explained, But on the whole I am satisfied that she is progressing nicely in her studies.

That will remain to be seen, her counterpart noted.

Indeed it shall, my mentor affirmed, But it will be my pleasure to witness when she does, so take your petty jealousy somewhere else as she is mine to teach and find your own candidate elsewhere since you clearly failed to realize this one s potential.

My counterpart leaned closer to me and murmured softly, You ever get used to stuff like this?

Not quite, I replied, But at least around my Sensei things are never boring.

Aren t you forgetting something? Siren asked me with a pointedly amused expression.

Shampoo ! I gasped in delayed reaction, She s having our baby!

Again, my counterpart added a bit wryly.

I ve got to be there, I said anxiously, turning an apologetic look towards Anri and saying, My Lord ?

Abide a moment, he gently urged, I will see to it that you arrive in a timely manner. But first your participation in this is critical since you helped to separate your sister into this aspect that serves as a vessel for her essence. Now you must enable her to return to the flesh so that she may be restored to the world that she knows and the family that loves her.

So what are we waiting for? my counterpart asked, flexing an arm and examining her own hand, It s been great being able to cut loose like this without dragging around a bowling ball in my tummy, but I ve been outside for so long that I m starting to feel antsy.

Your connection to the child within your womb is strong enough that a separation of this sort will seem deeply unnerving, the other Lotion said, the one from her own timeline, Once delivered, however, you will have time enough to regain your fighting trim and I would urge that you heed the counsel of Matriarch Cologne as she will know enough of how to speed up your recovery so that you may face the challenges confronting you when you return to the world that you know of as your own.

Right, my counterpart said with a dubious glance at the transformed Elder, Whatever.

Don t be like that, Siren urged, Even when she was a little girl she tended to baffle people with these whimsical statements of hers, one of many reasons why I urged her mother drop the idea of making her into a warrior and allow her natural gifts as a Lore Master to be fully nurtured.

But that would have altered her destiny, and where would be the fun in that? Lord Anri grinned, turning back to my counterpart before saying,  
The thing you have to know about destiny is that it is far from a certainty how things will develop in the course of affairs, and there is no one path predestined to happen save but that you choose to make it so and for that to occur you would have to know how to make all the right little decisions that lead to a larger choice and who wants to be burdened with a responsibility like that? Better to trust to your intuition and be true to your own nature and have faith that things will work out for the better.

Yeah, like that ever really works in real life, the demon Sharqua ath grumbled.

It does in the movies, Anri quipped, then to both me and my counterpart he said, Ready, ladies?

I instinctively moved to position myself between my counterpart and her hovering body.

Let s do this, my counterpart nodded.

Anri made a gesture and both Lotions moved to assume opposite poles,  
one standing behind my counterpart s faux Akashic form, the other moving back behind the real pregnant Nabiki, and then an energy field began to fill the air and I felt the forces congeal all around us with myself standing at the center lens-point of the equation.

It was difficult to reckon time in that place, but it felt like an instant later that the light struck me from both sides and caused me to briefly turn to a state not unlike that of Satori. I felt the universe move briefly through me as a trillion stars and their planets washed through my mind and fired up every nerve cell in my body, and suddenly I could understand everything with a clarity beyond my scope as the past, present and future collided as one and just as suddenly the surge of energy subsided.

I felt my body tingling as the Nabiki who had been standing before me was no longer there, so I turned around to see the floating one and sensed her wholeness as she flickered open her eyes and gently drifted to the ground, setting her weight upon her feet as she staggered a bit as if having to re-accustom herself to the added weight and mass of her mid-section.

She paused to look down at herself and then said, I m back?

So it would appear, I heard Siren murmur from the sidelines.

You are restored to yourself, the Lotion from the other timeline said, leaning on her staff as if momentarily exhausted by the spell s exertion, Now we must return to our world so that you may resume the life you knew from before and the Apprentice of my counterpart may go about with her own destiny as the fates have decreed.

It was nice meeting you just the same, Elder, I said, but she only gruffly acknowledged my words as she turned away and started to hobble,  
looking more like the old lady that she was when back in the realm of physical matter.

I was like that once, my Lotion murmured at my side, also leaning upon her own staff, It is a lonely road we walk, and I waited a very long time to find a worthy successor.

I had to raise my eyebrow to this. Lotion was not given to effusive praise and for her to call me worthy was quite an ego booster.

Of course I still had to duck as her staff made near to rapping against the top of my head as she snapped, Don t get so beside yourself with pride, Apprentice. Remember that we began this quest as a means by which you could channel your anxieties into a constructive pursuit since you obviously are not yet far enough advanced to set your emotions in proper balance with your intellect and skills.

And I thought I had a rough task mistress, the other Nabiki snorted, turning to me and saying, Hey look, it s been fun and all of that,  
and I ve gotta say that meeting you was quite the experience but we both have Purple Haired wives who ll wring our bangs into knots if we keep them waiting longer than we have to.

Got that right, Sis, I noted, You take care of yourself that Posse of yours is quite a handful.

I manage somehow, she shrugged, But the thing about a group marriage is there s greater safety in numbers.

Maybe so, I noted, But somehow I don t envy you having to run a motley lot that big by your lonesome. Shampoo s more than enough of an armful for me.

Hey, don t knock what you haven t tried, Sis, she countered with a smirk, That Perfume is quite a wild cat and as for Ucchan well, I m not sorry about having to share space with her between the sheets, and besides she was my best friend a long time before she became my co-wife.

Right, I said, thinking very much how different the fates of our two worlds had been, and that I was definitely going to have to have a chat with my own Ranma about what I might do to him if he started acquiring elemental Pets if that skinflint, Genma, ever reveals to him the secret of the Senkens.

Sometime this eon would be preferable, Saotome-san, we both heard the other Lotion call out from what seemed like a long ways away, yet was no further than several meters to visual distance.

Coming, my counterpart started to turn around only to pause and glance at me before adding, Oh, and hey just thought I d mention it, but when you go to your Sham-chan while she s birthing her kid

Yes? I asked of the voice of experience upon this subject.

Be careful about gripping her hand, I saw her glance down and flex her own with a pained expression, Take it from me, that would not be a very good career move.

Right I dead-panned, absorbing at once the significance of her comment and blanching slightly as I thought of what it would be like to have my bones squeezed into goo by a loving wife in the throes of painful birthing.

Take care and don t do anything I wouldn t, she called out over her shoulder as she hurried on to catch up with Elder Lotion, leaving me behind with my own Lotion at my side, and-strange as it might be to tell it this way, I started to miss her already, though for the life of me I could not fathom out a specific reason.

There but for the fates, Siren opined before turning to glance sidelong at lord Anri, You don t think you laid it on her too much about the future, Grandfather?

She will learn the rest in time so what s the harm in giving her a fair amount of warning? Anri answered, After all, it s not like I told her about the Old Ones and the fact that they are conspiring to try and kill both her and her baby.

Because the child is an Eluini, the demon Sharqua ath growled, An obscenity in the eyes of those Monsters, and as much of a threat to their plans as her future granddaughter will one day prove to be.

Oh Tut, Anri said dismissively, Just because they have the potential of bringing about the eventual unity of the planes through successive future generations is no reason why they should have to turn the whole universe inside out seeking to prevent this.

Ahuh, Siren said skeptically, And you didn t think it was important enough to tell the child that she is soon to find a whole entire world marshalling its resources in order to destroy her?

Not the entire world, Lotion replied, Only those portions that owe their loyalty to the Abyss.

Which is half the planet after all, Sharqua ath snorted, but then I sensed as his body grew tense and he inwardly became very quiet, just as I sensed that there was an approaching presence whose nature seemed to hint at a power rivaling that of Anri himself, indescribable and incredibly ancient.

I turned as a rainbow approached us and took the form of a stunningly beautiful woman congealing into full blown life with a body as radiant as her multi-colored strands of hair. The outfit that she wore was the barest silk refinement that did not so much conceal her ample assets as accentuate her womanly contours, and I could see her nipples right through the fabric as they literally seemed to glow at me like a proverbial pair of headlights.

Auntie, Siren turned around and smiled, I was wondering when you would join us.

The rainbow haired woman acknowledged the blonde with a slight nod before speaking in words that seemed to resonate with life energy, Thee didst wish to speak with me, Father?

Ah, Thelendra, Anri turned around, So nice of you to join us.  
You just missed out on the big finale I take it that whatever was occupying your time was of significant importance?

The beautiful woman made a slight frown as she regarded her father,  
Thou doest well know that I have responsibilities well beyond the filial to attend yet what of such importance has drawn mine Niece and this young Mistress of the Lore who be a new face to mine presence?

Her eyes fell on me and I felt as if I were being read like a literal parchment, both inside out and forward and backwards again, as if my whole entire life story were open to her scrutiny and she was but lightly perusing through the pages of my journal.

Don t be rude, Anri urged, This is Saotome-Tendo Nabiki,  
Apprenticed Lore Master to the Elder Lotion, whom I m sure you do remember.

To my surprise I saw the heavenly vision of beauty smile as her eyes fell upon my mentor, How couldst I but forget one so fair to mine memories.  
So thee has anointed this child as thine successor? Most curious and rare this is.

One does what they can to keep one s teachings alive, Lotion said,  
And as even you must know, no one lives forever.

How well I know this, Anri said, before noticing the look that I had turned towards him and he gave a faint smile to me and said, Do you think it odd that Immortals should discuss the lives of ordinary people as though we were detached and as distant as the Gods in their Olympus?

I felt more intimidated under the scrutiny of his gaze than had I been standing before a very large crowd of people giving a speech without a stitch of clothing on my body, but still I managed to find the courage to say, But you re not like the Gods, my Lord Anri. You re not a creature of distance removed from all humanity you are humanity or rather one aspect of that which is best within us.

Ah, you ve been reading my press clippings, he smiled at me, but I could see in his eyes that he was feeling the penetration of my own regard as my gift of knowing things that are not seen to others told me a lot more about him close up than I would think that any mortal would have a desire to know, and a good deal more than I care to record here now on electronic paper.

I believe my young apprentice is referring to those things which have alluded to but denied sharing with her counterpart just now, Lotion observed, The greater struggle which affects the lives of all who share existence, both living and departed.

How so? the rainbow haired vision named Thelendra the Dream Weaver asked as she studied me quizzically, and in that moment I realized how much out of my depth I truly was for she could perceive levels of reality that I had yet to even suspect could be accessed, and before her my Lore Master gifts were but parlor tricks practiced by a stage magician at a child s birthday bash.

My dear Lo-Xion, Anri said without taking his eyes away from me,  
and I could see now that the clownish act was but a diversion that he used to distract people from understanding the true depths of his being, You truly do have confidence in her abilities that you would initiate one so young into the greater mysteries by informing her of the struggle we face against the beings of the Outer dark.

I but speak humbly in my belief that my apprentice is worthy of such instruction, Lotion replied, turning to me as she said, Child I have informed you in the past that in reality there is but one absolute constant.

I slowly nodded ascent to that, unable to turn away from the Lord of Light and his radiant daughter, and I sensed that they were probing me to see how I would respond, so I took a deep breath and said, Existence is Eternal. There is but being and non-being the manifest and the Unmanifest,  
and that reality as we know it is but an expression of the will, the perception of the mind, and the acceptance of the observer who trusts that what she sees and hears have a fundamental aseity and that there is no such thing as a lie save that it be a truth distorted.

Fundamentals, the woman named Thelendra said, Thee hast a grasp of the basic constant, yet do thee know truly what doth lie beneath this principle of eternal being?

To be is, I said, not meaning to make it sound pro-forma, The rest is elaboration.

That is truth, Lord Anri replied, To be is the question and the answer as well but do you know it s meaning in corollary opposition?

I think my eyes bulged a bit and I resisted the urge to glance sidelong at Lotion for support as I said, Naught the non-being of Unmanifest reality. The nothing that which is not a concept, is not a thing, can never be in reality, and is only perceived by we, the living,  
because its absence is felt at the edge of our awareness.

The Nothing is nothing, Anri said, And yet we refer to it as if it were a thing. Why do suppose this is?

Because our reality is formed of the balance of opposites, I answered, Being and non-being are balanced that which is can only be finite that which is naught is infinite, yet the universe of possibilities that forms reality out of concept exists against a backdrop of the nothing.

And in that nothingness? Anri asked, and I could sense the importance of this question from the barest hesitation in his voice.

My eyes went round, Abyss that which existed before reality, before the beginning of time, when beings who are not beings held eternal sway and found it acceptable to their understanding.

And because we exist? the woman named Thelendra asked in a voice so chimed with music that I could imagine an orchestral accompaniment to the sound of her lightest pronouncement.

They seek to restore what was by engineering our nullification, I replied, shuddering slightly as I recall that one brief time when Elder Lotion had shown me what an Old One was and informed me why they could never be trusted.

And thus you know the stakes of the game we play, Anri said,  
turning away and giving the demon Sharqua ath a nod, I like her she answers directly and does not hesitate to say the things she knows are certain. How many others before her could we say that about?

Not too many, Sharqua ath said while keeping his head slightly bowed and his face partially averted from Thelendra, as though her very being were too bright for him to behold.

Others? I asked a bit quizzically, wondering just why the big fellow with the Tiger head was reminding me so much of a shy little kitten in the presence of a larger dog, though I did not think it was so much fear as awe that was behind the way in which he was regarding the rainbow haired woman.

You pass, Anri said with a smile, And welcome to our company,  
Tendo Nabiki. You have earned the right to be included in our council of war and you ve also validated a decision which I have yet to make in regard to several of your cross-time para-dimensional sisters.

I have? I asked, sensing that there was something momentous about the fair haired Lord of Light s declaration.

We will discuss it at greater length when there is time as time is nearly infinite to we who know beyond the realm of Death that our own existence is eternal, Anri smiled at me, then made a slight gesture and said, But now you must depart our company for you have a very urgent matter to attend, and an enemy even now seeks to take advantage of your absence from the reality that you call home. An ally of the Darkness who works in shadows through mortal pawns is aiming her current knight errant at the heart of your own family and I believe that you have all that you need in order to alter the balance in their favor.

I understood implicitly what he meant as I gasped, Cybelle is making her move and she s going after Ranma and Sham-chan?

Among others, Lotion cautioned me, Though I believe the true objective is your sister and her companion.

Cybelle, Sharqua ath growled in obvious distaste, That Bitch is the enemy of both Man, God and Demon and I wish you well against her.

It stands to reason, Siren noted, She s been a constant thorn in everyone s side even before her disastrous affair with the son of the Oni Princess Ganglot.

Then I ve gotta go, I said with growing urgency as I looked apologetically to Lord Anri and his radiant daughter.

I quite agree, Anri said, and then motioned his hand forward, So go already and don t let the proverbial dimensional gate slap you as you exit.

Father, I heard Thelendra say, but just then I was feeling the effect of being stretched through an infinite space as the Lord Anri projected me through time and space, and it felt rather like being dropped through a very long tube as reality inverted.

But I rode it out because I knew where I was being projected and stretched out with my being to the place in space and time where Ranma and Shampoo were waiting and the as-yet unborn daughter who was about to come into mortal existence, whom I needed to protect more than anything as I sensed that she was important to the future and she belonged to me as much as to my wife or husband, so no one and nothing would stop me from reaching their side to lend them my support, love and protection.

And if Cybelle was sending Tatewaki to destroy them then too bad for him because I would likely have to apologize later to Kodachi, his next of kin especially if he dared to raise that bokken of his against my sister

Continued.

Comments/Criticism/Oral Cavity Searches: shadowmane ...  
Or: shadowmane9849 ...

Or: shadowmane747 ...

One of the three should do it.

Next time up: It s Nabiki versus Tatewaki Kuno as the fight is on between Cybelle s champion and our voluptuous Lore Master while Shampoo endures a struggle of a very different kind, and Ranma joins forces with Kodachi and Kasumi in a manage-a-trios of action that we call: Maternity War Zone, or, Blue Cross Blue Thunder. Be there!

X


	148. Chapter 148

NabikiRan132

Ranma and Nabiki,

"A Tale of Two Wallets!"

by

Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,

with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally

created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use

her…take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-Two.

Delivery or Die

.

"Everything is just fine, Saotome-san," the delivering nurse in attendance tried to reassure the agitated young man as his foreign-born wife was ushered into the delivery room, "The doctor assures us that there should be no complications impeding the safe and healthy birth of your daughter, and everything looks just fine on the medical charts, so there is no reason for you to be so worried…other than the usual things that first time fathers tend to agitate about."

"You sure about that, Nurse-san?" Ranma asked with great anxiety, "Shampoo's a strong girl, but I'd rather be with her when she delivers…"

"Not strictly necessary…but I'm sure that we can allow it," the Nurse said with a knowing smile of benevolence, "Just be sure to scrub up and wear a surgical mask so that we can maintain a clean and sanitary environment for your daughter when she arrives into this incarnation."

"Okay, I'll do whatever you…" Ranma blinked, "Daughter?"

The nurse looked surprise, "I thought that you knew? Didn't the previous tests show that your wife was carrying a well formed and-if I may add so-a splendidly well proportioned beautiful girl baby?"

"Ah…well…" Ranma said a bit nervously, rubbing at the back of his head with a sheepish expression, "It ain't that…it's just…well…thinking of her as a girl…as actually bein' here…for real…it…kinda feels a little…I dunno…"

The nurse just continued to smile, but then she lifted the clipboard in one hand and said, "That's odd…" she paused for several minutes and flipped several of the pages then added, "Now that I have reviewed the records…there are some confusing test results that would seem to imply that she was carrying a boy…but the ultrasound didn't uncover more than one baby girl in the earlier scrutiny…and there are some…curious trace elements of non-human DNA added to the genetic mixture…"

"Uh…excuse me?" Ranma blinked.

"Tell me, young man," the Nurse eyed him slyly, "There wouldn't be anything…unusual in the ancestry of either the father or the mother…would there be?"

"Ah…" Ranma's expression was one of blank-eyed befuddlement, followed abruptly by a look of deep concern as something belatedly occurred to him and he asked, "Um…Nurse-san? Do you…uh…well...believe in...Curses...and magic and stuff?"

"In this modern day and age?" the nurse asked him innocently, "Why…do you believe in such things?"

"Um…well…it's kinda hard to explain…" Ranma glanced away and looked agitatedly at the doorway to the delivery room, "Look…are you sure everything's gonna be all right…for Shampoo that is…and for our baby?"

"Trust me on that, young man," the Nurse smiled in a way that conveyed far more than she was allowing to show on the surface, "If the Goddess herself were in attendance she could not be in better hands. I assure you that I will do everything in my power to insure the birth of this special child…and to see that she is kept safe from those who might otherwise wish her ill will."

Something about the words of the woman disturbed him, and Ranma asked, "Excuse me? You think somebody would wanna hurt our baby?"

The nurse just patted him on the shoulder and said, "Let's get you prepped and ready. I'm quite confident that your wife will feel better knowing you are there to lend her support…but one word of advice in advance?"

"Yeah?" Ranma asked, allowing himself to be dutifully ushered into the scrub room, "What's that?"

"That when your wife asks to hold your hand…you find something firm to grip hold of with your other hand," the Nurse said sweetly, "Believe me…you are going to need that anchoring support more than you know in another few minutes…"

The limousine pulled up before the hospital and the distinguished young man in the trench coat got out and said to the driver, "Make yourself scarce for another hour…but remain on call in case I need you."

"Hai," the driver responded, "As you wish it, Kuno-sama."

Tatewaki Kuno turned to regard the hospital building, holding a covered object in one hand around which was draped a cloth to conceal its true nature. He noted a number of security cameras in the front lobby area, as well as facing the parking lot, and knew that he would have to do something about the tapes and recording devices when he set about destroying evidence of his presence from the official record.

Witnesses, of course, were a regrettable but necessary factor that would also need to be eliminated, and once he began his grim work he would make thorough the task of cleaning up with no incriminating traces of this visit to tie him in to the crimes which he intended to commit in there.

Crimes committed in obedience to the will of his Mistress, Cybelle, to whom he owed so much beyond mere fealty. Because of her he was cured of his former manic state and had been granted focus, clarity and vision. No more was he the romantic fool pretending to be a Samurai…now he was Samurai, a word meaning "to serve," and his service was to his demon Mistress demanded his obedience as he followed her instructions to the letter of her intentions.

He walked in through the lobby and barely even glanced at the other patients, who paid no more attention to him than they would a shadow. He scrutinized key positions of the layout, matching them up with his memories of the blueprints that he had studied prior to making this assault with emphasis paid to entrance and exit routes, emergency exits and security check points. Of special interest were the likely areas where interns and orderlies might be positioned should an emergency call draw them to some point of likely disturbance…such as a convenient distraction that he planned to arrange for just on the verge of making his grand assault.

It was part of the discipline of Nampo, the ability to size up a battlefield and plot in advance what maneuvers would be needed in order to triumph. His anonymity in this matter was also assured by a skill his training leant him in manifesting a presence that would not attract the notice of ordinary folk who lacked psychic sensitivity and only believed in what their baser senses told them of their surroundings.

Mortal eyes did not register his passage, hardly anyone would even recall the unusually tall and slender young man with the bearing of a Daimyo because he slid through their thoughts as intangibly as smoke upon glass. He was not there for all that they could tell because they did not perceive the reality that would allow for such things as fields of stealth around which flowed the dull wind of thoughts clouded with the press of untutored emotions.

Their world did not allow for men such as him to walk outside of the too narrow scope of their quite limited vision. They did not see him precisely because they could not recognize the power that was his to command by din of birth and long years of intensive personal training.

Nampo was about more than mere Bushido…it contained the essence of the warrior's art, its spiritual framework that made even a common bokken a deadly weapon in his hands, the ability to project his Ki by force of will to cause a phenomenal effect in physical reality so that objects that he touched conveyed the lethal edge of an actual bladed weapon.

It also allowed him to control his opponents by manipulating their thoughts and actions, and with people lacking the training and discipline of a martial artist it was simplicity itself to invade their minds and anticipate their actions. It was all about mastering your own inner Ki and controlling things from within so that events taking place around you orbited your solar center, much like gravity affected the motions of the planets and stars only working from an invisible connection that was the wellspring of your karma.

It was a power against which no simple minded brute like Saotome Ranma could hope to counter, and this day Tatewaki would avenge the honor of the Kuno name by putting the low bred dog in his place and teaching him which of them was the proper fighter. Tatewaki was above petty things such as vengeance, but he did have a sense of obligation for past wrongs and public humiliation too deep to ever be fully erased from his memories save by washing it in the blood of his erstwhile former rival.

As for the woman who had married into the house of Saotome Ranma, she was a foreigner from a race of fabled warriors, but beyond this of no great consequence to Tatewaki or his Mistress. He bore her no personal ill will beyond her choice of mate, but that was crime enough in his estimation, and her misfortune to be tied to the destiny of the man who had fathered her child.

A child of great importance to Tatewaki's Mistress, a child of Destiny, a Nexus of Fate, and as such one who bore the curious role to be the primal focus of a reality that would center around her from the moment of her birthing.

A Nexus child, such as in stories about heroes of ancient legend.

Tatewaki knew full well how this drama was played out in many worlds where destiny led blind players to dance like marionettes to the tune of a mad puppeteer, where pawns became kings and kings were lowly pawns being moved about the chessboard of reality. In heroic legends the Sacred Child was born to a hero of the previous age, sometimes marked with a tragic destiny as the Child was deprived of one or both parents shortly after being issued upon the stage of earthly karma.

Usually the Child grew up to avenge the parent while carving out a destiny of their own, and it was given to a Nexus child that his or her actions would control the fate of those around them. A Nexus would blindly plod through the tracks of time and space following the cues of a hidden Maestro, unaware of the awesome power that had been invested within their very being…the power to act freely of their own will and choice. Rather than to be a pawn a Nexus had the ability to become a Puppet Master.

But lacking training and discipline, and a basic awareness of their nature, few Nexus children ever achieved their full potential because they did not know who and what they were, did not understand the forces at their control and were much too easily manipulated into obeying the cues of the Powers that Be.

A Nexus Child such as Saotome Ranma, who had within his hands the ability to reshape the world by influencing others…yet who squandered his gift by acting selfishly from the limited scope of a lowly martial artist.

A crime against nature, really, to be so blind to the hidden gifts at his disposal, to not realize that a Nexus held a power the like of which Tatewaki could only dream of possessing.

But through the daughter of Saotome Ranma that power would be Tatewaki's to shape, to guide and influence as he willed, and to make become real those things that mortals could only glimpse in dreams, and to change the direction of her story so that it did not become one of trivial revenge and retribution but rather became a power to remake the world by forging a destiny in the image of Cybelle's imagination.

But first…obstacles had to be removed, and the child needed to be separated from the ones who would impede her dawning glory.

It was a sad but necessary part of any story that someone had to die in order to restore a balance between opposing interpretations of destiny. In a way Tatewaki was doing the child a favor by sparing her from the fate that her biological parents would attempt to impose out of the misguided wish to grant her a life that was merely "ordinary."

Tatewaki clutched the object in his hand beneath the cloth and smiled without real humor, knowing that in very short order it would paint the walls of this hospital in crimson and set things into motion that were unstoppable, a new fate imposed over the one which might have been and with no one to interfere in the plans of his Mistress his bloody path was assured as he headed for the stairs and avoided the elevator, moving to the floor where a child was even then moving closer to her destiny…and to the life that Tatewaki would soon grant her as a ward of the Kuno household, no longer a daughter bearing the name of Saotome but rather a child claimed by Tatewaki as though of his own flesh and blood.

A child raised to honor and revere his Mistress Cybelle, who, in effect, would assume the role of spiritual God Mother as the lines of fate converged…

And, overhead, the clouds began to form and gather in the sky as the Universe itself started to tremble…

"Laying it on a little thick out there, weren't you?"

"Nurse" Ganglot just smiled as she turned to regard the lady "Doctor" who was just then preparing herself for the delivery and then glanced sidelong at Ranma, who was at the side of Shampoo holding her hand despite the Oni Princess's attempted warning.

Leaning closer to her colleague she murmured, in a voice that did not carry further than two feet from either ear, "Well, what else did you expect, Quei? He's still young and understandably worried about becoming a poppa, so cut the kid some slack and let's get down to the nitty gritty."

Quinon, Goddess of Mercy, just frowned as she held her latex glove-covered hands upright while positioned at the other end of the prone Shampoo, whose own legs were held parted by stirrups with her dilating genitals exposed where the "business end" of the birthing process would be performed in but another few moments.

"I sometimes forget that subtlety is not a word in your vocabulary," Quinon sniffed, "But you gave the boy enough clues to your real identity that even one as slow to grasp the obvious as him will no doubt be nurturing suspicions."

"Well, what would you have me tell him?" Ganglot asked, "That a renegade Demon of Oni stock is plotting to have him and his wife be murdered so that her mortal pawn can raise their child as his own? Or that the both of us are here to insure that things don't quite work out the way my wicked Daughter-in-law intends them?"

"It might at least give him more of a fighting chance if he understood that we will be powerless to act if the Kuno youth arrives just ahead of the critical moment," Quinon countered.

"Don't you quote the rules to me, Quei," it was Ganglot;s turn to sniff, "I was there when the Covenant was drafted. I know that Immortals such as the two of us are not allowed to directly interfere in Mortal affairs without express invocation by contract or other terms of obligation."

"But that wouldn't stop you from attempting to meddle, would it?" Quinon asked with upraised eyebrow.

Ganglot just shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a sucker for hard luck stories…and besides, I like the kid, and despite the grudge I may owe to the Amazons for imprisoning me for a couple of hundred years I don't wish ill on either the child or her mother. Shampoo's nothing like Cologne, and she's sweet enough that I'd hate to see anyone deprive her of the role of mother that she was quite literally born to play out."

"Just remember," Quinon cautioned, "If you attempt to protect them from Kuno directly it will give Cybelle the leave she craves to take matters in her own hands more directly."

"Like you'd ever let me forget that," Ganglot huffed, folding her arms and looking cross, "I swear you weren't this bossy when the two of us were living together. Which reminds me…how is that randy mortal husband of yours getting on with you these days?"

"I…ahem…don't feel like talking about that," the Goddess of Mercy glanced away, her cheeks coloring crimson as she tried and failed to hide her own emotions.

"Still exploring the catacombs of the Lost Empire with you is he?" Ganglot playfully bumped hips together with the Goddess, "How many times have you 'conveniently' gotten lost with him in one of those hidden passages that the Yellow Emperor laid out for the unwary?"

"Look, could we change the subject from me back to the present matter?" Quinon asked in a desperately forlorn hope that her former girlfriend would take the hint and drop the subject.

"I think motherhood looks very good on you," Ganglot sighed, looking away, "Too bad it couldn't have been our child…but no one had thought up a way of getting around that problem in the fourteenth century, more's the pity…"

"Getting around what problem?" the startled Quinon asked against her better judgment.

"At any rate I wouldn't worry too much about our prospects," Ganglot said confidently, "With a Goddess of Mercy and a Princess of Hell on hand to insure the safety and security of the child we're more than enough for Cybelle's plotting, so what could possibly go wrong?"

"I wish you wouldn't ask that at times such as this," Quinon rolled her eyes, "You know how much the fates delight in giving you an answer."

"Not this time," Ganglot chuckled ominously, "Right now the Fates are more scared witless than anyone else…because they know the impending storm that's being generated by the approaching nearness of impending destiny, which means that one Nexus is about to greet another, and their very proximity to one another will stir up Karmic waves of interference that will at least partially thwart my daughter-in-law's ability to monitor events with enough accuracy to give Kuno the necessary edge that's needed for his side to triumph."

"Are you willing to bet the shape of destiny for this timeline on that?" Quinon asked, eyeing the way that Ranma was stroking the purple locks of his wife with great tenderness and coming to understand something of the fondness that Ganglot felt towards these mortals…and why she was so willing to come to blows with Cybelle in order to protect them.

"Hey, don't worry…I've got an Angle yet to play in my hand," Ganglot made a motion of causing playing cards to flow from one hand to the other, then reversed one and revealed the face of a Joker…which she turned around again and caused to become a Queen of Cups as she added, "Or Angel if you will. The true heroine of the day is about to make her arrival…and when she does somebody we both know is in for a very rude surprise…" and she chuckled the latter part in a way that partially revealed her Oni nature.

Ranma felt slightly disconcerted by the laugh and the strange behavior of the unusually large chested nurse, but his primary focus was on Shampoo as he gazed adoringly into her crimson eyes and stroked her hair as he attempted to reassure her.

Shampoo was breathing hard with labor but nonetheless managed a brave smile at him as she said, "Husband…worry too much…Shampoo is warrior…she is ready to do battle."

"I thought you weren't supposed to fight the kid," Ranma pointed out as if missing her jest, his nervousness and anxiety causing him to fumble the joke, though Shampoo caught the drift of his good intentions.

"This is battle Mother make for sake of child," Shampoo assured her Airen, "Is good for Warrior to fight way into this world so as to be strong and ready to survive. Is way Nyanchiczu have carried on tradition for as long as we a people…"

She winced as a spasm of pain caused by a contraction made her lovely face contort slightly, then to relax while Ranma's own heart missed a beat-even as he winced himself in severe pain at the pressure applied to his hand by her slender fingers for the space of several heartbeats.

"I warned him," Ganglot murmured with a not unsympathetic expression.

But then Shampoo smiled bravely at him again and said, "Husband…Shampoo touched that you care for this one enough to feel her pain…"

"That…ain't quite what I'm feeling at the moment…if you catch my meanin'…" Ranma said while grimacing in acute pain in his much abused member.

Ganglot just sighed, "Some mortals are such slow learners…"

Outside in the waiting room various members of the immediate family were on hand to share in the time-honored experience of sitting on the sidelines waiting for new life to be added to the community, an experience that mainly affected the Saotome clan but seemed for some odd reason to extend to their allied association with the Tendo extended family group, though for what exact reason no one could say with any certainty, other than the fact that Ranma and Shampoo had been staying at their house for an extended period of time.

No one could quite remember just why the Tendos were as involved in matters as they obviously were, beyond the close filial association between Genma and Soun, the clan heads of their respective branches of the Anything Goes school. There was some vague memory about a pledge to unite their houses, but no one could quite recall just how that pledge had been honored since Ranma had married a Chinese Amazon instead of one of the two present Tendo sisters, who each had their own close associations in residence.

Beyond this it was all a blank…as though there were a significant void within the picture that no one knew quite how to fill, only that someone was missing in their assembly of worried cousins, siblings, parents, aunts, uncles and like minded well wishers who all felt that their presence was mandated for causes beyond simple concern about the welfare of the impending new life that they were here to honor.

On Shampoo's side there were, of course, her mother, the Amazon Tribal Healer named Comb, and her husband, Hairbrush, with their twin daughters, Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung sitting quietly with their own significant other, a young man named Senzenin.

On the Saotome side there were Genma and Nodoka, accompanied by the Lady Atsuko (granddaughter of Ganglot) and her son, Hibiki Ryoga. Sitting with Ryoga was a lovely blonde girl with the curiously Japanese name of Aino Minako.

And-having just arrived by the curious convenience of their Carnival being in town, was the Lady Sakura and her own daughter, Kaoru, whose presence had been explained as :just friends of the family" since Sakura claimed to be an "old friend" from Gendo's past in the days that predated his marriage to Nodoka.. Considering the colorful history of the Saotome Patriarch with his myriad rival suitors in those days the presence of these two was raising more than a few eyebrows, not least with Nodoka, who felt certain that she knew Sakura from somewhere in her own past, possibly even as a former high school classmate.

Next to this dubious pair was Kaoru's own fiancé, a boy named Ryo Kumon, who once had impersonated himself as Ranma in a misguided attempt to win a scroll that had been in Nodoka's private possession for many years. Everyone seemed to recall the boy brawling with Ranma over that issue, but no one was entirely certain just how their conflict had been resolved since it seemed to involve that dark area in everyone's mind that could not be remembered.

On the Tendo side, of course, there was Soun and his newly wed wife, Silk of the Nyanchiczu, their elder daughter, Ka-Chu the Devil Slayer, and next to her their son-in-law Doctor Tofu, along with their own newborn daughter, Gezunta.

Further down the line was the second eldest child of the Tendo household, Kasumi, sitting primly beside her companion-slash-mistress, Kuno Kodachi, the both of them virtually inseparable these days, though many around the room had dubious thoughts about the nature of their relationship, not least for which it being so brazenly unconventional, and not just in the sense that they were practically married and yet both entirely female.

Even more complex in relationship terms was the company presently being kept by the youngest Tendo sibling, Akane, who was sitting to the right hand side of Kuonji Ukyo, at whose left side sat Kino Makoto, and behind them was positioned the dutiful shadow of Konatsu the Kunoichi, Akane's faithful retainer and sometime shadow.

And shadowing the sex-confused Kunoichi was Ukyo's redoubtable Aunt, Kuonji Umi, a formidable woman whose weather-hardened features had once been quite beautiful in her younger days, and who had assumed the role of Ukyo's legal guardian patron in the months before she came of legal age, and was here as a "family friend," though in truth her relations with Genma were, at the best of times, anything but cordial in nature.

Among those missing from this assemblage, however, were Cologne and her recently claimed wife, the Archmage known as Siren. Their curious absence caused Cologne's granddaughter to fret, which prompted her husband to say, "Try and relax if you would, Dear. It's hardly your fault that hospital rules prohibit relatives performing the role of a Healer on immediate family members."

"Bloody foreign rules," Comb grumbled, "What other place should a mother have but to deliver her own grandchild into the world? My grandmother delivered me and I turned out perfectly normal…"

"No comment," Atsuko snorted, earning a dirty glare from her purple haired rival, but Silk just smiled and said, "Aside from unusual pituitary growth, irascibility and a tendency to mood swings that would do credit to a badger, you did turn out quite normal, Comb-chan."

The unusually tall Chinese healer went from anger to vexation as she gave her lifelong friend a mildly wounded expression, but her husband just smiled and patted her on the knee, which seemed to calm her down to a considerable extent.

Kuno glanced at the monitor that he passed within the hall. It would be the means by which his Mistress would witness his progress as he executed Her will and completed the terms of his mission.

He saw a security guard walking his post and casually moved his hand in a blur, sending a bolt of intense Ki energy that caught the fellow in the chest and sent him sprawling backwards and down the hallway. That man would be out of it for the duration, his nervous system overloaded, but otherwise unharmed and unconscious. This was not done out of any desire for mercy so much as that he simply was not important enough to Kuno's plans to be worth the bother of taking him out completely.

And besides, he had to reserve his energies for more worthy targets that awaited him just around the bend as he followed the grid pattern in his mind to the maternity ward where Shampoo was presently in labor, expecting to encounter stiff opposition in the next adjoining corridor. And already he was fingering the hilt to his deadly Katana that would shortly be tasting blood as he stained those hallways with the rich crimson elixir of his enemies.

Including the much hated Saotome Ranma, and the equally despised perversion that was his sister…

"What's wrong, Usagi-chan?" Rei asked as she felt her girlfriend tense up suddenly for no particular reason.

"I don't know," Usagi replied, "Just this weirdly peculiar feeling I've got all of a sudden. Like…cousin Ranma and the others are in danger."

"From what?" Rei asked, knowing better than to question a hunch in their profession as Sailor Senshi, glancing around at the exterior to the hospital that they were about to enter.

"I don't know," Usagi suddenly quickened her pace, "But I know we've got to get moving, Rei…just in case what I'm feeling is right."

"Makoto and Minako are in there," Rei said, trying to assure herself that they had forces of their own on the scene, and not quite managing to squelch the growing unease that was assaulting her own more refined Priestly senses as she hurried to keep pace with her long-legged lover.

Usagi touched her Senshi pin and said, "Ami…are you around anyplace?"

"I was on my way where you are to be with Cousin Akane," Ami responded.

"Make it double-time, and quick," Usagi urged, already fingering her wand scepter as she and Rei shifted to Senshi form without hardly having to pause to think about the brief show that they gave to the astonished people in the lobby, who had to blink their eyes to be certain that a couple of school girls in Sailor uniforms had not just briefly flashed them in passing…

Quinon glanced up as she and Ganglot felt the wave of malice pass through

the air together and the former said, "He's here."

"Time for me to play my Ace Card," Ganglot smiled, then bent down and placed

both hands upon the floor, and suddenly a wave of energy passed through the

entire building, as the three distinctive marks upon her face became briefly

active…

"Is something wrong, Bell-chan?" Keiichi asked as he saw his wife glance up

suddenly and stare off out through the open ricepaper doorway to their house

in the Tariki Hogan temple grounds.

Belldandy had been playing with her infant daughter on her lap but suddenly

seemed very concerned as she said, "I sense a storm is brewing…over in that

direction."

"Belldandy!" Urd cried as she suddenly rushed into the room.

"I know," Belldandy rose up to her feet smoothly and turned to hand their

daughter over to Keiichi, "Please hold Veil for now, Kei-chan. Urd and I

have to explore this."

"All right," Keiichi knew better than to ask about "Goddess Business," but

the unusually serious expression on his heavenly wife's face told him that

this was no casual matter that was drawing her attention.

Belldandy gave him a brief smile then fell into step beside Urd as the

latter murmured softly, "It's coming from the direction of the Tokyo

region. I've got mega weird vibes…both Divine and Demon."

"A Nexus is about to be born," Belldandy said, "And Hell is marshalling its

forces. We must be ready."

She stretched out a hand and was suddenly holding a staff weapon of the

Gods, even as she and Urd shifted to full Goddess mode, then together took

off into the sky, Urd riding a broom and keeping even pace with her

fast-moving younger sister…

Tatewaki felt a wave passing over him and briefly paused with a frown, then

said, "My lady?"

"Just ignore it," he heard the voice of his Mistress say into his left ear

through the Blue Tooth he was wearing, "My mother-in-law is trying to cast

some sort of a spell, but it won't deter your ability to carry forth on your

mission."

"Understood, and I obey," Tatewaki said, "Your will be done." And then he

stepped around the corner and confronted the group that was waiting there,

knowing as he did so that he was striding like a Samurai upon the field of

battle, and was prepared for any outcome.

The others sensed his approach and turned with questioning looks turned his

way, Comb and Silk tensing immediately, while Kachu scowled and silently

passed her daughter over to the arms of her husband, Doctor Tofu.

"Demon," she murmured under her breath, her hand stretching out to the side

as she suddenly had her pole arm at the ready.

Konatsu placed himself in front of Akane and murmured, "Be ready."

"Why?" she asked, "It's just Tatewaki…"

Ryoga was the nearest one who turned and said, "Kuno-san? What are you

doing…?"

That was all the time he had to speak before Kuno suddenly moved like a

blur, and while Ryoga's combat reflexes instantly snapped to the fore, he

still was caught completely flat-footed as the sword slashed across his

chest and dug deep into his abdomen.

Ryoga barely had time to blink before Kuno reversed his momentum and stabbed

him through the heart, catching a startled Minako in the breast as the sword

traveled through the both of them, as she reflexively put her arms around

his chest and tried to grip her boyfriend as he staggered backwards.

Kuno did not waste a single motion as he yanked the now-blooded sword out of

his victims, allowing them to tople to the floor like nerveless marionette

whose strings had been clipped. And then with a single motion moved and cut

down Kontatsu as he tried to block the strike with a Ninja-To short blade,

only to find the Katana cleaved through black coated steel as easily as it

might through paper.

Ukyo instantly had her trademark Bakers peel in hand and was ready to

strike, but Kuno was not where she was expecting him and suddenly she felt a

cold streak pass through her own abdomen as Kuno raked her and nearly cut

her in half. Akane did not have time enough to gasp out her name before

Kuno sliced off her head almost off-handedly in passing, then went on to cut

down Makoto, who had been attempting to grasp for her Senshi pin in order to

summon up her own formidable powers.

Everyone was instantly in shock as it seemed that in a blink of an eye six

of their most formidable warriors were taken out in a blur of crimson

motion. Next to fall was Umi, Ukyo's formidable Aunt, who tried to

interpose herself between the advancing Kuno and those younger people whom

she was sheltering behind her.

And then Kuno took on the young men known as Ryo Kumon and Senzenin, felling

them both with no waste of energy and with as much casual ease as if they

were moving in slow motion to his furious energy as he showed them no mercy

and not the least bit of hesitation.

Kaoru screamed as she saw her fiancé be cut down, and yet her mother wisely

pulled her away from the fray as Tatewaki studiously dismissed them as

unimportant. Everyone else was either paralyzed with disbelief or reacted

too slow to meet the challenge that he presented. It was as if the specter

of Death were among them, going from place to place like a shadow and

displaying a strength and power that had never previously been known by the

young man whom most tended to dismiss as a lesser talent in Nerima.

Tatewaki was like a machine as he moved with speed that was inhuman, next

confronting Comb, who attacked in a standard Chinese Wushu-fighting crouch,

miscalculating his intentions entirely as he used a style that she had never

seen before and went right through her guard as if it were not there.

Hairbrush took less than an instant to take down, which left the twins to

confront as Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung moved to coordinate a twin defensive

maneuver, which might have worked against an ordinary foe but not one who

was imbued with the spirit of malevolence that filled Tatewaki with horrid

fury.

But his attempt to strike them down met a counter in the form of a

spear-staff as Kachu the Devil-Hunter blocked his advance, her own eyes

ablaze with the fury of vengeance against this murderous beast in human form

who was attacking those whom she had come to love and appreciate as family.

"Demon, begone from this man!" she invoked with spell-words of banishment

that would have sent a possessed man scurrying away in repulsion.

But Tatewaki did not even change his expression as he shifted his weight and

balance, and suddenly he reversed his blade and brushed Kachu's spear aside

with a strength that was superhuman, catching her in the throat as she was

briefly vulnerable and off-balance for half an instant, then turning and

moving from her as she gasped and spat blood, dropping her staff and

clutching at her throat in a vain attempt to staunch the bleeding.

"MURDERER!" Silk cried as she acted to attack the man with her own staff,

her emotions swelling as her Lore Master abilities came to the fore. But in

doing so she forgot that the center of calm was the core of her discipline,

and that by losing her focus she made herself vulnerable to the attack that

Tatewaki loosed upon her.

Genma and Soun were quick to react, and like trained disciples of the same

Master, they moved to confront Tatewaki, confident that their "Anything

Goes" prohibition against reliance upon weapons would give them an edge

against a mere sword wielder.

Which turned out not to be the case as Tatewaki fought in a coordinated

style that made the sword an extension of his being, and as such could

easily anticipate their moves and moved to penetrate their guard when their

clumsy thrusts left them exposed to retaliation…

"Sounds like things are going as badly as we anticipated," Ganglot said as

she glanced out at the wall separating them from the zone of bloody mayhem.

"Attend to the matter that is at hand," Quinon said, "Now…just a little

further, Shampoo…and push…that's it…almost there!"

Ranma glanced away from feeling the pain that was in his hand and asked, "Is

something going on in the next room?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about," Ganglot assured him, "In fact,

everything is about to be taken care off. So concentrate upon your

wife…she's the one who most needs you…"

Usagi and Rei came upon a scene of nightmarish horror even as Atsuko was

attempting to duel with Tatewaki using nothing but her trademark umbrella

for a weapon. She might as well have used a club for all the good that it

did her, so rather than avenge the death of her son and the man she loved

she became yet another casualty as Tatewaki dealt her a blow that felled her

in one slice, but did not immediately kill her, as he had done with all of

the others who had crossed blades against him.

"My Mistress commands that you be spared the hand of death," Tatewaki said

grimly, even as turning to survey what remained of the likely witnesses,

none of whom could offer him serious challenge as they had stood along the

sidelines watching matters unfold with absolute disbelief.

"Makoto…Minako-chan!" Usagi cried as they saw the bloodied corpses of their

fellow Senshi.

"Bastard!" Rei declared as she cast a fireball in Tatewaki's direction, only

to see him turn and neatly slice through the attack as though his sword

could swat it out of existence.

Tatewaki recognized the more formidable threat posed to him as Usagi lifted

her wand and started to chant words that sounded rather ominous. He

retaliated before she could complete the spell by hurling a Nampo-fueled Chi

blast in her direction.

It did the trick of distracting her at a crucial juncture, but all at once

Rei threw herself into the path of the attack and took it on herself to

spare Usagi.

"MARS!" Usagi cried as she saw her lover fall down with a wicked slash

across her chest and abdomen, and then she aimed her wand directly at their

opponent and concentrated another attack.

Only to find Tatewaki had crossed the space separating them in the blink of

an eye, and all at once his pomel struck the back of her head at the case of

the neck and snapped it with impossible concessive force, dropping her in

the next instant.

He turned around, only to find a wave of cold flowed through the room and

nearly paralyzed him in an instant, for yet another spell casting foe had

somehow crept up upon him unawares and was even then attempting to capture

him in a block of ice, which she surely would do if he did not react

accordingly in another instant.

Summoning much of what remained of his depleted energies, he managed to

counteract the cold effect by heating himself up internally, which fueled

his muscles as he once again boosted his strength and speed to impossibly

inhuman levels. And then he crossed the room while the slender girl (who

oddly resembled Akane for some odd reason) was reacting in surprise at his

having thwarted her attempt upon him.

But the effort cost him, for while he was still a formidable fighter, his

exertions were burning up through his stored up energies, and he had to

pause and take stock, to breathe in deeply and restore himself or else his

furious efforts of the past minute or so would all turn out to be for

nothing.

He coldly surveyed his own handiwork, the bodies laying scattered upon the

floor, the blood flowing everywhere as though a horde of butchers had hacked

them with machetes. The names and faces of those he could place seemed

strangely reposed and almost restful, while those unfamiliar to him were

just collateral casualties of a rampage that he had undertaken without

hesitation or remorse or any other kind of human emotion beyond that of cold

and unrelenting fury.

Among those not yet dead remained his sister, who was standing there with

ribbon in hand attempting to shelter her paramour in lust, the wide-eyed and

horrified Kasumi. And there was Doctor Tofu, hanging back with his infant

daughter clutched to his breast, dismayed beyond comprehension at what they

all had just seen take place in an impossible blur of motion that the

unaided eye could not have hoped to witness.

"Tatewaki-kun…what have you done?" Kodachi asked in abject disbelief.

"What is necessary for me to do if I am to restore the honor of House Kuno,"

Tatewaki said as he raised his katana once again, "Farewell, my sister.

When you are gone I alone will remain to carry on the family name."

"No!" Kasumi called out, "You must not!"

"For the sake of my lady, Cybele," Tatewaki said as he prepared to summon

the energy that he would need to complete the task at hand, "I will…"

But just then the air in the room seemed to grow unusually tense, and then

it began to crackle and hiss, and all at once a fissure appeared in one

space through which a figure stepped into view, appearing as if from no

where in particular, to calmly look around and scowl, surveying the carnage

that surrounded her with puzzlement written large in her expression.

She slowly turned her head to regard Tatewaki, and then she said, "I see.

So this is all your doing."

"Who are you?" Tatewaki demanded, for the face and form seemed somehow

familiar, though for a moment he could not place them for the woman appeared

to be a virtual stranger.

"Who am I?" she asked with a raising of both auburn colored eyebrows, "You

must be even further gone than I thought if you've forgotten about me so

soon, Tatewaki-kun. After all, I've only been away for about a day or so

now."

Kasumi blinked and then said, "Neechan? Nabiki?"

"Nabiki?" Kodachi started, "I know that name…from somewhere…"

"Nabiki?" Tofu blinked, "Hey, wait a minute! I remember now!"

"Nabiki…Tendo Nabiki?" Tatewaki blinked his eyes and then scowled, "Yes, I

remember you!"

"That's good," Nabiki shifted her posture and changed her footing slightly,

"Now see if you remember this…"

Tatewaki blinked, for suddenly the girl was not where she had been standing

but rather had somehow shifted to within a meter or so of his position, and

slightly to his left, in the blind side of his own defensive posture.

And all at once her fist connected with the side of his head and he suddenly

went down as if struck low by a hammer.

"That's for causing my family so much trouble, Bastard," Nabiki said as she

kicked the sword to the side, then rolled him over with a foot and stepped

upon his chest as he stared up, blurry-eyed and seemed to have trouble

focusing on her for some peculiar reason.

"Neechan," Kasumi was suddenly in tears, "Father…Akane and the

others…they're all dead!"

"No, they're not," Nabiki answered, then stared hard at the boy beneath her

and said, "Can you hear me in there, Kuno-chan? I can feel you struggling

somewhere beneath that haze that's fogging up your brain and smothering the

real you. You've got to wake up, or Cybele will claim what's left of you."

"Cybele?" Tatewaki spoke vaguely, but then his focus shifted and he

stretched out his hand, and suddenly his Katana flowed to him and he felt

restored as his energies once more became in balance.

Nabiki backed away in time to avoid being slashed by that blade, but she

only moved out of immediate reach of his thrust and took a passive stance as

she said, "You really are slime, you know that, Lady? Using this boy like

he's a marionette, a puppet for your amusement…"

"My Mistress uses me as is befitting of her will," Tatewaki snarled, and

tried to attack her, only to find that Nabiki flowed away and around his

thrust, and seemed to anticipate his next slash as she bent her body over

backwards, allowing the blade to pass harmlessly over her body.

"Let me guess," she remarked between motions, "You wanted to steal Shampoo's

baby and raise her for your own purposes," Nabiki said while easily flowing

around his next series of attacks, which came so rapid-fire that it was

impossible to believe the smoothness with which she dodged them, "Because

the kid's a Nexus, like her father…and you've always wanted the power to

control Destiny for yourself…"

"Stand still and let me cut you down, you annoying wretch!" Tatewaki snapped

between breaths while trying to do just that with his opponent.

All at once Nabiki was inside his guard and once again and smote him, this

time on the forehead with the palm of one hand, sending him tumbling

backwards as the force was as precisely aimed as it was totally unexpected.

"You're slowing down, Kuno-chan," she said as he landed on his backside,

"Whatever she did to you to bolster your speed and strength is starting to

wear off, and I can feel you depleting your reserves in trying to nail me.

But then again, you couldn't even nail me back when I was just a fellow

classmate, before I underwent my Lore Master training. And now…well, Akane

could take you easily, or Kasumi."

Tatewaki tried to move but found his body weighted to the floor as though

his nerves had been severed. He was suddenly unable to do anything other

than snarl out, "At least I took the ones who were closest to you…and when I

regain my strength, Witch, I will add you to their list…"

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough to you before, Cybele," Nabiki

said, "I am a Lore Master, and the power we have comes from knowing what is

without being blinded by illusions. And I can tell that you've been caught

up in the web of your own malice, which has blinded you to any reality but

your own ambitions."

"What are you saying?" Tatewaki snarled, and his voice no longer even

resembled that of the young man in the trenchcoat, "They're dead! My

servant slew them with his own hand…"

"That's what you believe," Nabiki countered, turning to glance at the room

in general, "But I know a good fake when I see one, and this has the

distinctive signature of a certain Oni I could mention, who likes to fancy

herself as a real artiste."

"Oh, you recognized my handiwork," Ganglot said, suddenly there at the end

of the corridor by the doors to the delivery room, "I'm not sure if I should

be flattered or insulted."

"You?" Tatewaki snarled, "What have you done?"

"I'm not really saying that I disapprove or anything, Lady," Nabiki smiled

at the golden skinned, bat-winged Oni Princess, "In fact, I believe I owe

you a debt of gratitude for helping out while I was away on other business."

"Neechan?" Kasumi and Kodachi approached her tentatively, "What do you

mean? Father and the others…?"

"They're not dead," Nabiki nodded, "Check it out if you have any doubt about

it."

"Kachu!" Tofu suddenly cried as he knelt down to examine his fallen wife,

only to see her blinking her eyes as the wounds to her body disappeared

completely.

"What…what happened to me?" she asked.

"That's what I'd like to know," said Comb as she accepted a friendly hand of

assistance from her husband, Hairbrush, "Are we dead? This doesn't look

like heaven…"

"Trust me, I'd know it if it were," said Atsuko, who was slapping her son,

Ryoga, on the cheeks to revive him, then glanced up and said, "This was your

doing, Grandmother?"

"A Glamour spell," said Silk as she and Soun rose up from the floor

together, "She made it seem as if we were dead…while putting each one of us

in a temporary state of paralysis, bordering on a group coma."

"Oh please," Ganglot sniffed as the others began to stir and look around in

some confusion, "Nothing so simple and artless as a mere Glamour spell.

After all, we had to make it look real in order to fool Cybele and her

minion. And since he was using an advanced level of Nampo, the trick was to

bend his perceptions to make things appear as real to the effect as could be

managed."

"Nampo?" Genma said with a start.

"Yes, it makes perfect sense," Nodoka smiled, "The sword touched our

bodies…but we were not entirely in phase with it, so the impact was not

genuine, but had the kinetic force of being struck without actually doing

our bodies real damage."

"Excuse me?" Ukyo asked, "Exactly how does that work again?"

"I think I understand," her Aunt Umi said with a frown, "We encountered

something like this once before in the old days. It's a type of illusion

that has real substance, but it plays upon the psychic perceptions of a

person to create a kind of dream reality that seems real to the waking

vision."

"Like a kind of psychic Jui-Jitsu," said Konatsu, "And the stronger the

spiritual awareness of the person who is subjected to such a spell…"

"The stronger the sense of reality," Akane said, "Wow…that's totally

brilliant!"

"I think I understand," said Usagi as she and her fellow Senshi finished

inspecting one another to be certain that they were whole and alive once

again, "It's kind of like the effect we experience when we're in our Senshi

forms."

"You mean you've figured it out before the rest of us?" Rei asked in mild

dismay.

"That's it," Minako said, "The world is coming to an end."

"Thank you, thank you," Ganglot bowed, "Your praise is much too kind. Now

then, for my own loyal minions…"

Two figures appeared from the sidelines, the exiled Amazons known as Romeo

and Julian, who approached Tatewaki Kuno with ropes and weapons drawn as

Nabiki stepped away from his prone and nerveless body.

"We are going to have to get that spirit that Ganglot implanted in him out

of Tatewaki before he can answer for his part in all of this," Nabiki said

while the two Amazons bound the young man up a swiftly and efficiently as

could be expected, "This almost could have worked if I hadn't shown up when

I did."

"Yes, but you did show up in time," said the aged Amazon known as Lotion,

who hobbled on her staff, flanked by the Archmage, Siren, and the youthful

appearing Cologne, who seemed un-surprised by all of the commotion.

"Grandmother?" Silk frowned, "And where have you been off to all this time?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Comb scowled as she regarded her own

grandmother crossly.

"We were…unavoidably detained by other business," Cologne replied.

"My Grandson and former apprentice came into town…again," Siren tersely

offered by way of explanation, "We had to straighten them out on certain

matters."

"Yes, but you handled yourself adequately, my child." Lotion said as she

strode up to Nabiki, "And by the calm that I see in your aura, I am taking

it that your travels to other parts has set your mind to rest on certain

issues?"

"Yes, very much so," Nabiki answered, "And now that I am home sweet home

I've got to find Ranma and Shampoo and…"

"Over this way, young Lore Master," Quinon called out from the doorway, "I

regret to inform you that you missed the delivery by several minutes, but

the mother and child are resting peacefully together, as well as the

father…now that I've finished bandaging his hand."

"Bandaging his hand?" Ryoga asked.

"Trust me on this, Boy," Genma affirmed, "It's something you come to expect

when you're a father."

"Shampoo is well?" Kasumi asked with great relief.

"Very well," Quinon said, still focusing her gaze upon Nabiki as she added,

"And would very much want to see you."

"The feeling is mutual," Nabiki turned and gave a glance at Tatewaki before

saying, "See to it he doesn't go anywhere. I have business with Tachi-kun

once I get through more important business."

"We understand, Big Sister," said Ling-Ling as she and Lung-Lung joined the

scowling Romeo in holding weapons in their hands while flanking the scowling

Tatewaki.

Nabiki pushed past the disguised Goddess of Mercy and found Ranma bending

over the bed with one hand wrapped up in bandages, grinning like a maniac as

he stared at the tiny red-faced bundle in the arms of a semi-drowsy Shampoo.

Nabiki came up short and paused, remembering belatedly that a spell had been

cast by Ganglot to make the people of Nerima temporarily forget all about

her, and for a moment feared that they would not recognize her.

But then Shampoo looked up and her beaming face became radiantly joyful as

she said, "Beloved…you are here…come see you new baby, Shanma."

"Shanma?" Nabiki asked as she hesitantly approached the bed and stared at

the child, who had a few wisps of purple hair curling like a forelock over

her tiny forehead.

"Yeah," Ranma said, taking his eyes away from the baby to give Nabiki a

grateful smile that welcomed her into their fold as if she had never truly

left them, "We talked about it, and since you weren't here to suggest

anything better…"

"Next one's on me then, Ranma-kun," Nabiki said as she brushed a finger over

the face of the sleeping infant, feeling a slight tremble that suggested to

her the power and potential contained within this tiny form, who was a newly

born Nexus, like her father, "Cute little nipper. Takes after her mother"

"Is Nyanchiczu," Shampoo said sleepily, "Strong warrior of great warrior

father. Airen…Shampoo is very thirsty. Could have glass of water?"

"Sure thing," Ranma said, moving his good left hand to pick up a pitcher

that was sitting on a mobile cart next to the bed, only finding it difficult

to pour one-handed.

"Let me do that, Ranchan," Nabiki urged, grateful to see that her loved ones

had not forgotten her in their heart, no matter whatever sort of spell they

had been under. And so she filled a glass of water and handed it to Ranma,

who moved it in turn to Shampoo, who freed an arm from beneath the blanket

in an effort to reach for it.

Only she misjudged her reach and spilled some drops onto the exposed face of

their daughter, and all at once all three new parents gasped, for the girl's

face became furry and slightly feline, for all that she was still obviously

human.

"What the…?" Ranma said in dismay.

"Apparently the Curses got blended in her," Nabiki fathomed, her gaze

becoming momentarily distracted, "Water triggers it like with you guys…but I

guess in the case of little Shanma she turns into a cute looking Cat-Girl."

Ranma heaved a small sigh, "Well, could be worse…could be she turned into a

guy, and that really would be awkward."

"Aiyaa," Shampoo agreed, then she looked up and asked, "Airen…where was

you? Shampoo wanted to call for you while giving birth to baby…but could

not remember name for some reason."

Nabiki moved her hand to smooth the purple locks of this woman she loved so

dearly and said, "I'm here now, guys, and that's what really matters. And

I'm not going away either."

"You'd better not," Ranma gave her a lopsided grin, "I'd hate to be the only

one who has to change her diapers and give her a four O'clock feeding."

"Share and share alike, Ranma-kun," Nabiki said evenly, though her pleasant

mood was spoiled by the thought of what she knew that she would have to do

in order to protect her newborn daughter as it was a certainty that Cybele

would not be leaving them alone.

Especially not now that they had some faint inkling to the girl's raw

potential.

That is…if Nabiki let her have the chance.

And with that thought in mind she suddenly knew with perfect clarity what

that other version of herself whom she had encountered in that parallel

world from which she had just traveled was trying to convey to her about

what it truly meant to be a parent.

Namely that there was nothing that you would hesitate to do where it came to

the safety of your loved ones…

Quinon smiled and then turned and did not bat an eye as she found two of her

peers standing at her side, and smoothly said, "So, are you satisfied with

the results of our endeavor?"

Belldandy regarded her fellow Goddess and said, "I am sure that Heaven will

look favorably upon your actions, Quinon…but was it necessary for you to

work so closely with an Oni?"

"And of all the Oni I could name in existence," Urd scowled, "You had to

partner with my wacky Aunt Ganglot?"

"She is not affiliated with the Demonic Branch of the Malicious Wish

department anymore," Quinon said, "That business where she granted the

mortal known as Happosai with Immortality resulted in her being severely

penalized for nearly three hundred years. I'd say her debt to heaven has

been paid for."

"Not if half the rumors that I've heard about this Happosai character are

even close to being true," Urd noted with a snort, only to give a slight

start as a voice murmured from just behind him.

"I've taken a few steps to see to it that my former Client is held in check

and doesn't cause the mortal world too much mischief, Niece," Garnglot cooed

before adding, "And by the way, how is my Sister doing? Is Hild still

raising heck in the lower regions?"

"Oh my," Belldandy turned around, "Miss Ganglot…it has been a while."

"That it has, Odinsdatter," Ganglot mused, "And by the way, I understand

that you've been spending time on earth with a certain Mortal who has caught

your fancy. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Belldandy said, "Keiichi-sama and I have a child together, and

we've upgraded our contract into a pact of marriage."

"About time," Peorth snorted, having appeared at the opposite side of the

corridor, and flanked by Benten, as she added, "But how did you get that boy

to find the courage to propose to you? Did you have something to do with

it, Urd?"

"Yes, that does sound about like your own methods, Niece," Ganglot eyed the

bronze skinned goddess slyly, "Still dabbling in potions, I assume?"

"I…might have slipped him the odd potion when he wasn't looking," Urd rolled

her eyes and tried not to study the tiles in the ceiling…and what might lay

beyond them, "So…what's the story with those three in the other room?

Which one of them is married to who?"

"It's a rather long story," Ganglot answered, "What say I tell it to you

over a cup of sake, my treat?"

"Really?" Urd said with a lifting of snowy eyebrows.

"And tea in your case, Bell-chan," Ganglot added sweetly.

"How very nice of you," Belldandy smiled, relaxing somewhat as she sensed no

evil malice emanating from the Princess of the Oni, "And how have you been

getting on, Peorth?"

"I've been…exploring my old roots, Cheri," Peorth said with a shy

expression, turning slightly to regard the blonde haired figure standing

behind her, "You both know Benten, of course?"

"All too well," Urd said, then blinked, "What? You mean to say…you two…?"

"That is none of your concern, Goddess of the Past," Benten, Goddess of

Fortune, responded, "But let's just say that I've been keeping Rose here out

of trouble while she attempts to meddle in the love lives of her mortal

daughters."

"Sounds like a full time job," Urd snorted slightly, even as Peorth gave the

both of them a very cross expression.

"Oh, it is," Ganglot assured them before laying a hand upon the woman

disguised as a doctor, "Quinon and I have been going over old times

together. Which reminds me, Urd…are you still palling around with that

wastrel, Mraller?"

"Give me a break," Urd said, "That's strictly between the two of us, thank

you very much."

"Okay, but if you ask me you're letting a tight piece of Demon ass slip away

from you if you don't nail her right away," Ganglot mused while they headed

towards the exit, "After all, you've only been seeing each other for…what?

Two or three thousand years going on now…"

"We're just friends, Dad-dammit." Urd insisted, though the wistful

expression on her face was suddenly somewhat distracted for some peculiar,

introspective reason…

"Damnation," Cybele snorted, "Another scheme gone to ruin. And after all

the hard work and resources that I had invested in that boy…to be taken down

like that! How pathetic."

She surveyed her monitoring equipment and scowled the more, seeing Tatewaki

was being safeguarded by the Devil Hunter known as Kachu, who had him in

some sort of magical circle that was preventing her from establishing

contact with her minion. The spirit that she had implanted deep into his

mind over the course of his being groomed for this particular mission was

strangely quiescent, as if placed into a deep sleep beyond her ability to

awaken. The Hitokiri seed that had given him a boost in speed, strength and

power to almost legendary "Manslayer" potential had all but burned itself

out during the task of removing the obstacles and layers of protection that

had surrounded her actual quarry. Most likely Tatewaki would need a week of

recovery time to restore himself once the effects had fully worn off, in

which case she would have to find herself another means for obtaining the

child.

A child whom her sensors determined had even greater Nexus potential than

that of her sex challenged father.

As she pondered the difficulties that would need to be surmounted to

construct an even more laborate and effective scheme, however, she was

startled to hear a dial tone ringing up on her special "remote access"

line. She frowned, wondering just who in the Hell could have gained access

to a supposedly restricted number.

She activated it with the filter on and said, "Yes?"

"Good evening, Daughter-in-Law," came the familiar, hated voice of her Oni

relation.

"What do you want?" Cybele snapped, "If you're going to gloat, I have better

use for my time…"

"Yes you do," Ganglot's voice dripped with venom, and none of her usual

teasing, taunting humor was in evidence as she said, "You crossed over a

line this time, and there will be consequences."

"What do you intend to do about it?" Cybele asked, "You may no longer be

Licensed with the Malicious Wish department, but there are rules regarding

what one demon can do to another, as you well know."

"Believe me," Ganglot replied, "There are few creatures in either Hell or

Heaven who are more conversant with the rules and sub-clauses regarding the

Pact that we all work under, and I know the routines inside and out, so

don't bother trying to lecture me about them, Apprentice."

"All right then," Cybele said, "I'll bite. What are you planning to do

about it? I'll even concede it was a brilliant feint, getting my pawn to

squander his energies against one of your illusions…"

"Look outside your windows," Ganglot replied, "I know that tree you've been

imprisoned in has monitor security cameras littered about the place, so

activate the one at the front gate, now."

Cybele scowled, and then she mentally activated the cameras in question…and

almost fell over in dismay at the sight that was presented to her there.

Saotome Nabiki Tendo, poised with an ax in her hands, flanked by Ranma who

was holding a small bundle in his arms, and both parents staring as if to

look right at her with expressions that could only be described as loathing.

"Hi there," Nabiki waved with one free hand, "I suppose you are wondering

just how we located your citidel of power. Well, did you know that a

certain half-Oni relation of ours was very cross with you for trying to

murder her son back in that hospital?"

"Atsuko?" Cybele gasped, "My own daughter has betrayed me?"

"Kinda like ya got the order reversed, Lady," Ranma growled, "From the way

she sees it, you're the one who pissed her off by trying to wipe us all out,

including my half-Bro, not to mention our Pop, which even I'm kinda hacked

off about."

"And if you are wondering how we got your number," Nabiki added, "It might

amuse you to know that there's this trick I've learned during my Lore Master

training where I take a regular phone and dial a bunch of numbers at seeming

random, letting my fingers do the walking, if you will. And-funny

that-I only have to think about the party I want to talk to and I make a

connection. Oh, and don't bother trying to activate your protective wards

and stuff like that. We've already been briefed on everything and they've

been neutralized to make sure you are not going anywhere…but downward."

Cybele felt a cold chill run down her spine as she saw the Lore Master raise

the ax in both hands with meaningful intention, and she said, "No…!"

"Oh yes," Nabiki said, "I know chopping down your tree won't exactly

terminate your life, but I'm told it will sever your connection to the

mortal plane and sent you back to Hell, where you belong…where a certain

Queen is waiting to have a little discussion with you regarding past

transgressions against her express authority."

And Nabiki took a step forward, spinning around and using the Ax as she

might a staff, building up energies until she was ready to unleash her cast,

at which point Cybele cried out in a panic, "Wait! We can discuss this! I

can make you a deal that will make up for all the trouble I've put you

through…!"

"Fat chance!" Ranma called out, "Negotiations are terminated, lady."

And with that Nabiki let the ax go, causing it to suddenly expand as a wave

of energy surrounded it, and when it hit the base of the tree there was a

massive explosion, and all at once the bark caught fire, and Cybele started

to scream.

Nabiki broke the connection so that they would not have to hear the wails of

pain that racked the body of the demon as Cybele felt her own body begin to

burn, and all around her the interior citadel from which she had built an

empire of technological power began to crumble from within.

Nabiki gave the tree a last cold glare of contempt before she turned away,

taking Ranma by the hand and turning her back upon the resulting bonfire

that soon engulfed Cybele's prison and sent up a fire so black that it

burned like the flames of perdition…

Continued.

After a long, long delay this is finally finished and ready for

transmission, and many apologies and much regrets for the three year writers

block that's held me back from completing this adventure. This has been one

of the longest Fanfics that I have ever worked upon (Nabiki ½ being a bit

longer by more than half, and still itself a work in progress), and it was

never my intention to put off completing this section.

Alas, other business (projects and real life) got in the way of my ability

to focus, but hopefully I'll still have enough energy left over to wind up

the PostScript for this adventure as "A Tale of Two Wallets" has long been a

labor of love that kept me going from chapter to chapter with as much

excitement as I hope was shared by many of my readers.

Please forgive my lapse and do stay tuned for any and all updates to other

delayed projects that I've been promising to get back to, and be here next

time for, "A Tale of Two Wild Horses," or, "Cat's Meow," as we check back

with Nabiki and the family…hopefully not too long away in the future…

Yours Sincerely and with much Heartfelt gratitude,


	149. Chapter 149

NabikiRan133

Ranma and Nabiki,

"A Tale of Two Wallets!"

by

Jim Robert Bader

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi &amp; Others,

with special thanks to Nicole Manders who originally

created Ganglot and long ago gave me permission to use

her…take a bow wherever you're at, Nicole!)

Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-Three.

The Artful Truth

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I sometimes wonder about what Lord Anri said when I was initiated at the Crossroads between realities, about life being a struggle between the polar opposites of Existence and Nullification.

If life is itself an affirmation of the principle of awareness, then being is an experience much like a dream in which you share a space with other dreamers, all of whom pursue a common goal of finding their inner bliss, and reconciling it with the hard reality of material living.

In which case I've been having a very good dream, and one I have no desire to be awaken from, especially as I have everything which I could ever desire close at hand and within the scope of my vision.

Take for example the little ball of energy that I was playing with on my lap just this afternoon while I sat on the porch and watched Ranma and Shampoo spar together, helping our wife get back the fighting trim that she is so justly proud about.

While I am nurturing a double pregnancy and am forced to constrain my own exertions on Doctor Tofu's orders, on pain of earning a displeased look from his own very-much pregnant wife, my half-sister, Ka-Chu.

The twin daughters that I carry are, of course, Ranma's as well, the fulfillment of my promise to him to be the next to bear his offspring…though I had not intended it to be quite so literal and immediate in the wake of Shampoo's delivery of little Shanma (or "Mountain Pony," if you will, as I prefer to think of her, despite her peculiar Cursed form being that of a purple furred Cat-Girl).

Truth to tell, there are a lot of us running around with bowling balls in our tummies, and all thanks to a certain meddlesome Oni Princess whom I could name, who thought it would be a hilarious lark to plant a seed for the future that she foresaw coming a long time before the rest of us.

And I still wonder just how the hell she got hold of that magical item that somehow managed to arrange unions and pairings that seem implausible to normal understanding.

Even as I was musing on this I heard Kodachi and Kasumi calling out to me as they joined me on the porch, and I did not need to turn my head to see the tell-tale bulge in Kasumi's abdomen. Kodachi's child, if you can believe it.

And no, I don't think that it has anything to do with Instant Nannichuan, or anything else to do specifically with Jusenkyo.

"Good afternoon, Neechan," my elder sister smiled down at me, "You are looking quite well."

"Likewise, Oniichan," I responded, giving Kodachi a look as she was one of the few among our female number who had emerged from the experience without somehow becoming pregnant. And without a word I could see that the lines of emotion that surrounded them affirmed that their bond was going just as strongly as ever.

"I spoke with Tatewaki-kun today," Kodachi murmured softly, almost apologetic for the raising of the subject.

"Oh?" I asked, as if I had no inkling of what to suspect, "And how is he doing?"

"Better," Kodacahi sounded genuinely regretful, "But ever since we got that thing out of him that was poisoning his mind…he has not been quite the same. He still has no memory of the incident, and while he has not reverted fully to the ambling poetry-spouting fool that we remember…neither is he quite himself in other respects."

"I'm really sorry to hear that," I said, and surprised myself to find that I actually meant it.

"The doctors believe that with time and the proper medication…he might be functional once again," Kodachi continued, "But in the meantime, the Board of Trusties is quite content to manage affairs. For the company, that is. I have succeeded in obtaining full control over the Household and our properties, thanks to Lady AAA taking a friendly interest."

I had to smile at that, for Kodachi sounded genuinely relieved not to be burdened with too many of the details concerning the day-to-day management of her family's corporate interests. She was quite content to live out the life of an aristocrat, living on a generous stipends that afforded her in the style to which she was accustomed, and enabling her to provide a stable home environment that she could provide to my sister, whom she regarded as virtually her wife in all senses but the legal.

"Glad to see that life has been good to you both," I noted, even while turning my focus back on watching Ranma try out a new technique that he had gotten off of one of Happosai's vast array of "borrowed" scroll texts.

"And not just for us, Neechan," Kasumi said pleasantly, "We stopped by to pay our respects to Akane, Ukyo and Makoto-chan. They all are doing quite well, and Doctor Tofu sees no complications in their own pregnancies."

Again I had that sour look of ironic reflection as I thought about the fact that Akane and Makoto both were expecting their own babies…only in their case understandable pregnancies since Ukyo's curse, and fondness for the both of them, made that almost a foregone conclusion.

And to think, it all began three months ago when we accepted that invitation from Ganglot to have a "victory ball," in celebration of Shampoo's pregnancy (and the banishment of her troublesome daughter-in-law)., a party held at Ukyo's restaurant that Ganglot catered to with plenty of food and entertainment, and the recital of an act from Shakespeare conducted by her servants, Romeo and Julian.

And yeah, just as you might expect, the genders were reversed with Romeo doing the male bits and Julian assuming the role of the tragic heroine.

Surprisingly enough, they carried it off in spite of the language problems, Ganglot having obviously coached them to get the proper syntax right with the idioms of Ionic Pentameter flowing like poetic sing-song from the lips of both actors.

The crown jewel of the whole affair-quite literally-had been when Ganglot had revealed her show-capper, which turned out to be an egg-shaped crystal that was revealed from its place of concealment, which captivated all of our attention (which, I later learned, was due to the fact that it carried a powerful magical enchantment that worked on everyone, especially we Lore Masters).

In attendance at that party were, of course, our extended family of Me, Ranma, Shampoo and little Shanma, Kodachi and Kasumi, Ukyo, Makoto and Akane, our fathers and their various respective wives and Mistresses, plus Cologne and Siren, and Ryoga with own his fiancée, Minako.

In addition to this were Ryomi (Ryoga's sister), Konatsu, Usagi and Rei, Ami and some guy whose name escapes me at the moment. And, of course, their friends, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru and Setsuna. Oh, and Usagi's sometime boyfriend, Mammoru, who flew in from America for the occasion.

Ranma's cousin, Tenchi, and his merry crew of misfit alien brides and wannabes were there as well, with Ryoko and Ayeka fussing about which one of them would get to stuff the most food into the mouth of their respective boyfriend.

Come to think of it, since Cologne is Tenchi's aunt, that kind of makes them family from both ends of the spectrum, since Shampoo is sort of like a second cousin, though I'm not about to mess with the complicated Juraian rules about family association.

Then, of course, there were Peorth and Bentan, along with some of their friends (whom I happen to know were more than they appeared to be), a guy named Keiichi and his wife, Belldandy (whose voice oddly sounds a bit like my sister), and Belldandy's sisters, Urd and Skuld, Keiichi's sister, Megumi, and some blonde haired girl whose appearance I didn't like at first, name of Mraller.

Shampoo's parents were there, along with her younger twin sisters, and their mutual boyfriend, Senzenin Mikado, if you can believe that since he got dumped by his ditzy partner, Azusa.

Also there was an "old friend" of Uncle Genma's, a Circus Proprietor named Lady Sakura, and her daughter, Kaoru (whom I happen to know is Ranma's half-sister, though I've yet to fully explain how that little revelation came about without Genma getting skewered by his other ladies)

Oh yeah, and Kaoru's own fiancée, Ryo Kumon (about whom I've related at some length in another entry, the one regarding Ranma's discovery and mastery of the Senkens…though I'm happy to say that he has yet to acquire any comely female Elemental servants as extra baggage).

Of course Ryonami and Gosukugi were there, along with a bunch of other guys too numerous to count, which would have made this a pretty big shindig even without Ganglot's little "surprise" package going off in our midst and turning our party into an all-out spontaneous orgy.

Even I got sucked into the bedazzlement that caused us all to tear off our clothes and go at it like frenzied sex maniacs, and I don't have too clear a memory about how the next two hours or so went, save that I get flashes from time-to-time of being in the arms of some rather unlikely casual bedmates.

Well, to make a short reference out of a full length Porn Movie, the upshot was that half the women attending that little bash wound up discovering, a couple weeks later, that we were all carrying some souvenir momentous for our troubles, and sometime during the next nine months we'd be increasing the population of Nerima (and other points nearby) by a substantial amount. And not all of the pairings turned out to be the boy-girl kind as this spell seemed to enable lots of female-to-female pregnancies, like the one shared by Kodachi and my sister.

Not too surprisingly, Ganglot skipped town shortly after pulling this stunt, and only surfaced again after she was sufficiently assured that tempers had cooled, and no one (not even Cologne) would be making motions in the direction of locking her back up in that pyramid from which she had escaped after three hundred years or so of exile.

Especially since Siren in particular was grateful for the fact that she and the Elder are going to be parents after just about as long a period of courtship.

Oddly enough, once people had time to sort things out, there turned out to be quite a few parties who were more than grateful to the Oni Princess for having pulled her prank as most of the couplings appear to have been what they secretly had wanted. This after Lotion and I confirmed, by our arts, which party had done the nasty with whom in order to make the child within their womb.

Almost as if the spell had been a wish fulfillment for couples who yearned to have a child together, but might otherwise not have for one reason or another.

I had noticed that Lotion herself had avoided the party in question and quizzed her about this afterward, but she had just smiled and obliquely said, "That sort of thing is for young people, and not a tired old bag of bones like me."

She then went on to critique me for not being sharp enough to sense that Ganglot had been about to do, but I had to use the lame excuse that it's difficult to predict things with an Oni as they tend to screw up probability lines, as exemplified by the direction-challenged line of the Hibiki.

I have a distinct feeling that we will be feeling the consequences of this mass birthing of unusual and gifted progeny long into the future. But that's a side issue compared to sorting out the implications of group pregnancy as couples had to make fateful decisions about whether or not to firm their union.

Which-as I well know-can be complicated and tricky from a legal standpoint, let alone by the standards of society, which is not always very approving of such innovations as girl-girl or group marriage.

But I am content to call Shampoo my wife and Ranma my husband and that's all that needs to be said about the matter. And-thankfully-now that Cybele is out of the picture, there are no angry mobs with pitchforks storming at our gates demanding that we conform to the approved Japanese community social standards.

I turned back to Kodachi and Kasumi and asked, "Have they made a decision yet which one Ukyo intends to marry?"

"They have," Kodachi replied, "After much due consideration, they have settled upon having Kuonji-san wed Makoto, since she is officially registered as a man in a legal sense. Meanwhile Konatsu has boldly taken the initiative to claim Akane for his wife, pledging himself to raise their offspring as if she were his own."

"Can't say I find that too surprising," I said with a lifting of eyebrows, knowing how much Konatsu tends to worship the ground upon which my younger sister treads as if she were an incarnation of the Goddess.

And speaking of Goddesses…well, why spoil the surprise? Except to say my spiritual God-Mother and Benten are about to bless us all with yet another divine revelation.

I don't need my perceptions as a Lore Master to foresee that the future is going to be a very colorful one…and potentially quite explosive if these up-and-coming youngsters turn out to be anything like their respective parents.

Mine included, it needs go without saying.

But that is for the future, and as a wise man (or wise guy, assuming that there is any difference) once said, the future is not set, and can pretty much take care of itself since we have enough trouble managing the present.

And speaking of the present, my daughter (yes, I think of her as that even if she wasn't born of my womb but from the loins of my wife and my husband) needed diaper changing, so I tend to that all-too-necessary assignment while Ranma and Shampoo cheerfully pummel each other like two lovebirds who are doing what they most enjoy (that doesn't require taking their clothes off, except when one or both of them get tossed into the koi pond).

Of course, the really fun thing about having a wife who turns into a cat, and a husband who turns into a busty redhead, is that they can both curl up on my lap when they are done exhausting themselves with their complicated maneuvers. It's really quite a satisfying arrangement, any way you care to look upon it. And for all that we do have our moments, well…

Ranma is stubborn, but he tends to listen to me when I offer him advice, which same goes for Shampoo, who treats me as much as a big sister as a love interest. I have very little difficulty getting them to do what I want, which kind of makes me the one in control of the two most powerful fighters in Nerima, Ryoga-kun notwithstanding.

There is a lot of leverage that comes with that responsibility, and while our lives are hardly what one would call tranquil, it's nice to have resources like them to fall back upon when I'm going through the process of becoming a mother in my own right, and will be less able to defend myself through my Lore Master abilities while I'm temporarily sidelined against strenuous exertions.

But I do have friends and other allies to call upon when I have a need for backup, and I'm rich in IOUs that I've earned through my labors. And as such I consider myself wealthy beyond measure since I'm favorably well regarded in the community as someone who can help resolve problems, cut deals and arbitrate resolutions between contending parties.

And it doesn't hurt that I've got a handy nest-egg stored up in my personal bank accounts, just for those times when it pays to have a little something extra, to pay the bills and various other…expenses.

And to think, this all began when I acted on impulse and made the decision to be the one who would honor our family agreement to wed the two schools of the Anything Goes School together. Even knowing how my life would be turned upside down, I wouldn't change a bit of it for all the world, because in Ranma I have found a partner, and in Shampoo I have found my better half. This Tale of Two Wallets that I began almost three years ago has fulfilled me in ways that go beyond monetary compensation, and now I am actually looking forward to a bright and very interesting future where the road ahead stretches out before me.

With my loved ones at my side, all three of us (and the kids) moving forward to meet whatever destiny awaits us with open eyes and hearts that are firm and unflinching…

Somewhere beyond the Veil that separates the Worlds of the Living and Beyond…

"I must say that I am very cross with you, Cybele. To come so far and fall so deep that you now grovel at my feet like a lowly commoner. And to think, you once were worshipped among Mortals as a God, with men ready to castrate themselves in order to gain your favor."

Cybele glared from among the various vine-like tentacles that restrained her essence, her not-quite-physical body being subjected to the sort of punishment that would have made a character from Urotsukudoji blush with shame, while before her the Demon Queen of the 99 Hells looked on from her throne in much amusement.

"Cat got your tongue?" asked Hild as she sipped from a wine glass, knowing full well that her once-rival and long-hated enemy (though, farther back in time, they had been something much closer than this, though neither preferred to remember affairs that far back) could hardly speak with her mouth full of tentacle. Nor could any of her other abused openings be of much service save to suffer in not-so-silent torment for her many past sins. Which made the taunting even more unbearable as Hild added, "You once had much more to say to me than that."

Cybele could only scowl, and that not very good with her jaws pried wide open as she writhed in torment from the waves that were alternately quite pleasurable and quite painful.

"Betrayed by a loved one," Hild mused, looking wistful, "How well I know what that feels like. Honestly, children these days have no appreciation for what we must suffer and go through for their sake. But, then again, I suppose I should cut you a little slack. After all, it was my sister who, ultimately, was to blame for your undoing. Ganglot always was a troublesome handful…and now that she has rejected the ways of Hell completely and is actively helping the Mortals achieve happiness and contentment…well. Let's just say it is not exclusively you whom I find most annoying."

Despite the torment she had to endure, Cybele actually arched an eyebrow to this.

"It was not always so," Hild went on, "Back when we were all so much younger, before the divisions that separated Hell from Heaven even existed…we were all so innocent and carefree. Back then there was no difference between Demons and Gods. We were all simply Immortal beings of power, among the oldest of all races, free to explore our potential to its limitless dimensions…"

Cybele did indeed remember those "Old Days," and rather fondly at that. Back when you could seduce mortals and discard them, burn down their villages if they failed to make the right sort of offerings, slaughter and eat them at will, smite your enemies with a bolt of lightning, or turn them into various forms of wildlife at a whim, and generally carry on to your hearts content with no thought at all about the logical consequences. Back when Men were Men and Gods were Gods, and everyone damn well knew their place in the scheme of things, before the Council was formed to keep the balance between worlds, before the division was set down to set rules regarding the conduct of Gods and Humans.

"And then the quarrel happened that divided us all, where some of us took the side of Humanity," Hild continued as if mirroring her thoughts, "And others allied ourselves with the Dark, and still others removed themselves completely from the worlds of Light and Darkness and sought out different pathways. That was when the All Mighty One discovered the Runes of Power and engraved them upon his staff, which was forged of a branch of the Tree of Life itself. Before Yggdrasil was created, and the Pact, and this business about us competing for shares among the mortals got set into motion. Ah yes…such memories."

Cybele was picking something up in the tone of the Ruler of Hell and wondered if her rival were making a point of some kind or another. Cybele could remember as well what life had been like before the Fall, how very different her goals had been back then. Eons before she had fallen in love with the demi-Mortal known as Razor, and fostered through him the line of the Hibikis.

"I can see that you are thinking about it too," Hild remarked, "When Ganglot and I…you and the All Mighty One, and so many other of we, the Ancient Race, believed that eternity would beckon for us with limitless horizons. And now I find myself cast down to rule over the Damned who have cast their lot with me, while you had brief control over the miraculous technologies of human science, which-admittedly-is primitive but is fast approaching the technical scope of heaven. Which means that you do possess some sills that I might yet find…useful."

Cybele dared not hope that something was in the works here. In fact, the very real possibility was that Hild was taunting her to build up false hopes of an early release and would likely dash them in the next instant, claiming that she had merely been toying with her new "plaything."

But then Hild surprised her by saying, "It is not merely my troublesome sister who concerns me just now. It is the one who also brought about your undoing…this young Lore Master, Tendo Nabiki."

Suddenly Cybele saw what her captor was aiming to bring about by her seeming meandering monologue. If Hild herself was becoming alarmed at the growth rate in this mortal woman's potential…

"She associates with a Nexus," Hild went on, "And another Nexus has just entered the picture, one born of a member of the Star Race, which by itself is quite disturbing. And now the Goddesses and even the hated Senshi have begun to orbit their cozy little cradle…that does touch me in a very close and personal place in which I live. Particularly since Urd herself has been affected…and by that useless Mraller of all the possible tools whom I might expect to give me a grandchild…"

Had Cybele been free to speak she would have put in her own curt observations on just what a handful this Nabiki had turned out to be. But she was pretty sure that Hild was fully aware about her record, as the Queen of Hell did not get where she was without developing multiple sources of information.

"I believe that I will keep you here and groom you to be my instrument as I test this mortal and discover whether or not she has the potential to tilt the balance between worlds by her endeavors," Hild noted, "When you are ready then we will have to go about finding you a new vessel that will allow you to walk once again among the humans. But until that time I will bide myself and continue to observe. After all, there is no sense in being Hasty while we sort about and observe this human's progress."

Cybele rolled her eyes, knowing that she would have to endure being the plaything for her rival for considerably longer than she cared to have to suffer through. But at least the possibility of getting revenge was being discussed, which meant that there was something that could make her ordeal bearable as she hung naked in space being violated by demons whose multiple appendages would cause envy in a Shikima.

Hild leaned back on her throne and continued to enjoy the show. Yes, she definitely would be looking into the possibility of using this worthless Cow (who, at one time, had been fairly good in bed, before Hild's tastes had gone in for the more exotic) in an effort to counter the meddling attempts of her sister to muck up the mortal world with happiness and contentment. Time enough that Ganglot was reminded just what Oni Demons were supposed to do with humans, especially the ones who were particularly tasty-looking.

But not right away. After all, if this Nabiki were as potentially powerful as indications seemed to show, then simply killing her would be entirely out of the question. Among other things, it would quite possibly annoy HIM, especially as Heaven was clearly taking just as much of an interest.

And besides…Nabiki herself might some day prove useful to their cause…or her children. Quite possibly one of them might have a weakness that could be exploited. And if so…

Well, that was for the future to decide, and Hild was not about to rush things as she had developed quite a taste of human reality shows, most particularly the ones that her monitors were finding centered in Nerima…

"I'm so glad that you could meet with me on such short notice." Ganglot said to her lovely guest, "I know what an inconvenience it was having to travel such a distance, and in your condition."

"Not at all," replied Kaoru as she sat across the table from the golden skinned woman, whom she could perceive was more than a harmless proprietor without having to refer to her ever-present Tarot cards. "Since you were paying for the train ticket that I used to commute here from mother's circus."

"I do hope that there is no lingering…resentment…considering the part that I played in your being with child," Ganglot continued, "In fact, I'm sure quite a few people are more than a bit cross with me over my little…prank?"

Kaoru smiled, patting her swelling abdomen, "You need not have any fear from me on that particular subject. In fact, I am quite grateful to you for helping Ryo-chan and me to become parents this soon in our relationship. And here I was afraid that I was going to have to seduce him to get him to marry me when he's still a bit…obsessed over the idea of rebuilding his family dojo."

"Men often need quests and goals to make their lives seem fulfilling," Ganglot smiled, then mused, "So I suppose that I should cut to the chase and get down to business. As you no doubt already know, I did not do this on a whim but for a very specific purpose, one which I am certain you have already guessed the nature of with your special gifts."

"You perceive rightly," Kaoru smiled, "I, too, am concerned about my little brother and what the fates may have in store for that special child of his…and it makes sense to me that you have opted to surround him with unusually gifted peers who will be at or around her age group, only some of whom will be allies in the future."

"She doesn't need simply allies who are strong," Ganglot replied, "She will need rivals and enemies who will challenge her to get stronger. And knowing, as I do, the pride of the Saotome and Tendo clans, she will only reach her best by facing a series of challenges that will test her mettle and help to strengthen her. And, of course, few challenges are as perilous as the ones of the heart since I foresee the potential of suitors crossing her path who will offer their own special brand of complications."

Kaoru spread her cards out on the table in front of her then began to pick ones at seeming random, spreading them out and placing them face-down in the traditional pattern that was meant to resemble the Tree of Life before turning the first card over.

"You see the threats that she will face will slowly escalate over time," Kaoru said as she turned over the next card then added, "But the ultimate challenge and goal comes from outside her circle of relationships and friends. I see the hand of the Devil poses the greatest threat to her achieving the purpose of the fates."

"My sister," Ganglot noted grimly, "And Cybele, should she ever find a way of returning to the mortal plane. I cut her power line, but only temporary, and she will not be too pleased with me if she ever manages to get back."

"You wish to arrange matters to operate on their own momentum should you be unable to act on your own more directly," Kaoru looked up from the cards that she had systematically revealing, "You foresee the possibility of your own potential demise?"

"Or worse," Ganglot grimaced, "I could be sealed away for another three hundred years if my sister has anything to say about it. And if that should be the case, I want to be sure that these kids have the tools that they will need to get by on their own without me."

"I see," Kaoru noted, glancing down, "I do not foresee any major trouble in the immediate future…but the further you move forward in time the more difficult it will be to foretell what might happen. The problem with a Nexus…let alone two of them…is that they are granted Free Will for a reason, to make choices that are unimpeded by others. By their very nature they complicate the lines of fate and make possible a variety of alternate destinies…"

"Yes, I'm rather fond of Fanfiction myself," Ganglot smiled, but then sobered once again, "Do you foresee the possibility of my Champion becoming romantically embroiled with a servant of the enemy? Because that is usually the preferred means by which Hild tries to control people."

"That is certainly one of many possibilities that I see open to the pathway that my niece will tread," Kaoru replied, then glanced up and said, "You really didn't need me to tell you most of this since you've obviously planned ahead."

"On the contrary," Ganglot replied, "You have the gift of Sight, which is rare enough these days among mortals, and have a much stronger connection to the paths of destiny since you are mortal and I…well, let's just say that I've been around a very long time. I can feel the shape of fate when Destiny reveals his hand, but I can't specifically nail down anything where it comes to those I most care about. That's why it pays to get an outside consultant to do a reading."

"I see," Kaoru leaned back on her chair and felt her abdomen, "But since my own child may well play a part in this destiny, it could interfere with my own ability to read the lines of possibility. So…what do you recommend?"

Ganglot smiled, "I want you to do something that may be asking a great deal from you. I want you to renew your ties with your brother, Saotome Ranma, and reveal to him in time the connection between his father and your mother. But mostly, I want you to do this as a means of getting closer to Tendo Nabiki."

Kaoru arched an eyebrow, "But why? She's obviously very gifted with the sight…"

"But her gifts are not precisely the same as your gifts," Ganglot revealed, "I want to encourage you to teach her a little something about your ways, and to initiate her into the art of the Tarot, which are very different from the disciplines that she is learning from Lotion, the Lore Master."

"But won't her Sensei object to the interference of a rival art distracting her away from her own special teachings?" Kaoru asked.

"Trust me," Ganglot affirmed, "Lotion is more sensible than almost any other Amazon that I've ever crossed paths with. And she will know my reason for wanting to broaden the knowledge basis of her favorite apprentice. And I believe the divination arts that you inherited from your mother are a vital key component to what it will take for Nabiki to triumph over her own special challenges, once she gets through with the difficult art of giving birth to new life. And it will help if you reveal to her than one of her daughters will be a Lore Master, the other a Healer. That much I can foresee and reveal without tipping the balance too far between either Hell or Heaven."

"Interesting," Kaoru overturned one of the cards, then lifted an eyebrow and said, "The Lovers? Curious. I would think Nabiki's romantic life was complicated enough without having additional distractions."

"Who can say with love?" Ganglot smiled back, "In a way, this all began for me when I stared to fall in love with humanity, during the years of my imprisonment, when all that I could do was observe things from a distance. Then I discovered Cable, and…well…I'd be very upset if the entertainment value that humankind provides were brought to a tragic ending. But I also have the selfish motive that my own family, the Hibikis, are interwoven with the fate of the Saotomes."

"In which case I am very glad that you summoned me here," Kaoru said, "Because I had been wondering what a Princess of the Oni was doing siding with us against her own kind. You have to admit, it does raise quite a few eyebrows in certain quarters."

"I've never been one much for playing by the rules," Ganglot said, "And ever since the All Mighty One drew them up, eons ago, I've chaffed under the stifling label of being considered as one of the "Bad Guys." Heck, in my time I was a pretty awful person, sowing misery and dissent among innocent people who had not done anything in particular to deserve that from me. But over the centuries I'd pretty much seen the best and the worst that mortals had to offer, and I had gotten pretty jaded about it…until I discovered daytime Soap Operas, Talk shows and Romantic Adventure Dramas. That and Anime…I love the stuff that they put out in cartoons these days, even if they do tend to stereotype my kind rather badly."

"I suppose that our race does have our redeeming features," Kaoru mused.

"Yeah, even if you guys did invent Infommertials and the Fox News channel," Ganglot shuddered, "Even most Demons that I know aren't warped or evil enough to come up with something as perverted as all of that."

"You mean to say that Rupert Murdock isn't one of your kind?" Kaoru asked.

"Hey, trust me on this," Ganglot replied, "When it comes to inventing new forms of evil, you humans have it way over we of the Demonkind. Heck, many of the worst devils that I know originally started out as lowly humans."

"You do have a point there," Kaoru said, only to look up as Romeo and Julian entered the room, the former looking as heavily pregnant as Kaoru herself as she said, "Mistress…is it good for my Airen and me to go shopping at store? You will not need us right away?"

"You kids go have some fun, and leave me to contemplating my wicked fates for the evening," Ganglot said, then watched as her two ex-Amazon charges went off together before saying, "Good company those two have been over the past couple of years. I look forward to seeing what sort of little Hell Raiser they'll be producing in a bit. Ah…mortals. You grow up in the bat of an eyelash, and then you're gone…too soon for my liking. And each of you is unique and special in your own special way, never to be repeated…exactly."

"I think that I understand you better now," Kaoru mused, standing up with some difficulty, "Well, I don't want my own husband fretting too much about where I've gotten off to, and I have just enough time to pay my respects to my brother and sisters-in-law before I catch the train back to where our Circus is currently located."

Ganglot stood and bowed to her, "I am very honored that you took the time to visit with me. I hope that we have many more such productive conversations in the future."

"That is my hope as well," Kaoru replied as she gathered up her Tarot card, only to see one fall of its own accord out of her hands and land face-up upon the table.

Gantlot saw it and mused, "Interesting," and then she felt a stirring of power in the air and lifted her gaze, glancing sidelong before adding, "I was wondering when the two of you were going to show up."

Kaoru looked up in surprise at two strangers who had entered the room without her being aware of them, only to gasp as she saw the craggy, weathered features of the man and gasped, "Little Brother?"

""Funny to hear somebody call me that who looks young enough to be one of my kids," the man said simply, giving Ganglot a knowing look before adding, "Hiya, Gangly. Lookin' the same as always."

The woman at his side stepped forward, her features immediately recognizable, though she was older and-like the man-considerably more world-wise in appearance as she centered her focus upon Ganglot and said, "We need to talk."

"Of course we do," Ganglot said as she sat back down and laced her fingers while smiling at her new house guests, "Do have a seat, and let's get down to business."

"Don't mind if we do," the woman replied, giving a friendly nod to Kaoru before adding, "Don't mind us, Sister-in-law. In fact, this need not concern you at all, so why don't you go on about your business while we sit down to settle old accounts with our family's guardian Oni."

And like that Kaoru found herself outside of Ganglot's art studio, blinking her eyes at the sudden transition of it all, though she had no memory of having gotten up to leave the place.

She glanced backwards and then murmured, "I have a feeling that I am missing something here, and that is very…ominous." And then she glanced down at several Tarot cards that she was holding in her hand, seeing the Magician, High Priestess and Fortitude Card.

Set in opposition to the Tower Struck by Lightning…

Continued.

And thus we come to the conclusion of this Epilogue (or Prologue, if you will), where the long saga of "A Tale of Two Wallets" officially is put to rest (but not forever as I have a deep affection for this particular timeline, and wouldn't mind visiting at points sometime in the not-too-distant (one hopes) future.

It has been quite a fun romp overall, but as with all things, time moves on and other projects beckon. I hope that you have enjoyed this multi-part crossover series, which has been as pivotal to my "Realities" series as my main series, "AVST: Nabiki ½," which I intend to get back to very shortly in order to devote myself to the conclusion of the current story arc that I've been neglecting for some time now.

Of course, my greatest thanks must go to Rumiko Takahashi for conceiving the original Ranma series, and while my take on her vision may be somewhat different than what she would have intended, I like to think that I have honored the spirit of her work, if not the exact letter.

This all began with the notion of what would happen if Nabiki accepted her engagement to Ranma, rather than pass it off to her younger sister, a premise that I also explore at some length in "Horse and Butterfly," which-again-is a series much neglected and deserving of attention.

One variation on "Tale of Two Wallets" that intrigues me is the possibility of doing a future-time "Kids" stories that doesn't cross over with other worlds (ala the "Realities" series), just to explore what the children might be like when Shanma and her siblings are old enough to be attending high school. Those who recall the versions that I used in "Realities Cubed" will know that Shanma is the top dog (or Catgirl) of her age with her younger siblings, Kachima, Kokaku and Mace, featuring prominently as the heirs to the various disciplines of the "Anything Goes" school.

Of course some changes would be necessitated if I go ahead with such a project, not least being the other kids that I have (metaphorically) conceived in this chapter, such as Ganymede, Kinko, Ryonako Naru, Ataro, Veil, Tenko, Lamyra and others, which makes for the possibility of lots of rivalries and personality clashes, the stuff that martial-arts fanfiction is all about (ala Keniichi, the Ultimate Disciple).

I hope that you might be as willing to take such a journey with me should I ever get it off the ground, but in the meantime, stay well, and keep reading! After all, a Mime is a terrible thing to taste (said the Zombie), and whatever the future may hold within the cards…

Well, the lady ain't telling, but from the smile that she's wearing you know that she's holding an ace or two somewhere…

Nihao!

Jim Robert Bader


End file.
